Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Black & White Heart ❯ Wine Stunt ( Chapter 20 )

Chapter 20: Wine Stunt

There was something strangely hypnotic, staring out the window of a fast moving vehicle, watching the blur of green shrubbery, white snow, and the looming darkness of night merge into one as you loose yourself in thoughts.

Or in Yuki's case, trying to think of anything but where he was heading.

The coach he and Haru were traveling to the Hotsprings in was the same one he, Tohru, Momiji and Kyo had traveled in before on White Day. Although with the amount of snow outside as they climbed the higher altitude, it was White Day for all a different reason. Out of the entire coach, every single empty seat that could possibly have been occupied, Haru had chosen to sit right next to Yuki on his right, crossed legged and leaning back with his arms behind his head, seemingly staring up to the ceiling with a placid expression. Yuki was so nervous now. The closer he got, the more vivid things he started to imagine. But no, he should stop, there was bound to be other people at the Hotsprings this time of year anyway, they wouldn't be alone. Yuki glanced at Haru and quickly went back to staring out the window. Once again Haru had proved to be the calmest person this planet had seen.

At least, that's the impression he gave. Inwardly, Haru had never been so excited! An entire weekend of nothing but Yuki, steaming water, and short white towels.

Well, he hoped they were short anyway…or maybe even no towels?

He slowly looked over at his companion staring out the window, his chin resting on his hand as he lent against the glass, looking lost in thought and unaware of the admiration he was getting at that moment. For once, Shigure did something right, and he would have to remember to get him something as a thank you.

As the road became bumpier as they drove higher into the wilderness, the comfortable silence for Haru and the unbearable silence for Yuki was suddenly interrupted as they both jumped in surprise when a sudden and quick burst of music exploded inside the coach, before they were greeted with silence once again. Up ahead where the driver was, there was a faint "I'M SOORRRYY!!" that managed to seep its way through the wall between the two compartments.

Both Yuki and Haru looked at each other as they imagined Ritsu having a panic attack, obviously having pressed something he shouldn't have, and the driver trying to calm him down and drive at the same time, before they both felt a slight tug at there lips from smiling.

With the laughter that followed, Yuki joined Haru in that comfortable atmosphere.

-----

"This…is a nightmare." mumbled Kyo, leaning against a wall at the front of the house watching Shigure talk to an excited Kagura about watching over the house. "Not only do I have to put up with that damn rat and Haru, now they leave me alone with this maniac for two days!"

Kagura was listening intently to Shigure's instructions for looking after the house (and Kyo), and also not to destroy the house either (or Kyo). It seemed that Shigure and Ayame were going away somewhere as well, although Kyo kept the question of `Where they may be going together alone for the weekend' clear out of his mind. Ayame stood to one side wrapped up in a white fur coat to keep him from transforming, and looked more like a fluffy white snowman standing in the snow.

"You know where to find us if you need us!" Shigure said cheerfully, winking at Kagura who just giggled, all of them keeping Kyo in the dark as to where they were really going.

So, as Kagura waved goodbye to Shigure and Ayame as their cab sped off down the road, she walked back to the house where Kyo hadn't moved from to say goodbye and had climbed up to hide on the roof. She watched him from the trees as he lay there, staring up into the grey winter clouds. She smiled and took a deep breath.

"KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

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By the time the coach finally came to a rumbling halt up at the Sohma family Hotspring, it was snowing fairly heavily outside, making the steam from the hot springs even more intense with the sudden contrast of hot and freezing. As the coach door opened for its two guests to depart from, it was Yuki who seemed to stumble out first, obviously trying to get away form the person currently trying to latch itself onto his arm.

"It's cold, can I hug you?" was Haru's simple question, as they managed to stagger off the coach before Haru grabbed Yuki from behind, pulling him close.

"Haru!" But that was Yuki's only protest, as Haru wrapped his arms around Yuki's chest keeping his arms at his sides.

"Mmmm." Haru sighed against Yuki's neck, eyes contently closed. They were finally here, and Haru wasn't going to miss a single chance to hold Yuki. Of course he wasn't cold, there was heating on the coach, but still, Yuki didn't have to know that. It was so cute as he struggled in his arms, embarrassed as the other guests that were heading home walked past them onto the coach.

"Haru?" Yuki said, seemingly distracted, "Isn't that your mother?"

