The Remedy

By NubbsyBell

"Don't forget the order of operations", Yuki coached as Tohru chewed on her pencil. "Oh, right!" She said, her eyes never leaving the paper. "I have to divide first". Tohru's pencil started moving. "That's right", nodded Yuki approvingly as he watched her work the problem. Another night of tutoring was in session at the Sohma house. Yuki leaned back to give Tohru some room while she worked the problem. Dinner was long over, and a quarter-moon was peeking over the wall outside of Yuki's bedroom window. Yuki turned his gaze back to Tohru who was scratching furiously with the pencil at her paper. "There"! She said triumphantly, turning to show her work to Yuki. "Very Good"! He encouraged. "Now let's see if you can do the next one by yourself". Tohru smiled up at him, and their eyes met. "Those are the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen", Yuki thought for the hundredth time. "Blue like the sea", he thought, and things around him grew hazy. Yuki suddenly had the sensation of being enveloped in a balmy ocean breeze. He pictured himself diving into the beautiful blue pools of Tohru's eyes. He was instantly surrounded by the warm, blue liquid. He did the back stroke for a moment, and then dove down under the shimmering surface into the deep blue where he felt he could drift for hours. "But, then again, maybe Tohru's eyes are more like sky", thought Yuki. He pictured himself taking a running leap into the blue and soaring into the firmament of her eyes. He dipped and circled and glided along being caressed by gentle breezes as he flew. "Yuki, are you alright"? Suddenly, Yuki took a nose-dive. He felt himself falling and crashing back into reality. Tohru sat with a quizzical look on her face staring at Yuki who had his mouth slightly open and the blankest expression on his countenance. He snapped to attention. "Yes, I'm fine"! Yuki exclaimed blushing slightly. He had been caught daydreaming again. It was getting worse, and he knew it. "Oh, right", Yuki fumbled. He began to sweat nervously. "Let me see…yes, very good Miss Honda. Yuki took a deep breath in an effort to compose himself. Now, this next one you will solve for X, so you have to invert the equation". Yuki leaned into Tohru to show her how to accomplish this. As he did their shoulders brushed together, and he felt a shiver go down his spine. "Like this", he tried to keep his cool, and ignore the sensation. Yuki demonstrated the problem; then leaned away again so Tohru could have room to work. His eyes fell on her long locks of brown. "So shiny and soft', he thought and was instantly transformed again by the vision. He pictured wind whipping about him with Tohru sitting near his side, and those long locks trailing softly against his face. He buried his nose in them, and nuzzled her contentedly. He pictured that long brown hair cascading, falling down onto his face as he put his arms around her and leaned back, pulling her down with him. "Um, Yuki", Tohru queried, "Is there something on my face"? Tohru was sure she must look terribly strange. Why else would Yuki stare at her so? She felt her cheeks with her hands, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Yuki shook himself into reality. "I'm sorry Miss Honda", he sputtered, "I guess it has been a long day", Yuki lied. "Maybe we should stop", Tohru said her voice full of concern. "No, it's alright!" Yuki insisted. "OK", Tohru smiled, "but if this gets to be too much for you just say so, please". Her eyes pleaded with him to be truthful. She was sure something was wrong.

"The next one is a word problem", Yuki went back into tutor mode as inconspicuously as possible. "Read the directions completely, and you may want to draw a simple graph just to keep things straight" he offered. "Yes", Tohru stared at the page, and licked her lips in concentration. "Those lips", Yuki sighed, "So inviting, like…, I don't know…, exotic fruit", he mused, "Or soft, pink candy…" Yuki was gone on another daydream again. Tohru was smiling at him with those appealing lips of hers. Her eyes closed, and her chin began to tilt upward, offering those luscious lips to him. Yuki saw himself lung forward to accept her gift. He wanted to bite gently into those soft lips with his teeth, they looked so yummy…. "It's your asthma, isn't it"? Tohru put a hand on Yuki's forehead to check for a fever. Yuki felt his face flush. "I am such an idiot", he chided himself under his breath. "I think maybe I should get some tea", Tohru offered. "Maybe that would help". She rose to her feet. Yuki didn't stop her. He figured he could use the time to compose himself. He watched Tohru rise, smooth her skirt, and turn to leave. "She has a really nice shape too", Yuki contemplated. As Tohru turned to go, his eyes trailed down her curves and came to rest on her backside. To and fro, to and fro, Yuki felt his eyes sway gently, rhythmically with her hips as Tohru left the room. He felt suddenly dizzy. "I'm turning into Shigure!" he exclaimed, and shuddered at the thought. He had to get a grip on himself. Yuki walked to the window and threw it open. Maybe the night air would help him snap out of it.

