Hope in Reason

Author: foxmagic

Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba! I don't even own my own cat, for god's sake.

(A/N) Hello there! Remember me? Things have been so crazy lately, I don't even know where to begin. I just wanted you all to know that I haven't given up on this fic at all! And as a special treat to reward your patience, I give you this:

Warning: this chapter contains content of the lemon-lime variety.

Yes! For all of you who have been waiting and waiting for this…but I have to warn you, I won't let you get it so easily! (cough cough). I am too cruel…

;-

Chapter Four

;-

Life continued on as usual, with school whittling away her days, and work taking up the evenings. With dinner to be made, chores to be done, and homework to stay on top of, Tohru Honda had little time to be thinking of much else. Occasionally her eyes strayed. But it was only occasionally.

That's why she was surprised when one night, her innocent routine was brought to a screeching halt.

;-

"Phew…" Tohru set the heavy bucket of water down, wiping her brow. This was taking a lot more out of her than usual. She knew that work and school had been stressful lately, but tonight seemed especially hard. "I just need a good night's sleep." She assured herself, continuing on with a slight tune on her lips. There were plenty of thoughts to keep her entertained -like what they would do this Sunday on their day off, and what sort of things she should be putting on their grocery list for next week. The mundane, the usual…

She wasn't at all perturbed when a black and white streak dashed across her mind.

"Hm…" She pressed a thoughtful finger to her mouth. "I wonder if we have enough rice left to make onigiri tonight."

;-

"Goodnight!" Tohru called, hanging up her apron and grabbing her bag to head home. Either Kyo or Yuki would be outside waiting for her per usual. She smiled softly to herself, and walked out into the crisp breeze.

And blinked.

"…hello?" She looked around, finding the street completely empty. Well, that was odd.

She could walk home alone…she supposed. Nevermind all the creeps out at night -all those perverts. A twig snapped nearby, causing her to jump. No -no, she was alright. She could do this.

Was it always this creepy out when Kyo walked her home?

Gradually, her nerves calmed with each new step. Lately they had all been on edge, that was only normal she supposed. They might have been too caught up in their own affairs and simply forgot. Plus, it really was nice out just past dusk, with a slight orange hue still cast on the world. It made her think of Kyo's hair. The same tune from earlier came back into mind, and she began to hum thoughtfully, swinging her arms back and forth. This really was nice. Really nice…

It was only when one of her arms refused to return to her side that she really began to worry.

A tight grip around her wrist -Tohru tried to scream, but instantly felt her mouth covered up by a strong and forceful hand. Her mind raced, limbs growing weak. No -no! Struggling, she did the only left to do.

She bit his hand. Hard.

"Ow-" The assailant hissed, pulling his hand away.

"Stop it!" She shouted, hitting him. "Stop-"

"Tohru-"

"Stop!"

"Tohru!"

"…eh?" Pausing, she blinked up at the man. Her eyes grew wide. "H-Haru? Oh…oh no…oh, I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"That's…fine." He muttered, scratching his head. "I came to pick you up."

She smiled at him, but that smile disappeared when her eyes began to refocus to the dark. When she could see…

"Haru…Haru, you're-" It was hard to believe, standing before him and looking on. Bruises, bloodied knuckles, a cracked lip…and so many jagged cuts. A gasp escaped. "Did…did I do that?"

He was tempted to laugh, but didn't. Even she wouldn't be able to create bruises that quickly. "No, I got into a fight." It was explained evenly enough, with no wavering in his voice to indicate a falsehood.

Tohru had to wonder if that was really the extent of it.

"Haru…"

"It's fine, really. Don't worry about it."

"Alright…"

He began to walk forward, intent on taking her home, when her hand stopped him. She tugged lightly on his shirt, a silent plea. "Please," she whispered. "let me take a look at it."

He said nothing, but allowed her to pull him back.

;-

"Lift your shirt…please."

Haru did as he was told, even as the girl tried to hold down a flush. He was cut up on his stomach too, as she had suspected. The cotton ball was pressed to his skin.

"That stuff stings."

"That means it's working."

"Hn…" He eyed her. "They tell that to children so they don't cry."

Tohru laughed.

Soon he had been bandaged properly, every cut treated to the best of her ability. Nothing was broken or sprained, thank goodness, but there wasn't much to do about the discoloration around his face.

"It's a good thing I know where the medicine cabinet is at work." She piped up cheerfully. "I just hope they don't close up before we have a chance to escape."

Haru looked around, taking in the small room and it's assortment of cleaning supplies. This must be their headquarters, he decided. There were brooms leaning against the wall, some mops, some dustpans, and several stacks of folded dust rags. A sink was well placed underneath the medicine cabinet, with an annoyingly dripping faucet that wouldn't stop no matter how tight you turned the handle.

Tohru stood up to put the things away, and he rose to his feet as well. The lights flickered.

Outside, they could hear the faint booming of thunder.

"Rain." She sighed. "And I don't even have my umbrella. Maybe I can borrow one from the closet…"

She stared into the mirror thoughtfully, for a brief moment. Thunder…it reminded her of tea. English mint.

