Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

A/N: So, how is everyone? Hmmmm? Thatnk you for the review…s… Please keep it up!

oO0 0Oo

Yuki blinked a few times.

The sun peeked through a crack in his blinds, leaving a strip of light across his bed. He noticed that his hand was bandaged.

He tried to get up, but he couldn't move. Panicking, his eyes darted around the room. He was trapped.

He tried to calm down and remember how he got here.

The pain in his chest refreshed his memory. He wondered how long he'd been out – and how long he'd be in.

He slowed his breathing when he saw Hatori enter the room.

"I'm glad you're awake, how do you feel?" He asked, knowing the answer.

Yuki tried to turn his head, but he got too dizzy.

"Wha-" he stammered, not realizing how bad the pain in his chest really was.

"I brought you back here. After… You'll be fine to go home in a few days. But right now I suggest you just sleep. I took the liberty of having Momiji bring your schoolwork here, if you feel up to doing it later."

"What about…home…" Yuki asked, worried his absence might be suspicious.

"As far as everyone knows, you had to come home. Akito needed to see you. Everyone either knows not to ask, or drops it."

He turned his head away. 'Akito…'

He could feel the hatred boil up inside of him.

"Are you hungry?" Hatori asked, setting a tray, with soup on it, down on a small corner table.

He didn't move, his appetite had disappeared at the mention of Akito's name. The memories all flooded back to him, every painful detail.

He heard the door shut softly. Looking over, he realized he was alone in the room. He could see himself. There was a mirror on the back of the door and he was staring right into his own eyes.

His head had a small cut on it, hidden by his tangled hair, and held together by butterfly bandages. He could see a few spots on his head robbed of a few hairs, but nothing too noticeable.

Those were the only visible scars to any onlooker.

Akito was skilled that way. He knew what he was doing.

He'd never abuse someone where other's might see it. He didn't want to draw attention to his victims, but he wanted to scare them enough. He got personal satisfaction out of causing pain, but being the only one aware of it. He liked watching his victims suffer, trying to tell others what happened but not having any visible evidence to back themselves up.

He was one sick sociopath, twisted by madness. Yuki felt bad for him.

After everything he had done, he felt bad for Akito.

He'd never know what it's like to e happy. He was going to die early, so he made up his mind to make everyone else's life hell because his was. Instead of trying to live life to it's fullest and trying to love, he hurt whatever he could. Like a teenage bully on steroids.

Yuki was used to this type of pain, practically numb to it. He knew he deserved this, ever since he was a kid, that's what he's been told.

He also knows there's no sense fighting it. Akito will always win, so what's the point? Yuki'd given up a long time ago trying to reason with him, to convince him to be happy, but it was a lost cause.

All he knew was that someday he'd be free. Until then, he made up his mind to stay as far out of Akito's range as he could.

"Obviously I'm failing," he said to himself, scratching his hand.

He moved! 'Maybe I'll recover better than I thought,' he thought, his spirits rising.

oO0 0Oo

"Here you go! Personalized lunches for both of you!" Tohru said, beaming at the two of them.

"Uh…Thanks…I guess…" Kyo said, scratching the back of his head and hesitantly taking the box.

"Why, Tohru! How very thoughtful of you! I'm so glad you're back!" Shigure said, in a sugar coated voice.

She smiled and briskly turned around, heading for the kitchen.

"Uhh…Tohru wait," Kyo said, getting up to walk with her.

When they had reached the inside of the kitchen, he pulled her aside, out of earshot of the door.

"Yes, Kyo," she said raising her eyebrow.

"Well…I…ummm…" he stammered. Tohru walked outside and sat down on the steps, inviting him to join her.

He leaned up against the wall, posing his hands behind his head.

He waited, not saying anything.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting. Finally she broke the silence. "Look, Kyo, I know you're not good at talking about … anything… but I have a lot of work to do, (you guys live like animals!) so…"

"I know, I'm sorry…I just…" he said, starting to blush. She smiled, she knew what this was about.

"It's about a girl, right?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. He looked away, not saying anything. Classic.

"Well…what do you want to know?"

"I don't know, geez!" He shouted, embarrassed.

She gave him one of those 'I know what's going on, so you might as well tell me, or I won't help you' looks.

