Disclaimer: I do not own FruitsBasket or Fuburu, Natsuki Takaya has that privilege. I do own the computer on which I write these non-profit forays into their lives. Please enjoy, at no expense.
Chapter 16: Scrambled and unscrambled eggs
The next morning the younger Sohmas woke to a criminally energetic Shigure singing to some sappy REM song while flipping eggs and sipping tea.
Bleary-eyed, normally uber-hyper Momiji shuffled into the room. "Gure, was are you doing?"
Shigure grinned and pointed at the pan. "Cooking breakfast."
Momiji rubbed his eyes sleepily. "But why?"
Patting Momiji's curly hair, he waved at the fully set table. "Well, since the children were up so late solving the Sohma's problems, I thought the adult could solve Sohma Hunger this morning."
"Sohma Hunger…an homage to World Hunger?" Haru sat at the table and looked up at Shigure, waiting for his plate.
"That's an awfully large word for you to use this early in the morning." He spooned eggs and rice onto a plate and walked over to the table. Haru took it and dug in without replying. "And are you black or white today, ushi?"
"Somewhere in between." At Shigure's raised eyebrow, he glared at him. "And don't push it. I've been walking a razor's edge all fucking weekend."
"So why the hell are you so happy this morning?" Kyo shuffled in and sat down.
Shigure danced over and bussed him on the top of the head, like he would a son, then dropped a scoop of egg and rice on his plate. "Because Akito called…and Tohru will be back today." He stopped as a very sleepy Yuki stumbled in. "Hello Yuki!" His grin broadened.
"Don't…speak…to…me." Gure backed off. Yuki's demeanor was completely dark.
Shigure passed a plate full of food to him, then took a cigarette out of his pack and sat down to smoke. Kagura nervously peeked her head around the corner and quickly decided it was okay. Shigure looked up and waved her to the last empty seat. "Good, all the players are here."
"Players?" Haru and Kagura both asked.
"Yes. I'll tell you that I don't always agree with Akito, but I usually back him. However, with all of you saying the same thing, I might cede that maybe Akito chose poorly this one time. That said, I finished my novel and was checking on the status of the world when all of my younger family came in. I went back to my room to give you space. However, you all talk very loudly and I couldn't help but hear what was said."
"So, are you going to tell Akito?" Kagura sat nervously awaiting his answer.
"Yuki's the rat, not me." He looked over at the young man who freely admitted to NOT being a morning person. "I might not stand against Akito, but if Akito has the wrong understanding about everything, that's his fault for making the wrong opinions." He grinned. "Besides, when Tohru-kun comes back, I can again have clean underwear!"
As one, all of the Sohma's looked over at him in disgust. "Eew!"
ssssss
Kagura caught up with Kyo and Yuki as they headed back upstairs to clean up the rooms. They had put Kagura and Momiji in Tohru's room. Haru and Kyo had bunked with Yuki; but to Haru's disgust and Kyo's relief, he'd drawn the line at them sharing his bed. After they put the last futon up, Kagura tapped Yuki's arm, stopping him from leaving Tohru's room.
"Can I talk with you two for a moment?" She was looking at Yuki instead of Kyo, but Kyo knew she needed his presence to say what needed to be said.
"Yes." Yuki looked at Kyo. "You two talked for a long time yesterday." He glanced back at the young woman. "Haru said that when he found you, you were both sitting in adjoining chairs at a sorbet parlor. 'Not as intimate as sitting across from each other.' He said it was almost as if you were acting only as friends."
"Can we talk here, or do we need to go elsewhere?"
Kyo stepped in. "We can't talk here." They were still standing beside the window, so he grabbed Kagura's hand. "Climb on, and don't let go."
"Whaaa?" She barely had time to screech before they were sitting on top of the roof. She was now clinging VERY tightly to Kyo.
"Get off of me!"
"I'm afraid of heights. Why are we up here?"
A small voice from below them answered. "Because Shigure can't hear us up here; and we can talk, quietly, about what you need us to hear."
They both looked down at the white rat. "Couldn't you get up here any other way?"
"If I could, I would have. You know I dislike heights, and I'm a better climber in my animal form."
"But you're…" poof Yuki stood in front of them in his beautiful naked form "going to be naked." Kyo was flustered, and Kagura stared for a second longer than she needed to.
"If it bothers you, give me your shirt or something." Yuki turned so his back was to the others. "I couldn't bring clothes up here with me."
Suddenly a dress flew at him. Kagura was zipping up her bag. "Put that on until I can get the courage to get down off of Kyo's back."
"Hurry up already, you're heavy!" She smacked Kyo and he growled under his breath.
Finally she realized that if Yuki could climb up here by himself, although he was afraid; the boys would not let anything happen to her. She released her death grip, and shaking feet tentatively touched the shingles on the roof.
"We don't have a lot of time to talk, it gets hot up here quickly during the day." Yuki looked at Kyo. "Can I have that shirt now?"
"But I think you'd look cute in that dress, if you put it on instead of just holding it in front of your parts." Kyo grinned evilly.
"I'm going to want that laundered before you give it back to me." Kagura sat on the roof and pulled her knees up for support.
A boy settled on each side of her and Yuki leaned forward slightly to smile at her. "So, why are we here again?"
"Well…." She looked over as Kyo gently slid his hand under one of hers, gripping it to give her moral support. "Two months ago, I met someone." She looked at her lap. "He's not a Sohma, and we love each other."
"Does he know?"
She turned to look at Yuki. "Not yet. That's not a problem though. He had potbellied pigs for pets when he was young. He's allergic to fur." She blushed. "The problem is that Akito saw us together two weeks ago. I told him that we were only study partners, and Logan played along with it when I explained that if Akito knew we were dating, he'd remove me from Logan's life."
She sighed. "As punishment for making friends with a male, Akito told me I had to come back to school and find a way to ruin things between Tohru and yourselves. Break the spell she had put on all of you, if possible."
Yuki snorted. "As if your presence would do anything but announce Akito's plan to try and damage Tohru." He looked out into the trees. "But in order to be with your Logan, Akito needs to think that you're not with Logan."
A tear fell down her cheek, and Kyo reached over with his free hand and wiped it off. "Kags, you know we want you to be happy." She sniffed. "We'll find a place you two can be together," she blushed, "not sexually, unless you want it." Kyo looked away, embarrassed. "But someplace safe, where Akito won't find out." He looked out over the edge too. "It might take us a while, but we'll keep this promise to you."
Yuki stood. "Come on, we need to get going, they'll be looking for us."
A/N: Reminder…next week I will not post on my regular days. I will post again Saturday the 16th. That's when I'll have my internet back. Have a great week. -TK