Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Alright, do we have any other suggestions? Anyone?"

3-D's bespectacled class rep Chizue Takahashi smiled around the classroom, glancing from student to student as they all either looked back at her, looked away, looked at each other, or simply shrugged. But when a minute had passed with no one speaking up, Chizue shrugged her own shoulders, then clapped her hands.

"Ok! Since no one else has any ideas, we're going to vote now! Everyone should write their choice on a piece of paper, then fold them and pass them to the front. Yuki and I will tally the votes, and whatever gets the most support is what we'll be doing for this year's Cultural Festival!

There was a slight scraping of chairs and shuffling of paper as the class dutifully set to work. At her desk, Tohru looked thoughtfully up at the blackboard, weighing her options with every bit as much care as if she were taking a test.

And really, in a way she felt like she was taking a test. This was their final Culture Fest at Kaibara High; their final chance to be part of the fun, wild weekend where the whole school banded together to show off their school spirit and creativity. Next year they'd all have graduated; this was their last opportunity to come together as a class.

That meant deciding what to do with that last chance was important, and something Tohru had no intention of taking lightly.

Her eyes were thoughtful as she made her way down the list, weighing all the options with care.

A haunted house was right out, at least in Tohru's own mind; she'd never liked them, and while she would do her absolute best to carry her weight if that's what the class chose, she devoutly hoped they wouldn't and couldn't vote that way herself.

A maid café could be fun. Maid costumes were always so cute, and Tohru was usually a fan of anything that involved food. That was why the next idea, a yakisoba stand, appealed as well, as did a costume café.

Carnival games could be fun too, especially if they got to decorate the whole room like a carnival. Tohru wouldn't want to be a barker herself, but it would be fun to get to watch people play! And the idea of doing a photo stand seemed extra fun as well, especially because it sounded so incredibly novel.

Tohru was still thinking when she was poked in the back by the student behind her, and she reached back and grabbed his folded paper before turning back to her desk and setting the paper down. After another moment's thought, she finally wrote down 'carnival games,' then folded her own paper and passed them both forward.

Once everyone had turned in their papers, Chizue and Yuki got to work counting while the rest of the class relaxed.

"Hey Tohru, what'd you end up picking?" Arisa asked, sauntering over to Tohru's desk. And Tohru looked up at her with a big smile.

"Carnival games! I thought they sounded like a lot of fun, and a lot less messy than doing anything with food."

Plus they wouldn't need to have any health inspections this year, worry about smells, or any of the other complications that came with running a food stall.

Arisa gave her a grin. "Great minds think alike! That was my pick, too. How about you, Hanajima?" she asked, looking at their friend as she also joined them at Tohru's desk.

"It was a difficult choice, most difficult," Saki said solemnly. "But in the end, my heart necessitated a vote for the yakisoba stand."

"Your heart, eh?" asked Arisa. "Are you sure it wasn't your stomach?"

"The heart and the stomach are fueled by the same sentiments," Saki told them serenely, prompting both her friends to laugh. Then Tohru smiled broadly at both of her friends.

"Honestly, I thought most of the choices sounded great! I'd be happy with almost anything we end up with!"

"Seriously?" Arisa glanced up at the list on the board, behind which Chizue had started making tally marks. "I could’ve done with a few less 'costume' choices myself."

"There is certainly a great love of festive attire in this class," commented Saki as she also reviewed the board, prompting an amused snort from Arisa.

"You'd certainly know, Hanajima."

Tohru was giggling. "Well, I think they all sound fun! Maid costumes are so cute, and if we end up with the costume café, there would be even more room for fun looks! And I think the photo stand sounds wonderful, though I don't really know how good I'd be at that one," she said bashfully.

Her friends both leapt to her defense.

"You would be absolutely enchanting, dear Tohru; of that, I have no doubt."

"Seriously, Tohru, you'd be adorable! The only question is whether or not Kyon would make a scene about all the guys who'd want their pictures taken with you."

"You guys!" Tohru said with a laugh, blushing at her friends. But it also felt nice, hearing their votes of confidence.

"I notice you didn't say anything about the haunted house, dear Tohru," Saki said with a smile. "Surely that would also require costumes?"

Tohru hesitated, and both of her friends laughed before Saki hugged her. "I jest, of course. While again, I have full confidence in your ability to look wonderful in any costume-"

"-We know that haunted houses aren't really your thing."

Tohru smiled sheepishly, looking from Arisa to Saki. "I know, it's probably not all that surprising! But don't worry, if that's what the class ends up choosing, then I'll give it my all!"

Arisa was looking at the board again, and at the assortment of tally marks. "Well, I don't think you really have to worry about it, Tohru. Looks like the people are pretty clear about what they want, this year."

Before long, Chizue was calling for everyone's attention, and the students all returned to their desks. Once again, the class rep was smiling brightly, and her voice was excited as she announced, "based on the votes, class 3-D will be doing a photo stand! Thank you all for all your ideas, and all your votes. But now that we've decided on what we're doing, the next step is to figure out all what we need to do for it!"

Now that they actually had a plan, the class was a lot more willing to speak up.

"We'll need backdrops, right?"

"Yeah, so those'll need to be painted. And built?"

"Did we just want to paint them on drop cloths? Then we could just hang them against the walls and not have to worry about building something big and bulky."

"Oh, I like the idea of hanging them. That'll give us more room for options!"

"Yes, we should make sure we have a bunch of choices. We want people to be able to find something they like!"

"We were gonna have a bunch of costumes, right?"

"Yeah!"

"And we'll need camera equipment. If we can swing it, we should try to have more than one camera setup, maybe two? Or even three."

Yuki was writing rapidly on the blackboard as the class chatted away, jotting down headings labeled 'backdrops' and 'props' and 'costumes' and 'camera equipment' and 'promotions.' Then he glanced at Chizue.

"Did we want to figure out what scenes we actually want to offer? We should most likely figure that out before we start assigning any committees."

Chizue promptly nodded, then turned back to the class. "Yuki's right, we should decide what our photo-ops are actually going to be! So if anyone has any ideas, please speak up."

Once again, 3-D was filled with ideas.

"Feudal Japan!"

"American Old West!"

"Secret agents!"

"Super Sentai!"

"Ooh, what about magical girls?"

"Maid café!"

"Idiot, that's not a photo-op!"

"It is too!"

"Maybe a fairytale castle?"

"A European graveyard."

That suggestion, delivered in Saki's quiet monotone, drew several looks from her classmates, and she shrugged. "I just thought it might be nice to offer something less expected."

In the end, after much discussion and some more voting, they class eventually decided on feudal Japan, an American-style saloon, a Super Sentai mecha, a fairytale castle, and a classic riverside setting with cherry blossoms in bloom. Several students had wanted to expand the selection further, arguing that more choices were better, but since each scene would require costumes and the creation of a backdrop and props, five was already a tall order with the time they had to prepare.

Besides, the backdrops weren't even half of it.

"Ok...so that takes care of the scenes," Chizue said as Yuki underlined the selections. "So we should probably talk about the costumes."

"Actually, Miss Takahashi, I was thinking that if the rest of the class was ok with it, I'd like to speak to my brother about helping us with that," Yuki said. Immediately, the suggestion was met with a chorus of approval from the rest of the class, who remembered Ayame vividly from his help with last year's class play.

"That would be wonderful, Yuki!" Chizue said happily. "But will you be able to speak to him soon? If he can't, then we want to have a backup plan ready to go as soon as possible."

Yuki nodded. "I'll check in with him after school today."

"Wonderful!"

What followed next was more discussion, that time about what sort of costumes they wanted for each scene. How many. And with what accessories. Followed by even more discussion about what types of props each scene should have available, whether those props could be sourced or made, and how. Next, discussion about the cameras, and whether or not they should offer physical photo prints or just offer digital files. Then it was time to divide up into committees, with every student being assigned to either backdrops, props, equipment, or promotion and business, with one question mark up next to Yuki's name beside 'costumes.'

Chizue was beaming by the time the last roles were filled. "Alright, everyone, thank you much for your hard work! I think that's pretty much all we needed to do today; I'll present our outline at the next student council meeting, but since we're not doing anything with food we should be good to get started on our preparations. Before we break into our committees to discuss next steps, does anyone else have any questions?"

A few hands promptly shot into the air.

"Can we volunteer for roles at the actual festival yet?"

Chizue shook her head. "No, we're going to figure all of that out closer to then. But just as a reminder, everyone except the actual photographers should anticipate being needed for pictures during their shifts."

A collective groan rose up from half of the class, and Chizue laughed. "Well, we are offering photo-ops! What better way to set a scene than by having costumed extras?"

"Oh, no one's arguing that part, Class Rep," Yusuke called out with a grin. "I'm just wondering why we don't just pick the prettiest people and just have them be the assigned models for the whole thing?"

Hiroshi was grinning at Kyo as he agreed. "Yeah, wouldn't it be for the best to pick the finest 3-D has to offer and put them front and center?"

Kyo didn't say anything, but the look he was giving his friend could probably melt steel. Fortunately, Chizue prevented Kyo from needing to say anything.

"Remember, we'll be letting the customers weigh in. If they want extras at all, how many, boys or girls, what kind of costumes they want...as we can, we'll be doing our best to accommodate them. If any of you strongly prefer not to be in pictures you can talk to Yuki or I and we can see about giving you something else to do instead, but in general we hope to have all of 3-D step up and smile!"

Kinoshita raised her hand. "Will customers be able to request specific students to be their extras?"

She was attempting to be nonchalant but none of her classmates were fooled, especially not with the way her eyes were fixed on Yuki the entire time she was talking. But the entire class was interested in hearing the response, seeing as how most of the people who'd voted for the photo op to start with had done so assuming that the answer to that was 'yes.'

Yuki himself was hardly ignorant as to why, as much as it pained him to acknowledge. But he still gave Kinoshita his usual polite smile as he responded, "Yes, customers can request specific extras from the people on shift if they want them."

As Kinoshita thanked Yuki with a beaming smile, Tohru couldn't help but give him a sympathetic look. He knew, as pretty much the entire class did, that he himself was sure to be the biggest draw for their class, and he was already resigned to it. As much as the idea had been pitched as ‘allowing customers to be transported to another reality,’ the inclusion of the 3-D students as extras had been part of that proposal from the start, to 'offer something that only 3-D had.' It was doubtful there was any student at Kaibara High that came even close to touching Yuki's popularity, so allowing customers to choose to take photos with him was basically giving 3-D a license to print money.

The class as a whole was pretty much all there for it...

But Tohru could guess what Yuki must be feeling and how much he wished 3-D had chosen literally any other option.

Since no one had any other questions, it was on to the next thing.

"Ok, everyone! You can go ahead and break into your committees now, but don't worry about doing too much just yet. Today is pretty much just about setting up a schedule of work times, or even just planning your first actual meeting. Remember, we only have five weeks to get everything ready, so we all want to make sure we're staying on top of everything!"

With Chizue's cheerful directive, the room was once again filled with activity as students got up and moved around, quickly finding and settling into their groups.

"Damn, Kyon, I bet you're pretty excited about this, aren't you?" Hiroshi asked, grinning widely as he turned in his chair to look at his friend. "Must be an absolute dream for you, not having to do anything at the festival this year except stand around and look pretty."

Since Kyo hated both standing around and having his picture taken, they were all aware that Hiroshi was joking. But that didn't stop Kyo from giving Hiroshi a disgusted look as Yusuke also turned his chair to lean on Kyo's desk.

"Yeah, totally stoked here," Kyo said with a grumble. "Seriously, outta everything we could've done, we had to go with 'dress-up and pictures?'"

Yusuke shrugged. "Well, why not? I voted for it."

"Me too," Hiroshi agreed instantly.

"What made you idiots wanna do a thing like that?" Kyo demanded, glowering at the pair, and they exchanged a grin before answering,

"Money!"

"...eh?"

"Honestly, Kyon? They've kinda got a point," Arisa said, coming over and standing by Hiroshi's desk. "I mean, we've got the Prince in our class, after all."

"Exactly," Hiroshi said, giving her an approving nod as Saki and Tohru also joined them. "And this being our last year and therefore Yuki's last year, just think of the rampant desperation among the student body to commemorate their time with him. I wonder if we could convince him to take extra shifts during the festival," he mused thoughtfully.

Kyo was still sporting a somewhat pained look, but it had softened slightly when Tohru joined them. Tohru smiled back, her own look almost shy despite the fact the two of them had been dating for over two months.

"Well, I still think it's kinda dumb," Kyo repeated, but with less heat that time. Then it was time for the six of them to get to the matter at hand.

"So...props!" Arisa said, looking at them all with a grin. "This oughtta be fun, don't you think?"

"I must admit I'm rather excited," Saki replied placidly. "While I'm not artistic in a way that lends itself to backdrops, I think I will nevertheless enjoy the challenge of sourcing."

"Yes!" agreed Tohru enthusiastically. "It's going to be kind of like a big scavenger hunt, isn't it?"

"Lest you ladies forget in your excitement, it's not just about finding but fabricating, too," Hiroshi pointed out. "Like, for example...a bar."

Tohru gave him a surprised look. "You really think we need to have an actual bar, Hiroshi?"

"But of course, dear Tohru, beloved of my beloved friend!" At that, Tohru blushed and Kyo rolled his eyes; even with as long as the two of them had been dating, teasing them had yet to grow old for either of Kyo's friends. "What's the point of having a saloon scene if people can't be behind the bar?"

"Or on top of it," Yusuke said with a grin. "Don't forget the American Old West side."

Arisa was nodding her head. "Yeah, we'll definitely need a bar. And I think we're gonna need to make something for the feudal Japan scene, too...maybe a torii gate?"

"Or a building façade," said Saki thoughtfully.

"I think we should have picnic gear, for the riverside scene," Tohru said with a smile, and the others nodded their approval for the suggestion.

"We probably oughtta touch base with the Prince on some of this stuff," Arisa said musingly, looking at the group. "Like, are headpieces and hats and jewelry things props, or are they costumes?"

"I'd say costumes, but that's an excellent point," Yusuke said with a nod before looking at Tohru. "You can be in charge of coordinating with Yuki!"

Tohru felt underqualified for being in charge of anything, even though she knew it wasn't actually something complicated. "Well, I mean, if you all think I'd do a good job at it-"

"-It's just talking with Yuki, Tohru" Kyo said, amused. "Pretty sure you'd be doing that anyway."

When he put it that way, it did sound pretty silly, and Tohru giggled a little sheepishly. "Well, I guess I can do it, then."

"That'll be a good start for us figuring out what we need to source," Yusuke commented. "We wanna wait until after we've heard on the costumes to get started?"

Arisa was shaking her head. "Nah. I mean, it'd be good if we heard back right away, but some of this stuff might end up taking longer than we think, especially anything we have to actually make. I say we try to get started on this sooner rather than later."

Saki nodded. "I concur. Would it work to schedule our first formal prop committee discourse for this Wednesday?"

"No," Tohru and Kyo both immediately said at the same time, then exchanged a smile before Kyo added, "I can't do Wednesdays, or Fridays, or Mondays."

"Geez, Kyon, really? Way to be a team player."

"Hey, some of us’ve gotta work, Hiroshi."

Tohru smiled around at them all. "I can do any day that works for everyone, as long as I'm done by four-thirty on days I'm scheduled to work."

"Well, I'm sure we can easily manage those parameters, dear Tohru," Saki said with a smile at her friend before glancing around. "I have no conflicts."

"As long as I'm able to get to work by five, I can do whenever," Arisa agreed.

"I can't do Mondays or Fridays either," Yusuke said, then gave Kyo a teasing grin. "Guess our little trysts are finally exposed, Kyon!"

Kyo rolled his eyes and snorted. "Like I'd ever be interested in someone as annoying as you."

"Hey, personality doesn't matter when it comes to flings, only raw passion."

"Pretty sure your passion'd be just as annoying as the rest of you."

As Kyo and Yusuke fired back and forth at each other, Tohru couldn't help but smile at them. Yes, Kyo's voice and expression both suggested he was annoyed, and maybe it was true that he actually was. But there had been a time, not too long ago, when he never would have even entertained Yusuke's teasing; when he would have clammed up, gotten flustered, or gotten angry.

Those things were happening less and less often those days. Tohru hadn't been sure about that at first, as the changes had started coming on very gradually. But since the Curse had broken, Kyo had slowly but surely been starting to open up, to people beyond Tohru and Kazuma. He laughed more openly, and more often; actually participated in conversations, rather than just growling or shrugging. Teased, and allowed himself to be teased in return. And didn't automatically assume the worst of anyone's intentions.

It was wonderful to see...even if it could also be a little embarrassing sometimes.

Hiroshi was giving Tohru a sympathetic look. "Sorry, Tohru; it's gotta be rough, watching your guy flirt with his side piece. Now, I'm not about to try and get in the middle of true love, but if you ever find yourself needing a shoulder to cry on-"

"-Then she'll always be able to find one on dear Arisa or myself," Saki cut in smoothly.

"That's right," Arisa agreed instantly. "If Tohru ever needs any comfort, then you can back the hell off and leave it to us."

"Or you could all back the hell off and remember who she's actually dating," Kyo snapped, earning him a disapproving look from Saki.

"You mean the person flirting with someone else, right in front of her?"

"I'm not fli-" Kyo broke off with an annoyed sigh, then looked around at the group. "How about tomorrow, after school? Even if Yuki doesn't know the costume stuff yet, we can still start figuring out what we wanna have so we can figure out the timing for finding or making it. Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be pretty easy, but just in case we're not, we might as well get started."

Everyone agreed with that plan, and Tohru couldn't help but beam at Kyo as she voiced her approval. It never failed to make her happy, seeing him speak up and get involved; him stepping up and taking charge was something even better.

For so long he'd held himself back, not wanting to take part in life; now, even if he was nervous, he was making an effort.

The bell rang shortly thereafter, and the committees broke up to clean before they all left for the day. And as they got to work, Yuki came over to Tohru with a smile.

"Are you excited about your committee, Miss Honda?"

"I am! I think it's going to be a lot of fun, figuring out and finding things to make the pictures more fun! We didn't talk too much today about what things we want to get, but what we already know is very exciting!"

"Oh?" Yuki couldn't help but be charmed by her enthusiasm, and he looked at her curiously. "Like what?"

"Like a bar!" she said brightly, earning her a blank stare in response.

"A...bar?"

"Yes! You know, for the saloon? Yusuke and Hiroshi pointed out that people will probably want to pose behind it, or even sit on top of it! So we're going to build one," she said, beaming at him.

The idea of Tohru building anything, especially something that needed to be structurally stable, was somewhat laughable and also a touch concerning; Yuki found himself wondering just who that 'we' she was talking about meant.

But he couldn't fault her for her enthusiasm, or her energy level.

"Well, if the rest of the prop committee is even half as confident as you, Miss Honda, then I'm sure the class can expect great things from you all."

"I hope so," Tohru giggled, then paused. "Oh, and Yuki, I'm in charge of checking with you on things like hats and accessories and whether those fall under props or costumes. If it's not too much trouble, could you please let me know after you've talked to Ayame?"

"I could," Yuki said thoughtfully, then smiled at her. "Though actually, Miss Honda...you don't work today, right?"

She shook her head. "Nope!"

"Well in that case, would you like to just come with me this afternoon? I was thinking that rather than calling my brother I should go ask in person, and you know he's always happy to see you, too."

And Yuki himself was always happy to have a buffer along, when it came to dealing with Ayame.

Tohru's eyes lit up in reply. "I'd love to! It's been a while since I've seen Ayame and Mine, it would be so nice to say hello to them!"

He returned her pleased smile with a teasing one of his own. "It's a date, then!"

Both of them couldn't help but notice the way Kinoshita and Iwata's heads whipped around at that comment, and Tohru felt that familiar awkward tension his fangirls always created. But once they realized Yuki was talking to Tohru, they both relaxed and went back to their cleaning, leaving Yuki and Tohru alone.

That was another thing that was taking some getting used to, albeit in a good way overall. Ever since Tohru and Kyo had gone public with their relationship, the animosity that had permeated every interaction she'd had with the Prince Yuki Fan girls had vanished completely almost overnight. Suddenly they were all polite and friendly to Tohru, treating her as though she were simply any other girl.

Mostly.

But while that was largely a good thing, Tohru couldn't help but wonder how it all felt to Yuki. He and Machi had been dating for as long as Tohru and Kyo, but while Tohru and Kyo's relationship had become common knowledge, Yuki and Machi's was still a secret. Tohru knew, of course, as did the rest of the Sohmas at school, and Yuki's good friend Kakeru. But beyond that, Tohru was pretty sure it wasn't known; not even Saki and Arisa were in the loop.

Yuki and Machi mostly avoided each other at school. Now that their time on the student council was over, there weren't really any excuses for them to see  each other at school that wouldn't make people immediately suspicious. They'd tried, early on, to have lunch together with Kakeru; the assumption had been that Kakeru's presence would kill suspicion towards Machi, but a sudden increase in hostilities towards her had disabused them of that notion.

Yuki had struggled trying to figure out what to do after that; he hated the idea of Machi suffering for his sake, and he also hated being forced to hide something he wanted to celebrate. The whole concept was still mind-boggling to him: that he was special enough to justify that kind of interest.

And not only that kind of interest, but also that kind of vitriol...

At least now he could talk to Tohru in peace.

Yuki, Tohru and Kyo all left school together, Tohru and Kyo walking hand in hand until Kyo had to go to the dojo,

"Are you going to be the usual time getting home tonight, Kyo?" Tohru asked, giving him a smile, and he grinned back in return.

"Yeah, but you really don't gotta move dinner later 'cause of me, Tohru. I don't mind eating stuff that's been reheated, honest."

"I know, but I like it better this way," Tohru said affectionately. "And Yuki and Shigure said they don't mind either, so it isn't a problem!"

Kyo shot Yuki a glance, which Yuki responded to with a shrug. "It's just forty-five minutes, you Stupid Cat, it's not like any of us are going to starve in that short time."

Kyo snorted at that, then looked back at Tohru. "Well, you try'n have fun at the shop, and I'll see you later."

"Have a good afternoon!"

Yuki pointedly turned away as Tohru leaned up to give Kyo a kiss; even though there wasn't much to it, he still felt uncomfortable, seeing them act that romantic. But the kiss was over soon and Kyo was on his way, to attend the class he took and the one he was now teaching. And Yuki turned back to smile at Tohru as they continued home to drop off their book bags, change, and depart for Ayame's shop.

Chapter Text

"So, are you happy with what our class is doing for the Cultural Festival, Miss Honda?" Yuki asked as the two of them made their way to Ayame's shop. And Tohru smiled at the question, nodding happily as she answered,

"I am! It wasn't what I voted for, but I still think it's going to be a lot of fun. There was only one option that I was really hoping against, so I would have been happy with almost anything we chose!"

"Let me guess, the haunted house?" Yuki asked playfully, and Tohru gave him a sheepish smile. "That's ok, Miss Honda, I was glad we didn't go with that one as well. I know they're popular for a reason, but it feels like they're almost a default suggestion these days."

Tohru didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but it was still nice to know he wasn't disappointed, either. But even as she thought that Tohru reconsidered, glancing up at Yuki and his ever-handsome profile.

"Are you happy, Yuki?"

Yuki was quiet for a moment, then he gave Tohru a resigned smile. "I'm happy the class was able to find something so many people could feel so excited about."

So that was a 'no,' then.

She was giving him a troubled look, and Yuki reached out and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about me, Miss Honda, I'll be fine. It's just...a little hard to feel excited about being set up to be a sideshow attraction."

Tohru could understand that, and she felt bad that she was actually excited about their photo stand. Of course Yuki would feel awkward about the whole thing; why wouldn't he, when no one was making any attempt to hide the fact he was meant to be their big draw?

"Yuki, I'm sure that if you said something-"

He was shaking his head. "I couldn't do that. As much as I hate to admit it, there are a lot of people who'd be willing to support our class if I'm participating in the photo aspect. I couldn't do something as selfish as hold out on that, not when it could be such a big benefit to everyone else."

Tohru could hear the 'but' from a mile away, though, and she gave him what was meant to be a reassuring smile. "Well, who knows, Yuki; maybe it will actually turn out to be a lot of fun!

The look he gave her was affectionate, but she could see he didn't quite believe her.

That was fair, she supposed.

"Anyway, what do you think Ayame is going to say?"

"Words cannot even begin to describe my joy and delight, my beloved brother; not at your appearance in my humble establishment nor yet at your earnest supplication for my assistance. And, as ever, I must hasten to remind you that whenever there is a question of my being of use to you, the answer is, inevitably and inexorably, yes!"

Yuki and Tohru sat on the couch in the lounge area in the back of Ayame's shop, teacups in their hands and a pained expression on Yuki's face. On the one hand, he was happy to hear an answer from Ayame so promptly. But on the other hand...

It was Ayame.

Ayame, for his part, looked every bit as joyful and delighted as he claimed to be, flipping back his hair as he settled into an chair beside Yuki.

"So now that that's settled...how, exactly, may I and my skills assist you?"

"You know, brother, most people would wait to hear the details of the request before they gave their answer," Yuki told Ayame, his voice somewhat strained.

Ayame wasn't in the slightest bit chastised.

"Perhaps, but most people are not myself, and are therefore not in possession of a love for you that overwhelms and dominates nearly every other fiber of their being!"

Tohru knew Yuki was pained, but she couldn't stop her giggles. Ayame could be a bit much, yes, but he was always so happy to see Yuki and so unashamed of his love for him...it was absolutely wonderful to witness.

And Ayame couldn't help but respond to that giggling. "You see Tohru agrees with my sentiments, Yuki! She understands that a bond such as ours is not meant to be approached by such mundane tit-for-tat sentiments."

"You don't even know if you'll want to do it."

"Of course I will! You're asking, ergo it's sure to be worthwhile."

"You don't know if you'll have time."

"Of course I shall! Surely you know by now there are few artisans as committed to and capable of a rapid turnaround as myself and my dearly beloved Mine!"

"You don't know-"

Ayame reached out and patted Yuki's knee. "While I will always be appreciative of your dedication to ensuring informed consent, my dear Yuki, I believe you have forgotten the actual question. So again, let me ask you: with what do you need my help?"

Yuki flushed, feeling that Ayame might actually have a bit of a point in his censure, as strangely gentle as it was. And it wasn't like he wanted Ayame to change his mind; it would be an enormous help for the entire class if Ayame was onboard for the costumes. But at the same time, it was still incredibly hard for Yuki to simply sit back and have anyone offer him favors for being himself.

That wasn't Ayame's fault, though, and Yuki could give him the courtesy of answering his question.

"It's for the Cultural Festival, Ayame," Yuki began, and Ayame's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Ooh, do tell! Another play, perhaps?"

Yuki shook his head. "No play, no. Our class decided to do a photo stand, this year."

Ayame's considered that for a moment, then he frowned. "I'm afraid I don't completely follow, my dear brother. If you'd be so kind as to elaborate?"

Yuki sighed. "Basically, we're going to be offering different 'scenes' where people can come and have their pictures taken. We'll be making and finding backdrops and props, and offering costumes and makeup; people can choose what scene they want, and how they want to look. It can be just one person having their picture taken, or a group; they'll also have the option to have members of our class appear in their photos as well, also in costume, if that's what they want. Then they'll get copies of their photos to keep."

Ayame had listened with interest, and by the time Yuki was done explaining he was practically overflowing with enthusiasm.

"And of course, to offer the finest of photographic experiences you must also offer the finest array of costume choices! Have no fear, my beloved Yuki, Mine and I will of course be delighted to offer our assistance in the creation and procuration of your costumes. Indeed, as much as I never would have thought it possible this might even be more delightful a concept than your play!"

As he spoke, Ayame was rummaging around in one of the oversized pockets of his long coat, and he soon produced a small pad of paper and a pencil.

"Have you already decided on your settings?" he asked, his tone suddenly surprisingly business-like, and Yuki nodded.

"Feudal Japan-"

"-A classic, naturally," Ayame murmured, jotting that down.

"A fairytale castle-"

"-Of course, the epitome of romance and glamor," as Ayame wrote that down as well.

