Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Belated Gift 2: The Gift that Keeps on Giving ❯ My Precious Doll ( Chapter 4 )

Shigure opened his eyes and found Tooru looking back at him. She smiled to see he was awake and kissed him lightly on the lips before slipping out of bed.

Shigure rolled on his back and smiled. It was a lovely way to wake up. She'd kept her promise that "next time" she'd wait till he woke up before leaving the bed. She came back in the room, slid off her robe and slid back near him.

"Call of nature?" He whispered softly, just to watch her blush.

She nodded and let him wrap his hands around her waist. Except for a few hurried forays to the kitchen and calls of nature, they'd been in her bed since yesterday night. A whole day had been spent learning what it meant to make love to the person you loved and knew loved you back.

Tooru was already lightly dozing on his shoulder, and it felt wonderful to feel her close to him, but Shigure figured they'd have to get up eventually. He looked at the clock, it was almost 4 in the afternoon. So it was more like a day and half in bed with the one he loved.

He felt a light kiss on his shoulder and looked down. Tooru saw she had his attention and blushed lightly. It was all the invitation he needed to take her lips again. They'd have to get up eventually, but maybe not quite yet.

The next morning he decided it was definitely time. Number one, he was getting hungry. Quick snacks in the kitchen were wearing thin. Number two, they only had a few more precious days before the school trip ended. He knew he wasn't going to allow this to end just because the cat and mouse came home, but he had to recognize that changes would happen. They couldn't spend all their time in Tooru's bed. He looked at the girl sleeping at his side...as pleasant as that might have been.

He wanted to take this opportunity to treat her to something special. She'd missed out on her school trip, and he'd put her through a lot.

She deserved a day out, some guilt free fun. He started to plan it out in his head. First, they'd get up, wash and dress in their best. Then they would maybe take a walk, and some shopping.

He wanted to buy her treats, lots of treats. He wanted to give her things that made her smile, something that made her blush, something that made her jump in surprise.

Then maybe an aquarium or a zoo... it might seem childish... but he knew that Tooru would be delighted. He wanted to see her running around and amazed. Then dinner, someplace elegant, upscale. Someplace where they knew how to treat you. Someplace where they knew to treat her like she was the princess she was. And then, and his smile grew wicked, maybe a hotel...someplace with soft sheets, quiet music...

He couldn't take it any longer. He gently sat up so that she was no longer supported by his weight. He slowly pulled back the covers so as not to wake her with a sudden rush of cold air. He started at the base of her spine, and gently laid a line of wet kisses up her spine. He kissed and suckled gently at the little dips and curves of her body.

He'd just licked at a tasty spot between her shoulder blades when he heard a muffled giggle. Just to be certain he made a long lick down her back following the curve of her spine.

She shrieked and giggled, flipping over.

"Oh, did I wake you?" Shigure said innocently. "Sorry about that." He said carelessly, and captured her lips before she could answer.

They kissed for a long breathless moment before he regretfully broke it off. "Ne, Tooru..." He said softly, enjoying her gentle hand stroking his hair. "Lets go somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Tooru asked.

"Lets go out." Shigure said. "On a date."

"Date?" Tooru repeated, and then blushed scarlet.

Shigure chuckled, they'd just spent two days in bed making love and he could make her blush just by asking her out on a date?

"Ne... You are my girlfriend, right?" Shigure said playfully, "I should take you on dates sometimes."

"Girlfriend?" Tooru repeated, beginning to feel like a parrot. He'd never actually said it before. It was nice hearing it.

Shigure frowned a little and sat up. Tooru looked surprised. She said she loved him, so he'd just assumed that that meant a relationship. Did she think this was just a temporary thing? Just a fling? Or just sex between them? "Ne...Tooru-kun," The serious tone in his voice broke her out of her "girlfriend" induced daze, "You are my girlfriend... ne?"

"Yes!" She said happily flinging her arms around him, "Lets go on a date!"

She drew back blushing from the dog, covering her face, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I forgot!"

Shigure nuzzled her with his snout, not much caring at the moment. She was his girlfriend. "It's ok, why doesn't Tooru-kun go bathe... I'll join you in a few minutes."

Tooru sniffled and obeyed grabbing her robe as she went. Shigure chuckled. He'd just wait till he changed back and then join her, his girlfriend.

When he finally transformed back, he headed down to the bathroom. He could hear water running. Tooru had apparently opted for a shower this morning instead of a bath. Shigure smiled, they hadn't done that yet. Then he shook himself out of it... If they started that again, they'd never get out of the house!
He walked in and picked up the tub of bathing supplies Tooru had set out for him. He decided to shave and then shower when Tooru was finished.

Shigure wanted to let Tooru know she wasn't expected to wait for him so he called into the bathing area. "Let me know when you're done, ne?"

"Haaaiiii..." Tooru called gaily from the shower. She was a little disappointed that he wasn't going to be joining her, but she couldn't wait to begin their date!

Their first date... She gave an excited little shiver. She'd never gone on a date as a girlfriend before. What should she wear? She finished washing the soap out of her hair and wrapped herself in a towel.

"I'm done." She smiled walking out of the bathing area. She stopped and blushed hotly. Shigure was standing naked at the sink as he shaved.

Shigure tried not to cut himself when he saw her reaction. Two days in bed with her hands exploring all over his body and she still blushed when she saw him naked. He leaned over inviting her over to kiss his half-shaven face.

She walked over shyly and stood on her tiptoes to reach him. Her wet feet slipped on the tile and he grabbed her with an arm to keep her from toppling over.

She sagged gratefully into his grip. She took the opportunity to lean into his shoulder and breath deep. She'd come to like the smell of him. She ran her other hand across his back feeling the ridge and bumps of his shoulder blades and muscles.

They moved under her fingers as he pulled her slightly away, and he set her straight on the floor. She looked up at him pouting a little. She liked being close to him.

"Ne, Tooru-kun," He chuckled lightly, "You just got clean." He ran a knuckle down her nose and tweaked it, "Don't you want to get started on our date?"

Tooru smiled shyly up at him. "Yes."

She toyed with an end of her towel and shuffled her feet a little. Shigure looked at her in amusement from the reflection of the mirror. She was blushing and fidgeting most becomingly. If she kept doing that, he might have to delay their date.

"Yes?" He asked gently. He could tell she had a question, but she never liked to speak up.

"What should I wear? I don't know where we're going..." She trailed off then looked up. "Not that it matters!" She frantically shook her hands, "I'm just happy to be going out with Shigure-san. It doesn't matter where we go!"

Shigure smiled, "Just dress pretty." He smiled and kissed her nose, "It shouldn't he hard for Tooru-kun."

Tooru blushed and nodded, "Ok! I'll try my best." She stepped back and turned on her heel running out of the bathroom.

Tooru finally decided on an outfit after despairing of her wardrobe. She really didn't have much in the way of clothes, and none of them seemed appropriate to the occasion. She finally decided on a simple bright yellow dress with a matching orange sweater. She put her hair up in some orange ribbons idly wondering where her yellow ribbons had gone.

She ran down the steps to join Shigure. She stopped dead when she saw him standing in the living room. He was looking through the paper and hadn't noticed her yet.

He was wearing his suit and his hair was neatly combed and in place. The suit followed the line of his body much closer than his yukata did. It emphasized his broad shoulders and long legs. It also made him look much older and intimidating. She felt suddenly incredibly underdressed and childish.

Perhaps she should go back upstairs and put her navy dress back. She'd put it back as being too plain... but at least it made her look more mature. And perhaps she should have put her hair up? She started to turn on the stair.

"Ah! Tooru-kun!" Shigure finally noticed her standing there. He smiled at her approvingly. She looked very cute, the simple dress hugged her curves, and the sweater suited her innocence. "Ready to go?" He held out an arm to her, and wondered at her seeming reluctance to take it.

She hesitated at the bottom of the stair...not quite taking a step towards him. "A-am I dressed alright?" she asked hesitantly. "Shigure-san looks so handsome in his suit..."

"Tooru-kun looks lovely." He assured her. True, it was a bit of a plain outfit, but it was fine.

Tooru took his arm hesitantly and smiled at him. If Shigure said it was all right it must be.
Shigure called a cab to drop them off in town in the shopping district. Tooru didn't pay much attention to where they were going, she was so happy to be on Shigure's arm as his official girlfriend. They could have been walking on the moon for all she noticed.

They wandered aimlessly for a bit with Shigure prodding Tooru to take an interest in the shops around them. He wanted to see what she got excited by so that he could buy her something.

Finally Tooru took the bait. "Ah look!" She said pointing to a booth, "The zodiac!" She let go of his arm and walked over to a booth selling little charms and figurines of the junninshi. "Ah! it's so cute!" She lifted up a little dog necklace. It had a charm on the end that was made to look like a dog playfully chasing its tail. Shigure stepped up behind her to look, resting a hand on her rear. She blushed and looked down, not used to public displays of affection yet.

"Excuse me miss..." Tooru turned around in surprise to see a young officer standing behind them. "Is this man bothering you?" He was looking threateningly at Shigure.

"Eh?" Tooru said as Shigure backed rapidly away from her under the officer's glare. Shigure heard comments from the crowd around them.

"What's happening?"

"Pervert..."

"Molesting a girl...!"

"In public?!"

Tooru stepped up to Shigure clutching his arm. "What?" She asked a little frightened. She'd never had a police officer approach her before.

The officer's face changed, he looked faintly embarrassed, and a little disgusted. Still the girl looked pretty innocent. "You know it's illegal to go on compensated dates?"

Tooru's face flamed bright red when what he was asking finally sunk in. She shrank back against Shigure not knowing how to respond. Tears pricked in her eyes and she looked pleadingly up at him.

Shigure wanted to take the man's head off for insulting Tooru that way. "How dare you!" He threw back his head and brought his chin up self-importantly. "Do you know who I am?"

The officer was taken aback. Was he supposed to know who this man was? He was handsome enough, a tv star maybe? Politician?

Seeing that he had the man off guard, Shigure took him by the shoulder and guided him away from Tooru. "I am a very rich man who will be very happy to make the next 20 years of your life miserable." Shigure said softly. "I will find every possible way to sue you, prevent you from getting promoted, getting another job or even making a living."

"I am very inventive. Ask my editor." Shigure handed him his business card. "Check me out if you wish, but if you insult that innocent girl one more time be prepared for the consequences."

The officer paled at the names listed on the card. "Souma" was one of the main funders of many of the department's charities and the name of the publishing house listed on the card was very famous.

The officer gulped but stood firm. The man said he was Souma Shigure, but that didn't make it so. "Do-" he started, then gulped at the dark look in the man's eyes. He'd seen Yakuza hitmen that looked less dangerous. "Do you have any ID, sir?"

Shigure's movements where so sharp and furious that it made Tooru wince. He glanced back at her and saw her flinch. This was not how he wanted to start their date off. He pulled out his wallet and passed his ID over to the officer. And all because of one careless touch!

The officer looked over the ID and glanced over at the girl. The man was who he said he was, which would make it dangerous to pull him in on something so trivial. The girl looked like she was about to burst into tears. If she was being compensated for this date she hadn't been doing this kind of thing long. Perhaps just being approached like this would scare her off, the police officer nicely justified to himself.

"Sorry to have bothered you, Sir." He nodded carefully to the girl under Shigure's watchful eyes, "Miss."

"No problem, officer." Shigure bit out, replacing his wallet. He turned back to Tooru. Her cheeks were scarlet and she couldn't look at him. Her smile from the morning was completely gone. He frowned, he could still hear comments from the crowd.

He gamely held out his arm. "Ne, Tooru-kun, why don't we try another street?" He jerked his head slightly towards one of the intersections.

"Ok." She said softly, taking his proffered arm with head down. She'd been right this morning. She did look too childish. Now she'd gotten Shigure in trouble because people thought she didn't belong with him.

Shigure tried to get her interested in the shops around them again but Tooru hardly took her eyes off the pavement. Finally he guided her into a bookshop to give him a moment to think under the guise of browsing. He sighed and thumbed through a book while watching Tooru wander into the cooking section. This day was supposed to have been a fun day for her. Instead she'd been accused of being a whore within an hour of being on his arm.

He snapped the book shut and picked up another. That had been his fault. He was too used to having an open run on her body. He'd have to be more careful... at least where people could see him.

He looked over to where Tooru was intently studying a page of a cookbook. She looked like she was trying to memorize it.

He walked up behind her and looked over her shoulders. He clasped his hands behind his back in a firm reminder of "look, don't touch." He smiled and spoke into her ear, "Would you like me to buy you that?"

Tooru jumped and slammed the book shut. "Eh? No! No!" She smiled up at him, "It's much too expensive! I couldn't let Shigure-san do that."

Shigure plucked the book out of her hands, barely glancing at the price. It wasn't very romantic, but he supposed it was a start. "Eeeh?" He said playfully, "But then I wouldn't get to taste all the wonderful meals Tooru-kun could make from this." He winked, "And you know how I live for your meals."

Tooru gave a pleased blush. That had two meanings and she'd caught both of them. She let him carry the book up to the counter. He didn't even let her begin to protest when he insisted on carrying the package for her, saying that he preferred her to hold his arm instead.

Shigure was happy to carry the heavy book around if it was going to get Tooru to start smiling again.

::Wow! Wow! ::

::Neat! Cool!::

Shigure blinked and cocked his head a little. Since the animal he was possessed by was so common, he'd gotten long ago used to ignoring their constant voices in his mind. It wasn't usual to have such a concentration of them all together like the ones he was hearing now. Curious, he glanced around.

Sensing he was looking for them the voices grew more excited, ::Here!! Here!! Here!!::

That doesn't help, he thought wryly at them. I don't know where "here" is. He had a suspicion. The youth of the voices and the amount of them could only mean one thing.

Pet store. He found it just a few short storefronts away. He paused in front of the window.

