Sorry to put Japanese in this! I know it can be irritating to some people, but it's one of my phrases and I wanted to use it... even if only to shamelessly show off. Sorry! -bows- Fruits Basket is not mine by the way.
(divider)
Her eyes were closed.
There wasn't a sound to disturb her, not a note quivering from the stringed instrument in her lap and yet, the music played on, playing, playing, playing...
that single melody.
She loved it, she hated it, she pleaded for it to stop, if only in her head; stop playing above the sound of the soothing rain outside that reminded her that she couldn't go home. Home to an empty house, which had been full so recently.
Who would've thought he would have killed? No one saw the car coming...
no one heard had heard that scream...
Not even Saki herself, a hundred miles away at college, separated from Tohru and Uotani, who might have helped her retain what precious sanity she clasped at when she heard he'd died. Her parents weren't able to stay in their house, with all the memories, but they couldn't lose it easier. Not with all those memories in it's walls.
So Saki abandoned college, and headed home.
To the house of abandoned memories.
At first, he was around every corner; the memories waiting quietly for her to walk into them. Then they began fading, the moments becoming farther and farther apart when she broke into ragged sobs. But even the knowledge that the memories were disappearing hurt, and Saki spent more time then ever hurting in those late six months.
Eventually, she applied for a transfer, attending at the small college in her hometown. As far as she knew, Tohru was married (already! That shameless orange-haired neko hadn't wasted any time) and Uotani was still flirting shamelessly with that boy she had met at work so long ago. Back in high school.
When everything was all right and her biggest concern was keeping the Yuki fangirls away from Tohru.
"Hello?" A high-pitched voice called out into the echoing gym. Saki looked up, having set up her chair on the basketball court, complete with music stand, so it was difficult to remain unnoticed.
"Oh..." The person, a boy, smiled at her, calm but cheerful. "Hello! Are you playing? Can I hear?"
Saki looked down at the cello resting lightly in her hand, sleek wooden body traveling down between her legs to the shiny floor. Honestly, she hadn't played a note yet, so lost in memories and the sound of the rain outside. Limply, she lifted the bow, aligned it and tightened her fingers around the frog (base), and drew it across the strings, a deep baritone echoing out into the gym walls; thunder rolling from far far away. She lifted the bow off, shaking her head. There weren't any songs flowing into her head, so nothing would come from the instrument, but the boy was stunned nonetheless.
"Wow..."
Her audience was captivated, finding only that single word. His blonde hair framed his face, and it's shock, beautifully, like a model's. Saki smiled faintly, memorizing this expression of his. So child-like...
But all too quickly the moment broke. Love at first sight never happened, and he would run once he found out he was with the college's resident freak.
"Aren't you going to play anymore?" He asked with disappointment in his eyes and she shook her head. Undaunted, he pressed on.
"So, what's your name?"
"Saki Hanajima." She replied, the reaction was coming, just wait, just wait...
But there wasn't one.
"I'm Momiji Souma! Do you want to be friends?"
The request was surprising. Had it been that way with Tohru? With Uo? Had it really been as simple as that?
Oh yes. It had. And even then she had been obsessed with keeping people away from herself. But why keep this boy away? What was the point? Judging by his determined eyes, he would keep pressing at her until she opened up, proving to him that she was happy. His entire presence close to her radiated friendly and disarming.
Why beat him off with a antisocial stick?
"Yes... I'd like to be friends Souma-kun."
"Nooo! Call me Momiji." The boy demanded happily, tucking his blonde hair out of his eyes. "Everyone does, since I was in grade school, so you can call me that too."
"All right... Momiji."
He gasped suddenly and slapped one fist into his open palm, looking cutely surprised.
"You were Tohru's friend weren't you? Hana-chan! Ohisashiburi desu ne? (It's been a long time hasn't it?)"
"Yes..." Saki responded quietly. Those days were behind her. After Tohru had left with Kyo, the friendship had drifted from "we are friends" to we "were friends". The relationship hadn't disintegrated but... she didn't know them anymore, not as close as they used to be. After watching Tohru, her "ward" as she and Uo sometimes called her, go off and get married, Saki had felt her purpose slipping away. Uotani needed no protection, not with Kureno so close to her now. It wouldn't be long till the Yankee was married as well, a young bride maybe but... that didn't matter did it?
There was nothing left to protect, no one to harbor from the already-terrorized bullies of the school. Saki let her fingers trail along the length of the cello lightly, as one would stroke a cat while she thought. Momii just watched quietly.
Oh... she could see it now, in his brown eyes. He had been the hyperactive little boy at the school fair, so long ago. Who had disappeared so suddenly; the excitable one with who was almost always happy, who used to dart through the halls playing 'cops and robbers'. Though his clothing was always strange, he had been a cute kid, but now there was a seriousness in his eyes. And his waves were just--
were just like Tohru and Uotani's had been when she first met them. Crying, ever so quietly...
Why did all the childish innocence have to die like that? Why couldn't Momiji have stayed the happy little boy he was? Why was it always like... this...
"Hana-chan? Why are you crying? Saki?"
