Disclaimer: I only own Suzu
Suzu was healed, she was moving, she was teaming up with Tohru, she was…doing a lot. Who knew a simple summer vacation would be the catalyst for so much change?
"Nervous?"
Looking up, Suzu locked eyes with Hatori in the review mirror before he focused on the road again. It had been a couple days since the others had left and Suzu was finally ready to move in with Shigure.
"No need to be nervous, my angel," Ayame's voice rang out loudly as he spun to look at Suzu with an excited grin. Suzu rolled her eyes at the nickname but gave him a small smile in return. Ayame always seemed to brighten her mood, though he could be a bit taxing at times. "But if you need comfort, I would be happy to hold you within my arms!"
With ease, Hatori reached over and flicked the light grey haired man's ear, earning a cry of pain. "Calm down."
Suzu giggled at the exchange as she turned to watch the trees through her window, not noticing the pleased looks of the older zodiac members.
When they finally arrived, Suzu was feeling a bit drowsy and anxious. Even if she tried to nap, she probably wouldn't be able to.
Hatori carried her two bags while Ayame had one that he'd told Suzu was a surprise for her. Hatori looked ready to knock, but Ayame forwent to action and instead just slid open the door. "We're here!" he called out.
Suzu was hidden behind the two men, but she could hear people approaching.
"I didn't realize you'd be coming too, Aya," she could hear Shigure say.
Ayame was quick to retort, "Of course I would help my angel move." More footsteps. "Ah, Yuki!" Ayame shouted before rushing forward in an attempt to hold his brother, "Give your brother a hug!"
Yuki looked past Ayame to Suzu with a confused look, though he didn't get to say anything before Tohru and Kyo entered the small hallway as well.
"Ah Kyo, why don't you help Suzu with her bags," Shigure suggested, and Suzu didn't expect him to agree so easily. Kyo took the bags from Hatori, gave Suzu a small smile, and then was gone.
Tohru approached Suzu and Hatori who had yet to formally enter the house and gestured for them to come in. "Why don't I make some tea."
Suzu nodded silently before taking off her shoes and entering, Hatori right behind. Ayame seemed to have calmed down as well as they all walked and sat at the table, or at least most of them did. Yuki was still standing off to the side and Tohru was making the tea.
"I didn't know you were so close to Suzu, Brother."
Ayame, who had sat beside Suzu, swung his arm around her shoulder. "She is our beloved cousin, Yuki."
"Cousin?" Tohru questioned as she placed the tea set on the table.
"Ah, yes. Our mother and Suzu's were sisters."
Tohru looked amazed at the information, though she continued to hand out tea. "I had no idea."
Suzu accepted her cup with thanks. "Their mother doesn't much care for me," she gave a light shrug, "For curse reasons and all that."
With a frown, Tohru sat back and held her own cup in her hands. "That's terrible."
"Hey, Su, I put all your stuff in Tohru's room," Kyo explained as he descended the stairs, helping to break up the tense atmosphere in the living area. He plopped himself beside Tohru and rested on his hands placed behind him.
"Thanks Kyon-kichi."
Suzu's use of Ayame's nickname caused Kyo to let out a loud groan. "Please, not you too." There were a couple of chuckles among the table.
With a clap of her hands a now smiling Tohru asked, "Will you two be staying for dinner?"
Hatori set his cup on the table, already drained. "Actually, I must be leaving."
"I'm afraid I must as well, but first my gift," Ayame placed the bag that had been next to him in Suzu's lap.
She gave Ayame an exasperated look, but he merely gestured for her to dig in. She pulled out the first item, which was a black Chinese styled dress with bronze flowers and detailing across it. She knew the style was Yuki and Ayame's thing, but she'd never taken to the clothing, though she did admit some of the outfits were quite beautiful like the one she was holding. The top seemed fitted with quarter length sleeves, but the skirt was much looser and would probably reach to her knees. Ayame took the dress from her, and she reached in for the other item. It was a high collared jacket, same style, with a black patterned base. It had golden clasps and designs along the waist and the bottom of the sleeves. It seemed a bit long and would probably reach to her thigh.
She set the empty bag beside her and held the jacket to her. These clothes seemed like just ordinary gifts, but Suzu knew what Ayame was saying. She was here, with family, and he was going to make sure she knew that. It was like he was making it clear to the world through fashion that Suzu was his family.
"Careful, Angel, you don't want to wrinkle it," Ayame warned, drawing her from her thoughts.
Suzu relaxed her hold on the jacket and let it rest softly on her lap. "Thanks, Aya."
He gave her a genuine smile that just screamed affection before taking the jacket and folding it and placing it on top of the folded dress. He set both items carefully on the table. "I expect to see you wearing them." Suzu nodded in understanding, and then Ayame stood up with Hatori, grin back on his face. "Now then, we best be off." He approached Yuki and opened his arms for the other. "Give your brother a goodbye hug, Yuki!"
Yuki rolled his eyes, but Suzu didn't really pay attention. She had edged over and was running her fingers along the material. The clothes were very nice, nicer than anything she owned, and knowing Ayame, he'd probably made them from scratch. She hid her small smile in her palm that held her up as she admired the detailing
"Suzu," Shigure's voice cut off her thoughts, and looking to him, she could see an amused spark in his eyes. "Aya got you some nice clothing."
