Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Strawberries and Skinny-Dipping: Hatori's Remedy ❯ Cold-Blooded ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: bugaboo107
¡°The sick old cow, Hatsuharu came to my house and used up all the hot water, without even a ¡®thank you¡¯. I was angry, but then I remembered that my best friend, Hatori Sohma only took cold showers, which I absolutely can not comprehend. We are, after all, warm-blooded organisms, but you, my friend, are as cold-blooded as, a¡­ dragon.¡±

Anime/Manga: Fruits Basket Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.08.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 295 | Status: Work In Progress

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Hatori's Remedy presents:
Chapter 18: Cold-Blooded
It was the first of July. It had been a week since Hatori's `plea' for Tohru to stay by his side. That day, Tohru had caught a glimpse of something unknown in her porcelain's dragon's mind and soul. Something so foreign that it made her shudder, so delicate, guarded. The week went by slowly, except for the time the two lovebirds spent with each other. It seemed to ephemeral, melting as fast as a snowflake in one's palm, or a bullet train fleeting across the verdant countryside.
Tohru's schedule panned out like this:
Mornings: make breakfast and lunch with Hatori (they had some fun times flinging batter at each other and such), visit grandfather (read him the newspaper, chat, play Chinese checkers and some American chess), with Hatori twice
Afternoons: walk over to grandfather's house to clean (under the omniscient, vigilant eyes of Lord Masu)—feeling it was her `duty' to help out, even cook for the lazy bunch and do their chores and laundry (undergarments included)
Evenings: return to the edge of the forest (exhausted) to meet Hatori and return to Shigure' house together, make dinner together (after another trip to the market; you didn't think the food from the previous Farmer's Market trip lasted that long, did you?), and spend quality time together (a night-time stroll, a movie, a game of cards, strawberry smoothies), and finally: farewell (Hatori couldn't exactly stay the night; remember Akito and her ubiquitous presence?)
Their good-byes always lasted an eternity, and as much as Hatori hated to admit, something out of a storybook, sappy love tale. They held each other's hands at arm's length before finally drawing apart, only to return moments later for a final kiss and a “Be careful.” (Hatori even returned one very late night, at around three, because he couldn't sleep with the nightmares that plagued his mind: The “killer” had gotten into the house… so, he drove over to check up on her, only to find a sweet-smelling Tohru fast asleep in bed, with the light quilt tangled at her feet. Hatori would then tuck her in—doctor/boyfriend instincts-- and steal a kiss)
Now, it was the end of the week, and Tohru was at the hospital helping her grandfather check-out.
“So that's it?” Mr. Honda asked, with a pleasant smile on his face.
“Yep, you're free to go, just be careful of those stairs.”
“I will, thank you.”
Tohru bowed and thanked every nurse and medical personnel, even those who hadn't attended to her grandfather's operation. They waited on the sidewalk. Tohru clad in a simple black-white cotton shift dress, and her grandfather in his `normal' street clothing, not some funky-patterned hospital gown. Hatori had insisted on picking them up and driving them home, promising that it was no trouble after Tohru questioned him. Mr. Honda had finally agreed, but only under one condition: Hatori agree to a dinner at his house to try his specialty dish: Kakuni, which was a stewed dish with pork stewed in soy sauce, sake (gasp!), with white radish, and whole-boiled eggs. At Tohru's request, Hatori said he would come (hoping that it wasn't a burden or would provoke any ill-will from some cousins).
Tohru almost hugged him, unable to control her elation, but instead opted to cut off Hatori's circulation to his left hand.
---
Hatori dropped Tohru and her grandfather off at five, and said he would be back at seven for dinner, if that was okay with them. Tohru and her grandfather said at the same time, “Of course.”
Hatori gave a small, but genuine smile as he carried Mr. Honda's little luggage up to the door. His smile spoke true emotion (unlike Shigure's theatrical smiles and gestures sometimes). Things were going smoothly with Tohru, and he had no reason not to smile, yet something niggling at the back of his mind continued to linger.
His fear was that all was going too well in paradise.
---
Hatori drove to his office, parked, and went in. He heard rustling in his small bathroom, and his blood seemed to run cold, sending a massive chill through his body.
It better not be who I think it is, he thought.
