Fruits Basket

Beginnings and Endings

((Author Note: Since this story is coming down to the end. I'm beginning to set up problems and situations for the next story. Shigure will obvious be the one to open up the sequel for Beginnings and Endings. I've also decided to write a third Fruits Basket Story. I believe my third one won't be related to Beginnings and Endings and will actually focus more on Shigure, Hatori and Ayame when they were in high school. I have a rather interesting idea for them. Right now I'm still thinking things through. What can I say I like writing Fruits Basket. Now back to what I wanted to say originally, I didn't know everyone would be so curious as to why Shigure was sorry. I never really thought ahead which is why it took my a bit longer to write this. I had to get my thoughts straighten out. Lol, I know that sounded lame, but oh well I can work things out. To tell the truth you guys won't really get a clear answer until the sequel to Beginnings and Endings.))

Warning this is a rough edit job. I'm doing this at midnight since I really wanted to post a new chapter. Anyways I may fix more of it if needed to be. Also there's one last chapter. It's been decided finally that Chapter 32 will be the last and then the sequel will start. You won't have to wait long.

Chapter 31

Shigure sat alone in his room with his head cocked back against the wall. His eyes watched the darkness creep by as his thoughts drift into his past memories. Whispers of past conversations haunted him in the deepest part of his mind.

'Would you do it Shigure? For me?'

'I would, we would never betray you. You're our god Akito. We don't know this girl, let her stay and perhaps we can make good use of her.'

'Fine, but you're the one responsible for this Shigure, not me. I will not be a pawn in your own foolish games.'

'Akito…I have plenty of pawns.'

Shigure brought his hand up to cover part of his face. His eyes filled with his own salty tears as his nails dug into his delicate flesh, "What have I done? If something happens to them…I would never be able to forgive myself especially if it was Tohru…"

Just as Shigure felt like he had lost himself completely in his self pity, his eyes caught sight of the Chinese Zodiac calendar he had tucked away in his room. He had planned on giving it to Tohru after the banquet, but with the recent events the involved Kyo he hadn't been able to find the appropriate time to give her the gift. Shigure dropped his hand down to his lap as he just stared into his hands, "As the dog I will prove my loyalty again, one day even god will see my compassion. I showed my teeth, but I will see this to the end."

-

Kyo rolled over slightly on his side feeling the warmth of the morning rays against his thin body. His orange hair was ruffled into a mess as he sat up rubbing his eyes, "Wha...wasn't I sleeping on the floor?"

"You were, but Tohru insisted that we place you back in your bed," Shigure said as his eyes poked out from behind the morning's paper, "And Yuki made me do all the work."

Kyo gave Shigure one of his more annoyed looks as he propped himself up on one of his elbows. He disliked that thought of Shigure holding him it made him feel ill, "Why the hell are you sitting in my room?"

Shigure set his paper down with a serious look. He cleared his throat slightly as he slowly opened his mouth, "Because…I enjoy watching our young prince sleep! Yet a lonely prince just won't do, he needs his princess at his side in his bed."

Kyo immediately grabbed his pillows and what ever else he could grab to throw at Shigure, "What the hell is wrong with you! Don't say those things out loud."

Shigure laughed lightly before one of the pillows hit him in the face, knocking him off his seat, "Ow, Kyo's being mean this morning."

"Damn, right! Now get out of my room you perverted dog!"

Shigure crawled for the door, but before he did he looked over his shoulder, "Why are you here Kyo?"

"Huh? What sort of questions is that? Are you getting philosophical on me? Because if you are I'm not going to waste my breath on you if you're going to act like a dumbass, I mean-"

"Uh, no I didn't mean that," Shigure pointed to Kyo's clock on his stand, "I was just wondering why you're not in school."

Kyo blinked lightly before he looked at his clock. His face went white as he realized how late it was, "Ahh! I'm almost 3 hours late. Why didn't anyone wake me up!"

Shigure laughed nervously as he got back up on his feet rubbing his nose slightly from the pillow hitting him in the face, "Kyo, don't you remember last year when we tried waking you up? You destroyed part of my house and I can't bear to see that happen again."

