Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

Thank you LadyLutra for being my beta-reader for this chapter!

Yuki walked into the kitchen, holding back a yawn.

He tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.

He looked up to see Momiji putting up a vase on the table full of roses. "Momiji," Yuki greeted. "Yuki! Good morning!" Momiji said cheerfully. "Good morning," Yuki greeted softly, walking past him to the roses and flowers on the table centerpieces. "What are these for?" Yuki asked, eyeing them. "I thought they'd brighten the place up!" Yuki looked at the fresh roses and his lips curled up into a gentle smile that made Momiji catch his breath. Yuki's silver eyes shined with light. "They are lovely."

Thump Thump

Momiji's eyes widened, as his face warmed and his palms turned sweaty.

He nervously looked away, unable to meet Yuki's bright eyes.

"G-Glad you like them! Tohru once told me you had a garden, is that true?" He said changing the subject, willing the spike of nervousness to escape him.

It wasn't an unpleasant nervousness, but it still left him feeling strangely embarrassed.

What's wrong with me? He thought slightly panicked, before Yuki's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Mhm," Yuki nodded. "Though I had to abandon it when I went to college."

Momiji's eyes widened in surprise, recalling Tohru's visits on the weekends by the Sohma woods.

'I'll go with you!' Momiji had said one time, he was bored out of his mind and he noticed Tohru always disappeared in the afternoon weekends. His curiosity piqued he tagged along.

"I can't-," she said as shook her head with a small smile. "Actually, I'm sure he won't mind. Come on Momiji." she said, smiling sweetly, taking his hand. Yes...his curiosity piqued at Tohru's mysterious statement.

He swung Tohru's hand idly, as he followed her into the forest.

They walked down a slightly hidden path, still a bit away from Shigure's house.

He looked in amazement in the garden ahead.

"Wow! Did you plant this?" he said, in astonishment, letting go of her hand.

Tohru laughed.

"Some." A fond grin lit her face.

"Yuki did most of this actually."

Momiji's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yuki did?"

She nodded, smiling, getting her gardening gloves.

"Yes," she said, starting to get rid of any stray weeds.

"I just tend to it while he is away, there is not much to do though."

"I didn't know Yuki liked to garden," Momiji said, starting to help her.

She smiled at Momiji sweetly, recalling Yuki's bright smile that day so long ago after the rain.

"He calls it his 'secret base'," she said, taking out a small hand fork to take out a particularly stubborn weed.

"Wow! A secret base, huh? That's so cool!" Momiji said excitedly, before looking at Tohru's predicament.

"Here let me," Momiji said, putting his hand over hers. He gently took the gardening tool, and attempted to dig out the weed till finally plopped out.

They laughed.

"Can I help you again Tohru?" Momiji asked, eyes bright.

Tohru smiled cheerfully.

"Please do!"

"What's up?" Yuki asked.

"What?" Momiji said, snapping back to himself.

"You're smiling," Yuki grinned. "I guess the flowers really do lift the spirits, huh?"

Momiji laughed. "Yep!" He then walked over to the vase, and picked one out.

"Please give one to Tohru when you visit her later."

Yuki smiled and nodded. "Will do."

Momiji feels more relaxed than he had in ages.

"I think I'll go for a walk a bit, it's such a beautiful day after all."

Yuki smiles. "Have fun. Be safe."

"You too."

Yuki goes to visit Tohru's apartment.

It is surprisingly easy to find, Yuki thinks as he looks at the address.

Nothing like her grandfather's house.

His heart races with anticipation as he goes to see the person whom he has missed the most in the past year.

He knocks.

Immediately, the door opens, and Tohru peeks her head out to look at him, and her eyes light up with delight, and warmth fills up his chest.

"Yuki. Welcome home," Tohru says, smiling warmly at him, grasping his hands into hers.

Yuki smiles, nostalgia building up in his veins at those words.

"It's good to be back."

He says, squeezing her hand back.

He remembers their last words before they parted.

"Soon I won't be able to listen to Miss Honda's welcome home." Yuki said standing next to her.

He smiled, turning to her.

"I can finally say it...what I truly feel. You gave me the courage to do so, over and over again." He looked at her with contentment, as she looked at him attentively. Ready to listen, like so many times before. "Tohru…I love you...More than words can say. And I think I always will. We may not be together, we may both be going separate ways but know that you will always be in my heart as someone very dear to me."

Tears ran down Tohru's cheeks, tears of happiness and she took his hand and pulled him into an embrace.