The storefront window was full of excited yipping Dalmatian puppies. He spread his hand on the glass and the puppies went into a fit of ecstatic joy at his nearness.

::WOW! Big Dog! Neat! Big Dog! Big Dog!::

As he listened to them exclaim about him he wondered what it was like for the others. If they actually "heard" their animals the way he did. While he didn't think any one animal was better than another, the fact was there just wasn't much of a brain in a mouse, or a snake, or a seahorse. He suspected the communication was different for each.

For him, dogs `spoke' very clearly and lucidly. It wasn't words exactly, it was more of a collection of emotions, pictures and concepts that translated itself pretty readily into speech. In the end, it came down to most dogs sounding like very, very excited three year olds to him. They were always extremely happy to see him.

They idolized him. They knew he was a dog, a wondrous dog who had somehow convinced all the two-leggers that he was a person. Therefore he could do all the things they wanted to do whenever he wanted. He could eat when he wanted; go wherever he wanted. "Doors", "fences" or the other things that kept them trapped didn't trap him. And he was the biggest dog they'd ever seen, and size was always important to dogs.

It invariably led them to call him by the oh-so-inventive name of "Big Dog." He could think or say "Shigure" to them till the end of the time and they would still call him "Big Dog". Just like people named dogs, dogs named people whatever they pleased.

"Oh, Shigure-san!" Tooru said in a soft whisper coming along side him, "Aren't they cute?" She spread her hands on the glass and smiled up at him.

Shigure was hit with a sudden burst of love and gratitude. Those smiles, he'd do anything for those smiles.

The puppies felt his emotions surge and went nuts on the other side of the glass. They fell all over each other trying to get closer to them. The licked and scrabbled at the class, transferring their affections easily between "Big Dog" and the new interesting person he felt so strongly about.

Shigure grinned to see their excitement and the matching joy Tooru got out of thier antics. "Ne, Tooru-kun, want to go inside?"

"Oh, can we?" Tooru clapped her hands excitedly. Shigure nodded and opened the door for her.

There was an immediate cacophony of sound as the rest of the dogs in the store realized that he was there. The employees looked up in panic as the glassed in cages that held the different breeds began to rattle from their combined excitement. Shigure walked over to calm them followed by an enchanted Tooru.

Noticing their interest, one of the clerks walked over. "Would you like to go in the puppy room? They, ah, seem a bit excited right now... but it should be ok."

"Yes, please!" Tooru transferred her 100 watt smile to the clerk.

The clerk blushed and Shigure put a possessive hand to her back as they were lead into the puppy room. There was a side entrance to the back area of the cages. The back of each glass cage was wire and the puppy excitedly pressed noses, paws and tongues through trying to attract their attention.

Shigure watched as Tooru, no less excited then the puppies, hop from cage to cage. She held out fingers to be licked, caressed paws and ears as they were presented. She would glance back at him and strike him with another one of her beaming smiles and the puppies would gush in excitement.

Tooru giggled at the ecstatic yips and antics she had no idea she was causing.

"If you'd like to see one closer," the clerk said, keeping his distance when Shigure shot him a look, "I can take one out for you."

"Really?" Tooru said, practically bouncing in place. She glanced at Shigure to make sure it was okay before walking the racks to choose one to look at.

One cage near the bottom was rattling so hard Shigure thought the door might burst off it's hinges. When Tooru headed for it, curious at its contents, the clerk moved to head her off.

"Oh, no, Miss..." He was interrupted when the cage door slammed with a loud bang from the force of a heavy weight throwing itself against it.

Tooru knelt down by the cage and a black snout poked out between the bars, "Bad puppy!" She scolded, holding out her fingers to be licked, "You could hurt yourself that way."

The dog let out a low pitiful whine and frantically tried to fit more of it's nose out between the bars so it could lick her better.

"Please," Tooru said to the clerk, "I want to see this one."

"Ah...haha..." The clerk hesitated glancing at Shigure, "Kimagure is a bit...excitable...so that might not be a good idea."

"Oh." Tooru pouted mournfully at the cage.

"I think it would be ok." Shigure said firmly to the clerk. If he wasn't allowed to kiss that pout away, he'd take care of it however else he could. It didn't matter how excitable the dog was, he was sure he could control it.

The clerk sighed and pulled out his keys. He glanced back at Tooru, standing a handbreadth away from him. "Really, Miss, you should stand back a little."

Tooru obediently took a half-step back. The clerk exhaled noisily and rattled at the door finally getting it open. A black shape barreled out and headed straight for Shigure.

::BIG DOG!!:: It cried joyfully and ran a quick lap around him. It moved so fast Shigure couldn't make out much beyond that it was black and had a long tail and perky ears. It ran back towards Tooru and the clerk, impossibly picking up speed. It launched itself at her before Shigure could figure out what it was doing.

"AH! Watch-" The clerk cried, but it was too late.

The dog slammed into Tooru, knocking her gracelessly on her ass with a shriek. The dog was on her in an instant. For one horrible minute Shigure thought it was attacking her. Then her registered Tooru's delighted giggles and the dog's ecstatic mind-chant.

::GIRL! Girl! Girl! BEST Girl EVER!::

The dog was delightedly licking her face and the hand she was vainly trying to fend it off with. It had clambered up into the lap she'd made when she fell and placed two paws on her shoulders.

The frantic clerk yanked the dog back by the collar as Shigure moved to help up Tooru. She was still laughing, making it hard for him to check for injuries.

The dog strained against its collar trying to get back to Tooru. :: Girl, Girl, Girl::
"I'm so sorry," apologized the clerk. "He's always like this!"

"You did warn us," Shigure said wryly, standing Tooru still and brushing her off like a little child. She was practically as eager as the dog to get back together. "What is that thing?"

The dog was smaller than it had appeared when it was moving. It had a small compact body, but a fat stomach and huge paws that indicated he had a lot of growth left in him. His head was broad in the forehead, bespeaking intelligence, and a long narrow snout. Sharp, triangle ears perched on the top of his head. He had a tail so long it was causing his back legs to slide back and forth across the floor with ever swing.

"Well..." the clerk laughed nervously as the dog struggled in vain to get just a little bit closer to Tooru and Shigure. "We don't really know." The dog was trying so hard to get back to them that it was starting to choke itself against it's collar, it's front legs lifted off the ground. "A new employee bought it from a man claiming it was a lab..." he paused and looked at the dog.

"But obviously, we were cheated," He sighed, "We think he might have some lab in him... and maybe some greyhound, because he's so fast... maybe a little pincher... it's hard to say."

Touched by how diligently the dog was trying to get back to her, Tooru knelt down to pet it. It sent the dog into conniptions of joy. "What's his name?" She asked once again becoming the recipient of a 100 doggie kisses.

"Kimagure, but most of us call him Monster." The clerk frowned at the dog. "He's completely disobedient. Watch, we've been trying this one on him for a month now. Kimagure, SIT! SIT!"

The dog didn't even twitch an ear in the clerks direction, preferring to squirm closer to Tooru.

"Sit, Kimagure!" She laughed under his joyful onslaught.

She wants you to sit down, Shigure told him silently.

::Is THAT what that means?:: Kimagure obediently sat. The clerk was jerked forward by his sudden compliance.

"Good Dog!" Tooru praised and threw her arms around him. Kimagure's tail beat a rapid tattoo against the floor as he happily licked the ear she put in range.

"Wow," the clerk smiled, "I don't think he's ever listened to anyone before. Try 'lay down'."

Tooru stood and the puppy lunged up after her. "Down!" she laughed and Shigure translated. The dog went down and lay down when he was asked. Each trick was performed dutifully and was rewarded with hugs, scratches and pats from Tooru.

At one point after completing a difficult "Sit, Stay, Roll Over" maneuver she was so pleased that she scooped him up and cradled him to her. The dog was so happy he practically vibrated in pleasure.

"Isn't he cute, Shigure-san?" Tooru asked breathlessly, holding the puppy to her like a baby. "Isn't he cute?" She beamed down at the dog who happily licked her nose.

Shigure's heart constricted. He had a sudden flash of her cradling a child, his child, that way. "Cute." He repeated breathlessly.

"Ha-ha-ha." Tooru laughed hardly noting the effect she had on Shigure as the dog licked at her chin and neck.

"So," the clerk said, smelling a sale, "Are you interested in taking him home?"

"Home?" Tooru blinked from where she was putting the dog down. Her eyes filled with sudden longing, but she quickly said, "Oh... No... we couldn't..." She put the dog down and regretfully started back towards Shigure.

Kimagure panicked running around her in circles, ::No! No! Play More! Play More!:: He whined at Shigure, ::Tell her! Play MORE!::

I'm sorry, Shigure told it, but we have to go now.

The dog really became frantic at that bit of information. He hopped back and forth blocking her path. ::NO! NO! Don't go!:: He barked at her imperiously, ::GIRL STAY! STAY!::

"Shhhh... Shhh..." Tooru said soothingly, kneeling to calm the puppy. It wriggled happily at her touch. When she stood it lunged for her in one last attempt. His paws caught at her skirt and raked down.

"AH!" The clerk cried and jerked the dog back harshly by the collar. "I'm so sorry Miss!" he stared in horror at the rents in Tooru's dress. "BAD DOG!" He scolded, "Bad DOG!" he accentuated every word with a hard shake of the collar.

The dog tucked his tail between its legs, more upset by the waves of disapproval and anger roiling of Big Dog than the scolding of the clerk. If Big Dog was that upset, then Girl must be furious.

"Ah, No!" Tooru exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the despondent puppy. "Kimagure-kun isn't a bad dog! Just clumsy!" She cuddled the puppy and explained, "I'm clumsy too. I understand it wasn't Kimagure-kun's fault!"

She vigorously stroked his fur, "Kimagure-kun shouldn't worry, I didn't have a home and no body wanted me either." She smiled up at Shigure. "But now I live with the Soumas and am very happy." She smiled at the dog. The dog licked at her tentatively and she smiled at him, "I'm sure Kimagure-kun will get a very good home soon!"

Shigure melted. He knelt down next to Tooru and scratched the dog's ear. "Ne... Tooru-kun, " He said softly. "Do you want to take Kimagure-kun home?"

"Eh?" Tooru blinked at him in surprise. He watched as her hands convulsively closed around the puppy, "Really?" She almost smiled then, looked away, "Oh, but we couldn't..."

"Ne, why not?" Shigure smiled waiting for the explosion of sunshine that would pour out of her when she'd finally accepted his gift. "We have lots of room, and you know I like dogs..."

"HAI!" Tooru squealed and hugged him tight around the arm. "Thank you, Shigure-san!" She pressed her cheek to his briefly and then turned to hug Kimagure. "Thank You!"

::Staying?:: Kimagure plaintively asked, confused.

Going, Shigure said firmly, but you get to come too.

It took a while to get Tooru extracted from the dog after that news, but Shigure was firm that they had to have the dog delivered rather than take it with them now. They still had to pick out a few essentials for Kimagure so he had her do that while he settled the details with the pet store.

"This one?" Tooru smiled holding up a green collar taunt between two thumbs. Shigure turned from the counter to look. He blinked; the way she was holding it almost gave the illusion that she was wearing it.

He grinned. It would suit her. He shook himself sternly internally, and nodded, "I like it, we need a leash and a tag as well."

"OK," She grinned and turned back to the rack to look.

Shigure watched her excitedly comparing tags and shook his head. He turned back to the counter, "How much?"

The clerk, an older gentleman, smiled and named a figure. Shigure didn't balk or blink happy that such a simple thing could so completely brighten Tooru's mood.

The clerk smiled as he took the money, "Looks like you've really made your daughter's day!"

Shigure froze, "Daughter?" He glanced at Tooru. With her acting so bubbly, smiley and with the way she was jumping around, she looked ten years younger than usual. He looked down at his staid suit and frowned. He looked ten years older. "Ne," he shot the clerk an injured look, "I'm not even thirty yet...."

The clerk started, his eyes growing wide. Tooru skipped back over to the counter setting down a green leash that matched the collar and a dog bone shaped tag. "These ones?" She casually linked her arm around Shigure's and smiled up at him. She was so excited that Kimagure was going to be theirs.

The clerk was building to a slow flush. It started on his cheeks and traveled around to his ears till they were bright red. Shigure handed him the money for the extras giving him a warning look. Tooru was thankfully oblivious as usual. The clerk kept his eyes averted and mumbled that he would have everything sent to the house by the end of the night.

Shigure added cookbook to the pile to be delivered and guided Tooru out of the door after she said he final goodbyes to Kimagure. She promised she'd see him again soon. Tooru skipped ahead of Shigure a little, chattering about plans she had for the dog. She wanted to make him his very own bed, and buy him a bowl with his name painted on it. She'd tied her sweater around her waist, and it flipped and blew about as she chattered.

Shigure smiled, striking on an idea. "Ne...Tooru," he smiled. "Lets go shopping."

"Eh?" Tooru balked. "But-" Hadn't they been shopping?

"Your dress." He coughed delicately.

Tooru flushed and looked down, fingering the tears she'd gotten from the overeager puppy. She did need a new dress, but Shigure wasn't letting her pay for anything. She couldn't let him buy her clothes too!

"We-we could go home..." Tooru said hesitantly, "and I could change."

Shigure pouted, he'd have to go for her weak spot.

"Ne, but Tooru-kun," he grinned, "Our date has just started. I don't want to stop yet..." Tooru looked up at him with wide-eyed. "...and what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my girlfriend walk around like that."

Tooru's eyes shimmered, 'his girlfriend', he said it so casually.

"O-ok." She whispered, blushing and tentatively reaching out to take his hand. She couldn't quite bring herself to take hold of it completely. Instead she wrapped her hand around a couple of fingers and shyly looked up at him.

Shigure wanted to pick her up and put her in his pocket, that blush was so cute. His hand clenched around her fingers. To distract himself he laughed and fingered at his collar. "I could use something to... this is too formal, ne?"

