Wow! Look! I'm actually writing something that needs a warning! (*sniff*
so proud...) Then again, I should think you would already know the nature
of Shigure and Ayame's sense of humor, so the warning is kind of pointless
if you've watched the anime. I may be hypersensitive on this point, but...
look! I'm actually writing something that needs a warning!
Please read! Warnings: (made as politically correct as possible) If you may be offended by either a) suggested male x male relationships, b) joking about male x male relationships, c) someone taking offense for suggested male x male/incest relationships, d) someone not taking offense for suggested male x male/incest relationships, umm... d) suggested Yuki x Tohru relationships (aw, how cute!), or e) suggested near death experience with a carton of milk... be warned. Please remember that this story is in good fun, and it is not meant to offend anybody.
I'm not flame resistant (more like flammable!), and I'd rather not get any angry reviews in all caps, especially when there's a warning. I do hope, though, that the warning was unnecessary.
Chapter three: My Umbrella Song
Tohru had fallen asleep on the train and was in danger of semi- hugging Yuki; her head was already resting precariously close to his shoulder. Even so, Yuki didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he kept changing his line of vision from the window blurred with rain, then back Tohru. When her head actually reclined enough to actually be on his shoulder, then he'd do something about it.
Where were they traveling to via train? Well, if Momiji had been on this trip, which he wasn't, he would have called it "The Fun Visit to Yuki's College Before College Actually Starts" trip. Yuki had been accepted into the University of Jujiro and would be moving into the dorms in four months. Before that, however, Yuki said he wanted to visit and see what the campus was like. Shigure agreed and said, after wiping away yet another imaginary tear, that it would be nice if they all went, and that way, they would know where to find Yuki should they visit.
In the seat across the aisle, Shigure was reading a magazine article about a subject that was't exactly tasteful:
"How to Make Cow Brain Soup."
The paragraph he was looking at was talking about how one should not boil the soup too long lest it burned. Okay, okay, he was only pretending to read it, in actuality. What he was really doing was stealing glances at Yuki and Tohru. How sweet! There must be someway to use "young love" as a conversation starter with the woman sitting next to him.
Yuki felt Tohru's head hit his shoulder.
Well, if she was really that tired... he would just wake her up if she leaned too far over their armrest.
Kyo had decided not to accompany Yuki, Shigure and Tohru on their trip. There were two reasons:
1. "Why the hell should I go to see that damned rat's college? It's not like I'm going to visit him or anything."
2. The strange weather conditions in the Pacific Ocean had caused almost a full week of rain in most parts of Japan, and Kyo had barely managed to make it down the stairs to give that little speech.
Tohru had wanted to stay home and take care of Kyo, but five minutes of wheedling from Shigure, lackluster yelling from Kyo and a silent, and pleading looks from Yuki finally dragged Tohru from the house.
"The train will be arriving at the Kikuzen Station in about two minutes. If this is your stop, please get ready to exit."
Shigure jumped to his feet. "That's us! Yuki, would you be so kind as to wake up your dear little flower?"
Yuki found himself blushing. He hadn't even considered what he and Tohru looked like to an outsider, and it irritated him that what Shigure had insinuated was slightly embarrassing.
"Miss Honda," he said, sitting up slightly.
Tohru opened her eyes. It took her several seconds to register where she was.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, realizing that she was resting against Yuki's shoulder. "I'm sor-"
BAM! The side of Tohru's head hit Yuki's chin when she had bolted up.
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, Yuki! I didn't even think! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I'm sorry! Oh, Yuki, I'm so sorry!"
If that wasn't drawing the other passengers' attentions, Shigure's laughing and pointing did.
"No, Miss Honda, I'm fine. I should be asking if you're okay."
"I'm fine, really, but-"
"Well, if you're both okay," Shigure interrupted, pointing down the aisle to the doors, "then we can go ahead and get to our exits, right?"
"Oh?" Tohru asked, turning to look out the window. "We're here?"
Meanwhile:
Kyo was only standing upright because he was propped up against the refrigerator door. Once he'd managed that, it took him a few moments to remember why he was there in the first place. Was it lunch or dinnertime?
