A/N

Thank you for all the support I've received so far, it really does mean a lot to me! This chapter is specifically for Silentz, for all the wonderful, fantastic reviews given to me for… well, for a while. Thank you very much!

(Also part of a continuing campaign to prove to Rennie that I still love her… -sigh-)

Akki – the presents convo I'd actually written before we had ours… creepy… o.O

Broken Paperclips

I sighed and fiddled with the fraying strap on my bag once more as I walked into school. Kyo was being his usual glowery self in front of me, with Tohru jabbering on beside me; I wasn't sure what it was this time, but he seemed to be more downright miserable than ever. Typical Kyo; as soon as I find something to cheer me up he gets more suicidal than ever and makes everyone so gloomy. I looked down at my bag again and sighed; it was going to fall apart any second. I said goodbye to Tohru – she'd dropped Home Sciences for extra studies, she could cook the teachers out of a job – and made my way over to my locker, slipping the key in and turning it before smiling as my extra-sensitive hearing picked up footsteps on the horizon.

"Morning, gorgeous," a voice murmured in my ear as two warm hands slipped around my waist. He kissed my neck briefly before moving aside and lounging against the lockers, eyes still glowing into me. "Sleep well?"

"Incredibly," I said with a grin as I banged the door shut and locked it again. "I was all worn out for some reason." I paused as I turned to look at him for a moment. "Any ideas?" I shouldered my bag with a grin, eyes dragging off him as I walked away. And suddenly and spectacularly my bag exploded; that strap had finally given way, strewing coursework, books and council reports all over the floor. My fanclub were on me in seconds; any chance to touch my stuff. I took piles of paper from them irritably and looked up to see Kakeru running away. "Where are you off to?" I yelled.

"Back in a second!" he called, disappearing round a corner. I sighed and smiled at a girl who handed me a plastic bag. She nearly had a heart attack. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes; today would be a long day.

I fiddled with the corner of my school jacket; I hadn't seen Kakeru since the morning, and ashamed as I was to admit it I found myself pining for him. It wasn't that odd, we didn't have very many classes together, but still… I put down my chopsticks with a sigh, falling back onto the grass with a whoomph and staring up at the sky. Tohru was talking to Uotani beside me, but I couldn't find the energy to try and pay attention to the conversation.

I screamed. Out of nowhere a giant black eye had totally taken up my vision; it was like being attacked by a giant fly. I fell backwards; Kakeru squatted back on his haunches and laughed at my total, utterly humiliating flail. I felt my whole face flush as I scrambled away and propped myself up on my elbows; Tohru had gone back to her jabbering, leaving me to stare at Kakeru, flushed, my shirt everywhere and my hair worse. And I could just feel his eyes scorching over me. To which, of course, I blushed harder. He grinned a tad sadistically before leaning in close, his lips brushing against my ear, breath sending me shuddering. "I've got something for you," he murmured, and somehow found it necessary to nip my ear as he pulled away. My whole body shuddered; I certainly wasn't complaining. I turned back to Tohru with a half-smile; to everyone else we'd simply shared a quiet word. My heart was thrumming in my throat; Kakeru was already walking away into the distance.

"Gotta – " I just about managed with a flustered smile and picked up my coat and bag and scrambled after him. I caught up halfway across the hardcourt, walking beside him nonchalantly. "You're so fucked for that," I muttered. "I'm going to kill you."

"I'd be happy with that sentiment if it weren't for the murderous aspect of it," he murmured as he pushed through the door, and I found myself flushing ridiculously again, biting my lip and clenching my fingers into fists. He grabbed me and shoved me into the toilets. "Cliché I know," he murmured as he ran his fingers through my hair, "but I wanted to be somewhere safe from your fangirls." He swept forwards and crunched our mouths together, and I sighed happily, mind reeling in bliss.

"You'd be surprised at the extent they go to," I gasped when he finally pulled away.

"We are safe though?" he murmured as his thumb traced my bottom lip; I nodded and sighed, poking out my tongue to run across the tip slightly.

