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Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its characters.
Fic Type: Fruits Basket AU Period Piece?think Jane Austen times (19th century Britain) and pretty much written in the same style
Pairing: Kyo x Tohru
AN: I didn?t think an AU Furuba fic would be that hard until I attempted to write one. And I didn?t want to just retell the story in a different setting, so I kinda put my own spin on the curse, the relationship between characters, etc. Although some scenes still may be reminiscent of the Furuba tale, I?ve tried my best to be original. Hopefully, this story still holds the spirit of the beautiful Fruits Basket anime. So as to not make this an epic, it mainly concentrates on the main characters of Tohru, Shigure, Yuki and Kyo. But of course other characters will be making appearances!
Background: I?ve read a little over half of the manga, but certainly not all of it?and that was last summer. Therefore, much of my characterizations are based on the anime only. If you have read the latest manga and have any suggestions/extra insights to the characters that may be helpful, I would very much appreciate it!
Alright, with that said, I hope you enjoy the fic!
Chapter 1
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The girl numbly clutched the worn luggage bag, which seemed much too light to be holding the whole of her possessions, as she faltered slightly before her passage under the vine entwined archway leading up to her new home.
It was a modest sized estate, yet still held the attractive grandeur of the family who claimed its ownership. After all, this was only one dwelling of the Sohma family?s extensive amount of property scattered about the lake country. Many of the shires owed their prosperity to the Sohma?s and the fertile lands and businesses under the great family?s charge.
?Sohma,? the girl tasted the name aloud before heaving a determined sigh as she passed though the arch and walked steadily down the shrubbery-lined pebble path towards the house. It would be the name of her caretakers now, and perhaps?hopefully? belong to the people that she would even come to accept as her new family.
As she reached the door, all of the events of the past few days came flooding back to her, and she brushed away a tear, scolding herself for such foolishness while timidly grasping the knocker.
Mother would not want to see me crying, she thought to herself. She would want me to think of the happy times we?ve shared and be thankful that the Sohmas are so kind to take me in. She would want me to look at this as a chance to go to new places and meet new friends.
Only three days ago, the girl had lost her mother to illness. It was the swift and sudden kind in which ?nothing could be done?. All too quickly her mother?s once powerful and radiant form had slipped away. And all the girl could do was kneel at her bedside, gripping ghostly white sheets and soaking her tears in the crinkled bunches until the very end.
Her father, once a naval officer, had long since passed away in a wreck at sea. Thus it was a miracle that the girl, penniless and orphaned, had been fortunate enough to gain residence in a secure home with one of the most illustrious families in the entire countryside. Apparently, her mother had been a childhood friend of one of the Sohma ladies, whom, after much pleading with the head of the family, had secured the girl a place in one of the smaller manors. There, she would be a minor inconvenience, as far away as possible from the ill-tempered family master, and might even prove helpful around the house.
And now here she was, eyes wide in wonder, waiting to meet the occupants of her new home. She had heard much of the Sohma?s from the villagers of her local town barely ten miles away, and a very little from her mother. Mainly rumors circulated about, as most knowledge of the family was shrouded in mystery. The members were very close and not at all social, as such incredible wealth afforded little trust in one?s neighbors. Yet, some villagers even went so far as to whisper about a curse on the family, and those were the stories that always intrigued the girl the most.
Just as her imagination was about to run away with her, the door slowly opened and a quite handsome looking man appeared.
?Miss Tohru, I presume?? he asked in a jolly voice.
For some reason, no words came, and the girl continued to blink with her wide blue eyes. She managed a few small nods and was promptly ushered into the house.
?How pretty you are,? the dark haired young man said with a laugh as he repeated ?Pretty girl in the house, pretty girl in the house,? in a sing-song voice as he swiftly snatched and deposited her bag in the foyer and lead her through the front hall into the dining area.
?Oh, Yuki!? he called to the most beautiful boy Tohru had ever seen who was sitting quietly at a long lace-covered table sipping tea. The boy looked up at her painfully slowly, and studied the scene in front of him a moment before delicately setting down his china cup with graceful fingertips.
?This is her, this is she! The Tohru we have been hearing of! Finally a girl in the house!? the lively man beside her said, now bouncing up and down in a quite improper manner.
?Please, Shigure, you?re going to frighten her with your perverse undertones. And how can you be so energetic in the mornings?? the boy replied serenely, now standing, as a lady had entered the room. Certainly this Yuki character appeared much more gentile than his housemate.
?I am pleased to meet you, Miss Tohru,? Yuki said politely. ?I hope you will be comfortable here. I am sorry to meet you under such unfortunate circumstances, however. My deepest sympathies regarding your mother.?
