Tohru could see Yuki's back, easily recognizable with his glimmering silver hair. He stood exactly ten feet away from her, holding the tiny hand of a child in his. Suddenly, they both turned around and faced her. Yuki smiled, as did the child. She instantly noticed it was a little girl around the age of four with dark brown her, similar to her own. She had her dark locks tied up in small pigtails at the sides of her head, surrounding wide gray eyes that were obviously from Yuki. Tohru's jaw dropped in delight. Her and Yuki's daughter?
"Mommy!" the little girl cried.
Tohru stooped down, extending her arms out to the child, awaiting an embrace with a grin, but the little girl darted right past her. Tohru gawked, falling back onto her bottom with a thud. Bewildered, she craned her neck back, catching a glimpse of the child leaping into the arms of another woman with hair similar to her own but several inches shorter. Tohru recognized the lady as Machi, Yuki's fiancée.
Yuki followed the girl, brushing past Tohru without a glance in her direction. Tohru reached out for him, calling him back frantically, but he ignored her, and her arms helplessly dropped back down to her sides. She couldn't make contact with him, and for some reason, she couldn't move. Nearly in tears, Tohru watched with a horrified expression as Yuki leaned over and kissed Machi on her lips.
Tohru shrieked, her eyes misting over with streams of tears.
That was her Yuki. What was he doing with their child and Machi? Her face contorted with agonizing pain. She couldn't breathe anymore. Her labored breaths seemed to drain her completely of energy, leaving her collapsed on the ground. Tohru laid on the cold concrete motionlessly, adding new tears to the wet puddle she was already resting her head on.
She watched hopelessly as Yuki, Machi, and the toddler started walking away from her, all holding hands and laughing. Tohru gave one last effort to call for him, but her voice came out as a whisper, hardly audible even to her own ears.
Soft footsteps soon could be heard, making her lift her head in hope that Yuki had returned.
However, it wasn't Yuki's kind face that greeted her.
Instead, it was the last person she wished to see.
Akito.
Confused, she stared at his malicious face, which was twisted with a cruel smile. Her heart thumped rapidly in terror as he took more and more steps in her direction. She screamed in vain for Yuki to come back now that Akito was less than five feet from her. To her utter shock, Yuki was suddenly in front of her, still with the child. No Machi in sight. She could have grinned if Akito still wasn't two feet from her. She pointed at Akito frantically and was shocked to see Yuki waving to Akito with a smile.
Akito dragged her to her feet, and Yuki began to fade away. She gasped, calling him back, but instead, a small boy with black hair and ominous matching eyes was thrust in front of her.
"Say 'hello' to mommy," Akito smiled cruelly.
Tohru couldn't even speak. She dropped the child in horror. The child began to cry as he locked her legs in a painful grip. Tohru whimpered before turning around and finding Yuki behind her, smiling beside Machi again. She cried for him but found herself to be ignored again. Her world was spiraling downwards, the light fading away, the sounds deafening, and then…
She awoke.
Tohru shot up from the bed and stared at the darkness for a minute, wide-eyed and terrified. Her heart raced swiftly, tripping and stuttering in a mixture of agony and fear. Tears had somehow transferred from her nightmare onto her face. She could feel the liquid trailing off her chin. It took her a moment for her to realize she was also screaming. She instantly clasped her hands over her mouth, silencing the cacophony. Trembling and still breathing coarsely, she hadn't realized Yuki was holding her in his arms until he spoke.
"What happened, Tohru?" Yuki asked, his voice full of solicitude.
"Yuki!" Tohru wailed, "Promise me you won't ever marry Machi!"
Yuki blinked, confused. He glanced at his wife who was currently burying her face in his shirt, sobbing with such force that he winced in pain. He stroked her hair reassuringly as Tohru continued to sob, hiccupping and sniffling too fast for her to catch up on her own breathing. Worriedly, Yuki pressed her tightly against his chest, seeking a way to console her before she hyperventilated and fainted. He had never actually felt her arms hold onto him so tightly. It was shocking in a way, yet he was more consumed with concern.
"I promise. I won't marry her. You're my only love, and you'll be my only wife. I would never dream of replacing you. How can you even think I can give my heart to another when you already have a death grip around it? I only have one heart, you know…" he paused, letting her digest what he had said before adding, "What brings up this demand?"
"Our child… Love me… Love only Tohru… Please. Don't fall in love with Machi-chan… Don't have kids with her…. I want only our child to be yours. I want to be the only one who has your children, please…." Tohru pled.
"You'll be the only one. I swear. Now tell me, what happened? You're not acting like yourself."
He stroked her back gently, feeling her grip loosen ever so slightly. She peeked up at him almost hesitantly, tears still hiding her eyes from him. Yuki gingerly ran his fingers under her eyes, clearing them of the misty veils. Kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose, he managed to ease some of her fears. Her breathing slowed enough for her to regain some of the much needed oxygen. Yuki patiently waited as she recollected her thoughts.
"My d-dream…" she finally murmured, "It was horrible… Please, only me, okay?"
"Yes, my love. I wouldn't have it any other way… Besides, you should know I only have eyes to see you smile… Ears to hear you laugh… A mouth to remind you of how much I love you… Arms to hold you… A mind to remember you, and a heart to give to you…" Yuki assured her, seeking to disperse the last of her concerns.
Tohru flushed, hiding her red, swollen eyes in the crook of his arms. She let her arms slither back around his waist, squeezing him tightly. Yuki smiled, returning her gesture. He slid her onto his lap, cradling her lovingly.
She was still having trouble identifying her dream as just a figment of her imagination, despite the fact that she was right here, being crushed against Yuki's chest. He was with her, and he had managed to hinder her tears, yet she was still fighting the painful void that had overcome her a few minutes ago in her dream. She was in his arms, but she had never felt more alone and abandoned. Seeming to notice her state of panic, he pressed his lips to her cheek, speaking around her skin.
