Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: Well now that Kyo knows he's going to have to start planning what to do next or note, lol. He's not one to plan things. Anyways this chapter is a bit calmer. More of those happy little moments with a bit of comedy mix in. The next chapter will be sure to be a humorous one or along those lines.

Review Response:

GirlWaterShaman: Thank you, surprising this is my first Fruits Basket fanfic, eh? Hehe, it surprises me.

seiko123: That's how I think he is anyways. All Akito people please do not hate me. It will all work out in the end, you'll see.

Phinixofthezodiac: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.

AkaneAlways: That's just how he was, but the original version of everyone is an extreme twist to them since it was so long ago. Maybe the Akito now isn't that twisted? Or maybe he is. Hehe. I'm glad my version of the curse is sitting well with a few.

Hitomi-chan: Haha, when I go back to read some of these I find the same thing happens to me. Of course sometimes I don't think I wrote these until it hits me.

Samika: Let's all hope that Kyo does break it or someone does.

QAB: I'll keep writing no matter what.))

Chapter 11

Kyo for once had quiet dreams. He didn't dream of the past or present, no dreams of terror or lost hope filled his head. Kyo knew he had fallen asleep holding on to Tohru's hand. His heart felt at peace and he didn't even care if Shigure walked in to make fun of him and he didn't care if Yuki came between them. For once in his life, Kyo didn't think about how others would affect him, even though it was just one tiny incident. Perhaps that was why his dreams were so peaceful. As much as Kyo hated to wake up he knew he had to sooner or later. He couldn't run from reality no matter how much he wanted to. His eyes slowly peeled open to the dim light shinning down on his face. It took a moment for his eyes focus as he laid there. His hand flexed lightly and to his surprise he didn't find Tohru there. He suddenly sat up startled by her absents.

"She's ok," Hatori said who was standing by the window. His visible eye was staring off in the distance from what Kyo could tell.

Kyo rested back against his arms, but his muscles in his shoulder were sore and he quickly laid back down, "...where is she?"

"School. It's still storming, but the worst of it has past so they were allowed to go back to school. You were still asleep when they were getting ready."

Kyo blinked lightly as he stared up at the ceiling, "Why didn't you wake me up? I have to go to school too you know."

Hatori brushed his finger across his bangs lightly before he walked over to Kyo's side, "You are in no shape to go to school."

Kyo growled lightly as he sat back up once again and he threw his blanket off, "Oh yeah? Well I'll show you, I'm leaving right now!"

Hatori didn't say anything as he watched the stubborn cat get out of his bed. Kyo took all of two steps before he collapsed against the ground from his injuries. His muscles were sore and his cuts were still fresh from his fall out of the window. He laid against the floor mumbling when Shigure stepped in.

"Oh, dear. I see you're awake. I told Yuki to get you your work so you can just sit in bed today...or you can sit on the floor."

"Shut up..." Kyo mumbled weakly.

"Anyways," Shigure stepped over Kyo so he could talk to Hatori, "I'm going out for a few hours. Will Hari be ok by himself?" Shigure said as if he was speaking to a child who was being left along for the first time.

Hatori rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his chair, "Just leave, Shigure."

"Ok! Bye, bye. Hold down the fort while I'm gone," Shigure smiled as he waved to Hatori and then Kyo.

"Where's he going?" Kyo asked as he slowly crawled back into his bed while Hatori took out his kit to change Kyo's bandages.

"I don't really know," Hatori said as he slowly began to unwrap one of the bandages, "I don't keep tabs on what Shigure is doing."

"Don't you ever wonder what he's planning in that empty head of his?"

Hatori shook his head, "No...Shigure is impossible to figure out. He's constantly changing and planning. Even if he's an idiot."

"Eh?" Kyo said in confusion.

Hatori sighed, "Let me put it this way. Shigure has his own thing he does. No one else knows what that is and it's no use trying to figure it out."

