Edit 28/12/05 : This is the same chapter, its just been betad.
Konichiwa minna-san! bow First i'd like to thank ghostymangarocker, I Kagura love you! My first and only reviewer for chapter one. I guess chapte one was too dull ne? Well i hope you like this chapter better, and remeber i need your reviews, i need you to tell me if im doing a good job or if their out of character, please please please review!
Now, on with the story!
Flashback
A boy rested on the sill of the window, his chin and upper arms supporting his body. His hands dangled out the window. He was only about four or five, and he looked bored out of his mind. A bored child is no fun. A bored child kicks, screams and generally raises hell. But not this little boy. He stared longingly at the world outside. It was Autumn, early Autumn, and the leave had only just started to fall from the trees. The boy watched these leaves, counting under his breath how long they took to reach the ground. The wind occasionally blew in leaves to lay on his bright orange hair, only to then go back to dancing in the wind outside. He stretched out his small hands and tried to catch the leaves, but even they evaded him. He wasn't even allowed to touch the outside, he thought, scowling.
The boy wasn't allowed outside. He didn't know why. His mother made many excuses, reasons why he shouldn't go outside. He'd always listened to her. She was his mother, and he loved her. She was all he had, and he'd be lost without her, he knew. He'd have to face the hatred of his family all alone, and that was a scary thought. So he always obeyed her.
He wondered why his family hated him so much. He hadn't been bad, at least he couldn't remember doing anything wrong. But everyone would always look at him so angrily, as if they hated him, as if they wanted him dead. He was very grateful to have his mother.
She was out now, shopping, and he was alone. She wouldn't be long. She never was. She would always come back so quickly that the boy would think she had just popped out to the garden for a moment. She would come back breathless, her face flushed, and she would smile sweetly at him. She would grasp his hand and hold it tight, she never hugged him because of the curse. She would check his right wrist for the bracelet, and ask what had happened while she'd been gone. As if she expected the house to have burned down. The boy didn't understand this, she always seemed so worried when she came back. But a little voice in the back of his head, the little voice that was so mature, wise and mean -- having no place in the innocent mind of a child but existing anyways -- told him. It told him dark things, told him why his mother really was worried. It was not because she was worried about him, but because she was afraid, afraid of the other him. The boy closed his eyes at that thought and concentrated on looking for his mother. She'd be back soon.
He saw a movement and sat up quickly, ready to run to the door to greet his mother. However, it wasn't her. It was just another child, one around his age, with silver hair and white skin. The boy was wearing a grey kimono with some sort of swirly pattern on it. In his hand was a brightly coloured bag of candy, and he walked as if lost in his own thoughts.
The boy sighed and rested back on the sill, letting his arms dangle out limply. The boy was still there, standing in front of him now, looking at him. The boy's face broke into a grin and he ran over.
"Hello!" he said in a friendly voice. A smile stretching his face, he asked eagerly, "Do you wanna come and play?"
The boy looked longingly at the Outside and shook his head.
"I'm not allowed."
The silver haired child's grin faded, replacing itself with a frown.
"Why?" He whispered, sounding deeply disappointed.
"My Okaaaa-san says ... I'm not allowed."
The strange boy nodded, then his face lit again.
"Do you have bad lungs? I got bad lungs. I had to stay in for a loooooong time, but Ha-chan made me better. Maybe he can make you better!"
The orange-haired boy shook his head slowly. "What I got, can't be made better."
The little boy looked very sad then, his large amethyst eyes shining with concern. "So..." he asked. What's your name?"
"Kyo."
"I'm Yuki!" the boy said, returning to his original cheerful manner.
Kyo giggled. "You're named after the snow."
Yuki frowned, looking cutely cross. "What's wrong with that?" he asked indignantly, hands resting on tiny hips.
"Nothing," Kyo smiled, "I like it, it suites you."
Yuki then blushed pink and looked away, suddenly shy.
"Yu-chan, Yu-chan where are you!" Yuki jumped at the voice. "Coming 'ka-san!" he yelled. The boy turned to Kyo and handed him the half eaten bag of sweets.
"Here, take these. They taste nice," he said, thrusting the bag into Kyo's small hands and running off.
"Bye bye Kyo-Chaaaan!" he yelled as he disappeared into the distance, looking back behind to Kyo and waving.
Kyo looked at the brightly coloured bag. He was very rarely allowed sweets. And he'd never had this much, even if the bag was half empty. He smiled at the gift and hugged it. He didn't get gifts much either, as the only gifts he received were from his mother.