"Oh!" Tooru protested, "but Shigure-san looks so handsome in his suit!"

Shigure was amazed to feel his cheeks heat into a blush. When was that last time that happened? He flagged down a cab and distracted her by mentioning Kimagure. He wanted to go to a more upscale area, but there would be no way to get her into an expensive store if she was paying attention.

He listened to her burble, his insides a warm fluid mess. She twisted him inside out this girl....

She said something and beamed up at him, her eyes full of purity, trust and love. Shigure felt suddenly dirty. His mouth went dry, and he tried to shake the feeling. It left a nasty aftertaste in the back of his mind. His mind flashed through a dozen dirty things he could do to Tooru in the back of the cab, anything to sully that purity just a little bit. Something, anything, to make him a little less undeserving of her.

Thankfully the cab stopped before he could act on any of them. Twisting his mouth he paid the cabbie, trying to decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Tooru goggled at the department store he'd brought her to. It wasn't anything that special, but she'd never thought to shop in a place so fine. Shigure guided her in while she rubbernecked feeling a bit out of place himself. He hadn't realized how isolated he'd let himself become. He tried to glance casually at the men walking in and out of the isles. He hadn't paid attention to men's fashion for quite some time.

Distracted he stepped a bit away from Tooru, "Ne..." He said not quite looking at her as a man about his height walked by in a casual shirt and pants. It was a good color combination. "Why don't you pick out something nice while I go and shop..." He focused on her again and smiled, "And we'll meet up here in an hour..."

Tooru swallowed a bit nervously, but didn't want Shigure to think that she was incapable of buying a simple dress on her own. "O-ok." She said and smiled, trying to sound like she meant it.

Shigure patted her hand absently and walked off, carefully threading through the crowds. Tooru watched his broad back disappear and clenched her hands together. She would have to pick out something nice, something less... she looked down at herself, babyish.

She looked around, feeling lost. This store was so big, she'd never been in a place like this so before. She walked through the racks hesitantly. She peeked at one of the tags and gulped. Everything was so expensive! She looked around for Shigure. Surely he couldn't mean to buy her something that cost so much?

He was nowhere in sight. He expected her to pick something out here? She'd hardly ever been shopping by herself. How was she supposed to know if it looked good? She picked through hangers, picking up a few dresses. She held them up to herself and bit her lip. Babyish!

She looked down at the floor, feeling very small. All the dresses she'd chosen had frilly collars, bows and ribbons. She'd look just as much a child in them as she did now.

"Can I help you?" A voice said from her elbow. Tooru started and turned dropping the dresses in the process. "Sorry!" A pretty young salesclerk apologized as she bent to pick up the dresses, "didn't mean to startle you!"

"Ah! No! No!" Tooru started automatically, "It's my fault!"

The girl smiled and looked at the dresses, "Anything I can help you find? Another size maybe?" Tooru felt her eyes prick with tears. The girl couldn't be much older than her, but she looked so adult and put together. She'd never be able to look like that.

"Oh, hey." The girl looked around a little panicked, "Uh... don't get upset or anything."

Tooru felt terrible, and now she was going to cry in the middle of a store, just like a baby.
"I'm sorry," she started apologizing. And she was even inconveniencing this nice girl who was just trying to work. "It's just that, Shigure-san said I should pick out something nice, but everything is so expensive and fine...and I can't seem to find anything that would be suitable." Stop babbling, she told herself.

"Not that the clothes here aren't nice!" She hastened to add, she didn't want the girl to think she was insulting the store, "It's just that I don't know how to look adult!" She ground a hand into her eyes trying to banish her tears. Shigure would be so ashamed of her.

If he saw how she was acting now he'd never want to call her 'girlfriend' again. She hardly registered that the girl had come around to pat her on the back reassuringly. "Now, now, it's okay, we'll find something nice..." The girl smiled at her and guided her over to a secluded corner where they'd be attracting less attention. "I'm Tomoko, we'll find something good together, I promise."

Tooru smiled tentatively at her, feeling sillier than ever. "Tomoko-san really doesn't have to..." she said hesitantly, she really wanted the girl's help but she really should impose.

"Nonsense!" Tomoko smiled. "It's my job!"

"So!" Tomoko linked an arm with hers as if they were old friends, "Where are you going with 'Shigure-san'?"

Tooru bit her lip. "I don't know, " she admitted. "We.." She blushed, "we're on a date... but I tore my dress." She fingered at her dress.

"Well we'll just pick out something that works as casual or formal." Tomoko turned expertly to the racks and began to pull out dresses. "You go on to the dressing room. I'll bring things in to you."

Shigure looked around the men's department and sighed. When *had* been the last time he'd been shopping for himself anyway? He picked up a pair of slacks and a black shirt. Well, the nice thing about men's fashion was that it really didn't change all that much. The collar was a bit different, but beyond that not much else had changed.

He changed into it and stood in front of the mirror. He smoothed out the unfamiliar collar and smiled at a woman who walked past. If the look in her eyes were any judge, this would do nicely. But, did he look appropriate for Tooru? Twice today they'd been struck up against society's expectations. Once Tooru had been practically accused of using him for money... and who knew what the people at the pet shop thought. He wanted to spare her that, if he could.

He ran his hands through his hair, shaking out of his formal style. That was better. He looked much younger that way he thought. He glanced at his watch. This had taken him less time than he thought it would.

Shigure glanced around the store, wondering if he should seek out Tooru. Girl's clothes took longer he knew vaguely. It involved things like matching shoes and handbags. He'd best not get interfere.

His eyes lit on a sparkle in the distance, the jewelry department. He grinned. So far he'd gotten her a cookbook and a dog, not the romantic gifts he'd pictured this morning. Perhaps he could find something more suitable here. He paid for his clothes so he wouldn't have to bother changing again and walked over.

He glanced around the glass cabinets. He'd like to shower her in glittering things, but she'd get upset if he got her something too extravagant. A rack of rings sparked at the corner his eye and his breath caught. He stood in front of the cabinet and was instantly swallowed by a vision of him slipping one of them on Tooru's finger.

She'd squeal, and cry a little. She'd probably turn that pleasing shade of pink he loved so much. In his mind's eye she'd bring her hand to her cheek and smile down at him. It was then that he realized that he was dreaming of putting it on her while kneeling. That he would be placing it where a wedding ring would belong.

Proposing? He was thinking of proposing to Tooru? He felt a rush of warmth, a life with her at his side... it was a dream as sweet he'd ever had. Being able to honestly say that she was his, and only his, forever. He smiled and looked closer at the rings, she'd like something traditional he was sure.

What was he thinking? Marry Tooru? Build a life with her? Was it really that serious? This had all started out as a lark, a whim...a moment of playful lust that had gotten out of hand. Then he'd dwelled on that moment for weeks and months till he had become obsessed with tasting that moment again. Then, in the space of just a few days he was thinking of marrying her?

And what made him think she would say yes? Well, his mind answered himself, she wouldn't say no. He didn't think it was in her vocabulary. But if she married him, would it be because she really loved him? Or because she thought she owed him?

His hand clenched into a fist where it rested on the glass. It was something hadn't wanted to admit to himself, but had been niggling at the back of his soul. Did she really love him? Or was she confusing gratitude for love? She was so young. Could he chain her to him when she might wake up and realize she didn't love him one day?

What am I thinking about? He turned resolutely away from the rings. They were on a date, their first date. They'd only officially been a 'couple' for a few days... why was he putting himself through this? He shoved his thoughts back into the darkness and looked back at the jewelry. All he was doing was picking out a simple gift. He'd buy something to make her smile, something to make her sparkle.

He walked along the glassed cabinets of jewelry. If not a ring...then perhaps he could buy a bracelet maybe, or a necklace. He looked at a charm bracelet, considering it's worthiness. It had a small dog charm, as well as a star and some other little dangly bits. It was cute, and she'd like it well enough he was sure. But it just wasn't quite right.

Something silvery caught his eye. It was pushed to the back of the cabinet and was hard to see. He motioned a clerk over and she drew it out for him. He lifted it up knowing almost instantly that it was perfect. It was a heavy chain of thick silver links, each link as big as the first joint of his little finger. The silver was so fine and liquid looking that it made the heavy links look delicate. It was a little too loose to be considered a choker. It would fall right around the base of her neck.

The clasp was in front, a simple circle and bar. Hanging off of it was a thin heart. He fingered it, his thumb rubbing up against an almost hidden hinge. It flipped open; the heart was a locket. He smiled and held the necklace up, taunt between two thumbs. He imagined it around her slim throat. It was almost like a collar. It was perfect.

He looked considering at the delicate heart. "Can this be engraved?" He asked the clerk. She nodded and he told her his choice while he checked his watch. It was almost time to meet up with Tooru.

Tooru stood in front of the mirror as Tomoko did up her hair. She fingered the thick strap at the shoulders, and was embarrassed by the amount of cleavage the dress showed off. The neckline was a straight line, just above the midline of her breasts. Thick straps kept it up, limned with light lace. It hugged her tightly, showing off her curves. The fabric was a light playful check in pink and white.

The skirt fell just above her knees, and she supposed it wasn't any shorter than the dresses she normally wore. But when she looked at herself, it certainly felt different. Perhaps it was the low heels that Tomoko had found to match the dress. She turned a foot nervously. They made her legs look much longer and curvier.

"There." Tomoko clapped, "Done."

Tooru fingered at the small partial French braids Tomoko had woven into the sides of her hair. She'd secured them with ribbons, but it looked elegant and playful instead of childish. It made her hair fall neatly over her shoulders, and make her look very put together.

"I haven't had this much fun at work in ages!" Tomoko stepped around to her side. "Do you like it?" She asked nervously fiddling with Tooru's hair.

"Yes!" Tooru turned and hugged Tomoko. "It's perfect! Thank you Tomoko-san!"

"Ah-haha..." Tomoko laughed stepping back a little. She liked this enthusiastic girl. She put a finger to the side of her mouth and looked her over. "We need one last thing."

She grabbed Tooru and dragged her over to a new counter, one filled with compacts and bottles of nail polish and perfume. She fiddled with a rack of lipsticks before pulling out one of the slender tubes. "This shade I think."

Tooru recoiled a bit. "Makeup? Oh, but Tomoko-san, I've never..."

"Ne," Tomoko grinned, "Didn't you want to look adult?" She handed Tooru the lipstick and smiled. "It's just a little lipstick."

Tooru looked at the mirror. If she could be just a little bit more adult for Shigure, shouldn't she try? She uncapped the lipstick and applied it lightly. It wasn't as hard as she thought. Tomoko handed her a tissue to blot with, and she looked back at herself. Her lips were lightly kissed with a berry pink. It was almost more of a gloss of color than a paint and made her lips just a little more noticeable. She looked adult.

"Please, Tomoko-san," said fumbling for her little pocket book. "I want to pay for this."

"But I thought your 'Shigure-san' was paying for all this." Tomoko said taking her money hesitantly.

"Yes, he made me promise," Tooru nodded, he'd extracted it in the cab, her promise to let him pay. "But, this," she held up the lipstick, "I want to pay for." She felt like she was holding a little piece of adulthood in her hands. She wanted to buy it on her own.

Tomoko nodded and smiled, "I'll keep it a secret for you." Tooru had just finished tucking away the lipstick when she heard Tomoko gasp. "Ne, Tooru-kun," she said nudging her a bit with her elbow, "Look! Such a cute guy!"

Tooru glanced up, seeing the man Tomoko had pointed out. He was broad shouldered, and the black shirt he wore fell nicely around him. It had nice lines to it, and was tucked loosely into his slacks. He had nice long legs. He turned his head and Tooru started.

"Shigure-san!" She burst. He turned and smiled. Tooru stood, her mouth open wide as she gaped.

He was grinning and his eyes roved up and down on her. He was very happy with what he saw.

Tooru had never seen him in anything but a yukata or more rarely, his suit. She didn't know this boyish looking man smiling at her. She blushed, smoothed out her skirt. It wasn't that the clothes didn't suit him, Tomoko was right. Shigure looked very handsome in his new clothes.

"This is your 'Shigure-san'?!" Tomoko hissed delightedly in her ear, "Lucky girl!"

Tooru blushed, suddenly nervous. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, how she was supposed to act. She'd never been a 'girlfriend' before.

"Did Tooru-kun find everything she needed?" Shigure asked gently, liking the way her blush traveled over to her cleavage. He quirked an eyebrow at the salesclerk standing next to her. Tooru always attracted people who liked to look after others.

"I think so." Tomoko smiled holding up some sales tags, "We got a dress, shoes, a handbag and some ribbons." She glanced at Tooru who was still lost in looking at her handsome boyfriend. She could see why she wanted to look adult. She wouldn't have figured her for dating an older guy, he looked like he was old enough to be just out of college

"Did you want to pick up anything else sir?" She asked with a wicked twinkle in her eyes. She so wished she could be in Tooru's place right now. No wonder she'd gone all non-verbal, who wouldn't with a man like that staring at her so appreciatively.

"I think that will be just fine." He handed Tomoko a card and she scrambled off to ring up the sale. "Ne," he said softly, bending down to whisper in Tooru's ear. "Tooru-kun looks very pretty."

Tooru flushed, finally looking him in the eye. "Shigure-san l-looks very handsome." She whispered back, caught up all over again in his dark eyes.

"Better than the suit?" He asked, a little concerned. He knew she liked the suit, did she think he looked silly like this, trying to look like a young man? That's silly he berated himself at the same time. He was a young man.

"Yes." She whispered. He was so close. Wouldn't he kiss her?

Shigure watched her eyes flutter closed and knew she was pleased with his appearance indeed. He dipped for a quick kiss, wishing he could make it linger longer. But they were in public, and he could already see the salesclerk returning with his and Tooru's clothes neatly bundled up.

