The Untouchable

Kyo stretched lazily across his domain, meaning Shigure's roof. He loved it up here, where he could be secluded from his miseries that was the Sohma house. He rolled onto his back and stared into the deepening twilight. He heard a tinkling of glass from downstairs, swiftly followed by frenzied shouts of "SORRY SORRY" from Tohru. He smiled and rolled his eyes, then curled into a ball for some sleep. As his eyes shut wearily, he beads caught his eyes, glinting in the fading sunlight. He frowned and sunk into a dismal rest.

Yuki slunk slowly downstairs, hair like a rat's nest, eyes squinting away sleep. Shigure laughed.
"Someone slept a little later than usual!"
"Oh, my brother!" At the deep voice, Yuki's sleep ridden face snapped wide awake. Aya. He turned as if to leave but already Ayame's hand was clutching his shoulder, spinning him back. "Yuki! It's been far to long."
"Your voice disgusts me." Shigure laughed but Aya feigned a distraught look.
"Yuki doesn't like me!" He wailed at Shigure, who simply shook his head.
"Y-yuki? Are you mad?" It was Tohru's voice that fully brought him to Earth. Yuki tilted his head and smiled.
"I'm fine Miss Honda."

At least he was fine until Shigure leaned over to Aya and whispered, "His muffins are rising if you know what I mean." Yuki glared at the two playful adults and slumped back upstairs, wondering why he even bothered coming downstairs to begin with.

Yuki. A complex person to say the least. He sunk onto his bed, eyes filled with a historical sadness.

"They hate you. You're worthless. You're just a little rat who tricks everyone with your good looks." A five year old Yuki stared up at his slightly taller cousin, eyes tearing around the lower edges as he heard that words he had only thought of in his mind. "No one likes the rat." A whip cracked in the distance as the five year old huddled in the corner, body shaking against the ferocity he was being dealt.

Yuki held in the tears threatening to pool in his eyes as he blinked at the ceiling. No one else had gotten that particular punishment. Sure, some had been whipped... but to Akito...

"You're worthless." Yuki snapped his eyes shut and took a deep breath, steadying his emotions as he had done all his life.

"The New Year? Can Tohru go this time?"
"Oh! I wouldn't want to be a bother! I mean, it's a Sohma family thing and I couldn't-"
"Tohru can come." Shigure smiled at Tohru. Kyo, who had been leaning on the doorframe, feigned indifference as he turned and left the room with a nod. "So you're really coming Tohru?"
"Is it alright?"
"Yes."
"I can? Really? I've always wanted to meet the rest of the family! Who's dancing this year?" Shigure paused to think a moment, then realized to his horror that it was himself that was to dance. Tohru turned her head to the side like a confused dog, as she so often looked anyway. At this Shigure sighed, wanting to smile at Tohru but hating the fact that another dog hadn't been born into this cursed family.
"Me." He grumbled, then stood. "Excuse me Tohru." He bowed and made his way to his study, merrily humming the tune 'I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts'.

"Oh Tohru! We're all alone! Isn't that marvelous?" Tohru loved how Aya's voice started off as an exited child's only to sweep down into the adult tones that he used on words like 'marvelous'. He was holding her hands in his and smiling widely like the child yet his eyes were staring at hers like the adult.
"Miss Honda."
"Oh! Yuki!" Yuki glared at Aya, who shied away from her hands nervously.
"Well I'll be off!" He gushed quickly, the door opening and closing so quickly, it felt as though a phantom wind had run through the room.
It was at this time, when the phantom wind left the room, that the phone rang. Tohru motioned for Yuki to sit as she ran towards the phone, picking it up with enthusiasm.

Silence.

The voice on the other end must have been low, for no voice could be heard by Yuki. Yet Tohru's eyes grew wide, then happy, before she finally said "I'd love to!" And bowed. Yuki had to smile at this. She bowed to the stranger on the phone despite the fact that whoever it was couldn't see her. A click could be heard, then Tohru looked at the phone, as though surprised, before hanging it up as well.

"Akito just invited me to visit him!" Yuki's eyes shot open, terror striking him to the ground. "He said to come tom- Yuki, what's wrong?" Yuki was staring, eyes glazed over in fear, hair falling over his face. "Y-yuki?" He stood slowly, unblinking, and walked toward Tohru.
"I don't want you going there alone."
"B-but..." Her hand reached out as though to reassure her, but she pulled it back, eyes filled with confusion.

Yuki had made up his mind. He would visit Akito. He would get to the bottom of this. And he wouldn't let him hurt Tohru.