Kyou poked his stick at another piece of garbage and tried to figure out if he was feeling relieved or upset. He'd managed to avoid returning to Shigure's house all day on Saturday, returning just in time to see Tooru waving goodbye to Hatsuharu, Momiji and Hatori as they left for the night. He'd badly wanted to ask what they'd been doing there, and to find out what happened with Fujitsima. But he'd stopped himself when he saw predatory look on Shigure's face. He was just waiting for an opportunity to tease. Damned if he was going to give him ammunition.

Yuki, the damn mouse, had been no help either. He just sat looking smugly at the table, a half eaten piece of cake in front of him. He raised his eyebrows at Kyou, challenging him to ask what had happened. He was eager, the cat was sure, to rub in the fact that he knew what was going on while he himself didn't. Well, he wasn't going to give him a chance. So instead he'd swallowed all his questions and pleaded exhaustion when Tooru asked if he'd wanted dessert. He'd escaped from them all, and hid in his room until he'd heard the house go quiet.

Then he'd crept up onto the roof and watched the stars; his stomach gurgling in hunger and frustration. He didn't admit it, even to himself, not even deep inside...but he'd been hoping that Tooru would somehow sense how he was feeling. That he'd suddenly see her peeping over the side of the rooftop, onigiri platter in hand. They'd talk, and he'd feel better and things would go back to normal again. But she didn't come. Was she in bed, dreaming of Fujitsima? So he'd spent the night staring at the stars until they faded from the sky in the new dawn.

The next day had proved to be a rainy one. He'd never been so glad to feel the approaching rain. Everyone knew to give him wide berth when it was wet and grim outside. He didn't have to worry about snapping at Tooru. She'd just smiled at him over breakfast and encouraged him to take it easy because of the weather. He'd retired to his room and let the rainy day seep into him; deliberately sleeping the day away.

He'd risen a little late gone downstairs the next day to find breakfast waiting but Tooru already gone. She'd had morning duties at school and had left early. The three males of the Souma family had spent a silent breakfast. Kyou had choked down the food around the questions blocking his throat, and quickly left for school. He didn't want to be forced to walk to school with that damn mouse if Tooru wasn't going to be there as well. People might think he actually liked or tolerated him or something.

Kyou sighed and shifted the bag he was carrying. He cast his eyes around his area. There was nothing left to clean up here. The day had passed quickly, and Kyou hadn't had a moment to talk with Tooru. Her friends had monopolized her during every free moment. They'd been eager to pump her for information on her date and hadn't welcomed his hovering in the background. And just as annoying every time she and Fujitsima glanced at each other they couldn't seem to help breaking into embarrassed smiles and blushing like mad.

What the heck had happened on their date?!

He moved to another area of the yard and stabbed furiously at piece of garbage. Now the day was half over, and he still had hardly spoken to Tooru. He was trapped in after-school clean up duties and Tooru would be at her part time job by the time he was finished. He couldn't figure out if he was relieved or upset that he'd managed to avoid her for another day. He was a mess of tension and frustration. He really wished he could go to the dojo and practice.

He looked at the bandages on his hands and sighed. His hands still weren't healed enough for Shishou to allow him back. He tightened his hands around the stick in his hands. Dammit! He really wanted to hit something! He settled for stabbing an offending paper cup viciously with his stick.

"Details! We want details!"

"Give 'em up Maseo!"

"Quit holding back!"

Kyou's ears pricked at the cajoling voices. He was pretty sure that those were guys in his class. He edged a little closer to the bushes they were coming from and peeked through them. Fujitsima stood holding a bag of garbage and blushing furiously at two guys from class.

"C'mon guys, drop it." He pleaded.

"Not till we get details!" One of the boys jabbed at Fujitsima jokingly with an elbow.

Fujitsima graduated to another impossible shade of red and turned away from them. He made a big show of stabbing at some scraps of paper on the ground. "Why are you so interested? Jeeze! It was just one date."

"Oh, come ON!" The other boy leaned against his cleaning stick, not event attempting to look like he was working. "It was Valentine's Day!"

Kyou turned from the bushes, his shoulders tense and his neck sore. They were talking about Tooru's date with that kid. Damned if he was going to listen in.

But even though he turned away he couldn't make himself leave. His hands tightened around the stick, he had to know what happened.

"What do you think happened?" Fujitsima demanded, his frustration obvious just from his voice. Apparently this coaxing had gone on for a while now. "It was a first date!"

"Yeah...but it was a first date with *Honda*!"

