ménage à fruits

[a fruits basket romance]

written by matt j. greco

Disclaimer:

Fruits Basket/Furuba is © Takaya Natasuki/HAKUSENSHA, TV TOKYO, Nas, Fruba Project. All names used herein were used without permission. All originally created names and characters are not relative to the afore-mentioned.  None of these may be used without personal consent of the author.

Author's Notes:

This Furuba fanfiction has no defined timeline. I suppose it could be un-neatly inserted somewhere in the middle of the manga, but jumps around as far as characters and themes are concerned. In relation to the Fruits Basket anime, this story takes place a bit after the conclusion of the series. Also to be noted, I will be using the spelling of the characters from both the manga and the anime series, so if you see a name that seems "wrong" to you, it is due to the fact that I have chosen to use the spelling that is most widely recognized.

And without further ado, enjoy.

[chapter 1]

sleepy head

He didn't wear mascara. He didn't spend and hour or more each school morning fixing his hair just right. He didn't wear silk every day, every hour. He didn't like the fact that he had his own feverishly dedicated fan club at his school. He didn't take cat naps, for lack of a better term, for beauty rest, nor did he bathe in carefully heated water with candles burning on the tub's brim. He especially didn't like his cousin, Kyou.

Yet all of these things could simply not be helped. All of them were natural aspects of his life, things he could not help. His eyelashes just happened to be a bit longer and more feminine than all of his friends'. Whether classmates believed it or not, that was more or less how his hair was fixed when he awoke every morning. Perhaps the one he paid most attention to, however, was the presence of that damn cat. Unfortunately, this natural existence in his life was something he could *not* help, no matter how much he tried.

As if the mere fact he had to live with this particular Sohma wasn't enough, Yuki's old master Kazuma happened to come around to the house a few days ago. It's not that he blamed Kazuma-san for returning home after so many months, he still loved the man with all his heart. However it seemed that the old master came with a very determined purpose this time around. No doubt ordered by Akito, Yuki's mentor had confronted Kyou that night about his true form, the demonic spirit of the cat. As the rain came down, foreboding all what was to come about, the beads were torn from his cousin's wrist.

Tohru, through those sweet, innocent eyes of hers, saw everything.

Unsurprising to say the least, the girl accepted what was the truth behind Kyou, Yuki pondered to himself. She still found room in her heart to sympathize with him. All I could was shamefully look away, at how easily she was able to do this. It didn't take much courage to muster up. Sometimes I think her love for all is unwavering.

Even as I was wracked from bone to bone, trying to hold back my cousin, all I could do was listen to her words. Though genuine they were, I was still pierced to my core. Was this a necessary evil? Did it really have to come to Kyou transforming into that thing for me to realize this is what I had to live with, what he had to bear? On certain levels, I've come to acknowledge that. Yet on others, I am disgusted with myself when I cannot manage to even express my brotherly love for him.

Though thin it may run at times, I am fully aware of its presence, as I think Kyou is. That's something I've never been able to alter, love for family. I suppose there is one exception to this however, that being of our family's head.

Never ceasing to amaze us, Tohru decided to head to the Sohma house and tell Akito how she felt. He spoke his mind as well, though more physically then she did. Again, I found myself restraining someone from attack once again. Yet the skin of this arm I felt was much different from Kyou's that night. Akito's bones chilled through his arm into my palm, and only froze more each time Tohru said something bleeding with harsh truth.

Shigure, Hatori, Tohru, and I awkwardly left his chambers to meet with Kyou, whom was waiting outside. I don't blame him for not wanting to be there, kneeling on the hard floor, forced to stare at his knees, showing disreputable respect to Akito. He seems to control the tolerance of this at least better than myself.

Upon reaching home, I wasn't sure what Akito would be thinking to himself. Would he really analyze what Tohru had said, and try to find the good so clearly painted on her? I wouldn't be surprised if Hatori and he had a quiet conversation, Akito telling his servant what was to be done, and Hatori silently agreeing.

"Umm. . .Yuki-kun? Breakfast is ready."

Tohru's apron looked a little less suiting to her this morning. After the bravery and strength she demonstrated over the past days, she was more than just a smiling house guest.

