As long as Kyou can remember, he and Yuki have been enemies, but there's
more to it than that. Dark secrets lurk in the past of every Sohma and one
horrible act by the accursed head of the clan will set off the beginning of
finding all the answers
Title: Equally Cursed and Blessed
Authors: Caer (caerfree@tde.com) and Triste (TragedyandComedy@aol.com)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, violence, angst
Pairings: Eventual YukixKyou, ShigurexHatori, HaruxMomiji
Status: Work in progress (part 12)
Disclaimer: Nope, still not ours.
~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ "Kyou, I think we should stop."
"No... it's not far now."
Kagura stopped anyway. She supported Kyou as he stumbled weakly.
"Let's at least rest."
Kyou gave in, nodding wearily, not even having the energy to complain. His brow was sheened with sweat, and he was too pale. Kagura felt that pang of guilt for doing this. She had expected it. But he had called... he had called her and asked her for help. It wasn't like she could refuse. Her guilt wouldn't permit it. She would do anything for him to try to erase the guilt of her fear of his form... and she cursed herself for it.
She was no better than his mother, claiming to love him, yet shrinking inside at the thought of what he was. Even if she did love him now... she could never erase that day, when she had screamed and fled... just like everyone else. She was no different... god, she wanted to be different. She wished to death that she could be like Tohru... that she could have been the one to take his hand, and make him look at her in that way.
She would have given anything to have been the one to carry Kyou home that day in his adorable little kitty form. She would give anything to be in Tohru's place... to see that boy's confused amazed look every time Tohru did something remarkable. Every time, she touched him or said kind words to him without ever wanting anything in return. Kagura had discovered that she couldn't be like Tohru. No one could. She couldn't save Kyou because she was part of the curse that condemned him. All she could do was be there for him, and hope he knew that she cared.
Somehow, she never hated Tohru for any of this. She had been jealous, but you just couldn't hate Tohru for her blissful naivete and her enormous heart. Kagura took her comfort in that, instead; that she could manage not to hate Tohru.
After a little rest, Kyou's color seemed to return, and he took a deep breath and goaded her to help him stand.
"Come on." Kyou lurched forward. "If I keep stopping... I'll never make it."
They moved on toward the house at the edge of the woods. This was all Kagura knew about it. It could be seen from the road on the mountain. It had been abandoned, but Kyou seemed adamant that it was where he had to go.
It had been the house on the property before Shigure's house was built to replace it. It had been in ruin for quite a long time and was not worth rebuilding, but it had never been removed. Still, Kagura could not help but notice that the path was relatively clear, as if it had been used.
There was a bit of a tricky spot where they had to edge along a rock ledge that was far too high for Kagura's liking, but Kyou seemed unbothered. He even made the journey across by himself, telling her not to lose her head, in a cranky, but comforting way. She made it across, and the cabin was not more than 20 feet away. It was charming, in a run down, moss eaten way. The wood was gray from weather. Trees and plant-life threatened to take over the aging cabin.
Still, when they opened the creaky door, it seemed relatively sound inside. It was clean, having just three rooms. What had been the kitchen was completely unusable; although, what was left of the cabinets was stocked with various canned goods.
Kagura came back into the main room, which was set up with a small tatami mat, a wall full of firewood and a small stone fireplace. It was the least dilapidated room in the house and Kyou was slumped, seated, exhausted, against the wall. His hands were folded on his knees and he was in obvious pain.
"Kyou-kun... you've been here before?"
"Yeah well..." His voice was tired and thick with weariness, "You gotta have a contingency plan when your family wants to lock you up. You can go now."
Kagura reeled back. "But Kyou-kun," he was looking at her sideway through his bangs, "I want to stay with you. You can't stay here by yourself! I can't believe no one told me that you were hurt so badly before now! I need to take care of you!"
Kyou sighed. "I think that's what they were afraid of."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind... look, thanks for your help, now get the hell out of here."
"But Kyou, why?" Kagura whined, "I wanna stay!"
"Shut up!" Kyou's voice was filled with venom, not it's usual exasperated intolerance and Kagura stopped her tirade short. Kyou held up a bare wrist and glared at her. "Do you understand what this means? The rain is coming, and I will change. I know that's unpleasant for you, so just get the hell away."
Kagura tried not to let the hurt, the guilt, well up in her. She would be strong. She would not cry. She would not get angry and beat the hell out of her adored kitty. She swallowed hard.
"Kyou... you shouldn't be alone."
Kyou was silent, staring at the floor between his legs. It didn't feel good, inside, to hurt her like this, but he didn't know what else to do. He didn't want to take any chances of hurting anyone. Already, he could feel the swirling dark energy of the evil cat, lapping at the edges of his skin like flames, waiting to get out, to burn through his skin and change him.
"Go the hell home, Kagura," he growled. "It's not like it hasn't happened before. I didn't need you then. I don't need you now."
Thick silence filled the room, and Kagura felt a sting in her heart. She knew why he was being harsh. She knew everything about him. She knew he was afraid. She could tell by the way he rubbed at his wrist and stared at the floor. She could see it in the shimmer of his fiery eyes. Still, she didn't want to leave.
"Kyou-kun. You've barely recovered! What if something happens? What if you get worse? What if you get an infection? No one will be here to..."
"Well, what if I go crazy and can't control..." Kyou started. He glared at her. "Do you want to get hurt? Are you that stupid?"
