[Disclaimer] I don't own Fruits Baskets. I would never claim to own it either. Nope, not me, not gonna do it.

[AN] Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. You all make me want to keep writing, and that makes me happy. When my readers are happy, I'm happy. So read and be happy, so I can be happy. ;-)


Chapter IX

After dinner, Tohru went and drew a bath for Yuki. It was already ten o'clock at night. She was tired, but knew that because of the time change, Yuki was probably not near as tired.

"I readied the bath for you, Yuki. I know you're probably not very tired right now, but you should try to get some sleep tonight. We'll be able to have more fun the sooner you adjust to the time change. I on the other hand, and quite tired from the busy day. Remember, my home is your home. Help yourself to anything like you would at Shigure's. If you have trouble finding anything, ask Kyo. He's more of a night owl than myself. I'm off to bed. Good night, Yuki, and sweet dreams." With a wink, she turned and headed upstairs.

Once he heard her bedroom slide shut, he breathed a sigh of mixed frustration and relief. She wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. All he could do was stand there, somewhat stunned, nodding in response while she rattled off all she wanted to say. He wondered if she even took a breath in the middle of all that. Hearing the front door open, he looked up, noting Kyo was heading out.

Kyo glared at him for a moment then spoke softly, knowing Tohru had just gone to bed and not wanting to disturb her. "If you need anything, I'm sure you can figure out where I'll be." The front door shut after that was said.

There was silence. It was much like at home in Japan. After looking around downstairs one last time, starting to familiarize himself with the layout of the house, he realized how similar the layout was to the main Sohma house with the added bonus of the dojo behind the house. He shook the thought out of his head, not wanting to think of the coincidence.

Quietly as possible, he walked upstairs and to his interim room where he pulled his bathrobe out of his suitcase, then headed back towards the bathroom, which was across the hall from Tohru's room. Just as quietly as he'd walked upstairs, he shut the bathroom door behind him.

A soft floral scent wafted to his nose and calmed his senses. Yuki made a mental note to ask Tohru about it tomorrow. Undressing, he unconsciously threw his clothes in the hamper just as if he were at home back in Japan. He slowly climbed into the tub, instantly relaxing in the warm water. He couldn't think of any time a bath had been this soothing. The scent of flowers filled his head with pictures of Tohru. Leaning against the wall of the tub, he closed his eyes and reflected on this evenings occurrences, particularly those Tohru was involved in; the smile she gave him when they met his at the airport, the way she seemed to be so calm leaning against his shoulder in the taxi, the wonderful dinner she had prepared for his arrival, the sleepy look in her eyes that was so full of innocence just before she went to bed, and the comfort of this warm bath that she had prepared just for him. All these thoughts took over his mind and he felt as though he were in a dream state that only Tohru and he existed in.

A shiver ran down his spine suddenly, snapping his eyes open. A place that only Tohru and he existed in. That would most certainly be in a dream. If it were even remotely possible, he would make it a reality. The only person that truly stood in his way was Akito. Damn that Akito. Yuki hated him more than ever right now. If he even thought for a moment about missing his flight home and staying here for ever, Akito would surely send someone here to drag him all the way home, kicking and screaming if he didn't go quietly.

Yuki sighed and closed his eyes again. Staying here forever with Tohru would be a dream come true, but it would never happen. He just had too many responsibilities back home, not to mention his own schooling. Just one year longer and he'd be done with all that. If things went according to his imagination, in just one more year, he and Tohru would be married, living together, happily ever after, just like a fairy tale.

He couldn't wait for the night that just the two of them would go out to dinner. Hopefully she had picked out a quaint place, something quiet and fairly out of the way. They would order dessert after their meal, and that's when he would pop the big question. He'd ask her to be his forever, to marry him. He wanted her to be his only and him to be for her alone as well. Yuki smiled at the thought and decided that it was time to get out of the bath before he ended up a prune.

After drying off a little bit, he wrapped his bathrobe around his slender frame and tied the belt snuggly around his waist. With a sigh and a smile still on his lips, he dazedly opened the bathroom door, only to gasp as Tohru was standing in front of him reaching for the door handle. When she realized that Yuki was standing in front of her with nothing but a bathrobe covering his body, she blushed a deep shade of red. "Uh, Yuki. I didn't realize you were still in here. I'm so sorry for interrupting your bath."

Yuki sheepishly smiled at the sleepy-eyed girl standing in front of him. "It's ok, Tohru. I was just finished and heading to bed myself. Thank you for the bath." He leaned forward and lightly kissed Tohru's forehead before slipping past her so she could use the bathroom. Hearing the bathroom door shut, he quickly made the way to his interim bedroom and shut the door behind him.

With a sigh, he slinked down on to the bed. He didn't realize how tired he was until he sat down on the soft mattress. Deciding it would be a good idea to change into his nightclothes before going to sleep, he pulled the sheets back then changed into his sleepwear. Sliding back onto the bed, but between the sheets this time, he realized that the sheets had Tohru's smell on them. He didn't realize that it was the same smell all his sheets back home had, until he was without it for three years. It was a familiar smell, one of soft caressing kisses on his cheeks as he nuzzled into the feather down pillow. He hadn't felt this alive in a very long time, and it comforted him to know that this feeling was because of Tohru, his one and only, Tohru. As the seconds ticked by, he fell into a deep, relaxing sleep, one that you can only have when truly alive in your own skin.