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Mad Season	By : lucterna Category: Fruits Basket > Het - Male/Female Views: 1709 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Mad Season
- 2-Chapter Two
- 1
- 2
Well, here's the second chapter ^_^ I appreciate all the feedback I got! Thank you everyone!

Enjoy.

Also, the bolded English in this chapter should be regarded as if it were spoken in Japanese. And please keep in mind that the conversations between Kyo, Tohru, Shigure and Yuki are technically in Japanese as well.

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"You're home awfully late," a yawning Shigure commented as Yuki slipped inside. The novelist was sitting at the table, legs folded neatly underneath him and a paper spread out in front. The table was spotless, Yuki knew that could only be Tohru's doing.

Yuki only shrugged, disregarding the man a little more easily than usual. "I had to finish up a few things with the council; I didn't realize it was so late."

Shigure raised an eyebrow. Of course Yuki wasn't so easily riled as Kyo, but he was used to less cold shoulder than this. "Mmm, that's the fourth time this week. What sort of project are you kids working on?"

Shrugging again, Yuki did not answer. "Is Tohru home?" he asked, glancing toward the darkened staircase.

"I'm afraid not. She's at work tonight and I sent Kyo out to pick her up." That must mean the table was only spotless because the two hadn't eaten without Tohru around.

"Oh," Yuki nodded, remembering vaguely that he should know Tohru's schedule by now. However the thought unsettled him slightly that he'd forgotten. With a soft sigh he left Shigure to his newspaper and without another word, climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

Once there he crawled into bed and propped his pillows up so he could look out the window. Wilderness stretched off to meet the darkened sky until it blended into an inky blackness. Clouds were gathered in gray pillows, blocking out the stars and half covering a waning moon. Yuki watched them silently, his head pressed against the cool glass of the window, and he pulled his blanket up and around his shoulders. This was the way he liked to think, gazing out upon the woods behind the house and straightening his thoughts. At night the scene was tranquil and unbroken and he felt much more at ease. Here he could pretend away his crush on Mina Watanabe and hope Kyo brought Tohru home safe.

In fact, he could hear them as soon as they entered. Kyo's loud, brazen voice reverberated through the entire house it seemed and he was complaining about something. The sweeter, softer tone of Tohru told him that she was trying to ease the Cat's turmoil, though it did little to that effect. He smiled faintly. Even more so than the peaceful landscape outside, Tohru eased his mind without fail. Standing, he slowly made his way back down the steps to greet her.

"Oh, Yuki-kun! You're home," she said and a bright smile stretched across her face. "Shigure-san says you were working late at school again. I didn't know student council would keep you so busy!"

He could only chuckle softly and shrug. "It's okay. I'll try to come home earlier tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay!"
Kyo rolled his eyes. "Tch, the longer you stay out of my hair the better, you damned Rat. You can work all night on that stupid council for all I care."

"It's a good thing what you care doesn't matter, then, hm?" Yuki responded smartly. Before the orange haired boy could take a swing at him though, he was already heading back for the stairs. "I'm going to bed, see you all in the morning." Then with a soft smile in Tohru's direction, he made his way up and out of sight.

**

"Iwata, I'm home..." Mina called to the quiet house as she stepped inside. She turned long enough to lock the front door behind her and then ventured farther in, looking for her husband and little girl. From the kitchen she could smell something delicious cooking and so she wandered there first, noting the lidded pan on the stove and the small rice cooker humming beside it. However, her family was not there. So she moved on, calling Iwata's name again and Aiko's just in case.

Just before she reached the hall that the bedrooms lined, she was bowled over by a little girl crying in delight, "Mommy! Mommy!" Ebony pigtails bobbing, she wrapped both arms around Mina's legs and held on, giggling. "Mommy home," she cooed upward.

Mina looked down into her daughter's shining brown eyes and giggled herself. The little girl was like a breath of fresh air and her laughter was so infectious that no one could resist. She knew she certainly never put up a fight; instead she bent down and scooped Aiko up, hugging her to her chest and kissing her head. "Where's your daddy, Aiko?"

The little girl chewed her lip for a long while, thinking about her mother's question. One thing that Mina was grateful for was the fact that Iwata had let her bring the child up speaking English. He was fluent himself, so the household was comfortable. However, he was also teaching Aiko Japanese so that she could get around her home country in the future. Finally, she replied, "Daddy in his office. Daddy's working."