"I feel the same. I love Yuki too." Her lips brushed against his, briefly. He felt it all. Her love for him. Her care. All of it. It was real. It was genuine. As he briefly tasted the sweetness of her love and the saltiness of her tears, as she held onto his shirt tightly, before pulling back and meeting his eyes.

"And Yuki will always be dear to my heart!" She said fiercely, surprising him, as she held onto his shirt.

He took her hands, gently, but firmly into his and held them quietly as tears continued to run down their faces.

There was comfort, warmth and love felt through their hands flowing to their hearts.

An understanding passed through them.

They loved each other so.

They always would.

And this was their goodbye.

He had thanked her, and told her the truth. That he loved her so wholeheartedly. Tohru replied in the same manner, saying she loved him too, and he would always be very dear to her in her heart. And they parted ways.

She grinned and ushered him inside her apartment.

"Please have a seat! I'll make tea!" She said.

Her apartment looked very homey, so much like her, he immediately felt relaxed like he hadn't in a long time.

The apartment was decorated with plushies, a cat and a rat, and riceball together in a basket filled with the other zodiac animals.

He looked at it curiously.

"I'm so happy you've come by to visit me! The only visitors I get nowadays are Hana and Uo in the weekends when they don't have work."

She said, pouring the water.

"Did you make this?" Yuki said, ushering to the basket of plushies.

Tohru put down the kettle immediately and looked at him startled, and blushed, rushing over to him.

"Y-Yes I did! U-um I hope you don't mind!" Tohru stuttered. Yuki laughed, smiling at her, touched to the heart.

"No, I think it's cute. May I ask though? The riceball?" Yuki asked, grinning. "Looks so cute and happy." He said, poking it with a smile.

Tohru smiled kindly at him, happy to hear that.

"She is."

He looked to her questioningly.

"The riceball felt for a long time that she didn't belong in a fruits basket," she said, kneeling to Yuki's level beside him to look at her creations.

"But the members of the zodiac. Especially the cat and the rat showed her otherwise when they took her hand and took her home."

Recognition glimmered in Yuki's eyes as he whirled around turning to her.

"It was you?"

She smiled serenely.

"When I was a kid, the other kids at school didn't like me much. They tended to tease me a lot back then. One time we played a game called Fruits Basket. Basically, somebody makes everyone a fruit."

"A fruit?" Yuki said snorting in amusement. But smiling attentively. Tohru smiled back at him. "Yes. They get called to play. But when my turn came around the boy yelled out 'riceball'. At the time, I didn't know that he was teasing me. So, I waited and waited but was never called. I guess a part of that idea always stayed with me. A rice ball could never belong in a fruits basket."

Yuki looked at her with a worried frown, his eyes filled with protest as he took her hand.

She smiled reassuringly at him, placing her hand on top of his.

"But you and Kyo, as well as the other zodiac showed me that is not the case at all," she said serenely, meeting his eyes with warmth.

She held his hand tenderly.

As if she were holding something precious.

Delicate.

Cherished.

You gave me a place to belong.

Her heart and eyes voiced out hoping to reach him, as she breathed her next sentence.

"And I am so grateful for that. Each and every day."

Yuki's heart felt like it could burst, as he put his hand on top of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"And I am so grateful to you, Tohru," He said, his eyes were like a calm icy clear breeze on a hot summer day. They gave Tohru pleasant chills looking into them. It was calm, gentle, and comforting.

It was warm and cold.

Like that rainy day in the secret garden.

Shining brightly through the stormy clouds that day, and comforting like a protective wave.

He looked hesitant as he took her hand, but then relaxed as he met her gaze. He raised a hand to remove a strand of hair from her face.

"Long ago...there was a boy. He was hurt. His heart was. He felt like he could disappear from the world, and nobody would care. He would leave without making a difference. Not. A. Single. Difference." He said, shutting his eyes painfully, squeezing her hand a bit.

Tohru looked at him concerned, about to push her hand on top his comfortingly, but his grip stopped her.

"But. A little girl changed his mind," he said softly, opening his eyes looking reminiscent.

"She was crying by a staircase. Lost. Unable to find her way home. She relied on him. She made him feel needed, as he led her home, back to her mother, who was waiting."

Tohru's eyes widened with recognition.

Startled, she immediately met his gaze.

"This...this story sounds familiar."

Her heart pounded with anticipation.

"Who was it?" She demanded suddenly, beseechingly, holding his hand desperately for answers.

"The girl?"

Yuki then gave her the sweetest smile.

"I don't know," he said, humming almost thoughtfully, "But I made sure to give her a cap as a thank you."

Tohru gasped as her thoughts turned to the cap on display by her basket. She turned around to grasp it, looking to Yuki then to the cap, in startling realization.