Actually, who really gave a damn? Kyo thought as he grabbed the carton of milk.
And back to the rest of the party:
"Yuki, my darling younger brother!"
Yuki's eyes shot up to see a talking red umbrella with gold tassels running his way. Then he turned to glare daggers at Shigure.
"What is he doing here?"
"Well, he didn't get to meet up with you at the graduation," Shigure said, smiling as best as he could under Yuki's glare, "so I told him we were coming here."
"Wow. Ayame must really care about you to come so far," Tohru said, a bit too brightly.
"He should have gone farther," Yuki mumbled under his breath. "Like to Antartica."
"Darling Yuki, I'm so glad to see you!" Ayame cried happily from under his umbrella. "Give your wonderful older and wiser brother a hug."
"Touch me and I'll give you more than a hug," Yuki growled. He held the handle of his own umbrella as though it was a baseball bat.
"I knew you would choose to come to this university, of course," Ayame continued blithely, though he did keep his distance.
"Don't tell me you-"
"Yes! I did. Hatori and Shigure and myself all went to this school, but you already knew that, didn't you? You have looked to me for guidance, have you not, and now follow in my footsteps, dearest younger brother!"
Yuki turned around and started walking in the opposite direction of Ayame.
"Yuki," Tohru called after him, "where are you going?"
"I'm going to the registrar's office so I can drop out."
"But-!"
Ayame, seemingly not noticing his brother's hasty departure, turned to Shigure. "And Shigure! It's been too long. Did you think of me often since we saw each other last?"
"Ayame! I couldn't get the visions of you that night out of my head!"
"Shigure!" Ayame cried dramatically, dropping his umbrella as he ran towards the man in question, his long hair fluttering behind with drops of rain glittering in its silky tresses.
"Ayame!" Shigure cried just as dramatically, dropping his own umbrella as well, placing one hand to his heart and reaching the other out to Ayame.
Just before the two embraced, they stopped and gave each other a thumbs up.
Meanwhile:
Kyo was drowning in milk. Well, no, not really, but a good amount of it had gone up his nose when he had tipped his head too far back. He was now draped over the kitchen sink, spluttering and sneezing profusely.
He was infinitely glad no one had seen him at the mercy of a milk carton.
And back to the party again:
Of course, Yuki hadn't really gone to the registrar's office, but he did go off for a good ten minutes before coming back. By that time, Shigure and Ayame were running like mad men all over campus, pointing out buildings and walkways and asking questions to the hapless college student who was just walking by minding his or her own business. Yuki and Tohru lagged farther and farther behind.
"I suppose it must be a good school if Hatori came here," Yuki admitted to Tohru quietly, sure now that the older men were out of earshot. "I can't imagine that he would've gone here if it wasn't."
"I guess that's right," Tohru agreed. "By the way, Yuki, I haven't asked you yet, but what exactly are you majoring in?"
"Uhm, well..." Yuki shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. "Actually, I was interested in... becoming the next doctor for the ones with the Zodiac curse."
"A doctor?" Tohru asked.
"Yes, I know it's a little silly, I don't know anything about-"
"Wow, a doctor!" Tohru exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Wow, Yuki, that's so great! You'd be able to help Kyo and Momiji and Hatsuharu and Kisa and everyone get better if they got sick, and Hatori would get a doctor for himself, too, wouldn't he?"
"Well, yes, I suppose, but..." Yuki paused, then sighed. "I'm just thinking about it. I'm not really sure, yet."
"I'm sure you would make a wonderful doctor, Yuki," Tohru said encouragingly.
The two walked in silence for a moment before Yuki turned and asked, "But what about you?"
"Huh?"
"You enrolled in the community college, didn't you?" Yuki asked.
"Um, well... yes. I did." Tohru shrugged self-consciously. "I'm not exactly sure why. I mean, I can make enough money working as a janitor to get my own apartment now, I suppose, but I..." She flushed bright red. "I'm not sure I want to work cleaning offices for the rest of my life. And then Shigure said-"
"Shigure?" Yuki interrupted.
