Finally. Romance! Yay. This chapter is all rather fluffy, be forewarned. I definitely want to see this project through to the end, even though there are a distinct lack of people who seem to understand the pure unadulterated awesome of this pairing :) If you feel so inclined, write your own ficcage of them. Let's storm with Mitsuru/Ritsu love, yes? Bring on the revolution! o_0
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.
The First... Kiss
Mitsuru had never been to an onsen before. Her family weren't poor, but they simply did not have the money to spare for such extravagances. It was times like this, as she sat on the train, congested Tokyo disappearing to be replaced by the lush countryside, that she resented this. What did she know of proper etiquette for such places? Her father had been a businessman in the city, and her mother a co-owner of a local Italian restaurant. Her Western-style childhood meant that old style Japanese life was something completely unknown to her. She was aware from early on that her and Ritsu's childhoods, and even current styles of life, were very different, but it had never been so laid out bare in front of her as it was going to be on her arrival to the onsen. She was just convinced she was going to make some embarrassing mistake which would result in her never being able to face Ritsu, let alone his family, again. Her stomach churned.
The train ride was over an hour and a half long, but her busy mind wouldn't let her eyelids droop. She was almost thankful when the train came to stop at her station, grateful that collecting up her weekend bag and various other scattered belongings kept her mind temporarily occupied from its incessant uneasiness.
Few other people got off at her station, and so there was no scouting through crowds necessary for her eyes to fall onto Ritsu, hovering by a bench, the breeze blowing against him slightly so that the sleeves of his furisode blew up, exposing his forearms. She felt a sense of warm relief settle on her brain slightly at the sight of him. What had she been thinking? He, gentle, kind, sweet Ritsu would never persecute her, even if she made the most major of onsen-faux-pas.
His eyes fell upon her, from the several metres distance between them. He smiled at her and instantaneously she returned the gesture. Her worrying had made her forget how flattered she had been to have been invited, and how much she had been looking forward to spending the weekend at the hot-springs, with her friend taking the chivalrous role of tour-guide.
"Ah, good morning, Mitsuru-san!" He moved towards her, the greats folds of fabrics in the attire flapping slightly as he did so.
"Ritsu-san!" She said with true cheerfulness, placing her bag on the ground. If it had been any other friend of equal closeness, she would have wrapped them in a brief hug, a greeting taught to her by her somewhat over-affectionate mother. However, she restrained herself just in time. She found herself almost laughing at how easily such a dramatic discovery, that a friend of hers turned into a monkey when hugged by someone of the opposite sex, had settled itself calmly to the back of her mind. Ritsu must have guessed what she had been planning, unthinkingly, to do, because although he still smiled, he seemed to be fidgeting nervously, as if to keep himself on his toes in case he had to make a quick dash away.
"Sorry," She said quickly, picking up her bag again, blushing slightly, "Force of habit."
"I-it's not your fault, not at all, Mitsuru-san." He said, inclining the top half of his body slightly in her direction, "Please, do not apologize to me, I'm not worthy of such kindness."
She opened her mouth to argue against his self-deprecation, but chose against it. There was no point, on a trip that was supposed to be relaxing, to set Ritsu off on an apology tirade, and herself into a panic at what she had done. She held her tongue on the matter.
"How often do you visit your parents at the onsen?" Mitsuru asked, falling into close step next to him as they left the small station, coming onto a country road which she assumed would lead to their destination.
"Oh, as often as I can." He said, "Now that I've graduated, I spend a lot of the week here. I try to help out in whatever way I can. My mother's training me, so that I can take over when the time comes."
"So then you'll live here permanently?" She asked, as the shape of a traditional wooden Japanese building came into view.
"No," He shook his head, long tendrils of honey coloured hair falling over his face, "I'll move here much sooner than that, I think. My mother thinks that it won't be long before I'll need to be in full time training, if I am to have any chance of being capable of taking over by the time my parents retire."
