Disclaimer: Fruits Baskets does not belong to me, though I would really LOVE it if it did. ^_^'

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NOTE: If you haven't read the perquel, "White As Snow", I would suggest you do so. I mean, you might not get some stuff, you know? ^_^'

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Title: Black as Night

Sequel to "White As Snow"

Author: Lady Geuna

Rating: PG-13 - for boyxboy... stuff.

Pairings: -- Haru/Kyou, one-sided Shigure/Hatori!?? 0_o' Hints of two-sided Hatori/Tohru and Shigure/Ayame (cackles)

Genre: Drama/Humor/General

Full Summary: Sequel to "White As Snow" After the events of that snow day a week ago, Kyou finds himself very confused, White Haru finds himself in love, and Black Haru isn't willing to hold back from taking what he wants. While Kyou is uncomfortable at the thought of Haru's affections, Haru is more than willing to hold himself back for fear of loosing their newly found and constantly deepening friendship. But then, Shigure decides to step in and give the seemingly undeceive and nervous Haru nudge. And this leads to... WHAT!?

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Thank you so much for the reviews I got for "White As Snow". I got a better response than I thought I would for the Haru/Kyou pairing, which I have to say is my favorite yaoi pairing of all time. Mainly because it becomes so believe (at least in Haru's part) if done right (I hope I'm doing it right...).

So... You wanted the sequel? You wanted yaoiness? Okay, I'll give you sequel, and yaoiness (sticks out tongue) (evil grin) But sorry, no smut. I don't really DO smut, actually, but you'll have to wait for.... well, you know. (blush)

I'm working for a plot here, and when it comes to Kyou and love, it's basically like working with a live bomb.

Do we want our lovely little red headed neko to go "boom"? No? I didn't think so...

Read and Review! ^__~

Geuna~

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Black As Pitch: "Passion In Sparring"

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"Suffering leads to grace. There is one's idea of "self" and one's "perception of self." Some have a very fuzzy idea of themselves; they don't know what they see. Some see many flaws in themselves, and thus this leads to a low opinion of his/herself, which can be very painful and hard for a person. This also leads them to believe they are alienated from the rest of the world.

"I, however, believed that this gap between self (the individual) and perception of self (the group) could be bridged through the power of love.

"This can be on many different levels, from family, to friendship, to marriage, etc. Through love, there is happiness, and the destruction of pain and suffering brought on by alienation."

James Baldwin, 1924-1948

(From the book Kyou was reading in "White As Snow"...)

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It had been a week since Haru and Kyou had spoken that snowy day. Kyou, strangely, found himself thinking about that day over and over again... He wasn't really sure how Haru had responded exactly, by kissing him. It was innocent, anyway, a peck on the cheek, right? There's no reason to freak out about something like that, much less from a BOY. He knew Haru liked boys, he loved Yuki after all (sneer).

But since that day Kyou was missing something... it had something to do with Haru, he at least could figure that. He finished reading his book, he's gone back to school, taken the test, got a good score...but in that whole time he never saw Haru... Now and then he would see him in the halls, maybe run into him, but no more than a few words would be exchanged between them. Hell, just to see what would happen Kyou stays close to Yuki, he ALWAYS saw Haru follow the mouse around, but for some reason he never came. And a good stalker's always consistent.

Tohru saw him, though. She said he and Momiji were off hanging together elsewhere during their lunch breaks and all...

So, Haru pops up one day, they become friends, and then he's gone.

Just like that.

And dammit, why did he CARE!? Why!? He was just a stupid cow! Maybe he regretted ever talking to Kyou, and that wouldn't be a big surprise. No one had voluntarily done anything for Kyou besides Kazuma and Tohru...

But it wouldn't get to him, of course it wouldn't! Kyou would just ignore it and all would be well in the world again.

That was until one day... when Haru decided to make another surprise visit...

He found out that day that maybe there was more to Haru's actions than he thought.

