Here's another chapter for you guys. Hm, Fruits Basket still doesn't belong to me but I still love it anyway. Also...there's a lot of thinking on Kyo's part (look for the italics) so that's just a heads up. Thanks to KairiBlossom07, Black anime fan and Chaell.

My responses to reviews...

Black anime fan: Yay, I'm happy that you both like the story. Aw, you guys are sisters? I'm the only child. I've heard it's great to have a sister or siblings in general though. Hm? You found it funny? Double yay.

Chaell: Isn't Shinta a nice name? I know who we have to thank for the name. Oooh, guesses on the end of the story...well, I can't promise anything so let your imagination run wild. It's alright about your babbling and long reviews. I like reading reviews so the longer, the better...yeah, I'm a nerd.

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Sound of pounding footsteps left the room and into the hallway, eventually fading away after that. All that was left in the room was Kyo who by now, clenched his teeth and created a tight fist. "Damn it!" he shouted, trying his best not to break the table in half. Just when things seemed like they couldn't have gone any worse, Shigure entered the room with a smirk.

Putting one hand to hold his elbow while he rested his chin on the other, he simply looked down to the fuming Kyo. He said nothing but watched, "Let me guess... Shinta, huh?" Shigure finally asked but in a teasing tone with his smirk to match.

The redhead didn't answer and stared down to the wooden floor. Finally he managed to mumble out a few words. "Shut up...Shigure." he whispered with an angry tremble, which made the other chuckle. "It's alright, Kyo. I'm sure there are others that had their moments ruined because of a cat. Oh! Isn't this coincidence? Shinta's all black, too!" he said, waving his hand around in a mocking way of comfort. It did nothing to help and only made him tremble a bit more. It was silent and Kyo finally sighed but stopped once he heard the other go on.

"Don't worry. Tohru's such a nice girl and you know how high schoo-" he said with another wave of the hand until Kyo jumped in and glared into his dark eyes. Using a burst of breath, he repeated, "I SAID SHUT UP!" Finally, he was able to get his point across as Shigure frowned and closed his eyes to the shouted order. Slowly, he opened his eyes and smiled but this time, not a mocking one. "Alright, alright." he surrendered with his hands out, palms to Kyo, "Actually, I wanted to help you out."

For the few minutes after that, the two sat down and talked quietly. Rhythmic footsteps go louder and they approached the entrance to the main room. As the door pulled open, Tohru greeted the two males. Her ever-present smile was enough to make Kyo crack a small smile but when he noticed the black fur against the girl's pink shirt, he frowned. Shinta.

"I'm sorry. Shinta knocked something over in my room but I cleaned it up." was the first thing she said once she got close enough to them.

Lowering herself onto a cushion, Shinta began to slowly walk off her lap and onto the floor. Seeing the glaring already starting between the two cats, Shigure gave a small nudge to Kyo but only nodded slightly when he looked over to him. "Wellll, I must go." Shigure announced as he stretched his arms forward. As he did this motion, Shinta stared and slowly backed away as if scared. He just ignored it and continued speaking as he stood up and began to leave the room, "So, I'll leave you all alone."

Tohru waved as he left and then turned her eyes to Kyo and smiled. "Here. Why don't you and Shinta spend some time together?" she asked, leaning forward to pick up the cat and handed him to Kyo. Spend time with Shinta? Fucks no! I wanna spend time with you! He mentally whined but took Shinta into his hands anyway.

With a bored expression, he began to pet its shiny fur but continued his thoughts. Damn cat. Why did she even get you anyway? It was then, as if feeling the murderous tense in the air around them, Shinta began to twitch and struggle to turn its body in Kyo's hands. "What's wrong?" Tohru cooed with slight worry when she saw how he was reacting. The Sohma just ignored him until he looked down into the light blue eyes and saw something odd but he didn't get a chance to figure it out until he was met with a hiss and flashing swipes of paws.

"Ah, shit! Get off of me!"

The girl jumped at the yelling and her eyes widened when she saw Shinta struggling in Kyo's arms as he hissed and continued to scratch him. "I said to GET OFF!" Kyo said again but even loud as he tossed the cat from his bloody arms and onto the floor. Without even a look back, Shinta darted out of the room and into another section of the house.

Kyo stood in his spot on the cushion but examined his hands and arms. His tan skin was marked with red lines and puncture wounds from when Shinta's nails literally got caught on his skin. Even the sections that weren't baring wounds were covered by thin trails of blood. One went from his elbow and down his arm. His eyes followed it to his wrist and gasped when he saw a small hand take his wrist.

"Kyo! You're...you're bleeding...a lot! I'll get the first-aid kit!" Tohru panicked and ran out of the room, her brown hair looking some type of cape behind her.

"That damned Shinta." he whispered as he tried to stand up. Kyo hated looking weak and looking weak in front of Tohru made it even more. It took such a while for him to stand from the pain and angry thoughts that Tohru returned to find him in the act. Tossing the plastic box onto the table, she jogged beside Kyo and kneeled onto a cushion.

"Wait, let me clean your cuts and put the bandages on you." she pleaded as he continued trying to get up. Nothing worked until she threw her hands out to his arm and tried to tug it back down to her, "Kyoooo!" she pleaded.

She sounds so worried...So worried about me. I hate looking so weak in front of her like this.

"Kyo? Please, sit down so I can help you!"

So you can help me. Hah. The only way you can help me is by returning my feelings for you.

