Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction / Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Neko no Yume - Cat of Dreams ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I own neither Natsuki Takaya's `Fruits Basket' nor Matsuri Akino's `Petshop of Horrors'.

Enjoy!

2-24-07 EDIT--Whoops! 800 words snuck in when I re-read this...e-heh!

Chapter 3

 

 

“I'm not stupid.” Red eyes bored into violet, and Yuki fought a near-hysterical urge to argue about that. He knew Kyo wasn't stupid, not really; in spite of all the insults to that effect he habitually heaped on the cat. Kyo wouldn't have survived as long as he had under the Cat's curse, not with anything like even the meager `freedom' he was allowed, if he were truly stupid; he'd have gotten himself locked up long ago.

 

Kyo's expression was oddly bland in spite of the strange, blazing emotion in his eyes that Yuki couldn't quite identify. Satisfied that Yuki wasn't going to interrupt, while at the same time disappointed by that same fact, Kyo sighed and asked in a rough voice, “What the hell do you think would happen, if Akito ever heard I'd beat his precious fa-vo-rite in a fight?”

 

The rat blinked. He hadn't expected Kyo's explanation to involve their `god', though in hind-sight, he probably should have; Akito seemed to be at the center of so many of the Zodiac-cursed Sohma troubles... Before he could find his voice, Kyo went on in a deadly serious tone, “I figure the day I beat you, is the day Akito locks me up for good.” Kyo's face lowered, orange bangs partially covering his eyes. “He wants me to fight you, though. He made a bet with me, when I was six years old, that he thought would guarantee it.” His face was grim as he hesitated for a moment, searching Yuki's expression. Not finding anything but sober attention, he drew a breath and admitted, “Akito promised--if I can beat you, before graduation, he won't--” Yuki saw a shiver ripple through Kyo, making suddenly misty red eyes shimmer. “--he won't--lock me up, for the rest of my life.”

 

A shiver ran down Yuki's own spine at this admission. That bet--certainly explained some things...like Kyo's constant, unreasonable-seeming attacks; and his relentless `anger' at the rat. Yuki drew in a deep breath as understanding nibbled at the edges of his thoughts. Akito had locked the rat up, when he was still a small child...he knew how terrible it could be, to be confined away from all human contact but for Akito; left alone with your own imagination, and no guarantee you'd ever be let out again.

 

Kyo saw the sickly understanding in his face, and gave a sardonic smirk full of such barely suppressed despair that it made Yuki's neck hairs twitch to attention. The cat's voice grew shaky for a moment. “Yeah. I--never really thought it through, before; not consciously. Yume...” Red eyes flickered towards the black cat, then back to Yuki. Kyo swallowed, then continued, “Yume made me realize that I've been--hiding behind my temper, when I fight you.” The cat gave a careless shrug of one shoulder, red eyes sliding uncomfortably off to one side. “Besides, Akito never promised not to lock me up immediately if I beat you. He didn't even promise not to lock me up at all; just--not for the rest of my life. Which means he could lock me up until a few days before I die of old age, without breaking his word. --As if I believed he'd keep it in the first place!”

 

More than a touch of the cat's habitual anger had crept back into his voice with that last, scornful sentence. Yuki could hardly blame him; Akito was a master manipulator, and didn't feel it necessary to hold himself to his own word, anyway. Breath catching in his chest, the rat shivered again...suddenly wondering about what else Akito might have said to his cousin, over the years. What the Clan Head said to Yuki was emotionally abusive enough, and Akito liked his rat!

 

His eyes drifted down to Kyo's left wrist, and the bracelet of black and white beads that encircled it. An image of the horrible, twisted monstrosity that Kyo transformed into without that seal passed across his mind's eye. His breath hitched again, as he wondered--would Akito have left that bracelet alone? The Clan Head was cruel; and usually capricious...taking delight in the anguish of his Zodiac-cursed even as he held them close, claiming to `love' them. Yuki could easily imagine Akito taking the cat's beads away, forcing the transformation. Forcing the pain...remembering the first and only time he'd ever witnessed Kyo's transformation into the Monster form of the Cat-cursed, he clearly remembered one tiny portion of his mind, that was not utterly horrified by what he was seeing, noting that it seemed a great deal more painful than their regular animal transformation.

 

For the first time, Yuki truly thought about what it would be like, for the cat; to be locked away from all human contact--but for Akito. Possibly--without those precious beads. He still didn't think he liked his infuriating cousin; but Kyo...he didn't deserve that! No one did!

