Well, it took me long enough, but chapter 4 of Substitute is up! I'm so glad everyone is liking this story :3 Makes me happy! I have to do some shoutouts to those who have read:dances and hands out glowsticks:

Miyabewa: Sorry for ending it the way I did:Chuckles nervously: But, here ya go! Updated and ready for your approval!

S n u c k: Some people have told me I am a good writer, but I'm too modest to say I am…:Hugs: but thank you for the compliment all the same! The AkitoXKyo pairing is new to me, and I'm glad someone else is enjoying it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. And, as for making Kyo uke…keep your hopes up, it's a possibility! Hehe! I've been doing this a lot lately, dedicating updates to people…well…this one is just for you!

KentouKurige: As usual Shouri, thanks for reading! You know I love ya:smiles:

Polka Dot: Um…yeah…thanks for reading?

InsaneBlackHeart: Are you still going to do naughty things to my body:Aya chuckle: I'm the Aya to your Shi! XD! Anyway, here's the update and no more threats to kill! If you kill me, how can I update? Hehe

Touya's Angel :Smiles back: Back at ya!

uke bishounen: Thanks for the compliments! Everyone is so kind! And I will not spoil anything:Keeps lips sealed: hehe…anyway, thanks!

Viva Rose: Thanks for reading!

Like said, thanks for reviewing everyone! And, here's the disclaimer!

DISCLAIMER: Though I can quote almost half an episode…I don't own Furuba…but! My friend Katie did buy me the Kyo hat:3 Thanks!

Chapter 4: In His Eyes

I had never realized those few little words saved my life, or what I thought to be a life. After the kiss and the silence that even now haunts me, Akito had left me to myself, as if he knew I wanted to ponder the events of the past day or so. I was so confused, nothing made sense anymore. You could tell me the sky was purple and I would have believed it. If I had been of as crazy as some thought I was, I would have easily torn away from Akito's grip and ran, ran for my life and ran into the safe arms of Yuki, but he would have only shunned me, I know. I'm not a fool, and I know that hatred cannot blossom into love, especially a hatred as strong as the one Yuki holds in his heart for me. I had hoped to reserve even a small portion of his heart for a faint love, but loathe has taken its' place. This only makes me think back to the days when we were children, and how this inane feud started.

We must have been eight or nine, because I was living with Kazuma for a bit. I was outside as Kazuma taught his students, for he said he would teach me at a later time. I didn't like learning with those big oafs anyway, though it was entertaining to watch them even attempt to beat my teacher! Anyway, I was just sitting alone when a group of the Souma women, babbling about nothing important no doubt, threw me a glance and whispered under their breathes, 'That's the cat...'. I heard the disgust in their voice, and I knew why they had referred to me as the cat and nothing more, as if I wasn't even a human being. I knew the reason, and that reason was Yuki.

The rat, one of the most beautiful of the Souma children with the most grace and charm. Everyone envied him, though a few loathed him. The cow, Hatsuharu, for example. In the old tale, the rat tricked the cow and the cow basically became a chariot for the rat, carrying it up to the banquet, which the cat didn't attend, again because of that damned rat. As it looked to me, the rat didn't have too many friends, but no matter, he was happy. He didn't come out and play with me and the others, as if he wasn't good enough to play with the Souma family filth. I was angered by this, so I confronted him about it and quickly started to yell and scream at him, throwing my arms up in anger. He, in response, did nothing but look back at me with those big violet eyes. I looked past his hypnotic orbs, and continued to persistently pester him, my voice cracking and losing its' booming effect after a while. I stood before Yuki, panting and swallowing the residue of hatred down hard as he parted his lips and spoke softly.

"Stupid cat..."

Those were the first words I had ever heard Yuki say directly to me, and I'll never forget it. It seemed that within his soul was some sort of preset hatred for me. He had only heard about me and he hated me! I couldn't get over it, so I began to hate him even more. Thus, our rivalry began.

And its' fire still burns even now, when Yuki lay in a hospital bed and I, in his place at the Souma main house. I wonder if Shigure has told him yet, about my disappearance. I hate having to lie to him, but what would he think if he knew I had stuck out my neck and took the blow for him because I...well...because I love him. It's still weird to say, that I love someone I swore to hate. Well, it's really no problem now, is it? Since I'll never have to say those words out loud to him, to anybody.

I hadn't been sleeping long. I just remembered seeing the sun peek out from its restful slumber. I wish I could have done the same, but paranoia prohibited me from sleeping at all. I kept hearing footsteps outside the thin door, seeing shadows under the crack. I only thought it was Akito, wanting another fix of fear, and that scared me. Why it did, that I'll never know. I mean, I could have easily overpowered him with strength, but something seemed to be holding me back, but what? What would be so powerful as to stop me from taking advantage of the situation, overpowering the obviously weaker one and running free, running back home where I belonged. Something beyond man, I would have to guess, something even beyond Akito, beyond anybody. It was something in Akito's eyes, some force that withheld me and kept me a prisoner even in my own mind. Ensnaring me in a net of fear, apprehension, and helplessness, Akito's gaze always did defeat me.

