Random thing that annoys me: (this'll be a regular feature from now on) People who use the expression "IMHO" (sorry if you do) It always takes me about five minutes to realize that they aren't telling me that they are a ho…
Pocky-Pocky-chan: Aw! You are so sweet to me, and you read the disgusting unedited version, too! Thanks so much for all the compliments. I'm happy that you thought that Yuki and Kyo holding hands was cute, that was my intention. Nao and Tohru is supposed to be unexpected, because the way I figure: who really ends up with the person you think they will in high school? Anyway, thanks so much for all the compliments!
mousecat: Thanks! I hope you continue to think so!
Crazy 109: I know exactly what you mean! So many people have Kyo being like "Yuki, mi amor, how could I ever survive without you?!"and I'm like "bleck!" Thanks for saying that I kept them IC, I really have trouble with that. If you want to see some major OOC action, you should check out my Furuba two-shot…Yuki is so OOC…Anywho, thanks for all the compliments, you really made me want to continue!
Crimson Vixen: Heehee! So many people are saying such nice things! Don't worry, I'm going to do my best to update frequently. I'm sorry for rotting your teeth; I'll have Ritsu apologize to you later -winks- And yes, Yuki is VERY sweet to Kyo…but don't tell Kyo that or he'll freak out!
Modified Tam: Thanks for saying it was good! Also, thank-you very kindly for the warning about making it too lovey-dovey. Don't worry, I only put in Yuki thinking that stuff in Chapter One as a teaser, because I wanted to make sure the slash fanatics didn't run away. The real stuff won't show up for a while. Thanks for you review, it made me happy!
DianaLineelu2001: Thanks for the review and the positive feedback!
The Naruto Whore: XD nice name. Thanks for saying that you love it, I'll do my best to update on schedule. -roars back-
Big fat thansk to my beta, Angelbitch, who is the ebst beta/friend/person EVER. She gets Haru as a reward. I hope I can have him back when I need him later...
IMPORTANT NOTE: The stuff written in second person in between the //'s are flashbacks that Kyo is reliving. Sorry for the confusion, I was gonna hav it in italics, but the flashback segmant became pretty long and reading too much italics makes my head hurt. So, the //'s were born.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Kyo curled into himself, heart hammering, as he listened to Yuki's footsteps receding into the distance while Akito's got closer. It was strange, even though he loathed and feared the violent man; he was actually relieved that his impending arrival had scared Yuki off.
It wasn't that he was ungrateful for Yuki visiting, of course not. But the rat always left a bittersweet feeling in his wake. Even though he knew that the other man tried his best to act as if nothing about their relationship had changed, in the end, Yuki could leave and go back to a normal life, while Kyo never could. It made their relationship very unbalanced in the Prince's favor, and Kyo hated it when Yuki held any kind of advantage over him.
If Kyo had to be completely honest, though, he'd have to admit that now that Yuki was no longer here, he ached for his touch again. For the past…he didn't even remember how long, the only human touch he'd felt was either Akito hitting him or the professional check of Hatori. In either case, he was usually too dazed to process it fully, anyway.
Yuki, however…Yuki had touched him softly, gently, caringly, even. Yuki's touch felt alive, alive in a way that Kyo hadn't felt in such a long time. He was fairly sure that the places that the rat had handled were still tingling.
Yuki couldn't realize what an effect he had had on his former rival. He'd been out in the world, interacting with people. A simple touch couldn't mean so much to him. He didn't understand, but that was okay. Surely if he did, he'd be uncomfortable.
Kyo could remember when human contact meant so little to him, too. Back when he'd been free, people touched him all the time. A casual tap on the shoulder, shaking hands, accidentally clipping his elbow in passing…It meant nothing to him then, but now he yearned for anyone to just brush against him as if he was just another person, as if he wasn't a hideous beast who deserved to be locked up...
