From his high vantage point, Kyou was untouchable. The frustration at never beating Yuki, the helplessness of his curse, and the unnerving pull towards Tohru seemed a distant speck as he climbed higher. He pulled himself up in the branches, sweating out the hopeless ache of his everyday existence in a way that was second only to a flawlessly executed kata. Not that Kyou was one to brood. Kyou preferred to spend his days not thinking about anything, not letting his clouded head get in his own way. The fact that Yuki noticed, and credited his thoughtlessness to stupidity or incompetence was yet another thing pushed down into the recesses of Kyou's subconscious. The fact that Tohru did notice, and was concerned when she noticed his anger, was something he was unsuccessfully attempting to keep out. At all costs. He'd seen the way she looked at the damn mouse, and knew she'd never look at him with those admiring and trusting eyes. She took care of him out of pity, she was his friend out of sympathy, but she could never look at him as a true man. No one could.
He sighed. Dinnertime was almost here, one of two times a day in his household he was forced to interact with all of his demons at the same time. Tohru, pulling him into a place too soft for his comfort zone. Yuki, trying to push him out of the picture completely, the damn snob. Priss. Nancy prince boy who only ever excels. Never has to work. And finally, Shigure, who didn't delight in torturing Kyou in particular. No, Shigure's pleasure was stirring the pot of emotions and drama whatever way would be most entertaining or further his own goals. Kyou being a prime target, of course. Kyou wondered if Shigure knew how well Kyou could predict his self serving and sadistic moves. That Kyou would potentially be able to outsmart the dog if he let himself slow down for even a moment to plot and plan. That could never happen, though. The brash, reckless pace at which Kyou went through life was his last defense mechanism against feeling everything that had ever been repressed. And once that happened...no bracelet would be able to contain the monster within.
Kyou slowly climbed back into reality. He hurried towards the house, knowing when he went inside he'd be greeted with a cheerful and sunny smile to go with a delicious and home cooked meal. Tohru alternated between all of them when making their favorites, to ensure that none of her men ever felt left out. Tonight was Kyou's night, his night to quietly pretend that she cooked just for him. That she thought of him as her only man of the house. He sighed. He had to stop day dreaming, letting his mind wander. This was EXACTLY why he didn't let himself stop to think or take stock of things. He'd get carried away, burning with desire, to interrupt her cooking. To approach her from behind, crush her to his chest, and...NO. He mentally doused himself. You're almost home. She can't know what you were thinking.
"Hello, Kyou-kun!" Tohru rang as he approached. "You look flushed! Have you been running?" "Y..yeah." Kyou replied. Tohru responded, "You work so hard! I admire that about you." and went back to her cooking and light humming. Krou breathed an inward sigh of relief. Of course she wouldn't notice. She couldn't notice. Her head was always up in the clouds, thinking about her mother or school. She'd never look into his eyes long enough to see what was written all over his face every time he was within touching distance of her. Every time he could smell her strawberry scented shampoo.
Dinner was a tortured affair. Yuki was incredibly haughty and superior, Tohru was admiring to all of them equally, and Shigure took great pleasure in cracking jokes that the boys only would understand. His remarks about choosing, about being too late only confused Tohru. The boys read him loud and clear, their hearts riled up with the thought of the other acting towards Tohru first. Kyou sighed to himself for the hundredth time inwardly, allowing an argument to be his excuse for a storm off and sulk session on the roof. Perhaps tonight, the stars would finally be a good salve for his Tohru ravaged heart.
But then again, probably not.