Kiss Kiss
By Lady of the Ink
Pairing: Kyou and Kagura Sohma
Fandom: Fruits Basket
Theme: #8 -Our Own World
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but you knew that ...I hope. But I do own this story and all the twists that it takes.

Kiss Fifteen: This kiss is the seventh chapter of a multi-chapter AU story, with each chapter fulfilling a different theme.

The Life For Me
Chapter Seven
The Other Home

Momiji bounced down the hall the moment that his announcement had been made, leaving Kagura staring dumbly after him while struggling to absorb what he had said. When the words finally sank into her mind, the lingering haziness of sleep vanished instantly. The boat was about to reunite with its home port and she would get her first glimpse of where her wayward family members had spent the last sixty years.

Turning on her heel she hurried to get dressed, rushing around so quickly that she managed to stub her toe on the doorjamb and bang her knee against the bunk before even making it across the room. Limply slightly, Kagura finally found her dress where she had been keeping it for just this occasion. It was more than a little wrinkled but even so, much preferable to the breeches and loose shirts she had been making do with. She wanted to make a good first impression and that wouldn't be accomplished looking like a stowaway who'd spent half the trip being dragged behind the ship.

Without a mirror in the small cabin, she did the best she could with the basin of cold water and the comb Ritsu had shyly loaned her. Tears came into her eyes as she dragged it through her hair, hitting numerous knots likely created by the whipping wind from the storm of the night before. Silently berating herself for not taking the time to deal with them before going to sleep, she worked most of them out and pulled her hair into a passable loose braid.

Since she didn't know if she would get the chance to return to the room she'd called home for the days past, she took the time to gather all the borrowed clothing into a pile. If she wasn't able to do it herself, it would be easy for someone else to return the items to their real owners. With any luck she would be able to secure more appropriate clothing once she arrived in the town. Gently resting the comb atop the stack, Kagura took one last look around and then headed out the door.

An odd sight met her eyes the moment that she stepped onto the deck after making her way through the deserted hall. Nearly every member of the crew, all pushing against each other to gain the best position, blocked the railing where she had stood the night before. As she approached, a few of them moved aside to give her room, allowing her to see for the first time what all the fuss was about.

Directly ahead and quickly approaching was what looked like a small, seaside town. What passed for a dock lay at one end, surrounded by a cluster of small boxy buildings that could only be businesses. A short distance away but still on the coastline were other buildings, some two stories and all brightly painted, leading Kagura to assume they were houses.

As the ship drew even closer to the shore she was able to make out more and more details, from the winding paths leading away from the village and into the dense wood behind it to the crowd of people waiting at the dock. From the combination of men, women, and children, she could only assume they were family members of the crew, eagerly awaiting the return of their loved ones after more than a month apart.

For the first time since realizing that her life wasn't in danger, Kagura found a squirmy feeling invading the pit of her stomach. Just because the Sohmas on the ship had quickly accepted her didn't mean things would go as smoothly with the others. She'd seen firsthand that Momiji, Shigure, Ritsu, and Hiro were far from being like the people she normally associated with; it was likely they were the exceptions rather than the rule. Kyou had seemed okay with her presence, especially once she'd told him that she'd do her best to smooth the way for his requests with her side of the family. But then he hadn't spent more than ten combined minutes with her after their first discussion. If he had a problem with her, it would have been simple for him to hide it so as not to interfere with his eventual goals.

What kinds of people were waiting on the deck? How would they react to hearing who she was and that she was going to be staying with them for three months? Would they like her? Would she like them?

She swallowed hard as the questions whirled through her mind, twisting and multiplying until she felt their weight pressing down on her. The adventurous spirit she had so embraced the night before had vanished, changing things that she had thought were benefits into distressing realizations. She was alone and away from home for the first time without so much as an acquaintance to watch over her. She would be depending on people she didn't know for every aspect of her existence, from a roof over her head to food to fill her stomach.

Kagura shuddered as a sense of panic filled her. Now that the moment of truth was approaching, she wasn't sure she could go through with it after all. What had possessed her to think that she could possibly be the kind of person who could do something like this? Social situations were hard enough for her when they were on familiar ground and people she was comfortable with surrounded her.

