Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Beginnings ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer:

I don't own Fruits Basket. However, I'm much looking forward to the day when all men can stand up and say with one voice, in one accord, 'Fruits Basket shall be translated into english! Furuba shall come to the USA and break open its tides as one wave upon the shore.'

Ahem. I sometimes get ahead of even myself.

Warning: I realize that some don't enjoy for furuba characters to be changed, however, and I know that the manga explores this, I can't help but feel that Tohru hides a lot of her emotions away under a mask of constant cheerfulness. This chapter is dedicated mostly to the maturing of herself, which will in turn, bring about a maturity in her relationship with both Yuki and Kyou.

Beginnings

Chapter Four

A temporary truce had been made. During the hours of wandering and fruitless searching that made up the night, neither boy had even been tempted to pick a fight. One concern, and one concern alone had prevailed over all else- to find Tohru. But with the passing of the rain, the disappearance of the fog, and the re-entry of the sun, other thoughts began to remake their way into consciousness.

It began with an idle comment on Yuki's part. He had been more or less talking to himself, but the words had slipped out nonetheless, and they struck a cord in Kyou.

"She was probably frightened…" Yuki had muttered.

The words had erupted a wildfire of fears in Kyou's mind. Had Tohru been frightened- frightened of him? Or maybe she was afraid all of the rain would bring out his other self? Had she left because she didn't want to face that? Had she been afraid he'd do something to her? The questions sped through, each plaguing the other, a veritable mountain made from a molehill. And in this flash of self doubt, Kyou lashed out.

"You're the one who left her all alone!" Kyou growled, his fists curled.

Yuki had reacted, startled. But just as his carelessly made comment had turned something in Kyou, the same was true for him. She had been acting strangely all morning, an unusually pensive look on her face. And he! He had just left her alone, simply because he had been too caught up in his own petty battles with the cat. But whatever truth there might have been in that was forgotten as the age old war between the two tore loose.

"Of course I had to leave, stupid cat. I had to make sure she was eating right. With the slop you wasted our money on, she wasn't getting the proper nourishment." The words were carefully chosen to make the most damage.

The reaction was as expected. "Kuso nezumi! You ate it without complaining!"

"Baka, I wasn't going to complain after Honda-san had made it. I'm not inconsiderate like some," came the cold reply.

And as always, fists took the place of words, and physical pain replaced the emotional barbs. Rather than reply, Kyou had yelled and struck out with his fist, never once making contact. Instead, Yuki's knee caught him in the chin, and Kyou fell to the ground, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. But, as Kyou had risen to strike out once again, his hand closed upon something that was neither rock nor branch nor anything said to be normally found in nature. A feeling of dread in his stomach, Kyou let his fingers travel along the object's surface before finally pulling it out from under him.

It was a shoe; a small size 6 ½ brown shoe; a shoe that was scuffed from being used to walk trails not normally traveled; a shoe that he had seen just the day before placed neatly inside the door. Tohru's shoe!

"Honda-san's shoe? Then…" Yuki's voice died off as his eyes took in the kicked up dirt and mud that trailed off a steep ledge. Those same eyes looked just as quickly away once the implications hit him. Tohru had been walking through the fog last night; she had still been so weak. She could have so easily slipped in the mud, and fallen off the ledge into…

The sound of crashing waves made his stomach turn, and he had to look away, look at anything except the shoe clutched in Kyou's hands or the cliff side or the ground that still held hints of Tohru's footprints.

"You left her alone." Kyou repeated his words from earlier. Yuki looked at him, his face drained. He tried to respond, but then his eyes met Tohru's single shoe. Her shoe…

"You left her alone." Kyou's tone grew menacing, an edge of desperation to it. Again, Yuki could not answer. It was true; he had left her alone. It was he who had left her alone.

"I had trusted you to take care of her…" Kyou's voice held none of its usual gruffness. Only an intense grief showed through. Kyou had trusted him? "I thought that she would be safe. I thought that she would be safe!"

Kyou lashed out blindly, his left hand still wrapped around the shoe. He didn't care whether he missed or not, he just needed to hit something, anything. Tohru… That damn Yuki had left her alone. Just left her. He saw Yuki twist around from the right side, and kicked out, his foot making contact with Yuki's back. A fist struck Kyou across the face, while another smashed into his stomach. As Yuki punched forward again, Kyou grabbed him around the stomach and drove him to the ground. Yuki felt hot tears fall against his face as Kyou pulled back, driving forward again and again, missing more times than not.

