Hey people! After months on hold I'm finally gonna update this baby. I'm uber mad because at my aunt's house her laptop does not have a place for me to insert my jump drive, which has a bunch of nearly complete updates for like 5 of my stories. So this chapter I have to rewrite…all over again so yes I'm not a happy camper. But reviews would make me feel better. Once again I'm SO SORRY for the long wait.
Disclaimer: Don't make me have to say it again, you know the drill people!
Ch.3: Fools Rush InThe Next Day
The sun wasn't completely out when Yuki got out of bed that morning. He let out a groan and rubbed the heel of his palm against his sleep heavy eyes to try and wake himself up. '6:13 am…oh great' Yuki though to himself as he spared a glance toward the Mickey mouse shaped alarm clock on his night stand.
Usually the slate haired Sohma wouldn't be getting up for school until about quarter to seven; about 35 minutes before they left. But today was different. Today Yuki was up nearly a half hour before he needed to be and yet he still felt like he was waiting to fall asleep. Which maybe he was. Ever since the ordeal with Kyou on the roof Yuki's brain had been swirling non-stop.
Most of the night he had spent staring up at the ceiling thinking and waiting. Waiting for sleep, waiting for morning, waiting for answers; just waiting. He wasn't quite sure when or if he had finally drifted off to sleep. All he did know was that it was morning now and that meant only one thing; he'd have to face Kyou today. Yuki felt a chill of fear, or maybe it was anxiousness, run through his body at the thought.
By the time he had stumbled his way into the bathroom to shower his anxious nerves had caused his stomach to begin to churn. "Damn it…why is this making me so nervous? It's just a temporary thing…no attachments, no regrets…" Yuki murmured shakily to himself as he gripped the edge of the marble sink tightly. But the moment Yuki looked into his reflection in the cabinet mirror he knew just how silly he sounded.
He could see in the reflection of his own eyes, just how bad of a liar he was. Now it seemed as though those words he had spoken so easily last night were choking him now. But that was their agreement, no attachments and no regrets. He knew it was stupid of him to suggest this arrangement in the first place but none of that seemed to matter last night.
Even though he knew how hard and potentially devastating this agreement could be on himself, Kyou, and Tohru, he had still done it. Even now as he stood staring coldly a reflection of watery lavender eyes he couldn't regret what he did. Although he knew when probably would later.
But at that moment when he held Kyou's strong trembling body against his and saw all the confusion and need in those hateful maroon depths he couldn't help himself. And truthfully he didn't want to.
Downstairs
"Oy, mutt! Tell me again why I'm the one who has to cook?" Kyou seethed as he stirred a pot of something liken to oatmeal. The "mutt" in question was sitting quite comfortably at the end of the dining table reading a newspaper. At first he appeared to be ignoring his younger cousin and said boy was beginning to lose what little patience he had for the man.
"Sop ignoring me damn it!" the redhead shouted as he through a wooden spoon at the older man. Shigure just barely missed the flying utensil and finally looked up from over the top of his newspaper and gave him a condescending look "because Yuki was still asleep and besides him you're the only one who looks cute in the cooking apron" the dog of the zodiac grinned before ducking as another kitchenware item was hurled his way.
"IF YOU DON'T SHUT I'M GONNA RIP YOU A…" Kyou's rant was cut short as Yuki walked through the doorway holding a cooking skillet and looking none to amusedly at Kyou. "Well that's a strange way to greet someone in the morning" Yuki replied sarcastically as he walked over and placed the skillet on the counter. Kyou was speechless for a moment and then his cheeks tinged a bright red as he quickly turned back to the nearly forgotten breakfast he was preparing.
Yuki had caught a glimpse at his flushed face and couldn't help but smile with a twisted sense of pleasure at knowing he was the cause. Unfortunately he wasn't the only one who noticed. "Huh? What's this? Hot headed little Kyou-kun isn't going to snap back?" Shigure gasped in mock awe as he placed his newspaper down and looked over at Kyou curiously.
"Shut up…" Kyou replied half heartedly as he came towards the table and set down the pot of steaming oatmeal. Yuki sat down at his usual place and grabbed one of the bowls sitting in the center and a spoon, trying not to look up at the other teen as he sat down uneasily under Shigure's scrutinizing gaze.
"Wow…it seems that ever since Yuki walked in Kyou-kun has lost his fire. How strange…" shigure pondered aloud as Kyou grabbed a bowl and dished out a portion of the hot mixture for himself. Yuki had just finished his first mouthful when he chanced a glance towards his older cousin and saw that familiar look of unabashed intrigue and perverse enjoyment on his lean face.
