The Party

1

Thud! A small, expensive-looking brown satchel fell before Tohru. "Gaahh!" she yelled, startled, as she jumped back

"Well don't just stand there like an idiot. Pick it up!" the young voice stiffly commanded.

"Oh Hiro!" she exclaimed. "Of course! Here you go." Tohru's eyes glittered happily as she returned the little Shoma boy's bag. She was always happy, as well as frightened, to see him. Although none of the Shoma adults had told her about Hiro's past, and what Akito did, she knew that he had been hurt, and that it was his hurt which made him speak and act this way. She could hear the softness hidden in his voice because it was far more audible when he was with Kisa. "What brings you here?" she gestured at the big building where she worked. "Do you have close family who works here like Momiji?"

"No" he replied cooly. "I don't."

"Oh" her smile only partially covered up her confusion. "Well, I um… I'd like to stay and talk but I have to go to work now. I'll see you next Sunday at the movies with Kisa ok?" She wasn't very sure what to say to him. Usually he had more say, or told her to do something but he'd just been sitting and staring.

"Yeah… whatever…ok." Hiro looked at her. What an airhead, he thought. Why does Kisa love her so much? Why does everyone love her so much? What's so great about her? But he knew that he was hiding his real thoughts. He knew, deep down, that he liked her too. He hated her more, but still… still he couldn't help but like her. Probably just pity for her stupidity he quickly thought, hiding his feelings from himself.

Tohru gave a small bow to excuse herself and hurried into the building- she was going to be late again. I promised Mom, she thought. I have to work hard and be on time. "I'm sorry Mom," she whispered, "Please don't be disappointed in me. I'll work twice as hard to make up for being late!" Her whole face now emitted a determined aura. She began to happily think about how she could work harder and what she could do better, and how nice it would then feel to go home when a shout woke her from her daydream.

"Ahh! Tohru watch out!" Momiji's singsong voice cried out. It was too late, however, and the next thing she knew she was lying in a pile of clothes with a little blonde rabbit in her arms.

"AAHHHH! Momiji! I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking! I'm so sorry!" Tohru's arms flailed about as tears started to come to her eyes.

"It's ok Tohru!" Momiji laughed, "It's just a good thing this happened at the back entrance and no one's around! Besides," he gave a mischievous smile and wink, "I got a hug from you!" Tohru nervously laughed and smiled.

"Momiji," she began, "Would you like me to carry you and your clothes to a restroom?"

"Oh Tohru I'm so sorry! You must be in a hurry to work…" Momiji was sad that he wouldn't get to spend more time with her.

"Oh well um…" she stammered, not wanted to say that she was.

"I know! You go on ahead and I'll come help you when I've changed back ok? We'll finish quickly and then I can some over to Shirgure's house for dinner!

"Oh no Momiji I couldn't ask you to help me! And I would feel so guilty leaving early. I promised Mom I'd work really hard!"

" It's ok Tohru! I want to help! It will be fun. And besides, Papa won't mind if you leave early, as long as the job is done! If Papa doesn't mind, you boss surely won't either, ok?" he spoke in his usual upbeat manner and gave her lots of reassuring smiles.

"Well… ok." She agreed. "And then you really must come over for dinner, it's the least I can do!" Tohru spoke with genuine words. She was very grateful and happy to have her friend's help.

"Yay! I get to go to Shigure's house!" Momiji laughed and cheered. "I'll meet you up there in a few minutes ok Tohru?

"Ok!" she smiled and hurried to change.

Back on the street, Hiro was still sitting on his perch, thinking. He didn't remember how long he had been there, but the sun was just beginning to set. "I'd better go back home," he thought to himself. He suddenly felt very angry. Then, his anger increased as he saw who was coming towards him.

"Kyo, what are you doing here? Come to see your little airhead? Well she's working so you've wasted your time." Kyo's hair stood on end. It was all he could do to not beat up the kid.

"OF COURSE I KNOW THAT! THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE! I WAS JUST COMING BACK FROM PRACTICE!" he shouted furiously. He began to calm down, although he was still very embarrassed. "Why are you here? Why are you accusing instead of explaining?

"I don't have to explain myself to you." He sniffed.

