Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Dog's Life ❯ A Dog's Life ( One-Shot )

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A DOG'S LIFE
A Fruits Basket One Shot Fanfic

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess


AUTHOR'S NOTE:
A short, one-part, follow up story to "The Difference Between Love and Hate." No lemon or lime. Just a bit of out-of-characterness and tons of comedy (or so I hope). Standard disclaimer follows the story.




10:49AM....

"Don't give me that skeptical look, Rin. Everything will be just fine. You go out today and enjoy yourself."

"Are you sure you'll be all right by yourself? I can call Kisa and ask her to watch Saiya while you're working--?"

"Ma, ma. It's quite all right. I'm sure everything will be fine. Saiya's napping, so I should be able to get a few things done. Besides, I could use a little distraction from my work."

"But your deadline? Shigure, you're already two weeks late with your manuscript. I don't think Mit-chan will allow you another week so easily."

"You let me worry about that. YOU just concentrate on yourself for a few hours."

Rin sighed, still unsure if it was truly safe to leave the house or not. They'd been living together for two years and almost a year of that married. She'd been the stay at home mom while Shigure was the work from home father. It was rare that she left the house, save for errands. And odder still that she'd leave the house without their 18-month old daughter.

She just didn't feel safe leaving Saiya alone with Shigure. It was a silly notion, but one she could never shake. She trusted Shigure, so that wasn't the issue. He loved Saiya and spent almost all of his free time with her in the evenings.

It was whether or not he'd be able to handle the young girl that worried her. He practically acted like a child himself most days. Perhaps she should've set up a hidden camera to record the day's events.

"Okay. All right. I'll be home after dinner." Stepping forward she placed a light kiss to Shigure's lips. "If you need anything, I have the cell phone--"

"Everything will be fine," he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Embracing her, he gave her another small kiss. "No worries, okay?"

Rin sighed again, smiling this time. "No worries."

With a wave, Shigure watched his wife walk down the pathway to the main street before hoping into her car and driving away. He was glad to see that she was willing to get out of the house for the day. She rarely took time to herself and she needed a day without distraction.

Besides, keeping an eye on their daughter couldn't possibly be too much trouble, he reasoned, stepping back into the house.


1:00PM....

The clock in the hallway had just struck one o'clock when Shigure heard the door to his study creak open. His ears twitched at the sound, straining for what other sounds would follow. There were light footsteps into the room and a yawn that seemed to go on forever.

"Konnichiwa, Sai-chan," Shigure stopped his typing but didn't turn around. He smiled to himself when he felt tiny hands on his arm.

"Ko-on-ni-chi-wa," replied a tiny, feminine voice.

Looking down he saw the weary, brown eyes of his daughter. Her eyelids were still drooping from sleep and her mouth formed a little "o" as she yawned again. She clutched at her father's yukata with one hands while the other attempted to rub the sleep from her eyes.

She'd taken quite the nap. Usually she only slept for an hour, but today she'd slept for nearly two. Another hour and Shigure might've finished the manuscript he owed Mit-chan. Oh well, he'd been working hard anyway. A little distraction -- and some lunch -- was in order.

Tussling Saiya's dark brown hair he asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Hai," came the half-hearted reply.

Saiya released Shigure's yukata and headed for the door again. He quickly finished off his last train of thought before saving the file and shutting down his computer. He'd learned the hard way what a child can do just by pressing a single button.

Like deleting an entire manuscript that took three months to complete.

Or reformatting a disk in the disk drive with several downloads Shigure was hoping he could hide from Rin.

At least he was able to re-download the porn.

Closing the door behind him. It seemed eerily quiet in the house until a loud clatter sounded from the kitchen. He hurried down the hallway to see what was the matter.

"Sai-chan, daijoubu desu ka?"

Standing in the doorway he had to stifle his laughter. Saiya was standing by the sink, holding a small pot in one hand while a larger pot rolled on the floor. Some of the silverware had come down from the counter as well, leaving a mess of silver all around her. The girl looked about ready to cry, instead her face contorted into the most spiteful -- and adorable, Shigure thought -- look he'd ever seen.

'So much like her mother,' he thought with a chuckle.

