Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A ship in the fog ❯ Frustration ( Chapter 5 )

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Chapter 5 - Frustration

 

 

Once Kyo had left the room with Kureno, Hatori moved an armchair near Haru's bedside and lit a cigarette. His thoughts wandered over the events of the night so far. First, Shigure had paid him a visit. Why? Probably to warn him about Akito's mood. The man was bored, which always turned out to be a bad thing. Then of course, Akito himself had turned out at his door, still looking for someone to strike. The occasion was handed to him on a silver plate a moment later, when Kyo came in carrying Haru.

 

Elbows on his knees, Hatori looked at the injured boy. His breath had even out and he looked peaceful in his morphine-induced sleep. "I hope you know what you are doing Hatsuharu." He picked up an ashtray from the floor and stubbed out his cigarette. "Kyo… had a difficult life. He deserves better than to be toyed with. And I have this gut feeling it's just what Akito plans to do." This being said, the doctor put his feet up on the bed's corner and tried to go to sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

When the sun came creeping, Momiji was already up on the deck, and he was working without enthusiasm. The shadows under his eyes showed how tired he was. The blondinet needed badly to know just what was going on with his two friends, yet he couldn't ask. This was so frustrating.

 

Momiji noticed Yuki and Tohru doing their early morning stroll a couple of feet away. Hiro and Kisa were playing hide-and-seek nearby. Maybe he could overhear something? He started to sweep vigorously in their direction.

 

"Aaah! Sharks, sharks all around us!" Tohru yelled suddenly, pointing her finger at the water.

 

"Miss Honda, those are dolphins," Yuki corrected her with a smile. "They are following the ship."

 

"Oooh!" Tohru stared as the animals jumped in and out of the water again and again. "Kisa! Hiro! Come see the dolphins!"

 

Poor Yuki, Momiji thought, this is the only moment of the day he can manage to have a few minutes alone with the girl, and he's spending them talking about nothing. He better open up a bit, before it's too late. Still sweeping, the sea-boy heard footfalls behind him.

 

"My dear Yuki and Miss Honda," Shigure said with his usual goofy voice, suppressing a yawn, "have you learned of what happened last night?"

 

"No, what happened?" Tohru asked, a bit worried. Yuki glared at Shigure over her shoulder.

 

"Well, my dear, can you believe we had a stowaway in the haul? How dramatic!"

 

"Poor man! Is he all right? Maybe I can get him some food?" the girl chirped. The captain was enchanted by Tohru's reaction.

 

"Do we know who it is?" Yuki asked, not really interested by the answer.

 

"As a matter of fact, we do. It's your cousin Hatsuharu. By a strange irony of faith, he chose this ship to flee." Shigure wished he had been a novelist. This would have been good material for a story!

 

"Why am I not surprised?" Yuki mumbled. "Where is he?"

 

Tohru was looking at them with big innocent eyes, still pondering about the food. Maybe he'll need his clothes to be cleaned too?

 

"He… needed some medical attention, so Hatori spent the night with him." Yuki raised his eyes heavenwards. How does this stupid man always manage to make things sound bad?

 

Shigure caught a glimpse of Momiji, who had stopped making a pretense of working and was listening carefully. "It seems that one of my seamen, Kyo, found him. I think you know him too. Don't you? Red hair, crimson eyes…"

 

"I know who it is," Yuki cut him short. "If you would excuse me, Miss Honda, I will go check on Haru."

 

"Of course!" Tohru answered him. "Hiro, Kisa! It's time to go back inside for you lesson!" All four of them headed for the cabin's floor in silence.

 

"Captain?" Momiji asked eagerly, once they had left the deck. "Where is Kyo?"

 

"He has been locked up, Momiji. I'll see what I can do to help him out." He looked seriously at the sea-boy and sighed. "I'm afraid it won't be easy though."

 

 

* * *

 

"There you are," Yuki told the still sleeping Haru. Hatori was nowhere to be seen. "What were you thinking? Is this your way of sorting things out with Rin? Because I can already tell you it won't work."

 

"I think it's rather because he explained himself to her that he ended up here," Yuki jumped with fright at the sound of the doctor's voice.

 

"Why?" Yuki was annoyed. Haru, with his nonchalant, carefree attitude had that tendency to put himself into awkward situations. And it was getting on his nerves.

 

"She shot him."

 

Yuki went pale. He suddenly felt guilty. Guilty for the selfish thoughts he'd just had. Guilty for suggesting that Haru talk things through with that mad girl. Guilty for the offhand way he had shoved away Haru's affection. Guilty. He clenched his teeth.

 

"He still has a light fever, but he seems fine. If he keeps going that way, he will be out of danger for tonight." Hatori looked at the thermometer he'd just taken from Haru's mouth. "I believe he is one of your friends. You can stay with him, if you want. Just fetch me if you notice any change."

 

Yuki nodded and took a seat near the bed. Haru was his only friend. Maybe he could act as a real friend from now on? This reminded him of another friend he'd had long ago. He wondered if Kyo remembered him. He hadn't made a move when they had come face to face, after all those years. Maybe he should have? But the redhead hadn't seemed overjoyed to see him. Maybe he could thank him for having found Haru in time? Maybe. But what could Yuki tell him? Kyo had the good part: freedom, travels… a life… While Yuki had been stuck inside that dark manor, all by himself. They had nothing in common anymore.

 

The day went by slowly. Yuki kept a vigil at Haru's bedside. Hatori monitored the injured boy's condition every hour. Momiji tried to find Kyo's jail, but failed. And Shigure attempted to worm information out of Kureno on what the head planned to do with the redhead, in vain.

 

In a small room at the far end of the ship, Kyo was brooding. His feet were chained to the floor and he had nothing to do except think, which was driving him half crazy. He was absent-mindedly pulling on his chains, waiting for someone to come to him. As the hours flew by, rage and worry began to blind him.

 

Frustration was building up aboard the ship. And Akito was delighted.

 

 

 

To be continued…