The sun was setting behind them as Tohru and Kyo climbed the steps to Shigure's house, their fingers interlaced. In spite of the idyllic setting, the two of them were walking quickly, Tohru audibly fretting the entire time.
"I can't believe I lost track of time like that! It was so nice to see Hatsuharu and Isuzu at Master Kazuma's, but it's already almost dinner time! And I still have to shop, and cook, and get everything ready...I hope Shigure and Yuki aren't too disappointed about waiting, I really should have managed my time better."
Kyo just let her go; he'd already tried to settle her and failed. But that was pretty typical Tohru, taking her responsibilities seriously and worrying about others. The day she stopped doing either of those things would be the day she'd literally keeled over dead. But he kept a firm grip on her hand, and every time she seemed like she was getting too wound up he'd simply give it a squeeze. Not a hard squeeze, but enough that she'd stop talking, turn, and give him that big, radiant smile of hers.
He loved that smile. Just like he loved everything else about her, even the way she worked herself into a tizzy because of the possibility that two grown-ass men might have to wait on dinner.
"Well, once we get back let's just change really fast and then we can run right out to the grocery store. I still don't get why you didn't want to just stop on the way home, it doesn't matter if we're still in our uniforms or anything. And I coulda paid, it's no problem!"
Tohru shook her head vehemently. "No, it's my fault for forgetting my pocketbook at home today. It's very kind of you to offer, but today is my day to pay for the groceries, and that's that. We'll just have to do what you said and be quick about it; I just hope Shigure and Yuki are ok waiting. Maybe I should whip up some kind of quick snack before we go out to the store..."
"If they need a snack, they can find one themselves, Tohru. They're not babies."
"I know, it's just-"
"You've gotta keep up your end of the deal?" Kyo cut in with a smile, and Tohru smiled back. He understood, even if he didn't always 'understand.'
"Right."
At their rapid pace, it didn't take long to get to the top of the stairs, although Tohru was breathing heavily at that point. And Kyo was aware, though he was trying not to be. Trying not to notice how her lips were slightly parted, how flushed her face was, how her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath. How it felt when she looked at him with all those things happening.
It had been a little over a week since that insane, incredible day when everything dark in his world had suddenly been illuminated by the brightest burst of light. Since Tohru had gotten out of the hospital and he'd finally gotten to see her. Since he told her he loved her, and wanted to be with her forever. Since she'd said the same thing to him.
Since the Curse had broken.
Kyo still couldn't believe it. It was all so much, almost too much. After a lifetime of suffering and pain, he was finally free. Free to do what he wanted, free to be what he wanted. Free to be with who he wanted.
Multiple times a day, he'd notice his missing beads and panic, then relax as he remembered. Sometimes he would walk up and put his arm around Tohru for literally no reason, other than to remind himself that he could. It was strange, it was a little terrifying, it was exciting.
Really exciting.
Kyo had loved Tohru for so long that he didn't really know when it had started. But he knew it was at least a year, because it had been last summer at the beach house when Akito's cruel taunting had forced Kyo to realize it. And that realization had only made him despair, knowing she was so close but he could never have her.
How much difference a year could make. Tohru was his, and she loved him. And they could walk together like this, hand in hand.
But.
Now that the Curse was gone, Kyo was more aware than ever of things he'd always tried to suppress. Things he'd tried not to notice, or acknowledge, because noticing them would bring him even more pain. Things like how pretty Tohru was. How she smiled. The way her neck arched when she tilted her head to the side. How short her skirt was, and how long her legs. How sweetly her body curved.
He doubted Tohru had even the slightest idea he was looking at her like that; she was far too pure. But every time he hugged her and felt the way her body molded against his, he started thinking thoughts that were very, very far from pure. Ditto when she kissed him, and he could taste her sweetness on her lips. Kyo had sworn he was going to be a gentleman; he was going to take things every bit as slow as Tohru wanted. But even though it had only been a week, he was finding it really, really hard.
