Disclaimer-Fruits Basket does not belong to me.
"Tohru, what's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost." Momiji commented.
The dark haired beauty sitting across from him at the saloon table had nearly choked on her lunch when she had noticed a familiar pair of eyes find hers from within the crowd on the street. The young man tha thad caused her condition was a stranger though, a drifter with a disfiguring limp.
"Oh no, I'm fine. I just thought I saw someone I knew. My mistake." she told him.
Momiji reached across the table to kiss her across the cheek. "I don't know what to think about you sometimes, Tohru Rose, but I love you anyway." he said with a smile.
She blushed. "You're sweet. Thank you." she replied.
Finishing their meal in silence, Tohru couldn't help but glance through the crowd again to find that strange man. She felt sorry for him for that terrible limp, the pain of it registering in his face and those dark, dark eyes that were so familiar...
"So tell me what you think of these new costumes I created, Shigure." Ayame asked his friend as they sat at the bar.
Shigure smiled as he carefully inspected the two new costumes that rested on padded hangers in his hands. They were both of similiar material, one naughty, one nice. The naughty one was a gorgeous black satin and lace dress that opened up to reveal a form fitting matching corset and frilly panties with black lace garter belt and fishnet stockings. The other was a white frilly satin dress that opened up to a white lace corset and matching panties with a white lace garter belt and white lace stockings.
"Well, I know this black outfit would look fantastic on your lead dancer Rin, but I have a sneaking feeling the white one is intended for Tohru." Shigure said.
"Oh yes! I designed it for her honeymoon with Hatori. Poor frigid man...I know he won't be able to resist her in this ensemble. He's just lucky she's such a honorable girl. I raised her well, after all." Ayame boasted.
Both men jumped, startled all of the sudden, at the appearance of the newcomer in the bar who had grown impatient and had slammed his fist down on the bar.
"Where the hell is the bartender?" Kyou demanded.
Shigure laughed nervously. "I'm sorry about that. I'm the bartender. What can I get for you?" he asked him.
"Something strong to make me forget the pain in my leg and my troubles." he replied.
Shigure cocked his head at him. "Injuried leg, huh? What happened, were you on the wrong end of an agrument or something?" he laughed.
Kyou narrowed his eyes at him. "You could say that. Just serve me my drink already." he told him.
Ayame smiled at him. "I don't believe we've been introduced. My name is Ayame Rose. I am the owner of this fine establishment and you are?" he asked.
"My name is Kyou." he said.
Ayame nodded. "Well then, welcome Kyou. I can set you up with a room if you like if you would do me the pleasure of entertaining one of my ladies." he said.
"Is she one of them?" Kyou asked, pointing to the girl that had just walked in with her escort.
"Heavens no! This is my young charge, Tohru Rose. She doesn't work here as a dancer, but I'll be happy to introduce you. Come here, Tohru sweetheart. I must introduce you to someone." Ayame said.
Slowly letting go of Momiji's hand, she stopped in her tracks as their eyes met across the room. "I...I know you." she whispered to herself.
"Did you say something, Tohru? Kyou, this is Tohru. Tohru, this is Kyou." he told her.
She held out a hand for him to shake with a smile. "Hello. It's nice to meet you." she said.
Ayame was so proud to be introducing his lovely adopted daughter that he didn't even notice their mutual gasp as their hands touched, confirming for them both that somehow they had known each other before. Kyou cleared his throat before speaking again.
"Yes. It's nice to meet you too, Tohru." he told her.
"Oh dear, another man's fallen under Tohru's spell as always." Shigure teased.
Tohru laughed. "Don't be mean. We were simply introducing ourselves. Please don't let me disturb you, Kyou." she told him.
He reached out to grab her wrist before she walked away. "Wait. Are you one of the waitresses? Because I'd rather leave my tip to a pretty girl." Kyou said.
Tohru laughed. "Yes. You can sit in those booths over there and enjoy the floor show. It's about to start." she told him.
Oh yeah, this is right up my alley, the leather clad outlaw thought to himself as he skulked into the darkening saloon and made himself comfortable in the best viewing place possible. His hearty addiction was that of the female form, and to ogle the ladies of the designer Ayame's dance troupe was a sweet treat indeed.
He was especially fond of their lead dancer, a dark haired nymph named Rin. She was bold and gorgeous, with a mane of shiny midnight back hair that caressed her rounded backside and a body so curvy he was almost in tears.
He knew whenever she saw him in the audience, she would disrobe that much quicker, giving him teasin glimpses of her womanly treasures as she danced before him. He almost enjoyed the chase more than the capture in this instance, but his prey this night instead was the man a few booths away.
It had been several years since he had seen the man they called the Crimson Haired Bandit, his former partner and rival, but he knew he would recognize Kyou's short orange hair anywhere. He snickered when he thought of their last heist, knowing the gun had gone off due to his own doing, killing his prisioners and injuring his obstinate leader. If Kyou was to stand and have some kind of noticeable impairment, he would know for sure, but...for now, his attentions were riveted by the captivating Rin and her many talents, he thought with a smile...
"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face in this town." a familiar voice told Kyou.
Kyou narrowed his eyes at the disembodied voice that had spoken to him from within the pitch black of the darkened room. "Am I supposed to know you?" he asked.
The stranger laughed as he sat down across from him in the booth.
"I'm sure it will come to you soon enough. There's no rush. You wouldn't want to interrupt the floor show, after all." he told Kyou.
As if I'm really interesting in the floor show, Kyou snorted. The only thing in the smoky, overcrowded saloon that he was interested in were the attentions of the very pretty Tohru Rose. He couldn't even remember the last time he had felt such an instant connection to someone, an overwhelming desire to make up for the time they had lost. But that thought was ridiculous! The two of them had never even met before!
That didn't explain why her eyes had seemed so familiar, why he had felt so drawn to protect her from harm...it made no sense whatsoever. He glanced for a moment at the floor show where the owner Ayame came out to bask amongst the affectionate attentions of his ladies before his attention was once again brought back to the table by his unwelcome visitor.
"Perhaps I need to refresh your memory, Kyou. I think you and I should step outside and talk." the voice said.
Kyou frowned. "And if I refuse?" he asked.
The other man chuckled. "I don't think that would be in your best interest." he told him.
Frowning, Kyou stood up to make his way outside only to be stopped by Tohru, who was looking up at him in concern.
"I'm sorry, Kyou. I didn't mean to take so long to get to your table. I hope you didn't leave me a tip. I certainly didn't earn it. I didn't know you would be leaving so soon." she told him.
Kyou smiled. "You did nothing wrong, Tohru. I promise I'll leave you a very generous tip next time." he told her.
On impulse, he leaned in towards her and brushed his lips across her cheek, avoiding her startled look as he quickly exited the saloon. Touching her cheek where he had kissed her, she didn't even notice Momiji walk up next to her.
"Tohru, your customers are getting restless." he told her.
"What? Oh yes, of course. I'm sorry." she told him, returning to her job on the floor.