Disturbia

"It's a thief in the night to come and grab you. It can creep up inside you, and consume you."

- 'Disturbia', by Rihanna

Haru smiled softly as he slipped his hands into the tight pockets of his leather jeans. A gentle breeze swayed the trees. Their leaves were just beginning to change from their usual green to a beautiful orange, and Haru couldn't be happier. Fall always reminded him of Kyo.

Speaking of the temperamental feline, he was striding just a few steps ahead of his black and white haired boyfriend, scowl on his face. He too had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he made his way down the busy Tokyo streets. Unlike the ox, he was far from content.

The mid-October chill made the hair on the back of his exposed neck stand on end. The countless Halloween banners, with their obnoxious colors annoyed him to no end, and the excited jabbering of passerbyers about the festivities of the season made him want to punch someone. Most of all, however, the seemingly innocent Haru was to blame for his foul mood. The younger boy had been begging to bring him to some new haunted house since the beginning of the month. Until the night before, Kyo had been pretty successful with his refusal, but he knew it wouldn't last. When it came to the orange headed teen, Haru knew just how to get what he wanted.

Damn him for being so persistent. How was Kyo supposed to refuse when the ox was doing naughty things to him in Shigure's study, the dog and the others just a room away? God, did Haru know just what to do with his tongue..

His face flushed, and he slowed his pace. The ox gave him a thankful look, pulling his right hand from its confines. Kyo sighed and let the him slip it into the looser pocket of his jacket and intertwine their fingers. Maybe a haunted house wasn't such a bad idea. He might even enjoy himself. (Although he would never imagine telling the ox if he did)

His steps became rushed once again, pulling a confused Haru along with him. The black and white haired boy's chocolate eyes questioned him silently, causing a flush to spread across his cheeks.

"Hurry up, stupid cow!"

He growled, seemingly miffed.

"I'm not walking all this way to wait in line for an hour!"

When they finally reached their destination, Kyo was pleased to notice that the line wasn't too long. It consisted of at least twenty people, most of which were teens in groups of three to four. At the head was a man who looked to be in his late thirties. Every couple of minutes he would allow another group of nervous looking thrill seekers through the double doors behind him. As the line moved forward, Kyo heard him reminding everyone that "if you didn't touch any of the actors, they won't touch you."

He scoffed, turning his head to take in his surroundings. The path which led to where they were was long and unkempt. Cobblestones were missing, and weeds grew so long that the cat had to be careful not to trip over them. The property was outlined by a giant, rusted metal fence. It loomed over them like a squeaky demon. The house itself seemed old and rundown. Haru had told him before that it was a "real haunted house turned fake haunted house". He couldn't say he doubted it. It was like a shadow against the clear blue sky. The wood was rotten and deteriorated. Shudders were missing from its numerous windows, and he grimaced at the dim lights that flashed through their foggy glass. A real haunted house turned fake.. how peachy.

He was tugged forward by his jacket pockets, huffing slightly as he narrowly avoided tripping over a loose stone. He could tell he was being laughed at by the younger boy beside him. It pissed him off.

There was now only one group left before them. When those people were also ushered into the building, the man gave the two cursed teens a strange look. Kyo brushed it off. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all? He could hear shrill screams emitting from behind the door. He gulped. He could do this, he wasn't scared! It took more than a stupid house and some fake monsters to make Kyo Sohma shake!

He felt a light squeeze on his hand and calmed. When had he started shivering? He looked toward the younger boy and blushed at his kind smile. This was all for Haru. He could do this, and he would not scream like a little girl!

The man cleared his throat, smiling strangely and letting them pass. By the time he realized he'd been pulled into the eerie house, the double doors had already slammed behind him and his eyes were adjusting to the darkness.

Somewhere to his far left was a fog machine. Hidden lights filled the room with a dim, greenish glow. It seemed like they were in some sort of demented living room. Pictures barely hung from the walls, torn and dirty. Tables were overturned, and a presumably once fluffy couch was nearly ripped to shreds. Faintly, he could hear the sound of some sort of "scary sounds" CD that skipped every so often to create a haunted effect.

Before them was a long hall, and at its end was the outline of a steep staircase.

'Calm down.'

He told himself.

'This is stupid! You're not some scared child!'

