Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Gone Full Circle ❯ Light Bulb ON! ( Chapter 18 )

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

GONE FULL CIRCLE

Chapter 18: Light Bulb ON!

Elsewhere, Hatori decided that since Kyo was apparently at Kazuma's, now might be his only chance to catch Hatsuharu in his room. So he went to go look and hopefully talk to the love struck ox.

Haru was in his room, scribbling furiously in a notebook, but he glanced up and shut it when Hatori knocked on his door.

"It's open!" He called in reply, but those words in that order felt a little alien on his tongue, after having it locked for so long.

"You're actually here," The dragon blinked. He'd had about a 50/50 chance of that happening. "Hmm, well. Hello, Hatsuharu." he smiled just a little. "I came to see some proof that you're still doing better."

"Proof?" Haru blinked, cocking his head a little. "Were you afraid I was going to blow something up?"

"Potentially." Hatori nodded, and he didn't mean physically.

"Mm... Well, no bombs here." he grinned lightly at his older cousin. "They're all in Momiji's room." He added jokingly.

"That's only slightly unsettling." The dragon murmured. "Speaking of unsettling, I have a little advice to offer you." he gave Haru a very pointed look. "You may want to give Kyo some space. He's not going to run off, really, and you're bordering on stalking."

"Stalking?" Haru repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Tori-nii, I'm not stalking him. I just love him. I want to be with him every minute of every day. Not stalking at all."

"I understand that, Hatsuharu." Ha'ri told him with a shrug. "But, I think you know how Kyo is. He can't be appreciating it." Haru just blinked, unaffected by Hatori's comment, and he changed the subject smoothly, stretching a little as he spoke.

"I bought him a really pretty ring."

Hatori shook his head in exasperation. "I hope he liked it. But, Hatsuharu. Please. Do yourself and Kyo a favor, and don't go over there at unreasonable times?"

"Like?" He blinked, getting back into a comfortable position. Not like he could, anyway. Kyo hadn't given him a key.

"Early and the morning and late at night." The dragon elaborated. "It really will be to your advantage, Hatsuharu. I promise."

"He didn't give me a key, anyway." He shrugged a bit.

"For some reason, I didn't think that would stop you."

"Tori-nii..." Haru stared at him for a minute. "He's on the ninth floor. It'd be a bit hard to climb, don't you think?" Hatori wouldn't have put it past him. But he just shook his head, mildly amused before turning. 'Well, you're all right, and I've given you my advice. I'll see you later Hatsuharu.' was all he offered as he headed back to his own house.

Well, as time went on, it was impossible for anyone who wasn't absolutely around him constantly to notice any change in the functions of Haru's brain or sanity, positive, negative, or otherwise. But, Hatsuharu himself was noticing something all right, but it wasn't himself he was noticing it in.

It was Kyo.

There was a rather distinct lessening in Kyo's `difficultness', and though it became a more subtle and steady lessening, the ox still noticed it. This was probably how he ended up in Kyo's apartment on a particularly rainy day, where as beforehand, the cat probably would have slammed the door in his face, or completely ignored it all together. Kyo was blaming it on the rain, but he wasn't going to waste the effort slamming the door, and he didn't want to listen to the ox knocking on his door either. So, he just got up, opened it and fell back down onto his futon tiredly. It was raining; he felt like crap and honestly, he'd need his energy for work later.

"Hi." Haru greeted the tired thing, shutting the door behind him, leaving his shoes and coat by it.

"Mmm... Hi..." The cat murmured, vaguely thinking about getting up and finding something caffeinated. Or maybe, he could get Haru to do it? Or maybe he could just fall back asleep.

"It's raining." Haru noted unnecessarily, though that was mostly self-musing as he turned his full attention back to Kyo. "Do you want caffeine?"

"Please," The red head mewled helplessly from the floor of his bedroom.

"Right. Hang on." Again, it was probably unnecessary, but Haru still said it before heading off for the kitchen, once the coffee was made, he brought it back and waited for Kyo to sit up. When this didn't work so well, he sat behind him to help keep him up right as he handed the coffee over, claiming he didn't want him to choke.

