Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
Geez, this is turning out WAY longer than expected. (turns to reviewers) It's all YOUR fault! I love you guys! (hugs) Okay, I'm fine now. Lots more Kyo/OC mush - this story is most definetly going to be Kyo/Chloe. Sorry all you Haru fans - I'm just as surprised as you at the way this one turned out! But there'll still be more Haru/OC as well, don't worry.
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism is welcome.
"Road trip!" Shigure announced, earning disbelieving looks from the teens on the floor.
"What the hell are you talking about now?" Kyo demanded, and the Dog smiled happily at them.
"I think he's trying to avoid his editor again," Yuki said calmly, reading a book. "Count me out. I have work to do this weekend."
"What about you, Chloe?" Shigure asked, and she blinked in surprise.
"Uh…"
"I already cleared it with your aunt that you can go."
"Why does this seem so familiar…?" Kyo muttered.
"Well, where are we going?" Chloe asked finally.
"And who's we, anyway?" Kyo asked suspiciously.
"Tohru, do you want to go?"
"Uh, well…I have a lot of work to do as well, and I'm taking over for one of my coworkers this weekend as well," Tohru said, with a small smile. "Sorry, Shigure, but I can't."
"Well, with those two out…that leaves me, Chloe –"
"I'll go," Kyo cut in.
"– Kyo, Hatsuharu…I think that's it."
"You mean Hatori is letting you chaperone yourself?" Yuki asked dryly.
"He's busy with Akito."
"What about that damn Rabbit?"
"Momiji is going on a vacation with Kisa and Hiro as well," Shigure replied, with a bright grin, and Kyo eyed him suspiciously.
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing! Kyo, I'm shocked!"
"Yeah, right."
"Uh…are we going to spend the weekend somewhere?" Chloe asked in confusion, and Shigure nodded.
"Yes – at the mountain house," he told them, and Yuki rolled his eyes.
"Is that far enough?"
"Whatever could you mean?"
"If she hangs herself, who do I call?"
"We'll leave tomorrow morning, and be back Sunday night!" Shigure continued, talking over Yuki. "So pack tonight, you two!"
"Whatever," Kyo grumbled, and slipped out of the room. Chloe watched him leave, and waited until Shigure had retreated to his study to go after the Cat.
"Kyo? Is something the matter?" she asked cautiously, climbing onto the roof.
"No."
"Well, you're certainly acting like something is," she retorted, sitting next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Oh…"
"It's not you," he said. "I just don't wanna talk, that's all. I'm not mad, if that's what you think. Do you want to go to the house?"
"I think I'd have fun," she thought, "I've never been to the mountains."
"Then we'll go," he shrugged, and stared up into the sky. She looked at him for a few moments, and then followed his gaze.
"It's another clear night," she commented, and he grunted. "I wonder when we'll have snow. It's almost the end of December, after all."
"Who knows?" he shrugged, and glanced at Chloe. She was looking up at the stars, but he got the distinct impression that something was bothering her as well. "Is something the matter with you? Is Haru bugging you again?"
"Huh? No, he's fine," she shook her head. "We're getting along a little better, actually. No, it's not Haru."
"So, something's wrong," he rolled over onto his side, and she glanced at him briefly.
"What? Am I acting like something's wrong?"
"No…I can just tell," he thought, peering at her. "You feeling sick or something? You kinda look pale."
"It's nothing," she assured him, and sighed. "I guess I'm just tired, that's all."
"Hey."
"What?"
"You don't have to lie to me, you know," he told her, staring back up at the sky. Chloe gazed at him, and then smiled.
"Thanks, Kyo."
"We gonna stay out on the roof all right, or what?"
"Probably shouldn't," she agreed, and edged toward the ladder. "I gotta pack anyway. Night, Kyo."
"Good night."
"How far is it?" Kyo asked grumpily, stuck in the backseat with a complacent Haru. Chloe was in the front with Shigure, and looked a bit nervous at the way he drove.
"Not much farther!" the writer sang out, and Haru blinked.
"You said that almost an hour ago," he pointed out, and Chloe giggled.
"I don't mind that much," she said, and Kyo muttered something before shrugging.
"Fine, whatever."
Shigure glanced in the rearview mirror briefly at the Cat before returning to his driving. Chloe settled into her seat for a nap, and Haru stared out the window, apparently completely zoned out. Kyo sighed loudly, and propped his feet on the back of Shigure's seat.