"Come on. The sooner I clean your cuts, the better!"

The sooner you clean my cuts, the better? That's something like what I keep telling myself. The sooner I tell you how much I love you, the better… but I can never get myself to do it.

More thoughts went through his mind until a stinging pain caused him to flinch. Quickly, he looked to his arm and saw Tohru gliding an alcohol wipe over some of the cuts. It was then that he registered the feel of her gently grip on his arm as she worked. You might not feel for me like I do for you… but it's still good you care for me at all. Kyo thought to myself with a dazed smile.

The small jolt caused Tohru to gasp and she paused and looked up to Kyo. "Are you okay? If it hurts too much, tell me…I'll stop." She said to him with worry but determination flaring in her eyes. He just smiled even more and shook his head, "It's alright. You can continue and…thanks." Kyo said, whispering to her the last word. It just made her giggle and nod, then she was back to opening a new packet of wipes.

By now, Kyo was all patched up and sitting down while Tohru left to return the first-aid kit. Having the alone time, he searched the room for Shinta it became comforting clear that he wasn't in the room. It was out of revenge seeking and even a little bit of paranoia though he would die before admitting it. Pushing a hand through his hair, he looked up as Tohru came back.

"Alright. Sorry if I took long." She apologized and sat down in front of Kyo. She looked over the pale bandages that coiled around his tan arms and hands, "What happened? Shinta…looked like he freaked out and attacked you." To Kyo, it was the ultimate question since eve he didn't know what caused it. He just shrugged back and tried to avoid looking right at her, heat starting to form on his face in the form of a blush.

Seeing the discomfort in his face, Tohru sighed but then smiled. "It's okay." She said, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

As nice as it sounded, she had it all wrong. If she only knew. Kyo told himself with a bit of a mental chuckle. After that, everything hushed into perfect peace until he felt like he had to talk about it…and besides, maybe it would help find out what caused Shinta to get so agitated.

"You know…really, I don't know why he scratched me and stuff." Kyo began and threw up his hand and let it fall carelessly.

"It's alright. He might have been nervous… that was the first time someone else has held him like that." Tohru shrugged. Her words did make sense though…or maybe it was something more like how two cats stare at each other and abruptly break into fights. Could it really be a cat thing?

Maybe Shinta just plain hates me… like how I hate him. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

Getting from his thoughts, he shrugged back. "Maybe. Cats are kind of territorial anyway so he may have felt threatened by me or something. I don't know but things should… get better."

We can share the house and stuff, I guess… I don't mind but what we can't share is you, Tohru. I'm not letting anyone bask in your love.

The brunette just nodded and then stood up. "Well, I should start cooking. I'm sure the others are getting hungry." She said and then made her way out of the room. When she got a few steps out the door, she paused and began talking to someone. Kyo couldn't see who it was but just tried to listen to their conversation.

Seconds after that, Yuki came and paused to look down at Kyo. "Someone's not taking care of themselves, I see." He said with his arms crossed as he walked closer to the bandaged Sohma. Kyo quickly glance up with his teeth clenched together. "Shut it. Shinta did this anyway." He explained as he looked down to the scattered bandages, "It's all his fault. Thinks he can come in here and…and take my Tohru!"

Oh, fuck! Did…did I just say…what I think I said?

Almost instantly, he looked up to Yuki who sat down and smiled at him. "I knew it." He simply said as Kyo frowned. "No! You got it all wrong." He pleaded though the other ignored him. When it became a bit too much, he put up his hand for the other to stop, "It's alright. I knew for a while now…hearing it from you just verifies it."

"What? You knew? That Shigure! I-"

"No." Yuki interrupted, his voice slightly raised, which made Kyo stop on a dime. "Shigure told me nothing. I just figured it out myself. Besides…you don't take me for a fool, do you?"

Kyo didn't respond and Yuki just waited until he sighed. "You know, now I wonder why I even asked that question. Anyway. So, Shigure knows about your crush on Tohru?" he asked and watched as the other reddened to the words. Slowly, he nodded, "Yeah. He even gave me advice."

"Oh, Lord. Shigure gave you advice on this? What did that pervert say?" Yuki asked with an odd mix of curiosity and disgust. Kyo just shrugged and explained, "Well…he said to tell her straight out of if it doesn't work, to try to persuade her by taking her an-" but then got cut off when Yuki threw a hand in front of his face. "Alright, alright. That's something I'd expect from him…and something I know won't work." He said with a sigh.

Dropping one of his hands on the other's shoulder, Yuki leaned forward as if he was telling a secret. "If you really want to tell her how you feel, you need to go slow and don't rush." He said and Kyo stared forward. Blinking a few times, he looked at the rat Sohma, "Are you honestly giving me advice?" he asked in slight shock. He just nodded and then shrugged; "Besides…I think you need it." Kyo growled, "Hey!" he said and Yuki laughed. "I'm serious about this though. Forget all about what Shigure said, alright?" he asked in a whisper and Kyo slowly nodded. After that, the two exchanged whispers and nods as the smell of food rolled out from the kitchen.

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Ack, I'm sorry but I had to add the bloody drama. Hm...I guess you can say this chapter officially starts the war. Yesterday, I was fiddling with my profile and I added two ways to get in contact with me and I might add more. Also, there's somewhat like a journal there that keeps track of things. Putting this reminder about them since for the next few days, things will be busy. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put up the next chapter but I'll try to make it as quick as possible. Hugs to all.