"You said you had something to show me?" I gasped as he nibbled against my neck. "Or is this it? Not that I mind, or anything." I groaned, head lolling back to slam into the tiles.

"I do," he murmured into my neck. "You just looked so gorgeous. Sorry for getting distracted." He pulled away with a final peck, and I felt myself sigh happily. He gestured towards the door. "Shall we?" I found myself kissing him once more gently before walking out in front of him, suppressing the urge to squeak as his hand slipped down my spine as he strolled behind me. "Lockers," he said in my ear, bending forwards to whisper it as we walked. I followed his command, gently steered by his hand on my hip as we walked. The thrill of it, the half-hidden gestures, the secrets… I hadn't felt this alive in years. I stood in front of our destination as he hooked a finger around the door of his locker, flipping it open and pulling out something from inside. He handed it to me as I ran my fingers across the coarse material and gaped.

"Uhh…" It was a bag. A satchel, to be more precise, to be hung over one shoulder. "Wow."

"To be honest, I'd bought this ages ago. Meant to give it to you for New Year's, but…" He grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I felt a bit stupid." He seemed to look at me worriedly for a moment. "I mean, it's nothing special, and practical presents are always a complete bore."

I smiled at him. "Sorry," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "It's… sorry for zoning out on you, it's just… well, I never get presents." I grinned, embarrassed.

He gaped at me. "Wow. That sucks."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I guess. Well, I get them, but they tend to be…" I tried to think. "Books."

He chuckled. "For some reason that doesn't surprise me."

I sighed in a rush of air, a smile twitching my mouth. "I'm not expressing myself very well." He cocked an eyebrow, and I laughed again. "I just… thanks," I said finally.

He leaned in very, very close. I glanced around in worry; no one was near. "You're very welcome," he murmured, and leant forward, kissing my mouth gently. My eyes rolled back into my head and I sighed happily when he pulled away. "You need a hand transferring your stuff?" He wrinkled his nose at the heap of papers that were strewn across the inside of my locker and I sighed.

"I'll manage," I grumbled, pulling out a Science textbook for the next lesson and managing to retrieve my homework somehow. I smiled at him once more before swinging the bag over my shoulder and walked off.

Kyo watched Yuki walk away with Kakeru with a deep, leaden feeling inside his stomach. He knew what had to be done, now.

He would do anything to stay free.

The weeks that passed had to be the most wonderful of my life. He was always there – and I mean, always. Every breaktime he'd smile out of the corner of his mouth, or wink at me, or murmur something soft into my ear. I felt my heart ache with the simple emotion of it; this intensity, this… incredible feeling. I sound like a very, very bad romance movie, but… just my whole body longing, all day. All night, too, but sometimes even I was too embarrassed to admit it. He'd always grin in the most fantastic way whenever he asked about anything to do with that; I, of course, blushed. And that would only encourage him more.

I sighed as I pulled my things out in a heap onto the desk, scrabbling through the piles for my homework and scribbling my name on it before handing it in with an apologetic smile. I sighed as my teacher flustered; this whole fangirl thing had got totally out of hand and was just becoming plain irritating. It was nearly the weekend, and I was not in the mood for this. I felt my fingers slip alongside the inside of my bag and catch on something; I pulled it out with a frown. A piece of paper neatly folded in half displayed a message clearly written in Kakeru's handwriting. I felt my whole body thrum with something brilliant, and a smile work onto my face. I'd never been written a note before; a simple, stupid thing that I should have sent and received a million times but no one had ever been there to write to.

I've got something to show you. You're coming over this weekend whether you like it or not.

I felt my smile get slightly wider; my eyes flickered up to the back of his head, a few rows ahead. I tucked the note into my front pocket, next to a copy of the photo he had given me. Throughout the whole lesson it was heavy on my chest but I couldn't help but smile.

"Okay," was the first thing I said to him when the final bell went.

"Good," he smiled. "Will the family okay it?"

