Chapter 15: These Eyes

Yuki's legs nervously fidgeted as he sat in his car. Kyo was taking eternity to answer his phone.

Luckily not many cars where flying by due to the lockdown. Normally it would have been lunch rush hour.

"Pick up you damn cat." Yuki whispered angrily.

No answer.

Of course he wouldn't answer. Why would he?

He tried to call Tohru even though he knew she probably couldn't pick up. No answer.

Yuki threw his phone on the ground and pressed his forehead to the wheel.

He was starting to feel dizzy. His heart was racing. He felt trapped. He couldn't hardly function. He needed to drive to see Tohru, but he just couldn't function.

He couldn't catch his breath. He started to sweat.

"Get yourself together...get yourself together..." he choked.

His phone beeped. Haru.

"...Hel-hello?" tried to pull himself together.

"Yuki, where are you? You worry me so much when you don't pick up!"

Well then Haru must worry alot. Yuki usually never picked up.

Just then Yuki started to feel pretty bad about that.

Yuki told Haru where he was at. He couldn't possibly drive any further. He was a safe driver. Even in times of stress he knew when he shouldn't drive.

Haru was coming to pick him up.

"I'm coming my little Yuki." he purred and hung up.

Yuki took a deep breath. He got out of his car. He climbed up some rocks, away from the road. He watched the road knowing it would be a good two hours before Haru would be there.

He started to regain some stability. He felt like Haru coming to come get him gave him a sense of control back.

Then he started to think about the mole on his leg.

"Why am I thinking about that right now!?" he hissed to himself.

He spent so much time worrying that time passed quickly. A familiar car drove up and parked behind Yuki's.

Shigure?

Shigure had gotten his license a year ago. There he was. With Haru.

Haru was still in the process of getting his license.

Haru rushed out from the passengers side.

"Oh Yuki...daddy's here!" Haru cried as he ran towards Yuki.

It was no joke. Haru sounded like he had been crying.

Haru cradled Yuki like a baby, and Yuki let him.

Shigure saw Yuki's lack of indifference to Haru's embrace and he started to worry.

Shigure got out from the car and walked toward the cuddly boys.

"Ah! Well then, hi Yuki. Long time no see." Shigure scratched the back of his head, looking a little uncomfortable.

Yuki stared into space, eyes wide open. Never blinking.

"Huh?" Yuki almost whispered.

"Oh dear, well then, Haru, let's get him in the car." Shigure turned and opened the passenger door.

"No Shigure, I'm going to sit in the back with Yuki." Haru tried to pick up a dazed Yuki.

Yuki snapped back to reality and put his feet back on the ground.

"N-no...I'm...ok-ay." Yuki crawled into the backseat.

Yuki stared up at the cars ceiling as Haro had his arms around him on the headrest.

Shigure looked in the rearview mirror and silently chuckled.

"She's going to be okay Yuki. She just fell down the stairs."

"BULLSHIT. That cat did it! That dojo fuck!" Yuki snapped.

Neither Haru or Shigure said a word. They just stared at the road ahead of them.

Yuki punched the seat.

Close to three hours passed. The men arrived at the hospital.

Yuki bolted out of the car in a beeline, as if he knew where he was going.

"Yuki hold up!" Shigure called as Haru ran after him.

Yuki knew the hospital wasen't taking visitors due to the virus going around. They would have to visit Tohru through the window. Luckily, she was on the bottom floor.

Haru directed Yuki to the right window. Shigure followed.

Yuki breathlessly ran up to the window. He had tunnel vision. It didn't feel like anything in the world existed except Tohru. Nothing else could enter his mind.

Tohru lay there with her eyes closed. No one else was in the room. Yuki started to panic and banged on the window.

Much to Yuki's relief, Tohru shot up from her bed, eyes wide open. Yuki felt bad for waking her, but he just had to know that she was okay.

Tohru looked very surprised to see the three men through the window. She smiled sweetly. Yuki's heart melted.

"Hi little flower!" Shigure crooned.

Haru stood with both hands on the window, looking in at her with that look of concern he often had.

Yuki looked in wide eyed and determined. He wanted to break that window open and get close to her.

Tohru could hear them as long as they yelled. But Tohru wasen't the type to yell indoors. She politely notioned a very tired looking nurse walking in the hallway. They brought her cell to her.

