Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy this next chapter
Ch. 2
Kyo's P.O.V.
Yuki, you know that was a stupid move, but you did it anyway. Now that I see your arm out of the covers – I can tell Hatori stitched it up. It's bandaged and in a sling.
"Thank you, Kyo," Yuki said directly to my face.
"Aw, don't sweat it," I said, scratching the back of my head.
"Miss Honda… do you still want that explanation?" Yuki asked Tohru.
"Um… uh-huh," Tohru said. It seemed like she was unsure about it.
"From what I saw last night… I can pretty much guess," I said. "But… I'd still like to know."
"Okay. I guess I can relive the past for now. Hatori," Yuki said facing Hatori who nodded in response. He left the room as Yuki shifted his feet to the floor. He tried getting up, but Ayame told him that he needs to rest.
"Fine, then could you help me to the bathroom?" Yuki asked, not wanting to put up a fight for once.
"Sure," Ayame said with a smile as he picked Yuki up and left for the bathroom.
Was I serious? Do I really want to see what happened as kids? From what I saw last night… I guess it was really bad. Tohru and I sat down on the couch. I took the sat with the arm and Tohru took the other one.
Ayame came back in with Yuki in his arms after a while. He placed Yuki in between Tohru and me. Hatori came in shortly after.
"I think I left the tape somewhere in my office at home or in the car," he said, sounding defeated at the hide-n-seek game and the tape wins this round.
"We've got time, Hatori. You can go get it and come back," Shigure said softly. Yeah, that is right. It's summer break so we do have time. Oh, maybe Yuki could tell us what happened last night! Yuki nodded to him, like he was saying 'it's alright. They can wait a while.'
Hatori nodded back as he left the room. Yuki lend against the back of the soft couch.
"While we're waiting… could you fill us in about last night?" I asked, looking at him, feeling concerned again.
"Hm… sure. I can do that," Yuki answered softly.
Yuki's P.O.V.
Kyo seems more concerned about me. I wonder why that is, exactly? Ah… sss… my arm is killing me! Well, I did say that I would tell them about last night. So, I should start talking. I closed my eyes and began.
~flashback~
I walked into the forest with my head down. Why did he have to make me say what my parents really did? I didn't want anyone to know about that. Walking deeper and deeper in this dense forest, thinking a walk alone would help. It did nothing; it only made me feel even more alone.
I felt a coughing fit coming on. As I coughed in my hand a few times, I could feel the weather changing. I also heard a maniacal laugh coming from behind me.
Before I could turn around to see who it was – I got shoved into the dirt while whoever it was tightly clutched my arms and wrists. I struggled against the person, but suddenly froze up when I heard a familiar female voice.
"Oh, yeah. Finally found the little rat. It's been too long, son," she said as she moved my bangs out of my eyes.
"S-Sandra!" I choked out. Which in turn – calling my mom by her first name – earned me a stomp to the head.
"Never call me that! It's 'mom' to you, filthy rat," Sandra yelled. I just about screamed when the person holding my wrists tightly tied them together. So tight already to make me make tight fists with my hands.
I got jerked up and slammed into a thick tree trunk. I had one eye closed cause of the pain that shot through my wrists.
"No wonder why the tightness of these ropes felt familiar. Kilik and Akito. What the hell do you three want?" I asked, as Kilik took out a pocket knife and slashed my face.
"It's 'dad' to you, rat!" Kilik yelled as Akito walked forward.
"Isn't this nice, Yuki? Your parents wanted to pay you a visit. The least you can do is call them 'mom and dad'. Right?" Akito asked, running his fingers through my hair.
"I have no parents," I growled and coughed again. Damn this asthma. Why did I have to be born the rat? Being the Zodiac rat is too painful.
Akito slammed a dagger into my left shoulder. Making me scream out in utter distress as he pulled it down to my elbow. I kicked Akito in the face causing him to fly backwards.
I got to my feet and made a break for the lake house. I didn't get very far though. A rope flew over my head and hugged my chest. I got yanked back to the three. Struggling didn't work at all as I felt Kilik's hands slam down on my shoulders. A yelp of pain escaped my lips, as I was forced to the ground.
