Blue: This chapter is late… very late…

Ivey: That's because you were reading fan fics when you should have been writing.

Blue: I know but…

Ivey: And then you were playing Jak 3.

Blue: Yes but…

Ivey: After that you were instant messaging people. And people think I'm lazy…

Blue: So I procrastinated for once! Big deal! At least I made the chapter longer this time!

Ivey: True, but we're still gonna pelt you with rotten tomatoes.

Blue: ::sigh:: I figured as much. Darn it and I just got all fixed up to go hang out with Suzanne and ogle cute boys. Anyway, let's get on to the reviews shall we? saiyuki-cat I'm glad you thought it was funny! I tried really hard to make it a comical encounter.

Ivey: You think you can tell me to go away?!? Let's take this outside bi-::Blue covers Ivey's mouth::

Blue: I may let you get away with calling me that, but you will NOT call the readers names or I'll never buy you sno-caps ever again! Do you understand me?

Ivey: Fine…

Blue: That's better. Renyun I can't tell you at this point if it's going to be a yukiru or not, however, I can say there will be a little romance in the story. To be honest I've never been about to pick whom I want Tohru to be with, but I am leaning toward one character at the moment. faerie-kittie306 animelover thanks its good to know I'm improving! Mike I'm glad you like it. I didn't think it would be this popular. My jaw dropped this morning when I saw I had over 50 reviews. AllHailSophietheQueen no worries! This story will not be abandoned! lena-jade I really am trying hard to make this as unique as possible. About the grammar mistakes… well I don't have a beta reader so all I can only use spell check and fix the mistakes I catch. I also make more mistakes because half the time I spend writing I'm sleep deprived. My apologies. AnimeFreaks13 it'll be two or three chapters till she meets him. That's so much for the review! Jessica enjoy!

Ivey: Blue does not own Fruits Basket. She doesn't even own the crappy computer she writes this on.

Blue: I've don't call the laptop crappy or the technology gods shall smite us!

This story is dedicated to my best friend Josh. Wherever you are I hope they have cable.

What's Left Unsaid

By Blue

"Uh… What are you doing?" Uo asked with a raise of her brow. Uo and Haru had stood by uncomfortably not knowing what to do while Tohru had cried. She'd finally wiped her face with the back of her hand and was now tying her bag. Getting to her feet she grimaced as she put her weight on her sore lacerated feet and then turned to them with smile.

"It was very nice to meet you both, but I have be going now," she said with a courteous nod of her head.

"Going where?" Haru asked with a tilt of his head. She clearly needed to fix up her wounds and take a bath for that matter. Tohru opened her mouth to answer, paused in realization, and then slumped with a sigh. How was she supposed to find this boy when she only had the faintest idea of what he might look like and no idea whatsoever of where to look?

"I'm not really sure… I'm looking for someone, but I don't know where he is."

"Well, what does he look like? We might've seen him," he commented.

"I don't really know what he looks like, either…" Tohru blushed with embarrassment at the incredulous looks they were giving her. She suddenly felt very foolish in front of them and shifted her weight in attempt to relieve the pain in her feet.

"So let me get this straight… You're looking for this guy and you don't even know what he looks like or where to start searching?" Uo inquired with not just a little bit of disbelief. Tohru nodded reluctantly. Uo and Haru exchanged glances and then they both shrugged.

"Sounds interesting," she said.

"Mind if we join you?" he added. Tohru was flabbergasted.

"Huh? But w-why?" she asked in utter confusion.

"Nothing better to do," Hatsuharu shrugged.

"Besides, you look you could use some help," Uo interjected. Tohru began to panic. They could get into trouble if they helped her. After all troops would be looking for her since people thought her a murderer.

"But you can't! You might get into trouble, maybe even arrested, and I wouldn't want you to go out of your way for me and besides your parents would worry about where you are!" she exclaimed waving her hands frantically in front of her.

"I'm a runaway," Uo stated.

"Orphan." Haru supplied.

"And they haven't caught us for all pick pocketing we've done. Anyway, you might want to get cleaned up so we'll take you to our place for a while. Haru why don't you carry her? I don't think she can walk more than two steps with those cuts. I'll get her bag."

"Wait you-" she tried to interrupt as Uo took her bag and shouldered it, but there was no arguing with those two.

"Sure thing," Haru agreed as he leaned over to wrap Tohru's arms around his neck. When he hoisted her up piggyback style she squeaked and tightened her arms around his neck. "Let's go."

Haru' and Uo's place turned out to be an abandoned shack at the edge of a medium sized town a mile away from the bridge. On the way they told Tohru about themselves. Hatsuharu had been on his own since he was twelve. His father had been a trader who'd been mildly successful until an investment went south. He'd taken out a loan with some rather shady men and when he couldn't repay them on time he wound up beaten to death. Haru wouldn't say what had happened to his mother and Tohru didn't pry.

Uotani was a year older than Haru and had runaway from home when she was fourteen. Her parents were tenant farmers who had agreed to have their daughter married off to their master's youngest son in exchange for the deed to the five acres they worked. Uo described the boy as a "snot nosed little whiner who was dumber than a post." Needless to say Uo was notinterested in being traded for a bunch of dirt. So one night she up and left taking with her a purse filled with coins she'd pilfered from her parent's bedroom. It was a skill she'd learned from some gang of girls she'd met in the nearby town that came in rather handy.

