Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ Beating At the Cage ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Gone Full Circle

Ali the Co-Authoress Note: Mmm, we went out to red lobster… If anyone cares. Which I doubt they do. But hey, I've made it a goal to make this stuff as random as possible.

Chapter 5: Beating At the Cage

"You... stole... Yuki-kun?" Shigure repeated slowly, when Hatori called him and explained the situation.

"Yes." The dragon could barely believe it himself. "He asked me to." You can't tell a boy who hasn't spoken for a good 9 or so years, NO.

"He ASKED you to?" The dog was having a fairly hard time grasping this situation.

"Yes." Ha'ri sighed. But, he really didn't know what to do with him now that he had him.

"Well, shit." Was the only intelligent thing he could come up with at the moment.

"That's really not helpful, Shigure."

"It's a bit of a shock, that's all." The dog explained his lack of helpfulness. "Well, bring him over here. We'll figure out what to do from there."

"All right." They hung up and Hatori had to get Yuki back off the couch, explaining that they were going to Shigure's house. Like he had when Hatori had attempted to help him to his feet before, Yuki glared at the attempt to be touched, and pushed himself up. Granted, his muscles were much weaker after having virtually not moved for the past four years or so, but he'd had enough touching to last him several life times. The seahorse took the glaring without being fazed. Instead he just moved aside and let Yuki go out to the car. Then he climbed into the driver's side and they headed for Shigure's.

"Hello, Yuki-kun." Shigure greeted him with a smile. But, when he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair, as he would have when he was little, the rat just jerked away from the touch with a sharp look. Hatori shook his head tiredly and just urged Shigure to get out of the way and let them in with a withering look. Yuki quite liked Shigure house once he got in there and was sitting on the dog's couch, contentedly curled up on the corner of it as the adults discussed what to do with him now.

"Akito's going to be furious." Hatori murmured quietly to himself. He wouldn't be surprised if the boy killed Yuki actually. Not that Yuki would have minded. He would have actually been quite happy dying, and was currently considering stealing something from either Hatori or Shigure that could help him with that, just in case he was put back in that room again.

"Haa-san," Shigure admonished. "I can handle Akito-san. He really shouldn't have been left in there as long as he was."

Hatori eyed him dryly but didn't argue. "Just as long as he isn't put back in there." he sighed. He'd watched Yuki in that room for the past four years. He knew, now that he was out, Yuki would never ever want to go back.

"I can try." Was all he promised, noting how Yuki was currently staring at a little gold fish in a bowel on his coffee table with avid interest. The dragon shook his head helplessly. This was all so very uncool.

"Did he not let you touch him either?" Shigure asked Hatori quite suddenly. "Or, should I take that personally?"

"No touching." His friend confirmed. "But I can't exactly blame him."

"No, I suppose not." Shigure agreed with a small nod, watching the boy who was watching his fish. "If I'd been through what he has, I wouldn't want to be touched either."

"It's all right if he stays here until someone talks to Akito?" Ha'ri asked slowly. The nasty little boy had probably noticed his distinct absence already, since he was supposed to check him after checking Yuki.

"He's less likely to be found here." Shii agreed with a small nod. "Yuki-kun, would you like to stay here for a few days?" He wanted to ask the boy too. Luckily for both of the adults, Yuki gave a very quick nod. Shigure had been hoping to hear some of this alleged talking. "You're SURE he was talking, Haa-san?"

"No, Shigure. I must have completely imagined it." The dragon shot back sarcastically.

"He just hasn't said anything since he got here." The dog explained his concern.

"Shigure, it's been 9 years. He's not just going to start talking freely again right like that."

"I suppose." He agreed with a small shrug.

"So, great Shigure, I'm very, very interested." Hatori looked over at him seriously. "What are you going to tell Akito?"

"Oh, I'll think of something." He replied vaguely, not really wanting to answer in front of Yuki.

Well, whatever Shigure had thought up, Akito agreed to it. And that's when Yuki ended up moving in with Shigure. And we all know that works out well for several years, until Kyo has to move in too right? But there's 3 whole years of time before that happens, isn't there?

During those first two years, Yuki's psychological recovery took place, so that he was actually speaking frequently in full sentences by the time he started high school. And over those two years, Yuki resumed his lessons with Kazuma. He and Kyo fought. Often. As in, constantly… Everyday kind of fighting. And not just arguing, because, well, Yuki still wasn't talking much. But those fights were violent. Haru had been thrilled to see Yuki again---finally---but couldn't help be worried every time the cat and rat started to fight. It drove Kyo nuts too. He'd been studying martial arts so much longer than that prissy little bastard. But Yuki always managed to fucking beat him! It wasn't fair. And, if humanly possible, it made Kyo even more resentful. Even though he'd told Kazuma no more fighting at school, once Yuki was back, the fights increased. Honestly, by this time the ONLY person Kyo cared for and had any respect for what so ever was Kazuma. But, even that wasn't enough incentive to stop his fights at school.

