Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its characters. Please don't sue me I'm cool!

I Want to Live in the Rain

Hatori looked out his window, trying to find any way possible to procrastinate from the endless sea of paperwork ahead of him, but it had been a good 4 minutes now and he was seeing just how pathetic he was. "Maybe Shigure will stop by" he thought, "Wait… I did not just think that."

"I need to get out," he breathed finally getting up and putting on his shoes just before stepping outside into the autumn weather. He held his hand out in front of him for a moment and felt one or two invisible raindrops on his palms, and though he loved the rain so completely it would be better for his health if he had an umbrella.

He smirked to himself at his own hypocrisy. "A doctor who smokes," he mused.

Once outside the dragon put his cold hands in the spacious pockets his doctor's coat offered and walked all over the Sohma Estate grounds, almost begging Momiji or someone else to come out and bother him; but alas no one came and he decided to venture into the outside world. It had started to rain a lot harder around him, the water played a steady rhythm upon his umbrella and it soothed him somewhat.

Ten minutes later and no closer to being distracted whatsoever, Hatori attempted the reckless he headed home with the sole intention of getting into his car and driving to Shigure's house.

"A… girl?" he thought to himself as he tried to pull open the Sohma gates only to stop short at noticing the huddled figure of a young girl, about the age of Yuki and Kyo leaning against the house's walls.

"Excuse me?" he asked taking a few steps toward her and raising his voice against the rain's din, "Miss?" He put the umbrella over her rain soaked figure and bent down to get a closer look. She was a pretty girl with dark makeup around her eyes and blonde hair that fell about her face just like Hatori's own and had evidently been sleeping.

She looked at the man above her sharply for waking her up through her curtain of dark blonde hair and asked just as coldly as her eyes suggested she might, "Can I help you with something?"

"This is Sohma property," he said, "shouldn't you be getting home?"

"Probably," the girl groaned getting up; Hatori raised his umbrella accordingly with her new height and saw her slender, curving figure. She looked up at him and then down, studying him as he had done her just moments before, "So I take you're a Sohma as well."

"Yes, and you'd do well to stay off our property."

"If you're so uptight about it why don't you hire some of those English guards or something?" she asked dusting off, "You're acting like a jerk, but your umbrella is still hovering over my head. Strange little man ain't ya?"

Hatori looked taken aback, "We don't care for that sort of thing."

"What thing; the guards or the jerk?"

"Both, I assure you that my request is only in your best interest."

"I see," the girl stared into his eyes for a split second searching for even the tiniest clue of who this man was but since they seemed colder than the weather she gave up and looked back at the house, "It's a nice place, you don't live here all by yourself do you? Wife and kids maybe?"

"No," Hatori said brushing off the otherwise rather hurtful question, "The estate is owned by my family, distant cousins and the like roam all around, but I myself have no immediate family."

"Liar," she said shortly not looking away from the house.

"Pardon?"

"You're beautiful, you must know that. And plus that, you're a doctor, you're like the icon of the perfect man."

Hari laughed a little, "I'm no where near perfect and this entire family is flawed right down to its very core. You said it before; I am a 'jerk.'"

"No, you act like one to push people away, but you're really very kind," She turned her head at this and smiled at him warmly, "If you weren't, I would be dry right now."

"But you're not dry at all," Hatori said looking at her drenched figure, hair hanging limply about her pretty face.

"Well I'm getting there at least; I'm Sarumi by the way."

The sea horse shook her outstretched hand and felt how icy it was, "My name is Hatori Sohma, why don't you come inside and warm up? You'll catch pneumonia like this."

"So Hatori Sohma, two minutes ago you're shooing me away from your property and now you're asking me inside? You are a strange little man."

"A… rock garden?" Sarumi asked once inside as she stared out of her new friends large office screen door at the now rain soaked garden.

"Yes, it helps to calm my nerves sometimes," he handed his guest some of Momiji's clothes which the rabbit had left behind when he spent the night a few days ago, "You can put these on, the bathroom is just down the hall. You should find some fresh towels in there."

"Thank you," she said taking the clothes and heading toward the bathroom only to hesitate momentarily at the old photograph of Kana on the mantelpiece.

"Is something wrong?" the doctor asked trying to disregard the subject.

"No," Sarumi turned and walked at a brisk pace to her temporary changing room leaving Hatori alone and almost compelled to look at Kana's picture again. The memories flooded back and he smiled tragically before walking toward his slightly open door and the rock garden it displayed. The girl emerged momentarily in boy's shorts and Momiji's school shirt, it was a drastic change from her black trench coat that she had fastened all the way down to hide her real outfit.

It was cold with the door open as Hari had nudged it open a little to have a better view of what the rain had done to his precious rocks and sand. "You know," the girl stepping next to her host and looking out, "I never understood rock gardens, they're so neatly put together so I can figure out why people like that sort of thing. It reminds them that God or whatever it is that you believe in also has a neatly set plan for you, but what if we don't like the plan we get? Why can't we change it?"

