What Do I Want?
A/N: Requests are still much appreciated! I love writing these and I check for comments every day (embarrassing right? lol) Hope you guys like this fic!
Kyo wanted to go sit on the roof but at the moment, it was covered in snow. Instead, he just sat in his room with the curtains open watching the delicate flakes fall evenly. It seemed like the Cat didn't hate snow as much as it hated rain. And Kyo had to admit that snow was somewhat beautiful like this. It was a steady stream of crystals with no wind to interrupt the soft journey to the ground. It could've been a post card really. The only thing Kyo still hated about the snow was that it was so cold. It made his birthday practically unbearable every year. Of course it was a sick joke of fate that Kyo was born in January. He hated birthdays and only Shisho really knew when his birthday was. He hadn't even told Tohru.
Kyo sighed as he thought of the upcoming talk he and Shisho always had on January 15th. It was a nice talk to be sure, but Shisho had never given up the habit of gift giving. Every year was different, but he always managed to give something that Kyo really treasured. Last year, it was a black jacket that Kyo had worn almost every day it was cold or raining. This year when Shisho had asked Kyo what he wanted, three things came to mind. But none of them could be given. Instead, Kyo had asked Shisho for new running shoes. Kyo's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door.
"Coming..." He mumbled. He stood and walked towards the door, already having a good guess as to who it was. When he swung open his door, he looked down into the face of the beautiful girl that had captured his heart. A small smile crept on his face and he crossed his arms.
"What's up?" He asked. Tohru had to crane her neck most times to look him in the eye, and Kyo secretly loved it. He didn't think he would like being this tall but he really, really did at times like this.
"Shisho is on the phone. He wanted to talk to you." She said with a smile of her own. Kyo nodded and began to walk out of his room. Tohru moved out of his way but didn't follow. Kyo didn't really pay attention until a timid phrase left her lips.
"Happy Birthday, Kyo." She said. Kyo froze and his face went completely red. He looked back at her in embarrassment and surprise. His eyes were wide and his opened his mouth in an attempt to say something. Maybe he should deny it. But then he remembered who was on the phone. His face turned murderous.
"Shisho..." He growled. He turned back to run down the stairs to the phone and saw that Tohru had placed it gently on the table. He picked it up quickly and began yelling.
"SHISHO! Why did you tell her! You know how I feel about this!" Shisho only chuckled.
"She asked. I couldn't very well lie to her."
"You didn't have to tell her either! You could have said literally anything else!" Kyo retorted.
"Be calm, Son. She wants you to be happy, too." Shisho said so gently that Kyo felt almost all of his stress instantly drain away. He looked back towards the stairs and saw that Tohru was standing in the middle of them. She had a worried look on her face and Kyo knew she must think that he was upset with her. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, turning to face the phone again.
"...I guess. What did you call for? Usually we talk at the dojo." Kyo did think it was odd that Shisho had called at all. He was about to go to the dojo to talk anyways.
"Bring her with you." Shisho said. Kyo's heart skipped a beat. Why on earth...?
"Uh, okay. Why?" Kyo stumbled to say.
"Don't worry. Can you be here in half an hour?"
"I think so. I'll let her know. Bye." Kyo said hesitantly. He heard Shisho chuckle before he hung up. Kyo turned towards Tohru, who was now at the base of the stairs. She looked at him with expectant eyes.
"Um, you're coming with me to see Shisho apparently. Go get some warmer clothes on, we have to leave soon." Kyo said with a small blush on his face. Tohru instantly brightened, excited to visit the dojo once again.
"Okay! I'll be ready soon! You should get your jacket on too!" She said almost jumping up and down. Kyo couldn't help but smile.
"I will. And Tohru?" He called as she was turning away. She looked back at him. "Thank you." She knew what he was thanking her for and was surprised. She had figured he wouldn't react well to her well wishes, but this was a nice surprise.