"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty…" Kyo shuddered at the cold voice that rang behind him as the opening of the metal door grated on his sensitive nerves. "Look at me, my favorite little monster." Akito ordered. Kyo turned, wondering vaguely who had put his tormentor into a bad mood. Whenever Akito was in a temper, Kyo always bore the brunt of it, in some form or another.
"Better, my kitty." Honestly, did he have to call him that? He was the cat, no kidding, but the creepy pet name coming from such an unnerving individual was plain disturbing. It gave Kyo's spine chills and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "How are you feeling, my little monster-pet?"
"I'm hungry, cold, bored, and pissed-off. Thanks to you, of course." He snapped, voice dripping with hate. Experience and practice assured that he was able to keep the flinch off his face when Akito slapped him.
"Still not house-broken, huh, cat?" Akito asked, rubbing his wrist slightly. "So strange. In all the records form the previous god-incarnates, it says that the cats usually broke down soon after their confinement began. You've barely changed from the disgusting little monster you've always been."
"I'm just special that way." Kyo told the black haired devil, baring his teeth in a challenging growl. Akito's eyes flashed and suddenly the sickly-thin boy found himself held aloft, at Akito's mercy, as always.
"You are anything but special, brat!" Akito spat, shaking Kyo. "Don't forget, you are the cat. You are less than nothing. You are a sick, depraved, disgusting monster. You should be thanking me for putting up with you and not just having you exterminated." Kyo realized he really should refrain from talking back to Akito when he was in these moods, but it was in his nature to argu and annoy whenever he felt threatened.
"No, no, you should thank me for not just giving up and dying." The shaking stopped and Akito glared at him, trying to figure out this new tactic.
"Oh? Why so?"
"Because if I did you'd just have to start trying to figure out which pregnant Sohma needed to have these," he raised his hand up and shook his beads. "While giving birth and then having to deal with the consequent waiting-for-them-to-reach-maturity-so-that-you-can-lock-them-up thing. So really, I'm doing you a favor." Even as he noted Akito's fist coiling back to strike him, he forced himself to only stare into the cruel man's eyes, defiant.
"Vermin!" The cruel leader snarled while Kyo idly flicked his tongue out to taste the blood on his lip. "You, a pestilential monster, dare to think that I could ever be indebted to you for anything?"
"Vermin, pest? Not words usually used to describe cats, or so I thought. Really, they fit more rats. If you want, I can go get Yuki for you…" Not that he would ever have Yuki trade places with him, even if he could. Not after all Yuki had done for him over these past years, keeping him sane, making sure he didn't kill himself from the inside out…
Kyo felt himself flying and heard a loud crack that he knew had to be his head hitting the wall. Slowly the pain started through his skull and Akito's face wavered fuzzily in front of him as blackness rushed at him from the corners of his vision.
¤¤¤
//"Kyo-kun!" Tohru calls out, her face filled with joy at seeing you. "You're back! We missed you, Kyo-kun!" She shoves a plate of something delicious-smelling in your face, which you hurriedly take.
"Where were you anyway?" Shigure asks, stealing a bit of food from you. "Tohru and Yuki said you disappeared right after school. Were you skipping out to date some hot girl? And right before graduation too, was it maybe a…college girl?"
"What?!" You bristle, glaring at Shigure. "I was not! Pervert!" With a sigh, you turn back to Tohru. "Thanks for making me dinner." You slip a bite into your mouth and ruffle her hair. "It tastes delicious."
"Oh!" She squeaks, blushing. "You flatter me t-too much, Kyo-kun!" You deny this and laugh at her sweet, humble nature.
Suddenly, you feel eyes watching you and you look up into amethyst eyes, a growl started in the back of your throat.
"You want something, damn rat?" You sneer. He shakes his head and just pointedly looks at your arm, where he was staring before. Your other hand flashes up to cover where you know a scratch mark is.
¤¤¤
"Kyo-kun! W-what are you doing up so early" Tohru's expression is bemused, more so when you turn a big smile at her.