Just as she was working out details of what it would take to get herself home as quickly as possible, the sound of a clearing throat made her jump. Whipping around, she saw Kyou standing behind her. He wore a slightly less battered version of the loose shirt and trousers he'd worn the whole voyage but had otherwise made no outward concessions to their arrival.

"The dock's going to be pretty crowded when we land. Everyone's going to be worked up over us being back and finding out what we've brought with us. If they get a look at you, things will be even worse than usual and it'll take twice as long to get everything squared away." He didn't look at her as he spoke, instead squinting at the shoreline, the sky overhead, and the milling crewmen that were slowly drifting back to their duties.

She felt a renewed burst of unease at his seeming inability to meet her eyes. It added weight to her earlier questions about his thoughts concerning her presence on his ship. Her fingers had knotted themselves together, her damp palms touching, before he spoke again.

"It'd probably be better if you waited below deck until things settled down a bit. Once the cargo is unloaded and the crowd disperses, I'll come and get you. Then we'll figure out what to do with you while you're here." His tone was brisk, gruff even, as though he resented having to take the time.

If she hadn't been watching him not watching her so closely, Kagura would have missed the hint of pink in his cheeks. Slightly confused by it, she followed him back down the stairs she had only just climbed without a word. Their destination turned out to be not the cabin that she had occupied, but the larger, much more comfortable one where they had dined together her first night on the ship. She stepped inside but Kyou paused at the door, his hands braced against the frame. "I'm sure you can find something to kill time; I'll try to be as quick as I can." Without another word, he turned and vanished from sight.

Kagura remained where she had first stopped, a handful of steps from the door. Her earlier nervousness had vanished in the face of her puzzlement over his odd behavior. She would have thought that he was upset with her if it hadn't been for that added color in his cheeks. It was almost like he was embarrassed about something. But how could that be? All he'd been doing was getting her out of the way …

When realization hit, she could have smacked herself in the head. He was getting her out of the way, but she doubted it had much to do with her being a hindrance to the men's duties. If she'd remained where she was, she would have been subject to numerous stares and questions, all things that would have sent her over the edge of hysteria that she'd been teetering on. As intense as the anxiety that she had been feeling was, some of it had to have shown on her face. He'd probably noticed and then done what he could to make her more comfortable. The only question was if his chosen method had been for her benefit or his.

A small smile played on her lips as she looked around for the first time. The first night, the room had been cloaked in flickering shadows from the candles and her attention had been on Kyou rather than the décor. Now that she was seeing it in daylight, there were quite a few things she was noticing that had been lost on her before.

In the far corner sat the bed, nearly twice as large as the one she'd been sleeping on. The blankets on it were twins to the ones she had been using, though, simple but clean and nothing like the thick comforter on her bed at home. The same thing could be said of the table, dinner chairs, and reading chairs across from the bed. They were all rather plain but in good condition, obviously well taken care of. She wondered if the room was decorated as it was because of choice or necessity. Maybe Kyou liked to keep his surrounding unfussy and orderly or maybe there wasn't enough money for it to be any other way. Shigure had mentioned that Kyou felt responsible for making life easier for the people in their town. Maybe he went without luxuries in order to accomplish that goal.

Uncomfortable thinking about money when it was neither any of her business nor anything she'd ever had to worry about, Kagura returned her attention to the only other piece of furniture in the room. Secured to the wall just behind the door was a large hutch with latching doors. All three shelves were crammed with books of shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Curious and bolstered by Kyou's comment about finding something to occupy herself, she moved to stand in front of it. The glass was sparkling clean and she was easily able to make out the titles of some of the books. Others were too thin or worn for the lettering to be clear.

There was a collection of books crowding one corner that caught her eye. They looked well worn and were sitting within easy reach. Perhaps they were favorites? Unable to resist the impulse, Kagura flipped the latch and opened the doors. Randomly selecting one from the group, she carefully opened the cover and peered inside. She was startled to see that the words it contained were handwritten. She started to put it back, thinking it was a journal and not wanting to invade someone's private thoughts.

Just before she snapped it closed, the heading caught her eye. Rather than a date as she had been expecting, the words "Chapter One" was carefully written in large letters.

'So it is a book,' she thought, closing the cabinet doors with one hand, the tome still held in the other. 'Maybe someone was writing to fill the hours while they were sailing. I wonder what it's about?'

