Title: 7. Approximately the same kind and density

Pairing/Character/s: Yuki/Machi, and the 'mother'

Word Count: 773 words

Summary: Machi meets Yuki's 'mother'

A/N: "Ohisashiburi" or "It's been a long time" is a customary greeting to someone you haven't seen in a while.

"I found a 'mother' in her," Yuki admitted quietly.

Of course, the 'mother' is Honda Tohru. It isn't that Machi doesn't believe him. The obvious love and joy in his entire being when he mentions Honda's return to Japan is enough to make her feel twinges of jealousy. And nervous, too. This is Yuki's real mother.

Machi, however, cannot imagine a mother's love. The closest thing she has is Yuki's love, and the memory of Yuki's transformation.

"Tohru! Welcome back!" Yuki shouts, startling Machi out of her thoughts. He rushes forward to hug Tohru and Machi follows, curious.

"No welcome for me?" a male gripes. From his orange hair and the fact that he is holding hands with Tohru, Machi concludes that he is Sohma Kyo. He's taller than Yuki by an inch or two, with the curious aura of being caught halfway between a scowl and a smile. His sharp eyes flicker towards Machi, the dreamy looking girl staring at him and his girlfriend. "The hell is she?"

Yuki backs away from his hug. Machi now really looks at Tohru, who emanates love and warmth in her first smile at her 'daughter-in-law'. She takes a step back when she realizes everyone is staring at her. Tohru bows, flustered by how long it took her to remember.

"Hello, I'm Honda Tohru! I'm so sorry for staring... It's just..." She rises from her bow hesitantly, only to see Machi in an even deeper bow. "No, please get up! Yuki, what should I do?!" Tohru is five seconds away from exploding with anxiety. Yuki just pats her back.

"I'm glad you haven't changed, Tohru."

Machi, meanwhile, is struggling to remember the proper way to greet parent-in-laws. If there even was one. "I am honored to make your acquaintance, Honda-san." Machi began the same greeting for Kyo, but he waved her away.

"Hey, Yuki, let's go get the suitcases before they get put in the lost and found," Kyo smugly orders, turning around to hide his smirk.

"Shut up, Kyo. I was already going to-" That was when Yuki realized Kyo as half-way there already. "This is so annoying. Wait here, we'll be right back." He took off, determined to bring back more suitcases than Kyo.

Once Yuki leaves, the two girls are left in an awkward silence. Machi slowly rises from her bow, unsure of what to say. "You look so cute!" Tohru gushes, practically glomping Machi.

Tohru's hug is unfamiliar, but warm. Machi sinks into the most comforting scent, a mix of fresh air and freshly cooked rice. This is how a mother would smell like...

The moment is gone, and Tohru hastily backs away. "I'm so sorry," she apologizes, brown eyes wide with worry. "I've become so American... I'm so glad that Yuki likes you, because you're just perfect for him... It's been a long time." Tohru begins to wade in nostalgia.

Machi is completely shocked by the idea that she is 'perfect' for Yuki. "I'm not- We fight all the time- Honda-san!" Tohru snaps out of her daydream at the other girl's outburst. Machi is blushing, anger in her eyes. "I wanted to say thank you, because you're the one who changed Yuki so he noticed someone like me-"

"But there's no way someone like me did that," Tohru says in surprise. "It's because you love him-"

"I am incredibly grateful!"

"No, I-"

"For Yuki to notice me, it must have been your doing!"

"...What are you two doing?" Yuki asks slowly, baffled by the scene before him.

Tohru appears to be half-way between a bow, but Machi's hands are on her shoulders, urging her to get back up. Machi mirrors her moves, somehow adding to the feeling that the two girls are imitating a wrestling match.

"I wanted to say-" Tohru turns back to Machi, eyes sparkling with joy and honesty. "Kuragi-san, I'll cook you and Yuki dinner tonight! I want to show you how grateful I am that you are always making Yuki so happy!"

Machi's mouth falls open in surprise. "That's unnecessary-"

"But we'll go because I haven't eaten your cooking in a while," Yuki finishes, eager to end the fight of modesty. Tohru beams, releasing her grip and hugging Machi again.

"But-" Machi's protest is cut off.

"He stole my suitcases!" a little boy shrieks from across the airport. Yuki just stares at Kyo, who is now carrying two more suitcases than him and groans. He's been defeated again-

"Hey, I promised to carry them for you. Carry. Learn to listen, you little-" The boy's mother whacks Kyo with a heavy looking purse.

Or maybe he's already won.

A/N: This was so incredibly frustrating to write. I find Tohru and Machi so hard to write correctly. They either turn out too nice or too weird. Anyway.

I didn't notice this until I reread Ch. 136: *SPOILER*yukileavesjapanattheendoftheseries*SPOILER*. That mean pretty much everything I've been writing up to now has been AU... I'm so sorry!

Please PM me or review with any questions, comments, or requests. I promise to answer within a week. The current request I'm doing is: Yuki proposes to Machi. Haha. You'll have to wait for it. This one is actually good!