Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey Home ❯ Pretend Strawberries ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters, they belong to Natsuki Takaya.

A/N: This chapter took forever, sorry! It is a little longer than the others, does that help make up for it? Ayame's a very tiring character to write and I'm behind on my Calc homework, so I didn't have much time until today to actually sit and write. I do know where the story's going for the next few chapters, but I'm not telling. I'm very sleep deprived right now but wanted to get this posted so I'm just gonna shut up before I start making even less sense. Big thanks to YTR for a bunch of stuff, to Shiemi for lots of really wonderful information about Japan and pregnancy, and to everyone who reviewed.

Warning: There may be OOC moments (or the whole thing, or something... yeah) so if that bothers you, this might not be the story for you. (Hey, this is fiction, it's my world and I can do what I want with it!) Also if premarital sex and/or unwed pregnancy bother you, this probably isn't the story for you.

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"The Journey Home"

Chapter 5: Pretend Strawberries

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Time passed quickly and before Tohru knew it, it was Saturday again. She went to Shigure's as always, but when she arrived there was nothing that needed to be done. Shigure didn't take advantage, so there wasn't usually much to do, but there was always laundry. Today there was no laundry.

Tohru was instantly suspicious. She went to Shigure's room to peek in the dresser and found his clothes neatly folded. 'Ah-ha!' She thought to herself. 'I might as well make lunch early.'

While making lunch Tohru's thoughts flipped back and forth between reasons Shigure would all of a sudden hire a maid. It must be because she was pregnant. There were two things she could think of: he didn't want her around or he thought she was incapable of simple tasks. She hoped it wasn't the first, but the second wasn't that pleasant either.

As they ate Tohru said "Your maid is very good."

Shigure feigned surprise, "Maid?"

"Your clothes are folded neatly," she said as if that proved him a criminal. And it did, Shigure hated doing laundry and couldn't properly fold clothes.

"You looked?" He said with real surprise this time. He had known she would suspect something, but he hadn't thought she'd go looking for evidence. He saw the uncertainty on her face and regretted not talking to her earlier. "Gomen, Tohru. I..." Shigure didn't know why this was so hard. "You're going to be a wonderful wife, and a wonderful mother, and it's time I stop pretending it's for me."

Tohru blinked. Had Shigure just said he pretended she was his wife? Yes... that's what he had said. But why... he had never... surely he didn't... of course he doesn't, not like that. He looked so sad. It must be lonely living here all alone. "Shigure," She started, but he cut her off.

"Don't. You're always welcome here, Tohru, but no more housework, ok?" He smiled, back to his old self.

Tohru thought for a moment. She still wasn't sure what he'd meant by pretending, but he was probably right to hire a maid. With the morning sickness she was already having trouble doing everyday chores and it was probably going to get worse. "Ok, as long as the maid isn't expensive, but I'm still making you lunch once a week."

"I wouldn't dream of asking you not to," Shigure said with a grin, "And it was a... friend who cleaned." Tohru wasn't sure, but she thought Shigure blushed for a moment. Surely she was mistaken?

They ate in silence for the rest of the meal, each lost in their thoughts. While drying the dishes Shigure asked "Are there any leftovers?"

"Yes, are you still hungry?"

"I was thinking about Aya. You know how the cold affects him and poor Aya never gets a home cooked meal, he's likely to become ill. I think I'll take him the leftovers." Shigure said, knowing Tohru would insist on taking them herself.

"Oh no, I hope he's ok! His shop's closer to my apartment, I'll take the leftovers." Tohru said, and Shigure fought the urge to smile.

"I couldn't let you do that, I'll take them," he said.

"It's ok. I've not seen Ayame in a while, so it would be nice to see him." Tohru said. She wasn't as clueless as she seemed, she knew what Shigure was up to. He wanted her to take Ayame lunch and tell him about the baby. Why Shigure thought Ayame needed to know soon, Tohru couldn't imagine, but she didn't mind telling him and it was true that Ayame could use a good, home cooked meal.

"Well... ok," Shigure said, pretending to think about it.