"You dumbass! Who cares about your house, what about me?" Kyo yelled as he frantically jumped out of bed looking for his school uniform while he tried to fix his hair and brush his teeth. The entire time Shigure was just standing in the doorway watching Kyo run from one side of his room to the other.

"Kids these days. They have no respect for their elder's houses," Shigure said as he began to pout. He held his hands up like a dog begging for attention.

Kyo paused in the middle of the room staring at Shigure with narrowed eyes, warning Shigure to leave him alone. Shigure just waved at Kyo happily before he ran out the door with Kyo chasing after him, "You're no elder and stop watching me!"

Once Shigure was gone, Kyo slammed his door shut and got his uniform on. He was quick in changing his cloths even with his injury. Once he was done he grabbed his bag and ran out the door. His hair was still ruffled in spots but it was good enough for now.

Shigure watched Kyo run frantically for school. He could tell that Kyo was trying to jam some food as fast as he could in his mouth while he was running, "My isn't that cute, I think I'll tell Hari!"

-

Kyo ran all the way to school. By the time he arrived everyone had just gone on break. He leaned his head against the wall as he grumbled to himself, "I ran all the way here just for a break…"

"Kyo, what are you doing here?" Haru said as he walked down the hall with his hands in his pocket. As he walked by the other classrooms there were swarms of girls watching the Sohma boys. It was a pretty common thing from them all now and they hardly noticed the girls. Many of them were blushing as they stared at the two. It was a typical day for the Sohma boys.

"What are you talking about? I'm here for school."

"Oh…we'd thought you be too hurt to come."

"Well you're wrong. I'm as strong as ever!" Kyo said as he waved his fist around to prove that he was ok. Haru leaned over to poke Kyo's shoulder, but before he could Kyo quickly grabbed his wrist before Haru was able to touch him, "What the hell are you doing?

"I wanted to touch it and see."

"Like hell you are!"

"Hiya, Kyo!" Momiji yelled as he leaped into the air and landed on Kyo's shoulder.

"Gah! My shoulder! Get-" Kyo fell over flat on his face in front of Haru with Momiji sitting on his back.

"I guess he wasn't as sound as he said he was," Haru said rubbing his knuckles lightly.

"Ha-ha, sorry Kyo. I thought you would be ok," Momiji said as he continued to laugh lightly, still sitting on his back.

Kyo lifted his head up slowly, "Would you mind….getting off me!"

Momiji quickly got off before Kyo was able to hit the quick little bunny. Kyo sat on the ground rubbing his shoulder lightly while Haru watched him quietly.

"Kyo, what was Akito trying to do to you?" Haru asked in a soft voice so no one else would be able to really here him except Kyo and Momiji.

"I thought he was trying to hurt me, but now that I think about it maybe he really just wanted to kill me. Who knows what goes on in the psychotic mind of his?" Kyo said as he rested his chin again his knee, "Maybe its better not being apart of the zodiac."

"Maybe," Haru said as he looked at the giggling girls for a moment, "But you still want to."

"Heh, yeah right. Keep on dreaming about that one."

"Kyo!" Tohru called out from down the hall. She was with her two friends Uo and Hana as always at least that's what Kyo could tell as he sat there on the ground. He waved back lightly before he turned his attention back on Haru.

"You just keep on dreaming in that misty world of yours Haru," Kyo said as he stood up to go join Tohru and her friends.

Haru just stood there as Kyo walked past him. A small smile creased across his face as he looked over to Momiji, "He still wants to be in the zodiac."

"Does that mean the curse is still in affect?" Momiji asked as he watched Kyo begin to talk and yell at Tohru and her friends.

"Who knows…"

"Haru, why didn't you tell Kyo that the curse won't affect him anymore?" Momiji said with a sly smile to Haru as his eyes shined brightly, "I bet he would like to give Tohru a big hug."

Haru shrugged lightly, "He never asked."

"Heh, right," Momiji said as he watched Tohru and her friends talk with each other. Haru nudged Momiji lightly before he walked off leaving Momiji there to his thoughts.

-

"Ah so I heard orange top got into an accident. What happened? Did you fall while you were skipping to school?" Uo said to Kyo while Tohru tried to keep him calm. Kyo couldn't help, but reply to Uo's remark as always.

