Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. I like multicolored ribbon. I tend to wear it around my neck in abow. I then feel pretty, oh so pretty.

Kyo felt chill after chill wreak havoc throughout his body. March nights were cold still, and he hadn't brought along a jacket. The cold air had forced him behind some bushes next to the house he had lived in for years.

Oh well, it's not like I'll have a jacket when I'm cold in my new home.

Kyo fought urges that overwhelmed him.

I could run. I could run, change my name, dye my hair, get some contacts… I could run away from all of this and never return.

Kyo shivered as another chill brought the hairs on his body on end.

No. I'm tired of running. I'm tired of avoiding my problems.

Besides, I told myself I was going to stop…

And I'd be leaving…

At the thought of Tohru, Kyo's body warmed and the chills stopped. He knew that she was probably worried about him, but he had called Shigure from a payphone just in case of Tohru's queries as to where he was.

Kyo laughed at himself inwardly, his eyes going dark and the cold returning.

As if she'd be worried about me after what I told her this morning. She probably never wants to see me again.

I'm a fool for thinking that she could have possibly cared about me…

Kyo's head softly thudded against the wooden outer wall of Kazuma's house that his crouching body was leaning against.

Like… the way I care about her…

"I realize that you like the cold, but this is no way to spend the night outside."

Kyo bolted away from the wall, crouching as if to spring away. After a moment, Kyo realized who had spoken and looked up at the figure next to him.

Kazuma laughed, and Kyo relaxed.

"And here I've been searching all the roof-tops only to find you huddled under my window behind some bushes."

Kyo frowned, a smile playing across his mouth. "It's the only place with bushes on this whole damned plot. Besides, it kept a lot of the cold out."

Kazuma smiled gently and held out a hand to Kyo. Kyo gladly took it, surprised at how warm Shishou's hand was compared to his.

Looking up at Kazuma, Kyo took his hand away and ran it through his hair.

"So… how did you know that I was here?"

Kazuma began to walk toward the side door, and Kyo followed suit.

"I've told you before. I can tell when you're staring at me, wanting to talk to me but too afraid to say anything, and I felt you doing it all day. Care to tell me why you were lurking in the shadows of your childhood home?"

Kyo stepped out of his shoes, his toes so frozen that he could barely feel what he was doing. Kazuma, wearing nothing but socks and wooden sandals, was already in the house with the quick removal of his footwear.

Kyo was silent, still unable to talk to Kazuma and a little piqued that he had known that he was there all day. Kyo closed the sliding paper door and felt the warmth of Kazuma's house melt him from the outside in.

Kazuma looked at Kyo from the corner of his eye. He knew that look on Kyo like the back of his hand.

He's hurt and trying to hide it.

"This… might not have anything to do with graduation tomorrow… does it?"

Kyo looked up at Kazuma, his eyes wide. A deep chill resonated through his body.

"I… see," Kazuma replied to Kyo's silent testimony. Nodding his head, Kazuma started for the kitchen.

"I assume from your lurking all day that you haven't had a bite to eat. I believe that someone went shopping recently…"

Kazuma stuck his head in the refrigerator, not giving Kyo the chance to deny what he had so plainly seen.

Kyo watched as Kazuma rifled through a newly stocked fridge, naming off some things that he might want to eat that were already made. It brought Kyo's thoughts immediately to Tohru and how not even a few days ago she had done the exact same thing.

Kyo smiled sadly, but was still unable to tell his unassuming Shishou what was in his heart…

"Shishou-san is waiting for you to confide in him… even if it's something bad. Y-you really should talk to Shishou-san. He'll understand, Kyo-kun! He really will! If you stay quiet, Kyo-kun…and stifle your feelings, the pressure will just get worse and worse and worse!"

Kyo's eyes widened slightly; he had completely forgotten about that conversation with Tohru so long ago. It was strange how it surfaced at just this time…

"Shishou."

Kazuma turned slightly, a questioning look on his face as he looked over at Kyo.

"I told Tohru about Kyoko."

Kazuma stood and put his hand on the refrigerator door. He watched as Kyo's eyes became hardened.

Kazuma then understood Kyo's hurt. He believes he's lost her…

…perhaps he has.

"I won't run to the mountain dojo this time. I've got to face what I've done and be punished for it. I deserve to be locked up and nothing that you say will make me not believe that. I came here because… it's my sanctuary. You've always made me feel better when something bad has happened; made me forget the bad things going on outside these walls. I just wanted that for one more night."

Kazuma watched as Kyo's eyes filled with tears, but knew that he was too proud to shed them.

Kazuma's eyes, too, filled with tears.

"Would you like to cook some dinner? And then perhaps some shadow boxing?"

Kyo smiled gratefully. "Good thing I'm cooking; if you would have the house would have burned down."