Loyalty
This is a one-shot of Fruits Basket, a portal of Shigure. I've never posted anything that focused on Shigure before, so I'd really like any input. Criticism welcome only if constructive, and positive feedback is always welcome. Hopefully, this will not be my last story focused on him. Please be gentle.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Baskets.
I hope you enjoy this story. Please Review.
Sachi-chan
On seldom occasions he'd 'grace' them with his presence well before his usual appearances varying from noon to anytime after.
On these rare sightings, he would more than likely be unusually lively as he'd direct his conversation to the ever-cheerful girl appropriately stationed at the head of the table, the focal point of the home.
She seemed to be more 'graced' by his presence than the two boys staring suspiciously at him from the other side table. He made a point to avoid their eyes as they had by now figured out what had happened in the afternoon on these seldom occasions and why it was absolutely necessary for him (for reasons beyond their comprehension, and on very seldom occasions, his own) to leave the house before his usual, fashionably late appearance.
He continued to speak to the girl, entrancing her in an elaborate and masterfully spun web of words which could have easily been broken down to a simple yes or no answer.
But then again… a simple yes or no was never quite as fun.
Especially with this particular girl whose eyes always widened with excitement, almost sparkling. The boy sitting closest to her glanced in her direction for a moment then back to him, alert.
What's this? His own lip turned up in a smile as he leaned in closer to the girl, testing the water.
"Oh, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to hear about it anymore, Tohru-kun. Here I am, going on and on about what I've planned for the day and I didn't even think about asking you if you're going out." He smiled down at her.
That got her blushing. He smiled down at his work as both boys tensed on the other side of the table.
"No, No! Please, I love hearing about what you do!" Tohru panicked, waving her hands wildly in front of her. "You live such an exciting life! All that in just one day, I couldn't imagine it" She blushed "I'm staying in today. I've got some work to do around here. So I guess you could say I live through your stories." She laughed nervously and he grinned down at her.
"Well, Tohru-kun" He said, moving in closer, his voice hushed, raising a deep crimson on her cheeks. "You're always welcome to join me."
He knew the consequence of his action but he couldn't resist. He could never resist, even if it now meant searching through the freezer for something to press against his sore jaw.
"What, we have no ice?"
"Really, Shigure, don't you ever think about what you do before you do it?" The raven haired boy sighed.
The man smiled, pulling a pack of peas from the freezer. More than you realize. He thought, pressing the frozen package against his face.
"If you're leaving, then just get the hell out!" A boy with orange hair shouted, leaning against the counter.
Shigure smiled "No need to yell, Kyo."
On these very seldom occasions where he left the house before the others he often took the back exit from his house to avoid an appearance from certain tear prone editors.
It was fun to torment Mit-chan, but only when everything goes according to plan. He was a genius at improvisation manipulation and last minute scheming, but there was no better feeling then when a plan goes through.
In truth, he played with Mit-chan only because he was bored.
And this morning he was just testing Kyo's limits. He smiled. He didn't cross the line. That was just Kyo's warning, a useful piece of information.
"Really, Shigure, do you ever think about what you do before you do it?"
He tossed the package of peas on the ground with a chuckle.
Truthfully, Shigure was quite pleased with himself. To those two he was harmless… enough… he just speaks to quickly. Just a tease, a perv, Tohru was never in any real danger.
And she wasn't.
Well… not from him. He wasn't particularly interested in Tohru. She was a cute high school girl. Yeah, that's nice to look at, but aside from playing with her head, he wouldn't touch her.
But although he, himself, wasn't hurting her, he couldn't say that she wasn't in danger. And although he didn't send anyone after her, he couldn't say he may have had some part if in fact she did get hurt.
But it wasn't that he wanted her to hurt her. No. That wasn't it. He wanted something else, and if she got hurt in the process, well, that would be a shame. He'd grown fond of her.
Like throwing away your favorite shoes after you've grown out of them. No shoes could replace them quite the same.
But there would be other shoes.
You do what you have to do.
And in reality, Shigure thought about everything he did. Everything he said. It all had a purpose, moving forward towards the master scheme of his. His mind never rested, calculating everything.
You knew what he let you know, you saw what he let you see, and if you thought you had one upped this man… it more than likely what he wanted you to believe. He was never off guard, he never slipped.
He was always in control.
He turned to the stone barrier at the edge of his property and watched from a distance as a short haired woman dressed in business attire approached the main entrance.
He scratched the back of his neck. She used to be so much more fun to torture when it was only Yuki living with him. He would come home to see her outside the door with a battering ram, the rat yelling for her to please calm down, or threatening to jump off the roof, Yuki frantically digging through his office for the manuscript he'd… forgotten… to write.
But now Yuki had that damn cell phone of his, and while it was still mildly entertaining to torment his editor, Yuki had both pre-programmed suicide hot line and Ritsu's number into his phone, so while Tohru would fix Mitsu a cup of tea, the rat would make a few phone calls. In the mean time, Kyo would rip apart Shigure's office for any signs of a manuscript.
When he got home, he'd always end up having to torment her in person to get any sort of satisfaction.
Shigure turned down the street with a smile. Oh, the looks Hatori would give him whenever he'd recount these tales to the doctor.
"Don't you feel sorry at all for that poor woman?" The Dragon asked.
Shigure glanced at him through hair that feel into his eyes and smiled "You're under the impression that I have a conscience." His voice had a humorous undertone to it as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to the doctor.
