Chapter 1: Head Over Feet

I had no choice but to hear you/You treat me like I'm a princess/I'm not used to liking that/You ask how my day was/You've already won me over in spite of me/Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet/Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are/I couldn't help it/It's all your fault/You're so much braver than I gave you credit for/You are the bearer of unconditional things/You held your breath and the door for me/Thanks for your patience/You're the best listener that I've ever met/You're my best friend/What took me so long/I've never wanted something rational/It's all your fault Head Over Feet, by Alanis Morisette

All his life, he'd never known anyone like Machi.

All his life, people had had him figured out long before he did.

All his life, people had been helping him to understand things, to stand on his own two feet.

Now it was his turn.

It was his chance to help someone else—someone who was struggling just like he was. It was his turn to be the bearer of ultimate wisdom, to impart deep and meaningful advice and life-lessons through simple kind acts and words and be viewed as a hero, an idol; it was his turn to be loved for it.

Just as Honda-san had done for him, he would do for Machi.

But Yuki was a little—well, a lot—more selfish than Honda-san, so he was doing it for all the wrong reasons. He was doing it because he loved seeing Machi blush red when he touched her or smiled at her or performed some other heroic act that simultaneously saved Machi and made her adore him even more. And he loved getting reactions from her—whether she cried or yelled or beat him, at least it was emotion.

He really loved getting her to smile.

But again, it was all for purely selfish reasons, like experiencing the warm, tight feeling in his chest that he did when she spoke to him, or like when his heart did giddy flip-flops whenever she touched him, accidentally or otherwise, or like how sometimes, when she wore a shorter skirt than usual to school, it made him think of doing very naughty things with her on the desks, the floor, the sinks in boys' bathroom, up against the wall...sometimes the daydreams were so vivid that he had to run his head under cold water for a few minutes until his blood stopped flowing south.

Those were all new things for Yuki to experience, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He was only looking out for Machi and talking with Machi and helping Machi clean stuff (her room, the school, whatever messes she made), and making footprints in the snow with Machi and breaking chalk with Machi and bringing leaves back from Kyoto for Machi because he liked the way her reactions and feelings and blushes and smiles made him feel, which was giddy and warm and sometimes rather turned on. He didn't think about why he felt those things—he just knew he liked it because it was new and fresh and wondrous.

So he really wasn't like Honda-san at all. Her reasons were pure and selfless: she did what she did because she loved Yuki and wanted him to live and grow and love in turn and be able to do it without suffering, which is why she was able to break the curse. It wasn't only Yuki though—she loved all the Juunishi. But especially Yuki.

And especially Kyo.

They were officially a 'couple' now, Kyo and Tohru; went everywhere together, acted like sappy love struck fools, were all over each other when they thought no one was around etc etc. Yuki was getting rather tired of it, truth be told, but Kyo and Tohru were just getting started.

Point is, Honda-san broke the curse through her love for everyone. And she helps people because she loves them, not because she wants them to love her. She's very kind.

Yuki isn't kind. It's like giving candy to a person in order to buy their friendship. Yuki is acting through pure selfishness, which isn't Honda-san at all.

He isn't doing it because he loves Machi or anything. Nothing like that.

Definitely not. Yuki was absolutely sure.

Coming out of my cage I been doing just fine/gotta gotta be down because I want it all/It started out with a kiss/how did it end up like this/It was only a kiss/Now they're going to bed and/my stomach is sick/and it's all in my head but/she's touching his chest now/he takes off her dress now/let me go/I just can't look it's killing me/and taking control/Jealousy turning saints into the sea/turning her sick lullabies/choking on your alibis/but its just the price I pay/destiny is calling me/open up my eager eyes/I'm Mr. Brightside...

Mr. Brightside, by the Killers

Somehow though, when he turned the corner to go into the courtyard at school and saw Machi being pressed up against the wall by Haru, with her legs locked around his waist and their mouths desperately seeking each other as their hands groped eagerly for exposed skin, he felt like he had been punched in the gut and was going to be sick.

