I have another idea. Damn little plot bunnies. *Sigh*. I don't own them, but the plot is entirely mine.

"I see. I see. Yes. We'll be over as soon as possible." Said Shigure, hanging up the phone, a serious look on his face. "Kyo! Tohru! Yuki!" Shigure yelled, thundering through the house. "Get up!"
An alarm clock came hurtling through the air and collided with his skull. "You dumbass!" Kyo snarled, his hair sticking up in different directions, still wearing the tie and suit shirt from last nights' party. "Do you have any idea what time it is? Or how damn late we stayed up at that graduation party?"
"What's the matter, Shigure?" Tohru asked, also stepping out of her room. She had taken the time last night to get into her pajamas, despite being exhausted. Yuki came trudging out of his room, too, rubbing his half- opened eyes. He wasn't conscious enough to realize he was only wearing briefs.
"I just received a call from the main house. Akito's dying, and he's called the family." Said Shigure. He looked at Tohru. "He said you were to come, too."
Tohru's eyes went white. "Me?" she squeaked. "But.But I'm not a Sohma! I'd just be intruding on a very private time!"
"That's apparently not what Akito thinks." Said Shigure. "And this is his last request, gathering his family to hear his last words. The only thing we can do is honor it." "Ok." Said Tohru, turning stiffly to go into her room. Only to scream and blush bright red when she saw Yuki. She ran into her room, hands over her burning face to keep from seeing anything else.
Shigure chuckled. "Yuki, as attractive and charming as your fan club might have you believe you are, shouldn't you put some clothes on before we go?"
Yuki looked down, still half conscious, then blushed and dashed into his room, Shigure and Kyo's laughter ringing in the hallway.
"You better go get dressed too, Kyo." Said Shigure. "You're a member of this family, and Akito asked for you, Tohru, and Yuki specifically."
"I wonder what that bastard has up his sleeve this time." Kyo said darkly, going to the bathroom and closing the door.
Shigure sighed when he heard the shower go on. "I wish I knew, Kyo."
* * *
"Good, you all made it." Said Hatori. "I don't think he has much longer. His heart is giving out."
"Is he suffering?" Shigure asked, eyes shadowed by his hair.
"No. He's just.fading away." Said Hatori. He looked over at the three graduates behind Shigure. Tohru was pale with nerves, clutching Yuki and Kyo's hands, gazing around at all the solemn-faced Sohmas. A few nodded to her and smiled, but the many who didn't know her looked at her in either surprise or contempt for intruding on such a family oriented time. Kyo and Yuki glared at them until they looked down.
"Come on." Hatori said, heading towards the large suite that was the head of family's rooms. "He's with Ritsu right now. You four are the last ones." He knocked on the door, then went in, closing it behind him.
Ritsu came out seconds later, carrying a beautiful men's silk kimono. "He-Hello everyone." He said, clutching the lush fabric close to his chest, wrinkling it horribly. "I'm glad you came."
"What have you got, Ritsu?" Tohru asked, smiling gently at him.
"Just the Head's parting gift." Said Ritsu, holding it up. They all murmured appropriate compliments. "I should go. He'll be wanting to see you four, soon." He said and disappeared down the hall.
"Parting gifts?" Tohru asked, looking at Yuki and Kyo in question.
"Yes, Miss Honda. Every time one of the family Heads passes away, they give a gift to the Zodiac, for loyalty and as a way to remember their family god. More often than not, it's a piece of art, or clothing, or something of that nature, that goes in the House of that particular Zodiac member."
"House?" Tohru asked.
"Yes. Every Zodiac member has a house they have to live in, and they have to get special permission from the Head to live elsewhere." Said Shigure. "It's not easy to do, but possible. If you know what to say."
They looked up at Hatori. "He wants to see Shigure, then you three together." He said, moving to stand next to the door so Shigure could enter the darkened, incense scented room. He came out moments later, looking grim, a large, ancient, leather-bound book in his arms. They could just see the author engraved on the spine. William Shakespeare. He nodded at the three, who went into the dark room, the door swinging closed behind them with a muffled click.
They approached the bed slowly, still holding hands. Akito glanced over at them and smirked weakly. "Still a group, are we?" he wheezed. "Despite all I did to separate you, you still persevered." He coughed, holding a handkerchief to his mouth. When he brought it down, it was flecked with blood. Tohru gasped, and Akito glanced over at her, eyes dim. "Still concerned for everyone, Tohru. It's your greatest weakness, and at the same time, your greatest strength." He said. He looked again at their linked hands. "I must ask each of you to come up separately to receive your gifts." Kyo went first, after glancing at the other two. "I give you two, Kyo. One, you will never have to be confined. The house of the Cat is being remodeled as we speak, to reflect this new status." Akito coughed again, and it seemed an unending spasm.