Hatori sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, as he pulled one from the pack. With Shigure, he was never sure if his jokes were meant to be taken seriously.
Shigure made it to town and walked in the direction of his destination.
Well, he may have slightly exaggerated to Tohru about his plans for the day. The way he spoke about coffee with friends as "An early morning venture into the deepest depths of our town in hopes gain access to a secluded, yet wildly popular café for a rendezvous with treasured acquaintances held dear for ages –" the words continued to spill from there as her eyes widened, but his day was far more exciting than her tedious agenda.
What was one more exaggeration to Shigure anyway? After everything he's said, every lie he's told, what he said to Tohru today on one of these rare mornings would almost seem kind.
Shigure stopped with a start.
He knew he wasn't kind… but did that necessarily make him unkind? Was he something in the middle?
He chuckled, shaking his head as he started walking. He was something else entirely.
He was what the rest of the world considered selfish.
In fact, he was what his dictionary defined as selfish. But the way he saw it, it was up for debate.
It was on a day where he was pretending to work on his novel that reached for the thick book and looked up the word that She had called him. He was curious to see if he was really selfish. After reading the definition he thought many people would have thought it rather appropriate that his picture should be placed next to it… maybe even himself.
But dictionary definitions are so… one sided… one word can't describe a person.
… Unless that word is open to interpretation.
And the word "Selfish" was not one of those words. Shigure knew one word that described him perfectly.
He knew what he wanted before it existed. He wanted it more than anything when he it in his dreams. The next day he swore he'd have it.
At this point the dictionary would call him determined, but he was far above that. Determination is to him a 'cute' term he used to describe Yuki's persistence when tying his tie.
Because his story wasn't at all 'cute'.
Because he thought he had Her once, the girl quite literally from his dreams. He told Her she would always be most important to him.
But then She was gone. With him. The most unlikely of people took Her from him, but in away… he hated Her more than him.
Persistence didn't define him, nor did desperation.
Selfishness seemed appropriate, but it was never quite enough.
However, if indeed Shigure was selfish it was only because She made like that.
And to be fair, he had told Her that She would always be most important … to him. It was a reasonable warning.
Maybe Tohru could live a selfless life, but it didn't work that way for everyone.
Shigure had no intention to go and begin living like 'The Most Foolish Traveler' from Momiji's story. He wouldn't be giving anything up for the sake of others any time soon. He wouldn't be dying with nothing. He wasn't about to go on without Her.
He was the type who took advantage of said travelers anyway.
And after all, She was who he was doing all this for. Even though She couldn't see it, even though She though he was betraying Her.
"You're the dog" She hissed one day as he slid open the paper door to leave the room. He glanced over his shoulder at Her. "You're supposed to be loyal!"
To this, Shigure smiled. "Loyalty is open to interpretation." He said, stepping through the threshold and closing the door behind him.
Shigure was most certainly not loyal in the sense most recognize. You would not open a dictionary and find his picture there.
But in truth, he was as loyal as they come.
The novalist pulled open the door to the café and immediately spotted the doctor standing with his back toward him at the counter.
He smirked slightly.
Self-less Hatori. Kind-hearted Hatori. Good-willed Hatori…
Disloyal Hatori.
Shigure could endure years upon years of painful manipulation and knowing that the one he loved was playing with other men, yet Hatori fell apart after one… little… mental breakdown from Kana-chan?
His girl had mental breakdowns every hour, usually quite violent. Hatori gave up after one try and had already moved on to Mayu.
Well… Shigure had helped push him to that. He wanted to test his limits.
And boy, were they weak.
Yet still Shigure was focused on one and only one. The others he had used on the way up were just part of a ladder back to the top.
And so… Shigure wasn't really selfish. He was just very, very loyal.
He did warn Her She would always be most important to him.
Loyalty… always being there for a person. Well. What about doing everything for a person, even though they've done you wrong? You come back… even they push you away. You fight back… sacrificing whatever else. Is that selfish, or is that loyalty. So loyal that you do whatever it takes and never stop trying… no matter how many times She'd hurt him…
… Well, he never said he was forgiving, but loyal… he was the most loyal.
He was loyal to only one. He wanted Her, and that was that. If everyone else got hurt in the process, he wouldn't mind, so long as he could have Her. If a dog hurts someone to keep him away from his master… is that selfish… or is that loyalty...?
…It would depend… but Shigure liked to think the latter.
"Another cup of coffee please. Put it on his tab." Shigure said draping his arm around Hatori's shoulders.
The doctor sighed and mouthed the word *No* to the barista. "Don't you ever give up?" he asked.
Shigure gave a sly smile, raising any eyebrow. The Dragon shook his head.
"Don't you worry, Gure-san, I will pay for your beverage, if you promise not to slip something in mine!" A certain silver haired man announced magnificently from the doorway.
Shigure chuckled. "You'll have at least greatly reduced your chanced, Aaya." He purred.
Hatori rolled his eyes as the Dog joined him at the table.
And maybe it is selfish.
But Shigure would always be loyal to Akito.
Even if his Loyalty destroyed her.
And on of this seldom occasion where he was awake before they stopped serving breakfast, he took a sip of his coffee and smiled. He would have her, one way or another, and he was not above taking the necessary measures. People will be hurt.
She will be hurt.
He gave her fair warning.
He never said he was the hero.
There you have it!
I hope you enjoyed it!
PLEASE REVIEW!
Sachi-chan!
Peace!