Tears of Blood
Author's Note: 'Ello there. I finally got Tears completely revamped and I'm hoping its better this time around. Drop a line and let me know kay?
I don't own Fruits Basket. I own all of my OCs and the plot. ) That's it. Nada else. Enjoy.
Prologue: Wait, wait. You're back?
Almost two years had passed since the fateful night when Tohru was forced to confront the Cat's true form, although shortly after her grandfather fell deathly ill, forcing Tohru from the comfort and familiarity of Shigure's home to move to America where they had found doctors who might be able to save the old man's life, leaving her friends and to Akito's knowledge, her memories of the Sohma Curse.
The Sohmas have slowly become accustomed to life without the cheery, although sometimes ditsy, little riceball and life has slowly become normal once again. Normal for a family forced to live with the Zodiac Curse anyways…
After weeks of rain, the sun finally broke through the cover of clouds that cover Kyoto like a blanket. It was a quiet afternoon for the inhabitants of the city as they continued their lives as if there weren't several inches of rain on the ground.
A black Ford SUV pulled up in front of the small crafts shop. A young woman with icy blue eyes hopped out of the front seat and hurriedly unlocked the glass front door and propped it open before she moved to the black of the vehicle to unload the boxes she'd brought.
She set the box she held on top of the others and set the mail and keys on the glass counter with its display of masks and other such dress up items. "Ayame?" She called as she pulled the vibrant blue tote bag from behind the counter. "Aya-sama?" She called a little louder this time.
Where could he possibly be? A sigh escaped her lips as she searched the endless aisles of fabric and shelves of craft supplies. Where WAS that loud, egotistical, overdramatic Snake? Another sigh escaped the young woman's lips, this time in frustration.
If he had run into Mine again and was hiding somewhere just so that he could pop out and scare her again, she was going to squeeze his scaly neck until he either passed out, or his head popped off. She preferred the later of course.
Visions of raining axes were dancing around in her mind's eye when she heard something that made her laugh. According to the extremely loud complaints coming from the back room, it sounded as if Ayame and Mine were busy with a customer. That was definitely something she didn't want to see.
The last costumer she'd accidentally seen was her English professor getting measured for a nurse's uniform. It had put a little bit of a damper on her favorite class. Now every time she went to class she envisioned him in the ridiculous outfit and had to be excused from class.
An idea began to form as she quietly dug through her bag to make sure that her wallet was there for money to get home before she crept back towards the front of the store. "Aya-sama? I'm going home! Have fun tonight!"
She was about to touch the handle when a blur of red and silver appeared and a warm hand grasped hers tightly. "Natalie! My beloved! I didn't know that you'd returned!"
She felt the person in question rubbing his head against hers like you would with your kitten and didn't know whether to fall over laughing or to knock him out. The later of course appealed to her much more but he'd do something before she could effectively get away. Like sic Mine on her. Decisions, decisions.
Before Natalie could make a solid decision on her course of action, she was being dragged towards the back of the store. Ayame had been saying something but the only parts she caught between her thoughts were 'my brother Yuki' 'Masquerade tonight' and 'please'. It was the please that snagged her.
Ayame didn't usually say please. He just figured people listened. Damn his charisma. That was the last time she ever gave him a fair warning. He used it against her way too much.
Natalie gave the golden eyed bishounen a reproving look. He returned it with an attractive melt in your mouth sexy smile before dragging her into the back where he continued to adjust the cuffs and fabric of the costume the young man on the stand.
He was dressed like the old hunters with black silk breeches tucked into mid-thigh leather boots that looked fairly worn and comfortably soft. He wore a normal white button-up and a silk black vest over that.
She remembered something briefly about the Sohma family having a Masquerade birthday party at their mansion tonight… There was something she had to be missing. What was it?
Natalie turned from the young man who stood with his back to her to the young man next to the door. Mine was currently trying to fix the tie of the black suit that he wore. A cape was haphazardly thrown over one shoulder. His jaw clenched and his grey eyes were darkened to the color of polished steel.
