Hello! This is my first FURUBA fic ever. I'm a Yuki-Tohru pairing fan! It's just like I prefer Kagura with Kyo!!!! (I'm from the year of the boar too and shamefully, I have to confess that when my boyfriend and I watched ep004, he nodded his head vigorously, when Kagura transformed, saying something like, I knew it…I still don't know if I have to cry or laugh. He thinks it's funny how accurate it is, a little exaggerated, maybe but so accurate. What a liar.)
Anyway, here's the fic.

Too short to be a multi-part, too long to be a real one-shot, I'm sorry for the bad formatting of the story.

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"Oi! Tohru! Look what I've found sleeping in a tree!"

Souma Tohru, 26 years old, turned around, her eyes red from crying, a small gray mouse standing, its little paws resting on her bare knees. In front of her, as she was sitting on the ground, in Shigure's back garden, near the kitchen door, a pool of clothes composed of a black turtleneck shirt and a pair of gray pants, oddly rested there.

            When she turned around, a young man with orange hair greeted her. He was grinning cockily and holding by the back of his blue shirt a small boy, lifting his bundle above the ground. The boy had gray hair and a striking pair of gray eyes too. His pants were thorn here and there, his hair was a complete mess and his arms and face were dirty with small scratches. One of his shoes was missing but somehow his sock was still there. But the little boy was, even though, hanging precariously in his favorite uncle's hold, grinning just as cockily.

            Behind them came a group of smiling men, looking extremely relieved and exhausted. One of them was small and blond, wearing a vibrant pink short sleeves shirt on a pair of shorts with boots coming up to his knees. Standing next to him, was a young man with both black and white hair, dressed like a rock-star, all in black with leather pants. Next came a sulking-looking young man in a white shirt and jeans. Finally, an older man, in his late thirties, early forties came.

The young woman got up in a fluid motion and ran to the odd pair, arms open wide, fresh tears falling from her eyes, but this time in happiness.

"Minoru!" She cried, taking the small boy in her arms and hugging him fiercely, crying and laughing in glee. Then, out of blue, a sudden "poop" was heard from behind and Souma Yuki was standing there, naked.

            They were all used to it by now, even the 4 years-old boy. So, none really paid attention when the man with the same striking gray eyes and hair than the little boy, quickly put back his pants on while the young woman was crying.

"Where have you been? I was so worried! Everybody was worried! Kaachan was really worried!" She babbled, holding her son. "What happened to you?" She ranted again as she spotted several little cuts, which were bleeding lightly on the boy's arms and legs. Then a pair of pale hands took the boy from his mother's grip and Yuki, who hadn't taken even the time to put his shirt back on, hugged his son against his bare chest as fiercely as Tohru had.

            "Minoru." He whispered against his son's hair. "Kaachan and Touchan were really worried about you." His eyes were closed in relief and he sighed happily as the familiar scent of his son surrounded him. Tohru had put one of her hands on her son's head the other resting on her spouse bare arm while her head landed softly on his bare shoulder.

            Kyo's eyes twinkled with laughter and relief as he said, smiling, looking Minoru. "I found him in one of the trees near Yuki's garden."

"Thewe was kitty in the twee. It couwldn't get down. Kaachan likes cats." He looked up to meet his father's gaze and as if his explanation of his mother's liking cats resolved everything, he smiled and gently patted his father's cheek with his chubby hand. But Yuki wasn't fooled.

"You still get a punition, young man. You know you're not allowed to go in the forest alone." He added, scowling his son a little.

As Kyo expected, Minoru wailed. "Kaachan!" Hatori and the others flinched. Minoru had a really loud and piercing voice.

            Attracted by the shrieking noise, two other men and two young women burst suddenly in the backyard where Kyo, Yuki, Tohru who was trying to turn off the water works and lower the sound by coddling her son, and the other members of their strange family were.

            Shigure collapsed again the kitchen doorframe, laughing in relief as Minoru kept on wailing. Kagura and Kisa both ran forward, tears in their eyes to kiss the squirming Minoru while Ayame fell against Shigure, his face showing an intense relief.

            "Minoru-chan!" Tohru tried to soothe her son, even if she knew the boy deserved the punition and she and Yuki had already been through several discussions about it. Their son was simply amazing: they didn't know why or how but whenever and wherever there was a mess, problem, something broken or missing, sure as the sun would rise the morning after, Minoru was somehow in the middle of it. It wasn't as if the boy was doing it on purpose. No, it was rather like troubles were attracted to him. But, today had been the worse ever.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Flashback

            Yuki and Tohru were walking up the road to Shigure's house. They were carrying bags of foods and some new clothes Tohru couldn't resist to buy for Minoru, their almost 4 years-old son. "I can't believe Minoru-chan will be 4 in less than 3 weeks, now."

"Yes, those 4 years have passed by so quickly." Yuki agreed, smiling gently at his wife over the bags, his eyes full of warmth and happiness. They would have held hands but Yuki had insisted on carrying most of the bags and his arms were full, Tohru only carrying the small package containing Minoru's new clothes. They had reached the entrance when they heard the familiar voice of Yuki's cousin, Kagura.

"Minoru-chan! Minoru-chan!" She was calling, her hands held around her mouth to take her voice further. She was standing on the porch in front of the living-room, yelling their son's name in the general direction of the forest, so she was back to them.

"Yuki-kun! Tohru-kun!" came Shigure's panicked voice, behind them, as he was on the phone.

"Kagura-san?" Tohru asked, as the other woman whirled around in surprise.

"Tohru-kun! Yun-chan!" She gasped loudly and almost dreadfully, as tears began to fill her eyes, she added. "You're already here!"

"Kagura, what's wrong? Where's Minoru?" Yuki asked, putting his bundle down quickly and approaching Kagura. None of them heard Shigure talking furiously in the phone and slamming the receiver down to hurry behind Tohru and Yuki.

Kagura bit her lower lip and began to shake. "I'm sorry. I…" She paused to shake her head again.

            Then Shigure stepped in the room and finished the sentence for Kagura. "We don't know." He said uncertain, as Yuki whirled around to face him as the words hit him.

Kagura fell on her knees, her eyes tightly shut but the tears were still running on her pale cheeks.

"Minoru…" Was all Yuki heard coming from next to him before Tohru hit the ground, as she passed out.

"Tohru!"  He yelled.

"Tohru-kun!"

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            Tohru was slowly becoming aware of her own body. She could feel her arms, legs and the softness of the mat she was lying upon. A hiss brought her further out of the blank world the news of her son missing had sent her to. "Where's that Baka Neko?" She heard Yuki sneer.

"Kyo-kun is looking for Minoru-chan in the forest. Please, Yun-chan, I…" Tohru couldn't open her eyes yet, but she could easily imagine Yuki towering over Kagura, while the latter tried to calm down her cousin.

Yuki didn't let her finish her explanation, as he cut her, his temper getting shorter and shorter. "We were gone two hours, Kagura. Two!" His voice rose again dangerously as he emphasized the last word.

"Yun-chan…" Kagura tried again but the small voice of Souma Kisa cut in.

"Yuki-nii, you'll wake Nee-chan." Kisa said simply but Tohru could clearly hear the worry in it. She tried once more to open her eyes, but her lids were so heavy.

Another smooth voice rose. "Yuki. Calm down." Hatori calm demeanor somehow irritated the youngster more than calming him.

"Calm?" Yuki started to yell again. Tohru knew she needed to open her eyes and calm Yuki, but… "My son's been missing for three hours now!" He finished and a pang of sheer fear stabbed Tohru's heart and she finally managed to get her eyes open.

"You're upsetting Tohru-kun. You know it's not right in her current state." Hatori wasn't impressed by Yuki's outburst, in fact he ignored Yuki completely as he bent over Tohru to feel her forehead.

            Yuki took a shuddering breath and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "So…Sorry." He stammered, then he kneeled next to Tohru's head.