Tomoko blushed at their intimate display, but couldn't begrudge them. They made a nice couple, despite the age difference. She handed back Shigure's card and smiled at Tooru. "Please come back anytime. I'd love to help Tooru-chan shop again."

Tooru reacted in her usual enthusiastic way, grabbing Tomoko by the hands and beaming at her. "Thank you so much Tomoko-san!" She blushed and looked down, "I'm sorry I was such a bother!"

Shigure gently extricated the salesclerk from Tooru's grip and thanked the girl as well before reminding Tooru that their date was still in progress. She blushed and let herself be led from the store. Shigure glanced around. No one was paying them the least bit of mind.

"Ne," He said, a weight off his shoulders, "What should we do next?

"Next?" Tooru repeated. He was asking her? But she'd only been on one date before... she really didn't know what people did on them. Not adults.

"Um...ah... maybe..." Tooru stammered, trying to remember what the people in anime and mangas did on dates, "maybe some ice-cream? or a movie..." She flushed, and looked down, Shigure would probably find things like that really boring.

"Mm...Ice-cream..." Shigure mused. He smiled, looking boyish and eager, "I'd like to eat ice cream with Tooru-kun."

Tooru looked at him in amazement, she didn't think she'd ever seen a simple smile look so good on a person. She wished Shigure would smile like that more often. "Lets go eat ice cream!" Tooru exclaimed happily, tugging him to follow her in a search for an ice cream shop.

They just barely kept themselves from bursting into the first ice cream parlor they found. As it was they were both giggling like schoolchildren, earning them indulgent looks from the staff.

Tooru looked at the menu even though she already knew what she wanted. Shigure pored over his, amazed at all the choices. She really wanted to share one with Shigure, like they did in the movies but was embarrassed to ask.

The waitress came over and Tooru put in an order for a Strawberry and Vanilla parfait. Shigure ordered first one thing, then changed his mind and switched his order. On the fifth time he switched his order the waitress gave him a stern look and Tooru giggled, finally prodding him to make a choice off the top of his head. He ended up with a dish of green tea ice cream.

He poked at it a little disappointedly when it arrived. Tooru's looked much better. His was just a plain dish and hers was layers of strawberries, cream and cake. He looked up and watched as Tooru dug out a scoop happily. "Ne, Tooru-kun, is it good?"

"Yes!" Tooru said with a broad smile. "Would Shigure-san like to try some?" She scooped out a heaping spoonful and held out the spoon to him to take. Shigure smiled.

"Yes please!" He said playfully. But instead of taking the spoon he steadied her hand and leaned forward to eat it off the spoon. Tooru blushed at the feel of his hand on hers and his mouth on the spoon where hers had been. She heard a giggle and looked to see the waitress and soda jerk looking at them with amusement. She blushed and pulled back a little.

"S-shigure-san," she started hesitantly. "Shigure-san doesn't think this is a little...childish?" She was very happy, and she didn't want to ruin it... But she also didn't want Shigure to put up with something he wasn't enjoying. He was so hard to read. He could be just playing along.

Shigure swallowed his mouthful of ice cream, "Yum!" He blinked at Tooru, "Isn't Tooru-kun having fun?"

"Yes!" Tooru hastened to assure him, "I'm having a lot of fun! This is just what I've always wanted to do in a date." She fiddled with her spoon self-consciously. "But... I don't want to inconvenience Shigure-san... by making him do childish things..."

Shigure frowned, he knew that she had to have been hurt by people had said earlier. She was so damnedly good at hiding her true feelings behind a smiling mask. "Ne... Tooru-kun," he said softly, leaning a little forward, "This isn't an inconvenience..." Tooru looked up at him hopefully and his heart constricted. He found himself speaking more honestly than he had thought was possible...after all he'd done, "Never before... I never got to do this before..."

"Being..." He glanced at the wait staff, they were out of earshot but he was used to being careful, "what I am... I didn't get a chance to do things like this. It was always too dangerous. Dates aren't something that junninshi get to go on casually."

"So that's why..." He smiled at Tooru, another boyish, playful smile, "I'm very happy to be here with Tooru-kun." Shigure cocked his head, "In a way I'm a little relieved... that Tooru-kun hasn't been on many dates. I haven't either... so I don't have to worry about disappointing Tooru-kun by comparison."

Tooru blushed happily and ate another bite of ice cream. Shigure looked down at his own bowl, feeling more self-conscious than he had in years. Please, he thought to himself, just because I'm enjoying something I missed in my youth, don't make me feel as awkward as I did back then. He was halfway certain that his ears were burning.

Tooru tried to change the subject gamely. "Is Shigure-san's ice-cream good?"

Shigure's mouth quirked, "Would Tooru-kun like to try some?"

"Yes...please." Tooru said softly.

Shigure dug out a spoonful and held it out to her, obviously intending to feed her. She blushed, but leaned forward, closed her eyes and let him spoon the ice cream into her mouth.

He stopped breathing as he watched her lips close around his spoon. The spoon seemed to move in slow motion as he drew back, making her lips run sensuously over it. Her lips pursed as she drew the ice cream into her mouth and swallowed. This, he thought as his mouth went dry, is not supposed to be erotic.

Tooru's face scrunched up and she wrinkled her nose. She peeked at Shigure through one eye, "Ah! It's bitter!"

Shigure was forced into a weak chuckle. "Hai!" He tried to collect his thoughts. "I like Tooru-kun's much better."

"Then...then..." Tooru said eagerly, moving her chair around the table and closer to his, "Let's share!"

Shigure smiled at her, now nestled close to him and innocently offering her parfait to his spoon. "Tooru-kun is sure?" He asked.

"I..." Tooru blushed his favorite shade of pink, "I secretly always wanted to do this. I'm glad I can do this with Shigure-san." She beamed.

Shigure smiled and took a spoon full of ice cream from the parfait. He held it up to her and Tooru opened her mouth automatically.

"I'm glad I get to do this with Tooru-kun too." Shigure said softly.

She smiled and pulled out a spoonful for him. She was so glad, so happy that Shigure was having as good a time as she. And she really, really liked the feel of his hand on hers when he held the spoon steady to eat off of. The ice cream disappeared much too quickly between them.

Shigure was very tempted to order something, anything, off of the menu to prolong this portion of the date. But the wait staff was now openly gawking at them, as were the few other patrons of the shop. Tooru hadn't noticed yet, but she'd be embarrassed when she did. Shigure was suddenly very sick of watching eyes.

"Ne... Tooru-kun," he said, distracting her from scraping the bottom of the glass for the last bit of strawberry, "Do you want to go see a movie now?"

"Yes!" Tooru said eagerly. First ice cream, now a movie? It was just like in the mangas!

Shigure helped her up from the table and guided her out the door, keeping her distracted from the other patrons by asking her silly questions. This was tiring, all these prying eyes. All he wanted to do was gather her up and kiss her soundly.

And do other things too, he admitted, but they were no less appropriate to an ice cream shop then kissing was. Probably less so.

Tooru smiled as Shigure lead her out, she didn't think she'd ever felt so content. Then his hand rested gently on the small of her back, and she felt something that was a little beyond contentment. She blushed, looking at the pavement.

Shigure smiled to see her blush, and from his angle the obvious effect he was having on her. Her dress was not that thick and she wasn't wearing a bra. He was a thankful though that one would have to be standing right over her to be able to see that. That was only for him, and not for casual eyes.

They picked a movie at random from the list at the theater. It was practically empty. It was a weeknight, and school night, so there weren't many people who had time to see a movie. The movie poster for their choice had a couple embracing, a sunset and shoujo bubbles. It was the kind of romantic movie that Shigure usually hated, but he knew that Tooru would probably love it.

Tooru let herself be lead to a couple of seats in the back of the room. There were only a few other people in their theater, and they were all sitting towards the front. She squirmed in her seat and smiled up at Shigure. She didn't think she'd ever been so happy and pleased.

Shigure settled back into his seat as the previews started, vaguely wondering if he should have offered to buy popcorn and snacks. On one hand, they'd just had ice cream...on the other hand, it seemed like a movie date kind of thing to do. He listened to Tooru ooh and ahh over the upcoming movies, thinking how odd it felt to be here.

Movies were a date staple that he'd never done before. Too many opportunities for accidents to happen, he'd always begged off and managed to talk his few girlfriends out of it.

As the lights dimmed and Tooru hushed, he wondered if it was ok to put his arm around her now. This is silly, he thought to himself, I'm a full grown man, not some green boy. If I want to put my arm around my girlfriend I should do it.

Tooru looked up at Shigure in surprise as she felt his arm settle about her shoulders. He was steadfastly looking at the screen. She smiled and snuggled closer. This is just what she thought a movie date was supposed to be like.

Shigure glanced down at her, her head gently resting on his shoulder. The tension went out of his shoulders, and he couldn't help but clutch her tight. No wonder this was so popular.

Tooru was quickly entranced in the movie. It was so romantic!

Shigure however was thoroughly distracted by the fact that every time something exciting happened on screen Tooru would wiggle closer. Or her hands would clutch at his sleeve for support when something tragic happened. When the hero of the film was being threatened in the movie, she even went so far as to hide her face in his shoulder squeaking in sympathy.

Shigure decided that he loved the movies. He really liked it when she got closer... perhaps next time he'd trick her into seeing a horror film.

He reached his limit when the romantic scene on the beach the poster promised finally came. Tooru sighed happily and looked up at him basking in the reflected romance of the screen. His other hand had come to cover hers sometime during the film without him realizing it, and now she took the opportunity to thread her fingers through his and squeeze.

She turned back to the screen, happy to have shared the moment with him. Shigure leaned down and kissed her on the temple, quick and platonic. Tooru tilted her head automatically away from him with a slight giggle, surprised at the sudden kiss. This only allowed him to kiss down her jaw line, making her squirm under his arm.

"Ano.. Shigure-san... " she whispered with a blush. She glanced around the nearly empty theater, no one seemed to have noticed, but they were still in a public place.

Shigure kissed her shrinking ear and then whispered, "Secretly, I've always wanted to do this..."

Tooru flushed, this was something that people did on movie dates... wasn't it? "But..." she protested softly.

Shigure silenced her with a kiss, "Shhh..." Even in the dark, Tooru could tell his dark eyes were twinkling. "No talking in the theater..."

"Ah..." Tooru started again. But Shigure kissed her once more, and she forgot what she was going to say in the simple pleasure of it.

It was awkward, kissing across the hard armrest of the theater seats. And as close as he kept her, he just wanted her closer than was possible. But somehow that was part of the charm. They could only go so far. They could only do so much, so what they did then enjoyed to the fullest.

Usually, for Shigure, a kiss was a means to an end. It started something, or ended something. Just kissing to kiss, was something new and unexpectedly fun. He broke apart from Tooru, and she ducked her head into his shoulder. He could tell she was embarrassed, but her hand was tightly squeezing his so she wasn't displeased.

He glanced around the theater, just to be sure, but no one was looking or seemed to have noticed. He laid his head atop hers and squeezed her tight. Snuggling was also another thing he'd had a chance to do. He was sure that his past lovers, the few that there had been that could be truly called 'lovers' must have thought him cold. But cuddling was much too dangerous for a Junninshi.

It was unexpectedly nice to hold a warm body next to yours. No wonder, he thought, no wonder they would get so upset. This is so nice, so comfortable.

He felt Tooru's arm reach around and settle more comfortably around his waist. She sighed and breathed into his shirt. Her warm breath seeped through his shirt and he shivered. Almost involuntarily he kissed the crown of her head; he loved her so much this girl.

She looked up at him in concern, feeling him shiver. He couldn't resist capturing her up into another long kiss. His hand wandered, without any thought on his part it seemed, to rest on her waist.

He broke off the kiss, playfully nibbling around her neck and jaw. She tried not to giggle and draw attention to them but it was hard. "Sh-shigure-san!" She whispered softly, outraged in a completely adorable way.

His hand slid up to cup a breast and she gasped. She looked up at him eyes wide, her face going bright, bright red. Shigure grinned and kissed her again, deeply, quickly, before whispering into her ear, "shhhh...."

He rubbed his cheek against hers as his hand lazily fondled her through the dress. She was blushing so hard he could feel the heat on her skin. He turned slightly so he could kiss at her now closed eyelids, and then down, back to her lips. "Tooru-kun," he whispered between kisses, "My Tooru-kun..."

Tooru melted into him. She loved it when he said that. It was even better than "my girlfriend".

Shigure's head dropped to her neck, feeling her go placid and pliant in his hands. As she tentatively kissed at his ear he licked at her neck tasting the skin over her fading lover's mark. He suckled at the spot, marking her again. She gasped into his ear and her hand clutched tight to his sleeve.

Then she was pressing against his shoulder, gently but urgently pushing him back. "Sh-shigure-san!"

He looked up at her confused. "Shigure-san," she whispered, sounding a little panicked. "The movie is ending!" He glanced at the screen. The lovers were pressed in an ecstatic kiss, frozen as the credits were just starting to roll at the bottom of the film.

He sighed and pressed his forehead against hers. "Ne..." he sighed, "Next time lets go to a double feature..."

Tooru giggled and let him caress her face once last time before the lights came up. She covered her mouth, her eyes going round. "Shigure-san!" She cried breathlessly as she fumbled for her purse, "Lipstick!" Her face was scarlet as she pulled out a tissue and began daubing at his face.

Shigure wiped at his face, his finger's coming back a light pink color. He gave a bark of laughter. This time she'd marked him. He looked at her. Her own mouth was smeared.

He plucked the tissue out of her hands and quickly wiped at his own face. "Ne...Tooru-kun should worry about herself," he scolded lightly.

Tooru's hands went to her mouth and she dove into her purse for another tissue. "I didn't know Tooru-kun wore lipstick." Shigure couldn't remember ever seeing it on her before.