Finally, Saiya broke out in tears. Shigure moved from the doorway to his daughter's said, holding her in a loose embrace in his right arm while he picked up some of the silverware using his opposite hand.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu," he said to the crying girl, patting her on the back. "Daddy'll clean this up and make us some lunch, okay?"

"Oat *sobs* meal," Saiya stated between tears. She wanted oatmeal for lunch.

"Sounds easy enough," Shigure replied, trying to sound convincing to himself more so than his daughter. All of his attempts to make oatmeal usually failed and ended in a disastrous mess before he got it right.

This time was no exception!



2:41PM....

"Daddy...I'm hungry...."

"It's done, Sai-chan. Go sit at the table."

The little girl complied, moving sluggishly toward the dining room. She sat down on a cushion just as Shigure brought the tray with the oatmeal and bowls. He settled it on the table before setting a bowl in front of Saiya. It was much smaller than Shigure's, with a little spoon to match. He older man waited for Saiya to try it before taking a bit of the oatmeal himself.

`Hmmm, it's actually edible.' He smiled to himself. `All it takes I patience.'

They ate in silence. Shigure continued to watch his daughter, praying she didn't make too much of a mess. The outfit Rin had dressed her in that morning was one of Ayame's creations. A cute little green skirt and top combination. There was a little dog on the left leg of shorts and a horse on the right. If she messed it up, he'd never live it down!

And as if on cue, Saiya missed her mouth with her spoon, sending a large glob of oatmeal down to her lap. She sat and watched it for a minute before her faced scrunched up in that look again. Tears appeared quickly, indicating that she was getting tired again. Shigure couldn't figure out why. She'd only been awake for half an hour. A quick glance at the clock corrected him.

Had it been two hours already? Still she shouldn't be ready for a nap so soon. Perhaps he should call Hatori and see if he had time to give Saiya and quick examination.

"Sai-chan. It's all right. Daddy'll clean it up."

"Gomen, Daddy. Gomen-n-n."

Shigure stood, making his way to the kitchen and returning with a wet dishcloth. Leaning over forward, he patted the little girl on the top of her head. "It'll be okay."

With a sniff, the girl opened her arms and quickly closed them over Shigure's leg, just above his knee. She had moved so fast that Shigure wasn't sure what it was she was doing before it was too late.

"Gomen, daddy!"

"Wait! Sai-chan, iie!"

But it was too late.

Or was it?

Shigure sighed, relieved that he didn't change. He gave it another second, then sighed again. Perhaps his curse would forgive him this once.

Nope. Not a chance.

Seconds later he felt the familiar tingle of the transformation. Before he could utter a curse, there was a puff of gray smoke and a tiny PYON sound. He felt the shortage of his arms and legs, the changing in his joints as they adjusted to his new form. His hearing grew more sensitive as did his sense of smell. Blinking smaller, darker eyes, Shigure had to take a moment to recall how he'd managed to go from his human form to his juunishi one.

Shigure shook his angular head and sighed audibly. He was afraid this would happen. He was ALWAYS afraid this would happen. He and Rin had discussed just this type of situation. It was one of the reasons she never left the house. At least, not without their daughter.

He sighed again, his ears perking upward when he heard a giggle. Hadn't Saiya been crying? What was so funny? Turning his head, he came nose to nose with a happy, teary-eyed, little girl.

Saiya blinked, her nose lightly touching Shigure's. She tilted her head to one side and asked, "Daddy?"

"Hai," he replied automatically. He was surprised she could recognize him in his juunishi form. But then the young girl had always been observant. It was something she picked up from her parents.

Saiya tilted her head in the opposite direction, her nose lightly grazing Shigure's again. A strange light danced behind her eyes. She appeared to be amused and confused all at once.

"Daddy's...a dog?"

`Or so your mother keeps telling me.' Shigure sighed yet again. How was he supposed to explain this situation to an 18-month-old girl? He and Rin didn't want her to grow up with the curse, but they agreed that she'd need to know about it. Otherwise she'd be running around transforming any one of the Sohma who came over for a visit. Still, they had agreed to wait until she was at least five. Till she was old enough to understand.

Could she understand at her current age?

He didn't have to wait long for an answer to his question. Saiya squealed in delight, then proceeded to lock her arms around Shigure's neck. She hugged him tightly, bouncing with glee.

"Doggy!"

