InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "too sweet??"

chibirisuchan (chibirisuchan) wrote in no_true_pair,
@ 2009-01-04 19:23:00

Entry tags:

! january 2009, author: chibirisuchan, crossover: ff7/fruits basket, crossover: ff7/kh, crossover: fruits basket/kh

More FF7/Fruits Basket via KH, Cloud and Tohru, Riding to the Princes' Rescue

Title: Riding to the Princes' Rescue
Author: chibirisuchan
Fandom: FF7 and Fruits Basket via Kingdom Hearts
Pairing/characters: Cloud and Tohru
Rating: PG 13
Prompt/challenge you're answering: Tohru rescues Cloud from some kind of trouble
Warnings: Not drinksafe.
Author's notes: It wouldn't shut up! And I have to get something written in other universes some time this month... so I whacked it off at the knees and here it is. (I'll link in from my indexes later; that takes a long time with 2 sites to hit in parallel and I'm trying to get this fic to leave me alone long enough to work on something else tonight too....)

He should have known it was going to be one of those days, Cloud thought. Tohru had been busier than usual, and that was saying something. And Tohru being extra busy was never a good sign.

Neither was Sephiroth's smirk -- but then if he was going to get his blood pressure up every time Sephiroth smirked about something, he'd have been dead from an aneurysm years ago.

Still, he'd thought he'd be safe -- relatively speaking, of course -- once he made it into the Underworld. If nothing else, Tohru was avidly, perkily, enthusiastically still alive. So whatever she was dithering over, he'd thought he'd be able to get clear of the blast radius if he left immediately after drinking down a cup of coffee, and he made extra certain to remember to bring his lunch with him.

He hadn't counted on Tohru recruiting co-conspirators.

He definitely hadn't counted on Sephiroth doing anyone's bidding without a fight he'd have heard coming.

So when Sephiroth stepped through a dark portal into the middle of Hades' throne room with Tohru in his arms, Cloud's jaw dropped open.

To be fair, so did Hades'.

"What the hell--?"

The girl bowed, promptly and formally, and said, "Hello, Mr. Hades. My name's Honda Tohru and Mr. Phil says that I should stop pestering him because you're the person who writes all the contracts for the Coliseum and I should get out of the hair he no longer has enough of to pull out. You are Mr. Hades, aren't you, sir?"

"Uh--" He looked like he was considering denying it. If Phil's reports to his boss had been anywhere near accurate, Cloud couldn't exactly blame him.

"The description was rather distinctive, Mr. Hades," Tohru said primly. "There aren't all that many people who can survive very long with their heads on fire."

"Yes, well, I've always been special that way," Hades said. "Listen, kid, I'm a very busy man, so if you'll just run along--"

"I know your time is valuable, sir, so I'll be as quick as I can," she assured him. "Since Mr. Scrooge was kind enough to help me understand the financial and legal aspects of employment--" and here she pulled a thick sheaf of legal papers out of her schoolbag -- "we analyzed the numbers together and have come to the conclusion that it really is more cost-effective and time-effective to keep your current employees employed, in one piece, and alive than it is to undergo the expenses related to ongoing job placement ads, pre-screenings, interviews, EEO requirements, ADA requirements, non-discriminatory waivers, criminal background checks, new insurance applications, new benefit applications, training time, and ongoing medical benefits for the employees injured in the line of duty--"

Then she took another breath. And dove right back in.

"--And once you add in the legal and administrative expenses related to the Coliseum's several thousand recorded code violations of the Family Emergency Medical Leave act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, the COBRA portable health insurance laws, and..."

Hades' howls of protest shattered several stalactites.

Tohru kept right on talking.

Once the dust had cleared and the damage reports had been filed and Hades had agreed to sign three new contracts under the condition that Tohru would never set foot in the Underworld again, Cloud had cornered Sephiroth and asked him why he'd helped the girl.

With a certain malicious glitter in the eyes, the bastard said, "I wanted to watch the carnage."

Cloud found that he could believe that with less effort than he'd anticipated. It did not bode well for his chances of being able to estimate Tohru's strike range in the future.

