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It’s really a wonder that he hadn’t discovered it sooner.
They’re in the kitchen trying to use up some lemons that have been hanging around for a while. The two of them sit comfortably side by side, the afternoon sunlight filtering in and adding an attractive touch of gold to their surroundings. The yellow fruits seem to glow as their knives cut into them, and the air rapidly fills with a wonderfully fresh and citrusy fragrance.
Tohru has sliced up all the lemons on her side before Kyo has even reached halfway through his own bunch.
“Let me help you with those!” she says eagerly. Kyo puts a protective arm around the lemons he was assigned to. “No, it’s fine, really.” He insists, but she’s already managed to grab one. Kyo reaches out and tries to snatch it back, but as he brushes against her bare arm, two things happen. A high-pitched squeal unlike any other he’s heard from Tohru escapes from her mouth, and she pulls her arm away very quickly, dropping the lemon. They both freeze as it rolls away from them, forgotten. Tohru flushes a deep pink. “What – was that sound you just made?” asks Kyo, trying not to let his grin take over his face entirely. She turns her face away and rubs the arm that his sleeve had very lightly grazed a few moments earlier. “Tohruuu..” he starts, his amusement easily seeping into his voice. “Are you…ticklish?” Gleefully, he contemplates the hundreds of possibilities that stretch out before him.
“No..” she mumbles, unconvincingly. “Let’s just finish making the lemonade, Kyo-kun.” She picks up the lemon that she’d stolen from him and places it gingerly next to his chopping board. Her face is still adorably red. Kyo smirks as he watches her flustered attempts to open a new packet of sugar. He silently thanks his Shishou for the many hours he’d spent training him as, very quietly, he stands up and creeps towards an unsuspecting Tohru, until he is standing directly behind her sun-bathed form.
For a split second he is simply stood there, distracted momentarily by the hair flowing prettily down over her shoulders. Then, slowly, Kyo reaches out and runs the tips of his fingers across both sides of her waist. Her reaction is immediate – there is that delightful sound again, that giggle – squeal which has mirth bubbling up inside him as if the sunlight pouring into the room has somehow managed to reach into his chest, too. Tohru leaves the sugar on the countertop as she spins around and tries to glare at him. “You so are ticklish!” Kyo gasps through his laughter. “Don’t do that, Kyo!” Tohru whines, putting her hands on her hips. Upon seeing this, Kyo can’t help but bursts into fresh giggles. He begins to feel a little bad only when he sees Tohru pouting – but he knows that he must hear that sound at least one more time. When he reaches out again, Tohru dances away from his fingertips, wary.
“I’m not going to tickle you...” says Kyo, calming down. He won’t – not now anyway. He smiles at her reassuringly. “You’re right Tohru, let’s get back to the lemonade.”
Kyo retreats to his seat and resumes cutting the lemons as he listens to Tohru explain why her mother’s recipe is different to everyone else’s. A serene smile rests on his face as he surreptitiously tucks away the very interesting piece of information that he has gained today – one that has nothing at all to do with how to make a sweet lemon beverage.