A Rock
By: Ochako107
Standard Disclaimers
"Christmas love is in the air!" Shigure sang while skipping through the hallways of their house. Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru all popped their heads out of their respected rooms in time to see Shigure toss handfuls of fake snow into the air. "Horay for Christmas cheer!"
"Would you quit yelling, Shigure?" Yuki sighed. "Some of us are trying to study for our midterms…"
Kyo dusted his head as the white flakes fell from his orange colored hair. He didn't hide his irritation of Shigure making a mess that the dog definitely wasn't going to clean up himself. "He doesn't care…"
Tohru on the other hand clasped her hands and smiled wide. "Oh, Shigure! I love Christmas!"
Shigure popped up next to her with an eyebrow arched. "You don't say? Well let me take this opportunity to share an early Christmas gift with my lovely Tohru-kun." He pulled from his pocket mistletoe and held it between himself and the naive Tohru. He leaned forward. "Kiss kiss!"
Two fists came in contact with Shigure's head.
"Don't touch her you damn dog," Kyo growled.
"Honestly." Yuki chided.
Tohru looked to her left and right at both boys. "Hua?"
"Don't worry about it, Honda-san," Yuki pushed her into her room gently by the small of her back. "It's better that you stay in your room."
"And lock the door!" Kyo added as Yuki closed Tohru's door. "Damn, do I have to stand guard of her room at night too?"
Shigure laughed from the floor, twirling the mistletoe between his thumb and pointer-finger. "Ohoho, someone is also trying to give Tohru-kun a little special Christmas present I see. Sneaking into a girl's room at night, how perverted!"
"Shigure!" Both Yuki and Kyo exclaimed.
"It's uncharted lands in there!" Yuki glared at Shigure and the older man took his leave. "Ah, I feel the level of testosterone growing. I'll be in my office writing the Christmas Cards. Yuki, Kyo, do remember to come downstairs and sign them all, okay?"
"Fine, just stay away from Tohru's room, sicko," Kyo said.
"Christmas Cards? I don't even know half those people!" Yuki muttered. He ran a hand through his hair wondering what he would get Machi this year. They had been going out for some time now and this would be their first Christmas together. He looked up to Kyo.
"Say, did you get Honda-san anything for Christmas?"
"No, why?"
Yuki shrugged. "She's your girlfriend. Naturally you'd give her something, stupid cat."
"Don't call me stupid!" Kyo glared and crossed his arms. "It's just hard to buy her anything. She never asks for anything and gets all worried that I'd be spending too much money on her." Kyo looked at her door with a sigh. "The past two years, the Christmas presents were lame."
"Oh yeah… I remember the year you made her a paper weight in the shape of a boob in art class."
"I told you," Kyo growled out with his teeth clenched, "It was supposed to bepudding with a cherry on top."
"It was a boob and you know it. Shows what's on your mind, freak."
"Shut up, you damn rat! At least it was a paper weight! Your penis cup wasn't any better! I doubt that Machi ever drinks out of that thing!" Even with all the venom Kyo tried to belt out with his comeback, he couldn't do it without cracking a smile and then laughing at the memory. Yuki blushed red and looked away. Kyo could still see Machi's face when she opened the poorly wrapped Christmas gift from her boyfriend Yuki, only to find the cup shaped rather… oddly. She wasn't sure whether to be disgusted or amused.
"I thought we agreed not to talk about that anymore." Yuki said.
"Fine, whatever." Kyo looked at Yuki again. "What are you getting Machi?"
"Oh, she's been looking at a necklace we saw by the station. I think I'm going to go down there and get it for her."
"Why is shopping foryour girlfriend so easy?"
Yuki shrugged and started back to his room. "Why don't you just ask Honda-san instead of guessing what she'd want? Whatever you do, stay away from making anymore clay presents."
"I could say the same for you, rat boy."