Kyou was sure he didn't like the emphasis that had been placed on Tooru's name. Neither, it appears, did Fujitsima.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

There was a pause, then one of the boys began diffidently, "Well, you know...it's not like she's really bright..." he trailed off but was encouraged by a snigger from his companion. "And she's real...suggestible." Fujitsima didn't say anything, which the boy took as encouragement. "I'd bet she'd do just about anything...you know...*anything*." His voice had become leering.

Kyou felt himself flush red. They couldn't be talking about Tooru like that!

"And it's not like she's miss innocent." The other boy broke in. "I bet she's done lots of stuff before. I mean, you've heard the stories she tells about her mother. You know how it goes...like mother like daughter...right?" His voiced gained confidence, "And I mean...look at who she hangs out with! That Uotani chick...you know she's been around." He laughed unpleasantly, "And she's always disappearing with that Kyou..."

Kyou went scarlet with fury hearing himself brought into it.

"Yeah, yeah!" the other boy snickered, "I know a girl from class A and *she* said she saw them coming off the top part together." The boy made a self confident sound deep in his throat, "What do you *think* they're doing up on that rooftop together? I bet they go up there every day!"

The first boy broke back in, happy to heap on the dirt, "And you know what I heard? I heard Honda was seen with an older man downtown! I bet it was a..." his voice lowered as if imparting a secret bit of information, "...compensated date!"
"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

Kyou stopped in his tracks. He'd been all set to burst through the bushes and lay waste to the three on the other side, but the absolute fury in Fujitsima's voice made him pause.

"Honda-san isn't like that! She said our date was her first!" Fujitsima raged. "So you take that back!"

The other boys paused for barely a beat.

"Oh, come on Maseo!" They didn't sound the least bit friendly now. They didn't like being denied their rumors and dirty ideas.

"Yeah, come on!" the second boy taunted. "Just think of the way she's always trailing after Souma-kun. She's in heat for him just like the other girls. I bet she'd do him in a heartbeat."

"I bet she *is* doing him!" the first boy picked up from where the other had left off. "I bet that's why he's always so nice to her and why all the other girls hate her!"

"You just SHUT UP!" Kyou heard a clatter as the boy's sticks hit the ground and an all too familiar sound of flesh striking flesh not far behind. He blinked in amazement. He wasn't used to being the observer in a fight.

"You little shit!" One of the boys said derisively, "What do you think you're doing?" There was an audible scuffle.

There was a heavy thud and an unmistakable groan. That was Fujitsima! There were a couple more meaty thunks followed by a retching sound.

"Jesus Maseo!" The other boy said jeeringly. "What a wimp! You hold him so I can hit him now."

Kyou couldn't take it anymore. He burst through the bushes and into the middle of things. One boy held a weakly struggling Maseo. The other sported what looked to be Maseo's one good hit on darkening eye. He looked up in shock at Kyou, his fist still raised to hammer down on Maseo.

The red-haired fury didn't pause for a beat. He flew into boy about to strike Fujitsima, flinging him back. In one fluid movement he swung back to the one holding the slight boy down. He didn't even try to defend himself, his mouth agape at Kyou's speed. The cat's fist hit him hard on the jaw and he released the stunned Maseo. Fujitsima slid to the ground gaping up at his rescuer.

Kyou started to say something to him when the first boy hit him from behind. The blow was nothing compared to one of Yuki's or even one of his sparring partners at the dojo, but it knocked him back for a moment. It was enough to give the second boy a chance to get to his feet. Kyou was hard pressed to fight them both.

It wasn't as if he couldn't take them easily. The problem was trying not to hurt them too badly in the process. They obviously had had zero training. Fujitsima didn't make matters any better as he joined in trying to help. The slight boy was underfoot every time Kyou turned around hampering his movements. Things quickly degenerated into a free-for-all.

A heavy hand landed on Kyou's shoulder and he spun with his fist raised. He stopped his fist a mere inches from a startled looking face. Kyou dropped his fist in a hurry. He'd almost hit a teacher! He looked around and saw that the other boys were being similarly rounded up. He closed his eyes in resignation, the fight going out of him. This was his second fight at school. He probably wouldn't get off with just a warning this time.

Well, at least he'd gotten to hit something.

* * *

Kyou blew out a lusty sigh of frustration. How long where they going to keep him here? He rocked back in the chair. The teachers had separated the boys into different rooms almost immediately. It was pretty standard procedure. He supposed the teachers were asking the others what had happened, trying to find out how the fight had started. They'd get around to him eventually.

He wondered what he should say. He'd been in enough fights to know you never told the full truth to the "authorities." But those guys...he couldn't believe they thought or said such things.

