Summary: Because doing housework together is apparently… romantic.

Kisa and Hiro smiled at the sight of Tohru – well, Kisa was more the one who smiled, Hiro choosing to remain stoic and formal – as she greeted them by the genkan, her usual enthusiasm with greeting Kisa ever present as the two girls hugged with their usual giggling. Hiro was more tolerant of this behavior nowadays, seeing how Tohru's mere friendship with Kisa had improved his girlfriend's outlook on life.

"I've missed you, Tohru-neechan!" Kisa was saying, as Tohru rubbed her back affectionately, lifting her head to smile over to Hiro in welcome.

"I've missed you both. It's so good to see you again!"

Hiro cleared his throat, averting his gaze in slight chagrin. "Ano… we apologize for dropping by unannounced. We were in the area and Kisa suggested we both go here since it's been quite some time since we last saw each other…"

Kisa saw that there was a hamper filled with colored clothes beside Tohru. She seemed to have placed it down anyhow when they rang the doorbell. "Um… I hope we weren't intruding on something?"

At this Tohru smiled. "Not really. This is a welcome surprise. I'm glad you decided to drop by. Let's get inside, we shouldn't be standing here."

She turned to lead them down the hall after they were finished removing their shoes, picking up the hamper she was carrying earlier. The two younger ex-jyuunishis froze in surprise, however, when a very familiar voice called out from somewhere inside Tohru's apartment. "I'll go ahead and put this in the washer, Tohru."

Hiro couldn't believe his ears. "Momiji-nii?!"

As if to confirm his guess, the tall, ex-rabbit of the jyuunishi appeared in Tohru's living room, looking very casual and at home in a black sleeveless tee and shorts, carrying another hamper this time filled with white clothes. His lips split into a wide grin upon seeing the two of them. "Hiro-chan, Kisa-chan! This is a nice surprise."

Hiro didn't miss the way Tohru's features lit up as she turned to look at the blond as he and Kisa then turned to look at each other questioningly, then looking back once more to them. "Uh… what are you doing here?"

Momiji glanced down at the hamper he was holding. "I should think that was obvious… but uh… laundry?"

"I mean," a nerve ticked at Hiro's temple, "why are you here? This isn't where you live, do you?"

"And if I do, is that a problem?" Momiji asked, smiling, but Kisa thought she detected a hint of steel within the normal soft bass of the older Sohma she had always looked up to. "I was helping out. I've always thought laundry should be done by two people… or at least by the man, since he's the stronger of the two."

"So every laundry day, you're here, Momiji-niichan?" Kisa, asked, amazed.

"Yes." Tohru responded this time, bounding to Momiji's side. "Excuse us while we just start the washer. Just be at home; we'll be back with the snacks."

They were left to themselves as the older ones proceeded to the wash area, and she and Hiro sat down on one of the couches. "Ah, Tohru-neechan, I brought a cake. Do you want me to put this in the freezer first?" Kisa called out, and heard Tohru yell out "Yes please!" so she proceeded to the kitchen.

She opened the freezer, somewhat startled at the amount of food. While it was not overflowing, the amount of food inside was more than enough… if one happened to be cooking for two people. She smiled to herself, placing the cake inside then eventually returning to the living room to Hiro.

They could both hear the chatter of the two as they proceeded with their domestic task, Tohru's giggling soprano mingling with Momiji's chuckling bass. It was a sound enough to warm a home; a sound that assured everyone that peace really did exist.

"They're like newlyweds." Hiro observed, somewhat awkwardly as he scratched the back of his neck. "I feel like we just intruded on a couple's alone time for some reason."

Kisa giggled, intertwining her right arm around his left one and leaning onto him. "Her freezer's stocked with food enough for two people. I guess she's also cooking for him. Lucky Momiji-niichan."

Hiro was embarrassed. "I know it's not any of my business but I wonder if they're dating."

"They may be? Oneechan is speaking in plural terms – I wonder if she's noticed it." The blonde sighed in admiration. "I know this sounds weird, but a man and a woman doing household chores together is just… romantic."

Hiro sweatdropped. "Women find that romantic?"

Kisa giggled at the confused look on the brunet's face. "I can't speak for all women, but I, for one, do. There's something sweet with just doing chores together – it shows how you were meant to be partners not just in love but really, in life as well. Especially if the man doesn't have to be reminded what to do – oh my, that is a big, fat handsome point for us."

Hiro mentally took note of it. Do chores together – got it.

"I wonder how they even got to this point though."

"You can say I'm training." They both jumped to see Momiji carrying a pitcher of juice and Tohru already with a tray of biscuits, walking towards them, carefully placing the snacks down to the coffee table before seating themselves on the other couch. Hiro flushed visibly, embarrassed to have been overheard, but Kisa merely took it into stride.

"Training for?" The ex-tiger asked, helping herself to a biscuit.

Momiji took a sip of the juice he had just finished pouring into his glass. "To be a good husband."

Hiro coughed violently, nearly spitting out the bite of the biscuit he had just taken, but Momiji's expression was straight, almost blank, even. "Seriously, Momiji-nii."

"There's nothing weird with what I said, Hiro-chan."

"Again, stop it with the 'chan'!"

As the two fell into one of the Sohma family members' infamous banters, Kisa moved closer to Tohru. "I'm glad to see that you have Momiji-niichan to help you out, oneechan. Living alone can be difficult."

Tohru looked over to Momiji, smiling upon seeing him poking fun at his younger cousin. Kisa didn't miss the way her eyes were shining fondly as she gazed at him. "I'm lucky to have him. I never realized how much I wanted him to be around me." The older woman looked down at her glass, cheeks flushed. "I asked him to move in with me."

Kisa gasped quietly. "Really? S-So… you'll be living together from now on?"

"He's moving in with me this July. He's just going to finish his lease – he has a month left." The happy flush on her oneechan's face deepened, much to Kisa's delight. "I-I mean… it's just easier on the both of us – we'll save money more, he doesn't have to commute too far from his university and part-time job, and he doesn't have to worry about me being on my own…"

"You don't have to explain, oneechan. I understand." She laughed, watching as she saw Hiro sigh in frustration at the older man. "I also don't have to worry about you being alone. Not to mention, Momiji-nii's training to be a good husband will be put to better use, in my opinion."

"W-Why is that?"

Kisa winked at the brunette. "Because he's doing it for you."

She expected Tohru to be embarrassed, or try to deny things with her flailing her arms wildly about as was her habit during her teenage years, but to her pleasant surprise she did nothing of the sort. Tohru just giggled, her blush only worsening making her look like an adorable tomato.

I'm happy for you, Momiji-nii. Kisa thought silently, watching Momiji laugh at Hiro's flustered expression. I think you two deserved each other.

She then proceeded to rescue her boyfriend from the blond's teasing clutches, suggesting that they can probably get to eat the cake now that it may have been sufficiently cooled in the freezer.

~~**o**~~

Later, when she and Hiro had left Tohru's apartment and they were taking a lovely walk together, her boyfriend sighed.

"They're not newlyweds, they're more like a happily old married couple." He commented, sighing. "She is cooking for him, he is helping her with laundry, she drops in on him when he's sick and vice versa, he changes her light bulbs … that sounds more like a married couple to me."

Kisa laughed at his attempt to rectify his observation from earlier. "Doesn't surprise me. They act so much like a happy old couple already."