Summery; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
Warning: Mild lemon (between Kyo and Chloe) at the end! Cheer or cry, whichever one, just don't flame me! Since it's mild, I won't pur a warning before it. I hate interrupting the flow of the story to do that.
This chapter is nice and long for you guys. I'm sorry it took so long - I was just stuck as to how to get it where I wanted it! But I'm back! There will probably only be one more chapter, two at most, just so you guys all know. And I believe I got Rin's name right...right?
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism is welcome. No flames about the pairing, please.
"Hatsuharu, what do you think you're doing over here?" Hatori asked dryly, coming the next morning to pick up the Ox. "I was wondering where you'd gotten off too."
"I was just coming to check up on them," he said casually, glancing back toward the house. "Besides…I dunno, never mind. I guess she's not all bad – I mean, no one deserves what she got."
Hatori eyed him, but something in Hatsuharu's tone implied that he didn't feel about Chloe as Kyo might.
"It's finally snowing," Kyo noticed that afternoon. The sky had grown dark, forcing them to turn on the lights, and white flecks began to fall from the cloudy sky.
"Looks like it'll be a big one," Chloe agreed, glancing out the window as well. The small flecks quickly grew to large flakes, frosting over the windows as well. Kyo grumbled something, and Chloe merely found a book in Shigure's study to read.
"Is something wrong?" he asked her suddenly, seeing her staring out of the window, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
"What?" Chloe blinked, bringing herself back to reality, and then shook her head. "I was just thinking of something Hatori asked me a while back."
"What?"
"What does the snow become when it melts?" she repeated.
"What'd ya say?"
"Spring," she hugged herself, and shrugged. "I heard once that some see the snow as a purifier, cleansing the world of it's sins and washing away the bad things as it ushers in a new age."
"You don't think that?" he looked at her curiously, sensing an underlying sense in her tone. She met his gaze momentarily, and then looked back out the window.
"I think the snow makes everything pretty, but when it melts…everything is revealed once more, soggy and muddy and dirty like always," she said softly. "The snow only covers up things to make people feel better, but in reality…the ugly things are still hidden underneath, waiting until it melts to show themselves again."
Kyo gazed at her, studying her expression, but it looked completely blank, revealing nothing of what she might be feeling underneath. She ignored the feel of his eyes on her, and returned to her book serenely.
"I see…so, the Cat has remained with her instead of coming here?" Akito asked quietly. "And she has refused my invitation?"
"You can hardly expect –"
"I advised against it for Miss Dylan, Akito," Hatori interrupted Shigure smoothly, shooting him a look that plainly said to let the doctor handle things. "Considering what has recently happened, I believed it to be detrimental to her health. And there is no reason for you to exert yourself over her, Akito, not with you so sick."
"Cold as snow as usual, Hatori," Akito said quietly, and Shigure couldn't figure out if the head of the house was pleased or angered. At his next words, the Dog decided he was angry. "And what excuse have you brought for that monster this time?"
"None, Akito," Hatori said calmly, and Akito made a noise in his throat.
"So…Yuki and the others rotate around Miss Honda, while that monster and Hatsuharu revolve around Miss Dylan," Akito said thoughtfully, breaking a tense silence. "It appears that the Ox has found a new god to worship – first it was Izumi, then myself once more, and now this girl."
Hatori and Shigure decided to remain silent as Akito continued to talk to himself quietly, ignoring their presence. They exchanged concerned glances, and Hatori shook his head slightly.
"What was that about?" Shigure asked, once they were away from Akito. "I've never seen him like that. He didn't seem all there today."
"He really is getting worse this time," Hatori told him emotionlessly.
"Cold as snow…"
"Akito appears to be losing his mind, to put it bluntly," the doctor continued. "His hold on the Zodiac curse appears to be slipping for some reason as well."
"Could it be because Tohru is here?" Shigure wondered, and then frowned in concentration. "No…he wouldn't be that stupid."
"I'm sure Tohru has something to do with it," Hatori interrupted his cousin's musings. "However, I have the feeling that if Kyo breaks his self-inflicted cage, perhaps…"
"Don't tell the others," Shigure cautioned him, and Hatori cocked an eyebrow at him, as if offended that the Dog had implied he would.
"It's really coming down," Haru commented, as the younger Zodiac members and Tohru gazed outside at the night sky. "Looks like this one will make up for the lack of snow before."
