Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Mouse Trap ❯ II ( Chapter 2 )

Mouse Trap

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II of ?

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Yuki and Kyou found Tohru outside, sitting on her knees beside Yuki's 'Secret Base'. The small babies were carefully covered by the sheet, and she was looking down at them with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yuki couldn't help shooting the cat another disparaging glance as they both moved to stand beside her.

Kyou glowered at him, and looked away, thrusting his chin into the air.

Shaking his head, Yuki sighed and knelt on one knee next to the girl sitting so forlornly in the grass.

“Don't worry, Honda-san - no one is going to hurt the infants,” he said soothingly, while darting a razor-edged glare of warning at the cat hovering above them.

“W-what?” Tohru blinked away a tear with a sniff, and looked over at him distractedly. “I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone was really going to hurt them - they're just babies, after all. Who would hurt a baby?”

Tohru completely missed the way Kyou's skin turned sickly pale, and Yuki's expression went from one of anger to almost pity as he watched the cat turn his face away completely and uncomfortably scuff at the edge of the garden with the toe of his shoe.

Well, when she put it that way...

Kyou probably wouldn't have given those baby nezumi a second thought if Tohru hadn't been around, Yuki mentally admitted. No doubt it was instinct - he was the cat after all, and there was more than enough proof of that stemming from the fact that Kyou had been chasing him for all these years...

“No one here, I'm certain,” Yuki answered her question reassuringly.

“Nah, no one'll hurt 'em,” Kyou finally agreed quietly, his face still hidden from their view. “But what the hell are we gonna' do with 'em?” he asked impatiently.

The question was the same in Yuki's mind as he watched Tohru bite her lip and stare down at the babies in her lap.

“I-I dunno,” the girl said quietly. “Do...do you think I could...keep them?” She looked over at Yuki and winced a little, and Yuki gave an inward cringe at the hope in her eyes.

Certainly they were all currently on school break, but taking responsibility for three newly born, tiny baby rats...it would be impossible, wouldn't it? Without their birth mother to feed them, it would be incredibly hard to provide them with the nutrients they needed to grow and live, espescially at this early stage - wouldn't it?

“I...really think they need my help,” Tohru said, shifting as a breeze came up to gently and protectively re-cover the babies up with her hand.

Yuki found himself catching his breath at the sight of her touching so carefully and tenderly what most would consider to be worthless rodents. His cheeks burned a little as he quickly got back to his feet.

Perhaps he wasn't exactly immune to feeling the pull of his instincts, either.

“Honda-san, why don't we go back and talk over the matter with Shigure-san? It is his house, after-all...”

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“Ah, but what will people say? The scandal! Our innocent flower, Tohru, living in a house with three men, now a young, unwed mother...? And of course, I suppose, there'll be no hiding it - Yuki-kun will obviously be pointed out as the culprit - “

“Who would point him out, no one knows about the curse, you stupid dog - “

“ - it's appalling, really - “

“Would you stop acting like this is some kind of soap opera...?”

“Hm, I really should get in touch with Aya-chan - I know he'll want to be the first to congratulate the happy young couple, Yuki being his brother and all - he'll surely want to know he's become an un-cle - !“

“Call him and you die.”

“Ah...! Ahem...yes, well, let's see the newest little additions to our happy family, then, shall we...?”

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“Ah, geez - why do I gotta' name one, for?”

Although Yuki was of the same opinion as the cat, in that he didn't think it was wise to name the infants so early when everything about their lives was so fragile and tentative, he didn't dare say anything to Tohru about it. Naming the rats made her happy, and appeared to give her a steadfast belief that they would grow and live.

Yuki sighed at a still-grumbling Kyou. “How would you have liked not being named? They may be rats, but no one wants to go around their whole life being called 'Hey You'. Besides, Honda-san asked you to name one, that is reason enough. Now think of a name and shut-up - if you make her cry again I'll make sure to hit you so hard you'll wake up in the fountain back at Sohma House.”

