I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters.

Chapter Four: Schemes and Whispered Words

The day dragged on for Shigure. He spent most of it holed up in his room at his desk, but not writing so much as one word. He stared at his manuscript he'd been working on without seeing it for hours, memories replaying through his head from many years ago. How he had taken the Mabudachi Trio days for granted! Those were some of the best days of his life, when he, Aya, and Hatori had only each other and the silly schemes that he had always gotten them into. Ah, to go back to the days when they cared little about what anyone else thought. Shigure was still that way, and Aya too, but Hatori had changed.

Hatori was never the one to open up, even as his best friends they had to coax it out. But he smiled then, happy smiles that reached his eyes. Ha-san was so handsome when he smiled. He had always been the grounded one, on task, responsible, but still knew how to have fun and take a joke. He was smart, went off and became a doctor for the family. Even Akito's constant gloom everyday didn't bring him down, until Kana.

Shigure and Ayame couldn't believe it when Hatori told them she knew the family secret, and were even more baffled when he confessed he loved her and wanted to marry her. They wanted their friend to be happy, so of course they were happy for him properly, but that night before Hatori was to ask Akito's permission to marry, Shigure and Ayame both stayed up all night with worry. They knew it wasn't Kana who would break their curse, and Shigure bet all his money on black that Akito would never allow it.

And unfortunately for Hatori, lady luck sided with Shigure the night before. Akito flew into a rage, even going as far as to throw a vase at Hatori, which blinded his left eye mostly. He told Shigure he could still see shadows of shapes but that was it. To make it worse, Akito ordered Kana's memories erased. Hatori, who could not disobey a direct order from his God, erased the memories of the only girl he ever loved.

That was when Shigure lost the Hatori he knew and loved. Every day that passed since, Hatori became even more introverted and cold. He lost all his tolerance for his friend's antics and withdrew from them, burying himself in his work, and drowning himself to sleep each night. He let Aya come around a little more than Shigure, because Aya admired him and would listen to Hatori. Shigure on the other hand didn't change who he was for anyone, expect Akito, but only because he had no control over that.

Pushing himself away from the desk, Shigure was resolved that he was going to try to get Hatori back, and hopefully in the process Hatori would see what he was looking for had been in his life all along, he'd just over looked it.


Hatori was hunched over the small breakfast table that was in the kitchen. It was the only table high enough for him to stretch his long legs beneath. He was still working on his paper work, taking turns with Tohru checking in on Kyo, who had been sleeping all day. He paused in his writing, stiffening, when he felt hands suddenly rubbing his shoulders.

"Good Gods, Ha-san, you are really tense!", Shigure said as he rubbed the knots in Hatori's back. "You are working way too hard if you are letting yourself get this bad!"

Hatori sighed, putting down his pen. "That really isn't necessary, Shigure. Can't you see I'm working?"

"Work, shmerk," was Shigure's reply. "I dare you to tell me this doesn't feel good. I used to do this all the time for you when we were kids, remember?"

Hatori would be downright lying if he said it didn't feel amazing. In all honesty, he didn't want Shigure to stop. He certainly had a way with his hands. Even after all these years he remembered the spots that were always the worst, focusing on those first. Hatori had been on the swim team in high school and after practices Shigure would rub his aching muscles for him. Of course, back then it had been innocent. Hatori wasn't sure if the dog had an ulterior motive up his sleeve.

"So what made you decide to come out here and start bothering me?"

Shigure smirked. He knew Hatori would be resistant to his ministrations, which suddenly shifted from massaging pressure to gently tracing patterns across his friend's back. Hatori didn't miss the switch either, but tried to keep himself from jumping as Shigure's fingernails lightly scraped down his shoulder blades.

"Actually, I was thinking that you, Aya and I should have a boys night this weekend! I bet Aya could use a much needed break from costume designing, and it's extremely obvious that you need a break. You haven't been out with us in ages!" For a little more emphasis, Shigure scratched harder down Hatori's back through his thin cotton dress shirt.

This caused Hatori to arch his back, heat flooding his face and even more frustratingly, his nether regions. "All right!", he snapped. "We'll go out on Friday night if that's fine with Aya. Now quit pestering me so I can finish these before bed!"