Shock.

Gratitude.

Warmth.

All at once those feelings enveloped her, as Yuki approached her calmly, smiling once again.

Tohru thought she was done crying for the day.

His next sentence sent her spiralling once again.

"She may have forgotten all about me, but that chance encounter was one I could never forget."

He then brushed her tears tenderly, and offered his hand to her, smiling widely.

"So off to the secret base?"

Tohru's eyes widened, then she laughed tearfully, holding his hand tightly as they walked down the familiar path where they had truly connected once again.

Momiji heard the door open, and smiled, turning to greet the silver haired youth.

"You seem to be in a good mood. All went well then?" Momiji said, finishing the vase set he was putting up. "Mm," Yuki nodded. He looked serene, and calm. Calmer than Momiji had seen him in awhile. "It went well," he said, smiling tenderly. Momiji felt his lips turn up at that. Momiji doubted Yuki noticed how fond his voice turned when speaking of Tohru, or how sweet his smile turned.

It was kinda cute-, Momiji's thoughts were interrupted by Yuki's voice.

"We had an interesting conversation."

"Oh?" Momiji paused, hearing the silent inquiry in Yuki's voice.

"Yes," Yuki said, taking off his satchel that he had taken with him to Tohru's apartment. Then as an afterthought, paused.

"Oh! Here," Yuki said, rummaging through his bag, and pulling out a wrapped white container.

"Tohru made you some for dinner."

"That's sweet of her," Momiji said fondly before looking at Yuki curiously once again.

"So what were you saying?"

Yuki paused, staring hard at Momiji.

As if he stared hard enough he would get an answer.

"There was a white rose bush planted in my secret base."

"Oh really?" Momiji stretched out, faking obliviousness, as he turned to the kitchen with Tohru's container.

"Tohru said she didn't plant it, and roses won't just grow there for no reason."

"I wonder what the reason could be then," Momiji said smiling mischievously, and opening the lid of the container.

"Ooh! This smells good!" Momiji said immediately, discarding the conversation immediately, as he dug in.

"I wonder too…," Yuki said wryly, looking at the new vase full of more white roses, sighing before serving himself and Momiji some tea.

Earlier...

They scraped at the fresh dirt of the garden.

Yuki's breath caught in his throat, as he stared at her amazed.

He had pictured dead plants, and weeds.

Not a full blooming garden.

The satchel on his shoulder felt heavy then.

He turned to Tohru and smiled widely at her.

"You've kept the secret base in such good condition. Thank you."

She shook her head, smiling.

Her face a bit flushed at the praise, as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I liked it. The gardening helped. I-It also made me feel close to you," she said, taking out a bag full of some supplies.

"I have some too," he said, opening his bag full of new gardening supplies.

He looked at the garden.

There were cucumbers, leeks, tomatoes, strawberries, mint and…

"Are those radishes?" Yuki blinked. Tohru clasped her hands together, she was particularly proud about those.

"I thought they'd be good with some dishes, I hope you don't mind," Tohru said. He shook his head. "Not at all. They are nice."

He looked to the corner of his garden, a bit farther away from the patch of fresh land.

And there in the corner, where white roses.

"Ah! Those must have been Momiji-," she clasped a hand around her mouth, as if she had just exposed a secret.

"Momiji?" Yuki said in surprise, a vase of white roses from the morning came to mind, as well as the content look on Momiji's face.

"Yes…," Tohru said hesitantly, looking sheepish.

"Sorry, um he found out about the secret base while you were away."

"Oh no, it's fine! I'm just surprised!" Yuki said, slightly embarrassed.

She sat beside him, looking at the rosebush.

"He comes in to check in, now and then."

"Does he?" Yuki said looking at a dewy rose in front of him.

He took the rose carefully, cutting the thorns, and handing it to Tohru, who protested, putting it behind her ear.

He took another one into his satchel for Momiji later.

Yuki waited until Momiji had finished dinner and was off to sleep.

He quietly opened the door, and took the rose from his satchel, and laid it on Momiji's nightstand with a simple note.

'Thank you'

Ok. So I was not planning to include a kiss, or a Yukiru scene at all.

But this snuck in.

In fact, in the first draft including Yukiru at all, there was no kiss, but this was added in as I continued through my revisions. The characters, as said before, are speaking for themselves, I'm just the mediator.

I did not mean for them to talk about the hat either! It just happened! Let them have their moment! XD

I was planning to publish it sooner but I wanted to work some things out for future chapters first.

Thanks again LadyLutra for being my beta-reader for this chapter!

Please review! :)