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Only moment after the doorbell rang Kyou heard a voice sound from somewhere in the house. "I'll get it!" In response to the doorbell Kyou could hear Tohru bouncing from the kitchen, her feet lightly hitting the floor as she went. He heard the front door being flung open, then... "Hatsuharu-san…"

In was faint, very faint, but Kyou heard that name, and he froze, back straight, chopsticks dangling from his mouth as his hand went rigid and his jaw snapped shut.

"Kobannwa."

"Oh, I wasn't expecting you! We were about to sit down for dinner. Would you like to join us, I made plenty to eat."

Yuki's head was up now, and he and Kyou caught each other's eye for a moment before they both looked away in disgust. But they were thinking along the same lines, while Shigure seemed blissfully unaware. Why was Haru here?

"I came here for training, Tohru."

With that he walked past her, eyes searching for a certain someone… though he had no idea of where to go… Sometimes he really needed that sense of direction he always lacked. How was he supposed to find him...?

Tohru followed after Haru carefully, mulling over what he had said. Did he say something wrong...? "Train…?" Then it seemed to hit her. "Ah! You came for a martial arts lesson, didn't you? Sohma-kun should be down-"

"No," Haru interrupted a little bit more quickly then he had meant to, "I didn't come here for Yuki, I came here for Kyou."

The only response Tohru managed to make was a quiet, "oh…."

Luckily she led them through the house and into the eating room, and after his eyes quickly swept over the room he found exactly who he was looking for. He couldn't help but feel a little excited about seeing him. This last week felt longer than a month, but he needed some time to think. He'd done enough thinking, now it was time to do something...

Kyou looked up from his bowl, eyebrows raised curiously. He looked casual, almost too casual... though somehow he got the feeling that Kyou was actually nervous about something. This worried Haru... a little... What could he possibly be nervous about? Haru stood at attention when Kyou spoke directly to him. "Haru? What are you doing here?" Oh he was suspicious... definitely suspicious.

He stood where, smiling down at Kyou. "It's good to see you, Kyou, it's been a while."

"Er... yeah..." Kyou frowned and scratched the back of his head.

Shigure smiled up at Haru. "Kobannwa, Haru-kun! I didn't know Kyou-kun invited you over."

"I didn't-"

"It's good to see Kyou have company for once! And a good thing, too, he's been like a zombie for the last couple of days!" ^__^

Kyou shot Shigure a look before snapping his head toward Haru again, fuming though trying to hold it in. "Well... don't just stand there, take a seat!"

Haru took the opportunity to sit down at the low table were there was enough space for him, across from Kyou. The redhead looked at him oddly the whole while, almost suspiciously, silently voicing his earlier question, so Haru decided to give an answer. "Kyou, I thought we could train today."

To this, Kyou's mood changed from that of nervous to annoyed, giving an exasperated growl. "Fine, I'll fight you. But I'll tell you now, the weather is damn nasty, and we're waiting 'til after we eat, and-"

"I don't want to fight you," Haru corrected him carefully, "I would like your instruction."

"Oh..." There was a moments pause and.... and everyone seemed to be watching them like a tennis match. How odd. "Then what about Yuki?"

Yuki, with a curious expression on his pretty face, spoke up then. "I would be happy to help you, Haru, that is-"

"No, I want Kyou to do it."

It was a polite decline, but by the way everyone reacted you would've thought Haru slapped the boy in the face. Tohru looked somewhat confused, while Yuki and Shigure looked shocked…. Unnerved, even. But it was Kyou who began to fidget, and the instant Haru made his declaration, an almost unnoticeable blush that began staining his face.

What a strange reaction... if can't be that odd, after all, choosing Kyou before Yuki... (A/N: (snorts) Baka oushi desu...)

Haru simply smiled, though, watching Kyou's flushing face before curtly turning to Tohru. "Pass the rice and vegetables, onegai (please)?"

Haru was acting weird… He was acting strange… Hell, he was acting down right creepy.

There were a lot of differences he'd been noting about Haru recently (even though the idiot had practically been non-existent...). In a little under a week it all changed. Maybe it was that smile... Yeah, THAT smile, the one only given to Yuki. Sometimes, in those moments he would actually catch sight of Haru at school, when their eyes would meet Haru would smile... Smile in that cute-no-no, NOT cute-GOOFY, way. Yes, goofy and WEIRD! And the way he was always staring...