The lights shut off, and she felt herself deflate. There went the electricity. How would they see to make their way outside? Haru's name was on her lips as she turned abruptly to find him in the dark. And that's when something shiny caught her eye. There was light flooding in from underneath the closed door. That meant the lights in the building were still-

Her breath caught when she felt herself being grabbed from behind with sudden ferocity. Small body meeting quickly with the wall, she cried out as she was pressed tightly to it. A warm presence, and even warmer breath tickling her ear.

"Come on Tohru…you don't want to leave yet, do you?"

The girl gasped, mind reeling back to that night -that felt just like yesterday. That night which seemed so long ago. Her heart raced, pounding in her ears, rising to her throat.

Black. Pure, unadulterated black.

"Haru-"

His body pressed into hers, fit along every curve. His mouth was at her neck, biting lightly, biting deeper, even as his hands were suddenly at the hem of her skirt. She heard the rip, of clothing being torn in a hasty effort to pull down too quickly.

"Say my name again…" He urged. "Tohru, say it again…"

"Haru-" She obeyed, slightly frightened. "Haru, you-"

He laughed -a deep rumbling in his chest, echoing against her. She could feel every shift, every movement. And then his hips pressed, pressed…

Tohru bit her lip, but didn't have much time to dwell on it. Her hair was tugged, exposing her neck as his mouth trailed upwards. She shivered in anticipation, she gripped his shirt unknowingly.

This…this is what she had been thinking about. This is what she had been dreaming of, ever since…

"Your wounds." She managed. "Your wounds will re-open."

"How sweet you are…" He practically purred. "Do you remember? How sweet it was last time. How I promised you, always promised…"

Mine. Forever and always…mine.

She could feel the bandages loose, the blood trickle down his arms and stomach. She could hear the echo of every dream gone unsatisfied, every passing glance sent his way. All those touches, every single brush of skin.

She registered barely, him pushing her to the floor, and his body climbing over hers with such need. He had dreamt of her too. In the middle of the night, he had called out her name.

She felt tears come to her eyes as he said her name again, and again, with such heat. She had wanted, always wanted, had thought nonstop…

"Don't cry." Haru whispered, lips ghosting her tears. "Don't cry, Tohru."

Some remainder of his White. She felt herself smile, felt herself brimming with that familiar emotion once more. It was too bold for her to say, always too bold. But she figured he understood anyways.

Her fingers fisted in his hair, even as he moved to take a dive for her mouth. Teasing, taunting, lips licked and tongues tangled; she could taste the cut on his mouth. His fingers danced along her skin, sliding up her legs and between her thighs. Underwear was another troublesome barrier, one which he got rid of with a quick tug, and with a slip of hand past fabric.

"Ah…" Tohru thrashed suddenly, as a sharp jolt was sent through her body. Somehow, her hands found their way to his shirt, pulling up and over as he guided her. It took her only seconds to realize her shirt had been discarded as well.

They were a mess of limbs -two teenagers caught in a world inbetween. For now, it was only them, only their soft voices which permeated the still air, which gave chorus to the claps of thunder and constant echo of that dripping faucet. He wasn't gentle, and had never really been that way to begin with. She knew this, felt it as his fingers scraped along her body without remorse, as her mouth was taken in a bite, as her skin bristled with the sharpness of his teeth. He wasn't gentle, but really…

She would have it no other way.

When his fingers pushed into her womanhood, she cried out his name. When he slowed, she begged him with unspoken words. And then his pants were gone, boxers lost in a mess of brooms and brushes, and she wondered, god she wondered, why they hadn't gotten back to this sooner. Her breasts were his to claim, with a slither of pink tongue, and a quick and tender suck. Forceful, then soft once again; he shifted against her.

She was sure then, in some vague part of her mind, that she couldn't possibly be Honda Tohru any longer. Honda Tohru would not be doing such things with a boy at the place where she worked. In a storage room, no less. When Shigure and Yuki and Kyo were probably at home worried sick, hungry and alone and…and…

"Quit thinking so much." A dark voice whispered in her ear. She could feel him smile.

And suddenly, she couldn't quite remember what she had been thinking about.

"Are you ready, then?" He asked, positioning himself. She could practically hear that smirk of his. "I don't think I'll be able to hold anything back."

She smiled. Her fingers dug into the floor. "Haru-"

This was it -again, what they had shared, when he had asked permission to lose himself in her. She braced herself, head back and hair tossed about messily. She wanted, bit her lip until it threatened to bleed. Wanted...wanted, even as his name slipped out once more.

Then without warning, the door to the storage room was flung open, blinding them with light. Footsteps paused in front of them. Twin shouts.

Tohru glanced up and her heart stopped cold.

"How nice of you to visit…" Haru's voice was low. "Yuki. Kyo."

;-

Continued

;-

Meh... I really didn't remember much about where Tohru worked. So sorry if that's a little off. Oh well.

Review review! Haru's boxer shorts command thee!

foxmagic