Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ Racing Hearts ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter Six

 

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.

 

James M. Sanotomono - Year 1901

 

The Zebra

 

Racing Hearts

 

It was the afternoon after the incident with Kyo on the ladder, and Eriko nor the Cat said anything about it. The snow began to melt little by little, and it became a few centimeters high. At least now, anyone would feel more comfortable walking around in the woods like Yuki and Yuri were doing the day before.

 

“Third day, it's amazing I'm still in one piece…” Eriko mumbled as she sat on the chair in the living room.

 

“Lunch is ready!” Yuri and Tohru cried from the kitchen. Shigure bounded in, Yuki walked past Eriko's chair (Looking at her from the corner of his eye).

 

Why? The same question he thought of yesterday, but Yuri didn't seem to answer correctly.

 

“'Bout time!” Kyo shouted from upstairs as he leaped from the acme of the stairs than landed at the base, Eriko sighed and stood up. “Were you waiting for me or something?” Kyo asked, just than spotting her.

 

“No, why would I?” she snapped. He growled and entered the kitchen with Eriko ahead of him. Shigure, Yuki, Yuri, and Tohru were already sitting at the table (And Shigure already began wolfing down his food saying something like “We finally have a Japanese dish!)

 

Ick! Leeks! Kyo and Eriko growled mentally as they spotted their plates. Tohru noticed and instantly began to apologize.

 

“Sorry Kyo-kun but there wasn't much left for food since me nor Yuri were able to go to the store at all so sorry!” Tohru said, Yuri sighed, why did her sister have to be so picky?

 

“Whatever,” Kyo said as he walked away. Eriko began walking away as well.

 

“You don't like leeks either Eriko-chan?” Tohru asked.

 

“Don't worry yourself Honda,” Eriko said with no emotion, “I'll live.” Than with that, she left the room, leaving Shigure devouring his food and Tohru and Yuki watching Yuri eat calmly, hoping for an explanation.

 

Why doesn't Kyo just cook for them both if they can be satisfied with the food in front of them? Yuki asked them mentally.

 

“Why don't you like leeks?” Kyo asked as they were both heading up the stairs, Kyo was all too surprised to ask why she was `following' him.

 

“I hate vegetables.” She answered.

 

“With how scrawny you are I thought you were a vegetarian.” Kyo said.

 

“I'm not scrawny!”

 

“Than how else do you put amazingly thin?”

 

“Skinny!”

 

“Same thing as scrawny!”

 

“No it's not!”

 

“Whatever! Now leave me alone!”

 

“I was going to say the same thing to you baka!” Eriko shouted back as they went to their rooms and slammed the doors behind them. Kyo lay on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

 

As much as I hate to admit it, she's a lot like…me, but why? Kyo thought, indeed, she was just as easily provoked like him, short-tempered, quick-tongued, and seemed to hate someone else know how she felt.

 

Eriko was looking out the window at the forest outside it, small birds like robins hopped down and up the bare branches as if they were playing some sort of game.

 

Kyo shouts insults at me and I haven't done anything harmful to him at all, is it because my Fox side prefers not to hurt anyone here? Or is it because he's the only one I can actually shout back at? Without getting punished. Eriko thought as she sighed.

 

“They're being awfully quiet,” Tohru pointed from the kitchen, it wasn't hard to hear the two arguing again.

 

“Yes, either they must have found peace (Which is impossible if Kyo is involved) or they had knocked one another out and one is probably sleeping on the stairs with a bloody nose and the other sprawled out on the floor of the hallway with limb injuries-” Shigure said.

 

“ERIKO!” Yuri cried.

 

“KYO!” Tohru's voice followed from the other room, Yuki and Shigure didn't notice them leave the table.

 

“If you want to talk about tragedies, be less graphic.” Yuki said coldly towards Shigure.

 

“What are you shouting about!?!” Kyo shouted from the second floor. His head popping out from the door, Eriko didn't even bother.

 

“Oh! We thought one of you would be on the stairs bleeding and the other would be sprawled on the hallway floor bleeding and-” Tohru began to explain. Kyo gained back his cat features.

 

“SHIGURE!!! CUT THE CRAP NO ONE'S HURT!!! Kyo shouted than slammed the door. Followed by the action Eriko had shouted `Don't slam the doors Moron!'

 

“Oh dear me, they blame it on the person whom holds them under their protection. Why so cynical I wonder?” Shigure mumbled, and in addition to the words, the doorbell rang. Yuri answered it.