"Yuki-kun's starting high school today." Shigure announced over the phone to Hatori when the day of orientation came. "Do you and Aaya want to come?"

"I think the better question is does he want us to come."

"I think he might appreciate the support." Shigure mused, looking at the boy out of the corner of his eye, who he could just see through the open bathroom doorway fiddling with his uniform tie. "He sort of missed out on middle school, the fact that he's going willfully is a pretty big step, I'd say."

"Does Ayame know yet?" Ha'ri would probably go either way, but if Ayame went he'd have to spend some of his energy keeping the snake under control.

"I haven't told him yet." He shook his head, even though Hatori couldn't see it. "I thought I might leave that to you. He tends to react better toward you." Hyper, protective Ayame finding out that his little, abused brother was finally going back to school? It wasn't something Shigure exactly looked forward to announcing. He wasn't sure if the reaction would be positive or otherwise.

"Thank you for that great honor, master." Hatori murmured dryly. "I shall inform him I suppose, and I'll help keep him from clinging to poor Yuki the entire time."

"Thank you." He sighed in relief. "And, let us not forget to marvel." He joked; reviving the little gag he and Hatori had had since they were young. Shigure had taken to joking more often since Yuki had moved in with him, in an attempt to lighten the mood, and now it was more of a force of habit.

The dragon snorted lightly. "Shigure, some day that will get old." He wasn't sure when, but he knew some day it would have to.

"But that day has not yet come." He pointed out with a little laugh.

"Well, if I intend to get Ayame there on time I had better call him now." The snake had to prepare for everything. He was worse than a woman about it sometimes.

"Right, thank you, Haa-san." He grinned at the phone before hanging up without another word. Shigure never had liked good-byes, and he usually tried to avoid them at all costs. (His friends know this too.)

So Hatori pressed the button for the dial tone and proceeded to call the overly enthusiastic snake.

"Helllooooo?" Came the ever-cheerful singsong tone that was Ayame's voice.

"Ayame," The dragon answered, completely unaffected by said tone. "Your brother is starting high school today. If you want to go to his orientation, I'll come get you and we can go together."

"Oh! Yes! Of course I want to go. We MUST be there for Yuki. My, my, this really is a surprise. Yuki starting high school, I was starting to think he'd never want to go anywhere besides Gure-san's house and Kazuma-san's dojo again! Is he going willingly, or is Gure-san making him? He can be so cruel sometimes..." The snake babbled away, not even looking at the clock.

"Ayame," Hatori finally just had to interrupt. "I'm going to come get you now." And like Shigure he simply hung up, but for far different reasons. With Ayame if you tried to say good-bye you'd never be able to hang up. Sighing, the green-eyed man then went to get his shoes, keys, and then drive into town to get his friend.

Ayame gasped and began scurrying around the little apartment above his shop to get ready, and actually managed it, he was happily locking up his shop door when Hatori pulled up.

"Ayame, I really am impressed." He told him friend with a small smile once he'd climbed into the car. "You're all ready when I get here."

"We mustn't be late for such a momentous day in Yuki's life." Ayame stated simply, climbing into Hatori's car. He'd been like that since Hatori had taken Yuki out of that room, when the rat had been seven, and he'd seen him so hurt for the first time. Frankly, it'd been driving poor Yuki crazy.

"Now, Ayame." Hatori had to warn when they were getting closer to Yuki's school. "I know you're excited, but don't cling to Yuki, okay?"

"He does have that thing about personal space, doesn't he?" The snake mused with a few blinks as punctuation.

"Yes, he does." The doctor confirmed. "And I'm sure we can be supportive for him without holding his hand." He didn't mean literally, but with Ayame it probably applied.

Ayame sighed tragically, but agreed with a simple, "When Tori-san speaks, we obey."

"Thank you Ayame." Ha'ri gave him a small smile as they pulled up near the school and parked. There were a lot of people milling around, a good half of them female.

"This is a co-ed school." Ayame stated unnecessarily, staring out the window nervously. What were Yuki and Shigure thinking?

"Perhaps, we should not head into the crowd." Hatori murmured, also rather unnecessarily. "Maybe Shigure is being smart and waiting somewhere out here for us." Yes, Shigure, being smart. (Haha… feel the sarcasm.)

