Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ Ups and Downs ( Chapter 12 )

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

Gone Full Circle

Actual Conversation from the Authoress':

Ali: (Poor Kyo-chan u_u his masculinity has been questioned.)

Janie: {And you say this while calling him with the female honorific suffix. -_-;;}

Chapter 12: Ups and Downs

So Kyo was Haru's new caretaker. Yuki was too much of an ass to help, and Tohru simply couldn't. Leaving poor Kyo. His initial attempts at being at least civil and pleasant were in vain. Haru being raped by Akito shook him up, and made a drastic increase in his fears and insecurities. It was like all the little steps Tohru had helped him through and now he'd just taken a big step backwards. Eighteenth birthdays suddenly seemed so close, even though they were rather far away. As was graduation. And a sudden out burst in fights between Kyo and Yuki erupted. It was funny to see a bruised and bleeding Kyo taking care of a bruised and beat up Haru. On the upside, Haru's voice had finally improved enough that he felt comfortable talking again, though whatever Akito had done to his muscles still wouldn't just fix it's self! It hurt to be up, and he couldn't even manage it for very long.

"You know," Haru, commented one afternoon as Kyo was helping him with what Haru would actually let him help with. "You MIGHT want to consider just not fighting him?" No one had bothered to inform Hatsuharu of the rat's role in the cat's curse any more than they had Yuki. Kyo growled in his throat and tied off the bandage quickly before turning away. Everyone who didn't know about it kept telling him that! He couldn't just NOT. He wasn't resigning to his fate, goddamn it! "I don't get why you try so hard." Haru admitted softly, even as he squirmed under the blankets to finish apply his medicine. "I mean, I know you have your pride, but don't you think you're carrying it too far?"

"No." The cat spit. "You don't know everything." He muttered quietly, and he really thought Haru should just shut up now.

Haru frowned a little. Okay, he needed to get up now. He needed to go see Shihan and find out what the fuck Kyo was talking about.

Kazuma was surprised; he hadn't seen Haru in a while. "Hello, Hatsuharu." He greeted as usual. He really had to wonder WHY the ox was there. But Haru would tell him eventually.

"Hey, Shihan." Haru greeted in an uncomfortable tone, as he leaned heavily against the wall. "Uh--can I come in?" His legs felt like jelly and as if they might give out at any minute.

"Yes, but what are you doing out?" He asked with concern, offering the ox a

place to sit. "Last I checked with Kyo, you weren't supposed to be up for too long?"

"I needed to talk to you." Haru replied vaguely, almost collapsing into the chair. But, he did manage to keep some dignity, and do it slowly.

"About?" Kazuma prompted.

"Something Kyo said." Haru replied vaguely. "Shihan, why is it so important that he beats Yuki?" He asked bluntly, looking up at his teacher with almost childish curiosity.

"What did Kyo say?" The gray haired man wondered. They weren't supposed to talk about this little detail, at all.

"That I don't know everything." Haru quoted quite simply. He was starting to think he was right, too. Which was why he had walked all the way to Kazuma's dojo, when he was barely even able to stand up, to find the answers that seemed to be eluding him, somehow.

"Hatsuharu, we're really not supposed to talk about it." Kazuma struggled to explain.

"Shihan," His tone was a little sharper than he'd intended, so he fought to keep in a respectful voice. "I care about him too." He finally bit out. The older Sohma was quiet for a moment as he deliberated. He knew Haru cared but that didn't change the rules Akito had laid down.

"You'll have to promise not to talk to anyone about it, first." He conditioned slowly. Haru frowned, but nodded. Why was this such a big fucking secret?

"You already know that Kyo's going to be locked up when he graduates." The Shishou murmured. "But, when he was twelve, Akito made a deal with Kyo." He looked away sadly. "That if he beat Yuki before then, that he wouldn't lock him away."

Haru's eyebrows knitted together unhappily. "It really is Yuki's fault then?" He murmured, in a not-quite question, not-quite statement. "Kyo kept saying it was but--but I didn't believe him."

"Yuki doesn't know about it." Kazuma pointed out gently.

