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2. First day out
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When Tohru woke up that morning, something felt different. Keeping her eyes closed, she vaguely thought what it could be...
Cold...heavy...why feel different...still sleeping...open eyes smart maybe...
Tohru opened her eyes to find her lying in her cabin on her bed (as she should be) with a snake curled up around and on top of her with its head coming to a stop right next to her face on the pillow.
"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"
Four Sohmas rushed into her room in their pajamas to see what was going on.
A very terrified Tohru half falling off the bed and a very startled snake tangled up in the sheets met their eyes.
The snake sweat dropped as his brother and cousins popped veins on their forehead.
...
Tohru brushed her teeth while a cat and rat chased a snake around her room (The dog and seahorse decided they had better things to do and left).
"Hey you guys can calm down now," she said.
Poof poof poof
"Eek!"
Breathing heavily with her face against the wall, Tohru heard the others arguing.
"Ayame, you didn't even bring your clothes?!" said Yuki bewildered.
Tohru could pretty much hear Ayame sweat-drop. "Well I had to start out as a snake to get under the door..."
"What?!" said Kyo. Apparently locking doors wouldn't stop Ayame. "Don't you dare go into Tohru's room again!"
"Guys...can I turn around yet...?"
"Why don't you go take a shower while we figure this out?" asked Ayame helpfully.
WOK THOK
"Don't get any ideas," warned Yuki and Kyo in unison.
...
Tohru walked out onto the deck. Immediately she smelled the salty sea wind in her face, and the bright sun shone onto her hair in the cloudless sky. The ship's deck was pretty large, all paneled wood with a glass dome in the middle—the top of the lobby. She walked over to the side and looked at the endless flat of ocean. They were now fully crossing the Pacific.
"Nice, huh?" said Kyo, walking up behind her.
"Mom always wanted to go on an American cruise..." said Tohru sadly.
"But doesn't that mean that she'll be happy to see her daughter on one?"
"Huh?"
"To see her daughter do something that she missed out on life."
"I don't know," said Tohru.
Kyo scooted closer. "Well, you know what?" he said quietly. "Just enjoy yourself. Your mom would be happy to see you happy, don't you think?"
"Hai!" said Tohru happily. "You're right, Kyo-kun!"
Kyo smiled one of his rare smiles. "Don't worry about your mom at all, Honda-san."
"Hai," said Tohru.
"Be our little optimist on this trip, like you always are like back at home, okay?"
"Arigatou Kyo-kun," she said, kissing him on the cheek, "Thanks."
She skipped off merrily as a very red Kyo stood as if he were petrified and a very quiet Yuki watched from above.
...
Back inside her room, Tohru looked at the day schedule. "Dinner starting from the second night onboard is to be formal," she read.
Uh oh, I didn't even pack a formal dress! I don't even have one!
There was a knock on the door. "May I come in?"
"Hai," said Tohru offhandedly. Yuki sat down next to her on the bed. "You look troubled, Honda-san," he said.
"It's nothing," she said, swallowing. It really wasn't that bad.
"You're not a very good liar," said Yuki playfully, putting a finger on her forehead. "What is it?"
"It's no big deal," said Tohru.
"Yes it is," countered Yuki. Tohru would end up telling him.
"I didn't bring a formal dress for dinners and events or anything," she said.
"Its okay!" said Yuki merrily. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "I'll get one for you!"
"Eh?"
"There's a ship shop on the fourth level," he explained. "Shigure and I were looking strolling through the ship yesterday,and I swear, its huge."
"Arigatou," was all Tohru could say.
...
"How about this one?" asked Yuki, pulling out a pale green Chinese-style one.
"Not really," replied Tohru, pulling out another. "Do you think this one would match?" It was baby blue with spaghetti straps, a white satin ribbon at the waist, and a pattern of cherry blossom petals around the bottom hem.
"I like it," said Yuki. "Let's buy that one."
"Arigatou, Sohma-kun, thank you so much!"
"No big deal," he said, smiling one of his prince smiles. Nearby, two girls who were watching them started whispering loudly to each other.
"Wow, lucky her, I wish I had such a nice boyfriend." said one.
"Yeah, he's so cute too," added the other. They had no idea Tohru and Yuki could hear them clearly.
"Saki, you're way too boy crazy. Although I do wish I had a guy too sometimes."
"And he buys a dress for her too," said the one called Saki.
"Hey, there are still plenty of chances in life," said Saki's friend dully.
"How sweet," said Saki, watching the cashier gives Yuki the check.
By the time they left the shop, Yuki and Tohru's faces were both burning red from embarrassment. "Gomen, Sohma-kun," said Tohru as they made their way up the elevator.
Yuki blushed. "It's not your fault, Honda-san," the elevator dinged and they walked out, "People these days, if they're going to talk behind your back they ought to do it properly at least."
Tohru smiled and blushed as they got to her room. "Arigatou so much, Sohma-kun," she said, bowing.
Yuki smiled and let go of her hand (which he just noticed he had been holding on for the whole time) "So...uh...see you later, Honda-san."
"You too, Sohma-kun," she said sweetly before closing the door.
Yuki blushed even deeper as she closed the door. I have to ask her out sometime, he thought.
...
ReViEw!!!