Care and Comfort
Chapter 1
Shigure walks into the kitchen where he sees Tohru slaving away, still in her school uniform, over dinner. Her hair is slightly messy and her hands move effortlessly over utensils and bowls of delicious smelling soups, rice and meat. Shigure has a pen and paper in his hands, brainstorming for new ideas for a one of his 'novels'. Of course Tohru, the sweet flower that she is, was inspiration enough for a thrilling novel. But Yuki threatened to pull Shigure's tail off if he wrote anything that sounded remotely like Tohru. The man sighed and tucked his notebook in his pocket and the pen behind his ear. Tohru turned around and her face brightened and she smiled.
"Hello, Shigure!" she said her eyes sparkling, as if the visit meant the world to her. "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Great, Tohru, please tell me we're having leeks, again." He said smiling.
"Oh - " began Tohru quickly glancing at the many things she had rested on the bench and oven. "There is leek soup but I also made Miso for Kyo." She said pointing to the bowls, happy that she was able to get Kyo eating.
"You're too good to us, Tohru. You've prepared enough food to last through the weekend – Oh! You're not abandoning us are you?" he gasped, pouting.
Tohru started her eyes suddenly serious and panicked. "Of course not, Shigure! I didn't have to go to work today because there was a staff party at the office so I thought I'd make a big dinner since I have so much time." She rambled. Shigure waved down the explanation and told her he was only joking. "Oh – oh okay." He said feeling stupid but she gave him another smile and went back to stirring, flipping and tasting her many concoctions.
Time rolled on by and Kyo had finally come home, late again. He had been disappearing in the afternoons and worried Tohru. He sauntered into the house just as Tohru called out that dinner was ready.
"I smell leeks." He said angrily as he walked into the kitchen. "If that's what you're serving, then don't bother – I hate that crap."
"Sorry, the smell is strong but I made some miso just for you because I know you like that." She said setting a bowl in front of him and the three other bowls full of the offending leeks on the other sides. Kyo had no retort for that and sat down silently.
Shigure then walked in cheerfully, humming his 'high school girls' song and sat on his side of the table.
"Why hello there, Kyo." He said and receiving a scowl. "I hardly see you in the house these days. Your becoming more like a stray kitty each day – but of course, like a stray, you manage to come at meal times." He said chuckling.
"Shut up, you idiotic dog!" retorted Kyo, viscously.
Shigure blinked and then waved his arms, dramatically clutching his hand to his chest and pressing one on his forehead. "Oh no, how will I ever regain my sanity knowing that Kyo thinks I'm an idiot! Oh, Kyo you wound me!"
"I said, SHUT UP!" yelled Kyo, the hair on the back of his neck sticking out and his breathing deepening.
Tohru sighed quietly to herself and hoped that Kyo would not get into such a rage that he would run from the table and not eat; it had happened many times already. Placing rice, beef and vegetables on the table she glanced upward towards the stairs.
"I wonder where Yuki is, it's not like him to skip dinner. Yuki!" she called out but was met with silence. "I hope he's okay. I'll be right back; I'm going to get him."
As she was walking up the stairs she heard Kyo grumbling. "Damn rat…ruin a good meal."
Tohru walked to Yuki's room and knocked on the door. "Yuki, it's Tohru, dinners ready." She said brightly.
"Oh, Honda-san, I'm not very hungry so I think I'll skip dinner tonight. I'm so sorry you went to the trouble to come up and get me." He said in a quiet and hoarse wheeze.
"Yuki, are you alright, you sound sick. May I come in?" she asked her voice sounding worried.
On his bed, Yuki cringed. "Yes, Honda-san, of course you can come in." he said, laboriously sitting upright on his bed, his head pounding and his breathing short and uneven. Tohru opened the door and walked up to Yuki who tried to smile but found it felt like a grimace.
"Yuki, you don't look very good." She observed.
"I'm fine, Honda-san, I think I'll just take it easy this evening."
"Oh, Yuki," Tohru said kindly, "you're so kind and selfless. You're obviously sick and still you don't tell anyone in case you inconvenience them. I'm so sorry of my burden in your home but let me make some of it up to you by helping you to get better."
Yuki was silent for a moment taking it in. Tohru was so sweet and genuine, but she didn't seem to understand he wasn't being selfless at all. "Honda-san, I could not take up your time like that. Besides, I'm not that ill, you don't need to make a fuss."
Tohru mulled over that for a moment but then perked up again. "Yuki, may I feel your temperature?" she asked.
"Of course, if it will put your mind at ease, Honda-san."
"Oh, Yuki, you're burning up! You have such a high fever; I'll go get you a wet cloth for your head."
"No, Honda-san, please don't bother, I - " but Tohru had already walked out the door.
Tohru re-entered the kitchen where Shigure and Kyo hadn't started eating yet.
"What took you so long? The food's getting cold – when I see that rat I'm gonna - "
"Yuki's sick," Tohru interrupted and faced Shigure, "He's got a terrible wheeze and a high fever. And he's also really lethargic – please call Hatori!"
"Sick? Oh dear that does sound terrible. Its not very often Yuki is in bed, ill, so when he does get sick it's usually very bad." He said standing up from the table. "I'll call Hatori now, would you mind putting some food for me and maybe Yuki so it can be heated up tomorrow."
"Yes, of course Shigure, but you need to eat too." Tohru said her hands clinging onto themselves.
"Don't worry, I'll eat later – Tohru just eat dinner with Kyo and try not to worry too much." He said smiling, comfortingly. Tohru ate a small amount of rice and fish and then watched the door for Shigure's return, her eyes perking up every time she heard a noise but then blushed and looked at her hands folded in her knees.
"Why do you care about that damn Yuki? He's just sick, it's not like he'll die." Kyo said still eating some fish.
