Chapter 17 - Be Still

"Day two of our super cool Blue Beaches vacation!" Tohru cheered sitting up in her bed. The alarm clock rang 9 AM. Kyo told her the night before that she should sleep in. 'You're always up so early...' he said. She agreed to his wishes but in the morning light she instantly woke up, awaiting to embrace the new day.

"Mgh..." Kyo responded still a bit sleepy. Tohru looked toward Kyo's disheveled sheets and laughed quietly while turning off the alarm.

"Kyo-kun, I thought you were an early riser..." Tohru wondered outloud as Kyo turned his head to her side while hugging his pillow to his head so only his eyes peaked out at her. She blushed seeing him look so adorable with sleep still swimming in his eyes.

"I didn't sleep very well last night..." He mumbled.

"Was it too cold? I could have turned the air down and just opened the window. I'm so sorry, I was inconsiderate to your sleeping patterns!"

"That wasn't it... I um... had a sore back." He lied. Really he just couldn't sleep knowing that Tohru was in the same room as him. After he realized that he really did like Tohru while standing at the beach the evening before, he didn't know how to go about courting her. It didn't matter anyway since she thought he was falling for a different girl. In reality, he couldn't imagine himself wanting to be with anyone else but her.

But he could never tell her that... not now anyway.

"Oh." she only answered. "Well, I'll go get dressed in the bathroom okay?"

"Sure." He turned around as she got up from her bed and stayed that way until he heard the click of the bathroom door. Finally he released a breath and sat up in his own bed as well while hitting the palm of his hand to his forehead.

"Damnit." He cursed aloud. Why did she have this effect on him so that he just turned into putty the instant she walked into a room? This wasn't like him at all. He got up and quickly dressed out of his pajama pants and into a pair of blue jeans that ripped at his knee. He just started taking off his shirt when the click of the bathroom door sounded and it swung open.

"Oh!" He heard Tohru. She stared at him as he was already lifting his shirt, his amber orbs only staring back at her. She 'eeped' and turned around quickly while panicking in her usual fashion. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were still sitting in bed so I changed quickly so you can use the bathroom, but I--!"

"It's okay, I'm done."

She waited a moment before turning around to see Kyo had his eyes closed while he tied his shoe laces, sitting on the bed. She'd never seen Kyo with his shirt off before, well save those few time she ran into him on accident and saw him transform back to a human on occasions, but it still made her heart race. She didn't want to stare at him so openly and tried to pretend it didn't happen. He would think she was a sicko or something!

She walked over to her bag to get her hair brush, combing out the few knotts in her hair before braiding it and then slipping on a pair of pink flip-flops on her tiny feet. Her entire wardrobe was made by Ayame and Mine. She kept telling them they really did not need to make her clothes and that she was fine with the few outfits she had, but the duo always managed to 'slip' clothes into her room.

Kyo finished up getting ready as the pair went down to the lobby for a quick bite before touring the area. They went to the lobby where they were serving continental breakfast. It was all typical breakfast foods so they each picked a few items and sat down at a small table out-looking the ocean. It looked like a great day to swim. Clear skies, a beautiful sun, the ocean pleading for someone to jump into it's refreshing waters.

"Do you think we can go for a swim later, Kyo-kun?" Tohru asked before taking a bite out of her red apple slice.

Kyo already took a bite of his muffin and unfortunately couldn't answer her right away. She waited but Kyo just kept chewing. He looked rather annoyed with the dry muffin.

"Don't you hate it when that happens?" Tohru laughed after a minute of Kyo chewing his food.

He finally swallowed the thing and took a sip of milk saying, "Stupid dry muffin." He coughed and settled for eating a small bowl of cereal. "Sorry, I was distracted by that God-for-saken piece of shoot."

Tohru feigned a shocked look. "What? I didn't know it tastes like...!"

Kyo gave her a weird look. "It was a joke. It doesn't really taste like..."

"Erm, ah, o-okay." She looked away and dipped some kind of sandwich into her coffee. She leaned over and took a bite out of it.

Kyo watched her with fascination. "Do you like that?"

She looked down at her sandwich and then back at Kyo with a bright smile. "Yes! My mother used to make it for me when I was smaller... ah, but I used chocolate milk instead of coffee."

"What is it?"

"Peanut butter spread on bread and folded in half. Then I dunk it in this coffee and milk mixture."

"Sounds weird."

