"Why am I doing this?", Kyo asked himself as he approached the main gate to the Sohma estate. It was not a place he enjoyed visiting, and Yuki was not a person he was very apt to wonder about, let alone check on. He could still see Tohru's forlorn expression when he had seen her the day before however, and he felt the time had come for him to do whatever he could for her.
"It still freaks me out how much he looks like Yuki", Kyo had said to her referring to Ichiro. Tohru smiled proudly at her son who lay on the floor in front of them kicking his legs and cooing happily. He did have a look of Yuki about him with his thick mop of hair, but it was brown, and his large eyes shown a brilliant blue like his mother's. "So what do you hear from the rat these days", Kyo asked half heartedly. He really didn't care about Yuki, but he was concerned about how Tohru was holding up as a single mom. In his mind Yuki had all but abandoned her, and deserved to be drawn and quartered for it. Tohru's smile faded. She looked at the floor a moment in silence. "Something has happened to him, I know it", she said quietly. Kyo didn't say anything. He just listened to her. "We've been writing to each other almost everyday, at least up until about one week ago", Tohru continued. "What happened?", Kyo asked starting to get annoyed. "Well, Yuki missed a few days. He didn't even reply to my letters, and when he finally wrote it was so short, there was almost nothing to it". Tohru looked at Kyo with huge, sad eyes, "and I haven't heard from him ever since". She was obviously distraught. "Well, maybe nothing's been going on", Kyo offered uncomfortably. He wasn't used to playing the sympathetic friend. "That never stopped him before", Tohru countered. "No, something has happened", she stated resolutely, and then she added quietly, and rather sadly, "I'm losing him".
Kyo crept in a side entrance hoping to not be detected. He just wanted to have a look around and find out for himself if it was true that Yuki had abandoned Tohru for Akito. He slipped past the entry way and headed down the corridor to the back half of the building where the living quarters were. He wasn't sure what he was hoping to find or even where to look. He just followed his instincts. It was late afternoon, and that part of the house was less inhabited by servants at this time of day- the cleaning having been completed long before- so he went unnoticed.
Up ahead, Kyo could hear voices chatting genially. He turned the corner to find Yuki, Haru, and Momichi sharing a light conversation. "Yeah, but I've been practicing. I think I could beat you now", Momichi challenged. "Not on your life", Yuki replied with a grin. Haru interjected, "gentlemen, I think this calls for a wager", he said egging them on. "Kyo!", Momichi exploded with surprise and delight. "What are you doing here?", he asked loudly. "SHHH!", Kyo hissed at him. "I wasn't exactly invited, and I'd just as soon not be found out". "Hey Kyo", Haru grinned, "you want to bet on who would win at ping-pong? I'm putting my money on Yuki, sorry Momichi", Haru offered. "Aw, come on!", Momichi protested, and the two of them started in on it again. While they debated, Kyo watched Yuki intently. He seemed OK- not like he was suffering or anything. This made Kyo do a slow boil, thinking about how Tohru worried about the rat. Yuki sensed Kyo's scrutiny of him, and looked at him wondering. As Yuki glanced at him Kyo had to admit there had been a change. There was something not right about the look in his eyes- like the light had been extinguished in them, and had been replaced by a pained resoluteness.
Kyo glared back at Yuki, but before he could comment a voice sounded from behind him. "Yuki", Akito called from across the hall. Yuki's smile immediately faded. He looked over at Akito expressionless, but went to her as commanded. Then Akito caught sight of the cat. "Kyo, what an unexpected surprise", she said coldly. Kyo didn't try to mask his dislike for her. He merely made eye contact with her as his acknowledgement that she had entered. Akito turned her attention to Yuki who was at her side now, rather than bothering with Kyo. She said something quietly to Yuki, to which he nodded dutifully, then she touched his cheek with her hand and gave him a kiss full on the lips. Through it all Yuki remained expressionless. As Akito turned to go she shot a suspicious look at Kyo one more time, and then exited.