 

Not even Akito; even after all he'd done to their family--to Yuki, himself. There was no telling how much of his insanity was the direct result of his portion of the curse, after all. They could feel the animal Spirits within them; what must having the `god' inside you be like?

 

The rat held one hand up, staring in bemusement at the way it wouldn't stop shaking; even when he grabbed it with the other. He clutched it tightly to his chest as his breath wheezed tightly through his lungs, only belatedly recognizing the beginnings of an asthma attack. He closed his eyes and concentrated on calming down and taking steady breaths, if not deep.

 

He didn't realize just how focused he'd become, or how bad the attack really was, until he felt strong hands half-way roughly grabbing his shoulders, yanking him over to unceremoniously plop him down on Kyo's futon. Eyes popping open in surprise, Yuki stared up into nervous red eyes only a foot from his own, feeling too dazed and short of breath to protest. Kyo looked like he expected to be hit into a wall at any moment, but was stubbornly determined not to be deterred by it, keeping a firm grip on a rather disoriented Yuki to keep the gasping, swaying rat upright.

 

“Calm down, damnit; remember what Shisho taught you, damn rat! Breathe! In; out...slow and steady...focus...”

 

Yuki was amazed enough at Kyo's rough-voiced coaching that he followed it without thought, Kazuma-sensei's long-ago lessons echoing in his mind's ear. He stared uncomprehendingly at the cat for several minutes, conscious thought suspended as he breathed in tandem with Kyo's urgings; until his lungs finally relaxed enough that his breathing was no longer so labored. Then he looked off to the side, cheeks warm from mild embarrassment at having had the attack at all--never mind who had so unexpectedly helped him through it!

 

Yume stared knowingly up into his eyes from right beside him, never blinking. Yuki felt trapped by those obsidian eyes, unable to look away as they appeared to grow larger the longer he looked; the Rat's spirit within him completely frozen with fear.

 

“Hey!! Stay with me, here! No zoning out in my room, damn rat!”

 

Yuki jerked back around at the alarmed note in Kyo's voice, feeling slightly dizzy. He closed his eyes and drew in one wonderfully almost-deep breath, letting it out slowly before opening his eyes to stare at his rather nonplussed cousin. Kyo obviously had no clue what to do with Yuki, and was becoming quite worried, almost in spite of himself--having witnessed some of the rat's worst asthma attacks in the past, that resulted in Yuki being bed-ridden for days afterwards. Not that Yuki was aware of all the times Kyo had watched him.

 

Gathering his thoroughly scattered thoughts, Yuki remembered what Kyo had told him only minutes before. The bet with Akito... He didn't want to squander this opportunity to find answers to questions he'd never thought to ask, before.

 

Vague memories of the first few times he'd ever seen Kyo, and his desperate childhood wish for a friend of any kind floated through his head. If it hadn't been for their curses-- Yuki suddenly, clearly remembered how child-Kyo's behavior had immediately changed, when the young cat found out that Yuki was cursed by the Rat's spirit. He wondered just what the Cat's spirit felt, about him, about the Rat's spirit; how much of Kyo's anger wasn't--really Kyo's.

 

If it hadn't been for their curses--

 

Yuki thought of all the progress they'd made towards at least tolerating each other, since Tohru came to live with them; everything they'd learned about each other, that they'd never even considered before she came into their lives. The similarities between them that they'd refused to see, on their own. And Tohru's dearest wish, that the two of them could be friends...

 

Then he thought of Akito; pitting everyone in the family against each other, trying to ensure he was the only center of their lives... Yume had said that Kyo went to see `That One'--when was it...? “When the moon hides her face.” That sounded like the new moon; which meant about once a month. Thinking back on it, Yuki realized that since they all started living with Shigure, he had noticed that Kyo tended to disappear, every once in a while...about once a month...usually for a day or two; sometimes longer. They all just assumed he was off sulking, or had run off to Kazuma-sensei's. He was known for longer absences in the past--most notably, those four months right before he showed up at Shigure's.

 

Those four months...that Shigure joked Kyo had spent up on the mountain, “fighting bears”... Who was witness to where Kyo had truly been? Kazuma-sensei hadn't been with him; the individual family karate lessons hadn't been interrupted. Kyo had never said where he'd been; Shigure had just tossed out that ridiculous supposition, and no one had cared to question.

 

“Yuki!! Damnit--”

 

Yuki realized Kyo had been calling to him for several minutes, even shaking lightly at him. He shook his head and stared intently into the nearly panicking cat's eyes.