"I'm their golden boy," I sighed. "I should fucking hope so. I haven't had a break in ages. I haven't had friends in ages. I might have to say…" I bit my lip. I didn't want to lie, but I couldn't admit to having anyone close to me…

"Yuki Sohma, you cannot grow up without staying out all night and telling a lie to get away with it," he scolded and I grinned.

"I guess I could do it just once," I sighed melodramatically.

"Good. My Mum's off again." He wrinkled his nose unpleasantly. "Ted has got some fancy hotel suite booked in Tokyo for them for the weekend."

"That the English guy your Mum's been dating?" I said as we walked out of the school gates, standing beside the usual place to meet up with Tohru.

He nodded. "Prick," he muttered. He looked at me, ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Fuck."

"What is it?" I asked him softly, eyes scanning for Tohru and the vivid hair I more easily recognised.

He grinned a tad more evilly than I was totally comfortable with. "I just want to fucking kiss you right now," he sighed.

I bit my lip to hide my smile. "Try to restrain yourself whilst we're on school property, hmm? Or, seeing as that doesn't stop you, exhibitionism isn't particularly one of my kinks."

"The family would disapprove," he said slowly, an unfathomable look in his eyes. I hesitated for a moment, before turning back to the crowd. He flustered with his bag for a moment before crying triumphantly as he extracted a pen.

"What are you doing?" I yelped as I felt cool metal press against the back of my hand, his hand easily making out the numbers in sweeping motions.

"This," he said as he finished, "is a telephone number. More commonly used as a method of communication than a form of blood poisoning. You phone me on this number when you have an okay, and we'll meet somewhere." His eyes bored into me. "That's a when, not an if," he said warningly.

I smiled softly. "I get the message," I murmured, and then sighed. "Now you've got me doing it too. If only…" I reached out a hand and spread the fingers out on his chest, eyes dragging from my fingers to his eyes, which were suddenly very, very dark, and everything seemed to stop around us. His lips formed a half smile, and I felt myself leaning towards it.

No.

You can't.

Don't.

It's too much.

I closed my eyes and let out a rush of air. "It's okay," he murmured, and the simple fact he knew what to say made my nerves sing and the insides of my elbows prickle. "I'll see you tomorrow night," he muttered with a smile. He turned and walked away a few steps, and I couldn't help but follow him with my eyes. He turned around with a frown. "We seriously have to get you a mobile," he called.

"I have one," I yelled back. "My family actually tracks my calls." He laughed and I waved him off with a smile before turning back to a happy Tohru.

"I've got council duties this weekend," I said conversationally over dinner. Shigure raised an eyebrow. "Don't even start anything," I warned, thrusting my chopsticks towards him. "I hate paperwork enough already without needing your perverted euphemisms." I sighed sadly. "I'll probably need to pull an all-nighter," I groaned.

"That sounds awful!" Tohru gasped dramatically beside me, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.

"Who will you stay with?" Shigure murmured. "To give us a telephone number. Just in case."

I shrugged. "Not sure. One of the council members, maybe."

"You mean like Manabe." It was Kyo's first contribution to a conversation (not including monosyllabic grunts) involving anything to do with me for ages.

I blinked, not sure how to respond for a moment. "Possibly, but he pisses me off. More likely to be Sakuragi-san." I smiled. "He happens to be the only sensible one there." Kyo grunted eloquently in response, looking at me with an odd look before resuming picking at his ramen.

"See you later," I called, and Tohru smiled and waved before dashing back up the stairs, halfway through the laundry. I shifted the rucksack up my shoulder further; Kakeru's bag lay neatly folded under my bed, the photo nestled in my jeans pocket. I was halfway out of the doorway before I stopped and looked around.

"Yuki?" Shigure had called softly, leaning against the doorway. His eyes were deep into mine, and I realised with a sudden surge of panic that he knew.

"Shigure," I said quickly, but he held up a hand.

His eyes were solemn. "Just be careful, alright?" he murmured.