"I wanted to make breakfast for you, Tohru!" You tell her, inserting as much positive enthusiasm into your voice as possible. "I made enough for all of us. Shigure should be down soon, but Yuki will probably need to be woken."
"Kyo-kun!" You're eyes widen at the dismay in her voice. "y-you…you…you do me too great of an honor! I have done nothing to deserve your making me my breakfasts and-" You cut her off by stuffing some food in her mouth.
"Do you like it?" You ask, suddenly worried that she won't. Everything needs to be perfect.
"It's…it's delicious, Kyo-kun!" She praises you and you grin at her. "Though I still don't know what I did to deserve such a…"
"It's the week of graduation." You chide her, lightly punching her on the arm. "You deserve a little break. This week, I'll do whatever I can for you, instead of the other way around." You're shocked when she bursts into tears. 'Tohru! What'd I do, what'd I say?"
"Y-you're just so sweet, K-kyo-kun!" She bawls, flinging arms around you. With a poof, you're in cat form and she's cuddling you in her arms.
"I just want this week to be special, Tohru." She has no idea how much.
¤¤¤
"Hey, cat. I want to talk to you." You turn to see that damned rat, but don't let your annoyance show on your face. Instead, you flash him a small smile and gesture at his heavy looking backpack. He's going home from student council, you from training and tea with Shishou. Bad timing, meeting up on the path like this. You'll try not to think of it.
"Do you need any help carrying that, Yuki-san? We can walk back to Shigure-sensei's house together if you want to talk. Tohru is at her job, of course." You set off, with him throwing occasional glances at you. When the silence seems to get sufficiently awkward, you turn toward him.
"Are you sure that you don't need help carrying all that stuff, Yuki-san?" You ask. This seems to lead him into what he wanted to say.
"What is it with you?!" He shouts, throwing hand up in the air to try to prove his point. You blink at him, feigning surprise.
"With me? Yuki-san, I do confess I'm a little confused as to your anger. I have sincerely tried to keep out of your way as much as I can in these last few days."
"That's exactly what I mean." He snaps. "What's wrong with you? It's like you became a completely different person overnight. All of a sudden you're making food and doing chores and calling me –san, and Shigure -sensei and you haven't challenged me to a single fight this week and-"
"Oh, Yuki-san," You say kindly, inwardly amused at how your roles seem to have switched. Now you are the calm, collected one while he is the angry, out-of-control one. "I didn't know my actions were distressing you! I'm very sorry. I just want this last week of," your life, your freedom. "School to be special for everyone."
"Who are you and what did you to with Kyo?" He mutters. You laugh and he gives you a look, almost frightened, definitely freaked out. "You've been acting like this ever since you disappeared last Friday. Shigure has been chalking it up to some girl, but that's obviously not it."
"No," You say truthfully. "I'm not meeting any girl. Shigure-sensei has such a romantic's mind, though." Thank god, you've arrived at the house and can escape from that damn rat's prying questions.
"Thank-you for this delightful conversation, Yuki-san." You say with a polite bow and hurry away. Away from Yuki and his inscrutable questions as he stares at the bruises on you legs which had been covered by the uniform before.
¤¤¤
"We've graduated! We've graduated!" Girls are screaming, everyone's laughing and walking in clumps. Our last time together as a class. Tohru looks lovely in her white dress; as do Hanajima and Uotani. Yuki looks cool and relaxed in his fancy clothes, but you feel uncomfortable in the stiff collar and tie.
"So, Kyon-Kyon," Uotani drawls. "I know the Prince is going to some university for gardening and biology, but where are you going? I forget you ever mentioning it." The three others murmur agreements and turn their heads toward you. You don't want to meet their eyes.
"Well, about that, um, I…" You stall when you see Tohru and especially Yuki's eyes widen in fear and a cold voice slides right into the pause.
"Actually, Kyo-kun isn't going to college." You can't react, you mustn't react. You turn slowly to meet those cruel black eyes.
