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ʚ 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝟐 ɞ
A certain chill had settled in over the weeks, replacing the remnants of summer. Leaves had abandoned their branches long ago, falling to the ground in heaps of browns and tans, the grass drying out to become gray and bare. The sun no longer shined of warm yellow hues, becoming dull as it grew closer to the new year.
And as most families do around this time of year, the Sohma family began cleaning up the house. Deep cleaning the floors, fixing any holes in the shoji doors, wiping down the window panes till there spotless; all of this was done in time for the new year, hence why it was called New Year's cleaning.
Megumi shuddered as she helped Tohru clean up the patio, gliding towels over its floorboards to sanitize the rich brown wood. In only a sweater and shorts, she seemed motivated to complete the task as fast as she could to escape the freezing cold that was seeping into her bones.
While Megumi was near brooding, a pout evident on her normally placid face, Tohru seemed to radiate contentment. Her pale pink lips pulled into a cheerful smile as she excitedly ran from one place to another. Small giggles escaping her lips as Megumi constantly complained about how unbearable the cold weather was.
"T-Tohru, how are you-you not freezing?" She complained, stuttering from the cold. "You're showing more skin th-than I am and-and I-I feel like an ic-icicle."
"Maybe if you actually got a jacket, you wouldn't be so cold." Kyo taunted from where he stood near Yuki, both stuck fixing the shoji doors he had broken once again.
"N-No one ask-asked y-your opinion." The blonde deadpanned. "If I kn-knew I w-was go-going to need a- a jacket, I would've brought o-one, idiot." She sighed, mumbling the last word under her breath.
"Wow, I forgot how irritating you get around this time of year." Kyo turned and retaliated, his left eye twitching in aggravation.
Tohru, whose head was bouncing between the two as they bantered, like trying to keep up with a ball during a tennis match, had a perplexed look in her honey eyes. Almost like she was mulling something over or something was being heavily debated in her mind. Fortunately for her, no one noticed. Too busy paying attention to the bickering duo.
The brunette shook her head, her ponytail swishing behind her, fixing the solemn expression on her face with her signature smile. "Megumi, you can go inside if you're cold. I don't mind finishing up on my own."
Megumi turned, instantly erasing all signs of irritation off her face and replacing it with a gentle smile. "No, it's f-fine I don-don't mind. I'd feel ba-bad if I-I left you a-alone."
"You sure? I really don't mind!"
Megumi nodded, chuckling. "Yes, I'm sure."
Kyo turns to Yuki, who had stayed quiet during the entire conversation, with a mocking glint in his amber eyes. "Sounds like you aren't the only one she has a soft spot for anymore, rat boy."
