Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fruits Basket or anything pertaining to the manga or anime. The characters, places, etc... are not mine, nor do I lay any claim on them. This is not an attempt to infringe on any rights or copyrights, as this is purely for entertainment.
Authors Note: The second chapter. Again, I apologize for any spelling, grammar, or other mistakes. Also, I realize that this chapter is weaker than the first. Hopefully, this won't be the case for the following chapters. I'm currently suffering a horrible migraine that has decided three days of pain is not enough, so has settled in for an extended/indefinite stay. hates migraine and shakes fist in anger Sorry to disappoint with this one, hope I'll be forgiven with the next chapter.
Title: 'Autumn'
Author: Evie Gunn
Rating: R rated for language and adult/sexual situations
Series: Fruits Basket
Pairings: Haru x Kyou
Genre: ?
Archive: If you like... just tell me where. I'm inclined to be a pessimist, so I doubt anyone would want to, but hey...
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Autumn
Chapter 2: Falling into Step
My collection had grown. Three days, I wandered back and forth across the Sohma property, randomly snatching any leaf that I found particularly interesting. Momiji had walked with me for a while, helping me choose. When he'd finally asked what I was doing, I'd just shrugged and told him simply, that I liked leaves. He'd frowned at me at first, but his face had quickly broken into a wide smile. He giggled at me and told me he'd help me find the most beautiful leaves there were. I wondered briefly at the childishness of our actions, but brushed the questioning aside. Momiji accepted it easily enough, happy to find such simple joy. The playful rabbit sought happiness, and the chance to bring someone else happiness; it didn't matter beyond that. I envied Momiji that virtue.
Eventually, my ceiling was again a canopy of leaves. No white shown past the overlapping layers of flora, and to look up, it was as if one was truly in a forest, tangled branches laced together to hide the sky. I smiled to myself as I tacked the last leaf to the ceiling. It had taken me days, consuming all of my time as I worked steady to cover the white. I couldn't even imagine exactly how many pins I'd collected and bought to attach the leaves. I frowned to my self as I realized how strange it was, spending hours and hours covering my ceiling with dead leaves, missing a day of school to wander and collect the multicolor brush. I felt like a child again, staring up at my work. When I was younger, I'd never covered the ceiling completely, instead just randomly sticking my collection where ever I felt the urge, wherever I could reach from my perch on any furniture I'd dragged around to climb on.
"It's beautiful..." Momiji's quiet voice drifted softly and I turned to watch him enter my room. His face was tilted upward and his mouth was curved in a soft smile. "I never imagined something like this." His eyes were large and bright as he wandered around my room, staring up at the cluttered ceiling.
"Thank you." I offered, still watching him. It amazed me sometimes how young he seemed. Again, I envied Momiji's qualities. I wished it were so easy for me to smile, to see beauty in simplicity. I only ever glanced at things, looking for the most obvious jewel, so I often missed the most precious gems.
"Haru...?" Momiji had turned his innocent face toward me, looking up expectantly. I reigned in my attention and nodded to him. "We should show everyone!" He was excited. I wasn't exactly sure why.
"No," I paused, thinking. "I'd rather not." I shook my head at him. It wasn't that I was embarrassed, but rather, for some reason I didn't want to share this with many people.
"Oh." Momiji's smile faded a little. "Oh!" His smile returned, brighter. "It's something special, then! It's just for you, because it means so much. I'm honored you let me help collect the leaves and allowed me to see it!" The small blond latched his arms around my waist and hugged me, humming happily to him self.
"You're welcome." I looked down at him as I spoke, my arms hovering outward as he squeezed me tightly. When he let go, he smiled up at me once again and giggled.
"Is there someone else you want to share it with?" I thought I saw a sparkle in Momiji's eyes. The blond was especially keen when it came to emotion; his empathy was like his own personal magic. I only stared down at him, my face expressionless. "No one makes something this beautiful just for themselves." Momiji squinted his eyes happily, his smile broadening.
