Kyo's not afraid to admit it—there are a lot of things he isn't good at. Particularly (and most importantly, at the moment), he doesn't know what exactly makes something pretty.

When he'd said that aloud a few days ago, Tohru told him that's just because he's "rugged," whatever that really means. He has his other talents, more important ones, she'd said—he's a blackbelt (apparently this has always been very attractive to her, though he didn't find that out until just recently), he's good at studying, and he's sweet and considerate and a good listener and observant. "I could go on forever, Kyo-kun."

So, at the end of that rambly conversation, she'd told him to just leave the aesthetic stuff to her—she'll make sure their apartment is well-designed, that their future kids dress like respectable members of society, etc.

The problem is, she isn't here to do that right now.

He's apartment hunting. Alone. After her stay in the hospital, she really can't afford to miss more school, so she's opted to stay home and cram for finals with Yuki instead of accompanying Kyo to their new town on his extended weekend adventure. He understands, of course. He really does. But he's also completely lost without her here.

"So, what do you think?" the real estate agent asks. "It's in your price range, the building's not too old…"

Kyo does a 360 spin, taking one last look around the apartment. It's tiny—a connected kitchen and living room, a rather cramped bathroom, and a bedroom that's so small he doesn't think it can even really count as that. But other than that...

"Uh...yeah. Yeah, it's good. I think."

"You don't sound convinced." The agent sounds like he's getting a little frustrated, and honestly, Kyo can't blame the guy. They've been at this all day and Kyo hasn't gotten any closer to a decision.

"Well…" Kyo sighs and drags a hand down his face, trying to hide his red cheeks. He takes a deep breath and continues before his ego can get the better of him. "I'll be honest. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing here."

At this, the agent's face softens a bit. Based on his looks, Kyo's young enough to be his kid, and maybe that's earning him some pity now.

"Would you like my advice?"

Kyo tries not to seem too eager when he nods.

"I would take the first one we looked at today. It's a little more expensive than you'd hoped, but it has a lot more space and it's closer to your job. Once your girlfriend starts working out here, you should be able to afford it comfortably."

"Do you…think she'll like it?" he asks, because after all, that's the most important thing. Then he feels like an idiot because this man doesn't know Tohru's personality, has never met her, only knows what Kyo's told him during the apartment search. But the agent just smiles and shrugs with one shoulder.

"From the way you talk about her, it seems like she'll like anything you pick."

Kyo smiles to himself and gives a nod. "You're probably right."

"And, if she happens to not like it, the lease is only six months long," the realtor adds.

Kyo snorts out a laugh. "Good to know."

"Would you like to go see it one more time?"

All things considered, this man has the patience of a saint, Kyo decides.

"No...no, let's just sign the papers before I lose my nerve."

The realtor nods and opens the front door, holding it for Kyo. "Back to my office we go, then."

When he gets home, Tohru is sitting in the hallway. He raises an eyebrow at her as he steps inside. He'd texted her and said he was on his way home earlier, but didn't expect her to just sit here and wait for him. Though, knowing her, he probably should have expected that. He smiles. "Hey, whatcha doing?"

"Kyo-kun, Kyo-kun!" she calls, launching herself up.

He laughs lightly as he's tackled by a flying Tohru, then, though she's so small he manages to not only keep himself upright, but also catch her.

"Hey. I missed you."

"I missed you, too. Never leave me again, please," she murmurs, nuzzling her face into the side of his neck.

He smiles and ruffles her hair, then sets her down. "Dork. You know I had to." He bends down and removes his shoes, then straightens up and takes her face in his hands, kissing her deeply. She smiles when he pulls away, and they just look at each other for a moment—four cheeks flushed and four eyes full of warmth.

"I found an apartment for us," he tells her. Her eyes widen.

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"I was kind of worried you wouldn't be able to do it in just four days."

"You just have no faith in me at all, huh?" he deadpans, putting on a face of mock-disappointment. Tohru waves her hands in front of her face.

"Oh my gosh, no, that's not what I meant at all, I just know finding an apartment is a big task and I thought you might have set your hopes too high…" she rambles.

Kyo smirks and raps his knuckles against the side of her head gently, silently letting her know that it was a joke. She catches on and stops talking, giggling and pulling his hand down from her head to hold it in her own.

"Wanna see pictures?"

Tohru apparently takes this question very seriously. "Mm...no. I want it to be a surprise!"

"But...if you don't like it, we still have a couple of days to get out of the lease." The realtor had informed him of that law, then emailed him some pictures to show Tohru, just to be extra safe. Kyo's been banking on the fact that he can call up the agent and yell at him to cancel everything if Tohru ends up not being satisfied by the images.

"I'll like it," she assures him.

"B-but, what if you don't?" She smiles softly, tilting her head to the side as she looks at him. After a few moments of silence and Tohru's intense gaze, he's feeling itchy, so he asks, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're such a worry wart, Kyo-kun."

"Huh? N-no I'm not…"

She giggles. "But you are, though. I've noticed it since I first met you."

He raises an eyebrow. "I don't...think that's true."

She concedes and lifts their tangled hands to her lips, kissing his knuckles. "Regardless, I'm going to be fine wherever we live. I'm not that picky. All I want is you."

It's a sweet statement, a declaration of love for him, and that knowledge makes Kyo's cheeks heat up and a soft smile tug at his lips. But, his mind is also swirling with potential problems: how can they start thinking about what furniture to buy, and where to put it, if she doesn't see the apartment until they get there? Will she really be able to get excited about the move without knowing exactly what she's getting into?

