Kimyo: Hello, all! This is a response to Lovely NanamiChan's challenge, which is elsewhere! It's going to be a multi-chaptered story about Haru and his love for Yuki and Kyou. There's an uncut version posted elsewhere, but plotwise, this is the same story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, Haru, Yuki, or Kyou. However, the Magic Shoppe and the bishies who work there are mine, so please don't use them in your own stories. Okay, let the fun begin!
Just a Spark
He'd been lost for days, but he finally found it.
It was a sunny afternoon, and the streets were fairly quiet.
This is a strange neighborhood, thought Haru.
The buildings were in many different architectural designs, painted in bright colors, alot with beautiful, elaborate grafitti. He strolled to the storefront he wanted. He looked at the sign, then at the flyer in his hand.
Japan's Premiere Magick Shoppe
Potions, Charms, Talismans,
Books, Candles, Incense, Herbs
Your heart's desire
is within your reach!
Open 24/7
Consultations available.
The store's front windows were painted black. He then noticed a bishie dressed like a geisha standing by the door. He had spiky black hair and looked to be about twenty years old. His face was almost as lovely as Yuki's. Haru felt a blush creeping up his face.
"Are you here for a consultation?"
"Uh... I thought I'd just look around..."
He smiled politely. "Of course." He opened the door and let Haru in.
Hatsuharu looked around and beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. There were books and papers stacked on every available surface, including the floor. The only illumination was candles, dozens of them standing everywhere. He didn't see anything that looked magical, and there wasn't anyone there.
A voice came from the back: "I'm comin'! I'm comin'! Don't leave!" accompanied by running bootsteps. A young man with fluffy blonde hair burst into view from a hallway behind one of the bookshelves. He ran, jumped down a few steps, and came to a screeching halt behind the counter.
He took a big breath and smiled. "So anyway, how can I help you?"
Haru sweatdropped. "I'm just looking."
"For a love potion, right?"
Haru blinky-blinked.
The blonde boy winked. "Dude, you're blushing. It's wicked obvious." He came around from behind the counter and joined Haru, then proceeded to lead him up the steps, towards the back of the shop. "So what's your name? You from 'round here?"
"I was born here. The name's Hatsuharu Sohma."
"Hatsuharu..." They reached a cupboard in the back corner. He smiled at Haru and stuck out his hand. "I'm Ezra, but my boyfriend calls me RaChan 'cause it's easier to pronounce."
Haru shook his hand, and RaChan turned Haru's hand over, peering at his palm. "Hmm... Healthy... Huge family... Strong genes..." He tilted his head and squinted. "Well, in a certain sense... You're good at physical stuff, but you also like to read..."
"Where's the...?"
"Right, right, love potion." He opened the cupboard to reveal a wide array of strange bottles, tiny ornamental boxes, dolls, talismans, and more. RaChan selected a mojo bag made of soft brown leather. "Here it is."
Haru reached for it, but RaChan twirled the bag on his index finger by its pullstrings. "Have you ever used love magic before?"
"I'll take it. How much?"
He stopped twirling the bag and closed his hand around it. "You can't force someone to love you, you know. If you give this to someone who doesn't like you at all, nothing will happen. Also, it's only temporary."
Haru frowned.
"This powder only lasts several days. It doesn't make someone love you, it merely plants a spark. It's up to you to nurture that spark. If it's truly not meant to be, nothing can change that."
Haru scowled. "Then what's the point?"
"That's why this store isn't packed. People think magic is a quick fix, then they're disappointed to find out you have to actually work to reach your goals. Don't chicken out, Man. Give it a shot."
"How much is it?"
"Thirty bucks."
"I'll take it."
RaChan smiled and began leading Haru to the front. "Okay, here's how it works. Go home and make sure no one'll interrupt you for an hour or two. Make some rice." He went around the counter and faced Haru. "You're gonna make some onigiri. You have to cut yourself and add some blood. Sprinkle this powder into the rice while you mold the rice balls, a little at a time until it's all gone."
Haru was irked at the thought of making Yuki consume his blood. RaChan saw the look on his face.
"Don't let it bother you so much. Okay, while you're molding the rice balls, you have to stay focused on the person you love. You have to feel passion so fervent that if he were in the room, you'd throw him down and bang the fuck out of him then and there."
The faux geisha came in, his face rosy.
RaChan smiled. "Hey, Megs."
"It's too hot out there," sighed Megumi. "I'm going to take a nap."