"We can," Hatori said softly, "We can always redo the pattern, and at certain times it's almost as if we have to."

"Like when the rain washes it away. And although you make a good point Hatori Sohma, I'll always favor complete and utter chaos. I want my pattern to always be changing; I want to live in the rain." Hatori's eyes widened at Sarumi, "That's why I was outside today, I'm sorry if I bothered you and your home."

"She's like a completely different person" The sea horse thought to himself.

"Would you like me to drive you home?" he asked suddenly snapping out of his trance, she didn't know what she was saying.

The girl shrugged, "Sure, I hope it's okay if I borrow these clothes until I get there."

"Its fine," Actually it was better than fine, Hatori had begun to worry that maybe the Sohma's would have another Ritsu in the family, it would be better if Momiji was forced to wear the boy's uniform just once or twice in his lifetime.

"What school do you attend?" Hatori asked trying to make conversation on the long drive to Sarumi's house; it mesmerized him knowing this young girl had walked this whole way in the rain.

"Kaibara High School," she admitted, "Why do you ask?"

"I have a few nephews around your age, and now it seems you attend their school as well."

"I wouldn't know them. I don't start 'til tomorrow."

"You might get along with them, their names are Yuki and Kyo-"

"Sohma?"

Hatori chuckled a little as he pulled into her driveway, it was a rather large house and a woman in jeans and a pink t-shirt stood by the doorway tapping her foot impatiently and looking extremely worried and enraged.

"Well this is home and that's mommy dearest," Sarumi joked getting out.

"Wait," Hari handed her the umbrella, "You can return it when the weather clears up."

"Thank you."

Chapter 2

It had been a few months since Hatori and Sarumi met, she returned his umbrella the next day but still found stupid questions to ask him almost everyday just to stop by and say "hi!" as she did. There had been no reason for them to hug and seeing as how Sarumi was actually very graceful the girl hadn't learned anything about the curse. Yuki, Tohru, HatsuHaru, and Momiji were very kind to her at school; even Kyo seemed to be warming up to her a little.

"SOOOOO Hatori!" Shigure chimed when Hatori and Ayame were over at his house one Sunday afternoon to catch up, "Yuki tells me you're running around with a little girlfriend!"

"OOOOOOOH DO I HERE WEDDING BELLS TORI-SAN!!? WOULLD YOU LIKE ME TO START WORKING ON THE DRESS OR THE BABY CLOTHES FIRST!!?" Ayame teased.

"She's a friend, and shame on you Ayame for speaking such things about a school girl."

"Oh yes, Hatori is right as usual! I hang my head in shame," and he did.

"So she is a school girl? I must say Hatori I never figured you as one for the younger women. I on the other hand will always favor the innocence of our juniors as a type of unwritten nobility! But now that I think about it, Kana was pretty young herself" Shigure added happily.

Hatori put his hand on Shigure's forehead.

"Umm," he looked a little uneasy, "Hari, would you mind telling me what you're doing?"

"I'm taking your temperature, because you're so obviously sick."

"You might want to talk to Akito about all of this," Yuki said stepping into the room, he had been at his secret base for a while.

"Yes, you're right dear brother!" Ayame jumped up and took his brothers hands in his, "And I think we should also tell him how much stronger our bond has gotten as brothers!! I CAN JUST FEEL THE LOVE BETWEEN US!!!!!!!!"

"I feel something…" Yuki grumbled.

At Akito's

"She's nothing but a friend," Hatori assured as he finished explaining about Sarumi, "And she's at no risk to us, I can erase her memory at any time."

"Have I not been a good enough friend Hatori?" Akito asked balancing his little white bird on his bony finger.

"Of course you have Akito."

"Then what is it that makes you so drawn to this girl?"

"I… I don't know Akito, we just… get along I suppose. She said something to me a while back-"

"And what did she say?" The head of the family asked letting the bird fly away.

"'I want to live in the rain'" he admitted.

Akito snorted, "I will trust her so long as she does not know our secret. She's awfully young Hatori, remember your age difference."

"Yes Akito."

Chapter 3

Hatori never told Sarumi about what happened with Akito, he didn't think it was worth telling and every time they saw each other they somehow had so much more to talk about than silly little matters with the head of the family.

The second to last time they saw each other, the pair were lying on his couch watching Invader Zim volume 2 DVD, she was in front of him and he behind her with his arm draped over her. As awkward as it may sound it just wasn't and that was why Hatori was confident she would never have to find out the secret.

"So the dog… is a robot?" Hatori asked for the 7th time that evening.

"Yes and the green dude is an alien."

"Well I understand that much."

They laughed a little and then suddenly Sarumi got up and walked down the hall into another room.

"Are you alright?" The dragon asked knowing quite well the bathroom was in the other direction. When there was no answer, he paused the DVD and got up to look for her. "Sumi?"

