I'm back again with a new chapter! I was very surprised—and happy!—with the outcome of the last chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed! You are all so wonderful! I apologize if I'm updating a little slowly, but I also beta read a few other stories, and I've been spending time with my family and friends! I also have been reading some new stories to help me improve my writing a little bit! But thank you all for waiting! Now it's time for me to acknowledge my wonderful reviewers from chapter two:
FearlessDranzer: I know you only reviewed the first chapter so far, but since you're one of my best friends, I want to thank you! Yay! I'm glad you liked it! Oh, I didn't mean to make you cry! But I'm very happy you read my story, thank you! What's happening is that Tohru-chan is having a flashback on her whole relationship with Kyo-kun! I hope it doesn't sound too confusing!
LilyEvansPotter4456: Oh, you are so nice! It's so much fun to read your X-Men stories and A Royal Problem! I'm so glad that you're willing to read this story, even though you never knew what Fruits Basket was!
Silver Eyes Bright: Oh, okay! I'll remember to do that! If it didn't seem like I used that method in this chapter, please tell me! And thank you!
divya: Oh, thank you! I like being called sophisticated!
snarg: I thought people wouldn't like the everyday details, but I'm glad I thought wrong! Thank you so much! I hope I can still keep the in character in the upcoming chapters!
vashfan59: Thank you! I never thought of myself being very good with words! I guess I'm better at writing than I am speaking!
machoupitchounette: I loved your last sentence! I was kind of laughing about that because I could just imagine myself sitting in front of the computer at two o'clock in the morning with a bowl of ramen in front of me! But thank you! I hate to make Kyo rude, but it seems one of the only ways I can keep him in character!
Diamond: Thank you so much! I tend to get a little worried with pacing because sometimes I feel as if the story is going to fast, or if the story is going to slow.
Animefreaks13: Wow! I'm glad you really like it! I didn't think anyone would like it that much! That makes me feel so great!
Once again, thank you all so much! To everyone: please enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and all characters used in this story are property of Natsuki Takaya. The song 'Painters' was sung and written by Jewel.
Chapter Three: A Kindred Friend
Two months passed by as Tohru Honda and Kyo Sohma's friendship began to grow each day. They would sit by the brook and learn more new and exciting things about one other, and they would walk to the nearby department store together to get packs of Tohru's favorite, strawberry flavored pocky. They would sit on sidewalk benches and split the pack of strawberry coated sticks amongst each other, letting the wind push back their hair as they talked and shared smiles. Tohru's favorite memory was that of Kyo's first laugh, during their second adventure to the department store. The two had walked out of the store, their arms filled with grocery bags, a small little pack of pocky held within each of their free hands. They would run errands for Kyo's father, whom Tohru had been acquainted with just a few weeks after first meeting Kyo, and they had both managed to buy some of the snack on their way out. With the brown paper bags at the base of the bench, Tohru and Kyo happily sat together and open their bags of pocky, quickly taking out each stick and chomping down before it slowly diminished into nothing but pink crumbs that sat upon their laps before being brushed off onto the ground. Tohru had been taking her time with eating her pocky as she endured each wonderful moment that the sweet taste of strawberry lingered about her mouth, melting onto her tongue as she let it sit. While her attention focused on the new conversation she had developed with Kyo, Tohru failed to notice the little bird that had taken up interest in the bag of groceries by her feet. The small little bird stuck its head inside of the bag, poking at the wrapped packages of ramen noodles, plastic bags filled with rice, and bags of rice crackers. The rice crackers seemed to interest the bird, and it began to poke at the package with its pointy beak, daring not to stop until it had access to take the rice crackers into its mouth. The bird was smart, for it was quiet as it did its poking, and neither Tohru nor Kyo had even known it was there. It wasn't until the clever little bird had gotten one of the rice cakes and started down the sidewalk that the two were aware of its existence. At first, the two young adults couldn't make out what it was the bird had in its mouth, but it became crystal clear once the bird dropped it on the sidewalk to get a breath of fresh air. Tohru shrieked and ducked her head down to look inside the grocery bag and saw that the bag of rice crackers had been ripped open. The rice cracker that bird had in its mouth had been taken from Tohru and Kyo's grocery bag!