"Wow," Chloe looked around, "This is beautiful, even in winter! The mountains are so…big from here!"
"We're right at the base," Shigure told her, as Kyo and Haru brought the luggage out. "We can take a drive up there tomorrow, if you want. Or at night, so you can see the stars."
"That sounds nice – do you guys want help?" she asked, and Kyo shook his head.
"Nice, isn't it?" Shigure interrupted her, pointing at the house. It was a one-story building, and appeared rather small on the outside. Sure enough, there were only a few rooms inside, but were fully furnished.
"Kyo, you and Haru will bunk with me, and Chloe will have her own room, of course," Shigure told them, as they dropped the luggage on the floor.
"What are we supposed to do here?" Haru asked suddenly. At Shigure's suddenly-blank look, he sighed. "Good thing I brought my work."
"So did I."
"And me," Chloe nodded.
"What is wrong with you people?" Shigure demanded, as they went for their homework. "You're on vacation! Do that later!"
"Shigure…we need to get our work done," Haru pointed out. "Besides, there's nothing else to do."
"I think I'll go for a walk later, though," Chloe thought, sitting at the table with her books.
"I'll go too," Kyo added, and Haru nodded absently.
"Yeah…"
"You'll only get lost, you stupid Ox!"
"Now, now, Kyo…" Shigure waved his finger at the Cat, who bristled. "Jealousy doesn't suit you at all."
"Who said I'm jealous?" he yelled, and Chloe began to laugh.
"You two…"
Kyo looked at her in surprise, his eyes wide, and then turned red. "Ahh…screw this! I'm going for a walk now!"
"Wait up!" Chloe called, jogging after him as he stalked away. Haru stretched, and ambled after them as well, leaving Shigure shaking his head in amusement.
"Not jealous…"
"Now where'd he go?" Kyo demanded loudly, as Chloe tried to calm him down. "That damn Ox was right behind us! Where the fuck did he go?"
"Calm down, Kyo!" Chloe sighed, and looked around. "I'm sure he's here…somewhere?"
"Fat lot of good that'll do us," he grumbled, and then glanced at her. "I'm not mad at you, sorry. I'm just pissed off."
"Do tell."
"Come on," he grabbed her hand, and began to drag her through the woods. "You better stick with me too, or you'll get lost."
"Where're we going?" Chloe asked, rushing to keep up with his strides.
"I saw a high tree farther back," he told her. "I figure we'll climb the damn thing, and maybe we can spot that stupid Hatsuharu…"
When they reached the tree, Kyo scrambled up it while Chloe waited at the bottom, shifting from foot to foot.
"Anything?" she called up after a few minutes, and heard a grumble.
"No! I'll keep looking for a little longer," he yelled back, and they once again fell silent. Suddenly, Chloe felt a gloved hand on her shoulder, and accidentally screamed before she looked to see who it was.
"What is it?" Kyo demanded, jumping to the ground in seconds. Chloe gasped for breath, getting over her fright, and Haru looked blank.
"All I did was put my hand on her shoulder…" he said, and Kyo glared at the Ox in exasperation.
"You stupid bastard!" he exploded, and Chloe shook her head. "Where the hell were you? And how'd you get here?"
"I stopped to look around, and next thing I knew…you guys were gone," Haru said, "I just kept walking, and next thing I knew, I found Chloe."
"Stupid bastard," Kyo repeated in a mutter, and Chloe sighed.
"We might as well get heading back – it's getting dark," she pointed, and grabbed each of their hands. "I better make sure neither of you gets lost," she teased. Kyo humphed, turned red, and looked away, but Haru merely gazed quietly at her. Busy laughing at Kyo's embarrassment, Chloe didn't even realize it.
"How about tomorrow night we take a drive up the mountain to a cliff to see the stars?" Shigure asked over dinner, and Kyo looked at him suspiciously.
"What are you up to?"
"Now he's trying to get out of this house," Haru added, and Chloe looked up from a piece of paper laying on the table.
"Shigure? What did Yuki call about?"
"Oh…nothing!" he smiled brightly, and Kyo and Haru gazed at him dryly.
"Yuki must have told Min where we are."
"All right," Chloe shrugged, and then looked up from her plate. "Oh, I'm going to take a shower tonight, so you guys stay out of the bathroom for a while, okay?"
"Well, of course!" Kyo said, offended. "What do you think I am? And you," he hissed, grabbing Shigure's collar. "You'll stay right next to me until she's done, understand?"