"Ah... I ..." Tooru flushed a brighter shade than her lipstick had been as she wiped it off. "It's new..."

Shigure kissed her again, quickly, as she finished. Taking his tissue he wiped off a little she'd missed at the corner of her mouth. "I like Tooru-kun better this way."

Tooru ducked her head, "Shigure-san doesn't think I look too... babyish... without it?"

"Tooru-kun looks best when she's most comfortable." Shigure said gently. She had been affected by the comments earlier, but of course had taken it on her own shoulders. Instead of being embarrassed to be with an older man, she thought he'd been ashamed to be with a younger woman. Now she was rushing to be something she wasn't. "Tooru-kun should move at her own pace. I'm happy just being with Tooru-kun as she is now." He said firmly.

Tooru's eyes pricked to hear her mother's words parroted out of Shigure's unknowing mouth. She hugged his arm tight as he helped her to stand to leave the theater. "I'm happy to be with Shigure-san too."

It was at that moment, as she clutched his arm tight and Shigure's heart clenched, that his stomach decided to growl.

Tooru burst into giggles then tried to unsuccessfully hide them by pressing her face into his arm. Shigure looked up to the ceiling feeling his second blush for the day heat his cheeks. They must be infectious. I've caught them from Tooru, he thought ruefully as he pat her head.

"Ne, Tooru-kun," He said, "Let's go get something to eat."

"Ok!" Tooru said following after him submissively.

He regretfully lead her out of the movie theater, wishing that they could go back for another showing right then.

"What would Shigure-san like me to make for dinner tonight?" Tooru broke the dog out of his pleasant daydream. He looked around in surprise. They were headed home!

He stopped, "Make?" He put on a hurt look. "Ne..." he whined, "Does Tooru-kun want to end our date so soon?" He watched as a lovely panic overtook her.


"Ah! No!" Tooru protested, "It's just that Shigure-san has spent so much money already today..." She looked up at Shigure. He made his eyes bigger and more puppy-ish, taunting her to further explain. "I-I already got a wonderful book, and Kimagure-kun!" He pouted, and she kept on. "And...and a new dress and shoes and ribbons..." She was beet red and she clutched at his shirt, trying to explain. "And ice cream! And a movie! I'd be punished if I asked for a restaurant meal too!!"

Shigure loved it when she got like this. She was so adorable and cute, so eager and frantic to please. He put his best "I'm doubtful you mean it" look on, unwilling to let her off the hook yet. "It's not that I don't want to be with Shigure-san!" She looked pleading up at him, tears starting to prick. "It's just that I've gotten so much already..."

"Ne... Tooru-kun..." He said softly, his face gentling. "I have things to be thankful for too...a 'restaurant meal' is the least I can do."


Tooru ducked her head, resting her forehead against his arm. "Shigure-san doesn't have to..." she said softly.

"I want to." Shigure said firmly.

He flagged down another cab and settled Tooru into it. He resolutely kept his hands off of her, despite the urge to sling her across his lap and kiss her passionately that was ringing through his veins. He wanted to take her to a high-end restaurant, someplace incredibly elegant and awe inspiring. Something more like she deserved.

He settled for something in between, stopping the cab at a high-end hotel that had a reputation for having a good fine dining restaurant. It wasn't too elegant, or too fine, and Tooru wouldn't protest too much at eating there.

Tooru still protested as they got out of the cab and walked into the hotel lobby towards the restaurant. It was too fine, too special, and too expensive.

Shigure just flustered her into coming in with puppy dog looks and pouts. He could tell she was secretly pleased and happy. She actually thought she didn't deserve this simple thing. He delighted in making her know that he thought she did deserve it and more.

Of course, all his instincts were telling him that the best way to show her what she meant to him would be to pull her of into some secluded corner or to take a room upstairs. But she'd made such a big deal out of a 'restaurant meal' that he wanted to give her one of those first.

The restaurant was busier than he thought it would be. It made sense once he'd thought about it. If even he, who was so isolated, managed to hear of the place and that it was good, it must be very popular.
The matre de was polite, firm and un-bribable. There would be a twenty minute wait to get a table. They did have the option to wait in the hotel bar next door till their table was ready. Shigure chewed at the idea, he'd rather go elsewhere and be seated immediately. But Tooru was looking awestruck and amazed, she'd obviously fallen in love with the place.

He could see why the place was so popular. Each table was secluded in it's own little booth. Each booth had plush red benches circling its table. The only way to sit at the table would be to be snuggled close to your tablemates. They kept the lighting low, and soft music tinkled through the speakers. It was the perfect romantic date type restaurant.

Tooru tried not to look disappointed at the wait time, and tried to convince him that she'd be just as happy at another restaurant. So Shigure determined that this *was* where they'd have dinner and steered her into the bar to wait, despite his growling stomach.

The bar was styled similarly to the restaurant with small circular benches of plush red fabric scattered around the room. He sat her on one and went to get them something from the bar. Shigure ordered a drink for himself and a shirley temple for her. He leaned against the bar as he waited and vaguely wondered what a drunk Tooru would be like.

"Ne, Ne..." Shigure looked up from his thoughts to see a group of women waving him over. He glanced away quickly, making eye contact was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Mooouuuu...." The girl pack inched closer to him, egged on by each other, "That was mean...."

Their elected leader, quite drunk, finally detached herself and approached him. "Ne... Ne...Why is such a cute guy all by himself?" She was long-legged, and her dress was tight and fit her curves well. She tossed long black hair over her shoulder. "You should come and play with us for a while."

Shigure's mouth twitched. These were the types of girls Ayame and he had played with when they were in college. They were happy memories, but nothing he wanted to repeat right now.

"Sooooorrry..." He drawled picking up his drinks. "I've already got a playmate." He walked away from the bar with a light heart. They days when he'd play games with such tawdry girls were over now that he had Tooru by his side.

"Heeeyyy..." The woman from the bar finally responded to the egging of her friends and chased after him. "Whaat? How can you say no to such a group of pretty girls?"

"Easily." Shigure said tartly, starting to get annoyed.

"Meeaaaan!" The girl tripped a little over her own feet and grabbed on to Shigure's arm for support as he stopped at Tooru's bench. Shigure cursed as his drink splashed over his hands and he nearly dropped both glasses.

"Mou, It's my birthday today, you should be nice to me!" The girl whined. She rubbed herself up against Shigure, "Such a cute guy appearing before me on my birthday, it must be a sign!"

Shigure shook her off and gave her a dark look. He was choosing which sharp retort to give when Tooru called attention to herself.

"Sh-Shigure-san?" She said hesitantly, looking between him and the clinging woman in concern. The woman was standing so close, all she had to do was shift her hands a little and Shigure would transform! It was so crowded here that that would be a terrible thing. Tooru's hand clutched at her purse. It would be all her fault if it happened, because Shigure was trying to be nice to her.

"Whaaaat?" The woman stepped around Shigure, offended that he'd brushed her off and shamed her in front of her friends. "A little girl?" She looked incredulously between Shigure and Tooru, "Such a handsome guy is with a plain little girl?"

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, put her hands on her hips and stared down at Tooru. "What? Did he promise you a Gucci bag? Prada?" Tooru just stared at her not expecting or prepared for this kind of attack. The woman huffed, "Its sick really." She looked at Shigure, "Did you think she was innocent? A virgin schoolgirl? Don't let her plain looks fool you. It just means she has to try harder to catch up."

She turned back to Tooru and made a shooing motion, "Go away, little girl. He doesn't need you any more."

Shigure put down his drinks with calm deliberation. He couldn't help the loud clap they made as they hit the table. Both the woman and Tooru turned to him with a jump at the sound. His eyes were dark and furious. The woman took an involuntary step back from him at the sheer malevolence in his gaze.

He stepped forward, she was pinned by his dark look. His lightning quick grip snared her upper arm. "What's not needed," he hissed pushing her roughly away. "Is a 'Christmas cake' like you."

The woman drew back in horror, her a `Christmas cake'? Her face flushed an ugly mottled red and she picked up Shigure's drink and threw it in his face. She flounced back to her friends, who whooped and cheered.

Shigure wiped at his face. Tooru came up to him with napkin and uncertainly daubed at the smelly moisture dripping off at him.

"Sh-shigure-san..." Tooru said softly, speaking into his shirt. "Can we go home now?" She gave up wiping at his shirt and clutched at his sleeve. "Please?"

Shigure glared at the patrons of the bar who were eagerly watching their reactions. There were always vultures who liked to feed off of other people's embarrassments. "Ne... Tooru-kun, we can go somewhere else..." He said softly drawing her out of their gaze. He didn't want their date to end this way.

"P-please, Shigure-san," Tooru's voice trembled on the verge of tears. She'd put Shigure in a terrible position here. He'd been in danger and suffered humiliation because of her. She just wanted to end this. "Please... I want to go home... and see Kimagure-kun...please..."

If she'd been more adult, she could have thought of some way to answer that awful woman. If she'd been more adult, that awful woman wouldn't have said those terrible things. It was all her fault.

Shigure's heart broke. He ignored the watching eyes and kissed her forehead. "Okay, shhhh, okay."

He led her out of the hotel wincing as his sharp ears caught her sniffling into her tissues. He flagged down another cab and settled her into it. Tooru hid her face from him and he couldn't help but from drawing her close. Ignoring the curious cabbie that looked in the mirror at them, he ran his fingers through her hair. "Please don't cry, Tooru-kun..." He leaned into her and whispered into her ear, "Please..."

Tooru's shoulders shook and she leaned into his neck, but she couldn't keep the tears from falling. She was such a nuisance. Shigure tried to kiss away her tears, but there were too many. That damn woman. Things had been going so well. He finally registered that there were words underneath the sobs and they hurt almost worse than the tears.

She was apologizing. Like it was somehow her fault that some harridan had accused her of being a whore.

"I'm sorry Shigure-san..." Tooru whispered, trying in vain to stop her tears, "I'm so sorry..."

"Ne... Tooru-kun." He whispered, almost feeling close to tears himself. "What do you have to be sorry for..."

Tooru just shook her head, unable to explain. Everything! Nothing! It was all her fault.

Shigure sighed and rubbed her back, letting her cry. "Ne, Tooru-kun, we'll be home soon. Kimagure should be there by now. I'll order dinner in. It's okay. It's okay."

Tooru clutched at his shirt, feeling soothed but still guilty. She'd been so proud of how adult she looked and now she was bawling into his shirt like a baby. But she couldn't stop the tears. There was a terrible frustration built up behind it. She wanted so much to be the kind of person who could stand proudly by Shigure's side, someone who wouldn't shame him. But it didn't matter what she'd did, she still ended up behaving like a child.

Shigure was being so kind about it, but she could hear his own frustration and his own weariness behind his words. He must be so tired of having to deal with her. Would he get so tired of it that he wouldn't want to deal with her at all?

The cab stopped and Shigure helped her out, her tears finally subsiding into embarrassing hiccups. Shigure wouldn't let go of the hand he'd helped her out with. She rubbed at her eyes and was about to ask a teary question when Shigure held up a hand to quiet her.

"Do you hear something?" He asked pausing at the head of the path to their house.

Tooru sniffled and meekly listened. Her ears weren't as good as his, but now that she was listening, she could hear something. It almost sounded like a dogs howl. Or maybe it was a word?

"Seeeeennnnnnssssseeeeeiiiiiiiiii....!"

Tooru looked at Shigure, perplexed. "Was...was Shigure-san expecting someone?"

No. Shigure's brow wrinkled. He hadn't been expecting her but he should have. He started walking down the path quickly with Tooru in tow. Sitting and wailing on his doorstep, surrounded by packages and holding the leash of a howling puppy, was his editor Mit-chan.

She spotted him and dropped the leash. Kimagure burst away from her running in excited laps around Shigure, Tooru and Mit-chan. Mit-chan grabbed him away from Tooru by grabbing his shirt and shook him hard.

"Sensei! Why did you run?! You promised the manuscript wouldn't be late this time!!""

Tooru stood back a little, unsure of what to do. Shigure's head waggled back and forth under his little editor's vigorous assault. Kimagure jumped up on her and she bent down to grab his trailing leash.

"Sensei!" Mit-chan pulled him down and her eyes grew demonic, "YOU PROMISED ME."

"Hai, Hai, Hai." Shigure said placidly, completely unaffected. "I have it inside."

Mit-chan's eyes grew large and watery, "Really? Really Sensei?"

"W-would Mit-chan-san like to come inside?" Tooru asked hesitantly as the over-excited puppy wound his leash around her legs, "I...I could make dinner." She tripped over the leash a little and started picking up the packages littering the doorway, hindered a little by Kimagure's eager puppy kisses every time she bent down.

"Oh!" Mit-chan stepped back from Shigure in surprise. She hadn't even realized the girl was there. "Yes! Thank you!" She glanced around at the bags and packages at her feet. "Let me help!"

Shigure scratched the back of his head and considered. He really hadn't known Mit-chan would be picking up his newest manuscript today, though he'd been expecting her to come by sometime soon for it. He'd finished it long ago, but it was much more entertaining to have her come pick it up than it was to send it in. But now he regretted not putting it in the mail.

He sighed, Tooru had already invited her in, and there was no way she'd let his editor go home without being fed. Kimagure pulled out of Tooru's full hands and ran over to him. Shigure bent and scratched him behind the ears. Waiting long, he asked silently.

::FORever!:: The dog panted, ::But the wailing girl is fun, she makes all kinds of noises and likes to run around in circles:: Kimagure obediently heeled to him and followed him in the house. ::It's funny.::

Yes, I think so too. Shigure smiled.

Tooru dropped the packages in the living room and ran around in a quick flurry as Mit-chan and Shigure sat themselves at the table. The house was a mess! The living room had discarded clothing scattered around, and there were teacups everywhere. Tooru filled her arms and ran into the kitchen. It wasn't in any better shape. There were still dirty dishes in the sink, and evidence of their furtive forays to the kitchen of the past day. She was mortified. She'd just have to keep Mit-chan out of the kitchen. She put on the teakettle and went to wash out some cups so they'd have something to drink out of.

