Disclaimer - character's are not my own.

Chapter Twelve – Boar's Insistence

'I love the Bath House.' Kagura thought happily to herself as she finished dressing after a lovely warm bath. Picking up her things, she made her way to the reception area of the Bath House and her favourite part of her bathing routine.

She walked into the area and found the object of her joy was staring at something on the customer advertisement table.

'I wonder what's on there that's keeping his attention?'

"Ritsu! How are you this evening?" She called out happily, large smile on her face as she moved over to him.

"H-hello, K-kagura. I'm good." He stuttered.

'He's just such a cutie-pie!' She giggled in her head.

"What were you looking at just now?" She asked, wandering over to the customer advertisement table. Looking at the different papers lying there as Ritsu stuttered behind her, denying he'd looked at anything. A bright pink, slightly creased flier advertising a new café – bookstore caught her attention. Picking it up a plan formed in her head.

Turning quickly to Ritsu, who was looking at her with wide eyes, she held up the flier.

"This is a flier for a café – bookstore place," she checked it again. "Fruits Basket… Would you go with me to check it out tomorrow night?" She asked, hope filling her.

"Uh, um, I, um, I-I er." She watched him have an internal war with himself, obviously embarrassed if the blush staining his cheeks was anything to go by.

Kagura had known Ritsu for the past seven months, ever since she had started going to the Bath House. He had been so nervous when he'd greeted her; a shy smile and big eyes had looked over at her from behind the counter. She had liked him immediately, as was in her nature; whenever she met someone she either liked him or her right away or didn't like him or her at all.

Her impulsive and sometimes violently excited personality had been the cause for many problems for her in her life. Many people found her to be hard to deal with, despite how hard she tried to do the right thing. If it wasn't for her parents she didn't know what she would have done. Thanks to their understanding nature she had been able to grow up in a relatively protected and loving environment. Despite some exclusion from her peers, she had grown up as a fairly happy child.

"Just say yes, Ritsu." She grinned at him, giggling when he flushed bright red.

"Why don't we go for dinner, can you get off work anytime soon?" She pressed, leaning towards him, flier still clutched in her hands.

"Um, I g-guess I could, on T-tuesday…" He trailed off uncertainly.

"Wonderful, I'll meet you here?" She called out, quickly turning and leaving, not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind. However, as soon as she stepped outside the Bath House she pumped a fist into the air.

'YES!' Giggling to herself like some high school girl, she made her way home; mind already thinking over her date on Tuesday.

***()

Tuesday had seemed to drag its feet and Kagura found herself watching the seconds tick by on more than one occasion. She had taken the whole day off work at the massage parlour so that she could make herself look so gorgeous she just knew Ritsu would ask her for another date!

Giggling to herself as she applied the final touches to her makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was dressed casually, yet with a dress that was just elegant enough to make her look like she could be going to a fancy up-stage restaurant rather than a small café for dinner. Not that she minded; she liked the look of the place from when she had seen it on her walk past yesterday.

She had been curious and had needed to know how fancy or casual she needed to dress. When she had walked past, it had seemed like a friendly and welcoming place. There had been some school kids in there at the time, they were laughing as they spoke to what appeared to be one of the waiters. As she had watched, she'd almost had to physically restrain herself from going inside and introducing herself to everyone. She was hoping that she would offer a more level playing field if neither Ritsu nor herself knew anything or anyone about the café.

Although the day had dragged its feet, it seemed like no time at all before she found herself turning the street corner to the Bath House where she was to meet Ritsu for their date.

As she reached her destination, Ritsu walked nervously out of the Bath House entrance and she found her heart skipping a beat. He looked gorgeous with his hair pulled back into a low ponytail, his shirt and pants both smart and casual. His brown eyes and slightly fidgeting hands were the only things that gave away his true nervousness.

'He must have spent ages talking himself into this.' She thought, a soft smile blooming on her face unbidden. She knew he was a naturally shy person, shy to the extreme that was. The fact that he had found the courage to be here right now spoke volumes to her about how much he cared.

"Hello, Ritsu." She said warmly, standing before him and trying not to show the butterflies that were flying about in her stomach.

"K-kagura." He nodded, slight endearing stutter present.

Pushing all her nervousness to the back of her mind, she reached out and took his hand in hers. Turning to the direction of the café, she pulled him so that he was in line with her and began walking.

"So, how are you tonight?" She asked, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"I'm g-good, yourse-self?" He asked, glancing down at her before looking away quickly as a blush stained his cheeks.

"I'm great!" She said, grinning enthusiastically as she tried to lighten the atmosphere between them.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the café and it was only as they were entering the place and the warmth and comfortable atmosphere hit them that Kagura felt Ritsu relax slightly beside her.

"So, where would you like to sit?" She asked, looking over at him and mentally giggling at the small flush that stained his cheeks.

"Um, well, what about over there?" He gestured vaguely towards the mid-back of the room and Kagura happily went over and sat herself down at one of the two seat tables. She waited patiently for him to sit down across from her before she spoke again.

"So, have you ever been here before?" She asked, picking up the menu and looking over the different foods and drinks.

