Hi there! This is A.L. Watanabe speaking, and welcome to my first Fruits Basket fiction, Words From the Heart. This fiction is is what I think and hope will happen in the last volume of Furuba, and will be around six or seven chapters like the mangas are. If you haven't kept up with the Japanese release of the manga, please let me warn you that SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!!! I hope you all enjoy it, and please R&R! Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any other related characters. All of them are property of Natsuki Takaya, and have been converted into English by TOKYOPOP.

Words from the Heart: Chapter 1

One more week...

Kyo Sohma sighed with frustration as he watched all the students of Kaibara High School run about the building, paper flowers flying everywhere. There was one more week left until the third years graduated, and everyone was making preparations. This year, although, was different. The graduation preparations were for him. He, Tohru, and Yuki were three of the many students who were going to be moving on with their lives and putting high school aside. But, the fact that school was ending wasn't the thing that Kyo was perturbed about. He, in truth, wasn't bothered by that at all. He was bothered by Akito, and his stupid orders. Right after he graduated, on that night, Akito was to have him locked up forever, away from everyone. He no longer would be able to breathe fresh air, or do whatever he pleased. And he no longer would be able to see Tohru's smiling face everyday.

At that last thought, Kyo clenched the off-white paper in his hands.

Down the hall, Tohru was seen holding a large cardboard box filled with paper flowers. Kyo saw her and stiffened. He couldn't let her see the troublesome look on his face. If she was to see it, she would be pestering him all day to tell him what was on his mind. At this point, Kyo wasn't too sure if Tohru knew about his imprisonment at all. What if she did know about it? It seemed like it didn't bother her at all, then. Maybe she didn't care. Maybe she felt it would give her a chance to warm up to that damn rat. Or, maybe, she was breaking up inside. After all, this was Tohru he was talking about. She never let anyone know her troubles, but still...

Tohru saw Kyo leaning against a row of lockers, staring at the ground. She fastened her pace and began to jog to him, calling out his name. "Kyo-kun!" Kyo heard her voice and his head shot up. He turned it to see her running to him, a large smile glued to her face. Lately, she had been giving him that smile a lot. Her smile had always melted his insides, but this one took the cake. This smile had made his hands tremble. This smile made him yearn to hold her, kiss her, and love her. But with his cowardly antics, he could only return it with a bashful smile of his own, or a flirtatious gesture of touching her hair or attempting to caress her cheek.

As Tohru got closer, her smile grew wider. Kyo felt a smile creep onto his own lips as he straightened himself up against the lockers and smoothed the paper he had crumpled up. He was going to make a flower or two, just to show Tohru that he was trying to help out with graduation. Last year, he didn't really care about making graduation flowers...He wasn't graduating. But now that he was, it was a little hard to make flowers with imprisonment on his brain.

"Kyo-kun! H...Gaaah!" Kyo watched as Tohru stumbled and fell on her face right before his feet. The paper flowers that were in her box now flew all over the school hallway. Passersby ran passed them without concern for Tohru's fall. Inside, Kyo wanted to help her up, but something held him back. He gently kicked her in the shoulder, causing her to pick up her head. Her face went from bright and happy, to red woozy. "Geh..." Tohru wheezed. Kyo felt a trickle of sweat run down his face. What if she really had gotten hurt?

"Watch where you're going next time," he lectured. He held out a hand to help her with, and she thankfully accepted it. Once she was on her two feet, she brushed off the front of her skirt and took the cardboard box Kyo picked up for her. "I'm sorry, Kyo-kun!" she shrieked, shutting her eyes tight. Did she expect him to spank her? What's the matter with her? She was crazy for apologizing! Kyo slapped his forehead. "Ugh, Tohru, you don't have to say you're sorry for everything you do!" He hesitantly opened his mouth to say something else, but snapped it shut. "O-okay," Tohru replied. Kyo bent down and began to pick up all of the paper flowers she dropped. Once the amount of flowers had exceeded the amount his arms could hold, he would drop the bundle in the box and repeat the process. Tohru mimicked and did the same.

Once they were finished, Tohru suggested that they go back to class to help the other students with the preparations. Kyo barely nodded and they both made their ways down the hall, towards class. At the corner of his eye, Kyo shot short glances of Tohru's beaming face. When would he ever tell her? How could he ever tell her? He was already selfish enough for wanting her by his side until he got locked up, but wanting her to return his love...How could he possibly think she would? After all, she was a beautiful innocent girl, and he was a monster. A monster in a human body. But then something triggered Kyo's mind to go the opposite way. Maybe she had returned his feelings, being she never seemed to give anyone else that smile. It was so sweet and natural, beautiful and captivating. The thought of that smile made Kyo's knees weaken.

