Lost and Found A 'Fruits Basket' drabble Sephy For Kira. "Shigure... What are you doing?" The dog rolled onto his side, face dimpling with a grin as he propped on his elbow, gazing down at Hatori. "Why, I do believe I've crawled into bed with you. That's not a problem, is it?" "I'm not in the mood for this, Shigure," Hatori growled. "Get up and go to your own damn bed." Today ... had not been pleasant, the numbed malaise in which he spent so much of his time ripped away, the wound bleeding anew. Today the first snows had fallen, the Zen garden outside his office swallowed in white, crunch-crunching when Momiji had come barreling through, inviting him to cocoa. He declined but not even he was immune to the charm of the scene, the golden bunny twirling around in the snow, his cheeks flushed and eyes dancing, Shigure coming up behind him to pick him up and throw him once, twice into the air, their laughter infectious. And the snow continued to fall as it had exactly one year ago. Only /she/ wasn't here to see it. "Ha~tori," Shigure whined. "So mean! Here I was, freezing and in need of companionship and offering myself to you, my loyal comrade, also alone --" He turned over, determined to ignore Shigure and his damned puppy dog eyes, the rush of guilt and loss his words engendered. Yes, he was alone. He had always been alone but for one moment, there had been the illusion, the dream of something else. For one moment in time, he had been -- Alive. Arms circled around his waist, and he stiffened at the feel of a chin nuzzling against his neck. "You're not alone, Hatori," Shigure's voice was low, confident and clear. "Did you really think I'd forgotten what today was?" No, he supposed not. Shigure knew. He'd always known -- from the time they were children, Shigure had understood him better than anyone, had known when he needed someone and when he needed to push everyone away. "I...miss her. Sometimes," the words came hard, revealing not even a fraction of the ache, of the bitterness he felt. His damaged eye twitched in sympathy, replaying the scene for him again -- Akito's rage, Kana's horrified face, and finally, the vase flying at his face, just before the darkness rose up, burning as water and pottery shards found vulnerable tissue. "I liked her, too." For Shigure, that was saying something. He had never liked any of the women Hatori had dated before Kana, dismissive and disdainful of them, often driving him to distraction trying to calm them down when he said something insulting. "She made you happy. You deserve to be happy, 'Tori." He grunted. "I daresay if we got what we deserved, you'd be locked away in a pound somewhere. " Shigure laughed. "I probably would. And you would come rescue me, of course." "Would I?" "Of course." "And why is that?" "Why, because you love me, silly," Shigure sounded surprised that he would even ask, as if the question was ridiculous. The words were light, teasing, like so many things Shigure said but this time--this time there was something else. An undertone, a catch, a breath, that told Hatori there was more to it. "Shigure--" His friend yawned theatrically, tightening his hold. "Go to sleep, dragon boy. I can hear you thinking so loud, it's making my head hurt." He turned again, a quick roll in the circle of his friend's arms, Shigure's face shuttered with a sleepy smile. "But-" Shigure kissed him. Fleeting and quick and changing everything. And then it was over, the dog snuggling against him, his voice muffled and reflective. "Don't think about it too hard, 'Tori. Just let it be. If it's meant --" He shrugged. Hatori stared at the ceiling, his breathing syncing in time with Shigure's, slowing and lengthening. 'Well...that was interesting.' ***End return to splash page