"I guess..." Kyo said as he sat there letting Hatori change his bandages. 'I can't help but wonder what he's planning.'

"Tohru wanted me to tell you that she'll be home late today so don't worry about her. She's working today from what I was told," Hatori said as he continued with what he was doing.

"Did you see?" Kyo asked as he glanced towards Hatori.

"Don't worry, no one else did. If Shigure saw don't you think you'd hear about it by now?"

Kyo nodded his head as he stared at Hatori for a moment. Under his professional appearance, Hatori really did look out for everyone. He was grateful that Hatori didn't say anything and in return Kyo kept quiet while Hatori did his business.

Meanwhile back at school, everything was still the same. Everyone studied in class while they listened to boring lectures. Yuki occasionally glanced over to Tohru to see if she was ok. He knew she would be worrying about Kyo. The problem was she was extremely difficult to read. She sat at her desk with her usual smile across her face while she wrote down a few notes. There was no indication she was upset or worried. During break Yuki went off to take care of student council business, while Tohru sat on one of the benches with Arisa and Saki.

"So no orange top today?" Arisa asked as she bent down to Tohru.

"Uh, no. You see Kyo...uh slipped and fell from his window," Tohru said trying to make up some sort of excuse as fast as she could.

"The window?" Saki said as she took a bite of her chip.

"Yeah, he was practicing in his room and then out he went," Tohru felt her heart race as she continued on with her lie.

"I'm surprise orange top isn't dead after a fall like that," Arisa said as she rubbed her head, "Well maybe we'll swing by when he's better. You'll tell us right?"

"Oh, of course! I'm sure he'd like that."

"His electric waves have been rather off lately. Has anything been happening?" Saki asked as she ate another chip.

Tohru shook her head, "No, but I don't know really. Kyo likes to keep things to himself."

"Are you suggesting he jumped out of that window, Hana?" Arisa asked while Tohru looked at Saki in shock.

"No...I'm not suggesting anything."

'Is Kyo really that upset?' Tohru thought to herself as she began to zone out from them.

"Uh, Tohru?" Arisa asked as she waved her hand out in font of Tohru's eyes, "Hana was only kidding."

"Oh, haha," Tohru laughed nervously.

"Well I'm heading off early. I'll see you two later," Arise waved to them both as she walked off school grounds.

Saki crumpled her chip bag in her hand, "Our teacher has something to speak to me about. Will you be ok by yourself, Tohru?"

"Oh, sure. I won't be by myself though. I'll go see what the other Somas are doing. I hope everything's ok."

Saki waved to Tohru as she left. Tohru waved back before she quickly headed off to speak with Momiji and Haru on the rooftop. They were both easy to find on the school grounds since she seemed to always run into them...well not literally. Once they were alone on the rooftops Tohru explained what happened to them with Kyo.

"Out the window!?" Momiji shouted as he sat on his hands and knee's, "Kyo is ok, right?"

"He's ok. Hatori is watching him today, since Shigure said he had to go somewhere all day."

"I wonder what Kyo said to make Akito so angry?" Haru asked as he rested against the wall, "It's rare even for Kyo to speak back to Akito."

"I don't know...." Tohru wondered as she gripped her loose arm.

"Don't worry, Tohru!" Momiji said as he got up, "We'll see Kyo after school to make sure he's ok for you, while you're at work."

Tohru smiled down to Momiji, "Thank you."

Kyo was sitting in bed with his arms crossed and his chin to the air. His eyes were narrowed as he listed to the nosy chanting at his side.

"Kyo! I thought you died! I missed you so much," Kagura shouted as she waved her arms in the air, "Why did you do something so stupid!"

'I didn't do anything," Kyo snapped as he kept his head facing up, "Why are you here, anyways?"

"Because I love you!" Kagura was about to straggle him when Hatori caught her by the shoulder.

"Not today, Kagura. He's still seriously injured."

"Oh, sorry," Kagura said with a grin that sparkled as she faced Hatori.

