SPECIAL NOTE - Dear Nakki-Chan, in your review you had said "Thank you for being born". I'm not sure if you understand what kind of impact that had on me. I don't even know you yet you had said something that I have never heard spoken from any of my family (yes, even my parents) nor my closest friends. All I can say in return is; "Thank you for those kind words. I never thought I'd ever hear them in my life, and it really makes the world just a little brighter from just reading your review."
TO ALL REVIEWERS! - I love you. huggle
Cracked Webbing
Disclaimer This is a Fruits Basket fanfic, I own the FIC not the actual SERIES. If I did it would have been much darker with HaruxKyo sex in it.
Mild Warning I might have lime or lemon chapters in this, it has yet to be decided. If I do the rating might be changed or I'll just put up a warning for that particular chapter. I'll also be as kind as to make it so that if you don't read that particular chapter you wouldn't be missing much plot.
-...- are memories.
Chapter 5
It was beautiful really, no, to be more accurate, he was beautiful. The way that soft orange hair kissed his face, the way his lips parted ever so slightly as his chest calmly rose and fell. It was hard not to notice the sun-kissed skin had regained some of its color in his absence. He found his eyes skimming over the way Kyou slept, his cast-ed arm resting against his stomach as his legs twisted slightly to the side. But what he really felt a tingle from was how the cat's good hand was laced with his, pulling him half-way across the lithe body as he laid next to his slumbering cousin.
He was resting his head on the corner of the pillow that the redhead was nestled upon, his eyes taking in all of the sight before him as if memorizing it. Haru wasn't about to move, even if Akito himself came over and demanded him back to the main house he would full-heartedly refuse. Kyou needed him and he wasn't about to abandon the one person that had always been there for him. He felt so mentally slow for not seeing it before. The cat really had been there for him all of his life, had been there supporting him from his anger directed towards Yuki to his obsession with the rat, to even when he started an interest in Rin. Even though they had gotten into fights -the redhead would still try to help him learn new techniques knowing they would be used against him sooner or later.
A pale hand reached up, knuckles brushing against tan skin, "You've always been there for me... you've saved me in more ways than one..." He paused, moving closer so his hair mingled with brightly colored locks. Closing his eyes he couldn't help the smile that remained on his face, the warm feeling in his chest as they laid together in the silence. He couldn't help but remember when they got out of the stair well, he had carried Kyou to his room, the cat giving mild protests even though he was clutching onto Hatsuharu's coat.
-The ox placed his cousin on the bed as softly as he possibly could.
"I'm not made of glass," Kyou snorted, keeping his death grip on Haru's coat.
The bi-colored youth moved so he sat next to his elder, a hand coming up to rest in hair as soft as kitten fur, "I know, but you're still recovering..."
They were silent for a moment before the redhead spoke up, pulling back to sit up straight, he was feeling exhausted now, "You know if you blame yourself for what happened I'll never be able to live it down."
"Huh?"
"I'm saying don't-... what happened to your face?" Fingers reached up to brush over butterfly bandages over an angry cut that was covered by white bangs, a white patch of gauze and medical tape on his right cheek.
Haru gave a small grunt, he didn't want to tell Kyou the truth but he felt he at least owed the one that saved his life this much. "Um... You're... father was over to visit and kind of freaked out when I told him to stuff a hot iron rod up his ass when I heard him say to Dad that he was hoping the car would... kill you..." The last part was barely a whisper, he still hadn't come to terms with what had happened. He was pretty sure he would have killed himself if Kyou had died.
"That fucking asshole," those fingers carefully danced around the wound in a soothing motion. "He's never been anything but complete prick, and that's a quote from Shishou."
"Speaks volumes..." Haru locked his gaze with the cat's, his eyes softening, "Look, Kyou, I know you don't want me to blame myself for what had happened but... I just..." His eyes started to sting, his breath shaking, he quickly looked away, "Just don't scare me like that again."
"Nah, I think I'll just jump right in front of another car soon as I can jump again," the cat rolled his eyes letting his hand drop.
"Hey, I'm serious," Haru nudged his friend with his shoulder. "I don't know... what I would have done if I had lost you."
"You sound," Kyou yawned, his eyes having trouble keeping open once more. "like you're confessing your love."
"And /you/ sound tired, get some sleep."-
About an hour of Kyou sleeping did Hatori come in, rather delighted to see Haru there. That was when the ox was filled in on what had happened in his absence. Yuki's actions were a bit confusing, such dramatic changes in attitude towards the cat was interesting, but he was grateful for it after hearing about the event with the window. He had made a mental note to scold Kyou when he woke up for not sleeping.