Kyou chewed at his lip. Did everyone think what they had? Did they think that he and Tooru were doing...stuff... together? But that was just so wrong!

"Sit properly in that chair young man!"

The legs of Kyou's chair legs hit the floor with a slam. He resisted the temptation to glare at whatever teacher had come in for surprising him. He kept his head down and focused on the desk in front of him. This was his second fight at this school; he couldn't afford to antagonize the administration too much.

A sheaf of papers was slapped down on the desk before him.

"I don't suppose I should be surprised, after looking over your record from your last school. Fights, truancy...you have a long history of being a problem."

The cat tried to keep his hackles from rising. He tried to keep calm. They were trying to make him mad...to provoke him. If he fought back, if he argued, they could give him a worse punishment.

"We were persuaded to give you another chance..." The teacher took the chair from another desk and turned it to face Kyou's. Settling in it he continued, "But I'm not so sure that was a good idea."

Kyou steadfastly examined a mark on the desk. He wished this blowhard would just get to the lecture, assign his punishment, and get it over with.

"I don't know what those boys said to provoke you...but you should know violence isn't the way to solve it." The teacher gave a weary sigh, "and even worse...you pulled Fujitsima-kun into it as well."

"WHAT!?" Kyou's head flew up. Pulled Fujitsima?!

The teacher jumped at Kyou's reaction but recovered quickly. "Don't deny it. Fujitsima-kun has a spotless record. The other boys won't talk, but I think it's obvious what happened."

Kyou tried in vain to keep his lips from pulling into a grimace.

"Those other two said something to make you mad. Maybe they said something about your hair? It doesn't matter...."
The teacher waved off whatever had caused the fight as unimportant. "And you threw a punch. Fujitsima-kun tried to help..."

"That's not what happened!" The words escaped from him before he could stop them.

"Then what did happen?" The teacher pounced on the opening.

Kyou fastened his eyes back on the spot on the desk, grinding his teeth in frustration. If he said how the fight had started he'd just be pointing fingers at Fujitsima. After the scenario the teacher had just proposed, even if he told the truth he'd look like he was lying to cover himself.


The teacher sighed. "You're digging your own grave. Without some sort of explanation I'm afraid I'm going to have to recommend suspension-"

"But that's not fair!"

Kyou and the teacher both whipped around to look at the doorway. Fujitsima stood looking battered and worse for wear. He had a black eye, scrapes, cuts and his uniform was torn.

"Maseo-kun?" The teacher's eyebrows rose. "I appreciate you trying to protect your friend, but-"

"You said you were just going to give me and the others a warning!" Fujitsima said accusingly. A short, pudgy man stepped in behind him and put a calming hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Calm down, son." He said with a pat.

"But, Dad!" Maseo said looking up at the man, "Its not fair!"

"Maseo-kun, you have to understand that we have to make sure that this kind of incident doesn't happen again. If we don't punish the instigator..." The teacher threw an accusing glance at Kyou, "...it will just happen again."

"But it's not *Kyou's* fault!" Fujitsima said incredulously. He flushed and stared at his toes, realizing that he'd said too much.

There was a tense moment where everyone stared at the beaten boy. He'd really dug himself into a hole, Kyou reflected. There was no way that they'd just let him go without explaining now.

"Son...if you know something the teacher ought, now's the time to speak." Fujitsima's father cleaned his glasses and gave his son a long look. "It wouldn't be fair to let this boy get a mark on his record if you know something that could clear him."

Fujitsima cast a guilty glance towards Kyou, and then back up at his father. He examined his toes again. "The fight wasn't Kyou's fault...It was mine."

"Yours?" The teacher said skeptically. "Don't lie just to cover for him..."

"I'm not lying!" Fujitsima cried. He straightened his back and confessed. "I was talking with the other guys and they started to say some bad stuff about my gir-" Fujitsima flushed again and stopped himself, "...bad stuff about a girl in our class. I told them to stop, but they wouldn't."

He looked up at his father, "I couldn't let them say that stuff, Dad! It wasn't right." He looked back at the teacher, "When they wouldn't stop...I just got so mad..."

"You threw a punch." The teacher supplied nodding. "But that doesn't explain how Kyou-kun got involved...nor why the boys claim only Kyou managed to hit them."

"Kyou was just trying to help." Fujitsima explained, "I'm...I'm not a very good fighter. Hinoto-kun and Subaru-kun...well...I didn't last long...When Kyou came around the corner it looked like two against one and he was just trying to get them off me. I'm sure of it! He was just trying to help...he shouldn't be blamed for it!" Fujitsima ran out of steam and his shoulders slumped. "It just wouldn't be fair."

