I am SO sorry. I lost my inspiration for AGES! I'm not sure I have it back completely yet, but I shall try my hardest! WHOOP!

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it, if I did, Tohru would be with a different Sohma every week, cause I can't decide!

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Chapter 5: And the lessons Drag-on!

"I'm Hoome!" Shigure yelled in his usual cheery manner. "Yuki, Tohru, Kyo?" he shouted again when a response from none of the other residence came.

"They're not here" came a deep, familiar voice from the lounge room. As the old rice paper door, looking older than it should from the countless bits of sticky tape and pieces of newer paper covering holes made by various members of the family that frequented visits, slowly opened to reveal the stoic family doctor, Hatori.

"Hari! What pleasant surprise! And what brings you here?" Shigure happily questioned, the gears of his sly mind already grinding away.

"Well, Ayame rang me, and as per usual, was rambling nonsense. Something about clothes, becoming a man, and etiquette lessons? That's all I understood amongst the squeals and self gratification that endlessly spouted from his mouth" Hatori replied, a sour look on his face as he extracted a cigarette from his pocket on the way to re-seat himself under the kotatsu.

"Aya sent you here? Marvellous, you can help me with my latest project!" he stated, sitting opposite Hatori, sneaking a cigarette out of his yukata.

"Project? More like meddling where you are concerned" he shot back, lighting his cigarette and inhaling.

Meanwhile, Ritsu had been standing in the entryway, eaves dropping on the older men's conversation, getting dizzier by the second. He knew, of course, that HE was the project they spoke of, as Shigure, whilst always looking out for the family, often took great pleasure in meddling and tangling with their lives. A lot.

However, the thought that he, Ritsu Sohma, may actually be able to become a man, to be able to ACTUALLY have a chance to attract a member of the opposite sex, was quite an appealing one. So appealing in fact, that it overshadowed his usual mechanism of running home screaming and dressing like a woman. Of course, it wouldn't really work now, anyway.

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"So… you want me to teach… Ritsu" Hatori took another extended drag of his 5th cigarette, once again assessing this timid man that was Ritsu again, "How to behave like a man?" he finished, eyeing Shigure for any nuance of trickery behind the dogs eyes.

"Yup! Ri wants to be confident! Especially with the ladies I imagine. Or one lady, in particular" he trailed off, laughing at the redness in Ritsu's face.

While one of the smartest zodiacs in the family, it took a few extra seconds for the doctor to clue in on what EXACTLY was going on. Yes, a lady, a particular one with a bright smile and her hair in bows and ribbons.

"Fine" Hatori said, putting his cigarette out and standing in an authoritive way, the way only Hatori could.

"Shall we start then?"

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Done! Woot!

Please review, for it shall give the Ayame like confidence for writing!

Thankyou

Gemagi.