Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Pure Disco ❯ We Are Family ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Pure Disco

Fowlet.Press [est.2001]

(((Disclaimer))) I own nothing

(((Warnings))) male pregnancy (kinda), Akito bashing, shonen-ai, unnecessary puns, etc…

Fowlet: I extend an ENORMOUS apology to all who had to wait for this chapter! TT_TT I am soo sorry! But now that it is summer you can expect big juicy updates all the time! I'm expecting this to be about 10-12 chapters…

And here is an excerpt from a review Mr. Snarky Transvestite-sama gave me. “blows kiss”

[Akito: Shigure~!
Shigure: Yes?
Akito: You must bring me... “pause for dramatic effect” ... a shrubbery!
Shigure: A shrubbery?
Akito: DO NOT QUESTION MY AUTHORITY!
Shigure: Yes, my liege.
Akito: That should be 'liege' with a capital 'l'.
Shigure: “rolls eyes” Yes, my Liege.
Akito: Did you roll your eyes at me?
Shigure: Of course not, my Kami.
Akito: Good. And about this shrubbery...
Shigure: A specific kind, my Lord?
Akito: Yes. It should be a topiary, in the shape of...
Shigure: Yuki?
Akito: Yes. Go now!
Mr. Snarky Transvestite-sama: You're totally ripping off Monty Python.
Akito: Silence!
Mr. ST-sama: No! I don't have to listen to you, 'cause I'm not a Sohma! So HA! “sticks tongue out”
Akito: That was juvenile.
Mr. ST-sama: So are you! You can't even get your own shrubbery!
Akito: You're giving yourself too many lines.
Mr. ST-sama: For once, you're right. “poofs out”
Akito: Mwaha... haha!
Mr. ST-sama: “voice-over” now you're ripping off one of MY laughs! Okay, I'm done.
Shigure: “already back with topiary/shrubbery” Is this what you wanted?
Akito: Splendid!
Mr. ST-sama: “voice over” That's one of MY words!
Akito: Oh, pipe down.
Mr. ST-sama: “voice over” Hey, I'm the authoress!
Akito: Are you really an authoress? You're really a she-he after all... So you're like, an authoress-author.
Shigure: “puts down shrubbery and walks away”]

~F*p~

Pure Disco

Chapter Four: We Are Family

(Family)

…We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose

Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of the world's delights
high hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
no we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong
This is our family Jewel… ~ Sister Sledge

(Family)

Yuki grabbed Kyo by the shirt collar and promptly pitched him through the doorway.

“Oops.”

He didn't sound that remorseful.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!”

“Kyon-kichi and Yuki-chan! You've finally arrived!” Ayame cried from across the room, wiping tears of joy from golden eyes.

“Dumbass rat! What do I do to freaking deserve this crap?!” Kyo howled.

“Shall I answer that for you?” Haru greeted the both of them.

“Hi, Haru,” Yuki greeted, eyes twitching.

“Whoa, Yuki… are you okay?”

Yuki made an unidentifiable gesture with his head.

Kyo brushed off his tan cargo pants while grumbling under his breath, “Goddamstupidmothereffingdumbbastardasswipin-”

“We can hear everything you're saying, you know,” Haru drawled, “And no one gives a crap. We're in the next room.”

Kyo and Yuki followed the white-haired boy into a large room stemming off the side corridor. The walls were old-fashioned paper style and beautiful hanging gardens decorated the ceilings. A table was set up in the middle of the room ready for four people.

And then there was the long, plastic “kiddy table.”

“OMIGODOMIGODGOMENNASAAIIIIIIII!!”

“Will you shut up?!”

“Hiro, cut that shit out!”

“Momiji, I am 14 kinds of awesome!”

“MUAHAHAHAHA!?”

“Oh for the love of Ra, clean that crap up!”

“…In my mind and IN MY CAAAR! We can't rewind cuz we've gone too FAAAR!…”

“GOMENNASAAAIII!!!”

“KUREEEEEEEENO!”

“This BLOWS!”

“When's the foo-ood coming?!”

Ah, yes… the kiddy table. The fact that college-aged Ritsu sat there made none the difference to Akito who had, of course, made the seating arrangements. The table set for four consisted of Hatori, Shigure, Ayame and Akito himself. Despite the minor detail that he was, in fact, younger than Yuki.

Yuki and Kyo parked themselves in the only seats left next to Haru and Momiji.

“Aii-ya…” Yuki groaned. Hatsuka nezumi had had a long day.

