Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Timeline ❯ One-Shot

Disclaimer: I don't own Furuba or Yellowcard's Way Away.

A/N: Well, the last Furuba song fic I wrote was written to the actual theme song. Which probably fits it better than most other songs, and really it did fit into the fic pretty well, but the writing process achieved one thing besides an unusual fanfic. I got the bloody song stuck in my head. Do you know how long, how agonizingly hard, it is to get that song out of your head? Very. Very, very, very hard. So, I'm going to try and write an actual song fic this time. And, as I just got the Yellowcard-Ocean Avenue CD, I figured I'd start there. *Bows* (Oh, and be on the look out for Because that's just part of loving someone. Coming soon, only to Mediaminer.Org.)

Warnings: MAJOR SPOILERS. Like, spoilers for the beginning and end of the series. Part of the middle too. So, unless you're okay with that or have seen the entire anime, I suggest you leave.

Timeline…

[Written to Way Away by Yellowcard]

{When he was nine}

Sohma Yuki had done it. He had built up the courage to leave Sohma House at last. He was nine years old then. He was going to get away from Akito at last. It was too good to be true. He had nothing left at the estate. He didn't know what would lay beyond, but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind. Abuse, hurt, pain…too much of it. It would be over soon.

(♪ I think I'm breaking out. I'm gonna leave you now. There's nothing for me here, it's all the same. And even though I know, that everything might go, go downhill from here, I'm not afraid. ♪)

Yeah, it was so too good to be true. Just as he was reaching the main gate, his tiny suitcase packed past full to the point of near bursting with his possessions, he saw someone standing near the gate. Shigure walked up to him and asked him where he was going so late at night, it had to be past midnight. When Yuki answered that he was going to run away, Shigure just laughed and patted him on the head. Picking him up he carried him back inside, back to his bedroom, where he sat crying all night. When morning came, Shigure returned with it. And when he entered that room, he had the best news Yuki had ever heard. He had spoken to Hatori and Akito, and both had agreed that Yuki might to live with Shigure, if he chose to do so. Overjoyed, Yuki jumped up and hugged his cousin. Things had to get better then. He had a plan at this point.

(♪ way away, away from here I'll be. Way away, away so you can see. How it feels to be alone and not believe. Feels to be alone and not believe anything. ♪)

What Shigure had not told him was that Akito hadn't been too happy about the proposition, but Hatori had claimed that it would be good for Yuki's health to get away from the estate for a while, and that had convinced the head of family somewhat. Enough to allow it anyway. That was the only reason that Yuki was to be permitted to go live with him. That and Shigure had pointed out that Yuki was about to run away anyway, and at least that way, he would still be in a Sohma house. So it had been decided that Yuki was to go live with Shigure, for the time.

{Cat's training}

Sohma Kyou was angry. This wasn't exactly new, but he was really angry now. He had to be that damn Yuki. There had to be a way to get stronger. When Kazuma had offered to help him train some more, it had occurred to him. He had to train on his own. He would never get better if his master kept restricting his training. Besides, Kazuma had other students to worry about. And it wasn't like he was Kyou's father or anything, Kyou would feel guilty about taking up Master's free time anymore than he already did. But when he tried to sneak out, his backpack filled with food and his clothes, Kazuma caught him. That was not part of the plan. But before Kazuma had tried to stop him, Kyou had placed his argument. That he needed to go train on his own, but would come back eventually. When he was strong enough to fight Yuki. When he was strong enough to win. Kazuma had still tried to talk him out of it, claiming that he could grow stronger at home too. But Kyou wouldn't hear any of it. He had grown more and more angry, and finally spat out that he was going anyway, that he would return and that Kazuma could enjoy not having the cat around in the mean time. That he could make it on his own and he would.

