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My, My, Imai! Redux (2019)	By : VanillaToast Category: Fruits Basket > Het - Male/Female Views: 747 -:- 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 or any brands/names herein. The only character of my own making is Imai.

Chapter List
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The day, for Imai, was spent trying to help the maids clean up the awful mess that Ayame had left; pins were scattered across the floor as well as fabric scraps, though most of them were still pinned to Imai. It took the maids a good while to remove all of the pins and fabric from the rooster and put everything back in its proper place.
Lunch, however, was a noisy and violent affair. Akito had already been in an irritable mood, and Imai’s upbeat aura made it even worse. Akito cuffed Imai a few times though she had done nothing to incite the surprisingly light beating. She remained upbeat, however, as she was looking forward to seeing Hatori and Shigure again when they returned from their shopping trip.
Imai was wondering what kind of book Shigure would bring back for her. He bought her one or two every year, though they rarely survived frequent burnings by Akito. She always did her best to hide the previous gifts she had been given by her cousin, but Akito always seemed to sniff out some of her better hiding places. She swore that this year she would be far more careful with the books Shigure brought her; she was enjoying her nighttime readings in the security of Hatori’s home.

Hatori allowed Shigure and Ayame to do all of the talking as usual, serving as more of a babysitter through all the stores the trio went into. He had to make sure that nothing was broken or left out of place—at least more than it already was, anyhow; Christmas time was when the most vicious shoppers came out of hibernation and it wasn’t uncommon to see people squabbling over the last of the merchandise.
Most of the shopping was done by Shigure and Ayame, as Hatori had long ago lost all interest in finding the “perfect gift” for “that someone on his mind”. To him, it was all overrated, and he realized more throughout the day that he was simply content with the coffee he had been promised.

The last place that Shigure wanted to stop at was his favorite bookstore. While he enjoyed writing, he enjoyed reading just as much. Besides, he had to pick up a few things for Imai.
Shigure rifled through a few different novels, with Ayame’s gums flapping loudly in his ear. He really couldn’t find anything that caught his interest until he reached a section of imported titles. Shigure thumbed through a few of the books before holding up one.
“Hey, Ha’ri! Think Imai would enjoy this? It’s got to be better than reading all of your boring medical books, anyway.” Shigure jabbed. The book he held up Animal Farm.
Despite the fact that Shigure couldn’t find anything for Imai, he still had an armful of books that he could hardly see over. Most of them were not the kind of novel you would give to a young woman as a gift, however. Hey, he had to get inspiration from somewhere, right?

Hatori’s face was as stoic as ever when he turned to face Shigure. He had been busy glaring at his own reflection in the clean glass of the shop’s front windows when the dog called out to him. Hatori’s eyes narrowed, almost twitching, as he was barely able to restrain himself from hurling a book at Shigure’s head.
“Idiot…” Hatori muttered to himself.
As Hatori turned back to continue glaring at the window again, something caught his eye. Without a word he detached himself from his sulking and stepped over to it. Hatori hadn’t been out to get anything on their shopping trip. To be honest, Hatori didn’t even think the book he picked up would be enjoyed, but it would be his little secret. He took another look at his two cousins, making sure that the pair were preoccupied with each other before stepping to the register to keep it just that—his secret.

