Kyo: Did you hit your head or something before?

Yoruko: What do you mean?

Kyo: I mean, you've got to be crazy to write something like this.

Shigure: Now now, Kyo. There's no need to be mean.

Yoruko: Besides, better Shigure than Yuki.

Yuki: Why do you say that?

Yoruko: I think you're a jerk.

Tohru: Why would you call Yuki-kun a jerk, Yoruko-chan?

Yoruko: Never mind. I'm sure Shigure and Kyo know why I think that.

Tohru: ???

Yoruko: Hatori, please say the disclaimer.

Hatori: Yoruko does not own Fruits Basket.

Yoruko: Thank you, Hatori.

Hatori: You're welcome.

summary: Kyo and Yuki finally confess to Tohru. But are they already too late?

Cat, Dog, & Rat

It had been almost four years since Tohru Honda came to live with Shigure Sohma and his younger cousins, Yuki and Kyo. Tohru had befriended each and every one of the Sohmas that she met; even Akito- eventually. She gave the Sohmas hope and made their lives a little better. She was different things to different people- best friend, sister, flower, princess, and savior. When it came to her, Yuki and Kyo could even usually manage to actually agree about something. So it was only natural that both Yuki and Kyo had fallen for her. But there had been one problem- the curse. So, neither had told her how they felt- in their opinion, it wouldn't be fair to either Tohru or them to be in a relationship when they wouldn't be able to embrace. But that was all in the past. Over a month ago, the curse had finally been broken. So, it was no longer a problem. The only problem left to either of them was the confessing it self- more specifically, how to do it. In the end, they decided to tell her how they felt at the same time to give her a fair chance to pick between them without feeling guilty. This brought them to where they were right at that moment- in the living room with Tohru.

"Tohru-san," said Yuki, "may we please talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course." Tohru said with a smile, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Tohru san, we've known one another for while now, and now that the curse isn't a problem, I..." Yuki sighed and paused, unsure of how to continue. 'Why does this have to be so difficult?'

"Oh, for Pete's sake," said Kyo, "You're making it more complicated than it needs to be. Tohru, what he's trying to say is that..."

"Tohru, I love you!" they said at the same time.

"But don't feel rushed or guilty- as long as you're happy, we can live with your choice."

Tohru just blushed and stuttered, shocked. "I-I-I..."

"How rude," said a voice from behind Tohru, "Putting a lady on the spot like that. I thought that you both had better manners than that."

Yuki and Kyo flushed red from either embarrassment or anger.

"Sh-Shigure?!" said Kyou.

"...What are you doing here?" asked Yuki.

"Whatever do you mean? This is my home, isn't that right, my little flower?" Shigure replied as he wrapped his arms around Tohru in an embrace. Tohru merely blushed brightly then smiled and leaned into the embrace.

"...Right." Kyou and Yuki just got redder.

"You have a point but get your filthy hands off of her, you perverted mutt!" Kyou said.

"Shigure rose an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't I hug my own girlfriend?" he asked.

"G-girlfriend?!" Kyou sputtered.

Tohru just blushed and nodded, and Shigure grinned. 'Girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' wasn't quite accurate- their love and relationship went deeper than simply the terms 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend'-but it's close enough. For now, that is.

"How long has this been going on?" Yuki asked.

"Just over seven months." answered Shigure.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Kyo, "Don't you trust us? If you wanted to keep it from the others, than you could have trusted us!"

"It wasn't a secret or anything, Kyo!" said Tohru.

"You both simply neither noticed nor asked. Besides, you should have both noticed that I'd always been closer to her."

It was true, they both realized, she had always been closer to him; and if she was upset or feeling down, it wasn't usually Yuki or Kyo who cheered her up- it was Shigure. Now that they thought about it, Shigure and Tohru had always had a special connection on a level above what she had with either Yuki or Kyo. And they had prided themselves on being the two who were closest to her- except for perhaps Uotani or Hanajima. Yet she'd had an instant connection with Shigure that had taken time to develop for Yuki and Kyo, even if it hadn't taken very much time. They wished. They both looked happy at the very least. In the end, that was all that mattered to either of them- especially concerning Tohru.

"Wasn't it difficult for a while? Not being able to hug..." asked Kyo.

"At times," agreed Shigure, "but it was well worth it. Besides, I love her, and I knew that not only would the curse eventually be lifted, but that if our love was meant to be we could overcome any obstacle- even the curse."

Kyo left to go to the roof to think, and Yuki went to bed. (Or so he claimed.) They knew that Shigure had a point. They both also loved her, but because they were afraid, they lost any chance that they had had.