“KYO!” Momiji cried. Kyo jumped.

“What?!”

“Can you believe that Video Killed The Radio Star has NEVER been remade? I think I have to do that… right now! OH-UH-O! OH-UH-OH! VIDEO KILLED THE RAH-HAY-DEE-OOO-!”

“Momiji!” Haru shrieked, “Silence! You may damage Yuki's fallopian tubes!”

Yuki, who had been drinking a glass of Diet Coke, spat it back out.

“Pahahahaha…ha-hack-cough-cough…?” Kyo snorted, trying to cover it up with a cough. “Haru, you numbnuts…”

Haru blinked, “What?”

Yuki smacked his forehead, “Oh… you can't be serious…” he moaned.

Haru blinked again, “What?!”

Kyo rolled his eyes and Yuki shook his head fretfully.

“Don't be such a freaking drama queen,” Kyo jiggled the ice around in his glass of Sprite. Yuki pawed at his hair, distractedly glancing at Akito's table.

“What the heck are you doing?” Haru implored, gazing at Yuki like he was a chunk of salmon. Kyo tilted his head at this analogy. Drool-worthy: Yes. Salmon: No.

“What?” Yuki asked, sounding far off.

“Your hair. What the crap,” stated Haru.

Yuki glanced at him surprised and his cheeks colored in recognition. He dropped his hands onto the table and gave a weak impression of his charming smile.

“Oh, old habits die hard I guess,” he said.

What old habits? Kyo thought, uninterestedly poking the instant ramen Akito had so lovingly ordered to be served at the kiddy table.

“What old habits?” Haru asked chewing on a minty toothpick for the flavor.

“I used to chew on my hair,” Yuki explained.

“Really? That's awful! You shouldn't do that!” Haru chastised. Yuki's pupils dilated.

“Well, I can't,” he reasoned, pointing to his too-short hair-cut.

“Ah yes, this is good,” approved Haru.

All the heartwarming lovingness was making Kyo sick. He rolled his eyes and tapped Momiji on the shoulder. The bunny snapped around and smiled.

“Hey, Kyo,”

“Hey Momiji,”

“How ya doin'?”

“I'm stuck next to two faggots, you?”

“Shut up, stupid cat,” Yuki snarled. Kyou glared halfheartedly and leaned back in his chair.

“I couldn't agree more,” drawled the evilest voice of all evil. People froze.

“How nice of you to come, Kyo-chan,” Akito greeted in a voice that almost didn't make one want to commit seppuku on the spot. In fact, it was calm… too calm…

“And you as well, my dear Yuki-chan,” Akito's eyes bored into Yuki's. Yuki clenched his fork tightly in his hand until his knuckles turned white.

“Akito-pants!” Ayame shrieked, jovially slopping wine out of his cup onto Hatori's head. “You're missing all the absolute fun times!”

Akito glowered in Ayame's direction. “I'll see you later, Yuki, oh yes… we have so very much more time to talk…”

Yuki shivered visibly.

“God…” Haru whispered once ye thrower of enormous parties unto which not all are invited (Thank you, Imoto-chan) was gone, “What a dick.”

Kyo nodded, “Very eloquently put.”

“That wasn't even grammatically correct what he just said!” Haru hissed.

“`So very much more time to talk'?” Kyo inquired.

“Yah.”

“He's a sad little man… how very not woeful.”

“Pfft,” Haru answered. “Yuki, you're okay, right?”

“Yes, Haru, I am fine,” Yuki responded, agitated.

“Sorry, man, you just look so disgruntled… everything's going to be okay,” Haru said soothingly.

“How do you know?” Yuki glared at his cousin.

“I can feel it in my bones,” Haru announced proudly.

Kyo and Yuki rolled their eyes.

“No, I'm serious you guys. I can always tell when something really bad is going to happen. I'm telling you everything is going to work out in the future.”

Yuki gazed at him, “That was such a crock of crap… but thank you.”

Kyo said, “Pfft!”

“How's life down on that end of the table?!” Kagura shrieked over Hiro and Kureno's fighting.

“…Pleasant,” Kyo said dryly. “So stay over there!”

“Haha, you convinced me, Kyo-kuuun, I'm coming over right now!”

“Oh for the love of-!” started Kyo.

“Kyo-kuun!” Kagura squealed hugging him from behind, “Suki-suki-suki-suki-WAAAI!!”

“Get off me, woman!”

“Ooooh, I love it when you call me woman!”

