A/N: So—this is the chapter that used to be No. 3, combined with 4. They were too short. I hope the pace becomes a little more settling for you all.
Disclaimer: Perhaps someday Takaya will say to me, "Alright Lina. You can have Shigure. Treat him well." But until that day, I have no claim to the zodiac dog or any of the other characters of FB. Yeah yeah. I know what you're thinking. "Get over it."
Thanks to everyone who commented!
Chae.Rim: Thanks for being the first to comment!
Yukako: Thanks for the tip! I agree!
kawwai-kitsune: I'm so happy you think so! Maybe eventually I will rewrite the first couple chapters, but now that they are posted, I wanted to concentrate on the upcoming. THANKS!
Cheshire Grin: SUP CG! Hey—those are my actual initials. –Raises Eyebrows- Whaddya know!
The Plum on Her Back
Ch 3: With Young, Intelligent Eyes
"Sissy." Yuki heard Kisa from upstairs in his room later on that evening. He put his pencil down and stretched his long limbs. Alegbra was finally finished.
"Hello Tohru," said a very sullen voice that could only belong to Hiro. Yuki stood and walked stiffly to the door to listen.
"Wow!" Tohru sounded surprised as always. "You mean you two really came all the way here by yourselves? You didn't have to do that. I could have come—"
"We aren't children, you know. Do you think we really need you around to hold our hands?" Hiro and his damn ignorance, Yuki thought as he stepped soundlessly down the stairs.
"Oh. Right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply—er, I just thought—"
"Please forgive his rudeness, Miss Honda." The prince had entered the room standing behind her, his eyes turned to Hiro, who cowered slightly.
"Oh—uh!" Green eyes flashed before the rat as she twisted to peer up at him. "Yuki. I didn't hear you."
He focused his attention on the visitors, smiling slightly when he saw the small girl. "Hello Kisa. How have you been?"
Tohru watched as the tiger ran into Yuki's embrace, hugging him as tightly as her arms could contain. She felt her senses tense reflexively in anticipation of the familiar popping sound, even though it would not come. Kisa and Yuki were both members of the zodiac. Tohru frowned. She didn't know why it still came as a surprise that she would never be able to hug a male member properly.
"Yuki!" Kisa squealed. "It has been a long time. I have missed you and Tohru." Yuki reddened as she reached for and clung to the onigiri as well. Tohru reached down and patted her head sweetly. There was something about the protective air she took on every time Kisa was around.
Hiro rolled his eyes. "Well if you two are finished playing house with my sister, perhaps you will be interested to know why we really came here."
Yuki and Tohru looked up, blushing.
The lamb continued. "We are here because we have a message from Momiji."
"Message?" Yuki's expression fell.
"For Tohru." Kisa chimed in. She squeezed the older girl's hand, her other one still clinging to Yukis'.
Tohru smiled, confused. "Well if it is a message from Momiji, why didn't he wait until I arrived at work to clean his father's office?" she asked.
"Because you won't be going to work tonight." Hiro yawned.
"I won't?"
"No," Kisa continued. "Momiji has been asked by his papa to join his mama and little sister this evening at the carnival."
Tohru's eyes widened. "His mother?" Her hands began to work nervously in front of her, playing with her shirt. "But that cannot be possible. Momiji is supposed to stay away from his mother. Why would his father ask him to do that?"
"Probably guilt," Hiro was helping himself to a rice cake Tohru had set out for an after school snack. "And since you are aware of our family secret, and that dopey Momiji does nothing else but talk insistently about you, his father would like you to accompany them—for safety reasons."
Yuki scowled. "Safety reasons? What does that mean?"
"Duh! A chaperone. Jjust in case Momiji gets all excited and is careless. You know how he gets."
"I won't allow it." Yuki protested. "Momiji has suffered enough. There is no reason for him to have to spend time with a selfish mother who abandoned him. It will tear him apart to watch them interact as a family, while he is expected to just stand by on the sidelines." The rat proclaimed this, all the while instinctively clenching his fists. It was a moment or two before he noticed Tohru out of the corner of his eyes reacting sensitively to his anger. He attempted to speak more delicately. "It just pisses me off the way no one considers that rabbit's feelings."
