melodiesoflife | 004 Umeboshi

Entry tags:

004 Umeboshi

Characters: Kyo & Tohru
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: January 5th
Summary: After the incident regarding the heroes trapped in Crystal Stasis, Kyo hastily decides that they should get some lunch. However, cold weather leads to wet, slippery surfaces and Tohru isn't so graceful.
Warning: Fluctuations between angst and fluff.

Between Tohru and Kyo (even with Selen who wasn't as talented) the house never had to eat out much. Being capable cooks allowed them to eat in most of the time. Even if the dishes tasted a bit off with the weird and different ingredients that Crystallis had. Since they were out, they might as well eat lunch at a restaurant or a food stand of some sort. Since arriving here, the two had also spent a considerable amount of time together.

Bonding. It was part of the reason Kyo didn't particularly mind being here. Not if it meant he could spend this much time with Tohru. Whatever the price it was he had to pay for it, Kyo felt that it was worth it. Getting the extra time to be with her, and so he would make the most of it while they were here.

"Did you have anything in mind?" He asked out of curiosity. Generally Kyo wanted her to have what say she could, otherwise he'd just end up making all the decisions. But her opinion mattered too.

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Oh great, now she was changing up plans because he was too serious. Kyo let out a sigh. "No. It's fine." He didn't mean to make her feel bad or anything. It wasn't his intention.

"Let's just go."

"Ah...! R-....Really? You're sure?" A soft blush crept up into her face. Somehow, he always threw her off her guard when he softened like this. It was so... So...

So... What? Her face flushed again. She really didn't know where she was going with this train of thought. She shook her head, physically snapping her out of it. "L-... Let's go!" She grabbed his sleeve and trotted off, almost certain that she was going where Mogeta had indicated before. Almost.

Kyo wasn't entirely sure she knew where exactly this place was, but she had more of an idea than him. There was still a large possibility of them getting lost. He let her take his sleeve and take the lead.

Looking at the back of her head got him thinking about her, like he always did. Crystallis wasn't the best, but Kyo still liked here. He liked it a lot, but it never occurred to him what Tohru's feelings were. He became so selfish in being able to live here, free of the Zodiac curse, and of his family. Free of Akito, but Tohru didn't have his problems. He never asked what her feelings were.

"Do you...like it here?" He paused for a minute.

Did she... like it here? To be quite honest, she hadn't really thought about it. She was so swept up in the thought that they needed her. Or well, they didn't really need her, but since she was here, it was her responsibility to help everyone as best as she could! But... She really hadn't done anything useful... She wasn't a particularly good white mage, or a chocobo knight... She wasn't especially strong or smart. There were lots of amazing and interesting people! And she was excited to meet them! But well, compared to what the others could do, she really wasn't an important part at all. She didn't turn to face Kyo, but her steps slowed. Her head dropped.

Here... Mom was so far away. She didn't even have her picture with her. She'd never been away from Mom for so long. In fact, if it wasn't for Kyo, she would be so... lonely. That why she'd been so excited to see Hatsuharu-san. Their world... the people that she loved... they were still out there. Somewhere.

Yet, even so. Despite all of that... Kyo was here. Her gripped tightened on his sleeve measurably. Kyo-kun liked it here. Here he was free to do whatever he wanted. He could be a Hero, just as well as anyone else could. No one knew about the curse. There was no Akito, no dark room ahead of him.

She turned to Kyo, her smile renewed, and she nodded assuredly. "Yes! It's exciting here, isn't it? There's so many new and wonderful things!"

Even if she did protest the thought of being here, Tohru probably wouldn't admit it. It was just like her to think about everyone else first. He wasn't really sure if she genuinely liked it here or if she was just saying that for him. Hell, it could even be both. Either way she probably had feelings she was sitting on that she wasn't sharing with him. He could challenge her on it, but it would entail a whole collection of issues they were both ignoring in favor for their blanketed comfort.

"It's...different." Very different, in fact. Kind of like out of a fairy tale book. "I'm still not use to it."