“Kagura-san, we're in the middle of comforting Yuki here, so if you wouldn't mind-” Haru began.

“Mind what?!” Kagura roared, flames erupting behind her as she strangled Kyo in a hug of death.

“Um… never mind…” Haru deflated.

“That's what I thought… but since you brought up Fancy Pants-san… how's the garden doing, Yunii-kun?”

Yuki was taken aback, “How do you know about that?”

“Are you kidding?” Kagura asked politely.

“Well… I…” Yuki started uncertainly.

“Hey, you guys!” Kagura hollered. “Who puts the `whore' in `horticulture'?!”

“Huh?” said most of the juunishi.

“Yuki!” yelled Momiji.

Several teenagers grumbled discontentedly.

Yuki glared at Kagura.

Haru sighed, “Awww! Kagura-san, you made him pout now!”

“Good job, you fat ass,” Kyo accused Kagura from under her boot.

Time stopped.

“What did you just call me?” Kagura asked in a scarily calm voice.

“Cat… sass?” Kyo tried.

“…Notta chance!” Kagura shouted beating Kyo multiple times over the head.

“Kyo, shut up! I have a headache!” Yuki complained sulkily.

Kyo spluttered something through the tangle of fists and pain he was currently captured in. Haru smiled at Yuki.

“Ah, just ignore them…” he said lazily.

“I can't! My head is pounding! Stop it right now or I'll… have an asthma attack on your head!” Yuki threatened Kyo.

Kyo raised an eyebrow at him before he was forced underneath Kagura's stomping feet and full body slams again.

“Maybe we should help him out,” Haru suggested.

“Nah, they're flirting,” Momiji smiled clasping his hands together.

“Sure, and Kurama and Hiei are flirting,” Haru snorted.

Yuki and Momiji stared at him.

“Oops, bad example,” Haru replied sheepishly.

“-would have done this to my Kyo-chaaan?!” Kagura was in the midst of howling, holding Kyo's broken head in her arms.

“Look, they stopped,” Haru spoke monotonously. “I guess we don't have to save him after all. Oh snap.”

“It's boring over here,” Kagura stated. “I mean… you could like, cut the sexual tension with a knife.”

“…I don't think that was precisely the word you were looking for, but maybe you should go back to your seat. Kureno, um… misses you…?” Haru attempted.

“Kureno has the personality of a sack of crap!” Kagura complained. Kyo slowly began to regain his consciousness.

“Anou… I'll go make sure Rin doesn't slit her wrists or something totally emo like that…”

“You do that,” Yuki agreed, tiredly.

“What happened?” Kyo mumbled, rubbing his blacked eyes.

“Kagura beat your ass down,” Haru replied.

“Damn it!” Kyo shouted banging his fist on the table.

“Unterseiten oben!” Momiji bellowed throwing back his head and downing a glass of brownish liquid.

“Momiji!” Haru said wide eyed. “What was that?!”

“Tequila?” Momiji answered, smiling.

Yuki shook his head, “This is too much. I'm already worn out.”

“What is it with you two and `being worn out'?” Haru asked, complete with the air quotes. “I mean, it's like everything we do you guys are like, `Oh em gee, I am so worn out.'”

“Shut up,” Kyo said. Yuki looked down into his dish.

What is up with him today? Kyo thought. Could it be that Yuki is more effeminate than usual? Maybe he has his period… What a man Kyo is.

“Are you absolutely sure you're all right?” Kyo asked in an annoyed tone. He hated it when people brought him down.

Yuki didn't answer him. Kyo tilted his head. Yuki was so hard to read sometimes. Surely, Kyo thought, being inside the main house alone can't bring up so much misery that he should act this awful… This whole thinking about Yuki thing was still a little new to Kyo as it was. Somewhere along the past year and a half they'd mellowed out considerably. Maybe it was because they were growing up and they weren't stupid people.

Tohru had to have some credit. She was the reason Kyo had to stay in the Shigure Sohma house in the first place. What was the sick bastard's deranged plot anyway? Why the crap was he involving Tohru?

And why were they allso tangled in the mess?

“Kyo are you sick?”

Haru's voice started Kyo from his thoughts.

“You've been staring at Yuki sulking, which I have to admit is pretty amusing, for like, two and a half minutes now.”

“Gomen…” Kyo mumbled angrily.

“It's time, all you party people!” Ayame said excitedly into a microphone. “Can I hear you say `par-tay'?!”

