Author: merrow - PG-13 - English - Drama - Reviews: 89
Kyou glanced away from the burbling pot to the sleeping girl on the floor. Little beads of perspiration dotted her furrowed brow and she was frowning. If she was dreaming, it wasn't anything pleasant. It looked like Tooru was really ill. How could she have gotten this way so quickly? How could they not have noticed? Why hadn't she said anything?
Hearing Yuki enter the shack, he fixed his attention back on the pot. He heard a clattering noise and glanced over to the table. Yuki was setting up the table and trying to tidy the rest of the cabin. It was strange to see him doing such domestic things. He looked back at the soup and had to laugh at himself. Domestic? And what was he doing himself? He took the soup off the heat.
"It's done." Yuki jumped at Kyou's voice. It sounded loud in the quiet shack.
"She's still sleeping." Yuki sat down at the table, resisting the urge to sit by her and watch her sleep.
Kyou dished out bowls for himself and Yuki. "I'll heat it up again when she wakes. Its better for her to sleep." He hoped. The boys ate in silence for a few minutes. Tooru's soft breathing filled the room, and the little clinks and scrapes from eating sounded magnified. It was too quiet. Both jumped when the first patters of rain began to fall. Kyou sighed as the unmistakable sound of a dripping leak began to fill the cabin. He looked around till he saw where the water was falling and put a bowl underneath it. He winced at the plink! plink! plink! noise it made. He glanced up at Yuki then frowned back into his soup. "I'll fix it once it stops raining."
"Its pretty amazing still, " Yuki started, grabbing the excuse to break the silence, "That a few leaks are all we have to deal with. It must have been hard to build this all on your own." He steadfastly kept his eyes on his soup or on the boards around them and not at Kyou.
"Un." Kyou replied and ate a bit more of his soup. He was surprisingly grateful that Yuki had spoken, the silence had been pressing in on him. "Well, I didn't build it completely from scratch. After Shishou left, I stayed to train on my own. I found this place but all that was standing was the foundation and a little bit of the hearth. I just rebuilt it. The hardest part was getting the materials. A lot of the wood was from the old building, and I pulled some bark to fill in the gaps." He sighed as he heard another drip striking the boards. He got up to locate it. Finding it he put a cup underneath it. "I guess I didn't get them all." He stopped and stirred his soup with his spoon. He didn't know what to say next. He couldn't remember ever sitting and just talking with the mouse before. There was that one time...when they'd been waiting for Tooru to return from visiting her friends just before new years. But then there had been the TV and books to study. They had other things to focus on than each other. They'd actually had a conversation then. It had been about schoolwork, and it had been short, but they hadn't fought. They'd managed not to fight once, waiting for her to come home.
"Still," Yuki started, surprised himself at his need to keep the conversation going. Usually he was content with silence. "It's amazing. Like Honda-san's tent."
"Tent?" Kyou felt like he was on a bit firmer footing. Talking about Tooru was ok. It wasn't as disconcerting as talking about himself to the mouse.
Yuki propped up his head with his hand, resting his elbow on the table, "Didn't we ever tell you? How Honda-san came to live with us?" He stirred his soup idly, remembering seeing her pop out of her tent, sleepy and red faced.
"I asked remember?" Kyou said irritably, "You said it wasn't any of my business who you had living in the house. It wasn't until she had to go back home that I even knew it was supposed to be temporary." He clinked his spoon down with greater force then he meant to and splattered a bit of his soup on the table. It still pissed him off, her having had to go through that pain. He mopped up the soup crossly, mad at himself as the silence stretched. He hadn't intended to kill the talk. He spooned up another mouthful, then spoke, "I thought maybe you'd heard about her needing a place in school maybe and offered. Or Shigure had put an ad for a maid...or something." It sounded lame even to him. In all honesty, he hadn't really thought of it at all. She was just there. It was where she belonged.
Yuki sighed and ate a bit more, "No, though he talked about it before, wanting to get a maid or a cook. We were eating out just about everyday before she came." He brushed back his hair and leaned his head back again, "But it wasn't until we found Honda-san living in a tent one night that I even knew anything about her. I'd heard her mother had passed away in school, but I never really thought about her one way or another."
