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Like a Switch	By : Demonic_Host Category: Fruits Basket > Het - Male/Female Views: 4208 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own or make money from Fruits Basket or any of its associated characters.

Chapter List
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Like a Switch
Chapter Two

The twenty-seven year old man kept his grin in as he was greeted by the proprietor of the establishment as well as all the girls lined up in a row. Shigure felt like a kid in a candy shop as he looked around as subtly as he could. Even though most people wouldn't be able to see well in such a place he had no such issues. There were some small perks to being under such an animalistic curse, at least as far as he was concerned.

"Do you have any particular inclination tonight sir?"

His grin was so hard to contain but somehow Shigure managed. He surveyed the girls in front of him. This part would have been easier if Yuki had shared with him what you looked like. At least then he could have made some sort of basis to go off of. Well more than he did at the moment. Shigure remembered in a vague sense what you looked like when you'd been a child but after nearly twelve years he had a notion that you might look quite a bit different.

Only he realized who you were the instant he looked at you. The only problem was that you were already chatting with another man off in the corner. Which was exactly why Shigure thought for a moment that he could have somehow not recognized what you looked like as an adult - it was because you hadn't been in the line up. So he had mistakenly assumed that he would not recognize you. He'd been wrong; now that he'd seen even you side profile there was no mistaking who you were. Unfortunately it seemed that you were too preoccupied to even notice him as a customer much less as himself.

So he settled for one of the other girls as a house choice pick. It wasn't that any of them were lacking in beauty. Nor that he didn't enjoy making idle conversation with her as he loosened his tie. It was just that he couldn't help but be disappointed. Shigure hand put on a suit for just any pretty girl (even if he did enjoy the attention). He had wanted to talk to you. After Yuki admitted to neglecting to introduce himself, Shigure's curiosity had been peeked. He wanted to see how much you remembered or even how much you knew. Even without the exchanging of names you should have been able to remember Yuki. It wasn't everyday that Shigure ran into people with gunmetal gray hair and violet eyes even as Sohma after all. He couldn't imagine that you would have seen too many other people in the last twelve years with those distinct features either.

The night wore on as Shigure relaxed into the booth. He spent time with many ladies as the talked about all sorts of things. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't flirted a little here and there but he knew what line not to cross so he wasn't asked to leave. After all of that happened Shigure knew he would get to talk to you. Though as one hour turned into two then three and the effects of alcohol kept piling up, even he realized that his plan wasn't working. The way he kept subtly trying to get your attention by buying the drifting girls' drinks wasn't working. The dim lighting of the room help him to catch you eye either.

Shigure shifted in his seat as he finished off a glass of water between his beers. He let out a deep sigh as he rolled his head onto the deep blue leather. He had to admit that it was a rather nice choice to go with a celestial theme for the decorating. All the light fixtures were set up to look like tiny stars hanging down from the ceiling. The curved seats were dark and the way they were twisted and staggered gave the occupants a bit of privacy. Not too much of course, but just enough for comfort. And though he wasn't looking at it now the sleek floor looked like it had somehow captured a galaxy with all of the naturally occurring colors. Even if he didn't get to see you tonight the atmosphere and beautiful, attentive woman almost made up for it. Though he realized a little too belatedly that the cost of this one night was probably going to be felt for this next month at least.

"Would you like for me to call for someone to see you home sir?"

Even as tipsy as he was, Shigure sat up instantly at the new voice. The Japanese accent wasn't perfected but it did sound nice regardlessly. There was a softness to it that Shigure instantly felt. It wasn't the normal polite tones of the girls he was used to hearing. It was more like when Tohru let down her walls and spoke from the heart. In that way it had to be the best thing he had heard all night. Or that might have been the alcohol talking. At this point he couldn't be sure.

"No, no!" The dog in human form rushed to say. "I was just thinking."

"What about?" You asked with interest.

It was always interesting to hear to what people admitted to thinking about. Sometimes the more it didn't make sense, like with those who had drunk a little too much in your opinion, the more honest it really was. And that was definitely a trait you enjoyed. You liked rawr honesty, to see and hear the clutter or absolute clarity of someone's mind. Especially after being in a country that had a stricture view of "oversharing" than you were used to.

"I was thinking about you," Shigure pointed out without hesitation. "You haven't been in this part of Japan for very long have you."

As you shook your head, you took a seat that let you keep some distance. That way you could keep eye to eye contact for the conversation.

"Is it that obvious?" Your voice was almost in a teasing, playful tone as you looked at what you assumed was yet another businessman.

Shigure nodded slowly. "Don't worry, it's not or that you are hard to understand. Far from it. I just pride myself in accents and dialects. As a writer I know a bit about them you see."

