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Author of 12 Stories |
A/N: Muwahah, I am here again, giving a LOOONNNGGGGG awaited update! I’m soooo sorry! BTW: THIS IS ANIME & MANGA BASED… meaning that Akito is a GIRL!
Disclaimer: Fruits Baskets isn’t mine.
Name: In the Doghouse (Part I)
Rating: K+ for safety
Pairing: another delightful Tohru x Shigure
Other Characters: The Zodiac members.
A Fruit Basket
In the Doghouse
Shigure Sohma had always been called a sly dog. Many thought he was a sicko, skirt chasing pervert. They had often said that he only cared for himself, and that his ultimate goal was to free himself of the Zodiac Curse. However, there was much, much more to him than that. But Shigure was content to let everyone think that.
Only Hatori had suspected that Shigure pulled strings and twisted Akito to his whim and will. Only Hatori had guessed that Shigure would use Tohru to end the curse. Only Hatori had given him a jaded smile and told him that although he wouldn’t fail to break the curse, he would also break something else in the process. Only Hatori had threatened Shigure if he hurt Tohru.
Shigure had fabricated lie after lie, eventually spinning up a complex web of deceit. Now, alone with only Tohru around, Shigure wished he wasn’t such a liar.
“Shigure, I’m going to work. If Yuki or Kyou call would you please tell them that I miss them and I can’t wait until they come home again?” Tohru called to the dog in her sing song voice.
Shigure startled out of his trance. “What?” he darkly called before instantly fixing his error. “Of course my darling little flower! How delighted they will be to hear from you!” he proclaimed, skipping out of his study to find the girl in the front hallway.
“Thanks Shigure, there’s some miso soup in the fridge for your dinner,” Tohru said with a beautiful smile. She glanced at the clock and freaked. “Oh my goodness, I’m going to be late!” she cried before speeding out of the house, bounding into the morning sun. “Good bye Shigure!” she called.
“Bye-bye!” the dog said, peeking out the front door to wave. She disappeared into the forest and Shigure stopped waving and padded back into the house, grumbling under his breath.
Kyou and Yuki were gone, and with them they had dashed half of his plan against the rocks. Both had left, going to Tokyo University. They were in the same dorm and each had his own dorm room. They got along, if only because they were the only two, cursed Sohmas in the area so they had to sympathize with each other.
Akito had ordered it, probably just to spite Shigure. The dog ground his teeth; ever since they left he had been in the doghouse. Not that Tohru had treated him badly… no. It was quite the opposite.
Shigure padded back to his office and collapsed on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. It had started directly before Akito ordered both Kyou and Yuki to leave…
“And what exactly am I up to?” Shigure chuckled, a smile crossing his lips.
Akito turned her gaze onto the dog. “You think that you’ll be able to break the curse using Tohru and either Yuki or Kyo,” she said in a sing song voice.
“Now why would I want to do that?” Shigure said, lying through his teeth while letting out an airy chuckle.
“I know you hate me,” Akito said, twisting onto her back. “You don’t love me like you used to. You’re obsessed with breaking the curse so you can go chasing real girls, girls that aren’t cursed,” Akito whispered.
Shigure released a bark of laughter. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks Akito. I’m far too old to be running around, trying to save the family. I don’t care enough about it.”
“You would never run around to save the family, but you might if it were for you,” Akito hissed, unknowingly hitting the nail.
“Well go ahead and think whatever you want Akito. What does this have to do with calling me here though?” Shigure good naturedly asked.
Akito sat up, glaring at the dog. “I have reached a decision.”
“Oh? About what?” Shigure inquired.
“Tohru Honda. I am going to have her immediately removed from your house and her job. Only, of course, after I call her here and make her see how the members of the Zodiac don’t need her. Perhaps I shall repay her for all the pain and irritation she’s put me through,” Akito rambled, she was harshly surprised when two glowing, threatening eyes suddenly popped into her face, mere inches away.
“If you lay a single hand on Tohru I will kill you, Akito,” Shigure said, his voice stripped of his usual cheer and false respect. It was dark and raw, and there was a dangerous light in his black, bottomless eyes that dripped into his words.
Akito shook, afraid for the first time in her life. Never had she seen Shigure so furious and deadly. She pressed herself against the wall, turning her face away from his disturbing eyes. “Leave!” she managed to squeak out.
Slowly the dog rose and ambled across the room, a dark aurora following him as he left the room, nearly throwing the door off its track when closing it.
Akito clutched her heart and took in a deep breath. After what she had just seen she would never dare touch Tohru. She narrowed her eyes, she would have to over look this bout of confidence from the dog. The others didn’t know so she wouldn’t have to worry about saving face… But that didn’t mean she had to let all of Shigure’s little plans go perfectly either. Akito had put up with Tohru Honda, a thorn in her side, only because of Shigure’s pleadings. There was no doubt now in Akito’s mind that the dog either was trying to break the curse using the stupid girl, or he harbored affection for her.
