Summary: She liked it. She liked the feeling of his lips on hers. AU.


"How is he?"

Sohma Hatori looked up as Honda Tohru stood in the doorway of Momiji's room in his residence in the Sohma estate, clutching the bunny doll he had given her when she had been hospitalized. It had been a few days after she had been discharged and she and Kyo had a good long talk. In the end, they had managed to settle almost everything, but the Tohru who had fallen off a cliff was different from the Tohru who had been discharged. Those days in the hospital had given her a lot of time to think, and they both agreed that it was best if they both focus on graduating first before thinking of anything else.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon after you got out of the hospital, Honda-kun." Hatori said in a way of greeting, standing up from the way he was kneeling over the blond high school sophomore's bed. He could see Tohru's eyes darting to his current, unconscious patient, worry clearly written all over her features. When it became clear that she wasn't responding to his statement, he sighed. "He's been in and out during the past day. His fever hasn't gone down completely, but at least it wasn't as high as when it was yesterday."

Tohru looked helpless, something Hatori had taken note of. He knew that the girl had a tendency to worry over everyone she cared about, but this was the first he had seen her that she looked close to panicking. "What is it, Hatori-san?"

"Over fatigue and cold." The older Sohma responded. "I understand that he was very busy with schoolwork nowadays, practicing for a recital and helping out the local community for kids wanting to learn more music. Combine that with stress and neglect, well… this was bound to happen."

"Can I… can I help take care of him? Please, Hatori-san?" She had only heard things from Hatsuharu, after hearing him speaking with their class rep coincidentally in the hallway. She had been horrified to discover that he had missed school since he was so sick and was the reason why he wasn't responding to her calls (he had gifted her a mobile phone for White Day which made her nearly combust in panic – it was indeed more than three times the return for her Valentine's day chocolate) and why he wasn't able to read her messages.

"I don't mind, but are you sure you want to? He would require monitoring for most hours of the day. At least, until his fever breaks completely." At the questioning look on her face, he glanced at the younger man. "He wouldn't just drink his medicine. I've gotten him to drink a few drops, but sometimes he spits it out or coughs it out if the amount is too much. It was his body's reflex, which is why his temperature is going down slowly and why I monitor him closely because he is… difficult to care for when he's sick. And you have school too. If you would be looking after him that means you won't be able to go home to Shigure's for a while." He added last, like an afterthought.

"If you'd permit it, Hatori-san… I would like to look after him. Weekend is nearing, and our examinations are finished." She asked, lowering her head formally in a bow to him.

Hatori bristled in discomfort. It seemed that it was too important for Honda Tohru to take care of his charge, so he would let her. "Lift your head up, Honda-kun. I will let you help, just make sure this will have no effect on your graduation. Momiji wouldn't be happy if you end up staying back a year because you took care of him."

And that was how she ended up living in Momiji's residence for a few days. Shigure brought her an oversized bag filled with her clothes (which he asked Kagura to pack for him, he assured her,) since she couldn't get it herself, to which she was grateful for. He told her he'll be the one to inform Yuki and Kyo, as well as the school, and that they could fend for themselves when she apologized at not being able to do the chores and look after them.

Hatori, in spite of his initial hesitation, is quite grateful for her help, especially since he really was a doctor whose main job is to attend to Akito's needs. He had given her careful instructions and asked her to monitor Momiji's temperature closely. The blond was in and out of lucidity, she wasn't actually sure if he had realized that she was the one who was mainly taking care of him.

Tohru had to swallow her initial discomfort at having to undress Momiji herself – at least to give him a towel bath. She had tried telling herself that this is cute, hyper Momiji, that she needed to suck it up and ignore her embarrassment for now, but the more she had spent time with him while he was bedridden, the more she realized he was no longer a child.

He is nearly off-age. He is transitioning to a man.

"You need to drink your medicine, Momiji-kun." She pleaded, just as Momiji coughed the liquid out. He was leaning against her, half-conscious, as she had just finished feeding him light food. His temperature, which had gone down to thirty-seven point seven the second day she was in his home, went back up to thirty-eight point five degrees Celsius. She steadied herself against his headboard, as he half-opened his eyes, blearily focusing on her.

"Sorrrry, Tohru…" his voice was raspy, due to days of disuse and probably with the cold itself. "I didn't mean to give you a hard tiiiime." He slurred, still barely conscious.

She wondered if he truly realized it was her. "I know you didn't mean to, Momiji-kun, but you need to drink it."

He settled against her shoulder, finding a spot where he fit in quite easily. She blushed, unable to ignore the way her heart raced as a few blond strands of his magnificent hair grazed her cheek.

She had accidentally forced him to confess when he had visited her in the hospital. She hadn't meant to force him to, but they got into a sort of a disagreement – a first for the both of them – when he gently reprimanded her for being careless. She was in a disagreeable mood and could not believe that it was him scolding her of all people and she demanded to know why he cared so much.