Later that day, Kyo stretched at his desk. He'd been mulling over Japanese history for over two hours! He needed a break badly. He stood up and walked out of his room, passing Tohru's room as he went to get himself a drink. In the kitchen he gathered himself some cookies and put them on a plate. He then moved to the refrigerator to pour some milk.
What would Tohru want? What do girls want for Christmas? It used to be just him and Kazuma… they were both men and it was easy to get Kazuma something. Kyo would just make dinner that night and they'd all be spared a dinner of death on Christmas.
But what would Tohru want? She must want something. Well… something tangible anyway. He knew she would just ask for Kyo to love her or kiss her, but he really wanted to get her something. New kitchen cutlery? No, that isn't romantic in the slightest. New hair ribbons? No, too elementary.
What had he heard her talk about with her friends lately? Oh! They all went to see a movie the other weekend; maybe he could get her that movie!
Wait, the movie wasn't out for sale yet.
The only other thing he could remember her talking about was how she needed to get new… undergarments.
Definitely no.
Kyo poured two glasses of milk, put the carton back in the fridge and placed the cookies and milk on a tray, taking it to Tohru's room.
He knocked and heard her put her pencil down before getting up to answer the door.
Upon opening the door he saw that she had a sweat band around her head, her bangs poking out in different directions. She looked too adorable. "Kyo-kun!" She smiled. Ah, he could live off her smiles.
"Um… want to take a break?"
"That sounds like a great idea! Let me clear my table." She opened the door all the way to let him in and then turned to the low table in the middle of the floor, closing books and putting piles of papers in folders, pushing them to one end of the table. Kyo set the tray down and they sat side by side, eating the cookies with milk.
"Ah, this is great! I really needed a break from all that math."
Kyo nodded. "Math sucks."
"With Yuki-kun's help I think I'm getting it now…" Tohru glanced wearily at the math text book with a sigh. "…sort of."
"Don't push yourself too hard. Just do your best. Remember the year you got sick since you worried about your grades so much?"
"Hai, hai." She bit into another cookie, snuggling herself on Kyo's side. He felt himself subconsciously move closer to her, briefly taking in the smell of her hair. "Mm, Kyo-kun?"
"What is it?"
She giggled and pulled her hair away from her face. "Your breath is tickling my ear!"
He saw her turn pink and he mirrored her color. "S-sorry."
She laughed and returned to his side, cuddling for warmth during this cold season. She had her radio on low, some kind of commercials running through the air.
"Tohru?"
"Hm?"
"What do you want for Christmas?"
"Only to spend it with you, of course." Tohru could feel Kyo rolling his eyes at her answer. "I don't want anything. It's okay."
"Come on, Tohru, please, I really want to get you something, but you're so hard to buy for. And ah… I don't want to make you anything in art again…"
Tohru laughed at that, sitting up so she could turn fully to Kyo. "Yuki-kun wouldn't let that down!"
"I know… damn rat."
"Maybe art just isn't your forte."
"Well obviously."
"If it makes you feel better, it's up there on my shelf," Tohru said pointing at the one book shelf in her room. He looked up to see it smack in the center of all her little figurines of the zodiac animals. There it was. His paperweight boob glaring angrily at him from the top shelf.
"Oh God, you display it?" Kyo asked with mortification.
"What's wrong with it?"
'Nothing, it's just that you're displaying something that looks painfully like a breast on your shelf. No big deal.' He thought.
"Nothing… but really want do you want this year?"
"Nothing."
"This conversation isn't going anywhere."
"I'm sorry," Tohru looked down at her lap, "I'm just not good at this kind of thing."
Kyo sighed and looked to the empty plate of cookies. He sat up and collected the dirty dishes. "Well, I'm going to put these away and when I come back up, you better have some idea for me!" He kissed her cheek and stood to leave her room.
She watched him leave and then she slumped over the table. "I don't know what I want! What do girlfriends ask their boyfriends for Christmas?"
"We all know what women want from their boyfriends."