Sandra wrapped the rope around my chest a few times and also tied it tightly. With that on the wound in my arm… geez… pain shot through it intensely.
It started to down-pour on us when Akito knelt down in front of me. I could tell that I pissed him off when I kicked him. I wish I hadn't done that, but… it just happened. Akito still terrifies me. Including my so called parents.
Kilik held me still as the other two slashed my legs… my chest… and my face some more. I struggled and screamed some more… all in vain. I couldn't do anything to get away from them. I did see a snake slithering away fast.
I hope it's going to my brother. As much of an idiot he is… I need help and I don't care who comes… memories started to flow through my mind as they continued. By the time they stopped… I was gasping for air. My chest started to feel tight as Kilik shoved me to the ground once again. The pounding needles didn't help to sooth this pain as mud stuck in my hair.
"Just like old times, huh, Yuki?" Akito chuckled, kicking me in the stomach. My eyes shot wide open and shut tight. I gasped for air, but it felt like I was drowning.
"I said this before, son. A child that was born a rat deserves to be alone to suffer," Kilik told me as he yanked my hair. Making me look up at him. Not true! Not true! I told myself, but from what Akito did to me when I was a child… mental abuse… and physical abuse – like now – I … I believed his words.
Sandra moved her hand to my cheek. "You're a very disobedient child, Yuki. I wish I never gave birth to a disobedient son," she said harshly and slapped me hard.
"*Huff, huff* I have no parents!" I yelled, trying to control my breathing.
Huh? Wait a minute. Are my ears failing me or do I hear footsteps coming this way?
"Stop right there!" *Gasp* That's ni-san and Kyo! Thanks for coming you two, but I thought Kyo wouldn't come to help me. Maybe he just came to see the show.
"Where's my brother, Akito? Sandra, Kilik?" Ni-san sounds pissed off. If I could see… I think I'd see the Hulk instead of my brother.
"Stop where you are, Ayame!" Kilik shouted, as he yanked me to my feet and pinned me to his chest. He moved under a tree with strong branches holding the knife to my throat. I could tell ni-san and Kyo stopped moving forward.
"One step closer Ayame and you might as well say your good-byes right now!" Kilik told them. Rrragh, shut up! I'll go deaf in that ear if you don't shut it! Well, I know he doesn't give a 'rat's ass' about it. Meaning mine. "That goes for the cat-freak too!"
"Kyo is not a cat-freak! He's a stupid cat!" I yelled as Kilik pressed the blade against my skin to shut me up. I know it was stupid on my part, but no one calls Kyo names except me. Kyo isn't a freak… he may be stupid at times, but a freak… no. That's not him at all.
I could hear ni-san hissing at the three harshly.
"Why are you bastards doing this to him?" ni-san hissed.
"Why? I want him under my control again snake breath. And that can only happen by re-educating him," Akito cackled. If my arms weren't so tightly bound… I'd punch that smirk off you face Akito. And if I didn't feel so weak cause of blood loss. Even if you do get even more pissed at me. No one calls ni-san 'snake breath'. He may be a snake, but he doesn't have snake breath.
"You're sick, Akito!" I heard Kyo yell. That sounded enraged… very enraged. "This isn't re-educating! This is torture! Now you listen to me Akito! Release Yuki right now! Or someone's parents will be notified!"
Oh, that's right. Kyo knows Akito's parents' number and Akito doesn't want his parents knowing about this.
"Curse you Kyo!" Akito yelled.
"I'm already cursed!" Kyo yelled back.
"Sandra, Kilik let's go. That rat might as well be dead in ten minuted anyway," Akito ordered as he walked off. Sandra laughed her signature laugh and followed him.
I felt Kilik remove the blade from my throat. He placed it in his poket as he shoved me into the pounding needles.
Someone caught me before I met the ground. Ni-san? Yeah, it was ni-san who caught me. Kilik vanished as ni-san untied me. I felt relief when he untied my wrists. And once he got the rope secured around my chest off… my chest just felt tighter.
"Yuki! Yuki please talk to me!" Is Kyo actually begging? "Come on, you damn rat! Say something!"
"*Huff, huff* I thought *huff* begging was a Shigure thing," I huffed out, painfully. I wanted to say something else before my voice turned off because of this asthma. "Ni-san, Kyo. Thank you." That's when my voice turned off and all I could do was cough and wheeze. My chest got even tighter in this cold atmosphere.