Tohru nodded. "Yes. He said that if I kept cooking and cleaning for him that he would pay for me to take classes."
Yuki blinked.
"It's really too nice of him," Tohru exclaimed, shaking her head as if Shigure's excess kindness would fling off her hair like water. "I don't know if I could accept something like that; the classes are so expensive! And what if I were to flunk out? What if I did really well but didn't find anything to major in?"
"I think you should go," Yuki said without hesitation.
She would still be there. She would still be home.
"What are my darling brother and his adorable friend discussing?" Ayame yelled from the other end of the block.
Yuki's expression dropped into a frown. He'd completely forgotten that Ayame and Shigure were still here.
"Dearest Ayame," Shigure said in an overly dramatic and unreasonably loud stage-whisper, "don't look at your brother so. You make me jealous."
"Don't get me involved with your perverted games!" Yuki shouted as Shigure and Ayame twittered. Tohru looked confused for a moment before dismissing it. The group of college students looked confused for a moment before they all suddenly remembered various projects that were due between 4:00 and 4:05.
Ayame wouldn't let Yuki out of his sight after that, so Yuki and Tohru learned of abut 50 stunts he and Shigure had pulled in their youth. After that, they learned of the 50 ways Hatori had pulled Ayame and Shigure out of punishment. Just as Ayame was about to launch into story #51, Shigure saw a teacher from story # 37 and decided that they should leave immediately.
After eating lunch at an ice cream parlor, Shigure, Yuki and Tohru left to catch the train.
"I shall not be complete until we are together again!" Ayame called after Shigure.
"We must be content of being one mind and spirit until we are again one in-!"
Yuki didn't let Shigure finish that sentence.
Meanwhile:
Kyo was staring at the phone.
He was not going to call Hatori. He wasn't sick. He was just tired.
BOOMPH!
...
Kyo was staring at the phone.
He should call Hatori, but he couldn't. His paws were too big to dial the number.
Damn.
Back to the rest of the party:
Yuki blinked blearily and leaned far back in his seat.
"Are you okay, Yuki?" Tohru asked as she sat down next to him.
"Just tired," he said.
When the train arrived back home, it was Tohru's turn to wake up Yuki. He'd fallen asleep on her shoulder.
%%% high percentage page break! %%%
I didn't offend anybody, right?
Names of cities and train stops and universities have been completely made up by me and are not supposed to represent any real place. The names were gibberish as far as I know. However, if you see that I have indeed named a real place, feel free to give me money for advertising.
Also! I don't know how colleges in Japan work. So... I'm basing all of my knowledge of Yuki's university on what I know of U.S. universities, which still isn't saying much. Oh well... you know...
One more thing! For some reason or another, the quotation marks and apostrophes were coming up all funky like when I uploaded this story. In order to avoid said funkiness, I turned off the "smart quotes" on Microsoft Word and had to re-enter all the quotations and apostrophes. If I missed something, I'm sorry, and please feel free to point out where they are in reviews or by e-mailing me directly. My e-mail address is in my profile. Thanks!
Gratefulness:
Thank you to ginny, again! I'm so glad you like it so far and find it interesting.
Thank you also to Sailor Hylia. You're ideas are interesting but may make the plot a little too complicated to write! However, if there's a way, I'll try my best to find it! It does sound most intriguing... but I can't promise anything.
To Blushing Sigh. Thank you for the reviews and the smiley face!
Thank you to annonymouse (wow! what a cute name!). I'm glad you found the story funny and that you liked it.
Thank you very much to Lethe! You're support is always appreciated, thanks so much!
To Sailor-Knight Shadowstar. Yeah... about that whole Kyo-getting-locked- up-on-graduation-day-and-the-juunishi-returning-to-the-main-house... I don't think I'll have that in this story. I've only watched the anime, and unless my memory is very spotty, I don't remember it ever mentioned (though if it was, I'll feel very silly). I don't feel like I know enough about the details to incorporate it into this story, so I'm not. If this will be a big deal, however, I could try to come up with an explanation as to why all the juunishi are all allowed to go on their merry ways. Thank you very much for your informative review!