“…Party…” The kiddy table said in a collective groan/sigh.

“Louder now, ya'll!” Ayame continued, totally oblivious of their gloom.

The kiddy table made not a peep but stared fascinated at the glorious idiocy laid out before their eyes.

“Happy birthday… to you…” Ayame started off in sultry tones as the lights dimmed. He was dressed in a red leather skirt, a sailor fuku top, fishnet stockings and a sea-foam cape. Completing this ensemble was bone-chilling, neon pink lipstick.

“Happy Birthday… to you…” Ayame kept going in a seductive voice, “Happy birthday… Mr.… head of the fam-il-y… happy birth… day… to… you…” He blew a kiss at Akito who was, in short, horrified.

“How controversial!” Momiji observed.

“And now what you've all been waiting for… The Mabudachi Trio performing… BIG BALLS!”

“Oh my God…” Yuki blurted, looking rather feverish.

Shigure suddenly made a grand appearance on the “stage.” Shigure also seemed to have forgotten to wear a shirt as well as a pair of appropriate pants. Not to say that sparkly, purple leopard print leather pants are not appropriate.

Hatori was wearing regular clothes, thank Inari, and it seemed that his job was to turn on the music. How rigorous.

Akito, rather than being alone at his fancy-shmancy table, swept over to the head of the “kiddy” table.

“Hello, minioni,” he drawled. The minions ignored him. Akito sat down at the table and steepled his fingers dramatically. It seemed to Kyo that Akito should be one of those evil masterminds you see on TV with a fluffy cat… except for that whole hating cats thing…

“I'm ever rather upper class high society,” Ayame started to sing as Shigure played ridiculous air guitar next to him. “God's gift to ballroom notoriety. I always fill my ballroom, the event is never small. The social pages say I've got the biggest balls of all!”

Several juunishi members groaned while the German ones squealed with delight.

“I love this song!” Momiji cried.

Akito stopped being scary for a moment to watch in absolute disgust as Ayame and Shigure danced about like stripping, dancing, singing loons. AC/DC never knew what was coming…

“I've got big balls!” Ayame shouted.

“I've got big balls,” Shigure answered him.

“And they're such big balls, dirty big balls! And he's got big balls, and she's got big balls, but we've got the biggest balls of them all!” Ayame cried out sinking to his knees and head banging.

“And my balls are always bouncing!” Momiji commenced impatiently.

“My ballroom always full…” Shigure continued.

“And everybody comes and comes again!” Ayame shrieked twirling around in a circle, “If your name is on the guest list, no one can take you higher; everybody says I've got great balls of fire!”

Akito was now trembling with rage as a sickly yellow tint appeared in his complexion.

“I've got big balls!” Momiji and Ayame shouted in unison.

“I've got big balls!” Shigure echoed.

“And they're such big balls, dirty big balls! And he's got big balls, and she's got big balls, but we've got the biggest balls of them all!” Ayame screamed, swishing his hair back and forth behind him.

“I've got big balls! I've got big balls! And they're such big balls, dirty big balls!” Ayame sang, beaming like he was at a 2nd grade Rainbow Concert. Yuki and Kyo gawked, horrified.

“And he's got big balls, and she's got big balls!” Ayame pointed randomly into the audience much to the dismay of several miffed cousins.

“I do not have balls!” Kagura argued defiantly.

“It's alright, Kagura. You'll get over it,” a man who had been previously described as a sack of crap and who went by the name of Kureno replied.

“But we've got the biggest balls of them all!” Momiji shouted with Ayame and Shigure as he downed another glass of cloudy brown liquid.

Now there was practically steam pouring from Akito's ears as he became more and more upset at the two idiots on the stage. If there was one thing Akito hated, it was Tylenol—but that is another story. Anyhoo, Akito hated when his spotlight at his party was taken away from him to see two complete and utter baka sing a vulgar song. About `balls' nonetheless! Needless to say, Akito was pissed.

As were the rest of the family… but in a less murderous way.

“Some balls are held for charity, and some for fancy dress, but when they're held for pleasure, they're the balls that I like best. My balls are always bouncing, to the left and to the right!” Ayame narrowed his eyes seductively at the table of aghast youngsters ages 13 to 19. “It's my belief that my big balls should be held every night…!”

And that did it.

“OUT! OFF! GET OUT! SHUT IT OFF!” Akito screamed causing the entire table to jump. Ayame pouted and slapped his side.

“But, Akkie-dear!” he protested, “It was getting to the good part!”