Yuki felt blood fill his mouth and spit, the redness of it surprising him. Never had Kyou been such a challenge to fight. If he didn't just finish it now, then he'd only be hurt more. Yuki let the cat get close enough and then with one direct kick, sent Kyou crumpled to the ground, his grip on Tohru's shoe falling loose. He too fell to the ground, a dull ache filling his jaw where he had been hit. Behind that pain came Kyou's words, repeating themselves threefold. You left her alone! I had trusted you…Trust coming from someone like him. And now-

Yuki pulled himself up, preparing his mouth to form words he knew he would regret, but needed to say nevertheless. A cornered animal will lash out in any way it knows how. Its how the animal survives. "She's never been able to feel safe since- since that night. She left because she was afraid to be alone in that house with you. She disappeared into the fog because she was afraid you might come back. Baka neko, she left because of you."

There. Now they were equal. At least that's what Yuki told himself, even as Kyou's face turned white, his doubts having been voiced aloud. Yuki repeated his justifications silently even as Kyou leapt up, disappearing into the trees, Tohru's brown shoe left behind.

Now they were equal.

**********************************************************

She felt so warm, warmer than she had felt in years. And the smell in the room- it was like something from a memory, a mixture of freshly made bread and that light perfume her mother used to wear. Faint sounds greeted her ears; the tinkling of glasses in a sink, and a soft humming. Her mother used to sing a song that sounded like that…

The room's walls reared up before eyes, the yellowed wood seemingly familiar. The comforter that was wrapped tightly around her body was also familiar. The patterned camellia trees embroidered along its edges were like the ones in the park across from her old house.

Sitting up, she took in the huge windows that looked out over rolling hills, filled with spring flowers. Spring…where had all the cold, wet weather gone? Rubbing her eyes, she stepped out from the warmth of the blanket and carefully opened one of the bay windows. A gentle breeze flowed in, brushing her long hair from her face, caressing her cheeks, and bringing in the taste freshness.

"Tohru…"

She turned around, the voice sounding almost ethereal. The bed she had been sleeping in had disappeared and in its place was a plain white kitchen. A girl her age with long black hair stood patiently, a broom in hand. Her black dress moved gently as another breeze rolled in.

"Hana-chan? How…"

"Tohru…do you remember that day?"

"What?"

"Do you remember that day? The day of the funeral?"

"Hana-chan!"

The kitchen faded away, leaving behind rows upon rows of stone markings. The black haired girl took her arm and led her to one particular marker. Honda Kyouko it read.

"Do you remember what happened that day?"

She turned away. Suddenly nothing felt warm. The sky overhead started to flash as clouds raced by. The air grew cold, and raindrops began to fall. Her arm was pulled once again, and she turned to face the grave. People stood around the stone, all dressed in black. Her grandfather, her aunts and uncles, and her cousins. They had all come…for her funeral.

"Do you remember what they said?"

No! She tried running away, but a firm grip still held her arm.

"You need to listen, Tohru."

Reluctantly, she turned back. They were all talking, having forgotten the grave entirely, having forgotten her. She watched her younger self stare at the grave, at the stale grass, at her shoes. How she remembered that day! And the things they said…

"I'm not surprised at all that this happened."

"I still can't believe he had married a gang member!"

"What to do with her little girl?"

"The brat? I imagine she's as troublesome as her mother was. Probably always causing problems."

"Well, what can you expect when she had that kind of mother as an example? After all, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Look at her- she just stares and stares."

"Is she stupid?"

"Probably causes problems…"

"Just one big problem…"

"I can't take her! I already have two children to take care of."

"Neither can I. My son just entered high school. He can't be distracted by a troublesome child."

She covered her ears, trying to keep their words from entering. Why was Hana-chan making her hear all of this? But the words still slipped through, the memory returning.

"I don't want her."

"I don't have the room."

"I don't have the time."

"She'll only cause problems."

"Someone else can…"

"Someone else can…"

"Someone else…"

"Tohru? Why weren't you smiling?"

Hana-chan's quiet voice cut through the ghosts of the memory. A heavy gust of wind blew cold rain into her face. How different it was here…

"Why weren't you smiling?"

The black haired girl pointed at the still staring girl standing outside of the group of arguing relatives. The younger girl wasn't crying, but she wasn't smiling. She only stared at the ground still. But the expression crossing her face wasn't even sadness.