Tohru looked up and turned to her radio. It was another commercial with a woman speaking. It almost felt like she was talking to Tohru!
"Don't get another scarf or a pair of socks this holiday… this holiday get her the rock that lasts forever. The rock that says it all."
"A rock?" Tohru asked aloud. "That's what girls want from their boyfriends?" She sat in stunned silence. That was pretty random.
She turned when she heard Kyo return. He sat crossed legged beside her, propping his elbow on the table while leaning toward her. "Well what is your answer, missy?"
Kyo watched her as she made odd faces at him, as if she was coming to some kind of conclusion in her mind.
"I…I don't know, Kyo-kun. You already give me so much and to ask you this… for Christmas would be too awkward."
His ears perked at that. She actually thought of something she wanted? "Tell me!"
"I… no it's okay, I really don't want…"
She felt Kyo put a finger to her lips to stop them from moving. "Tell me."
She stared into his amber eyes, pleading him not to make her tell him. He held her stare without blinking. She broke eye contact and smiled ruefully at the table. "A rock."
A few weeks later, Shigure held a stack of Christmas cards to be sent as he shivered at the winter cold. He trudged to their mailbox and stuffed all the cards in, the poor tin box about to explode. It was rough having such a large family…
After duct taping the mailbox door shut, he flipped the flag up and began walking back to the house, eager to escape the cold when a patch of orange hair caught his attention. Kyo?
Shigure walked off the path and stood beside Kyo who was searching the ground for something. Since the midterms were over, Yuki spent his break with Machi, and Kyo spent his time with Tohru. For two nights, till Christmas Eve, Tohru was spending her time with Uo and Hana. She promised to call to check in with Shigure and make sure everyone was properly fed though. Shigure was happy that Tohru got to spend some time with her girlfriends – what mischief those girls could get into he wondered? Shigure, you pervert!
Anyhow, it was odd to watch Kyo wander around alone without any reason. Shigure waited a moment longer before finally voicing his presence.
"Kyo, what are you doing?"
The boy stood up and stared at Shigure. "Aw, shut up and leave me alone!"
"That's not the holiday spirit! Come on, maybe I can help you find whatever you're looking for. Is it small?"
"I…" Kyo looked around. "I don't know."
"What are you looking for exactly?" Shigure watched Kyo as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets, staring at the sky idly. "What is it, Kyo?"
"Um… a rock."
"…A Rock."
"See? I knew you'd make fun of me! Leave me alone!"
"Kyo, what do you want a rock for?" Shigure asked with mild humor in his voice. He really wanted to burst out laughing but knew if he did, he wouldn't get any answers out of Kyo. "I know you want to beat Yuki, but using cheap tricks like throwing boulders at him…"
"No! That's not it!" Kyo yelled out. He realized he was yelling and looked away with a faint blush. "It's for Tohru."
"You're going to crush Tohru with a rock? How horrible! How inhumane!"
"You idiot!" Kyo once again yelled at Shigure. "She asked me to get her a rock for Christmas! I'm just looking for a nice one, geez!" Now completely embarrassed Kyo didn't say another word. What would Tohru think of him wandering around outside in the dead cold looking for a rock? What kind of present was a rock anyway? Suddenly he heard Shigure chuckle behind him. He spun on the dog, now clutching his gut, bursts of laughter emerging from his mouth. "What's so funny?"
"Kyo you really are dense!" Shigure continued to laugh. "Tohru wasn't talking about a rock you find by a crusty old pond! She's talking about a different kind of rock."
"Well tell me where to find it." Kyo growled out. Shigure was beginning to get on his nerves.
"The rock she's talking about is a colorful one." Shigure waited for Kyo to get it but the boy didn't respond. "Jewelry, baka."
"What?" Kyo exclaimed. "Tohru wants jewelry? That's a surprise! I didn't know she liked that kind of thing."
"Well she is a girl." Shigure looked around the ground. "And I do believe you find jewelry in a store rather than on the ground."