 

“Oh! Hello Nakkou-san!” Yuri greeted. The man was grinning ear to ear, wearing thick clothes.

 

“Good afternoon Yuri-chan, you too Tohru-chan,” Nakkou greeted, they noticed him holding a red sled. “Do you and your friends wish to accompany me to Aoishona Hill?” Aoishona Hill was a steep hill with a large cherry blossom tree at the top. During the summer that beautiful tree had beautiful blooms of pink and white. During the summer it was bare and charred-looking. Yuri, Eriko, and several of their neighbors had fun at the hill during the winter as sledding opportunities.

 

“Wait a second Nakkou, let me ask Shigure-san, would you like to come inside?” Yuri asked.

 

“Nah, I don't want to get anything on your floor. Your parents would kill me,” Nakkou said cheerfully.

 

“All right, be back in a bit.” Yuri said as she closed the door slightly so the cold won't get in than nearly ran down to the kitchen. “Shigure-san, would it be all right if we went sledding?” The Dog looked up and frowned.

 

“Yes, no, maybe so. As your proper guardian at this moment I think it would be relatively absurd to have you children scurrying around in the depths of frozen water with colds and pneumonia just waiting to sprout in those youthful bodies of yours and control your life to the end.” Shigure said with a tone equal with his frown. Yuri and Yuki stared at him.

 

“So…that's a yes?” Yuki asked.

 

“Absolutely, do you have any sleds Yuri-chan?” Shigure asked.

 

“Yes, thank you Shigure, would you like to accompany us?” she asked.

 

“Why wouldn't I, I will go and help you with the sleds while Yuki goes and fetches Eriko and Kyo.” Shigure said, getting a suspicious look from Yuki. “Now now Yuki, is that anyway to look at a gentleman?”

 

More like a man that drinks one too many bottles of sake! Yuki growled mentally as the two vanished into the laundry room that probably led to the garage. Yuki sighed than stood up and began walking out of the room.

 

“Here Yuki!” Tohru cried, throwing a coat into his arms, the boots were at the door already, and all bundled up and ready to go were Kyo and Eriko next to Nakkou at the door. Tohru was already doing what she could to keep herself from getting sick while they were outside.

 

“Hello Yuki, nice to see you again.” Nakkou greeted.

 

“You too, Shigure and Yuri had went to fetch a few more sleds, they'll be back in a minute.” Yuki said to the three teens. Eriko and Tohru nodded, Kyo kept staring outside as if he was wondering why he was going in the first place.

 

“Back! Thanks for waiting Nakkou!” Yuri shouted as she and Shigure returned with at least three round sleds and two long ones.

 

“My pleasure Yuri-chan, but let's hurry so we don't have to worry about a crowded hill.” Nakkou joked, Aoishona Hill was never crowded, and in fact it was hardly ever visited because it was part of Nakkou's family land. So it was private property.

 

“Are we walking?” Kyo asked as Shigure, Yuri, and Yuki got themselves into their snowsuits and boots.

 

“Of course, I don't want to drive through this snow anyway.” Nakkou said. “Now let's go!” After Yuri locked the door she hurried after the small group that was now stomping through the snow, and Kyo wasn't enjoying it one bit, and as if it couldn't get any harder for him…

 

“Tohru! Over here! Over here!” It was Momiji and Hatsuharu, no Hatori though. Momiji was wearing a pink snowsuit with yellow boots; his hat though smoothed out his hair to keep it flat and round against his scalp and the straps hung loosely on the sides. Hatsuharu was wearing a black and white suit, but it didn't look as heavy as Momiji's.

 

“Hi Momiji! Where did you come from?” Tohru asked, confused. Eriko and Yuri were wondering the same thing, how did he know where they lived?

 

“Hatori told us where Yuri and Eriko lived since he knew your house was being repaired,” Momiji answered. Yuki glared at Shigure.

 

“Do you honestly think Hatori's that dull, he would know if someone was staying with us if we took them to the zoo with us Yuki.” Shigure told Yuki, he was still glaring at him.

 

I'm just hoping he didn't tell Akito! Yuki thought as he than turned to Momiji and Haru. But than, how would Hatori know where they lived? Unless he took the time to figure it out or simply knew.

 

“Well, you guys are gonna go sledding? Can we come?” Momiji asked.

 

“Uh huh, we're going to Aoishona Hill!” Tohru said.