Please read! Warnings: (made as politically correct as possible) If you may be offended by either a) suggested male x male relationships, b) joking about male x male relationships, c) someone taking offense for suggested male x male/incest relationships, d) someone not taking offense for suggested male x male/incest relationships, umm... d) suggested Yuki x Tohru relationships (aw, how cute!), or e) suggested near death experience with a carton of milk... be warned. Please remember that this story is in good fun, and it is not meant to offend anybody.
I'm not flame resistant (more like flammable!), and I'd rather not get any angry reviews in all caps, especially when there's a warning. I do hope, though, that the warning was unnecessary.
Chapter three: My Umbrella Song
Tohru had fallen asleep on the train and was in danger of semi- hugging Yuki; her head was already resting precariously close to his shoulder. Even so, Yuki didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he kept changing his line of vision from the window blurred with rain, then back Tohru. When her head actually reclined enough to actually be on his shoulder, then he'd do something about it.
Where were they traveling to via train? Well, if Momiji had been on this trip, which he wasn't, he would have called it "The Fun Visit to Yuki's College Before College Actually Starts" trip. Yuki had been accepted into the University of Jujiro and would be moving into the dorms in four months. Before that, however, Yuki said he wanted to visit and see what the campus was like. Shigure agreed and said, after wiping away yet another imaginary tear, that it would be nice if they all went, and that way, they would know where to find Yuki should they visit.
In the seat across the aisle, Shigure was reading a magazine article about a subject that was't exactly tasteful:
"How to Make Cow Brain Soup."
The paragraph he was looking at was talking about how one should not boil the soup too long lest it burned. Okay, okay, he was only pretending to read it, in actuality. What he was really doing was stealing glances at Yuki and Tohru. How sweet! There must be someway to use "young love" as a conversation starter with the woman sitting next to him.
Yuki felt Tohru's head hit his shoulder.
Well, if she was really that tired... he would just wake her up if she leaned too far over their armrest.
Kyo had decided not to accompany Yuki, Shigure and Tohru on their trip. There were two reasons:
1. "Why the hell should I go to see that damned rat's college? It's not like I'm going to visit him or anything."
2. The strange weather conditions in the Pacific Ocean had caused almost a full week of rain in most parts of Japan, and Kyo had barely managed to make it down the stairs to give that little speech.
Tohru had wanted to stay home and take care of Kyo, but five minutes of wheedling from Shigure, lackluster yelling from Kyo and a silent, and pleading looks from Yuki finally dragged Tohru from the house.
"The train will be arriving at the Kikuzen Station in about two minutes. If this is your stop, please get ready to exit."
Shigure jumped to his feet. "That's us! Yuki, would you be so kind as to wake up your dear little flower?"
Yuki found himself blushing. He hadn't even considered what he and Tohru looked like to an outsider, and it irritated him that what Shigure had insinuated was slightly embarrassing.
"Miss Honda," he said, sitting up slightly.
Tohru opened her eyes. It took her several seconds to register where she was.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, realizing that she was resting against Yuki's shoulder. "I'm sor-"
BAM! The side of Tohru's head hit Yuki's chin when she had bolted up.
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, Yuki! I didn't even think! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I'm sorry! Oh, Yuki, I'm so sorry!"
If that wasn't drawing the other passengers' attentions, Shigure's laughing and pointing did.
"No, Miss Honda, I'm fine. I should be asking if you're okay."
"I'm fine, really, but-"
"Well, if you're both okay," Shigure interrupted, pointing down the aisle to the doors, "then we can go ahead and get to our exits, right?"
"Oh?" Tohru asked, turning to look out the window. "We're here?"
Meanwhile:
Kyo was only standing upright because he was propped up against the refrigerator door. Once he'd managed that, it took him a few moments to remember why he was there in the first place. Was it lunch or dinnertime?
Actually, who really gave a damn? Kyo thought as he grabbed the carton of milk.