Planning to read just the first few sentences, Kagura soon found herself drawn into a vivid and exciting plot. The characters danced into her mind as the story drew her in. Soon she couldn't read fast enough, hating to pause even long enough to turn the pages. Without looking up, she backed her way into one of the chairs nearby and gave herself over entirely to the tale contained within the pages.

She was so absorbed in the book that she lost all track of time. It seemed like only moments had passed before she heard a loud cough. Regretfully pulling her attention away from the story, she looked up to find Kyou standing in the doorway once more. His hair was even more ruffled than she had ever seen it before, his clothes wrinkled and sweat stained. She felt a guilty flush steep into her cheeks at the thought that he had been working hard while she'd been idly sitting around.

Closing the book with a muffled thud, she got to her feet. It was with surprise that she noted the light coming through the window was different than it had been when she'd sat down. The gentle light of morning had been replaced with the heavier beams of mid-afternoon.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you. I got a little …wrapped up," she explained, lamely gesturing to the book in her hand. Kyou stepped forward, turning it so that he could see the cover. He nodded.

"One of Shigure's. The man's an idiot, but he's written some pretty good stuff. Just don't tell him I said that; he'll never shut up about it. Almost everyone here has read some of his stories and it goes to his head. He refuses to accept that they have little choice since we don't manage to bring in new books very often." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "The cargo's unloaded and most of the people have gone home. Are you ready?"

Kagura nodded and moved to return the book to its shelf but Kyou shook his head. "Keep it. When you're done, if you want, I can lend you some of his other ones." The red tinge was back bringing a smile to Kagura's lips that Kyou didn't see as he quickly turned. "Let's go."

The deck was almost empty as they crossed it, with just two men carefully completing last minute duties. As he had said, the crowd from earlier was gone with just a handful of stragglers milling around. None of them paid much attention to Kyou and Kagura as they left the ship, too wrapped in their own business to bother with anyone else's.

Kyou led her towards the town she had seen before they docked, following a well-worn path past grassy meadows and flower covered hills. He seemed in no hurry to speak and so Kagura was left to enjoy the noises of nature as they walked. The sun was shining warmly but a nice breeze kept her from feeling too hot, even with her exertion and the dress that seemed unaccountably bulky after her time in britches. Feeling her spirits lifted by the scene, she fancied the area had put on its best behavior to welcome her. As silly as the thought was, she found comfort in it and a warm smile curved her lips as a slight skip made its way into her step.

The tops of the tallest roofs were coming into sight in the distance before the next word was said. Kyou's stride shortened just slightly and Kagura automatically slowed to match it, casting a curious look his way as she did. Seeing that he had an expression of great concentration on his face, she bit back her question and waited for him to speak.

"I talked to Hiro's mother when she came to meet him at the dock. She said she'd be happy to let you stay with them for a few days until something better can be worked out for the rest of your stay. There are a couple of places that you could occupy, but they're not in perfect shape at the moment. It won't take much to get them order, though."

He paused, raking a hand through his hair. His mouth opened once, twice, but no words came out. He gave a disgusted huff skyward before stopping in the middle of the path and looking her full in the face. "Look, you need to understand that life around here is a lot different from the one that you're used to. We're pretty much self-sufficient; what we need, we manage to handle ourselves whenever possible. Everyone knows everyone else and has for almost all their lives. About the only contact that we have with outsiders is when the boat goes to trade goods.

"I can tell you right now that you're going to get a lot of attention once everyone gets used to your being here. You'll get asked a million questions, so you should brace yourself for it now. I imagine you will be getting a lot of visitors, probably enough to drive you crazy. Just keep in mind that they all mean well; I can't think of anyone that would hold your being one of the other half of the family against you, at least not anyone who would do anything about it. Even so, Momiji and Hiro will hang around when we get you your permanent place to stay. As part of their punishment, they'll be cleaning the place and taking care of wood and so on."

Kagura looked down at her wrinkled and travel worn dress, grimacing slightly at the thought of greeting the line of people wearing it. She didn't consider herself a vain person but she'd also never had to go about in anything close to the rumpled state she was currently in. Borrowed clothes on the ship had solved the problem temporarily but she couldn't run around in breeches now that they'd landed.

