Author's note:
Fruits Basket and related characters are trademarks and copyrighted by Natsuki Takaya. The fic author has taken liberties to make this fanfic without intentions to profit from it. Please remind yourself that this is a fanfiction, made by a desperate fan. I know there're maybe some people that would be disappointed if I'm making something like this from a great story like Fruits Basket. Again, this is a fanfiction strictly made for fun and no profit made from this. Please do not sue me after reading this, as you'd only be wasting your time and money on a mere fanfiction and a broke college student; I apologize in advance if I offend anyone or if the characters sound ooc . This time, I can't promise I will able to write fast.

Keywords and warnings:
R-rated. Minor sexual and homosexual themes (which means it has some yaoi) Some parts are extremely OOC. If that would stop you from reading, it's okay, but sometimes it's good for you to see things from different points of view. Mabudachi Trio (Shigure, Ayame, Hatori). ??? x Tohru.

Start: March 12th, 2002.
Finish: March 15th, 2002.
This fic is beta-read by Ohimesama. Second revision by Merrow-san. Thank you very much!!
Finish (Beta-reading): March 16th, 2002

interdependency

I. Day one

It was summer already, a sunny day in July. A time of the year when the only female occupant of the certain Sohma household, took out the summer clothes from the deepest corners of the closet, and replaced them with some of the winter clothes. After that she still had to wash them all, and clean the rest of the house. It was not a difficult job, she thought; she still had the whole month summer vacation left in which to do it. So much time at her disposal, so much whichshe didn't know what to do with it... Okay, she could use the time for her part-time job, or even search for a second part time job to--

"What is *he* doing here?" That was Yuki Sohma's voice low, yet threatening, even with his usually feminine voice, he could sound masculine in his moddy tone. It wasn't often she'd hear that tone in his voice, except when Kyo was around. However, Kyo left for the grocery store moments ago.

"Oh, my little brother, how could you make such face to your beloved brother?" said a loud voice coming from the same room.That explained it! she thought to herself. With a weak smile forming across her face, she continued with her chores putting the boxes of summer clothes outside the oshiire, a Japanese styled cupboard. Done finally with the last of her chores, she walked to the room where she could hear the mouse's brother babbling about something she couldn't quite understand.

"Welcome, would you like some tea?" She asked as she opened the door to the room; expecting to see Ayame Sohma, but not Hatori Sohma who was also present at the room.

"Ah, Tohru-kun! Good morning! How are you?" The tailor promptly greeted her and was just about to hug the girl, when his brother came between them maintaining his distance from the girl.
"Honda-san, get out of here before he corrupts you with his perversion!" Yuki warned. To which Ayame just said, Ah, you're no fun after which he surprised the mouse by hugging him instead.

Tohru could see the goose bumps forming on Yuki's neck as the mouse struggled to free himself from his brother's embrace, finally succeeding. Shock was soon replaced with anger forcing Yuki's actions. He picked up his brother, now in his snake form, and after a couple of swings sent the snake flying out the window. Ayame only managed to scream a Why---? My brother---? when his body flew across Shigure's garden. Yuki clapped his hands, and brushed away at his clothes, as if he wanted to be clean off every last hair, even the last whiff of scent of his brother 's.

"Now", he said as he turned towards Hatori and Shigure, suspiciously eyeing them both. They both returned his stare; Shigure with a 'that was funny' expression on his face and Hatori with a 'whatever' one."What is this? A Flowery Gigolo Trio reunion?" Yuki asked sarcastically.

"Yuki-kun, that was---" 'harsh', Tohru wanted to comment, but Shigure had already answered with his usual comical expression.

"Actually, yes!" Just as Shigure said that, Kyo appeared in front of the opened shoji, carrying the plastic bags with the week's groceries. His eyes widened and with mouth half opened he said, "You've got to be kidding!""We are not kidding!" said Ayame back already, with his usual loud, overly dramatic style, "We will have a reunion!"

While Ayame laughed along with Shigure, Yuki just shook his head, muttering, What's with this reunion thing when you can see each other whenever you want?'"We are just going to a villa for a few days, maybe a week," Hatori said flatly. "It's not what you're thinking," he added.

