Faded Amber Dreams

Chapter 4

Welcome to the house of Sohma where not only dreams, but love is lost.

"Why won't you tell me why you're going to spend time with Kagura?" Haru helped Kyo straighten out his shirt in front of his English Oak framed mirror.

"Because it's none of your god damn business!" he turned and faced Hatsuharu, a strange emotion passed quickly over Kyo's features as he stared into Haru's paler one. "I'll make it up to you later; we'll practice some more of our sword play later how's that sound."

"I'm not jealous Kyo, just curious." stated Haru with a slight smile gracing his features.

"Well don't be!" yelled Kyo slapping Haru's hands away from his shirt.

"You do know it's wrong to lead someone on right?" said Haru crossing his arms while also giving Kyo a look that said "you better not answer stupidly or I'll kill you".

"Maybe." said Kyo turning back to the mirror he'd been staring at previously, Haru wrapped his arms around Kyo's waist and rested his chin on Kyo's shoulder.

"I'm just trying to tell you that a girls feelings can be hurt easily that's all. Is it so wrong to look out for my cousins' best interest? Besides you're my kitten right?" Haru kissed Kyo's neck and tilted his head up a little so that he could reach Kyo's earlobe.

"Stop that damn it!" he sounded like he was trying to keep from moaning out loud.

"Make me." whispered Haru as he started to slip his hand into Kyo's shirt letting his fingers make their way up and up till they found their destination.

"Damn it Haru!"

"Can you honestly tell me that you don't like it?" said Haru starting to rock his hips.

"I hate you." growled Kyo lowly.

"I love how your voice sounds right now." said Haru with a light hum to his voice.

"I have to go." said Kyo hastily trying to remove Haru's hand from inside his shirt.

"First tell me that you like what I'm doing." Haru started to pinch Kyo's nipples.

"Goddamn it, fine I like it, now let me go!" hissed Kyo.

"Was that really so hard?" said Haru tracing his fingers up and down Kyo's neck.

"I think you're getting too damn touchy." said Kyo batting Haru's hand away from his neck and shirt.

XXX

"Oh Kyo I'm so happy you've finally been able to spend time with me. You've been so busy with your studies I bet you're smarter than almost anyone in the castle." Kagura smiled brightly at Kyo.

"Yeah I bet." said Kyo looking in the opposite direction. He saw Leia had finally come back from the kitchens with the basket of food she'd "forgotten" to bring.

"I'm famished Leia, what took so long, not that I'm mad or anything!" Leia set the basket of food down on the blanket that had previously been laid down by one of the other servants of the house. Kagura helped herself; she never was one to wait when no one too important was watching.

"Sorry there was trouble in the kitchen again, Ritsu managed to make his way into the kitchens and accidentally tripped causing Trè to drop a tray of meat and vegetables." she shook her head slowly like it was the saddest thing in the world.

"That's no surprise." said Kyo eating some of the food.

One of the servants came running towards them. Kyo, Leia, and Kagura watched as the woman caught her breath. Kyo noticed she looked oddly pale for such warm weather. He looked over at Leia and noticed the obvious look of aggravation on her face.

"What is it?" Leia was starting to place food on a plate for herself.

"Lady Kagura, his highness Akito wishes to speak to you." everyone knew any "wish" from Akito was never optional.

"Oh I see, I'll go immediately." Kagura started to walk toward the castle Leia was about to follow, like always, when the servant spoke.

"His Highness wishes to speak with Lady Kagura alone." the servant seemed weary of saying that to Leia.

"I see." Leia was glaring at the servant as she left with Kagura.

"You don't seem happy." said Kyo as he got up and started walking toward the Koi pond.

"Yes, well, you seem too happy. One would think you didn't like Lady Kagura." Leia walked beside him a caustic smile firmly placed on her lips.

"Why the hell are you even here anyway?" asked Kyo as he glanced in the direction Kagura had gone and saw a figure standing at one of the dark windows in the castle and turned back around.

