I hugged him tighter. I didn't want to let go.

"It hurts." I whispered.

"I know." He nuzzled softly

-Hinata and Momiji

Momiji opened his eyes, blinding light burned him and he closed them once again.

When he blinked them open he realized where he was.

He was at their cliff. The place he had taken her to watch the sunrise. The place where he had comforted her. The place he hadn't been in nearly 3 years.

Hinata was standing in front of him, clutching the hem of her sweater.

Big whiskey colored eyes stared up at him as her long hair lazily drifted in the cold wind.

"Bunny Boy." Hinata whispered, her voice hoarse as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Momiji searched her face and nearly sobbed at the recognition that shone through.

"Heart Girl." He smiled through hiccuping breaths. "I missed you."

"I'm sorry for the wait." She laughed a choked, slightly hysterical but incredibly happy sound that made his heart burn with pure, suffocating joy.

"No. Welcome home." He threw his arms around the petite girl and held her close. The scent of cinnamon and sunflowers caressing his senses as he clung to the warmth, acceptance, love, and joy.

Suddenly his shirt was clutched to the point of ripping.

He stepped back, "Heart Girl? What's wrong?"

She looked at him sadly tears falling down as she pulled him into another embrace.

Momiji arms fell limp to his sides.

"I'm sorry." She stepped away as he fell to his knees, hands covering his face as his tears dripped down his pale cheeks.

"You aren't real, huh?" He asked hollowly.

The brunette stared down at him, silent.

"I haven't seen the spot in years but it can't look the same."

A tear traveled down her frail cheek.

"You can't have suddenly remembered me."

Another tear rolled down.

"I hugged you but didn't turn into a rabbit."

They fell to the soil, turning it a dark brown.

He looked up again and suddenly she wasn't Hinata Hayashi, 17 years old, with long brunette locks, shy and closed off, no memory from her time with everyone who cared for her.

She was Hinata Honda, 14 years old, short brown waves, sarcastic and expressive, carved and molded by years of love and joy.

She held out her delicate hand, he took it hesitantly, scared that if he touched her, she would disappear, as she lifted him up he was reminded of how small she used to be.

Hinata Hayashi stood at his shoulder but Hinata Honda stood at his stomach. She looked up at him and smiled before punching him straight in his gut.

He doubled over, coughing and spluttering in bewilderment.

"W-What?"

"Stop looking at me as if I'm dead." She said bluntly.

"I'm not-"

"Stop looking at me as if I'm two separate people."

"I-"

"Stop crying for me." She finished.

"..." Momiji looked down at her face that scowled at him, it almost reminded him of a child's pout.

"Sorry Hinata." He smiled sheepishly.

"Liar! You're still crying!" She reprimanded.

"Ah, you're right." He laughed lightly, wiping away the falling tears.

"Momiji, stop crying for me." Hinata said softly.

"I can't." He stared at her face, soaking in every detail.

"Yes you can. I'm not this anymore Momiji."

"This?"

"I'm not 14 anymore Bunny Boy and neither are you."

Momiji blinked and realized that he, like Hinata, was 14 again.

Hinata was eye level with him, even a bit taller.

"How...?"

"You're stuck in the past Momiji. That much can be seen in this dream. Stop comparing the girl out there with me. We are one in the same." Hinata said forcefully.

"But-"

"Instead of hanging onto old memories, make new ones. I'm not telling you to forget everything we've ever did, but I don't like this. I don't like seeing this. I hate seeing you cry, doubt, and crumble into yourself. Hayashi and Honda are just names. They don't define me. I might not ever remember what we used to be. But please, let me remember what we could be." She smiled softly.

"I love you. I never...never got to tell you, but I love you." He cried, holding her close.

Hinata pulled back, an astonished look on her face.

"Y-You do?"

"Yes! So please don't leave again!"

Hinata sniffled and punched his head, "Dummy, stop acting like I'm dead. You need to let me go. This isn't me anymore. If you really love me..." She hesitated, "then you'll fall for the girl out there."

"I can't let you go." He whispered.

"You have to."

"I can't!" He shouted.

Gasping, he straightened himself and looked wildly around him.

He was in his room, Hinata's old charm bracelet sparkled from its place at his side table.

But Hinata was no where to be found.

The crisp autumn wind drifted lazily into the room as sunlight lit up his blonde lashes as he stared longingly into nothing.

"It was a dream...huh?"

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"Momiji?" Hinata called from outside his room. "We should really get going."