Hatori took a sip of his coffee and turned a page of The Opal Deception. That Holly Short…

He was broken from his stupor by a certain young, sickly, head-of-the-family's screeching. `Oh, fun,' he thought.

“Ayame, it's time to stop,” Hatori monotonously reprimanded.

“But Haaaaa-saaaan!” Ayame whined.

Akito was in his face in a flash of evil. “You have five seconds,” he said through gritted teeth. “Get. Out.”

Ayame skittered off the stage, blowing kisses to his former audience.

“Have good nights, everyone! Try the veggie platter!”

Shigure randomly acquired southern literary terms often used in the controversial novel Huckleberry Finn and busted him upside the head.

Akito pinched the bridge of his nose and thought miserably, `My party is absolutely ruined!' Then stomped back towards the kiddy table. He sat down next to Yuki who looked like he was going to be very sick in a moment and took a drink from Yuki's Diet Coke. Then he wiped his mouth with Yuki's napkin.

How sweet.

“Yuki… you're way too thin you know…” Akito said. Yuki shifted uncomfortably.

“Honestly, you're so thin I can barely see you… so thin…” Akito continued hypnotically. “If I didn't know you so well… I'd think you had… anorexia…”

Kyo choked into his glass of Sprite as he tried to hold back streams of giggles. Quickly, he coughed in an attempt to cover his mistake but it was a bit too late for that. Akito shifted his piercing gaze to the cat.

“Do you think there is something funny about anorexia, Neko?”

Kyo noticed with some unease that Akito was trembling with pent-up rage. His pale fingers were ghostly, almost translucent where he was clutching Yuki's glass. Kyo swallowed, thinking over his answer.

“No…” he said slowly, watching Akito's glare deepen. Abruptly, the dark-haired boy stood and went back to the nicer table to dine on things better than instant ramen.

A plate of instant okonomiyaka was placed in front of Kyo breaking the uneasy silence. There were light whispers around mouthfuls of food as the juunishi ate their dinners. He noticed Yuki was carefully keeping his eyes on his food. Kyo suddenly wondered what it was that had made the kuso nezumi so frightened of Akito in the first place. He knew some of the stories, the pain of Yuki's past. Once upon a time Kyo hadn't wanted to know there was a human, a heart, a soul, beyond Yuki's frosty exterior. Once Kyo had just wanted to beat him and be done with it. But now he knew that this was going to be harder, although not impossible, to accomplish. Especially now that he seemed to level with the gray-haired boy.

It wasn't long before Akito made his final dramatic appearance.

“You children,” he spoke, addressing the table, “will spend the rest of the night in the Recreational Facilitating Unit for the rest of the night. Do not bother coming to find me.”

“What about your presents?” Kureno yawned, boredly.

“Fool! What could you filth possibly buy me to make up for the pain and anguish of-!”

“Coffee time, Akito-chan!” Ayame called from the other side of the room. Akito snarled and turned to leave but swung back around as Yuki reached for the last piece of bread.

“You know, Yuki…” he said coldly, “fat boys don't go to the prom.”

Yuki dropped the bread and silently folded his hands in his lap.

(Family)

Dinner was over. And yet there were still four more hours in which any number of persons had time to be further traumatized.

After a hearty walk down to the main house “rec room” cousins grouped together and chatted. (“This is an A/B conversation, Kureno, so “C” your way out!” Kagura replied snottily.)

“The man's out!” Momiji squealed happily, rolling ninja-like toward the DVD player.

Haru placed `Save the Last Dance' into the machine and Kagura squealed, “I LURVE THIS MOVIE!”

“Yo, you guys, I'm about to bust my knitting out here,” Momiji grinned. Rin looked over interested, “You can knit?”

In a corner, Haru, Kyo, Yuki and Kureno were trying to be social with one another despite a few social blocks, problems and phobias.

“I was such an ass when I was a kid, man…” Haru chuckled. Yuki nodded knowingly. Kureno blinked.

“I was a door-slammer,” Kyo offered.

“You're still a door-slammer,” Yuki interjected, a hint of a smile on his lips. Kureno made a huffy noise that sounded like a laughchucklegigglesnort. The other three stared at him baffled.

He reminds me of Trowa… Kyo thought.

“You know, Kureno, your boyfriend's a bitch,” Haru informed his cousin.

“Yep,” Kureno agreed.

