Um, in case anyone has been checking in on my other stories, then i'm sorry to say that I won't be finishing them until I finish this one. 'Easily Amused' has become my number one priority.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

Easily Amused : Shot By The Little Freak With Wings

Tuesday

Argh! Where is it?! Where is it?! I frantically toss the hotel mattress to the side in hopes of finding my lost object. I guess by now you're wondering just what exactly it is that i'm looking for. This is so embarrassing. I mean, it's understandable if I was trashing my hotel room because I lost my birth control or a family heirloom but in this case it was my signed Aerosmith cd. Sure, it's a material object, but come on people!! It's AEROSMITH!! Only the best band in the entire world and i'm sure Japan would happily agree with me. I wouldn't be so freaked if it wasn't signed, but low and behold, it is!! When Joe Perry, one of the greatest guitarists in the world ( and he IS because Rolling Stone said so) is old and decrepid and can barely move those gifted fingers, I will still have his signature on his band's cd that signifies his glory. I finally spot the marvelous cd underneath my ruined evening dress from the other night. How in Angelina Jolie's name did it get under there? I must be getting careless in my old age. I finally manage to take a good look at my destroyed room. It could almost pass for the location of a metal band's last party. Mental post-it: Clean this mess up when I get back.

I suppose that now you're wondering exactly where it is i'm headed? In all honesty, I have no on earthly idea. It started out as a calm walk to cleanse my mind of last night's actions. For one thing, I couldn't believe that I had stood up to Shigure like I had when I wanted nothing more than to take him to my room. I also couldn't believe that my father was interested in the cheap trick Sage Braum. It was almost too much stress for me to handle, which is quite odd. Anyone who knows me personally will tell you I work best under stress. In school, I would think up the greatest ideas for a project right when it was assigned to the class, only to actually start the project two days before it was due. I loved the pressure. Sometimes you would even catch me finishing it up during my lunch period. Now, my journalism teacher would speak on the contrary and call it procrastination. Which, in all fairness, it was. But I never failed my projects. Never. With the exception of my sophomore English teacher who, in my defense, hated my guts. She would sit there and berate me for my laziness, saying I wouldn't amount to anything more than a fast food cook. Imagine the look of surprise when I made a 98 on the final. Fast food cook my ass.
I guess that's a negative part of my personality. I strive to prove people wrong, just for my benefit. I did it to Shigure last night and have always done it to my friends and family. Not that I haven't been proven wrong myself, because we all know that i'm wrong on more than one occasion. And I also know that to prove my elders wrong makes them look bad. I pause for a moment and take in my surroundings. How ironic, i'm back at the beginning. I gawk at the adult novelty store in front of me. How did I end up here? This is where Shigure and I had first run into each other. Such poetic justice to look upon this store as a non virgin. I stuff my hands into the pockets of my jeans and lean back on the heels of my feet. It wasn't until a few passerbys had crossed my path that I noticed I wasn't the only one looking at the pervert store. A few feet beside me stood the wonderful Shigure. Maybe I should apologize for the night before. Before I could open my mouth to even yelp out a 'hi', he was a few inches away from my body, a sad look gracing his face. I don't like this look. Not one bit.
"Dusty..." No! He's going to tell me that everything he said last night was a lie. Or better yet, he's going to tell me that everything between us was a mistake. It wasn't a mistake!! It wasn't!! It was the best thing that has ever happened to me and I regret none of it!! Well, except the hit and run by Akito. I think I could lived the rest of my life just fine without that little incident. So, without listening to him, I ran. And tripped. And fell right on my rear. Shigure was instantly by my side but I wouldn't let him say what he had to say. I just couldn't deal with all this right now. So I ran again. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here.
I walked by my lonesome for another hour or so until I could hear my name being yelled out by a female. It was probably Sage Braum, stalking me so that she could brag over her triumph with my father. I hate to break it to her, but my father's not the biggest prize in the world. Now Hugh Hefner, there's a prize. Sure he's old, but he's filthy rich and can still bed young women. Plus he has a bitchin smoking jacket. Or Mel Gibson. He's Austrailian AND good with kids!! Both are better prizes than a middle aged photographer that barely has enough time for his only daughter. I turned my head to see Patricia's short bob bouncing wildly amidst her beaming smile.
"Dusty!! I'm SO glad I finally found you!!" She had been searching for me? How endearing. And I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk to her about everything that's been going on.
"Back from Greece so soon?" She panted as she came up to me. She must not be used to much physical activity. She nodded hastily, trying to catch her breath.
"Routine trip. My father is trying to marry me off to a rich man and there happened to be a suitor willing to meet me." Marrying off? Geez, I feel like i'm living in the Middle Ages.
"Did you get you some booty?" I meant it to sound like a joke but I ended up sounding too interested instead. She stared at me for a moment before shaking her head and laughing.
"I went by your hotel room and discovered it destroyed. I was worried so I asked Shigure where I could find you." She suddenly lowered her head in shame. " I know I shouldn't have went to him, but I was honestly worried about your well being." I couldn't help but grin. She reminded me so much of the first time I met Becky. We were in the fifth grade and this snotty brat of a thing made fun of her for wearing black. I saw no harm in her color preference so I pulled the chick's hair and pushed her. The next day the snob brought her big brother into the picture. Granted, I had taken many....MANY self defense classes by then and I practically made the brother beg for his life. But there was Becky, in the corner, worrying about me.