"Hold on, Yuki!" Ni-san shouted. He wrapped me in a coat or something and picked me up. I blacked out – I don't know how long it was when I did.
Not sure how much time has passed when I finally woke up. I found everyone asleep near me. Hm? Oh, asthma medicine. I also felt bandages on my wounds. I pushed myself into a sitting position. It was difficult, but I managed to sit up. I guess Akito damaged my arm bad enough to where I need a sling and not move it. I decided to wake everyone up.
~end flashback~
"So, how long was I out?" I asked.
"About 15 hours or so," Shigure answered. "And… what was that one thing you said to Kyo? About the begging?"
"'I thought begging was a Shigure thing'. 'Shigure thing' meaning 'dog' thing," I explained.
"Oh, okay, but that wasn't a funny remark, Yuki," Shigure whined.
"You're right. It wasn't funny," Kyo said, a smile spread across his lips. "It was hilarious!" Kyo burst out laughing. This is the first time I actually saw Kyo laugh. And it was something I said, too. I'm officially confused and surprised.
"I'm sorry. If only I had known sooner… I could've prevented this from happening," Ni-san said sadly as he held my right hand gently.
"Don't… don't blame yourself Ayame. It's not your fault this happened," I said trying to get him to not beat himself up over it. I looked around suddenly at everyone. They looked surprised. Even ni-san looked surprised. May be because I called him by his first name this time.
"Did Hatori leave any pain killers?" I asked. My arm is really killing me now.
"Oh, yeah. He did," Miss Honda said as she left and came back with water and a few pills. She handed them to me. I tossed the pills in my mouth and poured some water down my throat my swallowed them.
"I… I guess it's my fault this happened," Kyo said. His voice sounded guilty for some reason.
"What do you mean?" I asked softly, turning my attention to him.
"If I hadn't lost it… this wouldn't have happened," Kyo said softly. "On the way back here… I thought I heard faint screaming… but I thought I was hearing things."
"Listen, Kyo. If anyone is to blame here… it's me," I told him. "I knew Akito always has someone keeping an eye on me. Whenever I'm alone is when they strike. But… I guess I wasn't thinking straight at the time."
Kyo looked at me a little cheerful, a little 'what are you talking about?'
Kyo's P.O.V.
What are you talking about, Yuki? Are you trying to shoulder all the blame? Oh, I guess everyone pushed all the blame on you because you're the rat. Me mostly I guess. Did all that make you feel like you had to shoulder all the blame alone?
"Now you listen to me, rat-boy!" I somewhat shouted, sharply standing up. I got Yuki's full attention as I continued. "Time to stop shouldering all the guilt alone! All that guilt from childhood til now, is the biggest burden of all! You don't have to shoulder this burden alone any longer! Let me shoulder it with you!"
Yuki looked completely surprised at what I just told him. "So… what you're saying is… you're concerned and worried about me?" he asked. His voice sounded really surprised. "When did that happen?"
"Um… l-let's just say I thought about what might've happened if I was the rat instead of you," I told him softly. "From… from what I saw last night and your explanation of it a while ago… I don't hate you anymore. I hate Akito and those other two."
"I don't hate you anymore, either Kyo," Yuki told me. A smile spread across his face. "When you came… in that storm and I saw or heard you… it was like all my hate transferred to Kilik. Well… um… uh… I think I should tell you guys something that I didn't want you to know about. Just so you wouldn't worry."
I was relieved to hear that Yuki no longer hated me, but what is he saying… he has a secret he didn't want us to know about? He has his eyes closed and faced the ceiling.
"You know the cat has a true form… and no offense Kyo, but it's kinda…" I could tell Yuki didn't want to say it.
"'Ugly'… no offense taken. I agree with that," I told him.
"Well… you have your own free will, right?" Yuki asked.
"Yes," I answered slowly. What the hell are you getting at?
"The rat has a true form too, but I can't control it," Yuki told us. That news scared everyone.
"So, you've told them about it?" Hatori asked coming in. I jumped a bit when he spoke.
"Yes. It was time I stopped hiding that fact," Yuki sighed, as he opened his eyes.
