Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ If There Be Sorrow ❯ 01- Goodbye Breakfast; Hello Fire! ( Chapter 1 )

Authors Note: Not much to say other than I don't own Fruits Basket. However, I do own this fanfiction! Oh yes, the story begins about a year after the end of the Anime, things will be explained so don't worry! (I've also posted this fic on fanfiction.net so, yeah.)

This story will mostly be centered on the Tohru/Kyou pairing. Hopefully you'll find the story funny, and maybe even a little emotional.

 

 

01- Goodbye Breakfast; Hello Fire!

 

"I want to be able to say to someone 'I was born to be with you'"

Tohru sighed, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to will herself to sleep.

"And maybe, they'll want to say those words to me too."

Why were those words spinning around in her mind? It had been almost a year since she and Ritsu had that conversation! So why was it now, so many months later, interrupting her thoughts? Especially at three o'clock in the morning?

"Shigure won't be happy if I burn breakfast again," Tohru whispered to the air as she recalled the rather fiery scene that had played out this morning.

<Hr>

"Miss. Honda?" Yuki had called through the half open kitchen door.

Tohru smiled weakly, glancing over her shoulder, meeting Yuki's violet-hued gaze through drooping eyelids. "Yes, Yuki?" she asked, her tone slurred.

"Well, it seems that whatever you are cooking is on fire..."

"WHAT!?" Tohru yelled, snapping her eyes fully open as she jumped in the air. Running towards the stove she found that the fish stew she was preparing was bubbling over the rim of the pan and falling onto the burner, causing the entire thing to engulf in flames.

"AH! What am I going to do?" Tohru asked loudly, jetting around the kitchen, looking for anything that would put the fire out. Where did Shigure put that fire extinguisher?

"You idiot! Fallin' asleep while cookin' breakfast!" a familiar, rough male tone yelled from the other side of the room.

Spinning on her heel, Tohru froze after glancing in the direction the voice came from. Wide-eyed, she watched orange-haired Kyou pull his shirt over his head and race towards the stove, proceeding to beat at the fire with the cloth.

"KYOU! NO!" Tohru tried to yell, but found the tone of her voice nothing more than a whisper.

"You stupid cat," Yuki muttered monotone, taking a few steps into the kitchen, as Tohru looked as though she were going to faint, "You'll just catch yourself on fire doing something idiotic like that."

"I don't see you tryin' to help, you damn rat!" Kyou yelled, glancing over his shoulder, "AND WHO YA CALLIN' STUPID? Come on, Rat boy, I'll kick your ass right here!"

"And my prediction is correct," Yuki sighed as Kyou's shirt was then engulfed in flames. Kyou stared blankly at the flaming cloth for a moment before the realization hit him.

"Kyou! You're going to catch your pants on fire too!!!" Tohru cried, as the hotheaded cat made an attempt to drop the flaming shirt but instead of landing on the ground, it landed on his pants.

Suddenly, Shigure burst into the room armed with a fire extinguisher, firing in Kyou and his fiery shirt's direction.

"Tohru, Kyou? Please don't set my house on fire, okay?" Shigure asked in a small voice, dropping his head slightly as Kyou - who was covered in a white, frothy substance - stood completely still, visibly shaking with rage.

"I'm goin' kill you, you stupid dog!" Kyou yelled, clenching his fists at his sides, glaring at Shigure with a crimson-eyed stare.

"Ah! Tohru, Kyou's scaring me!" Shigure cried in his tiny voice again, ducking behind the brunette.

Kyou quickly turned his gaze to Tohru, hissing at the figure behind her.

"Now you sound like Momiji!"

 

<Hr>

 

Turning on her side, the brunette opened her eyes, frowning at the darkness that still cast shadows on the walls of her room. 'Wasn't it morning already?' she wondered, pulling her blanket closer to her chest, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Sure, she felt lively and awake now but she'd be ready to sleep the day away come time to actually get up and go to school.

School. Tohru groaned. She wasn't doing to well in school at all! With her lack of sleep and constant mind wandering, she was falling behind in her schoolwork; she had even fallen asleep in class! Hana and Ou had been fretting over her recently, and Hana had concluded that Tohru's electric signals were off somehow, causing both of her friends to hover over her every chance they got, constantly asking if she were okay. Despite the fact Tohru was feeling just the opposite, she would throw her friends a smile and calmly - well, as calmly as she could - tell them she was just fine.

Sure, she had been lying - an act she silently apologized to Mom with - but it was better than having the people she loved worried about her, right?

