Author's Note: This began as a one-shot I did years ago, but I decided to come back to it during winter break. I did some revisions, and carried the story on for another three chapters. Hope you enjoy it. As always, I don't own Fruits Basket.

Sacrifice and Quiet Surrender

In the end, everything worked out.

For the most part.

Momiji stations himself at the fringe of the rambunctious crowd, curiously quiet and withdrawn. No one knows for sure why Akito decided to throw a party in the ancient Sohma compound, only a few months free from the curse. Momiji suspects it was Shigure's idea. Akito had always yearned for the affection of her family, and although her obsession was likely a result of the curse, there is probably an independent part of her that wishes for love and redemption. Momiji witnessed firsthand the lengths Shigure would go to have Akito. He is likely to do whatever it takes to keep her.

Tonight, that means filling her house with laughing faces. Momiji isn't sure how Shigure managed to convince so many people to celebrate with the woman responsible for lifetimes of abuse. Then again, his ruthless mind is capable of almost anything.

Shigure is credited as the architect who broke the curse and freed the family. Momiji was never his confidante, but he was clever enough to see what the dog intended by inviting Tohru into his game. Momiji helped Shigure the best he could. Sometimes he wishes that he hadn't.

From his place against the wall, he watches Kyo reach out with his long hand and tuck a piece of Tohru's hair behind her ear. He imagines what it would be like if it were his fingertips brushing her cheek. Momiji took advantage of Tohru's naivety before, touched her in the warm places allowed to a flamboyant, androgynous companion dressed in a girl's school uniform. She never gave him that smile, she never blushed under his hands. Momiji did it to make Kyo jealous, once he realized that their union was the goal all along. Momiji was the first to embrace her, and he was the first to admit he loved her.

Now, he has to beat down the longing that rises from the pit of his stomach, because he knows that it could have been him. Momiji had stopped cross dressing, he had stopped acting so childish, and he had hoped she would notice. He might have swept her off her feet before she discovered her feelings for Kyo. If he had told her he loved her, Tohru would not have rejected him. She wouldn't know how. He made her laugh when they were together, he made her happy. It could have been him.

But it's not.

Momiji feels a light pressure on his shoulder. He turns to find Kagura blinking up at him. Her eyes follow the path of his gaze and her face becomes sad. Momiji has never told anyone about his feelings, but Kagura is the most likely to understand. She sacrificed her chance of a relationship with Kyo to break the curse, just as Momiji quietly surrendered Tohru.

"Let's go get some air," she suggests. Momiji nods and follows her outside. No one tries to stop them from leaving the party.

The night swells with the music of crickets and cicadas in the garden. Momiji takes a deep breath of the late summer air, sweetened by the koi pond. He hadn't realized how stifling it was inside. "This was a good idea," he tells Kagura. "They should open a door in there."

"We could all just come outside," she replies. "It's a wonderful night."

Momiji stays silent.

Kagura gives him a small, knowing smile. Some of the Sohmas have noticed Momiji's strange periods of detachment, but only she has guessed the reasons. Everyone is too preoccupied with their own joy to dwell on melancholy of someone who hides it so well. Kagura doesn't have Momiji's stoicism. When she realized that breaking the curse meant giving up Kyo, she lashed out at every slight and sobbed on Rin's shoulder for weeks. Akito had never hurt Kagura, but she knew how much the other Sohmas suffered. That was the only thing that kept her from fighting for him.

Somber, she turns her chin up to the moon. "I hate feeling sorry for myself," she admits. "But it's hard not to when everyone else is living happily ever after, isn't it, Momiji?"

"Some days I can barely breathe," he confesses. There's no point in hiding it anymore. He knows Kagura will keep this secret. The Sohmas are too good at hiding from each other.

"It must be harder for you," Kagura whispers. "You actually loved her."

"You loved Kyo, too."

Kagura winces and turns away. She knows the truth. She never really loved Kyo, not like Tohru does. She tried, but the pity eclipsed love. In the back of her mind she always knew she couldn't save him, but at least when Akito locked him away she could congratulate herself for giving it a shot. From the very beginning she assumed that no one else would. Kagura looks at Momiji and thinks that his pain must be so much more profound.

"I'm thinking about visiting Germany," Momiji says suddenly. "Now that I can without feeling...off about it. It'll be nice to get away from here. Just for a little while."

Kagura nods her head. She understands his need to escape this place, so abruptly full of beginnings when all she can feel is the end. She is actually thinking about going on a small trip herself, maybe to the mountains or perhaps to the beach. Just to get away. Just for a little while.

They meet each other's eyes and find a sort of kinship there, a sort of understanding. Momiji reaches out and takes Kagura's hand. It is cold and small in his own, which is strange, because up until recently he had the smallest hands.

Is it fate's fault that they are the only ones left behind, the two of them, together? Kagura doesn't know. Hesitantly she leans in, closes her eyes, and presses her lips to Momiji's. He is warm and soft, but unresponsive. Kagura opens her eyes to find him staring right back at her.

Nothing.

Kagura pulls away. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Momiji says.

"Anything?" Kagura asks, for safe measure.

Momiji shakes his head.

"Yeah. Me neither."

They stand outside for a while longer, not wanting to stand there but not wanting to go back inside. Finally Kagura sighs and unlaces her fingers from Momiji's. "I hope you find someone that will help you forget her," she murmurs, stepping toward the door.

"Don't say that," Momiji says. "I don't ever want to forget her." He closes his eyes as the night breeze kisses his skin, thinking of a girl who will eventually ease the anguish that Tohru has caused his heart. But no one comes to mind. When he thinks of a girl who he can love and who will love him back, it is always her smiling face that blossoms across his eyelids.

Kagura opens her mouth, and then closes it. She can't say that she wants to forget Kyo, but she wishes that she could forget the pain she is feeling now.

She needs to leave. Tomorrow. Tonight.

"Good luck in Germany, Momiji," she tells him, because she knows that when she returns from wherever she's going, he's not going to be here.

"You too, Kagura."

As Kagura steps back inside, Momiji opens his eyes and gently touches his lips with the tips of his fingers.