"Akito-san…" Yuki's voice whispers from behind you. You just bow wordlessly. Uotani, always brash and never afraid, takes a step forward, her brow furrowed in an uncompromising sort of way.
"Kyo, not go to a university? Why the hell not? He's a smart, even though he doesn't act it sometimes." Akito gives you a quick look and you realize that this is one of the situations that he drilled you on what response he would be expecting you to give.
"Actually, I don't want to go to college." You supply with a falsely bright smile. "I'm going to be staying in the Sohma house with my family instead, helping out there the best I can."
"Speaking of which, if we don't hurry, we won't have time for you to get unpacked in your new room. I had it built especially for you." You nod, following the script like a good little boy. Akito thinks he's so clever, slipping in hints of truth like that.
"Oh, you really didn't need to, but if you went to all the trouble I suppose we better set off now. I wouldn't want to delay your busy schedule, Akito-sama." You say, every inch the polite, honored young relative.
"Thank-you, Kyo-kun, for your understanding. Well, let us depart, then." Here's the part where you have to break from the script. You realize that you'll pay for it later, but you can't just leave without saying goodbye.
"Ah, actually, Akito-sama, I was wondering if I might just have a few moments to say goodbye to my friends?" Akito is trapped. To keep up the image of generous kindness, he can't disagree. His lips thin a moment, a promise of pain in the near future, and then he nods and steps a few steps away to give us a semblance of privacy.
"K-kyo-kun…?" Tohru begins, worry etched all over her face. You wince and try to ignore it.
"Don't worry about me, Tohru, I'll be fine." You say and quickly grab her elbows and pull her toward you, giving her a protective, brotherly kiss on the forehead. You catch Hana's arm in a soft, friendly grip and salute Uo. Then it's just Yuki. You nod and extend your hand. He takes it, staring cautiously at you the entire time.
"Why so solemn?" Uotani wants to know. "It's not as if this is the last time we'll ever see you, right?"
"Well, actually, it probably is. You've all been great friends." You rush this, watching Akito out of the corner of your eye. "Take care of yourself, Tohru." You say and pat her head. Then you turn briskly and hurry over to Akito.
"I'm ready." You say and he nods, gripping your shoulder in what appeared a proud and protective way, but actually really hurt. As he marched you toward the waiting car, you restrain the urge to look longingly back over your shoulder.//
¤¤¤
Kyo opened his eyes and realized he was finally alone. He ached all over. With a whimper, he dragged himself over to the tiny cot that was now his bed and curled up in it, wincing as he did so.
"Dammit…" He whispered around a swollen lip. He felt his energy draining out of him until, with a soft poof, he turned into a cat and fell asleep. He didn't wake up when he changed back, so when morning fell he was naked and cold and had to quickly struggle into his clothes.
¤¤¤
Kyo listened as the footsteps- Yuki's, of course- grow louder. Huh. He seemed to be going faster today. Normally he paused, stretching out the amount of time before he got there. Today he seemed to be almost…hurrying. Damn rat, doing stupid things that made no sense. Changing the fucking order of his life around.
The cat heard him enter the area in front of his little window. Then, something else different happened. He set something down before leaning onto the bars and calling out.
"Kyo…Kyo…It's Yuki. Please come over, I've got something for you." An orange head snapped up and Kyo turned around, pulling himself to his feet. He stepped forward suspiciously, stopping at the farthest possible place. Usually he started this far away just to show Yuki that he did not depend on these visits, but today it was also the dangerously smug smile on the pretty-boy's face. It was an oh-I'm-so-proud-of-myself kind of smile, self satisfied and infuriating.
"What are you, some pedophile offering candy to innocent little kids? Geez, I turn around and you suddenly become Shigure…" Oh good, his lips had already healed enough that he could speak better already. Nothing was more embarrassing than when his words were slurred and Yuki had to stand there for minutes on end deciphering his meaning.
