She had been acting very secretive for about a week now. It had started with rejecting offers to go to the store with her to help carry bags and the fact that she had that silly determined expression on her face whenever she entered or came out of her room. He knew she was crafting something in there, just what was a question undo itself. But he didn't dare go in and snoop. Maybe if it had been that damn rat he would go and see for himself what was going on, but he trusted Tohru more than anyone else in that household.

Eventually he was able to figure out that Shigure was also in on whatever she was planning. The two would speak to each other in private and he would send winks her way when certain things were mentioned. Out of the things that were said, the only ones Kyo could find that held some semblance to each other where costumes and Ayame.

So, looking for an answer he asked Uo and Hana if they knew what was going on. But from them he was only able to receive blank look and a shrug. "Maybe you're finally going crazy. She's acting as normal as ever."

The Yankee's answer was only returned with a scowl. He knew she was up to something, but whether they wanted to disclose what she was planning was sadly their option. It seemed that they chose to keep it a secret.

One day, that rat's idiot brother showed up at the house. He came heaving a box full of items which he claimed were for Tohru and his eyes only. Yuki and Kyo only raised their eyebrows at this claim and said nothing to argue with Ayame. Shigure did the biding and whining about what was in the box, although they both suspected that he did know what secrets Tohru had disclosed with Ayame.

The night of the thirty-first, Kyo finally got his answer as to what they had been planning. For Halloween, a western holiday, the park down the street from the school was allowing people to set up booths where they could give out candy to trick-or-treaters. The entire event was being held by a charity organization, for the research of some cancer. When he heard of the event, it seemed so much like something Tohru would attend. Charity and children seemed to define her as a person.

Shigure had a few makeshift tables that they would use as booths and Tohru had been making little decorations in her room for them. And most reasonably, the box Ayame had brought had been full of costumes for them to wear. He had even made one for Kyo, which had been immediately thrown into the garbage, where he said such things belonged.

Tohru made sweets and candies of all kinds, some traditional Japanese, some Western style, and by recommendation of Momiji, German sweets. She spent the entire day light period of the thirty-first in the kitchen, sifting and rolling dough, mixing in more bags of sugar to her treats than Kyo would've thought possible. He made note to avoid Momiji once he began consuming Tohru's pastries and the sugar high kicked in.

Hatori, being the only one with the means of transportation to take them and all of their items to the event, came with his car to help transport folding tables and pastries. Only Shigure and Hatori would be taking the items to the park for the adolescents would not be able to fit in the car with the tables. The adults would set up the booths and the kids would walk. So once the adults had driven away, Tohru went and changed into her Halloween costume.

If there was one thing he and the rat could agree on, it was that any clothing given to Tohru by either Shigure or Ayame would need to be burned immediately. So when Tohru came down wearing her costume, Kyo wanted to do just that. But this time around Yuki didn't seem to agree with him. He claimed that there was nothing provocative or inappropriate about her outfit, she would just attract some attention due to the bright colors. The dress had been made with winter weather in mind. Tohru, of course, was completely unfazed by how much attention she would get from males due to her dead mistress outfit.

Kyo had really despised the idea of going to the stand and handing out pounds of sugar to some annoying brats, but Tohru managed to convince him to come along for more than just setting up and double checking to make sure everything was okay before leaving. They broke off into two groups of three, each set up on opposite ends of the park. Shigure went with Ayame, who dragged Yuki along with him. Momiji is always attached to Tohru's hip whenever she is around, so Kyo ended up stuck with him when he went with Tohru to help her.

"We sure have had a lot of people coming to us, haven't we Kyo?" Tohru handed another little candy to a child, the dopiest, happiest smile stretched across her face.

Kyo nodded, "Sure." By them Momiji had eaten his fill of Tohru's candy and wandered off to go find some from others. His young physical features and sailor costume allowing him to blend right in with the children. Kyo was really hoping he'd burn off his energy while walking around socializing with children.

"I really like this holiday! It's about children dressing up in adorable costumes and receiving candy! It's really cute!"

