Return to the Sohma household
The characters in this story are not mine. This is based on the characters in the popular manga and Anime series: Fruits Basket (Furuba).
Kyo-Sohma looked down on the happy group with disgust. Tohru-Honda was busily tottering about with trays of food, bustling to the table and then returning to the kitchen for yet another filled tray. Yuki was sitting on the couch, a smug smile on his face. Damn Yuki. He knew how he felt about Tohru. He'd ruined everything. Kyo watched him get up and help her with a bowl of rice. He kissed her on the cheek and she blushed crimson.
Kyo formed his hands into fists managed to stop himself from jumping down from the roof and finally beating the rat. Tohru had been falling for him. Well, she might have done if Yuki had given it a chance. She'd already pronounced her love for him once; it seemed so long ago now. Was it true that she'd been living with them for three years? It felt as if she'd only just arrived.
He sighed and clambered down onto the grass below. Stepping into the bright lights of the household he scowled as he took a seat at Shigure's side.
"Kyo!" Shigure exclaimed in feigned shock, "I thought you daren't sit next to me. To what do I owe this honour?" Kyo's frown deepened and he clenched his fists once more. "Now, now, not jealous of Yuki are we?"
Just then Tohru bustled over; her eyes were streaming from cutting onions in the kitchen.
"I'm so glad you could make it!" She squealed in delight, wrapping her arms around him in her soft embrace. 'She really is happy to see me,' Kyo thought as his body turned into its feline form. "I'm so sorry it's just….. I haven't seen you in so long!" Tohru explained, letting him go. Kyo pulled a face and spat out an orange fur ball.
It was true. He had been away for a while. He'd returned to those mountains when Tohru and Yuki had started dating. Even without sensei he wished to train hard so that he could beat Yuki once and for all. He knew that he had to prove his strength to Tohru. He wouldn't rest until she was by his side.
Kyo had never thought of a girl this way. Of course he'd fancied girls before but he'd known better than to get involved and it was usually just based on physical appearance. Not good grounds to start to a relationship on. With Tohru it was different. She was cute, there was no denying it. But that wasn't what he loved about her. She was so selfless; all she wanted was to please everyone. He wished he could be like that. All he did was get controlled by his anger and end up hurting everyone. He didn't want to hurt Tohru. He wanted her to love him.
"Umm… shall I bring your clothes upstairs to your room?" Tohru asked, a little embarrassed that she had, yet again, caused a member of the zodiac to transform.
Kyo nodded and followed her upstairs where she placed his clothes in a neat pile on his bed.
"Shall I leave you until you… well…" Her face flushed again. Kyo knew that if he wasn't covered in orange fur, she too could have seen his skin redden. There were no secrets. Unfortunately she had seen everything that first time they had transformed back into humans.
"If you like," he replied.
She didn't move for a minute but stayed sitting on his bed gazing out the window.
"Something wrong?" he asked her calmly, if only she would talk to him. Tell him that she wanted him not Yuki.
"Of course not!" she put on her bright smile and turned to face him, "everything's fine! Fine, fine, fine..."
She jumped up and blundered out of the room, tripping over her own feet on the way out and muttering to herself: "I'm fine… never better!"
After a few minutes Kyo returned to normal. He wandered through into the bathroom. He hadn't had a shower in at least two weeks. He must stink, and Tohru had just hugged him! He cringed at the thought and stepped into the clean tiled shower. The hot water was a relief after his long stint in the mountains. He just hoped that Tohru hadn't noticed his uncleanliness.
When he had finished his shower; he pulled a towel around him and opened the bathroom door. He walked barefoot back to his room. It hadn't been this neat and tidy when he'd left. Maybe that was why Tohru had been so fussed. Had she been disappointed that he hadn't said anything? He made a mental note to thank her later. He pulled on his shirt and looked in his drawers. She'd even been in his underwear drawer and had folded it all. He felt a little embarrassed again to think that she'd been in here inspecting his underwear. Although of course, she probably wouldn't have put any thought into it apart from thinking how neat it looked.
He finished dressing and leant out of the window. The stars seemed abnormally bright tonight. The wind seemed to whisper in his ears and carry his secrets along with it. He almost panicked at the thought that they would carry on to Tohru's ears. Tohru's head appeared around the side of his door.
"Are you coming down?" She asked him, "Everything's ready, Momiji will be arriving soon, you don't want to miss the party do you?"
Kyo sighed into his folded arms and heard her tiptoe over to him. She stood behind him, gazing past him into the sky.
"The stars are beautiful tonight aren't they?" She whispered, hands clasped in front of her. Kyo could hardly take it any longer. She was so close and yet so far from him. He just had to prove how he felt, he was sure of it.
He put his hand on top of Tohru's, stood up and kissed her on the lips. She blushed just as she had done when Yuki had kissed her.
"I don't think Yuki…" he silenced her with another kiss and this time she frowned in confusion and turned away. "Don't make me betray him," she whispered, "I won't betray poor Yuki." She left his room and he heard her feet patter down the stairs. He filled with self-loathing, he'd ruined everything. Damn Yuki, Damn him for taking his Tohru.