Finally! I'm finished with this blasted chapter! I don't know what happened. I went to camp and I was pretty busy, but then I just lost motivation. I don't know where it went! And now I'm about to leave for Europe, so I probably won't have a whole lot of time to write then either. But I will try my best! Anyway, here is chapter 7 at last for your enjoyment.
Disclaimer: Well, I'm saving up, but no, I don't own Fruits Basket yet.
Warning: Some random crossdressing in this chappie, peoples. :)
Early morning sunlight was just beginning to filter into the room when Kyo opened his eyes. He was laying on his side now, knees slightly bent with Yuki's legs tucked right behind his. The rat had his arm wrapped snugly around Kyo's waist and Kyo could feel Yuki's chest rise and fall against his back. Still sleeping.
Without warning, the door burst open. "You let me spend a sleepless night in the heat when all the while you were up here, cool as a –" Shigure halted mid-tirade. He'd noticed that Kyo wasn't the only one in his bed. "Yuki and Kyo sleeping in the same bed? Had quite a night, did we? Oooo and Yuki's shirtless! You two are so –"
Kyo threw the alarm clock from his bedside table at the grinning Shigure just as Tohru called, "Breakfast!" Shigure dodged the missile and skipped delightedly downstairs.
A few minutes later, everyone was assembled at the table enjoying Tohru's delicious home-cooked breakfast. Yuki was still half-asleep and had only said a total of three words so far. Shigure kept looking from Kyo to Yuki and back again, a smirk on his lips and a twinkle of triumph in his eyes. Kyo was grumpy from his rude awakening and took out his embarrassment on his breakfast. Tohru looked around and sighed. She could tell it was going to be a long day.
The phone rang. Shigure got up to answer it. He came back a few moments later, sighing, "Bad news. The mechanic can't come today."
This was met with loud complaint, even from the dozing Yuki and normally polite Tohru; the weather report forecasted warm temperatures all day and everyone's nerves were shot. Kyo promptly shut himself in his room and wouldn't let anyone in for some time. Finally after much banging and persuading from the over-dramatic Shigure, he let Yuki and Tohru in.
Shigure resumed pounding on the door, fake-sobbing pathetically. When that didn't work, he stood outside the door, muttering loudly about his "charitable heart and loving generosity being severely tried as of late" and hinting about "dire consequences". Kyo conveniently remembered that Shigure owned the house, his room and the air conditioner in it and could take it away. In other words, he grudgingly let the dog in.
"Now," Shigure said, "we can't intrude upon Kyo's privacy and, er, hospitality all day, so I propose that we spend the day somewhere cooler."
"Such as?" Yuki wished Shigure would get to the point.
"It's a surprise," Shigure said seriously. "I just need to make a few arrangements over the phone and we can be off! I shall return!" And with that proclamation, he pranced back out of the room.
"After all that fuss, he stays for a total of two minutes and leaves again," muttered Kyo irritably.
"I wonder where we're going," Tohru mused.
"You will learn soon enough, my dear Tohru!" cried Shigure. "Our host will accommodate us for one night, so pack your bags. Hatori will pick us up in an hour."
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Everyone piled into Hatori's car and they drove off. Tohru asked where they were headed, but Shigure wouldn't let the doctor tell her. Yuki was the first to recognize the area and figure out where their destination would be. He squirmed in his seat.
"Shigure," he said threateningly, "you wouldn't dare."
"Oh, but I would!" said Shigure.
"What? What is it? Where are we going, Yuki?" Kyo asked. Yuki just shook his head. It would be another long night.
"We're here," Hatori said, pulling up in front of a small shop on a shady avenue. The front was neat with a sign hanging above the door.
"Oh!" Tohru exclaimed in happy recognition. "This is –"
"What!" Kyo demanded, frustrated that he seemed to be the only one who didn't know what was going on.
"Welcome, everyone!" came a familiar voice as Ayame, the owner himself, came out to greet them.
"He's here? Wait a second, where are we?" asked Kyo, finally catching on and not liking the conclusion he was coming to.
"Kyonkichi! I do believe it's quite obvious that you are at my shop! Ah, but I'd forgotten that you're the only one who hasn't been here before! Come in, everyone, come in!"
"We're staying here? With him?" Kyo directed at Shigure.
"But of course!" sang the snake. "When I heard that my beloved cousins and dear Tohru were in need of rescue, I had Mine prepare rooms for you in my apartment above the store straight away!"
Everyone entered the store, except Hatori, who snuck quietly back to his car, hoping fervently that Ayame would refrain from doing anything stupid and that no one killed anyone else over the course of the night. Kyo looked around, bemused. It was obviously some sort of clothing store. Bolts of fabric were stacked tidily on shelves and there were spools of lace and ribbons along one wall. It all looked awfully girly to Kyo. He wondered what kinds of clothes people made out of stuff like this.
They all sat around a table in one corner. Soon, Mine joined them with tea and a plate of cookies. She and Tohru chatted amiably while Shigure and Ayame talked about various random topics. Yuki relaxed, relieved that neither had brought up his and Kyo's relationship. He had been worried about that as soon as he figured out they were spending the night here, but luckily Ayame hadn't tried anything. Everything would be fine, he reasoned, as long as Kyo didn't ask too many-
"So what does this shop sell, anyway?" Kyo inquired. Yuki groaned inwardly.
