Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Sing a song ❯ Duet ( Chapter 9 )

I know I have been a long time getting this to you but good things come to those who wait. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself, that quality is better than quantity. As always I hope you are enjoying the story as it goes. Also no one could be a better beta than my dear, dear Salmastryon, who is a trouper! She really helps me even when I know I am annoying. As always thanks and reviewer acknowledgments at the end. Enjoy this nice long chapter guys!

 

 

 

Chapter 9- Duet

 

 

While Yuki and Ayame are bickering, others in the room have been pouring over the second binder. Hatsuharu has been reading one page over and over again with a contemplative look on his face. A set look on his face, he gets up from the floor, hands the binder over to Momiji and heads for the equipment. His movement disturbs the group he was sitting with. They follow him with their eyes as he moves tot he center of the room. Then shift back into their places, like the settling of feathers to see what they are about to hear this time.

 

Shigure nudges Aya with his foot, nodding towards where the cow is typing in his selection. Getting a grin from Ayame in return, he turns to his other companion and notices a serious deficiency. “Ha-san, your cup is empty,” he notes, and immediately rectifies this gross mistake by refilling Hatori's cup from the still warm jug. Shigure pretends not to see the glare Hatori is leveling at him in return for his well-meant deed.

 

From the center of the equipment, Haru finally gets his selection typed into the box. He then bends over, and grabs the microphone before pressing enter.

 

“My choice is an old standard,” he tells the room. A piano starts softly in the background he never looks up as it gets louder and more instruments come in as it goes. Haru closes his eyes and bends his head forward just a bit, letting his bangs cover his eyes. When the piano intro ends and his cue is given he starts to sing in a croon.

 

You took the part

That once was my heart

So why not take all of me

 

His voice is mellow and warm, and the lyrics flow out of him like water or smoke.

 

 

All of me

Why not take all of me

Can't you see

I'm no good without you

 

“Oh,” Tohru breathes out reverently. People are touched as the normally brash or shy teenage boy in front of them croons a song of heartbreak as only someone who feels it can.

 

Take my lips

I want to lose them

Take my arms

I never use them

 

Keeping the mic even with his mouth, Hatsuharu wraps his left arm around himself, tightly, in a protective motion. He seems to be trying to keep himself together as he sings, by the strength of his arm alone.

 

Your Goodbye

Left me with eyes that cry

How can I go on dear without you

 

The looks on the faces in the room show that this song touches them. Hatori is frozen in place his own past vividly replaying in his mind's eye. Even Shigure is sober faced, with shadows playing in the depth of his brown eyes. Hiro who knows more than he wants to about why Haru is singing this particular song grimaces. None of the members of this family have gotten away without knowing what loneliness or pain feels like. Hearing it voiced brings the loneliness and heartbreak to the surface. That the emotion comes from just a song is both relieving of the pain and deadening to the hope that it is buried and all over. Feeling the echo of pain that really they as a group never completely get rid of.

 

You took the best

So why not take the rest

Baby take all of me

 

The piano part plays through to the finish. As the last notes fade, Haru opens his eyes to find himself the center of the room's undivided attention. Blushing, he whispers gently, “Thank you,” and puts the mic back in the holder. Disjointedly, he moves to go back to his seat, as if pulling himself back into the room with everyone else.

 

Momiji disturbs the calm and starts clapping. It is soon is taken up by the rest of the room. As Hatsuharu moves to his seat, he shyly looks to his elders on their cushions. He isn't surprised to see Tohru, Yuki and Kyo with them. Though Haru is surprised that they are clapping as loudly as the group with Momiji in it.

 

Catching his eye, Tohru praises, “That was great Hatsuharu-san,” as she continues to clap.

 

“Nice going brat,” Kyo grunts from his place on Tohru's left side.

 

From the rat on her right side, comes an awkward complement. “I hadn't heard that one before Haru, it was well done.”

 

Haru exchanges a look of understanding with Hatori. The pure pain reflected in the dragon's normally opaque gaze is really too much to take. The cow is forced to glance away.

