CHAPTER EIGHT
((Authors Note: In this chapter Ayame makes a grave mistake… one that could cost him almost everything… the one thing that made me write it is that this fanfic is ABOUT mistakes.))
"Thank you." Tohru heard herself say, she was too busy savoring the bitter taste of tobacco to notice fully that she had said it. Then it dawned on her, "You smiled!"
Hatori's eyes widened slightly at the joyous look in her eyes and she hugged him again, this time with renewed energy, "I haven't seen you really smile…"
Shigure caught Hatori's eye and the Dog gave the former Dragon and skeptical look and it was returned with an icy glare. Pulling back from the hug Tohru turned to face Shigure, having a feeling that someone had been watching for some time. The Dog just smiled and joined the two beside the automatic doors to stare with questioning eyes at Hatori.
"My curse was lifted." Hatori murmured and Tohru gripped his hand in her own to show her own concern.
"How?" Shigure pressed, his eyes surveying the two and Hatori shook his head.
"If I knew I would have told you." Hatori responded lowly and Shigure sighed heavily.
"Can you think of a way?"
Hatori drew Tohru close and shook his head at the Dog, leaving awkward silence to eat its way into a pit.
Yuki was pacing his room waiting for his brother to finish sewing when he spied the unnatural shake in Ayame's shoulders, the steady sound of his feet on the floor stopped dead and the younger merely stared at the elder. The Rat went forward and took the trembling shoulders in both hands and drew his brother back against him.
"What is it?" Yuki whispered, feeling the shaking subside and Ayame's green eyes opened slowly.
"Its nothing." Ayame fumbled, his proud voice coming out slightly marred and he lifted the fabric to start stitching again when Yuki pulled it away and the Snake let out a soft noise of surprise.
"Liar." Yuki accused, moving now to the opposite side of the room to deposit the half finished gown on an empty chair. He felt Ayame approach him and reach around him to take back his handiwork, Yuki took the outstretched porcelain hand and drew it close to his chest, "Tell me."
Ayame moved to draw away and Yuki tugged him back so that they were chest to chest, Yuki pressed closer and urged his brother to tell him.
"It hurts… not to be needed anymore." Ayame whispered, the façade of proud strength that he had erected now crashing to pieces as glass on the floor. Yuki turned his brother's face back when he attempted to avert lime green eyes and stem tears the threatened on the verge of flowing.
"I need you." Yuki assured him and he cocked an eyebrow at the bitter smile on his brother's face.
"Not in the way that Shigure and I were." Ayame whispered, his voice cracking slightly and hushed as if he were uttering a dark secret.
Yuki searching his brother's face and the gentle look he was trying to exude, he could see right into the depths of Ayame's soul and see how it was shattering with every second that had passed. Yuki looked away slowly and then locked violet on lime with a meaningful stare. In truth he couldn't fathom why he was about to say what he was to say.
"Take me." Yuki murmured, the voice still reaching Ayame's ears and the elder snapped to attention.
"You cannot be serious!" Ayame exclaimed and the look in Yuki's eyes faltered for a second but still held its emotion.
"You need this!" Yuki countered, bringing a pale hand up to Ayame's cheek and cupping it in his hand.
"Little brother..."
"Forget who I am..." Yuki pleaded, he took Ayame's face in both hands and drew himself up to so that their breaths mingled, "Focus on what I am."
"My brother." Ayame whispered, his lips brushing slightly over Yuki's and the gray haired boy inhaled sharply.
"No." Yuki whispered, his eyes locking even more on his brothers and he gave him a soft stare, "I need you..."
Ayame tried desperately to pull away from the seduction in Yuki's eyes and the gray haired boy held tighter so that they were fully pressed together now.
"What do you want from me?" Ayame demanded, his strength returning.
"I want you to do this... I cant soothe you with my words, and you wont be soothed by my touch... you need this more than anything." Yuki pressed, his arms locking around his brother's neck.
"I don't want you to beg for me to do this! We are blood you and I!" Ayame protested, trying to free himself.
"Forget blood!" Yuki shouted, pulling away now and turning to face the door, "You need to be needed. You thrive on this... I want to give you that feeling of being wanted."
"By throwing yourself at me... so innocently and with seriousness that I almost forget who you are?" Ayame cried, "You claim to want me to be soothed... when you don't even know what it is that you ask!"
"I know!" Yuki pleaded, coming back to Ayame with a soft touch to the man's cheek, "I ask you to treat me as your lover... just this once..."
Silence feel between the two and Ayame closed his eyes to feel the Yuki's touch to his cheeks, Yuki shook his head and drew away long enough to close his door.
"You want this?" Ayame murmured, feeling Yuki return to him.
"I want you to want this." Yuki corrected, a slight smile crossing his face, "Show me your sorrow..."
