A/N: Sooooo sorry for all of the grammatical and editing errors. I did not expect the format to change so dramatically once I transferredit over from Microsoft word.

So—now for an actual plot. (blushes) Oops, did I say that? Sorry things are getting off to a slow start. But I threw in some of that romantic thing you people seem to like so much. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: FB characters mine? HAHA! No…no. It will never be so! ;(

THANKS FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS! I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!

The Plum on Her Back

Ch 4: Too Much Revealed—The Sound of Desire

"Ahem. Miss Honda, is something bothering you?"

Tohru glanced up, nervously. "Oh, no! Whatever gave you that idea, Yuki?"

"Your—uh—ice cream. It's dripping down your hand."

Tohru suddenly felt the numbing cold of the melting substance. She painstakingly tried to wipe it with her napkin. "Oh! I'm sorry. It's nothing!"

The other Sohmas had departed rather early from the carnival, wanting Momo to go to bed at a decent hour. Surprisingly, the small girl had clung to Momiji for the rest of the evening—something that clearly made the President uneasy. The teenagers had been just about to retire as well when Kyo shocked them all by yelling 'ice cream!' Tohru did not remember ever hearing the cat so excited about something—well, of course, except training with his master.

Yuki chuckled at the mess that was Tohru. He handed her some more napkins and dropped the rest of his cone into the trashcan. "Miss Honda?"

"Y—yes?"

"Before we go, would you accompany me into the fun house?"

Tohru looked up. "Fun house?"

Yuki pointed, and watched with an amusing smirk as her features brightened. "Of course! Let's all go."

She heard Kyo grumble, but was unaware of how his face had fallen when the rat had presented his question. Why didn't I think of that? He thought.

The 'Fun House' looked more haunted than its name would suggest. What made it appear even spookier was its desertion. The park would be closing soon and most people were either heading for the exit or trying to get one more ride in on the roller coaster.

"Um—Yuki. You sure you want to go in there?"

The calm look on his face became more determined. "Yes." And then he gave her one of his rare smiles—the kind that reached his eyes and made her whole body feel overjoyed. "Why, Miss Honda? You aren't scared are you?" He leaned forward, their faces inches apart, the smile extending even more.

"Would you shut up with that stupid voice?" Kyo spoke. "You sound like a child. It's as nauseating as that pretty face of yours." he huffed.

That's right, Tohru thought. Kyo had been pretty quiet that evening. Only a few rare outbursts, but for the most part his silence made it difficult to accommodate him as much as she would have liked.

Yuki placed his hand on his waist, his scowl indenting the normally smooth forehead and mouth. Tohru had to admit that he did look feminine. He made a much prettier girl than she ever would. The Prince spoke. "You're just jealous." He strode into the entryway. Above, there hung a sign that read 'Fun House.' Tohru hurried to catch up to Yuki.

Kyo hesitated. "Jealous of what? I don't want no girlish figure you arrogant rat!" He eventually followed.

"Oh really?" Tohru heard the composed voice in front of her as they moved under the dark overpass. "You could have fooled me—the way you are always commenting on how attractive my appearance is."

A snarl from behind. "It's not a compliment, you idiot! You make the ugliest girl I have ever seen."

Tohru's sigh was lost over the yelling boys. As she moved forward in the dark, her foot connected with something and she felt her entire body hurling forward. "Ah."

The boys heard both the beginnings of a fall and the familiar, confused exhale that Tohru generally made right before she hurt herself. Yuki turned quickly, catching the girl in his arms. And just before his body changed, her cheek touched his cheek, and he felt himself immersed in her scent. She smelled lovely.

POP.

"Oh!" Tohru wailed. "Yuki! I didn't—I'm so sorry." The tears were already making paths down her anxious cheeks. "Yuki!" she called, feeling around in complete darkness. "Where are you? Yuki! Yuki! Please answer me!"

"Have you ever heard the term, 'Quiet as a mouse'?" It was a disgruntled Kyo. Tohru was silent. "You won't be able to hear him speaking in such a small form if you are running around and screaming like a chicken with her head cut off. Just be silent for a moment."

They were quiet. A small voice said, "Thank you Kyo," but not without displeasure. He didn't like to express gratitude to the cat.

Tohru stooped down toward the voice. A shaking Yuki stood against the wall away from the others so he would not get stepped on. Tohru scooped him up and put him to her cheek. "Oh, Yuki! I'm so glad you were not hurt." Again, Yuki inhaled Tohru's fragrance. The tiny rat felt his skin warming just by being so close.

"Dummy! Why'd ya have ta go and catch her like that? Don't you ever use your training properly? Kyo was behind them. "You've been sloppy lately. I think it's time for a little rematch—" And then he was gone. They heard his voice one minute, and the next it was like the ground had swallowed him up.

