(Chapter 23)

Author's Intro:

Sigh, dear, dear, sigh….I don't have anything to say!

Kyo tip-toed down the dark hallway. He thought, for a second, that he could hear voices, but he just assumed that they were in his imagination.

But the voices became louder as he walked slowly down the hall. No, they had to be real. If only he could identify them…..

"N-no one was h-here, Ak-kito-sama…" Tohru whispered, her back against the wall.

"LIES! Or did you just ASSUME that he didn't hate you, after believing it for so long?" he yelled fiercely, coming closer still.

"Y-yes…I just…I-I thought-t that—" she was interrupted, though, by Akito's hand, which had left a red mark on her cheek.

"And do you really think that I would believe something like that?"

Tohru looked up at Akito. What would she say? The Cat would end up hurting someone if she didn't say exactly the right thing….

"It was m-my fault, Akito-sama…don't punish them….give me the punishment…" Tohru cried, hoping that her answer would pass.

The God stared at her, thinking deeply.

"Fine. Tell me who came, though…" he whispered, hoping to easily get an answer.

"I-I cannot t-tell you that, A-akito-sama…" Tohru said, her voice shaking as she watched the Head's rage grow.

"DON'T I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW?" he yelled, hitting her. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I WILL DROP THIS? NOBODY BUT ME IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN HERE!"

He hit her a few more times, drawing blood.

And Kyo heard all of this; he had reached the outside of the door. And hearing what was going on—the hitting continued—made his blood boil.

"A-akito-sama….please….pl-lease stop-p…" Tohru cried, loudly enough for Kyo to hear her.

And in all this chaos, all this violence and blood, something came to Tohru. She was remembering her thoughts and ponderings.

'The Curse is the bond. It does not matter whether or not you turn into an animal, only whether or not you can feel free.'

That is what she had concluded, although turning into an animal gave you a burden, too.

The Cat knew that she needed to become independent of Akito, but it was easier said than done.

The beating continued, both of them—the prey and the predator—unaware that Kyo was listening to them.

He had held back from entering for some unknown reason, but rage overtook him. Bursting into the room, Kyo grabbed Akito by the throat. He pushed the God into one of the wet, black painted walls, leaving stains on his robes.

"You bastard..." Kyo growled, looking straight into the now-scared eyes of Akito. "You filthy, lying bastard."

Tohru finally sat up, flinching at the pain.

'Kyo-kun….!'

To see Akito being overcome was, for once, a bit of a relief to Tohru. Kyo looked as if to be as enraged as possible, and was aiming to punch Akito; the goal to knock him out.

He succeeded, and let the God slump to the floor. One victory for himself.

Kyo had ignored what the Head was trying to push into his head.

Turning around, he ran towards Tohru. Finally, seeing her again….it was wonderful. Tohru had managed to sit up, and had her arms wide open to embrace him. That was fulfilled a second later; Tohru had her head in his chest, and her arms around him.

She had subconsciously been craving human interaction (not abuse, which was what Akito gave her) all this time.

Kyo had missed her with a passion. Every single thing about her.

But they both knew that there was still more to do.

And yet, at that moment, they could just sit there, peacefully enjoying each other's presence.

No words needed to be said then.

Not until Akito started to wake up again.

Author's Closing:

EEK! SHORT CHAPTER! Ah, well. Deal with it, people!

This may be the last chapter out before I head to Oklahoma, so don't think I've died.

(Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains…..) (Haha!)

Laterzz.

E.