Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Strawberries and Skinny-Dipping: Hatori's Remedy ❯ Of Bonding, a Charm, and Photos ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: bugaboo107
They stood outside the store. The sun was still high in the sky, burning brightly on the Earth¡¯s denizens. The warm air was filled with laughter of the people around them. It had always envied him, ¡®these¡¯ people when he sat in the park sometimes, contemplating about life¡ªpast regrets, anecdotes, the other Sohmas, and¡­ Akito.

Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.08.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.0K | Visits: 389 | Status: Work In Progress

Standard disclaimer applies.
Hatori's Remedy presents:
Chapter 8: Of Bonding, a Charm, and Photos
“Are you okay, Tohru?”
Hatori hadn't heard a peep out of his lover for a while, holding her in a beautiful embrace. Her head lay on his chest, listening to the steady heartbeat of her lover.
Yes, they were lovers.
After days of contemplating, Hatori told himself that he was not going give her up. He knew he was being selfish, wanting to be with such a perfect person, but he could stop loving her, needing her. He had tried to keep away from her, not to hurt her, but something kept drawing him back. Her presence, her laughter, her beauty, her intelligence, her humor, her idiosyncrasies, her wonder, her personality, her… love. He was going to protect her, from everything and everyone. He won't tell her now, but Akito would find out one day, and he would not approve. It wasn't in his nature to understand love. He never had any and was going to use that as an excuse to prevent any around him. He was just that kind of person. He would never change. He would ruin the Sohmas in the process.
But Hatori had. He had changed.
The girl holding him had. She had transformed the formidable dragon into a vulnerable, loving creature, one who cried, one who laughed, one who loved.
He was lost amidst an eternal fantasy.
Tohru looked up to him and their lips locked once again. Their passionate tongues weren't afraid to intertwine.
They reluctantly broke apart and looked at each other, looking into the small flames that burned in each others eyes.
Tohru hadn't paid much attention to the `thing' that was pressing into her `personal space', and when she did, she didn't care. It was a wonderful feeling, nothing to fear, as she reminded herself.
Hatori reluntantly leaned away from Tohru. He knew she was not in a comfortable position with him pressing her into the tree. He ran his fingers through his hair, his lean muscles flexing with the action.
Wow, what a wonderful pose, Tohru thought to herself, licking her lips delightfully. He is so handsome. She had also grown to love his habits, running his long fingers through his hair, giving him a rugged appeal.
The habit had grown from his long, tedious hours alone in the office on the Sohma estates. His mind had been drained of anything away from Akito. He had been agitated at everything, smoking as an excuse for his good-for-nothing self. He had started a few years ago, after Kana left (or when he had pushed her away, as Akito elaborated happily), after his heart broke. His other bad habit, smoking, had started further ago, when he was in college. It had been a trend. And he had conformed.
It had helped him, he had to admit. The heavy workload, the late nights—the smoking had kept his weight down. Otherwise, he would have binged food, or even worse, alcohol and drugs. With Kana and now, with Tohru, he did smoke.
Tohru was too precious to him. No smoking, he had told himself. His habit had been gone for the past weekend. Weekend? It was Sunday. It had been nearly two days he had spent with Tohru, since he met her on the porch where she spilled the strawberries. Two whole days (actually less). To fall passionately in love with someone he had only admired from a distance for some time now.
Hatori dreaded tomorrow: Monday. He was going to have to return home to the puppet-master or suffer the consequences.
He didn't want Akito to find out. Ever. He would make their lives hell. Hatori had experienced it before. A first-hand experience. Through and through.
The miserable aftermath.
But for now he wasn't going to let anything mar his valuable time with his:
girlfriend.
Was Tohru his girlfriend? His girlfriend? His and only his?
Hatori took a deep breath and asked, “Tohru, are you my girlfriend?”
Tohru shifted her gaze back to Hatori.
Tohru had never thought about the title. Everyone at school was in the “boyfriend-girlfriend” relationship, she had thought of it as another name, nothing special. However, now hearing Hatori say it, her body tingled with adrenaline.
Hatori's body pulsed. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.
“Hai,” Tohru said enthusiastically, adding, “If you'd like me to be.”
In an impenetrable state of bliss, Hatori momentarily forgot about the curse and hugged Tohru. For that instant, he was flooded with the feeling of Tohru's body against his, so perfect and chaste. Ignoring all the consequences.