“Fine, whatever,” Kyou shocked him by saying sullenly. “As if you could, anyway.” The cat furrowed his brow for a moment, studying the babies still squirming in the nest of linen while Tohru was off finding something more suitable at the pet store with Shigure.

“What about 'Jason'?” Kyou grumbled disinterestedly.

“Oh, yes - and why don't we just call the other two 'Freddy' and 'Michael' while we're at it?” Yuki said with heavy sarcasm. “Don't you have any imagination?”

Kyou shrugged. “What's wrong with that?”

“They're the names of supernatural killers in horror movies, that's what's wrong! Baka neko.”

“Yeah, so what? Like I woulda' known!”

Yuki rolled his eyes and stared down at the rats, trying to think...

“Oi, it just occured to me - how are we supposed to name 'em if we don't know what they are? Boy or girl, I mean,” Kyou amended.

“I guess we could always just give them unisex names.”

Yuki frowned a little, concentrating. “They are all females,” he finally announced, straightening.

Kyou looked surprised. “What, they're talkin' to you already?”

“Of course not. I can just sense it.” In truth the babies were projecting their thoughts, but it was a jumble of emotions, basically, like hunger and fear.

“They're frightened...and hungry,” Yuki said aloud, tapping one finger against his silvery temple.

“I didn't do anything!” the cat snarled, leaping up and away from his sitting position at the table where the babies rested.

Yuki actually felt a little sorry for the cat.

“I know you didn't do anything! It's not like they can help being afraid of you - they smell cat! Cats are a rats natural enemy. They'll get used to your scent in time. I got used to your stench, didn't I?”

“You're askin' for it, Bright-boy!”

“Yes, well, it will have to wait,” Shigure's cheery voice came from the open doorway.

“Hi! We're back!” Tohru said brightly, arms hung with bags, and cheeks warm and ripened by the summer sun.

Kyou snorted, but stood down, relaxing slightly. “What'd you guys do, buy out the entire pet store? We only have three rats.”

“You know, it is odd, a litter this small,” Yuki interjected. “Female rats can have up to twenty babies in a litter in a month.”

Tohru's eyes widened. “T-twenty? Oh...well, I guess we're lucky then!”

“Boy, you rodents sure know how to get busy,” Kyou chortled lowly for Yuki's ears only.

Yuki struggled not to punch out the cat while Shigure deposited a large mesh wire cage on the floor next to the table.

“You're going to put 'em in a cage?' Kyou asked suddenly, looking rather vehement about the idea.

Unbelievably, Yuki found himself feeling another surge of pity for the hated cat.

“Oh, it's just until they're old enough to be released back into the woods,” Tohru was quick to explain. “Shigure said Yuki might be able to teach them how to be more self-reliant as they grow, so they can handle themselves in the wild again.”

“Oh, really?” Yuki shot a dirty look at the dog, who was hiding a childish laugh behind the sleeve of his summer yukata.

“Oh, can't you, Yuki-kun?”

“Ah...” Yuki slumped a little at the anxious look on Tohru's face. “I'll do my best, Honda-san.”

“No, no! I took you for granted, Yuki-kun, I'm sorry! I didn't think - “

“It's alright, Honda-san. You know I'll help as much as I can.”

“B-but - “

“Oi, according to the rat these kids are starving, so let's feed 'em already!” Kyou interrupted.

“Oh, right! We brought soy baby formula from the store - “

“I'm on it,” Shiure said, lifting a bag of powder in cans. They watched, bemused as the dog disappeared into the kitchen, humming to himself.

“He can't mix that by himself - he might poison it,” Kyou said darkly.

“He'll be fine - even that idiot can use a measuring cup,” said Yuki.

“He was so great at the pet store! He asked a lot of questions I never even thought of!”

“That's unusual.”

“Um...did you think of any names while we were gone?” Tohru asked.

“Yes, did you, Cat?”

Kyou scowled at the rat. “Yoshiko.”