"What?" Tohru said looking up. "Oh, yes, but to think that he's not feeling well and he's also alone up there. I hate getting sick myself so seeing my friends sick just makes me want to take care of them. I'd be just as worried if you or Shigure weren't feeling well." Tohru said.
"Forget I asked…" Tohru lifted her head as a small creak could be heard from the wood above them. "Geez, if you're that worried, go and take care of the damn rat."
"Oh, okay, I'll clean up a bit first."
Kyo sighed as Tohru got up. "Don't worry, I'll do it." He said.
"Ok, Kyo, no really it's alright you don't have - "
"Go -before I change my mind." He shot at her. Tohru smiled,
"Thankyou, Kyo." She said leaving the room.
Chapter 2
Tohru went upstairs and heard the last bit of Shigure's phone call. "Yes, I asked him if he was having trouble breathing…mhmm, Tohru seemed very worried…okay…are you sure…alright then, Hatori, I'll see you soon." Tohru knocked on Yuki's door just after Shigure put down the receiver.
"Yuki, its Tohru."
"Come in, Honda-san."
Yuki was still sitting on the bed, his elbows had been on his knees, but he straightened up when Tohru entered. "How are you?" she asked, examining his flushed cheeks.
"Please, Honda-san, don't get worried. I'm not that bad and the only reason I allowed Shigure to call Hatori is that he said you insisted."
Tohru looked earnestly at Yuki. Kindly, but she had a determined glint in her eye. "You're sick, Yuki, I'll do every thing in my power to make you better, it's the least I can do. Besides," she said softening. "I couldn't sleep knowing my friend was in pain."
Yuki fought back a wince and the tone of Tohru's words. "Alright, Honda san, please don't go to too much trouble, but of course I will let you take care of me if you really want too."
Tohru smiled at him and then reached forward to take his temperature again. Yuki felt his temples relax and her cool fingers touched his skin and he closed his eyes. "I'll go get that wet cloth." He heard her say. Yuki opened his eyes and nodded, his slight blush invisible because of his fevered cheeks. He still wasn't used to opening up, even when he was with Tohru, that was one of her many qualities. She brought out the true and best side out of people; he included.
When Tohru came back she had a damp white towel in her hands. She gave it to Yuki who placed it on his head. Despite himself he let out a small sigh of relief as the cool soothed his raging head. After a minute or two, Tohru took the cloth from Yuki who opened his eyes to see why. Tohru smiled at him, "Just relax, Yuki." She told him soothingly and, too tired to question; he closed his eyes again and gasped slightly when the girl put the cooler side of the cloth on the back of his neck. He even smiled a bit because of the relief he felt even a few moment after she took it off.
"Hold the cloth against your head, Yuki, and I'll blow on your neck. My mum used to do that to me when I had a fever and it helped." She muttered, starting to blow on his arched neck.
"Thankyou…" he whispered, enjoying the cool sensation of Tohru's treatment. Surprisingly, he didn't feel embarrassed, Tohru made him feel as if it all didn't matter. There was no sexual tension or awkward silences; just a friend relieving another friend from a fever.
That was, until there was a small cough at the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Yuki, if only you'd known sooner that being sick would get you so much attention from our Tohru, I do believe you'd fall devastatingly ill every other day." Shigure said smirking.
Yuki jerked his head up and Tohru stopped blowing on his neck. He suddenly felt his face go quickly red again and hot as a blush crept up his neck and on his entire face. With Shigure's small statement all the awkward sensations were back.
"Your not interrupting, Shigure. I was just cooling Yuki down a bit, its awful to be hot in bed, you can never rest properly."
"Yes, I often find myself too hot in bed, but I like my method of relaxing better than yours Tohru." He added sneakily, his smile stretched a little bit wider.
"Shigure!" Yuki hissed.
"When's Hatori coming?" she asked, unaware of the innuendo that passed over her head. (Like Shigure's many others)
"Hatori, he said that he would drop over in about and hour. Apparently it sounds as if Yuki has a chest infection combined with a bad fever. But we'll get the full diagnosis when he gets here. Yuki will just have to make do with your medication until then, heh, heh." He said laughing slightly, his eyes twinkling.
"Get out, Shigure." Yuki said flatly.
"Tohru, Yuki's being mean and I'm only trying to help." The dog whined pretending to cry by rubbing his eyes with his fists.
"Out!" Yuki barked, his eyes blazing. He then began wheezing rather hard and Tohru fretted.
"Yuki, lie down, your not very strong at the moment." Tohru pleaded, placing the cloth back onto his forehead.
"Alright, Honda-san." Yuki said smiling self-consciously as Tohru helped him lie down without coming to close. It was annoying that she could not hug him as Tohru thought a nice big hug would help him, maybe not with the fever but diffidently on how he felt.
They looked at each other with Tohru smiling and Yuki feeling acutely uncomfortable from his lying position. His bed was heaven for his tired muscles but he felt a little awkward just staring and Tohru and not saying anything. She, however, seemed unperturbed by this and moved her hand so it held his.
Yuki tried to fall back into a state of not caring about what Honda-san was doing, only that's she made him feel better without any worries about how it may look or seem. It was very hard and he became disgusted with himself that he couldn't just forget the fact Tohru was a girl and what Shigure would say if he walked in on them now. He got hot and agitated just thinking about it. Yuki, not knowing where to look, closed his eyes and sighed.
"It's awful being sick, isn't it?" Tohru said after awhile.
"No, I don't like it much either." Yuki admitted, his eye lids stayed shut as he only just realised how heavy they were. He began to slowly stop worrying as Tohru spoke.
"It's just no fun, and to boot I always have people so worried about me. It makes me feel bad...Not that you should feel bad, Yuki! I just said because that's how I feel sometimes, I didn't mean you were a burden, I just worry when people are sick! I'm sorry if I offended you." She said bowing three times.
