1 1 - Life as we know it

The morning sun rose on the horizon, the bright light peeking through a crack in the curtains within the Sohma household. Kyo Sohma, a ginger-haired man in his late twenties, winced at the sunlight. He grunted, cursing himself for not closing them fully the night before. He rolled over onto his side to avoid the light, burying his head in the warm bedsheet to block out the sunlight the best he could. Beside him slept his partner, a pale brunette in her late twenties, Tohru Honda breathed softly. She lightly snored in her slumber, waking the cat ever so slightly. Kyo opened his tree-bark dyed eyes and gazed at his companion. A small smile appeared on his lips as he wrapped his beloved's slender frame in his arms, pulling her into a toasty embrace. He placed a soft kiss on her pale forehead before drifting back to sleep.

The couple laid in bed snoozing away the sunshine, but sadly the peace had not lasted long before Kyo was reawakened. A loud buzzing echoed throughout their bedroom, the ginger-haired male growled, turning himself towards his bedside table. An old-fashioned alarm clock had begun jumping for joy, screaming his obnoxious chime at the sleepy couple. Kyo grunted throwing punches at the unit, missing the alarm clock each time. The cat hissed, burying his ginger-head under the blanket at little further, but still, the clock continued to ring.

"Dammit clock," Kyo grunted, throwing the sheets off his face and taking another swipe at the snooze button, "Can't you see we're trying to sleep!" he shouted towards the unit, disregarding the fact he was talking to an inanimate object.

The clock ignored him and continued screaming, the cat narrowed his brow. Kyo slowly released his companion from his grasp before sitting up in the bed. He ran his hand through his ginger locks and glared at the clock, this had gone on enough. Kyo released his anger, taking a deep breath before slapping the clock off the bedside table. The alarm was quickly silenced on impact when it hit the wooden floor. The cat peered over the side of the bed and shrugged, he returned to sat smug, interlocking his hands and placing them against the back of his head. Kyo hated anything and anyone who disturbed his companion's sleep.

Kyo gazed at Tohru, he loved the way she looked when she was sleeping, she always looked so peaceful. It never mattered on the angle, to him, she always looked beautiful, even in her slumber with a little drool bubble at the corner of her lips. He began to run his fingers through her mud-brown locks, the sweet scent of strawberries still lingering from her favorite shampoo. Tohru had begun to stir in her sleep, startling the cat. He moved to touch her soft pale peach cheeks with a single finger. His companion stirred again, her tree-bark dyed eyes flickered open, sparkling in the sunlight. Tohru let out a short yawn, rubbing her sleepy eyes. A smile appeared on her partner's lips, in his eyes, watching her wake up was easily the highlight of his day. The panic with the alarm clock early had seemed like nothing in comparison to this sight.

"Was that the alarm?" she asked half dazed from her slumber, beginning to stretch herself out beside him. Kyo laid on his back, wrapping one arm around his girl.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he briefly glanced over the bedside, grimacing at the mess he had caused, "I'm going to have to replace it, again." The cat ran his free hand through his hair, remembering the last conversation the couple had regarding the last broken alarm clock. Once before Kyo had broken the clock out of anger, he hated to be woken early. It was a habit he had never quite grown out of even in his now-late twenties.

Tohru rested her hand on his chest, "Don't be silly, it's okay," she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Though, I don't remember setting the damn thing?" Kyo wondered, offering the question to his partner. The brunette looked lost in her thoughts, racking her mind about the clock, "I should mention, it is six in the morning."

A goofy confused smile was plastered across Tohru's face, "Oh Kyo-Kun!" She exclaimed, remembering why she had set the alarm. She sat up, resting her head against the wooden headboard, "I set it for that time. I had planned to make you a special breakfast before you headed off for training with Kazuma." Tohru sighed, it was written on her pale face exactly how terrible she now felt, "I'm sorry," she sniffed, small tears began to cluster in the corner of her eyes.

"Hey," Kyo whispered, lifting her chin up so their eyes met, hers clustering with crystals and his worried, "Don't be silly, Onigiri." He smiled, charmingly calling her by the pet name that had stuck since their time at high school.

Tohru let out a soft giggle, "So you don't think I'm a terrible girlfriend then?" she asked to reassure her own mind. Her partner wrapped his arms around her slender frame, she embraced the warmth nuzzling her face into his chest.

"The thought never crossed my mind," Kyo laughed, "Let's cook breakfast together?" he suggested before planting a soft kiss on her pale forehead. His companion nodded in reply, "Besides, what sort of boyfriend would I be if I let you wait on me all the time?" he jested.

