Disclaimer: The story here is non-profit and for purely entertainment purposes; nor is it affiliated to Hakusensha or any other publishers of Fruits Basket. The manga belongs to Natsuki Takaya and the plot belongs to me. Quotes under drabble titles do not belong to me.
Author's Notes: I've always wanted to explore Momiji's relationship—or lack thereof—with his family. Three short drabbles written at different stages of Momiji's life.
. 001 – P H O T O G R A P H
A photograph can be an instant of life that will never cease looking back at you.
Momiji tilted the frame forward so he could unhook the stand from behind. From the front, anyone could see a picture of a younger Momiji standing next to his kneeling father. The two were smiling into the camera, the man's gentle smile captured along with Momiji's buoyant grin. What no one else knew was a second picture tucked behind it.
"Come on," Momiji silently coaxed the frame, "open, open!"
His fingers managed to ease the fairly rusty hinges that kept the back of the frame in place. With deft hands, he took the back off so he could take out the second picture. Unlike the first one, it was smaller with the neat, block handwriting of his father in the corner.
Momiji glanced around to see if anyone was in the area. Deeming the place safe, he turned back to the photo.
It was taken moments after his birth. He'd already been cleaned off by a nurse and wrapped up in a baby blue blanket. The shot was nowhere near perfect, for it was a hurried shot with blurred figures in the corners of the photo belonging to another nurses that had moved into the frame. Nevertheless, the camera had captured the unbridled joy of his mother's face as she reached out to hold him.
Momiji tenderly traced the adoring smile on his mother's face, drinking in the love that was supposed to be unconditional.
"What was it like," he murmured quietly, "to not be able to hold me close?"
His hand drifted down away from the picture. Although it brought more sadness than joy to remember, Momiji could still remind himself that even for the briefest moment, he had had the complete love of mother.
. 002 – P L A S T E R
Spiteful words can hurt your feelings but silence breaks your heart.
"Come now, Momiji, don't cry."
Momiji's father dropped a small kiss on Momiji's bandaged knee. A small tumble in the ground, followed by a scraped knee, would render any child to tears. He smiled tenderly at the bowed head, placing a gentle head atop the golden hair.
Momiji's crying turned to sniffles, breaking every now and then into hiccoughs as the little boy tried to calm down.
"All better?"
Momiji nodded, taking care not to dislodge the reassuring palm on his hair. "I didn't meant to fall but…"
His father caught the hesitation. "But what? Did you fall over something?"
Momiji shook his head rapidly, "No, I saw someone."
The hand above his head drifted down into a protective gesture around his shoulder. "Did you see a stranger Momiji?" A trace of alarm could be detected in his voice.
"No," Momiji assured, "I saw someone we know."
His father gently bumped his side into Momiji, silently prompting him to continue.
"I saw Mama."
. 003 – S H O O T I N G S T A R
Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.
"What did you wish for?"
"A chance to see Yuki again."
Momiji glanced at Hatsuharu, smiling in response to the gentle smile that had come over the other boy's face. Momiji still had a hard time believing that a brief visit with the famous Rat could make Haru change so much.
"What about you?"
Momiji looked away from Haru's inquisitive face to crane his head back up to look at the stars. What did he wish for? He had a lot of things to wish for: violin lessons, a trip to the zoo with Papa, and…
"Momiji," Haru asked again, wondering why Momiji hadn't responded to his first question.
Momiji, for his part, blinked back at Haru's concerned gaze. "Sorry, Haru, I was just thinking about it. I wished for,"
"No, don't tell me," Haru cut in, not unkindly, "it might not come true."
"But you told me your wish," Momiji pointed out.
Hatsuharu shrugged. "True, but I'll just wish again."
Momiji sighed, a mix of exasperation and fondness settling into his face. "Alright, why don't we go back in, Hatori-san might get worried."
AN: There could be more drabbles in the future but for now, this is it. Thanks for reading!