As Kyo watched that grin of hers he felt like that grin was from the wicked from his point of view. Once things settled down Kagura sat silently at his side. She didn't say much as she sat there looking down at the ground. Kyo felt his eye twitch in annoyance, "Are you going to say something?"

"Kyo...do you really love me?" Kyo blink, "What are you blabbing about now?"

"Tell me the truth!"

Kyo stared down at her and her expression was a sad one, but her eyes burned to know the truth. He didn't know what to say, really. Kyo didn't want to really hurt her feelings, but she did ask for the truth. He glanced around her to make sure Hatori was busy doing something else. Hatori was sitting at the table smoking a cigarette and looking at the paper. Once Kyo was sure Hatori wasn't listening he gripped Kagura's shoulder, "Listen, please don't yell or hurt me in any way if I tell you."

"I promise," Kagura said as she stared up into Kyo's eyes.

Kyo took a deep breath as he slowly began to speak, "I've known you since we were kids and I also know you were there for a lot of the crap I went though, but my feelings are for someone else...please understand that...I really don't understand this myself, but that is all I know for sure."

Kyo spoke as calm as he could. Kagura dropped her head down and at first Kyo thought she was going to start crying, but instead she leaped forward to hug him. She warped her arms around his body for a brief moment, "Deep down I knew..." Kagura whispered, "But, I still like Kyo."

Kyo smiled lightly as he gently hugged her back as a thank you. He didn't expect her to understand, but he was glad she did. Hugging her made him long even more to lift the curse that has plagued his life and the rest of the Soma's. The thought of the curse's past flashed before his eyes suddenly and he jerked away from Kagura as he gripped his head.

"Are you ok, Kyo?"

"Er...yeah," Kyo said as he waited for his heart to stop beating so fast in his chest.

"Oh, Kyo!" Momiji shouted as he bounded through the door past Hatori, "We came to visit you."

Kyo sighed heavily as he saw Momiji bounce in, "Oh, boy."

Haru bowed to Hatori before he stepped inside, "How are you?"

"I was fine..."

"Hello, Kagura! It's been awhile," Momiji said as he hugged her.

While Kagura and Momiji were busy playing around Haru took a seat next to Kyo's little bed he had set up downstairs, "We told Tohru we would come to check up on you. She was worried and Momiji didn't want her to worry while she was working." "So you both only came out of her concern? Do you not really give a damn about me?"

Haru chuckled as he shut his eyes lightly, "It's not like that. You understand, don't you? I even think Yuki was concern."

"Pah, that's a cold day in hell."

"It's never cold there," Haru said with one of his spaced out looks.

"That's my point," Kyo said in annoyed voice.

Hatori stepped inside the room and cleared his throat to get their attention, "It's getting late. Kyo should get some sleep now. You can all visit him later."

"Aww..." Momiji and Kagura said at the same time as Haru got up. They all said their goodbye's to the injured cat as they went off on their marry ways.

Hatori saw them out before he shut the door for Kyo to sleep for a few hours. Once he was through with that he went back to the table to have a cup of tea. To his surprise Shigure was sitting there already sipping tea, "Ah, Hari. You finally came to join me for some tea."

Hatori took a seat as he took a cup from Shigure, "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just here and there. Actually I went to visit Akito. It's been awhile since I've sat down and spoke with him."

"I see," Hatori took a sip of his tea. He wasn't concern with Shigure really. The dog always had something up his sleeve and Hatori really wasn't concern with any of his plans unless it involved certain things.

"Akito seemed in a good mood. He wasn't sick at all today, despite this weather. Perhaps Kyo enlighten him."

"Perhaps or just like you Akito is planning something beyond our sight."

"Maybe...wait a minute. What do you mean like me?" Shigure said as he placed his hands on his chest.

"Don't play games, Shigure. I don't care what you have in stored. I won't interfere, but I will interfere if you hurt her."