'Oh, shit, I'm staring now!'

Kyou quickly averted his eyes to the table. The others (besides maybe Yuki) hadn't noticed. They were all focusing on the meals again. Kyou followed in suite, trying to ignore Haru's presence, though finding that very hard to do, because every now and then Kyou got the feeling that someone was watching him… and then Kyou would look up to see that Haru had already looked down. But the oushi HAD been watching him. There was faint color on the other boy's pale cheeks...

What was going through that cow's head? He was acting shy... almost girlishly so... Well, not as far as being a "girl", really, but he was acting like... like... ..... noooo, couldn't be that... Had Kyou been a very cruel person I would be laughing at Haru's expense, but something about the oushi's behavior... something told him that he should be taking it very lightly.

But WHY... okay, they had a "moment". What Kyou would consider a friendly, intimate moment, even, like the ones he used to have with Tohru whenever they found themselves alone on the roof or alone in the halls at school. Heck, he STILL had those moments now a days! But they were still friendly moments! Only friends! Just friends!

Then why did it feel like the very atmosphere around him had changed? Especially with Haru in the room... It was different. Somehow very familiar, but at the same time uncomfortably different, and Kyou really wanted that feeling to go away.

"Kyou-kun."

"GAH!" At the sound of Haru's voice he nearly had a heart attack, his rice bowl crashing to the table surface, but luckily it didn't shatter, though his rice scattered in clumps. "What!?"

Haru let out a small, light laugh. "Dinner is over, can we practice now?"

'What...? Dinner was OVER!?' Looking around he saw that the table had been cleared away, save for the mess he just made with his rice. When did that happen!? How long had he been thinking!?

"Baka neko," Yuki said from the doorway rolling his eyes at Kyou's antics. "Now Honda-san has more work to do thanks to you. I didn't even realize you were so capable of deep thought, though that was ridiculous."

Kyo hissed, fists clinching. A second later the only thing keeping him for flinging himself at Yuki was Haru dragging him through the opposite door. "Kuso nezumi (You damn mouse)!!!"

Tohru, hearing the commotion, came back into the room wearing a red apron with a yellow chick on the front and pink ruffles at the sleeves (Ayame had given it to her for Christmas and she'd fallen in love with it). "Oh dear," she exclaimed, hurrying over to the table to clean up the mess Kyou had made. The fact that she was so willing to do these things for the Sohma's without even one complaint made Kyou feel guilty and useless... "Don't worry, Kyou-kun, I'll clean this, you go out with Haru!"

'Go out with Haru...?'

Why did that phrase nearly give him another heart attack? DID TOHRU EVER CONSIDER WHAT SHE SAYING!?

At a lose of what else to say, he screamed out as Haru dragged him through the door, "I'LL GET YOU LATER, KUSO NEZUMI!" He glared back at Haru, angrily detaching his hand from Kyou's shirt collar. "What are you doing!?"

"I don't want you to fight with Yuki right now. Come on, let's put our shoes on."

And he headed toward the front mat without another glance, unfazed by Kyou's rage..... or course since Haru was the one leading them, they first ended up going through Shigure's study, the kitchen, before it was Kyou's turn to drag Haru along in the right direction. Why he even allowed himself to follow Haru was beyond him, but it only made him more agitated.

While it took Kyou a few seconds to tug on his own shoes, it took Haru about five minutes to finally get his damn shoes on (A/N: (meaningfully looks at Kat and her twenty-eye Doc boots)). This whole time neither of them said a word, and in truth Kyou didn't know what to say. He didn't know why he had agreed to do anything at all....

Waitaminute... now that Kyou thought of it, he hadn't said a word for or against "training", as Haru said. Kyou had a sneaking suspicion that was just another fancy term for Black Haru trying to beat the crap out of him. In the past two years, including New Years of 2000 (Hatori's year). At the last New Years Black Haru never got a chance to challenge him...

/Haru gave a light groan, looking up.

And winked saucily.

