Fruits Ripe

Episode 2d

Yuki continued without making eye contact, "I'm sorry, but even though you're doing your best not to tell, we might end up erasing your memories."

Tohru gasps while Lily paid attention to his expression, it became dark with so many emotions in his pretty eyes. She wanted to reach up and hug him, but couldn't.

Both girls just watched him and listened, "Well, not literally. It's more like a strong form of hypnotism. A long time ago, the truth about me came out, just like it did this morning. I was playing around with some friends and a girl hugged me. It was a giant mess. And in the end, everyone who saw it happen had their memories suppressed."

He got this faraway look in his eyes like he was having a flashback of the incident he was telling us about. It made his expression more melancholy.

Tohru hesitated before asking, "Are you okay?"

Yuki moved away from them taking his hand down, "I'm sorry. But I can't go against whatever Akito says is right for us. No matter what's decided, I must go along with it. That's just... how it is." He starts to walk away but Tohru hurriedly grabs the back of his shirt accidently falling on him.

"Wait. Hold on, I--" Tohru starts to say before she did.

A student walks past hearing the poof but decides it was nothing and keeps walking. While Lily keeps an eye out for the door, she decides to just listen for a second.

Tohru leaned her forehead against the wall cursing her for being so clumsy, "I'm so sorry! It was an accident, I swear! I- I'd never do that on purpose!"

Yuki answered back, "It's okay. Just as long as no one saw." not wanting her to blame herself again.

Tohru turned to face Yuki rat and stayed in her seated position, "What I wanted to say was... I appreciate you being concerned about us. It makes me happy and I'm sure it makes Lily happy as well," Lily smiled gently and nodded. "So, thanks. And I get what you said. This is an important secret we accidentally found out. Something that could have a huge effect on you. So please, I want you to do Whatever will make you and your family feel the safest. Sure, the idea of forgetting does make us sad, but if that's what we have to do,--" Tohru told him.

"We'll grin, and bear it", Lily told him agreeing.

"We do have one thing to ask you. If we forget you, please befriend us again." Both Hondas spoke at the same time with a soft smile on their faces.

Before he can answer them, there's a poof as Yuki transforms back. Tohru gasps and faces the wall blushing, while Lily simply covered her eyes after winking at him making him blush.

Yuki explained as the cloud cleared and he began dressing, "The amount of time we stay as animals varies. There we go. All done."

"Oh. Your tie is crooked." Tohru pointed out looking him over.

"I'm not great when it comes to that", he admitted.

Tohru and Lily walked towards Yuki, "No sweat. It's lucky for you, you have the two best here." Lily nodded to Tohru then started untying his tie to fix it.

"Miss Honda, you don't feel... sickened?" Yuki asked with that far off look in his eyes.

Tohru misheard 'sickened' as 'sick', therefore responded, "Oh, no. I'm all better." with a smile.

"Huh? No, that isn't what I meant." Yuki tried to tell Tohru but gave up when he heard Lily chuckle.

Lily pat the tie softly and shook her head no at his question causing Yuki to blush, "Shall we go?"

Tohru verbally agreed, "Yeah. Good idea." While Lily just nodded.

Yuki said as they walked down the hallway together ,"Thanks for that."

Tohru responded cheerfully, "No problem. We've got a knack for neckties." Lily just smiled knowing that wasn't all he meant it for.

They walk home together as the sun is starting to set. They separated to go into their rooms and change out of their uniform.

Kyo finishes up putting a temporary cover on the hole in the roof and hops off the ladder as Tohru walks in with Lily not far behind. Both weren't expecting to see him there. Tohru gasped and Lily just walked a bit further into the room.

"Call a pro to really fix it. For now, you just need to keep the rain out, right?" Kyo told them clutching the roll of tape in his hand.

Tohru seemed surprised, but she was nudged out of it by Lily, "Oh. Thank you."

Lily put her bag down and walked over towards him, "We appreciate it."

"H-hey!" Kyo shouted suddenly startling them, from where Lily was standing she could tell he was blushing so she backed up a bit and sat cross legged on the room floor.

Tohru answered for both for them, "Y- yes?"

Kyo started squeezing the s**t out of that tape, "I, uh, can get kind of a one-track mind when I'm upset. So, about this morning...", His blush got worse as he continued, "I wanted to say I'm so--"

Shigure's voice interrupted Kyo's apology, "Yuki, Tohru, Lily, I'm home! Is that clumsy kitten who lost another fight still here?" His voice was definitely teasing as he most likely knew Kyo could hear him.

Kyo rushes past tohru with the ladder and tape in hand after hearing Shigure's teasing, "Forget it, dammit."

Tohru most likely having an idea of what he was saying felt bad and chased after him, "No. Please. What were you saying?"

Tohru drops her bag to side, leaves room and closes door. Lily looked around and opened to window to let fresh air into the previously unoccupied room. Then she went and joined the others downstairs just in time to hear the last bit of what Shigure said.

"It's good news. Tohru and Lily are allowed to live with us. So long as they continue to keep our secret." Lily joined Tohru at the table quietly listening.

"Does that mean we won't be punished?" Tohru asked and Lily tried her hardest not to facepalm at her wording. She just sighed instead.

Shigure answered her with, "As long as you stay quiet, you won't have done anything wrong." trying to bring back up her mood.

Tohru excitedly replied, "We will!" While Lily simply nodded. Both thinking 'Thank goodness I get to keep my memories!' when they made eye contact.

Yuki that had been silent while leaning on a nearby wall spoke to Shigure who had stood up to leave the room, "To be honest, that plan almost sounds too good to be true. Like you two might be scheming and mixing up Miss Honda and Miss little Honda in some plot or other." He said making direct eye contact.

Shigure just chuckles nervously recalling what Akito told him exactly saying, "Oh, come on. Would I do that?"

Tohru and Lily got up too busy in their thoughts to hear what the guys were saying. Tohru in front spoke first, "Excuse me. Um, it's probably a little late to be saying this, but We're so glad We've gotten to meet you." Both Tohru and Lily bowed while saying this.

Shigure gave them a tiny bow back with a smile, "The feelings mutual."

Yuki blushed at the sudden shift and awkwardly responded too, "Um, yes. I do agree."

Tohru and Lily then looked at each other with a nod they approached the ginger and said, "And it's a pleasure to meet you, too. Uh, Kyo". They spoke together Tohru excited and Lily softly.

Kyo not expecting them to include him responded startled and a little aggressive, "You can leave me outta this! I've got nothing to do-- Uh!" Kyo was cut off by getting kicked right in the pond by Yuki again. Coming up for air he yelled at Yuki, "What the hell was that for?!"

"Go away. Outsider." Yuki calmly stated with a warning tone.

Tohru wrapped an arm around Lily and Lily wrapped one around her waist as they smiled at each other slowly getting used to their bickering. Eventually they all settled down for bed.