Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Seasons of Sorrow ❯ Embers of Summer's Glory = On-Line Interlude ( Chapter 49 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

DISCLAIMER: Welcome to fanfiction, mine in particular, based off of Takaya-sensei's Fruits Basket. Yummy!

Embers of Summer's Glory

Chapter 49: On-Line Interlude

`Mmm. Hana-chan makes great lemon tea.' Sipping her hot tea comfortably, Tohru leaned in her chair and stared out at the dark evening sky. The stars were out and the breeze felt lukewarm as it entered into her open window, gently lifting the sheer pink curtains.

Sighing contentedly, she set her cup aside on her desk as she logged on to her laptop. Shigure's graduation gift was appreciated in more ways than she could say. It was her link to others when she couldn't call or see them on a daily basis.

`And tonight's special. He promised he would be there.' Grinning widely, she quickly accessed the chatroom that was setup previously for her. Accessing her account, she was glad for the constant typing at her office job…it definitely made these routine tasks of typing in your username and password pass by quickly.

CHAT SITE: Our Sohma Haven

USER LOGON: TohruLuvsYums

`Hehe, he had said he wanted me to smile each time I logged on. He was right.' Giggling lightly to herself, she settled herself comfortably in her chair and started typing her greeting.

TohruLuvsYums: “Ohayo! I'm here now…”

(Pause)

(DING) NoMeat Is In!

NoMeat: “Ohayo, Honda-san.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Hatsuharu-san! I'm so glad you could be in tonight's chat! Hatori-san must not have needed his computer tonight, ne?”

NoMeat: “Hn…where is he?”

She paused before typing her reply, unsure of why he didn't know where Hatori was if he lived with him. She quickly shook her head of her momentary lapse of sense. `Heh, he's talking about HIM.'

TohruLuvsYums: “Um…I'm not sure yet—”

(DING) CatsRUgly Is In!

CatsRUgly: “Pft, damn Rat…”

TohruLuvsYums: “Kyo-kun! Is there something the matter?”

(Pause)

CatsRUgly: “Damn fool was hoggin' the bathroom! Prissy guy…”

TohruLuvsYums: “Oh…I had thought…well, if he's too busy tonight, I completely understand that he couldn't make it to our chat session.”

NoMeat: “Don't worry, Honda-san. If he said he would, then he will. And he's not prissy, Kyo. He really worked hard for Shihan these past two weeks since YOU-KNOW-WHAT. He's tired.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Oh my! Maybe it's better then that he goes straight to bed and rest!”

She thunked her head against the keyboard of her laptop none too painlessly. `I'm such an idiot…making him come online tonight when he's been so busy and tired. I should just be happy with our chats in the morning or afternoon…that is when he's able to walk with Kyo-kun and me. I really am so stupid…'

CatsRUgly: “Fool looked fine when he got home. If you ask me, it was more his stink that got to me—”

NoMeat: “Kyo, you really are…”

(Pause)

CatsRUgly: “Don't just cut me off then stop in the middle of what you're sayin'!”

NoMeat: “I was thinking. But yes, you are.”

CatsRUgly: “HARU!”

NoMeat: “I was only agreeing with your sign-on name. You're ugly.”

CatsRUgly: “WHAT??!!! DAMN SONOFA—”

NoMeat: “But that's how you sign-on.”

The influx of instant messages was spiraling towards a big blowup. She hurriedly tried cutting in before it came to that but was too late.

CatsRUgly: “IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

CatsRUgly: “DAMN RAT SET THIS UP FOR US, REMEMBER??!!!

CatsRUgly: “PERVERTED INU COULDN'T BE TRUSTED!

CatsRUgly: “AND I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THE HELL TO CHANGE MY SIGN-ON BECAUSE OF HIM!”

CatsRUgly: “DAMMIT!!!”

TohruLuvsYums: “Ano…Kyo-kun, I can help—”

NoMeat: “That's fine, Honda-san. The name suits him anyway.”

CatsRUgly: “SHUT THE HELL UP, YA DAMN OX!”

(DING) MODERATOR - IamME Is In!

IamME: “If you're going to continue `yelling', I will ban you from this conversation, UGLY cat.”

