"Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin."
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Chapter 4: Bridging the Gap Between Likenesses
Tohru sat on the deck area beside Momiji as the two sipped the hot coco that Hatori had brought them, and while they were thus occupied, Hatori had retreated back inside to his desk, where work awaited him. Right now he would give anything to get away from them, a visit from Shigure and Ayame, a family emergency, or even a summons from Akito, but nothing came.
And so he sat there in silence, with his head in his hands, and listened to Tohru and Momiji talking excitedly just outside his door, not wanting to interrupt them by stepping out, even if he did wish to get some fresh air.
Soon though, their words almost seemed to mingle together and only became distinguishable when it was only Momiji speaking. And...what were they speaking about? Hatori hadn't the foggiest idea, and when he glanced at the clock, he wondered how the time had passed so quickly without his having noticed it, and then to top it off he nearly flew out of his chairs when a hand settled upon his shoulder.
'What the?' He spun around to find Tohru with a concerned expression upon her face, looking so much like Kana that he did almost did a double-take. "Hatori are you alright?" she asked hesitantly, immediately hoping she hadn't angered him by entering without knocking, but also daring to hope that he'd open up to her, for she believed that things were always much easier to deal with when you shared them with someone else. Sharing her troubles had always managed to take a load off of her own shoulders and so...
"I'm fine," he said curtly, but then added, "I'm just a bit tired," in a much calmer, softer voice when he saw the hurt look in her eyes. He'd forgotten how easily she was upset, how quickly she jumped to the conclusion that she'd said or done something wrong when it obviously wasn't the case, and he didn't want to be the one who made her cry. In fact he didn't want to make a woman cry because of something he'd said or done ever again...it was just...too much.
However, saying that he was tired had probably not been the wisest choice as she suddenly launched into what he'd one day heard Kyo refer to as 'mother mode,' which consisted of her fussing over whoever she thought needed it.
"Tired? Oh Ayame told me you haven't been getting much sleep lately and...Oh I'm sorry I know it isn't any of my business and I know you work really hard and have a lot to do but you really should rest," she paused a moment to take a breath and then continued. "Is there anything I can do? Maybe get you some hot tea to help you sleep? My mother used to do that for me when I was little. I'd tell her I could stay awake like a big girl and she would let me, and I'd fight to keep my lids from dropping until I was too tired to sleep, and then she'd give me some warm tea and tuck me in bed."
Part of him wondered how exactly how healthy it was for her to have said so much without breathing in-between words, another part of him urged him to send her on her way, but again he didn't want to offend or hurt her and so he simply said, "Some tea would be fine."
This caused her eyes to light up. "Alright, I'll go make you some tea then," she said in such a way that he didn't have the heart to point out that she was a guest in his house and thus he should be getting her something to drink and not the other way around...However, if it made her feel better, and allowed him to be left to his thoughts, then he would let her do it.
And so off she went, however, when she returned, she found Hatori curled up in his chair looking more vulnerable than she'd ever thought he could look, except of course for that one other time at the lake house, but that had been different somehow...Now it was just the two of them, and she felt like she was intruding upon something not meant for her. But she had his tea and so she couldn't leave, she'd just...leave it here for him in case he woke up and...'He must be cold,' she thought, thinking of how cold it'd been outside earlier.
And so, she went over to one of the cabinets, pulled out a blanket usually used for the dragon's patients, and wrapped it around him, hoping it would be enough, and then, with realizing what she was doing, she smiled softly at the peaceful expression upon his face, one that she hadn't seen since that day at the lake house, and she bent down and brushed her lips against his forehead in a tentative sort of kiss before whispering, "Sleep tight Hatori and sweet dreams." She then slipped outside, closing the door quietly behind her and rejoining Momiji.
And as she headed off with the exuberant blonde and left the sleeping dragon curled in his chair, she failed to notice the silver haired beauty watching from the shadows with tear stained cheeks and the tear bright, red rimmed eyes that had seen it all.
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Well there you have it folks, sorry for the shortness, oh and the crapiness of this chapter...I needed to bridge to what will hopefully be a more involved scene with Ayame in the next chapter.
Anyway I would like to thank all of those that have reviewed thus far, especially Tsu-chan, to whom I grant my Ayame plushie.