Opening his eyes over Yuki's shoulder and looking in the same direction, Haru saw a woman standing amongst the steam by the entrance of the Hotsprings, her darkened profile against the soft yellow lights coming from the outside patio, talking to Ritsu's mother. The woman bowed politely, her long hair falling over her shoulders, before a faint whisper of her laughter was caught on the wind and heard by the two boys.

Haru narrowed his eyes, "No, that's not my mum." He said a little too seriously, as the woman turned around and began to walk their way, her features being obscured due to amount of steam coming from the springs. Yuki looked a little harder,

"Are you sure? She looks li-"

But before he could say another word, Haru had put one hand on his cheek and pulled Yuki's face to his left, claiming his lips in a surprise kiss. So surprising in fact, even though his eyes were wide open in shock, Yuki didn't notice the long black haired woman walk past them, glancing their way and smiling cutely at the couple, before climbing on board the coach they had just left. As soon as she was on board, Haru broke the kiss and grabbed Yuki's wrist, half dragging the stunned boy towards the entrance of the springs and away from the coach. Ritsu's mother noticed Haru and Yuki walking towards her, and saw the look on Haru's face. She was hoping the younger woman would have left before they got here, but she had always been such a chatty person, even when she knew her as a friend, that she just couldn't say a short goodbye. She could see the look of wanting to forget on the young Ox's face, he had seen her. Of course he had seen her, but this weekend wasn't for things like that, this would be a perfectly happy weekend for young Master Hatsuharu, she would stake her reputation as the Hotspring Hostess on it!!

"Ah, young Master Yuki, Master Hatsuharu!" she bowed in greeting, as a few more guests leaving the hot springs walked past her, saying a quick thank you and goodbye to the Hostess who nodded and smiled in return, before leaving on board the coach. "You are quite lucky once again young Masters, seems you have the whole hot springs to yourselves."

Yuki started at her. Alone? So much for Yuki's own self pep talk earlier, it would seem everything was against him. The busiest time of the year and Shigure had to book off the one weekend where there would be no one but the two of them. The idiot dog couldn't do a single thing right! It was all Shigure's fault….yes, Shigure's fault.

Yuki felt better now.

"One of the maids will bring your luggage, please, follow me, I'll show you to your room."

"Room? As in …as in one?" was Yuki's quick defensive and worried question, before he found himself wrapped up in a Haru hug.

-----

Shigure watched as the familiar coach passed them on their way up to the Hotsprings, "Well at least we know they got there in one piece." He commented, as Ayame snuggled down further into his fur coat as the cold started seeping in through the doors. The heating inside this cab wasn't exactly great, and everyone could do without him transforming.

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" the fluffed up snake asked, leaning against his friend to try and grab some warmth.

"Personally I think it's a very good idea!" Shigure said, patting Ayame's head. "We're nearly there, don't go falling asleep on me now."

Ayame closed his eyes, but only to rest them. Somewhere in his subconscious there was a little voice that sounded a lot like a mad chibi Hatori exclaiming that he had specifically said not to ask Shigure if what you are doing is correct, but the voice was so tiny, Ayame didn't even register it.

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Well, it seemed at least one thing had gone right. There were two beds, with the sliding door in between them just like he had had with Kyo last time. Yuki ignored the tiny pushed down feeling that he was slightly disappointed that is wasn't a double bed, and proceeded to walk out onto the snow covered stone slates outside as the patio. The room he and Haru were sharing faced in the opposite direction than before, with their own private Hotspring directly in front of him. There was a small collection of rocks on the right where a small stream trickled down turning into waterfall into the spring. All around was a thick forest, dark in the night, but with Chinese lanterns that hung from one every now and then reaching right into the forest. It almost looked like fireflies as they swung in the small breeze, softly lighting up the branches around them. The snow continued to fall as the steam continued to grow. This was perfect weather for this kind of holiday, and now he was here, Yuki was actually looking forward to getting in that hot water with the snow floating down, and just relaxing. Forgetting the fan club girls, forgetting mistletoe, forgetting cameras, forgetting Kane, and most of all, forgetting Ayame!

