Chapter 21 - short skirts among other things

Kureno ruffled Tohru's hair lightly. "Are you sure you're not ready to come home yet?"

Tohru laughed. "Yes, I want to know more about the Sohmas still." She clasped her hands. "Are there any other secrets about you I don't know, Ku-chan?"

"None that I know of, Tohru-san."

She laughed again as Kureno began opening the door.

"Ku-chan?"

"Hai?"

Tohru turned around to see a few of the hosts lingering around the main hall. "Did Uo-chan know? About all this..." She said a bit quieter, refering to the Sohma curse.

Kureno gave Tohru a peculiar look and then broke out in a grin. "About me being the Zodiac Host Club Rooster? You might say so."

Tohru's eyes widened. "She knew?"

"She also knew I was a rooster."

"She hugged you? B-but what about her memory? I thought no one could know such a secret!"

Kureno nodded. "Yes, and I was glad she did find out. She was frightened and tried to hit me with a broomstick, but after the fact, she said she loved me anyway." He looked away in nalstalga. "And I wouldn't want it any other way. I told Hatori-san about it, but I also told him that I wanted to marry Arisa." Kureno, for as long as Tohru knew him, never blushed so dark a shade before. "She promised never to tell anyone either and Hatori let us be." He turned on the shorter woman with pensive eyes. "I hope Hatori-san lets you be well also."

"He shows me nothing but kindness." Tohru smiled. "But anyway, that's a nice story, Ku-chan. I can't believe Uo-chan tried to hit you with a broom though."

"She couldn't find her lead pole... thankfully." He added as an after note. Tohru just laughed nervously. He waved to everyone. "Take care."

"Ah Ku-chan!" Tohru fished a letter from her apron and handed it to Kureno. "Please give this to my friends? And don't read it!"

He took it and told her it was in safe keeping. With that, the man departed with good news for his wife.

If he didn't come home with good news he'd have hell to pay.

"Okay, everyone!" Ayame announced while clapping his hands. "Back to business, eh? We must get the room ready for our customers!"

"I think it looks fine." Hatori muttered.

"Oh, Tori-san! This room must look better than fine! I must look fabulous! Yes, lots of colors-- lots and lots of colors! Food! Oh only the most opulent tastes and--"

"Forget I said anything." Hatori said while walking away.

Ayame spun around to find Shigure leafing through the paper. "Don't you agree, Gure-san?"

Shigure instantly popped out of his seat and went to hold Ayame's out reached hands. "Of course, Aya! I'd follow you to the ends of the earth and beyond!"

"Gure-san, you are my light and true companion!"

Hatori just sighed. "Don't you two get tired of this?"

Tohru moved towards the king of the club. "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

Ayame winked. "Just be your cute little self, yes? Having you here in my home is enough really! I'm so happy you chose to stay with me, my dear Tohru!"

"She wasn't staying here for you, you know." Kyo growled while setting up tables.

"Oh, and I suppose she's staying here for the food?" Ayame snaked an arms around her waist and struck a dramatic pose. "You know she wants me."

Suddenly everything just flipped upside down. Kyo never thought about it, but Ayame was quite close to Tohru. And that damn Yuki too. Momiji, Haru-- oh hell she was living in a house full of all men! This wouldn't do! He wouldn't let anyone take Tohru away from him.

'Since when did she becomes yours?' he asked himself.

Ayame watched Kyo's distorted facial features and grinned. He already got the cat in the bag. Oh how much fun it was to tease the young.

Ayame pushed Tohru closer to his side. "Unless, you were already pinning for her, Kyonkichi."

"A-Ayame-san!" Tohru blushed.

"You dirty man!" Kyo yelled out.

"You know you want her!" Momiji chimmed in while riding on Haru's back. " 'Oh Tohru, I love you so much!' "

" 'You're just too good to be true...' " Haru added.

" 'Can't take my eyes off of you!' " Momiji sang, motioning towards Tohru while batting his eye lashes.

"Stop it, you brat." Kyo punched Momiji on the head causing the teen to fall to the floor.

As Momiji began crying for all he was worth, Tohru's face only turned red at the thought of Kyo and her. But that was impossible! He was with Kagura... right? But then how does that explain the other day when he gave her the necklace? It seemed like Kyo was going to tell her something else before Haru came in. She could still feel his hands on her face, sending sparks throughout her body. Even when she was dating Satsuki, she never felt like this. Her entire body tingled.