"God, thank you." The feline purred out happily as he drank down the juice that would probably be giving him all his life today. He leaned comfortably against Haru, even once the coffee was gone, he wouldn't have the will to move until the caffeine began to do it's job. Haru just kept his arms wrapped around Kyo's shoulders. Obedient to Hatori's advice, he hadn't pulled any great Romeo and Juliet stunts on the ninth floor balcony, though he still had some rather impossible plans swimming around in his mind. Plans he would probably never act on but were fun to think about.

"Haru, I need to pick up this futon before I pass out again, or it'll never get done." Kitty murmured once he finally felt some stirrings of energy and sitting up on his own. This plan would involve both of them moving, since they were sitting on it and all.

"Nnmm." Haru shook his head a bit. "Nope. I'll do it." He volunteered, moving Kyo off of it, before rolling it up and putting it away in the closet he knew it went in from watching Kyo put it there before. Kyo crawled off onto his small couch while he did that. Then just waited for Haru to come and sit with him before curling up against the ox's side. His body didn't feel like it was made of really have metal anymore... But he still didn't feel like doing anything either.

"If.... I fall asleep, do me a favor and stay... I might.... miss work if someone isn't here to wake me up..." He requested.

"You're always the one who tells me to go," Haru pointed out simply. "I haven't just left of my own will." It sounded cheesy, but Haru honestly didn't care. Kyo was half asleep anyway; odds were he'd never remember it.

"Okay..." The red head murmured before falling all the way asleep, his head resting tiredly on the ox's shoulder. And it was damn cute.

True to his word, Haru woke Kyo back up in time for the cat to leave to get to work on time.

The next day, it was still raining. And, Haru did NOT have a good trip over to Kyo's apartment that day. He almost got ran over, twice, and got rather wet in the process of not dying. So, it was rather needless to say that he was just a LITTLE Black by the time he arrived. Of course, kitty-cat didn't notice this at all. Unlike the previous day he knew it would be raining, so he made sure to get awake earlier, and he was just waiting for coffee, so he could finish his resurrection to the land of the living, when the ox appeared.

"Hi..." he murmured, just barely capable of speech at this early hour of the rainy day.

"Hn." He nodded moodily. See, Black still didn't particularly like Kyo, so he had no problem being rude to him. "Do you have any coffee on yet, or should I do that?"

"It's almost ready..." Some eagerness oozed into the feline's tone as he shuffled back over to his kitchen to watch the steady dripping of the liquid. He looked like a child, bent over the counter, his chin resting on folded arms as his eyes followed each drip.

"Koneko-chan, do you have any pants I can borrow?" Haru called from the living room, examining his own wet ones sourly.

"Hmmm..." The older man hadn't noticed that Haru was soggy to begin with. But he called softly over his shoulder anyways. "You're taller you know... my pants might not fit..."

"They'll be dry." He called back simply.

"Mmm, okay... I think... there are some in the dryer..." Kyo wasn't certain about that. Most of his brain was still on coffee.

"God bless you." He replied, wandering off to go find this alleged dryer with those supposed pants. The cat was curled up on his couch happily drinking that coffee when Haru returned. He looked ridiculous in Kyo's pants, but he was the one who wanted them. So the other just smiled at him a little from behind his coffee cup. "Ah, yeah, your clothes are in the basket." Haru explained, throwing himself down next to Kyo. "I borrowed your dryer for mine."

"Why... are you all wet... to begin with?" The red head murmured absently. "You didn't... walk over here without an umbrella, did you?"

"Mmm... It was my personal attempt at not dying via getting run over by a semi." Haru replied simply, messaging his temples against his headache, which was just blossoming splendidly. Kyo blinked sleepily at him before getting up and heading back for his kitchen.

"Mmm, sorry to hear that... I'll get you some aspirin and... Stuff." He managed out. He wanted more coffee too. Black watched after him for a moment, before getting up himself and following the tired creature into the kitchen, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around Kyo's waist.

"It's cute." He commented, resting his chin on Kyo's shoulder. "You're going to make SUCH a good little housewife for him someday when he works up the nerve to actually propose to you..."

"Ah..." The cat looked over at him worriedly. It was just then clicking that this was not White. "I didn't know it was you..." he murmured, too distracted by the arms on his waist to care what else Black was saying.

"Mmhmm." He nodded, licking lightly at the elder's neck.

"Don't do that..." Kyo titled his head away, which, in retrospect, was not the best thing to do since it only exposed more of his neck.

