I'm operating under the theory that you guys have missed me so much you don't mind me starting a new fic instead of updating my others as promised months ago? I hope... ::whimpers and ducks::

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"A masquerade?" Breathed Tohru questiongly, staring longingly at the engraved invitation in her hands. "A formal masquerade? Wow. Mom the dresses alone will be so expensive, but I can't not go.. That'll be rude to Akito-San. He did invite me after all. He even invited Kyo, mom!"

Tohru Honda stared down at the picture in her hands of her mother explaining to her about the ball. Tohru was excited, to say the least, while the other Sohma's held disbelief and caution in their hearts and minds. It was beyond odd that Akito would invite them all to a ball, even the often excluded cat and the "monster of a woman", Tohru.

Standing erect and placing the picture on the nightstand on her bed, the brunette glanced towards her vanity mirror. Tucking the long strands of chocolate-colored length behind her ears, she twirled, dancing with glee about her room and invisioning the night to come.

Kyo Sohma happened to pass by, catching glimpses of the little ballerina in the room down the hall from him. A slightly calloused hand ran through his hair as a smile tugged at his lips. She was excited and because she was happy he became happy. While nervous about the outcome, he couldn't help but want to go. Not only would he experience the change to attend something with the entire Sohma family, he'd be able to see Tohru look outstanding in whichever dress she chose.

At the thought of Tohru dressed in her formals as the invitation specified, Kyo groaned aloud. He had finally come to the realization that he would also be in a tuxedo, dressed formerly and matching every other Sohma male there.

Yuki paused in mid-page having caught Kyo's groan. Grimacing his displeasure at being interrupted he glanced up and opened his mouth to speak, only to blush scarlet when he spotted Tohru twirling out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen. Her dancing reminded him that he would need to learn how to do such before the ball.

A frown then tugged at him as he realized that he was attending the ball at Akito's request. Suspiscion immediately took over when he spotted his own invitation but he said nothing. Held his tongue as not to worry Tohru. The young woman seemed especially excited over it, as she had not attended such things before. That, and Yuki knew she enjoyed dressing up.

"G'Morning Honda-San," Yuki announced politely, setting aside his reading material to give her the usual smile.

Tohru stopped twirling and swaying, blushing scarlet and turning towards Yuki. "Yuki-Kun! Forgive me for not saying earlier good morning sooner. Did you sleep well?"

A simple dip of the head answered Tohru's question as he waved off her apology with, "No worries Honda-San. I take it you're excited about the masquerade?"

Tohru's head bobbed furiously in response, "Very much so." Noticing Kyo she looked towards him, having already told him good morning when they passed in the hall minutes before she asked him a similair question, "Are you excited, Kyo-Kun?"

A scoff, followed by, "Yea. Sure." Was all he gave before looking towards the refrigerator.

"I'm making pancakes," Tohru said with a smile, knowing that Kyo was fond of them.

Giving her an awkward smile that was reserved just for her, Kyo nodded his contentment. "Alright." He began to walk out of the kitchen but stopped and threw a "Haru, Momiji, and the damn rat's brother will be over later."

Yuki groaned aloud at Kyo's retreating back at the mention of Aaya, "I suppose he's coming to measure us for the ball?"

While running about the kitchen, Tohru giggled. "He is. I'm so excited!"

"As am I, Honda-San. I'll be able to see you dressed up and looking even more cute than usual."

A pan slipped from Tohru's hand as she blushed crimson at Yuki's bold comment. "Th-th-thank you, Yuki-San, but really, I'm not so c-cute."

Rising from his place at the table, he retrieved the fallen pan and handed to her, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he whispered, "Tohru, I've told you before, you are cute."

"I haven't even arrived and already I inspire romance!" Cried an overzealous voice from the doorway of the kitchen. "Yuki, you slow her down! She must hurry and bring me breakfast."

The Rat turned to find his flamboyant brother standing in front of him with a hip cocked to the side, delicate hand placed upon the burgundy silk robe that encased his slender form. "Nii-San, she's not a maid."

"Of course I knew that, silly Yuki. She doesn't have the costume on... Mine can help with that." At the mention of her name, Mine popped her braided hair up, a dazed look in her eyes as she looked towards Tohru's lithe frame.

A small giggle escaped Tohru, paling slightly as she recalled the last time she ran into Mine at the mention of 'Dress up' and 'Costume'. "I'll get to work on breakfast..."

At this, Momiji bounded into the room. The hyper-active teenager enjoying food, and the lollipop stuck between his lips. "Breakfast? Watcha makin' Tohru? Can I help?" Without being granted permisson, he slipped on Tohru's pink frilly apron.

Yuki sighed, all the people causing him headache. He quietly slipped from the room, bumping into Haru. "Hey."

"Yo," replied the solemn-face Haru. "Pancakes?"