She suspected it was most likely the first. It was highly unlikely that the dog would ever come to love anyone more than himself, much less enough to take a stand for that person.
Shigure slowly opened one eye as a shaft of light filled the room. Tohru’s form appeared in the doorway.
“Shigure? Are you okay?” she asked, slowly entering the writer’s domain.
Shigure fixed a smile on his face and sheepishly rubbed his head. “I’m sorry my flower, I must have fallen asleep! You’re home already? I thought you had a late shift!” Shigure chattered.
“It’s past eleven,” Tohru worriedly said leaning over the dog to set a cool hand on his forehead. “Are you feeling okay? You usually don’t fall asleep in here…” the girl trailed off.
“No, I’m fine,” Shigure happily said, waving her off.
“If you say so…” Tohru slowly said, starting to stand. A foot slid out underneath her and with a cry she fell down… on top of Shigure.
There was a loud explosion and Shigure, in the form of a black dog, watched Tohru look absolutely wretched.
“I’m so sorry!” she yelped.
“It’s just fine Tohru!” Shigure said, licking the side of her face while profusely wagging his tail. “It’s the only time I can lick you and not get injured for it!” he brightly announced.
Tohru gave him a half hearted smile. “I’m still sorry. Will you be going to bed after you… re-transform?” she asked.
“Yes, I think I’ll do that,” Shigure said, padding out of the room. Tohru gathered up his clothes and trailed after him.
“Shigure, you have a rip in your kimono!” Tohru called as they traveled up the stairs.
“Do I now? That was probably from when Mia (A/N: I think that’s his editors name…) captured me yesterday,” the dog sheepishly said.
Tohru took a side trip into her room. “If you can hold on for a minute I would like to mend it now. If that’s okay with you that is,” she added.
“No problem at all!” the perverted dog said, happily trotting into her room while Tohru rummaged around her closet, unearthing a tin full of thread and needles.
She plopped on her bed, and Shigure also leaped onto it, setting his head on Tohru’s lap to keep from transforming.
Shigure happily rubbed his face in the material of Tohru’s skirt. That was one added bonus to the boys being gone. Ever since they were no longer around, sometimes at night he would purposely bump into Tohru to transform, and spend the rest of the evening watching TV with her while she mended clothes or sorted the mail, his head in her lap.
Shigure paused, it was one of many bonuses, but still it didn’t compare with being free of the curse. He had been banking on the fact that the cat or rat would tell Tohru his feelings. Undoubtedly she would accept them, and they would have been forced to have a show down with the family leader. If they won they would have hopefully lifted the curse, there was a good chance that either Tohru or the cat or rat could be hurt in the process. But in the start that was a risk Shigure was willing to take. Shigure held in a growl. Now he supposed he would never know if it would have worked since Akito seemed to be actively scheming against him.
“Shigure?” Tohru asked, pausing her needlework.
“Yes?” Shigure asked, scooting more of his head onto her lap.
“Are you okay? I could have sworn I felt you growl,” Tohru hesitantly explained, biting her lip.
Shigure laughed. “I’m fine my little flower. I’m just not feeling my best,” he said, pausing the consistent motion of his tail.
Tohru set aside his kimono and lifted his head up. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” she worriedly asked.
“No, the spunk just seems to be out of me today,” Shigure dramatically sighed. If he played his cards right…
“Would you like to sleep with me tonight?” Tohru questioned, her eyes extra wide in anxiety.
Bingo.
“As a dog?”
Shigure wanted to roll his eyes. He supposed it was better than nothing. Besides, the time before he had been in his dog form too.
“Sure!” Shigure happily barked, wagging his tail.
“Okay, I just have to go finish getting ready for bed, I’ll be back in a few moments,” Tohru said gently lifting his head off of her lap and exiting her room.
Shigure burrowed into her blankets, remembering the last time he had slept with her. He could barely recall it, he was so blazing sick. Hatori had been called for and told him that it was a virus and it would have to run its course. Unfortunately Shigure kept getting sicker and was trapped in his dog form, barely conscious enough to know what was happening. In a movement of desperation Tohru had dragged him to bed with her, frequently waking him up at night to force water down his throat.
Thankfully the cat and rat had never found out about it… but it was a shame that Shigure himself could barely remember the experience.
Tohru padded back into the room and Shigure wondered if perhaps he really was coming down with something. After all, the girl had been out of the room for at least five minutes and he hadn’t transformed back into his normal, human form.
Tohru lifted the blankets, allowing Shigure to hop under them, before she slid into the bed, tucking the blankets around both herself and the dog.