"A classic Japanese riverside scene, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom-"

"-Hmm...not the most attached to any particular style, but certainly lends itself well to interpretation," Ayame murmured.

"A Super Sentai-style mecha scene-"

"-Really?" Ayame stared at Yuki for a moment, then laughed. "Well, the youth of any day have always liked their fantasy, in whatever form it takes. An interesting challenge, to be sure!"

"And an American-style saloon."

Ayame was grinning as he wrote that one down. "Fascinating, fascinating, and so many different ways we could take it!"

"That's all," Yuki had, somewhat glad considering just how gleeful Ayame was looking by the end.

"Well, that should be more than enough to give your prospective customers a wide array of thematic choices," Ayame said, lowering his pad and beaming at Yuki. "Now, what exactly were you thinking, in terms of costumes?"

Yuki exchanged a look with Tohru, then looked back at Ayame. "Well, as I said, the plan is to allow for groups of people to take pictures together, so we'd ideally want several costumes for each scene."

"Easily done," Ayame said, waving his hand dismissively.

"We want them to look nice," Yuki began, earning him a reproachful glare from Ayame who opened his mouth to comment before Yuki hastened to add, "but able to fit a wide array of body types."

Ayame closed his mouth, then nodded. "Of course. Easily adjustable...tie closures, elastic materials and the like will do wonders for that, even on costumes that would otherwise need to look as though they were fitted. What else?"

Yuki couldn't think of anything, so he looked at Tohru.

"Um...maybe a good mix of boy and girl outfits, Ayame, if it's not too much trouble?" she asked bashfully. "We want to make sure we have a good amount of choices, whether we get a large group of girls or a large group of boys!"

Ayame smiled at her. "But of course, my dear Tohru; we can't have too many princesses without their princes, or geishas without their dannas!

Tohru looked startled. "Geishas? Ayame-"

"-Don't worry, my dear Tohru, just leave everything to me!"

Yuki was feeling a little concerned after that comment too; just how elaborate did Ayame intend to make these costumes?

"Ayame, we do have to make sure we're staying within a budget," he began, but once again Ayame waved him off.

"Have no fear, dear Yuki, you will spend not so much as a single yen more than your class has allotted, and on that, you have my word."

Ayame was beaming from ear to ear in a manner Yuki found highly suspicious, but he knew his brother well enough to know that whatever else he did, he wouldn't blow the class’s budget.

"Now, when do you need these finished by?" Ayame asked, looking from Yuki to Tohru. "I'm afraid I can't actually recall the timing of last year's festival."

Yuki spoke up. "The actual festival is the second to last weekend in October. But if possible, we'd like to have them by the previous week."

"Four weeks," Ayame said thoughtfully, more to himself than the others, then snapped his head up and nodded. "It will be tight, but it can certainly be done. If I were to provide you with sketches of the proposed designs by, say...Wednesday," he said, after consulting his phone calendar, "would that be enough time for your class to say 'yea' or 'nay' to me by Thursday?"

Yuki and Tohru were startled. Ayame meant to have everything ready for their approval in two days?

At their wide-eyed stares, Ayame could only laugh. "Did I shock you? Remember, dear children, as I said, Mine and I have always prided ourselves on our turnaround times!"

Yuki recovered enough to find his voice. "Wednesday should be fine, Ayame. I'll let our class rep know, and we can hopefully have a little time during the day to vote on the designs."

"Wonderful!" Ayame beamed. "Then I shall take this list," he said, tapping the pad as he closed it, "and come up with an assortment of ideas that will guarantee your class attracts the gaze of customers great and small. Though I have to ask, my dear brother," as he beamed at Yuki, "will customers be able to take their picture with you, should they so request?"

Tohru shot Yuki an anxious look, but he was calm. As calm as he ever was around Ayame, anyway, and he nodded.

"Yes, I'll take my turn, the same as everyone else."

Ayame's eyes widened at that, and he turned next to Tohru. "So that must mean you will be posing as well?"

Tohru blushed. While she definitely intended to take her turn if and when extras were called for, she didn't quite know if 'posing' was quite the way to put it.

"Well, of course if there's a need for me I'll be happy to step up, but I don't really think it's going to be all that much," she said, once more feeling shy.

"Nonsense!" Ayame declared, shaking his head at her. "I can only imagine what a vision you'll be, in any of the scenes you described: wearing a furisode along a cherry-blossom strewn river, in hakama in front of a torii gate, in garters atop a bar-"

"-Please remember this is a high school event," Yuki interjected, but Ayame continued blithely,

"In a romantic ballgown before a castle, or even in pink spandex in front of a giant robot! The imagination fairly teems with the possibilities, dear Tohru, and I'm sure it will be enough to drive Kyonkichi mad."

Tohru was still blushing, but Ayame's listing of the settings reminded her of something important. "Oh, Ayame, there was one more thing I wanted to ask you!"

"Anything for you, dear Tohru!” he said. “Aside from my dear Mine, my beloved brother, and my forever comrades-in-arms Hatori and Shigure, you are the one to whom no question can ever be too much. Please, ask away," he said, beaming at her.

She was blushing again. "Well, I'm on the prop committee, for the festival-"

"-Ooh, the prop committee! What a delightfully fun-sounding assignment!"

Now it was her turn to beam. "Oh, it is! I mean, we just formed the committees today, so we haven't actually done anything yet, other than figure out when we're actually starting our work. But we did do just a little bit of talking, and I just wanted to check-"

Ayame was looking at her so expectantly that it was enough to make her blush more. Considering how busy he was and how much he was already doing for them, the fact he was sitting and listening so patiently to her was almost unbelievable!

"Are things like hats and jewelry and accessories something you'd include, Ayame?" she burst out, the words tangling together in a tumbled rush.

Fortunately, Ayame understood easily. "Ah, an excellent question, dear Tohru, and your attention to such fine details will only further ensure your class's success on the weekend of the actual event. However, I have to tell you 'no;' while Mine and I are most assuredly the finest clothiers you could ever hope to meet, we are neither milliners nor jewelers."

Tohru was blushing again, but this time in obvious embarrassment. Of course they didn't do accessories; she knew that! They worked with fabric.

"However," Ayame continued, his expression once more thoughtful, "I might still be able to be of use to you. When I send over my sketches, I'll be sure to include suggestions of items that would most effectively complete each look. That way, you know precisely what sorts of things you ought to look for.”

Tohru clapped her hands delightedly. "Oh, if you would, Ayame, that would be absolutely wonderful!"

"But of course! As I said, yours is but to ask, and mine is but to give, as much and as often as I can," Ayame told her with a bright, beaming smile. "And I'll have to talk to Mine, but we might have some retail suggestions for you, as well. Hats and fans and parasols and costume jewelry can all be easy to find, and surprisingly affordable, if one only knows where to look!"

Yuki was once more wary; he wasn't sure how much he liked the idea of Tohru going to any 'retail establishment' recommended by his brother, and certainly not alone. But he had to agree that Ayame was going above and beyond, and he gave Ayame a truly grateful smile when it was time for them to go.

"Thank you so much, Ayame. If it turns out to be too much-"

Ayame promptly tutted at him. "Keep this up, my dear Yuki, and I'll start to think you have no confidence in me! We certainly can't have that, now, can we?"

Yuki eyed him for a moment, then sighed. There were some things about Ayame that never changed...and probably would never change.

They would always probably bug Yuki, too.

But he could always appreciate his brother's kindness, and as Ayame saw them to the door Yuki was smiling.

"Thanks a lot, Ayame, really. It means a lot, you being willing to help us like this."

And Ayame gave him a big smile. "It's always my pleasure, my dear Yuki."

"So Ayame's gonna take care of the costumes, then? That oughtta make a lot of people happy," Kyo commented as the three of them sat at the dinner table that night. Shigure was at the main house, as he often was these days; ever since the Curse had broken, he'd been gradually spending more and more time there. Two months on, he was probably gone two or three nights a week, and none of them, not even Tohru, was complaining about it.

It certainly made mealtimes a lot more peaceful. Kyo and Yuki had both gotten used to Shigure's teasing about their respective relationships by now and largely avoided reacting to it, but there were times when something would slip through and set one or both of them off. Shigure still seemed to take ridiculous delight in embarrassing or annoying people, and sometimes, it was hard to sit and take it with a smile.

Tohru felt a little bad about how happy she was on nights Shigure was out. In spite of everything that had happened between them, he was still her de facto guardian, and he had still taken her in. Her feelings about him had been complicated ever since the day at the dojo he'd told her about the Cat, but in general she liked him...well enough.

She shouldn't be treating his absences as a good thing...and yet, she did.

At least she could comfort herself that she wasn't alone.

Tohru and Yuki had stopped at the grocery store on the way home from Ayame's, and Kyo had returned from the dojo just as she was putting the finishing touches on dinner. The three of them had dished up and all sat down together, and as Tohru had looked from Yuki to Kyo she found herself thinking, not for the first time lately, just how very nice life could be.

Kyo had been curious about their visit to Ayame's, and Tohru had been excited to share the results. Like Yuki, she had been delighted that Ayame agreed to help, and awed at how fast he hoped to turn around his initial designs.

"I know, won't it?" she asked, beaming brightly at Kyo in response to his comment. "Just think, we won't have to worry about the costumes at all! And because Ayame and Mine are making them, they're sure to look wonderful," she said, sighing happily.

Both Yuki and Kyo smiled in response to Tohru's obvious delight, but their responses were a little more measured.

"I just hope he doesn't make everything too damn over-the-top," Kyo said, thinking back to his costume from the play with a wince. "We're gonna be after volume, right? As many people as possible? So that means we don't wanna have people taking forever figuring out how to actually get dressed."

Yuki agreed. "That's a good point. I'll send my brother a text later and remind him of that, that we want to make sure our customers can easily and quickly manage their outfits by themselves. Personally, I just hope he remembers this is for a high school and he keeps everything appropriate," he said, frowning as he thought about Ayame's comment about Tohru 'in garters.'

Tohru was much less anxious than either of the boys. "I'm sure everything will be wonderful! And I can't wait to see what he comes up with."

"What'd you find out about the hats and stuff, Tohru?" Kyo asked. "Ayame doing those too, or we gotta figure 'em out for ourselves?"

Tohru's smile faltered a little bit. "We'll have to handle them, unfortunately," she said, then brightened. "But Ayame was going to include suggestions of what kinds of things we should look for to complete each outfit, and he and Mine were going to make a list of some places we could shop!"

Kyo was caught a little off-guard, and he blinked at Tohru. "Shop?"

"Yes! Ayame seemed confident that we could find a lot of the things we might want at very reasonable prices, if we looked in the right places," she informed him.

"Well, just remember we've got a budget, Tohru, so don't go getting too attached to any ideas 'til we've all had a chance to sit down and figure out our priorities."

As Tohru and Kyo went back and forth, talking and smiling at each other, Yuki simply sat quietly and ate. This was happening with increasing regularity those days, especially when Shigure wasn't around; Tohru and Kyo would settle into a conversational rhythm, and just...go, the two of them alone.

Yuki usually didn't mind. He still had lots of chances to regularly talk with Tohru, and even with Kyo, should he actually want to. He didn't need to be an active part of every conversation, even when he was physically present.

But that night, as he ate his dinner, he found himself watching the two of them and feeling strangely...jealous.

It wasn't over any one specific thing. Nothing particular triggered it, nothing that he could point at and say, 'I wish I had 'X' like Tohru and Kyo.' Instead, he found himself thinking, really thinking, about them, and all the things they had that he didn't.

He'd been feeling down ever since that afternoon and the class meeting. He had put on his best 'Assistant to the Class Rep' smile, but as he and Chizue had counted the votes and he'd put each additional tally mark after the photo stand, it had been increasingly hard to keep that smile up.

He could have liked the photo stand idea, if it wasn't for the 'extras' part.

Yuki had never considered himself to be especially vain, but there had been a time when he had been happy to get so much attention. If his schoolmates all liked him so much, even for superficial reasons, then it had to mean he was worth something, himself.

So many people couldn't look at him and be wrong, right?

But as he'd grown more confident in himself and who he was as a person, he'd become more and more disenchanted with the admiration. He didn't need it. He didn't deserve it, no more than anyone else. And most importantly, he no longer wanted it.

What had once been validating had become annoying; what had seemed innocuous had grown to be monstrous.

He had always been vaguely aware of the Prince Yuki Fan Club; not that it was an ‘official’ entity, but that a vast majority of girls (as well as some boys) at Kaibara High had always seemed especially fond of him. However, he had been stunned to learn, only within the past couple months, just how much trouble they'd given Tohru prior to her dating Kyo.

It all seemed so ridiculous when Yuki found out; he and Tohru had never been anything other than good friends, so why would anyone be jealous of her?

Except it wasn't just her, he'd admitted uncomfortably. He thought back to the previous year's Culture Fest, and how Machi had been harassed for simply saying he wasn't a prince.

And how, currently...

Yuki looked over at Tohru and Kyo, at how they were sitting beside each other, smiling. He wasn't going to check, but he was confident that if he did, he'd see their knees touching under the table, and possibly their thighs.

Tohru and Kyo could sit together, closely, whenever they wanted. Not just there at home, but at school, as well.

Yuki thought about that afternoon at school, after the class had split up into their committees to plan. He'd been talking over the costumes and the budget with Chizue, but he'd been able to hear fragments of assorted conversations, including the prop committee's.

'Or you could all back the hell off and remember who she's actually dating!'

Kyo's voice tended to carry whenever he was worked up, and it had definitely carried back then. Yuki didn't know the context surrounding Kyo's outburst, but he'd seen Kyo's red face, Kyo's laughing friends, and Tohru's embarrassed but happy smile as she leaned against Kyo's desk.

Tohru and Kyo could be like that, when they were at school. Open, and honest, and artlessly together. Everyone knew they were dating, or could, with the tiniest bit of effort. Even though they were admittedly circumspect with showing affection and never behaved in any way remotely inappropriate, it was obvious to everyone that they were a couple. The way they stood together, the way they looked at each other...even if they hadn't openly admitted they were dating, everyone could tell and everyone was happy for them.

Meanwhile, Yuki and Machi couldn't even look at each other without causing problems. When the time had come for Yuki to turn over the reins of the student council, he had initially been happy; being the president had been fun, but quite a lot of work. He had been ready to turn his attention to more relaxing things...and do some studying for his university entrance exams.

He had been doing those things, and so far he'd enjoyed them. But he hadn't anticipated how much it would change things at school, now that he was no longer on the student council.

Starting with how badly it made him miss Machi.

It was stupid. He knew it was stupid. They saw each other often outside of school; incredibly often, Yuki would be the first to admit.

But it wasn't the same. He wanted to be able to do what Tohru and Kyo always did: to walk up to Machi and rest his hand on her. To simply smile at her, and ask how her day was going.

To eat lunch together.

To even simply say 'hi.'

He'd tried. They'd tried. It had only been a couple lunches, with Kakeru to boot. It should have been fine.

It hadn’t been fine.

Machi hadn't said anything to Yuki, but Haru had. He and Momiji were in Machi's class, and they had seen some of the fallout.

Yuki didn't understand it; why he, of all people, was so worth fighting over. But when he'd asked Machi, she had simply shrugged and said not to worry. That she ‘would handle the other girls, the way she always had.’

Because she was used to it. Because she'd had to be.

Yuki couldn't do that to her; couldn't cause her that drama. They'd stopped having lunch together and ignored each other instead; as long as they were on school grounds, they might as well have been strangers. If they happened to see each other in passing, they’d smile and be polite, but the rest of the time?

People were already lining up to take pictures with Yuki, even people from his own class. He knew that his classmates were banking on him being a draw for their Culture Fest booth; he'd heard several of them say as much already.

But while the world was eager to line up and smile next to him, he couldn't even hold hands with his girlfriend within five blocks of the school. Not unless he was willing to let Machi get hurt...

Because things couldn't be as simple for them as they were for other people.

Tohru and Kyo were laughing together when Yuki abruptly stood up.

"Thank you for dinner tonight, Miss Honda, it was delicious. Would you be upset if I worked on my homework alone tonight?"

Both Tohru and Kyo were looking at him, Tohru in wide-eyed surprise.

"Of course not, Yuki, not if that's what you want! Please don't feel you have to work with me if you don't want to!"

When she put it that way, Yuki felt instantly contrite. "That's not it, Miss Honda, not at all. It's just..." He thought rapidly, trying to think of a valid excuse. "I've got a slight headache, and I might end up lying down for a while."

Her expression immediately became understanding. "If you're not feeling well, then of course you should lie down! I know homework is important and naturally you should try to work on it, but health always has to come first! And don't you worry about the dishes, not at all!"

He'd actually totally forgotten about the dishes, which just went to show how preoccupied he'd been. Fighting back an embarrassed blush, he gave her a nod.

"Then I'll say good night."

"Good night, Yuki! Feel better!"

"Night," Kyo said, looking at Yuki thoughtfully.

It might not have been his most graceful exit, but as Yuki made his way upstairs, he didn't care.

There was only so much he could take in one day, and it turned out he had hit his limit.

Chapter Text

"Hey, did anything weird happen when you guys were at Ayame's shop?"

Tohru looked over at Kyo as the two of them stood at the sink, washing the dishes together after dinner. Normally that was something she did with Yuki on nights he was home; she would wash, and Yuki would dry. But since he'd gone up to his room Kyo had stepped in for him, and Tohru and Kyo had been working in their usual companionable manner.

Kyo's question honestly surprised her, especially because they'd been talking about the dojo right before. And that surprise was likely evident on her face as she turned to look at him, frowning.

"No, of course not!"

Kyo was giving her a skeptical look, and Tohru flushed. "I mean, Ayame was the same as he always was, but he didn't say or do anything that would count as weird! If anything, he seemed very focused on what we were asking," she said, feeling oddly defensive of the former Snake.

Kyo had never liked Ayame all that much, which she could understand, but she also wasn't going to let him cast aspersions on Ayame without cause.

Kyo still looked unsure, but after a moment he shrugged. "If you say so."

Tohru started to turn back to the sink, then paused.

"Why?"

"Just wondering if something happened to make Ratboy so moody, that's all."

"Moody?" Tohru was surprised again, and she blinked at Kyo before looking up at the ceiling as though she could see into Yuki's room.

Yuki was being moody?

"Look, never mind," Kyo said, reaching out and rapping her forehead with the back of the hand holding the dishtowel. "Maybe the guy does just have a headache."

Tohru frowned at him. "You think he doesn't?"

Kyo shrugged. "Honestly? No idea. But he was pretty quiet, before he up and left."

She thought about that, her frown deepening. Now that Kyo pointed it out...he was right. Yuki had said a couple things during dinner, but it had mostly been just her talking to Kyo.

The realization was enough to make her blush, and to fill her with a new worry. Had she and Kyo been shutting Yuki out? Had he wanted to talk but never found an opening, because she and Kyo made it too hard or too awkward for him to jump in?

Her eyes widened as she considered the idea, thinking back to previous meals in search of a pattern. And she was able to see a pattern fairly quickly, one she admittedly didn't like.

She couldn't remember the last time Yuki had talked during mealtime; been a driving force in a conversation, not just made polite small talk. No matter how many days she thought back, she could only remember conversations with Kyo.

And the more she thought about it, the more distressed she became. Yuki had always been such a wonderful friend to her, ever since she first came to live in the house at all. He was still her friend, one of her best friends. And while she'd never wanted to be one of those girls you'd hear about, the ones that got a boyfriend and suddenly had no time for friends, she had to ask herself if that was what she'd been doing: slowly but surely pushing Yuki out.

"Hey."

Tohru turned to see Kyo looking intently at her.

"Come on, what is it?" he asked, studying her with concern. "I can tell you're panicking about something."

Her first instinct was to tell him. It was Kyo, after all, the person she could tell anything...

Almost.

"I need to go up and talk to Yuki," she said, setting down her dishcloth. Kyo didn't look exactly shocked, but he did look confused.

"Right now?"

"Right now," she said firmly, then hesitated as she looked at the remaining dishes. But Kyo was already reaching for the cloth.

"You go, I'll finish these. Don't suppose you're gonna tell me why you suddenly need to talk to him, huh?"

Tohru blushed, then shook her head. The relationship between Kyo and Yuki had gotten miles better in the two and a half months since the Curse had broken, but they were still nothing remotely like friends; more like two casually tolerant roommates who lived together because they had no choice but were trying to make the best of things. Even if her worries were accurate and Yuki was upset he was being shut out, it didn't feel like something she should tell Kyo, not yet.

Fortunately, Kyo himself didn't seem to mind. "Fine, get on with it, then. It's only gonna keep bugging you if you don't."

And even though Tohru's worries involved her being too caught up in her boyfriend, when he said things like that while smiling at her like that it was hard not to think he was the most perfect person alive.

Yuki was sitting up on his bed, homework in his lap that he was staring at without seeing when the unexpected knock came at his door. And for a moment he stared at the door with a mild frown before setting down his books and getting up to answer.

"Miss Honda?"

Tohru was standing there, sporting an anxious expression. But before Yuki could ask her why, she cut straight to the chase.

"Yuki, I am so, so sorry. I just want you to know that I always want you to feel like you can talk, no matter what Kyo and I are saying ourselves. So if I've been talking too much, or making you feel at all like you can't, then I'm really, really sorry!" she finished, bowing.

Yuki didn't know what she meant, and he stared at her in confusion.

"Miss Honda, what on earth are you talking about?"

She gulped. "It's just...you were so quiet at dinner, and I didn't realize it at first but then Kyo pointed it out, and once he did I started to think and I realized you've been quiet at a lot of meals lately. And you know I'd never mean to shut you out, Yuki, but I think I have and I'm just so very sorry!"

Tohru's apology was so sincere and her tone so distressed that Yuki couldn't help but feel touched and a little bit guilty, even though he knew that logically there was no reason he should.

"Miss Honda, please, you don't have apologize. Not for that, or for anything else, I promise. If anything, I'm sorry that I've upset you," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "If I've been quiet, it hasn't been because you've been shutting me out. I've just..."

He paused, wondering just how much he should say. She'd always been his best listener and his staunchest ally, but he was trying his hardest to be less dependent on her. To let their relationship be more what it should be: that of two good friends, on an equal footing.

But it was hard to look at her and at her anxious expression and not want to unburden himself, since he had the chance. He wanted to speak up, so very badly...

But he wouldn't.

Not right now.

Not so easily.

"I've just had a lot on my mind, lately, that's all," Yuki concluded.

She was still hesitating. "Yuki, if it's anything you'd like to talk about-"

He'd known Tohru would say something like that, so he'd been able to steel himself against it. "That's very kind of you, Miss Honda, and I appreciate the offer, but no. Not now, anyway," he said, admitting to her as well as himself that there was only so far his willpower could go.

And she still looked concerned even after he'd given his answer, but it was a relief to see that her anxiety, at least, was gone.

"Well, if you change your mind, then just let me know, ok?" she asked him, and he nodded.

"I will."

"Ok, then." For a moment she stood awkwardly in the doorway, then smiled. "Well, I'll leave you, then. Good night, Yuki!"

"Good night, Miss Honda, and thank you."

After Tohru left, Yuki returned to his bed, and theoretically to his homework, but he was thinking instead about Tohru, and about Machi. About two women, both so very important to him.

Two women who, for so long, he had caused trouble.

And Yuki sighed, tipping his head back and resting it against the wall.

How had he let it go on as long as it had, this strange, obsessive affection that people had for him? And why had no one ever told him what that affection did?

Tohru had been dealing with his 'fans' since she had moved in with him, but she'd never breathed so much as a word about what they'd done to him. Arisa and Saki knew; they'd apparently even been angry with Yuki on Tohru's behalf. But they'd never said anything to him, any more than Tohru.

Everyone just seemed to take it for granted that he knew, and the fact they assumed so was enough to make his jaw clench.

Did they really think he'd be ok with it all, if he knew? Did they truly think that he'd be happy to know that people were being harassed, or worse, in his name?

Once again, Yuki thought about Tohru and Kyo at school, about the way she'd just go over and stand at his side. Nothing overly demonstrative, nothing improper, but at the same time, you'd look at them, and know they were together. Know from how closely together they stood, know from the way their bodies would angle towards each other 'just so.' Yes, they'd been teased about it in the early days, and yes, they still got teased sometimes now, but it was affectionate, that teasing.

People were happy for them.

How many people would be happy for Yuki, if they knew? Even if it wasn't Machi he was actually dating, even if it was literally any other girl...how many people would be happy?

Would anyone, at all?

"Alright, you jokers; let's get this meeting moving!"

It was the following afternoon, and the six members of the prop committee were in various stages of repose out under the trees in the courtyard. Arisa had been patient while everyone settled down, but now that they were all there, it was time to get to business; after all, she and Tohru had jobs to get to later.

Fortunately, everyone else agreed to get straight into things, too.

"How was yesterday's mission, dear Tohru?" Saki asked, turning her head to look at her friend. "Were you successful in your information gathering?"

Tohru straightened up and smiled. "I was! Like Yuki said today in class, Ayame and Mine are going to be taking care of the costumes, so that's great for all of us, obviously! But they don't do hats or accessories, so we'll need to handle those," she admitted, looking around.

Yusuke let out a gusty sigh. "Well, that's a bummer; I guess it was too much to hope that we wouldn't have to worry about frills."

"Hey, you guys don't have to, if you don't wanna," Arisa replied. "I don't know about you two," she said, looking at Tohru and Saki, "but personally, I think finding hats and parasols and feathers and crap like that sounds like it'll be fun!"

Saki and Tohru were both smiling.

"I concur, dear Arisa."

"Me too! And Ayame did say that even though they don't won't be doing the accessories, he's going to provide us with a list of suggestions of things that go best with the costumes! And a list of places to try shopping for them," Tohru informed the group excitedly.

"Yeah? Well, there we go then, we'll have ourselves an accessory scavenger hunt," Arisa said, grinning. Then she looked at the three boys as she raised challenging brow.

"You guys have any problems with the three of us handling the wearables?"

The guys exchanged looks, then shook their heads.

"Perfect! So, the girls'll handle the accessories. What's next?"

Tohru had pulled out a notepad and written that down, and then she looked around the group shyly. "What if we broke down each scene and figured out what props we need for each one? Then we can figure out what we need to find, or what we need to make!"

"Great idea, Tohru!"

"Yeah, let's do that."

"An excellent strategy, dear Tohru."

Kyo simply grinned at her, and the look of affectionate pride on his face was almost too much for her. Aware she was blushing, she cleared her throat and glanced around their little circle.

"So...what do we need for feudal Japan?"

Hiroshi had pulled out his own notepad, where he'd jotted down the results of yesterday’s initial full-class discussion.

"Well, we discussed building some kind of structure, possibly even two. We'll want to talk to the backdrop team and see what they're doing before we get too fancy, but I think at the very least we'll want to go with a torii gate. Thoughts?"

The others nodded.

"I agree," said Arisa. "For that one, we're gonna be doing old buildings and old clothes, and a shrine would tie into that pretty neatly. Plus a gate is something people could pose with in lots of ways."

"And that reminds me, we shall probably want to acquire some geta sandals, if we're in charge of our own accessories," Saki said. "I feel that footwear will likely be an important element."

"That's a good point, but then we should also probably get a bunch of cheap disposable tabi socks," Yusuke interjected. "We don't want people to be sharing socks."

"Oh yeah. Tohru, can you ask the Prince about that?" Arisa asked, looking at her. "I don't mind us buying them if we think we need to, but socks seem more like a ‘costumes’ budget thing than ‘props.’"

Tohru jotted that down on her pad and nodded. "I will!"

"Ok, so we want a torii gate," Hiroshi continued. "What else, for the feudal era that's not clothing-related?"

"Weapons?" Kyo asked, looking around. "Not real ones, of course, but if we're doing samurai getups then we probably oughtta have something people can carry with ‘em."

"And maybe a bench? People might want to sit and pose, with the kimono and parasol."

They all considered for a moment after that, then when no one had any other suggestions, they moved on.

"Ok...an American-style saloon," Tohru said, looking at the next item on her list before looking up sheepishly. "I really don't know anything about this one, I'm sorry!"

