Like a Switch | By : Demonic_Host Category: Fruits Basket > Het - Male/Female Views: 4192 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3 |
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own or make money from Fruits Basket or any of its associated characters. |
Like a Switch
Chapter Thirty-five
True to his word, Shigure was at your door thirty minutes later. You barely had time to scrub down before he got to your door. Which meant that you hastily had to pull on a bathrobe when there was a knock on your door. Your wet hair hung down your back as you opened the door to see Shigure. He'd been running; at least in part. Even through the slight opening you noticed that he seemed winded. His hair was a little frazzled and his chest was heaving despite the fact that he was trying desperately not to do that. It was a good look on him. And it was one that made you bite your lower lip too. Guilt might have been the largest part upon seeing that he had exerted so much energy for you but it wasn't the only emotion running through your head.
You opened the door more to let him in as you stood behind it. As Shigure walked in you shuffled your feet as you tried to work through the guilt and embarrassment. It only got a little harder when he saw your state of dress. Or undress as it were. You hadn't had time to do both a thorough scrubbing down and get dressed before he arrived. Though judging by the look in his eyes, you'd have to assume that Shigure didn't mind that in the least.
"I got here as soon as I could," Shigure explained and slowly took a deep breath.
"Thank you but...you shouldn't have gone to all that trouble. I told you, it wasn't important," you said quietly.
You were really trying to think of what to say or do to get passed the impasse. What were you supposed to do or say after the start of a night like you'd just had? It couldn't be everyday that someone was magic-roofied because of a curse and had rather rough sex in the alleyway following said magical aphrodisiac. Less often when it was a minor that had been the afflicted party no doubt. How did you go about revealing any of that to Shigure? Should you even try? Would it be better if you kept that or just didn't say anything?
"You will always be important," Shigure said in a very calm, matter of fact voice.
The silence weighed in for a little bit longer. You finally realized that you could have been taking the awkward time to get dressed. With a mumbled apology you moved over to the cubicle where you stored your clothes. You selected something to wear about that was a bit more modest than the kinds of clothing you wore to work. And even though you moved back into the humid bathroom silently, you could feel Shigure's eyes speaking a thousand words.
It wasn't until you were back out and dressed that Shigure mercifully broke the silence. "What happened with work? You usually work today at this time don't you?"
You offered him a seat on the couch with your hands as you spoke out. "Yes. But something happened with Yuki that made me decide to come home early. It's why I called - I was concerned he'd do something stupid. Today isn't...an easy day for him."
Somehow you didn't think there were many easy days for those under the curse. You might have been a part of it but you would never know their burden. You had your own of course but it seemed to pale in comparison of theirs.
"Oh don't worry about him. He's a very emotional child. I'm sure he'll be just fine tomorrow," Shigure's levity continues with an easy smile.
You sat down next to him. It was a small couch, a loveseat really. So even sitting as far as you could to the side with the way that you sat, your knees touched the side of his leg. He turned his body more towards you as well which put his own knees into contact with yours. And then he subtly moved his legs so that one of his knees were between yours and vice versa. Not that his legs had really been held that close together so it wasn't like you were being squeezed at all. But it would make it a little bit easier to scoot in closer faster. You pretended not to notice that.
"I don't know...he blames himself for everything. Things he couldn't control," you spoke out with a heavy heart.
Shigure's easy smile stayed like a balm. Though you did see the ease with which it stayed reduced.
"You could always come over to stay the night. That way you can make sure he's fine for yourself."
Being close to him after what happened did not seem like a good idea. Your stomach churned and your guts tied themselves in knots as you continued to worry. You didn't reject Shigure's idea right away though. It wasn't like you could explain why you were so worried. Well you could but that seemed like it would create a heap more of issues.
"Not sure if that's such a great idea," you said quietly. "Your house is so full already, I don't want to put you or the others to any trouble."
"Anita," Shigure said in a serious but kind voice. "There is nothing about you staying over at my house that would cause me any trouble. If your worried about taking my bed, don't be. I will be happy to sleep elsewhere. I redid my room for you after all. So you'd be comfortable if you wanted to visit."
You'd sort of forgotten about that in the slue of everything that had happened. And that little fact only made you feel more guilt. You looked down to your hands as you clenched and shifted them. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Shigure. He scooted in closer until he was with a more than comfortable distance to hold your hands.
"If it bothers you that much we could always share."
You'd heard much worse in your line of work. So it wasn't like you were embarrassed by what he said. In fact it actually made the conversation a bit easier to manage. At least for you.
"That probably isn't the best idea," you told him with relative ease.
"Why? Because of the curse?" Shigure asked directly. When you nodded he smiled a bit wider. "Don't worry about that. You've proven you have an affective way of snapping me out of that phase even if something does happen. But honestly what are the chances of that?"
Pretty damned high actually. You'd been having so many amorous dreams since you'd gotten back to Japan. They all seemed so real. Which was why you supposed your body reacted even in your sleep. And considering that Shigure had explained that your physical stages affected them...well it's what had gotten you into this mess to begin with. You didn't want to make it any worse.
"Pretty good," you told him honestly, leaving everything that was unsaid to resonate with him.
Shigure shifted thoughtfully as he rubbed your hands with his. "Would it be so bad?"
Fuck.
That was a loaded question. You could feel the fragility even if you couldn't hear it. And your emotions caught in the back of your throat as you studied his face. But you couldn't look long or you were afraid too much of the truth would come pouring out. So you looked down to his hands which were still on the top of yours.
"After everything...everything that has happened, I just don't know if it's something I'm ready for," that was part of the truth at least. "It's not something that's just a small thing. It means a lot to me. Especially now that I know about what happened, about why I can't remember. I'm not saying that it would be bad to be in a relationship with you. It's just that I'm not ready for something so serious I think."
You practically heard the gears in his head turning as he swallowed. "Who said it had to be serious?"
After he asked that question you looked up to him with a slightly admonishing tone. "Shigure, you redid your room for me on the chance that I might come back over and need to sleep."
"Okay, point taken," he admitted, deflating a little bit trying to stay positive. "But if you don't want a relationship...why did you want me to come over?"
"...I told you it was a silly, stupid idea..."
This time it was his turn to admonish you. He did so by saying your name in that very special sort of tone. You shifted a little as you couldn't figure out which of your many emotions on the subject that you wanted to express.
"It's stupid. So stupid. But I just...I wanted a hug," you finally got out.
Shigure seemed surprised somehow.
You felt your defenses rise as you realized how controdictorary you were being. "I told you it was stupid. I know that hugs aren't supposed to be something you do lightly either, even if it's me. I get it. Especially since I just said I wasn't ready to be in a relationship. That's why I said you shouldn't come over. Cause I knew it was stupid. I know that it's stupid."
He pretty much pulled you into a hug without giving you any more time to degrade your desires. Shigure was tense for about a half second as he instinctively tightened up from the conditioning his life had given him. But he relaxed much quicker than you did. You had actually started to pull away just out of the surprise of falling forward. Then you realized what was happening and relaxed into his arms. After quite a bit of readjusting you were sitting across his lap and wrapped in his arms.
It was still a really serious thing considering that you and he were along in the apartment. But nowhere near as serious as what you were hesitant to venture into.
"Shigure?"
He mumbled out some sort of sound from atop your head.
"Thank you."
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