But for right now, right at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to have this piece of time to last. His arm draped over a certain redhead's chest, his nose filled with the sent of his closest friend, and his body warm -sharing the covers with someone that made the small light with in his heart a little bit brighter.
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Friday rolled around rather quickly considering that a certain kitten stayed asleep the whole time and Haru had nothing to do besides read whatever books Shigure and Hatori had brought for a very bored Kyou when the ox was gone. There was a sizable amount of mystery, conspiracy, true crime, and detective novels. A few of them had the orderly print of Kyou's full name on the inside of the cover declaring out to the world who the mini tomes belonged to. There pages well worn from being read several times.
Now here he was, sitting in a small room, eyes skimming over the words not really taking in what they meant as he read one sentence over and over again, lost in his thoughts. He had told his martial arts teacher that he wouldn't leave, that he made a promise and the soft spoken man only nodded with an all knowing smile. It was that smile that got to him, it was as if the man knew something he didn't. Well, yes he did know things he didn't, that was a given considering he was the teacher and Haru was the student but this... this had something underlining, kind of like when your friend nudges you and gives you a wink. You have no idea what it is for but they sure the hell do.
He closed the book, this was getting really annoying. He had only been 'living' there with Kyou and Kazuma for a few hours and he was already going stir crazy. The cat was giving the elder man so much attention that it was starting to bother him, what was worse was that he didn't know why it was agitating him to such a degree. He should be happy to watch them interact, to actually see Kyou get what he deserved -a family that loved him, unlike that bastard of a freak-monkey that shared the same genes as /his/ kitty.
His grip on the book he was reading tightened as his eyes widened. Did he... just think of Kyou as /his? A thick red blush coated his cheeks when it dawned on him why his shihan smiled at him, why he was feeling aggravated when Kyou's attention wasn't on him. It now occurred to him why he had an interest in Yuki and Rin. A lot of the cat's attention went towards Yuki, so in order to be seen by those pretty red eyes he focused his affection towards the rat as if trying to get a jealous raise out of him. He had snapped at Rin's family because of his own rage towards not being able to protect a particular Juunishi out cast, he had even tried to love her in his own way to try and forget about his attraction towards Kyou. A lot of good any of that did.
Haru gave a groan, finding it appropriate if someone just came into the room and called him stupid. Now that he had identified the light with in his heart as love and that it's directed towards the right person, he just needed to figure out if he should say anything or... Wait, was something burning?
"God damn it Shishou!" Kyou's familiar holler came closer to the room the two teens shared, the door burst open and a redhead was still yelling over his shoulder at an overly happy looking man, "How many times do I have to tell you to not get distracted while cooking! How you ever became a master at karate with the attention span of a nat I'll never know!"
"But I only thought that I would try to cook you something since it's the first time we've lived together in so long," the man was following his hobbling, fuming, son.
"It's not that I don't appreciate it but you should seriously burn that damn book before you burn the house down."
"But Shigure's new book really is fascinating, it's about-"
"SHUT UP!" Kyou nearly glared at the sitting youth that was currently trying to disappear behind the book he borrowed from the cat, "HARU!"
"Yeees?" he timidly called out, still a little mind shocked from realizing where his true love lies.
"Since I can't cook you'll have to take care of dinner."
"But..."
Garnet eyes narrowed, "But what?"
The ox stood up dusting off his pants by habit, "I don't know how to cook, but I'll give it my best shot."
The redhead leaned against his crutch while reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose, "God..." He took a deep breath oblivious of the worried look Hatsuharu was giving him.
"Kyou, does your head hurt?"
"Just..." he took another breath. "Just a little."
"Maybe we should-"
"You good at following direction?"
"Huh?"
"I'm asking if I tell you what to do, will you do them?"
"Uh, yes, but maybe we should order out, you're still recovering after all."
"I'm not made of glass! Now get your ass in the kitchen so I can teach you how to fucking cook! I doubt you're as much of a lost cause as Shishou."
The eldest of the trio laughed a little, "Hey, that hurt."
"Yeah yeah, we all know that you're famous for two things Shishou - martial arts and being able to burn anything." Kyou made a swipe at the two who were just standing around with his crutch, "Now get moving, I've got cooking lessons to conduct."
To Be Continued...