Title: Love Story
Author: Keir
Rating: K (Ohmahlawd, something of mine that isn't racy? :3)
The Gist of Things: Haru and Kyou are separated by Akito, but love will always prevail.
A/N: Short little mushy songfic for Valentine's Day. Couldn't help myself! The song is "Love Story" by Taylor Swift (I blame kccreation because I had never heard it till I read it in her "Stop, Shuffle, Resume"!). Haru and Kyou are a little OOC, imo, but oh well!
italics - flashback
"bold" - lyrics
"We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air,
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns,
See you make your way through the crowd and say, 'Hello.'
Little did I know..."
Do you remember when we first met, Haru? Sometimes I wonder since all you ever do is space out. I don't mean when you started training, or when Yuki insisted on having you around, when he finally turned his back on me as was his duty. The first time we met it was at the family sakura blossom festival and you were four. You were a shrimp. That was right before I was banished from the Sohma ancestral home, right when Shishou adopted me. You weren't rambunctious like the others; you weren't Ayame with his annoying girly voice or Shigure always trying to pull some stupid crap. You were quiet and well-behaved and stood in one spot.
Until you saw me. I was standing near where the back doors were open out onto the wraparound deck. My own little corner, my own little colourless place at a vibrant party, and you came to me. I don't know why. You fumbled the entire way because you were always painfully clumsy until you hit puberty; your ceremonial robe dragged on the ground and you kept tripping on it, but you came. Your eyes were that soft, impossibly pale grey then. And they were naïve and warm. They were like spring storm clouds...
Tch, I feel like a pedophile for even thinking about you like that as a kid.
You looked...sweet. I guess that's a safe word to say. Anyway, when you finally got there we just stood there staring at each other, because I obviously didn't know how to talk to anyone, until you said that one simple word: "Hello." Nobody had ever started a conversation with me except Shishou. I was so tempted to say the word back, even though I knew who you were, that I wasn't supposed to talk to you, but in an instant they swooped in and you were snatched away. Even though I couldn't hear what was whispered in your ear, I knew. The words never changed.
"The Cat."
You met me for the first time then, found out what I was. From there what we had between us took off, for better or worse. Years of fighting and posturing, and then, eventually, love. And that was probably our worst sin of all.
"You were Romeo,
You were throwing pebbles.
And my daddy said, 'Stay away from Juliet,'
And I was crying on the staircase, begging you, 'Please don't go!'"
Another pebble clattered on the windowpane—clack, clack, clack—and Kyou turned away from his homework. A fourth hit before he could get the window open. The night air rushed in and the hair on his arms rose. "What are you doing?" he hissed.
Hatsuharu stood patiently outside on the lawn, head tilted back to stare at the warm halo of light coming from Kyou's window, illuminating the cat's body. His was the only light on the house. Hatsuharu held a red rose in his hand, the only colour to his normal monochromatic scheme. He spoke, as usual, in his soft, neutral tones. "'But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.'"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the cat whispered back angrily.
The ox smiled. "It's Shakespeare."
Kyou scoffed, his mouth turning into a grim line as he nervously looked over his shoulder. "You shouldn't be here. Damn it, you know you shouldn't be here!"
"Nothing could keep me away from you, Kyou." Even from his second-story window, the guileless eyes of the ox charmed the cat. "Hatori's away on business. No one can keep me away from you."
"Akito could..." The orange-haired boy bit his lip. "You have to leave." His heart ached as the ox's proffered rose fell to his side; the younger boy turned away. Kyou couldn't take it. Screw what he was supposed to and not supposed to do! "Haru!" The black and white-haired boy turned back, his grey eyes unreadable. "Please...stay..."
Hatsuharu's lips turned up in a smile. "Meet me in the garden."
"So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew,
So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while."
The cat opened the back door as silently as possible. The cold air and the excitement made him was the ox, his lover, standing in the backyard garden. His strong shoulders were draped in a long white trench coat, his legs wrapped tightly in black leather pants. He wore the black turtleneck Kyou had given him for Christmas, and the dangling silver cross earring he had given him for his birthday. One biker-gloved hand reached out in invitation, but the smile on the ox's face was the most enticing thing of all. Kyou ran to him; he couldn't help himself, even though he felt like an idiot. Hatsuharu wrapped him tightly in his arms. "Kyou...my Kyou." The cat's arms tightened around the ox's waist. "My kitten."
"Haru..." Kyou buried his face in his lover's neck, felt the heat of the other on his cheek. The ox's hair caressed his face. He imagined they were some place far away, that they were different people, that there was no curse. They could be together always.
"Kyou, we can't be together long."
"Shut up," the cat whispered, burrowing his face deeper in the ox's collar. "Just shut up. How can I let you go?" He pressed the length of his body tightly against his lover's; Hatsuharu drew in a sharp breath, shivered imperceptibly.