POOF!
Tohru jumped in response, her hands waving frantically.
“Ahhhh, I'm sorry Hatori. S-Should I get you some water? TELL ME, Ha-san!”
Hatori opened his eyes, seeing everything from a new perspective. Worm's eye view. Quite interesting he might add, if half his body (“seahorse form”) wasn't swathed in clothing. He saw Tohru frantic self crouch near the pile of clothing as she gently lifted him out of his polo shirt. He felt the warmth of her palms surround him, her finger unknowingly stroking the ridges on his back. It felt so good.
“It's okay, Tohru, I'll change back soon, just lay me back down.”
She did as told and waited patiently on her hind legs, hands folded in her lap. Hatori was bemused, here she was, wearing an unbuttoned blouse, her chest revealed and radiating a soft afterglow from the previous `touch', and so protective of him.
POOF!
Hatori transformed back quickly—bare in the summer glow.
“Ahhhhh, I-I'm sorry Hatori, I didn't mean to look, I mean I was just sitting there, I didn't know you would change so quickly. I-I…”
Before Hatori put on his clothing, he went over to Tohru from the back. Her hands were covering her eyes, her body hunched. She held her face tightly, not wanting to intrude on someone's `personal space'.So cute. He brought his hands around and put them on the back of Tohru's. She jumped slightly forward.
“It's okay, Tohru, there's nothing to hide from. You've seen me already.” Hatori said is a low, sultry voice.
He closed the air between them as he put his legs at the sides of her and embraced her. This way, he could hug her without transforming. Her derriere softly against his groin was snug and lithe. Her body tensed for a moment before relaxing in his hold. She leaned back against him, before feeling the weight of his head on her shoulder.
He gave her a side kiss on the cheek, making Tohru utter a small whimper of pleasure. The tenderness of his lips brought Tohru to a point of ecstasy. Pure and unwavering. Hatori moved to her earlobe and whispered, “There's nothing to apologize for. You are so wonderful to me.” Physically and emotionally. His voice tickled against her eyes. Her legs seemed to turn to jelly at his touch, but she kept her stance, not wanting to let go on the embrace. He had a way of enticing her with his voice. Just that, could turn her into mush.
Tohru kept her eyes closed, basking in his light embrace. It was so breathtaking to have his broad chest touching her with his lean muscular arms around her.
Giggling in the background, “I bet you can't catch me, Kiki.” At the same time, Tohru and Hatori broke away from the embrace. Someone was near, they didn't want to give anyone (especially a child) an eyeful.
“I'll get dressed.”
Hatori quickly pulled up his undergarments, slacks, polo shirt before picking up his shoes and then putting his free arm around Tohru and propelling her into the brightness of the park. There was no one in sight. Hatori turned to Tohru and saw her opened blouse. Click in mind. He dropped his shoes on the ground and moved his deft fingers to her blouse and buttoned it up. Tohru blushed at her ignorance. Someone could have seen her! In this half-nude attire!
“Thanks Hatori, I'm sorry,” she said breathlessly, blushing at her unawareness.
“No problem,” Hatori said, kissing her on the brow. Tohru snuggled at the intimate caress. I love him so much. I love that he is showing this different side of himself. I love it. I love it. I love it.
They found a nearby park bench and Hatori motioned her to sit down beside him. “I have to put my shoes on.”
They were still slightly soaked from the prior rendezvous at the water-play area. It didn't matter.
He was with Tohru.
“Where to now?” he asked.
Taking initiative, her brow scrunched as she said, “We were going to go back to the Farmer's Market to check out the food.”
“Oh. Yeah. Let's go.”
Grabbing her hand he dragged her through her the park to the street. Tohru's light shoulder-sling bag bounced on her chest. Hatori loved seeing her this happy.
Illuminating.
They jaywalked across the street and went window-shopping. He had always thought it was “busy work” that women and men (especially couples) would window shop together, looking at the endless displays of expensive goods. It was boring.
But now, with Tohru, everything changed. He waited to see her expression, to see her smile, point, laugh, joke, relax, tease--- he wanted to see all of her expressions. He wanted nothing to elude his curiosity. Hatori could imagine fading into the background and just watching her all day. Her movements were goddess-like—delicate and perfect, wonders to his mind.
