A Warm Place

Disclaimer I don't own Yummy Yuki or any Fruits Basket character. Fruits Basket belongs to Takaya Natsuki.

A continuation of the anime series laced with some obsessive hallucinations of mine.

Italics thoughts

XXXXXX

Ayame paced his living room. It'd been weeks since he'd last seen his brother. He'd been so preoccupied with the matter that his work was starting to suffer. How could Akito do this? Separating family like this? It's inhuman. But...Gure San said that this happened all the time. I even remember it happening once or twice back then...

"My poor Little Brother! How you have suffered!" He suddenl;y exclaimed passionately, then immediately quieted, remembering that he was alone. With every passing day he'd learn more about Yuki's tormented past and his guilt would multiply. How Yuki survived his childhood was a miracle.

He is much stronger than he gives himself credit. But this is my chance. He has already allowed me back into his life, now it's my chance to prove to him that I'm not a bothersome presence, but the loving older brother that I am.

Ayame saw himself running down the long dark hallways of the inner Sohma house, until he reached the clinic, where Yuki was wallowing in misery. As he opened the door, the clinic was bathed in the light of brotherly affection and Yuki looked up at his brother with wonder, adoration and admiration.

"Niisan!" He smiled through his grateful tears. "You came! Just like you promised! I'm so happy!"

"Yes, my dear Yuki! Your loving brother has come to fulfill his promise of rescuing you from this dark prison. Come now, Let's leave this forsaken place!" Ayame scooped his brother up into his powerful arms and turned to leave.

Then, the ominous Akito appeared in the doorway. "What are you doing? Put my precious down Now!" He screeched.

"Niisan!" Yuki would huddle in his brother's arms for protection.

"No, Akito! I have come to rescue my brother from your cruel imprisonment. You will no longer terrorize him with you unnatural obsession. As of now, he is free to return to his life, friends and devoted brother! Now step aside!"

"And if I say no?" Akito narrowed his eyes.

"You cannot say no to the power of brotherly love! My love for my cute little brother transcends all time and space. It's a force so powerful that it makes grown men fall to their knees in awe! It's a force that the heavens themselves bless as a final salvation for mankind in this sinister world!"

"Well, since you put it that way, you may go Ayame. I never realized what an intelligent and admirable man you are. Yuki is lucky to have you for a loving older brother." Akito replied with a smile and stepped aside to let them pass.

"Thank you, Akito!" Ayame stepped out into the morning light with his brother.

"Niisan, you were amazing! I want to be just like you!"

"No, my dear little brother! My life is not the one for you to follow. I have erred and sinned as I stumbled alone on this earth. But now, we shall go through life together every step of the way! Say you will forgive my ignorance and misguided actions!"

"Of course I forgive you, Niisan!" Yuki smiled up at his brother.

And it was a new beginning for the two under the warmth of the bright sun and the glorious endless blue sky...

Ayame grinned triumphantly. "Yes Yuki! You shall soon be free to play and love your older brother!"

Reality clicked in.

Ayame slumped in a chair, feeling depressed. "Unlikely."

When Ayame was depressed (when is he ever depressed?) there was only one thing he would do to cheer himself up. Ayame picked up the phone and dialed.

"Tori San! How is my cute little brother?"

"He's fine, considering." Hatori replied in his perpetually solemn tone.

"I'm positive that you have done your utmost to ensure that he is well, Tori San! But you must help me, I must speak with Yuki!"

"You know I can't, Ayame." Hatori sighed. "Akito's orders strictly forbid anyone from seeing him or speaking with him."

"...Well, will you please let him know that I called? That I wish him well and that I shall dedicate all my latest creations to his beautiful spirit?"

Hatori considered telling Ayame that Yuki would be horrified to know that, but then that would lead to an even longer conversation with the vivacious Sohma. He gave in. "I will, Ayame."

Strangely Ayame, didn't feel up to prolonging the conversation either. "Thank you. Bye, Tori San."

Ayame sighed sadly then dialed again.

"Gure San!"