" 'I love you baby! And if it's quite alright, I need you baby!' " Everyone was chanting in chorus now to 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You'. Kyo tried to contain himself but it wasn't working too well. He was itiching to punch someone right now. He caught Yuki staring at him from across the main hall and today in particular the stare was most annoying.

"You're staring at me."

Yuki's eyes only dulled. "And? It's a free country, I don't see any laws saying I can't just look at you... even though it's not a pretty sight to see." He added at the end in a lower tone.

"Yeah well your friggn' face is just girly."

"Is that so?"

"Yes that's so."

"Girly rather than your face that's uglier than a gorilla's butt."

"STOP!"

Everyone turned to Tohru, who was staring at everyone. "Um... I just... it's getting closer to opening so we should really get things in order." She didn't know why, but with everyone singing and Kyo and Yuki arguing, it was just system overload. They all acted like a group of children sometimes!

Yuki's face softened and he stood up from the wall he was leaning on. "Of course, Honda-san."

"They will be arriving soon, won't they?" Shigure added. "Kyo-kun, won't you help Tohru-kun with the tea?" He asked while bumping elbows with the younger man.

"Why the hell should I? Tohru can do it just fine."

"Because as your elder, I asked you to help her." Shigure inspected his nails in the same fashion as Ayame. "Unless you want to be a lazy @$$ and not help out."

Tohru rubbed her head, "um, I can do it by myself. Really..."

Shigure shook his head 'no'. "Kyo-kun must help you." His voice grew into a sing along. "Kyo is a lazy @$$, Kyo is a lazy @$$!"

Kyo glared at Shigure's head and just went to the kitchen. Even though he only made an apperance once a week, recently he found himself helping out and making quick apperances to help Tohru with her chores. He decided that Shigure was poking fun at him.

The jerk...

As Kyo disapperaed into the kitchen, Tohru looked sternly at the rest of the Sohmas. She didn't like to act like their mother, but enough was enough. "I don't think that teasing Kyo-kun is very nice."

Ayame waved a hand at her. "Don't worry about him, Tohru-kun. He's a big boy!"

"But Kyo-kun doesn't do anything like that to you." Tohru turned away to help Kyo with the tea. "It just doesn't seem right."

As she left Shigure chuckled. "Ah, young love."

"She scolded me! Me, the KING!" Ayame complained.

"Someone should yell at you sometimes," Hiro muttered.

Hatori turned to his long time friend while Ayame sat crying pitifully on his shoulder. Hatori didn't know who was worse, Ayame crying or Momiji crying. "So you think she loves him too?"

Shigure nodded his head. "Well, it must take a lot for Tohru-kun to actually, well, softly scold us." He turned to Hatori with sad puppy eyes. "What if she decides to not make dinner tonight? I was looking forward to it too! I couldn't bear to go out to eat anymore-- think of all the MSG or useless calories we'd be gaining again!" Hatori didn't say anything while Shigure came an inch closer to Hatori. "Do you think you'd make dinner, Ha-san?" He asked in a small voice.

"Keep dreaming."

"You're so cruel."

---

In the kitchen Tohru stopped and watched Kyo.

He was up on the counter, balanced on his knees while looking into the cupboard. She couldn't help but glance at his rather firm behind. Embarrassed at her thoughts, she looked away. Not that the sight was a bad thing to see.

"Where is that tea?" Kyo wondered outloud grumbling.

She busied herself by the sink to boil some water while Kyo moved to the side to search within the cupboard. "Um, which one, K-Kyo-kun?"

Hearing her faultering voice, Kyo stopped searching and bent under the cupboard door to glance at Tohru. Her face was pink and she looked a bit flushed. What was making her so nervous? He dismissed it, only wondering for a second if Ayame had said something to her to make her embarrassed.

"That one that is kind of sweet? I dunno, but I like it."

Tohru looked up at that. He liked that tea? She only served it on the days that Kyo would be hosting. She felt that since that day was always one of the special days, she might as well serve special tea. She had no idea that Kyo really liked that tea though.

"It's in the yellow box," she laughed, "I didn't know that you liked that tea."

