Disclaimer: I do not own FruitsBasket (Fuburu), and I am sadly not receiving monetary gain from this story because it's a fanfic. Although my muse being quiet for two whole days after I finished it was payment enough. The major characters are the brain children of Natsuki Takaya. This story is the spawn of my eclectic brain.

Chapter 5: Shigure's Treat

When they arrived at the gate, the dog was standing there smoking a cigarette and looking for all the world like he was up to no good.

"Well hello my little Sohmas, you look like you've had quite the adventurous day." He looked at Tohru, who still had a blush lingering on her cheeks. "QUITE the adventurous day." He tweaked her braid as she walked past.

As they filed into the house, he shut the shoji and turned to face them, hands in his kimono. "So, I ordered pizza for dinner." Ears perked up and everyone turned to stare at him in surprise. "I felt like a treat tonight. I ordered leeks and olives though, is that okay?"

Leeks and olives? Why can't we have pepperoni? Kyo thought.

Tohru walked up and smiled at him. "You're such a kidder Shigure-san.!"

He smiled and ruffled her hair. "I know, but you love me for it!"

Tohru turned and busied herself with setting the table. She didn't feel like dignifying him with an answer. She loved all of them so much, but it just felt wrong for her to say it out loud tonight.

The deliveryman showed up and everyone peered around Shigure as he joked with the guy holding the pizzas. "So, that's one leek and miso paste for Kyo and Tohru…" He handed a pizza to the orange-haired boy who was all furred up. "One sausage sans cheese for Kagura and Yuki…a beef and onion for Haru and Momiji, and pepperoni for me." Paying the very confused deliveryman, Shigure shut the door in his face and walked over to the table.

Tohru had sat plates and cups out for everyone and they set the boxes down, almost afraid to open them.

"Oh for crying out loud, you are such babies!" Shigure opened each box with dynamic flare, showing the contents to everyone. There was a vegetarian, one with extra cheese only, a pepperoni, and one fully loaded. Everyone sighed in relief and dug in, each to their preference. Tohru went to grab a piece of fully loaded, but then stopped and looked at Kagura and Haru before moving her hand away.

They chuckled, pizza stuffed in both of their mouths. Shigure leaned over suggestively, sliding a piece onto her plate. "Are you afraid you'll offend them by eating pork and beef?" When she blushed, he gently tapped her cheek. "You are way too considerate. Eat what you want, it's not like you are eating Kagura and Haru personally." He looked around before leaning back in and whispering so no one else could hear. "Although I'm sure Haru wouldn't mind it." He cut a glance at the cow, who was now blushing furiously and glaring at the dog. "On a side note, I personally like the taste of inu. I know it doesn't have any relation to my sign."

Yuki leaned over. "That's because you are a DOG, and everyone knows dogs are the filthiest beasts on the planet." He looked away and then turned back, matching Shigure's earlier volume. "Besides, we all know that dogs are carnivores and don't care what type of meat they eat." A glance at Tohru showed that they had both managed to gross her out.

When Tohru suddenly stood and walked quickly towards the kitchen, the other four stopped their conversing and glared at Shigure. "What the hell did you say to her, pervert?" Kyo demanded.

"Er…." He scratched his head. "I might have gone a little over the top there at the end." He looked at the rat as Yuki suddenly stood and left the scene of the crime. "Or maybe I stopped right where I needed to."

Yuki had already followed Tohru into the kitchen to apologize, and Kyo followed to make sure he didn't further offend the girl.

Smiling at the others, Shigure picked up his cup of tea. Works like a charm, every time. Then he snagged another piece of loaded pizza, oblivious to the glares from the others around him. With a mouth full, he looked at them. "So, tell me how Akito's plan goes."

sssssssss

Tohru was standing over the sink, collecting herself when Yuki walked in.

"Tohru-san," he gently laid a hand on her back, rubbing in soothing circles. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Yuki!" She turned towards him, tears running down her face. "How could I be so judgmental of Shigure? He lives such a rough life, why am I such a bad person?" She started to lean into him, looking for comfort, but he grabbed her shoulders, holding her at a slight distance. She bowed her head further. "Gomen." She'd almost turned him into a rat again.

He freed a hand and brushed the bangs away from her face. "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. I wish I could hold you and comfort you, but I can't."

"I can." They both turned to look at Kyo as he walked into the room.

