"If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time"
(Cyndi Lauper)
A Tiger's Sympathy
"Talking"
'Thinking'
StressedDull purple eyes gazed into the mirror as she watched the purple orbs fill with tears. Hana now understand everything and nothing about her best friend. She was saddened by the burden Tohru carried, angry for her being so caring, and she was happy that her friend had found someone that loved her. Hana wiped the tears from her eyes and stepped out of the small bathroom. Her eyes traveled to the deep thinking figure gazing out of the window. Hana walked over to the girl and rested a hand on her shoulder. The sun was rising and neither had gotten a good rest. One was to busy in thought while the other was lost in memories.
"Why do you have to be selfless?" Hana softly asked. Tohru snorted and glanced at Hana.
"Maybe everyone just sees me as selfless…but deep down I'm the most selfish of us all," Tohru whispered as her eyebrows furrowed.
"Your waves are still pure," Hana calmly said.
"Maybe I'm selfish because I took the curse and their memories without asking them. In a way…I might have ran away from them," Tohru whispered the last part.
"Will you tell them…ever?" Hana softly asked.
"No, there's no need for them to know," Tohru brushed off.
"What about Kyou?" Hana pried.
"I don't think I will," Tohru whispered.
"You still love him," Hana stated.
"I always will love him," Tohru replied without a second thought.
"I think he still loves you, but will you let him love you?" Hana asked with a challenge.
"That's something I'll deal with when the time comes," Tohru simply brushed off another issue.
"So…what animal is in control today?" Hana asked.
"Thankfully not the ox or rat, I don't think I could deal with the thoughts they placed in my head," Tohru dramatically sighed.
"The ox seems to be very…flirty," Hana observed.
"Each zodiac brings out the reserved parts of my personality," Tohru added.
"I noticed that when you called Kyou your gimp," Hana dryly said.
"I called him my what?" Tohru asked.
"You called him your gimp," Hana repeated. "Then you offered him and Yuki a threesome."
Tohru's face turned red as she buried her head in her hands. Hana watched with a small smile. Tohru wasn't crying, she was laughing about the situation. The phone rang and Tohru stood up to answer it. She frowned at the phone and nodded her head in an attempt to answer the person. When she realized that didn't work she answered out loud with a bit of protest.
"I'll be over for dinner," Tohru assured with a smile. She hung up the phone and Hana tilted her head in question. "Kyou invited me to dinner at his house."
"How'd he get your number?" Hana softly asked.
"I think when he called his house from here," Tohru answered with a thoughtful look.
"Does he still live with Shigure?" Hana asked her last question.
"Yes, he does," Tohru, responded.
"Be careful then," Hana replied as she stood to leave.
'Three guys…now I see why Yuki and Shigure worried about a female in the house,' Tohru thought with a dreary sigh.
"Damn it! Hurry up and wash those plates!" Kyou fumed as he mopped the floors.
"Why the urge to clean Kyou?" Shigure sang with a grin. Yuki wondered this as well and stopped washing the plates.
"Yes, why am I washing the dishes?" Yuki growled.
"I'm having a guest over!" Kyou growled.
"Is your guest a high school girl?" Shigure asked with a dreamy look.
"Her name is Tohru…now clean damn it!" Kyou shouted as he started to mop again.
"High school girls, high school girls, all for me, high school girls!" Shigure sang as he wiped the table down.
Crash
"Damn it! Wash the dishes not break them!" Kyou shouted at Yuki.
"You're the one that bumped into me!" Yuki calmly growled at him.
"Don't blame me for your butter fingers!" Kyou shouted back.
"High school girls," Shigure continued to sing as he ignored the two.
Smoke filled the kitchen and Shigure looked over to the oven. He began laughing as Yuki and Kyou fought; they were still oblivious to the burning dinner. Yuki finally looked away from Kyou and to the oven. Kyou paused before he ran over to the oven. He threw open the oven door and black smoke erupted in the entire kitchen. Shigure coughed as he struggled to find a window to open. Yuki glared at the spot that Kyou should have been in. Kyou cursed as he chucked the food out the door.