Tohru was lying in their bed, in Yuki's former room which was now theirs, and as she met his bewildered gaze, she felt fear squeezing her heart again and tears filling her eyes.

"Yuki." She almost choked. Where was their son?

"Tohru. How are you feeling?" He whispered as he brought his head closer to hers, resting his forehead lightly against hers.

"Yuki. Where's Minoru?" She pleaded, her tears finally running down her cheeks.

            Yuki straightened and put his hands on her cheeks, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "Don't worry." He told her in a firm tone she knew he wasn't feeling just by looking in his eyes. "I'll find him. Kyo, Momiji, Haru and Hiro are already out looking for him. Shigure's calling Nii-san to ask him to come and help us and as soon as Hatori checks you up, we'll join the others to look for Minoru."

"I want…" She started but Yuki put his fingers against her mouth.

"No. You stay here." He said in a no backing down voice as he was slowly turning more sure of himself.

"This is my son too!" She cried out, pushing his hands away.

"What if he comes back by himself to find an empty house?" Yuki asked her back. "You know he's hates being alone."

Tohru bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut again. "Yuki…" She gripped the covers under her while her shoulders shook with tears.

            Again, he gently took her heard between his hands and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes shut too. "Shh. Everything's going be alright. Shh."

"I'm sorry, Tohru-kun. You placed your son in my care and…" Kagura tried to say but her voice was shaking. Kisa was biting her lip in distress. Hatori kneeled next to her and gently touched her swollen lip.

"Don't," he told her in his quiet voice, "you're going to cut yourself." Then his eyes flickered to Kagura behind, catching her gaze and he slowly turned his eyes to the crying couple then back to Kagura and Kisa. Both understood the message: they had to support Tohru. For a pregnant woman, worries could sometimes have a fatal outcome. Kisa nodded quickly and so did Kagura after wiping her tears resolutely on her sleeves.

Hatori nodded once and stood up to place a hand on Yuki's shoulder.

"Please, Kagura, Kisa, Yuki, leave the room while I make sure everything is alright with Tohru-kun and the baby."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Shigure's voice came from downstairs as he yelled the promise he got from Ayame. "Yuki-kun! Aya will be here in less than an hour." Hearing his voice, Yuki walked to the stairs and stared down at Shigure. "Just the time for him to close his shop and come here." The older man kept on. Yuki acknowledged what he said with a brief nod.

Kagura was torturing her hands and she started. "Yun-chan…"

            But Yuki didn't want to hear anymore. He wanted to act. He wanted to get out to seek for his son but he couldn't leave Tohru like that. "That's okay, Kagura." Yuki waved her coming apologies away as he smiled bitterly at her. "Minoru has a knack to disappear and he's trouble with a capital T. That's not your fault, I know what he's capable of." A dry laugh escaped his lips as he ran a hand in his hair, not looking at anyone, but his eyes were bewildered again, as if he wished his only child was on the roof. "For all we know, he may be on the roof."

"No, Kyo-kun already checked the roof and we've looked through the house several times already." Shigure said quickly, as he climbed up the stairs.

After a moment of heavy silence, Yuki finally asked, his voice rough. "What happened?"

            Kagura sighed and started her explanation quickly. "Kyo-kun and I were fighting and he was watching anime, quietly. He was really calm and engrossed in the TV. Kyo-kun had put his favorite anime with the big cat that turns into a bus. And… And suddenly, he wasn't there anymore. Yun-chan! I'm so sorry!"

Shigure had been at his editor's to discuss about his incoming novel and as soon as he had been able to sneak away from Mit-chan, he had ran back to his home to prevent it to be tear in two by Kagura. "Kyo-kun and I looked through the house, Yuki-kun. And Kyo-kun decided to look in the forest while I called..." The door behind them opened slowly and Tohru appeared in the doorframe. "Tohru-kun."

            Hatori gently pushed her and moved outside the room. "Kagura, Kisa, you two stay here with Tohru-kun." He ordered them and the two females nodded their heads as Kisa took hold on one of Tohru's hand.

The three men quickly headed downstairs, safe for Yuki who paused on the first step, turning back to Tohru. "Tohru, we'll find him. Promise." He reached out for one of her hand, which he squeezed quickly before running after Hatori and Shigure.

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            "Haru! Momiji! Hiro!" Yuki, Hatori and Shigure were running towards their younger cousins.

Hatsuharu slowly turned around as his name was being called. Running toward him was the one he called his 'first love'. "Yuki." He simply said before turning to his cousins behind him. "Since Yuki, Ha-san and Sensei are here, we can split up."

Hatori nodded to his judgment and dispatched them. "Yes, Haru you go with Yuki. Momiji with me and Shigure with Hiro." Yuki didn't wait for Haru to follow him and quickly turn left, getting further in the forest, leaving the path. Haru hurried after him after waving an encouragement to the worried Momiji.

"Ah. Ha-san! I want to be with you!" Shigure whined. Hiro rolled his eyes and glared at Shigure.

"Baka Shigure." Hatori answered, walking away with Momiji who had a little sad smile on his face.

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            At a more steady pace, the three women went downstairs to settle in the living-room. Sitting around the table, the other two females watched anxiously the mother torturing herself. "What if he fell from a tree or from a cliff and is unable to come back or call for help?" Tohru asked for the hundredth times. She didn't wait for an answer as she kept on, not paying attention at her surroundings. "What if he got lost? You know, he likes walking in the forest. But, at least one person was always with him! Minoru…" Kagura gripped one of her hand.

"Tohru-kun,  calm down. I'm sure Yun-chan, Kyo-kun and the others will find him."

Kisa nodded to that and said. "I know that Hiro-chan, Kyo-nii and Yuki-nii won't be back until they find him, no matter what."

"Tohru-kun!" A loud male voice rang from the doorway and Ayame Souma, the almost exact replica of her husband and son entered the room.

"Ayame-san!" Tohru half raised from her sitting position and extended her hands to him, which he quickly took.

            Ayame was frantic and out of breath. "What happened? Gure-san called me, he sounded completely freaked out!"

Tohru broke down as she cried again. "Minoru's missing!"

"Mi-chan?" Ayame looked at Kagura, surprised and shocked and when his young cousin confirmed, he felt a string of his heart being painfully pulled on.

Kisa kneeled forward and put her hands on Tohru's shoulders. "Nee-chan!" Over the past, it had been Tohru who had comforted Kisa but today, Tohru needed her, but Kisa didn't know how to help her Nee-chan, except praying silently for someone to quickly bring the small boy to his mother.

"Tohru-kun!" Kagura was worried. It was all her fault, if she hadn't been so careless, they wouldn't be all like that. Minoru would be there, running around Kyo, trying to climb on Hatori or repeat whatever nonsense Shigure asked him to.

            Tohru wiped her tears, in Kisa's embrace. "It's alright." She said. "Kagura-san and Kisa-san are right; I have to have faith in Yuki and the others. But…" But she couldn't help but feel helpless, she couldn't help but fear for the worst. She couldn't help it. Ayame put a hand on her head.

"That's okay, Tohru-kun. Yuki will bring Minoru-chan back to you." His voice soothed her, more than any other reassurance words than had been said before. Maybe, it was the extreme confidence in his voice or the way his eyes didn't waver, as if he knew it already.

Tohru stared at his serious face for a while. "Yes, Ayame-san." She bent her head and then suddenly jumped on her feet. "I'm going to make some tea." She announced.

            Immediately, Kagura started to stand up. "Oh! I'll do that, Tohru-kun."

"NO!" Tohru yelled and everybody froze at her outburst, even her. Why did she yell? She took a deep breath, calming her nerves, before saying again. "No… It's alright, Kagura-san. I can do it alone." And Ayame understood what she really wanted: a little time to herself and turned to Kagura, nodding once to her.

