I don't own Fruits Basket or Lord of the Rings. Sorry if I got any part of LOTR wrong. I didn't watch it to check out sequential stuff…you'll see in a minute. Enjoy!

"You have my sword."

"And my bow."

"And MY axe!"

Akito watched the characters on the screen with intense interest. It was actually surprising how much the leader of the Sohma family was enjoying this movie…really enjoying it. Akito loved the tiny hobbits, and the elves and wizards touched some deep part of his imagination that hadn't been opened since he was much younger. Tonight was shaping up to be an interesting evening after all, even though something still nagged at the back of Akito's mind.

He stole a glance at the blonde sitting beside him.

As Momiji swallowed and tried to keep attention on the movie, Akito smiled to himself. The rabbit's discomfort was a good start.

About an hour ago, the young boy had shuffled in with an offer to watch a DVD. Not knowing how to react, Akito had courteously accepted and swallowed his rage at the intrusion. He hadn't been feeling well, although his coughing had seemed to subside slightly as the evening progressed. But the leader soon decided that nothing was quite as entertaining as trying to disconcert one of his family members.

So, after revealing a beautiful LSD TV and DVD player behind one of the sliding panels in his room, Akito sat down and waited for the rabbit to feel unnerved. He watched wickedly as Momiji fumbled with the DVD player and then tried to figure out where to sit: too close, and that would be awkward, while too far away would be rude.

As the movie started, Momiji settled on a distance not quite an arm's length away. Akito had toyed with the idea of moving closer to him but quickly forgot as the opening scene stole all of his attention.

And as the movie continued, Akito forgot about the boy sitting next to him, who ever so subtlely glanced over and smiled coyly at the enrapt clan leader.

"Fly you fools!"

As the old wizard let himself fall into the abyss, Akito gasped, and Momiji turned to stare at him. Akito was sure getting into this movie.

The leader's eyes didn't leave the TV, and Momiji looked at him for a good minute, taking in all the details he never got to see up close. Akito was as white as snow, and his dark straggly hair fell over his eyes in wisps. Momiji felt an urge to brush the hair out of Akito's face. How anyone could see with a haircut like that, he would never understand. Akito's Yuki-like hairstyle was practically that of an English sheepdog. Then, Momiji realized the extent of his staring and blushed nearly crimson. Thank God, Akito hadn't noticed.

He tucked his knees under his chin and tried to focus on the movie again. But, having seen it nearly ten times already, the rabbit's attention was drawn back to the strange character sitting beside him. Akito seemed so…normal right now. Momiji could remember watching Lord of the Rings with Haru for the first time and getting the same reaction out of his friend.

Momiji wondered whether he should say anything. Akito's eyes were squinted with utter concentration on the movie. Gandalf would in fact be all right after all, but would Akito appreciate having that surprise ruined for him? The rabbit decided to remain silent.

"How can they just kill someone off like that?" Akito muttered.

"Huh?" Momiji turned to the movie and saw Frodo mourning the loss of the wizard.

"I mean, what's the point of making a character so….likeable if they're just going to get rid of him?" Akito crossed his arms and continued to watch the movie.

Momiji couldn't help smiling. "Sometimes movies like to throw in things like that. It's like life. Sometimes your favorite characters die." Belatedly, Momiji realized that discussing death with the cursed Sohma leader might be unwise, but Akito didn't seem to notice.

"I didn't say he was my favorite character." Akito spared a glance at the rabbit.

"….well…then who is?"

"Gimli."

Momiji nearly fell over as he started laughing hysterically. "Gimli! You like Gimli!"

"What's wrong with him?" Akito snapped.

The rabbit immediately became serious. "Nothing, I just pictured you as more of a Sauron…or Sarumon fan."

"Oh, so I can only like the vile or untrustworthy characters?" Momiji baulked as Akito smirked and returned his attention to the screen. "Gimli, " he started to explain, "is the most entertaining, closely followed by Pippin, and I love a good laugh."