 

“Wow really!” Momiji blurted out, “What is it?”

 

“A hill,” Haru answered dully.

 

“Yay! A hill to go sledding on!” Momiji cried, making Eriko sighed.

 

There goes the rest of the day… Eriko thought.

 

“Anyway, this is Nakkou-san, and these are Momiji and Hatsuharu, you can call him Haru if you want.” Yuri said.

 

“Nice to meet you,” Nakkou said. Soon after they resumed their walk to the hill. Luckily, the walk didn't last long. But even though it was short, it was made short because of Eriko's short cut. She led them through a small area of woods (And since Yuri and Nakkou seemed to put full trust into her ability, the rest followed along), and eventually they a came a wide-open hill side.

 

“Here it is.” Yuri said with a smile.

 

“Come on Tohru!!” Momiji cried happily.

 

“Slow down Momiji!” Tohru laughed as she followed the Rabbit up the rest of the hill, both carrying a round sled.

 

“This is where you're gonna lose Ratboy!” Kyo shouted at Yuki as Haru began walking up the hill with Shigure and Nakkou behind him, Eriko and Yuri sighed than followed them up with a fighting duo behind them.

 

“That sentence is getting awfully lame,” Yuki remarked.

 

“No one asked you!” Kyo shouted back.

 

“All right you two, no fighting, we're here to have fun!” Yuri reminded them, Yuki looked away, and when Eriko turned to Kyo, he did as well.

 

“Meet you all at the bottom!” Momiji cried happily as he raced down the hill, with Tohru twirling on hers right behind him. Shigure laughed as Tohru rammed into his sled, nearly landing on him at the bottom of the hill. Haru followed in pursuit and had grabbed Momiji's hood and got him out of the way when she did fall.

 

“Be careful you three!” Yuri cried down to them as she climbed onto one of the long sleds (With Shigure behind her). Nakkou had taken one of the other sleds for himself and had begun sliding down the hill before the other two.

 

When Yuki and Kyo climbed into their round sleds, Kyo was surrounded by an angry haze of violet. He was hissing and his hair and cat features bristles.

 

“Ready! Set! GO!” Kyo cried, it was amazing that Yuki had listened to the commands, but Eriko thought that he was just trying to show Kyo he couldn't win at anything against as long as he tried.

 

“Aren't you going to go sledding Eriko?” Momiji asked, Eriko noticed Tohru behind him panting. The hill was good to sled on, but hard to walk back up on.

 

“…” Eriko remained silent, she preferred not to get wet.

 

“Leave the girl alone, she probably not want to race anyway.” Haru said coolly, not realizing the words were effective towards her.

 

“Are you saying I wouldn't win?” she asked.

 

“No, I didn't say anything of the sort.” Haru said, his tone changing somewhat.

 

“Not from what I've heard!”

 

“Fine! You want to race! Than let's race you over pile of chicken feathers!” Haru shouted, his pupils minimized. Even half-way down the hill Shigure, Nakkou, Yuri, and a bruised Kyo and annoyed Yuki (Kyo was ahead of Yuki, but unfortunately fell off his sled and got hit by Yuki's, but it was near the flat side of the hill so he didn't have much momentum.) Could tell that Haru changed into a completely different person.

 

“With pleasure!” Eriko shouted back as she than climbed into her round sled with Haru doing the same. Tohru and Momiji stepped back, not knowing how the force of taking off would do to them.

 

“GO!!” Eriko shouted. Their sleds went off quickly, and if the snow were any deeper, they would have had a problem taking off. Shigure and the others stopped and watched as the two raced by.

 

“Those two are going to get themselves hurt.” Yuki stated, the rest of them nodded. Yuri and unexpectedly, Kyo watched as the two neared the end.

 

“I'm gonna win so give up!” Haru shouted over to Eriko, realizing she wasn't at his right, he looked at his left.

 

“Don't count your chickens before they hatch!” she advised as her sled went steadily fast and eventually went ahead of them. And as quickly as her sled went, the quicker the finish line came. When the land flattened, her sled went from a straight charge, to a swirling momentum. Haru's would have done the same if he hadn't stopped the sled from going on with his hands. But hers was still twirling, and it seemed to the world was passing repeatedly in front of her eyes.

 

When it stopped, her eyes were replaced by swirls and she was wobbling back and fourth making small strange noises. Haru changed back to White Haru and he continued to stare at her.

