Kyo sat in a booth in his favourite bar, with his best friends, feeling nervous. He was expecting Yuki soon, and he was wondering why he had even invited Yuki in the first place. Yeah, he and Yuki had got on very well yesterday, but let's face it, they never had before. It would probably all go to shit. And then Yuki would be gone and he would have no chance to ever see his family again.

Wait, did he even want to see the Sohmas again? It hadn't occurred to him that maybe he missed them. With Akito out of the picture would being reunited with them all be that bad? Especially Kazuma. And Tohru. Even Shigure.

Kyo suddenly felt something whack against his head and he turned to his friend, Imy, who had a cheeky grin on her face, "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"You've been spacing out all evening," Imy said, taking another sip of her beer.

"I'm worried you guys are gonna scare off my cousin, that's why," Kyo smirked.

"How insulting, we make the best impression," Jane, the youngest of the group, pouted.

Alexa, the last of the girls said casually, "You got sick on my shoes the first time I met you. Then Jude tried to clean them and also got sick."

Jane's brother, Jude laughed loudly, "Yeah, why are you guys friends with us again?"

Kyo and Alexa said at the same time, "Fuck knows."

They all descended into laughter when a vibrating in his pocket caught Kyo's attention. A text popped up on the screen from Yuki simply saying five minutes away, scotch neat. Kyo couldn't help but smile.

"I'm going to the bar, anyone want one?" Kyo said, standing up.

"The usual," All the girls replied.

Jude rolled his eyes and followed in tow, "I'll help you."

The two men leaned over the bar and Kyo caught the bartender's attention, "The usuals and a scotch neat."

"A scotch neat, huh?" Jude said with a quirk of the lips, "For your cousin?"

"Yup."

"Which cousin is this anyway?"

Jude was the only person Kyo ever confided in. And hadn't even told Jude everything. His past was the past. Kyo liked to keep it that way. He didn't tell Jude about the curse of course, no one would understand without seeing the curse in action. But Jude was the first person he had truly made friends with when he moved to New York. Jude used to work in the restaurant with him for extra money while he studied Ancient History.

He was also Kyo's first boyfriend. Kyo had known he was gay for a long time, but had never found the courage to admit it to anyone. Jude was funny and smart and very openly gay. They kissed one night when they were drunk and were dating within a week. It ended after six months when the constant arguing became too much to bare. But not before Kyo had been integrated in their small group of friends. They agreed to be friends again and although difficult at first, they eventually fell back into their original friendship and were now closer than ever.

"Yuki… he's the one I lived with when I was in high school."

"Oh, the writer?"

Kyo shook his head, "No, the one the same age as me."

Jude frowned, studying Kyo's expression, "I thought you hated him?"

"It was years ago. And I haven't seen him for so long. People change," Kyo shrugged.

Suddenly, a flash of silver hair caught Kyo's eye and he craned his neck to catch Yuki's eye. Yuki was smothered in a large, light grey coat. Kyo noticed how elegant Yuki looked. He always had a grace about him, even more now that he was a man.

"Yuki!" Kyo held out a hand up for Yuki and the smaller Sohma looked up.

Yuki smiled softly and weaved through the crowd cautiously, approaching Kyo, "Hey, sorry I'm late."

"No, it's fine," Kyo picked up Yuki's drink, handing it to him, "Scotch neat."

"Thanks, this place is really cool," Yuki said, glancing around.

"Yeah I guess, we're here way too much," Kyo turned to Jude, "This is my friend, Jude. This is Yuki."

Jude smiled and held his hand out, "Nice to meet you, Yuki."

"Nice to meet you too."

When they began to walk towards the booth, Yuki grabbed Kyo's sleeve and pulled him backwards, looking anxiously at the taller man, "I just thought I should let you know… I still have my curse so-"

"Don't worry, I'll stay near," Kyo said, placing a hand on Yuki's shoulder, "New York City is not the best choice to avoid bumping into girls, y'know?"

Yuki chuckled in response.

Kyo led Yuki over to their booth and the girls all said enthusiastic greetings. Yuki sat down after Kyo, and he could see and feel Yuki's tension radiating off him.

"I can't wait to hear some juicy stories about Kyo," Imy said, looking at Kyo mischievously.

Yuki shifted in his seat before answering, "I have far too many."

"I bet he was a problem child," Alexa swept her hair behind her ear.