Arisa laughed. "You're such an innocent, Tohru! Honestly, I think this one's gonna be easy: bottles!"

They all laughed at that, and there was general agreement around the circle. The more bottles, the better!

"But we're probably gonna wanna talk to Sensei Shiraki about that," Yusuke admitted. "They might be ok with us sourcing some empties, but they also might not, and that'll be good to know before we start scrounging. If we have to make fakes, that's something we should know sooner rather than later."

"And talking about making stuff, don't forget the bar," Kyo said, resting his elbows on his splayed knees. "If the idea's to let people climb on it, we're gonna wanna make sure it's strong enough."

"I think building sounds like the perfect job for you three," Arisa said with a dismissive gesture at the guys. "I know it's probably too early to put everything together, but we should figure out all what needs to be built, and you guys can figure out how you wanna deal with that, and when."

Kyo, Hiroshi, and Yusuke looked at each other and shrugged.

"Works for me, as long as we don't leave everything for too late," Kyo said, side-eying Yusuke, who promptly puffed up.

"Are you suggesting I'm a procrastinator, Kyon?"

"He's saying you're a procrastinator, Yusuke," Hiroshi said with a grin. "Because you are."

"Only for unimportant things, like homework! I'd never leave something this important until the last minute...intentionally."

Kyo gave him an amused look, then looked at Hiroshi. "So, you and I in charge of the building schedule?"

Hiroshi nodded, grinning, while Yusuke protested about being shut out. But the girls had already turned their attention back to the matter at hand.

"Towels? Like, little white hand towels? I feel like whenever you see someone at a bar in a movie, they always have a towel to wipe glasses," Arisa said, looking at the others, then snapped her fingers. "And some glasses, duh!"

"What do we need for the American Old West?" Hiroshi asked, bringing his attention back to the matter at hand. "Gunbelts?"

"Just remember, no guns, not even fake ones," Arisa said sternly. "Last thing we need is to get too zealous and get in trouble with the school!"

"I know that, I was just thinking about the belts themselves. I think we might be able to borrow some cowboy gear, and samurai stuff too, from the theater department, as long as they aren't using it themselves-"

"-And no one else asks first," Saki remarked.

Hiroshi frowned and made a note on his pad. "I'll talk to Mr. Imai tomorrow about that, unless there's any objections?"

Everyone shook their heads, and they once more moved on.

"Ok...Super Sentai?"

This one got a lot of blank and embarrassed stares, and finally Yusuke had to blurt out his shock.

"Are you telling me that none of you actually watched any Super Sentai shows growing up? Hiroshi? Kyon?"

The head shakes he got in response made Yusuke groan, and he yanked out his phone and pulled up some pictures. "I think our big ones, and really our only ones, are helmets and weapons."

The others all looked at the pictures, and Tohru gave Yusuke a perplexed look. "Well, um, I can see that the helmets are probably part of the look, but do we really think people would want to wear something that totally covers their faces?"

Yusuke shook his head. "Nah, I don't think they'd wanna wear them, necessarily, but almost for sure pose with them. Under their arm, or on the floor, or something."

"This kinda thing looks like it'd be expensive," Kyo said, looking at the pictures with a frown. "Unless maybe we tried making some of it?"

Arisa took the phone and looked at it. "What if we used some of that carving foam stuff? Wood could work too, but the foam would likely be a lot lighter and better for posing."

"Oh, that's not a bad idea, Uotani," Hiroshi said, nodding at her. "At least for the weapons."

"How many of these colorful characters were we planning to offer?" asked Saki, taking the phone in turn. "I feel that the number we need is also relevant."

"Six," Tohru said, after checking her notes. "Red, yellow, black, blue, pink, and green."

"Those are gonna be interesting," Arisa said with a snort. "I can tell you which of these scenes I'm least interested in posing for. But is there anything else we'd want for that one, Yusuke?"

"I don't think so, nah."

"Ok!" Tohru said, looking at her list and smiling. "Fairytale castle?"

"I think this one's pretty easy," Hiroshi said with a shrug. "We can borrow the throne from the theater department, along with the crowns, the glass slipper and pillow from Cinderella-ish. Also some swords, I think, for the princely types."

Arisa nodded. "Yeah, I feel this one's the most costume-forward. Clothes, accessories, done."

"Then that just leaves the riverside with cherry blossoms!" Tohru said brightly. "I think I said this already, but I think it would be sweet to have a picnic setup. A checked blanket, a basket, maybe some easy food like fruit and bread?"

"That would be darling," Saki said, smiling at her. "I concur."

"Maybe a bench?" Kyo mused. "Seems like there's always benches along rivers, aren't there?"

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," Yusuke agreed.

"And I was also wondering," Tohru started, then hesitated.

Maybe it was too big, or too silly?

But the others were all looking at her, their faces encouraging.

"Wondering what, Tohru?"

"Let's hear it! We're brainstorming, remember?"

"I'm sure your idea is delightful, dear Tohru."

"That's right! And no idea is too lame, today."

"What is it, Tohru?" Kyo's hand on hers was reassuring, and newly filled with confidence she looked at the group.

"What if we made some cherry trees? I know there's going to be the backdrop already, but what if we also had some 3D ones that people could actually stand under, or beside, or whatever? But if it's too much work-"

"-Hey, I like that idea," Arisa said, grinning. "That could be pretty cool, adding dimension to the scene.

"Maybe we could use wire or something for the branches," Hiroshi mused. "But we'll probably need to draft more help for the actual flowers."

"The tech committee's technically floaters during prep, right?" Yusuke said, looking around. "I know that the backdrop group has a lot to do, but there's only so many people who can work on those at a time, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. We can probably get 'em to fold flowers for us, maybe even get 'em help set up for us, too," Kyo said thoughtfully.

"It's a bummer none of us is all that artistic," Arisa said with a sigh. "Yeah, we're gonna kick ass at getting all this stuff together, but some of it might be a little more rough-and-ready than polished."

"Remember, we don't have to do everything by ourselves," said Hiroshi. "We can always ask if there's anyone who can help us out, now that we know what we actually want help with."

"Well, I think we've got a great list," Yusuke said cheerfully. "So at this point, Hiroshi'll talk to Mr. Imai first, to figure out what all we can borrow from the theater department. You girls can start figuring out the costume accessories, after Yuki has those lists for us. We're gonna make a bar, a torii gate, weapons for the Super Sentai, and a couple 3D cherry trees. And someone needs to talk to Sensei Shiraki about the bottles."

"Please allow me to talk to Sensei Shiraki," Saki said serenely. "I shall do my utmost to plead our case."

"Ok, Hanajima's got Sensei."

"And we can start figuring out what all we'll need to build everything," said Kyo, looking at Hiroshi and Yusuke, who nodded.

"Alright then, I think that we're good for today! Not bad for a first meeting, huh?" Arisa said with a grin. "And just on time, too; don't you have work now, Tohru?"

Tohru blinked, then looked at the time. "Oh my gosh, I have to go!" Rising to her feet, she smiled around the group. "Thank you for a wonderful meeting!"

"Later Tohru!"

"Bye Tohru."

"Have a good day at work."

"Until tomorrow."

Kyo stood up, too. "I'll walk you, Tohru," he said, giving her a smile. And she beamed, reaching out and taking his hand.

"Remember, you two, no canoodling along the way! You don't want Tohru to be late for work!"

"Shut it, Yusuke."

Chapter Text

Once the initial excitement wore off, class 3-D and the rest of Kaibara High settled into a comfortable rhythm as they prepared for the Culture Fest.

As promised, Ayame had his designs ready by Wednesday, and they met with 3-D's overwhelming approval with only minor changes requested ("Kindly remember that this is for a high school, Brother, and even saloon girls have to meet proprietary requirements.") Armed with that approval, Ayame and Mine set to work, and with Ayame's lists, Tohru and her friends started tracking down accessories.

Hiroshi's pitch to the drama teacher had met with excellent results; they had secured the use of samurai armor and mock weapons, as well as cowboy apparel, fedoras, capes, geta sandals, and all the things they needed for the fairytale castle. They still had to make everything they had expected to make, but they had a lot less to buy or scrounge up than they'd feared.

And shopping for accessories had proved a delightful adventure. Ayame's sources had be too scattered to hit all in one day, so Saki, Arisa, and Tohru had made a couple weekends of it, with Arisa even taking actual days off work to ensure that they had plenty of time.

It had been fun, going out for that kind of shopping together. Some of the stores had specialized in costumes entirely; others were more like thrift shops where you never knew what you could find. All of them had been fun, funky, and delightfully out of Tohru's comfort zone, and she had been overflowing with praise when she regaled Kyo and Yuki with tales of their progress.

On weekdays, the girls had taken to making paper flowers; after talking to the rest of the class, they'd decided they were going ahead with the cherry trees as well as the rest of the manufactured props. Three of their classmates who were in the Art Club had volunteered to handle the Super Sentai weapons, so the prop committee could cross those off of their list with relief. The helmets themselves had been harder, but in the end, they'd found success at one of Ayame's costume shops with a rental for the fest.

Meanwhile, Saki had put her powers of persuasion to good use, convincing first Sensei Shiraki and then the principal of the advantages of using empty alcohol bottles for their bar scene. And once word got out that 3-D was looking for empty liquor bottles, they found themselves with enough clean empties to fill five saloons.

Kyo, Hiroshi, and Yusuke had tracked down benches to borrow for the riverside and feudal scenes, and from their classmates' families they'd scrounged up picnic gear, glasses, and white hand towels. And the guys had also figured out their designs for the torii gate, the bar, and the bodies of the cherry trees, as well as collected materials in preparation for starting to build.

All things considered, things were going well.

Two weeks out from the Culture Fest, Tohru was feeling good about almost everything. Beyond the prop committee, the whole class was making great progress; the tech committee had successfully sourced two camera set-ups, so they'd be able to manage two groups at any given time. They'd also found a photo printer to borrow, and with the school's design software they'd be able to do all kinds of photo effects for their customers, like black and white or 'old-timey' looks. Until the actual fest, they were pretty much done.

The backdrop committee had been working hard, and the backdrops were all coming along beautifully. One of the Art Club students had had the brilliant idea to use projectors to overlay the scenes they wanted on large white sheets, and they had been carefully traced to serve as outlines. Then the rest of the backdrop committee painted in the outlines, with the more talented painters doing the final detail work freehand. They still had a fair bit left to do, but the whole class was pleased with how things were turning out.

Yes, it was all going well. The class was busy, but almost universally everyone was engaged, and everyone was happy. They might be graduating in the spring but no one was slacking, and the results of their hard work were becoming increasingly evident.

In almost every way, things were going great. There was only one dark spot for Tohru: Yuki.

Ever since that first night when she’d gone up to talk to Yuki, Tohru had been doing her best to not shut him out any further. In doing so, she'd ended up watching him; watching him far more closely than ever before to ensure she wasn't missing any cues that he wanted to talk. But in those observations, she had seen something else: something almost as hard to see, subdued negativity.

She had no idea why, or what was causing it. Sometimes it would be while they were walking to or from school, or while they were eating at the table at home. Sometimes, she'd notice when they were hanging out at school. Sometimes it was when he was with her and Kyo, or when he was both with them and other people.

For a time, she'd worried that he'd been trying to spare her feelings at first but actually did feel she and Kyo were closing him out. Then she started to notice he'd periodically get that look when he was alone, or with other people separate from Tohru and Kyo. A quiet, introspective, melancholy look.

Sometimes a frustrated look.

Or even an angry one.

She'd asked him again, since that night, if he wanted to talk about what was bothering him with her. And he'd given her that sweet Yuki smile and simply shaken his head.

Whatever it was, he wasn't ready to talk about it, and Tohru knew that she needed to respect that.

But that was increasingly hard, as the days passed by. She wished she'd been more attentive to Yuki before; how long had whatever this was been weighing on his mind? Knowing when it had started would definitely make it easier for her to try and guess what caused it; even if he didn't want to tell her about it himself, it was possible that her figuring it out on her own would still help him, somehow.

But she had no idea; every guess kept coming up blank.

And Kyo had had no idea, either, when she'd finally talked to him. Once Tohru pointed it out, he could agree that yes, Yuki had something going on, but as to what, why, and for how long? Kyo was even more clueless about that than Tohru, and admitted to her frankly that he wasn't about to start digging into Yuki's problems.

Fair enough.

Still, it was hard to have everything else around them going so well, and to see so much of the rest of their class enjoying themselves, while Yuki sat brooding under a cloud, only breaking out into a smile when someone called him on it.

If only there was something she could actually do.

It was just the two of them, out in the secret base, when Tohru decided to take another stab at the question. They were engaged in harvesting the last of the cabbage and radishes: the garden's final offerings before it went dormant for the next couple of months. And Yuki seemed to be in a fairly upbeat mood, which made Tohru briefly second-guess herself.

If he was happy, then wasn't it better to make sure he stayed that way?

But no; he might be more willing to talk about 'whatever it was' when it wasn't currently preying on his mind. And whatever it was...Tohru wanted to help.

"Yuki?"

He looked up with a smile. "Yes, Miss Honda?"

In the face of that smile, she had to force herself to continue. "I was wondering..." He was still looking at her, and she quickly blurted out, "I was wondering, have you thought any more about my offer to talk? About whatever it is that's been bothering you? Because I know you said you were ok, but you really haven't been looking ok, and it's just...made me worry," she said, trailing off anxiously.

And as she looked at him, she had to wonder, was that all too much?

Had she botched things up?

Yuki had been startled at first, but his eyes dropped quickly once he realized what Tohru meant. And it was hard not to wince at her well-meaning-but-still--painful observation: that he hadn't been looking all that well lately.

Just how transparent had he become?

He hated worrying her. He'd noticed her watching him once or twice lately, and he had done his best to put on a good front when he did. But it had been harder and harder to maintain that façade when he found himself noticing more and more things on his own.

Things like how when he was working with the 'promotion and business' committee, most of them didn't even try to hide the role they intended for him: to be the biggest draw for their Culture Fest booth. The very first proposed marketing campaign for their class involved taking pictures of Yuki and Yuki alone in each scene, then using those images to make posters advertising their booth. When he had refused, the other committee members had tried to convince him, pointing out how 'beloved' he was and how he would be their best draw.

Didn't he want to help his schoolmates make some memories?

Didn't he want to help his class make money?

They had struck a compromise where Yuki would appear in one promotional image, but not by himself and not the rest. Yuki was willing to help support the class up to a point, but he was no carrot to dangle in front of the masses.

And he had found his fellow committee members' choice of words deeply ironic; how could they look him in the eye and call him ‘beloved?’

What kind of love was it when he was expected to be available to everyone, but only on their terms and never on his own? Available to be fawned over by crowd, but only from a distance established by other people.

Yuki had noticed other things, too, like how it seemed like more people than ever were watching him. He didn't know that it was because he'd been smiling more; because those smiles had become deep and genuine. He didn't know it was because he'd started to seem happier, only for him to revert into a quieter, more reserved state.

He had no idea that people were looking at him and wondering why.

All he knew was that he couldn't stop noticing them. He had been upset to learn about the Prince Yuki Fan Club, but at the same time, he had said he was glad: it was better to know, and to do what he could to try to fix it. Still, there had been a certain blissful ignorance in not knowing.

A selfish ignorance, one totally self-serving.

In so many ways, he was more selfish than any of them.

Yuki stared at Tohru for a long time, weighing her words. On the one hand, she'd been watching him and she knew something was bothering him, which was making her upset in turn. It could almost be considered a kindness all its own, to put her out of her misery by telling her the truth.

But on the other hand...in a roundabout way, the problem involved her. He knew she'd feel guilty, as wrong as that was, that he was upset about the way his 'fans' had treated her, and he didn't want to unburden himself if it only meant Tohru had to take a new burden in turn.

He'd been far too selfish, with her and many others, for far too long and it was time to stop.

Then she spoke again, her voice wavering slightly. "Please, Yuki?"

He couldn't hold out any longer.

"Miss Honda...how long have you been aware that I had...a fan club?" asked Yuki, the words falling from his lips with disdain. Tohru froze, and he could see from her expression she'd been caught off-guard, but that surprise was soon replaced by exactly what he'd expected: Tohru's own obvious guilt.

"Since first year," she eventually said, her voice soft and timid. "I'm not sure when, exactly, but before I moved in here."

She'd moved in in September, which meant, at most, five months into his first year.

So for more than two years, at that point.

He let out a soft, pained sigh. "And how long were they...bothering you?"

Tohru's eyes widened, and she promptly shook her head. "They never bothered me, Yuki, not really! I was always fine."

But that wasn't what he'd meant, and he suspected she knew that.

"Miss Honda, please," he said, stressing the last word as he looked at her. And then it was Tohru's turn to sigh.

"Since the first day I stopped here, the day I first met Shigure? When you and I walked to school together, it made them...upset."

Yuki stared down at the radishes without seeing them. He'd expected to hear that Tohru's harassment had started early; hearing it confirmed how early, and why, was almost gut wrenching.

That was all it had taken to set it off? The simple act of her coming to school at the same time as him? They hadn't been friends yet, had barely been acquaintances then. He'd only asked her to walk with him out of politeness, since they were leaving the same place and going to the same place.

Ironically, he had thought he was doing something nice. Instead, he'd pulled her straight into the line of fire.

"What happened?" he asked quietly, and Tohru shook her head.

"It's been so long I don't remember specifically. I just know that a few of them cornered me and wanted to know what happened, and to tell me I was breaking the rules of the club."

Yuki looked at her in surprise. "Wait, you-"

Tohru blinked, then flailed her hands in an embarrassed manner. "-Oh no, I wasn't in the club! I mean, I always thought you were very handsome and nice and smart and cool and everything, but it was more in a 'oh, he's cool!' kind of way and in less of a 'crush' kind of way," she said, blushing over at him.

Even with the mood being heavy, that actually made him laugh, both the sweet directness of her compliments and her awkwardness. He hadn't thought that Tohru had ever viewed him that way, but for just a moment, he had been worried.

"You're sweet, Miss Honda. But if you weren't in the club, then how could you be breaking the rules?"

"Well, because they think everyone is supposed to follow the rules," she said, her voice very matter-of-fact.

Yuki knew he shouldn't be surprised by that information. It certainly explained a lot, especially with how he'd seen Machi treated. But still...

"What rules were you breaking? Do you remember?"

Tohru thought hard. "I'm pretty sure there was more than one, but I just remember that I wasn't supposed to be talking to you without anyone else there. That was one I got in trouble for a lot, honestly," she said with a little laugh. "According to them, no girls are supposed to talk to you without someone else present."

She was still smiling, but Yuki wasn't, not anymore.

"So they decided to isolate me onto a pedestal.”

He wasn't surprised, not exactly, but hearing the specifics was hard. Even if the club's rules had likely helped keep hugs at bay, they had done that through intimidation and harassment.

How was he supposed to be grateful for that?

Tohru was watching him quietly. "Is that what's been bothering you, Yuki? The Fan Club?"

"Yes," he said quietly, looking once more down at the radishes before looking back at Tohru angrily. "How could it not? The entire time I've been at Kaibara High, there have been other people watching me wherever I went; other people dictating how I behaved by dictating to the people around me. All this time, you've been dealing with them-"

"-Yuki, it's been-"

"-No, Miss Honda, it is not ok. It's not ok, and it hasn't been ok, either. And while I appreciate you trying, even if you're ok with it, which you aren't and shouldn't be, it's not just about you," he said, his hands clenching into fists as he glared downwards.

Tohru was silent for a moment, then her voice came again, lit up with gentle understanding as she asked, "Machi?"

Yuki let out a slow exhale, then nodded, lifting his head. And Tohru was stunned to see the raw upset written there; his pain and frustration and anger.

"I'm sorry I've been upsetting you lately, Miss Honda, truly. But the truth is, I look at you and Kyo, and I get...jealous."

Her eyes widened, processing that, and Yuki continued. "You two are able to just...be together, as a couple. All the time, anywhere. People know you're together, and they're happy for you. I'm happy for you," he hastened to add, "but so is everyone else. People know, and they're happy about it. You don't have to hide that part of you, or pretend in any way. And meanwhile..."

He trailed off, scowling as he thought about his failed attempts to just have lunch with Machi.

"Because some people took it into their heads that I'm a commodity instead of an actual person, I apparently don't get to make my own choices. Not freely. If I tried to act with Machi the way you do with Kyo, she would be..." He couldn't even think about it, and his scowl deepened. "After all this time, in spite of that fact we've been friends for so long, you've only just been able to start talking to me without those girls getting upset."

"They know I'm dating Kyo," Tohru said softly, "so I'm not a threat."

"And you never should have been a 'threat,' either!" Yuki almost exploded. "Not you, Miss Honda, and not anyone else! I don't need to be protected, or to be policed! Nobody does, not like this!"

He sighed, sitting further back on his heels. "I hate this," he said, his voice quiet but intense. "It's like I don't have ownership of myself at all, like..." he swallowed hard, not wanting to draw the comparison but unable to avoid it. "Like I'm back in that room on the Sohma estate, not allowed to have any friends or any interaction except when Akito explicitly gave permission. After all...Akito always said she loved me, too.”

Tohru's eyes had widened in shock, and he quickly corrected himself. "Obviously it's not that bad. I'm being melodramatic and I'll admit that," he said with a small smile he couldn't stop from being bitter. "But...it's still the same, in a lot of ways. Akito would hurt people who got too close to her toys, too," he said, thinking of Rin, and of Kisa.

"You're not a toy, Yuki," said Tohru and Yuki smiled sardonically.

"Aren't I? That seems to be what most of Kaibara High thinks of me; something to be played with, as long as the players make sure to follow the rules. Even in our own class, how many people have been excited to offer me up at the Culture Fest? Because I'm a commodity, or so everyone thinks."

"I don't," Tohru whispered, and he reached out and patted her hand.

"I know, Miss Honda, but you're very nearly alone."

Tohru didn't have an answer to that, and Yuki gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, I truly didn't mean to dump all of this on you."

"No, it's ok, Yuki. I pushed you to tell me, and I'm glad you did," she said, looking at him. "I just wish there was more I could do for you."

He nodded. "I do too, Miss Honda. You, me, or anyone else," he said, looking back down. "A part of me just wants to say, 'screw it,'" he commented, earning a surprised look from Tohru. "Machi's told me to go ahead, if I want to do it. She says I shouldn't worry about her, that she's 'used to' being harassed. As if I would ever intentionally put her in that position," he sighed. "I've been thinking about this all so much lately; trying and failing to figure out ways I can fix this, or stop this. Even taking Machi out of the equation, how many girls have had to deal with this over the past two years?" he asked, looking at Tohru. "How many girls have I talked to in passing, who have ended up 'chastised?' Or girls I haven't even talked to," he said with a grimace, thinking back to Machi's 'offense' during the previous Culture Fest of simply saying she didn't think that Yuki was 'princely.'

"I don't deserve this kind of adoration," Yuki continued, "and no else deserves this kind of harassment. And now, with the Curse gone, I just..." he trailed off again, unsure quite what to say.

He wished he knew what to do.

Tohru had listened the entire time, and by the end she understood with blinding clarity. In fact, it all made so much sense that she was ashamed she hadn't seen sooner, and ashamed of how self-centered all her worries had been.

It wasn't about her, not really. He wasn't upset she was shutting him out, he was upset that she was showing him just how shut out he'd always been.

How had she missed that, and what could she do now?

She'd never told him about the Prince Yuki Fan Club girls' harassment, because she had never wanted to upset him. She had made sure Arisa and Saki didn't say anything to him either, for the same reason she had held back herself.

It wasn't his fault; he didn't ask for that attention. There had been no reason for him to know and to feel guilty.

It hadn't occurred to her that he would feel this way, and her ignorance made her feel like a fool. Yuki had always been so kind, not just to her but to everyone. Of course he'd be upset to know that people were being picked on, especially in his name; there was no part of Yuki's character that would ever have made her think he'd be ok with that.

She'd meant to protect him but instead, she'd let even more girls, and Yuki himself, end up hurt.

Hearing him compare the fan girls to Akito was heartbreaking, but even Tohru had to admit she could see the parallels.

How much did that have to hurt Yuki, to see them himself?

It had never made sense to her, the behavior of his fan club. They’d always said that they loved him, but if they loved him, then surely they should want him to be happy! Happy in talking to whoever he wanted, happy in spending time with whoever he wanted.

Happy loving whoever he wanted.

She loved Kyo, so very deeply. But even in the dark days when she'd thought he was lost to her, she had still, ultimately, wanted him to be happy. Even if it wasn't with her, even if he wasn't in her life...she still wanted to know that he was smiling and happy. The idea of keeping him apart from anyone who could cause that smile, whether that person was a friend or something more, was unimaginable.

Selfish.

Impossibly cruel.

Yet that was what Yuki had been dealing with, for literal years.

"I'm so sorry, Yuki," she said, looking at him sadly. But Yuki shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Miss Honda, and it never has been. I don't even know if I entirely blame those girls," he said with a sigh. "They've all been telling themselves and each other that this is ok; people around them are clearly telling them that it's ok, too. How are they supposed to know any better by now when they're so very rarely being challenged?"

Tohru's eyes widened. "Are you going to challenge them, Yuki?"

He was quiet for a moment. "I'm not sure. I want to," he admitted, a little laugh falling from his lips. "But at the same time...it's not just about me. I don't want to do something that results in hurting Machi, not when she's been hurt so much already because of me."

She could understand that, and she nodded. "Have you talked to her, about...all of this?"

Yuki shook his head. "No. She knows I've been stewing lately, of course," he said with another little laugh, "but she thinks it's entirely due to the Culture Fest."

"The Culture Fest?" Now Tohru was surprised again, and she stared at him.

"Yes. Did I tell you that the rest of the promotion and business committee wanted to use me, and just me, in all our advertising?" He was trying to sound light-hearted, but Tohru could see the twitch of annoyance.

"What did you end up deciding?"

He sighed. "I said I'd be on one, but that we should use as many of our classmates as we could to showcase our variety. In spite of what certain people believe, I'm sure there are some people out there who don't care about me that much," Yuki said with a small smile.

Technically, Tohru supposed that was true.

"And the promotion is obviously only one part of it," Yuki sighed. "Already the committee has been suggesting that it would be a good thing for the class's bottom line if I could pick up extra shifts at the festival. And I just..."

"Don't want to?" Tohru asked, and Yuki smiled at her.

"Exactly. I'm sure they're right, and it would be good for the bottom line. But at the same time...I'm tired of feeling like an object, Miss Honda. I look around at everyone else, walking around being 'normal,' and I wonder why I'm not allowed to have that. Not even the other Sohmas have to deal with this."

Tohru wanted to object to that, on behalf of the other three. While it was true that Yuki was the only one with an actual fan club, the other three all had their admirers and some of them were persistent. Thinking about that girl from 3-B who'd confessed to Kyo in Kyoto, the one who still made a point of trying to 'accidentally' bump him in the hallway, was enough to make even Tohru's eyes narrow.

But Yuki was right; anything Tohru had to deal with on Kyo's behalf was nothing compared to what Machi would, and what Yuki already did.

Once again, she was forced to admit that none of it was fair.

Yuki sighed, then rose to his feet, scooping up the vegetable basket. "Well, I think we're probably done, what do you think, Miss Honda?"

A part of Tohru wanted to disagree; they hadn't solved Yuki's problem yet, and she wanted to keep talking. But that wasn't what Yuki wanted at that point in time, and once again, she needed to respect that.

"Yes,” she agreed, likewise rising to her feet, “I think we're done."

Chapter Text

"No."

Katsuo Ito and Yamato Morita, two members of 3-D's Culture Fest promotion and business committee, exchanged a resigned look and sighed. They had expected this would be an uphill battle, which was part of the reason Katsuo was chosen to be part of that pitch. Getting Kyo Sohma to agree to pose for the class's publicity posters was never going to be easy, but if anyone from the committee was going to have success, it would probably be one of his basketball buddies.

"Come on, Kyon," Katsuo said, giving Kyo's shoulder a nudge. "Just think of the glory! The notoriety! The strong sense of accomplishment that can only come from knowing you've contributed to helping your class do well!"

