Ch21

When Kyou woke he was surrounded by the soft warm comforter of a western style bed. A pleasure he couldn't remember ever experiencing before. He opened his eyes slowly and took in the guest room he was occupying. The Kuramae's sure did have a nice home. He frowned as he remembered last night. The fight and flight was hardly anything new or unexpected, but the conversation with Minoru was. As he thought about it, he realized that Minoru had a point, loathed as Kyou was to admit it. Minoru couldn't understand him if he did tell him anything.

He hadn't explained myself very well either, but he never knew what to say when put on the spot like that. Sure ten minutes later he could come up with a hundred different responses that were a hell of a lot better, but that didn't do much good during an argument. Now not only were Akito, Yuki, and probably Shigure and Hatori, mad at him, worried Tohru, and given the family secret away, but Minoru was both worried and mad at him.

What was he supposed to do? He didn't want Minoru to know about the other thing, but he didn't want to feel like he wasn't being honest with him either. Kyou hated the fact that Tohru knew, if he told Minoru and the boy deserted him he'd be broken. His chest and head hurt just imagining it.

"I need to apologize at least. I was planning on taking the day off anyway and getting out of town again might be good. Hopefully, this time there will be no gay bars involved." He shuttered at the memory.

He rolled out of bed and found his clothes, washed and hung neatly from the wardrobe door. Tsugumi must have washed them before she left last night. He'd have to thank her and maybe get the directions for finding Minoru's school. Today was going to be a long one. He got dressed, thinking about what he should say when got there. He'd do what needed to be done and he'd be in as good a mood as he could be, damn it. Minoru deserved it. Psyching himself up, Kyou stepped out into the hall and began his search for the maid.

X

Minoru had slept like shit last night and the horrible monotone droning of his business management teacher wasn't helping him any. He hadn't been able to get through to Kyou to apologize and the guilt had haunted his dreams. He stared out the window, not bothering to pretend to be interested in the lecture. The teacher wouldn't notice or care anyway, the man put many a student to sleep.

The dull, even tone coupled with the autumn sun warming his skin lulled him into a half aware state. His mind playing over the phone call and how it could have gone so much better. If Kyou was still talking to him, he'd have to make it up to him. They had already done the amusement park thing and Minoru didn't think he'd be going to one of those ever again, not after that disaster. Maybe to the resort his family had stock in. It was a nice secluded spot in the mountains and in the winter it was a ski lodge. The hot springs were especially nice this time of the year and in the early winter.

Just as he was thinking about the two of them alone in the hot spring with gentle snow falling around them, Kyou red faced from the heat and maybe a little sake, the door to his classroom burst open with loud bang that woke the students from their stupor. All eyes turned to the door and Minoru jumped from his seat at the sight of the person who made the commotion.

Eyes scanned the room before settling on him. The person marched determinedly toward him and shouted loud enough for the entire hall to hear.

"I'm sorry okay. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, it wasn't your fault. And you're right I should tell you the important things, but it's hard, all right. So don't be mad at me. I'm trying, I really am!"

Minoru looked around nervously at his classmates, then grabbed Kyou by the arm and led him towards the door. His teacher looked irritated by the disruption and Minoru wanted to get out of there before the man yelled at them, or worse, started asking questions they couldn't answer.

"I'm leaving for the rest of the class. Sorry sensei, but this is important," he told his teacher. "Come on Kyou, let's talk somewhere more private."

He dragged Kyou out the classroom and away from public scrutiny. Slipping into the men's room, Minoru made sure no one was in any of the stalls, dug out the student made 'out of order' sign and stuck it to the outside of the door. He had learned early on that the sign really meant that someone was doing the dirty inside and that anyone who genuinely needed to use the facilities had best go to a different one. Takeru came here often.

Right now though it would serve as a private place to talk about things best kept out of the public spot light.

"Suppose I should have waited until after class, huh?" Kyou said, looking sheepish.

"S'okay. I was falling asleep anyway." Minoru looked around the room and tried to think of something to say. Kyou beat him to it.