"I have nowhere else to go, and if I ran I'd be killed, might as well make the best of life here right?" she shrugged and walked off and he than sat down on the ground.

Kyo knew that the real reason she was there was because of her family. There was nothing good coming from this damn place; if he had been her he'd have been gone already. But no one was allowed to leave, if that's what they desired they'd be locked up somewhere and never heard from again, but at least it was a way out. That's what he wanted most, out; out of this damn place, it was all too constrictive. Although he'd be lying if he didn't say that he'd miss certain people. He let his hand drift to the ground and started pulling up grass and started tossing it into the water watching as it caused ripples to shimmer across the small pond. He watched each ripple move slowly and followed one in particular and when it ended he looked up and saw Haru standing at the other end.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kyo standing up straight.

"Enjoying the scenery." said Haru picking a stray blue flower. Kyo walked over to where Haru was standing and grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the trees.

"God, I feel like someone's watching us, it's starting to creep me out." Haru looked over Kyo's shoulder and up at the castle all he could see was the dark windows.

"Kyo, I was wondering if you'd accompany me for a walk outside tonight?" he let his eyes lock with Kyo's and smiled.

"Look I know we've been doing a lot of stuff recently, but, oh hell forget it fine." he was too embarrassed to face how he really felt for Haru and as a consequence let the other boy get away with a lot of things.

"Great!" Haru quickly leaned forward and kissed him. They heard foot steps and Haru quickly pulled away and took off waving as he headed for the castle.

Kyo was walking back around the Koi pond when he saw Leia running over to him. She seemed panicked for some reason, like someone was after her, but there was no one else around. Once she was in front of Kyo by the pond she paused to catch her breath, then spoke.

"Where have you been, you're suppose to be in plain sight of the castle." said Leia.

"You mean Akito."

"I can be killed for leaving you unattended out here." she seemed extremely mad.

"I don't need to be watched like a child."

"That's besides the point and another thing-" they both turned their heads when they heard someone coming. Kagura was making her way to the ponds and was right next to Leia when she accidentally tripped knocking over Leia who in turn crashed into Kyo who fell into the pond with an unpleasant splashing sound following.

"Oops." said Kagura as she picked up Kyo's clothes from the side of the pond and saw an orange cat scamper onto the side and onto the grass. "I'm so sorry Kyo! I didn't mean to trip like that."

"Damnit!" yelled Kyo.

"Should I fetch a towel?" said Leia trying not to laugh. She guessed there were some perks to being a prisoner in this castle. Besides it wasn't often you got to see the royal family trip fall and transform all in the same day. Many nights had been spent with some of the other staff trying to figure out why the family was cursed. They finally decided that the family had probably made a pack with a powerful sorceress and the curse was their price to pay for it, all the wealth and power they desired. Now their entire bloodline was subject to the curse as well, and would probably always be. At least that's what they came up with.

XXX

It was cold outside and Kyo had to rub his arms so that he could somewhat keep warm in such cold weather of the night. He started to pace so that his feet wouldn't get numb, and then let his mind wonder to all of the things that both he and Haru had been doing as of lately. He could honestly tell himself that they hadn't don't "that", but God how they'd come close to it; only because Hatsuharu couldn't keep his hands to himself. It was always so hard to keep his composure around the other boy, so much that it slightly frightened him. He wanted to get closer to the other boy, but at the same time wanted to run frantically to his room lock himself in and never come out again. He heard footsteps and turned around and saw Haru slowly making his way toward him. It would be so easy to just take off and pretend nothing every happened in the first place, but how could he run away from the only person he'd let himself get this close to.

"How long have you been out here?" asked Haru as he casually kissed Kyo on the lips.

"Not long." they started walking around and found themselves in the gardens.

Haru noticed the way Kyo had seemed edgy when he had first showed up. He wondered if maybe Kyo wanted to tell him something, he knew he did, but for some reason it freighted him to think what might be going on in Kyo's head at the moment. They stopped once they'd reached the reflecting pool at the edge of the garden. They took off their boots and let their feet dangle in the water. Haru wrapped his left arm around Kyo's waist and leaned against his shoulder.

