AN: Apologies to those who got to the first chapter and went 'Who the
heck is Kureno?' I know there had to be some since I realize that not
everyone who has seen the Fruits Basket anime knows about the manga. It's
spoiler-ish, I know, and I had thought about putting in some sort of
warning in the beginning somewhere but then that would have given away the
surprise of who it was. Yes, I'm evil for liking those surprises. So sue
me.
Anyway, this is turning out to be a bit longer than I thought it would. I was never intending an actual Kureno/Tohru pairing, only a tiny conversation between them that was buzzing in my brain in a really annoying way. Except the tiny conversation keeps getting longer since it was supposed to be all done with this second chapter but, well, it's becoming too long so the third and last one will be forthcoming later.
Oh, yeah. One more thing. Not much is known about Kureno except that he basically lives completely by doing Akito's bidding so my characterization of him may turn out to be completely wrong if Takuya-sensei ever decides to reveal more about him in the manga. All I can say is that, to me, he's a sad figure who's lost his hope, which is understandable since he exists like he's Akito's living doll. Poor guy. The more I think about him, the more I want to cuddle him and make him happy, even if he is a two- dimensional character. What can I say? Furuba characters are just too huggable – so to speak. =D
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"I apologize for dropping by unannounced," Kureno apologized.
"Oh, no!" she exclaimed quickly. "It's a nice surprise. Please, come in." She moved out of the doorway so he could enter, peering at him curiously. "You came alone?"
"Yes."
"I see."
He didn't miss the brief flash of disappointment that flashed across her face and then was gone. It was replaced by a bright, cheerful smile that was warm and honest and generously welcoming.
It made him feel regret that he wasn't one of the others whose company she would no doubt have welcomed more in contrast to his quiet and colorless presence. After all, he could count on one hand the number of times that they'd been in each other's company – and always in the presence of Akito. That, most certainly, had limited whatever words they might have spoken to each other under different circumstances. Compared to how she had lived, laughed, and associated under the same roof for years with some of the others, the two of them were virtually strangers so why should she be happy have him appear on her doorstep completely out of the blue?
"Please have a seat," she told him when they were in the living area. "You must be tired after coming all this way."
"No, not really."
"Nevertheless," she said firmly, "please wait while I go get some refreshments. You are a guest, after all, and it would be rude not to. It won't take long. Luckily, I just made a fresh pot of tea before you came."
He watched, somewhat bemused, as she exited like a tiny, cheerful whirlwind. She seemed completely at ease, flitting away like a beautiful bright butterfly.
Was she always so happy?
He hadn't thought she would be but, really, what did he know of her?
In actuality, he hadn't thought much of anything beyond his decision to come here and he was beginning to realize he should have spent more time thinking of all that this trip would entail – including what she'd really be like without the presence of Akito shadowing them. Aside from his own brief meetings with her, what little he knew of her had been from the mouth of Akito when he sometimes spoke of her, and his take on what she was like was hardly to be trusted. And he supposed the few times that he'd seen her couldn't be very telling since they had all been with Akito present.
And Akito tended to have a dampening affect on people's true personalities.
He, of all people, knew that.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" was the cheerful cry as Tohru came bustling back into the room bearing a tray of tea and cookies. She made quick work of serving first him, then herself before kneeling, taking her own seat at the low table as she gave him a welcoming expression. "Please, help yourself to as much as you like."
"Thank you," he said politely as he bit into a cookie. As the crunchy sweetness flowed over his tongue, he stared at her in surprise. "Did you make these yourself?"
"Yes." She smiled. "I love to cook but I never really did much with cookies. Lately, though, I've been experimenting." She laughed a little. "And the children love to help me taste test them, which makes it more fun."
"Children," he repeated blankly.
Since when did she have kids? No one had mentioned anything like that to him before.
"Yes, in town," she replied. "Sometimes I bring cookies to share with them when I go in."
"Ah." That made more sense. He had vague recollections of the small town located a few miles away from the Souma house. "Do you go there often?"
"Of course. I'd be fired if I didn't."
"Fired?" He was experiencing that odd disorientation again.
"From my job."
"Job?"
"Yes, I work at a bakery there." She smiled. "You just happened to come on my day off."