Honestly, he was much a dog as the damn Dog.
So he made a point to look ahead towards the house, rather than any longer at Tohru, as they finished their trek home. She was still mumbling about dinner plans, so she probably didn't even notice anyway.
Kyo slid the door open as they reached the house, and the two of them stepped into the entryway to take off their shoes.
"That's strange, did Shigure say he was going out tonight, Kyo?"
"No, but that doesn't mean he just didn't. We could always ask Rat-boy, Shigure might have said something to him. But more importantly, whose are those?" They were both looking at a shiny black pair of well-polished shoes sitting beside Yuki's, and neither of them had the answer. Not immediately, anyway.
"Ah, good, you finally made it home. I was wondering how long it would be."
Hatori walked out from the living room, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the two teenagers. Both of them jumped; neither of them had any reason to expect Hatori.
"Oh, Hatori, hello! It's so nice to see you today!" And Tohru looked truly happy, beaming as she gave Hatori a bow in greeting.
Hatori smiled back, the small, affectionate smile that always appeared for Tohru. "It's nice to see you too, Tohru, but I'm afraid you might not feel that way about me in a few minutes."
That got both Kyo and Tohru's attention, and Tohru looked at him in surprise while Kyo's own face reflected suspicion.
Hatori continued. "I'm afraid that I have to ask you to do run an errand for me, Tohru, and I'm so very sorry. I left my bag in my office back at the main estate, and I need it for a stop I have to make at the hospital later this evening. I also need you to pick up some extra sterile cleansing wipes and bandages at the drugstore, because I'm extremely low. Obviously I'd normally take care of all of this myself, but I have something important I need to handle here right now."
Tohru's eyes were round. Hatori had never asked her to help him with anything before, she was so honored! But also concerned, because what could be so important here that would need Hatori?
"It's no problem, Hatori, but is everything alright here? Are Yuki and Shigure-"
He held up a hand to calm her. "No, they're both fine. I'm not here on for any emergency purposes, and in fact Shigure isn't even here. But it is important, and I know you can understand when I say it's private."
Tohru nodded, relieved. She was still curious, but she certainly wasn't going to try to push in on anything private!
"I can go, it's no trouble. It's just-" She hesitated, not quite sure how to juggle the errand with her need to shop and make dinner. It wasn't like the main estate was a quick walk away!
Kyo was less subtle. "We still need to go to the store and make dinner, Hatori. Can't this wait?"
Hatori shook his head. "I'm afraid not, but it's fine if you also do your grocery shopping while you're getting the bag. In fact, I'd like that; I'd feel that way I'd be inconveniencing you the least. And please don't worry about dinner being late; Shigure isn't here this evening, and I doubt anyone else will mind the wait."
He had a point there; neither Yuki or Kyo would ever dream of commenting about a late meal, or making any other sort of judgement about Tohru. Ever.
Tohru nodded again. "Alright, then just let me go change, and I'll head right out!"
"We'll be going right out," Kyo amended quickly, giving her a smile that she readily returned.
Then Hatori was like a bucket of cold water. "Actually, Kyo, I need you to stay here. My business here this evening concerns you, so after you've changed I'd appreciate it if you would come to the living room."
Once again Tohru and Kyo were both surprised, and Kyo's suspicion meter was through the roof. What on earth could Hatori be doing here that was important and involved Kyo, of all people?
"Damnit Hatori, what the hell? You can't just come into people's houses and taking over, especially not without warning!" Kyo was practically sputtering with indignation; the nerve of this guy! He had no idea what Hatori was up to, but he did know he didn't like it. Not any part of it.
Hatori simply fixed Kyo in his cold stare. "Believe me when I say it's in your best interest to listen to me, Kyo."
It's like fire and ice, Tohru thought in quiet awe as she watched the stare-down between Hatori and Kyo, Kyo's eyes lit up with anger and Hatori's as icy and cold as winter snow. But after a moment, Kyo looked to the side, scowling.