He was getting pissed.
"Here Mine. Let me do this. Why don't you go help Aya-sama?" She said quietly and she tried not to push Mine out of the way. Mine left graciously to go help their mutual friend and boss while she quickly wrapped the tie the way it was supposed to. She tightened it evenly and tucked it into the vest before she was spun around so fast that she was seeing stars.
When she could see clearly, she was vaguely aware of the hard body pressed against the line of hers. She looked up into the steely eyes of the young man who pinned her and narrowed her eyes. Oh hell no. She reined her temper in quickly and let out a shuddering breath. "Thanks kitten. What say you and I head into the back room and play a little dress up?" Natalie looked up into his handsome face and snapped. Oh fuck that.
Natalie pushed him back gently until she had the room she needed. She smiled demurely up at him with a lowering of her lashes that hid the smoldering vengeance that could only be described as a hell no before she swung her fist towards his face.
The first blow caught him off guard which made the second all the more effective. Natalie swung her leg up in an almost perfect arc and felt it make contact with the side of his face.
He flew back several feet and barely missed the young man in the center of the room who turned towards them looking fairly startled. Couldn't really blame him. One of the advantages to being only 5'4 was people tended to underestimate you.
Natalie's breaths came in ragged little gasps as she folded her unharmed hand around her fist and pressed the throbbing appendage to her stomach as pain flew up her arm and settled in her shoulder like little frozen needle pricks.
"Well," Ayame cough in an attempt to break the silence that had fallen. He never was a good one with silences. Especially if they were awkward like this one was. Ayame cleared his throat again while Mine collapsed into fits of giggles on the couch. When he spoke, his voice had risen a few octaves from suppressed laughter. "Well Natalie my love, let me reintroduce you to my beloved younger brother Yuki and his charming friend Hatsuharu."
She resisted the urge to smack herself in the forehead. Oh yeah. Sometimes she felt so scatterbrained. Now if she could only remember what she was missing about the masquerade tonight… She wiped the thought from her mind as Yuki gave her a soft smile and nodded his head in a sort of bow. "Hello Miss Yonin. It's been awhile since we last met." She returned the gesture and wrapped a lock of raven black hair around her index finger. "It's been five years since I've been to the banquets Sohma-kun."
He nodded his head to show he was listening as he went to check on Haru who was pushing himself into a sitting position. "Why does it feel like I've been hit by a truck?" "Oh yeah..." Natalie murmured under her breath. She'd forgotten about Black Haru.
"I have to apologize Haru. I forgot about Black Haru." She murmured quietly, embarrassed. Haru just looked at her with an obviously confused tilt of his head. "Was I that bad?" Heat crawled up Natalie's neck and she hated the fact that she was blushing. Instead of answering, she crossed the space between them and let her fingertips graze his cheek where she'd hit him…twice. She inwardly grimaced at his wince of pain. "I think I have some aspirin in my bag."
Haru followed her out to the front of the store where Natalie fished out a couple of aspirin from her bag and a bottle of water. Behind her, Ayame coughed. She bit her lower lip before turning towards him with a roll of her eyes.
Ayame circled her. His left hand clasped his chin while his right hand cradled his elbow. Ready for inspection. Natalie turned with him as he circled her. She felt like she was in the middle of a group of sharks and they were just waiting to tear her apart. But this was Ayame, and whatever he had planned was worse. Much worse.
After a few moments he grabbed her hand and led her in a little circle with a twirl so he could study her movement. Finally he threw his hands up in defeat. "My love, I don't know why you refuse to let me dress you up for the Masquerade tonight!" Natalie let a small smile curl her lips. Silly, silly man.
She pretended to be in deep thought for a moment before she pulled Ayame close to her body and trailed her hand lightly down his cheek to hold his chin and pull his face down to hers. Natalie paused; too deep a breath would put their lips together, before she spoke. "Hmm, I wonder," She smiled as she looked up at his face. He looked as if he were in a stupor and all his focus was on her mouth. Interesting. "Is it because I don't plan on joining the festivities tonight?"
