Hello all. Lily Kalanoa here to give out welcomes and such. This is my first posted Furuba fic, though I've been working on another for a while, and I hope you all like it. This is going to be a series of monologue, vignette things that are just little stories that I've come up with. Hopefully, I'll be able to get one out for each Zodiac member including the two that are only in the manga (plus Kyo, Akito, Kazuma, and Tohru) meaning at least 16 chapters eventually. Not all of them will be the present member, though – I want to do some back-stories of past generations, ya know? A lot of these, however, are just things that I noticed during the series but an explanation was never given (I haven't actually read the manga yet, even though I am buying it Japanese as we speak.) Anyway, that was a long rambling introduction that didn't include the disclaimer (but all standard disclaimers apply). I hope you all like my stories ^_^

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It was late when I arrived home, having stayed late at school to handle some student council affairs. It was such tedious work, but it had to be done and I had to be the one to do it. Still, all of this bureaucratic nonsense always made me feel like one of those politicians that just sits there all day and doesn't take care of himself. It made me feel sluggish, out of shape. Hell, it made me feel down right fat. So despite the hour, when I arrived home, I decided I needed to exercise before bed. It would be all right, tomorrow was Sunday and I could sleep in if I needed to.

As quietly as I could, I cleared away the furniture in the living room. I didn't want to work out inside and risk waking everyone up, but it was too cold outside. When the floor was clear I knelt and meditated for a moment, gathering my thoughts. I listened to the house as it made its quiet noises. Shigure was snoring softly in his room and I was sure Tohru was asleep as well. Kyo, however, was awake and moving. I could hear his ever so soft footfalls as he apparently went through his training, just as I was about to do.

I stood and began stretching, carefully working out any kinks and warming up my lazy muscles. When I felt agile enough, I began practicing kicks and punches to get my heart working. I went through the forms Kazuma-sensei had taught me and then began sparring with the air. It wasn't as good as actual sparring, against Kagura, or even Kyo, but it was good enough for a workout, and soon I was panting for air. I paused, peeling my shirt off of my sweaty torso, and went into the kitchen for a drink.

I paused at the window, holding the glass of water to my lips. My eyes flickered across the trees outside for a few moments, but were invariably drawn to focus on my reflection. I suddenly felt sick. It was like looking at him all over again. Even here, even safely away from Souma house, I could not escape Akito's eyes. How could I, when every time I looked in the mirror, I was staring at him again?

I don't know when we began looking the same, it happened when I was very small. I don't know if he cut his hair to resemble mine, or if he forced me to cut it to look like his, but it's been the same for as long as I can remember. My eyes slowly traced the lines of my jaw and cheeks and I forcibly reminded myself that they were not as sharp as Akito's features. His cheeks were more defined, his chin more pointed. Even our eyes were similar, my purple coloring only a few shades lighter than his own gray. His eyes were narrower, too, but it was such a close resemblance.

Suddenly I wasn't looking at me anymore. It really was his face, staring at me from the glass, his mouth frowning at me, his eyes accusing me of everything at once and yet, somehow, calling to me in the same breath. I was no longer in Shigure's kitchen, but back instead in a tiny, dark room. I could see Akito walking toward me and my mind flooded with remembered pain and fear of what he might do to me this time. I clenched my eyes shut and held my breath, willing myself to meld into the wall. If only the earth would swallow me whole! I would gladly die just to be free of this place. I clenched my fists and covered my ears, trying to squeeze my eyes more tightly shut against the fear.

I heard the glass I'd been holding clatter into the sink. The drain gurgled as the forgotten water was hurried away. I slowly opened my eyes and forced my muscles to untense; forced myself to look into the window once again. He was still there, watching me. Hiding beneath a mask of purple eyes and rounded features, always watching me.

Still caught in my panic, I grabbed the cooking scissors from one of the drawers. With a shaking hand I held a lock of my hair out and positioned the scissors around it. I had to kill him. I had to lose Akito now and forever; this was the only way.

A memory snuck into my mind, of Akito finding me one day in the kitchen just like this. He snatched the scissors from my hand and knocked me to the ground. What is this? Your beautiful hair! Look at what you've done to it! He kicked at the lost strands that littered the floor around me, not even pausing as his foot caught me in the ribs as well. You are never to do something like this again, do you understand me? Never touch your hair like this again unless I tell you you can, got it? Do you understand? He drove the scissors into the floor near my head and I began crying, nodding agreement as fast as I could. I said do you understand!

"Yuki?" The scissors fell from my numb fingers and I whipped around to see Kyo standing in the doorway. "I thought I heard you down here. What are you doing?"

"Let's fight." My face had already fallen back into nothingness, revealing nothing to the cat, even though my body still shook with the memories.

Kyo blinked openly at me. "Really? Finally ready to take your punishment from me, ya damn rat?" His voice grew stronger, even though he kept it at a trained whisper so we wouldn't wake the others. "All right then, come on."

I charged at him, taking the offensive as soon as he backed through the doorway and into the living room again. Frantically he blocked, desperate not to give me the advantage so early. I narrowed my eyes, flying at him with everything I had. Yes, his eyes. His eyes looked like Akito's, if I didn't look too closely. His chin was pointed the same, too. I focused on the similarities, blinding myself to the overwhelming differences.

Suddenly my cheek was stinging. I stumbled, taking in the hit and charging back for another attack. This time Kyo got his knee under me, driving it into my stomach, followed by another punch to my jaw. I slumped to the ground in shock, holding my wounds lightly. Kyo was still for a moment, then was by my side. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me against his chest. "Are you all right? Yuki?"

I couldn't say anything; my throat wouldn't allow the words out. My mind was reeling, not even registering the fact that Kyo wouldn't take this as a victory over me. Yes, he'd won, but he didn't want to defeat me like this.

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?"

Not like this. He never had and never would accept a victory under these circumstances. Pitifully I nodded against his chest, even as I felt hot tears streak down my cheeks.

"It's all right, Yuki. Calm down. He isn't here. You're safe. Even I wouldn't let that bastard have you again. I swear. I swear on everything I hold dear, I'll protect you from him, if you let me."

I relaxed into him, letting the tension drain from my body until his arms were the only thing holding me up. It was true, I knew Kyo would do everything in his power to keep me away from that man. Kyo, who was lucky enough to be born as the cat and blissfully separated from Akito and the rest of the house. He was kind enough to help me through this if none of the other problems I faced. And kind enough that in the morning he would act as if he remembered nothing of tonight. "I hate you, you stupid cat."

He chuckled softly and helped me stand and climb the stairs. "I hate you, too. Damn rat."