Summary: This was probably the most unexpected moment of his life and he wasn't even prepared for it. Damn!
Kyo placed his travel bag pack down with a grunt, looking just about ready to collapse. "Yo, I am actually exhausted."
Haru looked almost impressed, dropping himself with a plop beside Kyo after also dropping his bag pack anyhow somewhere on the tatami mat. "Well, there's something you don't hear every day. Weak."
"Lay off. It's too hot, everyone would be tired." The older Soma grunted, leaning away from the ex-ox as he impatiently waited for his body temperature to adjust to the air-conditioning, fanning himself with his shirt in the meantime.
"I'm amazed that you can complain about exhaustion when you're not the one driving." Hatori entered the room, carrying what looked like an ice chest, followed by Shigure, carrying another ice chest. While the onsen under the Soma estate had always been equipped for the guests' needs, the older ones seemed determined not to short-change themselves for the entire weekend that they would be there.
Kyo mumbled an awkward apology as Haru looked around. "Where are the others?"
"They're still out there." Shigure plopped down on one of the chairs, also fanning himself. "Man, I am so happy I was able to come with you guys this time. You have no idea."
"You're just trying to hide from your editor." Momiji teased, entering the receiving room with Tohru in tow, his bag and her own slung over his shoulder. "But yes, glad you guys can make it."
Momiji had arranged for the hot springs vacation again, this time taking advantage of the short break he and Tohru had the good fortune to get from their university. It was just after their exams and they're both fed up with studying, and knowing that they both need some time to recover, he planned a weekend getaway.
Before he knew it, news reached some of his relatives, since Tohru had mentioned it to Rin, who she had somehow grown closer to. The others had asked if it was okay to join (at least they were respectful for doing so,) and while it wasn't exactly the original plan, well, he thought, the more… the merrier.
The result was… well, it became a family affair. Still, it has been sometime since he had last seen his relatives, so he wasn't really complaining. As long as Tohru was okay with it, anyway.
And she was, obviously taking pleasure seeing half of the Soma clan gathered once more in one place.
Tohru reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek in thanks as she relieved him of her bag, before turning to address the others. "Yuki-kun and Machi-san will follow later, so we'll have time to also prepare the food."
The shoji opened once more to reveal Rin, followed by the Okami. She was older than when he and the other Somas had first visited this inn but she seemed to be healthy… and thankfully, less scarier.
"I hope you like the room. It is much bigger than the last one since there are so many of you. I am pleased to see you with them, Shigure-bocchan, Hatori-bocchan."
The two eldest Somas greeted her back, with Shigure telling her that she really did not need to call them that since they were too old for such an honorific, making the others snicker.
"Your rooms are ready as well." She turned to the two of them, smiling in her motherly way. "Your and Tohru-chan's room is a little ways down this hall. The others' rooms are right next to this one."
"I take it we're all sharing the same room again." Kyo observed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hold up – you and Tohru are sharing a room?"
Momiji was a little surprised by the question. "Uh… yes. I don't see why we shouldn't share one."
"In case you haven't noticed rabbit, you are a man and she is a woman – "
" – Who happened to be dating." Haru slung an arm over Kyo's shoulders, which earned him an annoyed jab from the carrot. "We're all adults, Kyo, you can stop being overprotective."
"And I am looking forward to this all week, Kyo-kun. You can stop worrying." Tohru linked her arm with his, giving Momiji a reassuring smile to assure him that she wasn't bothered by the carrot's line of questioning. "Which reminds me, we should go check our room out. Let's go."
He let Tohru pull him out of the room, presumably, to avoid any more awkward questions.
Momiji normally wasn't one to dwell on circumstances he couldn't control, especially Kyo's feelings on his and Tohru's relationship, but he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, even if he knew there was nothing to be guilty about. Tohru had chosen, and there was nothing they could do but respect that choice.
"Oh my. This is such a beautiful room." Tohru gushed just as they entered theirs, and he shook his head to clear it from negative thoughts and focus on relaxing with her, the whole point why they went on a mini-break. "And there it is – our private rotenburo! I am so excited!" She slid the other set of shoji open to reveal the glorious spring.
"As am I." He smiled, seeing her wide smile as she continued gazing over to the bath. "Thank goodness we were able to get a break."
She bounded over to his side. "And that our schedules aligned. I am starting to think the universe wanted us to go on this break together."
"With my relatives?" He asked, laughing.
"Yes. With your relatives and all." She laughed along with him. "We should settle in. I can't wait to take advantage of the rotenburo later."
"As you should. By the way, you should go in first." He began unpacking his bag so he had turned away from her, but her hand caught his sleeve.
He turned to see her looking at him, a mixture of embarrassment and seriousness written on her lovely features. For a split second, he wondered if he had actually said something wrong. "Uh… Tohru?"