"Ah, great. I'll be right there."

Entering the kitchen, he was surprised to see Kyou already seated, shoveling in mounds of rice and fish. Usually he'd be up on the room, counting the clouds or whatever it was he did there.

More and more, things were changing.

"So, Yuki, how about that fight you promised me yesterday?"

"Not now, I'm not feeling up to it. I got up only an hour ago." he replied quietly, rubbing an eye. The truth was Yuki didn't want to defeat Kyou when he was tired, the blame would be placed on that when the cat lost.

"What's that? Worried that Kazuma-san trained me a little before he left?"

"That wouldn't help."

Kyou snorted and continued eating.

"Hey these are pretty good for leaks, Tohru."

"Hm? Oh, t-thankyou." Tohru bowed, blushing slightly.

"Well, I mean, they could be a lot better, but I can still eat 'em and all." He certainly was keeping his manners in check.

Shigure folded the paper he was reading, placing it down next to his feet. "You're rather talkative today, Kyou-kun. Did something happen?"

"Nah, it's just I've got nothing else to do. Plus that damn rat over there's backing down from his own challenge."

"I didn't say I wouldn't fight with you, I merely said not right at the moment."

"Yeah, whatever." Kyou went back to eating.

Shigure shrugged and returned to reading his paper.

"Hatori-san! Hatori-san!" Momiji stumbled on his night clothes, still not changed, coming into the doorway of Hatori's study. The sign reading 'private' was plain in sight to all those accept the boy, apparently.

Placing down his pen with well-practiced patience, Hatori looked up. "What is it, Momiji-kun?"

"Haru's gone! I can't find him anywhere, but he made his bed. I think he went out walking and got lost, 'cause I heard him get up a little while ago."

"He should eventually find his way back. Somehow he always manages."

"Yeah, but— "

"Momiji-kun, I have a lot of work to do." Hatori stated, turning back to his desk.

"Alright. . ." Momiji bowed his head and ran out of the room.

The white haired boy clutched the hand of the little girl with careful delicacy. Kisa Sohma looked up at her older cousin, wondering where they were going. The two had been walking the streets for at least a half an hour now, and she was still trying to decide whether Hatsuharu was lost, or knew exactly where he was going. Though she must admit, being escorted around by such a stern figure was quite the pleasantry.

"Um. . .Haru?"

Hatsuharu turned, smiling down at her. "What is it, Kisa-chan?"

"Where are we going? My feet are hurting a little bit."

"Heh, I'm sorry. Don't worry though, I'm taking you to a place I really like. You'll love it." With that, he turned and led on, silent again.

"O-okay. . ."

They were at it again.        

"You *snuck* that leak into my noodles!"

Yuki rubbed his forehead, the area throbbing beneath his palm. The boy had only just woken up, and already his cousin was shouting at him for something. Shigure had conveniently removed himself from the table to go work on that seemingly endless novel of his. Tohru was in the kitchen, scraping some left over food off of plates. Yuki could just imagine her in there, cringing, wishing they'd stop.

"No, if I had wanted to kill you, I would've done it differently."

"Like I'm gonna believe that! You put it in there to weaken it before our fight! *If* we ever have it!"

"Kyou, I'm still tired, and you know what happens when I fight in the morning."

Seems they'll never stop, Shigure thought to himself, balancing his pen under his nose. Looking up, the thatch ceiling above him was again patched in several places from innumerable confrontations of the rivals. Surely there was enough going on in his life at this point? The newly spawned awkwardness between him and Akito, after their meeting with Tohru. Editors staring down his back, impatiently waiting for more pages every day. And now, with all this fervor in his house, the payments would all have to be made by Shigure. The Sohma house had long since stopped helping with the finances.

In the midst of all this, he never took the time to see how Tohru was holding up. She seemed fine around the house, tidying up as always with a clear smile painted upon her visage. Yet that wasn't something new. No matter what was happening in the girl's life, she would never let it come out. Now that he thought about, she seemed more and more like Yuki and Kyou, keeping their innermost feelings locked up. Still, after what occurred with Akito, how could she go on so meticulously composing herself?