"Oh? Why not?" He pouted a little, whispering into his ear what he said next. "You're such a horribly pretty kitten, it'd be a real crime to not show you that." The feline squirmed in his grasp, but not only was he too tired, he was pressed up against the counter, limiting his movement severely.

"You don't need to show me..." The cat assured him, a sort of nervous anger coming through in his tone.

"You said you slept with Shihan," Black mused, sort of changing the subject. "But, he's not the one you're supposed to be with. Perhaps I should help you make up for that?"

"Supposed to be with?" Kyo repeated, glaring at him with as much emotion as he could currently muster. "Who are you... to decide who I'm supposed to be with?"

"You CAN'T be with Shihan." Haru pointed out to him. "He'll never allow it. And you also know that silly White Haru of yours, for whatever it's worth, would go to Hell and back on an unsaddled donkey for you!" He scowled a bit; still rather put out about his other half's whole being in love thing. "Don't you think it's foolish to cling to what you can never have, when you have something just as good--maybe better--staring you in the face?"

"Don't you think... that sounds like I'd be settling for him?" Kyo murmured, his eyes finding a nice place on the counter to stay rooted. "And that's what it would be."

"I think that he suffered needlessly for years because of you--because he was too stupid to let go of what he COULDN'T have." He was practically glaring a hole in Kyo's neck, and he wondered if the cat could feel it. He could. "And I know that he doesn't want you to do the same thing--and neither does Shihan."

"What about you..." The red head wondered idly at black's hypocrisy. Anyone with half a brain knew about how both halves of Haru had had so much trouble getting over Rin, if at all.

"What about me?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at Kyo's question.

"I was just thinking you're a hypocrite..." Kyo told him quietly.

"Wrong." Haru protested with a dark look. "I HAVE given up."

"Oh?" The cat looked at him, eyes half-lidded tiredly.

He growled a little and released Kyo, backing up a step or two. "I know Rin and I aren't going to get back together," He insisted, glaring half-heartedly at his cousin. "And I stopped trying to a long time ago. If you have a better definition of 'giving up', please, I'd love to hear it." Kyo shook his head, negatively, as he returned to getting the coffee and reaching up into the cabinet by the sink for aspirin. He had successfully gotten the topic off himself, and hoped that Black wouldn't start it up again. "I think you're just a coward." Yeah, Black, give up on an argument. Good luck with that. "You're too WEAK to get over Shihan."

"How do you figure that one?" The feline wondered, setting Black's coffee and aspirin over to one side of the counter as he started to drink his own.

"If you weren't, wouldn't you have given up the first twelve times he told you no?"

Kyo pursed his lips tightly. "Seriously. What do you want from me?" He wondered, frustration leaking through. "I did… what you said last time I talked to you. What else do you want?"

"I want you to--" He cut himself off, and tried another approach. "Do you know what it's like to have his emotions in your head? It's like an echo. I don't give a rats ass about either of you, I just don't want to have to hurt because you've decided to make him miserable."

The look on Kyo's face suggested that had actually hurt him. "I didn't... decide to make him miserable."

"Then try harder." He ordered. "And keep up your pretending. I don't want to die because you're a bad actor."

"Yeah... fine..." Kyo agreed quietly.

"Good." He nodded, taking his aspirin and a long drought of coffee as the dryer buzzed to signal the cycle end. "Damn, I need alcohol." He complained, going to go get his pants out. He'd have to go see if Rin wanted to go out that night. The red head set his coffee cup into the sink and relocated to the couch. He turned his little TV on as something to distract him, and keep him awake; if he fell asleep he'd miss work. And he hoped Black would leave on his own and he wouldn't have to summon up the strength to get rough with him, so he wouldn't be able to rely on him to help him reawaken. Well, Black did leave. Once his pants were on, Black let a very, very confused White back out.

"Oh... lord..." The poor, lost creature almost whimpered. "Where am I and how did I get here...?" Kyo was startled to hear the much more pleasant voice of White and stumbled off the couch to retrieve the ox. He blinked tiredly at him when he found him in his tiny excuse for a laundry room. "Oh..." Haru blinked at him, before starting off with, "Whatever he said or did, I'm sure I'm really, really sorry!" The cat looked about ready to cry and quickly moved forward the rest of the way, locking his arms around Haru's neck and hiding his face in the other's shoulder.

