Disclaimer: You know the drill

A/N: Sorry for the angst, should I heat things up? No? okay, maybe a little later then…

oO0 0Oo

I watched him. It was the second time I've seen him collapse in a week.

His breathing was steady and he looked like he was having a dream. She couldn't tell if it was good or bad, but it was a dream.

He was so beautiful. Everyone at school knew it, why hadn't I realized it until recently. I guess I always…felt different when he looked at me or said my name, but I never assumed this…

He rolled over, sighing a bit, strands of hair falling onto his face. The sheet slowly slid down his shoulder, exposing his bare flesh.

I bit my lip, looking away. Why am I so embarrassed? It's just skin. Kyo shows his shoulders all the time in his wifebeaters.

Just the innocence of it all. He looked so … natural…almost helpless…

I swept the hair from his eyes, pulling the sheet up over his shoulder. My arm accidentally brushed against his shoulder, raising the hair on my arm. His skin was so warm.

I couldn't take it any longer.

"Yuki, wake up," I said, nudging him slightly.

He mumbled, sitting up. Bad plan, Tohru, bad plan.

The sheet slid down his torso, exposing his chest. He had markings all over him, they almost looked like bruises, and scars too. I looked away, my face flushing red. I prayed to god he hadn't seen me staring.

"Ms. Honda wha-?" he started to say, but I cut him off. I knew that if he started talking, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to ask what I needed to ask.

He looked at me confused. I couldn't say it. Looking into his eyes I just couldn't say it.

Realization dawned on his face as he slowly pulled the covers over himself. He looked into his lap, embarrassed.

I can't remember what I said, all I remember is crying. Taking his hand and sobbing. I was so scared. He looked so horrible and I knew he had been lying to me. All those times he said he was fine was a lie. He was dying and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was going to lose the only other person I had ever loved.

When I had calmed down a bit I listened to him reassuring me. Saying it was all because of his bronchial tubes. I wanted to believe him, but I couldn't. It had to be a lie. There was no way…

He squeezed my hand, trying to tell me he was fine, this happened all the time. Looking at him smiling like that I realized the smile was just a distraction. If you looked past his alluring smile, you saw the pain in his eyes, in his soul.

"I want to help you," I whispered, watching his eyes, not letting him look away.

He watched me for a moment, like he was trying to decide if he should tell me something or not.

"Ms. Honda, can you do something for me?" he asked, his smile gone.

I swallowed, only able to nod.

"Will you promise me that if anything happens, you'll run away. Don't look back. Just keep going and never think twice about what you're doing," the look in his eyes scared me.

"Yuki, what are you-"

"Tohru please, promise me." The grip he held on my hand was starting to hurt.

"I – I promise," I stammered.

As I left the room I could hear him whispering to himself.

What he said kept echoeing in my mind. I didn't know what he was talking about, but I knew he was serious. It was the first time I'd ever heard him call me by my first name.

oO0 0Oo

Kyo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Jealousy raged inside him. He had had her alone, all to himself, then that dumb rat came and once again took all the attention.

One day it would be different. She'd see. Soon she'd get tired of always taking care of him. Then he'd be ready for her. He knew that in time she'd come to see how much better he was for her. He never asked her to do anything for him. He was always protecting her. What had Yuki ever done for her?

The thought of him brought new rage.

It just wasn't fair.

He slammed oven the door and stormed outside. He needed to clear his head. He started for the woods, but decided to go into the city. It was pretty much morning anyway. He had stayed awake ever since Yuki came home, listening to the two of them.

When he reached town he was pretty much calmed down. He checked his watch, it was 9:44 a.m. he walked casually down the street, strolling in and out of shops, trying to distract himself.

As he rounded the corner he saw Uo. She was sitting at a small table by herself, drinking coffee. He tried to leave, but it was too late, she had already seen him.

"Kyo!" she called out, waving at him slightly.

He grimaced, turning slowly.

She got up, heading towards him, her gold hair glinting in the sunlight.

"Hey, haven't seen you for awhile. It seems like ever since school got out you've been a complete shut-in," she said, smiling at her joke.

"Yeah, well, whattdya expect? I don't like you, so why should I hang out with you?"

"But you'll hang out with us if Tohru is there, right?" she lowered her sunglasses, peering over the rim at him.

He scowled, looking away.

She laughed, nudging his arm. "Come on, let's go shopping?"

He took a step back, "Why? What makes you think I want to go shopping? And with you of all people? I told you, I don't like you, so leave me alone!"

People started turning to look at them.

"Keep your voice down idiot! I meant go shopping for something for Tohru."

oO0 0Oo

"So you really trained in the mountains for four months? Why?" she asked, licking her ice cream cone.

"So I could whip the snot out of Yuki," he said, laughing at the thought.

"Why do you guys hate each other so much?"

"I don't know, I just always have. It's kind of . . . complicated . . ." he said, trailing off.

He checked his watch again. It was 7:10.

He stood up quickly, startling Uo.

"Whoa, what's wrong?"

"Uh, I just didn't realize how late it is. . . " He brushed off his back. They had spent the day together. It had started out as a shopping trip for something for Tohru, but by the end of the day they were just hanging out and having fun. The worst part was, he didn't want to go home.

She walked with him through the woods. She wanted to see Tohru.

"So what's the deal with your hair?" he asked bluntly.

She gave him a surprised and offended look. "Uh . . . Well . . . My mom is American, I think, and my dad is Japanese."

"You think? How can you not know?" he asked, realizing he didn't know his parents at all.

"She ditched us when I was younger, I never really knew her."

"I'm sorry, I wouldn't have asked if-"

"No it's all right. I don't even consider her my mom anyway. Tohru's mom is the only mom I've ever had and she was all I needed." She paused, stopping, "What about you? What are your parents like, and why do you have orange hair?" she said, holding up a piece of his hair for inspection.

He swatted her hand away. "I never knew my parents."

"So, were you adopted or something?"

He nodded, "or something."

She gave him a playful shove. He dodged out of the way, catching his foot on his pant leg. She reached out, trying to stop his fall. He caught her hand, pulling her down with him.

There was a loud thud and groan. Then poof!

Uo sat on the ground amidst a pile of clothes.

"K- Kyo?" she called out. She saw an orange cat laying on the ground not too far away.

oO0 0Oo

A/N: please review…