Characters: Shigure, baby Akito, mentions of others

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Fruits basket belong to its respective owner. This was written for entertainment only.

Divine Reunions

"Soon we shall meet..."

Like a warm, gentle breeze she whispered to her beloved animals. The wild spirits of the animals began to quiet; and one by one, each of them broke down in tears- overjoyed at the prospect of seeing their master or perhaps fearful of incurring her wrath. Silent tears streamed down their cheeks until finally they could not contain their feelings anymore. Eagerly the jyuunishi crowed about Ren-san, sobbing and begging to touch her belly, begging to be a bit closer to god.

The old members of the Souma family rejoiced with the news. Akira-san, too, fell in love with the unborn child, more and more everyday as it grew inside his wife's womb. This would be a special child, they whispered, a very special child indeed.

The only one that thought differently was Ren-san. She would sigh when there was a mention about her pregnancy, would grit her teeth when gifts would be sent to the baby, and would snap whenever her husband spoke tenderly to the unborn child.

While those around her loved and praised the unborn child, she began to despised the being growing inside her.

"Why do you hate her?"

The question momentarily distracted Ren from her reading.

With an effort she sat up, throwing aside the cushions and pillows that gathered about her, she looked at the boy who had easily asked such an odd question. Shigure looked up from his homework, a devilish smile on his handsome features.

Already seven-months pregnant, the servants insisted that she should stay in bed and not overexert herself. Although it seemed logical to becoming bedridden this late in her pregnancy, Ren knew this confinement was due to her wild tempers. She had steadily been getting worse- screaming, cursing, and throwing things- until finally the servants deemed it necessary to confine her until the baby was born. Naturally Ren had been upset and would have violently protested on the the possibility of being imprisoned in her room, but Akira-san hadn't insisted and she felt complied to listen to him.

Shigure had been her frequent visitor while she was confined. Granted the other jyuunishi and Akira-san occasionally came to sit quietly with her, but only Shigure would come everyday, sitting with her for hours at a time. He would leave only when the servants ushered her to bed, and would quickly return as soon as school ended.

"Who?" she asked already knowing who he was referring to.

He stood and crossed the room, gently touching her swollen belly. "I've notice your face for a long time now... Why do you hate her?" Shigure repeated himself.

She felt the baby move as he touched her belly, and it suddenly sickened her: this bond everyone spoke about. Not yet born, this child and the jyuunishi were so closely entwined together, both of them desperate to finally meet one another. It was not natural.

"Him," she corrected. "It will be a boy."

She knew that the child would be a girl, but Ren was adamant about raising it as a boy. Somehow, she had crudely reasoned, a boy would bring less competition for her husband's love. Akira had been hesitant, the servants outraged but when Ren threatened the well-being of the child, she got her way.

"Why do you hate him then?"

She snorted, sharply turning her head to the side. "All this fuss is ridiculous that's all." She answered as though it was such an obvious thing.

Shigure said nothing, as he continued to touch her swollen belly, his mind somewhere far away. He could see her so clearly right now, a compassionate being that was easing the savage barking and howling of the dog within him. The spirits have always been restless, scratching and crawling in the back of their minds, desperate to find a way out. But now he could feel that brutal dog behaving itself with the possibility of it's master so close by.

"Of course this is all a big fuss," he said slowly, drawing his hand away, a bright smile on his face. "It is a baby after all! And babies are sooo cu~uute!"

-

It was during homeroom when he felt it. The anticipation, the excitement, the fear- the dread one feels when someone important is about to arrive.

"Ren-san must be in labor," Hatori whispered as the teacher wrote something on the board. Normally attentive and quiet during class, Hatori set aside his pencil and books, his mind too busy to listen about multiplication. Ayame had responded differently as well: All morning he had yet to say one obnoxious or narcissistic comment. For once his pretty face was serious. Both Ayame and Hatori had a course of complex emotions running through their heads.

It was a terrible dream when she spoke to them- a horrible dream filled with such bitter, sad memories that seemed to mix up reality and delusions and left them paralyzed with fear.

Only Shigure maintained his carefree, jovial personality all morning. He was not scared, he told his two friends as they walked towards their next class.

"Gure-san," Ayame said looking up at him peculiarly his face as pale as his long, beautiful hair. "How can you say that? That nightmare was horrible- to this day I can't help but shudder at it."

He smiled, laughing somewhat to himself. "Are we that different than? When I think back on that dream, I feel no sadness or pain, rather an inexplicable joy and happiness."

Ayame shuddered, while Hatori remained quietly observing his friend. "Is that why you have been with Ren-san? Because you are eagerly anticipation her arrival instead of dutifully waiting for it?"

Shigure said nothing. He knew that the other jyuunishi felt different about the arrival of their new master. Whereas he felt anxious and overjoyed, the other jyuunishi mostly felt frightened. Of course they would never mention their dread, but this obedience and loyalty was the result of fear towards their new master, not love.

"I'm looking forward to finally meeting her," he concluded the smile still on his face. "And I'm not afraid."

His two friends maintained their silence. Not one of them could concentrate at school. Twice Hatori gave the wrong answer to the class, Ayame forgot to create some elaborate story as to why he was wearing a fur coat on a cool autumn, and Shigure sat in the back of the classroom, not making a single joke or peep. Students and teacher asked if everything was alright but Shigure laughed it off saying everything was perfectly well.