The words 'at the expense of others' flashed through Momiji's mind, but Akito's next outburst stopped his train of thought.

"Now I've missed who this woman is! Where is the remote?" Akito reached across Momiji to grab the DVD remote and rewound it a few minutes.

"They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell... and are never seen again….Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."

As the elves encircled the surprised group, Akito chuckled to himself, which made Momiji slightly nervous. Akito's laugher was not exactly pleasant, probably because one associated it with the pain of a close family member. The rabbit sighed and tried to watch the movie.

"Who is your favorite character, Momiji?"

The rabbit started and looked over at Akito, who was still watching the screen. "Well?"

"Ummm…I can't really say if I have one favorite character….I guess, if I have to….it would be Aragorn."

Akito smirked as he watched Galadriel work her magic on Frodo. "Yes, Aragorn does seem to suit your personality."

"Huh?"

"Kindhearted, self-sacrificing. I was hoping you would pick a more interesting character. I could have guessed he'd be your favorite."

"…oh." Momiji didn't like that Akito claimed to know him so well. How could he? He barely ever saw him. "…I'll be right back…bathroom."

"You know where it is." Akito waived a hand and Momiji hopped out of the room. As he slid the door closed, he leaned against the wall and sighed. He stood there for a few minutes, regaining his composure. The rabbit couldn't even pinpoint what had made him so nervous in the first place. Aragorn wasn't that unusual a choice for a favorite character…anyone could pick him, and Momiji was sure many people had. It wasn't some deep insight into his soul…

"We should leave now."

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

"A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it."

As he re-entered the room, Momiji smiled as he remembered how Haru had chosen Legolas as his favorite character (for obvious reasons), and, right after seeing the movie, bought a life-sized cut out of the elf.

"Ah good, you're back. I was hoping you wouldn't miss too much of the movie."

"Oh don't worry, I've seen it before."

"Really…what happens?"

"Oh, I can't tell you that! It would spoil the sequels!"

"Sequels! It doesn't get resolved?"

Momiji sat down and gaped at Akito. "You didn't know there are sequels! The Lord of the Rings Trilogy?"

To Momiji's surprise, Akito looked slightly self-conscious. "I don't get out much." And Momiji felt sorry for being so startled.

"…Well, you'll just have to see them," Momiji offered.

"Oh, I missed something again!" The rabbit sighed as they rewatched the Uruk-Hai capture of Merry and Pippin.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Akito said after a moment.

Momiji heard the polite apology and answered quickly to try and keep up the friendly conversation. "Oh, I was just saying how you should really see the sequels. Otherwise, you'll never know what happens…unless you read the books."

"This movie is based off of a book?"

"Yeah…they're really good…if you like to read."

"I see. Well, you'll just have to bring the other movies sometime."

"Uhhhh…"

The door slid open as Momiji floundered at the idea of another get-together. He guessed his crusade to help Akito could not succeed with watching just one movie.

Hatori came in. "I'm sorry. Did I miss most of the movie?"

"Yes, you did, and you smell like smoke. What have I asked you about coming in here smelling like that?" Akito quickly covered his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his robe.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said demurely, and Akito rolled his eyes. Momiji struggled to keep his goal of helping the clan leader alive as he saw his not-so-nice side resurface. And the rabbit thought he had somehow connected with him!

"Has Shigure been here?"

"No. I do smoke by myself sometimes, Akito."

"For a doctor, you do pick the bad habits. Oh look, the movie is over. Feel free to get back to your work."

Hatori bowed slightly, without looking at Momiji, and left as quickly as he came in. The rabbit stared at his shoes. What was he supposed to do now? The credits rolled down the TV screen.

Akito coughed lightly. "I can't stand cigarette smoke. You would think my doctor would take better care to keep things like that away from me."

"I'm sure he didn't mean to do it on purpose."

"Yes, well, I suppose mistakes happen…" He coughed again.

And Akito surprised him again! Conceding a point like that! Momiji shook his head in bewilderment. "I can bring The Two Towers over anytime. Just tell me..."

