Two songs featured in this chapter are North Wind by Ella Roberts and Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Awesome songs! Highly recommend a listen:)

Chapter 28

The next few weeks passed with little to talk about. Kyo and Luc settled into a routine, Kyomi still worked her two jobs, the kids went back to school, and Shigure wrote. The only change was that Kyomi had Shigure to watch Luc at home if she needed to run an errand. The two were fast becoming friends and Luc was turning Shigure into more of an adult than anyone thought possible.

Kyomi came home from school one day. Her school let out earlier than the high school and she also had a car so she always was home before the teens. She had also taken to helping Tohru around the house and with dinners. Of course, Kyomi could barely make simple fried rice, so her dinners were very Western. No one had complained and they made sure to have Momiji over when she wanted to make a German dish. This day, chicken was on sale so she decided to make some chicken and dumplings. She was a little excited to see everyone's reaction to the American style of dumplings. While delicious, they are very different than most any Asian style dumpling she had seen. She had scored a box of biscuit mix a few days before so she was all set. She put her school bags away in Shigure's room. She still couldn't bring herself to call it their room. It just didn't seem right yet. She pecked a kiss to the writers temple before she started to walk back out.

"Luc went down for his nap late so he probably won't be awake for a little while yet. We were having too much fun talking about the ducks that came to visit the pond." Shigure laughingly explained.

Kyomi smiled at him, "That shouldn't be a problem. He can go to bed a little late tonight if he needs to. Oh! Kyo is taking him to Kazuma's for his class tonight so that works out well then." Kyomi remembered.

Shigure gave her a look that was supposed to be seductive but had her holding back giggles instead. "Does that mean it will just be us tonight?" He asked.

"Pfft. Tohru and Yuki… oh, Tohru has work and Yuki has student council. Yes, it actually will just be us. Oh well, dinner will warm well for them all and Kyo and Luc always eat with Kazuma so we won't have to worry about them.

"I'm hurt. Why did you laugh?" Shigure pouted.

"Cause you need to work on that seductive look of yours. It just reminds me of elementary school and how ridiculous you used to be and it makes me laugh." Kyomi said giggling again. She left his room and went into the kitchen to start water for tea and a pot of chicken stock boiling. She didn't realize he had followed her until she found herself spun around and her face caught in his hands.

"Is this any better?" He said staring into her eyes.

Her response was her grabbing the back of his head to pull him in for a long slow kiss. They didn't move from that spot until they heard the kettle whistle at them. Kyomi pulled away to pour them some tea. "Did that answer your question satisfactorily?" She teased him.

"I think I understood the most important part, yes." He teased right back, going to sit at the table.

"I've been looking for apartments. There's nothing available close by though and I really don't want to move across the city." Kyomi said as she grabbed the cups and tea from the cupboard.

Shigure was shocked for a second. "I didn't know you weren't planning on staying." He said pouting. "I thought you could just live here."

"I don't know that Akito would be okay with that." Kyomi commented. "The last thing I would want to do is put you all in danger."

"I know that, but…" Shigure started.

"No buts. I could never forgive myself if I tipped her over the edge. We will be here just until we find another place. For now anyway, I'm assuming it will be temporary. The question is how long temporary is." Kyomi said half talking to herself.

"You could just marry me now…" Shigure said, gallantly saying, "I would protect you. You wouldn't have to worry about anything." He started to continue but was interrupted by a whack on his shoulder. "Ouch, you are so violent…" He said, fake tears running down his face.

"As long as this curse is in effect, we have to be careful. Do you want a repeat of Kana and Hatori? Or Rin and Haru? Or Kisa and Hiro?" She said staring him down. "Obviously, Akito doesn't feel hindered by age, or by whether or not they are in the Zodiac or not. She went after me. We've been lucky she hasn't tried anything since she found out about us, and that she hasn't gone after Luc." Kyomi said.

Shigure had no response to this, he only nodded and held her hand. "I know this is difficult. It is for me too. While I do think it would be okay, there's not much I can do against Akito no matter how much I want." He squeezed her hand almost painfully. "We couldn't defend you before, how would the next time be any different."

She squeezed his hand right back. "You know I don't blame any of you for this right? I even only slightly blame Akito. She's a child who was mistreated by her parents in different ways and I think she's just lost and lonely and doesn't know what to do. Even I have felt a shift since I came back and especially since we started dating. I can't imagine what it feels like to her." Shigure nodded.

"She was spoiled and revered by one parent and abused by the other. I used to think I could help her, but ever since the beach house, I don't think I can anymore. I think she is beyond the help I can give." Shigure said, subtle venom creeping into his voice.

Kyomi heard the pot boiling and rose to finish cooking. Before she went into the kitchen, she bent over and gave Shigure a kiss on his head followed by hugging his head. There were a few tricks they had discovered to be able to show affection for each other, careful though they had to be. Luc also chose that moment to come thumping his way down the stairs calling, "Shi Gu!" Shigure got up to get the boy ready for his dojo visit this evening and Kyomi made him a quick snack since he wouldn't be eating dinner for some time yet.

As Kyomi was cutting up the chicken breast into bites, they heard the front door open.

