A/N: 'ello again everyone! Thanks for the reviews, not many Hiro/Kisa fans, are there? I thought for sure the couple would be more popular, but maybe people prefer the less obvious pairings, like Tohru/Yuki or Tohru/Kyo (insert sarcasm here). Haha…well anyways hope you like chapter two! R/R!
Disclaimer: Once upon a time, in the land of Japan, a cool author slash manga artist created a story, a story which Miharu-chan (untamed spirit) did not own. Miharu-chan liked the story, entitled "Fruits basket" so much, that she decided to create an original plot to accompany the characters and the setting. Thus "Sweeter than a kiss?" was born.
Tohru returned later in the evening, with a single shopping bag. She walked down the hall and into the T.V. room, to find Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki watching some movie.
"Hey, have any of you seen Kisa?" she asked, resisting the urge to flop down onto the couch with them. She had really worn herself out today.
"She's in the kitchen, I think," said Yuki, smiling kindly up at her.
"Thanks," she replied, turning and heading for the kitchen. "Kisa-chan! I have a surprise for you!" she called, kneeling on the frigid white tiles as Kisa came over curiously from the table.
"A surprise?" she said meekly, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Tohru. For Kisa, surprises generally consisted of cruel pranks and a spiteful joke or two. As she looked up at Tohru, the sisterly figure that she loved and respected, Kisa wondered just what kind of surprise she could anticipate.
"Yes! I bought you something for the sleepover," Tohru replied, as she put forth her shopping bag, and then waited anxiously for Kisa to open it. Kisa peered in the bag cautiously; as though she was worried something might jump out at her. She then reached inside it with both arms, grasping the smoothly folded material and slowly pulled it out. It was a pajama shirt; peach-coloured, made from satin, with cream-coloured lace trimmings. She laid it onto her lap and lifted the matching pajama bottoms out from the bag. She gazed at it for a while, running her fingers through the soft folds of material, as her brown eyes traced over the threaded patterns. Then she looked back up at Tohru, who was fidgeting with excitement.
"Well…?" she asked, at the point of bursting. Kisa leapt up to hug Tohru in her quick and silent cat-like fashion, taking Tohru by surprise. Tohru somehow managed not to topple over, and returned the embrace.
"I've never…had a surprise this nice," Kisa said quietly, smiling into Tohru's shoulder. Neither noticed that Hiro was standing in the doorway, right behind Tohru. He stared at her enviously. When Kisa's little arms became tired, she loosened her hold around Tohru's sides, and looking up, her eyes met Hiro's.
"Hiro-kun?" she said, causing Tohru to turn, "Are you okay?" This question, over the years, had become pointless; Hiro was never okay.
"I'm fine." And he never admitted it.
Tohru gave him a concerned look, but he shifted his eyes away, obviously not in the mood for her 'help'. She stood and made her way to the fridge. "Dinner will be ready in a half hour or so," She said in resignedly. Thankfully, Momiji had covered for her at work that day, but it had been a busy week, and with exams coming up, she was exhausted.
It was long after dinner. Hiro made his way up the stairs, holding a glass of water, and entered the room that he had been staying in for the past few weeks. He set the glass onto the bedside table, and was about to slip under the covers when he heard a noise from the next room; Kisa's room. After listening for a moment, he realized that it was the sound of a bed creaking. He returned to the open door, and stepped out into the hall. He figured that Kisa must be having trouble sleeping, and although he knew that it was none of his business, he couldn't go back to bed with the knowledge that she was distressed. He crept silently to her door, which was still ajar, and peered into the room. The light was still on and Kisa was asleep on her bed, but the duvet was twisted every which way, as she writhed and dug her nails into the sheets as though in agony. The bed creaked on cue with her violent movements.
Hiro was just about to go in and wake her up, sparing her the anguish of her nightmare, when she gradually became motionless. Still Hiro stood there, not sure what to do, but it soon became apparent that Kisa was awake. He watched as her eyes opened and her tense muscles relaxed. Slowly she sat up, and stumbled out of bed, rubbing her eyes (which were still adjusting to the light) and tucking her hair behind her ears. The expression on her face remained stricken. Obviously her nightmare had not been about something irrational; per say a monster, but more over a reoccurring worry in her mind. Hiro could tell, and he couldn't believe that he had not noticed the dark circles around her eyes earlier. He wanted to kick himself for that, but instead, he began to ponder what could be troubling her so much that it would cause her such disturbance in her sleep.