"Aya! How are you?"

"Going out of my mind!"

"Or what's left of it!" Shigure chuckled.

"This is no time for jokes, Gure San! My poor little brother has been away too long. I have to do something. I told him I'd help him!"

Shigure was taken back momentarily, surprised by Ayame's sudden and unexpected involvement in the Main house's affairs. "Did you really? When?"

"Yes, it was the first night he spent there! Yuki was the very picture of dejection! A soft and gentle, beautiful lamb frightened by the presence of a dark and ominous wolf! How could I not pledge my brotherly devotion?"

"Well, what do you have in mind? Are you willing to ignore Akito's orders?"

"But, that will hurt Yuki in the end, won't it? Isn't there another way, Gure San?"

"I really don't see one, Aya. All you can do now is let Yuki know that you're trying."

"That's not enough!" Ayame replied emotionally. "He gave me a chance to redeem myself to him. I mustn't waste it!"

"My my, such dedication! Tell you what; Lets go visit Ha San. Maybe he can help."

"I already spoke to him, and he said that he couldn't go against Akito's orders."

"We'll see. Don't despair yet. When can you come by?"

XXX

Kyo didn't go to school that day. He told Tohru he wasn't feeling well, and agreed to her suggestion that he sleep it off.

He spent the whole morning in bed, just staring at the ceiling.

I feel so damn helpless. What if he does it again? To Yuki. Kisa, Hiro or Momiji? What if it already happened to someone else and their memory was already erased?

Knowing what he did, Kyo felt responsible to prevent this from happening to anyone else. But, how in the world can I stop Akito? if Hatori and Shigure aren't doing anything about it, how can I? Why do we let him do this to us?

"DAMN IT!" Kyo punched the floorboard in rage. "Why couldn't things just stay simple?"

Why couldn't I just keep on hating him...?

XXX

Outside, in the woods surrounding Shigure's house, Kyo ended his meditation. Kazuma had often told him that when he felt overwhelmed with anger and frustration, that meditation was the best way to deal positively with the negative emotion. Kyo had a lot of said emotion to deal with.

At the end, he did feel a little calmer, his thought's more composed. Just a bit more. The only way I'll let go of this anger is by breaking Akito's face. He stretched slowly and wiped his clothes as he got to his feet.

"Kyo…"

Kyo turned slowly in the direction of the speaker.

Uh oh. Haru.

"What is it, Haru? If you want to fight, I'm not in the mood." Kyo decided to put his foot down while he still could. You don't want to bother me today…

"I don't want to fight. I want to talk to you." Hatsuharu answered monotonously and Kyo sighed in relief that it was White Haru in front of him.

"What about? Don't you have school?" The older teen walked to a clearing and lowered himself to lounge on the grass.

"I should ask you the same question. But I want to talk about Yuki." Haru replied, "He's much more important than School."

He turned to give Kyo an accusing look. "I've wanted to talk to you for a while now and you've been avoiding me."

Kyo froze. Did he find out? Oh Shit oh shit…

"I didn't want to get in trouble for fighting in school." Kyo replied as calmly as he could. Please don't let him find out.

He then yawned loudly, putting on an air of nonchalance. "What about the Kuso Nezumi?"

Haru gave Kyo a strange look as he sat down next to him. "That's funny, Kyo. You defy Akito to see him and still can't let go of 'Kuso Nezumi'?"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Kyo demanded, defensive to Haru's unstated implications.

"Why'd you go, Kyo?" Haru asked, eyes boring into the other's. "You of all people?"

"That's-that's none of your business! I went because I felt like it!"

"That's all? You just felt like it?"

"Yeah! What is it with you? Nobody would've gotten on your case if you went. But, everybody immediately assumes the worse of me if I even bother and try to be nice to anyone!"

"Not just to anyone Kyo. To Yuki, the Jyuunishi Mouse. Your mortal enemy, as you usually put it." Haru hissed.

Kyo was already edgy and the inquiry wasn't helping. "What the hell do you want from me, Haru? An apology because I saw him and you didn't? Are you angry Haru? Losing sleep over it? Or are..." The rant was interrupted by Haru tackling him roughly to the ground.