Kyo, who was sitting on the ground next to the booth, looked up at the sider decoration dangling down at him with a smile as dopey as Tohru's on its face. "I thought it was about warding off demons."

She looked confused when he said that; it hadn't been what she meant. "Well yes, but that's not what we're really doing. The children—"

"I was just kidding. I know that's just the old belief." He gave her a crooked half-smile. She nodded in understanding and they sat there in silence as the crowds slowly dispersed.

"I didn't mean to come across as a smart-aleck." He said after a few minutes of silence. He hadn't meant to, but when he reviewed the conversation in his head, he realized that his words and tone might have been misinterpreted.

Tohru looked up from where she had zoned out, only to find Kyo standing right behind her. "Oh no! I was just thinking about something, I wasn't angry at anything you had said!"

He moistened his lips and nodded, but his firm pensive expression didn't change. "Good." He stood there for a moment, studying her to make sure she meant what he said, before casually reaching over her shoulder and grabbing a something-or-another covered in chocolate.

Right as Kyo sat back down on the ground, Momiji came running up to them. Shigure was following him, more slowly and carrying two empty trays on his shoulder. "Tohru! Hatori brought the car to take us back home!"

Momiji ran up and grabbed a sweet off of one of the trays before examining them. "Aww! You still have candy left over? Ayame and Shigure managed to give away all of their candies."

"Yeah, gave away," Kyo muttered under his breath.

"Well, we're leaving soon so I'll help take some trays to the car," Shigure said lifting another empty tray to add to his stack. Momiji also grabbed a few trays, preferably the ones with candy leftovers still on them. "Kyo! Help carry some trays to the car."

Kyo grunted a response and got up and tried to pick up all of the trays left at once. But when he saw the rat making his way towards them, he left the ones he couldn't carry for him. Halfway to the car, Shigure passed him. On his way to get the table, he guessed. When he returned, Shigure was talking, Yuki was walking away with trays in his hands scowling, and Tohru was the color of a tomato.

"Kyo, don't you think that Tohru is simply adorable in her costume?" Shigure singed. He was smiling from ear to ear, batting his eyelashes in a teasing manner.

Kyo grunted, not responding either yes or no.

Shigure put his hand against his ear, cupping it to emphasize noise. "What was that Kyo? You think Tohru is the cutest thing you've ever seen? Well I think I can agree with you on that one."

Kyo felt his blood rush to his face and his ears warm up. He clenched his fists in anger, and his face flushed with embarrassment. "I DIDN'T SAY THAT! I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!"

And Shigure had the nerve to giggle in response.

-X-

The next day, rather than Tohru being the first one up and Kyo following in second, Kyo came down the stairs to find the kitchen empty. Hungry, he made himself a simple easy breakfast, a bowl of cornflakes. By the time he had finished and washed his bowl, Tohru had managed to hobble downstairs.

"Good morning Kyo. Would you like some breakfast?"

Kyo was filling up a water bottle before going outside to exercise. "Nope, already ate."

Tohru simply nodded and went on to making breakfast for everyone else.

"Hey."

"Hmm?" She turned to face him, her usual smile already on her face.

He was leaning against the wooden door frame of the kitchen. He tapped his water bottle against his thigh. "Did you have fun yesterday?"

Her expression didn't really change from the smile it had been holding, but Kyo thought he saw her face lighten up a little bit. "I did, lots of fun!" She tilted her head to the side. She was still smiling, but he saw a bit of confusion pulling at the ends of her smile. "Did you?"

"I did thanks. Even without your friends there?" He noticed he was tapping his water bottle and found it annoying so he stopped. It would make him seem nervous, or something along those lines, which he wasn't.

"What are you talking about? You are my friends." This time, her eyebrows drew inwards.

"Uo and Hana?"

Her expression went slack before she put her answer into words. "Just because they couldn't make it doesn't mean I didn't have a good time. I have lots of fun with the Sohmas too. You're my friends."

He couldn't think of anything with what he could answer to that so he just nodded and turned around to head out to exercise. "Good."