Mit-chan settled herself at the table and gave Shigure a long look. He was scratching at the ears of the puppy she'd been tending and looking bland and satisfied. She looked around the room. She hadn't seen it look like this since before the girl had come to live with him. Well, it still wasn't *that* bad... But she'd gotten used to the squeaky clean way that Tooru kept the house.

Tooru stepped out of the kitchen with a tray and quickly set out and poured the tea. She looked between Shigure and Mit-chan, there was an odd tension in the room. She blushed under Mit-chan's look, smoothing out her unfamiliar skirt. The silence had lingered for so long. "I-I thought I'd make noodles for dinner. Mit-chan-san likes them right?"

"Oh, yes..." Mit-chan started to rise from her seat, "Let me help..."

"No!" Tooru jumped. The kitchen was a pure disaster, she'd just die of embarrassment if someone else saw it. "Mit-chan-san came here on important business! Don't let me distract you!"

Shigure winced. His sweet innocent Tooru-kun had just thrown him to the wolves. He kept his focus on Kimagure as she dashed back into the kitchen. Any moment he expect the histrionics to begin. When they didn't he glanced up surreptitiously. Mit-chan was biting a knuckle and looking at him uncertainly.

"Sensei." She said softly, looking towards the kitchen then back. "Did...did I come at a bad time?"

Shigure's head went up. Mit-chan had never cared what else he might be doing, what was this sudden concern? "Eh?"

Mit-chan shifted in her seat uncomfortably. The house was a mess. The girl was wearing pretty dress and had her hair done. Shigure was wearing something OTHER than his suit or yukata, something she'd never seen before. And beyond that there was a feeling zinging around the house, and she felt very much the intruder in the house.

Shigure's face softened. There had been a time, between Mit-chan and he, where there had almost been something between them. When his teasing had gone to a different level, she hadn't protested overmuch. Well, not much more than she'd protested before. Besides Aya and Hatori, he doubted there was anyone besides Mit-chan who knew him at all well.

"No." He said finally, "It's fine." He sighed and stood, "Let me get the manuscript."

He exited and Mit-chan blinked in surprise. So easily? She stared into her teacup perplexed. How was she supposed to deal with that? Dealing with Shigure usually meant a roller coaster of embarrassment and excitement. She didn't particularly like it most of the time, but she'd geared herself up for it. In it's absence she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

Shigure came out of his study and handed Mit-chan a thick envelope. The women looked at it and then back at Shigure. An eyebrow twitched, "Does Sensei feel well?"

She sniffed loudly. "Is...Is that alchohol?" She looked accusingly at him, "Is Sensei drunk!?" Him being drunk was better than the alternative that was chasing through her mind. She tore into the manuscript, "Don't give me the wrong papers and tell me later you were confused because you were drunk..."

She pulled out the papers and flipped through them. There was the correct amount of pages. She scrutinized the individual papers, and it looked like the manuscript she was expecting. She wasn't falling for pages filled with just "All work and no play makes Shigure a dull boy" again. But no, everything seemed like it was in order.

Shigure watched Mit-chan check the manuscript over, a little chagrined at how carefully she went over it. She really didn't trust him at all. She looked up at him with an almost disappointed pout. "Sensei... is something wrong?"

"Ne," Shigure chuckled, "I promised it wouldn't be late didn't I?"

"Sensei doesn't usually keep his promises." Mit-chan muttered fiddling with the manuscript. Mit-chan glanced at the kitchen where Tooru was rattling around then back at Shigure. "I thought the children were going to be on their school trip..." Though truth be told, Tooru didn't much look like a child in that dress. She suspected that that was the reason Sensei wasn't in the mood to play tonight.

"The children?" Shigure started. Had he called them that? "Ah... well...yes... Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are away. Tooru-kun was supposed to go as well, but she was ill."

Tooru came out of the kitchen with the noodles, "Dinner's ready." She set down a bowl in front of Mit-chan and Shigure and then sat down herself.

"I'm sorry to hear you missed your trip." Mit-chan said. She'd never really spoken to the girl before; usually she'd been too busy trying to hunt down Shigure's work.

Tooru's chopsticks froze over her noodles. "Trip?" Then she remembered, she was supposed to be on her school trip. "Ah, yes! I was disappointed, but Hatori-san said I shouldn't because of my fever and all the traveling..." She smiled at Shigure, "But Shigure-san was very kind and watched after me."

"Uh-huh..." The little editor said doubtfully around a mouthful of noodles. The girl had been nearly a week in Shigure's care? No wonder the house was a mess.

Tooru nodded, completely missing the sarcasm. "Shigure-san even made me breakfast!"

Shigure felt himself getting all flustered. He refused to blush like a schoolboy. He coughed into his hand, "It was only oatmeal." It was just so hard to maintain composure when she was beaming at him like that.

Mit-chan looked back and forth between them again. She really felt out of place. Her suspicious were becoming more and more certain. She swallowed heavily. "So when do the others come home?" She asked to cover her uneasiness.

Tooru and Shigure looked at each other and then at Mit-chan. When were the others coming home?

"The trip was supposed to be for a week, ne?" Shigure said uncertainly to Tooru.

"Yes," the girl said putting down her chopsticks. Yuki and Kyou, she honestly forgotten all about them.

"That means... that means..." Tooru counted out on her fingers, flustered and feeling guilty. How could she forget about her two dear friends? "The come home the day after tomorrow."

"I bet you're looking forward to seeing them again," smiled Mit-chan.

"Yes." Tooru said softy. She suddenly wasn't very hungry.

It wasn't that she didn't want to see the others again. But so many things had changed in such a short time. How would they explain everything to them?

She put down her chopsticks and stood, "Would Shigure-san or Mit-chan-san like anything else?"

"Ah, no..." Mit-chan looked distressed at the girl's sudden pallor. "Is Tooru-kun not feeling well?"

"No, I'm fine." Tooru managed a smile. "I-I'm just a little tired."

"I'm going to go clean up..." Tooru started into the kitchen, but paused when she felt a tug on her skirt.

Shigure smiled up at her, "Ne, Tooru-kun has had a long day...why don't you leave the dishes and go rest?"

Kimagure decided that was the perfect moment to leave Shigure's lap and run to Tooru. ::Best Girl sad?:: Kimagure asked putting his paws up on her leg. Shigure tried not to laugh at the name the puppy had chosen for Tooru.

'Best Girl' is confused, I think, Shigure thought back. I'm sure she'd like you to stay with her and keep her company. Indeed, the girl had bent down to hug the puppy tight, taking comfort in his warm wiggly warmth.

"We need to make Kimagure a bed of his own too." Shigure said pointedly. The little pup would have to learn that he was not sharing a bed with them.

"Yes..." Tooru smiled and looked up, "I'll get that basket out of the linen closet. Does Shigure-san mind if I use some of the old blankets?"

"Ne," Shigure said affectionately, "anything here is Tooru-kun's...you don't have to ask."

"Hai!" Tooru replied with a pleased blush, she carried the puppy out of the room and up the stairs.

"I... I should be going." Mit-chan stood, cheeks burning. Shigure started, he'd forgotten his editor was still there. She wasn't usually that quiet. She was looking at him red-faced. There was no denying what that exchange had meant.

Shigure gave an internal flinch at the look on Mit-chan's face. She did understand him, too well... This was the first time he'd had to deal with someone he knew and dealt with regularly knowing about he and Tooru. She didn't look comfortable with the knowledge.

"I'll call you if we need any revisions." Mit-chan turned to the door. "I'm glad Tooru-kun is feeling better, make sure to thank her for dinner for me."

"Kimagure-kun!" Tooru called from upstairs as the puppy barreled down the stairs, "Stay!"

The puppy paid no heed, he was bored with sitting and standing around.There was a lot of house and yard he hadn't seen yet. He ran through Mit-chan's legs, making her drop her purse and the manuscript while she scrambled to keep balance. He sniffed at the purse and then at the manuscript.

"No! Don't!" Mit-chan tried to snatch the manuscript away from the startled puppy. Sensing a game Kimagure snatched up the envelope and wagged his tail stretching his front paws in front of him.

"Stay!" mit-chan begged.
:

:What does that mean again?:: Kimagure asked eagerly. It looked like the wailing woman was going to make those interesting noises again.

Shigure couldn't help himself. I'm means 'run', he told the puppy. The puppy took off out the back door, Mit-chan not far behind.

"No, bring it back!" Shigure was amazed, as always, at the speed Mit-chan managed to run at in her heels.

::Fuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn:: Kimagure called as he ran in a long lap around the yard.

It took some time for Mit-chan to catch up with Kimagure, even with Shigure trying to calm him down. He could see why the petshop owners called him "Monster." All it had finally taken was Tooru calling him a bad dog to finally cow him into releasing the manuscript.

Tooru hadn't even had to raise her voice. She'd just put her hands on her hips and said in a very upset and frustrated voice, "Bad Kimagure, bad!"

The puppy had frozen, horrified at the thought that 'Best Girl' thought he was bad. He'd dropped the envelope and crouched down on his belly, ears flattening back and tail curling under.

Mit-chan had snatched up the envelope and run down the path crying. "Sensei! You sicced your dog on it! Why?!" She didn't pause to say goodbye this time, she just ran at a dead heat out of the house. Shigure scratched the back of his head. He hadn't said anything aloud to Kimagure... but he supposed that Mit-chan did know him well.

"Kimagure shouldn't do such bad things!" Tooru was scolding. It didn't have much effect, she was petting him and scratching him as she wagged her finger. She couldn't resist his abject cowering and big puppy eyes.

::Bad? I was bad?:: Kimagure asked confused. He'd just been playing with the wailing woman. She seemed to like to run around as much as he did. And she'd been making those fun noises. But "bad" is what the clerks at the shop used to call him. He didn't like it when Best Girl called him bad.

Well, Shigure temporized, you took it a bit far. But it's partially my fault, I told you to run.

::Big Dog bad?:: Kimagure's tail thumped against Tooru's leg. ::Big Dog bad, not me?::

Shigure glanced at Tooru. She was looking worn and tired. Her eyes were red-rimmed from her earlier tears. We were both bad, Shigure said regretfully.

"Tooru-kun..." Shigure said softly. "Lets go up to bed."

Tooru's head flew up, "Oh, but... the house..." She looked around. The table still had the remains of dinner, and she knew the disaster the kitchen was in.

"Ne...why doesn't Tooru-kun go up. I'll pick up a little and then join you." Shigure stood and gathered up a couple plates to demonstrate.

"The rest can wait till tomorrow." He assured her. He looked at Kimagure. "You need to get him settled too. His basket outside your room would be good."

Tooru looked doubtfully at Shigure. She remembered the mess he'd made of the oatmeal. There was still and oatmeal pot she hadn't managed to scrape all the oatmeal out of. "I think I better do the dishes tonight." She said, standing up.

Shigure sighed; he knew that look. Tooru was getting determined. She wouldn't rest till the kitchen was in some semblance of order. "I'll help." He could be determined too.

He regretted it when he followed her into the kitchen. He let her start at the dishes, and picked up the clothes she'd tossed in from the living room. He dropped them into the laundry room and went back into the kitchen. Tooru was busily puttering around, putting things away and letting hot water run over the dishes.

He paused in the doorway to watch her. She looked confident and sure of herself. Why couldn't she show this face outside this room? Tooru had quickly taken care of the left over food, and cleared away the kitchen of lingering clutter. Now there was just the mountain of dishes to be done.

Shigure came up behind her. He was careful to make his steps heavy so as not to startle her. She didn't turn to look at him, but she was aware he was there. Kimagure sat at her feet and his tail thumped genially on the floor at his approach.

::Big Dog make Best Girl smile again?:: Kimagure asked anxiously. ::I don't like sad face::

I don't either, Shigure agreed. Tooru's shoulders were tight with tension and he could tell she was still fretting. He gently rested his hands on her hips, his long fingers encircling her waist. He bent down to kiss her neck just over his lover's mark.

"Ne, Tooru-kun, really those can wait till tomorrow." Shigure said as her hands stilled in the soapy water.
Tooru's hands paused as she relaxed a little at his close warmth, but only for a moment. "Yuki and Kyou will be home soon... I should make sure the house is tidy before they come."

"Not for two more days..." Shigure nibbled at her ear, something that usually made her melt against him. "Plenty of time." He didn't like being reminded that his cousins were coming back.

Tooru's chin tucked down. She wasn't resisting him exactly, but she wasn't being as yielding as usual. Shigure felt a surge of jealousy. They weren't even home yet and the others where drawing her attention away. How bad would it be when the got home?

He took a hand from her waist and turned her chin to him. He took a kiss from her, not asking for permission. It was a rougher kiss than he'd used in days and Tooru's knees went weak. She looked up at his eyes when he finally released her, and shrank back a little. Shigure didn't look happy.

The man's face was dark, but there was a hurt underneath it. She didn't remember seeing that before. "Sh-shigure-san?" she said hesitantly.

Her tremulous voice made Shigure step back a little and realize what he was doing. He had Tooru pinned between him and the sink. She'd turned under his kiss to be facing him, but his body blocked any avenue of escape. His hand that had turned her face to his was tangled in her hair.

The large eyes that looked up at him looked confused, worried, and a little scared. He still had his hands on her, but it felt like she was slipping out of his grip. When Yuki and Kyou finally arrived back home, would she be gone for good?

Tooru winced as his hand tightened in her hair. His head dipped down again, but this time it wasn't for a kiss. "Ne... Tooru-kun..." He whispered, "are you regretting it?"

