Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ Quips From the Mabudachi Trio ( Chapter 2 )

Gone Full Circle

Ali the Co-Authoress Note: Mmm… How exciting… I was listening to the Nightmare Before Christmas sound track while I did this… Because Janie is at her grandmother's or something…

Chapter 2: Quips From the Mabudachi Trio

It really didn't take Kazuma very long to find Kyo; he was training behind the dojo.

"Kyo!" He called, walking up to him. The red head turned around to face his master slowly. His head was downcast, and he was still hurt. But as has been previously stated, he doesn't respond well to hurt. So, he radiated anger instead.

"Are you alright?" Kazuma asked him, going over and kneeling down in front of him.

"Yes." Kyo spit stiffly.

"Kyo, I'm sure Hatsuharu didn't mean any of that." He awkwardly tried to be comforting. "You already knew he had anger management problems."

"He likes that stupid rat." The cat stated. "And the rats better than the cat. It doesn't matter if he meant it or not. It's true." But not for long, he was going to train and he was going to be better than that dumb Yuki.

"He has his first crush and is handling it poorly." Kazuma corrected. "He'll get over it, though. Don't let it ruin what relationship you two have."

Kyo hung his head. He didn't really believe that. "Yes, Shishou." But he was going to let in because it was Shishou he was talking to. Kazuma laughed softly and ruffled the boy's orange hair.

"Shishou? Haru said that Yuki was real nice and that I'd like him if I met him." The cat wondered, very confused. "But when I saw him at Haru's test, he just gave me that same look everyone else gives me."

"You have to let him get to know you." Kazuma shrugged. "He was having a bad day, I'm sure, and you have to remember that he's been raised to dislike you. It'll take him a while to get over that, but I'm sure he can." Not that it would help the whole Cat vs. Rat situation any, but Kyo would need to learn to get along at least a little with Yuki if the mouse was going to learn martial arts there.

Yeah, but Yuki had immediately been able to accept Haru wasn't stupid like the ox. Why hadn't Yuki felt the same with Kyo, the cat? The little boy shook his head and looked down at his feet. Today had been a pretty sucky day.

Well, now seemed like a good time to tell him. "You're going to have plenty of opportunities to get to know him." He added slowly. "But he might not be too talkative."

"I didn't know he was really allowed here, Shishou." He blinked those pretty ruby eyes at the older man.

"Akito wants him to take lessons." Kazuma explained. "He starts tomorrow." Had he been older Kyo might have said something along the lines of: 'And you agreed?!' But in his sweet youth he just blinked, feeling slightly hurt and annoyed.

"Oh,"

"I couldn't tell Akito no, Kyo." Kazuma reminded him. That was true. Not that Kazuma would have told him no anyways.

"I know." the red head rubbed his arm absently. Wondering just what he was going to do. He had more years in it than Yuki; maybe he'd be better than him in martial arts.

Now, there was only the problem of getting the missing child over there. Which Kazuma shouldn't have worried about. At their usual dinner Akito mentioned it shortly to Yuki. Pretty much saying than he was going to be going to Kazuma for lessons, the first one was the next day. Yuki glanced sharply at him, though for a barely noticeable moment. He didn't feel like getting in trouble that night. Yuki had already been lucky enough not to be caught before when he was going to run away. No more trouble would be very, very good. Poor Hatori had also been brought to this dinner. Akito claimed he missed the dragon around the main house. Which was a lot of asshatery (bullshit). The little head spoke casually to the older man and Ha'ri forced himself to be polite. Even though things were very... Weird... Between Akito and two thirds of the Mabudachi Trio. Yuki was selfishly relieved that Hatori was there. He knew that the dragon didn't like talking to Akito anymore than he did, but it took a little pressure off of him to reply. Which was good, he wasn't sure if he could at the moment, even if he had had anything to say. The teenager knew about it too. He rather wanted to suggest to Akito, later, that he stop beating Yuki and such. But he was fairly certain that would earn him some kind of beating of his own. So this was the least he could do. Hatori was glad to hear about Yuki's lessons, even if Yuki wasn't. That would get the kid out of the main house for a while. Anyways, he continued his idle chatter with Akito. The little head even allowed Yuki to leave while he and Hatori continued. The dragon gave the rat a small smile to show he would keep Akito busy for a while longer. Yuki returned the smile gratefully and scampered off to go find a place to hide.

Hatori would have been happy to keep Akito distracted for a while longer, but eventually, the littler boy was being his usual self again. The dragon didn't want to deal with it. So he excused himself, saying he was a bit tired, yes that was it. Akii looked disappointed but allowed his cousin to leave.