"You didn't offend me, Honda-san, I agree with you." Yuki said looking at her and tilting his head so his cheek rested on his pillow, facing her.
"Thankyou, Yuki." She said bowing slightly. "Umm, I don't mean to pry and just tell me if it's none of my business, but you look a little depressed. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked tentatively.
Yuki was about to answer but then shut his mouth. "You know you can tell me anything, Yuki, I won't hold it against you or tell any one."
"It's not a matter of trust, I just don't want you to be upset by my childish whining." The prince said, not meeting her eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked again, moving a strand of hair from Yuki's face and tucking it behind his ear. Yuki struggled no to gasp at her actions; they were so normal, so motherly. Yuki looked up at her, wishing he could be at her level of eyesight so he wouldn't feel so small. He gave a small shake of the head and turned his head upwards so it faced the ceiling, his eyes sill open.
Tohru gave his hand a small squeeze. "Okay." she half-whispered.
Hatori dropped over and was closely followed by Ayame, Yuki's older and much more eccentric brother. Kyo immediately disappeared again and Tohru began to worry about him. Shigure suggested that she leave a saucer of milk out on the doorstep but his suggestion was ignored as the four person party went upstairs.
Tohru had left Yuki's bedside only about 20 minutes before the guests arrived and brought a glass of water with her for Yuki. She hoped he would sleep but he lay awake and was breathing irregularly for what seemed ages.
His screen door opened and Ayame was first to burst in. "Dear brother, I came as soon as I heard the news!" he wailed tragically, dabbing at his eyes. His long hair swished behind him as he trotted to Yuki's bedside and knelt beside him, feeling his temperature and asking him to stick out his tongue.
"I'm not going to die." He said coldly. Tohru knew what Yuki thought of his brother but she didn't think he had the energy to fight with him just now.
"Leave that to me, Ayame." Hatori said, pushing the silver haired man away from the smothered Yuki.
Annoyingly enough, Hatori did feel his forehead but also stuck a thermometer in his mouth, examined his throat, whacked his knee with a tiny hammer plus much else.
"It is diffidently influenza." He said after a while. "But I will check for the chest infection, shirt off, please." Hatori commanded bringing out a stethoscope. Yuki's eyes darted quickly to Tohru who quickly jumped out for her kneeling position.
"Sorry, I'll leave." She said, blushing a bit.
"Oh, please, Yuki, surely you're not that bashful that Tohru can't even stay in the room?" Shigure asked rolling his eyes and giggling like mad on the inside.
"No, no, I'll go, its fine." She gibbered, turning towards the door.
"No, Honda-san. Stay, it's okay." Yuki said, resignedly, just to defy Shigure but really he was a little uncomfortable with the idea.
Tohru seated herself back down next to Shigure as Hatori helped the weak Yuki with his school uniform shirt. He pressed the stethoscope against Yuki's chest and back asking him to breathe deeply every few seconds.
"Yes, I'm almost positive it's a chest infection but if it's just a severely bad cold, the antibiotics I'll give you should clear that up too." Hatori said. Tohru let out a relieved little sigh and smiled at Yuki fully, once he had put his shirt back on. He tried but his eyes were droop and he ad trouble moving his arms to put the shirt back on.
"Hmm. Yes, your lack of energy can't really be helped until you get a bit better but I'll give you a vapour rub to put on before you sleep. This should help with any major breathing problems at night." The doctor pulled out a small greenish, blue bottle and a box of pills. "Two a day," He said simply to Yuki, setting the box on his bedside table. "with water." Then Hatori bid them all a good night and left the room.
Yuki nodded and Ayame then had full reign over his brother. He got up and hugged him going on about how he had to leave his 'dress shop' early to come and visit his bedridden baby brother. Yuki's face went dark with anger and his eyes shot daggers. He looked ready to kill.
"Get off me, Ayame!" he said as civilised as he could. Shigure began to snicker quietly. Yuki began squirming and hitting his brother anywhere he could reach and although he was just strong enough to leave large bruises, Ayame didn't let go
"Yuki, Yuki, I'm only trying to help, and poor Tohru has had to take care of you all afternoon. Don't worry Tohru," he said addressing the girl who smiled sheepishly, "I'll help with the feeding and bathing and dressing as I know my Yuki too well and he won't feel comfortable with a girl doing it, how ever pretty she may be."
"Get out!" Yuki said his whole body shaking with rage and embarrassment. He yelled it as loud as he could but his voice was hoarse and thick with a cold so it didn't sound as impressive as it could of. In fact his voice sort of sounded like it cracked which Ayame interpreted as a sudden display of emotion.
"Oh, my poor Yuki…" Ayame cooed, smothering his weak and unable-to-fight-back little brother in a hug, rocking him backwards and forwards. Yuki's face shone tomato red as he knew Tohru and Shigure would be watching. Now, as much as Shigure found this funny, he did actually feel a bit sorry for Yuki. The guy looked ready to cry with rage and embarrassment. Tohru looked shocked and worried, wondering what she should do and kept opening her mouth and closing it.
"Oh, Aya," Shigure said using his most seductive tone.
"Yes, Shigure." Ayame said pulling away from his embrace a bit to look at his lover, blinking.
"What say you and I catch up we haven't seen each other in ages. I have some bumps and bruises too that you may want to kiss better for me…it may take awhile."
Ayame looked surprised by the sudden intense flirting, as he usually started it, but then picked himself up a second later with an equally sexy voice.
"Of course, but I may take a long time, all night perhaps." He purred, batting his long lashes.
"Fine with me, Aya, fine with me…"
As the two men went out of the room Tohru looked back at Yuki who was still sitting on the bed shaking with exasperation. She sat on the bed next to him and smiled awkwardly and looked at her knees.
"Are you alright?" she asked after a little while.
"I'm fine, Honda-san." He said, his body still sitting up and tense.
