Sai and Kage

CHAPTER THREE:

Nothing or No One

"Now it was time for the fight, and I was armed and ready."

I was a sweet sixteen, who, after living in the Sohma house for so long I was secluded. I was never a normal girl, and my adolescence was corrupted from the tender age of thirteen. I didn't know a thing about crushes, relationships, and especially about love. Then here, I found myself tangled in a web I knew nothing of.

Dai kept me close while he was sick, but he had started to get less loving and more abusive. At first when he was sick I was his favorite and I spent that week confined with him. The next week was a different matter. He was confused, and the medicine he was on bewildered his mind, it made him aggressive and shaken.

He went from loving me one moment to hating me the next. I was covered in bruises for days. I couldn't fight him; he was our "God", yet he felt no guilt hurting me. He kicked me around, wanted me gone from his sight, then insisted I stay by him. I wanted to feel sorry for him, to stop myself from lashing out at him.

As I said earlier, I had nowhere to run to, but everything to run from. Well, now I had another thing stopping me from leaving the Sohma's house. And that was Kage. That whole week all I wanted was to be as far from Daikin as I possibly could, but I knew that even if I did find the courage to leave, I would never see Kage again. That was the thought that kept me both sane and insane that week.

Once again I wasn't allowed to the dojo for a whole week. Last time I had seen Kage all we had gotten in was one kiss at the beginning, two or three exhilarating fights, (I lost of course, my destiny will always stop me from beating the Rat), and then a good kiss before we left.

Somehow he talked me into going outback. He gently pulled me by my hand until we were away from all prying eyes. He kissed me then, and that was the kiss that occupied my mind that week. I never knew how to hate and love the same person at once until I met him.

As we pulled apart from our farewell kiss he slipped a piece of paper into my pants pocket.

"It's my cell. I want you to call me, Sai. I know I can't call you, you live at the Main House, but I want to see you again. Call me, Cat." That was what he whispered in my ear as he left. I kept the paper, but never called.

By the time I finally had some time to myself it was late. I couldn't go to the dojo, so I decided to call him. I berated myself so many times for even thinking it, but I still called.

"Hello?" His voice was strong and comforting on the other line.

"Kage" Was all I said. He knew who it was, we was the one who asked me to call. I heard relief and a hint of surprise in his voice when he responded.

"Sai. I thought you'd never call. Are you all right? You've been AWOL for a while."

"I'm never all right," The truth behind my words surprised me, "I live in the Main House, Kage, I'm the Cat, and I'll never be alright."

He sighed, "I know. Want a ride? I can't sleep, and I'd love some company. Meet me outside the Main House in ten minutes." I couldn't tell if that was meant as a suggestion or a command.

"I live with the Head of the House. We'll have to be quiet. If he catches us we'd both be killed." I was serious too. In my heart I was sure that Dai would kill me for what he would see as betrayal.

"Ten minutes. Try your best."

And that was the end of our conversation. I hadn't agreed nor disagreed, yet somehow I was sneaking out of the house with the Rat. I snuck into my room and dug around for something good to wear. I decided on a well-worn pair of jeans that had loving rips in the knees. My shirt was plain, but low cut and stylish. It was solid black, a color to match my apathetic outlook on life and that night.

I stood outside ten minutes later as I watched a small, silver S.U.V. pull up. Kage was in the drivers seat. The upside to being a Zodiac member is that were all rich. Ha, I guess that's the upside to our curse. How depressingly pathetic.

He rolled down a window and leaned over, "Need a ride?" he joked. I was quick to hop in, considering I had no idea where we were going.

"So, where are you kidnapping me and holding me for ransom?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and wishing he wouldn't keep giving me that look of his. That look showed appreciation, of my beauty and spirit, understanding at my pain and anger, and sympathy for all the things he felt he should know yet did not.

"I thought we'd go to a club." He was smiling again.

"Good. Then I'm dressed right. Do you mind stopping the whole 'Wow is that shirt revealing' thing? I feel like I cant uncross my arms." I told him off for staring, yet somehow I felt these words wouldn't make much difference.

He laughed and began to drive. The ride was quiet. I wouldn't answer his few questions, so we both gave up on talking. I found the silence peaceful, but that was probably just because that's how I was raised.

When we reached our destination neither of us felt much reason to talk. We were both quiet people, so it's not like we were being rude; we were just being us.