"Um, y-yes, I've been here a few times." He said quietly, looking down at his lap.

"Really!" She put the menu down and leaned forward slightly so that she was able to catch his elusive eyes.

'He's so cute!' she squealed as the blush on his cheeks intensified as their eyes met.

"Well, can you recommend anything for me then?" She asked flirtatiously.

She was delighted when he began stuttering and fumbling for words before they were interrupted by a quiet voice of one of the waiters.

"Hello Ritsu, I see you've got a date this evening." She looked up at the purple haired guy and sent his a large smile as a small blush worked its way onto her own cheeks at the word 'date'.

"Oh! Um, n-no it's n-n-not, I mean, um." Ritsu's whole face flushed and Kagura cut him off before he could say anything else.

"Yes, it's our first date so we decided to come here. The place had such cute fliers!" Kagura said, giggling as she recalled the brightly coloured paper.

"Well, I hope you both have a good night then. I'm Yuki, by the way, I'll be your waiter this evening." His smile was nice, but not as nice as the one Ritsu would show when he thought no one was watching.

'I wish he would smile more often.' She thought with an almost dreamy sigh.

"Would you like your usual, Ritsu?" Yuki continued talking, pen poised above the notebook he held in his hand.

"Um, y-yes please, Yuki."

"Ok, one salad and fish coming right up. And what would you like, Miss?" Yuki asked, turning to Kagura.

"Please, call me Kagura. And salad and fish sounds nice, I think I'll have the same, thank you." She sent him a smile before turning her attention back to Ritsu who was now fiddling with a small packet of sugar on the table.

"Right away." Yuki said and walked away.

They sat in a slightly awkward silence for a moment before Kagura broke it.

"Well, this is a nice place, isn't it?"

'Was that seriously the best thing you could come up with?' She mentally hit herself in the head at the stupid comment. 'Of course it's nice, otherwise Ritsu wouldn't come back again, would he?'

"Yes, yes it is." She looked up quickly, surprised at the tone of voice he had adopted, it almost sounded confident. "The people here are always nice." He suddenly seemed to realise what he was doing a small flush stained his cheeks. "W-well, um, I mean – Kyo!" He suddenly said, confusing her for a moment before a man suddenly reached over and put food down on the table before her.

"Hey," the orange haired man seemed completely distracted and left them alone before any more words could be exchanged.

"That's odd… he usually says more than that." Ritsu said, more to himself than Kagura. Feeling like they were getting nowhere, she picked up a fork and stabbed a piece of lettuce before putting it in her mouth and chewing, just for something to do.

As they fell into tense silence again, she searched her mind for something that they could talk about.

"So, Ritsu," she waited until he had glanced up at her, knowing she had his attention. "Do you do anything other than come here and work at the Bath House?" She asked, putting as much curiosity and energy as she could into the simple question.

After that, the night flowed better, while Kagura found herself talking more than Ritsu did, he didn't seem to mind and she was content to feel his eyes on her. Her favourite part of the night was when she made him laugh, the small, slightly timed sound caused her heart to swell with affection and she silently endeavoured to make him laugh more often.

She happily waved goodbye to her new friends – Tohru, Yuki and Shigure; Kyo hadn't said much all night much to the odd looks of those who knew him. They left the café to the sound of laughter and wishes to see them again soon. Stopping for a moment outside, Kagura was pleasantly surprised when Ritsu broke the silence.

"I-I'll walk y-you home." Though a blush stained his cheeks, Kagura could also see a small spark of determination in his eyes, which filled her with joy.

'He's being brave for me!'

"Ok, it's this way. Thanks." Giving him her best smile, she turned and they began walking side-by-side down the quiet streets. Though silence had once again descended upon them, something about it was more comfortable then it had been earlier on in the night. When they were about halfway to her home, she gathered her courage together.

'Just do it, if he pulls away he does, if he doesn't, well, that's great.'

Swinging her arm a little more than was actually natural, Kagura managed to catch Ritsu's hand in her own and held it loosely, giving him time to pull it away if he didn't want it. Apart from a slight falter in his steps and a small gasp, he didn't say anything.

Shyly, she glanced up at him from under her bangs, pink dusting her own cheeks. While his face was flushed, there was a small quirking of his lips upward as he looked straight ahead.

"Hey, Ritsu?" She said softly, seeing his eyes dart down to look at her before looking forward again.

"Y-y-yes?"

"Thanks, you know, for tonight… I had a lot of fun." She gave him a small smile of her own that he managed to mirror before she held his hand more tightly in her own.

"I hope we can do this again…" She offered hopefully. He was silent for a while and she felt disappointment swell in her.

'Maybe I was wrong? I thought he liked me, but what if I was reading him wrong?' She thought in slight panic.

"I…" She looked up at him quickly, biting her bottom lip in suspense. "I'd l-like that too." He finished, determinedly not looking at her.

She struggled not to jump up and down on the spot in joy.

"Right!" Grinning she began pulling him along down the street, her happiness needing to be expressed in some way. Though he looked surprised, no protest came from his lips so she took that as a good sign.

'This is going to be so much fun!'