"No, I mean are you angry? Please don't be Yuki; he was just trying to help the only way he knew how."
"It's just so frustrating." Yuki moaned looking into his lap.
"It's alright, Yuki, just focus on the positives. Hatori gave you medicine that will have you back on you feet in no time." Yuki sighed. If only all people were this unnaturally optimistic…
Tohru placed the wet towel which had fallen next to Yuki on the bed, to his head again and Yuki closed his eyes as gave a quiet murmur of appreciation. He tilted his head back a bit and sighed attempting to relax until a sudden thought struck him.
"Honda-san?" He asked, rolling his head back and letting the cloth fall into his lap where he continued to look.
"What is it Yuki?"
"Um, you know that thing that my brother said about him helping you…with feeding and–and stuff like that?" he asked, he face turning a great deal rosier.
"Yes, Yuki, but I wouldn't do any of that unless you wanted me too." She assured him, noting his embarrassment but blushing herself. She had come to realise over the last few months, that Yuki wasn't very good at expressing his emotions or letting others see those emotions.
"Oh, yes, th-thankyou Honda-san."
"Yuki?"
"Mmm?" he replied still looking shame faced.
"Would you be embarrassed to hear that I really want to hug you, right now?"
He looked up at her as if she were mad. "Why would you want to do that, Honda-san?"
"To comfort you and just to say I love you. You're a great friend, Yuki, I just wanted you to know that." She said smiling and grasping his left hand in both of hers.
Yuki thought he would faint. Tohru had said she loved him. As a friend, but that was a powerful word to use and he had a sudden urge to say it back to her.
"Thankyou, Honda-san, I -" Go on say it, coward. He thought to himself. "I want you to know you're a wonderful friend too." He stuttered out, his insides screaming with protest. Oh why, why, couldn't he say those three simple yet beautiful words to her?
Chapter 3
After about half an hour, Tohru sneaked off the bed and walked towards the door, hesitating to leave the sick Yuki. His eyes had closed and his breathing had become slow and steady. She turned around to open the door when the weak, throaty voice called out to her.
"Honda-san?" Yuki spoke.
"Yuki, I thought you were asleep. Oh, I didn't wake you did I?" she asked him.
"No, I was never sleeping. Please, don't let me take up your entire evening, heavens knows I've already wasted enough of your time." He said with a hint of self disgust in his voice.
"Don't be silly, Yuki, I want to help you get better which includes keeping you company. I was just going to bring some homework in here for me to do. Do you want anything?"
"No, Honda-san, I'm alright, please don't bother yourself." He answered.
She gave him a smile, and walked away leaving him with nothing but the sound of his own depressing and infected lungs.
Tohru looked out of her window while collecting her books and a few pencils. The night was clear and crisp. A little cool but there was hardly a breath of air. It seemed like the world itself had gone to sleep and Tohru suddenly felt very at peace. She was so happy with her life right now; she didn't deserve it, any of it. But she couldn't just sit here and dream about her perfect life, Yuki was ill and he needed her help.
Snapping back out of her daze, Tohru realised that she had a purpose, even if it was only for a short time. She now had such a perfect life and in return would do anything to make Yuki well again.
Entering the boy's room again, Tohru splayed her homework out onto the floor beside Yuki's bed and started on mathematics, which she always found the hardest, trying to keep her pencil from making a large scratching noise so Yuki could go to sleep. He must have drifted off at some point because Tohru had been working for about 45 minutes and heard a small strangled gasp from the bed above her.
"N-no!" Yuki cried from his bed. Tohru jumped up immediately to see Yuki, lying curled up in his bed, eyes wide open and moist. He wiped them way immediately and ducked his head.
"I'm sorry, Honda-san – it was a – a nightmare." He apologised, a blush creeping on to his face. He spluttered and gasped as he tried to sit up, voice still sounding tearful which caused him to go into great throaty coughs that racked his entire body.
"Yuki, are you alright? Oh, no, please try and relax or you might give yourself another asthma attack! " Tohru fretted grabbing the glass of water by Yuki's bed. "Here," she said slightly calmer, "drink this, it'll be alright Yuki." She said her eyes still full if concern.
Yuki drank deeply, his breathing now almost back to normal. "I'm sorry I worried you." He said after wiping his mouth. "Really, it was only a nightmare, sometimes they're quite beyond my control." He admitted smiling at Tohru trying to seem at ease when really frightening visions blurred across his mind's eye. They were from his nightmare, from every nightmare he'd had since he was about six – they never seemed to leave him in peace.
"Nobody can control their nightmares, Yuki, that's what makes them so scary." Tohru assured him smiling at his seemingly calm expression.
"All the same, this one just won't leave me alone." Yuki muttered half sadly, half angrily. He looked away from her, his eyes hidden but if she could see them, Tohru knew they would be far away. Tohru stared, her mouth slightly opened as she saw Yuki look small and - frightened? He'd never shown her this much emotion before except for when he ran into Akito at their school. That's when it hit her.
His face had the same, slightly turned down mouth, his eyes the same instinctive fear and his fingers trembled, just like they did on that morning…
Tohru gave a responsive gasp and suddenly realised what the nightmare could have been about.
"Honda-san, what is it? Did I do something wrong?" he asked as Tohru gasped and looked at him horrified, his eyes full of genuine concern only for her, his terrorising dream forgotten.
"I'm s-so sorry, Yuki." She said her voice small and her grasp on Yuki's hand tightened. He glanced down, surprised at her strength. "I sorry I d-didn't notice b-before…how could I have b-been so s-stupid." She said.
"Honda-san…?" Yuki muttered bemused and worried.
"The scars." She murmured simply. "I thought they were from fighting with Kyo, but I never thought…I never c-could have th-thought…" her eyes welled up with tears.