"Okay." He called standing up and smacking his cheeks before forcing a smile on his face.

Hinata looked at him with worry.

"Momiji, are you okay? You look really pale." She reached up and felt his clammy forehead.

"How forward of you Hina-chan~!" He laughed.

"You feel hot." She pursed her lips.

"I'm glad you think so." He winked.

She gave him an unimpressed look and rolled her eyes with amusement.

"I suddenly really want to kiss you." He slurred and fell forward.

"M-Momiji?!" Hinata cried out as he fell over her.

Poof!

Panicking, she barely caught the little yellow rabbit.

She stroked his furry forehead and winced at the steadily growing warmth.

"If you were feeling sick you should have told me." She scolded the flushed rabbit.

Momiji only nuzzled deeper into her arms as sleep began to overtake him.

Just as he faded into the soothing darkness, he heard the door open and a familiar voice.

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He wasn't at the cliff anymore.

Momiji was sitting at the tree Megumi, Hinata, and he would sit at during recess in middle school.

A younger version of himself was there.

About 6*?

He approached the young brunette and the black haired boy.

They smiled and scooted to make a seat.

Within moments they were laughing and smiling like old friends.

"You are clinging to a wish that can't come true." A voice said behind him.

Hinata Honda, still 14, stood behind him, watching the scene play on with lingering sadness and sympathy in her whiskey colored eyes.

Momiji looked at her, confused.

"You wish to have approached us sooner. To have spent more time with Megumi and I. But would that have changed anything? Merely having more time?" She asked.

Momiji didn't answer. Couldn't answer. He knew she was right. But he longed for it.

To have the irreplaceable memories that were stolen from Hinata and weighed heavily on Megumi.

"Clinging to the past and false wishes will only bring you pain." She tried to reason with him.

He turned away as she resorted to begging.

"Please, don't do this to yourself!"

He only turned back to the scene of the little blonde, brunette, and black haired children smiling and laughing.

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"Hello?" A voice called out from the front door.

Hinata's eyes widened in fear as she ran over Momiji's scattered clothes and rabbit form.

She bit her lip before grabbing the clothes and hurrying into the room, she closed it with a soft click that the shuffling footsteps froze at.

Hinata looked around panicked, she only had time to throw the clothes into a hamper before the door was opened and she whipped around with wide eyes and a pale face.

In the doorway stood the prettiest guy Hinata Honda had ever seen.

Her cheeks burned as she took in his appearance.

Light lilac hair fell gently over his porcelain pale skin that was accented by the deepest amethyst eyes she had ever seen.

He was frozen at the door and looking at her with a light pink dusted over his cheeks. He stood only an inch taller than her so she didn't have to crane her neck like with Momiji who practically towered over her.

Only then did Hinata feel sloppy next to him.

Her slightly curly hair had fallen back revealing her school uniform that had a couple of buttons undone. Her scarf had drifted to the floor and her skirt was half falling off her tiny waist. Momiji was nestled in her arms only adding to her sloppy appearance.

Honey brown met amethyst and colors exploded across her vision.

"Oh I didn't see you there Honda-chan." He smiled kindly at the timid girl behind the kind brunette.

She waved with a small smile before stepping back.

Yuki's eyes softened. "You've grown haven't you?" He whispered under his breath.

"W-Who are you?" Hinata stuttered out, stepping back.

Hurt flashed briefly over his gentle eyes and he smiled, brittle and bitter.

"I am Yuki Sohma, Momiji's cousin." He said softly.

"M-Momiji's? Can you...?"

"I used to be able to." Yuki smile gently. "I was the rat zodiac."

"The rat...h-how did you break the curse?"

"I'm not completely sure myself." He lied, a bitter taste in his mouth.

"You're the cousin that lives with Momiji?" She questioned suddenly remembering the blonde boy mentioning sharing the house with a Yuki.

"Yes, that would be me." He smiled calmly and gently took the rabbit from her arms.

Immediately the golden rabbit struggled and bucked unconsciously before blinking his bleary eyes open.

"You're worrying your guest Momiji." Yuki chided.

Momiji blinked at him with feverish eyes and whined.

"You're fever is quite high. Go back to sleep." Like a calming spell the golden rabbit settled down and his glazed eyes closed, leaving the lilac haired male with the brunette girl who he wanted to tell a million and one things about but instead settled for a gentle smile.

"How about you head to school? I'll take care of him."

"Ah, okay. Thank you Sohma-san."

"Please call me Yuki."

