OMG, FINALLY! I've been trying to upload this stupid thing since yesterday, and I just now got it, with help from someone else, if you're having trouble uploading, I can send you a link to HELP! Just message me, and I'll be happy to give it out! Really, it's so frustrating when things don't work.
NOW, about the story, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had fun writing it! You would have gotten it yesterday, had the site been working.
Reminders: It will contain, shounen-ai, het, and is ANIME based. Therefore characters from the manga will not show up, and Akito is the Akito we all thought... that he was. Also, originally the time limit was a month, but I thought two weeks was better. (You'll understand that after reading.)
Thank you to all who reviewed last time, it was encouraging! I hope you enjoy! I want to hear your opinions whether you liked it or not, I accept criticism.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own Fruits Basket, is this really even necessary to say?
A waltz, he decided, Tohru-kun in the kitchen is like watching a ballerina, or a waltz. It's ironic, it's the one time she's surrounded by heat and iron and knives that she's graceful. But give her a flight of stairs, a fold in the rug, a corner of the wall... and it's hazardous. He smiled, before the smile melted into a smirk. Oh! his precious little flower really would make an excellent house wife! If only certain boys weren't so dense, really, a young love to behold would do him good! If they were not going after the adorable girl, it would be a shame to leave her alone. He sighed shaking his head, the people in his house had no sense of romance. He sighed again and shifted slightly as he continued ogle, err, watch Tohru-kun make breakfast. Kyo had left early for the dojo, Yuki was still asleep, and therefore he was free to do as he pleased, such as observe the lovely, adorable high-school girl he lived with... the adorable girl, ...does she always sway her hips like that while she cooks?
THWACK!
Shigure's whines and protests at being treated so violently in his own house went ignored, and Yuki somehow made it to the table in his semi-conscious state without tripping over anything. He set his book, (also used as a weapon against perverts) down on the table, before collapsing over the table himself. That pervert... must he go at it so early in the morning? It's not even 9 yet, and it's the weekend no less. That was the last coherent thought that went through Yuki's mind before he gave into sleep again, only certain things registering at this point, such as the fact that Shigure's moved away from Honda-san, and the door-bell is ringing... the door-bell? Ugh, doesn't anyone understand that it's too early? Let Shigure get it... who... could it be...
Warning bells began to go off. The door-bell. Chances were, it was a relative, and really, there's only one person who shows up at unlikely times, and early in the day. That idiot snake, and Shigure's already being a pervert... the two of them together... it was too much, far too early. Weakly, Yuki stood, and attempting to ignore the fact that his right leg was still asleep, wobbled up the stairs and into the safety of his bedroom, locking the door behind him, all as quickly as a half-asleep mouse could.
Call him a coward, but if it was that person, he had no wish to be down there. He limped over to his bed before collapsing back into the familiar warmth and comfort. Maybe staying up all night reading isn't such a good idea. He nuzzled his pillow and a wad of his comforter, tangled himself in his sheets, and once finally comfortable began to doze off.
Knock, knock, knock.
He chose to ignore the rapping on his door. That's not Honda-san's knock, and there's no one else here that I want to deal with this early... they'll go away. Slightly annoyed, he rolled over and attempted to bury his head into his pillows.
Knock, knock, knock.
Shut up.
Knock...
Silence. He tensed, but when no further sound came, gave a satisfied sigh. Yuki relaxed, and was just drifting off to sleep when-
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
WHAT?! Yuki threw himself out of bed, and strode furiously to the door, leaving a trail of bedding strewn across the floor behind him. Furious at his interrupted sleep and the rudeness of the knocker, he flung his door open, completely prepared to send Shigure or his brother straight to hell. There stood Kagura, smiling sweetly. Embarrassed at his anger, and although still slightly annoyed at her persistence at his door, he said politely, "Oh, I'm sorry."
He then gently shut his door, and went straight back to bed. Obviously, she's here for Kyo, and came to my room by mistake. The two of them got along well enough, but Kagura never came to the house to see anyone but Kyo. It didn't occur to Yuki, in his sleep deprived state, that it was odd that Kagura should somehow forgot something like where Kyo's room was, Kyo, whom she claimed to be madly in love with.
When now timid knocking came from the door, Yuki sat up, blearily rubbed his eyes and combed his fingers through his hair in an attempt to look somewhat decent. He picked up the bedding that had been scattered and threw it on the bed in a heap before opening the door again, this time in a much calmer manner. Obviously, she wasn't going to go away.
Kagura eased back on her heels, and exhaled slowly. He'll go along with it, he'll go along with it, why wouldn't he? Still despite her inner attempts at a pep-talk, after the initial buzz of excitement about her plan, she had become nervous. She had purposely come to the house when she knew Kyo wouldn't be there so she wouldn't do anything that would seem suspicious in future context. Shi-chan was so puzzled, she laughed to herself, remembering the look on his face when after he apologised for Kyo being gone, she had told him she wasn't there for Kyo. She was there for Yuki. The door was opened, and she was let into Yuki's room.
Yuki let Kagura in, and lead her over to the window seat, pausing to wait as she tripped on the edge of his rug once, wondering what she could possibly want, and why so early? Once she was seated, he sat down at the other end, rubbing his eyes again in an attempt to keep them open. Stupid can't-be-put-down book.
"I'm sorry, Kagura, for shutting the door in your face, I thought you were looking for Kyo."