"Damn straight I'm angry!" He growled into Kyo's surprised face. "Angry because a shitty bastard like you, whose sole purpose in life is causing grief for Yuki, got to see him. What right do you have? Since when do you even give a damn what happened to him? If he died, you'd dance on his grave! I've been there for him my whole life! Anytime he needed me I'd be there for him! How dare you pretend that you care now when he's hurting so much? How dare you leave him hanging like that when he's so vulnerable that—"

"ENOUGH!" Kyo screamed and punched Haru off of him. "You're the bastard! How dare you assume that you know anything about me or how I feel? So what if we've been fighting our whole lives? Do you think it's all my fault? Like nothing's ever his fault? Like he's some kind of angel and I'm the devil? Blame it all on the worthless Cat?"

"You—"

"You're so blind when it comes to him. You and everyone else and you all just assume that—"

"How many times have you wished him dead and told him to his face? You're always picking fights and I'm sick of it. I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing with Yuki..." Haru growled as he stood up to face his cousin.

Kyo silenced his cousin with a well-placed punch to the jaw. "SHUT UP! I'm not gonna let you talk shit about what I did. Just because we don't get along doesn't mean that I don't care what happens..." Kyo stopped abruptly. Shit! What the hell was I going to say…? And in front of Haru of all people!

Haru gaped. Kyo turned away to hide his embarrassment. SHIT!

"Did you just say…?" Hatsuharu started as he slowly stood up, out of Black mode.

"I didn't say anything!" Kyo yelled.

Haru didn't say anymore, watching Kyo's quivering back for a few minutes, then smiled to himself. So he got to you too eh?

"I see. I'm sorry I doubted your motives, Kyo."

Kyo didn't say anything in return.

Haru approached slowly, and stood next to the fizzled youth. After a few moments of silence, he asked. "How was Yuki then?"

Kyo was quiet for a long time, and Haru didn't push it. "Tired. And… scared." He eventually responded, tone soft and low.

Haru clenched his fists in frustration but didn't say anything to that.

"He has to get out of there, Haru. Someone has to get him out of there before Akito hurts him anymore."

"How? So long as Hatori-niisan isn't willing to help what can we do? The last thing I want to do is put Yuki at risk."

The two young men looked up to the sky as if it had all the answers.

"Do you think you could go back there?" Haru asked again.

"You mean sneak in again?"

"Yeah. Except… take me with you this time."

Kyo shook his head, scowling. "I don't think that'll work. I'm sure the news got to Hatori and he won't let me near the clinic again. Besides, if I take you along I'll probably lose you halfway." He smiled slightly here.

"Yeah, you might." Haru replied neutrally, "Did he say anything? I know you didn't want to say anything upsetting in front of her."

Or you for that matter. Kyo thought but answered nonetheless. "He asked about everybody and said that he hopes to see everyone soon."

"Hmmm. Kyo, what made you go there? Don't get mad. I just want to know."

Kyo sighed and lay back down on the grass. Kyo himself didn't know what his motivation for the visit was. "I don't know. Maybe because Tohru was so damn worried that I had to see if he was OK. If he was and I told her, she'd stop. I was getting sick of her constant worrying."

"So, you really weren't worried about him?" Haru asked, and Kyo wasn't sure if it was a question or an accusation.

"Of course not!"

Haru smiled again, and returned to watching the clouds. "The thing I love most about Yuki is something he isn't aware of himself. He's really hard on himself, you know. He's been through so much and doesn't think very highly of himself or his abilities most of the time.

But sometimes, he doesn't have to do or say anything special. It could be just a smile or a casual word, but coming from him, the way he says it, it's almost...addictive.

Strangely, he always doubts his motives for helping, his humanity and that why he keeps his heart wrapped up and unreachable. But he does make his way into other's hearts because he would know exactly what to say or do when you need it. Kinda like her. I know you know what I mean, Kyo, because he saved the both of us the exact same way."

