Her Rabbit (Fruits Basket)

Sick Birthdays

"Momiji, seriously I'm fine." I said for the thousandth time.

He only looked at me sadly and uncertainly. "If you were fine you wouldn't be on bed rest."

"It's really nothing Bunny Boy. I just got to tired."

"With a fever of 108? I don't think so Hinata." He looked down at his hands.

"Momiji..."

"You should rest," he said suddenly, "can't have you getting more sick."

I sent him one last concerned look before my eyes simply got to heavy.

I wish I hadn't fallen asleep then. A nightmare I hadn't had since I was little reappeared and caused more trouble than good.

~Momiji POV~

I watched her as she slept. Creepy? Yes, but I was worried about her. Her skin seemed to pale. The circles under her eyes to prominent. Her hair to limp. Overall she looked weak and fragile.

I hadn't seen her this delicate since the day we met. She looked so shy. A simple look would make her blush. That had been over 3 months ago. Now I was just to used to her teasing nature. Defiant and anything but weak.

It made it worse when she tried to comfort me. I got caught up in trying to cheer up her sorrowful eyes. The next thing I knew she was falling, warning me about saying my wishes aloud. She hit the ground with a sickening thud.

I remember calling Tohru on my phone in a panic, wanting to touch Hinata but knowing I couldn't.

I remember Tohru panicking. I remember every hitch of Hinata's breath. One question had circled in my mind, does she even fear death?

I felt her hand and grimaced at the cold touch. Her breathing was ragged as if something was lodged in her throat.

I felt tears rise in my eyes. This reminded me to much of my mother. How much longer until Hinata decided she wanted to put Bunny Boy and Heart Girl behind her? Until she too went to Hatori, begging for the memories of me to be gone.

I don't think I could stand it.

The first person to accept me was Hinata. Would she also be the last?

My train of thought was interrupted by a whimper.

"Hideaki" Hinata called quietly.

I looked at her face to see tears falling and her hand straining as if to reach out to someone.

Who was Hideaki? For some reason I felt my heart clench painfully.

I heard the curtain be pushed away and saw Yuki and Tohru.

Tohru's eyes looked red and puffy and her skin looks pale as if she hadn't slept.

She sat beside Hinata and took her hand.

Yuki stood by the door looking concerned. "Momiji you haven't rested or eaten since you brought her here." He said.

"I'm okay." I muttered, the name Hideaki still burning in my mind.

Yuki looked uncertain. "We have leftover onigiri, I'll go heat them up." I was about to point out he was probably going to burn down the house but he left.

"She was worse than this when we found her you know." Tohru smiled sadly.

I looked at her curiously. Hinata hated talking about anything under the time when Tohru and her mom found her.

"She was so little. Barely 2 years old. Covered in dirt, soaked with rain, covered in cuts and bruises, face cherry red with fever, doubled over with coughs, and breathing so faint you could barely notice it was there. I remember-" Tohru choked on a sob. "I remember vowing to myself that I would protect her. I guess that was silly, huh?"

"No, she's just the kind of person you can't help but want to protect." I looked down at her pale hand.

"Today's the anniversary we found her you know? We call it her birthday since we didn't know when her real birthday was."

At that moment I realized how little I knew about my best friend. Yes I knew she yearned to be a writer and a artist, her favorite color was light blue, and she had immense talent with the arts. Yet, I didn't know today was her birthday, I didn't know she was abandoned at 2 years old. I didn't know anything about the girl I claimed to be my best friend.

"Tohru," she looked up at me and nodded in acknowledgement, "who is Hideaki?"

She blinked in surprise. "She told you about Hideaki?" I shook my head. "She called his name in her sleep."

"Well, I don't know if I'm the right person to tell you but Hideaki was a name she would call for since the day we found her. When we questioned her about him when she was older she told us he was "the most important person in her life." But by then she could hardly remember him." Most important person in her life.

Throb

I fought the urge to grab my heart.

~Hinata POV~

I woke up to something wet on my face. I opened my eyes and let out a squeak. "M-Miyuki?!?" A familiar white terroir was lapping at my face.

I felt something soft nuzzle my hands and I looked down to see a golden bunny. "Hani?!?"

Shigure danced inside. "Happy birthdaaaaaaay!" I threw a book at him and he fell with a thud.

"Go away!"