Day After Tomorrow
Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Faruba. What I DO own are both Kyo, and Yuki's…overprotective to say the least, twins. Their names are Hitomi (Kyo's sis, Tomi-chan for short), and Miya (Yuki's sis, also Ayame's sis, which is a huge duh for actual fans of Faruba). And any and all poems that pop out of my head at the beginning of the chaps, which will probally be the chap name. Anyways, I am co-authoring with a friend of mine that's an exceptional writer, but isn't signed up on Fanfiction…or any other fanfic site. So it is my duty to deliver her writing to you, along with my own. This first chapter is mine, so yeah, in your face God-Wanna-Be! (Tis one of my nicknames for her, deal with it until she comes up with a penname.) Enjoy, and don't forget to review!
Come my way,
Come close to me,
I'll be with you I'll be with you,
Calling out Can you hear me? Yes no?
So come my way Look my way
Just so I know you feel me, see me,
Come my way so I know you know that I exist…
Come My Way, by me.
Chapter One: Look My WayA small girl, no older than 4, watched curiously as her mother pulled up Kyo's sleeve for the millionth time that day, just to look at his beads. She'd been told by Shigure-kun that Kyo's OTHER form was frightening, and that their mother was trying to protect her, but she knew that wasn't the reason. Her mother wasn't that cavalier. She knew that her mother was a coward in reality, not even wanting to know her own son, to see him for who he was, because of this curse. She hated her mother for it, but Kyo seemed to seek her approval, so she tolerated her mother's presence. Her father's as well, he was also a coward. But a cruel one. In his fear, he'd strike out his frustrations at his innocent son, whom had been chosen to bear this curse against his will. Her mother looked to her with a warm smile, changing from her broken, fake smile that she gave to Kyo.
"Hitomi-chan? Come play with your brother darling," she said softly, and when the two had stood side-by-side, not much difference in their looks, their mother smiled. "I love you both so much."
Hitomi almost cringed. She knew her mother was lying. She wondered if Kyo knew it too. It was because they looked alike that her mother even was wary of her. Hitomi was twins with Kyo Sohma, the cursed cat. Their hair was a striking orange color, and their eyes were only thing different about their looks. Although Hitomi DID look more feminine, she had brown eyes instead of her brother's harsh red orbs. She never cared much for that though. Twins should look JUST alike. That girl, the one who was twins with that dumb rat, looked just like HER twin. Violet eyes and all. Why couldn't Hitomi look like Kyo? Was it so wrong for her to love her brother, even though he was the cat? Though she was younger, she took Kyo's hand and led him away. Away from that house that smothered them, the very air in that house was killing them. Killing their souls anyways. Knowing that your parents are afraid of you does something to a child, and knowing that your twin is in great pain because of that, also does something to a child. When that child realizes that they can do NOTHING for the person who shares their face. The person who completed them from birth. The person they were destined to stay with forever.
They went outside, Kyo following with a happy expression on his face. He loved his sister very much, and wondered why she resented the scorns from people passing by in the Main House. He'd come to live with it. But Hitomi didn't. she hated all of those pitiful excuses for human beings, because in her mind, they had done a very bad wrong on Kyo. They were family, yet they looked through him, like glass, and only acknowledged him when he was being blamed for being inferior to 'Sweet, Talented little Yuki.' She led them to Kagura's house. It was one of the only refuges she ever sought out. Kagura was like a big sister to her, and she adored Kyo with an unhealthy passion, yet adored Hitomi the same way, only gentler. She'd even seen Kagura threaten Kyo into promising to marry her.
"Kagura-nee? Are you home?" Hitomi said in a sweet, innocent voice. Kagura's voice floated to the outside with a happy tone. It was obvious that she loved the two family outcasts. But partially, they were only outcasts because both looked like the cursed cat, while one wasn't cursed, and could hold the cursed ones without hesitation and without their transforming.
This had been apparent when Hitomi had hugged Kyo after they'd been yelled at by their father, only months before. This prompted Yuki and his twin, Miya, to try to hug each other. But when THEY did it, they weren't treated as oddities. They were treated as royalty. They weren't scorned for Miya's ability to hug the Sohma's that were cursed. And Yuki was still praised, and now the family could ALWAYS be heard saying how 'precious', and 'sweet', and 'just perfect' the two were.
