Title: Million Little Pieces

Author: Keir

Rating: R overall, for swearing, violence, and sexual situations.

The Gist of Things: Kyou has become ill from a late-night forest romp and now he's stuck with Shigure.

A/N: Oh ho, must write more of this

The cat blew his nose again and sniffled; his head was pounding and his sinuses felt horrible. He gripped the edges of his blanket tighter and snuggled into it, grumbling and scowling.

"How are you feeling, Kyou?" Yuki asked softly, setting the glass of milk he held down in front of his cousin before taking a seat across the table. He pressed a cool hand to the cat's forehead to find that the fever still hadn't gone down. The orange-haired boy had woken up with a blazing temperature and a fiery temper to match. "What did Hatori say? And why are you sitting in Shigure's study?" The dog had finally brought the cat back early in the afternoon from his doctor's visit; the torture that was convincing the cat he needed to see the physician was something he didn't want to dwell on. Kyou was terrible at best when sick and that morning he had been a hellion.

"He told me that I'm sick," the cat growled, sniffling again. He didn't want to admit that he was in the dog's study because the dark-haired man had carried him in like some helpless woman and left him there. He gulped the milk until half the glass was gone.

"Here, we made you some soup," Hatsuharu said, setting a hot bowl in front of the cat before sitting next to Yuki. He watched Kyou blow on it before putting a spoonful in his mouth. "We should have made you go back inside last night."

"Yeah, so Shigure and Tohru could have front row seats to your fight?" the orange-haired boy grumped, eating another spoonful. It seemed like just the other day he'd been getting over a cold, and now he was sick again. He hated being sick.

"We're both sorry for last night, Kyou; it was rather undignified," Yuki said gently. The ox nodded in agreement.

"So does that mean your stupid bet is off?"

"No," the rat and the ox answered simultaneously.

Kyou growled and shoveled another bite into his mouth. He leaned an elbow on the table and looked away with the spoon dangling from his lips. Hatori had scolded him all morning and he was fed up with it. Like it was his fault that the other two had gone nuts! Not only their stupid fight, but on top of that sitting out in the woods negotiating their bet for what felt like ages.

And he'd be damned if he would have asked either of them for their coat.

"Kyou, what's this?"

The cat looked back as Hatsuharu slid a book across the table, reading the title. "It's a psychology book; it's Hatori's."

The ox raised a brow. "You stole a book from Hatori?"

"I didn't steal it!" he said defensively. "I borrowed it without asking. I'll give it back."

Yuki reached inside his book bag and pulled out a black case, opening it and removing a pair of glasses. He put them on, leaning over to look at the book as well.

Kyou blinked. "When did you get glasses?"

The rat glanced up. "Oh, Hatori was worried about my eyesight when I complained of frequent headaches during school, so he had me visit a doctor and get a prescription a month ago for reading glasses; these just got in today."

His fingers curled in the soft blanket nervously. "They...they look good on you."

The grey-haired boy smiled. "Thank you." He turned back to studying the book, flipping open the cover. "'DSM-IV'?"

Kyou grabbed the edges of the book and dragged it back toward himself, blushing faintly. "It's a psychology book on personality disorders. I got stuck waiting for Hatori for two hours so I was looking through his books and I thought about Haru." He kept his eyes on the table, flipping toward a dog-eared page. "And I mean, he doesn't have multiple personality disorder, so I was wondering what it might be. Look here: 'Disturbances suffered by those with borderline personality disorder are wide-ranging. The general profile of the disorder typically includes a pervasive instability in mood; extreme "black and white" thinking, or "splitting."'" The cat glanced up. "I think Hatori coined the term 'Black' and 'White' for Haru's sides from this book."

Hatsuharu's heart skipped a beat; he had never thought about this, and here was Kyou researching it for him. Had Hatori really known about this kind of thing all along?

"It also says it's usually brought on by a traumatic childhood event." They all went silent and still at the words, thinking back to Hatsuharu's early youth. "But it explains everything. Moodiness and switching between these personality types and 'emotional outbursts'. It says that with some therapy—"

Hatsuharu could feel the black side rising up inside him and tried to suppress it. "I think that's enough," the ox murmured.

Kyou moved restlessly, becoming irritated. "I'm talking about a solution to your emotional problem, Haru, and you're just blowing it off. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Black Hatsuharu suddenly slammed a fist down on the table. "Nothing is wrong with me!"

