Chapter Seven
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Nightmares…endless nightmares…haunting Kyo… In the nightmares, every second seemed to last hours…hours of horror and pain… Marrying Yuki…Forced to be in a wedding…Marrying Yuki, of all people. The Rat, the filthy rat… tricking the Cat out of a place of respect. All the other animals were paid respect…The Rat…the Cat's mortal and eternally hated enemy… It was the Rat's fault that the Cat was cheated out of a destiny. And now a Cat was to marry a Rat whose mind was addled enough to believe that there could actually be love there… obsessive, insane, one-sided love though it was. What a nightmare. An insane Rat…Rats were always such trouble—even back at the very beginning and even to this day… What a nightmare…
And worst of all, this nightmare was Kyo's living reality. This was just wrong. Rats and Cats can never be friends, much less be married (even if one of them was insane…*cough cough* Yuki *cough cough*). It's just wrong, it just isn't done. Rats and cats being together is impossible, like asking the sun to stop rising. Like asking anime fans (like you and me) to forsake their fandom. Like telling Tetsuya Nomura he makes crappy video games. Like telling Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII that he's not totally awesome in every single scary way. Things like this just go against the grain of the entire universe.
Kyo wanted to die. He didn't care how. Anything. Being stampeded by girly pink ponies would be welcomed. Death by blender usage would suffice quite well. Being brutally stabbed with endless cases of chapstick would be fine too. Being sat on by an elephant would be great. Death by being whacked by garden tools would be wonderful. Where was that old lady who had pummeled him nearly senseless yesterday when he needed her? Now was when he needed a murderous person like her.
Kyo awoke, not remembering when he had fallen asleep. It could hardly be called sleep. Sleep was restful and pleasantly refreshing. But Kyo was living and sleeping a living nightmare. The misery never stopped.
This was the day of the wedding. The cursed day.
The sky was still quiet like skies are in the early hours of morning. Kyo tried standing up, but couldn't do it. There was no way around it. With his ankle, he was crippled. Escape would be impossible. Death was the only way out.
But before Kyo could think out a way to kill himself, Yuki opened the door with a smile and a tray of breakfast.
"Morning, Meowsie-poo. Tohrue and I made waffles!! Oh, Kyo-Kyo, I'm so excited!! I've been up for hours already. I can hardly wait until later!!! Here, eat, you look pale."
He was pale. Pale with fear and disgust.
"I know! Take this tray, my love. I'll be right back."
Yuki handed Kyo the tray. Someone had made a smiley face on the waffle with whipped cream and strawberries.
A few seconds later, Yuki came back with Shigure, wheeling the wheelchair from yesterday into the room.
"Ta-daaaa!!!" Shigure announced happily.
But the wheelchair quite wasn't the same chair from yesterday. It was even more hideous than before, if that was even possible. Spray-painted white, there was a lacy lavender pillow on the newly upholstered seat. White and lavender ribbons were woven into the spokes of the wheels, and white rose blossoms were plastered to the rims and every other place possible. More ribbons fluttered off of the handles. The worst part was the back of the seat. Anyone looking at the chair from behind could see the picture; a orange cat's head and a purple rat's head in a pink heart. To make things even cheesier, "Just Married" was painted there too. It looked like some sick abomination wheeled straight out of Ayame's shop.
Kyo said wearily (for indeed he was weary), "I ain't sittin' in that. No way. I don't even wanna get married. Are you all crazy or what?"
Shigure looked at Kyo and said the following like an adult calmly explaining to a child why they should eat their vegetables. "Kyo, Yuki and I worked very hard, and not just on this wheelchair. We've all been working on the preparations for the wedding. Tohrue has been working on the food; Hatori has been inviting everybody in the family (and you know we Sohmas aren't a small family) and taking care of you; Yuki has been calling people right and left, getting flowers, securing the right location, making sure there are enough chairs for everyone, calling for a band to play; and Aya has worked nonstop on the dresses and suits; Haru and Kagura have been leading the wedding procession rehearsals (and Haru has even been practicing his singing, but for what, I won't tell you); even poor Ritsu has been practicing playing the Wedding March on the organ… And most importantly, I have written two poems to be read and I have made confetti to throw. Yes, oh yes, it's been a tough ride, arranging an event of this size in just five days. You can't turn your back on all of our hard work, can you? We'll, in reality, I suppose you can't turn your back on anything at all, seeing as you can hardly move."
"Shigure, maybe my little Kyo-Kyo's just nervous." Yuki said understandingly. "I don't know if I've told you, Muffin-toes, but I've arranged for professional photographers to come. Also, professional cameramen are coming, too. These people will capture every moment. They're the best of the best. So once we're married, we can relive this most happy and glorious day over and over and over again, thanks to their efforts."
"Awww, are you camera shy, Kyo?" Shigure teased.
Kyo looked anguished. He had looked like that ever since Yuki walked into the room.