Kyo looked up in surprise. "How did you know that?" I never said anything to anyone about that night!

"I don't know the details. But, I heard that he went after you."

"Un. He did." Kyo replied in embarrassment. "I didn't ask him nor did I want him there!"

"He really isn't half as bad as the legend makes him out to be." Haru laughed quietly.

"No, I guess he isn't." Kyo mumbled in reply. It was the closest he would ever come to admitting that he didn't hate Yuki. "Not bad but not good either!"

Having had enough soul searching for the day, he headed towards the house, Haru following silently.

As he approached the back porch, he heard Ayame and Shigure talking.

"Cheer up, Aya." Shigure was saying. "With that attitude there's no way you'll be able to accomplish anything."

"I can't help but worry, Gure San. I ca not bear the thought of my poor little brother at the hands of Akito! God knows how he could be suffering as we speak!"

"Ha San said he'd look out for him." Shigure retorted. "It'll be all right."

"Fine, fine. Lets go see Tori San." Ayame replied dismissively as he hurried towards the front door. "Are you sure he'll help?"

"No, I'm not. But it won't hurt." The novelist added.

XXX

"Hey…" Haru called to Kyo's back. "Why'd you stop?"

"Ayame and Shigure are going to see Hatori!" Kyo hissed.

"So?"

"So, maybe something happened!"

"Hmm. You want to follow them?" Haru turned to face Kyo, a smile slowly spreading across his features.

Kyo's expression mirrored his. "Let's go."

XXX

Kyo Kun knows something. I'm positive. Tohru thought as she walked back home. Why won't he tell me? I have to know if Yuki Kun's all right!

"Toohru!" Momiji skipped over. "Have you seen Haru?"

"Momiji Kun! No, I haven't seen him all day."

"Ehhh! He skipped without telling me! I thought he might've got lost!" Momiji whined.

"Maybe he's not feeling well. Kyo Kun stayed at home too."

"Really? Kyo?"

"Yes. He's hasn't been feeling well for a while now actually. Ever…ever since he went to see Yuki Kun." She sighed sadly. "He's been so distant and angry."

"What's wrong, Tohru?" Momiji asked as he pulled on her sleeve, worried.

"It's just...I-I think Kyo Kun's hiding something about Yuki Kun."

"Yeah. I felt that way too." Momiji agreed, "But Hari says that Yuki's Ok and Hari wouldn't lie to me!" He argued.

"I know, but I just have this feeling…" She said weakly, yet at noting Momiji's anxious face she put on her best smile. "You're right, Momiji Kun! I'm sure that Hatori San is taking excellent care of Yuki Kun."

Momiji looked at her strangely for a second. Don't hide your worry Tohru. Not from me. Though he went along with her. "Right!"

"Did you get Hatsuharu San's make up work?" Tohru asked cheerfully.

"Yeah! Did you get Kyo's?"

"Yes! Thankfully, he didn't miss that much today. Of course…I have Yuki's Kun's too…" She trailed off, sadness evident again.

"I wish I knew Kyo was absent sooner, then I would've been able to play with you without having him get all mad!" Momiji bounced happily, attempting to distract her from her sorrows.

"Eh? Like what?"

"Like this!" With that, Momiji hugged her tightly.

POOF

XXX

Darkness. It was dark all around and he couldn't see.

So tired…

Want to sleep. But this isn't my bed. It's too rough and bumpy.

Can't move. Why can't I move?

Cold...

Someone's saying something. But my eyes won't focus.

Who?

"Y..r...ine...ki."

What?

"..nt...ve"

I don't understand!

Can't move. I'm numb. Can't move.

It's getting cold. But I'm so... tired.

TOUCH

Can't move! What are you...?

COLD

What's happening? What're you doing? I can't see...

PANIC

Don't...Please! I Can't...can't move!

FEAR

Oh god, stop it!

PAIN

NO! Please Stop it!

PAIN

STOP IT!

BLOOD

STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!

...Snow...