"AH! Does it? I can eat something else if it bothers you!"

"Can I try?"

Tohru stared at Kyo and nodded. "Of course!" She ripped a piece of the folded up sandwich and dunked it for him. "Here!"

Kyo went to grab it but the bread dripped with the milky substance. "It's all soggy now."

Tohru looked down to her hand and beckoned it closer to Kyo. "Here, just take the bite from my hand."

"Are you serious?"

She went back into panic mode. "Ah, what am I thinking? This is inappropriate! It's a bad idea! Here, I'll eat this and you can dunk your own if you'd..." Suddenly Tohru saw Kyo lean over and nimbly bite the bread from her thumb and index finger. He paused, still hovering over the table as she let go of the piece for Kyo to eat. She could feel his warm breath stiring sensations on her sensitive fingers. After chewing he looked up and Tohru found her fingers jump away from him and settle in her lap. It made her heart race!

He smirked, "Wow, that's gross." She only looked at him shyly. "But it's pretty okay."

She bit her lip gently trying to make her blush go down. 'Please calm down my foolish heart.' She tried to find the words to fill the silence. "Um, maybe it's an acquired taste!"

"I bet."

"S-So, Kyo-kun," Tohru stuttered, trying to get her act together, "did you want to go for a swim?"

"Sure, if you want..."

"But you don't like water do you?"

"It's okay or whatever... I just don't prefer it." He said while putting some peanut butter on his toast.

"We could just play in the sand then."

Kyo gave her a doubtful look while folding his bread in half and dunking it in her milk and coffee mixture. "And I look like I'm five?" He took a bite of his own bread.

"Ahaha, it's really fun." She only laughed. "We could make a sand castle!" He caught himself smiling with her only shaking his head side to side.

"Okay, we'll check it out later."

"So you like the dipped bread, hua?" She asked after a moment of watching Kyo eat his own toast.

"It's not as bad as I thought."

"Maybe I could make it for you when we get home!"

He blushed thinking of Tohru making him a special breakfast. Something that only he and her shared. Something special.

"Sure, Tohru. Sure."

---

They walked down a path that led to the beach. Tohru took her slippers off and hopped onto the hot sand as Kyo also took his shoes off.

"Let's make a castle right here!" She said ploping down onto the sand. Kyo knelt down next to her as she began gathering sand into a mound.

"It's too close to the water. It'll just wash away."

She looked to the ocean and back at Kyo. "Do you think so?"

"The tide will just get higher you know."

"Oh..."

Kyo stared down at the sand and sighed, taking a seat next to her. "But we can make it here if you want."

She smiled and they began making a castle.

After a few minutes, Kyo sat back, leaning his palms on the sand. "This looks really stupid."

"Eh?"

"Is it supposed to be a sand castle? It looks kind of lopsided."

"Ah! Maybe it can be the Leaning Tower of Piza!" She giggled. Kyo smirked and tilted his head to the side still staring at the 'castle'.

"It still looks really weird."

"We could make another one!"

"If you want to..."

She gave him another brilliant grin. He could hear his heart hammering in his chest with just that token of a smile.

"Kyo-kun?"

Her voice pulled him out of his stupor. "What?"

"Um... well I've been meaning to ask you, how are you feeling lately?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just the past few days," she put her hands to her sides staring down at their little leaning tower, "you've been acting differently. Y-you don't have to tell me what it is, it's just that well," she stole a quick glance at him before turning away, "I'm worried about you."

Kyo looked off into the horizon as a breeze blew by. She was worried about him because he'd been acting differently? He didn't expect her to pick up on his emotions but it seemed his body language said enough. He blushed at the idea of telling her what was really bothering him.

"It's nothing." He smiled in her direction. "Don't worry yourself about it, you worry about too many things. What's bothering me..." he looked down at their tower as well, "I don't know if I can tell you yet. But maybe it'll just pass."

'Falling in love with Tohru? Just let it pass? I don't know if I ever could...'

With the tower between the couple, Tohru placed her hand on top of Kyo's, looking up with fretful eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm prying, I just care so much about you. I'm concerned about you, Kyo-kun. Please don't hesitate to tell me what's wrong. I really want to know what you're feeling."

'If only I could tell...' He closed his eyes.

Suddenly a wave came crashing down on them.

"Wahh!" Tohru cried.

Kyo opened his eyes when the wave receded back to the ocean. "Damn you ocean!" Damn you to hell!"

