Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Custody ❯ Stay ( Chapter 11 )

-“Who are you?” -Brigitta asked as she tried to process the information she just received. He had the right age, the same eye color, the hair, that particular smile! It all matched, but…

 

_”Where are you, Momiji??!!” -Brigitta and Momiji heard the girls coming. Momiji pulled back a little, and Brigitta dropped her hands. She looked back at Momiji for a second, and she was shocked to see that his face had changed already. He smiled broadly now, and, by the way he stood, he had regained his self-confidence. Now that she looked at him in light of her suspicions, he looked more familiar. He felt familiar. She couldn't stop herself from thinking that this young man could very well be… but no, how could he be? Her rational mind kept on debating with her heart. As much as she wished for it to be true, she realized the impossibility of it.

 

The girls finally came into the kitchen, and all of them fixed lunch in no time. Tohru was pretty good at cooking, and Brigitta complimented her on her skills. Momiji translated for her with pride. Tohru smiled sincerely, and bowed in return.

 

Momiji and Tohru volunteered to set the table while Momo and Brigitta finished with the food. When they were done, they brought it to the dining room, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight.

 

Momiji and Tohru worked together in silence. Their movements were coordinated, complementing each other's, communicating silently through occasional glances. Their long, close friendship had given them an understanding of each other that most couples achieved only after a lifetime together. It was a strong, solid bond between soul mates. They looked perfect together as a couple.

 

What shocked Momo the most was the peaceful smile on Momiji's lips at that moment. It was a one she had never seen before: one that actually reached his eyes and lit them up. He looked so different at that moment… so relaxed, so… content… She felt a pang of jealousy: she had had two boyfriends already, but neither of them had ever looked at her that way, with so much love and admiration.

 

Still in the jealous streak, Momo broke the silence by announcing that the food was ready, effectively ruining the moment for the young couple.

 

They all sat down at the table, talking about the trip and sharing travel stories. It was good to forget about their grief for a while. Momo actually laughed, which made her grandmother happy. It amazed her how much good the visit of this young couple was doing for her granddaughter. She would be fine.

 

After dinner Brigitta produced some cookies and tea out of seemingly thin air. Tohru was all smiles, practically bouncing in her seat at the sight of them, and she signaled her offer to serve the tea for all. Brigitta looked in silent evaluation at Tohru's graceful moves as she poured the tea and passed the cups to each of them with ease.

 

At last, it was Momiji's turn to receive the cup that Tohru offered to him. His eyes held so much love for this girl, and yet, they looked pained, full of longing… She was right there and yet he looked at her as though she was something sacred and therefore forever out of his reach. Their fingers barely touched as the cup was exchanged. Momiji drew them back immediately, averting his eyes by pretending to look for a spoon. Though he tried to hide it under the blonde bangs that covered his downcast face, a slight blush colored his cheeks.

 

For a girl who could read him so well, Tohru seemed completely oblivious to the emotions that broke out, unbridled, on Momiji's normally carefree face.

 

Blissfully unaware of the silent struggle inside the former bunny, Brigitta inadvertently provided him with a way out.

 

-“Do you have your tickets for the flight back yet? You don't want to have any more problems than the ones you already had on your way here… You know, because of the season…” -She picked up where the previous conversation at the table had left off. Hopefully he wouldn't find the question rude, but it was the only way she could think of to say it. She had to know who this young man really was, and she wanted to know how much time she had left to find out. For some reason that she couldn't name right now, she had the distinct feeling that it was not going to be an easy task.

 

-“Yes, Momiji, how long are you going to stay? Please, tell me that you're moving to Germany to be with me!!” -Momo asked only half joking. She hadn't realized until that moment that Momiji was visiting her, and surely had to go back home soon.

 

Home. She didn't have that anymore, did she?

 

-“You don't know how much I wish that could be true, but we can't. We have to go back.” -his voice sounded resigned to Momo, and she feared that he wouldn't be staying with her for more than a couple of days.

 

-“How much time can I have you with me, then?” -Momo asked hesitantly. She feared the answer she guessed she would be getting, and her voice conveyed her feelings effectively to her onii-chan.

 

-“I don't know. It depends…” -He left the cryptic answer hanging in the air for a few seconds. He sensed Brigitta's scrutinizing stare, and it distracted him. Momiji was intentionally avoiding eye contact with his grandmother, focusing his attention on Momo instead. He was still trying to figure out what had happened at the kitchen a few moments ago. He elaborated on his previous answer, unable to resist Momo's pleading eyes.

