Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ The Taking of the Beads ( Chapter 9 )

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

Gone Full Circle

Ali the Co-Authoress Note: The chapter title comes because this is what we referred to is as while typing it >_>;;

Chapter 9: The Taking of the Beads

"Ew." Was the first thing Kyo had muttered that morning. It was still raining. And "Ew" is what he was muttering now as they waited at the corner to go home. Tohru and Yuki were talking happily, but he just didn't have anything to say. He couldn't think of anything. He was having enough trouble just holding UP his umbrella. All the boy needs now is a visit from Kagura, huh? Well, like it or not, that's what he got. And what Shigure got out of it all was a hole in his door. Shigure got his revenge though, Kagura and Kyo were sent of on a 'date'. As were Tohru and Yuki. Actually, both couples had a fairly good time. By comparison to most times, in Kyo's case. But, when the quartet returned there was a little surprise waiting for them. Of course, Kyo was too busy squabbling with Kagura to notice it. Yuki noticed however, stopped dead in his tracks and stared in alarm at the gray haired figure standing on their porch. So sudden was his halt that Tohru actually bumped into him. (Luckily not transforming him.) The man turned when Yuki addressed him, but his attention wasn't focused on the rat, but rather an arguing Kyo and Kagura.

"Kyo." Kazuma called sharply to the red head, in that same tone he'd used when the cat was younger, to get his attention. The cat knew that voice ANYWHERE. He immediately forgot Kagura was even THERE and turned quickly to answer the call.

"Shi-shou?" He stared wide-eyed, an almost unnoticeable blush of pleasure spreading across his nose and cheeks.

"You look well, Kyo." He commented, with a small smile, momentarily ignoring his two other students and Tohru's presence.

It was lucky that Tohru interrupted. Inviting the man inside, or Kyo might have smiled, or even worse tackled the man and kissed him.

Of course, his Shishou would accept the offer to come inside he was always polite. And of course, he would have to exchange those stupid greetings with everyone else. But when Kyo finally got the man's attention back, everyone else's attention was on him too. He wasn't going to be like this in front of Yuki and bolted off to his room. Kazuma watched after the cat for a moment, before inquiring with Tohru on the location of his charge's room and following him.

"Kyo, I'm coming in." He announced with a sharp rap on the door before simply entering the room.

"I'm sorry." The red head murmured sincerely from the station he'd taken up by the window. He really was too rude. He should try and be polite like Kazuma. He was happy to see him; he should just act like it and fuck it that Yuki was there.

"You're always the same in front of Yuki." Kazuma shrugged it off, walking over and picking up a random book off the shelf. "I see you're keeping up with your reading." He changed the subject smoothly. Kyo wanted him to hush and pay attention for a little bit. And the most direct way to get that was to wheel a punch at him. It wasn't meant to hit, and it didn't. He smiled when he finally felt like he could say what he wanted to now.

"Welcome back." The blush spread quickly back over his face and his smile widened.

Kazuma returned the smile and ruffled Kyo's hair as he spoke. "I'm glad to see you too." The cat looked up at him adoringly and quickly hugged the man around the neck.

"I'm so happy you're back. Akito made it sound like you weren't ever going to come back." Yeah, his talk with Akito on his birthday had been rather un-fun.

"Akito?" Kazuma repeated with a tiny frown as he hugged the boy back.

"Ah, yeah." Kyo elaborated slowly. "He called me on my birthday to gloat."

"That sounds like him." He agreed with a nod.

"Yeah, he made me go over there too. Just so he could remind me that you weren't there and that I still hadn't beaten Yuki." The cat ran a hand through his hair, unhappily.

"Most people would have assumed you hadn't forgotten."

"Eh, it's Akito, and it just wouldn't be my birthday if I didn't get a nice dose of unhappiness from one of my family members." Kyo shrugged. It was true. Whether it was Kagura, or Haru, or some other random cousin he'd probably never met before. They always managed to make his birthday into something unpleasant.

"Mmm... You'll have a good one, eventually."

"Tccch." Kyo made a disbelieving noise. Or he'd get locked up before he did. This latter choice seeming more likely.

It was then that Kazuma noticed it. Yes! IT. "Kyo," He spoke slowly, looking over the boy's head at his still out futon. "Why do you have a stuffed cat on your pillow?"

"Ah," A slightly darker and embarrassed blush came to his face. "Haru. That was what he gave me for my birthday." He tried to explain to his Shishou.

