Love at Long Last

Tohru woke up to the sounds of birds singing outside her bedroom window. She looked at the clock it was six a.m., she still had another hour of sleep but she knew she would never get back to sleep. She climbed out of bed and put on her favorite pink sundress with small strawberries around the bottom edge and belt. Ayame fancied making her outfits and she loved wearing them, they made her feel special and lovely. She had tried refusing but he had always insisted.

She moved down the stairs quietly in her slippers. She turned into the kitchen and turned to the counters and thought for a moment what she should make. She decided to make yakizakana, soba and onigiri. That way she made something everyone enjoyed, though she wasn't sure what Shigure desired. All of a sudden the door to Shigure's office opened. "Ah, my charming flower's cooking for me again" he said leaning against the open door. "Oh how fortunate I must be for having you fall into our dull lives" he said grinning. Tohru smiled, "good morning Shigure" she said smiling brightly back at him. "Dammit he's up" Kyo said. "What, were you hoping to spend this exquisite morning with the ever stunning flower?" he said. Tohru blushed lightly while Kyo looked ready to kill the dog. "Dammit Shigure shut up" Kyo said even he had a slight red tone. He was just about to throw Shigure through a wall. "Damn what's with all the noise" Yuki said coming down the stairs rubbing his eyes. "Oh sorry Yuki did we wake you" Tohru said with worry in her eyes. "No I'm guessing it wasn't your doing Miss Honda" he said giving her one of his 'prince' Yuki smiles.

Tohru loved living with the Sohma family there was no such thing as a dull moment while living with them. She enjoyed the life she was living with them.

There was Yuki also known as 'prince' Yuki by his adoring fan club. He was very kind and cared for Tohru in a way a child may care for their mother, which he had only discovered very recently. He and Tohru often visited his secret base which was a small garden that he and she cared for. He was the rat in the Jyuunishi or Chinese zodiac.

Whenever a member of the zodiac is under extreme stress or is hugged by a member of the other gender they transform, though Tohru discovered that members of the zodiac could hug each other without fear of transformation.

Yuki's life wasn't easy though. When he was young he was abused mentally and physically by the head of the Sohma's, Akito. Akito was vicious and heartless as well as terrifying. Last time she had met with him. He had grabbed her hair and tugged hard after she had bowed respectfully to him. The only thing that had stopped him was Yuki and Shigure. Akito had really scared her though she would never admit, or complain, about it, that would just worry or annoy everyone.

The next member of the household is Shigure. He took in Yuki, her and Kyo into his home. He was truly kind although he always acted silly and childish, often telling silly stories of the past Mabudachi Trio which had consisted of him, and his cousins Ayame, and Hatori. He almost always wore yukatas at home since he was always working on a next great novel. Which were the type adults always say you can read when you are older. He was foolish but trustworthy and always knew what to do or say in a stressful situation. He was the dog in the zodiac.

The final member of Shigure's household is Kyo Sohma. He is cursed by the vengeful spirit of the cat and therefore is looked down upon by the rest of the Sohma's. He is prone to sudden outbursts and tends to break many objects in his many fights with Yuki because of the story of the Chinese Zodiac.

The story is that one day god invited all the animals to a banquet to be held that night. But the rat who enjoyed playing tricks told his neighbor, the cat, that the party was the next day so the cat missed the party while the rat rode the whole way on the cow's back because of this the cat was never accepted to the Chinese zodiac and became a vengeful spirit.

There were more members of the zodiac but she hadn't met them all because most of them lived on the Sohma estate near Akito. She had already met the cow, Haru, Momiji the bunny, Kisa the tiger, Hiro the sheep, Ritsu the monkey, Kagura the boar, Ayame the snake, and Hatori the seahorse (baby dragon).

"Oh, I wanted to warn you Tohru, Hari, and Ayame will be by later" Shigure said smiling a little too much. Tohru watched as the expression on the other two teens faces changed to absolute horror then anger. "How dare you, you damn dog" Kyo yelled and lunged for Shigure. Shigure easily sidestepped the attack sending Kyo flying through a door. Shigure sighed "is there any way you could refrain from damaging too much property Kyo". "Oh, you guys have a vacation coming up soon don't you" Shigure said perking up. "Yep, I can't wait I'll be able to work a lot next week" Tohru smiled. "Well what do you say to going to the snow and hot spring lodge in the mountains" Shigure smiled. "Everyone could come along it could be like a Sohma party with the flower of course". "What" Tohru practically shouted. "That would be too much I couldn't possibly" Tohru said blushing and waving her hands around frantically. "Oh but everyone would be very disappointed if my beautiful flower didn't come along". Shigure said pouting like a three-year old. "Oh but it's too much" Tohru said quietly. "Please Miss. Honda I'd be willing to go if you come along" Yuki said in his voice that could make any girl obey instantly. "Ok if everyone wants me to go with them" Tohru said smiling and blushing. "I might as well go as well" Kyo said "maybe I can beat that damn rat if he is freezing cold".

Kyo was trained in martial arts by his adoptive father, Kazuma Sohma. He also trained many other jyuunishi. Kyo loved him like a father and often went to the dojo. Tohru had always wanted to go and watch but she had been so busy with work and house chores that she was never able to go when he went.

"Is that why you invited Ayame and Hatori over, to discuss the trip" Tohru asked. "Certainly" he said a suspicious grin pasted on his face. "He's probably just avoiding his editor" Kyo said with Yuki nodding. "Well you three had better head to school, we will leave for the trip in seven days on Thursday and get back on Saturday" Shigure said pushing them toward the door. Tohru slipped into her shoes. "See you later Shigure" she said cheerfully before leaving with the cat and rat for school.

When they arrived she had the odd sensation she was being watched. She turned but saw no one there so she continued to walk toward the lockers. All of a sudden she saw her friends Uo and Hana. "Good morning Uo" "Good morning Hana" she said smiling. "Good morning our sweet Tohru" Hana said. She always had a gloomy look but when she saw Tohru she always attempted a small smile.

Tohru's main two friends are Hana and Uo. Uo was an ex-gang member who was rescued by Tohru's mother who was also an ex-gang member. She always wore long skirts and carried a long metal pipe. She always fought and argued with Kyo but they were both very protective of Tohru. Many people call her 'Yankee'. Her father is an alcoholic and her mother left when she was very young.

Her other friend, Hana, is a mysterious person who is able to control denpa waves or psychic waves and uses them to protect Tohru mostly from the prince Yuki fan club. She is very gothic and was rescued by Tohru's mother when she was ignored and teased by her peers. She became Tohru's friend and a member of the odd Honda family. Because of Tohru's mothers love and protection of them they vowed to love and protect Tohru forever. That and they had felt like her other mothers when her mother was at work.

Tohru was so nervous. They only had four months until graduation and ultimately finals and she wasn't sure whether to be scared or excited. She hoped she would graduate with all her friends and adoptive family. Yuki was already helping her study for exams.

She made it through the school day. She didn't have to work tonight because it was a Thursday and she worked Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She rushed home to prepare dinner and snacks. Yuki had to stay at school for a student council meeting which he stayed after for on most days and Kyo had suddenly decided to go to Kazuma's dojo, no doubt, because of the three men currently at Shigure's house. She on the other hand loved the trio. Although Ayame and Shigure embarrassed her a bit, she had always admired Hatori's way of keeping things together.