OK, everyone...here it is...a chapter I didn't even plan for and kind of made up on the spot. ;) I thought the change in mood between Chapter 5 and what I originally planned to be Chapter 6 (the new Chapter 7) was too drastic and therefore not very convincing. Well, I hope everone enjoys this chapter that I just kind of shoved into the story. Thank you so much for all the reviews!

"Stirb! Stirb!" Momiji squealed, swinging the video game controller above his head. "Die! Die, Haru-kun!" Bouncing playfully, he stared in delight as his character brandished an ax at the onscreen opponent. While Momiji dug grubby fingers into a bowl of cheese puffs, he concluded the cousins' battle with a swish of the analog stick, causing his fierce warrior to pump his fist in victory. "Isn't this a fun game?"

"Yeah," Haru agreed in a much calmer tone. Although his smiled seemed reaffirming, his thoughts were elsewhere. Gazing at the smaller boy, the cow sensed heat rustling at the back of his neck. His heart clenched as he imagined his fingers dancing through the tousled curls and around Momiji's slender waist. 'Why am I thinking about this right now?' He internally scolded, locking the fantasy in the back of his mind.

"Haru-kun, are you OK?" The blonde Sohma dropped his controlled with a plastic "clunk" and jammed the orange snack between his teeth. Swallowing, his eyes narrowed. "You keep messing up? Not on purpose, right?"

"Why would I need to do that?" The larger boy pointed out. "You always beat me at this game anyway."

"That's not true, Haru-kun," He teased in response. "You know you win sometimes!" Yanking on the controller cord in his fervor, Momiji's lips spread into a proud grin. "But I'm good at this game, aren't I?" He leapt to his feet. "Kämpfen wir wieder? Come on, let's play!" Selecting a particularly muscular fighter from the game's files, he began to taunt good-naturedly. "I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win!"

Hatsuharu smirked, noting the sharp contrast between the rabbit and his favorite character. Whereas the lumber avatar thundered through the arena with his barbaric weapon, Momiji flounced triumphantly from place to place around the television. Silhouetted against the flickering screen, the small boy's movements caught Haru in rapt attention and ignited sparks in his veins. Losing his focus on the game, dreams of Momiji hypnotized him into a daze.

"What are you doing?" Momiji called, lunging on top of his companion.

Immediately falling backwards in surprise, Hatsuharu flushed at the contact. "What?" The larger boy mumbled, blood pounding in his ears as the blonde squirmed on top of him.

"Your soldier kept smashing the wall!" Momiji exclaimed, his sweet eyes shrinking in accusation. "You aren't that bad, silly! Were you falling asleep again?"

"Hmm," The white-haired boy caught his breath as a little hand reached to caress his face. Shivering, the cow shifted his legs with a jolt, embarrassed by his reaction to Momiji's touch. 'Not again, Momiji. Don't do this to me!' His mind pleaded with the rabbit for a change in position, though his body could yield no physical resistance. His muscles clenched, though he forced a reassuring smile to mask his discomfort. "I guess you could say that."

"How can you sleep through video games?" Momiji gasped, hugging his cousin even more tightly. "Verrückt!" Giggling loudly, he twisted his finger in Haru's hair, completely oblivious to the blush on the other boy's face. "And I thought you slept long enough in French class today!"

'I can't do this,' A voice nagged inside of the larger boy, though his body ignored his conscience as he involuntarily rose to meet each touch. 'Why am I so disgusting?' In his cursed turmoil, he embraced the other boy and invited him to remain in the compromising pose. "Momiji," he whispered silkily.

"Was?" Pulling his neck backward to watch his cousin, Momiji responded with a confused stare. Against Haru's cheek, his hand trembled.

His guilt swiftly dissolving, Haru's hands explored the expanse of Momiji's back, finally brushing against his soft tresses. "Nothing," The white-haired boy sighed, fondness drifting into his voice.

"Hallo?" The blonde mistook his companion's half-lidded gaze for tiredness. "Don't take a nap again!" He tickled the other boy's side in an attempt to rouse him. "Stehst du auf! It isn't nighttime yet!"

In this play, Haru enjoyed the feel of the rabbit's wandering fingers. "Mo-mi-ji!" He managed to gasp. Catching the other boy's wrists, he swiftly gained control of the situation.

