Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ Timeline ( Chapter 6 )

Gone Full Circle

 

Ali the Co-Authoress Note: Hmm, well it's the 23rd and stuff… And I'm bored cause Janie won't be back until the 26th I'll probably have it all edited by then… Well except for the logs she never sent me -sniffles.- Janie you make this so hard…

 

Chapter 6: Timeline

 

 

Yuki couldn't believe it. He couldn't fucking believe it. Not only was Kyo being an ass to Tohru, not only was he going to be living in Shigure's house with them, not ONLY was he going to the same school as Yuki, but now the moron had jumped out the damn window! Without a word in comment, he turned around and stalked stiffly out of the classroom to go find and scold the stupid creature. Tohru blinked helplessly as all this occurred and wondered for a moment where the boys were going, exactly. Well, Kyo was going to hide behind the school. And Yuki was on his way to yell at him. Well, not exactly yell, but:

 

"Hey." He called, coming up on the panting, sweating kitty. "Use your head, will you? When you act like an idiot, it causes problems for me." He stated, crossing his arms and watching the cat coolly.

 

"Are you insane?" Kyo demanded half heartedly in-between his huffs of breath. "Why do you go to a school, that's crawling with girls?!" Girls were such touchy clingy creatures.

 

Yuki snorted, and if it was possible, his gaze hardened. "Because it's better than hiding in fear every day and going to an all boys school on Akito's orders." He offered darkly. Yes, on Akito's orders. "I want out of the Sohma Cage, even just a little." He mused quietly. "I can't understand why you want so badly to live in that cage."

 

"You--you fucking rat. You wouldn't understand." No, the rat didn't get to know exactly what part he played in the cat's curse. He cursed under his breath a moment longer, ignoring the sounds of footsteps that were probably Tohru's. "But this time," he stood up as he yelled at the other teen. "This time, I'm kicking your ass. I'll become one of the zodiac, and I won't be shunned anymore!" His first punch was already getting set to fly. "I will beat you!" This was met with a distinct squealing of 'No' that was NOT coming from Yuki. Little Miss Tohru rushed around the corner and grabbed Kyo.

 

"I--I" She flustered for a moment as she let the extremely annoyed neko-Kyo down from her arms. "Know you're angry! But you'll get in trouble for fighting on the grounds." And in true cat fashion, she had some very not nice things hissed at her. The poor onigiri's eyes widened. 'Maximum fury... that was maximum fury...' And she wandered off in that rather clueless manner of hers.

 

"You know, you really are an idiot." Yuki informed Kyo as he started to walk off.

 

"You're not going to hit me?" The orange cat sounded like he might almost regret having been so very rude to Tohru.

 

"There are times when it hurts more not to." Yuki stated simply and continued off to go find Tohru and make sure she was still okay.

 

 

Tohru was kneeled down solemnly in the hallway. 'He hates me...' She was so busy admonishing herself, that she didn't even hear Uo and Hana calling for her.

 

"Tohruuu!"

 

"I'm picking up Tohru-kun's waves." Hanajima stated, as the two passed through a doorway, pointing toward the unhappy girl.

 

"Ah! Yeah, there she is." The fish-girl said as Tohru finally noticed them. "Tohru, what are doing there? Class is about--" CLANG. Tohru (quite purposely) ran her head into the fire hydrant box.

 

"Ow! It hurt so much I started to cry." She tried to lie. "No really, just now this corner... Ouch..."

 

Uotani really wasn't buying it though. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you ran into it on purpose."

 

Yuki had found her too, and watched quite helplessly as Hana admonished Uo softly.

 

"Now, now. Don't spoil her cover-up."

 

 

 

Meanwhile, back at Shigure's house, the dog was having what he could only describe as a rather absurd conversation with his younger cousin.

 

"And?" He didn't wait for a reply before continuing. "You cut your first day of class? Let me guess." He sighed and mused out. "You tried to fight Yuki-kun and lost. Again."

 

"I--" Kyo murmured from his place on the porch. "I want to leave this house... I want to go back to being with Shishou..." He missed the older man, and: "I only ever say... really mean things... to her..." She was the first person to offer him true friendship since Haru.

 

Shigure frowned a little to that, eyeing the cat carefully. "Her...?" He repeated. "You mean Tohru-kun?" He wanted to make sure. "Heh. So you were in your usual good mood today? If you're going to beat yourself up about it afterward, perhaps you should consider not yelling at her in the first place, Hm?" He laughed a little. "Just a thought."

