A/N: This is just something I thought up and I know the song might not exactly fit but I just love the song. Also the part before the MHMHMH is right after Hatori erased Kana's memories and the part after the MHMHMH is the first Christmas after Tohru came into the Sohmas' lives. And I know Hatori doesn't play guitar, but for this story he does. Just so you know, Momiji lives with Hatori.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or the song 'I Try'
Momiji Sohma was walking around his relative's house looking for said relative, Hatori Sohma. He knew something very bad had happened but Hatori hadn't told him anything. It wasn't like Hatori was usually talkative, but his eyes had been bloodshot when he came home. Momiji wondered if maybe Kana had broken up with his dragon relative, but she seemed too nice a person to do that.
He stopped in front of Hatori's room, where he could hear sobs. He quietly opened the door a crack and peered in. Hatori was sitting on the bed, crying, with a guitar on his lap. I didn't know Ha'ri played guitar, Momiji thought. As he watched, Hatori started to sing.
I am not a child now
I can take care of myself
I mustn't let them down now
I mustn't let them see me cry
Cause I'm fine, I'm fine
I'm too tired to listen
I'm too old to believe
All these childish stories
There is no such thing as faith and trust and pixie dust
I try, but it's so hard to believe
I try, but I can't see what you see
I try, I try, I try
My whole world is changing
I don't know where to turn
I can leave you waiting
But I can't stay and watch the city burn
Watch it burn
Cause I try, but it's so hard to believe
I try, but I can't see what you see
I try, I try
I try to understand the distance in between
The love I feel
The things I need
And every single dream
After Hatori was finished, Momiji rushed into the room and hugged him. "Momiji?" Hatori said, surprised. "Ha'ri, what happened?" Momiji cried, and the dragon was startled to see tears in the young rabbit's eyes. "Did Kana break up with you, Ha'ri?" the small boy asked. Hearing her name twisted Hatori's heart but he didn't let Momiji see that.
"No she didn't break up with me," Hatori said. "Then what happened?" Momiji demanded, releasing the dragon from his embrace. Hatori couldn't believe he was telling his young relative this, but he knew that Kana was almost like a mom to Momiji.
"When I went to ask Akito permission to marry her, he got mad, as you know. What I didn't tell you was that he hurt my eye. Kana blamed herself for my injury. She was heartsick," here Hatori's voice cracked. Momiji took his hand and squeezed it gently. Hatori took strength in this and continued. "I couldn't watch her fall apart. So, I erased her memories of me and when we loved each other." The dragon had tears falling down his eyes.
"But don't you blame Akito?" Momiji asked softly. Hatori shook his head. "Why?" the young rabbit asked. "Because that is part of the curse," the dragon said softly. "Shigure tried to make it into a romance story for his books but I wasn't in the mood. As I told him, and as you probably heard from song, I'm too old to believe stories," Hatori said sadly.
"But don't you believe in happily ever after?" Momiji asked softly. Hatori looked at his young relative. "Not for members of the zodiac," he said truthfully. "Well, I do, and I'm gonna keep looking for it!" the young rabbit declared. Hatori felt himself give the slightest of smiles and ruffle Momiji's hair. "I'm glad you still believe," he said softly.
MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHHatori sat down a pile of presents on his kitchen table. He had just been at a Christmas party Shigure had thrown. Of course, Tohru had made all the food and had gotten something for everybody. Hatori almost couldn't believe that Tohru had lived with the Sohmas' for almost a year now.
Hatori started to turn away from his pile of gifts, but one present caught his eye. It was long and the wrapping paper had bunny faces all over it. He knew instantly it was from Momiji. Momiji did live with him, but tonight he was staying at Shigure's with Tohru.
Did I bring that home with me? He thought.
He decided to unwrap it, only to find a cardboard box. Opening it, he slid out the item inside it and was surprised to find it was a guitar, pick included. It was smooth, light wood and fit perfectly with him. He was surprised, since he had gotten rid of his old guitar a while ago. He noticed a card had fallen out of the box and picked it up. Opening it, he read:
Dear Ha'ri,
I thought that maybe now you believe in happily ever after. After all, with Tohru here, things look better don't they? Hopefully you can play happy songs now. Also, thank you for being one of my best friends. I love you.
Love,
Momiji
Hatori stared at the card a few moments in shock. It was serious, which was unlike Momiji, but it was written in Momiji's child-like handwriting. Hatori stared over at his other gifts then picked up a picture of Tohru in a pink frame. Shigure had given it to him, as a perverted joke.
He picked up the picture and, with it in one hand and the guitar and pick in the other, headed upstairs to his room. He sat the picture on his bedside table, next to a picture of Kana. He tuned the guitar and then he finished the song he had sung so long ago.
I can finally see it
Now I have to believe
All those precious stories
All the world is made of faith and trust and pixie dust
So I try, cause I finally believe
I try, cause I can see what you see
I try, I try, I try………to fly