--Snail's Pace--

Thus by chance should I stumble upon a way to find you

Chapter Thirteen

'Let's run away together… we don't have to stay.'

'Where would we go?'

'We can go anywhere, somewhere far away. You don't have to worry anymore. I'll look after you. You don't have to be afraid.'

'What about the others?'

'I just want to spend some time with Tohru.'

Tohru blinked, rubbed her eyes, and put a hand on the window which looked down over the wing of the plane and into the sea. The clouds flew by like fleeting dreams, spreading out across the sky like a comforting blanket. She must have been dreaming. She was on the flight home to Australia, not on some crazy adventure with Yuki Sohma. Those past few hours must have been a dream. He'd met her at the airport, swept her off her feet and they'd run away together, boarding the next flight to Japan. Tohru sighed and turned in her seat just to make sure it had been a dream. She was correct – for there was no one sitting next to her; just an empty passenger seat.

Damn.

'Oh, you're awake now Miss Honda?'

Tohru twitched, sitting up right, and looking over her shoulder as Yuki Sohma came from the aisles behind and sat back down next to her. He had blankets and a pillow in his arms.

'Y-Yuki!' Tohru cried, 'oh, then it wasn't just a dream. I really thought that I was on my way back to Australia. I'm such an idiot. You didn't get those for me did you? You really didn't have to I'm just fine!' She smiled awkwardly at him, waving her hands, but a shiver ran through her body and she knew that he'd seen it.

'Here,' he said, and offered them to her politely. 'You were shivering in your sleep so it's not that hard to see you're cold.' He laughed lightly at her, and Tohru found herself smiling at him.

'All right, all right. I'll take your blanket,' Tohru grinned mischievously, 'in fact I'm really cold so I might just take both of them!' She lunged and took a fistful of his cover.

'Miss Honda! I'm cold as well. You really want me to freeze don't you?' Yuki sniffed, playing along.

'Girls get colder than boys!'

'I'm famous!'

'That won't help you now!'

By the time the plane touched down in Tokyo Japan, both Tohru and Yuki had fallen asleep. Their heads rested against each other, both blankets covering both their warm bodies. In a matter of days Tohru had gone from Australia, to New York, and then to Japan. She felt well traveled and very excited to be visiting so many different places. It didn't take her long to get from the plane and into the streets of Japan, where Yuki talked fluent Japanese with the driver of their taxi in directing them through the city.

'That's so amazing!' Tohru said when Yuki spoke the language, 'Can all of the Sohma's speak Japanese?'

'Yes,' Yuki replied, 'mainly English and Japanese but there are some Sohma's who would be fluent in French.'

'That's right, Kyou told me that Sohma House was here in Japan, and that most of the Zodiac live here!' Her eyes were bright and full of color at the thought of being in the same city as other Zodiac members.

'You know about that?'

'Yes and I think it's fantastic! You're so lucky to be a part of such a close community of people. You can all support each other and help each other. You're all a part of the same curse so no one will better understand you than other Zodiac's. It's wonderful, I'm really happy to have met someone like you.'

Yuki blushed, and muttered a soft 'Thank you.'

'No, thank you, Yuki. I was scared about meeting you. I couldn't believe that you actually invited me to the Fruits Basket premiere, and then, because I was afraid that I'd do something stupid…because of, my feelings, I ran away.'

'How do you feel now, Miss Honda?'

Tohru paused for a moment; not really knowing what her answer was. She knew that she was happy to be with Yuki though, enjoying the time that she spent with him. Yet on the other hand, she felt terrible about leaving Kyou and not saying good bye. He was that other person that filled her heart after all.

'I feel like I'm on holiday from a holiday,' she replied and smiled at him.

'I guess that's a good answer then,' Yuki replied, and he took her hand in his. Tohru blushed at the touch. 'Tomorrow night when we're not so tired, I'm going to take you out and we're going to have a good time so that you forget everything that's troubling you.'

'Dancing!' Tohru squealed with delight as Yuki brandished the short, red dress before her eyes. He'd said he went out for a walk, and she'd expected that he was going out to get her something or arrange what they were doing that night but she never expected the red dress. It was vivacious and beautiful, flowing just above the knees in beautiful layers. Layer after layer of beautiful red and magenta, it was stunning – the perfect dancing dress. Tohru was spinning.

In fact, she was spinning on the dance floor of Tokyo Salsa, swinging, stepping, sliding and twirling with the famous Yuki Sohma. Orange, yellow and red spotlights flashed above them, illuminating their smiling faces among the many others that were having a good time. It's easy to say that Yuki and Tohru were the best couple on the dance floor. They complimented each other in their dancing and their fashion; Tohru in her vibrant red dress with red ribbons and white heels, and Yuki in his crimson suit with a white tie and belt. Yuki had known how to dance for many years after learning the basics for one of his movies; and for Tohru knowing how to dance had been essential in her University Course.

They collapsed onto a side table laughing, ordered a couple of drinks, and caught their breath after an amazing display of the salsa. Both had been careful not to get to close in case Yuki turned into his Zodiac self.

'This is so much fun, Yuki!' Tohru beamed at him. Her troubles truly had left and she was having the time of her life.

Yuki starred at her for a long moment; taking in every part of her that he had failed to notice on their first meeting. He smiled, finally having visible proof of the one person in the world that carried everyone's happiness in the palm of her hand. Yuki was pretty sure his happiness was there as well; and he never wanted to let go of Tohru Honda who brought such light into his life. Such sweet, beautiful light.

He could look at her forever.

'Yuki…you're staring,' Tohru said with a smile.

He blushed. 'Am not.'

'Are too!'

'Well I'm just staring at that smudge on your face. It's a big smudge.'

'There's no smudge. You're lying, Yuki!'

'Am not.'

'Are too!'