The brunette smiled, "Well, I was always taught cats slept at least sixteen hours a day."

Her partner laughed, "It's been a while since I turned into my cat form. It's a relief honestly," his laughter began to fade, instead, his face turned solemn, "If Akito had not released us all from the curse, I wouldn't have been able to hold you as I can now. As silly as it sounds, it is something I am truly grateful for." Tohru sat admiring him, her tree-bark eyes tearing up once more. The couple had had their fair shares of hardships back in high school but looking back it had all been worth the struggles. Kyo placed a hand on her cheek, wiping away the small tears.

"Just look at us now," the brunette smiled through her tears. She was grateful for her partner supporting her despite having his personal issues to contend with. Tohru shook her head, drying her tears on her shirt sleeve, she borrowed it from Kyo and was a little oversized, fitting her like a dress. The cat pulled his companion into his chest, running his hand through her hair.

He placed his head onto hers before breaking the silence, "Shall we go have some breakfast?" Kyo asked, kissing the top of her head. Tohru nodded into his chest before pulling away. The couple got themselves out of bed, assisting one another in redressing the frame. The ginger-haired male picked up the broken clock as his companion fluffed the pillows back into place. The pair decided to move downstairs as they were, without changing from their nightclothes. Tohru led the way from their bedroom through the narrow condo. It was a traditional Japanese building, like cousin Shigure's however theirs had only a single floor. The couple felt lucky to have stumbled upon a gem in a local auction, particularly to find such a building in an ideal location (close to both their places of work) and with a sizable garden.

Since high school Tohru had stretched her resume, working at the same cleaning job she worked in school, but also taking on helping at a family-run bakery down the street and assisting a family friend with gardening. She enjoyed keeping herself busy, doing small jobs to help with the renovations of the condo and saving for their future.

Unlike his companion, Kyo had bounced around a couple of part-time jobs shortly after leaving high school. Sadly, he never found anything that stuck, he blamed his own bad luck, the curse – although broken – still haunted him to this day. Kyo was terrified he might hurt someone if he was to lose his short-temper on a job. He had chosen hands-on work in construction and carpentry, but they never worked out, despite how good he was. The cat never could hold his tongue, whether on purpose or not, it always managed to get him in trouble. Thankfully, his luck changed one autumn evening when his foster father Kazuma had offered him a position at the family dojo. He, himself wanted to take a step back from work to spend more time with his family, his wife Arisa had given him a baby daughter early the following spring. Kyo accepted the position, earning enough to help support his household and having a little spare every paycheck to put into savings.

While money was short between the couple, they still enjoyed their lives together. They were thankful they always had enough money to pay their bills and put food on the table. Between the couple, they kept a silent vow to one another, hoping one day their renovations would be finished and they could use their savings towards a wedding or possibly to have a baby of their own. Both topics were discussed on occasion, but the conversation always fell silent when it came to discussing things in further detail. Neither one sure if this was out of embarrassment or disappointment on the subject.

Inside their kitchen, Tohru stood filling the kettle with the tap. She was daydreaming, staring out the window watching a flock of birds bathing in her garden.

"Everything okay?" Kyo asked, pulling a milk carton from the fridge. He stood in a plain black t-shirt and khaki jogging bottoms, sipping at the carton. His companion shook her mind free of the daydream, turning off the tap before facing him.

"I was just watching the birds," she smiled placing the kettle onto the stove. An old-fashioned aga that was left behind by the previous owner. The brunette loved how vintage the oven was, that and the way it heated the whole house without the need for central heating, "It was a good idea to place the birdbath in view of the window," Tohru continued, gathering a couple of mugs from the kitchen cupboard. Kyo pulled the carton away from his lips, wiping the milk from his upper lip. His partner always thought he looked cute with his milk mustache reminding her of a kitten who tasted milk for the first time.

"Could I have a cup of coffee please?" he asked politely, handing Tohru the milk carton. She nodded in reply adding a small heap of instant coffee to his paw print mug. The brunette insisted on painting the pair mugs as a moving in present; hers was pink featuring a plum-flavored onigiri on the front, while Kyo's was an orange mug (to match his hair) with little monochrome paws printed like polka dots. Tohru added a decaf tea bag to her mug before adding a heap of sugar. The little kettle soon whistled, steam pouring out the spout. She added a healthy amount of boiled water to each mug, stirring each before adding the milk. Tohru handed her companion his mug, together the pair took a seat each at the two-seat oak table in the middle of the kitchen.