"Is this true Kyou-kun?" The teacher asked.

Kyou supposed it was true enough. He gave a brisk nod.

The teacher's mouth worked as he chewed on his false assumptions. "Well, I suppose we will let you off with just a warning then...but next time, if you see a student in trouble, get a teacher!"

"Yes sir." Kyou said, trying to keep his tone respectful. "Can I go now?"

"We're just waiting for your guardian to come pick you up." The teacher frowned, and looked at the papers he'd brought in earlier. "We're having trouble getting in touch with your...cousin is it...Shigure?"

"We can give the boy a ride home." Fujitsima's father spoke up. "Seeing as the boy was just playing hero to my son, there is no real reason to involve his guardian is there?"

"Well..." The teacher said uncertainly.

"I'd hate to have to bring up this incident, teachers lying to students, at the next PTA meeting." The pudgy little man said blandly, cleaning his glasses.

The teacher blanched, "Lying? I don't know what you mean-"

"Oh...you didn't tell my son that everyone involved was getting off with just a warning? You almost hung an innocent boy out for a crime he didn't commit." Fujitsima senior made a show of placing his glasses back on.

"That was just...just a misunderstanding!" The teacher insisted, getting flustered.

Blinking owlishly at the teacher Fujitsima's father nodded, "Fine, fine then. Now...is there any problem with us offering the boy a ride home?" He walked over to Kyou and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kyou looked up in surprise. But the man wasn't looking at him he was focusing his attention on the teacher.

"I suppose that's fine." The teacher blustered, trying as much as possible not to look like he'd been bullied into it.
"Let's go then boys." Fujitsima's father smiled and waved them ahead of him.

Kyou stood up from his desk and followed Fujitsima out of the room. They walked out of the school in silence.

"I..." Kyou jumped and looked up at Fujitsima, "I just want to say thanks." Fujitsima scratched at one of his scrapes.

"Un." Kyou grunted. He glanced at Fujitsima's father bringing up the rear. He really just wanted to get home, lay out on the roof and try to figure out what he was feeling. He'd been on a roller coaster ride the entire day. Now he didn't know if he wanted to be jealous of, grateful to, or mad at Fujitsima. The only thing he did know is that he didn't want to be around him anymore.

"Car's over this way." Fujitsima's father nodded towards the parking lot.

"I'll walk." Kyou said shortly, then realized how rude that sounded. "Thanks anyway." That didn't sound much better.

"Nonsense." Fujitsima's father smiled, "We've made you late enough getting home as it is." He clapped a heavy hand on Kyou's shoulder and the other on Fujitsima's and guided the boys to the car.

Kyou sat in the back seat with Fujitsima and looked steadfastly out the window. Fujitsima's father tried to engage him a couple of times in conversation. He talked about how he'd been young once too, and knew how healthy boys could get riled up over a girl. He sounded absurdly pleased that his son had started a fight over a girl's honor.

Kyou ground his teeth and restricted himself to just giving basic directions out as needed. He didn't think it at all amusing that Tooru's honor needed defending.

"Lucky though that you were around!" Fujitsima senior said looking at Kyou through the back window. "My Maseo's a bright boy...but he's never been a scrapper. From what I saw of those boys you did pretty well for two against one. I don't see a mark on you! You study martial arts?"

"Un." Kyou replied noncommittally.

"Where do you study? Maybe I could enroll Maseo there."

"Shishou isn't taking any more students." Kyou lied. Honestly, he didn't know if there were any spots free in the dojo's open classes. But he wasn't having his one sanctuary invaded by Fujitsima.

"That's a shame."

"Daaad." Fujitsima's face was bright red.

"Here we are." Fujitsima Senior pulled up in front of the house. He leaned over the seat to look at Kyou. "I'll just pop in to let your...cousin was it?... know what happened in school. Smooth things over for you."

"That's alright." Kyou hastened to assure him.

"No, no...I don't want you getting into any trouble." Fujitsima's father was already out of the car.
Kyou followed Maseo out of the car; grateful at least that Tooru wouldn't be home. She'd be safely at her part time job.

"I'm home." He said tiredly stepping through the door.

"Kyou-kun is late today!"

Kyou's eyes flew open in shock. Tooru stood happily in the doorway to the kitchen, stirring something in a bowl.

"Honda-san?!" Fujitsima peeked out from around Kyou's shoulder.

"Fujitsima-kun!" Tooru dropped the bowl, sending a splatter of what looked to be curried rice splattering across the floor.