Thanks to everyone who wished me better health and for sticking with the story thus far. If you have any ideas, or want to read anything in particular don't hesitate to Email me or tell me what's on your mind in the reviews.
Thanks.
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Here I Am
Note: In Japan, melons are very expensive, they are also a bit rare and considered a delicacy in some parts. If a melon is given to you, then it is considered a very close and personal gift.
"God, I feel like such a crybaby," Kyou rubbed his temple trying to sooth away the headache that came in the wake of a good sob after nearly ten years.
Haru couldn't help the small chuckle that erupted from deep within his chest, he reached across the table to run his hands through bright hair. He really loved how soft it was, the color, the way it laid nearly perfectly... He briefly wondered if Kyou ever got bed head.
"You know, I'm in the same boat then."
"Che, a man shouldn't cry, no matter what."
The ox frowned a little in trying to understand, "'No matter what'? What if your family dies, something really bad happened to a good friend, or even when your own child passed away? I think it's perfectly fine to cry, especially in times like those."
Red eyes watched him as if these concepts were spoken in a completely different language. Headache forgotten as he gave it some thought, his mother was already dead, his biological father needed to be killed, sure he was attached to Shishou but he didn't know if he would hurt that badly if the man passed away. As for close friends he didn't have any, besides Tohru and she was in the safest hands around being Yuki's girlfriend now, not only was Yuki a good fighter he had political power as well, so Kyou didn't have to worry about that, and he didn't have any kids. Hoodoo ran up and jumped up onto his side, attacking the cloth of his T-shirt. ... And Hoodoo didn't count.
Kyou reached down, ignoring the pain of having tiny kitten claws tear into the soft flesh of his side, to distract the kitten with wiggling fingers. It worked and soon there were fresh claw marks to accompany old ones. "Nnn, I don't think people should cry," he concluded.
"Why?" the younger of the two moved so he could pull out some fingernail clippers, getting up he walked around and grabbed up the spazzing ball of fur that complained something about being interrupted with his 'mommy time', of course Kyou didn't interpret, he was /no/ mommy. "And how come you haven't trimmed his claws yet?"
"Because people shouldn't show weakness, and I'm going to have his front paws de-clawed when I get him fixed in about two months, might as well let him have his fun while he still can."
"Well that 'fun' his causing you to bleed, besides, he can still climb stuff with his back claws, right?"
"All the point of letting him keep those, the front is more of keeping the door frames and furnishes safe from him."
Haru paused in trimming small raptor like toes, "Door frames?"
"He's already managed to decimate the one outside the bathroom."
"The hell," the ox wiggled his fingers against a black belly, little paws grabbing his knuckles as a tiny mouth tried to chew on the tip of his finger, "you've only been here for less than two months and you're already causing property damage like an angry woman, give your Mommy a break Hoodoo."
Kyou's face turned a very interesting shade of red, "M-M, I'm NOT his Mommy! And don't coo over him, damn it."
"Aa, Hoodoo, Mommy's in denial," he held the kitten over his head when he was done trimming talons of death. "Don't worry, Daddy still loves you."
The redhead's nose started to bleed again, "Don't call yourself Daddy to /my/ cat, DAMNIT!" It didn't help that said cat was already fixated on the thought that Haru was indeed his Daddy and Kyou was his Mommy. But there was no way in hell Kyou was going to say that to anyone.
"Kyou, you're nose," Haru placed down Hoodoo in favor to find a tissue. When he found one he came back and was insistent of treating the bloodied nose himself, "Tilt your head back."
That was what Yuki walked into after coming home from door shopping with Shigure, who was complaining at the front door about how he had to carry the thing the entirety of coming home.
"Jeez, let me do it."
"No. Just hold still... god that's slippery."
The rat walked into the living room glad that his 'soaps' were back on. He watched with interest as his younger cousin was wiping crimson off of his other cousin's upper lip. And if it was actually on TV, he sat down and pulled over the bowl of snacks that Tohru always supplied on the table.
When they were done there was a very uncomfortable feeling, glancing to the side the cat had to do a double take. The whole household was sitting there, watching with tea and snacks. He felt his eye twitch.