"Crap, where am I going to get the money to get her that kind of rock?"
Shigure shrugged but continued to chuckle. "To think," he laughed while walking back to the house, "Kyo was going to give Tohru a real rock."
"I'm seriously going to murder you!"
That afternoon Kyo went to the local supermarket go grab some everyday essentials for the house. Since Yuki wasn't around and Shigure was supposedly working on his latest manuscript, the job was left up to him.
"Damn lazy Shigure… can't even go get his own shampoo and soap. He can go on being smelly for all I care…" he muttered darkly. Without Tohru in the Sohma house, he couldn't stand his cousins without wanting to throw them against a wall or something.
He walked into the store and went straight to the soap isle. While looking at the hundreds of colorful bottles he let his mind wander to more important topics.
Upon looking at his savings, he had about forty dollars to spend this year. He had more money, but it was his savings. He looked around at the prices of jewelry and he knew he didn't have nearly enough for a decent pair of earring or anything of that nature. Where could he make money in three days? It had to be a temporary job…
He went to pay for his items and saw a flyer behind the cashier's head.
"Excuse me… that ad?" Kyo said pointing at the bright yellow flyer. The cashier looked up and blushed, startled at the handsome man talking to her.
"Do you want to see it?" She asked ripping it off the wall. "I'd be happy to give you it!"
"Um… is it okay?"
"Yes, yes! Of course!" She giggled while twirling a piece of her brown locks. "It's a temporary job for two days. We need someone to stand outside and advertise our Christmas products. its good pay too—ten dollars an hour!"
"Really? Amazing…" Kyo said reading the flyer over. The cashier politely asked Kyo for the money to pay for his items. Before handing him the paper bags she told him to talk to the manager before leaving.
"The opening still stands, and you're such a handsome boy that it would be good for advertisement!"
Kyo stared at her dubiously, getting the gist that she was hitting on him. He sighed and flashed her a smile.
She nearly fainted on the next customer in line.
"Thanks. This is a great way for me to earn some money for a present for my girlfriend," he said with that heart stopping smile.
She instantly deflated but perked up. "S-so that's why you need money! I see! Good luck then!" She added in a lower tone, "What a lucky girl!"
The following day Kyo showed up at the same store and was stuffed into a Santa suit. Then he was pushed out into the cold to serve people hot coca that had snowflake shaped sprinkles floating on top. It was simple really… but hard to get people to come over to him.
Yuki was normally the one with all these social skills… people liked him. Kyo on the other hand, he wasn't sure how to go about making people like him. How was it that Tohru fell for him? One of the many mysteries of the world.
He watched a mother and daughter pass by him. "Ah, ano…" he held up a cup of the steamy liquid as the females stopped, "…would you like to try some of our hot—SHIT!" Upon lifting the cup, he spilled the coca on his hand and dropped it while hissing in pain.
The mother gasped and pulled her daughter away while covering her ears.
"N-No! Come back!" Kyo yelled. They left. He shook his head and just cleaned up his mess. How on earth was he supposed to sell this stuff when he wasn't social at all? He wrapped a bandage around his hand and then clenched his fists.
He had to do this! For Tohru's sake!
"Excuse me, sir! Aren't you cold today?" He tried again.
He was going to get Tohru something she truly wanted for Christmas… He only wished for her happiness.
It was Christmas Eve and Kyo ditched his Santa suit and collected his earnings. Together with the forty dollars he had, he now had a total of one hundred and twenty dollars.
"Thank you for your hard work, Sohma-kun. I saw how much you struggled the first day, but you really helped out our supermarket. The hot coca sold off the shelves!" The manager praised.
"Ah, it was actually easier than I thought…" Kyo said.
"People can't help but listen to such a handsome boy. More than half the people that bought our Christmas items looked like teenage girls."
"Ah yeah…" Kyo turned red feeling like he just sold himself to the devil or something. "Anyway, thanks for hiring me."
