-...- Memories/past events
A month had gone by since Kyou woke up in the warm embrace of a particular cousin. Four weeks since the cat scared the ox into a fitful daze by getting a nose bleed on the pillow they shared; thirty-one days had passed filled with Hatsuharu coming over daily just to spend time with someone who would always skitter away with a particular black kitten perched on his shoulder only to be followed and teased over a blushing face. Yes, it is true that the cat had to much pride and it was embarrassing as hell to have Haru nearly faint when he saw how much blood really can come out of the human nose.
So now, Yuki was standing in the hall, leaning against the wall currently watching the scene in front of him with a particular detachment. The only thought that passed through his mind was - "Hatsuharu never was that persistent with me... huh."
"Kyou let me in or so help me I'll break down this door!" Haru yelled giving the door one more good whack with the palm of his hand.
"Why the hell should I let you in! And stop making everything sound weird!" Was the call from the other side.
"How am I making 'everything sound weird'? If you didn't run every time you heard my voice then everything would be fine. Now open up!"
"You're making it sound like we're a couple, how is that NOT weird! And NO I won't!"
"I already asked you out three days ago!"
Yuki's eyes widened a bit, he didn't know that.
"And I already said no."
"So giving me a hug and a kiss is a no! Then what the FUCK is a yes!"
The rat continued to watch, this was better than those soap-operas on TV. OF course, he always believed the best form of entertainment comes with out a price, well... maybe the price of a few broken doors and furnishings but that doesn't count.
Kyou held the door while Haru tried to rattle it again, "Trust me, you don't want to know."
"Kyou, we obviously need to talk so let me in."
"Get bent!"
"Why you little!" The bi-colored teen got a good grip and with all his might wrenched the door open sending the wooden board off of its frame and pulling a particular cat out into the hall, who still had a hold of the broken handle on the other side.
"... You..."
Haru peeked around the door, "We. need. to. talk."
Red eyes glared, "You fucking broke my door! The hell is wrong with you! Couldn't you just break through my window like a normal psychopath!"
"So I'll pay for a new door!" Said door was tossed to the side loudly clattering down the stairs causing a spying Shigure to skitter off to safety before it had a chance to do any damage to something living. "But right now I want a /straight/ answer from you! Will you go out with me or not?"
Kyou gave a sigh, god damn his pride and shyness. He glared over at Yuki, "The hell you staring at?"
"Just watching 'As The Sohma Family Turns', but I think it's about time for a commercial break," he gave a half shrug and walked past them, absently giving Hoodoo a scratch behind the ear as he descended the stairs, the growing cat jumping down from his shoulder perch and following in hopes to get find some kitchen scraps.
"..." The redhead blinked wide eyes, "What... did that mean?"
Haru hadn't been paying attention to Yuki, he was fixated on a feline's answer and he wasn't getting one. Damn it, this was pissing him off.
"Kyou," his voice was laced with warning.
A tan finger was suddenly shoved into his face, "Don't you /dare/ go black on me. I'm thinking alright! Do you have any idea how much I've tried to get your stupid attention since we were children only to be brushed off to the side in favor for someone who couldn't understand you in the slightest? Watching them take advantage of you but if I tried to say /anything/ you'd go on the defensive for these... these... /people," he practically spat the last word. All of this, he had been needing to say this for years, it was finally lightening the heavy burden that weighted down his shoulders, "Then you started to pick fights with me, for what reason? I don't know! But I knew that you needed to work something out of your system and that's why I obliged! Do you have any idea what it's like to have someone you've /LOVED/ all of your goddamn /life/ actually come and ask you out after you've given up hope?" He felt his eyes sting but he wouldn't cry, he wasn't finished, "I feel like a fucking last resort! Oh look, there's Kyou he's desperate enough for any type of companionship lets go and take advantage of him. Maybe we can crush him even more before his life completely stops!"
"That's not-"
"I'm a last resort," it was whispered with a wavering voice. There was a silence, thick and depressing before garnet eyed youth turned around with all intentions of finding something he could repair his door with. He gave a sigh, he needed to end the conversation, "So all I ask is that you /think/ about it. Do you really love me or is this just-"
His words died off in his throat when strong arms wrapped around him pulling him back against a firm chest. Kyou's body froze from the sudden contact, relaxing a little when Haru's forehead rested against his shoulder. A familiar pain throbbed in his chest when a spot of his shirt became wet, he could hear his two-toned cousin's breath choke and hiss through clenched teeth as that strong body started to quiver. The arms around him, pulled him closer as if reassuring that he is there, that this all wasn't a dream or a nightmare.
"Haru, I'm sorry I-"
His mind started to panic, he's made Haru cry, he couldn't handle.
-"It's your fault!"-
Kyou's eyes focused on the floor, his body as stiff as a board, the silent sobs in his ear feeding the memories.
-"...always crying because of you!"-
His body started to shiver.
-"You'll always cause pain, a monster like you can't love, you can't understand the concept of it."-
Vision blurred, clamping his eyes shut, tears pearled down his cheeks as he grasped Haru's hands around him.
-"I won't let anyone ever see you, my precious child."-
"I'm sorry," his tiny voice cracked.
-"Don't look at him!"-
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
-"Don't look at me!"-
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he started to practically chant it, his body curling a little. "I'm sorry Haru, I'm sorry."
The ox's own tears fell more freely as he moved so that his chin was nestled to a tan ear, his voice shaking as he held Kyou even tighter trying to reassure him that he was not alone, "It's okay, Kyou."
-"I heard a rumor that the monster has a friend. What kind of person could befriend a beast? That's right, they can only be a monster themselves if they find any merit in you."-
Red hair shook as his body started to rock.
This was tearing at Hatsuharu's heart, the bloodied wound that beat deep in his chest was ripped deeper and thicker. He did love Kyou, he did want to be with him, tell him how much he cared and get a smile in return not... not this. The feline was haunted much more than Rin ever was, his demons more hideous, his damage scarred causing a lot of it the inability to ever be repaired. And right then, right now, he needed to say something, anything to help quell the ghosts of the past that clawed and bit at his cat.
He spoke the first thing that came to mind.
"You're forgiven!"
The feline stopped rocking, his body no longer shaking, the sobs quieted. Haru pulled away enough to turn Kyou around, tear kissed eyes stared at him with such a mixture of emotions, so many of the dark and dwelling. But the one that made him smile softly, had him wiping tears away and stroking puffy cheeks; the one that he saw was hope. There was the Kyou he was looking for, the Kyou who had always been by his side, the one that had hope no matter what evils hissed and scratched at him.
"W-what?"
Haru sniffed a little, his own crying catching up to him as he continued to smile, "I forgive you, and I always will."
His kitty looked unsure, eyes looking around as if trying to pull answers from the very air, so he continued, "I don't care what anyone has said to you, what you believe you have to be sorry for, but I know you. I've known you longer than I've known anyone else in my life and you are /not/ at fault, and if by any chance you did do something wrong in your life, the life that you have that allowed me to be with you even as friends, I forgive you. Because... I have thought about it -a lot- since you told me you wouldn't be a replacement, and that's why I asked you. I do love you, Kyou, I really do and if you don't have an answer yet then at least lets hang out together until you do... okay?"
He grabbed a hold of Kyou's chin making their sights mix into a locked gaze, "Okay?"
The redhead swallowed as he nodded, "Okay."
Then he frowned, Kyou looked hesitant for a moment, then he leaned forward and gave the ox a light kiss on the lips and wrapped his arms around him in a firm hug. Several of his inner demons hissing and skittering away from him from the sound of Haru's words. Maybe... this could work out.
To Be Continued...