"Yea, it's pretty good." He shuffled around the cupboard. "I don't see the yellow box."

Tohru wiped her hands on her apron and left the tea kettle on the stove. "Here, I'll get it." Kyo hopped off the counter to allow Tohru to climb up and search for it. "I know it's here somewhere..." She was a bit shorter that Kyo and ended up standing to search in the cupboard.

This time it was Kyo who began to blush. He was curious to find this mysterious yellow box with the sweet tea and stood close to Tohru. Maybe he would see where it was. But as soon as she stood up, he found the hem of her awfully short skirt ticking his nose. 'Whoa, buddy, hormone signal saying back off!' His mind freaked out. He almost got a nose bleed and moved elsewhere, not caring where that tea was anymore.

Tohru held the box firmly in her hand and turned around carfully to face Kyo. "Ah! Here, Kyo-kun, I found... KYO-KUN!" She only found him a few feet away with a bloody nose. "Kyo-kun, your nose!" Tohru was so frantic at the sight of blood she lost her footing on the counter and screamed as she tumbled to the kitchen floor.

"Tohru!" Kyo let go of his nose and ran to catch Tohru. He didn't catch her the way he planned, but still saved her from head injury as she fell ontop of him, both sprawled on the kitchen floor with tea bags tossed everywhere. His eyes widened as he felt all her weight onto of him. Images of a certain beach scene played in his head.

"Tohru-kun!" Kyo and Tohru turned to the doorway to see Shigure running in. "Oh, my are you okay? We heard you scream." After Shigure came Hatori and Ayame as well.

Ayame pointed at Tohru with a ghastly face. "MY POOR BABY! Quick! Call the doctor! I need help!"

"Oddly enough, I know you need help but I'm no miracle worker, Ayame."

"Did Ha-san just make a joke?" Shigure wondered. "He really amazes me." Hatori then cleared his throat and looked away. Shigure stared at him and then at the pair sprawled on the floor. Shigure's eyes widened rather largely and he looked away instantly.

Tohru realized she had not fallen hard on the floor, but Kyo had caught her. She sighed and just let her head drop on Kyo's chest in relief. "Phew, I'm okay now. Kyo-kun saved me thankfully."

Kyo tensed at the feeling of her relaxing over his body. He could feel his hormones acting up and hoped to God she didn't notice anything and that she would get up soon. Not that he minded this position, but things like this could be done in a different circumstance.

'AH! Baka, stop thinking like this!'

Tohru looked up to see Hatori and Shigure looking away from Kyo and herself with rather red faces. What was the matter with them?

Ayame cleared his throat and put a hand down to help Tohru off the ground. "The shade of blue is quite nice on your bottom, Tohru-kun, but maybe next time you can skip on the paw prints?"

Tohru gasped and quickly grabbed Ayame's hand, standing up to pull her skirt down. Oh, how embarassing! She couldn't believe what a shameful thing she'd just displayed for Hatori, Shigure and Ayame! Her undergarnments for the world to see!

To say the least, Kyo was surprised. Hatori, okay he could understand why the man would look away, but Shigure? Being the perverted dog he was, Kyo was surprised he actually looked away. But glad nonetheless. Shigure wasn't that bad after all. And Tohru's panties? Paw print? This was really doing a number on his rather unsettled hormones. He tried not to think on it, but how could he not? He mentally beat himself for imagining bad thoughts.

Tohru began bowing madly while Kyo sat up on the floor. "I'm sooo sorry! I can't believe I just... you know! I feel so scuzzy now, gomen nasi! I was such a fool to climb the counters like that! We were trying to get the tea and Kyo-kun couldn't find it, so I tried to find it. I did but then Kyo-kun had a nosebleed and I fell, and, I'm...!" She quickly turned around with a broom appearing in her hand. "I'll clean it up right away!"

Shigure watched as she began tidying up the floor, still muttering apologies. Shigure walked over and helped Kyo off the floor. "A nosebleed eh? I wonder what you saw that made you get a nosebleed."

Ayame laughed. "What in deed. Whatever it was, he must have liked it, don't you think, Gure-san?"

"A female's bottom? I'm sure he liked it."

Kyo gave Shigure an evil glare while the other man only kept smiling. Shigure for one was surprised Kyo didn't burst out violently. Quite but deadly wasn't Kyo's thing. More like violent and angry.