"No one told him?" That made him frown more. "He's part of something he doesn't even know about? That doesn't seem very fair to me, Shihan. He might loose on purpose... if he... knew..." Realization clicked in his brain. That was why Yuki DIDN'T know, THAT was what Akito was trying to avoid. "Oh." The gray haired man saw how it was all coming together in his cousin's mind and smiled grimly.

"Right, so don't hold their behavior against them, Hatsuharu." It really isn't their fault. "Neither Yuki or Kyo have much control over it."

"Right, yeah, I get it." He listed off, a little flatly, before changing the subject. "Can you help me up, Shihan? I need to get back before they notice I left to begin with." He admitted with a light blush.

"Yes, why don't I just drive you back?" Kazuma agreed, he didn't want Haru to walk, anyways. So, they found their way to his car and he dropped Haru off a little ways before the house, the car would definitely alert them, so Haru got to walk the short way to the house from there. And he was damn lucky he didn't end up falling down the stairs, too. Absently, he made a quick mental note to find out just what was wrong with his legs soon, as he tried to make his way toward Kyo's room, hoping it would be empty. But, alas, Fate is no such friend to our dear ox.

***

Honestly, who else would be in Kyo's room other than Kyo? The cat didn't notice him though. He was having a horribly angsty moment. His jaw hurt from where Yuki had punched him, and he had his forehead rested against the cool glass of the window. Things had been going so well since he had his beads taken. He was happy. He had his Shishou back and he finally had a friend that he really trusted. It was like a dream. And Haru's thing ripped him out of it. He hadn't even gotten to enjoy it very long. He had one year left. That was it. And despite all his training, he didn't think he could beat Yuki. Any confidence he might have had about it was smashed, and he just didn't think he could do it. He'd at least get to have his 18th birthday since it was a before graduation. But then it'd be all over. And it SUCKED. Angst just radiated out of the poor kitty. Haru could FEEL it too, but still, he tried to sneak in, hoping that--just maybe--the cat wouldn't have noticed he wasn't in the room to begin with. Maybe...? The red head saw a little movement out of the corner of his eye and it brought him out of his brooding enough to speak.

"Like no one will notice you were gone?" He muttered dryly. Right now he didn't CARE that he'd left. He was back now and Kyo hadn't had to go out and look for him or anything. So him going out was fine with Kyo.

"Well, that was the plan." Haru admitted sheepishly, dropping down to the floor, and practically dragging himself over to the bed. "Did it work?"

The cat sighed. "Yeah, since I told Tohru you were sleeping when she came looking for you."

"Thanks." Haru smiled slightly, then set about trying to snap Kyo out of whatever issue he was in. "Want to do me a HUGE favor?"

"Maybe." The red head answered flatly with a suspicious eye.

"Wanna go ask Sensei if he knows what's wrong with my legs so I can start trying to fix it?"

"Yeah, fine." Kyo agreed with a shrug. Not like he had something better to do today. He didn't have his lesson with Kazuma until tomorrow. So, he went in search of the resident pervert.

Who was in his office, actually... working!

That does seem to be the way, doesn't it? When he does actually work, someone comes to distract him.

"Yo, Shigure." The cat rapped on the wooden doorframe and peaked his head in the room.

"Yes, yes?" Shigure spoke absently, not looking up from what he was scribbling, except to glance at the web page before him that he was researching from. "Who's bleeding now?"

"No one, moron." Kyo snorted. "Haru asked me to find out what's wrong with his legs, he's gotta be bored just sitting around all the time, you know." Shigure didn't answer for a moment, as he typed something and skimmed a paragraph.

"Haa-san said it was muscle trauma." He replied finally, as he copied something down. "Like a strain, or a pull. He didn't think it was anything as serious or permanent as a rupture." Finally he glanced up from his work, capping his pen. "It'll take a while to heal, but it should do it on its own."

"How longs a while?"

"Don't know, ask Haa-san." He shrugged, looking back at his computer screen and making a small `ah hah' noise when he found what he'd been looking for.

"Eh. You're useless." Kyo muttered, going off to report his findings to his cousin.

***

"Muscle trauma?" Haru repeated, blinking helplessly when Kyo told him. He'd hung around Hatori enough to know what that meant. "Damnit, this sucks." He grumbled, frowning profusely. His feline companion shrugged and went to sit down heavily at his desk. There really wasn't anything he could do about it.