"Oh," Her enquiries had been purely so as to make conversation. She hadn't expected him to tell her something that seemed to make her heart fall to somewhere in the region of her stomach. "I suppose, then… I won't see you so much." And they had been seeing a lot of each other. Almost every weekend they had met up to have coffee, or to take a stroll in the park, or to have dinner at each other's apartments. Even sometimes during the week they would see each other. Ritsu had become a far more regular guest at Shigure-sensei's house, and often seemed to be there when she came to collect the rarely finished manuscripts, or to discuss with Sensei something to do with his undeservedly successful career.
"Oh," Ritsu looked at her, his eyes slightly widened as they arrived at the building, the only one around. "I-I'm sure we will stay in touch… If that's, I mean, if you would like to but if you don't, of course, I'd understand completely!" He was flushed.
"No, no," She said distractedly as they walked up to the front entrance, "We will definitely stay in touch." Her voice sounded somewhat flat to her own ears, she hoped Ritsu hadn't picked up on it. Why did it feel like he had placed a slight weight on her chest? Why had her good mood suddenly plummeted ground-wards? It was ridiculous, she berated herself, as she took off her shoes to enter the building. Adults parted ways all the time. Many good friends had done the same in the past, moved away so at to pursue their own happiness. She had wished sincerely for them to find it. Yet with Ritsu, here she was, selfishly wishing he wouldn't leave her behind so as to fulfil his own destiny of taking over the inn, something he had told her many times had been his goal since childhood. She hated how selfish she was being.
"Ritsu-kun, is that you?" A woman interrupted her thoughts. She appeared a moment later, peering at the pair of them from a screen door, greying black hair in an untidy bun on the top of her head. She looked sickly, with bags under her eyes like dark pools. Mitsuru had been informed beforehand that the Okami's health wasn't good, but she hadn't been anticipating how ill she would really look.
"Is this your friend?" She asked her son. Just observing the gaze she gave him, she could tell that the treasured him deeply. As he deserves, she thought.
"Yes… yes, Mother, this is Mitsuru-san."
She bowed to the older woman.
"It's good to meet you."
"Yes…" The okami sighed, "You are the woman whom my son speaks of such a lot."
From her voice alone, she sounded like it irritated her, but as Mitsuru glanced up, concerned, there was a warm smile on her cracked lips.
"I'm afraid my husband cannot be here to meet you, though he very sincerely wanted to, such an important guest… But his own brother has recently fallen ill, and the responsibility is his to care for him."
Mitsuru bowed again. "Oh, no, of course, I'm not an important visitor at all, his brother's health is far more important! I only hope he returns to full health very quickly."
"Ah," The okami sighed once more. "You are too humble, and very kind. Though, I am sure this will not be the only chance my husband will have of meeting you." Her eyes glinted for a fraction of a second, while Mitsuru stopped her mind from going over what she possibly meant by that. They had been too kind already, inviting her for a free weekend at their onsen. It would surely be too much to ask her to come again.
"Well," Okami-san concluded, "I'm due to have a soak in the hot spring. Ritsu-kun, please show your guest to her room. After that, Mitsuru-san, please feel free to enjoy the facilities of our onsen."
With that, she was gone, with speed unbefitting a woman with such a sickly disposition.
Ritsu, blushing around the collar, lead her through the building without a sound. She didn't understand why he seemed embarrassed all of a sudden.
"Your mother seems a very nice lady." Mitsuru commented, as Ritsu opened the door of the expansive room, that was designated to be hers for her two day stay.
"Yes." He said, then paused. "Mitsuru-san…" He trailed off.
She turned around, from where she was placing her weekend bag beside the cupboard that she suspected would contain her futon.
"Hmm?" She asked, turning around to face him once again. He was hovering by the doorway, unsure and uncomfortable. He obviously didn't think it appropriate to enter a woman's room.
"About my mother… She is… somewhat old-fashioned. Which is why she was so keen to invite you here, I think."
Mitsuru was bemused, not following his thought patterns.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not explaining myself well at all… What I mean to say is, I think, perhaps, she was so eager to meet you because she believes… that I'm at an age where I should be thinking about settling down and… marrying." He said the last word quietly, staring at his feet and nowhere else.
Mitsuru wasn't quite sure what to reply. Part of her wanted to laugh. Surely, nobody on the outside would the view the pair of them and think they could be a couple? They were good friends. Obviously. And yes, she had a certain understanding, and from that attachment, to Ritsu that she didn't have to all of her friends. In fact, she often felt an affinity with Ritsu she simply didn't have with anyone else, but that was it. Definitely.