Tohru threw an arm over the black dog, a safety measure to make sure he didn’t transform while in there with her.
“Good night Shigure,” Tohru sleepily said flipping onto her side, her brown hair cascading over her face.
“Good night Tohru,” Shigure said, nuzzling his head against her shoulder. Very quickly her breath deepened and evened out, announcing that she had fallen asleep.
Shigure pulled his head away and gazed up at the girl, practically a woman now since she had graduated from high school half a year ago. He had put her through so much, purposely pushing her and the boys together. It had broken her heart when Yuki and Kyou moved onto college.
“I’m sorry Tohru,” Shigure muttered, pushing his head back into its previous spot. He hadn’t given up hope yet though. He would have to be blind to not notice the gazes Momiji, Haru, even Hatori sent her. Perhaps it could still work out.
Shigure felt his throat clench as Tohru tightened her hug. He would certainly miss her, but Shigure would rather be free than to still have Tohru… right? So, what was wrong with him? Why was he feeling so… alone?
Tohru cracked several eggs in a frying pan over the stove. Shigure had treated her especially well after Yuki and Kyou left. She had been prepared to move out, but the dog had been dead set against it, and threatened to either move with her or end his life, which would probably happen if he did move with her since the cat and the rat would skin him alive. Or so Shigure said.
Tohru expertly flipped several pieces of bacon over before stirring up the batter for pancakes. She was worried, rarely was Shigure ever in a slump like he was now.
Tohru tossed several chocolate chips into the pancake she was making, Shigure always loved them that way when they did have an American breakfast.
There was thumping on the stairs and Tohru craned her neck out of the kitchen to see Shigure coming down the stairs, fully dressed and one hundred percent human.
“Shigure!” Tohru happily said. “It’s so nice to-“ the phone interrupted her. Tohru gave an apologetic smile and rushed over to the cordless phone. “Hello?” she asked, walking back to the kitchen to flip the pancake.
“Miss Honda?” asked a shy, quiet voice.
“Yuki!” Tohru gushed. “How are you? How’s Kyou?”
Yuki let out a chuckle. “We’re both okay. That stupid cat nearly transformed in front of the whole campus yesterday. My classes are going great though, especially since he’s not in any of them. How are you Miss Honda?”
Tohru laughed and blushed slightly, wrapping a lock of her hair around her finger while Shigure watched with a pout creasing his face.
A scowl crossed his lips and Shigure realized he was being moodier than usual. He shrugged it off and decided to indulge himself. He crept up behind Tohru and snatched the phone from her hands.
“Awwww, Yuki’s not going to say hi to your cousin?” Shigure happily barked into the phone.
“Hello Shigure,” Yuki reservedly said. “Would you put Miss Honda back on the phone now?”
“Nope!” Shigure happily announced. “We’re about to eat! Go find yourself your own little flower, this one’s taken!” With that Shigure hung up on him.
Tohru laughed and blushed bright red. “Breakfast is ready,” she said, taking the platter of pancakes into the dining room. Shigure followed her, carrying the eggs and bacon.
Together they animatedly chattered, sharing the pleasant moments of breakfast. Shigure had just stuffed another piece of bacon in his mouth when the phone rang. Shigure darkly glared at it, it was more than likely Yuki again. He rolled his eyes, he needed to push Tohru onto another Sohma. Although the rat and cat loved Tohru they just weren’t making a move, and time was something Shigure didn’t have on his side.
As Tohru stood up to get it Shigure just ‘accidentally happened’ to fall against Tohru, transforming himself into a black dog. Tohru fell to the ground with a thump, and Shigure gave a happy bark before plopping down on her stomach.
“Shigure, the phone!” Tohru said, her voice erupting with laughter as Shigure shoved his wet nose along her neck.
While the young girl laughed Shigure internally smirked. Yes, he would shove Yuki and Kyou out of the picture. Haru, perhaps even Momiji would nicely fall into the roll of loving Tohru. Shigure considered Hatori for a mere second before brushing it off. Although Hatori would be all too glad to love Tohru, he also knew that Shigure was aiming for something, and it was very unlikely he would allow himself and Tohru to be used.
Shigure licked Tohru’s hand for good measure as tears of laughter dropped out of the girl’s eyes. She continued to giggle while Shigure happily waved his tail and barked. Yes, Haru or Momiji would work, even if he felt in some strange way that they didn’t deserve her. In addition to that Shigure wasn’t looking forward to the ox or the rabbit hanging around his house more than they did already. Not to mention they would hang all over Tohru, which for some odd reason greatly irritated Shigure.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, actually it would be much later that he would figure it all out. It wouldn’t be a while until he discovered why he didn’t want to share Tohru. It was because he, Shigure Sohma, had fallen deeply for Tohru Honda.
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