***

In his defense, he wasn't just whining, it really did suck. And it really did take quite some time. In fact, it was nearing that telltale date of graduation by the time Haru could stand on his own and walk properly again. But what was further at hand was Kyo's birthday, which had arrived. Kyo was not happy. Definitely not. In fact, the first thing he did upon waking up that morning was leave and search out Kazuma. He didn't care that he had school. He wasn't going.

Anyways, he went and found his Shishou and was dangerously close to tears. He'd been thinking far too much on the walk over. Kazuma was rather shocked to find Kyo in such a state. He told his student that he'd be right back, and exited the training room to usher his charge outside.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately.

"I'm sorry..." He apologized for interrupting with the student. "I didn't, want to... Be at Shigure's, and... so I walked over here." The cat looked away carefully. "And, it's.... only a few more weeks. I didn't... I haven't... I cant..." Poor thing was getting more upset as he spoke.

"Kyo," Kazuma tried to calm him down. "Breathe. Speak slowly."

He shook his red little head slowly and did just that. "Is it okay if I stay here today?" He finally just asked, pleadingly. "Kagura always shows up on my birthday, and I don't want to see her."

Kazuma just gave him a little look and nodded. "It's fine." He allowed. "I have a student right now, but he's my last for the morning. Go ahead to the house, I'll be there in a little while."

"Alright," The cat murmured and let his Shishou go back to what he had been doing, then heading off for the house.

***

Kazuma came before too much longer, about a half an hour, and he found Kyo without too much trouble.

"Now," He murmured, sitting down. "Why don't you tell me in complete sentences what's bothering you?"

"I still haven't beaten, Yuki." His charge tried to explain. "I don't think I can."

Kazuma's gaze darkened slightly as he wracked his brain for an answer.

"Leave." Was the only intelligent thing he could say when he tried.

The red head blinked at him. "W-what?" He waited for, maybe, some kind of elaboration.

"After your graduation comes, just leave," He explained himself. "You're eighteen now, curse or no curse, he can't hold you here any longer."

That was a good idea... Except for one little thing. "But—you—I-" he didn't want to just leave his beloved Shishou.

"Kyo, I'm asking you to do this." Kazuma guessed at what he was trying to say. "Please, just take care of yourself?" Kyo was silent. He supposed he had a few weeks to think about it. No. He didn't. He needed to decide now so he could get ready for it.

"I-i guess, I can't think of anything else." The cat murmured tearily. This all sucked. He had a possible way out now, but he was closer to tears than before.

"Kyo, please." Kazuma begged. "Don't give him the satisfaction of shoving you in that hole and locking the door."

His charge moved over to him and hugged him desperately. "I guess, I can't be... with you... either way." Eleven years of waiting, and this was how it ended? Just great.

"You can always come back." Kazuma reminded him, comfortingly. "He'll cool off and give up after a while you can come back then." Still, he hugged his boy-now-man back, not wanting to let him go. Kyo sighed unhappily and buried his face in the crook of Kazuma's neck.

"You'll come to my graduation, right?" He requested. He already had it planned. He'd just bring his bag to the graduation and leave as soon as the ceremony was over. Before then he'd just make discrete little withdraws of money every day until he had enough… It was all set, apparently.

"Wouldn't miss it."

***

And this was how Kyo intended to spend the entirety of his eighteenth birthday. He didn't care who came looking for him, he wasn't moving and he would honestly rather die than let go of Kazuma. Kazuma half considered asking Kyo to spend the night there, but refrained, and just hugged the younger until he decided to let go.

Which wasn't until much later that night. And when he did pull away he looked up with that adoring look that is quite thoroughly reserved for Kazuma.

"This has been one of my better birthdays." he mumbled out slowly.

"I'm glad." Kazuma nodded softly. It would be the last one he'd see Kyo for quite some time. He was glad it had been a good one. "What would you like for your present?"