"Kyo! I'm home!" Kyo quickly pocked the sweets and ran to the front door to greet his mother.
And the same ritual happened, she held his hand tightly, checked his right wrist for the beads, and she asked him if anything had happened. For the first time he lied. He said what always said, nothing happened, but it wasn't true. Something very big had happened. He'd made a friend, his first friend, and he'd received his first real gift.
All in all, Kyo was the happiest he'd ever been in his short life.
End Flashback
Kyo was bored. It was a Sunday which meant no school, plus, Shigure had gone to bother Hatori, along with the help of Ayame. Yuki was tending to his 'Not-So-Secret-Garden'. Two weeks had passed, Kyo had served his time and could look forward to afternoons not spent doing detention.
Nevertheless, his heart sank as he looked at the mess around him. He'd rather do detention every day than be here. The mess had now reached such a volume it reached the ceiling in every one of the first floor rooms. Only a small path remained to each room and a small area around the sofa. The mess was also starting to creep up the stairs. And Kyo would not let it reach his room.
He rolled up his sleeves and glared at the mess.
"Alright, the battle has begun!" he announced. Kyo had to turn everything in to a fight, it was the only way he'd see it through. He would beat the mess, alright. There was no way he'd let the clutter win.
Yuki sat in his garden, tending to the vegetables he was currently growing. He had just finished setting up various traps for garden pests, and he sat back to admire his work. Now his precious plants would be safe. He smiled at them and began talking to them in whispers. He'd read somewhere that talking to plants helped them grow, so he had started talking to them. He was glad no one was around, he'd have felt rather silly being caught talking to a bunch of plants, he decided, smiling. Thinking of his other options, which included either going into the house and trying to get a sensible conversation out of Shigure, or attempting any sort of conversation with Kyo that didn't end with a fight, he figured the plants were his safest bet.
He heard a commotion coming from the house and turned to look in it's direction, a dubious expression on his face. That stupid cat was shouting at something, probably shouting at whatever had tripped him up. That cat was so clumsy. Yuki smiled slightly, seeing Kyo annoyed was so much fun, except when it led to a fight, as it generally did. Right now, however, Yuki just wasn't in the mood to send the cat flying through another door.
So he sat back down and faced the plants. But Kyo was yelling so loudly it was hard to ignore. Yuki was far enough away not to be able to hear what he was shouting, but still ... it was irritating.
"Baka neko, he's so loud," Yuki complained to his plants, scowling. The plants moved gently in the wind, as if agreeing. The cat was on his mind now, and he couldn't seem to block him out. The shouting was starting to get on his nerves, too. Yuki's scowl deepened.
He wondered why Kyo always wanted to fight, and why he had to go along with it. Why he was expected to defeat the cat all the time.
Kyo was always so desperate when they fought, as if his very life depended on winning. That was probably the reason he lost all the time. The cat always seemed to have something else on his mind as he fought, if he just would concentrate, he might be able to defeat Yuki. But Yuki knew that was not allowed to happen. But the look in Kyo's eyes whenever he lost worried Yuki a little bit anyways. He always looked so sad and ...frightened?
Yuki shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought. He wasn't meant to worry about or try to understand the cat, the only thing that was supposed to matter was that Yuki hated Kyo. The rat and the cat, it was always this way, it had to be. Why did Yuki feel that he truly didn't hate Kyo, then? Why did he feel he'd rather be friends than enemies? And why, why, why, did he always get a faint, sick little feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he beat the cat? A small part of him would always worry if the cat was all right after their fights. He stayed around long enough to see Kyo get up, see he wasn't hurt, then Yuki would leave.
But Kyo was family, and if there was something Yuki had always wanted, it was a big, close, happy family. Well, he had part of his wish, he had one of the biggest families in the world. But they weren't close and they were far from happy. Yuki hated the fighting, really. The only reason he fought was because of Akito.
Yuki closed his eyes and tried to stop thinking of Akito. It would only take the mention of his name to send Yuki into shivers of fear, remembering the way Akito treated him. They weren't a family. No, the Sohma's were more like a dictatorship. Akito was the powerful master everyone feared, he was the one who would hurt and torture anyone who angered him. Everyone had to obey him. Then there was the way the main house was set up, divided between the Outside and the Inside. Those who lived on the outside, although part of the family, tended to be looked down upon and generally ignored by the those on the inside. Only those who were part of the Zodiac -- except for Kyo -- or deemed important enough, got to live on the inside. As if it were some 'great honor.' The Sohma's weren't a family, no, and Yuki hated it. He longed for another life, a life away from the curse, away from Akito, away from everything.