"You're welcome!" She said with a large smile on her face. She turned and promptly tripped on the next step, falling forwards but catching herself. Kyo just rolled his eyes and continued towards the front door where his shoes and jacket were. Tohru rushed to put warm clothes on and when she had her boots on, she stepped outside to meet Kyo. His back was facing the house and his hand was outstretched. It seemed like he was trying to catch snowflakes. He looked back towards her when he heard the door open and promptly shoved his hand into his pocket.
"Come on, we don't want to be late." He called out.
"Right!" Tohru closed the door and made her way to walk next to Kyo. Not for the first time did Kyo think about how much he hated all the stairs that lead to Shigure's house. They were covered in snow and ice and because of that, there was a good chance Tohru would slip.
"Watch your step." Kyo said lightly as they begun their descent. Tohru only nodded and kept her eyes glued to the steps. She had slipped on these before even without the snow and she recalled how painful it was. They continued for a while in silence until Tohru spoke.
"Why do you think Shisho invited me?" The very question Kyo had been contemplating himself.
"I don't know. Usually he and I just talk on my birthday, and he didn't explain why on the phone." Tohru looked at Kyo which proved to be a mistake. As soon as she did, she slipped on a piece of ice and began to fall. She flailed out her arms in an attempt to regain her balance, only to feel Kyo's hands on her upper arms steadying her.
"What did I tell you? Klutz." he said, trying not to laugh. "Here." He held out his hand for her to grab onto. When she gave him a questioning look, he figured he would have to further explain.
"Hold my hand so you don't slip again." He was desperately trying to hide his blush, but figured he could blame it on the cold if he needed to. Although the same couldn't be said for Tohru. Her face burned a brighter red that could not be attributed to the cold. She wove her fingers through his and felt how cold his hand was.
"Kyo! You need to wear gloves!" Tohru shouted at him. He looked at her in surprise.
"Why? My jacket keeps me warm enough." In a bold move, he slipped their joined hands into his coat pocket. Tohru immediately felt how warm it was. She tried to say something but no words would leave her mouth. Instead, she focused on walking in sync with Kyo so they kept their balance. They walked down the rest of the steps on silence, both mentally screaming. When Kyo saw the end of the stairs come into view, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He knew he would have to release her hand, but he didn't want to. He was surprised at the next thought that came to mind. 'Just don't say anything and keep going. Don't let go of her hand.' Kyo debated with himself. If anything, she would let go on her own if she wanted to. It would just be a test to see who let go first and when.
As they stepped onto the flat sidewalk, Kyo did his best to keep his hand as still as possible, even though he was fighting the urge to squeeze her hand. When she made no movement of her own, Kyo couldn't help but feel a little giddy. A small smile crept onto his face and he continued to walk towards the dojo. He snuck a glance towards Tohru, who had a smile on her face as well. Kyo closed his eyes and tilted his head back, smiling more.
'Damn. I need to stop acting like such a freak around her...' Kyo thought. As they neared the dojo, he thought about how he would need to release her hand soon. It honestly made him a little sad. He didn't realize how starved for human touch he was. Or was it just Tohru? He managed to keep a hold on her hand until they entered the house. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before he released it and went to take his shoes off. Tohru did the same and shed her coat as well. Kyo only unzipped his jacket and called throughout the house.
"Shisho! I brought her!" Kyo was wondering where his master could be when he rounded the corner to greet them. Shisho had a polite smile on his face like usual.
"Thank you for taking the time to join us, Tohru."
"Oh, it's no problem at all! Thank you for inviting me on such a special day!" She hurried to say. Kyo watched their exchange in silence and walked towards his foster dad.
"So? Why did you have me bring her?" Kyo asked.
"Oh that. I thought it would be nice for her to watch us spar. It's been a while since you and I did that." Shisho explained. Kyo instantly brightened, excited by the thought of her seeing him in action.
"I'll go get changed then." Kyo said. He hurried towards the dojo section of the property. What he didn't realize was that Shisho had another surprise.