A trap door? Tohru began to freak out again, screaming Kyo's name. Underneath her cries, she heard another voice. It was Yuki. "He will be alright Miss Honda. Don't worry. Cats are stupid creatures but I am sure he can find his way out of a fun house."

Tohru nodded bravely. Up ahead, she saw a light, and moved toward it, still holding the rat, who climbed onto her shoulder.

It was a mirror room. Thank goodness it was more lit, although not by much. Yuki jumped down. "Well—shall we, Miss Honda?"

She smiled. "Sure."

The animal and girl began examining their modified forms in the silver surfaces. Tohru couldn't help but giggle at one of the mirrors that made her eyes much bigger than the rest of her body. She looked like one of those anime characters.

From the corner of her eye, she saw and heard Yuki changing back. Her reflexes followed, and she covered her eyes, but not quite fast enough. Tohru listened for the sounds of him putting on clothing. But they didn't come.

Yuki cleared his throat. "Uh—um—Miss Honda." He sounded uncomfortable. "My clothes—they are—we left them."

The girl felt her embarrassment swarming upward until it reached her face. "Oh," was all she could say.

"Miss Honda?"

Her eyes were still covered. "Yes."

"Are you OK?"

"Sure." She did not move.

A moment later she felt his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for this." And then he left the room, appearing a minute or two later fully clothed. "It's alright. You can look now."

Tohru uncovered her eyes. She was dizzy, flabbergasted, and completely stunned—even though it wasn't her that had transformed in front of him. Tohru was afraid to let him see her face, but he appeared before her. "Are you sure you are fine? You aren't sick are you?"

She shook her head, unable to speak for fear of sounding stupid. Tohru attempted a step forward, but faltered. Yuki moved toward her, a reflection of the light from the mirror bounced off of his forhead. Tohru followed the small beam of light and focused on it.

She opened her mouth to speak, which followed with several seconds of more silence. And then her knees gave out. Yuki bent with her catching her craftily at arms length so that he did not transform this time. "Miss Honda. Miss Honda? Miss Honda!" Had she fainted? No. Green eyes peered up at him.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Yuki smiled encouragingly. "Miss Honda, what is it?"

"It's just that—uh—" Tohru cleared her throat. "I'm embarrassed. I—um, you know. I saw you n—naked."

Yuki almost fell over. She saw what? A flush soared over his whole body. Mortification turned his eaten ice cream into nausea.

He still held her, and Tohru could feel his limbs quivering slightly. What was he thinking? Why did he look half dead? "Uh, Yuki? It's uh—OK. I didn't see much." The scarlet flush deepened. "Oh! No! I don't mean. What I mean is—I didn't see—Oh I saw, but it was so quick. I wasn't trying to say you didn't have much. Because you did. But—well what I mean is—"

"Quit blubbering like an idiot." The two teenagers pulled apart. Yuki's skin burned where he had held Tohru. The cat was back.

He stepped forward demandingly. "What did you do to her you pervert?" His eyes blazed at Yuki.

The rat, trying to overcome the shock of previous events, only stared at him.

"That's it! I'm gonna give you the beating of your life." Orange hair charged forward in the dimly lit room. His fist prepared for connecting with human skull. Tohru winced as Kyo's arm thrust forward. It stopped in mid air.

Without thinking, Yuki's reflexes had countered the blow. He held the caught fist with obvious strength. "What do you think you are doing? That was so utterly pathetic."

"Oh yeah! What's pathetic is how you lead girls inta dark rooms and try to take advantage of them." Kyo retaliated.

"You are sick. I can't believe you think I would ever hurt Miss Honda. I'm not Shigure you bastard!" Yuki tossed the cat away from him.

Kyo fell below Tohru's feet. He felt her hand on his shoulder, and then saw it inches from his nose, offering to help him up. Kyo did not take it. Instead, he stood up and left the room. He had been beaten again.

-

Outside, the night air brushed the inside of his tee shirt. He should have brought a jacket. Kyo kicked a pebble. He could not believe it. Yuki had slain him back there. The idiot had even been caught off guard by the attack, and still managed to recover in time to send him reeling at Tohru's feet. How embarrassing.

What were they doing in there before he had appeared? Kyo could not shake the image of Yuki's body, dipped forward, holding Tohru, who stared up into his eyes so trustfully. That dummy! She was so stupid. Kyo took off into a run and didn't stop until he reached Shigure's house. Instead of using the roof to calm his thoughts, he shuffled upstairs, and into his room where he slammed the door.

-

"Yuki?" Tohru broke the silence. The only noise that had accompanied them on their walk home had been the sound of their shoes against the dirt path.

"Hmm?" A silver head turned towards her.

"Momo—" Tohru hesitated. Should she tell him? She could trust Yuki. But, should she say something?

"Yes? Miss Honda—what is it?"

"Momo knows." Tohru's head dipped lower as the words were released.

