Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Black & White Heart ❯ Keep Smiling ( Chapter 26 )

AN: I know that technically Kane's name is supposed to be pronounced like Kain, but I've always read it like it had a Y at the end instead, like Kan-ay, it just sounds cuter.

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Chapter 26: Keep Smiling

For the first time, it was Haru who had his eyes open in surprise as Yuki kissed him, too much in shock of this reaction to think about kissing back. He couldn't believe it, was Yuki…was Yuki really… he hardly even noticed when Yuki pushed him back down on the bed, wrapping his arms around his neck still kissing him deeply, clinging to him not wanting to let go.

"You idiot!" Yuki yelled when he finally pulled away, but his voice was straining with sorrow, "Why didn't you tell me!!!?" he demanded, tears still falling as he held Haru as close as he physically could, "Why?! How could you possibly have kept something like that a secret!?" he cried, burying his head in Haru's shoulders as he tried to understand what on earth Haru could have been thinking!! Yuki felt like it was him that all that had happened to with the pain he felt for Haru right now.

But as Yuki clung to him, tears still falling for the pain Haru must have been going through, Haru gently pushed him away so they were both sitting on the bed, took his chin gently in his hands and kissed him softly. For a moment neither moved, just sat there together, lips moving slowly as for the first time Yuki felt himself melt at the contact, the thought of why he ever pushed this away in the first place felt so strange now.

"I didn't want to tell you until you said that you loved me," Haru finally said as he pulled away, "I wanted you to fall in love with me for me, not because you felt sorry for me after hearing a story like that. That's why I told you now. Last night you said you loved me, I'd been waiting for that, so I knew I could tell you. You didn't need any other incentive, you'd already said it, it wouldn't matter any more."

Yuki suddenly pulled Haru towards him falling back against the headrest of the bed. Haru, still a little amazed at what was happening, rested his head under Yuki's chin and closed his eyes, snuggling against his most favourite person in the whole world.

"I love you." He whispered, finding himself sleepy once again from so many different emotions in such a short time, "Do you…do you really love me now?"

His answer came as Yuki wrapped his arms around him even closer, gently kissing the top of his head.

"Idiot."

And Haru smiled.

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Shigure sat with his back against the headrest of his bed reading a book, waiting for Ayame. The two of them had hid behind a separate door when Yuki and Haru had returned to their room, with plans of Ayame secretly staying outside keeping their door just open a crack so he could take pictures. But when the two boys went into their bedroom straight away, things were already looking up! With Shigure keeping to his promise of not taking any more pictures, he left Ayame to sneak into their room and hide just outside the bedroom, ready to capture anything that might be…of use.

So as he waited patiently, the snow storm still rattling around outside, Shigure's mind wandered over to what kind of pictures his friend would get of those two with the environment they made for them. Ah, if only they knew the real reason. He wondered what they would think of him when they found out what he'd be using all these pictures he had taken of them for.

Gently the door to his room slid back and Ayame walked through, closing the door behind him. Shigure looked up from his book to see him looking very forlorn, staring down at the floor.

"What's wrong?" Shigure asked.

"I…I didn't know that had happened…no wonder Haru had been like this…"

Shigure smiled gently, realising what must have finally happened, "I take it Haru has told Yuki about his parents then."

Ayame nodded, having over heard everything as he sat crouched outside their bedroom door, "Why didn't you tell me Shigure?" he asked, peering up at his friend.

"Wasn't my place to say." He said, placing his book on the side table. As he turned back to Ayame however, he was suddenly enveloped in a very tight hug.

"YES! Now I know the truth it is up to I, the older brother, to ensure the happiness of my younger brother and his husband!"

"Husband?!" Shigure enquired close to laughter, "Meaning Yuki's the wife?"

"Of course!" Ayame said standing with his hands on his hips, as though it was the most obvious answer, before clasping his hands and staring lovingly out the window, "Never would I have thought the day where I'd finally be able to dress my dear brother in the wedding gown he deserves."

"I don't think Yuki would appreciate that." Shigure said chuckling, "I take it his reaction to what happened was a good one then?"