"Fine, I'll stay. But I won't like it, and you'd better hurry up with your damn explanation!" He looked sideways at Tohru and sighed. "And I'm sorry, Tohru. You know I'd go with you, if I could. I'd much rather go with you," he added with a scowl at Hatori.
Hatori was unperturbed. "If you'd please hurry up, Kyo? And I'm sorry to press you Tohru, but I'd appreciate it if you could get going as well. My apologies again on robbing you of your companion, but I promise that it's all for a good cause."
Tohru patted Kyo's arm and smiled at Hatori. "Of course, it's no trouble at all! I'll run and get changed right now, and leave you to your business!"
Whatever that was.
Tohru was already putting on her shoes when Kyo came down the stairs, and he stood in the entryway for a moment, watching her. "I'm sorry about this, Tohru," he repeated. "Sorry Hatori is sending you all over the place, and I can't even help."
She straightened up, shoes on and purse in hand. "No, it's no trouble Kyo, I promise! I do wonder what this important business is though; it sounds so serious!"
"Yeah. You'd think if it was so important, he would have told me about it ahead of time, though."
"Well, maybe you can tell me about it later, if it's not too private." Her eyes suddenly lit up as a new thought occurred to her. "Do you think it had something to do with the Curse? Or your future? I wonder if that's why it's so private."
"Maybe? Though if it was my future, I don't see why Master wouldn't have told me about it already. But the Curse..." Kyo sighed, an uneasy feeling creeping into the pit of his stomach. Why would Hatori be there and need to talk to him 'in private' if it wasn't some sort of Sohma business?
Tohru could see she'd made him uneasy, and she sighed. "Well, I'm going to go. I'm sure it won't be anything bad, and maybe you'll even enjoy it!" She shyly leaned up to give him a peck on the cheek and he smiled, both of them blushing a bit, and then she was off.
Kyo looked after her for a moment, still smiling, then sighed again as he turned to the living room. Might as well get this over with.
He was both surprised and not when he walked into the living room to see Yuki sitting there as well, and the sight did little to undo the knot in his gut. If Yuki needed to hear this too, then maybe it was something to do with the Curse. Or maybe just the family, Kyo reminded himself. It didn't have to be bad news, either way; it was just that Hatori was always so serious, he made everything seem like such a damn big deal.
As Kyo sat down at the table, Yuki gave him a mild scowl. "Thanks for finally gracing us with your presence. What took you so long?"
"Hey, I didn't know I was supposed to be attending any damn meeting today, ok? Maybe if someone had actually told me, I'd have been here sooner!"
Since Tohru's accident, a lot of things had changed between Kyo and Yuki. Yuki had gotten a lot meaner, for one thing, in that he was absolutely vicious with his comments these days. He had certainly had no problem with telling Uotani and Hanajima everything that had happened between Tohru and Kyo leading up to the accident, causing him to be physically barred from seeing Tohru in the hospital and harassed constantly at school.
There was also the bit where Yuki beat the crap out of him.
But in spite of that, most of the simmering hatred that had always existed between the two of them had...faded away. They still bickered, and they still disliked each other, but there was significantly less overt hostility. Usually.
"That's enough, you two." Hatori's stern voice cut through Yuki and Kyo's, and they both turned to see him standing with his arms crossed, glaring at them. "I have a guess, but no actual idea how long it will take Tohru to run her errands, so in the interest of time I'd like to get started."
"Yeah, let's get going with the Big Important Talk," Kyo said sarcastically, folding his own arms.
Yuki rolled his eyes at Kyo, then looked curiously at Hatori. "So, are you finally going to tell us what this is about, then?"
So Yuki didn't know, either.
Hatori uncrossed his arms. "Of course, now that Kyo's here." He looked at them both; Yuki, quietly curious, and Kyo, simmering with irritation. He took a deep breath. "I'm here to talk with you both about safe sexual practices and general sexual health."
What. The Hell.
For a moment Yuki and Kyo just stared at Hatori in stunned silence, shocked disbelief written all over their faces. Then both of them shot to their feet, at almost the same time.
