Author's notes at the end… Sorry for the long wait, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
…Chapter Two…
The car was speeding around the corner, the driver was in a hurry. His wife was about to give birth at a hospital nearby.
Unbeknownst to him, a distraught woman was about to cross the fairly empty street. Her mind was on a deadline which had to be met soon and a fussy writer who liked to make her life hell. She moved to cross the street.
The young man was the only one who saw what was about to happen. You could say it was animal instinct. He shouted a warning but she was too far away to hear it. Summoning all his strength he cried out once more.
The woman finally noticed him and jumped back in time. But as Lady Fate had it, she tripped on the sidewalk and fell back hard. Her head banged on the concrete. Panicked people immediately whipped out their cell phones.
The young man watched the happenings, only raising his eyebrows once. A very expressive thing for him to do. He scratched his bi-coloured hair thoughtfully, he was positive the woman was Mii-chan.
*
Shigure smiled maliciously. He had a series of 'events' planned today for his beloved editor. Today's 'act' was to be one of his most brilliantly planned performances. Guaranteed to keep her in his house till at least dinner time.
He had deliberately not shaved for the past few days, much to Tohru and Yuki's amazement and Kyo's amusement. And as soon as his housemates had left the house earlier that day for school, he had artistically scattered empty beer bottles around. Well, scattered was actually an understatement. He had closed his eyes and moved around the house, depositing beer bottles that he had collected for the past month.
His face turned serious as he dramatically collapsed on a cushion. And he practised his lines.
"I'm sorry Mii-chan! This time I'm serious. I'm quitting! I can't go on!" He stopped abruptly and propped himself up on his elbows. "Yosh!" he grinned.
His perverted mind flew quickly to things that his editor might do when faced with this situation. His grin widened further when his thoughts flew to things that were not appropriate for a PG-13 audience. He could imagine her desperate cries and begging. Just how far would she go?
His own mind chided him. Mii-chan was not that kind of girl. She'd probably slap him if he tried anything.
He smiled ruefully to himself. He knew that as far as Akito was concerned, he was playing with fire. One that was unpredictable and dangerous. But just to spend a few hours with Mii-chan, a few precious hours… Everything would be worth it.
His lips turned down slowly at the thought of his clan head. His lips thinned into a straight line. He had sold his soul to the devil to keep Mii-chan around him and he was sure, one day… One day, she'd remember.
*
"Tadaima!" a melodious voice wafted in, startling Shigure awake.
"Huh?" he sleepily rubbed his eyes. A bird popped out of the cuckoo clock and chirped eight times.
"Shigure-san!" Tohru rushed to the writer's side and immediately checked his temperature. "Are you okay? Why are you sleeping here? Are you sick? Would you like me to make you some soup? Is there anything else I can do? Ah, would you like a drink? Tea? Anything???" Tohru was looking at him with worried eyes, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. A hand crashed down on his head to shut him up.
"Behave you old pervert. Honda-san was trying to be nice."
"Maa, you're so violent Yuki-kun!"
"Don't worry Honda-san, the dog just fell asleep." Yuki patted her shoulders in reassurance.
"That's good then. I was worried, because the house was dark and there were bottles everywhere!"
"Ah, that… Gomene! I'll pick them up later!… Wait, did you two just get home?" a confirming nod came from both. "And where did you get to so late?" he winked suggestively to Tohru, causing her to blush. "Is there something I should know about here?"
"No Shigure-san! You misunderstand! We… I… Sohma-kun and Kyo-kun…" A slight panicky look settled on her face making it comically dismayed. Yuki once more patted her shoulders comfortingly.
"Calm down Honda-san. He's just being his usual stupid self."
"Aa… Hai! I see! I take it Shigure-san has not had dinner yet? I'll go make some right away, is that okay?" Shigure nodded, his eyes shinning brightly at the thought of one of Tohru's home cooked meals.
"Idiot." Yuki said monotonously and started to get out when Shigure coughed. He stopped in his tracks.
"Ano… Where's Kyo?"
"He met Haru along the way. I think they're still fighting outside." The mouse gestured to the garden vaguely. This time he moved and didn't look back.
Shigure sighed. He wondered if his doors would stay intact tonight. With Haru probably staying over and everything… He seriously doubted it.
Before long, he heard light footsteps follow angry ones.
"You two had fun on your date?" he couldn't help but tease them. Haru would shrug it off, while the baka neko… Well, anything that questions his masculinity would be met with hostile blows. And sure enough…
"BAKA!"
"Owww… Kyo is so violent!" He rubbed his head and faked a hurt expression on his face.
"Shigure, you are starting to sound like Momiji." Haru sat down in front of him and calmly poured himself a cup of tea.
"And what brings you around to my humble abode, cousin?" Shigure was always amused by the calm cow who took his time doing everything. Including pouring a cup of tea. The movements his cousin made seemed to mimic the water itself, flowing and peaceful.
"I saw an accident today." he started slowly. "By the corner near Playground… You know, that shop that opened recently."
"Ah, was anyone hurt?"
"No, not by the accident at least. But the woman involved got taken to a hospital."
"The one nearby?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
"The woman seemed familiar. Like your editor."
He had started getting sleepy hearing the monotonous tone the other used, but at the last sentence he jerked awake. He tried to get up slowly, which only made his movements seem somewhat jerky and unnatural.
"I think I'd better go and see her."
Abandoning all pretences of being calm, he rushed upstairs to change quickly into a pair of pants.
"Where's Shigure rushing of to?" Yuki asked as he sat down, only moments before, his dog cousin had pushed past him.
"The hospital." Answered Haru
"I anyone hurt?"
"No. Not really. But I never got the chance to tell him that."
"Oh."
"Should we follow him?"
"No. It will give him a lesson not to rush of and do something stupid before hearing what someone has to say to the end."
The two then proceeded to sip their tea in silence as they waited for their dinner, which judging by the smell of things, would come soon.
*
Shigure walked briskly, ignoring the chilling wind that hit his face. His worry for his Mii-chan overcame every single nerve in his body, he managed to reach the hospital in record time.
He was about to ask the nurse what room Mii-chan was in when he noticed the sign that notified visitors of visiting hours. He had missed it by an hour. Furiously he kicked himself.
If he wasn't so worried and angry, he might have thought about turning on his charm taps full blast and flirt his way in. Or calling Hatori and getting him to pull a few strings. But right now, he couldn't even think about where he was going next.
He rushed back out and stood in the freezing cold, looking up to the windows of the hospital. In one of those windows was a woman he loved. The only person who had the power to reduce him to a mess.
He leaned against the wall near the doorway.
If he wasn't getting in at this time of night. Then he'd wait till the morning came.
TBC…
Author's Notes; I am so very very sorry for the long wait! I got really distracted and managed to abandon this! I promise I will not do that anymore and try to write a lot more, so hopefully the pause between updates wont be this long.
And I'm also really sorry for the short chapter, no excusses there. Longer ones will arive soon!
And THANK YOUUUUUU!!! Thank you thank you thank you to my lovely reviewers!
Ssjgoddesschico, kireina, Lady of the Ink, jill4, NIGHTSCREAM, BishounenChaser, frozen tears, Hatsuharu Souma; I'm glad you guys liked it!