"Bakery?" He was starting to feel like a parrot. He shook himself out of it and regarded her curiously. "Why are you working? It's not necessary, after all. I heard that you'd be provided with everything."
"I was. But I can't just sit around and do nothing. And since there's only so much gardening and house cleaning I can do here, I needed something else."
"You do that yourself?" Kureno was surprised. "I thought there were servants to do those tasks."
"It was something I was offered, but I turned it down. I don't like to be waited on, especially when I'm the only one here."
"I see."
He fell silent, thinking of himself and how different he was. Always, he was being the one served. He had never decided not to be, but then he had never decided much of anything in his life.
It was all so very different from her.
Though they both had the experience of being placed in a type of prison constructed by Akito, she had chosen hers willingly while he had merely accepted whatever was put before him, unquestioning and passive, following where he was led. He, who in some small part of himself had somehow started to believe that they were kindred spirits, was beginning to realize how far apart they were and that he was much, much less.
What was he doing here?
"Kureno-san?"
He came back to himself to find her gazing at him with concern. That wasn't what he wanted. He'd had a notion of coming here to perhaps do something worthwhile for a change and ease the burden placed on her shoulders, which she had no right taking up in the first place. But instead of relieving her of anything, he was the one becoming the burden, only worrying her and no doubt making her hardship worse.
He really couldn't do anything right, could he?
"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I should go."
"What?" She looked surprised. "So soon?"
"It was a mistake to come here." He shook his head regretfully as he stood, bowing in apology. "I'm truly sorry to have bothered you and taken up your time." He turned away. "I'll leave. Please, stay seated. I can show myself out."
"Wait!"
She reached out towards the retreating figure, one hand trying to grasp at his arm while she rose from her seat in the same motion, making an attempt to get him to stay. Unfortunately, she accidentally bumped into the low table as she rose which threw her off balance and she began to fall, reaching hand turning into flailing arms as she tried to grab on to something that would stop her descent.
But the only thing she came into contact with was Kureno.
POOF!
Time stood frozen for a moment as two figures stared at each other in the dissipating smoke with equal amounts of shocked disbelief. Then, suddenly the larger one began a flurry of movement, bowing rapidly in apology to the smaller form in comical haste.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tohru cried. "I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright," the rooster sighed, ruffling his brilliantly colored feathers. "There's no harm done."
"Even so - I'm still sorry! I was only trying to get you to stay a little longer. I never meant for" she gestured at him helplessly, "this to happen."
"I know."
"I'm sorry," Tohru said again, anxiously. "Is there anything that I can-"
POOF!
With a small shriek, she whirled away as, in a cloud of colored smoke, the small form instantly became larger – and completely nude. He was quick to take the opportunity to redress as she kept her back turned to him, head cast down in what was, no doubt, a great deal of embarrassment. It was an emotion he understood well since he was experiencing a large dose of it himself.
It had been a long time since he'd been caught nude in a female's presence.
"I'm sorry," he apologized when he'd finished dressing.
He felt discomfited when she turned around with cheeks flushed with pink. It had also been a long time since he'd been in the presence of a blushing woman. It unsettled him greatly as he wondered with no small amount of discomfort if there was some sort of special procedure one should follow in such circumstances. He hadn't been in such a situation in so very long, he wasn't sure what to do. He felt awkward, out of place, and just very, very lost, wishing there was some sign that would tell him how to proceed.
There should be a handbook for these sorts of things.
"-san? Kureno-san?"
He jerked, startled upon realizing that he'd been staring vacantly into space, lost in his vague thoughts, while she'd been calling his name for some length of time, if her worried expression was any indication. He shook his daze off, telling himself to stay more focused.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I was just-" he hesitated, not sure how to put it.
But Tohru just smiled at him understandingly. "I do that too sometimes."
"You do?" He stared back at her in surprise.
"Yes." Her expression held embarrassment. "Sometimes my mind just wanders and I get caught up in other thoughts. There I times when I even talk aloud to myself." She laughed a little. "It makes people nervous sometimes."
"It does," Kureno agreed softly.
He regarded her curiously. From what she said, perhaps they had more similarities than he had previously thought. It was a surprising revelation somehow thought he didn't know why it should be since he didn't know her that well.