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Tohru arrived at Ayame's shop a little later that afternoon. "Ayame?" she questioned, not seeing anyone. She looked around the shop, "Mine?"

'Not here? That's odd,' Tohru was thinking when something started to slither up her leg causing her to jump back in surprise and almost drop the lunch she was carrying. "Ayame," she breathed, realizing what it must be.

He made his way up her leg, under her skirt, and poked his head out the top of her modest neckline. "Tohru, you're always so warm," the snake said, wrapping himself around her shoulders.

"Are you ok?" Tohru asked.

"I was worried for a while there. I had just gone out for a small walk when the wind picked up, and I made it back to the shop when my life flashed before my eyes. All the wonderful things I would never do, the lives that would never be improved by my miraculous designs, the poor souls who would never look upon my greatness! Then I saw you, ever my shining light of hope, and knew that I was saved!"

'He's fine,' Tohru thought, glad to see he was acting normal... for Ayame.

"To what do I owe the honor? Surely you grew weary without my presence for so long." Ayame said as he journeyed back down into Tohru's dress and wrapped himself around her middle.

"Yes it has been a while. Shigure sends you lunch," Tohru said a little unnerved by the way Ayame was wrapped around her. He transformed from the cold quite often when she was around and loved to warm himself against her, but it was never quite like this. "A-Ayame, what are you doing?" she said softly.

"Measuring," he replied matter-of-factly, as if it were an everyday occurrence for a girl to have a snake wrapped around her like a lover's arm. "I thought so, I'll have to make an adjustment," he told her from within her dress.

"Ayame!" Tohru exclaimed when he moved pointedly over her breast.

"Two adjustments," he said as he poked his head back out her neckline. He then quickly jumped, as much as a snake can, to the nearby counter and down to the floor behind it, just in time for the loud *POOF* as he transformed back.

Tohru quickly looked the other way, but Ayame said "it's ok," so she turned back. She blushed at the sight of him. He really was beautiful. He was standing behind the counter, which was a little above his waist, giving Tohru full view of his bare stomach, chest, and arms. He was wider in the shoulder and more muscular than his usual outfits made him appear. She looked up to his face and found him grinning.

"Yes, I am perfection!" He said happily then asked "Would you mind?" pointing towards the other end of the shop.

Tohru turned to look in the direction he indicated and saw his clothes lying on the floor. "Oh, of course!" She said and fetched them for him. She kept her gaze averted while he dressed, thinking to herself 'He really does have the right to brag'. Still, Ayame didn't affect her the way he did. No-one affected her the way he did. A look from him, a slight touch of his hand, or a glimpse of his chest was enough to set her heart aflutter. Tohru was suddenly overcome by the urge to run to him and wrap her arms around him. She could do neither.

Ayame finished dressing and came around from behind the counter. He was going to ask Tohru about lunch when he noticed that she looked like she was about to cry. "Tohru, are you ok? Uhm...." Had he hurt her feelings? "My latest creation is easy to let out, and I didn't mean to imply the extra little bit looks bad on you, it doesn't! You look fabulous, better than ever!" He said and took her hand, twirling her.

When the twirl ended, instead of looking better (as everyone did after a twirl, who could be sad while twirling?), she looked like she was going to fall over. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her and she quickly recovered.

Ayame kept hold of her shoulders and studied her for a moment. Was she ok? He'd never seen anyone get dizzy from a simple twirl. Well, he would ask her, but for now he wasn't going to let that lunch get any colder. He put up the 'out to lunch' sign and said "I cannot wait a moment longer to try the delicious lunch you have made just for me! Come, to the café!"

The 'café' was really a small break area in the back of the shop with a table, mini-refrigerator, and small microwave. Aya retrieved some strawberries from the refrigerator and held them out to Tohru. "Aren't they the biggest strawberries you've ever seen? Help yourself!"

They were indeed the largest strawberries Tohru had ever seen. "Thank you," she said taking one of the smaller berries. She took a bite then looked at the berry with a strange expression on her face.

