Tohru folded her arms across her chest, "Why do we have to celebrate my birthday?"
"Because you're turning eighteen and because I love you," Yuki responded calmly.
"I don't want a party!" Tohru wailed in exasperation.
"Tohru, you're being incredibly unfair. Let me at least do one thing for your birthday, please?"
"You're not being fair! How much money have you spent on me already?"
Tohru paused for a second before adding, "Never mind! Don't tell me! I don't want to know!"
Taking a glance at the bracelet dangling on her wrist, she grimaced, imagining the price in her head already. There were nine little charms, each holding a diamond in the center. Added to that, the bracelet was made out of gold. As much as she adored her bracelet, she wasn't very fond of his spending money on her. They were living on their own now, paying their own bills and buying their own necessities. There was no need to waste the finite amount of money they had on something as trivial as a birthday party that she didn't even want.
Yuki rolled his eyes, "Please, Tohru? Why can't I spend money on the person I love most?"
"Because I don't want you to!" Tohru cried.
"But what about what I want to do?"
"You can live without giving me a birthday party and without buying me presents."
"Like you can live with my buying you a present and giving you a party?" Yuki pointed out.
He
couldn't figure out why she was protesting against the idea of a
party with presents. Her birthday was the only date he bothered to
remember anyways. Why shouldn't he get to throw her a party? Any
other girl her age would be asking for a celebration rather than
refusing to have one. However, Tohru was an exception to most
generalizations, so he guessed he shouldn't have been surprised.
Yuki wouldn't have even consulted her about her party if he didn't
know she'd throw a fit if she walked inside one day and they jumped
out, screaming surprise and bearing gifts and cake. She wasn't very
fond of fancy gifts, despite the fact she had probably been spoiled
with them since her birth.
"No I can't! No presents and no
party!" Tohru insisted.
"If I don't buy you a present, can I please throw you a party? You like parties," he reminded her.
"Y-Yuki! S-Stop it! I don't want a party or a present!"
"Fine. I'll stop. But just so you know, I'm not going to listen to you then," he warned.
"No! Don't! Please? Yuki-kun, please? For me?" Tohru begged.
Tohru climbed onto his lap, shaking her head solemnly. She laid her head on his shoulder with a frown, wrapping her arms around his midriff loosely. Yuki sighed and slid his arms around her back to keep her from falling. He was well aware of her balance skills, and as much as he wanted her arguments to terminate, he didn't want the disagreement to end with her toppling off of him and hitting her head. Yuki waited a few minutes before he responded, knowing if he said something too quickly, she'd wind up crying and assuming he didn't love her anymore.
"You're getting one or the other. Present or party?"
Tohru remained quiet, shaking her head in refusal.
"Tohru, be reasonable."
Yuki didn't understand why she was making such a fuss over what he wanted to do for her birthday. It was just a party, and it wasn't like they were short of money or anything like that. They weren't poor, and her birthday was a special occasion after all. Either way, she should have known better than to argue over this subject. She'd give in before he did. He wasn't planning on caving in until he got at least permission for at least a party or a gift. After all, he was being nice enough to drop one. She didn't seem satisfied with his offer though, but he wasn't willing to do absolutely nothing for her birthday.
"…Party…" Tohru murmured reluctantly, hoping he wouldn't hear.
"Party it is then."
Tohru sulked. She spun around and slid down his legs, landing on the floor with a plop. She sat there with a frown, not looking his way when he got off the bed and joined her on the floor. She had her arms crossed over her chest and an upset expression that she was hoping would make him feel guilty enough to choose to let her have her way, but he only laughed at her. He knew her well enough to know that even though she wasn't pleased now, she'd cheer up considerably at the party. She'd complain up until her birthday, but he knew she'd enjoy it in the end.
"Do you think I'm really that bad at planning parties? I promise it'll be full of things you love."
"Then why can't we just stay here and do nothing? My birthday would still be filled with who I love most. I don't need a party! I just want to stay with you!"
"You get both. No more complaining, please."
"I'm not complaining."
"So no more pouting?"
"Are you going to drop the party?" Tohru asked hopefully.
She cocked her head to the side, peering at him. She had been praying he'd drop the subject and give in to her demands, but as soon as she saw the smirk on his face, she knew she wouldn't be so lucky. At least her efforts hadn't been completely wasted. She had gotten him to agree to her no presents policy. He could be so stubborn over the silliest matters. She couldn't figure out why having a birthday party for her mattered so much to him, especially since she wasn't even asking him for one.
"No," he replied simply.
"Then no."
"You're so much more quarrelsome nowadays…" Yuki sighed, "I thought you didn't like arguing."
"And I thought you said you'd agree with me if we didn't resolve the issue!"
"But we already did. You agreed to let me throw you a party. Besides, you look adorable when you're arguing."
Tohru ignored his cajolery. He was trying to distract her, to get her off the subject, but she wasn't going to let him win so easily. As long as she kept her eyes off of him, keeping her head clear wasn't too difficult a task, but he loved to make things like that extremely difficult. It was unintentional, she was sure, but even without looking, she knew he was staring at her, and that made it very difficult to concentrate. His holding her hand wasn't helping very much either. She huffed, sucking in a deep breath a bit exasperatedly.
"I take it back then! No party! No gifts!" Tohru exclaimed.
"Nice try, Tohru. Now you get both," he grinned at her.
"No, no, no! Yuki-kun!" Tohru wailed helplessly.
"Party then?"
Tohru frowned, sighing as she gave up on arguing. It was impossible to get her way when he was this determined. He was better at everything than her –with the exception of cooking. Of course he'd be more persuasive than she was. She should have known not to get her hopes up over convincing him to forget her birthday. As soon as he saw her nod, she saw him grin out of the corner of her eye. Normally, just that simple gesture would have been enough to bring about a matching smile from her, but Tohru was still struggling to coax him into dropping the party as well. Yuki hated her anguish more than anything else, meaning her frowns were the best weapons she had in her possession.
"You like parties. Why are you upset?" Yuki inquired worriedly.
"I don't want you to waste money on my birthday. Please, Yuki? Let's just stay home?"
"Okay," he agreed, "We can stay home and have your party here."
"Yuki! That's not what I meant!"
"I know, but let's pretend that's what you meant."
"Do we have to celebrate my birthday?"
She knew the answer she'd receive would be an affirmation before the last couple of words had drifted out of her mouth. It was an unnecessary question to even ask, but there was that infinitesimal chance that he may just give her what she wanted and agree to stay home with her for her birthday. She didn't see anything wrong with spending her birthday with him and not telling any one else that she was a year older, since her favorite thing to do was spend time with him anyways, but apparently he did, and whatever he disliked about not having a party was enough to make him disregard her pleas.
"Yes."
"Then promise not to spend a lot on it, please," Tohru pleaded.
"It'll be a commoner's party. Happy now?"
"A little."