Akito.
But instead, a sing-songy voice interrupted his horrid daze, “Ha-san, is that you?”
“Yes,” Hatori grumbled, feeling his heart settle down, and his blood began to boil because of the scare Ayame had given him (Hatori told himself that Ayame would get a sharp, painful jab the next time he got a shot. Hatori didn't let people off the hook that easily). “What are you doing here?”
The bathroom door flew open, and Ayame, in all his twisted glory emerged from the cloudy moisture. It reminded Hatori of something out of a horror film. Ayame pulled his hair to one side, and began brushing it with a gold-gilded hairbrush. His emerald robe sparkled in contrast to his flaxen hair, and his exposed pale chest. Hatori looked away in slight disgust, out at the no longer blossoming sakura tree outside. “Please tie your sash.”
“Sorry,” Ayame said, nonchalantly, “I didn't think you'd care. We've all seen each other nude before. It's a spectacular sight, might I add. The three of us are f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! Ther's nothing to be embarrassed about. I know that you have a nice birthmark on you left buttock—“
Hatori snapped defensively, “How would you know? The last time we `hung' out in the nude was before we went to school.”
“I have my sources, but I'm not telling until Ha-san promises to calm down and not get mad at moi.”
“Fine.”
“Wipe that frown off first.”
Hatori rolled his eyes, but changed his facial expression to indifferent, even though he was boiling inside.
“Cross your heart and hope to die?--”
“Yes,” Hatori interrupted through gritted teeth, his little patience was already stretched tight across a strand of silk.
“--Say it,” Ayame continued.
Hatori did as told, with a frown, of course.
“Well then. I saw you at the hot springs last winter. You told me not to look, but my back was itchy, and I turned my head to scratch it, and got a look at your backside. How do you keep it so firm? For someone so sheltered? A hermit?”
Hatori responded, “I am not a hermit, but that is way beside the point. What are you doing here?!”
“The sick old cow, Hatsuharu came to my house and used up all the hot water, without even a `thank you'. I was angry, but then I remembered that my best friend, Hatori Sohma only took cold showers, which I absolutely can not comprehend. We are, after all, warm-blooded organisms, but you, my friend, are as cold-blooded as, a… dragon.”
Hatori's face turned grey. He flinched internally at the world `cold-blooded'. Was he really? Did that also say that he was `cold-hearted'?
He had never cared about how others thought of him, but how he cared, a bit.
Ayame saw the change in his friend and quickly added, “Don't take it seriously. It's just a stupid comparison.”
Hatori was silent, not really knowing how to handle the situation, to yell at Ayame for making such comments, or to just ignore it. He sat down on the leather loveseat, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.
Ayame felt the tension in the barren room, but didn't want to leave his friend to his own devices.
Ayame plopped down next to Hatori and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. It's a compliment to be called cold-blooded. I am a dragon, after all,” he said, opening his now dull, lackluster eyes.
“Ha-san, you know I don't mean it that way, eve if you can be stoic and stone-like sometimes. I'm sorry.”
Hatori thought at his friend's apology, and said, “It's okay.”
“Great,” Ayame replied, getting up to his feet, “Mine-san is at a fashion exposition in Tokyo. Do you want to go out for dinner later?”
“Umm, I-I'm meeting someone,” Hatori said with an uncharacteristic stutter.
Ayame almost pounced into Hatori's lap when he landed on his knees beside the couch.
“Is it someone I know?”
Hatori pondered the best way to tell him, “Yes, a family friend.”
“Oh,” Ayame said, his animated eyes turning sullen and dark, “I thought it was a date. It's been a while since… well, you know.”
Just then, Hatori's cell-phone chirped. He didn't recognize the number, but picked up anyways. “Hello?”
“Hatori, are you busy right now. It's me, Tohru. Can I talk to you for a bit?”
“No, I mean, I'm not busy. You can talk.”
“I'm really sorry to bother you, but before you come over, can you stop at the house to pick up my two pillows and a sweater, any one from my closet. I forgot, I'm sorry.”
“No need to apologize, Tohru. Of course. I'll be over at seven.”
“I love you, Hatori.”
“Yes,” Hatori responded, giving himself a mental head-slap right after. Why couldn't he just say that damn three words!