And back to the rest of the party:
"Yuki, my darling younger brother!"
Yuki's eyes shot up to see a talking red umbrella with gold tassels running his way. Then he turned to glare daggers at Shigure.
"What is he doing here?"
"Well, he didn't get to meet up with you at the graduation," Shigure said, smiling as best as he could under Yuki's glare, "so I told him we were coming here."
"Wow. Ayame must really care about you to come so far," Tohru said, a bit too brightly.
"He should have gone farther," Yuki mumbled under his breath. "Like to Antartica."
"Darling Yuki, I'm so glad to see you!" Ayame cried happily from under his umbrella. "Give your wonderful older and wiser brother a hug."
"Touch me and I'll give you more than a hug," Yuki growled. He held the handle of his own umbrella as though it was a baseball bat.
"I knew you would choose to come to this university, of course," Ayame continued blithely, though he did keep his distance.
"Don't tell me you-"
"Yes! I did. Hatori and Shigure and myself all went to this school, but you already knew that, didn't you? You have looked to me for guidance, have you not, and now follow in my footsteps, dearest younger brother!"
Yuki turned around and started walking in the opposite direction of Ayame.
"Yuki," Tohru called after him, "where are you going?"
"I'm going to the registrar's office so I can drop out."
"But-!"
Ayame, seemingly not noticing his brother's hasty departure, turned to Shigure. "And Shigure! It's been too long. Did you think of me often since we saw each other last?"
"Ayame! I couldn't get the visions of you that night out of my head!"
"Shigure!" Ayame cried dramatically, dropping his umbrella as he ran towards the man in question, his long hair fluttering behind with drops of rain glittering in its silky tresses.
"Ayame!" Shigure cried just as dramatically, dropping his own umbrella as well, placing one hand to his heart and reaching the other out to Ayame.
Just before the two embraced, they stopped and gave each other a thumbs up.
Meanwhile:
Kyo was drowning in milk. Well, no, not really, but a good amount of it had gone up his nose when he had tipped his head too far back. He was now draped over the kitchen sink, spluttering and sneezing profusely.
He was infinitely glad no one had seen him at the mercy of a milk carton.
And back to the party again:
Of course, Yuki hadn't really gone to the registrar's office, but he did go off for a good ten minutes before coming back. By that time, Shigure and Ayame were running like mad men all over campus, pointing out buildings and walkways and asking questions to the hapless college student who was just walking by minding his or her own business. Yuki and Tohru lagged farther and farther behind.
"I suppose it must be a good school if Hatori came here," Yuki admitted to Tohru quietly, sure now that the older men were out of earshot. "I can't imagine that he would've gone here if it wasn't."
"I guess that's right," Tohru agreed. "By the way, Yuki, I haven't asked you yet, but what exactly are you majoring in?"
"Uhm, well..." Yuki shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. "Actually, I was interested in... becoming the next doctor for the ones with the Zodiac curse."
"A doctor?" Tohru asked.
"Yes, I know it's a little silly, I don't know anything about-"
"Wow, a doctor!" Tohru exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Wow, Yuki, that's so great! You'd be able to help Kyo and Momiji and Hatsuharu and Kisa and everyone get better if they got sick, and Hatori would get a doctor for himself, too, wouldn't he?"
"Well, yes, I suppose, but..." Yuki paused, then sighed. "I'm just thinking about it. I'm not really sure, yet."
"I'm sure you would make a wonderful doctor, Yuki," Tohru said encouragingly.
The two walked in silence for a moment before Yuki turned and asked, "But what about you?"
"Huh?"
"You enrolled in the community college, didn't you?" Yuki asked.
"Um, well... yes. I did." Tohru shrugged self-consciously. "I'm not exactly sure why. I mean, I can make enough money working as a janitor to get my own apartment now, I suppose, but I..." She flushed bright red. "I'm not sure I want to work cleaning offices for the rest of my life. And then Shigure said-"
"Shigure?" Yuki interrupted.
Tohru nodded. "Yes. He said that if I kept cooking and cleaning for him that he would pay for me to take classes."