He shook his head at her, slipping his arm around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder for a brief moment before tilting his head back and pressing his lips against the base of her neck. Within a second, he could see trails of red begin creeping down her neck. Yuki grinned. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to her blushes. Considering how adorable he found the red tint to her skin, they never ceased to amuse him despite the misery she claimed the red coloring brought her.
"Be happy. I love you, and you like parties. It'll be fun, I promise," he reassured her.
"I love you too… No presents though!"
"Why am I not allowed to get you a birthday present exactly? I didn't forbid you from getting me gifts, so why are you ordering me not to get you a present for your birthday?"
"I already got a gift from you! You gave me a gift on your birthday! That's why! Y-You already agreed, so d-don't ask any more questions, please."
Yuki chuckled softly, shifting her onto his legs and holding her against his chest. Tohru let out a deep breath, settling into his arms. There had been a point in their relationship when they never disagreed about anything. Everything just revolved around pure bliss and the flare of their seemingly boundless love for one another. She missed those times, unlike Yuki who insisted a little conflict every once in a while was good for them. She agreed with him to an extent, but how could something that made her not like him, even for a second, possibly be good?
"I only agreed because you refused to let me throw you a birthday party otherwise."
"S-Still. You agreed. No gifts. Just a party is good enough for me."
"Fine. Then you can't complain at all about your party."
"N-No! You're not spending a lot of money on a silly p-party!"
"You're not letting me buy you a present, so I get to do whatever I want with your party," Yuki smiled slyly.
Tohru shot up, breaking out of his embrace with a distressed expression. He hooked around the waist with his arms, quickly drawing her back towards him. Yuki held her against his chest and cradled her like a child, allowing her to sit on his crossed legs and supporting her with an arm behind her back and one beneath her knees. She squealed, giggling as he brushed his fingers across her belly. Tohru swatted at his hands lightly, fighting to get him to stop tickling her, but he continued, making her burst into hysterics and forget her fears. Her flailing about did, however, get him to stop when she nearly kicked over a lamp. She flushed madly as he kept a secure arm over her legs.
He laughed, "Don't worry, I already promised it'd be a commoner's party."
---
Tohru sat on her bed between Uo and Hana, staring absently at the blaring television screen but not seeing the movie that was playing. She couldn't concentrate on the video even if it had captured her interest half an hour ago. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Yuki. He should have been home by now. She didn't like how long it was taking him to return. Uo had sent him out on an errand to fetch a duplicate of a tenant's key over an hour ago. She was worried now as she glanced out the window at the dark night sky. She frowned with concern as another bolt of lightening lit up the darkness, and a roar of thunder made her jump.
He had walked to the key shop. She hoped he had found a dry place to wait out the storm. She couldn't even see very well through the thick pellets of rain. He had to be cold. She had made an attempt to leave to search for him, but Uo and Hana had been given instructions from Yuki not to let her do so. Apparently, everyone else knew there was supposed to be a big storm except for her. As she thought over it, that was probably why Yuki had refused to let her come along.
She could hardly remain sitting as she waited to hear the front door open. Nobody needed a spare key this desperately. Yuki should be here, safe in her arms, but he wasn't. Tohru moved on from biting her bottom lip to chewing on the tips of her fingernails. Periodically glancing out the window and at her bedroom door, she anxiously waited for his return. Another ten minutes passed before the rain began to dwindle down to a thin drizzle. This didn't provide her with much comfort. It was still dark out and Yuki hadn't returned yet.
Her heart froze when she heard footsteps clamoring down the hallways, a sound no one else in the room heard but her. She gasped excitedly and jumped off the bed, racing out of the room before anyone could stop her. The thought that it could be someone other than Yuki hadn't crossed her mind until after she had swung open the door and saw an older woman entering the apartment across the hallway from her. Her heart sank to the pits of her chest as she stepped back inside and shut the door. Lovelorn, she sank onto the ground, tears dripping down her face. She sniffled, her whole body racking with sobs.
Worry had settled itself in the back of her head, constantly gnawing at her thoughts. She couldn't recall the last day that had passed without concern. There were too many things to fuss over. Anyone in the right frame of mind would fret if he knew hundreds of people were looking for him, or possibly even more. Any one of those people searching for them could stumble upon this small town in any minute and find them. Yuki wandering around in town made it that much easier for someone to spot him, making her level of worry rise to unstable levels. He always told her that her worrying was unnecessary, but trying not to become concerned when he wasn't around proved to be an extremely difficult task.
"Hey, why are you crying?" she heard a gentle voice ask her.
Before Hana or Uo could even enter the room and question her about her tears, Yuki had returned without her noticing and had her cradled against his wet chest. Her arms shot out around his back as she pressed herself against him, despite his sopping clothes. She didn't release him, not when he nearly fell over nor when Uo and Hana entered. She couldn't release him. She wasn't sure why. It could be due to that fact that her arms were now numb due to the cold, drenched clothes he was in or because she couldn't bring herself to.
"Yuki… I was so worried."
"There was nothing to fret over, my love."
"T-Then why didn't y-you let me come with you?" Tohru stuttered.
"Because you're afraid of thunder and lightening, you don't like the rain, and you're scared of the dark," Yuki answered bluntly.
Tohru shook her head. Such trivial matters shouldn't have been enough to make him force her to stay at home when she wanted to do nothing but remain at his side. Lightning, thunder, and the dark together wouldn't have been terrifying with Yuki around. Hadn't he taught her how needless being frightened was when he was around? It was unbearable not to be able to contact him. How could he be so cruel as to leave his cell phone at home instead of bringing it with him? He knew how it bothered her to be left in the dark.
"I would have been all right with you," she murmured.
"Yes, I know, but I'd rather you not be sick on your birthday," Yuki told her.
Her lips instantly turned downward at the mention of that day, and her frown deepened when she realized Uo and Hana had heard Yuki's comment.
"Your birthday is coming up, Tohru?" Uo inquired.
Yuki didn't let Tohru respond and deny the fact, "Yes, it is, and she'd like it very much if you two came to her birthday party on Saturday."
"There is no party!" Tohru cried.
"Yes there is. You agreed to it already," Yuki disagreed.
Tohru jutted her bottom lip out in unhappiness. Yuki disregarded her expression, drawing her back into his arms. Tohru pressed her face against his wet shirt, disregarding how cold she was at the moment. She'd rather not watch them discuss a party she'd rather not have. Tohru sighed, leaning against him and burying her head between his arm and chest in attempt to cover her ears and muffle their speaking. She was afraid that if she heard anything about this party, she'd be too terrified to show up, but she knew she had to, or he'd be upset, and that was the last thing she wanted.
"Saturday at noon," Yuki announced to them.
"We'll be there then. Need any help?"
"Sure. You can distract Tohru and take her somewhere while I prepare?" Yuki suggested.
"You're going to set up a party by yourself? That'll take all morning. I'll help you. Hana will take Tohru shopping," Uo decided.