"Oh?" I asked, smiling slightly, amused by his suspicion. He nodded and then looked up at the canopy once again.
"You know..." He paused, thinking, and tapped his finger to the side of his head. "It reminds me of someone." His smile slipped into innocence, and he looked at me again. I raised an eyebrow at his feigned innocence and waited for him to continue, but he remained silent.
Momiji scrunched his face at me and giggled before turning to dance out of the room, singing his good bye to me as he slipped past the doorframe. I watched him leave, the ribbon on the back of his odd shirt drifting on the air behind him. He seemed so childlike that I nearly always forgot how perceptive and wise he truly was. I shook my head and turned to reach for my coat. Slipping it on, I left my room, and then the house, again wandering the Sohma property. I followed the stone path that streeted the grounds, paying little attention to anything I passed. I thought perhaps, once, someone had called my name, but it was so faint I couldn't draw myself from my own mind to acknowledge it.
Eventually, inevitably, I suppose, I came to the open gates of the Sohma family estate. I stared at my family's name in the archway and wondered how we could truly call ourselves a family. It was by name alone. True, we shared blood, and a curse, but even so, we were so distant, so unlike a family should be. There was not enough love, not enough understanding to fit us together. We were like one great jigsaw puzzle, scattered and rearranged, some of the pieces damaged or flipped upside down; only no one could right the ones that were backwards, or repair the broken pieces. Some of us, despite it all, still fit together, still snapped into place to make a part of the picture. It wasn't necessarily the picture that had been painted for the family in the beginning, but it was something.
I hadn't noticed that I'd began walking again until I heard the sound of a car horn alerting me that it was near, and that I had wandered into its path. I realized I had moved into the street, so I stepped back up onto the curb quickly. When the car passed, I noticed that the people in the sedan were familiar. Hatori, Shigure, Momiji. I stopped along the side of the road and stared after them. It wasn't long before they slowed and stopped. A car door opened and Momiji popped out of the car and bounced down the sidewalk in my direction, smiling at me, almost conspiratorially. I frowned at him as he took my hand and dragged me toward the car.
"Come on, Haru. We are going to visit Tohru!" His voice was laced with happiness. I made a noise of understanding and allowed him to drag me toward the car. When I didn't keep pace with him, Momiji looked over his shoulder, brows arched in question. "Don't you want to go?" Momiji slowed his pace as he asked me this.
"I suppose..." I answered quietly.
"Kyou is going to be there." Momiji's voice was conversational. I turned my head toward him quickly and knitted my brows at the mention of our ruby-eyed cousin. I wondered why he would say that, why he thought that would change my mind or make any difference. Somehow, it did make a difference, but I continued to frown at the blond latched onto my arm.
"Momiji, I'm only that single-minded when I'm 'Black'." I thought, perhaps, Momiji believed the prospect of a fight with Kyou would appeal to me, even in my 'White' state.
"You don't always have to fight with Kyou." Momiji explained. "There are other reasons to visit him." Momiji's simple justification made me uncomfortable. It felt as though my privacy had been violated, yet at the same time, his words were like relief. The rabbit dragged me into the car and I pulled the door shut as Hatori moved the sedan back onto the street.
Momiji bounced happily in the seat beside me, explaining an idea he had for how Tohru should decorate her room. I wondered if it had something to do with his glimpse of my leaf canopy. I listened as the blond chatted away amiably, entertaining himself during the ride. Shigure was repeatedly begging Hatori to let him drive the car, to which Hatori simply answered 'No.' to each whine or plea. I smiled to myself at the way the two older men interacted. It was odd that a man like Hatori would be so close to two others with such flamboyant personalities as Shigure and Ayame. I drew myself away from thought as we followed the short driveway that led to our older cousin's house. In short time, we were climbing out of the car at Shigure's, a smiling Tohru greeting us from the porch, hands clasped beneath her chin.
