Here we go, yet another chapter an' stuff. Minna, dun' worry, I have plans, so no one's cheating on anyone or anything like that. It's all just coming together in my head.

When Yuki and Tohru leave for school the next morning, the feeling in the air is of a funeral procession. Yuki and I are caught between dismayed and scared witless, and Tohru has picked up our mood, and is sympathetically dour.

I'm given last minute instructions from Shimo, basically along the lines of 'don't panic', and Shigure merrily waves goodbye and he leaves for the day, probably on the request of our serious family doctor.

The house is empty, and the day is grey and depressing. Left to my own devices, I wander around the house, poking my head into each room more for the purpose of keeping myself from going insane than curiosity, then wander out onto the back deck to slump on the edge, my sock-covered feet dangling just above the ground, and jumper I'm wearing not quite keeping out the cold.

Usually, being left alone like this would be a wonderful opportunity to train, relax, and drink milk out of the carton without any fear of repercussion. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and one part of my brain complains that I'm wasting it. The rest of my brain tells it to shut the hell up, and I'm left where I started; cold, bored and anxious.

It occurs to me that Hatori could be coming anytime from now till about an hour before school ends, because he never actually specified a time. I suppose he has to fit me in somewhere in his busy schedule, and I'm probably not first. So there's nothing to do. And I don't want to spend my time moping. I must find something to do.

I glance down at the deck, then gingerly place one of my bandaged hands against the wood. After a few seconds I remove it. Okay. So I'm not going to be playing handball any time soon. But I think I can handle a remote. I slump back into the house and slouch onto the couch, picking up the remote to flick on the television opposite. I stop on a soap-opera and amuse myself with the resounding lack of talent on the show for about an hour before I realise that it's some sort of marathon. Whoo. Something to do.

I slouch into the kitchen and prepare myself a bowl of instant ramen for lunch, finding myself relaxing, and enjoying the chance to just be a slob.

There's a knock on the front door, and I'm suddenly flipping-out again, and practically spill my ramen on my lap in my haste to get up and get the door. Tugging at the sleeves of my oversized jumper, which already cover a good deal of my hand, I open the door, and glare suspiciously out at Hatori, who gazes at me with a good deal of apathy.

"You're late."

"I never said when I was coming."

My glare hardens, and I step aside to let my older cousin into the house. Hatori seems to be taking his sweet time removing his outer clothing, before he finally steps up into the hallway, and taking command of the situation, motions me into the sitting room.

We sit down on the couch next to each other, and I move my cooling meal onto the coffee table.

"Well? Why're ya here?"

"Firstly, I wanted to see how you were healing."

He motions me up, and I grudgingly help him remove my jumper and shirt.

Hatori peels back the bandages all over my back, and runs his fingers lightly over my burnt skin.

"Kyo-kun, how did you do this?"

I peer over my shoulder at the one of Hatori's eyes that I can see. "I got caught in the fire that levelled the auditorium at my school."

"So you keep telling everyone. But Kyo-kun, what were you doing in the auditorium in the first place? You don't act, and you have no interest in the stage."

My mind races through various possibilities... "Well, I, erm…" and comes up blank.

"I see."

The doctor moves around to my front, and starts to unwrap my arms one at a time, with the care that only someone who know hat he's doing can muster. I give an appalled look at my red and crusting hands. That's so weak. I wish I'd just hurry up and heal.

"You're progressing well. These should be off in a week, maybe, and I'm giving you permission to sleep on your back at nights. Nothing too rough though, alright?"

My cousin gives me a piercing look, like I'm going to instantly celebrate this news when Yuki comes home by hoisting my legs over his shoulders.

Hatori rummages through his bag for a moment, and pulls out a roll of clean and lighter binding. His re-dressing his intensely uncomfortable for me, because for the first time in days my skin had felt air and then it was gone again, and I slip my shirt on, loving my new-found permission to use my hands. Hatori motions for me to sit again, then turns to me.

"Kyo-kun. You've been getting hurt a lot lately, quite badly in fact… If Yuki's… if he's doing anything to you… If there's anything you need help with, you only need to ask."

I blink slowly, all thoughts that Hatori might actually be very perceptive flying out the window. Then I keel over laughing.

"Hatori, what's happening is nothing that you can help with. There's nothing you can do."

"You're not the first one to be in an abusive relationship, I want you to know that. Something can always be done. I can help."

"Look, Yuki would never do anything like this to me. It's not him."

Hatori's frown deepens. "Are you saying that you're doing all this to yourself?"

I suddenly realise that I'm standing at a crossroads. I can lie and save myself from further interrogation, or I can refuse, and lead Hatori down the path to suspicion, and he'll keep looking for answers. It's a little mean, but it's easier to go with option one.

I look away, staring at the TV and keep my jaw tense, sticking out the muscles there to make myself look uptight.

"Kyo-kun, I don't know why you think you need to do this… But please stop."

Maybe I should be an actor. I turn back to the man sitting opposite me, thinking about the time that the bird that I had owned in the mountains died. "I can't stop! I deserve this!"

Downpour leaks a few drops out from the corners of my eyes for effect, and I'm inwardly sniggering as Hatori's eyes fill with compassion, and he reaches out to hug me.

