Tohru sat up in bed, worrying over the decision she now had to make. Yuki hadn't spoken on the drive home, just stared out the window. When she sat with Kyou on the roof later, he said that the "kuso nezumi" was probably ashamed of what he'd done. Tohru had made him his favorite kind of rice balls, but they were still sitting outside his door untouched... except that one that Shigure had wolfed down before dinner. Tohru smiled, thinking about the look on his face when she caught him.

She turned her face to the window, and watched the moon shine among the stars. The sky was incredibly clear, and the moon lit up the room like sunshine. Tohru stared at the face in the moon, but could only picture Kyou. Her smile must have taken up her whole face as she thought of the wonderful redhead sleeping just down the hall. She gazed at her bare hand... she wanted to marry him, to wear that beautiful ring forever. But I don't want Yuki to hate me, she thought. She noted the horrible look on his face today when Kyou had told Akito he loved her, the malice in his eyes when he grabbed her by the arm. Kyou is so genuine, Tohru thought with a smile. His temper makes him perfectly truthful... and his bashfulness makes him really cute, Tohru grinned as she pictured his blushing face.

This wasn't getting Tohru anywhere. She knew what she had to do. She had to accept! She knew she did! But still her mind wandered back to Yuki. She slowly opened her door, creeping down to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water, and intended to head up to her room. But as she climbed to the top of the stairs, she noticed something was missing. The rice balls that she had placed outside his door earlier were gone, and a tiny sliver of golden light spilled from the cracked door. "Sohma-kun?" she stuck her head in, whispering. "Are you awake?"

He turned from his rice balls, chewing slowly. "Hai..." he replied softly. He stared back at the rice balls, not noticing the girl who sat on his bed.

"Sohma-kun... gomen nasai," Tohru began. Yuki was silent, and put his head in his hands.

"Don't marry him. Stay here with me and don't marry him, please!" Yuki begged suddenly. Tohru stared at her feet. He slammed his fist into the desk

"Gomen nasai, Sohma-kun," she whimpered softly. "But I love him." Tohru thought about how unfair it would be to her, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Mother always said that sometimes good can come of pain. Sometimes you don't realize what that good is at the moment, but it will come eventually, and you'll be glad that you didn't take the path you wanted to. Sohma-kun?" He glanced over at her, acknowledging her existence for the first time that day. His eyes had softened. "Are you... are you still my friend?" she asked, her face growing sad.

"Yes... of course I'm still your friend, Honda-san," he frowned at her. "I just... I always really thought that you... were meant for me," he added slowly. "I got so mad, thinking of all the things that I'd never get to experience with you..." he sighed heavily.

"Gomen nasai, Sohma-kun! I don't wish this didn't happen, not to say that I wish it hadn't happened to us because that would have been nice too, and I would have been happy either way, you know," Tohru realized she was rambling and took a breath. "But I wish you could be happy again..." her voice quavered. "I don't like it when you are sad..." she stared at her feet. "I hate that I hurt you... Please don't hate me or Kyou-kun!"

Yuki stared at her in utter disbelief. She cared so much about everyone, not wanting anyone to get hurt from this. She probably would have not married Kyou if Yuki seriously asked her not to. He stood, and gently kissed her forehead. "Arigato," he whispered. He had been so horrible to her. He sat in his pile of purple pajamas staring up at her face. "I will always be your friend, Honda-san." He scurried up her arm, where she pet him gently. The moonlight made her smile stand out, and Yuki was happy. He didn't know why it had to happen this way, just that hope was still out there for him. She kissed him on the top of the head, placing him back on his pillow.

"Good night, Sohma-kun," she said softly, and closed the door with a flip of her soft brown hair. She crept down the hall with a little smile plastered on her face. She paused as she gazed at the doorknob to Kyou's room. As she turned it, she thought to herself, what am I doing? She went in silently, and watched Kyou's chest rise and fall. The moonlight danced on his face as his curtains fluttered in the breeze. He seemed so peaceful, so perfect in that moment. Tohru walked over and began to close his window, but stopped as she noticed his hand. It was clasped around something. She smiled slightly as she figured out what it was, and tiptoed out. She shuffled out of the room and climbed back into bed, staring out the window at the shining stars. She closed her eyes, waiting for the lull of sleep to begin, but nothing happened. Tohru took a sip of water and tried again. Her mind was still alert, racing with questions. She tried to keep her eyelids closed with her hands, but sleep just didn't seem to come. She flung the covers off in exasperation, and headed to the bathroom.