"Oh, come now, cameras aren't that bad."
"Shigure, leave him alone. Kyo-Kyo, my love, you need to eat. We can't have our big day with you on an empty stomach. Let's wheel you down to the table where you can eat those waffles."
Kyo tried resisting, but with an extremely exhausted mind and a sore and painful body from all he had gone through the day before, he was no match. You'd think he'd have some untapped inner strength to use in times of crisis like these, but no. Yuki and Shigure overpowered him with hardly any effort and forced him into the wheelchair. Shigure fastened the seatbelt, and Yuki padlocked it closed.
"That's for safety reasons, my love. So you don't fall out or something."
What torment. Locked in a wheelchair and at Yuki's mercy.
And, for the moment, at Shigure's mercy too. He and Yuki tried to lower Kyo carefully down the stairs, but it was a losing battle against gravity. So when Shigure sneezed, letting go of the wheelchair to cover his mouth, Yuki dropped Kyo.
Screams and horrible crashing noises resounded throughout the house. Tohrue ran into the hallway, still wearing an apron and holding a pastry bag. Pink frosting oozed out of it as she ran to the crash site.
"Kyo, are you okay?"
"Oh Kyo-sie-poo, my love, I am so sorry!! Forgive me!!"
"Ooops, bad time to sneeze. Sorry, Kyo… Kyo?"
Kyo was unconscious.
"Oh, my love!"
"Here, Yuki, let's wheel him to the living room."
"Tohrue, you're getting frosting on him!" said Shigure. There was a smear of pink frosting on Kyo's cheek.
"I'll get that…" said Yuki in a devilishly innocent manner. He licked it off. Boy, if Kyo had been conscious for that, he would have died. Just fallen over and died.
Once they got Kyo to the living room, Yuki held Kyo's hand to his cheek.
"What should we do?" Tohrue cried.
Shigure sighed. "Who'd thought we'd still need Ha'ri around?"
"Well," said a voice from the hall. "I'm not Hatori, but surely I can be of help."
Ayame walked in.
"I've brought the outfits!! Two dashing suits, one magnificent bridal gown, and one gorgeous bridesmaid's dress. Handmade by yours truly with only the greatest care!!"
"That's great," said Yuki, "but we're too busy to see them right now. Kyo-Kyo took a fall to the head and he's unconscious."
"Well, now's a better time than ever to get him dressed!!!" Ayame continued on, chattering like a schoolgirl would, except in a deeper voice. "I personally have supervised several weddings, and I can't tell you what a hassle it is trying to get a nervous, fidgety bride into her dress on wedding day. I've often wished they would just fall into a deep sleep, so that we could lace up the back and arrange the train and veils more easily. Let's dress him now, while we've got the chance. Also, think what a wonderful surprise he'll feel when he wakes up and sees himself wearing one of my perfectly fitted works of art!"
"Ok."
Tohrue left the room while they unpadlocked Kyo and sat him up. Once they got him undressed (to his boxers, people), Yuki kept staring. One could only imagine the things running through Yuki's mind. He would have kept on ogling if Shigure and Ayame hadn't pulled out the gown and started dressing Kyo. Kyo's head rolled around on his shoulders as they wiggled him into the bodice section.
After running into trouble trying to get Kyo's arms through the armholes, they finally got him into the gown. Shigure and Yuki took each of Kyo's arms and lifted him out of the chair, holding Kyo upright. Ayame tugged gently at the cords running criss-cross up the back of the dress and tied them. He tugged here and there at the dress, fitting it to Kyo's body more snugly. After retightening the cords on the back, he expertly arranged the voluminous flounces of the extremely poofy skirt, and checked all of the various bows with a quick but gentle tug. He did all of this with a quick and well-practiced hand. Next, he crammed white high heels on Kyo's feet. They didn't really fit, but oh well. Finally, Ayame carefully folded up the lengthy train like a loose jellyroll and gathered it up under Kyo as they sat him back down on the wheelchair. The pulled the seatbelt back over Kyo and padlocked it, nice and secure.
Ayame's eyes were sparkling with happiness. "Oh, Yuki. The dress is perfect for him; I'm so glad. You two will be beautiful together, standing at the altar. The beauty of the love you two share will last eternally—I'm sure of it."
Yuki looked at Ayame and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "Ayame, thank you. Really, thank you. I haven't chosen a best man yet… Would…would you do me the honor of being the best man?" he said with a bit of emotion.
Ayame's voice went deep and kind. "Yes, little brother. But the honor would be all mine. Tohrue! Tohrue, it's ok to come in now!"
She did, and with a hand towel soaked with cold water. She folded the towel and put it on Kyo's forehead.
Ayame looked distressed. "Be careful!" He cupped his hands together under Kyo's chin, hoping to catch drops of water before they landed on the dress.