 

The kitten was too depressed to let that little comment rile him up like it usually would have. "I can't help it." He muttered in his own defense. "I'm not made for interacting with people."

 

"People aren't born social." He reminded him, scolding. "Sure it comes easier to some people... but most people, like you, need to work at it. Some more than others. You're just inexperienced." He paused, trying to think of a good example. "For example, as a martial artist, you have the strength to break the table with your fist. But you also have the SELF-CONTROL to stop your fist right before it hits the table. You weren't born with that control, were you? You had to refine it. That's the result of fighting bears in the mountains."

 

Kyo rolled over and glared at him. "I DIDN'T FIGHT BEARS!"

 

"You're missing my point." Shigure pointed out with a small eye-roll. "It's the same as interacting with people. But training for that isn't in the mountains---it has to be in a town, where people live. Mingling with people, hurting them, getting hurt BY them... It's all part of getting to know them, and yourself." He stated thoughtfully. "If you don't, you'll never be able to care about anyone but yourself. You might be a black belt fighter, but you're still a white belt in dealing with people." He paused, glancing at the cat. "For the sake of the girl who will one day tell you she loves you... Don't run away, keep training."

 

The pretty kitty snorted in response to that. "As if some girl would ever tell me that." (nono, not a girl.)

 

"And what would you do, if they did?"

 

"I can't even imagine." He spit out immediately. But after a moment of deliberation he continued. "I guess, I'd have to ask if she was even sane."

 

"Oh really." Shigure laughed quietly at the red head. They might have continued their conversation had Yuki not gotten home, and Kyo scooted, irritated, out of the room.

 

"I'm home." The rat announced casually, peeking in on Shigure and his now empty doorway.

 

“Hey," he was still snorting slightly at Kyo's behavior. "Welcome back. Where's Tohru-kun?"

 

"Work. She said dinner's made, we just have to heat it up." He answered simply, elaborating with, "She gets off around eleven, I think I'll go walk her home."

 

"Ah! Yes! Good idea!" Shigure agreed enthusiastically. "What with all of us PERVERTS creeping around at night, right?"

 

 

 

As Tohru walked home that night, a great many thoughts were racing through her head as she tried to figure out how to deal with the Kyo situation. 'The hell is wrong with her...' Said cat thought as he finally spotted her. He'd been following her for a good 5 minutes now, and he was right behind her about to spin her around. And she still hadn't noticed him? The hell.

 

Oh, she noticed him eventually, and when she did: "Nooooo!" Tohru shrieked, whirling her bag around and hitting Kyo smack-dab in the face. They both just stood there for a long time. Horrified guilty monologue flitting through both their heads. And then she was babbling about something and calling him Kyo-san. Over, and over and…

 

"Stop it." he told her without turning around. "Being called 'san' makes me twitch. Just call me Kyo."

 

"Kyo kun?" She tried, blinking a few times.

 

He sighed desperately. "What?"

 

"Nothing! I just wanted to try it." She explained, still blinking.

 

Then the shouting: "Don't call my name if you have nothing to say!" But the red head regretted this immediately. "Ah, Oh, never mind. It's okay. You can call my name even if you don't have anything to say." Kyo, his face behind one hand and blushed with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. "And, I take it back, What I said earlier... And, if I do tick you off... You can hit me, it's okay." It was then that Tohru figured out the vaguely awkward methods Kyo Sohma used to apologize to people.

 

"Uh, um Oh! I wasn't mad!" She wanted to assure him. "I hit you with my bag because I thought you were a pervert!" In retrospect, that probably wasn't the best thing to say.

 

"P-" The cat bristled and sweat dropped a little. "A pervert?!" The closest pervert was probably Shigure. She then started babbling about her dear appreciation for the cat and how much she loved him and how she could never be mad at him for anything, ever. His earlier conversation with the pervert flashed through his mind. But he really couldn't bring himself to ask her if she was sane. His blush deepened though.

"That's stu---!" Kyo managed to control his temper for a moment. "It's not that great. Being the cat." He turned and started to walk away. "Let's just go home."

 

 

And... So they did.