"I really am sorry, I don't like keeping secrets from you, but...there's an ugly side to me that I don't ever want you to see and it separates me from everyone else. Can we leave it at that?" He looked so very insecure at that moment that Minoru felt even more like a douche than he had earlier.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened last night, but I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You did nothing wrong. If there's something your uncomfortable talking about or showing me, then don't."

"I just don't want you to hate me, that's all."

"I don't think I'm capable of hating you, not after everything we've already been through. It can't be that bad, can it?"

Kyou made a strange face and nodded, "It's bad."

"Okay, I can accept that."

"That's it? Just like that you accept it? You don't even know what it is and you're fine with it?"

"Kyou, How should I put this. You're loud, impatient, selfish, impossible to understand sometimes, can be completely out of control and drive me up the wall on a regular basis," with each word Minoru spoke Kyou visibly cringed, but Minoru kept going. This needed to be said. "But if I can't deal with you at your worst, then I don't deserve you at your best. I know I'm not always the easiest to deal with sometimes myself. It's how people are, I can accept that there are things about you that are outside of your control, if you can do the same for me."

"So, we're okay then," Kyou asked.

"Yeah, we're okay. Now then, you going to tell me what happened last night or does it have to do with that thing you don't want to talk about?"

"No, nothing like that," Kyou began. Minoru listened intently to the whole story as far as Kyou was concerned. When the tale was finished, from the fight with Yuki all the way to the fight over the phone, Minoru couldn't believe it. The nerve some people had. Over the course of the story they had both come to sit down next to each other with their backs to the wall. Minoru reached over and pulled Kyou close to lean against him.

"Don't listen to them. It's not your fault, nothing that happened yesterday was. If something like that happens again, you can go to my parents or come here. I'll get you a key to the apartment, so you don't have to wait for me. Sound good?"

Kyou let his head fall onto Minoru's shoulder and whispered out an affirmative, "Hey Minoru. Just one question?"

"Hm?"

"Why was there an out of order sign hiding under the sink?"

"I could show you. If you feel up to it." Minoru winked suggestively down at Kyou. He watched as understanding lit Kyou's face.

"I don't know," Kyou began hesitantly. Minoru leaned in and stole a quick kiss.

"You know, this is our first real fight as a couple. We should make up properly."

"I thought we just did," Kyou said, but his arms were wrapped loosely around Minoru's neck and he didn't sound all that opposed to Minoru nibbling on his neck. The place was dirty and nasty, but that was fine because Minoru didn't plan to take it too far. Just a little taste, a feel for what the future held. A test drive as it were, but not on the floor. He pulled Kyou to his feet, pressing him back into the wall and let instinct take over. After all making up was the best part of fighting.

X

Momiji and Kisa watched Tohru as she looked to the clock for the nth time since they had gotten to Shigure's. She had promised Kisa that she would teach her how to make an origami rose, but so far hadn't been paying much mind to the lesson. A half completed paper flower lay forgotten in front of her as she stared off into space.

"Tohru nee-san, are you feeling okay. We can do this another day, if you're not up to it," Kisa said. Tohru shook off her daze and smiled unconvincingly at the younger girl.

"I'm fine. It's sweet of you to offer, but I promised that we would do this today. It will do me some good to take my mind off of things." She returned her attention to the papers in front of them and corrected a crease on Kisa's. It wasn't long before she was back to looking at the clock.

"I'm sure Kyou will be back soon," Momiji said. Tohru looked to him in surprise. Momiji just smiled. "You said he called later and said he was staying at a friends house, right. What happened wasn't your fault. Or is there something else bothering you. You never did tell us what had you so upset on Sunday." Momiji regretted saying anything when the light in Tohru's eyes dulled and she hunched her shoulders. He hadn't meant to depress her.

"It was nothing. I just overreacted to something." She turned away from him and instructed Kisa on how to make the petals, distracting the girl from questioning her as well. Momiji frowned, it wasn't nothing. Tohru had been genuinely upset for most of the night and still hadn't left her room by the time he and Haru had gone home. Even though he had been the first on the scene, Kyou hadn't known what had caused it, saying Tohru hadn't actually told him what was wrong. He wasn't going to ask her friends, they wouldn't betray Tohru's trust in them by telling and it wasn't their place to do so either.