He really, really hated Sephiroth's smirks.

Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad here, right now: $0

(Post a new comment)

	myeerah 2009-01-04 07:37 pm UTC (link)
	You know, I don't think I'm alone in saying that we'd be okay with you just playing in this 'verse. This splendidly cracktacular 'verse. "There aren't all that many people who can survive very long with their heads on fire." I suspect Hades is the one feeling the heat this go-round. XD (Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-04 11:12 pm UTC (link)

XDDDD It's just that that leaves seven other characters (okay, closer to 16 with the number of runs through the lists I made in the sparks-hunt this time) standing there twiddling their fingers if they don't get paired up with Tohru for a prompt that would fit into this timeline. I feel like that's not living up to the spirit of the challenge, y'know?

But I'm glad you like the universe anyway. ^____^

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	almighty_frog 2009-01-05 01:30 am UTC (link)
	Damn you for posting this right when I have to go to work! Damn you! shakes fist If I end up going to work without socks on, I blame you. On the plus side, another great fic. I never thought I'd actually pity Hades. XD (Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-05 04:24 pm UTC (link)

^_____^;;; sorry about that -- on the other hand, at least it was short, so it shouldn't be TOO much time to read?

I think I pity Hades more than I do Scrooge, but it's a bit of a toss-up because I'm positive Tohru decided that his method of doing business could be greatly improved by redistributing a greater percentage of the profits among the employees in order to boost morale and improve retention rates and besides it'd just be a Nice Thing to Do and er yeah. And Scrooge was the one who was *helping* her. I suspect he may never make that mistake again, which is entirely not the result Tohru would have wanted, but... XD

(Reply to this) (Parent)

stopthatgirl7
2009-01-05 01:38 am UTC (link)

AHAHAHAHAHAHA*wheeze*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I should not have read this at work, because I was struggling so hard against cracking up the whole time.

If Sephiroth ever figures out how to really aim her and let her go, there is nothing in the world that would be safe. ...Fortunately, Sephiroth tries, but doesn't realize he's just as much in the blast radius as everyone else. Which is why Aerith just smiles an plotting smile and doesn't step in to stop Sephiroth's Cunning Plans (tm).

The barkeeps in Traverse Town will never, ever have to worry about how they're going to put their kids through school at this rate--Cloud and Leon will do more than enough drinking to ensure school is more than paid for. >XD

(Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-05 04:29 pm UTC (link)

^_______^ Yeah, right now he's still in the "point her in some direction and stand well back" stage of assessing the new weapon's potential. So far he's muttering under his breath about "it doesn't look like there is an edge to the blast radius. That can't be right. Either that or I'm going to have to get into higher level socioeconomic calculus to figure out the overlapping spread patterns because she appears to be not only devastating but also contagious and..."

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the bartenders have got it made. Cloud's still got those Soldier enhancements that make him more resistant to poison and status effects than ~~level 1 characters~~ 'ordinary mortals', which makes it a lot harder to get him drunk. So he has to be really determined. Tohru is an excellent motivator in even more directions than she ever anticipated... :3

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

stopthatgirl7
2009-01-06 09:51 pm UTC (link)

...it disturbs me that I can see Sephiroth trying to mathematically figure out Tohru's 'blast radius'. ...the boy is DOOMED. >XDDDDD

And now I have an image of the first time Cloud and Leon go drinking together, and Leon is determined to prove his manhood and keep out with Cloud, not realizing he hasn't got a prayer. And Cloud warns him once, but when Leon insists he can hold his liquor, sits back and lets Schadenfreude take over. >XD

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-06 10:18 pm UTC (link)

He is. He's so doomed, and he hasn't even got the beginnings of a clue. Normally my fic-arcs involve someone (usually Zack) slowly socializing Seph into analyzing less and acquiring more of a social clue, but in this case I'm taking the poor bastard from the initial confident state of 'I can use this' down into helplessly twitching bedsheet-clutching terror before Zack comes to his rescue and starts to translate from pastel-ribbons-and-fluffy-bunnies into a language he's approximately equipped to speak. XD

...I can totally, TOTALLY see the bar scene too. I wonder if I can wrap that around one of the prompts for this month. XDDD

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

stopthatgirl7
2009-01-06 10:49 pm UTC (link)

Sephiroth is not going to have a clue what hit him. Not the first clue. He's going to be ripping out his hair, only not because he knows if he does, she's going to worry, and do even more maddening things to him like trying to figure out how to hide the bald spots with sparkly barrettes with ribbons streaming from them.