"Shigure." Hatori's voice was soft, yet commanding. Shigure, who had been clinging to Hatori's arm whining about how cruel he was for not allowing him to drive the car, immediately let go of the other man and stood. I smiled, amused, as Shigure squinted happily, his smiling face turned toward his friend.
"Yes, Ha-ri?" Shigure lapsed into an innocent demeanor and clasped his hands in front of his chest, waiting for his friend to speak. I wondered if the dog knew how much more guilty it made him appear.
"Stop whining." Hatori's voice held no traces of agitation, only patience. I shook my head at the two and followed the others into the house, Shigure trailing at Hatori's heels. Before stepping up onto the porch, I glanced up at the roof, wondering if perhaps Kyou was perched up there, hiding from the world below.
Inside the house, it was little different from the ride in the car. Everyone was babbling aimlessly, speaking at once, carrying on multiple conversations. Even Hatori had grudgingly been drawn into a conversation with Shigure about his latest novel. Yuki had been waiting; sitting peacefully at the kotatsu when we entered, and he'd barely moved a muscle since. He hardly even acknowledged Tohru, much less anyone else in the room. I watched him disinterestedly while he traced a pattern on the table, his fingers making circles over the glossy wood. Oddly, I couldn't find it in my heart to care why he seemed so distant; my thoughts were slightly preoccupied with someone else.
When Kyou finally made his appearance, he was, predictably, angry. He stomped down the stairs like a child in the midst of a tantrum, throwing open the door and glowering at us all. If anyone other than I noticed, they did not show it. I watched as he stood in the doorway, his anger rising at being ignored. Finally, Tohru caught sight of Kyou and greeted the hot-tempered boy with a nervous smile.
"Kyou! I am happy to see you join us. You were sleeping when we ate lunch, so I saved it for you. Would you like me to..." He cut her off with a shout, typical of an angry Kyou.
"No! I don't want lunch, I want you all to shut up!" His voice rang through the room, but it was less than shocking. I frowned at him, but of course, he took no note of me.
"Now, Kyou. Don't be so angry." Shigure's voice was cheerfully oblivious to any danger Kyou represented.
"I'll be angry if I like! All of you idiots are too loud!" Kyou stomped to punctuate his statements. I heard Hatori sigh.
"You are louder than any of us, stupid cat." Yuki batted his usual insult back at Kyou. Kyou's face darkened and I thought for a moment I could hear the cat in him growling. I smiled at the idea.
"True, True!" Shigure singsonged before Kyou could direct his anger at Yuki. "Kyo is very loud!" I saw a particularly bright grin split Shigure's face. "Even when he's not yelling." Even without the accompanying gestures Shigure was mimicking, the innuendo was apparent. Even Hatori smiled. Kyou exploded.
"You fucking perverted dog!" Kyou lunged at Shigure. I could see the murderous intent in his eyes, but could not contain my mirth and grinned at the spectacle. Hatori, however, wrapped his fist into Kyou's shirt as he flew by and stopped Kyou's charge dead. Hatori barely flinched.
"Let me go, I'm going to kill him!" Kyou struggled in Hatori's grasp. I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the fact that despite Kyou's tendency to use insults to defend him self, he'd not used them against Hatori.
"Don't let him go, Ha-ri! He's going to kill me!" Shigure wailed dramatically and threw his arm up, the back of his hand pressed to his forehead dramatically. Yuki chuckled at the antics, and immediately Kyou's anger found another target.
"That's it, you fucking rat! I'm going to kill you this time!" Kyou jerked himself free of Hatori's grasp and glowered across the table at Yuki.
Yuki stood and straightened his clothes, suggesting to Kyou that they fight outside rather than allow more furniture to be broken. Kyou, of course, was not about to wait until they were outside to attack the mouse, and flung himself at Yuki. His wild punch was easily dodged and Kyou was sprawled on the floor in a matter of seconds. Yuki nursed his fist with his other hand, his eyes closed, silently gloating. I frowned in Yuki's direction, disgusted with the violet-eyed boy's disposition. I turned my gaze to Kyou and watched him sitting himself up on the floor, embarrassment and anger flushing his gold skin.
