Heh, I don't even want to remind myself how long its been since I've uploaded. Lol, just enjoy the chapter and as always please read and review:D
" Tsk, tsk, tsk… irresponsible, Yuki!" Shigure lectured after they had just ate one of Tohru's homemade meals, "leaving Tohru all by herself at work. Have you no shame? Good thing I was passing by or Tohru would have come walking by herself."
Yuki looked at Tohru. "I'm sorry, Miss Honda. I wasn't thinking and my mind was somewhere else," he apologized.
Tohru's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no it's all right! You don't have to apologize, Yuki-kun. Honestly, I could have walked home! I have done it many times before. It really was no trouble at all! Shigure picked me up anyways. The only thing that matters to me is that we're all here safe and sound," she answered quickly.
"And if I hadn't? Think of all the trouble she could have gone in, Yuki! You too, Kyo!"
"Why the hell are you bringing me into this? I wasn't the one that promised her I would pick her up this morning!" he yelled, receiving a cold look from Yuki on the other side of the table.
" Nonetheless, you know what kinds of weirdoes are prowling around at night"
"Like you?," Kyo and Yuki muttered under their breath.
Shigure stood still and blinked for a moment before laughing. "Yes, like me, you say," he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Kyo and Yuki both glared at him threateningly, dark vibes radiating from them.
"I mean it," Kyo said, his eyes narrowing," you better not have done anything to Tohru…."
"Or I'll knock you through the roof," Yuki added softly, with a menacing tone in his voice.
"Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, Shigure didn't mean anything rude by that," Tohru answered cheerfully," he's just teasing."
Shigure recovered from his cowering form and chuckled. "Alas, you youngsters of little faith. Do you really think I would take advantage of Tohru that way?" he said, his eyes dancing with a mischievous grin.
Kyo was about to open his mouth, anger in his expression before Yuki interrupted.
"So, Shigure… What sorts of things did you do to avoid your editor this time?" Yuki asked, changing the subject.
Shigure grinned. "Ahhhh, so she read the note? What I would have given to see the look on her face. Well, now that you ask, I just paid a visit to the main house to make up for last night.''
"What for?"
" Well, I can't help myself if I was a little curious about the girl I almost practically stepped on!"
Tohru cleared her throat and blushed a scarlet red when the three heads turned and looked at her.
"May I go upstairs?"
A look of surprise flashed across Shigure's face. "Of course"
Tohru thanked him as she stood up and moved to leave the room but paused at Yuki's voice.
"Miss Honda?"
Tohru turned her head, startled. " Yea… yes?"
"If you don't mind…" Yuki hesitated," may… may I join you?"
Tohru's face broke into a jovial smile. " Of course you can!"
Yuki returned the smile, getting up from his spot and joining Tohru's side as they both made their way upstairs silently. Tohru led the way down the hall and opened the door slowly. The sheets outlined the figure's form where it lay in the same spot Yuki saw it last. They shuffled their way across the room and fell on their knees and just looked at the form for a moment.
"Shigure told me about her on our way home today," Tohru said softly after the moment passed.
Yuki stared at the form in front of him. "He did?"
"Mmhmm…" Tohru answered. Her eyes flickered and stared out the window before she spoke. " It… it must have been frightening, her all by herself there, nobody knowing she was there with Akito and to think what he must have done to her to earn the beatings she got…I couldn't imagine the pain…" She sniffed, tears brimming at the corner of her eyes. She looked at Yuki, sorrow clear in her expression.
"Why does he hurt people like this, Yuki? Akito has affected and left bitter memories in everybody I've ever met from this family in some way or another. My mom would say that in every person, there's always some good in them and sometimes it might be hard to find no more or less believe but everybody has some good. That's what my mom always said anyway…" Tohru ended sadly, her eyes moist.
Slowly, Yuki stretched out his hand to Tohru's cheek to catch an escaping tear. It landed on his finger and he pulled away and showed it to Tohru. Her eyes grew big and she started to rub her eye hurriedly.
"I'm sorry, so sorry. I'm not crying, really! You know how I am, getting all emotional all the time. I'm fine, really," she blurted, forcing a smile as more tears began to stream down her face.
Yuki put a affectionate finger under her chin and looked at her with his violet eyes.
"Miss Honda, it's alright. You don't have to hide it," he said gently, rubbing away the tears with his thumb.
He smiled when the smile that he loved returned to Tohru's face as she looked at him, her eyes glistening. He moved away, standing up and offered his hand.