Akito's coughing became more severe, and he doubled over from the force of it. Momiji started to get up to get Hatori, but Akito waved a hand.

"What were you saying?" he said as he caught his breath at last.

"…Just tell me when."

"I will." Akito lay down. "Feel free to leave. I don't think I can stand to have visitors any more tonight."

Before he knew it, Momiji was outside in the dark.

Momiji made it to his house in less than five minutes. But once he got there, he wasn't sure what to do. The rabbit just stood on the path, looking at the cloudy sky.

What had just happened?

Nothing made any sense. He had just spent an extended amount of time with Akito and had not been physically hurt or emotionally scarred…at least not as far as he could tell. Momiji sat on his porch and put his forehead in his palm. He couldn't even decide how he felt about the Sohma family leader.

Before, the rabbit had never really thought of Akito as real. The leader was a portrait of an idea, something intangible. Even seeing the effects of Akito's actions on people like Hatori and Yuki never made the leader seem like a real person. He could have just been part of Momiji's imagination.

But now…now Momiji had seen something human, and that frightened him even more than the evil he had witnessed. How could someone with the potential for good be so twisted?

The next important issue was deciding what to do next. Momiji stood up as he planned. Reforming Akito would be his new goal and greatest accomplishment. The rabbit had done his share of therapy, but this would be the test of his mettle. He couldn't pretend to be too naïve, like with Kyo and Yuki, or just be blatantly honest, like with Haru. Akito needed something else.

He looked down at the DVD in his hand. He needed a common bond. If he could just get Akito to open up on one thing, then everything else would come eventually. It had to. From there, it was just a quick jump to teaching the clan leader some morals.

With a quick nod of the head, his plan was set in place. All of Momiji's fears disappeared (or at least receded for now), and all that was left was to call Haru.

He had resisted calling Haru during his short bathroom intermission, but now Momiji was ready to tell the cow everything…especially about Akito's role in the family curse. With that information, Haru would be able to understand why Momiji was going to befriend the Sohma leader.

However, as Momiji stood there and pondered talking to Haru, his feelings of uncertainty grew once more. Even though the rabbit's fears of Akito had been put aside, new fears of Haru's lack of understanding began to surface. The cow had already misinterpreted the situation once. True, it had been when he was Black, but the black side of Haru was just the feelings the cow didn't let show while in his calmer state. The rantings of Black Haru were real, no matter how much White Haru denied it or couldn't remember.

Momiji jumped in surprise as the phone rang and he ran inside to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Momiji?" Haru twirled the cord of the pay phone around his finger.

"Haru?"

"Yeah, I have a favor to ask." He stared at the dirty glass that made an uncomfortable cage around him.

"I was just thinking about you!"

"Oh, how sentimental," Haru joked as his location started to make him claustrophobic, "Anyway, it seems that I've gotten myself a little…lost."

Momiji sighed on the other end of the line. "Where are you?"

"In a phone-booth…somewhere."

"How am I supposed to find you? Look for a sign or something!"

"Oh…ummm…" Haru squinted through the grime of the glass into the dark outside. "I think the sign says 'Mishuto', and there's a Ramen stand right next to me… and a little grocery store. Could you hurry? This place is giving me the heebie-jeebies."

"I think I know where you are. Stay there for heaven's sake! You know for someone who knows martial arts, you sure sound scaaared."

"Well, I wouldn't want some thug trying to take advantage of my pretty face."

"Uh, huh…I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Thanks." And with a click the other line was dead. Haru idly took one of his rings off and played with it. Being in the dark alone made him uncomfortable. It was just one of his irrational fears that he never quite got over. He should have taken Kyo up on his offer to walk him home.

But Haru didn't want any trouble for his Kytten. He thought the evening had passed without a hitch, and any extra actions on Kyo's part would have given away the secret. Personally, Hatsuharu didn't care whether everyone knew. He had gone the secret way before and it had gotten him an injured, cheating girlfriend and a broken heart. Well, Haru supposed Kyo had to get used to the idea on his own. In time, the cat would come to realize that other people's opinions didn't really matter.