"Haru, Kyou's just trying to help," Yuki said softly.

The ox stood, sneering. "I am who I am and I don't need therapy. Pick fucking Yuki if you don't like me." The younger boy stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut.

Yuki winced, a deep frown crossing his face. "I'm sorry for Haru's poor behaviour, Kyou. Obviously it's become too hard for him to control himself; he's grown much more volatile. Honestly, it's disgraceful."

"Get out," Kyou snapped. When Yuki didn't move, he threw the soup bowl against the wall, shattering it. Shards of glass clattered to the floor.

The rat stood calmly. "Haru is a big boy, Kyou. He makes his own decisions and quite frankly his reliance on everyone to accommodate his 'handicap' is insulting." Yuki took his leave sedately, shutting the door behind him.

Kyou slumped onto his side, laying his head on an arm. He had a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Haru and Yuki had always been at least cordial with each other—he would even venture to say they were close—and now their relationship was cold and tense. The two had always been at least united in the family way.

The way of hating or at least avoiding the Cat cursed.

Hatsuharu had usually been civil, but he never socialized with Kyou, not until Tohru moved in. It had been only recently that Hatsuharu's Black side had begun to manifest steadily, always in Kyou's presence.

And Yuki. Well. The cat and the rat had always said when they were younger that they were friends. That was before they were separated. The spite had developed strongly over the years, the two of them kept apart until Kyou had been forced to live in Shigure's house. For some reason the rat had decided shortly after to move in as well. It had made Kyou feel trapped; he had no control over his life. He wasn't accepted as part of the family, yet they controlled him, everything about him. Yet he understood why Yuki had wanted to move away from the main compound, identified with that pressured feeling.

He understood the feeling of isolation shared between him and Hatsuharu. They were both pushed to the side by the family. Yet he didn't share the kind of familial relationship the ox or the rat had. He was still alone. Even Shigure, the most congenial of the cursed, had shown reluctance at the realization he was stuck housing the unruly cat. Kyou had never admitted that he had caught the tail end of the meeting where his fate was decided, but the look on Shigure's face had been enough for him to never speak of it.

Kyou curled up tighter on the hard floor, a sneer of disgust lifting his lip. How stupid, I don't need anybody. I've never needed anybody. He hated feeling this self pity.

"Oh, Kyou-kun, are you dead or just sleeping? I hope you haven't died from your cold or Hari will be upset with me!" Shigure bustled into the room. Kyou's fists clenched in irritation but he didn't move.

"You don't have to work so hard at being congenial, stupid mutt." Bitterness dripped from his voice.

"What do you mean, Kyou-kun?"

The cat shifted, looking over his shoulder. Shigure sat on the other side of his desk, smiling nonchalantly at Kyou. The teenager shrugged and looked away. "Tch. Whatever."

"If you want I can ask one of your cousins to help you up to your room." The dog's tone became speculative. "Except maybe Haru-kun; he seemed to be all riled up over something."

Kyou automatically responded by hunching his shoulders. "It's none of my business what that stupid cow does."

"Come to think of it, both Yuki-kun and Haru-kun haven't been speaking as much as usual, yet Haru-kun has been dropping by more often," the dog fished for information, staring at the back of the cat's head. When the boy didn't even stir, he changed tactics. "It will be so wonderful to see you perform on the spring festival, Kyou-kun! Why, I even think I'll invite Aaya to come, and then I could even bring a camcorder to videotape so we can play it over and over again for all the cousins!"

"Shut up!" Kyou reared up, snarling and facing the dog over the desk. "I get it, all right? My humiliation is hilarious to the entire family!"

Shigure almost smirked, leaning forward and staring directly into crimson eyes. "So what's going on between you three?"

Kyou gulped, caught off-guard. "W-what do you mean?"

"So coy, Kyou-kun, but I guess if you won't tell me, then maybe someone else will. I mean, Haru is always so straightforward, especially when he's his black side..."

The cat snarled, looked away. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

"Oh, but it is my business to know your wellbeing, seeing as I am your legal guardian now. Yuki-kun also lives with me and so I have his best interest in mind. I mean, if something is bothering our prince, surely Akito would want it brought to his attention." The dog rested his cheek in his palm, an impertinent smile on his face.