"Come on, we should leave now. You need your rest." Tohru nodded before taking his hand to stand up. She let go as she looked back at the form beside them.
Tohru moved to leave but hesitated. "I don't feel right leaving her all alone here all by herself. She might get cold or lonely or something. I should stay and watch over her."
" No, you need your rest, Miss Honda. If you'd like, I'll watch over her until you fall asleep." Yuki suggested.
" No, no! I couldn't ask you to do that. It's not necessary. I'll be fine, I promise,"
Yuki sighed," Miss Honda, it will be quite all right for me to watch over her. You really do need to sleep. We wouldn't want you to catch a fever again."
Her eyes lowered to the ground. " I… I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to miss another day of school because of one of my silly fevers again," Tohru looked up," but only if it's all right with you."
Yuki nodded with a smile.
Tohru let out a sigh of relief. " Ok… I guess I'll go to bed now, then. Goodnight, Yuki."
" Goodnight, Miss Honda," Yuki said. Tohru looked back one last time at Yuki, a line of concern etched across her face before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. He sighed, sitting back down beside the form quietly. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.
Tohru had just entered her room when she heard a muffled knock on her door. She bit her bottom lip, wondering who it could be. "Come in" she said. The door opened and in stepped Kyo, shuffling his feet and his hands stuffed in his pockets as he closed the door.
" Oh hello Kyo I see you're still up," she greeted cheerfully.
"Yeah hi…" he said softly.
"Is something wrong? Did you need something?" Tohru asked worriedly.
Kyo looked up, a look of alarm on his face. "No, no nothing's wrong," he said, placing his hand on Tohru's shoulder to stop her from crashing through the door.
"I just wanted to…I wanted to… arrrggh" Kyo broke off, frustrated. Tohru looked at him, bewildered. Clenching his fist, Kyo turned his head away and looked down at the floor.
"I… I…just wanted to say sorry, you know… for not picking you up at work…. The damn rat was supposed to get you but…I should have known he would forget…" he said, averting his eyes from Tohru's gaze.
Tohru's face broke out into a smile. " Oh Kyo there's no need to apologize. It isn't necessary. Shigure had came and picked me up and if he didn't, I wouldn't have minded walking by myself. Thank you anyway for thinking of me. It makes me very happy inside to hear you say that," she said, her eyes shining brightly.
Kyo turned and stared at her, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. For a moment, he looked at her and then moved his hand from her shoulder and gently grasped stray strands of chocolate brown hair.
"You know…you really are something, Tohru, you know that?" he said, giving her a tender smile.
It was Tohru's turn to blush, turning her cheeks red and giving her a rosy complexion.
"Awww, how cute. What are you two lovebirds still doing awake?"
Kyo stiffened and he moved his hand , letting go of Tohru's strands and put it to his side. Tohru looked behind his shoulder. " Oh, hello Shigure," she said happily.
"Oh, no. Don't mind me. Please continue whatever you were doing.," Shigure said innocently," I don't want to interrupt your intimate conversation. He turned to Kyo and winked. "I see you found my romance novels, then."
"Huh?" Tohru said, a look of confusion on her face.
"Shiii…. guuu……reee" Kyo said, seething with fury.
"Hee, hee," Shigure giggled before leaving the room.
"I'M SERIOUSLY GOING TO MURDER YOU!" Kyo yelled, as he flung the door on his hunt after Shigure.
Tohru stood there and laughed before closing the door and climbing into her bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep with a little smile on her face.
Yuki opened his eyes when he heard the loud slam of a door meeting with the wall and the familiar yell that usually follows it. Yuki sighed in irritation. Can't Kyo be ever still for once? He thought as he closed his eyes again.
His head became drowsy and began to droop once more before he heard a stir and he instantly woke, alert for any movement. A sudden movement caught his eye and he whipped his head to look beside him, a few feet away.
A figure sat straight up, the sheets had fallen down her waist and the familiar raven hair cascaded down her back as she sat still. Yuki froze in his spot, staring at her. For some reason, the words he wanted to say were jammed in his throat and couldn't come out. He swallowed and tried again.
" Are… are you alright?" he said softly. The soft-spoken words managed to reach her ears and she tensed as she turned her head slowly, realizing someone else was in the room with her.
Yuki was met with a pair of piercing green eyes that locked with his big violet ones as he realized now why he thought she was so familiar. How could anyone forget those eyes? He leaned forward shakily.
" Sakura…?"