"Our castle! It melted!"

Kyo looked down to see the tower indeed washed away. "It didn't melt... the ocean just messed it up."

She looked down at her wet clothes and laughed while standing up. "Well, if I'm wet, I might as well swim!"

Tohru instantly began sheading clothes off her herself while laughing about how the ocean spray tickled. Kyo was turned around, ringing his shirt dry, when he jumped back shielding his eyes from her body. "W-what the hell are you doing?"

She turned around saying, "What? I'm going to go swim..." He peeked between his fingers to see she was wearing a swim suit that thankfully was not scandalous. It was a simple purple-colored two piece. No overly exposed skin, no provocative string bikini. Kyo glanced around to see there were a few other people on the beach and sighed. He thanked that Ayame or Mine had provided an appropriate bathing suit for her at least.

"What, did you think I was just going to swim nude?" She laughed nervously.

'Heh. That wouldn't be a bad idea...'

Kyo punched himself in the head.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru cried running to this side. "Are you okay?"

"Yes..." He brushed her off of him and just trudged over to the water. Tohru stared at his back and simply shrugged her shorts off. She ran into the wave and dove right in.

"Ohh, it's cold!"

Kyo put his feet in and watched her wade in the shallow water. She waved at him and he gave her short wave back. Behind him he heard a group of girls giggling. Turning around he saw they were quietly talking about him but he only turned around ignoring them. He only had eyes for one girl now.

'I was worried about you...'

He closed his eyes again.

'I really want to know what you're feeling...'

'Could I? Could I ever really tell her what I'm feeling?' He wondered.

'I just really care about you...'

Tohru...

"Come in, Kyo-kun!" Tohru called as a wave knocked her over. Opening his eyes just in time to see her get knocked over, Kyo laughed out as she reemerged from under the water sputtering.

Kyo took his shirt off as well and tossed it toward Tohru's and his things before walking over to her. "You know I don't like to get wet..."

She put her fists up. "You don't have to go in then! I just thought you looked lonely standing at the shore!"

'I haven't been lonely since I met you...' he thought. Tohru stared up at him as he watched her with a small smile. Tohru's eyes widened. Maybe he was enjoying himself now!

"Kyo-kun, maybe...!"

"Hey, look out!" He yelled jumping infront of her.

The next thing she knew, she and Kyo were tumbling under water and finally her back suddenly hit the sand hard. She stiffened until she felt the water retrogress back to the ocean before letting out her breath now panting lightly on the shore.

"Tohru..."

She looked up and there Kyo was on top of her, both of his hands above her head and his legs sprawled around her legs not to crush her under his weight. Her eyes grew when she thought about their current situation and heat rose to her cheeks, both Kyo and herself thinking to same thing.

'Be still my foolish heart!'

Kyo rolled over her and got up from the sand pulling her up with him. "A-are you okay?"

She only nodded as she rubbed her sore back. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking..."

"Don't apologize for something you couldn't predict." He watched her rub her sore back and concern came over him. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I-I'm okay, I just hit my back kind of hard on the sand."

"Let's go back to the hotel maybe you should go... take a look at it." He muttered while grabbing their things. That had been very embarassing. Thousands of thoughts ran thought his male mind as he began walking for the hotel without Tohru, trying to calm himself down. First the whole breakfast sence now this! What was coming over him? He ate food from her hand... like they were a real couple of something! And now he'd just found himself in the most heinous position on the beach: him in just his swim trunks and her in her purple bikini. Oh God, what was he supose to do? She didn't know how much she was affecting evey part of his body!

Tohru followed him without a word seeing how awkward that was for both of them. Secretly, to her it felt rather nice... being so close to him just then. But what was she thinking? Kyo wouldn't like her that way! She was just thinking about this too much. They were friends! Nothing romantic would ever happen between herself and Kyo! It just couldn't!

Could it?

---

Tohru took a shower and put some ointment on her back seeing that a shell scratched her. Feeling rather refreshed she walked out to find Kyo sitting on the balcony looking out at the beach.

"I know you don't like to get wet, so sorry I am being such a bother. We can do what you want for the rest of the day." She said startling him. He turned away.