"If you don't mind. Thank you," Yuki replied with a smile.
Tohru peeled her face off his chest, unable to stop herself from adding a comment at this point. A party was bad, a party with her friends made her feel worse, the fact that he planned on decorating made her feel downright miserable. She didn't want the burden of seeking out a gift for her added to his list of things to do. Tohru was aware that she troubled him enough as it was with her constant unease and worry. She knew he didn't like her to be concerned about what was to become of them, but she couldn't stop fussing over how many days were left to their relationship until their families discovered them. She also knew he had agreed not to get her a present, but he tended to ignore commands like the one she had given him.
"No presents!" Tohru declared, peering directly at Yuki as she said this.
"Yes, love. I didn't forget," he whispered to her before looking up at Uo and Hana, "We aren't allowed to buy her any gifts."
"What?! Why not?!" Uo demanded, outraged.
"Because those are her requirements. No presents or I can't give her a party," Yuki shrugged.
Uo didn't seem willing to accept the answer, but she kept quiet. She wouldn't argue with her new friends over the no presents rule they had in place. She had no right to force a birthday girl to accept gifts. Normally, she would have suspected that Tohru was just being selfless and that she should just buy her a present anyways, but Yuki seemed serious when he told him no presents were allowed, and if anyone knew what Tohru really wanted, he did.
Tohru looked up suspiciously after moments of silence. She peeked behind herself, peering at Uo and Hana for a second before turning back to Yuki, checking to see if he had given them any tacit messages when she hadn't been looking. Satisfied with their innocent enough expressions, she released Yuki from her death grip and seated herself on the floor beside him. She shivered, cold already from hugging him when he was soaking wet. If she was this frigid, she could only imagine how he felt sitting there in wet clothes just to comfort her.
"Yuki-kun, you're wet and cold," Tohru whimpered.
"You are too. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hugged you," Yuki apologized.
"Go shower. You're going to get sick," Tohru ordered worriedly.
"Change your clothes first," Yuki insisted
He pulled her to her feet and gave her a gentle shove towards their bedroom. She reluctantly complied, rushing to her room to dig out her pajamas to change into. Tohru quickly slipped into the fuzzy pink bottoms and soft, matching top before hurrying out and ushering Yuki inside after shoving an outfit into his arms for him to change into afterwards. Tohru relaxed after hearing the shower start. She retreated back into her bedroom with Uo and Hana, settling back down and going back to watching the movie.
Yuki returned fifteen minutes later with a white towel around his neck and wearing the gray sweatpants and black t-shirt Tohru had given him. He sauntered over to Tohru, settling down in front of where she was seated by the edge of the bed. Tohru took the towel from him and started rubbing it over his head, drying his hair for him. He leaned against the bed, staring up at her quizzically as Tohru scooted forward, letting him rest his head on her lap.
"If you leave your hair wet, you'll catch a cold for sure," Tohru murmured with a caring smile.
Yuki returned her smile before asking, "What are you doing?"
"Watching a movie! It's about a girl and boy who fall in love, but their parents won't allow it," Tohru explained excitedly.
"Oh. Is that so?" Yuki asked in an uninterested voice.
"What? What's wrong with that? Guys can like the movie too! I mean he's watching it," Uo added, gesturing to the other side of the bed.
Hearing the reference to him, Manabe sat up instantly from his lying position on the floor behind the bed, where Yuki had been unable to see him. Yuki's expression darkened, and his smile flattened when he saw Manabe grin and wave to him. Yuki narrowed his eyes and glared at the brunette male, recalling how Manabe had upset Tohru not too long ago with that complaint of his about the normality of their relationship. If Tohru wasn't so against violence, Yuki was sure he would have pummeled Manabe as soon as saw him and would have thrown him out by now.
"Why are you here?" Yuki demanded coldly in response.
"This is my favorite movie! How could I miss it? Besides, Tohru-kun invited me inside to watch it!" Manabe replied.
"Go watch it in your own home!" Yuki snapped impatiently.
"But it's no fun to watch alone!" Manabe whined.
"Then don't watch it at all," Yuki retorted.
"But it's my favorite movie!" Manabe repeated.
"And I don't care," Yuki muttered.
Tohru suppressed a smile as she listened to the growing argument. She let out a soft giggle as she fingered Yuki's wet hair, coaxing him to drop the quarrel wordlessly. He silenced for her sake and settled back against the bed. Tohru leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with a smile. She leaned her head against his and kissed his cheek, his reward for not fighting with Manabe. He sighed, lifting his hands to grasp her wrists. Yuki slid his fingers down, holding onto her fingers gingerly.
Tohru giggled, "It's okay, Yuki-kun. The movie is almost over."
Yuki nodded, wondering how long almost would take, but he chose not to voice his question. Releasing her hands so she could sit back upright and continue watching the movie, he sat there, drumming his fingers on the carpet and waiting for the movie to end as Tohru continued drying his hair. He could endure Manabe until the end of the movie as long as Manabe kept his mouth shut. Even though Manabe had been quiet for the last few minutes, Yuki kept one hand in a fist, ready to beat Manabe if he ever said anything that made Tohru cry again. He knew the silence wouldn't last for much longer, and he was correct. Five seconds later, Manabe's mouth opened.
"Tohru-kun, I want a drink!" Manabe whined.
"Okay! I'll go get you something to drink," Tohru offered.
Tohru slid off the bed and skipped off to the kitchen, happily humming a tune. She returned shortly holding a cold drink in her hand for Manabe. He took the beverage, gulping it down greedily without a single word of appreciation. Tohru didn't seem to mind as she climbed back onto the bed and sliding her legs back under Yuki's head. Yuki glared at Manabe for not thanking Tohru but chose not to comment yet. He'd appease to Tohru's wish for peace for as long as he could manage, but only another ten minutes passed before Manabe was ready to request for something else.
"Can I have more?"
Tohru smiled and nodded, happily complying. She left before Yuki could stop her and make Manabe go himself. Yuki glowered at Manabe. His body moved before he managed to restrain himself, and Manabe's collar was wrenched inside his fist within a second. Yuki pulled Manabe's face dangerously close as he narrowed his eyes, now a venomously, dark shade of gray replacing the normally light silver. Nobody should treat Tohru like a slave, especially not when he was around. He was barely resisting the urge to punch Manabe repeatedly.
"Don't ask her to work like that," Yuki hissed at him.
"She's not complaining!" Manabe pointed out.
"That's because she doesn't complain ever!" Yuki responded sharply.
"Fine! I'll go help her!" Manabe exclaimed.
Manabe squirmed in Yuki's grasp until Yuki released his grip, letting Manabe fall back onto his bottom. Manabe made a whimpering sound before darting out of the room. He slid into the kitchen quickly, nearly crashing into the counter as he made his way to where Tohru stood in front of the refrigerator. Absorbed in her own world, she didn't notice Manabe coming towards her until after she shut the refrigerator and turned around, and in shock, Tohru squeaked, nearly dropping the glass when Manabe skidded to a stop before her.