 

“Kyo. You weren't fighting bears, were you.”

 

Kyo blinked in utter confusion, his face plainly showing he thought his cousin had gone completely insane! “Bears?! What the hell are you talking abou--”

 

“--Before you came to live with us at Shigure's house,” Yuki impatiently cut him off. “Those four months you disappeared.” His gaze sharpened, boring into the cat, seeing understanding all but explode through Kyo with a sharp intake of the cat's breath and a shrinking of pupils in red eyes. “I don't believe you were up on the mountain. And I don't believe it was Kazuma-sensei you were with.”

 

Kyo drew back, jerking his hands from Yuki's shoulders as if burned; staring almost in horror at his cousin. His breathing was suddenly more strained than Yuki's as panic flooded his eyes. Yuki's lips thinned; he'd never seen such outright fear on his fiery-tempered cousin's face before.

 

“I think--you were with Akito. As you've been going to see him, every month...”

 

“You--!” Words seemed to strangle in Kyo's throat as he stared at Yume with a look that eloquently spoke of betrayal.

 

“What does he do?” Kyo's head swung back around, and Yuki caught and held his eyes. “What does Akito do, to you?”

 

Kyo backed another step, eyes glazing, breath strangling in his throat; then another; and another, until he stumbled into the wall by the door. Yuki realized a now shivering Kyo wasn't seeing him, or even the room about them; his eyes were twitching in response to things long done. The cat was locked in a too-strong memory. The rat had experienced enough of those on his own to understand what he was seeing, unexpected as it was.

 

All it took, for Yuki--was mention of Akito's name.

 

He'd never seen Kyo, of all people have a reaction like this, though! What had happened, during those four months?!! Kyo was the strongest person Yuki knew; he always bounced back, annoyingly ready to fight against everyone and everything. He never let anyone see his fear, projecting anger in its place--even when Akito was there.

 

The rat had risen to his feet and taken a hesitant step towards his cousin when unexpected pressure against his shins made him stop and look down at Yume, who was leaning into his legs to stop him. She stared up into his eyes, managing to convey her temper without a hiss or a single raised hair. Those obsidian eyes were very eloquent.

 

Yuki plopped back down on the futon in surprise as she stalked over to Kyo, who had slid down the wall and now sat slump-shouldered on the floor, knees up and head lowered, seeming to huddle into himself even without physically curling inwards. His hands were limp on the floor at his sides. Yume shoved her head under one arm to snuggle against Kyo, nudging him and giving out small feline sounds of comfort.

 

Yuki was almost ready for the moment when he suddenly didn't see a long-haired black cat anymore. The black-haired young woman now tucked under Kyo's arm wrapped both of her arms about him, hugging him tightly. Yuki watched as Kyo's arms slowly, hesitantly moved to hold her back, closing about her almost convulsively at the last moment as he buried his face in her hair, shuddering visibly for a moment. Yume gave a soft grunt with the force of it, and he loosened his hold. Kyo's face stayed down as he raised his head, orange hair shading his eyes from view.

 

Yume pulled one arm free to reach up and cup Kyo's cheek, trying to pull his face around so she could stare intently into his eyes. He resisted, turning his head away, in spite of the quickly obvious strength she was using. His cheek reddened about the whiteness where her fingers pressed into his skin.

 

Yume's eyes narrowed, her lips thinning. “Kyo-sama.”

 

Yuki saw Kyo's flinch at the honorific. He kept quiet, watching.

 

“Kyo-sama. I am coming with you, this time.”

 

Kyo's head whipped around and he glared at her, his expression a strange mix of anger, and terror. “No!!”

 

Yuki didn't know what Yume was referring to, but Kyo's reaction had been definitive. Yume didn't flinch at his harsh tone. Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Yessss.”

 

Yuki wasn't certain just what happened for the next few minutes, once Kyo shoved Yume away and flung himself to his feet to confront her as she sprang lithely to hers. They weren't speaking much in human language; both were hissing and spitting and outright yowling at each other, just like a pair of feral cats fighting.

 

The Rat's spirit nearly had a coronary within Yuki; his own heart spasmed with the terrified panic ricocheting within his curse, driving him up and flat against the farthest wall. Images of being shredded by sharp claws flooded his mind, making it hard to think straight. By the time Yuki had sorted out the Rat's terror, his Cat-cursed cousin and the human-shaped cat had settled their dispute. Yume was standing tall and proud by the door, glaring angry satisfaction at Kyo; who was standing in front of her, face averted and hands fisted at his sides, literally shaking with anger. It was clear to Yuki that Yume had gotten her way--if only because Kyo couldn't figure out a way to stop her. It didn't take much thought to know Kyo could forbid it until he was blue in the face--she'd simply follow after him, unless he could find a way to confine her, or maybe tie her up. Which might not hold, even if he managed it.