"This is your fault!" Kyou shouted at Yuki.
"You were the one in charge of food," Yuki calmly reminded.
"You distracted me!" Kyou accused as Yuki glared at him.
The doorbell chimed and Shigure sang as he ran for the door. He threw open the door and his eyes widened even more. All he saw was a young woman with long chestnut hair, dark green eyes, a slender figure, and food. He pulled the woman in and she kicked off her shoes as she followed him with a smile. Kyou appeared out of the kitchen and offered Tohru a small grin.
"Yuki ruined dinner," Kyou quickly said.
"Baka!" Yuki shouted from the kitchen.
"I sorta figured…so I brought take out," Tohru explained with a smile.
"She's beautiful, young, and psychic!" Shigure exclaimed as he grinned at her.
'Not psychic, I just remember,' Tohru thought with a grin.
Shigure went to drape an arm around her shoulder and she moved away and toward Kyou. She didn't want the curse to 'poof' up. Yuki finished setting the plates on the table and nodded his head to Tohru with a smile. Tohru placed the bags of food on the table and passed them out to each person.
"I'm so pleased!" Shigure happily said as he opened his dish.
"I ordered you Tonkatsu with cooked rice," Tohru said as Shigure drooled.
"You're a miracle Tohru! You knew my favorite dish," Shigure happily stated.
"I picked beef and leeks for Yuki," Tohru said as she handed Yuki his found.
"Thank you Honda-san," Yuki softly said as he smiled at her.
"And Kyou-kun," Tohru sighed as she passed him the container, "I picked up Yakizakana with fried rice.
Tohru happily watched as they began to dig into their meals. She smiled; it was like old times. Yuki noticed her not eating and he gazed at her as he swallowed what was in his mouth.
"Honda-san, what did you get yourself?" Yuki asked as she blushed.
"I forgot to order myself food," Tohru sheepishly said.
"Airhead," Kyou mumbled as he scooped part of his meal onto her plate.
"Kyou-kun…I got that for you," Tohru shyly said.
"And I'm sharing so eat it," Kyou grumbled.
"It's a Kodak moment!" Shigure shouted as he pulled out a camera.
Kyou growled at him as Tohru simply blushed. Yuki sighed and smacked the camera out of sight. Shigure whined before he went back to eating. Tohru took a bite out of the grilled fish and went back to her thoughts. Her eyes landed on Yuki and she smiled at how content he seemed.
'At least Yuki isn't so worried anymore,' Tohru thought.
Her gaze then landed to Shigure as he scooped his food into his mouth.
'His smile's real,' Tohru thought with approval.
Tohru then let her gaze wander to Kyou. She sighed as she still noticed the same disgruntled look on his face. He still seemed to be bent on his anger and attitude. She couldn't understand why he hadn't changed at all. Tohru let out a sigh that didn't escape Shigure.
"Our flower is wilting with sighs of sorrow," Shigure stated as he smiled at her.
"I'm just thinking," Tohru assured with a look of reassurance.
"You should really teach Kyou how to do that," Shigure stated with a smirk.
"Do what?" Tohru asked as Kyou began to twitch in anger.
"Think," Shigure simply said with a smile.
"Shut the hell up!" Kyou growled at Shigure as he stood from the low table.
"Why are you so angry?" Shigure questioned with a look of innocence.
"Stop acting like fools and sit!" Yuki firmly said as Tohru looked between the three men.
"Shigure," Tohru calmly said.
"Yes my flower?" Shigure sweetly said.
"I mean no disrespect when I tell you these things. First, I'm not your flower. Second, please try to respect Kyou's feelings and finally…you learn how to think," Tohru calmly listed.
"I'm so devastated that you would think me stupid!" Shigure cried.
"Shut the hell up!" Kyou growled once more.
"Can't you come up with something else?" Yuki questioned Kyou with a raised eyebrow.
"Mind your own business!" Kyou snapped at him.
"Guys," Tohru tried to interrupt.
"I would mind my business if you weren't constantly in the way!" Yuki dryly said.
