Stray Child
by: Infinitis
Disclaimer: No own Fruuba
this story is dedicated to the .hack song, Stray Child
There are a lot of things on his mind, for a start. Not many sunny summer days had gone his way thus far. But that is what the Cat thinks and many others could think in place of him as otherwise. It is bright and sunny day; no cloud in a sky is seen for miles on end. The children were laughing in the playground. Girls from the local schools gossip amongst themselves of daily current evens. Young men play games within the nearest arcade. And where are the Sohmas, you ask. Well…unfortunately for Kyo Sohma, far from here. They are in a place people might as well call heaven on earth, Hawaii. So guess what they did? Ah yes, they all went with the exception of the poor pitiable cat who slept in accidentally when the surprise family vacation meeting took place.
'Everyone, but the Cat…' The young man thinks in his mind. 'This bites…' His grown-in, burnt-orange tennis shoes kick loose stones within his path. With a moment's hesitation, his orange hair lightly moves downward as Kyo looks up into the sky. 'Somehow…this situation seems vaguely familiar.'
(I Present a Random Flashback of Terror! Yuki with rat ears is dropping sleeping pills in a milk jug labeled 'Kyo's Milk. MINE!' After looking side to side, he scurries away as the Cat opens his spoiled evening drink. From afar, the Rat smiles wickedly. "Heehe, Baka Neko.")
A callused yet slender hand runs through his orangey locks of hair. "Damn Rat." He growls under his breath. "It's his fault, isn't it?" Kyo closes his eyes in frustration. "Shit! I knew there was something wrong with my milk!"
Mothers from the park then close their children's ears as the Cat's rant spurs on. "It's my own I should have been more aware of his vile presence at such an unusual moment. Baka ne! And now I bet he's enjoying himself thoroughly at a local beach attracting the feminine kind within a twenty mile radius. Urghhhh! He makes me so sick! I bet then even brought Tohru along! They better not take advantage of her there-"
"Kyo-kun?"
The shock of the young woman's voice made the Cat possessed boy almost jump up the nearest tree or lamppost. In an instant, he turns around looking strait at the pleasant beauty, with a maroon blush I might add. "Don't DO THAT! Would you want me to die of a heart attack?"
The girl with plain brown hair turned her mostly happy face into a face of terror. "Oh no! I wouldn't – eh – don't mean to! I'm sorry! Don't die Kyo-kun." Tears start to flow from her innocent eyes.
Kyo sighs and taps the girl's head with his fist. "It's alright, you just surprised me, you know?" She gazes into the Cat's sunset eyes and her eyes wonder to his one-sided smile. The young man then takes her hand within his, pulling her towards their home.
When inside, Kyo flops himself upon a couch as Tohru enters the kitchen to start a light lunch for two. That is, until the Cat asked her the mind boggling question…
"Tohru, why aren't you with the others on the plane? I would think they would bring you along."
Cooking and pot banging noises stop from within the small kitchen. Kyo turns albeit worriedly to the girl. "…I woke up this morning to Yuki and Shigure packing. Before I had a chance to make them breakfast or just to chat, they left and I found a letter addressed to me. They said in the letter about their unexpected vacation from Akito. In it, they also apologized that I could not get permission from Akito to come along." Tohru turns to Kyo with a saddened face and a rice maker in both of her hands. "Kyo-kun. You missed out again, didn't you? You didn't know and you slept in. But you could've gone, right?"
Like missing a long expected banquet.
"I'm so sorry, Kyo." Her downward face darkened the inside of the once bright kitchen. A heart-wrenching feeling grew within the Cat's chest as he saw her figure close to tears. 'She doesn't have to cry for me…' The orange-head stands up from the couch and walks to the melancholy girl, taking the rice maker from her meal-ready hands. He places the pot on the counter to his left and puts his right hand on her shoulder; his left moves to a lock of her hair to get her attention.
"I'm used to it by now, Tohru." 'I'm used to being left out.' Her face doesn't change and he goes on further. "I'm actually glad that they're gone." His left hand loosens on the hold of the girl's hair and goes limp at his one side. His breathing becomes slightly shallow and pained. 'Why am I feeling this way now?'
From the windowpanes outside the house, light steaks of water bump and dance across the glass.
'I don't give a damn about what Akito or anyone says.'
Even in your own heart, you know you just want to be accepted?
'I do, but that is a dream long gone.'
Tohru's ears come to her senses and recognize the sound of rain from within the house. "Ah, rain! It was so sunny today. I never knew it would rain. Kyo-kun…"
A jumble of words emits from the Cat's slack jaw as he moves away from the girl back to his seat on the couch. He lays his head on the corner's crook and his body curves in a fetal position facing the back cushion. Tohru walks hastily in his footsteps and kneels by his side, hesitating on what to say. "Kyo…would you like me to make you something special? I was going to make riceballs and uh- I want to know what kind of flavor-"
"You don't have to bother with me, Tohru. I'm not hungry at the moment." He cut her sentence off. 'Why must you always keep my best interests in mind? I wish she could be more selfish sometimes…' And then, he knew what she probably felt at the moment. "Eh- Tohru?" Kyo turns his body facing towards the girl kneeling next to him. Her eyes and mind were ready for whatever came out of his mouth. "Thanks anyways. I know you're trying to cheer me up."
