Disclaimer: I own Fruits Basket? No, no, only Takaya Natsuki deserves the honor. I just play. The song belongs to Lifehouse (bows).

Author's notes: Lime warning. I seriously need a beta-reader. Anyone free? Maybe I'll do a better version of this crap one day . . .

{Hatori- POV)

*Find me here

Speak to me*

I sneeze as small droplets mingled with falling drops of water. The rain soaks into my clothes and my hair drenches. I sneeze again. I want to catch pneumonia and die of it. It hurts too much.

The god's a bastard. But I was supposed to have protected Kana. Yet I failed to do so. My hands reach forward. They slowly collected water. They open again as the rain slowly drips away from my hands.

My eyes gaze to the gray heavens. The sky is decorated intricately with thin tufts of dark clouds. I sniff. My nose is perhaps red by now. Shigure's singsong voice plays in my head:

"Hatori, the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose."

Yet, it doesn't create the slightest emotion in my head. My heart is sinking low. I slowly move the bang of black hair away from my blind left eye. I've hidden it for so long.

Sometimes, I feel despair sinking me. I long to see the world with both eyes. It was so much better then. I breathe a few more sighs as the rain splashes on my cheeks. It isn't the only colorless liquid that goes down my face. I can almost taste the tears. This is too much.

Kana hated the rain. I wanted to please Kana, so I lied about my true feelings toward the rain. I still miss her. A patch on my heart burns. I can feel the rain in my shirt, now. It doesn't burn anything down.

I want have something to hold onto. I damn well know where I am; yet I'm alone and feeling lost.

*I want to feel you

I need to hear you*

{3rd person POV}

Mayuko walked along the road near the park. She cursed beneath her breath, as there were no taxis. She could get a glimpse of someone standing in the rain, soaking in it. She jeered.

"Baka."

She took a look at it, this time for carefully. She raised her eyebrow.

'No, it couldn't be. Hatori?'

Maybe, this wasn't worth wasting her time on. But she was curious. She had time to kill.

A few circles formed on the muddy puddles. Her sneaker almost soaked in the water. It wasn't too long before she reached the figure.

It breathed slowly and had a painful expression. She stood on the pavement staring at him, quietly. She didn't really want to come too close. It looked so much like him. Maybe, she'd just been foolish like always. She set her feet on the wet grass and twirled the black umbrella over her head a little.

"Hatori? What are you doing here?" Her soft eyes were fixed on his face.

He turned to his left to see her. The wet, black bang fell over his eyes again. He looked a little confused.

"Mayuko?" He whispered her name softly.

Her anxious eyes examined his face; he looked distressed. She wanted to hold him close. Anything to wipe that look off his face. She grabbed him by the wrist.

"Silly idiot," she referred to him. "What were you thinking?"

Her touch was a tad too harsh, but as she dragged him along, he knew he didn't resist, he hadn't resisted the pain. Mayuko's brashness was nothing compared to it. Maybe, she could knock some sense into his head.

*You are the light

That is leading me*

{Hatori- POV}

I can see her calm herself before entering the guestroom. I don't deserve this but still she enters in, caring. The expression in her eyes point out anxiety and care though she may seem angry.

She holds a mug in her hand and stirs the beverage with a spoon and clicks it on the edge of the mug before she hands it to me.

"Here."

I can see her scurrying to a corner of the room that has a cupboard. She's looking in the drawers for something.

I take a short of sip of my cocoa as I watch her approach me. She hands me a tablet. I quickly drink it down with my cocoa. I wince from the hot liquid burning my tongue.

"Are you okay?" She quickly sits down on the bed near me. Her voice becomes smooth and soft, loosing the usual masculinity in it.

You'd never expect her to look like this. Maybe it's because of her casual behaviour.

"You didn't have to do this," I tell her, taking a guilty sip of the cocoa.

She looks at me, her brown eyes loosing its crudeness and softening. I can't but be awed for the trouble she went through for me.

*To the place where

I find peace again*

There's something quite soothing about her presence or maybe it's just the sound of rain and silence in the room intermingled.