 

“Are you okay?” he asked.

 

“F-F-F-F-F-F-Fine…” she managed to say out of swirling breaths, she heard Shigure and Nakkou laugh from halfway up the hill, they obviously saw her sledding experience. Than the group began walking back up again. Eventually Haru began to smile as he stood up. It wasn't till a few more minutes passed (And Tohru and Momiji came back down than headed back up) that Haru extended his hand to her when she showed some signs of returning to her old self.

 

“You're gonna need some help getting up the hill.” Haru said as his hand became five than two than one in front of her face.

 

“Oh erm…” Eriko said, without a bored expression as she unconsciously raised her hand to his and with his help, pulled her up. (Up on the hill Kyo and Yuki went at it again and were racing down the hill; Kyo was more determined than before). “We better hurry, Yuki and Kyo are heading this way.” Haru said as he picked up Eriko's sled for her and began walking to the side than walking up. Eriko followed (and stumbled) along the way.

 

“Hey! Watch out why doncha!” Kyo's voice shouted, it wasn't till Eriko found herself flat on her back with Kyo on top of her that she woke up from her sledding incident. Yuki landed somewhere else in a snow heap; Haru had eagerly went to his aid.

 

“…” an awkward silence rang their ears as Kyo and Eriko's faces nearly touched, both blushed a fierce red before Kyo leaped off of her and collected his sled and began stomping up the hill with Haru and Yuki following.

 

That was odd…too close though… Eriko thought, but before she could think any further she saw Shigure and Yuri this time racing, she hurried off after the boys. As they walked up the hill there was a strange silence similar to the one Eriko and Kyo had a few minutes ago. She walked in between Kyo and Haru and Yuki. Haru and Yuki didn't seem to mind the silence, but she could smell Kyo's uneasiness as they walked up the rest of the hill.

 

“Took you guys long enough, we decided to have a race, so we're waiting for Shigure and Yuri to come back up and than we can all race down the hill together!” Momiji cried.

 

“That's a weird idea, won't it be easier to crash into one another?” Haru asked.

 

“As long as we don't get too close we'll be fine.” Nakkou pointed out.

 

“All right,” Yuki said. As the group chatted on, Kyo stood flustered behind them, his back to them.

 

“Why are you sulking?” Eriko asked as she got her sled back from Haru.

 

“I'M NOT SULKING!” Kyo shouted, but the group ignored him since they were too happily chatting away as they waited for Yuri and Shigure to walk up the hill. (Shigure was throwing snowballs at Yuri so they guessed it would take them a while when she threw some back)

 

“Is that anyway to speak to someone you fell on?” she asked him, he blushed slightly.

 

“I DIDN'T DO THAT ON PURPOSE!” he shouted back in defense.

 

“Yeah, I know it was Yuki's fault.” She said sarcastically.

 

“…” Kyo began to curse under his breath.

 

“Well, you did save me from stumbling all the way up here. If you hadn't knocked into me I would have been in that mode for a while.” Eriko pointed out.

 

“Oh yeah, you were racing Haru, be careful around him will ya, he can be a nice guy and all but than change to Black Haru.” Kyo warned.

 

“Black Haru?” she questioned.

 

“Yeah, there's White Haru and Black Haru. Black Haru more temperamental and competitive in case you haven't noticed.” Kyo said, adding more dangerous under his breath, but she caught it all the same.

 

“Are you worried?” she asked innocently.

 

“OF WHAT!?!” he asked.

 

“For me,” she answered. When he turned away she hid a smirk. “You're such a softie aren't cha?”

 

“SHUT UP!! I WASN'T WORRIED!” Kyo argued.

 

“We're back!” Shigure cried happily, he was soaked. “You know, as much as I enjoy this. We should head back after this, we can get sick if we don't get properly dry in this temperature.”

 

“He's right, this is the last round, everyone in their position!” Nakkou shouted playfully. He and Shigure got the long sleds while the others got the round ones. When they all were at the top, Eriko couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

 

“On your mark! Get set! GO!” Nakkou shouted, they all went sliding. It wasn't till Shigure threw the first snowball and missed her head by an inch, the snowball hit Yuki.

 

“Sorry Yuki! Meant to hit-hey!!” Yuki through a snowball back at Shigure, Eriko smirked as she gathered some snow from the passing ground and threw it at Haru.

 

“He did it!” Eriko shouted, pointing at Kyo next to Yuki.