"Because I love you. Don't ask me why. I just woke up one day and realized I am head over heels for you. I am not an idiot; I know the only one you care about is Kyo." He sighed, before smiling ruefully. "Sorry. I didn't want to tell you about this."

"What are you talking about? You know I care about you too!" She couldn't believe her ears. Did he really think that she didn't care about him?

"Maybe you do." He agreed, still smiling ruefully. "But I'm selfish. I wanted more than that 'friendly care'. I'm greedy, Tohru. More than you know.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spoil this visit. I really just wanted to see if you're okay. Not blurt out my feelings so carelessly like this." He sighed again, disappointment written all over his features. It was probably directed at himself, but she couldn't be sure if he wasn't also disappointed at her. "I'm going. Get well soon, Tohru. I am also leaving Bunny to you." He handed her the plushie. "He can keep you company while you wait for… for him."

And so his feelings went unanswered. It was hanging in the air, like an invisible ink had written it in front of her mind's eye, the letters swimming and floating into nothingness. The days she had left before she had been discharged had forced her to think and backtrack.

Did she really just care for him as a friend? An older sister, perhaps? She wasn't his older sister. She was reminded of this simple fact. She knew she loved him, but was it more than a friend? She knew that she wanted him to be happy. If she could just bring his family back to him, she would.

When she learned he is sick, her feet brought her to the Sohma estate before she had even realized it.

Which brought her back to the present.

She had a problem; she needed to get him to drink the medicine. She had to do it in a way that he wouldn't cough it out in reflex. But how?

The answer that came to her had her blushing all the way to the roots of her hair. It was so cliché and something she didn't expect to be doing, because she had seen it in a drama Shigure had been watching one night and something she had read in one of his novels. But she was out of options – she could open his mouth and force feed it to him but she doubted she had the stamina to hold his mouth close. Even weak, Momiji's reflex is giving her trouble.

She wanted to care for him while he was sick. It didn't matter that she hadn't figured out her feelings yet; she just wanted him to recover.

Steeling herself, she laid him back down carefully, took a few deep breaths, and carefully drank the measured medicine. She half-stood up and bent over to him, her loose hair falling over her shoulder, covering both of them in a silky curtain, some of the strands tickling his cheek even as she immediately tried to tuck some behind her ear. In an unconscious movement, as if he liked the feeling and her scent and knew it was her, he turned to her, lifting his head a few inches off his pillow, as if...

As if seeking her lips.

"Tohru." He whispered her name, unbidden. He is looking for her.

Another fierce blush flooded her cheeks, but she couldn't afford to let her embarrassment get the better of her. Telling herself to get on with it, she opened his mouth just enough and closed her eyes, lowering herself until she felt her lips touch his. She mentally swallowed her embarrassment and opened her lips, letting the liquid flow into his mouth as she kissed him.

She waited for the reflex but he swallowed, breathing unchanging, his chest rising and falling steadily. She felt his lips move and before she knew it, his lips was moving against her weakly, properly kissing her even in his unconscious state.

"Mmmm-!" Tohru had the presence of mind not to push him too hard; nearly knocking off her chair as she scrambled to stand up straight. She was nearly graduating and is a young woman already but this… this was her first kiss. Granted, she had to do it to give him his meds, but she felt him move and…

Her heart was racing, blood pounding in her ears. She liked it. She liked the feeling of his lips on hers. Momiji, in his unconscious state, kissed her weakly… gently. It was only for a few seconds, but her lips felt like it was on fire, like he had branded her for a lifetime. Branded her as his.

How could a weak, gentle kiss feel like a brand?

She was surprised at her body's response. She wanted to kiss him again.

Kami-sama. She shook her head, as if doing so would get rid of her thoughts. Tohru. Get a hold of yourself. He doesn't even know…

She picked up the tray of the food defiantly, as if daring her inner self to talk back to her.

Well now you know how to make him drink the meds. That means you'll get to kiss him again. The naughty part of her brain chuckled, sounding sly and evil.

She froze in her tracks just as she reached the door of his room.

Oh God.

~~**o**~~

"Good work, Honda-kun." Hatori said, as he looked up from the thermometer he held, hours later. "His temperature is a lot stable now. I guess he really just needed your care."

The brunette youth blushed, much to his slight confusion. "How were you able to get him to drink his meds? I know it was difficult to give it to him."

To more of his confusion, the brunette blushed so furiously she looked like she had swallowed a jar of chili sauce. "M-Magic?"

It was a half-baked answer, he knew, but he didn't push. He felt like the real answer was embarrassing to both of them, and he didn't need to know.

"Well, we can ease up on monitoring him every hour, but we can maintain his diet. I'm sure he'll be much more conscious after another day, perhaps." He said, allowing one of his rare smiles to curve his lips. "Please continue watching over him, Honda-kun."

She nodded, watching him leave Momiji's room. As he was closing the door however, he caught her kissing the young man's forehead.

Hmm. Momiji and the Sohma Hime. I was not expecting that. I thought it was Kyo. But then he caught her pained expression as she watched the young man sleeping peacefully.

It is a hard decision to make. Good luck, Honda-kun.