However, his heart still raced and his limbs still shook. He felt Haru pulling him forward, and he considered breaking free from his grasp and bolting for the door. He then imagined the ox's disappointed face if he left. Sure, the younger boy would act like everything was alright, but deep down, Kyo knew he was really looking forward to this. That wouldn't do. He would brave this for the stupid cow.

His feet padded soundlessly against the wooden floor, silent compared to his beating heart. It seemed to boom in his ears.

Ba-bump, Ba-bump, Ba-bump

They were gradually nearing the stairs. His throat felt dry. He gripped Haru's hand tighter than he probably should have, but the ox didn't show any indication that he cared. Slowly, his foot rose to the first step, but froze as something slammed behind him. Wicked laughter sounded way too close for comfort, and he darted forward, making a mad dash up the stairs and screeching so loud that the "monster" reeled back.

Haru stood, stunned, next to a rather disturbed looking wolf man. He smiled apologetically at the actor, noticing briefly how corny his scraggly brown mask was. He ran a hand through his black and white hair awkwardly.

"He's not used to this sort of thing."

He drew out softly, as if it explained everything. He then nodded goodbye and made his way up the steep staircase.

Kyo pushed through the tangled mass of black streamers and fake cobwebs. (were they really fake? His terrified mind couldn't decide) He felt tremors running up his spine. There was another bout of shrill laughter, and he jumped as a robotic witch popped out of a fake cauldron. He bounded into the next room -a graveyard theme. It was too dark to see much besides the thick, green fog and a few tombstones. He squinted through it, trying uselessly to feel his way through the room.

His heightened senses picked up movement behind him, and he swore he felt something brush his shoulder.

Ba-bump, Ba-bump, Ba-bump

He whipped around swiftly, landing a well aimed punch right into the face of his attacker. They fell to the ground instantly, and it took him a few seconds for him to realize exactly what he'd just done.

Did he.. just punch an actor?

Apparently so, because a rather chubby skeleton now lay unconscious on the floor.

He was suddenly very thankful that Haru wasn't there to witness his blunder. He wondered if he could find some way out of the house before anyone noticed the motionless man. He could always go back the way he came-

"Holy shit."

He heard a voice speak only a few feet away. He cursed quietly.

Of course, the Gods would have no mercy on him. There, in the darkened doorway he'd just burst through moments before, was none other than Hatsuharu Sohma. His mouth hung open slightly, and if it had been any other situation, the cat would have laughed at his shocked expression. But it wasn't, and his face burned with humiliation.

"Shit, Kyo.. you just knocked that guy out."

If it had been any other time, he would have found something to ram his head into. Stupid ox, he was supposed to be disgusted, not impressed!

Later, as the sun cast an orange glow throughout the evening sky, they made their way back to Shigure's home. Kyo sighed miserably. It was rather chilly, even with his jacket zipped all the way up. He wrapped his arms around himself.

"They told us not to come back next year."

Haru spoke suddenly, pulling a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. He drew one out, lighting it and placing it between his lips.

"A mystery."

Kyo could feel his cheeks growing hot again at the ox's words. His pace began to slow, until he had stopped completely, and he glared angrily at his worn sneakers. It was almost as if the old things had brought all the turmoil he was currently feeling onto him.

"Aren't you pissed?"

He blurted out, avoiding the younger boy's gaze, who had stopped walking as soon as the cat.

A smile played across Haru's face, and he rested a had on the orange haired teen's shoulder. Kyo's crimson orbs were forced to meet his own. As he looked upon the taller boys face, the cat felt himself smiling too.

"It's not your fault."

He spoke, barely above a whisper, but Kyo caught it.

"The point of a haunted house is to get scared, and you did it beautifully."

The older boy scoffed, shrugging off Haru's hand.

"Stupid."

He muttered, but his grin betrayed him.

The sun set slowly in the west, and the first leaf fell from the changing trees.

He loved the fall.

fin.

--

I wrote this out during English (What a good student I am, right?) about a week before my birthday, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. It's been very busy! Just so you know, though, I'm enjoying being sixteen.

Anywho, the amazing keir wrote her own version of 'Stop, Shuffle, Resume' called 'keir's Stop, Shuffle, Resume'. You should probably read it as soon as possible. (and everything else she's written because she's pure genius) We're also both on Twitter now, under our respective pen names, so you can add us for updates.

That's all for now, so.. Happy Halloween!