"I don't need any more notoriety, and I have contributed," Kyo said with a scowl, not in the least bit impressed by Katsuo's reasoning. "Hours and hours of work I've 'contributed' to my class, and I've got even more hours left this last week. I don't need to add to that by dressing up in a silly costume and having my picture taken," he said, looking away from the others with a blush. "It's already bad enough we've gotta do that during the festival."

Yamato jumped in bravely. "But don't you want to help make it all more worthwhile, Sohma? Proper advertising is important to get the word out, and to let people know what we're actually doing."

"Yeah, I know that," Kyo admitted. "But you don't need me to do it!"

Technically, he was right. But Katsuo and Yamato exchanged a look, trying to decide just how blunt they should be in their pleading.

Hiroshi, sitting at his desk beside Kyo's, decided to save them the internal debate.

"Kyon, don't you think that as one of the best-looking members of class 3-D, you owe it to the rest of us to put those looks to good use?"

Kyo promptly blushed harder and glared at his friend. "Quit being a wise-ass, Hiroshi."

"I'm not! For once," Hiroshi admitted with a grin. "But it's a well-known fact that you Sohmas have something magical in your gene pool, something that the rest of us mere mortals can never hope to capture ourselves."

Katsuo decided to just own it. "He's right, Kyon. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't think you're one of the best-looking guys in this class."

Kyo's scowl deepened as he met Katsuo's gaze. "I'm not. And even if I was, which I'm not, that doesn't mean I'd need to be in any more damn pictures!"

The other three shook their heads in amazement.

"To be so very delusional at such a young age...amazing," Hiroshi said with a sigh.

Katsuo sighed himself and decided to try another tack. "Well, even if you don't think so, Kyon, you've been outvoted. It would mean a lot to the committee and the class if you'd just do this. It's not like it'd be hard, either; just put on a costume, pose a bit, and then have your picture blown up and hung around the school."

"And it won't be just you, either," Yamato said helpfully. "We'll be doing different groups of students for all five scenes. Seven scenes, actually, because we've got different outfits for a couple of them."

"No," Kyo said again, his voice practically a growl.

Kyo looked so irritated that Yamato was ready to give up. But Katsuo had one last angle he wanted to try, first.

"Fine," he said, sighing before looking over at Hiroshi. "In that case, Hiroshi, would you be interested in posing with Honda, instead?"

That got Kyo's attention. "Wait, what?"

Hiroshi quickly understood what Katsuo was doing and fell into step. "Instead of being a mobster? Not going to lie, I was looking forward to wearing that suit and tie, but if someone needs to stand up with Tohru and hold her close, then I suppose-"

"-Not funny, Hiroshi," Kyo growled, then looked at Katsuo and Yamato. "What do you mean, posing with Tohru?"

The two committee members exchanged a smile, and Katsuo gave Kyo a look of wide-eyed innocence. "What, we never told you that part?"

"No!"

"Huh. Must be because you shut us down before we had a chance to tell you."

Kyo blushed yet again, at both the censure and the awareness that he was being manipulated, but he didn't really care about that just then.

When it came to Tohru, there could be only one answer.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"See, was that so hard?" Katsuo asked, earning a sharp elbow from Yamato; after all, nothing was guaranteed yet, even if it looked increasingly likely.

Yamato took over. "We were thinking you and Honda would be perfect for the fairytale castle promotional shot, Sohma. Something sweet and frothy and romantic-"

Kyo's face was twitching at that description, and Katsuo quickly jumped back in. "-Nothing too gooey, of course, but come on, Kyon, surely you can manage to smile at your girlfriend?"

Kyo was blushing again, and Hiroshi looked at Yamato and Katsuo.

"Have you already talked to Tohru, then?

Yamato nodded. "Yes, we caught her before she and her friends left for lunch. She was a little nervous, but she said she'd be happy to help. We nabbed Hanajima and Uotani for a couple of the promos, too," he said with obvious satisfaction.

"Wait, you got Hanajima to agree?" Hiroshi was impressed. "How'd you do that?"

"Some of the outfits are all black," Katsuo said with a shrug. "Apparently Yuki's brother figured there'd be some goths passing through."

Considering the friendship Saki had struck up with Mine during the play the previous year, Kyo honestly couldn't say he was surprised. But Saki was beside the point, just then.

"So Tohru agreed to be the princess," Hiroshi said with a satisfied smile before looking evilly at Kyo. "Alright, Kyon, I guess it's your call. You gonna take one for the team? Or do I get to hold Tohru's hand and pledge my undying love and affection to her on camera?"

The scowl was back as Kyo snarled out "You guys all fucking suck, you know that?"

Katsuo beamed. "So, is that a yes, or a no?"

"It's a goddamn yes, ok? But I swear, I hear one smartass remark-"

The others all held up their hands.

"No smart remarks!"

"No worries here, Sohma."

"Geez, way to take all the fun out of something, Kyon."

Kyo would have liked to have taken even more fun out, but just then their teacher walked in. Lunch was over, and it was time to get back to work.

During the next break, Kyo got up and made his way over to Tohru's desk. "Hey."

"Kyo!" Tohru was beaming as she looked up at him; while they didn't avoid each other during breaks by any means, it wasn't often that he came over to her desk, unless he had something to talk about. "What is it?"

He chuckled, dropping down into a crouch next to her chair. "That obvious, huh?"

"Well, you are a little predictable sometimes," she admitted, smiling, and he chuckled again before getting serious.

"Did they ask you to be in any of the advertising posters, for the Culture Fest?"

Tohru's face promptly turned red as she nodded. "Yes, they did! Right before lunch, Ito and Morita stopped Hana-chan, Uo-chan, and me and asked if we'd be willing. I don't know why they asked me, but they said," she said, a little smile lighting up her face, "that I'd be perfect for what they were thinking. Wasn't that so nice of them?" she asked, beaming at him.

She looked so happy that Kyo couldn't help but smile in return. "Yeah, it's pretty nice." Then he paused. "So you dunno what you actually agreed to do?"

Tohru shook his head. "No, they said they had to finalize the details first. But they were going to let me know soon!"

Kyo chuckled and bopped her head with the back of his knuckles. "You shouldn't agree to things without knowing the specifics, you goof. What if it turns out you don't like it?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be happy with anything, Kyo! All of the scenes turned out so nicely, and the costumes are all beautiful!"

"Even if they want you to be a saloon girl?"

Kyo still couldn't believe the school had signed off on that one.

Tohru promptly blushed. "Well, I don't think I'd be the first choice for a scene like that, what with..." her voice got so quiet even Kyo couldn't really hear her, other than some noises about her looks and figure that made him scowl, but before he could say anything she'd piped back up. "But anyway, I'm sure the promotion committee has put a lot of thought into what they'd doing, so I know it's going to be great!"

"Yeah? What if I told you Katsuo told me what you're doing?"

Tohru's eyes rounded and she looked at him. "You know?"

He grinned. "Sure do. And I gotta say, Tohru...I'm a little shocked. That's why I came over here to ask you."

Her eyes got even bigger. "Why? What's so shocking about it?" she asked, suddenly wary.

"Well, the fact they've got you posing with a guy, for starters. Just a guy, even."

"What?" Tohru's hand flew to her mouth, and her face took on a horrified expression. "I'll have to talk to them, Kyo, you know I'd never-"

Kyo was still grinning at her, and as she dropped her hand her face and tone were abruptly accusing.

"Kyo, is it you?" Taking in his expression, Tohru didn't even wait for an answer. "It is you, isn't it?" As he nodded, still grinning, Tohru's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands excitedly. "I get to take a picture with you? But Kyo, that's wonderful!"

"Yeah?" he asked, unable to help himself, and she nodded.

"Of course! I love the idea of us dressing up and taking a picture together," she said, almost shyly. "I think it'll be really fun."

When she looked that excited, Kyo couldn't help but be happy, too. Yes, he would have preferred not to do it, and yes, he still felt silly about the whole thing. He had definitely been manipulated into it, about as neatly as they possibly could have. But when she smiled at him like that...he almost didn't mind.

"Well, I think it sounds like it's gonna be damned annoying, having someone else decide how we're supposed to look, and what we're supposed to do. Remember, these aren't just for us, Tohru, we'll have to listen and do what the committee wants."

Up to a point. Kyo might have agreed to model, but he was no mannequin.

Tohru was still beaming, however. "Even so, I think it'll be a lot of fun. Did they tell you what scene we're doing?" she asked curiously, and Kyo felt himself blushing yet again.

"Yeah, we're doing the fairytale castle one."

Tohru practically squealed, she was so delighted. "Really? That's so exciting, I was hoping it was that one!"

Once again, Tohru's joy was enough to make him laugh. But he didn't have a chance to say anything else; the bell was ringing, and it was time for the next class.

Hopping back to his feet, Kyo returned to his desk and turned his eyes to the front and their teacher, but not before giving Tohru one last smile.

He'd always been willing to put up with a lot, for her.

"So you guys are doing the romantic fairytale, huh? Can't say I'm surprised by that in the slightest bit," Arisa said with a grin as they cleaned the classroom later that day.

Tohru was beaming. "Isn't it wonderful? I had no idea that they'd asked Kyo too, but I can't think of any of the scenes I'd rather do," she said happily, drawing the broom across the floor before looking at her friends. "Do you two know what you're doing yet?"

Arisa's response was quick. "I'm gonna be in one of the bar scenes! The mobster one," she said with a satisfied smile. "I get to wear one of those cool fringey dresses and everything!"

"And you'll look positively delightful," Saki said with a smile. "I'm going to be in the cherry blossom scene," she continued. "Though I have to admit, I was a little surprised."

Tohru was a little surprised, too; she wasn't quite sure what scene she would have put her friend in, but it probably wouldn't have been that one.

"Yeah? Why're you surprised, Hanajima?" Arisa asked, and Saki glanced across the room.

"Because my scene partner is one Yuki Sohma."

That got both of her friends' attention, and they both stared as Saki continued in a somewhat musing tone, "Clearly I am nearly as drawn into the Sohmas as you both. Last year, I acted opposite Kyo Sohma, and this year, I must pose opposite Yuki Sohma. Quite remarkable, really."

Arisa whistled. "Is there gonna be anyone else in the scene with you two?"

Saki shook her head. "I don't believe there will be, no. It shall be a romantic picnic scene," she told her friends, a coy little smile playing on her lips.

"Well, good luck with that, Hanajima. The Prince's Fan Club is probably gonna flip when they see you with him."

Saki merely shrugged. "Perhaps. If they do, it's not as though I'll be intimidated."

Her friend was so nonchalant about the idea of harassment that Tohru found herself wondering if that was actually why she'd been chosen. The idea of Yuki and Saki as a couple was admittedly strange, but she couldn't think of another girl in the entire school who'd be less subject to abuse at the hands of Yuki's admirers. Even Tohru herself would probably ruffle some feathers like that, and besides; she was posing with Kyo.

Though Tohru didn't realize she was sporting a smug little smile until Arisa called her out on it.

"Ooh, what's that look for, Tohru? Or should I say 'who?'"

Tohru blushed, looking down at the spot on the floor she'd been sweeping for over a minute now. "Nothing! I was just thinking...about how much I'm looking forward to the Culture Fest, that's all," she said, hoping she sounded as confident as she felt.

Saki and Arisa exchanged a look, then they both chuckled.

"If you say so, Tohru."

The following day during what would normally be their class with Sensei Shiraki, 3-D was instead abuzz with spirited activity. Under their homeroom teacher’s supervision, part of the class had headed down to the gym, hanging up their photo backdrops and setting up props. The remaining majority had gone to the locker rooms, to change into costumes and prepare for their turns in front of the camera.

It had been a stroke of good luck to nab the gym for their promo pictures; it meant that they didn't have to completely take apart their classroom too much. But it also meant more exposure; even though classes were technically in session, that didn't stop random staff members and even passing students from stopping to look, especially when the costumed students started to appear.

"I hope for Tohru's sake you're going to actually smile during the photos," Hiroshi commented to Kyo as they and Yusuke walked to the gym. No doubt they made an interesting trio: Hiroshi, dressed as a 1920s-era American mobster; Yusuke, wearing the red and white spandex of a Super Sentai; and Kyo, wearing an outfit strikingly similar to his class play getup, just with shorter boots and in black and gold.

Hiroshi and Yusuke were grinning but Kyo's expression was downright sour, and Hiroshi's comment did nothing to change that.

"I'm gonna smile when I've gotta smile," he said, grumbling. "But considering I feel like an idiot just now, excuse me if I don't really feel like smiling."

"See, the problem with you is you're too serious, Kyon," Yusuke said, adjusting his gloves. "Things like this are best appreciated when you lean into the absurdity."

Kyo glanced at Yusuke, taking in his head-to-toe look, and he had to admit that if nothing else, Yusuke was doing a great job with 'absurd.' Kyo was somewhat skeptical they'd have many takers for wearing spandex, but considering how popular the Super Sentai suggestion had been with the class, he was fully prepared to be wrong.

Though hopefully he didn't have to wear any of those during the festival.

"Personally, I think the whole thing is gonna be fun," said Hiroshi, adjusting his fedora to a slightly more rakish angle. "Life is too short to be serious all the time, sometimes we've all gotta let our hair down, right Kyon?" he teased, looking at the little ponytail Kyo was sporting, and Kyo scowled darkly as he followed his friend's glance.

"One more word and I rip it off, Hiroshi. I said I'll do the damn photo, I didn't say I'd wear all of this."

"Spoilsport."

Soon, they and the rest of 3-Ds male models were all in the gym. There was another mobster, two cowboys, two samurai, a feudal-kimono wearer, two more Super Sentai, and of course Yuki, who was dressed in head-to toe white: white slacks, shirt, vest, tailcoat, and even a white tie.

Kyo couldn't help but give Yuki a confused look. "That's what you're wearing for a picnic? Seems a little impractical, don't you think?"

Yuki shrugged. "Don't ask me, ask the rest of the committee. I'm just going along with it."

"Yeah, you and me both," Kyo replied, looking down at his own outfit with annoyance.

"Look on the bright side though, Kyo," Yuki said, and Kyo glanced up to see Yuki actually looking...sincere. "At least you get to pose with Miss Honda."

That was true, Kyo thought; there was always that.

Because they had to do their hair and makeup too, it took longer for the girls to make their way to the gym. But that gave the rest of the class time to finish getting things ready, and when the costumed girls finally started to trickle in, everything was ready for them to start taking pictures.

Since the first to arrive were the three for the Super Sentai scene, the class decided to begin with them. Soon the six costumed students, including a delighted Yusuke, were up on the stage posing in front of the mecha backdrop, the Art Club's foam weapons held in their hands.

For all that he still thought the whole thing was ridiculous, Kyo could admit he could maybe see the appeal for some people, now that he could see the complete picture. The backdrops had all turned out wonderfully; while he doubted anyone would look at the mecha and think it would walk off the sheet (especially since said 'mecha' consisted of just one giant leg), the detail was impressive. And the weapons all looked surprisingly realistic; even if the prop committee had outsourced their construction, Kyo felt a strange sense of pride as he watched his classmates pose with them.

"Damn, the weapons turned out great, don't you guys agree? Much better than if we'd tried to just make them ourselves."

Arisa's voice at his elbow almost made Kyo jump, and she laughed as he collected himself and glared at her. But only for a moment, then his gaze was skating past her, taking in the sight of Tohru standing beside her friend. She was always a vision, but just then she was a princess, in a powder-pink gown with curled hair held back by a 'diamond' tiara.

And she looked downright beautiful.

Tohru was blushing, but she was smiling, too, and Kyo could feel his own grin growing as he looked at her.

Maybe posing together wouldn't be so bad after all.

"You know, a picture would last a lot longer, Kyon," Hiroshi said slyly as he nudged him. "If only someone had suggested the two of you take one together, oh wait."

Kyo looked away from Tohru and bristled. "I said I'd take the damn picture, didn't I? You really think I'd be wearing this damn outfit if I wouldn't?"

Arisa was smirking. "Damn, you've really gotten precious since you started dating, Kyon."

"I'm not precious!"

Saki was holding a hand to her cheek, her eyes closed as she sighed, "My dear son is growing up so fast."

"I'm not your damn son, and stop saying that!"

It had been a year now since Saki had first met Kazuma, and Kyo still had no idea quite what to make of...that. As far as he knew, there was nothing to it, but Saki still terrified him regularly nonetheless.

He was fine with Kazuma finding someone to love. He'd be delighted if Kazuma found someone.

As long as that someone was anyone but her.

Yuki, at least, was ignoring Kyo, choosing instead to smile at the three girls. "You all look very lovely; did you do everyone's hair, Miss Hanajima?"

Saki opened her eyes and gave him a serene smile. "That I did, my most beloved Yuki."

They all twitched slightly at that, even knowing that it was all part of her getting into character. Still, Kyo had to respect Saki's commitment to her role, considering the way Kinoshita's ears seemed to swivel around at the words 'beloved Yuki' from all the way on the other side of the gym.

The three of them all did look nice. Besides Tohru's princessly look, Arisa was dressed as a flapper; her green fringed dress swayed with every movement she made, and her long hair had been arranged to give the illusion of a short bob, held in place by a beaded headband. And Saki...

"Well, I guess it makes sense why they went with you in all white," Kyo commented to Yuki after taking in Saki's black number. Together, Yuki and Saki made a dramatically monochromatic, vaguely Victorian pair; what either of their outfits had to do with picnics Kyo couldn't say, but he was just there to model, not to give fashion advice.

And while it was true that they all looked nice enough, no one, in his mind, looked quite as nice as Tohru.

Kyo hoped that since Tohru was there, maybe the two of them could go next so he could get out of his costume. But instead, the powers that be decided to move on to the bar scenes, starting with the American Old West.

"I still can't believe the school signed off on this," Yuki commented as they watched the four students in that scene get into position. "I know that the class voted on it, but I was fully expecting the administration to shoot this one down."

"'Shoot it down,' eh Yuki?" Hiroshi said, grinning at him and earning a baleful look in response. Then Hiroshi shrugged, looking up at the stage. "Well, apparently the administration is less prudish than we thought."

For her part, Tohru thought that the costumes in this scene were wonderful, even if she herself would never be able to do justice to the dark lace and low-cut bodices of the saloon girls' outfits. The two girls wearing them were sitting on the bar the guys had built, empty bottles scattered around them and the two boys dressed as cowboys standing in front of them. It was maybe a little racy, having the alcohol bottles, but was it really so bad that Yuki expected it to get banned?

Arisa was nodding along with Hiroshi. "Seriously. I mean, the alcohol itself was always a question, but I never would have expected they'd let us have floozies. It's kinda fun though, don't you think?"

"For my part, I shall endeavor to do the light-heartened nature of the scene and the raw eroticism of the costume justice, should I be called upon to wear it," Saki said calmly.

Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki all blushed in response, and Tohru found herself staring harder at the saloon girls' outfits.

Raw eroticism?

Well. No would expect anything like that of her, at least.

Once the Old West group was done, it was time for the 1920s mobster scene and Hiroshi and Arisa dutifully went up to join the rest of their group. Tohru and Saki both laughed to see how much their friend was getting into it; for all that Arisa had said she wasn't keen on wearing costumes, she definitely appeared to be having fun right then. And Arisa's enthusiasm for her picture was contagious; all of them were grinning by the time she got down from the bar.

After the mobsters, it was on to feudal Japan, where they were also doing two different promo shots: one, a pair of traditional samurai, and the other, two kimono-clad girls with a kimono-clad boy.

But then, finally, it was Tohru and Kyo's turn.

Both of them could feel their faces burning when they were called, and the teasing catcalls and whistles from their classmates did nothing to stop that. It was only when Kyo turned to give the worst offenders his fiercest glare they shut up, though it was likely more out of fear he wouldn't cooperate than fear of him.

It was hard to be intimidating while dressed up as a prince.

Still, Kyo did his best to ignore them as he took Tohru's hand, helping her up the stairs to the stage while warily eying her skirt. And though Tohru tried to reject his help he was right to be nervous, as Tohru tripped on the third step and started to pitch forward with a squeal.

"Whoa, Tohru, I've got you," he said quickly, catching and steadying her, and though Tohru's face was now burning with new embarrassment, the smile she shot him in response to his assistance was grateful. After that, she didn't try to brush off his help, and she was holding his hand as they walked over to their backdrop.

Kiyoshi Ishida, 3-D's lead photographer for the Culture Fest, was all business as he surveyed their outfits and the scene.

"Alright, you two, for this scene, the goal is romantic and ethereal. You need to look happy," he stressed, sounding a touch doubtful as he glanced between Tohru's nervous face and Kyo's resigned expression, "and in love. Can you both please try?"

Kyo felt completely ridiculous and wished that they could do this without the entire class watching, but at least only the people on the stage could hear what Kiyoshi was saying. And before Kyo himself could second guess anything, Tohru was squeezing his hand as she answered for both of them.

"Of course we can!"

Kyo took a breath, then gave Tohru a smile of his own. He could do this with her, right? All he had to do was ignore literally everything else.

Easy.

Kiyoshi still looked doubtful, but he didn't really have any other options. "Ok, then let's get started. I want to try a few different poses, so-"

Dutifully, Kyo and Tohru allowed themselves to be directed around. First they stood together, both facing the camera with Tohru's back against Kyo's chest, his arm around her waist and her hand reaching up to touch his cheek as they looked at each other. Kiyoshi had to turn around and yell at the class during that one; the catcalls were too much for Tohru or Kyo to not lose their focus.

But after that, the class was quiet, and it was easier for them to concentrate on the next few shots. As long as they kept their attention on each other, it was fine. They could do it; they'd managed a lot worse.

A shot of them standing apart, bodies angled away from each other but hands reaching back and touching as they looked back over their shoulders and smiled.

A shot of them face to face, Tohru's raised hands clasped together and Kyo's hands enveloping hers.

The hardest one for them to keep their composure on was when Kiyoshi wanted Kyo down on one knee, holding one of Tohru's hands in both of his while her other hand was pressed to her heart. The blushing smile on her face for that picture had been natural, along with the beaming grin on Kyo's as he looked at her. And yes, it was embarrassing to have the whole class watching them, but in that moment, they could only reflect on how lucky they were.

But Kiyoshi was out of luck when he suggested a kiss shot.

"No!" Kyo practically barked, his face crimson and Tohru's face almost as red.

Kiyoshi's voice was wheedling. "Come on, Sohma, please? We all know you guys must kiss, and it would be perfect! What says 'romance' more than a lip lock between our hero and heroine?"

"NO!"

Kyo was even redder, one arm wrapped protectively around Tohru, who was hiding her face in his cape. "Anyway, you've got a bunch of pictures, so can we go now?"

Kiyoshi begrudgingly let them go, and as they started for the stairs several of their classmates burst into applause. Once again, they were blushing and Kyo's scowl was back as they made their way back out into the seating area. But once they settled into their seats and Tohru looked over at Kyo, his scowl melted into a warm, if somewhat sheepish, smile.

Yuki and Saki were the last to take the stage, and Yuki took Saki's hand to help her navigate the stairs. Yuki was acutely aware of the pointed stares coming their way, the same stares they'd been fielding since Saki walked into the gym, and he couldn't help but sigh as they stepped onto the actual stage. Saki was a friend, yes, but that was all. She'd never been anything more to him, and he'd never given any indication she might ever be anything more.

Just like Arisa. Just like Tohru. Just like literally every girl in all Kaibara High...including Machi.

Because for her sake, he couldn't.

"Is everything alright, Yuki?"

Saki's quiet, level voice startled him out of his thoughts, and he gave her a confused look in response. She simply nodded to her hand, and he realized that he was still holding hers, even though they had already reached the stage and their scene.

Blushing, he let go. "I'm sorry, Miss Hanajima. I'm just...a little preoccupied," he admitted, and she eyed him thoughtfully. Under her gaze, Yuki felt even more awkward and exposed; he'd never understood quite what Saki's waves were capable of, but he knew enough about her powers to be wary of her.

Was it possible she could actually tell what he was thinking?

But after a minute, Saki simply nodded. "A lack of focus is something that eventually happens to us all. Think nothing of it."

They were rapidly running out of time, so Kiyoshi was quick and purposeful as he posed the pair.

Sitting on either side of the picnic basket, Saki holding a parasol over her head and looking away as Yuki looked at her ‘affectionately.’ Still sitting, that time with Yuki offering an apple and Saki taking it, their hands ever so slightly brushing against one another. Standing amidst the cherry trees with their backs to the camera as they looked at the 'river' with Yuki's hand on Saki's arm. Standing together facing the camera, Saki holding Yuki's arm and looking 'shyly' downward as he smiled at her once again. And for a finish, the two of them sitting together on the bench, Yuki's ankle crossed over his knee as they smiled at each other.

The entire time, Yuki was aware of the audience's scrutiny. Unlike during the other photo sessions, when there had been chatter and noise, their session was conducted in near-total silence, and in the few times where he allowed himself to look out at the room, Yuki easily noticed a few different things. Things like Tohru's excited smiles; those were a positive sight. But there were also the self-satisfied expressions on his fellow committee members, and the sullen, angry expressions on the faces of several girls.

It wasn't fair, Yuki thought as he tried to follow Kiyoshi's directions. Saki was nothing to him, no one beyond a friend. He could stand there and smile at her, or reach out and take her arm, without having to worry about blushing or feeling awkward. Not like Tohru and Kyo, who he'd watched through their whole scene; he'd seen the way that Kyo had looked at Tohru when they'd posed. Yes, they'd both clearly felt awkward, which didn't surprise him at all; their awkwardness was so obvious it was almost painful to watch.

But in those moments when they forgot about the class and forgot the camera, when it was just the two of them, looking at each other...

Why couldn't Yuki have that?

Why couldn't, instead of it being Saki standing at his side, it be Machi, just once? Machi whose arm he took, proud and unafraid. Machi who stood beside him looking at the 'river,' Machi whose fingers brushed his as he gave her an apple.

Machi who he could smile at with love, not caring who else saw....

"Alright, that's it for the photos!" Kiyoshi announced loudly, and Sensei Shiraki promptly stood up and clapped her hands.

"Ok, 3-D, let's get moving. We need to put away the backdrops and props, and those of you who dressed up need to go change and put your costumes away. You've got fifteen minutes before next period starts, so let's make it quick!"

The silence of the gym was broken as everyone got up and hurried to follow their teacher's instructions, either by heading back out to the locker rooms or up to the stage. Once more Yuki offered Saki his hand, helping her back down the stairs so they could both go to change.

And once again, Yuki noticed Saki studying him.

"I promise you, Miss Hanajima, I'm fine," he said, giving her a smile. "I hope I wasn't worrying you during our shoot."

Saki shook her head. "No, you were a perfectly attentive lover, and I thank you for that."

Yet again it was Yuki's turn to blush, and to try not to react to the startled glances from people who'd heard. "Miss Hanajima," he began, his tone slightly pained, but Saki raised a hand to delicately shush him.

"Everyone is allowed their struggles, Yuki Sohma. Even those on the highest pedestals aren't immune."

As Yuki looked through the crowd of students, he focused on the girls, some of whom had narrowed their eyes in the direction of Saki. And seeing the look on Minami Kinoshita's face, Yuki could agree: Life on a pedestal wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Chapter Text

"So, are you guys all ready for the Culture Fest this weekend? I am, and I can't wait," said Momiji with a big smile, looking around at the little group sprawled out on the school roof.

In response, Kyo let out a big gusty sigh. "At this point? I'm just ready for the damn thing to be over."

Haru looked over and tsked at him. "Really, Kyo, is that any way for the romantic hero of class 3-D to talk? I'd've thought you'd be thrilled for the chance to dress up more, seeing how much you enjoyed yourself the first time around."

Haru's face was as placid and his tone as mellow as ever, but Kyo wasn't fooled; especially not with Momiji also sitting right there, grinning at him like a jack o' lantern. Kyo knew exactly what Haru was referring to, and he wasn't the least bit amused.

"You know damn well that was under duress," he snapped as he glowered at his friends, though neither of them had the grace to flinch.

"Ja? I wish I'd had the chance to be under that sort of duress with Tohru," Momiji said with dancing eyes, prompting Kyo's to narrow.

