Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.
The Joys of Driving
Tohru gripped the wheel nervously. Hatori was much more comfortable with her in the driver's seat, especially compared to Shigure, even though Tohru could barely see over the dashboard. Yuki and Kyo had instantly volunteered to come along, sticking with the choice when Hatori had warned them that fighting would distract Tohru.
They were still in the driveway, however, and had already encountered a problem.
"Okay, Honda-kun. It's alright. Just give it a little bit of gas..."
Tohru did so. The car, set in reverse, inched backwards at the break neck speed of... two kilometers an hour.
"... Maybe a little more than that."
"Hatori-san, I'm very nervous! I don't think I can drive!"
"It's alright, Honda-kun. Relax. Shigure had the gas pedal all the way down and he really wasn't trying to drive safely. You'll do fine."
Reassured, Tohru gave the gas pedal a little bit more pressure and drove off at the speedy rate of seven kilometers an hour.
"... It's alright to actually push the pedal, you know."
"I'm going too fast already!"
"No, you're hardly moving at all. Try to get up to fifteen."
Tohru glanced at him nervously. This glance lasted a fraction of a second before she ratcheted her wide-eyed gaze onto the road. Every once in a while, her eyes would dart to the speed dial, which was very slowly creeping towards the ten... it passed the ten and was on its way to fifteen... it was almost there... Tohru lost her nerve at 14.5 kmph, apologizing and exclaiming that she had been going much too fast for the car to be in control. Hatori rubbed his temples and told himself that at least Tohru hadn't: A) hit anything, B) terrified any pedestrians, or C) gotten the car airborne. That was something.
It scared Hatori that not getting the car airborne was considered an improvement. Especially since most people never got a car airborne.
"Okay, Honda-kun. The goal is fifteen kmph. You can do it. Try again."
And the car inched on its way.
---
An hour later...
"Come on, Tohru, you're doing great," Kyo encouraged the still-very-nervous Onigiri. They were now twenty-five kilometers from Shigure's house, as Tohru had worked up the courage to drive at thirty kmph. She was now chalk white and terrified at her own daring. "Now that we're out here, we're got to get back."
"Yeah... I suppose so." Tohru's voice was shaking. Hatori directed her in turning around and gave advice on the way back, the whole trip made at a daring ten kmph. It took two and a half hours.
"Ah, my poor little flower! What happened?" cooed Shigure as Tohru entered the house. He draped an arm across her shoulders, as he was prone to do. Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori had come in as well.
"She did very well. We weren't airborne even for a second. Honda-kun is a very good driver, unlike some people," Hatori announced. He was glaring daggers at Shigure, still upset about the... incident. Shigure, laughing nervously, made his exit. Hatori continued, "I have to go. Rin, Kagura, Haru, Ritsu, Momiji, Ayame, and Akito are learning, too. Honda-kun, if you're up to it, we can try again next week. Yuki, Kyo, I'll be back in a couple of days."
As he left, Hatori wondered just what he had gotten into... Then, he decided that he didn't really want to know. Ignorance is bliss after all.