"Cut it out Shigure. It's too early in the morning for your childish antics. Just leave him alone," Yuki said with a small sigh as he returned his gaze to his food. Shigure perked up in slight surprise at the fairer boy's comment, as did Kyou. The redhead through Yuki a heated glare as if to start an argument about not needing his help, but Yuki met his eyes with a hard look of his own that seemed to convey much more than words.
Kyou seemed to get it and begrudgingly turned his eyes back to his bowl and began eating again with renewed vigor. "How interesting…" Shigure cooed wickedly after having witnessed the silent exchange. "So has it finally happened? Has our dear little Yuki-kun finally managed to tame the angry beast and get Kyou to submit to his superior skill? Oh my…I never thought I'd see the day…" shigure pondered aloud with mock wonder.
That was the final straw. Kyou slammed his spoon onto the table and Yuki closed his eyes and shook his head, 'Damn you Shigure…you just had to keep pushing him, didn't you?' Yuki thought as he looked up passively and watched a furious Kyou nearly leap across the table and grab Shigure by the front of his robes. "Uh…um…K-Kyou-kun what are you doing? I was only kidding…no need to get so upset" Shigure grinned nervously as Kyou held the skillet from before above his head threateningly.
"How dare you even imply that I would ever submit to anyone? You no good bastard! Especially not to that damn rat!" Kyou nearly growled with raw anger. "After I get through with you, you're never gonna be able to write again!" Kyou seethed as he pulled his hand back to prepare a striking blow to Shigure's temple with the skillet. Luckily for Shigure and his editor Yuki caught Kyou's arm mid swing and yanked the skillet away from him.
"Oh bless you Yuki-kun…" Shigure wept in relief as Kyou let go of his robes and stood up to face Yuki. "What's the big idea you damn rat? You want me to kick yer ass too?" Kyou fumed as he clenched his fists at the ready. But Yuki simply rolled his eyes at the cat and began walking away towards the front door "come on idiot, we better leave now or we'll be late for school" Yuki said coolly as he began to walk off without even waiting for Kyou to respond.
Kyou stood there for a moment before gritting his teeth and stomping off towards the door as well, leaving a very confused and intrigued shigure. "How strange…oh Aya is going to love this!" Shigure grinned giddily to himself before jumping up to go phone his flamboyant cousin about the new development.
Outside
Yuki was visibly pissed as he briskly stomped out the path through the woods that lead to the main street. He couldn't believe Shigure would do something so stupid, why couldn't he just leave well enough alone? Yuki sidestepped a low branch and stopped briefly to adjust his school bag on his shoulder.
But what had pissed him off the most was how weird Kyou was acting in the first place. The idiot should have known that if he started acting different around Yuki that Shigure, being the nosey immature pervert that he was, would pick up on it. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Yuki cursed under his breath as he leaned against a nearby tree and brushed his fringe out of his eyes. He shouldn't be angry with Kyou; he knew that. He should have known Kyou would act weird after what happened the night before.
Theirs was a very delicate and complicated situation, weird to say the least. So Yuki couldn't help but blame himself as well. "Hey! Hey Rat wait up!" that familiar voice almost made Yuki jump in surprise as it knocked him from his own thoughts. He looked back to see a frantic and angry looking Kyou charging up to meet him. "What do you want now?" Yuki grated out a bit harsher than he had intended.
Once Kyou had caught up to him he stood there glaring at Yuki and breathing heavily. Yuki looked up at Kyou and waited for him to speak. While he waited for a response he couldn't help but let his eyes wander down to the exposed flesh of Kyou's neck and clavicle. Kyou had never been fond of the mandatory uniform necktie so the uniform always looked informal the way he wore it. Besides the missing necktie the first three buttons of the military style uniform top.
It was strange how enticed Yuki felt just watching the tan sweat moistened area rise and fall. Yuki felt his mouth begin to dry out as his eyes traveled back up to Kyou and saw that the cat of the zodiac was now staring with intense and questing eyes at Yuki himself. For a moment he felt like a deer in headlights at the new attention he was receiving but he quickly regained his composure and glared back at the other teen.
"What? Are you going to speak or just stare at me like the idiot that you are?" Yuki snapped a bit defensively as he turned his head away from Kyou and waited for a response. "What the hell was your problem back there? I'm not a little kid and I don't need you to defend me or boss me around like I am one! You got that?" Kyou snapped roughly as he stepped closer to his childhood enemy.