Ayame turned to his friend, twiddling the threaded hook of the camera in his hand round and round, "It certainly was Shigure," he said, his voice dropping deeper, before suddenly zooming up to hyper excitement,

"Our plan succeeded!!!!"

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Haru had fallen asleep around 10 minutes ago, leaving Yuki once again to battle with his own thoughts. At least, that's what would have normally happened, but the war had ended, there were no two sides, just one, one that felt so happy he was lying here like this with Haru, one that had no intention of leaving the boy who loved him back so forcefully. He wondered why it was that he was so, so reluctant to give in to him. Every time Haru had ever kissed him, he had never kissed back, but he had never pulled away either. That meant that there was always a part of him that wanted to be kissed by Haru, which always left him so confused before. Now nothing seemed clearer! Why should you push away someone who loves you? Someone who cares for you so much? He closed his eyes against Haru's soft hair and smiled gently. There was nothing else he wanted, nothing else he needed anymore. He had Haru, and Haru would be the only one he would ever want.

"WHOA I FORGOT!"

Yuki nearly jumped out of his skin when Haru suddenly leapt off him.

"I…I thought you were asleep!?" Yuki said, his heart beat having shot through the roof.

"I'll be right back." Haru said, and without another glance ran out the bedroom and out their room.

"Haru!!" Haru stopped at the door and turned around, as Yuki held back the small chuckle that was trying to escape, "I think you'd better get dressed first don't you?"

"Hm?"

Haru looked down only to realise throughout all of that he was still only wearing the white towel around his waist from the mudsprings.

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"Now you're sure they were asleep when you left?"

"Yes yes I'm sure, but are you sure he dropped it here?"

"I saw something fly out of his hands when they fell into the mud baths, I wanna know what it was!"

Shigure peered round the door to his and Ayame's room, pulled the shawl over his shoulders, and tiptoed down the corridor. For all of Shigure's stealthful tactics however, Ayame just walked past him dressed back in his normal clothes humming to himself.

Well, he supposed he had a point, if Yuki had just confessed he loved Haru, he highly doubted they'd be moving away form each other for a while. So shrugging off the shawl, Shigure jogged back up beside his best friend off to find the item Haru had dropped just before Yuki skidded into him earlier falling into the mud baths.

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"AAAAARGH WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!!!!!!"

Kane hit his head several times in annoyance at his own stupidity for telling Yuki to go after Haru, "What on earth was I on to let him go like that?! ARGH I'M SO STUPID!!!"

"KANE! Sweetie what's wrong?!"

Kane stopped his childish stomping around his room as his mothers voice rang out from down the stairs, "Uh oh." For with the sound of her hurried footsteps coming up the stairs, he knew what was coming next.

With his door sliding open in one forceful whoosh, Kane found himself embedded in his mothers chest as she held him tightly against her, "Oh what's got my Kane so upset hmm? Is that Yuki of yours not still not paying any attention to you awww don't worry honey, he'll come around soon enough, you're so sweet no one can resist my little cutie Kane."

You'd never believe she was a mother of a 17 year old boy.

"MERPHH!" Kane muffled, desperately trying to get away from his overly obsessive and protective mother.

"I KNOW!" she said, suddenly dropping Kane from her grasp who staggered back gasping for breath, "I'll go get you a strawberry milkshake, that always cheers me up when I'm feeling unhappy." She happily exclaimed, walking back out the door and down the stairs.

"Yeah right," Kane said to himself, rubbing his head in frustration, "Like you've ever been unhappy in your life."

He swore his mother still thought he was 6 years old, and taking a look around his room, decorated with powder pink wallpaper, he sometimes wondered if she deliberately raised him to be gay. Any other normal parent would be at least slightly surprised if their son one day came out to them, but oh no, his mother had to celebrate the fact and announce it to the whole school where he had told her!! No wonder everyone at school thought he was a freak! He shuddered at the memory of all those laughing faces in the school hall when his mother happily announced to the world he liked boys. When she had found out he had a crush on Yuki, the embarrassment decided to follow him to school one day to take a look at him, and he only just managed to stop her from walking up to Yuki and grabbing him into one of her bear hugs for being "her son's choice in life!".