"Kyo's scary!" Shigure pouted, slumping in his seat. Haru nodded, but appeared to have zoned out again. Standing up, Chloe dumped her dishes in the sink, and then glanced behind her again.
"I won't be long."
"Well, go get it over with already," Kyo muttered, keeping an eye on Shigure.
"Ahh…that feels good," Chloe sighed, as she turned off the hot water. Stepping out of the shower, she toweled her hair vigorously, making it curl up into waves. Flipping her head back up, she wrapped her towel around her – just as Haru walked in.
"What was that?" Kyo demanded, his head shooting up. "I could've sworn I heard her scream again!"
"Where'd Haru go?" Shigure noticed, still sulking as he read his book.
"That…that…" Kyo blinked, and raced off.
"You damn son-of-a-bitch!" Kyo shouted, throwing Haru outside. "You sleep outside tonight, you bastard!"
"Kyo…"
"You be quiet!" he yelled, and Shigure disappeared back inside the house. Now dressed, and still red from embarrassment, Chloe tapped his shoulder, and he spun around. "What? Don't tell me you care if he freezes?"
"I didn't hear her," Haru muttered, getting back up. The glint in his eyes, however, hinted that he was close to going Black on Kyo.
"Kyo, I don't think he did it on purpose," Chloe said, "And besides, he didn't…I was dressed."
"You were in a towel!" Kyo said, turning red himself.
"Well, he saw less than he would if I was in a bathing suit," she snapped, and then sighed. "Kyo, it's not his fault, okay? He's a bastard, sure, but not a pervert. That's Shigure," she added, glancing back at the Dog, who melted farther into the background.
"Chloe…" Kyo muttered something, and then hissed at Haru. "Fine, you can come in, but count your lucky stars, stupid Ox."
"Who're you calling stupid, you dumb Cat?"
"Aw crap," Kyo muttered, his back to the now-Black Haru. Chloe shook her head as the two faced off, and Haru smirked.
"Betcha can't beat me, you lazy Cat," he taunted. "You've gotten lazy with your girlfriend around, haven't ya?"
"You – stupid – Ox!" Kyo yelled, and rushed forward.
"Not the house…" Shigure sighed, and then realized that they were outside. "Oh!"
"Shigure…" Chloe looked back from the Dog to the fighting pair, and then paused. "They'll freeze out there."
"Chloe, I don't think you want to…" Shigure began, and then shrugged as she raced outside. "Oh well. At least it'll be quiet around here."
"What'd you do that for?" Kyo demanded, his tail bristling at the now-complacent Ox that had to remain outside until he transformed back. "I was kicking his ass!"
"We didn't come here for you two to kill each other," she told him, and tried to keep the smile from appearing on her face. "Besides…you're cute as a cat."
Haru snickered – rather difficult to do as a cow – and then looked around as he poofed back. "Where are my clothes?"
"Here," Chloe tossed him his clothes, her hand over her eyes, and he disappeared around the corner of the house momentarily. "Oh, c'mon Kyo…don't be mad."
"Who said I'm mad?" he grumbled. "I'm cute?"
"You're sulking," she pointed out, and he turned back to her.
"I'm not!"
"Aw…c'mere!" she laughed, and scooped him up in her arms. "You're so cute!"
Kyo grumbled underneath his breath, but slowly began to purr as she stroked him. Haru came back inside, and watched in amusement.
"What's so funny, you dumb Ox?" he snapped, and then went back to purring as Chloe scratched harder.
"Nothing," Haru shook his head, and lowered himself to the floor. "It's nothing. Just…never mind."
Chloe grinned as she held the orange cat in her arms, and Kyo curled up against her neck contentedly, as Haru sat, his legs crossed and one arm bracing himself up, trying not to laugh at the look on Kyo's face.
Shigure poked his head around the corner, and decided not to say anything, Instead, he backed out of the room into another room, and returned to his book.
"So, where're we going, exactly?" Kyo asked, sitting in the backseat with Chloe, as Shigure drove up a road.
"Not very far up the mountain – there's a small overlook a few miles ahead that I want to check out," Shigure told them, and resisted the urge to glance in the backseat, where Kyo was sitting with his arm on the back of the chair behind Chloe – but a safe distance to keep from hugging her.
"Too bad Haru didn't want to come," Chloe commented, and Shigure shrugged.
"He said he'd stay in the house, so as long as he doesn't go outside by himself, it doesn't matter," the Dog told them. "I guess he didn't feel like another drive."