With a cocked brow, Yuki nodded. "How'd you know?"

"I like to cook," Haru said simply.

Yuki didn't bother to question the strange eccentries of his friend, and simply nodded once more. "Right. I'm going out back for a bit. Watch Nii-San for me, will you?"

Shigure saw an oppurtunity to join the conversation at that, adding "You're going to leave me and Aaya alone with our little flower? How delightful..."

A smirk pulled at Haru that he tried to conceal, "Sensei's right... You're also leaving me, a healthy young, recently single male alone with a very pretty girl. My the fantasies I could conjure in the kitchen..."

Yuki's hand flew up at that, relenting to the two. "I'm staying. I'm staying." A glare was given to each, followed by a knock to Haru's head. "Stop imagining that."

Laughing, Haru rubbed his head. "I'd rather cook with you, Yuki."

Yuki's eyes widened and he walked away, hearing Shigure ask Haru "Should I ask Tohru to leave you two it then?" Both males laughed and Yuki sulked as he settled once more within the crowded kitchen, cursing Kyo for being so smart and leaving when he did.

As usual, there was bickering, giggles, and a food fight amongst them. No one could expect that many Sohma's to be in the room and not let it be as simple as pancake making. When finished, Tohru summoned them all to the table and went off to find Kyo.

Never being one good at hiding, Tohru immediately found Kyo atop the roof, lounging back and enjoying the brisk winds of the Autumn season. "Hey ya!"

Kyo lurched foward, eyes popping open in suprise at the call. "Tohru... Damn! You have a knack for sneaking up on me."

Giggling, Tohru sat next to him. "Breakfast is ready."

Glancing at her, he asked skeptically. "You expect me to go down there and eat?"

"No," She admittied quietly, knowing that Kyo wasn't fond of large numbers of people. "But I would like you to. If not, I've already prepared your plate and will be glad to heat it up for you later."

Sighing, Kyo shook his head and nudged her towards the ladder. "Won't be nessecary. Oh, yea, come with me for a second."

Slipping down the ladder and through the back door, Tohru did as asked and followed Kyo to his room. Standing by his dresser, Kyo removed something from the top drawer and handed it to Tohru.

It was a simple white box, rectangular and shape and plain in decoration aside from the pink ribbon that held it together with spiral curls. "For you." He said simply, blushing until his face was as bright as his hair.

Tohru lit up, excited at recieving a gift, but then her face fell. "I'm sorry Kyo-Kun, but I don't have a present in return."

Chuckling, Kyo shook his head. "Just open it." He said gruffly, emberassed and nervous that she wouldn't like it.

Doing as she was told, Tohru untied the ribbon and sat back on his bed to lay the box in her short-skirt-clad lap. Removing the lid she looked at the contents and gasped in suprise. Within lay an intricately designed mask, pink in hue with shimmering shades of glitter covering it. The holes cut in it for her eyes were almond shaped, able to frame her big eyes perfectly.

"Kyo-Kun, this is..." She breathed, "Amazing."

Flushing even more, Kyo nodded. "Right then. I figured you would choose a pink dress and that you would forget to get a mask so I got one for you while I was out with Shishou."

Setting it to the side, Tohru bounced up and pounced Kyo in a very cat-like motion. Faling fowards seconds later when Kyo transformed with a 'pop'.

"S-sorry!" She immediately began. "I was just so excited. I've never seen something so beautiful, much less given to me. Thank you so much, Kyo-Kun." Picking up the orange cat, she immediately nuzzled his ear with her perk nose.

Purring (and blushing as much as a cat could), Kyo replied with a rough, "You're welcome... Now can I breathe?"

Letting him back on the ground, Tohru rose and gathered her mask and box. "I'll see you at breakfast after you...get dressed?"

Kyo nodded, poofing within the next second and leaving a delighted and shrieking Tohru to run towards her room to deposit the gift on her bed.

The two went down the steps moments later to a very confused family, curious as to the events that transpired to cause that much noise and that much of a blush on both of their fair cheeks.

Saying nothing, both sat and ignored the glances. Conversation resumed until Aaya asked a question to cause the majority to halt eating, forks paused at mid-mouth.

"Who are you all taking as your dates?"

Momiji, Yuki, Kyo, and Haru immediately turned their gaze to Tohru, each wanting to ask her to be the Princess to their Prince, while she sat blissfully unaware while pouring the orange juice.

Shigure and Aaya shared a look. This masquerade wasn't such a bad idea after all...

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And so begins the conflict! I'm pretty excited. I have no clue WHO is taking WHO, what the final pairing will be, or anything of that nature. That's up to you guys. REVIEW, REVIEW, and more REVIEW... The more I get, the faster I work. Well, that's the theory anyhow...

Love, Micahskitty