"I'm supposed to help you," Manabe announced as Tohru took a minute to regain her breath.
"Oh! You didn't have to. I'm done," Tohru smiled, handing him the drink.
"Thank you," Manabe replied after taking a sip.
"You're welcome…" Tohru trailed off before adding, "Manabe-san, do you not like Yuki-kun?"
He was silent, stepping back into the bedroom before answering, "It's not that I don't like him! I just like to tease him once in a while!"
"Once in a while?" Uo laughed, picking up on who Manabe was referring to quickly.
Manabe nodded his head with an innocent look which made Uo burst into hysterics. Tohru just smiled, not fully sure what was so funny to Uo. Like Uo, Yuki was well aware that Manabe was referring to him, but he chose to keep his death wishes unspoken. Turning to Tohru with a smile, Yuki beckoned her back over towards him. Tohru obliged, rushing over to him and seating herself back behind him. After a few minutes, Uo repositioned herself, a serious look on her face.
"So how long have you three known each other?" Uo asked.
"Since the day we moved here," Yuki answered.
"Really? You would think you three were more closely acquainted."
"Well I guess you're partially correct! Yun Yun's old fiancée is my sister!" Manabe admitted with a sly smile.
"Machi-chan?" Tohru piped in, happy to finally have something to contribute.
Manabe's face dropped with disappointment. He hadn't thought Tohru would know about Machi. It would have been entertaining to watch the quarrel and make up afterwards. He frowned disappointedly before Yuki turned to him with a cold smile, but Manabe ignored the malicious intent looming behind Yuki's eyes. Yuki was angry at the careless mention of such a sensitive subject, but Tohru was smiling. She was glad to learn that Yuki did confide in her more than she had thought. Tohru couldn't even think about how she would have reacted if he hadn't told her.
"You knew? Yun Yun told you? Honestly?!" Manabe asked in shock.
"Of course. What do you think? Are you trying to break us up now?" Yuki snapped.
"Of course not!" Manabe denied.
"Then why bring that up? Besides, you can't be related to Kuragi-san… She's too quiet, and you're too obnoxious," Yuki said.
"But I'm her big half brother! We have the same father but different mothers! They don't like me too much though," Manabe went on.
"Figures," Yuki mumbled.
Uo, who had somehow managed to remain quiet for the past few minutes since the mention of Yuki's prior engagement, could no longer keep her shock to herself. Frantically, she shifted her gaze from everyone's face, unable to understand why she seemed to be the only one bothered by this fact. Hana was expressionless as usual, but that was her normal attitude. What Uo found unbelievable was how Tohru, Yuki's current girlfriend, could be smiling after an allusion to his old fiancée. It wasn't normal, even for someone who was as cheerful as she was. The fact that each one of them was peering back at her as if she were crazy was even more confounding.
"Wait… Lemme get this straight! You were engaged to another woman before?" Uo asked Yuki.
Yuki nodded, not taking his eyes away from Tohru's. He dropped his head back down on her legs, raising his hand to her and letting her clasp her tiny hands around his. She smiled at him, bringing his hand towards her face and leaning her cheek against the warm mass. He slid his hand out of hers, caressing her soft skin with the pads of his fingers. Tohru giggled softly, covering his hand once again with hers, stopping the movements. Perplexed, Uo watched their carefree motions in wonder. Even the most stable and secure relationships were shaken by prior lovers, especially engagements, but Tohru just continued playing with his hands as if he hadn't just affirmed having a previous fiancée.
"As in marriage?!" Uo cried.
"That's what an engagement usually refers to Arisa," Hana reminded her without a change of expression.
"Calm down. It was an arranged marriage. It's not like I, or Kuragi-san for that matter, wanted to marry each other. Truthfully, I only met her a total of three times and spoke with her only twice…" Yuki reassured them.
The fact that his engagement had been arranged and not established out of pure choice made the news a little better, but even so, Tohru had to be feeling a bit threatened by this. Uo had assumed she had a grasp of both Yuki and Tohru's thought processes over the past week. Tohru was the sweet girl who tended to be an obsessive worrier, and Yuki was her devoted lover, who seemed to be interested in nothing but Tohru. However, this new revelation distorted Uo's perception of them. How could a frantic worrier not fuss over a betrothal, even if it was arranged, and how could her loyal boyfriend speak of it as if it were nothing?
"And you're okay with that?" Uo asked Tohru skeptically.
"There's no reason not to be when I have my own marital issues…" Tohru responded quietly.
Appalled, Uo's jaw dropped. Tohru averted her wide brown eyes, looking down as if in shame. She could never manage to stop feeling guilty about Akito, regardless of how many times Yuki told her that her engagement didn't matter to him. Yuki had his own fiancée, but he had never kissed her before. She had kissed hers, or actually, Akito had forcibly kissed her, but she couldn't differentiate. It wasn't coveted, of course, but she was ashamed over the fact nonetheless. Tohru had tried to think about it less, and she had succeeded, but with a mentioning of marriage, she couldn't help but think of her soon to be marriage to Akito.
"But why are you guys with each other if you both are aware that you're engaged to other people?"
Tohru and Yuki seemed shocked to hear that this question even needed to be asked. The answer seemed obvious enough to each other. Love. Had that become an invalid answer? An explanation as to why they weren't just going to simply accept their arranged marriages seemed unnecessary, but if their reasoning only made sense to them, Yuki didn't mind reiterating the reasons as to why he decided to stay with Tohru even if their families refused to allow it.
Yuki took a deep breath before speaking, "Falling in love with her was never a logical action. Honestly, it's probably the worst mistake of my life, but how can I regret it? It was too easy. Falling in love with her never required much thought. I just did. Nobody ever asks you if you'd like to fall in love with someone. I just woke up one morning and realized my heart no longer belonged to me…. She had stolen it before I could even comprehend what had happened. I didn't even know who she was, but I wanted to find out…. I wasn't even sure what I was aiming for at first, but she grew on me, and I had to continue seeing her to the point that it grew unbearable to even be apart from her."
Nobody said anything. Nobody else in the room had ever met anyone else who had faced such blocks in love before. The worst case scenario Uo could have come up with prior to Yuki and Tohru's betrothal issues that might interfere with a couple remaining together was infidelity, but that didn't seem it'd be a problem between Yuki and Tohru. Both of them seemed more willing to harm themselves rather than be unfaithful. Too absorbed in one another, neither Yuki nor Tohru even seemed to notice the silence lingering in the air. Tohru beamed and leaned over, planting a kiss on his forehead.
"Is that why you two came here? To get away from your soon to be spouses?" Uo inquired after a minute passed.
"You could say that… But I'd say we're here more to be together than to avoid marriages," Yuki replied with a smile.