Yuki's eyes dilated with a sudden and terrifying understanding of what she was talking about. She must have seen the scars on his legs and back when he had transformed back into his human form. They had been out their by Akito over time which had started when Yuki was just four. The bed ridden teen tried to speak but the shock muted his voice and closed his voice box over. He was too shocked and disbelieved to say anything.
"And when Akito showed up…you looked so frightened. I'm sorry Yuki, I'm so, so very sorry." She said bringing Yuki's hand up to her face knowing this was the closest contact she could get without making Yuki transform.
The world seemed hazy. Firstly, Yuki had just woken up from a medium-levelled nightmare, which usually left him a little shaky, until he had had a conversation with Shigure to remind his brain that he was in a different Sohma house, far away from Akito. And, secondly, Tohru was grasping onto his hand, mourning for his pain. He felt his throat close over as he saw the real, true, genuine emotion on her face and felt waves of guilt wash over him and he sat there, looking at her, speechless.
Yuki felt tears swelling up in his own eyes. He wiped them away with his free hand as discretely as possible. He hated crying, it made him feel weak and tears contained bad memories from his past. In his entire life, Yuki had had many moments in which he didn't know what to do or say, his was probably in the top five, he gulped down a giant ball of uncertainty and croaked out.
"H-Honda san, please don't…" he had wanted to say 'please don't be sad but his voice trailed off from emotion or paralysis, he didn't know. Slowly, she straightened up a bit and bowed slightly.
"I apologise, Yuki." She said.
"N-no, don't. It's just no one has really, well, cared like that before." He admitted, still uneasy about Tohru knowing about his past. There was silence for a long time; it was thick and awkward until Tohru spoke out in a small voice.
"I don't think that's true, Yuki." She said looking at his face, which was slightly turned away from hers. "What about Shigure? Shigure loves and cares about you…and so do Hatsuharu, Ayame and Momijii and Hatori!" she said growing more confident with every word. "A-and Kisa and Kegura - I'm sure they care!" she insisted looking almost pleadingly at Yuki, wanting reassurance.
"I suppose…" Yuki said, still not looking at Tohru, shamed by his nightmare and weakness.
"They do, Yuki. They care…we all care so much about you." She whispered putting two fingers under his chin and making him look up at her serene eyes. Yuki flinched a bit for some reason. It wasn't as if Tohru frightened him like Akito, but the action made him feel like a misbehaving child. That was it…just a child…a stupid immature child. He couldn't think of what to say so just stared into her beautiful blue eyes for a few moments.
"You just don't want to let us in…" Tohru said quietly, almost sadly. "I know you don't want to open up around people but to completely close off others like you do Yuki…it's not right – not healthy."
"That's not true!" Yuki protested weakly, his breathing shallow and he was on the verge of another coughing fit. He was trying to make Tohru not think of him so badly. His sentence made him blush as he realised how immature those defiant words were after they came out of his mouth. "I mean, I open up to you Honda-san. I don't know why, but something about you makes me want to be myself." Yuki said, flushing a bit more.
"Really?" she asked, surprised.
Yuki sighed with relief that she actually believed him and nodded vigorously, causing his head to start pounding. He scrunched his eyes and nose up in the sudden pain that his stupid act created. His breath caught slightly in his throat causing an annoying tickle which could only be diminished by coughing.
Yuki hacked for a while enough to make tears run down his face. Tohru patted him on the back and held up the glass of water. She nearly shrieked in worry when she saw him wince and she patted his back. Remembering the scars, she flung her hand high above her head for a second terrified she might have hurt him.
Eventually Yuki's racking hoarse coughs stopped, he took the water from Tohru, sipped it gratefully and scrubbed his eyes and cheeks. Tohru was frozen with shock her eyes, small and unresponsive.
"I'm sorry." she mumbled out quietly. Oh no what have I done?! She thought, panic stricken
"It's perfectly alright, Honda san, you didn't do anything." He held u his other hand which had four small dents in it. "I was just clutching my other hand too hard. That's why I winced, I'm sorry to have worried you." He said smiling.
"Y-your hand?" she asked still in her panic daze. "It wasn't because I hit your back?" she asked him.
"You didn't hit me Honda-san." Yuki said a tiny smile hidden under his lips. "And even if you had I doubt it would have hurt very much."
Tohru snapped out of it and looked at Yuki for a minute and smiled. "Well that's a relief." she said happily and then she laughed. To Yuki, Tohru's laughter was like bells and he started to laugh too which only made him wheeze even more.
"Maybe you should lie back down, Yuki." She said still smiling, her eyes becoming glazed over with that content look she often got.
"Yes, Honda san." He said politely.
Tohru then turned back to her homework and her brow furrowed in concentration. "If only my brain were as obedient as you, I don't understand trigonometry at all." She said jokingly. Yuki sat up quickly.
"Would you like me to help you?" he asked his eyes widening with interest. He didn't particularly enjoy math but he was pretty good at it.
"Oh, no, Yuki, I could never ask that of you. Besides, your sick and you need rest." She told him waving his offer away smiling at him from the floor.
"Please," he asked her in a way that no female, friend or otherwise, could refuse.
"Oh, alright if it wouldn't be too much trouble." She allowed, her heart warming when she saw the smiling look on the boy's face.
He explained the formulae they were learning and basically what she couldn't grasp. After about twenty minutes Tohru's homework was all done and dusted. She sighed and stretched her arms lazily.
"Ahhh, all done." She said with a pleased look on her face. "You should be a tutor, Yuki; I understood everything with you teaching me." She commented causing the boy's mind to torment itself, by imagining tutoring the obsessive girls from his fan club. It caused his inner mind to smirk at his own false kindness that seemed to attract those persistent girls so much. If they only knew the real him…
"Hmm, it's still early, what say we play a game, Yuki?" Tohru aid excitedly looking at her watch.