?You are too kind,? Tohru managed to speak, thought it was barely above a whisper. She had her head down in a bow, as well, a habit of hers to display sincerity, and she was often sincere.
?And you must forgive me! I hadn?t even introduced myself before! My name is Shigure Sohma, and I am the master of this house,? the bouncy man said proudly.
?Just because you?re older,? Yuki mumbled defiantly.
?And wiser, of course. I?m a novelist, you know,? he told Tohru with a wink, as he ushered her into a chair and the three sat down for breakfast.
?A novelist? How wonderful!? Tohru?s eyes lit up as she took a piece of rather burnt looking toast, yet politely placed it on her plate. ?I love to read romance stories,? she gushed, surprised at how quickly she felt oddly at home with these two unique men.
?The very kind of novels I write!? Shigure smiled.
?The kind from the gutter,? Yuki yet again interjected his remarks lowly, although Tohru didn?t hear, and looked up at him, questioning with her innocent blue eyes.
Already, the girl seemed to tame his usual sharp bites that Shigure?s overly happy-go-lucky attitude provoked. He sighed, and offered the girl a small smile. ?Shigure may be a novelist, but he certainly can be loud and irritating. I?m glad you?re here, Miss Tohru.?
?As if Mr. Grumpy-Pants over here is any better,? Shigure teased. ?And he?s certainly no toast-maker!? he added as his carbon-crusted piece fell apart in his hands.
This received a blush and another remark from Yuki, and the rest of breakfast continued in such a pattern. The two playfully bickering young men made Tohru giggle for the first time in days.
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Tohru laid back on her new canopy bed and let out a very content sigh. Never had she expected such kindness, or such beautiful living quarters from her new caretakers. No, they were surely becoming her new friends.
After a comical breakfast, the two young men had given the girl a tour of the small manor, which they termed merely ?The Cottage?. Tohru, however, thought it the largest cottage she had ever seen. She discovered it offered them a bit of freedom and fresh country air rather than living in the famous castle-like estate of the main Souma house situated closer to London. Apparently, Sohma family members managed estates all throughout the lake country, where the true riches of the land afforded the family the most profit. The Cottage in which Shigure and Yuki lived, however, was quite smaller than most of the Sohma country establishments and existed merely for residence, with the added pleasure of a small garden and stables close by.
During a tour of the beautiful home and quaint grounds, Tohru learned the Sohma Cottage had few servants, and Tohru was surprised that the boys had managed this long basically on their own. She discovered they had a stable-hand, and part time cooks and maids, however the housekeepers were often transferred to the larger estates in need of greater help. Although the Cottage required that one extra hand always be on duty, as the boys could barely manage to make tea on their own, often miscommunications resulted in a servant-less home, and Shigure and Yuki were left to fend for themselves. In fact, such a thing had happened when Tohru arrived, thus explaining the homemade toast the girl received for breakfast that morning.
Besides discovering how helpless her new housemates seemed to be, Tohru learned much of the workings of the Cottage, as it seemed up to her to keep the household running during such times as these. She found there was a market within walking distance to pick up fresh ingredients for the day?s meals, and a freshwater stream nearby provided water for cooking, laundry and bathing. All in all, it seemed a very manageable house to look after. It was a small price to pay in exchange for such beautiful living quarters. Also, Tohru felt she must do something to earn such condescension and kindness that the Sohmas had bestowed upon her. She was brought up with such a self sufficient attitude, in addition to an independent and stubborn will. However, if one did not see past her innocence and shyness, they might never know the truly complex creature she was.
Tohru did not even have to be politely reminded by Shigure, as he pulled her aside quietly when Yuki was not near, that she was not as fortunate in situation as the occupants of the house, and must be aware of that fact. Not even expecting to associate with the two men as much as she had, Tohru knew full well it was a miracle to be saved from poverty and raised in such a place. She learned that in exchange for merely seeing that the Cottage was kept in order, planning menus and conversing with the servants about chores and repairs, that she would not only be given a private room and bath, but lessons in art, language, and writing. It was such an advantageous situation, Tohru could only wish she had been given the opportunity under more happier circumstances. Even so, the girl found that her heart did not ache half so much as it did before her arrival.
?How did I get so lucky?? Tohru whispered to herself as she sat up from the bed and shuffled through her carry bag to fish up and cradle her most precious belonging. Her mother?s smiling face glowed through the glass of the simple frame and gave Tohru an even lighter feeling in her heart. She gently placed the picture on the dresser next to her bed and began recounting the events of the day to the captured memory.
?And I have to tell you mother,? Tohru ended her monologue with her latest insight, ?From my experience with the Sohma?s, I can?t believe anyone could ever think such kind people were cursed.?
