Title: Once You Go Black...
Written by: jolieXD
Summary: Sohma Yuki has been dealing with Sohma Hatsuharu's split personalities for most of their lives. He knows how to tame a Black Haru and he knows how to make a Black Haru. But it's no secret that Hatsuharu has feelings for the Rat. Could a couple wrong words create a Black Haru that even he can't control?

Disclaimer: I don't want to say it, because everyone knows I don't know Fruits Basket. d;
Warnings: Slash—boy&boy—but nothing explicit, I promise, because I don't want to have to have a high rating on this story—like, at all. They annoy me. So, there will just be a hint here and there. Yep—for those of you who don't like graphic content, like me. However, for those who do... ;D Look closely, lovelies, and you may see—or not. It depends on if I feel like it or not. Soooorry
Rating: T, for themes of homosexuality, as mentioned above, and—possibly—vile language.

Author's Notes #1: Oookay. I'm totally ashamed with how long it's been since I've been able to find the time to even look at this chapter, so I won't rant you to death with my little notes. All I have to say is that school has had me soooo busy and I've slept soooo much that it's ridiculous. But I'm feeling a tad bit better now that I'm on medication, so perhaps I'll be able to find more time for this. I hope so.

Enjoy :)

XOXOXO
jolieXD

Once You Go Black...
Begin—Seven: Taking control.

His mind was a mess. Some would say that the concept was not far from the norm, but Haru could feel the difference.

He could feel the cracks in the cage; he could see every move his other personality made; he could hear the anticipating in his counterpart's paces and in the words he whispered in White Haru's ear. Slowly, ever so slowly, he could sense Black Sohma Hatsuharu taking control. And White Haru could do almost nothing to stop him, rendered powerless against the anger and sorrow swelling within him.

The first irreparable crack, he recalled, from that Friday night, two weeks ago, had only been the beginning.

He'd been very careful to approach Yuki on Monday afternoon when he was alone, lest Yuki freeze or, worse, grow angry. He'd wanted to give him no incentive to walk away from him. It had been bad from the beginning. Haru hadn't, through the blur of trying to repair the cage confining Black Haru, been sure, as he usually was, about how the dark-haired boy would react.

Sohma Yuki's eyes had already narrowed at the sight of the black-and-white-haired boy, and it was at that time that Haru knew he'd failed with his Yuki-kun. He knew well of the anger he—or someone else after him—would have to face, should it rise to the surface, but there had been no going back Monday. He'd already wasted two days—Saturday and Sunday—preparing the right words for the exchange.

So, when he'd seen Yuki hesitate to approach, Haru had forced himself to meet the other boy where he stood. And before Yuki had the time to even object, he'd opened his mouth to speak first.

In a voice only for Sohma Yuki's ears, Haru had said, "He knows. He saw us, Friday evening. He approached me, did you know?" Of course he hadn't, but by the expression that Yuki had quickly acquired—one of ash-colored skin and widened eyes—Haru hadn't been able to doubt that Yuki knew exactly who the younger boy was speaking of.

The dark-haired boy had remained silent for a long, long time afterward, that day. He'd opened his mouth to speak, but no sound had come. It didn't matter, though; Haru knew what he'd been trying to ask. "No, he didn't touch me." He said, though his words were bitter.

It hadn't been the entire truth, but he hadn't been hurt. When the words had finished that Friday night, long after Yuki, Kyou, and Tohru had left the area, and when Haru was too angry to do anything but tremble with barely suppressed rage and listen to an excited Black Haru cackle in the back of his mind, the man had shoved past him, but that was nothing like—nothing like what he'd known his Yuki-kun was insinuating, the total abuse that the man was infamous among their family for.

The dark-haired boy had nodded vaguely, but Yuki hadn't seemed to hear much else that Hatsuharu had had to say. His eyes had always seemed to be elsewhere, as if he'd expected the man to be there at that exact moment.

"Yuki," Haru had said when he'd finished, and he'd been forced to repeat himself several times before he'd been able to capture and hold the older boy's attention. "Yuki-kun, it's okay, it's—" He'd hesitated, and then reached out for the other boy, "It's all right; we'll just..."

He'd lost his voice at that moment, lost his entire train of though, when Yuki had refused him. The dark-haired boy hadn't even justified himself. He'd just... His Yuki-kun had just turned away from him, brushed off the fingers lightly taking hold of his sleeve, and, with hooded eyes and a frown, he'd turned away. He'd left without so much as an excuse or a goodbye.

And Hatsuharu had stood there for a long time afterward, even as a group of girls from his class had bustled past and giggled and sent him strange looks, with blank eyes. He'd retreated far into himself with Black Haru, wondering why he could not repair the painfully new, painfully large crack forming in his cage, and wondering why he could not push the pain to the far, unused reaches of his mind.

Yuki was... He was...

Damn Sohma Akito.

Tohru had told him, Wednesday afternoon when he'd beckoned her out of her classroom during lunch, that Yuki had not been himself all week. She's said he'd been distant and quiet. She'd said that when he did speak, he was snappish, and she'd told him that he'd practically attacked Kyou when he arrived home Monday evening.