"Shut up..." He muttered unhappily. He knew it wasn't White's fault for fucks sake. Haru was quite red when he got hugged. He, honestly, wasn't too used to it.

"Ah--yeah, okay..." He agreed with a small nod.

"I'm so tired..." Kyo whimpered. Physically from the rain, mentally from that asshole Black, and emotionally just from pretending to give a fuck about Haru when he'd rather be seducing Kazuma. But he didn't need to voice any of that; he just leaned heavily against the ox for support.

"Then why are you up?" The ox asked instantly. "I could have found my way to your living room… eventually..." Kyo grabbed one of his hands and tugged him half-heartedly out to the living room. He set the other carefully onto the couch and then curled up, practically in his lap before falling asleep right there. It had already been a stretch to stay awake that long.

As months went by, Kyo forced himself to relax more and more. He didn't want any more dealings with Black than he had to have. He didn't go to see Kazuma very often now... Since that would make it that much harder. But tonight we rejoin them on Haru's birthday. The cat was nervous about his gift... He hadn't had much money, and even if he had he wouldn't have had any idea what to buy (not that Haru left him much time to go buy things to begin with, but hey...) and this was all he could think of. He knew the ox would adore it too. So for once, he invited Haru over. It wasn't unusual for them to spend the day together, but that wasn't it to begin with. It got out of the usual routine when Kyo asked him to stay for dinner. It honestly took all of Haru's will power to not bounce and squeal like a giddy high school girl when he heard that. But, he managed, and simply nodded excitedly. The red head was fairly quiet as he went about making the food. He had remembered something he knew Haru liked and chosen it for the other man's birthday dinner. It was unnerving to the kitty how late it already was... He was beginning to wonder if he'd even manage to give the ox his actual gift... He was beginning to think he might choke and weasel out of it.

"This is wonderful." Haru all but drooled, when the food was prepared and served, as he ate.

Great! He felt sick now. The cat was really glad he'd chosen not to eat, and just sat with his elbows propped up and his chin resting in his hands. He'd switched shifts with someone at work to do this for Haru. He knew the idiot would appreciate it too.

Well, the hour only continued to get later and Kyo cleaned up the dishes and herded the cow over to the couch. Snuggling up with him there and letting him find something he wanted to watch. As time ticked by Kyo was dozing lightly on Haru's shoulder. That made Haru content enough, as he was just snuggling up against him, holding his older cousin close as he watched the movie that they'd found. This was the best birthday he could remember... It was probably midnight when the credits decided to roll for that movie. Kyo had slept through most of it and hadn't paid attention to the last half. Now he was just wondering how to offer his gift to Haru.

"I should... probably tell you about your present now..." The red head murmured, sitting up and nervously sifting a hand through his hair. "Well... you... get a night of sleeping here with me..." He finally got out.

"Eh?" Haru blinked, a blush spreading across his face, though he did look quite delighted about it too. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Kyo confirmed carefully. He was just barely beating back his own blush.

"T-thank you!" Haru actually did something like a squeal this time, as he threw himself forward, throwing his arms gratefully around Kyo's neck. "You put my gift to shame!"

His cousin ran his thumb over the ring, which was still on his finger. "I don't know about that." He murmured slowly.

"Nnmm." He shook his head against Kyo's neck. "You don't have a clue how happy you've made me."

"Right... " The cat agreed, with a slight yawn. Well, now we know how Haru and Kyo ended up in the futon together then. Don't we?

"You're wonderful." Haru murmured around a yawn of his own later that night, his arms wrapped around Kyo's neck again, as he snuggled close. "This has been such a great day." His feline cousin made an amused noise. Now that he'd gotten the actual giving of the gift out of the way he felt much better and was quite prepared to sleep. Haru just smiled to the noise, and asked softly, before he'd let either one of them sleep. "Kyo... can I kiss you?" He asked softly. "Please?" The red head blinked at him helplessly. He would have liked to say no, but they were already spending the night together. If anything a kiss was LESS weird than that.

"All right." He finally agreed after a few moments. Haru smiled again and pushed himself to gently meet Kyo's lips, smiling wider against them. Yeah, this really was a great birthday. He'd have to brag about this to Rin next time he saw her. And she'd said Kyo wouldn't react the way he wanted him to! As this went on, Kyo idly thought about when the last time he'd done this was. It was with Kazuma wasn't it? He was pretty sure. Oh well, at least Haru wasn't groping and or tonguing him.