I bowed my head. "I will be." I raised it again, locking eyes with him. "Thank you." He smiled a small smile before turning back into his study. I felt my own mouth twitch before letting the door close behind me as I went.

Kyo watched Shigure and Yuki talk and waited for Yuki to leave before walking down into the hallway and picking up the phone. "Hatori? It's Kyo. Do you think you can get me a meeting with Akito? There's something I think he needs to know."

I picked up the receiver for the payphone and slipped a few coins in. He picked up with a smile in his voice. "Hey, handsome," he murmured down the phone.

"Cut the crap, this is costing me a fortune," I muttered teasingly down the phone line, hearing him chuckle in response.

"Where are you?"

"Centre of town, by that big bus place. The one with the café." I slipped another coin into the machine.

"See you in fifteen," he finished and hung up.

"I'll get the coffees in then, I suppose?" I murmured into the silent receiver, replacing the headset with a smile.

It took him half an hour to show up, grinning stupidly and brandishing what appeared to be some sort of military bag. "Heya," he said as he sat down, his lukewarm coffee sloshing over onto the saucer.

"What on Earth is in that?" I said, eyeing the large bag suspiciously.

"Provisions," he said proudly, patting it happily. "Can't have a sleepover without copious amounts of chocolate, DVDs and other sugary substances." He grinned evilly. "And condoms, of course," he added, causing me to spray coffee all over the table in a most uncivilised manner.

"Please tell me you didn't," I said, staring at the bag with more disgust. He laughed, his hand wriggling to lace with mine momentarily before letting it drop.

"Drink up," he gestured towards the cup. "There's somewhere I want to get to before closing time." I drank the rest of the coffee in one caffeine-filled gulp before standing up, making him follow suit. He grinned. "This way," he murmured, hands opening towards the door. I sent him a look before walking out. We had to stroll along for a while, Kakeru in the lead this time.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going, or are you just lost?" He didn't reply; I sighed. I hoped that he wasn't as useless at directions as Haru.

"Nearly there," he called back to me, peering at a street name. I hoped to whatever God there was that this wasn't going to be some seedy shop… a dozen images flickered through my mind with several distinctly frightening and horrible ones. I suppressed a shudder. "Here we go!" he said triumphantly.

I peered around his splayed arms. "It's just a phone shop," I muttered, frowning.

"And we're going to get you a phone." He smiled. "One your family can't stalk you with."

I rolled my eyes but allowed myself to be dragged around, picking out a headset, experimenting with a few games. Kakeru crowed as he beat the high score, dancing in a ridiculous fashion, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Nothing too expensive," I said firmly to the store assistant, placing the latest Nokia back onto the stand, giving Kakeru a look. "I just need something that can call people." I wandered over to the cheaper phones; there was a nice, simple 'slidey' phone I picked up. It made a funny noise when I ran my thumb along it that somehow reminded me of Kakeru. I smiled. "This one."

Kakeru checked the phone's capabilities and snorted. "That's rubbish though," he whined.

"It'll do," I smiled as I received the box from the store attendant. I sighed at the price tag; only ¥8000. I fished out a handful of cash I'd withdrawn earlier from my bank account; later, I'd have to find a job to be less suspicious, but for now this would have to do. I handed over the correct amount, put the box into my bag and walked out of the store with Kakeru.

"It'll take overnight to charge," he yawned as we walked back. "So it should be ready for the morning." I smiled at him as we climbed onto the bus but for the most part of the journey we sat in silence; at some point I nodded off, because when I came to I was leant against Kakeru's shoulder, and my brain was fuzzy with sleep. He smiled at me, turning his head to briefly brush his lips against the top of my head. "Next stop," he murmured, and I nodded, stretching. We clambered off the bus and walked the final distance to his house; the sky was already dark, and I shivered in the cold. "You are a tiny, weeny little bit pathetic, you know," Kakeru teased as we unlocked the door.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled with a smile as I pulled off my coat and kicked off my shoes. We did all the boring phone stuff before he started on dinner; he made some sort of delicious chicken ramen whose recipe I never did discover; intoxicatingly sweet whilst being bitter and harsh as well. I couldn't help but watch the way his lips slid around his chopsticks, which only led to him being totally over the top about it, sucking and slurping in the most disgustingly erotic manner. I had to avert my eyes in the end; by the end it was simply pornographic.

