I'm Glad You Came to Me (Kyo doesnt show up until later chapters. haha)
Tohru looked down at the dishes that awaited her, the result of the ravaging of three specific people, and put on a determined face.
"Let's go!' she cried, plunging her hands into the water, and attacking her first victim.
She scrubbed like a madcap, blowing her bangs out of her eyes as she worked.
"Need some help?" a mild voice asked from her left. She paused, looking up at the person addressing her.
"Thank you ever so much for your offer, Yuki kun, but I couldn't possibly-", she cut off, when he rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, and went to stand beside her, promptly taking a dish to work on.
She stared at him shocked, and blushed, smiling, when he gave one of his beautiful smiles he only gave her.
"I'm glad to help." He said, simply, and turned to his task.
They comfortably worked together in silence, and soon the mountain became a small hill, and then became one remaining dish.
Tohru reached for the last plate, just as Yuki was and their hands met in the water.
A sudden jolt raced through her, and heat rose to her cheeks. Staring at their touching hands, she felt a strange feeling stir inside her…
He didn't seem to notice anything different, because he simply took the plate and cleaned it.
Once they were done washing, they began to put them away. She glanced over at Yuki as he was stretching up to put away some plates, and watched his midriff's muscles contract.
For all his slimness, he did have some muscles… she mused, admiringly.
She jerked realizing what she was doing.
I'm checking out Yuki!
Blushing fiercely, she looked away sharply, and focused on her task, trying to block out the foreign thoughts. As she was putting away a bowl, she found her eyes straying back to Yuki who was now bending over to put some pans in the bottom pantries.
She cocked her head involuntarily, and a large clacking sound shocked her out of her sudden daze. Yuki straightened up, turning, worriedly.
Embarrassed, her face flaming, she quickly picked up the bowl, apologizing profusely.
"You must be tired, I can finish up." He said kindly, taking the bowl from her. Usually, she would've protested but she needed to get away.
Now.
Screaming at herself mentally, she smiled at him. "Thank you very much, Yuki kun." She walked quickly out of the kitchen, and bumped into Shigure in the hall.
He was looking at her with a studying look, and for a moment Tohru wondered if he had seen…
"Are you well, Tohru?" he asked, with fatherly concern. "We can't have our Flower wilting."
She shook her head, and said, reassuringly, "No, no I'm fine. Really. Thank you for asking."
Just then, Yuki came in from the kitchen, with a worried look. "Are you? You're so red…have you given yourself a fever, again?" he raised his hand to test her forehead, and jerked backwards, avoiding him. They stared at her in confusion and surprise.
"I…I might have something. If I do, I don't want you getting it." She lied, glancing towards the stairs.
Shigure nodded. "That's a good idea. Why don't you go to bed early tonight, hmm?" he patted her fondly on the head, and walked off to gods knows where.
Tohru smiled at Yuki watching her, his eyes still a little confused…and hurt.
"Is everything okay, Tohru?" he asked quietly.
Her heart pulled, and she smiled brightly. "Yes, Yuki kun. I'm fine."
Still serious, he touched her shoulder and said, "Honda san, if anything is bothering you…" he lowered his head so they were eye-to-eye. "…don't hold it in. Tell me."
Tohru hadn't heard a word he'd said; her heart was beating to erratically for her to do anything but try to keep breathing.
"Honda san?" a worried voice prompted.
She smiled at him; still a little stunned, and replied, "Of course, Yuki kun."
Looking satisfied, but still worried, he murmured, withdrawing his hand, "Good night, then, Honda san."
Walking up the stairs, she could feel his eyes on her back until she'd turned the corner to her room. Fleeing inside, she closed her door, and rested her back against it, slowly sliding down with her face in her hands.
Sitting on the floor, she tried to fight down the sudden, strong emotions swirling inside her like a hurricane.
"What is happening?" she whispered, desperately, battling the urges and desires leaping up like demons.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
She shook her head, and leaned it back, staring up at the blank white ceiling.
Closing her eyes, she visited back through her memories with her mom, and tried to see if she could help. She had said something that could explain this.
'Love is a wild, unpredictable thing. Sometimes it's suddenly there when we least expect it, sometimes it was there all along but we didn't acknowledge it.' Her mother said, her words echoing in her mind. She was explaining how she had fallen in love with her teacher.
Tohru opened her eyes, even more confused.
"'All along'?" she murmured, hugging her knees, and laying her head.