"Damn bird," Kyo scowled as he shoved the last stick of pocky from his pack into his mouth. He rubbed his large hands together, wiping off the last trace of the pocky. "It probably went through the bag while we were talking." Tohru nodded and bent down by the bird. The bird didn't fly away to Kyo's surprise, for Tohru had a gentle way with animals. The smooth, coaxing voice she used when she talked to them seemed like a hypnotic tact to the animals. "Excuse me," Tohru spoke innocently to the bird, making Kyo sigh at her sudden naivety. "But do you think we could have that rice cracker please? I don't mind if you take it, but Kyo-kun really likes them, so I think he would like it back. But if you ask him, he'll let you have it! I'm sure he will!" Tohru flashed the bird a warm smile and only received a few blinks in return, but Tohru could tell that the bird understood her. On the bench, Kyo stared at Tohru in disbelief, and at the moment he didn't think that anyone could have more stupidity filled in their head than she did. "Are you sick?" asked Kyo scornfully. "Why the hell would I want that if it's been in that's dumb bird's mouth and on the ground? That's disgusting! Let the damned thing have it!" He crossed his arms over his chest and locked his gaze on the bird, which gazed back at him with large, black beady eyes. It seemed as if the rice cracker that was held in its mouth stared at Kyo also. He turned away and let Tohru take care of the rest of the situation, he casually resting his arm on the backrest of the bench.
Tohru smiled again at the bird as she went to the grocery bag and knelt down before it, digging through the compartments that sat in it. Tohru finally found the open bag of rice crackers and took out three more crackers, placing them before the bird. The crackers were just small enough for the bird to be able to carry them all, and it did. The bird furiously flapped its wings and flew up, up off the ground and into Tohru's face. She let out a shriek as the birds feathery wings brushed against her face, causing her to mix her cries with laughs and squeals. Kyo jerked up from his place on the bench, letting out a small laugh when he saw the hectic scene before him. The bird then flew away, leaving Tohru's face red and her hair a mess. She turned to Kyo with a shocked look on her face, and she wheezed as she sat down beside him on the bench. Seeing her like that still made Kyo laugh, although he tried to stifle his rare laughter, he found that it was hard to. Tohru turned to him and began to laugh also. Kyo's laugh was beautiful; a mixture of soft whispers with amusement and mirth. "Ky-Kyo-kun," said Tohru between giggles. "You're laughing!" Kyo let out one last laugh before he sighed and slumped down in his spot on the bench, running his hand through his hair. "S-sorry," he still chuckled a bit, "you just should've seen it. I know you would be laughing too, despite the fact that you're so frickin' polite." He put that even aside, and asked with a small amount of masked concern, "Are you okay? I mean, did the bird scratch you or anything?" Tohru felt around her face with her smooth, delicate hands, but found no signs of scars or broken skin. "No, I don't think I do!" She smoothed the top of her head, flattening down her now frizzy brown hair. "But thank you for wondering!"
Kyo turned away, but eyed Tohru from the corner of his eye. She had continued eating her pocky. Kyo clenched the empty pack that was left in his hand, then reach over Tohru and snagged a stick from her. "Oh, Kyo-kun!" Tohru said as she handed another stick of the pocky to Kyo. "I would have given you some if you asked!" Kyo ate the stick in three large bites and rubbed his fingers on his pants. "Whatever," he replied.
Now, Tohru and Kyo both sat on the porch of Kyo's dojo, watching the glowing sunset before them as Tohru remembered the first time Kyo had ever laughed while around her. Sunsets made Tohru feel ever so warm inside, and she often dreamed about running to the sun one day. She would walk a path that led her to where the sun and Earth met, and she would jump, jump so far the she would be able to touch the sun and feel its blazing hot flames singe her skin. The flames would then melt her hand, travel up to her arm, then her shoulder. But it would feel so wonderful just to be able to touch the sun for one little moment, even if it was very scarce, it was still fantastic.
A tiny smile grazed Tohru's lips as she looked out ahead. The sun was behind the tress now, and it wasn't for long until the moon would take its place.
"What are you smiling about now?" Kyo questioned Tohru. He saw her smile, but deep down, he loved her smiles. Her smiles always gave him a reason to smile, but he would never show it. He would smile inside and mask his feelings with expressionless faces and empty stares. How he wished he could show his expressions to Tohru!
"Oh, I'm just happy!" Tohru replied cheerfully. She shifted up in her spot on the porch, now letting her legs dangle over the edge. "I love watching sunsets. It's especially nice when I'm watching it with a friend!" She sighed happily and rested her elbow on one of her knees, planting her smooth chin in the palm of her hand. Kyo watched her side profile, how the sun danced across her face and in the lights of her eyes. He too sighed, sighed of happiness, sighed of completeness. He couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable moment.
The sky began to darken, the air taking up a bitter cold feeling to it. Tohru shuddered as the wind blew against her bare arms, giving her goose bumps and making the hairs on her arm stand on their ends. She rubbed her arms vigorously, trying to obtain warmth from the friction she was creating. Kyo felt the cold also, and he cupped his hands to his mouth and blew, the hotness of his breath warming them up. From inside the house, Tohru and Kyo could hear Kazuma, Kyo's father, moving about the house. The silence was comforting, for the wind and the crickets seemed to have joined in as well.
