KS:
"…what?"
Kyo had relayed the information to Shigure. "She just… sat down with that American girl and pounced it on us…" Kyo threw up his hands.
"Well… she's always been one to jump without thinking," Shigure mused. Kyo was startled, a little. He had more than half expected Shigure to joke about it.
"Home."
The two heads in Shigure's study turned to the entrance of the house. Kaye walked through the halls towards Shigure's study, sliding open the door with a frown.
"Kyo! Um… hi?" Kaye smiled awkwardly.
Kyo waved and Shigure watched curiously. "Where were you?" Kyo asked worriedly.
"Out and about."
"Kaye, why are you going out with her anyways?" Kyo asked angrily.
Kaye winked. "You'll see!" and she walked down the rest of the hall, an enigmatic smile perched upon her face.
-on the roof an hour before lunch-
"So, you used to date Axle?" Kaye asked, digging through a bag of chips.
"Yeah, then the prick dumped me and I tried to date some other guys, but I really hate men." Teresa carefully licked some salt off her fingers.
"Alright, great. And you want him to be jealous of you because…?" Kaye looked dubiously at the American.
"I hate'm, that's why. Our fathers are vying for the same job, trying to best one another." Teresa grinned as Kaye scratched her head, finding it adorable. (sorry, had to add that. It's just so… character.)
"Sounds complicated."
"Yeah, it often is. Basically my dad follows his dad like a hawk on wounded prey."
Kaye leaned back. The two were atop the flat roofs of the school, enjoying the view.
"And we can just go up here whenever we want?" Teresa asked in awe, already comparing her old school to Kaye's in her head.
"Cha, I wish. Fortunately, I learned most of what they're teaching at my last high school."
"And where was that?" Teresa asked innocently.
"Framingham, Massachusetts. But I'd been to-"
"Massachusetts! That's my home state! I used to live in Boston! I was born there!" Teresa had such a look on her face that Kaye couldn't help but chuckle.
"Wish I was that ecstatic about where I live," Kaye reminisced silently, her head bent low a moment before lifting it to look at the gleaming sun. "Now," Kaye turned back to Teresa, "when can Axle and Tohru talk?"
"Well, I was thinking, since today is Monday, we could make it Friday at That new coffee house nearby." Teresa closed her eyes, trying to remember the exact location.
"Tohru doesn't have work Friday, either," Kaye confirmed, "So how about 6:30? 7 o'clock?"
"Sounds good. I was also think that we should go too. Axle can be pretty ignorant." Teresa smirked.
"Okay. I wanted to watch Tohru anyways, just in case." Kaye shifted slightly.
"You mean, this isn't a 'date' kind of talk?" Teresa blurted out.
"What? Oh no! Axle moved way past that and kissed her when she went to his house." Kaye blushed, thinking of what that could mean to the American.
"She went to his house? Inside his house!"
"Um, yeah. But don't blame Tohru! She is so innocent, she probably didn't know that… well… they didn't make out or anything… but…" Kaye rambled when she was worried.
"So, are you jealous of her?" Teresa asked.
Kaye smiled. "In a ways. I'm jealous of how she can be so… pure. Untouched."
Teresa smiled as well. "I know what you mean. But… are you jealous of her and Axle?"
"Aw, Hell no! That kids been on my nerves from day one!" Kaye smirked.
"Right. So you worry about her. Why?"
Kaye turned quickly to Teresa. "I love her. She's my sister from long ago. Used to hate her, though."
Teresa watched Kaye suspiciously
"Anyways, are we going incognito?" Kaye inquired.
"Huh? Oh, right."
"Tohru!" Kaye yelled up the stairs and began to sprint up them. "Tohru-Tohru-Tohru-Tohru-Tohru-u-u!" Kaye sang and marched to Tohru's room. She slid the door open to be greeted by a smiling Tohru.
"Welcome back Kaye!" Tohru stepped aside to let Kaye in.