After a long soothing bath, Tohru tried to sleep, but to no avail. Is he going to ask me again? She wondered. I'm going to accept, aren't I? What if I somehow offend Shigure-san and get thrown out of the house? She closed her eyes and groaned, sinking deeper under the soft, warm covers. Tohru finally couldn't take it anymore, and opened her door. She shrieked as the door slammed into her foot, and she stumbled back onto the bed. She held her breath, rubbing her injury. She decided to sing the little song her mother sang to her when she was sick, and her voice drifted softly in the quiet of the house. "Totemo ureshikatta yo, kimi ga warai kaketeta

Subete o tokasu hohoemi de. Haru wa mada tookute, tsumetai tsuchi nunakatte

Me buka toki o matte tanda. Tatoeba kurushii kyou datoshitemo,

Kinou no kizo o nokoshite itemo

Shinjitai kokoro hadaite yukeruto

Umarekawaru koto wa dekinaiyo, dakedo kabatte wa yukerukara Let's stay together, itsumo."

Tohru smiled, massaging her foot. She quietly stood, stretching in her yellow pajamas, and patted her wet hair. She slipped quietly out of the room.

She turned the knob, entering silently. She stood, watching him for a moment and opened the door to his porch. She stood, staring at the stars. She gasped as a shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of glittering diamonds. He laid his hand on her shoulder. "Oy," he mumbled sleepily. "What the hell are you doing up?" he grumbled.

"Gomen nasai, Kyou-kun. I couldn't sleep," she replied, still staring.

"Well go to bed," he said gruffly before heading back inside. She hung her head, and walked back in, shutting the door behind her. She tiptoed back over to her bedroom. ***

"Kyou-kun?" she said his name gently, to see if he was awake.

"Nani... Doshite?" he said a little too loudly. He was grumpy and annoyed from being awakened this early in the morning.

"I... I still can't sleep..." she stumbled over the words.

"So... I can't do anything," he growled. He wanted to sleep. He turned over and stared into the large brown eyes. He sighed, sitting up. "Why not?"

"I don't know... my body is tired," she explained. "But my head is not... I just can't. Can I stay in here with you?" she added.

"I guess. Just let me sleep," he mumbled, closing his eyes.

"Hai," she replied softly. A few minutes later, the voice filled his ears again. "Erm, Kyou-kun?"

His eyes opened furiously. "What?" he snapped, his temper flaring.

"Can... Can I sleep with you?" she whispered softly, embarrassed to be asking. He could see her silhouette in the darkness. Her head stared directly at her feet, and she clasped her hands together in front of her.

He was suddenly glad he hadn't chosen to sleep naked that night. "Uh...er..." he stammered, feeling his face burning with awkwardness. "Er... if you want to... I don't care," he replied quickly. He wished he hadn't said it that way. He did care, he was embarrassed about it, however. He scooted over, with his bare back against the wall. His flannel pajamas were pissing him off because they were too hot, but he couldn't shed them now. She slipped into the covers. He clutched the box he had been holding in his hand all night long as her body brushed his bare skin. His mind raced with reprimands, and he repeated to himself silently, "Don't be a pervert! Don't be a pervert!" He smelled the floral scent of her damp hair. He knew he'd heard the bath earlier. She reached behind herself, brushing his leg. He grabbed her hand before she did anything she might regret, and draped his arm over her body. He pulled away for a moment and fumbled around.

Kyou thought about the conversation he'd had long ago with Shigure. He had said, "In order to treasure the person who will someday tell you "she likes you", don't run away and keep training for now." Kyou remembered replying that there would never be anyone like that, and that if there were, he would ask if that person was crazy first. Kyou smiled as he opened the little box in his hand. ***

Tohru slipped into his bed, very aware of the discomfort and embarrassment she and Kyou both were going through. His breaths sped up, and she reached behind her for his arm. He had grabbed her hand, and hugged her. But now he fumbled with something behind her. Her breaths sped up, a little seed of fear rising up in her chest. I shouldn't be afraid, she thought and smiled. He draped his arm back over her, and took her hand for a moment. Her eyes followed his shadow of a hand move over hers, and sighed. She lifted her hand for a moment, and watched the ring sparkle in the moon's rays. She breathed slowly, finally sleepy, and settled in beside him. "At last..." she whispered softly. She remembered her conversation with Ritsu that day, where she had told him that she wanted to live for someone. To be able to say that she was born to be with them.

"Did you say something, Tohru?" he asked softly, watching her finger dance. The ring glimmered. He sighed contently, and waited for her to answer.

"I can finally say it..." she mumbled. Kyou said nothing, and tightened his hold on her.

They drifted off to sleep, knowing that they would never live down the fact that they shared a bed that night. Kyou held her closely, feeling her heart beat. She intertwined her fingers in his, and drifted off. This was how it was meant to be, both of them knew. This was their destiny.