"Okay, Tohru-kun." Kagura said weakly as Ayame sent a glance to Kisa to prevent her from following Tohru. The young woman started to frown but Ayame shook his head. Anyway, it was too late since Tohru was already out of the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Haru looked up from the bush where he was looking for Minoru and glanced at the sky where the fading light of the day was making him more worried. "It's getting dark." He said, swallowing hard. Minoru, alone in the forest, in the dark.

"MINORU!" Yuki didn't acknowledge his cousin's statement as he kept on calling his missing son.

"We'll need some lamp torches." Haru said again.

            Yuki looked around him, trying to spot his son, he bit his lip in frustration, in order to restrain himself from yelling in rage. Haru was right, he couldn't ignore him any further. "I'll… I'll go and I'll check on Tohru." He said but made no move to get back to Shigure's to get the lamps.

"Hum. We'll find him." Haru put a hand on the worried father's shoulder, bringing his attention to him. Understanding flickered in his eyes and Yuki understood that Haru was waiting and wasn't going to let go of his shoulder until he told the youngster what else was bothering him.

            Yuki dropped his head in defeat and finally confessed the secret he had been hiding since the beginning of the search. "The mice say they didn't see him."

"No. They haven't seen him yet." Haru emphasized the last word gently, tightening his hold lightly on Yuki's shoulder. He then turned Yuki in Shigure's house direction.

"Haru…" Yuki said, surprised. Haru had always been able to read him like an open-book that it was almost frightening.

Haru smiled and pushed Yuki. "Go, I'll be around here."

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            Kyo was running in the forest, yelling the same name other and other again. "MINORU! MINORU!" He had heard the others as they started to look through the forest too but hadn't join them. He didn't want, he couldn't face Yuki. Shame and guilt were eating him: they had trusted him enough to put their son in his care and the boy was now missing! He couldn't face Yuki or the others and therefore, he stayed away from them. Kyo was sure Hatori had seen him but his older cousin had said or done nothing to stop him. Or blame him. He had to find Minoru. God what was he even going to say to Tohru? He wouldn't be able to face her for days! He had to find that brat!

"Boy! You're going to be in big troubles when I find you." Kyo muttered out loud as his eyes scanned his surroundings. "Kuso Nezumi will chop my ass. Shit." Kyo slowed down as he neared Yuki's garden. The boy liked to come here but it was the third time he had looked there already. Further, he could see Hatori, looking in some bushes as Minoru had once fell asleep in one of them. He could also hear Momiji loud voice, calling the boy.

Kyo cursed under his breath again before yelling. "MINORU! Where are you, brat?"

"Meow!"

Kyo stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes quickly looked up. "Ara?" He had never thought of checking up in a tree, after all, Minoru was still too small to climb in trees, now right?

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            As Yuki neared the house by its back, he saw the familiar figure of Tohru sneaking out by the kitchen door. He called out to her. "Tohru!"

Surprised and feeling guilty, she quickly turned in the coming voice direction. "Yuki! What are you… Did you find him?" Worry overcoming her, she nervously peered her husband's face for any kind of emotions. Any. Minoru was now missing for nearly 4 hours and the sun was coming closer to the horizon.

"What are you doing here? Hatori told you to stay in the house." Yuki asked her as he jogged near her. He grabbed her hands and squeezed them gently.

"But…" Tears came again. Tohru shook her head and looked up at him.

"It's alright. Shh, don't cry." He tightened his hold on her hands and put his forehead against hers.

            Since they couldn't hug without him ending as a mouse, they had taken the habit of resting brow against brow, eyes closed and fingers tightly entwined together, it was their form of hugging. "I just need some lamp torches." He said, not opening his eyes or moving. He was building up his courage, feeling her so near him, while she was pregnant with their second child, worrying like crazy over the first, made him feel protective. He wouldn't tell her the lack of information the Jyunishi members got from their animals. None of the mice had seen or heard a little boy, nor any of the dogs and surely any of the cats.  How could he tell her he was as scared as she was? He had to be strong but how when he was feeling like breaking down any moment.

"Yuki…" Tohru called him, making him look at her. "The sun is setting. Minoru isn't scared of the dark but…" Her eyes were full of worry. For once, she needed more than the mere touch of their heads together. He did too.

            So, he did the only thing that would give his failing courage a new flame and hopefully, he could help her too.

"Shh, we'll find him." The mouse at her feet whispered. Tohru, despite herself, smiled between her tears as she knelt then sat on the ground before him. Like he already done countless of times before, he put his little paws on her bare knees, looking up at her. He knew she loved her mouse form, why though was a complete mystery to him.

"Oh, Yuki." Tohru tried awkwardly to smile again at him. She knew he was trying to humor her, but the feeling of his strong arms around her, his warmth surrounding her and his fingers trailing in her loose hair, his hot breath on her neck while he held her tight against his chest, were enough to ease her worry and pain for a while, enough to renew her faith.

"I promise." He sounded so serious that it was almost ridiculous in the form he was now and she would have laughed in any other situation but this one. But still, a new almost hopeful smile made its way to her lips.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Ayame, Kagura and Kisa were sitting in an heavy silence in Shigure's living-room. Each of them was too caught up in their own worries and sorrow: Kagura was biting her lower lip, eyes downcast, stiff shoulders and nails almost tearing the soft flesh of her palms, Kisa kept on glancing nervously at the kitchen door, playing with her skirt, as if she was trying to convince herself to get up and walk to the kitchen. As for Ayame, as far as he had faith in Yuki's and mostly Tori-san's ability to find the boy, the idea of him out, alone, perhaps scared and looking for help reminded too much of some regretted events of his past.

            Ayame threw a weary glance at the kitchen door: he could only imagine what Tohru-kun was going through. Just when Kisa stood up, obviously going in the kitchen, the sliding door giving on the garden, opened, revealing Shigure.

            Kagura looked up and hope filled her wet eyes. Kisa stopped dead in her tracks. "Gure-san! Did you find Mi-chan?" Ayame exclaimed, almost standing up.

"Not yet. I'm just taking some lamp torches with me." Shigure answered as he stepped in the room, before whining on Kisa. "Hiro-chan made me come here alone, he's so mean!" Kisa blinked and she smiled, shyly. Ayame had to hide a smile: with a whine, Shigure had managed to lift up the girls' spirits.

"Shi-chan, it's not the best time to joke around." Kagura scowled him, but as Shigure was about to answer, a loud piercing and ear-tearing scream rang through the house.

"What was that?" Kagura jumped on her feet, pushing Shigure out of her way. "It's coming from the kitchen!"

"Nee-chan!" Kisa pushed Shigure again out of her way and ran after Kagura.

"Somehow, it sounds like Minoru-chan…" Was Shigure's thought as he followed the girls, Ayame right behind him.

End Flashback

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            The sun had finally kissed the horizon and everybody was gathered in Shigure's living-room. Since, it was still summer, they had opened the sliding doors and Kyo, Hiro and Haru were all standing up or sitting on the porch for Kyo, while Minoru, sitting in his mother's lap, surrounded by Yuki and Hatori who was trying vainly to get the little boy show him his scratches. Momiji was standing right behind Hatori watching over the doctor's every moves while Shigure was sitting next to Ayame. Meanwhile, Kagura and Kisa were pouring some drinks for everyone. "Minoru, what were you doing alone in the forest?" Yuki asked him. His chin was resting on Tohru's shoulder, one of his slender leg brought back to his chest, looking at Minoru.

            The little boy clung tighter on his mother, hiding his scratches from the doctor and finally turned to his father, beaming up at him. "Lookin' fo Totowo!" You see, a week or so before, Hatori had introduced to a screaming Minoru the joys of vaccination and needles. A souvenir that, obviously, Minoru had appreciated.

"Totoro?" Shigure repeated dumbly. He was the one who bought the movie for Minoru. Something to keep him busy while he was the babysitter in charge.

