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Tohru emerged from Akito’s chamber with a huge smile on her face. She was exhausted, disheveled, and emotional, but her heart was so full.
Her eyes found Kyo the moment the door slid open. He was anxious, she could tell, but when his eyes found hers, he broke into a huge grin.
“So,” he began, his lips still quirked upward despite his obvious concern. “How are you feelin’ after all that?”
Tohru took a deep breath and closed her eyes. So much had changed in a day. The curse was gone, Kyo was free, and he loved her. “I’m just so happy,” she answered, tears leaking from her eyes.
“Me too,” he replied softly. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Let’s go home.”
The walk home was slow. Tohru was still regaining her strength after weeks spent in the hospital. Kyo never once let go of her hand, supporting her when she wobbled and staying right by her side when she needed a break. Every time he looked at her, his gaze was filled with so much tenderness it gave Tohru butterflies. She was so incredibly lucky to be by his side.
When they reached the absurdly long stairs that led to Shigure’s house, Tohru set her jaw, determined to make it to the top. Her legs already felt like jelly from all the running she’d done that morning, but she had missed being home so much.
Charging up the first two steps, she quickly began to teeter. Kyo was there immediately, one hand on her back to catch her.
“Kyo-kun! You caught me!” She beamed at him with that beautiful, goofy smile he loved so much.
“I’m never letting you fall again, Tohru,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “Now, there’s no rush, okay? We have the rest of our lives.”
She began to cry again at his words. “We really do, Kyo-kun. I’m so, so happy!”
Slowly, they ascended the stairs together, finally approaching the front door of their home as a couple for the first time.
As they made their way inside, Yuki’s voice rang out from the living room.
“Is that Honda-san?”
“Yuki-kun!”
Tohru practically ran into the living room, bursting into more tears as she threw her arms around Yuki.
“You already know,” he said, smiling as he held her close.
Tohru nodded, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder. “You’re all free, Yuki-kun. The curse is gone.”
Just then, Yuki saw Kyo hovering out in the hallway.
“You finally got your act together then, stupid cat?”
Kyo froze for a moment before registering Yuki’s smirk. “Yeah, guess I did. Thanks for that.” He rubbed the back of his neck before adding, “you damn rat.”
Tohru beamed at the two of them, delighted at the shift in their relationship.
After dinner, Kyo helped Tohru up to her room. At the threshold of her door, they both paused.
“Can I... can I kiss you good night?” Kyo asked, his cheeks flushing.
“Oh!” Tohru squeaked. “Yes, I’d really like that Kyo-kun!”
He began to lean in, only to stop when he heard her say, “...but-”
“But what?” he asked, hoping everything was okay between them. He’d understand if she was still angry with him; he’d hurt her so badly. It was okay if she needed time.
“Well... I was wondering if you could help me with something first,” she said, her own cheeks blooming with color.
“Whatever you need,” he answered, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Could you help me change my bandages?”
“Oh, yeah. O’course. Where do you wanna do it?”
They both turned bright red at Kyo’s words.
“Shit! Sorry, that’s not... I didn’t mean it it, I just meant, where do you want to be when we change your bandages?”
“It’s okay, Kyo-kun,” Tohru said, smiling at him. “We can do it in my room.”
Tohru sat on her bed while Kyo grabbed the first aid kit from downstairs. He knocked before coming in, cautiously taking a seat next to Tohru on her bed.
“Are you ready?” he asked in a low voice.
Tohru nodded. “Thank you, Kyo-kun.”
He began slowly unwinding the bandage around her forearm, placing the used wrap in the trash. The cut was deep. He knew it would be- even after she had fallen from the cliff, he was shocked by the slash on her forearm.
“This might sting, okay?” Kyo looked to Tohru apologetically as she nodded, her face fixed in the same determined face he had seen so many times before.
She winced slightly as he gently ran a warm, soapy washcloth over the gash. He moved gently, making sure to clean the entire area thoroughly. Tohru couldn’t help but melt at the care he was putting into every step. She loved him so much , and he loved her, too.
Kyo patted her arm dry with a clean washcloth. He took a new roller bandage and began wrapping it around her arm.
“’S’that too tight?”
“No, it’s perfect,” she replied, blushing at him.
He finished wrapping her forearm, then tried to repeat the process with the wound near her shoulder.
“Ah, Tohru?”
“Yes?”
“Your sleeve’s in the way,” he told her, looking away as he felt his cheeks heat once more.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Sorry!”
“You don’t gotta apologize for that!” he reminded her. “Just... is it okay if I move your sleeve?”
Tohru nodded; her eyes wide and watching as Kyo tried to push her sleeve up over the bandage.
“I’m sorry, Tohru, I don’t think it’s gonna work.”
“It’s okay, Kyo-kun,” she replied. “Here.”
She began unbuttoning her shirt.
“Holy shit! Tohru, what’re you doing?”
When she’d unbuttoned about half of the buttons, she slid her arm out of her sleeve. “Will that work?” she asked.
Kyo gulped, his eyes wide. “Yeah... yeah, that’ll work.”
He knew his heart was racing as he began to unwind the second bandage. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but he couldn’t stop staring at her exposed shoulder, her neck, her arm, her decolletage... She was so beautiful , and here she was, right in front of him, in a state of partial undress.
He’d only truly held her for the first time that afternoon, and here they were, on her bed , with his hands on her. Kyo watched as color traveled up Tohru’s chest all the way to her hairline. He was sure he was similarly flushed. There were so many new things they’d get to experience together.
As he wrapped her upper arm with the new bandage, he checked once more to make sure it wasn’t too tight.
“It’s exactly right, Kyo-kun,” she answered cheerfully. God, he loved her so much.
“D’you need anything else before I go to my room?”
Tohru looked at him affectionately. “Could you... could you hold me again, Kyo-kun?”
“Yeah... o’course.”
Kyo leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her. He still found himself bracing for a transformation that would never come again. It was everything he’d ever wanted, to be able to hold her like this without a curse cutting it short.
Tohru sighed happily. “I love you, Kyo-kun.”
“I love you too, Tohru.”
They pulled apart, Kyo’s hands remaining on her shoulders.
“Can I kiss you goodnight now?” he asked, smiling softly.
Tohru smiled back at him. “I’d like that, Kyo-kun.”
He chuckled awkwardly, then leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. He felt Tohru’s hands grip the front of his shirt, and he let one of his hands roam to the nape of her neck. When their lips separated, Kyo leaned his forehead against hers.
“We get to do that whenever we want now,” he said, letting his thumb gently brush her cheek.
Tohru giggled. “I know.”
They looked into each other’s eyes, reflecting on the events of the day. Tohru was released from the hospital. Kyo confessed his love to her. They kissed. They embraced. The curse had broken. They were going to have a future together.
“Tohru,” Kyo began. “Today has been... probably the happiest day of my life.”
“Mine too, Kyo-kun. I’m just so happy.”
He gently wiped a tear from her face. “Good night, Tohru. I love you.”
“Good night, Kyo-kun. I love you, too.”
He stood up, letting his hand linger on hers as he left to go to his own room. That night, he’d fall asleep a free man for the first time in his life.
And he’d wake up free for the rest of his life, too.
A life he’d now get to spend at Tohru’s side.