I'm really sorry I haven't been updating. I was so busy with theatre, and I've had quite a bit of writers block. I wrote… well, pretty much all I have of this chapter, and then I was stuck. So, I'm counting this as half a chapter, and hopefully I'll put up another soon. The play is over now, but auditions for the next one are on Monday, so I'm not sure how often I'll be updating, sorry! Thanks for reading!

Chapter Eleven ½

Things went fairly normally, until a day or two later, when a strange man burst through the front door.

I stared with wide eyes, freezing mid-step with a box of take-out in my hand, the food halfway to my mouth. (Tohru hadn't been feeling very well earlier, so we'd insisted she didn't have to cook)

"Can it be true?" The man shouted obnoxiously. He had long silvery hair, and looked almost feminine. He reminded me of an older, much more annoying Yuki. "Has little Kyonkichi finally found himself a lover?"

I blinked in confusion. "Er…. No offense, but who the hell are you?" I said flatly. I was blatantly creeped out by this guy.

"My dear little brother hasn't told you about me?" He exclaimed before sweeping into a low bow. "Ayame Sohma," He introduced, taking my hand and kissing the palm. "And what might such a lovely young lady be doing in this house of brutes? My dear, let me treat you to lunch."

"I already ate," I said stoically, looking pointedly to the container in my hand.

"Oh, but I insist," He said in a low voice, as though he were attempting sexuality.

The reaction was almost simultaneous. Shigure burst out of his study, and Kyo and Yuki practically fell down the stairs in their rush into the room.

"Ayame!" Kyo and Yuki shouted in unison. Yuki tackled Ayame and Kyo jerked me away, half stepping in front of me.

Shigure seemed to be the only one who was happy to see him. "Ayame, my friend! It's been too long!"

"More like not long enough," Kyo muttered.

I blinked. Yuki was standing now, and brushing off his clothes, while Ayame was sprawled on the floor from being tackled.

My dear brother hasn't told you about me? My jaw dropped in realization.

"You two are brothers?" I exclaimed. I stared wide-eyed at Yuki's reluctant nod before bursting out into hysteric laughter.

They waited patiently for me to calm down, and eventually I wiped at my eye, letting the last of the giggles fade. "Oh, I can just imagine," I chuckled. "Anyway, you're in the zodiac, right?"

"Correct," Ayame said, sounding slightly wounded by my laughter.

"Okay, let me guess," I said, then fell silent in thought. The zodiac animals that I didn't know yet were the Tiger, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, and Boar. After staring at him for a moment, I decided it was kind of obvious.

"You're the Snake, right?"

Ayame looked thrilled. "That's right, that's right!" he cheered. "How did you know?"

I just shrugged. "Snakes are creepy."

Ayame pouted, and Kyo burst out laughing. I smirked and turned back to my food.

"Don't laugh at me, Kyonkichi!" Ayame continued to pout.

I snorted with laughter. "Kyonkichi?"

"Don't call me that!" Kyo growled.

"Why not? It's cute!" I insisted, batting my eyelashes innocently.

Kyo grumbled and glared but didn't comment. I smirked victoriously.

"So, this must be the charming young lady that Shigure told me about. I hear you've stolen our little Kyonkichi's heart."

I nodded gravely. "I keep it in a jar of dirt on my desk."

Ayame shot Shigure a terrified glance, but Shigure laughed.

"Ah, our Rei, always joking," He said with a laugh.

Ayame laughed nervously, his eyes darting around as though expecting me to have a stash of bodies somewhere.

"Seriously, Ayame," I said with a raised eyebrow. "I was kidding. If I'd taken Kyo's heart out he'd be dead. As you can obviously see, he's not."

"What are you here for anyway?" Yuki asked coldly.

"Aren't you glad to see me, brother?" Ayame asked, sounding hurt.

"No," Yuki said flatly.

"Well, I came to see the heartthrob that Kyo has fallen for, obviously," Ayame explained as though it should be obvious. I raised my eyebrow at Shigure, wondering what exactly he'd said to Yuki's brother. He just smiled embarrassedly in response.

"Well, you've seen her," Kyo growled. "Now leave."

"Don't be rude, Kyo," I chided, moving to kneel by the table. "He's your family."

Kyo grumbled in reply and sat by me, refusing to look at anyone.

I sighed and smiled, letting Ayame and Shigure's chatter fade into the background. I wondered who in the world I would meet next.

Crappy ending, short chapter, I know, I'm sorry. But like I said, writers block!