I'd really like to thank all of my reviewers once again! I look forward to them just as much as you look forward to my chapters (hopefully, lol). I really like reading what you have to say!

A/N: I implied in my last chapter that Rin cheated on Haru with Shigure. This is just what I took from reading the manga,in French last year (before it came out in English) and I was very angry at Shigure for a loooong time, which is slightly reflected in my fanfiction. I'm starting to get over it…kinda.

Kyo couldn't stop punching the tree. After ten minutes, he had worn away the bark, and now the cat was slowly making an indentation into the soft wood underneath.

Shigure still hadn't come home, and he couldn't leave in case the dog did return.

Speckles of red began staining the white plant material as Kyo continued to bore into the tree with his fists. He ignored the pain as his knuckles scraped and bled. He remembered his training, trying to concentrate on form. The sun was just setting, and the cat was cast in shadows underneath his chosen punching post. He hated this shit. He didn't want to worry about anyone but himself, but he couldn't stop thinking about Haru.

Was Shigure telling him the truth about deciding to leave them alone?

As splinters of wood cut his hands, Kyo felt a rush of warm liquid over his skin. He had to keep this up and stay strong. He couldn't become weak. Pain was nothing…loss was nothing.

The cat didn't notice anyone come up the path until he heard a soft gasp right behind him. Without thought, he whirled and threw a punch in defense. Kyo's bloody knuckled stopped just short of Tohru's nose as he recognized her a split second before impact. His eyes widened, and he lowered his hand. Tohru's eyes followed it down in horror. She dropped the books she was carrying onto the grass.

"Kyo…" Her voice cracked. "Kyo, are you alright?" She reached into her pocket and brought out a pink handkerchief, offering it to him. "Please stop. You're hurting yourself." Tears collected in her eyes, and Kyo's face burned. This was the most they had spoken in a week.

"I was training," he said quietly, trying not to look at her.

"Oh." Tohru reluctantly put the handkerchief away and looked at her scattered books. "I shouldn't have snuck up and interrupted you. It's just that…" Tohru's shoulder's shook with silent tears, and Kyo wanted to hold her as she cried. But a cat wasn't much comfort, he thought disgusted, especially when he was the cause of her hurt.

With a loud sniff, Tohru bent down to gather her things. "I'll be inside," she whispered. "…I can make you something to eat. Yuki said Shigure would be going to the main house…he also said I should come back and keep you company because he had some more work to do."

"Yuki said…" Kyo wondered why the rat would send Tohru home to him.

"I'm so sorry, Kyo." Tohru picked up her last book and sprinted inside.

Even Tohru couldn't be that upset for interrupting him, and Kyo was confused as to why Tohru was so troubled. She had seen him dozens of times with worse wounds than some scrapes on the back of his hands. The cat had a habit of hurting himself while he fought.

So Kyo slowly followed the path Tohru had taken into the house. He stopped in the bathroom and washed the mess off his hands, wrapping them in cotton bandages. After a minute of indecision, he slowly made his way to the kitchen.

Maybe he had hurt Tohru by not talking to her for the past week. But he often got into foul moods and didn't talk for several days. Tohru knew him better than to take it personally, even though he was actually avoiding her this time. But…there was no way she could know that. Could she?

Kyo found Tohru bent over the rice cooker.

"Tohru?"

"Oh!" She jumped and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. "Hello, Kyo. I thought you might want some dinner. It'll be done soon." Her false bravado surprised the cat. Tohru was hiding something.

"Tohru." Kyo placed a bandaged hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. She looked straight at his chest. "Are…are you mad at me?" Kyo grimaced at the fact he had to ask such a childish question.

"No! I could never be mad at you!" Tohru finally looked up at him with intensity. "How could I be? You're the one who should be angry! And you are! And I'm so sorry!" Her lips began to tremble. "…I'm so sorry."

Kyo caught a tear with his thumb as he rubbed it over her cheek. "Why would I ever be mad at you?"

"You mean…you don't know?" Tohru searched his eyes. Her mouth formed a little 'o' before she put her hands over it in surprise. "I thought you knew, and that's why I didn't tell you! You seemed so sad the past week."

The cat flinched. "You are never the person who could make me depressed."

"Then…" Tohru whispered.

"Why…" Kyo began.

Both paused.

"I have something I need to tell you!" They said at the same time.

Tohru bowed quickly. "Oh, please go ahead. Don't let me interrupt you!"

"No, " Kyo countered. "You go first."

The girl looked up at him and decided he wasn't just trying to be polite. Tohru knew Kyo also had something to confess now. She smiled weakly and took his hand, leading the cat into the living room. Once there, they sat down at the table and Tohru became serious.

"Kyo," she began, faltering in her resolve. "Kyo…Yuki asked me to be his girlfriend a few days ago…and I said yes."

