Snow in a Fruits Basket Chapter Four: Relief, Transformation, and Rin
...
NOTE:
(By the by, I decided to try and go a bit more with manga on this one so don't be surprised if I change up a few things, like Rin showing up. going off the time line, Tohru would have met Rin by now, since I'm basing this after their collective trip to the ocean. This happens somewhere around the nineties, I think, in the manga. At any rate, this is just before the New Year, when everyone is freed.)
...
Tohru heaved a sigh of relief. Kyo was still in the form of a cat, and unconscious, but at least he didn't feel like death frozen over. "That should do it," she said as Arisa brought her the bowl of warmed milk. She tucked a warmed blanket in around the sleeping cat and placed the bowl of milk next to him. She had no idea how long he'd stay in his current form. After all, he'd been through a great deal of stress, but she hoped it would last at least a bit longer.
Hana leaned against the door frame, her face relaxed into a slightly exhausted expression. "I suppose all we can do now is wait," she said.
"Yep," Tohru said, trying to give her cheeriest smile as she looked over at her friend who was blocking the light into the room from the hallway. She hadn't wanted to turn the light on to keep the illusion that Kyo might really be in there, sleeping.
"You know," Arisa said as she scratched one orange ear, "this cat reminds me a bit of Orange-top. They have the same color hair and everything."
Tohru stiffened but tried to laugh it off. "Yeah, wouldn't it be funny if we kept this one and named it Kyo too?"
"I suppose," Arisa said slowly, eying Tohru warily. Her friend was acting a little strange. But then, she could be forgiven for it. She had been rather upset when they'd found the poor thing.
"How's your hand," Hana spoke up. "We really should have changed the bandages earlier."
Tohru looked at the soiled bandages on her hand. "Oh, well, it's not really that bad," she said. "But maybe you're right. We should probably change it."
"Let me help," Yuki said, coming into Kyo's room with the first aide kit.
"You'll probably want to disinfect the cuts," Arisa said. "Why don't you leave it to us," she added, turning to face Yuki. "We'll want to be in a room with more light anyway, and I'm sure that Kyo, and the cat, wouldn't want us to disturb their sleep."
Tohru quickly looked over to Kyo's bed. Someone, Yuki probably, had mussed up the blankets and made it appear as if someone had wrapped themselves up in the quilt. "Thank you," she said, though she was directing it more to Yuki than to her friends. She stumbled a bit in the dark but made it out of the room without incident, everyone else following behind her. She wondered what she'd tell her friends if they wondered where the cat went once Kyo transformed back. She supposed she could tell them that it had wandered off or something, she mused as they went downstairs.
Hana took over tending to Tohru's hand while Arisa watched Yuki nervously pace the dining room. Yuki was more than restless. "So, Yuki," Arisa said, "you got anything to eat in this place? Tohru obviously can't cook and I really don't expect Kyo to know how."
Yuki stopped, his face frozen in a sort of panicked expression of surprise. "Um… no, not really. What I mean to say is…" His stomach grumbled, though he'd tried really hard to not let anyone know that he too was interested in dinner. And with the snow like it was, ordering out wasn't exactly possible.
"I usually do the cooking," Tohru answered for him. "Sometimes Kyo helps, but Yuki rarely sets foot in the kitchen, except to eat." She smiled, remembering Shigure telling her about Yuki's cooking skills.
"Hmmm," Arisa mused. "Maybe we should wake up Orange-Top and make him cook something." She started towards the stairs.
Both Yuki and Tohru started, thoughts running rapidly in their heads about how to stop her. "Um," Tohru said nervously as Yuki stood frozen in place. "Maybe we should let him just sleep. After all, he's usually very worn out when it's stormy like this. I'm sure Shigure would appreciate it if we left him alone. After all, he'd probably knock out a few doors or. …something."
"Yes," Yuki said, recovering himself. "Shigure has the tendency to be overly cross if Kyo loses his temper and smashes the doors. We'd best let him be."
Arisa shrugged but turned back towards the fridge. Both Yuki and Tohru heaved an inward sigh of relief.
"There," Hana said as she finished wrapping Tohru's hand. "I did not accomplish the task as well as Hatori might have, but it is done." She stood up from her ministrations.
"Thank you," Tohru said and also stood. It was definitely a better job than Yuki had that one time Ritsu had visited. "Maybe we can reheat some leftovers. I'm sure that with careful supervision, Yuki could do that."