Tohru stepped forward. "Yuki. It will be OK. Don't worry! I will take care of him. Leave it up to me!" Her reassuringly goofy smile was in place as she waved her hands helplessly at him.
"But Miss Honda, you don't have to. It's not your job. This family already relies on you for too much." His look softened. "You can say no if you want to."
She nodded slowly, gratefully. "But Momiji needs me. I know he would want to go—any time to spend with his family is a gain to him. He loves her, despite her inability to accept his curse. Even though she chose to forget about him." Tohru's eyes were lost on the last words.
Yuki stepped forward. "Then I will go with you."
-
Tohru handed the last dish to Kisa and the small girl left the kitchen to finish setting the table. As she glanced at the clock, it occurred to her that she would have to leave soon. In a hurry, Tohru finished her cooking so that she could go change out of her uniform. Onigiri and domburi with tempura. The pleasing smell made her stomach growl, but there would not be enough time for her and Yuki to eat. They would just have to find something at the carnival. When it was about time, she hurried upstairs to change, and was soon standing before Yuki's door. Tohru tapped gently.
"Yes? Come in." She bit her lip. This was the first real time she would be spending with Yuki since the complex events of two weeks ago. Her hand found the knob and she opened the door. He stood there in gray pants and a blue button down. His hand grasped a white sweatshirt.
Yuki watched as the door opened. Tohru blocked the entryway, a smile, already on her lips. She wore a fuzzy, pink turtleneck sweater and a short, pleated brown skirt. There were pink knee-high socks to keep her legs somewhat warm. Her hair was pulled back in a freshly pinned bun. Yuki broke into a grin, and stepped forward. "I—uh." The hand holding the sweatshirt thrusted toward her. "This is for you. In case you get cold, that is."
Tohru's grin deepended. "For me? Oh Yuki, you are so kind to think about me like that." She hopped a little on one foot, revealing her joy, and then stopped. "Oh—but what if you get cold? Or what if your asthma bothers you. We will have to bring along another sweatshirt. I will take you back early if your bronchial tubes trouble you too much."
Yuki, who normally stopped her as soon as she started blubbering about all the possible negative outcomes, just watched her, thankful that he was the one to stand there with her instead of his cousin. "Miss Honda, I will be fine. Thank you for worrying." He motioned toward the door. "Shall we go?"
She nodded, blushing.
Kyo's hands cushioned the back of his head as he stared up at the sky. The shingles beneath his back were actually a comfort when he was in a thoughtful mood like he was now. It was so obvious. Yuki felt the same for her. He may be stubborn enough to evade his feelings, but he could not shield the emotion from his eyes. Kyo had seen the rat stare at her just that morning in the classroom with vigilant eyes. And it wasn't the first time. Months ago, Yuki would not have cared how much he conveyed to to the oblivious girl because he wanted her to know how considerably she could trust him. But now—they both wanted the same thing—to trust her with their own hearts.
A growl that sounded suspiciously feline trailed from his lips. He felt his heart wavering. Maybe he should just give up before he began. He had always lost to Yuki. It wasn't fair!
"Miss Honda, you did not have to make tea to go. You always go through too much trouble for us."
The voice came from below him.
"Yuki, don't be silly. It will be good for your throat. It is the kind Hatori insisted I take for the bitter winter mornings. Go on, try it."
Kyo heard the sound of someone slurping. His face tightened. What was going on? He spun around to peer down at them. They stood a step or two off of the porch, with thermal containers in their hands. Yuki and Tohru looked dressed to go out.
What was this? Kyo didn't exactly expect the stupid rat to jump at the chance to spend time in his company, and neither would he, but it was rude to go out without even asking him. Especially with her.
Was this a—a date? Oh let them go out. Get married and have children for all I care, Kyo thought.
No Kyo, his conscience screamed. Those were thoughts the old Kyo might have had, but they were exactly the kind of harsh words that so often hurt Tohru. In one swift movement, he had flipped himself over the edge of the roof. He landed two yards from the surprised girl and boy.