He hadn't noticed the tears begin to fall, and once they had started they were hard to stop. He wiped them away angrily, but they still came. He laughed at himself, how pitiful he was. He hated being like this. He didn't understand why Kyo fought so hard for it, fought so hard to be on the Inside. It really wasn't that great, in fact, it was horrible. On the Inside Akito could keep a closer eye on you, Yuki shuddered. He hated his life so much, why the hell would Kyo want it?
Flashback
It was dark. So very dark. You wouldn't be able to see your own hand if you held it up in front of your eyes. A little boy sat curled in one of the corners, sobbing. He wasn't much older than six, and his cries were heartwrenching. They would have made anyone who heard them want to cry in sympathy for him, except for the one who stood in front of him. He smiled maliciously at the shaking bundle at his feet. The older boy wasn't even in his teens, but his eyes were so dark, and that grin so full of joy ... as if he enjoyed seeing others suffer.
"Now, rat, do you see now why you hate the cat? It's the cats fault I had to do this to you, you see? You hate the cat ... don't you..."
They were not real questions. They were statements, orders, orders the boy must follow. He didn't want to be hurt more.
The small child tried to crunch himself into an even smaller ball, but he winced with pain.
He'd been in this room for five days. Subjected to Akito's punishments. Fed only enough to keep him alive. The small boy longed for his mother, to have her hug him and tell him everything was alright. Even if he ever got out of this room, he couldn't even have that moment. If his mother hugged him, he would transform.
He always envied the other children. Envied the way their mothers could hug them, the careless gestures meaning so little, but at the same time, so much.
"Yuki, tell me who is responsible for this?" Akito's voice was so cold.
"The cat," Yuki whispered, not looking up.
"Who do you hate, Yuki?"
"The cat." Still the boy didn't look up.
"Who is the cat?"
"Kyo," he spoke to his legs. He hated Akito. Why did he always have to take his friends away?
"Shout it, Yuki. Be proud of it. Who do you hate?"
"The Cat!" The boys head shot up and he looked Akito straight in the eyes, tears running from his purple eyes, shimmering in the darkness. Akito smiled.
"You may go home now, Yuki. But remember, I'll know if you don't keep your promise."
Yuki nodded and bolted as soon as the door was opened. He ran out the front door and nearly tripped over the woman who waited there. She smiled at him through her tears.
"Yu-chan!" she said happily and took the little boys hand.
"I'm so sorry Yu-chan." Yuki didn't say anything but squeezed his mothers hand tightly.
The walk home was a short one. Yuki still hurt a lot. His back felt red raw. And he still only longed for a simple hug. A hug that wouldn't be broken by him transforming.
The door shut, and Yuki's mother kneeled down so her face was level with her son's.
"I'm so sorry. Do you forgive me, Yu-chan?" she asked tearfully.
Yuki nodded. It wasn't his mothers fault. She smiled at him. Before he could stop her she threw her arms around him and held him close. There was a split second where Yuki could smile and feel truly happy as his mother's love surrounded him. Then he was the rat. His mother looked down at the trembling little grey rat in her hands and hugged it close to her chest. Yuki snuggled closer to the warmth and let his tears flow.
His mother carried him to his room and set the little grey rat on the pillow.
"I'll go make you something to eat ... okay?" she said, and left.
Yuki snuggled into the pillow feeling sadder than ever and he closed his eyes, longing for the freedom of dreams. He was so tired it didn't take long for sleep to claim him. He transformed with a small pop and that how his mother found him, curled up and his pillow fast asleep.
She smiled at her son and moved him into a comfier position, taking care not to touch his back and transform him again. She then tucked the blanket around her son and kissed him on the forehead.
"Someday, we'll get away from here, Yuki. I promise. We'll go to a place where you can be happy. I long for that so much, Yuki." She kissed him again and left the room.
Waiting outside the door was her older son, looking pale and worried. "Is he okay?" he asked.
The woman smiled sadly. "Yes, Aya, he'll live. The emotional scars will take a long time to heal, however. Try to be a bit nicer to your brother, okay? He needs it."
The snake nodded quickly, and the woman's smile widened. She kissed her son on the forehead, and whispered a 'thank you.' Ayame just glared at her with the traditional teenage scowl, causing her to laugh.