Her eyes immediately sprang to life upon seeing the latest addition to the group chat. She was having a hard time responding just right to him. Sipping her tea quickly, she typed what was on her mind at the moment.

TohruLuvsYums: “Yuki-kun! I'm so happy you made it! Are you okay, are you tired, do you need to lie down? It's okay if you need to lie down, otherwise you'll collapse from exhaustion and—”

IamME: “I'm fine, Tohru-san. ^_^ Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

CatsRUgly: “HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE BATHROOM?!”

IamME: “Too long…maybe you didn't hear me because of your keystrokes. Your pounding of the keys can be heard for miles around. You're going to break your laptop sooner than necessary.”

(Pause)

CatsRUgly: “I KNOW how to take care of a laptop, OKAY—”

NoMeat: “Did you finish up waxing the floors after all? That was a lot to do by yourself…”

IamME: “It's fine. It was a good day to do it since all of you were outside doing some sort of exercise with Shihan. You should see the main dojo now…you can see your reflection.”

NoMeat: “Still…don't overwork yourself. You don't have to prove anything to anyone.”

She was concerned with the underlying message here. It only emphasized the fact that there was much going on that she wasn't aware of. Tried as she did, she couldn't help but feel the helplessness. It was interesting how she was once again `outside' looking `in'.

`Why does he shut me out? No…they all shut me out. If there're problems, I want to be there for them…for him. It's so hard to see them from afar and unable to help when they are apparently going through hard times.'

TohruLuvsYums: “Yuki-kun…if there's—”

IamME: “There's nothing wrong, Tohru-san. I'm sorry if Haru's comment implies that. We're just bogged down with a lot of issues relating to the tournament. Shihan is having a hard time, and I'm doing what I can to help with the little things.”

(Pause)

IamME: “Your tears hurt me, Tohru-san. Please don't cry.”

Stunned at the message, she pulled away from the screen and immediately reached up with her hand to stroke her face. Certainly enough, her delicate fingers came away with salty moisture. `How would he know—'

IamME: “I know YOU. It's something between…close friends. And I keep my close friends close to heart. I'm even willing to spend a WHOLE WEEK in close proximity to a certain UGLY CAT just to see your smiles more often. Are you ready for our trip?”

She laughed lightly at the response to her distressing thoughts. He really did know her, so very well. Could she say the same of him? Perhaps this trip was exactly what they needed…she was determined to cross this distance that's been put between them over the summer.

NoMeat: “I'm sorry to have worried you, Honda-san…I hadn't meant to.”

CatsRUgly: “WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THE BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooOOOOO—”

(DING) CatsRUgly is OUT!

IamME: “Stupid Cat.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Um…what was that?”

NoMeat: “Stuck key. It happens.”

IamME: “Did you get your packing done? We'll be leaving early…supposedly. Hatori is arranging the transportation for all of us, so I suggest you be ready on time.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Oh, I will! I'm all ready, but Hana-chan and Uo-chan keep changing my wardrobe to take with me. They want me to have `alluring' items…I'm not sure what they mean by that though. They say it's to `lure fish in'. I don't like fish swimming near me, so I'm really lost when they tell me these things.”

(Pause)

NoMeat: “Okay…”

IamME: “I'm sorry…please hold on.”

(DING) MODERATOR - IamME is BUSY!

TohruLuvsYums: “Is there something wrong?”

NoMeat: “I don't think so. Kisa said she wanted to sit next to you tomorrow. That means Hiro will want to share a row with you. But I can get him away so that Kagura is beside you instead…it's CONVENIENT.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Heh…I understand. I wouldn't want any ACCIDENTS either!”

(DING) MODERATOR - IamME is IN!

IamME: “The BAKA NEKO is a complete MORON.”

TohruLuvsYums: “What happened with Kyo-kun?”

NoMeat: “Stuck key, right?”

IamME: “It's HIS fault.”

(DING) CatsRUgly is IN!

CatsRUgly: “DAMN RAT AND HIS SMARTASS MOUTH!”

IamME: “I only told you the truth, BAKA. The next time I won't help you, even if you do bang my door down.”

NoMeat: “Kyo, next time, just shake your keyboard.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Shake the keyboard?”

