CHAPTER 4

Yuki returned slowly to the room, shaking off the effects of the glare before allowing himself to face Akito. Her arms were about him in a matter of seconds and Yuki supported her weight as he lifted her up into his arms again and carried her to the futon near the window.

"I sent him away." Yuki whispered, lowering her sleepy form to the blanket and stroking a few mussed tendrils of short black locks away from her cheeks as her eyes slipped closed.

Akito nodded carefully and released her hold on Yuki to curl her hands loosely around air and she buried her face in the pillow while Yuki covered her up at the shoulders and she blinked at him, urging him to stay. Yuki smiled and ran a finger through the dark strands and lay carefully beside her to watch her dark eyes as they searched his face.

"What?" Yuki asked, narrowing violet eyes to search her stoic face.

"Nothing." Akito replied, her voice soft as she slipped off into sleep and Yuki inhaled slowly. A little relieved at the woman's sleep, in truth he was confused as to why he wasn't scared to see Akito.

"Sleep well…" Yuki whispered, brushing his lips over her pale forehead and her eyebrows knit slightly in a frown.

He watched her burrow down into the futon before rising and taking leave quietly so as not to wake her, after scrawling a note onto a slip of paper and leaving it with a flower from the hallway beside her head he snatched up his shoes and went for his car.

"What was I doing?" Yuki murmured, thrusting a hand through grey locks, "I can't… lead her on like that…"

"Leaving so soon?" Shigure asked, having leaned casually against the silver Mitsubishi Galant.

"Yes." Yuki replied, his voice dripping with venom and his eyes piercing with daggers.

The Dog stepped away from the car and allowed Yuki to climb in, his dark eyes watching playfully with underlying scheme around the edges. The Rat glared at Shigure and started to shift the car into reverse when the Dog slapped a hand on the roof of the car and bent over to the window with a wolfish smile.

"What." Yuki growled, not in the mood to deal with the dog.

"Take Tohru home?" Shigure said softly, his voice passing slowly through the crack in the window Yuki had made, the Rat's finger still on the automatic window button.

"Sure." Yuki responded, his attempt to sound cheery and happy failing miserably but his smile getting the job done nicely.

The girl was walking towards them now, having been around the corner of the house before, and Hatori came around several seconds after her and approaching Shigure a little faster than a normal pace. Tohru bowed to Shigure when the older man motioned towards the passenger's side of Yuki's car and she dashed around it and smiled as she opened the door. As usual the girl bashed her head on the car and she fell into the seat holding her head and attempting to keep her skirt down at the same time, ending up half on the floor mats and half out the door. Yuki reached over and righted her before leaning back into the seat and waiting for her to finish buckling the seat belt across her chest and at the side of the seat. She smiled sweetly at him and he jerked the shift into reverse and turned the car in the narrow drive without regard to Shigure's foot and braked, shifted into drive and accelerated out of the drive until he was safely two blocks from the Main House. Once at a red light he slowed to a stop and took a deep breath, Tohru was staring at him carefully and she tilted her head and smiled again.

"What is it?" Tohru asked, she pressed a finger to her chin and her eyes lit up, "Is this about Akito?"

"I am assuming that you already know about her?" Yuki whispered, pressing the accelerator as the light changed, she nodded slowly out of the corner of his eye and he pressed on, "She's pregnant actually."

"W-w-what?" Tohru stuttered, her eyes bulging and she shifted entirely in her seat to face Yuki, "Seriously?"

It was Yuki's turn to nod as he turned the corner that led to a lone avenue which ended with the drive to Shigure's house, Tohru drew up her knees and tried again.

"But Yuki… is it Kureno's?"

"Might be…" Yuki replied, he turned his head slightly, "Might be Shigure's too…"

Tohru fell silent in the seat and walked slowly up to the house when the silver car was safely parked, Kyo opened the door and followed her with his eyes as she jogged up the stairs and disappeared around the bend. The Cat stared accusingly at Yuki as he walked up the steps and slipped past him, Kyo jerked Yuki back and growled lowly.

"What the hell did you do?" Kyo gritted, his fangs showing slightly and Yuki shook free and glared dangerously as though he might snap at any moment.

"I did nothing you stupid cat." Yuki replied, violet narrowing on crimson and the orange haired boy stepped reluctantly out of the way as the Rat shoved past.

"Then why is she like that?" Kyo asked, pressing further and following the grey haired boy to the kitchen, Yuki turned and grabbed a fistful of Kyo's shirt.

"Akito." Yuki replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as if to challenge a response from the cat.

"He's been on everyone lately… did he hurt you or something?"

"Why the concern?"

The Cat jumped and glared at the cat, "I didn't mean… She wouldn't be depressed like that unless something happen…" Kyo fumbled, he motioned for the door, "And what the hell was she doing there anyway?"

"Concern. For Kureno."

"I meant at the Main House!"

Yuki let go of the refrigerator door and turned back, "She went to check on Hatori."

Shigure slid the door to Akito's room open slowly and crossed the room slowly, as if it would make his footfalls quieter, the girl stirred and Shigure shushed her gently before sitting quietly beside her to watch. The dark eyes slid open and she narrowed them slightly at the sight of the Dog staring gently at her.

"Is it mine?"

Akito sat up to face Shigure, her eyes widened and she pulled the blanket closer, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Shigure replied softly, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her temple, "The baby."

"I don't… know."

Shigure smiled and drew her close, she shivered at his touch before leaning into it and sighing, she leaned back and turned her head away, the Dog reached out and turned her head slowly before pressing another kiss to her lips.

"Kureno. I know." Shigure whispered, a smile crossing his face, he pulled the girl onto his lap and rocked her slowly. "I'll take care of you… I promise…"

"But why?"

"I love you." Shigure assured her, brushing stray black strands back and smiling at the confused eyes, "I love you…"