"I found him sleeping with a kitty under his arm." Kyo chuckled, looking at the troublesome boy. "The kitty called me because it was hungry but couldn't get out of Minoru's grip."

"Now, Minoru, calm down. Let Hatori-san look at your wounds." Tohru tried to get her hair free from Minoru's vise-like grip. But, as soon as she had managed to free some, he was quickly taking some more, eliciting laughter from Ayame.

"It's nothing, Tohru-kun." Hatori sighed. "He probably just needs some alcohol on it to make sure they're clean."

"No! It 'uwrt." Minoru had been in too many 'accidents' to know what alcohol on wounds meant.

"Minoru. Stop this." Yuki's voice froze his son in his attics and Minoru looked up to meet the disapproving look of his father.

Minoru bent his head and released his mother's hair. "Yes, Touchan." Minoru didn't fight Hatori when the doctor gently brushed his wounds with some damped alcohol to make sure they were clean.

            Kyo stood up and growled, as Minoru bent his head to his father's order. "Oi, Kuso Nezumi, your son's been missing for the damned day and you keep on scowling at him!"

Yuki stoop up as well. "If somebody here had done his job as a babysitter correctly he wouldn't have been missing at all!" Shigure sighed, he knew all too well what was coming. Hiro rolled his eyes, in annoyance of seeing two grown-up men still acting like children. Kagura and Haru only smiled while Momiji cheered for a match.

"KUSO NEZUMI!"

"BAKA NEKO!"

Yuki marched to where Kyo stood, ready to fight, while Hiro and a smirking Haru left them the place that they needed.

"Kaachan, Kyo-nii 'n Kaguwa-nee awe havin' a baby. Can Minowu pwlay with it?" Minoru's small voice, sitting in front of Hatori, looking up at him mother, rang clear above the shouting, freezing everyone.

            Yuki was the first to snap out of the shock and punched Kyo in the jaw, making him fly out on the porch. Yuki then turned to look at his son, who had stood up, looking up at his father.

"KUSO NEZUMI!" Kyo yelled, a little red. Kagura was blushing deeply, trying to hide her face behind the tray she had been holding.

"Minoru!" Tohru managed to say and Minoru whirled around to face her.

"It's twue!" He said, his chubby face raised in her direction, his fists clenching once more on her shirt. "They wewe fighting aftew Kyo-nii put Totowo 'n Kaguwa-nee sent Kyo-nii fwying!"

"Shut up!" Kyo was coming in the room, red from embarrassment. Kagura moved closer to him, trying to hide behind him, from the stares her cousins were sending her.

"Kyo-kun, is there anything true in what Mi-chan is saying?" Shigure asked in his mellow-mellow voice, the one Kyo found the most irritating.

"SHI-GU-RE!!!" He roared.

"What?" Shigure tried to act innocent but it was completely blown off as Momiji burst with laughter while the others either grinned, smirked or simply smiled at the blushing couple. Kagura was holding Kyo's left arm, almost hiding behind him, not meeting anybody's eyes.

"It's twue!" Minoru pulled several times on his father's pants to get his attention. "Minoru not lying, Touchan! Pwomise!"

Yuki smiled as he kneeled to pick the little boy in his arms. "Minoru, tell Touchan what happened this afternoon." And the whole room fell silent as they waited for Minoru to start.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

FLASHBACK

            Tohru hugged her son a last time before getting out in the sun. "Minoru, be kind with Kyo-nii and Kagura-nee, now, okay?" She smiled sweetly at her son while Yuki who made his last recommendations to Kyo.

"Baka Neko, watch over my son."

"Kuso Nezumi." Kyo only muttered back and Yuki did as if he hadn't heard.

"Yes!" Minoru beamed at his mother. Kyo-nii was his favorite Uncle. He was about to have fun. "Touchan, bwing a pwesent?" Minoru asked as his father ruffled his hair.

Yuki smiled and waved, taking Tohru's hand. "We'll see, see you later!"

"Bye, bye!" Minoru waved after them, while Kyo had his hands in his pockets.

Kyo raised a surprise eyebrow at Minoru when the little boy said the foreign words. "Who taught these words?"

Minoru grinned and answered happily. "Momiji-nii!"

"Should have known."

            Kyo brought back the little boy in the house main room. Usually, it was Shigure who watched over the boy but today, his editor had managed to corner him and drag him to a conference. So, Tohru had asked Kyo if he could watch over Minoru while she and Yuki were at Hatori's for Tohru's monthly check-up. "Oi! Brat, do you want to watch TV?"

"Totowo! Totowo! Totowo!" Minoru jumped up and down in glee, pulling on his Uncle's arm.

"Shinnosuke,y, when Kagura transformed, saying something like, I knew it…I still don't know if I have to cry or laugh. He thinks it's funny how accurate it is, a little exaggerated, maybe but so accurate. What a liar.) mile at Minoru's attics. "What is that with that Totoro? You only want to watch that stuff!" He finished grumbling, as he remembered last night when Minoru had nearly thrown a fit to watch the anime, again.

"Kyo-nii is a Totowo!" Minoru suddenly said, throwing his arms in the air.

"WHAT?" Kyo roared, making Minoru laughed. Boy. Kyo thought as he ran a hand in his hair in frustration, that boy's really that Kuso Nezumi's son.

While Minoru was making a mess, looking for the anime through the videos, a small voice rose fro behind Kyo. "Kyo-kun." Kyo turned around to see Kagura.

"Kagura." He said, swallowing hard.

Kagura blushed and started fidgeting, not meeting his gaze. Kyo felt as embarrassed, but he needed to know. "So," he awkwardly began. "What did it say?" He stammered and finished lamely.

"Hmm." Kagura blushed deeper and Kyo suddenly found it hard to breathe. "I'll have to go at Hari to make sure."

"It...It's positive?" The world was both crashing down on him and. opening before him. Odd. How he felt so scared and. happy in the same feeling.

"Yes."

Again, none of them dared to look at the other straight in the eyes and again, it was Kyo who broke the heavy silence. "What…What are...we going to do?"

"Kaguwa-nee!" Minoru suddenly jumped in, his video in the hand, tugging on her hand.

Kagura was glad for the interruption because it was the question she had been dreading. What if he didn't want to be involved? "Minoru-chan!" She kneeled in front of Minoru and kissed him on the cheek.

"Make Kyo-nii fwying, please, Kaguwa-nee!" Minoru asked her pleadingly, Kagura stared at Minoru while Kyo growled again.

"What are your parents teaching you, Brat?"

"Another time, Minoru-chan." Kagura suddenly smiled and she kissed Minoru on the cheek again, closing her eyes, so that he wouldn't see her tears. Which he, though, she thought bitterly.

"Hey! Why you!" Kyo yelled, outraged.

Getting a grip on herself, Kagura stood up and glowered at Kyo who backed away in an automatic response. "What?"

Minoru turned to Kyo and saved him from the beating up like a pulp of the year. "Kyo-nii, Minowu want Totowo now." He demanded, extending the video to Kyo who shakily took it, still looking wearily at Kagura.

"Eh. Okay. Here it comes." He quickly backed in the living-room, Minoru and Kagura on his heels.

When the movie was started, and that Kagura had calmed down, Kagura, smoothing Minoru's soft hair ,told him softly. "Now, stay here while Kyo-nii and I talk, okay?"

Minoru wrenched his transfixed glance from the screen to Kagura to ask in a very serious tone. "You call when you make Kyo-nii fwly?"

As seriously, Kagura answered while Kyo started to sweat. "Yes, chibi-chan."

            Kagura was glancing at Minoru. She was standing in front of Kyo, on the porch, just outside. She could see Minoru waving his legs, chin propped in his hands, watching carefully the anime. She watched the gleam of the summer sun gently stroking the child's hair and a strange stirring blossomed in her chest. Maybe. Maybe in several months, she could be watching her child waving his legs. Maybe it'll be a small boy with strange orange hair. She shook her head. Orange hair was the mark of the cursed-spirit cat.