Kagura bit her lip to stop it from quivering. "Oh Kyou-kun... "
"YOU DO LOVE ME!" She cried, throwing herself at him, assaulting him with hugs and kisses as he tried desperately to push her away.
"No I don't! You psycho! Get off me!"
"But Kyou," she whined, "I have to show you my undying love!"
"That's what I'm afraid of! Get the fuck off! OW! You're not supposed to hit invalids, you freak!"
A low rumble, followed by a resounding CRACK, shook the ground and the two cousins stopped still. With as much force as he could muster, Kyou pushed Kagura away.
"You need to go NOW!"
"Kyou... I,"
"Run, you idiot!" Kyou clutched his stomach and took shaky breaths. There was a faint sound of light rain hitting the ground outside. Kagura watched in horror, as Kyou started to change before her. The memories of that night so long ago came flooding back, as did the feeling of absolute terror. She didn't need to hear Kyou's second gurgled "run" for she was already out the door, and across that ledge, running as if the devil were behind her. As the rain increased, she allowed her tears to fall.
"Oh Kyou. I'm sorry."
An inhuman scream filled the woods.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
After helping Yuki, Kureno took his time putting the first aid kit away and throwing the bloodied rag in the hamper. No one knew Akito better than Kureno not even Shigure, though the man was better than he at manipulating their young god. Kureno knew that it was best to wait for Akito to calm down. When he threw his fits, he lashed out, and it didn't matter at whom. Yuki had been lucky, the way Hatori hadn't. Akito didn't actually mean to harm, in the long run anyway. He meant it in the passion of the moment, and yet he severely disliked any proof of his transgressions. This was why Hatori was careful to always keep his eye well hidden.
The fact was Akito was paranoid, schizophrenic at best. It wasn't quite that since a chemical imbalance wasn't to blame, but rather, the curse. Kureno could tell... Akito honestly didn't want to hurt any of his family... and yet, honestly, he did. He wanted them docile, wanted them tame. He was as arrogant as a god, but as temperamental as a very small child. But he was beautiful... and tragic... and Kureno wanted very much to be a part of that. He craved Akito's beauty. The God both frightened him and intrigued him. He wanted to be closest to Akito so he could partake in that fragility. Akito was addicting like that.
He made his way to the large bedroom where Akito had most likely escaped. It was dark inside, stifling. The windows were closed, to keep out the chill of the oncoming storm. Kureno spared a quick thought to Kyou, hoping that he would be all right until Yuki could get the bracelet back.
"Akito-sama?"
He walked softly, his movements slow and controlled as he made his way to the figure on the dark four-poster bed. Akito lay on his back, a thin arm flung across his forehead. His clothes were still in a state of disarray, his over-robe completely open. The silk of his Yukata left little to the imagination as it lay over his thin legs and hips. Kureno tore his gaze away and sat on the bed gently, laying a hand on Akito's chest. He took comfort in the steady rise and fall of the ribs as he waited for something, whether it be a curse, and order, or... hopefully something more.
"I don't understand..." he murmured. "I would give him everything. If he asked, I would do anything for him! All I ask for is his love. He's supposed to love me! Why does he not understand?"
Kureno let his hand wonder gently to the dark clean strands of Akito's hair and he smoothed it gently back, deciding not to say anything. Akito shifted, turning, and laying his head in Kureno's lap, playing with the hem of his pants.
"It's that stupid girl's fault. I should get rid of her!" he seethed. Kureno's hand froze for a moment in time, before he collected himself and moved his hand to Akito's back. Tohru was far too powerful for Akito to fight. She had manifested herself in her innocent, raw, youthful way, and Kureno was not only quite enamored with her power, but amazed to watch the clash between her spirit and that of the curse. She was the first... the first in so long. Akito would not be able to.
"But Yuki is so attached to such a stupid girl. She's their maid. Shigure likes that." He sighed. "And she means nothing. In the end, I will win. They always come back to me... always."
They sat in silence, Kureno merely sitting with his god, this young man, soothing him in any way he could. Finally, Akito asked what he had been hoping for, and Kureno undressed, slipping under the thick covers and welcoming the man into his arms. Akito fell asleep playing with his hair, and Kureno merely enjoyed a rare moment in time.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
"I feel fine."
"Yuki..." Hatori sighed, frustrated. He turned the windshield wipers on and drove a little faster. They would need to get home soon. For all they knew, Kyou was already changing. It had never happened, in their lifetimes at least, that the Sohma cat had been without his bracelet. The change was always sudden and in the rain, and all but one time, at the hands of Akito, except for some small mishaps with Kyou when he was a baby. Once again, Hatori scolded himself. He had never bothered with Kyou's form... his alternate form.
He had made it a point to study the anatomy of all the other Zodiac animals, as well as problems that might occur in their transformations... sicknesses. It was incredibly important to have a good deal of veterinary experience when weakness and sickness made the Sohma clan transform. A mouse can't get the same dose of painkillers as a human and vice versa. It wasn't as hard with Kagura, Shigure and some of the bigger animals, but Yuki and Momiji were extremely delicate in that situation. He had to find the happy balance between both creatures. The nature of the curse accounted for some wiggle room, like him being able to not die when someone tossed him in a glass of fresh water, but he still had to be careful.
But he had failed Kyou in so many ways already. He knew nothing about Kyou's alternate form. He didn't even know enough to be able to sedate the creature. He had avoided it like taboo... like everyone. Probably Kazuma was the only one who had taken time to learn about the evil form of the cat. Not that there was much information to go on, but at least he had tried.
