Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ The Pain of Love ❯ Chapter 10

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

This is by far the chapter I'm happiest about, up to this point. It's been extensively revised, and at this point, I don't know that there's much of the original version of this chapter still in existence. It's all for the better though, and I hope you guys like this one as much as I do. I'm sorry it's short, but updates should be coming out faster in the future. I have an awesome beta, laniani, who helped me make this chapter much better. I think she's also going to get on my butt about getting chapters to her faster. ^_^

Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my plot.

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Kyo was lying on the roof, pondering his situation. `I shouldn't be around her. If I am, I'm just going to get in the way. I might be able to avoid her for the rest of vacation, but there's no way I can live with her. I'll end up telling her how I feel, and that would ruin everything. She'd be so concerned about not hurting my feelings that her relationship with Yuki would be destroyed. I can't let that happen, but how do I avoid her while living at Shigure's?'

He sat straight up as an idea struck him. `I'll just move back to Shishou's! I bet he'd understand if I explained why I wanted to come back.'

Another thought promptly put a damper on Kyo's excitement. `Oh shit, Akito told me to live with Shigure in the first place. I'm going to have to get that bastard's permission to leave. I suppose that's what I'll be doing first thing when we get back. Until then…I'll avoid her. If I don't, I know I'll tell her. This is what's best for her…' Kyo sighed. `But, if it's really what's best, why does it make me feel so rotten?'

Tohru was lying on the couch wishing she'd be allowed to do something other than eat and sleep. She laughed a bit to herself as she recalled the fuss Yuki had made over her when she'd told him earlier that she had to go to the bathroom. In the end, he'd very carefully carried her to the restroom, despite the fact that she knew perfectly well that she could have walked on her own and made it just fine. She'd allowed him to carry her though, since it had seemed that if she didn't he was going to argue with her until she couldn't hold it anymore.

`I wonder why Kyo-kun left so suddenly. I hope he's not too angry with me. As soon as they let me off of the couch I'll go apologize to him. I do hope they'll let me move soon. I'd really rather rest in bed, but since they won't let me walk, they'd have to carry me upstairs. I'm sure they'd end up transforming if they did that. That would be so terrible!

`I should be grateful that such wonderful people care about me so much, especiallyYuki-kun. He's so kind, and he's been taking wonderful care of me today. He…loves me. I should really give him an answer, but I'm not ready yet. I know it's not fair to keep him waiting, but- I don't think my answer will be “I love you too.” I don't think I love him, at least not like that. I'm not sure that I really love anyone like that, right now. I do like Yuki-kun, but, no, it's not love. I'll tell him that tonight. I'm not really sure yet how I'm going to tell him, but I will. As soon as I figure out what I'm going to say.'

Meanwhile, inside, Yuki was trying to convince the younger Sohmas that Tohru needed rest and that they could visit her tomorrow. Yuki eventually gave in and allowed Momiji and Kisa to visit with Tohru for a while, and they readily agreed to keep their visit short. After he'd said good night to Tohru, Momiji wandered into the kitchen, finding Haru sitting at the table and eating a bowl of instant ramen.

Momiji sat across from his cousin, and, after a few minutes of silence, decided to voice his thoughts. “Haru, do you know what's going on with Yuki? He seems different somehow.”

Hatsuharu took another bite of ramen before speaking. Finally, he replied, “He's been around Honda-san a lot more since she was hurt.”

“It might be because she's hurt that he wouldn't let me and Kisa see Tohru, but he seems angrier, almost.”

Haru nodded. “Last night he and Kyo were talking in the hall, and it sounded like Kyo was trying to smooth things over between Yuki and Honda-san, but Yuki kept trying to pick a fight.” Haru didn't bother adding the obvious, that picking a fight with Kyo was something Yuki never did. Kyo was always the instigator.

“Did something happen between Yuki and Tohru? Why was Kyo trying to help?”

“Kyo seems to have gotten the idea that Honda-san loves Yuki, and he wants Honda-san to be happy. She doesn't feel that way though. She loves Kyo.”

Momiji thought for a moment and immediately saw the truth in Haru's statement. Tohru's feelings were obvious, once he'd said it. He knew Tohru hadn't even realized this about herself though; she had told him so earlier that summer when he'd asked. He smiled a little sadly as he said, “We often miss what is right in front of us, especially when it is what we wish for most.”

Haru raised an eyebrow in question.

“Oh, nothing, Haru. I was just thinking about something Tohru told me last week.”

“All right then; good night, Momiji. Don't get too nosy.” With that, he exited the kitchen and went upstairs to the room he shared with the rat.