Tohru was in a daze for the first few minutes when she returned home. Aimlessly she wandered around the halls not sure what to do until she collided with someone. She fell backwards landing on her bottom, she looked up rubbing her backside in pain. Large brown eyes hidden by bouncy blonde bangs stared at her with worry. He waved his hand in front of her eyes energetically to bring her back from her own world. She blinked baffled at why they were sitting on the floor. The stinging in her backside reminded her that she fell.

"Tohru? Why aren't you with Haru?" the small boy in front of her asked.

"Momiji-kun? What are you doing here?" Tohru breathed brushing away a stray lock of hair from her eyes.

"I live here! Don't you remember Tohru? Or did you hit your head again?"

Tohru stared at him for a second before she remembered who he was. This was Momiji, her half German and half Japanese cousin. They lived here in the palace together along with Haru, Kisa, Oubasan, Hakufu and various servants with plenty of room left to spare. The castle was big enough to hold the whole town but homeless people still wandered about. She always felt guilty when she saw them giving them the money she had on her. Her mind began to drift off to the topic of a charity before she remembered that she was talking to Momiji.

"Eh??? I'm sorry Momiji-kun!!!" Tohru cried with a flustered face.

Momiji smiled widely before frowning again and looking at her seriously. Tohru peered back at him oddly; Momiji never had such an expression on his face for as long as she knew him. He was always hyper and happy.

"Tohru, why aren't you with Haru now? Aren't you worried about him?"

"Huh? What's wrong with Nii-san?"

"You know, since he's sick and all…"

"Eh??? He's sick?" Tohru gasped.

Her eyes widened at what Momiji just said. Haru didn't seem sick when she saw him yesterday but a lot could change in a short amount of time. She prayed she had misheard Momiji and that Haru wasn't sick. Tohru didn't want her brother to have a pain of any sort.

"You didn't know? He collapsed this morning," Momiji replied.

"Wah! I have to go see him now!!!" Tohru gasped jumping up to her feet and running down the hall to Haru's room. Momiji sat there dumbfounded his head cocked to the side. She swung open the doors to Haru's room breathlessly. Kisa and Haru stared at her obviously surprised that she was back already. Tohru went over to Haru's bedside across from Kisa and clutched Haru's hand. Concern shone in her eyes. She bit her lip, he didn't appear sick but looks tend to be deceiving, it might even be an internal problem!

"Are you alright???" Tohru asked worriedly.

"I don't know… The doctor said I might not be alive for much longer…" Haru teased her with a serious expression planted on his face.

"Nii-san! You shouldn't joke about that!" Kisa scolded.

Haru burst out laughing from how sad Tohru appeared a few minutes ago. Tohru blinked a couple of times confused before she realized that Haru wasn't going to die. She let out a sigh of relief before getting flustered about believing Haru's joke. Why would he kid about something so serious? Nothing seemed to be making any sense to her at the moment.

"Joke?"

Nii-san teasing you…" Kisa explained with an apologetic face. She felt guilty for even allowing her sister to feel pity for Haru when he wasn't even ill in the first place. They had more important things to discuss starting with where Tohru was earlier. Kisa didn't want to spend more time on this joke. She was really anxious to know about where Tohru was.

"Eh??? Really??? But I was really worried!!!" Tohru cried waving her arms up and down.

"Okay… Okay… I'm sorry…" Haru said in between laughs.

"But then… Why are you here?" Tohru asked getting more confused by the second.

"Because I was helping you," Haru answered.

"Helping me? But Momiji-kun said you collapsed," Tohru responded.

"Yeah and I had to get at least five injections because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me," Haru added rubbing his sore arm. There were five bandages on his right arm and an IV was still attached to his left arm. If he hadn't collapsed then why did he have an IV in his arm? It looked like it hurt, Tohru was not a person who enjoyed needles, and in fact they scared her.

"Are you okay?" Tohru asked.

"He's fine… But where were you this morning?" Kisa asked Tohru.

"Me? I wasn't anywhere special… I don't know what you're talking about…" Tohru murmured in mock innocence. She faced the floor. She was never one who was good with lying. In truth she hated lying but they wouldn't understand, Haru would most likely scold her for meeting with a stranger. They cared for her, she knew that but she also wasn't a baby. Tohru knew who she could trust and she trusted Yuki.

