Yay!!! My 2nd Furuba fic!!!! ::Happy dance:: this is just a bit of fluff that's ben floating around in my head lately. Hope you enjoy!!!

Okaeri, Hime (Welcome home, Princess

He couldn't deny she was beautiful. Because she was, and in more ways than one. She was kind and generous. She never complained, never whined. She gave selflessly and unconditionally. There was just something about her, and it went beyond her beauty, breathtaking as it was. Yes there's definately something different about that girl, he thought decidedly. A small grin played across his lips and he watched her hang clothes in the backyard near his "Secret Base." A small wind whispered by, toying with her long auburn hair, and teasing his eyes as it ruffled her skirt. She turned and his breath caught at the mere sight of her.

"Sohma-kun? Is there something you need?" she asked him as he stared.

That's Tohru, he thought. Doesn't she ever think about herself?

"Sohma-kun?"

He started. "Uh, no, nothing really. I was wondering if you might need help. Its a little breezy outside today."

"Oh! Well if you'd like, I don't want to trouble you at..."

He silenced her with one of his smiles and began picking clothes from the basket and hanging them on the line. After a moment, she did the same. It was quiet for a time, save for Tohru's gentle humming, and the two worked dilegently. He snuck glances at her from time to time, his grin widening at her gentle smile.

"Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about Sohma-kun?" she asked him.

"No, really. I...I'm just glad you're home." he said, flushing slightly.

Her cheeks grew pink. "I'm glad to be home." She loved how the word flowed off her tongue. Home. It was hard to believe she'd almost lost it. She was happy when Yuki came into her grandfather's house.

'I think its time you...came home.'

She was sure her heart would burst with joy as she walked hand-in-hand with him and Kyou-kun.

"Sohma-kun...I never got to thank you for coming to find me...I..."

He silenced her again. "Honda-san, please, don't thank me. We were miserable without you. Truth be told, it felt...wrong without you here. It was lonely, even the Baka Neko was upset, and if he misses you, that says something."

Her mind flashed back to what the Neko had said...

'I don't even know why I'm doing this. Why did I get so irritated the moment you left? I couldn't figure out why, so I got even more annoyed...'

Her eyes shone with tears. "I was lonely too," she whispered.

He looked at her, his eyes soft with concern, but that melted away into one of his gentle smiles, the kind only she could bring out of him, his emotional barrier suffering another crack, and in that moment, he found that he was falling in love with this girl. He brushed a hand over her eyes, wiping away the threat of unshed tears."Well," he said. "You don't have to worry about being lonely anymore."

'Its not much of a home, but if you'll take it Tohru-kun, its yours...'
'Yes!'

"And neither do you, Sohma-kun." she answered softly. They smiled at each other.

From the door Shigure watched them with a small smile. Okaeri, Hime... he thought.

Well, how's that? I know that there are four volumes of manga out, and that there are 26 episodes, but I only have volume one of the manga!! ::sniffle:: But I'm trying my hardest and at the end of the week I'm going to buy more volumes, b/c I get paid. WOOHOO!!! So this is my second Furuba fic, check out my first one, titled "Laundry". Anyway, thanks for reading, and if you wouldn't mind, could you drop me a review? I'd be most grateful.
Ja ne!
-me