Chapter 9 – Scattered Moments

The young couple was preoccupied with the purest intention and had forgotten about the world around them. At this moment, all they wanted was to be closer to each other. The night was getting colder as the breezes invaded into the dark room through the window. Tohru shivered and clung closer to Kyo's warmth. He held her closer rubbing her icy cold arms and quickly remembered her current state.

"You should get back to bed." He said.

"No, I want to be with you… like this." She clung on closer.

"No, you need rest. You're still sick." He pulled away, stood up and shut the window.

"Kyo, I…"

"Sh…" He scooped the sick Tohru in his arms. She leaned her head against his chest while he carried her to bed. He gently lowered her onto the mattress and tucked her in. She looked up quickly to meet his eyes looking down. They both smiled.

"Kyo…" She stretched out her hand and slightly pulled the fabric of his cargo pants. "Please promise me that you'll never leave again."

He stood at the side of her bed still looking down admiring her glowing blue eyes in the dark. They were like the eyes of a child so innocent but scared at the same time. A little crease appeared on Kyo's face as he put his weight down onto the edge of her bed. He leaned forward and gently brushed his lips over her and said, "No, I will never leave you again. I promised."

"Kyo!" She instantly wrapped her arms under his and over his back pulling him closer to her. He buried his arms into the blanket and underneath her body responding to her happiness and dropped his head face down beside her. She grasped for air and whispered to his ear, "Can you stay with me here tonight?" She asked.

The question startled him as he lifted his weight off her. He stared at the sparkling eyes that were smiling, pleading for his comfort. He couldn't help but inhaled deeply and held on to this moment. The thought filled him with an indescribable happiness. "I love to, but I shouldn't…" He slowly pulled away and sat up.

"Please…" She begged. "I want to know that this is true and not just a dream." She grabbed onto his sleeves, "I didn't understand before…" Her heart started to rise. "…but on the day you left, something inside of me was burning. I felt so useless. I didn't know what was happening or how to stop it. Then Kagura came and said that she loved you." Her voice started to break, "She even said… that… she'll die… for you…" Her eyes glowed from the forming mist. "I felt bitter and the burning sensation got hotter and it was eating me up inside. I wanted to go out and look for you, but I had no lead and I didn't have the courage to leave. All I could do was waiting. Each night, I looked out through the window waiting for you, minute passed then hours then when I couldn't remember anymore I slept under the opened window."

"Tohru…" Kyo drew her up into an embrace. "I'm sorry..."

"No, you did nothing wrong. Your absent actually help me realized something important. I understand now… I need you… please stay with me… I want to hold on to this moment." She pleaded.

"Tohru…" He squeezed her tighter. "Just for tonight… I'll stay just for you…"

"Kyo…" Tears of happiness escaped her blue eyes.

The young lovers lied together leaning the side of their head on the same fluffy pillow. Kyo wrapped his arms around Tohru breathing her scent through her chestnut hair. Her body was warm and her skin felt soft against his arms. Not a single word was said. They continued to be in this position until both wore out and slept soundlessly under the same cover.

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The next morning went by quietly not until noon when an unexpected visitor came and unexpected event started to happen one after another. The visitor knocked on the door of the sick girl, but received no answer. Shigure was also standing in front of the door. He shrugged his shoulders and slowly opened it. He and the visitor were caught by surprise to find Tohru and Kyo together in the same bed.

"What is this?" The visitor asked.

"Beat me…" Shigure sniffed and burst out his fate tears, "Tohru is cheating on me! Wahhh…"

The distributing cry of his older cousin woke the sleeping cat, "HELL!" He immediately jumped off the bed.

"Did we disturb you?" The visitor asked.

"Hatori, what are you doing here?" The cat asked.

"Shigure said that Tohru is sick, so I came to see if she is okay." He replied.

The noisy cousin then asked, "What are you doing here with Tohru? I thought that you're never going to come back and here I find you sleeping with my fiancée."

"I… um…" Kyo started.

"Well, I did say that I didn't mind, but I never said that you can take her like that."

"Nothing happen you jerk! I'm not like you!" Kyo responded.

"Really, then what was that just now? We witnessed it! You slept with her…"

"I was just comforting her."

"Come on, Kyo, tell us the truth. Don't tell me that you didn't have any urge or desire around the lovely Tohru."

Kyo couldn't control his temper and jumped on his naughty cousin, "No! You sick bastard!" He smacked Shigure right on the chin. The commotion woke up the sick Tohru and she slowly opened her eyes and met a pair of dark hazel ones.

