Spread My Wings (Fruits Basket)

Congratulations

Sukochi's POV

I finished coating my pinky nail with sparkly purple nail polish, blowing on it gently and examining my handiwork, quite pleased with myself. Bobbing my head in time to the music coming from my clock radio, I hummed to myself, standing up and posing in the closet mirror. Powdery blue eyeshadow ringed my eyes, braided purple extensions hanging in front of my face. A long-sleeved black turtleneck tickled at my throat, a plaid skirt reaching my knees with a pair of uncomfortably tight leggings underneath. A dab of dark plum lipstick and chunky high-tops completed the punk look.

There was a knock on my door. Grinning to myself, I clunked in my high-heeled cowboy boots to the doorway, throwing it open and declaring in a heavily-accented falsetto, "You look wonderful, my dear!"

Hatori gaped at me. "I thought you were going for 'subtle'."

"What's life without some fun?" I clucked my tongue. "You look absolutely fantastic, by the way. Ayame really is a genius."

His hair was mussed with grease, heavy bags drawn with eyeliner ringing his eyes. He wore a pair of sagging jeans, a ketchup-stained button-down shirt, and a mustard-colored jacket, a butterfly-patterned tie hanging limp from his neck.

Just as I had hoped, his sour expression matched his wardrobe perfectly.

"Yep, I'm every bit as undesirable as I imagined," he mumbled bitterly.

"No need to sound so upset about it!" I chided, adjusting his tie. "Maybe she'll get the word out to her cronies and we won't have to deal with this stuff anymore. Two birds, one stone, am I right?"

He mumbled something incoherent in what I hoped was disgruntled assent.

"Excellent!" I trilled, striding past him to bang on Shigure's door. "Hey, doofus! You ready yet?"

"A lady needs her beauty time!" he wheezed back, before being wracked by a hacking cough. "Ugh, this perfume stinks! Where did you get it from anyways?"

"It's Minami-sensei's armpit sweat," I quipped. "Limited time only."

He made a strangled noise. "Not funny, Fujikawa!"

"Sheesh, I was joking! It's from the dollar store down the road."

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Just get changed!"

An incoherent grumble later, the door opened, revealing a disguised Shigure wearing a nondescript black hoodie, skinny jeans, and converse sneakers, a pair of Ray Bans veiling his eyes.

"Fuckin' A." I clapped him on the back, lacing my arm through his. "Now, supply check?"

"Can of Raid?" I tossed him the bug repellent from the pack slung over my back. "Money?" Hatori pulled a wad of cash and a coin purse out his back pocket. "And I've got the blowhorn, candy, and baby pacifiers...we're all good to go!" The two of us, exchanging a grin, charged down the stairs and out the door.

Too eager to listen to Shigure's mindless chatter, I glanced at Hatori, a strange feeling of dread nagging at me. He trailed a couple of footsteps behind us, his hands jammed in his pockets and eyes cast to the ground.

Oddly enough, he looked more Hatori-ish than usual.

"Pre-date jitters," Shigure murmured, as if reading my mind. "He's never gone out with a girl in his life."

I let out a bleat of nervous laughter, giving a shrug of my shoulders. What was I so worried about? Everything was going to be fine.

After about ten minutes of walking, we rounded into the leafy-green park and pushed pen the iron-wrought gates. Stepping aside, I mumbled a hasty "good-luck" to Hatori, who nodded curtly in response and shuffled forward. His hand reached instinctively for his rumpled tie, but he shook his head, sticking them back into his pockets.