DISCLAIMER: I don't own the concept or the original characters. Yasuko Hiro is mine, though.
A/N: Sorry this took a little while to get out. I write in a notebook, then have to transcribe everything to my computer, so if I'm feeling lazy, I don't update as often. I'm sorry. Here's a funny insert I wrote, sort of a slice of life moment that really has little bearing on the plot or where the story is going. In hindsight, though, it's probably a good thing I wrote this originally, because I had a lot of questions about Yasuko's writing. I guess I subconsciously knew I'd get these questions. Hmm...
Yasuko chewed on her pinkie nail, not actually biting through it, as she stared at the blank page before her. She had her legs crossed and was tapping her toe in midair as she tapped the top of her pen against her desk. She was stuck. Her next deadline was a week away and she still had four chapters to go. Meeting Ayame and Shigure had really moved her creative process along, but Yasuko found herself unable to choose a single hero for her blushing virgin. Frustrated, Yasuko growled and dropped her pen. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes and pulling on her earlobes to relieve the stress.
"What are you doing?" Kyou's voice came.
Without thinking, Yasuko signed an answer.
"Huh?"
Yasuko opened her eyes and looked up at Kyou's confused expression. Blushing, Yasuko smiled and wrote out her answer.
Trying to finish my latest book. I'm stuck.
"Oh," he grunted and sat down at the desk in front of her. "Is this one, uh… like the other book?" Kyou blushed a little at the thought of the novel Shigure had shown him. Kyou had actually snuck into Shigure's library and found several of Yasuko's books mixed in with Shigure's own romance novels. He took a couple to read and poufed into his animal form quite a few times over the next week.
Yasuko nodded in answer to his question, and blushed a little as she lowered her eyes. Kyou returned the smile and leaned down to rest his chin on the back of the chair.
"Hey Kyo-Kyo! Who's your girlfriend?" Uo ruffled Kyou's hair with a laugh as he grimaced, his ears turning pink and flattening a little like a displeased cat.
"Shut up!" Kyou slapped away Uo's hand. "And don't call me Kyo-Kyo!"
Yasuko laughed.
"Her electric signals are intriguing. They transmit at a much higher frequency than normal." Hana appeared from thin air to stand beside Uo. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Yasuko," Kyou growled, looking around for Tohru to come rescue him.
"Yasuko, huh?" Uo tilted her head. "Is she new?"
Yasuko blushed and sunk down in her seat. Maybe she could go back to being invisible. Kyou noticed her discomfort, but wasn't sure how to comfort her without inviting more teasing from the Yankee.
"Hey Tohru!" Uo called as Yuki and Tohru walked through the door. "Come here!"
"Hello Miss Hiro," Yuki smiled to Yasuko. "How are you today?"
Yasuko smiled shyly and gave a small wave in response.
"You know her?" Uo asked.
"Oh!" Tohru gasped. "Uo, Hana, this is Yasuko Hiro. Yasuko, these are my best friends, Uo and Hana."
Yasuko smiled broadly as each girl said hello. Uo asked Tohru a question about the homework the night before and Kyou leaned back into his resting position as Yasuko resumed her pen tapping. Hana tilted her head and watched Yasuko for a moment.
"Yasuko Hiro?" Yasuko looked up and smiled. "I know you," Hana nodded. "I've read all your books. How odd," she narrowed her eyes, her voice its usual monotone. "I had no idea you were so young."
Kyou and Yuki both twitched.
"You read her books too?" Yuki asked, amazed. Shigure had loaned him the novel after dinner, and Yuki had decided to finish it all that night to keep his transformations to a minimum.
"Yes," Hana smiled. "I can't wait for the next one to come out."
It may not. I'm stuck. Yasuko sighed.
"Really?" Uo asked from her perch on a nearby desk. "What are you stuck on?"
"Yes," Yuki smiled. "Maybe we can help you."
"Yes!" Tohru exclaimed. Yasuko smiled and shook her head.
"What's the matter?" Kyou sneered, teasingly. "Don't think we'll be able to help you?"
Yasuko smirked and quirked her brows. Kyou and Yuki suddenly felt very nervous.
Okay, then. Whom would you choose? Ayame or Shigure?
Kyou's eye twitched.
"Choose for what?" Tohru asked, clueless. Yasuko gave an evil grin and bit her bottom lip. Yuki's eye twitched.
"That's disgusting," Yuki and Kyou muttered.
"I don't know," Tohru tapped a finger against the corner of her mouth as she thought about the choices. "They're each so interesting in their own way."
"Shigure's electric signals are quite appealing, I must admit," Hana nodded. "But I have not met this Ayame, yet."
"Consider yourself lucky," Yuki said under his breath.
"Oh!" Tohru jumped, finger pointing in the air. "What about Hatori?"
Kyou and Yuki jumped into chibi shock, jaws dropped, as Uo and Hana tilted their heads.
"That doctor guy, right?" Uo scratched her head. Tohru nodded and smiled, but Yasuko sighed and shook her head.
I've already started another book with Hatori. This book has a Shigure and Ayame.
"Why are you basing your heroes on those two?" Yuki looked a little green as he returned to normal.
Sohma men intrigue me. I can't wait for Momiji to hit a growth spurt.
Hana and Yasuko indulged a moment's fantasy about a matured Momiji in the boy's uniform. Kyou turned a shade of green to match Yuki.
"Stop that!" Kyou barked, bonking Yasuko lightly on the head to snap her out of her daydream.
Everything froze as Yasuko stared at Kyou, wide-eyed, his fist resting on top of her head. Kyou blushed a deep red and began to panic, his jaw dropping in horror.
What have I done? He thought to himself.
Yasuko's eyes slowly lifted to look at Kyou's fist, still on her head. Then she looked down and wrote a short note. Kyou lowered his eyes to the page, his body still frozen.
Dork. I think you broke my writer's block.
Kyou gripped his knees and his ears seemed to flatten as he growled at the laughter that erupted around him. His eyes met Yasuko's as she joined in the laughter and he sighed, his expression softening. Yasuko was so cute when she smiled. Almost as pretty as Tohru.