"Thank you Yuki-san."

This was going to be harder than he thought.

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Momiji was in Hinata and Tohru's room.

On the bed was himself and Hinata holding hands, smiling, and enjoying life in general.

Younger Momiji had just reached over to kiss her.

"This didn't happen Momiji." A voice said behind him.

He turned slightly and saw a separate Hinata.

He flinched at her words and turned back.

"You can't change the decisions of the past." She continued.

He stared blankly ahead.

"If only I didn't have a fake crush on Tohru." He choked out.

"It's kinda hard for a boy not to have a crush on her." She comforted.

"If only I separated from Akito sooner."

"I know it was scary for you."

"If only we hadn't gone out that day."

"Then I still wouldn't have known you loved me."

"It isn't fair."

"Everything happens for a reason." She said firmly.

"But why us?!"

"I don't know but we can't change it."

"If I could just get her to remember..." He bit his lip.

Hinata sighed,"you still aren't viewing us as the same person."

"Because you aren't!"

"Yes we are Momiji." She said firmly.

"If she was you, she would remember me!"

"We don't have a choice!" Hinata screamed, finally fed up with his denial.

"I want us to remember you so much it hurts. But we don't have a choice." Hinata blinked back the angry tears as Momiji continued looking on blankly, stubbornly.

"Momiji please!" Hinata choked out as she fell next to him, gripping his shirt tightly.

Not real.

"Look at me!" She pleaded.

She isn't here.

"Please!"

Momiji was alone.

The wind howled wildly as the younger Hinata felt the chains that trapped Momiji in the past tighten and she sobbed hopelessly, beating his arm with her fist.

"Stop...please..."

Her only answer was the violent wind that rattled and tore apart the bedroom as Momiji sat there in the room of carnage and disaster, his own cage of traumatic hell.

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"Hinata!" An angry voice yelled.

Hinata, who was lost in her thoughts and worries, squeaked as her arm was roughly grabbed.

"H-Hidea-"

"You're staying with that damn Sohma?" He snarled.

Hinata flinched back in shock and tried to step back but was held in place by his tight, bruising grip.

"What's t-the problem?" She asked with a slight tremble. She had never seen her brother like this. Ever.

"He's a freak. He's a womanizer. He's a cocky bastard!"

"How would you know? We got here 3 days ago." Hinata challenged, a swirl of defiance tickling her insides as she stood a little taller, tremble and waver gone. Only fierce protectiveness in her honey brown eyes glowed.

Hideaki felt his insides squeeze in panic, it was the same look she used to give him. But she couldn't get her memories back right?

"I just know Hinata. I don't want you near him. Switch places with me. Stay with that woman I'll take care of that bastard and everythin-"

"No." Hideaki froze and stared at his twin sister.

"No." She repeated stronger.

"You're being unreasonable." He took a deep breath.

"You can't control and dictate everything I do! I'm not a trophy or a pet or a prize to show off! I'm my own person and I won't go with you Hayashi!" She yelled at in the empty room he had dragged her.

Only then did she realize what she called him.

Hayashi.

She turned away and clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

"This isn't all about you Hinata! Stop being so selfish!" He yelled back, tightening his grip to the point of numbing her wrist.

Her eyes burned with angry tears.

"Selfish?!" She cried, laughing in disbelief. "You've kept me locked in a prison ever since I woke up in that room. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything and I'm being selfish? Sometimes I wonder if you're even my brother! You sure as hell feel more like a prison guard than a twin brother." She swallowed back her tears and focused on the bubbling rage.

"It was for your own protection." He said simply.

"Who cares about my protection?! I want to see the world! I want to meet people! I want to try new things! I want to fall in love! I want to have a family! I don't want to go back to being a Rapunzel without her prince!"

"No! You have to stay. You have to. You can't go anywhere." He hissed, panic leaking out of him. He was gone and she had died for cruel minutes, he couldn't ever leave her again.

"I am not a possession to be kept. I am a person." She said quietly.

He dug into her wrist harder and she flinched in pain.

Hideaki finally realized what he was doing and released her hand.

Already around her wrist was an obvious cherry red that would darken into a prominent bruise that was shaped by his fingers.

"I-I'm sorry." He whispered.

Hinata said nothing and left the room with a quiet, click.

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Momiji opened his eyes once again. Before he had waken up to Yuki force feeding him medicine before he drifted away to the abyss of his dreams.

This time the place had less than happy memories.

He was in a hall.

On one side was the room he had been born in with his mother who instantly despised him.

