Chapter Thirteen

Days passed, and Kyo still hadn't gotten around to speaking with Yuki. It wasn't that he hadn't tried, okay, he hadn't tried but it wasn't his fault. It was Haru's. He really wanted to speak to the ox before he had his pep talk with the rat but he wasn't speaking to the ox. Okay, maybe he was making excuses but he would never admit it aloud.

Haru had been noticeably absent lately, the real reason Kyo hadn't spoken to him for so long, and had been sighted haunting the library and absorbed in the computer. If anyone asked what he was doing then he would reply, "Researching."

Today, Haru had graced them with his presence with book in hand. A quick glance revealed something about anatomy in the title. The group buzzed around him, talking about everything and nothing while he quietly turned the pages in his book.

Kyo plopped down next to him and watched Momiji bounce from Tohru to Yuki and then back again. The bunny was really annoying but, at least, he wasn't bothering-

"Haru!" Momiji jumped and landed in the ox's lap almost making him drop his book, "Where have you been? Huh? Have you been hiding?"

The book snapped closed with a practiced flex of Haru's wrist and was carefully set aside.

"We've missed you!" Momiji declared and turned in his lap to address the group, "Didn't we? What are you reading?"

Haru stopped the rabbit's hand from grabbing his book and lifted the smaller boy clear off his lap, "You shouldn't jump on people, you might hurt someone." He turned at the waist and dumped the startled rabbit into Kyo's lap.

Kyo promptly shoved the bunny off his lap onto the ground, "Get off of me."

Momiji lay there stunned before he started to tear up and sniff.

"Oh, Momiji!" Tohru rushed over.

Yuki shook his head at the cat's antics while Haru just watched blandly.

"Come on, Momiji, you can't possibly be hurt," Kyo leaned over to grab at the rabbit, "Get up."

The tears disappeared with a smile and he went to Tohru, "Let's get some ice cream!"

Kyo watched them leave disgruntled. One would think Momiji did that on purpose to just make him look bad. Once they were alone he glanced at Haru to see him zoned out and nudged him. "Hey, what's on your mind?"

Haru turned to look at him slowly, eyeing him in such a way that made him uncomfortable, a soft smile spread, and he played with his sleeve. "You don't really want to know."

Kyo brushed it off and, was be about to change the subject or leave or something, he really hadn't decided yet when Haru's fingers are suddenly on his cheek, softly drawing lines from his cheek bone to his chin, making Kyo turn back to him.

He leaned in, giving Kyo all the time in the world to move or refuse to complete it and then every so softly brush his lips against his, nothing more.

Kyo stiffened and did not respond, still not quite comfortable then not happy because usually when Haru kissed him, it was a full on, no holds barred, no choice but to respond, assault of the senses where he can forget for a few blissful moments that the person kissing him was of the same sex.

This was different, for in a way, Haru was asking permission to go further, to explore, and in order to do that then Kyo has to be on board and fully aware. Not his, he kissed me, I didn't kiss him crap, he was currently clinging to.

When Haru got no response he leaned back and picked up his book.

Kyo was even more disgruntled, "What the hell was that?"

"It's called a kiss, Kyo," Haru turned a page.

Death glare, he opened his mouth, shut it, opened it again, and then shut it because he couldn't think of a way to verbalize his thoughts without sounding like a pervert.

Haru ignored him.

Kyo fumed.

Haru continued to ignore him but was now fighting a smile. So Kyo wasn't as unaffected as he thought he was. . . Interesting.

Stubborn.

"I hate you."

"I know," Haru smiled.

Kyo was about to leave the strange ox alone on the roof of the school when he turned, "Are you coming?"

Haru snapped his book closed and nodded. He got to his feet and made his way toward the cat.

They made their way home in silence.

End

AN: I'm very sorry about the shortness of this chapter but alas work and life have plotted against me and the progress of this story. I will update again as soon as I can. Michelle