A/N: Sorry it took soooooo long! One of the writers started this chappie, but couldn't find the time to finish it, so someone else had to fill in! We hope you like this fifth chapter of the Miyoko Family Curse
Chapter Five: Afternoon At Shigure's.
The doorbell rang
"They're here!" Shigure sang. He pranced (literally) to the door and opened it to reveal the Miyoko family.
"Hello, Sohma-chan," Kaori said smiling brightly and bowing politely.
"Oh, Kaori! Just go in!" Amarante pushed herself passionately through the door. "Aya, my darling! We're here!"
"Oh, goody goody!" Aya clapped his hands cheerfully. He drawled in his snob-like voice as he squeezed Amarante's hands. "It's been so dreadfully boring without you." He motioned toward Hatori. "Ha'ri's been so dull. Right Ha'ri?"
"Did you ever think, Ayame, that I am not so much boring as you are immature?" Hatori drew deeply from his cigarette and blew a puff of smoke.
Aya and Amarante laughed hysterically.
"Oh, Ha'ri, how you do go on!"
"Really, Ha'ri. If you say things like that, the Miyokos might not like you." Aya kissed Amarante's hand. "And with such beautiful women in their family, who'd want that?"
Amarante giggled and Kaori rolled her eyes. She glanced at Gure-san.
"Where are the others?"
"Oh, the children! They're all upstairs, waiting for your brood." Gure pointed to the stairs. "You kids are more than welcome to go and find them!" He smiled at the younger Miyokos.
"Yes," Asa said, stepping ever so stately into the house. "That is a wonderful idea." She walked gracefully to the steps and turned to her younger relations. "Come along."
Amaya slummed into the house, hands in the pockets of her huge pants, shoulders shrugged, and looking exceptionally bored. Ren shyly crossed the threshold, Kaori and Shigure smiling encouragement, and blushed profusely as she started up the stairs. Kiyoshi stormed into the house; he grabbed the door out of Gure's hand and slammed it, then sauntered furiously up the stairs with murder in his eyes.
"He's a friendly one." Gure smiled in amusement.
Kaori sighed. "He's been like that since this morning, and he just got worse the closer we got to your house. I don't know what's wrong with him."
I don't want to be here, Kiyoshi thought as he walked down the hallway to where everyone was congregated. I don't need any new friends.
He entered a small spare room with a table, chairs, and a T.V. The Sohmas and Tohru were gathered in the room: Tohru, Momitchi, Kisa, and Hiro were sitting on the floor by the T.V., watching an anime; Yuki and Haru were reading in chairs in a far corner; and Kyo (evil bastard) was sitting slumped by a window, head in hand, looking pensive.
Asa cleared her throat. "Hello."
The Sohmas and Tohru looked up. Tohru smiled brightly.
"Hi, Asa." She motioned to the other girl. "Would you like to watch with us?"
Asa glided toward her. "Yes, that would be very nice." She sat down gracefully.
"Oh, yay!" Momitchi clapped his hands enthusiastically. "A new watching buddy!" Then he tapped his foot to the floor repeatedly, while returning his attention to the program.
Haru stood up and leaned against the wall next to Amaya. "Hey," he said in a bored-enriched tone.
"Hey." Amaya folded her arms. Then she began a silent conversation with the white-haired boy.
Kiyoshi looked at Ren in concern. She looked lost. She's no good with new people, he thought. This was a bad idea! He was about to suggest they go for a walk when Yuki approached them.
"Hello, Mr. Miyoko, Miss Miyoko." Yuki bowed his head slightly in courtesy. He turned to Ren, eyes warm and friendly. "Can I interest you in a game, Miss Miyoko?"
Ren smiled gratefully and accepted Yuki's outstretched hand. "Yes, thank you."
Yuki smiled in return. "My pleasure."
Kiyoshi's rage melted slightly. It was nice to see Ren accepted. He smiled.
Ren stopped Yuki and turned back to Kiyoshi. "Are you coming, Yoshi?" She held out her empty hand to him.
Kiyoshi's heart soared. He practically ran to her; he took her hand happily. It felt so good to know Ren wanted him with her.
Damn Shigure! Kyo slumped over more. He had to invite these stupid Miyokos.
Kyo felt grumpy; grumpier in fact than when Amaya had kicked him earlier. Maybe it was because Ren was with Yuki. He had been waiting for their arrival far from the others so he could get to her first. And yet Yuki had gotten there first.
Kyo sighed heavily. I'm just not fast enough…I can't beat that damn rat at anything. Kyo looked over to where Ren, Yuki and Kiyoshi sat with their game. She was smiling happily and laughing. Yuki wasn't really paying attention; he kept watching Tohru laugh at the cartoon characters on T.V. Kiyoshi wasn't really paying attention either; he was too busy looking at Ren, the same way Yuki looked at Tohru.
Kyo turned back to his window. And folded his arms in aggravation. I don't like that Kiyoshi kid…he's trouble.
Kyo had no idea why he felt that way…he just did.
"What's wrong with Kyo?" he heard Ren's beautiful voice ask.
"Oh, not to worry, Miss Miyoko. Kyo is just pouting; he'll be back to his usual chipper self later, no doubt."
Kyo could hear the challenge in his cousin's smug voice. He grimaced angrily, jumped up.
"All right, Pretty Boy! Let's go! You and me, right now! I'm gonna mop the floor with your face!" Kyo growled
Yuki sighed in exasperation. "Haven't I heard that a time or two?"
This statement just mad Kyo madder, because it reminded him of all his failures. He took a running leap, and landed on the group's board game.
"This time I mean it. Bring it on, Rat Boy."
"I'm busy," Yuki replied disdainfully and returned hi attention to the two youngest Miyokos. "Whose turn is it?"