Yuki was silent. Momo knew? Well if that was the case then Kaede would find out eventually. It was just a matter of time before her only daughter brought the knowledge to her attention. His face darkened. And then Akito would force the issue that her memory be erased again. His order would make Hatori endure the entire ordeal once more—not to mention Momiji. What would it do to him this time? "She told you this?"

"Uh huh."

"I'm sorry Miss Honda. I'm sorry it is always you that has to—"

Tohru stopped walking. "No. Don't be. It's OK. Really. I want to help."

"But—what it did to you before." Yuki felt as though he could not breath when he thought about that lost girl that had stumbled upon Kyo in his original form by the lake. At that moment it had seemed that all hope was lost. Her job was not the same as Akitos'. She had not been born to die, or born to take the brunt of pain centered at the core of the zodiac. And yet—his own family had designated this task to her. She would not only carry all of their insecurities, their fears, their hatred—but she was relied upon to cure it. His muscles grew taut. Why?

"Yuki. What it did to me before—I'm human. You must remember that. But you should also remember that," she faltered. "You should remember that I—I love the Sohmas. Nothing will ever change that."

Yuki felt pressure on his chest. She loved them? Is that what she said? He turned toward her as if he would speak. But what do you say to the girl that was able to bring about all the changes that centuries could not, years of lost attempts, generations of unnoticeable progress? She had given them hope.

"What is it?" she stood their, shivering. Self conscious. That was Tohru.

Yuki placed his hands firmly on her shoulders to warm them. He had to be sensible about this. In the midst of those dark green eyes, came a picture of orange hair, despicable amber eyes. Yuki shuddered. Was Tohru what he really wanted, or was it just because he knew she was what Kyo wanted, just like the rest of the Sohmas. Every one of them had a purpose for Tohru. Yuki could not bear to be that selfish. He turned from her.

"Yuki. I—uh—I know that this has been hard for you. I never wanted you to disobey Akito. I'm sorry for that. I put you in a position where you felt you had to protect me. But by doing so—it placed a burden over your head."

Yuki could hear her shivering still. He clenched his eyes tight. How? How did she continue to do it? How could she remain so selfless? Here—in the cold, while he thoughtlessly tried to figure out what she was to him—she considered only his well-being. She thought of how she might have caused him pain. If only he could hold her. That was all he wanted. Maybe if he held her, he would know. But didn't he already...know? Hadn't it been so obvious to him all along?

"Yuki—something is bothering you. If you need to talk, I would be happy to listen." Her smile.

And still, Tohru's kind words cut into him. Why was he thinking of Kyo? Why? The cat who had never been rewarded any of his life aspirations—because of the rat. But no! It wasn't his fault. He did not wish for this. Yuki covered his eyes to block the look he had seen on his enemies' face before he had run away only a half an hour before. If Kyo wanted Tohru, should he not think of her as he did now? That creature, his true form—for once, Yuki had pitied him.

"Yuki?"

The prince felt her hand on his arm. The frail and slender fingers were cold through his shirt. How could she still worry so much about the Sohmas? Yuki faced her again. "Miss Honda." His lips trembled, and he knew she had seen them. "Miss Honda. What do you intend to do?"

Tohru grappled with the question—only half understanding it. But when she looked at him, she was answering his vague question with an even more vague, "I don't know."

He nodded. That was fine for now. She would continue to be herself, and if by just being that person she discovered the healing words and actions that would undo the chains that bound his family, then that is what would happen. And if she loved Kyo instead of him—she would. He could do nothing but follow her example. He would be himself. He would show her Yuki as he was at that moment and for the rest of the time that he would know her. Even his dark side.

"Yuki. It's all so confusing. I don't know what my place is in your family. I just—Hana said—I just. I know that there is something I have to do. I feel it." Her big eyes bore into him.

His heart lifted until his vocal chords were compressed and his breathing became ragged. "Tohru." He whispered.

She balked. Tohru had never heard Yuki say her name that way. Not only did he use her given name, but he spoke it as though his whole body pulsed with the sound of the word. His voice had become thick, husky, and not with the aggravation she generally detected while he spoke to Kyo. It was…desire?

Yuki watched the movement of thoughts that revealed themselves around ever corner in her mind. She had heard what he meant by saying her name as he did. Oh, but he hadn't meant to. It was just that those big, wondering eyes—those considerate, compassionate eyes. They had taken him in until he was lost under their influence.

"I'm sorry," Yuki made his final apology for the night. He moved past her, his face no longer able to withstand the heat of his emotion. "Miss Honda. Forgive me."

Tohru watched his form ahead of her, confused. Had she done something wrong? She hurried after him, afraid he would disappear from her sight in the shadows of the forest.

A/N: Geez…The drama! Just say what you feel dammit! I know…I know—it should never take 26 episodes or more to say what's in your heart. But if I gave it all away now, that would be no fun. (devilish laugh)

Until next time…Ch 5: A Cat's Tantrum

PLEASE let me know what you think! RR!