"So what do you want for dinner?"
End Flashback
By the time Yuki had stopped crying, the noise from the house had stopped. The place was eerily quiet now, and Yuki didn't like it one bit. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes before walking back to the house.
He opened the door and almost fell backwards in shock. The house was...tidy? When he'd left this morning the mess had been so bad there was barely enough room to walk. The house wasn't spotless, but all the rubbish was now in black bag and waiting outside for the bin men. All of Shigure's possessions, (and they were mainly Shigure's, Yuki's and Kyo's possessions were kept safe in their rooms), were stacked in piles here and there. Not exactly neat, but a vast improvement.
Yuki frowned, deep in thought. Maybe some strange burglar had come into the house and instead of stealing their stuff, had tided it up. Maybe that's what the shouting had been about. Maybe the 'thief' had caught Kyo by surprise and they had fought, maybe the thief had even killed Kyo.
"Mustn't get my hopes up," said a nasty voice in his head, and Yuki instantly felt that sick feeling in his stomach as he thought of Kyo lying dead in a pool of blood.
Yuki shook his head again, he was letting his imagination run away with him. It must have been either Kyo or Shigure who'd finally snapped and tidied up a bit. And considering Shigure had always lived in a bit of a mess -- his room proved it -- it must have been Kyo.
Yuki walked through the house looking for the cat, just to check and see that Kyo hadn't been killed by a mad burglar.
Yuki found the cat easily. He was curled up on the sofa, asleep. His cat ears and tail were poking out and he looked rather cute. His face was relaxed, not contorted in anger or a scowl as usual. Yuki smiled inwardly, considering whether or not he should wake the cat, just to annoy him. But he couldn't do it. He walked to the front of the sofa and kneeled down so he was looking at Kyo's face.
Flashback
Kyo sat by the window again, he was around six now and he was waiting for Yuki. He didn't get to see his friend often. They had both told each other by now what Zodiac animals they were. They were glad to have someone to talk to who understood how it felt. It was only safe to talk when his mother wasn't there, however. Kyo looked around nervously, wishing his mother to take her time, then he saw the head of silver hair he'd been looking for.
"Yu-chan! Yu-Chan!" he shouted and waved. The small boy stopped and stiffened. He was about ten feet away from the window Kyo hung out of.
"Leave me alone, baka neko." the boy said quietly and started to walk away.
"Yuki! Wait!" Kyo said jumping up on the window sill, his whole body now hanging out the window, but he was too afraid to jump out. Even though the jump was only a few feet, he knew his mother would be angry if he went outside.
The boy had stopped but didn't look at Kyo.
"I don't want to be your friend anymore, baka neko. I HATE YOU!" Yuki faced him now the tears streaming down his pale face. Kyo froze, he didn't know what to say, Yuki hated him? But they were friends. Weren't they?
"Yuki...?"
"Just shut up, baka neko, baka neko, BAKA NEKO! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Yuki shouted as he ran off, his back aching as if warning, 'Don't look back, don't say anymore, just run away from the cat.'
Tears fell down Yuki's cheeks. He hated shouting at his friend, he hated saying those nasty things, he hated Akito.
Kyo hadn't moved, he was too shocked. Tears ran freely down his face unnoticed. He wanted to run after Yuki, but he wasn't allowed outside. He sniffed, and the sniff broke into a sob, the sob broke into a heart wrenching wail as the boy curled tightly in a ball and cried his heart out. He was sobbing so loudly, Yuki heard him and froze, feeling incredibly guilty. But he had to keep running. Akito would hurt him again if he talked to Kyo. Yuki paused for a few more seconds and then ran.
Kyo was still sitting on the window sill, crying so hard his whole body shook, when his mother came home. She ran over to him and tried to comfort him, but he wouldn't tell her what was wrong. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn't have. He was crying too hard. His mother took his hand and led him to his room. She made him lie down and tucked the blanket around the still crying boy, crying as if his heart would break.
She left then to put away the shopping. Kyo still crying. He'd lost his only friend. The only one who understood how it felt to be
different, Yuki was the only one who he could talk to, who understood. And he'd lost him. Why?
'Because you're the cat, everyone hates the cat.' his mind whispered to him.
Kyo cried even more at that, it seemed as if he would never stop crying.
"I hate you, kuso nezumi," he whispered to himself, between sobs.
His mother stood in the doorway, her face pained. She loved her son so much, and she tried so hard to accept him. But it was hard, hard for her, and hard for her son. She longed to comfort him, to give him the happy childhood he deserved.
