Discliamer: I don't own Fruits Basket. But Shue is of my creation so no stealing!!
A/N: This is an Akito pity fic so if you don't feel even the slightest bit sorry for him, don't read this. R&R please!!!
Her head was spinning inside itself. The eternal darkness of the unconscious mind wrapped itself around her. The constant throbbing of her head wound rippled through the world. Though all memories were blurry from shock, she could make out parts of what had happened.
She had been running away from home again and she had headed deep into the forest. The exact situation wasn't clear, but she knew that she had fallen quite a ways and hit her head.
A gentle breeze and quiet voice stirred her from her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up. Heavy cotton covers fell as she wiped her eyes to focus.
"Are you awake?" A soft voice was heard over the throbbing of her head. She looked over to see a boy somewhere around her age sitting in a doorway that led to the outside. The shoulder of his man's kimono had fallen halfway down his arm as he raised a hand to let a bird perch on his finger. "I asked are you awake." His voice didn't seem familiar. It was soft, almost to a whisper, but threatening with a severe tone of boredom. Slowly, she got up and walked to the doorway to sit beside him.
"Yes, are you the one who helped me?" She reached out a hand and stroked the bird's back. It tweeted a happy tune and flew off. When she turned back to him, their eyes met. His face was placid and expressionless, like he'd never been outside. Pitch-black bangs hung over his narrow eyes. There seemed to be no color to his eyes but black; overall, he was frightening to look at. But his stare held something more than the anger that was push forward; there was pain, loneliness, and envy.
"Like a mother cat, deprived of her litter, I merely aided one who was in need," he said, looking back up at the sky. A shaking hand reached to grasp some seeds from a bowl and hold them up into the air. After a moment, his palm was filled with chirping finches.
"You look at the sky like you're searching for something. I guess it's not polite of me to ask but what might you be searching for?" She took a handful of seed and spread it over the ground. There was no answer so she stood up and ambled into the room to get her bags. "Like a shadow with eyes, I can see all that the light doesn't illuminate. Such as hidden feelings, memories, and secrets. I am always in search of something but I don't know what." She looked back at him to see if her words had spawned a reply, but to no avail. He only sat there staring up at the heavens. She sighed, slung her bag over her shoulder, and began to leave. A cough and soft mumble halted her in mid-stride.
"What?" She asked turning her head back to see him. Now his head was hung low, a spot of blood staining his hand.
"What I'm searching for . . . I'm searching for a New Years dream."