The pretty kitty smiled charmingly. "Same as always." Well, at least he was an adult now, right? Kazuma tilted the younger's chin up and placed a slow, gentle kiss on his lips. Kyo sighed and grasped the front of Kazuma's robes as he sunk in to enjoy is present. It would have been so nice if that could have just lasted. He wouldn't mind staying in this position for the rest of forever. However, it did have to end eventually... breathing was a helpful thing.

"Happy birthday." Kazuma murmured, pulling back just a couple of inches, and he actually considered diving back down onto Kyo again, but he didn't. He just pulled back the rest of the way.

"I love you, Shishou." The cat assured him, a pretty tint on his cheeks. "Thanks, for everything."

"You're welcome."

The red head gave him a soft peck as farewell before getting up. "I had better... go... If I don't show up at the house soon... They'll figure out I'm here anyways."

"Bye," Kazuma nodded. "I'll see you soon."

***

So Kyo set a slow, very slow, pace back to the house. That really had been a pretty good birthday. He'd gotten his kiss and he'd gotten to spend the whole day in his Shishou's arms. 'Maybe I shoulda pressed my luck and asked to stay.' The feline thought as he neared the house. Haru was still in Kyo's room, when the cat returned to it. Hatori and Shigure had agreed that it might be good to keep him away from the main house for a while longer. And so, that was where the ox was staying until they could get another room set up for him--which would probably end up being the living room, when it all came down to it. The cat was sneaking carefully around the back of the house with the intent of getting in through his window. He had NO idea if Kagura was around, but he didn't want to be careless and find out either. Haru looked lazily up from the book he'd been reading, catching sight of the cat outside the window.

"Kagura-nee went home about an hour ago." He assured his cousin, once the window was actually open.

Kyo blinked, what good luck. "Okay," he murmured, hefting himself over the sill and coming in. "Did she say if she was coming back?"

"She didn't say." He shook his head a little.

"Oh well," The red head sighed. He'd be at school most of the day tomorrow (He WAS supposed to go today, but hey...) and would still probably only have to deal with her for a few hours.

"You--you spent the day with Shihan?" He assumed.

"Uh, yeah," Kyo answered, wondering why he was asking.

"Ah, well," Haru looked a little uncomfortable for a moment before continuing. "I went into town with Honda-san and Yuki earlier and," He frowned as he felt his cheeks heat up, and just grabbed a small box, tossing it over to Kyo. "Here." Kyo caught it easily, but his face burned a little as well. He wasn't sure he wanted to open it. If it were anything like that last one, he would have to kill Haru. Potentially, literally. Oh well, he sat down at his desk and started to open the box carefully. He was happy to find there weren't anymore stuffed animals. But he was surprised that someone would get him a piece of jewelry. The worst part was, it actually looked nice. It was a beaded choker with all the colors that look best with Kyo. Black, orange, red, and some dirty white color. It was a pretty pattern. He wouldn't be able to wear it to school, but he figured he could put it on now to see how it looked. Not that he had a mirror. So, he turned around to see what Haru thought.

"Ah--" Yeah, if he'd been blushing before? "I--I guess my judgment's improved then." He stammered a little, trying to avoid actually using the phrase 'it looks good on you' and get the same message across. "Wow." He added under his breath. Yeah, it'd taken him a while to pick it out too. Kyo's eyes widened at the reaction and he almost thought about taking the thing off.

"Uh, thanks." He managed out before he got up and gracefully (not) left the room `claiming' he was `starving'.

***

Yuki really almost choked when he saw Kyo, once the cat came downstairs.

"First a stuffed animal, now a necklace?" He snorted lightly, trying to keep his laughter down, if only out of principle. "Embracing your feminine side, Hm, Kyo?" Both Tohru and Shigure looked up when they heard that. Kyo's face was still tinged pink, but they really only had one thing to say:

"It looks good on him." They supplied simultaneously. Even though, this really did nothing to help Kyo. The cat flustered for a moment, unable to formulate a retort right now. Yuki really didn't have anything to say to that either. They were right but--but he COULDN'T compliment Kyo! It went against--against everything! Shigure felt inclined to smirk at Yuki. He knew the rat thought it looked good too. The dog looked up to tell his red headed housemate this, but Kyo had already disappeared.

(Good lord… it's like he gave him a dress instead of a necklace. How lame.)