But she was definitely unusual.
He'd heard tales of her acceptance of the Jyunnishi members but he hadn't really understood what it meant until now, never having seen her interact with any of them when they were in their transformed state. There was a part of him that expected more of a reaction than he was getting, some sort of recrimination or disgust perhaps but she showed none of that.
She was treating him normally.
She was speaking to him as an equal, as she had when he had first appeared and before his transformation. Aside from apologizing for triggering the curse, she made no other mention of it, as if she'd completely forgotten that mere moments before the room had been graced with the unusual presence of a rooster and then, after that, a nude male who had to scramble to redress himself in the clothes that had scattered themselves around the area.
So this, he thought, was why the other Jyunnishi had gravitated towards her.
But then why had they given her up?
He couldn't understand it.
He sank down slowly until he was kneeling on the floor, facing her as confusion washed over his mind, coloring him with its myriad thoughts that overtook him in an unexpected rush. So many various thoughts were bombarding him all of a sudden; he wasn't sure how to sort them all out to ease the painful pressure that seemed to be growing within his head, wanting some way out, some means of relief.
"Just speak whatever's on your mind," Tohru told him softly.
The softness of her voice tugged at him, drawing his gaze to meet hers that looked back with an understanding and compassion that he found unfathomable. Such openness and kindheartedness that she offered unquestioningly to him, to someone she hardly knew, wasn't something he was used to being on the receiving end of. It was comforting, soothing, inviting, relaxing.
It was also frightening.
"Don't push yourself," she said. "You can speak freely."
His smile was half-hearted. "How can I talk about it when I'm not even sure what it is on my mind that wants to be spoken?"
"Just say whatever it is that wants to come out. It doesn't matter if it makes any sense."
"How do you know?" he asked quietly.
"Because I do."
Her expression as she gazed at him grew distant, a trifle sad, speaking of remembrances that hinted at painful experiences gone through and dealt with, however much they'd hurt. Witnessing it, he felt humbled, ashamed somehow in a way that he didn't quite understand but accepted nonetheless. And because of it, because of her, a layer of calmness settled upon his mind, quieting his previously ricocheting thoughts. He drew in a deep cleansing breath, released in a slow exhale.
And he began to speak.
Anyway, this is turning out to be a bit longer than I thought it would. I was never intending an actual Kureno/Tohru pairing, only a tiny conversation between them that was buzzing in my brain in a really annoying way. Except the tiny conversation keeps getting longer since it was supposed to be all done with this second chapter but, well, it's becoming too long so the third and last one will be forthcoming later.
Oh, yeah. One more thing. Not much is known about Kureno except that he basically lives completely by doing Akito's bidding so my characterization of him may turn out to be completely wrong if Takuya-sensei ever decides to reveal more about him in the manga. All I can say is that, to me, he's a sad figure who's lost his hope, which is understandable since he exists like he's Akito's living doll. Poor guy. The more I think about him, the more I want to cuddle him and make him happy, even if he is a two- dimensional character. What can I say? Furuba characters are just too huggable – so to speak. =D
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"I apologize for dropping by unannounced," Kureno apologized.
"Oh, no!" she exclaimed quickly. "It's a nice surprise. Please, come in." She moved out of the doorway so he could enter, peering at him curiously. "You came alone?"
"Yes."
"I see."
He didn't miss the brief flash of disappointment that flashed across her face and then was gone. It was replaced by a bright, cheerful smile that was warm and honest and generously welcoming.
It made him feel regret that he wasn't one of the others whose company she would no doubt have welcomed more in contrast to his quiet and colorless presence. After all, he could count on one hand the number of times that they'd been in each other's company – and always in the presence of Akito. That, most certainly, had limited whatever words they might have spoken to each other under different circumstances. Compared to how she had lived, laughed, and associated under the same roof for years with some of the others, the two of them were virtually strangers so why should she be happy have him appear on her doorstep completely out of the blue?
"Please have a seat," she told him when they were in the living area. "You must be tired after coming all this way."
"No, not really."
"Nevertheless," she said firmly, "please wait while I go get some refreshments. You are a guest, after all, and it would be rude not to. It won't take long. Luckily, I just made a fresh pot of tea before you came."