A bright smile lit up the young woman's face. And within that moment, Kyo felt like he never wanted to have that smile to be wiped away from her face again. Within that moment, Tohru sat there smiling face to face with someone she held a special place in her heart. Both then had a feeling inside of them that sparkled with an innocent attraction. If he could, Kyo would throw away his pride and life for an angel like Tohru. 'In a way, I'm kind of glad she didn't go to the family trip.' Tohru on the other hand wanted to be with Kyo no matter what the cost, even if that made her love him more then her own beloved mother.
Slowly, without either of the two noticing, their faces moved closer and closer together. Both of their breaths become hitched. They knew what they wanted from each other and yet both hesitate to who should move first. Kyo couldn't take it any longer and lifted himself from his resting place. Just as both of their lips could meet, a loud bang resonates through the house, making their home shake in fear. Kyo, within seconds, pushes his body against the couch in reaction to the loud thunder that coursed painfully inside his accursed body. "Oh shit!"
Suddenly the two lips meet with full force, unexpected to Kyo. Tohru's hands placed themselves on either cheek of the Cat and her lips became soft with comfort. Kyo then rolls his eyes shut in the simple pleasure of them being able to touch each other. His head then lost all support and slowly slid down to rest on the soft armrest of the couch. Tohru's hands then seemed to get out of control as they ran through his hair to his chest, her lips never separate from his. Kyo's hands then moved to hold the girl's elbows, trying with all his might to not do anything they would regret. Another flash and bang echoed across the sky and Kyo let go of the kiss as he clenches his eyes and gives a silent cry of pain, the curse of the Cat flowing and ripping his fragile soul. Tohru tries not to give in to hold him close, the temptation overwhelming. Tears run freely from her eyes. As his pain subsides, his eyes clear and notice Tohru's poor tragic state. Kyo tries to sit up with the least of ease and brings his callused yet gentle hands to the young woman's face.
"I-I, Kyo…I want to break the curse! I really do."
Kyo cooed her with soft and calming words. "I know, but it won't come too soon." His fingers laced themselves with her long bronze hair. 'Why can't my life be less complicated and less a torture to me?' His red-orange eyes look intensely at the angel before him. 'Why can't it be less a torture for others as well?'
"K-Kyo…I (hic)…love you…"
Kyo nods his head but in his heart, he denies it. "I know Tohru, you love the Cat."
"No! …I mean yes, but I love you as Kyo too!" He sits in shock. The pain of the rain burns inside of him, but suddenly it feels less of a nuisance. But I love you as Kyo too!
'How…who could ever love me, a cursed being, a monster that is ugly and defiled from inside out?'His eyes search within her sincere earthy brown orbs. She leans to kiss his forehead and mouth. "I love you Kyo. I don't want you to be like this." Her head leans further and lands to rest on his shoulder. "You're hurting inside, right Kyo? I wish I could hold you."
His hands glide to her back, rubbing along her spine. He smiles one-sided and lifts his beaded wrist to his eye level. Damn monster.
You're hurting inside…
'So what if I hurt? There's no cure. All I have to do is accept.'
I wish I could hold you…
"I want to hold you too, Tohru. But there's nothing I can do." Kyo's eyes cloud in chaos.
Tohru brings her own hands back to his cheeks when lifting herself back up from her place on Kyo's shoulder. "Please don't give up! There has to be something we could do. I mean-uh…" Her cheeks flush and her eyes dart from one object to another in the room. The Cat chuckles in amusement. He holds both of her shaking hands in his own and leans in slowly to her delicate ear.
"Tohru…"
His breath near her skin makes her shiver.
"Tohru…if there is a way, just guide me on that road. I love you too, Tohru. But I'm afraid that I'll hurt you. I'm a monster and I hurt," he pauses. And kill, "those who are close to me when I don't mean to. I ju--" Small unwanted tears start come out of the edge of his eyes. He tries to hide them by looking the other way, but Tohru knew. She brings her soft lips gently to his eyes and kisses the tears away as a mother would kiss their child's fears away.
"If you want me to guide you, I'll be your light. I believe in you Kyo. I know you would never hurt me. We're going to make it out of this curse, I promise you." Tohru brings herself back kneeling on the floor, looking softly at the speechless young man. 'How long would this moment last?' He thought. 'Would we keep our promises in the future?' the Cat sighs in content.
In a fluid movement, Kyo moves his lips to hers and touches them in a tender, heartbreaking soft kiss.
"Aishiteru, Aishiteru…Tohru"
Stay with me.
I'm no longer be a stray…
Child.