That makes him realize that he probably is a worry wart, after all, so he shuts it down.

"Fine," he agrees. "Well, I'll definitely be there, so you'll have me."

She smiles and starts to walk toward the living room, tugging at his hand to drag him along. "How sweet of you to come with me," she teases, then adds, "Come on. I made you dinner."

And, like always, it's impossible to worry when she's smiling so brightly at him, so Kyo feels the tension leave his body as he allows himself to get pulled to the table.

The train ride had been long. Kyo had told her it would be before they got onboard, but Tohru hadn't quite processed what a ride that long would feel like. When they finally get off, her legs are shaky from being in the same position for so many hours, and a fog feels like it's settled over her brain. She'd told Kyo she wants to unpack a bit once they get to the apartment, but she's not sure that'll happen tonight—she might barely make it through a takeout dinner (and some making out, if she's lucky tonight) before passing out.

When he sees how worn out she looks, Kyo takes her bag and slings it over his shoulder.

"Kyo-kun, I can carry my own bag!" she protests, reaching up to take it back. He swats her hand away gently.

"I know you can," he says simply, as if that explains everything. And it does, so she lets him keep it. She slips her hand into his and squeezes as they start to walk.

"The town is so cute!" she gushes as they make their way through the downtown area.

"It's teeny," Kyo says. "Just like you."

"Kyo-kun."

He smirks, and she knows he's joking, but that one never fails to get to her. She ignores the vague, very slight annoyance she feels under her skin. He has a point about the town's size, though. So far, she's seen an elementary school (no middle and high school yet, so they must be on the outskirts of town somewhere), a grocery store, a gas station, a few tourist-trap gift shops, and some various locally owned shops.

"Will we have to learn how to drive here?" she asks, eyeing the long line at the gas station.

"Don't think so. We can walk everywhere here, and take a train to Tokyo when we want to visit. I bet those people just commute to nearby towns for work." He nods toward the gas station, letting her know he's seeing the same thing she is.

"Mmm…where is the dojo you'll be working at?"

"Pretty close to our apartment, but up on a hill. You can see the ocean from the practice room. It's pretty nice." She takes in the soft smile gracing his features. And she knows Kyo doesn't care much for water, but she can't help but hope that staring at the blue expanse of sea every day will make him like it a bit more so they can go to the beach together and both enjoy it.

By the time an apartment building that she assumes is theirs comes into view, Tohru's exhausted from the walk, even though it's probably only been about 15 minutes at most. Kyo hasn't even broken a sweat. It reminds her that she's still a little out of shape after the hospital, though that had been a few months ago, now. Making a mental note to start running with Kyo in the mornings, she takes a deep breath to satisfy her pleading lungs, then eyes the building. It looks almost brand new, and in a panic she wonders how expensive it is before remembering that Kyo is perhaps the most fiscally responsible person on the planet.

They pause at the bottom of the staircase attached to the side of the building, and Kyo squeezes her hand. She looks over at him, then tries to hide her smile at how plainly nervous he looks.

Just a day before Tohru had met Kyo, she'd been living in a tent. He's likely underestimating her ability to adjust to less than ideal environments. And this place looks nice, anyway. She'd had complete faith in him when sending him off on his own to find an apartment, though he had appeared to be completely out of his comfort zone.

"So…" Kyo says. He squeezes her hand even tighter. She squeezes back as he continues, "This is our place."

"Our place…" she repeats softly. That sounds so, so good. An apartment for just the two of them, in a town where they don't know anyone. Free from the weight the previous Sohma curse still left in the air in Tokyo, without overbearing friends and relatives, completely devoid of the hustle and bustle of the city that has been the soundtrack to their lives for the past 18 years. Just the two of them.

"Wanna go see it?"

She nods eagerly. "Yes, please."

They make their way up to the third floor, and Kyo unlocks the front door. She sees that his hands are shaking a bit, but she doesn't say anything, just lets her hand rest on his elbow in a way she hopes is reassuring. He pushes the door open, then waves his hand to usher her in.

Tohru steps into the genkan and takes a look around. It's more spacious than she'd expected. The floors are new-looking wood. She can see the kitchen from here, and it looks like the appliances are on the newer side, too, which will make cooking easier. The genkan has a built-in shoe cupboard, and that makes the organization-freak part of her brain instantly happy. The more she notices as she looks around, the more she feels her heart swell. She can already picture where she wants their belongings to go. They're going to not only fill this apartment with things, but also with so much love, she knows.

"You did such a good job, Kyo-kun."

From behind her, he clears his throat. "You really think so? Good."

She steps farther in and toes off her shoes. "I'm home," she calls out on instinct, voice echoing a bit in the empty apartment, then cringes in embarrassment. But when she turns around, Kyo's just leaning against the doorframe, smiling at her. She feels her face flush.

"Welcome home," he says warmly.

She grins back and reaches for his hand again. This move has been the end of many things—their childhood, their lives in Tokyo. But it's also the start of so much more—particularly, an era in which they're allowed to be together, far from their original home, in a little seaside town with an apartment all their own and a shining future ahead of them.

She's so ready for it. And she can tell by the look on Kyo's face that he is, too.

A/N: I'm back! Sorry for taking a break so suddenly. I was feeling so emotionally burnt out that writing just wasn't fun anymore, and I had no inspiration. So, when I went out of town, I decided to take a lil vacation from writing, too. I should finish this challenge up within a week, at most. Then I'll be doing Kyo week, and then I'll get back to State of Grace. Thanks for your patience.

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