The way that he was staring at you drew you in. His gaze was a little bit hazy from what you assumed was a lot of drink. He had already consumed quite a bit of beer, the ones with the highest percent of alcohol currently in stock at the bar. Even with that though there was an intensity you couldn't get over. It felt as though he truly believed that you were the only other person in the room and that he enjoyed that fact. Though there was something about that gaze that made you think he was keeping a respectable distance for your safety, which was strange. Though you realized that as he took you in, you'd been caught doing the same thing.

"Ah so it was my accent then. I'm glad. I tried very hard on accentuating my eyes tonight to help blend in."

Your eyes, even with the lighter shade, was about the only feature you had to show your ties to Japan. They were a wide almond shape, curving gently on your face in such a way that you could play up their shape or neutralize it with the different styles of makeup. After all, other than some major changes it was about the only way to help make you seem less like a foreigner. Though you doubted it would ever actually work. There was a certain homogeneity about the overall culture that made it so even though you were a recent descendant you'd never fit in as well as even your father had. You were too obviously not 100% "Japanese" for a total acceptance to happen.

"I have to say they are lovely," Shigure commented as he scooted closer to you.

You could smell the alcohol on his breath even if he wasn't as close to you as other men had gotten this very night. You smiled and made a neutral sound of acceptance as you made sure to keep you attention onto him as a whole and not just his gaze. It was much tricker a task than you'd ever had before. Which was disconcerting to say the least. Which was probably why you ended falling right back into work-time habits as you mentally tried to distance yourself from the man before you.

"You must put a lot of thought into your own appearance. I can tell."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Really? You must naturally be very handsome then," you complimented him.

The smile on his face was the first indication of what was about to happen. You mentally braced for it as you felt him scoot the rest of the way forward before wrapping his arms around you. At first it felt as though he was uncomfortable with the hug but that soon changed. Shigure practically pulled you into his lap as he straightened back up and ordered a few extra drinks loudly. Out of a sort of modesty you made sure that you were more angled so that your side was next to him rather than your front. House rules let the customers have some contact with you and the other Hostesses but you didn't want to let this man escalate the relationship so quickly. Especially considering that it actually felt nice to be under his arm and you didn't want that tainted just yet. It felt like coming home. And from the way that he beamed, you knew that he felt good as well. Which meant that he was way more likely to come back and that was good for everyone involved. You just hoped that he didn't get himself into too much debt. You worried about that on behalf of the customers even though the more time they spent with you and the more drinks they ordered, the more you'd get paid.

"When do you get off work?"

You smiled at him politely, though internally you felt disappointed. You had been enjoying the contact since you could pretend that this wasn't just a part of your job. Now you were going to have to backtrack again so he didn't mistake your position. You weren't a prostitute; that line of work was technically illegal in Japan. You weren't the kind of Hostess that saw clients after work either.

"A hard working man like yourself shouldn't have to waste his sleep waiting around for someone like me," you said with a hint of deferment.

You knew that he was a writer so it wasn't like he was a slave to the clock like most of your clientele but you were hoping he forgot that in his inebriated state.

His tone was surprisingly light as he spoke out, "I've waited for you to come back for years. A few hours won't make a difference."

You weren't sure exactly what he meant by that which was rare. Normally you had no problem figuring out what men meant when they said something. It was why you were actually good at your job. Right now it felt like he knew a secret that you were supposed to be in on, only for some reason you couldn't remember.

"I'm sorry sir, but the only men I will see that late at private are my father and my husband."

He seemed surprised as he pulled back to stare at you in the eyes, "You're married?"

You said nothing, just kept on a polite smile and passed him his cocktail as it finally came. The idea of a husband was sort of a cover up to throw that idea at home. You meant it for a future occurrence of course, for when you got married and not a present state.

"Oh what am I going to tell the others?" He asked dramatically. "Our little Anita is not only all grown up but she's married. You're going to break Aya's heart."

Your heart clenched. You knew that name somehow. But the realization that he knew your name set in to cover up that strange sensation. He knew your name; you have never introduced yourself.

"Ah, if you'll excuse me, I have to use the lady's room."

He seemed disappointed which was strange. Normally if you had to use the excuse of a husband the men that came around to this place lost interest. It popped their fragile fantasy bubble. That didn't seem to be the case with this one. He did however let you go so you could slide back off the rounded bench. You straightened your dress as you once again excused yourself.

"Hurry back!"

Did nothing phase this man?

It wasn't until twenty minutes later when he'd been in a conversation with another girl who challenged him to down the cocktail he'd ordered for you in one shot that he realized he'd been ditched. That only made him want to give a chase though. Shigure resolved himself to coming back tomorrow night and the night after to make sure that you understood he wasn't going to go away just because you were married. After all, a husband was a transient thing but family was forever.
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Like a Switch