"Stupid cat." Yuki's voice was a hiss, slipping past his teeth to burn into Kyou. I felt myself growing angry, darkness straining to break the surface. I shook my head to clear it away, wondering when it had become so easy to get irritated with Yuki. Despite the fact that I'd realize some time ago that I did not truly love my dark haired cousin, I'd never been able to blame him for anything he'd done. To me, or to Kyou.
"Please, let's not fight." Tohru's shaky voice distracted me as she pleaded for the battle to be over. Her smile was weak and nervous, straining against her worry. I watched her face swing back and forth between the cousins. She tried so hard not to show it, but it was obvious how much she was bothered by Kyou and Yuki's failure to get along. It wasn't as easy for her to brush it off as it was for the rest of us, we were used to their rivalry.
"Don't you get tired of losing?" Yuki smirked at Kyou, ignoring Tohru's plea. I watched Kyou tense with anger, but his eyes held an entirely different emotion. "It's inevitable, Kyou. One day you'll realize you're nothing more than a stupid cat. I wait impatiently for the day they lock you..."
"Yuki!" Hatori's voice was a growl, low and dangerous, and I swung my head around in surprise to stare at him.
Hatori's voice had sliced the chaos of the atmosphere before Yuki could finish the sentence. I was somewhat shocked, devoid of reaction; unable to believe Yuki could be so cruel. In all the years I had known Yuki, never had such cold and unfeeling words escaped his lips. Belatedly, I noticed that Shigure and Hatori were standing; looking very much like the animals they were cursed with. Hatori's eyes shone with an anger only a dragon could possess, and even the normally cheerful Shigure's seemed more like an angered guard dog. I noticed, from the corner of my eye, Momiji dragging a confused looking Tohru from the room, his young face clouded with hurt for Kyou.
"I think it's time to go." Hatori nodded at me, inclining his head, then returned to glower at Yuki. The dark haired boy didn't even have the good sense to appear cowed, nor regretful. "You, " Hatori paused, and I followed his line of sight back to my cousin's face. His voice was calm as he spoke. "Have gone a bit too far. You should apologize." Yuki didn't respond.
I stared at the boy I had idolized for so long, wondering how I had missed the underlying hostility and cruelty for so long. Thinking back, I realized it had always been there. That mocking tone, that haughty demeanor that was laced through even his kindest words. I furrowed my brow in agitation. My thoughts were getting heavier and my head was beginning to hurt. If I didn't escape the tense situation soon, I knew my other half would slip in, take over. I didn't want that half to awaken, didn't want to be forced to stand down while 'Black' Haru stood up to release the anger I was so desperately trying to swallow. I focused my attention on Kyou. He was watching everyone in the room, his expression a mixture of hurt and anger, and complete confusion. It was as if he was puzzled by anyone showing concern for him, defending him, even in the smallest way. And Hatori and Shigure's current stance on his and Yuki's fight obviously unsettled him.
Yuki turned his back to everyone in the room, again presenting nothing but cool indifference. Hatori snorted and turned to leave, Shigure followed Hatori out of the room, his expression having softened into worry. I frowned at Yuki's back, watching the thin boy ignore us all. From the corner of my eye I saw Kyou spring to his feet and flee the room. Immediately, my eyes locked to him as I watched him disappear from the room. My heart sank. I was reminded of all the hate, the spite, the cruelty that he'd been forced to bear throughout his life. Again, he was reminded that he was the cat, that he was a monster. I empathized with him.
"Stupid cat." Yuki spat the word in a voice only slightly above a whisper.
