in case you missed it, you can find the spicier chapter 7.5 over on my a03 (shedreamsofstars) under the title, king of my heart, body and soul. it's definitely not necessary to read it before this one, or even at all, but it is there if you're interested :)

chapter eight

Kyo felt euphoric.

He'd been walking around all morning, feeling as if he was floating on air and smiling to himself like a complete idiot.

It was a little ridiculous if he was being honest, but he was much too happy to care. So much to the point where even the possibility of bumping into Shigure did nothing to put a damper on his exuberant mood.

He was currently flipping pancakes with his wife cosied up beside him and the entire moment was idyllic. If it was possible to live in a single moment for the rest of time, Kyo would be hard pressed to find a better one than this.

It was quiet, and it was peaceful, and it was them.

"So," he started, sliding the fluffy cakes off the pan and splitting them between two plates. "Any idea what we should do today?" He knocked the plates in her direction as he spoke, ready for Tohru to decorate.

Tohru's brows furrowed in thought as she threw fruit over the top and began to bury their breakfast in icing sugar, just the way she liked. "Actually, I have one thing I'd like."

Kyo rounded behind her, locking his hands on her waist as he nuzzled her neck. "What is it?" he hummed against her skin, pausing to lift his head as she turned to look at him.

"I was hoping we could maybe walk along the cliffs today?" she said. Her words tilted up into a question as she turned back to the pancakes, sifting the sweet powder liberally over the top. "I know you really like hiking, so I thought it might be fun for us to go together."

Kyo smiled involuntarily, his chest warming at the thought she'd put into her choice. He loved hiking – he had done ever since Master Kazuma had first shown him there was a freedom to be found beyond the Sohma's – and the fact that Tohru remembered made him love it just that much more.

He pressed a light kiss to her temple for her thoughtfulness before indulging in trailing a few more down her cheek. His face heated at the memory of the night before when he reached her neck and he sighed softly, releasing her as he stepped back.

He hoped she hadn't noticed the way his face was burning as he retreated to the table to recover. "You done over there?" he asked a moment later.

"Um," Tohru hummed, shaking another layer of icing sugar on the pancakes for good measure before placing it down. "Yes. All done!" she exclaimed brightly, lifting the plates and placing them effortlessly onto the table.

"Here, let me," Kyo said as he stood and proceeded to pull out a chair. Tohru seemed momentarily surprised, but she smiled and pecked his cheek in thanks as she seated herself. "These look amazing by the way," he added, taking a seat beside her.

"I might have gone a little overboard with the sugar," Tohru admitted with a shy smile, nudging the thick layer of white with her fork.

"Ah, I'm sure it'll taste just fine," Kyo said, and without any more hesitation he dug in before his stomach could betray just how hungry he actually was. He'd demolished almost half of his plate when Tohru knocked his foot with her own.

"Huh," he said, mouth full of pancake and berries as he glanced towards Tohru. He hurriedly finished his bite as he noticed her curious expression. "What's up?"

She was fiddling nervously with the ring around her neck again, refusing to put it on properly in case they accidently bumped into Akito and Shigure again on their trip. But more than that, Kyo noticed she had barely touched her food, and she loved pancakes.

"I just realised," she said quietly. "You don't have one. Her honey brown eyes watched him cautiously, as if she was unsure on how to proceed.

Kyo frowned for a moment, confused by what she meant when he noticed that she was still clutching at her neck. "Do you mean a ring?" he asked, tilting his head towards her own.

"I do," she said with a simple nod.

"Don't be silly. Of course I have one," Kyo said, his lips twitching into a half smile.

Tohru cocked her head to the side as she took in his words, her face scrunching up in disbelief. Kyo only shook his head at her ridiculous expression before reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

He pulled out a piece of small paper from within, thin and folded flat. Opening it out, he revealed one of the two delicate paper rings they'd received at the shrine on that fateful day they had been married.