Shigure leaned against the table with a sly grin, "I wouldn't dream of hurting anyone. Hari, you worry too much. Que Sera Sera," Shigure began to laugh while Hatori just rolled his eyes. Either way he would find out what Shigure was planning sooner or later.

It was late in the night by the time Tohru got off work. She set her work things back in her locker while she took out her bag. She got up from the bench and headed for the door to head home. She pressed a finger to her lips as she began to talk out loud, "I wonder if Hatori made Kyo something to eat. Hmm...maybe I can make something up for him real quick. I can make something out of the leftovers...or maybe..."

Tohru stopped talking suddenly when a small raindrop brushed against her cheek, "Rain? Oh no I left my umbrella at school!"

"Then you better get under mine."

Tohru began to hear the small drops of rain fall around her, but none touched her. She looked up to see an umbrella cover her and the person who held it looked down to her with his tired crimson eyes. His orange hair hung down against his head in a tired state, but despite his lack of strength Kyo had managed to sneak out of the house and walk all the way there.

Tohru stared up at him. She couldn't believe he was there, "Kyo?"

"Of course it's me. Don't tell me I look that bad."

"Oh, no no. It's just strange seeing you here."

"Strange? Well I guess I shouldn't have come all this way then."

"No! I'm very grateful Kyo would come out here to walk me home. Even in this weather."

Kyo knew she would react like that and he already waved a hand to get her to stop, "I'm only kidding."

Tohru blinked lightly before she smiled up to him. Kyo managed a weak grin as he placed one of his hands in his pocket, "Come on. We better get going before this weather gets worse."

Kyo walked side by side with her through the rain. Each step was agonizing. A few of his wounds on his arms were reopened from the increase in movement and his bandages were leaking a few droplets of blood. Despite his pain it was worth going through all the trouble in walking her home.

Tohru began to notice the bleeding and she stopped walking, "Kyo, you're still hurt," Tohru opened up her bug and took out a cloth to wipe some of the blood away.

"No, don't use that," Kyo began to say, but there was no use stopping her.

"Don't worry. Mom, showed me a good trick in cleaning blood out," Tohru said in a confident voice.

Kyo sighed lightly as he stood in the increasing rain. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand being outside in the weather. Tohru must have notice how uncomfortable he was and she took the umbrella from him. Kyo made an attempt to take it back, but Tohru wasn't letting him, "Hey, I'm suppose to carry that. That's my job."

"You're too tired Kyo. How about I carry you home in your cat form?"

"Wha?" This question was posed to him before. He remembered her suggesting that before he revealed his true form to her.

"I don't mind," Tohru said as she held onto the umbrella.

Back then Kyo would have instantly refused such a thing, especially if he was in front of Yuki, but no one was there. Kyo turned his head away for a brief moment, "If you tell anyone I swear-"

"I promise! Not a word," Tohru said with a grin spread across her face.

Kyo nodded his head lightly still unable to face her directly at the moment. His face was a blazing red, but he took a deep breath to steady his feelings. Of course his face was still a shade of red as he faced her, but it wasn't so noticeable now. He approached her slowly before he gentle wrapped his arms around her. Kyo couldn't remember a time when he did this so willing. There was a brief moment where he felt her in his arms, but the feeling was so slight that it disappeared as fast as it came. In a cloud of orange smoke, Kyo fell to the ground as his orange cat self. He landed on all four feet, but once he did he fell down to his side.

Tohru got down on her hands and knees, "Kyo!"

"I'm ok...just tired."

Tohru let a sigh of relief escape her lips as she gathered Kyo's cloths and the tired orange cat in her arms, "I'll get us there as fast as I can."

Kyo yawned as he shut his eyes, "Take your time."

Tohru smiled to herself as she walked in the rain. She hummed a light tune as she went, feeling extremely lucky to have so many people helping her in her life.

Not to far away there was someone watching them. Eye's as sharp as a hawk as Tohru headed down the road back home, "So, Kyo. Is this your weakness or is it all our weakness?"