Akito had not demanded, so they had not thought about precautions. Perhaps it would have been best to seclude Kyou away from the rest of the family, or any people he might encounter for that matter. But no one had. Even Hatori had not the heart to tell Kyou that he needed to be locked away like a criminal for being born to that form. He just hoped Shigure could handle things until they got there. Hatori had acquired what he considered a reasonable dose of tranquilizer. Kyou could just sleep through the ordeal. There was still the smell to be dealt with, but at least Kyou would suffer less.
In the meantime, Hatori watched his other cousin with concern. Since his visit with Akito, Yuki had been very silent. He seemed to be deep in thought. Hatori was having a hard time deciphering the cloudy purple eyes. Yuki was far more capable of taking care of himself than he was 3 years ago when Akito had started to demand more of the beautiful young boy. They had known it would happen eventually. The stories were thick through Sohma history, with the God wanting more than just servitude from the mouse. Though most was rumor, he knew that some of it had to be truth. Rape, murder, slavery... much was swept under the rug by Sohma influence. Police were rarely involved and if they were... well, that was the Dragon's job.
Though Yuki was used to the physical abuse, it did not seem that he had endured anything new. Though the young man was hard to read now. He hid very well behind his front of indifference. He was also now an adult. He probably understood the sexual nature of Akito's wants better now, and was therefore probably more able to deal with it. It burned on Hatori's conscience to ask Yuki if Akito had made any indecent proposals. He wouldn't put it past their god, and Yuki had obviously not yet gotten the bracelet.
~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
"I'm so worried. Where could he be?"
Shigure set the phone down; his demeanor was muted as he was also worried. They had come home from grocery shopping to find the house empty. Kyou was gone, as was his backpack and half of his closet. It made little sense. Even though Kyou was recovering quite well, he was still very weak. Which means he couldn't have left on his own. He looked at the shine in Tohru's bright eyes and shook his head.
"Kazuma hasn't been here."
"Oh." Tohru was quiet, looking outside. The weather had been alternating between hail and heavy rain for over half an hour now. Kyou was out there somewhere in it.
Shigure looked outside as well. There was really only one other thing to do at this point. He looked up, smiling.
"It looks like there's only one thing left to do!" He leered at his young housekeeper. She looked at him and cocked her head, before closing her little fists and looking at him hopefully.
"Anything! Sohma-san, I'll do anything!"
"Ah! Tohru-kun, you make an old man's heart beat so fast!"
He laughed at her blush and pulled her into an embrace, relishing the way her small breasts pushed into his chest. She squeaked and with a loud POOF, he was on the ground, sniffing the floor and wiggling out of his human clothes.
"Ah! Sohma-san! You're so clever! I never thought of that!"
Shigure could easily pick up the scent of all the members of his small household, as well as anyone who had visited his house in the last couple of days. He went this way and that, trying to pick up a recent trace of Kyou inside, but the smells were too intermingled, so he headed for the front door, briefly stopping to run in his office and smell the leather on the chair where he and Hatori had spent some amorous times. He would worry about wiping the doggie drool off later. He ran out and nosed at Tohru's leg, lecherously, making her giggle.
"Come on Tohru. You should put on a rain jacket. We need to go outside."
With that he headed out the door and sniffed the air. There was no trace of the vile stench that the evil cat put off so he couldn't be nearby. Determinedly, he put his nose to the wet ground, and started sorting out the different smells. There were thousands of them, and though he was a dog, his human brain had a hard time distinguishing and making out what was what. He could smell cat urine, mouse droppings, dog urine. He could smell the faint smell of engine oil that had leaked from Ha-san's car the night before. Damn. He just got that fixed.
The sweet smell of wet earth and worms and life made it hard to sift out individual smells, but Shigure detected no recent ode de Kyou in the front. That meant he had most likely not left in a car, or down the main road. As Tohru was coming out, umbrella in hand, Shigure let out a 'woof' and headed for the backyard. Sure enough, he could make out Kyou's scent in the grass and along the porch. Homing in on that scent, he followed it along the back yard toward the trail, enjoying the view of Tohru's bare legs as she ran along beside him. It was going to be nice when he changed back and needed her to hug his naked body. Maybe if he was sly about it, he could sniff her panties when she wasn't looking!
Shaking his doggy head, he pushed his nose back to the ground, slowly following Kyou's scent down the trail where they would often take walks. There was another scent there too. It was a girl's scent... familiar. It must be...
"Kagura-san!" Tohru shrieked and ran off ahead. Shigure brought his head up to see his young cousin, a bit bedraggled in the rain, trudging along the trail. She was limping and Shigure could detect the faint trace of blood in the air. It was soon apparent that her bare legs and arms were scratched up from pushing through the bramble. Shigure could detect the undeniable scent of fear in the girls sweat. She had been running... quite fast. She smelled faintly of Kyou.
Tohru ran and caught her by the shoulders.
"Kagura-san! Are you okay?"
Kagura's shoulders heaved from running. She looked up, shaking her head, as she fell into Tohru's embrace, he shoulders still heaving. Tohru took it in stride as usual, smiling a little as she held the older girl. Kagura looked down at Shigure tiredly.
"I failed him again. I couldn't face it. I couldn't stay."
Tohru held her closer.
"Where is he? Where is Kyou-kun?"