Yuki's eyes snapped open and he lurched forward, gasping for breath.

A dream. It's just a dream.

It was a recurring dream in actuality; always leaving him nauseous and terrified. He had long since given up trying to decipher what it signified.

He slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in the clinic.

Hatori was looking down at him, a sad expression on his normally stoic face.

Yuki didn't need to ask, it was true. That mysterious dream, no longer required deciphering.

He began to hyperventilate again, the gasps for breath accented with hoarse sobs.

"Why?" He managed through his wheezing.

Hatori brought the nebulizer mask closer. "Why what?"

"Why did you let him do this to me?" The teen sobbed. "Why'd you let me live?"

"If you don't calm down, I won't tell you what happened." Hatori replied sternly as he placed the mask over Yuki's face.

The teen's gasps slowly quieted and he looked up at Hatori with betrayal written all over his face.

"It was after New Year's Dance. Akito made you drink something." Hatori paused to look away, no longer able to look at Yuki's wounded, tearful face.

"We took you to the hospital. You became catatonic. You were slowly killing yourself. Akito came to visit. You… you needed to be sedated after that. When things were under control, I brought you back here to recover, but the damage had been too great. You tried to kill yourself. You overdosed on your asthma medication then slit your wrists." Yuki looked down in surprise at his wrists, the pale narrow lines running across them finally making sense. His body was covered with so many similar looking injuries and scars; he didn't remember the story behind half of them.

"I don't think you even knew what you were doing. You were in so much pain…"

Hatori looked up, eyes burning with shame and tremendous guilt. "It was by chance that I came in to check on you in the middle of the night, otherwise you would've been dead."

The Doctor bowed his head in apology. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I didn't think you'd get so desperate. I should've seen the signs that Akito would do this; maybe I could've done something. I should've erased your memory before you started grieving."

Yuki found his own hands trembling with a hybrid of emotions. Desperate? I wanted... to die?

He buried his head in his arms. He took it from me. I have nothing clean left. Why didn't they let me die? They tricked me. I thought I was getting better. I... I thought I was strong enough to deal with Akito but I'm not. He was laughing at me the whole time and I thought I defied him. They were all laughing at me. Poor little Yuki. He doesn't know what happened to him. It's best that he doesn't know...he's not strong enough to handle it!

A weak sob escaped his lips. But, I'm not. I'm not strong at all. I'm a pathetic, weak, tainted freak. Oh god, Honda San. I can never touch you now. I'm so filthy and pitiful.

Strangely, he couldn't cry, not the tears of someone who just found out he'd been raped. No. As his sobs subsided, there was an emotion far stronger building inside him that made his sadness seem insignificant.

Anger.

He was angry. Angry that he'd been taken advantage of like this. Angry that no one had protected him. Angry that they'd fooled him by erasing his memory.

I won't. I won't fall back into Akito's trap. I don't care if I die trying but there's no way I'll let that bastard hurt anyone else.

He uncurled slowly, composing himself and aware of the eyes on him. Pulling the mask off his face and pushing the covers off, Yuki got to his feet, and stopped to grab one of the inhalers Hatori bought for him on his way out of the clinic.

"That's your solution, huh? Erasing my memory?" Yuki said quietly as he reached for the doorknob.

"Where are you going?" Hatori started to get up.

"I'm leaving." Yuki stated, voice emotionless as he placed the inhaler in his shirt pocket and walking though the door. As he began to walk a little faster, Hatori sprinted to catch up with him.

"Yuki..."

"Shut up, Hatori." Yuki replied as he shrugged off the hand on his shoulder, giving the Doctor a look of disdain. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Yuki!" Haru called out as he ran up to his cousin, looking both ecstatic and concerned. "Are they letting you go home?"

Yuki felt part of him rejoice at seeing Hatsuharu, but the atypical rage forced Yuki to continue walking until he was out of this place.

"Yuki, what's wrong?" Haru asked worriedly, unused to Yuki ignoring him.

No answer.

"Stop this foolishness!" Hatori said, irritated. "If Akito sees you..."