"Since I'm not doing anything right now, how about I go make us some snacks. I might not be as good as you at that sort of thing, but I can make a decent sandwich." Momiji's offer was met with a flustered apology for not providing some already. Tohru got up and headed into the kitchen before he could try to stop her. She was even more absent minded today then usual. Before she could make it into the kitchen the phone rang and she rushed to answer it. Momiji listened to the half conversation with mild interest. Kisa had abandoned her flower in exchange for watching the two of them. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Tohru nee-san is going to be alright, isn't she? She hasn't been herself today," the girl said. The observation wasn't strange, any one who knew Tohru could see that much. Momiji smiled at his cousin and nodded.

"Why don't I try talking to her alone. I'm sure she just doesn't want you to worry about her problems."

"She isn't doing a very good job of it. I'm still worried and I don't even know what the problem is." Kisa finished her flower as instructed as she spoke, staring down at the table instead of risking eye contact. Momiji hummed in agreement then went after their wayward hostess, leaving Kisa to herself and the paper flowers. He found Tohru staring at the rice cooker with a distant glaze, not really seeing what she was looking at.

"Tohru. What's wrong? You can tell me, I'll do what I can to help." He offered.

"That was Sohma-kun on the phone, he's not going to be home for dinner. His friend from the student council invited him to stay over. I'm happy for him, he's making friends of his own and Kyou-kun too. Everyone is growing so much, you too Momiji-kun. You've gotten taller and some of the other students are taking you more seriously. Kisa-chan said she had made a friend at school finally." Her voice hitched slightly but she carried on. "Everyone is moving forward, but me. Am I being left behind?"

"No, of course not," Momiji tried to say but Tohru kept going.

"Uo-chan and Sohma-kun both have someone they are interested in, Kyou-kun has Kuramae-san and the other day Hana-chan found a letter in her shoe locker. I'm happy for them, but I don't have anyone. I'm plain so no one at school notices me, Sohma-kun uses me as a replacement for his mother, and Shiroyama-san thinks of me as replacement for his sister." She was crying now, silent tears left hot trails down her cheeks but her voice was a steady whisper. "I don't want to be a replacement for family, I don't want to be seen as just a friend, or a mother figure, or a sister. I want to be seen as woman too. Is that so much to ask for?"

"I don't think of you as my mother or my sister. You aren't a replacement. Your Tohru and someday you'll be a wonderful wife. I'm sure of it." Whether Tohru took it as the confession Momiji intended it to be or just as a compliment, he didn't know, but her tears came to a stop and she smiled at him. He would have said more, perhaps even explained himself out right if the door hadn't slammed open right then. Kyou announced that he was home with more cheer then Momiji had thought he was capable of.

It broke the mood completely and both he and Tohru couldn't help but laugh at the timing. They went out to greet him only to see him leaning over Kisa to look at what she was doing. Momiji froze in his tracks at this. Kisa was one of the few people that was truly frightened of the other boy, but strangely she didn't seem too scared by his close proximity.

"A rose? That's pretty good," Kyou said, patting her on the head. Kisa looked up in wonder.

"You really think so. Tohru nee-san just showed me how to make it. I didn't think it came out that good," she said. She looked down at the paper flower and blushed slightly at the praise it got.

"No way. It's great, very good." Kyou straightened and headed up the stairs, a bounce to his steps that was out of place on the usually taciturn boy.

"Kyou-kun is exceptionally happy today. Did something good happen?" Tohru asked. Kyou stopped half way up the stairs and turned his head to face them. He was smiling widely and almost glistened, complete with a rosy hue to his skin that shined.

"Making up is fun," was all he said in reply. He disappeared around the hall way, humming to himself. Momiji looked at Tohru. The girl had slowly turned bright red, then began giggling behind one hand. Kisa came over to join them staring after the pod person that had replaced Kyou.

"Was it just me or was he almost sparkling?" Momiji asked. Kisa joined Tohru in giggling though she didn't develop the blush that consuming their friends face and neck.

"You didn't seem to mind him just now, Kisa-chan. I thought you were afraid of him." Momiji said.

"I was, but he doesn't seem all that scary anymore. I don't know why though. I think everyone at the main house is wrong, he's a nice person just like the others. Just now proves it. He would be a good big brother, like Haru-nii and Yuki-nii and you," Kisa said.

