Chapter Three

The next morning, thankfully, was Thursday and Kyo was once again at school at the same ungodly hour. Only Haru was nowhere to be seen to be seen. Not that he had seen Haru first the day before but that wasn't the point. The point was Haru was there then and now he wasn't.

Kyo stuck his hands into his pockets and headed for the roof. It shouldn't be a problem to spot a certain head of white hair from there. He watched the entire morning and was disappointed when the ox failed to show up. He searched again at lunch and even went as far as to ask Momiji.

"Haru?" The blond tilted his head and studied him curiously, "Why do you want to know, Kyo?"

"Do you know or not?" Kyo ground his teeth in an effort not to explode, Momiji always rubbed him the wrong way.

"Ja!" The bunny leaned forward conspiratorially, "He's in his thinking place."

"His what?" Red eyes blinked.

"His thinking place," Momiji placed a finger on his chin, "He has one everywhere. He thinks a lot."

Kyo grunted and glanced around, "So where is it?"

Momiji sobered for a moment, "You shouldn't bother him when he's thinking, Kyo, he gets mad."

Kyo narrowed his eyes, "I'm going to get mad if you don't tell me, Momiji."

"Kyo," the blond whined, "Kyo . . . ! Don't tell! Don't tell!"

Kyo bopped the bunny unable to stand anymore.

"Wah! Kyo hit me!"

"Shut up!" Kyo whacked him again.

The bell rang.

"Damn it!" Kyo snarled.

The bunny's tears disappeared instantly, "What's wrong, Kyo?"

"Nothing," the cat ducked his head and stalked off.

"Momiji."

"Haru!" The blond spun delighted, "Kyo's looking for you."

The taller teen glanced off to the side, "Hmmm."

Momiji scampered after him to class.

"Kyo!"

The cat paused and forced his temper down.

Tohru and Yuki watched him curiously, "Where are you going?"

"To the dojo," Kyo nodded his farewell, "I'll see ya later."

Yuki watched him go almost analytically, "He seems more himself."

"What do you mean?" Tohru glanced at him, "Kyo is always Kyo."

"You don't think he's been quiet lately?" Yuki asked as they started on their way home.

"Oh, how presumptuous of me to assume I know Kyo better than you do," Tohru became flustered, "I-"

"No," Yuki stopped her, "You're probably right. I've never taken the time to understand him. All I know for certain is that he hates me . . . And I hate him." He noticed the distressed look on her face and forced himself to smile. "So I guess I'll take your word for it."

"I . . ." She trailed off uncertainly, "He's not always loud, Yuki, just as you're not always quiet. My mom always said, 'No one can be perfect because people are many things while perfect is one. So instead of being perfect just be yourself and you'll do fine.'"

"Your mother was very wise," Yuki mulled over the statement.

"Yes, she was," Tohru beamed.

The doors of the dojo burst open and Kyo scanned the room to find no trace of the monotone teen.

"How loud my son is," Kazuma entered the living area calmly, "Hatsuharu told me you'd be here."

"Where is he?" Kyo snapped and was immediately apologetic, "Forgive my rudeness, master."

Kazuma just ruffled the orange hair on the cat's head, "Forgiven, as for the other, I believed he also said something about detention."

Detention.

Of course, Kyo nodded as the pieces fell into place, Haru had skipped class the other day to beat him there. Momiji mentioned Haru was late to class that day as well.

A troubling thought hit him. Could Haru afford to miss class?

"Come, sit," Kazuma motioned for his son to join him, "Why are you looking for Hatsuharu?"

"He's been driving me crazy," Kyo confided instantly as he dropped into his usual seat. "He's been treating me like Yuki and showing up here. I just want to know what's going on."

"Treating you like Yuki?" Kazuma was puzzled, he honestly had no idea what Kyo was talking about. He had never witnessed any odd behavior from the two.

"He . . ." Kyo chewed his lip, "Okay, not exactly like Yuki but . . . He's been acting different."

Kazuma smiled then, "Haru has always been different. His actions are usually guided by his goals and those can change as easily as the wind since they are only known to himself."

Kyo didn't roll his eyes but he might as well have.

"Kyo."

Master and son glanced up as one to see Haru standing in the doorway.

"Hatsuharu," Kazuma was on his feet and greeting the quiet teen, "Join us today."

Haru nodded but didn't take his eyes off Kyo.

"Hey," the cat glared, "We need to talk."

"Yes, we do," Haru acknowledged, "Here."

He dropped a note into the cat's lap.

Kyo snatched it up, "What's this?"

"You requested it," Haru's lips tilted at the corners, "Remember?"

Kyo opened the letter suspiciously while Kazuma watched with interest.

Kyo, I love you. Haru

Kyo was on his feet and in the other teen's face, "You making fun of me!"

"Have I made you angry?" Haru seemed genuinely concerned except for the glint in his eye which the cat caught.

"You're doing this on purpose!" Came the shocked conclusion.

Surprise flashed in his gray eyes for an instant.

Kyo zoom in on him, He's joking!

"What's this?" Kazuma picked up the forgotten note.

Kyo panicked and tried to grab it back.

