Haruka's Fanfic Journal

This was the result of a word prompt. The word is stated at the end of the ficlet. Not necessarily canon.

Nit-pick Picnic (Fruits Basket)

By Haruka (haruka@eastlink.ca)

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“Who said this was a good idea again?” Kyo muttered.

Ritsu blushed. “I thought it would be nice to picnic in the park.” He looked at Shigure. “Was it a bad idea?”

“Not at all, Ritchan,” Shigure reassured him. “Just ignore Kyo.”

“You should be used to hearing that,” Yuki remarked to his orange-haired cousin.

“Shut up, damned rat!” Kyo snapped back. “I didn’t even want to come!”

“Then why did you?” Hatsuharu asked curiously.

“Because the food was coming with us, right, Kyo?” Momiji said cheerfully. Kyo’s response was cut off as the little blonde pointed ahead of them. “There’s a good spot, right there under that tree!”

The six Soumas trooped over and put down their picnic supplies. Ritsu and Shigure spread out the blanket on the grass.

“All right, let’s unpack lunch!” Shigure eagerly reached for the basket.

Before long, everyone had a sandwich and drink and all was well … for a few moments.

“Hey, who put leek in my sandwich?!” Kyo exclaimed, spitting out the contents of his mouth.

“You’re revolting,” Yuki commented.

“I’ll be YOU’RE the one who did it!” Kyo accused.

“No, he isn’t, I did,” Ritsu whimpered, his eyes growing big and liquidy. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know that you didn’t like leek! I’ve ruined our picnic!”

“How can you not know I don’t like leek?!” Kyo yelled. “EVERYONE in this family knows it!”

“Now the entire free world knows, too,” Shigure remarked, glancing around at the startled looks they were getting.

“Don’t YOU start, pervert dog!”

“Here’s some banana bread, Kyo.” Hatsuharu passed it to him.

“_Banana_ bread, Ritchan?” Momiji giggled.

The pretty twenty-year-old blushed again. “I like banana bread best.”

“That’s okay – you’re the Monkey, it makes sense.” Momiji grinned. “Besides, I like carrot cake!”

“What are we going to do after lunch?” Yuki asked.

“Oh, relax for a while,” Shigure said, stroll through the park, enjoy the beauty of the day ….”

“I brought this!” Momiji declared and pulled a Frisbee out of his bag. Shigure looked up sharply.

Kyo grinned evilly and grabbed the disk, throwing it away from them. “Fetch!”

Shigure was off like a shot.

“Sensei.” Hatsuharu sighed, shaking his head.

Yuki and Momiji snickered and even Ritsu covered a smile with his hand as Shigure came back, Frisbee in hand.

“That wasn’t funny, Kyo-kun,” he scolded, taking his seat once more. The others couldn’t hold back any longer and burst out laughing. After a moment, Shigure joined them.

“You’d probably do the same thing if someone threw a ball of yarn,” Yuki remarked mischievously to Kyo.

“No, I wouldn’t!” Kyo protested.

“He’s right, Yuki,” Hatsuharu said. “Kyo wouldn’t bring it _back_.”

Kyo frowned while his cousins chuckled, but he didn’t deny it.

The rest of the picnic progressed as smoothly as any gathering of Soumas ever does. The boys ate, played Frisbee, fed the ducks in the pond, and kept Shigure from chasing the squirrels, with Kyo and Yuki trading barbs now and then.

Then a rambunctious little girl ran straight into Ritsu. There was a loud popping sound and a small, cute monkey sat in the circle of Ritsu’s furisode.

“Mommy, a monkey!” the girl said in wonder.

“Monkey? There’s no monkey!” Shigure snatched up Ritsu and hid him behind his back while Yuki quickly gathered the fallen clothes. “Time to go, boys!” Shigure continued with false cheer. “Grab the basket!”

The Soumas beat a hasty retreat, Ritsu-monkey clinging to Shigure’s back.

“I’m so sorry!” the Monkey cried.

“It’s getting late, anyway,” Hatsuharu reassured him. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Make sure you all stay surrounding us until he changes back,” Shigure suggested, then snickered. “We don’t want Ritchan being arrested for indecent exposure.”

Ritsu moaned and buried his little face in Shigure’s back.

“The picnic was fun, when can we do it again?” Momiji asked as he skipped along, swinging the picnic basket.

“I’m sorry I came THIS time!” Kyo retorted. “Why would I want to do it again?”

“Next time we’ll have to invite Kagura.” Shigure smiled. “I’m sure she’ll ‘convince’ you to join us.”

Kyo shuddered. “Forget it, I’ll come on my own!” He paused, then grumbled, “But next time I want tuna – no leeks!”

Grins were exchanged between the others, which may or may not have been agreement. Kyo would just have to take his chances.

--

(Word prompt - Park)

(2005)

Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya.

This fic is not to be re-posted.