Dream of Reality..
Welcome to the family chapter 1,
Toharu had planned on sneaking in the front door at first, but thought better of it. Surly by now someone would have noticed she wasn't at home. Sneaking in would only draw more attention and make her look like she was trying to hide something. So Toharu simply walked cheerfully in the front door instead.
Yuki was sitting in a chair watching the front door and jumped to his feat when Toharu came in the door, Yuki looked both relived and very concerned. It wasn't like Toharu to take off without letting anyone know where she was going to be. "Toharu!" he cried.
"Toharu?!"
Shigure's voice echoed from the living room followed by the man's dark haired head as the older Sohma popped his head into the entrance way, a hug smile lighting up his face at the site of her.
Kyo burst into the entranceway, pushing his way past Shigure who moved to one side at the last moment to avoid a forced merger with the doorsill.
"Toharu! Where the hell have you been?!" Kyo half snarled.
Toharu almost sobbed in relief viewing all of the usual antics, she knew Kyo's harsh words were just his way of expressing his concern. If it had been possible Toharu would have hugged each one of the guys.
"I'm sorry for worrying everyone, I was just feeling a little stifled today after school and went for a walk."
Toharu laughed, "I guess I lost track of the time.."
Kyo made a face and folded his arms, he was still pissed but he would accept her apology for now. Yuki just smiled his soft winsome smile concern still prevalent in his eyes
"As long as you home safe Toharu. Did you enjoy your walk?" Yuki asked softly.
Toharu felt further relived as the boys seemed to accept her story without much questioning if any. She would have felt less relived if she had been paying attention to the oldest Sohma in the room.
Shigure was not smiling, or rather he was but the smile did not reach his eyes. Despite her cheerful words, the zodiac dog could sense there was something wrong with Toharu's story.
Why had Toharu looked so relived when Kyo and Yuki seemed to accept her excuse without questioning? She wasn't telling them something, that Shigure was sure of. he was an expert when it came to secrets.and contrary to his often-silly behavior this particular Sohma could arguably be the most dangerous under Akito.
People didn't often notice, but once in a while the dark steal in his eyes would peek through truly chilling. But now wasn't the time to press things and Shigure grinned,
"Of course she did, but now she is home to cook for us?"
He almost whimpered comically. His eyes wide and watering as he gazed up at Toharu.for the three seconds he could anyway, before Kyo and Yuki's fists impacted with the top of his head causing the dog to face-plant into the floor.
"And what is wrong with what I cooked?" Yuki said frostily "Like she wants to cook this late moron, she's probably tierd" Kyo snarled
Shigure might have replied except he was currently flat on the floor with little zodiac animals floating about his head.
Toharu laughed, "Oh, it's no problem. Honestly! I want to cook!"
Kyo and Yuki gave her skeptical looks.
" I mean it! There is a new recipe I bought all the ingredients this morning, I don't want them to go to waste!" she reassured them slipping her shoes off and heading from the foyer into the kitchen.
Shigure miraculously recovered and popped up from the floor smiling "Wonderful! I'll just keep these two out of your way then." He commented referring to Kyo and Yuki..who both gave him evil looks again. Looks that went unnoticed by the grinning older man.
Toharu was relived for Shigure's help, although she was unsure how he knew she wanted alone time Toharu had the feeling that somehow Shigure had known. Cooking the meal went along easily this night, and that was lucky for Toharu as the headache that had been with her upon awakening outside the Sohma main house that afternoon had lessened but not gone away. The headache was like a constant light pressure behind her eyes and Toharu shook her head a few times in a futile attempt to rid herself of the almost tangible pain.
The rest of the evening, the two hours they had left before bedtime anyway. went smoothly. Toharu had managed to act normal. The evenings strangeness seamed to be forgotten as the night went on and Toharu found herself laying in bed looking up at the shadows of tree braches swaying across her moonlight - slivered ceiling.
