Author's Note~ Inspired by a situation with a real life friend. There's no spoilers but it is post-manga.
Disclaimer~ I do not own Furuba or any of the characters.
The store was busy today. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and she was starting to get hungry. They had just finished with the last customer in line.
"Hey, Tohru-kun," Her supervisor got her attention, "I know it's kinda late, but did you wanna take your lunch break?"
"Yes," she sighed in relief. "Thank you, Kaori-san."
She opened the mini fridge and felt her heart skip a beat. It was empty...She thought back to when she had left this morning and rested her head on the counter, groaning. She must've forgotten it in the fridge this morning.
"What's wrong?" Kaori-san asked.
"I was in such a rush this morning I forgot my lunch," she admitted shamefully.
"Oh, well that's no big deal! Just go to the cafe around the corner. Kenji-kun is working and he likes me so just tell him I sent you and he'll make whatever you want for free."
"I can't do that!"
"Eh? Why? Will your husband get jealous? He doesn't have to know."
She shook her head. "Kenji-kun is always working so hard I can't trouble him like that!"
"Trouble him?" Kaori-san laughed. "Man, you're really funny sometimes, Tohru-kun." She frowned. She was sure Kaori-san didn't mean anything by it, but sometimes it felt like she was a small child being dismissed even though they were close to the same age. She didn't really like it...
"Oh! Good afternoon!" Kaori-san greeted as the bell rung.
Well...her shift was over soon anyway. Might as well just hold out until she got home. She would be fine.
She wasn't fine. It had been a rough day. She ended up having to stay three hours later than initially planned due to a coworker calling off sick. She clenched her stomach. She was so hungry!
On shaky legs, she managed to let herself into their apartment. Thankfully, her and Kyo-kun had gone grocery shopping yesterday so there was enough there to make something easy.
Just the thought of eating made her stomach yowl in protest.
She set up two boiling pots of water, one for rice, the other for the potatoes.
She mustered up whatever energy she could to start peeling the potatoes, arms heavy with fatigue. She was really tired. Hopefully Kyo-kun wouldn't be too disappointed if she tucked in early after dinner.
She heard the creak of the door. "Tohru?" Oh, so he was home already.
"Kyo-kun!" she jumped up from the table, apparently too fast as it made her woozy, and tried to run to greet her husband but ended up tripping on the way, strong arms keeping her afloat from under her shoulders.
"Whoa! Clumsier than usual, huh?"
This would normally be the time when she would defend herself, but her tongue was...stuck.
Kyo-kun, always so perceptive, cocked his head in concern. "Tohru, are you okay?" he stroked her cheek. "You look pale."
Say something. "I-I'm fine, Kyo-kun."
He wasn't convinced. "You don't really look fine." He put a warm hand on her forehead, brow furrowed. "You don't have a fever.."
She pulled away, careful not to be too abrupt. "I'm fine, really! I just feel a bit faint. Once I get something to eat, I'm sure I'll be right as rain!"
"What, did you take your lunch break really early today or something?"
She giggled nervously. "Yeah, something like that."
"What time did you eat?"
She froze, blanching. She was never a very good liar, and with the way he was staring at her now, she knew she wasn't getting anything past him.
"Before I left," she mumbled.
"Huh?"
She cleared her throat. "Last time I ate was...before I left."
Kyo-kun gave her a steady look. "That was over 11 hours ago."
She averted her eyes shamefully. His fingers crooked her chin up so they were facing each other. "Tohru, why would you not eat?"
"I-um-" she floundered, "I was in a rush this morning and I completely forgot to pack my lunch and I didn't realize it until I was already there."
"There's a cafe down the street from you. Why didn't you just order from them?"
"W-well, I-I thought about it but I didn't really have time to go pick anything up."
"So have someone else do it. You could've called me and I would've brought you something."
She waved her hands. "Well, everyone was really busy and I didn't wanna bother them and have them make food for me. It's my own fault I forgot my lunch, not theirs and-"
He groaned, "Tohru, you're not bothering anyone, that's literally their job. They get paid to make food for people. Including you."
She knew that. Of course she knew that. She'd been kicking herself for it all day. "By the time I had time for a break, I was already almost off anyway, so I figured I would just wait til I got home."
He cupped her cheeks. "You should've eaten something sooner, a pack of crackers, anything. You look like you're about to pass out."
She jerked away. "I'm fine, really!" And then she swayed and soon enough she was in the air, tossed over her husband's shoulder like a sack.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"What does it look like?" he asked nonchalantly, not even grunting with the effort of carrying her at all, which she vowed to file away for future use. "I'm taking my wife to bed." Almost married for a year now and she still felt a tingle in her chest when he called her that.
"What?! But- but dinner!-"
"I'll finish it." And then he gently tossed her on their bed. "Last thing we need is for you to pass out while cooking."
She wanted to argue, to protest, but the longer she sat, the more the energy left her. And all that was left...was shame. Shame at herself for not eating over something so silly, shame that Kyo-kun had to come home from a long day just to worry about her...Her throat got choked up and she felt her eyes go misty.
"Tohru?" He asked softly. He was always so kind, so much kinder than she ever deserved. Long fingers fanned her cheeks, wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes and he was kneeling in front of her now at eye level. "Why are you crying?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm always being stupid and making you worry about me."
"You're not stupid and if I don't worry about you, then who will?" She didn't have much of an answer to that. "I'm not mad at you," he sighed out, "And I don't mind taking care of you. If you don't want me to worry, then you should be better at taking care of yourself once in a while."
