Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Stand by You ❯ One-Shot

Title: Stand by You

Author: A. Hollingsworth

Fandom: Fruits Basket

Pairings: Hatokito [Hatori/Akito] and mention of Kurerisa [Kureno/Arisa]

Rating: PG

Warnings: Spoilers for 97—127; mainly, the Akito spoilers, the Kureno spoilers, and my most hated scene ever, that scene in the end of 127.

Notes: I've always wondered about what happened when Kureno moved out of the main house in 127; you know, about how Akito could have possibly reacted and how any former Jyuunishi member could have reacted alongside her. This one-shot is the product of that wondering. Although I loathe the pairing so much, it is KURERISA. My only consolation is that because of this, Stand by You is HATOKITO. Yeah. I hate Shigure, too. Anyway, just a little one-shot.

Summary: Hatori proves to Akito that it will be the dragon that will be by her side until the end. They all could leave her, would leave her—but he never would.

 

 

 

Stand by You

©2007 A. Hollingsworth

 

 

The searing pain inside of her was something she never expected to feel. It was tearing her apart, piece by fragile piece, and it felt as though nothing could put her back together again. It hurt as though she were being stabbed with shards of glass, numbing her body until she could no longer feel her body shaking, until she could only see it. In the middle of the dark room, her windows closed and vases and clothing thrown and strewn on the floor in mad disarray, sobs racked through the petite body of Sohma Akito. She began to wrap her arms around herself, hugging herself, beginning to rock back and forth on the tatami mats.

 

“I'm leaving, Akito...”

 

The three words were always in the back of her head, were always whispers, but she never thought that Kureno—Kureno, of all people!—would actually utter them to her. She had never expected those words to escape her precious Rooster's mouth, and because she had never expected them, she had not been prepared when he actually did say them. The idea of Kureno leaving her had been unthinkable. The fact that Kureno had left her, and had left her for somebody else was unbearable.

 

“I'm leaving, Akito... I—I love Arisa, Akito, and I want to be with her.”

 

The actual meaning of his pretty little words rang in her ears. I've had enough of you, that little voice in her head whispered. I've had enough of you, and now I'm moving on. Akito imagined Kureno saying those words to her, and more tears sprang to life, her nearing hysterics, her voice low and chanting “No, no, no” like a mantra.

 

She closed her eyes, and the conversation rushed at her like a wave crashing down onto the beach.

 

“There. There they are again, Kureno. Your distant eyes. Why are you looking at me again with those eyes?”

 

“I—I'm sorry, Akito. But I—I'm moving out. Of the Main House. To be with Arisa.”

 

“You—you can't do this to me, Kureno! You—you promised that you'd stay with me!”

 

“I promised to stay with you to keep that little girl from crying, Akito. I promised to stay with you to help that little girl find her footing. And you've stopped crying now. You've found yourself now. I've done my duty, Akito.”

 

“Do you think I'm ever going to stop crying now, Kureno!? Do you think I'll stop crying after—after this!?

 

“Do you know what you're doing to me!?”

 

“Akito!” a sharp voice said, but all Akito did in response was keep shaking her head. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, and she only loosened them, and in surprise, too, when she felt someone kneel behind her, and she felt that someone's arms wrap around her. Warmth seeped through her body, coursed through her being, and brought her back to life.

 

“Kureno?” she whispered hopefully. No. Kureno's never coming back to you ever again, Akito.

 

The body behind her stiffened, but Sohma Hatori nonetheless whispered, “This is bad for you, Akito. Your body may not be deteriorating as it was because of the curse, but you're still recovering from your illness.”

 

“He's gone, Hatori!” Akito tried to wrestle herself from Hatori, and when she freed herself, she stood up and stared down at him with red, tear-rimmed eyes. “I don't care about my recovery rate! I don't have enough energy to care at all.”

 

Hatori looked up at her, before he stood as well, and then he stepped closer to her. Akito moved a step backward, and tried to do so again, but because Hatori's legs were longer, he caught Akito before the head of the Sohma family could move back any more. “I won't hurt you,” Hatori whispered quietly as he held Akito in his arms. Akito held her arms limply at her sides as she stared blankly, dark eyes wide and seemingly lifeless, dull and so full of bitterness. “I don't want to hurt you.”

 

“But you will,” Akito whispered against his shirt as she pressed her ear to his heart, listening to the fast thumps—his worry, perhaps, his concern—that matched the rhythm of her own heart. “You'll be like all of them, won't you, Hatori. You'll leave me like all of them will once our curse is broken. And then who will I have?” The last person I'd think to betray me did. And once you leave, Hatori... I won't have anyone else.

 

“I'm not leaving you,” Hatori said with resolve as he looked past Akito's head and to the empty, brown wall. “Don't you remember how our legend goes, Akito? The dragon never left his god's side and stayed with his god until his dying breath.”

 

Akito snorted with dark contempt as she wrenched herself from Hatori's grip. She stood and looked at Hatori, one foot planted firmly in front of the other, her hands balled into fists at her sides. “Is that how our legend goes, Hatori? Our legend also said that I was going to have an everlasting bond with my Jyuunishi. But look at us now, Hatori. Broken. Destroyed. Our bonds are thinning, Hatori, and soon we'll be nothing.”

 

Her eyes widened as soon as she said this, as though not believing the words that came out of her mouth, but then she shook her head. It was the truth, after all; the strong pull that she once felt in her heart, that pull that `connected' her with the members of the Sohma Jyuunishi wasn't as strong as it was when she was younger, when Kureno was still one of them. It was there, but barely.

 

“Can't you see?” she said to him, her voice unnaturally quiet. “Can't you see, Hatori?”

 

Hatori's reply was quiet as well, and although it was seemingly week, Akito listened. “All I see right now, Akito,” he said, “is a young girl crying for the idea of losing the world she hopes to have. All I see right now, Akito, is a young girl crying for the man she lost to another.” And she is beautiful.

 

Akito looked up at the Sohma dragon, her eyes watery and still somewhat red; her earlier contempt now vanished, replaced by astonishment, and she was staring at him.

 

Hatori... Hatori... Hold me...

 

Hatori gave her a gentle glance as tears began to silently fall from her eyes as though they had both remembered that tender moment in Akito's childhood at the same time. “Hatori,” Akito whispered aloud. “Hatori. Hold me.”

 

Hatori bent down to place one of his arms under her legs, and another on her back to support her. Akito spread her arms across Hatori's shoulders, placing one of her hands firmly in his hair as the other balled into a petite fist.

 

The Sohma dragon closed his eyes as he inhaled the lavender-like scent of her hair, allowing himself the smallest of smiles. “They'll all go away from you, Akito,” he murmured as he swayed her slightly, rocking her to sleep as he used to when they were both younger. “But I'll be here. I'll stand by you.”

 

Like legend.

 

Like the dragon who stayed by his god until he drew his last breath.

 

I'll stand by you, Akito.

 

Like legend.

 

Like how it's supposed to be.

 

 

 

05/11/07

Text © A. Hollingsworth