"Afraid that requires a blow to the head," and as though to punctuate that point, Haru was sure to kitten-lick and nip at the tip of Kyou's nose, grinning, "Koneko-chan."/

Growling to himself and stuffing his hands in his pockets Kyou followed Haru outside, glaring down at his feet, shaking that memory off. No need to start remembering all that. Black Haru always had been a pervert...

It was well after 7 p.m., and the sun was already half setting in the sky. The horizon was stained red and purple though the rest of the sky was black, clear of clouds.

The ground around them was covered with snow. Another storm had come through the day before though the snow had yet to melt. Kyou and Yuki had shoveled out a large portion of the front yard, though, up to the trees, so the snow there was only about an inch high now.

But it was dark, and. it. was. FREEZING!

Kyou by now was hopping from one foot to the other, rubbing his black sweater-clad arms hard up and down. Sure, maybe the house didn't have central heating, but it was a lot warmer in there! This was ridiculous! "Why'd you have to pick a time like this, huh!? Why not at school or something, someplace with a little heat, you know? Detention's better than freezing to death!"

Haru stood there in all his black and white glory, and while he blatantly ignored him, Kyou took in Haru's appearance. His white trench coat (which he hadn't bothered to take off during dinner) had changed within the past few years. The collar fitted to his neck and a black turtleneck could just barely be seen underneath. The pants here the same, too, the pleather worn over the years, but his boots seemed a little higher, his ears were pierced a few more times. Basically, it was a subtle, almost unnoticeable change, like his height (he was probably as tall as Kyou now)... but still, Kyou wondered why he'd never noticed...

Haru was presently removing his biker gloves from his pocket and putting them on, then went on to remove his jacket, revealing the rest of his long sleeve (and notably skin tight) shirt beneath.

He felt really... plain standing with Haru, but hell, Kyou wasn't one for being that "flashy". His horrible red hair already stood out enough on it's own.

"How did your literature test go, Kyou-kun?"

Kyou wondered what the hell Haru was talking about, but then it dawned on him. "Oh... I got a perfect score... for the most part."

Haru smiled. THAT smile! "I'm glad. You finally got around to finishing the book, then. I told you you'd have plenty of time if you just slept... took a cat nap..."

Kyou rolled his eyes. Haru was moving on to some pointless topics that were totally unrelated to what they were doing, AND making fun of him! "Look, why did you come over in the first place? I can't even "teach" you don't already know. We had the same master, anyways. And why not ask Yuki, anyway? After all he so much better then me." Kyou couldn't keep the scorn from his own voice or the scowl off his face, his teeth clinched.

Haru only threw his coat over onto the front walk before heading out to where the snow had been cleared. It had melted slighting in the sunlight but froze over again at sunset. It crunched under Haru's boots, though it didn't seen to interfere with the way he walked. "You've been telling me for years that I've been doing it all wrong."

"Doing which wrong?"

Haru glanced back over his shoulder at him before turning the rest of his body to face him fully. "That what I'm here to find out. You're going to tell me what Shihan didn't, what you've been accusing me of the whole time (1)."

Okay... so Kyou was a bit harsh when they were young... Okay, maybe he was just as harsh now, but it's not like he'd done it to pummel Haru's ego into in-existence. When it came to fighting Kyou had very high standards and his own way of doing things. When he saw something he didn't like he would say it outright... But now he was feeling sort of guilty about it. Wait... GUILT!?!? Urgh, it was gonna eat away at his SOUL! First Tohru always making him feel guilty, then HARU.

Haru's smiled once again, though this time it was devilish... "That is of course unless you don't think you're up for the task, Kyou-kun."

Kyou straightened, eyes narrowing. Haru had just found Kyou's little read button, and the neko stalked up until he was in Haru's face, speaking through clinched teeth, eyes flashing and his chin held high. "Is that a challenge, Haru?"

Haru shrugged, smirking without batting an eye at Kyou's advance. "Only if you want it be. Let's see if you have what it takes, ne?"

A challenge.