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Shigure and Ayame had now arrived at the Hotpsprings, the cab driver having taken their luggage and handed it over to the porter. Ayame hated this time of the year. He would transform constantly and traveling in public was a big no no in case of that very fact, but this was one time he would have to put up with it and try to keep as warm as physically possible, for his brothers sake. He and Shigure had planned this little weekend thoroughly and nothing was going to ruin this! Basically he wouldn't let Yuki leave until he was happy, and seeing how he has been around Haru meant that happy = Haru. So it was his duty to make sure Yuki fell for him one way or another, and with the help of Shigure's mischievous little mind, turning him over shouldn't be a hard thing! After all, Haru already had the feelings, and very willingly showed them, but Yuki would be a more difficult one to open up to his feelings. It was a challenge, and these two of the three Musketeers enjoyed a challenge.

"'Gure, don't you think we should go to our room before they see us?" Ayame suggested rather hurriedly, starting to feel cold from standing in the snow.

Shigure grabbed one last bag from inside the cab and paid the driver, "Okay," he said, looping arms with Ayame, "Let's go!"

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Leaving Yuki to go to their room, a part of him grinning at the word `their', Haru made his way into the Kitchen. He wanted to ask what they would be making for dinner this evening, and if he could buy any flowers anywhere. Ever since Shigure announced they were coming here, there were so many romantic thoughts running around his head he just couldn't believe his luck that he'd be here with Yuki for two days and two nights, in the same room, with their own private hotspring, and no other guests!

"ATCHOO!"

Haru stopped midway through an open door and looked to his left to an empty corridor. Who was that? He wondered, with no other guests here. Figuring it must have been one of the maids, Haru ignored it and continued through the door.

Behind the very door that was next to one Haru just walked through, Shigure bent down and picked up a pile of clothes and the white fur coat, dug around inside it and found Ayame, now in Snake form.

"Come on you, we have a mission to fulfil!" Shigure said to the snake, which slithered up one of Shigure's large sleeves of his Kimono, circling around his arm to try and get warm.

-----

Yuki glanced behind him from the porch to find Haru still hadn't returned from where ever he had disappeared to, and looked back to the hotspring. With the cold wind that was blowing the falling snow flakes around like a whirlpool in the air, that Hotspring was looking very inviting. Perhaps he could get a quick dip in before the trouble started, for he was sure to not get a single bit of peace by the time Haru got back and their weekend really began. So, grabbing a white towel from the stand at the side, doubly checking that Haru was not in the room, and slipping out of his clothes, Yuki walked up to the side of the Hotspring.

"Yuki."

And promptly jumped in with embarrassment.

"HARU!" Yuki spluttered as he attempted to sit up rather than drown under the water, "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he said, his face red with embarrassment with Haru having walked up behind him while he was…well, lack of being clothed.

As he looked up, determined to glare at the Ox, he found Haru standing on the porch with a bottle of red wine, two glasses…and a small blush on his cheeks.

He wasn't expecting to walk out onto the porch and find Yuki standing there only holding a towel.

Attempting to knock that thought out of his brain before his Black side had a chance to process it, Haru smiled, "For some reason, they gave me this on the house. Fancy a drink?"

"Neither of us are old enough to drink." Yuki stated, dipping further and further into the water to try and hide himself from embarrassment.

"Yeah, well, they either forgot or didn't care. It's free, we might as well enjoy it." He said, placing the bottle and glasses on the stone porch by the side of the spring, and proceeded to unbutton his shirt perfectly calmly. Yuki on the other hand, quickly turned away, suddenly feeling hot not just from the spring.

An evening of hotsprings, wine, and, err…nakedness.

How the hell did he get into this position?

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Shigure sat at the back of the Kitchen with his arms crossed, looking very smug and happy as the Aya Snake curled up by an oven. Phase one was completed, the wine was on its way! Now he had to hope that Yuki would actually drink it. He played with the label he held in his lap, the label he had taken off the bottle of wine he had given one of the maids to give Haru, which disclosed how alcoholic this particular bottle of wine really was. If Yuki knew how much he definitely wouldn't drink it! Shigure grinned in success as Aya slithered up Shigure's leg and curled up in his lap, Shigure patting his head. Now they would have to wait and see what would happen tomorrow morning. Picking Aya up, Shigure made his way back to their room. They would need a good nights sleep to prepare for what they had planned tomorrow, if this wine stunt didn't work first anyway.

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"EAT--IT!" came Kagura's dangerous voice, as she backed Kyo up into a corner of the room, menacingly holding on a pair of chopsticks out in front of her which held a mouthful of stewed leeks.

Kyo stared disgusted at the food being shoved towards him and looked towards the door, WHEN ARE THEY COMING HOME!!??

To Be Continued…