Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Unleashing the Monster ❯ House Call ( Chapter 4 )

:sniffle: You guys! People really care about what I write! I'm so happy! You should see how big my ego is getting! I had to go out and buy him a whole new wardrobe! Here is your new chapter!

 

Unleashing the Monster

 

Chapter 4: House Call

 

Hatori clasped the snap on his doctor's bag and stood up. “I'm finished, Akito. Call if you need anything.” He walked to the door to leave.

“Oh, Hatori.”

The dragon paused, his hand on the door handle, and turned back to look at Akito. The young god was draped lazily across his bed, smiling serenely. “Maybe you should pay a visit to that monster. Kureno told me that he wasn't looking to good, and it would simply be dreadful if anything happened to him. I would go see him myself, but there is no way I can take time out of my-” He made a show of yawning and stretching, “-very busy schedule. So I guess the unwanted task falls to you. I'll even let you go in.” He pointed to a set of keys sitting on the dresser. Hatori grabbed them and stowed them in his pocket.

“Watch out, though.” Akito warned as Hatori left. “You can never trust a monster.”

Hatori heard the god's gleeful laughter echo all down the hall.

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He slid the door open with a slight amount of difficulty, like it wasn't used to being used. Which was probably true. He noticed as he sat Kyo's lunch on the table that the room looked recently cleaned. It seemed maybe Kyo wasn't doing so bad if he was making an effort to make this place livable.

“About time Kureno, I'm starv-” Kyo froze on his way out of the bathroom when he saw Hatori. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Hatori smiled at Kyo's old gruff tone. His face was flush and healthy looking, and his hair was wet, which meant he must have just taken a shower. “Akito told me you were dying.” He answered, pulling a stethoscope from his bag. “He told me to make sure you were still alive. Now take a deep breath.”

Kyo scowled and knocked the stethoscope away. “I doubt Akito was worried about me. Anyway, I'm fine, so don't worry about it.”

“That's not what Kureno said.”

“Do I look sick?” the cat shot back, plopping down on the couch.

Hatori rolled his eyes, an uncharacteristic trait for the dragon. Kyo could be dying and he wouldn't admit he was sick. He walked over to the refrigerator and looked inside. “Is the only food you get the things Kureno brings for your meals?” He questioned, seeing only water in the refrigerator.”

Kyo shrugged. “Basically. I think there might me some Ramen or somethin' on top of the fridge. But you don't have to believe me.” He added as the dragon proceeded to look for food.

“I'm your doctor, Kyo. I have to make sure your staying healthy. It's my job.”

Kyo gave him a sarcastic smile. “Gee, thanks for your concern.”

The doctor smiled at Kyo's light attitude. Then he noticed a bento box sitting on the table. He opened it and his smile widened. “Kyo?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you order take out?” Hatori asked, holding up a riceball. He almost laughed as the color drained from Kyo's horrified face. He vaulted the back of the couch and slammed the lid onto the riceballs. Then he threw it back into the refrigerator.

“T-that…umm…I brought that with me!”

Hatori ran a finger thoughtfully across his chin. “Oh, I see. And it's lasted over two weeks?”

Kyo paled further as he let his mouth hang open, trying to think up an excuse. The dragon popped the riceball onto his mouth. There was no denying Tohru's cooking. “You know, I distinctly remember Tohru giving a bento like that to Haru.”

Kyo snapped his mouth closed and glared at the doctor. “If you knew, then say it! Don't freak me out like that!” His eyes suddenly widened before narrowing again in anger. “Did you just eat one of my riceballs! Kami! You're as evil as Shigure!”

Hatori, who had been on the verge of laughing, suddenly went cold at Kyo's last comment. “That's not funny.” He stated angrily. Kyo flashed him a victory grin, which in turn earned him an odd stare from Hatori.

“What?” Kyo asked, not liking the look the dragon was giving him.

“You.” He answered, leaning on the table as he continued to stare thoughtfully at Kyo. “You're…different, Kyo. You didn't used to be like this.”

“Like what?”

Hatori smiled. “Like, nice. You've smiled almost the entire time I've been here. And-” He gestured around the moderately clean room. “I'm guessing Kureno hasn't been cleaning.”

Kyo scoffed. “What? Did you think I'd just sit in this filth?”

“The point is, you wouldn't have bothered improving your conditions before.”

The cat frowned. “Before what?”

Hatori gave his all-knowing look. “You know who I mean.” He straightened up and grabbed his bag before heading to the door. “I don't think it will be too much longer before Akito lets people visit, Kyo.”

Kyo looked out the window and watched as Hatori locked the door behind him. “Hatori, do you think she-”

The dragon shook his head. “Tohru is not allowed inside the main gates. You know that, Kyo”

Kyo sighed heavily as disappointment filled his gaze. Yeah, I know…” He muttered, turning away form the window. Hatori watched as Kyo's good mood was gone in a flash. The cat walked away from the window, head down, shoulders slumped, without even giving Hatori a goodbye.