"A fine idea," Hana said as she smiled at Yuki.
Yuki looked like hungry boars or something were eying him. He gulped and looked at Tohru. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Miss Honda," he said.
Arisa laughed. "Scared of the stove? Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when I saw the prince afraid to do something."
"It's just that I'm not really good at this kind of thing," Yuki defended.
"Oh, come on," Arisa cajoled while Tohru rummaged in the fridge. "It's not that hard."
"Here we are," Tohru said as she found the covered container she'd been looking for. "Beef stew. I'm sure there's enough to go around."
Yuki looked at the pot with wide eyes; not exactly sure what to do with it, even though he'd seen Tohru and even Kyo cook in the kitchen many times. His own attempts at cooking had definitely not produced anything really edible.
"Oh, here," Arisa said crossly and pushed him out of the way, taking the pot from Tohru. She set it on the stove, lit the burner, and stirred so that it wouldn't burn as it heated.
Yuki's shoulders sagged. Part of it was from relief; part of it was in disappointment with himself. Tohru watched him with a sense of sadness, wondering how she could help him feel better.
"Maybe we could have some cake after we eat," she said brightly and looked towards the place where she'd set the cake she'd made the other day. However, it wasn't there. "Um…" she said, a hint of panic in her voice. "Where's the cake?"
Yuki gave her a knowing look. "Knowing Shigure, he probably ate it all while we were out. He probably figured that if he left before we arrived, he would be off the hook."
Tohru looked at him in surprise as Hana went over to the window and looked out. "Oh, you went out?"
"Yes," Yuki confirmed. "While you and Miss Uotani and Hanajima were out. I went to the garden and walked around. It was nice to have the time to just think."
"I hope you wore your coat," Tohru said with a firm tone that almost said she doubted he had.
"Of course," he said. "It's too cold outside not to wear one."
"It's still snowing," Hana reported, interrupting the conversation. "Perhaps we should make hot chocolate to commemorate the event."
"Hey, that's a good idea," Arisa agreed. "Where do you keep the kettle?"
Tohru showed her where the kettle was kept while Yuki went to peer out the window. The snow was still falling down, perhaps even more thickly. "If this keeps up," Yuki mused, "we might end up being snowed in tomorrow."
"That could get interesting," Arisa smiled as she filled the kettle. "A house of guys invaded by girls. It'd be just like that night we slept over, except that we couldn't just leave."
Yuki repressed a shudder. The idea of having the two girls trapped inside with them hadn't really crossed his mind and he found he definitely didn't like the idea. He was nervous enough around them when they were just on social outings, like visiting Kyoko's grave. He didn't even want to contemplate being holed up in the same house with them for who knew how long. And if they were snowed in, that meant there would be only one bathroom accessible from inside, the one upstairs. That could get interesting.
"The snow is coming down really thick," Tohru said in a worried voice. "It looks like it's already reached the top of the porch.
"Maybe we should go check the windows," Yuki said nervously. "If one of them breaks, we're in trouble."
"Why don't you and I go and check them," Tohru said quickly. "I'll check the upstairs windows!" She was off before Yuki could say a word about it. He watched her go with his mouth slightly open in surprise.
"I'll bet you anything," Arisa said as she stirred the soup, "that she's going to go check on that cat again."
"I find it rather endearing," Hana said. "Tohru wouldn't be Tohru if she didn't worry, I think." She set the filled kettle on the stove and lit the burner.
"Isn't it kind of weird, though," Arisa continued absently as she stirred, "that Tohru wouldn't want the cat in her room? I mean, she's so worried about it and all that, you'd think she'd want it close."
"Hey, Tohru, shouldn't we put the cat in your room?" Arisa asked as she carried the cat upstairs. "After all, you can keep a closer eye on him up there."
Tohru turned beet red. "Oh, no, I couldn't do that." Inside she'd wondered what it would look like if Kyo had transformed and either of her friends saw him in her room naked. "I know, let's put him in Kyo's room. It's just down the hall. I'm sure that will be fine."
"I think," Yuki said, "that I'll …um…go… check on the windows downstairs." He edged out of the kitchen.
"And then there were two," Arisa said with irony. "Though I'm sure the Prince went more to get out of the kitchen then because he thought Tohru was serious about leaving the bottom windows to him."
