Author's Note: Here's chapter 5, on May 1st, as promised! Argh, well, it would have been if my stupid Internet had been working right!
Title: Neko to Inoshishi
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Some spoilers, I guess. I'll try not to have too many specific ones, though.
Summary: Kyo falls for the one girl who's always wanted him, Kagura.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket… darn…
Setting: This story takes place after episode 26.
*** = setting change
italics = emphasis
italics = thoughts
~Current Issues~
The three teenagers entered the store. Before any of them could say a word, Ayame and Shigure popped up in front of them.
"You're here!" Ayame exclaimed. "Too bad my little brother couldn't come."
Shigure greeted the youths by saying, "You're late."
Kyo simply glared at the older man and stalked past him into the next room.
Ayame clicked his tongue. "Such rudeness. Kyon-kichi-kun, you should really learn how to be more respectful, like Tohru-kun." He turned back to the girls, who were smiling. "Tohru-kun! Kagura-chan! Welcome, welcome! I've rearranged some things. What do you think?" He indicated the room. "It looks amazing, doesn't it?"
Kagura nodded. "It's very nice."
Shigure asked, "Did you have any trouble getting here?"
"No," Tohru replied. "We had a very nice walk." She looked around. "Is Mine-san here?"
"She can't stay long," Ayame said regretfully, "but she came in today to be here during your visit." He turned around and called out, "Mine!"
"Yes, tencho?" Mine, Ayame's assistant, appeared out of the back room. She was sporting a receptionist look for the day. "They've arrived!" she said happily.
"Come!" Ayame said, leading the way into the room into which Kyo had gone. "Mine, I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Kyon-kichi."
Kyo whirled around. "My name is Kyo!" he yelled angrily.
Mine bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet another of tencho's cousins."
"A-ya," Shigure broke in, "we didn't finish our conversation."
"Right!" Ayame exclaimed. He turned to his assistant. "Mine, let Kagura-chan and Tohru-kun see the outfits we decided on." He looked at Shigure. "Gure-san, let's finish our chat."
Shigure and Ayame went into another room to talk. Mine whisked the girls away, presumably to try on dresses. Kyo was left by himself, which was a rather welcome relief, actually. Feeling a bit tired, he stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes.
A few minutes later, he heard Ayame's and Shigure's voices close by. "Kyon-kichi-kun, we have a surprise for you!"
Kyo opened his eyes to see his cousins standing over him holding something light blue. "What—?" Before he knew what was happening, he was no longer wearing the clothes he had put on in the morning. Instead, the light blue whatever-it-was was on him.
The three females chose that moment to return from looking at and trying on clothes.
Kyo looked into a nearby mirror and nearly dropped dead from shock. "I look like Momiji!" he shouted. He immediately pounded Shigure and Ayame into the ground.
Dazed, Shigure said, "We thought it would look good on you."
"Doesn't he look cute?" Ayame asked Mine and the girls.
Mine responded, "Tencho, you've done it again! Kyo-san is adorable!"
Ayame beamed at the compliment, now recovered from Kyo's beating. "Yes, I know." Going into fashion mode, he began, "I thought this shape of collar would be a nice touch. It helps balance the outfit and make the entire outfit flow, don't you think?"
Mine nodded enthusiastically. "It's an adorable look!"
Kyo interjected, "I don't want to be adorable!"
Kagura said happily, "I think Kyo-kun is always adorable!" She stepped closer to Kyo. "Look, isn't he so cute?" she asked the others, hugging Kyo tightly.
"Kagura, let go!"
The girl paid no heed to Kyo's command.
"The clothes you make are stunning, Ayame-san!" Tohru said enthusiastically. "You and Mine-san are very talented!"
Ayame laughed. "Of course they're stunning! They are, after all, designed and created by Ayame Sohma, the best—" He was interrupted by a sneeze from Kyo.
"Eh?" Shigure peered closely at Kyo. "Kyo-kun, do you have a cold?"
"No," Kyo replied, sniffing. "Leave me alone."
"Oh, Kagura," Shigure said, suddenly remembering something. "I talked to your mother this morning. She wants you to visit her."
"All right," Kagura replied. "I'll go later this week."
Kyo was still bristling with anger. "Give me my clothes! I need to get out of this stupid outfit!"
***
Mine left the shop as Kyo changed back into his regular clothes. Kyo returned to the others, who were discussing their high school and college years.
"I enjoy going to school to see my friends," Tohru was saying, "but sometimes the tests are too difficult."
"High school was fun for me," Shigure commented. "All thanks to you, A-ya."
"Thank you, Gure-san. But it wouldn't have been quite as enjoyable without you," Ayame replied.
Kagura looked up. "Kyo-kun, you're back!" She motioned for him to sit between her and Tohru.
Kyo sat down and crossed his arms. "What kind of place is this anyway?" he asked Ayame. "What was that blue outfit you put on me?"
Ayame answered dreamily, "It's a place where men's dreams can come true…"
Kyo wished that he hadn't asked.
***
"Goodbye, Ayame-san. I had a lovely time!" Tohru said.
"I did too," Kagura added. "This was fun."
Kyo just grunted and looked somewhere off to the side.
"A-ya, I hope our next meeting shall be soon," Shigure said, a touch of sadness in his voice.
"As do I," replied Ayame in the same tone. His dramatic flair showed as he continued, "The wait will be far too long." His expression changed completely as he and Shigure put their hands together and said, "Yosh!"
Kyo walked out of the shop, glad that the whole thing was now over. He was soon followed by Ayame's other guests. Before Kagura could suggest it, Kyo held out his hand to her. After all of the annoyances Kyo had experienced today, this was probably the most harmless. He decided that he would rather let Kagura hold his hand on the way home than get into the confrontation that would take place if he didn't.
