Review Thanks:

Guest: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Sorry you didn't like the previous one though.

blackkyu: Yeah poor Kyo. I put the boys through a lot in this story ;)

AN: Natsume spent the first several chapters in Kyo's world. Now Kyo is going to spend the next several in Natsume's. Chapter 11 will be up on either Friday or next Saturday depending on my schedule. Please leave a review!

Chapter 10

Kyo woke up in unfamiliar setting; a very unfamiliar setting. He was laying on a futon and covered with a soft blanket. Which didn't make sense. He should be in that small, dark, room with the barred window. Then last night slowly came to him. He almost thought it was a dream but he hurt too much for that. He sat up and ran his hands through his hair noticing for the first time that the wounds Akito gave him were bandaged.

He looked around the room and saw no signs of Natsume but Kyo's clothes were neatly folded and lying next to the futon. Wondering where his friend could be Kyo quickly got dressed and walked out into the hallway. At first he didn't know where to go but then he heard noises coming from downstairs. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and walked down them.

"I know you wanted to help but you didn't have to destroy the kitchen!" Natsume shouted.

Knowing that Natsume wouldn't talk to the Fujiwaras that way Kyo cautiously peaked into the kitchen. He saw Natsume's cat sitting at the kitchen table looking amused as he friend was arguing with someone or something. For a moment he thought his friend tripped but instead he floated in air for a moment before falling in a chair. Even though he couldn't see them Kyo knew that there must be yokai around. He cleared his throat to let them know of his presence.

"Morning Kyo," Natsume said with a tired smile.

"Morning," Kyo mumbled as he stepped into the kitchen to immediately be poked by something.

"Alright enough!" Natsume shouted as he began to wrestle with something and slowly shoved whatever it or they were out the door.

"You need to be tougher with those Chukyuu," the cat chided.

"Not now Sensei!" Natsume said as he continued to push whatever it was out into the hallway.

"I take it you can't see yokai in your human form," the cat said. Kyo shook his head and sat down at the small kitchen table. He was still trying to figure out how he could suddenly see them at all in any form.

"Sorry about that," Natsume said as he once again joined them in the kitchen.

"It's fine," Kyo reassured his nervous looking friend. "So are they friends of yours?"

"Yeah. They wanted to make breakfast to help since we got back so late," Natsume said as he scooped out three plates of eggs from the pot on the stove and set them on the table. Feeling famished Kyo took a large bite of eggs and grimaced when they crunched.

"There are shells in this," the cat complained.

"Sorry, I can make something else," Natsume said as he stood up or tried to stand up before he sat back down in the chair.

"Natsume are you alright?" Kyo asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Natsume said looking anything but at him.

"Don't listen to that idiot," the cat said. "He hasn't slept since he got up yesterday morning."

"Yesterday morning!" Kyo repeated looking for one to the other then back again.

"I needed to help you," Natsume said like it made perfect sense.

"I would have been fine," Kyo told him.

"No," Natsume said a definitive note in his voice. "Your family had you locked up Kyo. That's not alright."

Kyo shared a look with the cat who didn't look surprised by Natsume's answer. Kyo then remembered the conversation he had with the cat the night of the storm…

"Natsume is an idiot and has no sense of self preservation," the cat said as he glanced at the sleeping boy. "When you were in your other form he saved you from that yokai even though he didn't know who you were. Now that he knows that one of his friends needs help…"

"You really are," Kyo said with a chuckle. "Why don't I make breakfast. I'm not the best cook but at least my eggs won't have shells in them."

"Ah…want about your injuries?" Natsume asked.

"I know they look bad but trust me I've had worse," Kyo assured him as he scrapped the eggs in the garbage and got some more out of the fridge. When Natsume didn't answer he turned around to see that his friend had a contemplative look on his face.

"It looks like you two have a lot to discuss so I'll be off," the cat said as he hoped off the table. "Besides the Chukyuu owe me sake." With that said the cat was gone.