"Without you, there isn't much left, now is there? Don't worry about it… I can never ever love anyone else more than I love you… I don't think there's room in my heart for anyone else. You take up too much space there, if you don't already occupy the whole thing," Yuki laughed briefly to himself.
"Thank you… Is there anything I can do for you?" Tohru offered.
"Just be happy. Wherever you go, whatever you do, just be happy, please. That's all I ask. If you find you love someone more than you love me, love him, and don't worry about me."
Tohru looked up at him guiltily. How could she act so selfishly? She was supposed to let him have whatever he wanted, even if that was Machi, but she couldn't. Tohru couldn't even think about taking back her pleas. His agreement to them had left her with too much relief and bliss. If she took it back, she was afraid she'd sink back down that dark hole, and her dream would become a reality. She should be putting his happiness before her own, but the thought of him wanting to be with Machi was too much to bear. He'd keep this promise, even if he were to love Machi more than he loved her. If it came down to that, she wasn't sure what she'd do. Letting him go would hurt too much, yet clinging to him when he was in love with another woman seemed too cruel.
"You make me sound horrible… I must seem greedy. I'm sorry…" Tohru apologized.
"No… Don't fret… Feel free to tell me whatever your desires are. Nothing makes me happier than being able to grant your wishes," Yuki reassured her.
"I just want you to love me forever…" Tohru whispered.
"Of course I will. That's a given. Nothing will ever come between my love for you."
"I'm glad… And you don't have to worry about me loving someone more than I love you… I don't think that's possible," Tohru admitted with a blush he couldn't see.
Yuki grinned and kissed her cheek. Tohru blushed, the red across her cheeks deepening in color as he embraced her. He freed his waist from her arms, interlacing his hands with hers. She smiled as he brought their entwined hands to his face and pressed his lips to her skin. Timidly, she slid her hands out of his. Leaning forward, she let them lock behind his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. He fingered her hair, twisting the long strands of mahogany around and weaving them through his hands, as she shut her eyes.
"Like how it's impossible that you love me more than I love you?" he chuckled.
"No, like how it's impossible that you love me more than I love you," Tohru beamed.
"Well then, I think I have to worry about you falling in love with another guy," Yuki teased her.
Tohru shook her head with a faint smile, disagreeing without words. He chuckled at her again, ruffling her dark locks before pulling her nearer.
"It's midnight… Let's go back to sleep…"
Yuki didn't give her much of a chance to agree, simply dragging her back down with him. Her cheeks darkened, feeling his cheek against hers. Shyly, she placed her arms over his, which still were firmly locked around her abdomen. Yuki flipped her over after a minute, holding her closely to him. Tohru snuggled against his warm chest, pulling the blanket back around them. He grinned, giving her a kiss on top of her head before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.
Tohru willingly let him hold her down as he slept, but she was wide awake.
She stared ahead at the blackness in front of her face, not wanting to get out of bed yet not ready for slumber either. Tohru didn't dare disturb his rest, even if she still wished to speak with him. It was moments like this, when he was holding her and she could feel his warm breath against her neck, that she appreciated most, and there was no way she was going to waste a second of it. He reassured her endlessly of how they'd end up together, but she couldn't be so sure.
Guards were here.
She knew that.
He couldn't lie to her about that even if she was the most gullible person alive.
She had seen one less than five feet from her not too long ago, and if she would just dare to sweep the curtains from a window in their apartment, she knew she would find guards all over town. She couldn't, however. It was one of the many restrictions Yuki had decided to enforce a short while after she had told him about spotting the guard. He didn't allow either of them to leave the apartment complex. She didn't mind staying inside with him all day though. He had his ways to keep her entertained and smiling.
But, as talented as he was at distracting her, he couldn't remove the concern from her mind. There was too much to fuss over, too much she could lose so easily. Yuki could vanish from her life in the blink of an eye, and she wasn't sure how she'd manage to live after that. She couldn't even begin to imagine going on with each day without his smiles, his kindness, his love. In such a short period of time, they had quickly grown to become vital necessities to her. It would seem that he had become more than simply her best friend, her lover, her husband. He was her life source.
Tohru swallowed anxiously, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. She couldn't cry. Yuki would awake as soon as a single tear escaped with his arms so close to her face. There were many difficult things she had come to accept. She had accepted the fact that she would never see her mother and father again, she had accepted the fact that she had to live with her aunt and uncle, who hated her, but she couldn't accept the fact that there was a chance she wouldn't wind up with Yuki.
It didn't even make sense to her.
Why couldn't they be together?
Including the previous relationship she had with Yuki that she couldn't exactly remember, they had been dating for around three years. And for nearly two of those years, there had been no protest against their relationship. They had been allowed to get married, but now, for some reason, their families were willing to do anything to separate them. She was sure that reason hardly involved them, meaning they were to be kept apart over some silly feud of some sort? That hardly sounded fair.
She loved Yuki, and he loved her. That simply should have been a good enough reason to let them be together, but it wasn't. Tohru wiped the brimming tears off her face, replacing her sadness with determination. She refused to let anyone tear her away from Yuki. There had to be something she could do to make both of their families realize that nothing they could possibly do would keep them apart.
She wasn't quite sure how long after this point until she actually fell asleep, but thankfully, it was still dark when she did.
--
"Yun Yun!"
Yuki cringed, hearing Manabe barge into the room without a knock or even a warning. Actually, he was still pondering over how Manabe even got into the room. There was something known as a lock, and he couldn't recall giving a key to Manabe. Yuki glanced up at Manabe's glittering eyes to the clock and then back to Tohru, who was still fast asleep. It was barely noon. There was no reason for Manabe to be here. Yuki pulled his fingers gently through Tohru's hair as he had been doing all morning for the last time and covered her ear gingerly, hoping their voices wouldn't awake her.