He found her standing in front of his book case. "You took Kana's picture down," she whispered.

"I don't need it anymore," he smiled at the girl. He had no hope of them ever being together in the way he and Kana were, there was just so much age difference no matter how alike they were in mind and spirit; still, she had given him hope and happiness even if it was just through simple friendship.

Sarumi blushed a little and looked down, it was dark in the room since she hadn't turned on the lights so either way he couldn't have seen her red face but she knew he could see the reflections of her tears in the moonlight.

"Sarumi? Why are you crying?" Hatori put his hand on her chin and craned her neck upward so their eyes met. He then wiped a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb still not moving his chin.

What happened next was a mystery to both of them, who started and who finished, were lost in the many other mysteries of time. But if there was no other truth about that moment, it was this, both were lost in ecstasy. Their lips met in a soft kiss and Hatori took both of her hands in his and held her close to him in a mock hug.

They broke and Sarumi ran to the door, into his rock garden and jumped into its center.

Hatori laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Making chaos!" and with that she ran up, grabbed Hari's hand and dragged him off his stoop into his own rock garden. Almost on impulse the sea horse started dancing with Sarumi all around his garden until nothing was as it once was, almost an hour later they collapsed.

"This is perfect, I think I'll keep it this way," Hatori said looking around at all their footprints in the sand.

It started to rain.

"No, now it's perfect," Sarumi said crawling closer to Hatori and nuzzling in closer to him yet miraculously not hugging him.

Chapter 4

Sarumi was late to school the next day and didn't bother showing up the next week or so to anyone. It was as if she had just disappeared. Not even Hari knew where she had gone.

Tohru came home in tears one day followed by a silent and sluggish pair of Yuki and Kyo.

"Well how rude. I put a roof over your head and not even a 'hi shigure how was your day?'" the dog whined.

"Quiet you idiot," Yuki said in a tone he rarely used, it was that of pure disgust and hatred.

"Hmm?"

Tohru sat down on the other side of the table and handed him a bizarrely neat peace of paper, given how clumsy she was it was all too common for her papers to be disorganized and crumpled. Shigure read it quickly and put his hand over his mouth in shock. "Did she rea-"

"SHE KILLED HERSELF OKAY!!" Kyo blurted looking in the cabinets for nothing in particular but more just so he didn't have to look at anyone else.

"I must say I'm not liking this joke-"

"IT'S NOT A FUCKING JOKE!!"

"Her memorial service is on Saturday night," Tohru breathed as a few tears fell from her eyes.

Shigure got up silently and shut the front door behind him.

"Hatori!" he called through the door a few moments later, "Hatori please open the door this is serious!"

Hearing the panic in his cousin's voice he had no choice but to open the door, "What is it this time?"

"She... Hari… Hari promise you won't be angry."

"Why would I be angry?"

"It's Sarumi, she… well she…"

"Spit it out!" Hatori said a little worried.

Not being able to say anything Shigure handed him the paper, Hatori read it once, then twice, and then studied its font and other typefaces for awhile.

"She's gone," Shigure breathed.

Hatori sat on the couch, put his hand over his face and started to cry. "Hari…" Shigure whispered sitting next to him and putting his arms around the sea horse.

"I wasn't enough" he said softly through his tears, "I couldn't have stopped it, I've done everything."

Shigure's eyes widened but didn't know what to say. He just held his old friend close and rocked him gently.

Chapter 5

Hatori stared down at the pretty girl. She looked as if she were sleeping, like the first time they met. She was surrounded by white and red roses in her open coffin and her hair had been pushed back, away from her face. Knowing she liked it better when it was in her face, Hatori combed it back the way it was meant to be with his fingers and brushed her cheek tenderly before pulling his hand back. Without control, the doctor cried. He allowed his tears to fall into her pretty bed of flowers and felt his knees buckle. He leaned against the box so as not to fall to his knees and kissed her cold lips just once more before leaving and joining the rest of the Sohmas who had come with him. He sat down solemnly trying to slow the tears.

"You!" a woman screamed as she walked up to Hatori, it was her mother, the woman who had seen that day in the rain, "You damn pedophile!"

Hatori just looked up in shock, how could this woman be so angry at him when her daughter had just died?

"Hey! Hatori's suffering more than anyone!" Momiji defended, who had met Sarumi only once before.

"Oh I bet you are! It's not like I can imagine losing a child!" she said sarcastically.

"A child?" Shigure breathed looking at Hatori.

"OH HE DIDN'T TELL YOU!! THIS SICK BASTARD GOT MY DAUGHTER PREGNANT!" the woman yelled harshly, causing a scene that was most inappropriate for a funeral.

Hatori gasped and looked up at the Sarumi's mother, "I- I never knew."

"Well its no doubt that's why she did it! Look," she handed him an envelope, "she even left you a note!"