For a while, Tohru just stare at the ceiling, letting random thoughts shift through her mind as she tired to will herself to sleep again. However, before she knew it, the first showings of morning shone through her open bedroom window causing the brunette to sigh deeply.

It seemed she was going to go through another day without sleep.

Pulling herself from her warm covers, Tohru stood up and stretched, taking her left wrist in her right hand and reaching her arms above head. Humming an unknown tune to the air, Tohru changed from her pale-yellow sleep clothes and into her school uniform. She could already feel fatigue clouding her mind; after all, she did accidentally put on her work clothes rather than her school uniform the first time she attempted to change. After a few more minutes, and Tohru was sure she had on the right clothing, the brunette made her way down stairs and to the kitchen. The house was quiet, which wasn't strange this early in the morning, as Tohru started to prepare breakfast for her and the Sohmas who lived in the house with her. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other a lot, trying her hardest to keep herself awake as she cooked.

When breakfast was nearly complete, Tohru faintly heard the shuffling of feet in the hallway just outside the kitchen. The brunette guessed it was Shigure, or possibly Yuki since they were usually the up before Kyou. Yawning deeply, Tohru took a short glance over her shoulder as the door the kitchen was opened.

"Good morning," Tohru smiled, but then nearly fell over upon seeing who entered the room.

"Ayame!?" Tohru inquired quickly, turning around fully as Yuki's elder brother entered the kitchen, smiling brightly, "W-what are you doing here? I mean, if I would have known I would have made more to eat a-and..."

"Don't worry," Ayame smiled, "I am only here to steal my little brother. For the next week, we shall bond like no brothers have bonded before! We will become one soul. We will understand each other completely, and I will finally bridge that horrid gap that lies between us. I will not give up! Never! Not until the day Yuki will finally see me as his brother! Look up to me as a younger sibling should!"

Wasn't in a little early for dramatic talks of... nothing?

"You're here?" a familiar, soft, male tone growled angrily.

"YUKI!" Ayame cried, turning on his heel, holding his arms out wide, "Come give your loving brother a hug!"

"No way in hell," Yuki managed to choke out before Ayame raced across the room, mumbling incoherent words of love to Yuki. He probably would have tackled violet-eyed boy to the ground if Yuki hadn't stepped quickly to left, so instead of the sliver-haired man embracing his brother, he went colliding into the far hallway wall.

"Oh, hello Ayame," Shigure spoke with a sigh, stepping over his childhood friends twitching form. Ayame muttered a faint reply as he took a few more moments to gather himself. Yuki snickered and walked the length of the kitchen and to the dining area, muttering a quiet good morning to Tohru. Too stunned to speak, Tohru gulped and nodded shortly at Yuki in greeting.

I should be used to this by now,' the brunette thought while running her hands over her face, 'There's either a fight, or someone flying through doors daily in this house!

"Miss. Honda?" Yuki's voice called out as Tohru groaned into her hands.

"Yes, Yuki?" she asked carefully, suddenly finding that she didn't want to know what he was going to say.

"Well, it seems whatever you're cooking is on fire... again."

Deja-vu much?

"WHAT!?" Tohru shrieked spinning around so she was again facing the stove, only to find the soup she was warming bubbling over the rim of the pot, and flame shooting from the burner.

"Aw hell! Tohru! What the hell are you doin'?" Kyou's distinctly rough toned voice yelled.

"I-I-I j-just..." Oh god, two mornings in a row?

"Here, let me get it!" Kyou shouted, bumping Tohru away from the stove with his hip, causing the brunette to fall back a few steps to the left.

"You're not going to use your shirt again, are you? You stupid cat?" Yuki's amused tone came from the other room as Tohru cupped her face in her hands, not wanting to see Kyou nearly set himself on fire again.

"Don't call me stupid, you damn rat!" Kyou yelled, as he quickly picked the pot up by the handle, proceeding to basically throw it into the kitchen sink. Turning on the water faucet, a cloud of steam rose of the heated pot and its burnt contents. The flames from the burner dwindled down to nothing.

"Are you feeling all right, Miss. Honda?" Yuki asked quietly, as Tohru peeked through her fingers to see Kyou still wearing his shirt and not engulfed in flames. Dropping her hands quickly, Tohru nodded a couple times, smiling wide.