"That's so twisted! What kind of families do you both come from?" Uo questioned with a grimace.
Neither of them answered. A smile spread across Yuki's face. There wasn't a safe answer for that. Possibly, they had already said too much. But whose fault was that? Manabe, the guilty once, was quiet for once. Maybe there was a serious side to him after all, but like all good things, that didn't last very long. Shortly after, he began babbling again to nobody in particular about some random subject, losing interest in the topic of marriages after he realized that no conflict and resolution would occur. Nobody was paying him any attention though. Everyone else was still absorbed on the subject of marriage. Neither Uo nor Hana wanted to leave, although Yuki had only requested they stay until his return, but they could tell when privacy was desired.
"That was a surprise, Tohru-kun, but it would seem we aren't necessary to keep you company anymore. Feel free to hold onto the DVD until you've finished it," Hana informed them, "I'll see you on your birthday."
"Bye, Tohru, Yuki!" Uo added.
Tohru's head snapped up to watch her friends go. Releasing Yuki's hands momentarily, she waved to them with a big smile. Uo and Hana stood up, starting towards the door, but both of them stopped when they realized a certain someone wasn't following them in their exit. Irked, Uo briskly strode over to the bedside where Manabe was still seated and waving to them. She stood in front of him with her eyebrows raised and her hands on her hips, expecting him to get up as well, but he remained where he was, playing oblivious. Uo shook her head, yanking him up by the arm and dragging him towards the door. Quick goodbyes were repeated as a confused Yuki and Tohru watched the threesome leave.
"Wah! I never said I was going!" Manabe protested.
Both Uo and Hana ignored the man, and Manabe silenced his complaints by the time Uo had dragged him out of the apartment, pulling him by the collar of his shirt. He stumbled along, struggling to keep up while not letting Uo choke him to death with the grip she had on his shirt. Hana followed after, shutting each door for them. Uo led him through the darkened lobby and tossed him out of the complex. Manabe landed on the cement with a loud thud, drawing the attention of several bystanders. Uo pushed her blond hair from her face and kicked Manabe lightly in the side.
"What was that for?" Manabe whimpered, rubbing his side.
"Tohru is our friend now. So don't bother her. If you do, I'll kill you," Uo warned, an evil shimmer in her eyes.
"Yes ma'am!" Manabe said, taking her threat seriously.
"Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old," Uo retorted.
"Ay, ay, Captain!" Manabe responded, saluting her now.
"Stick with Uotani. No ma'am or captain," Uo muttered, making a face at the names.
Uo glared at Manabe a second longer before walking back inside the building and locking the door behind her. Manabe sat there, waiting until he was sure Uo and Hana could no longer see him before he got up. He snickered to himself before walking around the building and to the side of the edifice that Yuki and Tohru's apartment was on. He tiptoed around, passing by their living room and arriving at the outside of their bedroom. He giggled to himself excitedly, only to be saddened when he realized curtains were covering each window.
---
Yuki's hand slid behind Tohru's neck, pulling her head down closer to his. Her long hair escaped from its place behind her ears, framing his face and settling on her lap. She brushed her lips against his awkwardly. It was almost like an upside-down, backwards kiss or something similar to that. The top of her lip had been against his bottom lip. Yuki laughed when she pulled away with a crooked smile. He stared at her blushing face with a grin.
"Is my head too heavy for you?" Yuki asked her.
"No… We can stay like this for a while. That is if you want to! You don't have to! My legs must be bony and uncomfortable!" Tohru exclaimed in a panic.
Yuki pressed his index finger against her lips. Tohru stopped babbling instantly, her cheeks darkening further. He grinned and tucked her hair back behind her ear. She felt his hand move back behind her neck, pulling her face back down for another kiss. Their mouths lingered open. This kiss was even more different than the last one had been, but still nice.
The movie playing in the background had long been forgotten, the rolling credits going by unnoticed.
---
Tohru grimaced, lingering outside the door fretfully. She didn't want to enter her and Yuki's apartment. He had sent her out with Hana three hours ago so he and Uo could decorate –they didn't want Hana decorating anything with her fondness with black. Tohru could only imagine what they could have conjured up with that much time on their hands, and she didn't like it. The card he had given to her earlier with the sweet message inside had been enough for her birthday, but he had still sent her out, dismissing her protests as if they had never been voiced. Yuki promised it'd be a commoner's party, but that only comforted her slightly. What did he know about commoners anyways?
Not very much she learned as Hana opened the door for her.
Pink balloons were lining the walls, under pink streamers which were taped to the center of the ceiling. There was a matching paper table cloth tossed over the kitchen table with a white frosted cake in the center. Scattered around the table and on the floor was a mixture of confetti and light salmon colored rose petals. It was overdone. Ridiculously so. But she had to admit, he knew her well. Everything was in her favorite color, and he knew she loved roses more than any other flower. She was beginning to think he knew her too well as he appeared just in time to lock her in his arms to keep her from bolting and pretending there never was a party.
"It's not that bad, Tohru. Stop closing your eyes, please," Yuki begged, dragging her inside as he shut the door.
Tohru kept her hands firmly across her eyes, despite the fact that she desperately wanted to continue looking at the beautiful decorations. She didn't want to give him the idea that it'd make her happy if he did something like this again. He would, even if there were no special occasion to celebrate. She knew it, so she refused to let him know how happy she was about this. Unfortunately, he was more observant than she gave him credit for. He had noticed that she had cracked a faint smile before she could even wipe it off her face.
"You smiled. I saw you. You like it," Yuki grinned, tugging her hands off her face.
Beaming, Tohru gave up and let him remove her hands..
"Thank you, Yuki-kun."
She hopped onto her toes, swinging her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. Yuki laughed softly, pleased to find that his assumption that she'd like the party in the end had been correct after all. It would have been beyond awkward if the birthday girl sulked at her own party. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips gently against hers.
"You're welcome. Happy birthday, beloved. Now, come on. Sit," he ordered, leading her over to a chair at the end of the table and pulling it out for her.
She sat done with a blush, not finding the fact that she was sitting in the only seat with balloons tied to the back to her liking. Her cheeks were still flushed as Yuki sat to her right, and Uo and Hana claimed the two seats directly to her left. She glanced at the frosted birthday cake, noting with a smile that there were pink roses made out of frosting bordering the words Happy Birthday Tohru. There were also exactly eighteen pastel colored candles dotting the cake. Glancing back over to Yuki, she noticed he now had a match in his hand, poised over the box to light, but it remained unlit, which perplexed her until she heard the front door open.
Bewildered, Tohru stared at the entrance. She was sure everyone she knew in this town was already seated at the table, but it turned out, her guest was someone she knew but hadn't met formally yet. She beamed at Kureno as he awkwardly sauntered over to the open seat beside Yuki and across from Uo.
"Hi!" Tohru cheerfully chirped.