"I'm sorry Kyo. You deserve better than me." she whispered and then walked quietly to her room, to curl up on her futon. She wouldn't cry though. She wouldn't allow that.
End Flashback
Kyo stirred in his sleep. Yuki jumped back, suddenly realizing what he was doing. He stood up quickly and stormed to his room, angry with himself. "Baka neko," he muttered under his breath. Yuki headed for his room, deciding to make a start on his homework.
Kyo woke up about an hour later, feeling well rested and pleased with himself. The house may not been the neatest around, but it was an improvement. If Shigure or Yuki dared to mess it up again after he'd worked so hard to make the place presentable, he'd kill them.
He stretched, arching his back and letting out a contented sigh. He sat up slowly and went to get a glass of milk. It was his fault there was hardly ever milk in the house. He drank so much of it, the cartons would be empty before the day was over. It annoyed Yuki so much when he couldn't have milk with his cereal, he thought happily. It made him feel fiercely triumphant. If he had to live here, he might as well make the rat as miserable as he was.
After his drink he walked up the stairs and walked to his room. He passed Yuki's room on the way and noticed the door was closed, and the faint scratching of pen on paper could be heard. Kyo frowned, it seemed the damn rat was back. Unless, of course, some fangirl had broken in and was now writing love letters to Yuki all over his wall. Kyo grinned. He hoped it was the latter, it would anger Yuki to no end.
Kyo wondered briefly why the rat hadn't woken him up to tease him about cleaning up. He dismissed the thought and went to take a shower. He felt all hot and sweaty for some reason, even though the day was quite cool.
He let the water run until it was the right temperature, then stripped and stepped under the stream of water. He leaned his head back and let the beads of water hit his face and run through his hair. He sighed. It felt so nice to be finally felt clean after a hard days work.
He sighed as he thought of the homework he should have done, maybe he'd have time to finish it later.
There was still plenty of time. He also thought of the fight he hadn't had, normally he'd have fight with Yuki every day, but he always lost. Maybe he'd challenge him tomorrow. He also thought of Kasuma, the only family he had left. The only one who didn't look at him with revulsion. He'd lost his mother a long time ago, not long after he'd lost his first friend.
He still remember vaguely his short friendship with the rat when he was little. It had been nice and comforting to have a friend to talk to. When Yuki had yelled at him, called his a baka neko, and said he'd hated him, it had broke the little boys heart. He started questioning himself. What had he done wrong? He couldn't think of anything other than the fact he was the cat. He started to hate himself. It had been Yuki's fault, too, when Akito had seen his other form.
Kyo growled quietly to himself. Who needed the damn rat anyways? Not him, that was for sure. Kyo had always been alone, never really having more than one person he could rely on at a time. He knew it was hopeless to hope for more.
If only he could beat the rat. Maybe then his family would except him and not look at him with the revulsion that he saw in them now.
Flashback
The little boy had stopped crying by now, and he lay in bed perfectly still. The dry trail of the tears he had cried were the only remains of his sadness. He blinked again, still staring at the same point on the wall.
He sat up, a determined look on his face. He was going to find Yuki, he was going to ask him what he'd done wrong, and he was going to apologize. He was sure Yuki would forgive him if he said sorry, he had to.
Kyo walked quietly to his window and opened it. There was only a small drop of about three feet to the ground, but to Kyo it was huge, like asking someone to jump the Grand Canyon. He looked at the outside again and swallowed around the lump in his throat, suddenly scared. He could do this, just this once. He had too.
Taking a deep breath he climbed fully onto the window sill and dangled out the window. He took another deep breath, and jumped. He landed gracefully. He stood, looking around quickly. He ran in the direction Yuki had gone, and hoped it wouldn't take too long to find his friend.
"Kyo, your dinner's ready...Kyo...KYO!" Kyo's mother dropped the tray she'd been carrying and ran to the open window. She leaned out, looking all around.
"KYO!" she thought she saw a spot of orange run around the corner, and without thinking she climbed out the window and ran after her son.
Kyo was now running around the main house, he was on the Inside land now. He knew he shouldn't be here, but he had to find Yuki.
He called out as loud as he dared as he continued to run, sure that any moment someone would catch him and take him home, scream at him and hurt him. But he wasn't scared, he had to find Yuki and say he was sorry for whatever he'd done.
He ran past a house where the door stood open, as if inviting him in. A figure stood in the shadows. Kyo walked closer, unsure.