"Why were you angry, Tohru? Why did you get mad?"

"I wasn't. I wasn't, honestly, I wasn't!"

"Then why did you do this?"

The black haired girl's voice faded out and the arguing returned. She watched her younger self clench her fists and finally run into the circle of adults.

"Be quiet! My mother is a great woman! She is amazing! She works so hard and always smiles and loves me! Don't say anything bad about her. Don't."

She pulled away from the memory, not wanting to hear the next words.

"Hana-chan, please, can we leave? Its cold here."

But the girl didn't respond. She closed her eyes. Those words were going to come. Those horrible, horrible words.

"Ah, she doesn't even realize it, does she?"

"How pitiful, she's at her own mother's funeral and she doesn't know why."

"I did say she looked stupid."

"Ne, Tohru…don't you know?"

"Don't you know?"

"Don't you know?"

"Your mother-"

NO!

"Your mother-"

No, don't say it!

"She's-"

Please, Hana-chan, anyone, please…

"Your mother's dead, Tohru."

No…

"She's dead."

"Dead."

The tears came unbidden, sobs racking at her chest. The funeral faded away and kitchen returned. The black haired girl returned to sweeping the floor, humming softly. It was the song her mother used to sing.

"Why Hana-chan? Why did you show me that?"

The sweeping stopped. Stiff fabric rustled, and the answer came slowly.

"Because you had forgotten how to get angry, Tohru."

"But that was wrong! I shouldn't have yelled at them, and I only caused problems."

"Tohru, you shouldn't lie so much."

"Hana-chan!"

She felt herself spinning, and the words replayed themselves in her mind. Problem, stupid, pitiful, she's dead, she's dead. She cried out loud, the pain too much, but the sound was lost to her ears.

Nayoko looked up from the stove top surprised. She glanced sharply over at the small body that lay huddled under heavy blankets. The girl had called out again in her sleep. Last time, she had cried for her mother. This time…she couldn't even make out a name. With a worried frown, she returned to the stirring the soup. When the girl woke up and had some hot soup in her, she'd ask the necessary questions.

********************************************************************* < p class="MsoNormal c7">

He hadn't been able to put aside the tearing guilt that resurged every time he looked down at the shoe he held in his hand. He had picked it up as if it was Tohru herself and tucked it carefully into his coat before resuming his search. Ignoring the tracks that fell from the cliff side, Yuki continued following the shore line, looking for signs that Tohru had been there. Hours passed quickly, and it wasn't until clouds began to pack overhead that he finally turned around to retrace his steps.

His feet carried him back to the place where…that is the place where Kyou had found her shoe. Swallowing down the emotions that threatened to tide over, he laid down on his stomach, smearing his face with mud and edged over until his entire upper torso was over the ledge. Peering down the steep incline, Yuki searched for some sign that Tohru might have- that she might have actually… but he couldn't even say the words in his mind. The wind picked up, and his grey eyes widened as a flicker of yellow caught in a small branch growing from the cliff's side grabbed his attention. Leaning even farther over the edge, Yuki grasped the branch in his hand and plucked the thin yellow fabric from its clutches.

Pulling himself back up, Yuki kneeled in the declining daylight and cradled the ribbon he had once given Tohru oh so long ago it seemed. Her ribbon… the only way it could have been caught there was if- but the idea was inconceivable. That Tohru was actually…

No, that couldn't be true. It simply couldn't be true. Yuki wrapped the ribbon around his hand, its once soft edges frayed and dirty. Back at the house, he would wash it so that when Tohru came back, she would still want to wear it. When she came back…

Decided, Yuki walked blindly back to the house, his thoughts trying to rest entirely on the future. What he'd do in the next hour, tonight, tomorrow, next week, three years from now. Yes, tonight he'd clean Tohru's ribbon, and maybe he could try washing some of the blankets. Tohru had just been using laundry soap, maybe he wouldn't screw it up. And tomorrow, he'd try looking for some wild berries, something sweet that Tohru could make for dinner. Next week, he'd see about going downtown and finding a job. And Tohru…she might like to check out some books from the library. He'd ask her tonight…

The house appeared far too quickly, and Yuki found himself in the same place he had stood the night before, before entering and finding her gone. Steeling himself, he swore he wouldn't let the cat see him upset, he wouldn't show him the tears that had been falling the entire way there. Stupid daydream…the ribbon in his hand was reality. Tohru's ribbon that had clung to the cliff side. Tohru's ribbon that could only have been caught there if she had fallen. When she had fallen…

Breathing deeply, Yuki opened the door slowly, prepared for the darkness that would greet him. Instead, someone had lit up several candles and a delicious scent wafted over. He opened his eyes in surprise, and for a second his heart believed…but then Kyou stepped out from the bathroom, his amber hair wet from a shower. The cat didn't look over at him, but simply walked back to the small stovetop, stirring something that looked like soup.