Afterwards when the two lay close together and spent between the sheets Yuki stroked Ayame's silver hair back away from his face where the elder lay limply on top of him with his head resting heavily on the younger's collarbone. Ayame's lime colored eyes were closed and he slumbered peacefully without sadness over his proud face, Yuki pressed a kiss to the elder's temple and laid back in thought of what they had just done. The lime eyes opened lazily and on instinct the Snake pressed an appreciative kiss to the collarbone next to him, Yuki smiled at the gesture and drew the sheet up and around his brother's shoulders.
"Yuki?" Ayame asked, his voice sounding innocent.
"I'm here." Yuki affirmed gently and the Snake cuddled down closely into the covers and the Rat smiled even wider.
"What we did was wrong…" Ayame suddenly whispered, looking up with green eyes intent on his brother.
"No… it wasn't." Yuki murmured, threading his fingers through damp silver locks.
Ayame shook his head and rested wearily against his brother's chest and the boy turned his head back up so that their eyes met, Yuki drew Ayame up and pressed their lips firmly together. It was hard not to surrender to the soft press of Yuki's tongue to his lips and when Ayame finally pushed him away he was breathless and he stared in surprise at the sudden impulse his brother had acted on. The two stared at each other for a moment before something sparked and Ayame pressed forward so that their lips came together again, Yuki's hand slipped gently down his brother's back and held the small of it so that he couldn't move.
Footsteps slipped by the door and Yuki drew back to listen then held Ayame to him again, "I would give myself to you so that you would be happy." he murmured, pressing feather light kisses over Ayame's cheek.
Without a word Ayame slipped back into a peaceful slumber and Yuki held him until he too descended to the dreams, waking several hours later to find Ayame dressing carefully and he too began to pull on his clothes, out of the necessity to stop his brother from doing something stupid. Ayame secured his hair at the base of his neck with a black ribbon and straighened the lapels of his coat, turning now to find Yuki standing between him and the door.
"Yuki..." Ayame started, and the boy tensed for what might occur.
"I cant let you leave." Yuki whispered, coming forward to embrace the Snake in a loving hug, "Not yet."
The two stood in silence and Yuki leaned away to stare up at his brother who looked away to stare at the wall, his stomach made a soft grumbling noise and Yuki smiled at the blush on his face.
"Lets go eat." Yuki suggested, taking his brother's hand in his own and leading him down to the modest kitchen. The Rat turned to his brother with a grin, "What do you want?"
"Pancakes..." Ayame whispered, his green eyes lighting up like childs and he came to stand beside Yuki with a smile, "I haven't had those since I was in Middle School!"
"Okay." Yuki agreed, his laughter escaping him in relief as Ayame had cheered up so visibly.
The two went about the batter making process with precious few words between them and often a soft stare was caught from the younger, as if to say "are you okay?" and every time Ayame made a face and nodded gently. As they poured the batter the two stood with Ayame behind Yuki, reaching around to sweep out the remainders with a rubber spatula and Yuki leaned back to signal that the proximity was okay.
"Thank you." Ayame whispered, leaning his head to the top of his brothers and smiling sweetly. Yuki made a noise of acknowledgement before turning around and smiling gently up at the elder.
"If it would make you strong again... I would do it a thousand times over." Yuki assured him and he pressed his hands to Ayame's chest to move him backwards so that he could maneuver to place the used dishes into the sink.
"If it would make me strong again... I would do it a thousand times over." Ayame responded, sweeping back his ponytail.
The front door clacked open and Yuki turned to see who it was, Shigure stood in the entry way with his hand thrust in frustrated silence through his dark hair. The eyes fell on the two brothers and a confused look donned on his face as his eyes landed on the cheery smile Ayame wore, the green eyes looking warily at the Dog.
"You're still here?" Shigure said with a stare to Ayame, the sound coming out in a unpleasantly surprised snort.
Yuki whirled around to stare at his brother as the light on his face died, Ayame flicked his eyes away as if to dismiss the comment but his face had fallen, the Dog sighed in exasperation and started up the stairs and disappeared round the bend at the top.
"Wait." Yuki cried, tearing his eyes away from his brother to stand at the summit of the stairwell and the Dog turned to stare at him.
"What?" Shigure demanded, turning fully to face him.
"How can you say that to him?" Yuki shot back and Shigure shook his head.
"Our business was done... I hadn't expected him to stay." Shigure explained, his voice low and his eyes sharply narrowed.
"He's not someone you toy with!" Yuki growled, coming forward a few feet.
"I see... and that is why you treat him as you?"
"What?"
"I saw what you two did! You say not to toy with him... and yet you draw him with your wiles as if he were anyone else but your brother!" Shigure protested and Yuki turned his head as if he had been slapped.
"I did it for him... he needed something..." Yuki fumbled and the Dog shook his head with a bitter laugh.
"Comfort found in the bed of his own brother... that is something else..."
"Shut up!" Yuki cried, looking now deadly serious at the man, "If you hadn't hurt him then it never would have happened!"
"I told him that he needed to move on! That he and I were never serious!"
