Chapter 10 - Bearable

my favorite chapter! :P

"Musume... Musume-channnn..."

A voice was calling Tohru 'young lady' again. Oh, was that entire Zodiac Host Club nothing but a dream? Was she back at home? Tohru gripped her sheets closer to her body.

"Young lady wake uppp..."

Tohru flipped over onto her back letting her head just lightly touch her wrists. Who was that calling her? She moaned and felt a warm object move away from her as a voice continued to call her gently.

"TOHRU-KUN, GET UP!"

Well, sort of gently anyway.

"AYYYAAAAA!" Tohru snapped up to find it was not a dream. She really was still in the Sohma's house, back in that same room she'd come to know. She rubbed her tired eyes, letting them focus with the morning light. She tilted her head to see not Ayame this time but Shigure. She gave a tiny sigh, "It's very frustrating when you keep passing out in front of those gates and find yourself in this same room." She gave Shigure a good morning smile anyway dispite him waking her up.

Shigure laughed and sat at the edge of her bed with his hands folded within his sleeves. "Are you okay now? How are you feeling? Mine-san came in and dressed you and your clothes are in the laundry already so don't worry about it."

Tohru nodded mutely and thanked Shigure for everything. Shigure stared at her anxiously as she only stared back with a confused look. 'Is Shigure-san feeling okay? He's looking at me a bit strangely...' Suddenly she recalled everything from the day before including...

She gasped, pulling her hands up to her cheeks. "Kyo-kun! Oh, Shigure-san! Where's Kyo-kun!"

"Ah, I thought you'd ask that." Shigure motioned with his head to the opposite end of Tohru's rather large bed to see an orange cat still sleeping. "You just let go of him a few moments ago and I put him in safe distance."

She stared at the adorable cat, watching it's breathing motions as it softly purred. She wished to hold the cat but thought better of it. Why was a strange cat in her room was what she should have thought about before thinking about petting it! "W...what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that neko you're looking at is indeed Kyo-kun."

"T-that's impossible!" Tohru whispered rather loudly to not disturb Kyo's sleeping form. She felt herself lean back against the head board while continuing to stare at the cat. Was that adorable cat really Kyo?

Shigure put both hands on his knees preparing himself to tell Tohru exactly what was going on. "I know you're confused but let me explain a little. You see, us Sohma's were cursed. As you know we refer to ourselves as the Zodiac Host Club. Well we were not named that for nothing. We were all once cursed. To have any person of the opposite sex--and not being related to us--hug us would cause us to transform into one of the twelve zodiac animals, ah including the cat."

"But... but you hugged me remember, Shigure-san? And you did not transform into a... ah what is your zodiac name? Oh right an Inu dog. Momiji-kun hugs me all the time and he does not turn into a..." Tohru shook her head as she got off topic. Why were they all content to hug her while... "Why is it that Kyo-kun cannot?"

"Because Kyo-kun is the only one left that is still cursed."

Silence engulfed the room as Tohru let this new information sink in. Shigure only waited patiently as Tohru began to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 'It makes sence now, I suppose. Shigure-san said Kyo-kun was a late bloomer. He also said there were some things that were a secret in their family. Kyo-kun never embraced any of his customers, and,' Tohru's eyes suddenly fell with a bit of sadness, 'Ayame-san did say Kyo-kun never fell in love.'

She put a finger to her lip and glanced at Kyo. "So this is... normal?"

"An odd way of putting it, but I suppose you're right." Shigure motioned for Tohru to look at him now, all serious matters coming into play. "But Tohru-kun. I need you to keep this a secret. You must not let anyone know that Kyo-kun is still cursed. I only imagine that it would put suspicions on our family and we would have to take drastic measures on you."

"Drastic?"

"We'd have to erase you're memory."

Tohru gasped but instantly raised a determined fist to Shigure. "No!" She spoke loud enough to rouse the sleeping cat from his dreams. "I won't tell a soul, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle-- no ten needles-- in my eye! My mother said it was a terrible thing to talk about other people's secrets and if it is one thing I know I can do right, it's keeping a secret!"

Shigure laughed and ruffled Tohru's hair. "You really are kawaii, Tohru-kun." He got off the bed and threw a pair of clothes onto of the slumbering cat. "Oi, Kyo-chan. Put these on, okay?" The cat poked his head from under the clothes.