She got a 'yes' from Ayame.Shigure then proceeded to explain in full detail:
"A family villa situated in the valley of a mountain, where you can hear birds chirping every morning---"
"---where the atmosphere is so fresh that you will want to breath it all in---"
"---and in the morning, the golden sun will rise in the east, welcoming another lazy summer day---"
"---best of all, you can relax yourself in the coolness of the gentle mountain breeze, and forget that there are even hot summers in this world!"

"Just say that you want to go to 'that' place." Yuki said sarcastically.

"That's great for you, Shigure-san." Tohru said with a smile. "You seemed stressed by your work these days. It will do you good to take some time off. Of course, Ayame-san and Hatori-san, too, must had troubles and difficulties in your work; a vacation is good for your health.

"Ah, Tohru-kun, you're so caring!!" Ayame smiled and extended his hands, moving to hug the girl when Kyo suddenly kicked the snake to some distance, yelling, Back off, you perverted snake!"

"You really shouldn't encourage their laziness, Honda-san," Yuki commented as he watched his brother's body fly out the window across the garden and landing perhaps an even further distance than it had from his previous swing. He had to admit that perhaps the cat has been tuning up his techniques. "So, when will you go?" he asked, turning his attention back to Hatori.

"The day after tomorrow," Hatori said simply.

Yuki wrinkled his eyebrows; Kyo did the same and as if they were both thinking the same thing, said at the same time, "At that time, I'm also---" They soon stopped, looking at each other with death glares, but in the end, they still said at the same time, '---going---" they stopped, and said, "you what?" in unison.

And therein lay the main problem of the house right then. Yuki and Kyo both had the same thing on their minds. Neither wanted to leave Tohru Honda alone in the house, whatever the case may be.

Yuki had been chosen to represent his school's student council at a nation-wide high school council meeting in another town. He couldn't back out of it since they would be discussing some important matters and, most importantly, his classmates were counting on him. He would be spending a few nights there with other representatives from various high schools.

Kyo had no formal school activities to attend, but he had promised his master some time ago, to train in some place far away from the city. Where they both could have some peace and quiet.

Yuki and Kyo both fell quiet for a while... "It's alright! I'll be alright!" Tohru said hoping to reassure them; she couldn't make people break their promises, or not to do the thing they should do. She said she could manage the house by herself. Yuki and Kyo debated for a long time. Every now and then Tohru would come in and unsuccessfully try to convince them that she would be ok by herself.
On the other hand, the trio just sat there quietly absorbing the interaction between the three youths. Ayame smiled, and didn't comment on anything while enjoying the little scene. Shigure sat and enjoyed it too, as he fanned himself with a sensu, a kind paper fan-...

Hatori just sighed,suddenly said, "We'll take her with us."

Of course, this one statement managed to silence all three at the same time. The three were surprised, even shocked, but positive reactions soon followed. Of course, the first were from the snake and the dog. "That's a great idea, Tori-san! I didn't know you had it in you!" exclaimed the snake. While the dog responded by, "Ha-san! Why didn't I think of it!"

"Oh my, I can't." Tohru shook her hands, the rapid batting of her brownish eyes showed panic. "I can't accept that! You're having a reunion! An outsider will only disturb you! I can't disturb people like that!"

"No, Tohru-kun! Not at all!" Shigure then said, smiling widely. "You won't be a bother if you're only staying with us. You haven't been a bother staying months with one adult and two teenagers; staying with three adults won't make any difference. You'll do like you do everyday here..."

"Of course it makes a difference when she's staying with two perverts in the same house!" Kyo knocked the table with his fist. "She ca---" Kyo's words halted when he felt a hand in his shoulder. He turned to see Yuki shaking his head. "Let her go," the mouse said.

"What's the matter with you!?" Kyo yelled and with one quick slap jerked Yuki's hand away from his shoulder. "Do you think I'll just sit back and let her all into the hands of the perverted dog, and your brother!!!??"