“Hmmm…” Shigure had already placed Animal Farm back on the shelf, giving it a few second thoughts before deciding that perhaps Hatori’s wordless reply had been correct. His sense of humor wouldn’t be lost on Imai, he knew, but he wasn’t sure if a book about a bunch of animals revolting against their master would be such a good idea. It didn’t matter if it was an American classic, Shigure was certain that it wouldn’t escape Akito’s frequent book burning rituals.
“Romeo and Juliet.” Shigure stated to himself, Ayame still blabbing at him though he wasn’t paying the snake any attention at the moment.
Every young woman likes romance! It’s pretty tame, I guess, and I know she hasn’t read it. Short and sweet! Shigure thought, adding it to his stack before grabbing a few more of Shakespeare’s individual works for Imai’s Christmas gifts.
Shigure and Ayame hadn’t seen that Hatori had bought anything, as Shigure could barely see over his stack of books and Ayame could barely see over his stack of fabrics as the three made their way back to Hatori’s car to go home.
After dropping Ayame off at his shop and his books off at home, Shigure rode with Hatori back to the main estate to give Imai her gift. He found her, as usual, in the garden. He noticed that she had a new scape on her cheek, though it was small.
He’s always kicking her around. Maybe I SHOULD have picked up Animal Farm. Shigure thought as he sat down on the bench next to his little cousin, handing her the individual copy of Romeo and Juliet.
“Here, Imai-kun. It’s a little early, but you know I can’t help but spoil you. Make sure to hide it well this time, okay? It’s a classic and very romantic. I’m sure you’ll love it!” Shigure said, smiling as he held the red-bound book to Imai.
“Gure-ni-san, you bought me a romance book? It’s… Not like the stuff you write, is it?” Imai asked as she took the book from Shigure’s hands, her face turning red. She knew very well about the things that Shigure often wrote about—she had once sneaked a copy of one of his lewder books from one of the maids before she quickly returned it where she’d found it. Imai hoped that Shigure wouldn’t gift her something so… base.
“Oh, no! Nothing like that!” Shigure reassured her, raising a hand to the back of his head with a nervous laugh.
“Thank you very much, Gure-ni-san.” Imai said, breathing a sigh of relief and smiling broadly. “I’ll take very good care of it, and I promise not to lose it to Akito this time.”
Imai knew the perfect hiding place for her books, now. Akito would never think to look for them in Hatori’s house!
“Would you take it to Hatori-san’s house for me?” Imai whispered, leaning in conspiratorially to Shigure. “Akito would never find it there, and I know Hatori-san will keep it safe for me.”
Shigure grinned and took the book from Imai, nodding his silent approval. He had taught her as well as he could how to be sneaky and scheming, and she seemed to be getting better at it!
The day continued to pass quietly, and Imai spent most of her time indoors. It was cold outside, and she didn’t want to catch a cold, though she knew that Hatori would be quick to treat it if it came down to that. Imai could hardly wait until her brother fell asleep and as soon as she heard Akito’s even, slow breathing, Imai crept from their room and down the halls. She took her nightly bath but felt that she hadn’t bathed so quickly in all her life; she was too excited to go to Hatori’s. Quietly, Imai poked her head into her and Akito’s room to make sure that he was still asleep. When she was assured that he was, she crept through the connected hallways until she reached the garden that led to Hatori’s porch.
“Hatori-san?” Imai called out quietly, knocking softly on the small frame of the door before opening it and poking head in. She hoped that she hadn’t disturbed him.

Hatori sat up straight and his eyes widened when the knock sounded on his door, a paper bag in his lap suddenly making a loud crumpling sound as he closed its top quickly and set it beside him on the couch. He turned his head fast toward the threshold where Imai stood.
“Come in,” Hatori said, only moments after making sure his composure was gathered and his features were set back into their stony place as if nothing were the matter at all.
He sat on the couch that night, with tea on the small table between himself and the other couch. There was enough tea to serve for two, and a serving platter right next to Imai’s new book. Shigure had faithfully dropped it off as Imai had requested.

Imai smiled widely before stepping inside and shutting the door softly behind her.
“Gure-ni-san and Ayame-san didn’t cause you much trouble, did they?” Imai asked, padding over to the couch opposite Hatori. “You guys were out all day. I hope you had enough coffee to survive.”
Imai looked at Hatori, obviously excited to hear whatever stories he might have to tell about his adventures outside with his two noisy cousins. Hatori didn’t talk much, but when he did speak, it was the way he told her things that always kept her interest.
Hatori-san could be talking about the funniest thing that’s every happened to him, and he’d keep a straight face through the whole story! Imai thought with amusement. To her, Hatori was so stoic that it often made his witty remarks even funnier.
Imai didn’t mention anything about the book that sat on the coffee table next to the tea. She knew that Hatori had obviously known about it, and it would simply be a waste of time to discuss it, but she still looked like an excited child about to open the greatest gift.

“All went well enough,” Hatori said, casting his gaze down to the bag at his side before returning it to Imai. “There were no casualties, no police at any point… And, we actually got things done. And I finally got my coffee.”
Hatori seemed to be thinking something over when he stopped speaking, his eyes not making their usual contact with Imai’s while they chatted. He watched Imai’s hands, instead, as she proceeded to pour him a cup of tea and slid it across the table to him.
“It’s only about four days until Christmas?” Hatori asked suddenly through his mountain of jumbled thoughts.