"Oh, of course I'm all right! Couldn't be better! Really, I'm okay, just terrific. I'm-"

"Like hell you're okay," Kyou growled softly as he stepped forward and grazed his fingertips against Tohru's forehead, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. Tohru glanced down at the floor, trying to hide the light blush that crept up her cheeks. Why was he looking down at her like that again? That look that made butterflies take flight in her stomach and her mind go fuzzy. That look that made her feel so awkward, yet wonderful at the same time. That look that drove her simply crazy with emotions she never knew she could feel.

"Well, you don't hava fever," Kyou stated bluntly, dropping his arm back to his side, "Have you been sleepin' well? You seem kinda worn out..." he paused, glancing around the room quickly before his gaze rested on Shigure; He was standing next to Yuki in the doorway that led to the dining area, a perverted grin on his face as he lightly sung, "Tohru and Kyou sitting in a tree..."

"I mean, not that I care or anything!" Kyou added angrily, looking at the ground, "I'm just hungry and this is the second time you've messed up breakfast... and..." he trailed off, huffing while he ranked a hand through his hair, "I mean, I don't know. I'M GOING TO SCHOOL!"

"Bye-bye, Kyou!" Ayame and Shigure happily called out in unison as the orange-haired boy basically sprinted out of the house.

"Kyou's right, you know," Shigure mumbled after a few moments of silence passed, "I mean, it seems as though you are trying to burn down my beautiful home. However, I am sure you are not doing it intentionally so Tohru, you can tell us, is something the matter?"

"Yes, Miss. Honda," Yuki added, "No one expects you to be perfect; if there is something bothering you, please do tell us."

"Really, I'm okay!" Tohru smiled brightly, holding up her hands in front of her chest, palm out, "I've just been a bit tired, that's all. I'm so sorry for this, I really don't mean to catch things on fire! It just kind of... happens..."

"Shigure, don't you see a cry for help when it's being screamed?" Ayame asked thoughtfully, as Tohru felt hands rest on either one of her shoulders from behind, "The reason this girl is catching things on fire is because she's unhappy."

"I'm not unhappy!!!" Tohru exclaimed, waving her hands quickly, "I'm so happy living here! Being with you, Yuki and Kyou. I mean I'm so grateful you've allowed me to live in this house! Really -"

"We will be hearing none of that," Ayame spoke dramatically, cutting Tohru off mid-word by covering her mouth with his hand, "The reason that Tohru is unhappy is because she's tired of this old, played out look."

Tohru blinked.

"So, that's why I demand this girl get a complete MAKEOVER!!!" Ayame cried.

"You have got to be kidding me," Yuki muttered monotone, "Miss. Honda looks great without your help! You'll probably make her look like something close to a drag-queen!"

"That's why I'm going to have your help, my dearest, younger brother," Ayame sung, "You and I, the dynamic duo; making over lost, unfashionable souls. Meanwhile, we shall be forming a relationship that will last a lifetime. Does it not sound wonderful? For an entire week we shall be spending every waking moment together, making new memories that will bring us closer as brothers."

"Why does lifetime sound like a death sentence?" Yuki inquired, rising a brow high, "Plus, you idiot, I have school. I can't just leave and go-"

"Oh, it has already been taken care of," Ayame spoke, waving his hand in dismiss, "I've already spoken to the school authorities and you are free of any school related activities for the entire week!" then he added shyly, "Of course, the school thinks you have the chicken pocks but, what does that matter? You'll get to spend time with meeee!!!"

"Who died and made you ruler of my life?!" Yuki yelled, losing his cool which was a rarity, "I'm not going anywhere with you!!!"

"Um, I think I need to getting to school now," Tohru laughed uneasily making an attempt to pull away from the rather firm grip Ayame had on her shoulders, only to find her movement in vain.

"You will bring her to my shop sometime this week, won't you, Shigure?" Ayame asked.

"Well," Shigure laughed uneasily, scratching the back of his neck, "Hatori and I were planning on taking a short vacation to the Sohma hot springs this week..."

"That's just codename for 'hiding from your editor', isn't it?" Yuki asked darkly, "You're just as much as a coward as that damn cat..."

"No, no! Of course not, I wouldn't hide from her," Shigure paused as both Ayame and Yuki threw him a look of disapproval.

"Okay, maybe I am..." Shigure confessed, closing his eyes after a few moments of silence.

"Then, I suppose you'll just have to come on your own, Tohru," Ayame said quietly, "Then Yuki and I will make you over from head to toe!"

Oh fun.

Tohru laughed uneasily as Ayame took her arm and twirled her around in a circle before shooing her out the door.