Shigure licked Kagura's hand, whining. She let her fingers wonder over the wet fur of his head.
"He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want anyone to see. He was so scared..."
Tohru looked down. "Shigure... what do we do?"
The dog stood, shaking the rain off his fur, though it was pointless.
"Let's go back inside. I think Kagura needs some tea. Ha-san should be here soon. We'll figure out what to do then. At least we know where he is now."
Together, they straggled back to the house, Shigure running ahead to put some clothes on. He found his doggie form quite useful for many things, and he was accustomed to holding the form by force of will for a little while. Now that he was in his office, the change back was rapid and he threw on some jeans and a long sleeved shirt, anticipating going back out in the rain.
When he stepped back into the living room, Kagura was seated already and Tohru was in the kitchen making tea. She was dressed in a nightgown of Tohru's and he sat down next to her, waiting for her to dry off her hair. Shigure put an arm around her shoulders and she gratefully leaned into him.
"I don't know why. I don't know why I can't see past that... thing that he becomes. I try. I try so hard and the fear just..." She clutched her heart as if she could squeeze the pain out of it. "I want to take his hand. I want to show him how much I... why is it so hard?"
"It's hard." Tohru came in, setting the tea down for them and pouring it, not looking at Kagura. "It was so hard." She handed the cup of tea to Kagura, holding her hand against the cup and looking into her eyes. "Kagura-chan, I almost ran away forever because of it. It was so dark, and horrible. I felt... as if my soul was dying inside of me when I saw. I wanted to run."
Shigure listened soberly. So it was the same with Tohru. And yet she had come back. It was a curious thing, and he wondered if she might yet be the answer.
"There was something inside of me... screaming. I couldn't do it. And then... my friend told me that I needed to go back." Tohru smiled at Kagura. "And she is so beautiful and so wise. I knew she would never send me where I wouldn't be safe."
Both stared at Tohru, in rapt attention. They had never known.
"And I remembered that Kyou-kun was my friend... and that no matter how horrible the evil cat is, Kyou is not. And I realized that he was probably even more scared than I was. So I had to go. Because I didn't want him to be alone."
Kagura nodded her head and a stray tear fell down her cheek. Tohru reached up and wiped it away.
"Here. Drink your tea before it gets cold," she said softly, looking at Shigure before blushing.
"Aaagh! I'm so sorry. We have to figure out what to do, and I was just telling silly stories!"
Shigure smiled and shook his head.
"It's interesting," he said, taking a cup of tea as well. "Only Tohru, Yuki, and Kazuma have been able to face the evil cat for very long. I wonder why. Even I feel the power of the evil spirit. I always thought that our animal spirits protected us against its power. But then Tohru came."
"And Kyou can't run from it. It must be terrible." Kagura shivered.
"But we can't just leave him out there. Surely there..."
The sound of a car outside alerted them and they all quickly rose to go greet Hatori. Yuki stepped out. Tohru scrutinized him. He seemed okay. It was hard to tell with him hunched over in the rain. He was only limping a bit, but seemed otherwise unharmed.
They came inside and Tohru quickly helped them remove their wet jackets. Yuki took a towel gratefully and dried out his hair.
"Thank you, Honda-san," taking in his surroundings, he handed the towel back to Tohru. "Kagura. What are you doing here? Where's Kyou?"
"You look different. Almost presentable," Hatori said, eying his lover critically. Shigure always cut a slim figure in jeans. Hatori took a moment to admire the view before looking around, not seeing their fiery cousin, nor any sign of the evil cat.
"But Ha-san, I thought you liked me in easy to remove clothes!"
"Shigure, please try to stay on track. Where's Kyou?"
Shigure's eyes darkened.
"Kyou is out in the woods. He effectively ran away."
"WHAT!" Both Hatori and Yuki asked, though Yuki's was the more panicked of the two.
"Kagura threw herself into Yuki's arms.
"Yun-kun... I'm sorry. "He asked me to take him. I wanted to help him."
Yuki held her loosely in his arms. "What happened?"
Hatori muffled a quiet curse.
"He didn't want to hurt anyone. He was afraid that he couldn't control what he was doing."
Yuki didn't understand. "He's always been in control before... well, as much as Kyou can be."
"Yes, but he's never been in that form for longer than five and a half hours. Last time was the longest." Hatori grabbed his jacket back from the closet.
"Ha-san, what are you doing?"
"We have to go after him. If I can tranquilize him, we can keep him sedated until the rain..."
"No."
They all looked at Yuki. He gently pushed Kagura away.
"He wouldn't want to be treated like an animal... just like any of us. It's a tsunami. This weather could last for weeks. Wouldn't it be dangerous to keep him under for so long?"
Hatori sighed and nodded. "Yes, you're right."
Yuki looked at Tohru, smiling and running his fingers through her soft brown hair.
"There's only one thing to do."
They all looked at their prince expectantly.
"We're going to get the bracelet back."
Silence. Kagura put a hand to her mouth. Tohru put a hand on Yuki's shoulder.
"Yuki-kun..."
Hatori said it first. "You're not actually planning to go to Akito and..."
"Not at all." Yuki said coldly. "He's made things difficult for long enough."
"Then what do you plan..."
"We're going to steal it." He looked into Tohru's eyes, trying to assure her with his gaze. He would need her help, all of their help maybe. But he was tired of being at Akito's mercy. She smiled back at him. There was that look again... that look that seemed to know more than she let on, and yet nothing at all.
