Never Give Up

By Ginta and Hakakku Fangirl

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

A/N: I still don't know Kyo's father's name. I don't remember if they ever even mention it in the manga. Ah well. So, in my story, he's Shimbo. Oh, and sorry if he's a little out of character, there really isn't that much information about him.

Oh, and on a much sadder note, there are only, at the most, five to (maybe) seven chapters left of this story. :( So, we'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts, ne? I'll do my best to give you the best ending you've ever read.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Previous Chapter:

Akito smiled slyly.

"Kyo," he said, "if I don't care that you and Miss Honda are fucking almost every chance you get, do you honestly think that I care anymore that she's pregnant?"

Kyo's mouth dropped open and he began to stammer.

"H-How did…How did you--When did you--?"

Akito laughed. "Just now," he said simply. "When you didn't deny it."

Mentally, Kyo began to punch himself. 'Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!'

Akito just shook his head, knowing exactly what was going on in the Cat's head.

"When you're through imagining beating yourself into a bloody pulp, come back to the table. Shimbo's here."

"Fine," Kyo muttered.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Confrontation, Part Two

Kyo sighed. He really was not looking forward to this. Not only did his father blame him for everything that had gone wrong in his life, he also accused Kyo of killing his mother, of being the sole reason that she had committed suicide. He had left them. Shimbo had left Kyo and his mother alone before she had killed herself. Was it really Kyo's fault? He didn't chose to be born one of the Zodiac. No, not one of the Zodiac. One left out of the Zodiac. The only one left out…

Kyo shook his head. He was just depressing himself. He sighed once more, squared his shoulders, and walked out of the bathroom.

………………………………...

"Yes, Kyo's been behaving very well."

Kyo walked into the room to find Kazuma attempting to be pleasant as he answered Shimbo's (apparently constant) questions about Kyo.

"Behaving?" Shimbo scoffed. "If he was behaving, then he wouldn't have gotten some innocent girl knocked up! If she's even anything like you say she is, which I highly doubt. A young girl, not only living with three men, but one of them a pervert and the other the Cat? Not likely she's at all what you say, Kazuma."

Kyo saw Kazuma grit his teeth.

"Tohru is a very beautiful young girl," he said. "She has supported Kyo and Yuki despite the Curse of the Zodiac, she works hard at her job, with her studies. And she loves Kyo. It's obvious to anyone who so much as glances at them."

Kyo smiled. Then…

"What did he do, tell her that he loved her?" Shimbo snapped. "As if the Cat could love! However he got this girl into his bed, she's obviously stupid, to believe anything that he says."

Kyo stopped "hiding" in the hall and burst into the room.

"Watch your mouth about Tohru, you damned bastard!"

Kazuma, Akito, Shigure, Kureno, and Hatori all looked up, unsurprised, to see Kyo standing, furious, in the doorway, glaring at Shimbo.

Shimbo stood and glared as well.

"What did you just say to me?" he all but growled.

"I said to watch what you say about Tohru, you bastard," Kyo said, slowly pronouncing and placing emphasis on the last two words.

"I shall say what I like about that slut you knocked up, and do not disrespect me, you horrid Cat--"

"Her name is Tohru!!" Kyo yelled. "And she is NOT a slut!"

"Oh? Then just how did you get her to go to your bed, Kyo? Hmm? What kind of respectful girl in her right mind would have sex with a monster? How did you get her in your bed?"

"I didn't 'get her in my bed'! I--"

By now, Shimbo and Kyo were right next to each other, yelling.

"Oh, so you went to hers? What did you do then, Kyo? Tell her you loved her? Did you get her drunk? Belittle her, make her think no one but you would ever accept her? Did you rape her?"

"NO!!"

"Well, if she's not a slut, then what did you do?"

"You fucking bastard!" Kyo yelled, before drawing back his fist; in an instant, Kazuma was up and had taken hold of his arm so that Kyo couldn't move.

Shimbo smirked.

"Thank you, Kazuma."

"I didn't do it for you," Kazuma said coldly. "I did it for my son."

Shimbo glared. "He's not your son!" he snapped.

"He is my son," Kazuma said calmly. "And it would be in your best interest to admit that. And the sooner you do, the sooner we can all be happier."

"'We?" Shimbo laughed coldly. "You can't ever be happy with a monster for a son!"

"Kyo is not a monster. He is a young man who made a mistake, a mistake that he shares equally with a girl who loves him for what he is, for who he is--"

"Oh, I highly doubt that. I take it she's never seen his real form?"

"Yes, she has. I made sure of it," Kazuma said. "And how you see him today is Kyo's true form: A very confused boy who is trying to do everything he can to turn his life around and keep it from going back to that Hellhole you say it should be!"

Shimbo glared.

"Ung…Dad! Let go!" Kyo struggled against Kazuma, who still had Kyo tightly pinned to his side. "Ugh…Dad, I can't breathe!"

"Sorry," Kazuma said, letting go; Kyo stayed at his side and glared at Shimbo.

"You honestly think that it's appropriate to call him 'dad' in my presence?" Shimbo hissed.

Kyo opened his mouth to retort, but cut himself off as Akito stood up.

"Shimbo, stop. Just stop." Akito glared at him. "You have denied being Kyo's father since before his mother's death. What makes you think that you have the right to insist he call you his father or to call you 'dad'?"

"I--"

"You have denied the Zodiac, you have denied your son, you abandoned both Kyo and his mother. And you have denied me. And now you have the nerve to come here? Get out!"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

See ya in chapter twenty-eight!