Shigure leaned over to Tohru, "This is getting good."
The brunet nodded as she reached over and took another snack to nibble on, "I still think Kyou-kun's going to end up with Hatsuharu-san."
"No way," Yuki reached over and took a drink from his girlfriend's iced tea. "I still say that Akito is going to show up soon and try to whore in on Haru's attention."
"You two have no imagination," the dog looked at them horrified. "We all know Momiji is going to come in and muck things up, Kyou's going to date him for a while, then realize his faults then beg for Haru to take him back but Haru will already be married to Rin by then and have a kid but realizes that everything is nothing but a mistake, get a divorce and he'll find Kyou himself and /then/ they'll get together."
"You might have a point there."
"Hey! Stop giving Honda-san strange ideas."
The two who had been watched had no idea what to do. This was not everyday behavior of the typical Shigure house. So, numbly, Kyou did something just as strange. With out feeling or change in wide eyed expression, he grabbed the table and flipped it up, cold drink and chips flying, blinding the viewers. The cat quickly grabbed Haru by the hand and ran off, Hoodoo some how winding up on top of the Ox's head.
"AH!" Shigure was the first to recover even though he was the only one squashed by the table, "They're running off to elope!"
"Go Kyou-kun!" Tohru cheered with a happy giggle.
"Who would have seen that one coming," Yuki mumbled holding the brunet's hand as they stood on the veranda.
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They didn't slow down until they were in the city, leaning against a wall they breathed heavily as sweat trickled down their skin. Haru slumped forward trying to breath and laugh at the same time. Hoodoo taking a safer haven on the ground between the boys' feet. When they finally regained their ability to breathe again, the remained standing next to the brick wall now letting their strained muscles to relax just a bit.
"That was unexpected," the ox found a permanent smile on his face.
"We are /not/ a soap-opera."
"I was commenting on what you did back there," he leaned into the redhead just enough to rest his forehead against the side of Kyou's head. "I didn't expect you to take off with me like bride from a bad wedding."
"Get off of me," the red eyed teen pushed at his cousin. "You're no bride, that was no wedding, and stop embarrassing yourself by saying strange things like that."
Still, he got a kiss on the temple. Even though he grunted from the contact he didn't pull away. His hand was taken back into a pale grasp. Bending over he picked up Hoodoo before being gently tugged along the streets, to be honest he really didn't care where he was going. He wouldn't admit it, but he liked being this close to Haru, getting this attention. It was so nice, he didn't know what to do with it. Probably because of that, his inner demons were having a lot of fun with the uncategorized affection, but at the moment he was going to shut the little bastards up and enjoy this. He had given his word that he would stay with Haru until he had an answer, and two hours was not /nearly/ long enough to come up with a decision.
"Where... are we going?" he finally asked.
"No idea, but I want a melon."
Kyou stopped, causing his want-to-be boyfriend to halt as well, "You're going the wrong way for the store then, and why would you want a melon? Those things are expensive."
"I want to give you one."
The cat's cheeks tinted pink, "W-why would you want to do that?"
"Because you like melons, right?"
"Who told you that!"
"So I guessed right?"
"No one told you- oh my god," he groaned. Yep, he had just given himself away, no use trying to take it back now. with a small tug he indicated where the market was and they continued on their way.
"After the melon, where would you like to go?"
"I would say home, but considering that it's... 'unsafe' there at the moment, where ever is fine."
"We could go to a movie and get dinner to kill time."
"You're... turning this into a date," Kyou tried not to smile but failed. "You sly little-"
Haru's face was red this time, "It's not a 'date' just... two friends hanging out."
The cat held up his hand were the ox still had a firm grip on, "Two friends huh?"
"What's wrong with male friends holding hands?"
"You're grave is getting deeper."
"Okay okay, it's a semi-preliminary-try outs date."
Kyou gave a sigh, "Fine, okay, I'll give this one to you, but you better not get a big head over this."
"YES!" Haru nearly jumped, he planted a kiss on the cat's temple again, getting another grunt.
To Be Continued...