"Oh," she gasped, hands flying to her mouth, her eyes beginning to shine with unshed tears. "Kyo, you kept it?"

"Course," he replied simply. "Why do you look sorta upset by that?"

"It's not that," she said softly. Kyo reached over to brush a thumb against her cheek, prompting her to go on, but Tohru only reached for his right arm in answer. Her gentle fingers traced the band of skin that circled his wrist, lighter than the rest.

Her eyes met his, warm and caring.

"Would," she started softly, her voice almost a whisper – as if he were some wild animal that would be spooked back into the wilderness with a slight misstep. "Would wearing an actual ring remind you too much of your Juzu beads?"

But Kyo was past those days. He lifted her fingers from his wrist, entwining them with his own instead. He was done running from his past and everything else he had faced, and he would prove that to her a hundred times over if he had to.

"No, I wouldn't," he admitted, meeting her intense gaze with one he hoped conveyed just how serious he was.

Kyo really wasn't a huge fan of wearing anything that wasn't immediately necessary.

Most of the time all it did was interfere with his training and teaching. But wearing a ring to remind himself that someone out there loved him just as much as he loved them - that Tohru even loved him at all - that was something he could tolerate the irritation for without question.

"I'd wear anything if it was from you," he told her. "Even those dumb crown-like things that sit on your head or whatever."

Even the beads.

"They're called tiara's, silly. But … if I got you one, would you wear it?"

"Would I actually wear a tiara? Course," Kyo joked, unable to help but make light of the situation.

"The ring, Kyo," Tohru corrected with a shake of her head, a hopeful smile flickering on her face. He nodded softly, biting on his bottom lip to keep his own nerves at bay.

"Sure."

"Really?" she said, her voice rising a few octave as she bounced in her chair like an excitable puppy.

"Of course, really."

Tohru smiled brightly, untangling her fingers from his only to smoosh his cheeks together with a giggle of pure delight. "Kyo, I'm going to find the most perfect ring. Just you wait!"

"You're such a dork," he murmured, the words barely coherent as he interrupted her rambling to mimic the gesture on her. Her cheeks were soft and warm, and her lips were-

"Ah, good! You're both awake."

Kyo and Tohru jumped apart from one in another with embarrassed flushes, ears tinged pink as they spotted Shigure loitering by the hallway, a knowing smirk plastered onto his smug face.

"I must admit, I was a little worried I'd find you both in a flattering state of undress. But, it seems I find you in another sort of intimate … whatever it is you were doing to each other just then," he said flapping his hand in their direction.

"If the thought crossed your mind, why did you let yourself in without a warning?!" Kyo growled, already regretting his earlier thoughts. As it turned out, Shigure was too powerful.

Nothing could stop him from ruining a person's day after all.

"I could smell pancakes," the man said simply, as if that completely excused his barging in unannounced.

"Leave," Kyo seethed at the man's flippant response. "Put the spare key on the table and get … out."

"Now, now Kyo. That's no way to speak to your elder."

"You've done nothing to deserve being treated like one! Why are you even here?"

"Now there's a question," Shigure said, lacking all subtlety as he bounded across the room and draped himself across the sofa. "I do come bearing news actually. I just had an unexpected call from Kazuma, so I came to let you know you're probably going to have to cut your little vacay short."

"What did he call you about?" Kyo asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the older man.

"Oh, who even knows. Something about some important announcement or other."

"Announcement?" Tohru said with surprise. "I wonder what it could be?"

"Wait," Kyo said slowly, a horrible feeling creeping into his bones. "Isn't … Hanajima in Tokyo right now?"

"I think so," Tohru clarified, her easy smile betraying that she had no idea about the turmoil her simple answer was putting him through.

"I'm going to go call Master," Kyo said hurriedly, doing his best to hide his alarm as a certain terrible thought surfaced in his mind, hauntingly menacing as it had been back when he'd been at school.

With his phone ringing at his ear and quick ruffle of Tohru's hair, he retreated to the hallway, his remaining breakfast sitting on the counter forgotten.