"But Onee-chan…" Kisa started before Haru interrupted.

"Nothing…. Tohru can you go to the kitchen and ask them for something that I can eat?" Haru suggested rubbing his stomach.

"Yes Nii-san!" Tohru responded as she left the room in a hurry. Outside she exhaled. If they had asked her and more questions she was positive that they would have saw straight through her. She grinned with relief and skipped down the stairs to the kitchen happily.

"You just wanted her to show her face around so nobody would think she was really missing, right? But why didn't you ask here where she was? She'd listen to you…" Kisa told him a bit confused.

"Kisa, sometimes it's better to be patient and wait for the other person to open up to you," Haru advised with a half smile.

Kisa looked up at him curiously. It was Tohru they were talking about; she'd forget she ever snuck out if they waited too long. Haru laughed as if he was reading Kisa's mind. One would never expect those thoughts from Kisa, the small shy looking girl. Still, she was probably correct about that. Tohru wasn't the smartest person alive but she was one of the most caring and innocent. That's why they both were so concerned, she was so gullible that she'd have tea with a rapist and start a pleasant conversation. It was their job to keep her from doing that.

"I have a feeling that this isn't just a one time thing. We'll see if she leaves again next week," Haru smiled.

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Yuki peered up at the brick wall before he took a step back and jumped up gracefully landing atop the brick wall. He crouched down on top of the tall structure looking around the scenery before him. In all his life he had never seen his home from this view. It had a more homely touch to it, but he knew better to believe what he saw. Living here was like a curse, half his life he wished he was born elsewhere, anywhere would do, even the streets. Heck they could have abandoned him there and he would have been happier.

"So where were you?"

Yuki peered down at the orange-haired man leaning against the wall. It was none other then his dear cousin Kyo. They had never gotten along as far as he could remember. He couldn't even recall why they hated each other's guts, they just did. Asking why there was such a tension between them was like asking why there were stars in the sky or why the earth was created. There was no answer it just is.

"Kyo, what are you doing here?" Yuki asked.

"What do you mean?! You've been missing all morning! We were all required to look for you!" Kyo snapped looking up at Yuki.

"Really? I didn't think mother would go that far, let alone notice that I actually left," Yuki muttered his gaze returning back to the sky.

"Of course she'd notice if her precious heir went missing, idiot. It's not like I care… Just get down you moron before someone notices you perched up there like some dumb bird," Kyo replied stuffing his hands into his pockets and staring at the grass. He wore a scowl on his face; deep inside he was relieved that Yuki was back though he would never admit it. He was also glad that he could go back to doing whatever he pleased mostly train so he could beat Yuki.

"So instead of looking like you were supposed to, you hid here? Pure laziness. I knew you were stupid but I didn't know you were this worthless," Yuki retorted calmly as he jumped off the wall. He brushed off the dirt from his pants and shirt.

"Why you-!"

Yuki raised his eyebrows at him, anxious to hear the extent of his threat. Most of them he found amusing since Kyo could never actually lay a finger on him. It was even his lifetime goal to beat Yuki, but Yuki was never really interested in fighting. To him, learning how to fight was just something required by his parents not a hobby. For some strange reason they thought he was going to get kidnapped if he ever left the castle. Not that they actually cared for his safety they just needed an heir.

"Yuki! Why are you bickering over there?! And where were you this morning?" barked an icy cold voice. Yuki took one look at her and his mood was sent pummeling down. She wasn't his favorite person to see.

"Oubasan… I'll leave you two alone now. But we'll continue this fight later, you damn girly man!" Kyo yelled before he walked away.

Yuki rolled his eyes at his immature cousin. Name calling was just one form of their fights. Most of them were arguments and actual physical fighting and Kyo started practically every one of them. Usually he would have said something back but his mother was here. And making her wait just got her angrier, which was never good. His relationship with her was just as poor as his with Kyo. It seemed like there was no one he could truly relate to at his own home.

"Answer my question. Where were you, Yuki?" She repeated ignoring Kyo completely.