"Kyou..." The ox's fingers tightened on the cat's black t-shirt. "Don't tempt me." Kyou purred deep in his throat, rubbed his cheek against the other's, which never failed to entice. Hatsuharu groaned, hands wandering up under his lover's shirt.
The cat growled irritably when Hatsuharu's hands stopped rubbing his back. "What?"
The ox's body tensed. "We have company," he said softly.
Kyou turned swiftly, crimson eyes narrowing. Yuki stood on the porch, staring. The cat's fingers trembled as he uncurled them from Hatsuharu's white coat. The ox's eyes were so impossibly grey, so impossibly perfect. "You have to leave now."
"I won't leave you." He grasped the orange-haired boy's hand tightly. "They can't make me leave."
"Just go, Haru. Don't make it harder than it is," the cat murmured, pulling his hand away.
"Kyou..."
"Just go, damn you! Just leave! You're only making it worse! You think I want to live like this?" the cat spit. He wouldn't cry, he wouldn't beg for the ox to stay. He wanted to beg so badly. "Just leave me alone, Haru. Stop coming."
Hatsuharu's fingers briefly brushed high, tan cheekbones. He wrapped the cat's fingers around the red rose. "Good night, Kyou. I love you." And he was gone.
"I love you, too," Kyou whispered into the night. Parting was such sweet sorrow.
"'Cause you were Romeo; I was a scarlet letter.
And my daddy said, 'Stay away from Juliet,'
But you were everything to me.
I was begging you, 'Please don't go!'"
There was no way to get away from it: he was the Cat. Branded to be feared, hated. His heart throbbed in his chest at the thought of Hatsuharu walking away from him. It wasn't fair. How was any of this fair?
"You know what Akito told you, Kyou," Yuki broke the cat's reverie. The shadows were deep in the house; it was almost 3 AM.
"Of course I know," the cat hissed, eyes glinting with fury. "You think I'm so stupid I would forget?" How could he forget having the one person he loved—who loved him back with equal force—ripped from him? Akito's word. Akito's rules. Akito confining him to Shigure's house, threatening worse punishment if Kyou and Haru were to see each other. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let Haru get hurt.
"Why are you tempting fate like this then?" Yuki asked.
"Why? Are you threatening me?" the cat growled, fists clenched.
The rat bit off a cruel reply and sighed, reining in his temper. "Have it your way, Kyou, but when they find out..." He turned away and stopped short, looking over his shoulder. The cat's fingers were wrapped in the grey-haired boy's pajamas. Kyou was trembling, his bangs concealing his eyes.
"Please...Please, Yuki. I've never asked you for anything before. Please don't tell Akito." Kyou's breath hitched, his voice soft. "He's gone now. He left me... I don't want him to be hurt any more."
Yuki blinked, taken aback. The cat, pleading for something from the rat? There was something about the way Kyou looked at that very moment, something familiar... His eyes widened as he realized what this moment reminded him of: that spring festival so long ago when they were six. He had watched from Ayame's side as the little ox had tripped his way across the hall, the way the cat's eyes had widened at such a bold approach. The way Kyou's bangs had fallen over his eyes as Hatsuharu was dragged away, a single tear rolling down a tan cheek. The stupid ox wanting to make friends with the cat.
Immediately he felt guilty at the sight of the rose clenched in the cat's other hand. Yuki gently untangled Kyou's fingers from his sleeve. "I promise I'll say nothing, Kyou."
"Thank you, Yuki." Kyou swallowed his pride. "Thank you."
"Romeo, save me; they're trying to tell me how to feel.
This love is difficult, but it's real!
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story; baby, just say yes!"
"So how was everyone's day?" Shigure asked over dinner, twirling noodles around his chopsticks.
"Nothing remarkable," Yuki said blandly. "I spoke with Tohru this morning. She's enjoying university."
"And you, Kyou?" the dog fished, eyes unreadable.
The cat picked at his meal. "Your new editor stopped by while you were conveniently out; he wants your transcript. I cleaned your office and alphabetized your books."
"My books were in order by genre," Shigure complained in his childish whine, hoping to get a rise out of the cat.
"Sorry... I'll rearrange them back tomorrow." The dog and the rat exchanged glances; the cat was being unnaturally pliant and soft-spoken lately. Kyou ignored them, cheek in hand as he stared into his bowl. The rose in his bedroom was painfully wilted now, the petals gone brown. Two weeks. Two terrible, grueling, heart-wrenching weeks since he had sent Hatsuharu away. It felt as if someone had scooped out his still-beating heart and there was an aching hollow left behind. Maybe the ox had given up... It's for the better, the cat told himself. They couldn't go on living like this, secret meetings one, two, three months apart. For the better if they stopped loving each other now.