Her brilliance charmed him. He was utterly dazed by her. She was a nymph, flitting to and fro, never failing to include him in her quest. She was lovely. She was a charm.
Right now, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. Everywhere. To hear her moan in pleasure. His doing.
However, not now. They would find the right time when they could share everything intimate. The timing had to be just right. He wouldn't rush her into anything. Not since that night at the dock. She had seemed so scared and completely frightened by his presence.
He had to admit. It was a scary thing, to give up something so precious. He would wait for as long as he had to. This was the person he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
To love her. To be loved by her. To share everything with.
Tohru felt the same way. She wanted to share everything with Hatori. She wanted him to be the first one she gave her `innocence' to, but just not yet. She wasn't really. It had to be the right time, and for some reason, she knew Hatori would be by her side. That had each gone through so much alone, Hatori with no one to love him, to understand him and his `ability' and guilt, Tohru with no parents and no one to share her personal elation with-- and now they were together.
A perfect match.
Chapter 16 The Photos
They reached their first `exciting' shop, a small “Hello Kitty”-esque store with stationary, backpacks, and the such: little doodads—luring in people. Hatori looked over at his lover and saw a quick flicker of allurement in Tohru's clear eyes.
“Do you want to go in?” he asked politely.
“Ah ne, it's okay.”
Hatori read her body language, and pulled her by the hand into the shop, “Yes you do.”
It was a cutesy, bright store. The type that appealed to women. Pandas, froggies, polar bears, dogs, cats, you name it, any kind of animal—from ferocious to tame could be found somewhere in this gigantic store.
Now, it was Tohru's turn to drag him. She pulled him over to a corner and saw something… seahorse-y.
“Awwwww, look at this Hatori.”
Tohru brought him over to a glass picture frame that had seahorses specked all over in shades of pastel colors. He had to admit, it suited his masculine taste. (Probably because it was his form). Look closely at it, Hatori noticed that it was two frames, at saw that the figure-eight shape was formed by two separate circular shapes frames, half read:
Sea
The other read: Horse.
In fine print he noticed that above each, it said, I love my: .
“Who's the `sea'?” Tohru asked him coyly, bringing her small hand up to the side of his cheek and on her tiptoes gave him a quick peck before adding, “You are.”
Yes he was. He was large and engulfing. He was vast and fathomless. And Tohru was his horse, one to guide him, to understand him, to love him.
“Let's buy them,” Hatori said, grabbing the frames before she could object. He strolled over to the front counter and took out his credit card. At the same time, Tohru pulled out her wallet and extracted a few bills.
“I'm paying. You paid for lunch. I mean breakfast.”
“No, I am.”
“No,” Tohru said a bit more forcefully, giving Hatori “the eye”.
The cashier shook his head slightly. Two star-crossed college lovers couldn't make up their minds. They were so naïve and predictable.
He watched them bickering for a while until Tohru finally “humpfed”, giving up the hopeless verbal battle. Hatori's mind had been set when he arrived at the Farmer's Market parking lot. He was going to make this day memorable.
He swiped the card, showed his ID before being given the box-wrapped picture frames so that they wouldn't break. Tohru saw a picture booth and said, “Owh, we need to get a picture for those frames.”
Arm in arm, they sauntered over to the booth and slid in, Tohru first, before swiping the curtain closed.
“Umm, let's see, which background would you like, Ha-san?”
“I like the angel and devil one, then the rest can be normal, I don't want your face to be covered by some strange image. Oh, we need to switch sides,” Hatori said, putting the money into the slot.
Tohru giggled at Hatori's remark before standing up and moving in front of Hatori to get to the other side. Hatori couldn't resist himself, he grabbed her hips and pulled her down on his lap. Her supple derriere pressed into the valley of his legs. Tohru cried out a little “ooo” her had pressing on the red button for support causing the camera to `click'.
The angel-devil picture had been taken before they were ready. Oh well. Hatori was the angel. Tohru was the devil.
They posed for nine more silly photos. Tongues sticking out, Charlie's Angels: with hands emulating guns, nose-to-nose, Tohru giving Hatori a sloppy kiss on the cheek and vice versa, Tohru sitting on Hatori's lap and cuddling near him like a baby, hands on cheeks: an exaggerated surprised expression hands on cheeks, and finally a normal portrait, side-by-side.