 

 

The next morning they were greeted most unpleasantly too. Shigure's horribly singsongy little voice floating in at them. "So, Kyo-kun! I see you walked our little Tohru home. How was the date?" he passed a sly look at the boy and continued. "Kyo-kun and Tohru sitting in a tree. K-I-S--"

 

"Stop that!" The red head yelled, equally red faced. "It wasn't like that! Yesterday was a fluke. It won't EVER happen again!"

 

"Okay!" Tohru agreed cheerfully with a big grin. "I'm just happy that you're eating my food. Do you like it?"

 

"Huh? Uh," Kyo blinked unintelligently. "It's..." But then he noticed the rat's rather critical looking stare. "What?" he demanded irritably.

 

"Nothing." The rat passed it off quite simply.

 

"Will you quit staring at me?!" Ah, the shouting! Shigure ignored all this as he picked idly at his food. As long as they didn't break his house, he didn't care.

 

"I was just looking." Yuki muttered defensively.

 

"Well," Kyo flustered for a moment. "Well! Cut it out!" He glared away from Yuki, and noticed Tohru was still waiting for his answer. "It sucks!" Then all fell deathly silent except for Tohru's little hurt/worried response. That cat really is an idiot. And, Yuki there decided that Kyo officially made him nauseous.

 

 

 

 

Yuki thought it really was amusing, the look on Kyo's face as he looked down at the leeks on his plate. Amusing indeed. What was less amusing was the cat's adamant refusal to eat them. So, in retaliation to that, the rat had simply clamped his cousin's nose shut and forced the vegetable into his mouth.

 

 

That was it. He was going to die. Shigure noted that he'd already passed out. But Kyo had a mouthful of leeks. And it was naaaaasty. The hell was with that damn rat. Stuffing them in his mouth. The rat and cat were a bit busy, but Shigure and Tohru could of course, hear the ding-donging of the doorbell. And of course, Shigure being the lazy thing he is, let Tohru answer to door. Only to find an empty yard. Of course, as soon as she started to turn around, their quiet guest spoke up.

 

"H-hello you're Tohru Honda-san, right? Um, I-I'm Kagura Sohma." A blushing girl introduced herself, from where she was hiding behind a fence. "Is it true that Kyo-kun is here?"

 

"Oh! Um, Kyo-kun is having a leek battle with Sohma-kun right now." Tohru laughed very lightly in response to the cute little girl.

 

"He, he came back." The girl teared up, before running into the house, calling: "Kyo-kun!" As she went. The cat was currently bitching at Yuki about the leeks... Shigure watching helplessly in the background. But then he heard her. And then the door slammed open.

 

"Ka, Kagura." He backed up a few paces, very fearful for his life.

 

"Kyo-kun," She whimpered tearily as Yuki and Shigure watched with wide eyes. "Where... did you go... for four months? I... I... missed..." And then, slamming her fist into his jaw, she shouted, "I MISSED YOU!" Poor Kyo-kun went flying too. He didn't even get a chance to fight back cause Kagura was on him again, yelling cackling in a rather mad fashion about how worried she was. All Shigure did was whine a little bit about his house. But Tohru watched in amazement and wondered about just what was going on.

 

 

Well, we all know how this scenario ends, don't we?

 

 

 

 

Well, he'd skipped New Years. The sun was coming up and he was on the roof. Watching the sunrise with Tohru, and Yuki, of all people. They all made their wishes as they watched it come up, and Tohru let out a yawn. The cat was pretty sure he heard Yuki saying he was tired as well, and that they should all go to bed. But, he wasn't listening. He had other plans. He simply followed absently down the ladder until he was sure that the other two were asleep. Then he rushed to the phone and dialed quickly.

 

"Please pick up!" He murmured in a rather frantic manner.

 

Kazuma was at the main house with everyone else, and it ended up being a maid who answered the phone. The martial arts teacher himself was currently speaking with Hatori and Shigure about this and that. The cat swallowed when it wasn't Kazuma who answered. What was he going to do? Well:

 

"Please, get him?!" He quite literally begged the maid. "Or--or at least tell him I called for him?" he added as a quick after thought.

 

"One moment." She said simply, and went to go find the gray haired man.

 

"Kazuma-san, one of your students is on the phone for you. It sounds quite urgent."

 

Kazuma blinked up at her. One of his students making an urgent phone call to him there? That could only mean... Excusing himself politely, he followed the maid back to the phone and answered it quickly.

 

"Kyo?"

 

"I was worried I wouldn't get to talk to you! " The boy breathed out desperately when he finally heard the man's voice.