Yuki could hardly contain the contempt from leaking into his voice. "Well well. It looks like it's true after all. The cat really does land on its feet."
Kyo smiled haughtily, his left hand lifting orange bangs from his eyes. "You been taking cornball lessons from Shigure or somethin'" he laughed.
Yuki reddened. "Shut up"
The cat resumed his fighting stance. "You want me to shut up, you selfish rat? You're going to have to make me"
"Uh Kyo...Yuki? We really don't have time for this." Tohru was checking her watch nervously and glancing up at the rapidly setting sun.
Yuki relaxed. "I apologize Miss Honda. It's just that when I see stupidity in its most pathetic form, I suddenly want to smash its face in."
"Ha" Kyo shouted. "Let's see whose face gets smashed."
Yuki took on his bored air. "I'm sorry Kyo. I cannot make you eat your words at the moment. Tohru and I have somewhere we need to be."
This made Kyo hesitate. Should he even ask? Oh—why was it so hard to speak out in front of that idiot?
He didn't have to. Tohru saw him struggling. "We are going to meet Momiji and his family at the fair" she told him.
"His family—but—"
An obnoxiously loud sigh interrupted his confusion. "Well if you didn't waste all your time on that damn roof—you would have a clue about what goes on from time to time."
"Aww—go on then! See if I care," Kyo turned on his heal and was ready to carry his tantrum into Shigure's house, when a small voice spoke.
"Kyo—would you like to come with us?" He froze. It was Tohru. But was she asking out of pity?
He whirled around. "Why would I want to go anywhere with that pretty boy Yuki?"
Tohru cowered under the rage of his voice. "I'm sorry."
"And stop apologizing for everything," he began to walk ahead of them down the path toward the carnival. "What did I tell you about that? You shouldn't apologize for everything—especially when you are just trying to be nice."
"That's funny. I thought you weren't coming along." The snide remark came from behind the cat. Kyo didn't care this time. Instead, he smiled to himself, unbeknownst to those following behind. The carnival. With Tohru. Every once and a while—life was good.
From behind the partially opened shoji screen, Shigure chuckled to himself as he watched the three vanish from the house. "Well now. Won't this make for an uneventful night? Ah—well. Que sera sera."
-
Yuki glanced at the orange head bobbing in front of him. Well this was expected. How pathetic. He always managed a temper tantrum in order to get his way. The rat sighed quietly. He and Tohru had been so close. Yuki side-glanced only to find Tohru staring at her feet as she walked. He noticed her shiver. Yuki's instinct was to put a hand on her to warm her. But that was too forward. And besides, one wrong move from klutzy Tohru and he would turn into his zodiac animal.
Her skin looked so soft. A piece of hair had strayed from the bun and had been placed behind her ear. No doubt by those small fingers of hers—those fingers that made every meal he ate, fingers attached to warm hands feeling his forehead when he was sick, hands that covered her bashful mouth ever time she said something silly. And the mouth. What could he say about her mouth? Yuki shut his eyes. A mouth that spread joy and hope to his heart when it chanced to open and speak, a mouth that rarely ever knew the act of turning downward into a frown, a mouth that chased away his fears just by smiling.
Was it the truth? Had he gone and fallen for Tohru? He glanced at her again. She now wore a determined look. Yuki almost giggled. She was so transparent.
"What are you so amused about stupid?" Yuki frowned. Had Kyo seen him staring at Tohru? He couldn't allow the cat to know how he felt, if what he felt was in fact what he thought he felt. And if Kyo did figure it out, then he would turn it into a challenge—just like everything else. Well not this time. Tohru was better than that.
"Why don't you quit watching me, and pay attention to where you are going idiot?" As soon as the words had been said., Kyo ran into a sign. Ironically it was the one publicizing the entrance to the carnival.
"Tohru! Tohru Tohru Tohru." The voice was uncomfortably close, Tohru was thinking as she turned to see outstretched arms belonging to a blonde headed boy with honey-colored eyes.
Yuki had already grabbed the small teenager. "What do you think you are doing, Momiji? Do you have any sense at all?" He whispered.