Kiyoshi yawned. "Um, we can't exactly play with stupid on the board…"
Kyo whirled around. "Who you callin stupid?"
"You." Kiyoshi stood up and glared at Kyo. "And if the shoe fits…"
"Why, you little…"
Kyo grabbed Kiyoshi by the collar. In mid-punch he heard a little voice say, "No, please." His hand stopped in midair as he turned toward Ren. She had unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
"Please let him go." She placed a hand on Kyo's raised arm.
The place on Kyo's skin that she touched heated like fire. He suddenly felt so ashamed of himself. He let go of Kiyoshi's collar and looked away from Ren. Then he ran out the door, away from that small beautiful face and those pleading blue-gray eyes…
Ren stood up, held out her hand. "Wait…Kyo," she whispered. She'd felt it, too, the heat that sparked when they touched. It frightened her, but she didn't want it to end.
Kiyoshi turned her around, embraced her fondly Author's Note: Like the Sohmas, members of the Miyoko family can hug family members of the opposite sex, and smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, Renny."
She glared at him. "Did you have to torment him?"
Kiyoshi's mouth opened in shock. Ren's words toward him had never sounded so cold.
"But Ren, he ruined our game!"
"He was upset! He didn't know what he was doing!"
"But… Yuki tormented him, too!" Kiyoshi glanced at the older boy.
"They're family! It's okay if he does it! You're a complete stranger; you had no right to say what you did."
Ren turned and stormed out of the room, leaving a completely stunned Kiyoshi in her wake. Yuki clapped him on the back, an extremely out-of-character gesture for him.
"She understands him, doesn't she?" he asked Kiyoshi quietly.
"I think she understands where he's coming from. She's an outsider in our family." He sighed. "At least she thinks she is. We all accept- and love- her…" he looked at the door she just ran through. "More than she knows."
Kiyoshi shrugged Yuki's hand off his shoulder and crossed the room to an empty chair. He sat down, put his head in his hand, and started to think. Yuki had a feeling that he knew who Kiyoshi was thinking about, and he glanced at the door she'd just escaped through as he picked up the game.
"Goddamn! I'm so stupid! How could I do something like that, in front of her?" Kyo paced back and forth on the edge of the roof, his arms folded behind his back. He plopped down and sat with his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands.
"Kyo?" A soft voice, almost a whisper, said his name from somewhere behind him.
Kyo's ears perked up. He looked toward the voice. There, on the roof, with her hands clasped in front of her, was Ren. She looked at him sheepishly.
Kyo swallowed hard and turned quickly away. "What do you want?"
Ren walked over to him and sat down. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins. A piece of long blondish hair fell into her eyes as she sighed.
"I'm sorry about Kiyoshi." She glanced in his direction. "He's very… cranky. I don't know why he suddenly has an 'alpha male' mentality…"
"Yea, well…" Kyo sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I know you and your cousin are close. I shouldn't have attacked him." Tears welled in his eyes. "Sorry about what I said to you earlier. It's just-" He jumped up. "I don't deal with other people well. I never have. I mean, everyone else I know can- Tohru, Momitchi, and Kisa are nice, positive people; they make everyone love them. Yuki's polite and friendly, a natural leader; people open up to him easily. Haru can make the most awkward situation seem comfortable with one of his intellectual comments. And Hiro…well, Hiro…" He looked thoughtful. "Aw, dammit! Hiro just annoys the hell out of people until they agree to be his friend. But I'm…" He looked at her. "Different. I've never been accepted. Maybe that's why I'm always so mad."
Ren and Kyo looked into each other's eyes. Kyo knew the look in hers; it was the one he always had. But there was something else there; understanding and empathy. She knew what he was going through, had possibly even experienced it. At that moment, Kyo wanted to hold her, let her touch him and get close. But the second Ren started to move her hand toward his, he turned away.
"You're a good listener."
"Well, Kyo," she looked out over the yard, "I'm an outsider too."
Ren stood up, dusted off her jeans. She looked at Kyo for a brief moment, and then walked toward the edge of the roof she'd climbed up. When she reached it, she turned to Kyo.
"If you ever need to talk- about anything- you know where to find me. I'll listen."
Then she climbed down and left Kyo to wonder why he let her walk away.
"Wonder why Kiyoshi looks so upset…" Amaya bit her lip and glanced at Haru.
He shrugged. "Probably something to do with what just happened with Ren and Kyo. She seemed upset, too."
Amaya nodded. They were quiet several minutes.
"He loves her," Haru said suddenly. "Just the way he looks at her says he does."
Amaya looked at him like he was crazy. "Excuse me?"
Hatsuharu looked at her and smiled softly. "You live with him and you didn't know?"
Amaya looked from her younger cousin, to Haru and back again. Then it hit her.
"So that's why he bit Kyo's head off earlier!" Her face wore a look of triumphant. "That was extremely un-Kiyoshi-like. I wondered what was up with that…"
They looked up at the door as Ren re-entered. Kiyoshi visibly perked-up and made a motion to stand up. Ren shot him the dirtiest look Amaya'd ever seen her give and walked over to the T.V. where a new episode of Tohru's anime was playing. She smiled at the group, through Kiyoshi a warning look, and got comfortable. Kiyoshi slumped back in his seat; his expression was that of a child who just lost their favorite toy.
"Well, that answered my question," Haru said quietly, his attention focused on Ren, who was giggling at the show.
"Mmm?" Amaya was still looking at the crest-fallen Kiyoshi on his own in the corner. She turned her attention to her friend.
Haru looked into her eyes. "Ren doesn't know"
A/N: R/R! We'll try to make a new update as soon as possible! Love you! Fruttie Tuttie Basket Cases