I finally did manage to get some sleep later in the morning. To my surprise, I wasn't disturbed, as I thought I would be, Akito's interrogation persisting about why I said what I did. I could only fear what he would think if he knew I did it to survive him, not because I truly meant it, for if he knew I had lied to him about something as serious as the interlocking of our lips, he would surely do worse then he had done to Yuki.
Yuki...he was still in my thoughts constantly. No word from Shigure yet, and I knew he would have forwarded information to the Souma house through Hatori or even Momiji, any way that information could get to me. He knew I was worried, but I don't think he knew exactly why, and if he did, I could only hope he would keep his big mouth shut. I mean, he knew what it was like to love another man, right? Hell, him and Ayame seem to be the fruitiest out of the entire fruit basket! Those two were always clinging to each other, so I would assume they were in love. If not, they are a hell of a pair of actors!

I wasn't aware, but so much time had passed since when I first woke up until I noticed that there was a silhouette wavering in front of the thin door. I sat upright almost immediately, and I'm assuming the shadow had seen my surprised reaction, as I heard a soft chuckle and the almost inaudible sliding of the door. A lanky figure entered my room, that of Akito. His sleeve was sliding down his right arm, disheveled hair scattered around like an ebony blaze. For the first few moments, he didn't even glance at me, but I knew his eyes were wandered the perimeter around me, just not me. It wasn't as if I wanted him to look at me, but to know that he wasn't to know he was purposely avoiding me was just a bit scary.

He remained silent for a while, pacing every few moments. I didn't look up. I only watched his skeletal feet pass me every couple of seconds. I was even tempted to say something, this silence killing me! Before I could, he spoke in that soft, though piercing voice.

"I received a call this morning from Shigure." As if he was disappointed to have received it, he looked away, though I could see a sickening grin surfaced, curling from the very corners of his mouth. "Yuki's out of the hospital and is recovering normally." I unintentionally let out a sigh of relief. Thank the gods, Yuki was alright. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be as safe. "I'm guessing you're quite happy, Kyo, knowing Yuki's alright."

Quick…think of something witty… "Whatever." Nice one…

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Kyo, you know I how I don't like liars…" With sleek, serpentine steps, he approached me and like the first night, began to fiddle with my hair. I could feel his fingertips teasing my scalp, the chills racing down my spine. "Kyo, you care for Yuki, don't you?"

"Of course n...!"

"No more lies, Kyo, or I'll have to show you first hand exactly what I did do to Yuki."

I swallowed hard, faced with either hiding my feelings for Yuki, knowing full well that Akito knew of it, or to spill out my heart and soul, and possibly suffer a more horrible fate than that. Oh, I wish Yuki were here. He's clever and would be able to find a way out of this…

"No…I hate that damned rat." I forced a wave of cruel confidence in my voice to make it more believable, but I don't think Akito was as easily fooled as I hoped he would be. He knew me, he knew Yuki, he knew every Souma around him, and he knew a lie when it presented itself. I could only hope that today was one of those days were Akito basically ignored the world and locked away in his room, staring out the round window into nothingness.

Wasn't likely.

"Kyo, you're so deep in denial." He whispered as I felt his thumb and index finger fiddle with my ear. I shivered, clenched my teeth as tight as I could to hold back a scream of

"Don't touch me!" I saw Akito's face contort in anger, and I wondered why. Wait…I said that out loud…I screamed that out loud?

He stood still for a few moments, his frail body drifting away from me and towards the open door. Was he actually going to take the hint that I hated it here and I hated him?

He closed and locked the door.

Maybe not.

"Kyo, how could you? I have been nothing but generous to you, allowing you to take the place of the rat which you claim to hate, but I know you love."

"Akit...!"

"I'm not jealous, Kyo, don't get the wrong idea. I don't want to need love." He walked to the smallest corner of the room, pacing back and forth, forth and back. Even though he was so far from me in distance, I could still feel the icy sting of his gaze, the coldness of his stare. He seemed to have that effect on people, a gaze that seemed to just leave an imprint on your soul. I only watched him as his hand reached into a pocket of his tousled kimono, and the object he pulled out was beyond my view, so I was only left to imagine what he was holding. "I demand respect, instill fear, I don't want love!" With swift movements, he advanced towards me, black cord in hand. Wait…Yuki had told me of this, though I was shocked that he did. He must have been sick or something, because he revealed his entire past to me one night, including how Akito used to use that same black cord that was in his hand. "You will learn this, Kyo! I am your God!"

One lash after another, after another. I felt my body spasm and warm tears well up behind my eyes, but I wouldn't give in to the pain. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that this hurt like hell and I was crying. He elongated cord met my back with a furious introduction and continued to reintroduce itself as the pain throughout my body diminished. I would have to guess it didn't hurt as much after a while because my entire body went numb. It only throbbed once more when I knew he was hitting the same spot repetitively. This went on for the longest time, as I heard him repeat the same thing over and over.

"Forget about him! He's worthless to me now! Forget about Yuki!"

How could I? How could I forget about the one I loved more than anything? He may not have known, but Akito would have to realize that I would go through a thousands lashings for Yuki. He would have to realize that sooner or later whether he liked it or not. I would die in this damned house just to know that Yuki would never have to feel Akito's wrath. I would do anything for Yuki and maybe someday, he would know.

The blood I bleed because of Akito's lashings, for him.

The bitter tears I cried when he left me alone to soak up everything, for him.

The hope that, even after everything that happened so far, that I would return to see his smiling face, for him.

Everything for him.

And please, please, please if you have any suggestions on my writing style or what should happen in this story, feel free to comment or e-mail me! I'm willing to listen to everyone…just don't be mean about it, kay? hehe