Disclaimer: still not mine.
A/N: Woo! So that last chapter was a "get it out of the way" kind of thing, sorry about the length – or lack thereof.
oO0 0Oo
He turned the corner, taking each step carefully. He knew what was waiting for him but he was terrified.
Tohru robotically picked up piece after piece of popcorn, eating intensely rhythmically.
He opened the door, and it moaned painfully loud in the echo – y hallway. As he looked inside he found - !
"Who's he?"
Tohru screamed and popcorn flew everywhere.
Kyo jumped. "Jeez!"
She took a few breaths before looking back at him. Her eyes were wide enough to watch the t.v. in.
"Sorry . . ." he mumbled, plopping on the couch beside her.
She whipped around, trying to focus on her show, but the stress was gone from the moment. Disappointed that the outcome of the door-open was just a witch-woman, and not Kan's long lost wife, Tohru started to pick up kernels.
"So," Kyo said, throwing popcorn into the air and trying to catch it in his mouth, "is this what you do all day?"
"Um," she said, embarrassed at the situation, "n-no, not really." She swatted a kernel out of her hair – one of Kyo's misses.
He sighed irritated, bending down to help her. Kyo watched her out of the top of his eyes. She seemed overly intent on picking up the mess, not even noticing that he had stopped picking up and was blatantly watching her.
"Tohru," he whispered, glancing at her worriedly.
She kept picking up popcorn.
He reached out and stopped her hands.
She blinked hard, before looking at him, deserting the kernels.
He didn't say anything, just watched her struggle to smile; cover things up.
The room felt quiet, even the t.v. seemed muted.
Kyo had no idea what he was doing, why he insisted on bringing it up. He just hated un-resolve. He honestly had nothing to say to her to make it better, but in the moment – every moment – he thought that the words would just come.
They failed him once again. Only this time words weren't needed.
Tohru, her fists clenched, jammed one down on her leg and the other to her face. She sobbed, and Kyo couldn't say anything. He just watched as she sobbed, her body trembling.
Eventually Tohru stood up shakily, regaining composure. She smiled quickly, her old-fashioned smile, and left to the kitchen.
Why do I stay here? God! I'm such an idiot! He thought, letting the door shut noisily behind him as he left D8.
Tohru expected the door slam, but she jumped anyway. She stood numb in the kitchen for a moment, concentrating on the buzz of the t.v.
Then, she laughed.
Harder and harder, each gasping breath bigger than the previous until she fell to the cool floor, holding her sides.
Here I am, watching a soap opera! My LIFE is a soap opera! God, how lame!
She breathed heavily, letting the tile calm her. She found she was exhausted. Closing her eyes, she steadied her breathing.
"You really are foolish," Yuki said, smiling down at her, extending his hand.
She took it, getting up.
He brushed some snow off her back and out of her hair. She smiled up at him, admiring how the snow stuck to his eyelashes and cheeks.
He smiled back warmly. "Can we go inside now?" He asked with mock irritation.
"It's the first snow!" She teased, "isn't it beautiful?" She reached down and threw a pile of the fluffy ice into the air.
He couldn't help but laugh with her - it was contagious.
He took her hands, guiding them away from the snow bank. She smiled proudly at him.
Tohru slowly erased all traces of her smile. She quickly got up and went to turn the channel.
The news, good, she thought. She resumed picking up popcorn.
The weatherman's voice drifted into her thoughts.
-Tomorrow will be a high of 54, and a low of 33 with a chance of a light snowfall toni–
Tohru dived at the t.v. almost knocking it over trying to turn it off.
"News bad!" she said.
Her palm ached. She had a cut from the t.v. cabinet. "Great," she mumbled.
She went to the kitchen and dug around in the drawers until she found a band-aid.
She looked outside and could see a rather impressive sunset. Leaning over the sink, she sighed.
The clock said 7:16.
"That's good enough for me," she said, heading for bed. There's no point in finishing today, she thought, it's been bad enough.
"Ten-o'three! Come on!" Tohru said to her ceiling. Apparently, when you want to sleep is when you never can. She rolled over to her side and glared at the window.
Snowing.
"Perfect," she said, "I hate having memories," she thought, but then took it back.
Without them, I don't think I could keep going.
She heard the door click, and shut her eyes. Pretending was the only way to handle Kyo recently. Pretending to smile, to laugh, to sleep . . .
"Tohru?" he said softly, waiting. She didn't move, just kept up her steady breathing. "I . . ." he stammered. "I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry. But - . . ." he ended. She could see him rubbing his neck with one arm, as if it would prompt the "right thing" to say.
Her silence was good enough for Kyo, and he retreated thinking her asleep. Tohru shut her eyes tightly.
"I'm sorry Kyo, I'm so sorry . . ." she whispered, silent tears falling.
What's wrong with me? This is selfish . . . Light from a passing car lit up her night stand. Her mom's picture was staring at her, telling her it was ok. That she loved her.
"Sorry mom, you didn't raise me to be this way," she said, stroking the picture frame.
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and wiping her cheeks. She resolved to be different tomorrow. To move on, so that everyone else could move on, and stop hurting.
It's up to me, she concluded. Tomorrow, Kyo Uo, Hana, Momiji . . . everyone can breath again because I will let go. I will completely let go, and live again. And not in the past. I officially move on.
The snow fell lightly outside. Tohru, for the first time in a long time, found it peaceful.
A tiny speck fell onto his coat. Then another, and another.
He touched one, melting it instantly.
"Great," he sighed, before getting into the cab.
oO0 0Oo
A/N: Eat up, that might be it for awhile. Hey, don't complain, college is rough!