"What'd they think?" The ox glanced up at him, once he came back to the room. He'd since managed to calm down. Kyo stared at him for a moment, not understanding what he was asking. But his face was blushed slightly and his fingers fiddled along with beads with irritation.

"The pervert and Tohru like it." He muttered, shrugging. HE liked it. But, he wasn't about to just go blurting that out.

"Did Yuki see it?"

"Yeah." The cat confirmed, tartly.

"What'd he say?" Haru asked with a small grin forming on his face. This would be interesting.

Kyo tried to give him a dry look, then rolled his eyes. "Why don'tcha get off your ass and go ask him?"

"I bet he liked it too." Haru mused. "Even if he didn't say it."

"Yeah, I'm sure." His sarcasm dripped dangerously. Actually, the cat didn't really give a FUCK if Yuki liked it.

Haru just snorted, shaking his head a little. "Watch it, Koneko-chan, your sarcasm's starting to ooze."

"Don't call me that." Kyo muttered absently as he headed for the window with the distinct plan to climb out and then onto the roof.

"It's January." Haru reminded him. "And cold. Don't get sick." He knew Kyo well enough to know when he wanted to go to the roof. The kitten glared death and daggers at him before plucking a jacket off the back of his chair as he walked past it.

"You spend too much time with Hatori." He grumbled as he hefted himself over the sill, and then climbed up the side of the house.

"Well... be that as it may..." He muttered, watching moodily after his cousin.

The count down until graduation began. There were probably two fights a day between Kyo and Yuki. But... Well, it was so empty for the cat. He knew he wasn't going to make it, and he didn't know why he kept suffering through the bruises and cuts. He was worried about that necklace too, it looked cool dammit! And he liked to wear it. But every time he fought Yuki he worried the stupid rat would break it. He fingered it absently even now as he was going to see Kazuma again for the first time since his birthday. He really hoped his Shishou wouldn't comment on the ridiculous amount of bruises and cuts he had. It had only been a few days, but desperation had been getting the better of him. He still didn't want to leave!

"Hello, Kyo." Kazuma greeted pleasantly. He noticed the injuries, but he didn't comment on them. He knew where they were from, it didn't matter what he thought about it. Kyo looked around carefully for other students before pretty much glomping the man with a hug.

"Hi." It was almost a soft chirp. But he really was that happy about any and all time he got to spend with the man.

"Excited about your lesson?" He teased a little, though he returned the hug regardless.

"Excited about spending time with you." The cat corrected with a smile. They broke apart so Kyo could get ready for the aforementioned lesson. He almost forgot about the necklace too, and he had to stuff it in his pocket. (Why Karate pants have pockets, I DON'T KNOW. But I have a pair that do. -Ali)

***

And so... they did they're lesson. And it went smoothly. Of course, it usually did. And then, it was over. If Kyo had been paying attention to the lesson to begin with... Never mind. Anyways! When it was all over Kyo changed and put the pretty beads back securely on his neck. Now he would be testing out another recipe he'd looked up especially for Shishou.

"It's a bitch to try and look up recipes without that damn rat showing up and making some comment about me embracing my feminine side." He sighed.

"Pardon?" Kazuma blinked, reasonably confused.

"Yuki, Momiji too actually..." The red head rolled his eyes. "Every time I try to so much as touch a cook book they ask if I'm training to be a bride, or make some comment about me acting feminine..." It was worse now that he got the necklace too. It was like Yuki was feeling threatened in his position of resident girly man. Kazuma made a vain attempt at biting back the snort just DEMANDING to surface. But... this didn't work so great, and he ended up snickering regardless. "Gah, if anyone's feminine it's Yuki..." The cat muttered in his own defense.

"Try not to worry about it too much." He requested, laughter dying down quickly enough. Kyo smiled over at him sheepishly before bringing over the food. He fiddled nervously with his necklace as he waited to see if the man thought it tasted okay. He also had to brush a long strand of hair away that was falling in his eyes. He really needed to get it cut... But he just hadn't had the will or time to....

***

The cat got to go home pleased. He vaguely considered just kissing the man before he left... But decided against it. Kazuma might not want him to... So, instead, he got to look forward to going home and maybe having a couple fights with Yuki.