Disclaimer: You think I own any of this? (dies laughing)

Note, 1: This is one of my first attempts at writing the Fruits Basket characters. Please forgive me if anyone seems too out of character. Advice is always appreciated; just don't be mean or uppity about it.

Note, 2: I don't like curse words. Nor am I certain that my parents would allow me to type them. Therefore, all swearwords will be written as follows: -CENSORED-. The strongest words I'll ever type out in this fic are: dang, shoot, and crud.

Verisimilitude

Eight: The Return of Shigure

After a long and torturous lunch, all four youngsters were finally napping in their room. Kyoko collapsed onto the couch, a bit tired out after an exhausting morning. Thank goodness her little Tohru wasn't nearly as troublesome!

In summary, Haru's "weirdness" had surfaced once, Kyo had tried to beat up Momiji twice, Momiji had tried (unsuccessfully) to hug her thrice, and Yuki had essentially tried to avoid contact with everyone the entire time.

Just as Kyoko was about to commence her own little nap, two things happened at once.

Ring! Ring!

"Ha'ri, I'm ho-ome!"

Kyoko jumped up and demanded of the young man who'd just burst into the apartment, "Who are you?"

"Shigure Sohma!" the teenager grinned cockily, making a sweeping and much exaggerated bow. "And who might this beautiful lady be? Have you broken into my apartment to seduce me?"

"Ohh! Shigure! Shut up and study." She added quickly, "Hatori-san's orders."

The answering machine of the phone picked up, and the caller said, "Hello? This is Hatori. Pick up! Hello? Hel—"

Kyoko scooped up the phone and exclaimed, "Sohma-san! I'm sorry; Shigure-san just barged in. And I mean 'barged'."

"Did you tell him to shut up and study?"

"Word for word."

"Good. I forgot to tell you television privileges for the kids. Max of one hour a day. They can only watch shows rated 'Y' or 'G', unless I check it out first."

Please note that I have no idea of what television ratings system (if any) is used in Japan. I just stuck in a couple of ratings used in the U.S.

"Got it," Kyoko assured him. "They haven't watched any TV yet. They're napping right now. Unless Shigure-san woke them up."

"Good. Also, the computer is off-limits to everyone over there—meaning Shigure, the kids, Ayame if he shows up, and you—unless I state otherwise. …Ah, and if Shigure disputes anything I have ever told you, ignore him."

"Will do."

"Always be tough with Shigure—it's the only way to…"

A few background voices could be heard from Hatori's end of the line.

"I have to go, Honda-san. I'll be late, but you can leave whenever you want to, now that Shigure is back. Unless he decides to leave again. In that case, I'll pay double for extra hours if you'd please stay with the kids. Or send someone else and sit with them until the other person arrives…"

More background voices.

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry, just a minute…. Everything's okay there, Honda-san?" Hatori rushed. "No problems?"

"Everything's under control," Kyoko assured him. Now…

"Good—great, gotta go—bye."

Click

Kyoko hung up the phone and watched as Shigure sat down in front of the computer sitting at the desk in the corner. He dumped his backpack on the floor next to himself.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Kyoko asked sharply, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Just gonna type up something for school," Shigure grinned, turning around in the chair to look at her. The glint in his eye said otherwise. "Tori okayed it. …Really, don't worry."

"Hatori-san told me that no one was to use the computer," objected the babysitter, folding her arms over her chest.

"Honest," Shigure insisted. "It's oooo-kaaaay… trust me." He smiled disarmingly.

"Ain't buying it, buster," Kyoko shook her head, smirking slightly. "Off the computer."

Shigure let out an injured sigh and extracted himself from the machine's corner, dragging his book-bag along after him.

"So… who're you, anyway, pretty lady?" Shigure asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Mind out of the gutter, please," Kyoko all but growled. "I'm the babysitter."

"Really?" Shigure said, seeming surprised for a moment. He chuckled. "I'm the cousin. Did the darling little rugrats run rampant whilst I was out?"