Tohru looked at her surroundings. From Kyo to the side of the dojo, her eyes trailed off everywhere. She even discovered new places she never knew existed. One small area caught her awareness, a little area whose colors were visible, even as the black sky began to blanket the earth.
"Kyo-kun," Tohru said with question as she pointed a slender finger off into the distance. "What is that wonderful place over there?" Kyo's eyes followed the direction of her finger, which brought him to see a little patched area of colors, blues mixed with reds and pinks. Even he had not seen such a place before. He shook his head as he turned to Tohru.
"I don't know. I've never been there before," he told her flatly. Tohru pursed her lips in a thoughtful way, and then her eyes lit up as bright as the upcoming moon. "Maybe we can go there tomorrow once I get home from school! I'm sure it will be a lot of fun! Like an adventure!" Kyo raised one bushy eyebrow at her, smirking after giving the idea a thought.
"Alright," said Kyo. "I guess we can go. It's not like we've got anything better to do around here." He looked around at the dirt in front of the porch, at the grass that started right after it, and the dandelions that had begun to sprout within it, blowing and flowing gracefully with the wind.
Gaily clapping from excitement and joyfulness, Tohru's face beamed. "Thank you Kyo-kun! I can't wait!" Her hands were now clasped together as she gazed softly at the moon that was now settled above the heads of the trees as she calmed herself down. The milky white light that the moon gave off added a heavenly glow to her face, and the butterflies that fluttered about her made Tohru look like a mere illusion of someone's own fantasy. She even looked like an angel. It had taken Kyo over a month just for him to realize that this girl he called a friend was the definition of pure beauty.
Kyo swallowed as he scratched the back of his head, lost of words. He stared ahead at the darkened sky and at the blinking stars. He heard Tohru sigh next to him, and he felt a comforting feeling erupt inside of him; the warm comfort of a home.
"Isn't this nice Kyo-kun?" Tohru asked innocently, turning to face him. Her long tresses blew with the wind, and her eyes were filled with happiness. Kyo didn't turn to her, but turned the other way, and shrugged. "Not really," he lied. "It's just the moon, there's nothing special about it." With a look of confusion, Tohru stared at the back of his head. She had thought Kyo liked sitting with her every night as they bade their farewells to the sun and welcomed the moon.
There were still patched of purple color throughout the sky, some of them being stratus clouds, some of them just sweet remnants of the sunset. Sometimes these leftovers were a mysterious blue color, and Tohru often wondered how it would become such a wonderful color. Were there little imps that painted these particular parts of the sky, streaking the colors to make the sky an artwork of their own? Or was it just a present from the sun to the moon, to thank her for lighting up the sky when she brought the break of day to other parts of the world? And what were the stars? Were they really small bodies of light, or were they fairies whose purpose was to keep the moon company?
The light breeze tickled Tohru's exposed legs and she quietly shivered to herself, so quietly that not even she could hear herself. She tugged at the hems of her skirt, wishing her fingertips could magically expand the length of the cloth so that it would cover her legs. Tohru closed her eyes and imagined the soft material brushing against her skin, the fluffy cotton delighting her. "I'll wear a longer skirt for tomorrow night," she whispered, letting her voice fade away into the darkness. She cupped her hands together and set her elbows on her knees and rested her chin in her hands.
"Don't you think it's about time you went home?" Kyo said as he pushed himself off of the porch, planting his two feet firmly on the ground. Tohru looked up at the moon, and by the way it was positioned, she predicted that it was around ten o'clock. She got off the porch, rubbing the back of her skirt free of any dirt or wood splinters, and nodded to Kyo. "I guess so," said Tohru. "I don't want to worry grandpa!" Kyo started down the path that led to the walkway in the forest, and Tohru hurried to his side. Together they walked in the direction of Tohru's home, like they always did every night, and Tohru would excitedly run up the cobblestone trail that led up to her dimly lit cottage, and she would turn around and wave enthusiastically to Kyo. He would watch her walk inside, and he would walk home and secretly yearn for the next day to come.
Tohru awoken from her slumber the following morning as happy as she always was. But there was something in the air, something that made her a little happier. She was going on a new adventure today with Kyo, and that idea seemed to add a little more bounce to her step, more twinkling in her eyes, and made her smile even brighter. But when Tohru looked outside, she felt her heart tighten.
Rain droopily fell from the gray sky, pattering on the muddy ground. The drops of liquid sparkled as they fell. Tohru slowly walked to the window and stretched her arm out as far as she could, allowing the rain to pour onto her hand. The drops were cold and wet, and they made Tohru's hands itch. She inhaled the air, the aroma of the rain filling her lungs. Luckily there was no clapping thunder or streaks of lightning in the sky, but Tohru still wished that it hadn't been raining. Tohru did admire the rain, for she always enjoyed curling up in her bed, under the piles of blankets while getting lost in a wonderfully written book while listening to the rain fall outside, but today she was going on an adventure with Kyo! It just couldn't rain!