(♪ you can't stop me now, you can't hold me down. You can't keep me here; I'm on my way. I've made it this far now, and I'm not burning out. No matter what you say, I'm not afraid. ♪)

He had known that he had hurt Kazuma with his words, but he had been hurt too. When they had blamed him for his mother's death. But even as he trained on his own, as he had wanted to, knowing his master was home, alone, and insulted by his words-the only thing that kept him from going back was the ideal of getting strong enough to beat Yuki. He would beat Yuki. He trained hard for four long months. And during that time, his master's offer to train him went all but forgotten in the back of his mind.

(♪ way away, away from here I'll be. Way away, away so you can see, how it feels to be alone and not believe. Feels to be alone and not believe anything. ♪)

When he returned home, as he had promised he would, he was met for quite a shock. Kazuma was leaving on a training voyage of his own. His master claimed that it would not take long, but Kyou was still haunted by his own words. He had said that he wouldn't be gone long, he had left his beloved master for four long months. Now Master was mad at him and leaving to train on his own. Kyou cursed himself, but after a good ten minutes of staring at the last place he'd been able to see Kazuma, he remembered Yuki and his desire to defeat him. So he set out for Shigure's house, only to be met with another surprise. A girl. What were Yuki and Shigure thinking? Keeping a girl with them? Of course, it probably wouldn't have been a problem if she hadn't tripped. But she had, right into him. And so Honda Tohru had come to learn of their secret. After that things had gone smoothly enough, with the occasional incident and random introduction of a family member, of course. But then she had discovered another secret of his, and this one had put their friendship in much more peril than finding out he could turn into a cat had.

{Episode twenty-five}

His master had returned to him. Kyou had been so happy when that had happened. But then he'd done it. He'd taken his beads, in the rain no less! Kyou couldn't get that look of shock, even horror, on Tohru's face when he had turned into his true form. He never would, never could. He had run. Run away from her, his best friend. He was afraid of what she might do, what she might say. Would she react as his mother had? With false niceties of love and loyalty? He hadn't stayed around long enough to find out.

Honda Tohru was scared now. She had never seen Kyou like that. That fear scared her. Like a horse with a nervous rider, she had reacted to his fear with her own. Kyou turning into a monster hadn't helped matters any. But that desperation in his eyes to get away terrified her more than anything. She ran after him before anyone had a chance to stop her. She ran after him screaming out his name. But before she had found him, Akito had found her. He spoke of how she didn't belong, of making her suffer as they had. Those words caused an explosion of pent up fears and emotions that had probably existed the whole time. Existed and ignored, because she had selfishly been happy with the Sohmas. She had tripped and was crying, lying, sprawled over the roots of a tree when Akito had found her. She felt sure he would have continued had Shigure not shown up. She was grateful to him for that, but his own words were so much worse… He spoke of ending it. Ending what? What was there to end? How did they end what was? Erase her memories? She didn't want to forget. She had rose to her feet, walking away-presumably in the direction of Kyou's flight, but no. That wasn't where she went.

(♪ letting out the noise inside of me, every windowpane is shattering. Letting out my words before I speak. This is how it feels to not believe. ♪)

When Hana had woken, sensing trouble she had called Uo first. She sensed it coming from Tohru, and she didn't want to face whatever it was alone. She knew that they had to get to the graveyard, where Honda Kyoko was buried, and that there was something to do with Tohru, but the waves wouldn't tell her anything else. As they approached Kyoko's grave, she saw her. Huddled, soaked right through, shuddering on the hard marble of the grave. She dropped her umbrella and ran forward, but Uo got there before her. She had stopped short, for the waves were telling her not to comfort Tohru. Not to touch her, to hug her or anything at all. Uo bent low to do just that, so Hana stopped her, the only way she could think of. She tackled her. Uo cursed and glared, but Hana ignored her. She was speaking to Tohru now. Telling her to get up, that there was somewhere she needed to be. Uo told her to stop it, but when she tried to hug Tohru-again Hana attacked her. She explained that the waves were telling her that they couldn't comfort Tohru, and then she turned her attention back to her silent friend. She told Tohru to stand up. She had never used such force with her before. Tohru stiffened; she could see the muscles tensing through the sopping material of her pink shirt. She informed her that there was something she needed to do, something only she could do. Tohru had risen to her feet after a few more moments. Uo simply stared after her, asking why-first a whisper to a scream. Hana sobbed, knowing that there was no way for her to help Tohru this time. No way for her to help at all, she had done all she could.