Yuki immediatlely dialed her number and she answered.

"Tohru did he do this to you!?" Yuki immediatley asked.

She didn't respond. Looked at him wide eyed with her mouth open.

"...I-I fell down the stairs Yuki."

"Damn it! Where is the fucker cat!?"

"He's not allowed here right now Yuki. It doesn't matter anyway he had a martial art tournament to go to. He left this morning. I made him dinner but he didn't seem to like it very much."

Damn. Yuki really had things to settle with him this time and the bastard had to be hours away. Yuki didn't even have his car. It was on the interstate all by itself, hopefully not getting vandalized.

After the robbery, Yuki assumed that everywhere was a potential crime scene. He didn't feel safe anymore.

He was too worried about Tohru to think about that now.

"Do you hurt?"

"No, I feel pretty good...I'm so touched that you would come all the way here to see me Yuki..." she started to tear up a little.

"Don't cry. It's alright." Yuki put his hand to the window.

"Oh no! I'm just so happy to see you. It's getting kinda lonely in here. This virus is really scaring me too. I feel like a nuisance being here when there's so many people getting sick.
This room should be reserved for them..." She sniffed and rubbed her nose with a tissue.

That was Tohru for you. Always thinking it was her fault.

Tohru had bruises on her face and arms. No internal damage. She was probably okay to go home, but the doctor thought she should stay for a couple days just in case. They stayed and talked to her through the window for a long time. Hours passed.

Yuki didn't want to leave.

No matter how hungry or tired he was, that was the only place he wanted to be.

The thought of leaving her made him feel sick.

Shigure looked at the time on his phone

"Oh my, Yuki. Look at the time. You worked last night didn't you? When was the last time you slept?"

Haru's head shot up and looked at Yuki in concern.

"Oh my gosh! Yuki you shouldn't be here you need to sleep!" Tohru cried.

"I'm used to it." Yuki said as he looked to the ground.

"Please go home and sleep Yuki! I don't want you to get sick! Oh Yuki do you have to drive home tonight!? Do you have to work too!?" Tohru was getting pretty upset.

"He's not going anywhere by himself" Shigure smiled. "He can stay with me"

Oh no. Akito. Yuki glared at Shigure. Shigure knew exactly what Yuki was thinking.

"I thought we could go stay at my house in the woods, just like old times! You, me, and Haru!" Shigure gleamed.

Yuki started to protest, but then realized that it actually sounded pretty appealing. Akito wouldn't be there.

"Thanks Shigure...what about Akito?"

"She'll stay home and read some books I gave her. She'll be fine."

Yuki looked back at Tohru. He looked like he had puppy dog eyes, with eyebags from the lack of sleep.

"It's okay Yuki." Tohru smiled sweetley at him. "I just feel better having talked to you guys."

Yuki felt better knowing she was going to be okay. This time anyways. He felt more worried about her catching the virus while staying in the hospital more than anything.

Shigure put his hands on both of the boys shoulders. "Lets go camp out in the old house boys. Just like old times.
Oh Tohru, I so badly want you to come!" he whined.

"Oh me too!" Tohru smiled smiled.

Make it three. Yuki wanted her to come so bad he couldn't stand it. He wanted to take her home with him too. Forever.

Of course, a pregnant Machi didn't sound like much fun to bring her home to.

Maybe they could run away to the Hokkaido mountains or something. He could dream.

Actually, going back to Shigures old house in the woods sounded like even more fun. Going back to the days when Tohru was still single, not shacking up with that shit head.

Before he met Machi. Before she got pregnant.

Back when he used to sleep at night and Tohru was in the next room.

How oh how he longed for those days again. He didn't care if the rat would reposesse him. He wanted it all back.

The boys made their goodbyes. Yuki kept turning around to look back Tohru as they walked to the car.

Shigure noticed.

Both Shigure and Haru had their arms around Yuki.

A couple of women sitting in nearby cars giggled and whistled at them.

They made it pretty clear how much they liked what they where seeing.

Such pretty and sensitive boys.

Shigure ate it up and gleamed.

"Such pretty young girls!" Shigure giggled.

"Pervert." Yuki frowned.

"Oh come now Yuki, cheer up! We're going to have some fun tonight." Shigure nudged him.