It was two days before the Culture Fest, and 3-D's advertising posters had been ready for three. Most of them were waiting to be hung until the next day, but they, along with the rest of the school, had been given permission to put up a few posters early. The promotion and business committee had taken full advantage, strategically hanging them around the school to generate buzz.

Like, for example, right next to the goddamn staircase that pretty much every student who attended Kaibara High had to either climb or walk past, every single day.

The first time Kyo had walked by the posters he'd had to double back, the sight of himself on one knee in front of Tohru incredibly jarring. And then there was the fact that out of all the other options, the committee had chosen to hang the poster of Yuki and Saki beside it.

It had been too much to hope that Haru and Momiji wouldn't comment.

Tohru was giggling, and she reached out to squeeze Momiji's hand. "Well, if you want, Momiji, we can always take a picture together during the Culture Fest! You can come by during one of my shifts, or we could even just come back together!"

Momiji smiled, squeezing her hand back. "I'd like that very much, meine Princess!"

For his part, Kyo did not like that 'very much' or at all, but he kept his mouth shut and his annoyance to himself. Sure, Momiji might have admitted to Kyo that he loved Tohru, but he'd never given Kyo any reason to doubt his integrity and Kyo trusted Tohru more than he trusted himself.

That said, he really hated the idea of Tohru dressing up for Momiji...or dressing up for anyone else at all, really.

But he was stopped from brooding on the subject by a question.

"Speaking of shifts, do you guys know when you're working yet?" Haru asked, leaning back on his arms and looking around the group. "We're gonna be figuring that out later today, it sounds like."

In response to question, Yuki nodded. "Yes, we had a class meeting about it yesterday."

And Yuki himself wasn't thrilled about the results. Under immense pressure from the majority of the class, he'd agreed to work the photo stand one additional shift on each of the Culture's Fest's two days, meaning that instead of working two hours each day, he, and he alone, would be working four.

He knew he could have said 'no;' he'd wanted to say 'no.' But the pleading had been intense and his classmates' arguments sound; much as he was trying to learn to stand up for himself and resist the people-pleasing habits he'd developed, he was no match for the class's combined assault.

And not only was Yuki working double the time of everyone else, he'd also be the only one working 'non-standard' hours. That had been another one of the business committee's brainwaves; most of the students working the fest were staffed for two-hour blocks, starting right away when the Culture Fest opened. But Yuki would be starting his shift three hours in, so he'd be on duty for half of one shift, all of a second one, and then halfway into a third, thus maximizing his availability to the student body itself. There had been an attempt to have him work four half shifts each day, but that was where Yuki had finally drawn the line.

Tohru was giving Yuki a somewhat anxious look; she had listened to him vent his feelings about the shifts yesterday on their walk home from school. But she tried to smile as she looked back at Haru and Momiji, nodding as she said brightly,

"That's right! Kyo and I will be on the second shift Saturday, and the third shift on Sunday!"

Haru raised a brow, then glanced at Kyo. "You guys managed to get the same shift both days? Not gonna lie, I'm surprised they didn't break you two up."

Kyo was scowling as he said, "They tried."

However, the wheedling argument of 'it'd be better for business if you two were on different shifts, so people would be more comfortable requesting either of you,' had fallen on ears so incredibly deaf they were practically non-existent. Kyo fully intended to grit his teeth and smile as needed; he could be a team player, when he had no choice. But he'd be damned if he was going to abandon Tohru to who-knew-what-sort-of customer without him, and in the end, they'd been scheduled together on both days.

"Arisa and I will be fourth shift Saturday and second shift Sunday," Saki informed the others calmly. "We would have preferred to be with our dear Tohru, of course, but alas...we fair ladies are too numerous for the dictates of the masses."

"Huh?" Momiji blinked curiously at that, and Arisa laughed as she explained.

"They wanna make sure they've got an even boy-girl split for the photos. So each shift is going to have two photographers, then the other four'll be two boys and two girls. Plus the Prince as a bonus, during his half-shifts," she said, giving him a glance.

Yuki crossed his arms and tried not to sigh as he finished, "I'll be starting halfway through second shift and ending midway through fourth on Saturday, then halfway through first and ending midway through third on Sunday."

He would have liked the opportunity to have a full shift with Tohru, but 'it had been decided' to keep the Sohma overlap to a minimum. It was only because other people had specifically wanted the first and last shifts that Yuki was able to be with Tohru at all, and while he knew he should be grateful for the time they had, he was still annoyed at the entire thing.

Momiji had jotted down all the times with a grin. "Well, we'll just have to try to get scheduled at times where we can come see you!"

"You guys are doing a café, right?" Arisa asked, and Haru and Momiji both nodded.

"Ja. I'd hoped for a haunted house, but," Momiji shrugged his shoulders helplessly, "what can you do?"

What can you do, indeed, Yuki thought with an inward sigh.

On Saturday morning, the mood in Shigure's house was...interesting.

Tohru had actually woken up early, her excitement for the day and the Culture Fest as a whole dragging her out of bed nearly an hour early. It had given her plenty of time to get dressed in her uniform, start prepping what she could for breakfast (something filling and with plenty of protein, to tide them all over for the long time they'd be on their feet), and even to do some light cleaning (since it was too early to actually start cooking).

When Kyo emerged from his post-run shower to find Tohru dusting, he'd been torn between amusement and disbelief.

"Tohru, what're you doing?"

She'd shot him a somewhat embarrassed look. "Dusting?"

"Yeah, I see that, but...why?"

"Because it was too early to start breakfast, and there's not enough time to do laundry. I did think about sweeping the engawa instead, but it's supposed to be windy today, so I was worried about blowing leaves-"

Kyo was shaking his head, an amused smile on his face as he walked over to take the duster. "You could've just gone back to bed, you goof. There's no reason for you to be doing chores, especially not so early!"

"Oh, but I couldn't, Kyo," Tohru told him earnestly. "I tried, but I'm just too excited!"

"Yeah?" asked Kyo, trying and failing to meet her enthusiasm with some of his own.

"Yes," she confirmed, reaching out and taking his hand. "Just think, Kyo, this is our last Culture Fest, ever. This time next year..." she trailed off, smiling up at him, and he gave her a grin in response.

He knew she was feeling a little bittersweet about the whole thing, but it was hard for Kyo himself to be anything but excited, thinking about the future waiting for them in just five more months.

Especially when the future waiting for them that day involved costumes.

Still, he'd long since accepted that part of loving Tohru meant smiling while he dealt with things he didn't like, and he planned to do his best to smile, a lot, that weekend.

It could always be worse; he could always be Yuki.

"Well, never mind next year just now," he said, letting go of her hands and turning to put away the duster. "Pretty sure it's late enough now to actually start cooking, what do you think?"

"I agree completely, my dear Kyo!"

Tohru and Kyo both jumped as Shigure's door crashed open and the novelist emerged, looking surprisingly bright and cheerful considering the hour. And he took one look at their startled expressions, then beamed.

"What, no 'good morning' for me?"

Tohru recovered and gave him a big smile. "Good morning, Shigure! I had no idea you were even here, weren't you planning to stay at the main estate last night?"

"I was," Shigure said blithely, making his way to the table and sitting down. "But then I remembered what today was, and I decided I'd rather be here to see you three off and witness your festive spirits for myself."

The glare Kyo was shooting his way from the kitchen said a lot about what kind of 'festive spirit' Shigure could expect from him, and he didn't dignify Shigure's words with a response as he pulled out some pans. Tohru was still smiling, though, and she gave Shigure a curious look.

"Aren't you coming to the Culture Fest, Shigure?"

Kyo whirled around and gave her an incredulous stare. "Damnit, Tohru, don't encourage him!"

As if it wasn't bad enough what they were already doing, she had to ask Shigure to attend?

But Shigure was thankfully shaking his head. "Sadly, I can't. That's actually why I wanted to be here to see you three off; there's some important Sohma business happening this weekend, and as Akito's current assistant, it's simply imperative I attend."

Tohru gave him an understanding smile. "Well, of course you do! I just hope everything goes smoothly for you all."

"I don't see why Akito doesn't just hire a real new assistant," Kyo said from the kitchen, the gentle clatter of pans making Tohru blush and hurry to join him. "It's been almost four months since Kureno's...accident..." he said, trying hard not to look at Tohru. "And it's gotta be a pain in the ass, having to deal with you so much," he commented, looking over at Shigure.

Shigure simply smirked at him. "Contrary to what you and Yuki seem to think, I do have my helpful moments, Kyo, and Akito enjoys my company. If anything, she'd rather have me around even more, but I have to consider you three and your youthful guardianship needs. And my writing, naturally."

Kyo didn't say it aloud, but he didn't think that Akito's alleged fondness for Shigure was a recommendation for either of them. Like Yuki and Tohru, Kyo was aware that Shigure had stepped up to help fill the void Kureno had left when he resigned as Akito's assistant. However, the whole thing still felt strange to him, and he honestly had no desire to think about Akito or the Sohma Family's affairs any more than he absolutely had to.

If nothing else, Shigure's involvement with the Sohma Family meant he was around the house less...and, also, apparently, that they didn't have to worry about him turning up at the Culture Fest.

"So can we expect our dear Yuki to join the land of the living any time soon, or is he not needed until later than you two early risers?" Shigure asked, turning to watch as Tohru and Kyo cooked, working together with the ease of much practice.

Kyo's mood was still too sour to want to deal much with Shigure, but Tohru's tone was cheerful and upbeat.

"Well, Kyo and I don't actually have to be there until ten for our shift, and Yuki doesn't have to be there until eleven. Kyo and I are planning to go earlier to check out the rest of the festival, though, and I'm not actually sure what Yuki's plans are," she admitted after an awkward moment. "We invited him to come with us, but he hadn't decided as of yesterday."

"But he has decided as of this morning, and he's going with," Yuki said with a yawn, drifting into the kitchen as he rubbed at his eyes.

"Yuki, good morning!" Tohru said in cheerful surprise. "You're up early, though that's great that you want to come with!"

"Yes, color me surprised," said Shigure, smiling at Yuki as he sleepily made his way to the table, collapsing into his spot and slumping against the surface. "Though forgive me for saying so, Yuki, but are you sure you wouldn't rather just stay in bed? You hardly look the picture of vibrant energy one would expect from a third year gearing up for his final Culture Fest."

Considering Yuki was never a picture of 'vibrant energy' first thing any morning, that was hardly surprising. But as Tohru looked out at Yuki and the way that he was slumping, his head resting in the curve of his arm on the tabletop, she actually found herself agreeing with Shigure.

"It's ok if you want to sleep a little longer, Yuki. It will be at least an hour before Kyo and I are ready to go, and we can make sure to leave you some breakfast to eat quickly before then."

"It's fine, Miss Honda," Yuki's tired voice drifted up from the crook of his elbow. "I'll be fine," he clarified, yawning mightily, "I just need to drink some tea."

A lot of tea, preferably.

The truth of the matter was that Yuki had had an absolutely wretched night's sleep, and he'd come downstairs not so much because he was eager to head to school but because he'd given up on getting any more sleep.

It was unfortunate, given what was expected of him that day, but there wasn't a lot he could do about it. All he could think about was how unenthused he was about the whole weekend, and how he wished 3-D was doing literally anything else.

How he wished he'd turned down taking the extra shifts.

How he wished it was just his ego making him think he'd be mobbed and not a depressing historical precedent.

Come to think of it, there were a lot of things that he was wishing, pretty much all of them equally implausible.

He'd been gloomy as he stood in in his room in front of the mirror, staring as he tied his tie and wondering what the point was. He was going to be there to be a doll, after all; something for other people to dress up and play with.

Finding Shigure at the table hadn't improved his mood, nor had the sight and sound of Tohru and Kyo cooking together. He wasn't up for dealing with Shigure's commentary, not today, and while the other two making breakfast together wasn't new, it was still surprisingly tough for him to handle just then.

Or maybe not so surprising, Yuki thought sourly. Everything was proving tough for him to deal with, then.

At the sound of a gentle 'thump' beside his head, Yuki opened his eyes to see Tohru setting down the teapot and a teacup, her expression gently anxious as she studied him.

"Here, Yuki, take as much as you want. I still think you should maybe just go back to bed, but if you're sure-"

"-I'm sure, Miss Honda," said Yuki, pushing himself to a sitting position and smiling tiredly. "Thank you for your concern, but yes, I'm sure."

He could tell she didn't believe him, but that was ok. She didn't believe him about a lot of things lately and he couldn't blame her; after all, he had a track record with false denial.

But if she didn't believe him, she didn't push him, either, and that had to be enough for now.

As Yuki poured himself a cup of tea and downed half of it in one gulp, he was aware that Shigure was watching him. That was fine as well; Shigure could watch Yuki to his heart's content, as long as he didn't expect Yuki to interact.

"Looking a little peaky this morning, aren't we Yuki?"

It had been a nice thought, not interacting.

Ignoring Shigure, Yuki downed the rest of his tea in a second gulp, then poured himself a second cup. That time, though, he simply held it in his hands, allowing the vapors to gently rise and soak their way into his tired brain.

He might still be able to recover this...

"Didn't get much sleep?"

Yuki exhaled angrily through his nose, trying to focus on the warmth of the cup, the sensation of the steam in his nostrils, and the pleasant grassy aroma of the tea itself. He would get a grip on himself, he would not be provoked...

"I'm surprised. Considering how busy you're sure to be today, what with all your admirers-"

Yuki rose abruptly to his feet, slamming the teacup down on the table. He felt a little bad about the splash of tea that flew out, but he was too tired and too irritated to care about literally anything other than either punching Shigure's face or putting some distance between them.

He considered it a testament to his self-control that he only went stomping up to his room.

The other three had all watched him go, Shigure with thinly disguised amusement, Tohru with anxious concern, and Kyo with complete sympathy. They all flinched slightly when Yuki's door slammed upstairs, but that was the cue for all of them to return to what they'd been doing: Kyo to cooking, Shigure watching, and Tohru helping Kyo...though she did hurry out to wipe up the spilled tea, first.

"My goodness, that boy is rather sensitive this morning, isn't he?" Shigure mused aloud, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I guess that just goes to show us all the value of a good night's sleep!"

"More like the value of you shutting your damn mouth once in a while, you damn Dog," snapped Kyo, glancing over at Shigure with a pronounced scowl. "For all you're supposed to be the fucking adult in this house, you sure as hell don't act like it most times."

Shigure gave Kyo a look of mock surprise. "What's this? Are you actually sticking up for Yuki?"

"I'm sticking up for everyone who has to live with you and deal with the shit you can't seem to stop yourself from saying. Seriously, if Ratboy would've punched you in the face, it still wouldn’t've been more'n you actually deserved."

Shigure tsked and shook his head. "You know, I'd hoped that between freedom from the Curse and your blossoming love lives, you and Yuki would have found a way to move past your baser instincts for violence. Yet here we are, continuing on as if nothing has changed."

"That's 'cause you haven't changed," Kyo started to growl, only to be cut off by Tohru's anxious voice.

"Um...do you think that maybe I should go up and make sure Yuki's ok? He looked really upset," she said, looking at Kyo worriedly. And he sighed, pulling the pans off the burners and turning off the stove.

"I dunno, Tohru. Personally, I say leave him for a bit and let him try to calm down on his own; he might just need space," Kyo said, glowering once more at Shigure.

Tohru could see the wisdom in that, though she looked one last hesitating time towards the stairs before nodding.

"You're probably right. We'll just leave his breakfast in the pans to stay warm for now," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Soon they had served up breakfast for themselves and Shigure, and Tohru attempted to make pleasant small talk with Shigure as they ate. It was somewhat difficult with Kyo scowling the whole time, but fortunately she didn't have to try for very long.

"Well, thank you, you two, for an excellent meal," Shigure said, pushing himself up from the table and giving them a small bow. "I need to be going, but I hope you and Yuki all have an excellent first day at your Culture Fest; I look forward to hearing a full report when I get back on Monday."

Tohru was surprised. "You're going to be gone all weekend?"

Kyo rolled his eyes and gave her an affectionately exasperated look. "We knew that, Tohru, he told us he'd be helping Akito with stuff both today and tomorrow."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he'd be staying the night, or that he'd be gone until Monday," she said earning herself an amused laugh from Shigure.

"Too true, Tohru, but in this case, it does. As always, I'm trusting you two to be on your best behavior during my absence, so no wild parties or other improper behavior, ok?"

Shigure's smile was wicked, and Tohru couldn't help but blush. Kyo had mostly passed the blushing stage with Shigure, though, and he simply gave Shigure an annoyed stare.

"Weren't you leaving, you filthy Dog?"

Shigure sighed and shook his head, then smiled at Tohru. "Have a lovely weekend, dear Tohru."

"You too, Shigure! Please say 'hello' to Akito for me!"

Kyo's annoyed expression remained even after the front door closed behind Shigure, and he looked at Tohru with exasperation.

"Why do you keep on encouraging him, Tohru? He's just gonna keep saying stuff like that if you keep smiling and laughing about it."

Tohru blushed once more, looking down in her lap. "Well, I don't think he means-"

"-Oh yeah, he damn well means to," Kyo said with a growl as he stood up and collected his and Shigure's dishes. "Believe me, that bastard knows exactly what he's saying, exactly what he's doing, and he does it all for laughs. His own laughs," he clarified, his voice laced with disgust.

Tohru had a sneaking suspicion that Kyo was right, and she hated herself for that suspicion. She owed Shigure so much, after all, and he could be so kind...

But in the deepest reaches of her soul, she had to agree that, sometimes, he could indeed be a bastard.

Glancing up at the ceiling, Tohru was quiet for a moment, then looked at her boyfriend. "Kyo-"

He was already reaching for her dishes and waved her away. "Go talk to him. See if he wants to come back down now Shigure's gone, otherwise we can just save something for him to have later."

Smiling, Tohru leaned up and pressed her lips against Kyo's, sliding one hand up into his hair to keep him in place as she kissed him.

"You're sweet," she informed him when she broke the kiss, and Kyo tried and failed not to look too satisfied with himself as he nudged her away, saying,

"Yeah yeah, just go, already."

Yuki didn't even need to hear a knock; the soft, hesitating footsteps that stopped at his door were enough. "Come in, Miss Honda," he called, prompting Tohru to push open the door and peek inside.

Yuki was lying on his back on his bed, one arm over his eyes. "Is Shigure gone?"

"Yes, he left," replied Tohru, stepping carefully into the chaotic mess of Yuki's room.

"Good," Yuki said tersely, pulling himself to a sitting position before looking at her and sighing. "I'm sorry, Miss Honda, I didn't mean to act like such a child."

"It's ok, Yuki," she said, finally reaching the bed and sitting down on the edge. "You're tired, and Shigure can be a bit much before you've woken up."

That earned a snort from Yuki, along with a scowl. "Shigure can be a bit much, period. Every time he has to stay at the main house for Family business, I find myself hoping something comes up and he ends up trapped there."

"Well, he's going to be there until Monday this time," Tohru said helpfully, and Yuki gave her a weak smile.

That was something, at least.

They were both quiet for a moment, then she looked back up at him. "Have you changed your mind, Yuki? About coming with Kyo and I to school early?"

He shook his head. "No, I'd like a chance to see some of the other class and club booths before I start work at ours. I'm not sure I'll feel like staying later after four hours on duty," he said with a slight twitch.

Tohru reached out and gently touched his arm. "I know it's not what you wanted, Yuki, and I'm so sorry. But you'll be making a lot of people happy, if that helps at all!"

She was trying to lift his spirits, and he could appreciate that. But he sighed once more before giving her that small half-hearted smile.

"It's something, Miss Honda, and I'll try to remember that."

Sliding off the bed, he stood up and offered Tohru his hand. "I promise I'm not going to be moping all day, you have my word on that. And I'm sure it won't be all bad," he said with an actual smile. "After all, I've got an hour to spend with you. Who knows, maybe we'll even get to be in a picture or two together."

Somehow Tohru doubted that; she was pretty sure that whoever would want to pose with Yuki would not want Tohru or any other girl anywhere near the camera. But if it gave him some comfort to think so, she wasn't going to correct him.

"That would be fun," said Tohru as they headed down the hall. "Now, are you ready to have some breakfast?"

"Yes, I think so," Yuki said. "Though before that, Miss Honda...is there any more tea?"

Chapter Text

After eating breakfast and drinking four more cups of tea, Yuki felt significantly better than he had before. It helped that Shigure was gone but it also helped, substantially, to have Tohru sitting with him the entire time he was eating, smiling and animatedly chattering about the Culture Fest.

Kyo didn't join them or even participate in the conversation, something Yuki didn't register until he was almost halfway through his third cup of tea. Instead, Kyo silently busied himself in the kitchen, first cleaning up the dishes, then the counters, then the rest of the room. By the time Kyo got around to sweeping the kitchen floor, Yuki was confident that Kyo was hanging back on purpose, and while a part of him bristled internally at being patronized, he had to admit it was nice, not having him there.

Sometimes, he really did just need to talk to Tohru.

And between the food, the tea, and Tohru's cheerful enthusiasm, by the time they were ready to go, Yuki was even smiling.

He stayed smiling the entire walk to Kaibara High, and as they made their way through the festival arch and onto the grounds. The Culture Fest had been in full swing for more than an hour by then, so even though it wasn't nearly as busy as it was sure to be later, there were still a fair number of people milling around.

That fact wasn't lost on either Yuki or Kyo, and Yuki gave Kyo a small smile as they moved with the throng.

"It's nice, not having to worry, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Kyo agreed, looking around. He didn't need Yuki to say any more; even though they both instinctively shifted away from people as they moved, they didn't have any reason to, anymore. The worst thing that would happen, if they bumped into anyone, was a simple bruise and nothing more.

Their days of fear were over; now, they could relax.

Together, the three of them explored the booths out in the courtyard, then eventually made their way into the school.

Together they passed by numerous food stalls, more than one haunted house ("We can skip these, Miss Honda, it's no problem”), game displays, and more, including more people dressed in costumes than they could easily count. Periodically they encountered 3-D advertisements, and Yuki and Kyo both tried not to cringe whenever they saw themselves. Tohru herself would always blush whenever she saw her own picture, but that blush was always accompanied by a small, proud smile, one that made Kyo grin and squeeze her hand while Yuki simply smiled.

It was sweet, just how proud she was of that picture. And objectively, Yuki had to admit that his own, with him seated on the bench and smiling at Saki, was a good picture, too.

But looking at it didn't make him feel anything, other than annoyed.

Eventually it was almost time for Tohru and Kyo to start their shift, and there was only time for them to do one final thing.

"We were going to go to 2-C and have a snack together, weren't we?" Tohru asked as the three of them stood together near the staircase. And for the first time that day, Yuki felt truly excited, nodding in agreement to Tohru's words with a big smile.

"Yes, Miss Honda, I believe that was the plan!"

Together, the three of them headed to the second-year floor and soon found 2-C, the sign out front proudly proclaiming its 'coffee shop' status for the duration of the festival. And as they walked in, they were greeted by a gaggle of excited voices.

"Yuki, why don't you sit over here?"

"Yuki, don't you think you'd be more comfortable here?"

"Here Yuki, let me help you to a table right over here by the window!"

The attention from 2-C's servers was almost overwhelming, and Yuki felt the familiar sensation of being considered a possession start to rise up. But before it could consume him a strong hand took his arm, and a familiar mellow voice cut through the demands.

"Come on, Yuki; you three can sit in our section. Machi and I'll get your stuff, and you can space out as much as you want."

Haru ignored the death glares from the other servers, towing along Yuki as he led Tohru and Kyo to a table. Then he smiled at them as though he'd never noticed his classmates.

"What can we get you guys?"

"Maybe a menu, first?" asked Machi quietly, coming up beside Haru and offering them menus. And as her eyes met Yuki's and she smiled shyly at him, he felt a new surge of affection for them all; for Tohru and Kyo for coming with him to 2-C at all, and to Haru for making sure they had this little bit of time together. If he'd come here on his own and chosen his own seat, he would have raised suspicions, but together...they should be safe.

Which meant that, at least for a little, Yuki could relax.

"Are you enjoying your time at the Culture Fest so far?" Machi asked the trio, ostensibly meaning all of them but with her eyes fixed on Yuki. And while they all nodded, it was Yuki who answered.

"Yes, it's been a good morning so far, Machi. Everyone's been doing a great job this year, that we've seen."

Machi smiled and nodded at that, then she took their orders, and soon, she and Haru were back to give them their cakes. Yuki even had coffee in a bid for more caffeine, which Tohru eyed suspiciously but politely refused his offer to taste; after tasting it himself, Yuki somewhat agreed. And for the fifteen minutes they all sat at the little table, chatting with Haru and Machi while eating their cake, Yuki could almost feel content with the way things were.

Emphasis on 'almost,' because he couldn't help but notice the way the other girls were eyeing Machi; Machi and Tohru, too, he quickly realized. Once more Yuki felt himself bristling in response, going so far at one point as to glare at one of the offenders. That girl's shocked look when she noticed his scowl made him feel guilty at first; it wasn't like him to look at most people that way. But after a moment he shook the guiltiness off; why shouldn't he be upset when people mistreated his friends?

All of them deserved the right to just be left alone.

By the time they finished with their cakes, it was time for Tohru and Kyo to head to their classroom and for Yuki to face an hour at the festival alone.

Or so he'd expected, anyway, at first.

"So, Yuki," Haru said, picking up their plates, "Our shift's just about over, and Machi and I were thinking it'd be fun to go check out 2-A's class play. That little guy who used to be in your student council, Naohito? He's playing Rumpelstiltskin. You wanna go with us?"

Yuki was aware once more of eager ears and eyes, but he didn't care and he gave Haru a grateful smile.

"That sounds great! I'm sure Nao will make a great Rumpelstiltskin and it will be fun to see. Thank you both for including me," he said, looking from Haru to Machi with a warm smile that almost made Machi blush.

"We have to finish up in here first," Machi said, looking down quickly once she realized the danger. "Could we meet you down at 3-D? The play doesn't start until ten after."

Yuki did the math, then nodded. "I'll see you guys there."

"Alright, it's a...plan," said Haru neutrally, patting Yuki's shoulder before looking at Tohru and Kyo. "And I'll be stopping by to check you guys out later, too. I've gotta tell you, Kyo, I've been looking forward to this for weeks."

Tohru and Kyo's opposing expressions gave clear indication of what each of them felt about that. But there was no time for them to say more than a quick 'thank you for the food' before the three third years were off again, Yuki smiling, Kyo scowling, and Tohru suddenly feeling a wave of nerves that intensified with each step in the direction of 3-D.

When they arrived at their classroom, it was already busy. Three people were posing in mobster apparel while another small group stood dressed in American Old West gear, patiently waiting for their turn at the bar. But as Yuki, Tohru and Kyo walked in, one of the girls in the 1920s group lit up like a beacon, turning to their photographer to ask, "Is it too late to add extras?"

Kiyoshi, their photographer, glanced at the two Sohmas, then gave the girl who'd asked a quick nod of his head. "Yes, I'm sorry. Those guys aren't even on duty for another few minutes, besides," he started to add, compelling Yuki to correct him.

"I'm actually not for another hour, Ishida."

"Oh yeah, that's right. So yeah, I'm afraid not," Kiyoshi said dismissively, turning his attention back to the group at the bar. Yes, he was a little curt but Yuki wasn't complaining; it was nice to know at least one person didn't really care what he did.

As it was, Yuki and Kyo both exhaled in relief as they walked over to join their classmates, and even though he wouldn't be on shift for another hour, Yuki couldn't help but ask how things were going so far.

"Very well, Yuki," Class Rep Chizue told him with a smile. "We actually had decent business right out of the gate, though it's been slowly but steadily picking up. We've also had a lot of people stop in and ask questions, many of whom plan to come back later," she said, delicately looking away as Yuki bit back a groan.

He could very well guess what at least some of those questions entailed.