"Well!" Shigure chirped. "You'll need a distraction."
Title: Equally Cursed and Blessed
Authors: Caer (caerfree@tde.com) and Triste (TragedyandComedy@aol.com)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, violence, angst
Pairings: Eventual YukixKyou, ShigurexHatori, HaruxMomiji
Status: Work in progress (part 12)
Disclaimer: Nope, still not ours.
~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ "Kyou, I think we should stop."
"No... it's not far now."
Kagura stopped anyway. She supported Kyou as he stumbled weakly.
"Let's at least rest."
Kyou gave in, nodding wearily, not even having the energy to complain. His brow was sheened with sweat, and he was too pale. Kagura felt that pang of guilt for doing this. She had expected it. But he had called... he had called her and asked her for help. It wasn't like she could refuse. Her guilt wouldn't permit it. She would do anything for him to try to erase the guilt of her fear of his form... and she cursed herself for it.
She was no better than his mother, claiming to love him, yet shrinking inside at the thought of what he was. Even if she did love him now... she could never erase that day, when she had screamed and fled... just like everyone else. She was no different... god, she wanted to be different. She wished to death that she could be like Tohru... that she could have been the one to take his hand, and make him look at her in that way.
She would have given anything to have been the one to carry Kyou home that day in his adorable little kitty form. She would give anything to be in Tohru's place... to see that boy's confused amazed look every time Tohru did something remarkable. Every time, she touched him or said kind words to him without ever wanting anything in return. Kagura had discovered that she couldn't be like Tohru. No one could. She couldn't save Kyou because she was part of the curse that condemned him. All she could do was be there for him, and hope he knew that she cared.
Somehow, she never hated Tohru for any of this. She had been jealous, but you just couldn't hate Tohru for her blissful naivete and her enormous heart. Kagura took her comfort in that, instead; that she could manage not to hate Tohru.
After a little rest, Kyou's color seemed to return, and he took a deep breath and goaded her to help him stand.
"Come on." Kyou lurched forward. "If I keep stopping... I'll never make it."
They moved on toward the house at the edge of the woods. This was all Kagura knew about it. It could be seen from the road on the mountain. It had been abandoned, but Kyou seemed adamant that it was where he had to go.
It had been the house on the property before Shigure's house was built to replace it. It had been in ruin for quite a long time and was not worth rebuilding, but it had never been removed. Still, Kagura could not help but notice that the path was relatively clear, as if it had been used.
There was a bit of a tricky spot where they had to edge along a rock ledge that was far too high for Kagura's liking, but Kyou seemed unbothered. He even made the journey across by himself, telling her not to lose her head, in a cranky, but comforting way. She made it across, and the cabin was not more than 20 feet away. It was charming, in a run down, moss eaten way. The wood was gray from weather. Trees and plant-life threatened to take over the aging cabin.
Still, when they opened the creaky door, it seemed relatively sound inside. It was clean, having just three rooms. What had been the kitchen was completely unusable; although, what was left of the cabinets was stocked with various canned goods.
Kagura came back into the main room, which was set up with a small tatami mat, a wall full of firewood and a small stone fireplace. It was the least dilapidated room in the house and Kyou was slumped, seated, exhausted, against the wall. His hands were folded on his knees and he was in obvious pain.
"Kyou-kun... you've been here before?"
"Yeah well..." His voice was tired and thick with weariness, "You gotta have a contingency plan when your family wants to lock you up. You can go now."
Kagura reeled back. "But Kyou-kun," he was looking at her sideway through his bangs, "I want to stay with you. You can't stay here by yourself! I can't believe no one told me that you were hurt so badly before now! I need to take care of you!"
Kyou sighed. "I think that's what they were afraid of."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind... look, thanks for your help, now get the hell out of here."
"But Kyou, why?" Kagura whined, "I wanna stay!"
"Shut up!" Kyou's voice was filled with venom, not it's usual exasperated intolerance and Kagura stopped her tirade short. Kyou held up a bare wrist and glared at her. "Do you understand what this means? The rain is coming, and I will change. I know that's unpleasant for you, so just get the hell away."
Kagura tried not to let the hurt, the guilt, well up in her. She would be strong. She would not cry. She would not get angry and beat the hell out of her adored kitty. She swallowed hard.
"Kyou... you shouldn't be alone."
Kyou was silent, staring at the floor between his legs. It didn't feel good, inside, to hurt her like this, but he didn't know what else to do. He didn't want to take any chances of hurting anyone. Already, he could feel the swirling dark energy of the evil cat, lapping at the edges of his skin like flames, waiting to get out, to burn through his skin and change him.
"Go the hell home, Kagura," he growled. "It's not like it hasn't happened before. I didn't need you then. I don't need you now."
Thick silence filled the room, and Kagura felt a sting in her heart. She knew why he was being harsh. She knew everything about him. She knew he was afraid. She could tell by the way he rubbed at his wrist and stared at the floor. She could see it in the shimmer of his fiery eyes. Still, she didn't want to leave.
"Kyou-kun. You've barely recovered! What if something happens? What if you get worse? What if you get an infection? No one will be here to..."
"Well, what if I go crazy and can't control..." Kyou started. He glared at her. "Do you want to get hurt? Are you that stupid?"
Kagura bit her lip to stop it from quivering. "Oh Kyou-kun... "
"YOU DO LOVE ME!" She cried, throwing herself at him, assaulting him with hugs and kisses as he tried desperately to push her away.
