Disclaimer-Still own nothing

A/N—Since the curse carrier is dead, the Zodiac members no longer change into animals. They just have a shortened lifespan.

You Look Familiar

Shigure slowly felt full consciousness return to him, and then ardently wish it had not. His head was pounding, like a jackhammer was mercilessly assaulting his brain. Funny thing was, he did not think his attacker had used any weapons. She—he was sure it was a female—had somehow assailed him with nothing but her whirlwind energy. Maybe when he tried to resist she had knocked him into the side of the phone booth.

"Ugh," Shigure said, sitting up and holding his head. "Some Christmas." He had come here, not only to visit Yuki and Kyo, but also to escape his editor. It was not his usual method of torturing her by hiding pages or missing his deadlines. There was honestly no writer's energy left in him. Which honestly scared him; his type of job was the only way a Sohma could make decent money.

"Hmm? What's this?"

Shigure glanced up, and through his clearing vision he saw someone leaning over him. The most noticeable feature about this person—it sounded male—was the ankle-length waterfall of platinum-white hair.

"Another mugging," the voice said, confirming the stranger's gender as male. "Are you okay? Did they get any money?"

"I'm fine, it's just my head hurts, and they didn't get any money because I had none on me. They purloined my coat, though. And it's awfully cold out here." Shigure glanced enviously at the thick, purple, leopard-spotted coat the stranger had on.

"And on Christmas Eve, too," the stranger said, offering a hand from Shigure to grab and hoist himself up. "You know, you look terribly familiar. What's your name?"

"Shigure. Sohma Shigure."

"Shigure! It's Aya!"

"Aya? I haven't talked to you face-to-face since our high school graduation! Remember how we spiked Hatori's drink and made him sing "I'm Too Sexy"? Who knew Hatori sang Counter Tenor?"

"Have you seen him lately? How is he?"

A cloud passed over Shigure's face. "Sicker than ever. He overworked himself trying to save Akito, so the curse has been hitting him the hardest. At least he has Kana to take care of him. I think she's the only thing keeping him alive."

"Yeah, with Akito gone Hatori learned how to reverse his powers," Ayame said, more a comment than follow-up. At one point in time he had seriously thought himself in love with Hatori; though now aware it had been just a crush, hearing that he was ill still gave him a pang of sickness in his chest. "That reminds me. You know, Shigure, there's a Support meeting for people like us at 10: 00, and it's nearly 9: 05 now. I'll get you some food and a coat, and then we'll go together!"

"But…I called Yuki and Kyo just before I was attacked…I'm supposed to go see them."

"Yuki?" Ayame's face lit up like the electric tree decorations hanging from the lampposts. "You're going to see Yuki? Perfect! He can come with us, too!"

"And Kyo?"

"He can come too, if he wants! The more the merrier!"

"But Aya…"

Ayame cut him off by placing his index finger on Shigure's lips.

"I do not take "no" for an answer, Shigure!" Ayame said, grinning madly. "Now, come on! We want to be there on time, don't we?"

He grabbed Shigure's hand, fingers interlacing, and began dragging him down the street. Despite having his shoulder being practically yanked from the socket, Shigure was beginning to warm up. Ayame had gotten drunk at their graduation party too, and had engaged in a full make-out session with a, surprisingly, sober Shigure. Shigure wondered if Ayame remembered. Shigure certainly did.

"Remember how we started kissing at the graduation party?"

Now that was just scary.

"How'd you know I was thinking about that?"

"Well, we haven't seen each other since, I would assume you were thinking about it! Shame on you, Shigure, playing with my tender young heart!"

"I believe you were the one to come on to me, Ayame."

"Still, you were the sober one, you should have stopped me!"

"But, Aya, you're such a good kisser, why would I have stopped you?" Shigure said flirtatiously.

"Really? Shigure, it makes me so happy to hear you say that! There's been someone I've been planning to kiss for what seems like ages and now I know I won't disappoint!"

"I always could make you happy," Shigure said reflectively. "Who were you planning to kiss?"

"You, silly!" Ayame turned around, launched himself onto Shigure, wrapped his arms around his head, and pressed his mouth on Shigure's. Without missing a beat Shigure was returning the kiss. It was graduation all over again—this time, both of them sober. And both of them fully enjoying themselves.

Kyo sat on his bed and stared at the door Yuki had just shut behind him. Maybe he should have gone with Yuki. It was not every day the Rat-boy offered Kyo the chance to hang out together. For some reason the Rat-boy was deciding to break with the traditional rivalry, and Kyo wondered why and even if it was possible. The Cat and the Rat always hated each other; the Sohma family had long since decided it…

"Still under the Sohma yoke," Kyo said aloud, self-disparagingly. Why should he follow their stupid rules and traditions, if the family did not even invite him home for Christmas? If they left him to die slowly in this hellhole? And what was he still doing here, anyway? He should have taken over the Sohma dojo by now, or hauled off to camp in the mountains, or something, instead of living in this place that starving strays avoided, it was so bad.

