DISCLAIMER: I do not own Furuba (As far as copyrights go. I have 3 books.) so all the characters and some references to the actual manga in this fic belong to Natsuki Takaya.

Chapter 4: Never Let Go

Kyou's POV

'It was raining when I woke up. As if anything could make my life lower. At one point, I would've been comforted by her. But now...she doesn't even remember to say hello. Let's stay together. What kind of damn lie is that now? She does everything with that damn rat, all the time! And he'd been there too...on a day so much like today...trying to hold me down so she could lie to my face. Just like my damn mother did. She may have cared. I may have believed her. But things changed...and now...we've been torn apart. I was stupid to think this wouldn't happen. But I guess I was in denial or something. Dammit! It makes me so mad just thinking of how stupid I was...telling her I didn't love her. I didn't want to love her...because...because...I wanted her to be happy. That was all that mattered then. Love sucks, or so they say. But if that's true, then there's proof that Karma exists too, right? Ah, no, you're being stupid. No. Nothin' comes around for a Sohma. It just sucks no matter what. Unless you're a damn rat.'

Kyou stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen. But he didn't get any further. Yuki and Tohru were in the middle of a good morning kiss. Nowadays, they celebrated breathing with a kiss. Kyou was frozen to the spot. Rage filled every inch of him. Acidic nausea filled his throat and numbed his tense muscles. His hearing was blotted out by a deafening ringing. But he broke free by spinning on his heels and running out. Thank god they didn't see him. If they had seen...he didn't want to go there. But he ran, dodging each puddle. He collapsed into the wet mud out of sheer exhaustion. He pulled himself up to a tree. 'Dammit. What kind of coward am I, running away? But...she's happy. So I don't need to worry. She's happy...' Kyou's nose ... his ears...his eyes...they all burned as he held back the tears. His voice cracked and he gasped for air. The tears broke their dam, streaming like rivers down his face. They dropped onto his clenched fists, along with the steady beat of the rain. "Damn them!" He swore. Again, more forcefully, until it was a shout. "DAMN THEM!"

"Kyou?" A soft voice broke through to his ears. "Kyou, what's wrong?" She stood by him, watching with wide-eyed concern. "Why...why are you crying?" Kagura wrapped her arms around him tenderly, only to be brushed off. "Dammit, shut up!" He yelled. "It's none of your damn business." She grabbed the collar of his shirt. "What do you MEAN it's none of my business? I love you, don't I?" She calmed down a little. "I mean, if you're always there for me, Kyou, shouldn't I offer you the same courtesy? Shouldn't I be able to give proof that I love you so much?" She began to cry. "NO! It's enough that you're always being a pain in my ass, but then...they have to go and...go and...DAMMIT! Damn them! Who the hell needs them, or me? Tohru probably just wants me to get a clue that I should bug off and get the hell away. Even if she's too polite to say it to my face, she doesn't want me around anymore..." He muttered.

"That's NOT TRUE." Kagura looked up. "Tohru loves everybody, Kyou. And who cares if Yuki is going out with her? It doesn't mean that she can only love one person at a time. She talks about you, you know. She kept saying how relieved she was that you wouldn't be hurt. Because that's all that mattered to her. That you wouldn't get hurt." Kagura knew all about unrequited love. "Love...love shows how you care. Sometimes it's blocked...but knowing that they care deep down...that's what can keep you going. I love you, Kyou. Even if you don't feel that way, I know you'll be there. That nothing will ever make us let go."

"Kyou? Kyou!" Tohru ran up. "I'm so sorry if I upset you! I don't know what made you so angry back there...but..." She hated to see him so upset, but she was puzzled.

"I'm fine. Tohru, I care about you... a lot. I lied when I said you were a sister, because you're so much more. And, dammit, even if that damn rat has you, I still want us to stay together. But, I guess running away ruins my chances." He blushed, but was still angry. 'Well it's not like I can yell at her! Dammit this is hard!'

"But Kyou...you said you didn't mind! I suppose I was selfish to spend all the time with Yuki...but everybody's selfish. How can we know what others want unless we complain a little. Tell me what's on your mind...so we can stay together. Me, you...Kagura...everyone! We all have to stay together! My mom always said that you can only get far if you have someone there for you. When you reach for a star, you get closer to it if someone holds you up high. So if you fall, they can catch you. You trust them to never let go. And so you have a reason to reach for a star in the first place. A reason to keep going. So I will never let go, Kyou." She promised simply, wrapped up in her own thoughts. Kyou and Kagura exchanged smiles. A close-knit family. Kagura insisted the whole way back that she simply had to meet Tohru's school friends. "Everyone should get close enough to each other that you can reach out a hand when you need one." She said finally. And Tohru agreed. It would be something to do in the near future.