Haru had agreed. Yuki was not acting himself. What she told him didn't sound like Yuki at all; it sounded like some poor sap trying to push everybody away. And that was what worried him most—not that he was ignored by his Yuki-kun, or that he faced the wrath of the Head Sohma every afternoon, but that Yuki was taking his information in the worst way possible.

It worried him, and it angered him—that Yuki would just give up on him and everyone else so easily was just... For Sohma Akito, no less. But Haru could do almost nothing where he stood. He could only repair his mind best he could and try to stay sane until he figured out how to fix himself and Yuki.

Yuki left school with Tohru and Kyou, and Hatsuharu and Momiji were only a few paces behind. Haru didn't try to follow any closer, and Momiji was quiet, for which he was tremendously grateful.

He followed close enough to see their faces when they turned and to hear their voices when they spoke, but he followed with a distant that suggested that they weren't a group—because they weren't and he was still being looked through, as much as it pained Haru to admit.

Momiji understood what was happening, and he respected Haru's actions. He'd been the first to see Haru after his first encounter with Sohma Akito two weeks ago. He'd known what had happened before even asking.

When they reached Sohma Estate, Kyou, Tohru, and Yuki did not pause for goodbyes like they used to, though Tohru looked over her shoulder to smile encouragingly and wave slightly. Then, the girl turned around again when the redhead called her name. She'd missed what he'd said.

Momiji moved toward the gate, but Haru paused where he stood for a moment. He watched after Yuki and the others until he could no longer see them around the bend.

"Haru!" The Rabbit was holding the large gate halfway open and was looking back at him with concern in his brown eyes. He paused in his step, nodding toward the gate. "Come on. Are you all right?"

The Ox shrugged silently and turned to enter Sohma Estate. He ruffled the blond's hair affectionately, to which the Rabbit protested, and looked over his shoulder one last time. He sighed, shook his head, pushed away Black Haru's murmurs, and began to walk home, Momiji chatting to him about his day the entire way.

"Yuki-kun..." His tone was subdued, as he was sure he was going to be ignored.

And he was right. Sohma Yuki kept his eyes directly forward as he passed, though a few Student Council students around them had the heart to glance at the white-and-black-haired boy as he stared after his distant cousin.

Black Haru rammed his shoulder against the cage in his mind—he felt it—and he heard it snap. Black Haru was—Oh, God. A sudden haze came over him, and he saw Black Hatsuharu shove White Haru in his previous cage. White Haru averted his eyes from the Black one and fell into the corner of the confinement, his head in his arms. He hated to lose control, but he would never fight it. There was nothing he could do. He was not like Black Haru.

In the meanwhile, Black Haru was... White Haru couldn't even watch. Black Haru felt his eyes narrow and a sneer come to his lips. "Yuki!" His voice wasn't loud, but the quality was considerably different—rough, wicked.

Yuki bristled, a half a meter ahead of him, and paused, before continuing on his way. He knew. Everyone around them knew there was something different about tenth-year Sohma Hatsuharu-san now, even if they couldn't pinpoint what—whether it was the darkness his face had acquired, his tone, or his posture.

Black Haru shrugged, as if working himself into his skin, and stalked after the other boy, hands deep in his pockets.

"Sohma-kun, where are you going?" A timid ninth-year girl Konae Sachiko, suspiciously eyeing Hatsuharu as she spoke, asked, "Student Council is meeting in classroom 1-B."

Yuki waved the question away, and she looked mildly dejected, much to Black Haru's pleasure, but continued on her way. As did Yuki. The dark-haired boy only halted when he came upon an empty corridor. He didn't turn to face Hatsuharu, but Black Haru smirked, sure Yuki knew he was still there. Haru knew his presence was a heavy one.

"You think you can walk away from us, huh?"

Silence was his reply.

"Oh, tut-tut. Cat got your tongue, Rat? I thought it might. No time for good ole Black and White Sohma Hatsuharu anymore, eh? How rude." Yuki cleared his throat, and White Haru was up on his feet, watching intently for any kind of reaction from Yuki through Black Haru's narrowed gray eyes. "You're making our life miserable, you know?"

He said nothing for a moment, then, tentatively,"I—I'm going to be late for my meeting."

"Yuki, don't—"

"Quiet. I'm going now."

White Haru sighed, wilting against the shattering metal bars and averting his eyes away from his counterpart again as the Black one punched the wall beside him and retreated to his cage again. White Haru took control again and silently turned to watch Yuki go again. For how long would he be forced to only look at his Yuki-kun's retreating back?

End—Seven: Taking control.

for my own purpose, really, but if anyone's interested:
Date Chapter Was Started: October 8th, 2006
Date Chapter Was Finished: October 10th, 2006
Date Chapter Was Posted: October 10th, 2006

Ending Notes: Omgosh, has it really been almost a month. Really?

I really, really feel terrible about how long this took me and about how crappy and depressing this chapter turned out. It was hard to write, of course, but it wasn't supposed to be like this at all. DX Really, I promise I'm not usually an angsty person. But, either way, I hope you enjoyed.

Thanks to: greywings2, Obob, and Sootsprite for reviewing. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Until next time,

XOXOXO
jolieXD