Kyo went back to cooking the eggs and Natsume stayed quiet but Kyo could practically hear the wheels turning in his friend's head. He figured that his friend had a lot of questions for him; he had a few himself truth-be-told. Now that he was free of his family he wasn't sure were to go or what to do. Once he finished the eggs he put them on two plates and once again joined his friend at the table.

"Kyo can I ask why your family locked you up like that?" Natsume asked as he picked at his food; Kyo on the other hand had his half gone.

"Because I'm the cat and technically not part of the zodiac not to mention," he held up his wrist with the bracelet. "Most people aren't as…accepting of that form as you are. You see each cat of the zodiac always gets locked up when they hit a certain age. It was supposed to happen to me the day I graduated from high school. Akito changed his mind and did it earlier."

"So your family knew that you were going to be locked up?" Natsume asked looking upset. Very upset and hurt. "I thought your cousins were so nice. I thought they cared." Kyo sighed. This was far from a happy conversation and Natsume seemed just as upset about it as he felt. He had to find a way of explaining it without upsetting his friend further.

"It doesn't matter if they care about me or not they can't go against Akito," Kyo tried to explain further. "It's all part of the curse."

"I wouldn't let someone I care about be locked up curse or no," Natsume argued.

"I know you wouldn't. You proved that last night," Kyo said as he smiled at his friend.

"Is your family going to come looking for you?" Natsume asked.

"Honestly I don't know. Akito might out of spite but you have a spy. I can't believe you had that cub basically babysitting me. I was wondering why he was hanging around," Kyo said as he gave his friend a mock glare.

"I…ah…" Natsume said as he blushed. "I had a bed feeling."

"You had a bad feeling," Kyo said with a small chuckle. "Now no more talk of my family. It's just upsetting us both." Kyo took a mouthful of eggs and noticed that Natsume was still only picking at his. "And eat your eggs. After that you are going to bed."

"But the kitchen…" Natsume said as he looked around at the mess.

"I can clean up the kitchen. You on the other hand have been awake for over twenty-four hours and that is far from healthy," Kyo told him. Natsume opened his mouth to argue further and Kyo shook his head. "I don't want to hear it. After everything that you are doing for me the least I can do is clean up a kitchen."

"Ah…" Natsume said but ended up just nodding.

Kyo was glad that he had made Natsume agree to go to bed. He was nearly falling asleep while he ate. After the meal Kyo walked Natsume up the stairs to his room; afraid that if he didn't he would fall and hurt himself. As soon as Natsume was lying on his futon he was asleep.

Worried that his friend might be sick after the storm yesterday Kyo quickly checked Natsume's temperature. He was happy when he felt none. Kyo covered the younger boy with a blanket and then quietly headed downstairs feeling his face heat up as he remember how Natsume zipped him up in his jacket to get him home…

This time as they flew Kyo was able to enjoy it slightly more as it didn't feel like he was flying on nothing. Still it was a bit odd as they were riding on the back of a yokai. He was amazed how natural this seemed for his friend as they continued to soar higher and higher into the night sky until the lights of the city looked like pinpricks. It also meant that it got colder and he couldn't stop the shiver the wracked his small body.

"Kyo are you cold?" Natsume asked his voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine," Kyo said the lie automatically coming out. Natsume let out a long frustrated sigh as he unzipped his jacket. Before Kyo had time to comment Natsume pulled him closer to his chest and zipped up his coat leaving it open enough that if Kyo wanted to look out if he could.

"Better?" Natsume asked him.

"Ah, yeah," Kyo mumbled glad that he was a cat for the first time in his life. At least in this form Natsume wouldn't be able to see his blush.

Kyo had wanted to stay awake. To thank you Natsume properly. But with how injured he was and the storm he was exhausted. Not to mention that now he was warm and felt safe. Even though he tried to stay awake Natsume's heartbeat lulled him to sleep…

Kyo shook his head pushing the memory away. He quickly and efficiently finished cleaning the kitchen. After he had it spotless Kyo wasn't sure what to do. The last thing he wanted to do was go somewhere that he wasn't suppose to do, upset Natsume's foster parents and get them both in trouble.

