I do not own Fruits Basket or the song. :)

Enjoy!

"Thanks again for walking me home, Hatsuharu-san," Tohru Honda said cheerfully to the taller and quiet white- and black-haired boy.

"Mhm," was all Hatsuharu Sohma replied.

They continued on in silence, listening to their own thoughts and footsteps, when Tohru uttered a surprised squawk and fell flat on her face on the concrete sidewalk.

"Honda-san, are you alright?" Hatsuharu asked, a worried expression working its way through his normally impassive face (that is, when he was White Haru).

"Y-yes! I'm fine! I just somehow tripped over my own feet…" she stammered, face turning multiple hues of red.

Secretly relieved, Hatsuharu called her a klutz and stood up.

Tohru tried to stand, but whimpered in barely suppressed pain and sat back down, clutching her left ankle.

Hatsuharu turned back around and assessed the situation.

Seeing as he couldn't carry her in his arms because of the curse, and it was quite obvious that she wouldn't be able to make the two miles it took to get to Shigure's house without being carried, he came to the conclusion that he would have to carry her either on his shoulders or on his back. She was small enough compared to him that either wouldn't really matter… but a piggyback would be less conspicuous.

"Can you stand, Honda-san?" he asked.

She peered up at him, biting her lip to keep from whimpering in pain. "I-I think so… But I don't think―"

"I'll carry you on my back, so stand up."

She blushed, and stuttered, "O-okay…"

Tohru stood and balanced on one leg, while Hatsuharu turned his back and bent at the knees so she could grab his shoulders. "Hop up," he ordered.

Blushing harder, Tohru did as she was told and somehow managed to get onto his back.

Seeming not to mind at all, Hatsuharu started walking in the direction of Shigure's house, while Tohru's blush began to subside as she got more comfortable.

"Just don't hug me, and we'll be all set."

"Okay."

After a few minutes of semi-comfortable silence between the two, a song popped into Tohru's head. It was one that Uo had recently introduced to her, and she thought it was a fun song.

'And seeing as how Hatsuharu turns into a cow sometimes…' she thought to herself.

"Ne, Hatsuharu-san?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what this just reminded me of?"

He thought for a second before replying, "No, what?"

"Uo-chan just recently had me listen to an American song. It reminded me of this."

An American song? That reminded her of their current situation?

'Strange, what kind of American song talks about piggyback rides that Uo would listen to?' he thought. "What was it called?" he asked, wary.

"She said it was, 'Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy'."

Something snapped in Hatsuharu's head.

"Is that so?" Black Haru asked, a smirk gracing his features as his hold tightened around the oblivious girl's thighs.

You know, given his sense of direction (or lack thereof), it would be easy to get lost…

So, this idea actually popped into my head a few years ago, and it was originally going to be a quick little comic strip. I never finished that, and it reappeared tonight, so I wrote it.

Hope you all enjoyed. ;)

Much love,

child_of_the_moon

XO