She sniffed, nodding. "Right. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing." He grabbed something out of his pocket. "Here."
She scrunched her eyebrow at the wrapped snack. "A granola bar?"
"You need something in your system before dinner. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."
He was always so rational. She smiled softly. "Thank you."
He hummed in response, pushing her hair back to kiss her forehead. "I'll come get you when dinner's ready. Just sit here and relax for a bit."
And then he was gone.
She obediently opened her granola bar, chewing in slow, careful bites. She really would have to be more careful, wouldn't she? It wasn't like Kyo-kun could trail her around to make sure she wasn't hurting. She smiled at that visual image. Cute.
She wasn't sure how long she sat there, sinking into the mattress, slowly getting through her granola.
"Oi," she got a light bonk on the head and she jolted.
"Oh, Kyo-kun! You're back already?"
He raised an eyebrow and then burst into chuckles.
"What?"
"I've never seen someone space out while eating a granola bar." he stroked her hair. "You're really adorable sometimes."
She blushed and he just laughed some more and she felt her breath leave her a bit. He really was beautiful, wasn't he?
"C'mon, come eat with me. I've missed you." She knew he meant it. Kyo-kun didn't just say things to butter her up. Before she could respond though, she was being hoisted from under her knees into the air.
She squeaked in surprise and wrapped her arms instinctively around his neck. "Kyo-kun, I can walk on my own," she protested weakly.
He shrugged, smirking. "It's more fun this way."
He started walking out, effortlessly. Did she weigh anything to him at all?
"Nah, you're pretty light." he responded, and she stiffened as she realized she said that out loud.
"Am I?" She'd always thought she was pretty average sized.
"I've held kittens heavier than you," he drawled.
She pouted, huffing, "Now you're just bullying me."
He snorted. "You love it though, don't you?"
Well, two could play at that game. "Of course!" she chirped innocently, "I love everything about you." And then she kissed his jawline sweetly and watched with delight as his cheeks turned pink and his grip slackened enough that she could slide down to the floor gently.
She saw the spread on the table and clapped her hands together. "Wow, Kyo-kun! It looks so good!" Then she grinned at him. "You're so amazing!"
His face almost matched his hair now. "It's not a big deal," he mumbled, "It's just dinner."
They've known each other for almost half a decade now and he still got so bashful over the smallest things.
She threaded her fingers through his. "Thank you."
The shy smile he gave her made it all worth it.
"Hey, Tohru?" he asked as she sat down to eat. She looked up at him curiously. "Please don't do this to yourself again. Just call next time. You're never a bother. Not to me."
Of course she knew that. It had been clear to her for a long time, but it didn't stop her eyes from getting watery. Her traitorous brain still sometimes told her she wasn't worth it, and here he was to tell her otherwise. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it.
"Oi, don't get all weepy on me now," he scolded gently. "You need to eat."
She rubbed her eyes. "Right."
It'd been over two weeks since that incident and she'd been extra diligent to make sure she brought her lunch with her every day.
Kyo-kun had said she could call him if she needed to, but she still wanted to avoid doing that if she could.
She felt the rumble of her stomach. She had finished with wiping the counters, cleaning the windows, and organizing the snack areas. She should ask Kaori-san for a break soon…
"Hey, Tohru-kun," oh! And there she was! "There's a super hot guy over there checking you out! I know you're married so you want me to send him away?"
She scrunched her brow. Super hot…? She looked where Kaori-san was pointing and her eyes widened at the familiar copper hair.
"Kyo-kun!" She gasped.
"Wait, you know him?" But she was already running from behind the counter, only vaguely registering Kaori-san calling her.
She only had eyes for the man in front of her, still in his gi and looking so effortlessly handsome.
"Kyo-kun!" She grabbed his sleeve.
He smiled at her. "Oh, hey. That was quick."
"Wh-what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the dojo?"
"I'm on lunch. I wanted to see you. Have you taken your break yet?"
"Uhh, no, I was just about to…"
"Take it now." He nodded towards the counter where Kaori-san was watching them with rapt attention. "That's your supervisor?"
"Yes."
"Want me to tell her?" The woman in question narrowed her eyes.
"No, that's okay!" She waved her hands. "I've gotten a lot done already so I'm sure she won't mind! I can..ask her."
"Alright, I'll wait here then."
His eyes lingered on her as she carefully made her way behind the counter to grab her lunch.
"Sorry for the short notice, Kaori-san, but I wanted to take my break now if you don't mind."
"Just a minute, Tohru-kun," Kaori-san stopped her in her tracks. And then she lowered her voice. "Who is that guy?"
"Eh? He's my husband!"
"Him?" Then she put her chin in her hands. "Wow, no wonder you're always talking about him. You hit the jackpot, didn't you?"
Tohru felt something warm in her chest and she whispered fondly, "Yeah, I did."
"Does he have a twin by any chance? Brother, sister, it doesn't matter to me."
"Sorry, Kaori-san," she said sheepishly, "he's one of a kind." And he's mine, a tiny, possessive part of her brain whispered. "I'm going on break now so I'll see you later."
And she left before Kaori-san could give a proper response. In the past, she would be worried about coming off rude and she would probably apologize later, but she had a wonderful husband waiting for her and he was first priority.
And as they walked out hand in hand, she was reminded not for the first time and certainly not the last, how blessed she was to have him.
A/N~ How blessed were we to finally get that kiss animated?! Wow. Thank you TMS!
Review, please! :D