            But Minoru-chan had gray hair, just like Yun-chan, he even had the same strange eyes. Longing. Kagura smiled bitterly as Minoru's merry laugh rose in the air. If she had a son, she would never be able to hug him. And if she had a daughter, he wouldn't be able to hug her. But. If he didn't want to be involved, if he wanted nothing from her or the baby. For all she knew, she wasn't even pregnant.

But, still, still...she caressed the idea of a family, of their family.

"So." Kyo's hoarse voice broke her train of thoughts and brought her attention on him. He was looking aside, embarrassed... Or maybe he was ashamed.

Kagura bent her head, not wanting to make eye-contact with him. "So." She repeated.

            She heard him take a deep breath then pausing as if he was about to say something and then swallowing hard, leaving the silence between them undisturbed. It made her smile. Without looking, she could easily picture his face in her mind: embarrassed and confused, not knowing what to do or say, nervously trying to figure out something, sweat starting to gleam on his forehand. Kyo was easily shaken under pressure. "Hum. Is it possible that you had it wrong?" He asked her uncertainly.

            Kagura looked up to find him looking up at the ceiling. Maybe there was something really interesting up there, because by the intensity of his gaze, she was sure he was about to bore a hole in it. It annoyed her. She didn't know why but for once Kyo actually annoyed her. "How many ways are there to pee on a stick?" She snapped.

            Kyo's eyes widened and he dropped his gaze back on her face. She had snapped at him. Kagura never snapped at him. Well, except for the times when she got crazy and beat him up, she had never really snapped at him. Yuki did, Shigure sometimes, Hiro always but Kagura never. Quickly, he turned his gaze away. "Sorry."

            He was hurt. Maybe she didn't want him to help her, maybe he went too far this time, maybe she was angry with him for whet he had done. That morning, when he had woken up with her at his side, he knew he had gone too far. Even though he didn't remember what had happened that night, he knew he had done something wrong: he had no right to take advantage of her in that way. She may claimed to love him, but that night, he had been crying over the one he couldn't have, over everything he couldn't have because it was already taken. That night, he may have sought comfort in her arms, but expected nothing more than comfort. She should despise him.

His heart was bleeding.

"What are we going to do, Kyo?" She whispered and he brought his eyes back on her. It was an early warm summer afternoon. The sun was still high in the clear blue sky. She was standing her back to the sun, her hands clasped together, held above her heart, facing the open door and he could hear, behind him, the happy laughter and the thrilled voices of the characters of the video.

            It was unreal. It couldn't happen to him. It wasn't like he wasn't wishing for it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Watching him raising his son, watching the glee spreading on Minoru's little face as Yuki lifted him above his head to play, seeing her gentle touches on his hands, watching him hold something, someone he couldn't have. Till now. She had just shown him he, too, could have it. But. He had to smirk. There was always a 'but' when he was concerned.

Noticing that she was waiting for him to answer, he tried to gather his thoughts to explain her what he was feeling. "I… I don't know… But... Kagura, I..."

"Kyo-nii, Minowu's 'ungry." Something tugged on his pants but he didn't notice as her next words, cutting him, struck him.

"We're going to have a baby." She just said. And his heart soared.

"Minowu's weally 'ungry, Kyo-nii." He could hear someone whining but the meaning of the words didn't register to his brain.

"A baby." He repeated, savoring the word as it fell from his lips. He slowly bent his head, his chin against his chest, his eyes closed, a small smile on his lips.

"Kyo-nii!" Minoru suddenly yelled and Kyo jumped, surprised at the sudden outburst.

"What's with you, brat?" He groaned, his heart beating like crazy in his chest.

"Minowu's 'ungry!" Minoru pouted nicely.

Kyo rolled his eyes. How could Minoru be so skinny when he ate all the time? "Maa. You've got a black hole instead of a stomach, brat." Kyo turned around, without glancing at Kagura. He didn't dare it: what if he saw relief on her face. He couldn't bear it if she refused him too.

"What's bwlack 'ole?" Minoru asked when Kyo was walking towards the kitchen.

"Ask your father when he comes back." Kyo threw above his shoulder as he opened the kitchen door to look through the cupboards something for Minoru to eat.

                        Minoru walked back to sit in front of the TV and Kagura soon, joined him, taking his little hand in hers. Minoru looked up and was surprised to see two perfect crystal-pearls running down her cheeks. "Kaguwa-nee? Why you're crwyin'?" Minoru asked her, standing up. With his small hand, he reached to touch her cheeks and gently, as his mother had done for him, he wiped them away.

"It's nothing, Minoru-chan." Kagura smiled gently at Minoru.

            Everyone was agreeing in the fact than Minoru was a tiny replica of his father but Tohru's gentle soul was also passed to her son. He was as gentle as she was, smiling just like her, a sunny smile that could wipe away any tears. He was, without him knowing it, gently touching everyone in his special way. Just like his mother.

"Ne, Kaguwa-nee. Where's the baby ?" Kagura stared at him for a while and her tears forgotten, her face broke in a real happy smile.

"It's not here yet, Minoru-chan. It's in my belly, just like your Kaachan." She whispered quickly

Minoru frowned a little, as if pondering the information. "Ne, when can Minowu play with baby?" He asked again.

"Not now, Minoru-chan. In several months." Kagura giggled.

            Minoru may look like Yuki, have Tohru's gentleness, but he had his own little characteristics which were quickly standing out. First, he was a little impatient and impossible was a word unknown to him. He had a blind trust in his relatives and he liked to cause a little mischief. He also adored Shigure, much to Yuki's annoyance. He was also quite adventurous, he also liked to be surrounded by a lot of people but when he needed to be alone, he made it known, generally quite loudly.

            Minoru sat next to her and fixed the TV again. For a while, Kagura thought that he was once again caught up in the movie when Minoru spoke again, surprising her again. "Kyo-nii is like Touchan now?"

            Kagura remained speechless for a while and only stared at Minoru when he turned his eyes to meet hers. His gray eyes were stunning. She was thankful Kyo had closed the kitchen door behind him.

            'Touchan' was the term he used to call Yuki. But for Minoru, he not only meant Yuki as his biological father but as his father, his favorite playmate, the one he looked for when he was hurt or afraid, the one he knew loved him without any restraint. Will Kyo be like Yuki for her child? Her smile faltered a little. "Yes." She finally answered.

"Kaguwa-nee is like Kaachan too?" Minoru's smile broadened.

"Yes, Minoru-chan." Her voice gained in strength and her smile came back.

Minoru stood up, excited. "Minowu wan' tell Touchan!" He almost yelled.

Kagura giggled again and raised her hands to calm the little boy. "Touchan and Kaachan will be back later this afternoon, Minoru-chan."

"I want now!" Minoru frowned.

"What's with you, now brat?" Kyo entered the room again, sliding the kitchen in place with a foot, holding a plate with biscuits on it and glasses and fruit juice in the other.

Kyo bent to put what he had found on the table when Minoru yelled. "Minowu's not bwat, Baka Neko!" Minoru scowled and kicked Kyo the shins.

"Argh." Kyo only winced at the name as  Minoru's kick wasn't really powerful.

Minoru grabbed a biscuit from the plate and munching on it, he said, determined. "Minowu want to tell now, Kaguwa-nee." His little face was serious and almost defiant.

Kyo sat and raised an eyebrow at Minoru. "Tell what?" He inquired, looking directly at Kagura.

            It was the first direct look from Kyo since she had told him. Strangely, it made her blush and she stammered. "He asks me about...You know." She couldn't bring herself to say 'baby'. She didn't want to see the disgust on his face. The disgust she was sure he was feeling for her.

But Kyo wasn't paying attention to her, in fact, he was preoccupied that Minoru had heard them talking. "Now, Minoru-chan, it's a secret between Kagura-nee, you and me, okay?"