Kyo wandered over to where Rin, Kagura, Momiji and Ritsu were watching Save the Last Dance. Momiji was showing Rin how to pearl, and for a woman who'd used chopsticks her entire life, Rin was not prospering in the needle-holding department.

“Where are the people?” Kyo asked, sitting down.

“I assume you mean Ayame, Shigure, Hatori and Akito. Weren't you listening to what Akito said—Never mind…” Rin answered crossly. She had her period. And she COULDN'T KNIT!!!!

“They are having coffee,” she said.

“…Why?” Kyo inquired as Yuki sat down next to Kagura to watch the movie.

“Because they're depressed, emo, Starbucks losers… probably…” Rin speculated thoughtfully.

Kyo shrugged and glanced at the gang fight currently appearing on the screen.

“Don't you think it's ironic that you guys are knitting and at the same time watching a movie about gang fights?” Kyo questioned.

“Shhhhh!” The girls and Yuki hissed angrily.

“Whoa! Look at that girl!” Haru jeered pointing at the girl on screen.

Kagura glared, “What about her?”

“She looks like she PMSed on her head!” Haru exclaimed.

Kisa nudged Haru, “You know it's physically impossible for one to “PMS” on one's head, right?” she said softly.

“How do you know?” Haru argued, ruffling her blond hair. Kisa sighed at her favorite cousin's gray matter, or lack thereof.

“Here lies Charlotte,” Momiji sang, “She was a harlot. For 13 years she kept her virginity. Damn good record in this vicinity,”

Several persons quirked their eyebrows at him. Momiji's needles clacked knittily as he finished a row and explained, “Dad made it up.”

“…Can we play a game?” Haru changed the subject.

Rin threw down her failed attempt at pearling on the floor and answered, “Hell yes.”

“All right, let's play Seven Minutes in Heaven!” Haru squealed childishly and clapped his hands.

“But we're 80% guys!” Kyo spluttered.

“And cousins!” Hiro interjected.

“This family is so messed up…” Rin moaned amidst the echoing groans in response to Haru's idea.

“Okay, fine. How about Truth or Dare?” Haru supplied, eyes sparkling.

“Sure, why not,” people grunted, moving into a circle.

“I'm going first since it was my idea,” Haru explained, “And I pick Kyo.”

Kyo rolled his eyes.

“Truth or Dare?!” Haru grinned.

“Truth,” Kyo chose.

“Do you like Yuki?” Haru asked, his eyes glinting with devilish evilness.

“No,” Kyo answered.

Haru looked put out.

Kyo gazed around at his cousins until his eyes fell on Ritsu. “Ritsu, truth or dare?”

Ritsu fidgeted and spluttered, “Oh gosh- I don't know- I don't want to tell anything to you- and I'm frightened of most anything you would tell me to do and- OH MY GOODNESS- GOMEN NASAAAAI- YOU ALL HATE ME BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN PLAY A SIMPLE CHILDISH GAME OF TRUTH OR DARE- I'M SUCH A PARTY POOP-!”

“He picks truth,” Kagura supplied, clapping her hand over Ritsu's foaming mouth.

“I dare you to get some balls,” Kyo grunted.

The juunishi groaned at the aggravation and pain in the ass that was Kyo and Ritsu as well as the mention of the forsaken word, `ball.'

Thus, the fantastic game of Truth or Dare: Sohma-Style, was concluded and once more the children ventured off in their separate directions. Mostly they just walked over to The Main House's snazzy Karaoke Revolution set.

“Shall we?” Haru breathed.

“Let's,” Kagura whispered as she began to choose characters for everyone. (“I want to be the one that looks like Uma Thurman!” Momiji howled.)

Yuki sat down on the retro beanbag chair Akito just had to have. He felt like going to fall asleep. Obviously, it just wasn't the time or place to angst. What the hell was Kyo so happy for, anyway?

What scared him the most right now though… was exactly the opposite of what he had expected. Why was Akito so calm? This single question had haunted his thoughts since he'd brought Kyo here and not been stoned… or something…

4.67 meters away, Kyo thought about similar problems. He too wondered about Akito's strange behavior, which ultimately lead to his wonderment of the housing fiasco. He was truly and deeply baffled as to why he was living where he was. And why an outsider was aloud to stay there as well. Something wasn't right. When would it come to the surface?

“Never win first place, I don't support the team, I can't take direction and my socks are never clean. Teachers dated me, my parents hated me, I was always in a fight, 'cause I can't do nothin right. Every day I fight a war against a mirror, I can't take the person staring back at me. I'm a hazard to myself, don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy…!” Kagura sang watching the pitch meter fly way off track even though she was singing the right notes, “…don't want to be my friend no more, I wanna be somebody else…”

…that was almost too relevant… Kyo thought, sweatdropping.

