(Just in case some of you are confused, this is a FLASHBACK to the night before the previous chapter, which kind of explains Kyo's strange behavior.)
Flashback.
Kyo paused, hesitating outside of Akito's room. Now or never.
It was a crisp fall night, the smell of rain permeating the main Souma house. The pale leaves blew at Kyo's feet when he walked down the street here. They touched him, the wind pushing him away in frustration as he defiantly moved towards the looming gate. It was curious as to why Akito would call Kyo to talk. Akito hated Kyo... if only for the fact that he was the cursed Juunishi. If only for the fact that he could be ugly. He stepped in, a cold gust of air hitting him like ice. It was expected in Akito's room... everything was reeking of coldness and hate. "Akito."
A ruffling noise came from the corner of the room, near the window. It was him... spiteful, slick, and seemingly diminutive in the large, open room. It was a strange power that this pale, thin man held over the Souma clan. A mystery and enigma. A painful boy. His voice was slippery, edging towards pathetic, brimming full of falseness. "Kyo. You came."
Kyo rolled his eyes, moving towards the center of the room and taking a seat on the floor. "What do you want with me?" he asked abruptly, annoyance tinging his rough voice. A bundle of loose kimono shifted slightly as the figure stood up in the dark corner of the room. Kyo's eyes followed him warily, sitting up and alert with a nasty expression smeared over his face.
"I want to know something..." he trailed off, his icy eyes locking with Kyo's as he stopped in front of him. Downright creepy, as the ghostly figure hovered over him.
"What is it then?" Kyo snapped impatiently, his heart pounding in anticipation and frustration.
"Toru... I don't want her living with Shigure anymore."
"And why the hell not?!" Kyo leapt up, anger vibrating from him as he stared at Akito. Akito held porcelain mug in his hand, the delicate designs dancing around the edge of the cup. Akito traced the edge of the cup with his thin finger, staring into Kyo's eyes bemusedly. Cruelty echoed all through him. Kyo stood before him, clenching his fists so hard his fingernails dug into his palms.
"Do you love that stupid girl?" Akito asked, blinking. Kyo almost hissed, lurching forward to hit him but stopping inches before his pale skin. He flinched, frozen in the heat of the moment.
"Don't call her stupid! If anyone's stupid, it's you!"
"Well, do you or don't you, you filthy cat?" Akito asked, laughing. Kyo stared hatefully for several moments, before resigning and slumping down, turning away from Akito. There was no point. A long, empty pause filled the room.
"Yes," Kyo growled, allowing Akito's power to seep through him and pull the deepest of secrets from his soul. Akito stood, wide-eyed at Kyo's revelation. No. NO. Akito screamed, slamming the porcelain against the wall. A brash shattering ensued, and Kyo spun around in shock before Akito slammed the sharp remains of the handle into his arm. Kyo yelled, his flesh split open as blood gushed down his arm and over his beads. "WHAT THE HELL?!" Kyo ran, his feline agility allowing him to flee Akito. He slammed through the door, ripping the fragile paper. He didn't look back.
Kyo ran, droplets of blood flying behind him. The wind rushed against the wound, blowing, drying the dark fluid into grotesque lines down his arm. Kyo ran and didn't stop running, Akito's mocking face leering at him. The stars laughed down on him. His legs carried him to where his mind was... He could hardly believe he had let go of such a pivotal piece of information. He could hardly believe he had exposed his heart to someone so cold... to someone who had such uncompromisable power and who didn't even care that he could harbor these feelings. His arm didn't hurt. Something else did.
Kyo ran to Toru's room, finding himself wildly scared for some reason he couldn't even figure out. He ran until he had reached her door, and then he stopped suddenly. He breathed heavily, each breath tangled with emotion before he slowly opened her door. His hot red eyes were relieved to discover Toru fast asleep, breathing in and out. Living, thriving, dreaming in her own world. He felt a stabbing pain to be part of it. He walked over and touched her hair. It was soft like her. A sweet, feminine scent grabbed him, and he closed his eyes. There was a smash, there was blood, and when it was all through, there was her. Forever.
The next morning, Yuki woke to find a smear of blood on the bathroom sink. He knew it belonged to Kyo. As far as everything was concerned, Kyo didn't deserve her. And he told him.