Yuki turned back to Kyou and gave him a cold look as he contemplated how to respond. "I wasn't defending you. I was trying to make sure you didn't do or say anything stupid that might cause trouble for both of us" Yuki replied flippantly. Kyou gave him a displeased look as if he was going to say something back but Yuki cut him off.
"And for future reference, if you don't want people to treat you like a child then don't act like such an immature brat." Yuki spat out icily as he made to push past Kyou and continue on to school. "Well if it's so risky then maybe you should call off this little arrangement or whatever the hell this is!" Kyou scoffed as he pushed Yuki's shoulder and caused him to step back against the tree.
Yuki felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment when Kyou spoke. The look of surprise that crossed Yuki's features must have been noticed b the other boy as well because after that only silence followed. Yuki's heart was thudding loudly in his chest at the thought and he looked up at Kyou only to see that the other teen was now looking off to the side in visible frustration.
Perhaps this was it. Maybe this was the best course of action for everyone's well being. Yuki was really starting to believe that it just might be the right thing to do. He had spent months keeping his feelings locked away in himself and everything was normal. Maybe trying to let those secret desires out wasn't the best thing to do. Yuki knew he was just playing himself, and Kyou. He knew that Kyou loved Tohru and that the bubbly girl loved him as well. It was already set. Their futures were obviously interwoven and that equation left no room for Yuki.
Right now Kyou was just lonely and confused; Yuki knew this. And by forcing this arrangement upon him under the guise of sympathy, Yuki was merely taking advantage of him. Yuki knew this as well. In fact he had known all along and he almost welcomed this 'way out' that Kyou had suggested. Finally, after endless moments Yuki spoke "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should forget the whole thing," he said in a small hollow voice that sounded foreign to his own ears.
Kyou looked back up at him with a look of puzzlement "huh? Are you serious?" The redheaded teen asked him in a low shaky voice. Yuki didn't look at Kyou but simply shrugged "Sure. You're probably right…maybe this is too much for us to handle" the slate haired boy replied detachedly as he glanced defiantly up to meet the puzzled maroon eyes that awaited him.
"So we can call it off, if you want to," Yuki said in a near whisper as he felt his body temperature begin to rise at the closeness between them. Kyou looked at Yuki with a look that seemed to jumble all the emotions he felt at that moment, which were hard to decipher. But Yuki didn't miss the brief flicker in his eyes that seemed to mirror disappointment. Yuki quickly dismissed the look however and stood there waiting for Kyou's answer.
After a few minutes of dead silence Yuki decided that maybe the silence was his answer. So Yuki nodded a bit stiffly and sighed, "okay…I guess that settles it" he said with a sad smile as he pushed himself up from against the tree. He had decided that enough was enough and he didn't have the strength to fool himself with hope any longer, he was ready to pull the curtain.
So it came as quite a surprise to Yuki when he was roughly shoved back against the tree by two strong arms that seemed quite content to keep a firm grip on his upper arms. Yuki looked up at his assailant and scowled darkly "What do you think you're doing stupid cat? Get off of me, I…" but Yuki was cut off roughly as something soft and firm crashed itself against his unsuspecting lips.
He was shocked to say the least. So he stood there stiffly as the foreign objects continued their brutally sweet assault to his lips. It wasn't until a few seconds later, when he felt the hands that hap previously held his arms begin to move back and caress the small of his back and shoulder blades that he realized he was being kissed. No, he wasn't just being kissed; Kyou was kissing him.
Yuki wanted to say something but his mouth was otherwise occupied so he simply closed his eyes and let himself go along with it. When he began returning the kiss Yuki brought his hands up to clutch at the fabric of Kyou's shirt to brace himself.
Was it hours or minutes that passed by before they both relented in favor of much needed air? Neither of them knew for sure but by the time they had parted lips the two teens allowed themselves to sink down onto the soft forest ground. They stayed like that; kneeling and panting with their foreheads pressed together. Finally a rustle of branches by a nearby sparrow broke the amiable silence that had grown between them.
"Kyou…I…I don't understand. I thought you wanted…" Yuki spoke in a breathless tone as he unconsciously pushed a crop of sweat dampened hair from the other boy's face. Kyou gave him a halfhearted scowl and pushed himself slightly away from Yuki and sat on his rear. "Don't be so conceited you damn rat. Don't think that just because it's hard that I cant handle it. You don't know what I can and can't handle so don't freaking act like it" Kyou huffed as he straightened his shirt a bit.