He watched, somewhat bemused, as she exited like a tiny, cheerful whirlwind. She seemed completely at ease, flitting away like a beautiful bright butterfly.
Was she always so happy?
He hadn't thought she would be but, really, what did he know of her?
In actuality, he hadn't thought much of anything beyond his decision to come here and he was beginning to realize he should have spent more time thinking of all that this trip would entail – including what she'd really be like without the presence of Akito shadowing them. Aside from his own brief meetings with her, what little he knew of her had been from the mouth of Akito when he sometimes spoke of her, and his take on what she was like was hardly to be trusted. And he supposed the few times that he'd seen her couldn't be very telling since they had all been with Akito present.
And Akito tended to have a dampening affect on people's true personalities.
He, of all people, knew that.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" was the cheerful cry as Tohru came bustling back into the room bearing a tray of tea and cookies. She made quick work of serving first him, then herself before kneeling, taking her own seat at the low table as she gave him a welcoming expression. "Please, help yourself to as much as you like."
"Thank you," he said politely as he bit into a cookie. As the crunchy sweetness flowed over his tongue, he stared at her in surprise. "Did you make these yourself?"
"Yes." She smiled. "I love to cook but I never really did much with cookies. Lately, though, I've been experimenting." She laughed a little. "And the children love to help me taste test them, which makes it more fun."
"Children," he repeated blankly.
Since when did she have kids? No one had mentioned anything like that to him before.
"Yes, in town," she replied. "Sometimes I bring cookies to share with them when I go in."
"Ah." That made more sense. He had vague recollections of the small town located a few miles away from the Souma house. "Do you go there often?"
"Of course. I'd be fired if I didn't."
"Fired?" He was experiencing that odd disorientation again.
"From my job."
"Job?"
"Yes, I work at a bakery there." She smiled. "You just happened to come on my day off."
"Bakery?" He was starting to feel like a parrot. He shook himself out of it and regarded her curiously. "Why are you working? It's not necessary, after all. I heard that you'd be provided with everything."
"I was. But I can't just sit around and do nothing. And since there's only so much gardening and house cleaning I can do here, I needed something else."
"You do that yourself?" Kureno was surprised. "I thought there were servants to do those tasks."
"It was something I was offered, but I turned it down. I don't like to be waited on, especially when I'm the only one here."
"I see."
He fell silent, thinking of himself and how different he was. Always, he was being the one served. He had never decided not to be, but then he had never decided much of anything in his life.
It was all so very different from her.
Though they both had the experience of being placed in a type of prison constructed by Akito, she had chosen hers willingly while he had merely accepted whatever was put before him, unquestioning and passive, following where he was led. He, who in some small part of himself had somehow started to believe that they were kindred spirits, was beginning to realize how far apart they were and that he was much, much less.
What was he doing here?
"Kureno-san?"
He came back to himself to find her gazing at him with concern. That wasn't what he wanted. He'd had a notion of coming here to perhaps do something worthwhile for a change and ease the burden placed on her shoulders, which she had no right taking up in the first place. But instead of relieving her of anything, he was the one becoming the burden, only worrying her and no doubt making her hardship worse.
He really couldn't do anything right, could he?
"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I should go."
"What?" She looked surprised. "So soon?"
"It was a mistake to come here." He shook his head regretfully as he stood, bowing in apology. "I'm truly sorry to have bothered you and taken up your time." He turned away. "I'll leave. Please, stay seated. I can show myself out."
"Wait!"
She reached out towards the retreating figure, one hand trying to grasp at his arm while she rose from her seat in the same motion, making an attempt to get him to stay. Unfortunately, she accidentally bumped into the low table as she rose which threw her off balance and she began to fall, reaching hand turning into flailing arms as she tried to grab on to something that would stop her descent.
But the only thing she came into contact with was Kureno.
POOF!
Time stood frozen for a moment as two figures stared at each other in the dissipating smoke with equal amounts of shocked disbelief. Then, suddenly the larger one began a flurry of movement, bowing rapidly in apology to the smaller form in comical haste.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tohru cried. "I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright," the rooster sighed, ruffling his brilliantly colored feathers. "There's no harm done."