"Secwet?" Minoru repeated, tilting his head on the side.

Kyo smiled. Minoru was having trouble with the 'r' since one of his front teeth was missing. "Yeah, a 'secwet'." He mimicked the little boy.

"Cool." Again, another foreign word. Minoru repeated anything, generally some nonsense Shigure put in his head, just to tease either Yuki either Kyo.

Kyo rolled his eyes at Minoru and asked him. "Who taught you that word?"

But Minoru misunderstood.  "Baka Neko?"

Kyo winced again and quickly avoided the game. "Never mind."

End Flashback

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Minoru was sitting on Yuki's lap, his serious little face turned in Yuki's direction. "'n Kyo-nii said it was a secwet with Kaguwa-nee. Ne, Touchan, did Minowu do somethin' bad?" Kyo was beat red and Kagura wasn't much better. She had let go of his arm and was just standing nervously by his side, eyes downcast.

"Why are you asking, Minoru-chan?" Yuki asked while Tohru, next to him, looked up in surprise to glance at Kagura but the latter refused to meet her gaze.

"Bewause, Kyo-nii said it was a secwet. What is a secwet, Touchan?" Shigure started to snicker from where he was seated, while Hiro tssked disapprovingly.

"A secret is something you don't tell other people." Yuki didn't raise his face, all his attention focused on his son.

"Oh, sworry, Kyo-nii. Minowu said." Minoru looked really contrite and sought for his mother's comfort. He highly believed his mother could make anything wrong go right.

            Tohru smiled, understanding the uncertainty and remorse in her son's eyes, and smoothed Minoru's hair. "It's okay, Minoru-chan." She said. "You told Touchan the truth when Touchan asked you, that's good." The little boy definitely beamed at his mother on his father's lap. That was when Shigure decided to have some fun.

"Ne, ne, Mi-chan, why did Kagura send Kyo-kun flying?" He asked innocently.

            Minoru turned to him and tilted his head on the side, as if gathering his thoughts. "Minowu forgot, Shi-nii. But, Minowu went to see if Touchan 'n Kaachan wewe back when Kyo-nii was flwyin', bewause Minowu wanted to tell Touchan fiwst. 'n Minowu saw Totowo in the twee so Minowu got in the twee but Minowu fell asweep. Sworry, Touchan, Kaachan, Minowu know it's bwad." Tohru dropped a kiss in his hair. She was glad Minoru had understood the lesson and she knew Yuki would give a small lecture, the next day. Minoru smiled at her and turned wearily back to Hatori. "Hawii-nii promise not to get mwad too?"

            Hatori's face softened and gently told Minoru in a tone he only reserved for the smaller ones. "I promise, Minoru-chan." Hatori too had children on his own. He was the best to understand Yuki's and Tohru's fear when they had discovered their son missing.

Minoru clung on his father's shirt, afraid of what could come next. "No needle, ne?"

            Shigure and Ayame both burst in laughter. They had witnessed Minoru's introduction to the vaccination process and they remembered how fast the little boy had been to run away from them. In fact, they had to run after him in Hatori's whole house before catching him because Minoru had ran into Mayuko, who was coming home from school. "Not this time, Minoru-chan." Hatori said firmly above the hysteric laughter.

And Minoru sighed heavily in relief, making everyone laugh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kyo was sulking on the roof.

            After Minoru's little story, everyone started to tease him and Kagura. He had tried to shield Kagura from their eyes first, but she had, by herself moved away from him, detaching herself from him. So Kyo had escaped to the security of the roof when Hatori told Shigure to shut up. Ayame had of course immediately stopped but Shigure started complaining how mean Hatori was. Then Momiji started to support Hatori and Haru tried to tell him to stop embarrassing Kagura, Tohru and Kisa took Kagura's defense and of course, Hiro joined. So, in the gentle chaos, nobody remarked when he slipped away. Nobody, but…
"Kyo." Yuki slowly climbed on the roof and sat next to his cousin.

Kyo watched him approach in annoyance and snapped. "What?"

            Yuki didn't know how to approach the subject. His and Kyo's relationship was still strained. Maybe not as much as when they were both young boys but with Akito's imprisonment and the news of Yuki and Tohru about to be married, there had always been an awkwardness between them. Indeed, it was the first time they had a conversation, alone, without Tohru or someone else. Yuki decided to be forward: he liked Kagura a lot, he respected her for her force of character and the faithfulness she displayed towards Kyo and seeing her so miserable and uncomfortable made him sad and uneasy. "Is… Is it true?"

            Kyo glared at him and grumbled. "Minoru has never lied to you before, has he? Why would he start now? I should have checked if he knew the meaning of secret…" He added more to himself than for Yuki.

"When did it happen?" Yuki's question wasn't pressing him. His voice was calm and quiet, lacking of its usual sarcastic tone or ironic one. It felt weird coming from him.

            Kyo looked up, gazing at the stars. "Where's Tohru?" He asked back. He didn't want to talk about that to him. But he needed to tell somebody, he needed to explain and even though if it cost him to admit him, the only one who could understand him was Yuki.

"She's downstairs, protecting Kagura from Shigure and making dinner with Kagura, Kisa and Minoru. They're making plans for the future babies."

            Babies. Plural. Hers and Yuki's child. His and Kagura's.

"She's pregnant." Kyo suddenly said, in awe, breaking the heavenly silence, that had been lingering between them. "I… It…" He stammered and buried his head in his folded arms, resting on his knees. "During my imprisonment, I was…" His muffled voice didn't manage to hide all the pains he had suffered in that cage, watched by Akito, far away from everyone, except from Kagura. Yuki silently turned his head away. There were still some subjects they both preferred to avoid as much as possible. "And Kagura was the only one who visited me constantly."

            Kyo took a deep breath and shook his head lightly. That's the past, he told himself fiercely. He had really believed he'd die alone, imprisoned and certainly gone mad in that cage where he had lived 3 long years. Maybe the frequent visits Kagura paid him saved his sanity. "So, when the freak died and I was freed, and when I found out for the two of you, I… I naturally ran to Kagura." He needn't to tell further about the pain and betrayal he had felt. He knew things had changed during the three years he had been away, but that had been just too much… Tohru and Yuki together.  And Tohru expecting. Kagura had latter explained to him that had been the only condition Akito had imposed her upon seeing Kyo: she wasn't allowed to tell him anything about Tohru or Yuki. A parting 'present' Akito had said.

            "We didn't mean to hurt you, Kyo." During the three years that had followed his release, Kyo had consciously and studiously avoided them. He couldn't stand the mere sight of them, even alone but Tohru had been deeply affected by Kyo's behavior and Hatori had been forced to threaten Kyo: his foolish behavior had drained Tohru who was in the last months of her pregnancy and she needn't that at all.

            So, Kyo had reluctantly gone to see Tohru first and when she had glowered on his visit, he had decided to come again. And little by little, he started to accept the idea of Tohru with Yuki. Then, Yuki had joined them and soon, they remembered their old ways. Fighting over nothing, bickering with Shigure, getting annoyed by Momiji and so on and so forth. But Kyo still refused to come back living with them, in Shigure's house. He preferred to stay with his master, at the dojo, where he currently lived.

            "I know she didn't. I don't know about you, but I know she wouldn't." He said dryly before whispering. "Once, Kagura and I were drunk. I was feeling sorry for myself that day and she challenged me. I don't remember how but Sake finally got involved in it and so… One thing to another, we… And the next thing, I woke up and she was there, butt naked, like me. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened."

            Yuki took a shuddering breath. There were gaps in Kyo's story, but he needn't his orange-haired cousin to fill him in. He could easily guess why Kyo was feeling sorry for himself… "When?"

Kyo raised his head and looked aside for a while before answering. "About a month ago."

"What are you going to do?" His questions were impersonal, his voice calm and he kept his eyes away from Kyo.

