The two sat for a long time, neither one speaking, Kyo gently brushing his fingers through Haru's hair while the younger boy caught his breath. After what seemed like ages, Haru stretched out one leg, snatching his discarded boxers with a toe and pulling them back to him. He slid them on gingerly, a flush in his cheeks, embarrassment setting in with the abatement of arousal.

"I'll uh… go downstairs…" he offered in a hoarse voice, beginning to stand, but was restrained by a hand around his wrist.

"Stay," Kyo murmured quietly. "You can share my bed," he glanced up, catching Haru's eyes. "You are my boyfriend… after all…"

Haru felt his heart leap into his throat. He'd never even dreamed of hearing those words! "K-kyo…" he stammered.

The older boy stood, pulling him into a rough kiss before turning away quickly. "Did you want to borrow some pajamas, or is that okay?" he asked briskly.

Haru glanced down at himself, assessing his boxers. "I'm fine." He replied.

-scene-

"Um, um… but Kyo-kun is still sleeping, Kagura-chan…" Tohru protested feebly, trying ineffectually to hold the girl back from her rampage towards the younger boy's room.

"Then it's time he woke up." She announced, tearing from the girl's grasp and storming up the stairs.

"Kyo! How dare you stand me up!" She yanked open the paper slat and paused.

It wasn't unusual to find two or more of the Sohma boys sharing a bet, but the girl could sense that this was somehow different. She assessed the room; the pell-mell scattering of clothing across the floor, and the boys, Haru's shaggy head resting peacefully on Kyo's bare chest, the older boy's fingers tangling in white tufts of downy hair.

"Kyo?" she called more softly.

The boy's eyes blinked open, but he did not sit up, nor did he seem to yet realize that he was awake. His hand stroked absently through the younger boy's hair before he glanced dazedly to the doorway.

"Kagura?" he blanched, sitting up suddenly, his cheeks flushing with the guilt of being caught in such a compromising position, betraying the fact that this was not a routine slumber party.

Before she could reply, however, there was a stirring from the boy's bedmate as Haru began to awaken.

"Mmm… Kyo?" he mumbled sleepily, trailing his fingers down the older boy's abdomen before sitting up. "What's wrong?" he turned his attention in the direction that his lover was looking and his eyes narrowed. "Oh," he answered his own question in a steely tone, "You."

Kagura shook her head, unable to formulate any sort of coherent response.

"Um…" Tohru piped up timidly from behind the taller girl. "Breakfast is ready… if… anyone's hungry."

Silence hung over the room for a moment and suddenly, Haru's stomach growled, breaking both the silence and the tension, for the meantime.

-scene-

Breakfast was an awkward affair, with Haru sitting protectively close by Kyo's side, glaring at Kagura over his bowl of rice, and she, all the while, exchanging glances between the two, hoping for some sort of explanation. Tohru sat by, anxiously trying to engage the others in small talk, but failing. The only one at the table seemingly non-surplussed was Shigure, who was grinning like a buffoon.

It was all too much for him, really. He couldn't possibly be expected not to find the humor in it! His household had suddenly become an unfolding TV drama, and it was the best inspiration he'd had in months. He couldn't wait to see how it all played out. Besides, he reasoned, it was really quite charitable of him to his editor to come up with some semblance of a plot before the deadline…

"What?" Haru snapped irritably and seemingly unprovoked.

"What?" Kagura returned; obviously the object of his current scorn and accusation.

"If you're gonna ask a question, then just get it off your chest. Stop staring at us like that, waiting for one of us to let something slip."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She flushed.

"Ah, can it!" he growled. "You haven't tried to molest, maim or mutilate Kyo once today! What's up with that!"

"I'm not complaining!" Kyo interjected. "I'm fine with that!"

"Fine!" Kagura glared back at Haru, ignoring Kyo's interruption. "Maybe I will. How about that? Maybe I'll even kiss him!" She shot. "I could, you know. It wouldn't hurt him at all…"

"You try it and I'll tear you apart!" A now very black Haru exclaimed, leaping to his feet in challenge.

Tohru looked nervously around the dining room for anything that might break should the two Sohma whirlwinds clash in dispute.

Kagura leapt to her feet as well, her fists balled at her sides. "You think you could, Stupid cow?" She challenged. "Everyone knows you're too slow! Even Shishou thinks so!"

Haru grit his teeth, rolling up his sleeves. "You wanna see how fast I can be!" He bit.

"Baka! Baka!" she taunted in a sing-song voice. "You're an embarrassment! What's black and white and red all over?" she goaded. When he didn't answer, she replied herself. "Haru blushing 'cause everyone found out he likes Yuki-kun!"

"I DON'T LIKE YUKI!" he practically screamed. "And you're one to talk! A man could never love you 'cause you'd kill him! You're rough and crude and flat!"

Kagura's jaw dropped in a shocked gasp. "You- you- you-! I'll take your face off for that!"

"Knock it off!" Kyo roared, slamming his rice bowl down furiously. "Can you two be any more childish!" He stood quickly, his fists clenched. "What do you even think you're fighting over! Me? Ha!" he laughed. "Right now, I don't want to be around either one of you!" With that, he stormed out of the kitchen, headed for the door.

"Kyo?" the pair called in unison, worry evident on both faces.

"Wait, Kyo!"

But it was too late, he'd already bolted out the door.

The group stood in shock, unable to respond, until Shigure broke the silence with a loud sniff.

"That is too much!" he sobbed joyously. "I'm going to be a millionaire…" with that, he departed the room, leaving the two (as Tohru had evacuated with the china moments earlier) to their debate.

The pair were silent for a long moment before Haru scuffed his bare foot against the floor embarrassedly. "So… what were you going to ask?" he inquired softly.

Kagura drew a deep breath before replying. "You… you and Kyo are lovers, aren't you?" she finally asked.

"…Yah." he replied.

She nodded. "Okay," then thought. "How long?"

"Officially?" he asked. "Since last night… but… we've been dating for… maybe a month."

"That's a long time," she observed, "… for Kyo."

He nodded. "Mmhm. …It'll be longer, I hope."

"So you like him?" she asked.

"I love him." He replied.

She hesitated. "Like you loved Yuki?"

"No." he replied. "Like Vega loved Altair." ((For those of you who don't get this reference, there is a festival in Japan called Tanabata, or the Star Festival. This festival is based on an old fairy tale surrounding the stars Vega and Altair. Vega is said to have been a poor farmer who fell in love with Altair, a princess, but her father was so displeased with the union that he put the milky way in the sky to separate the two lovers. His daughter grieved so much that once a year, on the night of Tanabata, he removes the Milky way so that the lovers can be together.))

She glanced to him, surprised. "You mean that?" but he didn't have to answer, she could see that he did.

"Are you going to… tell Akito?" he asked quietly.

She was silent a moment. "No." she replied. "And I'm not going to tell anyone else either."

"Thank you." He replied, after a beat.

She nodded. "He deserves you."