AN: Hi guys. I know I dropped off the face of the Earth for a while. I know this is a short chapter. I'm really sorry.
Life has been pretty wild the past few months. I'm in the midst of figuring out college apps and such, and I've had the worst writer's block for this chapter. I figured I'd get this out since it feels somewhat complete, even if it is shorter than I'd have liked.
That said, I can't promise frequent updates for the next few months. Life is crazy right now. I'll do my best, but please be patient with me. Thank you so much to those of you that have stuck around.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. Or Yuki. Or his adorable zodiac form.
This is so much harder than Yuki thought.
"Yuki, I say this with the greatest affection in my heart. You are terrible at shopping," Saki giggles, eyeing Yuki beside her. It's been all of five minutes in the small shop specializing in hair accessories, and he feels about ready to topple over.
Never have silk ribbons and plastic rhinestones been so effective at frightening a high school boy.
"Saki, I don't think affection really softens the blow of that statement," Yuki sighs as he turns over a package of blue hair ribbons in his hands, eyeing the way the edges are lined with silver, frowning thoughtfully, and then simply frowning.
He sets the package down and reaches for a different one, but is interrupted when Saki makes a small noise of surprise from the other side of the store, catching his eye and gesturing for him to join her.
"Find something?" he asks as he takes a place by her side, and she nods vigorously, gesturing at a display of hair ribbons cut in a zig-zag pattern. The one in a shade of light blue catches Yuki's eye, and he picks it up, eyeing it carefully, though he's not entirely sure what he's looking for.
But something about this particular package just seems… right. Like he can already imagine these ribbons in Honda-san's hair.
It's not until a few moments later than he notices Saki's smile.
"What?" he asks.
She shakes her head, lips pressing together almost imperceptibly. For a moment, she almost looks sad, but it passes through her features so quickly he can't be sure.
"Nothing. I just think that you've got a good eye," she replies, eliciting a small laugh from him.
"Hardly. You said so yourself," he quips back as they move to pay at the cashier. "I'm terrible at shopping."
"Saki. I say this with the greatest respect. That is a terrible idea," Yuki sighs as Murasaki waves a pair of dangerously high heels between them, kicking off her own sandals under the sitting bench in the middle of the shoe aisle. He eyes the pair of silver, strappy heels with a skepticism and wariness generally reserved for rambunctious classmates or Hatsuharu on a bad day.
Murasaki ignores him as she plops onto a seat beside him on the aisle bench, trying to ignore the brush of their shoulders as she pulls on the left shoe, and then the right.
"I'll be careful. These aren't much taller than the ones I wore to a gala recital last year," she replies flippantly, wobbling a bit as she stands. This, as expected, seems to do absolutely nothing to assuage Yuki's concerns.
He grimaces, standing up sharply as she attempts to take a few steps, hands extended as if ready to catch her at any moment.
"Didn't you just twist your ankle? Maybe you shouldn't-"
"My ankle is fine, it doesn't even hurt anymore," she says, taking a few more steps, each one wobbling a little less until she's smoothly pacing up and down the ten-foot stretch of the aisle. Each stride fills her with just a bit more confidence, and with each moment that she doesn't topple over and break something, Yuki seems to get just a bit more relaxed.
"See?" she says, pivoting to walk her way back, which is just when-
"Saki wait-!"
-her right heel catches on the edge of one of her sandals peeking out into the walkway, and her delicate balance is promptly shattered.
Several things happen as she falls, all of them passing her by as if in slow motion.
She watches Yuki jump towards her, reaching out to break her fall, his eyes blown wide in shock and horror.
Her hands reach out to meet him, or something- anything- to brace herself with. They just catch the cuff of his shirt.
The two of them topple down together, Yuki colliding with her midway through the fall, and Murasaki only has a moment to vaguely notice the small sound of an explosion before she's lying on her back on the floor, winded.
For a moment, there's only silence and shock.