"Close, but no." Yuki said teasingly, his apparent good humor not to be dampened by Kyo's sarcastic words. "I've got some stuff for you. Come over here, that's a good kitten." As Kyo stepped forward, he realized how strange it was that words that would sound depraved and creepy coming from Akito seemed funny and mock-able from Yuki.
"Kitten my ass, and if it's something slimy and gross I'll never forgive you." Kyo warned, unsettled by the truly cheerful grin that Yuki was beaming at him. University had changed the other Sohma. While before he had been timid and kept hidden inside himself, he was now bouncier and lively. At least, he was with Kyo. Then again, why shouldn't he be? If Kyo ever made fun of him or something, Yuki could just stop coming. Again, Kyo was struck be how their relationship was anything but even.
"Slimy and gross? Of course not! Okay, well first of all, I brought you some stuff for your wounds." Yuki passed some gauze strips and cleaning stuff through the bars. Kyo took them thankfully.
"Wounds?" He snorted derisively. "You make it sound like I'm some war hero with a bullet lodged in my butt or something."
"How do I know you don't?" Yuki asked.
"Don't what?" Kyo was no officially lost.
"Have a bullet in your butt." Kyo, in the process of cleaning a scrape on his knee, choked and stared at Yuki, biting back surprised laughter.
"What is with you today, Your Highness? Did you have sex with someone before you got here?" Kyo asked suspiciously, mentally cheering when Yuki was the one to choke this time. Hah, who said the rat could have all the fun?
"Kyo! I did not have…sex!" Yuki said, a bright flush appearing on his cheeks. Kyo stared at him for about five seconds before ripping into a huge bout of laughter. Yuki glared at him, tapping his foot impatiently as Kyo whooped with honest laughter. "What?" He finally asked, obviously out of patience.
"I can't believe it-oh this is so rich!- you're the freaking P-prince of life, pretty much, you're one of the favored Sohmas, out about in the world, going-to-become-an-amazing gardener, giving lectures, and you still can't say the word sex without blushing like a little girl!" This prompted a fresh bout of laughter and Kyo even heard a few chuckles from Yuki.
"What? One second you're calling me a pervert and all of a sudden, I'm too innocent? Make up your mind, Kyonkichi." Kyo stuck his tongue out at the annoying nickname. Inside his mind, he wondered why Yuki's good mood was so infectious. Goddamn rat. He had so gotten laid and was just lying about it because he was embarrassed. Asshole.
"So, am I correct in guessing that you brought me more stuff?" He finally asked. He could smell something, something that tugged the back of his mind in a memory. It was…
"I brought you some of Tohru's onigiri!" Yuki seemed to be bursting with pride, while Kyo's mouth fell open in shock. "After our talk yesterday I asked her if she could make you some and she did, of course." It was at this point that Yuki realized that Kyo was standing, dumbstruck. "Kyo?"
"Yeah, Yuki…Yuki…you…" He nervously swallowed and wet his lips. "Why do you…how can you…"
"Why do I what? How can I what?" The young man said, pausing in unwrapping on of the rice balls.
"I don't…I don't know." He said, shaking his head. "It's just…why do you do all these things for me? I mean, it's not like we were ever friends, or even on amiable terms. I hated you and you hated me. I still hate you. So why all this bother for," Here he waved a hand to try to encompass his pathetic-ness. "Something like me? What do you get from this? What do you want from me?"
Yuki looked hurt and ducked his head, carefully finishing his unwrapping and passing the food through to Kyo. The scarlet-eyed boy ate slowly, savoring the delicious taste that he missed so much. His eyes remained fixed on Yuki, waiting for an answer.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Next chapter (Yuki's perspective): The end of the visit, which ends with a fight O.o, and a visit with Ayame! Oh, and you get more info on how life's changed for all the Jyuunshi. Someone's dead…but not telling who! Heehee! (I've realized that I am entirely too perky to write angst such as this…ah well!)
Reviews are my life(put into a ziplock bag for safe keeping.)
♥
Rose