Yuki was incredulous. "Is this really necessary, Hatori? We have health class at school, you know." His face was bright pink, and he couldn't even look at Hatori. Or Kyo, for that matter.
If Yuki was pink, Kyo was a flaming crimson. "Seriously, Hatori, what the hell? You can't just waltz in here and make me sit and listen to...that!" He couldn't believe this was happening. How did he get to a point in his life where he was supposed to sit with Yuki and listen to a lecture about sex? From Hatori? He started rapidly for the door. "I'm outta here."
"Kyo, stop." Hatori's voice stopped him, and he turned slowly to look at Hatori, rage and embarrassment still written all over his face.
Hatori was as impassive as ever; he'd fully expected a reaction like this from both of them. But while he was sympathetic, he wasn't about back down, either, especially when it came to something this important and for their own good. Very much for their own good, in fact.
Kyo still had his hand on the living room door, and Hatori gestured for him to return to the table. But Kyo remained where here was, still scowling. "Give me one good reason why I should."
Hatori sighed and looked from one embarrassed teenager to the other. "I see I've surprised you both. Fair enough. But the truth of the matter is, now that the Curse is broken you, like all of us, suddenly have a lot more personal agency than you ever have. That, coupled with the fact you both have girlfriends now, makes it all the more important for you to be safe and following best practices."
"Not helping, Hatori," Kyo snarled, though there was one thing the doctor had said that surprised him. Yuki had a girlfriend now? Since when?
Yuki was surprised to hear Hatori knew about Machi, but he probably shouldn't be since Shigure knew. And Shigure had been teasing Yuki about her ever since she'd met Ayame; there were no secrets between those three, more's the pity.
But Hatori's knowledge hardly made Yuki want to be here, either. He was just less of a barbarian than Kyo, that was all.
Kyo slammed the living room door open and started to stomp out when Hatori's voice froze him cold.
"Shigure was actually the one who pointed all of that out. He felt that with you both living under his roof, he had a responsibility to educate you on safety. Only he also felt he ought to include Tohru in the conversation as well. Can you both understand why I felt compelled to take over instead?"
Kyo was absolutely horrified. The idea of a sex talk was bad enough on its own, but to get it from Shigure...with Tohru...
He'd never be able to look her in the eye after that, not for the rest of his life.
Slamming the door shut, Kyo stomped back to the table and sat back down, looking away from both Yuki and Hatori and planting his cheek on his fist. Through gritted teeth, he spit out, "Talk."
Yuki had also sat down, feeling almost as horrified about the prospect of Shigure's talk as Kyo. Beyond that, the very idea of having to sit with Miss Honda and Kyo while they listened to that talk was wildly uncomfortable. He didn't even want to be here with Kyo, knowing that Kyo would just be using this information with Miss Honda. He knew that they loved each other, he was very happy for them...but thinking about Miss Honda as a...person, with personal urges, felt deeply inappropriate.
Hatori had figured that would do the trick, and he wasn't disappointed. Hatori himself had been rather horrified at the idea of Shigure teaching anyone anything about sex; with the way his debauched mind worked, he'd probably skip over almost everything important and teach an actual how-to. And Hatori could only imagine well it would go over with all three of the teens; there was no way he was going to force them to put up with that, not if he could protect them. He owed Tohru, in particular, too much to let her get harassed by Shigure like that.
So he had firmly put the idea to rest by saying he'd take care of it himself. He was a doctor, there was no one more qualified than him. Certainly not Shigure.
"Alright then. I'm aware you'll have touched on the subject in health class, but unless they've drastically changed the curriculum, it'll have been an extremely cursory overview. So I'll go over a few things with you that are especially important, and you will both pay attention." Hatori's voice cut sharper there, and he could see both Yuki and Kyo twitch. Neither one of them was looking at him, but he didn't care as long as they were listening.