She definitely had a screw loose.

"MILKSHAKES READY SWEETIE!!"

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"Where are we going?" Yuki asked, as he and Haru headed out of their room.

"Back to the mudbaths, I got you a present before but I dropped it in there." Haru said, grabbing hold of Yuki's hand.

Yuki blushed shyly at the simple gesture and closed his fingers around Haru's, this was going to take some getting used to.

"Haru."

"Mm?" he said, heading to his left.

"The mudbaths are to the right."

"Oh yeah."

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Ayame and Shigure were now wandering around the mudbath room searching for what Haru had dropped. They were both coming up with random things it could be, Ayame dead certain on an engagement ring, and Shigure on something that…

Well, won't be mentioned.

"Urgh, it may be healthy, but I just don't understand how people can sit in that." Ayame protested, peering over the side of the baths into the mud with quite a disgusted look on his face.

"Well I think those two must have enjoyed it." Shigure said, looking down by a pampering table low on the floor, when something caught his eye.

"Ah ha!" he exclaimed, reaching out for the small box lying by the wall, "Here it-"

"-is."

Shigure froze as another hand reached for the same object, and as he looked to his right, saw Haru reaching for it with Yuki standing behind him having just opened the door.

Shigure stared at Haru. Haru stared at Shigure. Shigure stared at Yuki. Yuki stared at Shigure. Yuki glared at Ayame. Ayame glanced at Shigure. Haru glanced at Ayame. Ayame grinned at Yuki.

"OOOOooooooHHhhhHHHHhh!!" and in a whoosh of red cloth Ayame came flying over to Yuki and engulfed him in a hug, "Oh Yuki you've FINALLY got together I'm SO happy for you!!"

After the momentary shock had faded away at seeing these two unwanted people here, especially the one who was hugging him, Yuki finally reacted,

"….What the HELL are you two doing here!!!?"

"Oh just making sure your happy Yuki." Ayame replied gleefully.

"YOU did all this?!" Yuki harshly pushed Ayame away from him.

"We did! Don't you think it was wonderful?! So thoughtful of me don't you think? Of course we had to come along in secret, I couldn't have my little brother leaving unhappy now could I AHAHAAAAA!"

As Yuki and Ayame continued to rage at each other, Shigure picked up the small black box on the floor. Looking at it for a moment, he handed it to Haru. Shigure watched him take it, and as his eyes rose to meet his, he winked at the younger boy. It wouldn't seem Haru wasn't angry with him, because he just smiled back. What reason did he have to be angry about now anyway?

Although perhaps it wasn't quite the same for Yuki.

"You IDIOT!!"

"HAHAHAAA no need for thanks Yuki!"

"WHO'S THANKING YOU!!!?"

Shigure smiled, Yuki wasn't angry. He was shouting, but that was pretty usual between these two. He would never forget what Ayame did for him this time, and whether or not he'd ever say it would be another thing, but Yuki was thankful, after all, shouting or otherwise, the small blush on his cheeks gave away his real feelings. With a little bit of help, it looks like Ayame had finally done something good for his brother. Maybe in a few weeks…or months…or years…Yuki might say thank you, but right now, he was putting up his usual defences for Ayame, screaming at him for daring to be spying on them and trying to interfere.

Looks like things were back to normal.

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The lightening storm by now had died down, but it was still snowing very heavily outside, the air pitch black from the evening drawing to a close and the heavy cloud cover. Only the lanterns in the trees outside could just about be seen, the light blurred from the snowfall as the wind howled around the trees. Yuki stood at the patio doors staring out into the flurry of snow, as Haru walked up beside him.

"Here. It's just a silly thing but, it's for you."

Yuki watched as Haru open the small box where inside lay two necklaces, both on black soft leather lace, which held the Kanji for the Rat, and the other for the Ox in polished silver. Taking the one for the Ox out of its velvety base, Haru placed it around Yuki's neck.

"You keep my one," he said, while taking the Rat one out and putting the box on the floor, "And I'll keep your one." He put the Rat Kanji necklace round his own neck and smiled, "Then if we are ever apart, we can still be reminded of each other."