But Kyo knew the answer. He hated the answer, but he had spent enough of his life running from the truth and the time had come to be honest with himself. He did not have the strength to get out of the apartment. Physical strength he had, even though he knew it was deteriorating with the curse. It was the emotional strength that he lacked.

Since he was very little there was only one person who ever really cared about him. Sohma Kagura. She was a member of the zodiac whose parents actually loved her. She was petted and spoiled but she loved people, most especially him, to the point of obsession. Kyo had often threatened to take a restraining order out on her, but he never did. Everyone needed some love in their life and for Kyo, that love, as dangerous as it was, was Kagura.

But Kagura was gone. She had had a malignant heart problem since birth. Therein had lain her resolve to get Kyo as fast as she could, she knew that she might not have a second chance to get him.

She had been hospitalized with a hole in her heart when Akito died. Her pulse already weak, the shock from knowing her only protection from death had died caused her monitor to flat line. Four minutes later her brain had shut down.

Kyo had been the first to know; Hatori found him in the hospital lobby first. The thought of no Kagura around to jump on his back and smother his entire head with kisses, no Kagura to grab his hand and drag him down the street, no Kagura to make him feel like he had even the need to exist, had instantly impaired his emotional capacities. He had really loved her; how could he have not, when she was the only one who loved him? After hearing of her death he had gone home to the apartment, collapsed on his bed, cried his eyes out, and since refused to leave the apartment for any reason besides his two-digit job as a store clerk.

He glanced over at a picture he had of her, propped up against the wall by his bed. Kagura had her arms wrapped around his neck and he was struggling to get free. That picture had been taken a year ago. Kagura had died six months ago.

Six months of leaving the apartment only for work. Kyo swore and turned away.

There were two raps on the door to the apartment. Kyo glanced over exasperatedly. "What'd you forget, Yuki?"

"He didn't forget anything," a female voice said on the other end. "Sorry to bother you and all, but can you help me?"

Kyo rolled lazily off his bed and straightened up. He headed for the door, unlocked the chain, and opened it.

Standing in the doorframe was a young woman about his age. She had blonde hair to just below her shoulder blades and dark, navy blue eyes. She was holding a long, white candlestick with a plastic tray around it, like a church candle. Kyo briefly wondered if she had snitched it from a church.

"Got a match?" the girl said, sticking out her candle.

"I know you," Kyo said, looking at her. "You're…you're shivering," Kyo said, not coming up with her name.

"They turned off my heat," the girl replied. "That's why I'm here for a match." She glanced at Kyo, who was staring at her. "Take a picture, it lasts longer."

"What? Oh, yeah. Sorry. You just look familiar. And you look like you're gonna collapse."

"I'm fine, I just need some heat and some food. It's not like I'm gonna die." She glanced at Kyo and smiled again. "And you're still staring."

"It's nothing," Kyo said, shaking his head. "Just now, when you smiled, you reminded me of…" Kyo trailed off.

"I always manage to remind people of somebody. Who is she?"

"Her name was Kagura. She died half a year ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl said sincerely. She glanced at her candle. "Sorry, but could you…?"

"Yeah, sure." Kyo turned and walked toward the kitchen and retrieved a packet of matches. He lit one and touched it to her candle. "Get yourself something to eat."

"Yes, sir," the girl said sarcastically, before winking. "'Night."

"'Night." The girl turned to walk away, and Kyo shut the door. He turned to walk away, but before he could take a step away a knock came on the door again.

"Did you blow it out or something?" he asked, opening the door to see the girl standing there again, with an unlit candle.

"No, I just turned too fast and it blew out. Plus, I think I dropped my pipes in the hallway, but I can't see anything. Can you come help me find them?"

"Yeah, whatever." Kyo took out another match from the packet and lit her candle. "And you still look familiar."

"I'd be surprised if I didn't, after two seconds," the girl said, stooping down to search the floor. "Do you know about a gang called The Ladies?"

"Yeah…oh, now I know who you are. You're the one who beats up cops when the others mug somebody. I didn't recognize you without the mask."

"Well, it's better than being killed for trying to leave," Uo said, moving around on the floor. "Ah, here's Sachi!"

"You named your pipes?"

"They're my only friends." Her candle flickered, threatening to blow out again.

"That's kinda pathetic."

"Blow it out your a—s," the girl said, standing. "That one's my best; I'll look for the others in the morning."

She turned around to face Kyo, but the flickering flame could not withstand the force of air it received from the turn and instantly dissipated.

"Doesn't that just suck."

"I don't have any more matches."

"Great. Well, give it a minute, our eyes'll adjust. Can you just reach out your hand so I can grab it? I don't wanna be stranded in the hallway."

"Whatever." Kyo stuck out his hand and made out the shape of Uo groping around in the darkness. Her hand found his, grabbed it, and pulled herself towards him.

"Some Christmas, huh? No heat, no light, nothing. And your hands are cold."

"So are yours," Kyo shot back.

"Touché," the girl said. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Kyo."

"I'm Uo."