(♪ letting out the noise inside of me, every windowpane is shattering. Letting out my words before I speak. This is how it feels to not believe. ♪)

{Episode twenty-six}

Kyou was remembering what had happened on the day of his mother's funeral. Lashing out against the innocent rocks he sat on, when he heard her footsteps. The short, stumbling, uneven footsteps of a fifteen-year-old girl, terrified of what her friend had become. When he looked up, he was met by dark, if not disbelieving eyes. She looked up, just beyond him. Someone else was there too. Yuki? What did he want? Kyou ignored Yuki, heading for Tohru, but Yuki wouldn't have that. He lunged forward, clamping onto Kyou's leg, tripping him. He asked them if all the Sohmas did was run away. It was more than just an inquiry, it was a demand. He demanded an answer to his question. Kyou clawed at him, creating deep gashes in his cousin's arm, tearing the white cloth of his shirt. Yuki then told Tohru to tell him the truth. No…no, he didn't want the truth. He didn't want the truth now! Her eyes were still clouded, but she looked at him. Walking forward, she wrapped her arms around his own. She told him that she wanted to go home, back to "their house." But when she said this, he followed his first instinct. He thrashed about, throwing Yuki and Tohru around like rag dolls, rather than good-sized teenagers. Tohru admitted that she was scared of him, but that she still wanted to be with him. That she wanted them to stay together. That seemed to spark something inside of him. And then, with the most peculiar of timing, the clouds parted and the sun came out. He reverted back to his form and told her that he had wanted to stay with her too. He hugged her, he needed to. And she carried a sleeping cat back to Shigure's house, instead of walking beside him.

Shigure couldn't believe how relieved he felt when Tohru and Kyou returned. He had warned Kazuma that it had been too great a risk. But it seemed that he had underestimated Honda Tohru-kun. Laughing aloud, he didn't even notice that Yuki wasn't with them. Kagura noticed him though; he didn't come back to the house. It had been hard for Yuki to go to Kyou, to help him at all. But he had. Yuki did return after a few hours, and allowed Kagura to bandage him. She thanked him for putting aside his personal feelings toward Kyou, to go help him anyway. But after she left, as he buttoned his fresh shirt, he whispered a soft thank you to her. For being so wise, and possibly breaking a tradition that would have continued on for God-knows how long: a tradition of hatred between the cat and the rat. That would end with Yuki and Kyou.

When Tohru asked to go see Akito, Shigure had been shocked, but had eventually relented to take her. The conversation had been tense between them, Akito had almost had Tohru's memories erased, but he didn't. Because, like she had with so many others, she told him exactly what he needed to hear. That someone would miss him when he died. And that she seemed to grasp the concept that he hadn't asked for this, didn't want it. He had allowed her to stay with Shigure before, he did it again.

Kyou felt relieved when they exited unharmed, and albeit a bit melancholy, relatively happy all things considering. They went home, all of them. And things went back to normal. Or, as normal as things got in the Sohma family.

(♪ way away, away from here I'll be. Way away, away so you can see. How it feels to be alone and not believe. Feels to be alone and not believe. Feels to be alone and not believe anything.♪)

~Owari~

"I'm sorry. I'm such a fool. I don't know what to do. I'm afraid, right now Kyou, I'm afraid of you. But still…I want us to stay together-together. Kyou, I want to eat our meals together, and study together, and worry together. I want to tell you all the things that are on my mind. And, Kyou, I want to listen to you. And so…I want us to stay together!" -Honda Tohru (Fruits Basket, episode twenty-six)