"Any time! Please come by again when we have another major holiday!"
"Thank you." Kyo bowed and left the building. He stepped out into the busy streets and stared down at the envelope of money in his hands. This had to be enough money to get Tohru what she wanted! He stuffed it in his jacket and made his way to the train station with a grin across his lips. This would be the best Christmas present to Tohru ever.
He began walking when he paused in his step. It was faint but it sounded like a little kid crying in the distance. He shook his head and just kept walking. It was probably just some kid that was mad his mom wouldn't buy him a toy or something. Spoiled kids.
As he got closer and closer to his destination, the cries sounded more desperate. Now it started to freak him out. Being the curious cat he was, he couldn't help but search for the source of all that racket.
"Help! Someone, help me!" He finally heard clear as a bell. He zipped down the street and skidded to a stop in front of an alley way between a perfume store and a flower shop. Two men were hunched over the wall.
"Hey! What are you guys doing?" Kyo yelled out startling the two men. They looked up and between them Kyo could see a small boy with a green ball cap on. The boy looked up at Kyo with wide teary eyes. Why was it that no one stopped to hear this boy's cries? Were they all that oblivious?
"What's it to you, kid?" The smaller of the two men asked. He took a step toward Kyo while the bigger figure cracked his knuckles.
"Leave that kid alone," he warned.
"He stole a bouquet of flowers from my vendor!"
"Don't you know," the bigger man said darkly while grabbing the child's wrist.
"No stop!" The child cried.
"The punishment for stealing?!" The man raised his hand to strike the child.
"Enough!" Kyo growled. The small boy shut his eyes waiting for the blow to come but it didn't. He just felt himself fall on the floor, his rump hitting the sidewalk beneath him. Looking up he saw that Kyo blocked the large man's hit and kicked him away.
"You punk, why are you beating up on me? That pest over there is the one you should be hitting on since he's stealing!"
"Stealing or no stealing, you just don't hit little kids like him! Take him to the police for all I care, but you can't hit him." Kyo said evenly. He turned around to glare at the small child who couldn't bear to look him in the eye.
"Well someone's paying for those flowers," the smaller man barked. "Twenty dollars."
Kyo's eyes shrank to the size of a pin. "Geez, kid, couldn't you at least steal cheaper flowers?" The child just covered his face. With a sigh, Kyo pulled out his wallet and forked over the cash. "Okay, here's your money, now leave the kid alone."
The man nodded but still glared at the child. "That's pretty kind of you, kid, but I don't get why you'd stick up for a little brat who stole in the first place." He snapped his fingers and the bigger man followed him out of the alley.
"What is that? Freakin' flower Nazis… and it's the season to be giving," Kyo sighed while rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Um… mister?"
"And you!" Kyo spun on the small child. "What the hell? If I didn't get here, those guys might have killed you over some twenty dollar flowers! Stealing isn't right; you should learn your lesson from this." Kyo watched the kid turn his attention to his shoes as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. Kyo just sighed and stared up at the bleak sky. "Damnit and its so cold out."
"I'm sorry," the small voice said.
"Hua?"
The little boy bent down behind him and picked up the bouquet of flowers, clutching it to his chest tightly. "I'm sorry I stole… I know it wasn't right, but I had to."
"There's no excuse for stealing."
"I have no money."
"Get a job, ya bum!"
"But I'm too young… no one would hire me."
"Why do you need these flowers so bad? You could have just gathered a bunch at the park."
The boy shook his head and took off his hat to reveal auburn colored hair. Kyo at to admit the child sort of looked like him… but with brown eyes. "It's not the same. You see, my mom likes these kinds of flowers. I don't know what its name is," he said looking down at it, "but I know she liked these…"
Kyo also looked at the flowers, unable to identify them either and shrugged. "Just because you like something doesn't mean you get it ya know."
The child started to tear up. "I know that and still I stole. I'm a bad kid." He sniffled and tried to suck in his tears. "I'm sorry, ka-san."