"So, how does the true rat come out?" Shigure sounded worried and scared. "I mean, for the cat all you need to do is take his beads."
"Shut up!" I shouted.
"Transform then drown," Yuki told us. "Or just drown." What was that? Someone has to drown you in order for that true rat to come out?!
"Takes longer in human form though," Yuki said, softly. "Doesn't take, but a minute or less in rat form. Of course, with all that rain and… with those three slashing me like that… the true rat could've came out at any moment…if ni-san and Kyo hadn't come when they did."
"What do you mean you can't control it?" Ayame asked, looking scared to the bone.
"It has a mind of its own. It does whatever it wants and… I try resisting its hold all the time to no avail," Yuki told us. "Resisting is the only thing I can do. I'm not the one in control. Akito *shiver* always… well may be not always… brought it out and tried to control it."
Are you fucking pulling my tail here, Yuki?! This is one surprise after another! And it's not the good surprise either.
"I had to go all the way home to get the two tapes," Hatori said. "I overheard Akito, Kilik, and Sandra talking. I highly advise you to never go walking alone from now on, Yuki."
"What did they say Ha'ri?" Ayame asked, clearly wanting and not wanting to know.
Normal P.O.V.
Hatori gave a soft, worried sigh as he spoke.
~flashback~
Hatori found the tapes he was looking for. He placed them in a bag and walked towards the exit of the Sohma estate.
"Curse that damn cat," Akito growled. Hatori heard that growl and hid to the side of the center house.
"That cat ruined my fun," Kilik complained.
"Not to mention that snake of a son," Sandra added. "Now what, Akito-sama?"
"Those two came at the most inconvenient time. The true rat was about to emerge. I could just see it in Yuki's eyes," Akito growled intensely. "Too bad we didn't have the collar with us at the time. It would've been even more shocking in the rain. *Sigh* Next time Yuki is alone… we'll continue our little fun."
"Understood, Akito-sama," Sandra chuckled.
"What about… if he's with that one girl I've heard about?" Kilik asked out of nowhere.
"Oh, you mean Tohru Honda? If Yuki's alone with her… just go in and take him. Leave her to cry like the pathetic little girl she is," Akito told him in a cackle. Kilik cackled along with Akito and his wife.
~end flashback~
"So, I highly recommend Kyo, Shigure, Ayame, or myself be with you when you plan on going out. Tohru can also go with you, but one of us must accompany you. I mean no offence Tohru," Hatori said.
"None taken. I understand what you mean," Tohru said a little shaky. She looked over at Yuki who looked terrified to the bone at the news.
"In that case I'll always be beside you little brother," Ayame proclaimed. "No matter what I'll never leave you!"
"You have a shop to manage, don't you? Kyo is always around, same with Shigure. At school, Haru and Momiji are also there," Yuki told him.
"If Haru hears this and sees either one of those three… He'd definitely go Black," Kyo shuttered,
"That's probably the best defense," Hatori said. "I informed him."
"And I'm pissed," Haru said angrily stepping out from behind the Sohma doctor.
"He's black, isn't he?" Shigure asked in a small whimper. The answer was obvious. Yes, it's Black Hatsuharu.
"I thought it'd be best to… bring Hatsuharu back here. He would've destroyed his parents' house. They actually asked me to take him with me," Hatori explained. Haru was about to smash the wall-
"Haru calm down!" Yuki shouted. Black Haru changed back to white Haru when Yuki suddenly grabbed his chest and coughed several times in his other hand.
"Yuki! Yuki!" Ayame shouted, placing his hands on his little brother's shoulders. Yuki's coughing intensified with every passing second. Kyo and Haru placed their hands over top of Ayame's and felt how hard Yuki was coughing.
Hatori could tell it was beginning to be another asthma attack, but when Yuki stopped coughing… and pulled his hand away from his mouth… red covered his palm. A red stream came out of his mouth as he gasped for air.
Tohru gasped in worry upon seeing this. "Yuki…"
"The true rat can also emerge due to blood loss," Hatori told them. "I've seen the tapes."
Kyo, Tohru, and Ayame stayed by Yuki as the Sohma doctor walked towards the VCR to start the 'movie'.
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