"Thank you, sweetie," Mina said, kissing Aiko's forehead again. "Let's go get him and see if he remembers he's cooking too..." She chuckled and Aiko giggled along with her as they walked down the hallway.

With the girl securely tucked against her hip, she slid open the door to Iwata's study the rest of the way. There he was, sitting at his desk and typing madly away at the computer. The odd blue glow from the screen illuminated his face in the half-lit room and he paused only to look up at Mina with a somewhat startled expression. "You're home," he said, giving her a warm smile and finally turning away from the computer.

"Yeah," she said, depositing Aiko back on the floor. She ran back to her father and hopped up into his lap. "You're cooking, you know." Mina chuckled again, glancing over her shoulder and back toward the kitchen.

Iwata scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yes... I know. I should go check that now, actually." He shifted Aiko carefully as he stood, and slid an arm under her bottom to hold her up. "Why don't you take this little thing and keep her occupied until dinner's ready?"

"Okay," Mina nodded, and Aiko swung easily away from Iwata and into her waiting arms. She stepped out of the way, and let Iwata take the lead.

"How was work?" he asked as the three filtered out into the kitchen from the hall.

Mina let Aiko go before she answered, standing and straightening her clothes. "It was all right," she answered honestly, "that boy, the one who comes in so often was there again today."

"Oh... is his English improving?"

She shrugged, looking nonchalant and sitting at the kitchen table while Aiko toddled into the adjoined living room to play. "I suppose."

Iwata glanced over his shoulder at his wife, watching the way she tapped idly on the tabletop. He would never admit it to her, that he felt awkward with that boy hanging around her so much. It was silly of him, he thought, to feel that way, but it wouldn't stop nagging him. However, looking at Mina and seeing that she seemed unaffected, he felt a little better about it. He smiled gently at her and when she looked up to see it, she responded in turn. "Oh, you know, sweetheart, I don't have to work tomorrow..."

"No?" She looked up in surprise. Her husband was the main breadwinner, and he sported an office job that came and went nine to five, Monday through Saturday. On Sundays and in the evenings, he was usually glued to the computer, writing articles for the local newspaper. It was rare that he had any day completely off.

Grinning at her over his shoulder, Iwata shook his head before turning back to the food. "Nope. There aren't any articles due and the office is closed. So I thought, why don't we close the shop and we'll do something together?"

"Oh, that'd be great! We could take Aiko to the park... she's always going with your parents, it'd be nice for us to take her."

"The park it is then."

**

Early Saturday afternoon found the silver haired teen walking down a familiar sidewalk. As he passed each storefront, he took a look inside, gaining from each a small peek into strangers' everday lives. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like if he'd been born someone different. Would he still bear some sort of curse? Would he have met someone so dear and kind as Tohru? And would he have found himself trudging toward that same bookshop to secretly pine over a married woman who only thought of him as a friendly acquaintance? He supposed not; perhaps, if he was someone else, he could lead a different life. One that didn't suffer from the same difficulties he faced here.

He sighed. His thoughts always turned so dark on the way to the bookstore. It was as if his mind found ways to drag him down, pull him through the mud and muck, so that he could see Mina again and imagine she would ease it. It was like some terribly angsty fantasy that would play behind his eyes everytime he passed through those doors and heard the faint tinkling of the bells overhead. He could see her face etched so clearly with concern; she would cross the plush carpeting of the store and settle in front of him. Perhaps put her hands on his shoulders and draw him close, just close enough to smell some sweet perfume, but not close enough to hug. Oh no, she would know about the curse and yet she would still accept him, and find ways around it to comfort him. Then she would look up at him, because she was several inches shorter, and she would tilt her head just enough... He would lean down and...

"Stop!" he growled to himself, grinding the heels of his hands against his eyelids. For several moments he stood there, his hands pressed to his eyes, breathing hard with the effort to stave off his thoughts. Thankfully they were chased away by the pain in his eyes and he was able to think of absolutely nothing for a few seconds.

Then he opened his eyes and saw that even through his vivid fantasy, his feet had carried him to his original destination. But the windows were dark and a small red sign in the window read "closed." He could not help the rush of disappointment that spread through him and made his cheeks grow hot. Before he could truly become upset about it though, he turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. Toward home.