"Who could blame him, after the way you drove last time?" Kyo muttered, and this time Shigure snuck a sly look at the Cat.
"So why are you coming if you don't like it, Kyo?" he asked innocently. Kyo merely glared at him and kept his mouth shut. Chloe refrained from laughing, and instead concentrated on watching the scenery go by as they reached the overlook. It was really a small cliff overlooking the valley, and the mountain rose up high behind them.
"Finally," Kyo muttered, but made no effort to leave until Chloe followed Shigure outside.
"Wow…it's so cool looking," she said, tugging her jacket closer for warmth as she joined Shigure at the overpass edge. "This is amazing, Shigure."
"I told you," he said smugly, appearing not be affected by the cold. He glanced toward Kyo, and shook his head. "Are you feeling all right, Kyo?"
"I'm cold!" he retorted, and then slumped against the car. "Whatever. Take as long as you want."
Chloe glanced at the Cat, and then gazed back to the sky. They remained silent for a few moments, until she turned around.
"I want to stay out a bit longer," Shigure told them, as she moved to join Kyo, who was still standing outside. "You two should get inside the car and warm up."
Kyo cast a sharp glance at the Dog, but his face didn't appear too innocent, so he just shrugged and climbed into the backseat after Chloe.
"You didn't have to come if you don't like the cold, Kyo," Chloe remarked, after he had slammed the door shut. Their breath still fogged in the air, and he glared at the cloud in front of him when he sighed.
"And leave you alone with that Dog?" he asked sarcastically, and she grinned. "What?"
"You're pretty suspicious."
"So?"
"Nothing," she shrugged, and turned to look out the window again. Kyo gazed out his own window for a few moments, lost in his own thoughts as well. They remained silent for a bit, while Shigure looked at the stars, wondering what to do next.
Chloe blinked in surprise when Kyo's arm suddenly appeared in front of her, and she shifted around to face him. His other arm was against the back of the seat, and his face was inches from hers.
"Kyo…what are you…" she murmured, slightly uncomfortable at the strange new look in his eyes.
"I won't…Chloe, I won't let…anyone hurt you," he whispered, and suddenly pressed his lips against hers. She gasped a little, and then surrendered to his touch. Kyo pressed the kiss deeper, leaning in slightly against her until they barely touched each other. Leaning out for air, his eyes had an even odder look when he gazed at her. She stared back at him, eyes wide in astonishment.
"Kyo…"
"Chloe…I –" Kyo began to say something, but suddenly transformed into his cat form. Chloe jumped a little in surprise, and at the sudden loss of contact, before remembering that the cursed Sohmas also transformed when they were under too much stress.
"It's okay, Kyo," she said gently, and picked him up. He snuggled into her shoulder, grateful that he was able to hide him embarrassment. She rested her head on his body, and sighed deeply.
"I almost said it…" Kyo thought, closing his eyes. "Maybe it's a good thing I transformed…"
"Well, well, looks like I got back just in time!" Shigure said teasingly, and Chloe almost dropped an enraged Kyo in surprise before realizing it was probably best to hold onto him.
"You…you…" Kyo chocked on his words, and Shigure eyed him nervously.
"Maybe you better not let him transform until we're back at the house," he said to Chloe, sliding behind the wheel. "We better be getting back, before Haru gets it into his head to go out and find us."
"That's all we need," Kyo muttered, relaxing as Chloe stroked him. Shigure smiled to himself when he heard Kyo's purring audibly, and allowed his mind to wander slightly as he drove them home.
They kissed! I've been waiting a while to write that...hee-hee! I just want to put that a lime/lemon - if there's one at ALL - won't be for a while. I mean, I kinda gotta get around the whole transforming-when-they-hug thing...But I've got a few ideas in the works. So next review, tell me if you'd like a lime/lemon in it, and if so, which one? Lime or lemon? I won't update until almost all of you review, so I have all your opinions in mind.
KactusKat: THANK you! (hands out ice cream) Glad you liked 'em both!
linleigh.bell: Well, I don't want you to waste away and die! I always try to update as soon as possible, but I can't help it if I get stuck sometimes...well, don't worry, this is gonna be Kyo/OC.
chocloateriku: Hey, haven't heard from you in a while! Yea, Whate Haru is back for a while, but I couldn't help putting him in Black for a bit...it's so fun to write when they're all pissed off!
Please review!