***** "At First Sight" a Fruits Basket fragment by Ysabet MacFarlane (ba087@chebucto.ns.ca) Written for "Snapdragon" ***** It's the color of her hair that first catches his eye: bleached too pale to look natural, dull under the fluorescent lights. To Kureno, the color has nothing to do with rebellion or foreignness; instead it makes him think of family and comfort, without the painful echo of a broken bond. He tries to cover the sense of familiarity with politeness; the resulting awkwardness makes her laugh, and he looks away from her hair and sees _her_. She is almost weeping with good-natured laughter at his clumsiness, her face dominated by the most open smile he has ever seen. There is nothing familiar about that smile, or the careless merriment, and Kureno wishes he could record her laughter and play it back during the dark nights when Akito has no use for his company or his touch. He is too busy trying to memorize her smile to ask her name, or to notice that he's lost a piece of his heart to her, a buried piece that whispers of freedom and choice and sunlight. [fin] ***** Fruits Basket is the creation of Takaya Natsuki, and is licensed in North America by FUNimation (anime) and Tokyopop (manga). Used without permission or the intention of making a profit. Please support the original work! "At First Sight" © 2005 by Ysabet MacFarlane (ba087@chebucto.ns.ca). Comments and criticism welcomed at the above address. This story may be reproduced and archived so long as the original text is preserved and the author's name and contact information remain attached. Notifying the author of any such use is an appreciated courtesy. NO CHANGES OF ANY KIND ARE PERMITTED.