"Tarja!" The wolf scrunched her eyes shut tighter against the intruder who'd whipped the blinds open. The sunlight glared into the room with force.
"What?" she mumbled. Momiji leapt onto her and she moaned. "Don't, that hurts."
"Momiji!" The shout of Hatori brought the boy back to his standing position. "Leave Tarja sleep for now. She's not feeling so well."
That was an understatement, Tarja thought as she curled further into a ball. Her shoulder was throbbing painfully and she felt as if she'd throw up any minute.
Hatori knelt by her. "How are you feeling?"
"Like hammered crap," Tarja smiled weakly. "I didn't want to admit it last night, but if you hadn't gotten that bullet out as fast as you did I probably would have died."
The look in the dragon's eyes softened. "So then I saved your life?"
Tarja scoffed. "No big deal. I could've died last night and it wouldn't bother me. 700 years is a long time to live anyway."
Hatori smiled. "It might have bothered me."
Tarja pushed herself up on the couch. "I imagine so," she teased. "You wouldn't want a dead wolf on your floor now would you?"
He stood and offered a hand to pull her up. She took it and stood shakily. Resting his hands at her wait, he helped her steady herself, while the urge of embracing her rushed through him.
He shook it off. Momiji came back into the room, holding a bag of candy. He held a piece out for Tarja and she took it. Unwrapping the pink plastic, she popped it into her mouth.
"Thanks kid," she ruffled his hair affectionately. He grinned up at her. She smiled back. Hatori watched this with wry amusement. Her troubled past made it hard for her to trust anymore, yet she took to that kid like soy sauce to rice. It made him wish she'd look at him like that, smiling.
"Momiji, are you ready?"
"Yes sir!" the boy saluted playfully and Hatori rolled his eyes.
"Then go get in the car."
Tarja glanced up at the dragon. "Umm where is he going?"
Hatori smiled. "We are going to the Sohma summer house." Hmm, we, as in Hatori, Momiji, and me, she thought. She shrugged.
"Where is it?"
"A bit to the north. We need to get you someplace where they won't find you so easily. And the hot springs will be good for you."
Hot springs? If she were animated, Hatori had a feeling there would be stars in her eyes. That's the way she looked up at him. Strange warmth spread through his chest and in the moment he realized he was still holding her.
Immediately he stepped away. "You should get some clothes for traveling," he said. "You don't have anything else do you?"
She shook her head. No she didn't have anything else.
They stopped over at Shigure's on the way, to let everyone know what was going on.
"I need you to give Akito an excuse for me," Hatori said quietly. "He's going to question me being gone."
Shigure nodded. "I suppose I could say you'd fallen ill and needed treatment for your condition. I can take responsibility a little."
"Akito most likely wouldn't harm you," Hatori mused to himself, really, more than to Shigure.
In the meantime, Tohru and Tarja were upstairs rummaging through her closet.
"I'll only take the things you don't wear often," Tarja resolved.
Tohru laughed. "Don't be silly, you have to look nice for Hatori."
Tarja narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?" The young girl in front of her gave a nervous laugh and fidgeted a bit.
"Well…it seems…that Hatori-san…" stammered Tohru. "I think he may like you, Tarja, and Hatori has been hurt in the past. I want him to be happy." The girl smiled brightly and Tarja knew that girl had a heart big enough to love even the most hardened criminal.
"I suppose," Tarja grinned. Tohru pulled out a few light colored summer dresses, some tops and a pair of pants.
"Here," she said, dumping the pile of clothing into a bag and handing it to Tarja. "That should be enough."
Tarja took the bag gratefully. "I can't thank you enough. I'll take you shopping sometime ok, and we can have some girl time!"
"That sounds great!" Tohru cheered.
They piled into the car with enough to hold them for over a month. Tarja really didn't know how long they'd be at the summer home, but she was looking forward to a change of scenery. Hatori, on the other hand, was looking for a break from being a doctor and a slave to Akito.
Momiji sang some made up song the whole way there. Tarja and Hatori glanced awkwardly at each other and rolled their eyes.
"Momiji, please stop that singing," Hatori glared into the rearview mirror. As soon as the boy had stopped and began pouting, Tarja picked up on the tune and began to hum it.
"What on earth are you doing?" Hatori asked. Tarja only grinned, and Momiji soon joined her again.
"Why aren't you singing?" Tarja teased. "Vocally challenged?"
The doctor grunted in response, but said nothing about the song from there on out. In only a few hours, they reached the summer home.
"Hey," Tarja grinned appreciatively. "This place isn't so bad after all." Momiji grabbed her arm and dragged her up to the house. She looked back at Hatori who was struggling with the bags, and disentangled herself from the rabbit's hold. She ran back to the doctor and took a bag.
"What you are you doing?"
She smiled at him. "Helping."
Hatori's eyes softened and that warm feeling came back. Indeed you are.