Kureno nodded in her direction, lowering his head slightly in a bow. Seeing the respectful gesture, Tohru bounded out of her seat and bowed three times in return. She had never enjoyed how formally people greeted her. Having someone bow to her as she stood there made her feel uncomfortable beyond reason. It bothered her more nowadays. Most people here treated her more like a regular person rather than royalty, and she preferred it that way. Being a princess, it would have made sense for her to have gotten used to the polite treatment, but she still felt awkward.
"No, I should be the one bowing…" Kureno mumbled, lowering his head further.
"No, no! You're our guest! You shouldn't have to bow!" Tohru cried, bobbing her up and down more rapidly.
Her head was spinning, and she was dizzy after a few more quick bows. Having been watching Tohru all the while, Yuki noticed immediately when she began to wobble. He extended his arm instantly and slipped it around Tohru's waist, tugging her back down into her seat before she fell over and hurt herself. Tohru gratefully accepted his help, sitting there willingly as her head cleared. Yuki shook his head at her, stroking her hair comfortingly. Humiliated to be the only one left light-headed, she looked down after gesturing Kureno to take a seat.
"You're the birthday girl. You'll do no such thing as bow," Yuki reprimanded in a teasing manner.
Tohru sank back in her chair, her cheeks quickly turning scarlet. Yuki chuckled softly at her as he struck the match in his hand and lit the eighteen candles embedded in the cake. Tohru looked up when they began singing to her, more embarrassed than before. Not wanting to prolong the celebration for even a second, Tohru blew out the flames after she made a quick wish as soon as they were done singing. Yuki grinned as he handed her the knife beside him and let her cut the cake. She quickly did so and started to distribute the pieces, but the first Yuki handed back to her. He took over the task of handing out cake and insisted she eat first, but she only obliged after a piece of the dessert was in front of everyone.
"Hey Kureno, since when have you been so formal?" Uo asked with a stunned look after she took a bite of her cake.
"Yes… And whatever did you mean by you should be the one bowing?" Hana added suspiciously.
"She's a pri-" Kureno started, but Yuki cut him off.
"A stranger! Of course he'd be formal," Yuki interrupted rashly.
"Ah, that makes sense. But the word he was about to stay started with a 'P' and 'stranger' does not," Hana pointed out.
Kureno, Yuki, and Tohru exchanged nervous glances. Hana just continued to stare indifferently as she waited for an answer while Uo raised her eyebrows, both growing impatient although only the latter showed it. Tohru swallowed anxiously, praying either Yuki or Kureno had come up with a story. She had never been good at lying. Averting Uo and Hana's eyes, she busied herself, poking around her cake. Yuki made an attempt to come up with another excuse, but his mind went blank. Feeling guilty, Kureno decided to voice the excuse he had managed to come up with, although he was sure it wasn't one bit believable.
"Pedestrian. Because she's a pedestrian," Kureno finally blurted out rashly.
Uo and Hana looked at each other. Neither believed Kureno's explanation. They exchanged equally suspicious looks.
"Do you think they're hiding something too?" Uo asked.
"It would seem that way," Hana responded calmly.
"You've been caught. Now spill it. Tell us your secret," Uo ordered.
"Uh…"
"She's the daughter of the president of the old company I used to work for. I was going to say president's daughter… I can't get out of the habit of being formal to her," Kureno made up.
Tohru and Yuki nodded in agreement, grateful that Kureno had come up with something somewhat reasonable. Uo seem fully convinced, but Hana showed no expression as usual. Hana turned back to her food, more interested in eating than the revelation she didn't find as exciting as Uo did. Yuki and Tohru actually preferred Hana's disinterest over Uo's curiosity. Tohru would rather Uo accept the fact and not question them about it, but as she thought this, Uo's eyes seemed to flash with more interest. The more questions Uo decided to ask, the more likely Tohru would wind up saying something that didn't follow their story line, and this potential worried all of them.
"I get it! So your father also arranged a marriage for you to expand his business, right?" Uo guessed excitedly.
"Yes. You could say that," Tohru smiled.
"Well now that that's settled, let's celebrate Tohru's birthday," Yuki suggested.
Everyone nodded, joining Hana in her eating before she finished all the food on the table. She had already finished her plate at this point and was reaching out for seconds. Yuki took the plate Tohru had picked up and filled it with food he knew she liked. He set it back down in front of her and handed her a fork before filling up his own dish. Tohru looked down at the food with a smile as he reassured her that he didn't cook it. She laughed, taking a bite without inquiring where he got the food. Tohru was afraid of hearing of his hiring of a chef to cook for him or something else expensive.
"Hey, Yuki, I get Tohru's side of the story, but where do you come in? Where's your part in this?" Uo questioned.
"Me? Well… I'm…"
"Wait! Lemme guess! You're the janitor for her dad's company! And you saved her when she was about to slip on the floor you just mopped!" Uo predicted enthusiastically.
"Arisa, that would make no sense. Janitors usually do not make enough money to afford to buy their lovers diamonds," Hana disagreed with a gesture towards Tohru's wrist.
"Maybe he stole it… He could be from a band of thieves! And she was supposed to be one of his targets, but he fell in love instead!" Uo grinned, coming up with another story.
"Arisa, isn't that a little far fetched?" Kureno inquired.
"Actually, you can just say my father and her family are rivals business wise. They basically hate each other," Yuki cut in before they started accusing him of something worse than thievery.
Tohru looked at him and smiled. He had found a way to tell them about their situation without directly saying who they were. Yuki leaned towards her and kissed her on the head reassuringly, making her cheeks flush slightly. She was used to his display of affection in front of others by now. However, it still humiliated her, but she was getting better at concealing her blushes. Kureno watched them. This was the first time he had seen them together in a long time, and nothing had changed between them, despite the amnesia they both had suffered.
"That makes sense! So you two should have a child! Then they can't possibly keep you apart!" Uo declared.
Yuki and Tohru both stared at her embarrassedly. Dark blushes coated both of their cheeks. They glanced at each other awkwardly. Tohru turned away almost immediately, fiddling with the table cloth timidly. She'd never admit to have had thought about starting a family with Yuki. It was a nice thing to ponder over to herself but nothing she'd be willing to voice to anyone. Tohru closed her eyes, praying she was just hearing things, by stealing a glance upwards, she found all three of her guests staring back at her, waiting for her response.
"You're kidding, right?" Yuki asked hopefully.
"I'm completely serious! You both love each other, so what's the problem?" Uo demanded.
"Arisa, Tohru just turned eighteen. Aren't you asking a little much of them?" Hana responded.
"Do you have a better solution? You two have to hurry before anyone finds you here. What are you two waiting for?" Uo questioned.
"I don't think they're ready for a child… But, Yuki, if you two get married, I don't think your mother would break it off. She has a lot of pride and wouldn't want to ruin her reputation with a divorce," Kureno suggested.
