Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or Ranma ½.

Half an hour later, Kyo sauntered along the path leading to Shigure's house. The rain had finally blown over, freeing him from the café and the old woman's stare. The onigiri hadn't been too bad, but he still hoped Tohru had left some dinner aside for him. In his hand was the bell the old woman had given him. Luck in love for those who love cats…He snorted. The fact was that Kyo didn't particularly love cats. Cats loved him. He rather resented them. Still, they were less obvious than cows or pigs.

The house came in sight, rectangles of golden light from the windows gilding the lawn and framing the door. As he approached, light spilled from the door, illuminating a figure.

"Kyo-kun! You're home! We were beginning to worry! Are you all right?" Tohru's voice reached him. She had obviously been watching for him. He felt warm inside at the thought, despite the fact she was probably lying without realizing it. He doubted the damn rat had been distressed by his absence, and Shigure was too lazy to start worrying until absolutely necessary.

"There, Tohru-kun. I told you Kyo would be fine. He always lands on his feet, so to speak." Shigure's voice drifted from his study, confirming Kyo's hypothesis.

"Where have you been?" She fussed as he entered and took off his shoes.

"Did you get caught in the rain without an umbrella?"

He shook his head. "No. I went into a café when the rain started."

"That's good!" Tohru said brightly, before wilting visibly.

"Oh."

"What?" Kyo asked. Did I say something wrong again?

"It's nothing. I just put some dinner aside for you, that's all. I can put it in the fridge till later if you've already eaten."

"No, the food there was nowhere near as good as yours. I'll eat it now." Kyo assured her.

Tohru beamed at him, before bustling off to the kitchen to reheat it for him. Kyo watched her, shaking his head. Sometimes her rapid mood changes made him dizzy. He followed her into the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that." He told her. "I'm not Yuki, you know. I can reheat food without destroying it."

"It's fine! I don't mind doing it!"

His hand slipped into his pocket again. Luck in love for those who love cats.

Luck in love… He wasn't going to be lucky in love. Nobody could love a monster like him. He was going to be locked up after graduation anyway. Tohru, on the other hand… Tohru deserved love. She gave it away so freely herself. For those who love cats… Memories flooded his mind. Tohru, claiming that she wanted to be born in the Year of the Cat. Tohru following him up to the roof of the school, and patting his feline companions. Tohru nearly in tears because she thought that he (the Cat of the Zodiac) was angry at her. Tohru, her eyes luminous in the moonlight, telling him she "loved cats!" Tohru fit the description better than he did. She adored cats of all shapes and sizes.

"Oi." He said gruffly, getting her attention.

"I have something for you." He could feel his face heating for some reason. He was very glad they were alone in the kitchen.

She turned from the stove, face radiant, then guilty.

"Oh, Kyo-kun! You shouldn't have!" She protested.

"It's so kind of you to put up with me anyway!" She continued. Kyo interrupted before she could get herself worked up again. He'd heard it all before, and thought Tohru was exaggerating. When counting her blessings, she never seemed to account for the blessings she gave.

He held out his hand, the gold bell suspended on a fine chain.

"Just take it, and don't argue." He said, rather brusquely, to hide his embarrassment.

"It's supposed to be lucky." He explained, suddenly realizing she might think it odd that he was giving her what looked like a cat's bell.

Tohru slowly reached out her hand.

"Kyo-kun, it's beautiful…" She said softly.

"What! What is it?" Shigure's voice broke the moment. Clearly he'd been eavesdropping outside the door, and could not contain his curiosity. Kyo growled in frustration, and started towards the door, cracking his knuckles ominously. He was pulled up short by a soft ping! And Tohru announcing "It's ready!"

That night, Kyo's sleep was restless, and his dreams were full of ringing bells. Sometimes he thought they were wedding bells, and other times cat bells…

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The next day at school, Tohru wore the necklace with its unusual charm. Her friends Uotani Arisa and Hanajima Saki noticed and commented.

"Kyo-kun gave it to me last night! Isn't it lovely?" She said happily.

Arisa and Saki exchanged glances.

"Yes, Tohru-chan." Saki agreed in her soft voice. "It also has … intriguing waves."

"What did you mean earlier about Tohru's necklace, Hanajima?" Arisa demanded, when the pair were alone.

"The waves remind me of two things. One is Sohma Kyo's aura –"

"Well, he did give it to her … which reminds me, we have to talk to him later. Go on."

"I didn't want to worry Tohru-chan, but … The other thing it reminds me of is actually a place – an extremely old house we passed once on holiday. The house was reputed to be haunted."

"I don't believe in ghosts, Hanajima."

"Still … I wonder where he got it."

Later that day, during lunch…

Arisa stalked over to where Kyo was sitting playing a card game with other class members. Grabbing him by his white tie, she unceremoniously yanked him off his chair and began dragging him towards the door.

"Carrot Top and I are just going to have a little chat." She informed the players over her shoulder. Tohru waved cheerfully and called "Have fun!"

Somehow, Kyo doubted that.

Once they had left the building and crossed the quad to where Hanajima was standing, staring dreamily at the clouds, Arisa released Kyo.

"What the hell was that for Yankee? I was winning that game!"

Arisa did not beat around the bush. Fixing Kyo with an intimidating stare, she began the ritual carried out by best friends for generations.

"You gave Tohru jewelry. What are your intentions?"

Kyo gaped at her in stupefaction. Arisa seemed to take his silence as some sort of admission of guilt.

"Hurt her in any way and I will castrate you with a rusty spoon. Are we clear?" Arisa loomed over him, looking like she would like nothing better than a reason to whip out her iron bar and give it a work out on him. Saki did not remove her gaze from the sky, but an unpleasant, not-quite-painful tingle ran over him.

"What are you talking about!" Why is everyone making such a big deal about a stupid necklace! Hold on...' intentions!'

"Look, it's just a good luck charm." Kyo thought it might be a bit impolitic to mention the 'love' part right now. He had finally figured out the point of this conversation.

"Its waves indicate it has great age. Where did you get it?" Saki dropped her gaze to study him. Her stare had the same probing quality as the old woman's.

"Some old Chinese woman gave it to me. She said it brought luck to those who loved cats." He shrugged. "I figured that she suited the description better than me, so I gave it to her. She deserves some good luck." Then realizing what he had just said could be construed as incriminating given the context of the conversation, he hastened to add, "That girl is so clumsy, she can use all the luck she can get."

This seemed to satisfy Arisa. "Very well. Just remember what I said." She stalked off with a swirl of her long skirt. With one last enigmatic look, Saki followed her.

Shaken, Kyo returned to the classroom and the card game.

"Hello Kyo-kun! Did you enjoy your chat? The necklace is working! I won a game!" Tohru told him joyfully. "We were discussing good places to eat. Didn't you say you were in a nice café yesterday?" She continued.

Kyo's attention wasn't really on the card game after his encounter, with the result that he lost and got stuck with cleaning duty. Tohru waited for him, and Yuki waited for Tohru, and the three of them walked home together. Yuki and Kyo only got into one fight on the way home – a new record.

When they got to Shigure's, they split up to go to their various rooms, before commencing their homework. Then Tohru went to work, Kyo retreated to the roof, and Yuki disappeared to his 'Secret Base.' Yuki had announced his intention to meet Tohru and walk her home at dinner. Kyo had been planning to offer to walk her home, but the supercilious rat had got there first, and no way was he going to go anywhere with the rat voluntarily. That didn't stop him waiting up to make sure she got home safely.

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read this story! Chapter 3 should be out tomorrow or the day after. The Bake-neko (Ghost Cat) should be making his appearance then. Till next time! Seshut. nn