Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and related stuff belong to Natsuki Takaya, not me.

A/N: "-bocchan" is used in the 7 volume of Tokyo Pop's translation of Fruits Basket. When Okami-san said "Shigure-bocchan" Momiji asked "isn't Shigure a bit old to be called "young master""?

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To Hear Those Words

"Ritsu, please replace the towels in Hatori-bocchan's room."

"Yes, Mother." Ritsu said sweetly, grabbing a small stack and heading for the room. When he reached Hatori's room, he started to slide the door open when he heard voices from inside. His curiosity got the better of him and he peeked inside.

…

"So tell me, Hatori-bocchan, how are you doing today, Hatori-bocchan?" Shigure teased with glee.

"That's enough, Shigure-bocchan," Aaya chided playfully, "You're bothering Hatori-bocchan."

"You're both annoying. Leave." Hatori muttered, trying to concentrate on his paperwork.

"You're boring, Hatori-bocchan," Shigure pouted, "Aaya, do you think we could order some room service?"

"We probably could, I'm sure Okami-san wouldn't mind… I hope she sends Ritchan with the food, he's so adorable." Ayame sighed, falling backwards onto Hatori's couch, resting his head in the peeved doctor's lap.

"Ayame, have you had your flu shot yet?" Hatori asked blankly.

"Yes." Ayame declared, eagerly fleeing from the doctor's reach.

"Did you have one this year?"

"My, my, look at the time. Shouldn't we be ordering lunch?" Ayame evaded/

"We just had breakfast."

"Still, it would be a good excuse to get Ritsu up here. I certainly wouldn't mind resting my head on his lap." Aaya declared dreamily.

"If you ask me," Shigure began.

"No one did." Mumbled Hatori. Shigure ignored him.

"What that boy needs is a good spanking."

"Too true," Ayame declared agreeably, "Personally, I would love to be the one to do it. He's so cute, and so spankable—he's got the most spankable bottom I've ever encountered."

"I dunno, Aaya," Shigure countered, "he looks like he might have a bony butt, though it's kind of hard to tell through all that fabric."

"Very true," Ayame sighed, "It'd be worth it even if he is bony. Still, he wears too much. How can he possibly be comfortable in that? I can understand a cute little summer kimono, but those long sleeve kimonos are a pain."

"Don't encourage him." Shigure muttered, "What if Ritsu overheard you say that?"

"Let him overhear!" Ayame declared, "What's wrong with him wearing clothes designed for women? He looks adorable! Resplendent! Spankable even!"

"Ritsu wearing women's clothes wouldn't be a problem," Hatori offered, "If he weren't tormented with guilt over it. He goes into a panic over nothing, it's very unhealthy."

"Yes," Shigure nodded, "if Ritsu's guilty of anything it's being wound too tight."

"Guilt implies fault, Gure-san," Ayame defended, "And Ritsu didn't wind himself up, that's mostly his parents and partly everyone else. Ritsu isn't guilty of anything."

"I'm not sure I agree with that," Shigure said, catching Ritsu's eye through the barely open screen. Ayame grinned from ear to ear.

"Ritchan! My Cuddle Monkey! Come in at once!"

"I-I-I"

"Faster Ritchan! Enter my presence so I might bask in your cuteness!"

"Oh!" Ritsu whimpered, opening the door and obeying quickly, trembling, "I-I'm sorry, so sorry! I-I shouldn't have been listening, I'm horrid, I-"

"Not at all, Ritsu," Ayame beamed, pulling him by the wrist over to the couch, "You've given me the perfect opportunity to settle a debate Gure-san and I are having.

"O-oh?"

"Yup!" Ayame declared gleefully, yanking Ritsu across his lap by the wrist.

"Oh! Oh no, please, not that debate, I'm sure I'm quite bony, just as Shigure-niisan said! I'm scrawny and useless! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Ritsu wailed in tears.

"Ritsu," Ayame soothed, pulling the monkey up to sit in his lap, "How can you think that? You're a good student, a wonderful host, and a person who thinks always over others."

"I'm a horrible student, I have to work twice as hard as everyone else just to keep up."

"But the point, Ritsu," Ayame smiled, "Is that you do the work. You work so hard to achieve your goals; it's really quite inspiring. Shigure, you should write a poem about him."

"I'm a novelist, Aaya." Shigure chuckled.

"But I cause trouble for everyone around me." Ritsu sighed dejectedly, resting his head on his Aaya-niisan's shoulder.

"So what?" Ayame asked shrewdly.

"S-so, I cause trouble. I bother people."

"So does Aaya, and you said you want to be like him." Shigure pointed out.

"I'm sure what Gure-san means," Ayame glared pointedly at Shigure, "Is that I am not someone who allows other people's opinions of 'proper' behavior shape my life. Neither should you, Ritchan. If you like women's clothing, that is nothing to get upset over. You look adorable, and you're not hurting anyone. So what if other people would prefer to see you in pants, that's not your problem. As long as you're not hurting anyone it's no one else's business what you wear."

"That's exactly what I meant." Shigure declared.

Hatori rolled his eyes.

"Now, about that debate…" Ayame purred.

"Th-the towels! The towels, I'm so sorry I forgot the towels I have to go at once and replace them! I'm sorry!" And with that Ritsu fled as fast as his legs would take him.

"He didn't seem all that sorry for once." Ayame chuckled happily.

"More like terrified." Shigure grinned.

"You're both idiots." Hatori sighed, putting away his paperwork.

End

I had fun writing this :) I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review! Reviewers rock!