"Yes? Oh! Kyo-chan! MY LOVE! And Tomi-chan too! Come in! Ritsu's just in here helping me with a dress! Can you believe he said he'd wear it more than ONCE?" Kagura tittered happily, giving Kyo a huge bear hug, then continuing to hug and talk to Hitomi. Hitomi smiled. She welcomed Kagura, Ritsu, Momiji, Hatori and Shigure with open arms. They all cared about her and Kyo. Ritsu wasn't her FAVORITE of the bunch, but she enjoyed his company nonetheless. But if HATORI had been there, the four-year-old would have been deliriously happy. Hatori, being 14, was like a God in Hitomi's eyes. He was always trying to explain confusing things that they'd learned in their Middle School. It confused Hitomi to no end, but she nodded and smiled, listening all the while.
Kyo, during those times, normally played with Kagura or possibly Ritsu, since Hatsuharu and Momiji were too young to play really, they were only three. They couldn't play his and Hitomi's "Big Kid Games". Which normally made Momiji cry, and Kyo would get agitated at his constant whining. And Hitomi would have to calm his nerves, as usual. Not many could boast to calming the fiery Kyo's temper, but Hitomi could. She knew him inside and out. No one was closer than that pair, even though the family would SWEAR that Yuki and Miya were. Kyo had always felt resentment to Yuki, because that's how things were. The rat and the cat were BORN hating each other. But he felt no resentment to his twin, Miya, whereas Hitomi did. Miya was just as fawned over as Yuki, if not more, since she looked JUST like him, acted JUST like her elder and very popular brother Ayame, and was JUST so much better than Hitomi even though the only difference between them was that Miya was sister to the rat.
A man came running up to the children as they played, disturbing their bliss. He was huffing and puffing like he'd ran the whole way, then tears fell down his face and he hugged Hitomi, but she noticed like everyone else that the man gave Kyo a wide birth.
"You poor thing…your mother…she's dead. She was very sick, and she couldn't get better, she just died while she was napping a little while ago…you poor thing, to be cursed by having the cat as a twin, and look what misfortune has befallen you…" the man consoled to deaf ears. Hitomi felt no remorse. She was sad, as every child should be, that her mother was gone. But she was to an extent glad. She and Kyo no longer had to be smothered by a false sense of love. She knew, somehow without reason or inkling as how she did, that what their mother had shown them wasn't love, love was different. Love is what Shigure and Hatori showed them. The kindness and tenderness that was felt between people is what Hitomi experienced from them, and she adored them both very much. They didn't really speak to Kyo too much, so he never got those things from them.
At the funeral, Kyo and Hitomi stepped outside to cry, not wanting anyone but themselves privy to their despair. Hitomi, not as much sad about their mother as she was for how badly Kyo took it and how people blamed him for her death, cried on his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers and their orange hair mingled, 'Two as one,' as Shigure would say Hitomi thought. A man came up behind them as they wept, and put hands on both their shoulders. They looked up to see a man with a kimono and gray hair with dark, warm brown eyes staring down at them. He smiled.
"I'm Kazuma Sohma. If you'd like, Kyo, Hitomi, I'd like it if you came to live with me," he offered. Kyo was a bit wary, but Hitomi latched onto a person she didn't even know, just for the sake of he saw them for them. She could tell somehow that he was being sincere in his want of them. He didn't want to use them, nor did he plan on just taking care of them, but raising them, as normal parents and normal people did. Hitomi didn't know why, but her body craved the stability that her subconscious knew he could give them. Kyo, upon seeing his sisters' acceptance, took Kazuma's hand with a stony, tearful glare.
"IT'S NOT OUR FAULT! IT'S NOT OUR FAULT SHE DIED!" Kyo yelled at him, clarifying what the man knew. He nodded with a smile, petting the back of a crying Hitomi's head.