"Do you think Kyo and Chloe will be all right?" Tohru asked worriedly, and Kisa frowned as well. Yuki shrugged, and Ritsu smiled cheerfully.
"I'm sure they will, Tohru," he assured her. Since the last time he had met Tohru, the Monkey had grown much more self-confident, and hardly ever felt the need to dress like a woman.
"Where's Kureno and Rin?" Momiji noticed suddenly, and Kagura looked up from the stuffed-cat backpack she was sewing. Ayame had gone off with Shigure and Hatori earlier that evening, but Ritsu had opted to hang around with his younger cousins.
"I don't know…" Yuki said, and paused, and exchanged a glance with Haru. "I'm sure Kureno's with Akito, as usual."
"That Rooster's a puppet," Hiro snorted, and Kisa merely looked up at Tohru.
"I wish you could make soba noodles this," she said, and Tohru suddenly smiled brightly.
"Oh, but I can!" she told them. "I'm allowed use of the kitchen, as long as someone's with me," she added, and Kisa smiled happily.
"Looks like it's still snowing," Kyo mentioned early the next morning. Chloe, wearing a dark-blue robe over dark-blue pajama flannel pants with a cream-colored flannel shirt, looked up from out of the refrigerator.
"Guess you were right," she agreed, and returned to rummaging around. The two hadn't been able to sleep much, and the tension had only grown more through the night.
"Wonder if it'll ever stop?" he wondered, wearing black pajama bottoms and a white T-shirt. He stretched lazily, and shuffled off to the kotatsu to warm up. Chloe glanced back for a moment, and then triumphantly pulled out a carton of eggs. Digging around for a frying pan, she sighed in frustration when she couldn't find it.
"Need some help?" Kyo asked, striding back into the room. She looked up – since the first time they had met, he had grown even more, placing her just above his collarbone.
"That'd be nice," she said stiffly, suddenly uncomfortable at how close the Cat had become. He immediately backed off, hearing her tone, and crouched in front of the cabinet. After a few moments of loud bangs and some swearing, he finally emerged, holding the pan aloft.
"I'll make breakfast, since you made dinner," he offered, reaching to take the eggs from her. She paused, and then handed them to him with a shrug.
"Sounds good to me," she agreed, and backed away as he moved toward the stove. Silence reigned supreme while he cooked the eggs. When he finished, and had slid them onto plates for them, she followed him into the other room, and they crawled underneath the kotatsu.
"Know what today is?" she asked suddenly, and he looked up from his empty plate expectantly. "Christmas. What a day."
"Yeah," Kyo nodded absently. Having never celebrated the holiday before, it didn't mean much to him, but he could tell it was important to her. "Hey, Chloe?"
"What?" she asked, her gaze snapping to him instantly. He was taken aback for a moment, and then regained his composure.
"I'm not…you don't…I mean…" he stammered, and then slammed his fist on the table angrily, making her jump. "Damn it! I'm not mad at you, and you don't disgust me! It's not your fault – it's that damn bastard's," he added grumpily, turning red. "I don't despise you, either. I just…I should have been there. I shouldn't have left you alone."
"Kyo…" Chloe said, her eyes expressing her surprise. "Kyo, I never blamed you for any of it."
"I know – it only made it worse," he grumbled, afraid to look her in the face. "Knowing you weren't angry at me…at any of us, it seemed. It made me feel worse…"
"I felt ashamed," she said quietly, and he glanced up to catch the words. She was looking at the floor, her eyes shining from unshed tears. "I felt like…like he had dirtied me, that I wasn't good enough for you. That I had somehow let you down."
"Chloe, you…" Kyo began, but she jumped up and rushed out of the room. He stared at the wall for a long time, unable to think of anything to say or do, and finally decided to bring the dishes in the kitchen, where he remained for some time after that.
The snow was still falling outside.
Two days had passed since that fateful conversation, and Kyo and Chloe had barely spoken to each other since then.
"It's still snowing," Chloe sighed, and Kyo looked at her expectantly. She didn't say anything else though, and returned to her book. Kyo suppressed his words, and resumed reading his own book as well. After a few moments, she glanced at the Cat, and opened her mouth. When nothing came out, she closed it again with a faint mutter, and frowned into her lap.
Kyo, more alert than he appeared, had caught her movements, and was left to ponder what they meant, sneaking glances at her while he thought.