Yuki shook his head with a smile, "She'd just pay everyone who knew about it to never mention the marriage again. Besides, sex and marriage shouldn't be talked about so carelessly. Those choices are up to Tohru and I, not you all, so don't get involved," Yuki said nonchalantly.
Tohru looked down at her lap. What he was saying was true, but to her, it almost seemed like he'd rather not get married to her. She frowned, ashamed to be doubting his love once again. She knew as well as anyone that he had proven himself more than enough. They were miles away from home for a reason. But when he said things like that, she grew anxious. Yuki peered at Tohru, seeing her push away her slice of cake. He took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly, assuming her tense posture was over the uncertainty of their future. Tohru glanced up at him, wrapping her fingers around his. He just smiled back at her.
"Hey, you don't have to be so cold! We're just trying to help."
"I'm not trying to be rude or seem ungrateful for your advice, but you guys really shouldn't know about us for your own sake. Our families tend to be pretty dangerous," Yuki continued.
A brief silence followed before a new subject arose. Nobody mentioned their relationship anymore for the rest of the party, sticking with safe topics that wouldn't upset Tohru on her birthday. The party lasted well into the evening, ending way past Tohru's usual bedtime.
Tohru crawled into bed instantly after her friends left and after she had changed into her pajamas, disregarding most of the cleaning for tomorrow. Also ready for slumber, Yuki lied next to her with his eyes shut. Tohru curled up under the covers, watching Yuki for a moment before she wrapped her hand around his shoulder, shaking him gently.
"You didn't follow my rules, did you?" Tohru inquired suspiciously.
"What do you mean?" Yuki muttered sleepily.
"You got me a gift! Didn't you?" Tohru accused.
He chuckled at her, lifting his hands in surrender as he rolled over to face her. Yuki opened his eyes, gazing at her with a smile as she tried to act angry. She had never been quite good at being mad, pretending or otherwise. Tohru narrowed her eyes at him, giving him a gentle shove which only made him laugh. He trapped her hands with his, bringing them to his face and pressing his lips against her fingers. Tohru suppressed her giggle, fighting to keep her lips turned downwards. She pressed her hands against his lips, stopping the caresses.
"Yuki-kun! You weren't supposed to!"
"I convinced Uotani-san, Hanajima-san, and Kureno not to get you anything. I think I'm entitled to this treat," Yuki responded, trying to speak coherently with her fingers still pressed over his mouth.
She stared horrified at him. What were rules established for if he wasn't going to follow them? Tohru removed her hands from his face, tucking them under her arms as she crossed them over her chest. She frowned, staring at him disappointedly. Yuki grinned at her, placing his hand on the side of her face, cradling her cheek under his fingers. Tohru kept quiet, avoiding his eyes. He slipped his other hand around her waist, tugging her closer to him. She let out the breath she had been holding and allowed him to pull her closer to him. It'd be a wasted effort to fight against him when he was so much stronger than her.
"Don't worry. It's the cheapest gift you'll ever get. I hardly spent a thing," Yuki reassured her.
"Knowing you, you could have spent a thousand dollars and act as if it were a mere penny."
"It's a commoner's gift. I promise."
"Like your party for me?"
"That party was nothing. With my party as it was, I felt terrible for throwing you such a small party."
"That's my point! I already thought the party was too much!"
"Tohru… Please? You deserve a present."
Tohru hung her head in defeat and held out her arms. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the gift really was as small as he claimed it to be. He flicked on the light and smiled. Yuki reached behind himself and slipped something soft into her arms. Tohru couldn't help but open her eyes in curiosity and was greeted by black, beady eyes. She smiled at the sight, staring at the velvety soft teddy bear in her arms. It was a soft, tan color with a light pink ribbon around its neck. She squished it against her chest with a grin. Her prior thoughts against gifts faded quickly with the stuffed animal in her arms. Yuki watched her with a faint smile.
"Thank you…. I love it," Tohru breathed.
"More than me?" he teased.
"Of course not! But you're not a birthday gift!"
"Of course I'm not. It would have been incredibly inconsiderate to give you something that's already yours."
Tohru smiled, squeezing her bear tightly in her arms before letting him turn off the lamp again. She lay there quietly and stared at him, unable to decide whether she wanted to ask him about the real issue that was bothering her or not. Better to ask and get the truth, she decided, even if there was a chance that'd she get an answer she didn't like. Trying to buy time, she fingered the silky ribbon on the bear, taking several deep breaths. She could hear his breathing slow, signaling her that if she didn't speak soon, her questions would have to wait for the morning.
"Yuki….?"
"Hmm?"
"D-Do you really not want to get m-married?" Tohru inquired softly.
Her voice had been barely audible, even to him who laid less than six inches from her. Yuki turned back towards her with a perplexed expression. His eyebrows furrowed, unsure of how she came to that conclusion. He peered at her, waiting for more of an explanation, but she kept quiet, waiting for a response from him. Tohru's lips quivered as seconds drifted past, her eyes already watery but still held a strong determination within. He was taking to long to respond. She blinked, her eyes focused on him for a moment as he stared back at her.
"Tohru, what do you mean?"
"Do y-you not want to m-marry me?" Tohru repeated.
He was speechless. His mouth hung open, no words came out. Tohru forced a smile across her face despite the escaping tears that slid off her cheeks and onto the pillow she had her head on. Maybe marriage was asking too much out of him. Being with him was a gift beyond the capabilities of her imagination. She had no right to demand more out of him. It was possible that she had said too much already. He could start seeing her as the clingy girl she tended to be and leave her, then that precious present would be snatched away.
"It's okay… I understand," she mumbled in a hurt voice.
She turned around, pulling the covers tightly around her. Yuki clasped his hand around her shoulder, but she pulled away. Tohru shrunk away from him in a tight ball.
"Tohru, can we talk about this?"
The only response he got was the chirping of crickets outside. Yuki got out of bed and walked over to her side of the bed. He kneeled down in front of her quietly so he could see her face. He noticed that she was still crying. If he could take back his silence, he would have. Yuki would give anything he had to replace the hurtful quiet for a quick denial. Gingerly, he touched the side of her face. She snapped her eyes open, gazing at him in shock. She hadn't heard him walk over.
"Why do you think that I don't want to marry you?" Yuki inquired softly.
"Isn't that what you said?"
"When did I say that?"
"When Kureno-san brought up the idea, you didn't seem to like it very much."
"That's because I don't think it'll help us stay together at all. I never said I was opposed to the idea. Besides, didn't I already tell you that there's only one person I want to marry, and that's you?" Yuki reminded her.
Tohru looked down, too bashful to respond to that. Yuki tilted his head to the side, unable to figure out why she always assumed the worst of his love for her. He ran his fingers across her cheeks, clearing her face of the unnecessary tears. Yuki sat down on the mattress before her. Tipping her face back up with his forefinger, he gazed into her large brown eyes curiously. Tohru blinked, grateful he hadn't turned on the light this time. Darkness was her friend whenever he made her blush so. He took her hands in his, fondling them lovingly.