Haru was wondering around the halls, trying to find his way to his room when Hatori came out. He felt excited to see him too. It had been a while, and he hadn't known that he was back.

"Tori-nii!" He cheered, running up excitedly to the dragon. Ha'ri turned and blinked at the di-colored little boy.

"Oh, Hello, Hatsuharu." He replied with a light smile.

"I didn't know you were back." Haru grinned happily at him. He'd always liked Hatori.

"I haven't been back very long." The dragon confirmed.

"Uh---I was wondering," He'd run into Yuki a few minutes ago, while he'd been wondering off, and the rat still hadn't said anything to him. "You're pretty close to Yuki, right?" He wanted to know, padding after the dragon as they started away from the door where Akito was still in the room.

"Fairly close." It was a little sad to say, but he might be the closest. "Why?" He raised an eyebrow at his small cousin.

"Do you know why he won't say anything?" The little ox wanted to know.

"Yes." But, he didn't think the rat would appreciate him just spewing that to everyone who came along.

"C'mon, Tori-nii!" He pouted a little. "I'm worried about him! Tell me?" They finally got outside the compound, and Hatori took the boy and set him down on the edge of the porch.

"Hatsuharu, Yuki doesn't talk because... Well to make it easy for you to understand, he's kind of like a beaten puppy." the teenager sighed. "He's scared to come out of his corner after being hit so many times." That wasn't exactly all of it, but he was making it simple for his 6-year-old cousin.

"Who's hitting him?" Haru asked with a frown.

"That's..." Ha'ri paused. "That's not important." The last thing anyone needed was the temperamental little thing getting angry over something he couldn't change.

"I found him the other day." Haru admitted quietly. "And he was all bloody and wouldn't wake up."

The green-eyed teenager frowned a little bit to that. "He ends up like that quite a bit." Hatori murmured. "But there really isn't anything we can do about it. Well, except take care of him as best we can."

"I took him to Shihan." Haru murmured softly.

"That was good of you." The dragon smiled comfortingly at him. "He needs someone else to look out for him."

"You're going to be a doctor, right, Tori-nii?" He asked curiously. "You'll be able to fix him then, right?"

"I-" Another of those, aaah, sweet youth moments. "Maybe." He wouldn't be able to fix Yuki mentally, but he could most certainly help with the boy's physical injuries. Haru grinned happily at him. Yuki needed help, he was sure now. "Until then, you'll be his friend and help take care of him?" It was Hatori's turn to be curious.

"Yeah." Haru nodded quickly, still smiling. "I really like him." He added, a very slight blush spreading across his cheeks again. That was cute.

"Well, I do believe, Akito-san said he'd be starting martial arts lessons tomorrow. You'll be able to see him more." But he had to add his little warning. "Just be careful of what you do with him. I wouldn't want either of you getting in trouble with Akito-san."

"Akito-san isn't going to find out." Haru shook his head, expression darkening a little. "I'll keep Yuki safe."

"That's kind of you." Hatori ruffled his white crest gently. "Still be careful, though."

"I'll keep him safe." He repeated simply, and then started babbling happily about his belt test earlier. Ha'ri was happy to listen. This wasn't much different than Shigure or Ayame's chatter.

"Kyo's been helping you?" Hatori, unlike his friends, liked to keep up with the family and hadn't heard one word about the cat. From ANYONE. Well except Yuki, but that wasn't a word, or exactly news about the boy.

"He was." Haru sniffed stiffly. "I don't know what he'll do now, though."

"You two didn't agree over your friendship with Yuki?" Hatori guessed simply. It wouldn't surprise him if the cat had been less than happy about that.

"You could say that." Haru frowned in discontent. "We got in a fight." He elaborated simply.

"I'm sorry to hear that." It's never fun to fight with a friend. Hatori avoided it at all costs, actually.

"I just don't see how he can not like Yuki." Haru knew he was being a hypocrite, but he'd changed his tune after actually meeting the rat. Kyo wouldn't even do that. "I mean---I know he's not SUPPOSED to, but it's like he doesn't even want to!" Since he was the next to take over as family doctor. Hatori knew the whole story about the cat. He really wanted to warn Haru about it, but he wasn't sure it would help.

