OMG, I'm SOOOOO sorry for the wait! . It's taking me longer to write these because:

1) Writers' Block is killing me. (But I refuse to let this story go!)

2) School.

Please review! And I'm keeping count on what person they think Neko should be with. I just won't tell! ^.^


"Neko?" Someone asked, jolting her out of her daze. She looked up at a worried Yuki. She tilted her head to look around him and saw an equally as worried Kyo and Shigure. "What're you doing here? I thought you went home?"

"I did… but we were moving, and I couldn't stand to leave… I feel welcome here! I feel like I actually belong somewhere for once!" Neko said, on the verge of tears. "I understand if you say no… but… could I move in?" She asked, looking at the three hopefully.

Yuki smiled sadly, Kyo looked out to the forest, and Shigure looked deep in thought. "Of course, Neko. I already told you you're like a sister to us. I wouldn't refuse you help."

Kyo looked back to Neko. "Yeah… you can stay… I wouldn't be able to refuse you, either." His cheeks turned pink a little.

Shigure smiled widely. "Of course, Neko!"

"Really? Thank you so much!" Neko said, crying happily.

"Alright, let's get you settled. I'll take it you'd like to take the guest room as your own room?" Shigure asked. Neko nodded, crying too much to speak. "Now, now. Come on, let's go get you settled."

Completely forgetting about the curse, Neko leaped up and hugged the three of them at once. There was a puff of orange, pink (I think I got that right…), and (I'm taking a guess here) gray smoke. On top of Yuki's clothes was the familiar white rat. On Kyo's was the familiar orange cat. On Shigure's clothes was an unfamiliar black dog, wagging his tail happily.

"O-oops, s-sorry," Neko said, blushing and laughing through her tears. "I g-got a little t-too happy and f-forgot."

"It's quite alright, Neko. I can understand that," Shigure said. He picked up his clothes and padded into the house. "Come along."

Kyo picked up his clothes and followed Shigure without a word, but Yuki looked down at his clothes then back up at Neko.

She smiled and picked up Yuki in one hand and his clothes in another. "Thanks for letting me stay," She told him. She had finished her laughing and crying, but her cheeks still had a faint pink tint to them.

"It's alright. At least I won't be worrying about how you're parents are treating you."

She smiled and nodded before following the black dog and orange cat up the stairs and to the familiar guest room. She put down Yuki and his clothes and tossed her bag onto the bed.

There was an orange puff of smoke and Neko covered her eyes quickly. She heard two more pops, signaling all three of them were changed back. "Let me know when you're decent."

"Alright, you can look now," Shigure said. Neko uncovered her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you again for letting me stay. I promise to do all I can!" Neko said, bowing.

"There's no need to be thanking us. We should be thanking you. Just having you around brightens this house," Yuki said, smiling at her.

"Yeah… I like it when you're around… life isn't as boring…" Kyo said, looking away from her.

Neko smiled more. "Alright, so what do you guys want for dinner?" She asked, plopping down on the bed.

"Oh, well, actually… that's where we were when you came by. Normally we eat out, since Yuki can't cook, Kyo refuses to –"

"That's because it's so damn girly!"

"- and I'm a busy man," Shigure said, continuing when Kyo interrupted as if he had never spoken.

"Alright then, I guess I'll have to change that. From now on no more eating out!" Neko said determinedly. "Oh, and what do you guys like to eat for breakfast? I'm planning on making it tomorrow."

"Anything not burned," Shigure said sheepishly. When he saw the glare from Yuki he quickly added, "But your omelets are delicious. I think I'll like that."

"I'll have your omelet, too," Yuki said, recovering his friendly manner quickly.

"Yeah… I'll have that, too…" Kyo said, still not looking at her.

Neko nodded. "Alright, and Kyo, don't drink from the carton. It's disgusting and you'll end up getting us all sick."

His head snapped to glare at her. "Shaddup!"

Neko laughed. "Oh, yeah? Make me, orange top," She replied, using the nickname Uo gave him.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not?"

"They make such a cute couple," Shigure said. He cringed away from Yuki and Kyo's death glares. "Did I say that out loud?"

"YES!" Kyo and Yuki shouted together.

Neko stood in the background nervously, not sure whether she should get between them or not. She shrugged and walked past them, hearing Shigure's small pleading. "You got yourself into that, Shigure!" She shouted, laughing.

She went outside to walk around a little and let the boys – mainly Kyo and Yuki – have some fun. She walked to the back of the house, curious because she had never been there before. She walked into the forest, making sure to drag her feet so she had a trail to get back. She wandered around for a bit before finding a small little garden in a forest clearing.

Curiously and cautiously, she walked up to it and saw it was growing some food. She smiled and left it alone, not wanting to disturb the person's hard work. She walked back to the house to go make sure Shigure wasn't beaten up too badly. She thought about telling the guys, but decided against it. She respected the person's privacy.

"Hey, guys! I hope you didn't hurt Shigure too badly!" She shouted up the stairs when she opened the door. She closed it and headed upstairs. She walked to her room and was surprised when she did not find an unconscious Shigure on the floor. "Yuki! Kyo! Where's Shigure?" No response. "Guys?" Still nothing.

Getting slightly nervous, she left her room to go search the house for them. "Come on guys, where are you?" Remembering that day at school, Neko headed for the roof, hoping Kyo would be there.

When she got up to the roof, she felt relief flow through her when she saw Kyo lying on his back, watching the setting sun. "I never knew you were the type to watch sun sets. I thought it'd be 'too girly'" she said, copying what he had said about cooking earlier.

Neko smiled softly when he jumped up, startled. "Oh, well… I dunno if I'd call it that…"

"It's alright, I won't tell Shigure or Yuki. Speaking of those two, where are they?" She asked, looking around.

"They both went on a walk," Kyo replied, looking away and settling back down onto the roof. Neko smiled a little more and went to go sit by him. "Hey! What makes you think you can just barge in and get comfortable?" Kyo shouted, sitting up quickly.

"I want to watch the sunset. I haven't gotten to watch one in so long. Is there a problem with that?" Neko asked, turning to look at him.

He looked away and replied shyly, "No, that's fine. Sorry."

She smiled and turned back to the sunset. "They're beautiful. No wonder you come up here to watch them," She murmured, sneaking a look at Kyo, who was also watching the sun.

"Yeah. It's a chance for me to get away from away. Away from life. Away from that kuso nezumi."

"You can't get away forever, you know. Some day you'll have to face it. You'll have to face everything, Kyo," Neko replied, not looking at him when she said that. She watched the last few rays of the sun get hidden by the trees and the horizon. "Well, I'm going to go make myself some dinner. Don't stay out too long if it gets cold. I don't want to deal with taking care of you."

She stood up and went back downstairs to the kitchen. She looked through the cabinets for some rice, and finally found some. She made herself dinner quickly, then got ready for bed and fell asleep before Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo came back.

Neko didn't sleep too well. She kept tossing and turning and have nightmares, but each time she woke up she could never remember what it was about.


How was this chapter? I hope it was alright....

Uhm, I'm also thinking of changing the name of the story... Anyone have any ideas? Maybe a new title will spark something in my head...