They pressed “print” and waited in the booth, giggling like two children. Hatori had never laughed so hard in his life. His rib cage hurt after laughing and it took a while for him to settle down. Tohru was so amusing, making all the cute faces. Her laughter was contagious. Her smiles were contagious. Everything about her was contagious.
They finally pulled open the curtain and took their double-set of printed pictures from the slot. Hatori flipped through the clear images of him and his lover.
They are beautiful. The permanence he sought. He would cherish these forever.
“I'm going to put your photo in this frame right away,” tapping on the box in her shoulder bag.
“Me too,” Hatori replied lovingly, with a sexy sparkle in his voice.
“What now, Hatori?”
“How `bout something to eat?” looking down at his watch, reading that it was almost five. Boy, did time pass by fast, at the park and now at the store. This window-shopping thing was going to take some getting used to. It was exhilarating yet tiring. His rib cage still ached a bit, from all the laughing. This was the first time in a long time.
“Hai.” Tohru's stomach hurt slightly. Partly from hunger and partly from all the laughing. Boy was it fun to have someone to laugh with. Ever since her mom died, she hadn't really found the right person to share everything with. Hana-san, Arisa-san, Sohma-kun, and Kyo-kun were wonderful, but they had been so used to her in a certain `light' that she didn't want to change their perception. They always expected to be able to rely on her, trust her with all their thoughts—she was their pillar of support.
She had finally found someone of the same `status', and someone who she could rely on.
They stood outside the store. The sun was still high in the sky, burning brightly on the Earth's denizens. The warm air was filled with laughter of the people around them. It had always envied him, `these' people when he sat in the park sometimes, contemplating about life—past regrets, anecdotes, the other Sohmas, and… Akito.
Now, he was one of them, the people, he thought to himself.
He had Tohru.
The perfect girl. For him.
She had been through so much like him.
She understood loss.
Burden.
Pain.
They read each others minds.
“You up for ice cream?”
“That sounds good, Hatori,” Tohru said, subconsciously licking her parched lips.
Hatori and Tohru went to the Farmers' Market Directory at the center of the cobble-stoned path. Tohru hanger fluttered around finally landing on “New York Ice Cream Parlor”.
“Isn't it funny how they say `New York steak' `New York Cheesecake' California pizza' `Miami Tanning Salon', when it's all the same wherever you go? They all taste and do the same thing. Tisk, tisk, using these titles to deceive people into going to their store,” waving her pointer finger reprehensively in the air.
“I totally agree, but it seems we have fallen for there trap,” Hatori joked. He loved seeing the strong-willed girl beside him, unafraid to say what her mind desired. It was amazement.
Arm-in-arm they strolled into an alley beside the “Hello Kitty” store onto parallel Farmers' Market street.
They arrived on the brightly lit, cosmopolitan street full of tourists. They wore cameras around their necks and carried colorful backpacks. Oh how Hatori appreciated this beautiful city. He had never been grateful to anything before, but things were changing.
Pointing, Tohru said, “Look over there, the ice cream place.”
Before he could respond, Tohru rushed into the open store, her shoulder bag bouncing at her side frenetically.
He followed his tunnel vision and saw, out of the corner of his eyes, a throng of tourists approaching the ice cream place. Phew, Tohru had gotten there before them. As Hatori walked toward the parlor, Tohru strolled out holding two large cones.
“I hope you like strawberries. I got it for both of us.”
“Hai, you know my taste, but I was supposed to pay for everything.”
Tohru beamed happily with an air of superiority, handing the cone over to Hatori. I got there before you, Hatori, her mind seemed to say. She loved that Hatori wanted to pay for everything, but she didn't want to impose, she wanted to her own self. Independent, not dependent on someone else. He was already her beacon, she didn't need him to be her captain. His fingers grazed hers, bringing a rush of heat into her body. His touch was: electrifying.
They licked their ice cream while walking down the bustling street, occasionally peeking into a store and looking around. Their were couples everywhere on this warm evening, strolling, sitting on benches, sharing ice cream— it was a purely romantic evening (even if the stars were blocked by the city night lights). There was no other way to put it; it was a dream for Hatori.
“Oh, while we're here, we might as well buy some good food, I've seen through the windows some good recipes that I plan to make.”
Hatori put his free hand at the small of her back and steered her into the gourmet grocery store.