"I don't give a damn if he does!" Yuki snapped back.

"You don't give a damn?" Akito's reply came as he appeared at the end of the hall. His eyes challenging, smiling at Yuki. Almost begging him to repeat himself.

Everyone turned to look in horror. Yuki began to tremble unconsciously, filled with trepidation once more.

He's smiling at me! Like nothing happened. Like he didn't...

The momentary fear in Yuki's eyes was quickly replaced with fury, and any further coherence was lost as he lunged at the Sohma master.

"BASTARD!" He screamed.

XXXXXX

It is official, I am more evil than Akito! But if you kill me now you won't know what happened next! But I am an evil person and evil people like evil cliffhangers! or was it evil minions like evil cliff hangers?

Stole this line from my sister! Are you happy now Vidanue?

I realized something. Have Akito and Ayame ever been in the same room at the same time in the Manga? I've seen almost all the parts but I don't know what Ayame calls Akito to his face. Does anybody know? I don't think Akito would be very tolerant of Ayame's...behavior. So maybe that's why Takaya doesn't put them in together.

Sorry about the Ayame bit. I really dig the loving older brother gag. I can't get enough of it. And we all know that Ayame's imagination gets the better of him sometimes.

How about Yuki's dream? Was that any good? I'm not much for surrealism...But it's freaky, yeah? BTW: I never said that Yuki actually 'remembered' the rape. His memory was erased of the whole thing. But sometimes, when a memory is repressed (erased?) if it's powerful enough, people remember bits and pieces or feelings in dreams or they're triggered by revisiting the scene... I think I read it somewhere or whatever.

It's so funny! I wasn't making this fic Yaoi at all! Yet all of you... LOL... I guess its because I'm such a horrible writer that everyone misunderstood. LOL. Don't worry. I'll fix it.J

I had written Ayame's little fantasy in this part before anne-nime 's request for some humorous parts. My sister and Risa thought it was funny. I do have to say though that anyone who does follow the manga will see that the hilarity that was in the manga made into anime parts doesn't NOT carry over to the later parts of the manga. The story is now very dark and confusing and there's very very little humor. I'm trying to follow the last episode of the anime, which was very dramatic and not funny at all. I tried to include some humorous parts in the story but the story is governed by dramatic angst. Anne-nime, I hope you like Ayame's humor in this chapter and thank you for your kind words. I really do believe that something like this could've happened in the series but when I try to talk to people about it they just shut me down T-T.

Reviewers; Ssjogddesschico (THANKS FOR YOU SUPPORT!), Gia (THANK YOU!), secretmirror180 (Akito must die! Grr), Polk A dot (Yeah I'd imagine it'll be expensive! ) Souma Risa (BIG FAT THANK YOU!), Kato-Chan (THANK YOU!), Tsukitani (FINALLY! I got a review! Does the moonwalk THANK YOU! BTW you have my blessings to torture Akito!), Trunks-Chan3 (Hating Akito should be a constant in everybody's life! and I'm almost done with Yummy Yuki's torture!), purrfect679 (THANK YOU! I hope I don't disappoint you), Z (THANKY YOU!), anne-nime (THANK YOU! Is it a good thing or a bad thing that my occupation is reflected in the story? Please be good!), Caula (THANK YOU! Ah are you OK now? LOL), DGFVD (I HAVE UPDATED!).

Thanks to Z's kind suggestion, I had my sister reread all the earlier chapters for me and I reformatted and reposted them because honestly, they looked disgraceful and at that note I would like to REALLY thank everybody who bothered to read this story even when it was looking so damn messed up. If it was me I wouldn't have bothered. Thanks again to Z for that suggestion and encouraging words.

Special Thanks to Souma Risa again for taking the time to proofread even when she's so busy. Thanks again and Good luck!

And to those who reviewed the CENSOR point; Kacho, Tsukitani, and Arrei. BIG THANK YOU!

Chapter 10 coming up very very soon. I won't keep you waiting long for the ensuing battle! Yuki's angry! Will he make Akito A La mode?