AN: This is my first shot at a Fruits Basket fan fiction. Characters are a little OOC, especially Tohru... but I tried to keep them as close to the original versions as possible.

Disclaimer: I Don't own Fruits Basket or receive any profit from my works, unfortunately...

Chapter One - Caught in the Rain.

It was later than usual when Tohru made her way home from work that evening. Momiji had begged her to stay behind for a while and play with him and how could she say no to such an adorable face? She stayed back for about an hour, being chased around by the excited Momiji who was trying to catch her, just so he could turn into a rabbit. They spent the whole time laughing together until Tohru looked at her watch and, realising how late it was, made her excuses to the saddened Momiji and took her leave.

The moon was not to be seen as clouds covered the entire sky in a dark shade of grey. Tohru struggled against the wind that was blowing strongly and begged her legs to keep moving so she could get home quickly. Tohru glanced up at the sky and saw a bright flash of lightning, followed soon by a roll of thunder. She stopped still for a moment, becoming frightened. After her pause, Tohru clasped her bag tightly around her shoulders and made a dash for the path into the tree covered park.

"Oh, no! I hope it doesn't rain just yet!!" Tohru said to herself above the loud thunder. Not five seconds after she had said this, torrents of rain came pouring down from the sky and Tohru cursed under her breath. "Always the one to speak too soon aren't I?" She dashed along the path as the rain soaked through her clothes, making her skin cold and damp.

Tohru was still running along the path when she came across a large puddle of mud that she could not possibly avoid. "AH!" Tohru yelled in exasperation. "I could have stuck to the road... but no-o-o!" she complained to herself, slowing her pace down to an extremely slow one, acting as if she were walking on glass. Tohru was just getting to the other side of the mud and let out a triumphant yell, when she slipped on her heels and came crashing down, landing back first into the sticky mud.

Tohru climbed gingerly to her feet and stepped out of the puddle. She looked down at her muddied legs and let out a defeated sigh. Seeing no point in hanging around, Tohru continued walking at a steady pace back home. By this time she was completely soaked through, covered in mud and feeling a little worse for wear. "My bag..." Tohru said, suddenly remembering something. "Oh no! My homework is going to be all wet! What will I do?" Tohru became increasingly upset as she continued her journey home, quickening her pace after the realisation of her wet homework.

The storm around her continued as Tohru trudged home. She was not too far away when, with her mind working like clockwork, she remembered yet another thing, something more dear to her than anything she possessed (besides her mother's photograph). Tohru followed the path back to the Sohma's and dropped her bag on the porch, before dashing off again, back into the howling wind and rain.

The door to the house slid open and Shigure's face peered out from around the corner. "Ah, no!" Shigure began, taking a dramatic stance "My poor Honda-san has turned invisible!" he said, staring at the bag on the porch. "Or has my darling shrunk from all this rain?" He asked no-one. Shigure picked up the bag and began looking about for a miniature version of Tohru.

"Shigure, what are you doing?" asked a shivering Yuki to the searching guardian. Shiguri held up the damp backpack and sighed. "Honda-san has shrunk!" he replied tearfully. Yuki swung a hand through the air and brushed it hard against the back of Shigure's head. "Ouch... what was that for 

Yuki-kun?" Yuki didn't answer, but looked out into the swirling rain and whisked away leaves, wondering where Tohru had gone.

(Meanwhile)

Tohru ran through the thick brambles, battling against the wind. Several times her skirt became caught in some thorns and it took her a few moments to untangle the two. Finally, she reached her destination. Tohru ran over to a rock sitting not too far away and pushed it over, grabbing a fairly large sized tarp from underneath it and set to work. She pinned each corner of the tarp down over a small vegetable patch using rocks similarly sized to the one she had pushed over to retrieve the tarp in the first place. Her work done, Tohru turned on her heel and ran back home, desperate to escape the cold.

Her whole body was numb by now and she could hardly feel her legs, yet they kept moving, getting her to her desired destination. She saw a warm orange glow coming from the house and was relieved beyond words. She ran up to the porch and almost crashed through the sliding frame in her attempt to open it quickly. Tohru tripped and fell, right into the awaiting arms of Yuki, who was leaning his back against the wall.

Yuki caught her before she fell, making sure not to touch his chest to her in case he turned into a rat and she fell down. Kyou came sliding into the room in his socks and pants, almost crashing into the wall before him. Tohru was so out of breath that she couldn't thank Yuki for catching her, nor could she laugh at Kyou.

Tohru's knees buckled from exhaustion and she slid down onto the floor with the supportive help of Yuki. Kyou came sliding over to the two and just stood, looking at her. "Honda-san, where have you been?" Yuki asked, extensive amounts of worry present in his voice and in his eyes. Tohru just waved her hand at him, panting heavily. Yuki got the message and let her be for the moment until she caught her breath. Kyou left the room for a moment and returned with a glass of water which he offered to Tohru, kneeling down at her side. Tohru accepted the glass thankfully and downed its contents in a matter of seconds. A few moments had passed before Tohru's heavy breathing had subsided and returned to normal. Yuki took this as a chance to repeat his question.

"Honda-san, where have you been? I- We've been so worried about you!" Yuki gripped her shaking hand, feeling it cold and damp.

"Tohru, you're really pale." Kyou began, concern etched into his face, "We should get you out of those wet clothes... I mean-!"