"Sai-chan! Sai...ACK...onegai...Daddy *gasp* can't...breath. You're...hugging...
me...too...TIGHT!"

It was another minute before Shigure could breath again. The excitement had fortunately worn off. Saiya decided to let go and go play with another of her toys in the living room. Once Saiya released him, he gasped for air, gulping it into his lungs.

It hadn't been a bad experience all together. He was loath to admit it but it was killing to not be able to hug his daughter. Sure she would sit on his lap while he worked in his study. She would hold his hand when they walked in the park. She would even fall asleep curled up beside him while he read her a bedtime story.

But while he enjoyed all these things, he still longed to hold her. Really, truly, hold her. Just like her mother.


5:10PM....

RING! RING! RING!

Shigure's ears perked up when he heard the phone ringing. He'd taken to idly sitting by the couch. Saiya, in her excitement, had managed to transform him into a dog. AGAIN. This time while he attempted to do the laundry. He chased her around the house before she finally decided she wanted to play with her dolls. She was doing so now by the television.

`Never again,' he thought to himself, shaking his head. `Rin is not allowed to leave this house ever again.'

Every so often Saiya would walk over and hug him, attempting to pet him as gently as she could. The situation had gone from adorable to annoying rather quickly. But he couldn't yell at his daughter. She didn't understand, nor did she know any better.

At least he was getting hugs.

RING! RING! RING!

"PHONE!" Saiya called happily.

Shigure stood, his paws clicking against the wood floor. "Sai-chan! Chotto matte!"

"Ring phone!"

In a flash, Shigure was racing his daughter to the phone. She reached it first. However, her foot caught on the edge of a rug and tripped. With little to grab onto, her tiny hands latched onto the phone cord dangling from the edge of the table. As she proceeded to fall on her butt, she brought the phone down with her. The received banged against the floor.

"AH! Sai-chan!"

Shigure wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry for the little girl. Tears welled up in her eyes quickly, but it took a few moments for her brain to register the pain. Should he answer the phone or comfort his daughter?

"Hello! Hello," came a voice from the phone receiver.

Sauntering over to his now crying daughter, Shigure licked her cheek. Once. Twice. Until she finally stopped crying. He nuzzled his nose into her neck causing her to giggle. Once he was assured she was okay, he gave her one last kiss before padding over to the phone on the floor.

"Hello?! Shigure, this better not be one of your stupid pranks! Hello? HELLO?"

The dog flinched before attempting to speak. "Gomen, Mit-chan. I'm here. It's not a prank." He laid down beside the receiver with a grunt. "My daughter ran for the phone and fell. The table tipped over and...."

"Shigure, are you all right?" Mit-chan sounded worried. "You don't sound quite...like yourself."

"I'm fine. Just a little *POOF**PYON* tired."

"Well I'm glad to hear it. You still owe me a manuscript. I've already gotten you several extensions. The publishers are on their last nerve ending. I need the manuscript NOW."

"It's close to being finished," he replied honestly. "Another day and I should have it finished."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I'll give you two. If I don't have it by then, I'm going to have to-"

"Daddy! No clothes!"

Shigure jumped at Saiya's exclamation, not hearing the rest of Mit-chan's sentence. He glanced down at himself and blushed what he knew was a bright shade of red. When did he turn back into a human? He didn't even feel the transformation this time. How embarrassing! He's managed to hide from Saiya the last time. And now he stood in front of her in all his glory. His blush deepened and covered him from head to toe.

"Ano, Mit-chan, can I call you back?"

"Shigure were you even listening to me?!"

"Daddy nekked! No clothes! No clothes!" Saiya laughed, jumping and dancing around the room.

"Shigure? Are you ignoring me?!"

At least one of us is happy about this, Shigure thought. Grabbing the receiver, he said aloud, "Gomen, Mit-chan. I'll call you right back."

Quickly he set the receiver in the cradle and raced up to his bedroom. He found a clean yukata and donned it. Heading back downstairs, he finished tying the belt. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he realized that the room - no the house - had grown eerily quiet.

"Sai-chan?"

Making his way through the dining room, he noted that lunch was still sitting on the table. He placed everything on the tray hurriedly and carried it with him into the kitchen.