"Really?" Kazuma blinked a little, resting his chin on Kyo's head. "I really would have thought that boy would have had more sense than that. You didn't hit him, did you?"

"I didn't want to get blood all over your kitchen."

“MY kitchen?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow. Kyo certainly had been busy while he'd been gone! Between talking with Akito and breaking into his house, and all.

"Yeah, sorry, I knew Kagura would be here and I didn't want to see her." Kyo apologized softly. "Didn't want to see Haru either, but the jerk found me."

"Oh?" That was interesting.

"Mmhmm," Kitty's eyes fell closed and he let his cheek rest fully on Kazuma's chest. "I was cooking something and he snuck up on me to give the thing to me. I get a lot of shit about it from Yuki too."

"He's been giving you trouble?" He'd been hoping they'd stop that while he was gone.

"Pfft, we don't beat each other half to death every day. Tohru would cry if we did that." the boy snorted. "But I still hate him, and he still hates me. So yeah, he gives me trouble." He gave Yuki some trouble too, but well. That wasn't what Kazuma had asked. SO there.

"And you've been behaving yourself?" He asked softly. "For the most part, anyway?" It really was too much to hope for that Kyo would just be a good boy.

He trailed off and didn't answer that. "Eh,"

"Kyo?” He really hadn't expected much more, anyway.

"Maybe not most of the time, but sometimes." The cat admitted. He could probably thank Tohru for that, Kazuma noted idly.

"I still owe you a birthday present, don't I?" Kazuma remembered a little belatedly. Kyo's head moved out from under the gray haired man's chin and his eyes opened excitedly. He hadn't honestly thought Kazuma would forget, but he hadn't been about to ask about it either.

"Only if you want to give one." He replied with a small smile.

"Tradition." He shrugged it off as. "What would you like? One wish within reason." He reminded him.

"I know the rules, Shishou." He stuck out his cute, pink tongue playfully. "And is my usual wish still within reason?" He raised one orange eyebrow and withdrew his tongue.

"It's getting less illegal." He admitted with a small nod, before adding his own twist to it this time and actually initiating the kiss. Kyo was growing up; he was getting SO close to actually being attainable that it wasn't even funny. The kitten wanted to moan out something along of lines of 'Oh god' but he refrained and just sunk in. The cat had learned a few new tricks since he was 13, and that tongue he'd just returned to it's home made it's reappearance and requested sincerely for maybe, just a little more?

Well, he was growing up, why not? Kazuma gave in, and opened his mouth to meet Kyo's tongue. He probably wouldn't have, had he known they were being watched, but he didn't, so Kyo got what he wanted.

Yes. Yes. Shigure Sohma himself raised an eyebrow from the cracked doorway. The two in the room were a bit occupied so he wasn't worried about being caught. He was still rather amazed though. Who wouldn't be? He'd come upstairs to see them in each other's arms, then Kazuma kissing Kyo, then Kyo asking for tongue and Kazuma giving it? The world began to spin in the opposite direction for a moment.

Well, either way, that kiss probably lasted a good five minutes or so, before Kazuma pulled back, panting lightly and burying his nose into Kyo's hair for a moment.

"Happy birthday." He murmured quietly.

Shigure had scampered away about three minutes in and was now quite thoroughly amused. He'd have to tell Haa-san about this later! But the cat that he would be gossiping about, was also puffing slightly against his beloved Shishou's neck.

"Thank you so much." He face was almost completely pink with unrestrained happiness. "I really do love you." the teenager added without thought. Kazuma's face fell a little, though Kyo couldn't see it. Which was probably a good thing. No matter how much he may want it, no matter how grown up Kyo got. Kazuma KNEW this wasn't right. So, he made up his mind with a small inner debate he'd been battling. He wasn't going to take Kyo home with him; like he'd said he would. The cat would be better off here. Here, with her. Eventually they did pull apart, they'd been like that for far too long already. Somebody might come up and see, that, apparently, would be bad. But they did sit together in his room, and Kyonkichi kept up his smiling.

"So now you're done training, right?"

"Yes." Kazuma nodded, smiling at him, even though he felt a sinking in his stomach. He knew what was coming next. "I can't afford to keep the dojo closed much longer anyway."

Kyo's fingers picked excitedly at the floor beneath him. "Awesome! I can go back home with you now, right?!" He felt like he might possibly pop, he'd been WAITING for this. "You did promise before you left."

"No." Kazuma replied flatly. "No, you will continue living here." It really was for the best, right?

"What?" The cat was absolutely appalled. "You're breaking your promise? It's not Akito like everyone else is it?"