Sadly, Haru never really had to deal with Akito in any fashion and didn't understand the affect of being the cat on Kyo's psyche and subsequent actions. Most things were black and white to Haru.

The cow couldn't decide where to wait. He didn't want to leave the safety of the lonely street lamp, so he just settled himself down in the ring of light on the sidewalk, sacrificing his leather pants to the street filth.

After twenty minutes, Haru started to get worried. But just as he was about to wander through the city again, Momiji's familiar light footsteps made their way up the street. Hatsuharu sighed in relief.

"What took you so long?"

"Just because I'm the rabbit doesn' t mean I'm quick like one." Momiji stuck out his tongue. "Besides, did you even think about how I could get in trouble out this late? And I can't even defend myself!"

"Sorry?"

"Oh, it's okay. What would you do without me? Come on."

Momiji grabbed Haru's wrist and the cow was pulled along. "Here, I made you a new map," the rabbit said after a few minutes of silence and dug in his pocket. Haru took the folded piece of paper with gratitude.

"What happened to my other one?"

"Don't worry about it. You lost it."

"Did I?"

"Yup."

"Huh."

Momiji looked worried for a second then spoke up. "You know how you told me to see Akito this morning?"

"Oh yeah, how did that go?"

The rabbit sighed loudly. "It went. We watched Lord of the Rings. The thing is…I think I saw something…normal, ya know?"

Haru certainly had no idea how normal could be used to describe Akito, much less any other member of the Sohma family. "Nope, no idea."

"He…he was nice to me. Kinda. For a few minutes."

"Really? I find that hard to imagine."

"I know! But we were talking, and Gimli is his favorite character! And I told him Aragorn was mine…"

"Did you say Gimli?"

"Don't interrupt. The point is, the event as a whole was awkward as all heck, but just that little part…I think I can help him."

Haru remained silent and let all this news digest in his mind. Sometimes he didn't have the quickest intellect. Finally he thought of a proper response.

"Momiji, why do you care so much?"

Momiji looked at his feet as he considered. "Remember when I went to talk to Hatori?"

"Hey, look we're home!" Haru pointed to the main gates of the Sohma Estate.

"You have a gift for interruption."

"Sorry. Simple minds."

"You seem a little weird today. Where have you been anyway?"

"Me?"

"No, I'm talking to my imaginary friend." Momiji got that frustrated look that Haru never fully understood. What ever got him so riled up anyway?

"I didn't know you still played those childish games."

"Haru!"

"What?" Hatsuharu needed a second to think. So, he sat down right in the middle of the path.

"What are you doing?"

"Clearing my head." Momiji sighed yet again (what a futile action, Haru thought), and sat down beside the cow.

Haru scratched his head and pondered. He was feeling slightly more giddy than usual, and also slightly dimmer in the thinking arena. He put that aside and tried to continue. Something must be different. Ah! The cow vaguely remembered coming to the conclusion that he had a grey personality when feeling stressed or nervous. Now, he concluded, he had yet another personality when he felt happy. It was getting hard to concentrate, especially with Momiji staring at him.

"I think I'm feeling very white today," Haru stated matter-of-factly.

"It's so easy to get exasperated with you when you act like this."

"Is it?"

"Why are you in such a good mood?"

The cow had the sense to try to evade the answer to that question. "You know…stuff."

"Are you trying to hide something from me?" Momiji's frustration turned to hurt.

"Are you trying to hide something from me?" Haru countered. "Because it seems to me that we were talking about Akito."

"You changed the topic in the first place! You know what? I had a hard night, and I just wanted to talk to you, but obviously you're too wrapped up in yourself to care!"

"Aren't we all?"

Momiji threw up his hands in disgust as he got up and walked away. Hatsuharu didn't really notice because he had become particularly interested in a how a certain ray of light reflected on one of his bracelets.

The light came from Akito's window as he moved back into his room.