Kyou looked directly at Yuki for the first time, a forgotten spoon near his mouth, "Living in a tent? Where?"
"On Souma lands, not too far from the house...you know that area they're always re-shoring?"
"That place off the path, near the stream? The place where ground is always shifting?" Kyou lowered his spoon back to his bowl.
"Un. There. Shigure and I were walking home from dinner and saw her walking in from her part-time job. I'd seen her on the way to school and she'd said she'd lived nearby. I thought she was lying...that she was like the princess club maybe and had followed me home. But she really did live near us, just not in a house." Yuki was oddly enjoying the audience. The story of how Honda had come to live with them was amazing but he'd never had the opportunity to tell anyone before. "She'd been there for about a week. At first she begged us to let her rent the land, saying that she'd pay to live there in her tent. 'Slugs, and bugs, I'm well acquainted with them, physical strength, I have lots of it' Then she almost fainted, she was sick with a fever but still determined."
"Sounds like her." Kyou said shortly. "But I don't understand, didn't she have anywhere else to go? Hanajima? Or even the Yankee?"
"She didn't want to burden them." The drollness was unfeigned.
Kyou covered his face with his hand, and pushed his bowl to the side with the other. "Idiot."
"Un." Yuki gathered their bowls and placed them outside to soak in the rain. He dropped the blanket over the doorway. The wind was starting to pick up. "That night, when were talking, there was a landslide. It destroyed her tent. It was only because she didn't have anywhere else to go that she agreed to take the room. I can't believe she thought she could live in a tent. She told me once that there was a night where the tent was almost blown away by a typhoon."
"Che, I can't believe her sometimes." Kyou walked over to the fire and built it up. The rain was beginning to seep into his bones and make him feel chilled. "We won't have to worry about that up here. The mountain protects us from most of the worst weather." He leaned up against the wall near the hearth, and let the warmth soak into him. He'd love to wrap himself in a blanket, but they'd wrapped them all around Tooru. He'd have to snuggle up to her if he wanted to use any of them. His face flushed at a quick memory of soft exposed skin. Not that he didn't want to...
"Are the towels dry?" Yuki asked. He was shrugging into his jacket. He was feeling the drop in temperature too. He didn't begrudge Kyou his spot by the fire, he knew the cat felt the weather more than he did. Kyou started, face flushing. He bent down to check the towels.
"Yeah," He folded them up and put them aside with the rest of their supplies in the back corner. Silence descended again in the cabin, but it was a comfortable silence this time. It was dark outside, and the little fire from the hearth had trouble keeping the cabin lit. Kyou and Yuki felt themselves nodding to sleep where they sat.
"Still," Yuki began again, feeling as if he was half asleep. "Its amazing. I was thinking of running away back then. I wanted to escape the Soumas." He rested his head on his arms folded on the table. He spoke more to the room then to the drowsing cat by the fire. "I could have been like Honda-san and gotten a tent. Or like you, and built something for myself far away. Instead I stayed, and lived on the Souma lands, off of Souma money. I guess I'm just a coward after all."
"Stupid mouse." Kyou paused to yawn hugely, his eyes closed. He scratched the bridge of his nose. "It doesn't take courage to run away." He stretched out his legs in front of the fire. "That's why I came back, to fight. Idiot."
Yuki looked up after a minute, expecting Kyou to continue. But the cat had fallen asleep where he sat. Yuki laid his head back on his arms and turned his head so that he could look at Tooru. He blinked a few times then drifted off to sleep himself.