"No." Kazuma shook his head a little. "I've come to the conclusion that this is the best environment for you." He took a small breath, forcing himself to continue. "Whether you coming to live with that girl is by coincidence or inevitability, it has a HEALING effect on you."

"Ah-- Shishou!" The orange cat protested. "I hate it here! It's-it's like drowning! Drowning in lukewarm water or something. It gets so bad sometimes!" He looked away, now, quite purely, unhappy. "I can't stand it sometimes. I didn't asked to be healed and I hate it here." Kazuma didn't say anything to that, simply watched him silently. He didn't believe that for a minute, but he couldn't tell Kyo that. Poor Kyo, his shoulder slumped and his head fell. He wanted... Well, he'd just said what he wanted. He could still see Tohru at school if he went back to the dojo. It was just the living with Yuki that he hated, right?

"Shihan's staying here tonight, right?" Kagura spoke up brightly later. "So am I! Shii-chan said it was okay."

"Gah! NO! GO HOME!" Kyo growled. Shishou had just left earlier. Gotten up and left. He was furious about not being able to go back to the dojo and the last thing he wanted was Kagura around. But of course, Tohru noticed none of this.

"Where should we lay out a futon for Shishou-san? Shigure-san's room maybe?" But this idea was squashed quickly because the room was a complete train wreck.

"No," Yuki declined the idea, showing the room to her. "Let's not. Definitely not." Kagura's suggestion of Kyo's room seemed much better. Tohru clapped her hands and agreed immediately. But Kyo himself was not so sure.

"Haah?! Why not make him sleep here in the living room? He's not a child!" He was lucky no one was paying attention to him because he was blushing darkly. He sweat dropped at that last thing he'd said too. No, Kazuma was definitely not a child...

"I'll go ask!" Kagura volunteered, before scampering off to go find Kazuma. Kyo continued to sweat drop as Tohru insisted that Shishou sleep in his room.

"Tonight." Kazuma spoke softly with Shigure. "I'm going to take it off tonight."

"Isn't that a little rash?" The dog suggested, not really caring too much. "What made you come to this decision so suddenly?"

"I think this girl might be able to accept him." He answered calmly. `What a liar.' Shigure thought to himself. But he didn't say it; Kazuma didn't know what he'd seen. That kiss had seemed so honest on at least one end. So, he felt he should at least offer up a little warning.

"You have no guarantee that this will work. Even if she accepts him, he might reject her." He was actually, fairly sure that would be Kyo's first reaction. "This time we might break him. He might even hate YOU, Kazuma." he looked at the other man out of the corner of his eyes. "He might not smile again. Are you still willing to risk it?" Kazuma didn't reply, simply closed his eyes painedly and leaned down over the railing of the balcony they were standing on a bit. He didn't want that to happen, but he honestly didn't see the alternative.

Later that night, when the visiting man asked for her time, Tohru cluelessly agreed. And when Kazuma brought him outside, Kyo cluelessly followed. If either of them had known what 'fun' was in store for them? Well, Kyo wouldn't come. Tohru would have. It was raining again. Kazuma knew that the weather was hard on Kyo, but he'd already made up his mind, and he wasn't going to turn back on this now. Whether he admitted it or not, Kyo NEEDED this!

"If you do not fully accept your true form soon." He spoke softly, trying to shove his guilt away. "You will never be able to progress."

"I DO accept it!" His little charge spit. "I get it, okay. My life is WORTHLESS because I was born the cat!" He was on familiar territory with this argument. "And it's the rat's fault for starting it!"

"You haven't changed." Kazuma snorted. "Are you going to continue to live that way, even now? Stopping up your ears! Closing your eyes! Is that how you want to live?" He paused, before continuing. "And is that how you want to die?" He paused before concluding with. "Completely alone?" The cat's eyes widened. Why was he doing this all of sudden? Reminding him, like he didn't already know that that was how it would be? He didn't WANT it. But as of now, he could see that was how it would be. "You said yourself." He continued to speak. "That you hate it here. But, that's not it. It's not that you hate it. It's that you're afraid. You want to run away." He continued to speak, even as he grabbed Kyo's wrist, and pulled it up. He heard Tohru walking up, and before he could loose his nerve, sent a punch just past Kyo's cheek, yanking the boy's beads off at the same time. Before he started to transform he gave Kazuma the most scared look that had ever graced his face. He could see Tohru over his beloved's shoulder and he didn't want her to see. So he ran away as soon as he could. The sweet onigiri paused for a moment, not sure what it was she'd seen, but then she realized she needed to go find Kyo. Just as Shigure predicted, he didn't want to see her. But she persisted until she had an unconscious and very soggy cat in her arms.

