Author's Note: Hello! Yes, I am back, and no, I did not forget about this story. I had so many false starts for this chapter, but now I'm back on track. Thank you to the people who contacted me and encouraged me to continue on with the story. Hearing from you guys really makes my day.

I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter 7

"She's so beautiful and I tell her every day"—Bruno Mars.

Lunch was awkward.

Tohru reheated a noodle dish brought by one of the neighbors and Yuki helped her plate and serve it to a silent Hanajima, a fidgeting Uotani and an uncomfortable Kureno. They sat around the table staring at each other and picking at the noodles with plastic yellow chopsticks. Each chopstick had a word printed on it in curly white script. Yuki's said: Enjoy.

Enjoy.

Yuki sipped the broth from his wide bowl and kept himself from making a face. It was too salty.

"So…uh… where'd Orangey go again?" Uotani asked. Her voice was gruff, but she tried to smile.

"He had a meeting at the dojo," Tohru said. Her eyes lit up, as they always did when she got to talk about Kyo. "He's so diligent. There's a tournament coming up next month, and his students are doing so well."

"Ah, I'm sure Mr. Kazuma is very proud of him," Hanajima said. She stirred the noodles and sampled a few. Apparently, her taste buds and Yuki's were not in agreement as she continued to eat while he contemplated finishing off the last of the cookies in place of lunch.

"Well—he hasn't really spoken to Master Kazuma in a while, but I know he would be," Tohru said. She looked a bit hesitant. "Um… how is your new house, Uo-chan?"

"It's good," Uotani said. She stared at her food.

"Are you going to have a house warming party?" Hanajima asked. "I haven't once been invited to your new home since you moved in, and you two have had 2 months to make it nice and cozy."

"Aw, Hana, we still got crap everywhere. Who knew two people could have so much stuff, right?" Uotani said. She looked up from her meal at Hanajima and then finally at Tohru. "But uh… you know, we'll have that party soon, really soon."

"Oh, Uo-chan, I can help you decorate and Kyo-chan and I will make the food. It'll be wonderful," Tohru said, smile on full blast.

"You don't have to do all that, Tohru. You know me, I don't really go for decorations, and I'll just order some sushi or something. I mean, who do I know to invite anyway? It'll probably just be us, and a few people from work. Kureno, you got any special people you'd invite?"

Kureno shrugged. "Not really." His mouth was full. Yuki looked to see that he'd finished most of his food.

"None of that wacky family of yours?—oh, no offense Prince," Uotani said.

"I was never really too close to any of them, except maybe one, and even then…." Kureno shook his head. "I might invite my boss and his wife, but if we do that, we need to have more than sushi from the corner shop to serve."

Yuki frowned, wondering if Kureno had been talking about Akito. He couldn't see Shigure being too thrilled with Kureno inviting Akito to a special function, even if it was just a housewarming party. The bitter blood between those two still hadn't sweetened. Though, Yuki wondered, why Shigure didn't put the blame more on Akito. Back in those days, all the Sohmas had done what Akito wanted.

"You see, Uo-chan," Tohru said. "You should let The Rice Ball cater your party."

"That's right, and you'll get a discounted free of course… though we might have to tack on long distance, traveling expenses," Yuki said.

Tohru laughed, before exclaiming, "Yuki-kun!"

"Well, I am going to be handling the figures for The Rice Ball full-time," Yuki said matter-of-factly. "I'm always going to push for more profit, and more advertising. Say, Uotani, why don't you invite your boss and Kureno, have your boss invite some of his friends. Once they taste the food, they may want to hire The Rice Ball for their events, too."

Tohru grinned at him. "You're really getting into it. I—I wasn't sure if you'd really want to, and I'm glad."

Yuki touched her hand. "Good."

"So, you're business partners with the Prince?" Uotani asked.

Tohru nodded. "Yuki's going to help Kyo with The Rice Ball. He's excellent with accounting and making things sell. He's so good that his boss is okay with him doing some of his work from here on his laptop, so that he can stay with us for a while."

Uotani's eyes darkened and she went back to looking at her food. The table was quiet except for the sound of noodles being slurped and tea being sipped, so no one missed the sound of Kyo's car entering the driveway.