I brush the bang away from my eye as I take another sip.

She stares at her brown pajamas; perhaps she's looking for words that aren't coming out.

Despite the heavy feeling in my heart earlier, I can breathe peacefully for a while.

"Baka," she says all of a sudden. I'm careful not to choke on my cocoa.

I look at her as she quickly goes back to looking at her lap.

"You heard me, baka," she says. "Don't you have any common sense? You're a doctor."

I laugh a bitter laugh. She goes back to looking rough.

"What's so funny?" She demands.

"Mayuko," I look at her. "I smoke."

I can see her frown, apparently from my lack of shame. The serious look returns to my face. I'm not in the mood for laughing.

"I'm surprised no one worries about you. Smoking is bad for your health and you'd have caught a really bad cold." She rebukes. "Someone has to take care of you. It won't stop raining till evening. You have to stay here through the afternoon." She strictly adds.

You can see the fine lines of annoyance in her smooth face. She looks like she cares.

I don't give much attention to her glares and go back to sipping my cocoa. I breathe a little heavily and lean back on the pillow behind.

She slowly moves her hand up my cheek, brushing it lightly over and over again. I can understand care when I feel it. I close my eyes and savor the touch, leaning my cheek on her hand.

*You are the strength

That keeps me walking*

I can feel the kind of support I've wanted. She has a certain softness about her and she doesn't annoy me like Shigure or Ayame does while comforting me. Though I'm certainly gratified by her gestures, I'm confused.

"Mayuko," I call her name softly.

She loses her roughness in speaking again and her voice turns not feminine but smooth.

"Help me cry." She doesn't move her hand away from my cheek at my absurd talk but I can feel some sort of reluctance from her.

"There's too many barriers around me," I continue. "I built them myself. I can't break them."

I sigh sadly. Maybe she would scold me again.

"Have you ever tried after she . . ." she doesn't finish her sentence. She can understand.

"I tried but I felt it would fall apart if I . . ." I stop. I try to let tears come to my eyes.

I can't bring them to my eyes though.

I'm desperate to.

*You are the hope

That keeps me trusting*

I can hear a series of sobs soon after. They become incessant. I open my eyes from the peaceful bliss as Mayuko breaks into tears withdrawing her hand to help them bury her face.

A few strands of blond hair fall forward as she weeps.

"Oh, Mayuko," I slowly take her into my arms. "Why are you crying?"

"You . . . you can't move on," she says between the sobs. "Kana can."

She sobs harder as she wraps her arms around my shoulders as her face buries into my left shoulder. I keep a certain amount of distance from her figure.

It breaks my heart that she has to cry for me. Yet somehow it lightens me up.

Kana and Mayuko have a few things in common- they're loyal and loving people, though with Kana what you see is what you get and they give hope to people, Mayuko however does it in the oddest ways.

I never thought I could cry after she left me. Crying is supposed to make the heart lighter but I'm too loyal to my ethics. I see tears fall down from her yes for a man who couldn't cry and probably doesn't deserve those precious tears and I'm touched.

*You are the life to my soul

You are my purpose*

I can feel my chest getting warmer.

Her sobs stop for a while and she looks up at me with those eyes. I never really expected to find her so vulnerable. I want to hold her close.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asks sniffing. Her hands roughly brush the tears away from her slightly puffy eyes.

I lean to kiss her.

She is slightly shocked and confused.

Soon after her hands brushes against my cheek as she slowly pushes me down on the bed.

*You are everything*

My hands move up her top, touching her skin. Our kiss is intense and I want more. Her lips slowly trail down to my neck. I moan at the shivers she sends down my spine. Her hands dig through my wet hair and her head nudges against my shoulders. She puts her left hand on my chest and the right on my cheek. Her thumb slowly brushes my cheek as her knee presses against my abdomen; I don't mind women being dominant in sex, it spices things up. My hands circle her neck and slowly bring down her face to mine. I kiss her lips and her tongue brushes against my teeth. My contracts as our tongues duel. I raise my head as kiss gets more intense.

Our lips part for a while, gasping for air.