"It's alright. Shigure has nothing but my best interest, so I guess it's just instict to go to him." I rubbed my behind, remembering the recent encounter with the author. Patricia was all over me in a minute. I could only wonder where she kept the spotlight used for interrogations.
"I knew it!!"
"Knew what?" I mean really, I was drawing a complete blank with this one.
"You've been hit by Cupid's arrow!! It's SO obvious!!" Had the goat cheese and wine gone to her head or something? Cupid?! It was time I filled her in on my rendition of Greek mythology.
"Cupid was a little freak with wings who should've had the proper license to shoot those suckers. A freak with wings and that's it! He's nothing special. You can find just as many weirdos with fake wings at Mardi Gras." You would think she would be insulted. Instead, she smirked slyly and said her goodbyes, leaving me completely confused. Completely. What in McEnroe was her deal?! But she was right about one thing : I was feeling the love. Oh yes. Marvin Gaye was serenading my thoughts with his own personal soundtrack. Stupid little winged freak...
That night I sat on the balcony, thinking about how a visit with Jim would have been nice. But the security guard was on vacation and probably wouldn't be back until I had already left. I didn't want to leave, though. I wanted to stay right here in Japan. I could get used to the bathrooms and the language. Hell, I would even eat squid to stay here. I peered up at the night sky. Man it was gorgeous. It was like a huge glittery blanket. Hmm. Mental post-it : Spray my comforter with silver glitter. My mother and I used to sit on Nana's porch and make wishes on stars. Now that I think on it, it was incredibly silly. Nothing ever came true. If it had, then I must've been pretty out of it when I met Santa Clause, bought out Six Flags, went on a date with Big Bird, and guest starred on Jerry Springer. What? I was a strange child. I leaned over the railing to get a better look at the new guard. He was much older than Jim but smiled at everyone who came in and out. He looked like he could use some company. And a good cup of coffee. I glanced up at the starry blanket once more. One wish couldn't hurt, could it? I squeezed my eyes shut and smiled up at the sky. There. Wish done. I wrapped my baby blue robe around my body and headed to the elevator, carefully checking the hallways before I exited my room.
I tapped my bare foot impatiently as I awaited the tiny beep to let me in. Damn my toes were stubby. They looked like the Kiebler elves had birthed me instead of my six foot nothing father. The gracious beep caused me to look away from my freakish body parts and I stepped in.
"Well whaddya know..." My blood stopped flowing for a few seconds as I recognized Shigure's voice. I take back the whole not believing in wishing on stars thing. My wish had just come true. I pushed myself into the small corner as he pushed the emergency stop button. I wanted to rush into his arms like a fanatic Scarlett O'Hara to her Rhett Butler. But I was no Scarlett. I was more of an Eliza Doolittle with a twang rather than a Georgia peach with a sweet southern accent. He moved towards me, his dark eyes locked on my entire being. I stuck my foot out like Stewart on 'Mad TV' would always do to keep Shigure at a distance. There was no telling what I would do to him. I was like a rabid nun in a fraternity.
"Back off pretty boy!! I have a leg and I know how to use it!!" Okay, that sounded more like a chicken campaign than a threat, but give me a break here. I used the gold beam inside the compartment as a perch. It didn't do much, just gave me a little more height over Shigure. His arms locked in beside me, making it impossible to get out of this now. And then it hit me. He was teasing me just like I had teased him yesterday. I shuddered underneath his gaze. It was giving me chills to be this close to him. "I...I mean it." His hands gripped my biceps, squeezing gently. "I'm quite dangerous when motivated." This caught his attention. But the lust was still clouding his eyes. I'm surprised mine weren't shady in the same way.
"And what exactly motivates you?" I gulped as he removed a chestnut chunk from my face before wrapping his fingers around the back of my neck, entertwining flesh with hair.
"Oh...you know."
"I'm not Buddah. Enlighten me..." He pressed his lips right underneath my ear. Oh boy. But I would not be so easily influenced. I brought the leg up again and gave a light push, my voice a loud hush.
"Whoa! That is unwanted physical contact!!" We were in the same position as before in a second. Only this time, his eyes were bearing into my own silver ones, bracing me for what was to come next. His lips were barely brushing mine.
"Is it now?" I shook my head before reaching his mouth with my own. I had had enough of this whole game. We finally parted, each of us a little out of breath from the exciting embrace. But he was back in front of me, whispering delicately into my neck. "Come home with me tonight."
"Pardon?" I had heard him loud and clear but I wanted to make sure that this wasn't out of pure arousal. Because let's face it, arousal just doesn't get me hopping into a bed like a snap, crackle, and pop!
"You heard me."
"I'm not deaf. Just say it again." He sighed but I could feel a grin on my skin.
"Come home with me tonight." Decisions, decisions. What is it that I want? My Nana would tell me to spit in one hand and want in the other and see which comes out fuller. Well, in the want hand was the idea of spending the night in Shigure's arms. I have my slut moments and this wasn't one of them. He wasn't some total stranger. And i'm sure there could be some pillow talk. In the spit hand was the idea of spending the night in a bed alone and end up talking to a seventy year old security guard. Well it's obvious which one was outwieghting the other. But there was still a nagging question in the back of my brain. Stupid cricket!!!
"Why?" He sat there, in the curve of my neck, speechless. Was he thinking of a witty answer or something? It better not be degrading or anything or i'd be so pissed. Not just pissed but insulted as well.
"Because I don't think I can stand another day without you by my side." Oh....that....was....aw!! Yes!! In all things involved with Kool- Aid!! Yes!! I strained my toe to hit the release button. I would have to get a few things, of course....

Shorter than usual, but i'm tired....