"YES!" cried Shigure, flinging his arms around Hatori from behind, pulling him backwards into his chest. "We are going to have so much fun! I'm going to go call Aya now!" With that, he let the startled dragon go and ran off to the phone.

Hatori blushed at the state he was in. He tried to shake off the feeling of Shigure's chest pressed into his back, his arms holding Hatori tight. He scowled down at the papers in front of him. Shigure had gotten him too flustered to worry about them right now.


Yuki stepped out into the hallway when he heard Tohru come out of her room. She looked up at him, smiling, then her face turning to concern at seeing his lip.

"Hi Yuki! Are you ok? Do you need me to get anything for you? I was just going in to check on Kyo-"

"Actually, why don't you let me do that Ms. Honda? And thank you for the offer, but I don't need anything."

Tohru hesitated, not sure if Yuki going into Kyo's room was really a good thing right now. "Well, if you are sure, it's not a big deal for me to do it!"

Yuki smiled his special smile just for her. "You've been doing shifts with Hatori all day. I am the one who caused this, so maybe I should take a few turns. I promise to behave myself. You should go ahead and go to bed."

Tohru considered that, knowing Yuki would stick to his word. She smiled. "Ok, I'm going to take a bath then. You just have to make sure he's still breathing, and that he has vomited. If he's awake and hungry, I've got food in the refrigerator for him!"

Yuki nodded that he understood and watched as Tohru went back into her room and collected her toiletries. He waited until he heard the water running to approach Kyo's door. He knocked softly, and when there was no answer, he took a deep breath and quietly slipped in. Kyo was sleeping in his bed on his back, with one arm thrown up over his head and one foot sticking out from the covers. Yuki smiled a little to himself at what a bed hog the cat was.

He stood over Kyo, analyzing him. He was breathing correctly, taking the slow deep breaths of someone asleep. He saw and smelled no vomit. His eyes went up to where he saw Kyo bleeding from that morning and had to bite his lip to keep himself from gasping and waking Kyo up. Never in all their fights had they ever marked each other with anything more than a bruise or bloody nose. Yuki sadly counted the stitches. Thirteen in all. He had broken open that flawless tanned skin and given Kyo thirteen stitches.

With great care not to wake Kyo, Yuki very gently brushed the flaming orange hair back from the cut. "I'm so sorry Kyo," he whispered. "I didn't mean for it to go this far. I know why I freaked out on you now, but you'd never believe me if I told you. And anyway, it would probably just lead to a fight and you could end up back here." Yuki kept stroking his hair, surprised at how soft it was.

Kyo stirred slightly, and Yuki snatched his hand away. With one last look, he left Kyo's room quickly, figuring if he was there when Kyo woke up that it would be a bad thing.


Kyo was awake when he heard a knock at the door. He had been lying there, going over and over the fight in his head trying to figure out what had happened. He was really hoping that Hatori wouldn't report this to Akito, or he'd have more to worry about than a few stitches. Akito would be furious to know that Kyo had attacked Yuki in a way that caused him to use such extreme force. Kyo knew deep down that he would deserve every crack of Akito's whip for it too. The only reason he fought with Yuki was to be near him, to have contact with him even if it was bad for his health.

Kyo saw Yuki slip into to his room. Shit, think of the devil and he shall appear, thought Kyo as he snapped his eyes closed, pretending to still be sleeping. He could feel Yuki standing over him staring, and he hoped Yuki wouldn't notice the slow blush he could feel burning on his cheeks. Then he felt Yuki very gently brush his hair back from his cut.

"I'm so sorry Kyo," he whispered. "I didn't mean for it to go this far. I know why I freaked out on you now, but you'd never believe me if I told you. And anyway, it would probably just lead to a fight and you could end up back here."

Kyo listened to those words, hearing the sincerity in them even though they were whispered. What the hell? Yuki was apologizing? But why? And what the hell does he mean I wouldn't believe him? What is he hiding? And wait…that arrogant asshole thinks he'd put me back in this bed, huh? I'll remember that when I heal… He twitched during his thoughts, his willpower to keep up his ruse slipping away as his ego started creeping up. Finally he snapped open his eyes, searching his room but Yuki was gone. Kyo wondered why it was that when it came to Yuki, he was always the one left alone and confused.


End Chapter. OOOOO suspense! Please review! =)