 

-“Tohru-chan has to be back soon. Rit-chan (our cousin) could only spare her a week, so she has to go back in four days. I came here representing the Souma family, and so I'll stay here for as long as necessary until I'm sure that you are well and properly taken care of.” -Momiji's voice was all serious and very much business-like in an effort to conceal his nervousness for talking about this topic. In fact, he sounded too much business-like for Momo's liking.

 

-“So you're here because they asked you to come? Is this a business trip to you?” -Momo felt deeply hurt to think that he was here only out of duty, though a voice in the back of her mind kept screaming at the absurdity of that line of thought. Hadn't she felt already how much he really cared for her after all of these years? Unconsciously, she grabbed her bunny charm and held it tightly.

 

-“Momo, you know me better than that.” -was his only reply. His tone of voice left no room for an argument on the topic. His face was serious at that moment, but his eyes held so much sincerity that it killed any further doubts. She flung herself into his arms, relieved. Momiji didn't even flinch this time; he wrapped an arm around her instead.

 

-“You have to go back to work?” -Brigitta asked. “But it's almost the holidays! Don't you take vacations at this time of year?” -Momiji smiled amused at the question, and quickly translated for Tohru. She too smiled, and then said something that made Momiji laugh wholeheartedly. His laughter made the remaining people in the room more curious as to what had been Tohru's reply.

 

-“What did she say?” -Brigitta asked.

 

-“Something about a rabbit…” -Momo tried to explain. Truth be told, it didn't make any sense. Her Japanese was clearly worse than she thought: She didn't understand most of what Tohru had said.

 

Momiji turned to their confused faces and tried to explain.

 

-“I'm sorry about that; it was… a joke that only we can understand.” -Momiji struggled to find the words to explain. Tohru looked embarrassed for the situation she had put her friend in.

 

-“An inside joke, you mean.” -Brigitta provided.

 

-“Right! Anyway, the point is, we don't celebrate Christmas like you do. We do exchange gifts, but for the family the main celebration is the New Year party at the main house.” -Momiji explained excitedly.

 

-“I remember those. We went there every year, and I had a lot of fun playing with all the cousins.” -Momo recalled. “There was another party too in the main house, but they never let us in to that one. I saw once the people going in, and I counted only nine! That's too few! What kind of a party is that?!”

 

-“Thirteen.” -Corrected Momiji

 

-“Huh?”

 

-“They should've been thirteen. It is a special party that only a few members of the family can go to, and trust me, we do have fun.” -Momiji explained cheerfully.

 

-“You are invited to it? Great! What is it like?” -Momo was really curious now.

 

-“There's nothing special about the party itself. What makes it different is the people in it. So you see? I can't miss it!” -Momiji finished with a grin.

 

-“My parents and I always celebrated Christmas at home, even when we were in Japan… Papa brought the tree, Mama cooked dinner, and all three of us put on all the decorations. And now, they're not here…” -Momo broke down crying, remembering the plans that the family had already made for this year. Momiji hugged his sister tighter, at a loss of what to say or do.

 

-“I'm taking Momo to my house for the holidays. All the family gets together for Christmas. You see, Momo? We're not going to be alone.”

 

-“No! I want to stay here! This is my home!” -Momo protested between muffled sobs, since she was still hugging Momiji. She needed her family with her, so she made a request that he couldn't refuse.

 

-“Please, onii-chan. Stay here with me for the holidays.” -Her teary eyes trapped him. This was the first time that she called him that since they met again, and he felt once again the happiness that this title always produced in him. How could he say no to her? Still, he looked hesitant.

 

-“Onii-chan?” -Brigitta asked.

 

-“Older brother” -Momiji explained, finally looking at her for the first time since the episode at the kitchen. At her questioning look, he only shrugged and said: “It's something we agreed to a long time ago, before they came here.”

 

Brigitta took the opportunity to trap him even more.

 

-“Then you should stay here for the holidays. Since Momo doesn't want to leave, then I guess that I'll stay here with her. She needs her family more than ever.” Both Momo and Brigitta's eyes locked on him, expecting his answer.

 

Momiji exchanged a meaningful look with Tohru, and they both nodded in apparent agreement.

 

-“I'll stay, but you have to start thinking about what you want to do after that.” -Momo understood the implied message without him having to say it: `You need to think of what you want to do after the holidays.'

 

She rested her ear against his heart once more, the only thought in her mind being how happy she felt at that moment. His heartbeat made her feel safe and loved.

 

She had all the holidays to think about her future.