"He was serious about you!"
"He was serious about nothing... not for one day in his life!" Shigure laughed, he turned to walk away.
"Just like Kureno was not serious about Akito?" Yuki hissed and Shigure stopped, his eyes narrowing as he rounded on the Rat, Yuki pushed on, "Just like Haru and Rin?"
"You'd best stop now."
"Hatori's eye was just an accident right? He was merely joking about marrying Kana?" Yuki continued, his eyes flashing dangerously, "How do you live with yourself? How do you sleep at night? How do you look at yourself in the mirror and think 'I guess I'll ruin Ayame's life next!'?"
"I dont!" Shigure roared and Yuki took a step back at the sound of the voice, Shigure stepped forward to close the distance.
"What the hell is going on?" Kyo shouted, the bathroom door slamming open with the force of his kick and he froze at the sight. The sight of the Cat staring accusingly at the two urged Yuki forward with a realization.
"You saying the Nii-san isnt serious about love... is like saying that for the past seventeen years have been a walk in the proverbial park for Kyo." Yuki murmured and Shigure raised an eyebrow, "It was never easy for us! Pushing Kyo left and right... expecting him to break at anytime... all for the stupid sake of eternal happiness! If anyone deserves freedom..." Yuki raised a finger to point at the angry Cat, and shouted, "It's him!"
Kyo said nothing and merely watched the confrontation from the safety of the bathroom door, mildy concerned with Yuki's current stance at the top of the stairs and Shigure shook his head.
"He? This didnt start about Kyo... it was about that fool of a brother of yours." Shigure responded.
"He is not a fool!" Yuki shouted, shoving on Shigure to push him backwards when Kyo made a noise to stop him.
Over Shigure's shoulder Kyo made a face that meant for him not to come to blows, but Shigure had already stumbled backwards when Yuki registered this.
"Look where you are standing." Shigure whispered, regaining balance and Yuki chanced the glance down to see his heels were hanging slightly over the landing and he looked back up at Shigure with a pleading stare in his yes.
"You wouldnt..." Kyo breathed and Yuki locked eyes with the Cat.
"You are annoying me." Shigure pointed out, pressing a palm to Yuki's chest, "I warned you."
"SHIGURE NO!" Kyo screamed, coming forward to restrain him.
Yuki gasped as Shigure pushed with all his might and closed his eyes as he felt air beneath him, a full second later someone had grabbed tightly onto him and he was jostled at they landed at the base of the stairs, his eyes fluttered open to see Kyo crouched on the floor with an arm locked underneath and around Yuki's waist.
"Kyo?" Yuki queried.
Hatori sighed heavily as he climbed from his black car and he shut the door a little harder than he had meant to.
"Are you sure it was okay to leave her?" Hatori asked, and Tohru nodded as she closed the passenger's side door.
"She doesnt like people seeing a side of her that she wont accept herself." Tohru replied and she started up the stairs, turning back when Hatori didnt move.
The man had a cigarette in his lips and was trying to ignite flame on his lighter, Tohru growled and stormed over to him, his green eyes widened as she snatched the cigarette from his lips and threw it on the ground indignantly.
"Hey..." Hatori protested and she took the lighter and tossed it into the grass.
"You know I'd think a Doctor would be smart enough not to smoke." Tohru growled and she turned away, Hatori started for the lighter and she dodged after him, they both hit the grass in a slight struggle to get towards the plastic lighter.
Tohru grasped Hatori's hands and tried to hold them back as the elder reached out towards the lighter, Tohru giggled beneath him and slipped an arm around his neck to stop his struggling. They stared into each others eye as if waiting for the next move and suddenly Tohru lifted her head to kiss the doctor flush on the lips, Hatori adjusted his position and ran a hand up her bare thigh and eased it beneath the hem of her uniform his other hand bracing against the ground and then he stopped. The skirt was pushed up and exposing panties that his hand rested atop and he drew away with a sigh.
"What?" Tohru protested, the flush on her cheeks paling slighty and she tugged gently on his coat, "I didnt protest..."
"You're a minor..."
"Who's gonna know?" Tohru queried and the doctor gave her a look.
"I will. And I cant live with doing it."
The girl drew him back and pressed a kiss to his throat allowing him to lay across her again and she smiled, pressing her lips now to his, "Please." She whispered, tracing the back of her hand over his cheek with a innocent stare.
"SHIGURE NO!"
Hatori sat up straight and stared up the stone steps that led to Shigure's house and he lifted himself from the ground, disregarding his lighter, and took the steps quickly. Tohru composed herself and followed quickly, as they crested the stairs it seemed she was losing energy but she continued along the path nonetheless keeping closely at Hatori's heels. Hatori reached the house first and the door slammed open revealing Kyo holding Yuki at the bottom of the stairs and Shigure made a noise and disappeared.
"What happened?" Hatori demanded and Ayame collapsed in the doorway to the kitchen.