"You're not a bother. Stop talking like that." He hopped off the railing and walked to the bathroom to take a shower as well. Tohru didn't know what to do. She was just putting him in a bad mood now! She had to make his vacation with her fun too! She leaned on the railing looking down at the plaza a few blocks away. Maybe Kyo would rather walk around than go swimming anymore. Besides, today was their last day at the beach. She turned to the table to see that Kyo had kept all those orange shells he and herself picked out the other day. She guessed he left them out to dry. She hoped that special girl would like his present.

Even though she wished that girl would be her.

The afternoon ran smoother than that morning, the pair just touring around the plaza that Tohru spotted from their room. Kyo didn't seem to be in a bad mood either which cheered her up ten fold. She stopped to look in a window.

"What is it?" Kyo asked coming to her side.

"Do you think Momiji-kun would like that?" She asked pointing at a little bunny in swimwear holding a glass of lemonade. "I want to bring him something for being so kind as buying tickets to go to the beach..."

"How the hell would I know if that brat would like it?" He wondered aloud as Tohru just giggled.

"I'll only be a second, Kyo-kun," she promised as she went inside to buy Momiji a gift. Kyo leaned on the wall when his eye caught a farmiliar person across the street. That same person suddenly turned on him as well giving him a smile. No way... it couldn't be!

"S-Shishou?" Kyo studdered out as her former master came over. The man was taller than Kyo with grayish hair. "You cut you're hair, master!"

"Kyo! So nice to see you, what are you doing by the beach this summer? Yuki-kun and the others did not come?"

"Ah..." Kyo's face darkened. "I should be asking you why you're here." He quickly changed the subject.

Kazuma faultered before smiling. "You're avoiding my question, Kyo."

"Sorry if I took so long!" Tohru came out of the store to suddenly run into Kyo with open arms. She stepped back and looked over Kyo's shoulder, staring at the older man. "Eh?"

Kazuma's eyes rolled back to Kyo, the young man's aura just exploding with nervousness. "So this is why..."

"TOHRU!" Kyo suddenly yelled out making Tohru jump at her name. "Ah, I mean, this is Tohru Honda... she's bording at the main house-- I mean she's working or whatever but everyone's nice, and..."

Kazuma's grin only grew wider. "Hello musume-san..." he raised an eyebrow at Kyo, "I am correct saying you are a 'young unmarried girl' am I not?"

Tohru bowed while Kyo just turned away to hide his face. "Yes, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you... um..."

Kazuma turned on Kyo. "Kyo, you have not spoken about your master to this girl? I'm surprised."

Tohru's head popped up. "Oh! You're Kyo-kun's master? That is wonderful!" She clasped her hands. "He tells me you are the best!" Kyo's face only reddened further as his master's eyes creased with his ever handsome grin.

"I see. Well let me introduce myself properly. I am Kazuma Sohma, Kyo's former master and adoptive father."

"A Sohma! Oh that's wonderful! And you're Kyo-kun's father? That's even more amazing! Are all the Sohmas handsome? I didn't know Sohmas were just about everywhere around here!"

Kyo pushed his master away. "Okay, nice to see you Shishou, I'll phone once in a while..."

"Oh, but don't you want to know what I'm doing here at the beach?" He asked knowing Kyo's feeling for the girl the instant she came up behind them. "I'm training."

Kyo stopped at that. "You were training?"

Kazuma nodded his head. "In the art of cooking."

Kyo and Tohru both fell over.

"Well it is admirable that you are willing to learn that kind of art." Tohru said politely.

"Your cooking always sucked..."

Kazuma gave Kyo a sharp stare at that, but only laughed it off. "Yes, I believe this is an area I needed improvement in so I've come here to learn a little."

Tohru stepped forward. "If you would like, I would be happy to teach you what little I know about cooking!"

"Oh, I'd hate to bother your vacation..."

"No, no it would be an honnor to help someone as great as Kazuma-san! I've seen Kyo-kun fight with Yuki-kun and Hatsuharu-kun and he really is good, I'm amazed really. Not to mention Kyo-kun taught me a few basic moves too!"

"Please don't show him..." Kyo muttered seeing Tohru about to demonstrate a punch.

She put her arms down instantly. "So to know that such a great person like you taught him, well it's just so awesome!"

Kazuma looked at Kyo and the boy only shrugged. Kazuma nodded. "Then let me take you to my beach house."

---

Tohru and Kazuma stood in the kitchen, Tohru being a patient teacher and Kazuma being a good student. With his fast hands and sharp memory he copied Tohru's movements perfectly. Besides burning only the edges of their meal, dinner was delicious.