"I was nowhere…" Yuki murmured an obvious lie.

--SMACK—

Her hand whipped against his pale smooth cheek. Yuki clutched his pained cheek. Blood was dripping down his skin; her nails had dug into his face when she slapped him leaving three cuts running across his otherwise flawless cheek. She stared at him her mouth open shutting slightly not sure what to say to someone she had just hit. Her arm lowered, dropping back down to her side. He looked directly back at her, she hadn't hurt him physically in a while, he was caught off guard or he would have dodged that easily.

"Don't give me your silly answers!" She yelled in a voice without remorse or regret for hitting her own son.

Yuki was angry he was going to say something but was left speechless. His cheek throbbed crazily; it was turning a bright red and getting swollen. There was a strong pressure forming between the two of them. It would have gotten much worse if it wasn't for Ayame. Ayame jumped out of nowhere running to Yuki singing, "Yuki my dear brother! Do not fear! Nii-san is here for you now!"

Both Yuki and his mother winced at the sight and sound of Ayame. His mother was infuriated at the sight of him, to her he was nothing other then a disappointing worthless son. She didn't even think he was fit to be the king of their country. It was amazing that she hadn't kicked him out if it annoyed her just to see him.

"Ayame! Get out of the way!!!" their mother ordered angrily.

"Oh dear! What cruel creature has inflicted such a wound on you? We must see Tori-san immediately to get this treated!" Ayame declared. He placed one hand on Yuki's unharmed cheek turning the cuts to his eyes.

"Don't ignore me!!!"

"Dear, dear mother, how could you be yelling when Yuki is injured? Tsk! Ah but Yuki you shall learn to depend on your Nii-san!" exclaimed Ayame pulling Yuki towards the castle in a hurry.

Yuki was startled by Ayame's pulling stumbling after him. He had no idea what Ayame was up to but at least he was being useful and getting him away from his mother. Ayame half ran and half skipped his way to the palace. Yuki looked away ashamed to be related to him at this moment. Their mother stomped her foot fuming, hating the fact that they weren't listening to her, their superior and mother. This was ridiculous. Some sons they were.

"Hey!!! Come back here!!! Don't scold your mother and run off!!!" She screamed at them a vein popping out of her forehead.

"Now, now! Don't put your needs ahead of Yuki's injury mother! Ta Ta! We'll honor you with our presence later!" Ayame called to her with a wink.

"Ayame!!!" She shrieked but she didn't follow them.

Once they were out of her earshot Yuki thanked his older brother. Ayame looked at Yuki with a simple smile. Even though Yuki didn't know it Ayame's biggest wish was to get closer to Yuki and be there for him. Yuki just thought Ayame was being ridiculous like normal when he said things like that. But Ayame really wanted to be a good older brother, a protective and understanding person that Yuki could count on and come to for support. Maybe that was a faint fantasy but someday he wanted to see that happen, even if he was eighty years old then. If it did in fact come true he could die a happy man.

"Of course! You can always count on me… Only three people in this world would risk so much for their little brother, and number one is yours truly," Ayame replied.

Yuki smiled slightly wincing. Even a simple smile hurt him. Ayame noticed this, his worry growing. He didn't like to see Yuki feeling pain. They each opened a door to the castle entering together, a rare sight. It was hard to see them within ten feet of each other but here they were talking with one another. Something you'd need to capture on film or no one would believe it.

"Did she do this?" Ayame asked.

"If by she, you mean mother then yes," Yuki answered bitterly.

"Not to fear! I, your honorable brother, am here to protect you now," Ayame announced to an imaginary crowd. He stopped in front of the doors to the infirmary.

"Tori-san! Open up! Terrible misfortune has placed harm on Yuki's face!" Ayame exclaimed whilst pounding on the door.

Hatori opened the door with a ticked off expression. Taking one look at Yuki he pulled him in. Ayame followed letting the doors close behind him. Hatori walked over to his large array of cabinets scanning them for a particular bottle. The two brothers stood there together in silence, this was a shock to Hatori. He hadn't expected this change so soon.

"Take a seat," he instructed as he pulled out a bottle of alcohol.