'There's always other days we can go,' Kyo's mellow voice echoed in Tohru's head. She giggled to herself. "Kyo-kun would say something like that," she said aloud to the rain. Sighing, she trailed the windowpane with a slender finger, running over the chips of white paint. "But I still do hope for it to stop…" She picked up her head looked out her window, brushing her snippy bangs away from her face. "I know I may sound selfish, I'm sorry, but this was one of the first times Kyo-kun has ever offered to take me somewhere, and I was waiting excitedly all night!" The rain continued to fall outside and large puddles formed on the ground.
The alarm suddenly went off and the beep ricocheted throughout Tohru's bedchamber. She hurried over to her night table and shut off the alarm, then went to her closet to get out her school uniform. The assigned girls' uniform for Kaibara High in the springtime was a white shirt with short sleeves, along with a pleaded dark blue skirt. The blouse consisted of a sailor-like collar that had stripes the same color of the skirt. It was a nice uniform, and Tohru's grandfather had always said that the white of the blouse brought out Tohru's deep brown eyes.
Tohru slipped out of her silky yellow pajamas and into her school uniform. She brushed her hair and drew them back with two ribbons, and then she made her bed. She hummed happily and saw the sun peek through the dark, sad clouds, the rain still coming down in a hard manner. She smiled and greeted the sun as she smoothened out the wrinkles on her bedspread, giving her bed a gentle pat before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast.
The wooden stairs creaked loudly as Tohru walked each one carefully, filling the house with the noise. Tohru cringed, for she did not want to wake up her grandfather to early, and she quickly hurried down the steps before they could make any more noise.
At breakfast, Tohru happily sat with her grandfather, each sitting on their own tatami mat while eating the scrumptious nori Tohru had made. She had carefully dipped 6 strips of the dried seaweed in soy sauce and rolled them in rice that morning, and her grandfather was enjoying it very much. He quickly ate the three of his nori rolls, and Tohru offered to make him some more.
"That's alright Kyoko-san," he said thoughtfully. "But I enjoyed it very much. I would like it if you made this for me again tomorrow morning." He smiled at his granddaughter and gave her his plate as she got up and went to the counter.
"Are you sure grandpa?" she asked, uncertain. "There's still plenty of soy sauce and rice! All I have to do is heat it up!" She hurried back to the table to help her grandfather up, and he simply shook his head reassuringly. He patted Tohru on the shoulder as he began to shuffle out of the kitchen. Smiling at her grandfather's back, Tohru walked back over to the counter where she covered the sauce and rice so they would be preserved for tomorrow's breakfast.
The rain began to lighten as the time for Tohru to leave for school drew closer. Upstairs in her room she was packing up her messenger bag, filling it with textbooks, notebooks, and writing utensils. Outside she could hear the chirping of birds as they sat on the tree branches in front of her window. Curious, Tohru went over to the window and stuck out her head. She smiled at the young innocent birds as they each whistled a tune of their own while lightly flapping their velvety wings. Tohru placed her hands on the windowpane so she would be able to stretch her head out further to be closer to the birds.
"Hello!" she sang to them. "Isn't it such a lovely morning?" The birds piped in agreement, shifting excitedly as Tohru reached out a hand to them. She first cupped her hand to see if she would feel any raindrops, but Tohru only felt a light drizzle. Holding at a finger, she gently caressed one of the birds' smooth brown heads, and it buzzed with pleasure. Tohru laughed as she stretched out further so she was in reach of another bird. This bird was the smallest one, and it flew up and landed on Tohru's windowpane, pecking at the white wood, making Tohru squeal with delight.
"Oh, you're so adorable!" she said to the bird. "I love little birds!" She began to run her finger of the bird's tender head, the bird chirping and bounding up and down. The other birds joined the young bird on the windowpane, each hoping for Tohru to pet their heads. "Don't worry!" Tohru chuckled. "You'll all get your turn!"
Picking up her head to get a quick glance at the fields and valleys beyond the cottage, Tohru caught a glimpse of orange in the midst of branches and leaves. She jumped up, startling the birds, and she reached for her messenger bag. "I'm so sorry!" she apologized to the birds as she reached her doorway. "Kyo-kun is outside, and I would like to talk to him before I have to go to school! I enjoyed this time with you all very much! I hope you all have a wonderful day!" She gave the birds a friendly wave goodbye and started down the creaky steps once again. In the sitting room sat her grandfather, watering some plants and admiring the rainbow that had just appeared in the sky.