 

"You didn't come." Kazuma stated, rather unnecessarily, leaning against and sliding down the wall.

 

"I-I know." Kyo fidgeted nervously on his end of the phone. It would be so bad if Yuki or Tohru woke up! He never acted like this with anyone but Kazuma. He had wanted to see the man so badly, and he wasn't sure if he had an acceptable excuse. That's why he left it at that.

 

"Akito-san and Kagura are rather displeased about that." He stated, carefully excluding his own displeasure from that little equation.

 

It saddened the red head that his Shishou wasn't among the displeased. "I don't care about them, and you know it." he murmured defensively. "The only person in that whole place I want to see is you." Kazuma's stomach squirmed unpleasantly. He wanted to tell Kyo, he really did. But he couldn't. Akito would flat out kill them both if he ever found out.

 

"Then you should have come." He stated, voice a practiced calm. "I'm leaving again as soon as Sanga-Nichi is over."

 

That hurt. "I'm sorry I didn't come Shishou. I guess, I didn't think you'd be leaving again so soon. Or else I woulda just let Yuki keep Tohru company and come." Kyo told the man soulfully.

 

"Yes, well, be patient." Kazuma ordered simply. "I told you before, you can move back to the dojo when I'm finished with my training."

 

"I hate it here." The teenager seethed quietly.

 

“I don't believe that." Kazuma stated. "If you really did, you wouldn't have stayed."

 

"I only stayed for Tohru and I could just as easily see her if I still lived at the dojo and just went to the school like Haru and Momiji." Kyo told him in a slightly hurt tone. There was nothing he wanted more right now than to move back in with Kazuma!

 

"She must be a very special girl." Kazuma stated softly. "Shigure and even Hatori speak quite fondly of her." He laughed a little. "I look forward to the day when I meet this miracle working girl." No one had ever thought that Hatori would ever speak fondly of anyone again.

 

"Yeah, She's really," He rarely (we mean rarely.) compliments anyone. "She's really kind. You'll like her."

 

"I'm sure I will." He already liked her. Anyone who could get Hatori and Kyo to open up really must have been something else. The kitten swallowed nervously for a moment before he finally got out what he'd wanted to say since he'd called.

 

"I miss you a lot. I really regret not coming now." he told his 'father' slowly. "Not that I could have said what I needed to even if I'd come. But, I still miss you."

 

"What's that?" Kazuma couldn't help but ask.

 

"That I still love you more than anyone else." The cat told him gently. Which is on odd thing coming from Kyo. "And, I'm still waiting until I'm older. Just like you said."

 

This sounded a bit naÑ—ve, even to his own ears. But it really was true.

Kazuma was quiet for a few moments, before speaking again. And, like he'd told Kyo when the boy was just a child.

 

"We'll see."

 

"I know." The red head agreed quietly.

 

"And, who knows?" The man reminded him. "By that point, you might have found someone completely different."

 

"I hope not." By now he knew why Kazuma had told him to wait. But it definitely hadn't changed his feelings.

 

"Don't limit yourself." He shook his head, even though Kyo couldn't see it. "It's bound to happen someday, and when that day comes, you'll love them ten thousand times more."

 

Kyo swallowed harshly. "Maybe." He allowed it simply because it was Shishou he was talking to.

 

After glancing around carefully, to make sure no one was listening, Kazuma murmured quietly "Don't tether yourself to an old man like me. Find that person who can really make you happy."

 

"I'm rather fond of you, old man." The red head objected. And last time he checked, Kazuma was one of the only people who made him happy at all.

 

"You're young." He reminded him.

 

The kitten snorted. "Thanks for clearing that up Shishou."

 

"My point is that you haven't explored all your options."

 

"I--I'll look Shishou. I promise." The cat murmured. "But, I don't have much time."

 

"I know," He sighed. "But, I would like for you to enjoy what time you do have." A thought along the lines of 'I would be if you would just answer me!' went through Kyo's mind. But he didn't say it. He knew Kazuma was never one to be rushed, though.

 

"I'll try." Was pretty much all he could promise.

 

"Good boy---" He paused, listening to someone on his end. "Akito-san wants me now. I'll see you sometime soon, though. Think about what I said?"

 

"I'm sorry I kept you so long." Kyo murmured apologetically. "But, yeah, I'll keep it in mind. Take care Shishou."

 

"You too." Kazuma replied before saying good-bye and hanging up. The red head stared at the phone for a good long while before hanging it up.

