Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket… it's so boring to say that all the time.

I'd Burn This City Down To Show You the Light

With hand basket on her arm, Tohru Honda made her way through the isle of the grocery store. She frowned as she paused, selecting a few carrots from a shelf before pulling the list out of the front of her apron once more. Asu should be on her way to kindergarten right now, her tiny hand clutching Shigure's large one. Smiling in that happy, awkward way Kyo used to smile.

"Hm." Tohru blinked a few times, trying to draw herself out of her thoughts, and back into the land of the living. Her eyes scanned the list several times before she actually saw what she was reading. Toilet paper. Right. Toilet paper was next on the list. Her eyes scanned the isles in front of her. Toilet paper was… To the left. Turning briskly she walked, tucking the folded list neatly back into the front of her apron.

It was funny. Even five years after his death, not a day went by that her mind didn't wander back to him. Everything she did, every smiling face she saw, she could always attribute one of their qualities back to Kyo. It was a funny little game her mind played on her, but in a ways she appreciated it. At least now she knew that she would never forget him. Not that she could, even if she wanted to.

Lost inside her thoughts, Tohru failed to notice a stray four-pack of toilet paper lying in the isle, and tripped over it, giving a sharp cry and she pitched forward, hands flying out in front of her to break the fall that never came. Brown eyes wide, the twenty two year old woman gazed up into the soft brown eyes of Kazuma Sohma, Kyo's adoptive father, whom she hadn't seen in several years.

"Oh!" She cried, pulling away from him as fast as possible. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Her words came out high-pitched and rushed. She took a few steps backward, trying to both regain her balance and escape from the somehow awkward situation she had gotten herself into. However, she only succeeded in running into the shelves full of toilet paper packs, which promptly toppled all over the floor, and herself.

"Ohhh..." Groaned Tohru, dropping to her knees, and trying to gather them up. "I am hopeless… I'm sorry…"

She looked up, only to find Kazuma chuckling slightly as he stood over her, clutching a package of toilet paper, and looking quite amused. "Don't worry about it." He assured her, "It's fine. Everyone's allowed to be clumsy every once and a while. Here, let me help you up."

He held out his hand, which she took. His firm grip reminded her of Kyo's, and her head swam a bit just looking at the older man. Though him and Kyo were not related by blood, they did look quite a bit alike. Maybe not in their blunt, obvious features, but in small qualities that you had to look closely to find. Their hands were both large and strong, their lit up the same way when they laughed, their smile always held that hidden tint of pain that you had to dig deeply to see.

Shishou frowned at her contemplating expression, but only for a moment. His smile returned as he spoke again. "Shall we pick these up?" He suggested lightly, indicating the packs of toilet paper strew about the isle.

"Oh, um, yes. Thank you." Tohru inclined her head in a polite bow, and then went about gathering the plastic wrapped packages, trying very hard not to train her eyes on Kazuma too much. Seeing him here was making her dizzy, and she felt a very strange sense of déjà vu overcoming her.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Shishou finally spoke. "How is Asu?"

Tohru contemplated whether or not she wanted to answer him for a few moments, then, decided there was no harm in doing so, and shrugged, knowing that he couldn't see it. "She's as happy as ever. Shigure-san makes her laugh all the time, and I really think she's beginning to see him as a father… Which is funny, because I never really thought Shigure-san to be the fatherly type, before," She babbled, "Actually, today was her first day of kindergarten… I should have taken her, but I asked Shigure-san to, because I couldn't… For some reason… It almost seemed like I was giving her up. And I didn't want to cry as she went into school, she would be embarrassed. Actually, she might get angry. It's funny, she's so little, but already she so self-conscious. She has quite a temper, actually, just like Kyo-kun di-" She broke off, dropping the packages she was holding.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to remind you of him! Forgive me! Oh my gosh!" She bowed again, sad fear coursing through her, but Kazuma only gave her a small smile.