"They're brought up to hate each other." The dragon told him as kindly as he could. "It will take a lot to make them want to like each other. It's not just Kyo disliking Yuki. Yuki feels the same way towards Kyo." Haru frowned and slumped a little. He didn't want the two people he cared most about to hate each other so much! He didn't want to have to choose. Ha'ri ruffled his hair affectionately again. He understood Haru's plight, even though he was lucky enough to have two best friends who loved each other as much as they loved him. "You might have to choose between them Hatsuharu." He warned quietly. "If that happens, just do what you think is best and don't worry about it."

"I'm not sure I can." He admitted softly. "Choosing between my best friend and my---" He cut himself off, wondering where that had come from. 'My love', he had been planning to say, but he wasn't sure why. "And Yuki."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're a smart boy." With a good heart, too.

"But what if I make the wrong choice?" He asked unhappily. "I---I don't want to hurt either of them!" Even though he'd already hurt Kyo, he hadn't meant to, but he still knew he had. If he hadn't, Kyo wouldn't have hit him.

"It's difficult not to hurt someone." Hatori mused softly. "When you're stuck in a family so full of hate. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful to you Hatsuharu. But it's very doubtful Kyo and Yuki will be getting along any time soon."

"I guess you're right." He sighed. This would take thinking a LOT of thinking. The dragon smiled sadly for him. This family was so rough on the children.

"How long are you going to be here, Tori-nii?" He asked suddenly.

"A few days yet." Hatori paused to think. "I think I'll be going back Monday afternoon."

"That soon?" He frowned. There would be plenty of people who would be unhappy to see Hatori leave again. "Shigure and Ayame won't be happy about that." He half teased.

Tori sweat dropped ever so slightly. "I was just allowed a few days after my exams. It's not really a break or else I would stay longer." Shigure and Ayame would be unhappy, but they would probably find some way to make him make it up to them. Haru nodded, understanding. He knew that Hatori would love to stay longer with his friends, but that his studies required much time and attention and would be long and hard.

"You're going to come back and live here again when you graduate, aren't you?" He wanted to know. "Or are you going to live Outside?" He'd heard that even Zodiac Members were allowed to leave the estate once they were grown up.

Hatori wanted to live outside so badly, but: "No, I'll be here. I'm going to start taking care of Akito-san once I graduate." Haru snorted in disgust. He never had liked Akito. It was his fault Kyo's life was so hard.

"He doesn't seem THAT sick." He grumbled. Haru had seen when Akito had taken Kyo's beads that time. He knew he wasn't supposed to have, and he'd never mentioned it to anyone---not even Kyo himself. Especially not him. He'd seen what his friend became, that look of pain and fear. He hated Akito for showing him, even if he hadn't meant to. He hated him for looking.

"Oh, he is, trust me." Sick in the head. Haru snorted again, though, he didn't comment further. "I hope things work out all right for you, Hatsuharu." Hatori told him honestly as he got up. "But I had best go pay some attention to Shigure and Ayame, or they'll pout."

"Tori-nii," Haru blushed more than a little as he asked what he did next. "Which direction's my room in?" he honestly had no idea which hallway to go down next.

"This hallway." The dragon pointed patiently. "It's the third door."

"Thank you." He sweat dropped taking off and carefully counting doors on the way down.

Ha'ri chuckled lightly once he was gone, and then went to go and spend some time with his friends.

"Tori-saaaan!" Ayame whined, profusely, clinging when he found them. "I feel neglected!" Shigure sweat dropped. Ayame certainly had a way with words.

"I'm sorry Ayame." Hatori rolled his eyes. "I was helping distract Akito's attention from your little brother."

"Yes, Aaya!" Shigure admonished lightly. "Show a LITTLE compassion for him?" Ayame pouted a little, though he didn't push the matter either way, and simply happily clung to Hatori's arm. Sighing the taller teenager pet his friends silvery hair gently. What was he going to do with these two idiots?

"I met Hatsuharu on the way back, he thought I should mention that I'm going back on Monday." He hadn't planned on mentioning it.

"Monday?" Shigure blinked up, a little surprised. "So soon? Haa-san, really, when do you sleep?"

"Never, Shigure." His friend eyed him dryly. "This isn't an actual break anyways. We were all just allowed an extra day right after the exams."

"It's MUSIC that's good for the soul, not insomnia." The dog quipped back teasingly.

"Gure-san," Ayame scolded. "Tori-san isn't here long. Don't waste his time bickering!"

"That... was a joke, Aaya..." Shigure sweat dropped slightly. Hatori hung his head slightly, looking down at Ayame and wondering the snake ever intended to let go.

"You two are the most amazing idiots." he mumbled quietly.

