So this has been long overdue! There's nothing more to say but that I'm incredibly sorry! Please enjoy this chapter!
And then there were three
Chapter 4
Head Start
Two weeks passed since the first day of school. Every day held at least one confession for all the Sohmas and a lot of feuding between the PYFC (Prince Yuki Fan Club) and the new TSFG (Triplet Sohma Fan Group) that was created merely a couple days into the school year. The TSFG claimed their love was stronger than the PYFC, who quickly became outraged and accused the TSFG of just seeking attention. War had been declared between crazy, stalker fan girls and it wasn't even halfway through first quarter.
Now it was Saturday. Yuki and Takashi studied almost feverishly at the kotatsu, Ichiru was talking novels with Shigure in his office, and Kyo was taking a nap in the room that he now had to share, much to his dismay. There was an extra room, but it had yet to be cleaned out. They were even talking about getting an addition to the house, so that Takashi and Ichiru could have their own rooms, since the two seemed to be staying for the rest of their highschool years.
"Shigure-san, could you please get the phone," Tohru called from the kitchen. "I hate to trouble you, but my hands are wet from dish water!"
"No problem, my dear," Shigure called back. He walked out the room, leaving Ichiru to let curiosity get the best of him in the large room. He took a couple steps down the hall, toward the front room, and picked up the old-time wall phone still ringing patiently on its hook.
"Hellooo?" he sang goofily, wondering briefly if the caller was Mii. His smile widened when he heard an all too familiar voice say, "Don't answer the phone like a child."
"Ah, Hatori! Long time no see, huh old friend? I've been meaning to ask you about the children I seemed to have taken in without prior knowledge," he said, accusation hidden deep in his friendly tone. Hatori sensed it right away.
"That will have to be saved for another time. Two important girls need a place to stay. I'm sure you know who I'm speaking off."
Shigure pondered the doctors words. There were plenty of important people that he knew of, but the tone that was used allowed him to determine that these two were at the top of the list. It took only a moment longer for his eyes widened in mild shock.
"You couldn't mean… The two children from that family?"
"Yes."
Shigure's eyes brightened, a mischievous glint in them. "I've always wondered how they'd grown. Nicely, I bet." he quirked his eyebrows, "but what brought this up? I thought they were already placed in a suitable household."
"That's none of your concern. What is, however, is that I need to place them under your care."
"Well, I suppose I could squeeze them in, if it's urgent. Tohru probably wouldn't mind sharing her room."
"Good. One more thing. You will address them with last names Shizuki and Mikari."
"Shizuki and Mikari?" A tiny smirk worked its way on to Shigure's face. He said, "Hatori, my friend, you have a very kind heart. That'll give you even more trouble in the future."
A small pause, before the monotonous voice declared, "I don't want to hear that from you. They'll be over the day after tomorrow. Good day."
"Good day to you as well, Ha'ri!"
One click sounded, before a blaring series of beeps sounded from the speaker. Shigure hung up the phone with a chuckle.
O.O.O.O
In the morning, Shigure opened his bedroom door with a smile on his face, ready for his morning tea and weekly paper. It had become something of a routine since having Tohru around and he couldn't say he wasn't grateful for it.
"Oh housewife!" he sang, ready to start his day by seeing the lovely face of his adorable little flower-
He came face to face with Takashi as he rounded the corner to enter the kitchen. The younger boy was drying his hair and held a newspaper in his hand. Shigure backed away, squealing from the manliness he had just come in contact with. Already his morning seemed to be going downhill. That is, until he looked into the teens hand.
"My, my, what do we have here? Is that my paper?" Shigure asked, straightening himself after his indignant shriek. Takashi nodded, still somewhat confused by the girly sound that had errupted unexpectedly through the older man, and handed it to him.
"Tohru was busy with breakfast, so I got it for you."
"How kind of you!" Shigure said graciously. "That's how youngsters should be. Now-a-days they're so rude to their elders-"
"Shut up, dog," Kyo snapped gruffly, obviously not very well rested. He leaned casually against the counter next to the sink, a carton of milk held in one hand. His hair was messy from sleep, orange bangs almost covering his alert garnet eyes.
"Ah, Kyo! Always happy to prove my point," teased Shigure. Luckily for him-and the rest of the household-Kyo just rolled his eyes and continued with his morning treat.
Ichiru strode over to Shigure and Takashi, holding out a small, wooden cup. The smile on his face could melt a frozen heart and Shigure couldn't help but capture him in an affectionate hug.
"Isn't he just the cutest thing?" he asked, his grin curling deviously into his cheeks. Kyo flared up instantly, lifting a fist menacingly into the air.
"Hey, get off'a him!" Realizing he had been ignored, he shoved his fists to his side, almost like a kid throwing a tantrum. "I mean it dammit!"
Tohru had just begun to set the table behind them, a slightly worried look gracing her features, when she heard a light thumping on the stairs. Teal-blue eyes flitting up to the top, she smiled wide when she caught sight of the staggering teen slowly making his way down, lilac hair mused from tossing and turning.
"Good morning, Yuki," she called, averting everyone's attention to the tired zodiac rat. Either he was deaf or was still too far gone to comprehend, because he didn't even acknowledge dear Tohru, who took it like a champ and continued with the breakfast preparations.
"Is he always this out of it?" Takashi asked, waving a hand in front of the prince's face. The feminine boy had slumped down on the sofa to the side of the TV, amythest eyes glazed over while he stared at nothing.
"I'm afraid so," Shigure answered, settling himself at the far end of the kotatsu. "Yuki's not much of a morning person."
"Tch, you got that right," Kyo huffed, all but stomping over to the kotatsu. His fingers had already clenched themselves in the black sleeve of Ichiru's school uniform, forcing him down next to him. The redhead didn't have any complaints about the aggressive behavior, seeing as he'd grown up with it.
After Takashi led Yuki to the kotatsu and seated himself down beside him, Tohru came in with the last of the breakfast preparations. Everyone began to eat. Even Yuki, who was still pretty out of it, attempted to shovel some rice into his mouth. However the chopsticks prodded at his cheek instead of gliding past his parted lips. Bits of the tiny grain camouflaged themselves in his winter complexion. Kyo had begun laughing, attempting to make a snide comment about the clumsy rat, but stopping short when a pickled plum hit him square in the face. Sputtering, he looked over at a seemingly innocent rat. Ichiru began to laugh in Kyo's place, while Takashi just shook his head and continued to munch on his grilled fish. Tohru smiled lightly, looking between the rowdy group of boys.
All the while, Shigue had a pleasant smirk on his face, eating as if nothing was happening around him. Most wouldn't want any harm to come to the children living under their roof-and it's not like he didn't. But he couldn't help but feel a bit giddy about the years to come. He was playing a game that had only just begun. And though for now it was uncertain who would win in the end, Shigure knew he had the head start.
He sipped his tea.
I'll update and put my thanks in later! Gotta clean up sticks and stuff!