Ayame started screaming in agony. It sounded like Ayame was being tortured. Why? A small drop of water had landed on the dress.
"OH NO!!! AN IMPERFECTION!!! IT LANDED RIGHT ON THE HEM!!! IT LOOKS LIKE KYO DROOLED!!! OOOHHH NOOOO!!! IT DRAWS THE EYE RIGHT TO IT!!! NOOOOOO!!!"
"Aya, calm down. It'll dry," said Shigure, a little nervously. "It's not the end of the world…"
"WHAT IF PEOPLE SEE?! MY REPUTATION WILL NEVER RECOVER!!! BUSINESS WILL CEASE, AND I'LL BECOME A HOMELESS BUT FASHIONABLY DRESSED BUM, WANDERING THE STREETS IN SHAME!!!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU'RE MAKING MY HEADACHE WORSE!!!!" Kyo had awoken, and was glaring at Ayame. "What the hell are you doing here, anyway, you bastard?"
Ayame snatched the wet rag off of Kyo's forehead. He then ripped off his button up red dress thing. (Tohrue screamed and hid her face in her hands…but no worries, because Ayame was wearing that off-white under dress thing he wears for a while in the episode where he is first introduced). He rolled it up in his hands and wrapped it around Kyo's neck like a scarf. It was meant to act as a barrier, protecting the dress from water dripping off of Kyo's head, but Kyo took it a different way.
"Ewww, don't touch me with your clothing, you sick bastard! Get away from me!! What are you tryin' to do, strangle me?"
"There! That shall do well to protect the dress from further damage!" Ayame exclaimed.
Kyo looked angry. "Dress, what the hell—" He looked down at his lap. The color drained from his face and his eyes went wide in disbelief and fear as the ruthless, relentless horror that was his life greeted him again. His life was truly horrible.
Yeah, it was a wedding dress. Pop your eyes back into your head, Kyo. Accept your fate. You might as well, because there's no escape, buddy.
Kyo's screams tore through the forest. Birds roosting in the trees took flight at the racket. People in the city even heard the screams.
Kyo fell quiet when Tohrue touched his arm. Her touch had startled him. "Kyo, is something the matter?"
Kyo just sat there, looking at his lap with wide eyes. 'Dammit…' he thought. 'The wedding…it's still on…how did I forget…what the hell happened?…oh dammit, my head hurts…'
Tohrue was still at his side. She produced a towel and wiped Kyo's forehead dry. "Kyo, does your head hurt?"
"Yeah…"
Shigure sighed, "Well, it would, seeing how Yuki dropped you down the stairs…"
"I did not!! It was Shigure's fault anyway for letting go! Kyo, my love, please don't think badly of me! I wish you weren't hurt! All I want is for—"
Hush, hush," said Ayame, taking his red dress thing off of Kyo's neck. "Who dropped who isn't important right now. We've got a wedding to go to and nobody, including myself, is properly dressed yet! Here…" He gave Shigure, Yuki, and Tohrue their respective wedding clothes. "Get dressed, quick! We need to be there as soon as possible!"
Everyone ran off. Kyo was left alone. Kyo frantically thought, 'Escape!' He tried to wheel away, but someone had the brakes locked on.
"Dammit!!!"
Yuki's head poked into the room. "Wouldn't want you rolling away now, Kyo, my sweet little kitty-poo…and don't hurt yourself trying to reach back there to release them—'cause you can't reach them anyway!" Yuki smiled happily (Kyo thought the smile looked more evil than happy), blew a kiss, and withdrew his head.
Kyo looked around for something within his reach to kill himself with, but sadly, there was nothing with which he could end his misery.
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A/N Poor Kyo, huh? I lol'd when I wrote the part where they dropped him down the stairs. And yeah, I'm an avid FF7 fan. Yay for Cloud!
And as I have said, I haven't written the wedding chapter yet. If any of you have any ideas about what the wedding should have in it, tell me in a review or a PM. I need to get writing it soon, since Kyo's already in the wedding dress. ^_^
And I'm sorry! I forget to respond to reviews! That's weird, because I like receiving them so much.
Erte Girl - Thanks! I did try to keep them in character as much as I could. Actually, I'd say that everybody except Yuki is staying in character pretty well.
Lovely Dork - Yay! I'm glad I made you laugh. Thanks for reading.
amaitoru - Wow! 3 consecutive reviews from you! I did have fun thinking of all the cheesy little names Yuki would call Kyo. I even try to rotate their usage to keep things interesting. And yes. Kyo is totally and completely doomed. Kagura bounced back very quickly, but she is the impulsive boar. I love writing about Shigure. He's so fun.
Silent Rena - Yeah, Yuki and Aya have the same passion and energy, I'd say. Thanks for reading!
MashMadness - No, Kyo isn't escaping anywhere. And I'm glad I'm doing my job--making people laugh and seem insane to others. ^_^
