Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but I sure wish I did.
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:last chapter…:
"…K—Kyo…please, come home with me. It's…it's where you…" Yuki swayed on his feet, unable to balance himself anymore, "belong." He plummeted down towards the rock floor, hitting it with a dull thud.
/Yuki? What the f#!/
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Immediately Kyo went into action, springing forward to help the young rat. Kneeling beside him, Kyo checked for a pulse, and then his temperature.
/Oh shit, Yuki, why'd you do this/
Yuki's clothes were soaked, as well as torn to shreds by the unforgiving woodlands. Kyo gently picked up the nezumi and placed him by the roaring fire. One look at Yuki told him that he would be getting a fever if he didn't work quickly. Kyo peeled off the black sweater and threw it to the side. Then he smiled wryly.
/Not exactly how I pictured the first time undressing you would be, but I suppose that doesn't matter right now. Right Yuki-kun/
Kyo moved to the black pants, also skin-tight now, and difficult to get off Yuki. Kyo was trying extremely hard not to touch him, in case Yuki woke up and thought something. The pants, too, were discarded. Reaching for the blanket, Kyo wrapped it around Yuki and then removed his boxers, not wanting himself to get so flustered that he wouldn't be able to do anything.
Kyo took off his shirt and folded it up, placing it under Yuki's head as a makeshift pillow. (A/N, yes, I know that previously Kyo didn't have a shirt. Lets just pretend that he put one on somewhere along the line.) He sat there for a long time, just watching Yuki sleep. It occurred to him that if it weren't for all the adults saying that the cat and rat were supposed to hate each other, him and Yuki may have been friends. Good friends. There had been a time, when they were still young, that the two played together. Until Akito put a stop to it.
Akito. It all came back around to Akito. Akito did not allow for Kyo to make friends. Akito would not stand for Kyo to love Yuki. Akito wanted Kyo locked up. Akito controlled everyone in the family.
So, wouldn't that mean that if Akito weren't alive, that everyone would accept him again?
/No, they would still remember.../ Kyo sighed. It was a vicious cycle that would never be broken, that could never be broken.
/As long as someone in the family remains, that remembers the way things should be, nothing will change/
Nothing would ever change. Or could it change? Kyo didn't know. He knew that he wouldn't be able to make anything happen. But he also knew that Tohru was special. She may be able to change things.
The glow of the fire played across Yuki's hair and face, making his skin glow and his hair seem to move. It was an illusion, but Kyo liked it all the same. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a bag. Confusion flitted across his face until he realized that Yuki must have been carrying it. Without hesitation he stood up and walked towards the bag, bringing it back towards the fire.
Why on Earth would Yuki bring this huge bag full of stuff…that pack rat must have brought the whole house with him.
But Kyo found that Yuki had actually been quite sensible. He had brought food that wouldn't go bad, and bottled water, as well as blankets and extra clothes, something that Kyo had not thought of. In the side pockets there were matches, toothpaste and two toothbrushes, wool hats, bandages, and a wallet filled with money. Kyo felt stupid, knowing that he had thought of none of that. He had just wanted to leave. But he hadn't thought of the necessities. It made him feel very foolish to be upstaged by the rat again.
But a second thought formed in his head as well. Judging by the sheer amount of what Yuki had packed, it seemed that he wasn't planning on returning until he had found Kyo.
Kyo blushed. Yuki had been thinking of him?
…K—Kyo…please, come home with me. It's…it's where you…belong…
/Was that really what he meant? Or was it just ramblings before he lost consciousness…it was probably that. He wouldn't think that me, the cat, belonged with him. It's not the way he was brought up. He must have been hallucinating. Or thinking of Tohru. Yup, that's gotta be it
/Are you sure? How can you know for sure until you ask him? Don't just give up right away, you're the cat! Be stubborn! Be loud! You're the obnoxious one that breaks all the rules! So start following your description you pansy!/
Kyo didn't know what to think, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from taking care of Yuki. And plus, he couldn't believe he had just called himself a pansy. If it were anyone else, he would have knocked them out.
"Maybe I am being a pansy. I'm just a damn scaredy cat, cowering in a corner waiting for bad things to happen to me. And when I'm not doing that, I'm either running away or feeling sorry for myself. Not anymore though. I'll go back to Shigure's house and face up to that damn Akito."
/Maybe.../
Kyo laid out Yuki's clothes by the fire, snickering when he saw that Yuki wore boxers with little cartoon tabby-cats on them. He sat on a large rock, stretching out on it and watching the scene outside. The rain had calmed down a bit, leaving a clear view of the forest. Water dripped from leaves high up on trees, and the grass sparkled with droplets of the pure water. The entire forest was still and awaiting for the rain to finally die out. Even though it was putting up a good struggle. Kyo lay down, resting his head in the crook of his arm and letting his eyes droop a little. All the rain and dreary weather had sapped him of his energy, and all he wanted was to fall asleep. He was just drifting off when he heard a bird chirping, and it slammed him hard back to reality. He sat up straight, jumping off the rock and checking to see if Yuki's clothes were still damp.
