Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.
A/N: Well, here I am again. "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessionals has become the musical inspiration, as well as "Stronger" by TRUSTcompany. Great songs, both of 'em. Sorry for the really short chapter, I had to stop there. Hopefully this one'll be a bit longer.
Chapter Two : Noose
((Haru's POV))
"KYO, STOP! NO!"
Kyo was standing on the edge of the roof, a rope around his neck. I ran forward, trying to stop him. He jumped, and I just barely caught his wrist. I braced my heels on the edge of the roof and pulled Kyo back up. I fumbled with the knot around his neck, and after a few moments pulled the noose from his head. Surprise was in his crimson eyes. I began to cry as I pulled him into a hug. He didn't react at first, but soon the dam broke as he realized what he was about to do. Tears rolled down his cheek, soaking my shoulder.
"It's okay, Kyo. I'm here. It's okay." The cat shoved me away violently.
"No. It's not okay. Tohru's going to marry Yuki. I guess its true then. The cat can never be loved." I grabbed his head, pulling him towards me so that he was looking me straight in the eye.
"The cat can to be loved. Everyone in this world can be loved, even those cursed by the Zodiac. Even the cat." Kyo jerked his head away and walked to the top of the roof.
"Prove it." Even in desperate times, Kyo has always been stubborn. So many responses shot through my mind, but I finally settled on the truest one.
"Kyo, you're a good person. You have a magnetic personality, and are easy to get along with once someone cracks through your tough-guy covering. You'd be surprised who loves you." I got up and stood behind Kyo.
"It's no use if I don't know who it is." I smiled warmly, punching him lightly on the shoulder.
"You'll find out soon enough. Now c'mon. Dinner should be ready soon." I turned to leave, but before I took two steps Kyo's hand around my arm stopped me.
"Haru! You won't tell anyone…" He trailed off. I smiled again.
"Our secret. But if you do it again, I'm going to tell Ha'ri."
"Okay. Hey, Haru…" I turned to face Kyo.
"What?" He rubbed his nose and looked away.
"Well… Uh… Thanks. I really didn't know what I was doing. I was just so… sad. I couldn't stand not being able to confess to Tohru in time. But… I think I'm getting over it. Thank you." I smiled a big, friendly smile. Hey, I didn't know I had that in me!
"That's great, Kyo. Cats really do land on their feet."
((Kyo's POV))
We clambered back down from the roof and went downstairs. Tohru was almost done setting the table when we sat down. She smiled at me when she set a rice bowl in front of me. Her diamond ring glittered, but it didn't bother me as much as it did yesterday.
Haru decided to join us for dinner. He sat next to me at the table, but didn't speak. Everyone said the prayer, and dug in. An eerie silence hung over the room, but it didn't really bother me that much.
Weird thing is that I felt a kind of vibe from Haru. It's kind of freaky, sitting next a person that just ten minutes before saved my life. But I guess I'm gonna have to get used to it.
I like Haru. He's a cool guy when he's not Black. I feel kinda calm now, sitting next to him, not saying anything. I turn my head just a little bit to the side and look at him out of the corner of my eye. The light from the setting sun glints off the white part of his hair, his charcoal eyes kind of unfocused as he ate. Come to think of it, his eyes are always a bit unfocused when he's White. When he's Black, though, his pupils shrink and his eyes are hard and sharp.
I turned back forward, taking a few more bites of food before I set down my chopsticks and excused myself. Haru did the same.
"Oh, Haa-kun. Are you staying the night or are you going back? Today is Friday, you know. You're welcome to sleep over. Just be sure to call Hatori," said Shigure through a bite of fish. Haru nodded.
"I'll stay, if you don't mind. Thank you. I'll call Hatori in a minute." I walked out of the room, Haru following me.
"So, what do you want to do? It's only six." The cow shrugged.
"I dunno. We could go for a walk. It's a really nice evening." That sounds like a good idea. It is a beautiful night.
"Okay. Sounds good."
((Haru's POV))
Kyo and I walked in silence until we got to a small playground. I motioned to a bench and we both sat down. At first we just sat there, admiring the color of the clouds and the sunset. Kyo yawned and stretched, he was obviously exhausted. I didn't blame him.
A few minutes passed, and Kyo's breathing had evened out. Wondering if he had fallen asleep, I turned to look at him. He was. His orange hair was all in his face, a bit of it fluttering when he breathed. Content, I put my arm on the back of the bench behind him and stretched out my legs, relaxing.
When I opened my eyes it was pitch black. The moon was high in the sky, and Kyo was still sleeping. I looked at my nifty light-up watch and saw that it was almost midnight. Shigure and Tohru, and not to mention Hatori, must be worried. I lifted my hand to shake Kyo awake but I stopped. He looked too peaceful for me to wake him up. Instead I scooped him up like a groom carrying a bride and started walking back to Sensei's.
Surprisingly, Kyo was still asleep when we got home. The lights were off, everyone seemed to be in bed. I slid Kyo's door open with my toe and slid the boy into bed. I decided to just leave him in his clothes. I didn't want to risk being dead the next day.
After tucking Kyo in I sat by his bed, my arms crossed over the comforter and my chin resting on my arms. I fell asleep in seconds, the sound of Kyo's soft breathing sending me to dreamland.