Before she could gather the courage to ask about additional clothing, Kyou, apparently having noticed where her focus had gone, spoke. "Shigure's taking care of your clothes. We always bring back material and some ready-made outfits for everyone. He's usually the one that takes care of it since, as you may have noticed, he has a way of sweet talking people about him. I guess he gets nice things; at least, no one has ever complained before. Anyway, he said he was sure there were some things in that would work for you."

"I don't want to put anyone out; if someone's been waiting for those things, it's hardly fair for me to-"

Kyou cut her off with a wave of his hand. "It's not a problem. He said he got a good deal on a wardrobe someone didn't pay for; they weren't the right size for anyone here but he figured they could be altered. He thinks they're your size, though, so problem solved."

Kagura nodded meekly as she made a mental note to somehow reimburse them for all they were doing for her. She was sure that Yuki would see about bringing them back into the family if everything checked out but this was something her honor wanted her to handle on her own. She doubted straight money would do it so she would have to think of some other gesture, one that they would have no problem accepting.

Pushing the problem to the back of her mind, she followed beside Kyou as he started walking again. He pointed out the houses of Momiji and Shigure, the small store and various other public buildings. A vague gesture towards one of the paths leading into the thick trees behind the town indicated his own home and was quickly overshadowed by a louder comment that they were getting close to Hiro's home. As a woman with a warm smile welcomed her, a small girl peering around her skirts, Kyou said his farewells and loped away.

As the days passed, Kagura learned that Kyou's explanation upon their arrival was very true. It was as though the family had created their own little world that they guarded jealously. When someone was accepted in, though, it was with open arms from the whole group. Kagura found not only a place for herself among them, but new friends as well. The two days she spent with Hiro's mother was more than enough for her to come to adore the older woman. A bit of a ditz but open and caring, she reminded her strongly of Tohru.

Momiji had the same effect, especially when one learned what lay behind his smile. His mother had been unhappy in the small town and, wanting to please her, his father had left. Momiji had stayed behind, not wanting to leave the other members of his family or the home where he grew up. His parents lived not far from where Kagura had lived, along with a little sister he had never gotten the chance to meet. The cheerful blonde lived on his own with a houseful of adopted animals to keep him company. Even so, his happy personality wasn't a front; he had truly come to terms with his life and maintained the belief that when the time was right, he'd be reunited with his family.

Hiro had a similar personality to Arisa, tough and gruff on the outside but with a friendly core, if you managed to find it. Kagura often watched him playing patiently with his little sister, catching the gentle smile he used only when he thought no one could see him. Her time with them left her feeling more at home than she would have thought possible and she hadn't been able to leave their home for her new dwelling without a few tears.

The place that had been readied for her was almost like a loft, a single floor dwelling with few walls dividing it up. It sat over the large meeting hall and had last been occupied, she'd been told, by the schoolteacher before she had married and moved in with her new husband. Since it sat in the middle of the town and everyone had a clear view of the only entrance, it was considered entirely proper for her to live there alone. As closely as she was being watched, it would have been impossible for someone to sneak in or be snuck in without one of her many neighbors noticing. And with the meeting hall itself being locked up at sunset each night, it was also quite safe.

Kagura enjoyed the freedom of living alone, quickly tackling the never-before-tried tasks of cooking and cleaning up after herself. Even when her attempts at dinner turned into unidentifiable charred masses and her hands grew red from scrubbing floors and clothes alike, she still smiled. There was something to be said for the good, soul-filling feeling of having accomplished something with your own two hands. It was much more satisfying, if not easier, than commanding servants to do it for you.

Shigure had indeed brought over several boxes of clothing for her the very day she moved from Hiro's family's home. She'd been a bit worried before she opened them as alterations were quite beyond her meager sewing skills. With a tailor like Ayame in the family, she had never needed to know more than the "delicate lady's art of embroidery", as her etiquette tutor had called it.

She shouldn't have worried. The dresses fit so well she would have sworn they'd been plucked from her own closet had the styles not been much simpler than she'd worn at home. Even the colors were right, the greens and yellows that she had always favored. When she'd commented as much to Shigure a few days later, he had hesitated slightly before brushing it off as coincidence. Kagura got the distinct feeling that he was hiding something. Her biggest fear was that he had bothered someone to have them alter the dresses for her, but he denied it so emphatically that she grudgingly believed him.