Kazuma took a bite and his eyes lit up. "I don't think I've had something this good tasting in a long while. I thank you very much, Honda-san. It was a pleasure you teaching me."

"Oh the pleasure is all mine!"

Kazuma turned to Kyo. "How do you like it, Kyo?"

Kyo looked up and back at his plate. "It's good."

"You know, Kyo used to cook when he lived with me," Kazuma said starting a conversation with Tohru. "He'd rather labor in the kitchen than risk his life with my poison," he said while taking a bite of his rice. Tohru giggled at that as Kyo only ignore them.

"It was better than dying of starvation, Master." Kyo responded after a moment.

"That is true."

"You two must get a long very well." Tohru said making both males look at her. "I mean, it's obvious you know each other very well."

"I nearly raised Kyo as a boy..." Kazuma said after a moment reminising on old times. "And he's dear to me." Kyo stared at his master, a sense of nostalgia running through his own memories. Indeed he too missed those days.

After dinner, Kyo and Kazuma washed dishes as Tohru cleaned the table. It was plesant silence, just like when Kyo used to live with the man. Kyo would wash, Kazuma would rinse, just like old times.

"She's a nice girl, Kyo." Kazuma said after a moment. "You're in love with her aren't you?"

"WHAT?" Kyo dropped the plate back into the sink and quickly lowered his voice. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't transform. When Honda-san ran into you earlier this afternoon, you didn't transform." Kazuma darted a glance at Kyo. "Is this why you're here? On a date? Wow, you really are growing up."

"It-it's not a date, Shishou!" Kyo hissed trying to keep his voice down. "That damn Momiji broke his leg and he insisted that I take Tohru here in his place. That's it."

"I see..." Kazuma took a glass from Kyo's hand as silence englufed the kitchen. "So are you courting her?"

"Shishou!"

"I'm done cleaning the table." Tohru said entering the kitchen. Kyo stopped gawking at his master and began furiously scrubbing at the last glass in the sink. She watched the pair and only saw Kazuma give her a slight smile before turning around to finish drying the dishes.

"Don't lose her." Kazuma whispered in Kyo's ear before hanging the dish rag on a rack. Kyo dried his hands and stared at Tohru, she watching with confused eyes. He wouldn't dream of losing her. Ever.

---

The pair said their good byes to Kazuma as they stepped out of his summer house after more conversing between Kyo and his master. "It was nice meeting you, Kazuma-san," the young girl said.

"And a pleasure meeting you." He turned to Kyo. "Tell Shigure-san I say hello as well as Yuki-kun and everyone else."

"Sure thing, Shishou!" Kyo called out as he and Tohru began walking back to their hotel. "Bye."

Kazuma watched them go before the phone rang. He waited a moment longer before closing the door and going in search of the phone. "That must be her calling."

Meanwhile, Tohru and Kyo walked in calm silence. "He's a very nice man. I can see why you want to be like him." Tohru said as they walked further away from Kazuma.

"Yeah... he's like a father to me since I spent mostly all my childhood with him. He's pretty cool."

Tohru nodded and the night fell silent. She looked up to the sky and smiled. "You know, Satsuki would never take me out like this..."

Kyo looked at her a moment. She was still thinking about that guy?

"Actually... I don't remember him taking me anywhere really..." she said quietly. Kyo put his hands in his pockets and grunted. She turned on him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Dandy." He retorted with slight sarcasm. Kyo picked up his pace as Tohru had to quicken her own as well. She decided not to say anything for the rest of the night seeing Kyo's body language changing.

'Why is she still thinking about that @$$ hole? Doesn't she see that just thinking about him is making her upset?'

'Making her upset or you?' his mind responded. He took a deep breath. He shouldn't be thinking like this at the moment. Right now, Tohru needed to have someone ease that pain.

Actually he recalled another reason he couldn't get any sleep last night. Besides the fact that Tohru was in the room with him, he heard her quietly crying. He remembered sitting up and looking over to her side of the room, her face turned towards him just quietly crying in her sleep.

'That bastard.' Kyo thought. He promised he'd help Tohru though this. She needed to feel better about herself. She needed someone to tell her... he loved her...

"That's stupid."

"What?" Tohru asked.

"Ah, nothing."

She nodded and turned away, frowning as he watched her on the corner of his eye. If she would stop thinking about him then maybe she would stop crying.

But he didn't know if he could tell her he loved her, and if she would feel the same.

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