Momiji wanted to give her a big hug for seeing it too, but if he did he'd give his secret away. He still didn't want the others to know and not because Akito had known and threatened him if he told. He didn't want them to treat him differently, to push him away or resent him his freedom. The only ones who knew his curse had broke were Kyou, Akito, Tohru and now Hatori who was in the same boat as him.

Tohru returned to the kitchen, Kisa following. Momiji looked back up the stairs before joining them. Tohru was right, everyone was changing, leaping forward. Could the curse weakening be an effect of this or the cause of it? The more and more that he thought about it, the more it seemed the cat was directly related to it. Was it possible that the more Kyou, and by association the cat, found acceptance the more the curse lost it's hold on them. If that was so, then it was possible that the hatred for him was only there to preserve the curse and therefore was little more then a by product of it.

What a sickening thought. Momiji would discuss it with Hatori tonight. He was probably just reading to far into it. He went to help the girls with the snacks. After all theories couldn't fill an empty stomach.

X

"Sensei, please. I'm begging you. You can't work on your manuscript if you're wasting time in an art gallery. My job depends on you finishing on time. If I lose my job, I lose my apartment. I don't want to be homeless." Mitsuru was about ready to get on her knees and beg even though she knew that was probably what Shigure was waiting for. She hated giving him the satisfaction.

"Now, now Mi-chan. There's no need to get upset. You'll have it by the end of the day. I just need to do some research first." Shigure rounded the corner and entered the new artists display. He scanned the name plaques of each one before quickly moving on.

"Research, for what? Sensei, tell me this isn't one of those times were you are completely finished with the book and are just stringing me along."

"Okay, I won't tell you that," Shigure said absently as his gaze fell upon a painting to the far right. His eyes lit up with delight when he saw it. Mitsuru found herself staring in confusion at a fantasy work featuring a sweet lolita with wings. This was the research he needed. Shigure was studying the image intently and a wicked smile was slowly spreading across his face. What the heck was he writing about now? Curious, she asked him.

"Oh, it's not for one of my books. Though I could write about it I suppose. I've never written that kind of story before, it wouldn't hurt to try. Would certainly pull in a new demographic." He mused out loud. Now she was worried.

"What are talking about and why are we here if it doesn't have anything to do with your work?" She was getting frustrated now. Any moment she'd scream, at least then they might get kicked out and then Shigure could get back to work. Oh, who was she trying to fool? He'd come up with some other thing to do instead. He always did.

"I'm fairly certain that the lovely young lady in this picture is actually a boy. That's all." Shigure's words took her for a loop. Really? She looked closer at the picture and tried to see it, but couldn't. It then occurred to her that he was probably just bull shitting her to distract her from pestering him.

"Sensei, don't say such ridiculous things. Honestly, it's a painting, if the artist meant for it to be a boy they would have made it a boy."

"Not necessarily. I'm talking about the person that the artist based the picture on, not the picture its self. I'm fairly certain that the person who modeled for this painting was a boy."

Mitsuru looked at the painting again. She squinted her eyes and tried to see a boy, but the pretty fairy girl was all that stared back at her. It almost felt like the girl was laughing at her for falling for Shigure's tricks. She turned a glare on the author.

"Never mind. Its all in the eye of the beholder I suppose. We all make what we will of things of this nature. Interpretation and all that." Shigure took a step back and studied it with a exaggerated critical air.

"All right, I'll play along if it gets us out of here faster. What interpretation do you get from this painting, oh great art critic?"

"Indeed. I wonder that myself. Come along Mi-chan, we shall be on our way to lunch," Shigure said, walking away. All of that build up just so he could not tell her the reason for it or why they were here. What had she done to deserve being saddled with this man.

"Forget lunch. Give me that manuscript you have due today," Mitsuru yelled, running after him. She gave the painting one more quick look over her shoulder, shook off the uncomfortable feeling it gave her and hurried after her client.

X

Kazuma had just finished washing up after his last class when the phone rang. Picking up, he was some what surprised when Minoru greeted him.

"Yes, how may I help you, Kuramae-san?"