She hummed, sitting up straighter and crossing her arms in front of her. "Yes, it was very kind of him."
Suzu didn't like the look in his eyes, like he knew what she'd been thinking, what Ayame's intent had been and found it funny or perhaps cute.
Glancing about the room, she realized the other three had left. The cups were all gone to so perhaps all of them, or just some, had cleaned up. She also didn't know how long she'd zoned out; they could just be seeing Ayame and Hatori out, something she should have done but it was too late to do anything about it now.
Tohru came back from the direction of where she'd gotten tea, so kitchen, and gave Suzu a kind smile. "So, Suzu, what is your favourite food? I'll make it for dinner."
Suzu's expression shifted in to one of contemplation. She had never decided on a favorite food, but she had the feeling if she told Tohru such she'd either get sad or insist there must be something, perhaps even both would happen. "Oh, I-uh, liked those pancakes you made."
Tohru's smile grew. "Alright, pancakes it is," and then she made her way back into the kitchen to perhaps get started.
Yuki came back from the front door looking expressionless, and Suzu guess he didn't really like how close she and Ayame seemed to be. Maybe he was jealous, that would be interesting, but Suzu figured he just really didn't like her yet. It was normal for the zodiac members to dislike her to an extent, but Yuki was a bit excessive. It could be because the rat was closest with god, but Suzu couldn't be sure.
Kyo was nowhere to be found, probably in the kitchen with Tohru.
So Suzu decided to get out of there and took her new clothes to her room. The door was open when she made it upstairs, and she could see Kyo had placed her bags at the foot of Tohru's rather large bed.
Tohru had been more than happy to share her room, even insisting that the two sleep together. At first, Suzu had been unsure, but seeing the size, her worries were pushed aside.
She wasn't sure where to put her things so she decided not to unpack. Suzu just gently placed the clothing on the bed and then left. Shigure wasn't at the table anymore, and walking into the kitchen, Suzu saw Tohru and the two boys.
"Dinner will be in a few hours, do you want a snack while you wait?"
Suzu held her hands behind her back, feeling a bit uncomfortable in the domestic situation. "Uh, no, I'm okay. I was going to start unpacking, but I don't know where to put my stuff."
"Oh, well, I can come up and help you if you'd like," Tohru responded in a nurturing tone, and Suzu was starting to see why the other zodiac members took to her.
"Only if you don't mind."
Tohru waved away Suzu's hesitance and the two headed towards the yellow and pink room. Tohru wasted no time in getting started, taking Suzu's new clothes and hanging them in the small closet.
Suzu opened her bags and began to take her things out. She could see Tohru wanted to ask her something. Making sure the door was closed, Suzu resumed her activities while saying, "You can ask me anything."
The two had a tentative partnership. Tohru wanted to protect the others and break the curse, Suzu knew that. However, after asking for Tohru's help, Suzu hadn't gone into detail as to why she wanted to break the curse. She'd told the brunette her curse would last until the other ended, so maybe Tohru thought she was doing it for selfish reasons. That was fine with Suzu.
Suzu hadn't asked for help because she wanted to rid herself of the fox's curse; she didn't even know if ending the zodiac curse would end her own. She had asked for Tohru's help because unlike some people Suzu knew she couldn't do this on her own. Honestly, Suzu couldn't do much of anything; she could only provide information for Tohru.
Tohru was the key. It was such an easy thing to see. She could get even the most reluctant of zodiac members to love her, and while Suzu didn't know how to break the curse, it was undeniable that things had changed with Tohru's introduction to their story. Perhaps Tohru would change everything; so, Suzu would help however she could while trying to keep their relationship…professional.
"You said all the animals hated the fox, but you seem pretty close with some of the others."
It wasn't technically a question, but Suzu could see what Tohru wanted. "It wasn't as though I-the fox," she corrected, sometimes losing herself in her cursed animal, "picked on all the animals. They all have a basic dislike or distrust because God was upset with the fox's behavior, but that feeling may become more intense depending on the spirit. It's why Momiji is innately afraid of me, and maybe even why Yuki seems to distrust me so much."
"Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked as she helped Suzu place some of her clothing in an empty drawer.
"The rat was the first one to the banquet in the story, right? He's the closest to God." Tohru gave a small nod of understanding, but Suzu continued to explain, "I'm not completely sure though." She didn't want Tohru believing something that was only a theory.
"And what about you?" Tohru had paused as she asked the question, but Suzu remained silent. She had a feeling she knew what Tohru was asking, but she didn't really want to answer. "You act cold to the others, distant. How do you feel about them?"
Suzu took the question and ran with it in a different direction, trying to get Tohru to focus on the curses and not her. "The fox loved most of the animals. Pranks were their ways of showing affection. That's why the fox was so heartbroken when God told them about the other animal's complaints and then punished them with the curse," it's also why I'm dying from the inside out.
Tohru didn't seem pleased with the answer, though Suzu didn't know if that was because she was sad again or because Suzu had intentionally not answered her actual question. However, she seemed to get the idea because she didn't ask again.
They weren't friends. There was no reason to make any of this personal.
Suzu was quite adamant to keep this from becoming personal.
At first I wasn't going to have Suzu be related to Ayame and Yuki, but their appearances are quite close so I figured why not. I know they look like their animal, but since Ayame's snake is a similar appearance to Yuki's mouse, that could be because they're related.
Do let me know what you thought of this chapter~