Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket.
Note: This chapter is rated K+ for some of the questions Shigure asks, or tries to ask anyway.
A/N: This is my OC here, so don't try and steal her. This is also a continuation of SohmaElric91's story "Mine's Cousin" that my OC was featured in. I have been given permission by the author to continue it. Hope you enjoy!
"Are we there yet Hari?"
"Not quite, but close," Hatori replied with a soft chuckle. He looked down at the girl in the seat next to him and smiled. Flora had been his girlfriend for over a week now and things seemed to be going well between the two of them. So well, in fact, that he had finally given in to her request to meet his cousin, Shigure Sohma.
"You said it only took five minutes to get there though..." Flora pouted back at Hatori, but he could tell that she was being playful. He'd seen that pout a few times already during the past week.
"I didn't mean literally, but if you look ahead of you, you'll see his house come into view." He nodded forward and she immediately looked up, her eyes brightening visibly as they took in the house.
"It's beautiful," she said brightly. "I like it."
"I'm not surprised," he smiled down at her as he parked the car in front of house. He immediately got out then ran to her side of the car and opened her door for her. "My lady," he said with a slight bow.
She blushed slightly and smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said as she stood out of the car. He offered her his arm then led her to the house, knocking on the door loud enough to make sure that his cousin would hear it even if he had been asleep.
"Coming!" Shigure called in a sing-song voice. He leapt up from his seat on the floor in his study and rushed to the door, smiling brightly when he saw Hatori standing there. "Ahh, Hari! It's been far too long! You hardly come to visit me anymore." He pouted slightly with this last statement.
"I've been busy between work and my girlfriend," Hatori replied coolly.
"Girlfriend?" Shigure blinked then looked down at Flora, smiling at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there at first. I'm Shigure Sohma." He bowed slightly to her.
Flora only smiled more and bowed slightly in return. "I'm Flora Trunfield," she replied, "and I'm very pleased to meet you. You have no idea how long I've been looking forward to this."
"Oh really now?" Shigure raised an eyebrow at her then pouted at Hatori. "Hari, you haven't been telling stories about me again, have you?"
"Not at all," she said before Hatori could answer. "You see, I'm a novelist, and ever since I read a few of yours, I've been really curious to meet you."
Shigure brightened visibly at this. "You should've told me she was a fan of mine Hari!"
"I didn't want to stroke your ego too much," he replied with a shrug.
"I'm hurt Ha-san, really." Shigure pouted at him then motioned the pair inside. "Come in, come in. Have some tea with me."
"Thanks!" Flora replied brightly, practically dragging Hatori with her as she followed Shigure to the dining room.
A few minutes later as they sat around the dining room table, silently sipping at their tea, Shigure decided to break the somewhat awkward silence. "So, Flora," he said, looking over at the girl with a smile, "you said you were a novelist? What have you written?"
"Nothing big," she said with a hint of bitterness. "I've published several short stories along with a whole collection of them, but I can't seem to find a publisher that will take any of my novel ideas seriously."
He laughed a bit nervously. "I'm sure you just haven't found the right one yet."
"I've sent both my edited and unedited novel to over two hundred publishing houses across America," she said softly, looking down at her tea cup. "It seems no one wants me."
Shigure exchanged a look with Hatori then looked back at Flora. "If you want, I can look over your work and see if I can't figure out something that might help get you published."
Flora's eyes were wide as she looked at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "You really mean it?"
"Of course!" he laughed. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't."
"Thank you so much!" she laughed.
"You're welcome," he smiled at her. "By the way, what kind of writing do you do most?"
She shrugged. "A bit of everything, really, but my novels are mainly fantasy set in today's society."
"Sounds interesting," Hatori added, causing her to jump.
"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly.
Shigure smirked as he watched the pair, noting how his cousin regarded Flora so fondly. It seemed that his cousin had finally overcome his fear of women after losing Kana when he met Flora. Without knowing for sure, though, this was all just conjecture. Time to find out the truth about them, he thought.
"Say Hari," Shigure started slowly as he poured himself another cup of tea, "where exactly did you two meet?"
Hatori raised an eyebrow at his cousin. "At Ayame's shop – Flora is Miné's cousin."
"I see. So that makes you the girl Miné was intending to set Hari up with, right?" He couldn't help but smirk as Flora turned bright red.
"I-I didn't know about that plan..." she looked down quickly.
"Don't worry, I was just curious," he said with a nonchalant shrug. "Besides it's not like it's any of my business if you two have had—"
"That's enough Shigure," Hatori cut him off with a glare.
"Sorry, sorry," he said with a nervous laugh. "I promise not to pry anymore."
"Good," Hatori said as he wrapped an arm around Flora gently. She looked up at him with a small smile then leaned against him slightly.
Most normal people would have let the subject go at that, but Shigure was far from normal. "I do have one last question for you two..."
Hatori rolled his eyes. "What is it?"
"Oh, nothing too big, really," he answered, a smirk starting to form on his face again. "But... when's the wedding?"
The couple looked at each other for a moment then glared across the table at him.
"SHIGURE!"