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked later that day, peering into the room as he passed by. Chloe was sitting near the window, staring out into space.
Starting, she turned around, and sighed.
"You surprised me," she said, and turned back to the window. "I was zoned out…I dunno, I was just thinking about stuff."
"Oh," Kyo paused, and then moved to sit next to her. When she didn't move, he took that for consent, and propped his head on his bent knees. "What kind of stuff? It must be depressing, judging from your face," he added, but wondering if she was thinking about that night as well.
"Just homesick, I guess," Chloe shrugged, and wrapped her arms around her own bent knees. Rocking back a little, she glanced at him briefly before looking back out the window. "I haven't seen snow like this for a long time, ever since I was little."
"Really?" he watched her, and she nodded. Waiting for her to continue, relieved she was finally talking to him again, the Cat stretched out as she thought.
"Yeah…it was a really big snowstorm. All the power went out, and mom and dad went out for Chinese food," she giggled a little, before continuing. "It was ridiculous – we lived out in the country, and we didn't get power back until the next evening. I had to dress for school in the dark, using these little candles mom had bought for decoration. It was a mess."
"Sounds fun," he commented, staring up the ceiling, laying on his back. He shifted uncomfortably, and scooted to s sitting position once more. Chloe turned to him, and then suddenly began to rub her hand behind his head, just behind his ear.
Kyo began to ask what the hell she was doing, and then saw that she wasn't even looking at him – and realized that he was purring again.
"She's doing it as a habit," he realized in surprise. "It's like petting a cat for her – I don't get her."
"Oh, sorry!" Chloe suddenly realized what she was doing and pulled her hand back, flushing. Kyo grabbed her wrist before she could put it in her lap, and smiled gently down at her.
"It's okay," he assured her, and placed her hand in its previous position. "I liked it, to be honest. You certainly have a way with cats, that's for sure. It's probably why I like you so much."
She gazed at him in surprise, and then slowly began to rub again, their gazed locked – red eyes meeting green ones in a mixture of emotions. A low purring began in the back of Kyo's throat, and she suddenly smiled happily.
"I still think it's funny," she commented, and he blinked.
"What? I'm the Cat, after all," he shrugged, and moved slightly closer to her. When she didn't back off, he continued to scoot over until their sides were touching. "She trusts me," he realized with astonishment, looking down at the apparently at-ease young woman at his side. "After all she's been through, and her experiences…she trusts me."
This revelation seemed to break something inside the Cat, and thoughts began to flash through his mind, leaving as quickly as they came.
"…you are a monster, and you're not capable of love."
"It's not fair to lock someone else in a cage with you, Kyo."
"…but what if that someone is already in a cage to begin with?"
"And what if I love someone who's in a cage like mine?"
"And what if I love someone…"
"…someone…"
"…I love…"
"I'll never love anyone…no one could love me like this."
"You're filthy…you're not fit to be loved by anyone but me."
"He deserves someone better…someone whole…"
"I thought I said you could talk to me."
"Talk to you…"
"…won't let…anyone hurt you…"
"…protect me?…"
Chloe realized something had changed about his demeanor just as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers gently. Gasping slightly, she dropped her hand to her side, but his arm wrapped around her snugly and pulled her to him.
Expecting a transformation, and prepared to face it for the brief moment he would have feeling her body against his, Kyo almost passed out when none came. Instead, he found a slowly-panicking Chloe pulled to his chest, looking up at him in both fright and confusion.
"I…you…poof…" he stammered, letting her go. She leaned back slowly, and ran her hand down his arm lightly.
"Kyo, how could you not transform?" Chloe asked. The Cat only shook his head in shock, unable to form coherent thoughts. Suddenly, Chloe leaned in again and wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheek pressing against his breastbone. He stiffened in anticipation once more, but again – no transformation.
"This isn't possible…" he murmured, in a daze. "The curse…"
Kyo slowly relaxed as he grew used to the feel of a female body against him, and his arms gently held her to him, and he rested his forehead on her hair, enjoying every touch.
Chloe shifted closer to him, and closed her eyes. She had never had any contact with anyone like this, and the idea that it was just this exhilarated her. Smiling, she sat up and kissed him lightly, and didn't pull back this time when he responded to her touch. Kyo embraced her tightly, finding strength in their new-found freedom.
"A cage…locked in a cage until I die…have I broken it?" he wondered, as she settled in his lap. "Is it gone? Can I love her without fear?"
