Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ My Plushy ❯ My Plushy ( One-Shot )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

MY PLUSHY
A Fruits Basket Fanfic

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess


AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This story takes place in the past and leads into the present (give or take a year). I was going to make it two parts and decided against it. I'm so lazy it's scary. =P I hope you will enjoy. No lemon, just WAFF fluff. Standard Disclaimer follows the story.



"Nurse, I'm going to need more bandages."

"Clean towels here!"

"We just need to finish setting the leg."

"Is he going to be all right?"

"He'll be just fine, sir. Please have a seat and we'll call you when we're finished."

"But...I want to make sure he's okay."

"It shouldn't be too much longer."

Kisa recoiled into herself as the older man turned away from the doctor and slowly trudged down the hallway towards the waiting room. The three year old girl watched with wide eyes as he disappeared through a hidden doorway, his head bowed and shoulders slumped. The door closed with a soft click that clearly echoed in her ears.

She turned and looked at the doctor and nurses next. She could only see a few, as the doorway was only so big. They hurried about the room, hooking up cords and unwrapping bandages. Her eyes grew bigger, tears forming tiny puddles as the door was closed, obstructing her view.

This was all her fault. She hadn't meant to be in the way. She only wanted to watch. But she'd gotten too close when she wasn't supposed to. Her mother had told her to leave her cousin alone. He was just learning how to ride a bike. A two-wheeler at that. She was just so fascinated...she had to watch. Surely he'd pick up on it quickly. And he did! For all of the fifteen feet it took for him to balance, it only took another foot to crash.

And now, Momiji was in the hospital.

Bowing her head, Kisa cried silently. She felt horrible for causing her cousin's accident. With a light sob she pulled her favorite stuffed animal from the seat beside her and laid it in her lap. Tiny arms wrapped around the large, stuffed animal, pulling it closer. She hugged the stuffed bunny for all it was worth, since she couldn't hug her cousin at the moment. Tears seeped into the fuzzy fabric on top of its head as Kisa released her growing frustration and self-loathing.

"I told you to stay out of the way," her mother had scolded on the way to the hospital. "You realize we'll have to help take care of him. It's only right. He can stay in the guest room so Hatori can see to him daily."

That didn't really matter to her. Even the sting from her mother's words mattered little. She just wanted to make sure Momiji was okay.

The door finally opened and the nurses filed out. The doctor, a colleague of Hatori's filling in for him while he was away on business with Akito, left a few minutes later, and offered the little girl a smile. He kneeled in front of her, placing on hand on the armrest to steady himself.

"Is he your brother?" he asked.

Kisa shook his head. "Cousin," she replied in a timid voice.

"Well then, why don't you go on in and see your cousin," the doctor said, patting her on the top of her head before standing.

She nodded, watching to doctor walk down the hallway and disappear behind the same door as Momiji's father. Once he was out of sight, she hopped down off the chair. She was still clutching the stuffed rabbit tightly as she entered the room.

It smelled strangely like cleaning solution, she noted. Nothing like the warm vanilla small of her room, or the flowery scents her mother used around the house. No, this was different. Clean, but different. The room was sparsely decorated too. Nothing special on the walls, save for a pretty pattern that bordered the ceiling. A bed sat in the middle of the room and little boxes and computers surrounded it.

In the bed was a young boy, roughly four years older. He was smiling despite the way he looked. His usually neat blond hair was all tousled and in need of combing. His left arm was bandaged from wrist to shoulder, while his right arm was folded in front of him, neatly placed inside a cast. His left leg was also in a cast, upraised just a little for comfort. His other leg was hidden underneath the bed covers.

"Kisa-chan, daijoubu desu ka?"

The little girl looked Momiji in the eye, her eyes starting to form tears again. How could he be so happy when she had hurt him so badly? The tears started to fall and she hugged the stuffed rabbit closer to her, burying her face in the back of its head. She only shook her head in reply to his question.

"Come here, onegaishimasu, Kisa-chan."

Slowly, sluggishly, she walked over to his bedside. She had expected him to be angry. To yell at her. She didn't even look up as she reached the side of his bed. She felt his bandaged hand ruffle her hair -- a far cry from the slap she had thought would come -- and she looked up at him, startled.