"But anyway, it's all gone smoothly so far. Kiyoshi will be staying on for the next shift with Shun, while Junpei will be back at fourth shift." Chizue said, nodding at the two photographers. "And they have their own system in place. For the rest of us, we're keeping the cash box right there," she said, pointing. "Whoever isn't currently in pictures or helping people with costumes is in charge of the cash box, and if all four of you are busy with that then just give the box to Kiyoshi. I'll be out promoting for a while this next shift," she said, beaming at them, "so hopefully we continue to have a steady stream of business!"

Tohru and Kyo's other two shiftmates had arrived by then, and as the clock ticked over to ten, Yuki gave them a smile.

"Well, I'm going to go out and wait for...Haru," he said, "But I'll be back at eleven. In the meantime, you all take care of things here, and try to have fun," he said, looking in particular at Kyo's expression of pained resignation. "And please remember to smile?" he stressed, frowning slightly at Kyo.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll smile," Kyo muttered, earning chuckles from the rest of them. Then another group of eager customers walked in; it was time for 3-D to get to business, and for Yuki to leave.

Though Tohru was admittedly nervous when their shift first got underway, it didn't take long before she was feeling confident about most of it. It was fun, talking to prospective customers, talking about their various scenes and showing off Ayame's costumes; when she could, she loved to look back on the computer herself and watch the pictures pop up for the customers to review.

Posing, on the other hand, was slightly more nerve-wracking. Less than ten minutes into their shift, Tohru and her classmate Izumi, the other girl on duty, were called on to pose as flappers with a group. Chizue had warned them the bar scenes were proving the most popular, and Tohru had steeled herself for what that likely meant.

At least she wasn't a saloon girl...yet.

But Tohru was still shaking as she changed into the red beaded dress, and she took a few breaths to steady her nerves as she looked in the mirror to arrange her hair and put on all the accessories the customers had wanted: gloves, beads, lipstick, and an ornamented headband. Then she stayed in the curtained-off little space for another minute, gathering herself until Kiyoshi's impatient voice called out, "Honda, are you just about ready? We're waiting for you!"

It was just a picture. She was just taking a picture. Standing, or sitting, and taking a picture.

Easy.

"Coming!" she called out, and stepped out of the curtain. "Sorry I made you wait."

The first thing she noticed was Kyo staring at her, and she felt herself immediately blushing in response. While the dress was longer than the skirts she usually wore, it was still a far cry from her usual demure look, especially paired with the accessories and the dark red lipstick.

It was probably best if she didn't look at Kyo anymore.

Kiyoshi was gesturing for her to join the group waiting at the bar, which consisted of four guys dressed in suits and fedoras, along with Izumi, who was perched sideways on top of the bar with her arm draped loosely around one of the guys.

"Honda, can you basically mirror Fujito? So, sit on the other side there, angling the other way, and then put your hand on his shoulder?" asked Kiyoshi, gesturing to the boy in question. Said boy gave Tohru a smile accompanied by a wink, and Tohru had to resist the urge to look anxiously at Kyo.

This was fine, right? It was for the class.

"Yes, I can do that," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. There was a step ladder behind the bar, she knew, so she should be able to climb up without much trouble-

"Here, lemme help you, Tohru."

Tohru squeaked as Kyo's hands came around her waist, easily lifting her up and setting her down on the bar. Then he was giving her that dark, warm smile she loved so much, the one that sent tingles right through her as he softly said, "You look great," before giving the boy beside her a glare and stepping back out of the way.

Blushing, she quickly arranged her skirt and limbs into a proper position, then tentatively reached out and rested her hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Like this?"

The boy glanced back at her and smiled. "You can put a little more weight on me if you need, I promise a little thing like you isn't gonna break me!"

She blushed again, then leaned a little more heavily on him. "Like this?"

"Perfect," Kiyoshi said, raising his camera. "Now, girls, please tip your heads back a bit, and everyone smile!"

Behind the cameras, Kyo stood watching with his arms crossed in annoyance, their fellow shift worker and Kyo's basketball friend Ryosuke smirking beside him.

"You're not smiling, Sohma," said Ryosuke in a soft sing-song, and Kyo turned his glower on Ryosuke instead.

"I'm not having my picture taken and there's no one we're helping just now, I don't gotta smile," Kyo growled, his own voice low.

"No? I'd be smiling if I was you right now," Ryosuke said, glancing at the group having their picture taken. "I never realized that Honda was so hot!"

Therein lay the problem as far as Kyo was concerned, and the look he fixed on his friend was so hostile that it would have knocked most people backwards. Kyo knew Tohru was hot. He'd always known Tohru was hot. A part of him was flabbergasted how rarely people caught that.

But at the same time, he really would rather not advertise that fact, and right then, Tohru was a bright red beacon of hotness.

Ryosuke was right, and Kyo would be the first to agree. Tohru looked amazing in the red beaded dress, her slim arms encased in a pair of long black gloves and her hair held out of her face with a jeweled black band. He wasn't sure about the lipstick; it was dark and a little jarring, and while it went with the outfit, it didn't go so well with Tohru herself.

But yeah, she was hot, almost impossibly so...and she was currently leaning on another guy.

It was just for the Culture Fest, he reminded himself. All of them would be doing this at some time or another, posing with the customers. It didn't mean anything.

But he still didn't like it, and he didn't appreciate his friend pointing that out.

Time was of the essence when it came to the pictures, so Tohru and Izumi were soon accepting thanks from their customers and sliding down from the bar. But while Tohru couldn't wait to change back into herself, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at Kyo as she crossed the room. And what she saw was enough to warm her straight to her heart: Kyo looking at her with a smile, mouthing, 'you did great.'

In the safety of her cubicle in the girls' changing area, Tohru pulled off her gloves with a giant smile.

She had survived her first photo and Kyo had thought she did well....

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

After the ice was broken, things got a lot easier. Despite Tohru's worries, there actually wasn't much posing to do; 3-D had a steady stream of customers, but most of them just wanted pictures with their own small groups. For the most part, people didn't ask for any extras...

Other than one less-than-chipper exception.

"Remember to smile, Sohma," a grinning Ryosuke told Kyo as Kyo emerged from the changing room, dressed in his prince outfit from the promotional poster. Once again, the look Kyo shot his friend was poisonous, but at Tohru's anxious expression he forced himself to smile.

"What do you think, Tohru?" he asked, trying to sound playful, and though he could tell she wasn't convinced she smiled back anyway.

"I think you look wonderful, Kyo!" she said, and she meant it; while he looked good in all the outfits, she was especially partial to that one. It was only a pity that that time, he wasn't posing with her.

But he grinned at her praise as he walked over to the castle. The two customers that time had requested a fight scene, with Kyo cast as the villain trying to capture the princess while her princely boyfriend valiantly fought Kyo off. And while Tohru objected on principal to Kyo being a villain, she had to smile as she watched him strike a sword-fighting pose.

If her expression as she looked at him was a trifle smug, there was no one present who was going to judge her for it.

It was obvious early on that Kyo was their most popular extra, pulled into photos to even out numbers, pose in fight scenes, and generally add flair. Those pictures, Tohru didn't mind so much.

She minded a little more the girls who asked for him. On the one hand, she had always known that Kyo was incredibly handsome, and since the Curse had broken and he'd started to let his walls down, he was suddenly more popular than ever. Tohru knew that, accepted it, and was honestly grateful for it; Kyo had always been amazing, and he deserved to have friends.

But even accepting all of that, it was hard not to squirm when her boyfriend was the only guy in a picture, surrounded by other girls. Or when, even worse, he was just posing with one.

While almost all of 3-D would be working as photo extras and were collectively doing their best to be accommodating, everyone had been told before the Culture Fest began that touching of any kind was purely at their own discretion; any customer who didn't respect that would be asked to leave. So far, they'd all been ok with just a little touching, usually in the form of hands on arms, or else on shoulders.

Kyo, to Tohru's great relief, had refused anything else. He didn't hold hands, though he'd hold out an open palm for girls to touch. He definitely didn't hug, touch anyone's waist or hips, or let anyone get close enough to touch his. And kissing, whether of cheeks or hands or literally anything, was right out and asking him always resulted in scowls.

But hope springs eternal and people kept asking, with more than one girl needing to be told 'no' more than once.

Tohru was preoccupied with watching one such scene play out when a rowdy new group of customers walked in. She was just turning to greet them when an arm clapped around her shoulders and she was greeted with a cheerful, "Honda! Just the person I was hoping to see, come with me for a sec!"

Squeaking in surprise, Tohru looked up at the brightly smiling face of Kakeru Manabe, who called over his shoulder to both his own friends as well as Tohru's classmates as he steered her out of the classroom and out into the hall.

"I'm borrowing Honda for one sec, we'll be right back. There'd better be a black outfit waiting for me, unless you all want me to be one of the saloon girls, too!"

A few joking responses from his friends followed them out, along with an annoyed, "Hurry up, Honda!" from Izumi. Tohru hadn't had a chance to look at Kyo before being towed, but she imagined he had to be almost as confused as her.

Fortunately, Kakeru didn't leave her waiting long, pulling her against the wall and dropping his head close to hers.

"There we go, much more private, don't you think?"

Considering they were in the first-floor hallway with a crowd of people, she had no idea what he meant when he said 'private.' That said, the very idea of 'private' made the whole thing more nerve-wracking; Kakeru's face was almost scarily close to hers, and while she felt that Kakeru had buried his hatchet with her long ago, the two of them were hardly anything Tohru would call 'friends.'

"So, I thought about asking Yun-Yun this himself, but he's been so testy lately I figured I’d check with you instead. When's he working today?"

Tohru gave Kakeru a surprised look. That was all?

"He's actually going to be here at any time! His shift starts at eleven, but he'll probably be here a few minutes early if he can," she said with a smile tinted by relief. "He was going to see a play, but it should be getting out soon."

"A play, eh?"

"That's right," she said happily. "He was going to watch 2-A with Hatsuharu and Machi!"

A slow grin crossed Kakeru's face at that, and he nodded. "Ah, of course. Gotta love a darkened gym, am I right, Honda?"

She gave him a look of confusion, unsure what he meant, and he stared at her for a moment before laughing instead.

"Damn, you really are as pure as they say, aren't you? But never mind you," he continued. "So Yun-Yun's gonna be around for a while after eleven, is that what I'm hearing?"

Tohru nodded, still a little confused. "For four hours, actually, aside of his breaks."

Kakeru's eyes widened, and he whistled. "Four hours? No wonder he's been such a bitchy guy lately, you couldn't get me to work that long for either love or money. All the more reason to give him something to smile about," he said, albeit more to himself than her before he grinned. "Ok, got it. Thanks, Honda, you've been a real help. Now, what do you think; do I getta be a villainous gunslinger, or am I gonna be the prettiest girl in the saloon after you?"

Tohru immediately flushed beet red and stared up at him in shock as Kakeru took her arm and directed her back into the classroom, calling out merrily to his friends as he did so, "Hey, I'm back! And so's our saloon girl!"

"Your what now?"

Kyo was just emerging from the changing room, and the scowl on his face was pronounced as he looked at Kakeru. But Kakeru merely gave him a grin and a playful wink, neither of which did anything to lessen Kyo's annoyance.

"Well, hey there, Orange! I was just telling Honda here how happy we all are she's gonna be our saloon girl! Can't have a group of villainous gunslingers without something to fight over, and what better to fight over than a pretty girl, am I right?"

Tohru was blushing, and Kyo had to fight every impulse he had not to punch Kakeru's smirking face. How Yuki put up with that guy, Kyo had no idea.

But deciding not to push it by listening anymore to Kakeru, Kyo looked at Tohru.

"Tohru, you ok with this one?"

She was admittedly feeling nervous; out of all the outfits, the saloon girl apparel easily scared her the most, and this would be Tohru's first time wearing one. But after a moment, she'd collected herself, and she nodded.

"Yes, I'll be fine!"

"That's the spirit, Honda!" Kakeru said cheerfully, taking the outfit Izumi was holding and heading off to change. "Don't take too long, now, and I'll see you at the bar!"

Tohru was fighting the urge to cover herself when she finally emerged, and that feeling didn't dissipate as Kyo and Ryosuke both looked over. Ryosuke looked frankly approving and so did Kyo, at first...right up until he saw the way the other guys were looking. Then the scowl was back in spades as he looked at Kakeru's group, practically daring them with his gaze to try the slightest thing.

Not that Kakeru responded to that, at all.

"Alright, Honda, right here," he told her cheerfully, patting the bar in the middle of the group as he gave her an admiring look. "Also, you really oughtta consider dressing this way more often; pretty sure Orange would approve, am I right?" he asked, looking at Kyo with a grin.

"Dude, you're gonna get punched," commented one of Kakeru's friends, but Kakeru simply laughed, his eyes twinkling as he looked over at Kyo.

"What, by Orange? You really think he'd punch me for saying what he's gotta be thinking himself?"

"Manabe..." warned another one of Kakeru's friends as Kyo stalked over, his eyes practically spitting fire at them. But Kyo simply lifted Tohru onto the bar again, his hands lingering on her waist as he glared at Kakeru.

"Enjoy your picture," he said, his voice a threatening snarl, but once again, any hint of warning was ignored.

"Thanks, Orange! You always were a friendly guy, weren't you?" asked Kakeru, still grinning in a way that made Kyo twitch. Kyo was about to say something else when he caught Tohru's anxious expression, and he swallowed down his comments and instead gave her a smile.

He wasn't going to give Kakeru the satisfaction of hearing him say it, but she really did wear that green and black outfit well.

If only he could look at her, Kyo and himself alone.

Stalking back over to Ryosuke, Kyo crossed his arms and glared over at the group.

"This fucking sucks."

Ryosuke wasn't even trying to be sympathetic. "You're the one who insisted on you two being on shift together. What did you think was going to happen?" he asked

Kyo didn't dignify that question with a response, largely because right then, he couldn't think of one.

Oh well, he thought grouchily; there were a few silver linings. Like the fact they had one hour left...

And Tohru really looked great.

Chapter Text

When Yuki walked into 3-D, he didn't know quite what to make of the sight. Kyo was standing with his arms crossed, glaring for all he was worth at the group posing at the bar backdrop: a bunch of guys dressed as cowboys, gathered around-

"Miss Honda?"

Yuki was so surprised it was lucky he hadn't been carrying something. Even after the revisions the class had sent back on Ayame's designs, the saloon girl outfits were easily the most scandalous of the costumes, with low bodices, short skirts, and dramatically contrasting colors. Seeing Tohru dressed in bright green and black with feathers in her hair was...unexpected, to put it mildly.

And it also made Kyo's expression make perfect sense, especially when Yuki recognized the cowboy closest to Tohru.

Kyo never had liked Kakeru all that much; somehow, Yuki doubted that was about to change.

"Hey, Yun-Yun!" Kakeru called as the group wrapped up their photo and abandoned their poses. "I was wondering when you were going to turn up!"

"And you clearly weren't waiting," Yuki retorted, trying to focus on Kakeru and not look too closely at Tohru or, more specifically, at Tohru's chest. "But why, were you looking for me?"

"Something like that," said Kakeru, offering Tohru his hand. "Can I help you down, Honda?"

Yuki was just stepping forward to help her down instead when Kyo brushed past him, giving Kakeru a surly look as he lifted Tohru down. "Picture's over, Manabe," snapped Kyo, which made Kakeru laugh again.

"You really need to learn to lighten up some, Orange! Laugh, and the world laughs with you!"

Good advice, but it fell on deaf ears; the moment her feet hit the floor Tohru bolted off to change while Kyo stalked away from Kakeru, telling Yuki through gritted teeth, "You can deal with him."

Yuki passed a hand over his face, then gave Kakeru a pained look. Even though he now considered Kakeru a close friend, Yuki still regularly found him exhausting.

"You were looking for me?" Yuki repeated, and Kakeru gave him a grin.

"Sure was! And now I've found you, so...I'm gonna change," he said, looking down at his cowboy attire. "Don't go anywhere in the meantime, ok, Yun-Yun?"

Yuki was about to respond to that with something slight snarky when a female voice from the doorway suddenly asked with hope, "Yuki?"

Turning, Yuki saw a couple fellow third years standing there. "Yes, can I help you?"

The girls exchanged glances, then looked back at Yuki with matching hopeful expressions. "We were just wondering...are you available for pictures now, Yuki?"

Yuki's jaw twitched slightly, but he gave them his most gracious smile. "Yes, I am," he said.

It was time to face the music.

By the time Kakeru had reemerged dressed in his own clothes, a line of about nine girls had formed along the edge of the classroom, and, more importantly, Yuki was nowhere to be seen. After glancing around, Kakeru looked over at Kyo and Ryosuke, who were holding the cash box and watching the line.

"Did Yun-Yun have to duck out all of a sudden?"

Kyo gave Kakeru a dispassionate look, but Ryosuke was chuckling. "If you're looking for Yuki, he's changing, Manabe. He's gonna be busy for a while, from the look of it," he said, nodding to the line of girls that had now doubled.

Kakeru let out a whistle as he saw it, then grinned. "So you're saying if I want a picture with him..."

"Better get in line."

Chuckling, Kakeru stepped into the line, pulling out his phone with a smirk.

This was going to be fun, whatever Yuki thought.

As word got around that Yuki was available for pictures, the interest in class 3-D's booth abruptly exploded. The need for two lines, one for Yuki and one for everything else, rapidly became apparent to the rest of Yuki's team, and soon Yuki's line snaked down the hall as more and more students (and even non-students) jumped at the chance to take a picture with Kaibara High's popular ex-president. And the separate line was only the first accommodation; they also had to figure out special rules for Yuki's pictures, like "only one outfit and backdrop per picture.'

Fortunately, there seemed to be an overwhelmingly favorite outfit for Yuki: the Victorian-esque white suit he'd worn in his promo picture. Since the corresponding backdrop was one of their least popular otherwise, it worked out surprisingly well; they didn't have to hold up their non-Yuki customers too much, and Yuki didn't have to keep constantly changing clothes.

It was an efficient system...for the most part.

When Kakeru got to the front of Yuki's line, he shook his head and let the girl after him go instead. "I'm not ready yet, but you go on ahead, ok?" Then he did the same with the next girl, and the next.

After he'd done it a fifth time, Tohru's curiosity couldn't take it.

"Um, excuse me, Manabe, but...what are you doing? Did you change your mind about a picture with Yuki?"

"On the contrary, Honda; I'm just waiting for the rest of my group to get here. As much as I'd love an extra shot with Yun-Yun, I don't wanna make everyone else wait in line for too long, you know?"

Tohru could understand that, and she gave Kakeru a smile. "Well, as long as you have a plan!"

He gave her a wink. "Believe me, Honda, I always have a plan! It's why I was the vice president."

It didn't take long before Yuki settled into a routine. Most of the people who wanted to take pictures with him were girls; girls either by themselves, or in little groups. Sometimes both: a group of friends, who'd want to take individual pictures with him as well as a group shot. Provided they paid for each picture and stuck with one outfit it was allowed, and Yuki did his best to be a good sport in all of them.

Some people wanted different outfits, once in a while. He was a mobster a couple times, in the pinstriped suit, and many more times he was a prince, sometimes with a drawn sword.

A couple times, to Yuki's amusement, Kyo would be asked to join him, usually cast yet again in the role of the villain. Yuki enjoyed those photos the most; having Kyo in the picture too made Yuki feel a little less like a doll himself.

But mostly, Yuki wore the white suit and posed with the cherry trees. Sometimes standing, sometimes sitting, always smiling...

Always.

He was always polite. Always asked the name of whoever he was posing with, always thanked them for supporting 3-D, always thanked them for their interest.

While smiling.

Always.

He could do this. He just had to keep going through the same motions, just keep remembering why he was doing this.

Helping his class earn money. Helping his schoolmates make memories. Being there, being available, always smiling.

Smiling, smiling, smiling...

"Why does Yun-Yun look so blank? Isn't Yun-Yun happy to see Kimi?"

Yuki hadn't even realized he was zoning out until the sharp tug on both of his sleeves, coupled with that incredibly familiar assured voice, snapped him out of it and back into the present. Glancing up he saw Kimi looking closely at him, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

"If Yun-Yun doesn't say something soon, Kimi is going to think he doesn't love her any more!"

Yuki's eyes widened involuntarily, and he looked past Kimi to see the reactions of the girls in line. But what they were doing or how they were feeling was totally lost on Yuki; instead, he realized that Kimi wasn't alone.

"Ugh, can we just get this over with, already?" asked Nao with a scowl, looking in annoyance at Yuki with crossed arms. "We're not in the student council anymore, this is just a commemorative thing, so let's hurry up and get it done, ok? Some of us have other things we'd like to be doing."

Yuki didn't understand. Commemoration?

Kakeru promptly draped an arm over Yuki's shoulders. "Well, you heard 'im, Yun-Yun, Chibisuke's got places to be-"

"-DON'T CALL ME THAT OR I'M LEAVING!"

Kakeru blinked at the angry Nao, then shrugged. "Ok then, geez. Nao's got places to be, so we'd better get moving. And that means you need a new outfit, Yun-Yun," he said, giving Yuki a devilish look.

Yuki stared at him for a moment, then groaned. "Don't tell me-"

"-Just remember, I'm black!"

"This is one of the best days of my life," Kyo said quietly to Tohru, his grin stretching practically from ear to ear. Tohru shot him what was meant to be a reproachful look, but it was hard when she herself couldn't stop grinning either. She'd hidden that grin behind her hand the moment Yuki had appeared, sporting the red and white spandex of the leader of the Super Sentai, and that grin hadn't yet gone away no matter how hard she tried.

She felt a little bad about finding it so funny; Yuki's blush had been almost as red as his uniform when he first walked out, and it was clear he wasn't comfortable. But at the same time, he looked so cute! All of them looked cute.

And she honestly found the whole thing adorable.

Yuki's entire former student council was there, each of them sporting one of the tight Super Sentai uniforms. Besides Yuki's red, Kakeru was, of course, black; Nao had blue, Kimi pink, and Machi, standing right at Yuki's side, was wearing yellow.

It was the look that Yuki exchanged with Machi, sheepish but happy, that finally allowed Tohru to feel comfortable lowering her hand. If Yuki could lean into and embrace the silliness, then maybe it was ok for her to smile, too.

Under Kakeru's direction, they each took up their color-coordinated weapons: sword, battle axe, lance, bow, and daggers. Then they all posed, Nao complaining loudly about how ridiculous it was and Kimi giggling almost as loudly the entire time.

After they did their group shot, Kakeru quickly announced that they needed to take individual shots with Yuki.

"After all, how many people can say they were on the School Defense Force with Yuki Sohma? Just us, that's who."

And Yuki was actually laughing as he posed in front of the mecha backdrop, colorful helmets on the ground in front of them.

"You're a good sport, Nao."

"Yeah, yeah," Nao said gruffly, raising one hand above his head and holding the lance out in front of him. "You and Kakeru can't say I never did anything for you. Now, can I go?"

For her picture, Kimi pressed her back up against Yuki's, posing gracefully on one leg as she mimed firing her bow.

"Wasn't this a great idea of Kakeru's, Yun-Yun? While these outfits wouldn't have been Kimi's first choice, they do a great job highlighting all of Kimi's assets, don't you think?"

Kakeru was the fussiest in his pose, finally deciding he wanted Yuki to be lunging one way with his sword while Kakeru went the other way while brandishing his axe. And Yuki rolled his eyes and told him to hurry up, but he was laughing when they were finally acceptably positioned.

As they straightened up after their photo was taken, Yuki gave Kakeru a genuine smile.

"Thank you for this, Kakeru. I'm actually...having fun," he said with a somewhat disbelieving laugh as he looked down at himself. Then Kakeru laughed too, slugging Yuki's arm.

"Yeah? Well, I'm glad to hear it. I couldn't resist, when I saw you guys had Super Sentai. Took some arm twisting; I actually had to pay Nao. But I thought maybe you'd like to have a picture or two that you'd choose," he said, his voice suddenly low and his expression meaningful as he told Yuki, "One to go, Prez."

A picture that Yuki would choose...

As Machi walked up to his side, yellow Super Sentai costume on and foam daggers in her hands, Yuki had to say that it wouldn't have been his first choice for their photo. But the outfits didn't matter, and neither did the weapons; not the silly backdrop, or the ridiculous poses. Just him and Machi, together, taking a picture at school.

As picture, just of them; a picture he would choose.

Yuki gave Machi a smile that she returned as she joined him.

"So, I'm not very good with poses," she said, and Yuki chuckled.

"Me either. That's really more of Kakeru's thing."

She gave him a hesitating look. "So then...what should we do?"

Yuki thought for a minute, then smiled. "What if we just...stand, then? No posing, nothing fancy. Just the two of us, side by side," he said, turning his sword and holding it so that the point was touching the floor. And Machi thought for a moment, then gave him a smile herself, saying simply,

"I'd like that."

So that was how they took their picture: standing side by side, Yuki's arm around Machi's shoulders, while the two of them smiled.

The student council session was easily the most fun Yuki had had in his first hour, but it was over all too soon. Nao, Kimi, Kakeru and Machi all said their goodbyes and left, but not without Yuki thanking them and promising to meet up with them all 'later,' with an especially meaningful look at Machi.

Whatever 'later' looked like, Yuki couldn't wait, especially since their departure was followed by 3-D's next shift change.

Yuki was sorry to say goodbye to Tohru and even to Kyo; he hadn't had much of a chance to actually talk with either of them, but his pictures with Kyo had provided a nice chance of pace from the almost non-stop stream of quasi-romantic 'date' pictures.

Kyo looked absolutely delighted to be leaving, though, and Yuki couldn't say he blamed him in the slightest. Yuki had honestly been impressed with how Kyo handled both the attention, and the attention to Tohru; if he'd gotten snappy a few times, it was no more than people had deserved.

As Tohru and Kyo left the classroom, Tohru's hand clasped in Kyo's, Yuki wondered how much of that change in attitude was due to Tohru and how much was just due to Kyo changing himself. Was that the way Kyo always would have been, if he hadn't been Cursed? Friendly, accepting, tolerant?

Well, Yuki amended, thinking of the snarl Kyo had directed at Kakeru when Yuki had first walked in, at least partially tolerant.

More than he used to be.

"Um, Yuki? I was hoping, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, that we could maybe do a castle scene together?"

The shy voice of his next customer broke in on Yuki's thoughts, and he gave what he hoped was a suitably friendly smile in response.

"Of course! Do you have a preference for what color jacket I wear?"

And as the girl thought about her answer, Yuki tried not to sigh.

His interlude had been nice, while it lasted.

There were a few other surprises that popped up over the course of the afternoon. At one point Tohru returned, that time in the general customer line with Momiji. As promised, the two of them posed in prince and princess garb, and Yuki had to smile at them and their matching beaming grins. Haru had said that the two of them could be taken for a couple, and in moments like that he could definitely see it.

Idly, Yuki wondered how many admirers Momiji now had; he was as tall as any of them now, and if people thought the rest of Kaibara's Sohmas were good looking, it stood to reason they would think the same of Momiji.

Hopefully Momiji's admirers were actually rational.

Less sweet and a whole lot more dramatic was when Haru came through the general line with Rin. Haru was annoyed he had missed Kyo's shift, but still philosophical about the whole thing.

There was always the next day, after all.

"So, Yuki," Haru said affably as he looked over from the bar scene dressed as a black and silver cowboy, "How's business going for you? Still having fun?"

Since the line to take pictures with Yuki was still winding down the hall, Yuki could only give Haru an annoyed look, one that took on new meaning when Rin came sauntering out of the changing room in one of the saloon girl outfits that she'd somehow made even shorter.

"Remember that this is a high school you two," Yuki said in response, taking the hand of his next customer as she walked up to him. But even so, he couldn't help but see as well as hear the snort from Rin as she joined Haru in front of the bar.

"Don't worry, Yuki, we'll be good," said Haru with a smirk. But as Haru wrapped a hand around Rin and hiked her leg up around him, Yuki had to think that he and Haru had very different definitions of the word 'good.'

That said, Yuki had seen their smiles as Rin took Haru's face in her hands, and he heard their laughter when Haru leaned Rin backwards. This was Rin's first time visiting Kaibara High, and although Yuki knew that Haru told people that he had a girlfriend, today would be the first time most of their schoolmates had seen her.