Tohru toddled past Shigure and into the kitchen to start the tea kettle. "How's the studying going"? he asked her, setting down his newspaper. "Oh, fine I guess, but I think Yuki might be coming down with something" Tohru offered, hoping for some advice. "What seems to be the problem"? Shigure smirked. He had an idea, but he wanted to hear it from the source. "Well, he seems kind of dazed, like he can't concentrate, and he stares a lot. I even think he was drooling slightly", Tohru's voice trailed off in a tone of concern. Shigure began to snicker as the tea kettle whistled. "I don't think tea is going to help with this" he chuckled. "But I will tell you what I think you should do". "What's that"? Tohru begged as Shigure shot her an impish grin, and motioned her over to him. He whispered his remedy for Yuki's "condition" into Tohru's eager ear.

Moments later, Tohru entered Yuki's room again, tea tray in hand. She was met by a much more composed Yuki. "Oh, good, you look a little better!" She exclaimed. She poured Yuki a cup of tea and handed it to him. Yuki was forcing himself not to look at her, and was instead trying to think of something disgusting to fill his errant thoughts with. As Tohru handed him the warm cup, his nose caught the faintest whiff of her perfume. That was all it took. Yuki's expression glazed over again, and his jaw went slightly slack. "Yuki, speak to me"! Tohru pleaded. She shook Yuki gently back into reality. "Miss Honda", Yuki sighed, "maybe we had better quit for the night", He conceded. "I guess I am not feeling so normal after all". Yuki sipped the tea and tried to breathe in its scent instead. "Yes, I agree" said Tohru. "I'll get my things, but before I go, come sit down here Yuki". She motioned to the chair he had been occupying a few moments before. Yuki was a little taken aback by her request, but willing to comply. He pulled the chair out and sat down facing her. Tohru's next move caught Yuki completely off guard. She walked over to him, placed one hand on his shoulder to steady herself, and then lowered her cute little behind right down on his lap! Yuki thought he would die of heart failure on the spot. "M-m-miss H-Honda"? Yuki sputtered. His throat had gone dry. "W-what are you doing"? No, he wasn't imagining this. This was the real deal, and Yuki Sohma was completely unnerved by it. His palms began to sweat. Tohru smiled innocently at him. "Shigure told me since you have asthma if I sat in your lap it would help you breathe better… or harder… or something". Tohru knit her brow as she tried to remember what Shigure had said. She looked up at Yuki. He sat there speechless, looking dumbfounded. "I never thought I'd die happy" was all he could think. "No good, huh" Tohru surmised by Yuki's vacant expression. "Shigure told me if that didn't work, then I should…" she struggled to remember. "Oh, I know! She exclaimed. "I should cup my hands behind your neck, and put my nose really close to yours". Tohru did so as she spoke. Yuki felt all the strength go out of his arms as Tohru's nose closed in on him. She stopped with her face so near he could feel her breath on his mouth. "Does this help"? She blinked at Yuki with such an innocent look; he thought he would melt into a puddle. "Um, uh", Yuki stammered trying not to hyperventilate. How long was he going to be able to control himself?

"What the hell is going on here"? An angry voice boomed from the doorway. Kyo leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed accusingly. He had a completely shocked expression on his face. "Oh, Kyo"! Tohru smiled, never moving from her perch atop Yuki's lap. "Welcome home"! "Yuki's been tutoring me", Tohru offered sweetly as she turned to greet him. "You damn rat! Are you trying to corrupt her"? Kyo snarled as he stepped towards Yuki menacingly. Yuki's face flushed. He felt like he had been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. "This isn't what it looks like, idiot!" Yuki snapped as he jumped to his feet, spilling Tohru onto the floor. "Miss Honda! I'm sorry!" he stammered. Now Yuki really was flustered, so much so that he could only think to dart from the room. Yuki slammed Kyo hard with his shoulder as he passed by him, and ran down the stairs towards the back door. Peals of hysterical laughter rang out from Shigure in the kitchen and trailed after Yuki as he ran off into the darkness towards his secret base.

