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Ayame

A Fruits Basket fanfic by Sakura.

Standard disclaimers apply.

 

 

With lots of thanks to Miss Jae for the grammar check.

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When the bowls of gyuudon are emptied and stacked on the floor, the beer cans are brought out from the cooler, and curlicues of cigarette smoke lazily waft toward the ceiling, the inevitable happens.  

 

“I have good news!” Ayame crows, rapping knuckles on the tabletop for attention.  “Listen up!  This afternoon, Yuki --- you heard that right, YUKI --- paid me a compliment!”

 

He does not get the response he wants.  A sleepy half-smile tugs at his cousin Shigure’s lips, and his other cousin, Hatori, only leans against the wall and closes his eyes.  They both had a long day -- too many patients or too many pages to write.  Neither is in the mood to listen to anything that entails thought, such as Ayame's never-ending quest for brotherly love.  But their lack of interest only fuels his enthusiasm; he leans forward, eyes sparkling, tightening his grip on his beer can.  “I made Tohru-kun a new dress, you see, used up all my lace and ribbons on it, and made her model it for him.  You should’ve seen the look on his face!  Ah!  He loved it, every single inch of it.”

 

He pauses to take a swig of beer, already drunk with triumph.

 

“I thought he paid you a compliment.”  Hatori finally speaks up, eyes still closed.

 

            “He did.”

 

            “What did he say?”

 

            “You mean what he really said, or what he was telling me, subliminally?”

 

Shigure chuckles.

 

“What came out of the boy’s mouth, I mean.”  Hatori idly opens an eye and fumbles in his pocket for a lighter.

 

Ayame shrugs.  “He told me to get myself and the dress out of the house.”

 

Shigure chokes on a mouthful of beer, and Hatori pauses in mid-puff. 

 

“BUT!”  Ayame holds up a finger.  “His eyes were telling me he loved my design, and I just knew he wanted to see more.  He was just too shy to tell me that outright, that’s all.”

 

“Yuki always speaks his mind,” Hatori comments, while Shigure coughs and gasps for air.  “If he told you to get out, chances are that was really what he wanted to tell you.”      

 

“You don’t get it, Ha-san.”  Ayame shakes his head.  “His eyes, I tell you, his eyes were sparkling, drinking in every detail!  He loved it, I’m sure of it!”

 

“That’s because Tohru-kun was in it.”  Shigure finally calms down enough to speak.  “If another girl was wearing it, he wouldn’t even give it a second glance.”

 

Ayame’s spirits dampen as his cousins exchange knowing nods.  They are right; they know Yuki better than he does.  His fingers tighten on his beer, unnoticed.  Shigure steers the conversation toward other things, and Hatori pulls the blinds down, shutting out the moonlight.  Ayame lets the dull chatter drift by, does not curse the lack of light, only empties his can in one gulp.

 

The beer leaves a sour taste in his mouth.           

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

The sky is dark and the waves roll menacingly toward the shore, but Yuki is laughing.  He is standing near the edge of the water, small hands full of shells, letting the surf tickle his toes.  His giggles lapse into coughs every so often, and Ayame winces at the harsh sound. 

 

He hates the beach. 

 

            / Uwaaa! /  Yuki lets out a scream of wonder.  / ’Niisan! /

 

            / What? / Ayame grumbles.

 

/ Bird! /  Yuki tries to point at something in the distance, and drops a shell in the process.   

 

Ayame glances at the white bird perched on a rock not far off. 

 

/ Bird! /  More shells are dropped.  / Bird! /

 

/ It’s a seagull.  Kamome. /

 

/ Ka…mo…me. /  The unfamiliar word rolls off Yuki’s tongue.

 

/ Yes, a kamo--- oh, there it goes. /

 

The seagull, stark white against the sky, soars into the air, spreading its huge wings.  Yuki’s eyes widen with wonder --- his fingers loosen their grip on the shells, and they all come tumbling down---

 

 

 

 

“Tenchou?”

 

Ayame jumps.  He is seated at his worktable, a pen in one hand and a pad of paper in the other.  Mine, his shop assistant, is standing beside him, holding a cup of coffee.  She sets it at his elbow before gazing down at him curiously.  “Is anything the matter, Tenchou?”

 

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”  He shakes his head and smiles at her.

 

“I see.”  Mine’s eyes twinkle behind her glasses.  “You’ve been staring at the wall for half an hour now.”

 

“Sorry.”  He laughs and picks up his cup.  The rush of coffee down his throat is warm and pleasantly sweet.  “I’ve been strange all week, haven’t I?” 

 

“Oh yes, definitely.”  Mine has moved to her own worktable, holding up various pieces of fabric to the light, but he knows she is still smiling.  “You’ve been quite out of it ever since you made that dress for Otouto-kun’s girlfriend.” 

 

“Soon-to-be girlfriend.”

 

“Hmmm.”  He knows her smile has widened.  “But Otouto-kun is very shy.”

 

“Yes, ridiculously so.”

 

There is a comfortable pause as Mine puts all the fabric away, tucking everything inside a box, carefully shutting the lid.  When the question finally comes, it does not surprise him.  “Would you like to talk about it?”

 

 

[ snip ]

 

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