"Ooh! Was I interrupting? I'm sorry!" Manabe whispered loudly.
"Why is it that the first thing that pops into your head always something dirty? Wait, why are you even here?" Yuki groaned softly, trying his best not to wake his princess.
"It's my job! But it looks like I'm not needed here! But anyhoo, I should take a few pictures to show the commander what a good job I've been doing!" Manabe exclaimed as he pulled out a camera.
"Argh! Just get out!" Yuki ordered.
When Manabe made no move to exit, Yuki whipped his pillow towards Manabe as a warning. Manabe ducked, letting the pillow slide out the door. He laughed as he partially hid himself behind the door frame. Yuki's eyes narrowed angrily. He had run out of harmless items he could throw. The last pillow was under Tohru's head, and he didn't dare remove it. Yuki glanced at the lamp beside him. Debating whether he should toss it or not, his fingers danced along the edges.
"I swear, if that flash goes off, I'll throw this lamp next. And I won't aim for the door this time," Yuki warned, picking up the glass lamp from the end table.
"But I don't need the flash to take a picture!" Manabe snickered, pressing the button.
The soft click of the camera went off, signaling that it had captured the moment. Manabe dashed out immediately, fleeing for his life. Yuki jumped out of bed, chasing the dark haired male to where he was poised by the front door. Yuki gripped his shoulder and pulled him back inside before Manabe managed to twist the door knob and escape. Yuki placed his hand against the door, destroying any last minute getaway plans Manabe had come up with.
"I'm just going to warn you once, but if you send that to Niisan or anyone else, I will personally kill you."
"Alas! I'll just post it online then! Can't you just see the title already? Prince-"
Yuki's hand grasped Manabe's shirt, lifting him a few inches off the ground with a menacing smile. He opened his mouth to threaten him some more, but he was silenced when he heard the soft pitter-patter of Tohru's feet as she walked into the room. He turned around, watching her sleepily walk towards him while rubbing her eyes. Yuki dropped Manabe and rushed over to Tohru before she tripped over a fold in the carpet. She flushed when she realized why he had led her off in the opposite direction.
She had already tripped over that spot nine times already.
"Why are you up so early?" Tohru asked, peering up at Yuki curiously.
"Tohru, it's noon," Yuki pointed out, gesturing at the clock.
Her eyes widened incredulously.
She couldn't believe it. She had never slept past eight before. There were so many things to be done. Tohru gasped as she started thinking about everything she should have done already. Breakfast should have been cooked hours ago, there was still laundry to be washed, a bed to make, last night's dishes to be put away. Her list rambled on for miles in her head. Flustered, she shuffled off to the kitchen quickly, followed by a worried Yuki. Instantly, she began to set the dishes back in the cabinets. Concerned about Tohru's nearly obsessive need for everything to be clean before the afternoon, Yuki sighed and helped her put the silverware away.
"You haven't eaten, have you? I'm s-sorry! I should have woken up earlier! I don't know why I didn't wake up to my alarm! I'll go get breakfast- lunch ready right away!" Tohru babbled.
"Tohru, you didn't wake up because I turned off your alarm. You need to sleep. Stop fussing and calm down," Yuki ordered her.
Tohru nodded, but she hardly relaxed.
"I want lunch!" Manabe chimed in, leaning across the counter.
Tohru nearly jumped up in shock. She barely managed to hold back a scream of fright, immediately clinging onto Yuki's arm. Both Yuki and Tohru glanced at each other. Yuki, having forgotten his presence, and Tohru, never having even noticed him standing there, were both taken aback by his voice. After a minute, Tohru embarrassedly released Yuki and apologized. Yuki shook his head, finding her apologies unnecessary. He turned her around, not paying Manabe an ounce of his attention.
"Ignore him," Yuki told her.
"No, no! I'm making lunch anyways. It wouldn't be a problem to make one more dish!" Tohru responded cheerfully.
As she started taking out cooking utensils, she glanced down, noticing she was still in her pink pajama pants and matching shirt. She flushed and mumbled something about changing first to Yuki before rushing back into their bedroom. Yuki took the opportunity to give Manabe his true opinion, seeing as if Tohru were here, she'd get upset if she were to hear what he truly thought about Manabe being here. She never found anybody to be annoying. He had no clue where she got her tolerance from, but there was only one thing she couldn't tolerate and that was unkindness.
"You could have at least been more polite to her. Why didn't you even say 'please'?" Yuki demanded.
"Fine! If I must, I will uphold my respect! I'll go apologize for my rudeness!" Manabe declared as he rushed off to the bedroom.
Yuki shook his head as Manabe scuttled down the hallway with a mischievous look across his face. Realization struck Yuki, an arrow shot from a bow. That idiot was going to enter the room where Tohru was currently changing in. His hand was already on the doorknob, slowly opening the wooden barricade. Yuki darted into the room before Manabe could even fully open the door. He enclosed Tohru's surprised frame in his arms, hiding her from Manabe's eyes. Shocked, Tohru dropped the outfit she was about to put on. Tohru could feel the shade of red tainting her cheeks slowly drift across the rest of her body.
"Yuki-kun? What are you doing?" Tohru asked embarrassedly.
"Being dirty! He ran into the room while you were changing to have a peek, but he couldn't help from having a feel too!" Manabe announced unnecessarily loudly.
Tohru's blush darkened, rivaling the scarlet shirt Manabe was wearing.
"Idiot! That's because you were going to walk into a room where a woman was changing! Where are you manners?!" Yuki snapped back.
"Yun Yun, the real question is where are yours?" Manabe cocked his head to the side innocently.