"Good afternoon." Hatori greeted her. "Are you feeling any better? Shigure said that you had a fever."

"I think that I'm okay now. I don't have any headache or flushes." She replied.

"Well, we just have to make sure of it. Please sit up and let me check on your temperature."

Tohru followed the doctor's instruction and seated her body up leaning her head against the headboard. Then she caught the sight of Kyo pounding Shigure on the floor and cheerfully smiled. It looked like Kyo was fitting right back in. The two disordered men stood up and came over to her bed as the doctor examined her.

"Well, it looked like you're just fine, but I suggest that you rest for another day to regain your strength." The young doctor advised.

"Thank you." Tohru said with her sweetest voice ever. "I think that I should be okay. Now that Kyo is back… I'm so happy." Her statement made the cat blushed pink. "I think that I should make a big lunch to welcome him back and to thank you for coming to check up on me."

"No! You heard the man. You need to rest a little bit more." The cat exclaimed.

"But I couldn't…" She argued.

"Yes… you rest…" He sighed. "I'll… I'll cook."

"My… my… Our Kyo is worried about Tohru… Isn't that cute?" Shigure smirked.

"Shut up!" At that, Kyo signaled for the two older men to leave. Before he shut the door behind him, he heard her voice said, "Thank you."

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Kyo wasn't a bad cook but compared to Tohru his cooking was nothing close to her. He opened the refrigerator and the smell of leeks almost suffocated him. He quickly covered his nose and to dig to see if he could find something else. Before he could continued a pair of pale arms wrapped around his neck and almost choked him to death.

"Kyo!" Kagura happily yelled his name. "Why did you leave me? I thought that we could be together, and you left without saying a word."

He chocked, "You're… kill…ing… me…"

"Opps… I was so happy. I'm sorry." She apologized. "What are you doing?"

"Cook… food… starving!" Still, he breathed out each word as he regained his normal breathing.

"You don't have to do that. I'll cook for you."

"No!"

"I insist. Now you go out and sit with Shigure, I should be done very quickly." She pushed him out of the kitchen and started up the stove.

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Kyo joined the other in the living room. Yuki came down from the stairs and immediately noticed his orange hair cousin was back. "I see you finally decided to come home." He smirked.

"It's none of your business." Kyo snapped as he turned his head away and whispered to himself, "I almost forgot about that damn rat."

"Expect the unexpected." Shigure said. "And guess where we found him?"

"Don't you dare!" Kyo locked a pair of hot fierce red eyes on his cousin dark brown ones. His eyes are seeping flame warning the older cousin that misfortune will come if he tells.

"Relax… I think Yuki should know and I need a third opinion on the situation. I think that he would find it dubious too."

"What? Or where did you find him?"

He coughed once then twice and said, "In Tohru's bed."

Yuki didn't even say a word, just stood there and examined the cat that he hated so much. Thoughts ran through his mind, 'Why? Tohru must have chosen him over me, but why don't I feel any anger? Is it because of last night? Or is it something else? I actually… feel relieved… that the cat came back, odd.'

"Why are you standing there like a zombie? So, what do you think happened between them? I'm sure that Kyo had something under his sleeves that he's not telling us."

Shigure comment broke his train of thoughts and he replied to the dog, "Nah… He's too stupid. I doubt anything happened."

"What did you say you damn rat? I've just got home and you want to stir up a fight. I'm not going to lose this time! Let take it outside!" Kyo shouted.

Yuki narrowed his eyes and quickly realized the true reason why he wasn't furious at the idea that Kyo and Tohru were getting together. He knew exactly what had driven him to Tohru and what had caused him to react inappropriate last night. He then sneered at his over tempered cousin, "If it a fight you want, then I shall not lose." He paused and with a more confident look, "I will never lose." He added.

"You damn rat!" Kyo was about to jump over the table, but was pulled back by Hatori. "Hell! Let me go! I must kill that… that girly… rat!"

"That's enough, sit." Hatori ordered. "Tohru is still resting."

"Ugh…!" Kyo dropped onto his butt and sat next to Hatori.

"Lunch is ready!" Kagura came out and set the table with sashimi, grilled mackerels, green salad and pickled vegetable.

"Wow, this look great, Kagura! Hmm… and they smell good too. I'm so hungry. Should we call Tohru and ask her to join us?" Shigure asked.

"No, I heard that she is sick right? I'll bring her some food, so why don't you boys enjoy and I'll check on her." Kagura insisted. "Yuki, come and sit down. You don't want the food to get cold now."