As Kyo waited in the large open space for Shisho, he stretched and talked to Tohru.
"I can't even remember the last time Shisho and I sparred. I hope I've improved a lot since then." Tohru was seated near the front of the room.
"I'm certain you have! You train every day!" She said with a large smile. Kyo smiled back.
"Yeah, we'll see." He chuckled in return. He loved how optimistic she always was. He heard Shisho slide open the side door and enter the room.
"Are you ready?" Shisho asked.
"You know it, Master!" Kyo said with an determined grin on his face. Kyo lunged forward to make the first attack, which Shisho easily dodged. They continued and Tohru watched in fascination. Sure she knew that Kyo was a good fighter, but she had never seen him like this. He was so fast and strong. After several minutes, Kyo stepped back and bowed. Shisho did the same and Kyo went to him to receive some feedback.
"You have improved greatly. You're speed and agility are your greatest assets. Keep working on the back kick though. You need to be more confident with your body." Kyo nodded and smiled.
"Thank you, Master. Did you see that, Tohru?" Kyo asked as he spun around to face her. Tohru stood and smiled widely.
"Yes! I've never seen anything like it! You were both amazing!" She said. Shisho smiled back at her and Kyo blushed lightly.
"Now," Shisho said. "It's time for another challenge, Kyo." Kyo turned to look at his master with confusion written on his face.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Shisho gestured to the still open side door to see Yuki in his own sparring uniform. Kyo's eyes instantly darkened. 'How long has that rat been standing there?' Kyo wondered. His eyes barely flickered to Tohru and saw that she was confused as well.
"Yuki? If you would." Shisho said. Yuki walked forward with a dark look on his face and took Shisho's place in front of Kyo. They stared each other down until Tohru broke the uncomfortable and tense silence.
"What's going on?" She asked to no one in particular. Shisho only looked at Kyo to answer.
"He set up a real duel for me and Yuki." Kyo said through clenched teeth. A small gasp left Tohru. No wonder Yuki hadn't said a word to her this whole time.
"Kyo. This is your chance to prove to yourself that you can win against Yuki. Do your best and have an honorable fight." Shisho said. Kyo nodded and glared harder at Yuki, determination flowing through his veins. Normally Kyo nor Yuki would bow, but since Tohru was there, they both did.
"Don't expect me to go easy on you just because she's here, Stupid Cat." Yuki said. Kyo growled and launched himself at his cousin. Yuki dodged easily but Kyo kept coming at him with intense speed and force. Shisho moved to stand beside Tohru and observed their fight.
"Kyo has improved drastically. I think today will finally be the day..." Shisho said softly to Tohru. Her eyes widened and even though she felt a little guilty, she hoped Kyo would win. Kyo continued to fight with everything in him. He would win this time. He would do it for Tohru this time, not for himself. He jabbed and dodged and wove throughout Yuki's attacks. He was feeling more hopeful than he ever had. Just then, Kyo saw a clear opening. Surely the Rat wouldn't be so stupid as to leave himself exposed like this. But Kyo took advantage of it nonetheless, and landed a powerful blow to Yuki's chest, making him fly backward. Kyo looked at his cousin in surprise and shock. He... won? He won. He won! A giant smile spread over Kyo's face as he turned towards Shisho and Tohru. Shisho was smiling proudly, and walked over to Kyo, patting him on the head.
"Well done, my son." Shisho said, but then he continued to check on Yuki. Kyo turned his attention to Tohru, who was covering her mouth with her hands. It looked like she was holding back tears. She new the significance of Kyo winning this fight.
"Kyo..." She said. He was overcome with joy and he ran towards Tohru. He picked her up by the waist and held her close, spinning her around. He knew he would only have a few seconds at most before he transformed but he needed to feel her. He felt how fast his heart and hers were racing, he felt her tears drip onto his skin, he even felt her arms tighten around his neck. He put her down but didn't let go. He knew his transformation was imminent, but nothing happened. He looked at the beads on his left hand and felt something wet and hot on his face. Tohru reached up and brushed his tears away.
