Chapter 4- Shigure's Present
By: Ochako107
Standard Disclaimer
Tohru sat in her room and smiled to herself. After Ayame treated her and Momiji to ice-cream, they went back home to listen to Ayame and Shigure's high school tales. Although some of them were a bit too risqué for her taste, Torhu had to admit the older men's friendship was admirable. She almost wished Yuki and Kyo would get along half as much as they did.
The thought of the two boys suddenly hit her and a small frown creased her lips. Ayame has said their behavior was terrible but… was it really necessary to leave them alone like that? They might have been stepped on or someone could have seen them transform back into humans! But, those two were smarter than that….
"I wonder if they are okay…"
Meanwhile back in town, Kyo and Yuki had transformed back and thankfully transformed discreetly in the alley way they had been left in. Oddly enough the two had not spoken a word through out the entire thing.
Kyo turned around after dressing. "Hey, we better get back to the house."
"What's the point, you know they'll still be mad at us."
"Well you started it, ya damn rat!"
Yuki pushed his hair out of his face. "I'm really not in the mood. Isn't this what got us here in the first place? I do not want to offend Miss Honda anymore today and she must hate us as it is so don't make it worse."
Kyo snapped his mouth shut and simply grunted while leaving the alley way. Yuki was always like that… he was that damn rat and he was the cat.
"Sir! Sir! Oh there you are!" Yuki and Kyo looked up to see the photographer. He panted and tried to explain while waving papers in his hands. "You left in such a hurry—not that I blame you, I hate cats as well—that you all forgot your pictures so please…!"
Kyo snatched it from the man's hands. "For you information cats aren't that bad." He muttered under his breath.
Yuki covered that up by quickly giving the photographer his thanks. Yuki ran to catch up to Kyo who was viewing the two pictures. He looked over his shoulder as the two stopped walking.
"You know, these aren't half bad." Yuki said.
"Yeah…" Kyo pulled the picture of himself, Yuki and Tohru out and placed it onto of the one of Ayame, Shigure, and Momiji. He smiled seeing the way Tohru glowed with happiness. "These aren't half bad."
Yuki stepped away from Kyo. "I have an idea."
Kyo gave the rat a look. "Oh sure, another one of your brilliant plans."
Yuki ignored Kyo and stared at a store in front of them. Kyo noticed Yuki looking into the window and got the same idea. "Do you think she'll like this though? I mean… it's pretty basic."
Yuki took the picture of the three of them and nodded. "I think she will love it. Besides, Kyo," Yuki stared straight into his amber ones, "Miss Honda… deserves a gift like this. Plus it isn't like we have anything else."
Kyo's face paled and then he took on an angry look. "Listen, we don't have to tell her that okay? But…" he looked away, "…if this will make her happy fine." The two boys entered the frame shop with one happy girl in their minds.
The sun began to set and Torhu stood at the doorway wringing her hands while Momiji sat, looking up at her while eating a rice ball. "Ah, they're still not back, Momiji…"
"Don't worry! I bet they're just taking some time to cool off, they'll be back."
"But it's almost time for dinner!" Tohru said. She had wandered around the Sohma land hoping to find either boy in their favorite spots earlier that afternoon. She checked Yuki's secret base and didn't find the boy there. She knelt into the garden seeing that a few strawberries were in bloom. She smiled thinking how much she and Yuki had grown closer together over the years. She never thought that one day she'd know him so well.
Next she walked back to the house and climbed the ladder hoping to find Kyo lazing across the roof. But of course, he wasn't there. She sighed and sat on the roof alone thinking of all the nights she'd come up here and sit with Kyo as he'd talk about his training and how he wanted to beat Yuki. She giggled to herself remembering the day he had tried to show her a few moves. Then her mind drifted to his transformation into his true form. Still… she was happy to know Kyo—all of him. She still loved him the way he was. She loved all the Sohmas, they were adopted family.
Her mind came back to reality and a frown creased. The Sohmas were her family and now that Yuki and Kyo hadn't shown up she worried like a family member does. She prayed for their safe return.
Momiji's voice broke her out of her reverie. "Well, Shigure said he was ordering take out so don't worry about that. Anyway, I don't think what they did was right. They should learn better ways to fight over you." Momiji said eating up the last bits of his snack.
Torhu turned to the younger blonde boy. "…What?"
From inside the house she could hear Shigure's sing a long voice. "Tooohru! Can you come in here for a moment?"
"Um, yes, Shigure!" She called back.
Momiji stood up and grabbed Torhu's hand. "I'm sorry, but I should be heading back home. Ayame did say there are some weirdoes at night so I'll take a safe way home."