...I can totally, TOTALLY see the bar scene too. I wonder if I can wrap that around one of the prompts for this month. XDDD

*snicker* I will love you forever if you manage that. >XD Or a flashback where Leon explains why there is no way in HELL he is going out drinking with Cloud AND Zack--he can barely keep up with one SOLDIER, let alone two.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-08 05:10 pm UTC (link)
	....IIRC, there's a prompt that goes "intoxication"? If not, I KNOW there's a prompt that goes "first time." :3 headdesk headdesk headdesk I want 2 more weeks of vacation! oh well... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stopthatgirl7 2009-01-08 05:21 pm UTC (link)
	Alas, the intoxication one was for last week. ;_; But there is a "I never saw THAT coming" for this week, "I'd hate to ruin the surprise" the next week, and "first time kink" the week after. halo Vacations are always too short. ;_; (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-08 09:56 pm UTC (link)

Now if it was "hate to ruin the surprise" followed by "never saw THAT coming," I'd be going plotplotplotPLOTPLOTPLOT already. :3 (though I suspect it's not the same character pairs for both?)

Oh hey - intoxication would be the bar scene; "never saw THAT coming" would be what Leon woke up in bed with the morning after. XDDDDD (And "hate to ruin the surprise" would be Aeris asking Tifa why she hadn't warned Leon about Cloud's tolerance...?)

They are! They toooootally are. ;_; Although I'll deal with short vacation followed by back-to-work when the alternative is not-having-work-to-go-back-to, I think. (meep.)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

stopthatgirl7
2009-01-08 10:12 pm UTC (link)

...You do know this week has a "first impressions" one, right? >XD That would also work quite nicely. And, even better, one that's "One more for the road." And next week has "eternal rivals!", "gambling for interesting stakes," AND "a wolf at the door." And the last week has "don't give up now" and "a battle of wits." *halo*

That is one nice thing about the end of vacation--having a job to go back TO (nope, I'm not fretting about the end of March, nope nope *chews fingernails*). I'm glad that we've got a three-day weekend coming up--it takes the sting off only having a week off for New Years (I took Christmas and the day after off as paid vacation, though).

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-10 03:06 pm UTC (link)

I already had other characters and other plots for most of those, though! And I'm still bloody determined to TRY to write in some other universes some time this month, though I was supposed to be on the job writing 6 hours ago and slept straight through my alarm. ;__; and a small furtive part of me says that when it turns to 'supposed to be on the job' and 'setting an alarm' that it's not exactly in the category of doing-for-fun anymore... ;__;

ouch - oh man, I hope that your job sticks around in March! We've got a 3-day coming up too but I'm supposed to be going to Chicago for con planning for part of it (spring is usually con-planning-chomped). Though I'm thinking about nabbing Inauguration Day as 'vacation day for purposes of sitting around with cat watching CNN and cheering a lot' too...

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

stopthatgirl7
2009-01-10 06:15 pm UTC (link)

Eeek, you slept through your alarm? Eeeek! Yeah, then it's not so much 'doing for fun' as 'doing for the monies.'