"Take care of her, Shigure." Kyou said as he left.

"If you ever hurt her, Hatori will be the least of your problems." said Yuki.

Tohru frowned. She knew that they cared a lot, but she never knew that they loved her. Not in that sense, anyway. She hoped she hadn't hurt them. Shigure noticed her frown, and knew immediately what was wrong.

"They'll be fine, you know." Shigure said.

"You're sure?" Tohru asked, looking up at him.

"Positive." said Shigure, giving her the soft, completely genuine smile he saved just for her, "Besides, I think that they each have something with your two friends."

Tohru smiled. She had always thought that they would look good together. Shigure laughed when she told him that.

"That is true, isn't it? They'd always looked like they belonged together. Ayame used to tell me the same thing about the two of us before we confessed. Do you remember that day?" said Shigure.

Tohru smiled softly. "I'll never forget." They both remembered like it was yesterday, and they always would.

Flashback

"I'm home!" said Shigure, who wasn't expecting a reply but had said it anyway. Kyo was spending the weekend at Kazuma's, Yuki was away at a friend's for the weekend, and Tohru said that she would be going shopping after school.

"Welcome back, Shigure! How did it go?" said Tohru.

Shigure was surprised, but didn't show it. "It went smoothly, for once. I wonder what happened with my editor. She was in an unusually good mood, said all was well, thanked me as she gave me my author's copy, and left. I thought you would be shopping?"

"I did," said Tohru, "I went to the bookstore."

"What did you get?" asked Shigure. Tohru showed him.

"Th-this is... my latest book." Shigure said, surprised. He had never thought that anyone who he actually knew would read any of his books- not even Tohru.

"That's right. I've loved your work since before I knew you were the author!" said Tohru. (Pretend he uses a pen name.)

Shigure blushed lightly. No one he knew had ever said something like that about his novels. Ayame and Momiji were the only ones who hadn't laughed at him, teased him, or been surprised to a ridiculous extent when they found out that he writes fantasy novels.

"I never knew that you read my books." said Shigure.

"They're all my favorite books!" Tohru said with a smile.

Shigure's smile and eyes softened. Tohru had always been unbelievably sweet and genuine. It was no surprise that he had loved her for a while now- practically from the start, he'd only recently realized.

"That means a lot to me." said Shigure, "You're the first one I know to say something so positive about my novels."

Tohru smiled, blushing 'I wish he would smile like that more.' "I'm going to make dinner now." she said.

"All right. What are we having?" Shigure replied.

"It's only the two of us, so I'm going to make tempura." said Tohru.

"Yay! My favorite." said Shigure. 'She's so thoughtful.'

After Dinner

"I'll help you clean up." said Shigure.

"Y-you don't have to! I don't mind doing it myself." Tohru said.

"Nonsense. It's the least I can do. I insist. You're not a maid, after all." said Shigure.

"Thank you." Tohru said once they were done and putting the dishes away.

"You're welcome, Tohru. Have I ever told you just how much I appreciate all that you do for us?" Shigure said.

He noticed that Tohru was having trouble putting a dish away. So he came up just behind her.

"Here, let me get that." said Shigure.

Tohru looked up at him, blushing, and then thanked him.

"No problem. Would you like to go see a movie?" he asked.

Tohru smiled. "I'd love to." she said.

After the Movie

"That was a wonderful movie. Thank you for taking me." said Tohru.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." said Shigure. 'She looks so beautiful and peaceful in the moonlight... It's now or never. I need to tell her how I feel.'

"Tohru?" said Shigure.

"Hm?"

"I love you." he said.

"I-I love you too, Shigure." said Tohru. 'I'd never dreamed that he actually returned my feelings. This is a dram come true.' At that moment, Tohru had her back practically against the door.

"Then... you won't mind if I do this." Shigure leaned down, capturing her lips with his in a kiss that was chaste and gentle yet passionate and full of love. Tohru closed her eyes and responded.

"Good night... my little flower."

"Good night, Shigure"

End of Flashback

"I love you, Shigure."

"And I love you, Tohru. More than you'll ever know."

"Shigure..." 'He's so sweet.' thought Tohru, as he leaned down for a kiss.

The End

Yuki: What in the world possessed you to write something where Honda-san is paired with him of all people?

Yoruko: I'd always liked the idea of her being paired up with him... Then again, the only guys I've seen in the series that I can't stand the thought of seeing her paired up with are you and Hiro- and with Hiro, it's partly because of the age gap and mostly because I think that he belongs with Kisa.

Yuki: ...

Yoruko: Ja ne, minna! Hope you liked it. Review me and tell me who you think who should be next.