On the other hand, Tohru was doing exactly was Kyo was doing. She occasionally stole a glance or two of him. How can he be so calm, yet know that he has very little time left to be free? She thought. Then, she felt tears spill from her eyes and stream down her cheeks. Thinking of Kyo's imprisonment had always made her upset. She would get this large lump in her throat, so big that she found it hard to get air passed it. But now...Now that that day was just around the corner, she felt that lump growing larger every minute. How was she going to be able to go about her day knowing that somewhere, Kyo was in a cold, dark cell, all alone?

She took a hand off the box and brought it down to Kyo's, pressing against it.

At Tohru's actions, Kyo's eyes widened. He returned her gesture by lacing his fingers around her hand, and flashing her one of his rare smiles of affections. She looked up at him, a warm smile grazing her face. The lights from the ceiling lit up her eyes and unmasked the joy and happiness that was there. Kyo held his breath; did she have feelings for him after all?

Down the hall, Yuki was seen walking with two of his student council friends: Kakeru Manabe and Machi Kuragi. Kakeru was telling Yuki and Machi a new joke he had just heard, but Yuki just sighed and shook his head while Machi kept the same melancholy face on. Kakeru was about to tell them the punch line until he saw Kyo and Tohru a few feet away, their hands intertwined together. He smirked. "Well, how about that Yun-Yun?" he said. "Looks like your cousin's got your girl."

"Oh, be quiet," Yuki coldly responded, catching a glance of Machi on his right. "It doesn't matter anymore...I told you she seemed happy around Kyo a lot. You don't have to remind me." Yuki walked ahead of them while Machi clenched her fists and turned to Kakeru. "What's your problem?" she scolded. "Do you always have to annoy him?" Kakeru simply smiled at his half-sister, reassuringly. "Now, now, Machi-kun. Are you sticking up for Yun-Yun?" Machi gave him the death glare as the smile of reassurance drifted off of his face.

As Yuki approached Kyo and Tohru, he couldn't help but smile as he saw the lights of happiness in each one's eyes. They really truly seemed happy together, and Yuki accepted it. After all, he had told Kakeru that he only thought of Tohru as a mother figure, right? He knew he felt nothing else about her. Instead, there was Machi...

His thoughts were drained out by the sound of Tohru's voice. "Ah, Yuki-kun!" She put down the box and waved to him, and he noticed that she hadn't let go of Kyo's hand. He smiled sweetly at her and Kyo only scowled. "Hello, Honda-san," Yuki greeted her. He still hadn't addressed her as 'Tohru' yet. "Where were you going?" Tohru picked up the box, tightening her grip on Kyo's hand in the process. "We were just on our way back to class to help everyone!" she said, cheerfully. Kyo solemnly nodded in agreement. "Why don't you come with us, Yuki-kun?" Tohru offered. "I'm sure it will be a lot more fun with you!"

Yuki turned around to see Kakeru and Machi headed their way. He turned back to Tohru. "Will it be alright if Kuragi-san and Kakeru come too?" She nodded. The three of them walked in Kakeru and Machi's direction, and Yuki gently place a hand on Machi's shoulder. She jumped, banging her head into his chin. "Eh, Kuragi-san? Would you like to come with Honda-san, Kyo, and I to our class? We're going to help them with preparations for graduation." Machi stared up at him. "I...guess," she quietly replied. Yuki flashed a smile at her, one that made Machi's stomach turn. The four began to walk, leaving Kakeru alone. Yuki then appeared by his side.

"You too, Kakeru," Yuki said. Kakeru jumped and squeaked with glee, causing Yuki to slightly chuckle. Kakeru always found a way to make him laugh. The two boys then joined Tohru, Kyo, and Machi, and they all made their way down to class 3-D.

"Tell me, Shigure," a mellow-toned voice started. "Don't you think it's for the better that the monster is locked up?" Shigure turned his head to face Akito, who was staring blankly ahead. Akito and he were at the main house, sitting on the porch. Tiny white birds, both alive and deceased, sat around them. Some were perched on Akito's slender shoulders. Her violet colored hair hung in front of her face, and her eyes were a piercing gray. This clearly was not a topic she enjoyed discussing, for everyone except she was miserable about the upcoming events regarding Kyo. Shigure only bit his lip and raised a hand to caress her pale face

"Whatever you think is best," he gulped, "is good enough for me, my darling Akito-san." At these words, Akito smirked. She wrapped her arms about Shigure's neck and pulled him close. "Promise me," she whispered, "that you will not help that Tohru Honda in her time of 'despair' for that monster." Shigure put his head down and slowly nodded. He knew he couldn't hurt Tohru, nor Kyo, but he didn't want to disobey Akito. She simply sat, dangled around his neck, ruffling his jet black hair in her long fingers.