"Yuki?" he cried as the figure moved, walking deeper into the shadow. Kyo could also make out someone else standing behind the shadow, taller than him. Even though it was quite obvious it wasn't Yuki, Kyo felt drawn into the house. And it could be Yuki, he told himself.
"Yuki, wait!" he yelled and ran into the house.
Kyo's mother turned the corner just in time to see her son run into Akito's house.
"No, Kyo come back!"
"Yuki," Kyo walked closer, unsure again. This wasn't Yuki, this boy was taller.
"Hello, Kyo. Do you know who I am?" Kyo shook his head, backing away.
"I'm Akito, head of the Sohma family. No need to be afraid."
Kyo gulped and backed out even more, he saw every reason to be afraid. He was just about to run to the door, when a cold pale hand clasped around his left wrist, around the bead on his wrist. Kyo froze and Akito smiled, a smile that sent shivers of fear down the boy's spine.
"You're the cat, correct? But that's not your only form -- is it?"
Kyo was shaking now, terrified.
"What would happen ...I wonder ... If I took these beads off?" and the hand around his wrist slowly went down, taking the beads with it. Slowly the beads rolled down his wrist, down his hand and into Akito's hand. Akito smiled again. Kyo backed away, able to take another step before he screamed in pain and bent over double. He was transforming, and it hurt so bad. He screamed and screamed, hugging himself tightly. He fell to the ground and the smoke started to form around him.
He didn't see his mother run through the door and stop behind him, didn't hear her small sob as she realized it was too late.
The smoke cleared and left behind not a boy, but a monster, unlike anything Akito had seen before. Its skin was a dark green, its body was shaped grotesquely, tattered remains of clothes fell at it's feet.
"This is Kyo's true form?" Akito was still clutching the beads, "His body's all warped and ugly. And what's that smell?" Akito now held his arm over his face. Only his eyes showed, revealing deep disgust.
"He smells terrible. It smells like something's rotting. Is this the cats spirit's true form? It's disgusting! You aren't even human. You're a monster." Akito was laughing now, delighting in the pain Kyo was going though.
"DON'T LOOK!" Kyo turned at the sound of his mothers voice.
"No one look at my child!" she stood in front of him, arms spread, trying to protect him, too late. Akito sneered and threw the beads at her. She caught them easily and stared at him, fear evident on her face.
"Take your child if you must," he grimaced, giving her a cold look. "I though I had told you though, never to let him out. Leave now, and take the monster with you." he turned around and calmly walked away. The person who'd been standing behind Akito stayed for a second, taking in the sad picture in front of him. Akito was too cruel sometimes. He took of the jacket he'd been wearing and gave it to Kyo's mother, then turned around and followed Akito.
Kyo's mother kneeled in front of her son and waited. It didn't take long for him to change back, and when he did she slipped the beads back onto his wrist. She went to wrap the jacket around him but stopped when her son spoke.
"Oka-san, am I really not human?"
"Akito's wrong! You are human, like everyone else. You're just under an evil spell for a little while that makes you turn into that." she said comfortingly.
She put the jacket on her son and did up all the buttons to keep him warm. She took his hand and pulled him to his feet.
"Let's go home now." Kyo didn't say anything. Tears were once again running down his face, but he wasn't sobbing, he didn't make a sound. He just followed his mother home.
Yuki watched Kyo and his mother leave Akito's house, a sick feeling of worry hitting him. He could see Kyo's face, his friend was crying. What had Akito done to him?
Yuki wanted to run to him and ask him if he was okay, but he couldn't. He couldn't face what Akito would do to him if he did that. He'd rather listen to Akito and hate Kyo, it was safer. So Yuki just stood there, watching. He had heard Kyo calling him, that's why he was standing on the corner right now, hiding. He'd seen Kyo run into Akito's house, why ... he didn't know. He'd heard the screams of pain, and that's when he'd nearly ran over there, to help Kyo. But his fear of Akito held him in place. He watched Kyo leave, and when the boy was out of sight he turned away and walked back to his home.
End Flashback
Kyo could feel a few tears run down his cheek, or maybe it was just the water.
'You aren't even human. You're a monster.'
Kyo punched the wall in anger as the voice echoed around his head.
"I am human, I am!" he shouted to himself, at the voice.
"I am human." he whispered.
Quickly he got out of the shower, dried and changed and locked himself in his room, he didn't want to face anyone today. He hadn't thought about that day in ages. Why did the memory have to come back now?
