Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, its plot, characters, etc. but I do own my any OCs and my own plot/changes to the original plot.
"I- it's so big..." Tohru said as she and Rika stood outside the Sohma estate. "I guess the Sohma's really must be a large family... I wish I could have told Yuki and the others that we were coming here, especially after what he said about Hatori."
"Hi!" Momiji said from on top of the wall. Tohru jumped in surprise.
"M-M-Momiji! I didn't see you there!" Tohru she said.
"You're right on time! Go ahead and let yourselves in."
"Wait! I… I hope I'm not intruding..."
"Come in! Come in! Welcome to the House of Sohma!" It seemed even bigger on the inside, if that was possible... It was like they had a whole town in there, like it's its own little world. It was so quiet. There wasn't a single other person around. It almost seemed like a ghost town. "C'mon... this way! I'll show you the rest of the way to Ha'ri's house. What? You're not scared are you?"
"No, of course not..."
"I like Ha-ri a lot! I think you will too, once you get to know him."
…
"Please, relax. Make yourself comfortable." Hatori said to the girls.
"Oh, okay..." Tohru said.
"Tohru? You don't look like you feel too good. You want Ha-ri to look at you? He is a doctor, you know." Momiji said.
"No, I'm all right! Everything's fine!"
"I am a doctor, yes, but my practice is devoted exclusively to the Sohma family, and I should say, Akito, in particular. He suffers frequent illness and requires much of my time."
"Oh, I had no idea."
"So my time is valuable. Right to the point, then."
"Sure."
"Even within the Sohma family itself, there are few who know our secret in regard to the zodiac. It is exceedingly rare that a complete outsider, such as yourself, should come to learn of it. Ordinarily, this would have been corrected at once. But, thus far, it seems Akito has made an exception in your case. Tell me, do you enjoy living there, in Shigure's house?"
"Y- yes, very much."
"All the more reason that you should leave." He said. "It would be best for you if you had nothing further to do with the Sohma's. Leave Shigure's house, and return to your own family. That's only reasonable, is it not? Knowing Shigure, I doubt he would ever say anything to you, but there are many dark secrets within the House of Sohma. Life among us is not as pleasant as you seem to believe. An evil shadow looms over this family. That is the nature of our curse… Before you come to regret having been involved with the Sohma's, leave them."
"Say, Ha-ri, I want to take Tohru outside and show her the gardens... That's okay, right? C'mon, Tohru, let's go!" Momiji said grabbing he hand and dragging her outside.
"Uh... But, uh..."
"C'mon! It'll be fun! I'll even show you my favorite spot! Come on, this way!" The two left leaving Rika alone with Hatori.
"Don't tell us to leave them." Rika said before swallowing. "We won't regret being where we're accepted." she said. Hatori looked at her. "Maybe not by you or this Akito guy, but Shigure and the others.. they.. they accept us... They treat us like we're a family. They've given us a home where we're happy and accepted and safe. Don't tell us to go back to that house with those people." Rika almost growled. "Don't make Tohru give up her happiness. D-Don't make me lose another family. D-..Don't make us leave." she said her voice wavering slightly towards the end. Rika bit her lip when she realized that tears were coming to her eyes. She looked to him to see him watching her, something unreadable in his eyes. Rika stood. "I'm sorry." she said before running out after Tohru and Momiji.
…
Rika found the two sitting on the porch by the sand garden.
"Did you know that Ha-ri can barely see out of his left eye? Ha-ri had a girlfriend once, Kana. She worked as his assistant for a while. And I remember, she was really nice." Rika sat down next to Momiji as he continued his story. "When she found out about Ha-ri and the zodiac you know, it didn't even bother her. She just laughed about it. They got engaged and they were going to get married. But when they told Akito, well, he got really, really angry and he said that he wasn't going to allow it. I guess his temper got out of control, 'cause that's when he hurt Ha-ri's eye. But Ha-ri didn't blame him, though. And Kana, she blamed herself. She was convinced that Ha-ri getting hurt like that was all her fault. She couldn't forgive herself, and it gradually started to eat her away inside. So, Ha-ri did the only thing he could do. He erased Kana's memories. He couldn't stand to watch her tearing herself apart over him, so he made her forget that the two of them had ever been in love. Kana left... Ha-ri cried... And, in spite of all that, he never once blamed Akito."
"Why?" Tohru said.
"Well, because that's the curse. That's why I can understand a little bit of what Ha-ri feels. He doesn't want anyone else to end up like Kana did. He doesn't want you to be hurt, the same way she was." Suddenly Tohru started crying.
"Huh? Tohru? Are you crying? Was it me? Did I make you cry? I'm sorry. I'm sorry, okay?"
"No, that's not it. It's just that I was so worried about coming here. And the whole time he just wanted to help us. He was just being kind. But after what he's been through, he's the one who deserves to be shown kindness, not me."
"I'll go get something to warm us up, okay? I'll be right back. You can go inside if you want." Momiji said running off. Tohru took off her boots.
"Tohru look." Rika said.
"Huh? It's snowing. I knew it would snow today!" Tohru said. Rika leaned her head back and looked up at the snow falling. Tohru turned around and made a sound. Rika looked back to see Hatori.
"I'm sorry, I... I guess I don't really know anything at all about the Sohma's." Tohru said.
"And there's no reason why you should. In fact, it would be best if you forgot whatever it is Momiji told you." Rika looked back up at the sky.
