Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A ship in the fog ❯ Coffee, pastries, and feelings ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: An immense thank you to BakaDen, thanks to which the first chapters of this story are now corrected! For those of you who wouldn't have already done it (shame on you!), read her stories! Perhaps if we are enough to claim for an update she will make one… Please? (make sad and hopeful puppy eyes)

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8 - Coffee, pastries, and feelings

 

 

 

The sun had set in a purple mist that evening. The sea was dead calm and the winds not strong enough to fill out the sails. Seamen were seated or sleeping on the deck, with nothing much to do.

 

In the dining room, Tohru, Kisa, and Hiro had finished their meal and were playing some games before it was time to go to bed. Tension was everywhere in the air and Hiro had somewhat given up all pretence of being polite towards his governess. Kisa was sobbing softly while trying to protect her beloved Tohru and bring her brother to a better mood. The governess herself felt febrile and restless.

 

Four doors down, Hatori's rest had been interrupted by Shigure. The doctor's annoyed look on the intruder softened at the sight of the coffee and the small pastries the captain had brought with him. "I thought you could use some caffeine, so I asked Kagura to make some for you, and I stole some of these." He swallowed a mini chocolate éclair and licked his fingers. "They are delicious."

 

Hatori gave Shigure a tired smile over his cup of coffee. They had been friends since youth and, even though sometimes the captain's lack of seriousness irritated the doctor to no end, his good heart and goofy smile were comforting. That was why, after some years of working as the family doctor for his own twisted family, he chose to join his friend on the seas.

 

Said friend was now standing in front of Kyo's bed and looking down at the boy. "His skin has a funny grayish shade I've never seen. Is it normal for him to sweat that much?" A grunt was the only answer he got from the doctor, who was pouring himself a second cup of coffee.

 

"Hum. What about his eye?"

 

"…"

 

"And his arm? When will he be able to use it again?"

 

"Shigure, I still don't know if he will live." Hatori's voice was tired, and even though his eyes showed no visible emotions, the captain knew better and stayed silent. Sitting at the small table next to the doctor, he pushed the pastries' plate towards him with one finger.

 

"I think I know the answer to this, but I would like you to confirm Shigure. Was this some kind of punishment?"

 

"Mm hmm." The captain swallowed his fourth shortbread cookie before answering. "Apparently, Akito's animosity against Kyo goes back to his childhood. Once in a while, he likes to give him some hard times. I guess you have heard the gossip about Yuki being chosen over him and how it ended up with the suicide of Kyo's mother? And now he has used Haru as an excuse to get to him once again."

 

"What about Hatsuharu? What will be his punishment?"

 

"I don't know… yet." Shigure admitted, "Kyo tried to negotiate with Akito and take both blames upon himself. He agreed that if Kyo could climb up and down the mast with his wounded shoulder, Haru would be safe. He would still have to marry Rin though."

 

"What did he use this time?" the doctor asked, remembering the injury on the redhead's right shoulder.

 

"A flick-knife."

 

Hatori finished his coffee. He was thinking about Kyo's kiss and Haru's tears. If Shigure was right, those two were not out of the woods yet. The captain gave the doctor a suspicious look.

 

"Hatori, you keep something from me, ne? What is it?"

 

The doctor sighed. He didn't know how, but Shigure always sensed when Hatori knew something he didn't, even though the doctor was pretty sure he hadn't shown any expression. Shigure had that sixth sense about those things, and keeping a secret from him always lead to extensive pestering. Not that Hatori would give up any information though.

 

Yuki stood in the shadow of the doorway, ears open. He was anxious to know what exactly was going on between his cousin and his former friend. However, he was under no illusion. Hatori wasn't the kind of person to gossip. On the other hand, Shigure was really clever when it came to worming information out of someone.

 

"My dear friend, what should I know about our two lovebirds, hum?" The captain leaned over the table towards the doctor, as if he were trying to read his mind. Hatori was saved from answering when a voice came from the doorway.

 

"Kyo has been hurt because of me?" Yuki's eyes went wide. He was so concentrated on the conversation that he hadn't heard Haru coming up behind him. And he must have been standing there for a while, since he seemed to have overheard the entire conversation, just like him.

 

Hatori and Shigure looked at them both with stern faces. A pink blush spread on the purple haired boy's cheeks when he realized that he had just been caught spying.

