Chapter 2: Sleepover

The sleeping arrangement was simple. Well on paper it was. Ayame would sleep in Shigure's room, Ritsu in Yuki's room and Zuka in Tohru's.

"This sucks. No offence Tohru, but I don't know how you deal with them."

Tohru and Zuka were in Tohru's room setting up an extra bed for Zuka on the floor. Tohru was wearing pink p-js as Zuka wore her hoodie and some red pajama pants she borrowed from Tohru.

"They're very nice once you get to know them. Shigure and Ayame just like joking around."

"Whatever you say. Anyway, you and Yuki are a thing, right?" Tohru blushed, "oh don't think I haven't noticed."

"Yes we are."

"That's cute. What about carrot top? He single?" Zuka questioned.

"No, he's going out with Kagura. She's nice but rather…expressive of her love. They're a good couple."

Tohru sat on her bed as Zuka sat on her makeshift bed. Zuka looked at her crossed legs.

"And…what about Ritsu? He single?" she asked more quietly than before.

"Oh Ritsu? I think so?"

Zuka blushed and looked away. Tohru saw and smiled.

"Do you…like Ritsu?"

Zuka turned, even redder, "no! I was just wondering!"

She got under the covers and pulled it over her head.

"Night" came a muffled voice under the blanket.

"Good night."

Tohru turned off the lights and lay down.

At midnight, Zuka woke up thirsty. She got up and walked downstairs to the kitchen. When she got there she grabbed a glass and filled it with water.

"Hello?" came a small voice from the hall.

Zuka stepped in the hall and saw Ritsu in men's pajamas, his hair in a full ponytail. She smiled.

"Hello Ritsu. What are you doing up so late?" Zuka asked as she led him into the kitchen.

"Oh…well I…was thirsty" he stammered.

Zuka sat on the counter as Ritsu got a glass. He filled it up and sipped it quietly.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you" Ristu said and walked towards the door.

"Wait, stay. I don't mind company; well only if it's not Ayame, Shigure or Kyo. I'd take you over them any day."

Ritsu turned back to her, blushing.

"Really? You enjoy my company? I mean, you're not ashamed to be around me?" he asked.

Zuka put her cup down and hopped off the counter.

"Why would I be ashamed to be around you? Because you dress like a girl? Ha! Have you seen me? I dress like a guy. It'd be hypocritical to be ashamed around a fellow cross dresser" Zuka laughed.

Ritsu blushed more and looked down.

"If you don't mind me asking…why do you dress up like a guy? I think you'd be a…beautiful girl" Ritsu stammered.

Zuka now blushed.

"Well cough I cross dress because of my parents."

Ritsu looked at her confused. She sighed and started walking to the dining room, motioning Ritsu to follow. They both sat and she sighed again.

"Alright, when I was younger, my mother decided that I would be the perfect ballerina for her friends show. So from then on, I was put in ballet classes. 13 years of intensive ballet, I began to hate it. The recitals, shows, practice, it was torture after about year 6. I started to despise my 'perfect figure' as mom always bragged about. So I started to cover it up with loose clothes, large sweatshirts, large shoes. I felt more comfortable that way, I could go out and not care what people think about me. It was liberating. Then my parents found out and they were not happy. They bought more skirts and tight shirts for me, trying to 'get their daughter back.' I rebelled, dropped out of ballet, dressed like a guy all the time, even bought a guys' uniform for school. After graduation, they were forcing more things on me and finally I decided to get away from it all. And here I am."

Ritsu listened intensively, staring.

"Wow…my reason is pathetic compared to yours!! I can't do anything right!! I even give cross dressers a bad name!!" he spazzed.

"Ritsu, it doesn't matter what your reason is. If you're comfortable with yourself then everyone else can kiss your ass."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Well…I do think…I look okay in my kimonos."

Ritsu blushed in embarrassment and Zuka sat closer.

"Okay? You look gorgeous in those."

"Oh no, not me! I'm not gorgeous!" Ritsu blushed harder.

"Trust me, you'd look good in anything you wear" Zuka reassured.

With that Zuka winked and stood up.

"You should probably get back to bed now, it's late" Zuka stated.

Ritsu, now red as a tomato, nodded and ran off.

The next morning, it was still raining. Everyone was at the table, eating. Zuka looked out the window, sulking.

"Have you cooled off since yesterday, my dear Zuka-chan?" Ayame asked happily, drinking his tea.

"No."

"Ohhhh, why are you in such a bad mood?" Shigure added.

"Leave me alone."

"I hate days like this! And why do you people have to be here?!" Kyo yelled and left (yet again).

"I agree with carrot top about the first part" Zuka said.

Shigure yawned.

"Oh my poor 'Gure-san! Did I keep you up all night?" Ayame asked.

"My dear Aya, it was worth it" Shigure stated, flirtatiously.

Ritsu, Tohru and Zuka blushed.

"Shigure, stop being an idiot. You're an embarrassment" Yuki said irritated, then pointed to Ayame, "and you. You're a joke."

Ayame gasped his heart.

"Yuki! That hurt! You'd say such a thing to your dearest older brother?" he clung to Shigure, who hugged him.

"Yes."

Zuka snickered.

"Hm…I just remembered something from last night. Talking came from this room. It sounded like Ritsu and Zuka. Were you two talking here in the middle of the night" Shigure asked, smirking.

Ritsu blushed madly as Zuka coughed looking away.

"What's this?! The middle of the night? What were you two up to so late at night?" Ayame exclaimed.

"Nothing like what you're thinking! We talked and had water. Nothing perverted like you think!" Zuka yelled.

The two men giggled, causing Zuka to blush.

"Its true, we had both woken up because we were thirsty. Nothing happened, really" Ritsu whispered.

"Really? So you didn't take advantage of our little Ritsu? Of course I didn't think Ritsu would mind that much" Ayame stated.

"No, I didn't take advantage of Ritsu! Perverts!" Zuka yelled, Ritsu blushed.

"Me? A pervert? I wasn't the one hitting on Ritsu" Shigure defended.

Zuka froze. Tohru and Yuki turned to Zuka.

"I…I wasn't hitting on Ritsu."

"Oh? Really? Then what was it? 'You look gorgeous in that. Trust me, you'd look good in whatever you wear'" Ayame mocked.

Zuka blushed clenching her teeth.

"That… she was just…making me feel better…she wasn't hitting on me" Ritsu laughed nervously.

"Ritsu, Ritsu, Ritsu, you truly don't understand the concept of flirting" Shigure said.

Zuka stood up and left.

"Oh my, I think we upset her."

Tohru stood up and followed Zuka. Yuki stood up, hit Shigure and Ayame and left as well.

"Ritsu, when someone calls you gorgeous, it usually means they like you. She's not the type to just go around, calling people gorgeous" Aya explained, braiding his hair.

Ritsu looked down, "
she…was just…you think she was hitting on me?"

Shigure and Ayame smiled, scheming.