The Puppet Master's Last Testament (Fruits Basket FanFiction)

Chapter 17: A Twitch and a Thump

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Fruits Basket.

What does it take to set the Sohmas free after Akito's death?

This chapter continues at the 'beachhouse', after the first kiss. Enjoy!

The Puppet Master's Last Testament

Chapter Seventeen:

A Twitch and a Thump

Tohru looked back at the taller man, shocked.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, her cheeks burning. She looked back at the house, and said, "I-I'll go clean up, the porch, again. Yeah, it needs some more cleaning. I'm sorry. I didn't mean too-"

She stumbled past him to the cabin.

Shigure sighed.

He had so many mixed feelings stirring within him. He looked to the ocean, and decided for a nice early afternoon swim to calm him.

His swim trucks. Oops. Ah, no one was looking. A little skinny-dipping never hurt anyone.

The sun was shining bright, and the water was cool. He went it.

Tohru huffed and puffed on the porch stairs. She wasn't supposed to kiss him! Argh!

She decided that a walk along the coast would help. She walked down to the sand, allowing the feeling of the wet sand oozing between her toes to bring her many happy thoughts. One in particular: when her mom and dad had brought her to the beach one time, long ago.

She sat under a twisted elfin tree and laid her head against the trunk. She closed her eyes, and dreamed.

Shigure got out of the water after twenty minutes. Hatori would call soon.

He scurried to his yukata on the sand, and covered his lower half. He walked back to the cabin, his chest glistening in the sunlight. Tohru was nowhere in sight.

He heard his cellphone ring, and he quickly ran inside. "Hello?" he asked breathless.

"Shigure, where are you?! You're not at home!"

"I'm at the cabin."

"The cabin? You've been there all night?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I went to your house last night to check up on Tohru. You'd better be taking care of her. Let me talk to her."

"Uh, well, she isn't here this very moment. She's outside."

"Well, then, give her my best regards, and tell her to be careful."

"I will Hatori."

"When will you be back?"

"Probably at the end of the weekend."

Hatori mumbled something under his breath, and said in a strained tone, "Don't try anything I wouldn't. Is this okay with Tohru?"

"I know Ha-san has a sweet spot for our little flower, but don't worry, I'm not like that. I'm not a villain, Hatori. Tohru is absolutely fine with the idea."

"Yeah," Hatori responded without much verve. "Stay out of the rain."

"Yes, doc."

Shigure shook his head at Hatori's seeming insensitive shell. The man had a heart of gold, but he never showed anyone, except in the strangest ways. Tsk. Tsk.

Shigure held off another peek in the empty fridge. As he dried himself off in the bathroom, an epiphany hit him.

He went to the computer and began typing. He had an idea for his latest book. It featured a petite girl with long, dazzling hair, big sparkly eyes, full lips, gentle, generous curves, a smile that could make any man go weak in the knees, and wore cheerful pink polka-dotted skirts.