"You little brat! Why you…" but his voice trailed off when he heard a more familiar one chatting with a more annoying one. His heart lifted as he turned to see Tohru walking out of the building with Momiji. He had been planning on waiting for her so that he would walk home with her. He was going to tell her that he had just gotten there, that he had just come from practice. He wouldn't have wanted her to know that he had waited for hours. But then Hiro was there, so he would have been too embarrassed to wait. But now, here she was. It was perfect. Hiro's voice brought him back, and made him aware of the two other's who were still there.

"You're so pathetic Kyo." He said. He had noticed Kyo's stare.

"Wha…what!" he was embarrassed and angry and ready to kill Hiro when something calmed his blood.

"Kyo! Why are you here? I thought you'd be at the dojo longer!" Tohru's happy voice was just what he had needed to hear. He always wanted to hear it. "Well, you have perfect timing! You can walk with Momiji and I back home. Oh and Hiro would you like to come over for dinner tonight too?"

"You think I'd want to be stuck in that house with all of you? No way! I'm going home. See you later." He spoke the truth, but he was slightly touched that she had included him.

"Umm… maybe we should walk home with you" Tohru suggested nervously.

"What? You think I'm some little child who can't take care of himself?"

"Oh no no!" Tohru fell back into her nervous stammer and apology. "No I didn't mean that at all it's just getting late and it will be dark soon and it's kind of scary for anyone to be walking all by themselves. I'm sorry I didn't mean to insult you…" The babbling apology continued. Hiro and Kyo were both getting annoyed; Momiji kept tugging at Tohru's sleeve to try to make her stop and calm down.

"I'll walk him." Kyo said with a complete lack of enthusiasm. He hated Hiro now. This was his chance to walk home with her, even if Momiji would be there too, and he had ruined it by sitting on those steps for such a long time.

"Ooh thank you!" Tohru was caught off-guard by his unusual willingness to help but she was so impressed at happy that her voice kept its usual tone.

Hiro sighed followed his guide. He watched Kyo's strong, proud steps, and wished that his own stride was the same. He hated being a kid and he hated being treated like one even more. "How pathetic," he laughed coldly, "I can't believe you're so pathetic that you'd do anything to impress that stupid girl." Kyo debated about how to handle this. One side said to be calm and ignore him. The other ordered him to yell and beat Hiro up. The angry side won.

"I'm not doing this to impress her! I have never done anything to impress her!" he turned around as he said this and held his fists menacingly before Hiro.

"Whatever" Hiro replied, turning his gaze away from his relative. He knew what he said was wrong. Not because it was mean, but because he knew that he'd do anything for Kisa. He would have walked his little cousin home, or bought her things, or been nice when did didn't want to be… he even tried to like Tohru. It was all for Kisa. That's why he had gone to the place where Tohru worked that day… He had had forgotten why until now.

He was tempted to ask Kyo to take him to Shigure's house; but after the fuss he had made… no, it would hurt his pride too much. He'd just have to go ask her another time.

"We're here" Kyo announced flatly. He was eager to loose his young charge. It wasn't because of his attitude though. He knew Hiro was a good kid under his anger…. He reminded him of himself. How angry he was, how we was really a good person underneath, how he loved a girl but couldn't say it…

"Hmm? Oh." Hiro began walking away but he stopped, drew in a breath, and quietly said, "thank you." Then he resumed his course into the complex.

Kyo bent to tie his shoe- he was going to run home.

"Kyo" A deep voice resonated from a tall figure in the shadows.

"Hmm? Oh hi, Hatori." The voice was easy to recognize.

"Are you going back to Shirgure's?" he asked. Kyo nodded in reply. "I'm coming too. I need to pick up Momiji. Would you like a ride?"

"I was gonna run," he stated, and then after a slight hesitation, "but thanks."

"I will too then."

"WHAT?" Kyo had never seen Hatori walk briskly let alone run.

"I'm going to run too." And they set out.

It was so undignified, so unlike the doctor. Kyo was completely astonished. He kept turning to check on his companion, mostly out of disbelief. But sure enough there he was- wrinkling his suit, breathing heavily but not too much harder than Kyo himself was, his hair flying out of his face. Something must be wrong, Kyo thought.