I do apologize for the irregularity of each chapter, and I will do my best to try and make it more regular.
Enjoy !
Disclaimer: ...*sigh* the usual applies... *looks tearfully at Kyo and Yuki who inch away in fright*....*sigh*....it just wasn't meant to be...
Chapter 3"Please eat something, Tohru-kun !" Yuki pleaded as he tried to spoon some miso soup into Tohru's unresponsive lips.
"Tohru-kun, you've got to eat !" Kyo said angrily, despair making way to frustration, "You can't keep shutting us out ! Starving yourself won't change what's happened ! Akito won't come back !"
Tohru didn't seem to hear him at first, but then she blinked, and tears started to trail down her face again. Her eyes focused on Kyo – and narrowed in hatred.
"Don't you dare say that !" She hissed venomously, her voice hoarse from disuse, but nevertheless, Kyo shrank from the blistering anger in them. This was not the sweet, innocent Tohru they knew.
"…Tohru-kun ?" Kyo whispered timidly. Tohru shook her head, tears flowing stronger.
"Iie, iie ! Don't you dare say that ! He isn't dead !" Her voice broke and became a sob, "I can't believe you ! He isn't dead, he promised me !"
The two men became afraid that they had caused a fit of sobbing hysteria. They didn't dare touch her, so when Shigure came, it was a welcome relief.
"Tohru-chan !" Shigure exclaimed, rushing to Tohru's side. He gently gathered her into his arms and she did not resist.
"Shigure-kun… w-why ?" She sobbed into his chest, all the emotional anguish finally surfacing, "Why did he l-leave me ?!!"
* * *
Yuki and Kyo stiffened when they heard her say this. Akito, leave her ?
* * *
Yuki was the first to puzzle together Tohru's bizarre behavior.
"No…" He moaned as the truth sunk in. 'All those visits to the Honke: the weekends and holidays spent there… all because of Akito ?How could I have not seen this before ?!' Despair and anger clouded the nezumi's mind as he stumbled from the room. Kyo, upon seeing that he was no longer needed, followed Yuki.
"Oi, nezumi, " He said enquiringly, as he saw the slightly opened door to Yuki's room. Quietly, he slipped inside and turned around.
At first, he thought that his cousin was simply staring at his hands, but then he noticed the small photograph in his palms, and the silent tears coursing down Yuki's ivory face.
"What's wrong, nezumi ?" Kyo asked in a frustrated tone, seeing that nearly everyone in this household was either depressed or crying, and that now the only other sane person beside himself had cracked, couldn't help but incense the cat. To his surprise, Yuki also responded angrily.
"Baka neko ! Don't you see ?!"
"Nani ??!"
"Tohru...and Akito..."
Suddenly, Kyo understood, too. But quite unlike himself, he did not start spitting curses or throwing a fit, he just whirled around and calmly walked out the door. Moments later, Yuki could hear him moving around on the roof.
* * *
Kyo stayed undisturbed on the roof until the moon had waned and the stars began to disappear. However, he didn't say anything when his old rival joined him on the roof; neither spoke for a long time.
"We really were idiots, ne ? Kyo said quietly, as the sun began its ascend in the eastern sky, " We should have seen that she was acting different." He chuckled sadly.
"Yeah..." Yuki sighed, "but we ignored them, so engrossed in our own battle over Tohru-kun. We never even asked her if she wanted either of us, we never respected her feelings... we were so blind and selfish. And she chose Akito instead, of all people... I just don't understand !!" The mouse suddenly burst out, disturbing the tranquility of the morning.
Kyo gave Yuki a sympathetic glance. He knew exactly how the other felt.
"I don't think we'll understand for a long time, if at all." He said finally.
The two Junnishi continued watching the sun rise in a splendor of gold and red, its warmth soothing them.
~some time later, still on roof~
"...Kyo ?"
"Hmmm ?"
Yuki gave his former rival a sad smile.
"Thank you...for being there. I could have never imagined myself saying this to you before, " Yuki gave a little laugh," ...but I'm glad you're here. I-I don't know what I'd have done without you..."
This time, the smile gracing the nezumi's lips was gentle and sweet, and Kyo couldn't help but marvel in its beauty. The cat suddenly felt something in him shift, as Yuki smiled at him so sincerely, and a warmth, such as one that he had never before experienced, envelop him.
"You're welcome," He said softly, a tender smile tugging on his lips, "... Yuki-kun."
It was the beginning of something new.
~*~
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~*~//chibichibi-neko\\~*~