I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
Hatori watched as the girl...no, woman, he corrected himself.
Tohru was now officially a woman.
Her body proved that much even though she still had the face of a teenager.
He supposed that in his mind, she would always be a child.
He watched as she hugged Shigure.
He didn't realize that he had been holding the pencil tightly till he heard a faint snap and felt a piercing pain on his side.
Looking down, he was dazed to see his hand bleeding lightly with the end of the pencil broken in two.
That stupid hentai mutt, he thought darkly, moving away from the window.
It was HIS fault.
Why did he have to be so near Tohru anyway?
Just because the curse was broken doesn't mean that he could touch Tohru at every opportunity...dumb mutt...
Hatori bandaged his hand, refusing to see the obvious reason for his agitation.
Why should he?
So much easier to blame Shigure though that poor guy only showed affection for Tohru.
"Hello..." her voice came from behind him and he jumped, dropping the bottle of alcohol and swearing under his breath.
Why did he have to act so flustered?
Damn!
Taking a deep breathe, he turned to look at Tohru.
The first thing he noticed was her eyes.
Sky blue eyes that seemed to look at him, to look INSIDE him.
His voice caught in his throat.
He opened his mouth but no voice came out.
What was he to say?
"Hatori..." she said and Hatori managed to utter a response.
"You're hurt..." she said, her eyes sweeping on his hand, her eyes full of concern.
"Um...it's nothing..." he said a bit brusquely and turned away, meaning to pick up the bottle of alcohol again.
Cool hands touched his arm and he nearly jumped out of his skin.
He looked down to see Tohru bent over his hand.
She was frowning slightly as she gently touched his cut.
He took a deep shuddering breathe as the feeling of tingling spread to his arm.
Her touch was warm and yet it seemed to cool his flushed skin.
Her hands were so tiny against his big hands, he saw.
Her fingers gently applied the alcohol with the cotton wool and he hissed as the alcohol stung.
She looked up at him briefly and then unexpectedly, she blew on it.
This time, he DID jerk.
"Uh, I think I'll have to go check on the paperwork..." he said, refusing to look at her or acknowledge the faint blush that was working on his cheeks and he quickly escaped from the suddenly stifling room.
Shutting the door, he leaned against the wooden frame.
It was going to be so hard to stay away from her.
Not when he could still feel her breathe on him...
I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
Tohru couldn't sleep.
She lay tossing and turning on the bed.
Why couldn't she sleep?
Maybe because she was in a new environment or maybe because Hatori was only a room away from her?
She closed her eyes and immediately Hatori came to mind.
He hadn't changed much.
3 years had been good to him.
He was still so heartbreakingly handsome and he was still as aloof as ever.
She didn't know what made her fall for him in the first place.
Maybe because he had been there for her, in the background, or maybe because...
Oh, she didn't know!
Getting up, she sighed.
She might as well go and get a drink while she was awake.
Tip-toeing to the kitchen, she was about to enter when she noticed a figure sitting down on the porch.
The night was dark but she could see the pond which was illuminated by the dim light.
Even in the dark, she knew who it was.
There was no one else in here except for her and Hatori but she could've have recognized that well loved broad shoulder anywhere.
Judging from his relaxed posture, he hadn't heard her...yet.
Making a split second decision, she padded over softly and sat down beside him.
He stiffened slightly but still he didn't acknowledge her presence.
Tohru sat beside him, content to simply be beside him.
Hugging her knees to her chest, she looked out at the pond.
Soft lights were gently floating on the surface of the pond. One of the soft lights floated to over were she was sitting and she smiled when it settled onto the floor, in front of her.
"The fireflies sure are beautiful tonight...do you see them every night?" she asked softly.
"Sometimes..." he said shortly but Tohru was not deterred by his lack of response.
The night was once again replaced by the sound of crickets and the occasional hoot from an owl.
"Why?"
His voice was husky and low and Tohru wouldn't have caught it if she hadn't been secretly looking at him from beneath her lashes.
"Why what?" she asked calmly although she knew what he was asking.
He turned to look at her, his eyes cold and unreadable.
"Why did you come back? Did you come back to see how the poor little Sohmas' were doing? Or were you here to..." to see how pathetic I've become? Without you, our life seems so empty. Oh, Tohru, why did you come back? If you hadn't come, maybe I would have been able to close my eyes to the loneliness surrounding me. With you here, the emptiness seems louder than ever...
His thoughts were broken when he felt small hands gently take his face.
His eyes flew open, startled.
Her face was so close, merely inches from his own.
He could see her azure eyes and her thick lashes and her tears.
He was startled.
Why was she crying?
"I came back because I wanted to see you. YOU were the reason for my being. Only you. You were the reason why I became a nurse. I wanted to be by your side. 3 years...3 years I spent dreaming of you. I wanted to be by your side but I was so afraid. I was a coward. I was afraid that you would reject me. Remember 3 years ago? Remember what you said to me?"
How could he forget?
That was the moment he had regretted so much.
"You're still a child. You don't know what you are saying. Yuki or Kyo...they're much more suited for you. Get away from here. Go."
"I...I love you, Hatori...I'll prove to you that I'm not a child. I'll come back." Tohru had said, looking at him with such fierce pride and determination.
Hatori took a step back, his face mask-like.
He HAD to do this.
He HAD to.
"You'll always be a child to me. And...I'll always love Kana. She will always be the one in my heart. No one else can take her place," he said emotionlessly.
Tohru looked like she had been struck.
Her eyes filled with tears and a sob escaped.
She turned away and ran.
Hatori watched her run, his heart aching.
Don't come back, Tohru.
Don't come back.
"I was heartbroken over what you said. I tried to forget you. God knows how hard I tried. But you were always there in my dreams. I couldn't get you out of my heart or my head. I loved you too much. And then Uo said something I would always remember. She said that loving someone did not necessarily mean that you had to be by the person's side. She was right. I loved you still even though we were so many miles away. I don't know if you love me or not but I still love you and I will always will. I love you, Hatori. No matter how much you push me away, I'll always come back."
Hatori felt the tears burning beneath his lids.
What did he do to deserve this?
This child-woman who loved him so?
"Why?" he asked, his voice shaking.
"Because I love you." She said simply.
"Why do you love me?" he asked, opening his eyes, taking her hand in his, nearly crushing it.
She winced slightly but she still smiled.
"Because...simply because." She whispered and Hatori saw her tears slip down her pale cheeks.
His redemption...
His life...
He felt the sun shine burst in him as he kissed Tohru.
Finally the ice was melting, he thought as their salty kiss ended.
I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why i need you to hear
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is You