"You're not going to let a scar appear on my dear brother, right Tori-san?" asked Ayame grabbing Yuki and holding him tightly.

Yuki pushed Ayame away almost suffocated by Ayame's smothering. He sat down in a chair in front of Hatori. Hatori opened the bottle pouring a small amount onto a ball of white cotton. Ayame stood behind Yuki wrapping his arms around Yuki's neck looking like a small kid afraid of the dark. He wasn't even the injured one and he was acting like a baby.

"I'll try not to…" Hatori muttered.

"Well do try your best! A scar will be most dreadful!" Ayame gasped squeezing Yuki tighter.

Hatori wiped the wounds with alcohol, dabbing them several times. Yuki shoved Ayame's arms off of him starting to get fed of with this older brother of his. Sometimes he actually preferred him neglecting him over this obsession with concern. Three cuts weren't exactly deadly or fatal.

"Does it hurt?" Ayame asked worriedly.

Yuki shook his head as Hatori placed a bandage over his cuts. Ayame was the most distressed out of the three of them. Hatori and Yuki were hardly worked up Yuki was the one hurt and Hatori the doctor. Ayame was an extra here, the classical over worrier. It was nice to know he cared but he was crossing the line here. He was worse then a mother was with her first child.

"It should be completely healed in a matter of weeks," Hatori told Yuki.

"Thank you…" Yuki responded gratefully with a nod.

"No problem… I don't believe it will leave a scar," Hatori added.

"Thank goodness! But must you torment me by saving that bit of news for last?" Ayame asked placing his hand over his forehead with a sigh.

Yuki rolled his eyes at his brother. Sometimes he wondered if all along Ayame was just worried about his looks instead of his well being. He didn't really want to find out and Ayame never told him. He knew Tohru would probably panic over this maybe even more then Ayame if she was here. Yuki smiled to himself imagining this. Quickly he straightened out his smile before Hatori or Ayame noticed it'd be difficult to explain a random smile. He never smiled often before either which just contributed to the task, it was just better to hide it.

"What are you taking about?" Hatori muttered.

"Were you even paying attention to my words?"

"No…"

"How could you ignore me, a prince and your best friend?" Ayame cried.

"We're just cousins…" Hatori mumbled.

"Whatever… I'm leaving…" Yuki muttered as he exited the room. He didn't exactly want to hear their fighting. The arguments never turned out serious. They were friends anyways. In other words, it was their way of conversing and Yuki wasn't interested in that. He had other things he had to focus on.

"That was close… I was almost caught… I'll have to be more careful next time… Night time should be a better option because I don't think I'll be able to stop seeing her…" Yuki thought as he headed to his room.

Immediately he lay down on his bed tiredly closing his eyes. He hadn't gotten enough sleep this morning and was about to fall asleep when someone barged into his room. It seemed like everyone here was against him and his sleep. Yuki opened his eyes to await his visitor. If it was Ayame he swore he would kill him.

"Yuki, is it true that you were injured?" a voice sounding disappointed rather then worried asked.

"Father?"

Yuki hardly ever saw his father. He was always to busy to visit him, ever since he was a small child. To Yuki, his father was practically a stranger. His image of this man was vague, he could barely recognize him. Therefore his appearance startled him. His father was the last person he expected to see, Tohru, who didn't even know where he lived, seemed a more reasonable visitor then his father.

"Who else would it be? Your mother informed me that you feel and scratched your face. Is it damaged permanently?" he asked.

"It's fine…" Yuki answered thinking it was like his mother to lie about slapping him. He almost laughed but saved himself from a long explanation to his father.

"Let me see…" He ordered taking a step over and removing the bandage.

Yuki flinched but didn't move. His father would get his way in the end anyways. Why struggle? He let his dad look at it. Yuki hadn't even taken a good look at his injury but by his reaction it wasn't so serious. Hatori didn't even seem so worked up.

"Hmm… This should be better in a few weeks… I'll put off the meeting for a while…" He told Yuki as he replaced the bandage.

"Meeting? With whom? Is it for me?"

"Your meeting with princess Machi of course," he replied.

"Princess Machi?"

"Princess Machi, your future wife… She's the princess of Mizu!" he exclaimed impatiently.