Tohru all but leapt from her seat. "Oh, Kyo's back!" She dashed to the stove to spoon food into a new bowl for him; then frowned, staring into the pot. "He won't eat this at all." She padded to the fridge in her soft slippers and rummaged through other leftovers.

The garage door closed, but after 5 minutes, Kyo had not entered. Tohru was too lost in trying to decide what to prepare for Kyo to notice. Yuki stood and pushed his chair under the table. "I'm going to see if Kyo needs help with something."

Kureno wiped his mouth on a napkin and made to rise, too.

"It's okay," Yuki said, touched by Kureno's gesture. "I'm sure we can handle it on our own, but I'll come back in if we need your help."

Kureno nodded and sat back. Uotani raised a brow at him and offered a smirk and Kureno nudged her with his elbow.

Yuki opened the back door and ventured to the unattached garage. The door was unlocked, so he stepped inside to find Kyo sitting in his car. The motor was off; the windows were rolled up. Yuki moved toward it and knocked on the driver's side window.

Kyo started, turning his head to glimpse Yuki and Yuki felt his chest tighten. Kyo was pale as death with dark circle under red-rimmed eyes. He shook his head at Yuki and waved him away before resting his face on the steering wheel. Yuki pressed a palm against the glass; then walked around the passenger side. The door was unlocked, as he knew it would be. Kyo and Tohru never locked anything. He pulled the door open and slipped inside the car.

"Dammit Rat. Leave me alone for a little while. I'll come in later." Kyo's voice was unsteady and rough as if he needed to clear his throat.

"What happened?" Yuki pressed. He knew he should have gone to the temple with Kyo, but at the same time, he didn't regret not leaving Tohru with Uotani and Hanajima.

"Nothing," Kyo said. "I just need to get my head around a few things. I'll be inside in a little bit. Go on."

"Kyo, you know I'm not leaving," Yuki said. Tentatively, he touched Kyo's shoulder. His cousin was so tense and rigid. "What do you need to get your head around?"

Kyo let out a moan that scared Yuki to his core. My gods… what kind of a noise was that? It sounded like something inside him was dying and screaming for help, like someone was torturing him and he was begging to die; it sounded like the end of everything.

Kyo began to shake so hard Yuki was afraid he would rattle his teeth loose and his breathing, which had been soft and even, became great gasps. Yuki moved over in his seat until he was pressed against the armrest between the driver's and passenger's seats and wrapped his arms around Kyo, tugging him away from the steering wheel. Kyo sagged in Yuki's arms, still gasping and shaking.

Yuki rocked his cousin. "It's okay. I swear it's gonna be okay."

"Nothing's okay. Yuki…" Kyo sobbed. "She can't die at home. I know she wants to and we agreed, but she can't. I can't—I can't deal with it! I won't be able to live here."

"Oh…."

Yuki stared through the windshield at the tool rack mounted against the wall in front of the car. Oh. What could he say? He wouldn't be able to live in a home Machi had died in either, but if it was what Tohru wanted...

"When she dies… I have to… her body has to be washed and then I have to…to put cotton in her… Oh gods…. I can't do that. I don't even think I want to be in the same room with her after she's dead. I don't even think I can go to the ceremony. I don't want to be there. How do I tell her?"

Yuki stroked Kyo's hair off his forehead. "You don't have to tell her anything. You're just—it's so scary to think about now, but you will be at her ceremony, and after watching you this past week I know that you can do anything that needs to be done. But every now and then, it's okay to break down. It's all right."

Kyo sobs turned into mournful cries. "Why is this happening to us? Everything sucked for us for so long and now that we're happy…this."

Yuki continued to rock with Kyo, finger-combing his hair, but saying nothing. It was better to let Kyo talk. These were probably things he'd never said aloud to anyone, maybe not even himself.

They sat in the car for what seemed like a very long time, before Kyo's desperate cries became soft sighs and hiccups. Tears of his own had rolled down Yuki's cheeks and dribbled into Kyo's hair.

"I think I'd like to call Master today," Kyo said, his voice almost foreign to Yuki's ears. "I need his advice."

"Okay," Yuki said. "I'll call Hatori, too. He'll… I bet he can… do some of the things you talked about. You won't have to."