"Even so - I'm still sorry! I was only trying to get you to stay a little longer. I never meant for" she gestured at him helplessly, "this to happen."
"I know."
"I'm sorry," Tohru said again, anxiously. "Is there anything that I can-"
POOF!
With a small shriek, she whirled away as, in a cloud of colored smoke, the small form instantly became larger – and completely nude. He was quick to take the opportunity to redress as she kept her back turned to him, head cast down in what was, no doubt, a great deal of embarrassment. It was an emotion he understood well since he was experiencing a large dose of it himself.
It had been a long time since he'd been caught nude in a female's presence.
"I'm sorry," he apologized when he'd finished dressing.
He felt discomfited when she turned around with cheeks flushed with pink. It had also been a long time since he'd been in the presence of a blushing woman. It unsettled him greatly as he wondered with no small amount of discomfort if there was some sort of special procedure one should follow in such circumstances. He hadn't been in such a situation in so very long, he wasn't sure what to do. He felt awkward, out of place, and just very, very lost, wishing there was some sign that would tell him how to proceed.
There should be a handbook for these sorts of things.
"-san? Kureno-san?"
He jerked, startled upon realizing that he'd been staring vacantly into space, lost in his vague thoughts, while she'd been calling his name for some length of time, if her worried expression was any indication. He shook his daze off, telling himself to stay more focused.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I was just-" he hesitated, not sure how to put it.
But Tohru just smiled at him understandingly. "I do that too sometimes."
"You do?" He stared back at her in surprise.
"Yes." Her expression held embarrassment. "Sometimes my mind just wanders and I get caught up in other thoughts. There I times when I even talk aloud to myself." She laughed a little. "It makes people nervous sometimes."
"It does," Kureno agreed softly.
He regarded her curiously. From what she said, perhaps they had more similarities than he had previously thought. It was a surprising revelation somehow thought he didn't know why it should be since he didn't know her that well.
But she was definitely unusual.
He'd heard tales of her acceptance of the Jyunnishi members but he hadn't really understood what it meant until now, never having seen her interact with any of them when they were in their transformed state. There was a part of him that expected more of a reaction than he was getting, some sort of recrimination or disgust perhaps but she showed none of that.
She was treating him normally.
She was speaking to him as an equal, as she had when he had first appeared and before his transformation. Aside from apologizing for triggering the curse, she made no other mention of it, as if she'd completely forgotten that mere moments before the room had been graced with the unusual presence of a rooster and then, after that, a nude male who had to scramble to redress himself in the clothes that had scattered themselves around the area.
So this, he thought, was why the other Jyunnishi had gravitated towards her.
But then why had they given her up?
He couldn't understand it.
He sank down slowly until he was kneeling on the floor, facing her as confusion washed over his mind, coloring him with its myriad thoughts that overtook him in an unexpected rush. So many various thoughts were bombarding him all of a sudden; he wasn't sure how to sort them all out to ease the painful pressure that seemed to be growing within his head, wanting some way out, some means of relief.
"Just speak whatever's on your mind," Tohru told him softly.
The softness of her voice tugged at him, drawing his gaze to meet hers that looked back with an understanding and compassion that he found unfathomable. Such openness and kindheartedness that she offered unquestioningly to him, to someone she hardly knew, wasn't something he was used to being on the receiving end of. It was comforting, soothing, inviting, relaxing.
It was also frightening.
"Don't push yourself," she said. "You can speak freely."
His smile was half-hearted. "How can I talk about it when I'm not even sure what it is on my mind that wants to be spoken?"
"Just say whatever it is that wants to come out. It doesn't matter if it makes any sense."
"How do you know?" he asked quietly.
"Because I do."
Her expression as she gazed at him grew distant, a trifle sad, speaking of remembrances that hinted at painful experiences gone through and dealt with, however much they'd hurt. Witnessing it, he felt humbled, ashamed somehow in a way that he didn't quite understand but accepted nonetheless. And because of it, because of her, a layer of calmness settled upon his mind, quieting his previously ricocheting thoughts. He drew in a deep cleansing breath, released in a slow exhale.
And he began to speak.