 

“DID WHAT!?!” Haru threw one into his face. “WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?!” Kyo shouted as he gathered his own ball and threw it at Haru, only for it to hit Yuri. It wasn't long after that, that they all were throwing snowballs all the way down the hill. When everyone slid off their sleds and landed in the snow at the bottom, they stopped and just lay there and laughed. Not even Eriko could stop herself from laughing as well.

 

“Here you go Momiji,” Yuri said, handing Momiji a hot chocolate. It was fifteen minutes since they arrived back at Yuri's and Eriko's house along with Nakkou that they began instantly warming up, leaving their sleds, snowsuits, and boots in their garage.

 

“Thank you Yuri,” Momiji said as he than hurried into the living room with everyone else. Only as few lights were on, making it a little dark in the house but they were all still cheery. Shigure was talking with Nakkou and possibly explaining what his career was since Kyo was on the couch near them staring at him with a sickly expression. Yuki, Tohru, Haru, and a bouncing Momiji were playing a card game. And Yuri was passing out mugs of hot chocolate; Eriko was sitting on a recliner not far from Shigure and Nakkou.

 

“Thank you Yuri-chan!” Shigure said happily as she gave both men their mugs and after receiving a thanks from Nakkou she hurried back into the kitchen.

 

“Here you go Eriko, erm…you look tired, why don't you go to bed.” Yuri said to Eriko as she came back out of the kitchen and handed her sister a mug.

 

“…” she didn't reply, but her eyes were drooping.

 

“You don't want to miss out on anything do you?” she asked with a smile.

 

“Go away,” Eriko growled.

 

“All right,” Yuri said with a hint of amusement in her voice, than she with her own mug joined the card game with Tohru and the boys.

 

“Well, I better best get going. Or my wife will kick me out of my own bed tonight. Good bye everyone!” Nakkou shouted, waving. Yuri closed the door behind him after he collected his belongings out of the garage and than walked out the door, telling him he can return the mug later.

 

“We better leave to-” Haru began to say till they heard a beep.

 

“That's Hatori, must have thought it was too cold for you to walk home huh?” Yuri asked, Haru and Momiji smiled happily.

 

“Thanks for the good time Yuri!” Momiji said as he waved good-bye.

 

“You too Eriko.” Haru said as they both went to fetch their stuff, than they too left the house.

 

“All right kids, to bed you go!” Shigure shouted.

 

RING! RING! Yuri went to it in the kitchen as Yuki and Tohru headed up the stairs, Shigure headed towards his room than stopped. He noticed Eriko curled up in a ball on the recliner fast asleep. He tiptoed to Kyo with a large grin than leaned into his ear.

 

“You don't transform when you embrace her, so why don't you carry her up to bed Kyo?” Shigure asked, earning himself a lump on the head.

 

“Where the hell did you that idea!?!” Kyo asked.

 

“Oh well, from how you reacted to her today on the hill I thought you kind of like her.” Shigure said innocently, giving him another lump on the head.

 

“Hey Shigure, good news! It's the repairmen from the main house, they said your home is fixed and is fit to live in again.” Yuri announced from the kitchen.

 

“That's great, we'll go back some time after breakfast than.” Shigure suggested. As Yuri and Shigure headed towards their rooms, Yuri spotted Eriko asleep and giggled as she ran up the stairs.

 

Kyo stared at the human ball across the room; he was exhausted even though he would never admit it. But he did somewhat care for the black-haired girl, he sighed and placed his mug in the kitchen and walked over to the bundle. He was just hoping the Rat went to asleep instantly and wouldn't see him doing this (Nor Shigure) or he would never hear the end of it.

 

Slowly, as not to wake her. He scooped the girl up easily.

 

She's so light! Must be because she doesn't eat much… Kyo thought as he walked across the room and than began walking up the stairs. He blushed slightly when began staring at her face, her hands were closed and up against her mouth. Her face was kind of pale, but it had somewhat of a healthy glow to it as it stood out among her dark hair.

 

He easily slid the door open with his foot and stepped inside her room. He spotted her bed and laid her on it. Subconsciously he pulled the covers over her, and when he realized what he did completely, he thanked the Lord that the room was dark enough that nobody that was probably spying on him would not know he was blushing.

 

He walked out of the room and closed her door behind him, and sighed. Today wasn't all that bad, but thinking about Kagura's rage when she would realize just how close he was to her today was unbearable.