Shigure's eyes were boring into hers and her breath was speeding up. She couldn't figure out what had gotten him so upset, but she always recognized pain. His hand kept hold of her hair as it pulled forwards a little to let a thumb run over her cheek. Tooru shivered. "Does Tooru-kun not want to be with me anymore?" Shigure's voice was practically a whisper.

Shigure felt taunt as a bowstring waiting for her answer. He didn't know what she was going to say, or what his reaction was going to be. He could tell she was scared, and some small part of him was furious at himself for making her tremble with fear. But he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, if this was the only way he could have her...

"I-I love Shigure-san..." Tooru said tremulously.

Shigure's hand clenched and Tooru gasped as her hair pulled and his thumb pressed into her cheek. His head dropped to her shoulder and his breath whooshed out of him. "Ne... Tooru-kun..." He chuckled weakly into her shoulder, "don't scare me like that..."

Tooru felt breathless. Scare him? He was still covering her with his weight, and she couldn't move an inch. She didn't know what triggered this or what his reaction was going to be.

Kimagure whined on the floor, confused by their exchange. Both Big Dog and Best Girl stank of fear and it was scaring him. Tooru glanced at the dog, but didn't have a chance to comfort him. Shigure stepped back and wrapped his hands back around her waist and lifted her onto the counter.

He kissed at her neck and his hands massaged at her sides. Her hands came up to steady herself on his shoulders, surprised at the ups and downs Shigure had displayed in the past few minutes. Her body was already starting to respond to him. There was a coiling feeling starting in her stomach and a slickness between her legs. But she was so confused. Shigure had scared her. He'd looked so dangerous a minute ago and so hurt.

Shigure hands moved down her legs. He spread them apart so he could more comfortably stand between them and rested his hands lightly on her knees. He looked up at Tooru's flustered and confused face.

"Tooru-kun must promise me." His hands clenched on her knees. "Tooru-kun can't do that to me again..."

Tooru looked into Shigure's dark eyes. There was a desperate quality to his words, and the hands that held her knees tight, but his eyes were steel and command. She winced as his hands gripped her knees tighter as she didn't respond. She didn't know what he was asking and was afraid to guess wrong.

Shigure's slight smile slipped as she continued to be silent. "Tooru-kun is my girl, right? That won't change when the others come home." He kissed at her neck, nipping at the mark he'd made, "Tooru-kun is mine..."

Tooru's breath caught, and she found it hard to breathe as she felt his tongue lightly licking and her neck in-between his kisses. "Yes..." She said softly, managing barely to get the air to speak, "I'm... I'm Shigure-san's girl..." Tooru cried out as his hands clenched tightly at her knees, hard enough to bruise. He was pressing down so hard that there would be marks where the counter was cutting into her.

He sagged against her, all of his weight pressing her down. He bit at her shoulder and she squeaked. "Tooru-kun... isn't just saying that?" He growled, he looked up at her, pressing his forehead against hers. "Tooru-kun..." Her name was a growl on his lips, but it was a plea too.

Tooru was terrified. He was hurting her and she didn't think he even knew what he was doing. She just repeated the one thing she knew was true. "I love Shigure-san." she repeated. "I love-"

Shigure cut her off with a kiss. His hands pushed up her skirt, and Tooru tried to keep her body boneless and loose for him. He grabbed at her panties and pulled them roughly down, ignoring the sound they made as they tore. He had to fumble a bit with his unfamiliar slacks but he had himself freed quickly enough. He pulled her to him and pressed into her with hardly any forethought, proving in the best way he knew how that she was his.

Tooru's head arched back banging painfully against the cabinet drawers. It hurt a little, he did it so fast and with so little preamble. But it was what he seemed to need right now and she gave herself to him willingly.

Shigure breathed into her neck as he pumped into her, "Say it... say my name..."

"Shigure-san..." Tooru breathed, "Shigure-san..." He made an inarticulate noise and buried his head into her shoulder. She felt her dress strap wet with tears and her hands came up to comfort him, running her fingers through his hair. "I love Shigure-san."

He made another noise and spilled into her. Tooru's knees pressed into his sides. She hadn't reached pleasure herself, but there had still been a relief in it. He was kissing her gently now, whatever demon had possessed him had been banished. When he looked at her again his eyes were gentle.

"Tooru-kun..." He whispered and kissed her lips once lightly, then dipping back again for a deeper kiss. "I don't know what I'd do if Tooru-kun wasn't mine..." Tooru shivered, the words were sweet, but they scared her too. She never wanted to leave him, but he frightened her when he was like that.

Shigure continued to kiss at her neck and jaw. He was still inside her unwilling to release her yet. He'd gotten a bit out of control again, he was dimly aware of that.

He felt guilty that he had to act that way. But she had to understand that things weren't going to be like before. Last time, when he'd given her that dress, they'd pretended like nothing had happened. They'd kept it from everyone and he hadn't been able to pursue her the way he wanted to. He didn't know if he could do that again, nor did he want to try.

He finally drew back and kissed her again on the lips, settling her dress gently around her. "Lets do the dishes tomorrow." Tooru nodded numbly, finally acceding to his wishes.

Kimagure crawled towards them on his belly. Best Girl was still afraid; he could smell it. It wasn't as bad as it had been before, but it was still there. Why was Big Dog scaring her? He was horribly confused and wanted reassurance.

Shigure helped Tooru down and she bent immediately to pick up the whining puppy. She patted and scratched at him reassuringly, the act calming her as well.

Secure in the comfort of her arms, he snapped at Shigure when he tried to pet him. He barked warningly at the man. ::Big Dog bad!:: He ignored Tooru's attempts to shush him. ::Big Dog scared Best Girl!::

Shigure stepped back. He bent to pick up Tooru's torn panties to cover his surprise. He'd never had a dog "talk back" at him that way. He looked at the delicate bit of fabric in his hands as Tooru tried calm the puppy by patting him and walking him around like a baby. They were ruined, the seams torn apart.

Shigure fingered the torn seam guiltily. He looked up at the girl. She was completely focused on the puppy. She had him slung up over her shoulder like a baby and was patting and whispering to him. She glanced at him and the look shot through him like an arrow. It was wary and confused. He let his dark hair shield his eyes and felt sick. He sent out a thought to Kimagure, he was pretty sure on his own but dreaded confirmation from the puppy's keen nose. Is Best Girl still scared?

There was a pause and Shigure wondered if the puppy was ignoring him. ::Yes. Still scared:: The puppy sounded a little scared himself. ::Why is Best Girl scared?::

"Ne, Tooru-kun," Shigure said softly over Kimagure's whining, "Lets go upstairs."

Tooru nodded and walked out the door. He noted that she shivered as she walked past. He followed her upstairs and helped her settle Kimagure into his basket. It took a lot of reassurance from both of him to keep him there and he was upset when Shigure picked up the basket and set it outside Tooru's bedroom door.

He whimpered piteously, not wanting to be separated from Tooru. Shigure sighed and told him firmly that it was his place and he'd best get used to it. There was enough steel in his voice that the puppy acquiesced, finally falling silent and then into fitful nap.

Tooru tried to persuade him to let the puppy sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed, but he'd curtly told her no. She'd jumped and hadn't asked again. He sent her to clean up and get ready for bed, bothered that she was being so docile. She was acting like he was going to snap and hit her.

He emptied out his pockets on her desk cursing himself. Why did he keep losing control around her? No wonder she was jumpy around him after what he'd done down in the kitchen. He blinked at a long package he'd thrown on the table. The necklace... he'd planned to give it to her after dinner.

Perhaps he should give it to her now? As an apology? But he didn't want it tainted that way. He wanted her to "ooh" and "aahh" over it and to have it only have happy memories attached to it. He didn't want it to have a stink of fear around it.

He hid it in the shirt he removed, wincing that it smelled of alcohol still. He threw his pants across the back of the chair and slid into bed. He lay between the sheets and pondered. Tooru was afraid of him, and with no wonder with him acting like he had. But there was more to it then that. She'd been upset before that. He thought she might be regretting getting involved with him. She claimed she loved him, and maybe she truly did, but there had been something bothering her.

Tooru came back from the bathroom freshely scrubbed, looking a little calmer and wearing his pajamas. She double-checked on Kimagure before she came in. Shigure had turned the lights off except for the bedside lamp. She blinked a little in the darkness, and shuffled in place when she noticed that Shigure was already in bed. She finally got over her nervousness and slid into bed. Shigure noted she tried to stay on "her side" as much as possible and that she lay facing away from him.

That wouldn't do at all. Shigure reached out an arm and wrapped it around her waist. The dog winced as she flinched under his hands but didn't release her. Instead he drew her as close as he dared and buried his face in her hair. He didn't move again, letting her adjust to his closeness and savoring her clean scrubbed smell and body warmth. Tooru slowly relaxed under his touch and her breathing instinctively tried to synch with his.

He leaned forward and kissed her between her shoulder blades. He was relieved when she didn't wince at the affection. He suspected that she was nearly asleep. "Tooru-kun..." He said softly, "Did I scare you earlier?" He felt her tense again under his hands, but he managed not to clench at her like his instincts were telling him too.

Tooru's answer, when it finally came, sounded hesitant and had a heartbreaking catch to it. "Yes," she whispered softly.

Shigure closed his eyes and sighed into her hair. It was one thing to see it in her actions and to hear Kimagure say it; it was another thing to hear her whispering voice confirm it.

"Shigure-san...hurt me." She said hesitantly. She could still feel the line where the counter had been pressed into her legs, and there were handprints where he'd gripped her knees. Shigure scared her, but she was pretty sure he hadn't known he was hurting her. She didn't like it when he got like that, she didn't understand it. She knew something she'd said or done had prompted it, but she didn't know what. Perhaps if she was older, or more mature, she could puzzle it out. But she wasn't, she was just a girl, and not a very smart one, so she was very confused.

"I'm sorry," she whispered when he remained silent at her back.

Shigure pressed his forehead into her back, "Ne... stop apologizing."

"I'm sorry," she whispered back automatically, hunching her shoulders a little.

Shigure smoothed her hair back away from her neck and kissed her there. The words were unfamiliar in his mouth but he'd say them for her. "I'm sorry Tooru-kun..." his lips were up against the side of her neck, "I didn't mean to..." He could find the right words... he didn't mean to scare her, he didn't mean to hurt her. He nuzzled against her. "But why was Tooru-kun apologizing?" Perhaps that would let him get into the root of it, why she'd been upset before. It always was all tangled up for her, all her actions. Pick at one thread and maybe he'd be able to undo the whole mysterious knot.

Tooru shivered a little under his hands, ashamed. "Sh-Shigure-san only gets that way when he's upset." Shigure's hands rubbed at her side encouragingly. "But... I don't know what I did..."

"Tooru-kun.." Shigure started, but the floodgates had opened.

"Shigure-san must have been embarrassed today," Tooru sniffled, "I'm sorry. I tried not to be silly, I tried not to act childish. But," she paused and took a deep breath, "But it didn't matter. I'm sorry!" Tears started to strike her pillow and she slapped at her pillow angrily. "Shigure-san tried so hard to make it a good day, but I couldn't even pick out a dress on my own. And I keep crying. I'm sorry!"

Shigure propped himself up, trying to look her in the face. She turned away from him, scrunching into her pillow. "And Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun and the others are coming home..." Her hair spread out around her. Didn't know how to explain why that upset her so much, but she was afraid of her two friends reactions. She still didn't understand what drove them a lot of the time, but she knew they weren't going to react well when they were told.

"Are you scared of what they'll think?" Shigure said softly.

Tooru nodded, her voice failing her. Shigure lay back down and ran his fingers through his hair. Of course she would be afraid. Yuki and Kyou would not be pleased; he didn't think they'd take it out on her. They'd rightly blame him. But Tooru, as always, would take any censure directed at him personally.

He smoothed her hair across the pillow and ran his fingers through it. Her tears subsided again and he gently tugged at her till she was facing him. She kept her eyes closed and her long lashes were clotted with tears as they rested against her cheek. He kissed at each eyelid. Her eyes fluttered open to look at him, searching his face for that scary darkness from earlier. His look was completely unreadable, but didn't have that sinister edge that sent such fear through her. He kept his eyes on her as he kissed her slowly.
"Tooru-kun...are you ashamed to be with me?" Shigure asked softly. She hadn't seemed so earlier, but perhaps she was so concerned with looking older because she was ashamed that people would think badly of her dating an older man. He wasn't going to let a little shame keep them apart, but he had to know what he was up against.

Tooru leaned back in surprise. "No! I want to be with Shigure-san!"

"You aren't bothered that I'm older?" Shigure pressed. She said she loved him and wanted him, that didn't mean she wasn't bothered by the details between them.

"Mother..." She said softly, "Mother was 7 years younger than Father... I don't think that age matters if there is love." She looked up at him, "But Mother was very mature..."

"Ne... didn't I say that I liked Tooru-kun as she is...?" Shigure said softly.

Tooru looked up at Shigure. "But if I was more mature I wouldn't always be causing problems for Shigure-san." She scrubbed at her eyes telling herself firmly that she wouldn't cry again. "I wouldn't be so confused all the time..." she whispered ashamed of herself. "If I could only be a little smarter... a little more adult..."

Shigure wanted so badly to hug her tight. He'd never hated his curse more than he did now.

"Tooru-kun," he said firmly into her ear, propping himself up above her. "Is perfect the way she is."

"Tooru-kun always thinks of others before herself." Shigure looked at her seriously. Her wide eyes where fixed on his. He shifted so that he was sitting and she rolled onto her back to keep eye contact. "Tooru-kun doesn't cause problems. She shouldn't blame herself for other people's pettiness."

"But..." Tooru started.

She gasped as he climbed over her, placing a hand on each side of her head and planting a knee beside her hips. "To-ru-kun!" He said firmly, his nose inches from hers. "It's okay for you to be a little selfish sometimes."

"I love Tooru-kun." He whispered, unmoving and staring into her eyes. "I love Tooru-kun just as she is. Other people can't change that."

