Beautiful Pictures

By: Ochako107

Standard Disclaimers

Chapter 1- Ayame's Visit

Tohru woke up with the morning light filtering through her window. She yawned and shifted out of her huge bed while greeting her mother.

"Good morning mom, did you sleep well? Hm… I suppose I'll go get breakfast started." Tohru made her bed and dressed for the day. She looked through her closet of assorted clothes: the maid dress Shigure gave her in the back (way back), a red skirt, a white blouse, a green dress, a yellow sweater…

"I don't remember having this dress…" Tohru opened her closet door a little wider to see a wonderful sea blue dress that had spaghetti straps and little pink designs of cherry blossoms running along the bottom of the dress as if they were on a continuous flow around the garb. It was cut like a bell, swelling in where the waist was then flaring out slightly, apparently reaching her knees. She stared at it a moment and looked down to see a pair of candy pink shoes and coordinating ribbon to match with it.

Tohru's eyes bugged out. "Oh my! This… this isn't mine at all; it's much too pretty to be mine! But why is it in my room? Is there someone sharing it with me? Or maybe Shigure decided to hide it in my room for some reason, ah, uh…" She grabbed a blue skirt and a soft lavender tee-shirt that squared off at her neck.

"I'll wear this…" She spoke aloud while leaving her room.

Tohru hummed blissfully down the stairs trying to be as quiet as possible while passing Yuki, Kyo and Shigure's rooms. She didn't want to wake everybody up of course. She finally reached the kitchen and put a finger to her chin wondering about her tasks for the day.

"Let's see… first there's breakfast and then I'll put a load in the laundry machine while I take care of the dishes… then I'll dry and start the next load while doing some homework… oh and I promised Shigure I would look over some of his novels for a second opinion!" She heaved a sigh and opened the refrigerator to tackle the first task.

"Princess! You should not be sticking your beautiful head in such a chilly box. It must be out in the wonderful morning radiance!"

Tohru fell over and panicked slightly, "Ayame! W-what are you…? Um… I mean… ah good morning!"

"And a wonderful morning it is!" Ayame stepped back while brilliant bubbles appeared in the background. "Such a delicate flower cooped up in a dreaded place like this! Those boys should really take more liability." Ayame laughed while Tohru panicked even more.

"No, no! They do much—too much for me already, I wouldn't be earning my keep! If anything I should do more for…"

Ayame touched Tohru's face directing her eyes to his. "Well, for all your hard labor for my cousin and dearest little brother let me reward you, princess." Immediately, the snake felt two immense fists connect with his head.

Yuki's aura was flaming with anger. "Touch Miss Honda again…"

"…And we're throwing you in the freezer." Kyo finished with his fist still in the air.

Tohru sat up alarmed at Kyo and Yuki's state of dress. They were still in their pajamas and looked almost like they just rolled out of bed. "K-kyo! Yuki! What are…!"

Yuki bent down to Tohru and glared at Ayame who was sobbing. "Did he do anything to you, Miss Honda?"

"Ah, no, in fact he didn't do anything!"

Ayame stood up with a large bandage on his head. "Honestly, Yuki, you should know better than to think your own brother would do such a ghastly thing to his little brother's lady."

Yuki's face flushed red. "What? Miss Honda don't listen to him, he is just full of talk as always."

A new voice entered the room, that hauntingly dramatic 'novelist' voice. "Ah, sweet young love…"

Kyo's vein popped. "Shigure, ya damn dog, why is Ayame coming here to see you anyway?" Kyo stepped towards Shigure growling, "you better have a good reason for wakin' me up this early."

Shigure waved a hand at Kyo and Yuki. "Who ever said he was coming to see me?"

The two boys stared perplexedly at Shigure who skipped happily towards the table. "Tooohru! Ah, such a lovely breakfast as always!" The dog of the family turned to the snake, "isn't she just the best housewife? You're jealous aren't you?" He asked wiggling an eye brow.

Ayame sniffed the air, "tch, I am not jealous! I am hurt!" Just at that moment Kyo, Yuki and Tohru entered the room from the kitchen. Tohru placed the meal before them while Kyo and Yuki turned to go upstairs and change for the day. "Tohru isn't wearing the dress I've given her!"

Tohru dropped Shigure's bowl of soup while some of the steaming liquid splashed out. "What! Th-that was from you!"