 

"Why didn't I just go." He muttered miserably before slinking off to his room.

 

 

 

 

A week later, after all his charges were in bed, Shigure sat in his office, talking to Hatori on the phone.

 

"Yuki-kun let her touch him." He informed the doctor after a few minutes of menial chatter.

 

"That's a rather pleasant change." The dragon commented dryly. "Isn't it."

 

"It's odd." He blinked a few times. "But, I'd say it's good. But still odd."

 

"Odd?" Hatori repeated slowly. "How so?"

 

"Think about it, Hatori." He sighed. "She's the first one he's willingly let touch him in years."

 

"Ah, well, willing, yes." Kagura and Haru tended to touch whether Yuki wanted it or not. "But, Honda-kun is rather sweet. It's not surprising that Yuki would let her get so close to him."

 

"Hmm, I suppose." He admitted. "But, you'd think that would make him more reluctant."

 

"One would think." But with Yuki you couldn't always be certain.

 

"It's cute, really." The dog murmured, remembering Yuki's expression.

 

"So what did happen exactly?" Shigure's tone was making him wonder.

 

Shigure explained about Yuki's cold, and how when Tohru had tried to take his temperature, he'd actually let her. Hatori didn't really care too much about Yuki's developments with Tohru that was Shigure's job.

 

"He's not sick is he?"

 

"I gave him medicine and sent him to bed." Shigure assured him. "He should be fine."

 

"If he gets sick, I'll kill you, Shigure." The doctor warned with all seriousness. He didn't want the weak rat sick, and between taking care of Akito he didn't have much time to be going over there.

 

"He should be fine." Shigure repeated helplessly. "It's not like there's much else I can do, is there?”

 

Ha'ri made an exasperated noise. "If he gets worse you will call me."

 

"Yes, sir." Shigure agreed in a small voice.

 

"And what about the other children Shigure?" the dragon requested the information absently.

 

"Healthy." He nodded. There was some small talk about one of Shigure's new novels, as there usually was. But it didn't last very long, and the two friends hung up shortly after. That's okay though, on to the next morning!

 

 

 

Kyo was ready for this race. He was going to kick that stupid rat's ass! He watched as Tohru and Hanajima set off with the girls, and it was just a short matter of time before the boy could go. Oh, he was so gonna beat Yuki!

 

 

And they ran, and they ran, and they ran very, very fast until Kyo ran into a jump rope, set up as a trap by one Hatsuharu Sohma.

 

Tohru got to watch horrified as, yes, the shouting began. "What the hell are you doing? I was just about to beat that damn rat!"

 

"I had to." Haru shrugged in reply. "You wouldn't have stopped otherwise, would you?"

 

"The hell!" Kyo cursed as he looked up to actually see who it was. He hadn't seen or talked to Haru since before he'd left with Kazuma. Seriously, what the hell was he doing here? And, Yuki proceeded to interrogate Haru on why he wasn't in school, and they moved under a bridge, where Haru explained to Kyo just why he was there.

 

"Look you brat, you can't just show up, interrupt my race with Yuki, and demand I fight you." The cat stated very plainly. Poor Tohru was already worried since the word 'fight' had been uttered.

 

"But, it took me three days to get here!" Haru protested, very irritated about this.

 

"Hell, that's not my fault you misdirectional cow!" Kyo shot back, equally irritated.

 

"It is!" He insisted indignantly. "I WANTED TO challenge you at New Years!"

 

"Tch," The red head made a rather disgusted noise. "Get over it, I'm not going to fight you. Just go home or something."

 

"No." Haru shook his head. "I want to fight you."

 

"Are you really so stupid that you can't understand no?"

 

Yuki winced. That was a bad nerve to hit with the ox. "Kyo," He spoke up quite suddenly. "Maybe you should just do what Haru wants?"

 

"Shut up rat boy." The cat replied, and Tohru was beginning to sweat nervously from her place next to Yuki as Kyo kept talking. "I said NO. And I meant NO."

 

WHAM! Yuki sighed and muttered, "Great. He's awakened Black Haru." As Haru himself started yammering about kittens and whining. Well, Kyo obviously wasn't going to stand for that. So the great fight we all know so well began. Tohru spluttering from the sidelines.

 

"Buh-- Buh-- Buh--"

 

"Normally Haru's a bit of a pushover." Yuki explained in exasperation at his cousins. "But, once he's snapped, he becomes an unstoppable juggernaut."