At that moment, everything froze. Laughter trickled away into silence, until Momiji's heartbeat became the only noise in Hatsuharu's head. His thoughts and reason vanished, and all he saw was the other boy's amused face leaning above him. Those lips. He longed for the soft caress of those lips and the sensations he knew they offered. "Momiji," His voice was husky as he released the blonde's arms to let his fingers clasp the other boy's cheek.

Closer. Haru's head leaned forward. He heard Momiji's breath growing louder and louder, and finally he was so near to the other's face that he felt a gasp tingle at his nose. Closer. Needing to seal the gap between the two boys, the cow found no strength to hesitate. Closer.

"Haru-kun?" A squeak opened the larger boy's eyes. Right in front of Haru, Momiji's face stared in riddled confusion.

Suddenly, Hatsuharu's mind resurfaced in a rush. 'What the hell am I doing?' He shoved away his cousin in a protective gesture, springing to his feet and dashing to the other end of the room. "Oh God, Momiji-kun, I'm sorry!" His tone begged to erase the last few minutes from history. "I can't believe I-," His voice cracked with uncharacteristic emotion. "Momiji, I-," His stare swept from side to side in guilt. Unable to finish, he pushed through the door.

"Haru-kun? Was ist los?" The rabbit's call echoed behind the taller boy, pleading for his return. "I don't understand what just happened, but please keep playing with me. You didn't hurt me or anything! Haru-kun! Come back!"

Hatsuharu plugged his fingers in his ears to muffle the painful cries. His breath heaving, his legs carried him down the steps and out into the Sohma gardens. 'Why did I lose control like that?' Helplessness consuming his body, he sank to the rocky ground. He sensed the same dread moving in that plagued him whenever his "black side" left him in the wake of destruction.

'And maybe this is all black's fault,' He tried to reason, though in reality he knew that white was the one who desired Momiji. 'But what would it matter anyway? Black is still just as much a part of me, and I should be able to contain him. This lust is like another monster that seizes rule of my body against my will. I allow them both to stay, so I'm at fault for everything!'

Rolling a stone in the palm of his hand, he heaved it at an on-looking tree. All around him, the world seemed to watch with judging eyes. 'They can see this dark cloud inside of me!' He realized in frustration. 'Everyone knows how stupid I've been! I can't even control my own body! I'm a sick fool to think of Momiji as a lover, but I'm even worse to act on those urges when he thinks we're only playing!'

His chest swelled in self-loathing, and he clenched his fingers into fists until the nails sliced his palms. "I don't deserve to be alive!" He screamed aloud. "The stupid cow ruins everything!" A lump rising in his throat, the events of the past week flashed through his mind. Yuki's rejection. Momiji's comfort. Ayame's advice. His own lustful actions. 'I spoiled it all, didn't I? I'm ruining the most beautiful friendship I've ever had just like I destroyed my bond with Yuki. And I deserve it, too. I'd deserve it if no one ever spoke to me again!'

Resting his head dejectedly against his knees, he cried.

Under the veil of night, Hatsuharu slipped silently into his room, hoping to avoid any questions about his dinner absence. Shuddering, he longed to disappear into the realm of sleep where his real life would be but a distant memory. His bed should be his only comfort.

However, when he climbed between the sheets he felt the warmth of another body.

"Haru, you're finally back!" The bed's rattling awakened the rabbit. "I was so worried about you!" Tears streaming down his face, Momiji took the tense boy into his arms.

"Please don't worry about me," The white-haired boy reminded him, twisting and fighting the embrace. Breaking free, he turned to face the opposite direction. "That isn't your job, it's mine."

Momiji's German lesson #...hmm, I forget!

Stirb!- Die! (I had to ask my German teacher how to say this, and she looked really disturbed. ha ha)

Kämpfen wir wieder?- Let's fight again!

Verrückt- crazy!

Was?- What?

Hallo!- Hello (did I even need to say that!)

Stehst du auf!- wake up! (ha ha, I had to resubmit this chapter because I thought I remembered my host mom in Germany saying something different for this one, but thankfully a German reader helped me! I don't feel so bad, though, because in Fruits Basket manga #2 Momiji says things that aren't really correct German. ;) )

Was ist los?- What is it? or What's wrong?