 

Knowing better than to acknowledge the dog or snake, he turns his attention to the other group. Momiji and Kisa look to be the most moved by the song. Hiro seems to have understood more than the others by guessing as to what Haru was thinking and seeing as he sang. 'Blasted brat,' the cow thinks to himself. Shaking himself out of his survey of the audience and into action, Haru makes the rest of his way back to the cushion beside Hiro. Sitting down Haru makes himself comfortable again, contented in his singing for the evening.

 

Ayame is motivated by having someone else sing. “Oh that was fantastic!” Turning his attention to the other side of his group and his brother, he asks, “Now who is next? Brother I know just the song for you.”

 

“I told you no!” Yuki said loudly as he repeats again his negative answer to the same question.

 

Smirking at Yuki, Kyo has to bait him with. “What are you scared?”

 

“No, I am not scared. I just do not want to encourage him!” Yuki replies in a low harsh whisper.

 

“Sure you don't,” Kyo gibes.

 

While the cat and rat have their normal bickering session, Shigure has been going through the binder with evil intent. With a chuckle he puts his finger on a song. Lifting his head, he has a maniacal look to his eyes when he says, “I think you two should do this song.” Grabbing each of them by an arm he drags them to the microphone while they are still too shocked by his audacity to really struggle.

 

Sputtering, Kyo manages to get out, “No way! I am not singing with the Rat.”

 

“No!” Yuki also tries to add his refusal to the mix while straightening his shirt indignantly.

 

“Here you go, this song was practically written for you two.” Shigure tells them while punching in the number for the song he has chosen for them. “Just read the lyrics from the screen. I think you will get the gist from the first couple of lines.” Snickering to himself as the music starts, He heads back to where Aya is sitting, who has been watching the whole thing. When a jazzy intro starts and Ayame recognizes the song, he convulses onto a free cushion shaking with anticipatory glee.

 

Standing with the mic between them and figuring they are stuck, Kyo whispers, “I am so going to be better than you.”

 

Yuki hisses back, “Just read the words, you stupid cat.”

 

The first words scroll up on the monitor. After reading it Kyo sings the first verse.

 

Anything you can do,

I can do better.

 

Kyo looks over at Yuki beside him and smirks. Yuki sings the second verse in a completely natural way.

 

I can do anything

Better than you.

 

So, they settle who sings which part without even asking each other. Kyo picks up with the next.

 

No, you can't.

 

Oblivious to the laughter from the room at large, they start into the song with feeling. Yuki retorts, and they continue to alternate.

 

Yes, I can.

No, you can't.

Yes, I can.

No, you can't.

Yes, I can, Yes, I can!

 

Kyo seeing his next line and finding it to his liking stands up straight and dignified, pleased to have this section as his part.

 

Anything you can be,

I can be greater.

Sooner or later,

I'm greater than you.

I can live on bread and cheese.

 

Yuki gets even with a dig of his own with the next line.

 

And only on that?

 

Kyo's pride leads him to declare loudly.

 

Yes.

 

Joyously Yuki finishes off the verse.

 

So can a rat!

 

Kyo's cat ears go back, taking it as a personal insult and checks to make sure that was the actual line on the screen. AS he set up for his next line.

 

Any note you can reach

I can go higher.

 

During his line, Kyo had straightened his posture and stood up taller as if he could get to higher notes through posture alone. Yuki sings his lines in a higher voice with no sweat as if it is a matter of course.

 

I can sing anything

Higher than you.

 

 

By this time, the duo have become so involved in the song, they have completely forgotten that anyone else is watching. As they sing, their rivalry is getting more and more intense. They almost have developed battle auras with their concentration, Kyo's bright red against Yuki's virulent blue.

 

Snickers from Momiji and Hiro are being muffled by the hands of others. No one wants to disturb the humorous battle going on in front of them.

 

Kyo stands back from the mic after reading ahead a little to his next verse. In a more normal but still strident voice he continues the song.