I clenched my fists at my side. I could see spots before my eyes, little dancing lights flashing about in my vision. It was as if everything had taken on a more vivid glow, brighter somehow. I tilted my head in Yuki's direction and it seemed as if I suddenly had tunnel vision. I felt my control suddenly slip away. I was seething. How dare he be so cruel, so venomous? In an instant, I rushed toward the condescending 'prince'. I wrapped my fingers over his thin shoulder and spun him to face me. I leaned my face close to his, watching the color drain from him, his eyes grew wide in surprise. I pushed closer, each of my steps forcing him to step backward. I growled at his silence and twisted my fist into the front of his shirt, gripping the cloth so tightly I could hear it squeaking in defiance in my grip.
"Stupid cat?" I asked him calmly. I narrowed my eyes and grinned at him, waiting for his reply. He only stared at me as if he were truly too shocked to respond. I held tighter to his collar and shoved him backward, slamming him into the wall. He grunted, his breath slipping from his weak lungs.
"Haru, what's wrong with you?" His voice was angry, but I could still hear the fear. His face slipped into a cooler composition, his entire being offended by my actions. I grinned.
"Wrong with me?" I laughed. "There is nothing wrong with me, you fucking rat." My voice grew in volume and he squinted as it reached his ears from the short distance. I wanted nothing more than to plunge my fist into his chest and examine the black stone that rested where Yuki's heart should be. "Or perhaps, there is. Why don't you tell me..." I forced my knuckles into this chest, grinding them against his breastplate. I watched pain flash across his face and snorted in amusement.
"Black Haru." Yuki's reply was quiet. I felt my anger growing. His eyes were locked to mine; he was face to face with a monster. Monster. The thought rang through my mind and waves of disgust rippled through me. I thrust my other fist into Yuki's stomach and he grunted with pain, shifting forward in an attempt to double over, but I held him against the wall.
"Don't you think I'm a monster, my sweet Yuki?" I asked him quietly, tilting my head to the side. His breath was ragged and he coughed weakly. "Well, I am. I'm a monster just like Kyou. Perhaps they should lock me up too?" I smirked at the mocking tone I heard in my own voice. Violet orbs shot up to lock with mine. Guilt warred with fear in his eyes. I felt like god, there was electricity humming through me. The sensation was amazing; my anger was a gift, an orgasm.
"Haru..." His voice almost squeaked out and his hands gripped my shoulders as he tried to push me away. I narrowed my eyes at him. I didn't care what he had to say; my only desire was to see him bleed.
"You disgust me!" I growled at him and watched as his eyes fell closed. He hadn't even attempted to fight back yet. "Fight me!" I shouted. It felt as if fire was suffusing me, racing through my veins, and I wanted nothing more than a chance to force my knuckles into his soft body, to hear his bones break with the force of my blows, feel his flesh give under the pressure of my fists. I released him and stepped back, my fists balanced before me. "Fight me, you fucking rat!" I shouted again as he slumped against the wall.
"You fight me because of that stupid cat?" Yuki's question was laced with anger, perhaps even jealousy. I grinned again.
"Why? Are you jealous?" I smiled at Yuki and he glared at me, his eyes were hard. I prayed for his fists to swing at me. "Upset that I'm not fawning over you anymore? You liked that, didn't you 'Prince'?"
"You are sickening, Haru." His voice was low, disgusted. I nodded in agreement with Yuki's accusation. I was foul, disgusting... I was a monster. I grinned until my face hurt, baring my teeth in a lewd smile akin to a snarl. Yuki bristled.
"After I bruise you, my sweet Yuki, I think I'm going to fuck that arrogance out of you." My voice was nearly a whisper. Yuki's face blanched and his eyes widened. I hardly had time to gloat over the effect of my words before I felt Yuki's fist connect with my face. My cheek stung from the hit and I felt myself falling for a short moment before my back struck the table. Pain arced through my body, but I didn't care. He turned to leave. "Is that all you have? All that viciousness gone already?" I smirked at his back from the floor.
"You're vile." Yuki hissed the words at me.