"Oh ho! You'll see soon enough, Kyonkichi!" was the only response Ayame would give. The crafty glint in his brother's eyes made Yuki apprehensive. Maybe tonight wouldn't go so smoothly after all.
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"Mine, kindly show our gusts their rooms," said Ayame later that afternoon. "I'm sure they'll want to relax before dinner."
"Sure thing, boss!" Mine led everyone upstairs.
Ayame stopped Kyo just as he was about to leave the room. "Wait a minute, Kyon. There's something we must discuss."
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"Tohru will get her own room of course, being the only girl," Mine said, indicating one of the upstairs bedrooms. "The boss doesn't mind sharing his with Mr. Shigure," she continued, giggling along with the perverted dog. "So Yuki and Kyo will share the last one. I hope they are all to your liking! Dinner will be ready shortly."
Yuki walked into the room Mine had pointed out for him and Kyo. It was small, but cozy and tidy with cool green décor. He set his bag down at the foot of the large double bed and opened the curtains, letting in the afternoon sunlight.
"Well, this hasn't been so bad," he said to Kyo. Getting no response, Yuki turned around, but the other boy was not there. "Kyo?"
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Ayame led Kyo down a hallway and stopped in front of a door marked "Dressing Room".
"You were wondering about what my shop sells earlier, Kyonkichi. Well, I will explain. I hand-make only the finest outfits for men in order to help fulfill their fashion dreams!"
"Uh, okay…"
"You will see what I mean in just a minute. Now, today is a cause for celebration. This is your first visit to my shop and you and my esteemed brother Yuki are together! In honor of this occasion, you and I are going to prepare a surprise for the others, especially Yuki, alright?"
"Yeah, sure," said Kyo, confused. The snake was making no sense at all.
"All you have to do is walk through that door and put on the outfit hanging on the hook inside. Do we have a deal?"
"Um, yeah I guess so. What -" Kyo began, but before he could finish, the snake shoved him inside and closed the door.
Kyo turned around and nearly fainted when he saw what he was supposed to wear. "You bastard! You said this was a guys' clothes store!"
"But it is, my dear Kyon! The clothes I make help bring men's romantic fantasies to life!"
"Romantic -!" Kyo couldn't say it. "There's no WAY I'm wearing that! You tricked me!"
"Ah, but Kyon, you agreed! A deal is a deal after all."
Kyo smacked his forehead in frustration. How could he have been so stupid as to agree to anything that snake said? He couldn't bear the thought of Yuki seeing him in that. But there was nothing to be done. Ayame wouldn't let him out until he changed, and a deal was a deal.
Meanwhile, Ayame was congratulating himself on his brilliance. The outfit Kyo would be wearing was one of his latest creations and the kitty would be the perfect model. Plus, Yuki was sure to love it (who wouldn't?) and would most likely enjoy taking it off of Kyo even more!
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"Hey, Ayame, have you seen –" Yuki stopped short as his grinning brother led the object of his inquiries out of a room down the hall.
He didn't know what to say. Kyo looked absolutely delicious. Yuki mentally kicked himself for using that word, but it was true. Ayame had him dressed up in a red schoolgirl outfit, complete with pleated plaid skirt and tight white sailor blouse with crimson stripes on the cuffs and collar to match the kitty's eyes. He wore black buckled shoes and white knee socks, too. Yuki was amazed at how feminine the outfit made Kyo look. His angels seemed to have softened into curves. The poor cat was blushing brightly enough to match the red plaid and it seemed like he was trying to dissolve into the wall behind him.
"Well?" Demanded Ayame. "C'est magnifique, non?"
"It looks –" words failed Yuki and he tried again. "Kyo, you look –"
But Kyo couldn't take it anymore. He tore up the stairs, nearly crashing into an openmouthed Shigure and Tohru and dashed into his room, slamming the door.
"Oh dear," said Ayame brightly.
Yuki glared at him and followed Kyo upstairs. He knocked lightly on their door.
"Kyo? Are you all right?" No answer. "Kyo, come on, it's okay." Still no reply. Yuki sighed. "Please Kyo, let me in. I know how you feel, remember? I won't laugh, I promise."
After a pause, Kyo's voice came from behind the door. "It's unlocked."
Yuki came in to find Kyo still in the schoolgirl outfit, curled up, catlike, on the bed. He went over to him and gently rubbed his back, determined to ignore the fact that seeing Kyo in this outfit seriously turned him on. Slowly, the cat relaxed.
"I'm really sorry about this," Yuki said.
"'S not your fault," muttered Kyo. "I didn't want you to see me like that, but that damn bastard tricked me."
"I know, I understand," said Yuki. "I never got to tell you what I thought about how you looked, though. You were adorable. But –" He hastened to continue as Kyo stiffened and started to reply indignantly, "-you don't have to dress like that for me again, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not really into the whole cross-dressing thing."
Kyo was silent for a minute, and then said, "Did you really think I was cute?"
Yuki kissed Kyo gently on the cheek. "Yes. Come on. Get dressed and we'll go down to dinner."
And there you have it! The Luck of the Draw, Chapter 7! I hope you liked it and please review.Thank you so much to all my reviewers, I don't know what I'd do without you! The Review Nook is going away for a while. I'm nodding off here, so suffice it to say that I appreciate your reviews so much and I love you all! Chapter 8 will be coming outas soon as humanly possible. Things may get a bit tangy, I don't really know yet.