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Japanese to Know:

Nande - Why
Na - Hey
Nani - What
Baka - Idiot
Kisama - Why you-- (Angry threat)
Neko ga baka ja nai - The Cat isn't stupid
Boku wa baka - I'm the idiot
-dono - Honorary title
Sou ka - I see
Futari ga baka - (You) both are idiots
Hai - Yes

Chapter 19

Not Ever

"Hokage!" Kyo hollered, pushing Shigure out of the way as he ran into the room. He stopped and stared at the Wolf's beaten figure while he caught his breath. "I wanted to thank you…for dying to lift our Curse. You don't have to, but you are."

"It's the only way," Hokage thought, smiling sadly.

The Cat then bowed deeply before the Wolf. "I am in your debt."

Hokage's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. No words would come to his lips. "Nande?"

Shigure sat up and stared at the humbled feline. Never before had he seen Kyo bow to anyone. He rarely lowered his head even to Kazuma. It was quite a sight.

"Na, Kyo-kun," the Dog said, standing.

Kyo straightened and looked at the writer. "Nani?"

"Baka."

"Kisama!" he hissed, bristling.

"Kage-kun's going to die, what's he need a slave for?"

The Cat paused.

"Do you see the problem?"

Hokage closed his good eye. "Nande?"

Kyo and Shigure looked over at the boy.

"Kyo…nande?"

"Because…no one's ever…done anything like this for me," the Cat said, hanging his head and clenching his fist. "No one except Shishou and Tohru has cared about what happens to me. No one cares about the stupid Cat!"

"Neko ga baka ja nai," Hokage murmured, smirking. "Boku wa baka." He stared at his palm. "When I thought about the Curse, I forgot about the Cat not being part of the Juunishi. I forgot that you hadn't gone, just like me. I forgot that we were both outcasts to the Juunishi."

Wide, rust-colored eyes stared down at the Wolf.

"And another thing," the boy added. "If no one cared about you, you'd be all alone. Not even Yuki or Akito would bother you." He smiled brightly. "They care about you. Just not the way Tohru-kun or Kazuma-dono do."

Shigure chuckled lightly. "Sou ka. Futari ga baka."

"Perhaps." Hokage looked up at his brother with a distant look in his eye. "Where're Haa-san and Aaya?"

"Kyo-kun, fetch them, will you?" the Dog smiled, turning to the Cat.

Taking one last look at the Wolf, Kyo nodded and hurried out.

"You sure know how to change people's hearts, Kage-kun."

"Yet you remain the same. You haven't changed at all."

"I saved you, didn't I?" Shigure whined.

"Because it benefited you. Just like last time. You didn't want to get hurt. And you wanted me to hate Akito even more."

The man's eyes widened. "So, you knew?"

"I'm not that stupid." He looked to the door and watched as Hatori and Ayame entered.

Hatori shut the door.

"Thank you," Hokage said, staring up at the Dragon.

Shigure blinked. "All he did was close the door."

Hokage rolled his eye. And he thinks I'm an idiot.

"That's not what he's thanking us for, idiot," Hatori sighed, closing his eyes.

"Ah, then it must be because we rescued him this time!" Ayame smiled, patting his fist in his hand. "And because Tori-san bandaged him up."

"Even Aaya gets it, Shigure." He sighed and shook his head lightly so as not to stir up any unwanted pain. "But, yes, that's why I was thanking you. There is also something else I'd like to request. One last favor."

The Dragon nodded.

Smiling, Shigure closed his eyes.

Ayame stood straighter and winked.

"Keep Akito away from me. Even after death."

Shigure's eyes snapped open. "Kage-kun—"

"Even after death!" Hokage snarled, narrowing his blazing red eye. "I want her to mourn without knowing how I died. I want her heart to suffer more than it has ever suffered or ever will suffer."

Kyo sat down as Hatori and Ayame stole away to the stairs. He stared at his hand. Then another hand appeared on top of his. His eyes widened and he looked up to see Tohru sitting in front of him.

She smiled warmly.

He longed to embrace her, but knew he couldn't. So he sat there and sort of smiled back. She always had a way of making him feel better.

"It's ok for you to be happy," she whispered gently. "Even if the situation is sad. Hokage-kun and Shigure-san still smile. Hatori-san is still Hatori-san. And Ayame-san is still happy. It's ok for Kyo-kun to be happy too."

Closing his eyes, he patted her head as he stood. "I'll be on the roof. Call me when it's time to eat?"

Tohru watched him walk away. "Hai!" she smiled, waving lightly.

Yuki shrank deeper into the shadows as Kyo passed. He backed against a wall and slid to the floor. Pressing his hand to his face, he forced down tears. "Is it really ok?" he whispered. "Can we be happy that he's going to die? Is it even moral?"

"It doesn't have to be moral. We're cured beasts; morality doesn't apply to us," Hatsuharu said coldly, lying in the doorway.

The Rat pulled his hand down a little to get a better look.

"It's ok to be sad, but don't try to make sense of it. This Curse is strange, even for us. Just be grateful that he wants to free us when it's not his problem."

"It's not just that, Haru. Hokage was really hurt by Akito. I feel like a horrible person for feeling fear in his presence when Hokage suffered so much more at his hand. Like I was worried about nothing."

Haru sat up and leaned against the frame. "There's nothing I can say to make this right, is there?"

Yuki shut his eyes lightly and leaned his head back.

"Didn't think so."

"I always felt so strong in this house. Now I feel so weak and pathetic."

"Would you like me to get Kyo for you?"

The Rat smiled a bit. "No, thank you."

"Might make you feel better."

"Really, it's all right."

"If you say so."