"Maybe," Ayame looked doubtful, but didn't dare question his beloved Tori-san. `I can't believe Akito is letting Yuki go to this school.' The dragons noted idly as they started a rather futile seeming hunt for Shigure.

We can thank Shigure for that. Who was, by the way, ducking out of the way of a rather frantic first year girl running about babbling about something or another and being chased by three other women, whom he could only guess were her mother and friends. (Three guesses whom)

"Shigure." Hatori hissed when they finally did find him. He gave the dog a good whack on the back of the head too. "Why is it you fail to mention this is a co-ed school?"

"Because you two wouldn't have showed up if you knew?" He offered, sweat dropping at Aaya, who was nervously clinging to Hatori.

"There's a reason for that, Shigure." The doctor made an exasperated noise and almost hit the other man again.

"I'm surprised Akito would let him come here." Ayame admitted, peeking out from around Hatori.

"It took some doing." Shigure agreed with a sigh.

"What did you do?" Ayame blinked curiously at him, not getting it.

"Several things, actually." That last one earned Shigure another smack to the head from Hatori. Who then proceeded to roll his eyes.

"What?" Shigure pouted, rubbing his smacked head. "It's not like I described it."

"Shigure, we don't need to hear your conquests over our 17 year old cousin. Okay?" Hypocrite Hatori rears his ugly head once more. Since he's done Akito on a few occasions himself.

"Naughty Gure-san." Ayame admonished, finally catching on.

"He ASKED, Haa-san." Shigure pointed out with a shrug.

"Oi." The dragon ran a hand through his hair quickly. He knew Akito asked. "You two are the biggest idiots."

"We love you too, Hatori." Ayame and Shigure both replied automatically. Another not-yet-dead gag from their childhoods.

"Good. Since I've put up with you two for so long, I should get something out of it."

"And you know our affections are just SO hard to attain." Shigure teased. Hatori gave him a rather dry look, but then a small smile betrayed him.

"So, Yuki really did want to go to school all on his own?" Ayame requested the information from Shigure.

"Mmhmm." He nodded, looking around the crowd and taking one step forward as that girl and her cohorts came running past again. "He says this is his form of teenage rebellion on Akito-san."

The doctor had to snicker to that. "Hatsuharu skips school. Kyo fights in school. And Yuki is rebellious by going to school with girls." It was oddly amusing to him.

"Well, he never was the most rebellious sort." Shigure snorted too, amused by Hatori's description. "And, really, Akito was rather annoyed, much more annoyed than he gets with Haa-kun or Kyo-kun, oddly. He says Yuki's going to end up giving the whole secret away someday with `this foolishness'." He quoted with a delighted grin.

"Most likely." Hatori agreed. "But if Akito was that annoyed he could have just said no."

"Non, non Tori-san! Gure-san is too good for him to have said no." Ayame put in with a small smile.

"Indeed." Shigure nodded. "He owes me for several years of---" He started to say, but got cut off by a quiet:

"I really don't think they want or need to hear about that." By Yuki, who had snuck up on the three while they were talking.

"Yuki!" Aaya squealed excitedly. But stopped himself from doing any clinging, since Hatori was holding his arm to remind him not to.

"Hello Yuki," The dragon also snorted lightly at how Yuki had just cut Shigure off like that.

"Hatori." He nodded politely to the dragon with a tiny smile. "Niisan." He added, expression changing to something between confused and sour, at his brother's presence.

"Eee! We just had to come see your first day of high school Yuki! Right Tori-san." The snake chirped quickly looking up at his tall beloved.

"Right," Hatori agreed, but in a much more calm manner.

"Oh..." He nodded, tossing a slightly suspicious glance at Shigure, who was whistling quite innocently at the moment. "Thank you, then." He added, a tiny bend at the waist supposedly signifying his gratitude. Yuki didn't bow for any old reason. Hatori was going to say something, but he had to pull Ayame out of the path of some stampeding women quickly before they hit him.

"An interesting choice of schools at that." Hatori grumbled slightly. While Aaya looked up at him like he was a perfect knight for having saved him from the scary high-heeled ladies.

"I knew Akito wouldn't approve." Yuki looked rather pleased with that fact. Almost frighteningly pleased in fact.

"Try not to gloat too much, Yuki-kun." Shigure advised simply. Ha'ri had to agree with that. If Akito were too annoyed by it, he'd start asking to poor dragon to play with him again. And Hatori rather, didn't want to.