Kyo bent to the kid's level. "Hey… hey don't cry. I paid for the flowers so there are no worries anymore!"
"But ka-san… she's… she's sick…"
Kyo was startled by that.
"Mommy is in bed… and she hasn't gotten up for a long time. She looks very pale and we don't have much money to take her to the doctor."
"…Where's your dad, kid?" Kyo asked.
"Papa left to take care of my oba-san. He also doesn't have much money so he had to leave Mommy and me here."
There was silence as the winter cold blew over the pair. "Come on," Kyo held out his hand while looking away. "I'll take you home."
The home was only one room. A futon was rolled up in the corner and a figure was sleeping in the middle of the cold, tattered floor. A table was moved to the other end and a small tray of food was next to the bump under the covers.
"Ka-san, I brought Sohma-san home with me. He is nice," the boy said to his mother softly. "And he bought these flowers…" he added putting them next to his mother. "Merry Christmas."
Kyo swallowed slowly. So they were special because it was his mother's present.
"Nobu-chan?"
"It's me, Ka-san," he responded. Kyo took off his shoes respectfully and knelt down to the sick mother. She had brown hair with strands of gray streaming through her short locks and tired looking skin.
"Hello… I am Kyo Sohma," Kyo said rather lamely. What do you say to a sickly woman?
The woman gasped and sat up straight.
"Such a handsome boy! So sorry we have nothing to offer you!"
"What is it with people thinking I'm so handsome?" Kyo wondered quietly. Nobu giggled and his mother blushed red.
"Excuse me," Nobu's mother smiled weakly. "I was just surprised to see you."
"It's okay."
"Nobu-chan, get some tea?"
"No no, it's okay," Kyo said before Nobu could get up. "I just wanted to bring him home. He ran into a little trouble—don't worry its fine now—and just wanted to get him home okay."
"Sohma-san is too nice." The mother commented. "I thank you anyhow."
"Um…" Kyo busied himself with the crease on his pants. "How are you feeling?"
The mother's smile diminished and she turned to her lap, placing her hands under the sheets of her rather flat futon. "I'm guessing Nobu-chan said something about my health?"
"I… it's none of my business, sorry for asking!" Kyo covered up hurriedly.
"No no, it's fine. Thank you for asking. I am… well not fairing well…"
"Hua?"
"Mommy's dying."
Both Nobu's mother and Kyo turned on the small boy with wide eyes.
"Nobbu-chan!" His mother reprimanded.
"But it's true… I know…"
"Baby, it's okay," His mother said holding her hands out for him. Kyo covered his mouth as he watched the small boy begin crying. "I'm still here though, aren't I?"
"But how long? I want mommy to stay forever!"
Kyo bit his lip. A Christmas Eve so saddening… how could there be people out there that were celebrating with their loved ones? Opening mountains of presents? Feasting on a huge meal? How could anyone be so happy after seeing such a somber display of emotions?
He was thinking about Tohru and what he could give her that was tangible but here this mother and son had nothing at all. He didn't know what to do at all…he was at a loss. It wasn't any of his business and still… he couldn't let this go.
"Sohma-san?"
Kyo looked up couldn't see Nobu's mom clearly. He raised a hand to his face to feel tears dancing at the edges of his eyes.
"Sorry," he apologized. "I do not belittle you or take pity on you at all! It's just… I …" He paused. "I…"
"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. Bringing my little boy home safe was enough," she said warmly.
"But… there has to be something," he said quietly. What was it that Tohru would do? He looked up to the mother cradling her weeping child. "Please, is there something I can do to help?"
Her smile reached up into her deep brown eyes. "I'm afraid not. Knowing how sick I am I'm afraid not." She brushed the top of Nobu's head. "I don't even have enough money to send Nobu-chan to his father…" her breath hitched. "First and foremost, my son comes first. When I die, what is going to happen to him? I… I can't leave him here…" tears began to fall from the mother's eyes. "I'm sorry, blabbering on and on to a boy like you. Shouldn't you be home with your family on a night like this?"