"Goodbye, grandpa!" Tohru called as she hurried into the sitting room to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"So long, Kyoko-san," said her grandfather. Before he could tell her about the rainbow, for Tohru adored rainbows very much, she was out the door and running down the path to get to Kyo. Several times she called out his name, and he turned around, his hand gripped around the handle of a bucket, like the day they had met two months prior to this Friday morning. "Kyo-kun, hi!" Tohru had finally reached him and was now breathing in gasps, for she had ran as fast as she could.
"Sheesh," Kyo replied. "You didn't have to run and knock the wind outta yourself…I would've waited." He walked in the direction of the brook, swinging the pail at his side, and Tohru followed him. At the brook Kyo bent down and scooped water into the bucket. Tohru knelt down at his side and looked at the reflection of the sun in the pool of crystal blue water. It shone brightly, despite the drizzle that was still falling, and in the water she could see some slight colors such as red, orange, and blue. She looked up at the sun and gasped as she saw the arc of colors that ran over the sun. Tohru grabbed Kyo's arm.
"Kyo-kun, look! A rainbow!" Tohru's cheerful eyes filled with the colors of the rainbow as she stared at in awe. "I've always wanted to ride a rainbow," she said softly. "And I've always wished to touch one! How do you think a rainbow would feel, Kyo-kun? I think it would feel wonderful! Like a pool of sparkling water, but instead of being blue, it's all of those different, amazing colors! And when you run your hand through it, the water twinkles and runs about, and it's smooth and just feels great…" Tohru smiled and gazed dreamily at the water, imaging that it was the said rainbow, and she dipped her arm into the brook and ran it down as far as it would go. The downy liquid lapped at her arm. It felt astounding.
"What kind of question is that?" Kyo demanded as he plunged the bucket back into the brook to retrieve more water. "Why would I care what a dumb rainbow felt like?"
Shrugging, Tohru's attention was now directed at Kyo. She still had a smile on her face as she answered, "I don't know. I guess it just crossed my mind at how people can have so many different opinions! But I guess it was silly of me to ask, I'm sorry." Kyo sighed with the slightest bit of frustration, setting the bucket on his side and wiping his now wet hands on his pants.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop apologizing for the stupid things you do. I guess I can answer your question…" He thought for a minute, slapping his hand on his face and shaking it while mumbling, 'Why am I doing this?' There was a moment of silence, except for the sound of the running water and the occasional sound of a car speeding by on the highway about a mile or two away. It was very rare when a car passed by this area, for it was a very rural part of Japan. Most people always walked to the stores or to their job, while others rode a bicycle.
Kyo took his hand off of his face and shrugged. "I don't know, I guess it would feel like nothing. After all, it's just light and stuff, right?"
"If it's light, then would it be hot?" Tohru asked. She wasn't familiar with what rainbows really were, for in her perspective they were just arcs of color and mere radiance.
"For once, you've actually come up with a good question," Kyo chuckled, just once, but it filled Tohru with happiness. "I don't really know," he then said. "I'm not a scientist."
Giggling, Tohru placed down her messenger bag and hugged her knees to her chest. "I know…Let's take a guess! I think a rainbow would be…Cold! Cold because it's made of nice, fresh water! What do you think?"
Scratching the back of his head, which Tohru soon realized was a habit for him, Kyo turned to her, his face expressionless. "Hot….Just because you said cold." He grinned at her and got up, picking up the pail of water. "I better go," he told her. "I have to bring this water back to Shishou, and you have to go to school." He turned around and started toward the dojo. Tohru scurried up and grabbed her messenger bag, quickly walking after him. "Kyo-kun!" she called out. Kyo stopped and turned around once he heard his name. "That place…Are we going to go there after I come home from school?" Tohru inquired. Kyo looked up at the sky through the threes overhead. "Yeah, we'll go," he said flatly. "See you later."
"Bye! I'll come here right after I get home from school and do my homework!"
Tohru skipped down the path that led to the main road and hummed a pleasant tune as she made her way to school.
That evening, after Tohru had come home from school and said hello to her grandfather and did her homework, she and Kyo were walking in the direction of the brightly colored patch of land that Tohru had just discovered the night before. As they both drew nearer, Tohru gasped at what was there: continuous rows of flowers! Every flower in the world seemed to be there; yamabuki, boke, ajisai, azalia, even Western flowers! Colors of purple, pink, yellow, orange, green, every color one could dream of seemed to all be mixed together. Before Kyo could say anything, Tohru dashed to the beds and knelt before them.