The cat wanted to yell in surprise, but nothing came out. He realized that maybe this wasn't so disturbing, and he remained quiet. Yuki and Tohru. Kyo tried not to think about what this relationship allowed the two to do together. He put a hand on his forehead.

"Kyo?...I'm really sorry I didn't tell you, but I thought you wouldn't mind…because…and, then I thought you knew about it and you were so furious, you couldn't even speak to me. So…today I told Yuki it was a mistake."

Kyo moved his palm from over his face and gaped at her.

"I told him I couldn't be his girlfriend if it hurt you so much….he told me to come talk to you and so here we are." She laughed lightly.

"You did that for me?"

Tohru looked down and blushed. "We have a very special friendship Kyo. I never want to hurt my friends."

The cat felt too many emotions at once. He hit the table with the side of his fist. "Tohru, I've been hiding something from you!" He paused as his anger fizzled. It was so much easier to say things when he was angry. "Haru and I are together," he whispered finally.

The two looked at each other.

"But," Tohru said. "But that's wonderful! I was hoping that would happen! I thought Haru liked you!" Tohru burst into smiles. "When he was here, he only looked at you, Kyo."

"…you…you don't have a problem with it?"

"Why would I ever have a problem with that? It's delightful! Did Yuki know?" She stopped and considered. "…how long?"

"A couple weeks," Kyo answered shamefacedly.

"Oh my!" Tohru put a hand to her mouth. "And I never congratulated Haru! I'm so rude! Can we invite him over? Can we double date!"

Kyo put his head down as Tohru buzzed with happiness. She didn't even mind that Kyo hadn't told her. After a few minutes of Tohru's planning, she fell silent and the cat looked at her again.

"Congratulations," she said with a huge smile.

"Right back at you," he smirked. "Yuki's one lucky bastard."

Tohru blushed. "Can I?" She reached a hand to him. Kyo rolled his eyes and opened his arms, allowing Tohru to hug him for a split second. Then, she happily scratched the cat's ears as he sat in her lap. Kyo purred in satisfaction.

"So, have things resolved themselves?" Yuki came in after a few minutes and placed a stack of books on the table. Kyo hopped off of Tohru, allowing her to jump up to greet the rat. The cat watched Yuki kiss her hand and gaze at her with the desire that both boys had felt for her at one time. Tohru blushed under the rat's attention and turned to Kyo.

"Everything is perfect," she beamed in answer to Yuki's question. "Oh! You're both here and I almost forgot about dinner!" She bounced into the kitchen, leaving the boys alone.

"Did you ask her before or after you found out about Haru and me?" the orange cat said from the floor.

Yuki looked down and smirked. "What do you think?"

"I think you waited," Kyo admitted.

The rat nodded and smiled. "I'll probably always hate you in some way, Kyo. But I'm not heartless." He sat down. "There's no reason both of us couldn't be happy, especially if it makes Tohru happy too. I told you she wouldn't mind. Quite the opposite, it seems."

Kyo let his silence stand for agreement, and Tohru came back in with food.

"So," she asked, "When can Haru join us for dinner?"

"Perhaps I should have talked to Hatsuharu," Hatori said slowly as he brought out some ice for Shigure's swollen cheek and sat down next to him on the porch outside his office.

The dog chuckled. "That probably would have been a better course, but I wanted to do it…I do like playing God, don't I?"

The dragon solemnly nodded and handed Shigure the cold plastic bag. "That should numb the pain and take the swelling down a bit. I have some herbs in the drawer for you to take too."

"Do you still think I'm beautiful?" Shigure asked dramatically, as Hatori rolled his eyes.

When Haru woke up, the sun had nearly gone down. The cow got up and sleepily staggered across the Sohma grounds towards Momiji's house. He passed Hatori's office and saw Shigure sitting on the porch with the doctor. Hatori was treating the dog's minor injuries. Hatsuharu stopped and wondered at the intimate moment between the two older men, then continued on his way. Shigure had deserved the punch.

Finally, he made it to the rabbit's home without getting lost. Haru congratulated himself on the feat and knocked at the door. Momiji answered it almost immediately.

"Oh, Haru! I'm sorry, but I was just on my way out."

"Out?"

"…to see Akito."

"Oh."

The rabbit realized Haru had something important to say and invited him inside. "I have a few minutes before he'll miss me. Besides, it's like I haven't seen you in forever…What's the matter?"

The two boys sat at the little kitchen table. Momiji waited for Haru's response, drumming his fingers on the wood.

"I said a few minutes," he sighed and Hatsuharu looked sadly at him.

"I punched Shigure."

"You what! Did you turn Black? What did he do?"

Hatsuharu tried to prepare himself to say what he had been hiding from his friend. Minutes dragged by and he started speaking quietly. "Kyo and I are together, Momiji. Shigure found out about it and tried to hold it over our heads."