"Momiji-kun?"

"That was a pretty nasty fall I took, huh?" he nodded to his bandages and broken limbs. His smile never faltered as he continued, "You surprised me there in the bushes. But I knew you were watching. You want to learn to ride a bike too, ne?"

Kisa blinked, nodding. Tears still fell from her eyes, but they were intermittent as she found she could not look away from Momiji's smiling face.

"It'll be awhile," Momiji said. "Before I can teach you how to ride a bike. Can you wait, Kisa-chan? Can you?"

The girl nodded again, the tears disappearing for good. She raised her head from the bunny and looked down at it with a frown. Slowly a smile formed on her face and she pushed the stuffed bunny into Momiji's lap. The young boy was stunned to say the least. He looked down at the stuffed animal in his lap, then at his cousin.

"Are you giving him to me?"

Kisa nodded again, this time enthusiastically. It was a gift. To help him get better. It would be a while, she realized, till his arm and leg healed, but her bunny could keep him company when she could not. She would miss the stiffed animal very much, but it was a small price to pay. This was her fault after all.

"Arigato, Kisa-chan." Momiji smiled, hugging the bunny to show his appreciation. Then he grasped one of her tiny hands in his and squeezed affectionately. "I'll return him, don't you worry."

"Momiji, oh thank kami."

"We were worried sick about you."

Kisa backed away from the bed as Momiji's father and her mother entered the room. She ducked her head from her mother's curious gaze and walked over to her quickly. She received a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder from her mother. They stayed to talk for just a few more minutes before excusing themselves to leave.

"What is that?" Mr. Sohma asked his son, nodding to the stuffed rabbit he was holding.

Momiji only smiled. "It's me, otosan. When I get better."



EIGHT YEARS LATER....


"I can't believe he'd do such a thing."

"She's just a little girl."

"He needs to learn to control his anger."

"He just needs to pass on, let everyone live their lives in peace."

"The poor girl will never be the same."

"Never."

Momiji listened intently to the house maids as they relayed what they'd seen and heard to Hatori. The doctor merely shook his head. He desperately needed a cigarette after speaking with several of the house staff. As if knowing Akito's temper wasn't bad enough, the comments these people made without knowing the truth was even worse.

"She'll be fine, I assure you," he told the three maids remaining. One of them had taken care of Kisa since she was a baby. They all looked at him skeptically but he nodded to reassure them. "Perhaps you'll stop by tomorrow to see how she is?"

They seemed pleased enough by that and finally stood to leave. Hatori sighed in relief, finally grabbing for a pack of cigarettes sitting on his desk. He pulled one out and placed it to his lips. Before he could light it he paused and asked, "Nan desu ka, Momiji-kun?"

The young man stepped from the shadows of the doorway where he was hiding. Well, he wasn't really hiding. He was investigating. He didn't seem surpised by Hatori's knowledge of him being there either, although this wasn't a common thing.

"I just heard," he said with a small smile, a fraction of his normal, cheerful smile.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear sooner, considering half the house heard it," Hatori commented.

"Akito was really angry this time."

'He seems angry all the time, lately,' Hatori thought but didn't say it to the young teenager.

"Was she hurt badly, Tori-san?"

"A few bumps and bruises," Hatori muttered with the cigarette still dangling between his lips. He stood from the chair and walked to the door way. He lit the cigarette there and took a long drag. Blowing the smoke from between pursed lips he continued, "She has a gash on her head that needed stitches. It's all taken care of."

He took another step, through the doorway and nodding inside. "Why don't you go see her? I'm sure she'll be happy to see someone other than myself."

Momiji nodded, his usual bright smile returning. He practically bounced past Hatori and into his office. Out of the corner of his eye, the doctor noted that Momiji was carrying something. Was that a stuffed animal? It looked too old and fuzzy to discern what animal, but it mattered little.

Momiji slowed as he came to the room he knew Kisa was in. He felt a thump in his chest and his heart sink to his stomach. He looked down at the wizened stuffed rabbit in his grasp. He'd been in a similar situation when this rabbit came into his possession. Granted he'd only fallen off his bike. He'd been fortunate to only come under Akito's wrath a handful of times and never gotten hurt. Besides, what would Kisa have done to warrant such a beating?