Hana silently agreed with her and went back over to the window to watch the snow falling. They both heard a faint sound almost like a thud coming from upstairs.
"What was that," Arisa said. "Maybe we should go check it out, see if Tohru's okay or something. She might have fallen down the stairs. You never know."
"I'll go," Hana said, though she felt sure that their friend was fine. She left the kitchen, leaving Arisa to stir the soup.
...
Tohru was anxious to get upstairs. Of course she wanted to check on Kyo, but the windows were also another thing to worry about. Sometimes Kyo didn't close the sliding door from his room all the way, and she sometimes forgot to close her window. Leaving either open wouldn't be good, and if Kyo's door was open like that, it would definitely make him cold. She was already afraid he'd catch something from his exposure outside.
She stepped into Kyo's room and turned on the light. At that exact moment, a puff of orange colored smoke appeared from the blankets on the floor, accompanied by a sort of popping sound that she'd learned meant one of the Sohma's was transforming.
The blankets on the ground distended as Kyo regained his human form, the blankets thankfully covering his lower body as the rest of him pushed away, knocking into the bowl of lukewarm milk, causing it to spill.
Tohru stopped mid-step, not sure if she should make a hasty retreat because Kyo obviously only had the blanket covering him, or to continue in and check on him and the door and windows.
"Uh," Kyo groaned as he placed one hand on the floor, his back facing the ceiling. His hair was wet with spilled milk and his face was against the floor. He shivered. He pushed himself up slightly and shaded his eyes with his other hand. "Turn off that light," he commanded a bit harshly, though still with only half his voice. He was obviously not all together awake.
"Um…Kyo," Tohru said, still standing nervously in the same spot she'd frozen in. She finally settled with, "How are you feeling?" She turned partially away out of embarrassment now that he was moving around.
Kyo pushed up onto his knees, the blankets, thankfully, staying over the lower portion of his back. He looked behind him, towards Tohru and realized that he wasn't wearing anything under the covering. His face went a bit red and he quickly pulled the blankets up further. "Oh, sorry," he mumbled. He put one hand to his head. "How did I get here?"
Tohru kept her eyes averted, just in case. "Oh… well… while Hana and Arisa were walking me home, Arisa stumbled on you in the snow, only you were in the form of the cat so she didn't know it was you," she began to rush her words. "And I saw you there, covered with snow and I couldn't find your clothes so Arisa bundled you up in her coat since it's bigger and we brought you in. With their help, we got you warm again and bundled you in some blankets. We left you some milk in case you woke up and Yuki fixed up your bed so that they'd think you were here asleep…"
Kyo put up a restraining hand. "Stop. I get the picture. You're making my head dizzy. Do you think you could turn the light off though? It's blinding me."
"Sure." She turned to the switch and flipped it, enclosing the room in darkness again. She kept turned around though. She could hear him moving around, probably looking for something to wear.
After several minutes, she heard him grunt again. "Okay, it's safe," he said and she turned around. He was now wearing a t-shirt and baggy pants, his hair incredibly disheveled. He was moving the blankets, mopping up the spilled milk with the corner of one already spilled on.
"Oh, you don't have to do that," Tohru said and bent down to help him.
"Hey," Kyo complained. "Don't. I mean… your hand." He took her bandaged hand gently in his own. "You don't want to get it dirty or something," he said when she looked questioningly at his face.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs. "Tohru, all you all right? We heard something like someone falling." Hana's voice flowed towards them.
Tohru looked frantically at the door then back at Kyo. She had no idea what to tell Hana about the cat. "I'm fine," she said. "Just tripped."
Kyo heard Hana's voice and quickly sprinted over to his bed and dived under the covers, figuring that he'd probably do well to stick with the story Tohru and Yuki had created.
Hana's face appeared around the edge of the door frame. "Are you sure you're all right," she asked Tohru.
Tohru nodded. "Uh huh. Just wasn't watching where I was going and tripped over the blankets."
Hana noted that the blankets had been moved, and that the bowl of milk had overturned. "Where's our guest?"
Tohru stood up quickly. "Um… well, he was awake and acted like he needed some privacy time so I let him outside for a minute since we don't have a litter box."