The tea kettle boiled and Kyo just walked away from Shigure to prepare the tea. He stood there for a moment and glared at the tea kettle. Finally he turned off the heat and shook the tea kettle violently into the tea pots.

"Damn you stupid tea to hell!" Kyo cursed.

Hatori made Ayame and Shigure get out of the kitchen. He for one didn't feel like getting scalled by hot water today. Guess he was violently angry.

Tohru on the other hand was still trying to calm her nerves. She felt so unclean, flashing everyone with her panties! She snuck a glance at Kyo. At least he didn't see. She would have died right on the spot.

Seeing Kyo punishing the tea for no reason, she put the broom down and went to Kyo's side.

"Damn friggn' tea!" Kyo kept cursing while water splashed everywhere. Misdirected rage. Some of the water splashed on her apron and Tohru put her hand up to block any hot water from hitting her face.

Tohru watched for a moment and smiled. He must have been just as mortified as she was. Softly, she placed her hand on his tensed arm and at the slightest touch he paused. His head snapped to her and their eyes met.

"Kyo-kun, you're making me wet."

Kyo's mouth just hung open. He wasn't sure if Tohru understood what she just said but suddenly he really needed to get further away from her. He could already feel a hot sensation run throughout his body. This wasn't good.

"W-what?"

Tohru laughed and took the kettle from Kyo's hands. "You were getting hot water all over the place."

The boy turned away. So that was what she meant... oh boy, this girl really knew how to drive a guy crazy. 'Dirty mind! Idiot, idiot, idiot!' He cursed himself.

"I'll finish the tea." She said.

"O-okay."

Tohru finished preparing the tea when the main hall just outside the kitchen burst with voices. The club must have opened by now. She turned around holding Kyo's tea cup. She stared at it fondly since it was a shade of orange.

"Kyo-kun, do you want to try the tea?"

He looked up from the table. He didn't know why but even though he decided sitting at the table would put some good distance away from him and Tohru, he still wanted to be close to her all the same time. WIthout knowing it, she already had him wrapped around her finger. He just couldn't say no to her.

She smiled. "Maybe you'd like a slice of cake with your tea? I baked it yesterday for the Sohma girls, but they left before I could serve it. It might be really good!"

He couldn't get the image out of his head. Would this be what it would be like to live with Tohru? Just the two of them, sharing a snack and tea? She calming his nerves but making them race all the same? He watched her place a plate of cheesecake in front of him with his tea cup beside it. He didn't know when she did that but that was Tohru for you: always thinking of others. She sat down next to him at the circular table and poured herself a cup of tea. No one had ever made him feel so wanted of his company. What was his life like before he met her? He probabbly would still be living alone in that house outside the main house.

He watched her take a small bite and grin. He picked up his own silver fork and followed suite and his eyes lit up. "Whoa, this is good!"

"Do you think so? Is it too sweet?"

Kyo took a bigger bite. "No, it's actually really good-- I mean," He looked away, "it's... it's okay or whatever..." He heard her giggle and he turned to her again. He watched her face light up with utter gratitude. He could live off of those beautiful smiles of hers.

Tohru took her fork and poked a strawberry, popping the juicy fruit into her mouth. He laughed and leaned on the table to watch her enjoy the cake. The fork that was playing at her lips... how envious he was of the item for the moment. What would her lips taste like? He shook his head and just watched her. He pushed his plate closer to her and rolled his strawberry onto her plate. "Do you like strawberries?"

She had the fork between her lips and she stared at him with those beautiful sapphire eyes. They lit up like diamonds. "I love strawberries! Thank you."

He pulled his plate back toward him and began to eat his slice again. "I thought so..."

She watched him take another bite as crumbs littered the corner of his mouth. It reminded her of a cute little child eager for dessert. Honestly she found this disgusting, but on Kyo it was... well, adorable. Dare she say it... she might even say it was rather sexy. "Kyo-kun," she laughed with a light blush. The young man turned to her with questioning eyes. She only giggled and leaned over to dabbed the corner of his mouth making Kyo freeze. "You've got a little cheesecake..."

She never got to finish her sentance since the next thing she knew, her lips met his in one sweet kiss.
yeahy finally!

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