“So, our mystery lady, ehm, flower is revealed. I always knew you had a soft spot for her.”
He didn't deny. Hatori Sohma never lied. “Her grandfather invited me over for dinner.”
“Hmm, meeting the relatives, eh?”
Hatori rolled his eyes, but inside his heart thumped loudly against his chest. It really did seem that way, didn't it?”
Ayame, sensing Hatori's discomfort in the subject said, “Mine-san and I actually made something for Tohru-kun. We were testing out some new frills, pleats, and patterns, and it actually came out quite nicely. It doesn't fit Mine-san, she's put on some lovely weight, but I think it will fit Tohru. Since Tohru hasn't been around for a while, we were wondering if you could bring it over to her for a look and fitting?”
Hatori was a bit taken aback by the question, but agreed with a nod of the head.
“Good, why don't we head over.”
Both men got up from their spots and went out. The late afternoon breeze was comfortable and relaxing.
Ayame pushed open the door to his house, and found the outfit in the closet. “Here it is, brought over from the shop two days ago.”
Hatori looked at the outfit in a state of shock and horror. It was short and looked very tight.
“You like what you see, Hatori?”
Hatori chewed on his lower lip, “Is that appropriate?”
“For what? The president?”
“Definitely not. But for the public?”
“Our modest Tohru-kun doesn't have to wear it alone, she can pair it with shorts or jeans. Aii-yaa, Hatori! Where has your brain flown off to! Why the perversion!”
Hatori turned a slight pink.
“So, Tori-san, just have Tohru give it a try. Maybe even in front of you…”
Hatori turned a deep, very unexpected crimson color. “Who's perverted now?”
Ayame laughed it off. “Only kidding of course, Ha-san would never take advantage of our innocent Tohru-kun. That would be Yuki's job.”
Hatori looked at his feet in shame, but quickly told himself. It's love, not age. The other reason he looked away was that he didn't what the inquisitive Ayame to see into Hatori's mind. He had illicit thoughts of Tohru…
He wasn't all that stoic and humble.
---
Hatori left Ayame's house after Ayame's final words, “You still have to tell me the secrets to your firm backside!”
Hatori went to his office and changed into a more casual outfit. He found a short-sleeve collared, button-up black shirt to pair with his grey slacks. It ruffled his hair at the sink, brushed his teeth, and dashed some cold water across his face to bring some color into his face.
He went to his car, and dropped the small package on the passenger seat. Tohru was in for a shock.
He drove over to Shigure's house and went to the back door (Tohru had a spare key under the flowerpot). He went upstairs and grabbed the two pillows and went to Tohru's closet.
It was as neat as his own! Color-coordinated with three shelves, featuring “Lights 'n' Pinks, "Darks”, “Mellows”, and finally, “Blues.” Her sweaters were hanging, and Hatori picked out a navy-blue pullover sweater. Then he saw a drawer titled, “Undies!” He blushed.
As he closed the closet, he smiled at the thought that if he were Shigure, he would have taken a peek. But he wasn't, and he would never do that kind of things.
As he locked the back door, the phone rang. He waited outside and listened. “Tohru? It's Kyo. I will be back tomorrow night. See you, and make me some good food.”
Hatori's heart sunk. They were all coming home soon.
Great.
His blood ran cold, and a lump formed in his throat.
It wasn't that he was possessive or anything of that nature (cough, cough Akito), but he didn't want his `relationship' with Tohru to end. He knew that telling them, was a step in the future, and they were definitely not ready for that.
He wanted, no needed more time with Tohru.
All would be ending too soon…
---
A/N: EattheMoon, did you enjoy the Ayame and Hatori banter? I hope so. Next chapter: Dinner with the Hondas! Does anyone still think Hatori is 'cold-blooded'?
Does Ayame remind anyone of Lucius Malfoy (appearance only, of course; the 'snake' theme, and the long pale hair)?
I have to give a big thanks to all my readers. Thank you so much for the review last chapter: Rayn Lake, Fk306 Animelover, kiwadoi seiitsu, Starlight - Wild Koneko, ang.pie, Nikki-4, TatianaSaphira, BlobBl0b. You all make my day!
Hugs and kisses for all!