"Does that mean you've forgotten about her, Hatori?"
"It's all in the past."
"I'm sorry." He walked out.
"There's nothing to apologize for. I do still speak with Kana from time to time, but that's all. Now, I wonder if you would be so kind as to excuse me. I believe I've said enough for one day."
"Oh, no, please... I'd really like it if you stayed. Maybe you could show me around the house—" Suddenly Tohru slipped and started to fall off the porch. Hatori quickly grabbed her hand and broke her fall in the sand garden. There was a poof and when Tohru sat up there was a seahorse on Hatori's shirt. "Hatori?" She said. Rika gasped and jumped down. "Water! No! Seawater! Which one is it!? What do I do? Hatori!" Tohru started freaking out.
"Tohru! Bring him inside, I'll run some water!" Rika said running inside.
…
"Hatori… Please, if there's anything you can do to help him..." Tohru said holding the picture of Kana. "I know we're glad to have met the Sohma's. I don't regret it. I can't imagine anymore what my life would be like without them. You must have felt that way once too, Kana. So, if there's anything you can do to help Hatori now, please..." Suddenly the girls heard rustling behind them and turned to see Hatori sitting up. Tohru's coat had fallen off revealing his chest. Rika blushed and Tohru looked away.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't look! No, I uh... I didn't know what else to do, so we moved you up here to the room, where you could lay down." Hatori looked at Rika and she blushed more before looking away. "And I know it's not the best thing, but all I had to cover you up with was my coat. And, I know it's dirty and all. And... I'm sorry, but like I said it's all I had."
"Did you see it?"
"No! You see, I uh..."
"I mean my zodiac form."
"Yes, I did, and I thought it was really cute. It was pretty amazing to see what animal you were, but more than that, I'm really just glad you're okay." He was dressed and began to walk past them. "Huh? Oh, here." The girls stood up and Tohru held out the picture of Kana. "I hope you don't mind. I sort of took it without asking." Hatori took it and looked at it a moment before looking outside.
"Tell me, when the snow melts, what does it become?"
"Huh? Mmm, Let's see..." She said. "It becomes spring, right? So, even when it's cold like this, I always remember that spring is on its way! It's sort of neat to think about. No matter how much snow there is, it's all going to melt. It always does. I think spring is my favorite time of year. Oh! You must be freezing. Here, take this. Of course, autumn's nice too. And, you couldn't have spring without it! Say, if you'd like, I could go in and try to find something hot to warm us up! Hm? ''Something to warm us up''? Feels like deja vu."
"Didn't Momiji-"
"Ah!" Rika looked over and saw Shigure. "Lo and behold, there they are!"
"Shigure?"
"Well, I've been looking for you. Imagine my surprise, I found a little lost bunny instead."
"Momiji! Oh, I guess it wasn't deja vu. You have drinks!"
"Hahaha! Sorry it took so long."
"Ha-ri." Shigure said and tossed a drink to Hatori who caught it.
"So what brings you here?"
"Here, Tohru! Here, Rika!"
"Thank you very much!"
"Thanks Sweetie." Rika said. Momiji grinned.
"I suddenly had this feeling that Tohru and Rika were here in need of a rescue. Call it a ''writer's intuition'', if you will." Shigure said.
"That's a lie. You only came to see the New Year's preparations, didn't you?" Hatori said.
"Don't let them fool you." Momiji said. "These two have been friends since they were kids."
"Oh, Tohru, have you asked Ha-ri what zodiac animal he is?" Shigure asked.
"One more word, Shigure, and the entire publishing industry will know every embarrassing thing you've done since you were four."
"Understood. My lips are sealed."
"It's not like it's that hard to figure out." Momiji said.
"Momiji!"
"I really don't see how it's anything you should be embarrassed about." Tohru took a sip of her drink. "It's so warm!"
"It's the Dragon right?" Rika asked. Hatori looked at her. "In mythology, all dragons start out as seahorses, and only some gain the opportunity to ascend to dragon-hood. And it would be rather dangerous if you were to turn into a Dragon." she said with a smile. He blinked and the smallest hint of a smile was on his face.
…
"I can see how today might have been stressful for you, but now that it's over, Hatori's not that bad of a guy, is he?" Shigure asked as they walked through the estate to the main gate.
"No! In fact, he was really quite the gentleman!" Suddenly Tohru looked over. Rika followed her gaze to someone leaning out a round window. He had Yuki's hair style but darker hair. Their eyes meant Rika could have sworn that his eyes widened slightly before he went back inside.
"Let's go, Tohru, Rika. You'd better stay with me. It's easy to get lost in here."
"Shigure, tell me, what is the curse, exactly? I mean, am I doing something that I shouldn't be?"
"I wouldn't worry. Just keep being yourself. That's really all you need to know."
…
"I'm home!" Shigure called once they got in the house.
"Me too! We're here!"
"Sorry we're so late." They walked into the living room to see Kyo and Yuki asleep under the kotatsu.
"Ah, I guess sitting around the heater like that got to be a little bit too comfortable."
"I guess so."
"It might be dangerous to try and wake them up. Why don't we let them sleep for a while?"
"It feels weird having them look so peaceful in the same room." Rika said chuckling quietly. Shigure chuckled as well. "Do you have a camera?" Rika asked with a smirk. He smirked back and left the room to get one.