Kyo stood up abruptly. "That's it."
"Hua?"
Kyo smiled slightly.
"I'm home!" Tohru called while kicking off her shoes excitedly. She had not seen Shigure, Yuki and Kyo in two days! It seemed like months to her. She especially missed Kyo; she couldn't wait to see him!
She put her bag down in the foyer and went in search of the Sohmas. She first went to Shigure's office and no one was there. That was strange. It was awfully quiet at home… but the door was unlocked so someone must be home.
She was about to call out for someone when she spotted Shigure standing by the phone. She smiled and waved silently while mouthing 'I'm home!'
Shigure mouthed 'Welcome back!' to her while listening to the person on the phone. Tohru watched Shigure's features carefully and by the way he wasn't saying anything it must be an important phone call. She went in search of Kyo and Yuki.
She went to the TV room since the TV was on and found Yuki watching some old western movie with Machi.
"Oh! Yuki-kun! Machi-san!"
"Hi Tohru," Machi smiled. Yuki had his arm wrapped around Machi and he greeted Tohru as well. "I made snacks, would you like some?" She asked.
"Ah thank you so much!" Tohru said sitting opposite of the couple.
"How was sleeping at Hanajima''s house?" Yuki asked while reaching for a small cake on the platter.
"Fun fun!" Tohru said. "I had a great time, but I really missed everyone here."
Yuki's eyes softened. "We missed you too."
Looking up, Tohru noticed Shigure passing by. "Ah, Shigure-san!" She stood up and went after Shigure. "Shigure-san, I missed you!"
Shigure turned around with a huge smile before grabbing Tohru in a bear hug. "My pretty flower has finally returned!"
She giggled as Shigure patted he head good-naturedly. "Shigure-san, have you seen Kyo?"
"Oh…" Shigure's smile faltered before forming again. "He'll be home a little late tonight."
Worry etched Tohru's features. "Is he okay?"
"Oh, he's fine, he's fine. It seems that Kyo has taken up a part time job while you were gone, trying to earn some money for something. After getting paid, he ran into a family that was having some problems. The mother was deathly ill with a child and the father was gone, only having enough money to get himself to his parents to take care of them. He doesn't know his wife is so sick."
Tohru covered her mouth and quivered with such sadness. "That's terrible."
"It is…" Shigure agreed. "Anyhow, Kyo used his money to buy them two tickets to the woman's husband. She flat out refused but Kyo wouldn't have any of it—can you imagine it? hehe!—but when she said okay, she said she only wanted one ticket for her son, but Kyo insisted that she go to see her husband one more time. Kyo is such a soft guy, ne?" Shigure added with a little humor.
Tears formed in Tohru's sapphire eyes. "Kyo…"
"Anyhow, he went to see them off at the train station so he'll be home later. She has a bit of a problem walking so he helped her onto the train and everything. The remaining money he gave them so they could get a taxi to take them home. I just got off the phone with him and he's taking the next train." He paused to watch Tohru's expression. "Are you okay, Tohru-kun?"
She looked up startled. "Yes! Sorry, I just can't believe all that happened while I was gone."
Shigure nodded and sighed, "Well, our Kyo is growing up I suppose! Oh, and by the way, I'm making dinner tonight! My treat to Tohru-kun." Shigure smiled and went to the kitchen leaving Tohru to her thoughts.
She was dense, but not that dense. She knew that Kyo went out for a part time job because she asked for a 'rock' (Which Uo explained was actually jewelry which made Tohru freak out). But to give all that money he earned to a family in need… it filled Tohru's heart with so much love for her boyfriend.
She leaned herself on the door frame and looked up at the front door, waiting for Kyo to return home.
Kyo hurried home. Since it was dark, the air felt colder. He couldn't wait to get home and warm up! Besides that, Tohru would be home tonight!