"What did that damn rat do to you?" Kyo offered a hand up to Tohru who had landed on the floor only moments before. "Nothing", she said, somewhat surprised at Kyo's accusation. "Yuki was just helping me with homework, but he seemed sick". The concern returned to her face. "Shigure told me that since Yuki has asthma, he might be able to breathe better if I sat on his lap". Tohru said this so innocently that Kyo knew instantly she was telling the truth. "You moron, you actually believed what that pervert said"? Kyo burst out laughing. He had never seen Yuki look so unnerved. "That is hilarious!" Kyo boomed. "That sissy rat-boy Yuki doesn't even know how to handle a girl cuddling up to him". Kyo continued to guffaw. "But, I wasn't…is that what it looked like, Kyo"? Tohru said in bewilderment. Realization began to dawn on her. "Of course, idiot"! Kyo chided. "What else would it look like"? Tohru's eyes grew wide. "Oh no"! She exclaimed, and she rushed out past Kyo and down the stairs.A quick perusal of the bottom floor told Tohru that Yuki was nowhere inside. She knew where she would find him then, and she started out the back door.

Yuki sat on a large rock, and stared out over his garden. How could he ever face Tohru again? Not only had he acted like an idiot in front of her, he had dumped her on the floor, and then run away. Why was he being so stupid? He had never felt so inept before in his life, not even in front of Akito. As Yuki sat enveloped in misery, he heard a rustle in the bushes. "Yuki", he heard a soft voice call. Yuki froze, afraid to answer. "There you are" Tohru wheezed, she was breathless from running when she caught site of him. She dropped at Yuki's feet in a deep bow. "Please forgive me, Yuki", Tohru begged. "I had no idea how that would seem to you"! Tohru was mortified. "I can only imagine what you must think of me. No wonder you dropped me on the floor like that", Tohru exclaimed apologetically. She was sure he must think she was some kind of player now, and she too was miserable. Yuki looked at her dejected figure before him. He took Tohru gently by the hand, and lifted her up out of her abject groveling. "No, Miss Honda, I am the one who should apologize for making you worry", Yuki looked down at his feet. "I am the one who has been acting like an idiot". Tohru looked at Yuki. He seemed strangely small at the moment, not in body, but in spirit, like he had been crushed. "I wish I could explain why I am acting so strangely, but I can't, not yet", Yuki apologized. "To put it simply, you just have a strange effect on me, I guess; No! I don't mean that in a bad way!" Yuki saw Tohru's countenance fall at his words. He didn't want her to think anything negative about herself. He swallowed hard. "Out with it, Yuki", he scolded to himself. He didn't want Tohru to harbor any misconceptions. "The truth is, Miss Honda, I liked it" Yuki swallowed hard again. "I liked having you sit on my lap and having you so close to me". There, he had said it. Now she would know he had become a pervert, and she would stay far away from him, but at least she would be safe from him now, he thought, and he turned away from Tohru in shame. Tohru sat silent for a long while, taking in what Yuki had just disclosed. "That was very brave", Tohru finally said softly. She touched Yuki's hand, and wished he would look at her. She was thoughtful for a moment longer. Then, "I liked it too" Tohru almost whispered. Yuki lifted his gaze to look at her. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes slightly wide in disbelief. Had he heard her right? Tohru blushed and smiled shyly up at him. She squeezed his hand again reassuringly. Then she did something she had thought about many times before, but had thought she would never do. Tohru took Yuki's face in her hands, and pressed her lips gently, but firmly against his cheek. Her lips were warm and soft, and her eyelashes fluttered against his skin as she nuzzled him. Yuki's heart began to pound in his chest. Their eyes met as Tohru finally released him, and the two of them shared a world of emotions through that silent exchange. After some moments of reverie, Tohru stood up abruptly, breaking the spell that had fallen over them. She blushed, and smiled a timid smile at Yuki, and squeezed his hand again, then turned suddenly, and disappeared into the night towards the house. Yuki sat there spell-bound a while longer. A goofy half-grin spread slowly across his face. "Do I owe Shigure a thank you then", he pondered as he stood finally. Yuki's hand unconsciously touched the spot Tohru had blessed with her kiss. "Naw"! Yuki dismissed the idea at once, and he turned to make his way back to the house as the moon descended high in the night sky above him.