"Thank you." Haru breathed, pulling back and snuggling down close to him.

***

It happened when Kyo was coming home from work a few weeks later. He found Haru sitting outside his door. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but it was the first time since Haru had slept over.

"Haru, how long have you been out here?" he murmured, starting to unlock the door as he spoke to the ox.

"I don't know." Haru shrugged a little, standing up. "I don't have a watch. Probably about an hour. Give or take."

"Mmm," The cat murmured, heading back towards his bedroom. "I have to shower,” he declared quietly. "I'll be back in a little while." He did smell like Italian food and all. Haru nodded, and just sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, with the intention of finding something to occupy himself until Kyo came back. When the red head did come back he was out of his work clothes and his hair was down to dry. He found his cousin in his rather small living room and went over to him. The cat pretty much crawled into his lap. Then he held something out to Haru, almost right under his nose.

"Mmm?" Haru blinked, going a bit cross-eyed as he tried to focus on the item. "What's this?" He asked, plucking it out of Kyo's grasp with one hand, while the other arm encircled his older cousin, almost automatically to keep him from falling.

"Key." Kyo told him simply. "It's stupid for you to sit outside.” He frowned a little, wondering why he hadn't given the thing to Haru before.

"Thanks!" Haru blinked, a small smile spreading across his face. "I promise not to come over and stare at you at two in the morning again." He added with a small blush, remembering.

"Good, because that was creepy." The red head murmured, letting his forehead rest against Haru's with a small smile. He brushed his hair behind his ear as it tried to fall into their faces.

"I love you." Haru repeated with a full smile of his own now, pulling Kyo closer to him.

"I couldn't tell." The cat taunted him slightly. He'd heard that from the ox's mouth so many times.

"Meh, I like saying it to you," He shrugged. "I like feeling this way about you."

'At least I can hear him admit it... I never got that from Shishou even though I knew it was there.' Kyo thought absently. Once he realized he'd thought it though, he was shocked. His fingers stopped their idle brushing in Haru's dark roots and he stared at the ox.

`Don't you think it's foolish to cling to what you can never have when you have something just as good--maybe better--staring you in the face?'

"What?" Haru blinked, a bit confused by the look on his older cousin's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." The older man told him quickly. "Nothing!"

"You sure?" He asked with a concerned look. "You can tell me, you know. You can tell me anything."

"Hush." Kyo told him stiffly, resuming the gentle sifting through the other's hair. "It's nothing."

***

He knew Kyo wouldn't be home yet, a week later, yet Haru was still going over there. His key was already in his hand as he went. Kagura was being a royal bitch for whatever reason, and he was very irritated, very Black, and very, very not wanting to stay on the grounds at the moment. So, he'd decided to go wait for Kyo in his home. Maybe he could talk the kitty into playing with him a little.

The cat wasn't surprised to see Haru in his house when he got home. Since he'd given the key to the ox weeks ago it would actually have been weirder for him NOT to be there.

"Hey," He greeted, getting off his shoes and coat. "I'll be back after I wash the stench of Italian food off me." Yes, after cooking it nearly everyday for hours on end, he was beginning not to like it.

"Fine." He agreed, flipping the channel up again on the TV. Kyo returned later, flopping listlessly down next to the ox as he ran a hand through his soggy hair. Further examination made him regret that though.

"... Why are you here?"

"Cause I didn't feel like being nagged by Kagura for your address?" He offered with a raised an eyebrow. "Who were you expecting?"

"Not you." The red head blinked. "I figured you would have gone to bug someone you, I don't know, actually like?" He never understood it when Black would show up here. He didn't understand, and he most definitely didn't like it.

"I'm not here to bug you." He shrugged. "He's sleeping, I'm here to congratulate you--or, maybe thank, and I'm not quite sure, yet."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." His cousin shook his head as he got up to get something to drink.

"You've done a good job making him happy lately, Koneko-chan." He called after him, getting up to follow him. "You won't have to worry about my being on your case unless you do something stupid."

"I wasn't worried to begin with." Kyo corrected. "You don't scare me or anything, since, I know I could kick your ass."

"Mmm... Probably." He shrugged a bit. "Again, though, I'm not here to nag."