He wasn't making any effort to be a hero, or help the people that wanted it. Kyo never had an active role in being someone that people could depend on. At least not in his perspective. Then there was the idea of magic, and super powers he now wielded, but he honestly never used them.

"But you're even stronger here! I'm sure you could even punch down a whole building if you wanted to! With all of Shishou-san's training, you could beat even the most terrifying monsters!" Tohru was 122% confident in this! Although, even just imagining him going out in the field and punching giant scary monsters was enough to get her shaking slightly. She knew he could do it, but watching might be a little much for her.

"You could be the greatest Hero of martial arts! The strongest one in all of Crystallis!"

Kyo grew flustered at her pep talk. It's not like he wanted to be a hero or anything, and she was painting him out to be some kind of super hero out of a manga.

"Don't say corny things like that." Sure he still practiced martial arts, but it was kind of weird having mastered them already without having to anything to get to that point.

She chuckled softly, because it was obvious he was getting embarrassed, but it was all true! "Shishou-san would be very proud of you!" Suddenly, Tohru gasped and spun around to Kyo, leaning in out of excitement. "We should take pictures! You can tell him all about all of your adventures!" Provided they ever get back, but well... there was always a chance he should show up here too. "It would be a lot of fun!"

"We-we're not going to take pictures!" He refused. While he was happy to be here, he wasn't going to brag about it. Not that there was anyone to brag to. Plus he kinda didn't want to go back, but that would be a bridge to cross when they get there.

"Let's just get food already!" He decided to change the subject.

She still wasn't going to give up on pictures. Did they even have cameras here? That would have to be a new project for her for later! She could learn how to hold a camera and make a photo album and put it together for everyone. After all, every memory was important. Especially here, when all they had was each other.

"R-right! I think the place is this wa-AAAYY!!" ... Did Tohru mention that it was icy? Because it's icy, and running around outside on the ice usually results in falling flat on your face. Like Tohru is about to do.

Didn't she pay attention to anything at all? Of course it was icy out, it was still winter. Without thinking, since Tohru's safety exceeded all logical thought (not that Kyo had a lot of that), the teen reached out to grab onto her to prevent her from falling flat. However, the change in momentum caused her to fall into him. Her collision then caused him to slip and fall over. But hey! At least she was going to fall on him and not the floor.

"ACK!"

Edited 2015-03-08 21:38 (UTC)

Tohru felt him yank on her, and immediately her heart began to race. This was bad! This was very bad! He was going to transform in front of all these people! They weren't very far from the square, and in the middle of the street! Instead of throwing her hands out to break her fall, one hand went to cover her face, and the other gripped Kyo's shirt tightly. If she was fast enough, maybe she could throw the clothes over him!

They bumped as they hit the ground, and Tohru tensed, waiting for the familiar POP! that signaled his transformation. Time seemed to slow, because the seconds stretched on, and nothing came. No pop, or poof, or cloud of smoke, or yowling furball, lecturing her to be more careful. Slowly, slowly, she pulled her hand away from her face, eyes wide, confused.

For a moment, all she could do was stare at Kyo. Any moment now. Any second, he was going to change, right? He was The Cat. And... The Zodiac... The Curse... "K-, Kyo...?"

Both her hands flew up to her mouth, and her eyes began to water. She was... so full of feelings, she couldn't manage to choke out any words to explain away her tears. "K-... Kyo-kun!" She patted his chest, forgetting that he'd just fallen pretty hard on the snow, and that she was still sprawled on top of him. This was too important... Too amazing! He didn't transform...! She was touching him!

She still couldn't say it, but the words were etched all across her face. Kyo! You didn't transform!

You didn't change into a cat!

The whole reason why Kyo never told Tohru about his curse, or lack thereof rather, was because he fully didn't believe the "cure" himself. It's not like he sought to confirm it by engaging with women, and he even kept a healthy distance from Selen when he could. So the fact that she finally found about it, was something he wasn't yet prepared for.

He averted gazing at her. How could he possibly look at her after this? And after he did so well keeping the secret from her. His curse wasn't exactly his favorite topic, especially with Tohru of all people.