"I was thinking about some things and I realized that I don't know when Kyou's birthday is. I would like to take him out for it the next time it comes around, but I have the feeling if I ask him he won't tell me."

"You would be right, but that is mostly because I don't believe he knows that exact date."

"Uh, how could he not know his own birthday? Couldn't you just check the registry?"

"Yes, but you see, the records are a bit unreliable. When he was born it caused a bit of a panic and things like paper work where put on hold until they calmed down. I was away on a training exercise for quite awhile, he was already several months old when I learned of him and no one really talked about it in those days. I just know that it was in the early winter. If it helps any, when he came to live with me I choose the twenty fourth of December to celebrate it."

"Wouldn't his parents have known? I know his mother is deceased, but couldn't you have asked his father?" Minoru didn't seem to have been told the whole story. Kazuma wondered what all Kyou had told Minoru about the inner workings of the Sohma family.

"That man is best avoided," was all Kazuma was going to say on that matter. Talking about that man always left a nasty taste in his mouth.

"Oh, sorry. I knew they didn't get along, but I didn't think it was that bad. Kyou doesn't talk about it, but if it's that bad I can understand why. The twenty fourth, uh? I bet he had something to say about you choosing that date."

"Yes, once he realized all the varying implications. Our family is not Christian in any way and Kyou had a very spartan and sheltered upbringing in the first few years of his life."

"I guess I'll just have to help make up for that then. I was thinking about maybe a trip for Christmas anyway. I can merge it with a birthday gift too. If you don't mind me taking him away for awhile." Minoru sounded thrilled at what ever he was planning. Kazuma didn't have the heart to object. He was really starting to like the boy.

"What were you planning? If you don't mind a parent's concern."

"Not at all. I think Kyou'll love it..."

X

Kyou shut his workbook and leaned back. He had expected more homework then that having missed the whole day, but wasn't going to complain. He was slipping the completed assignment into his bag when he first heard it. A soft clicking sound was accompanying his every move. He froze and the noise stopped. He waited for it to start again and when it didn't he passed it off as his imagination. Reaching for the last of his homework he heard it again.

There was no mistaking it this time. He sat up and stared down at his wrist wearily, eyeballing the beads. He gave his hand an experimental shake and the sound echoed through his room. Strange, they had never made noise before, pressed to tightly together to clack against each other. Lifting his arm he studying the limiter closely. A few of the alternating red and white beads had fine cracks running through them, one was actually missing a small piece, and then he saw it.

Red, white, red, white, red, red. That wasn't supposed to happen. One was missing. Panic flared up in his mind and he began scanning his surroundings urgently. He dumped out the contents of his bag and emptied his pockets. Finally he found the wayward bead under his desk; or rather the two pieces of it. It had snapped cleanly in half which was actually a bit of a relief. He could glue it back in its place and no one would be the wiser.

Because no one else could know about this. He didn't want to even think about the consequences of the main house finding out about the bracelet breaking. If he was going to end up stuck in that form, he'd at least get as much enjoyment out of what time he had remaining.

Author's Commentary: Okay, so I tried to look up the characters birthdays, but it seems like this is the only series in Japanese history to not give an actual date. At least, none that I could find. I did find a listing of their western zodiac signs, though this was on the internet so it could be wrong. Anyway, Kyou was listed as a Capricorn which is Dec. 22 to Jan. 19. So I had a lot of fun with that, especially given that two big celebration dates occur in that time frame, one of which is incredibly important to them. Even if I find out what the real dates are now, I'm not changing the story for it. I love irony too much.

There was fun to be had in the boy's room. Nothing major, just a little exploring with hands, maybe mouths. A Little Less Conversation just popped into my head while editing this chapter and now won't leave. I suppose it's fitting in a way.

So now, Shigure has figured out the truth about Hanabi, but he still doesn't know how far the relationship between Minoru and Kyou really goes. I feel sorry for his poor editor though. Mitsuru has to put up with so much. But to be honest, it's probably a good thing I don't write for a living, I'd be the same way that Shigure is. - Spina

So who likes magical girls? I'm thinking about writing a gender bent magical girl story next. Because I'm evil... and I have art for it.