Kaye gladly accepted the offer and hopped perkily into Tohru's humble abode.
Kaye looked around. "Haven't been here in a while! Anyway," Kaye plopped down on Tohru's pink, frilly bed, "I have something for you!"
IS:
"Or… rather… I have a favor to ask that has a hotcake and cup of coffee in it for you," Kaye submitted as an after thought. Tohru giggled a little, a laugh lingering in her voice even as she responded.
"Anything Kaye, I don't expect anything of you! Tell me what I can do."
"Well you see, Teresa and I planned to go for some coffee on Friday and I… I'm a little nervous," she lied, wringing her hands for effect. "I mean at school it's different, but it would just be the two of us and it would really, REALLY mean a lot to me if you'd come along too. Besides I want Teresa to get to know you, ya know?"
"Sure Kaye, I'd love to come! I just hope I don't get in the way of… you two…" she said nervously. Kaye tilted her head in confusion; was Tohru uncomfortable by the situation? Nah, definitely not; Tohru was such a sweetheart, she'd accept anything from anybody. Hey, she dealt with Haru's little crush on Yuki, she just might not be too accustomed to it yet, but she would. She was smiling after all. Kaye felt a pain in her chest and her breath caught, but she ignored it. It hurt to lie to Tohru, but in the end she knew she was only doing it to help her out, so the pain subsided.
"Thank you so much Tohru. You're going to love Teresa."
"Yes, she seems like such a sweetheart," she commented with another smile.
Upon departing Tohru's room after about half an hour or so of girl talk, Kaye ran into Kyo, who cornered her and pulled her into his room. His only excuse was, "We have to talk."
"What about?" she asked innocently, sliding the door shut behind them. Kyo stood in a corner with his hands in his pockets and his back in a slouch, his face overshadowed by his bangs. All Kaye could see of his features was his mouth which she found herself worrying to find it in a frown. "Kyo, what's wrong?"
"Kaye, I… I just don't understand why you're doing this," he muttered. "You just met this girl, you don't know what she's like or who she is." Kaye sighed and shifted her weight but continued to listen. "I saw her and Axle palling around; I don't think you should trust her. She could be using you to help Axle-"
"To help Axle get to Tohru?" she submitted, leaning forward slightly to try to get a better look at his face. He looked up at her, staring, waiting. "I know what I'm doing, Kyo. I'll have you know that Teresa hates Axle. They were in a pretty serious relationship, apparently, and he left her. As far as I see it whatever 'palling around' they do it's just her toying with him."
"But-"
"And it's no concern of yours what goes on between Axle and Tohru anyway," she added, letting her annoyance get the better of her. "They need to work this out on their own and things are always going to be awkward for her unless you back the hell off-"
"It's not that easy!" he shouted, glaring. "I can't just stand back and watch, Kaye! I… I… I care about her…" he turned away again, arms folded. Kaye felt a sinking within her as her fears were realized, her suspicions confirmed. Kyo was in love with Tohru after all.
"Oh… Kyo…"
"Look," he said, tone tense, "You know I… I get over protective of… the people I care about… But you… you've always been able to take care of yourself. You've never truly needed me and when you did you'd never accept the help. Tohru… Tohru's just so… helpless…" Kaye was shocked to find her eyes prickling with tears and willed them away, guilt consuming her. "But to me, you're helpless too. No matter the situation or age you're always going to be my little sister. I don't want to see you… see you hurt. And I've only got so much longer to be protective of you before they… well…" He turned away again, unable to go on.
Kaye rushed forward and embraced her brother, tears streaming down her cheeks. "They're not taking you. You and I are one and I'm not the cat, so they can't punish me. They can't and we won't let them." She felt Kyo's arms slid around her. "You have all the time in the world to find a situation where you can protect me; you're not going anywhere. And neither is Tohru."
How did Tohru feel? In the end, who would she choose? Out in the hall Shigure backed away from the door slowly, heading downstairs to call Hatori.