"No I don't! You psycho! Get off me!"
"But Kyou," she whined, "I have to show you my undying love!"
"That's what I'm afraid of! Get the fuck off! OW! You're not supposed to hit invalids, you freak!"
A low rumble, followed by a resounding CRACK, shook the ground and the two cousins stopped still. With as much force as he could muster, Kyou pushed Kagura away.
"You need to go NOW!"
"Kyou... I,"
"Run, you idiot!" Kyou clutched his stomach and took shaky breaths. There was a faint sound of light rain hitting the ground outside. Kagura watched in horror, as Kyou started to change before her. The memories of that night so long ago came flooding back, as did the feeling of absolute terror. She didn't need to hear Kyou's second gurgled "run" for she was already out the door, and across that ledge, running as if the devil were behind her. As the rain increased, she allowed her tears to fall.
"Oh Kyou. I'm sorry."
An inhuman scream filled the woods.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
After helping Yuki, Kureno took his time putting the first aid kit away and throwing the bloodied rag in the hamper. No one knew Akito better than Kureno not even Shigure, though the man was better than he at manipulating their young god. Kureno knew that it was best to wait for Akito to calm down. When he threw his fits, he lashed out, and it didn't matter at whom. Yuki had been lucky, the way Hatori hadn't. Akito didn't actually mean to harm, in the long run anyway. He meant it in the passion of the moment, and yet he severely disliked any proof of his transgressions. This was why Hatori was careful to always keep his eye well hidden.
The fact was Akito was paranoid, schizophrenic at best. It wasn't quite that since a chemical imbalance wasn't to blame, but rather, the curse. Kureno could tell... Akito honestly didn't want to hurt any of his family... and yet, honestly, he did. He wanted them docile, wanted them tame. He was as arrogant as a god, but as temperamental as a very small child. But he was beautiful... and tragic... and Kureno wanted very much to be a part of that. He craved Akito's beauty. The God both frightened him and intrigued him. He wanted to be closest to Akito so he could partake in that fragility. Akito was addicting like that.
He made his way to the large bedroom where Akito had most likely escaped. It was dark inside, stifling. The windows were closed, to keep out the chill of the oncoming storm. Kureno spared a quick thought to Kyou, hoping that he would be all right until Yuki could get the bracelet back.
"Akito-sama?"
He walked softly, his movements slow and controlled as he made his way to the figure on the dark four-poster bed. Akito lay on his back, a thin arm flung across his forehead. His clothes were still in a state of disarray, his over-robe completely open. The silk of his Yukata left little to the imagination as it lay over his thin legs and hips. Kureno tore his gaze away and sat on the bed gently, laying a hand on Akito's chest. He took comfort in the steady rise and fall of the ribs as he waited for something, whether it be a curse, and order, or... hopefully something more.
"I don't understand..." he murmured. "I would give him everything. If he asked, I would do anything for him! All I ask for is his love. He's supposed to love me! Why does he not understand?"
Kureno let his hand wonder gently to the dark clean strands of Akito's hair and he smoothed it gently back, deciding not to say anything. Akito shifted, turning, and laying his head in Kureno's lap, playing with the hem of his pants.
"It's that stupid girl's fault. I should get rid of her!" he seethed. Kureno's hand froze for a moment in time, before he collected himself and moved his hand to Akito's back. Tohru was far too powerful for Akito to fight. She had manifested herself in her innocent, raw, youthful way, and Kureno was not only quite enamored with her power, but amazed to watch the clash between her spirit and that of the curse. She was the first... the first in so long. Akito would not be able to.
"But Yuki is so attached to such a stupid girl. She's their maid. Shigure likes that." He sighed. "And she means nothing. In the end, I will win. They always come back to me... always."
They sat in silence, Kureno merely sitting with his god, this young man, soothing him in any way he could. Finally, Akito asked what he had been hoping for, and Kureno undressed, slipping under the thick covers and welcoming the man into his arms. Akito fell asleep playing with his hair, and Kureno merely enjoyed a rare moment in time.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
"I feel fine."
"Yuki..." Hatori sighed, frustrated. He turned the windshield wipers on and drove a little faster. They would need to get home soon. For all they knew, Kyou was already changing. It had never happened, in their lifetimes at least, that the Sohma cat had been without his bracelet. The change was always sudden and in the rain, and all but one time, at the hands of Akito, except for some small mishaps with Kyou when he was a baby. Once again, Hatori scolded himself. He had never bothered with Kyou's form... his alternate form.
He had made it a point to study the anatomy of all the other Zodiac animals, as well as problems that might occur in their transformations... sicknesses. It was incredibly important to have a good deal of veterinary experience when weakness and sickness made the Sohma clan transform. A mouse can't get the same dose of painkillers as a human and vice versa. It wasn't as hard with Kagura, Shigure and some of the bigger animals, but Yuki and Momiji were extremely delicate in that situation. He had to find the happy balance between both creatures. The nature of the curse accounted for some wiggle room, like him being able to not die when someone tossed him in a glass of fresh water, but he still had to be careful.
But he had failed Kyou in so many ways already. He knew nothing about Kyou's alternate form. He didn't even know enough to be able to sedate the creature. He had avoided it like taboo... like everyone. Probably Kazuma was the only one who had taken time to learn about the evil form of the cat. Not that there was much information to go on, but at least he had tried.