Her tears would stain the cello. The salt might hurt the wood, might leave streaks of her despair. She sniffled and straightened, tucking her hair back over her ear from where it had drifted over her shoulder.
"I'm-I'm fine." Her voice was steady, but she could hear the croak in it's wake, the one that Momiji couldn't help but overhear as well.
"It's all right to cry, everybody needs to sometime..."
The black-haired girl choked on the rising flood, shoving them back into her throat, into an already-overflowing drawer of painful emotions.
No, not to me. Not to me! I won't cry!
But the soft whimperings stretched out anyway as she tried to explain calmly why she was 'fine'. Because a hamaguri (clam) never cried... it was silly to think this way, silly to cry, silly to explain herself to Momiji's compassionate gaze.
"I lost Megumi."
Choking.
Swallow, breathe, try again.
"A year ago today... it-it was all my fault for not being there. I didn't listen to Tohru and Uotani when they told me to come home because Megumi missed me, needed me. I wanted to stay for myself. I never replied to them calling me after he died, too wrapped up in myself..." She shuddered and let out a long breath. She could feel the numb emptiness that had ruled her life when she was younger trying to take over, remain silent, because silence was easy and no one asked questions.
"I don't even know why I'm telling you, of all people. Why should you care? You're just... a boy from the school fair, the blonde who enjoyed cops and robbers, the boy with strange fashion sense..."
"I grew up." Said the calm boy with the eyes that drifted constantly between smiles and seriousness, like tranquil lake water on a warm day. Saki couldn't bear to look up at him, even though what remained of her faint 'power' told her he was taking one of her hands in his.
"And I'd like to help you."
Suddenly, the blush that had been hiding behind the curtain of tears burst out and Saki moved the cello quickly out of the way, standing so quickly she almost upset the boy, detaching her hand from his grasp.
"You can't... thank you for the offer Momiji Souma." The boy just stood there numbly, watching her sadly, unhappily. His eyes were full of understanding, and she hated suddenly that he could understand. Why should the happy little Momiji understand her? He shouldn't have to, he should've stayed innocent and smiling and childish.
So he couldn't relate to her. So he wouldn't be broken just like her.
"I wish I could hug you." Momii said quietly. Saki looked at him oddly, black locks sliding over one shoulder.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes..." He answered, gazing at her.
"I won't slap you." She murmured icily, turning away again and kneeling next to the cello case, starting to put it away.
"But I still can't. Well ... I'll see you around then Hana-chan!" He was quiet at the start of the sentance, then forced himself cheerful and bubbly, as he used to be. Saki watched the blonde Souma practically skip away, then looked back down at the black cello case thoughtfully, taking out the large instrument again and drawing the bow across the strings. There was a song now.
A faint song in the back of her head that echoed throughout the gym floor, bouncing off the walls like... like a rabbit.
I wish you could help me too... Momiji.
(divider)
"Momiji! You're home!" Momo came running into the living room, beaming at her big brother. He grinned down at her, tossing off his exceedingly-heavy college backpack gleefully, letting it thunk onto the floor.
"Yup! Is Dad home yet or do we have to fend for ourselves?" He wandered into the kitchen, browsing through the cupboards for dinner. Three dust bunnies and a jigsaw puzzle piece, which Momo gasped at in shock and took off to find the puzzle it went to.
/Looks like we're eating out again./ Momiji thought despondantly as he pulled on his coat and held the door for Momo. Ever since their mother had died, they'd been fending for themselves a lot more. Sometimes Momiji's father didn't get back from the company until late, curling up on the couch in exhaustion with a energy bar and whatever was on the tv. Before she had died, Momo's mother had made the meals, for the three of them at least.
But after she died, there wasn't any reason for secrecy. Not with Momo needing a caretaker for when her father couldn't handle the pressure. Momiji was quickly elected, and he made the transfer from a distant college to the community one.
Before now, he hadn't even considered meeting someone from back when Tohru was still here. Saki Hanajima had to be at least two or three years his senior...
But he remembered her brother from the one class they had together. Megumi was a quiet boy, dressed in black; if you were polite and genuinely wanted to know him, there was an entire world of him that no one ever saw. Megumi was very close with his sister, the two of them considered 'freaks' by the school. When Megumi had once stated their "status", Momiji had felt a jolt run through him, even though his friend was simply stating a fact. Freaks. That was the Soumas in a basket, just freaks. There'd been a link between him and Megumi and Momiji had always felt he could trust the other boy with secrets.
But now Megumi had died. Feeling more than simply a twinge of sadness run up inside him, Momii paid for the takeout meal Momo had grabbed, barely glancing at the title as he handed over the money.
"Wasa-wasa-wasaaaaa-biiii..." Momo sang, spinning around goofily. Really, she should act her age when they were in public but Momiji wasn't about to criticize her for having fun. Plus, her adorability helped take his mind off the subject of Megumi.
That is, until her twirling rammed her right into someone.
"Sorry!" Momo apologized quickly, even as her 'victim' took a step or two backwards at the weight of a ten year old girl. (AN: Sorry for the age! I don't know...) The older girl straightened again, looking down at the girl with concern in her dark eyes. Momiji blinked, finding it odd that Saki would be at the grocery store, buying... was that pocky?