"It's just as well," he told himself quietly, shifting his school bag onto his other arm and walking quickly away.

**

She took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of flowers and freshly mowed grass. A few feet away, Aiko was playing, picking flowers and tucking them into her hair. Beside her sat Iwata, reading a book with his back against the tree they'd settled under. Mina felt wonderful. It wasn't often she had chance like this to get out with her family. So often Iwata was at work and Aiko stayed with her in-laws that she spent most of the day cooped up in the bookstore or sleeping at home. Iwata always came to bed after her, unless they had planned ahead to make time for themselves and she put Aiko to bed promptly at nine, only two hours after getting in from work.

Sighing contently, she scooted closer to her husband and put her head on his shoulder. He was a comfortable man despite his toned and lithe build. Like a firm pillow that contoured just perfectly for her. She felt more than heard him chuckle as he slipped an around her and his hand rested lightly on her hip. A soft kiss was placed upon the top of her head before he went back to his book. With another content sigh, she closed her eyes.

"Mommy, mommy, look!" Aiko exclaimed only a few moments later, startling both Iwata and Mina out of their comfortable places.

Mina straightened up. She looked about for what could have excited her daughter, while asking, "What is it, sweetheart?"

The little girl waved her pink sleeved arm about in the direction of someone approaching the family. "Yuki-kun!" She had learned the boy's name early on because he came so often on the weekends and she was always pleased to see him. Sometimes he would play games with her; for this she remembered the boy.

"Yuki-kun?" Iwata turned to his wife with a raised brow. He had already an inkling of an idea as to who this person would be, but he needed confirmation from his wife before he jumped to conclusions.

The pleasant little smile on her face told him he was right, and she nodded. "He's the boy who comes into our store. He plays games with Aiko when she's there on the weekends."

It was then that the teen caught up to them, and he smiled politely, bowing his head to them both. By the fact that his school bag hung from one arm and he was still dressed in his uniform, Mina could tell that he had just gotten off of school. She wondered briefly if he'd gone by the store first, but did not ask aloud. Instead she bowed her head just slightly in return, watching as Iwata did the same.

"Watanabe-san, Mina-san... " He trailed off, chewing his lip in confusion. For so long he had only spoken to Mina in the broken fluency of his English that he was unsure how to address the two together.

Iwata saved him though, saying, "Douzoyoroshiku, Yuki-kun." He nodded to Mina, "My wife has told me about you."

Yuki bowed his head low again, repeating the greeting to Iwata. "Hai, I..." He glanced apologetically at Mina, before finishing in his native tongue, "I stop by the bookstore after school. You have a fine establishment, Watanabe-san."

Iwata smiled politely, "You're too kind. It is just a hobby and they are old books."

Mina decided she would never understand the Japanese way of denying compliments. She couldn't understand why Iwata couldn't just say "thank you" when he was obviously pleased to receive praise. However, that was the last of the conversation she could follow, for Aiko chose to hop into her lap and exclaim over the haphazard bouquet of wildflowers she had picked. It was not until Yuki was saying he had to leave that she was able to enter the conversation again.

"Be careful going home," she told him, sounding motherly and concerned. Her husband translated the sentiment for her and while the tone was different, she was sure Yuki had heard it in her own voice, whether he understood completely or not.

"I will..." he said, smiling vaguely. "Goodbye." Then with another little bow and a wave to Aiko, he turned and made his way home.

"He certainly is a polite young man," Iwata remarked.

"Very much so," Mina agreed, pulling Aiko into her lap again and braiding the picked flowers into the girl's hair. She giggled cutely and played patty-cake as Mina did so. "Is everything okay?" Iwata's face was distant and thoughtful, perhaps somewhat displeased.

He turned to her with a slightly startled smile, and shook his head. "No... I'm fine."

"Okay."

**

The house was silent when Yuki entered it sometime later, feeling strange and unsatisfied by his brief visit with Mina. It was the first time he had actually met Iwata, rather than simply seeing him around the store. Perhaps that was it; he was uncomfortable around the husband of the woman he harbored a crush on. That was to be expected and it was such a comfortably rational thought that Yuki clung to it and thought nothing else of the feelings coursing through him. With a deep breath, he thanked the powers that be for the quiet time and stole away to his room to do homework rather than think.
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Mad Season