Kyou couldn't step down from a challenge after all. It was wrong! Cowardly! And far too tempting. It'd been a while since he'd had a good fight, as in martial arts, one-on-one, keep sparring until one or the other falls over from sheer exhaustion. The thought was rapidly becoming very enticing in his mind...

"Are you ready," Haru asked, getting into a starting position, the smirk never leaving his face as he made a challenging gesture with his hand, beckoning with his index finger.

"You know I am," Kyou announced, grinning viciously as he took up his own fighting stance.

And with an unspoken signal they both began. The first move made was by Kyou, who aimed a high kick toward Haru's head. Haru dodged easily, sweeping forward and under so they both passed each other at the shoulder. Haru swung his arm up and back, trying to connect with Kyou's back at the pass, but Kyou sensed the movement and did a similar movement as Haru had earlier, diving forward and rolling head over heels until he was on his feet again. He and Haru then rushed at each other.

Punch-duck-duck-punch-punch-kick....

They each had their own variation of fighting, though they both had the same master, Kazuma. Kyou's Shishou had always had that one should always find what is more natural for themselves, and not mimic another's movements. They must make that style their own. They all had.

Dodge-parry-swing-punch-kick....

Yuki, Kyou knew, had made his own style seem very relaxed, fluid. It made Kyou even angrier when they fought. And unlike Kyou and Haru, Yuki hardly needed any time to raise to the defense, and usually kept his arms at his sides until 'that' moment came. Wand when he fought, it was the only time Yuki ever showed real anger to anyone. Maybe it was a way of letting out pent-up energy, but Kyou liked that Yuki better...

"You aren't trying hard enough," Kyou taunted, aiming another kick that was this time blocked by Haru's arms. Haru was supposed to follow through and use Kyou's position to his advantage, knock Kyou off his feet, but instead he dodged to the side and let Kyou's leg fall back to the ground. "Come on, you can do better than that!"

"I'm trying!" He aimed another kick this time at Kyou's leg, but Kyou again dodge easily.

"No you're not! You're holding back on me!" He let out a loud cry and threw himself full-force into the match.

Kick-dodge-block-block-dodge...

Kyou himself fought with as much power and strength as he could muster, careful not to spend it all at once. In the heat of battle he had a problem with losing himself, getting himself carried away, and he would find himself suddenly and unexpectedly exhausted at the worst possible moment. He didn't like to think while he fought, and this is was one reason why he always lost to Yuki, among other things...

Sing-kick-kick-dodge-parry-punch-kick-punch...

Though he found himself thinking now...

"You're not focusing!"

"Right."

"Then focus!"

"Right!"

"Yeah right! Your Black mode can do better, let's see you do the same! Or what? Do you need him to always do your dirty work for you!?"

Haru's face screwed up with determination, but when Kyou's faked left and Haru went right, he easily knocked the oushi off his feet. Haru landed hard on him back, coughing hard and his heavy breath appearing as huge puffs of steam in the chilled air.

The other boy was getting angry, Kyou could tell. Whether it was because of being angry with Kyou or himself, he didn't know. And Haru looked mystified when Kyou held a hand out to him.

/Kyou stared for a few more seconds… then held out his hand.

A sign of peace...

Haru looked at the pre-offered hand for a moment before taking it.

And pulling Kyou toward him so he could peck him on the cheek, and the brushing of something else that Kyou couldn't identify, but... Haru pressed their cheeks together, Haru's skinning feel warn again his chilled flesh.

"Ja ne, Kyou-kun."/

He shivered at the memory, though still held his hand out to Haru. "Try again," Kyou said, his voice almost commanding. "Think before you make a move. Think. It doesn't take all day, just a split second then it's done. You're head's supposed to be clear, at peace, not busy with what your next more should be."

Kyou suddenly felt like he was in his Shishou's position.... Though Kyou himself hadn't really thought of following that instruction. He never kept a clear head while fighting Yuki, after all... Perhaps he and Haru should've meditated before this sparring?

And Haru got to his feet like Kyou said and they started again.