"So… she, uh, thinks we're a couple?"
He nodded, once, slowly. "I never told her that, though, of course. She… she jumped to conclusions when I've spoken of you in the past. I'm so sorry, Mitsuru-san. I've made you incredibly uncomfortable. I'm sorry. I never should have forced you to come here."
She laughed lightly, moving towards him, and resting a hand on his forearm, which was crossed across his chest.
"It's fine, Ritsu-san." She reassured, "Please, don't worry. There are far worse things in the world to endure than having your mother believe we're… going out, for a couple of days." She smiled at him, as if to get across how genuine she was being. He smiled back, though tentatively.
"Thank you, Mitsuru-san, though I do not deserve a friend as understanding and kind as you. Thank you."
Ritsu stood, still in the doorway, as Mitsuru unpacked the few things she had brought with her. The embarrassment seemed to have disappeared, and they were chatting as usual, as good friends. She stood up, admiring the room around her. The Sohmas really were an extravagant family.
"Would you like to go to the hot springs now?" Ritsu asked, "Only if you're ready though, I'm not meaning to hurry-"
"No, I'm ready." She said, though her stomach gave an uncomfortable twist, as it had done on the train. "Do I… uh, need anything, to bring with me, to the springs?"
"Huh?" He looked surprised, "No, everything's supplied. Towels and… everything." He smiled softly, "You seem… nervous?"
"I've just…" She laughed slightly, "Never actually been to an onsen before. I don't… really know all the procedures and things."
He smiled again, "There aren't many procedures. Please, don't worry at all. I'll show you along to the women's spring…"
"Did you enjoy your soak?" Okami-san asked from across the dinner table. Mitsuru had to hastily swallow her mouthful to reply, a sesame seed getting caught in her throat and making her splutter for a moment.
"Uh, yes, very much so, thank you. It was very relaxing. The surroundings are beautiful, too."
"Yes… And Ritsu-kun, did you soak at all? You haven't done in such a long time. I really think it would be good for your anxiety levels."
"I… uh, no, I did not. I'm sorry. I will… straight after dinner, I will! I'm sorry, Mother."
His apologies weren't loud, as they had a tendency to be, but the sincerity and strength of the words he gave his mother forced Mitsuru to look away. She didn't understand why, when his mother seemed to love him so much, he acted as if he were guilty, and indebted to her.
"Good boy." She said, satisfied. "Now,"
Her tone had enough authority that they both looked up at her instantly, as if they were paying attention to a strict schoolteacher.
"How long have the two of you been in a relationship?"
This time, Mitsuru choked on the entire shiitake mushroom she had placed in her mouth. A flustered Ritsu patted her gently and ineffectively on the back, more to avoid the question than to clear Mitsuru's airway.
"Oh, there's no need to be embarrassed." Okami-san said, smiling, "We're all adults here."
Ritsu didn't answer, and Mitsuru was clueless to whether he'd prefer the misunderstanding be revealed, or if they should just play along.
"Uh, well, we've know each other for about… eight months, I suppose." She started cautiously, nor truly believing that this would satisfy the okami as an answer, "Through Shigure-sensei." The name, even from her own lips, made her skin prickle.
"Ah, yes, Ritsu-kun said you were Shigure-bocchan's editor. I must say, you're lucky to work for an author like that. I hear his works are very good."
Ritsu's hand clamped around her wrist under the table, possibly the only thing preventing her from falling off her chair in a mixture of shock, outrage, and pure hatred of the man in question. She forced her face, with Herculean effort, into a very fake smile.
"But I digress, of how many of the eight months you have known each other have you been a pair?"
Ritsu glanced fearfully over at Mitsuru, and her face was as rabbit-in-the-headlights as his.
He inhaled loudly, "About a month." He said quietly, almost as if he hoped she wouldn't hear, and would ask Mitsuru instead of himself for clarification.
"A month? Not too long at all then. But, tell me, do you feel you have a strong, stable relationship?"
