Haru spent the next hour or so wondering around the empty halls of the school. Lunch was well over and Leiko was hauled back into Yuki's class by a very annoyed rat. Things had changed to a degree at the school. It was weird being back in the building and having it void of any familiar face. Haru smirked as he finally found the stairway to his destination, the roof. His steel-toed boots thumped heavily against the stairs. When he reached the top of the stairs he hesitated at the doorway, his hand resting on the doorknob. Was he ready for what memories might come from the other side of the door? So many things had happened on the school roof. Could he handle the feelings that could come flooding back with the memories?
Slowly Haru turned the doorknob and as sunlight filled his eyes memories filled his mind…
The roof. That's where Haru knew Kyo would be. He was always on the roof when he wanted to get away from everything. Haru hated any place that was of any sort of height. But for Kyo, that sort of thing didn't matter. He felt a surge of butterflies arise in his stomach as the sight of Kyo lying in the sun. They had gotten closer over the past few weeks and it was undeniable that there wasn't some kind of tension between the two, and Tohru was the only one who seemed to think the tension had something to do with fighting.
"Hey," Haru said as he sat down next to the lightly slumbering cat.
Kyo cracked open his ruby eyes and looked up at the cow sitting next to him. "Yeah? What'dya want?"
"You wanna skip?" Haru asked entranced by the captivating red eyes. Kyo rolled over onto his back and stared up at the sky.
"Yeah," He said after a few minutes. The light spring breeze tossed his orange locks around and Haru was tempted to run his fingers through what he imaged to be silky soft hair. "I think I'd like that."
Haru stood up and offered Kyo a hand. Without hesitation Kyo took the offered hand and let the cow pull him up. As they made their way to the door that lead off the roof Haru grabbed Kyo and spun him around and kissed him. There wasn't anything fancy or magical about it. It was everything a first kiss was supposed to be. It was awkward. Haru was terrified that Kyo was just going to pull away and beat the shit out of him. Then, when Kyo started to kiss him back, it was like the world fell away and nothing else mattered.
Haru was stunned to say the least. After the kiss was over a very goofy smile made its way across both the boy's faces.
"Well…come on you damn cow," Kyo muttered a blush staining his cheeks the same color as his eyes. "You just gonna stand there or what! And wipe that damn smirk off your face!"
As Haru followed Kyo out of the school he couldn't contain his happiness, he had never felt like this before and it was something he didn't ever want to loose.
Haru raised a hand to block the bright sun, and there she was. She was lying on her back, arms tucked under her head. She arched her back slightly as she looked back at Haru upside down.
"Oh hey, its you." She sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "What're you doin' up here?"
"Just wandering around," Haru said as he walked over next to Leiko. He looked her over not sure if he wanted to stay around her. She was too much like Kyo in some ways, he could already tell, but not enough like him to satisfy him by any means. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
Leiko snorted as she lay back down. "Yeah right, like I'm about to go back to class with that damn rat. We have a test today and after lunch this afternoon…I'd rather not fail 'cause he's mad."
"I donno how I feel about you," Haru was being blunt. He was good at that, most of the time it got the crap beat out of him but he wasn't one who liked to beat around anything.
"That's fine," Leiko said as she closed her eyes. "I donno how I feel about you either. I mean you were like in love with Kyo, so why should you like me? However I think I'd rather you hate me for being the cat instead of hating me for not being Kyo, too many people feel like that."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean like…Yuki he hates me right? With every fiber of his being, but sometimes…sometimes he hates me because I'm not Kyo. I donno, I think he was in love with him too; either that or it was some weird love-hate thing. I think that's part of the reason he doesn't fight me. Most of the other's are the same. So, if you decide to hate me, hate me 'cause I'm the cat. I can't compete with someone like Kyo."
A silence fell between the two. Haru mulled over what Leiko had said. He had never thought about it that way. It wasn't as if everyone was bending over backward for Kyo, but deep down they had all liked him, except for maybe Akito. Then there was this girl, born into the world not only cursed by the cat but also born into a family in mourning.
"So…how about I like you until further notice?" Haru glanced over at the slumbering girl. It was almost as if he could see Kyo, lying there arms pillowing his head, basking in the sun. Maybe it was dangerous for him to like this girl, she could bring all kinds of grief to him, but she was the cat. Haru was good at taking care of people, especially the cat.
"What?" Leiko was obviously surprised. She sat up like a lighting bolt and her orange-blonde hair spilled into her face. Under the surprised tone there was hope.
"Sounds like you need someone and Yuki seems to think you'll be good for me…" Haru trailed off. "You need someone to like you right? Well, I'm pretty good at liking the cat."
Leiko pondered what Haru was saying. His nose crinkled up in thought, something that Kyo never did, something that made Haru smile.
"Well…I donno, you sure you can handle it? Yuki said you were like, super manic depressed and just the color orange made you cry like a girl for months after…" Leiko kept relating what Yuki had told her about their cousin the cow, all the while Haru could feel his black-side slipping through.
"The bastard said I cried like a freaking girl? Oh that's it! First he makes me come here, goes on about freaking family ties and shit, AND he's been telling people I cry like some kind of pansy-ass girl!" And there it was Black Haru rearing its ugly head.
"Hey! What are you going on about! What's your problem anyway? You're like all super quite and calm and then BAM!" Leiko had jumped to her feet and was following Haru towards the door that lead the to stairwell.
"My problem is people who talk like they know everything." Black-Haru was fuming. What did Yuki know about him and his depression? Yuki had never been loved like Haru had been by Kyo.
"You talking about Yuki? Hey! You can't fight him! That's my job you damn cow! Damn it all if you fight him before I do I'll seriously murder somebody!" Black-Haru spun around and fixed Leiko with s fiery glare.
"What? You want a fight? You're itching for one aren't you? I can see it," Black-Haru advanced on Leiko; she stood there, never backing down. Anger was flashing through her eyes and her fists were clenched tight. "It's in your eyes. You're just dying to punch someone, to hear that sound of flesh on flesh."
"No you damn cow! I don't want any of that shit! I just want to beat that damn rat, but you, you're really getting on my nerves now! What's your deal? Are you like, schizophrenic or somethin'?"
Haru was surprised at how fast she moved. His punch would've taken anyone by surprise but it was like Leiko had sensed it. Every other punch he threw she ducked around. Finally she punched Haru in the face and shouted at him to take some sort of medication before she ran off.
Haru sat up dazed. After the initial shock of being punched had worn off, a small smile covered his face. Well at least one thing was the same; the cat could still knock him on his ass.
AN/ Ok so here's the deal. I know you people are reading this. I have like 213 hits to the damn story. Now, I'm not one to talk, I don't usually review…but here's the deal: you review and I'll read whatever you want me too and review every chapter. AND! I'll be nice about it!
Please review! I need the reviews to live! And I really love this story, I've actually had it in my computer for like two years now, well the first three bits. I will finish if you review…promise.
Also, not my favorite chapter, but I'm looking forward to the next one. Oh it'll be fun…lots of fun…hehehe.