Kyo nodded, the back of his head brushing Yuki's chin.

"Everyone's in the kitchen. We can go through the front door if you want to sneak in and wash your face," Yuki said. He loosened his arms around Kyo, but didn't move away from him.

Kyo sniffled. "Yeah. That'd be—that'd be good." He shifted in Yuki's arms, rolling his shoulders and grunting as they cracked. Yuki grimaced; he'd always hated the sound of popping joints.

Yuki released Kyo and nearly grunted himself as the pressure from being in such an ungainly position was relieved. He placed his head on the headrest and shut his eyes. "Uotani's not too happy about what's going on with Tohru."

"How so?" Kyo asked. He coughed to clear his throat and scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hands.

"She thinks Tohru should try experimental treatment. Things are a little cold and very awkward inside."

Kyo palmed the steering wheel. "How's Tohru?"

"She's hurt, but she's making the best of it. Uotani might come around, but I wanted to let you know the tone of the house before you went in."

Kyo mimicked Yuki's posture, leaning back in his chair and letting his head fall on the headrest. "Maybe she won't stay long, then."

"I doubt she will," Yuki said.

"Then Hatori or somebody can have the other guest room. It works out in the end, huh?" Kyo gave a humorless smile and Yuki heard the click of the driver's side door being opened. Kyo got out, stretching his body like a large feline and gazing at the garage door with heavy eyes. "You think you can carry me inside. I'm so tired."

Yuki got out of the car as well, closing the door and coming around to Kyo. He wrapped an arm around his cousin's slender shoulders. "I can't carry you, but you can lean on me. Come on, Cat."

Kyo snorted and while he didn't lean any weight on Yuki, he didn't shrug off his arm either. They left the garage and headed to the front of the house.

Kyo might have washed his face but nothing could wash the defeat from his demeanor. He gave Uotani and Kureno a lackluster greeting and held Tohru's hand whenever she came close enough to touch. They all sat around the kitchen table; all of the bowls of udon were gone and a big plate of fish and plain rice was set before Kyo.

Tohru kept glancing at Yuki, her big brown eyes asking, "What's wrong with Kyo?"

Would telling her be out of line? Kyo wouldn't be happy about it, but he should be able to tell Tohru how frightened he was of having her die at home.

"So Orangey, how many students you got with black belts already?" Uotani asked.

Kyo looked up from his plate. "Ten. We got 7 first degrees, and 3 second degrees. I think Sei may be ready to test for third degree in a few more months."

"Ooh, really?" Tohru clapped her hands. "She's so cool. Does she still have a crush on Ryu-kun?"

Kyo smirked. "And does he still not know it? Yes. She asked him out on a date, and he invited his friends and his sister, thinking it was an outing."

Tohru and Yuki laughed.

"We'll have to do something about that Kyo-chan. We'll set them up at The Rice Ball." Tohru's cheeks flushed a healthy pink. "We'll have to make sure Sayu-chan's not working that day, though, because she'll tease Ryu-kun."

"Who's Sayu?" asked Uotani.

"She's Ryu-kun's twin sister."

"And she works at your bakery?" Kureno asked.

"She and Ryu-kun work there, and they both train at Kyo's dojo. In fact, Kyo-chan was the one who asked me if I could use two good workers a summer ago, and now I've got Ryu-kun and Sayu-chan. I could leave the shop in their care for months and come back to find it just fine."

"Well, you could leave it in Sayu's care for months; Ryu by himself?" Kyo shook his head.

"He's a sweet young man," Tohru assured Uotani, Hanajima and Kureno.

Kyo snorted and picked at his food.

"You don't like it?" Tohru asked. She was already taking the plate away from him. "I'll just make you something, Baby."

"Hey, no, it was fine. I'll eat it," Kyo said, reaching for the plate, but Tohru took it to the sink to scrape down the disposal.

"How about a panini? I'm in the mood to make brushetta, oh—and I need to get out that bass you brought home yesterday and start marinating it. Oh Kyo-chan, you almost let me forget."

Kyo watched her with a soft expression in his eyes. The weariness that hung on his frame from earlier lessened. "I did, huh? Sorry about that. You want me to help with the marinade?"