"Is it rotten?" Ayame asked, examining the rest of the berries. They looked ok to him. Tohru dropped her berry on the table, put a hand to her mouth, and ran to the bathroom they had passed on the way to the 'café'.

Ayame was a little worried. Was Tohru alright? Shigure wouldn't have sent her with lunch if she was sick. Aya decided he could worry just as well while eating, so he sat down to enjoy Tohru's wonderful lunch.

He thought back to earlier. Why would she have gained weight? He wouldn't have noticed from looking at her, but when he was in snake-form (and climbing up her body) the small difference seemed a lot bigger.

A few minutes later Tohru came to join him at the table. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied, then looked at the berries that were sitting on the table. "I..." she quickly shut her eyes. "Can you get those away, please?"

Aya didn't understand, but he did as she asked. While he was putting the strawberries in the fridge he remembered. He had seen a woman react that way to food before. It was when his mother was pregnant with Yuki. 'No, it can't be,' he thought to himself. He looked from the offending berries to Tohru and back again. 'It is. Does she know?'

"Tohru, are you...."

"Ayame, I'm fine, really. I guess I won't be eating strawberries for a while." She said and smiled.

'She must know. And Shigure knows, that's why he sent her. Good Shigure, very good,' Aya thought then said "Does the father know?"

His question didn't surprise Tohru. "No. I... haven't seen him."

Ayame thought for a moment and asked "Are you going to tell him?"

Tohru was silent for a few minutes. Ayame just waited, knowing she would answer. "He's very busy, he doesn't need anything more to worry about and I'm... not going to force him into anything."

Ayame considered telling Tohru that she should tell the father right away, but then he thought better of it. If Tohru wasn't comfortable telling him about the baby, there must be a good reason. It seemed obvious that she thought he didn't want to marry her, and Aya could understand Tohru not wanting him to marry her out of responsibility. Ayame was one hundred percent sure that he wanted to marry her regardless, so eventually things would work out. There was no need to rush them.

Aya brightened and said "This is an occasion that calls for a gift! I might become an uncle. Can you imagine the delight of having someone as spectacular as I for an uncle?"

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Tohru left Ayame's shop an hour and a half later with his latest creation, a winter nightgown, in a box under her arm. Coming from Aya it was a natural gift, but coming from anyone else it would have seemed inappropriate. It was a beautiful nightgown. It was very soft and very comfortable with sleeves so long they covered half her hands, a high neckline, and an embroidered hem that just touched the floor.

As Tohru walked home she thought about Ayame's habit of making her a dress every year and secretly hoped he'd continue to do so after....

Then she noticed where she was and stopped right in the middle of the street. She was on the route from Aya's shop to Shigure's house, not back to her apartment. 'Will I never have "home" again?' she thought to herself as she took a right turn and headed for the apartment.

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Ayame smiled to himself as he closed the shop for the day. He loved secrets and, contrary to popular belief, was very good at keeping them... when he wanted to. Would he keep this one? He smiled again. He would... but he wouldn't keep secret that he knew, only what he knew. He laughed evilly. This was going to be fun, he knew who the father was and Shigure didn't.

You know you're tired when you call a chapter "Pretend Strawberries". Sorry if there's more grammar mistakes and stuff than usual, I wanted to get it posted.

I'll try not to let the next chapter take so long. If you're wondering when the father will be revealed... soon, but I'm not sure exactly. Probably in the next chapter or two. Or three. Don't hate me, I have other things to get to before then. ^_^;; You know you love the suspense, come on, admit it! Yes I think I need to get some sleep now... sleep good, act weird bad....

I like the way one author put it, I hope s/he doesn't mind if I quote "if you've come this far you've obviously read, so please review". I will add, though, please be kind since this is my first fan fiction and I'm very sensitive. Bad reviews... "I don't know if I could take that kind of rejection!" (Toy Story... never mind, I'm crazy.) I proofread it myself, which is hard to do, so there's probably still some errors (though I hope not so many that it's hard to read). Please let me know of any glaring errors and I'll fix 'em.