Kyo was incredulous at what he had just seen, and now he was downright angry. Yuki returned to the three looking grim, and maybe slightly embarrassed, but he followed the directions Akito had given him. "Kyo, I need you to take this letter to Tohru for me", Yuki said sadly. He pulled the envelope from his pocket and held it out to him. Kyo turned on Yuki. "You lousy bastard! What do you think you're doing being all kissy-face with Akito?", he shouted and grabbed Yuki by the front of his shirt. "I told you I would come for you if you didn't treat Tohru right, and here I am!", he shouted. Kyo balled up his free hand and dove at Yuki fist first, but he pulled his punch at the last second because Yuki made no attempt to block it or to defend himself. He just stood there ready to accept the blow. This made Kyo even angrier. "What the hell? What is wrong with you?", he yelled exasperated. Yuki looked him straight in the eye with a morose expression. "What ever you've got to dish out, do it", Yuki said quietly. Kyo was frozen and speechless. "I deserve it, and more", Yuki added, and then walked away from them with his head down.
"What the hell?", Kyo tried to make sense of what just happened, but he wasn't understanding. He looked at Haru who was obviously annoyed with him, and at Momichi, who looked sorry and sad about something. "It's bad enough he has to deal with this without you coming in here like an idiot to save the day", Haru said bluntly. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?", Kyo said exasperated. Haru scowled, but was thoughtful a moment. "Not here", Haru he finally said in low tones, and beckoned for Kyo to follow. Momichi tagged along behind as they made their way to Haru's place where they could talk more openly.
"Let me get you some tea", Tohru offered excitedly when Kyo showed up at Shigure's house later that day. "It's still chilly out in the evening, you must be frozen", Tohru said chipperly as she brought the tea set to the table for him. Kyo looked rather uncomfortable, but he tried to make small talk. Shigure sat by reading the newspaper. "Where's the baby", Kyo asked. "Oh, he's asleep", Tohru smiled as she poured the tea. "I'd like a cup too, if you don't mind Tohru", Shigure peered over his newspaper amiably. "Of course", she said and was quick to serve it to him. Just then a cry sounded from the upstairs. "Oh", Tohru started, but Shigure stopped her. "I'll get him Tohru-kun", he said genially, "You just enjoy your visit with Kyo". He rose to go up the stairs. Kyo had noticed it before, but now it was jumping out at him how attentive Shigure seemed towards Ichiro. The idea of the dog being excited about a baby was amazing to him.
"Tell me", Tohru asked eagerly, "were you able to see Yuki?', Her eyes focused intently on him. Kyo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, yes", he paused, deciding how much to tell her. "How is he?", she interrupted. The look of concern on her face was almost more than Kyo could bear. "He's…alright", Kyo lied. He didn't want to disclose what he knew in that manner, but how? How could he tell her that Akito had won? Tohru sensed his discomfort. "Kyo", she began seriously, "something has happened, hasn't it. What is it?", she asked earnestly. Kyo sighed. "Akito found out about you and the baby", he let the words just tumble right out of his mouth. Tohru gasped and glanced furtively in the direction of the stairs where they could hear Shigure's voice descending as he cooed loudly to Ichiro. "You don't need to worry", Kyo continued, "She won't come for you two. Yuki made sure of that". He looked sympathetically into her eyes. Tohru continued to listen intently to his report, "but how…?", she asked without finishing her thought. "Yuki had to promise Akito something in return for your safety", Kyo looked nervously at her. "But what did he have to promise?" Tohru asked innocently, "what did she want?" Kyo looked at her with great seriousness. "Yuki", he said plainly, "she wanted him". Tohru blinked at Kyo trying to understand. Her brow knit together as she thought about it. "Here", he said, and he held the letter out to her. She recognized Yuki's perfect handwriting on the envelope. Toru opened the letter and eagerly absorbed its contents. Then her countenance fell. "Divorce?", she said incredulously. She turned her blue eyes to focus on Kyo. Her expression turned to hurt and disbelief as she stared at him. Tears welled up in her eyes. Kyo held her gaze, never flinching as she wrestled with the truth. "No", she protested quietly. "Yuki feels ashamed that he hasn't been able to protect you and the baby", Kyo said seriously. "So any contact with you has been very painful for him. He feels like he's betrayed you, and he's miserable", Kyo finished. Tohru sat looking at her hands which were folded in her lap for a time, saying nothing. Then with a shudder she suddenly drew herself up. Her gaze became strong and focused, and she looked at Kyo with determination. Kyo looked back at her with surprise as Tohru said firmly, "It's time for Yuki to come home".