"'Kay."
He disappeared down the same hallway RaChan had come out of. RaChan watched him leave, then returned his attention to Hatsuharu. "Take the onigiri to your target, but don't watch him eat. You have to leave and go back the next day. You'll have about a week to win his heart." He looked around. "Maybe I should write it down."
"No, I've got it."
"Okay, then." He dropped the mojo bag into a paper sack and handed it to Haru. "Good luck."
o o o
The sky was turning a deep orange as Haru finally reached his bedroom, looking shifty with a paper sack under one arm and a rice cooker under the other. He locked the door and started the rice cooking. His heart was already racing as he couldn't stop questioning the fairness of what he was going to do.
He opened the mojo bag and brought out a tin. Inside the tin was a talc-like blue powder. He sampled it and found it had an herbal tea-like flavor.
I'm really going to do this. It's not mind control. It's just a spark.
Once the rice was ready, he began making the onigiri. Eyes closed, he pictured Yuki. He thought about what it would be like to kiss him.
A flash of orange hair... Red eyes...
Kyou...
Haru opened his eyes, but didn't stop.
I love them both. I don't want to choose.
He shook his head.
I have to focus. I can't have them both.
It was dark by the time Haru got to Shigure's house. The first sound that reached him as he approached was Kyou's voice echoing through the woods.
"Hah! Hyaah! Hah!"
When Haru walked up, cradling his gift, Kyou stopped punching and kicking the air and offered him a cursory glance. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Hello, Kyou."
Kyou paused when he noticed that Haru was blushing. Amused, he thought to himself that Haru looked like a schoolgirl about to give a boy chocolates on V-day. He let a sigh out through his nostrils. "He's inside."
"Thanks."
Yuki was alone in the livingroom, reading a magazine, looking very cozy in the kotatsu. He looked up when Haru entered, his eyes a cool lavender.
Neither of them said anything for a few long seconds. Finally, a little vein popped out on Yuki's forehead. "Stop staring at me."
Yuki turned back to his magazine. "... She's not here."
"Huh?"
"Miss Honda. She went to spend the night with Miss Hana and Miss Uo."
"I came to see you, actually."
Yuki looked up at him, his expression indicating nothing more than slight annoyance. "What is it?" As Yuki said this, his lips almost imperceptibly pursed.
Haru held out the lovingly wrapped bundle. "I brought you a gift."
He stood frozen, waiting for Yuki to accept the gift. They stared at each other, and Haru felt such coldness coming from his cousin. Maybe I shouldn't give this to him. He acts as if he hates me...
The mental image of Yuki came to him-- that day he ran into Yuki at Sohma House, when he'd yelled at Yuki. He could hear Yuki's kind words, see his sweet smile.
Yuki... have you grown to hate me? Does my love disgust you?
He decided to take the onigiri back. To force him to feel anything for me would be too close to rape.
His arm began to pull back, but Yuki had already taken the bundle away. "I will accept this with much appreciation." He smiled, and Haru could not help but blush an even deeper crimson.
A short timeafter Haru had left, Kyou came in from his training and found Yuki, still lounging at the kotatsu reading, and now eating the onigiri Haru had brought.
Kyou wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel. "He came all the way over here to bring you some damn rice balls?"
"Mmh." Yuki nodded and swallowed. "They're actually quite delicious."
Kyou sweatdropped and eyed them for a second, his stomach feeling empty in Tohru's absence. He swiped one of the two that were still on the plate and ran down the hall, cramming it into his mouth.
Yuki growled, but didn't waste his time chasing that stupid cat. There was still one onigiri left, so he grabbed it and savored the alluring taste.
"mmh..." Arigatou, Haru...
RaChan closed and locked up the storefront, then retired to the back, where there was a small apartment. He found his lover, Megumi, in bed, using the phone.
"Don't worry, Lolly. We're taking good care of your shop. Do you want to talk to RaChan?"
RaChan hopped onto the bed and grabbed the phone. "Hey, Lolly! Havin' fun on vacation? ... Uh-huh... Yep... Hey, guess what! I sold three crystal balls, five decks of tarot cards, and a love potion today!"
A long silence over the other end. "... Ezra, I don't stock love potions anymore. You of all people should know they're too potent for casual customers to even know about."
"Oh... Hnh." RaChan's eyes widened.
"Then WHAT the HELL did I sell that black-and-white haired kid?"
1
just a spark
finish