Akito had not demanded, so they had not thought about precautions. Perhaps it would have been best to seclude Kyou away from the rest of the family, or any people he might encounter for that matter. But no one had. Even Hatori had not the heart to tell Kyou that he needed to be locked away like a criminal for being born to that form. He just hoped Shigure could handle things until they got there. Hatori had acquired what he considered a reasonable dose of tranquilizer. Kyou could just sleep through the ordeal. There was still the smell to be dealt with, but at least Kyou would suffer less.
In the meantime, Hatori watched his other cousin with concern. Since his visit with Akito, Yuki had been very silent. He seemed to be deep in thought. Hatori was having a hard time deciphering the cloudy purple eyes. Yuki was far more capable of taking care of himself than he was 3 years ago when Akito had started to demand more of the beautiful young boy. They had known it would happen eventually. The stories were thick through Sohma history, with the God wanting more than just servitude from the mouse. Though most was rumor, he knew that some of it had to be truth. Rape, murder, slavery... much was swept under the rug by Sohma influence. Police were rarely involved and if they were... well, that was the Dragon's job.
Though Yuki was used to the physical abuse, it did not seem that he had endured anything new. Though the young man was hard to read now. He hid very well behind his front of indifference. He was also now an adult. He probably understood the sexual nature of Akito's wants better now, and was therefore probably more able to deal with it. It burned on Hatori's conscience to ask Yuki if Akito had made any indecent proposals. He wouldn't put it past their god, and Yuki had obviously not yet gotten the bracelet.
~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
"I'm so worried. Where could he be?"
Shigure set the phone down; his demeanor was muted as he was also worried. They had come home from grocery shopping to find the house empty. Kyou was gone, as was his backpack and half of his closet. It made little sense. Even though Kyou was recovering quite well, he was still very weak. Which means he couldn't have left on his own. He looked at the shine in Tohru's bright eyes and shook his head.
"Kazuma hasn't been here."
"Oh." Tohru was quiet, looking outside. The weather had been alternating between hail and heavy rain for over half an hour now. Kyou was out there somewhere in it.
Shigure looked outside as well. There was really only one other thing to do at this point. He looked up, smiling.
"It looks like there's only one thing left to do!" He leered at his young housekeeper. She looked at him and cocked her head, before closing her little fists and looking at him hopefully.
"Anything! Sohma-san, I'll do anything!"
"Ah! Tohru-kun, you make an old man's heart beat so fast!"
He laughed at her blush and pulled her into an embrace, relishing the way her small breasts pushed into his chest. She squeaked and with a loud POOF, he was on the ground, sniffing the floor and wiggling out of his human clothes.
"Ah! Sohma-san! You're so clever! I never thought of that!"
Shigure could easily pick up the scent of all the members of his small household, as well as anyone who had visited his house in the last couple of days. He went this way and that, trying to pick up a recent trace of Kyou inside, but the smells were too intermingled, so he headed for the front door, briefly stopping to run in his office and smell the leather on the chair where he and Hatori had spent some amorous times. He would worry about wiping the doggie drool off later. He ran out and nosed at Tohru's leg, lecherously, making her giggle.
"Come on Tohru. You should put on a rain jacket. We need to go outside."
With that he headed out the door and sniffed the air. There was no trace of the vile stench that the evil cat put off so he couldn't be nearby. Determinedly, he put his nose to the wet ground, and started sorting out the different smells. There were thousands of them, and though he was a dog, his human brain had a hard time distinguishing and making out what was what. He could smell cat urine, mouse droppings, dog urine. He could smell the faint smell of engine oil that had leaked from Ha-san's car the night before. Damn. He just got that fixed.
The sweet smell of wet earth and worms and life made it hard to sift out individual smells, but Shigure detected no recent ode de Kyou in the front. That meant he had most likely not left in a car, or down the main road. As Tohru was coming out, umbrella in hand, Shigure let out a 'woof' and headed for the backyard. Sure enough, he could make out Kyou's scent in the grass and along the porch. Homing in on that scent, he followed it along the back yard toward the trail, enjoying the view of Tohru's bare legs as she ran along beside him. It was going to be nice when he changed back and needed her to hug his naked body. Maybe if he was sly about it, he could sniff her panties when she wasn't looking!
Shaking his doggy head, he pushed his nose back to the ground, slowly following Kyou's scent down the trail where they would often take walks. There was another scent there too. It was a girl's scent... familiar. It must be...
"Kagura-san!" Tohru shrieked and ran off ahead. Shigure brought his head up to see his young cousin, a bit bedraggled in the rain, trudging along the trail. She was limping and Shigure could detect the faint trace of blood in the air. It was soon apparent that her bare legs and arms were scratched up from pushing through the bramble. Shigure could detect the undeniable scent of fear in the girls sweat. She had been running... quite fast. She smelled faintly of Kyou.
Tohru ran and caught her by the shoulders.
"Kagura-san! Are you okay?"
Kagura's shoulders heaved from running. She looked up, shaking her head, as she fell into Tohru's embrace, he shoulders still heaving. Tohru took it in stride as usual, smiling a little as she held the older girl. Kagura looked down at Shigure tiredly.
"I failed him again. I couldn't face it. I couldn't stay."
Tohru held her closer.
"Where is he? Where is Kyou-kun?"
Shigure licked Kagura's hand, whining. She let her fingers wonder over the wet fur of his head.