"Bastard!" Kyou growled.
"Guys," Tohru sang.
"My confidence has been reduced to ash," Shigure dramatically stated as he quickly wrote down his own quote.
Tohru inhaled and could feel the next zodiac spirit rising to the surface. It could sympathize and be capable of love, but it was short tempered. The animal's anger was flaring to life as they ignored Tohru. Before Tohru could do anything, the animal instinct kicked in. Tohru stood up and grabbed Kyou by the ear before she pulled him back to his seat. He yelped as Shigure and Yuki watched in awe and mild worry. Tohru then pointed to Shigure as her temper spiked once more.
"Shut up and think of others!" Tohru snapped. "Be a bit more mature!"
"Let go!" Kyou growled as she gave another tug. Tohru then pointed to Yuki.
"Be the bigger person and stop baiting him! You must really like his attention," Tohru deviously said. Yuki paled and watched as Tohru slowly calmed herself. She pushed the spirit back in place with the other spirits.
"Isn't she charming?" Shigure teased.
"Only to those I like," Tohru sang in a Shigure like fashion.
"Am I on that list?" Shigure heatedly asked. Tohru winked at him and grinned.
"No."
"My heart aches with a thousand pains," Shigure cried as he fell backwards from the drama.
Kyou finally freed his ear and glared at Tohru. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he liked it when she touched him. It made his blood boil and his heartache for her. Instead of showing this he growled and lightly bopped her on the head.
"I'm sorry," Tohru whispered to him.
"Whatever," Kyou mumbled.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," Tohru softly said. Shigure was in shock at the change of her moods. Yuki was slightly used to this already.
"A weakling like you couldn't hurt me," Kyou scoffed as he turned his garnet orbs to her.
His face dropped as he watched her eyes water. Yuki glared at his cousin and Shigure tsked. Kyou placed his hands on her shoulders in worry. His comment was meant to comfort her, not send her into tears. Tohru began to sniffle and leak tears as she hid her face in her palms.
"He thinks I'm weak!" Tohru cried.
"I meant that you didn't hurt me!" Kyou quickly tried to mend his mistake.
Tohru looked up at him and offered him a watery smile. Her eyes then widened as she gripped his shoulders tightly. Shigure raised an eyebrow at this, as this girl seemed to get more interesting.
"Kyou! I need your room!" Tohru quickly said.
"What?" Everyone questioned.
"I'm about to explode!" Tohru growled as she dug her nails into his shoulders.
His face reddened as she glared at him. Shigure began to make comments about the birds and the bees. Yuki could only watch in shock. Kyou finally got his mind out of the gutter and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her along up the stairs and into his room. Shigure listened to the door slam shut and he grinned.
Poof
Tohru sighed as she pranced over to Kyou's bed and sat on it. He stared at her new form and looked away when she caught him staring. Her orange fur and black stripes stood out beautifully around those dark green eyes. Tohru's tail thumped against his comforter.
"You better not be shedding," Kyou joked with her.
"I never shed!" Tohru defended with a huff.
"So, why'd you change?" Kyou suddenly asked as she turned her gaze to the window.
"When the spirits push me to hard I transform. The tiger caused me to transform because it kept pushing it's own anger out of me," Tohru explained.
"I wonder what they're doing," Shigure hummed as he looked at the ceiling.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," Yuki scolded as he took a bite. He knew what Tohru meant. It was her decision whether to tell Shigure or not.
"I did hear a poof," Shigure pointed out in suspicion.
Yuki paled before he decided it was better to end Shigure's thought process. Yuki stood up and punched Shigure on the head. He began to whine and Yuki sighed. It had him distracted.
"Keep your ears to yourself," Yuki hissed.
"Why are you so cruel!" Shigure cried as he heard another poof.
Author's Note:
I like italics(they're fun) I just changed the stress word style and that's about it. The next update might be a bit slower because I'm working on another fic, and I want to be able to weave this story together.
Thanks to all the reviewers, you who review are what keep me writing
cemetarydemon - I love reading your review...they're entertaining it reminds me of something I would write (: p)