"What?"

"Since when?"

"Well, I can. Try it." He turned Tohru and pulled her close. poof Suddenly the cat was standing on the floor, tail held high in the air, a plaintive meow coming from him.

Leaning down, Tohru picked him up. "Gomen."

Yuki leaned over and glared at the furball who was purring in Tohru's arms. I'd purr too if she was holding me next to her breasts. "I thought you said you could hold her."

"What? I didn't hear that. I just heard the part about you not being able to comfort her. I can comfort her, just not in my human form." He blinked sleepy eyes at Yuki before turning back to Tohru who squeezed tighter, understanding that he had sacrificed his pride to provide her with comfort.

Yuki ground his teeth together in frustration. The damned cat might not be the smartest animal in the cursed family, but he was willing to humiliate himself in order to help Tohru. That makes him the better person of the two of us. One battle won, a million left to fight.

Kyo was distinctly uncomfortable to have Tohru cry on his fur, but he had realized her need to touch was more important tonight. It was hard living an isolated life. He was used to being unable to be touched by others. However, Tohru was the only female living in a house of men, and the only 'touching' they could do was with words. No wonder Shigure is such a pervert around her!

After a few minutes, Tohru quit crying and looked at Kyo. "Oh Kyo, I'm so sorry. I've cried all over you. You were willing to become your animal form just to provide me with comfort and I abused that." She set him on the floor and he looked up at her.

"It's okay Tohru, I'm washable." He snagged his pants with his teeth, and walked behind the counter to wait until he became human again. Once he was human, he threw his pants on and walked around the corner to retrieve his shirt. When he caught Tohru staring at his chest, he blushed. "What?"

"Nothing. Just thank you." She turned and walked outside. Kyo headed back into the dining area to let everyone know she was okay.

sssssssss

Tohru sat on the corner of Yuki's secret base, digging a finger in the soil. What is wrong with me? First I get all fluttery when Yuki touches my neck, then I get all flustered when Haru touches my breast on accident, then I can barely stop myself from kissing Yuki and touching Kyo's chest. "I don't understand myself today!"

A deep voice behind her quietly asked if he could sit down. Jumping slightly and turning, she noticed Hatori was standing just behind her. He was not wearing his lab coat, but his normal dark royal pants and shirt brought out the deep purple in his eyes. Scooting over, Tohru made room for him on her rock.

Hatori calmly walked around to the rock, tugging his pants up slightly so he could bend his knees comfortably, and sat down. He left several inches between the two of them.

"Ano…what are you doing here?" She looked at him, making sure not to stare into his blind eye.

"I'm here to get the kids."

"Oh. Are you part of the reason Kagura started school this year?"

Hatori looked at her. Just when he thought he'd figured her out, she did something that showed her intelligence was greater than he'd originally envisioned.

"Kagura can explain everything to you when she is ready." She looked like she'd been crying. Leaning closer, he gently placed a hand under her chin. "What's wrong little girl?"

"Um, nothing." She looked at him. "I think it's hormonal."

He laughed. "Hormonal huh?"

Tohru figured since he was a doctor, he'd understand. "Yes. Everything gets me all flustered today. I moaned when Yuki rubbed my neck, got flushed when Haru accidentally touched my breast, and I stared at Kyo today while he had his shirt off."

Hatori was wishing he hadn't stopped to check on her. He wasn't made of stone. "And you're worried about it."

"Yes! They didn't mean anything by it, and I took everything the wrong way."

I bet they didn't. I'm going to have to talk to those boys…soon. "Tohru, don't worry about it. I suggest you ignore them for the next day or two. It probably is hormonal." Not just your hormones either. "It'll get better."

Tohru smiled up at him, a brilliant smile that warmed his soul while stabbing his heart with memories of another girl who had smiled at him.

He stood and rubbed his slacks to straighten the creases in them. Then he bent down and offered a hand to the girl Shigure called 'The Sohma Princess.' "Let's go see these ruffians."

She giggled and accepted his hand. "Hai!"

SSSSSSSS

A/N: You get to enjoy this chapter one day early due to a mandatory business dinner tomorrow!
Bon-Appetite and I'll be talking at you again next week .-TK

PS: thanks to MyLittleSamurai and Trunksgirl. You are tangible proof that people are reading this!
I dedicate Chapter 5 to both of you.