Collared

by Ongaku no Usagi

"Sensei!"

The word broke Kyou from his reverie. Not a serious reverie, in which one ponders the meaning of fate and existence; just that little moment you have between two tasks where you recuperate from one and prepare for the other. Kyou's were generally full of two thoughts: how to beat Yuki, and what to say to Tohru the next time he saw her.

But I digress.

A moment later, a certain black-haired author came running into the room, giggling as if he were five instead of more than twenty years older, and slightly huffing out of breath.

"Mitsuru's here," he panted, still a silly grin painted over his already-quirky features. "She demands the first chapter of my new novel, and I haven't the slightest clue what to write for it yet."

Kyou rolled his eyes. "Why does this not surprise me?" he asked, deadpan. Shigure pouted.

"Honestly, Kyou-kun, you're such a meanie. I ought to complain to Tohru..."

A tell-tale nerve ending in Kyou's right cheek, next to the corner of his mouth, twitched when Shigure said that. It quickly turned into a snarl.

"Just...leave her out of your perverted mind, okay? Mitsuru-san! Shigure's in here!"

"Gah!" Shigure made a rush for the door as they both heard feminine thumps up the stairs. Out in the hall, he started to make a break for the opposite end, when he almost collided with Tohru. And had an idea.

"Tohru-kun, hide me!" he exclaimed. "Huh?" asked the baffled girl, before finding herself engulfed first in a hug, and then in a cloud of smoke.

POOF! Shigure the dog now sat very manneredly at her side just as Mitsuru popped her head into the hallway.

"Ah...ah..." gasped poor Tohru, unaware of anything that was going on. It was the wide-eyed look that always came across as innocence.

The editor huffed in annoyance. "Ano," said Tohru, timidly, "can I help you with something?"

"Have you seen...that damned author...Shigure?"

Now came one of those horrid moments. If she said yes, she would be betraying the fact that Shigure had turned into the dog now lapping at her hand. If she said no, she would by lying, and hadn't Okaa-san told her many times not to lie?

It was fortunate for her that Kyou took the opportunity to poke his head out the door of his room and run his cat-eyed gaze over the scene. With a smirk, he strode over to the still-confused Tohru and the black dog, procuring a rope, and tied it around the dog's neck (much to said dog's annoyance).

"Sorry, Mitsuru, we haven't seen him, but he should be back in about ten minutes. In the meantime, would you mind waiting with Tohru downstairs?"

"Hai!" said Tohru, finally, remembering her hostess role. "Mitsuru-san, may I get you some tea?"

While the two of them disappeared downstairs, Kyou dragged the extremely pissed author by his neck into his room, picking up his clothes (fortunately unnoticed by Mitsuru...c'mon, people, suspension of disbelief, okay?) as he did so. When he had got Shigure in his room, he stood there and glowered at him until he transformed back.

Shigure repouted. "Oi, what did I do to deserve that?"

Kyou threw his clothes in his face. "You burst into my room without asking. Hurry up and put those on."

Shigure crossed his arms, neglecting the rope still around his neck. "What? You can't make me face Mitsuru."

Kyou took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quick, Mitsuru-san! Get up here now, Shigure's in here!"

Shigure had no problem breaking the world record for putting on clothes.

And what do you know? He had the chapter written, anyway.

Author's Notes: This story started out with one idea and ended with this. The original idea was that story ideas are usually accidents. Ironic, nee?