Kisa picked up her teddy bear, which she had knocked off of the bed while asleep, and then turned, catching sight of herself in the full-length mirror. She stood before it in her new pajama's letting her arm, which held her teddy, dangle at her side. She stopped and stared at herself for a moment. The shirt was a slight bit big for her. The left strap would frequently droop off of her shoulder, just like it was now. She pulled the strap up again, and then began to feel self-conscious, as though the mirror was criticizing and ridiculing her. Kisa hugged her teddy to her chest, turning away from the mirror so that Hiro could see the sadness in her face.
Just then, her gaze swept over the doorway and she jumped, almost dropping her teddy.
"H-how long have you been there?" she asked in a slightly shaky voice, returning to her bed and pulling the duvet around herself, almost in shame.
"I'm sorry," He said, stepping into the room, "I came to see if you needed water or something," He told her quickly, knowing that she was probably quite thirsty.
"It's okay," she replied in her soft tone, but she clutched the blanket around her shoulders tighter still. "And you don't have to get me water. I'm not thirsty." He gave her a skeptical look. "I'm fine, really," She added, but Hiro could see the manner in which her fingers danced about her neckline, trying to soothe her parched throat.
"I'll be right back," he told her, heading down the hall to the stairs before the girl could stop him. Kisa sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pulling the duvet with her. She lowered her head and resting her elbows on her thighs, brought her arms up on either side of her head, and laced her fingers together at the nape of her neck. She had a little too much on her mind right now. Akito had paid her visit last weekend in the park. Oh he hadn't done anything to her, but his mere presence frightened her ever since he had given her a beating, seemingly with no reason. At the park he told her to inform Hiro that he wanted to see him 'next Saturday' which was now tomorrow. There was a menacing air to his request. Akito knew that Hiro would listen to Kisa, if it meant protecting her from further harm. Kisa hadn't been able to bring herself to mention any of this to Hiro. She was worried about what Akito would do to him, but to disobey Akito…it could only mean pain for the both of them.
Hiro ascended the stairs with a glass of water for the second time that night. As he passed the big grandfather clock in the hall, it suddenly struck him how close it was to Saturday, to his meeting with Akito…
He smirked as he pictured the frown on Akito's face when he didn't show up. All last week Akito had appeared each day after school, telling him again to meet him on Saturday. Finally, last Friday, Hiro had agreed. In other words; Hiro had lied through his teeth. Sure, Akito was persistent, but he was quite gullible. At least that was how Hiro saw it.
Kisa looked up abruptly as he reentered. He set the glass down on her bedside table and leaned back against her closet door. Kisa sat up and took the glass in her right hand, taking a long, grateful sip and putting it down again with a slight clink.
"Thank you. You really didn't have to though - "
"Don't worry about it," he said bluntly. She nodded and looked down at her hands.
"I should tell you something," she mumbled. She glanced up, seeing Hiro narrow his eyes in question, and took this as confirmation to continue. "Akito-san spoke to me the other day…" Hiro wanted to shout out 'What did he do to you!' but he resisted this burst of rage, and immediately he began to scan her arms and legs, which now protruded from the duvet, for the slightest bruise.
"He just wanted to talk to me," she said quickly, causing Hiro to bring his gaze to her face.
"About what exactly?" he asked, his frown deepening. Kisa took in a long breath.
"He wanted me to tell you to meet him at the Sohma estate tomorrow afternoon," she blurted quickly. Hiro tried to hide the surprise on his face.
"That bastard." He muttered to no one in particular. 'Using Kisa to get to me, eh? He must think he's so clever,' he thought in anger. He knew he had no choice if Akito had threatened Kisa.
"Bastard," He repeated again, clenching his fist so tight that his nails dug into his palm. He exhaled loudly, and looked back at Kisa, once again noticing the circles around her tired eyes.
"You better get some sleep," he said gruffly.
"What are you going to do about Akito?" she stuttered.
"That's nothing that you should be thinking about. Now go to sleep and try not to have any nightmares, I don't want to have to come in here again." He replied, biting down on his tongue and wondering why he couldn't help but be so mean to her. Kisa scrambled back to the middle of the bed, fumbling with the sheets and lying down.
"'Night, Hiro-kun," She said sweetly. Hiro turned out the lights.
"G'night, Kisa-chan," he responded, her voice somehow softening his.
A/N: Wow. Okay, I have no idea why it took so long for me to finish this, I just kept changing my mind about stuff – I really want this story to show an improvement in my writing and my development of the plot. I hope that the time I took to write this wasn't wasted effort. I'll have the next chapter up soon; hopefully sooner then this. R/R for encouragement! Especially if you haven't reviewed before! Thanks for reading!
Miharu-Chan