"I know Kyo…I know…won't you both come stay with me?" Kazuma answered gently, leading them away. As they passed houses, people whispered about how Kazuma was taking in the "cursed children".
"Poor thing…and so young too! To have to take in the cat and his cursed sister. What a shame," one woman said as they passed. Another agreed and nodded. They didn't even seem to care that the children, looking down in shame, could hear them. They didn't want to burden Kazuma with their reputation that they didn't deserve.
"Those kids were hard on their father, but I'd never wish them on poor Kazuma-kun!" the other said. Kazuma smiled at the two, and lifted them up, one in each arm and laughed.
"From now on," he started, looking at both children, "You two should breathe the air of higher places."
Hitomi smiled and laughed with him, and Kyo's face just melted into a sweet smile. And from there on in, they lived at the dojo with Kazuma.
Hitomi, Kyo, and Kazuma were all taking a bath, and Hitomi was clinging to Kazuma's arm, as if for dear life, even though she was in no such danger. She looked into his eyes and smiled. In the time that they'd shared, Kazuma had taught Kyo and Hitomi so much. They'd learned what trains were, and they learned patience and strength of the soul along with regular karate. Kazuma had always said that Hitomi was better at patience though. But he also said he'd pity the person who came between her and her brother. Kazuma smiled down at her as Kyo looked at them tentatively.
"H-Hey, you're a Shishou, right? On TV they were calling a karate instructor "Shishou", so you're a Shishou, right?" Kyo ventured. Hitomi smiled. She was wondering when Kyo would ask. They'd drawn straws earlier that day to ask that very question to Kazuma, since they'd both watched a karate movie that morning. Kazuma laughed and petted Hitomi's head again. He'd grown that habit since the first day he met them, petting Hitomi that is. She didn't dislike it either, she actually was happy that Kazuma was so comfortable with her around him that he did that little gesture of affection without even thinking.
"I suppose so, but I've never asked my students to call me that," he answered. Hitomi sighed sadly, and Kyo's face fell a little while he thought. They let the matter lie, and then went onto dinner. They were 6 now, and it was two years later since living with Kazuma. One OTHER thing Hitomi learned to do was cook, and cook well. Their caretaker leaved much to be desired in his cooking.
"Ah! What are we eating tonight, Tomi-chan?" Kazuma asked, Kyo nodded, straightening his black pajamas. She smiled and cocked her head, her white silk pajamas ruffling at the gesture. Both pairs were too big for the children, as in the two years he'd had them, he'd offered to get them new pj's instead of his old ones that he didn't use anymore, but they refused every time.
"I'm making nira-tama! But that's just for Papa and me! I'm making codfish for you Kyo-chan!" Hitomi smiled, then trotted off to the kitchen, only to be heard screaming. Kazuma and Kyo both sprung to help her, but at the doorway, Kyo froze. Hitomi sat crying in front of a burn mark on the door that scared both her and Kyo. Kyo had almost forgotten about it himself. Kazuma swept them up into his arms like he usually did, and kissed the top of Hitomi's head to calm her down, then rested his forehead on Kyo's own.
"It's nothing to be afraid of. I'm sure it will stop being scary…when your bodies…and your hearts…get bigger…" Kazuma said reassuringly to them both. Hitomi nodded with finality, pledging to herself that she'd get over her fear of the face on the door. Kyo nodded as well, and dried his tears, 'for his sister's sake', or so he said.
The next day, Kyo and Hitomi came home from school, Hitomi clinging to Kyo the entire time, and they saw him talking with some students. They both peeked around the corner of the gate to the dojo and watched him talk. He spun around, looking at them with a warm smile at the ready.
"Shi…Shishou?" Kyo said meekly. And Hitomi smiled weakly. She didn't like to be seen much by Kazuma's students. They always fawned over how cute she was for some reason.
"Papa?" she said just as meekly as her brother. He looked at them with warm eyes. He knew that Hitomi was more open to the idea of his being their foster father, and Kyo was just now starting to open up. Nonetheless, he was happy they were. And in front of students no less.