"And if I feel that either of you isn't giving me your full attention, I'll start quizzing you. Do you understand? Kyo?" Once of the two definitely seemed more likely than the other to try to and zone out.
Damn Hatori; even with only one good eye, he could see right through him. "I'm paying attention, damnit! Just get on with it already." Kyo was still glaring at the wall, every bit as red as he'd been when they started. If he was stuck sitting here and listening to this, then he wanted to get through it as rapidly as possible.
Hatori looked at him for a moment, then nodded to himself. Hopefully the threat would work, but if not...he wasn't bluffing, and he would take a vicious thrill in making either of them repeat the exact words he was looking for. They could be embarrassed all they wanted, but they still had to listen.
"Very well. So, first of all, I'd like to talk about general hygiene. Neither one of you has ever offended in general that I'm aware of; you're both always showered and clean, which is an excellent start. But especially at your age and when you're engaging in heavy physical exercise, like karate, you need to make sure you're also taking care to thoroughly clean your genitals."
Yuki couldn't believe they were having this conversation and covered his eyes with one hand. If he had to make eye contact with anyone while listening to this, he'd never recover. Meanwhile, Kyo had simply collapsed onto the table, groaning.
"Hatori, we know this! You don't have to tell us again." Yuki's voice was almost pleading, and for once Kyo was in complete agreement.
But Hatori wasn't swayed. "If you're going to be sexually active, then genital hygiene is more important than ever, you two. Because of how everything sits together, it's very easy for dead skin cells, sweat, and other fluids to get trapped and smell, or create infection. Even if you're cleaning the rest of your body, it can be easy to miss certain areas. So make sure you're lifting everything, cleaning around and under everything, each time you shower."
Kyo wanted to sink into the floor. It had been bad enough having to listen to this in health class, but now it was so much worse. The only way he was going to get through this was envisioning Shigure instead of Hatori and trying to remind himself it could be exponentially worse.
Hatori looked from Kyo to Yuki and back again. "Does that all make sense?"
"Yes!"
"Yes."
Two strangled yeses, and moving on.
"Continuing on the subject of cleanliness, hands."
Kyo couldn't help but snort at that one. "We know how to wash our hands, Hatori, we're not kids."
"I'm aware, but hand hygiene is especially important when it comes to sexual activity, Kyo. You may not realize, but both male and female genitalia have mucus membranes, which can be highly susceptible to infection if touched with unclean hands."
This wasn't happening. Kyo was not going to let his mind go to where that explanation was trying to take him.
"So, it's extremely important to wash your hands thoroughly if you're going to be engaging in any sort of intimate touching, even if it's just with yourself. Because genital infections are extremely nasty, and if you think that this is an awkward conversation, just imagine how much harder it would be to explain how you got an infection." Hatori's tone was dry, but he was also sympathetic. He had been a teenage boy once, so he could only imagine how painful this was to both of them. Even with Kyo's head buried in his arms, he could see the red tips of his ears, and Yuki's skin seemed like it might remain permanently pink.
Best to just continue. "So, wash hands. And on a related note, spreading infection is obviously not limited to hands. It's best to make sure you're keeping anything not specifically intended for genital contact far, far away from them. I'd most particularly caution you against any foods, but this goes for quite a lot of things. Please make sure you're being mindful." Hatori didn't want to give them any ideas, but he also wanted them to be safe. And unfortunately, in his time as a doctor he'd seen more than one...injury caused by someone being foolish.
Kyo's incredulity at that one outweighed his embarrassment, and he lifted his head to stare at Hatori. "Seriously, Hatori, food?" He couldn't believe that they were being warned to keep food off their junk; just what kind of weirdos did Hatori think they were?
"Are you really that innocent, you stupid Cat?" Yuki was almost as shocked by Kyo as he was by Hatori, and he was relieved to get a chance to snap at Kyo to let off some tension.
"About what? Or are you telling me it's freakin' normal for people to want to put food on their...there?" Kyo was picturing a bowl of rice and completely confused, embarrassed, and defensive. Clearly he was missing something, but he wasn't about to ask.