Haru, like Yuki, had a loose fighting style, though it varied between when he was White or Black. In both cases he kept his palms open, fingers un-tucked, casual. Like now while in White mode his movements where sometimes undeceive and spontaneous, as they should be. While "Black", however, Haru had a habit of using too much force, spending his energy at the wrong moments, and would become so careless that an opponent could easily read his next move.

"You're letting me read your moves too easily, come on! FOCUS!" His fist caught Haru's shoulder, sending the other boy stumbling. Haru didn't mind the pain, and in turn neither did Kyou.

Martial arts was release. It was freedom; WILD and exhilarating! Though Kyou wouldn't admit to it, this "good natured" match was making his heart race, blood pumping in his ears. Sweat was causing his shirt to stick to his body, and even out in the freezing cold his body felt over-heated and-he-LOVED-it. Kyou wondered if Haru was feeling the same thing.

He had lost track of how long they had been fighting, but Haru was slowly becoming better at both defense and offense began to break through Kyou's own defenses. He was surprised that Haru hadn't gone Black at any time, even when Kyou was taunting him before. Maybe Haru's skill wasn't as refined because he hadn't trained as long as Kyou (2). Or maybe he had been without real instruction for too long.

They were taking a short pause then, circling each other without making a move. Either had a choice as starting the match again, but for now they watched each other, gray and red trying to stare the other down, their breaths coming out as mist.

Kyou took the opportunity to take off his sweater, leaving him wearing a short sleeved shirt. The cold air felt wonderful against the bare skin of his arms. He flung the sweater carelessly into the snow and even during all this he and Haru never broke eye contact.

When that stare became too intense for Kyou to stand he didn't look away, but threw a punch toward Haru's chest, which was blocked and the match started once again.

"You know what Kyou?"

The cat heard him, but didn't pause, continuing the fight, but he suddenly felt tense, disconnected. "Nani?" His voice was breathless, as was Haru's, and Kyou choked as he blocked a punch with his arm, the blow sending a shock through his system. He moved back and gave himself a split second to shake it off before Haru was on him again, following through with the attack and catching Kyou in the gut. Once again the cat moved a short distance away to recover, this time cursing himself for screwing up, twice.

"I didn't come here for training," Haru said.

"Yeah?" He didn't know what gave him the impulse, but Kyou lunged forward, using his upper arm to barrel into Haru's midsection.

He hadn't intended on going down with him, though, and the two were soon tumbling down into the wet, snowy ground, both landing with two resounding grunts. Luckily for Kyou the fight didn't continue, and instead he went slack there on the wet dirt and grass, the snow rapidly becoming too cold and biting, his clothes getting socked. Snow was getting into his shoes, too, making his socks wet, and his cargo's were completely soaked through. His chest was on fire and his heart pounding at an almost painful rate, like he's just been running a marathon.

Haru hadn't moved at all since they had fallen and neither had Kyou, the cat's arm still draped harmlessly over Haru's torso from where he'd been tackled. From that position the Kyou could tell that Haru's chest was rising up and down rapidly, breaths almost rickety and uneven. Kyou became momentarily worried by the other boy's lack of motion and sat up to check.

A second after, though, Haru also decided to sit up, and Kyou found Haru's face close... too close...

And by the evidence of the expression on Haru's face, Kyou thought that he was looking at Black Haru. It looked like Black Haru, but he'd managed to stay White this whole time, why now? But at least he didn't seem to want to fight... maybe he just wanted to bitch and moan like last time... and that okay, as long as he didn't try pulling a fast one.

He totally forgot that Haru had meant to tell him something, but something else popped into Kyou's mind. Something he felt he should know... "Why'd you do that last time?"

"What last time," Haru asked, soundly oddly like Kyou had earlier. His face was flushed, and that reddish tone was quite possibly the only bit of color the cow possessed on his whole body.

"Last time," Kyou repeated, as thought that would clarify everything. He really didn't want to say it, but he knew he would have to. "When you left the house last time, you-you did that on the cheek, on my face." He remembered Haru kissing him there last time and... well, it was a shock, and something SO confusing, and up to that moment it actually dawned on Kyou that maybe IT, that kiss, was why he was thinking of Haru so much lately (KAMI-SAMA, how could he have been so STUPID not to figure that out until now!?). Kyou resisted the urgh to make a face and full as his hair in frustration.

