✔Summer Rain |Fruits Basket| HatsuHaru Sohma

20- Caught

  Haru knocked gently on Hatori's door, trying his best not to wake the girl in his arms.  He glanced down at her, smiling softly when she curled up tighter against him.

  "Who is-  Haru?  Is that- Mei!  Is she alright?"  Hatori asked, closing the door behind him so the trio was standing in the foyer to the office.

  "She's been missing too much sleep, so I made her come here."  Haru spoke quietly.  "Do you think she can spend the night here?"

  "That's not- that's not a good idea."  Hatori shook his head, glancing nervously at the doorway.  "I've got a lot on my plate right now and-"

  "Please."  Haru wasn't one for begging, but as of now he'd do anything.

  Hatori hesitated for a moment, the nodded with a small sigh.  "But just give me a moment, I have something to take care of first."

  "Can I set her down on the couch?"  Haru asked, pushing past Hatori and heading for the office area.

  "Haru wait!" 

  Haru froze, his eyes landing on the figure sitting on Hatori's desk.  He held Mei a little tighter to him, afraid of what to do next.

  "Haru!  What a nice surprise!"  Akito grinned, standing up.  "Don't be shy!  Continue with what you were doing."  The head's eyes flickered to Mei's body silently.  "This is Mei?"

  Haru moved stiffly, setting Mei down on the couch so that she was laying down.  He covered her with one of Hatori's blankets, then turned to Akito.  "Yes."

  "She's an ugly little thing."  Akito hummed, hopping off the desk.  "Is she sick?"

  "No."

  Akito snickered quietly, kneeling down beside Mei's head.  They played teasingly with a strand of her hair, making Haru go rigid.  "Hm."  They hummed.  "She resembles Rin in many ways, doesn't she Hatori?"

  "Stop it!"  Haru hissed.  "The two of them have nothing in common with each other!"

  Akito licked their lips with a chuckle, and stood up.  They made their way over to Haru, latching their hands onto his uniform top.  "Haru, Haru, Haru.  My sweet stupid monster."  They grinned evilly.  "Do you say that because you know I'm telling the truth?  You're in far over your head.  Get out before it's too late."  With that, they detached themselves from him and brushed past both men, disappearing from the office and shutting the door behind them.

  "Haru?"  Hatori spoke softly, knowing that it was what the boy needed.

  "Shut- shut up."  Haru said weakly, making his way back over to Mei's side.

  "I'll make some tea for when she wakes up."  Hatori nodded, glancing at the two one last time before heading into the small attached kitchen with a sigh.

  Haru slid to the floor beside the couch, a wracked sigh coming from his mouth as he stuck his head in between his knees.  Akito always made him feel the worst, and he just had to take it.  He sat up, turning to look at Mei.  Part of him was happy that Akito hadn't done anything to her, but the other part of him knew that meant they were just teasing him.  He rested his head against the couch cushion and brought a hand up to her hair, twisting some of it in his fingers before tucking it behind her ear.

  "Mm-"  He drew back as she stirred in her sleep, grumbling to herself and curling tighter into the blanket.  Her eyes fluttered open sleepily, adjusting to the dark around her as he stood up.

*****

  "Welcome to the land of the living sleepy head."  Haru spoke up, leaning against Hatori's desk.

  I sat up slowly, looking around the foreign room for a moment before yawning.  "How long have I been out?"  I asked sleepily, pushing the blanket off of my lap to stand up.

  "We got here a few minutes ago."  Haru hummed.  "Hatori, she's awake."

  Hatori came out of the kitchen holding a tray of tea cups and a kettle, his stethoscope around his neck and a small smile on his face.  "Hello Mei."

  "Hello Hatori.  I'm sorry if we've barged in on you so suddenly-"

  "Its quite alright.  I'd much rather take a look at you than have you get any worse and not tell anyone."  He chuckled.  "I made you some tea, Haru are you going to be joining us?"

  I glanced up at him for a moment and he stared down at us with a glazed, zoned out look on his face.  "Haru?"  I cocked my head.  "Did you go dark while I was asleep?"

  "No.  Be quiet and do what Hatori says.  I'm going home."  He snapped out of his daze with a small shake of his head.  "Goodnight Mei."

  "Oh- goodnight!  Thank you for bringing me here!"  I gave him a smile as he headed for the door.  "I'll see you wednesday!"

  "Right.  Yeah."  He shut the door behind him, leaving Hatori and I in the room alone. 

  "I'm sorry about that."  Hatori sighed, pouring some tea.  "I told him I wasn't sure the estate was the best place for you and he got upset.  But it's alright now, we've got everything sorted."  He pulled out his stethoscope and sighed.  "Alright, breathe please?"

  I took a deep breath, glancing towards the door.  It seemed like Haru was always mad or upset about something.  "Does Haru ever have fun?"

  "What?"  Hatori glanced up from where he was writing down some notes.

  "Haru.  Does he ever have any fun?  He always seems so angry."  I bite back a yawn as I look at him.

  "Sure he does.  He's always fighting Kyo and Yuki, that's fun to him for some reason."

  "But I mean does he have any real fun?  Like does he go out and do normal kid things?"

  "He's had a lot more fun since you've come around, I doubt he'd admit it though.  Momiji was telling me you're planning a trip this week?"  He questioned.

  "Yes!  I wasn't sure if I would be able to get away from my mom for long enough, but I think I've got it under control."

  He took a deep breath, putting his things away.  "Mei, just make sure she doesn't over work you.  I've gathered enough information that I can assume she's behind your behaviour, am I correct?" 

  I nod.  "Yes but-"

  "You can say no sometimes Mei.  She doesn't own you, no matter what she wants you to think."  He sighs.  "I'll make us some dinner, get some more rest.  You're falling asleep where you sit."
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Word Count: 1090 Words