Snippet #1732214

Tarou looked up at the screech of tires in the driveway, raising his eyebrow slightly. He completely ignored the falsely cheerful banter being tossed back and forth by Nori and Kichirou. They were both too absorbed in their petty rivalry to notice what they were hearing, but that did not matter to Tarou. They could bicker all they wanted. He had heard the car pull in...
And then away again.

He frowned. It would have been normal for the social workers to come in and make sure this new girl was settled, but he knew why they fled. Their house was outside the Sohma estate, but it was also close to the border of it. Much too close. Even normal people who knew nothing of Riko's godliness were aware of the fact that he was dangerous, and would want absolutely nothing to do with him, or for that matter with the whole of the Sohma family. It was nothing remarkable that the social workers had dropped her and fled.

That did not change the fact that it was remarkably cruel of them.

The voices behind him rose in volume then, breaking into his consciousness. Tarou whipped around, eyes flashing slightly.
"Kichi-kun, Nori-kun, be still," he commanded, and it was only the sudden sharpness of the calm man's tone that cut the argument off. Not even Riko could get those two to stop once they really got going. "Our guest has arrived."

Kichirou hissed quietly, remarkably like a cat, and turned his face away from the door, staring at a wall in childish determination. Tarou knew of the boy's misplaced hatred of women. He understood Kichirou's logic; they're dangerous. If I can't love them, I have to hate them, or I'll be tempted to love them all the same. Tarou had gone through that phase, himself, back when he lived away from the Sohma estate, with his parents and unaware of Riko. Back when he thought he was the only man in the world who became an animal when a woman; even his mother; hugged him.
Back before he met Riko, lost his family, and became wiser to the ways of the zodiac curse.

"We should go greet her," Nori murmured, always faster to come down off the high of his own anger. He spoke with quiet composure, eyes even an impossible to read. That mysterious politeness had made him remarkably popular at his school. 'The Prince', they called him for it. Forever fawned after, forever out of reach. Ruling over the student body with his quiet grace and kindness.

Tarou just thought it was remarkably sad. But as usual, he said nothing, shifting to his feet and walking silently to the door. He slid it open, looking down upon the pink-haired girl who had come so suddenly into their house and lives.

"Hello," he murmured, giving the girl a very small, quiet smile. "You must be Nanami-chan."