 

"Um, sounds like-like Kagura-san then." The onigiri sputtered as Haru knocked poor Kyo flat on his back.

 

"No." Yuki protested, as Haru came over and placed one hand, lifting up Yuki's chin, causing the rat to twitch slightly. "I'm saying he's much worse than Kagura."

 

"Don't just stand there watching, Yuki." Haru grinned at him. "Today you will be MINE."

 

"And just what will you do once you have me?" The older boy inquired.

 

"Dammit, you brat." A rather annoyed red headed boy cursed from behind them. "Quit fuckin' around. You started this damn fight." Haru turned around and they continued. Of course, we all know Haru. He has to talk while he fights. And of course, knowing Black Haru, he would also have to say something rather suggestive. Which of course, only serves to pisses Kyon-Kyon off. Especially since the damn ox happens to be threatening to do some not so pleasant things to his only friend. A long time ago, he would have gotten equally angry if someone had said that with Haru. But no more. Anyways! They continued their fight until.

 

The soft squeals of: "Sohma-kun? Sohma-kun?! Sohma-kun!!" Caught their attention Haru froze, and glanced over at Yuki, who was doubled over, making some vain attempts to breathe.

 

"Yuki!" He interrupted Tohru, going over. "Is it an attack?" Thinking back on it, that was a rather stupid question with a rather obvious answer. And so, options were set to get Yuki back home! As much as he hated Yuki, seeing Tohru so upset really got Kyo. So he was as helpful as he could be without injuring his pride. But once Yuki was fine he simply left to go back to school. Shigure came with the get Tohru and Yuki's things as well. The race was over, so Kyo ended up playing cards with Hanajima (more like getting his ass handed to him...) And Shigure joined them at some point.

 

 

But of course, sitting outside, in the cold, for hours playing cards got them quite sick. Poor Hatori had to be called and he was rather irate. Shigure was given many, many shots that neither Kyo nor Yuki had to suffer through.

 

"It wasn't my faaaault!" The furry creature sobbed pitifully.

 

"Yes, it was." Haru contradicted simply, from where he sat next to Tohru, watching this.

 

"I do believe I warned you Shigure!" The dragon hissed venomously. "Just last night if I recall. I told you. If he gets sick, I'll kill you." He poked something else at the dog. "You're lucky I'm just giving you shots instead." Very, very lucky. "Especially since, not only did Yuki get sick. Kyo did also."

 

"That was his own fault." Shigure protested. "And I told you last night that Yuki-kun was sick."

 

"You also said he would be fine." Hatori started to check the orange cat next to the dog. "And, you were out there with Kyo as well! Shigure, you're the 28-year-old adult. And he's the 17-year-old child. You should have known better and brought both of you home." Yeah, Shigure, and adult. (That's funny, Haa-san.)

 

"But! It's impossible to resist playing cards with Saki-chan." The dog whimpered. He was rewarded with a very dry glare from the doctor.

 

"Shigure, be quiet you hack." He broke up a little pill and pressed it into the cat's mouth, getting him to swallow. Then he held the creature out to the ox. "Hatsuharu, can you, please, put him in his room?" Tohru was with Yuki now, and Hatori wanted a moment alone with Shigure to fully torture him.

 

"Sure." Haru nodded, taking the kitten into his arms, squeezing perhaps a little more than necessary. He'd been happy he'd finally been able to meet Tohru Honda-san. Hatori had been acting, more like he had been since then. But, that didn't change the long-term grudge Haru and Kyo were holding. Lucky for him the older boy was far to into his fever at the moment to struggle, but he did protest verbally.

 

"Nah, I can go myself dammit lemme go ya... ya brat..." he began muttering from the moment he heard Hatori say 'Hatsuharu'.

 

"No." Was the only reply he got from the ox. "I'm going to exercise my interrogation rights now." He stated, once he managed to find Kyo's room. "First, why'd you run off?"

 

"What??" Kyo murmured, his fevered brain did not comprehend the question.

 

"You went training with Shihan for four months." Haru reminded him. "Why'd you leave? You could have done it at home too."

 

"Because... Shishou..." The orange cat murmured trying to think of how to explain it. "Wanted to go out there... Was his idea..."

 

“And skipping New Years?" Haru frowned to that. "That wasn't his idea. He was really upset when you didn't show up."