Hana raised her eyebrows but didn't comment. Obviously Tohru was hiding something but she wouldn't pry. She had more of a guess than perhaps anyone thought she'd be able to have, but she wasn't about to give anything away. "The soup's almost ready," she said instead. "I don't suppose we should wake Kyo." She looked towards his bed with a speculative expression, quite aware that he wasn't really asleep.
Kyo made groaning noises under the blankets. He definitely didn't want to miss out on food but wasn't he supposed to be asleep? He settled for "waking up" and rolled over, sending part of his quilt onto the floor. He sat up and blinked, rubbing convincingly at his eyes. He had recently been out of it, after all. "What's with all the racket," he complained.
"Oh, Kyo," Tohru said in surprise. "You're awake. Are you hungry? Arisa was heating up some soup I made the other day."
"I'm coming," he said slowly, doing his best to not just jump out of bed and down the stairs. His stomach grumbled loudly, adding to the effect. He hadn't eaten anything much at Kazuma's, just some tea. And then he remembered the package he was supposed to bring back for Tohru and mentally kicked himself. If Tohru hadn't been able to find his clothes in the snow, it was likely that she hadn't found the bundle either. So much for that, he thought as he followed after Tohru and Hana. At least he'd get something to eat.
...
Hatori ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slightly at his cousin. He let out his breath.
"What," Shigure quipped as he noticed Hari's reaction. He put his hands up to persist his innocence.
"Shigure," Hari said with a hint of exasperation. "I can't believe you would do something so childish." He paused for a moment. "Then again, maybe I can."
Shigure gave him a wounded look. "Hari, it was only a bit of cake! I thought it would cheer her up."
Hari looked warily around, not that anyone would hear them. They were alone in Hatori's house and the heavily falling snow pretty much said that no one would be outside, at least no one in their right mind. But still, referring to their head of house by her true gender was something that had been forbidden. "Did you stop to think that it wasn't something she would appreciate? It is, after all, something that her diet doesn't allow for."
"Oh, you're no fun," Shigure complained as he lounged on the sofa. "How did you get so frightfully dull? What happened to our high school days?"
"I grew up," Hari answered matter of fact-ly as he sipped from his mug of tea. "Something you, apparently, haven't managed to achieve yet."
"Where's the fun in that," came the reply. He threw back a hand to dangle over the back of the sofa. "But at least we're warm, which is more than what I can say for some people I know. Akito really didn't need to smear the cake all over the room."
Hari rolled his eyes. "I'm sure she had help." In fact, he wasn't totally surprised, knowing Shigure, but it still had been a nuisance. At least they'd gotten the place cleaned up, after a few quick trips in the snow. It was the least that Hari could make Shigure do, clean up the mess he'd caused, even if he hadn't been happy about it. And it was to Akito's benefit that Hari had dragged Shigure back to his place instead of letting him get stuck in the main house.
"I wonder what they're all doing," Shigure mused. "How are Yuki and Tohru getting on? I hope that Kyo didn't transform back where either Hana or Arisa could see. That would be most inconvenient." Hari just made a noise to consent his agreement. "Of course, it would be very interesting to see how they reacted to such a scene. I just hope that they have enough fuel for the stove."
"I'm sure they'll be fine. Tohru is very capable, and if Kyo is back up on his feet, he'll be more than enough help to keep them out of trouble."
"If he can stay out of trouble, that is," Shigure interrupted. "He still has quite the temper and Arisa does have a way of bringing it out."
Hari gave his classic frown at that comment and looked out the window. "Well, if this snow keeps up, he may very well learn how to control it. Either that, or my specific talents will become very useful." He didn't add that he hoped it wouldn't come to that. Keeping something that large scale from Akito would be very difficult, unlike the last time with the minor run in with Arisa and Hatsuharu. That had been easily remedied, with no one the wiser for it.
"Hmmm," Shigure mused. "I wonder what everyone's doing over at the main house? I hope they're having fun."
...
Hatsuharu Sohma pinched the ends of his hair as he leaned against the doorjamb. His face registered slight disdain and boredom as he tried to ignore what was going on in the room he had barely entered. Momiji was gaily dancing around the room, getting into everyone's face, annoying the maid, no doubt, and generally causing a ruckus. Haru wasn't sure why he'd even come, other then that he'd needed a place to spend the night.