Finally they arrived in their last class, still shaken and pale from the morning. They sat quietly in their desks, waiting for the lesson to begin- their minds too occupied to even notice that the teacher had entered the classroom. While the teacher mumbled off into the distance, Shigure's mind wandered. Despite the chilling pain and sadness, no one remembered the exact details of the nightmare. On that morning the dream- no was it a memory?- had become forgotten, and they had been left sobbing at the extraordinary sadness.

But Shigure tried his best to remember. He remembered that God was beautiful, kind and benevolent, but really lonely. He invited all the animals together for a grand banquet and then gave each of his guests a special gift so that they would all continue to live in eternal bliss, always laughing and singing in the banquet.

"We will have a banquet again. Once again many times... always... unchanging..."

Shigure snapped his head to the side, throwing a glance at his cousins. "She's here, isn't she?" he said. Neither Ayame nor Hatori said anything. Both were pale, a bewildered look in their eyes.

He quickly rose from his chair, knocking the chair on the floor. It made a harsh clattered in the classroom, causing all eyes to fall on him. "Shigure-kun?" the teacher questioned harshly.

"What are you doing Shigure?" Hatori hissed, the sound of the falling chair seeming to have awoken him from his trance. "She's here," he repeated as if that was the only thing that mattered.

"Shigure-kun, take you seat this instant!"

"Wait-wait...Gure-san what are you doing?" Ayame called out.

The boy ran from his desk, ignoring the protests of the teacher and the wild looks of the students, as he opened the door and ran out. The hallway was empty except for teachers that happened to be on break. Immediately they called out at him to get back to class, but Shigure continued running, oblivious to their yells. Teachers and principals called out at him, warning him of detention or a phone call his parents, but still Shigure continued running.

Right now nothing mattered. He could be suspended from school for all he cared, but he had to see her. He had to see her.

Outside the school grounds, he jumped the fence. The spirit of the dog, making him dash through the streets, in powerful motion.

He turned on a familiar street, passing by the 'Outsiders' of the Souma clan, who gossip of how Ren-san had gone into labor this morning, complete ignorant of the fact that the baby was already born.

Still Shigure ran, throwing open the gates to the Main House and going past the familiar streets and houses.

"Shigure-san what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?" One of the servants questions, surprised at his disheveled look. Panting, Shigure dropped to the floor, sweat rolling down his face and hitting the ground. "The baby... Is Ren-san's baby....?"

One of the older servants pushed the young maid aside, smiling happily. "Yes Ren-san's baby was delivered moments ago. It must be the strength of the bond that caused you to rush here, wasn't it?"

Shigure nodded, completely out of breath.

"Did the other jyuunishi feel it as well?"

Again Shigure nodded. "Can I... see her?"

The old woman looked as though she had been expecting the question. "But of course. Just be careful."

She led him to Ren-san's bedroom, walking especially proudly as though she had just delivered the child. All along the hallways, maids and doctors walked about carrying towels or linen, each one of them extra quiet as though afraid to waken the new baby.

Ren-san sat on her bed, sweaty and wincing in pain after the hard labor. She took a glance at him before scowling, no doubt disgusted of the bonds that the jyuunishi and this special child would share. She turned her head sharply from him.

"Shigure what are you doing here?"

He bowed his head. Akira-san, head of the Souma family, sat on a chair opposite the room. In his arms he held a bundle of blankets, rocking the baby back and forth. "Oh I see. It must be the special bond," he said with a gentle smile, looking down at his new daughter. "The bond must be drawing you together, the bond that can never be broken.

"Come then Shigure, you may see Akito."

He walked slowly, his heart beating rapidly against his chest, his palms sweating, his breathing hitched. Somewhere he heard the distant growling of the dog, softening with every step he took—the mad barks lessening and the angry howls quieting.

He was only seven years old, but already he could tell this would be one of those life-altering moments.

Taking a gulp of air to steady his nerves, he peered over the bundle of blankets.

Her face was red and her eyes swollen shut, but Shigure knew she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Her face was a lovely almond shape with a dash of dark hair on top and two beautifully arched eyes brows. A slightly pointy noise covered her face along with large, pouting lips.

As if noticing the newcomer, the baby opened its eyes, revealing two dark eyes as bright as two orbs. She stared at him, as though she were memorizing every feature of his face.

Tears flowed, unexplainable tears formed and for once the spirit of the wild dog became silent, tamed. It was as though he were seeing some old, dear friend that had been missing for so long. Someone that had left for a long journey and was finally, finally returning home.

The spirit of the dog lowered its growling face, placing its paw over its head, silently whimpering. "May I hold her?" he whispered.

Shigure knew he could never embrace someone of the opposite sex. The curse hindered such intimate contact and revert him into his true original form, but for some reason he knew that it would be alright to hold her. Somehow he knew he would not transform.

Akira-san gently placed the baby onto his arms, smiling as Shigure continued to hold the tiny baby, tears silently falling down his cheeks. He pressed the baby closed to him, still maintaining his human form.

A strong emotion engulfed him then, and he knew that he would always, always…

—always love this girl named Akito.