In the end Kyo decided that he would go and check on the younger boy. Quietly as he could he opened Natsume's bedroom door and peaked inside. Natsume was curled up on his futon fast asleep. Not knowing what else to do Kyo closed the door and went back downstairs. He went into the living room and sat awkwardly on the couch.

His mind was whirling. So much had happened in the last couple of days. The question of what he was going to do now once again came to his mind. It was even so much his distant future that had him worried but his immediate one. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do? He had no job. No money. And he had no clue what his family was going to do once they found him gone.

~XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX~

It was later that afternoon when Natsume finally woke up. The sun was already low in the sky a sign that summer was nearly over. As Natsume walked out of his room he noticed how quiet it was. This meant that there were no yokai around and the Fujiwaras weren't home yet.

He went down stairs wondering where his friend could be. He eventually found Kyo sitting on the couch looking deep in thought. Natsume winced when he was the state of the older boy. Even though he had bandaged most of his injuries there were still several visible bruises. It made him fell ill that Kyo's family would hurt him that way. Kyo must have felt someone watching him because he looked up and gave him a small smile.

"You're up," Kyo said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Ah, yeah," Natsume said as he joined the other boy on the couch. "Are you?"

"I'm…" Kyo started to say and then shook his head, "I don't know. I have no idea what to do now."

Natsume bit his lip. He hadn't thought about that. All he cared about was getting Kyo out of there. What happened after never crossed his mind. Now Kyo was going through what he had gone through more times than he could count. The uncertainty of when you lost your 'home' where you would end up next and if it would be better or worse. He couldn't, no he wouldn't let Kyo go through that. It was a terrible feeling.

"I'll talk to the Fujiwaras. See if you can stay here until you find a job and a place to live," Natsume said. Just the idea of asking them that question made him feel sick. He had never asked for something like that before but Kyo was his friend.

"I can't ask you to do that," Kyo said looking surprised by the offer.

"It's alright Kyo," Natsume reassured him. "You're my friend and I won't abandon you."

"I…" Kyo said his cheeks turning pink. Natsume frowned.

"Are you getting sick?" Natsume asked him.

"No I'm fine," Kyo said as he quickly looked away. "So, ah…do you want to play a card game or something?" They were on their third game when they both heard the front door open and close.

"Takashi-kun we're home," Touku-san called.

"I'll go talk to them," Natsume said as he gave his nervous looking friend a reassuring smile even though his stomach was in knots. He walked into the hallway to see Shigeru-san hanging up their coats.

"Welcome back," he told them.

"Oh, Takashi-kun you look pale do you feel alright?" Touku-san asked him.

"Ah…yeah…but…" Natsume asked but started to feel nervous. If they said no he didn't know what Kyo was going to do.

"It's okay Takashi-kun you can ask us anything," Shigeru-san said with a kind smile.

"That's right," Touku-san agreed. "Now what's the matter?"

"My friend Kyo had a fight with his family and needs a place to stay," Natsume said finally gathering his courage.

"Oh my," Touku-san gasped.

"Is he in the living room?" Shigeru-san asked. Natsume nodded slowly. "Kyo-kun would you come here please." A moment later Kyo joined them.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience but can I please stay with you for a few days?" Kyo asked giving them a low bow.

"Of course you can," Shigeru-san agreed making Kyo startle with surprise. "After all you showed the same kindness to Takashi how can we not do the same in return?" Touku-san nodded in agreement looking extremely happy by the idea.

"I…" Kyo said still looking uncertain.

"Don't worry about it Kyo-kun. Now I better start dinner. You boys look hungry," Touku-san said as she headed towards the kitchen

"At least let me help," Kyo offered.

"No it's alright you boys finish your game," she said with a smile as he walked into the kitchen with Shigeru following. "Two growing boys in the house. I'll have to go grocery shopping tomorrow."

After the older couple had walked into the kitchen Natsume turned to his friend and smiled. "Welcome home."