Cotton balls, goose feathers,

Small puppies that love to roll in the sun

Dandelions whose children fly around like

Tiny parachutes

All these things

Remind me of my finger gently on your eyelash

Poking your cheek

And grazing the slightly hairy lines of your jaw

Can you tell why I am writing this poem?

It is to say:

I love you

Chapter Fifteen

Kyou had a problem. Not just any problem, but rather a big one. He looked at the bewildered girl who just woke up in his arms. She seemed like she was still in a dream. Her white porcelain skin felt smooth and cool to the touch; Kyou hugged her closer to him.

She had her back facing him so she wasn't sure who was hugging her. She struggled to turn her head around to see but couldn't since Kyou hugged her tighter.

"You are one sneaky girl." He whispered.

Tohru recognized his voice and froze. Why the hell was Prince Kyou holding her in a backward hug? And where were they? She looked around and saw shelves and shelves of pots, pans and dishes. Oh we are in the kitchen, she realized, but what are we doing in the kitchen?

"Prince Kyou?" She asked in the calmest voice she could muster, "Um….like….what the hell is going on?"

Torhu can count the number of times she's used "what the hell is going on?" with one hand. She uses it for dire circumstances…like the one right now.

"Isn't this what all girls are after? Being embraced by the arms of a Prince?" Kyou laughed lightly.

Ok I like him…ok I love him, but I can't let him know, Tohru thought to herself, I have to keep some of my dignity.

"Well…"She said as she struggled to pull away, "don't you think you should buy me dinner first?"

"Dinner? I could think of something I'd like to eat…" Kyou breathed into her ear.

I have no choice…Tohru came to a realization. "Prince Kyou? I'm really sorry in advance."

"Sorry?" Kyou was confused, "For what?"

"For this." And then Tohru gave him a backwards headbutt with all the strength she could muster.

"SON OF A…!" Kyou felt a sharp pain to his nose, and then realized blood was leaking out.

Tohru quickly stood to her feet, dusted herself off and stared down at Prince Kyou. The handsome prince's face was squished like a towel being wrung and muttering obscenities under his breath.

"I'm really sorry,,," She cringed.

"Really?" Kyou gave her a doubtful look, "you could have had me fooled."

"I just don't like being held against my will and being in a strange place…"

"It's fine….I deserved it," Kyou interrupted, "It's just that usually the girls I meet go for this type of thing."

Unexpectedly, Tohru felt a sharp stab of anger, "I am NOT one of your "usual girls"."

Kyou heard the anger in her voice and looked up at her for a moment, then he realized something and laughed at her.

Tohru felt her face getting red. She didn't like how well Kyou could read her, she felt it was an invasion of privacy.

"Can you explain why we are here?" She asked with a sigh.

"Well let's see…we were at a ball, and I kissed you and you fainted."

"No I did not!" Tohru buried her face in her hands, "That is so embarrassing! I didn't eat much today, and I spent all those hours practicing dance, and that was my first kiss, and …."

"Wait, wait, wait…"Kyou stopped her, "it was your first kiss?" Oddly enough he felt so happy at this news.

"Yes…but why are we in a kitchen?"

"Well, pirates started attacking so I grabbed you and hid in here. They had spies infiltrate our ship, and when everyone was at the Ball, they helped them come aboard."

Suddenly a loud knock pounded on the kitchen door.

"Open up! We can hear you speaking in there!"

"Get behind me!" Kyou told Tohru sharply. Tohru trembled and hid behind him.

BAM! The door was kicked down and a group of pirates with red bandanas tied to their foreheads stared at them.

"We're looking for the members of the royal family, from Holaine and that arrogant prince from Kaillies."

Kyou had taken off his fancy royal clothes and looked just like a commoner now.

"We don't know where they are." Kyou answered calmly.

"Well, even if you aren't royalty, we've taken all the others prisoner and rounded them up in the ballroom. So come with us willingly or we'll drag you there with one of your limbs missing."

Kyou could feel Tohru trembling in fear, so he reached out one of his hands to grab one of hers.

"It's going to be ok." He whispered to her.

"Once you go there," Tohru whispered back, "the other servants will give it away that you're the Prince from Holaine, and then who knows what they will do to you…"

Kyou ruffled his hair a bit and put some dust on his face, "I'm not too worried, I'm usually a very lucky person."

One of the pirates grew impatient at their conversation, "What are you yapping about? We're on a tight schedule here, this isn't some dating show where you gab all day with your lover!"

"We're not lovers!" Tohru grew beet red. Kyou looked slightly peeved at her.

"Ok whatever!" The pirate scowled, "hurry up before we cut you up and skewer you on the BBQ."

"These pirates have such weird threats…" Kyou whispered to Tohru.

"Yeah…what's a BBQ?" Tohru whispered back.

"You know…" The head pirate (seemed like) gave Kyou a look over, "You could be a pirate you know, Lord Akita of the Red Crimsons really cares about the appearances of his soldiers."

"No thanks…" Kyou replied, "Killing people and stealing gold aren't my thing…I prefer the peaceful life of a scholar."

Scholar? Torhu wondered to herself. Is he kidding?

"Your loss." The pirate has now led them to the double doors to the ballroom. "In you go."

Tohru and Kyou looked at each other, squeezed their hands, gulped, and then headed in.

END OF CHAPTER 15

A.N: I felt like it was time to give Tohru some sass.