"Kyou, are you thinking about him?" Yuki asked softly. The dog quirked a brow.
"What does it matter if I am?"
"Maybe it's best if you forgot about Haru..."
"I'll never forget him," Kyou growled, knuckles gone white clenching his chopsticks.
The rat sighed, but continued. "You're doing nothing but hurting yourself, Kyou. And hurting Haru. If you would just move on..."
Shigure's eyes were on him, the eyes and ears of Akito. "Shut up!" Kyou overturned the table, food and dishes crashing to the floor. "You can't tell me who to love! You can't tell me how to feel!" He bolted up the stairs, quickly climbing out the window and onto the roof, his only remaining safe haven. Hatsuharu had spent so many evenings there with him, Kyou gently falling asleep as the stars came out. He watched the sun set and bleed away like his heart into the skyline.
"I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever coming around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town."
"Are you really going?" The cat had jumped guiltily, turning toward the door to his bedroom. "Kyou." Shigure's lips had tilted up in his small, laughing smile, as if he knew something no one else knew.
Kyou had zipped his hoodie with an angry motion and stuffed the letter in his pocket. "Are you going to tattle on me, Shigure?" His eyes were fierce. He was terrified inside, terrified that Hatsuharu wanted to say a final goodbye, that it was all over. Terrified that blackened rose petals were his final gift from the person he loved.
"No." The dog's smile turned impish. "Not right now. If you're not back by morning, I'll tell Akito you've left. You'll have a head start."
Kyou had clasped the necklace Hatsuharu had given him around his neck, tucked it under his shirt. He nodded to Shigure, acknowledging the small favour, and slid out the window into the night.
The letter. Kyou's fist crumpled it inside his jacket. His heart beat faster thinking about it. When he had come upstairs that night it had been waiting for him, so unassuming and small on his pillow. A letter from Hatsuharu. It had been three weeks. He felt as if his heart were going to burst out of his chest now, in happiness, in fear. The fog was creeping into the forest, fireflies dancing amongst the leaves. A dog barked somewhere and set his hairs on end. There was nothing to do but wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Kyou waited for hours, there by the tree he and Hatsuharu had first kissed at. It had been a beautiful autumn day... Maybe Hatsuharu wasn't coming after all. Kyou trembled, turned to leave.
"And I said, 'Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone.'
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think.
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said:"
Warms arms wrapped around the cat from behind; the blood rushed through his ears in panic. Someone had found him, someone had found out. Shigure hadn't honoured his promise. They were going to take him away before he could say that last goodbye...
"Kyou..." Hatsuharu's breath was warm on his ear, lips so soft in a light kiss. His cheek was pressed against orange hair.
"Haru." The cat's fingers dug into his lover's arm desperately. "I thought you weren't coming."
"I'll always come for you, kitten." The arms released Kyou almost as soon as they had held him. The cat cried out, afraid the ox would disappear. He turned with his heart in his throat, trying to stop the dream from ending, and stared. Hatsuharu was kneeling before him on one knee, trench coat pooled around him. His long, pale fingers opened a small box and took something out that glinted in the moonlight. The cat felt his stomach flip over, felt giddy and dizzy all at the same time.
"'Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress;
It's a love story; baby, just say yes!'"
"Kyou, I love you. I'll always love you. Marry me." Those guileless eyes were the colour of cumulus clouds rolling in on a warm spring breeze. Spring storm clouds...
"Haru... We can't. What about Akito and—"
"I don't care about Akito," Hatsuharu said vehemently. "I don't care about the family. All I care about is how much I love you." He grasped the cat's hand tightly. "Please, Kyou, run away with me. I even spoke with Kazuma," the ox pleaded. "It took me three weeks to convince him," he said ruefully.
"And what will we do? Just run away and live happily ever after? It doesn't work like that, Haru."
"Then we could be the first to make it work." Hatsuharu squeezed Kyou's hand. "Hatori gave me some money, just something to start us off. I don't care about what anyone—"
"Yes," the cat interrupted. He could barely get the word out past his constricting throat. The ox blinked, his own system in shock as he took it all in. "Yes," Kyou repeated, fingers trembling as he held out his hand. Hatsuharu gently slipped the ring onto his lover's finger; their hands intertwined as the ox stood.
"Kyou..." Hatsuharu's hand came up to cup the back of the cat's neck, pulling him into a passionate kiss, so warm and sweet. The cat's body pressed itself tightly against his, lips moving so softly. The ox gave and took until they broke apart, panting for breath. It was time. Hatsuharu gripped Kyou's hand tightly, his smile one of joy, and pulled his lover out into the darkness, vanishing into the night. They never looked back.