The questions about the dresses moved to the back of her mind as she was besieged with visitors of all kinds. Some wanted to know about life in a big city; others had questions about family members left behind. The story of how she had come to be on the ship in the first place quickly made the rounds, getting more than a few laughs as certain parts were embellished with each retelling. One such version had her beating up the entire crew and commandeering the vessel before consenting to return it after a particularly passionate entreaty from Shigure. Knowing where that account came from, everyone that heard it simply shook their heads and rolled their eyes, more than used to Shigure's take on things varying heavily from the reality.

Kyou had also dropped by several times, each visit longer than the one before it. He had been true to his word, bringing her several of Shigure's other books once she finished the first one. He often stayed to talk, mostly about the family in general and the things that they did. There was a clear tone of pride when he spoke of how they had taken to the challenge of supporting themselves, each finding a skill that they could either use to make items for themselves or to trade for the few necessities that they couldn't come up with on their own.

He explained how it had been his own idea to buy a ship, sure that they could get better prices for their goods further from home. Others had filled in the facts that he had blithely forgotten to mention: how he had studied and worked harder than any other person, personally overseeing almost every aspect of the first trip. It was clear to Kagura after just a few days that they were as proud of him as he was of them, only he seemed unable to accept it.

They also discussed what was likely to happen on her return to the family she'd left behind. She told him that she was sure Yuki would be fair and that anyone who had been a part of keeping him from meeting the young head of the family would be dealt with appropriately. The relief on Kyou's face when she assured him that his family would be taken care of was clear enough to tug at her heart.

Only once did their conversation turn more personal, when he had come to visit and a fierce storm kept him from heading off for several hours. Between the flickering flashes of lightening and the deafening booms, Kyou spoke of his mother's death when he was still young and his father's stance that he, being his grandmother's descendant, was to blame for their less than privileged existence. Anger and a long buried sadness lurked in his tone as he spoke of his father leaving the village without warning, abandoning his young son to fend for himself.

She wondered if he knew how his face lit up when he spoke of the man he obviously held above all others. Kazuma had come just when he needed him, taking him in and giving him the confidence in himself that he'd been lacking up until that point. Kyou's respect for him was clear and Kagura found herself wanting to thank the man for undoing as much of the damage Kyou's real father had so carelessly caused that he could. Even if his father's harsh words hid somewhere within Kyou's determination to restore the family, it was the sense of worth instilled by Kazuma that allowed him to work towards that goal without losing sight of himself or the people he was trying to help. Instead of resenting them, Kyou cared for them, actually wanting to make their lives better.

Knowing that he wouldn't believe her even if she spoke them, Kagura kept her observations about Kyou to herself. She was now as anxious as he was to bring about a resolution to the problem caused years before. As he was the champion of his family members, she was ready to be his champion. If there was a single question as to his intentions, she could attest to the sheer strength of character and honor that he showed every day, not just the kindness that he had shown to her. The similarities between him and Yuki didn't escape her and she could only hope that would aid their cause. If anyone deserved to get what they had worked for nearly their entire lives, she thought it was Kyou. Dedication that strong and struggle that willingly accepted on the behalf of others needed to be rewarded.

Her excitement for him and the rest of them was tempered only by one selfish thought. As the three months until her departure dwindled down to two, then one, and then from weeks until days, Kagura was left with an unsettling knowledge. She was going to miss this place she'd lived for such a short time much, much more than the town she'd called home all her life. The person that she had become while living there was so much closer to who she wanted to be than the goodhearted but emotionally unfulfilled woman she had been. There was a part of her that was very afraid that all the changes she had brought about in herself would go away if she left the place where they had occurred.

On the day of her departure, Kagura carefully packed the few things she would be taking with her. Her goodbyes had been said the day before as Kyou's plans had them setting off early. She stood in the middle of the comfortable little flat and took one last look around. It was almost as painful to think about leaving it as it was the people she'd grown so close to.

Just before she was about to give in to the urge to beg them to allow her to stay, a knock came at the door. She quickly gathered herself, rubbing away the telltale tears as she called for the visitor to enter. Hiro, his face still marked with lines from his pillow, popped his head inside. Suppressing a yawn, he moved to grab her bags.

It was time to go.