Haru finally seemed to remember what Kyou was talking about and gave an almost playful smirk. "Actually, you just reminded me."

Kyou blinked rapidly a few times, confused. "Reminded you of what?"

"I told you I had something to tell you a second ago."

Kyou had totally forgotten that himself, but also forgot to berate Haru for changing the subject. "What?"

"I wanted to tell you," Haru said lightly, "that maybe you were right, about before, last week. Rin wasn't worth it at all."

Kyou blinked. Was Haru actually agreeing with him? BLACK Haru of all people!? "Oh...?"

"But I think you are, Kyou-kun."

"... Worth what?" Kyou, for the life of him, didn't get it. Though he did have his sneaking suspicions, he wouldn't allow himself to see the real meaning behind Haru's gestures, words and actions. Even later he would ask himself if he was just in denial or if he was just stupid, but Kyou was actually both in this case until reality decided to catch up with him.

Because in response to his question, Kyou's vision suddenly became filled with the pale yet harsh gray of Haru's eyes, feeling a soft pressure on his lips...

Kyou's nerves were shot. He went stiff and still, and Haru didn't seem to notice a thing as he placed a snow-cold, gloved hand on Kyou's shoulder. Kyou was having trouble registering any of this, the teeth on his lower lip, gray eyes slowly sliding closed, and...

'What was-oh Kami-sama, Haru was-that was a-slow-a tongue-'

"SHIT!"

The exclamation was mainly what got Haru's attention as his head snapped away from Kyou's, expression that of surprise.

Was he "White" again?

Did it matter?

What just happened!?

At the moment nothing mattered more than getting away, fast, and Kyou was on his feet and stalking toward the house, breaths still coming deep and heavy from all the previous physical exertion, muscles and body trembling from the cold.

His heart was pounding for a totally different reason.

Haru looked after him, though Kyou never looked back to see. He never stopped to think that it might have been White Haru that was kissing him all along.

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1) When they were young and Haru practiced, Kyou would tell him he was throwing his punches all wrong, and at other times would tell him his technique was off. That was one thing that always stuck with Haru and made him angry, and around the time that Haru went to face Yuki only to fall for him.

2) He spent HOW long in a mountain? Training? Beating up bears and standing under the force of a waterfall? Gawd.

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To be continued

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Next Time: Will Haru decide to pursue Kyou? Will he think it best to leave Kyou be? Or will he decide that being friends is best. Will Kyou want anything to do with him at all?

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(nods to self) There, there first part, done and posted. I hope you don't mind that I put a small section in Haru's POV. This is a multi-POV fic, though it's mostly Kyou. Next time will have a lot more of Haru's POV, though.

No Black Haru.... And though I LOVE Black Haru, it wouldn't be very realistic at the moment. But all in due time. -^__^- Haru really has NO idea what he's doing, I think... (scratches head) Yeah, I don't know what he'd doing either. Though, someone once said that with the best plots, even the author doesn't know what's gonna happen next... unless that's just writers block, but I don't have that, don't worry!

I'm REALLY looking forward to posting the next part. It's not what you think it's going to be, though, but I hope you'll like it. Here's one hint: If anyone thinks that Kyou and Haru are gonna end up getting together by their own devices then they're mistaken. Haru is clueless and Kyou is a walking spaz case. ^_^' That's what makes them so damn FUNNY! AND CUTE! (cuddles) For those of you who want it, we finally get to take a peek into Haru's head next time.

This fic won't stay so funny forever, I mean, I'm an angst lover, though you'll probably have to wait until "Red As Blood" for that. Those who were waiting for the club seen will have to wait for that. I expected to have that in this, but I ended up writing this part to bridge together the two events.

Hopefully the next part will be up soon, sorry for the cliffie (if you consider it such).

Tell me what you think. REVIEW! And for those of you who don't have an authors account or for those who do, if you want to be on a mailing list for the next part, just say so. If you ARE an author, I would still be thankful if you wrote your email in your review, it saves time. ^__~

Geuna~