Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or any related characters or objects. Rats! …No offense, Yuki!

A Note on Flashbacks: Flashbacks will begin with two close parentheses and end with two open parentheses. Like so – )) Flashback ((

A Note on Censorship: "Hi," Yuki Sohma smiled. "No, the story hasn't started yet. Please be patient. Lihau just wanted me to tell you that, instead of putting swearwords all over the page, she has decided to censor the stupid cat's language."

"Don't call me 'stupid'!" yelled Kyo Sohma. "-CENSORED- mouse! Hey… what's going on?"

"I repeat: Lihau has censored all of the stupid cat's foul language from this page."

"I'm not stupid, -CENSORED- it—whaaaa?! You can't censor me, -CENSORED- it!"

"Too late… stupid cat…"

Thanks Yuki—

"What about me, you -CENSORED- author?!"

—And Kyo. Now, on to the story!

Life

Four: Vacation?

"I can't believe it," Kyo said as they pulled up in front of the lake house. "We made it in one piece."

Yuki, arms folded tightly over his chest, nodded bitterly, "And all we did was crash into two newspaper stands, overturn a park bench, destroy five chairs from an outdoor dining room, remove the tail feathers of three pigeons, fall a young tree, and decapitate an ancient statue."

Ayame chuckled, "Nobody's perfect…"

"I thought you said you—"

"…Except for me! All minor accidents, not my fault!"

"Right," Kyo snapped. "Self-defense, right? Those vicious issues of the Daily Yomiuri were gonna attack!"

"Certainly, Kyonkichi-kun!" Ayame agreed fervently. "I'm so glad you see it my way!"

"Don't call me that name!" Kyo yelled. "And that was sarcasm, -CENSORED- it!"

"Let's all just be glad that we're all here together for two entire days," Tohru piped up, trying to lighten the mood.

Kyo and Yuki turned to look at her disbelievingly, while Ayame and Shigure immediately sided with Tohru.

"Two GLORIOUS days with my DARLING little brother!"

"Yes, and you should start right away," Shigure said quickly. "I know Yuki is eager to spend time with you! Why don't you two go ahead and start bonding? Kyon and I will help our beautiful flower unpack our things!"

"Yes!" Ayame exclaimed. "A wonderful idea, Gure-san! Let Yuki and Ore-sama begin our bonding!"

(A/N: "Ore-sama", so I've been informed by Wikipedia, is an arrogant pronoun meaning "my esteemed self".)

"I'd rather die," Yuki commented flatly, in no way making a move to follow Ayame's example of leaving the vehicle.

"Go and bond, rat!" snapped Kyo. "Get the idiot snake outta our hair!"

After a few moments of being completely silent, Yuki finally got out of the car and trudged down to the lake, Ayame cheerfully shouting and running after him.

"Well, then, that just leaves Kyon to carry the bags in," Shigure decided as the brothers moved further away from the rest of the group.

"ME?!" Kyo blurted out. "You, too! I ain't doing it by myself!" He looked disdainfully at the car's trunk as he got out from the backseat. "And I'm definitely not touching the girly-boy's stuff!" The cat muttered to himself, "Probably has rat-germs all over it."

"Oh, alright," sniffled Shigure. "I'll help carry in the bags… even though I have a bad back… and it could quite possibly break from under the strain of the luggage…"

Tohru gasped, horrified, and immediately hopped out of the car. "I-I can help Kyo-kun with the bags, Shigure-san!"

"No, my beautiful little Tohru," Shigure said, forcing a few tears to his eyes for extra effect. "I'll do it, for your sake…"

"SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled at him, whapping the pooch on the back of the head.

"Owwww…" whined the writer, slumping over to the trunk and taking out the smallest bag he could find before slouching up to the house.

"Oh, for…." Kyo grabbed two big suitcases, one for each hand, and a couple of small ones to tuck under his arms.

"Wow, you're very strong, Kyo-kun," Tohru gushed.

"Not strong enough for that -CENSORED- rodent," muttered Kyo bitterly, promptly downplaying Tohru's compliment.

"But let me help you with one of those," Tohru offered. "They must be really heavy." She quickly pulled a large bag from his left hand…

…And fell over without delay.

"I was right," Tohru decided feebly as she pitifully looked up at Kyo. "It is heavy."

"Just leave it to me," Kyo told her, taking back the travel case. "It's too big for you."

"Thank you," she said to Kyo's back as the cat walked away.

Kyo was silent for a moment, making her think that she hadn't spoken loud enough, but finally mumbled, "Welcome."

Let's join Yuki and Ayame at the lake now, shall we?

Yuki stared out at the lake, trying desperately to block out Ayame's constant jabbering. It wasn't working. At all. He finally decided to interrupt.

"Nii-san," he disrupted the snake's one-sided conversation.

"Yes, most precious of all little brothers!"

The rat gave a start but didn't break his gaze from the cool waters. That idiot fashionista sounded awfully near. In fact, too close for comfort. He turned his head to face Ayame, then stumbled to the side, almost falling down after seeing his nose almost touching his brother's.

Still breathing quickly from his unpleasant surprise, Yuki snapped, "Haven't you ever heard of personal space?!"

"Of course!"

"Do you know what it means?"

"Certainly!"

"Somehow I doubt that," sighed Yuki. "Look. If I'm going to be stuck with this 'brotherly bonding' trash, we're going to set down a few ground rules right now."

"Yes! Rules! Wonderful!" Ayame swept an arm dramatically around Yuki's shoulders. He closed his eyes and sighed before bellowing, "Already, our bond strengthens! I can feel it growing every passing moment!"

"Get off me," growled Yuki, pushing the snake's hand away. "Rule number one: don't touch me."

"But, Yun-Yun!" protested Ayame loudly. "How can we become closer if I am not permitted to hug you?!"

"Especially no hugging."

"BUT, YUN-YUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Rule number two: no yelling in my ear," Yuki glared.

"BUT—"

"Fine, then," Yuki decided. "Forget the whole stupid thing." He turned and started to walk off.

"No! A-alright! No shouting!" Ayame held up two fingers. "I promise, Yun-Yun!"

The rat stopped and turned back to his brother. "Rule number three: don't call me 'Yun-Yun'."

"BU—but, Yun—Yuki!"

Yuki gave an inward smirk of satisfaction. He could see progress in the deportment of his brother already.

"Fourth and final rule: if I say for you to leave me alone, leave me alone. And I'm saying it now."

Ayame lunged forward, glomping his brother and shouting, "BUT, YUN-YUN!!!!!!!!!"

Back to where we started, I see, thought Yuki with a sigh. Well then, I guess there's only one thing to do…

Yuki pulled Ayame's hair, forcing the snake's ear close to his mouth, and hollered at the top of his lungs, "GET OFFA ME!"

The silver-haired man was floored by this exclamation and sprawled out over the grass.

…Fight fire with fire.