Lions and Tigers and chapter 32 Oh My! I can barely remember the times when this story first started. Oh, good times, good times. Well I know by now people don't want me to yammer on for to long so I'll just get into the story.
Point of No Return
Tohru's POV
I half-heartedly stirred the food in front of me as my mind thought of the day. It still amazed me to think that Haru, even Black Haru, had attacked Jacob. I know that if I told Kyra she would be even more heartbroken than she already was. It would be as if I was stomping on the pieces already there. But my heart was telling me I had to tell someone. But who? Who could I tell to who wouldn't make a fuss or make matters worse? My hand slipped slightly on the pan I was stirring and a splash of hot oil burned me.
"Ouch." I moved the pan off the heat before I ran cold water over my burn. Kyo trotted down the stairs and entered the kitchen to find me this way.
"Are you all right Tohru?" He came over to me and examined my wound for himself without waiting for my answer.
"Yes, I'm fine Kyo." I turned away as if to go back to cooking but Kyo stopped me.
"If you aren't going to give cooking your full attention then I'll do it for you so you don't hurt yourself again."
"How did you know I was distracted?" He shrugged and resumed my cooking.
"You still are. Do you want to talk about anything?" I bit my lip trying to repress the urge to tell Kyo everything. He glanced at me as his skilled hands cooked. It was amazing to see the improvement in Kyo's cooking skills since I had started to help him.
"I saw something today that I wish I hadn't seen."
"Are those damn freshmen making out in the hallway again? Jeez I wish those kids would take hormone suppressers or something."
"No, not that, but it still does bother me. If I tell you what I saw you have to promise not to talk of it with anyone else."
"I promise not to tell anyone."
"Well today at lunch I went up to the roof to check on Jacob and Haru since they had been up there for a long time. But when I opened the door I watched them fighting for a few moments. Well actually Jacob was just fending off Haru he didn't actually fight. But I know it would crush what is left of Kyra's heart if she found out."
"Then she doesn't have to find out."
"But she does have a right to know."
"It would do no good. If it will make you feel better I'll talk to Haru about it so we don't have to tell Kyra."
"Thank you Kyo." I rested my head on his shoulder and resisted the urge to hug him. If he was a cat he couldn't cook dinner.
At the dojo later that night
Kyo's POV
I couldn't sleep again. Whenever I close my eyes nightmares fill my thoughts so I decided to train to exhaust myself enough for a dreamless sleep. I thought the dojo would be empty but I was wrong. Haru was inside beating a punching bag harshly. In my mind I cringed for Jacob to have been on the other end of Haru's rage.
"Hey Haru." He looked up sharply stopping mid-punch. He didn't smile as he usually would; instead he nodded and continued to attack the bag of sand in front of him. "Ah, Tohru told me what she saw today." Haru stopped once again and turned. There was fear and anger in his eyes. "What did Jacob do to make you so angry as to attack him?" Haru's fists clenched and he averted his gaze.
"He touched her." He spoke so softly with such controlled anger I could barely hear him.
"Kyra?"
"No, the fucking Tooth Fairy. Of course Kyra." He was looking at me again and his anger was very strong now. It seemed to pulsate around the room making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I tried to put myself in Haru's shoes. I pictured some guy touching Tohru and I felt a wave of anger wash over me but by the look on Haru's face it was nothing compared to his.
"I understand Haru. I would want to rip a guy to shreds if he touched my girl, but Kyra isn't your girl. You broke up remember? And I'm sure it would not make Kyra happy to hear you trying to beat up Jacob." His eyes narrowed.
"No, I forgot we broke up. The last two months fell out of my mind. I didn't remember the agonizing loneliness I have been feeling since I can't hold her anymore. It felt for an instant that my heart hadn't been ripped from my chest. Kyo, I know we aren't together anymore. That doesn't mean that I like it when I see other guys hugging her. I could have torn his arms from his body but instead he might have a few bruises. I know that Kyra would be up set if she heard about the incident, that was the only thing that kept Jacob alive." I was at a loss of words. I had no idea that Haru had felt this much. Usually he is a mask of restrained emotion and he comes off as spacey, but when he feels strongly about something or someone he gets down right scary.
"I won't tell her." He seemed to examine my very soul with the look he was giving me.
"Fine." With that he started to work out some more. I changed and warmed up getting ready for a tough training session.
The next day at school
Haru's POV
I was sitting in my chair early just like every morning when He walked in. I still felt residual anger from the day before but I easily restrained it. He glanced at me and I noticed some bruises on his arms. Politely he nodded acknowledgement but I didn't move.
"Good morning Hatsuharu." A girl from our class was standing in front of me. I remember flirting with her once before Kyra came but the memory was fleeting.
"Good morning." She waited for me to start a conversation but when I offered no help she tried by herself.
"It is a beautiful day outside." I glanced at the window and remembered Jacob holding Kyra out that very window.
"Sure." My jaw was clenched and I cracked my knuckled from tightening my fists so tight.
"Are you doing anything this afternoon?" She had finally gotten enough courage to cut to the chase. Of course since the universe was tormenting me it decided to have Kyra enter the classroom and come over just in time to hear the question. Kyra's eyes were big and she bit her lip waiting for my answer. I decided to torment the poor girl who was asking me out.
"I'm probably going to go to my dojo and work out but other than that no. Why do you ask?" I must be evil for the look she warranted me. She looked horrified at the thought of spelling out her intentions and the class was filling up. Everyone who had entered seemed to be listening to our conversation.
"Well, um I was wondering. If, um you would like to um…" her voice was getting quieter and quieter, "hang out?" There was such hopefulness in her voice I was tempted to except but with Kyra standing next to the girl I didn't know what to do.
"I'll tell you what. I'll get back to you later to day to see if we have to much work or anything." She nodded and walked back to her seat. Everyone was still secretly watching me but I stopped caring. I tipped my chair back and put my headphones on then I proceeded to blast my music so loud I almost forgot Kyra was beside me.
The last bell rang, as I was finishing up a picture of my favorite band's logo. Kyra was up and gone after a few moments and I went to my locker. I watched Momiji and Kyra leave together before I sought out the girl from this morning. She was in the cafeteria talking with a group of friends when I entered. They all chatted excitedly as I approached them. I even heard one wolf whistle and I couldn't help smiling slightly.
"Hey can I talk to you for a sec?" The girl I sought came with me willingly. "I'm going to feel like an idiot in a minute but um, I can't remember your name." She looked mildly hurt but she recovered quickly.
"My name is Jackie Oranashi." The name rang a small bell.
"Well Jackie, I was thinking that I might walk you home, but then I really have to train today. During class I planned out my entire routine for this afternoon." She seemed happy that I wasn't turning her down completely but the fact that I was ditching her to work out didn't seem to make her all that happy. I watched as she told her friends goodbye and there was another eruption of giggles. Sometimes it was tedious to be a Sohma and then other time it was quite amusing.
The walk was filled with polite small talk but I could tell right away that nothing serious would ever happen between us. I thought about Kyra the entire time. If a terrorist came up to me and threatened to kill me if I couldn't tell him what the last thing Jackie said was I would be a dead man. At Jackie's door I didn't dare go inside so I made up an excuse.
"Well you know I promised my master I would be there at three-thirty so I should really be going."
"Oh, ok. Do you want to do this again sometime?"
"Well see." I waved over my shoulder as I sauntered off of Oranashi property.
Well I think this chapter is long enough. It wasn't sad or anything but I think it was mostly just fluff. I don't know, maybe I'll make Jackie a bigger character. Who knows? Well I don't.