“No arrests? No injuries? And you got your coffee?” Imai giggled as she brought her own cup of tea to her lips to take a drink. “I guess it really was a good day, then!”
Imai set her tea back down on the table before drawing her legs up next to her.
“Yeah… Only four more days.” Imai responded to Hatori’s question. “It doesn’t really feel like it, but I guess it’s because we haven’t gotten snow just yet.”
It was then that Imai noticed the bag sitting next to Hatori, her eyes studying it for a moment before she returned her gaze to Hatori curiously.
“Did you get something for yourself while you were out?” Imai asked. “Gure-ni-san always told me that it’s nice to get yourself a little something, sometimes.”

Hatori didn’t verbally answer Imai’s question. He stewed for a few moments more as he seemed to come to a decision. He swallowed before taking the bag and sliding it across the table toward Imai.
“Merry Christmas.” Hatori said, his hand staying pressed on top of the bag for a moment, even after he had finished pushing it her way. His eyes rose to Imai’s finally, as if he were nervous.
Hatori was like that: cold and standoffish in the beginning, but when one worked on him well enough, he developed a soft spot. Imai had done exactly that with her innocent intrigue with his line of work and collection of books, most of which he had obtained though years in medical school. Hatori hoped that he wasn’t giving Imai the wrong idea or being too forward.

Imai looked startled at the sudden well wishes from Hatori and continued to be perplexed when he slid the bag toward her. Imai’s face flushed and she smiled, however, when she realized that she was being given a gift.
“Hatori-san… You really shouldn’t have.” Imai said, feeling guilty that Hatori had given her a gift when she had nothing to give him in return.
That’s the whole idea behind Christmas, right? Imai thought. You give and receive! I’ll have to send Gure-ni-san out to get Hatori-san something. I feel so guilty!
Imai reached for the bag, her fingers barely brushing Hatori’s as she pulled it closer to open it. Once she did, she gave Hatori an excited grin, biting her lip and wiggling happily as she looked inside the bag.

To Hatori, the gift wasn’t terribly impressive, but he refrained from being corny and saying so outright like everyone seemed to do. He did have a certain degree of uneasiness as Imai opened the bag, however, and even as she pulled the gift out of the bag, Hatori said nothing right away. He watched her reaction carefully as he occupied himself with taking a sip of the tea Imai had so politely poured for him.
Imai’s gift was a book about flowers; more specifically, a book detailing all of the information about the flowers that could be found in their region of Japan, especially ones in the gardens of the estate.
“The cover had flowers from the garden outside here on it.” Hatori finally said, holding the tea in his hands as he watched for Imai’s reaction. “Inside, there’s information on each one. I figured you might like to know what you’re looking at while you’re sitting out there in your free time.”
It was a simple thing, but a feat in itself; Hatori hadn’t given anyone aside from Shigure and Ayame a gift since the time he had spent with Kanna.

Imai had never learned anything about the flowers and trees she so admired in the gardens and so she was just as excited about Hatori’s gift as she was about Shigure’s. It was something away from the norm and it had been very thoughtful of Hatori to buy her a gift for Christmas. Imai knew that Hatori rarely purchased gifts, especially after Kanna.
“Thank you so much, Hatori-san! I love it!” Imai exclaimed, setting aside the book with a broad smile and standing to make her way over to Hatori. Imai plucked the tea from Hatori’s hand and carefully placed it on the coffee table before reaching down and wrapping her arms around Hatori’s neck.
It was a simple thing, but a feat in itself; Imai had never hugged anyone aside from Shigure. Ever.
Imai wasn’t quite sure why she’d given Hatori a hug; she assumed that it was due to her excitement over having gotten a gift from him, a gift that she really did like, and that she simply hadn’t been able to help herself.
Imai resolved to call for Shigure the next morning, in hopes that he would help her get a return gift for Hatori. She wasn’t entirely sure of what the dragon would like, but she already had a vague idea of what she wanted to get him.
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My, My, Imai! Redux (2019)