"Oh okay, take care, Momiji. Bye bye." Tohru smiled. Momiji laughed and pecked her hand softly.
"Happy birthday!"
"Thank you." Torhu replied. Momiji slipped on his shoes and cap while skipping down the street.
Torhu walked into the house to see Shigure sitting at the table with his hands behind his back smiling…
"Um, yes, Shigure?" Tohru asked kneeling to the low table.
"Well, now that everyone is gone… do you think I could… borrow some of your time?"
"Ahh…?" Torhu's eyes began to swirl. "Yes?"
"Oh good, because I want to give you your present now. What with Yuki and Kyo around, they wouldn't let me give the chance to give you my present." Shigure said with a little pout.
Torhu's face filled with concern and she leaned to Shigure. "Oh, I'm sorry, please, go ahead and show me your gift."
Shigure got a little wicked look in his eyes. "If you insist!"
Tohru had to admit a present that couldn't be shown when anyone was around did sound… how to put it in a word? Strange. But her mom did always say always give the benefit of the doubt!
"You have to close your eyes." Shigure said trying to hold a straight face. Tohru smiled and did as he said letting all her muscles relax.
"Okay!" She heard a slight ruffling of Shigure's clothes and then his feet padding around the room. She heard him turn on the television and chuckle. "Open!"
Torhu let her eye lids flutter open to see Shigure showcasing a small VCR and a tape. "…Um… what…?"
"This is my present: a home video!" Tohru blinked at Shigure's enthusiasm. "I remember a while back saying that you wish that you could see what Kyo and Yuki were like as children. While I know that our pasts are slightly dark, here's a video showing the lighter moods of them when they were children." Shigure explained. He smiled and turned around to place the tape into the VCR. "Of course, I need to return this to Hari before he notices I stole this from his office."
Torhu's eyes widened and relief filled her. It was just a home video! "Oh, this is a lovely present, Shigure! I can't way to see what Yuki and Kyo were like. They must have been so cute as kids."
Shigure took the remote with him as he sat next to Tohru. "Hm, you don't say. Well! On with the show!" He clicked play and the two watched the video.
It was about seven o'clock when Yuki and Kyo returned from their little shopping. Kyo held in his hands a rectangular package in pink. "Do you think it's alright?"
"Yes, stop asking me." Yuki replied. They had argued about the color, size and everything about the picture but they got it done. In the end, they were quite happy with the result and hoped she did as well. "You know… the house seems a little quiet for Ayame and Momiji to be here."
Kyo listened as well. "Yeah, you'd think they'd stick around for her birthday or whatever."
"I hope that Shigure is at least treating her well." Yuki muttered. Suddenly, the thought dawned on both of them. "SHIGURE!"
"That damn perv!" Kyo yelled simultaneously. They ran for the door, both of them accidentally crashing through the thin rice papered wall. "Aw, crap!" Kyo growled.
"No time for that, find Miss Honda." Yuki pushed on. Suddenly Tohru's sweet laughter filled the air and the frantic males stopped to listen.
"Oh, that is Ayame—he used to be so photogenic—what am I talking about he still is!" Shigure laughed as well. Torhu giggled some more.
Yuki slid the door open to see Shigure and Tohru sitting with a bowl of popcorn watching a video. They sighed with a relief.
Tohru turned to them with a huge smile. Kyo almost missed that smile of hers, always welcoming them home. "You're home!"
"Yes, welcome home." Shigure said.
Yuki and Kyo stood up straight and entered the room. "It's good to be home." Yuki said.
"What are you watching?" Kyo asked.
Shigure laughed and leaned his chin on his open palm. "Oh, nothing just a home video. It's my present for Torhu."
'So that was his present.' Kyo thought with relief.
'Just a video… but why would this only be for Tohru to see…?' Yuki thought.
"It's your entire fault, Yuki! You're the rat!" The video suddenly said filling the room. Kyo and Yuki turned to the TV to see a mini Kyo wearing a shirt with a turtle printed on it, mud splashed everywhere on him and the other small boy next to him.
"It wasn't my fault; you threw mud on me first." A small Yuki retorted coming face to face with Kyo. The camera man began to shake with laughter as the video moved up and down. Both boys were drenched in mud and wrestling each other down while yelling at each other.
"That's enough! Kyo, Yuki, time for your baths." A woman off to the side said pulling both boys into the house.
The screen changed and was placed in a bathroom with two little boys swimming around in the tub. Suddenly from beheath the bubbles Kyo screamed furiously. Kyo chased Yuki with a bath scrubber. "You got soap in my eyes!"