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?What about the curse?? a mildly worried Yuki asked Shigure, as both men were quietly listening to Miss Tohru?s sweet ramblings in Shigure?s study down the hall.
The dark haired man sighed before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ?It?s not a problem if she doesn?t find out. If she does, well?we?ll deal with that when the time comes. There?s no use worrying about it now, right?? he asked, trying his best to sound carefree.
?Hn,? Yuki mumbled. He seemed deep in thought.
?Something on your mind??
Yuki looked up at his cousin a bit startled, then shrugged back into his easy calm. ?It?s just?I never expected her to be like this. She?s so??
?Sweet, innocent, shy, cute??? Shigure interjected with glee.
Yuki narrowed his eyes dangerously, effectively halting the older man?s lustful compliments, before continuing?
?Genuinely kind,? the silver-haired boy finished. ?And she seems so determined to go on, so quickly after losing her mother.?
?True, true,? Shigure agreed. ?But we must remember. She is not as fortunate as us, of lower breeding and connections. You must not get too attached. Especially if she finds out,? he paused. ?Our little secret. You never know what Akito might do.?
?Don?t speak of such things,? Yuki said suddenly, obviously growing annoyed. ?Just to break free of this cage, I will treat Miss Tohru in the way I please. To me, she has already proven herself a lady, and that is the respect she will get from me.?
?I?m glad to hear it, Yuki,? Shigure merely chuckled lowly as Yuki stalked away, further taunting him with his nickname ?Prince? and calling Tohru his ?Princess? for good measure. The novelist was always looking to tease his younger cousin, but he was surprised he was able to get such a rise out of him this time.
Shigure himself had been ordered by the head of the family to make sure that both the girl and boy knew their respective places in the household. Although Tohru was indeed of a lower class, it was always worrisome that a pretty, young woman in such cases as these might attract the affections of handsome members of the Sohma clan, which was hardly a desirable match for the prominent family.
However, Shigure, having completed his duty, resolved to bring up the matter no further. As far as he was concerned, the girl might be just the refreshing change needed to unlock the secrets, both dark and deep, of the weary and wounded Sohmas. Finally, a princess has come to break this cursed spell?
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Tohru struggled a bit with the large amount of produce, grain and fish she had purchased for the first meal she would prepare for the Sohma?s. Since the cooks and maids had not yet returned, it seemed only appropriate that the girl prepare dinner. Living alone with her mother, she had learned of housework and cooking, and besides, she wanted to be of some use. Tohru could think of no better way than to prepare one of her extra special recipes in thanks for the kindness in which the Sohmas had received her. Yuki had offered to accompany her to the market, but she instead convinced him that he would be most helpful by picking some of the leeks in his garden. And after all, she would have to get used to traveling about her new surroundings alone.
Tohru was thankful to approach the lane that turned into the Cottage grounds, and was about to pass under the archway to the house, when a figure separated itself from under the shadow of unruly ivy vines.
The girl was so startled, that before she could even drop half the contents of her groceries in surprise, she managed to catch her foot on one of the stones in the lane, and started to sail head first into the unknown shadow.
Everything happened so quickly after that, but she managed to feel two strong arms catch her and ease her fall as vegetables began to fly everywhere amidst a puff of orange smoke. She hadn?t even realized she had screamed, until she heard the worried voices of Yuki and Shigure call her name as both men appeared from the house soon after and rushed to her side.
It was at this time she remembered she had been both shocked and saved by an unknown person, and looked about to see no one near besides a mysterious orange cat on her lap. Tohru stared in shock and picked up the soft ball of fur as Yuki and Shigure reached her.
?I knew I should have helped you with those groceries,? Yuki said apologetically, yet his words faded at the sight of the cat. ?Not you,? he growled at the creature. ?Did you cause this mess??
Tohru was now thoroughly confused and looked at the cat she now held in her arms, to which Yuki appeared to be addressing.
?Would you kindly put me down?? the creature hissed at her, causing Tohru to drop the talking cat in astonishment.
?She dropped me!? the orange cat yelped indignantly.
?Serves you right, stupid cat,? Yuki scolded the creature as he attempted to help Tohru off the ground.
But the girl proved to be too weak in the knees, still absorbing the idea of a talking cat, and she slumped in his arms. The sudden contact caused Tohru to begin falling towards the ground once more as a puff of silver smoke this time surrounded her. Just before she landed, she saw Shigure dive to catch her, and in a final black smoke puff, Tohru was now back on the ground and both Sohmas had suddenly vanished. She now found herself surrounded by not only a cat, but a mouse and a dog among a pile of men?s clothing, and while all three creatures began to argue, Tohru felt her world go black. Surely, she would soon wake from this dream.
but kyo sure is hot!! hehehehe sorry am one of those horrorable hopeless romance ppl! eep 