"No, but I do have a shopping list for the sauce. I forgot a few things that I need," Tohru said. Kyo rose from his chair to join her at the sink.

"Hm… you want me to get it later on, or is going in the morning okay?" Kyo asked. He leaned close to her and Yuki smiled at their juxtaposition: tall and fiery, tiny and fluffy.

"It's okay, Kyo-chan. You shouldn't go out again today; you look tired," Tohru stood on her tiptoes to brush aside the hair that had fallen over his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Kyo nodded, kissing her fine-boned hand as she ran it over his face and against his lips.

Yuki tore his eyes away from Tohru to study how Uotani and Hanajima watched the exchange between Kyo and Tohru. Hanajima wore a light smile, but Uotani chewed her lip, seeming agitated. Kureno watched her, looking ready to hold her in place should she move too suddenly.

"Tohru," Uotani said, her voice odd. "I think… I think that Kureno and I are gonna leave tomorrow."

Yuki stared from her to Tohru who had turned to face Uotani. Her eyes were wide, filling with tears, but that understanding smile was on her lips. "Oh… well, that's all right Uo-chan. I'm glad that you came and stayed for a little while, but I'm sure you and Kureno are busy with work."

Uotani cleared her throat, keeping her eyes on her hands. "I'll… call, a lot. I just… I'm sorry, but I don't agree with what's going on here. I can't see how you any of you can stand it. Kyon, you can't stand it at all, can ya? Look at you; you look like shit! I'd think you were the one dying."

Kyo glared at Uotani. In a voice hard as diamond, he said, "I think you'd better leave tonight instead of in the morning."

Uotani met Kyo's gaze and held it. "Tell me why you're not making her…."

"I said you better leave tonight!"

"Kyo-chan, please don't be angry. We can't expect everyone to understand. I'm all right if Uo-chan chooses to leave." Tohru rubbed Kyo's shoulders from behind. Kyo stood still, red eyes still glaring at Uotani.

Uotani vacated her chair, nodding rapidly. "Okay, all right Kyon. I'll leave right now. Being here is making me sick, too. Come on Kureno. I'll drive. You can sleep in the car."

Kureno watched her stalk toward the second guest bedroom, presumably to get their things. He shook his head and rose, bowing to Kyo and Tohru. "I apologize. I'll talk to her…."

"No, she should go," Kyo said, his mouth a thin, pressed line.

"But surely..." Kureno began, but quieted as Kyo turned around to poke Tohru's forehead.

"All right Rice Ball, so where's this grocery list. I want to see what all I need to get; maybe I will go back out today after all."

"O—oh," Tohru stammered. "Well, okay. Let me find where I put it."

Kureno looked around, not knowing what to do. He frowned at Yuki and gestured that he wanted to go into the other room. Yuki followed his older cousin, leaving Hanajima at the kitchen table by herself.

Kureno sighed and wrung his hands. "Yuki, she's sick over this. Last night she cried herself to sleep in my arms. She wants to be here with Tohru. I think… Maybe she would have accepted it better if Tohru looked really ill. Seeing her seem so normal, I guess, makes Arisa think that Tohru can get better. I mean, there really isn't any chance that she might seek another opinion and start a new treatment plan? I'm sure Hatori has many connections."

Yuki shook his head. "She's decided, and Kyo's standing by her."

Kureno ran a hand through his dark red hair. "She's so young; they both are. It's too much to handle. Kyo really does look terrible, Yuki. Is Tohru sure that Kyo agrees with her decision to stop seeking treatment?"

"Kyo wants what Tohru wants in the end. He wants her to be happy and, to make things clear, Tohru's not refusing further treatment; she's refusing to be experimented on. As for actual treatment, they've exhausted all of their options." Yuki's voice was cool. He never wanted anyone to think Tohru was giving up and that Kyo—and Yuki—were letting her.

"I suppose. I mean, it's not my body and I cannot say how I'd ever feel in a position I've never been in. But if I thought there was anything more I could do to spare Arisa pain…."

"But if she's in pain watching you in so much pain?" Yuki asked.

"But when I was better, the pain would pass."