Kyou refused to look at him, sullen and angry. "Haru and Yuki, they just... They like me."

"Ah, so they're at odds because they both want to be your friend and they're jealous of each other?" Shigure loved watching the teenager squirm, enjoyed drawing a confession out of him to confirm his suspicions.

"Not like that!" the cat snapped. "They like me." At the dog's incessant stare he blushed and added, "They like me like they want to date me. Happy now, asshole?"

"Oh, my! How intriguing. A young love triangle with our little surly cousin at the center. Intriguing, indeed..."

"Whatever."

"You know, I wrote a novel once concerning a love triangle..."

The cat listened impatiently as Shigure jawed on about his book. When the black-haired man paused for breath, Kyou asked, "So how did it end?" Shigure blinked, taken off-guard by the orange-haired boy's curiosity. "Your book," the cat prompted.

"It was very complicated. In the end, our sweet, beautiful heroine Miki ended up choosing Akihiko over Shinji; she felt he was her true love."

The cat moved restlessly, refusing to look into the dog's eyes. "But why was he her true love? How could she be sure?"

Shigure raised a brow. "Are you searching for true love, Kyou-kun?"

The cat growled, his cheeks pinking. "That's just stupid, it's just dating." He twitched nervously at talking so openly with stupid Shigure of all people about this. "It's not like it matters."

"Mmm, well, her choice was made because she felt that magic, tingling feeling every time he looked at her and she could see his love for her reflected in his eyes!"

"That's stupid," Kyou scoffed.

"Do Haru and Yuki not look at you with love in their eyes, Kyou-kun?" the older cousin teased.

The cat found himself actually thinking about it before Shigure's lecherous grin snapped him out of it. He shot to his feet, fingers murderously gripping the blanket draped across his shoulders. "Don't look at me like that, stupid pervert!"

Shigure ignored him, staring studiously at the ceiling, a finger tapping his lips. "Oh, my, my. For our naïve Kyou-kun to pause and think about it means he really must have been very close and personal. Oh, but with only one of them or with both! How naughty!"

Kyou could practically see the wheels turning in the older man's head. "Stop thinking whatever it is you're thinking about me and Yuki or Haru!"

A knock came at the door before it opened promptly. Yuki padded softly inside with a look of concern. "Kyou, are you all right? I heard shouting and—" He stopped as Shigure looked around Kyou with a wave. "Ah."

Shigure smiled happily. "Enter the young suitor for the fair maid's hand!"

The rat blinked, confusion crossing his face before surprise. "Kyou, you told him...?"

"I didn't tell him anything! He's an asshole!" the cat raged, turning on the dog. "I'll rip you apart limb from limb for calling me a girl!" He was about to lunge when Hatsuharu moved swiftly into the room at the commotion.

The ox blinked at the scene; he had recently calmed down enough to return to his white side. "What's going on?"

"Oh, the second suitor! Kyou-kun is actually interesting now that he has men competing over him!"

Unlike Yuki, Hatsuharu looked unfazed. "Oh, you told him. That's nice." Kyou was quickly turning a scarlet colour as the ox shoved his hands into his tight pockets on his leather pants. "Since it doesn't matter now and it's not a secret, I wanted to ask you out on a date."

A tic went off in Kyou's cheek; he was absolutely mortified that Hatsuharu would ask him that in front of the perverted dog. "NO!"

"Awww, that's not very nice, Kyou-kun. Haru-kun is being very civil about asking you out on a date. He hasn't even hinted at anything improper yet!"

"You shut up, you goddamn mutt!"

Hatsuharu shrugged and smiled, completely ignoring the cat's outburst. "Tomorrow at seven then." He walked over, leaned down to peck Kyou on the cheek, then left.

Yuki scowled at the ox's back; Hatsuharu had stolen his chance to ask Kyou himself. "We'll set up a date for Wednesday then, Kyou." Like the ox, the grey-haired boy leaned down to peck Kyou on the other cheek then took his leave.

"Such a busy romantic week for our Kyou-kun!" Shigure caroled.

"Shut up, old man!" The cat angrily kicked the dog's desk then fled for his bedroom to nap and ponder with apprehension just what the ox had in store for him tomorrow.

A/N: Sort of bridging chapter, I guess? So that I may progress onto Haru and Yuki torturing Kyou. X3