An alarm went off when the coughing didn't cease and Hatori came in, worry in his eyes. He checked Akito briefly, then gave him some medicine from an inhaler. He glanced at the three teens in the room. "Are you finished, Akito?" he asked gently.
"No. I still haven't given them their gifts." Said Akito. He gestured to the pillows. "Prop me up. I find it undignified to lie on my back while I talk to them." After he was elevated to his satisfaction, he waved Hatori out of the room once more. "Kyo, your second gift shall be revealed momentarily." He looked over at Yuki. "Yuki, you receive two gifts as well. Your first is a scholarship to any university of your choice, studying anything you choose. I have left provisions in my will that the family is to pay for everything." Yuki gaped as Akito once more dissolved into coughs. He waved at a pitcher of water and Tohru rushed forward to pour him a glass and help him drink it.
"Are you alright, now?" she asked, pulling the glass away after he had drained it.
"Yes." Akito said. He lay back on the pillows and gazed at the girl through hooded eyes. "Still a tender hearted child, even after all I've done to you." He said, shaking his head. "You have been living with Shigure so long, it almost seems you're one of us."
"Shigure is very kind." Tohru said, bowing. "And so are you to let me keep living with him."
"I'm not kind." Said Akito. "I did it to achieve my own aims, as I did everything." Tohru didn't know what to say, and it was apparent. "You don't have to be polite and deny it." He said, smirking. "You know it's true." He frowned. "And I'm not going to say dying has changed me. I still do things to suit me, and your gift ties into that." He gestured for her to lean down. When she did, he brought his hands up and pulled her further down, laying his lips on her forehead, a light shining from where they met. Yuki and Kyo rushed forward to pull her back.
"I'm fine." She said, her hair frizzed out. "I'm fine!"
"I didn't hurt her, Yuki." Said Akito with amusement. "I merely gave her one of her gifts."
"What did you give her?" Asked Kyo, looking Tohru over for any injury and finding none.
"The greatest gift I can give her, by her approximations." Said Akito. "My ability to hug a member of the Zodiac without them transforming." He lay back, grinning evilly at the completely dumfounded looks on all three of their faces. "I take it you're pleased?" he asked silkily.
"I-I-THANK YOU!" Tohru said, dashing forward to hug him lightly. He jerked back, a look of shock on his face. His face softened a bit, and he patted her on the back with one frail hand, then pushed her away, face hardening again. He let her play a bit, hugging first Yuki, then Kyo. They hugged her back, tender smiles on their faces. "And these." he said, lifting a box out of the depths of his blankets, "Are your second gifts." He opened the box, revealing four rings. Two were men's bands, yellow gold, with sapphires all the way around the band. The other two were women's rings, in white gold. One was covered in amethysts, the other in garnets. "These are yours." He drew the rings free of the soft cotton protecting them and handed one of the sapphire bands to each of the boys. He handed the amethyst and garnet rings to Tohru. "Put them on." He said, eyeing them eagerly. They put on the rings on their left hand ring fingers with trepidation; Tohru's rings locked together, making a double band. When nothing happened, they relaxed. "Good." Akito said. "Now take them off, please." They looked puzzled, but obediently went to remove the rings. Panic set in when they refused to come off.
"What did you do?" Yuki asked, glaring at the dying family Head.
"Nothing Yuki." He said, smiling. "I've just given Miss Tohru a reason to stay with the family, that's all."
"What's the matter with these rings?" Kyo asked, holding up his clenched fist. The ring glittered brightly on his finger.
"Those? They are bonding rings." Akito said, running an extended finger over the double band on Tohru's shaking hand. "This is my second gift to all three of you. It should save some pain in the near future."
"How is this going to save us pain?!" Yuki asked. "And what do you mean, bonding rings?"
"These rings bond your souls." Said Akito. "This prevents any painful choices later, because Tohru doesn't have to decide between you two. Now she has you both, and you have her. Forever." He pulled a chord beside the bed, causing a chime to ring out through the house. Hatori entered moments later. "Take them away, Hatori, I'm tired." Akito said, lying back and closing his eyes, a small, satisfied smile on his face. "And congratulations Yuki, Kyo, Tohru. I now pronounce you husbands and wife."