Yuki didn't like the sound of that. He should have gotten used to it. His parents both have been making decisions for him from his birth. It was stupid to think they would change. But this was something he wanted to fight more then anything else. Every other memory of the choices they made for him seemed so small now, what he wore, how his hair was cut they didn't seem to matter now. This was his love life, his future! When would he get a say in his own life? This was beyond wrong.

"Future wife?"

"Of course! When you become king you'll need a queen," He answered.

"Father! You and mother are making decisions without consulting me again!" Yuki snapped.

"We're just helping you plan your future. When you over-react like this it angers me. Especially when all we want to do is assist you," He responded.

"This is my life. I should have a say! You can't plan out everything for me! This isn't fair!" Yuki yelled. With each thing his father said it irritated Yuki even more. His parents were too much to deal with sometimes. He wished they gave him some options at least.

"Life isn't fair! Especially not when you are of royal blood! Do you think I had a say when I was married?" He shouted.

"Well if you don't like it stop it! Don't put your child through the same pain you went through! Honestly I think you're taking all your anger out on my marriage! Just because you suffered you want me to as well, don't you?" Yuki asked angrily.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me like that! I've had enough of you!!!" his father screamed as he stormed out of the room slamming the door shut behind him.

The walls shook from the force. Yuki shook his head tiredly. At least he got through to his father. All that there was left to do was hope that he would change his mind. His father was more likely to back off then his mother. She was most likely the one who came up with this arrangement. He didn't like the idea of marrying someone he had never met before.

"It seems like we just keep getting pushed further apart, Tohru…" Yuki whispered.

Soon enough the week came to a close. This morning was the day Tohru and he had arranged to meet and for that Yuki forced himself to get up early. He staggered out of bed and wobbled into the bathroom. Waking up was never his specialty. Sometimes it took him a full hour to actually wake up properly. Yuki was trying his hardest for a certain brunette. For once, he wanted to be there to greet her, even if this would be the only time.

"Must wake up… Can't let Tohru wait anymore… WAKE UP!" Yuki ordered himself.

-----------

Tohru put on a pale yellow dress staring at her reflection in the full length mirror. She turned around a bright smile across her face. Today, she had woken up early because she couldn't sleep. It was like Yuki was a drug and she needed him. He was already making her lose sleep and she hardly knew him yet. A year from now she could only picture what he made her feel, that is if they got any closer. She could only hope they did.

"Today's the day I get to see Yuki! I don't know why I feel so excited!"

Tohru arranged the pillows on her bed to look like her sleeping form. She placed her blanket over the pile, smiled and left the castle grounds in a hurry. When she was about half way there she remembered that Yuki wasn't one for mornings and slowed down her pace. She beamed as she got closer to town. This was the little piece of freedom she had even if she had to sneak out to get it.

Even though there was only a tiny chance that Yuki had even gotten out of bed yet she still looked around for him half heartedly. To her surprise she found Yuki fast asleep under the sakura tree. He lay on the ground softly snoring, his chest slowly rising up and down. Tohru sat down next to him trying to muffle her laughs.

"It's windy out… I should wake him up…" Tohru mumbled to herself.

"Yuki-kun? … Yuki-kun?!"

Tohru poked his shoulder gently continuing to call his name. He turned over still in deep sleep. She smiled brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Yuki looked so peaceful in his sleep, like a fallen angel. Maybe he was an angel; he looked beautiful enough to be one.

"Yuki-kun! Yuki-kun!!! Wake up!" Tohru giggled.

"Mm…." Yuki groaned, still asleep.

Tohru stood up and frowned. She crossed her arms. It seemed impossible to wake this guy up. An angel couldn't be like a corpse when he slept. Any other person would have thought he was dead if it weren't for his steady breathing.

"This isn't working! How early did he get here…? I'll give it one more try…"

Tohru took a step forward, slipping on a stone and tripping.

"Wah!!!" She cried falling face first onto Yuki… again… Her lips were pressed against his in a firm kiss. At this Yuki's eyes snapped open from shock staring up into her wide brown eyes. She gazed back at him, not sure what to do. She could already feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. How would she explain this to him?

review ♥ (Don't forget the title is changing after this!)