Disclaimer: You think I own any of this? (dies laughing)

Note, 1: This is one of my first attempts at writing the Fruits Basket characters. Please forgive me if anyone seems too out of character. Advice is always appreciated; just don't be mean or uppity about it.

Note, 2: I don't like curse words. Nor am I certain that my parents would allow me to type them. Therefore, all swearwords will be written as follows: -CENSORED-. The strongest words I'll ever type out in this fic are: dang, shoot, and crud.

Verisimilitude

One: To the Rescue

"I have an idea."

The four words that had started all this. And they'd come from Hatori Sohma, of all people, so how terrible could this be?

Ayame Sohma tripped over an exposed tree root and fell to the ground. He cried, "Oww, Ha'ri, I think I broke my foot!"

Hatori, being the future doctor, turned around and squatted down to examine the wound. A (quite explicably) annoyed expression crossed his face as he glanced up, stating disgustedly, "You stubbed your big toe."

"Oh, but it hurts! IT HURTS!" Ayame cried dramatically.

Shigure Sohma gasped and dropped to his knees, clapping a hand over the silver-haired teen's mouth. "Shh, Aya! If we get caught, we're dead! Tori," he continued, looking at the solemn youth, "how come you had to think of this now? At two in the morning. In a bloomin' hurricane!"

Hatori's olive green eyes snapped over to Shigure as he hissed, "A, I've been thinking about it a long time. B, because we can't do it in broad daylight. C, since when do you speak like an Englishman?"

"I was speaking jocularly," Shigure stated, turning his nose upward.

"Still think you can be a writer, eh?" Hatori said with a soft, and slightly derisive, laugh.

"As a matter of fact—yes," replied Shigure, somewhat indignantly.

"Let's just go," Hatori ordered, he and Shigure standing up simultaneously. "Get up, Ayame."

"How rude, Ha'ri!" Ayame protested. "Not even offering a helping hand! Oh, woe is me!"

"Woe will be you if you don't shut up and come on," Hatori told him, rather a bit threateningly. "We have to be out of here by five."

"We have three glorious hours to dilly-dally," pointed out Ayame, finally standing. "Why not dilly for an hour, dally for another, and then do it?"

"Are you turning chicken?" Hatori demanded, narrowing his eyes accusingly.

"Chicken? Moi? Swan, perhaps, but never chicken!"

Hatori emitted a low, disgusted, growl-like sound before grabbing both of his cousins by the arm and dragging them along. After a few minutes, he let them walk on their own.

"I really don't like this, Ha'ri," Shigure commented, looking around the forest warily. "This is… this is kidnapping!"

"No," Hatori objected, "it's un-kidnapping."

"Yes!" agreed Ayame. "We are going to rescue our little cousin! How heroic! How courageous—how marvelous of us to do this! Fear not, young one, Cousin Aya is here to save you!"

"Aya, for you it's not a cousin we're helping," Hatori said. "Remember?"

"Hm? Oh, yes! My darling little brother! I…." Ayame stopped walking and looked down sadly.

Stopping reluctantly and turning around, Hatori asked, "What?"

"…I wonder if he remembers me at all," whispered Ayame. "I mean, I don't exactly visit him every day. Not like you, Ha'ri."

"Ayame," Hatori replied, "do you know why I visit him?"

"No," Shigure piped up, answering for the other teenager.

"Because Akito knows that I've always been training to be a doctor. And he's given me permission to come by once a week to…" Hatori trailed off. "We have to hurry. Let's move."

A few minutes later, they were jogging through a grove of cherry trees.

"Good," Hatori breathed, trying not to sound out of breath. "We're getting closer."

"Look at all the beautiful sakura trees," Ayame cried, slowing to a standstill and clasping his hands together.

The cherry blossoms, weakened by the torrential rain, showered down on them. Shigure, too, could not resist stopping to admire the flowers. Hatori, about ready to pull his hair out in frustration, made a U-turn to drag the other two forward.

Hair now dotted with pink blossoms, Ayame sighed indulgently, "I have a new, better name for our three-man club, Gure-san!"

"What, Aya?" Shigure responded blissfully.

"The Super Handsome Blossom Trio!"

"Oh, Aya!" exclaimed Shigure. "A perfect name!"

The moment was ruined when Hatori grabbed each teen forcefully by the hair and physically yanked them away from the trees.

"There it is," Hatori announced soon enough, as they squatted or knelt down behind a large hedge. "The Main House."

"I don't like this," Shigure remarked for the umpteenth time. "It's like we're betraying Akito."

"Like?" Hatori echoed, casting a determined gaze on his cousin. "Shigure. We are betraying Akito."

Shigure's eyes doubled in size at Hatori's bold statement.

Akito must know, a loyal little voice told Shigure's mind. He must know that Hatori and Ayame have turned their backs on him.

But, Shigure replied silently, I have, too.

You don't have to say that, Loyalty insisted. Then again, then you'll be betraying two people—Tori and Aya. So what's better, Shigure? Betraying one person or two?

Shigure looked up to find both of his cousins staring curiously at him. Then he knew his answer.

One.

"Are you holding up alright?" Hatori whispered.

"Yeah, sure, great, why?" Shigure rushed at once.

Ayame explained, "You were spacing out over Siberia, Gure! Oh, dear, what ails you?"

Looking out between the branches of the hedge, Hatori said without looking at his companions, "This is all wrong. I shouldn't've dragged you both into this 'mission'. I shouldn't've even told you, actually. I didn't give you any choice, either."

Shigure and Ayame glanced at each other.

"So here it is," Hatori continued, eyes still fixed on the Main House. "Your first and last chance to back out, no questions asked. Just go. And I won't blame you one bit."

After a brief, silent conference with Ayame, Shigure asked, "Go? Go where?"

Hatori almost smiled.

"Yes, where, indeed?" Ayame added for good measure. "We must off to my baby brother's rescue!"

Allowing a tiny smile to curve his mouth, Hatori nodded quietly. The pair wasn't exactly the Special Assault Team, but they'd do the job…

Looking over at them, he frowned. Shigure was trying to cross all of his fingers at once, and Ayame was braiding his long hair.

…Hopefully.