NoMeat: “Yes.”

CatsRUgly: “I KNOW HOW TO DO IT RIGHT, OKAY? AND I KNOW TO DO THAT NEXT TIME.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Kyo-kun…not to disagree with Hatsuharu-san, but—”

IamME: “…you really are a MORON…and GULLIBLE.”

CatsRUgly: “WHAT?!”

TohruLuvsYums: “It does seem sensible, Kyo-kun—”

NoMeat: “After shaking the keyboard, drop it on the desk. That'll do the trick.”

IamME: “And if you actually believe that, do a handstand and count to ten. In Latin.”

(DING) CatsRUgly is BUSY!

TohruLuvsYums: “Uh…where did he go?”

IamME: “Banging my door down…or at least trying. I have Beethoven on `loud' now. So, are you ready for your surprise field trip? Everyone is coming this time.”

TohruLuvsYums: “Everyone did confirm after all?”

IamME: “Of course! We've all been so busy this summer. A good break like this is good for us. The tournament will be right around the corner afterwards. We'll definitely be too busy for anything prior to that.”

TohruLuvsYums: “True. Thank you SO much for this, Yuki-kun. You worked so hard on getting us together like this, I'm sure.”

NoMeat: “Yuki just needed to say the word, and we're there. We wouldn't say no.”

IamME: “HARU.”

IamME: “Tohru-san, everyone WANTED to come together for the trip and spend the time with you. Especially me.”

NoMeat: “REALLY? My, oh, my.”

IamME: “HARU, ENOUGH.”

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks at seeing the comments. So…did he miss her…did he miss her as much as she's missed him? Her concerns with his problems, his well-being, it all tied to one main thing. His absence from her daily life…it was so blaring…as if her continuity of all that is normal and acceptable was stalled. Emails and phone calls from him were drops of water that only sated her for so long. Yet as much as she wanted to, she dared not demand for more.

`He does so much just by doing what he does manage to do for me. I'm happy…so very happy.'

IamME: “Tohru-san…I…I'm sorry if I offended you—”

TohruLuvsYums: “NO, I'm fine… It's just that…what you say or do is more than enough for me. Please don't think you owe me more. I'm happy with what you can give me…so, so happy.”

NoMeat: “You're so understanding, Honda-san.”

She saw that Haru understood what she meant. But…what of Yuki? There was not one word from him. Perhaps she was too open with him…

NoMeat: “Yuki, take care of her during our trip…take REAL good care of her.”

(DING) CatsRUgly is BACK!

CatsRUgly: “what's the meaning of—damn1 my shift keys don't work now1”

NoMeat: “Bang on your keyboard HARD. That'll do it.”

(Pause)

CatsRUgly: “shut up, haru111 damn this laptop111 and what's with taking `good care of her'/ the ugly rat ain't the only friend she's got idiot1 I can take care of her just fine111”

NoMeat: “Really? A challenger is in our midst.”

(DING) MODERATOR - IamME is OUT!

CatsRUgly: “jerk…no manners1”

NoMeat: “I'm sure it was important, Honda-san.”

TohruLuvsYums: “That's okay. He was so kind to join tonight's session…he must be busy now. I understand if he needed to leave so—”

(Rrrring)

Interrupted with the sudden phone call on her cell phone, she checked the caller ID and was startled to see the name on the screen. “Moshi, moshi…Yuki-kun?”

“To-Tohru-san…”

`I don't hear his music…he must've lowered it. Why does he voice sound sad?' Worried, she calls out to him, “Yuki-kun, are you okay?”

“Tohru-san,” his voice firm and so quiet, “anything you want of me, you can have. Even something as scarce as time. It's not about owing you…I want… (Sigh) Do you believe me?”

It came as a plea to her ears. All the `why's' of not being there took a backseat upon realizing that even though she cherished each moment with him, she had begun to doubt him, to doubt that he would want to have anything to do with her. How did that creep up on her? She was so proud of herself of keeping true to her beliefs…

`It's true what you say, Okaa-san. You forget yourself when you grow up.' Tucking her knees under chin, she heavily sighed herself, looking forlornly out her window in the general direction of Shigure's home.