            After all, he was responsible for the emotional state of his cousin, because Tohru was his. Maybe for once, he would be the one helping out. Tohru had extended her hands to both of them, pulling them away from the dark holes they were digging for themselves. Slowly, surely, she healed both of them. But then, Akito tried to destroy it. He nearly did with Kyo but only because the latter allowed himself to get imprisoned, as the result of a bet he had with Akito, a bet he had lost.

            If Yuki had managed to survive wasn't because he possessed a strong inner force, like Kyo who kept his sanity despite being closed up, even if Yuki would never tell this to his cousin. No, it was because she didn't allow him too. Because when Kyo was imprisoned, Tohru too was falling into despair. Because she felt responsible.

            And so, they had clung on each other to go on, to make sure that one day when Kyo would be back, they wouldn't have changed, they would still be the same, as if Kyo had never left. But, with time, being so close, his heart decided to take the lead, knocking like crazy every times she was around, cursing him with dreams of her days like nights and finally he had decided to confess: he couldn't stand this situation anymore, he needed to tell her that he wanted more…

            He had just wanted to tell her someone was there, always for her, waiting for her to call, for once, someone would be at her beck and call.

            He remembered her surprised face, it had been her 20th birthday. He had led her outside, leaving the warm chaos of Shigure's house for a little bit of privacy. They had talked of everything and nothing in the meantime, they had been reminiscing and then she had been crying over Kyo.

            And the fear that she might be in love with his cousin had gripped him. So, he had tried to back away, to get away like a coward, he didn't want her rejection, not hers. But, she had seen through his masks, asking him softly what was wrong.

            And he had blurted out everything, he had poured his heart, laying it at her feet, for her to trample on it. But, she had surprised him and gathered it in her hands. And once her surprise had been recovered, she had smiled and said nothing else.

            She had given him her answer a few days after, as he was coming home from college, once when Shigure was out, when she had came in to bring him tea: she had kissed him lightly on the cheek. And the sun had once again risen in him.

            Kyo's angry voice brought him back to reality. "I don't know!" He almost yelled in frustration. "I don't want Kagura to go through this alone, I…" His voice faltered and Yuki brought his gaze on his cousin. Kyo's face was contortioned in pain, his eyes tightly shut and his hands buried in his hair, head bent, elbows resting on his knees: the image of inner frustration and despair. "But she thinks I only used her and…" He continued, his voice almost a whisper.

            And it hit in Yuki's mind. Kyo was in love with Kagura but he didn't know it yet. "Didn't you?" He let his voice purposely neutral, making it sound like he was just asking for the form and Kyo reacted exactly the way Yuki thought he would: he exploded.

            "NO!" Kyo jumped on his feet. How dare he to ask such a question! How little did he think of him! How little did he think of what he could feel for Kagura. His gaze met Yuki's almost blank stare. But… How could he know? After all, I always try to get away from her, it could give anyone the wrong picture. Turning his head away, Kyo sat down again. "I… Despite all the beatings, she's the one I care the most for, now…" Now that you've stolen the one my heart yearned for. But, Kagura is special to me in her own way… "She must hate me."

            Isn't it love? His heart suddenly fiercely whispered. She loves you, loves enough to put a bargain with the devil to get to see you every week. She, despite your rebukes, keeps on trying to please you. His heart kept on, ruthless. She was there whenever you needed it, whenever you were feeling down, all you needed to do was to pick up the phone, dial her number and say her name to have her over, comforting you. She never asked anything in return.

            True, his heart conceded, when she tries to please you, she always overdoes it, cooking for thousands when there're just the two of you… But, she has always managed to lift up your spirits. When you had been freed, didn't you almost have an heart-attack to see how calm and collected she was now behaving. True, she still has some freaking moments, but they're fewer and shorter than when she was a child. She's a woman, now, a mature woman. She still looks younger than her age but she's no longer childish. His heart concluded, making his point, just when Yuki was confirming it. How weird, Kyo suddenly thought, it merely took a blink of an eye to realize that he was…

            "You wouldn't know until you ask her, Kagura has changed, over the years, she's finally settled down. And frankly, she had her heart and eyes set on you since we were 4 so I don't think that could have destroyed her love for you." Yuki slowly stood up, dusting off his pants and without another word, turned around to climb down the ladder.

            He had almost reached the last bar of the ladder when Kyo's voice was heard once more. "Why?" He asked quietly, not aggressive, almost bored, just to know, out of curiosity.

Yuki smiled as he jumped into the house and he turned back to the window, sure that Kyo could hear him. "Thank you, for finding my son." His quiet voice whispered in the night. Maybe, maybe, for once, instead of fighting, he had been able to help.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Kyo knocked on the kitchen door, lightly, attracting Kagura's attention. She was all alone in the kitchen washing up the dishes. "Kagura, we need to talk." He said, looking right and left to make sure nobody was there.

"Now?" Kagura eyed him curiously.

"Better now." After making sure a last time nobody was close enough to hear them, Kyo stepped in the kitchen and whispered quickly, not meeting Kagura's gaze. "I wanted to tell you that I no longer love Tohru. Not that way, I mean." He knew his face was already red but he had to say it. "She'll always have a special place in my heart but somehow I think I found something else, more important." Kyo was standing a few inches from Kagura, his forehead coming again hers, an odd show of emotion and affection coming from him as he whispered more urgently, quickly. "When you told me about the baby, I felt so weird. I mean, I was relieved. When I look at Minoru I just get jealous on how lucky he is." Kyo absent-mindedly took her hands on his and observed them. "And that's always been that! But when you told me I was to be a father I didn't think once of him, no, only you and the future we have together, now, the three of us."

"Kyo-kun…"

He still wasn't looking at her, focusing instead on her hands. "Ne, Kagura, do you still want me? Can I tag along?"

"Kyo-kun…"

"Oh!" Momiji's shrill and excited voice suddenly broke the mood. "Kyo's proposing to Kagura! Shi-chan!" He called, running away.

"MO-MI-JI!!!" Kyo roared in anger and ran after Momiji, Kagura following quickly, a little red from embarrassment.

Momiji was standing in the middle of the living room, his joyous face lit up with a huge grin, which would have made the Cheshire cat proud. "What?" Shigure asked again, unbelieving, from his study, as the sliding door leading to it was opened.

"What's wrong?" Haru stepped in the room, coming back from the washroom.

"Kyo proposed!!" Momiji said again, throwing his hands in the air.

"Ah! SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled as he stepped in. Kyo grabbed Momiji by the neck and started to mutter curses under his breath, Momiji's head locked in a headlock.

"Why is Kyo yelling?" Hiro asked as he looked up from the TV.

"What are you doing to Momiji, Kyonkichi?" Ayame asked in wonder at the same moment.

Haru growled at Kyo. "Leave Momiji alone, Kyo, he can't breathe."

"What's happening?" Everybody was talking at the same moment, inquiring about each other, attracted by the noise Momiji was making so nobody could really hear what the others were saying.

"Where's Yuki?" Somebody else asked but Shigure approached Kyo, grinning while Haru was trying to pull Momiji free from Kyo's grip.

"So, Kyo-kun… You proposed?" Shigure slyly asked.

Kagura turned deep red and Kyo suddenly let go of Momiji and yelled again. "AAAHHHH!!! LEAVE US ALONE!"

"Maa, maa, why so timid, Kyo-chan?" Ayame stood up and leaned on Shigure, facing Kyo, who backed away, towards Kagura while Shigure suddenly kneeled in front of Ayame, taking his right hand in his and looked up stars in his eyes up at Ayame, ready to make a proposal to Ayame.

"Shigure!!!!" Kyo roared again, ready to bash Shigure and Ayame in outer space.