"Akito!" Kureno cried, as the Zodiac god suddenly slouched over in his chair, gasping for breath. Turning to an attendant, he supported Akito as the Rooster yelled at the woman. "Go get Hatori, you stupid bitch! Hurry up!"
"Kureno…the curse…" Akito gasped, and the young man quickly hushed him.
"What happened?" Hatori asked briskly, examining Akito minutes later. Shigure stood near the door, looking faintly amused, while Kureno had resumed his usual stoic expression.
"He suddenly slumped over, gasping," Kureno explained. Hatori pursed his lips in thought, and then turned to the other cursed Sohmas.
"I can find no plausible cause for Akito's collapse," he said finally. "I'm not sure if there's anything I can do. He's suddenly extremely weak, and I doubt he can survive whatever attack this is."
"Anything going around in that mind of yours, Dragon?" Kureno demanded, as Hatori finished. The Dragon eyed the Rooster with a suddenly cold stare, and Kureno drew back slightly.
"I believe that Akito's hold as God of the Zodiac has been broken."
"Kyo…" Shigure thought, striding quickly out of the room so no one would see his smile of delight. "I knew that Cat could do it. He and that girl both…they broke the curse by breaking free of their cages. That's what the curse was…a cage to lock us away from the world."
"What's the matter, Kyo?" Chloe asked a little later, looking up. He shook his head, and shrugged, leaning against the wall.
"I just got this weird feeling all of a sudden," he told her. She leaned her head back onto his chest, and her fingers strayed to his beads. He stiffened up a little again, but she ignored him. "Chloe…don't…"
"Don't take them off?" she finished quietly, looking at the beads as if they fascinated her. "Is that what you were going to say, Kyo? I promise…no matter what happens…I love you."
"Chloe…I love you too," Kyo said finally, as she pulled the bracelet off. He closed his eyes, expecting any moment to transform into the hideous creature that not even his mother could love – and blinked them open again to see Chloe gazing at him with a smile.
"It's gone," she said slowly, both their minds reeling from the idea. Kyo was unable to speak, or even move – the idea of a life without being cursed with the spirit of the Cat was something he had never even dared to dream about, and the reality of his situation was almost too much for him to handle.
Chloe froze as well, pieces coming together in her mind. Here was a boy who had just said he loved her…and his curse was somehow gone. She felt freer than she ever had before since she had met Derek – free to love without fear, and live without pain.
She squeezed him again, and knocked him on his back. He grunted as she landed on top of him, and she gazed down at him as she began to laugh at his expression. Staring up at Chloe, Kyo suddenly pulled her to him once more, and cut off her laughs at his expense with his lips. His hands roamed further down her body, and he expected her to pull back in fright.
To her surprise, Chloe realized that she felt safe in Kyo's arms, and wasn't the least bit afraid of him. Relaxing into him, she moaned softly as his hands slipped underneath her shirt, going back up toward her breasts. After he had undone the clasp, he pulled her shirt over her head, and turned her onto her back. Letting her pull his own shirt off, Kyo used one hand to unbuckle his pants as the other slid up her skirt. As he reached her sensitive area, Chloe gasped – although she was obviously no virgin, the Cat's touch sent feelings through her that she had never felt before. Seeing him fumble, she helped him undo his pants, at the same time crying his name softly as his hand pulled her underwear away, and rubbed into her.
Feeling her arch into him, Kyo finally freed himself from his pants and underwear, and tugged her skirt off. Taking in the sight of her naked body, he rubbed his lips against her neck, breathing in her scent.
"You're beautiful," he whispered. "You're beautiful, and perfect, and I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you ever again. I'll protect you from now…you're mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine…"
As he repeated the word against her skin, Chloe felt his desire swelling against her, and his light touches left her aching for more.
"Kyo…" she said quietly, her moans intensifying. "Kyo, please…I want you."
Those three simple words sent any last restrictions Kyo may have had out of his head, and he plunged into her, pumping hungrily. She shrieked in pleasure, her rhythm matching his increasing pace perfectly.
Outside, the snow slowly settled to a stop, and the world lay covered in a blanket of white. The sky was once more visible, revealing bright stars almost overshadowed by an even brighter moon.
Ah...I think Akito haters will love the next chapter...and those who like him - don't read! Stop here! Please review - and if you want a reply, please sign in so I can.