Mutual Heartache

Summary: Yuki is held by Akito and is hurt badly. Kyo is the one who rescues the boy from the main house and cleans him up. Things will never be the same between the two again. They say there is a fine line between love and hate. Kyo seems to be walking the tightrope and teetering between the two extremes.

AN: I've been sitting on this story for years! I found it again after watching season 2 of the anime. This led me to reread the manga and now I'm back to writing this. I have a few chapters planned out, and I have an ending, but I haven't quite finished it. I'm no good at deadlines, so this will be updated as and when I have finished a draft… Hope you enjoy!

A few things: This is set after the first season of the anime, I may include some canon events, but I will use my artistic licence as and when I please haha. Also, in this universe Akito is a man.

Update: This is probably a bit late as this has been sitting here for about 2 months. But anyway, this fanfic is rated M, it inclused graphic descriptions of blood and injuries. In later chapters there will be some sexy stuff, but all consensual, no details of rape or torture.

Chapter 1 – Involuntary Rescue

Kyo had ditched his afternoon classes. He'd had enough of being around people for one day. It was exhausting. School was boring. People were boring. He hated the pointlessness of conversations. No one ever said what they really wanted. Well no one except Kyo it seemed.

He decided that his time would be much better spent training. Kyo would train in the woods behind Shigure's house. He supposed he should call it home by now. But something was holding him back from becoming completely content in his surroundings. Not that he had thought about it much, he assumed that it was down to living with that damn rat. The reason he was an outcast.

Yuki.

The cat struck a rotten tree with his outstretched foot, breaking it in half. Practicing his kicks and punches would help in venting his frustration towards the rodent.

Yuki. With his all his admirers and his perfect grades. And as much as Kyo hated to admit: his flawless skill in fighting, which bested Kyo at every opportunity.

He continued to kick and thrash and yell out.

Someday I will beat him. All the world would know of Yuki's defeat. The Cat would be restored to the Zodiac. I'm gonna take my place as a true member of this family. The Sohma's will see me as their equal. And I would belong. I won't be imprisoned for the rest of my life.

Panting, Kyo retreated to the building. He climbed onto the roof and enjoyed the breeze on his sweat slicked limbs. He checked his phone, a message from Tohru:

Kyo-kun, I've been asked to work a few extra hours tonight. I'm so sorry to disappoint, but I won't be home until very late. There are some leftovers in the fridge. I'm so sorry that I won't be home to make dinner! Please forgive me! – Tohru

Tch. She overreacts to everything. He sent a quick message back to say that they would survive without her.

The phone rings downstairs.

Kyo realises that there was no one else to answer it. Shigure must be hiding from his stupid publisher again. With a heavy sigh, Kyo went to answer the still ringing phone.

"Mwshi mwshi?" His tone tired.

"Kyo?" It was Haru.

"What the hell do you want? Pretty boy and the dog aren't here."

"Kyo, its Yuki."

"Yeah. The rat isn't here stupid. I just said that." Annoyance was growing in his voice. Fucksake, is everyone out to wind me up today?

"A-akito… He has Yuki, Kyo. I-It's bad this time."

Realisation seeped into Kyo like ice, the phone fell from his hand, clattering on the ground. The sound seemed to rouse some action in the copper haired boy. He grabbed his jacket and shoes and ran from the house, the screen door coming free from its hinges in his haste.

Kyo felt like he was running for his life - except it wasn't his life he was running for; it was for someone that he would consider an enemy.

His thundering feet on the pavement and his heart pounding in his chest were the only things that he would let himself focus on as he ran flat out down the street.

Kyo remembers Yuki's reaction when Akito had visited them at school. He looked so frozen in fear. He had always thought that the rat was Akito's favourite. That encounter had changed the Kyo's perception of their relationship. All the Soma's knew that the head of the family had a dark side; Hatori and his eye were a perfect example of that fact.

What had happened this time?

Kyo wasn't sure why he felt so inclined to help the bastard. He had always wanted to be the one who had put the boy in hospital, having finally kicked his ass. He reasoned that Tohru would never forgive him. Yeah, that was the reason.

But why am I so scared for him? So worried?

The cat raced through the entrance, past rows of houses, making his way to the centre of the compound. Past the dojo, past the playground of his youth, past the house he grew up in.

He hated the memories of this place.

There wasn't a soul in his path.

Kyo finally reached Akito's quarters, where he stood momentarily paralysed in the doorway.

He saw a broken body crouched in the furthest corner of the room, facing the wall. It was naked and covered in a sheen of muddied dark red blood.

Fear gripped Kyo, he fought to regain control of his breathing. He crept forward, "Yuki?"

There was no response. Finally reaching the trembling body before him, he extended his hand and touched Yuki's shoulder gently.

Yuki flinched violently but did not look up.

"Damn rat, look at me!"

No reaction.

Kyo reached out for Yuki's face and turned it to look at him. Yuki's breathing hitched but his gaze stayed staring ahead, unwavering and unseeing. He stared right past the cat in front of him.

"Shit."

Kyo shed his jacket and draped it over the boy. He scooped up the crumpled form in his arms. The body was a limp deadweight, Yuki barely had the strength to hold his own head up, leaning it on the boy's chest. The cat ran back the way he came, through the estate and to Hatori's house.

They found him on the porch, sat cross legged, eyes shut and meditating.

"Hatori! It's Yuki. You have to help!"

The doctor opened his eyes, "He'll live."

"You know?!" Kyo exclaimed, anger bursting forth.

"Yes."

"And you didn't do anything?! You didn't try to stop it? You didn't-," Kyo stopped. Of course he knew. Hell, even Haru knew. Kyo glared at the older Soma, with eyes of molten lava.

He pulled Yuki closer to his chest, stormed the front door and swiped the car keys. Unlocking the car, he bundled Yuki into the back seat. Slamming the door shut, he got into the driver's seat, turned the ignition and screeched away from the compound.

AN: I love reviews, good and bad!