Eternally Forever by S-K-M-R

'Am a fool?' they wondered in unison.

'How could have I let her in?'

'How could have I let him in?'

'How and why did I fall in love when it won't work out?'

'Why did I fall in love with him when it's forbidden?'

'What the hell do I do now?' they thought

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The orange-haired boy lay on the rooftop thinking; just like the black-haired girl who was hiding from the world. The boy sighed, thinking of the girl whom he loved. The one he wouldn't, or more precisely, couldn't be with. It doesn't matter what happens, there was no way around it. His only hope was that his final moments with her were the most memorable, which they will be because of her, and best out of his pathetic cursed life.

He thought about her almost every waking moment. He thought of how they first met; idiotic of him for being so caught up with defeating rat boy. He thought of when she saw his creature…no monstrous form and still stayed with him through her fear. He thought of her never-ending happiness and smiles that make life more tolerable; her metaphors, her eyes, her personality, everything. He looked at the sunset thinking and dwelling on her. He recalled those times they sat here talking about him, her, her mom and life in general. And then he heard it; her voice calling him. He closed his eyes savoring the sound.

"Kyo! What are you doing up here?" she asked curiously as she sat down beside him.

"Tohru, why do I usually come here?" Kyo asked.

"Well," Tohru thought out loud, "When you want to get away, to think and to watch the view."

"Then you have your answer," Kyo sat up looking at her.

Her face was turned towards him in her usual complete innocence. Her light brown hair was in pigtails and she wore a pale brown skirt and a white T-shirt. He looked into her eyes and melted inside. He longed to hold her, touch her in anyway. But he couldn't. He wanted her in his arms; he wanted to hold her hand. He wanted to…feel her. But he couldn't because he was the cat, a zodiac 'member'. If he even tried to hold her, he'd just turn into a cat.

'Damn this curse!'

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'I let him kiss me senselessly. Damn you Hatsuharu... damn you. Why can't you leave me? Don't you get it? That I'm trying to protect you and I can't do that when you concentrate on Yuki; or me. You shouldn't have held me in your loving arms. Why the hell did you kiss me like that? Like you knew I love you and as if you love me in return. I could kill you! You have such nerve when you know nothing!'

Silent tears ran from her eyes.

'I loathe you for what you did to me. You made me love you. You made me, Rin the stoic ice queen feel, love and need. Made me feel, love and need…you. I love the white, rational and loving Haru. And I love the black, fierce, impulsive and dark Haru. I love the way you'd kiss me sweetly and passionately as well as hungrily and as if life depended on that kiss.

'And that's exactly why I need you out of my life!'

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Kyo sensed Tohru shiver beside him. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

"Oh!" Tohru exclaimed. "Thank you but you don't really have to, I'm okay. And won't you get cold?"

"As if, I saw you shiver. It's okay Tohru I'll be fine. It's not cold out for me."

"Well…if you're sure," Tohru said worried.

"Yes I'm sure," Kyo said lovingly.

'How had I fallen for someone like her? Her presence makes me want to life my stupid life, even though it's cursed.'

"Hey, do you still like the cat from all of the zodiacs?" Kyo asked suddenly.

"What? Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Tohru asked nervously.

"You've met me," Kyo stated simply.

Tohru stared helplessly at Kyo. "I…don't understand. Why should that change my mind?"
Kyo shrugged, "You've seen a lot of me most people don't. The other form, for one."

"But that makes me love the cat even more! I mean, I understand him better and I wish that he could be set free from that idiotic arrangement! How can I like the cat less if I like you?" Tohru aid impulsively.

Kyo simply looked at her.

"You do understand what just came out of your mouth right?" Kyo asked

Tohru thought for a moment then blushed and gasped. She stuttered for words that couldn't come out. Tohru's face became red from trying to find some explanation. Her face slowly turned purple with the struggle.

"Tohru, breathe!" Kyo commanded shaking her shoulders slightly.

Tohru grasped for some air and swaggered from not enough of it. Her body leaned on Kyo's shoulder until she got her breath back. She pushed back from and still couldn't say a word. She looked at her hands in her lap and sat blushing not looking at Kyo.

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Rin walked back to a place in the forest and saw Haru still there. It had been well over two hours since he grabbed her and kissed her senselessly. He looked into her eyes as she drew nearer. She stopped about five feet in front of him.

"I thought I told you I didn't want you anymore," Rin said coolly.

"You did," Haru replied.

"So what made you do something as stupid as kiss me?" Rin demanded.

"Because you're lying," Haru said as he got up. "You do want me and you need me."