He pushed off from the wall and headed into the other room, where it was quieter. Maybe he could find a room where he wouldn't have to worry about being intruded upon, where he could just be alone with his thoughts. He'd felt like he was under a very heavy weight. How long had it really been since he'd gone black at school? How long had it been since Rin had told him to leave her alone? Had it been only a few months? A year? He wasn't sure.
Haru ran an angry hand through his hair. Things were strained. Maybe it was a good thing she wasn't there, at the Main House. They were both so headstrong and he wasn't willing to let go of her or his love for her. Why did life have to be so complicated and unforgiving?
He slid down against the wall until he was sitting, knees pulled tightly to his chest. Why had Akito…? But no. Thinking those kinds of things wouldn't get him anywhere. And hadn't he detected a hint of change in Akito? Or was Akito just playing with everyone's heads? Haru had only seen him for a moment tonight, but it was hard to miss the steely gaze that returned his. The memory made his blood boil. How could Akito think himself so much better then all of them, head of the house or not?
He pounded his fist against the floor. If he kept on this track much longer, he'd snap. He knew it would happen and he didn't know if he cared. Sitting here, in the dark, it didn't matter. He wasn't afraid of Akito.
Footsteps came down the hall and the door he'd closed slid open.
"Haru?"
Kisa Sohma peeked into the room; her large eyes round with worry. She'd noticed Haru leaving the main room where Momiji was now telling various cousins and servants some story she'd already heard. Haru had looked upset when he'd left.
"Haru, I know you're in here." She almost timidly took a few steps into the darkened room but Haru didn't make any sound, holding his breath. He felt glad he'd worn dark clothing. He couldn't afford to go black with Kisa there. He would never forgive himself if he hurt her. "I can hear you breathing," Kisa added.
Hatsuharu sighed as he placed a hand over his eyes, head down. "Yeah, I'm here," he said wearily, waving his hand so she could find him.
Kisa slid the door closed behind her and crouched to look into Haru's face. "Did Momiji do something to offend you? I know he can get over excited sometimes." Her expression could have melted any heart.
"No," Haru admitted, moving so that he could hold her in his arms. "I'm glad that you're still talking though." She snuggled into his embrace. "I was just thinking about something and needed a little space. It's nothing Momiji did."
"I'm glad," Kisa smiled. "Did you know it's still snowing? I heard one of the aunts say she hadn't seen a storm like this since she was my age."
"Yeah," Haru agreed. "It's really coming down. Maybe we'll even have to hole up for a while. Won't that be a blast. Everyone will go crazy and we'll all have to lock ourselves away so that Akito won't get upset at us and hurt someone. It won't help that Hatori's probably snowed into his place."
"You're very gloomy tonight," Kisa observed. "I wish you wouldn't be. It reminds me of Hiro."
"We can't have that," Haru said, making more of an effort. He started to playfully tickle his younger cousin who giggled. "Now can we? Maybe we can find some hot chocolate or something?"
Kisa jumped up. "That would be fun!" She grabbed Haru's hand and pulled him along behind her, towards the kitchen.
...
The snow swirled down in a vast cascade of sheeting white. She couldn't even see what was in front of her, let alone behind. Her long, slender arms wound tightly around her body. Even though she was wearing a long coat, Rin was still freezing.
She wasn't sure what had possessed her to come out in this weather. It certainly made no sense. It wasn't good for her health. She'd only come out of the hospital again recently. Even Hatori had admonished her not to over do it. But he wasn't there. He was probably holed up in the Main House, looking after Akito.
Isuzu Sohma cringed as she thought that name. Akito, the head of the Sohma family, the god-figure of the whole Zodiac Curse. He'd done more harm than perhaps he even knew, despite his malicious intent on everything. Isuzu hugged her chest more tightly. If only she had the strength to stand up to him, to demand the answer on how to break the curse…. If only she could protect Haru from Akito…. She would never forgive herself if he were truly to be hurt.
Rin stumbled in the snow. She wasn't sure what she'd stumbled upon but it brought her to her knees. The snow reached up around her, hugging her hips where she was sprawled. Whatever she'd stumbled on was under her. She could feel it through her coat. When she pushed her hands against it, it moved. Curious, she picked it up though she couldn't see what it was. The snow was falling too thickly to see anything, almost total white out. However, she stuck the object, which felt oddly textured, like wet fabric or paper, into her coat and stood back up. She would find some kind of shelter soon. She had to.