Tohru managed a small giggle and nodded. With the boys either side of her, an arm draped around each of their shoulders, they supported her all the way upstairs in her worn out state and lead her into her room. Shigure came in behind them a second later, holding a towel and a steaming cup of tea.



"Ah, Tohru-chan!" Shigure smiled "It seems that we have not lost our excellent cook after all!" This said, both Yuki and Kyou sent a flying fist into Shigure's stomach, causing the man to fall to the floor. He quickly sat up, waving his hands in front of his face in surrender and backed out of the room.

"Thank you, Sohma-san, Kyou-kun, for helping me up here" Tohru said, bowing slightly to each of them in turn.

Kyou stood, staring at her small frame. He had never noticed how tiny she was until this moment. Her wet uniform clung to her figure and made her seem even skinnier than he first thought. Snapping himself out of it, he lifted a hand to the back of his head and scratched a spot behind his ear, much the same as a cat would. "Don't mention it." He said casually "Just dry and dress and we'll come back in when you're done" He smiled and then pushed Yuki lightly in the back so he'd move out of the room to give Tohru some privacy.

Out in the hall, Kyou motioned with his head for Yuki to move down the hall, Yuki did so without disagreement and they stopped a safe distance away from Tohru's room.

"Did you see how thin she was?" They both asked in unison, their voices low enough so they could not be heard.

"You noticed too huh?" Kyou asked.

"Who wouldn't notice? I wonder what's wrong..."

"You're not the only one."

"I wonder if she's eating enough."

"What do you mean? She eats every meal with us, doesn't she?"

"She does, but do you ever take the time to watch her eat?" Yuki questioned, a serious look in his eyes.

Kyou stood still for a moment "Can't say I have" he replied "Do you think we should keep an eye on her?"

"Definitely. And tell Shigure?"

"Can't see how it'd hurt" Kyou shrugged.

"Ah, you two boys getting along like this" Shigure said, wiping an imaginary tear away as he appeared behind the two "It sure does bring a tear to the eye!". Kyou scowled and folded his arms; Yuki just shook his head and proceeded to tell Shigure of their recent discovery. "My Tohru-chan? Unwell? It is not to be heard of! No! This could mean..." Shigure paused for a dramatic effect "I might have to cook my own food!" Yuki and Kyou both punched him in the stomach once more and stalked off to wait at Tohru's door.

"Honda-san, are you decent?" Yuki asked, knocking on the wood of the sliding door.

"Hai! Come in!" she replied.



Yuki grabbed the handle of the door, but before he could open it, Kyou stopped him and whispered into his ear "Don't even think about asking her about what we discussed."

"Wouldn't dream of it" Yuki replied coolly. Kyou released his arm and Yuki proceeded to open the door and step into Tohru's room, closely followed by Kyou.

Tohru was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking much better now that she was dry and in warm clothes. Yuki sat down by her feet and Kyou sat on the bed next to her. All were silent for a moment, then Tohru began talking quite fast.

"I'm so sorry I made you worry! I was only on my way home after staying back to play with Momiji and I got caught in the storm and fell over in the mud and I remembered that you're vegetable patch was going to get ruined if I didn't put the tarp over it, so I dropped my bag off here and went off to protect it from the wind which made me even later than I had anticipated and.. Oh! I never made you any dinner! Oh I'm so sorry I neglected you all how could I have done such a thing when you have taken me in like you have when there was no expectation for you to do so and you gave me a room and let me take up your time like I am now when you should all be asleep! Oh no! You should be asleep! I'm so sorry!"

Yuki and Kyou stared at her in amazement. They knew she could talk a lot when she wanted to, but she had hardly taken a breath though her entire speech. Yuki just sighed and lent forward to hug Tohru's legs while Kyou laced an arm around her shoulders. They both gave her a light, reassuring squeeze before Kyou got up and walked to the door.

"Goodnight Tohru." Kyou said as he exited the room with a wave.

"Goodnight Kyou-kun." she said with a smile.

"Honda-san?" whispered Yuki, now alone with Tohru.

Tohru jumped at the sound of her name. She had completely forgotten that Yuki was still in the room with her. "A silly thing to forget" She told herself, "when I only watched Kyou leave." She placed her hand momentarily over her heart before looking up at Yuki who was now standing before her. "Hai, Sohma-kun?"

"I didn't mean to startle you Honda-san, it' just... I-I think...You could have..." Yuki was having a terrible time getting what he wanted to say out of his mouth.

"Sohma-kun?"

"Honda-san," Yuki said firmly but gently, "it was just a vegetable patch. Why did you have to risk your health for something like that? It's just a silly little vegetable patch..."

Tohru looked at the boy before her and saw his concern, she smiled at this and reached for his hand. Yuki was looking down at his feet when Tohru grasped his hand and he snapped his head up to look at her.

"Because that is Sohma-kun's secret base." Tohru replied simply. "Because that place is what you care about most in the world." Tohru was looking into Yuki's eyes now and was determined not to 

break her connection with them. "Because you need it. And I..." She stood up, closing the gap between them "And I need... I need you to be happy" She sighed looking away.

"Honda-san... Thank you..." Yuki managed to say before looking towards the door. He turned his head back to her and gave her a lingering, tender kiss on the forehead before walking over to the door and leaving the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

AN: So what did you think? Leaving your opinions in a review would we really nice... flames are welcome, but please be nice about it... constructive criticism!! That's what it's called.

I'll update with the next chapter after I've recieved my first set of reviews. It'll give me a chance to adjust my story if i need to.

Until next chapter then!

-X-Nefertiri-X-