"We love you too, Haa-san." Shigure rolled his eyes cheerfully.

Ha'ri hugged Aaya and glared half-heartedly at Shigure. "I hope so, I drove all the way here to see you two."

"Aw, really, Haa-san?" Shigure finally broke into a flat-out grin now. "We feel special now. Don't we, Aaya?" He glanced at the snake, but his cousin, and friend, was a LITTLE preoccupied placing light kisses on every inch of non-clothed Hatori he could get to on his way up to the dragon's mouth. The three's relationship wasn't exactly a secret, and Ayame had never been the most discrete. "That's Aaya saying yes." The dog decided with an even bigger smile.

Tori Was quite aware. "Thank you, for that explanation, Shigure." He sighed quietly. He probably would have said something else, but Ayame finished his little trek up his neck, and his mouth was now a bit occupied. Shigure bit back a sigh and watched them patiently. He knew he'd get his opportunity to greet his friend too... eventually... Yes, eventually. No matter how stupid his friends were, Ha'ri would never leave one of them out. Ayame just tended to be a complete attention whore, is all.

"I missed you guys too." He managed to get out when the snake finally released his mouth. Medical school sucked. Especially since it hadn't exactly been his decision to be a doctor to begin with.

"Oh, come here, Hatori." Shigure commanded in a mock stern tone, holding his arms out as an invitation to get his own hug in before Ayame decided to start snogging again.

"Yes master." the sea horse snorted at Shigure's tone. There were very few occasions where he let the dog command him to do anything. He peeled Aaya away carefully, and then moved to comply with his other friend's wishes.

"And, let's all marvel for a moment at the irony." Shigure mused lightly, as he enveloped Hatori in his embrace.

"We're marveling Shigure, we're marveling." Hatori laughed quietly against his friend's neck. He'd missed these two so much.

"So, Tori-san," Ayame grinned at him, sitting down as he contentedly let Shigure get his Hatori-Cuddling-Time. "How go things at the big university?"

"Fine. My grades as good." As always. "But the classes are more boring than freshman biology in high school." He sighed tiredly as he spoke. "And my classmates are still trying to convince me to go out with them almost every night." That was the last thing he wanted to do. One there were too many women in places like that, and two? He just didn't like it.

"You'd better not go with them, Tori-san." Aaya warned simply. He didn't want his Hatori getting drunk and raped by some crazy hooker!

"Yes," Shigure agreed, but for a completely different reason. "We know, Haa-san. You really can't hold your alcohol."

"My alcohol holding abilities have nothing to do with anything." The soon-to-be doctor answered stiffly. "It's to easy to run into some woman if I go out, and unlike you two I can't get away if that happens."

"This is true." Both Ayame and Shigure sweat dropped. They'd forgotten about that part. "And, besides the inability to flee," He paused and let it hang for a moment. Aaya watched him interestedly as he let that dramatic pause take its course. "We really wouldn't want Haa-san to get stepped on." He finished finally. The snake almost fell over to that too, but it was a problem, so he managed to retain some composure and simply sweat drop more.

"Precisely." He did so hate when Shigure brought up how bad he was with alcohol. He really couldn't help it. And he knew for a fact that his two cousins had taken advantage of his little problem with the liquor more than once. Not that he exactly minded. But what the hell, they don't need to tease him about it! Shigure almost suggested that someone (who wasn't Hatori) go steal some alcohol now, but the dragon really did get rather scary when he was drunk, so he refrained from said suggestion.

Hatori was so very impressed with his friends. Neither of them had suggested any alcohol. (They usually did when they got on the subject.) And neither of them had tried to 'rape', isn't quite the word. Well... that last part might have been a little too soon, because both of the other two opened there mouths, and in unison, spouted:

"You do realize there's going to be sex before you leave, right?" The poor dragon sweat dropped ever so slightly. Yes, perhaps that last thought had, indeed, been premature. He never did manage to visit without the sex. They would even grab him half an hour before he was supposed to be leaving, sometimes.

"Don't worry, Tori-san," Ayame grinned at his look. "We'll make sure to make it at least an hour before you're supposed to leave this time."

"How very kind of you," The dragon shook his head. "I was rather late last time."

"That was Gure-san's fault." Ayame shrugged.

"Actually, Aaya, I think it was yours." Shigure corrected simply.

"Non, non, Gure-san. It was most defiantly you and your licking fetish."

"You were the one who wouldn't climax for so long."

"That's not fault, that's skill."

"Skill my ass."

"No, Gure-san. My ass."

