A/N: I'm back with chapter two! I know you're all just overjoyed at my quick turn around. I'm really loving this story, so I intend to finish it out. And anyone that knows me is probably looking on in disbelief because I haven't yet finished a story. XD But this story's coming along well, so fear not! Be happy! There's lovely, lovely shounen-ai love in this chapter! Rejoice!
A/N: I got reviews! Many thanks to Ryu Meijin, flyingdaggers, ShadowCat17, Miko-Catlover, and xxmoonlight-angelxx. Keep reading, yo! XD And yes, I'm aware that characters tend to disappear. And then reappear. Poor Haru. XDD
DISCLAIMER: Once again, I own nothing. Nothing at all. Certainly not Fruits Basket!
Title: You Should've Known Better
Author: Kumoneko
Pairing: Yuki x Kyo
Chapter 02: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
"Aaya!" Shigure jumped to his feet and literally skipped to the door to let in the silver-haired Snake, clad in a robe long enough to hide his feet. The silver frogs contrasted sharply with the inky black material, fastened from head to toe and giving him a look more princely than the casually dressed Yuki. A comparison of the two would confirm who really deserved the title of "Prince", though the Kaibara High School females would hardly admit the truth..
Kyo and Hatsuharu exchanged sickened glances, which seemed to please Shigure immensely. Ayame swept regally into the room and immediately coiled his arms around Yuki's neck. "Yuki! Dear little brother! I trust you are well?" he inquired, purring into his sibling's ear.
A scowl on his face, Yuki stared down at his food, though Ayame's tight grasp was burrowing uncomfortably into his windpipe. The presence of his over-confident brother was grinding his nerves. With something fresh to confuse him, the last thing he needed was interference of the Ayame kind. A deep sigh to his left stole his attention away from the shougayaki on his plate and he glanced up curiously. Kyo's fists slammed down hard on the wooden table, and the orange-headed Cat drew himself up to a standing position.
"That's it. Since he's here I'm going to bed." Kyo looked around at everyone present, but skimmed over Yuki before he could make eye contact. "So don't wake me up!" Yuki watched Kyo turn and retreat to the steps, his violet eyes wide, as if in distress.
("Who cares if he leaves? ..Right? Let him sleep. Alone.") He thought dismissively, picking up his chopsticks again and disturbing the pieces of meat. Yuki watched Haru toy with his bracelets, bored and uninterested in Kyo's departure. When had he started caring about being away from Kyo?
"Kyo-kun!" Tohru's feminine voice pierced his thoughts, and he watched as she stood at the bottom of the stairs, draped over the banister as she clutched the hem of Kyo's shirt. "Please stay Kyo-kun! It's so early and we can all have so much fun together!" Kyo tried to regain control of his own hem, reaching down to steal it away from Tohru and flinching as he inadvertently brushed his fingers against her hand. He tore his hand away as if he'd set it down on a hot surface, and looked up with an expression of worry. Yuki froze as he found himself peering into the cat-cursed's eyes, and Kyo looked off to the side, as if the carpet fibers deserved his precious attention more.
"Don't you want some sake, Kyonkichi?" Ayame waved the bottle of liquor enticingly, the sloshing of the liquid in side plainly audible. A devious smirk creased the Snake's countenance, and even the way his silver hair fell across his face suggested he had an ulterior motive. Kyo, in his state of embarrassment, missed the signs of "danger" and considered whether his appreciation of the taste of sake could overpower his intense disliking of Ayame.
Tohru, still clinging desperately to Kyo's shirt, peered over her shoulder at Shigure. "You'd let us have sake, Shigure-san?" she asked, the worry shining in her large eyes mingling with her confusion. "Of course!" Shigure grinned, pouring himself some of the drink. "This is a vacation, isn't it? We should all have fun! Great, uproarious fun! I doubt Hatori-san would approve if he were here .. but he's not. So who cares?" Shigure smirked at Ayame, who shared his carefree nature. "..Besides, you're old enough now," he added dismissively, and passed the bottle to Ayame, who poured a generous serving for himself as well.
"In that case, to romance!" Ayame raised his cup in a toast and downed it quickly, one hand overturning the cup and the other attached to the arm that had Yuki in a headlock. On the stairs, Kyo's eyes lit up. His feelings would allow for a friendly competition. It was his nature, after all.
"I can't miss an opportunity to kick Yuki's ass in something!" Kyo exclaimed as he slid back into his place beside Haru. The Ox cocked a questioning eyebrow at him, and then accepted the bottle of sake from Ayame.