Unfortunately, that feeling was all too familiar.

What was new, however, was the desire to beat something—namely, Haru—until it was blue, bloody, and raw. Well, that wasn't entirely new. He'd wanted to beat Kyo senseless when they were twelve because Kyo had ruined his favorite sweater by throwing mud on it. He'd felt rage beyond comprehension then.

But never before had that anger been directed at Haru. He liked Haru. Haru was his favorite relative by far. Haru was his friend. Haru cared about him. Haru helped him learn to stand on his own feet.

Yuki tried to remember that as his feet walked him over to where Haru—the traitorous bastard—was sliding a hand up his Machi's skirt.

His. Yuki's. Not Haru's.

He realized, in the instant before his fist connected with the side of Haru's face, that Haru probably had a very sensible, thoughtful, and reasonable explanation as to why he had contributed to the overall destruction of Yuki's heart by engaging in a very passionate make-out session with Machi, but then again Yuki was far too angry to listen to it and it wouldn't matter anyway because he didn't love Machi anyway.

His punch sent Haru sprawling, but it appeared that it didn't hurt as much as surprise him, because he was back on his feet again a second later, howling mad and fully Black.

Good. Yuki was in the mood for a fight, and Black Haru was the perfect opponent.

Actually beating on Kyo had always more satisfying, but Kyo was off making out with Tohru somewhere (which, although disgusting and rather annoying and not something Yuki cared to see or hear or even think about for long periods of time, did not make him feel like ripping Kyo's skin off and then sewing him back into it, as he now felt towards Haru), and thus both unavailable and not the current object of Yuki's wrath.

Haru charged, snorting like a wounded bull. Yuki wouldn't have been surprised to see his eyes flash red and steam pour out his ears.

None of it mattered. Yuki snapped a leg out, catching Haru in the chest. It stopped him, long enough for Yuki to sink his fist into Haru's stomach.

Haru choked and wheezed for a few minutes, doubled over. Machi took the opportunity to run for help.

Haru stood up straight and faced Yuki. "What's the matter, Yun-Yun?" he taunted. "Wanted her all for yourse—"

He didn't get to finish, as another of Yuki's fists smashed into his jaw. He reeled backwards, seeing stars, but remembered his training enough to duck as Yuki swung another wild punch at his head. Haru's leg shot out and caught Yuki right above his knee, hard.

Yuki's leg buckled but he staggered back until he recovered. Haru wiped some blood off his lip and spoke again.

"Yeah, she's hot, that Kuragi. Did you know that when you touch her right there"—he mimed some sort of rude gesture in the air—"she moans just right?"

Yuki was aware that he made some sort of strange growling noise deep in his throat. Haru ignored him and went on.

"Yeah, she's hot. If you hadn't interrupted us, who knows how far we would have gone."

An image of Machi having her clothes torn off by some sort of demon-possessed Haru came into his head unwillingly and Yuki saw red. He lunged for Haru before it was really gone, and didn't see the people who had gathered in the courtyard.

The next thing he saw was sky, then ground, as someone—Kakeru, he realized a second later—tackled him from the side, sending them both crashing to the ground.

Author's Notes: I'm only posting this for the hell of it. This is my first attempt at an actual ongoing chapter fic—a continuing story that is NOT AN ONESHOT nor a collection of drabbles etc. There are two or three more chapters coming up. I chose a song lyric type style thing, with the lyrics at the beginning and the end and the title of the story and the chapter titles being song titles yadda yadda you get it...anyway, I'm trying it out so bear with me. I'm also not entirely pleased with the title of the overall story.

The Kyo/Tohru stuff in there was purely for my own enjoyment...ah, blissful teenage hormones...hey, a fangirl can dream, can't she! And with the curse...I just wanted to let you know it was broken. My story makes more sense that way. (Besides, it is my secret hope that Fruits Basket will turn out that way...heh heh.) Also—don't complain about Yuki being perverted. He's a guy. Guys are perverted whether they once turned into a rat or not. Alrighty then, just clicky the button and review away!