 

I can do most anything!

 

Yuki gives him his patented, 'stupid cat, yeah right' look before he questions.

 

Can you bake a pie?

 

Looking sad, Kyo admits something he can't do.

 

No.

 

Yuki also has to rather sad cast to his face for his next line.

 

Neither can I.

 

Shigure can't help but blurt out in fascinated fear, “Yuki cook!” That is all he gets out before Aya tackles him into silence.

 

Kyo's look of big surprise at the admission isn't lost on Yuki. When Kyo sings his next line it is quickly replaced by a scowl.

 

Anything you can sing, I can sing sweeter.

 

Yuki looks at Kyo disbelievingly, then sings his next line.

 

I can sing anything, Sweeter than you.

 

Kyo quickly responds in a sweeter tone.

 

No, you can't.

Yuki answers in an even sweeter tone.

 

Yes, I can.

 

From there it devolves into a contest of who can sing sweeter. It escalates getting ever more sweet and sickening, causing sputters from the audience to be heard.

 

No, you can't.

Yes, I can.

No, you can't.

Yes, I can.

 

Finally, Kyo breaks the back and forth trade of banter, singing his next line intensely sweet.

 

No, you can't, can't, can't

 

In response, Yuki bats his eyelashes at Kyo in a mocking fashion.

 

Yes, I can, can, can

 

Yuki ends his line with his hands under his chin in a classically cute pose.

 

As they continue towards the end they aren't even using the mic any more. It becomes a battle of volume.

 

Kyo screams at the top of his lungs,

 

Yes, I can!

 

Yuki returns the favor, although more dignifies about it.

 

No, you can't!

 

As the music ends they fall into each others arms, exhausted and panting. When they revive enough to notice the clapping and whistles from their audience, they jumping apart as if someone had run a current though them. Blushes explode across both their faces. In unison, they turn and head over to where Tohru is seated. She is clapping the loudest of all.

 

Shigure is proud of himself for having gotten his two wards to actually sing and scoring extra points for having them do it with each other. With a big grin, he decides to press his luck. “See, I told you I knew just what you should sing.”

 

“Shut up,” a winded Kyo huffs out.

 

Shaking his head at being maneuvered so successfully into entertaining the dog, Yuki takes the dignified way out. In silence, he moves over to return to his seat next to Tohru again.

 

“It was perfect. Shigure, I should have known that you would pick the perfect song for them,” Ayame praises. Turning to look at the assembled group, he asks, “Now who wants to go next?”

 

At this point, the doorbell rings. “I'll get it!” Ayame trumpets. He, then, dashes to the front door in a mad rush, throwing open the door to exclaim, “I am so glad you deliver...” His cry putters off after getting a look at who was waiting for him.

 

“Who's this guy?” questions the blonde on the doorstep to her companion. “Looks just like the prince.”

 

“Could be a sibling, his waves are very, very similar,” softly remarks the darkly shadowed figure with her.

 

“So are you a Sohma? Mr. White and flashy?” guesses the brash yankee.

 

“Well, what have we here?” Ayame poses and tries to look thoughtful. “You aren't the delivery people are you?” he questions.

 

“Delivery people! Hardly! Where is Tohru?” demands Arisa.

 

“Yes, where is sweet Tohru?” Hana-chan wants to know.

 

 

 

 

 

Riles- you should know I don't have carrots and if you bite me, I bite back. I am glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed chapter 9 even more!

 

SladesDaughter- You really are going to have to watch that wall that keeps sneaking Up on you and running into you. I hope the singing this time made you as happy.

 

Cesmith- at least I deliver on my teases. I hope you found this worth the wait this time too.

 

Aura Black Chan- well I am really trying to make the story well written or better so it takes a lot longer. I hope it was worth the wait.

 

Tohma's Sleepless Beauty- sigh it took longer but it was a lot longer so i hope that makes it better.

 

Gothic_Fire- well here is the next one thank you for reviewing And I hope you enjoyed it.