"He was never very good at keeping calm…" Yuki said with a slight smirk, gazing at Kyo.

"Hasn't changed at all, then."

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

They all laughed when Jane leaned across the table, batting her eyelashes at Yuki. Kyo knew exactly what she was up to. Jane always attempted to get closer when she was interested in someone, "Did you two get along as kids?"

The cousins looked at each other, a mutual curiosity about what the other would say, "Not exactly," Yuki said, "Kyo hated me."

"You hated me too!" Kyo snapped back playfully, "Don't pretend!"

"I only pretended. It aggravated you more," Yuki gave that cheeky smile of his he saved for when he teased someone. Kyo never used to be on the receiving end of it.

"You didn't hate me?" Kyo said in shock.

Yuki lowered his head, hiding behind his locks, "Of course I didn't."

Half an hour went by far quicker than expected and Kyo couldn't help but ponder how easily Yuki fit into his group of friends. Like a missing piece of a puzzle. Yuki and Alexa were getting on extremely well, they had the same sense of humour. Kyo wondered if Yuki had a girlfriend, him and Alexa might be a good fit.

As if she read his mind, Jane suddenly leaned back in her seat and said, "So Yuki, do you have a girlfriend?"

Kyo tilted his head at Jane, "Hands off, man killer."

Yuki chuckled and said, "No I don't have a girlfriend. I have a boyfriend though."

Kyo's eyes widened ever so slightly as he stared at Yuki. He would never have suspected that Yuki was gay. Granted, Yuki had a very girly air about him, but Kyo had always assumed Yuki was in love with Tohru. He supposed it made sense, he was pretty sure Tohru wouldn't be marrying Momiji if Yuki liked women.

"Not the only gay one in the family?" Jude said to Kyo.

Yuki frowned deeply, "You're gay?"

"Yes! You are?!" Kyo snapped back.

"How did you not know that about each other?" Imy asked.

"We haven't seen each other since we were eighteen," Yuki said shyly, shrugging.

Just before one o'clock in the morning, the others decided to leave. They all said it was good to meet Yuki, and they would love to see him again.

"Stay for one more?" Kyo said with a side smile.

Yuki nodded, "Go on then."

They ordered another drink and sat back down in their previous seats.

"Your friends are nice," Yuki said.

"They liked you, I could tell," Kyo sipped his drink, looking Yuki up and down, "You should come out with us more often."

"I would really like that."

"So… can I ask you about your boyfriend?"

Yuki shifted uncomfortably in his seat before he started, "His name is Sam, we met at Tokyo University. He's half-Japanese but he grew up in New York which is why we moved back over here."

So that's why Yuki lives here, Kyo thought, "How long have you been together?"

"A little over two years now."

"Wow, that's like four times the amount of time I've ever been out with anyone. You must really love him."

Yuki's eyes were cast down as he took a large gulp of his scotch, "Yes. Yes, I do."

Kyo could sense Yuki's arising tension and decided it would be best not to pry, "Have you really never been to the Empire State?"

Yuki looked up, expression ridden with confusion, "What?"

"Before, you said you've never been to the Empire State? Is that true?"

"Yes… I've never been."

"Well, we should go sometime," Kyo said with determination, "New Yorkers typically avoid all the touristy spots like that. But you have to go to the Empire State at least once."

"You would really do that…? For me…?" Yuki said hesitantly.

"Yeah, it would be fun."

Yuki visibly frowned and looked down and began tracing the rim of his glass like he often did, "Why are you being so nice to me, Kyo?"

Kyo thought about it for a second and came to a conclusion, "I have no idea whatsoever. Maybe it's just cause… I know how lonely New York can be when you don't have people around you. And I've known you a long time, I don't want you to feel like that anymore."

The softest of smiles grew across Yuki's face, "Thank you. I really mean it."

"We should get going," Kyo said, "Do you need a cab?"

"No, I live a couple of blocks away."

"You live in the Upper West Side?! You lucky bastard!"

Yuki smirked again, "Lawyer."

~x~

Thank you kglwetzel and pinksugarrush for being the first reviewers of this story! This is actually a much harder story to write than I thought it would be, maybe because I haven't written a fruits basket story for a while so maybe that's why, and normally I have a story all planned out thoroughly, but haven't done that either! So we'll see how that goes haha.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please give some feedback, it motivates me!