"Do you want to get married?"
"…Yes…" Tohru admitted, her voice hardly audible.
"Then let's get married," Yuki responded.
"No!" Tohru squealed.
"What is it? I thought you wanted to…?" Yuki trailed off, confused now.
"You're not supposed to propose like that because I want to get married! Y-You're supposed to propose because you want to get married, and I'm supposed to agree because I want to get married," Tohru explained.
"But didn't I just say I want to get married?"
Tohru allowed a tiny smile to adorn her features for a quick second before wiping it off. Inside, her emotions were a chaotic mess. On one side, she was jubilant. He had just proposed, almost, but she wasn't very convinced that it had been asked purely out of his own desire. She was afraid he had only mentioned it due to her confession of her own yearning for it despite his insistence that he wanted to marry her as well. Tohru peered at him, finding him beaming back at her.
"Then why didn't you mention it before?" she asked.
"Couldn't I ask you the same thing?" he didn't wait for an answer from her before continuing, "If you're asking why I never proposed, it's because you didn't exactly react the way I wanted you to when I mentioned marriage after you found out about Machi. You were embarrassed, and I'll admit that was cute, but you didn't look pleased with the idea…"
"I was…" Tohru confessed.
"Well then, I'm sorry… I should have asked you then. Forgive me."
"I told you I wanted to the other day too…" Tohru murmured.
"I know. But you were emotional then. I didn't think it was the right time to propose when you were crying. Besides, I told you I wanted to get married too, and you disregarded that," Yuki stated.
Tohru turned her face downwards, still not sure whether she believed him or not. Marriage was final. She would be pleased to be with him for the rest of her life, but she doubted he'd be happy being tied down to her, someone who hardly rivaled him in looks and also a girl his family loathed. It'd be a marriage doomed to end in divorce. Their families would never allow it. However, Yuki wasn't thinking that far into the future. He refused to let her go to bed believing he didn't want to marry her. He gave her an exasperated look, determined to straighten this out. .
"You don't believe me?"
She shyly shook her head side to side, knowing he'd figure out the truth even if she insisted upon believing him. Yuki sighed before climbing off the bed. Tohru shot up, blindly reaching for him in the dark to draw him back to bed. She may not have believed that he wanted to get married, but that didn't mean she wanted him to leave. Hearing the door open, Tohru dropped her arms, letting the light of the hallway blind her temporarily as she struggled to follow him with her eyes. He disappeared around the corner, and she could hear his rummaging. She was about to chase after him, but she saw him start heading back to the bedroom, so she forced herself to stay put and wait for him.
He sat down beside her again, dropping a small box onto her lap. Tohru stared blankly at it before glancing back at him, not touching the box.
"It's for you."
Tohru hesitantly picked up the small box, all too familiar with the case jewelry usually came in. She swallowed nervously before opening the black box, staring in bewilderment at the diamond inside. It shouldn't have shocked her to see he had bought a ring with the discussion they had been having before he presented her with the tiny trinket. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and looked up at Yuki through her tears. Tohru pointed to the ring, beaming.
"You remembered…"
"Hmm?"
"The ring… It's the same ring I was looking at when we first met…"
Yuki smiled simply. He pulled the ring out of the box, poising it before her left ring finger.
"Tohru Honda, I love you more than anyone and anything else in the world or even the universe. You may not know it or even believe it, but you're everything to me. You have no idea how bleak my life was until you came into it and brightened it up with your beautiful smiles and endless amount of love. I know our journey may not be the greatest or even the safest. We may have to change our names twenty times and move to fifty different counties. I can't even guarantee that we'll be together in the end, but I won't give up. And I'd be honored if you'd join me. Marry me?" Yuki asked in a soft voice.
Her hands flew to her mouth as tears glistened in her eyes. She nodded, not trusting her own voice to work properly. Yuki leaned towards her and gave her a quick peck on the lips before he slipped the ring on her finger. Tohru blinked back her tears, grinning wide enough to make the corners of her mouth ache. She sniffled, staring at him happily. Yuki placed his hand behind her head, pulling her towards him. She laid her head on his shoulder, overjoyed.
"I'm sorry. I was supposed to get on one knee and ask you, wasn't I? Did I ruin the proposal? Would you like me to redo it?" Yuki offered.
Tohru shook her head back and forth, wrapping her arms around him tightly to keep him from doing so. Her body was still shaking with sobs as she held onto him tightly. Yuki stroked her back awkwardly, finding her weeping to be a strange reaction to an engagement from a girl who claimed to want to get wed. He remained silent for a moment to see if her tears would abate on their own, but after two minutes of her continuous crying, he found himself unable to wait for the end of her crying any longer.
"Tohru?" he whispered anxiously, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy? I thought this was what you wanted…"
"I am happy… It is what I want…. I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't be crying," Tohru murmured, swiping at her eyes.
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Yes… It's perfect. Thank you… I love you…." Tohru breathed, peering at the new adornment on her finger with a smile.
Yuki picked up her hand, examining it with the ring on it. The silver colored, white gold contrasted beautifully against her pale skin tone, but the diamond seemed a tad excessive on her thin finger. He liked having it there, regardless. It acted as a clear indication to any stranger who found himself interested in Tohru that she was taken and not available to anyone else. Tohru looked at her hand with him, sliding it out of his hold and pressing it against her heart.
"You're so adorable… I love you…" Yuki commented.
"When did you get the ring?" Tohru inquired, obviously changing the topic due to her embarrassment. .
"A long time before we left… I've wanted to ask you for a while, but I couldn't, not while we were back at our homes and anyone could see the ring, and I didn't want to ask you as soon as we got here because the last thing I want is for you to think I want to marry you because we're under pressure. I want to marry you because I love you and don't want another guy to ever even think about being with you."
"You don't have to be concerned abut that. No boy but you likes me anyways..." Tohru trailed off softly.
He threw her a disbelieving look, "Are you kidding? You're beautiful. You may not see their stares, but I do, and I don't like it."
"Y-You're lying. Nobody stares at me! You're the one who's p-pretty!" Tohru stammered.
"You're gorgeous. Believe me. I would know. I am one of those guys who stare at you constantly after all, but I stare most," he laughed.
Tohru flushed, looking downwards in humiliation, not paying any attention to his continual compliments until he had her face locked between his hands. He tilted her head upwards, leaning his forehead against hers. Yuki paused, watching her face brighten with a blush before he gently pressed his lips against hers. Tohru locked her hands behind his neck, pressing herself against him closely. He smiled against her lips, entangling his fingers in her hair and kissing her fiercely. Tohru opened her eyes when he broke away, both breathing heavily and equally happy.
Fate had woven her a wondrous story in which she had found her prince, and she refused to let anyone end her fairytale with words other than and they lived happily ever after…
