Woot! Finally, an update! Chapter 2 of 'Substitute' is finally up! Sorry for the long delay! I was watching 'Fruits Basket' Vol. 2 + 4 for some inspiration. ^_^ ::Listens to 'My Immortal' by Evanescence:: This would make a cute KyoXYuki thing...^-^ Anyway...Enjoy chapter 2!

Disclaimer: Well, as you may know, I'm just a starving artist who owns nothing but this keyboard, this monitor, this lack of sanity, and Vol. 4 of 'Fruits Basket', though I am working on a hostile takeover of FUNamtion so I may own Yu Yu Hakusho and Fruba, but anyway, no, I don't own Kyo, Akito, and such. No FB for me.

Chapter 2: Those Cold Eyes

Frozen in fear is how I remained. My knees hissed in pain, but I had no choice. I had to stay below him. Why? Because, that's how life was. We always had to obey him, and even after what he did to my Yuki...I have to obey. I hate him more then anything, but I must obey.

"Kyo..." His icy voice called to me as he walked over and stood tall, his clothing messy and his hair unkempt.

I stayed silent for the longest while, until I felt his cold hand slap me across my face. I did nothing, but how I longed to hit him back. How I wished to lunge at him and tear him limb from limb, but all I did was allow my cheek to redden and look up to the head of the Sohma house, Akito. I felt my throat tighten as tears of anger streamed down my face. "Y-yes, Akito?" My voice trembled and I saw him smile. He relished in the fact that for once in my life, I was at his mercy. He knew I trembled before him, and he knew he had a reason to stand tall without fear of me protesting to anything he may have wanted to do to me or anyone else. He knew I was only there to protect Yuki. He knew it, and he hated it.

"So, you heard about Yuki, I'm guessing." He spoke softly, towering over me. I only nodded my head and watched him snicker. "Such a shame, Kyo...The cat never had to defend the rat." A sinister smirk danced across his malice lips as he continued to circle around me, my whole body tensing. Like a vulture, Akito helplessly watched his prey squirm under his dark eyes. He had such a hateful glare, though I could never blame him. I wished to return the evil looks, but I couldn't muster it with all the fear coursing through me. "Tell me, Kyo...in the old tale...how does the cat feel towards the rat?"

Silence.

"Well, Kyo?"

In a quick, quiet whisper, I replied. "The cat hated the damn rat." He grinned, seeing me tremble and watching the sweat trickle down my forehead. As nimble as he was, he bent down before me, his lips just grazing my ear as he spoke.

"Then, why do you feel this sudden urge to defend that rat that has brought the cat so much pain?"

"I just..."

Just as those words exited my lips, Akito's pallid hand had struck me against my cheek. I felt the sting of so many years of hatred, pain, and fear interlaced with that slap. He looked up at me, eyes aflame with such malice. "Silence!" He shrieked, his whole body shaking. "You have to right to care about Yuki or what I do to him! Who are you to care for someone you swore you hated!" I tried to speak; though he just continued to scream. "You're nothing but a worthless cat! You're worthless to us!" Akito knew his words pierced my heart and torn it apart. He knew I hated being an outcast and he knew I only longed to be accepted by someone besides her...Tohru. He knew I only wanted to be accepted by the one person I truly loved. "You. Are. Worthless. To. Us!" I cringed, because I knew his was right.

I listed to enough of his ramblings. I just had to...

"Akito! Take me in his place! Since I am nothing, treat like I am nothing!"

He stopped yelling, replaying those words over and over again in his head. I could see the look of malevolent satisfaction in those cold eyes as he grinned. "Fine. Yuki is free from my control." He grinned as he stepped forward, stroking my fiery tuffs of hair with a few of his rigid fingers. He loved the feel of a fear stricken human being, the scent is what turned him on, and I knew it. He looked down upon me, yanking my up to my feet by those same locks of hair he had been stroking only moments before. "You are my new victim..." What happened next, I never expected. As the fear raced through me, he brought his tongue to my cheek and lapped up the cold sweat that had taken over and discolored my face, morphing it into a pasty residue. Without knowing the consequences of my actions, I had just sold my soul to the devil, surrendered my sanity to those cold eyes.