She stared into his eyes, looking as if she was trying to find something in them. She hadn't said anything for an entire minute, and he started to be self-conscious and fidget… which was so unlike him.
He hadn't been expecting what came next out of her mouth though.
"Do you want to take a bath together?"
~~**o**~~
He was the first to get in the water, not wanting to embarrass Tohru by going after her instead. He wouldn't be fully naked of course and he wasn't exactly shy about his body… but he also didn't want her to feel uncomfortable seeing him half-naked for the first time. As an adult.
With that being said, he was the one who was actually red in the face as he looked up to the night sky.
He hadn't expected for her to ask him to bathe together. It was a first, and he didn't dislike it… but it was rather unexpected, especially since it came from someone who used to easily embarrass over simple things before. She certainly didn't look hesitant earlier, only determined and a tad shy but that was it.
And? Did you expect her not to grow up? You are no longer teenagers. You shouldn't even be overthinking this, Momiji. Dummkopf.
Still, this was probably the most unexpected moment of his life and he wasn't even prepared for it. Verdammt!
"Oooh, the water is hot. Perfect."
He barely managed to jump back in surprise – he was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Tohru walking towards him already. He looked at her to see her lower herself into the water gracefully, and he couldn't help the blush which he knew crept up to his ears. He prayed that she would consider it as just the heat getting to him but he couldn't help drinking in the sight of her – she covered her front with a towel, but he could see glimpses of her curves and he couldn't help but admire them like any red-blooded man would.
"Relax, Momiji." She observed, as she waded towards him and his side. "We are supposed to be relaxing after all."
He sighed, realizing he was a little too stiff. "I mean. I finally get to take a bath with you but honestly I'm just surprised that you would… ask me to."
To her credit, she blushed as well, but she wasn't exactly too embarrassed. "Well, w-we're dating, we went on a trip together, shared a room together… I don't see why we shouldn't bathe together. We're adults. And it's normal to share a bath since we're… boyfriend-girlfriend."
She was still red, but she didn't look like she was risking her embarrassment just to be with him like this, so he can live with it.
They fell into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company, as opposed to overthinking the other being half-nude beside them and this being the first time they were soaking in a hot spring alone. Together. With no one to hit him on the head and accuse him of being a pervert.
"Don't mind, Kyo, Momiji."
The blond was rightfully surprised, as Tohru looked up to him. He hadn't even said a word about the comment Kyo made earlier since it wasn't too big of a deal when one thought about it, but he guessed that Tohru still managed to pick up on it. "I wasn't really thinking about him." He said quietly.
"I saw you earlier." She explained, leaning on his arm. "You looked guilty and confused. Kyo-kun is just being his overprotective self. You didn't do anything wrong to warrant that guilt."
"Except probably that I stole you from him." He said, more matter-of-fact than insecure. "We both know you liked each other. Everyone thought you'd end up together you know."
"No one stole anyone. It wasn't your fault that I fell for you, Momiji." Tohru met his gaze once more as she moved to stand in front of him, the cloudy water enough to cover her body. "Or maybe I should blame you for it? You are just so… charming." She was smiling as she leaned on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. He forgot to worry about her towel as she continued reassuring him.
"You never make me overthink. You always let me know what's going on with you. You let me decide things on my own. Even if you disagree with some of them, you respect me and my choices and you support me. You let me be independent but at the same time you remind me that you will always be there for me to rely on. You let me take care of you and you take care of me too. You look at me as if I am the only girl in the world, but you don't put me on a pedestal and just let me be myself." She sighed in contentment as she now looked up to him through her lashes. "How can I not fall for you for all that?"
"Meine liebe." He murmured, bending down to embrace her fully and kissing the top of her head. "I'm still not sure what I did to deserve you."
Tohru chuckled, reaching up to kiss the tip of his nose. "I think I should be the one saying that. But all I know is that I love you and I promise that I will be good to you." She looked at him sternly. "And I want you to just think of me and enjoying this vacation with me and not anything else – not about how other people might feel about us being together or what. Will you do that for me?"
"Natürlich." He nodded, conceding defeat, mentally smacking himself on the head and shoving the negative thoughts in a corner of his mind that he wasn't planning to visit again. "You have my undivided attention, Princess. As you should have ever since we came here."
"Good. Just be with me here." She reached up and they shared a slow kiss, the first of the many that they will share for the night.
"You think Momicchi would go for it?"
Hatori sighed exasperatedly at his cousin's question as he looked up from his favorite book. "It's not any of our business, Shigure. Stop being such a pervert."
The ex-dog pouted, ever the kid. "I mean Momicchi was the rabbit…"
"Just stop."