Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Bouncing Baby Boy ❯ Is ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Nothing do you hear me? Why do you keep rubbing it in?? NOTHING BELONGS TO ME!

***

"If Kyou-kun could stay like this for a while, that'd be nice," crooned Ayame, with the baby in his lap. Yuki sat across him, a dark look on his face. Mine-chan had gotten her hands onto Hanajima, Uo and Tohru. And since she thought it would be mean to leave Phoenix out (despite the Chinese's protestations) Mine-chan had taken her into the backroom to be dressed up as well.

So Shigure was having a pleasant time outside at the reception desk, playing with the silvery bell. He assured Ayame that if a real customer came in; he would ring the bell seven times. The bell chimed, once, twice, thrice, then Hatori's voice was heard. "Will you stop playing with that thing, Shigure!"

"I suppose you're curious about Nix-san, aren't you?" asked Ayame, in between cooing to the baby.

"Not particularly," said Yuki truthfully. He narrowed his eyes at Kyou, who was entranced with Ayame's cascading waterfall of silvery hair and wouldn't stop playing with the strands.

Ayame ignored his little brother's (lack of) enthusiasm. "She has quarters somewhere in this part of town, and takes a bus to school at five in the morning. This place is the cheapest."

"How did you hire her?" asked Hatori, coming into the curtained off section of the store.

"She was hanging out in the tattoo parlor clutching her school bag, and asking for a job," said Ayame casually.

"How much are you paying her?" asked Hatori, rather amused at the way Yuki kept glaring at Kyou on Ayame's lap, lavender eyes quite clearly saying, `Traitorous little baby brat…'

Ayame blinked. "That's Mine-chan's business, but it's not too bad, I made sure of that. Hey, `Tori, do you think Kyoukyou-chan looks good in this?" He held out a loose gown of dark green material, gold thread woven in a gleaming pattern.

"Kyoukyou-chan?" exclaimed Yuki.

"Yes, I think he'd look nice, why don't you let Yuki put it on him?" suggested Hatori tactfully, who had discerned how Ayame, despite appearances to the contrary, was hurt by Yuki's coldness and was partly using Kyou's affection for him (or rather, his hair) to make Yuki angrier. Ayame was not the snake for nothing.

"Sure! Here you go, little brother!" said Ayame, holding Kyou out to Yuki, brown legs dangling.

Yuki took Kyou with ill grace, and roughly started to put the gown on, all the while wanting to rip it into pieces. Kyou resented this rough treatment and started to squall. "Really, Yuki-chan, don't treat him so badly!" said Ayame; dexterously taking Kyou back and started to tenderly redress the infant.

Kyou looked back at Yuki, and quite plainly stuck his tongue out. Yuki's brows drew together in a thunderous expression. Hatori sighed loudly, and at that moment, the girls, Tohru blushing, and the other three scowling almost as badly as Yuki, were ushered out by Mine-chan, who looked rather upset that she now had no one to dress up. Ayame smiled. "You all look very sweet," he cooed. "You should wear that outfit when you work, Nix-san, to advertise our clothes. Mine-chan, why don't you go dress up `Gure for Ha- I mean - for us to see."

Hatori gave Ayame a hard look, but the snake just smiled and shrugged, his entire look smugly saying, `Slip of tongue'.

"Ok!" Mine-chan grinned, her eyes twinkling almost maniacally. She rushed out, and then dragged Shigure in, the man protesting all the way.

"Ha-san!" he wailed, clutching at the curtain. "Save me!!"

Hatori shrugged.

"Oh! Look at Kyou-kun!" cried Tohru, rushing over to bend over Kyou. "KAWAII!!"

"Kyou?" Uo frowned. "Hey, speaking of that, where's that hotheaded carrot top?"

The air suddenly became tense and silent, even Shigure stopped protesting.

"And why do you call that kid Kyou-kun? Carrot top got a girl pregnant, did he?" asked Uo.

"No," said Shigure. He had recovered first, and was a skilled liar, on top of all that. "Kyou-kun has transferred schools for a while, and his little brother is here. We're going to take care of him!" He flashed Uo a big, insincere smile.

"A mother would trust her kid to you?" snorted Uo, but she believed them, albeit a bit unwillingly.

Uo's snort broke the atmosphere, and Mine-chan resumed tugging Shigure into the changing room. Uo smoothed down her frilly skirt (pink!) and sat down beside Ayame. "So this is Carrot Top's little brother, huh? He's kinda cute…"

She touched Kyou's face, and he glared at her. Uo laughed. "Heh, acts like Carrot Top too."