Softly she replied, “I'm sorry…and thank you for reminding me. I can be so foolish…I do believe you. And I can't wait for our trip.”

Soft laughter greeted her ears…it's been a while since she's heard something so sincere from him. This upcoming trip was expected to bring many more…

“You're not foolish. I just need to tell you this more often…and I will.”

Hearing him open his door and walk out, she wondered what he was up to until she heard a loud yelp.

(DING) CatsRUgly is OUT!

“DAMN YOU DAMN RAT! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM! GIVE ME BACK MY LAPTOP!!!!”

“You are incapable of even typing properly, baka Neko,” softly remarked Yuki into the phone as a door was heard closing and locking.

“THAT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS! (BANG, BANG) GIVE IT BACK, BAS—”

“Oi! What's with the shaking of my home's foundation?! Kyoooo…don't make me whip out my calculator! I'm trying to finish a deadline!”

“BUTT OUT, BAKA INU! (BANG, BANG) OPEN THE DOOOOOORRRRRR!!!!” (BANG, BANG, BANG—THUNK!)

Silence.

“Thank you, Yuki! You have a way with your hands!”

She nervously called out, “Ano…Yuki-kun…”

“It's his fault for falling flat on his face…he looks better down there anyway,” was the Nezumi's innocent reply.

NoMeat: “Hello? Anyone?”

(Pause)

NoMeat: “Am I alone here?”

(Pause)

NoMeat: “Yuki…Kyo…Honda-san?”

(Pause)

NoMeat: “Am I actually lost in a chat room?”

NoMeat: “This is new…”

~*~

As brief as the story! (02-19-07):

Hello to all! This chapter is strictly a tie-over to the next biggie. I'm going to fix the existing chapters and replace them with edited versions (mainly for grammar and such, nothing else) that Sei put together! You're the best, my dear! The chapters replaced will be from 6 to 27. Look for them later on in the week.

For now this little tidbit of cyber-funness is brought to you by me! Completely, well, almost, from the angst of SOS, this was merely set up as a true filler to allow my readers to see where I'm going now with the story. I didn't want to show up with another chapter that completely took the reader to a whole different without at least introducing it gradually to them. So here you have it.

So…how you like? Good? It wasn't meant to be too insightful, just a quick peek, especially with regards to Tohru. Boy, I sure left her out in the cold a lot of the time in this segment of SOS. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. I hope readers can sense how the Sohma world is revolving, and in a way, the Jyuunishi try their best to protect her from it. Poor Tohru…can she ever get a break? We'll see!

I really wanted this to be strictly from Tohru's POV, so I refrained from clarifying anything from Haru/Kyo/Yuki comments. I'm hoping that I conveyed their sentiments appropriately through their dialogue and Tohru's interpretations of them. We'll see a lot of their sentiments laid out more openly in future chaps.

Now online messaging is quite the norm, but for me it's a little new. I don't chat much (many a cyberfriend can attest to this), but would rather spend time on my fics. Anyway, I hope I managed to make the online chatroom conversations as close to authentic as possible. How do you like my sign-on names for them? Heh, it just came to me…I really didn't put too much thought into it…on Yuki's it was a little more thought, but not too much. I wanted to include other Zodiac members, but I'll have plenty of them in upcoming chapters. This is good for now.

Has anyone ever had a stuck key before? It's AGGRAVATING! Now my experience is that you can bang on it, slam down on the key hard, heck, even throwing the keyboard around for good measure does wonders to at least relieve the stress! Alas, it doesn't solve your problem so don't try it! You're better off buying a new one…they're cheap…kind of. If it's a laptop, well, then, you're out of luck. Don't stab your keys…nice, firm taps. That's all there's to it, Kyo!

Yuki/Tohru moment…I had been listening to a song over and over on this part. Roy Orbison's “You Got It” has some very simple and beautiful lyrics. Now, there isn't much romance between them, more like missing each other's presence…hey, slow and easy. That's how they are. Anyway, the song lyrics fit with how Yuki just might wish to express himself if he could. So innocent…yum!

Ah well, I won't dawdle more here…read and review. Soon I'll get something else up to you that are new! Leave me your thoughts in the review bin. Take care everyone!

Ja ne!