Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

It's really late in coming, I know, but this story has been taking way too many turns for me to actually give you guys a decent chapter. I hope you guys like this better than the previous chapters.

Feedback is very welcome!

Much love,

ETERNALEATER


Kyou's grin when he stepped out into the cold back alley, was the first he'd worn in a long time.

It had been months since he'd performed a good show, or a show at all really. Kyou had never been the kind of person to half ass anything, especially a show. But considering the work schedules of all the band members and the constant nagging of his professors at Tokyo U Kyou hadn't had much time to devote to practice let alone a show.

Thankfully after he'd caught up (after weeks of making up homework and projects) and the other band members changed their schedules around a bit they had been able to pull off a pretty decent show.

"Fuck that was awesome." The newest band member, and probably the least experienced, Kakeru Manabe, was always excited after shows. It really wasn't uncommon considering he was still in high school, but sometimes it got really annoying.

"No shit, Sherlock." Kyou said. Despite his good mood, Kakeru always managed to irritate him some way or another. Kyou was beginning to wonder if it was an art form he practiced ritually.

"I forgot how good it felt to perform." Haru moaned as he stretched out his back.

"I know." Kyou's grin was back, in full force.

"Then next time somebody should get his ass in gear, and do his homework."

"Fuck off. The only goddamned work you've got to do is take pictures of random shit." Haru, like Kyou, also went to Tokyo U, he was a photographic art major and a kick ass bassist.

"I'm also the one not stupid enough to major in physical education." Haru shot back effortlessly.

"You major in physical education?" Kakeru's innocent question reminded Kyou of all the shit he took for majoring in what a lot of people considered the wussy major. (AN: I have nothing against physical education, in fact, I respect a lot of people that have majored in physical education. But as far as Kyo's concerned, it's wussy.)

Kyou winced, even thought his dream had always been to inherit Shishou's dojo, even he knew that it was stupid to go through life without a back up plan. The unfortunate thing was that his backup plan involved working with kids. Kyou was never noted as someone good at working with small children.

"Whatever," Kyou snorted, "when I'm the only one with a stable job and a house you'll be wishing you hadn't majored in art."

Haru snorted. "Even if I end up a bum I won't need your charity."

Kyou shot him a glare, his good mood officially ruined. It sucked being the outcast of a so-rich-they-could-shit-money-family. Haru was one of the few people in the middle circle of the family, basically ensuring a comfortable existence for the rest of his life, as long as he didn't piss anyone off.

In all honesty, Kyou shouldn't care that Haru was so rich he could pay for just about every club they played at. But sometimes it felt like being excluded from a secret fort. He felt like a stubborn, irrational five year old.

"Whatever." Kyou snarled as he adjusted the guitar on his back. "I got work to do, catch you guys tomorrow."

"See ya!" Kakeru waved enthusiastically. Kyou could only imagine what a pain in the ass it would be to carry him back home after he got wasted tonight.

Haru nodded and gave a casual wave. "Don't forget to come at nine."

Kyou's head snapped back. "Come where?"

"The art building." Haru looked at him like he was stupid. Obviously he was missing something here.

"When the hell did we have thatconversation?"

"Right before we got onstage."

"Are you fucking sure you didn't just imagine it?" Unlike most people Haru frequently thought things in his mind and expected people to know what the hell he was talking about. To people who'd never meet him before it was scary, to his friends it was a giant pain in the ass.

Haru thought for a minute. "Nope, I'm sure."

Kyou turned to glare at Kakeru. Who was not phased, he was too used to Kyou's mood swings to be bothered with his facial expressions.

"Did you fucking hear this?" Kyou demanded.

Kakeru shrugged, he knew better than to get in the way their fights. Siding with either could make his life hell.

Kyou sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He was too tired for this. "Whatever, I'll see you at nine then."

That left him with about six hours of sleep and no time to do homework. Fucking fantastic.


Yuki loved his Thursday class. Despite what people may have thought posing for the more advanced students was extremely boring. Not that he ended up doing it a lot considering he was too proportionate for their tastes. He was of course, more than qualified to pose for the beginner's class and did it more than often.

The only thing he hated about his Thursday class was that it was at frickin' eight o'clock in the morning. And, God knows Yuki's hate for mornings was up on his list just below visiting his parents and above not having money for cigarettes.

"You're late Yuki-san." One of the new girls, still attempting to flirt with him, fixed him with a mock stern look. "I expect better from you, being a veteran model and all."

Yuki snorted and took another sip of his 'Bold Pick of the Day.' Sumatra, as it was.

He shrugged, "I come, when I want to."

"I do hope you don't tell that to Shiraki-sensei. She just might skin you."

Yuki glanced over at the teacher, not allowing his eyes to linger for too long. It was painfully obvious to almost everyone that Makoto Takei had an obsession with him. It was better for his mental health in general, to stay as far the fuck away as possible. But considering he was the only one willing to teach the beginner's class, Yuki really didn't have an option.

"I'll keep that in mind thanks." He said offhandedly and started to strip. It was an effective but unorthodox means of shutting Makoto up.

This was the part where the girls would bow their heads and mess with their pencils or pens or whatever-the-hell-they-called-its and try not to look embarrassed and the braver ones would attempt to look him straight in the eye and end up staring at his cock, or his ass depending on their angle and turn tomato red.

Either way it was hilarious, the best way to start a morning.

Yuki placed himself next to the large window allowing the shadows of the morning light to create contrasts on his skin. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. He might as well be comfortable if he was going to stand here for the entire period.

"Alright class, you have the entire period. I want you to focus on shadows more than anything else."

For the next hour all anyone could hear was the scratching of pencils and charcoal against canvas.