Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket - oh noes! Don't own... Don't own... Don't own.

WARNING: SOME SPOILERS! :O

So, this is my first Fruits Basket fanfic! I'm hoping it's gonna be okay, but tell me if anything is wrong, okay? :D

Oh, I know Akito's a girl, but at this part in the storyline, Kyo doesn't know this, does he?

Enjoy this depressive oneshot ^.^

The phrase 'it's a small world' seemed particularly insulting to Kyo. In a few weeks his 'small world' would comprise of four claustrophobic walls and a small window with thick metal bars locking it from the outside world. A cage. Naturally, to make it seem marginally more humane, it was referred to as the 'Cat Room' between the members of the Sohma main house. 'Inside', of course. The members of the 'outside' were either ignorant to the Sohma curse or just ignoring it. Damn Akito, playing on weak spots! Damn him for having the access to the knowledge that the Cat could never defeat the Rat in combat...

"Damn him!" Kyo yelled aloud, standing up and punching the wall viciously in his agitation. The wall splintered under the impact and wood flew in all directions, leaving a gaping chasm in its wake. Kyo blinked at the hole he had left and then sat back down slowly, staring at the ground.

A voice cursed downstairs. "The baka [idiot] Cat is breakingthings again!" sighed Yuki.

Kyo yelled down a couple of short, sharp insults for his satisfaction but felt rather disconnected from the whole business today. His mind was too crowded to deal with any more.

A indistinct thrumming beat - almost silent - rapped on the door. "Kyo-kun?" Tohru said tentatively from the other side of the door. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he answered quietly.

She wasn't convinced. "Can I come in?"

Kyo sighed - "sure" - and opened the door.

Tohru stood there nervously in the threshold, one foot in and one foot out. For some unknown reason, she had an expression on her face so sad, that it tugged painfully at Kyo, making him want to comfort her; hug her.

He pushed this away. He couldn't get attached to anyone, anything. Not now.

She paused. "Are you hungry, Kyo-kun? I came up to ask you what you would like to eat."

She was so kind, of course. Kyo wondered if she'd asked everyone in the house their opinions on dinner already. "What do the others want?"

"Well...Yuki-kun wants leek soup-"

"Not leeks!" he protested vehemently.

"I know," she smiled, making his heart thump irregularly. "Shigure-san wants miso."

"In soup?"

"Hai." [yes]

"That's fine."

Tohru smile broadened, shedding rainbows. "That's good. I should start making it now. Everyone is hungry!" She fretted, walking downstairs with a wave. "I'll call when it's ready, Kyo-kun!"

Kyo watched her go, trying to slow his pounding heartbeat. Each beat spoke a name: Tohru, Tohru, Tohru; will they tell you where I've gone?

He doubted it. He would just...disappear, like so many Cats before him. Hidden from the public eye. Avoided. Rejected. Gone...

Of course, he couldn't kid himself that most people would miss him. Shishou would miss him. He felt Tohru would probably miss him too. But that was all. Most people would feel sheer relief that the 'Cat-monster' was imprisoned...

His Father would be happy to have him disappear. Vengeance - he would assume - for Kyo's mother killing herself all those years ago. Which he believed was all because of the process of Kyo being born what he was. He was right - that was the reason she killed herself - but still...

When he was younger, and had only just discovered every Sohma born under the Cat and its preordained fate, Kyo always attempted to tell himself that his Dad would be upset. He would cry. He'd feel some despair at his son's fate. And when Kyo died - which, Kyo assumed, would happen before his Father's death as he doubted he could stay sane, yet alone alive - he would mourn and attend the funeral. If there was even a funeral.

Now Kyo was older he knew that none of this was true. His Dad despised him and he felt likewise. When he died, his Dad would feel nothing at all. Maybe a little regretful that Kyo hadn't spent more time locked away, going slowly insane, repenting for his supposed sins, but nothing more than that. He would feel pleased, relief, happiness that his only flesh-and-blood son was dead.

Kyo's mouth twisted into a pained grimace.

Yuki thought he had it bad... Yuki knew nothing.