"'Ank-ee," said baby Kyou clearly.

Uo's eyes widened. "Yankee? This kid called me a `Yankee'! Hey, you take after your brother a lot. A whole, whole, whole lot."

Hana paused in the act of examining the inch thick lace on her cuffs. "Yes, I see the resemblance."

"Resemblance nothing! This kid is practically a clone!" Ayame, Hatori, Yuki, Tohru and Hanajima were beginning to panic.

Luckily, at that moment, Shigure's howls redoubled. Evidently, the writer had overheard the conversation, and wanted to cause a distraction. Hatori could have kissed him - though he would have, if the chance ever arose anyway.

"Jeez, he's not getting killed in there, is he?" asked Phoenix, tugging at the collar of her own dress. "Hey, Ayame-san, can I change out now?"

"No," said Ayame, bouncing Kyou on his knee.

"Give him here! You'll give him indigestion," snapped Yuki, unable to bear it any longer. He pulled Kyou over, and started to cuddle the baby.

Ayame smiled, slightly sad. Phoenix caught the tail of the smile, and her own heart hurt. She frowned, trying to cover up her softening feelings. Tohru looked like a bright butterfly in her trailing dress, fearfully embroidered. Uo looked like a Japanese carp, draped in her slinky pink dress, the pattern resembling the shimmering of fish scales. Hanajima was similar to a black flower, in her fluffy skirt. Phoenix didn't want to look into the mirror and see what she looked like. Dresses made her look like a bunny.

Then Shigure came out, handsome face sulky, Mine-chan triumphant. Hatori's jaw dropped. Dear LORD. Shigure was arrayed in a dark blue yukata, the edges rimmed with glimmering purple. The cloth was soft, and not overly formal, it draped itself over Shigure's figure, making him look like any moment, it would just slip off… The material looked like it had been taken out of the night sky itself. It made Shigure's soft pale skin seem to glow. Hatori's mouth was dry, his hands ached to touch…

"'Gure! You look wonderful! The epitome of Manly Romance!" exclaimed Ayame. "Doesn't he, Yuki?"

"Yes, he does," replied Yuki, a smile on his face, since Kyou, tired out by Ayame, had fallen asleep on his lap.

Uo let out a low wolf whistle; Phoenix elbowed her sharply, and then pinched her own skin to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Tohru's brown eyes were large and wondering. "Shigure-san, you look beautiful!"

"Thanks… Tohru…" Shigure looked down at himself, and the scowl lightened. "Hey, hey, I actually don't look too bad!"

"You look really good," agreed Hanajima calmly.

Shigure grinned. "Don't I always?"

Uo sighed. "Mr. Writer has an ego the size of Jupiter."

Shigure ignored this remark, his voice was almost shy as he asked, "What do you think, Ha-san?"

Think? Think? Hatori couldn't think of anything other than getting Shigure out of that robe, that miserable robe that concealed everything he wanted to see, revealing just enough to madden him. The thought of Shigure wearing that… at night… in Hatori's bed… slipping his hands through the opening of those folds of cloth, caressing, touching, teasing… Shigure's moaning, his whimpers, his voice whispering, "Please Ha-san, please…"

"You look fine, `Gure," he said, voice strangled.

Shigure's face dropped at the unenthusiastic reception. Ayame sighed ostentatiously and reach out to touch Shigure's arm. "You look wonderful, `Gure," he repeated. "I'll sell you that thing at half price."

"Half price? I'm a relative! I deserve it free!" cried Shigure.

"Half price is plenty good, Mr. Cheapskate!" declared Ayame. "Isn't that right, Mine-chan?"

Mine-chan nodded. "Nix-chan, do you like those clothes?" she asked sweetly. Phoenix swallowed the lump in her throat, and smiled.

"Yes, they look nice. Thank you."

"You look very cute!" Mine-chan gave Nix's arm a squeeze. Nix smiled some more, but she knew better.

"Oh all right, fine, here!" sniffed Shigure, handing out his wallet. Ayame sniffed as well, and pretended to be insulted, taking the suit's full price in dollar bills.

***

"Ha-san? Are you all right? You're very quiet," said Shigure. Hatori grunted a response. He had been quiet because his mind was filled with thoughts more suited to an animal in heat, and he was afraid they would come spilling out. It was silent in the backseat as well, because Tohru had fallen asleep on Hana's shoulder, and Kyou and Yuki were snoozing as well. Yuki's hand clutched a bag with the signature of Ayame's shop on it, and a smile graced his face as Kyou cuddled in deeper to his warmth.

Hanajima was silent, looking out at the rising moon.