Kazuma deftly avoided him without a care, "We're going to have to work on your speed. . ." He trailed off and eyed the two teens questioningly.

Haru was perfectly bland while Kyo blushed a furious red.

"Should I ask?" He inquired gently.

"He said he wanted it," Haru shrugged.

"I did not!" Kyo turned to his master pleadingly, "He's . . . joking, master, he's lewd like that. . ."

"Kyo," Kazuma oozed understanding, "If this is the lifestyle you choose-"

"See, Kyo," Haru slung an arm around Kyo's shoulders, "He accepts us."

"-then I want you to know I both love and accept you."

Kyo shoved Haru away roughly, "Get off ya sicko! Master, how could you!"

Kazuma hid a smile behind his hand, "Just remember I will always love you no matter what."

Kyo gave an exasperated sigh and turned to Haru who was smiling at him. Really smiling. Not just the slight smile he usually gave but a full curve of the mouth. He was happy.

"I missed you, Kyo."

The cat scoffed and shook his head at the two, "Why? I didn't go anywhere."

Haru lost his smile and Kyo was actually sad to see it go.

"You always make me chase after you, Kyo."

"What? No, I don't-"

"There was our training expedition," Kazuma remembered.

"Well, yes, but-"

"And then you didn't go to New Years."

"Yes- Wait! Whose side are you on!"

"Just showing you where Hatsuharu is coming from," Kazuma patted the ox, "Now, go change and we'll see how you've improved over the years."

Over the course of the next hour, Kazuma watched them with the critical eye of a sensei and the loving eye of a mentor. Both had grown beautifully over the years and their styles had changed to suit them. He was glad to know his teachings had not limited them but gave them the base they needed to start. He was not a master of old strict tradition. Life had not taught him that inflexibility was a death sentence to all good things. It was sad that not everyone in their family could accept this simple truth.

Kyo's fighting style, in many ways, could be compared to his personality: quick, to the point, and defensive in the extreme. He expected attacks from all sides and went for the knockout even if it wasn't always the best idea.

Kazuma was going to have to talk to him about that. Going for the knockout left one vulnerable if one's opponent was quicker, Yuki for example, or able to withstand such blows, like Hatsuharu.

Haru was a solid young man and, when he wasn't caught off guard, could handle most blows without sustaining too much damage. He fought in a straight line, only deviating when his opponent did. He always moved forward, forcing his opponent back or until he himself was knocked back. This could make one feel trapped on an open plain but could also become extremely predictable.

He blinked as Haru randomly tackled Kyo to the ground.

Or maybe not.

He noted with parental approval how fast Kyo was able to break the hold and regain his feet. Interesting. If only he could see Haru fight in his black personality, he would be able to make a more thorough analysis of his fighting technique.

"Enough," he was pleased when they stopped instantly, "Some tea, perhaps?"

Haru immediately accepted the offer by sitting at the table and then waited for Kyo to join.

Kyo huffed and dropped into his seat.

Kazuma smiled and served tea.

"Where were you yesterday?" Red eyes slanted over to gray.

"Home. School. Then home, again," Haru sipped his tea.

Kyo narrowed his eyes, "After school, Haru, you didn't go straight home."

The ox scooted closer to the cat, "You waited for me?"

The cat eyed him wearily but didn't move, "No."

Haru smiled that smile again, which showed he knew his orange-haired cousin wasn't being exactly truthful.

Kyo just continued to eye him. He was happy again but why? He sure as hell didn't know.

"This brings back memories." The teens turned to their master. "You two used to be inseparable when you were at the dojo," he remembered aloud, "You even used to hold hands."

Haru nodded, it was a fond memory of Kyo.

Kyo turned a bright red, "We did not. I just took him to the bathroom because he always got lost!"

"I used to have a bad sense of direction," Haru agreed.

"What do you mean 'used to'?" Kyo retorted.

Kazuma ended the spat by simply pouring more tea, "Perhaps you should explain why the dojo is empty on a week day again."

Kyo's attention snapped to Haru who sighed and replaced his cup on the saucer.

"I went to Akito-" Kyo stiffened, "-and requested to resume my lessons with master. He agreed."

Kyo's eyes darted between them, "I don't understand."

Kazuma took up the slack when Haru seemed content to leave it at that, "Akito ordered long ago that once a member of the zodiac was to be trained at the dojo, it was to be done in isolation. Only other zodiac members would be allowed to attend such lessons. Akito doesn't like to share."

Kyo glanced at Haru, still not quite understanding what this had to do with him. Sure, he'd never heard of this rule before but it made sense. In the past he had shared lessons with Haru and even Kagura with no one else around otherwise he would have to wait for a lesson. After his master's other lessons for the day . . .

"Oh," Kyo blinked, "I didn't know."

The cat didn't get the special treatment the rest of the zodiac received. When they wanted a lesson then his master had to reschedule all his classes to accommodate them. The cat had to wait for scraps of time after his master was exhausted from teaching all day. He'd been getting the shitty end of the stick for years. He just hadn't realized it.

Kyo's head went down and his hands fisted.