Tooru's eyes started to leak tears, but she was smiling. Shigure dipped to kiss her and was gratified what she responded more than eagerly to it. He rocked back a little on his knees. He unbuttoned her nightshirt and ran his hands up from her hips to just under her breasts. His hands lightly massaged the skin there, wondering at how tiny and fine the ribs under his fingers felt. He kissed her again and her hands tangled in his hair.

He kissed down her jaw line and then down her neck. He slowly escaped her fingers as his kisses continued down to her chest, and then onto her belly. He'd had his pleasure earlier, she deserved a little something that was just for her.

He inched down her body, kissing at her belly and continuing down. He suckled at the skin just above the waistline of the pajamas he'd lent her. They were loose and sagged about her hips. He hooked his thumbs and pulled them slowly down, kissing over her sensitive flesh as it was slowly revealed. He paused just above her mound and switched to kissing the fine and sensitive skin of her thighs.

He lifted a leg and slowly divested it of the cloth massaging with his hands and licking and kissing with his mouth. He made distressed noise over the handprints he'd left on her knees and kissed at it gently. She shivered under his gentle touch. He left the leg propped up so that the knee was in the air and the foot planted firmly on the bed. He did the same for the other leg, leaving her naked from the waist down and laying on the cloth of her top.

He looked up at her, her eyes where closed and her skin flushed. The hair on her arms stood straight up, and she was covered in goose pimples. She panted lightly, and kept her legs spread so invitingly for him. He inched back up her leg, kissing at a knee on one side, a line of kisses on the thigh of the other until he'd reached her mound again.

Tooru's body gave an expectant shudder as she felt his breath hover so close above her. He parted her lips with his fingers; she was glistening already. He dipped a tongue down and gently tasted her. Tooru's response was immediate, and as always powerful. She cried out and squirmed under his tongue. He gently suckled at her, letting her body adjust to his slow manipulation.

His hands came up to hold her hips to keep them from squirming and bucking to wildly as he continued to lick and suck at her. She tried to tug him up, but he refused to be budged, slowly an inexorably playing her body like an instrument. He gently moved his mouth over the little button. He brushed his teeth gently over the nub and then lapped at it. She arched up against the bed and cried out his name.

He finally latched on and sucked, quickly bringing out a rush of wetness and an answering orgasm. She flopped back and he moved his mouth to kiss at less sensitive areas. Tooru's limbs felt lethargic and she could hardly respond as he kissed his way back up her body. As soon as his head was back in reach she twined her fingers in his hair and ran her hands down his neck and back. Her movements were slow and she felt like she was moving through something thicker than just air. Shigure could read the signs of exhaustion in her. She'd had too many ups and downs today. So he kissed at her body, over hips, her stomach and ribs, between her breasts and cradled her as close as he could as she drifted to sleep.

He wrapped her tight before he got up himself. He was still buzzing with tension himself. His head was swarming with uncomfortable thoughts and he badly needed a cigarette. He stepped into his pants, waking Kimagure as he went from the room. He allowed the puppy to follow him downstairs as he went in search of his cigarettes. He sat out on the porch, letting the puppy run while he was lost in his thoughts.

Yuki and Kyou would be home the day after next. Tooru wasn't ready to handle the drama that that would bring. He ran a worried hand through his hair. He wasn't completely unafraid himself. The both of them presented a very physical danger to him. Of course they would know he'd been the instigator, they would probably consider what he'd done to Tooru to be no better than rape. At their current level of maturity there would be no possibility that they wouldn't feel the need to retaliate.

And worse than the pain to himself, would be that it would hurt Tooru. She'd find someway to twist it back onto herself. She'd find some reason that it was all her fault for upsetting them and getting him hurt.

He looked at the clock on the wall; it was dark and pretty late. He was pretty sure Ha-san wouldn't be asleep yet however. Hatori slept little. He walked over to the phone before he could think about it too much. As he dialed and heard the phone ring he tried to keep their last meeting out of his mind. He hoped that he hadn't hurt Hatori to badly.

"Souma Hatori." The doctor identified himself blandly. "Is this an emergency?"

"I don't know, Ha-san." Shigure gave a dry chuckle at his friends straightforward greeting. "This is-"

"Shigure." Hatori finished for him. "Is Tooru-kun hurt?" The words were precise and devoid of feeling which made them hurt even more.

"No....No..." Shigure said regretting the urge he'd had to call. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to disturb you..."

He heard the rasping of a lighter on the other line and a pause as Hatori sucked in a lungful of smoke. "Shigure. I'm sorry. Tell me what's the matter."

His tone was more normal and Shigure breathed a sigh of relief. He spilled out what was running through his head. Tooru's worries, the impending return of Kyou and Yuki, all of it.

Hatori listened on the other end of the line. Shigure wasn't usually this talkative. He didn't usually involve others in his plans and workings, he wasn't used to dealing with the kinds of unexpectedness another person's emotions could bring to the table. Usually he didn't care how something effected another person as long as he came out on top.

In a way, he was a little relieved. He'd left Tooru with Shigure against his better judgment. Simply saying 'I love you' didn't fix the kind of bone deep problems he'd seen in their relationship.

At the time there hadn't been any way to safely extricate Tooru. But Shigure seemed to be making a conscious effort to make this into a true relationship. He was fretting less over how Yuki and Kyou were going to punish him and more on how Tooru would react to it. He still didn't feel right about it, but he was a little less worried that Shigure would strike out against her if it went badly.

"What did you expect?" He said as Shigure finally wore down, "That you would claim Tooru as yours an everyone would say 'ok'?"

Shigure was silent on the other end of the line. "I didn't plan this," he said finally.

"Didn't you?" Hatori said blandly. "Or was it just that you didn't plan to fall in love?"

Shigure was surprised into another chuckle. "Ha-san knows me too well."

Hatori sighed into the line. "I've known you for too long. I don't pretend that you let anyone know you well." He paused to puff at his cigarette again. "But this is serious Shigure... beyond Kyou and Yuki... What if Akito finds out? In that case... you know that it won't be you who will be directly punished."

Shigure went cold. He hadn't been thinking ahead at all. He wanted Tooru at his side. He wanted everyone to know that she was his. But...if 'everyone' knew, there would be no keeping it from Akito. With time he knew he could lay plans to protect her, to keep her safe from the mercurial Souma head. But he had no plans in place for her now.

"And, also... this is an important time for her." Hatori's voice continued inexorably in his ear, "This is her final semester of high school. She's very close to achieving her goal. This kind of drama could upset everything. You know how susceptible she is. She makes herself sick over simple matters. She would probably be out the rest of the school year with illnesses if she had to contend with this too."

Shigure rubbed at his brow. Everything Hatori was saying was something he should have thought about already. He spat his words into the phone, frustration pulling them out. "Dammit, I know that! But what can I do about it now? It's to late to go back and undo things!"

He took a drag on his own cigarette and gritted his teeth around the next words. "Not that I'd want to. I love her," He stated defiantly. Hatori could hear the wonder that tinged the next words, "And she says she loves me."

"Then you have to keep it a secret," Hatori said firmly, "at least for now."


Shigure paused, he'd know it. He'd known it before he'd called Hatori. "How am I supposed to tell her?" He asked helplessly. "She'll think I'm ashamed of her. Not matter how many times I tell her, she persists in thinking that."

Hatori almost laughed at the whipped puppy tone in Shigure's voice. He was so worried about her disapproval. "I didn't say it would be easy." Hatori tapped at the desk another bit of worry dropping away. "But she'll understand. She has some understanding what Akito is like."

Shigure sighed. Hatori could hear the worry and frustration behind it. "It's not going to be easy," Hatori pressed. "Shigure..."

"I'll be careful." Shigure spat. "I'll keep my hands off her where the others can see. I'll make it look like I don't care about her, that I think she's just a child. I'll make Akito think that I'm just using her as a pawn."

Hatori sighed. "It won't be forever Shigure. At least you'll be in it together. Tooru-kun won't give up."

Shigure froze in the act of bringing his almost finished cigarette up to his lips. "Ha-san... I'm sorry... I-" He'd forgotten who he was talking to, what his friend had suffered. He felt his friend's pain all over again, newly reopened and with a fresh understanding of what he must have suffered. He couldn't imagine it, his Tooru marrying someone else, with no memory of him. His Tooru not *wanting* to remember him...

Hatori sucked on the end of his cigarette. He stubbed it out as an excuse not to answer right away. "It's fine. It was a long time ago."

"I'm sorry." Shigure repeated. "I didn't know." It was so true, he hadn't known then and he regretted now that he hadn't done more to protect Hatori.

"Go to bed." Hatori said blandly. It was getting late and he didn't feel like rehashing that pain again.

"Is that a doctor's order?" Shigure said lightly.

"You can take it as such." Hatori said and hung up the phone. He sat a long time in the darkness of his office. His bed seemed too empty to go to quite yet and his dreams of late had been disturbing.

Shigure meanwhile called Kimagure back in and went upstairs to slip back into bed with Tooru. She hadn't stirred the whole time he was gone.

He slipped between the sheets and wrapped Tooru in his arms. She half woke and sleepily turned towards him snuggling into his warmth. Her head lay cradled in his elbow and he could feel her breath on his skin. He watched her sleep, unwilling to succumb to it yet himself. There was just one more night that he could enjoy this, he wanted to savor every moment.

Tooru woke once, perhaps drawn out of sleep by the weight of his regard. She smiled sleepily at him and her hand came up to rest on his arm next to her head. He smiled back at her, white teeth shining in the darkness. She didn't know yet, that this would be one of the last nights they'd spend together.

Her hand left his arm to caress the side of his face, being half asleep made her bold. He held her hand still to the side of his face. It slid around to his neck when he kissed her and then he lost track of it as they fell to making love. He was slow about it this time, lingering over her body, memorizing it.

Tooru, languorous from exhaustion and always willing to move at whatever pace he set, let him explore. He kissed her palm, and his fingers ran over the bones of her hips. Tooru's limbs were slim, but soft and yielding. Her bones seemed so fine and delicate. He spent more than a few minutes marveling over the bones of her wrist and the way it connected her delicate hands to her slim arms.

He kissed at the hollow of her elbow, and she squirmed because it tickled a little. It sent a ripple under his mouth and he was amazed all over again. There was strength in those arms. He could feel the muscles underneath from lifting a hundred laundry baskets, from working so hard to clean her and at her job.

He kissed up to the shoulder and traced with his tongue and lips the collar bone that jutted out against the skin. Tooru made a small noise and he nipped at it. He reached the hollow of her throat and kissed and licked at the skin there. Tooru's hand came to run through his hands and he paused, breathing into her skin.

He let her hands push his hair back, they ran through until they got to the base of his neck. Her hands ran down to his shoulders and stayed there. Her hands massaged at his shoulders. They were knotted with tension, and even her persistent hands couldn't relax them. He kissed up her neck then to her mouth and her hands splayed on his back gently linked around him.

He kissed her then, nibbling at her lips and tasting any bit she made available to him. Kissing was another thing that would be forbidden them in just a day or so's time.

Shigure lifted himself above her and then settled again his legs twining with hers. It took some effort to keep himself propped just far enough above to keep his chest from brushing hers and transforming, but he wanted to be able to look at her face as they lay together. Ayame had always claimed that it was the best way, but Ayame had fallen a little bit in love with every woman he had ever been with. Tooru was the first for Shigure, and it was something new for him.

Her eyes fluttered open as he continued to look down at her. Her arms were limply around his neck and she could feel his need pressing against her leg. He didn't move, waiting for her look.

She looked into his eyes and got lost. Usually they were shadowed and dark, unreadable. Tonight, in the darkness of her room, they fairly glowed. They were a dark gray, usually almost black. Tonight a hint of silver ran through them.

He finally entered her and she had to resist closing her eyes. She didn't want to loose sight of his eyes. They shone with such emotion, more than she'd ever seen in him. Some were easy to pick out, love, desire. There were confusing ones too, something that looked like desperation. His rhythm was slow and their build equally so.

It was a slow wave building between them, something to be savored. Shigure shifted, wanting her closer. He tugged at a leg and she took the hint, wrapping her legs around his hips. Her small legs clutched at him, the closest he'd ever known to a hug.

The silver in his eyes began to drop down, and she gasped as she felt him starting to come. It was all she needed to bring her over. In the midst of her climax she felt the silver continue to fall and realized what it was. Tears, Shigure was crying, it was tears falling about her.

They lay panting, still grasping at each other. One of her hands came wonderingly to caress his cheek and to wipe at the moisture there. He held her hand there for a minute, trying to control his breathing. He finally dropped his gaze from hers and released her hand. He dropped his head to the hollow of her neck and she looked at her damp fingers.

She knew then that something terrible was coming. Shigure rolled off of her and onto his back. Tooru stared at him, but he wouldn't look at her. Sick with fear Tooru rolled on her side to keep looking at him. Shigure kept his eyes on the ceiling, breathing hard. He'd stopped the tears through sheer force of will, but he daren't look at her again. He gave a shuddering gasp when he felt her take hold of one of his hands in hers.

She drew it to her and cradled her body around it. Shigure gave a muffled cry and rolled over, dragging her so that she was pressed against his shoulder. His arm was trapped between them, the only thing that kept him from transforming. His other hand came up to the back of her neck pinning her in place. It hurt a little, but Tooru let Shigure keep her close. They fell asleep that way.

Shigure breathed in her scent; he wouldn't have a chance to savor a simple moment like this for a while. He buried his face in her hair. When he told her that they'd have to hide their relationship, he might lose his chance to ever have this again. It wasn't her way to get angry, but she was so easily hurt. And a school semester was a long time for a young person to be without affection. She might forget his touch; she may decide that she could live without it. By that time, she might not want him at all. But he'd never stop wanting her, and so he held her while he could