"Well, at least I learned something from Tohru…" Kyo yawned widely, folding the last of Yuki's now-dry clothes. Not that they would be much use anyways, they were torn, muddy and blood-stained.
/Wait…blood? Fuck Kyo instantly forgot about his tiredness, and his oncoming headache, and rushed towards Yuki's sleeping body.
"Yuki! Yuki wake up you jerk! Wake up!" Kyo shook Yuki violently until he cracked open one eye and looked up. Kyo breathed a sigh of relief, dropping his hands to his side and tilting his head back.
"Kyo, wha--?" Yuki attempted to speak, but Kyo effectively cut him off by clamping his hand over Yuki's mouth.
"Where are you hurt?" Kyo asked abruptly. He pulled the blanket off Yuki and ran his eyes down his body, looking at the wounds and getting more and more angry with himself. By now Yuki was protesting quite loudly, realizing that he was naked.
"Would you stop being so fussy so that I can put some clothes on!"
"Yeah, as soon as you stop refusing my help and let me bandage that cut!" Kyo yelled back, grabbing the dressings and the water out of the bag.
"Stop now! At least let me get some clothes on," Yuki complained. Kyo glared at the rat, and Yuki glared right back. Violet eyes clashed with angry red ones. Kyo felt drawn to Yuki's eyes, which could be so cold, but hold so much emotion and depth when he let go of his polite exterior.
"Fine," Kyo muttered, backing down. He handed Yuki his kitty boxers, and turned away as a beet red Yuki pulled them on. When he turned around Yuki was lying back down patiently.
"Ok…now if you'd stop struggling then I can put on the bandages."
"Fine with me."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"…" Yuki stared at Kyo as he took out the water and dampened the end corner of the blanket.
"Quiddit," Spluttered Kyo, shakily putting the cap back on the water. Yuki looked away again, and Kyo silently cursed himself for being an idiot.
There was an awkward silence, where both Kyo and Yuki said nothing, they barely even breathed. Kyo cleaned Yuki's cuts and bandaged them, and Yuki stared off into space, coming in and out of consciousness. Kyo tried to busy himself with Yuki's bandages, thinking about everything from where to go after taking Yuki home to other, more interesting, things he could do with Yuki and the dressings…
"Kyo," Yuki spoke, breaking the spell of silence that had somehow weaved itself into the fabrics of Kyo's mind.
"Yeah," he said, not looking up from his task.
"I just, I just have a few questions." Yuki reached out and tilted Kyo's head up to look him in the face. He noticed that Kyo looked startled. He wondered how many other facial expressions the cat had that he had always missed, other then anger and stubbornness.
"Well, spit it out then," Kyo said. It was Yuki's turn to be surprised, he had been expecting anger or frustration to be in Kyo's voice, but instead it sounded…tired. Tired and weary and maybe a little afraid of what Yuki would ask of him.
Smiling sadly at what they had become, Yuki said, "Why did you leave, Kyo? I just don't understand…"
/It's Miss. Honda. He's in love with her, I know it. I've known it all along, but…maybe just this once I was hoping that he…that he…/
/That he would pay attention to you?/
"Why not? I hate it there anyway," Kyo spat out, looking away, suddenly finding the floor extremely interesting.
"…Do you Kyo? I guess it is right to assume then, that you hate it at Shigure's, and you hate everyone that lives there? That you hate the entire Sohma family, the curse, and anyone involved?" Yuki was surprised to hear a touch of bitterness enter his voice. It wasn't fair that he had to feel all this for Kyo when the boy so obviously didn't feel the same.
Kyo took a deep breath and paused, as if struggling with something. And then he said, "No. You assume too much you know. If you just looked at the big picture, Yuki-kun, maybe you would understand more. It's not you that I hate, as you implied. It's," he stopped, standing up and beginning to pace, "it's nothing," he finished.
Yuki noticed everything about the cat then, his posture, his voice, his side profile, but most of all the sadness that was in his eyes, masked by his look of anger. Sure, the anger showed on his face, but it was only now that Yuki realized the falseness in it, the huge façade. It puzzled him for a moment, as he tried to piece it together. So then, maybe…maybe he had been right in his earlier thinking. Did the cat have feelings for him too?
/Only one way to find out for sure…/
Since Kyo's back was to him, he didn't realize Yuki standing up gracelessly behind him.
"Any other questions," Kyo asked leaning against the side of the cave with a sigh.
"Yes, actually," whispered Yuki, standing only a few feet away from the redhead neko. Kyo spun around to face Yuki, who took the opportunity to close the space between them and tilt his head towards Kyo's, pressing his lips against his own.