Kazuma felt relief wash over him when Tohru came back with Kyo. He'd stood out in the rain since they'd left, just holding Kyo's beads, waiting to see if well, if he would come back. He didn't know what he would have done if Shigure's prediction had been correct and he'd rejected her. He didn't know what he would have done if Kyo had broke.

Tohru smiled sweetly as she paused in front of Kazuma. "You and Kyo-kun both need to come inside and dry off." She giggled a little before continuing on into the house. She wasn't even really thinking about herself. Once Kazuma and Kyo were both okay she'd change her clothes and such.

"You're bleeding, Tohru-san." Kazuma felt he should point out as he followed her in.

"Oh? Oh yes. I'll go take care of that in a minute." She flustered, but still ignored it in favor of wrapping Kyo in a towel and setting the cat carefully under his covers. She got one of his robes out of his closet and set it where he could see it when he woke up. Then she was about to take care of Kazuma's wet robes, but Shigure appeared and told her to have Yuki help her with her bleeding and HE would deal with Kazuma. Silly girl! Always so worried about other people, even when she's got a large gash in her shoulder. Kazuma was sitting on Kyo's bed, absently running his fingers through the cat's wet fur, just waiting for him to change back so he could put the boy's beads back on. He didn't even notice Shigure come in until the dog spoke.

"You'll get sick like that, Kazuma-dono." He told the man, teasing just a little bit. But only a little.

"I suppose the severity of it all didn't exactly occur to me until it was over." Kazuma spoke quietly, not looking up from Kyo's still, sleeping form. "He--he could have DIED."

"Ah, but!" Shigure sounded excited for a moment and then finished flatly. "He's not."

"I don't know what I would have done if you were right, Shigure-kun." He admitted. "If it hadn't worked." `Boy oh boy, Kazuma is a worse pedophile than I am.' Shii-chan smiled in amusement at the man but kept that comment to himself.

"Best not to worry about that. It's ex post facto now."

"I suppose."

"Trust the dog on this one. And come get out of the wet robes. Haa-san will have my hide if any of you get sick, Kagura will implode if she doesn't do something useful like run everyone's clothes in the dryer and Tohru and Kyo will not want you to get sick either." He listed off carefully and said he would just lend the man one of his larger robes. Kazuma blinked slowly, but nodded, reluctantly pulling his hand away from Kyo's fur and standing up. The longer he went, the more obvious it became to him that he'd almost lost Kyo that night.

The cat didn't change back until later, and he didn't wake up at all. He was completely wiped out after all the crap he'd been through today. At least his being asleep allowed everyone else some time to just have quiet. Kazuma carefully slipped Kyo's beads back onto his wrist when he changed back, and held that hand until morning came. When Tohru came and got him for breakfast, and Kyo still wasn't awake, Kazuma decided to just leave. He wasn't sure Kyo would want to see him anyway.

No, no. That would be wrong. Very wrong. The first thing Kyo hoped for when he opened his eyes was Kazuma. And he wasn't there. It disappointed the red head, a lot. He caught sight of the beads on his wrist and a lot flooded back to him, making him jump up and grab the first clothes he saw. Then he hurried down the stairs.

"Shishou," He didn't care what Shigure was saying. "Where is he?"

"He went home." The dog told him calmly.

"WHA?!" No!

"Tohru-kun took him home."

"Wha--what did you say?" Shigure watched as the cat's eyes darkened and he bolted out the door, almost forgetting to get his shoes. Shishou couldn't just leave!

And yet he had.

"I will be fine from here." Kazuma promised Tohru from the bridge they stood by. "Thank you very much." He wasn't thanking her just for walking him, but also for saving Kyo. ALL of Kyo. Mind, body, even his very SOUL.

"Ah," The girl started nervously. "I really think you should have waited for Kyo-kun to wake up." She clasped her hands in front of her, and looked up at him imploringly. "I know it's not any of my business but," Tohru was struggling with the words to say what she thought.

"I don't know." Kazuma sighed, smiling sadly. "The reason I took Kyo in was to atone." He admitted, going on to explain about his grandfather, and almost confessing his ever-growing affection too. He didn't hear Kyo approaching. Tohru thought it was so sweet. He seemed very much like a father to her, since she completely missed the undercurrent of more than father son affection that ran through not just Kazuma but Kyo as well. She was saying this when a panting and annoyed Kyo interrupted her.