"This is amazing!" Tohru gasped. "I've never seen anything like the before! Oh, how I would love to make a flower wreath from these, but I don't have the heart to pull them out of the soil!" Tohru bent her head down to take in the fragrance of the blossoms, sighing romantically. "Kyo-kun, they smell beautiful!" Kyo shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, staring at Tohru as if she had one than one head. Tohru turned around to Kyo, her eyes filled with wonder and enchantment. Kyo felt his insides become warm from her smile. "Kyo-kun, please, come sit with me! I'm sure the flowers would love to meet you!"
Raising an eyebrow, Kyo slowly shuffled to the large patch of flowers and knelt down next to Tohru. Even though he was not one to think flowers were amazing, he could not help but agree that this particular bed of flowers was breathtaking. The way each flower swayed in the soft breeze and the way their colors beamed. Seeing the expression on Tohru's face made it all worth while for Kyo to have taken her there that night.
"Do you think it's wonderful, Kyo-kun?" Tohru asked him. "I think it's more than wonderful! I don't think I've ever seen so many flowers together at once! It's always been my dream to lie in a bed of flowers like this!" Without a word, Tohru began to crawl into the bed gingerly, so that no flowers would be crushed. Once in the middle of the patch she stretched out on her back and sighed happily, staring up at the sky. She picked up her head and motioned for Kyo to join her. He hesitated a moment, but nodded and nervously crawled across the flower bed and positioned himself four feet away from Tohru. He knew nothing would happen if they got too close, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
Kyo sighed, yet quietly, for he too was enjoying lying in the flowers. Above the two young friends, the sun was setting and the fairies were again painting the sky. Streaks of purple, orange, and pink suddenly appeared in the sky, and the sun was a flaming hot pink. Tohru looked at the sunset in awe, then at Kyo next to her. He had his head turn and he was poking at a flower from a result of boredom. Tohru gave him a pat on the shoulder, causing him to turn toward her.
"We can do something else if you don't want to do this!" she told him. The wind blew roughly, roaring like thunder. The flowers flew along with it, some even being carried away. Kyo shook his head and nestled it amongst the brightly colored flowers, all of the different aromas and scents making him lightheaded. The sky was now beginning to darken, and the full moon was easily seen through the branches of the trees.
Tohru watched birds fly in front of the moon, their features outlined by the light. The air began to fog up, leaving a mysterious, eerie glow about the Earth. How the nighttime and the darkness were ever so spooky, yet they each had a romantic stroke to them. Was the darkness made of shadows and spirits, or was it that little creatures painted everything black? Tohru always wondered how everything became so dark at night, but then lit up during the day. Was it that a large black blanket was draped over the Earth, lacking it of bright colors? But it must have missed this bed of flowers, for despite it being dusk, they still looked as if the sun was out in the sky.
"I was just thinking," Tohru said was a hint of curiosity. "I think a place as grand as this needs a name…What do you think, Kyo-kun?"
Kyo shifted in his spot amongst the flowers, resting his head on his hands. He thought a moment, letting his thoughts stretch beyond naming the bed of flowers. He finally spoke, although there was no explicit emotion in his voice, "I don't care. Do whatever you want."
Sitting up, pedals from crimson flowers in her hair, Tohru turned to Kyo. "I think we should name it…But if you don't want to name it, that's okay! I—"
"No," Kyo interrupted. "I think you should name it. Knowing you, you'll come up with a good name. In the meantime, I'll just try and go to sleep."
Tohru let out a youthful, cheerful laugh as Kyo squeezed his eyes shut. His nose twitched from the strong scent of the blossoms that surrounded him, and his ears itched from the flowers brushing against them. Tohru lie back down and let her imagination carry herself away. Into the night she went, carried by the wind as she though of a title for this wonderful bed of flowers.
"Kyo-kun," Tohru said aloud, once she had thought up a name. "What about Teien wa de Kokoro?"
Kyo raised an eyebrow, a smirk growing on his face. "Pfft, what kind of name is that? The Spirit Garden? Who ever said something about there being spirits here? Honestly, you amaze me sometimes, with those wild things you come up with"
"Do you not like that name?" Tohru asked, the innocence and purity glowing about her eyes.
Kyo did not answer, for he didn't know himself. The idea with the spirits, ghosts, and souls truthfully gave him scary thoughts. "Why do you wanna name it that?" Kyo asked. Tohru sighed and rubbed her head, and Kyo could hear her hair rustle against the flowers.
"Well," she started in a low voice. Even though it was low, there was still that familiar pinch of happiness in it. "I thought that spirits need a place to linger where they're welcomed. People often don't welcome spirits into their homes because they're too scared, ad some people even have special things to fight them off…I'm not quite sure what they are because my grandpa told me! But I think my Mom would love to come here! And I know that with a name like 'The Spirit Garden', my Mom, and other souls, know that they're welcomed here!"