"Is that a hint of disapproval I detect?" he murmured around the chopstick he had lodged halfway down his throat.

"Disgust, rather," I said, rolling my eyes and hiding my smile.

He laughed and placed his chopsticks neatly down. We set about doing the washing up together, breaking into the chocolate as we did; my head was buzzing from Kakeru's energy, my earlier copious amounts of coffee and the new sugar rush. We ended up giggling on the floor, before his eyes finally locked with mine and I felt myself bite a lip to stifle my moan. "Yuki," he murmured, leaning up on his elbows to kiss me angrily, biting and sucking on my lips.

Sex was something I'd, until now, looked on as a sort of acquisition in life I hadn't really expected to have the pleasure of receiving. Something that, if I ever had to experience, would be for the procreation of the family – and if it was, would become a difficult and arduous task without reverting to bestiality. This, however, was totally passionate, wonderfully hot and completely absorbing. Kakeru's hands were locked on my hips, his lips totally smothering mine. I sighed in a rush of air, my hands clamped in his hair. "Mmm?"

"Upstairs," he gasped. "Now." I laughed in compliance, straightening up and pulling him up behind me. We somehow managed to scramble upstairs whilst tearing at each others' mouths, but Kakeru seemed to insist on no clothing removal until the bedroom was reached; apparently it made tidying up later easier, or some such excuse. I must admit I wasn't really listening; it just motivated me to make it to his room faster. As soon as we entered I tore at his shirt, threading buttons through as he desperately did the same for me, jeans dropping seconds before, socks flying off in all directions before he pushed me onto the bed, thumb running across the outline of my boxers.

"Kakeru…" I whispered.

"Shh," he murmured back, kissing me gently. "Fuck, Yuki," he sighed, rocking back and looking at me. "I don't know what to do."

I quirked an eyebrow. "We're in your room, nearly naked, on your bed and horny as hell and you're telling me that you, Kakeru Manabe, elusive god of sex and all things gorgeous don't know what to do?"

"I rather like that title," he smiled, leaning down to kiss me again. "No… I mean, I know how to fuck you senseless." I had to bite my lip again. "I just… don't know what to do about this." He pushed his hand against his chest. "Fuck it, Yuki. I've… I've done this before, but…" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "I think… shit, Yuki, I love you." He frowned. "It's kind of scary." He smiled, and leant down to kiss my neck.

"You mean it, don't you?" I whispered as he pressed his lips against my neck again, stuttering like the helpless virgin I was.

"Of course I do," he murmured.

"Just never leave me," I gasped as his fingers slipped down across the side of my chest, pulling him close. "Never, ever leave me." Kakeru slipped his hands under my boxers. "Kakeru?" I whispered softly. He looked at me as he dragged the material across my leg, fingers languishing in my skin deliciously. "I love you too."

Kyo kneeled before Akito, his head bowed. "If you uphold your end of the deal."

Akito smiled. "Of course." He walked across and sat on the floor beside the window, staring at Kyo. "Now, I believe there was something you wanted to tell me about Yuki."

A/N

You have noooo idea how evil this fic gets later on. –snigger-

Well, apart from the remainder of the lemon next chapter (yes, boys and girls, I will write the real thing… when it's not 20 to 1 in the morning.) this is where the fluff ends, my friends, and the angst begins. –evil grin-

Thanks for reading, please drop me a message to let me know how it went! I tried so hard to not make the whole "I love you" ridiculously cliché/soppy/fluffy. Heh. See the lengths I go to for you lovelies?

PS - ¥8000 is about £40, or 80 dollars.