A few months after Uo left home she was celebrating the day's spoils by indulging in a hot meal for once at a noisy inn. That was when she first met Haru. He was working as a busboy and Uo didn't notice the seemingly meek boy at first. Haru was going about his business clearing a table when an intoxicated customer yelled at him to bring him another ale. The boy was off in his own world and didn't hear the man. This particular customer didn't like being ignored and roughly grabbed the boy's shoulder, spinning him around, and asked him if he was deaf or just stupid. About half a second later Haru caught the customer across the face with a right hook, which sent him crashing into the table where Uo was just lifting a spoonful of her beef stew to her lips to enjoy. The table collapsed under the man's weight sending the stew across the room splattering the contents onto the wall.

"YOU CLUMSY IDIOT! I WAS GOING TO EAT THAT!" she yelled and kicked the man who was still lying on the floor in the ribs. Both Hatsuharu and Uotani were thrown out and told not to come back unless they wanted to get arrested. And that was the beginning of their friendship. Uo taught Haru the art of thievery and they did as they pleased.

The one room shack was drafty, but since it was summer the breeze was welcome. It was bare except for a few blankets, a cracked cup, a towel, a wooden bucket, and a broken chair in the corner. Uo went off to get some water from the well while Haru went off to scrounge up some bandages. They left Tohru by herself in the shack on one of the blankets. Having nothing to do but wait Tohru decided to see what else was in her bag besides the letter. First, she pulled out something wrapped in white cloth that turned out to be a loaf of sourdough bread. Beneath the bread she found two shiny green apples. After that she was pleased to find the small purse of coins she'd kept saved underneath her mattress. 'Oh thank you Hana!' she thought cheerfully. 'Now I can buy a pair shoes!' Next she discovered what turned out to be one of her dresses, which would be very useful. She wasn't quite sure that the dress she was currently wearing could be saved with all the mud and rips in the fabric. Lastly, she pulled out a black cloak she guessed had belonged to Hana since the only one she owned was brown.

As she was re-packing the last of the items Uo turned up with the water. Tohru thanked her with a smile and set about scrubbing the dirt from her face and arms. She left her feet till last since they were the filthiest and would hurt the most to wash. After that she changed into her other dress and retied her hair which had half fallen out of the usual upsweep during all the excitement the day before. Haru showed up not long after with a jar of salve and an arm full of bandages. Tohru bit her lip as he applied the stinging salve to her cuts and wrapped her feet with the bandages.

"All done," he said as he replaced the cap on the jar. Despite the initial stinging her feet felt much better and she thanked him. Uo, who was sitting in the corner picking absently at her bootlaces, spoke up after a moment.

"So what's with this mystery guy? He owe you money or somethin'?" Tohru tucked one leg under her and hugged the other one to her chest. She didn't want to lie to them, but if they got hurt because of her she'd feel awful. Sighing, she told them about working at the palace, meeting the prince, and the disaster that followed. They listened quietly as she spoke of seeing the king murdered by his own son and her escape with the help of her friend Hana. Then she showed them the letter and fell silent. She was so afraid that they wouldn't believe her or that they would turn her in. Uo stared at her stunned while Haru, on the other hand, looked on impassively. Finally Uo spoke.

"So… what's the plan?" Tohru smiled in relief.

Back at the palace Shigure was sitting in Akito's study watching the elder prince. Akito had called for him to report on the guards' search for the girl and to obtain his advice on several rather important matters. Now that the king was dead Akito was next in line for the throne, however, before he could officially claim the title there would have to first be a coronation. The royal court as well as several foreign dignitaries would have to be in attendance and the event would take quite a bit of preparation.

"Have they found her yet, Shigure?" Akito asked not bothering to look at his advisor. He was carefully stroking his robin that was perched on his index finger and admiring its red and brown feathers.

"She must have escaped somehow last night and unfortunately the rain washed away any hint of which way she might of gone," the lord replied lightly.

"Perhaps she was really a faery disguise. It would explain how she so easily bewitched Yuki," Akito commented with mirth. Shigure rested his head in his palm and chuckled.

"Well, then I suppose it's for the best Midsummer Day is almost upon us and the bonfires will keep all the brownies and pixies and sprites at bay. And speaking of the solstice what do you think of holding your coronation at the ball? It'd be terribly festive and all of those stuffy lords and ladies with be here anyway?" This caught Akito's attention and he grinned.

"How interesting… Very well see to it then."

Yuki had still not yet left his room. He'd ignored the servants who tried to get him to eat. They all knew he hadn't eaten since lunch the previous day and we concerned he'd make himself ill. Thoughts of Miss Honda filled his mind and he couldn't for the life of him figure out how to help her. His instincts pointed to Akito as the culprit, but he didn't quite have a motive not to mention evidence. What he needed was some sort of proof or a confession, but whom would Akito confide in? 'Perhaps Hatori? No, Akito hates anyone who orders him around. Last time he had a fever and Hatori insisted he rest Akito threw a vase at him. I wonder if Hatori can still see out of that eye…" Yuki, groaned and collapsed on his bed. First, he couldn't think of anything and now his mind was wandering. What kind of prince couldn't save the damsel in distress?

Blue: That's all for now. I'm going to see the Polar Express with my best friend Suzanne tonight and I have to decorate the Christmas tree so the next chapter won't be up until really late tonight (like after adult swim late) or late tomorrow morning… I think…. Ok so I'm really not sure when I'll get it done. Please don't hurt me (or if you're going to hurt me at least wait until after I watch Fullmetal Alchemist tonight).

Ivey: Roy Mustang is MINE! Back off bitch!

Blue: Can't we share?

Ivey: Did you share the PS2 with me last night?

Blue: Um… no?

Ivey: Then the answer is no.

Blue: ::sigh:: Please review!