Surprised, Kagura blinked, then gratefully slipped her hand into his.
***
Two days later, Tohru was setting out breakfast for the household when Yuki walked into the dining room.
"Good morning, Yuki-kun!" Tohru greeted the boy. "Your breakfast is ready."
"Good morning, Honda-san." Yuki looked around. "I don't hear that annoying cat's voice."
Tohru paused. "Kyo-kun is an early riser. He usually comes in before you do."
Yuki seated himself. "It doesn't matter anyway. At least he isn't here being loud."
Shigure and Kagura entered at the same time. "Good morning!" they said cheerfully.
"Where's Kyo-kun?" inquired Kagura, who had become accustomed to seeing the object of her affections already seated in the dining room when she entered.
"This is odd, isn't it?" said Shigure.
The orange-headed subject of the conversation shuffled into the room. He looked remarkably similar to how Yuki looked on most mornings.
"Kyo—Kyo-kun, how are you?" Tohru asked.
Kyo answered, "Eh." He sat down next to Kagura without even realizing it. He put his head on the table.
"Are you feeling well, Kyo-kun?" Kagura asked.
By now, everyone was staring at Kyo, awaiting his response. Even Yuki looked concerned.
Kyo sniffed. He didn't feel much like moving. His head—and his muscles—ached. He had been up half the night coughing. He tried to tell the others not to look at him, but exhaustion overcame him. He settled for an incoherent mumble.
Shigure leaned over the table and felt Kyo's forehead. "He has a fever."
"Kyo-kun's sick?" Kagura's face expressed anxiety. "How? When?"
Tohru frowned as she tried to remember anything that had happened in the past few days that would cause her friend to become sick. Perhaps when they visited Ayame's store… "The old man! That man sneezed on him."
Kagura nodded in remembrance. "How sick is he?" she asked, peering closely at the fatigued boy next to her.
"He's contagious," said Shigure. "Yuki-kun, Tohru-kun, you should go to school. I'll take care of Kyo-kun." He looked at the uneaten food on the table. "I wish I could stay to eat this delicious food that Tohru-kun carefully prepared. Hmm, actually..." Shigure addressed his female cousin. "Kagura, can you get Kyo up to his room?"
Kagura nodded and hoisted Kyo up onto her shoulder, a feat that many would not have thought possible. She hurriedly ran to the stairwell, headed for Kyo's room.
Shigure quickly wolfed down his breakfast. "Delicious, Tohru-kun, as always." He got up from the table and went upstairs.
Yuki and Tohru sweatdropped, not quite sure what to make of what Shigure had just done.
***
(AN: I don't know much about Kagura's educational environment…)
Kagura spent the entire day worrying about Kyo through the longest classes she had ever had. She would have stayed home with him, but Shigure had insisted that she go to school. She only agreed because Shigure had promised to call Hatori to examine Kyo.
Kyo-kun… Please be okay…
***
Shigure's door was practically thrown open by the young woman who had only left the house that morning after much coaxing and reassurance.
"Kyo-kun! Is Kyo-kun all right?" Kagura demanded.
"He's rest—" Shigure was cut off by Kagura's running up the stairs. Shaking his head and smiling softly, he followed Kagura into Kyo's room. "He's resting."
Kagura stood looking down at Kyo. "What did Ha-chan say? Is Kyo-kun going to be all right?" Her voice was hushed with worry and anxiety.
Shigure patted her on the shoulder reassuringly. "He'll be fine. Hatori said it was only the flu," Shigure informed her. "He has a fever, but it isn't that high."
"He looks so weak," Kagura said tearfully. "He isn't dying, is he? I don't know what I would do if Kyo-kun—"
"Kagura, the situation isn't that bad. Kyo-kun just needs to rest for a few days. He'll get better soon."
"But what if—?"
"He's strong enough to get through this."
"But—"
"You don't need to be so afraid."
***
Even though Shigure assured her that Kyo's illness was not fatal, Kagura couldn't help worrying. She was determined to help Kyo get better as quickly as possible. Kyo had to fight off this sickness. He just had to.
Perhaps she should go make something for him to eat. Kagura went down to the kitchen. She stood in the middle of the room and pondered. "Hmm… What to make…?"
Shigure appeared behind her. "I believe Kyo-kun made leek soup for Tohru-kun when she was sick," he offered helpfully.
Kagura shook her head vigorously. "Kyo-kun hates leeks. I'll make him something else."
Shigure watched his cousin putter around the kitchen. He'd keep a close eye on her. Kagura always tried to do nice things for Kyo, but she was often overzealous in her efforts. Things would inevitably go wrong. Although such an incident would probably be amusing, Shigure knew that Kagura's mistakes often led to the destruction of some part of the house.
Kagura looked in the refrigerator for ingredients. "I'll make him a delicious meal!" She hummed to herself as she poked around the top shelf. She pulled out a large number of items.
Shigure eyed the growing pile of food items on the counter. "Uh, Kagura, maybe you should try something simpler. Kyo-kun will be too sick to eat anything elaborate, and he probably won't be able to taste it either."
Kagura absorbed this and said, "Maybe just some tea and broth then."
Yuki, who had just come home from school, entered the kitchen. He stared at all the ingredients on the counter. "Kagura, are you preparing something special?"
"Kyo-kun's sick. I'm going to help him get better!"
Shigure sweatdropped. Kagura's effort was admirable, but her excitement could be a problem.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Poor Kyo... Kagura too, actually… So far, the love is still pretty much one-sided… It'll get better, I promise. Just as soon as I find the time to sit down and write well…