"He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want anyone to see. He was so scared..."
Tohru looked down. "Shigure... what do we do?"
The dog stood, shaking the rain off his fur, though it was pointless.
"Let's go back inside. I think Kagura needs some tea. Ha-san should be here soon. We'll figure out what to do then. At least we know where he is now."
Together, they straggled back to the house, Shigure running ahead to put some clothes on. He found his doggie form quite useful for many things, and he was accustomed to holding the form by force of will for a little while. Now that he was in his office, the change back was rapid and he threw on some jeans and a long sleeved shirt, anticipating going back out in the rain.
When he stepped back into the living room, Kagura was seated already and Tohru was in the kitchen making tea. She was dressed in a nightgown of Tohru's and he sat down next to her, waiting for her to dry off her hair. Shigure put an arm around her shoulders and she gratefully leaned into him.
"I don't know why. I don't know why I can't see past that... thing that he becomes. I try. I try so hard and the fear just..." She clutched her heart as if she could squeeze the pain out of it. "I want to take his hand. I want to show him how much I... why is it so hard?"
"It's hard." Tohru came in, setting the tea down for them and pouring it, not looking at Kagura. "It was so hard." She handed the cup of tea to Kagura, holding her hand against the cup and looking into her eyes. "Kagura-chan, I almost ran away forever because of it. It was so dark, and horrible. I felt... as if my soul was dying inside of me when I saw. I wanted to run."
Shigure listened soberly. So it was the same with Tohru. And yet she had come back. It was a curious thing, and he wondered if she might yet be the answer.
"There was something inside of me... screaming. I couldn't do it. And then... my friend told me that I needed to go back." Tohru smiled at Kagura. "And she is so beautiful and so wise. I knew she would never send me where I wouldn't be safe."
Both stared at Tohru, in rapt attention. They had never known.
"And I remembered that Kyou-kun was my friend... and that no matter how horrible the evil cat is, Kyou is not. And I realized that he was probably even more scared than I was. So I had to go. Because I didn't want him to be alone."
Kagura nodded her head and a stray tear fell down her cheek. Tohru reached up and wiped it away.
"Here. Drink your tea before it gets cold," she said softly, looking at Shigure before blushing.
"Aaagh! I'm so sorry. We have to figure out what to do, and I was just telling silly stories!"
Shigure smiled and shook his head.
"It's interesting," he said, taking a cup of tea as well. "Only Tohru, Yuki, and Kazuma have been able to face the evil cat for very long. I wonder why. Even I feel the power of the evil spirit. I always thought that our animal spirits protected us against its power. But then Tohru came."
"And Kyou can't run from it. It must be terrible." Kagura shivered.
"But we can't just leave him out there. Surely there..."
The sound of a car outside alerted them and they all quickly rose to go greet Hatori. Yuki stepped out. Tohru scrutinized him. He seemed okay. It was hard to tell with him hunched over in the rain. He was only limping a bit, but seemed otherwise unharmed.
They came inside and Tohru quickly helped them remove their wet jackets. Yuki took a towel gratefully and dried out his hair.
"Thank you, Honda-san," taking in his surroundings, he handed the towel back to Tohru. "Kagura. What are you doing here? Where's Kyou?"
"You look different. Almost presentable," Hatori said, eying his lover critically. Shigure always cut a slim figure in jeans. Hatori took a moment to admire the view before looking around, not seeing their fiery cousin, nor any sign of the evil cat.
"But Ha-san, I thought you liked me in easy to remove clothes!"
"Shigure, please try to stay on track. Where's Kyou?"
Shigure's eyes darkened.
"Kyou is out in the woods. He effectively ran away."
"WHAT!" Both Hatori and Yuki asked, though Yuki's was the more panicked of the two.
"Kagura threw herself into Yuki's arms.
"Yun-kun... I'm sorry. "He asked me to take him. I wanted to help him."
Yuki held her loosely in his arms. "What happened?"
Hatori muffled a quiet curse.
"He didn't want to hurt anyone. He was afraid that he couldn't control what he was doing."
Yuki didn't understand. "He's always been in control before... well, as much as Kyou can be."
"Yes, but he's never been in that form for longer than five and a half hours. Last time was the longest." Hatori grabbed his jacket back from the closet.
"Ha-san, what are you doing?"
"We have to go after him. If I can tranquilize him, we can keep him sedated until the rain..."
"No."
They all looked at Yuki. He gently pushed Kagura away.
"He wouldn't want to be treated like an animal... just like any of us. It's a tsunami. This weather could last for weeks. Wouldn't it be dangerous to keep him under for so long?"
Hatori sighed and nodded. "Yes, you're right."
Yuki looked at Tohru, smiling and running his fingers through her soft brown hair.
"There's only one thing to do."
They all looked at their prince expectantly.
"We're going to get the bracelet back."
Silence. Kagura put a hand to her mouth. Tohru put a hand on Yuki's shoulder.
"Yuki-kun..."
Hatori said it first. "You're not actually planning to go to Akito and..."
"Not at all." Yuki said coldly. "He's made things difficult for long enough."
"Then what do you plan..."
"We're going to steal it." He looked into Tohru's eyes, trying to assure her with his gaze. He would need her help, all of their help maybe. But he was tired of being at Akito's mercy. She smiled back at him. There was that look again... that look that seemed to know more than she let on, and yet nothing at all.
"Well!" Shigure chirped. "You'll need a distraction."