I look into her eyes and see what I've always wanted. Unconditional and unselfish love. But I can bring myself to do it.

*And how can I stand here with you

And not be moved by you? *

It's not because she repels me; it's not even because I can remember Kana.

On top of me there's a beautiful that probably knows I'm trying to use her as my ceratone. I don't want to do anything stupid by hurting her. We all see sex as something enjoyable but I make love.

True, the way she looks and her scent draws me to her and the way she cares turns me on but I want it to be special to the both of us. I can't describe what I'm feeling right now.

I start worrying about if I do something wrong and if she doesn't feel the same way and so and so. She's special, I can understand that.

I feel something towards her, not exactly love, not exactly passion. Somewhere in the middle.

I really want to make this something special. What if she's just trying to please me? I wouldn't want to use her to rid of my pain or lust.

I want her because she's loving behind the exterior. Her devotion, her subtle sweetness, her taste, her touch . . . and the way she cried for me.

I can't lie here and not be moved by her.

*Would you tell me?

How could it be any better than this?*

What if it's all just lust? What if I later myself feeling stupid?

"It's okay," she replies. She gets up from my form. "I couldn't have taken advantage of you anyway. Besides I don't think I could be with you and not turn you into a sea-horse."

I'm surprised she knows, maybe Shigure ratted but I'm not changing the subject.

"You taking advantage of me? It's the other way around."

"Is it?" She asks her eyes turn a little sad as a bitter sweet smile crosses her face. "You were always so practical, calm and collected, which was one of the reasons I liked and still like you . . ." she stops suddenly realizing she's said too much. I never knew . . .

"I guess I let the cat out of the bag, huh?" She chuckles.

I'm surprised, but I'm not really in the mood for talking much now.

My head gently falls on the pillow.

"I'm sorry Mayuko," I apologize.

"You needn't be."

"Mayuko?"

"Hai."

"I need a friend. Can you just stay here for a while, you know comfort me?"

"Sure."

She lies down beside me keeping a certain distance. Her arm falls across my chest. I can feel the warmth again.

*You calm the storms

You give me rest*

"Is it ever going to be alright?" I ask. I blind myself.

"What?"

"The loneliness, the pain, sometimes I wonder if I'm ever going to get better."

"Mom once told me if you really believe in it."

"I need a hug."

"Excuse me."

"I need to be held."

She holds me in her arms as I transform. It's foolish of her not questioning me but she wants to make feel better. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

She strokes my back. I can feel shivers run down my spine. Her index finger runs up and down my back. She holds me tighter. She keeps me warm. She says a few nice things, even regrets the fact she doesn't really have much tact in these things.

I feel the calming effect she has on me. I haven't felt so good in quite a while. I can relax.

*You hold me in your hands

You won't let me fall*

I still stay in her arms in my seahorse form. She doesn't seem to care. She just holds me tightly. I can feel the sense of security sweeping over. I can really feel peace.

I felt suicidal not less than hour ago yet I want to live through this moment now.

There's nothing sweeter than being held close and given shelter.

*You still my heart

And you take my breath away*

I love the sound of rain and silence. There's nothing more soothing than the sound of rain falling softly on the ground. It's probably just drizzling now. I turn back into a human again. I don't transform.

"Huh?" She says looking at me as she holds my human form.

I'm surprised myself.

"You're not transforming," she says quietly.

"I know." She doesn't scream or get up or even make much of a deal about it.

She's quiet. She slowly removes the bang from my forehead.

She strokes my face.

Her calm and caring aura, it's just . . .

I'm touched.

She stills my heart with her soft smile and her peaceful features. I find my face not more than an inch apart from hers. She takes away my breath as the both of us wonder if we should.

*Would you take me in?

Would you take me deeper now?*

"Do you want to?" She breathes on my lips.

"If you . . ." I don't wait for an answer.

My lips collide with hers and nothing else matters.

I can hear the sound of rain outside as we make love. True. There's nothing more soothing than the sound of water falling from the heaven and quietly being held in the arms of your lover. This is everything for me.

*'Cause you're all I want

You are all I need

You are everything

Everything.*