 

Taking a step forward, Haru put his arm over Yuki's shoulder and leaned on him. His placid and melancholic gray eyes were somewhat harder than usual. Yuki recognized that symptom. He had seen it often before, and the last time his living room had been trashed. It was just a matter of time before his cousin exploded. He felt the pressure of the two-toned boy's arm increase on him and his short breath on his neck. "You better sit down, Haru," he said calmly when he found his voice again.

 

"So?" Haru insisted, ignoring his cousin's suggestion.

 

Shigure pondered the situation and settled on what he thought was a safe answer. "Yes and no. Akito only waited for a pretext to let go of his anger. You were only an excuse… Kyo picked the wrong time to make his entrance with you, that's all."

 

Haru straightened up and walked slowly towards Shigure. He leaned forward so his gray eyes were looking directly into his brown ones, their noses almost touching. "You are not blaming him for this, now, are you?"

 

For a split second, the captain worried for his ship. Until he noticed that the gray eyes were back to their neutral selves. Haru had only asked what was on his mind at the moment, without thinking any further. Had he been wrong when he thought something had been going on between those two? Shigure didn't have much time to consider the question, since Hatori requested for them all to get out.

 

"Hatsuharu, you stay," he ordered the two-toned boy. "Take off your shirt; I want to change your bandages and take a look at your wound before you go to bed."

 

Needless to say, Shigure wasn't too happy to oblige. Still, he didn't have much choice. Yuki motioned for him to step out first, which he finally did with reluctance. After a look over his shoulder, the purple haired boy followed him.

 

Haru dropped to the chair Shigure had just left and removed his black shirt silently, revealing his alabaster chest. Hatori took off the dirty bandages and cleaned the little hole. He was pleased by the look of it. Almost all traces of the previous infection had vanished and it had already begun to heal. While the doctor wrapped a clean bandage around him, Haru looked to the redhead lying peacefully in the opposed corner of the room.

 

"Hatori, how is he doing?" he asked, after a moment.

 

"To tell the truth, Hatsuharu, his condition isn't too brilliant. His arm has a nasty break. Amongst other things."

 

"Yeah, I've seen it," the two-toned boy winced. "But it can repair itself, can't it, if the pieces are put together and held tight?"

 

"Usually, yes," the doctor answered slowly, searching for his words. "But… there were many pieces… and, well, we will see."

 

We will see, but I'm not too optimistic about it, was what he meant.

 

Haru nodded and started to slip his shirt back on, a sad smile upon his lips. 'Why would this time be any different than the others?' he thought. 'He may never wake up. Hell, even if he does, I don't know if he has any feelings for me. Maybe I have just been imagining things… again? … That mess with Rin, and Yuki… I was just a nuisance for him, like a stain on his so perfect clothes. But lately… What if Yuki has changed? Would it change anything for him? ...'

 

When he came back to reality, he realized that he was still at the first button of his shirt. Hatori was looking at him with tired, yet concerned eyes, smoke slipping out sluggishly from his half closed mouth.

 

"I think you were far from here," the doctor finally said with a small laugh. Haru had known him for a long time; they had both lived in Akito's manor years ago, before that thing with Kana happened and Hatori had left for the sea. He was the closest to a father figure Haru had ever had, and they went along pretty well.

 

"Yeah," he answered finally. "I'm a bit confused. I think I need to straighten some things."

 

"Feelings are not always easy to figure out, I'm afraid," Hatori said, shaking the ashes off his cigarette.

 

"How do you know I was referring to feelings?" Haru wondered out loud.

 

"I thought that, like Shigure, you were about to snap when he mentioned Kyo… And you didn't. But I was there when he kissed you, remember? I guess the attention that Yuki has been giving you lately might be something of your inner turmoil."

 

Haru smiled sheepishly. He was the stoic, the strong one, and if it was true that he had always been open and straight forward regarding his feelings, he didn't feel quite comfortable being exposed.

 

"I guess you have put your finger on the problem," he mumbled, looking at the floor.

 

"You better go to bed now, it's best to sleep on it."

 

"Right," Haru agreed, standing. "Goodnight Hatori."

 

"Goodnight, Hatsuharu." Hatori looked at him with a puzzled expression as he closed the door behind himself.

 

The next morning, Kyo was burning up with a fever. When the sun had set, there had been no improvement, and it became clear something was really wrong with him. When the sun rose again, with the greatest displeasure, Hatori could see the first signs of gangrene on the redhead's broken arm. By noon, he had resigned himself to the only choice he had that would prevent it from spreading around: amputation.

 

 

 

To be continued…