Title: To Hug.

Disclaimer: If I owned Fruits Basket do you think I would be writing this? Didn't think so.

Rating: PG.

Summary: Shortish drabble. Momiji/Haru friendship. Because the past always catches up with you.

A hug can mean an all manner of things. It could mean 'you're my best friend', 'get better soon', 'take care', 'good luck' and the ever important 'I love you.'

You wouldn't expect it to mean 'I don't care'.

Every Saturday, without fail, Momo Sohma would go to the park. Usually her mother, Minako, would take her. If she couldn't her father or her nanny would. But she always went, even when she was ill. So, it went without saying, that Momiji Sohma would go to the park every Saturday as well.

"Swings? Swings, pwease, Mama?" The small blonde girl tugged on the edge of her mother's dress. Grubby fingers dirtying the once immaculate clothing. Minako smiled and bent down, prying her daughter's hands from her dress.

"Of course darling."

Momo smiled and spun round, dashing across the ground. Her small feet flying over the soft green grass as she sprinted towards the swings.

"Careful sweetie." Minako called out, hitching up her dress and quickly walking towards her daughter.

The small girl grabbed the chains, tugging herself up onto the swing that was a size or two big for her. Spinning round she sat down, one hand clutching tightly onto a chain as she straightened her skirt out. Her mother smiled and came to stand behind the young girl. Momo giggled, looking back over her shoulder and smiling at her mother.

"Mama?"

Minako laughed and gave the swing a small push. Her daughter squealed as she sailed into the air. Her mane of golden hair flying out behind her as she swung.

"Higher! Higher pwease!"

From his place on the bench, hidden by a book Momiji watched. He watched as his mother and sister talked and played. Their laughter ringing loudly over the crowded park. Ignoring the always present twinge in his heart Momiji continued to watch. He watched as two of the people he loved the most in the world enjoyed themselves. Without him. Because they didn't even know he existed.

Mothers of the children cursed with the Zodiac were either overly protective of their children or rejected them. But it wasn't normal for it to be so bad that they had to have their memories erased. Ayame and Yuki's mother found it difficult to love her children. She couldn't really spend a good amount of time with either of them without breaking down. They still visited her though. Once a month. And if they couldn't she would call or they would. She hadn't needed her memories erased.

His mother had rejected him completely, totally and utterly. She couldn't even bare the mere memory of him. So he was erased. Erased from the mind and heart of the one person he wanted to remember him the most.

But . . . other mothers rejected their children. But never like his mother did. Was he so awful that he caused her that much pain? Was he so bad that so much as knowing him was a curse in itself? He knew he annoyed people. His cheerful, ever-present, smile irritated so many people. Kyo, Hatori, Yuki, even Shigure. But he couldn't stop smiling because if he stopped he would remember and he would stumble and fall.

And never get back up.

So he smiled, he smiled even though he annoyed people. He continued to hurt people, though he never meant to. Because he couldn't stop, he couldn't stop smiling because he would get hurt if he did. Perhaps he was being selfish. Perhaps he was being unconsidered. But he didn't care; he had to smile no matter how much pain it caused others.

Because it wasn't as if he could stop being himself.

And that was what the problem was.

Because he caused everyone around him pain.

By. Just. Being. Himself.

"Come on Momo. It's time to go."

The blonde watched as his mother and sister walked away, hand in hand, without him. Dropping the book into his lap Momiji tried to fight off the tears.

Tears of pain.

Tears of annoyance.

Tears of self-loathing.

For it was his fault that she forget, because he was the one that caused all the pain. He was the one that had split his family apart; that had made his mother cry and his father worry.

A pair of arms wrapped around him. Pulling him against a cloth covered chest. Turning round the rabbit buried his face in the warmth, arms wrapping around the other's neck.

And he cried.

In the end he stopped, he always did. He couldn't not stop crying when Haru was hugging him.

Because his hug said he didn't care.

He didn't care that Momiji was cursed.

He didn't care that the blonde was selfish.

Or that he was loud and unconsidered.

He didn't care that Momiji only caused pain to the others around him.

He didn't care.

And as long as someone didn't care then neither did Momiji.

A hug is an important thing. It can say so much with a single action. And that single action always meant so much to the people saying it. And for Momiji and Haru it meant a lot. Because their hugs represented an understanding. An unbreakable bond between cousins.

Because neither of them cared.

Fin.

I wish I could say I knew why I wrote this . . . But I can't so I won't.