"Hello, Kyo." Master's voice was bright and cheerful, and the smile Kyo could hear in his words did nothing to assuage his fear. "What a coincidence, I was just about to call you."

"Master, are you getting married to Saki Hanajima!?" Kyo blurted out, unable to form even a hello without first getting out the only question in his mind. He listened on in wide-eyed silence as a low chuckle came down the line.

"Master?" Kyo prodded, his brows furrowing.

"Kyo, that is the most ridiculous thing I've heard all week," Master said, still chuckling. "And believe me, I've heard some pretty unbelievable things this week."

The red headed boy sighed in relief.

"Well that makes two of us," Kyo murmured, glancing back at the room to see Tohru talking animatedly with Shigure. "But then why were you going to call? I mean, Shigure said you had an announcement, but to be honest I thought he was just lying."

"Well, even Shigure tells the truth when it suits him I suppose," Master said cryptically. "I actually do have something to tell you, but I'm afraid you'll have to make your way to visit this old man to find out what it is. He did mention that you were off for a few days so I hope you can make it."

"Of course," Kyo started before remembering that he wasn't just talking about himself anymore. "I mean, I need to talk to Tohru about it first but, we'll do our best."

"As you should Kyo. I'm glad to see you're taking good care of her."

"Hmm," he hummed, not sure how to respond without telling the only father he'd ever really had the biggest news of his life.

"Well, I should go. Be sure to let me know about tomorrow Kyo, it'll be great to have the two of you stay over. It really is quite important so do try your best."

"Yeah, we will. Bye Da-" Kyo started before the rest of the phrase dried up in his throat. "See ya Master," he finished lamely, wondering if he'd ever be able to call the man what he deserved.

He heard Kazuma sigh softly down the phone before a sharp click disconnected their call. Someday soon, he told himself. Someday soon.

"Why are you still here?" Kyo groaned, directing his words at Shigure as he returned. His bad mood flared instantly at the sight of the man. "Don't you have a fiancé to take care of?"

"Don't you?"

"Tohru's not my fiancé," Kyo blurted absently.

"Ah of course," Shigure said, thankfully completely missing Kyo's point and turning to Tohru with an air of disappointment. "How could I forget. My humblest apologies dear."

"Get out Shigure," Kyo seethed.

Shigure stood to leave, an immovable pout on his face as he began to make his way towards the front door. "Well I hate to love you and leave you, but I did promise Akito I would take her to a lovely restaurant today. I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Goodbye Shigure-san. Say hello to Akito from us."

"Oh, I'll be sure to. You two take care now," Shigure said smugly as he disappeared from view, leaving the front door wide open in his wake, a testament to his lasting presence. Kyo sighed as he stomped over to close and lock the door, wondering if Shigure had bothered to drop his spare key inside or not.

"Was everything okay with Master?" Tohru asked when he returned to the kitchen. She was in the process of clearing away their breakfast plates and she plucked a strawberry from her own plate before turning to him.

"Oh, yeah everything was fine. Um, he actually has some news to share with us, but he wants us there in Tokyo with him tomorrow to tell us."

"Oh, tomorrow?" Tohru said her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "How exciting!"

"Yeah but do you really want to go? I mean, it is really short notice."

"Of course I do Kyo. It's Master! He must have some very big news to share if he wants us there so soon."

"Yeah," Kyo said warmly. "He was excited about having us stay with him. We could even go and see your grandpa while we're there if you like. It's been a while since you saw him, right?"

"Yes, it has. I really would like to see him soon."

"Then, it's settled that we're going tomorrow?" Kyo asked, reaching for her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. The last thing he wanted to do was make her do something she didn't really want to.

Tohru leaned over to nudge her nose against his and the excitement in her smile soothed his reservations immediately. "It's settled."

if i don't post again this year, i love you guys and wish you all the best in 2021. stay safe lovelies!