"And you are a soulless bastard." My comment was almost friendly. I watched as he spun to face me, again his eyes shown guilt, even behind the angry grimace he wore. I pulled myself up from the floor and faced him again. I saw Hatori and Shigure standing behind Yuki in the doorway. Hatori's face was almost... shocked; his eyes wide beneath the shadow of his bangs. Shigure was staring blankly and dumbly at the scene. I chose to ignore their presence. "Come on 'Prince' Yuki," I spat the words at him. Prince. What an ugly kingdom he would reign over. "Aren't you going to hurt me?" He swung at me, his fist connecting with my shoulder as I turned away from him. I winced in pain at the impact. Yuki was strong.
"I'm tired of this!" His words were agitated.
"Aww, ready to end the fight already? Or perhaps you just can't wait to get to the fucking?" I laughed, swinging out my foot. My ankle caught Yuki's leg and he plummeted to the floor, surprised. I heard a gasp from the doorway. My heart thumped in my chest and my mind raced, adrenaline zipping through me. I looked down at Yuki on the floor. I hated him.
"Are you just going to lie there on the floor like a whore waiting to be mounted?" I enjoyed my own vulgarity. "Get up and fight me!" Yuki scowled and sprang gracefully from the floor.
Before I could even react, Yuki's foot caught me in the side of my head and I felt myself racing to meet the floor. The pain split my head and I felt suddenly weak. The anger drained from me quickly and I was exhausted. I lay on the floor and stared up at the ceiling, my eyes refusing to focus for long minutes. I could hear talking, but only faintly. My ears were ringing and I felt dizzy. My thoughts swam as I stared at the ceiling, and suddenly I missed my canopy of leaves. It was then that my thoughts drifted to Kyou. Yuki had been cruel to Kyou and I idly wondered if I should go and talk to my fiery cousin, to make sure he was all right.
A hand fell on my shoulder and I turned my head to see Hatori hovering above me. He frowned at me and forced me to sit up, asking if I could hear him. I nodded to the man and rubbed the side of my head. I scanned the room, unsure of why exactly I had been laying on the floor. The last thing I remembered was seeing Kyou sprint from the room, his eyes bleeding hurt. I stood slowly, unsteadily, and glanced over at Shigure. He was standing in the doorway, smiling nervously. Hatori led me from the room to the door and I sat down to put on my boots. Hatori explained that I had gone 'Back' and fought briefly with Yuki. I nodded. I had realized that it was likely that I had gone 'Black', and I remembered being irritated at my dark haired cousin. It was odd, still, to think that I had actually blacked out on Yuki and I frowned as I laced and buckled the straps on my boots.
Momiji came slowly down the stairs, his face somewhat somber, and walked slowly over to join Hatori and I at the door. He smiled his goodbyes to Tohru. She returned his smile happily, seemingly oblivious. I smiled at her naivety, finding it a truly endearing quality, and stood to bow to Shigure. I apologized to him for my earlier actions and he waved it off, smiling happily and asking us to come for another visit soon. Shigure matched Tohru in his easily forgiving manner, I was grateful. Hatori placed his hand against my back and urged me out of the house, Momiji trailed behind us.
We returned to the car and I climbed into the front seat next to Hatori silently. The engine growled to life and the car began to move. I stared out the window at a waving Tohru and Shigure, their smiles a kind send off after my disrespectful display. I sighed to myself, wishing somehow, I could be rid of my other half. As we followed the driveway, moving away from our cousin's home, I glanced in the side mirror and caught site of Kyou sitting on the roof. His knees were pulled to his chest, his arms wrapped around them, holding them to him in an embrace. His head was down, resting on his knees. I wondered if I would see tear tracks on his cheeks should he look up.
"Haru." Hatori's voice drew me back to the car. I nodded. "You should try harder to control your temper."
"Yes, Hatori." I laced my fingers in my lap. "I'm sorry."
"It's ok Haru." Momiji chirped happily. I wondered how he could so easily forgive me for going 'Black', how they all could. "Sometimes, we all get angry. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Momiji smiled at me as I turned to look at him. "Kyou gets mad like that all the time." It wasn't the same, not for me. Our anger is different.
"Thank you, Momiji." His forgiveness was something I felt I didn't deserve.