"So why are you here? You could have just beaten Kagura up you know." The cat rolled his eyes, reaching into his little fridge for a drink. "You've never had a problem with doing that before."

"I told you, he's asleep." He shrugged again. "I came out because I thought it might be unsettling for you to come home and see your boyfriend in a coma."

"Boyfriend?" Kyo repeated, raising an eyebrow as he hopped up to sit on his counter and look at Haru.

"He certainly seems to think so." He nodded with a devious smirk. "Besides, it's not hard to tell who wears the dress in this relationship, Koneko-chan."

The feline narrowed his eyes at the ox. "Tch, it's not like I'm that feminine."

"Pfft." Haru snorted. "All you're missing are some knockers and a skirt."

"Oi," Kyo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I should go ask Ayame for help so I can complete my image, huh?" Sarcasm, it oozes.

"He WOULD too!" Haru snickered helplessly. Oh, the image of Ayame fitting Kyo for a dress was just too much...!

The red head made a disgusted noise. "You'd love that too, wouldn't you..."

"Well, you would make a pretty girl." He admitted with a lecherous grin.

Kyo hopped down from the counter and went to give Haru a dry, angry stare. "You don't like me as a boy?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you think that?" He questioned simply.

"You do tend to go on about how pretty, and feminine I am." The cat explained. "It follows some logic to think so."

“Bah, I'm allowed to be bi if I want." He pointed out with another snort.

"Mmm, okay, good." Kyo's look turned sly as he pulled the stupid, taller ox down to him and kissed him. He'd been contemplating doing this for the past few days, and now seemed as good a time as any.

"Mmm...!" Haru moaned, impressed by the kiss, returning it hastily. So the kitty did like to play? The kiss got a bit... hotter than Kyo had first intended... But hey, he wasn't exactly complaining either. When they came apart again the cat's cheeks were tinged pink and he carefully licked his lips in between shallow puffs of breath. "You're good at that..." Haru commented, blinking a few times.

"Eh, that's what going to college is good for." The feline shrugged.

"You really would make a good housewife." Haru commented, a bit dryly.

"That would involve having a husband to match that wife you know." Kyo muttered, rolling his eyes.

"I don't think he'd argue."

"And you can at least stand me?" The cat asked with a raised eyebrow.

"As long as you don't run off and reduce him to a sniveling heap of misery again," He nodded with a shrug.

"Sniveling heap of misery?" Kyo laughed. "No, that... wasn't the plan."

"It's the best way to phrase it." He waved it off. "And, in that case, we can probably work something out."

"'Kay..." The kitty gave him a light kiss before turning and returning to the drink he'd left on the counter. "Thanks."

"You're a lot more agreeable than the last time I saw you." Black commented, with a raised eyebrow. "Why the change, Kitty Cat?"

"I thought of a few things." Kyo confessed, blushing very darkly.

"Such as?"

"He actually... says he loves me..." That sounded stupid, even to him. Like he had just realized it. "It didn't really seem like anything until recently." he tried to explain it to himself and Black.

"I told you MONTHS ago to think about what you could have!" Haru pointed out with an amused look. "And, yeah, he does. A lot."

"Better late than never?" Kyo suggested helplessly.

"Yeah," He agreed with a shrug. "Hey, I can wake him up if you'd rather talk to him."

"Mmm, you're not being an ass for once, I'm sad to see you go... But I'm sure he wants a kiss too." The cat stuck out his cute tongue teasingly.

The darker half of the ox laughed freely to that. "Yeah, fine, catch, this'll take a minute." He ordered, and fell forward as his eyes closed. He hadn't been kidding about the coma thing. Kyo caught him, and then got him laid out carefully on the couch. Then... they would need aspirin, so once that was obtained he sat down on the floor next to him. Indeed, it took Black about ten minutes to get White awake and then for the more innocent half to wake their body again.

"Fuck." He grumbled, rubbing his eyes in agitation. "Wish he wouldn't do that..." Kyo had his elbow on the couch and his head propped up by his hand. He gave his cousin a very amused look as he held out the aspirin. "Ah?" He blinked at him, then it clicked together and he simply thanked him and took the aspirin gratefully.

"Mmm, I actually had an almost nice conversation with Black for once..." His cousin told him from his place next to the couch.

"Oh?" He blinked again. "He was polite?"