"What would you like for breakfast?" the brunette asked, taking a sip of her tea, "I do have to go food shopping at some point today, but I think there are some oats left, a couple of eggs and a banana?" she checked each item off a mental checklist as she listed them off. They both took a second sip of their mugs.

"I could make some fruit tartlets?" Tohru pondered, remembering a recipe her colleague at the bakery had told her.

"Sounds a little fancy for a Monday morning, onigiri," Kyo teased. But the brunette shook her head.

"Not at all. It's a healthy alternative of breakfast muffins," she replied, hugging her mug in her pale hands, trying to recall the baking method. Tohru released her mug and got to her feet, "Would you mind handing me a mixing bowl please?" she asked her partner. They had been placed at the top of the cupboard, somewhere she continuously struggled to reach. Kyo nodded, draining the coffee remains from his cup. He placed the mug into the sink before passing down a pink china bowl to Tohru.

"Thank you, Kyo-Kun." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek before setting out to make the recipe. Her ginger companion gathered the ingredients, passing each one as needed. Tohru poured the remainder the oaks into the bowl, adding two cracked eggs and mixing together. Her partner chopped the banana before adding it to the bowl. Tohru produced a baking tray from the oven and began spooning the mix into balls. Kyo watched as she placed the tray into the oven.

"How long till they are ready?" he asked, his mouth beginning to water.

"Hmm, if I remember correctly, it should take only fifteen minutes?" she questioned herself, trying to recall the conversation.

Kyo smiled, wrapping his arms around his companion's waist. He pulled her in close, taking her lips with his. She melted into his embrace, refusing to pull away. Her partner was first to break away from the kiss.

"As we have time," a sly smile appeared on his lips, "Care to join me in the shower?" he asked planting his lips on her pale neck. Tohru giggled, lifting his head up so their eyes met. Neither of them needed to say a word, they had read each other's mind. Kyo scooped his companion into his muscular arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to be carried away, a smile plastered across her face. The romance had never faded between the couple, it continued to flourish like a garden in spring.

Kyo carried his partner back down their narrow hallway to the bathroom, when he approached the door, he gave it a gentle kick to open. It swung open, allowing the pair to walk through with ease. Tohru released her hands from his neck as he gently placed her on the floor. She winced, taking a step on the cold tiles.

"I'll just gather the towels," the brunette smiled back to her companion before walking to a walnut rack Kyo had built on their wall. Half a dozen soft plush sat neatly folded on the shelves eager to be used. Tohru plucked two from the pack, setting them on the side of the sink. Kyo took a step closer, wrapping an arm around her slender waist, his free hand holding the back of her head. He smiled slyly before placing his mouth over hers. Tohru didn't resist instead she stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck once more. The couple began to undress one another, the brunette pulling off the shirt of his muscular body, returning to their kiss whenever their lips met again. The cat unbuttoned his companion's shirt, peeling the fabric off her pale body. Tohru stood in her birthday suit while her partner removed his khaki joggers alone before grabbing her again for another kiss. She slipped her slender fingers through his ginger hair as he pulled her into a tighter embrace.

Kyo broke from the kiss, taking a quick breath, "Time for that shower," he grinned, picking up his girl. She wrapped his arms around his waist before the pair entered the shower. The cat quickly drew the floral curtain and turned on the shower. His partner squeaked as she was hit with a splash of cold water.

"Sorry," whispered her partner turning up the temperature dial before returning to her, "Where were we?" he purred in her ear. Tohru continued their kiss, her fingers still running through his hair. Kyo pulled her closer, the warm water drenching them both but either of them cared.

The couple continued their kiss, the cat adjusting them both against the bathroom wall to better support his companion. Tohru let out a soft moan in his ear as he entered. The couple made love under the warmth of the water. Kyo finished, planting soft kisses on his partner's pale neck as he loosened his hold. He helped Tohru back to her feet.

"How was that?" the cat asked, hugging his girl gently from behind. The brunette picked up her loafer and opened her body wash. The fresh scent of lemons filled their noses. She poured a little of the liquid onto the sponge and handed it to her partner.

"Wonderful," she giggled. Kyo began lathering the soap on her neck and back, scrubbing softly. He handed the loafer back, allowing Tohru to finish washing her body. He plucked his own cotton washcloth from the shower caddy, adding a little of the lemon liquid himself. The cat began to scrub his muscular body, catching his partner's tree-bark eyes taking a glimpse.

"Enjoying the view?" he laughed, removing the showerhead from its stand. Kyo showered off the soap studs, while Tohru continued to gaze.

