Ages:

Hatori – 15

Shigure – 15

Ayame – 15


The Mabudachi Trio: Tea Time!

Of the three best friends, Hatori was considered the smartest and probably the only one who would amount to something respectable. The other two were bumble-brained idiots who would never be able to do anything worth while. Some wondered how such a bright kid could put up with the other two. So it wasn't surprising when people asked, how such a calm, quiet, and respected boy stand such obnoxious troublemakers. It didn't make any sense to any one.

But what people didn't know was that hiding behind their obnoxious troublemaking personalities were loyal and caring people who would do anything in the name of friendship. What people didn't know was that their most loving side was hidden for the people they cared for the most.

.:Hatori's Room:.

"Ayame...Could you please stop bouncing around? It's difficult to study with you blabbering on like that!" said Hatori exasperatedly.

"But Tori-san, I haven't finished telling you what I did after eating that soba for lunch. Well, as I saying I finished the soba, but you know, the soba wasn't very well cooked it were under salted and it didn't even have enough spices. I like my soba saltier and spicier. So I took the soba to the lunch lady and I said to her, 'How could yo-"

"Ayame...I really need to study for this exam. Tell me about you day some other time," said Hatori tiredly, rubbing his forehead.

Ayame looked at Hatori, really looked at him. Hatori looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Does Haa-san have a headache?"

Hatori looked at Ayame, confused. Such sincere question coming from the snake was strange, but he decided to answer anyways, "Uh...a little...It's probably from rereading this so many times. It's a pain."

Ayame frowned and cried dramatically, "OH! My dear Tori-san! You're ill! What should I do? This is a disaster!!"

"You're not helping..." said Hatori as a dark cloud formed over his head.

Ayame frowned for a fraction of a second and then his eyes lit up again. "I KNOW!!" he said enthusiastically and quickly left Hatori's room with all his Ayame-like grace.

Hatori stared after him in total confusion before turning back to his textbook to re-reread the same passage, this time with some peace and quiet.

.:Fifteen Minutes Later:.

"AWAY! PUT IT ALL AWAY HAA-SAN!!" Ayame barged into Hatori's room very loudly, "I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU!" 3

Hatori just looked at him, giving him a 'what is it now?' look.

Ayame came in carrying a tray with what seemed like a pot of tea and biscuits. He placed the tray in front of Hatori gently taking away his textbook away and placing it next to him.

"Ayame what ar-" but Ayame placed his had on Hatori's mouth, cutting him off.

"Haa-san I made tea especially for you! It's a special tea so it should make you feel all better!" said Ayame sincerely.

Hatori eyed the tea as if it might poison him if so much as touched it to his tongue, then he turned his questioning look towards Ayame and raised an eyebrow, "You made this?"

"Mmhmm, mmhmm!" Ayame nodded his head enthusiastically, "Drink it Haa-san! Drink it!"

Hatori sipped at the tea, still questioning its contents, but not wanting to hurt his friend's feelings. His expression changed from one of questioning to surprise. The tea was good! He sipped some more. The tea was really good. In fact it was exceptionally good. Hatori had never tasted anything better.

"This is good! W-what did you put in it?" Hatori asked, now curious as to how the snake could make such fine tea.

Ayame grinned, "This is my special recipe! You are the first, besides me, to try it! Did it help your headache go away?"

Hatori blinked then nodded, his headache had gone away.

Ayame grinned, "See? I told you!! Haa-san you really shouldn't push yourself too much. You need to rest sometime too."

Hatori nodded and smiled. He hadn't realized how kind and caring his loud mouthed, obnoxious friend really was.

"Next time you have a head-ache just let me know and I will most gladly make you more tea!" offered the snake.

"Thank you Ayame. I will," replied Hatori.

"Gure-san! Did you hear? Did you hear? Haa-san just begged me, with tears sparkling in his eyes to make him tea each and every time he has a headache. He..."

Hatori's face fell as he felt his thundering headache coming back with a vengeance.


A/N: I find Aya really hard to write hope i did okay. Shigure is manipulative and i can manage that, and Hatori is quiet and loving (kinda like me) so i can do that too, but Aya is so confidant its comical and my confidence is usually six feet under so writing him is very hard...so in ur reviews (please review!!) i would apprecitate if you could tell me how i did with him and how i can improve on him... thanks so much!!

oh hehe i got this idea from the manga when aya makes tea for hatori and shigure at the sohma villa and shigure hadn't ever tried it before.