Hatori wasn't much in the mood to continue this conversation, and luckily for him they were allowed to go in and do all the orientation things. Ayame was on the verge of happy tears the entire time, and it was so damn hard to avoid all those females just stampeding all over the place, but they managed. When it was, finally, all over, a rather exasperated dragon had to lead a dramatic snake away.

"Good bye, Yuki dear! I'm so excited for you! I'll be sure to come visit you soon!"

"Wonderful." The rat sweat dropped at that announcement. He somehow couldn't say he was looking forward to seeing his brother again. Shigure waved after his friends for a moment before returning his smile to the rat.

"That certainly was fun, wasn't it Yuki-kun." He joked lightly.

"Mm, thrilling." The rodent rolled his eyes.

The dog had to laugh at his response. "Well, we wouldn't want too much of a good thing then. Shall we return home?"

"Don't I still have school?" His little cousin raised an eyebrow at him. "Unless you want me to skip my first day, of course."

"Why not? It's the only day you can do it without any worry about getting in trouble." Shigure knew this for a fact.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It's been tested, and proven by Aaya, Haa-san, and myself."

"Hatori ditched?" Yuki blinked a few times. It was pretty impossible for him to see the stoic and proper doctor sneaking out of school.

"Of course." Actually it wasn't so much him ditching as Ayame and Shigure ditching, and then Hatori going to make sure they didn't accidentally blow something up. "Is it really that strange sounding?"

"Yes." He nodded quite matter-of-factly.

Shigure snickered a little. "Well, trust me Yuki-kun, Haa-san wasn't always quite as, ah, stiff as he is now."

"I know." Yuki nodded again, slowly this time, as he started walking toward the gate, Shigure a few steps behind him, but catching up. "I remember."

The dog looked at him oddly for a moment. "You were little, I didn't think you would." He admitted with a small shrug.

"Didn't really have much to do but think for a while." Yuki reminded him with a tiny shrug once they were out of the crowd and outside the actual grounds.

"True, true, true."

Shigure was a fairly good boy for the rest of their walk home. He wasn't like Ayame, who had to chatter constantly. He was quite capable of a nice quiet walk. For which Yuki was quite grateful. They spent the rest of the walk home in silence, but only just that far. For, when they got there, who should be on Shigure's porch but:

"Haru?" Yuki blinked at him, a little surprised.

"Yo," The ox greeted casually with a small wave and a smile.

"You're here." The rat stated unnecessarily. "And not at school. Why?"

"Yuki-kun, don't be dense." Shigure chuckled lightly. "He's obviously skipping, just like you, I might add."

"Ah, yeah, what Sensei said." The di-colored boy agreed. "And I was gonna come see you after your first day. But I wasn't sure how long it would take to get here, and Tori-nii couldn't drive me." He'd left early in case he got lost, is what he meant.

"Oh." Yuki nodded. It made sense, since it was Haru they were talking about. "And it's your fault I'm skipping." He pointed out crossly to Shigure.

"Ah yes, and I'm pleased to have inspired such an act of adolescent criminal behavior." The dog smiled at him. Haru watched them for a moment before speaking up again.

"I heard one of the maids talking about how pissed off Akito was about your new school, so I figured I should come and congratulate you on a job well done." He probably could have waited until he saw Yuki at Kazuma's but he hadn't seen the rat in a while and wanted to visit. So there.

"Hm, yes, I'm rather pleased." Yuki nodded, an indeed pleased almost-smile twitching on his lips. The ox looked on fondly at the older boy as Shigure moved past him and went into the house.

"You went to orientation? Do you think you'll like the school?" Akito being unhappy was great, but not if Yuki was unhappy at the school.

"Probably." He nodded, moving to sit down on the porch next to his younger cousin.

"Are you going to be going back to the dojo soon?" Hatsuharu asked, looking up at the sky for a moment. He wasn't sure whether he wanted Yuki to or not. Seeing as, Kyo was still limping from the last fight they'd had, and the two tended to fight every time they saw each other.

"Does Shihan want me to?" He countered with, wincing a little. He really hadn't meant to hit Kyo THAT hard.

"Shihan isn't mad at you." Haru told him with a small shrug. "Dumb cat started the fight anyways." Kyo usually did.

"Well, maybe, then. I guess." He shrugged. He still didn't particularly enjoy martial arts, though the opportunity to kick the cat's ass on a daily basis was rather amusing.

"Okay," the ox smiled half-heartedly to that and leaned back onto his elbows.

"So, how's everyone else?" Yuki hadn't been to the Main House since New Years, and only then because he'd been forced to. Naturally, he'd avoided most people during that time as well.

"Same as always." Haru sighed tiredly. They were literally the same.