"Always," she smiled, allowing him to wet her brunette locks. She squirted a little of her favorite strawberry shampoo into her hair and began to laver it with her fingertips. The cat wet his own ginger hair with the showerhead before handing it back to his partner. Tohru took hold of the shower, replacing it with her partner's shampoo. He took it the bottle and began copying her. The brunette rinsed her hair and placed the showerhead back on his mantle. She threw open the shower curtain and proceeded to hop out the warm shower back onto the chilly bathroom tiles. Tohru threw one of the soft cream towels around her body and began to dry herself. Kyo appeared seconds later, shutting off the shower and grabbing the remaining towel around his waist.

"I should probably go check on the tartlets," the brunette turned to her partner, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. He nodded in reply beginning to dry himself off. Tohru placed her now damp towel on the wooden rail to air out before grabbing an off-white silk dressing gown from behind the bathroom door.

"I will get dressed and meet you down there," Kyo replied, his partner smiled at him before walking out of the room and heading back down the narrow hallway to the kitchen. The cat moved to dry his ginger hair while he walked out of the bathroom and into their shared bedroom. He threw his damp towel to one side before opening the wardrobe, another build by himself. He pulled out a freshly ironed training gi, and his favorite pair of khaki cargo trousers. He placed it all carefully on the bed while he retrieved his underwear and another plain t-shirt from the drawer. Kyo hurried himself to dress, throwing on his clothes before reaching on top of the wardrobe for his rucksack. He folded the gi, placing each component safely inside the bag. The cat slung one strap over his shoulder, heading for the door. He quickly rushed back inside the room to collect his damp towel, remembering to dump it in the laundry bin before heading to the kitchen to join his partner.

Tohru placed patterned oven gloves on her hands before removing the baking tray from the oven. The small breakfast tartlets smelt delicious, the sweet smell of baked banana filled the air. She smiled, happy with the result, she began to plate them. The brunette placed three tartlets on each plate, one for her and one for her partner, before refilling the kettle and returning it to the stove. She rinsed the mugs under the running water and prepped each ready to receive the boiled water.

Kyo appeared in the doorway, almost startling his companion, "Something smells lovely," he entered the room, taking a seat at the breakfast table just as Tohru had begun serving. She placed a small plate and his favorite mug of coffee in front of him, "Thank you, Onigiri. It looks great." He smiled, planting a soft kiss on her pale cheek. Tohru took the vacant seat opposite him, placing her own mug and plate in front of her. The pair tucked into her small tartlets, the brunette preferring to take her time with her food, her companion, on the other hand, devoured the entire plate in minutes.

"That was really good," Kyo complimented, "Thank you." He bowed his head in respect. Tohru finished her tartlets, washing them down with a sip of milky tea. She hugged her favorite mug with her hands as she turned to her partner.

"Do you have much to do at the dojo today?" she inquired sweetly.

Kyo took a sip of his coffee before replying, "I have three classes today. Two of which I have a group of kids," he sighed fighting the urge to discuss parenthood with his partner.

"You'll have your hands full today then Kyo-Kun," the brunette giggled.

"I don't mind it much, they're a good bunch," he laughed, "Although, it does make me want me one of our own." Tohru was a little taken back but slowly nodded, she too had thought about one day having a child with her partner.

"As much as it would be nice to hear the pitter-patter of little footsteps," she began choosing to speak a little quieter than usual, "But I think we should be focusing on the housing renovations for now. We just don't have space right now," Tohru worried her partner would think differently but instead, he nodded.

"You read my mind," Kyo smiled to reassure her. It wasn't a conversation that should be spoken about lightly, in his opinion. He knew the pair of them shared the same interest of marriage before parenthood. Another unspoken vow between them. The cat glanced up at the kitchen clock, noticing the hands stretching toward the number eight. He sighed, sipping the remains of his coffee mug before standing up from his chair, "I've got to make a move, Onigiri."

Tohru, in a half daze, looked up at him, "Oh. Okay," she smiled, taking to her feet before collecting up the empty breakfast crockery. The brunette carefully placed the items into the sink ready to be washed. Tohru returned to her partner, who was busy fussing by the front door. Kyo gathered his coat and rucksack before turning back to his companion.

She smiled handing him his set of keys, "Don't forget these," the cat sighed, he'd forget his head if she wasn't there to help.

"Thank you," he kissed the top of her head, taking the keyring from her pale hands, "I'll call you later. I love you." Tohru giggled, as her partner turned to leave.

"I love you too," she smiled as Kyo headed out the door. The couple waved goodbye to each other before the brunette closed the door and continued her morning.