Reaching over Toharu slipped the delicate teacup out of it's resting place in the bedside nightstand. Holding it gingerly between her fingertips Toharu turned it slowly around looking at it in the pale silvery moonlight. She couldn't stop picturing the events with Akito in her mind over and over again. Eventually her eyelids begin to droop and Toharu came to the conclusion that she would act like nothing had happened until something came up so she needed to mention the event.
After all maybe if she didn't mention it things would settle down a bit, Akito was a very strange man. It was likely that some other inner family event would soon drag his attention away from her right? Well that was what she chooses to believe anyway, she had to for her peace of mind. Toharu set the cup back into its resting place rolling over and drifting into a restless sleep.
A voice, soft at first started to become louder with time. Other voices joined in, a conversation bussed softly around Toharu. Slowly blinking her eyes and opening them Toharu found herself looking at a crisp blue sky, wispy clouds drifting across the expanse and long blades of grass surrounding her on all sides. "aha?" she breathed startled and sat up, bursting out of her grass screen to find herself in an expansive field that apparently went on forever or atlest as far as the eye could see.
The conversation floating in the air came from several other people standing or sitting near by, women and men all were dressed strangely in an exotic old style that Toharu guessed could be Chinese. Blinking wide-eyed she looked about trying to make out what was being said.
".is what I heard." "No.that couldn't.." "Devastated, never show his face.again..must have..to die." "...is harsh...forever..?" "I don't like that..., he should be punished as well." " But there is no proof, and you know how he is.."
Toharu noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and glanced to her left were a truly handsome man sat in the grass in a relaxed manner. Dressed in a dark blue men's kimono with a black over coat trimmed in silver, his long black hair was pulled back into a high and handsome ponytail and silver arm guards glinted at his wrists. Strangely enough Toharu noted she was barefoot with only fine silk wrapping decoratively winding up to his ankles. As she glanced at him, the handsome stranger turned dark brown eyes on her and smiled, then looked back out over the grass "Welcome back. You are well I hope?"
Toharu gasped and leaned back a bit recognizing his voice as that of the dog from her first dream. But he was a man now, not a dog..could she be mistaken? "Welcome back?" she asked "But I've never been here before, where am I?" Toharu paused and quickly added "Oh, I'm doing very well thank you for asking. And you?" She didn't want to be thought rude or offend the other.
He raised one elegant eyebrow "Don't you remember Lady Toharu? We met on the way to the party."
Toharu's eyes widened farther, she knew it! He was the dog from her dream! "But I am being rude, I see that you are still sleeping inside." He smiled mysteriously Toharu bit her lip "Um, sir.. I don't understand what's going on. I don't want to be a bother, I can be a bother sometimes I know, but could you maybe tell me alittle about what is going on. Any maybe what everyone is talking about?"
He smiled and looked back out over the grass "Sirius. It's not my name exactly Lady Toharu, but I would be honored if you would refer to me in this way." He guesterd smoothly with one sculpted arm "The kami are rather upset. The absence of that cat at the masters party has caused quite a stir, not so much as our lord's decree of punishment however."
"The party in the story when god invites all of the Zodiac animals to a party and the mouse tricks the cat into being a day late? Is that the party that I was going to last night? What happened to the cat?!" Toharu asked intently eyes full of worry she leaned towards Sirius.
Sirius's eyes widened at the urgency in Toharu's voice and he place one hand on her shoulder causing the girl to freeze at the touch. His hand was so warm and she could feel the weight of it on her shoulder, until now Toharu had been certain this was a dream.but how could a dream be so real? It couldn't could it???
With a sad smile Sirius shook his head and fixed her eyes with his own "The cat.." But Sirius stopped suddenly as a humming filled the air, then lifted her hand and gave the back of it a light kiss. "I'm afraid it's time for you to go back now."
"But wait, you haven't told me what happened to the.."
Toharu's eyes snapped open and she whispered "cat" as she focused on the humming emitting from her alarm clock. Groggily Toharu sat up in bed, then slid out to get dressed and cook breakfast her mind still on Sirius and the dream wondering when was reality a dream and when was the dream reality?'