 

"The hell is with... this..." the kitten complained trying to squirm away. "Damn rat didn't go to New Years either.... Not buggin' him..."

 

"I already know why Yuki didn't go." Haru shrugged. He'd cornered the rat when he'd woken up for a while earlier, before falling back asleep. "But his excuse doesn't match your situation, so spill."

 

"I didn't want to go back." He told the ox moodily. "No one actually wants me there... And Tohru... Stupid girl... Woulda been here all alone..."

 

"Would have thought you'd have jumped at the chance to see Shihan for three days." Haru mused coolly. He may be in an `I Hate You' mood with Kyo, but he never had gotten over that hurt he'd felt when he was little and Kyo had told him he loved Kazuma.

 

"Sh-shut up..." The cat shivered. "I wanted to see him... You... don't know what the hell you're talking about..." Haru's fingers twitched in his lap with a subconscious desire to pet and comfort the shivering kitten before him, but he shoved that desire aside and simply muttered,

 

"I'm not stupid. I remember what you were like when we were little."

 

"I wanted to see him..." The older boy repeated mournfully. "I haven't seen him... since I came back..." His fever induced state making him a bit more honest than usual. "I miss him so much... I hate living in this stupid.... stupid house without him... and with.... damn Yuki..." Haru indulged his unconscious desires to pet the cat, but probably could have done it more gently, as his nails dug into the back of the cat's neck, eyeing the creature coldly. The kitten went a bit placid under the touch. "I called him though..." he admitted since he was on the subject. "Right after I watched the sun come up with Tohru... And she and Yuki went to bed... I went downstairs and I did call him..." It had been the only way he could think of to make up for not going.

 

"Shihan... wasn't the only one who missed you there." Haru stated, before he could think about what he was saying.

 

"I doubt that...." Ever the believer, eh Kyon-Kyon? "I doubt that... a lot..."

 

"Kagura was furious." He tried to cover it up.

 

"You still think... I care how Kagura feels..." Kyo snorted, but it got cut off as he coughed some.

 

"You should." He stated quietly. "She's stuck by you through a lot."

 

"Tch... yeah...." The cat muttered an interesting emotion getting into his tone. "Isn't it great... she sticks to me... Because in the end... She knows I'm too much of a monster for anyone else to want me... She... told me that... once..."

 

"Bitch." Haru grumbled under his breath without meaning to.

 

"I've been telling.... you that... for years...." The orange thing agreed quietly.

 

"Not true." He shook his head. "You haven't really spoken to me for years, not really, anyway."

 

"And I'm sure... you're all tore up about that..." Even when he's sick Kyo can't get over his little insecurities, can he?

 

"You really had no right to get angry with me over that."

 

"I don't... want to hear this.... again."

 

"He needed friends too, you know." He reminded Kyo, not intending to let him off the hook this time. "I don't see why that makes you feel so threatened."

 

"Is... that... what I said?" He looked groggily up at his cousin.

 

"Not in so many words."

 

"I don't remember... saying... anything... like that...." And he honestly remembered everything that had happened fairly well.

 

"Well, actually, you didn't say anything." Haru snorted darkly. "You just walked off."

 

"Exactly...." Kyo sighed. "So... don't... put words... in my mouth..."

 

"I'm not blind." Haru reminded him coolly. "When you say 'my only friend is falling in love with my rival'," He quoted, "it's not hard to figure out the threatened mindset."

 

"Oi... and I'm failing.... to see... why you care so much now..." He tried to get up so he could just leave, but his weakened body was being very uncooperative and he swayed once he did managed up to his paws. Haru tugged him over into his lap before he could die or whatever.

 

"Because you hurt my feelings, ass." He replied quite simply.

 

"Yeah... fine... whatever..." Kyo grumbled. "But you... keep bringing it up... It's been... god I don't know... but it's... stupid to bring it up.... It's too damn... late." Yeah, they did kind of hate each other now.

 

"I guess it is too high an ideal to hope things could go back to the way they were..."

 

"We're both different.... And you know it..." Which actually, wasn't saying either way to what the ox had just said.

 

"People grow, people change." He shrugged. "But... there are lots of people who grow and change and don't spend years despising each other for no particular reason."

 

"Wait..." Kyo protested. "Didn't I... Didn't I say... I didn't... want to talk about this.... again?" His fuzzled up brain was not taking the conversation well.