Hatori knew that cooking was her forte, so he didn't want to give any of his advice on what to eat. He pulled up a shopping cart and followed her, watching her movements like a hawk. It was fun to see her happy and active.
Over the past few times this year that he had came to Shigure's house, he had seen her overexhausted and tired from all the work, even if she tried to hide it with her smile. He had informed Shigure upon occasions that she was too busy as a high school student, studying for exams, doing homework, cooking (for three growing boys), cleaning (after they pigsty too), working, and entertaining everyone, but Shigure only responded, “If my little flower was feeling well, she would relax and tell us, no need to push, Ha-san. You are a worry wart.”
Hatori had reminded her before he left, but he knew she never took it to heart. She was that kind of person, to work and work and work.
Now, her complexion was rosy and sunny.
“Hatori… Hatori?”
Nodding back into focus, he said, “Hai.”
“Do you want to go home and cook together? The tofu is really fresh, that guy just unpacked them and we can make a quick stir-fry, if it's okay with you.”
“Are you sure you don't want to eat out.” Hatori had come to the Farmers' Market in hopes that he could spoil her with various kinds of food and goodies, but any decision she made, he would obey unquestioningly.
“Hai.”
“Okay under one condition, I get to help. I'm no good with cooking, but I can chop.”
Giggling, Tohru said, “Definitely. Oh, also, do you like chocolate?”
“I love chocolate.”
Tohru grabbed two bars of creamy milk chocolate and set them into the cart.
Tohru grabbed all the ingredients and threw them into the cart. They headed to the cashier and paid for their groceries (Hatori got dibs on the payment this time, even if Tohru humpfed, her nose flaring temporarily), not forgetting to the parking lot ticket `stamped'.
Like the tamed gentleman he was, he offered to hold all the grocery bags while Tohru carried the photographs and frames.
He got to the parking lot and said, “Can you get the car keys out of my pocket?”
“Hai,” before Tohru's nimble fingers plummeted into his pocket to retrieve the keys. Her hand was so close to his…
What is going on with me? I need to get these lustful thoughts out of my mind! He castigated mentally.
She pressed the `unlock' button and the trunk flipped open. Hatori's dropped the groceries carefully in.
He then rushed to the passenger side door and opened it for Tohru.
“Thanks, Hatori.”
She never failed to thank every little thing he did for her.
“You're very welcome, before slipping into his seat. He turned on the car and began a tortuous drive around various cars to get to the booth.
He slipped his stamped ticket to the booth-boy before he waved them off.
They drive out of the city was like the drive in, quiet but with passion-filled air. Hatori longed to pull her into his arms and `do' her, as Shigure had called it in high school, but he knew she wasn't ready, and he would wait for as long as he had to (meanwhile the kissing was great, she learned quickly).
“Ah look, Mogeta: The Movie, Momiji loves that character.”
Momiji, AKA: bunny-boy, was his favorite Sohma, even if the child did bother him constantly. Momiji knew things that weren't readable on the outside, he was merely a boy when Hatori broke up with Kana, but he had known everything. Hatori's puffy, tear-be-gotten face, his grumpiness, his sallow features, and had found all kinds of ways to cheer him up. He had brought him to the onsen for a man-to-man talk, he had sang his silly songs, he had bought him little gifts, setting them in his house doorstep, Momiji was a wonderful boy. He never questioned what had happened that evening, because he knew the `process', it had happened to his mother.
A smile crept onto Hatori's face, of the little things Momiji had done.
They finally drove up to the dirt-paved driveway where Hatori parked silently, turning the motor off.
“Tohru.”
“Hai, Ha-san”
“I… I…,” pausing, “You are the best thing that's ever happened to me.”
Hatori meant to say: I love you, but the words couldn't formulate. Those three words could not form sounds. Nevertheless, the words he chouse instead had the same effect. They meant just as much.
Tohru's face burned with a shimmering heat, as she said, “I love you so much, Hatori,” before putting her arms around the man before her, bringing her chest as close as the car's interior could allow. He is so sweet and wonderful, mom. I can't imagine anyone this kind, smart, charming, handsome, perfect. She whispered into his ears, “I love you.”
Boy, oh boy was this a long installment! I love you. Those three words. You will see them again… don't worry. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did writing it (even if it did take quite awhile).