"I'll pass on that," Yuki said, raising a hand as Haruhatsu offered him a cup. The polite no-thank you was taken as a direct insult to the competitive feline, who slammed his fists down on the table for the second time in five minutes, "You'll pass! Are you a coward! I challenge you and you pass! You damn ra—"
"I'll challenge you," Haru said calmly, cutting Kyo's rant off before he decided to become truly vulgar. Kyo still hovered over his black and white head, and Haru took up the jug of sake again and set it down in front of the Cat, the liquor sloshing about vigorously due to its rough handling. "Sit down. Shut up. And start drinking." To punctuate his command he put away his entire cup of sake with one long gulp, a competitive fire burning in his eyes.
"I suggest you get on that Kyon-Kyon," said Ayame in a cautionary tone. "Before he goes Black on us. Heaven help us if he does.."
Two hours later the "game" portion of the drinking game was all but forgotten. Haru had lost his competitive edge to the soporific effects of the sake, and was now mid-face plant on the table. Ayame flitted about the Ox's form, whispering encouragement (or perhaps sweet nothings..) into his ear. "Ah, someday, someday Haru-chan," Shigure said, now quite plastered in his own right. "You'll be able to drink with the best of us." Ayame grinned at Shigure and set his cup down in a way that signaled the Dog to fill him up another.
On the opposite end of the table Tohru and Momiji sat together, neither one having indulged in the sake. Tohru sat in shock, taking in the sight of the severely drunken men around her. Only Yuki was sober, and he seemed to be brooding over something. Tohru lowered her head down to the table, her dark hair pooling all around her.
"Sleepy Tohru!" Momiji chirped, and quickly wound his arms around her. In a poof that had his clothing piling up on the floor, Momiji's blonde human form was replaced by a small rabbit with black ear tips, and in his smaller form he was able to crawl comfortably into the girl's arms, where he snuggled against her cheek in pure bliss.
"Mwahahahahah!" Kyo stood up, pumping his fists in the air as he swayed precariously on his feet. "It's over! Stupid, stupid cooooow!" he wailed, smacking the cow in question on the back. Haru flinched, but didn't make any move to do anything about it, simply staring up at him from his position on the table. "Hnnn.." Haru groaned, more because Ayame's weight was grinding his face into the wood than his apparent drunkenness.
Tired of watching the madness unfold around him, Yuki stood up with a sigh and jogged quickly to the staircase before anyone had the thought to stop him. Kyo ceased his insane laughter to watch him leave, and it was a few moments before he decided to follow him, the command taking awhile to register in his alcohol sodden mind.
On the roof of the house, Yuki reclined, watching the stars and inhaling the sharp scent of the salt air. The waves were crashing rhythmically on the beach, and he couldn't help but hum a tune to the irregular beat of the sea. It was so much more peaceful on the roof, away from the others and the pervading odor of the sake.
("What is with Kyo lately?") he thought, staring up at Orion's belt (1) as if he intended to interrogate the trio of stars. ("What's with me lately, for that matter?") he sighed, turning on his side and resting his head on one arm. Tears threatened to flow, tears of confusion, sadness, and loneliness. Tears no one would ever need to know that he shed. Everyone deserved a good cry once in awhile, just to clear away everything they liked to bottle up inside. Now seemed like as good a time as any, with everyone drunk below. No one would have the mind to come and search for him. But as the salty droplets hit the shingles he heard a door open, the noise from the living room increasing in its volume and then decrease again as the door closed.
Yuki sat up instantly, running the back of his hand over his eyes to dry them. No doubt his eyelashes were clumped together in moist spikes, his eyes red and his face flushed. He assumed it was Tohru, who he didn't quite mind seeing him in his state of vulnerability. He expected her feminine form and flowing hair to struggle up onto the roof from the balcony at any moment.
He certainly didn't expect Kyo to swing up onto the roof with his catlike grace and fiery hair shimmering in the moonlight, his skin glowing. "Yuuuki," he said, the sake obviously slurring his speech. "Kyo .. you shouldn't be up here. It's dangerous in your .. your .. condition." In truth Yuki had no concern for his safety. Somehow, despite how obviously plastered he was he was able to maintain his balance.