"I think I did pretty well for my first day here," decided Kyoko.

"Meaning you think you're gonna have a second and third day here?" Shigure commented wonderingly.

"Why not? Did I do something wrong?"

"You… nothing personal… I mean, it's not like you can help… being… a girl—lady! And a very beautiful lady!"

"Just how old are you anyway, junior?" Kyoko was still trying to figure out whether or not she liked Shigure at all.

"Seventeen—but that doesn't matter. I mean, no problem, right? Hatori acts like he's seven-ty, so… how come Masuko-san isn't here?"

"He was regrettably hit by a car," Kyoko stated.

"Ouch… how soon'll he get out?"

"Hopefully never. He's dead."

"Any other guy babysitters at the agency?" Shigure asked, after being respectfully silent for all of three seconds.

"What's your obsession with male babysitters?" demanded Kyoko.

"Nothing!" exclaimed Shigure hastily. "I mean, personally speaking, I prefer you. It's just that leaving the little tykes alone all day… with…" Shigure trailed off, the rest of his sentence mumbled. "Ah… it's… ah… kinda risky for us…"

"Why?" Kyoko pressed. "And why can't I even hug them if they get upset for whatever reason?"

Shigure rolled his eyes thoughtfully, trying to find a seemingly reasonable explanation. He chuckled nervously and finally decided, "Heh… classified information?"

"Alright, fine," sighed Kyoko. "I won't ask anymore. It's none of my business, I know."

"Yup," Shigure sang out. "Any calls, 'sides the one from Ha'ri?"

"Nope."

"Aw, man," Shigure moaned. "Mii promised she'd call when she finished editing my story, which she said she'd finish today! Now I'll never be able to hand it in for credit!" He sighed dolefully and shook his head. "Never trust a straight-A student…"

"You seem very trustworthy," Kyoko commented, rather pointedly, as she went into the kitchen to make tea for her headache.

"Ouch," laughed Shigure. The phone rang, and Shigure waited a few moments, listening as the answering machine picked up.

"Shigure?" a desperate-sounding voice called out. "It's Mii! I edited as much as I could of your story, but it doesn't looks like you've finished writing it! Pleeeease, Shigure! I know you're trying to tick me off but… but I promised I'd finish editing it and I want to! But it's hard to edit parts of your book that are non-existent!"

Shigure smirked, clearly amused.

"If you're there, Shigure, pick up! Please!" Mii all but sobbed.

"Maybe you should pick up," Kyoko suggested.

Shigure pretended to consider this for a moment before finally picking up. "Hey, Mii."

"Shigure!" Mii exclaimed. "Please! Finish it so I can edit it! Professor Kido wants it turned in by tomorrow!"

"If only I didn't have this horrible writer's block," Shigure sighed loudly.

"WHAT?! You—you said you… you… you-u-u!" wept Mii.

"Come, now, what are you so worried about?"

"I'm going to be an editor when I graduate!" she cried. "I have to get used to deadlines and I think I'm already used to them! I'm freaking out, Shigure! Please! Write!"

"But," Shigure tried to sound sad, "I have no inspiration…"

"Wri-i-iiiite!"

"It'll be at your place in ten minutes."

"Five—five chapters in ten minutes?" gasped Mii.

"Yeah. I've got it right here. I'll just ask a friend to drop 'em off on her way home."

"You mean you FINISHED IT?!"

"Mm-hm," Shigure hummed, snickering.

"YESTERDAY?!"

"Yep."

"And… and you didn't TELL ME?!"

"You got it."

Mii yelled in frustration before growling, "Fine, Shigure, bring the -CENSORED- chapters over here. But don't expect me to do any editing for you EVER AGAIN!" She hung up loudly.

"Of course, sweetheart," Shigure said into the dead line. He hung up and called, "Honda-san? You can go home in about… ten minutes. I need a favor…"