And neither Yuki or Hatori was about to explain.
"Alright, so that's the high points of hygiene. It can basically be summed up by 'wash everything before you touch anything.' Was all of that clear?"
"Crystal." Kyo's voice was laced with sarcasm.
"Except for the part where you apparently don't know literally anything about anything," Yuki's voice snarked.
Kyo bristled and glared at him. "And what's that supposed to mean, Rat-boy?"
"Just that I feel very sorry for Miss Honda, having to deal with you."
"You better leave her out of it, or I'll-"
"MOVING ON." Hatori's voice sliced through Yuki and Kyo's, and after one final glare they turned back to Hatori. For a literal moment.
"Now, when you're engaging in sexual activity-"
Kyo groaned and hid his face again, while Yuki was back to looking at the table.
"Safety is obviously of high importance. You want to make sure you're acting responsibly, to prevent pregnancy as well as avoid any sexually transmitted diseases."
Both boys bristled at the mention of STDs, and Hatori was quick to deflect. "I'm not saying that either of you currently has any need to worry much, either on your own sake or that of your partners." He would bet every last yen that he owned that Tohru Honda wouldn't know an STD if it looked her in the face, but he wasn't going to make any distinctions based on knowing Tohru and not Machi. "But it's a good thing to be aware of, in the event you end up having more than one partner. And that's not an aspersion on either of you, or your girlfriends, but a simple statement of fact."
There was no argument, so Hatori continued. "At your age, condoms are one of the more available options, and they have the advantage of preventing the spread of STDs as well. However, it's important if you choose to use condoms that you use them correctly. That means making sure you have the right size, putting them on correctly, making sure you are wearing one before your penis is anywhere near a vagina, and properly disposing of them after you're done. Is all of that clear?"
Kyo didn't have it in him to be sarcastic any more, or anything. He was too busy writhing in the personal hell that was listening to Hatori talk about condoms and genitals. And Yuki wasn't faring much better, though he, at least, could feel a small sense of appreciation for what Hatori was doing.
At least it wasn't Shigure.
"There are other options as well. Your girlfriends could choose to use some method of hormonal birth control, though that is completely on them and their choice. If she does, then it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to be aware of which kind and how it works. Condoms would be optional in that case, but only if you're completely confident you're protected from unplanned pregnancy. I'd actually encourage condom use even if your partners choose hormonal birth control, just because of the added protection. All of you are too young to be parents yet, so make sure you are having open conversations with your partner about protection. There is also a type of contraception that can be taken in the event of unprotected sex-"
Another groan from Kyo.
"But that type of contraception is much more expensive and also time sensitive to use. But if you ever end up dealing with a broken condom, for example, it is much, much better to get the emergency contraception than gamble on a pregnancy."
Hatori walked around the table and set something down beside both Kyo and Yuki. Uncovering their eyes, they each found themselves looking at a small box of condoms.
Yuki was honestly surprised, and the surprise showed in his face. "You're just...giving these to us, Hatori?"
Hatori's voice was still dry. "I'm a doctor, Yuki, and a realist. I'd much rather know you were being safe than assume you weren't doing anything, though obviously I encourage that as another option, probably the safest option of all. But..." He shrugged. "Please make sure you keep these in a sensible location, each of you, and when you run out make sure you get more. Never put yourself or your partner in a position where you're even considering unprotected sex, not until and unless it's intentional. And by that, I mean actively wanting to have a baby."
Kyo had hidden his head in his arms again, too embarrassed by any of this to have anything close to a proper conversation. He was honestly amazed Yuki was able to string a whole sentence together; clearly Rat-boy had a lot less shame. If only Kyo knew whether that was a good thing or not.
"And that leads us to the last part of our chat."
"Oh thank God," Kyo's voice drifted up from the table, and Hatori smiled wryly. He was expecting a much harsher reaction to this last bit, especially from Kyo.