"The curse." There was an awkward pause of silence. "It didn't carry over to this world." He stated dully. Kyo didn't know how to cope with this information, so he chose not to think about it.

"But...! Kyo-kun! That's wonderful! It's... It's amazing! Kyo-kun! Kyo...." You're free!

He might not have been ready to be happy for it, but Tohru was. Her wish... Here, it had come true. The curse was broken. She didn't know if it would last, or why, but for now...! There was hope! Her wish could come true. There was a way to break the curse! Tohru could no longer look at him either, and the tears from before became small sobs as she buried her face in her hands.

Ah geez, now she was crying. It was the quickest way to make him feel guilty (even if it wasn't fully his fault). He glanced at her momentarily, only to look away, not wanting to see her cry the way she was.

"You don't have to cry like that." He spoke softly. Kyo shuffled around under her, the snow was starting to melt under him.

"Don't you want to try Moogle Pie out?" He mentioned again, only more sincerely this time. Kyo rather Tohru smile. It fit her best.

"But... I'm so happy...!" She knew she shouldn't cry, especially out her in front of everyone. But her wish...! Her voice had come out thick and broken. It took a moment, but for Kyo's sake she rubbed at her face, and took several deep breaths.

"... Nn!" Once her face was mostly clear, she smiled again. "Let's go, together!"

... That was when she finally noticed that she was still on top on him, pinning him to the ground. Immediately she scrambled off, flushing crimson. "I-, I'm sorry! I didn't realize!! I didn't...!!" Again, she fell silent, suddenly studying the ground as in her life depended on it.

"Are you okay?"

Edited 2015-03-08 22:38 (UTC)

Her being on him didn't bother him nearly as much as it should have. In fact, he was rather okay with it. He had yet to even confess his feelings for her, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Kyo loved her with every fiber of his being. It was just the melted snow that bothering him, but that was no surprise.

The teen pushed himself off the ground and casually brushed himself off. "It's not that big a deal." He reassured her light-heartedly.

"It's starting to get cold outside. Let's just go." Well, that's because he was wet, but details.

".... G-, go?" With all this talk of the curse, she'd forgotten the original goal had been food. Although, reconsidering may have been an option, since her face was still flushed and her eyes were red from crying. (Tears of joy, yes, but people may get the wrong idea.)

"Get food." He reminded her. His tone bearing the hints of "you forgot, didn't you?" sort of sound. Not that it was entirely unexpected. Though, once again, it was just some of things he liked about her.

"Oh! Yes! R-, right...!" She responded with enthusiasm, but in truth, she couldn't focus. She couldn't just push the fact that Kyo was free the the curse here out of her mind. Being a Hero of Light was worth it, just for that one fact alone.

"Umm... Lead the way?" She'd forgotten where they'd decided on going.

... They had decided on where they were going, right?

"I don't know where it is."

Another prompt reminder. They decided on that moogle place, and so he didn't expect her to know where it was either. Their moogles probably would have, but Kyo conveniently forgot to tell his to come back on time.

Edited 2015-03-29 20:28 (UTC)

"Eh-EH?!" Oh. Right! Umm... "This way! This is the way... to... the place!" With the food. Food. Food. Sensing the irritation in Kyo rising, (or she imagined it was) she hurried off in the first direction that seemed plausible, just now remembering that they'd decided on Moogle... Pie? Oh, but Kyo hadn't really liked that idea. "Maybe they'll have salmon?" Surely they'd have other foods, it wouldn't be much of a restaurant if they didn't.

The redhead gave a semi-annoyed sigh before tailing after her in a not so quick pace.

"Now wait a minute, you don't even know where it is."

Maybe they should have planned this out better.

"Let's just search for it." He wasn't as hungry now, since the reveal. It wouldn't hurt him to wait that much longer before getting lunch.

"I'm sorry, I should've been more prepared..." She hadn't really taken much time to explore the city, now that she thought about it. Suddenly having magical powers could be distracting that way.

"You don't have to apologize. Let's go!"

Practically at the end of his wits, Kyo simply snagged her by the hand and pulled her along in search of their destination.

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004 Umeboshi

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