("It must be the Cat in him,") Yuki reasoned, running his fingers through his silvery hair nervously. He didn't realise that Kyo had bridged the gap between them until Yuki felt his hot breath on his face. "Yuki. So glad you're here," Kyo breathed, swaying slightly as he crouched down. "What are you talking about, baka," Yuki replied, looking away as if he didn't care about what Kyo had to say. "I said, I'm glad you're here. Alone now. Here." It was the last thing he said before he crashed into Yuki, and the Rat toppled over backwards with Kyo on his hands and knees above him.
Yuki blushed instantly, squeezing his eyes shut and chanting a silent mantra. He was convinced he was dreaming until he bravely opened his eyes again and Kyo was still looming over him. His orange hair was waving in the salty breeze, and the moon was doing a fine job of illuminating his eyes, however glazed they were. "Yuki, I.." Kyo breathed with surprising clarity, and then descended.
His body tensing immediately, Yuki's lips were drawn into an impenetrable line as they met Kyo's. With what seemed to be great patience and understanding, he licked at Yuki's lips gently, occasionally brushing his teeth against them ever so lightly. Yuki began to relax, his eyes sliding shut as he finally gave into the kiss. The taste of sake filled his mouth, and yet he didn't care as Kyo nibbled at his bottom lip teasingly. Yuki's hands shot up, one tangling in Kyo's hair and the other pressed into his back until Kyo lowered himself down completely. The pressure intensified the feeling, and Yuki instinctively arched his back as he moaned into Kyo's hot mouth. It was as if all his feelings were pouring out into that single kiss. He felt free, knowing that Kyo had finally reciprocated.
Kyo broke the kiss, and Yuki stared up at him, his violet eyes pained. The Cat studied his face, brushing silver strands away from his forehead. "I love you, Yuki-kun," he breathed quietly, before drawing Yuki into another kiss just as passionate as the first. Yuki's eyes were wide as he panted into Kyo's mouth, feeling the other's tongue exploring his – tentatively at first, and then with the boldness that exemplified Kyo.
("He .. loves me?") Yuki managed to squeeze out of his racing mind. All coherent thought ceased as Kyo began trailing hot kisses along his jaw, and he realised he had been so caught up in thought that he hardly noticed the kiss had been broken. Yuki's hand slid up under Kyo's shirt, and he was certain he was leaving scratches on his backas he clawed at the soft flesh. Kyo began working on his ear lobe, sucking and biting at it as his hands roamed over the rat-cursed's chest. Yuki arched up again, and this time his motion elicited a moan from Kyo as his hips rubbed against the Cat's. "I .. I love you too .. Kyo .. –kun.." he finally managed to choke out between ragged breaths.
Kyo ceased biting at his ear, kissing it gently and moving back to Yuki's mouth. He kissed him one more time, flicking his tongue againstYuki's teeth teasingly for good measure. With that he sat up, drawing Yuki up with him and still running his fingers through the silky silver hair. "I'm so glad," he said, smiling a crooked smile and yanking Yuki into a sudden, tight hug. Without another word he stood up and smiled, before turning and leaping back down onto the balcony.
Yuki was left alone and in shock. He caught his breath and clutched his chest, willing his pounding heart to slow its fluttering beats. He stared up at the sky again, feeling immensely relieved until a thought wormed its way into the forefront of his mind.
Kyo had been drunk. Plastered. Wasted. Completely..
Yuki felt a layer of sweat form on his brow, and wrapped his arms around his knees. All of it, the kisses, the confessions of love .. all of it could easily have been a product of his drunken stupor. Kyo considered him to be the bane of his existence, his greatest rival. There was no room for love in the midst of all that hate.
("What was I thinking? Tomorrow he'll wake up with a fierce hangover and be right back to hating me. I'll be right back to living in complete misery. Nothing will have changed. It probably doesn't mean anything at all..")
The tears threatened to flow again, and Yuki became angry. Angry at Kyo for getting so drunk and leading him on. Angry at himself for allowing himself to give in to his advances. Angry for confessing feelings he never intended to reveal.
And now he was doomed to suffer simply because of Kyo's fledgling alcoholism.
How he gave into it, he wasn't certain. He liked to consider himself a very logical person. And yet he was gullible enough to fall into the "trap". Stupid. How very stupid of him. He'd opened the "lid" and was now going to have to face the consequences.
Yuki buried his face in his knees and hugged them tight to his chest, praying for a miracle.
1) Can you see Orion's Belt in Japan? It's my favourite constellation.. O.o;
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Remember, review please! I love your feedback!