* * *
Tooru opened her eyes and for a moment felt a deep confusion. It was very dark, and she felt like she was smothering. Something was covering her face. She sat up, and sighed with relief as the blankets that she'd burrowed under slid from her face. She'd been covered in blankets. She took a deep breath and leaned against a steadying hand. She raised her other hand to her swimming head. She still felt woozy and unsettled. She had an awful feeling of something being out of place. She looked to either side of her and realized she was alone. She looked around the room and gave a shaky smile. Yuki lay sprawled across the table, and Kyou looked like he'd tipped over to his side from a seat by the fire. Yuki was wearing his jacket; he must have been cold. Tooru looked guiltily at the pile of blankets over her. They'd given them all to her. The fire had died down and the shack was chilly. Wrapping one of the blankets around herself she picked up a couple and carefully walked over to boy at the table. She was about to put the blanket over his shoulders when something wet hit her hand. She looked up to see a steady drip coming down through the ceiling. She looked down at Yuki's arm; the coat sleeve was soaked. It had been raining on him and it didn't look as if he'd even stirred. She giggled a bit to herself at how sound a sleeper he was, but knew she was presented with a new problem. She couldn't just leave him there.
"Yuki-kun." She whispered, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Yuki-kun." She shook his shoulder a bit when he didn't respond. He finally lifted a groggy head.
"Honda...san?" His head started to dip back down to the table. Tooru pulled him back into an upright position. She could tell by his heavy lidded look that he was still asleep just like the times he would wander the house in the morning at home. He was pliable though and responded to her gentle suggestions. It took a little urging but he finally stood. Tooru thought any moment he would fully wake.
"Yuki-kun, you're jacket its wet." She reached up to unbutton the top clasp hoping he would get the idea and continue on his own. Instead he just stood there, swaying a bit, and let her unbutton his jacket and then remove it. She lifted his arm, getting used to treating him like a life sized Yuki doll. The shirt was wet as well. It would have to come off. She unbuttoned him, and removed his shirt. She took the blanket and threw it over his shoulders. He took the hint and wrapped it around himself. She turned and laid his wet things by the fire, and took a minute to lay a blanket over Kyou. He stirred lightly, but just clutched the blanket to himself and seemed to drop into a deeper sleep. She turned back to Yuki. His eyes had dropped shut and he was asleep on his feet. She looked around for something to dress him in, but all his clothes were either dirty, wet, or something she didn't think she could manage to get him into on her own. Yuki gave a little light snore from where he stood, and that decided her. There were enough blankets to keep him warm till morning. Then he could dress himself. She took him by the hand, and his eyes opened again in that sleepy droopy way. "Yuki-kun, come to bed." She led him over to the bed and levered him into kneeling on the ground. She lay out herself hoping he'd get the idea. She planned to pull the blankets up once he'd stretched himself out. Yuki looked at her sleepily for a moment, his blanket still clutched tight around him. Then he lay down on his side, and much to her surprise rested his head against her chest. Snuggling close and laying his arm on her hip he let out a deep breath that she felt flow through her clothes and into her skin. What little tension there had been in him melted away and he seemed completely at ease. Even in his sleeping state he was careful that his chest didn't brush her, keeping his other arm between them. Tooru felt stiff as a board, she knew that Yuki was asleep and didn't know what he was doing, but still... "Umn...Yuki...kun." She whispered.
"Just...for a minute..." Tooru felt the words puff out against her chest where he was nestled. There was hardly any volume to the words at all. "Honda...san...is..." For a moment she thought he'd fallen completely back to sleep and almost started when he began again, "..so warm..." The sound of his breathing changed after a moment, and she could tell he'd fallen into a deeper sleep. Afraid to move and startle him awake, or move the wrong way and cause him to transform, she tried to lie as still as possible. She tried not to think of the warm heavy weight between her breasts, or the soft rhythmic breaths against her skin through the cloth, or the hand clutching her hip. She listened to the rain fall, the fire pop and not knowing when it happened fell back to sleep herself.