Oh, I hope so, too. The first rounds of 'We will not be renewing your contracts in March' has begun; I'm on pins and needles waiting to hear from my contract company, and holding on to the slim hope of my job maybe being OK because I'm the only native English speaker they've got who can read Japanese AND Chinese (barely, but the Chinese stuff is all beginner-level--they prefer native speakers to do the translation evals). I'll know for sure in a month, but I'm not hopeful. *hides under desk*

And Inauguration Day is a perfect day for a vacation. It ought to be a national holiday anyway. I know if I was still in the US, there is no way I'd be at work on the 20th. And good luck with the con planning thing!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	mitsuhachi 2009-01-05 09:36 pm UTC (link)
	Tohru! Poor...um...everyone. dies (Reply to this) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-06 09:48 pm UTC (link)
	nod nod nod I think there's going to be a motion to give the girl a warning label. if not a restraining order. XD (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	megpie71 2009-01-08 01:33 pm UTC (link)
	Well, I gave you the warning label back in the first comment I wrote about this series... what's even more fun is that it's accurate for her in Furuba manga canon, too. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-08 04:59 pm UTC (link)

XDDDD so how do the Surgeon General's cigarette not-the-fine-print-anymore labels go? big black border and stilted font?

(collection of badasses and villains standing around in the corners looking sheepish)

Phil (trying to put the best face on it he can): We all chipped in together and thought you should have this!

Tohru: (blink blink blink) (reading her new black T-shirt with the extra helpful information on the front) ...um?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	megpie71 2009-01-08 07:17 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, I think I see the problem. The shirt's black. Should have picked pastel pink, guys (the writing can be in black). She'd be more likely to wear it then. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-08 09:44 pm UTC (link)
	Sephiroth: looks at own clothing, then at neighbors Leon: ditto Cloud: ditto Leon: ... Cloud: What he said. Sephiroth: ...you mean people wear bright pastel colors voluntarily? Phil: Don't look at me, I don't wear clothes. Aeris: facepalm XDDDD (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

megpie71
2009-01-08 10:50 pm UTC (link)

Okay, I can see this is one where Zack's gonna have to interpret for the colour-challenged. Particularly since I have trouble referring to pastels as "bright" - but then, I'm the kind of person who can get away with wearing Barbara Cartland lipstick pink without looking either bleached out or bilious. But really, Seph, you should have a look at my wardrobe of shirts (at least four of which are either bright pink or shrieking magenta) before you call pastel pink "bright".

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-10 03:01 pm UTC (link)
	The guys: (furtive looks back and forth) (sheepish mutters) Cloud: ...anything looks bright when you compare it to what we wear? Aeris: I know. And I have exactly the solution in mind if you'll just hold still-- Guys (disturbingly close to unison): NOOOOOOO! running and/or flying off XDDDDD (Reply to this) (Parent)

	megpie71 2009-01-08 11:29 pm UTC (link)
	PS: Love the "stunned Sephiroth" icon. Beautifully appropriate for this universe. (Reply to this) (Parent)

megpie71
2009-01-08 01:32 pm UTC (link)

Oh gods, this 'verse always leaves me cackling like a maniac. So Tohru's gone up against Hades and won in straight sets, and Hades is letting her get away with it because the alternative is having her in close proximity, and that would be a Very Bad Thing as far as he's concerned.

I also love Cloud's precautions, such as making damn certain he remembers his lunch. In a lot of ways, he's much cannier about the danger Tohru represents than Sephiroth is, since he *knows* what can happen when you let yourself be swayed by someone else's Good Intentions. First your "tough guy" image goes, then your peace of mind, then your dignity, and after that your sanity follows quickly, as it becomes easier to just give up and go along with it. The consequences of not cooperating are even worse. He's also the one I feel for most in this particular series, since he's the one who *knows* what's coming, and he's busy trying to get out of the way of the tsunami. Problem is, everyone else in the universe is busy walking down to the beach, and he's still a bit too polite to just barge through them all.

Leon I have less sympathy for (although this may be because I'm currently working my way through FFVIII at the moment, and I've got sick of him angsting at everyone for no good reason).

Oh, and Sephiroth cooperating because he wanted to get his own back at Hades is very believable. I'm not too sure he's aware of the back-blast effect, though.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-08 05:08 pm UTC (link)

^_______^ Yay - I'm glad it's holding up!