"Haru?" I nodded to Momiji. "When we get back, do you want to collect more leaves?" I raised my eyebrows at the blond.
"Okay." I smiled at Momiji. Kyou. Again, I was drawn into thinking about my crimson-eyed cousin. I stared out the window. The drive home led us through a canvas of autumn, leaves scattered like confetti, drifting down from the trees on the wind to join the others that blanketed the ground.
I leaned my head against the glass of the car window, ignoring the pain in the side of my head. I wondered how Yuki fared. He would be angry with me. 'Black' Haru was rarely kind, and often quite candid with phrases. I worried I had offended him beyond repair, even more so than attacking him physically. I'd never fought with Yuki before, had never slipped into that darkness that was my other half because of him. I tried desperately to remember what had gone on, but beyond the pained realization that I had truly fought with Yuki, I could remember very little.
We arrived at Soma house and Hatori immediately dismissed himself to his offices. I stood near the car and stared up at the sky. It was growing grayer each day; fall stripping the color from the world in preparation for winter. I'd miss autumn when it was gone. I felt a hand slip into mine and looked down to my side. Momiji was tugging on my arm, smiling at me.
"Let's go, Haru." Momiji giggled. "We'll find some more red ones." I narrowed my eyes at him, suspicious.
"Not for too long, though. My head hurts." I rubbed the side of my head with my free hand and smiled at my blond cousin. He grinned.
Momiji tightened his grip on my hand and began skipping, pulling me along with him. I raised one brow at him, wondering what an odd couple we must make. An innocent looking blond child, skipping through the gardens of the Sohma Estate, dragging an admittedly odd looking teen along behind him to collect leaves and flowers. People were already staring at us in distaste. I shrugged. Let them stare. I found myself wondering how much more odd it would seem should it be an angry Kyou dragging me behind him in a similar fashion. I smirked at the thought.
"Oh, it's perfect." Momiji almost purred. I glanced at him in confusion. "It's the same color, isn't it Haru?" The blond narrowed his eyes at me and presented me with a rather brightly colored stone. Momiji let go of my hand and dropped the rock in my palm.
"Are we collecting garden stones instead?" I was slightly amused. Momiji grinned and bounced happily.
"What a wonderful idea!" Momiji giggled. " But you keep that one." I nodded as the blond squatted to the ground and began poking at the small pebbles that littered the garden.
I watched my cousin inspecting the rocks at his feet for a moment before glancing at the stone I held in my hand. I rolled the ruby colored rock in my palm, allowing it to catch the afternoon light. It wasn't particularly impressive, slightly dull and chipped, its smooth surface crisscrossed with veins of darker red. It was rather pretty, not despite it's flaws, but because of them. I sighed. Momiji was right. It was almost exactly the same color as Kyou's eyes.
...
A/N: Aa... I know. I slip, and slip... Plot hides, dialogue sneaks away, and I'm left grasping for something... I CANNOT write 'Black Haru', it's impossible! Impossibly hard! My attempts come off so... wrong, dull, flighty, out of character and generally just 'blah'. I apologize! I'm sorry this chapter was so disappointing. Hopefully, with practice, I'll learn how to please, learn how to find some sort of order and completion. Until then, you have to deal with my unaccomplished style. :) Hopefully, I haven't switched yet another word around and made a fool of myself. Honestly, I have to laugh thinking about how I had poor Haru collecting dead animal parts. cracks up Also, notice I do not use honorifics... This is because I don't know how. Heh. I'm not quite so educated in that aspect, and I don't want to use them wrong. Also, I leave out the Japanese phrases, because, again, I'm not fluent. I have only been learning Japanese for a year or so, so I'm still too unsure of myself in that respect. I envy you people who can do that. -jealous squint- I always loved that in fics... it gave such personality and an air of authenticity to the stories.
2: Also, thank you to all the people who have said such wonderful things! I apologize for the lack of originality in my story. :P I am unsure how to make it less predictable. : (
