✔Fighting Hearts |Fruits Basket| Kyo Sohma

74 - Curse

  "Sato!!"  I turned my head away from the conversation at hand, watching as Momiji barreled towards me.  "Sato!!"

  "Momiji, must you be so loud?"  I groaned, sticking my leg out to stop him from enveloping me in a hug.  "And get away from me, You're in school."

  "But-"  He started, his eyes growing wide.  "But-"

  "But?"  I sighed, standing up.  "But nothing.  You don't want to transform, do you?"

  He giggled, shrugging.  "I dunno!"  

  "Idiot."  I sighed.  "You've matured- uh- physically at least-"  I started, pointing out the obvious.  At the start of third year, he now stood a solid step or two above me.  "Start acting like it for the love of my sanity."

  "Ja, Sato!"  He saluted, putting his hand to his forehead.  "Oh!  Can you meet me after school?  I want to show you something!"

  "After- school?"

  "Ja!"  He nodded.  "It's reeeeally important!!"

  "I guess, just, please don't get into any trouble between now and then.  You're taller now, you're not little enough to fit through tiny little gaps.  Okay?"

  "Ja!  I'll see you!"  He smiled, patting me on the head quickly before running off through the doorway.

  "Is it just me, or has that kid grown a ton?"  Arisa asked, when I turned back around to join the group.  

  "Yes, it would seem that way."  Saki nodded, agreeing with her.

  "He's still a fucking twerp though."  Kyo grumbled.  "What'd he want?"

  "He wants to talk to me after school.  He says it's super important."  I sighed, leaning back against a desk.  "Bet you a thousand yen its some sort of activity or something."

  "I don't doubt it."  Kyo sighed.  "Valentines Hot Spring two point Oh?"

  "Don't remind me."  I blanched.

  He chuckled, patting me on the back.  "It was cute."

  "I'm still not convinced you two aren't dating."  Arisa hummed.  "Like, it's near impossible that you aren't."

  "We aren't?"  I frowned, crossing my arms.  

  "Whatever you say."  She sighed.  "You two are as subtle as a flying brick."

*****

  I made my way up onto the roof of the school, scanning it for Momiji.  I found him towards the end by the gated area, seated and playing with his bunny bag.

  "Momiji."  I shouted, waving him down.  "What's all this about?"

  "Oh!"  He looked up, a wide smile starting on his face.  "You really came!"

  "Yeah, of course I came, you're family idiot."  I rolled my eyes.  "Now what's all this on about."

  "Let's go for a walk!"  He cheered, grabbing my hand.

  "A walk?"

  "Ja!"  He smiled.  "Lets go to the estate!"

  "Alright-"  I looked up at him skeptically, confusion plastered across my face.  "I'm-"

  "Y'know, Sato."  He started, cutting me off.  "I've gotten a lot taller now.  I'm taller than you, and Tohru!"

  "You don't need to rub it in, but- yeah.  I know."  I agreed.  "Is that what this is about?"

  "No."  He shook his head.  "It's something else.  I- I like Tohru!"

  "Ah-"

  "And- No that i'm taller!  I want to make an impression on her!"  He shouted, pounding his fist into his hand.

  "Momiji."  I chuckled.  "You've already made quite the impression on Tohru.  I don't know that she's going to see you any other way that the little bunny that you are."

  "But-"  He paused.  "But I'm still gonna try!"

  "That's a great spirit to have."  I smiled, agreeing.  "Is that what you needed to say to me?  Thank you for sharing-"

  "That's not all!!"

  "Oh-"

  I spotted the estate in the distance, and turned to look up at him.  "Well, what else?"

  "I want to tell you- in my house."  He said quietly, his voice dropping all the sudden.

  "Um- alright."  I agreed, turning back to look at the sidewalk.

  We walked along the path to Momiji's father's second house, where Momiji lived alone.  He held the door for me, and silently we made our way into his room, where I could see Kureno working in his office from where I stood.

  "Momiji, what's up?"  I asked, turning to look at him.  "You confess that you like Tohru and all the sudden you're acting weird?"

  "Last night-"  He started, looking over my shoulder.  "Last night- my curse broke."

  "What?!"  I exclaimed, my eyes widening.

  "Yes.  My curse is broken."  He nodded.  

  "Momiji-"  I started, then stopped.

  He was crying, big tears rolling down his cheeks.  "I don't know what to do."  He cried, lifting his head.  "Sato-"

  "Momiji."  I whispered, walking up to him.  "It's alright.  I understand that it's difficult."

  "It's all I've ever known!"  He whimpered, letting his head rest on my shoulder blade.  

  I ever so carefully reached out, taking him into a careful hug.  

  Nothing.

  No magic cloud, no little yellow rabbit.  Just Momiji.

  "Oh my gosh."  I whispered, holding him to me tighter.  "Holy shit."

  "I've never had a hug before-"  He mumbled, grabbing fistfuls of my shirt.  "Not from a girl."

  I laughed a little at that, then smiled.  "Think of how many you can have now."  I said, wiping away some of his, and my, tears.

  "I know."  He giggled.  "I wanna hug Tohru!"  

  "You're still a goofball, huh."  I laughed.  "Have you told anyone else?"

  "I told Kyo this morning."  He sighed, stepping out of the hug for a second to catch his breath.  "He told me to tell you."

  "Good, good."  I nodded.  "Uhm-"  I paused, not sure how to tread on the topic.  "Does- does Akito know?"

  "They do."  He nodded.  "They came to me last night.  It was so scary, and so much all at once.  I didn't know what to do.  All I could do was cry and hide."  He paused.  "I told them to go back home, and that I would talk to them later today.  But- I'm scared."

  "It's okay to feel scared Momiji."  I spoke.  "Akito is a scary force.  You don't have to face them alone, none of you do."

  "I have to.  I need them to know I won't stay by them any longer."  He sighed, them smiled.  "Thank you, Sato.  This means so much to me."

  "Of course Momiji.  Besides, you understand what this means right?  The curse is breaking.  First Kureno, and now you?"

  "Kureno?"  He paused for a moment.  "How long?"

  "Recently I guess- I only just found out.  The curse is breaking."  I smiled.  "You're all being set free from Akito."

  He smiled, moving to hug me again.  "Yes.  We are."