And though Yuki was happy for them, he was bitter, too, imagining the reaction if he dared to hold Machi like that: one hand on her waist, the other holding her thigh, bodies pressed together and faces centimeters apart. He knew what his own reaction would be and how he would feel...but he could easily imagine others' and they were far more depressing.

None of it was fair, he thought, trying to ignore Haru and Rin. Why, out of all of them, was he so on his own?

Yuki's biggest surprise came from his own line around the three-hour mark, when he looked up with wide, disbelieving eyes as Ayame strolled in.

"My goodness, Yuki, to think that you'd command such devoted attention! I myself did back when I was your age, naturally, and I had heard hints that you followed in my impressive footsteps, but I had no idea it had reached such lofty heights! I'm impressed, my dear brother, utterly impressed!"

Yuki had been speechless, staring at Ayame with a mixture of shock, horror, and confusion. But Ayame hadn't been phased, and he’d laughed as he pulled Yuki into a hug.

"You didn't think I'd miss seeing you and the results of all of my hard work, did you, my dear Yuki? And what better a reward could I ask for than a picture with my own dear brother as he wears one of my own creations?"

Yuki was suddenly aware of the fact that Ayame was wearing a suit strikingly similar to Yuki's white one, except Ayame's was black, much more embellished, and very obviously tailored for Ayame himself.

And the fact Yuki was wearing the white suit wasn't lost on Ayame, who looked him over with affectionate pride. "Hatsuharu sent me a picture of your promotional poster, the one with dear Tohru's marvelous friend, and I have to say, I felt a rush of pride unlike any other before to see you looking so impossibly debonair. Naturally, I had to whip up something to accompany such a look-"

"-Wait, you made that this week?"

"Myself and my dear Mine, of course! There are none who can touch her when it comes to speedy sewing, myself included," Ayame said with a laugh, pirouetting around and making the tails from his coat fly out. "But now, seeing what a very long line you still have, my dear brother, shall we take our picture?"

Ayame's smile was so genuine that Yuki found himself touched, and he returned it with one of his own. For all of his faults and given how impossibly annoying Ayame could be...he was a good brother.

And Yuki could be gracious.

They posed sitting on the bench together, each crossing the opposite leg as the other and angled away but looking back at the other and laughing. And as Ayame slipped his photo print into his little notepad, he gave Yuki one last fond smile.

"Thank you, Yuki. It means a lot, you doing this for me. I only hope you're enjoying yourself, too."'

Yuki sighed, trying not to look back at the line, then gave Ayame what he hoped was a convincing smile.

"It's for a good cause, Ayame."

"Mmm-hmm," Ayame said thoughtfully, his eyes slightly sad. "So that's a 'no,' then. Well..." he sighed, "that's rather disappointing, isn't it?"

"I'm fine, Ayame, really. Believe me, today has gone exactly as I expected it would, so I have nothing to complain about."

Yuki meant that, sincerely. He had known, from the very moment 3-D's votes had all been tallied, how his time at the Culture Fest would be spent.

He'd known he’d be in high demand, known that he'd be expected to respond to that demand. His class had been counting on him. His schoolmates had, too. And he cared about them. He wanted to do this for them. He was happy doing this for them.

So he had had been telling himself, and so he still was...

Ayame's green-gold eyes looked searchingly into Yuki's, and he said three quiet words.

"Don't you, Yuki?"

Three words. Three small, short, softly uttered, insignificant words.

That was all it took for everything to snap.

Yuki suddenly felt as if he couldn't breathe. Everything was crushing in on him; the room, the costumes, the pictures, the crowd. The long line of giggling people, all eager to take their turn with him. Everyone asking him to do things for them, everyone expecting him to be things for them. Everyone feeling they had a say in how he behaved, and how the people around him behaved, too.

Everyone's expectations, everyone's wishes, everyone's wants and desires...

Everyone's but his.

He couldn't handle it; not anymore. Yuki's hand flew to his throat as he raced from the room, wrenching loose the necktie that had become strangling. And in that moment, nothing mattered; nothing actually could. He didn't care about the line or his clothes or his shift or Ayame; not about anything or anyone at all. Nothing mattered, nothing except for what he was currently doing: putting some space between himself and the horrible crushing weight of expectations and unfairness before it flattened him completely.

Chapter Text

Yuki sat on the school roof in the place they often ate lunch, his shoulders hunched and his head in his hands. A part of him felt guilty for simply running out like that; he hadn't said so much as a word to Ayame before bolting, never mind his actual classmates who now had to deal with a long line of likely angry people. His behavior hadn't been particularly kind, or particularly considerate.

But he didn't care. Compared to the raging turmoil churning away inside him, guilt was only the tiniest, most insignificant feeling. He couldn't feel guilty, compared to everything else; guilt had driven him to this point, and what had it gotten him?

What had any of it gotten him before? Consideration, appeasement, courtesy? He'd gone on so long letting people think he was ok with everything that they had genuinely come to believe he was; no one listened when he said 'no,' no one cared when he disagreed.

When had standing up for himself become something selfish? When had wanting to control his own life and his own body become wrong?

Yuki thought about all of it from his safe place in his hands, his fingers curling tightly into his hair. About all the fawning smiles from the girls, the giggles and titters and doe-eyed stares when they looked at him that turned into poison when they looked around at each other. About the cruel words he'd heard so casually flung about, and the lengths some of the girls had gone to restoring the status quo when they felt that people like Tohru had gotten too close to him.

Why did they think they could decide what 'too close' meant for him?

Why had they ever felt he needed their protection?

Had it been out of love, once? Had they thought what they were feeling, what they were doing, was love?

And how had he ever convinced himself that any of it was ok? Had his life truly been so sad and pathetic for so long that such selfish, controlling affection had actually once made him happy?

Knowing the answer to that was 'yes' did nothing to make him feel generous towards his past self, the self that had laid the groundwork for his present self's difficulties.

He knew he could afford to be generous now; the life he now had was the life his Cursed self could only have ever dreamed of. He had so many things now he had never thought possible: freedom from the Curse, freedom from Akito. Friends, who liked him for himself, not for his name, or his face. He had, as embarrassing as it was to admit it, a mother, of sorts, in the comforting form of Tohru.

He had Machi.

He had so many things, each one of them precious. Yet here he stood, held back from truly enjoying any of them by the habits and practices he'd allowed to grow around him unchecked.

Here he stood, still trying to make everyone else happy instead of himself.

A hand gently touched his hair, and Yuki stiffened. Then he lifted his head and found himself looking up into Machi's eyes.

How had she-

"Your brother called me," she informed him, awkwardly glancing away. "He said that you maybe...would like to talk to me?" she looked back at him, her eyes still slightly downcast. "I think I'd like that, too."

Yuki was just staring at her, and after hesitating, Machi squared her jaw and plonked herself beside Yuki. There was nothing particularly graceful or elegant about it; it was definitely a 'plonk,' and probably had hurt. But in that 'plonk' and the resolute firming of her jaw, he saw...care.

And that lifted his spirits enough to manage a little laugh.

"I didn't know Ayame had your number."

Machi shrugged. "We traded numbers that first time I visited his shop." At Yuki's surprised glance, she blushed, then clarified, "Well, he took my phone, took my number, and put his number in. I thought about deleting it, but...I thought it might be useful, maybe. If you were hurt, or needed help, or...something," she said, looking down again with a blush.

Hearing that, Yuki felt a wave of affection for his brother. Ayame had his faults; lots of them, in fact. But whatever Yuki's childhood had brought and their relationship once had been, Yuki knew that Ayame loved him, deeply, nowadays, and he truly wanted him to be happy. Even without Yuki opening up to him about much, Ayame still saw him, as Yuki, the person he was. Surrounded as Yuki was by people who tended to look at him without seeing the real 'him,' knowing there were people out there who did was something precious.

People like Tohru, and like Ayame...

And like Machi.

Machi was looking at him, her grey-brown eyes thoughtful. Finally, she sighed, looking down at her hands.

"I know...I'm not all that good...at the talking thing, Yuki. The talking, and the listening, and the just...knowing what to say. I know I'm not...Tohru," she said, never lifting her eyes.

Yuki immediately started to protest. "Machi, that's not-"

"-And I don't say that because...I'm jealous," Machi said, her stammering voice still nervous and hesitant. Then she paused, smiling slightly as she corrected herself. "Not like that. Not like I'm afraid...that you want to be with her. I know you love her, and that's ok. I'm not jealous of that," she said, her voice soft. "But Yuki...I am jealous of her."

Machi's confession bewildered him. He knew she was aware of what he felt for Tohru; they'd talked about those feelings when they first had started dating. And honestly, Machi had understood even before they discussed it; she was one of the very few who had always seen and importantly, understood, that what he and Tohru had was different from romance.

So how could she be jealous, knowing that?

She didn't leave him wondering long.

"I'm jealous...because you trust her. You talk to her, Yuki...about everything. The things that are bothering you. The things...that are consuming you," she said, staring at her hands, "Tohru knows them. When she looks at you...when her eyes are worried like that...she knows what she's actually worrying about."

Yuki was still silent, but no longer because he was confused. Now, an all-too-familiar sensation was starting to twist inside of him: guilt.

What could he say to that, when they both knew it was the truth?

Machi took a deep breath, then she lifted her head and glared at Yuki.

"Don't you trust me, Yuki?"

Her anger was so unexpected that it nearly bowled him over. "Of course I do! You know I do!"

"Then why won't you talk to me?" Machi demanded, her voice still angry but her eyes welling up with tears. "Why won't you tell me when things are bothering you? Why do you just keep smiling at me...and patting my head...and telling me it's ok...when it's so clearly not?" Machi took a big gulp of air, then continued, "Why do you let Tohru in, while closing me out?"

Yuki couldn't look at her anymore, and he stared down at the roof between his feet. He felt like he was choking all over again; each new question was a new accusation, and each one stung like the lash of a whip.

He had good reasons. He'd always had good reasons, for this and everything else. Good reasons, and good intentions. That was the way he handled things: trying to avoid conflict, trying to avoid hurting people.

Trying to avoid letting people he loved be hurt on his behalf.

But listening to Machi's broken, angry voice...looking at her angry, tear-streaked face...

Was that anger justified?

Had he been handling this all wrong, the entire time?

He didn't know, and he hated himself for it.

Yuki dropped his head back into his hands and shook his head. He didn't want to think about this now, on top of everything else.

Hadn't he done enough? Hadn't he dealt with enough? Wasn't it enough that he couldn't smile at her, couldn't hug her, couldn't talk to her, couldn't even safely acknowledge her while they were on school grounds when he was expected to smile for the rest of the student body?

When he was expected to smile for the rest of the world?

"Yuki." Machi's voice was so forceful that Yuki lifted his face in spite of himself, looking at her eyes that mixed both resolution and pleading. "Please...please let me in? I don't want to be left here, on the outside..." her eyes were welling up again, but she soldiered on, "watching you struggle and knowing you're hiding the reasons for it from me. Don't you think I..." she gave a mighty sniffle, "am strong enough?"

Yuki almost laughed at that, it was so absurd. The girl who had literally broken him out of a storage closet with a chair, along with the prison of his own mind, not strong enough?

But if he knew that, then...

He hated the way she was making him reexamine his reasons and judgement. And unbidden, he heard Tohru's voice echoing in his head; Tohru's voice, likewise angry and choked by tears.

'You just jumped in and did what you all wanted, what you thought was best.'

Deciding on Tohru's behalf what she could handle and what was right, without asking Tohru herself what she actually wanted. Deciding on her behalf, because he trusted his own opinion more than he did hers.

Because how could he possibly be wrong?

How could he ever be wrong once he'd decided something was right?

He didn't want her to be hurt. Not Tohru, or Machi either. He'd never wanted either of them to be hurt because of him.

So how was it he was always hurting them anyway?

"Yuki?" Machi was looking at him, waiting for a response.

"Yes!"

The word felt like it was literally ripped out of him, like the act of saying it caused actual physical pain. It certainly hurt his heart, almost as much as Machi's anguish.

No matter what else he felt, he couldn't leave her like this.

"Yes," Yuki repeated, softer but every bit as emotional. "Yes, Machi, I do think you're strong enough. I've always known you're strong enough, far stronger than I am or can ever hope to be. You're strong enough, it's me that isn't," he said, once more dropping his head into his hands.

He couldn't look at her, not if he was going to actually say it. But Machi deserved to hear him to say it, and he would.

"I'm pathetic," he said, the word echoing hollowly across the roof. "So many people look at me, and see someone to admire; someone," he said from behind his hands, his tone becoming bitter, "that they claim to love. They hold me up so impossibly high, and because of that...because I let them do it for so long, I feel as if they control me. And I hate it!"

He lifted his head abruptly, staring into Machi's suddenly bewildered eyes.

"Don't you see, Machi? Because I...let them...because I...encouraged them, by never speaking up or ever deigning to take notice, I let you get hurt! I let Tohru get hurt! I let..." he shook his head, not having a clue about actual numbers but knowing the actual numbers were beside the point. "So many people get hurt, all because of me. By people who've gone on, ever since I started high school, thinking they had some right to me. Some right to decide how people interacted with me, and how I interacted with those people myself. Punishing everyone, except me, for breaking their arbitrary rules, and swooning at my feet the entire time."

Yuki crashed one fist onto the ledge they were sitting on, the action immediately making his hand throb without him caring.

"And why? Because they liked...what? My looks? My mannerisms? What could make someone look at a person, a near-total stranger, and decide to love them without ever getting to know them? And to force that love so aggressively that they expect the very world around them to bend to accommodate it?"

He brought both hands together in his lap, the right one still throbbing. "I look around, and I see a world filled with so much potential for so many people. And then I look at myself, and I realize that I'm still in a cage. A bigger cage than I used to be, but it's still a cage; a cage of other people's expectations and wants, a cage I can't leave without...hurting people," he said, turning his face to look at Machi as he said,

"Without hurting you."

The whole time he'd been talking, Machi had watched him intently, her eyes always laser-focused on his. She had been trying, so badly, to follow along; to understand what he meant, and he loved her for it. He knew it all sounded stupid, and pathetic. He knew there was no excuse for how he had behaved. He knew-

"You're wrong."

Machi's voice, quiet but determined, jolted him. And Yuki looked at her, once more confused; hadn't she been listening?

Hadn't she heard what he'd done?

"It's not you, Yuki, and it's never been you. Is that what's been bothering you this past month? Somehow?" Machi was trying to understand, trying to make sense of what was nonsensical to her. "You think...that you're responsible for what other people do?"

Yuki's entire body was tense. "All other people? No. But those people, those girls? The ones who bully and mock and torment others because of me? The ones who seem to think I'm theirs to control? Yes, I think I am!" he replied, his tone newly anguished. "Because I let them get to this point! I never saw, I never stepped in. And now..."

He shook his head, looking downward with that old bitter smile. "I look at people like Tohru and Kyo, and I see how they can be themselves while they're at school. They can be in love, they can be together. People accept it, and no one gets hurt."

"Not everyone," Machi said softly. "There are girls who claim to love Kyo, the same way there are girls who claim to love you."

"That's different, though. They aren't organized, and as far as I know, there's never been anything to them that would hurt anyone."

"But they're still hurting, seeing Kyo with Tohru, aren't they?" Machi asked. "And Tohru...she has to feel something, knowing they're hurting because of her, don't you think?"

When Machi put it like that, Yuki had to admit she had a point. He knew Tohru loved Kyo fiercely, albeit for reasons he knew he'd never understand...but it was still very much a 'Tohru' thing to empathize with the pain her 'rivals' had to feel in them never having a real chance with Kyo.

"And how do you know that Tohru hasn't been hurt by them?" Machi asked. "Do you think she'd tell you?"

...No. Considering the question like that...the answer was 'no.'

"Do you think she blames Kyo, if she has been hurt?"

Again...no. Tohru never blamed Kyo for anything at all, not even the things he really, really needed to be blamed for.

"But she's willing to take the risks," Machi said softly, looking down at her own lap, "Because she loves him."

"Machi-"

"-Just like I love you, Yuki," she blurted out, looking flushed. "I love you, and I've told you, and I am telling you again now: I don't care. I don't care what those girls, or anyone else thinks about me, or says about me, or tries to do to me. I just care about you, Yuki. And I hate...hiding this...out of fear...out of your fear...that I could get hurt," she said, once again sobbing by the time she finished speaking. "You say...you hate...letting them get this far? Then stop them!" she burst out forcefully.

His eyes widened as he stared at her, the tears still flowing down her cheeks but her expression once again hard.

"You say...you're in a cage...that you hate. Leave it! Stop letting...other people...dictate your choices!" she said as she wiped angrily at her eyes. "If you said you wanted...us...to be private...for your own sake...I could understand. But you don't! And I don't, either," she said, looking at him sadly, then gulped. "You say you're jealous of people like Tohru and Kyo...we could be that, Yuki. I want to be that. No matter what it makes people say, or think, or do...it doesn't matter."

"It's not that easy, Machi," Yuki said roughly. "You know what they can be like-"

"-Yes, I do, and I don't care. You shouldn't, either," said Machi, sniffling again. "If you don't want them to have that power, you need to stop letting them take it."

Yuki's eyes were back on his hands, but his attention was still on Machi. And he stiffened when she said, in a tone heavy with resignation, "I know I'm not perfect, Yuki."

"Wha-"

"-I'm not perfect, and I'm never going to be," Machi continued, staring into her lap. "I tried...and I tried...but I'm not. I can't. And trying...was killing me," she said, tears welling up again. "I couldn't take it anymore, Yuki, I couldn't!"

Reaching out, Yuki took her hand in his, holding it tightly and squeezing it. "I know, Machi. And that's ok."

She nodded, then turned to him. "So if it's ok for me...why isn't it ok for you?"

He stared at her, uncomprehending, then laughed again bitterly. "I'm not perfect, Machi. Believe me, I know how very imperfect I am."

"You say that, but that's not what you try to project, is it?" she asked, looking at him almost accusingly. "You keep trying, and trying, and trying, to be everything that everyone else wants, even when it's breaking you! Trying...to be perfect, for everyone else."

He wanted to refute her. To deny everything she said, to own up to his imperfections and the many ways they manifested in his life.

But he couldn't, because she was right.

She was right.

Yuki looked back with blinding clarity and saw the many moments that emphasized just how right Machi was. Moments where he had accepted the status quo, where he had bowed his head before the 'popular vote.' Doing things he didn't want, to make others happy. Because it made them happy to have him behave certain ways: the perfect way they always expected from Yuki Sohma.

He'd told himself he was doing it for the greater good. That his own wants didn't matter, because so many more people would be happy if he followed theirs.

But was that really it? Or had it been because he was afraid that if he refused, people would realize that Yuki wasn't perfect?

Had he really kept his fan club struggles quiet out of concern for Machi? Or had it been because he was afraid of letting her see how badly he'd botched it?

Because he couldn't bear the idea of her seeing him struggle, and fail?

All his life, Yuki had been told he was special. He was the Rat: most blessed of the Zodiac. 'Beloved' by all, and as a consequence, despised by almost everyone who could have understood him.

Was that why he had accepted it, the fan club's 'love,' for so long? Because after a lifetime of being irrationally loathed for who he was, he was finally loved, even if that was irrational, too?

Was he afraid for Machi if they went public, or was he afraid for himself once people knew the truth? Afraid of a life without that adoration and admiration, afraid of what the world would think once they all saw how flawed he truly was?

Love and hate had always been so close to one another. Irrational love could turn to irrational hate with dizzying speed.

And so, he had kept on as he was because he didn't want anyone hurt. He didn't want to speak up because he didn't want anyone to get hurt.

He didn't want to fight back because he didn't want anyone to get hurt...

Anyone, including himself.

Machi was watching him closely enough to see all his emotions, watching as they cycled over his face.

Denial. Anger. Sorrow. Shame. So many things Machi recognized so easily, so many things she'd seen reflected back by her own mirror.

Imperfect emotions, felt by imperfect people.

"I don't want you to be perfect, Yuki," she said, her tone subdued. "I've never wanted you to be perfect. I've only ever wanted you to be Yuki."

And she was right, he knew. She had never wanted him to be perfect; she had never believed he was. From the very first time they met, when he'd stared at her in bewilderment in the destroyed counselor's office, she had looked at him with honesty, not blind admiration.

She'd been cold to him at one time, and aloof. She'd flatly told him, and others, that Yuki was no prince.

She had seen him, Yuki himself; not a projection.

She'd always seen him.

Why hadn't he let that be enough?

Yuki's hand tightened around Machi's, and she glanced reflexively down at their hands. Then his other hand was gently touching her face, turning her towards him as he leaned over and kissed her.

She was surprised, and for a moment she was stiff against him. But then she relaxed, closing her eyes and leaning into Yuki and the kiss, accepting what he was desperate to say without knowing the words.

Because he wasn't perfect, and sometimes he didn't know what to say. But he could try to show her, in the way he pulled her close, and in the needy way his lips moved against hers. In the way he held her. In the highly imperfect way that their uncomfortable perch and awkward sitting positions forced them apart.

And in the sheepish way he smiled when they finally separated.

"You're right," he said softly, looking at her. "You haven't wanted me to be perfect. Everyone else has...I have," he admitted ruefully. "But not you."

"You know how I feel about perfect things," she reminded him, and he actually laughed then, a properly amused laugh.

"That's right, I do. So I guess I should be grateful I'm not perfect, then...and stop trying so hard to seem that way," he said, reaching out and caressing her cheek with a smile.

She smiled, looking at him with eyes that were almost twinkling. "You'd better. I...like it, this way. Us, being this way. Imperfect. And I want to keep being this way, with you," she said. "Without caring who sees," she added defiantly.

Yuki tilted his head to the side, smiling back at her. Then he took a deep breath, and admitted,

"Me too."

When Yuki strode down the hall back towards 3-D, his untied necktie loosely draped around his neck, there was still a line of people winding down the hall, and he smiled and said hello to the people in line as he passed. That smile was warm and friendly, happier by a mile than any smile he'd sported in weeks, and it remained on his face as he walked back into 3-D and greeted his classmates.

The relief on most of their faces was patently obvious.

"Yuki, you're back!"

"Thank goodness! Next time, be sure to tell us if you need a break, ok?"

Shortly before Ayame had arrived, the shifts had changed again; the fourth and final shift of that day at Culture Fest was in place. That included Arisa and Saki, both of whom had witnessed Yuki's sudden departure and were among those who were happy to see his return.

"Damn, Prince, you can sure hoof it when you want to, can't you?" said Arisa, shaking her head at him. But then she smiled, reaching out and patting his shoulder. "Feeling better after your break?"

Yuki opened his mouth to respond, but Saki's quiet voice answered before he could say anything.

"Yes...I believe Yuki feels quite a bit better, now that he's taken some time for himself," she said serenely, giving him a small smile. "Hopefully he remembers to take even more, going forward."

Yuki closed his mouth, studying Saki for a long moment. He still had no idea how her powers worked, or how much she knew...but he also didn't care. Whatever she saw, she could see, and he would be just fine.

It was about time that people knew just how imperfect he was.

Chapter Text

'But Yuki, you already said you'd do it!'

'I know, and I'm sorry. But after today, I've realized that I simply can't do it again. As I said, I'll be happy to work my one regular shift, but that's all.'

'But we've been telling people you'll be here that whole time tomorrow!'

'I'm sorry. Hopefully they won't be too disappointed, but there will still be others from our class around to assist.'

'We're gonna miss out on more money if you don't help out, Yuki; don't you want us to get as much as we can? This is our last Culture Fest, we could really go out with a bang!'

'Well, if today's take is any indication, I'm sure we still will. It's certainly been a successful day, don't you think?'

At the end of the Culture Fest's first day, Yuki, along with the rest of the promotion and business committee, had gathered in the classroom after the crowds had gone to count the first day's takings, discuss how everything went, and determine if there were any changes they wanted to implement for the next day.

That was when Yuki had told the others, politely but firmly, that he wasn't working a double shift the next day after all. He, like everyone else, would work his two hours, and after that, he would call it good.

The groans had been swift, as had the attempts to change his mind. Yuki's class pride had been appealed to, along with his school pride. His business sense. His ego. His sense of chivalry. Everything they could think of to try on him, they tried.

And through it all, Yuki stood firm. He would do his part: the same part as everyone else. For two hours, he would stand there and smile. He would be a good sport the whole time he was on duty, and he would do his best to ensure their customers had a good time.

But when two hours were gone, Yuki would be gone, too. He had his own life to live, and other things to do.

When Yuki walked into the classroom to take over his shift the next day, he was cheerful and smiling, even if he'd already passed a line of people waiting for him. And he remained cheerful and smiling for the next two hours, even though he spent barely a minute out of costume.

As the end of his shift neared, Yuki took a minute to walk into the hall and look down the line at all the people who were still waiting. For a second he felt the urge to shudder; considering how many pictures he had already taken, how was it even possible there were still so many waiting?

He doubted he'd ever truly understand.

"Excuse me!" he called out, and suddenly he had the rapt attention of the entire line.

"I just wanted to thank you all for your support of 3-D. It's very kind of you all to come out for us, and to take an interest in what we're doing."

The responses were almost immediate: happy and gushing and excited. Yuki let them gush for a minute, then he raised his hand. "I just wanted you all to know that I'll be finished with my shift at noon," the groans and protests were almost as rapid as the gushing had been, "and while I'm sorry I won't be able to take pictures with you all today, you're welcome to still come in and take advantage of our scenes and costumes. If you'd rather not, then that's fine too. I just hope you all enjoy the rest of your day!"

With that, Yuki hurried back into the classroom, leaving loudly disappointed chatter in his wake. A tiny part of him felt bad about that disappointment, but it paled in comparison to the relief he also felt in knowing he'd stood up for himself and when he was done...he was done.

"How has it been going, Yuki?" Tohru asked a bit later, smiling brightly when she and Kyo, along with their fellow third-shifters, prepared to take over. And Yuki considered for a moment, then gave her a big smile of his own.

"Overall? I'd say it's been going well, Miss Honda; about the same as yesterday, maybe a little bit slower, but that's pretty standard for the second day. I don't imagine you'll have much, if any, trouble," he said.

"And...how was it with you?" she asked, giving him that anxious look that had gotten way too familiar. But Yuki's smile never faltered, and he reached out and squeezed her hand.

"Very well. I enjoyed myself today, for the most part," he admitted, then laughed. "But I'm glad it's over!"

"Yeah, well, don't rub it in, Ratboy," said Kyo, sighing as he looked over at the rack of costumes. Even though Kyo knew he had nothing on what Yuki had gone through, he still wasn't looking forward to another day of posing.

Kyo's attitude admittedly provoked Yuki a little, and he raised a pointed brow at Kyo.

"Rub in what? The fact that I've spent six hours at this and clearly earned my rest? The fact you've only done two, haven't even started yet today, and yet somehow you're already whining?"

"I'm not whining," Kyo began with a scowl, but Yuki shook his head.

"Yes, you're whining. It's annoying. And for the millionth time, smile, you Stupid Cat."

Kyo's scowl deepened. "I'm not whining, and I don't gotta smile. I'm not helping anyone, I'm not in a damn picture, it doesn't matter if I smile right now or not."

Yuki stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly his own face broke into a devilish smirk. "You know, Kyo, you've actually got a point."

Kyo's expression was suddenly wary. "'Course I do. Now, what-"

Ignoring him, Yuki first looked at the clock, then at Tohru. "Miss Honda, I'd like to take a picture. As a paying customer."

Kyo's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Oh HELL no-"

"-And as a paying customer, I'd like to request Kyo for my picture," Yuki continued, smiling brightly, then walked over to the rack of costumes, quickly and easily finding what he was looking for. "And I'd like him to wear this."

Kyo was practically incandescent with rage. "You fucking asshole-"

Yuki met Kyo's gaze calmly. "-Careful, Kyo, I'm a paying customer. But I'll give you a choice. You can go with this one," he said, waving the costume at Kyo, "Or you can wear the pink one. I'll even let you choose."

Kyo glared at him for a long moment, then snatched the costume out of Yuki's hand. "I really fucking hate you, you know that?"

Yuki shrugged, pulling his own costume from the rack. "As long as you remember to smile."