He knocked on the door and waited for an answer. When none came, he opened the door slowly. Carefully he peered inside.

Kisa was lying on a small bed, no different from what one would expect at a hospital. She was the only thing in the room, as it was sparsely decorated. The necessary things were available, such as storage for medical supplies and such. There were also a few charts on the walls. Still, it was gloomy, especially if you were a child.

Momiji flinched at the thought. Kisa didn't like to be called a child. Even though she just turned eleven and was still two years from being a teenager, Kisa hated to be referred to as a child. She was trying to grow up so fast, Momiji thought. Her mother was overprotetive, sure, but why was she trying to grow up? To get away from her mother? To get away from Akito? Momiji really couldn't blame her on the latter, especially if the beating was as bad as everyone was saying.

Stepping into the room, Momjij quietly closed the door behind him. "Kisa-chan?"

The girl seemed to move in slow motion as her head slowly turned toward him. Something in her eyes flashed recognition, but she didn't smile, barely blinked. Life seemed drained from her eyes. Her skin was pale, bandaged in places to cover up cuts and bruises. Her hair had been cut short, so it couldn't fall into her eyes like it once did. She bowed her head instead, trying to cover the pain and emptiness she felt deep inside.

Momiji inched his way closer, not wanting to frighten her. Finally he made it to her bedside. "Kisa-chan? Daijoubu desu ka?"

She nodded, not looking up at him.

"He hurt you really bad, didn't he?"

She nodded again, her shoulders shaking from silent sobs.

"What happened, Kisa-chan? Did you say something to make him angry?"

The girl shook her head vehemently.

"Did you do something you shouldn't have?"

The girl paused in thought before shrugging.

"You don't know?"

She shook her head. "I...he said...." Her voice was so small when she tried to talk that Momiji had to strain to listen. He leaned closer to her bedside as she continued, "He said that I didn't deserve to be loved." She sobbed loudly, tiny fists wiping at fallen tears. "Then...then...."

"He hit you," Momiji finished for her.

She nodded sadly.

Momiji patted her hand. "I have something for you, Kisa-chan."

The girl looked up then, curiosity lighting her eyes. What did he bring her? She had no idea what it could be. Then her eyes widened as she recognized the stuffed animal he placed in her lap -- just as she had done for him.

"M-m-my plush-shy," she stuttered as she picked up the tattered bunny rabbit in her hands.

"I bet you've missed him, haven't you," Momiji inquired with a small smile. "I know he's missed you."

Kisa pulled the stuffed animal closer to her and gave it a big hug. She had missed the rabbit and she had given him up for lost. She had forgotten that she gave him to Momiji. She remembered it now.

"He helped me get better," Momiji said. "I think he'll do the same for you. He's good at it, you know."

"Kn..know what?" Kisa asked.

He sat on the edge of the bed, still smiling. "Good at keeping you company...especially when I can't be there," Momiji replied.

Tears started to form in her eyes again, but this time, they were happy tears. With the rabbit still in her arms, she leaned forward and wrapped her small arms around Momiji as best she could. They stayed like that for a little while, both of them simply happy to share the others warmth. It was Momiji that pulled back first. He placed a light kiss to her forehead, then stood to leave.

"I'll check back on you tomorrow," he said walking to the door. He gave her one last smile before opening the door and disappearing into the doorway.

Kisa stared at the door, much like she did the day Momiji was in the hospital. She wanted him to come back through that door. She wanted to tell him so many things, including why she had gotten into trouble with Akito. But when he didn't come back, she hugged the stuffed rabbit closer and kissed its forehead.

"I've missed you...usagi-chan"

With a sigh, she curled under the covers and fell asleep.



~OWARI~

DISCLAIMER:
Fruits Basket is owned by Natsuki Takaya/HAKUSENSHA - TV TOKYO - NAS - Fruba Project and licensed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd (for distribution in the USA). They own furuba. THEM! Not me! *sigh* All characters are used here without permission. Please do not sue. I have no money, although I would be happy to give away my bills. ^_^