I do not own Fruits Basket.
If you haven't read the first story, Faithless, go to my profile, and it will be there.
After a long delay…I'm finally writing the sequel! Here's why it took me so long: I was contemplating over WTC (what the crudballs) I was going to write; I didn't know what the title was going to be.
If you've seen my poll (which is, like, 6 people – THANK YOU 6 PEOPLE…even though I kinda had to ask you…), then you know that there was a 5-way-tie between Healing, Confused, Voiceless, Soundless, and Shattered. Obviously, I ended up choosing Voiceless, mainly because it was the title I had first thought of.
Anyway…ON TO THE STORY!
-Point of View: Tohru-
Here I am, once again. Let's just hope this time around goes a lot better than the last, I thought when I saw him walking towards me, white bowl in hand. He was done with his dinner, as usual, first. I didn't even have to turn away from the soapy suds in my dish to know that the patter of feet obviously trying to be silent – but failing horribly – were his.
"Thanks for dinner," he muttered just loud enough for my ears to hear.
I opened my mouth to respond. "You're –" I stopped myself – I wasn't supposed to be talking, especially to him. If I did, he would just let himself in, grab my heart, and just rip it out again. I didn't want that. I didn't want anyone to do that to me ever again.
But I couldn't ignore the fact that I wanted to talk to him. Also, there was the unmistakeable glimmer of hope in his glassy, strong…deep red…eyes…
Stop it, Tohru!
When the orange-head was sure that I wasn't going to speak more than that one word, he took a few cautious steps towards me – which caused me to just become more anxious – and place his dishes in the sink, where the suds were starting to shrink. This fortunately took my focus away from him and turned my attention to adding more soap to my mound of bowls and silverware.
"I'll just leave you to that," the boy whispered in my ear while spinning around to exit the kitchen. As he had since I had returned from the hospital two months ago, he was just going to go up to his room and sulk, just like I'd wanted to do.
But, no. Yuki wouldn't let me do such a thing! He wouldn't pressure me to speak – though that just made it harder to keep silent – but he would, however, pressure me to spend as least amount of 'alone time' as possible. Unless I made gestures that said, 'It's not going to help; just leave me alone, please,' Yuki stayed by my side.
That wasn't such a bad thing, either. Truthfully, I wanted to be around Yuki. However, I also wanted to be around myself. And I still wanted to be around him. This conflict never eased its pressure. Although within the time spent at the hospital I had learned to be as expressionless or show slight emotions – good emotions, so visitors would not feel the need to enter the position I had been in for them – it was much harder with all the temptations here at home.
Ha…I still thought of that place as 'home.' It still was. A difficult one, but one that I still was unable to leave.
It was the one place I felt trusted.
For whatever reason, I still felt safe.
Plus, you know, Yuki and Kyo were there – wait, did I just say that? Crap. I really suck at this, don't I?
I didn't realize it, but I must have been huffing angrily, because when I noticed somebody's presence, that somebody looked like they feared I was going to punch a wall and ruin his house like he and Yuki always did.
However, Shigure played off his concern very well. "So, Tohru, how's school been?" he asked as he brought in his dishes. In response, I just shrugged. "Are you having any trouble catching up on your work?" I shook my head.
In his typical Shigure manner, the dog leaned on the counter one foot away from my left arm. "You know, if you are having any trouble, I am available anytime for help," he suggested, wagging his eyebrows. It was evident that he was trying to evoke giggles out of my always silent voicebox. My teeth bit into my lip as an attempt to keep myself from laughing at him. After all, I wasn't sure if the other two boys knew, but at this point, I knew about his relationship with Akito.
That reminds me: I needed to call her to talk. Well, obviously I wouldn't, but she was just fine and dandy if all I did was listen and keep any comments or tips to myself.
"Shigure, I still have those dictionaries in a sack. I'd be happy to knock some chivalry into that perverted head of yours," said Yuki in his monotonous tone. When I glanced over at him, I wasn't surprised to see a smirk tugging at his thin lips. His thin, smooth…gentle…
Stop it, you idiot! You know how this all went last time! Forget your attraction – to both of them, the rational side of my brain scolded.
But…I can't. I see them everyday. And…I still love them.
Both of them.
I really suck at this. If only I had known how much trouble I would stir up by living with the Sohmas, I would have gone back to that damn tent in the middle of the forest.
If you guys ARE familiar with this series, then I hope that you can figure out about whom Tohru is talking whenever she says he, him, his. I'm not quite sure why I keep using Italics when Tohru's referencing him.
And no, I'm not gonna say who it is, because I think it's pretty obvious who it is, so I don't feel the need (not meant to sound as bitchy as it does).
THANKS FOR READING,
R/R/KR!
-Pamela