"What kind of game did you have in mind?" he asked her surprised on what they could play while he was bedridden.
"Umm, how about a board game?" she asked, cocking her head and smiling at him.
"I don't know if we have any of those." Yuki admitted shrugging. He was starting to realise that they didn't have anything relatively entertaining in the house except for the television. This meant that Tohru had lived here for months without anything to do except cook, clean and do homework. He promised himself he would go and buy at least a deck of cards the moment he was allowed out of bed.
"Oh, well do you have a deck of cards?" she asked, unperturbed.
"Shigure may, but I don't think its best we disturb him at the moment." He added distastefully. He suppressed a shudder at what could be going on only a few doors down. He had gotten used to the idea of his brother and Shigure but they really only did it torment him and some times Kyo.
"Well, I don't think you should get out of bed…I know! Maybe we can make a chain of paper cranes to cure your sickness. I doubt we can make enough it time but we can have fun trying, right?" She said
"Paper cranes?" Yuki asked a little disbelievingly. Then his face spread into a small smile, "I haven't made one since I was eleven." he added his voice still throaty.
"Okay!" Tohru said happily "Origami paper coming right up!" She crossed the room but before she could touch the door it burst open to reveal Ayame and Shigure holding a navy blue, plastic box, smiling their heads off.
Chapter 4
"Hello, we couldn't help but over hear your predicament!" Ayame cried waving his arms in the air joyously
"Yes, you poor youths stuck in here with nothing to do. My, my Tohru paper cranes are a lovely idea but Aya and I had something a little less traditional in mind." Shigure added popping his head over the silver haired mans shoulder.
"You were eavesdropping?" Yuki asked heatedly.
"That's beside the point little brother, we've brought something that'll entertain every one!"
"KARAOKE!" The two men yelled, walking into the room. Ayame grabbed Tohru wrist and twisted her around quickly but gently so she was pinned to his side.
"Won't that be fun, princess?" he asked smoothly, his liquid gold eyes alight with happiness, looking down on her.
"O-oh, I guess, I-I mean yes! Yes, that's a wonderful idea, Mum used to love Karaoke!" she said smiling bewildered up at him.
"Then its settled." said Shigure, sitting down on Yuki's bed. "Tohru's up to it, Yuki, what about you?"
"No thanks." Yuki said flopping back onto his pillows, exhausted by his brother's and cousin's antics. Tohru looked at him worriedly.
"Yuki, are you sure, this would be perfect to chase away the sick feeling." She said.
"Maybe, Honda-san, but I don't think my lungs, throat or voice are strong enough."
Tohru erupted in a volcano of apologies and panic "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I can't believe I forgot after spending all this time with you! I didn't realise, how could I be so stupid? Of course you cant' sing, Yuki! What was I thinking? I should know better!" she ranted her entire being becoming frazzled.
"Tohru, Tohru, it's alright!" Shigure said patting her head, "We knew Yuki shouldn't sing but he could watch us which is, of course, half the fun."
"Oh – but – Yuki, don't you want to sing to? I only ask because I thought you might want to join in which would only hurt your throat."
"Honda-san, I don't really sing anyway." He said. Shigure's mind smirked as he knew that wasn't true.
"Have fun with Shigure and my brother, I'll be fine up here on my own. You all go downstairs and enjoy." He said smiling up at Tohru who had calmed down a bit and her voice had dropped a bit in pitch.
"Don't be silly, Yuki! We'll sing here and it'll be like a party!" Shigure said in a sing-song voice.
"Yes, Yuki, we thought it would cheer you up to hear Tohru sing!" Ayame exclaimed setting up the little navy box with microphones and a touch activated screen.
"Oh, no- Yuki probably doesn't want me hear making all that noise, he needs his rest – "
"Actually Honda-san, I would very much like to hear you sing." He commented sweetly. Tohru blushed mumbling something about how she wasn't a very good singer.
"Nonsense, Tohru, you go first!" Ayame cried tossing her a mike and laughing.
"Oh-oh, okay." She said, blushing a bit more. "Umm, what song should I sing?" she asked fingering a strand of hair nervously while Yuki propped himself up, looking as interested as he felt.
"What do you want to sing, Tohru? Ayame has put over five thousand songs on this. Most of them are Western but they're pretty popular." Shigure said crossing his knees in anticipation. Ayame followed and handed the girl the box where she could search for a song she wanted to sing. The three males looked at her intently waiting for her to start.
She wasn't used to all this attention and so randomly started to flip through songs that she'd never heard of. She began to panic when she realised she was taking too long and randomly picked a song that seemed familiar to her. She placed the portable Karaoke machine on the ground and waited, nervously for the music. The melody started and Tohru sighed relieved that's he had at least picked a slow ballad-like song. And what's more; she knew it!
She started shakily, closing her eyes and trying to escape to the magical world where the music could take control. The mood seemed right and she began tapping her foot. Ayame closed his eyes and began swaying along slightly, his hair brushing past his face giving him a look of utter peace. The entire thing had a very dramatic effect. Yuki's eyes flickered to his brother but then settled on Tohru after wood, glazing over a little bit. She really was really adorable.
Tohru seemed to gain her confidence a bit and she opened her eyes and grew slightly louder. Her hips beginning to accompany her foot and Ayame's swaying. She glanced at Yuki and Shigure who smiled at her. By the time she started the second verse she had begun to smile and her eyes expressed a far away look that only meant she was losing herself in the song and getting into the mood of it.
The three males all clapped and Ayame even called out, "Yay for Tohru! Encore!" but Tohru gave a nervous laugh, a tiny bow and shook her head.
"Who's next, Shigure, Ayame?" she asked looing a bit more at ease now that she had got through her first song.
"Ooh! Me, I know exactly what I'm going to sing!" Ayame said sanding up impressively with her hand on his hip, more posing than anything.