"Mi-chan, I'm running a little late. Is Luc ready to go?" Kyo called from the entryway.

Luc went running to the door, backpack on and all ready to go except for his shoes.

"Oh, I guess you are, huh?" Kyo said chuckling at the boy who was bouncing in front of him.

Kyomi came around the corner, dish towel in hand. "You be careful alright? Call if he needs anything. We will be here all evening." She said.

"You sound like a mom…" Kyo commented as he put the toddler's shoes on.

"Maybe because I AM a mom dummy." She said whacking his head with the towel in her hands.

"An awfully violent one…" He was just able to scoop Luc up and dash out the door with him before her towel connected with his head again. Luc giggling all the way. Kyo lifted Luc onto his shoulders and walked back down the hill with a wave back to his sister. She returned it and shut the door.

"That boy is like a whirlwind in the middle of typhoon season…" Shigure commented from his seat in the living room, exhaustedly leaning his elbows on the table.

"Now imagine taking care of him by yourself and that's what I've been doing for the past three years…" Kyomi said as she went to make the dumplings for the soup that was almost done.

Shigure came and kissed her temple before saying, "Well my dear, I'll be in my room if you need anything."

Kyomi turned her head to give him a real kiss before he left. "I'll call you when its done." She smiled at him before grabbing her phone. She turned on her favorite Ed Sheeran before she returned to making the biscuit dough for the dumplings. Nancy Mulligan played over the speaker.

"I was twenty-four years old
When I met the woman I would call my own…"

"I was five…" Kyomi heard Shigure's not so quiet comment from his room and she just laughed at him.

The music continued to play through her favorite songs until she was almost done with dinner and was almost ready to go yell for her boyfriend. However, another song started before she did so.

"I found a love for me
Oh darling, just dive right in and follow my lead
Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet
Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me

'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
Not knowing what it was
I will not give you up this time
But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
And in your eyes, you're holding mine"

"Did you write this song or something?" Shigure's voice was right in her ear and made her jump, unfortunately back into his chest. She chuckled as she gathered his clothes for him, depositing them on the table before sitting so she could talk to him for a second.

"I didn't, but this song is what made me realize I was looking at you differently. Remember that night before I came down with that cold?" She asked him rubbing his head and cheek like she would have if he were in his human form.

A hum rumbled in his throat as he thought. "That wasn't long before I claimed you as mine… When you know, you move fast don't you." His tongue darted out to flick her nose. She huffed and bopped him in the nose.

"You're one to talk. You had just laid eyes on me for the first time in kindergarten before you were scheming with Ayame to 'win me over'. Hatori was the one who finally convinced me to come play. You freaked me out and Aya was just being Aya. The two of you together was just too overwhelming before I got to know you."

A cloud of smoke surrounded them as he regained physical form. Kyomi averted her eyes and tossed his clothes in his lap. He leaned closer to her; his eyes intense yet teasing. "I'm surprised you don't want to take advantage of my vulnerability. You always seem to be holding yourself back…" He teased as he softly kissed her. She sighed against him continuing to kiss him back softly and slowly, just enjoying being together and not in a rush to break apart because a minor would walk in any second.

After some time, she pushed him back. "I would rather enjoy all of you without hesitation or concern for a black dog invading our time. As much as I don't like waiting, I can do it." Shigure kissed her one more time before telling her, "I know, but you are just too much fun to tease my dearest." He stood with a chuckle and turned to dress himself with his back to her.

"Aren't you going to go into your bedroom?" Kyomi asked, peeking at his bare back.

"And miss giving you a bit of a show? Why would I do that?" Shigure teased.

"You are ridiculous." Kyomi said laughing. The phone rang just then and Kyomi went to answer it.

"Kyomi-chan, I have custody of Tohru for the night. Do you have any objections?"

"Hanajima? It's fine if Tohru is staying the night, but you don't have to ask permission. Especially if it's with you girls, she can stay as long as she wants." Kyomi said with a smile.

"I'm glad you have no grievance with our impromptu nightgown festival." Hanajima answered.

"None at all, tell Tohru we wish her a goodnight and to have fun." Kyomi failed to keep laughter from seeping into her words.

"I will do so. Good night." Beep Beep Beep…

"Tohru is staying the night with Hana and Uo?" Shigure popped his head into the hallway just as Yuki opened the door.

"Tohru is out for the night?" Yuki asked taking off his shoes.

"Seems so. It's just the three of us for dinner. Kyo and Luc won't be back until Luc's bedtime. They are with Kazuma for the evening." Shigure told Yuki. "It's just like we are a little family! Yuki is the son, Kyomi is the mommy, and I am the…" He was cut off by both Kyomi and Yuki smacking him in the back of the head.

"So so violent." Shigure said as Kyomi and Yuki walked past him. Kyomi was cordially telling Yuki about dinner and asking him to set the table and he was responding just as kindly. Both ignoring the adult man pouting in the entryway and acting like nothing had just happened. Shigure just watched them for a bit, smiling before Kyomi yelled at him to come eat dinner. He pecked a kiss on her cheek making Yuki groan at them before he sat down to eat.