“Every time we lie awake, after every hit we take, every feeling that I get, but I haven't missed you yet, only when I stop to think about it…” Haru sang in soft baritone scoring muchos crowd boost points.

Ah… that's better… Kyo considered

“I hate everything about you, why do I love you? I hate everything about you, why do I love you?”

Kyo heard Yuki shift in his chair uncomfortably over the cheers and/or boos from Haru's audience.

“I had a picture of you in my mind, never knew it could be so wrong. Why'd it take me so long just to find the friend that was there all along?” Kisa sang with perfect pitch and a sweet tender voice that made Haru and Hiro tear up.

… Yuki and Kyo thought in unison.

“Who'd believe that after all we've been through. I'd be able to put my whole trust in you. Goes to show you can't forgive and forget, looking back, I have no regrets cause…” Kisa sang on blushing proudly.

Kyo cracked his knuckles. God, he hated parties…

“Everybody was kung-fu fighting. Those cats were fast as lightning. In fact it was a little bit frightening… But they fought with expert timing…” sang… spoke Kureno.

What the hell is this, Ally McBeal?! Yuki's mind shrieked.

“Kyo, it's your turn!” Kagura squealed. Kyo stared at her, “You can't be serious,” he stated.

“Sing!” she shouted, thrusting the green plastic mic at him.

“I can't and I don't! I don't know any songs!”

Besides Vanessa Carlton… Yuki reflected.

“Too bad! You're singing `Don't Know Why'!” She punctuated each syllable by hitting Kyo's head with the mic.

Kyo grabbed it out of her hand and the song began.

/I waited till I saw the sun… don't know why I didn't co-/

“MOO MOO MOOO MOOO MOO MOO MOO MOOOOOOO MOO MOO MOOO MOO!” Kyo blasted over the lyrics and background music much to the amusement of Kisa and for reason unknown, Kureno.

Haru let out a, “Heeeeey…!” in an extremely offended tone of voice.

Kyo threw down the mic and stalked over to the other side of the room that wasn't infected with karaoke.

“Pfft. Yuki is so cute,” Rin surveyed. Yuki's head shot up from where he was practically dosing off.

“Yeah. His hair looks like palm fronds,” agreed Kagura. They exchanged knowing glances while everyone else shared a collective sweatdrop.

“Yuki?” Kyo beckoned.

“What?”

“You really out-gayed yourself today,” smirked Kyo devilishly. Yuki glared at him looking like an angry chipmunk. Rin said, “Pfft,”

(Family)

Maybe if Yuki had seen Akito at least once before he left the main house he would have felt better but the head of the family seemed to be MIA. Tired cousins bid each other goodnight as they began their walks home. Kyo and Yuki walked in silence to where Ayame, Shigure and Hatori were still lounging on the foyer, sipping their emo coffee.

“Tired, boys?” Hatori greeted, while Ayame just smiled like a dumbass and Shigure's expression was inscrutable.

Kyo snorted, “Whatever,”

Shigure's eyes flickered as he drank from his mug. Ayame sighed, “Might I say how radiant my dear brother-”

“No,” Yuki cut him off. But with more exhaustion than hate in his voice.

“Hmmm, the boys are tired, `Gure-chan, maybe you should take them home,” Ayame prodded his friend.

“You two are big boys; you can walk home yourself, right?” Shigure reasoned.

Yuki opened his mouth but Kyo cut him off, “Yeah, right. Bye,”

“Night,” Yuki added as he followed Kyo out onto the front porch and started the short walk to Shigure's house.

Yuki's train of thought wandered in the thick silence between them. Akito. Akito was not one to let something go like this. Yuki had committed something… something unheard of. But then, did Head's of the Family frequently pose these kinds of obstacles? Akito had done some insane and disturbing things, but this was going back to the original stupid fairy tale. Only Akito would think of recreating the Chinese zodiac tale as if-

“What the hell's wrong with you?!”

“Heh?” Yuki snapped back to the present.

“You're pouting again. It's bringing me down.”

Yuki rolled his eyes, “How many times do I have to tell you... I… I'm…” a wave of sudden nausea crashed over him and he sank to his knees.

“Yuki?” he heard Kyo ask.