"I need no one, especially not you. Who in the world made you think like an idiot?"

"You did by taking to Yuki," he said as he drew nearer to her.

"What I talked to Yuki about has nothing to do with you," Rin commented harshly.

"Really? You're weak yet you search to talk to Yuki about why he's staying at Sensei's. You risk your life to make him understand what I was doing. So he could understand how much I really care," Haru accused still getting closer to Rin.

"You're wrong. I'm not weak and I would never search for Yuki. It was a coincidence that we were there together."

Haru stopped an arm's length away from Rin, "Aren't you the one who doesn't believe in coincidences?"

"I lied," Rin said

Haru's eyes snapped. He grabbed Rin by the front of her shirt and pulled her against his body.

"You lied? You lied?" Haru leaned his head to the right. "You're lying now. You want to protect me. You're making sure I'm protected."

"Why the hell would I ant to do that? Can you really find an answer for that?" Rin demanded.

Haru's eyes softened and returned to normal. His voice whispered in her ear, "Because you love me. You love me so much that you feel that if you push me away and protect me from Akito, you'll find a way to break our curse. You want to break so that everyone's free especially us. I know you love me." Haru whispered as he gathered her in his arms again.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Rin stated trying to escape from him.

"I know you love me and I'm glad because I love you too."

Rin froze and stared over his shoulder at her surroundings.

"I love you Rin," Haru said again. "You're the first person I fell in love with. And you're the first that I'm saying this to."

Rin still couldn't move. Emotions swept by her rapidly. Shock, disbelieve, uncertainty, anger and happiness. She looked into his eyes not bothering to mask her emotions. He looked into her dark confused eyes and felt he was falling for her all over again.

"I love you," he said again so she could read his expression and his sincerity. She looked and couldn't see anything but honesty and love.

He placed one hand on her waist and the other at the back of her neck. Slowly he closed the distance between them, still not dropping her gaze. When their lips touched, an undetectable source made them close their eyes and relish in the moment. Haru eased Rin without words. He ran his hand along her back while kissing her slowly and gently as if she was a flower. Rin felt unnaturally innocent and pure as the kiss continued. And unusual feeling crept from Haru to Rin. She guessed it to be the love he promised her silently.

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"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you like that Tohru. I never knew you'd forget to breathe," Kyo said looking at her.

Tohru shook her head, "No that's not that really!" She stammered, "It's just…that…I didn't want…anyone to know…."

"Know what exactly?"

"That I'm trying to break the curse. And now you know and it was a secret," Tohru revealed.

"You're trying to break the curse? Why in the world would you want to do something so dangerous and so stupid?" Kyo demanded.

"Because! All the zodiacs deserve happiness and free will. The curse is…it's making everyone unable to live his or her lives! And that's not fair! You should choose what you want to do instead of…instead of being controlled!" Tohru boldly protested.

Kyo shook his head in disbelief, 'I fell in love with someone who wants to break our curse. She's sacrificing her life to try and make everyone else happy. Good lord, I fell in love with an angel.'

"What makes you think you can break it?" Kyo asked.

"I'm determined to make everyone happy. I have faith in my hop and myself!"

"What if it's not enough?" Kyo muttered. "What if you lose your life for nothing?"

"Then I'll know I tried my best," Tohru said thoughtfully. Both of them sat looking at the sunset they didn't dare look at each other.

Tohru spoke first, "My mom always told me to live life how you want it to be lived because if you don't, you'd regret your existence. You'd learn to resent everything that made your life the way it is. I don't want for you, or the rest of the guys, to resent your life. I would want you to live it so you'd treasure it unconditionally and forever. And I know, if I were to break the curse and still die, I would never regret my choices Kyo. That's why I'm will to try. Please understand."

Kyo looked at her but said nothing. His throat burned with emotions that not even the cold air helped. He looked at her unable to speak. He was captivated. She willing would give her life, which contained so many possibilities, for theirs…for his. He wanted to hold her even more. He wanted to kiss her. He felt no anger only bittersweet joy. She would never know how much that means to him unless he had the courage to say something.

She must have felt his gaze because she looked at him. Whatever she saw on his face made her blush and wide her eyes. Kyo struggled to keep everything in tact. But he couldn't.

"You're a miracle Tohru. It's like you were sent for the Sohmas just to make us all love you and make us all happy," Kyo spoke softly. "What did we do to deserve you?"

Tohru was speechless because of the tome Kyo had used. His words made her beat faster: 'to make us love you…'.