Yuki picked up the small Kanji on his necklace and lifted it up, looking at it for a moment before letting it drop back down, "You can be a really sappy romantic sometimes Haru." he said, sighing affectionately, before he felt hands on his waist pulling him towards the other boy, and soft lips on his own.

This was definitely going to take some getting used to, and now the whole turmoil of emotions that was happening earlier had ended, Yuki felt a shyness start to appear, and with a soft blush, was rather tentatively kissing him back. Haru noticed and couldn't help smiling against his lips, before hugging him gently,

"You're so cute, I love you."

Yuki smiled gently against his hair and closed his, as they just stood there together in the quiet of their room. Yuki had now lost count of how many times Haru had said he loved him, and the thought occurred to him, should he say he loved him back? Thinking it was one thing, but hearing yourself say those words, maybe it would finalise it for himself. Resting in Haru's embrace, he felt so warm, so comfortable. Haru loved him. Everyone that had ever met Haru could be sure of. So as he stood there, feeling a loving warmth he had never felt before, Yuki said those magic words,

"I love you too."

For a moment the breath caught at the back of Haru's throat as his eyes went wide.

Yuki just…he said he…

Yuki had said it last night, but this time, he really knew what he was doing, what the implications of those few words meant. Haru delicately kissed the side of Yuki's neck in return and kept him held close. It had really happened, after all this time, all this chasing, he finally had his Yuki. He didn't want this moment to end; he could just stand here like this with him forever.

That is until his stomach growled rather loudly.

A short silent pause afterwards, Haru heard a faint giggle beside his ear. Pulling back, he looked sheepishly up at smiling Yuki.

"Sorry, I guess I haven't eaten anything in nearly 24 hours."

Smiling sweetly at him, Yuki reached for his hand, "I guess we better find something to eat then."

As he took Haru's hand to lead him away, Haru watched him lovingly, so happy that it was only he that could make Yuki smile like that, and would make sure that he would keep smiling like that for as long as they were together.

And Haru had no intention of ever letting him go.

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"What do we do now?" Ayame asked, as he sat at a table drinking a cup of tea in the Kitchens with Shigure.

"Enjoy the rest of the weekend!" he replied, watching the cooks making dinner in the background.

"But it's snowing so heavily outside, it's too cold." Ayame whined, glancing out the window to his mortal enemy of a lower temperature.

"Well we're stranded here anyway until the storm blows over." Shigure then suddenly smirked, remembering Ayame's face earlier when faced with: "What about the mudbaths?" he asked.

Ayame blinked at him, "Are you insane Shigure? I'm not going near anything that could get stuck in my hair. Besides I am perfectly happy sitting here like this thank you."

"Oh go on. I'll go if you go." He said, silently challenging his friend.

"You want to go in them?" Ayame asked surprised.

"I'll try anyon- anything once."

Ayame thought about it for a moment not entirely sure about this, either not noticing or heard so many times just ignoring Shigure's slip up.

"It's nice and waaaarm." Shigure pushed a little further.

A few moments later, Ayame turned back to him, "Well, warm is good….okay then!!"

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An hour later sitting in their room together, Yuki and Haru finished their first meal they had actually had together the whole weekend and now faced a bit of a conundrum. Haru was exhausted after everything that had happened, so both had decided to get an early night, but the question was now certain things had been confessed…

What were the sleeping arrangements?

Both stood at the doorway to the bedroom staring at the two separate beds, still covered in the white drapes that they now knew Ayame and Shigure had arranged, both wondering what the other was thinking. Haru, of course wanting to sleep wherever Yuki would be, was wondering what he'd say if he asked to sleep in the same bed as him, wondering if he was ready for that. Yuki was in fact asking himself that same question, but they had already slept in the same bed several times before, realising it or not, so…it shouldn't be so bad should it?

Both looked at each other at the same time, both somehow knowing what the other was thinking, and as Haru smiled, Yuki sighed,

"Yes okay."

And was enveloped in a hug.

To Be Continued…