"Haru?"

"Hmm?" said Haru while he inhaled Kyo's addictive scent.

"Are you in love with me?" he sounded soft and distant even though he was right next to him.

"Yes." with his right arm he tilted Kyo's face and kissed him deeply, letting his tongue run across his bottom lip and then slipped his tongue into Kyo's mouth. Kyo wanted this so bad he was hating himself for it, and really wasn't quite sure why. He felt Haru's tongue inside his mouth and started sucking on it and managed to slide his into Haru's mouth. He could feel Haru pulling him down to the ground and quickly broke contact.

"I can't do this!" gasped Kyo as he pulled himself up from underneath Haru's warm body automatically missing the contact. Haru also got up and walked up behind side Kyo.

"I'm sorry, it's just I want to be with you so bad Kyo. I could care less if I was ridiculed for it or even threatened."

"I.." Kyo didn't know what to say.

"Even if it's just for tonight can you be mine?" whispered Haru watching Kyo's face.

"I...I don't..." he felt so confused inside; the last thing he wanted in life was to hurt Haru for his own mixed up emotions.

"Know? Kyo just once in your life wouldn't you like to know how it feels to be held by someone who truly cares for you."

"You mean love don't you?" said Kyo with his head down gazing at his feet.

"Perhaps" said Haru as he stepped closer to Kyo and wrapped his arms around him letting Kyo rest his back against his chest.

"Haru....how do you know when you've fallen in love?" asked Kyo who was thankful that it was night for it hid his blush well, but Haru could still feel the heat that radiated from his body.

"When you know you're willing to risk everything for that person, even your own life" whispered Haru.

XXX

Up high on the castle top Hana and Uo were in the middle of some kind of reading, Uo really wasn't any good at remembering exactly what Hana called it. Before they had left to do the reading they made sure Tohru was safe and sound asleep in her room, when they had found out she'd been in Kyo's room the other night ago they wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen again. It wasn't that they didn't trust Kyo; they just didn't like the thought of her being out with no guard.

"The winds are changing, they're becoming thicker, he senses it too and it scares him."

"Hana, what are you talking about?"

"Something's about to happen, something's about to change.....everyone will...."

"Hana?"

"The clouds, they're becoming redder, he doesn't have long to live.......He's frightened, petrified.....and would rather die then show any trace." suddenly she fell and her staff was still, standing in mid air. The flame turned a deep red and seemed to drip, then it was enveloped in a blinding white light, which sparked then turned back to its customary blue, black and purple.

"God what the hell's going on." said Uo as she picked up Hana knowing full well that her friends staff would follow them as she carried her down the hall and to her room.

XXX

From the castle windows two people stood watching the display of affection between Haru and Kyo. One was Tohru wondering how many people's dreams actually came true and if now something bad was about to happen. She wasn't quite sure how, but she could feel it, she wanted to help Haru and Kyo. Although she didn't quite understand why she felt the need to help them, but she knew that it would be best for the both of them if they left the castle and just didn't come back. Quickly she formulated a plan to help them, and knew instinctively that she'd need Prince Yuki's help for this in order for it to work. Tomorrow she'd already made a plan to talk to him and walk in the beautiful gardens, that's when she would as him.

The other person watching felt anger well up inside him. Nothing went on in this castle that he didn't know about. The perks of being ruler of your own land, you could have anything you wanted, done. If Haru and Kyo felt the need to hide such things from him and plan such secret agendas behind his back then he'd plan something of his own.

XXX

A/N: I hope no one hates me for taking such a long time with updates. It's just iv'e been stuck in Gundam Wing mode and just can't seem to find my way out. I've planed on finishing the current story I'm working on then place my sole attention on this fic. Hopefully it works out as planed!

Hope you enjoyed the chpt, and Remember Review!!

Sev-chan,

the lowly college student.