Everything was still. Kyo didn't make a single move, he completely froze up, and Yuki found himself thinking that he had made a colossal mistake. To just assume that Kyo may have had an interest in him was completely absurd, now that he thought about it. Just as he was about to pull away and wish he could melt into the ground, Kyo wrapped his arms around Yuki's waist and parted his lips slightly. Yuki took that as an invitation and slipped his tongue in, gleefully thinking that he had been right, after all. And for a moment time stopped for the two, as they lost themselves in each other's arms.
Perfection was broken though, when they heard the sounds of shouting voices.
Yuki pulled away first, whirling around and running to the mouth of the cave to cautiously peer out. Kyo came up behind him and looked out as well. Down in the clearing that Yuki had fallen into stood Shigure and Hatori, examining a black umbrella.
"Shit," Yuki swore. Kyo looked in disbelief at the grey haired boy, who rarely, if ever, swore.
"What? Did I just hear Prince Yuki…swear?" Kyo said in mock surprise, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Gasp, I'm shocked and appalled Yuki. I expected better."
"Shut up Kyo, we need to be serious. They've found my umbrella, and that means they'll be looking for both me, and you."
Kyo paled and became considerably more sombre. "What should I do?" he whispered.
"Well, getting out of here would be a good start." Yuki said, turning to go grab the bags. He stumbled and Kyo caught him.
"Careful, or you'll end up with worse injuries then what you have. We need to get you to a hospital. You're not well."
"I'll be fine for now. Right now lets get out of here."
"Wait, lets? You can't come with me, you need medical attention. Hatori's best at that kind of stuff," Kyo said, an alarmed look on his face.
"Kyo, if I go back then Akito won't be happy. He'll be angry that I came looking for you. He'll hunt you down Kyo, and he'll lock you up."
"I didn't want to drag you into this…" Kyo muttered, running a hand through his devilished hair.
"Too late for that Kyo, you dragged me into this the moment you moved in, the moment I realized that I…that I can't live without you."
Silence once again took over the cave, and Kyo looked at Yuki in a new light.
"I—Yuki, you know I—"
"I know. Lets stop wasting time and leave." Yuki said, grabbing the blanket off the floor and stuffing it into his already bursting bag. Kyo tied his bundle up neatly and handed it to Yuki, taking the larger bag from him and hoisting it up on his shoulders.
"Ok, lets get the hell outta here." Kyo said, glancing out to the clearing again.
Akito had arrived with Kureno, gesturing wildly to Hatori and Shigure. When Shigure merely shrugged and smiled, Akito looked furious, lashing out at Shigure and knocking him to the ground. This was incentive enough to get Yuki moving, who quickly moved Kyo out of view from the clearing.
"How are we getting out…It's just not possible." Yuki felt himself falling into hopelessness, shaking his head slowly.
"There's always a way…" Kyo muttered, pulling Yuki with him into the shadows beside the entrance to the cave. Yuki watched as Shigure, Hatori, Kureno and Akito climbed a rocky path up to the cave.
/I couldn't have just found the road, now could I? No, I had to climb/
"Get ready," Kyo whispered to him. Yuki tensed up, unsure of what he was to do. The four walked into the cave and moved to the centre of the room, looking at the ashes from the fire. Kyo made no sound, but pulled Yuki with him out of the cave and down the winding path. All right behind their backs. Yuki was amazed that he had managed to do it so quietly. Kyo was a natural; he made hardly a sound when he moved.
"Oh god," Yuki whispered faintly after they were a safe distance away from the cave.
"Scared?" Kyo asked him, stopping at a stream to clean up. Yuki did the same.
"A little…" Yuki admitted.
Kyo looked up at him and smiled a rare smile. "Me too," he confided. "Akito scares the hell out of me, even when he doesn't realize I'm there."
Yuki felt better knowing that he wasn't the only one who was afraid. He looked at his reflection. His face was finally clean, and his hair was at least leaf-free now, although still a bit dirty. Yuki pulled out his change of clothes, glad for once that he always over-packed, and pulled on a white Japanese style shirt and black dress pants. He let out a sigh; at least he didn't look like he had spent half the night rolling around in the mud now. His arm throbbed at him painfully, and his legs threatened to give out on him. His heart was still hammering in his chest from the close call before, not to mention the kiss that he had shared with Kyo…
Yuki snuck a look over at his cousin, who was sitting cross-legged and batting his hands at the fish swimming down the river, cat ears peeking out through orange hair and an irritated look on his face. Altogether it was an adorable scene. Yuki was admiring the lean muscle of Kyo when a shadow loomed over him. He was confused as to who would be wandering around the woods, and slowly he began to turn around. His eyes widened in shock and the person finally spoke, in an ominous tone.
"Yuki. Kyo." it said sternly. Yuki gulped and faced his impending doom.
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Ah, no more authors notes are allowed…So I'll just say that I hope everyone had a great New Years. I'll try to respond to all the reviews I get. But, I'm so lazy sometimes… XD