Yuki stared at him dumbly for a few moments before realization crossed his mind and he frowned "look…Kyou, don't do something your going to regret just because you want to prove me wrong, okay? That's just childish" he replied a little bitterly as he began to stand himself up and dust off his clothes. Kyou let out a small grunt as he stood up sharply and grabbed Yuki's arm "there you go again making up people's minds for them! Just shut the hell up and listen for once!" Kyou snapped and Yuki turned his full attention to the redhead.
"I didn't say that I was doing this because I want to prove you wrong, okay. I'm not stupid and I'm not a baby. I can make my own damn decisions thank you!" Kyou scoffed at the other boy. Yuki was about to reply when Kyou cut him off with a look "shut up I'm not done. I also want you to know that I only do things that I want to do, okay?" The slight blush that rose to his cheeks when he spoke only betrayed Kyou's serious tone and expression.
Yuki looked at him for a minute before shaking his head and smirking "stupid cat…" he grumbled. Kyou just smirked in response and rolled his eyes as he released Yuki's arm "damn rat" he quipped. Yuki tried hard to suppress the jittery feeling in his stomach and the smile threatening to show itself as he looked away from his schoolmate and "partner". "Yuki looked at his watched and chuckled "well, thanks to your lack of restraint we're now 20 minutes late to school. Great job moron" Yuki said dryly as he watched Kyou begin to panic.
"Aaaw Damn it! Now that crazy devil woman is gonna make me stay after for extra clean up duty again!" Kyou cursed as he punched a nearby tree. Yuki couldn't help but laugh at how quickly the other boy could change moods and shook his head.
"Forget it. We'd be nearly 50 minutes late if we started now" Yuki shrugged as he grabbed his forgotten bag and began fixing his post make out hair. "What? Prince Dudley Do-right wants to skip class?" Kyou gasped in sarcastically.
Yuki rolled his eyes and smacked Kyou in the head with his bag "shut up fur ball. I'm hungry; lets go get something to eat. Maybe later we can go see how Honda-san is doing" Yuki said calmly as he began walking up along the path they had intended to walk earlier. Kyou rubbed his nose and cursed under his breath as he watched his companion walk away.
"Hey wait up! What are you hungry for anyway? I just made breakfast before we left the stupid house!" Kyou yelled after him as he jogged to catch up. Yuki smiled with satisfaction to himself as the angry and flustered teen caught up with him.
"Please, you could hardly call that slop you made breakfast. I'm lucky to be alive after eating that" Yuki scoffed haughtily as he watched Kyou's face twist into a scowl. "You ungrateful bastard! Don't insult my cooking! You're the last person who should criticize other people's cooking" Kyou snapped irately as he folded his arms behind his head and glared down his nose at Yuki.
They went on arguing lightly all the way to the diner. But there was little malice behind any of the words they spoke. It was almost…nice, in Yuki's opinion. He still knew it was wrong of him to allow Kyou to get mixed up in this, he knew better. Really, he kept thinking to himself that the best thing for everyone was to just call it off and no have anything to do with Kyou any longer. He knew that was the right answer.
What they were doing was wrong in so many ways. Yuki knew that. He knew that if anyone were to find out about what they were doing it would mean big trouble for both of them. But especially Kyou. God forbid Akito find out about any of this. That's why Yuki vowed to himself that before anything got to out of hand he would stop himself. After all, it was only a temporary arrangement, just until Tohru was better and she could come home. Then it would all stop.
Or at least that's what Yuki told himself. But this new relationship or whatever they had was too exciting and fun to think about all that stuff now. It was selfish, and Yuki knew that. It was wrong, Yuki knew that too. But people are often selfish and foolish at times like these. Yuki knew he should have properly discussed the consequences with Kyou but he couldn't. He wouldn't let himself.
Who could blame him though? Everything seemed to be falling into place before him and nothing else seemed to matter but the present. It's hard to see the clouds rolling in when you're so busy looking at the flowers. It's only until the first drops of rain begin to fall that we begin to realize. But by then the storm has begun and we're standing helplessly below the angry gray sky without an umbrella.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait but I've been so stuck for a long time, man. Well that is all for chapter 3. I know I promised some Hatori/Tohru in there but I couldn't find the right place for it. Maybe next time. Well I hope it wasn't too "Queer as Folk" meets "As The World Turns" for you. Lol Please let me know what you thought of it, reviews are highly welcome! That is all for now guys! REVIEW! REVIEW! Much Love, Chizz