The kitchen itself was a disaster area. But no Saiya. He'd have to clean up later. Saiya came first. He had to make sure she was okay. Then he needed to call Mit-chan. Sitting the tray on the counter, he head back out to the dining room and into the living room.

There was still no sign of her.

"Sai-chan, where--?"

Shigure froze before heading back the hallway to his study. There was a dark lump on the floor. A dark GREEN lump. He put a hand over his heart in both relief and awe.

Saiya had fallen asleep on the floor outside the laundry room, a stuffed dog clutched tightly in her grasp.

Carefully picking her up, he carried her into the living and placed her down on the couch. Covering her with a blanket, he walked back over to the phone to call Mit-chan. After another lecture, Shigure hung up and walked back over to his daughter.

He curled up on the opposite end of the couch, watching his daughter sleep. She looked so quiet and peaceful. `Like Rin,' he thought with a chuckle. How many times had he watched her sleep? Even during her pregnancy she looked like an angel. Saiya looked so much like her. It was almost uncanny.

`But she'll be a devil when she gets home,' he told himself, thinking of Rin. Turning his head slowly, he examined the state of the house.

And sweatdropped.

`I still have some time before Rin comes home,' he told himself. `She won't be home for a few more hours. I can sit...here...and rest...a bit. Maybe *yawn* watch some...television...."



8:02PM....

"Shigure, I'm home!"

Rin gently closed the door behind her. Carefully setting her packages beside the dining room table, she surveyed what she believed to be her house.

It was a disaster area!

Saiya's toys were everywhere. Dolls lay strewn from one end of the living room and into the hallway. Tiny bits and pieces of a dollhouse were scattered in front of the TV. Stuffed animals filled in almost all the spots that weren't taken up by other toys.

Sighing, she turned away from the scene of mass destruction. Stepping into the kitchen, she believed she was safe.

She was wrong.

The stove was covered in oatmeal and dried milk. The counter was littered with dried noodles, splotches of what looked like tomato sauce and the sink was filled with dirty dishes that desperately needed washing.

`I know Shigure rarely cleans, but I thought he'd use some common sense,' she thought to herself. `There were perfectly good leftovers in the refrigerator. Why did he attempt to make oatmeal?

`And what is that stench?!'

With a sigh, Rin made her way from the kitchen and back into the living room. She'd have to wipe down the kitchen table, too, she noted. Apparently, the oatmeal wasn't confined to the kitchen.

Shaking her head, she walked into the living room and turned the television off. She wasn't sure why Shigure would leave the set running, especially if he was in his study working. Again she was amazed at his lack of common sense, turning to go upstairs.

And stopped in mid-stride towards the stairs.

There were two shadowed figures on lying on the couch. Stepping closer to held a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

`Oh my! I wish I had a camera handy!'

In the darkness of the room laid Shigure and Saiya. The little girl was snuggled up against her father's legs, her chest steadily rising and falling. The smile of contentment on her face was mirrored by her father. Rin had to stifle another fit of giggles. When was the last time she'd seen him like this?

He was stretched out on the couch; one leg hanging over the edge while the other was used as a pillow. His hands were tucked under his cheek, his head resting comfortably on one of the large pillows. His face was turned towards the now dark TV. She noted absently that he was dressed in his yukata.

Why did he change clothes?

Oh well, she was certain she'd find out in the morning.

He looked so child-like lying there. While part of her wanted to, she was loath to wake him up and chase him to bed. Grabbing an extra blanket, Rin covered Shigure before gathering Saiya into her arms. The girl stirred, wrapping her arms around Rin's neck before going back to sleep. Leaning down, Rin placed a light kiss to Shigure's forehead. With a smile, she walked upstairs to put her daughter to bed.

"Oyasumi nasai," she whispered to the still sleeping figure on the couch. There was no need to wake him. He undoubtedly needed the rest, she thought.

Besides, the stench from the kitchen would wake him well before sunrise.


~FIN~

DISCLAIMER:
Fruits Basket is owned by Natsuki Takaya/HAKUSENSHA - TV TOKYO - NAS -
Fruba Project and licensed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd (for
distribution in the USA). They own furuba. THEM! Not me! *sigh*
All characters are used here without permission. Please do not sue.
I have no money, although I would be happy to give away my bills. ^_^