Chapter 5

It was drawing close to morning, the sun was slowly peeking its head over the trees and bathing the world in fresh light. The first rays of this day played off Yuki's cheek from the guestroom window, waking him from his slumber.

Light…oh no, am I still…Yuki opened his eyes and found himself in one of the many guest rooms on the Sohma estate grounds, panicking briefly until he tried to sit up and his body reminded him of the night's excursions. Painfully, he laid back and stared at the ceiling, whispering spitefully, "Why did he bring me here…?" Looking around, he saw that his tattered pajamas had been neatly folded and piled next to his futon, whether put there to be worn again later or just because no one knew what else to do with them. He tried sitting up again, this time at a slower and gentler pace. Stopping in a slumped sitting position, he let the pain subside before trying any other form of movement, like getting up.

This is gonna take a while…but I can't be here when Akito wakes, what if he…He pushed the thought out of his mind and muttered to himself, "Why can't it be that stupid cat that gets tortured for a change? Why is it always me?" He reached for the wall, using it as a support and he struggled to get to his feet. Managing to get to his knees, he almost attempted further when the door opened. Looking up, he met the gaze of none other than Kyou.

"Where are you going?" Kyou cocked an eyebrow at the pathetic figure clinging to the wall, the loose fitting yukata's (writer's note: cotton summer kimono) collar drooping and showing a bit of Yuki's pale shoulder.

"I…I have to…have to…" He tried to answer but found his breaths still short as they were last night.

"You have to rest or you'll pass out again." Kyou crossed his arms and stared at him impatiently.

"No, you…you don't…understand…" Yuki groaned, looking up at him with pleading eyes, "Please, I have to…leave."

"Why? Oh, are you afraid Akito will find you?" Yuki grimaced and Kyou continued, "Look, no one but Hatori, Momiji, and Ayame know you're here so chill."

"He'll…he'll find me…"

"Whatever, just lay back down-"

"No!" Yuki squeaked, intending for it to be a shout but didn't have enough in him to manage something so powerful.

"Look, do I have to get Hatori in here!"

"Kyou…take me home."

"What do I look like, your slave? I saved your life once, I didn't even owe you any favors so don't think you can just keep expecting me to do what you want!" Kyou turned to leave when Yuki said, "Twice."

"What?"

"You…you saved me…twice." Kyou stared at him questioningly until Yuki pointed to his arm, saying, "Ayame…didn't make it, right?" Quickly covering the bandaged arm, Kyou said, "I don't know what you're talking about, you're delusional."

"Why, Kyou…if you…hate me so much…"

"Just shut up, alright! I didn't do any of this for you!" Kyou yelled indignantly.

"Then…who?"

"I-" Kyou didn't want to admit his true intentions, why he did what he did, instead he said, "It doesn't matter, what's done is done now just…go back to sleep."

"I can't sleep, not here…please, Kyou…"

"Stop begging, I'm not gonna help you anymore! Gr-you're such a damn brat!" He stormed out of the room, leaving the door wide open.

"Ky-" Yuki tried to call after him and stopped to cough, feeling like his asthma would flare up any minute if he didn't take care not to get over excited.

This isn't good. Even if I were able to avoid being seen by Akito, he'd find out eventually from one of the house staff who may see me. I have to get Kyou to help me, he's my only hope of getting out of here unseen…but…how do I do that? I really hate this…Yuki groaned and started crawling toward the door, peeking into the hallway to make sure no one was coming who would see him-no doubt a pitiful sight, he would rather go unnoticed. Before leaving the room, he snatched up his clothes and stuffed them into the front of the yukata, pulling up the hem so that he didn't trip and fall as he crawled down the empty hallway.

"Here goes." Yuki took a deep breath and started his great journey, as painstakingly slow as it was going to be.

((((((((( E:-3 )))))))))

Yawning, Momiji blinked sleepily and looked around his room, wondering how he went from being in the living room with Yuki and the others to lying in his bed. Without another thought, he changed into some more comfortable clothes and wandered out into the main house to scrounge up some breakfast. He heard a thud and peeked around the corner curiously to find Yuki lying on the floor.

"Yuki!" Momiji ran to him and pulled him to a sitting position, saying, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes…I'm not…dead yet…" Yuki groaned, batting at Momiji as if trying to swat away a fly.

"What are you doing out here?" Momiji asked curiously, still holding onto him.

"Trying to…get out…"

"By yourself? You'll fall and hurt yourself…again!"

"I'll survive, like always…" Yuki sighed, looking hopelessly at the distance it was from him and the front door.

"But Yuki…what if the monster finds you?" Yuki stared at Momiji in shock. He hadn't thought about that yet, what if he did run into her again? He wouldn't be able to get away so easily this time without help, without…

"What-how did you get out here!" Snapping back to reality, Yuki caught a glimpse of bare feet by his side and traveled up the body to a pair of stern looking orange eyes.