If he weren't holding Tohru and shielding her from Manabe's perverted sight, Yuki would have taken the lamp he had spared earlier and thrown it at Manabe. Tohru shifted in Yuki's arms timidly. She could feel her heart lurching in her chest, forceful enough to make her fear that one of her ribs would soon break. Tohru was even positive that Yuki could feel the pounding of her heart, not to mention the heat radiating off of her bright red skin. Noting how Yuki's eyes weren't directed towards her, she prayed he was too annoyed at Manabe to notice how embarrassed she was.
"Shut up! Get out already!" Yuki ordered impatiently.
"Yes, yes! I'll leave so you two can do your dirty thing," Manabe chuckled as he pranced out of the room immaturely.
Manabe popped in before a second even passed, "But don't forget I'm waiting for my lunch!"
"Get out. Nobody is making you food," Yuki tried to explain to him with as much patience as he could.
"I'll do it!" Tohru offered with a smile.
Yuki sighed. Her kindness and selflessness were going to wind up to be open invitations for Manabe to drop by whenever he was hungry, despite the fact that he had been nothing other than rude to her.
Manabe left with a smile after hearing the words he wanted to. Yuki released Tohru and quickly locked the bedroom door to keep Manabe out, an action that Tohru had forgotten to do. After twisting the door knob a couple of times to ensure that it was indeed locked, he retreated to the corner of the room as he waited for Tohru to finish changing, his eyes directed towards the wall. Tohru flushed as she slipped on her shirt and skirt. When she was done, Tohru skipped over to him with a smile and took his hand in hers.
"You really are overprotective," Tohru giggled.
"Fine… I'll just let the next person who walks in on you changing see you," Yuki nodded to himself.
"No! Y-You wouldn't!" Tohru squeaked in a panicked voice.
He laughed, "Of course I wouldn't. How could I possibly allow that?"
Tohru shrugged with a small smile as he stood up.
"Let's go make him leave," Yuki grumbled.
He gripped her hand firmly as he led her out of the room. They were both shocked to find the brunette man nowhere in the apartment. Confound, they both walked around in confusion until they arrived at the counter. There lay a brown envelope addressed to them. Yuki picked it up cautiously and dumped the contents onto the table. The two of them were surprised to find an array of photographs of them together during their stay here. Tohru smiled as she gushed over the permanent memories locked on glossy paper as Yuki picked up a piece of paper from under the mess.
Just so you know, the commander has a copy of every picture before you.
Yuki's face darkened as he crumpled up the paper and dropped it into the trash. This would just be a one-way flight to nonstop annoyance from Ayame. He could only wonder how much Ayame had paid Manabe to act as a stalker. It seemed creepy to him, but as long as Tohru was pleased with what she was presented with, he wouldn't kill Manabe just yet. Tohru sorted through the pictures with a grin, separating them into piles.
"Look! It's our wedding," Tohru smiled as she held up a picture to Yuki.
He peered at the photo with a warm expression. It was a simple scene. If anyone else were to look at it, it wouldn't be identifiable as a wedding. The common indicators weren't there. No wedding dress, tuxedo, flowers, or even guests. But both seemed equally happy. Tohru was grinning ear to ear with her hands locked in Yuki's as he leaned toward her to kiss her cheek.
"I want to go thank Manabe-san," Tohru told him, "I'll be right back!"
Yuki nodded before she fled the room, not thinking twice about possible dangers in the hotel.
Tohru darted down the corridors, trying to locate Manabe, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She had even asked Uo and Hana, but they hadn't even seen him come in, let alone exit. Having already circled the building at least three times, Tohru stumbled along tiredly, photo in hand, surprised to find a woman beckoning to her a few feet from where she was standing. Innocently, Tohru approached her, wondering what it was she needed. She didn't recognize her as someone she knew from here or from her home town, but it seemed that the women knew her.
"Come inside, princess," the taller woman cooed.
Tohru's eyes widened in shock, trying to resist entering, but a pale hand encircled her wrist and yanked her inside, locking the door behind her.
She was led into an apartment similarly styled as hers, but this one was void of much furniture, save a couple of chairs and a table in the kitchen. Tohru nervously followed the stranger into the kitchen where she was pushed down into a chair. She sat there obediently and politely refused a cup of tea when offered. The lady sat across from her, her dark eyes menacing and her dark locks seeming to come alive as venomous snakes.
Tohru shifted awkwardly, wanting to leave before Yuki started to worry but not wanting to seem rude at the same time. She looked down, fiddling with the picture of her wedding with Yuki. It was silent for a few moments as the woman continued to glare at Tohru. The only sound in the air was the soft ticks of a nearby clock, constantly reminding Tohru that every second that was passing was making Yuki worry more and more. Tohru peeked up only once before returning to play with her photo. The glowering was beginning to scare her.
Tohru finally looked up, "Um… Do I know you?"
"I come from the same town as you, princess," she snarled.
"Oh… W-What's your name?" Tohru asked nervously.
"Motoko," she responded sharply.
"Well… M-Motoko-san, do you need me for something?" Tohru squeaked.
Motoko just smiled malevolently as she reached over and took the photo from Tohru's hand. Motoko stared at it momentarily before ripping the picture in half. Tohru gasped as Motoko crumpled one of the halves and tossed it over her shoulder. She flipped it over, revealing the half of the picture with Yuki on it to Tohru. Unable to figure out why Motoko would destroy her precious picture, Tohru's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Tohru reached for Yuki's half, trying to salvage at least part of her photograph, but Motoko held it out of her reach.
"Yuki is mine," Motoko hissed.
Tohru shook her head in denial, "No, no he's not!"
"Are you saying he belongs to you?" Motoko questioned smugly.
"N-no! You can't own a person, b-but… He loves m-me!"
"Are you sure about that? Sure that he couldn't possibly love anyone else more than he loves you?" Motoko questioned.
"He's married to me," Tohru murmured.
"So you don't think he's ever dreamed of marrying someone else?" Motoko demanded.
