Fruits Basket©
For chibi-angel, finally giving me encouragement to post this. Arigato.
Author's Notes: First Fruits Basket fic. I hope everyone enjoys this. Classic Yukiru pairing. This fanfic is in Yuki's POV.
Tohru no TameniIt wasn't the first time I found myself now looking at you. You were always the calm one, and I've never seen you angry before, unlike someone I know fairly well…
There wasn't even a time when you scolded us or shouted at us. Instead, you'd be patient, very infinitely patient, in everything. Even though it was our fault, even though it doesn't concern you, it's in your nature to help. If you didn't notice, I was watching that time, when you were helping Kagura-san repair the shoji door. I even heard both of your soft whispers and delicate womanly giggles.
In that night, I knew it was only a matter of time before you were the close of the family. Maybe I should've felt it coming, then, the time when Akito emerged to see you. I was nervous and scared. For you or for me, it doesn't matter, just that I felt it.
I am, after all, only human.
And, maybe, because I am human, I made the mistake of letting you in to our lives. Both Shigure-san and I persuaded you to live with us—or maybe was I the one insisting? Shigure-san often told me I was a natural when it comes to persuasion. I can see that now.
But, when it comes right down to it, I didn't regret having you part of our lives. I seemed that the others think like I do, too. You were the angel sent from heaven in disguise of a naïve little girl who usually looked clueless in front of everybody. We think differently. Naïve or not, clueless or not, you're still the angel we prayed the entire long while for.
Didn't you know that you brought happiness into the cursed Sohma? So much happiness to the point where we forgot our sufferings, our weakness and our sorrows just simply because you were there. Every night I asked dearly for you not to be taken away, like some others that I get close to. They were only few, not too many and none were like you. Honda Tohru…
…You are special.
Honda-san, we care for you, just like you care for us. It breaks us to know that you are hurt, even minor illnesses that you caught. We made sure to help you in any way possible, even if it is only a small token; nevertheless, you always received them with a smile. I must admit, even though a certain red-haired boy in this house hates leek and managed to "steal" some from the garden you helped to cultivate, he made soup…for you.
People like you were always rare to find. I'll even bet that the silent Hatori would agree with me. Heck, I'll even put down my money in that Ayame, my so-called older brother, would even admit that he is taken by your wise remarks. You touched our lives to the point that we even hold on to you. I don't complain—I'm already captivated.
I know nothing is permanent in this world. Eventually, you'll go, or we will, but the Sohma will always hold a place for in our hearts. Even you might place all twelve of us in one special place in your memories and heart. But the time of that has yet to come. If we could help it, we'd rather you stay with us. As I said, we were already bound by your smiles—we could never escape.
-*-
"Ano, Sohma-kun, please stop staring at me," Tohru said, slightly blushing under Yuki's gaze. He snapped out from his stupor, blinking at her before smiling pleasantly.
"Gomen nasai, Honda-san. My mind wandered for a bit," Yuki explained, taking the clean, dry plates to put on the wooden cabinet. "Was I really looking at you?"
Tohru blushed more deeply, her hands wet with water and soap, cleaning an oily wok in the sink. "Yes, but it was sort-of thoughtful, but still, I'm not very comfortable if someone is like that." She looked away, strands of brown hair falling down her face. To her absolute embarrassment, Yuki pushed them behind her ear, smiling sweetly before he started to wipe still wet plates by the table.
"I thought that it bothered you, and since with all those soap suds in your hands, I did it for you." Yuki said, looking at the corner of his eye to watch for her reaction. Darker shades of red tinted her cheeks. He smiled secretly. "Would you like to spend the rest of the day in the park? I know of a great place where flowers grow."
She blinked, her hands stopping their work. Did he…did he just ask me? "Nani?"
"I like flowers. Do you?"
Tohru nodded, unsure where this was leading.
He sighed. "I want to see the flowers. It's mid-spring. There would be many blooming. Would you like to go?"
This one chance…I'll take it. Tohru beamed. "Hai!"
Unknown to her, Yuki's eyes softened. I'm glad…
-*-
But then, we don't want to escape. The time for the day that we all may part has yet to come. There would definitely be sorrow, and sadness. Suffering wasn't always easy, and no one said life was always good. There were the good days and the bad days. The good days are still here; the bad days haven't appeared yet. Until then, Honda-san, I would spend my good days with you.
I'm sure all of us wouldn't want it any other way. Or perhaps, I'm the one who wouldn't want it any other way.
As I said, I'm human. I can feel, too.
And the feeling I have now is simply…wonderful.
Arigato, Honda-san, for everything. We owe our lives to you.
The EndAuthor's Notes: I've noticed when I watched again my Fruits Basket CDs that I've never really seen Tohru angry. She never shouts, yell or even scold. Maybe she's got the patience of a Buddha to have that.
*Glossary
-san, -kun: used as a very polite honorific, being Ms./Mr./Mrs. '-kun' is mainly used for boys. It is not as polite as '-san'.
Gomen nasai: I'm very sorry.
Nani: what?
Hai: yes
Added information:
-Tohru helping Kagura—that was in the time when Kagura visited the Sohma household where Shigure was living with Yuki, Kyou and Tohru. Kagura wrecked that shoji door while in one of her 'excitement' moods in seeing Kyou.
-Akito talking to Tohru—the time when the clan head went to the school where Tohru, Kyou and Yuki were currently studying. It was the episode where Hatsuharu and Momiji enrolled as new students in their school.
-Yuki insisting to Tohru—first episode, where Yuki persuaded her to live with them in the house. He really was insisting. Shigure played little part in persuading her. It was Yuki who did all the work.
-Kyou picking and cooking leek—Tohru was with fever from all the work she has been doing, plus studying for the exams. Yuki did the favor of compiling test questions for her, Kyou even touching his least favorite food, while the other Sohma visited her. Kisa and Momiji were there, Hatori—of course—to treat her.
-Ayame admitting he liked Tohru—It was the episode when the snake and the onigiri first met. He admitted to Hatori, though subtly, that he was fond of Tohru for saying things he wanted to hear most.
My very, very first completed Fruits Basket fic, even if it is a one-shot and quite short. Ano ne, minna, please read and review and please—please—don't hesitate to tell me anything, even flames I sometimes normally receive. (Part of everyday life, I guess. –sigh-)