Grimm Fairy Tales

Disclaimer: I do not own furuba, nor am I making any sort of profit. Just borrowing the characters to enact my dark fantasies .

Tohru stood on tiptoe, trying to reach the plates in the highest cupboard. The kitchen had obviously been designed with a much taller person in mind. It seemed presumptuous to rearrange things though, besides it was probably good practice for p.e. class. She needed all the practice she could get.

She gasped as a lean body pressed against hers, reaching over her to easily grasp the plates and bring them down to her hands. From the corner of her eyes she could see the light silk of a kimono sleeve, delicately printed with cranes and bamboo in patterns of longevity and prosperity. It must be Shigure then, she thought, her face flaming. He always seemed to be doing things like this, casually intimate touches. She knew he was just teasing her, but she still didn’t know how she was supposed to react. Normally she just ended up blushing and stuttering until he laughed and went away. She didn’t even look up, knowing that would just make her feel more awkward.

“Th-thank you Shigure-san,” she said, turning around, but keeping her eyes glued to the counter and clutching the plates desperately to her chest.

Cool fingers traced her cheek, nails brushing lightly against the delicate skin before coming to resterneerneath her chin, gently lifting her head and her gaze. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. Her blush before was nothing compared to this, the melt-down of complete and utter panic sweeping over her.

“Am I so unremarkable then?” Akito murmured, keeping his hand underneath her chin and stepping closer so that, once again, their bodies were pressed together. She shivered as the date ate silk of his kimono brushed against her bare legs, like the ephemeral brush of spider webs and just as sinister.

“I’m Sorry. Pleaseforgiveme. I’msuchastupidperson.” She stammered, the apologies running together, repeating some of them. Her mind seemed to be stuck in a loop. Akito had never been here, inside the house. But that was no excuse, how insulting. His life was difficult already and she couldn’t even get his name straight or show him the proper respect, or –

“Shhhhhh” Akito placed his fingers gently over Tohru’s mouth, and her babbling instantly stopped. She froze, eyes widening, looking up at Akito fearfully, like the gentle eyes of a rabbit frozen in fear before an encroaching predator.

“Don’t worry, my sweet little Tohru,” he drew his thumb thoughtfully across her lips, enjoying the flush of color that followed in its wake. “It’s my fault, I haven’t been paying you the proper attention.” His other hand ran through her hair, plucking out the ribbons so that her hair fell haphazardly around her face.

“I want to get to know you better Tohru,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear, his fingers gliding gently through her hair. “Tell me something about yourself,” he paused for a moment, looking at her intently, “tell me about your dreams.”

“I” she squeaked, trying to get the words out, or something coherent at least. His eyes fell to her lips and, smiling beautifully, he lowered his head. Their hair intertwined, his dark, hers light. Their lips brushed sweetly, delicately, like a butterfly trembling on a flower’s petals. Then a sudden wetness, a sudden sweetness as his tongue stroked her lips and moved past them. Tohru was overwhelmed by the heady scent of peaches; she smelled them, tasted them. Slowly, gently, Akito released her, sighing softly and with a strangely satisfied smile on his face. Almost a smirk.

“You taste like peaches Tohru.” He stepped back, and she sagged against the counter, eyes glazed, “does that mean I can eat you?” he laughed and just as suddenly was gone, like a dream in the morning.

Tohru let out a strangled whimper and sank to the floor, breakfast forgotten. What had just happened? Had Akito really just? No, that wasn’t possible. Some strange daydream, she really needed to get her head out of the clouds.

“Tohru!” Yuki cried, running into the kitchen, his eyes frantic. “Are you alright? I thought I heard something,” he trailed off, his eyes widening as he saw her, sitting, dazed on the floor. Her hair pooled around her, the ribbons laying at her feet like dead things.

“What happened?” he grasped her gently by the shoulders, brushing the hair out of her eyes, “did Akito do something to you?” his grip tightened slightly.

Tohru just shook her head, closing her eyes. “I don’t, it was just. It was nothing.” She concluded softly, not meeting his eyes.

Yuki struggled to bring himself under control. Part of him was cursing himself furiously. By the time he’d made his way out of the mindless panic Akito always managed to inspire and realize just what his comments about Tohru might mean, anything could have happened. As it was, something had definitely happened. She wasn’t bruised, bleeding, or crying, at least. It wasn’t as bad as it could be, no thanks to him. The other part, the part not involved in self-recriminations, was creating fodder for future self-hatred, was noticing how she looked with her hair loose, how silky it was, how faithfully it mirrored her curves, pooling around them like water, was wanting to see it loose mirroring her curves. That part of him noticed her swollen lips and flushed features, and he was no longer torn, but consumed in a burning fury at the person who had done such a thing to Tohru, perfect, untouchable Tohru.

Tohru finally brought herself to look up and meet Yuki’s eyes and blanched, they were icy. It was a look he normally reserved for Kyou, no worse.

“Yuki-kun” she blurted out, panicked, wondering if she had somehow done something. Then realization quickly dawned, if Akito had been here, then surely he had paid a visit to Yuki as well. She should be comforting him! Not the other way around.

She reached out a hand tentatively to his shoulder “What about you?” She looked up at him, concerned. He was such a wonderful person, always taking care of her.

“I\'m fine.” He said shortly, abruptly shaken out of his thoughts, hoping she wouldn’t pursue the topic. She knew many of the Juunishi secrets, but not this one. Not his past, how pathetic he was, how weak. He shivered slightly, trying to block the the memory of what had happened earlier. His mother had left, his brother had left; everyone left when they knew what he was truly like. He wouldn’t give her the opportunity, she would never know and whatever Akito had planned, he would protect her. That much, at least, he could do. Unknowingly, his hand rose to cover hers where it rested on his shoulder. He glanced up, Tohru looked like she was prepared to cry. Instead, she lunged forward.

Yuki barely had time to call out a surprised warning before her arms went around his chest, in a brief, tight hug before the all too familiar sensation of change swept over him and with a soft sound of imploding air, his clothes fell to the floor, him on top of them. He blinked, staring up at the now enormous Tohru. It was ridiculous that that hug made him feel better, but it did. Looking up he realized that he had quite a good view from down there. And that Tohru really did like strawberries, suddenly he felt very warm again.

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews so far, they’ve been lovely. Stick with me, I will finish this.