Yuki sighed almost indiscernibly, and took off his shoes, placing them neatly by the door side. Then he too made for the shower, the mud caked into his azure hair having dried hours ago. The water would be cold as they hadn't bought a gas tank yet for the heater.

Kyou stirred gently, the mixture of vegetables and rice turning easily. After their fight and what Yuki had said, he had run deep into the forest. He had run like he always did when ever something became too difficult to handle. Just like on that night…but she had come after him. And now…

That damn rat just didn't know what he was talking about, and he was prepared to pick up where they had left off if not for the look that had been on his face. It was total hopelessness. He felt a stir of pity come unbidden, which he pushed away with anger. Why should he feel sorry for the little prince?

The sound of running water ended, and Yuki came back out from the tiny room, a towel slung over his shoulders. In silence, he tried to fold the towel, but ended up only making a misshapen bunch. Sighing lightly, he tossed the bundle beside his bedroll and crouched in the blankets, staring at nothing.

Kyou tasted the soup from a spoon and then quickly poured it into two bowls. Briskly, he placed one by Yuki's feet and dropped a spoon. Turning away, he sat across the room, and eat hungrily. It had been almost 24 hours since he had last eaten. Yuki looked up in surprise at the bowl Kyou placed at his feet. Glancing across to Kyou, he met the cat's orange eyes and then nodded his thanks. They ate in silence, neither wanting to break the atmosphere, both afraid of what the other might say.

"Do you remember…" Yuki looked up at Kyou's words, "Do you remember that time, for New Year's and we found her crying?"

Yuki nodded. "We had left her alone."

"I was wondering why she never let herself be sad around us." Kyou spoke his words hesitantly, obviously unsure of how to word himself and not insult or threaten. "I was wondering why she only let herself smile, and never angry, never sad."

"Once, I found her in the kitchen talking aloud to her mother. She was talking about school and us as if her mother were right there alive. Honda-san was always so busy worrying about us that I don't think she had the time for anything else."

"No! I mean…" Kyou tried to soften his tone. "I think she didn't let herself."

Yuki tugged at a piece of his grey hair. Now that he thought about it, never had he ever seen her get angry or show any other emotion except for happiness. But she always seemed so genuine. Maybe she just didn't let herself think about it…maybe she just took each piece as it came to her.

"You're sounding too smart for the baka neko that you are," Yuki let the old term slip in, and Kyou bristled.

"Like you'd know that, kuso nezumi!"

"Why don't you just shut up. Your voice is so annoying."

"What did you say!"

"Do I need to repeat it? Your voice is annoying. Shut up."

Kyou growled, but shut his mouth nevertheless. Yuki shrugged over and slipped into his bedroll, ignoring the cat entirely. Kyou repeated the movements, and as the boys drifted into sleep, the same thought came; it hadn't been too awful talking like that, a little uncomfortable, but not entirely awful. But the thought passed and dreams surfaced.

**********************************************************

She felt warm again. A blissful warmth that traveled from her hair to her toes. Added to the warmth came that same scent from her memories. What had her mother's perfume been called? Something about lilies…and freshly baked bread. It was like that other dream, and she fought the feeling to get up. But her eyes opened and the embroidered edges of camellia blossoms rose up to meet her. Déjà vu overwhelming her, she rose from the bed and looked to the windows, the spring flowers replaced with naked trees and brown leaves. Autumn had fallen.

Soft humming drew her to turn around and she stood in a park. A tall girl with dyed blond hair stood with her hands on her hips, a face mask dangling from one hand.

"Uo-chan?"

"Tohru, do you love your friends?"

"Uo-chan!"

"Do you love me? Do you love Hanajime? Do you love that stupid orange head? Do you love the prince?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then why do you lie to us, to me, to them?"

"What?"

A small brown haired girl ran from the swing set and fell to the ground beside a towering oak. In her hands she cradled and tiny bird that had fallen. Tears fell from her brown eyes as the bird stopped fluttering and its little chest rested.