The question brought back flashes of the single time she had agreed to see the company councillor for her 'anxiety issues' came disturbingly to her mind. The words 'strong' and 'stable' were two things she wasn't, apparently. She shuddered involuntarily.
"Um, yes?" Ritsu suggested, glancing rather wildly at Mitsuru. She felt they both knew at this point that they were rapidly getting deeper in, and should probably give up while they still could. Neither seemed to want to be the one to tell Okami-san that she had been mislead, however.
"Oh, good," She seemed genuinely pleased, "I was rather fearing for…" She jumped up suddenly, "I was fearful that my son may never marry, being as he is, however dear to my own heart! To think, he has won the heart of such a kind young woman warms my own heart so greatly, I am so grateful to you, Mitsuru-san!" She bowed extravagantly, "I can retire now, in a couple of years, knowing that the onsen will be safe with my son and his loving wife!"
There didn't seem to be any words in Mitsuru's vocabulary that could form a response appropriate to the stream of words and gratitude that had just been fired at her.
"Uh, ah, Mother, I think we have both done eating, if we may… go to our rooms? I'm sure Mitsuru-san is very tired after her journey." This wasn't true. Mitsuru's stomach was still rumbling slightly, having eaten barely anything all day. Going to bed to an empty stomach, however, seemed a small price to pay to get away from the perilous and awkward situation.
"Ah, Ritsu-kun," She calmed down almost instantly, sitting herself back down at the table as if nothing had happened. "Make sure you have that soak in the hot-spring before you go to bed, It'll help you sleep better."
"Okay." He said weakly, standing up, and prompting Mitsuru to, too.
"Sleep well, Mitsuru-san." Okami-san said cheerfully. Mitsuru just nodded.
Ritsu escorted her back to her room, again not saying a word.
"I-I am so very sorry, Mitsuru-san, so sorry!" His eyes were glistening. She wanted to hug him and reassure him she really minded very little. His mother got ahead of herself, but her thinking the two of them were a loving couple who would eventually run the onsen together wasn't one that she found offensive.
"It was my fault as much as yours, I went along with it. We probably should have just told her of her mistake to begin with."
He nodded.
"But, on the other hand… if it helps her sleep better, well… it can't be bad. Sleep is very good if you're ill."
He nodded again, looking up at her for the first time since leaving the table.
"W-when do you think we should… correct her?"
Normally, efficient and sensible Mitsuru would have kicked in then, told him they would tell her first thing in the morning, with little regard for how betrayed she might feel. However, a strong, dominant, voice in her head was arguing… "Maybe we should just… leave it?"
"L-leave it?" He repeated.
"Well, it's not doing any harm… it keeps her mind at rest, and… until you get a real girlfriend, it shouldn't be a… big deal?" She didn't know where this daredevil behaviour was coming from. It was ridiculous. Every rational fibre of her being was telling her so. But something argued, something stronger than all of that.
"I… I suppose… we could do that." There was a couple of minutes silence between them, each lost in their own thoughts. It was broken only by Okami-san calling, startling them, "Ritsu-kun? Are you still in here? Why aren't you in the spring yet?"
"I'm, I'm going now." He immediately bowed a quick apology to Mitsuru, who gave him a small smile, and disappeared along the corridor, in the direction of the springs.
Mitsuru shut the sliding door to her room, and exhaled slowly. She could feel her heart beating, alive and well, as she unrolled her futon and changed into her pyjamas. As she lay, she could almost feel the sensation of the adrenaline pumping through her. She wasn't sure how long she lay like that. It felt a long time, but in reality, according to her precisely set watch, was little over an hour. It was then that she gave up with sleep for the moment, and crept out of her room, pulling her own dressing gown around herself, rather than the robes provided by the onsen.
She didn't know where she was going, but felt a walk would do her good. There hadn't seemed to be any other guests around earlier, so she wouldn't be disturbing anybody, and she suspected Okami-san would have already gone to bed herself.
Outside, the temperature had dropped considerably, and she was glad she had thought to pull on the dressing gown. The heat from the springs combining with the cool air resulted in a mythical looking thick steam cloud hanging all around, making clear vision an almost impossible feat.