He took a deep breath and sat down on the step next to her.

"Okay… I'm not saying it is a girl, and I'm not saying I'm the sap that needs help either. I just think it might be good to know. In case…you know…some girl ever liked me, then I'd know the completely opposite thing to say to get her to leave me alone."

"Well, you do a pretty good job of keeping girls away from you already, so I'm not sure you need my help." She started to get up, but his hand grabbed her wrist.

Without looking up (due to furious blushing) he quietly asked her to 'please sit down, he didn't like any stupid girls.'

"If you want to know how to get this 'imaginary' girl, all you have to do is be nice. Girls like a guy with chivalry."

He had a blank stare.

She sighed, "Chivalry means they have manners, act like gentlemen, and don't scare the girl away. Don't be so defensive all the time. Show her you care, and the rest should go from there. If she doesn't like you for who you are, she's not worth it."

"But what if how I am is mean and unpolite?"

She looked him right in the eye, "You're not."

He blushed, looking out into the front yard.

"Tohru, thank you." He said, staring off.

She smiled and got up.

'There's something different about her…'

oO0 0Oo

Tohru walked down the path she had walked all too much. With her basket in hand, she set to work. 'While Yuki's gone, I should keep his garden looking nice.' She set to work.

After about an hour it occurred to her that she didn't even know where he was. All she knew was that after he got sick he disappeared. He was there one night, then gone the next. Tohru had just assumed he'd gone with Hatori ot his home clinic, but had never asked.

'What if he's in worse condition than I thought.' She dropped the weeds she was holding.

'What if he's in the hospital in serious condition right now, but no one told me so I wouldn't worry…' She got up and started running.

oO0 0Oo

"Tohru! What's wrong?" Shigure asked, as a sweaty and exhausted Tohru came flying at him.

"Where's …….. Yuki….." she asked, between labored breaths.

"Oh, Yuki? He's with Hatori," Shigure said, smiling.

'Why is he smiling? Yuki's really sick, he shouldn't be smiling!' She thought, frustrated.

"Well, is he okay? Why did he leave so suddenly? Did something happen that you're not telling me about?" Her eyes fiercely searched his.

"Tohru, calm down, it's really not that serious. He's with Hatori. He needed a break from everything, so he went to Hatori's to get medicine, and the hot springs to get relaxation. We didn't tell you because he asked us not to. He knew you'd worry too much about him, and he didn't want you getting worked up over nothing." Shigure said, patting her on the head.

She relaxed a bit. 'That seemed to make sense…'

"If you really want to se that he's fine, I'm sure we could ask Hatori if it's okay to visit him."

She nodded, trying to make sense of this itching feeling she had in the back of her mind. Something didn't feel right.

'Why wouldn't he tell me, especially if he didn't want me to worry. He should have known that him suddenly disappearing would worry me more…'

She tried to ignore it and drink the water Shigure was handing her.

oO0 0Oo

"Shigure called. Tohru wants to visit you," Hatori said, throwing a shirt at Yuki's bed.

"Why did you say yes?" he asked pulling it on.

"Because I knew if I said no she would have come sooner. Shigure said she thought you were in the hospital, you disappeared over night."

Yuki started buttoning his shirt. 'She was that worried?'

"They'll be here in a couple of hours. I suggest you save your energy, you'll need it if you're going to convince her you're fine. She just thinks you came here for medicine and to relax in the hot springs."

Yuki rolled his eyes. 'Good cover, Shigure.'

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and lifted himself up. He ambled his way over to the window and looked out, watching the sun move across the sky.

Yuki ran his hand through his hair, wincing as he ran over bruises. His fingers grazed the bandage on his forehead. He peeled it off, glad it wasn't bleeding anymore.

He stuck the bandage to the one on his hand and took that one off too. He threw the whole mess of bandages away, scratching his free skin.

Yuki walked over to the mirror on the back of the door and looked himself over. He seemed to be healing surprisingly well. Then again, he could only see his face and arms.

That was enough, she'd never be able to tell.

"I won…" he kept repeating to himself.

oO0 0Oo

A/N: I know, filler chapter…but meh! You have to give me credit. 3 chapters in 5 days, that's pretty good. ESPECIALLY for me. 