"Pretty much, no nagging for once." Kyo nodded, crawling up and perching carefully on Haru. "And then he was nice enough to go get you for me." He ran a teasing hand through the other's hair.

"You wanted to see me?" He was still having a bit of trouble grasping Kyo's abruptly affectionate behavior.

Kitty leaned down so their noses were just touching. “Uh-huh." he nodded and some of his hair fell against Haru's cheek. "See... Black already got one... two if you count that little one... So I didn't think it would be very fair to do anything else before I saw you." He was enjoying confusing the ox.

"One what?" And he was doing such a good job with the confusing too. The red head turned his head a little and their mouths met... and it was nice... Kyo purred with delight. This was going much better than he'd thought it would. Haru looked alarmed for a moment, but then he absolutely melted into it, wrapping his arms around Kyo's neck and returning it with much vigor.

"Mmph," Kyo pulled away with a tempting lick to the ox's lips. "One of those." he finally elaborated.

"Ah... t-thank you..." He stammered honestly, eyes wide, though a smile was spreading more and more quickly by the second.

"My pleasure," The cat told him, nuzzling him sweetly.

This was...different, he noted absently, whispering into his older cousin's ear, yet again, "I love you..."

"I love you too, Haru." The red head replied immediately. If a kiss had startled Haru, Kyo couldn't wait to see the look on his face after that.

"Eh?" Haru blinked and sat up from where he'd been laying on the couch, staring disbelievingly at Kyo, who had slid down onto his thighs. "R-really? You wouldn't lie or joke about that, right?"

The older man wrapped his arm securely around the ox's neck and kissed him again, pointedly. Haru grinned brightly, and took the opportunity to pin Kyo to the couch, returning the kiss happily.

"Now... how did I know you'd be... happy to hear that." Kyo murmured sarcastically once he was allowed to breath again.

"No idea." He matched his sarcasm perfectly, playfully.

"And you'll be staying here now?" The kitty suggested lightly, nuzzling his cousin's neck.

"Uh, okay." He agreed, a little overwhelmed but still rather prompt in his responses. "I'll need to go get some clothes and stuff from home first."

"Not right now, you don't!" Kyo corrected before pulling him back down, and it was quite a while before Haru was allowed to go do that.

After several hours, under the promise that he'd come back soon, Haru headed back to the house to grab those helpful things like clothes. He half considered going to find Rin once he got there, to share the excitement and whatnot, but it turned out he didn't need to find her. He kind of... did it by accident.

"Rin!" He called, upon seeing the horse.

"Hmmm?" She turned to look at him, wondering WHY he was on this side of the compound to begin with. "Hey, what's up?" The girl raised an eyebrow at him.

"Guess what Kyo just asked me to do." He commanded, all but skipping over to her. All but, not quite, but almost.

"Uhm," Isuzu blinked at him. She honestly had no clue. "From the looks of things it wasn't 'roll over and die'..."

"He wants me to move in with him!" He actually did bounce, just a little, tiny bit. Barely half an inch, but it was there.

The horse stared at him. "That's great, but, why?"

"I have NO idea!" he admitted, frowning a little. "But-But it's good!"

"Well yes!" She agreed, but she was confused now. "How'd this happen?"

"I have no idea." He repeated, a bit more subdued. "Black Haru was out, I think, and apparently they talked for a while, and when I woke up he gave me aspirin and started kissing me." It really sounded a bit unrealistic when replayed like that.

"Oh god, what did he do to Kyo?!" Rin stared, she could only imagine!

"Don't know." It was a bit irritating that it was his love life and he was so clueless about it. Really...

"Hmmm, I wonder if the kitty-cat is still mentally stable." The horse mused. "No telling what Black might have done." She was blatantly teasing now.

"You think he asked me to move in because he's crazy?" Haru asked, sweat dropping a little. Rin was really lowering his mood. Maybe he should have bragged to Momiji?

She ruffled his hair. "I'm teasing you, sweet heart."

"Oh! Okay... Teasing..." He agreed, still sweat dropping, but he let it drop without any more argument.

"Are you keeping your lover boy waiting while you brag to me?" she grinned at him

"Ah, Kinda." he admitted with a tiny blush. "Which way's the main house?"

The horse snickered at him helplessly. "Come on, I'll show you." And so she led the misdirectional creature back to his room.