"No, you slipped and fell into the tub." Yuki replied. "And you call yourself a cat!"
"That's it, ya,-ya,-ya pretty boy! I'm going to drown you!" Kyo said with a shrill scream. Kyo dove at Yuki splashing water everywhere on the porcelain floors.
Suddenly, the five year old Yuki screeched with laughter as he jumped out of the tub, only a few bubbles covering his lower self. Kyo followed suit and two naked forms blurred back and fourth across the screen.
"Be careful boys…" The camera man without a doubt was Shigure from the way he was mocking them, "…don't slip on the tile." The two laughing children ran straight for the camera. "No, wait, wait…!" Yuki's wide eyes grew wider as he and Kyo smashed into the camera lenses and the entire video began making a white noise.
Tohru and Shigure burst out laughing while Kyo and Yuki's faces took on a hue of deep red. They both wanted to strangle Shigure, that video was suppose to be smashed up, burned and then zapped into smithereens.
"Damn it, Shigure!" Kyo yelled at him.
"Ah ah, this is Tohru's present! Don't ruin it, look she's laughing!" Tohru turned to Kyo and smiled.
"You both were so cute at children! If its okay… can we watch the rest? I promise I won't tell anyone if that's what you're thinking about! I swear!" She spit out rapidly.
Kyo turned around his face still beet red. "Fine, do whatever."
Tohru touched his shoulder. "I'll turn it off, really."
Kyo met her gaze and melted. He couldn't say no that that! It was her birthday and if it was making her feel good then…
"Okay, let's watch it…" He said with a slight smile. Tohru giggled and held his hand.
"Let's all watch it together!"
Yuki continued to glare at Shigure. "Where did you get this filthy thing?"
"I stole it from Hari."
"Idiot."
The screen stopped crackling and it was pitch dark but slight rustling could be heard through the TV. They viewers turned their attention to the screen.
"Is she gone?" A quiet Yuki whispered.
"Sh! Shut up, Yuki!"
"I don't see why hiding here is so important to you, Kyo." Suddenly the small Kyo turned on a flash light and pointed it at the amateur video man.
"Are you okay, Haru?" The cameraman nodded his head.
"I'm sacred…" His little voice answered shaking.
"There's no time for that!" Kyo whispered unsympathetically to the cow. "Just be quiet and she'll go away."
"Who are we hiding from stupid, cat?" Yuki asked.
"The baby sitter!" Kyo was growing more anxious when a thumping noise was heard through out the house.
"So?" Yuki asked leaning in to Kyo. His face illuminated and his large eyes looked curious. The small Kyo just glared.
"The babysitter… from hell."
Tohru's face widened and Shigure began laughing manically while Kyo and Yuki had to crack a smile at the memory.
In the screen, a burst of light shone into the camera and a young woman blocked the entrance to the storage room they were concealed in.
"There you are!" Kagura laughed while holding her arms out.
"SCATTER!" Kyo screamed. The camera was dropped on the floor and all viewing was lost except the screams of three terrified boys and thumping around the house. Of course, there was also the happy laughter of Kagura trying to catch them.
Shigure pressed the stop button seeing that was the end of the film anyway. Yuki and Tohru were in tears from laughing so hard while Kyo was hunched in the corner growling something about crazy women.
"That was too funny…!" Shigure choked out.
"I remember that,"Yuki said looking in Kyo's direction, "and then she finally caught us and made us play dress up."
"Shut up!" Kyo yelled at Yuki.
"Oh get off it, you know it was funny."
Kyo's eyes widened but he turned around.
Tohru stood up while taking a deep breath. "It just goes to show you how much Kagura always loved you, Kyo!" The cat of the house didn't say anything. "That was a lovely present, Shigure. Thank you so much."
Shigure waved a hand at Tohru. "No no, don't thank me, thank Hari for keeping this and these two here for being the stars of the show." Shigure got two punches to the head from Kyo and Yuki both.
After Tohru gave some medical attention to Shigure's lumps, she went to her room to dress for bed. Shigure finally took the ice pack away and grinned to Yuki and Kyo.
"So… did you have a relaxing walk?"
The boys exchanged glances and Kyo pulled out a small package from under the table. "…We got this… for her…"
Shigure clapped his hands. "Wonderful! I knew you two would come up with something! After all, she is the lovely flower to us all, no?"
"Why do I always have a feeling when you say things like that, there is an undertone of something repulsive." Yuki muttered.
Only one chapter left, thank you all for reviewing and reading! PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks so much!