"So, consent. I hope this is information you both already know, and I don't have any reason to think badly of either of you on this subject. But it's extremely important, and I'd be remiss if I didn't include this in the conversation. But if you're going to be sexually active, then you need to be making sure that both you and your partner are ok with it."
At least this time there were no new groans.
"Do not assume that you have permission to do anything unless you have been explicitly told. Do not assume that being told one thing can happen can mean another thing will happen. If you are ever told to stop doing something, then stop immediately. Even if you were previously told yes, you stop. Even if you were just told yes, you stop if she changes her mind. You do not, ever, do anything without the permission and agreement of your partner. You do not harass them to change their mind if they say no. And you never assume you are owed any sort of intimacy, whether sex or anything else, just because you happen to be their boyfriend." Hatori looked sternly at Yuki and Kyo, both of who were now glaring up at him.
"Damnit, Hatori, what kind of assholes do you think we are?"
"He's right, Hatori; surely you know us better than to have to warn us off of that?"
Hatori crossed his arms. "I don't make assumptions, simply state facts. And I'd also like to remind you that it goes both ways. You two are also able to say no, and your nos deserve respect as well. If you feel you're being pressured into something you don't want, you should have firm conversations with your partners and address it immediately. Relationships need trust, and trust is especially important in sexual situations. But hormones can make it easy for lines to blur, and I want you to both be mindful and respectful in every situation you find yourselves in."
Yuki turned and looked at Kyo. "You'd better stay mindful and respectful, you stupid Cat. If you were ever to try anything like that with Miss Honda-"
"Shut up, damn Rat! As if I'd ever even think about it, you sick bastard!"
Hatori cleared his throat loudly, and they looked back at him guiltily. But he was actually smiling slightly, amused at how quickly they'd both gone on the defensive about Tohru.
"Unless you two have any follow up questions, we're done here. I appreciate your attention, and I'll be sure to inform Shigure he has no need to say anything to any of you about the subject. Ever.
He was not surprised in the slightest that there were no questions, and he was only mildly surprised Kyo actually opened the door before bolting out of the room.
"Kyo, don't forget your condoms!" Yuki's voice was almost malicious as he called loudly after Kyo, and Hatori looked at the former Rat in surprise. Yuki and Kyo had never gotten along before, but Hatori would have thought that at least some of that animosity would have faded by now, between the breaking of the Curse and the situation with Tohru and Kyo.
Kyo came stomping back into the living room shooting daggers at Yuki, took his box, and stomped wordlessly out again. Yuki and Hatori could hear him make his way down the upstairs hallway, and when he slammed his door the whole house shook.
"Still so touchy," Yuki said with a sigh as he shook his head. "You think he was twelve, rather than seventeen. But I guess it's to be expected, all things considered."
"Is it really necessary to tease him like that, Yuki?"
Yuki considered for a moment. "Necessary? No. Fun? Yes." He smiled, that same unsettling malicious smile Hatori had seen before. "It's all for the greater good, though. He's such a tense idiot, he needs to learn to laugh at himself more."
Yuki picked up his own box of condoms and shook his head. "I can't believe you just did that, Hatori. That was so...painful."
"Better me than Shigure."
"Yes...thank you for that."
Upstairs in the safety and privacy of his room, Kyo was finally starting to turn back to his normal color and resume his normal heart rate. If he ever had to go through anything even remotely similar to that ever again, he didn't know how he was supposed to survive it.
At least it hadn't been Shigure, he reminded himself.
Though really...it hadn't been awful, either. Embarrassing, but not awful. Most of it he knew already, but there had been a couple things that were actually new. And a couple things that he probably shouldn't think about any further, but knew he would anyway.
He growled slightly, thinking about the bit about 'consent' and how Yuki had gotten all snippy with him. As though he was that kind of guy, or had ever acted like he might be! Wasn't he taking things excruciatingly slowly, almost to the point of physical pain, just to be sure he wasn't doing anything she didn't want?
He sighed and flopped back down on his futon, looking at the box in his hand.
At least now he had condoms.