"No. Little Yuki needs to sleep." Haru ran his fingers through Yuki's hair.

The girls in the car screamed in excitement.

Yuki nudged his fingers away.

Shigure was glad to see this. Yuki's indifference to Haru's affections seemed more normal.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I'm lucky I'm not down to work tonight. I can stay awake until you guys go to bed."

"Do you want to sleep with me?" Haru asked in a serious tone.

He was serious.

"...no" Yuki frowned. "I'll sleep in my old room."

"Do you want to sleep with both of us?" Shigure asked with a mock serious look on his face.

"No" Yuki said deadpan.

"Naked?"

"NO" Yuki yelled.

"I bet you'd like to sleep with Tohru." Shigure whispered.

Yuki's face went pale. He cowered in his ca rseat and pretended to not hear Shigure.

Haru's stomach growled. Yuki's stomach growled soon after. Yuki rolled his eyes and looked a bit embarrassed.

Shigure giggled. " Two hungry boys! Lets go get something to eat!"

They drove on for a couple of hours until they got to the grocery store. Yuki stared out the window the whole time,
thinking about Tohru.

They opted for curbside service out of fear of the virus. Luckily, this particular grocery store was offering it.

It was the store that Tohru would often get their food when they lived together. Yuki was just here with her on Thanksgiving break. He thought about how much he enjoyed being with her that day.

"Well, what should we order boys?" Shigure asked.

"Um...ginger pork?" Haru asked as he looked to Yuki.

Yuki stared at the stores entrance. "Ginger pork sounds good...how about...leek soup...for a side?" almost whispered.

"Strawberries too." Yuki said as he nodded.

Shigure smiled. He knew who Yuki was thinking about.

Kyo hated leek soup. Yuki loved it. Tohru would make it for him all of the time.

Then the strawberries. Tohru always loved her strawberries. Yuki would grow them for her and she would eat them all up.
It was the one time when Tohru didn't mind being a hog. If anyone would offer their strawberries to her, she didn't put up much resistance.

If Tohru was an action figure and she had a prop, it would most certainly be a strawberry. Even her kitchen attire had strawberries on them. Her aprons, her towels.

"Alright then. Anything else?" Shigure started to dial the stores number to make the order.

"Saki?" Yuki asked innocently.

"Uh...sure" Shigure looked a little surprised and smiled.

"Oh I would like some rice on the side too." Haru added.

As Shigure made the the order, Yuki looked out of the window. He couldn't believe how many people where shopping. In the midst of this lockdown, this virus, people where still chatting away, not wearing masks, bringing their children inside (while they screamed and ran), and crowding the store. Clearly not following social distancing orders.

Yuki thought back to the tired looking healthcare workers at the hospital Tohru was at.

How could these people have no mercy? These healthcare workers where out there, possibly risking their lives to help people sick with the virus. These people clearly didn't care if they where spreading it around. They didn't seem to think twice that the hospitals become as overcrowded as the grocery store was.

Then the grocery store workers. Standing behind the registers and being bombarded with people who could be carrying the virus.
Yuki wondered if the store even offered the workers health insurance. Where they even allowed to wear masks?

Yuki felt a similar fear at the factory he was working at, but at least he wasn't around the entire town. He was also allowed to wear a mask, even if no one else was.

Yuki was feeling pretty greatful that they where getting curbside service. He sure didn't want to go in there.

He imagined Tohru sitting right next to him. Getting ready to have a feast. He had a pretty good imagination, even though he didn't show it.

After being locked up away from everyone as a kid, he learned to put his imagination to good use. He had to. It's what kept him sane. He would make up imaginary friends.

Now he had an imaginary girlfriend who in real life was probably getting beat by a man who didn't appreciate her.

"Lets go party boys." Shigure started the car after the grocery worker had packed in the last bag of food.

Shigure turned on the radio and played music from his high school days.

Yuki layed his head back, closed his eyes, and took a little nap. He figured he might dream about Tohru. He might say or do something embarrassing in his sleep. What the hell, his life was an embarrassment.

Machi complained that he "moaned" in his sleep alot. She told him to stop dreaming about "whores".

Yuki told her it wasn't "pleasurable" moaning but actually "painful" moaning because he was dreaming about her and how much he couldn't stand her.

That was a lie. _