"Shishou!" He simply DEMANDED the man's attention as he closed the remaining space and insisted Kazuma tell him WHY he was just leaving like that! Kazuma dodged the angry punches expertly, but finally, instinct got the better of him, and he ended up retaliating. His eyes widened when he realized what he'd done. He really hadn't meant to hit too hard.

"Kyo," He murmured apologetically.

"What was it?" He barely even noticed getting hit. "Did you think I'd get MAD? Or--" His voice dripped into its sincerest and worried tone. "Are you--are you sick of me? All I ever do is cause you trouble." It was true! He even went on to apologize again and elaborate further. But then came what he wanted to say. "Someday I'll be the kind of guy who's worthy of calling you--" A widening of Kazuma's eyes and a glance at Tohru made him immediately change what he was saying even though the L of lover had already been off his tongue. "My dad!!" He finished with a punch for punctuation. Kazuma barely hid the disappointment. He'd been hoping Kyo would have said… But, no, it was better this way. Better that he was OVER him, and hopefully for good. A quick head-butt/toss had Kyo slamming into a fence a moment later.

"You're still," He muttered, straightening up. "My troublesome son. Kyo." He finished with an only somewhat forced smile. A blush spread across the feline's face, and he really wanted to say his love. But he'd traumatized Tohru enough for a few days.

"Th--that's no reason to throw me." He murmured, getting up and looking, yet again, adoringly at his Shishou even though there were tears trying to group at the corner of his eyes. Tohru was at loss to all that was going on between them until Kyo suddenly turned to her. "See!? Didn't I tell you!" A grin spread on his face. "My Shishou is the strongest." She babbled out something, and Kyo was as usual amazed by her lack of a brain.

"Kyo," Kazuma interrupted finally. "I'll see you for your lesson tomorrow." He decided with a polite nod to Tohru, before simply walking off. He really DID need to get home.

The next day, things were mostly back to the way they were. Shigure teased, Kyo shouted, and Yuki made condescending comments while Tohru sweat dropped. And as usual, once the children left for school all was quiet. Or, not. Since, Ayame appeared at Shigure's door with a gift that he wanted to give Yuki when he got back from school. They stored that away in the fridge, and until that time they opted to go bother Hatori for a few hours, until school would be out and they could bother Yuki.

They were knocking constantly at the door because they KNEW the dragon was in there, and he also knew WHOM it was knocking at his door. It really did take a good five minutes of internal struggling before he eventually opened the door for his `friends'.

"Tori-san!" Ayame crooned and dragged the man off to the couch, leaving Shigure to shut the door.

“Why are you two here?” Hatori looked to the mutt when Ayame FINALLY went off to make tea.

“Visiting, Haa-san.” Shigure smiled. “And I have some fun gossip.”

“You're worse than maids around here, Shigure.” The doctor sighed. It was silent for the duration of Ayame's tea making trip, since Shigure was saving his gossip for later. The snake was sweet enough to hand out tea for everyone, and then latch onto Hatori's arm. “Ayame, you'll make me spill this.” The dragon murmured, but Aaya was definitely not listening.

“Anything interesting happen lately?” He cooed excitedly.

“Kazuma's back, and Akito has been well for a grand total of three days. I'm sure something will be wrong when I go to see him later though.” Tori muttered around his cup.

“So bitter, Haa-san.” Shigure teased and Hatori whispered an annoyed little `You would be too'

“I didn't know Kazuma-dono was back.” Ayame interrupted.

“I did.” Shigure beamed. “And something interesting did indeed happen!”

“Oh?”

“Why, yes. He came to the house.” The dog paused to drink some tea, leaving the others waiting for an explanation. “Well, Kyo-kun stormed off because he didn't want Yuki-kun around while he was talking to Kazuma-dono.”

Ayame rolled his eyes to that. “Kyonkichi is so touchy.”

“Anyways.” Shigure chuckled. “Kazuma-dono went after him obviously and they were gone for a very long time. So as not to bother Tohru-kun,” It sounded like Shigure was almost trying to be helpful, but that just couldn't be. “I went to find them.” He stopped and his friends eyed him suspiciously.

“And?” Hatori really was wondering if this story even HAD a point.

“I think a demonstration is in order!” The dog announced, setting down his cup and standing up. “Aaya, would you care to assist me?”

“Sure?” the snake blinked in confusion, but got up as well. After some whispering in Ayame's ear, Shii-chan turned back to Hatori.