On the reverse side of the coin, what was the head Sohma acting like around his house now? Was he still lying there, blanketed in silent sorrow? Or were his outbursts even more violent and frequent? Hopefully the rage from what Tohru had said wasn't being taken out on Hatori. She had told him how she felt, and what was true. Akito was going to die, and it would pain her heart. It must be hard for Akito to imagine someone else grieving over him. Especially her.

"That's it! Come on, you've been up long enough! Let's go!"

Shigure sighed, getting up from his chair. It would seem he'd have to play the referee again, if he wanted to keep the house intact. As the anger of the two grew, so did their skill and in turn the damage.  It didn't seem to matter where they fought; somehow it always led to a door or some wall being ripped through by one of them. Although, the fighting between Kyou and Yuki was just as natural as Shigure avoiding Mit-chan, he noted as the phone rang for the third time that morning. And for the third time, he picked it up and put it back on the receiver.

They had to be close now. There was no possible place in this entire town that could bring Kisa's legs so close to falling off or running back to the house without her. Also, the girl noticed that Hatsuharu's hand was getting a bit moist with sweat. This could have easily been from the heat of the sun, but perhaps he had something planned? He was after all keeping silent this whole time, just leading them onward, as if where they were going was the most important thing to him right now.

"Hatsuharu-kun, how much—"

"We're here." The boy interjected, stopping at a small gateway.

The rusted metal of the fence read 'Hinatoshi Park.' Kisa's shoulders sagged at the sight of it. She came her at least twice every week. Why today? And it shouldn't have taken this long to reach the place. Usually it was only a ten minute stroll from the Sohma house. Which meant that Hatsuharu had led the two in circles around the town at least three times.

As they took a few more steps onto the neatly trimmed grass, Kisa looked around. Everything seemed the same; she really couldn't find any thing new or special. Hatsuharu had mentioned he really liked where they were going, and the girl was aware he was fond of the park, but he had showed her it plenty of times. All the benches were in the same place. The large central fountain was still flowing with glistening water. The ice cream vendor resided in his corner by some trees, just as he had always done. Nothing was different.

Except for Hiro sitting on a small merry-go-round in the shade.

"Hiro-kun!"

The boy stopped swinging his legs and counting the stones on the ground, looking up. He didn't greet her at first, looking down into his lap. From where she was, Kisa couldn't tell if anything was in his hand, but he seemed to pause, glancing at it. She looked up at Hatsuharu, slightly puzzled, but he was only looking out at Hiro, grinning slightly.

Letting go of the boy's hand, Kisa ran over to where Hiro sat.

"I didn't know you were going to be here, Hiro-kun."

"Yeah. . .I needed some time to get here though; I had something to pick up. That's why Haru over there took his time in bringing you here." The whole time he spoke, the boy stared down at his feet, fumbling slightly with his words, something uncommon with him.

"Oh. . ."

"Umm, well, I brought something for you."

"For me, really?"

Hiro held out his hand to her, blushing slightly as he did so. In his fingers rested a freshly picked magnolia, its pedals perfectly sculpted. Perhaps he had been fidgeting with it, or trying to make it look as best as possible before they got there.

"Uh. . .it's a little crudely picked, I forgot to bring my wallet, so I got it from a garden. But this way, it's more real." His eyes moved to see Kisa's expression for a moment, then back down again.

For a moment, the girl was silent, staring at the flower now held loosely in her hand.

"Oh, Hiro-kun, it's beautiful! Thankyou so much! I, I didn't bring anything for you, though. . . .I didn't know—"

At this, Hiro looked up, closing Kisa's fingers with his own.

"No, this is just for you. This is your day. Happy birthday, Kisa-chan."

Author's Notes:

Alright, there's the first chapter. I'm not sure I like how the story's going so far, but I found I couldn't stop writing. Rest assured though, the coming chapters will be much better, especially their structure and depth. This was to serve as brief snapshots of what was going on with the Sohmas. More of Yuki and Kyou will be coming, and plenty of arguments involving Tohru. Also, later on, Yuki will go alone to the Sohma house to see Akito. Hatori contemplates going see his ex-wife, much to the discretion of Ayame. Thanks for reading. – Kain Lorelus