"Uo-chan?"

"Do you remember this day, Tohru?"

A youthful woman with short blond hair crouched beside the crying girl, tucking her into her arms.

"Do you remember what Kyouko said, Tohru?"

'Tohru…why are you crying?'

'I'm sorry, mother, I'm sorry.'

'Why is Tohru sorry?'

'I'm sorry I'm crying. It makes you sad!'

'Tohru should cry when she's sad.'

'I'm sorry, mother!'

'Tohru should never apologize for her emotions. You have to be true to what you feel. Ne, Tohru?'

She watched as her mother kissed her memory on the forehead, smoothing away tears. Her mother was right there, and she looked so alive! So alive…

"Tohru, she's gone."

"I know, Uo-chan. I know…"

"Then why do you keep on lying to us?"

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize. Just do what your mother said. Cry when you're sad. Laugh when you're happy. Pout when you're disappointed. Yell when you're angry."

"But I don't want people to be unhappy!"

"No, Tohru, you're lying again."

"Uo-chan, I don't understand."

"Tohru, its not that you don't want to be unhappy. You don't want them to leave."

"I don't want them to leave?"

"Be honest, Tohru."

"I'm sorry…"

"Tohru, what do you feel right now?"

"Feel?"

"Honda-san?"

She reeled around, the park gone, and she was back in the room with the large windows. Soft grass broke beneath her feet, and kneeling beside a small garden was a slender boy with delicate fingers stained by the earth he turned slowly.

"Honda-san?"

"Sohma-kun!"

"You never say my name…except when you slip up."

"But Sohma-kun…I thought you didn't want me to. I'm sorry…"

"Honda-san, but what do you feel?"

"Me?"

"Do you want to call me Sohma-kun, do you want to say Yuki?"

"But…"

"What do you feel? What do you feel?"

"Oi! You! Why are you wasting your time on that stupid rat?"

She circled around yet again, the windows with their dying hills twisting like a merry go round. A red haired boy lay with his back pressed against the shingles.

"I've told you before. Its ok to say what you mean."

"Kyou-kun, everyone is saying so many things. I don't understand…sorry."

"You're apologizing again. Don't be an idiot! If you're confused then that's fine. You don't want me apologizing because of something I feel do you?"

"No…"

"Then quit apologizing."

"Kyou-kun…"

"Yeah, well, sometimes you're really stupid. But I think you're acting a lot of the time."

"I'm sorry."

"I said to stop that."

"But I'm sorry, I am!"

She slapped a hand over her mouth. She had talked back! She had actually yelled at Kyou-kun. A coarse hand landed heavily on her head, while another brought her face up. He smiled down at her, sunlight glinting off of the roof's tiles.

"There you go, Tohru. That's what I mean."

"I shouldn't yell like that, not at you after all you've done for me-"

"You shouldn't lie either."

"But-"

"Don't you know that we love you?"

"Kyou-kun!"

Hands changed form and now they were slender and white. Grey eyes peaked down from under violet bangs.

"Don't you know that we love you?"

Yet again another change, and bleached locks drifted into her eyes.

"Don't you know that we love you?"

And once more, the wind billowed black fabric and black eyes smiled serenely.

"Don't you know that we love you?"

Finally, she fell to her knees, the images fading away until all that was left was a brilliant whiteness surrounding everything. A stillness settled over her heart, and at once, she was at peace.

"Tohru…"

A voice long silent called to her.

"Tohru…"

"Mother?"

"Yes, Tohru…can you promise me something?"

"Yes, Mother, yes!"

"Promise me that you'll start being Tohru again. Promise me that you'll start living again."

"Mother!"

"Promise me, Tohru."

"I promise, mother. I promise."

"Thank you Tohru. You've been so sad for so long. I just wanted you to start living again. I love you, my cute little Tohru. I love you!"

And she cried, tears boiling down.

"Mother!" Tohru cried, sitting up suddenly. She blinked her eyes, the memory of the dream still so real. The room she was in was unfamiliar and in the back, a small pudgy woman stood, stirring something on the stove. She turned around, a bright smile on her face.

"Ah, you've woken up! I'm so glad. My name's Chisato Nayoko. But please, call me Nayoko." Nayoko beamed, and then scooped up some of her noodles into a bowl. The poor girl had been tossing and turning all day, something in her dreams obviously bothering her.