“Now, imagine I'm Kazuma-dono and Aaya is Kyo-kun.” With that, they got into the embraced position their cousins had been in and Shigure kissed the shorter man. All responses were according to the situation. And apparently this was a very good reenactment because it lasted the five minutes Kyo and Kazuma's had.

“Shigure.” Hatori stated dryly when they broke apart. “I think you were just looking for an excuse to kiss Ayame.”

“Well, yes.” Shigure snorted as they took their seats again. “But I really did catch Kazuma-dono and Kyo-kun kissing. Just like that.”

“Really?” The doctor blinked.

“Mmhmmm.” The dog snickered. “They were a bit busy, so I don't think they I know I saw.”

“Gure-san! Naughty, naughty! Spying on their special moment.” Aaya admonished.

“So, Kazuma kissed Kyo?” Hatori wanted to confirm.

“Mmhmm, and the Kyo-kun was the one to ask for the tongue.” The dog sighed dreamily. “I didn't think the boy would know how to kiss like that!” That was very interesting, Hatori noted with some actual mild interest, though, he didn't comment much further than just that.

"Interesting." He murmured softly.

"It was rather cute." The dog noted. "Since some conversation with Kazuma-dono proved him to be rather amorous, shall we say." Ayame gave him an odd look and he continued. "I don't know about Kyo-kun though. We all know he loves Kazuma-dono, but perhaps not like that."

"I think it's fairly obvious how he loves him, if it was Kyo who pushed for the tongue." Hatori commented, allowing his stoic persona to slip in favor of showing actual interest in the subject.

"Maybe, maybe." Shigure snorted. "But there is always the adolescent confusion to take into account when you're dealing with Kyo-kun."

"Fair enough." The doctor allowed with a small nod.

"Haa-san, has Akito-san mentioned anything about Kyo-kun yet?" He imagined, Akito-san, without knowing what had happened after the taking of the beads, would want to gloat about it.

"I haven't been to see him yet today." Hatori shook his head to the negative.

"Hmm, well, don't ruin his fun, he probably assumes Kyo-kun is gone right now." Shigure smiled a little.

"Why do you say that?"

"Kazuma-dono took his beads a few nights ago." The mutt shrugged. "And Tohru-kun went out and saved him." Ayame's eyes widened. They'd risked poor Tohru? How rude!

"Honda-kun did?" Hatori frown a little. Like Ayame, he thought that was very poor judgment on both Shigure and Kazuma's parts. What if something had gone wrong? Both Kyo and Tohru could have been left with some pretty major psychological damage.

"Yep." Shigure smiled. "Everyone's fine though. Really. Actually, the one who was the most shook up after it was Kazuma-dono."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Hatori admitted, raising his eyebrows. "Did he stop to consider what might have happened if she HADN'T gone after Kyo?"

"I asked him before hand." His smaller friend nodded. "He SAID he'd considered it, but his reaction afterwards suggested otherwise."

"It probably didn't fully occur to him until it was over."

"Probably, but it was rather cute to see him watching Kyo-kun all night." Shigure snickered. It really had been adorable.

"All night?" Hatori twitched a little. "I'll kill you if you let him get sick while he was in YOUR house, Shigure."

"No, no." The dog cringed back a little. "No ones sick! The worst anyone got was a small... well maybe... not small... gash in their.... shoulder?"

"What?" He twitched again. Injuries were almost as bad as getting sick, sometimes worse. "Who?"

"Tohru-kun." Shigure sweat dropped. "But Yuki-kun took care of it. Really, Haa-san! Everyone's fine." Hatori made a disbelieving noise, but didn't push the matter any further. He trusted Yuki to take care of Tohru, even if he didn't extend the same trust toward Shigure.

"You have no faith at all." His friend cried dramatically.

"Not in you, I don't."

"Hmph." Shii-chan snorted. "Well, I guess the only other news is, Kyo will be around for his lessons with Kazuma-dono now. Three times a week. I'm surprised the man didn't push for more." Dirty old pedophile.

"Now who doesn't have faith in someone?" Hatori countered with teasingly.

"He's a bigger pedophile than us. I think I'm allowed." Shigure murmured.

Ayame rolled his eyes in response to that. "No, Gure-san. No one is a bigger pedophile than you." he corrected his friend.

`Who is this 'us' you speak of?' The dragon considered questioning, but he already knew and simply held his tongue. No, he couldn't comment on that anymore. No more commenting for poor Hatori on Shigure's pedophilia.