Author's Note: I know, Christmas was two months ago, but somehow this seems to fit. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I hope people have fun reading it.
Fruits Basket and the Fruits Basket characters belong to Natsuki Takaya. They are not mine.
Chapter 11 Mistletoe Interlude
The next day dawned bright and clear. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground and the trees were picture postcard perfect.
Tohru opened up her window and looked at the sunshine. She turned back to her bed and looked at all the gifts she had wrapped the night before. I do hope everyone will like their gift, mom.
Walking quietly downstairs she looked around Shigure's home. He had bought a Christmas tree this year and had it decorated much like the ones in America. Tohru had a wonderful time making decorations for the many branches. Her eyes traveled to the floor beneath the tree and she gasped in astonishment. There was already a large assortment of gifts waiting to be opened. Oh Mom, isn't this wonderful. So many presents and such a beautiful day. I know it will be a happy one.
She went in the kitchen to begin breakfast and put the finishing touches on the holiday dessert she had made. She did hope everyone liked strawberry sponge cake, she had made enough for everyone to have multiple helpings. There was a strange plant hanging over the kitchen stove where she usually cooked breakfast. I wonder what this is, she thought. It must be another strange custom from America. Shigure really did do a lot of research to get ready for this party.
Everywhere she looked the house was sparkling clean and bright with colored lights and decorations. She heard one of the guys coming down the stairs and knew it had to be Kyo.
"Good Morning Kyo-kun, breakfast will be ready soon."
"Morning, I'll be out in the garden exercising, okay?"
"Okay, I will call when it's ready."
Yuki and Shigure both stumbled down the stairs before breakfast was ready.
"Something smells really good," Shigure said with a sniff.
"Shigure-san, Yuki-kun, Good morning."
"Good Morning Tohru-kun," from Shigure and "Good Morning Tohru-san" from Yuki.
It was going to be a good day.
Tohru returned to the stove to finish breakfast and was shocked by a kiss on the cheek from Shigure.
"Shigure-san"
Yuki sent him flying with a roundhouse kick. "Ouch, I was just following a western tradition. When a cute girl stands under the mistletoe, you are supposed to give her a kiss. Yuki-kun, you should try it, it's fun."
Yuki muttered under his breath "Ignore…Ignore…"
"What's going on?" Kyo wondered as he came back inside. He noticed the mistletoe hanging in the kitchen and the red mark on Shigure's cheek. "Shigure, you pervert. Why in the world did you hang the mistletoe right where Tohru has to stand to cook breakfast? What am I saying, where else would you hang it?" He noticed the red stain on Yuki's cheeks and decided not to resist the temptation to annoy the rat.
"Good Morning Tohru" and Kyo gave her a kiss on the other cheek.
Tohru's eyes got really big. "Kyo-kun?"
He grinned at her. " Why not, you know. It's just a holiday greeting." He winked at Shigure and went to wash his hands.
It was Shigure's turn to be astonished. What on earth had gotten into Kyo? He looked at Yuki and saw the anger in his eyes…Oh, now I understand. The cat just wanted to get a little of his own back.
Tohru recovered from her embarrassment and gave the custom some thought. It was really quite nice in a way, she hadn't been kissed on her cheek since her mom died.
"Ummm…Yuki-kun,"
"Yes, Tohru-san?"
"Will you take this pan off the stove for me while I get the milk and juice out of the refrigerator?"
Shigure paused as he was getting ready to go sit down at the table with his newspaper. Tohru wasn't really going to….
Yuki stepped over to the stove and started to pick up the pan. Tohru stepped toward him and gave him a peck on the cheek. She was! She was!
"POOF!"
Suddenly there was a little gray rat in the kitchen. Tohru giggled. She picked up the pan and placed it on the counter and started serving up the meal.
"Tohru-san!" It was too bad Yuki was a rat, Shigure was sure his complexion would be a bright red and that would be a sight to see.
Kyo wandered back into the kitchen and noticed the rat. "What on earth, why did he change?"
Shigure grinned widely, "Tohru-kun decided to try out our new custom on Yuki-kun."
"She did what!" Kyo shouted in astonishment.
Tohru had turned her back and was putting the plates on the table. "POOF" Yuki returned to his human form. His cheeks were a bright red and Kyo began to laugh uncontrollably. "Tohru, I can't believe you did that…" Five seconds later he was picking himself up off the ground. The kick landed by Yuki had done nothing to dampen his laughter. "That was so worth the kick Yuki!"
Today was certainly starting off with a lot of surprises. I wonder what else is going to happen Shigure thought as he began to eat breakfast.
"Yuki-kun" Tohru said shyly, "you aren't angry with me are you?"
"What? Oh no Tohru-san. I was just surprised. That's all."
"Oh good."
The rest of the morning proceeded without any other major surprises. Gifts kept materializing under the tree as the day progressed. Everyone would begin to arrive around 2:00.
About 1:00 the guys were all finished with their showers and told Tohru the bath was all hers. She took a leisurely bubble bath and then began to dress for the party. She already knew which dress she was going to wear.
The party invitations had been delivered and Ayame called Shigure's house to talk to Tohru. "Tohru-kun my dear you simply must wear that white dress I gave you for White Day last year. It expresses your lovely innocence and you are beautiful in it. If you don't wear it, I will be so hurt. You will wear it, won't you Tohru?"
Tohru smiled. She had promised Ayame she would wear the dress. It was perfect for today, especially if she wore red ribbons and red shoes. Red and white were Valentine colors, but they were also Christmas colors. Uo and Hana arrived as she was getting ready to do her hair.
"Tohru-kun, you must let me do you hair," Hana said with one of her beautiful smiles.
"Tohru-kun, who are you dressing to impress? You look beautiful. Isn't she just too lovely for words Hana?" Uo teased with a grin.
Tohru blushed and allowed Hana to do her hair. Uo sat on the bed and the three girls chatted happily as she worked. Shigure walked by every few minutes and smiled to see the three girls sitting there in a relaxed frame of mind. Tohru's friends really were as cute as she was.
Finally, Hana was satisfied with Tohru's hair and the three girls descended the stairs.
Uo looked around, "Wow, that writer guy really did things up right for Christmas this year. Is he rich or something, Tohru?"
"I don't really know Uo, but the house does look fantastic doesn't it."
Hana spoke, "Something has disturbed the Prince, he is giving off strange electric signals, more than usual."
"I think I might know what it is" Tohru began.
"Uo-chan, Hana-chan, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation" Shigure interrupted. "Just wait until you hear what our sweet Tohru-kun did this morning." With much exaggeration Shigure told the story of Yuki's mistletoe kiss.
"Shigure-san, that's not how it happened," Tohru said with a becoming blush.
"I like the way he tells the story" Uo said with a grin. "That would be enough to upset the Prince, don't you think Saki-chan?"
"But of course you would like my story, after all I am a novelist!"
"Shigure, are you stirring up trouble again?"
"Of course not Ha-san, but you must hear the story of Yuki's surprise mistletoe kiss."
"Somehow I think I am going to hear it if I want to or not." Hatori sighed but he was smiling at his best friend. "Let's get it over with Shigure."
"It was the sweetest thing. This morning…"
The girls wandered away as Shigure turned a simple explanation into a fifteen-minute story.