Welcome to the family chapter 1,
Toharu had planned on sneaking in the front door at first, but thought better of it. Surly by now someone would have noticed she wasn't at home. Sneaking in would only draw more attention and make her look like she was trying to hide something. So Toharu simply walked cheerfully in the front door instead.
Yuki was sitting in a chair watching the front door and jumped to his feat when Toharu came in the door, Yuki looked both relived and very concerned. It wasn't like Toharu to take off without letting anyone know where she was going to be. "Toharu!" he cried.
"Toharu?!"
Shigure's voice echoed from the living room followed by the man's dark haired head as the older Sohma popped his head into the entrance way, a hug smile lighting up his face at the site of her.
Kyo burst into the entranceway, pushing his way past Shigure who moved to one side at the last moment to avoid a forced merger with the doorsill.
"Toharu! Where the hell have you been?!" Kyo half snarled.
Toharu almost sobbed in relief viewing all of the usual antics, she knew Kyo's harsh words were just his way of expressing his concern. If it had been possible Toharu would have hugged each one of the guys.
"I'm sorry for worrying everyone, I was just feeling a little stifled today after school and went for a walk."
Toharu laughed, "I guess I lost track of the time.."
Kyo made a face and folded his arms, he was still pissed but he would accept her apology for now. Yuki just smiled his soft winsome smile concern still prevalent in his eyes
"As long as you home safe Toharu. Did you enjoy your walk?" Yuki asked softly.
Toharu felt further relived as the boys seemed to accept her story without much questioning if any. She would have felt less relived if she had been paying attention to the oldest Sohma in the room.
Shigure was not smiling, or rather he was but the smile did not reach his eyes. Despite her cheerful words, the zodiac dog could sense there was something wrong with Toharu's story.
Why had Toharu looked so relived when Kyo and Yuki seemed to accept her excuse without questioning? She wasn't telling them something, that Shigure was sure of. he was an expert when it came to secrets.and contrary to his often-silly behavior this particular Sohma could arguably be the most dangerous under Akito.
People didn't often notice, but once in a while the dark steal in his eyes would peek through truly chilling. But now wasn't the time to press things and Shigure grinned,
"Of course she did, but now she is home to cook for us?"
He almost whimpered comically. His eyes wide and watering as he gazed up at Toharu.for the three seconds he could anyway, before Kyo and Yuki's fists impacted with the top of his head causing the dog to face-plant into the floor.
"And what is wrong with what I cooked?" Yuki said frostily "Like she wants to cook this late moron, she's probably tierd" Kyo snarled
Shigure might have replied except he was currently flat on the floor with little zodiac animals floating about his head.
Toharu laughed, "Oh, it's no problem. Honestly! I want to cook!"
Kyo and Yuki gave her skeptical looks.
" I mean it! There is a new recipe I bought all the ingredients this morning, I don't want them to go to waste!" she reassured them slipping her shoes off and heading from the foyer into the kitchen.
Shigure miraculously recovered and popped up from the floor smiling "Wonderful! I'll just keep these two out of your way then." He commented referring to Kyo and Yuki..who both gave him evil looks again. Looks that went unnoticed by the grinning older man.
Toharu was relived for Shigure's help, although she was unsure how he knew she wanted alone time Toharu had the feeling that somehow Shigure had known. Cooking the meal went along easily this night, and that was lucky for Toharu as the headache that had been with her upon awakening outside the Sohma main house that afternoon had lessened but not gone away. The headache was like a constant light pressure behind her eyes and Toharu shook her head a few times in a futile attempt to rid herself of the almost tangible pain.
The rest of the evening, the two hours they had left before bedtime anyway. went smoothly. Toharu had managed to act normal. The evenings strangeness seamed to be forgotten as the night went on and Toharu found herself laying in bed looking up at the shadows of tree braches swaying across her moonlight - slivered ceiling.