And yeah, Cloud might well have it worst because he's aware of the impending doom, as opposed to 'still walking around in a state of cheerful ignorance,' and yet he's caught between the gotta-be-a-good-guy-reaction of 'she's a harmless little girl, go along with it' and the scrambling-to-salvage-dignity-reaction of 'run away, far away, right now if not sooner.' *fluffles his chocobo-fuzzy head*

Sephiroth doesn't have any idea what Tohru's strike radius (and infection rate) really is. I think he's still trying to cling to his mental badass-image, unaware of the fact that badass may reliably win in mortal-combat but reliably loses to perkycute in everyday-life-with-groceries. :3

(Reply to this) (Parent)

loving this
(Anonymous)
2009-01-11 07:41 pm UTC (link)

*de-lurks self-consciously*
Hi!
Just wanted to say that I am absolutely loving this 'verse you've created and all the effort you're putting in to fleshing it out. You have Tohru down absolutely perfectly, and the balance of banter, earnestness (Tohru), and pure snark (the 'gentlemen') is a delight to read. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to reading when I log on.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: loving this chibirisuchan 2009-01-12 07:23 pm UTC (link)
	^_____^ Thank you! I'm hoping to get more finished for it to go with some of this month's prompts, but I'm claimed 10 hours a day most weekdays and 14 hours a day on the middle three and free time is not a keyword you use when you search for my life. XD But I'm going to try... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	armina 2009-01-20 10:46 am UTC (link)
	I don't suppose I could offer myself as your slave for your continuing in this absolutely delicious 'verse? I love you and stare in delighted awe at this crackilisous world. ^_______________________________^ (Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-20 08:38 pm UTC (link)

Hmmm. Do you think you can pass for me at work enough to keep me employed to pay for my mortgage? ^_~ Anyhow, glad you like it! I have at least 4 other universes that are wanting to get themselves written this month, although given the number of days left and how few of them I have free I'm not going to put money on it, but I am figuring on writing more of these once January's done. :)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	armina 2009-01-21 02:19 pm UTC (link)
	HA! I'm having enough trouble just being myself in that. Oh well, to bad, so sad. Whatever you manage to get written will be eagerly devoured, so write with a will! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	raisedbymoogles 2009-01-20 12:14 pm UTC (link)
	...I love this 'verse. Just adore it and want to bring it flowers. ^___^ There is no defense against Tohru, is there? She's just - so - Tohru-ish. XD (Reply to this) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-20 08:40 pm UTC (link)
	heee! Yeah, there is no winning against Tohru. There's just trying to find shelter upwind from the backblast and hoping for survival without too much pastel being spattered all over the landscape when the explosions have died down. XD (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	raisedbymoogles 2009-01-20 08:48 pm UTC (link)
	....And when the smoke clears, there's Cloud, wearing oh-my-Bahamut-actual-colors, dazed and with ribbons in his hair. :D (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-27 09:34 pm UTC (link)
	Pastels!Cloud: enormous chibi eyes going blink blink ...bwuh? Pastels!Leon: ...whimper SparkliesOnTheBlackLeather!Dissidia!Sephiroth (surveying the damage): ...hmm. I suppose it could have been worse? (reaches over and fluffs Cloud's pretty blue hairbow) :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	von_uberwald 2009-01-21 01:34 pm UTC (link)
	A-ah, definitely a formidable weapon. I'd hate to see what happens if she ever actually meets Maleficent... (Reply to this) (Thread)

chibirisuchan
2009-01-27 09:36 pm UTC (link)

XDDDDDDD I really don't know who I'd be more afraid of corrupting whom there. Give Maleficent the tools to imitate actual *caring* and she'd be able to twist Riku into itty bitty knots without a blink. But give Tohru the tools to *enforce* her Now-Play-Nice-All-Of-You dictums, and...