Yuki blinked.
"It's really too nice of him," Tohru exclaimed, shaking her head as if Shigure's excess kindness would fling off her hair like water. "I don't know if I could accept something like that; the classes are so expensive! And what if I were to flunk out? What if I did really well but didn't find anything to major in?"
"I think you should go," Yuki said without hesitation.
She would still be there. She would still be home.
"What are my darling brother and his adorable friend discussing?" Ayame yelled from the other end of the block.
Yuki's expression dropped into a frown. He'd completely forgotten that Ayame and Shigure were still here.
"Dearest Ayame," Shigure said in an overly dramatic and unreasonably loud stage-whisper, "don't look at your brother so. You make me jealous."
"Don't get me involved with your perverted games!" Yuki shouted as Shigure and Ayame twittered. Tohru looked confused for a moment before dismissing it. The group of college students looked confused for a moment before they all suddenly remembered various projects that were due between 4:00 and 4:05.
Ayame wouldn't let Yuki out of his sight after that, so Yuki and Tohru learned of abut 50 stunts he and Shigure had pulled in their youth. After that, they learned of the 50 ways Hatori had pulled Ayame and Shigure out of punishment. Just as Ayame was about to launch into story #51, Shigure saw a teacher from story # 37 and decided that they should leave immediately.
After eating lunch at an ice cream parlor, Shigure, Yuki and Tohru left to catch the train.
"I shall not be complete until we are together again!" Ayame called after Shigure.
"We must be content of being one mind and spirit until we are again one in-!"
Yuki didn't let Shigure finish that sentence.
Meanwhile:
Kyo was staring at the phone.
He was not going to call Hatori. He wasn't sick. He was just tired.
BOOMPH!
...
Kyo was staring at the phone.
He should call Hatori, but he couldn't. His paws were too big to dial the number.
Damn.
Back to the rest of the party:
Yuki blinked blearily and leaned far back in his seat.
"Are you okay, Yuki?" Tohru asked as she sat down next to him.
"Just tired," he said.
When the train arrived back home, it was Tohru's turn to wake up Yuki. He'd fallen asleep on her shoulder.
%%% high percentage page break! %%%
I didn't offend anybody, right?
Names of cities and train stops and universities have been completely made up by me and are not supposed to represent any real place. The names were gibberish as far as I know. However, if you see that I have indeed named a real place, feel free to give me money for advertising.
Also! I don't know how colleges in Japan work. So... I'm basing all of my knowledge of Yuki's university on what I know of U.S. universities, which still isn't saying much. Oh well... you know...
One more thing! For some reason or another, the quotation marks and apostrophes were coming up all funky like when I uploaded this story. In order to avoid said funkiness, I turned off the "smart quotes" on Microsoft Word and had to re-enter all the quotations and apostrophes. If I missed something, I'm sorry, and please feel free to point out where they are in reviews or by e-mailing me directly. My e-mail address is in my profile. Thanks!
Gratefulness:
Thank you to ginny, again! I'm so glad you like it so far and find it interesting.
Thank you also to Sailor Hylia. You're ideas are interesting but may make the plot a little too complicated to write! However, if there's a way, I'll try my best to find it! It does sound most intriguing... but I can't promise anything.
To Blushing Sigh. Thank you for the reviews and the smiley face!
Thank you to annonymouse (wow! what a cute name!). I'm glad you found the story funny and that you liked it.
Thank you very much to Lethe! You're support is always appreciated, thanks so much!
To Sailor-Knight Shadowstar. Yeah... about that whole Kyo-getting-locked- up-on-graduation-day-and-the-juunishi-returning-to-the-main-house... I don't think I'll have that in this story. I've only watched the anime, and unless my memory is very spotty, I don't remember it ever mentioned (though if it was, I'll feel very silly). I don't feel like I know enough about the details to incorporate it into this story, so I'm not. If this will be a big deal, however, I could try to come up with an explanation as to why all the juunishi are all allowed to go on their merry ways. Thank you very much for your informative review!