"I'm worthless…" I whisper chokingly over his shoulder as his hands rub carefully up and down my back.

"No you're not. You mean a lot to us, even if we don't show it. When you hurt yourself, you're hurting your family as well."

I sob brokenly. "I'm sorry… I just… I… I can't help it… please… please go… I'll be okay, but I n-need to think…"

I pull back from his embrace and sniffle into my sleeve, watching over the top of my arm as Hatori stands reluctantly.

"Kyo-kun, remember that there's always a way someone can help."

I nod a little, keeping up the small sounds of crying until I hear the front door open again then give Hatori the finger as I watch him though my vantage point facing the window give the house a deep look, and slide behind the wheel of his car.

God I'm good.

That should keep him off our trail for a while. Heh. And the Oscar for best actor goes to… Kyo Sohma for his wonderful portrayal of a broken man to fend off his nosy family! Thank you, thank you very much. I'd like to thank myself. No one else deserves a lick of credit… hm, maybe my cousin Hatori, for falling for it.

I look at it in a rather optimistic light. Hatori knows, the rest of the family will soon. That should keep some people at a distance, and it might make some people think that the fact that I am going insane is the reason for the way I've been acting lately. The only problem I can see is what Shimo's going to say when he finds out. I'm hoping for 'Wow, good job!' but I'll probably get 'What the hell were you thinking? I'm starting to think that you are insane!'

We'll wait to see when the rest of the house returns.

In the meanwhile, I pick up my half-finished lunch and shove it in the microwave to reheat. With that over and done with, the rest of the day is mine.

"Kyo, we're home!" Yuki calls out as the front door opens again. I call out my reply from where I still sit in front of the box. The ramen container sits discarded in front of me, next to a half-empty glass of milk. What a nutritious meal.

"How was it?"

I shrug, my eyes still glued to the scene of Ryoko waking up from her two-year coma to discover that her evil twin-sister has stolen her husband. "You know…" I wave a hand distractedly at Yuki's enquiry.

"No, I don't." Yuki strides around to next to me, and flicks off the television. I frown.

"I was watching that, you ass-hole!"

"And that's what has me worried. Come on, let's got upstairs, and you can tell me exactly what went down."

"Sir, yes sir."

I stand up, and slouch up the stairs after my cousin, who dumps his book bag while I make myself comfortable on his bed, and try not to smile like a fool because it smells like him.

"So?" Yuki asks as he unbuttons his school blazer.

"Hatori appeared around twelve. He inspected me, and has deemed that I can use my hands, and lie on my back now."

The only difference in the changing-boy's demeanour in front of me is a slight smirk cast across his features. He's planning something already, the bastard.

"Not that I'll be lying on my back for you any time soon, but then… he asked me why I kept getting hurt lately."

Yuki gives me an inquiring look as I start to snigger. "What?"

"Here's the priceless bit, they think I'm in an abusive relationship…"

There's a blank, uncomprehending look on my cousins face.

"…With you…"

"What?"

"Precisely! Hatori thinks your into SM or something."

"That's… a good idea. Kidding. So what did you say? Did you tell him that it was wrong?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry, your reputation's safe. I led him down the garden path another way."

"What did you tell him?" Yuki asks as he sits down next to me, placing a hand carefully on my back.
I shrug my shoulders slightly, trying to ignore that it feels good to have him rub my back again. "Hatori jumped to conclusions again, and so now he thinks I'm doing this to myself."

"Hmm. And here I was, all this time, thinking he was smart."

"Yeah, I know, how weird, huh?"

"I was commenting to Shimo about you."

"Oi!"

"Kyo. You just told our family doctor that you're suffering from depression. They say that you're supposed to go insane, which I usually don't believe, but right now, I'm inclined to agree."

"If I didn't say something, he would have kept on pressing. He basically booked out the entire day in case he had to, I don't doubt that if I didn't agree to one of his shitty theories, I'd still be down there, and Hatori would still be pressuring me for information!"

"I'm sure you're right… I think I would have preferred the blaming me option though…" Yuki runs a hand through my hair, combing it with his fingers. "All we're really doing is strengthening Akito's case against you."

I roll onto my back and away from Yuki's petting, then pull him by the collar of his school shirt towards me until our faces are inches apart, and I can stare him straight in the eye. "I'll leave if I have to. You don't have to come with me, but I'll leave if I have to."

Yuki closes the distance between us, and after a few seconds, pulls back. "You're not going anywhere without me. Besides," the grey-haired boy's lips curl slightly, "Shimo wouldn't allow it."

I watch, intoxicated, as Yuki's lavender eyes drift between looking into my own yes, and staring at my lips. "Damn… clingy… bastards…"

"Mmm."

We lie there for a while, Yuki with one hand on my knee and the other holding himself up, and myself with my arms locked firmly around his neck. Where would anyone be without the clingy ones?

See? They're still being snugly. It was just hard to get anything in there when Kyo was imitating a mummy. I reallt think I rushed the bandage-removing already, because I need to get on with things. Sorry if it seemed a little abrupt. I don't know much about burns.