Class 3-D was filled with the sound of chatting students, crumpling paper, and shouts of frustration. Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Kakeru, and Machi walked into the room to see off-white colored paper everywhere, along with paper airplanes flying across the room, and shrieking girls. Apparently, the shrieking girls were the Prince Yuki Fan Club. They all stared at Yuki in awe, and scurried to the floor to begin picking up the papers. Tohru then spotted her two best friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima. She tugged Kyo's shirt, pointed in their direction, and told Yuki that if he needed their help, they would be over with Arisa and Saki in the back of the room.

Pushing her blonde hair out of her face, Arisa's face lit up as she saw Tohru approaching them. "Hey, Hanajima, Tohru's coming this way," she said as she turned to Saki. Saki grazed the bottom her braid with her hand and nodded. "Yes, I could sense her waves even before she came into the room. She also has Kyo Sohma accompanying her." Arisa turned her head as Tohru smiled and waved, and she indeed had Kyo next to her. "Uo-chan, Hana-chan!" she exclaimed. "Tohru, hi," Arisa said. Saki faintly waved, yet they both ignored Kyo. They were beginning to have their suspicions about what Tohru and Kyo did behind closed doors, because it seemed as if a relationship had grown between them. Saki, for one thing, was very jealous of all the attention Kyo was getting and Arisa had found it just down right irritating that Tohru could actually get along with that guy. But then again, if it's what Tohru wanted...

"Well, look what Tohru brought," Arisa said, slyly. "Hey, Kyon." Kyo withdrew his attention away from the window and faced Arisa. "Hey," he mumbled. Tohru tilted her head in confusion and worry. Kyo had been quiet all day. Then again, she couldn't blame him. She bit her lip, knowing that she possibly couldn't help him in anyway. "Kyo," she whispered. "Is there something you need to talk to me about?" Kyo shook his head, along with his hand. "Nothing's the matter. Stop worrying." Tohru slowly nodded, and Arisa and Saki eyed her expression. Their suspicions were growing. Eventually, they would question her about it.

Kyo turned his attention back to outside of the school, staring at the blooming flowers on the trees that stood next to the building. It was spring, Tohru's favorite season. But in one week, she would be miserable. She wouldn't have a nice graduation evening, and she wouldn't be able to enjoy the flowers and the birds and the air...And it was all because of him. How could he let her worry like that? He knew by the expressions she showed him that she was hurting a lot inside. Just maybe...

Maybe she feels the same way after all.

Kagura Sohma sat on her bed, weeping. She was crying for Kyo and Tohru, but mostly herself. How had she let herself fall in love with Kyo so easily? She knew...She knew that one day he would be locked away for the rest of his life. And she knew he hadn't returned her love. She was just too stubborn to admit it. It was clear that Kyo had loved Tohru, and that loved him, or so it had seemed.

A stuffed orange cat sat in the corner of her room, a smile sewn onto its face. Looking at it made Kagura's eyes singe. She had bought it just for Kyo...So she could always have a little part of him with her. Kyo always telling her that he didn't love her had always made Kagura consider putting that cat away in her closet or something, but another part of her had told her to keep it there, to wait until the one day he would return her love. But it never came. She always kept up hope, giving him as much love as possible on her visits with him. Now she had lost all hope...Kyo's heart was won by Tohru, and that was that.

"Kyo-kun," she whispered, her voice trembling. She walked to the corner of her bed chamber and took the cat in her arms. She cradled the stuffed animal for a little bit before sitting on the floor and sobbing into its material. "Poor Tohru-kun..."

I couldn't help the little scene with Kagura...I felt that I had to put her in it! I think she will have a big role in Kyo's imprisonment, possibly in helping Tohru. I also love Kakeru! I had to put him in there, too. I'm also sorry about the commas! I feel that I put a little too much in...I'll try to tone the amount down a bit! I hope you're looking forward to the next chapter, as I will post it as soon as possible! Thanks so much! Until we meet again!

-A.L. Watanabe