Reaching over Toharu slipped the delicate teacup out of it's resting place in the bedside nightstand. Holding it gingerly between her fingertips Toharu turned it slowly around looking at it in the pale silvery moonlight. She couldn't stop picturing the events with Akito in her mind over and over again. Eventually her eyelids begin to droop and Toharu came to the conclusion that she would act like nothing had happened until something came up so she needed to mention the event.
After all maybe if she didn't mention it things would settle down a bit, Akito was a very strange man. It was likely that some other inner family event would soon drag his attention away from her right? Well that was what she chooses to believe anyway, she had to for her peace of mind. Toharu set the cup back into its resting place rolling over and drifting into a restless sleep.
A voice, soft at first started to become louder with time. Other voices joined in, a conversation bussed softly around Toharu. Slowly blinking her eyes and opening them Toharu found herself looking at a crisp blue sky, wispy clouds drifting across the expanse and long blades of grass surrounding her on all sides. "aha?" she breathed startled and sat up, bursting out of her grass screen to find herself in an expansive field that apparently went on forever or atlest as far as the eye could see.
The conversation floating in the air came from several other people standing or sitting near by, women and men all were dressed strangely in an exotic old style that Toharu guessed could be Chinese. Blinking wide-eyed she looked about trying to make out what was being said.
".is what I heard." "No.that couldn't.." "Devastated, never show his face.again..must have..to die." "...is harsh...forever..?" "I don't like that..., he should be punished as well." " But there is no proof, and you know how he is.."
Toharu noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and glanced to her left were a truly handsome man sat in the grass in a relaxed manner. Dressed in a dark blue men's kimono with a black over coat trimmed in silver, his long black hair was pulled back into a high and handsome ponytail and silver arm guards glinted at his wrists. Strangely enough Toharu noted she was barefoot with only fine silk wrapping decoratively winding up to his ankles. As she glanced at him, the handsome stranger turned dark brown eyes on her and smiled, then looked back out over the grass "Welcome back. You are well I hope?"
Toharu gasped and leaned back a bit recognizing his voice as that of the dog from her first dream. But he was a man now, not a dog..could she be mistaken? "Welcome back?" she asked "But I've never been here before, where am I?" Toharu paused and quickly added "Oh, I'm doing very well thank you for asking. And you?" She didn't want to be thought rude or offend the other.
He raised one elegant eyebrow "Don't you remember Lady Toharu? We met on the way to the party."
Toharu's eyes widened farther, she knew it! He was the dog from her dream! "But I am being rude, I see that you are still sleeping inside." He smiled mysteriously Toharu bit her lip "Um, sir.. I don't understand what's going on. I don't want to be a bother, I can be a bother sometimes I know, but could you maybe tell me alittle about what is going on. Any maybe what everyone is talking about?"
He smiled and looked back out over the grass "Sirius. It's not my name exactly Lady Toharu, but I would be honored if you would refer to me in this way." He guesterd smoothly with one sculpted arm "The kami are rather upset. The absence of that cat at the masters party has caused quite a stir, not so much as our lord's decree of punishment however."
"The party in the story when god invites all of the Zodiac animals to a party and the mouse tricks the cat into being a day late? Is that the party that I was going to last night? What happened to the cat?!" Toharu asked intently eyes full of worry she leaned towards Sirius.
Sirius's eyes widened at the urgency in Toharu's voice and he place one hand on her shoulder causing the girl to freeze at the touch. His hand was so warm and she could feel the weight of it on her shoulder, until now Toharu had been certain this was a dream.but how could a dream be so real? It couldn't could it???
With a sad smile Sirius shook his head and fixed her eyes with his own "The cat.." But Sirius stopped suddenly as a humming filled the air, then lifted her hand and gave the back of it a light kiss. "I'm afraid it's time for you to go back now."
"But wait, you haven't told me what happened to the.."
Toharu's eyes snapped open and she whispered "cat" as she focused on the humming emitting from her alarm clock. Groggily Toharu sat up in bed, then slid out to get dressed and cook breakfast her mind still on Sirius and the dream wondering when was reality a dream and when was the dream reality?'