A hand settled on his shoulder, "I told him I wanted to train." The stoic teen remarked softy, "I didn't say for how long."

Surprise lifted the cat's head as the unspoken offer drifted through the air. Hatsuharu Sohma was offering himself as a cover for the cat to spend as much time with his master as he wanted. He wanted to be mad at him. For sticking his nose in his business. For pitying him like that. For being stupid enough to put himself on Akito's warpath if he ever found out . . .

But he couldn't be mad . . .

His master had always been the one good thing in his life that couldn't be taken away. Kazuma wouldn't allow it and no one was better than his master.

Time, however, was scarce. He was a senior this year, his last year of freedom, and, at his master's insistence, he lived with Shigure. Between school and his master's lessons they didn't spend nearly enough time together and . . .

Tears pricked at his eyes so he covered them.

"You shouldn't do this . . ."

"I want to," Haru stated simply, "You deserve to be happy too."

"But Akito . . . Don't be stupid, Haru." Anger drove back the prickling sensation, "Akito's going to be pissed if he finds out."

"That's if he find out."

"Haru-"

"Kyo," Haru was suddenly an inch away, "This can stop at anytime. You decide. Excuse me, master." He bowed his respect and left the room.

Kazuma hugged Kyo, freeing him of his manly restrictions, and only then did he release one tear.

"Kyo," was all he had to say.

"Why is he doing this? Akito's going to . . . Do something horrible to him. No one can be nice to the cat."

"He wants you to be happy," Kazuma stated softly, "Beyond that, Haru's motive are his own."

Kyo pushed away, "He's risking too much."

"It's his choice, besides, I'd enjoy spending some time with you," Kazuma patted his hand, "My son grows tall and changes so much. I miss him."

Kyo gave him a tired smile, "I miss you, too, master."

Kyo found Haru sitting on the porch in his school uniform.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Kyo sat next to him.

"You were supposed to be happy," he was frowning, his brows contrasting sharply with his hair.

"I was," Kyo glanced at a far off spot on the horizon. Haru's gaze shifted then and Kyo could feel the disbelief pouring off the ox. He rolled his eyes and became irritated that he had to reassure the other teen. Wasn't his word enough?

He locked eyes with Haru, "I appreciate your offer but you can't keep up this charade forever and I don't want to be the reason Akito banished you or something."

Kyo nodded satisfied that he'd ended a potentially addictive and dangerous habit before it started.

Something shifted in those gray eyes, however, that said otherwise.

Kyo missed it as he leaned back onto his arms, "Why are you so focused on me, anyway? Aren't you in love with Yuki or something?"

Haru sighed and just fell onto the floor with a thump, "Not for many years."

Kyo arched an orange brow with blatant disbelief.

"Don't get me wrong, Kyo, I will always love Yuki like I will always love you-"

"What!"

"-but the kind of love you speak of ended when I was ten and I discovered girls," his gray eyes drifted shut and a very male smile crossed his lips, "Hmm, girls."

Kyo just grunted, "I always thought Yuki was kinda girly."

Teeth flashed in Haru's smile for a split second, "You never see him the way I do."

"I never wanted to," Kyo waggled his eyebrows, surprising a laugh out of the younger teen which was more of an amused humph than anything.

Kyo allowed himself a brief chuckle, pleased with the insult to Yuki.

God, they hadn't done this in years . . . He hadn't noticed how much it bothered him when Haru wanted to spend time with Yuki instead of him. Childish jealousy? Hell, yes, scores of it, and every moment of it justified. Haru had been his friend first and Yuki never appreciated him anyway.

"Maybe we were twins separated at birth in another life," Haru announced suddenly.

"What?" Kyo frowned and smiled at the same time, "Come on, get up." He pulled the ox to his feet and moved him to stand directly in front of him. Then he bopped him.

Haru blinked.

"There," the cat nodded, "Now, come to dinner."

Now, Haru was puzzled and amused all at once. "I have to be whacked to come to dinner?"

"Don't be stupid," Kyo started walking, "You deserved it."

Haru harrumphed and stuck his hands in his pockets.

Kazuma picked up the phone in the dojo, "Hatori, please."

"Hello."

"Yes, Hatsuharu will not need a ride home from the dojo today."

"Oh?" Hatori leaned back into his chair, "And why is that?"

"He just left."

"What?" He sat up alarmed, "Where did he go?"

"Shigure's I believe."

". . ." Hatori already had his lab jacket on, if he left now he could catch the ox before he got lost and save himself an entire night of searching.

"Kyo invited him to dinner," Kazuma continued pleasantly.

Hatori's sigh of relief was almost audible over the phone, "Kyo's with him, then."

"Yes," Kazuma nodded, "Have a good day."

"You as well," Hatori hung up the phone.

"Who's with the cat?" A dark voice cut the air as subtly as a scalpel in flesh.

The dragon picked up his files calmly and turned to face the head of their family. "Haru was invited to dinner at Shigure's. Kyo is acting as an escort."

The head was quiet before finally drifting away.

"The cat had found himself a use. . . Turn on the heater, Hatori, hell is about to freeze over."

End of Chapter Three