Tohru bit her lip. Despite all of Yuki's frequent reassurances, it seemed almost too easy for Motoko to undermine them all with a couple of questions. Tohru could feel something hot race down her veins, something that was making her blood boil and bubble. She could taste bitterness in her mouth. She almost gasped when she realized what she was experiencing: hatred. She didn't like this Motoko, this woman claiming she loved Yuki more than Tohru did. Tohru could tell Motoko wasn't very fond of her either, but Tohru seemed to be the only one of the two who felt the least bit guilty about her ill feelings towards the other.
"I want to go home," Tohru breathed.
"Why? Are these questions difficult for you?"
"Yuki-kun is worried," Tohru whispered as she stood up.
"Or maybe he's not."
Tohru pushed in her chair before she raced out of the kitchen only to fall down five feet away. Before she could even push herself back up, Motoko pressed her foot onto Tohru's back, smiling a wicked smile that Tohru didn't even need to turn around to see. She could feel a rough rope slither around her wrists, yanking them together. She squirmed in fright, but her motions only seemed to make Motoko work faster, and in less than a minute, Tohru was thrust back into the chair she had gotten out of not too long ago.
Motoko turned around and picked up a kitchen knife from the counter behind her. She smirked, twisting it around wickedly. Tohru's eyes widened at the sight. Her breathing picked up pace as Motoko walked over to her. She trembled in the chair and started to flail around, trying to escape in vain. Motoko extended her hand, steadying the chair. She lowered her face, leveling her eyes with Tohru's large, fright filled ones. Motoko ran her fingers along Tohru's chin, jerking her face upward with her finger.
"Do you really think you could even love Yuki more than I do?" Motoko demanded.
"I-I love him more than anything," Tohru admitted.
"And that's even comparable to how much I love him?" Motoko asked.
"O-Of course. Y-You d-don't know him. I do. I love him more than a-anyone could…" Tohru murmured stubbornly.
"Don't underestimate my love for him!"
Motoko slapped Tohru across her face. Tohru's face jerked to the left, driven by the force of the blow. She gritted her teeth together, trying to ignore the pain rippling through her body and the tears bubbling to the surface. Motoko smiled, noting the wetness surrounding Tohru's eyes. She laughed lightly to herself, playing around with the knife a second longer before setting it down on the table within Tohru's reach. If her hands weren't tied together, she'd be able to take it.
Tohru looked down, "How can you assume I don't love him as much as you do?"
"Because he treats you more like a pet. Calling you cute… I would never want to be called that by my lover… That's something I would refer to my dog by," Motoko laughed.
Tohru shook her head, fighting back streams of tears. A dog. That definitely wasn't something she wanted to be seen as, especially not by Yuki. Her eyebrows knitted together fretfully. Motoko was exaggerating, wasn't she? Cute was a perfectly acceptable term to express love, was it not? However, she was having a difficult time believing her own reassurances. Tohru had never thought about the meaning of the seemingly doting terms Yuki used to refer to her by, but now that Motoko had pointed it out, her logic made sense.
Seeing Tohru take a second glance and reconsider her thoughts on Yuki's feelings, Motoko grinned, partly satisfied. Motoko walked away for a moment before returning with a small, plastic, transparent bag. She held it out a foot from Tohru's face, glaring at her with disgust. She waved around for a minute before holding still to let Tohru see what it was exactly. Tohru gawked, staring at the three pregnancy tests she had taken not too long ago. Yuki hadn't even seen those.
"What's this? Are you cheating on Yuki?" Motoko spat.
"N-No! It's Y-Yuki's!" Tohru blurted out before she realized what she had said.
Tohru looked down with a red face once the words sank in. That was private knowledge shared only by Uo, Hana, her, and Yuki. She hadn't even told her family the news yet in fear that someone other than her brother and sister would find out. Motoko smirked as she placed her hand on Tohru's cheek. She ran her fingers gently along Tohru's cheek before digging her nails into the soft flesh, scratching the skin. Tohru winced at the pain, holding back a cry as blood started trickling off her face.
"W-Where'd you get those?" Tohru questioned shakily.
"The trash…." Motoko muttered, a bit ashamed to be admitting to have searched through their garbage.
Motoko peered at the bloody mess on Tohru's face thoughtfully. She snickered as a thought fluttered into her head.
"Maybe he won't love you so much when you aren't so pretty anymore. Then he wouldn't even have to bother about lying to you about how you look," Motoko mused as she twirled the knife around in her hands.
Fearing for the worst, Tohru shrieked and squeezed her eyes shut. Motoko gripped her long brown hair, pulling the blade through the strands. She held onto the bundle of hair in her hands with a cruel smirk before dropping the strands onto Tohru's lap. Tohru screamed when she saw the pile before her. Tears were already bubbling onto her face as Motoko leaned in again. This time, the knife was poised half a foot from her face. Tohru gaped in terror, not having trouble imagining what could happen next.
"Don't worry… Akito will still love you."
Tohru's eyes widened in horror. She flailed about, kicking her legs and fighting against the ropes, but she only managed to get the chair to topple backwards. She wailed when the chair, along with her own weight, crushed her hands. Waves of pain rippled through her body, sending the tears she had fought so hard to resist tumbling down her face. Motoko smirked at the sight of Tohru's pain. She let Tohru lie there for a few minutes before she bothered she set the chair upright. Motoko patted Tohru's head with false cheerfulness.
"Oh, and don't bother fussing over informing Akito of where you are. I'll do that for you, and then you'll be with your fiancé all over again. Yay…" Motoko continued slyly.
"No, no, no!" Tohru screamed.
"Don't be concerned. He'll forgive you for running off with my lover," Motoko laughed.