Flashback.
Kyo paused, hesitating outside of Akito's room. Now or never.
It was a crisp fall night, the smell of rain permeating the main Souma house. The pale leaves blew at Kyo's feet when he walked down the street here. They touched him, the wind pushing him away in frustration as he defiantly moved towards the looming gate. It was curious as to why Akito would call Kyo to talk. Akito hated Kyo... if only for the fact that he was the cursed Juunishi. If only for the fact that he could be ugly. He stepped in, a cold gust of air hitting him like ice. It was expected in Akito's room... everything was reeking of coldness and hate. "Akito."
A ruffling noise came from the corner of the room, near the window. It was him... spiteful, slick, and seemingly diminutive in the large, open room. It was a strange power that this pale, thin man held over the Souma clan. A mystery and enigma. A painful boy. His voice was slippery, edging towards pathetic, brimming full of falseness. "Kyo. You came."
Kyo rolled his eyes, moving towards the center of the room and taking a seat on the floor. "What do you want with me?" he asked abruptly, annoyance tinging his rough voice. A bundle of loose kimono shifted slightly as the figure stood up in the dark corner of the room. Kyo's eyes followed him warily, sitting up and alert with a nasty expression smeared over his face.
"I want to know something..." he trailed off, his icy eyes locking with Kyo's as he stopped in front of him. Downright creepy, as the ghostly figure hovered over him.
"What is it then?" Kyo snapped impatiently, his heart pounding in anticipation and frustration.
"Toru... I don't want her living with Shigure anymore."
"And why the hell not?!" Kyo leapt up, anger vibrating from him as he stared at Akito. Akito held porcelain mug in his hand, the delicate designs dancing around the edge of the cup. Akito traced the edge of the cup with his thin finger, staring into Kyo's eyes bemusedly. Cruelty echoed all through him. Kyo stood before him, clenching his fists so hard his fingernails dug into his palms.
"Do you love that stupid girl?" Akito asked, blinking. Kyo almost hissed, lurching forward to hit him but stopping inches before his pale skin. He flinched, frozen in the heat of the moment.
"Don't call her stupid! If anyone's stupid, it's you!"
"Well, do you or don't you, you filthy cat?" Akito asked, laughing. Kyo stared hatefully for several moments, before resigning and slumping down, turning away from Akito. There was no point. A long, empty pause filled the room.
"Yes," Kyo growled, allowing Akito's power to seep through him and pull the deepest of secrets from his soul. Akito stood, wide-eyed at Kyo's revelation. No. NO. Akito screamed, slamming the porcelain against the wall. A brash shattering ensued, and Kyo spun around in shock before Akito slammed the sharp remains of the handle into his arm. Kyo yelled, his flesh split open as blood gushed down his arm and over his beads. "WHAT THE HELL?!" Kyo ran, his feline agility allowing him to flee Akito. He slammed through the door, ripping the fragile paper. He didn't look back.
Kyo ran, droplets of blood flying behind him. The wind rushed against the wound, blowing, drying the dark fluid into grotesque lines down his arm. Kyo ran and didn't stop running, Akito's mocking face leering at him. The stars laughed down on him. His legs carried him to where his mind was... He could hardly believe he had let go of such a pivotal piece of information. He could hardly believe he had exposed his heart to someone so cold... to someone who had such uncompromisable power and who didn't even care that he could harbor these feelings. His arm didn't hurt. Something else did.
Kyo ran to Toru's room, finding himself wildly scared for some reason he couldn't even figure out. He ran until he had reached her door, and then he stopped suddenly. He breathed heavily, each breath tangled with emotion before he slowly opened her door. His hot red eyes were relieved to discover Toru fast asleep, breathing in and out. Living, thriving, dreaming in her own world. He felt a stabbing pain to be part of it. He walked over and touched her hair. It was soft like her. A sweet, feminine scent grabbed him, and he closed his eyes. There was a smash, there was blood, and when it was all through, there was her. Forever.
The next morning, Yuki woke to find a smear of blood on the bathroom sink. He knew it belonged to Kyo. As far as everything was concerned, Kyo didn't deserve her. And he told him.