"It's all right. Are you okay?" Saki asked Momo gently and the blonde girl bobbed her head, staring at the pocky while trying to remain 'inconspicuous'.
"Yes ma'am... is that pocky?" She inquired cutely and Saki smiled faintly, glancing over at Momiji.
"Yes. Is that wasabi-flavored tayoyaki under Momiji's arm?"
"Yup!"
"What?" Momiji stared down at the package under his arm and held it out in front of himself, staring at the katakana which cheerfully read "Wasabi-flavored tayoyaki! HOT HOT HOT!" ---with lovely little flames leaping from the words.
"But this is dinner! And spicy things are hard to eat, Momo-chan!"
"Do you like spicy things?" Momo demanded of Saki, the older girl blinking slowly in confusion, her eyebrows knitting together as she tried to understand where this was going.
"Occasionally..."
"Then you can come and eat tayoyaki with oniisama and me! And then we can have pocky!"
Oh, THAT was where it was going. Somehow, everything related to pocky in one way or another.
"I would like that Momo-chan." Saki replied, her smile simple and disarming. Momiji smiled back, perhaps a more appropriate term would be "beamed".
"Okay! I don't think Father will mind since he'll be late and he'll probably have eaten before."
"Would you like to eat at my house?"
"Ehhhhhh?" Momo stared up at her, then her brown eyes went wide with amazement, childish excitement easily readable in their depths.
"CAN we? Oniisama, can we, please please please please please!"
"Yeah!" The blonde Souma was getting into the spirit of things as well.
"I've never been to your house Saki!"
"It's a little empty..."
"Then we'll fill it up!" He replied cheerfully. Watching him was like watching the years melt into nothing, changing him back into a innocent hyperaive little boy.
"Momo just has to be home by nine or she gets sleepy--"
"No I don't!" The ten-year-old gripped Saki's black gothic skirt tightly with clutching fingers.
"Wanna stay with her! Saki! 'N remember? Tohru said we should eat tayoyaki with special people and stay with them for as long as we can 'n Saki's special!"
Momiji shrugged as Saki turned an inquisitive stare on him.
"No idea where she heard that..."
The black-haired girl shrugged. "Well, standing in the supermarket all day isn't going to get dinner cooked. We should go."
"Okay." Momiji tried to take Momo's hand but the girl had glomped onto Saki like a leech, refusing her brother. Momiji smiled, brushing the rejection off and they headed towards the Hanajima residence. As they approached the aged two-story house, Momiji was taking note of everything.
"Aren't your parents home?" He asked as Saki stuck her key in the door. Momo was eager to get out of the not-raining but still-damp outside weather, her shoes wet from having jumped in every puddle on the way there. As girlish as Momo could be, some things were still too great a temptation to ignore.
"No, they moved." Saki replied in a monotone as she pressed open the door, Momo moving with her as one person, hanging on her skirts.
"The kitchen is to your left, and to work the microwave, you must pick up the baseball bat and whack it. Hard, preferably."
Momii blinked, looking down at the box in his hand then at the innocent-looking microwave in the kitchen.
"Will that break it?"
Saki appeared from where she had left to put her and Momo's coats away.
"If it does, I'll buy a new microwave." She replied with a straight face, taking the box from him and heading into the kitchen. Momiji followed her to the microwave, staring at it.
"You sure?"
"Yes, the microwave is rather essential."
"No, I mean about the whacking!"
In response, she simply handed him the baseball bat. Momiji stared at it, then grinned, gripping the base. Winding up, he brought the bat down with a resounding CRASH! on the casing. Saki watched then said in a monotone.
"Again."
"Ehhhhhh!"
Momo was waving her hands by this time. "Me! Me!"
CRASH!
Saki inspected Momiji's latest work and nodded. "Good job. Now I can officially say it's broken." She slipped the prepared dinner into the oven and turned back to the staring Momiji.
"You just wanted me to break it?"
"It's been faulty for almost a year but I could never say it was really broken. Now I can get a new one." She deadpanned, lifting the microwave with little strain and placing it by the back door. Giving up on this topic, however entertaining it was, Momiji sat down at the counter, asking cheerfully,
"So what are you majoring in?"
"Electrodynamics with a minor in Music. What is yours?"
"I always wanted to be a fireman!"
Saki turned to stare at him, blinking in surprise at his career choice.
"--But then I realized that I could help more people by being a psychiatrist, so that's my major!"
"Your major is Psych?"
"Yup! Right now I'm learning about mental problems that people can have. There's an entire book on people's fears. It's kind of sad really..."
"Oniisamaaaa... I'm hungryyy..." Momo interrupted, distracting them both. Momiji smiled, in the typical manner of a older brother. "Just a little longer Momo!"
"Actually, it may be a while." Saki intoned, looking down at the girl. "Do you want to play Rich man, Poor man?"
Momo looked up, eyes shining excitedly.
"YEAH!"
(divider)
I may or may not continue this... it's what is called an "unconventional pairing", and I have no idea if any of the main Soumas are even going to appear. And the sky looks like cotton candy at the moment, so off I go... please review or it's a definite that I won't continue and this fic will probably disappear...