A/N: Hmm, there's a lot of Kousei in here...relatively speaking.

BTW, does anyone else think this isn't enough of a crossover to be in the crossover section?

The Curse of the Cat

041. Goodbye

Koji mumbled a reply to his father's goodbye as the elder man vanished out the door.

It wasn't anything new; his father was always working. Surprising, considering he was wealthy. Their entire family was; they owned more than half the city when it came down to that, when you counted all their extended relations. So it wasn't really necessary to work inane hours, however his father felt rather differently.

And that feeling saw him out the door at eight every day – including most Sundays. And that always left Koji with an empty house to entertain himself with…around school and clubs and the likes.

And the arcade, and his new friends…which were taking quite a bit of his time, and attention…

…and his heart. So why was he a little sadder now when his father left the house so early and he sat on the couch with a slice of toast and a cup of milk?

042. Scarred

Kousei tapped the wheel as the car stopped in traffic; the line snaked on, past the green light and to a red beyond his sight. It stretched behind him as well, beyond the review mirror's field of vision.

He wondered why the extra delay; traffic was always bad but not that bad. He would be lucky to reach his office on time.

The car inched forward a little more, and he sighed, wishing he could have had a day off and spend it with his family. That was a bit of a joke in itself, as he only had half a family at home, and not a particularly happy one.

He felt a small stab watching a pair of siblings running ahead of their mother. Year one by the looks of things. Twins. Happy. Two sides of a whole.

Not ripped apart. Scarred.

Not…cursed.

043. Last Dance

Kousei hadn't gone to the New Year celebrations. He'd been working: not at the office, but at the home of a client. His line of work could not escape public holidays, as he had to work around their schedules as well as office hours. And he usually wound up working with several cases at once; it was one of the disadvantages of being an esteemed member of the Sohma clan.

Not that most people understood. After all, his son was the Rat. All parents of the Zodiac members received a healthy amount from the main house to rear their children, and the Rat's parents received the most. On top of that, his day job spread through both the Sohma clan and outside and paid well enough that they could live well without the added affluence.

In truth, it had nothing to do with the money. It was just that he had to keep working. It was the momentum. If he stopped, everything would come crashing down.

The car inched forward again, and this time he caught sight of the reason for the delay. An accident; a truck had ploughed into a car at the intersection ahead. A white sheet; someone had died. A young person, by the looks of the folds and the limp hand that had slipped out.

Whoever it was had danced their – her by the looks of the slender wrist – last dance.

Kousei lifted his foot off the break as the car finally slid onto the unobscured road.

In truth, he was dancing too. A dance he'd danced for over ten years.

044. Burn

Takuya sighed. He'd spent a healthy portion of his holiday grounded, which he felt was most unfair. Although he hadn't exactly helped matters by following the first visit to the Vice Principal with another one less than three days later – and this time with genuine reason. Unfortunately, that had been the last straw and even his easy-going father had found it fit to punish him.

So by the time he was out and about again, he was itching for a game of soccer. He didn't care if he was playing against trees.

Sadly, that had left him with sunburn after the summer heat, and he went back to school still sprouting the remains. His mother, fierce when mad and caring otherwise, sent him off smelling of aloe vera and he'd stopped by the fountain the first day to wash it off – and came back home with his entire face sore once again, tender skin burnt anew.

If it hadn't been for the trouble he always got into, he could have stayed home, but he had to endure. With aloe vera, and laughs he contributed to.

After all, if you can't beat them. Join them.

But he was still relieved when he could grin properly by the end of the week.

045. Steady

Shinya followed his elder brother home that Saturday.

'Don't you have anywhere else to be?'

'Nope.'

'Oh, really?'

Shinya grinned at the annoyed look. 'Who's dumb enough to play soccer in this weather?' he teased, before groaning. 'I melted last period.'

'We had air conditioning,' Takuya said smugly, glad for the chance at revenge.

'No fair,' the younger Kanbara pouted, balancing on the curb. 'We had all the windows open and the flies – aargh.' His foot slipped.

Takuya instinctively reached out to grab him, although his assistance really wasn't necessary as there were no cars to be seen on the quiet street.

'Be careful,' the elder grumbled, abruptly releasing him and continuing on his way.

Shinya grinned and followed – with more care of course. 'Why are you being so grumpy? You know you love me?'

'I'm not grumpy,' Takuya shot back. 'I'm hot.'

'So am I, but I'm not grumpy.' The younger boy thought for a moment. 'I suppose it's thanks to no air-conditioning.'

'We'll both have air conditioning as soon as we get home.'

And they both hurried, and Shinya happily thought of how, the same time last year, Takuya must definitely had been grumpy…although he wasn't this year; it was just younger sibling teasing as opposed to the wall that had once stood between them.

'What in the world are you grinning at?'

Shinya didn't answer.