Contemplating what she said, Kyo knew that Tohru had wanted to name it for her mother. He had learned just a few weeks ago that Tohru was orphaned. Kyo had never told her what became of his parents, but he knew he would someday. He greatly respected that Tohru wanted a place for her mother, so he could not help but agree with her.
"Oh, thank you Kyo-kun!" Tohru squealed as she clapped her hands together. "Mom will love it here! I can just hear her laughter right now! She'd have so much fun!" Tohru's pearly white smile seemed to brighten up the night, and Kyo found himself smiling as well, simply because she was.
Minutes passed. Then those short, enjoyable minutes turned into hours, and Tohru and Kyo found themselves enjoying the silenced rift between them. It was a kindly silence, the silence that only two close beings could have with one another. But that silence was ended by a rustling in the shrubs. Both Tohru and Kyo suggested to each that it could be a small critter passing by, like a rabbit or a squirrel. But then the rustling continued, and it seemed to be too loud for such a tiny little animal to make. To be precautionary, Kyo had told Tohru to get up, and he quickly led her over to a nearby tree.
"Wait here," he told her. "It might be someone…Strange people probably come around here at night. Who knows? He could be a killer, a robber, a…Pervert." Tohru's eyes widened in terror. Kyo looked behind him to see if the same bush was still rustling, and he could see a shadow emerge from out of the plant. Tohru opened her mouth to shriek, but Kyo cupped his hand over it. Hushing her, he took one of her hands with his free one and darted away from the flower bed and went on his way in leading Tohru and himself to safety. Kyo's heart began to pound heavily at the thought of this shadowy figure following them, so he increased his speed so they wouldn't be able to do anything to Tohru.
As for Tohru, she nervously kept up with Kyo's incredulous speed, the palms of her hands beginning to sweat, despite of the cool night air. The trees that were lined on the side of the path seemed like a blur, due to the speed of Kyo's running. Tohru tightened her grip on his hand so he wouldn't some how let go of her, which would cause her to fly right into this mysterious person's grasp.
They had passed the dojo a few seconds ago and were now almost by Tohru's house. Neither Kyo nor Tohru had heard any footsteps behind them, but just to be safe, Kyo wanted to lead him and Tohru as far away from the Spirit Garden as possible. They finally came to where the path stopped at a large clearing, where no trees were. The hills rolled and rolled into the distance, and the green grass looked brown under the dark sky.
Kyo let go of Tohru's hand as she began to wheeze. She sat down on the ground, her small chest rising up and down slowly from her rapid breathing. Kyo, too, was breathing harder than he normally would, and he joined Tohru on the forest green ground.
The grass in this clearing was high, for it looked as if it was not cut that often. There were a myriad of dandelions, a number of moths buzzing about, and there was a spectacular view of the mountains from that clearing. In the distance was a large forest, a forest that seemed to be unexplored by any human being, and Tohru felt that it looked lonely. The forest looked as if it yearned for company, and even a friend. But now it was too dark, too late for Tohru and Kyo to possibly endanger their lives by exploring those lands.
Looking up at the sky, Tohru saw the large, milky white moon smile down at her. How beautiful it looked with no tree shunning its beauty from the human eye! And in this clearing, the stars shined with all of their strength! It was extravagant!
Kyo yawned and brought Tohru to realize that she was not the only one there, for a small moment she had thought she was. Kyo stretched out on his back, his eyes shut, and he moaned as her stretched. He cracked his back and elbows, all parts of your bones that you could, and then laid there quietly. Tohru stretched out on her back as well and stared up at the sky. She could make out constellations, and quickly made up her own story for how each one originated. She turned over to Kyo to see that he was lost in sleep, quietly snoring as he slept.
"Good night, Kyo-kun," Tohru whispered to her friend. Yawning, Tohru had forgotten that she had her grandfather to go home to, and she hadn't realized that she was outside with Kyo all night long. She closed her eyes gently, let herself drown in her thoughts and dreams, and she fell asleep.
When the wind roared, Kyo got up with a jolt. He stared wide-eyed at his surroundings before remembering that he and Tohru had fallen asleep there in the clearing. It was still dark out, and the moon still shone brightly, but was now positioned different. He turned to Tohru and saw that she was still sleeping, a grin on her face. She looked rather angelic in her sleep, so peaceful as if there was no such thing as worries, and there was not a care in the world. Kyo gazed at her sleeping form, reaching out a hand to stroke her soft face. As Tohru stirred, Kyo drew back his hand with a lightning speed.
"What the hell was I thinking?" Kyo quietly scolded himself. He got up and backed away from Tohru, and began to walk in the direction of the mountain. He stopped, making sure he was near Tohru in case she had suddenly woken up.