"And if you didn't get better, if you got worse because of the experiment, or it just didn't work, would you want your lover's last memories to be of your suffering. Do you want them to remember you looking withered and gray and half out-of-it?" Yuki asked. "Just yesterday, Kyo and Tohru were gardening together, before that they were on the beach, splashing each other. Kyo's going to remember his wife looking rosy and happy. He's going to remember hearing her laugh and feeling her kiss him and hold him as a lover. I…" Heaven forbid anything happen to himself or Machi, but he'd want to be remembered that way, and he'd want to always think of Machi's smiling face instead of her face set in a grimace of pain. "I'd want that."

I'd curl up and die after, but I'd die happy that made her happy one last time.

Kureno blinked a few times, assessing Yuki as if he'd never seen him before until then. "Hn. Well. I didn't think of it that way."

"Because you don't have to," Yuki said. "Like you said, you can't easily imagine yourself in a position you've never been in. I've been here for a week. I watch them all the time. Kyo's dying inside just like she is and they're both keeping things from the other, but… when they laugh together, it's real. They're enjoying themselves the best they can."

Kureno reached out and squeezed Yuki's shoulder. "You're a good man for staying here. You love Tohru, too."

"Yes."

"And you're going to stay until she passes on?" Kureno asked.

Yuki nodded. "I'll stay after it, too. Kyo will still need me."

"I wish you and I had been closer," Kureno said. "I'm afraid the only person who would do something so self-sacrificing for me is Arisa. The only family member I was allowed close to was Akito, and she and I are estranged now. Shigure doesn't like me much."

"We could get closer," Yuki said with a shrug. "You know where I'll be for a while."

Kureno smiled at Yuki. "Yes, I do."

Kureno Sohma, a man who used to make him a little nervous, might become a friend. Yuki doubted he'd ever be as close to Kureno as he was to Kyo or Hatsuharu or Momiji, but it would be nice to have some sort of a relationship with this family member.

The door to the second guest room opened and Arisa came out pulling the rolling suitcases she and Kureno had brought with them. Kureno went to take the bags from her, but she smacked his hands away. She left through the backdoor without looking at or speaking to anyone. Kureno cleared his throat and walked back into the kitchen with Yuki behind him.

"Uh… I guess this is goodbye. Thank you for having us and for the meal, Tohru-kun and Kyo-kun."

Tohru bowed to Kureno. "You are very welcome, Kureno-kun. Please feel welcome in our home and return any time you'd like—and…and tell Uo-chan that I love her and that I'm sorry we couldn't agree."

Kureno nodded, bowing back to Tohru. "I wish you all the happiness there is to be found. Take care of yourselves."

Yuki walked with Kureno outside. Uotani had shoved the suitcases into the trunk and was already in the driver's seat of their sedan. Her hands covered her face, but her body didn't tremble. She might not be crying. The car's engine purred as it waited for gears to be shifted.

Kureno shook Yuki's hand Western-style. "Goodbye for now, Yuki. Take care of Kyo."

"I will," Yuki said.

Kureno glanced at the house once more and took a slow breath in; then he moved to the passenger side of the car. He waved as Uotani backed down the driveway and Yuki waved back.

Uotani's eyes met his and for a brief moment, they exchanged lines of silent communication.

"Be good to Tohru."

"I will."

When the car was gone, Yuki went back inside the house. Hanajima was now at the stove with Tohru as Tohru chirped about different spices and flavors. Her words were light and airy but with a hint of sadness. Her eyes kept drifting to the bay window as if she's see Uotani's car still out on the driveway.

Kyo sat on the kitchen counter, nibbling on a cookie. Yuki joined Kyo on the counter, grabbing a cookie of his own from a rabbit-shaped cookie jar by Kyo's thigh. "You going to the store today, Cat?"

Kyo shook his head. "It can wait until morning. I think I need to stay here for now."

They sat watching Tohru instruct Hanajima on the value of marinating meats overnight. Their little flower glowed as Hanajima nodded along.

"She's so beautiful."

"Yes, yes she is," Yuki said, and he was going to make sure Kyo remembered that every day long after she was gone.

Things were going to be okay; he'd sworn that they would be and Yuki Sohma was no liar.

"I'll go call Hatori, now," Yuki said.

"Tell him about the spare room."

Author's Note: So, what's the verdict? Like it? Hate it? Don't care either way? Well anyway you liked it, let me know. Please review!