A/N: This is a collection of 200 drabbles which read sequentially in a fic style. So instead of chapters which link, these are just scenes that following continuously in the same time frame. Not to say there aren't flashbacks…like 002. But…yeah. This overall structure saves time while writing and I thought it would also be fun to experiment this way.

Well, that and I'd never get all the ideas I want to get done otherwise. And it was also a good opportunity to use the lists of prompt I found on LJ while reading their far wider collection of tb/x fandom. This one is from archerastar's 200 writing prompt challenge 2011. So it's not 2011…but I don't have an LJ account to formally do these competitions either. :)

Reason I'm putting five in one because it'll take forever to upload 200 otherwise. Reason I didn't combine more is because it seems too long and less effective. So five drabbles per chapter, a total of 40 chapters.

Oh, guess what. Koji and Yuki both can't cook. Yuki's the rat in Fruits Basket. And despite Koichi being the main character, no Koichi this chapter. No Tommy either though. They both get introduced later on.

The Curse of the Cat

001. Crash

For weeks Koji had been unable to accept there were some who wanted to be his friend. Cold, almost aloof, he kept them at arm's length like everyone else; they however had shown a persistence that astounded him.

Unsure why, he found himself giving in, and in the company of and a strong-willed blonde hailing from Italy, a fiery rather reckless brunette and a magician extraordinaire in the making, he found his own icy exterior melting onto a pool at his feet.

He knew melting ice was dangerous; hard ice, completely frozen, was dry and friction kept one from slipping upon it. It was true one could get burnt if they stood for too long, but when the surface turned into water and lubricated the solid underneath, it was so easy to slip –

– and fall.

And so he did, losing his composure for a split second, and that was all it took for destiny to flip the tables on him. Takuya had said something; of late, his snipes began to provoke more of a reaction, much to his delight and Koji's own chagrin. He had at that point stood in retaliation, only to slip on JP's bedroom carpet and crash into the nearest person as they stood to stop him.

As luck would have it, that person was the only girl of their group: Zoe.

And the result of their collision was the blonde flat on her back with a grey rat sprawled upon her stomach.

002. Dim

Fuyuno was the Head of their Clan, and in particular the God of the Zodiac twelve. Like his name, he was as frigid and cold as the winter. He showed no compassion in expelling the Cat from their Clan; the twelve Zodiac Members did not even possess the truth of their identity. Just one day, in the black-dropped snow, a small figure being led away.

Someone had inquired to the taller figure. The Head had simply implied she was a foreigner. One who did not belong as a part of the Sohma family. One who did not possess the Sohma's blood in her veins.

That day, around him, people had whispered. Whispered to the cruel fate that awaited that woman who lead the Cat away. Fuyuno ignored that; he was frail even then, but younger and the strength of youth kept him stern and upright.

'Koji,' he had said to him. 'One day, you will meet the Cat again. He will come to you, full of anger and bitterness and the tang of revenge. But you are closest to God. You are the one who reigns victorious over the Cat.'

That was, perhaps, the nicest thing he had ever said to him. Other than that, it was the love a God gave to his closest underling.

'…because no-body else will love you...'

And he would lift the small rat up in his hand to a dizzying height for so small a creature, but with little regard thereof.

'…if they know this.'

And the lights in the sky would quickly dim as each repetition bit a little more of his heart away.

003. Futile

Zoe was speechless, gaping at the rat upon her stomach and the clothes Koji had just worn. JP, who had just come in with the drinks, almost dropped them in astonishment; as it was, one slipped and soaked Takuya's shoulder.

The younger of the two brunettes jumped back with a yelp as the cold liquid touched his skin. His eyes though were focused on the unbelievable sight.

And Koji? Koji stood perfectly still, knowing it was utterly futile at that stage to hide the truth. Or deny it.

004. Erratic

If Koji thought his sudden transformation had shocked the others in the room to the core, he had severely underestimated them. Or perhaps it was simply the fact that their behaviour was so unlike what he had expected that he wondered for a moment if they weren't somehow related to the Sohmas.

Which they weren't. Unlike him; his surname was different only because the relation came from his grandmother's side. His father's mother. It was surprising really, that with as little blood as they had of the Sohma clan, he'd wound up as one cursed with the Zodiac.

The fact of the matter was that a cursed person weren't tickled upon their true face being revealed. And Zoe was tickling him, finger lightly dancing upon his abdomen. And Takuya had finally muttered cool and was now holding his clothes.

Probably a good thing too as he transformed back right at that moment. Luckily JP too had been standing, and managed to cover Zoe's mouth to muffle her shriek as her own hands went to cover the more important sense: her eyes.

But even before the cloth of his shirt obscured his sight, he saw the shine in chocolate eyes, the tender curiosity in lighter brown, and the tickled-pink expression on Zoe's red face – albeit mixed with her embarrassment.

And he quickly slipped into the remainder of his clothes, wondering if it were really possible. That such people really existed, who could not look upon him with even the faintest of disgust.

005. Loved

'That's amazing!'

Koji stared at the enthusiastic brunet. 'What part of "curse" do you not understand Takuya?' he responded, somewhat snappishly.

'Like…everything,' the other responded cheerfully. 'Considering you kept it this big secret. What did you think though; we'd hate you or something?' He blinked at Koji's expression, before scratching a mat into the back of his head. 'I guess you did think that. But…' He threw a pumped fist into the air. 'Whoever thinks so is a first class jerk.'

'You certainly have a way with words,' Zoe muttered under her breath. 'But seriously, why…umm…and without…' She went a little red again.

There was nothing to be done but to explain, at least, the barest outline of the Zodiac curse.

'So you transform into a rat when a girl hugs you.' JP nodded slowly. 'That would make dating rather difficult.'

'Glad to see you keeping things in perspective,' Koji responded, somewhat dryly but still caught in a thrall of awe. Somehow, all three had taken it relatively in stride. Albeit Zoe had panicked a tad, but it was more likely the effect of him appearing before her naked than anything else. But that was, just like their transformation, when hugged by a person of the opposite gender or when their bodies were under a great deal of stress, unpredictable.

'And how am I supposed to give you a hug for your birthday!' Zoe cried.

Yes, that really put things into perspective. He couldn't help but smile a little; these people, people who he could now call his friends. People who really loved him, and not in the word but its meaning.

'Oh my God!' Takuya cried suddenly. 'You're smiling.'

And suddenly, he had three faces in rather close proximity to deal with.