"Alright." Tohru said happily, handing him the mike and sitting down next to Yuki on the edge of his bed. Yuki almost moaned when Ayame quickly flicked through the songs and cleared his throat.
Shigure laughed when Ayame began an old song that he and Hatori used to listen to when they were kids. It had a complicated melody and Ayame danced as much as he sang, his deep smooth voice looping themselves over the notes and lyrics like he was a professional. They clapped very enthusiastically when he finished and bowed like a prince his hair flipping down over his shoulders and then he swung it around and tied it in a loose plait as he went to sit down.
"Your turn Shigure!" he said loudly, in a special way that made every word sound like a laugh of idiotic joy.
"Alrighty!" he said jumping up and soon began on a rock and roll involving allot of howl like singing. They all, Yuki included, laughed and clapped when he had done. After about an hour, they all had had five turn and Yuki was beginning to get a headache and feel very drowsy.
"I think that may be enough, guys. I'm sorry but I think I should get some rest." He apologised smiling, placing a hand on his surprisingly hot forehead.
Ayame sighed happily "Alright then little brother," he said picking up one of the mikes then turning around to his face was in Yuki's and he yelled ecstatically, "but after you give us a song!"
Yuki hesitated.
He shook his head "No thanks." He said looking tired, his eyes were dull and his face was getting redder. Tohru noted that he was over stimulated and that he indeed needed rest. But she was really curious and hopeful about Yuki singing. Maybe if he sang a slow song it wouldn't make him cough so much, she thought.
Shigure's eyes flickered worriedly to Yuki's stoic face. He wasn't sure what to expect as the reaction but he thought that if Yuki could do it he may actually move on. If any one could move on from what he had done as a tiny child
"Yes, Yuki, it'll be fun! Just the chorus, please!" Ayame insisted, pushing the mike into his younger brother's hands. Yuki looked down at it for a moment but then looked back into his brothers with a strong look.
"I said, no thankyou, brother. Now please leave." He retorted coldly. Just the tone made Ayame draw a back a little and sigh.
"Please, Yuki," he said again, his voice going low and a small triumphant smile on his lips, "for Tohru." Yuki gave a tiny gulp and glanced towards the girl who started.
"You don't have to Yuki." She said, "I don't mind, besides you need your rest." She said, her eyes only for him, all past wishes of hearing him sing, forgotten. He sucked in a breath, slowly, weighing his options and ignoring the expectant look on his brother's face…damn him and his frivolities, the boy thought, annoyed that his problematic relative has lulled him into a false sense of security. His voice had always been a curious thing that neither he, nor any one else who had heard it, could explain. He supposed that one would consider it a good voice, but it was so different from anything else and just would make him…weirder.
It was one of the reasons Akito had favoured him so much. His un-earthly voice and girlish face always put him in the back murmurings of the man's cruel mind. The Sohma family was rather traditional and Akito, especially enjoyed age old past times such as playing ornamental instruments, or rather having Haru play them as he was a skilled musician. Even when Yuki was a child, Akito indulged in dressing him as a geisha and make him sing and dance for him with either himself or Haru playing an ancient stringed or flute like instrument but occasionally, thee was no one else in the room with him. Shigure would paint Yuki's face white and help him dress in a kimono when Akito told him he would like to hear him sing. On those days, his entire being filled with dread as he shuffled bear foot to his master's quarters. Akito would always say the same thing when the boy entered. He usually left after a few hours and the main reason was because he was either faint from fear or tears had smudged his make up and threatened to ruin the expensive costume he was wearing.
"Hello, Yuki, how lovely you look." or "Come closer and sing." He would say from his chair, his eyes never leaving the child. These procedures continued until Yuki was fifteen, when he moved out of the main house, and in with Shigure. To say Akito was angry was a frightening understatement and he even visited the house after a month to order Yuki to come back. That had been the worst day of his life. The only reason Yuki hadn't gone down into spiralling depression was because in the end, Akito's illness had made him weak and he finally stopped throwing things and whipping the cursed teenager and slumped into a four-day faint. After this, Akito allowed Yuki to stay with Shigure, but Yuki always lived in fear that he would be called back again.
"I really think Yuki ought to rest." Tohru mumbled, awakening Yuki from his musings. He looked up at her and she was kneeling by his bed watching him with concern. It was then that he realised that Ayame had straightened up and the man with the mike had had fallen to his side and he too was staring with wide, pitying eyes. Yuki realised his eyes were wet as a large tear rolled down his rosy cheek. He started, jumping a bit at his own display of emotion and rubbed his eyes, turning away from Tohru. In his desperation, his eyes just leaked more and furiously, he scrubbed harder and had to force himself not to sniffle. He felt hopelessness overwhelm him and he viscously wiped his eyes because they were still crying and to disguise that his hands were shaking.
"I think we'd better leave." Tohru said getting up and facing Ayame and Shigure. Yuki couldn't see her face but the other men were stunned by her sad expression. They followed her out without a word and left Yuki to himself. Yuki mulled in his own anger, fear, sadness and frustration for a few minutes until he took it out on his pillow which he flung at the wall, making a large thump. His fists clenched together and he punched his mattress. Again and again, his fists rained down on it and tears slowly seeped down his face.
After a few minutes Yuki's breathing had died down again and he'd stopped hitting the pillow. He sat on his bed feeling exhausted and ashamed. The day had started out normally, this afternoon things had been alright and even the presence of the two most annoying people on earth in his room didn't make such a difference. It was just his past that kept cropping up. His past wouldn't let him enjoy his future. He had tried to hide it from Honda-san and tried to forget it…but it kept coming back and constricting his life, his new life, with its poisonous tentacles.