Hatori watched them 'playing' back and forth with a smile.

"Or, you two, could not wait until I'm trying to get ready to leave." He suggested quietly. If he couldn't beat them he might as well join them. "That would solve the problem entirely."

"But, sex is the best way to say good-bye!" Ayame protested, whimpering a little. He liked the sex.

"Of course, post cards are nice too." Shigure shrugged cheerfully.

"Post cards?" Ayame raised an eyebrow, looking forward to see Shigure explain that one.

"Yes, post cards."

"Why post cards?"

"You've never played with post cards before?" The puppy looked appalled. "Aaya, I'm alarmed. Haa-san, we must show him all the fun things you can do with posts cards this time." He nodded decidedly.

"Fun? Like getting paper cuts?" The snake didn't look interested. "Sorry, Gure-san, but there are certain things I'd rather not get paper cuts on."

Ha'ri snickered ever so lightly. "You don't trust Shigure, Ayame?"

"Not with that I don't." He shook his head. Hatori snaked out a hand and grabbed a lock of Aaya's hair as it shook, twirling it around his fingers idly.

"Well, I suppose I can agree to the sex, if you two agree not to make me abysmally late again."

"We can try." Shigure agreed with a little nod. "Haa-san," Shigure changed the subject quite quickly. The dragon looked over at him, waiting. "I was wondering, how did Akito-san treat Yuki-kun at dinner? You said you went with him, right?"

"A bit better than usual since I was there to distract some of his attention." He told the dog with a light sigh.

"I think he missed you almost as much as we did." Shigure mused, glancing pointedly at Ayame, who was trying his best to look like he wasn't listening.

"I know." The sea horse nodded. "But I think things might get a little better for him. Hatsuharu finally met him, and his crush is rather cute, and Akito is going to be sending him to Kazuma for lessons."

"With Kyo-kun?" Shigure blinked several times. "Is that smart?"

"I really don't know." Hatori admitted. "But it does get him out of the main house and away from Akito for a while."

"Well, they're going to have to meet eventually, anyway." He sighed a little, resting his chin on Hatori's head. "Haa-kun has a crush on him?" Shigure blinked again. He hadn't seen that coming. Nor had he noticed, actually. "That might cause some difficulties."

"I warned him about that, even though I think he already knew."

"You're so good with them, Haa-san." Shigure cooed happily. "You're going to be a wonderful doctor for them. Maybe Yuki-kun won't hit you." He added with a slight sweat drop.

"Maybe." Hatori sighed. "I'm worried about Hatsuharu. And Kyo. They've apparently had some sort of fight. I won't be surprised if they show up under Kazuma's arms with various bleeding and broken parts."

"There's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for that." Shigure shrugged a little, not too worried about it. If it happened again, then he would worry.

"Well. I know the reason, sort of," Hatori explained slowly. "It's Yuki. Hatsuharu wants him and Kyo to ah, get along." He was just waiting for the inevitable laughter from Shigure.

"That's not going to happen." Shigure shrugged, somewhat annoyed that Ayame was now ignoring them again. "What probably happened was that they got into an argument, and Kyo-kun just pushed him a little too far and he snapped."

"I hope they don't start making that a habit." Ha'ri ran a hand through his hair. "I think Hatsuharu is Kyo's only friend, he'll get even more resentful than he already is, if this pushes them apart."

"Hmm, Zodiac members tend to be pretty tightly knit." Shigure still didn't sound worried. They were prime examples of this. "Even if Kyo-kun's not an official member, I doubt they'd let one little spat tear them apart." That sounded so poetic, he noted blinking. Maybe he should write, or something? "Besides, Akito hasn't really let Yuki make any friends either. And, we mustn't forget Kagura!" Hatori coughed lightly at the mention of Kagura. One of the times he'd returned home, Kagura, who had broken his wrist, because she loved him, had brought Kyo to him

"I'm not sure Kagura's the best friend for Kyonkichi, Gure-san." Ayame spoke up quite suddenly.

"Ah! He IS alive!" The dog teased with a wink. The snake looked a little indignant to that.

"I'm inclined to agree with Ayame on that." Their other friend nodded.

"Oh, I know she hits him." He sighed. "She breaks things quite a bit too."

"Including Kyo's wrists?"

"Mmm, yes, that." He nodded vaguely. "I was actually referring to doors, but wrists too."

"I suppose if you're not worried," He added an: `Oh, great Shigure' under his breath. "Then I shouldn't be either."

"You're going to be the doctor." Shigure shrugged again. "You're free to worry."