"It's fine. Tohru Honda, in the three years it has been since I've seen you, you haven't changed a bit." He gave a small laugh, shaking his head, "It's no wonder Kyo loved you so much."

His statement was simple, but it brought a red tint to her cheek, and tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. "Eh? Well…" She mumbled, blushing even deeper, and setting the last few packages on the shelf. There was a small silence, in which Tohru gave a loud sniff, a sign of either allergies or a bout of sadness, and then Shishou (who was becoming the master of breaking silences) spoke.

"Well, it was very nice to see you again, Tohru. Please, stop by the Dojo anytime. We can have tea together." He paused for a moment, the smiled brightly, "Though, it might be more to your advantage if you made it." He laughed. He dipped his head to her, and she to him, and then he was gone, leaving Tohru standing there with memories that she had forgotten surfacing inside her heart.

LINEBREAK

Yuki Sohma had not been seen in Shigure's house for a little bit over four years. The day Asu was brought into Tohru's life, Yuki quietly stepped out of it, heading off for a university to earn his teaching degree. He had promised to come back, once he had had it, to teach at the high school they had both graduated from.

He had not completely vanished, of course. He had sent letters, postcards, an occasional package containing a present, or some oddity that he and Haru had found on the beach by the university.

Oh, yes Haru. Haru, in the same respects, vanished shortly after he graduated, to join Yuki in his small apartment near the university. Haru was now earning his own living as a martial arts teacher, working at a small dojo near the college, so that he and Yuki could be together.

But now, Yuki had graduated, and him and Haru had decided it was high time that they moved back into their old neighborhood, to see the friends and family the loved (or hated) so much. So, packing their things, saying goodbye to their new friends, and quitting their jobs, they left apartment life forever, returning back to their old town and buying a small house on Sohma land.

It was funny, Yuki had thought, how he had fought to escape Sohma life so much, and always ended up back there. But, somehow, the thought of Akito's wrath didn't bring the same shiver over him, the way it had before. Akito's power over Yuki had been broken, ever since the night the Tohru had almost died.

And now, here Yuki was, standing outside of Shigure's house Haruless, face to face (figuratively, seeing as she was so much tinier than him) with Asu, who he had not seen since she was a tiny baby, telling him that she would kill him.

Not exactly the normal welcome party, but hey, the Sohma's weren't exactly your normal family. Now, if Asu had been a few years older, Yuki probably would have been a bit more afraid. But as it was, she couldn't even reach the cookie jar without help.

Still, the whole thing shocked him. A girl that young, already filled with a deathwish? It was all rather shocking. Yuki's eyes widened as she said the words, and he took a step back, staggering slightly, clutching the doorframe for balance.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Shigure beat him to it. "Asu! No! That's a terrible thing to say! Where did you learn to speak like that? Never say something like that again! Now apologize to Yuki!"

Asu looked down at her feet, seemingly apologetic, and murmured a short 'sorry'. However, as she looked back up, her eyes caught Yuki's, and the rat knew that sorry was the furthest thing from her mind. Silly as it was, a mixture of fear and hatred flew over him, and he looked away, trying to keep his face as blank as possible. Come on, he was nearly twenty three years old! Was he seriously going to uphold a rivalry with a five year old?

But the curse was eating away at his insides, and he knew that he had to get away.

"Haru and I moved onto Sohma property." He muttered quietly, "I got a job at the high school. Haru's going to try and see if Kazuma will take him on as a partner." His voice was strained.

Shigure raised his eyebrows slightly. "That's… Nice." He commented, watching Yuki stare at the ground in the way he always had, face turning slightly red. The dog had the feeling that this was not the only news that Yuki had to share.

"And… Well…" Yuki continued, raising his head, and looking determinedly up at the ceiling, "It's been five years… and we've decided… We wanted it to be where we grew up, with family, friends…" He bit his lip nervously, staring helplessly at the ceiling for a few moments, then was overcome by a wave of courage, and snapped his gaze to Shigure's, "We're getting married." He stated.

You could hear Shigure's laughter from outer space.