Tohru shook her head in denial. She let out another cry, but this time, her hollers were covered by the sound of the front door crashing against the wall beside it. Tohru opened her eyes worriedly and was instantly relieved to find Yuki standing there. She blinked, unsure if he was actually there, but by the looks of Motoko's shocked expression, he had to be. He didn't stare at the scene in horror for too long before coming to his senses. Tohru smiled, instantly forgetting any pain she was feeling.
"Yuki!" Tohru cried.
Yuki rushed over to her with a mixture of anger and fret across his face. His fingers worked quickly, rapidly untying the ropes from her wrists. He quickly swept her into his arms, ignoring Motoko as he carried a sobbing Tohru out of the place. Motoko gawked as her plans to end Yuki and Tohru's relationship just broke before her.
Somehow, before now, she had managed to convince herself that Yuki didn't honestly love Tohru, and he would instantly chose her over Tohru after he learned of her love for him, yet she couldn't think that anymore. Not after she had seen that expression across his face. He had been genuinely worried about Tohru's absence, and he was clearly relieved when he found Tohru, yet angry at her for trying to hurt his princess.
Yuki loved Tohru for some reason she, nor Tohru for that matter, couldn't figure out. He saw something in Tohru that neither of them could see, and that something seemed to make Tohru utterly irreplaceable. In fact, he had hardly even glanced at Motoko with anything other than hatred, and she was well aware of the fact that nearly every guy she knew had had a crush on her at some point, but Yuki looked right past her and instantly to Tohru, and his eyes quickly changed, spilling out love and concern.
"Why are you in here….? I've been looking for you all over… I even caught up with Manabe, but he hadn't even seen you. I was so worried…. I asked everyone I saw, and nobody had seen you…. Finally, I found a maid that saw you come in here…" Yuki muttered as he continued walking down the hallways.
Tohru couldn't speak, choking on the tears still flowing from her eyes. She clung to Yuki, burying her face against his shoulder. He patted her back, ignoring the gazes of onlookers and their various questions. Yuki didn't even bother to explain to Uo and Hana when they started to follow him with their train of questions, but he let them enter when they arrived at the door at the end of the hallway. By that time Tohru had silenced and was raking her fingers through her now short hair with a horrified expression. She could feel several strands as long as her hair had once been, but most were cropped and hanging a little above her shoulder.
"Are you all right, Tohru?" Yuki asked worriedly as he noticed the tears begin to build up again.
Tohru shook her head vehemently. Yuki glanced at her worriedly, taking her hands into his and staring at the red skin with wide eyes. His eyes drifted upwards, eyeing the cuts and red hand print across her cheek fretfully. He lifted his hand, gingerly grazing her cheek. His fingers quickly withdrew when she flinched. Tohru glanced up at him, trembling as she tried to hold in newly arrived tears. Yuki drew her back into his arms and pressed her tightly against his chest. Tohru slipped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. Unable to release him, she clung to him, despite the fact that she was bothered that she was leaving a teary mix of blood across his white shirt. He stroked her hair reassuringly, letting her cry again.
"I shouldn't have let you go… I'm sorry…" Yuki murmured.
"No…. It's my fault. I s-should have known better than to go in with h-her."
"She was just taking advantage of your kindness and trust… That's no reason to take the blame," Yuki told her.
He kissed her unharmed cheek, easing away the last of her tears. She settled down momentarily as he left to get the first aid kit. He had her holding tissues over her cheek while he opened the bottle of alcohol and doused a cotton ball. Yuki kneeled down in front of her anxiously, seeming more worried about cleaning her cuts than she, who would be feeling the pain, did. He slowly placed his hand behind her head to keep her from moving too much as he wiped the alcohol across her cheek as gently as he could. She made no sounds, but he could tell she wasn't too fond of the stinging sensation, but as much as he didn't want her to be in pain, he wanted her injuries to get infected even less. He finished as quickly as he could and returned to the counter for a band aid.
She watched him as he placed the bandage over her cheek before glancing around the kitchen. Her eyes settled on various chromatic surfaces of appliances in the kitchen. Tohru stared horrified at her reflection, making a face at her hair.
"Tohru?" Yuki asked with confusion.
"M-My hair…" Tohru stuttered.
"Don't worry, Tohru-kun. We can take you to a nice hair salon and they'll fix your hair for you," Hana offered.
Remembering the omnipresent guards, Tohru shook her head, "No, no, no! I-I don't want to g-go…"
"Then I'll cut it. You'll look as adorable as before," Hana reassured her.
Yuki and Uo quickly nodded in agreement, seeking to cheer the tear stricken girl. Hana left momentarily and returned with a pair of scissors. She gestured Tohru to a seat in the kitchen, and Tohru followed sadly. She made no comment as Hana snipped off her hair, evening the strands out. Yuki smiled when Hana set the scissors down, but Tohru was still frowning. She touched the ends of her hair awkwardly, trying not to offend her friend. When she looked up, she found a small mirror held out to her face. Tohru peered in the mirror, staring at her short hair in disdain. She couldn't remember the last time she wore her hair like this. The last time her hair was cut off before it reached her shoulders had to be at least ten years ago.
Yuki ran her fingers through her soft strands comfortingly.
"Why the forlorn face? I like it," Yuki whispered into her ear.
"You do?" Tohru squeaked.
"Of course. You're so adorable."
Tohru grimaced slightly and looked down, instantly remembering what Motoko had said. Adorable and cute were terms someone used to describe a pet of sorts, not a lover. Noting the change in expression, Yuki peered at her, perplexed. She had been more embarrassed and flustered a second ago. Unable to figure out what could have upset her, he touched her chin, lifting her face and staring at her saddened eyes.
"You always say that…" she sighed, not sure what to think anymore.
"Because it's always true," Yuki insisted.