"Well, better then worse." He shrugged slightly. Oddly, he really did care about his cousins---for the most part. They just reminded him of something he'd rather forget. It'd be more interesting if they were worse. Or better for that matter. Kyo got worse and worse just about every day. The ox watched it too. The cat wouldn't even give him more than a word anymore, and the only person he was kind with was Shihan, but that was a bit beside the point. He was here to visit Yuki!

"How are you and that stupid cat doing?" Yuki couldn't help not liking Kyo. That was just how he was. He knew, however, that Haru and Kyo had used to be really close, and he had a feeling that he was at least part of the reason they weren't anymore. It made him feel bad.

Hatsuharu had to laugh. "We're not. We've barely talked since his thirteenth birthday." he snorted a little bit. "And when we do exchange some kind of words it's always some various insult that usually leads to a fight. Unless Shihan is watching, then he'll just stalk off."

"You two used to be pretty close, didn't you?"

"When I was six." He looked over at Yuki out of the corner of his gray eyes, wondering why he was asking this all of a sudden.

"What changed?" He honestly was curious. He'd never really had the chance to ask, either. (What with being locked up…) Haru was quiet for a while as he just looked at Yuki.

But he did finally decide to answer. "I met you for the first time." the ox told him coolly. "But, I don't think that was all of it. I think Kyo met my black side for the first time, and I don't know what I said to him." He really had always wondered what he'd said to the cat that time.

"You were Black." Yuki nodded. As he'd said to Shigure, he'd spent most of those four years remembering things. That happened to be one of them. "I don't know why, though. And I couldn't hear most of what you said, or I'd tell you myself."

"I don't think I want to know anymore." Hatsuharu assured him half-heartedly. "It wouldn't matter anymore, the only person Kyo cares about anymore is Shihan." Stupid cat was being a bigger idiot than he usually was, Yuki noted sourly. Haru sat up again resting his chin on his knees. "But hey, what the hell do I care anymore, either." He murmured to himself, feeling a little bit bitter right this minute. "If he wants to hate everyone that's great."

"You care." Yuki rolled his eyes. Haru blinked at the rat for a moment, but then decided it might be in his best interest to stay quiet. “I'm not going to implode if you talk, you know." Yuki pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

The ox gave him a wry smile. "There's not much to say."

"Hm." Was all Yuki replied with, leaning back against a porch support. That made Haru fairly happy actually. They sat like that for quite a while too. Eventually though, Haru realized if he wanted to be absolutely sure he got home before dark he'd have to leave.

"Don't let lost!" Yuki warned after him, before going back inside. Haru tended to get lost easily going out of the woods surrounding Shigure's house. Haru waved over his shoulder, acknowledging the warning as he kept walking.

Well, we need to hop forward a few months. No worries, nothing particularly exciting happens. After Kyo runs away a couple times Kazuma decides maybe the boy needs some time away from the main house. This is where the little 'four month training out in the wilds' plan begins. They'd already gotten the O.K. from Akito (not like he really cared, but it was just best to ask.) and were packing up the few things they were going to take with them.

"You're leaving?" Haru blinked at him. He'd been training in the dojo gym, and was on his way out when he saw Kyo walk by, dragging a duffle bag.

"Ugh, no, I'm just dragging this bag around because it's good exercise." The cat shot back stiffly.

"Is Shihan going with you?"

Kyo stopped his trek out the door with an annoyed sigh. "Yes." Not that it was any of that dumb cow's business to begin with.

"Mm." He frowned a little, but didn't push it any further. The red head hefted his bag back up and went out to put it in the car along with the rest of it. He had no idea when they'd be back, and honestly hoped it wouldn't be for a good long while. His run away attempts (You'll note attempts, the damn police always caught him.) and all the fighting had really pushed at Shishou's patience. Since Kazuma had gone off to the kitchen to get them the food they'd need, Kyo just went and waited on the dojo's porch. He wished the man would hurry before Kagura or Momiji showed up.

"Kyo!" Kazuma called to him, Haru had wandered off by now. "You cook." He stated, holding a basket of supplies out to him. The cat laughed lightly. He'd put up with his Shishou's bad cooking for years. He hadn't planned on letting the man cook, to begin with. Kyo took the basket as he got up.

"Yeah, okay, Shishou."

And so, they set off and were not heard from for the following four months. Around the time that Kyo returned, Yuki and Shigure discovered a not-so-mysterious orphan girl living in a tent in their back yard. We're all quite aware how that little episode goes, and we all know how not very nice Kyo is to the poor thing at first. But, of course, despite this she ends up living there with them. As well as poor, poor, Kyo ending up going to school with Yuki.