~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yuki~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I drifted out of sleep and looked up at the ceiling. My back was throbbing, and I ached all over. Haru and I had moved away from each other in our sleep. I vaguely remembered him coming in and stopping Akito. He had saved me, him and Hatori both. I would thank them both, though needless to say in different ways.
"Hey you shouldn't you be asleep?" Haru's voice whispered.
I jumped slightly, startled by his voice in the quiet room. I looked over at him and smiled, "I know, I just have lots on my mind."
"Things like?"
I sighed and cuddled up to him, "Akito said I have to move out tomorrow…."
Haru looked at me and smiled, "hey that means you don't have to be near Akito anymore! That's good. I mean you'll have to leave Hatori, Momiji, Kisa and m-" he stopped talking and his smile faded. It had occurred to him it meant I would be away from him as well.
"Well… I'll move with you then. Tomorrow I'll tell Akito I'm moving out too." Haru said.
"No"
He gave me a confused look, "why not? I'm sure Shigure won't mind me living with him too, well that is where you're moving to right?"
"Yes but that's not the problem… I'm not having you go to Akito and telling him you're moving out. He is furious about us, and I'm not having you hurt. We will be fine in different houses… you can visit me, and we can still hang out. We can still do everything we did before." I told him, scooting closer and laying my head on his warm bare chest again. I felt his chest rise and fall in a heavy sigh, and he stayed silent.
"No... It won't be the same and you know it Yuki. We're going to drift apart if we're separated like that, because I can't just up and visit, you know me I'll get lost. You won't come here because of obvious reasons… Akito will be furious if I visit all the time anyway so what's the difference?" He said, his voice sounded irritated, but it hinted he was on the verge of tears.
I looked up at his face and I saw him staring at the ceiling, his face twisted into a hurt expression, and trying not to cry. I felt my heart break, I was hurting him again, I had put him through so much. He dealt with me injured so badly, him always coming up for excuses for our long absences before because I couldn't stutter out things in front of Akito. Here I was, hurting him again. He would be so much better off without me.
I wrapped my arms around him and embraced him as tight as I could muster in my weak condition. "Haru…. that won't happen. I can't drift from you; it's not possible for me."
"Yeah… sure…" he replied, the doubt in his voice was clear. I held onto him and sighed. I could tell he didn't believe me, and it was a sting.
"Trust me Haru… please… "
"I do…"
I looked into his eyes, "then believe me that we'll see each other… nothing is going to change."
A smile slowly crept across his face and he wrapped his strong arms around my weak frame. He believed me now, he didn't say it, but he didn't need to. I was exhausted, as I'm sure Haru was. We both drifted off to sleep, dreams of sweetness in our heads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shigure~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hatori had called me and asked a favor of me the night before. Yuki and Akito it seemed had gotten into what Hari called a 'scuffle' the night before. Akito had ordered Yuki out of the house. I couldn't imagine what drove Akito to do that sending his special pet away? Strange events indeed. Anyhow, Hatori had asked me to let Yuki live at my abode.
"Ha-san, if I were to do that, Yuki-kun would be exposed to raging parties with the lovely underage school girls! Goodness knows we can't have that!" I exclaimed into the phone, giggling like a little girl.
There was silence from the other line, and I smiled slightly. I loved harassing Hatori, it drove him crazy, but he wouldn't show it!
"Shigure… this is rather serious." Hatori said in his normal impassive tone.
I stopped giggling, "Hai hai, I know, what exactly happened?"
"Hmmm… well you know how Haru and Yuki have been close lately…. Akito finally decided to do something about it." Hatori said.
"Oh… I see… well! Of course Yuki-kun can live here…" I grinned to myself, "Does that mean Aya and me need to end our nightly activities?"
"You never stop do you?"