When Shigure came home he thought he'd walked into the wrong house. The place was neater than it had ever been. Then he smiled.
"Ohhhhhhh! Maybe Yuki or Kyo hired a maid! I hope she's cute!" he said to himself joyfully he ran around the house, searching for the maid who wasn't there. After his searching he stopped at the stairs, looking as if Christmas had been cancelled.
"I know, I'll ask Yuki!" he said as he ran upstairs, back to his cheerful self.
Without knocking he open Yuki's door and strode into the room.
"Yuuuuuuuuuuki! Did you hire a maid? Huh? Huh? Did you? Where is she?" he asked in one breath, looking around the room as if he expected Yuki to have hidden her in his closet.
"Kuso inu, don't you know how to knock! And no. I did not hire a maid, Kyo clean the place." Shigure looked crestfallen. But then his face broke into and evil grin.
"I better go thank him, then!" he said, running out of Yuki's room.
"Baka Inu," Yuki laughed, this would be good.
"Kyoooooooooooooo-Kun! I hear you make a good maid. You know, I could get you a nice maid costume, you'd look quite cute in it!"
"WHAT THE HELL! YOU PERVERTED DOG! THAT THE LAST TIME I'M CLEANING YOUR DAMN MESS UP! NEXT TIME I'LL JUST SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE! NOW GET OUT HENTAI!"
There was a loud crash, and Yuki looked out into the corridor. Kyo was standing at the top of the stairs looking absolutely furious.
Yuki walked up to him and stood beside him. At the bottom of the stairs sat a crumpled heap, known as Shigure.
"Is he dead?" Yuki asked innocently.
"Of course he isn't dead. He'd survive an atomic bomb just to spite everyone!" Kyo stormed away to his room and Yuki silently agreed with him. Shigure groaned slightly and struggled to untangle himself from his kimono that seemed to have come a bit messed up and now looked as if it was trying to strangle him.
"Baka inu." Yuki said shaking his head and headed back to his room.
It was only when Yuki snuggled down to go to sleep, that he realized he'd just had a normal conversation with Kyo.
Yuki liked night time because it was so much quieter. He lay in bed, staring at nothing. He just couldn't get to sleep. He wasn't a bit tired and it bugged him. He had school tomorrow and that meant getting up early.
He sighed angrily, he liked the night, but he didn't want to stay up all night, maybe a little walk around the house would help. He left his room and headed for the stairs quietly, but a noise made him stop.
He could hear a faint voice, so quiet he couldn't make out the words. It sounded pained, scared. Yuki walked towards the voice and stopped in front of Kyo's door. It was definitely coming from there. He frowned. Yuki heard the voice again, evidently Kyo was having a nightmare.
Yuki was just about to open the door when he caught himself. Why should he care if the stupid cat was having a nightmare? He was just about to walk away when a shout stopped him.
"You're wrong, Akito...I am human!" Yuki froze. It must have been a bad dream if Akito was in it. A picture of a small boy, walking away from Akito's house, wrapped in a oversized jacked, holding tightly to his mothers hand, silent tears running down his face came to Yuki's mind, and without hesitating he opened the door.
Kyo was thrashing about on his futon, his blanket tied around him, he would whimper now and then or shout something out, Yuki didn't catch much of it, nor did he know what to do now he was here.
He walked closed to Kyo and sat down, a feet away from him. He couldn't wake the cat. That would just be a bad idea. Slowly Yuki stretched his hand out and brushed Kyo's cheek with his fingertips. He scowled angrily at Kyo, as if Kyo was making him do this. But as he brushed Kyo's cheek, he found he didn't mind too much, and that scared him.
Kyo flinched as if expecting pain, but none came and he relaxed, Yuki was glad he also stayed asleep. Yuki gently brushed Kyo's cheek until he'd stopped thrashing about and stopped mumbling in his sleep.
Kyo now lay still, a small smile on his face, obviously lost in a more pleasant dream. Yuki stood and left, slowly sliding the door shut. Kyo open his eye a crack and stared sleepily at the retreating figure. He smiled though, and went back to sleep instantly.
Yuki tried to stop his heart from pounding. He was very lucky Kyo hadn't woken and Yuki suddenly felt very tired. He curled up on the futon and closed his eyes. A small voice in his head mocked him for helping the cat.
"No one deserves a nightmare about Akito," he whispered, and the voice went silent. Yuki smiled again and soon enough he was asleep.