"Tohru... I'm not... changing." Kyo said breathlessly. He pulled her in close again, savoring the feeling of her. Could this actually be happening? He buried his face into her neck and tried to regulate his breathing.
"Kyo, you won! I think you broke the curse!" Tohru cried. She pulled back slightly and cupped his face in her hands.
"You're free." She said softly and Kyo grinned again. Like he did before, he held onto her waist and spun them around. He began to laugh lightly, feeling the Cat spirit apologize and bid him farewell. Tohru felt her heart pounding more than she thought was possible and her happiness spilled over. As soon as Kyo put her back on her feet, she leaned in and gently pressed her mouth to his. Kyo's eyes widened before he closed them and kissed her back, blushing immensely. They stayed like this for a few moment before Kyo pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.
"Tohru, I wanted to win that fight for you. Maybe that's why..." Tohru laughed as happy tears continued to spill down her face. Kyo turned with Tohru still in his arms and faced Shisho and Yuki. Shisho had a warm smile on his face and Yuki was looking distant. When he came back to his senses, Yuki looked at Kyo and Tohru with a smile on his face.
"They're all gone. The spirits. They all left."
The following hours were a blur of tears and happiness as all the former Zodiac members gathered at the main estate. Tohru waited patiently with Shisho outside the meeting room.
"What do you think will happen now?" Tohru asked. Shisho smiled.
"Well for one thing, Kyo won't need to be locked up anymore." Tohru nodded her head. She knew that that probably wouldn't have happened anyways. She and Shisho and probably even Kagura would have fought Akito on that. "I also think Kyo won't know what to do with himself. He always knew his imprisonment was his future so he didn't plan anything. You'll need to help him, Tohru."
"From now on, I'll be with him always." Tohru said seriously as a small smile formed on her face. Shisho nodded and remained quiet. The two waited for another half hour or so before the door slid open and everyone filed out. Tohru looked up anxiously, searching for Kyo. She found his messy orange hair easily and stood to meet him. As soon as Kyo saw her, he smiled. He pulled her into a hug as soon as he touched her. Tohru wrapped her arms around his waist as Kyo wrapped his around her shoulders. This was another time he really liked being taller than Tohru. She was the perfect height for him. When they pulled apart, he laced his fingers in hers like he had earlier that day. It all seemed so distant now.
"What should we do? Would it be in poor taste to celebrate?" Tohru asked. Kyo laughed lightly at her question.
"I think celebrating is exactly what we should be doing right now." he said. All of the former Zodiac members plus a few extra people gathered at a large restaurant owned by the Sohmas. They laughed and cried and enjoyed their first real taste of freedom. Later that night, Tohru and Kyo were walking home hand in hand. They had left earlier than anyone else to have some time by themselves.
"You know," Kyo started. "I had a few birthday wishes that I thought of a few days ago. Shisho had asked me what I wanted this year."
"Oh? What were they? No wait! You don't have to answer that! I'm so sorry! That was so rude of me..." Tohru said in a rush. Kyo only rolled his eyes and laughed.
"It's alright. I'll tell you anyways. The first was that the curse would be broken, but I wished for that every year." Tohru squeezed his hand and continued walking. "The second was something I've wanted since I was little. To beat Yuki." Kyo stopped one of the stairs near the top of the hill going towards Shigure's house. Tohru continued up a few steps before she realized Kyo had stopped walking. She looked back at him and saw him staring at her with clear joy and love in his eyes. She walked down one step to face him.
"And the third?" She asked. Using the hand he held captive, Kyo pulled her down the a couple steps so Tohru was just a little bit taller than him.
"This." He said simply before he used his free hand to bring her face to his, kissing her deeply. Tohru melted into his kiss, her hand over his on her face. When they finally released each other, Tohru hugged him.
"Happy birthday, Kyo. I'm happy all of your wishes came true."
THE END