Secrets

"I know a secret! I know a secret!" Shigure chanted in an annoying sing-song tone as he puttered about the house. Tohru was visiting Hatori again -- not that Kyo and Yuki knew where she'd gone, only that they'd have to wait or order out if they wanted a decent lunch today.

"One more time, and I'm kicking his ass!" Kyo muttered under his breath. "Not until I kick yours first!" Yuki interrupted. "Your whining is even more annoying than Shigure is, and that's saying something!"

"Now, now, boys!" Shigure smirked. "Just because I know something you don't is no reason to --" "SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" Yuki and Kyo hollered in unison. Shigure laughed. "I know something you don't, and I'm not telling!"

Sometimes Shigure could be such a brat.


"Like I care what the hell you know -- just SHUT UP!" Kyo hissed. "For once, I agree with that stupid cat!" Yuki added. "STOP CALLING ME STUPID, YOU DAMN RAT!!!" And as always, the fighting began. "It's about Tohru-kun." Shigure stage whispered. That did it -- Almost immediately, the cat and the mouse had the dog on the floor.

"What?! What's going on?!" Tohru panicked from the doorway. The three froze and looked up. Shigure straightened up, brushing himself off. "Ah! Tohru-kun! You're back!" Yuki and Kyo also rose, still glaring at each other. "See!" Shigure continued. "I told you I knew something you didn't! I knew that Tohru-kun was visiting Haa-san -- and look, she brought him home with her, isn't that great?! And Haa-san is in a very good mood, I can tell!" Shigure leered, causing Tohru to blush.

"THAT WAS IT?!" The cat and mouse spoke in incredulous unison. "DAMMIT!!!" Kyo yelled. "What the hell is Hatori doing here anyway?!?"

"Maybe I shouldn't have come." Hatori said, turning as if to leave.

"Oh, no! Hatori-san!!!" Tohru was still blushing and panicking again. "Please stay! I'll get lunch started right now!!!"

"I'll help, if you don't mind. Shigure can pick up this mess in the meantime." Hatori responded, glaring at Shigure for a second before turning his attention back to Tohru. Instead of politely refusing help, as usual, Tohru simply nodded, and the two left for the kitchen.

"Ah...yes! Isn't it wonderful, Hatori and Tohru are all lovey-dovey now!" Shigure sighed sappily, "Just like that scene from 'Summer Colored Sigh Part Two'...that I haven't written yet..."

"I can hear you Shigure." Hatori called. "Stop being so stupid."

"Hey, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun! Where are you going?" Shigure sounded like a kindergarten teacher trying to get his class's attention. "Aren't you gonna clean up this mess you made?"

"It was your fault in the first place, baka!" Kyo replied and stomped off to his room.

"You're on your own, Shigure." Yuki also left the scene, leaving Shigure all alone.

"Why is everyone so mean to me?" Shigure muttered as he started moving things around, without actually cleaning up anything. Tohru would do it later anyway, he reasoned, and went back to his puttering.

****************

After things quieted down outside of the kitchen, Tohru bowed her head so she couldn't see Hatori's face. "Um...Hatori-san?" She managed to say, quite softly so that nobody but Hatori would hear. "What is it, Tohru?" Hatori answered, putting down the knife he was using to chop the vegetables.

"Do you really think Shigure-san is stupid? For saying what he said?" Tohru finally looked up. There were tears in her eyes. "Do you think we...do you think, I'm being stupid...for loving you?"

Hatori cupped Tohru's face in his hands. If things were different, he might have hugged her reassuringly, but as it was...

"Tohru. I would never think that of you. And to tell you the truth, Shigure's stupidity is only in his timing. I guess I'm the one who's really stupid. I was hoping I could have you to myself a little longer before anyone else had to know. I'm sorry if you thought I was calling you stupid. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. It may be that times like this is all we will ever have..."

"Even so..." Tohru spoke. "I'm glad I got to spend them with you. Nobody needs to know about us. Not until you're ready. I think I understand now."

"Thank you, Tohru." Hatori whispered, kissing her gently on the cheek. Tohru smiled, and they continued preparing a fantastic meal for the hungry hordes.

"It's awfully quiet in there!" Shigure called. "Maybe they've gone off and eloped!"

There was a crash in the living room, followed by a lot of yelling. Hatori and Tohru smiled knowingly at each other. "We'll just let Shigure stay stupid awhile longer!" Hatori smiled. Tohru smiled back. "Lunch is ready!" She called happily. Everything was normal. Nobody knew any different.