'Does he love me?' Tohru thought

"Yes I do," Kyo replied as if she just spoke the words. "I do love you Tohru," he said s he placed a light kiss on here forehead. He moved away slightly only to speak:

"If breaking our curse will make you happy, then I won't stop you. Just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt, all right?"

Tohru nodded in disbelief of their closeness. Her eyes shifted focus from his wonderful eyes to his lips and back in embarrassment. He leaned his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.

"Say something Tohru," he whispered breathlessly.

Tohru swallowed not sure what to say.

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Rin and Haru broke their kiss each for a different reason. Rin pulled back afraid that she would cry. Haru stopped to speak:

'It'll be hard, but we'll break this curse. Our love will help us." He placed his hand on her cheek and she instantly leaned against it. Silent tears escaped her without permission.

"Our love?" Rin said bitterly. "What the hell are we supposed to do with it?"

"I don't really know. But I would say dwell in it and let it help us," Haru said softly as he kissed her again. More tears escaped her eyes but she refused to let them conquer her. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing themselves nearer to each other. One of his hands wrapped around her waist while the other roamed in her silky hair. He raised her angled her head up and kissed her more deeply. He kissed her insecurity, her hurt and deep down her love. She poured herself in him, opening her herself and her soul to him in a sweet defeat.

"Are you afraid Haru?" Rin asked when they drew for air. She held onto him unwilling to let him go.

"Of what?"
"Of everything going on."

"I'm only afraid of not being with you. And that if we somehow fail, we will be separated," Haru said kissing her neck.

"I'm scared of us…" she breathed.

"Because it's new and undiscovered? It's something that you've never felt before? Because you're afraid I might hurt you?" Haru asked.

Rin nodded.

"Good," Haru smiled. "Because I'm afraid of us too."

Rin's head snapped up to look at him, "Then why do you even try?"

"Because life wouldn't have meaning, would it, if we just throw this away?" Haru questioned rhetorically. "Fear shouldn't make us give up love."

"So what are you saying?" Rin asked.

"If you're willing to try this, just like I am, even with the doubts, then we are worth a shot."

Haru's eyes bore into her eyes. She looked into them and realized she couldn't lie. She wouldn't lie.

"I'm willing, just don't break my heart," Rin said surrendering.

"Don't break mine Rin."

"I'll try not to," she said with a smile.

"That's all I'm asking," Haru said and sealed their lips and their love forever.

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Tohru swallowed again.

"I'll be careful, because I know that once the curse is broken, I can also do what I want to," she whispered closing her eyes.

"What's that?" Kyo asked softly as the wind breezed by them both.

"To try to love the cat the way he was supposed to be loved all along," Tohru sighed so softly Kyo almost didn't hear her. Almost.

"You want to love the cat? How?" Kyo asked looking at Tohru's face.

Tohru played with her hands nervously.

"The guy…who's the cat now…we can't try to be together. But if the curse was broken, then maybe…just maybe my wish, for us to be um… together, could happen," Tohru said nervously blushing. "Not that I expect anything, really! I mean, if he um…changes his mind, well then um…."

"Shut up Tohru. I get it," Kyo smiled, blushing with Tohru. "You know what the cat or the guy might say to that?"

"What?" Tohru asked curiously.

"He'd say he was the most luckiest guy to have a girl like you I his life," he said.

"He would?" she asked innocently, her blush appearing even more.

"Yes, he would." With that, he placed his hands over hers and leaned in to kiss her. He stopped short to look at her eyes. In them, he saw shock, disbelief and excitement. When she nodded silently, he lowered his lips to her in their first real kiss. He kissed her delicately and slowly, treasuring her. She responding to him, kissing him back. Their fingers entwined as their lips expressed each other. All their surroundings didn't matter, all their troubles vanished and they cherished the moment. When they pulled away and it was only for air that so quickly evaporated during their kiss. They remained sitting with their hands entwined, looking at each other and searching for air. They sat blushing unable to cover their wonder or their joy. When their breaths evened out, they were able to talk.

"I'll help you break the curse. I don't want you to try alone okay?" Kyo pronounced.

"Okay," Tohru breathed with her mind racing.

Comfortable silence stretched between them. They looked at their tangled fingers and thought.

"I'm happy about what the cat would say," Tohru said shyly.

"Good, because he's happy as well. More happy than you know," Kyo said looking up where their eyes met. They smiled secretively from the rest of the world. They kissed again soundlessly and meaningfully. Words weren't enough to express their feelings, but actions were enough to express that that's where they would be to kiss and love each other eternally.