The rabbit ignored him, and clasped hands with Tohru. "Tohru let me introduce you to my—uh some more of the Sohmas." He led the girl away and toward his family. "This is the President of the office you clean so miraculously." Momiji giggled, and his father smiled warmly at her.
Tohru beamed. "It's so wonderful to see you."
"And this is his wife, Kaede Sohma."
The woman copied her husband and smiled. Tohru was amazed to feel comforted by her gesture. It seemed genuine. She felt her lower lip begin to quiver, and forced it to stop. This was for Momiji. She had to do this for Momiji's sake. The woman spoke. "I believe we ran into each other once before. Nice to see you again."
Tohru just nodded kindly
"And this is little Momo." Momiji said, venturing on with the introductions. The statement held a special longing, and Tohru felt her heart wrench. To never be given the chance to play with his own sibling. Poor Momiji.
The little girl looked up at her with Momiji's eyes. Tohru witnessed their intelligence, and found herself equally astonished by the maturity that projected from each golden surface. "Well hello," she kneeled down to the child's level.
Momo blushed and hid behind her mother's leg. "Hello Tohhhhru."
She even sounded like Momiji. "You are so cute!" she couldn't hide the excitement from her voice.
"Hello Kyo and Yuki." The president spoke. The cousins stepped forward politely and the male Sohmas exchanged greetings.
Tohru looked down towards Momo once more. She was watching Momiji. The only Honda chanced a peek at the rabbit. He stared at his mother. Can't stop now, Tohru told herself. Her eyes circled until they landed on Kaede. The elegant features were neutral. But behind the surfaces of those familiar eyes was uncertainty. They fastened on Momiji, and it was almost as if they maintained a conversation with themselves, for they seemed to shake their heads 'no' in reassurance. Could she possibly suspect?
"I want to ride the carousel with Tohru!" Momiji interrupted the woman's thoughts.
"Aren't you too old for that?" Kyo stood with his arms crossed, bored.
Tohru laughed a little. "Kyo. No one is ever too old for the carousel."
Yuki saw the cat's face soften at her remark, and could not help but tighten his fists on impulse. Tohru recognized the negative energy between them as she and the Sohmas relocated to the carousel.
After going in circles on a moving tiger three times, Kyo had decided that was enough of the carousel. Everyone moved to follow his lead, but a small voice stopped them. "No. Again."
Kaede, who sat on a bench with her husband, stood. "Momo, darling, that is enough. There are plenty of other rides you will like. Let Mama show you."
"No. Again."
Tohru felt her heart melting. She was adorable. "I will take her again," she offered.
Heads turned toward her. "Oh Tohru, you don't have to do that." Kaeda smiled thankfully.
"It's OK. I love the carousel. Really—I don't mind." Tohru reached out her hand to the small child, who then grasped Tohru's pointer finger and followed the older girl back onto the ride.
Yuki felt his breath quicken as he watched. She was so wonderful with children
Kyo frowned, but inside he marveled at her patience with kids. It really was something.
Tohru sat Momo on the same horse she had ridden before, and the ride started. The little girl squealed with delight, so much that Tohru felt herself laughing along with her. When the ride was nearly half over, the childish face turned up at her. "Momiji," said the cherub lips.
"Huh?" Tohru broke out into a sweat.
"Why does he look like Momo and Mama?"
The onigiri did not have an answer for that. Well—she did. But that was confidential. She racked her brain for something to pacify the questioning eyes.
"He is my brudder." The little voice spoke again.
"Wha—! Momo! What are you talking about? Of course he isn't your brother. No! That isn't the truth at all." She was more hysterical than convincing.
"The child's head nodded yes. "Sometimes Mama cries in her sleep," she said solemnly. "Papa doesn't want me ta hear. But I listen anyway. She says, 'My son...my son' and one time she said his name."
Tohru was silent. She could think of nothing to contend in response. This child was unbelievably insightful. The ride ended. Momo clasped hands with her, and they excited the gate surrounding the carousel where everyone was waiting. Tohru felt herself shy away from their unsuspecting smiles.
A/N: And now for a little teenage angst! See ya in Chapter 4: 'Too Much Revealed—The Sound of Desire
PLEASE R/R!