On the other side was the room Akito would beat him in.

In the middle was the room he was secluded to.

The door where he was born squeaked open and a thousand screams and curses echoed.

"Devil child!"

"I can't handle it."

"Make me forget!"

"Mommy will go away for her health. She won't remember you but that's okay because Daddy will love you twice as much okay? Don't be selfish Momiji."

"Stay away."

"Not part of this family."

"Hello little boy, where are your parents?"

"Don't talk to him."

"But he looks just like us Daddy."

"He isn't."

On the other side the door opened.

"Belong to me."

"Never love you."

"Alone."

"Teach you a lesson."

"This is why we'll be together forever. Because no one else wants you."

The door in the middle opened revealing a lonely blonde who sat in the corner bleeding and whispering "Alone."

All at once the doors slammed shut and the dark hallway filled with light.

Hinata kneeled in front of him, caressing his cold cheeks.

"Never alone." Hinata shook her hair and kissed his forehead. "I'll always be here, even if you can't see me."

"Not different." She kissed his nose and smiled at his tiny giggle. "Amazingly special."

"Always loved." She kissed his cheeks. "Especially by me."

He smiled and held her closer, even if the doors were only closed. Never locked.

He couldn't let this go.

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"Momiji." Yuki nudged awake.

"Hm?" He groaned,

"Eat this." He handed him a tablet.

"What is it?"

"It'll make you sleep the fever off."

Momiji took the tablet quickly, eager to go back to his Heart Girl.

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No.

Momiji tried to step back but found he couldn't.

"No..." He whimpered seeing her blank eyes.

Rain was falling heavily, the ground was muddy and the sky almost charcoal.

Blood was trailing down the side of her mouth, her pale skin like snow surrounding a red rose. Her whiskey colored eyes stared past him into oblivion. Her entire frame was...lifeless.

He stumbled forward, absently wondering why he couldn't go backwards but could go forward.*

He fell to the muddy ground and stroked her cold cheeks.

Unmoving.

He pulled her to him and buried his head in her hair.

He nearly sobbed when her scent was covered by the scent of blood and dirt.

Megumi pushed down her chest and blew air into her mouth.

Momiji's head snapped up at the memory and he gently laid her down before pushing on her chest like he saw Megumi do.

He took a deep breath before leaning down and almost pushing air into her.

A hand touched his chest. His eyes looked to see Hinata's were open.

"Do you understand now?" She asked gently.

Momiji closed his eyes and nodded, pulling her up.

"I'm so proud of you Momiji." She smiled tenderly and cupped his cheek.

His breath hitched and he leaned into her touch.

"You know I have to go know right?"

He nodded painfully.

"Thank you Bunny Boy." She smiled like sunshine incarnate as her fingertips began to glow golden.

He felt tears streak down his cheeks as he watched his past melt into the future.

"Make these...the last tears you will cry." Hinata wiped every tear away.

"I love you. I love you Heart Girl." He smiled, brushing past her hair as her heart glowed from beneath her skin.

"I..." Her breath hitched and she beamed. "I love you too Bunny Boy. Goodbye." She leaned in, a breath away from his lips before the glow was everywhere.

Starting from her fingers, she scattered into the wind as sunflower petals that stopped and pushed through the rain.

He watched her slowly scatter into the air and felt his chest lighten for the first time in years.

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"Momiji, you're fever is gone." Hinata smiled in satisfaction.

He smiled and nodded.

"You should just tell me if you feel ill." She scolded, he half payed attention before his eyes drew to her wrist.

An ugly shape of a handprint was embedded on her skin in a mixture of black, purple, and yellow.

"Who did this?" He asked sharply.

Hinata blinked before shaking her head.

"It was an accident."

"Accident my furry butt."

Hinata giggled at that and shook her head.

Reaching over she pecked his forehead before leaving the room.

Momiji watched in wonder, blushing pink before smiling happily.

Never alone. I'll always be here even if you can't see me.**

Outside the door Hinata was beet red and asking why did I do that? Over and over.

"Hinata-san are you okay?"

"I'm fine Yuki-san."

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*Momiji was unable to go backwards because his mind was trying to tell his heart to move on to the future and don't dwell in the past.

**Hinata wasn't actually in his dream. It was the spirit of the rabbit taking firm of the one he cared of the most trying to get him to move forward. He began to feel Momiji's despair which caused him to act like Hinata.

Sorry for not updating!

I hope you enjoyed ;)

3439 words