Kagura giggled slightly, and Yuki noticed the nervous edge. "Oh, that's alright Yun-chan, I should have come when you were more awake." Yes, he thought miserably, why didn't you? She twisted the edge of her skirt, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. ...Is she nervous? "Yun-chan... please, please! will you go out with me?" She fiddled with her skirt some more, "Just please, hear me out before you answer!" She met his eyes nervously, and became somewhat alarmed by the frozen expression on his face, barely noticing an odd thump that came from the door.
Is Kagura asking me out? What? Why? ...I think I'm still asleep ...I hope am. It was bad enough when the girls at school asked him out, if Kagura was asking him out, he would never get any peace at all. Mobs of girls at school, Kagura at home. Vivid images came to his mind of Kyo hearing Kagura's love proclaimed, bloody and bruised in her arms. An odd almost cartoon-like image of a gray-brown streak left by a running boar chasing an orange streak flashed before his eyes, when suddenly the orange streak melted into a smaller gray one.
Trying to hide his sudden panic, he shook his head trying to clear out less than pleasant images. Kagura was waving her hand in front of his face, looking rather worried. And I thought she was obsessive about that stupid cat? I know she was-IS, so why on earth is she asking me out? "I'm... I'm really sorry, Kagura, I don't think-"
"Just listen! I, I know you don't like me," she blushed, "that way, it's... it's not a real date. I..." She paused, and studied him for a moment. Yuki was genuinely curious about, albeit somewhat terrified, of finding out what she wanted. "I want to make Kyo-kun jealous," a slow exhale, "I... want to know if he really doesn't like me, if he really likes Tohru-chan, why doesn't he date her!"
Now that she had begun speaking, the words came out in a flood. She clenched her fist, and Yuki found himself scooting further away. "What's wrong? Why doesn't he do something, HE SHOULD BE MINE, DAMMIT! AND HE WILL BE!" With alarming clarity, things began to come together for Yuki. "That's why I need your help, Yun-chan." Kagura was in sweet mode again, for the moment. "If Kyo-kun likes me he'll be furious and jealous if somebody he hates dates me! And then he won't be able to deny it anymore! And we can get MARRIED, FINALLY!" She paused to catch her breath. "Yun-chan..." Is, is she crying now? Yuki got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Yun-chan would benefit too, though. If Yun-chan wants to know how Tohru-chan feels..." She knew she was in dangerous waters, "then it'll work for Yun-chan the same way it'll work for me."
Honda-san? Yuki frowned slightly, to be honest, he wasn't sure of his own feelings for Honda-san, but he wasn't particularly eager to discuss them with Kagura.
As if sensing his indecision, Kagura bowed slightly, and taking his hand pleaded, "Please, Yun-chan... I, I have to know... I can't not know anymore." Yuki felt oddly weak, he didn't have the same weakness Kyo did for tears, but he couldn't say no when a girl begged him. And Kagura was begging. Why do I get the distinct feeling that I'll regret this?
He working on sounding calm before he hazarded his first words since Kagura's rant. "If, what if it doesn't work?" He pulled her hand up from their knees so he could see her face, and prepared for the whiplash asked, "What if Kyo... doesn't... start to want you?" He felt odd saying 'Kyo' and 'want you' in the same sentence.
He braced himself, but was surprised when Kagura answered sadly, but calmly, "Then que sera sera, as Shi-chan says."
Yuki felt a wave of pity wash over him, she really does love that idiot, as moody as she is, she really... she really does mean it when she says she loves him. Ignoring the sudden loneliness that began to creep up on him, he managed a half sincere smile as he said, "Alright. We'll give it... no more than two weeks, agreed?" I doubt it'll last that long... .
"OH! Yun-chan! Thank you!" Kagura flung herself forward to hug a startled Yuki and then picked up her bag from the floor, "Tomorrow!"
"Eh... EH?! Tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow, I don't want it to take a full two weeks to make Kyo-kun mine! I want him as soon as I can HAVE HIM!"
Well that's fine with me if it ends sooner than that, I doubt it'll happen, but if Kyo doesn't do anything about it, I just hope she'll be satisfied to quit after a month.
"Thank you, Yun-chan! Even if it's not a real date, we can still go do something fun! As long as everyone else thinks it's a proper date!"
From outside Yuki's door, Shigure couldn't believe his ears, this is just too good to be true. Finally, SOMEONE had gotten a clue, and was doing something interesting. His curiosity had been incited when Kagura came to see Yuki, at a time she wouldn't be able to see her darling Kyo, so he had followed up to see what was what, and he was very glad he had. He had been as shocked as Yuki when Kagura had made asked him on a date, and he had almost revealed himself when he fell against the door. This will just be so much fun! Which of the boys DOES Tohru-kun really love? And what will Kyo do about Kagura? And Yun-chan, who just threw himself in the middle - poor boy really shouldn't agree to things while he's half-asleep - oh... and of course, he smirked, should anyone need any 'guidence' I'll kindly offer them assistance. Of course, I won't let anyone know I know about this little arrangement, oh no, that would be no fun if they knew that I know what they don't want me to know.
Shigure ran off down the hall before anyone could open the door and catch him, passing a bewildered looking Tohru headed to the dining room with breakfast, muffling mad sounding giggles the entire way, until he reached his office doors, and shutting them quietly collapsed in a heap on his messy futon. This is going to be so much fun.
Yuki fell back weakly in the window seat after Kagura shut the door behind her. He felt oddly drained, as if he had just run a race, or had an asthma attack, even though he really hadn't said much at all. It was as if just watching Kagura's energy had drained him. He glanced at the clock and despaired of getting anymore sleep, Well, tomorrow I have a date.
...What have I gotten myself into?