* * *
When she woke again it was still dark. This night had a timeless feel, and she felt completely disoriented. She had no idea what time it was or how close to morning it was. She lay curled on her side and tried to organize her thoughts. She felt dim witted and woozy and as if she was searching for something or trying to remember something but couldn't figure out what it was. She tried to lie still and let her thoughts settle. She felt both wide-awake and like she just wanted to let herself slip back to sleep at the same time. She just felt so disoriented. She took stock of her surroundings. Yuki's weight was gone but his hand remained on her hip. He'd been restless in his sleep, and had curled up into a fetal position. He was practically lying sideways on the pallet, half on his half on hers. It was his odd positioning that had caused her to curl up, her body positioned almost protectively around his head. She's been turned around a bit herself, her own head wasn't on the pillows anymore. She lifted her head and gave a soft moan. It felt like it had gained 10 pounds. She lay it back down and rolled on to her back. She had been re-covered with blankets. She didn't remember that happening. Under the blankets Yuki's hand had lost its grip on her hip and lay flat against her stomach when she turned. Tooru looked at the ceiling for a minute and tried to settle her vision. The world felt like it was turning much more quickly then it normally did. Her arm flapped to the side and struck something solid. Looking over she realized at some point Kyou had come to bed. And she'd just hit him in the face. His eyes were open looking at her in surprise. She hadn't moved her hand she realized and it still lay against his cheek.
"I-I'm sorry." She whispered. She drew her hand a way and rested it on her stomach. Yuki's sleeping fingers entwined with hers.
Kyou closed his eyes. "It's okay." He wasn't completely awake himself. He opened his eyes and examined her. Her eyes were glassy, and her face was still flushed. He'd been surprised earlier to wake and find himself covered by the fire. That Yuki had been in bed with Tooru, shirtless and close had been shocking. He'd tripped over the mouse's wet jacket and shirt that explained at least part of it. Tooru blinked at him and he rolled over on his stomach and scootched closer for a better look. She didn't flinch back, which worried him. Lifting a hand, he laid it against her cheek then put his knuckles against her forehead. She was burning up. It was disconcerting, the way she just stared at him. "I'm going to get you some more medicine."
He poured out a measure of it, and came back to the hearth, helping her to sit up. He came prepared with a mug of cold tea to wash away the nasty taste of the medicine. She obediently drank both down.
The tea seemed to wake her up a bit. She looked down into her mug. "I'm sorry for waking Kyou-kun." She opened her mouth to say something else but was rudely interrupted by her growling stomach.
Kyou made a disgusted noise. What was he thinking? She hadn't eaten all day. That along with her fever was going to make her feel horrible and out of joint. "I made soup, I'll heat some up for you." He built up the fire and took a glance at the medication label. It even recommended taking with food. He quickly warmed up the soup and poured it into a mug so she wouldn't have to get up to eat it. She sat up but listed to the side. Kyou sat down then turned away from her abruptly. "Here...lean against me." Tooru blinked at his back for a moment, blushing for reasons besides the fever she gratefully put her back to his and leaned back. She had held her mug of soup in one hand, and Yuki's hand under the blankets. She rested her head against his back and sipped at her soup. Kyou felt his face heat as the silence stretched. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes." She replied simply. The soup was making her feel better. It warmed the pit of her stomach and seemed to setting the world into order. It room wasn't listing around so alarmingly anymore either. She was starting to feel more awake too. "Kyou-kun's soup is very good."
"Mmn. It's nothing special." Kyou rested his head on his drawn up knees. The fire was dying down again, but he couldn't build it up without moving away from Tooru. He pulled up a blanket and wrapped it around the two of them. "Just make sure you drink all of it!"
"OK!" Tooru said emphatically and took a gulp. She started to choke and Kyou turned to pat her between the shoulders.
"I-idiot! You don't have to drink it all at once!"
"Sorry." Tooru looked down at her mug.
"It's fine." Kyou looked away, and settled back. He closed his eyes as he felt her weight settle back into his. So much had happened in the past couple of days. He couldn't remember ever being so casual with a person before. He didn't want it to go away, but he was sure it wouldn't last. Nothing this good could ever last. It was some mistake, he was sure. Tooru drank down the last of the soup and handed it back Kyou. She lay back and Kyou lay on his side next to her, looking at her face. She looked better. Her skin wasn't so white and her cheeks weren't as flushed. He suddenly felt very tired and relieved. Barely waiting to make sure she'd fallen back to sleep, Kyou felt himself dropping back to sleep himself.