"Absolutely not"
The boys came over later that day, and I had never seen Yuki in such a state, he could barely walk. I looked out the window, he and Haru were coming up the walk, Haru carrying Yuki's suitcase in one arm, and the other was wrapped around Yuki. It was sweet in a sorrowful way; it reminded me of two other young boys, two boys who walked up a path like that about 13 years ago…
"Hari! What is wrong with you! You won't even look at meeeee." I whined, my 14 year old voice cracked in its awkward way. Even with my whining he still would not look at me. Sure he wasn't exactly close and cuddly, he called me an idiot a lot, and wasn't the most affectionate all the time, but there was never a time he wouldn't even look at me. I stopped walking and stared at him, my eyes watering up and I squeaked out, "HAAATOOORIIIII HATES MEEEE!"
Hatori walked on for a few feet, and then without looking at me said, "No, I don't… but Akito said if we meet again, he'll hurt us both. Akito wanted me to take you to your uncle's house… Akito said he needs me to stay with him… so you're moving out…" With this he nodded to my uncle's house, a little ways up the path. He turned around, heading back to the Sohma house and I stared at him.
"You're taking orders from a six year old?" I asked him, the strong Hatori I knew was going to be beaten that easily? Something was wrong here. My eyes widened a little, I knew what was going on here.
"Seka…. It's her huh? This has nothing to do to Akito."
Hatori turned around, "what? That's preposterous."
"NO! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! Akito lets you have a tutor, god knows why, you're the smartest Sohma there is! And you take full advantage of that… I-I-I" I couldn't finish saying my sentence, so I ran to my uncle's house, ready to never see Hatori again.
I shook my head quickly, these thoughts bombarding me in a second's time. Haru and Yuki held each other in a tight embrace, and I smiled slightly, silently hoping they wouldn't endure too much pain. I walked downstairs and out the door.
"AWE that's so cute, though shouldn't you wait till you're inside Yuki-kun, Haru-kun?" I said playfully.
"Shut up Shigure" Yuki and Haru both responded, though it had been rehearsed.
I giggled again and walked inside, off to do some work, new inspiration had struck.
~~~~~~~Yuki~~~~~~~~~~
Hatori offered to drive us over to the main house, and Haru had said no. Hatori had frowned, telling him to think of my condition but I assured him we would be fine. Haru and I would have less time together alone, so we should take every opportunity we had. Haru insisted he carry the suitcase I had packed my belongings in. I owned little enough so it could fit in one bag. I normally didn't like to hang extremely close to Haru when we walked down the street, no more than holding hands usually, but today I leaned into him the whole way, allowing him to keep his arm wrapped tightly around me. We passed only a couple people on that cool fall day, I couldn't help but smirk, they most likely thought I was a girl.
I clung a little tighter to Haru, still feeling weak. He smiled at me and then looked back out like he was in deep thought. I knew that look, he was thinking, planning.
"Haru… whatever you're thinking of…don't." I said quietly.
He looked at me, trying to play dumb, "hmm what are you-"
"Haru… I know you're coming up with a plan. Don't… we'll be ok like this." I said, my tone concrete.
I was given his puppy eyes, but I stayed by my words. He looked at the ground and nodded.
We were soon at Shigure's house, and I looked up to my new home. It didn't look so bad, much cheerier than the main house actually… I tried to think of the positives. No more Akito, no more Momiji squeaking and bouncing around at 5am, no more Akito, no more Kyou when that stupid cat finally did come back to the house, no more Akito, no more fear… no more Akito.
We got inside the gate and Haru put my bag down, and wrapped his other arm around me. I sunk into his arms of comfort and safety. It felt strangely like a goodbye though. Which was utterly ridiculous wasn't it? This wasn't anywhere near goodbye, we were going to be together forever. Still I felt a tear slide down my cheek. I hated crying in front of people. Even though I trusted Haru completely, and was open with him, I still hated crying in front of him. It made me look weak, and I had to be strong. I don't know why, I just had to be strong, always. I buried my face in Haru's shoulder hoping he wouldn't notice, but he pulled away and looks at me. He put his hand under my chin and made me look up at him. I blinked, and felt my face grow red.
"Yuki….. It's ok to cry… you know I don't think you're weak because of it." Haru said, leaning in and gently kissing me.
It amazed me how he always managed to know just what to say. I smiled, not having to fake it in the least. I stared back into his eyes and returned to his embrace, "thank you Haru."