She didn't respond, looking downwards instead. Tohru idly twisted her fingers through the fabric of her skirt, averting Yuki's eyes. Frustrated by her silence, Yuki stooped down, kneeling before her. Before she could turn her head away, he placed both of his hands on either side of her face, locking her head in place. Finding he could hold her face in place but not her eyes as she shut them, he sighed. Yuki released her, allowing her to drop her head once again, but at least she opened her eyes.
"What did I say wrong?" he asked softly, hoping she'd respond.
"Nothing…"
"Yes, I did say something to offend you. You're upset. Why?"
Tohru swallowed nervously, not wanting to tell him the truth. It seemed a bit humiliating to tell him now that she thought about it. Seeing his lips flatten out into an unsatisfied line, Tohru glanced up guiltily. She hated seeing him discontent, especially with herself. Now she felt obligated to tell him something. Not wanting to retell Motoko's words, she tried to think of another reason that could be the cause of her sadness in vain. Even the thought of lying left her cheeks red, and just that look gave her intentions away. Yuki gave her a disapproving look which was enough to push her over the edge.
"…Because cute doesn't mean I love you…" Tohru admitted.
"And why is that? Who said that?" Yuki demanded to know.
"Everyone says that…"
"I don't. You never had a problem with it before. Is this something she said to you?"
Tohru looked down. By the tone of his voice, he deemed her ludicrous for listening to Motoko. She could feel the stinging sensation in her eyes, the signal for the onset of tears. Most people considered her gullible and not very bright. She didn't mind them thinking that she was a bit dumb, but she didn't want Yuki to start thinking that.
Yuki shook his head when he noted her change in demeanor. He scooped her up in his arms, wrapping her legs around his abdomen. Flushing, she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head on his shoulder so he couldn't see her face. Yuki was silent for a moment, stroking her hair gently. His fingers fumbled awkwardly, not used to the short brown strands. He stopped before she noticed and started accusing him of not liking her hair again.
"It is? Isn't it? Regardless, it shouldn't matter to you what I say because it all means I love you… So of course cute means I love you," Yuki reassured her.
"You're just different."
"So if I'm different, can't the word have a different meaning for me?"
"I-I guess…"
"It doesn't matter. If you don't like it, I won't say it. Do you have a preference for another term? Beautiful? Gorgeous?" he suggested.
"B-But I'm neither…" Tohru protested in a barely audible voice.
"You're both."
Tohru flushed as she shook her head. Yuki laughed and nodded, disagreeing with her. He blinked, peering at the pink flush fading as purple splotches started to replace the blush behind the bandage. He cautiously covered her cheek with his fingers, careful not to press his fingers against the wounds. Tohru, bewildered, glanced up at him, confused to notice that the grin and cheery expression had been replaced with fret once again. He set her back on the chair cautiously and took a step back to scrutinize her face.
"Are you all right?" Yuki inquired again gently, not wanting her to panic.
"Yes… Why?"
He held up the mirror to her, revealing to her the purple skin across her cheek. Tohru gasped, covering her face in humiliation. Yuki touched her darkening wrists gingerly, picking her hands up to examine the blue rings around her wrists. Yuki frowned, attempting to inhibit the desire for vengeance. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Getting revenge wouldn't make Tohru happy, it'd just provide him with satisfaction, not her, and it was her he sought to please. As if she were reading his mind, Tohru gripped his hands tightly, her eyes insisting that she was fine.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Yuki asked.
"It hurts…" Tohru admitted.
"I'm sorry…. Is there something I can do for you?"
"…K-Kiss it…" Tohru quoted him shyly.
"I only wanted a kiss last time. It doesn't really make it feel better," Yuki teased her.
"I want a kiss too…" Tohru murmured.
Yuki chuckled, "You don't have to ask for one."
He leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek before brushing his lips against hers. When he pulled away, he could still see sadness lingering behind her eyes, despite the fact that she was smiling. He took her hands in his, holding her cold fingers. If her lack of heat wasn't showing her fear clearly enough, her trembling certainly did. Yuki stroked her hands, rubbing them gently. He could feel goose bumps across her skin.
"What's wrong now, Tohru?"
"Nothing…"
"Are you worried about telling me about a secret lover you have?"
"You are my secret lover."
"But not so secret anymore, eh?"
She nodded, agreeing hesitantly. It was true. Their relationship was definitely not a secret anymore, but she'd like to believe it still was. A secret relationship with a person she shouldn't be with definitely made her feel more secure than a marriage to said person that had to be known to everyone. She couldn't even bear to think about what could happen when they were found. Her head was filled with enough of the normal fears of a possible break up or fight. At least that would be of their own doing, but a forced break up wouldn't be about their incompatibility whatsoever. How could she possibly get over something like that? Then again, a separation due to infidelity or a new found love would kill her just as painfully.
"Yuki, do you know her? Do you know a Motoko?" Tohru asked anxiously.
He cocked his head to the side, "Not that I know of. Why?"
"So you haven't dated her before?" Tohru inquired.
"Not as far as I can remember. Why are you asking?" Yuki responded bewilderedly.
"That- That lady… She said you were hers… Maybe you were in love with her before the accident," Tohru murmured.
Yuki smiled, "I doubt it. I was going to marry you, remember?"
"No… I don't remember that part. What if it's not true?"
She had many random recollections of moments between them, but none hinted at a wedding. She could recall no ring, no proposal, no wedding preparations, and certainly no ride to where they were to be wed. It could have been a lie for all she knew. She had enough indications that they had been in a previous romantic relationship, but she didn't have enough memories to piece their story together. The moments she could remember were sporadic and didn't make much sense together. They could have broken up before the accident for all she knew.
He stroked her back, "Maybe we weren't about to get married, maybe we were. I'm not sure about that, but I'm positive that I was in love with you then too," Yuki reassured her.
"How do you know?"