A couple of minutes of aimless walking passed, her trying to reign her thoughts into some kind of order, the way they usually were, the way her job required they were. What use would she be as an editor if she weren't an analytical and logical thinker?
"Mitsuru-san?" Ritsu's voice, a voice she had become very accustomed to. Her stomach flipped, the idea that she had just walked accidently, but shamelessly, over to the men's hot spring flitting to mind.
"Are you on a walk?" He asked calmly. She turned towards the voice, moving cautiously towards it. He didn't sound panicked, so maybe she hadn't landed herself in the embarrassing situation she had just contemplated.
"Yes, I couldn't sleep." She could see him properly now. He looked exactly the same as he had done and hour or so before. He hadn't been in the water, by the looks of it. His sandals sat at the side of him though, and he was allowing his feet to dangle in the water, the fabric of his furisode being pulled up so as to not dampen it.
"Didn't you want to go in?"
"I…" He smiled, but his brown eyes were sad, "I really don't like bathing in the hot spring. It's… difficult. I don't feel I have a place to… go in either spring."
She'd never thought about that. She rarely did think of how Ritsu dressed nowadays. It wasn't disconcerting or strange anymore. It was just Ritsu. It was odd to be reminded of how other people would view him, with confusion, not seeing a sweet, under-confident man, but a cross-dressing guy who wouldn't really have a place in either the male or female spring.
"D-do you mind, a lot?" She asked.
"No. I never liked the springs much, even when I was a child. I very much want to run the onsen, but that's it." He smiled slightly. Again, that urge within him to pull him into a hug. What was coming over her? By nature, she wasn't that affectionate a person, only her mother's influence had made her comfortable with basic physical intimacies. She didn't know what was wrong with her when it came to Ritsu.
"Mitsuru-san, may I ask you," He started, "Do you really not mind my mother having the… wrong idea?"
She smiled, gazing somewhere into the steamy distance.
"I don't mind. Not at all."
He shook his head, as if in disbelief.
"I've put you through so much…" He said quietly, apologetically, "With the curse… and now this, I'm so sorry…"
The quiet apologies always stabbed much further into her than his yelled ones.
"It's okay." She said equally quietly, "You've not put me through anything that outweighs our friendship. I'm glad I know you. Very glad. Even if that means, by extension, I have to be glad to know that… demon, seeing as it was through him…" She laughed slightly. It was amazing how relaxing her 'walk' was turning out to be.
Ritsu smiled too, wistfully, his mouth worded something that she didn't catch. In the comfortable silence that fell between them, Mitsuru took the opportunity to observe Ritsu. He had looks that many girls in Japan would give their right arm for. He had a feminine beauty which let him easily look beautiful in furisode. The bow, capturing some of the honey-silk hair at the back of his head, had come loose, and was drooping slightly on one side. She leant over to him, a bold move without his permission, putting an arm around either side of his head to catch the fabric in her fingers, to retighten it. Her movement coincided exactly with an unaware Ritsu turning to say something to her.
They awkwardly bumped foreheads, the sudden closeness seeming to shock both of them into utter paralysis.
"Uh." Ritsu said, capable of nothing else. It was more than Mitsuru could manage. She was overcome with an insane, insane, urge. He was a friend. That was it. Only Okami-san thought otherwise…
Her lips caught his. They were dried out from the steam in the atmosphere. They were completely still under her, and she, as if burnt, pulled away, realising the enormity of what she'd just done. In one movement, she had completely ruined everything between them. The close proximity remained, as did the silence. When she dared to glance to the delicate face close to her own, his eyes were watching her with something like awe.
"Um… uh… can I… can I?" She wasn't sure what he meant. Her first guess would have been 'can I run off, see you off on the train in awkward silence tomorrow, then cut all contact with you?'.
She was wrong.
His dry lips found hers this time, moving gently, cautiously, as if afraid of doing damage. Warm hands moved to her waist, entirely unsure and ready to dart back to their owner's side at any given moment. They held her to him at the same time as making sure she remained at a distance which wouldn't result in a transformation.
The kiss was unlike anything she had ever experience previously. It wasn't suspiciously experienced, like her prom date's, or passionate and demanding more, like her boyfriend from many years before. It was… Ritsu. Exactly and completely Ritsu.
