Cat-like, Kyou crouched on the roof, waiting to pounce upon his intended prey. Like the cat that cursed him, he had a very definite grudge against the ray. Yuki was that rat, and Kyou wanted nothing more than to best him in a match. Every time that Kyou fought Yuki, he always lost. "How can he beat me? He is so slender that I could snap him in two," he grumbled to himself. Suddenly the red-haired man went ridged. "Of course! Why did I not see it before? He is like a willow branch; he is so slender and light that he can bend rather than break! He just dances away from all of my attacks, then breezes right in past my defense to strike a blow!" He grimaced at the thought, "and I just let him anger me until I no longer thing. Then he can take me out at his own leisure. How stupid I have been!" A soft hiss escaped his parted lips.
An hour went by, and there was still no sign of Yuki. Kyou felt his limited patience being pushed to the extreme. If he had a tail in this for, it would most assuredly be lashing back and forth with aggitation. It was all he could do to keep from pacing along the roof, like a cat at a window. He did get up and loosen his limbs, however, as he wanted to be completely ready when the rat finally did come. After that he forced himself to lie still again, least hi give himself away.
More time passed, and unbidden yawns fought to escape Kyou's mouth. He shook his head, wondering if Yuki ever would come. It would be his luck for Yuki to have decided not to come this way at all today. His eyes narrowed and anger burned brightly in them for a moment. He regained his composure and made himself focus. It was better to wait than to give up, just to have Yuki come by right after he had just left the roof.
He got up and stretched again. Just as he had finished, he heard footsteps, and he scrambled back to his perch. Keen eyes peered out over the edge of the roof, and his patience was rewarded as he sighted Yuki coming up the path. 'I have you this time, rat!' he thought to himself. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and he leapt off the roof right in front of Yuki.
Yuki immediately went into a battle stance. "Again, Kyou?" he taunted the cat, "Will you not ever learn?" The mouse looked completely innocent despite his jibes.
Kyou bristled and almost lost his control. He fought his anger until it was at a manageable level, "I will win this time, rat!"
With wide-eyed charm, Yuki responded, "You say that every time, Baka-neko."
The cat shuddered with an attempt to keep his anger in check, and he almost fell for Yuki's taunting once more. He reigned in, however, and kept himself wary and ready.
Only a slight widening of eyes betrayed the fact that Yuki was surprised at Kyou's control, and that was all Kyou needed. He flashed the violet-eyed teen a predatory grin, then leapt at him with the speed of a feline. His first blow just brushed past Yuki, who had dodged it, and Kyou leapt back into a ready stance. For the first time he was able to think and react clearly in a battle against Yuki, and it was already healping.
Yuki took the moment to attempt a counter-attack with a neat roundhouse aimed at Kyou's temple. Kyou reacted by swaying just out of range, and, as he did so, he used his cat-quick reflexes to snatch at Yuki's leg. His hands closed around the mouse's ankle, and he yanked at it. Yuki's balance was lost, and he went down. Before he could get back up, his attacker launched himself upon him. He let out a squeak of surprise and tried vainly to escape. Finally he gave up. He knew he was beaten, and by admitting it, he could avoid further injury. "Okay, cat! You win…"
Kyou practically crowed with delight. Finally! He had beaten the rat at last! That tricky little rodent was his better no longer!
Just then Tohru came around the corner. She saw the scene, and looked at Kyou in surprise, "You beat him?" Her wide and innocent eyes asked the question better than her words did.
Kyou stood straighter and nodded proudly, "Indeed, I did!"
With her sweet face filled with pleasant shock, Tohru looked at Kyou with adoration.
Suddenly Kyou's eyes fluttered open, "Huh? Where is Tohru?" He blinked, and he realized that he was still on the roof. It was dark, with the stars strewn across the sky. A sinking feeling hit him. The battle had just been a dream. He had not beaten Yuki in a match, and Tohru had not seen his victory. He felt hot tears of bitter disappointment form in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. he began making his way off the roof, and as he did so he acknowledge that even though the battle had been merely a dream, his realization about Yuki was very real. The dream had shown him what to do, and he could now take his time in besting the rat at its own game. A feral smile formed on his lips as he crept into the night.
An hour went by, and there was still no sign of Yuki. Kyou felt his limited patience being pushed to the extreme. If he had a tail in this for, it would most assuredly be lashing back and forth with aggitation. It was all he could do to keep from pacing along the roof, like a cat at a window. He did get up and loosen his limbs, however, as he wanted to be completely ready when the rat finally did come. After that he forced himself to lie still again, least hi give himself away.
More time passed, and unbidden yawns fought to escape Kyou's mouth. He shook his head, wondering if Yuki ever would come. It would be his luck for Yuki to have decided not to come this way at all today. His eyes narrowed and anger burned brightly in them for a moment. He regained his composure and made himself focus. It was better to wait than to give up, just to have Yuki come by right after he had just left the roof.
He got up and stretched again. Just as he had finished, he heard footsteps, and he scrambled back to his perch. Keen eyes peered out over the edge of the roof, and his patience was rewarded as he sighted Yuki coming up the path. 'I have you this time, rat!' he thought to himself. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and he leapt off the roof right in front of Yuki.
Yuki immediately went into a battle stance. "Again, Kyou?" he taunted the cat, "Will you not ever learn?" The mouse looked completely innocent despite his jibes.
Kyou bristled and almost lost his control. He fought his anger until it was at a manageable level, "I will win this time, rat!"
With wide-eyed charm, Yuki responded, "You say that every time, Baka-neko."
The cat shuddered with an attempt to keep his anger in check, and he almost fell for Yuki's taunting once more. He reigned in, however, and kept himself wary and ready.
Only a slight widening of eyes betrayed the fact that Yuki was surprised at Kyou's control, and that was all Kyou needed. He flashed the violet-eyed teen a predatory grin, then leapt at him with the speed of a feline. His first blow just brushed past Yuki, who had dodged it, and Kyou leapt back into a ready stance. For the first time he was able to think and react clearly in a battle against Yuki, and it was already healping.
Yuki took the moment to attempt a counter-attack with a neat roundhouse aimed at Kyou's temple. Kyou reacted by swaying just out of range, and, as he did so, he used his cat-quick reflexes to snatch at Yuki's leg. His hands closed around the mouse's ankle, and he yanked at it. Yuki's balance was lost, and he went down. Before he could get back up, his attacker launched himself upon him. He let out a squeak of surprise and tried vainly to escape. Finally he gave up. He knew he was beaten, and by admitting it, he could avoid further injury. "Okay, cat! You win…"
Kyou practically crowed with delight. Finally! He had beaten the rat at last! That tricky little rodent was his better no longer!
Just then Tohru came around the corner. She saw the scene, and looked at Kyou in surprise, "You beat him?" Her wide and innocent eyes asked the question better than her words did.
Kyou stood straighter and nodded proudly, "Indeed, I did!"
With her sweet face filled with pleasant shock, Tohru looked at Kyou with adoration.
Suddenly Kyou's eyes fluttered open, "Huh? Where is Tohru?" He blinked, and he realized that he was still on the roof. It was dark, with the stars strewn across the sky. A sinking feeling hit him. The battle had just been a dream. He had not beaten Yuki in a match, and Tohru had not seen his victory. He felt hot tears of bitter disappointment form in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. he began making his way off the roof, and as he did so he acknowledge that even though the battle had been merely a dream, his realization about Yuki was very real. The dream had shown him what to do, and he could now take his time in besting the rat at its own game. A feral smile formed on his lips as he crept into the night.