He felt as if he'd stood up too quickly so he coughed to even the blood pressure and to clear his head. His throat tickled and the coughing wouldn't stop. His shoulders shook violently as he tried to find enough air to sate him.

“Yuki!” Kyo hissed angrily and nervously at the same time.

Oh please don't let me have an asthma attack now…Yuki thought bitterly and promptly threw up into the grass. Kyo unsurely grabbed his shoulders to keep him from fainting which Yuki was most certainly not going to do. Wiping his mouth, he felt his head and vision clear in mere seconds and groaned.

“Gross, Yuki… just gross…” Kyo commented unnecessarily.

Yuki had the sudden urge to wail on Kyo's face. Except by the tone in his voice, Kyo didn't really mean it.

Further on down the path Akito was forgotten in Yuki's mind as he obsessed over every detail of the last five minutes. A year ago he wouldn't twitch in front of Kyo. Two minutes ago he threw up in front of him. Yuki groaned mentally. Embarrassing? Yes…

Yet Kyo didn't seem that pissed off or anything- uh oh, spoke too soon. Suddenly he looked irritated.

“Yuki,” he growled, “you're bringing me down.”

“Well… well,” Yuki spluttered, flushing, “I just- you saw- and you- and- I'm sor-”

“You're not the only person who's ever thrown up before you know,” Kyo reasoned tiredly.

“Yeah, but-”

“Shut up, barfy,” Kyo snorted, a laugh imminent in his voice. Yuki raised his fist and Kyo broke into a jog for the last couple of meters to Shigure's house. Kyo unlocked the door and tiptoed inside with Yuki close behind. They exchanged glances.

“I don't like you,” Kyo said.

“Feeling's mutual. Night-night,” Yuki answered, thankful for the darkness that hid his smile and closing the bathroom door behind him.

“Night,” responded Kyo.

(Family)

Yuki finished brushing his teeth and climbed into the bed with the preposterous inkling of a notion that Akito had somehow caused his momentary relapse. He hadn't felt that ill since he was a child… but impossible. Akito was no real god.

He hadn't slept much last night for obvious reasons and the day had been fairly exhausting so it was no surprise when he fell fast asleep as soon as his silver eyelashes fluttered against his cheek.

But his slumber lasted for barely a half-an-hour at which time he was awoken by a noise... or a dream…?

There was nothing. He hadn't dreamed a thing and the night was silent. Angrily, he shifted in his bed, rewrapping the twisted sheets and then Yuki heard it. The most terrifying noise and feeling he'd ever experienced.

A creak.

Yuki froze, his heart beating wildly in his chest but his breath coming too thin to match it. Any other night Yuki would have brushed this noise off as a window, a tree branch…

This night…

He slipped out of bed, blood pounding in his ears. A strange sort of exhilaration filled him as he stepped out of his bedroom and heard it again.

Creak…

His fingers trembled as he opened the door to Kyo's room. How had he gotten there?

He didn't know… didn't know…

His brain reeled as a very sudden and real mass of black climbed from Kyo's window sill. He was over him. Over Kyo. Kyo was a sleep. Asleep… the stupid cat didn't know he was there. Thunder rolled outside.

Thunder?

The sound of the first droplets of rain on the window pane were drowned out by his racing heart. Rain. Rain…

The mass, this figure, was he moving? Yes… time was moving too slowly. His breath caught in his throat unsteadily and he felt the same wave of nausea as before hit him, his vision blurring.

He heard a scream, a piercing scream that shocked him half to death and his hands were melting, melting against something. Something shook him, smashing into him. Yuki's world exploded into a million pieces, shattering, crashing, screaming as his vision began to fade.

And right before he fainted, Yuki heard the silence.

End Chapter Four

TBC

I promise the next chapter will come out MUCH faster than this one! Sometime in the next two weeks! I promise!! (Because it's summer now!)

REVIEWS

Fanfiction~

hilary k. warhola- Thanks for the effort, peach! I have back on the chain gang stuck in my head right now…

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Deadly Wispers - I have absolutely failed you: “I hope you update soon” I am an awful person. Yep. That's right. I'm sooo sorry. But thanks for sticking with me thus far!!

nekozuki114 - Thank you! I will check out your fanfic, if I haven't already… thanks again!

Rinoki Rio - well it seems that I have not yet exposed the cliffhanger. Oh well, it happens in like the first paragraph of chapter five. Which will come out some time in the next two weeks. Thanks for being so awesome! And supportive! And did I mention awesome?!

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23 Pages… “dies”