Shigure left the room and just as the door slammed a 'poof' filled the air. Tohru felt the bed shift weight and turned to see Kyo in a cloud of smoke, his bare chest in view and he was...

"NAKED! AHHH!" Tohru jumped off the bed tugging the bed sheets with her leaving Kyo without anything to cover himself with.

Kyo was just as embarrassed as she was as he turned around but fell off the bed, shaking the ground. Tohru continued flailing her arms around, hiding behind the sheets as Kyo waved at her from behind the mattress to conceal his manhood. His face was of pure embarrassment as Tohru only continued to squeal and panic.

"GOD TURN AROUND, TURN AROUND!" He screamed while motioning her to turn her back to him.

She spun around, only to tangle her feet in the sheets and fall over on her face.

After a few silent moments, Kyo came around the bed, dressed in khaki cargo pants, a plain white t-shirt, and a black collared shirt over it. He carefully walked around the big lump on the floor that was shaking. Curious as to what she was doing, he bent down and lifted a corner of the sheet where Tohru's head was.

He cocked an eyebrow up. "Um..."

Tohru lifted her head only laughing. He blinked as she was just giggling idiotically. "I'm sorry, Kyo-kun, but that was just funny! I'm sorry! Ahaha!" Kyo shook his head at her silly face and helped Tohru up and out of the mess of sheets. She let her laughter die down and Kyo couldn't help but crack a smile as well. The entire fiasco was comical; in a very embarrassing way.

He looked down at her yellow pajama set. "I'll... let you change out of your night clothes." He said trying to change the subject.

"No, wait, Kyo-kun!" He stopped and Tohru let her arms fall to her sides. "I... I am really sorry about making you upset yesterday. I didn't mean anything to make you upset but I guess I can see why you wouldn't want me to be around you. I don't think I would want to transform into a cat everytime a boy hugged me. And I can sort of understand why you wouldn't want to be around the other Sohmas. They were all released from the curse."

"Yeah, and they won't let me forget it." Kyo glared at the wall and Tohru looked up. "I mean, what does it take? They all did it, even that annoying Momiji did it! I can't figure out what it takes to just fall in love with someone! Gesh, and they rub it in that I'm still cursed, those jerks, and it pisses me off!"

"I..." Tohru paused suddenly reminising on old times with a certain person. "I don't think that falling in love is planned. It's just something that happens... it might not be with the right person, but deep down I think, I think that you know you're in love just when it happens." Kyo was now glancing at her softly as she smiled.

"And how do you supose anyone would love a guy that turns into a cat? Once a girl surprised me and hugged me on accident. She was horrified and smacked me away in my cat form. She was hysterical that a host member suddenly transformed. Hatori had to erase her memory..." his gaze hardened as Tohru fidgeted under his gaze. "Aren't you?" He asked with a rough tone to his voice, "Aren't you horrified to learn I'm a cat?"

Tohru shook her head furiously. "No, no I'm not, Kyo-kun! In fact, I really like the cat from the zodiac. Everyone thought I was crazy but I always wanted the cat to be happy." She took one step closer to Kyo. "I want to be your friend, Kyo-kun. Shigure-san said I would not get my memory erased if I kept your secret and I promise I won't tell a soul! And..." Tohru had a flashback of the storm yesterday "...and I'm really glad I found out actually. I know why you don't want me around and it's a very good reason. I was scared at the least when I first found out--"

Kyo scoffed at that. "See? You were scared of me." He growled and turned away to leave her room.

"Wait, Kyo-kun!" Tohru walked after him when he stopped short, having Tohru accidentaly hug him from behind. With a 'poof' Kyo was a small cat again. After the initial shock, Tohru slid her face down a wall while cursing herself. "Oh, I'm such an idiot! I just figured out I'm not supposed to hug you, and I did it! I did it anyway! I'm so sorry!"

Kyo only gave her a blank stare. "It's okay... it doesn't hurt or anything and I'll change back soon..." Tohru looked at him with a stream of tears falling down her face. The small cat sweatdropped. "What's with the tears? I'm not that scary."

Tohru shook her head negatively. "No, you're not scary. I was just saying, I was scared when I first found out that you transformed into a cat because... well..." She looked away when Kyo picked up his clothes with his mouth and walked to the other side of the bed. With a small 'poof', Kyo was back in his human form. She looked over the bed side to see the tuff of orange hair moving to get his shirt on again.

