Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Cycle: King of the Sea ❯ Haru's Story: The King of the Sea ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I am not the writer of Fruits Basket and do not own her characters…because if I were and did, I wouldn't be doing this but answering fan mail..

P.S. I'm sorry I can't promise how often I'll update. I am going to attempt once a week (in honor of our favorite Manga-ka). But I do not have this story finished and am updating as I write so it may be a slightly longer wait sometimes.

P.S.S. Also this is Part 1 of one story in a series of stories. Cycle will include many other long and short stories about our favorite characters so keep your eyes peeled for other stories labeled Cycle

 

 

"There dwells a loved one,
But cruel is she!
She left lonely for ever
The king of the sea."

The Forsaken Merman ~ Matthew Arnold

TwelveYears After the Last Manga………

 

I unbuttoned the top button. He grinned, and we were on each other. The dojo's practice room flashed by, the paneling whirling in a kaleidoscope of brown, black and red. In, out, up, block, turn, strike, pivot, block, strike, drop, strike. Who was winning—I could never tell till the end. Midstrike, the direction of his fist changed—crap, a feint. The air left my chest with an audible pop. Grinning madly, he took the opening and caught me in a head lock—or rather tried to. I slipped an arm in just at the last moment. We struggled, locked.

 

From down the hall, a knock echoed into the dojo from the front door. I gasped,

 

“Baka Neko …the door.”

 

“Let Tohru get it. You just want me not to win. Kuso Nazumi”

 

Knock, knock, …bam…bam!

 

Someone was insistent. I shoved suddenly upward and broke away, but instead of continuing the fight, I trotted towards the door.

 

“Hey!” yelled the Baka Neko.

 

“Kyo, it's too late at night not to be something important.”

 

Tap…tap… tap. The knock was much fainter now and farther apart.

 

Kyo grumbled something inaudible at my retreating back which I ignored, as usual.

 

I slid the door open, but only empty cold dark greeted me. Rubbing my sore neck, I scanned the street, but in the dull yellow light of the street lamp I saw no one. Strange.

 

A hand grabbed my ankle. I jumped, but then I saw it—spiky white hair.

 

“Haru?!” I knelt in front of the hunched figure leaning against the wall. What was he doing here? He belonged on the other side of Japan in a cramped apartment near Rin's designing job. My ribs still remembered the bone-crushing hug he'd given me when I'd dropped in a year ago during my internship at Keio University Hospital. What had happened?

 

Haru slowly raised his head and opened his eyes. I couldn't catch his expression in the dark. Kyo stepped out behind me flicking on the porch light, “Haru… sheesh you look like hell… what happened? How did…?”

 

“Shut up, Kyo.” I interrupted abruptly. I took Haru's shoulders. His white streaked hair matched the pallor in his face. “Haru, daijouba?” he smiled weakly eyes half-closed. Letting go of his side, he reached a trembling hand out to me. For a moment, his hand caught my shirt then he slumped forward without a word.

 

“Kyo …” But I didn't have to finish my sentence. Kyo was already punching the numbers into his cell phone. He'd seen it too -the dark wetness on Haru's hand that now stained my white shirt.

 

“Hello, this is an emergency.”

 

Carefully, I laid Haru flat and searched him over pulling the black leather jacket away. My mind slipped into “work” mode where feeling dround in logical action.

 

“My name is Kyo Sohma. We have a man wounded by…” Kyo glanced over.

 

“Three knife slashes.” I replied grimly staring at what the jacket had hidden.

 

Kyo blinked and swallowed. “…three knife slashes.” He repeated into the phone. “Yes, I said knife! Our address is…”

 

The first gash ran from wrist to midarm. The second slashed across the collar bone to stab into the thicker trapezious* muscle, but the worst ran from his navel down almost to his hip bone. Yanking my shirt off, I pressed it into the wound. Haru's eyes snapped open. His scream pierced the night air. I jerked; Kyo almost dropped the phone.

 

“What the hell did you do, Yuki?!” he yelled leaning over.

 

“My job.” I snapped not looking up. Kyo was just going to have to trust that I knew what I was doing. It was what I'd spent all those years of training for. I just never imagined having to practice this particular skill on …my family.

 

I felt Kyo turn back to the cell. He'd taken my point. I pressed a little harder trying to control the flow of blood soaking into the porch. Haru cried out again and choked. Each breath popped in a struggling gasp. “Haru,” I commanded gently forcing my voice to be steady. “You must stop.”

 

Bam, bam, bam. Footsteps. The side door slammed open. “What happened?” asked Tohru and Machi in breathless unison. Both women looked to each of us than down at the stranger. They gasped. Kyo's cell phone snapping shut rang in the second of silence.

 

“Haru-kun!” Kyo pulled Tohru back while Machi froze.

 

I ignored the question walling out anything that wasn't my patient. “Haru,” I instructed quietly, “You must breathe slowly… Haru.” Obediently, my younger cousin's breathing slowed. Yet his face, carved in pain, was steadily losing color. Kami-sama…please.

 

“Machi, come hold his feet up so he won't go into shock. Tohru, bandages. Kyo, take your shirt off. I need it.” Tohru turned and ran for bandages while my wife and Kyo mutely complied.

 

“Press your shirt directly onto the neck wound.”

 

Jaw clenched, my cousin pushed down. “You stupid Octopus head, what were you doing?” Kyo muttered gruffly.

 

Our two oldest children raced to the door, but jerked to a stop at the bizarre scene. I didn't need this right now. Kyo's head snapped up.

 

“Inside, now.” He growled. Thank you, Kyo. His son, Katsu,* didn't respond at first just stared open-mouthed, but my daughter nodded.

 

“Hai, Sensei.” She grabbed Katsu's arm and dragged him back through the door.

 

A hand brushed my wrist—Haru's. Haru reached out trying to pull me down. “What…?” I leaned forward biting my lip. Haru hand touched my shoulder to pull me even closer. His dark eyes pleaded.

 

“What is it, Haru?”

 

Haru's lips moved and then the words came: “Rin…is ….she…here?”

 

Sirens blared in the distance.

 

 

 

 

Notes

 

1 Since you probably didn't go to Keio University Hospital in Tokyo (yes it's a real place) I will explain what a trapezius muscle is. (Yuki didn't think it was worth explaining since his mind is quite aware of what it is and we are stuck in his perspective). The trapezius is on the top part of your shoulders and back. It is the fleshy triangular part between your neck and your arm.

 

2 Yes, I have named Kyo's and Tohru's eldest son Katsu. Katsu means “Victory” in Japanese. It seemed appropriate