The rest of the class and their other customers all had to stop and watch when Kyo and Yuki emerged from the changing rooms, Yuki once again wearing the red spandex Super Sentai uniform and a brilliantly blushing Kyo wearing the black one. Breezily, Yuki walked over to the weapons, picking up his own sword and passing Kyo the axe.

"Here. Try to look like you know what you're doing, I don't want you to embarrass me, you Stupid Cat."

Kyo gave Yuki an incredulous look, staring down at first his outfit, then Yuki's.

"How the hell aren't you embarrassed already?"

Yuki shrugged. "Maybe I'm just better at embracing absurdity than you. You really need to try and lighten up more, Kyo," he said, his voice teasing as he raised the sword.

Kyo was glowering, but he likewise shifted into a battle stance. His hostile expression was actually appropriate, given the setting, but that wasn't what Yuki wanted.

"How many times do I have to remind you, Kyo: SMILE!"

Yuki was beaming after he and Kyo finished with their picture. Yes, it had been completely ridiculous and yes, he knew it had been incredibly juvenile...but it had been worth it.

It was always fun, ticking off Kyo.

Tohru wasn't busy then, and Yuki approached her, still in costume, with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry to have riled him up like this, Miss Honda, but I couldn't resist," he admitted, glancing back at the changing area where Kyo had bolted the moment he could. "I doubt I'll ever have a chance like this again."

Tohru was smiling herself, and she actually giggled as she shook her head at Yuki.

"It's fine, Yuki. I actually thought it was a wonderful picture; you two would make great Super Sentai, if they were real. And I'm glad you got to take a picture you wanted," she added, her smile softening.

"Yes...I did, didn't I?" Yuki said thoughtfully, then he smiled. "Miss Honda, would you take a picture with me?"

"Me?" She blinked at him in surprise, then glanced around before smiling. "Well, if you're sure-"

Just like Tohru, always wanting to make sure he was confident.

But he didn't need to think about it at all; he was sure.

For his picture with Tohru, Yuki chose the cherry blossom scene, where he had spent so much his time while he was on duty. But instead of the Victorian look, he went with the festival costumes: a pink floral yukata for her, a silvery grey one for him.

As they posed, he looked at Tohru with a smile, taking note of the serious look on her face as she tried to figure out just where to stand and how to angle her body. But he wasn't surprised at how serious she was being; she always did her best, even on things as silly as a picture.

Tohru had always done her best, no matter what. Even when she knew her best still wouldn't be 'good enough,' she would always still do what she could. She was an inspiration.

It was time for Yuki to do his best, too.

Once his picture with Tohru was over, Yuki left the classroom after waving a cheerful goodbye to Tohru, who waved back, and to Kyo, who was still scowling and avoided eye contact. And once out, he marched right up to the second floor, and down to 2-C's coffee shop.

"Guten Tag, Yuki!" Momiji said, greeting him cheerfully. "Are you here for a snack?"

Yuki nodded, glancing around the room. "I am, thank you, Momiji. Don't worry, I can seat myself."

Nodding pleasantly to the other servers, he walked right over to an empty table in the area he'd sat in before, smiling as Haru and Machi approached.

"Hey Yuki," Haru said, giving him a menu and a mildly surprised look. "Weren't you supposed to be working for another hour?"

"I was," Yuki said, scanning the menu. "But I decided not to."

Beyond Haru's shoulder Yuki could see Machi's smile, and Yuki was smiling himself as he continued. "You see, I realized I'd already put in my time, and I just...didn't want to do any more. There's too much else today that I'd rather be doing."

Haru was grinning a little bit himself. "Yeah?"

"Yes. In fact..." Yuki set down his menu and gave Haru a grin. "Are you three able to take a break together at some point? You two," he said, gesturing at Haru and Machi, "And Momiji?"

Haru glanced at Machi, who shrugged, and Momiji, who had wandered over when he'd heard his name. "Yeah, probably. Why?"

Yuki's eyes danced. "Are you up for messing with Kyo?"

"What the hell are you guys doing here?"

Kyo was suspicious when Yuki walked back into 3-D an hour later, Machi, Haru, and Momiji all accompanying him. But it was Haru who answered, as placidly as ever.

"We thought it'd be nice to commemorate you three's last Culture Fest by all of us taking a picture together. What do you say, Kyo; don't you think it'd be fun?"

"No."

Haru tsked and shook his head. "See, that kind of attitude is exactly why we have to do it this way, instead of all of us coming back together when you're not on duty. So really, Kyo, you've got no one to blame for this but yourself."

Kyo scowled as he flicked his gaze around the group, but he knew when he was beaten and he rubbed his face with a growl.

"Just fucking tell me what I've gotta wear."

Haru glanced at Momiji, who grinned, and over at Machi before looking at Yuki, then Tohru before smiling pleasantly at Kyo.

"This time, I'm gonna be black."

"There is no way you guys actually like this," Kyo grumbled as he adjusted his gloves. "None of you ever even watched this damn show!"

"Nein," Momiji agreed, smiling as he buckled his belt. "But it's still fun to dress up like this, isn't it?"

Kyo's baleful look said far more than words ever could, but he was in the minority with his disgust. Even Tohru was giggling as she walked up to the Mecha backdrop, looking down at herself in her bright pink outfit with amusement.

"You look like you're having fun, Honda," Haru remarked as he joined her, his relaxed saunter an amusing contrast to his silly black and white spandex. "Has working a photo booth been as stressful as you thought?"

Tohru beamed and shook her head. "No, not at all! I mean, yes, it was a little intimidating at first, and yes, there are still a few outfits I feel a little uncomfortable wearing, but overall, it's been fun! People have been so nice, and so complimentary...it's really been a lot easier than I expected! And this," she said, looking around their group with a giggle, "is really fun."

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun," Kyo grumbled as he joined them. Much as he usually liked seeing Tohru happy, there were limits even for him.

"Careful not to protest too much, Kyo," Momiji grinned, "Or we might think you secretly like this and just spend the rest of your shift making you wear it."

Kyo growled. "I know you're supposed to be on duty now, too, Momiji, and I'll be done at the same time you are."

"Yes, but I'm not," said Yuki with a smirk, and Kyo shot him another withering glare.

"I liked you a hell of a lot better when you were moody."

"I didn't."

They all blinked and looked at Machi then, and the focused way she was glaring at Kyo. It was so unexpected coming from her that he didn't know how to react, other than blushing awkwardly before he looked away.

"Yeah, well...let's take the damn picture and be done with it."

Once they'd changed back into their normal clothes, Yuki, Haru, Momiji, and Machi said goodbye to Tohru and the still-grumbling Kyo. All of them were smiling, after their own fashion; while that picture had been completely ridiculous, it had also been fun.

It turned out a lot of things were actually fun, once you stopped worrying about them all too much.

"So, how long before Kyo's willing to talk to us again, do you think?" Haru asked, folding his arms behind his head as they walked.

Momiji shrugged. "Depends on Tohru, I'd say. He certainly seemed mad, though I can't think of why," he said innocently. "We all look so gut in spandex!"

Yuki chuckled, thinking of Kyo's angry expression. It was possible he'd maybe gone a little bit too far...but he'd also seen Kyo's resigned smile when he’d watched Tohru's laugh. Regardless of whether or not Kyo felt like talking to them for a while, Yuki was sure that Kyo's experience hadn't been all bad.

"Do you have any plans for the rest of the day, Yuki?" Haru asked him as they reached the staircase to head up to 2-C. "You gonna head home, or hang around for a while?"

"I'm going to stay. I'd have to be here at the end of the day anyway, to help take everything down and assist with the final count, so I might as well. Besides..." He glanced sideways at Machi, his expression a question. "I haven't had a chance to see the festival with Machi yet."

Making the effort was harder than Yuki had expected; like he was pushing through resistance in the air. After so long spent trying to avoid any attention, what he was about to do felt almost dangerous.

But with great risk came great reward, and Machi was right.

He needed to have faith in her, and have faith in them.

So he pushed through the resistance, both with mind and body, and he was smiling as he offered Machi his open hand. Her eyes widened as they shot from Yuki's hand to his face; first in surprise, then disbelief, then in silent question. But As Yuki kept smiling, her questions faded away, and Machi shyly smiled herself in pure delight and awe.

"I'd like that, Yuki," she said, taking his hand in hers. "I'd like that a lot."

Haru and Momiji had both stopped, looking from Yuki and Machi's hands to Yuki in surprise. Then Haru cocked his head to the side.

"So...you're actually doing this, eh?"

Yuki took a breath, then nodded. "Yes. Yes, we are."

Together, as a team.

Haru glanced at Machi, who was giving him a defiant stare, then back at Yuki before cracking a smile. "Well, more power to you. Hopefully the fallout isn't too bad."

"Oh, we're sure it will be," Yuki admitted, looking ruefully over at Machi. But Machi was still giving Haru that same defiant look as she told him,

"But we don't care."

They weren't really that demonstrative. There were no hugs, and no kisses; nothing that anyone could look at and find improper.

But before the Culture Festival was over, word had raced through Kaibara High like wildfire, with shocked and devastated voices whispering that they couldn't understand it, that they had no idea how it could be possibly be true, but...

They walked together through the hallways, stopping in at booths and stands that looked interesting to them.

Just the two of them, without any buffer.

They bent their heads together as they ate at a café, talking in voices too low for anyone else to hear but looking at each other and smiling, openly and warmly.

He held her hand as the two of them walked along.

And when they stopped in at 3-D for one last time together, where they stood together in front of the artificial cherry trees, he kissed her hand as their picture was taken.

Kaibara High's female population was rocked to its very core. And while it may have been a coincidence that Yuki and Machi took their picture while Minami Kinoshita, current president of the Prince Yuki Fan Club, was on duty in 3-D...it also might not have been.

They were done worrying about what she thought, or anyone else thought, either.

"Well, I'm sure glad that's over," announced Kyo later that day, unceremoniously dropping the box he'd been carrying onto the entryway floor. The three of them and the rest of their class had finally finished their teardown; tomorrow morning when they all walked back into the classroom, it would look as though the festival never even happened.

Tohru personally found it bittersweet, packing everything up and putting it away. Some of things they'd donated to the theater department; others were going into school storage. The things they'd borrowed would be returned to their owners...

And then there were the costumes.

Technically, the school had bought them. All of them could have been absorbed into the theater department and kept for plays or other future Culture Fests; many of them had.

Many, but not all.

Some of them, they'd been informed with the utmost delicacy, were perhaps not quite suited to staying at a high school. And after Yuki had talked to Ayame, he had agreed to take back the 'questionable' costumes. Considering he had made them to fit many sizes, he was sure he'd be able to sell them, once they'd all been cleaned.

So Yuki and Kyo had hauled the two boxes of 'questionable' costumes back to their house, and sometime later that week Yuki would take them back to Ayame's shop, with 3-D's thanks. The school might not want to keep them around anymore, but there was no question that they'd been some of 3-D's biggest sellers.

They were also heavy, so Yuki quickly followed Kyo's example, dropping his own box before sitting down to take off his shoes.

As it turned out, Culture Festivals could be exhausting.

"It's certainly been a long weekend," said Yuki, looking up at Tohru and Kyo. "I think we've all earned a relaxing remainder."

"What remainder?" Kyo asked with a snort. "It's practically Sunday evening, there's...what, four hours before we've gotta sleep? Five? And then tomorrow, it's straight back to school."

"Well, even four hours is something, isn't it?" Tohru said brightly. "We don't have homework, so that still gives us more free time than we would normally have!"

Kyo glanced at her, then cracked a smile. "Ok, fine, you got me. We've got four hours to relax before we go to bed and wake up to start the grind all over again. That better?"

Tohru giggled, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Much better."

Yuki was chuckling himself, both at Kyo's grumpiness and his utter inability to maintain that grumpiness in the face of Tohru's almost relentless cheer.

And for what felt like the first time in ages...their affection didn't bother him.

"Well, you two will have to manage your four hours without me," Yuki said, standing up and turning to head up the stairs.

"Oh?" Tohru gave him a curious look, then smiled. "Are you planning to go out, Yuki?"

He nodded. "Yes, I'm going to be meeting up with Machi. We're going to have dinner, and possibly see a movie." He hesitated, his eyes flicking from Tohru to Kyo, then straightened up as he looked back at Tohru. "It's going to be a late night, so it's probable I'll just stay over at Machi's. I'll bring my uniform and schoolbag along with me just in case, and either way, you don't have to keep the door unlocked or stay up for me. I'll let myself in if I make it back tonight."

Tohru was surprised, but she quickly nodded. "Of course! And honestly, if you're going to be out that late, then it's likely for the best if you stayed over at Machi's. It can be dangerous, being out on your own at night!"

She was so earnest that Yuki actually laughed, and he reached over and squeezed her hand. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Honda. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

By the time Yuki came back downstairs, changed and with his packed bag, Tohru and Kyo had both changed as well and were in the kitchen, staring into the fridge.

"I'm going to go," Yuki said, giving Tohru a smile. "You have a good evening, and I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Have a nice time, Yuki," said Tohru, smiling warmly in return. Then Yuki was gone, leaving Tohru and Kyo alone with the fridge.

Tohru was looking thoughtfully at the available vegetables when she noticed Kyo was smirking, and she gave him a curious look.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Kyo said, still smirking, though he corrected himself when Tohru narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine. I just think that was funny, that's all."

Tohru frowned, not understanding. "You think what was funny?"

"Yuki. Pretty sure that's the first time he's actually said he was staying at Machi's, that's gotta be a milestone for the guy."

"Well, he didn't say he was, Kyo," Tohru said, her tone patient. "He just said that he and Machi are thinking about a movie and they'll probably be late, so he's just making sure he has a backup plan in case he's too tired and-"

The whole time she'd been talking, Kyo had been grinning at her, and suddenly Tohru felt incredibly stupid.

Also strangely embarrassed, because what had she just thought?

"Oh my gosh, he's planning to spend the night there, isn't he? He's not planning to come back at all!"

Tohru didn't know quite how to react to that information, other than by giving Kyo a slightly scandalized look. But Kyo only laughed before he pulled her close, wrapping her up in a hug and kissing her cheek.

"You're so damn oblivious sometimes," he said affectionately. "It's not like it's the first time he's stayed there overnight-"

"-It's not?"

"-But it's the first time he's said anything, even if it wasn't super direct. So good for them, I guess."

Tohru was still trying to process as Kyo let her go. Yuki had been spending nights at Machi's, and she'd never known?

How?

She turned and looked up at Kyo, her expression bewildered. "How do you know?"

"Know what?" he asked, once more staring into the fridge.

"That he's stayed with her overnight?"

"Oh." Kyo glanced over at her, a little surprised. "'Cause his shoes've been missing when I've gotten up for my run a couple times, when he's gone out with Machi the night before. I guess it's possible he was somewhere else, but-"

Tohru was blushing now, and she shook her head and waved her hands.

"No, that's ok! I understand now, you don't have to explain anything else!"

"Don't I?" Kyo was grinning again as he straightened back up. "What about the fact that with both Yuki and that damn Dog gone, we've got the whole place to ourselves until we leave for school tomorrow?"

The look on Tohru's face told him she hadn't actually caught that, and he burst out laughing once more. Then Tohru huffed, giving him a shove.

"Don't pick on me, I didn't realize!"

"No kidding," he said with a laugh, catching her hands before she could shove him again. "And I'm not picking on you, I'm just...telling you," he said, grinning as he let her go.

Tohru considered that for a moment as she pulled her hands back to her sides, then her face lit up with a mischievous smile. Before Kyo could ask her what was up with that, she rose up on the balls of her feet and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Well, thank you for telling me,” she said, trying to look serious and failing. "So to return the favor, I am telling you to please stay right here, ok?"

Kyo's grin widened at that not-at-all-suspicious request, and he nodded as Tohru turned and left the kitchen, interestingly sliding the door shut behind her. He tried to return his attention to the fridge and the idea of supper, but it was hard when he had no idea what Tohru was up to, other than that it was probably something he was going to like.

When Tohru reopened the door, Kyo was prepared for something. He was not prepared for it to be Tohru in the green and black saloon girl costume, complete with feathered headdress.

Taking in Kyo's speechless face, Tohru promptly blushed, looking down at herself. "I'm sorry, is this too much? I just thought that maybe-"

Kyo recovered quickly, aggressively shaking his head. "Nope, not too much, not at all." In just a couple steps he had crossed the kitchen, scooping her up in his arms and grinning at her. "You have any idea how hard it was not to punch Manabe's face when you were sitting by him in this yesterday?"

Tohru's blush was gone, and she was beaming at him. "Really?"

"Really," he said, gently rubbing his thumb against her leg. "You looked too damn hot to be anywhere near that ass, or any other guy."

As much as Kyo had hated many aspects of their time at the Culture Fest, one of the few things he'd truly enjoyed had been watching Tohru. The costumes had obviously been part of it, but far more wonderful than the sight of her in any costume had been the sight of Tohru growing increasingly confident, going from timid and unsure in her first photos to laughing as she pirouetted while wearing in pink spandex. He'd hated having to share her; hated having other guys see her, hated having other people comment about her. But he'd loved seeing her smile, and loved seeing her look at him with those shining eyes as she’d asked him, 'isn't this fun?' whenever she finished a picture.

He especially loved seeing the way she'd moved across the room, bright-eyed and happy, no matter what she was wearing.

Kyo might have been the most popular extra from both of their groups, but Tohru hadn't given herself nearly enough credit. As far as many other students at Kaibara High were concerned. Tohru Honda was damn desirable...

And those guys were all out of luck.

As she wrapped her gloved arms around Kyo's neck, Tohru gave him a smile. "Any other guy?" she asked innocently, and Kyo laughed as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Any other guy but me."

"Today was quite the day, wasn't it?" Machi asked softly, looking over at Yuki as the two of them walked hand in hand to her apartment after dinner. And as Yuki returned that look, he couldn't help but smile.

"Yes...it really was," he said, thinking about everything that had happened. "Now that we've opened the box...we can't put anything back inside."

At the time, it had felt exhilarating and exciting; however, he couldn't help but second guess the decision now, now that the initial thrill had worn off.

"It might be difficult for a while," he said with a sigh. "And I'm sorry you have to deal with all of that, Machi."

Machi shook her head. "Don't be. It's not your fault, any more than it ever was your fault," she told him firmly. "I'll be fine, and who knows," she said, giving him a somewhat sly smile, "maybe they'll give up on you, now that they know you're not available."

Yuki blinked, then laughed at her. "That would be the dream, wouldn't it? Maybe that's what we should hope for, a complete lack of interest going forward. Miss Kinoshita definitely looked upset enough today that for her own sake I hope she has other interests."

Machi shrugged at that. "If she doesn't, she'll still recover. All of them will, and it's about time they learned how stupidly they've been acting."

He raised a brow at her, then chuckled at her expression. "I had no idea you could be so vindictive, Machi!"

She promptly blushed and looked away. "I'm not being vindictive, I'm just...stating facts. All of us are too old to be acting so stupidly, getting so angry about things that don't matter."

"Things like being in love?" Yuki asked, looking at her affectionately, and her blush deepened.

"Things like having a crush," she corrected, then smiled. "Being in love...that matters, quite a lot."

"Yes," Yuki said softly. "It really does."

And he was never going to take expressing that love for granted.

Chapter Text

Yuki and Machi walked hand in hand through the newly fallen snow, leaving a trail of slightly out-of-step footprints behind them. And as Yuki glanced down at Machi, he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, with snowflakes catching in her hair and eyelashes as she smiled.

It wasn't their first snow together, or even their second. December had proven an oddly snowy month that year, and normally, Yuki would have been annoyed by it; he usually hated having snowy wet feet.

But he loved going out in the snow with Machi. Her voice, when he'd called her after waking up the first snowy Saturday, had been incredulous at first, then overwhelmed with joy. He'd slipped into his winter clothes and trekked through the snow to Machi's, finding her waiting with hot tea and an excited smile. That smile hadn't left her face as the two of them ventured out, tramping through the pristine whiteness and leaving chaos in their wake.

She had been beaming the second time the snow had stuck as well, when they had left school together hand-in-hand, leaving uneven footprints all over the school's courtyard.

And now, walking together to Machi's apartment, more snow falling around them as they went home from their Christmas date...the entire feeling was more wonderful than ever.

They were more wonderful than ever, they both agreed.

Almost two months had passed since the Culture Fest, and those two months had been...something to process.

Yuki had hoped that going public with their relationship would mean the end of his problems with the Fan Club, but that had clearly been wishful thinking. Instead of the club disbanding or the members dialing back, many of the girls had seemed to think instead that Yuki's not-explicitly-announced-but-very-obvious relationship was an invitation to a Battle Royale; if Yuki could date Machi, then that meant he could date anyone, and all bets were off.

In the beginning, Yuki had found himself dealing with girls at every turn, cozying up to him and flirting with an intensity that would have terrified him if he were still Cursed. It still terrified him in a different way, even though he knew he'd never have to worry about turning into a rat.

But he was firm. Still polite, still gracious, but incredibly firm. Anyone who tried to touch him at all, to take his arm or his hand, was rebuffed immediately; anyone who got too close was politely asked to back off. Sometimes the girls in question would become embarrassed; sometimes they would try to laugh it off. Sometimes, distressingly, they would get upset.

Eventually, in time, most of them got the message.

Sometimes they needed a little help.

He'd been bewildered the day that Minami Kinoshita, more aggressive than ever after her initial shock at the Culture Fest, had suddenly jerked away from him during a class break, when she'd been leaning way too far into his space. One moment she'd been laughing, trying to tease him as she got in his face; the next she was moving away so fast it was as if she'd been burned. And as she staggered away with her head clutched in her hands, Yuki still hadn't understood...not at first, anyway. Not until he’d looked back and saw Saki smiling, her eye catching his for an instant before she turned away.

Friendship, true friendship, was something he'd never take for granted again. He might not be blindly adored anymore by the entire student body, but that was ok with him; Yuki didn't mind. He had people who were truly in his corner now; people willing to speak up and defend him and Machi both.

People like Kakeru, Kimi, and Saki...

People like Tohru, who had stood toe-to-toe one memorable time with an angry fangirl and told her that if she loved Yuki as much as she claimed she did, she needed to respect that he was a person with his own agency and 'back the hell off' when Yuki asked her to.

Kyo was proving a terrible influence on that girl...but Yuki was starting to think that he was ok with that.

Machi had struggled with bullying even worse than Yuki had feared. But early on, Haru and Momiji had closed ranks around her, each in their own way protecting her and reminding the rest of their class and the school that the Sohmas didn't leave any of their friends behind. Being hostile to Machi meant alienating all the Sohmas, and it turned out that there were very few people, certainly very few girls, who didn't care about the opinions of at least one high school Sohma, even if three of them technically now were taken.

Yuki had been grateful to them, but they'd brushed him off. Even if Machi wasn't Yuki's girlfriend, Haru and Momiji had come to like her for her own sake. Yes, she was a little eccentric, but who among them wasn't, Momiji had asked, gesturing with a smile to his rabbit backpack. The fact that she was Yuki's girlfriend only confirmed their desire to defend her, and for that, Yuki would always be grateful.

And by Christmas the fan club had mostly backed off. Machi still regularly got a lot of glares, and her interactions with most of Kaibara's female population were frosty. But since she'd never had much to do with said female population before, she didn't mind being frozen out.

Yuki had been accused of 'changing' after he got a girlfriend...and it was entirely possible that he actually had. He definitely had less tolerance for things he disliked than he used to, as well as less time to donate to other people. But he was busier in ways that couldn't all be blamed on Machi; in less than a month, he'd be taking his first university exam, and studying had become an increasingly large priority, along with spending what time he could with all of his friends.

And, of course, spending time with Machi.

"I can't believe it's snowing tonight," Machi said softly, tilting her head to look at the sky as the snowflakes swirled around them. "The snowflakes in the streetlights are so pretty, aren't they Yuki?"

Yuki had to agree; it was a beautiful snowfall, light and lazy. They could walk through it slowly and just admire it, without having to pull their coats up to their ears and race along.

They could simply enjoy it, together.

"They really are," agreed Yuki as he smiled at her. "I guess the weather wanted us to have a white Christmas," he said, thinking about one of the many American Christmas songs that Tohru had been playing in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

It was strange, how many happy holiday things he now noticed; maybe because he had someone to share them all with.

"Well, I'm glad," said Machi, looking behind them at the trail of boot prints they were leaving. "Dinner was great, of course," she said hurriedly, "but dinner...that's something we can do together any night."

"I know," Yuki agreed quietly. "The snow...makes tonight something more special for us, doesn't it?"

She nodded at him, her eyes shining again, and Yuki smiled as he pulled her close. And Machi slipped easily under Yuki's arm, her arm going around his waist as they made their way along through the snow.

For a time, they walked along in silence. Because of the snow, everything around them felt muffled, even though they could still hear and see cars driving past. In that silence, each of them felt at peace; they could be silent together, knowing that there was nothing to fear beyond that silence.

"I'm glad...that we can just be like this," said Machi eventually. "Quiet, and not having it mean that either of us is hiding."

Yuki smiled, looking thoughtfully up at the sky. This wasn't the first time Machi had said something like that, since that afternoon at the Culture Fest when she had pleaded with him to open up to her. When he'd admitted how much he'd feared hurting both himself and her, and that that was why he'd kept silent before.

Why he'd always kept silent, ever since he was small.

And he agreed; it was nice, not keeping things from her. To be honest and open, to actually speak his frustrations and see her sympathetic eyes, or hear her crisp voice telling him, “That sucks."

Sometimes, that was all that Yuki needed to hear to realize just how much he was overthinking things.

But it wasn't true, what she was saying to him then.

Not completely, anyway...and therein lay the rub.

When they arrived back at Machi's apartment, they took off their boots and their coats in the entryway. Snow dropped on the floor around them where they had walked in, leaving small puddles that they each made mental notes to clean up 'later' and admitted in the same moment that they'd probably forget.

Then Machi headed into the kitchen, looking over her shoulder at Yuki as she asked him, "tea?"

He nodded, making his way over to the bed and sitting down. And Machi's eyes followed him thoughtfully; he'd been very quiet for the last few blocks of their walk, even by their admittedly generous standards. And unlike the earlier silence, she’d been able to feel that that one had meant something. To Yuki anyway, that silence had meant something...

Which meant that silence had to mean something to her.

And when Machi joined him on the bed, passing him his tea before curling up at his side with her own, her expression was slightly resigned as she said,

"You just couldn't resist, could you, Yuki?"

He blinked at her, then smiled. "Couldn't resist what?"

"I said our being quiet meant we weren't hiding anything, so you had to go and start hiding something. That wasn't a challenge, you know," she deadpanned, sipping at her tea, and Yuki laughed in amused resignation.

"Yes, well, maybe you should have been more specific," he said teasingly, and Machi smiled before her eyes became serious.

"Will you tell me?"

Yuki's expression was thoughtful, and he looked away; after a moment, he exhaled and gave her a rueful smile.

"You know...that's what I'm actually trying to decide."

Because on the one hand, there was no reason to say. But on the other...

It was probably time.

Machi took another sip. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

Yuki was quiet for a moment, considering his words.

"Because...it's hard to explain. And you probably won't believe me."

Machi thought about that, then tilted her head to the side, her eyes meeting his with quiet intensity.

"Would you believe you?"

He was silent again, considering in turn. What would he think, if he were in her place? If he were hearing such a fantastical story?

A fantastical story, being told by someone he loved…

Someone he trusted, the way she trusted him.

"Probably not at first, no. But I would hope...after taking time to think about it properly, and to think about how much I trusted myself to tell me the truth...that I would believe me, yes. In time, anyway."

She nodded, then reached out and touched his knee. "I'd like you to tell me, Yuki. Give me a chance, before you start doubting me again...please?"

Yuki glanced at her hand, and at her deeply serious face. Then he covered her hand with his, and glanced down at his tea.

His heart was hammering heavily in his chest...but he would give her that chance.

He trusted her, and he loved her.

It was time to stop hiding.

"Do you remember, when you came with me and my friends to the Sohma beach house last summer, you asked me about our animal nicknames?"