 

"I don't care." Haru stated. "This is the only opportunity I've had so far to ask you about it without risking being hit."

 

"I'll... kill you for it... later then..." The orange fuzz ball promised.

 

"Hm." He raised both eyebrows to that. "But, at least this way I might get some answers first."

 

"Why can't... you just shut up... I already answered some of your questions...." He was tempted to pass out in the younger boy's lap, just to spite him.

 

"Some." He agreed. "But not the one I've been asking you for years on end."

 

"Any... other person... would take... the hint... that I don't want to tell you... or maybe... I can't..." Kyo sounded almost sorry about it. But he'd spent years learning how to fully hate Haru. Just like Yuki, it wasn't going to be gone that easily.

 

"I think you can." Haru insisted, watching him carefully. "I think you just won't."

 

"I think... you don't know... what you're talking about..."

 

"Probably not." He agreed calmly. "Enlighten me, O Wise One."

 

"You'll... find out... if I don't beat Yuki..." Was all Kyo felt he could really say. Akito had told him not to mention it. Because then, Yuki might take pity on him, and lose on purpose.

 

"Huh?" The ox blinked cluelessly at him, honestly having no idea what he was talking about. He'd always just assumed it was a few pride complexes that had made Yuki and Kyo fight.

 

The kitten shook his head trying to clear his vision, but it wasn't working. "You... heard me..."

 

"I don't know what you're talking about, genius."

 

"Of... course not..." The older Sohma murmured. "None of.... you guys... should...." It was pretty much Akito, Shigure, Hatori, Shishou, and himself who knew. Out of the entire family. Akito forbade the three juunishi from saying anything. And Shishou knew that Akito wouldn't think twice about getting rid of him if he tried. So he just did his best to help Kyo.

 

"You can tell me, you know." Haru reminded him. "I won't say anything to anyone."

 

"Can't... cause.... Akito... and..." His vision suddenly got worse and he went completely limp in the ox's lap. "I feel... like crap...." Was the last thing he said before passing out right there. Haru watched him for a few moments, to make sure he was okay, before placing him in his bed and getting up to go watch Hatori inject Shigure with whatever he was using now. The dragon was really enjoying it too. He was so overworked with Akito, and he was testy from having Haru missing for so long, AND Shigure calling him over here after assuring him that everyone would be fine the night before? He had been in some serious mental anguish. Now he was paying the mutt back.

 

"You realize he's unconscious, don't you?" Haru wanted to make sure, looking at the very limp and unhappy looking dog.

 

"He'll feel it when he wakes up." Hatori assured the ox. "And I can always come back when he's awake."

 

"You don't think you might be overreacting a little?"

 

"Perhaps." Ha'ri agreed with a grim smile. "But, I'm enjoying myself."

 

"Well, that's what's important, isn't it?" The ox eyed his older cousin with some amusement, trying to get him in a good mood so that (just maybe) he wouldn't be in so much trouble himself.

 

"It also saves the rest of you from the obligatory punishment." The doctor added, finally deciding Shigure would be hurting enough and packing up his bag.

 

“Obligatory punishment?" He repeated, sweat dropping nervously.

 

"Kyo for being a bigger idiot than usual and getting sick, Yuki for not being careful, having an attack, and getting sick. And you for wandering off." Hatori elaborated. "But, I have given all your punishments to Shigure. Since a good part of it was his fault, because of his negligence with his charges.” He looked like he might smack the sleeping animal. "You, just got a free pardon, though."

 

"Thanks." He blushed a little. "And, it wasn't exactly wandering off. I knew where I was going, and I had a plan for when I got there, the traveling itself just got a little off schedule."

 

"That's a very round-about way of saying you got lost." Hatori commented. He closed his black bag with a little snap. "Well, if Kyo is all right? I can return you to the house without the traveling getting off schedule?" He changed the subject.

 

"Hm." He agreed with a nod. Kyo would be fine. Stupid ass. "Yeah, thanks." And so the ox and dragon left. Little miss Tohru had her hands full over the next few days taking care of all the sick animals too. But, when all was said and done, everyone was still alive and relatively healthy. Shigure had kept his promise; Yuki was fine when it was all over. The dog took great joy in pointing this out to Hatori, too. He was responded to with a whack to the back of the head and a 'Quiet you hack.' for pointing this out as well. It's so hard to believe these two are friends. Either way, Shigure still felt he had bragging rights, and simply grinned when he got hit.