Tohru… he didn't even get her the one thing she asked for Christmas. What a horrible boyfriend! But seeing that family he had to do something for them. She didn't have much longer to live and she couldn't leave Nobu all alone here…
…At the very least he made her last days happy. She could be with her husband, child, and family before she died. It was what Tohru would have done.
He quickened his pace when he saw the light of their porch. He was almost home! Suddenly he faltered his steps when he saw Tohru sitting on the bench just outside the house. She was staring at her lap as the wind tussled her hair in every which direction. He hurried to her and she looked up finally noticing him.
Looking up, Tohru noticed that Kyo had a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
'Give this to your girlfriend as an apology…I'm sorry I have nothing to offer but these flowers for your kindness, Sohma-san…' Nobu's mother said at the train station as a conductor helped her onto the train. She handed Kyo the flowers that Nobu gave her. 'She is truly lucky to have a wonderful boyfriend like you.'
"Tohru!" Kyo called. Tohru was instantly at her feet, trudging toward Kyo. "It's freezing out here, you might get sick! You could have waited for me inside at least, what if you get sick, stupid?!"
He stopped talking as Tohru came closer and closer to Kyo. Her eyes were slightly glassy, fresh tears bubbling forth from her eyes. He knew that Shigure told her of his adventures. He couldn't keep a secret if it saved his life.
They stopped walking when they were about two meters away from each other. Kyo had nothing to offer her this Christmas. That and he came home late meaning she stayed up worrying about him. He was probably the worst. He held out the bouquet of flowers and shut his eyes, afraid to see her expression.
"M-Merry Christmas Tohru." She didn't say anything. "I know it's not what you wanted but I…"
Suddenly Tohru shoved the flowers away from her and leapt into Kyo's arms, kissing him full on the lips. Kyo dropped the flowers, his eyes flying open, as Tohru buried herself into his cool coat. She didn't care at the moment, she just wanted to hold Kyo tightly and never let go.
She broke apart from Kyo and searched his questioning eyes before smiling. "Making that mom and son's Christmas Eve the best they ever had… is more of a present than some old rock any day." She said slowly.
She brushed his cheek against hers and smiled. "I love you so much, Kyo."
Kyo's eyes widened at that. She was happy. Happier she said than if she did get jewelry. Seeing the faces of that mother and child as they waved to him at the train station… seeing how happy they were and thankful that Kyo was kind to use his money for them…
…it was worth it all in the end.
Kyo wrapped his arms around Tohru, their body heat mingling with one another's, the winter cold long forgotten. "It's because of you, you know. When I was with that family… I thought about you and what you would do. So thank you, Tohru." He smiled and ruffled her head. "Come on, let's go inside."
She nodded. Picking up the flowers in one hand, and holding onto Kyo's hand with the other, they pair went back to their home for Shigure's Christmas Eve celebration.
Before greeting the others, Tohru held Kyo back. Kyo gave her a questioning glance but Tohru blushed pink. "Um… Merry Christmas, Kyo."
He watched her produce from her pocket a small smooth rock that was a rusty orange color. "Ah… when I told you I wanted a rock I think I took it too literally. I thought maybe you'd want a rock too but after Uo-chan explained to me that a rock is actually jewelry it was too late." She grinned sheepishly. "Anyway, the color reminded me of you and… I hope you like it and…!"
"Thank you, Tohru," Kyo said in a near whisper. "Just thank you for everything."
He lowered his lips, meeting hers in one sweet kiss that left her breathless.
"Kissy kissy under the mistletoe!" Shigure interrupted holding a rod with mistletoe hanging from a string between the two love birds.
"SHIGURE!"
END
A/N: Hi Everyone! This was something I wrote before Christmas but never got out... A lot of stuff happened over winter break and I wasn't feeling romantic enough to finish it. Anyhow, hope you liked this! I just wanted to portray Kyo as thinking about Tohru and finding her good nature in himself too. Review! Go on, you know you want to!