"Ano, Nayoko-san, how did I get here?" Tohru asked softly, her words measured, still remembering the dreams.

"I was out walking Putti last night, and I came across your body. You must have slipped in the fog and fallen off the ledge. I know the paths here very well, and its very easy it loose your footings. But thankfully, you only fell so far and stopped before landing into the water. It was low tide so the path was clear. Ah! It is a blessing!"

Tohru just nodded, her manner somber.

"Such a pretty girl and so many worries that I can see. Do you want to tell me about it while you eat? Confession is good for the soul." Nayoko handed Tohru the bowl of noodles and nodded encouragingly. Tohru accepted it gratefully and carefully took a bite.

"Thank you, Nayoko-san. Its very good. Please, though, my name is Honda Tohru."

"Tohru-kun, tell me then, what makes you so sad." Nayoko sat next to her on the bed, adding her body heat.

Tohru took another slow bite, the words from her dream repeating themselves. We love you Tohru. You shouldn't lie. Cry when you're sad. Yell when you're angry. Pout when you're disappointed. Be honest. We love you. I love you. Start living again…

"I ran away from my friends, Nayoko-san. That's why I fell, because I ran away. They're so good to me, but I was scared so I ran away."

"Why were you scared?"

"I tried to tell myself that they were tired of me, that I was a bother. But the truth is that I was afraid that they'd start to see the real me, and then they'd leave. So I left first."

"Well, well, Tohru-kun, you must not trust your friends very much to do such a thing."

Tohru dropped her spoon, surprised. Not trust her friends? But Kyou and Yuki- she'd trust them with her life.

"Yes, yes, you didn't even give them a chance to get to know you, and you assumed that they'd not like you. You love them don't you?" Nayoko asked, a steady smile on her face.

"Yes, they are the most important people in my life."

"And you love them faults and all?"

Of course she did. Yuki-kun wouldn't be Yuki if he wasn't always trying to be so smart and collected. And Kyou-kun wouldn't be Kyou if he wasn't always trying to hide his feelings with loud words and fast actions. Of course she accepted their faults. Its what made them unique.

"Yes, Nayoko-san, faults and all."

"Then you should let them do the same. If you love them, you should let them get to know the real you."

"Demo, Nayoko-san, but I've been this way so long! Won't they be angry?"

"Not if they love you. A little hurt maybe, but not angry, not at you." They'll be angry at themselves and at each other, she added silently.

"Ne, ne…Tohru-kun, as nice as its been having you with me, your friends are bound to be worried. If you're feeling well enough, I'll drive you back to your house."

Nayoko stood up, taking the now empty bowl from Tohru's hands. "Its late, but I'm sure they won't mind being woken up if its you."

Tohru nodded, a little unsure, but steadfast. She had made a promise, a new promise. Even if was only to the memory of her mother, she had made it. Mother, I'm going to try. I'm going to try to be honest to everyone and to myself. I promise!

Nayoko's beat up lizard trekked up the dirt road precariously, its uneven tires fitting into each and every pothole. But the woman only smiled and sang to herself, obviously quite used to the bumpiness of the ride. Beside her Tohru only marked the sloppiness of the driving in her subconscious. Instead, her thoughts rested on Kyou and Yuki. They must have been so worried, so very worried. And she wondered how'd they react at the change in herself. Would they draw away, or would they accept her as she is? Would they want the Tohru who wouldn't always smile? Would they want the new Tohru, or rather the old Tohru come back to life if she cried occasionally, or was sad occasionally, or simply couldn't work up the energy to do what she had done for so long? Would they want to?

Nayoko brought the car to a rest, moving the clutch into park. She let the car engine idle for a moment, before gently pressing her hand into Tohru's back. With a light push, she gave the girl the momentum needed to leave the car. Nayoko smiled sagely as Tohru didn't look back, but walked steadily towards the door. She would be alright, Nayoko was convinced. It was the way of things.

Tohru paused outside of the door, her hand resting lightly on the knob, waiting only to be turned. This was it, she could walk in and be as always, or she could try trusting her friends. Sucking in her breath, Tohru decided and opened the door.

"Tadeima, Kyou-kun, Yuki-kun."

As the two boys woke as one and stared at her in shock, Tohru let the tears of relief fall. They were still here, waiting for her. Nothing in their eyes had changed. They were still here.

I'm home, Mother, I've come home!