“Free-child.” Shigure hummed, nodding in approval as he returned to the room with three tiny feeding bottles.

“That's...so lovely, Kyou-kun,” Tohru sniffled, blinking away tears.

“Original,” Yuki agreed flatly.

“Yeah, well, what's yours?” Kyou asked challengingly.

“Gina,” Yuki announced thoughtfully.

Tohru gasped. “Oh, that's beautiful, Yuki-kun! It means 'silvery', doesn't it?”

“I thought it was fitting,” Yuki said, a bit flattered by her response.

“Which name did you choose, Tohru-kun?” Shigure asked.

“Oh, um, Natsumi. It's 'beautiful summer' I think.”

“I like it,” Yuki smiled approvingly.

“Yes, um, Ayame-san recommended it! He has such good taste in everything - “

“Ayame?!?” The two boys exclaimed in unison. They both turned on Shigure with hell in their eyes.

“The pet store was nearby - I couldn't just walk past Aya's without sticking my head in, it would have been rude. And, he never would have forgiven me!” Shigure said dramatically.

“What did you tell him?” Yuki demanded.

“Nothing, nothing! Just that we were adopting three infants.”

“YOU WHAT?!”

“Don't worry, Yuki-kun, he doesn't know they're yours,” Shigure said in a loud stage-whisper.

Kyou started a mean-spirited laughter as Yuki turned bright red.

“He said he'd be by for a visit tomorrow sometime,” Shigure continued, handing Tohru the bottles. “He wanted to bring something for Tohru, anyway - probably a token as congratulations on becoming a new mother!”

Yuki choked. “Kill...you,” he croaked.

“Oh! Y-Yuki! You're turning blue!”

“Don't worry, he'll live,” Kyou waved a dismissive hand. “So, what do we gotta' do to get this stuff ready for the chibi-Yuki's?”

That comment made Shigure laugh out-loud, and Tohru temporarily forgot about the rat's distress as she told Kyou about the tips the people at the pet store had given them.

Kyou only grunted in response as he tugged open a bag of wheatgrass bedding and carefully formed a comfy nest for the babies in a corner of the cage.

Meanwhile, Yuki slowly recovered. “Fine, if my brother's coming tommorow, I'll just be sure to be out.”

“The hell! You're not leaving me alone to deal with him!” Kyou snapped.

“It'd be a fitting punishment for you, cat!”

“Quiet, the two of you,” Shigure reprimanded quietly. “How are the children supposed to gain their nourishment with you battling all the time? You'll end up giving them a nervous disposition.”

“Children?”

“Are you nuts?”

“Oh, look! Natsumi is eating! I'm so glad!” Tohru exclaimed, smiling at her brightest.

Kyou and Yuki cautiously approached the table where she sat, and looked over her shoulder. The tiny baby rat was indeed feeding ravenously.

“Time for you two to feed yours!” Shigure announced, pushing a bottle into their respective hands.

“What?” Kyou yelped.

Yuki swallowed and looked from his hand to the distressed baby - Gina - and back again. His hand looked so large compared - what if he hurt her?

“Just hold her gently, like this,” Shigure said, placing the rat in his hand and curling his fingers around it. “Don't drop it, now.”

Yuki grimaced a little at the odd squirming against his palm, but then he saw the grouchy Kyou already feeding Yoshiko, and shook himself. If the stupid cat could do it, so could he.

Soon, all three of the babies were satisified and curled up against eachother in the soft wheatgrass.

“Aww, they're so cute!” Tohru giggled.

Kyou was looking over the cage in blatant disapproval. “Are you sure they can't get out? What if they squeeze through the grate somehow and fall?”

Tohru patted his hand. “Don't worry, they won't. I thought they might too, but the lady at the store assured me this was perfectly safe, even for babies!”

Blushing, Kyou stared at the hand the girl had patted, and Yuki couldn't help but feel a small surge of jealousy at the unintentional intimacy...

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TBC

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Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, or any characters from it. Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha, Inc., and TOKYOPOP.