The club was small, dark, and surprisingly attractive. Kage went off to get us some drinks, so I went and sat down at a small table that overlooked to dance floor. Just watching everyone else dancing made my blood flow faster. How I longed to join them.

I had the perfect chance to do just that, but the curse stopped me. Three guys walked over and asked me to dance, but I couldn't. If I bumped into one of them and transformed all these people would have o get up close and personal with both Dai and the Snake.

I dint have to turn down many more men though, because as soon as the third guy left Kage came back. When you're sitting and drinking with a guy who looks like Kage, no one else dares to try to pick you up. It was nice. What was even nicer was how Kage was acting.

It was like we had a silent agreement for that one night to not be the Cat or the Rat. For this one night, we were just a boy and a girl on a date. Yes, I admit it was a date. I felt really out of place, but Kage made me feel more comfortable.

Eventually I didn't even notice all the other people crowded in and dancing. All I saw was him. He sat across from me, holding my hand in his, whispering in my ear and kissing me softly. It was easily the best moment in my life.

"Sai, I know you must be getting tired of this, but you're beautiful." His eyes looked so inviting I want to kiss him and hold him tight. I wanted to never let go. Kage was so perfect that it hurt.

"I know. Daikin tells me all the time." I snapped, and pulled my hand out of his. To my dismay tears were beginning to fill my eyes. It was too perfect. I couldn't be happy, because that would just make the rest of my life seem too sad in comparison.

"Sai, I'm not him," Kage's words held force and anger behind them. He was trying to prove that he meant it, "I want you to like me on your own. I will never try to force my feelings on you. Do you hear me?"

I nodded, but even I couldn't come up with a retort to that.

"This is our night. This is one night that he won't ruin. We're here together, and he is far away. This is our night, so let's dance."

He stood up and offered me his hand. I took it and followed him out to dance just as a slow song started.

He pulled me into his arms and we danced skin to skin. Basically we looked like every other couple our age, hugging to music and calling it dancing.

I stared into his amethyst eyes and I knew just then that I was at the point of drowning. I was so far in over my head, I was actually truly in love, and I just wanted to jump him right there. I was ready to become like some of those sluts who go to my school just so that I could be with Kage.

I'd stay with him all night if it meant this didn't have to end. I prayed he wouldn't take advantage of that, but I also willed that he would.

We dance for an eternity, and Kage was right. This was our night, and nothing to do with the zodiac would ruin it for us. Nothing to do with the outside world would ruin it. Nothing but tomorrow, nothing but the sunrise.

"Kage…" I whispered in his ear. I knew it was late. We both knew what was coming next, "Kage, he'll have us hanged. I have to go."

"No…" He whispered back, his breath tickling my neck, "No, this can't end. I want you, Sai. Ever time I think of you with him my hatred grows. I know how he feels about you, but I don't care. I want you to pick me. I'll love you more, I promise."

I pushed him back, "There's no choice, Kage, it's not a you or him. It will always have to be him. Daikin will never let me go."

"Don't say that!" he was frustrated now, but that was just because he knew the truth in my words, "We'll find a way. I'm never giving up on you."

"You don't know me," my voice and face became hollow, "You don't know what I am. You wouldn't love me if you knew." Now I was just voicing what Daikin had always told me.

"I want to know you!" he retorted, "I want to know your secrets, your troubles, and I'll tell you mine. All we need is to talk, and we can do that fine!" I walked outside so we could talk alone, and he followed.

"We aren't like them." I said clearly gesturing back inside, "We are different, and we always will be. I can't tell you about me, because my secrets are so much worse than any of theirs."

"I don't care, I don't care! I want to know you, Cat, I want you to see you can trust me!"

I growled under my breath. "You don't know what you're asking for, Rat! My curse runs deeper then yours! Mine is a curse of hatred and rejection. Hatred towards you and your ancestors."

"That's with them! That's the past, we're different!" He insisted.

I hit him. I was mad, and I wanted to knock some sense into him. I knew that I had to show him. I had to drive him away, to save both of us. We would both die if this went on longer.

I pulled off my bracelet and quickly transformed. I was a beast, a monster, just like Daikin had always said.

"It will never be in the past." I growled in my beast voice. Then I ran, leaving him alone in the parking lot. I left him alone just as I knew he would leave me.