"Baka Neko, you'll wake my son." A dry voice stated from the doorframe. Kyo turned around to see Yuki, holding a sleeping Minoru in his arms, looking at him coldly, Tohru by his side. Shigure snickered and Yuki glared at him: if Minoru could sleep throughout one of Ayame's speeches on his marvelous shop and Kagura beating up Kyo, he could certainly sleep through this small argument. Life has never really been calm at his house.

"What's happening?" Tohru asked, tilting her head on the side, watching them all quizzically.

"Kyo and Kagura are engaged, that's all." Hiro waved his hand away, as if talking about something really boring.

But, Tohru clamped her hands together, her eyes shining and she screamed, jumping, hugging Kagura. "Oh! Kagura, that's wonderful!"

In Yuki's arms, the small boy finally stirred and looked around, calling softly. "Kaachan…"

But, Tohru would have never been able to hear her own son, as Momiji, loud and merry as usual, jumped all around the hugging females, chanting. "Party! Party! Party! Party!"

But Kyo didn't think as merry as Momiji did. In fact, he had a murderous glint in the eye when he looked at the youngest. And if not for Haru looking coolly at Kyo, the latter would have already jumped and strangled the blond young man. "MO-MI-JI!" He roared again.

But as this was the usual in Shigure's house, Minoru didn't pay attention and while his father carried him further in the room, the little boy yawned deeply, rubbing his little fists on his eyes.

"Yuki-kun," Shigure commented, "you should put Minoru-chan down before he forgets how to walk." Yuko gave him a cold glare but Shigure chose to ignore it. Then Ayame decided it was his turn to hold Minoru, but if he had restrained to comment how cute Minoru would look in his special clothes, Yuki would have never set his foot on Ayame's chest, restraining away from his son. And so, a fight exploded between the two brothers: Yuki trying to put Minoru out of Ayame's hands and Ayame reaching out for the little boy while the latter laughed, since this type of incident happened every times Ayame was over.

Kyo didn't see Ayame and Yuki for he was busy trying to shrink Momiji's head. "That's all your fault, you loud brat!" He roared. Tohru was making plans with Kagura, behind him, for their incoming babies.

"Wah! Kyo hit me again!!!!!" Momiji cried.

"Momiji, you do have a loud voice." Someone, probably Shigure, remarked.

"Someone shut him up." A dry, male voice came from the general direction of the TV in front of which Hiro and Kisa were sitting.

"Touchan, why Momiji-nii cwying?"  Minoru wondered, held up in the air, far from Ayame's hands.

"Where's Tori-san?" Ayame suddenly inquired, giving up his fight with Yuki.

Shigure turned to him and told him in a smile. "He went to pick up Mayu-chan."

Then one of Momiji's loud cry made Hiro turn his attention from the TV. "Momiji, stop crying. Jeez, how old are you?"

"Hiro-chan." Kisa gently reprimanded her fiancé.

Upon hearing the news of Mayuko's arrival, Kyo let go of Momiji who would have been introduced intimately to the floor, if Haru hadn't caught him before. "That Yankee Teacher is coming here?"

Shigure stood up and nearly danced in glee as Ayame approached him. "Yes!! When they get here, we'll throw a party! Kyo-kun and Kagura-chan engagement party!!!"

"Shigure, cut it out." Yuki's dry voice warned him.

But, it was drowned by Ayame's sudden excitement. "Gure-san, shall I light some candles for the happy couple?" When Shigure nodded his agreement, Ayame turned to Kagura, an idea suddenly popping in his head and he marched on Kagura. "Kagura-chan would be wonderful in laces and ribbons… I can already picture your wedding dress, Kagura-chan!" His eyes glinted with a strange light and Kagura took a step back. Ayame's scary… Kagura thought. But an arm interposed itself between the creator and his model.

"Ah! Leave us alone!!" Kyo yelled a last time, before pulling Kagura in his arms, running as if his life depended on it to the back door, Kagura in tail, kicked the door open, breaking it in the process and the couple disappeared in the night.

"Kyo-kun…I thought you got over that habit of breaking my house…" Shigure whined after his broken door, crying. But none paid attention to him expect little Minoru who again recognized one of these situations which his father would always end with a loud and clear. 

"Baka Neko!!!" He said happily, pointing at Shigure. Blinking, and done crying, Shigure followed the pointed finger and turned his own in his direction, confused. Was Minoru-chan treating him of 'Baka Neko'?

Yuki shook his head at Minoru, saying. "No, no, Minoru-chan. Baka Shigure." Minoru tilted his head on the side and looked thoughtfully at his father, who only smiled back while the rest of the Souma family, fell suddenly silent, waiting.

Haru swallowed, while Momiji was holding his breath, even the expressionless Hiro was waiting eagerly for Minoru to react, while Kisa, by his side, had clamped her hands over her mouth and Ayame was staring eyes wide at Minoru. 'Will he say it?' They all asked themselves.

Minoru's face lit up with a huge smile, and Yuki nodded, smiling too, while Tohru sweat-dropped, thinking how evil, father and son could sometimes be. And Minoru yelled on the top of his lungs, throwing his little arms in the air. "BAKA SHIGURE!!" 

While the others roared with laughter, holding their stomach, stomping their feet in glee and amusement, crying almost from the joy, Shigure looked aside, thinking. 'That child is a real parrot…'

Then a joyous voice called from the front door. "Oi!"

"Mayuko-sensei!" Tohru replied happily as the older woman entered the living-room, pushing gently her 6 years old daughter, who was rubbing her eyes, in front of her.

"Hi, everyone!" Mayuko waved back, smiling at everyone. "I heard there was some commotion, today."

That was when, Hatori arrived, following her, holding his 3 years old son in his arms, telling him gently.  "Shinnosuke, wake up, we're..." Hatori stopped mid-phrase as he noticed the broken back door. "Shigure, why is your back door broken?"

Shigure shook his head. "Kyo-kun."

Hatori shot him a look and asked dryly. "What did you say?"

Immediately, Shigure started whining and crying. "Ah! Ha-san! So mean! Why do you immediately suspect me?"

"Baka Shigure!" Minoru laughed and surprised the newcomers.

Tohru blushed and tried to calm her son. No way he'd fall asleep tonight, she thought. "Minoru-chan!"

"Clever boy!" Mayuko said, laughing.

"That's my boy." Yuki gave him a kiss, hugging him tighter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Kyo ran until he was sure they were far enough from the house. "Saved…" He said, turning to face Kagura. He still had her hand in his and decided against letting it go. They were standing in the deep of the forest surrounding Shigure's house and the moonlight could hardly pierced the trees.

"Kyo-kun…" Kagura's voice sounded uncertain and her hand was trembling lightly, making Kyo tightened his grip on her. "Did you mean what you've said?"

Kyo blushed and was thankful for the darkness they were in. "Yeah…"

He heard Kagura take a sharp inhale of breath and she jumped in his arms, hugging the life out of him. "I love you." She declared, as he tried to loosen her hold on him.

"Same here." He whispered when she loosened her hug, making her shriek.

"Eh!!" She yelled not believing him.

"Hum." Kyo was too embarrassed to bring himself, like her, to tell her the three words.

An awkward silence fell between them, although they were still in the arms of each other. "Kyo-kun?" Kagura asked again.

"What?" He didn't know why he was whispering, that was stupid, but he couldn't help it. His tone wasn't harsh or annoyed for once, it was almost… fearful.

"Really?" Kagura raised her head, to look up at him. Even if there was seldom light, there was enough for them to see each other and she could see the blush on her beloved face.

"Huh… Yeah." He nodded, not looking at her.

"What if I'm not with child?" She pushed him further.

Kyo frowned and looked down at her. "Why are you asking that?"

Kagura fidgeted a little, nervously moved in his arms and finally sighed. "These tests aren't 100% reliable, you know."

But Kyo only shrugged. "Bah! I guess, we'll just have to try for real."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tadaah-desu!! That's all I got for you guys! I've finally finished it!!!!!!! So happy!!