Kyo turned to face her, his amber eyes darting into her blue orbs. His eyes looked wild like fire as he stared at her, only his eyes showing from across the bed sheets. "So you were scared of me."

"Scared that you'd be even more mad at me..." She finished quietly. Kyo felt his heart ache again. He stared down at Tohru's brown hair hiding her face from view. She was scared that he'd be mad at her? For seeing his cat form? That was so silly.

She started sniffling. Kyo got up and went to her side, boping her head softly with his fist. "Oh, come on, don't cry, it wasn't like I turned into a man-eating gorilla or anything." She let out a small chuckle between her sniffling. He saw it wasn't really cheeing her up and he sighed. "I... I'm sorry too then." She finally looked up but Kyo averted his eyes elsewhere afraid that if he looked her in the face he'd lose all his nerve.

"I didn't really mean to yell at you, okay? It's just... you know, no one ever came to see me, and in the middle of a crazy storm either. And talk to me and stuff..." He stole a glance at her and just as quickly turned around, seeing that she was in fact staring at him. His face reddened slightly as he confessed what was bothering him. "It just pissed me off that you were being so damn nice to me. No one normal would go through all that trouble to go see me. But there you were." Kyo smiled as he stared at the plush ivory carpet. "In your little rain coat and holding a bento box... for me...

I thought 'what will happen if she finds out? I turn into a cat?' It would embarass the hell out of me to say the least, and it did. But to say that you don't mind seeing it... and that turning back into a human just makes you laugh..." he turned around with a soft gaze that Tohru just stared at, mesmerized. "...that kind of just makes it bearable."

Tohru gave that a thought and gave him her warmest smile. It touched her, made that funny feeling come bubbling back into her chest. "Kyo-kun doesn't hate me?"

He shook his head. "No."

"I'm so happy! Thank you so much! I'm so happy!" She beamed. Her smile was contagious. He found himself smiling all the same. Suddenly he didn't feel so alone like he used to. Something just filled an empty void in his heart. Watching her smile, he caught himself staring at her lips. He instantly blushed and walked past her toward the door.

"I'll, let you get dressed now."

As soon as he opened the door all seven host club men came piling through the doorway all ontop of one another.

Shigure looked up with a small grin. "Um... good morning!"

"You were listening!" Kyo screamed as Tohru stood in the background just shocked.

"Just a little!"

"We heard almost the whole thing!" Momiji chimed in.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER ROOM YOU DIRTY BASTARDS!"

"Kyonkichi is so sentimental!" Ayame laughed as Kyo pushed all the men away from the door.

"GO TO HELL!"

Kyo slammed the door closed, hitting his relatives (some distant relatives as he'd like to say) in the face with the door, leaving Tohru alone. She calmed her racing heart and sat back on the bed, a smile reaching end to end. He didn't hate her! In fact, she was positive that deep down Kyo would one day fall in love and he would then be really happy. And not cursed! Behind that rough exterior, Kyo was a very kind person. She bounced back onto her bed, her cheeks still tinged with red. Everything just seemed ten times better now that she knew that she was welcomed by the cat of the Sohmas. She turned towards the corner of the bed where Kyo had just been sitting.

He was so startled when he transformed back into a human, it was adorable really. And he was naked! Not that she didn't entirely mind, just his upper torso was something to behold. It was obvious he was a martial artists like Yuki told her with muscles toning his rather tan chest. She wondered what it would be like to...

She bounced back up, her face beaming red. Where did that come from! She was day dreaming too much. Suddenly she gasped. "Breakfast! I almost completely forgot! Everyone must be starving by now!" She scurried over to a drawer where Mine had put a few garments she could wear while she stayed. She quickly slipped on a blue short-sleeved dress, combed her hair to put a ribbon in her brown locks and slipped on her house slippers before running down the hall at top speed.

Hiro felt a 'woosh' go by as Tohru continued to ramble down the stairway. "And all the customers will be here at 12 and I did not get around to setting up snacks and seating! Okay okay, first thing's first: breakfast. Shigure-san likes toast with eggs, Hatsuharu-san hates eggs, but likes oatmeal with chocolate suyryp. I wonder if Kyo-kun is joining us this time? Oh, and then Momiji-kun..."

Hiro shook his head and walked at a much slower pace. Besides the fact that Tohru had just learned the Sohma's greatest secret she acted like nothing happened. But he admited, even just a little bit, that with that 'annoying girl' in the house trying to brighten up every day, it made life that much more bearable.

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