Like a Switch [Fruits Basket]

Chapter 35

Like a Switch
Chapter Thirty-five

True to his word, Shigure was at your door thirty minutes later. You barely had time to scrub down before he got to your door. Which meant that you hastily had to pull on a bathrobe when there was a knock on your door. Your wet hair hung down your back as you opened the door to see Shigure. He'd been running; at least in part. Even through the slight opening you noticed that he seemed winded. His hair was a little frazzled and his chest was heaving despite the fact that he was trying desperately not to do that. It was a good look on him. And it was one that made you bite your lower lip too. Guilt might have been the largest part upon seeing that he had exerted so much energy for you but it wasn't the only emotion running through your head.

You opened the door more to let him in as you stood behind it. As Shigure walked in you shuffled your feet as you tried to work through the guilt and embarrassment. It only got a little harder when he saw your state of dress. Or undress as it were. You hadn't had time to do both a thorough scrubbing down and get dressed before he arrived. Though judging by the look in his eyes, you'd have to assume that Shigure didn't mind that in the least.

"I got here as soon as I could," Shigure explained and slowly took a deep breath.

"Thank you but...you shouldn't have gone to all that trouble. I told you, it wasn't important," you said quietly.

You were really trying to think of what to say or do to get passed the impasse. What were you supposed to do or say after the start of a night like you'd just had? It couldn't be everyday that someone was magic-roofied because of a curse and had rather rough sex in the alleyway following said magical aphrodisiac. Less often when it was a minor that had been the afflicted party no doubt. How did you go about revealing any of that to Shigure? Should you even try? Would it be better if you kept that or just didn't say anything?

"You will always be important," Shigure said in a very calm, matter of fact voice.

The silence weighed in for a little bit longer. You finally realized that you could have been taking the awkward time to get dressed. With a mumbled apology you moved over to the cubicle where you stored your clothes. You selected something to wear about that was a bit more modest than the kinds of clothing you wore to work. And even though you moved back into the humid bathroom silently, you could feel Shigure's eyes speaking a thousand words.

It wasn't until you were back out and dressed that Shigure mercifully broke the silence. "What happened with work? You usually work today at this time don't you?"

You offered him a seat on the couch with your hands as you spoke out. "Yes. But something happened with Yuki that made me decide to come home early. It's why I called - I was concerned he'd do something stupid. Today isn't...an easy day for him."

Somehow you didn't think there were many easy days for those under the curse. You might have been a part of it but you would never know their burden. You had your own of course but it seemed to pale in comparison of theirs.

"Oh don't worry about him. He's a very emotional child. I'm sure he'll be just fine tomorrow," Shigure's levity continues with an easy smile.

You sat down next to him. It was a small couch, a loveseat really. So even sitting as far as you could to the side with the way that you sat, your knees touched the side of his leg. He turned his body more towards you as well which put his own knees into contact with yours. And then he subtly moved his legs so that one of his knees were between yours and vice versa. Not that his legs had really been held that close together so it wasn't like you were being squeezed at all. But it would make it a little bit easier to scoot in closer faster. You pretended not to notice that.