About twenty minutes later, Haru brushed the dirt off his leather pants. He regretted his choice of seating, but he regretted the way he had acted with Momiji more. Like the change from his black personality, the progression from the strange white façade had somewhat affected his memory. But, he could remember walking home with Momiji, and usually when Haru could remember being with someone and then that person was gone, something bad had usually happened.

Haru kicked rocks while he made his way to Momiji's house. As he stuffed his hands in his pockets, the cow crept past the front door and headed straight to the rabbit's bedroom window. He lightly tapped it three times and waited for a light to come on.

After what seemed like an eternity, the window cracked and moved up slightly.

"Come in, Haru." The window opened entirely, and Haru deftly climbed in from the side garden.

He stood uncertainly in the dark. Momiji hadn't turned on the light and Haru didn't trust walking blind. So, he reached out into the seemingly empty room.

"Momiji?"

"Over here. The lightbulb in my lamp burned out."

"Oh." Haru shuffled over to the sound of Momiji's voice and, when his knees hit something, sat on the bed next to the blonde, sighing slightly.

"I'm sorry for whatever happened. It's not surprising to you probably, but I can't remember most of it."

"I overreacted; don't worry about it."

"…You always say not to worry about it. I think I should start."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not normal for someone to act the way I do. I haven't told you this, but I think something is wrong with me."

"Other than the fact you turn into a cow when hugged by a girl?"

Haru lightly punched Momiji in the arm. "I'm being serious, so could you return the favor?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I've just been thinking that…maybe I really have some sort of…mental disease or problem or something. Should I talk to Hatori?"

Momiji was taken aback. "Do you want to be medicated?"

"If it would help…"

The rabbit couldn't help but snicker. "I don't think any drugs are going to help the people in this family. Your personality is just part of your…curse." Momiji's voice caught on the last word as he thought of Akito for some unknown reason.

Suddenly, Haru turned and hugged Momiji. The smaller boy stiffened in surprise until he surrendered to the grasp of his friend and sat contentedly. Without letting go, Haru rested his chin on top of Momiji's blonde head.

"You smell nice. What are you wearing?" Momiji said into Haru's shirt. The cow slowly unwound his arms from the rabbit, but then decided to leave one around Momiji's shoulders. It wasn't a good idea to mention that he smelled like whatever had rubbed off of his surprisingly fragrant Kytten.

"We need to get you a boyfriend," Haru said instead and hated that he had to evade. He covered his anxiety with a quick nip on Momiji's ear.

"Haru!" The rabbit swatted at empty air by his head. "Who says I want a boyfriend anyway? Just because I…"

"Because you?"

Momiji sighed. "Just because I had a crush on you, doesn't mean that's what I'm really interested in."

The rabbit's face was silhouetted against the light from the window. Haru glanced over at it and smiled sadly. "You didn't have a crush on me. You just didn't know your options…or seem to have any." He fell backwards down on the bed, pulling Momiji next to him. "I'll fix you up with some nice girl if that's what you want. Though in my opinion, they're way too much trouble, whether they're in or out of the family." He chuckled. "I could try and hook you up with Tohru, but I think she's taken."

"Tohru! Gross! She's practically my long lost sister…" Silence fell as Momiji realized his remark, and Haru squeezed his hand.

"Anyway," the cow continued seriously. "I'll find someone for you, or I'll try at least. I'm not as good at these things as you."

"What? I can't say I've ever been that good at matchmaking."

"No, helping people."

"Ah."

"You," Haru sat up and leaned down to kiss Momiji on the forehead. "…should never have to be alone." The cow stood up and stretched. Then, he made his way towards the light emanating from the window.

"I'm not alone," the rabbit said under his breath.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Momiji." Haru left the same way he came in.

Momiji got up to close the window, then crawled under the covers of his bed. He wondered briefly if he should have asked how the cow's relationship with the cat was coming along, but Haru seemed like it wasn't going too well. Momiji didn't like to push bad issues that might make Hatsuharu black. Plus, the rabbit was very tired from his trying evening.

He was asleep nearly immediately.