.......

you know, I think Tohru is the scarier one in that scenario. At least you still know what you're getting into with Maleficent.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	von_uberwald 2009-01-28 02:23 pm UTC (link)
	Hehehe, can't be any scarier than having Aeris being the only one right now halfway able to aim Tohru. And I was wondering too how FUN it would be to bring Ayame into that world but then my brain interjected with, 'What about Shigure?' and then shortcircuited for a moment as I attemplted to imagine what it would be like with both him and Zack there... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	arin_rowan 2009-01-22 08:07 am UTC (link)
	...I saw Hades and Tohru in the same paragraph, and the very image of the fireworks that would soon take place resulted in me taking a break from reading because I was laughing too hard to see the screen. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	chibirisuchan 2009-01-27 09:38 pm UTC (link)
	grrrrrrin! And Ubercute ~~Strikes Terror Into the Hearts of Villains Everywhere~~ ...Wins Again! hee hee hee. Glad you liked it! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	OMG syxmaxwell 2009-01-23 11:21 am UTC (link)
	With a certain malicious glitter in the eyes, the bastard said, "I wanted to watch the carnage." Ooooh Kami-sama, that was BEAUTIFUL! he hehheh heh... The only thing better would be Zach and Reno egging her on (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: OMG

chibirisuchan
2009-01-27 09:41 pm UTC (link)

hee hee hee! I don't know about Reno, aside from my personal theory that Reno is probably Axel's Somebody if you can get around the name-structure thing, but Zack's definitely signed on to be part of the Tohru Cheering Squad. (I think he figures if he picks up the pompons of his own free will, he's less likely to be hogtied and forced into the miniskirt, so to speak. ...Aeris asks 'and what's wrong with the miniskirt? He's got great legs! All those squats, you know... mmm...' and Zack kind of laughs sheepishly and backs away....)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: OMG

syxmaxwell
2009-01-31 02:48 pm UTC (link)

snerkle... Or even better, The boys get to meet Tohru's 'real family' and their oh so shiny attitudes towards our latest Princess of Heart

Tohru: * big sad eyes* I-it's Okay minna-san, really *eyes all teary*

Arise: *pats Tohru's hand* Let's go inside and make so tea * give the boys The Look over her shoulder*

Black Leather and Emotional Damage Squad: * Growls, Glares, Cracks Knuckles, fingers gunblade*

Tohru's toadsucker relatives: *GULP*

Grandpa: *smug smile*

(Reply to this) (Parent)

reno and axel

syxmaxwell
2009-01-31 02:52 pm UTC (link)

personal theory that Reno is probably Axel's Somebody if you can get around the name-structure thing,

Reno: Red hair, all the self preservation instincts of a depressed lemming, fetish for flames and things that go Boom

Axel: ... nuff said

Reno: "If that's the case then why is you name..."

Axel: "Meh, i like to be different"

Cloud: *Traumatised* There are TWO if them now * WHimper*

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	youko_rayah 2009-02-07 05:53 pm UTC (link)
	Damn it! I need a FB/KH icon now. and need I point out just how scarry it is that Seph seems to be able to POINT that girl now? If even only a little? too funny ;3 (Reply to this)

oxbonkus
2009-07-14 07:59 am UTC (link)

Proving--once again--that I have no self-preservation instincts whatsoever, I continued reading.

*looks around worriedly* Um. Now the colorful sparklies aren't going away. Hmm.

Oh, and before I run off to read the next part, I've gotta say I loved the way Tohru handled Hades. Especially they way she tactfully mentioned the description she was given. "There aren't all that many people who can survive very long with their heads on fire" indeed.

(Reply to this)

sophonisba
2009-08-25 03:02 am UTC (link)

...since everyone else has already commented on Hades, Cloud, and Sephiroth, I just want to say that

//"Since Mr. Scrooge was kind enough to help me understand the financial and legal aspects of employment--" and here she pulled a thick sheaf of legal papers out of her schoolbag -- "we analyzed the numbers together//

is possibly the most terrifying sentence fragment ever in the most awesome way. ^_^

(I expect she was steered in his direction by his grandnephews, who other than Aerith are likely to be the only ones with any clue as to how to work with and around someone like Tohru without losing oneself.)

And given the side-effects you mentioned in an earlier comment, I imagine Tohru is now one of Donald's favorite people (at least, until she starts thinking that Mr. Donald would probably be so much happier if he didn't react so irritatedly to such minor things....)

(Reply to this)