"Kyou, I…"

"Kyou must help Yuki get home, the monster will get him!" Momiji cried.

"What! Monst-okay, look kid, I'm not taking him anywhere!"

"Kyou, please…"

"And stop that! As much as I like you groveling at my feet it's not going to get you anywhere, so just…quit it." Kyou crossed his arms and looked away. Yuki reached out and gently clutched at the hem of Kyou's pants, getting his attention back and staring at him with big eyes that made Kyou sick.

"Kyou…I know that…we haven't…gotten along in the…in the past, but I…I need you now…again…" Kyou swallowed and couldn't seem to get away from Yuki's gaze, "I need to get…home, get out of…of here. You don't understand…what Akito will do to me. He'll…he'll…" Yuki broke into another wheezing fit, the images of previous engagements with Akito flooding his mind and sending it reeling. Kyou didn't want to admit it but he was feeling the slightest bit sorry for Yuki, as weak and fragile as he was at the moment, an encounter with the head of the family could be lethal.

"You really want to leave that bad?" Kyou mumbled, his gaze set elsewhere so as not to see that pathetic look on Yuki's face again.

"Y-yes…please…" Yuki gasped, now half lying on the floor, half hanging in Momiji's arms. With a sigh, Kyou stooped and said, "Put him on my back, Momiji." Gently, they maneuvered Yuki onto Kyou's back and he stood, arms hooked under Yuki's knees to keep him up. Yuki weakly wrapped his arms around Kyou's neck and rested his head on his shoulder. Cringing, Kyou thought to himself, Dammit, I forgot about my wrist…this isn't gonna be a pleasant walk…

"When Hatori wakes up, make sure he doesn't freak out." Kyou told Momiji before heading for the door. Slipping on his shoes, Kyou waited for Momiji to open the door for him so he could leave.

"Be careful, watch out for those monsters…" Momiji said quietly, hanging on the edge of the door and watching them as they slowly made out into the early morning sunlight.

((((((((( oo )))))))))

The two Sohma boys lumbered down the sidewalk of the still quiet town, alone on the path to Shigure's house. Kyou grunted along, resetting Yuki on his back a couple times when he started to slip down or just out of spite.

He's a lot heavier than he looks! Man, for being a vegetable lover, he sure has put on a few pounds! Kyou thought to himself as he trudged on.

"Kyou?" Yuki's meek voice tickled Kyou's ear and he sighed, saying, "What, do you want to take a break already?"

"No…"

"Then what is it? I was enjoying the silence…" Kyou grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"I…just wanted to say…" He paused a moment and Kyou was about to speak when he whispered, "Thank you."

"Wha?"

"Thank…you…for all you've done for me."

"Um…whatever." Kyou looked off in the distance at the buildings before them, trying not to sound too surprised by Yuki's thanks.

"You…really are…as Honda-san says…" Yuki whispered before going back to sleep.

"What? You guys talk about me! What did she say? Yuki! Dammit, don't say stuff like that and then pass out!" Kyou grumbled, letting out a snort before walking faster.

((((((((( . 3 )))))))))

"Kyou-kun!" Tohru exclaimed, running to meet him at the front door, her apron flapping around in front of her. She walked with him into the living room as he sat Yuki down in a chair and flopped down himself, holding his wrist and groaning. Tohru touched it and said, "Kyou-kun, what's wrong? Oh no, your wrist! I'll get you some ice!" Quickly, she raced into the kitchen and left Kyou to fall back onto the floor and let out a heavy sigh, thinking, I'm glad I'm back here too…no more annoying rabbit or cow around…

"Here, I'll make you some breakfast too!" Tohru hurried in and knelt next to him, gently resting the ice on his swollen wrist. Kyou winced and growled under his breath at the sharp pain that surged through his arm. Tohru started to get up to go prepare breakfast when Kyou grabbed her arm with his free hand, saying, "Tohru, wait."

"What is it?" She blinked, turning back to him.

"I…did you…um…" He stammered, looking away and fighting a blush, not quite sure why he was blushing in the first place.

"Did I what? Oh, I washed your clothes if you were wondering, they're out on the line right now-"

"No, that's not…I wanted to know what you told Yuki."

"Eh?"

"About me, he said that I was how you said I was…what did you tell him?"

"Oh! I said that you seemed mean and uncaring on the outside but you really come through for people in need. You really are a compassionate person deep down…"

"You…you think that…?" Kyou's eyes widened in surprise, the blush fighting free of his hold on it.

"Of course!" Tohru smiled cheerfully before suddenly gasping and shouting, "BREAKFAST!" And running into the kitchen from where the smell of burning food could be found. Kyou gazed after her, his face flush and awe-struck by her comment.

Why…does she think I'm so nice…? I've never done anything for her before, have I?