Natalie walked away, leaving Ayame to stumble slightly forward while she moved behind the counter to get the mask that Haru had pointed out. Yuki moved towards his brother with a thoughtful look on his face while the other members of their party were distracted. "Ayame, did Natalie develop a black side like Haru or are you doing anything illegal?" He asked rather bluntly. Ayame never got it when he tried to beat around the bush.
Ayame ran his hands through his silver hair and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Well, to be completely honest little brother, neither. But if I were to have that kind of relationship with Natalie it wouldn't technically be illegal. She is 18 now after all." Yuki glared at his brother but Ayame simply laughed.
"No, it isn't like that Yuki. I've seen Natalie do that once before when a customer came in to pick up some supplies for his mother and he wouldn't stop pestering the poor girl. She seduced him just enough to send him sailing straight through glass doors. I'd had to get them replaced of course-" Now he was just rambling but Yuki wasn't quite listening. His violet eyes were on Natalie who was talking quietly with Haru.
This couldn't be the same Natalie he'd known all those years ago. The Yonins and the Sohmas had always been very close if only by their one common bond. They both had 12 members of their family cursed by the Zodiac every generation. Meaning that if one of the Cursed members were hugged by someone of the opposite sex or if their bodies came under a great deal of stress, they would transform into the animal of the year they were born under.
It was impossible. The last time he'd seen Natalie Yonin she'd been a shy, flat-chested little tomboy. There was really only one word that came to mind when he watched her, WOW.
"Ah, Miss Yonin? May I inquire as to why you don't plan on attending your own birthday celebration?" Natalie looked up from the notepad she was writing on. "Excuse me?" Yuki looked taken aback by the question. "The Masquerade is for both Haru's birthday and yours." So that's what she'd been forgetting.
Heat crept up her neck until she felt her face burning again. Damn it.
"Let me guess love." Ayame began with a knowing smile. "You either forgot it was your birthday again, or you were too embarrassed to ask me for one of my masterpieces." He half yelled the last part as he laughed near maniacally.
Natalie glared at Ayame out of the corner of her eye. She hated when he was right. Bastard. Damn him and that stupid gorgeous smile of his. Yuki and Haru were both looking at her with matching confused expressions on their faces. "You forgot your birthday again Allie?" Haru asked, using his old nickname for her when they were younger. "You say that like I do that all the time Haru. This is only the third time." She twirled a lock of raven hair around her index finger subconsciously.
Ayame laughed behind her. "I see. I have the perfect idea for your costume tonight my love!" Natalie sighed. In truth, she really hadn't wanted to go to the masquerade. She'd been trying to think of a plausible excuse for weeks and forgetting her birthday had been an almost perfect excuse.
She watched the two boys slip their masks on and adjust them before she turned to Ayame, her gaze pleading him. "Why don't you boys go on over to the mansion and we'll meet you there later." He said as he stepped behind the counter and pulled Natalie towards him. To Natalie he whispered, "Don't worry. Hari and Shigure will be there as well. We'll protect you." A shiver ran down Natalie's spine and she nodded her head numbly.
Natalie watched the two boys exit the store before she turned to face Ayame. "I don't think I can do this. I can't face him tonight." Ayame sighed and touched her face gently. "You have to face your fear sometime Natalie." Natalie shook her head to prevent the tears filling her eyes from falling. "I don't know Aya…" Ayame sighed and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Trust me."
Author's Note: Alrighty! That was the first revised chapter of Tears. ) I hope you all enjoyed it. I know it seemed like there was a lot of AyaOC but I wanted to make it a little more comfortable and kind of a friendly relationship between the two just to lay groundwork on their friendship (and come on, we all know that Ayame would flirt with a stick should it be curvy enough) ANYWAYS- hehe, yeah. I really hope you'll review and don't worry, the next chapter should be better.