Disclaimer: lalala…oh, you want ANOTHER disclaimer? Are you sure you want it? -holds disclaimer above head while you jump up and try to snatch it- HAAHA! Shorty! Fine, I don't own it…
Run
"Gah, this sucks…" Haru said, slightly irritated by the fact that he had walked by that particular tree four times now. Tohru had needed some things from the store and Haru, being the 'gentleman' that he was, had offered to go for her. Besides, Kisa would have gone with Tohru and the ox figured that it would be easier for one misdirected cow to go, than two people.
"Stupid, really." He said aloud to the tree he was passing for his fifth time.
Getting into town wasn't his problem, all you had to do was walk down the trail in Shigure's woods until you hit civilization. Getting back out of town was where he went wrong. There were just too many paths! He roughly sat on a nearby stump and dropped the bags of stuff next to it. (don't worry…nothing breakable!)
XxX Hey, guys who have a bad sense of direction are hot! XxX
Tohru stared out of the window in worry, and Kisa tugged at her sleeve.
"Oneesan? Haru-chan is fine…please don't worry?" Kisa said sadly, watching Tohru's anxious eyes snap away from the window.
"Ahh! I'm not worried! I just hope Hatsuharu-san is ok!" Tohru said, running into the kitchen to fix them both a cup of tea. Kisa followed her, slightly curious to why the onigiri's was so quick to deny being worried. It's not like it was wrong. That's when she noticed it…the slight blush creeping up Tohru's neck and onto her cheeks. Kisa smiled sweetly and hugged the teen's knee. Tohru down from the sudden contact and smiled in return.
"Is there something Kisa-chan would like? I can make you some-"
"Don't worry Oneesan…It's not wrong to like him." Kisa said quietly, although she was still smiling. Tohru dropped the cup she was holding and it shattered to the floor.
"L-like who?" She stuttered while picking up the broken pieces.
"Haru-chan…it's not wrong to like him." Kisa repeated watching Tohru turn away in embarrassment.
"Well of course I like him," Tohru said, not hearing the front door open. "I'm just not sure if it's in the way you're thinking. I have been noticing a sweeter side of Hatsuharu-san lately and I think it's wonderful that we are all getting to spend more time with each other, but I just don't think I like him like that." She babbled and Kisa interrupted.
"Oneesan, Haru-chan doesn't get many people who see him for who he really is…and I don't think it's right to ignore it if you like him. He would be pleased, and I'm sure he feels the same way about you…but, it might be too late if you never discuss your feelings." Kisa said, baffled by the braveness in her voice and Haru pulled his ear away from the door in shock. He couldn't help the wonderful nervous rush like he had just missed a step going down the stairs…but he also couldn't help the images of Rin flashing through his mind.
Rin unconscious in the hospital bed.
Rin screaming at him to leave.
Rin with a bandage of her head.
Rin telling him she didn't need him anymore.
It was too much…so he did what any normal guy would do in that situation. He ran…
XxX I feel bad for Haru! XxX
He didn't know how long he ran for, but he couldn't stop…not when he had come this far. He wasn't in love with Rin; he just couldn't stand the thought of someone else rejecting him. Deep down he knew that she never would, but he was really scared of what other people might think. More importantly…what he would think. But it seemed that everyone knew where Akito stood on relationships…
XxX Damn that Akito! XxX
Tohru's head snapped up as she heard a bag, muted by the wooden kitchen door, fall to the floor. Fear struck her eyes and she looked at Kisa as if silently asking 'How much did he hear?'. Kisa poked her head out of the kitchen but was answered only by the door slamming.
"I think I upset him…Agh! I am such a baka!" Tohru said loudly, in frustration. She covered her eyes, thinking that she had highly offended him and that he was now disgusted with her. She never thought that it might be that Haru was scared of what they might become…because of him.
XxX See above comment… XxX
Lunch passed…no Haru. By the time dinner had rolled around, Kisa and Tohru were getting very worried. Although seeing him would ease this anxious worry in the pit of her heart, Tohru wasn't sure how much of their conversation he had heard. How was she supposed to talk to a guy, when he had just heard about her liking him…and then he ran away!
'Am I really that disgusting?' Tohru thought, while making rice balls. Suddenly, she heard the front door creak open, and ignoring the jumpy, shaky feeling in her stomach, she went to see who their guest was.
Haru… and he looked exhausted. That must have meant that he had switched.
'Because of me…'
Turning away to risk further embarrassment and disappointment in herself, Tohru was stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder. Lifting her soft turquoise eyes to his grey ones, she couldn't help but see a little glint of…hope.
"I really think we should talk." Haru said calmly, and Tohru nodded her head, following him out onto the porch. Kisa watched from the stairs, a small smile lighting up the golden brown eyes that followed their movements.
XxX Wouldn't you hate me if I left it off right there? XxX
Haru sat on the edge of the porch and patted the seat next to him, motioning for Tohru to come and sit with him.
"Tohru-san, I overheard you and Kisa-chan talking today. Although I'm very…flattered that you feel that way," Haru said, pausing and prolonging the tension in the room. "I could never possibly feel the same way." Tohru's shoulders dropped and she put on her best smile.
"That's ok, Hatsuharu-san. I'll be fine…" She said, trying to stand but was once again stopped by his strong hands.
"But Tohru-san, I want to feel the same way…but it isn't possible. We aren't supposed to care for other people and it would mean for you to get hurt if I put you in that position." Haru said, the words that had been trapped in his mind now freely flowing. "The truth is…I really do care for you. You have never judged me the way other people have and you see me for who I really am. But, Akito-san…" Haru stopped, unable to go on. Sensing his distress, she laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Hatsuharu-san, I can understand if you don't want to go against his wishes. But, I want you to know that if it is only for my safety, I don't want you to protect me. I want you to be happy." She said warmly and he looked at her in shock. 'Stupid really, I knew she would say something like that.' He thought, while brushing a piece of her hair away. Tohru blushed as the air between them began to disappear. Neither of them seemed to be moving, but they found themselves inches away, with hot air causing both of their visions to be blurred. Just as he was close enough to feel her breath on his lips…the phone rang. Jumping at the sudden interruption, Tohru reluctantly went inside, flustered by what she had almost shared with the ox.
Watching her retreating back, Haru mentally sighed.
'I have been told that I am not allowed to have these feelings…but I can try, for you.'
XxX Saki's notes XxX
Mwahaha! I LOVED writing that next part! Sorry if it's kinda cheezy, it's only 6:00 in the morning… Welp, I got ONE reviewer so far to say they will start on a Haru/Tohru story. WOHOO! And that is why I am posting this chapter! Because their only request was that I update more often…I EFFIN ROCK! Oops…I mean, YOU EFFIN ROCK! Ha..ha…ha -eyes dart around the room nervously-
Love you guys and review! -Saki-
