Disclaimer: Furuba...blah blah...blah

Japanese to Know:

Nande - Why
Hokage wa ookami - Hokage is a wolf
Sumimasen - I'm sorry (in this case)
Kawaii ne - Cute, isn't he
Otouko-kun - Younger Brother (kinda cute)
Gomen ne - Sorry
Shitsurei shimashita - I'm sorryI hurt you
Iie - No
Demo - But
Nii-chan - Big Brother
Itai - Pain/It hurts
Onigiri - Rice ball
Ittekimasu- I'm going out
Kiniiri - Pet/Lover
Daijoubu - Are you ok?

Chapter 9

Nande?

"Terrifying, ne?" Hokage sneered, voice fierce. He stared at her shaking form with cold eyes. "Yes, I can smell the fear seeping from your body with every shaking breath." He stood rather lopsided, trying to ease the pain in two of his limbs.

"Hokage wa ookami!" Momiji gasped, jumping up.

Hokage's eyes darted to the Rabbit. But his gaze returned to the outsider.

"Why," Tohru finally whispered, "does death mark your life? Why would Akito-san do such a terrible thing?"

"Because he can!" the Wolf snarled. "Because it brings him pleasure seeing others suffer. Because his life is also marked with death." He thought about all the things that Akito had ever told him. All the angry words he had uttered, justifying them with love. "It is my curse…our bond…that I must suffer because he suffers."

Tears welled in Tohru's quivering eyes. She lunged forward and held Hokage around the neck tightly. He was caught off guard and they stumbled to the floor. "Sumimasen!" she cried.

"Na-nande!" he fumbled, trying to move away.

"I didn't see your suffering and I kept pushing to know more about you! I didn't even consider your feelings. I'm such a terrible person." She buried her face in his rough winter coat.

"No, don't say that! I didn't expect you to know! I didn't want you to know or care about me! Please, stop crying!" He nudged her with his nose, trying to push her away. When she only continued to cry harder, he rested his head on her back and closed his eyes.

"Kawaii ne!" Ayame giggled, smiling.

"It's not the time, Ayame," Hatori frowned, sipping some tea.

"But doesn't it just remind you of the old days?"

Yuki looked at his brother. "How long have you known Hokage?"

The Snake sat very straight, realizing his mistake. Hokage's head snapped up and he glared at Ayame. When the man opened his mouth, the Wolf wriggled from Tohru's grasp and pounced on him.

"Don't you even dare utter another word!" Hokage snarled.

"We've known him since he was born," Hatori answered, setting his cup down.

The Wolf leapt over the table and tackled the Dragon, gripping the man's arm between his fangs. But Hatori just looked up at Hokage with fierce eyes. The boy bit harder, Hatori's white sleeve absorbing the blood.

Shigure knelt beside Hokage. "Otouko-kun, can't you see that hurts?"

With wide eyes, Hokage released Hatori and shoved Shigure to the floor. There he pinned the man and growled fiercely.

"So, you do care," the Dog smirked.

"Nande! Nande, nande, nande!"

"Because you're our brother," Hatori said, holding his arm.

"Because we love you," Ayame added, looking to Yuki.

"Because it's all we know how to do," smiled Shigure. When Hokage transformed back, Shigure held the naked boy tightly. "Because you need us to."

Kisa and Tohru crept from the room, averting their gaze from the boy; Momiji trailed after them. Haru removed his coat and laid it over Hokage, ruffling his copper hair. Hiro looked one last time at Hokage before exiting to find Kisa. Yuki stared at his older brother, whom stared right back.

"Please forgive me, Yuki," Ayame sighed, closing his eyes. "I loved this boy as my brother and protected him while I abandoned you. If I could do it again, I'd love you both. I'd have saved you both. But, I couldn't save either of you from Akito. You were both marred by his words and actions."

"Gomen ne," Hokage whispered. "I stole your brother from you, Yuki-kun. If I had known—"

"Don't blame yourself," Yuki cut in, standing. "I have a chance to be free. But, for you, even if the curse is lifted, you still must carry the pain of that pendent. The way things happened can't be changed now or ever, so don't try." That said, he drifted upstairs. Haru hurried after him.

"Shitsurei shimashita, Haa-san," the boy murmured, forcing down tears.

"Iie," the man said carelessly.

"Demo—"

"Don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Nii-chan…itai."

December came to the Sohma house quickly, bringing with it snow. Everybody seemed merry. But underneath their smiling faces, they dreaded the coming New Year. Because their freedom would be restricted for three days.

"Tohru-kun, where will you be spending New Year's?" Hokage questioned, helping her prepare dinner. He recalled Shigure saying something once about a "Kazuma-dono", but he couldn't remember everything.

"At Shishou-san's dojo with Kyo-kun," she answered, turning off the oven.

"Shishou?"

"Kyo-kun's teacher."

He nodded and began forming onigiri.

"What about you? Where will you go?"

Hokage closed is eyes. He had given the matter much thought, but still hadn't decided. "I'm not sure yet. But I might be staying at the Main House."

"Even over New Year's?"

The Wolf flinched. "Maybe." He set down the onigiri and washed off his hands. "Sumimasen," he breathed, exiting quickly. Hokage passed Shigure, whom was reading the paper. "Ittekimasu."

"Where are you going?" Shigure questioned, folding his paper down.

But Hokage didn't answer. Didn't grab a coat. Didn't put shoes on.

"Kage-kun!"

He leapt off the walkway and ran into the trees. "There's only one way I can repay Yuki-kun. Only one way to make up for my thievery." The cold snow burned his bare feet. Branches licked his face with sharp ice. Strong winds cut to his breaking heart.

He ran through the empty streets. Snow beat upon his frozen body. A slick patch of ice helped him to the ground, where he received a large cut across his right forearm. Still, he got up and kept running, ignoring the pain coursing through his body. Then he slid to a stop before the gates of the Sohma Estate. He skillfully jumped the fence and ran to Akito's door.

"Akito!" he called, waiting outside. He stood as straight as he good and tried to slow his breathing.

The door opened. "Kiniiri," Akito smiled, pulling her robes closer. She looked behind the boy at the bloody footprints in the snow. Then to his bare, bloody feet. "Daijoubu?"

"We need to talk."