“Thanks." He nodded gratefully to her. "If you want to wait a minute, this won't take long, and I could use a hand getting back to the gate."

"Sure thing." Isuzu agreed, but a small frown got to her. "Hey, what are you gonna do about Akito?" The little bastard already knew Kyo was back, and as long as he didn't see or hear anything more about the cat he was happy. But Haru moving out would be something different.

"Don't tell him?" He offered weakly, pausing as he searched through his closet for a bag to put his stuff in.

"Haru," She said seriously. "He'll notice if you leave. Don't piss him off?" She had a legitimate reason to be concerned for him.

"I... I don't care what he does to me, as long as he doesn't touch Kyo." He spoke softly, slowly. "And I highly doubt he cares who it gets done to as long as it gets done. So, if he tells me to come back, I will."

Rin sighed helplessly. "All right… Please. Just, both of you, be careful?"

Haru peeked out of his closet at her and just smiled. "I don't intend to let Kyo be hurt."

"We're all bound by the curse, Haru." Isuzu warned darkly. "If Akito says you'll have to do."

Haru just frowned. "I'm over eighteen, I can move Outside." He tried to convince himself. "Would it make you feel better if I asked?"

"Yes," she nodded. "You don't have to tell him it's moving in with Kyo. Just say you've decided to move out."

"Alright." He nodded in agreement with a small sigh, as he stood up. "Just stay here." He added, heading for the door. "I don't want you to get hurt either."

Akito's room wasn't too far from his, so about a minute later, he was trying to work up the nerve to actually knock on that door and wait for permission to go it. He did it, eventually, though.

"Hmm? Let them in, Kureno..." Akito murmured absently from where he was out on his porch. The rooster got up mutely and opened the door.

"It's Hatsuharu, Akito-san." He announced since the little head wasn't turning around to see.

"Oh?" Akii got up to look himself and blinked at the ox. "Yes?"

"A-Akito-san," He took a deep breath and tried to hold down his nerves as he knelt down before his older cousin, praying for a yes. "Adult members of the Zodiac are allowed to move Outside, right?"

"Yes," The head nodded. So THAT was what Haru wanted was it?

"I... I'm here to request permission to do that." He rushed out, hands fisted uncomfortably on his thighs.

"Hmmm... Have you found a... suitable place?" Akito wondered softly. "Not too many females around?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I must admit... Hatsuharu..." He turned a cold stare on the ox. "It will be rather boring around here without you. Are you sure you wish to leave?"

"Uh huh." He nodded again, then frowned a little and looked up at him. "Wait a minute--boring? How so? I'm not a particularly interesting person, Akito-san."

"You amuse me," Akito smiled, and Hatsuharu was rather attractive.

"Oh..." He nodded in realization. Akito liked watching him suffer--not that it was really that surprising.

"Well... as long as... you promise to come visit occasionally?" The head raised an eyebrow. "I think I can allow you to move to this place you've chosen. Just don't be like my precious Yuki..." He warned simply.

"What do you mean?" He asked cautiously. He wanted to know what he was getting into. "What do you mean, don't be like Yuki?"

"He never comes to see me... and skips all the family celebrations." Akito sighed tragically. "It's not like I'm asking too much...?"

"I... I promise to come see you, Akito-san." He agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly, not that he showed it. He just wouldn't tell Kyo, yeah, that was the plan.

"Thank you, Hatsuharu." The man smiled in a very unsettling manner. "Is that all?"

"Yes, Akito-san." He nodded, eager to get back out of the room.

"Well then... Please, I'm sure you have things to pack." Akito waved him off as he got up to resume his seat out on his porch.

"Thank you, Akito-san." He bowed quickly, before rising to his feet to go back and finish doing just that--and assure Rin that Akito wasn't going to go wandering around Tokyo with an ax looking for him.

The horse was relieved to hear that. "I'm sure your boyfriend will appreciate not having to worry too much about Akito too." She smiled at him.

"Yeah." he agreed. He hadn't mentioned to her the condition of coming back, and he didn't intend to. Isuzu helped him pack up and then helped him back out to the gate. "Remember to be careful with the kitty, Haru." She warned him teasingly.

"I will be." He agreed without argument, waving good-bye to her before heading off to try and find his way back to Kyo's apartment... Yeah... try... hopefully succeed too.

TBC