"…you're together? Since when?"

"…a little more than two weeks." The cow looked away.

"And you never told me?...I thought we were better friends than that, Haru." The cow cringed at the pain in the rabbit's voice.

"I couldn't," he responded, "Kyo didn't want me to tell anyone. But since Shigure knew…"

"You thought it would be okay to tell old blabbermouth Momiji," the rabbit sighed.

"It's not like that."

"I know." Momiji leaned his head on the palm of his hand. "It's alright."

"You can't let Akito have any idea about it."

Momiji's head snapped up. "Is that why? You don't trust me because of Akito?"

"No, it's just that…"

"Haru, how could you think I'd ever let Akito know something like that?"

"But…"

Momiij sighed. "Well, I have to get going. Akito," he stressed, "is waiting for me."

"Momiji."

"Lock the door when you leave, please."

The rabbit left the cow at the table alone.

Momiji saw Akito waiting for him on the porch. He mentally berated himself for reacting so angrily to Haru. Things just seemed to be off with them lately; they didn't get along as well as they used to.

Akito turned his head and the rabbit waved, quickening his pace.

"Hello, Akito," Momiji said after quickly bowing. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"What kept you?" Akito said slowly.

"I was just talking to…Haru."

"I see." The family leader turned and brought out the book Momiji lent him. "This one wasn't as good as the others," he said frankly.

"I know. I didn't like it too much either." Momiji ran his hands over the cover and thought about Haru. He shouldn't have been so angry. Haru was the one who got angry.

"Momiji, what is the matter?"

The rabbit's head snapped up and he smiled. "Nothing! I just can't think of much else to say! I don't remember this book as well as the others. I didn't read it as many times."

"Momiji," Akito regarded him coolly, "Please don't lie to me. I don't care for it, especially since you're not very good at evading."

The rabbit flustered. "Really!" He put his hands up.

"Is something wrong between you and Hatsuharu?"

Momiji froze. Had he been that transparent?

"Because," the leader continued, "I saw you two fighting last week. I'm very sorry if there is trouble. I know you're very close."

"Oh no. We're fine! Oh! I just remembered to tell you! The next Harry Potter book is the last new one out. After that, you'll have to wait awhile. The story isn't over or anything; she just hasn't finished it yet."

"Really."

"Yeah." Momiji caught his breath from his last rant and continued to draw Akito's attention away from their other topic of conversation. "So I thought I'd let you borrow the first book in the Dune series. It's a science fiction, but it's really good. There's a miniseries about it too…and an older movie, I think. After that, I'm not sure what we'll do." He laughed.

Akito leaned against the wall and stretched. "Go and talk to Haru if you want. I don't want you here against your will."

Momiji's heart raced. "What do you mean?"

"I wish that more of you would trust me, " Akito said lazily. "Then perhaps I wouldn't have to force my way on you. You don't want to be here and you obviously need to talk to him. Go."

"But..."

"Momiji, I believe I just gave you an order. Please follow it before I get angry." He lay down on the porch. "I'm tired anyway. That book took much longer to read than the others. I didn't get to sleep this afternoon."

"…okay." After a second, Momiji found his shoes and slipped them on. He hopped off the porch and looked back at the frail clan leader, who seemed to be sleeping. "Thank you, Akito," he whispered as he bowed a good-bye.

"One more thing, Momiji."

The rabbit turned around.

"Can I trust you to keep the information you gained about my…condition a secret?"

"All you have to do is ask. But can I ask, why you don't want others to know?"

"Momiji, no one likes to be pitied by every one."

"I don't…"

"Now go, before you can't find your friend."

Momiji nodded. Akito watched through nearly closed eyes as the rabbit walked away from him through the gardens. This was going well. He had been given an opportunity to gain some of the animal's trust. The leader loved the power that gave him.

What Akito tried not to think about was the fact that perhaps he been worried about Momiji. Plus, Akito's favor had been genuine, which meant that perhaps he somehow trusted the rabbit. He waved those thoughts away. He wanted control, not friendship. He had only asked Momiji a favor to emotionally blackmail the rabbit. He didn't actually have faith in the animal…

But, as Akito looked at the book Momiji left on the porch, he could only think of the rabbit's unguarded smile as he talked about unimportant things. The rabbit was so much like her, and that angered and excited Akito at the same time. Even their interests proved to be similar, and Akito shuddered as he realized how much he enjoyed the Momiji's company. It was so different from the brooding dragon and the obediently charming dog.

And Akito couldn't help but think how the rabbit had grown into a sixteen year old nearly as striking as Yuki. But the rabbit's blue eyes and blonde hair were so much more…exotic.

The clan leader smirked as he plotted the next steps in his plan. He desperately wanted the rabbit to be his.