At this moment Shigure popped out of the door. "AWE that's so cute, though shouldn't you wait till you're inside Yuki-kun, Haru-kun?" Shigure said in his normal goofy tone. His zodiac fit him well; he sounded and acted like a floppy dog.
"Shut up Shigure" Haru and I responded at the same time.
Shigure giggled again, and then headed into the house. Haru rolled his eyes and smiled, "Well, at least you will have an upbeat member of the family to live with right?"
I smirked and responded sarcastically, "yeah… goody goody gumdrops."
Haru smiled and laughed a little, "lets take your stuff up to your room and then you're gonna rest, doc's orders."
Before I could grab my bag Haru had it in his hands and was walking in the house. I smiled and followed him into my room. He set my trunk on the floor and flopped onto the bed Shigure already had made up for me.
"Are you going to unpack now?" Haru asked cocking his head at me.
I smiled and shook my head, "just one thing…" I reached in and pulled out a brown sack. I moved aside some socks and pulled out the little clay cow and mouse Haru had given me many years ago. I loved that little clay statue he made for me. I remember watching him, thinking how I liked him, how he'd never feel that way. The day he had given me the little cow was one of those days I was feeling hopeless. Akito had just finished 'playing' with me, and my side stung from the whip. I had been wondering why I kept up the way I did, when Haru came in and timidly handed me the little cow and mouse statue and ran away, obviously embarrassed. That little present had warmed my heart and reminded me why I still bothered with trying at life.
Even now, holding that little cow and mouse in my hand made me feel good and reminded me to keep trying, because happiness does exist. I set the statue on the little table near my bed and then lay down next to Haru smiling. Haru was looking at where I put the statue, "Still like that thing?"
I smirked, knowing full well he'd be crushed if I said anything other than yes, lucky him that was the truth. "I will never dislike that. It reminds me that the cow and the rat are meant to be together, since the beginning." I placed my hand on Haru's cheek and he looked at me happily.
"I'm glad it makes you think that, because it's true."
Haru and I lay on my bed for hours, whispering sweet nothings into each others ears, laughing thinking of memories, and talking of our future, how everything was going to be wonderful. I wished that evening would've never ended, but soon my clock read six, and Haru reluctantly stood up. I glanced out the window, it was getting dark and clouds were covering the sky.
"Haru, it's going to rain maybe you should stay, then you wouldn't get wet walking home…" I said, hoping this would cross him as a good excuse.
He turned around and kissed me and then whispered, "No…. I have to go back, if I stay tonight, I'm going to beg Akito to let me stay forever."
I sighed deeply, "You're right, bye bye Haru. Sleep tight… Dream of me?"
"I'll hold my pillow, and you hold yours, we'll practically be hugging." Haru said with a smile, and with that he walked out the door.
I leaned my head against my window and watched him walk down the street as a light rain began to fall. This felt so wrong. Like the clouds, I felt tears rain down my face in a drizzle. I was stupid to feel so sad, it's not like we were never going to see each other again. I flopped back onto my pillow, and glanced at the clay animals. A small smile crept over my face and I hugged my pillow. Everything would be ok.
~~~~Haru~~~~
I walked home from Shigure's house, the light rain drenching me. It amazed me how stable I felt, even though I had left Yuki behind. Of course I was fine, this wasn't goodbye, after all it was walking distance even! Everything was fine.
When I got home, I had dinner, and then went to my room and flopped on my bed, stereo jamming.
"Mental wounds still screaming, driving me insane I'm going off the rails on a crazy train…" I sang along softly, and trailed off going into thought. Was everything really going to be ok? It was going to be different, I already knew that. I reached over and held onto my other pillow, burying my face in it. Yuki's sweet scent still clung to it. I sighed deeply as a familiar song came on my stereo. "So close no matter how far…"
I smiled and curled up and shut my eyes. Everything would be fine. Yuki was still mine, I could call and visit him anytime, it was all going to be fine. With these thoughts in my mind, I let sleep take me.
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Poor Haru and Yuki, I'm so mean to them… Sorry if this chapter was boring, it's going to be picking up real quick! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase review. Bye till next chapter!