Yuki came over and sat next to the dog which made him face the cat. Kagura took a seat at the edge between Kyo and Yuki. She served the rice to each man then she excused herself upstairs to check on the sick girl.

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Knock. Knock. Knock.

Tohru answered, "Come in."

"Hi, Tohru. You must be hungry. I've got you some food." Kagura greeted her and place the food on top of her bed stand.

Tohru was a little edgy to see Kagura. For the little time that she had with Kyo last night, she had put aside everything and everyone. Now she remembered Kagura… Yuki… and Shigure… 'What should I said to them? It will hurt no matter what I do or say, but how can I say it so that it hurt less?' She thought.

"Tohru, is something wrong?" Kagura asked.

"No…" She quickly covered up with a smile. "Thank you so much. I'm sorry to bother you with my duties. I should be the one cooking and serving. After all I'm the hostess."

Kagura returned the smile, "No, it my job to serve my man. There is no problem at all."

"Your man?" Tohru sounded confuse.

"Yes, my man… my Kyo." Kagura replied.

"Kyo?"

"Yes, Kyo and I… you see… the last couple of days and we've been very close."

"Close?"

"Yes, very."

Tohru dropped her head and felt her blood broiling. "What you do mean by that?" She tried to keep her voice as polite as usual.

"When I found him at this master's place training, he was lost and out of control. He didn't know what to do. I tried to calm him, but he refused any help from anyone. Then when he thought that no one in this world cared him, I told him that I'll always be with him. He opened up to me. We even…"

"I don't believe you." Tohru said with a flat voice as she looked up to meet Kagura's brown eyes.

"Why?" Her brown eyes widen.

"He said… that he loves me." She spoke timidly.

"Tohru, he's just lying. He doesn't want to lose to Yuki, so he made up that lie to win you over. Who would know him better than me? I knew him since we were children playing tag and I know every detail about Kyo. I even knew exactly where to find for him."

Tohru admitted that Kagura did know more about Kyo and she did, but that didn't mean that Kyo loved Kagura more than her. How could he lie to her? Not after last night, it couldn't be just a dream. "No you're lying!" Her voice broke. "He couldn't have. How could he?" She fought her thoughts, 'His kiss… was touching… he couldn't be lying. He would never do such thing to me. I love him.' A filmed started to cover her blue eyes.

"Tohru, please you need to let him go. I need him more than you do. Can't you see? I love him, too." Kagura begged. "You have Yuki and Shigure and everyone else loves you. I only have Kyo. Kyo is the only one that I love. Please let him go…"

"I…" She could hear her heart pounding again. 'What should I do? Kagura looked so sad, but what about Kyo? Does he loves me or does he love her?' She shook her head franticly and said, "I can't… I can't…"

"Tohru! I'll die…"

"Don't say that… You cannot do that… taken your life away… that's not fair."

"If I cannot have Kyo, what is there for me to live for? All my life, I dreamt to be his wife and if you take that dream away from me then I'll just… I'll just kill myself."

"Please don't. I can't… What about Kyo? How does he feel about this? I can't do this to him…"

"Tohru, I know what… come by Kyo's room in an hour, and I'll show you that he wouldn't mind at all. Like I said earlier, Kyo and I had been very close and I'll show you how closed we've gotten."

Somehow, Tohru felt ill and her lungs collapsed at those words. Did something really happen between Kyo and Kagura? She didn't answer to Kagura last comment. She looked away sadly and continued to ponder her thoughts. 'If Kyo and Kagura did, then what should I do?'

Kagura's plan was taking effect as she said. "Kyo is my man… When you find out… please leave him. Even if he said that he loves you, you must leave him because he belongs to me…" Kagura walked out and lightly shut the door. She leaned her head against it and spoke to herself softly, "Tohru, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't give Kyo to anyone, not even you. Please forgive me…"

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Back Stage Discussion:

Kagura: Please don't hate me.

Tohru: What is she up to?

Smile: I can't spoil the fun yet… Just wait and see…

Yuki: Am I out of the love trend?

Smile: No, not yet.

Kyo: What does that mean? You're not going to pair me up with that witch are you?

Kagura: Who are you calling a witch? I'm just acting accordingly to the script.

Shigure: Wow! More angst is coming up. I can tell.

Smile: Hey, I need some help with the following abbreviation. I'm tried to figure them out but just couldn't. I guess you could tell that I don't socialize much. (ha ha… I forgot to laugh.) What are AU, LOL, LMAO, and OOC?

Shigure: How dense can you be?

Smile: Well, I could be very dull from time to time, so please help.