Ayame leaned his hand gently under his chin while looking towards the ceiling. "Did you find it in your closet? I believe I left it in plain view and was hoping you'd wear it downstairs."

Kyo and Yuki stopped dead in their tracks, their mouths open.

'He?'

'Was in her room?'

"You sick bastard!" Kyo ran over and loud crashes were heard throughout the house.

"How dare you enter Miss Honda's room!" Yuki threw his brother through the door breaking the paper walls… again.

"Aya!" Shigure leaned over the table to see Ayame's hand up in the air.

"Don't worry 'Gure! They are merely showing me their gratitude for picking such a wonderful gift for her birthday!"

Kyo grabbed the smiling man's shirt and held his fist back. "I'm gunna to send you to hell!"

Yuki put a hand on Kyo's fist. "Hold on a minute," Yuki turned around to Tohru who was clutching her apron, wide eyed, "Miss Honda… today is your birthday?"

Tohru blinked and thought a moment. "AH! It IS my birthday! In the mist of all these chores I have to do I really didn't think about it, and with summer just around the bend I was actually thinking about Hana's birthday I completely forgot about my own and…"

"See?" Ayame waved a finger in the air laughing, "the poor girl slaves away she practically forgot her own birthday and by the looks on your faces it seems you have too!"

Kyo gripped Ayame's collar tighter. "Shut up!"

"So selfish…" Ayame continued laughing. "Besides, I gave her dress a lot of thought and I had Mine tell me her measurements and everything—the girl really has a wonderful memory—and so I had to choose the perfect fabrics and precise color to match the young princess' fulsome eyes." Ayame rambled.

Tohru shook her head furiously, "no, no you didn't have to go through all that trouble!"

Ayame held onto Tohru's hands while the shimmering bubbled background appeared, "oh, but I insist. Such a beautiful flower as you needs to dress to impress. One day your prince will come sweep you off your feet and not to mention you must look radiant for him. You never saw Cinderella meet her prince charming in those rags, did you? Think of me as your…Fairy Godparent."

'More like Fairy stupid.' Kyo thought to himself.

Yuki covered his face, 'I can't believe I'm related to him.'

Ayame turned to Shigure, "I can understand Yuki and Kyo forgetting her birthday—of course being overwhelmed by her ultimate beauty—but you Shigure! I expected more."

Shigure stopped staring and leaned back, "ah do not underestimate me, Aya, I have not forgotten! But my present," Shigure's eyes took on an impish look, "is for her eyes only."

"WHAT IS IT!" Kyo and Yuki yelled at him instantaneously. The more and more they thought about it, they were deadly afraid of what Shigure and Ayame's presents were. A dress and something for only Tohru to see?

Tohru melted down as her eyes began to swirl, "I… don't know what to say… ah… eh…this is all… too much!" She bowed while all the males there snapped their attention on the birthday girl. "Please, this is all too much and I don't know how I can repay you all back! I'm sorry I totally forgot about my own birthday and made you all in an uncomfortable position so…"

"Miss Honda, don't worry about it." Yuki softly touched her shoulder. "We forgot which is unacceptable but there's nothing for you to apologize for."

Kyo turned around to stare out the newly broken wall, "ya… I'm sorry… it's just… you never say anything about yourself. You're always wonderin' and worryin' about us! If I knew your birthday was coming up I would have…" He tightened his fist, "I don't know!"

"Nice choice of words." Yuki muttered.

"Shut up, ya damn rat! You forgot too!"

Yuki opened his mouth and closed it, "you know arguing isn't going to solve anything, you stupid cat."

"Tohru," Tohru turned her attention to Shigure who was leaning towards her, "this might take a while so… why don't you go change into that lovely dress Ayame picked out for you and take the rest of the day off."

"Oh, no but I couldn't! It's too much and…"

"Please…?" Shigure gave her puppy eyes, "please do it for us, it'll make everyone very happy. And we want you to be happy, okay?"

She stared at him for a while and nodded, "okay…"

Ayame jumped in the air for joy, "yea! Tohru is going to wear my latest fashion! The picture of innocence I tell you!"

Meanwhile Kyo and Yuki sat quietly, watching Torhu's figure disappear up the stairs. Of all things they could forget…for the most special person to them…

…they couldn't believe they forgot her birthday.

Author's Note: Well, this is my first Fruit's Basket fanfiction. It isn't going to be long but I hope it's to everyone's liking! Ah... please leave a review for me! Thank you so much!