"Because, when I first saw you… I can hardly describe it. It was like finding an angel, my angel. I saw you, and I immediately knew that I would never ever want to part from you. I guess it's what others may call love at first sight, but I'd say it was much more powerful, more breathtaking, more heart stopping…. I just wanted to wrap my arms around you and hold you forever…"
Listening to his own words, Yuki followed through with his said desires, encircling Tohru's waist with his arms and embracing her. He kneeled for a moment longer before sitting down and dragging her down with him. Tohru watched him, waiting for him to continue as he peered at her with a similar expression. She gripped him tightly, too timid to respond. Nothing made it harder for her to speak than his open professions of love and affection. Nonetheless, they pleased her.
"…I wanted to kiss you. But somehow, I kept from doing so to keep you from deeming me a freak. It was like I had been looking for you for a very long time, and I had finally found you."
Tohru's cheeks darkened instantly.
"And you know what? Seeing Motoko, I felt none of that. Of course, I felt that way after finally locating you, but that's only because you were there. With Motoko, I was just angry at her for doing that to you. That's how I know…" Yuki concluded, his voice trailing off.
She clung to him, ignoring the pain she felt when his cheek grazed her bandaged one. Tohru refused to let him release her, even if he were trying to see if she was all right. He had checked her injuries excessively already, always seeming to need to know if they happened to pain her more or bother her to a greater degree. Finding these questions to be causing him unnecessary concern, she'd answer as vaguely as she could, but this time, she decided to change the topic to an issue she found to be more pressing.
"Are you ashamed of our relationship?" Tohru inquired hesitantly.
Yuki threw her a bewildered look, taken aback by the absurdity of her words.
"I'm not ashamed. Why would I be? I'm with the most extraordinary girl in the world- universe, I mean. How did you even come to that conclusion?" Yuki questioned.
"Um… I-It's silly, but you just never seem to want to acknowledge who we are… I know you love me, but maybe you don't like our relationship because of who we are," Tohru whispered.
"Silly… I don't want to think about who we are because I wanted to continue to believe that if I ever told my parents that I was in love with you, they'd be happy instead of wanting to separate us. That's ridiculous, but I want that kind of relationship for you, one where you don't have to worry about the thoughts of others. You deserve that happy relationship."
Tohru shook her head, not denying that she was entitled to a happy relationship, but doubting she'd even end up with one altogether. It was a nice thought, nevertheless, but improbable and senseless to wish for. She already had her dream relationship. Obtaining it wasn't the problem. Managing to hold onto it was with nearly everything she encountered trying to tear them apart. She originally thought she'd just have to battle their families, whatever army they managed to conjure up, and Akito, but now she had Motoko, the woman trying to seduce Yuki.
"I don't think I'll get that happy relationship…"
"And why is that?"
"I think it's over… Yuki-kun, she knows who we are… She can tell anyone…. What if she ends our story? What if I don't get my happily ever after?"
"Can someone like you not get a happy ending?" Yuki mused.
She kept silent.
"It's only over if you want it to be over," Yuki told her.
"If it were that easy, I wouldn't have to worry."
Yuki was quiet, contemplating her words as he tried to find a way to counter her words. Tohru giggled half heartedly when he tilted his head upwards in frustration, unable to think of a way to console her woes. She placed her hand on his head, running her fingers though his hair as he usually did to her when she was upset. Yuki leaned back further, brushing his lips against her palms. She laughed, withdrawing shyly. His fingers captured her wrists, crushing her against his chest.
"Why worry?"
She smiled faintly, looking up for the first time and noticing her two friends had long gone.
--
There, in the darkened, silent room, one could hear the soft clicks of a shadow in the corner pressing buttons on a phone. A short moment of silence passed before the phone started to ring. In the middle of the third ring, a click sounded, followed by a dark, ominous greeting.
"Hello…?"
"Hello, Akito-sama… I have found your princess…"
--
Tohru swung her legs back and forth on the balcony outside, leaning against the railing as she sat on the edge beside Yuki. Yuki wrapped his fingers around hers, tugging her away from the bars separating her and the one foot drop to the ground. She beamed, happily complying and moving away from the end of the balcony. It wasn't a very long drop if she were to fall, but if he was worried, she didn't mind lying against his chest with his arms locked securely around her and his lips against her hair. This was one of the rare occasions in the past few days that he had allowed them to take a step outside, but they were overlooking private property, a place where guards couldn't go anyways. Regardless, the sun still set with equal beauty here.
"I want to raise our kids here… in a place like this…" Tohru whispered.
"Me too…."
"It'll be hard, won't it? But I like it. They'll have more choices and freedom. They'll be happier," Tohru mused.
"That'd be amazing," Yuki agreed with a smile.
"I want to raise them with you, at least," Tohru added.
She nodded to herself, touching her stomach gingerly with her fingertips. Yuki copied her movements, placing his hands just above hers. Tohru didn't look the least bit pregnant, but she had already decided what she wanted. More than anything, she wanted her baby to have the chance to take its first breath. She worried about that most, afraid that their situation would put the child's life in danger. There was no doubt in either of their minds that if her pregnancy leaked out to either of their families or Akito, Tohru would be forced to have an abortion, whether she wanted one or not.
"You keep talking about our baby as if you're having multiple. Do you think you're having twins?" Yuki questioned with his eyebrows raised.
"No, no, no… I just thought we'd have more than one child eventually," Tohru confessed timidly.
Yuki laughed, making Tohru panic.
"What? You don't want more than one?!" Tohru asked fretfully. .
"Of course I do," Yuki grinned.
After hearing her let out a sigh of relief, Yuki swept her up into his arms and carried her back into their bedroom. He gently tucked her under the covers before dropping down beside her and laying his head on her stomach. He kept perfectly still and serene, letting his head rise with each intake of breath.
It was impossibly placid, the calm before the onset of a raging storm capable of ruining both their lives.
YAY. I'm alive after two months of being nonexistent. Point out any errors you found, please. Thank you for reading ;D