And then a mouse crawls up her chest towards her face.
A shriek threatens to spill past her lips just as the mouse- which is standing on two legs?- places a small paw on her lips and opens it's tiny mouth to produce what can only be Yuki Soma's voice.
"Saki! It's just me, don't scream, please."
Several thoughts collide in Murasaki's mind all at once, getting tangled in what can only be described as a catastrophic train wreck, until the lone utterance of coherency that actually manages its way past her lips is-
"So you're not a werecow?"
If a mouse could look confused, that is what she's currently seeing.
"No, I'm a rat. What on Earth did Hatsuharu tell you?" Yuki- because the mouse must be Yuki- blanches. Murasaki blinks a few times.
"You're small for a rat," she comments lightly. "I thought you were a mouse. Well, I thought you were a werecow and then I thought you were a mouse-"
"Saki, please, don't freak out. If you can just get me to a dressing room before I change back, I'll explain everything," mouse-rat-not-werecow Yuki sighs.
~.~
A few minutes and some minor rat-smuggling drama later, Yuki is back in his human form and Saki is sitting on a small bench, staring at a potted plant by the entrance of the department store like she's questioning the entire reality of existence.
He takes a seat beside her, their elbows brushing against each other as he does.
"So. What would you like me to explain?" he prompts, and she looks up at him, furrows her brows slightly, blinks a few times contemplatively, and finally sets her jaw decisively.
"So Kyo isn't an orange werecow?"
The question is so startling and the mental image so distinct that Yuki finds himself laughing- truly laughing- for the first time in years.
"It's a legitimate question! Up until today I thought your whole family was like Haru!" she complains, which only serves to fuel his laughter, until eventually she's giggling and laughing along with him, drawing the stares of passerbys and the raised brows of various shop employees in the vicinity.
He doesn't manage to catch a breath until there's a stitch in his side and tears in his eyes.
"Kyo's a cat. We're all animals from the tale of the Zodiac," he says eventually, a smile still on his face, and Saki seems to regard this new idea like it's even more outlandish than the concept of werecows.
"So there's… what, twelve, thirteen of you?"
At this, Yuki's smile falls, his chest hollowing of all it's previous mirth.
"Fourteen. There's one more member… our head of house. He doesn't transform, but he controls the curse."
Saki seems to sense his shift and sobers, before surprising him by putting a hand on his.
"It's okay. You don't have to tell me all at once. I've already learned a lot today," she says, smiling gently, and for a moment he's struck by the undeniable and terrifying urge to press a gentle kiss to her lips. Affection for her floods through his veins, and Yuki has to actively tell himself not to do something stupid to prevent himself from acting on the impulse.
"Thank you," he says instead, and at this, her brows furrow, her smile twisting slightly.
"For what?"
Yuki pauses, before shaking his head.
"Nothing. Don't worry about it."
It's a lie, of course. Somehow, though, it seems simpler than the truth. That the gratitude was a substitute for something greater, most vast and more complex.
Perhaps more dangerous.
Love.
I'm in love with you.
As ever, much thanks to all my Followers and Favorites. There's so many of you that I've decided not to do that huge list like I usually do for fear of missing someone, but please know that I adore each and every one of you.
Review Replies:
Catniss07: No Host Club appearance in this chapter, but I'm sure they'll be back. As ever, I can't help but write them in. They're hilarious. Glad you're enjoying the mutual pining and the tense truce between Yuki and Kyoya. Thanks for reviewing :)
HiddenCamelia: Thank you so much, you give me and my story far too much credit. (and I am totally on in agreement with you there, pining idiots are, in fact, my kryptonite)
marrona: Your review had me cackling, lmaoo. Glad you enjoyed that, thanks so much for the review :)
indescribable music: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying Saki's dynamic with the other characters of this story, as well as the Kyoya cameos, loll. Thanks so much for the review :)
Hopeyourhappy: Welcome to the chaos I call a fic, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for the review :)