Chapter 6
He changed miserably into his pyjamas and crawled pitifully into his bed after retrieving his pillow from the other side of his room. He burrowed his bed under his warm covers; despite how hot he felt he wrapped himself tightly in his sheets whishing he could turn back time. He tried to drift in the intense heat and tried to breathe a shallowly as possible. His body was tired and sore but his mind was reeling and torturing him with painful images…of Akito, of himself, of Tohru…the look on her face. He cringed a bit as his eyes taped a picture of her worried gaze over the back of his eyes lids. Burning them and making tears well up inside of him.
A few minutes later, or maybe it was a hour…or all night, he couldn't be sure, there was a knock. Yuki's slipped his face above his boiling sheets, his eyes half closed with tiredness and shining with tears. "Honda-san?" he called out, his voice raspy. He feared that she would come in, and see him in this state -pyjama-clad and pitiful.
The door opened to reveal his cousin with a tiny smile on his face. "No, just me." He said, his smile turning into a sympathetic one. He walked in and shut the sliding door behind him. Yuki buried his head under the covers again, sweat beads appearing on his forehead. He felt Shigure sit next to him on his bed.
"Aya left." He said quietly.
"Good…" came a muffled reply. Shigure listened to the hitch in Yuki's voice that always happened when he was very scared or upset. He suppressed a sigh as the teenager didn't elaborate.
"And Tohru and Kyo have gone to bed." He added watching for a response. His voice was low, serious, but calm and kind. That was one of the curious things about Shigure. At any moment he could be cheery and annoying but, when he needed to, he could also be serious and surprisingly authoritive. Yuki admired that about Shigure. Not the ability to irritate anyone senseless, but the ability to be so happy but serious when he needs to be.
"Come out, Yuki, you must be awfully hot down there." He said, peeling back the covers. Without warning he flung himself at Shigure and clung onto him, his breathing turning more urgent and his eyes squeezing shut. Shigure was taken by surprise and folded his robed arms around his younger cousin, a bewildered look on his face. Soon he accepted that Yuki was expressing emotion and this had been bottled up inside of him for a long time. Shigure couldn't remember the last time he had held Yuki after something bad had happened – he may have been nine or ten…still a child. He noticed the boy was shaking. Understandable, he thought as he felt Yuki quivering slightly under his touch. Shigure positioned himself so that Yuki was sitting on his lap, while the mop haired youth still clung mercilessly to the dog's neck, Yuki's face burrowing into the crook of his neck.
"Why?" Yuki mumbled pathetically. "Why did he have to bring that up?" now struggling to hold in tears.
"Aya didn't know how badly it affected you; he just wanted to hear his brother's beautiful voice." Shigure answered logically, patting the back of Yuki's head.
"But in front of…in front if Honda-san?" he whispered. Shigure was silent for a moment. "You know he just wanted Tohru to see your talent, is that so wrong?"
"But-"
"Shhh…how do you expect him to know if you don't tell him?" Shigure asked, rocking backwards and forwards slightly. He loved his little cousin dearly and had tried to protect him, as well as his other relatives, from Akito as much as possible. There was a fatherly side to Shigure that wasn't always what people see at first. He doted on Kisa and cared about Haru and Momijii like brothers. But Yuki had always needed his help the most. Yuki was the most damaged. It was here that Shigure knew he needed to be for this boy, a father figure, or at least a friend.
Yuki gave no answer. Shigure sighed a little and tightened his grip. "You care for Tohru, don't you." He asked a few minutes later. Yuki turned his head away from Shigure's neck so it faced out, but still layed flat on his shoulder. The teen felt his muscles relaxing a bit more; Shigure was a safe place for him to be.
"I think so." He admitted more to himself than to Shigure "I think I really do love her. A-and sometimes it's almost like she could feel the same way about me…but it could never happen." He added miserably.
"And why is that?" Shigure asked him, knowing the answer.
"Well, I can't hug her. I can't be near her without turning into a rat." He almost spat into the darkness. "A-and she's too…pure. Shigure, I would only hurt her. Honda-san is too sweet to have her life ruined by the Sohma family, who she has nothing but helped." He said, "Akito would never allow it."
"You know what I think?" Shigure said, closing his eyes and rubbing Yuki's back like a small child. "I don't think Tohru would care about any of that. She's special Yuki, and she doesn't care about the curse or Akito…she cares about you."
Shigure separated himself from Yuki and looked at his in the semi-darkness. "You over complicate everything, Yuki." Shigure told him, wiping away Yuki's tears with his thumb. "You love her and she loves you and if you love each other then nothing can break that. Not even Akito…he has less control over you than you think." He kissed the pale forehead of the figure on his lap.
"Shigure…?" came a small voice from the darkness.
"Mmm?"
"Thankyou…I – I needed this." He admitted, letting his arms fall to his sides before curling them around his own body. He shifted off Shigure's lap and sat next to him for a few moments without speaking.
"I'm sorry about that." Yuki mumbled a little later.
The dog shook his head. "Don't be, Yuki, we all need a good cry sometimes, just like we need a good laugh. You can always come to me when you need to, Yuki; I'll take care of you."
Yuki felt tears well up in his eyes again. He opened his mouth to say something but Shigure put a finger over his lips and lad his down on his bed. He put a single sheet on him and kissed his forehead again.
"Don't worry about it. For now just go to sleep, alright?" he said, turning to walk towards the door. Underneath his sheets, Yuki nodded and felt his heavy eyes close and finally felt his body drifting off into the land of slumber.
Thankyou so much for reading this! I couldn't figure out how to have individual chapters but i will be writing more if i get good feedback. Even if i get bad feedback I'll be getting more. This is my first Fruits bakset fanfiction so I'm welcome to constructive criticism but i don't want any flames please :) Review and rate this for me and give me heaps of suggestions.
P.S i haven't had a chance to edit this properly so if soem one wants to be my beta that would be great :D
P.P.S Haru will be appearing in my next section and probably akito and more Tohru!! so yeah tell me if thats good or bad.