"What's Shishou gonna say when I go home and tell him I was out with her? He's gonna think I was taking advantage of her or something, just because she's a girl…What time is it anyway?" Looking at the moon, Kyo looked back at Tohru and sighed. "Man, I wish she was up. She would be able to tell what time it is."
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Kyo shuffled back to Tohru and knelt down beside her. Her breathing was soft, just like that of an infant, and her hair ran down her shoulders, shining in the moonlight. Seeing Tohru like this, and knowing she was not aware of Kyo gazing at her, he smiled. Smiled because he was happy to be with her, and he smiled because she was his friend.
"Nnn…"
Tohru began to stir once again and Kyo jumped away from her, lying on his back to make like he had never moved. Tohru's eyes slowly opened, and she let out a squeak when she saw that it was not her bedroom she had woken up in, but it was the clearing she and Kyo had ran to after hearing something—or someone—in the bushes at the Spirit Garden. Tohru stretched out her arms over her head and rolled onto her stomach. He stretched again, her legs joining her arms, and she lingered about before she turned to see if Kyo was awake.
"Kyo-kun?" she whispered gently. Kyo opened one eye, and then the other, and he sat up, rubbing his face to rid him of his sleep. "What?" he said with frustration. Kyo was not frustrated, he was happy because he was with his friend, but he felt it was right to cover that happiness with anger and annoyance.
"Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you!" Tohru said apologetically. "I just wanted to see if you were awake or not!"
"It's fine," said Kyo. "I was only half asleep." He also stretched, yawning and moaning from the great feeling of stretching out his bones and muscles. "What time is it?" he asked as Tohru sat up. "I mean, you can tell just by looking at the moon, right?" Tohru nodded as she looked up at the moon to evaluate the time.
"Let's see, it should be around…Nya! Two-thirty! Oh, I have to get home to grandpa! I hope I haven't worried him too much!"
Tohru scurried to her feet, her feet slipping from the dew-drenched grass. The back of her dress was damp, for she had changed out of her school uniform before she had went to the Spirit Garden with Kyo, and the back of her hair was in clumps from getting wet by the grass. She began to run, turning around to wave good bye to Kyo.
"I'm sorry I have to run like this Kyo-kun! I just want to get home so grandpa knows I'm okay! I'll see you tomorrow!"
As she disappeared into the dark forest, Kyo got up and unconsciously began to run after her. He instigated to call out her name, not too loud to disturb the peace, but loud enough for only her to hear. She stopped and turned around to face him, her face somewhat horrorstricken. Kyo caught up to her and grabbed her wrist, and the two began to run.
"You think I'm going to let you go him in the woods at this hour by yourself?" Kyo asked in gasps as they ran. Tohru didn't answer, for her throat felt parched, but she nodded to let him know that she understood, for she knew he wouldn't have let her wander alone.
As they ran, the cool night air stung their skin. Tohru's nose began to run, and Kyo's eyes started to water. They both still ran in hope of getting home before their guardians called the police to search for them.
The dojo then came into view, but Kyo still ran to bring Tohru home. He stole a quick glance of his home and saw that the lights were still on inside. "Great," Kyo mumbled to himself. "Shishou's probably waiting for me to come home…He'll probably explode when I walk in at this hour."
It wasn't for long until the little cottage was now in sight. None of the lights were on, but Tohru was relieved that her grandfather hadn't stayed up all this time and lose sleep because of her absence. As they neared the pathway that led to the door, Kyo slowed down his speed. Then he stopped, and Tohru ran into him, but the two stared at each other before their frowns of worry cracked into grins. They both laughed, their laughs youthful and filled with excitement as they echoed throughout the deep wood.
"You know, we can be really stupid sometimes," Kyo said between his laughs. He rubbed the back of his head as Tohru sighed, holding her stomach. "My stomach hurts now…" She said playfully. "Too much laughing!" She pushed a lock of her silky hair behind her ear, starting up the pathway. Kyo followed her, just in case her grandfather locked the door or not. Fortunately it was open, and Tohru slid it open and stepped inside, slipping off her shoes.
"I had a lot of fun, Kyo-kun! Thank you for taking me to the Spirit Garden! I think it's wonderful that we have a new place to go to now!" She waved. "I'll see you tomorrow, right? After I come home from school and freshen up."
Kyo nodded and returned her wave as he walked down the walkway. Tohru watched him, a warm expression on her face, and she slid the door closed as he vanished behind the trees and shrubs. With a smile still on her face, she went upstairs to her room to return to her pleasant slumber. She just hoped that she hadn't worried her grandfather too much, for it was one of the last things she would want to do to him.
I hope you all liked it! I love adding the situations they go through with nature because I think it's so beautiful! And I'm sorry if it seemed a bit too rushed! Please read and review, as it is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much, and I will see you all for the next chapter!
September Whisper