"That's not what I meant." Yuki answered, his voice was low, and quiet. Kyo's Then wha--- soon died under Yuki's next sentence. "But if she's with Hatori, she's safe." Kyo narrowed his reddish eyes soon after Yuki said that. Maybe, he too, understood what Yuki meant; Kyo peeked at Hatori from the corner of his eyes... yes, he could believe Hatori...

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!" Two days later, Kyo and Yuki reached an agreement, saying those two words simultaneously, with the same resounding tone of voice.

It was the moment when Yuki was saying his 'goodbyes' to Shigure, and Kyo was getting his 'backpack' ready; the same time when Tohru had returned back from the supermarket, bringing some bags and a note in her hands...
Well, the troubles began right after Tohru placed the bags, whatever they were, on the table in front of Ayame, who was sitting. Tohru repeated something to herself, perhaps checking off the list she held in her hands.

"Hmm... I have the vaseline, the handcuffs and others..." Tohru reported back . Ayame then commented, "But too bad, Gure-san, they said they ran out of condoms." Yuki and Kyo were both dumb-founded, not believing what they had just heard. Kyo dropped his backpack, and Yuki did the same with the papers and files he held.

Hatori just choked his coffee for a while. He then glared at the two other adult Junishis, who looked back with feigned ignorance. "How many times have I told you not to talk about that in front of teenagers?"

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE HER .!!!???" Kyo screamed, face flushed red with anger and embarrassment. "Hey, Kusonezumi!!! I don't even care if she goes with Hatori, she won't go anywhere and neither will I!!!"

"Hatori!!! How could you!!!" Yuki then accused, staring at the doctor, hate and other emotions he couldn't mention. "I trusted you!!!"

"It's not what you think," Hatori just harrumphed and took his cup of coffee back to his lips. "You better get going or you'll both be late for your appointments."

"Tohru, come here!" Kyo grabbed Tohru who was still confused over the commotion that was taking place in front of her. Kyo pulled her away from the table, precisely, away from Ayame's side. "Don't get any closer!!"

"It has nothing to do with her." Hatori said. His look froze the cat and mouse in place, Yuki caught with his mouth in mid-sentence. The dragon repeated, If you're thinking about anything unwise, it has nothing to do with her." Hatori closed his eyes, his hands moving the cup he held unconsciously. "Nothing--- at all---"

Kyo's blood-colored eyes, Yuki's violet eyes, the two pairs focused on the silent figure of Hatori. Their gazes then moved to Shigure and Ayame, who were half-smiling, almost beaming, but not with their usual smile on their lips. There was no mischief, no joke, and no threat. They were meant to say calm down' 'relax, nothing's going to happen to her' or something like that...

At that time something hit the cat and the mouse in the face... First it was disbelief, then it was fear, then it shock... It couldn't be... Their eyes widened in a split second... realizing something that had never had crossed their minds even with all their flirting...could it be?
/My goodness.../ Yuki's mind was spinning in circles.
/Even though they have it in them! I hadn't ever dreamt about it! This *is* crazy!!/ Kyo for the first time that morning was speechless in shock.

Suddenly Yuki fought with every fiber in his body to shake off the thought that was screaming at him in his mind... /My brother is a faggot!/

Meanwhile, Tohru Honda still looked confused at the unfamiliar scene in front of her...

Day Two Teasers:
"How many times have I told you; don't do that in front of her!" Hatori turned his body and pushed the dog away from him. But the latter just tightened his arms onto the dragon's waist.
"Ha-san, you don't have to be that worried." The author then landed his lips on the doctor's earlobe, nibbling it slowly, Hatori just grunted, saying something that couldn't be heard by the other two occupants.
"Now, now, Tohru-kun, this is not for you." Ayame put his hands in front of Tohru's eyes, blocking her vision entirely. "Let's go somewhere else, shall we?"
"Ah, yes! I'm sorry!" the girl soon answered. The tailor chuckled; feeling the heat of Tohru's face from his hands... her face was probably red...

While making this fic, the author's listening to Legend of Dragoon's "If you still believe" and all its battle themes.