Another door slid closed. It had only been open a crack and Yuki hadn't notice. Shigure smiled.
"They're finally maturing a little!" he smiled again.
"Aya and Hari will love this!"
It was about time Kyo and Yuki at least were civil to each other.
Flashback
Akito was mad. Things weren't quite working out right, weren't going his way. The rat was still too soft. True, his fear of Akito had stopped him from talking to the cat, but still.
Akito paced the room, trying to think of a solution.
"What to do, what to do?"
An image suddenly came to his mind, it was of Yuki and his mother. Akito smiled. Yes, it was definitely the fault of that woman. She was too kind, too overprotective. She had to go. Akito walked to the phone and dialed a number. After three rings the phone was answered.
"Hatori, I am in need of your .. services. Please hurry."
"You need me now?" Hatori said unsurely, he knew this meant only one thing. He had to suppress someone's memory.
"Yes." Akito's tone left no room for argument, and the line went dead before Hatori could say anything.
Yuki was sitting on the floor playing in one of his happier moods. His mother sat opposite playing the game too, her smile always staying brilliant, even though she'd been playing the game with her son for about two hours now. The phone rang and she smiled apologetically.
"Please excuse me, Yu-chan, I'll be right back. Okay?" the little boy nodded and his mother smiled.
"Hello," she fell silent, the frowned as the voice on the other end continued talking, "Okay...fine. I'll be there soon."
"Yu-chan, I have to go out for a bit, alright?"
The boy frowned and looked disappointed, but he didn't complain.
"Aya...AYA!"
"WHAT!" came an irritated voice from upstairs.
"Aya, I need you to watch your brother. I'm going out now for a bit. Aya...AYA .. are you listening?"
"Yes, yes!" a teenager with long silver hair came stomping down the stairs.
"I'll be back soon. Love you both!" she kissed each of them on the forehead and left.
"Akito-sama," the woman bowed, "May I ask why you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, bad news, I'm afraid. You have become somewhat of a liability. You are far to soft on your son, and I'm afraid I can't have you around anymore."
"Wha...wha...what do you mean?" the woman cried as she backed away slowly, eyes widening in fright. Hatori came through the door, then stopped.
"Hatori, you know what to do." Akito pointed at Yuki's mother, who was frozen to the spot.
The woman turned her pleading gaze to Hatori.
"Please no, please no!" she turned and bolted for the door. But two men stopped her, she recognized them as people who worked in Akito's house, butlers or something. They held her arms firmly and held her in place. Hatori strode closer. He looked scared and ... sorry.
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! I DON'T WANT TO FORGET! I WON'T!" she screamed, tears streaming down her eyes. Hatori stood in front of her bowed head.
"I'm sorry," he said as his hand rested on her head.
"Please...please take care of Yuki and Ayame...please?" Hatori nodded and she slumped, suddenly going limp, the fight leaving her.
Two seconds...two seconds was the most it took to suppress a mother's memories of her sons. She collapsed, unconscious. Hatori caught her as the men let her go.
"She will no longer live in this house. Or anywhere near here. Please carry her to the car." Akito said as he led the way.
It had started to rain. Two silver haired boys stood waiting in the doorway. Watching the rain.
"Where's 'ka-san?" the younger boy asked.
The older boy frowned. "I don't know."
They never saw their mother again, Akito let them believe she had died, but the grave with her name on it remained empty.
End Flashback
The next day Yuki was actually awake before Kyo. This was practically a miracle, as Yuki was never up before Kyo. In fact, this was a first.
"Hurry up, baka neko, or we'll be late!" there was a thud upstairs, and then hurried footsteps. Kyo appeared at the top of the stairs second later, dressed with his hair sticking up at odd angles and tie loose.
"No one asked you to wait for me, kuso nezumi!" Yuki just muttered under his breath and left with Kyo following him. Bickering as they walked to school, Shigure watched them leave from his window, smiling. Their bickering was calmer today and they hadn't broken so much as a bowl for at least two days.
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Longer chapter this time. nn hope you liked it, remeber, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE! I need you to tell me what you like, what you dont like and if the characters are in character Oo. Im sorry the first two chapters are kinda dull, but im just trying to show why they hate eachither, why they fight, and leaving an opening for their friendship to begin. The next chapter should be more interesting. Oh and some of the dialog in the dreams/flashback in chapter 1 and 2 are from the manga. The ones who read the manga will know what parts are from the manga, anyone who hasn't. Well you'll know when you do read the manga nn
NOw remeber, REVIEW!