"Yeah, right. As if I would skip," Kyo said with a grumble. He hated it when Uo screwed around with him. It just irritated the hell out of him.

"I also heard that Kyo is getting a bit friendly with Tohru."

"What?" Kyo said as he stared at her. He didn't quiet get what Uo was hinting at and neither did Tohru.

"You know what I mean," Uo pointed her finger at his face, "And if you do anything to hurt her I'm going to have to smash your pretty boy face."

"What the hell are you talking about? And I'm not the one with a pretty boy face. That's Yuki!"

-

"Achoo!"

"You ok Yuki?" One of the student council members asked as he yawned from being bored.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Someone must be talking about me."

"Ha, I'm surprise you don't sneeze all the time with all the girls following their prince around."

"Shut up and get to work."

-

"Yes, if you hurt her there will be consequences," Hana said as she stared at Kyo with her menacing eyes.

"Consequences?" Kyo repeated as he stood there nervous. Hana really scared the hell at him sometimes. He really didn't know what they were talking about, but what ever it was he was sure it had something to do with Tohru since they were threatening him.

"Don't worry. Kyo won't ever do something like that," Tohru said as she finally joined in on their conversation.

Kyo smiled lightly as he rested his fist against Tohru's forehead, tapping her lightly, "Of course. I'm not stupid, why would I hurt a girl?"

Uo and Hana exchanged pleasing looks as they saw how happy Tohru was in Kyo's company. Once the group was through talking they all returned to their classroom. Of course Kyo got a long lecture from the teacher about attending school on time, but Kyo mostly ignored what she said. The day carried on like it had in the past. Nothing seemed different to Kyo except for the fact he was able to express himself to Tohru.

'It's almost like nothing has really changed. We're still the same…I don't know if that's good or bad.'

"Kyo? Are you ok?" Tohru asked as they walked home together, "You don't look to well."

"What!" Kyo yelled a bit startled from being interrupted from his thoughts, "I mean…no I'm fine. I was just thinking was all."

"If you need to rest…"

"I said I was fine and I mean it," Kyo said as he brushed his bangs aside.

"Look Kyo," Tohru said as she pointed to one of the trees. She was obvious not bothered by Kyo's harsher remarks since she knew he didn't mean anything by it, but Kyo always regretted the things that came out of his mouth sometimes. He just couldn't control it all the time, "The flowers are beginning to bloom. When they all bloom we'll be graduating. Isn't it exacting?"

Kyo looked up at the small tiny blossom, "Yeah…it is. Have you thought about what you will do after school?"

"I…don't know. I suppose I could get a job and work. I promised mom I would graduate high school, but college is too expensive for me and I don't think I'm exactly smart enough to get in."

"But you're not any of those things! And maybe the Sohma's can help."

"I couldn't accept that…" Tohru said as she waved her hands, "You and the Sohma's have given me too much already. A house over my head and food three times a day. That's all I ask."

Kyo wanted to argue some more about this since he didn't want Tohru to end up at some low life job. He wanted to give her the best and it frustrated him that he had so little to offer her. He grabbed her by the wrist just as she walked past him. He brought her close to his body as he whispered into her ear, "Then promise me to stay with me. Just one last promise."

Tohru felt her body press against Kyo's for the first time without a sudden explosion of smoke. Her head rested against his chest as his heart beat with steady rhythm echoing in her ears. The warmth of his body was comforting as she wrapped her arms around him, "I promise."

Kyo wasn't surprise he didn't transform. Deep down he knew that the curse on his body was lifted. His chin rested against her head as his arms kept his close to his body. The sweet smell of strawberries surrounded his senses as he shut his eyes slightly. Despite this peaceful moment Kyo still felt the curse on his mind. While the curse didn't change his body it didn't mean it was dead. Perhaps it was waiting for a chance to destroy the Sohma's once again. Kyo didn't care, because he had all he wanted and he had no more concerns for anything else. He knew Tohru's promise was genuine and one day he would be able to take her as his own. For now he was just content enough to be able to touch her with his hands as they both hugged each other close.

The two blossoms that rested in the tree above had begun to bloom, but will the flowers be able to flourish and live the rest of their lives in peace or will the flowers succumb to the dangers around them?