"Welcome home, you two," he greeted with his usual warm smile. Their faces brightened and Hitomi ran to give him a hug, which he gladly accepted. Kyo, on the other hand, just smiled and stood by him loyally. Afterwards, Kazuma spoke to them about a matter that he'd been informed of from Hatori and Shigure. Ayame at that point, didn't truly care about his brother Yuki, and was all too much devoted to his sister Miya.
"Hitomi. It's come to my attention that you don't play with the girls your age. You play with Kagura and Ritsu. As much as I like to know you enjoy your family, you need to socialize with all the other children. I heard that Miya went to your school, while Yuki's being home schooled. You should play with her," Kazuma offered, while chewing the sushi that Kyo and Hitomi had prepared for the small family. Hitomi froze, and Kyo sensed her discomfort. Even though truthfully, he didn't want HIS sister playing with that dumb rat or his sister Miya.
"NO! She's the RAT'S sister! IT'S ALL THE RAT'S FAULT THAT KYO HAS TO BE MADE FUN OF! IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT THAT PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF ALL THREE OF US! IF THEY HADN'T BEEN BORN, THEN KYO AND I AND EVEN YOU PAPA WOULDN'T BE MADE FUN OF!" Hitomi protested loudly. She'd never raised her voice to Kazuma before, and he decided to drop the subject, he'd let Hatori convince her to give Miya a chance. He didn't think it was healthy for Miya to dread school, and to rush home to see her two brothers, then spend the rest of the day tagging along with Ayame, Shigure, and Hatori. Although he knew that Ayame and Shigure enjoyed her immensely, and even Hatori liked the small child that was so sweet and energetic, but he also knew that they were aware that their constant presence was making her grow up too fast. Just like Hitomi. They both needed a friend their age, one that could ALWAYS play, not just when the family wasn't around to taunt, or when their brother wasn't being quarantined for sicknesses. He sighed and continued eating. Then they went to bed after their group bath, as always.
"Papa?" Hitomi said softly, peeking around Kazuma's door when Kyo had fallen asleep. He patted his bed mat and smiled, ready to hear her latest nightmare, but was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and started crying.
"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to get so angry. It's just…Yuki and Miya were always loved by everybody…I don't want my Papa to love them more than me and Kyo too, just like everybody else…" Hitomi pleaded. Kazuma was taken back. He'd never heard Hitomi seem so sad. She was REALLY worried that he would hate her. he wrapped his arms around her small form and petted her head again with reassurance and kissed her cheek.
"Don't worry. Papa will always be there for you. I'll never leave you or Kyo to fend for yourselves Hitomi. Papa will ALWAYS love you two best. Now, do you want to sleep here tonight? Or do you want to sleep with Kyo?" he questioned softly. She looked up at him, her dark brown eyes sparkling with happiness and she wiped her tears away with a tiny fist. She latched onto his kimono and smiled.
"You, Papa," she said simply. He nodded and lay down with his little girl in his arms, and he watched her a bit longer as she slept. His eyes focused on her small little form curling into a ball and wiggling up close to his own. He smiled in spite of his normal self-control, as always with Kyo and Hitomi, and laid an arm protectively over her, then fell asleep. They were content, but he wanted more for them. He wanted them to live like normal children, and find happiness. So he resolved, as a last thought before he closed his weary eyes, that he would ask Hatori to get Hitomi to meet Miya. Even if they didn't know how much they needed each other, he did, and he was bound and determined to see his little girl have at least one friend besides her family and her brother.
An: Mwah ha. Done. Please review! Next chap will be a peek into Miya's life! It will have Hatori, Ayame, Shigure, and Yuki in it mostly, with a little Akito violence thrown in. bottom line, despite what Hitomi thinks, Miya's life isn't peachy keen. Especially since she and Yuki get beaten and whipped by Akito, and while one of them gets attention from their brother, the other doesn't. so yeah, it will be a tearjearking chap(not really, since when I write those, I cry and can't see the screen), which will end in a not-so-nice ending. But the chap after that, Hitomi and Miya will meet and become friends, since Hitomi will try to comfort Miya, when Miya won't let anyone near her….uh…yeah, you'll understand…forewarning. You WILL hate Akito even more than you do now, after Miya's chap….review please!