Chapter 8

TT: Thanks to everyone who pointed out that I spelt Kyoko's name wrong- spell check doesn't like the name, so it keeps changing it on me. I've updated this chapter so that the spelling's right. (And Dark Inu Fan? I have no idea if his tears go through her or not either)

Can I please emphasis that no, Kyo is not supposed to be in love with Eris. NOR is Eris in love with Kyo, they're just close friends- we all know Kyo needed one. Yes, it is possible for two people (or person and spirit) of different genders to be best friends without any romantic feelings involved. I don't have any intention of making this a romance, and I couldn't do romance anyway.

Also, its been a long time since I saw the LOTR movies, or read the books, so if I got it wrong over who won the competition, sorry, my bad… Still think it was Gimli in the book.

I've got Yuki's personality off the mark? Can you please elaborate- I want to hear why I have and what you expect, so that I can improve.

On another note-school's got me worn out and depressed- can you tell? Kyo's probably a bit OOC, and its kind of angst-y, but sorry, I couldn't help it.

A door opened, and Kyo walked into the room where Shigure, Tohru and Yuki were all talking. Haru followed dutifully behind the cat.

Kyo motioned towards the boy behind him, walking through the room, "He's all yours, rat." And with that, walked up the stairs.

Haru ignored the departing cat, nodding to Shigure, greeting Tohru, and eagerly drifting over to Yuki's side in the process.

The other three watched as Kyo walked quietly upstairs. Tohru sighed, "Ooh, he's still acting so strangely! Do you think he's sick?"

"Hm, no, he'll be fine. Kyo's too hotheaded to stay like this for long."

"But…"

"Don't worry about him, Miss Tohru, I'm sure its nothing. Kyo probably just has a hairball stuck in his throat, or something like that."

All at once, there was a crashing sound, and as one the four turned their heads. A glass had, apparently, fallen off the table.

Had they had the same senses as Kyo, they would've heard the voice that said "Ooops, my bad."

But as they didn't they could only look confused, and move to clean up the glimmering shards of glass as the water slowly spread across the floor. It rippled faintly once, as it someone who wasn't quite there had stepped in the puddle.

"They think that you're acting strangely."

Kyo nodded in acknowledgment to Eris' statement. Yet another advantage of having Eris as a friend- when he got her to eavesdrop for him, how could anyone know? "You broke a glass." There was a note of accusation in his voice as he looked at her.

"It was an accident! I was just trying to make it ring by flicking it." Trying to change to subject, Eris quickly added, "Tohru was worried- the others didn't seem to be though, but Yuki's hard to read a lot of the time."

Kyo let out a light scoff, it could've been an 'it took you this long to work that out?' or a 'he's not that hard to read' scoff. Eris assumed it was the former.

The specter flopped down on the roof beside the cat, tucking her hands under her head as she stared up at the slowly darkening sky. "Hey NeKyo?"

"Mmm?"

"Today was really fun- we should go to the movies again sometime."

There was a pause, and then Kyo snorted, "You would've found it just as fun if we'd done nothing at all."

The hazel-eyed girl grinned, "Yeah, but that's beside the point."

Kyo sighed, and rolled onto his side again, staring at the opposite wall through the darkness. How he hated insomnia.

"Kyo!" said teenager rolled onto his back and tilted his head back, looking at the girl hovering above him.

Kyo's brows furrowed, Eris looked… Nervous, as if she'd been surprised by something she had no idea how to deal with.

"Kyo, there's another ghost in the house…" Her eyes darted side the side, as if expecting the second spirit to suddenly appear, "What should I do?"

For a moment, the cat froze, then something in his mind clicked and, with a sigh, he got up and walked into the hall, Eris followed silently.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kyo walked down the hall, to Tohru's open door. Sitting on the edge of the bed was a woman, whose hair was the same colour as Kyo's own.

The new ghost looked up when Kyo stood in the doorway, but then turned her attention back to brushing her transparent fingers through Tohru's fringe.

Kyo whispered quietly to Eris, "That's Kyoko, Tohru's mother."

"Oh- OH!" Eris' eyes widened, now she thought about it, the ghost did look much like the picture Tohru had. "I… I didn't realize she was dead…"

Kyo nodded silently, still watching the older ghost. "She comes to watch Tohru every now and again- its getting less and less these days… I think she's been ready to 'move on' for a while, but she keeps hesitating, wanting to make sure that Tohru's alright…"

Eris nodded, "I know that lots of ghosts stop speaking when they're going to move on… But I also know that most mothers- and often fathers too- spend even just a few days watching over their children before they leave…"

Kyo was silent for a moment, before nodding once to Kyoko and walking back to his room.

"Eh? NeKyo! Wait up." Eris chased after him, before hovering beside him and peering up at his hard face. Her expression turned concerned. "NeKyo, what's wrong?" The cat just shook his head, walking into his room and closing the door behind him.

"Kyooo!" Eris was whining now, "Don't hide from me, Kyo- I'm your friend."

The cat simply collapsed on the bed, arms behind his head, and let out a heavy sigh. Eris sat next to him, absolutely silent.

Sometimes a silent friend was better comfort than a thousand soothing words.

"…My mother didn't stay- not even for a moment. She couldn't stand me- it was because of me that she killed herself…" Kyo closed his eyes against tears that suddenly wanted to flow. He covered his face with his arms.

The arms were suddenly pulled away, and Kyo opened his eyes a slit to look at Eris. The ghost pulled at his arm, making him sit up so that he would look at her.

Hazel eyes met his red ones, and she smiled gently, sadly- "You're my best friend, Kyo- you don't have to hide from me. If you need to cry, then cry- that's why I have shoulders." And with that, she hugged him.

Kyo tensed, but there was no puff of smoke, and he remained human, not a cat. Kyo felt so cold that he could barely feel his fingers, but that icy coldness was somehow comforting- because he knew it meant he wasn't alone.

The silent walls of his room watched as Kyo lifted his arms to hug someone no one else could see, lowered his head slightly, and for the first instance in a very long time, let himself cry.