 

“I will see you the day after tomorrow.” With that, Yume was out the door and off down the hall. It appeared that confinement was quite out of the question, now; there was no way Kyo would be able to catch hold of the too-canny Yume until they were face-to-face with Akito. Kyo stared after her for a few minutes, breathing deeply in an effort to calm his temper. It seemed he'd forgotten all about Yuki.

 

“The day after tomorrow...the new moon.” Kyo spun and glared at Yuki when the rat spoke; he stared calmly back in the face of the cat's now foul mood. Yuki repeated the question that Kyo had not answered--“What does Akito do to you?” The rat was fairly certain he knew the answer, at least the basics if not specifics; but he wanted--needed--for Kyo to admit it out loud. If they didn't start talking to each other, Tohru's dream of friendship between them would never come to be. Upside-down as his world had turned, Yuki found he'd decided that Tohru's dream was at least worth trying. He truly didn't know his tempestuous cousin well enough to decide if he would like to be friends with him, or not.

 

Kyo's angry expression melted to anguish as he turned his face away, staring out his window. His voice was almost too soft to hear when he said, “You know damned well what that bastard does.” Muscles corded in his neck and shoulders as his hands fisted tightly enough that his nails drew blood from his palms.

 

That didn't really answer Yuki's question; Kyo was circling about it. Yuki knew what Akito did to him--he wasn't even sure what happened to Hatsuharu, let alone any of the others. None of them ever talked about it. He got the feeling Kyo would never give him a straight answer, though. Which likely meant it was worse than anything Yuki could think up, knowing how Kyo hated admitting to injury, or anything he thought of as a `weakness'. Knowing Kyo's volatile temper, and Akito's even shorter one; and the cruelty that dominated the Clan Head's words and actions...

 

So. There was only one way for him to find out.

 

“I want to go with you, too.”

 

Yuki would forever remember the look on the cat's face at that statement. If things hadn't been so serious, he'd have fallen over laughing. Kyo couldn't even stand straight, he was so shocked; he staggered sideways and slammed shoulder-first into a wall, eyes nearly popping right out of his head and jaw figuratively bouncing off the floor. He was very obviously completely and utterly speechless, unable to pry his eyes from Yuki.

 

Smirking slightly even as a thrill of fear at what he was thinking of doing iced down his veins, Yuki nodded once, not looking away. He wasn't entirely certain himself just exactly what his reasons were; he just knew he felt compelled to go. “I never knew--that Akito...that you were...seeing Akito, too.” He paused, and swallowed at the lump tying to form in his throat. “I'll...stay at the main gate, if you insist; but I want to--to be there.”

 

Yuki wasn't certain just how to say that he wanted Kyo to have the reassurance that someone knew where he was; and would...help him back to Shigure's, if necessary. The plain words didn't want to come--not to Kyo, who'd been his enemy for so long; and he couldn't think how better to allude to his intentions. He just knew--it made a difference, somehow, at least to him, when he realized that Kyo knew...and worried about...what happened to him, when Yuki went to see the Clan Head. He felt obligated somehow to offer Kyo that same...comfort in return, inadequate as it seemed.

 

His staying out at the gate might be the smartest thing for both of them; if Yuki came too near, Akito would hear of it--and that wouldn't be a good thing. Akito would want to see Yuki; and he might...be more violent with Kyo than he would normally be. Yume had said--that Kyo was beaten...and sometimes `worse'. Yuki didn't think he wanted to know what that `worse' might be. He remembered Hatori's eye, and Rin's `fall'...and many other such results of the Clan Head's more vicious twists of temper.

 

And...Akito might insist that Yuki would have to watch. He didn't think he could stand to see the kinds of things Akito was likely to do to the cat; even if it was merely the same poisonous verbal treatment that he, himself received. And if he dared to interfere, in any way--Yuki didn't want to think about what might happen; to him, and to Kyo. Akito would--not be pleased, if the rat were to dare try to defend the cat, in any way at all. Kyo was right; Akito wanted them fighting, wanted them to be enemies. The bet with Kyo; and the things he'd always said to Yuki, about the cat--it was obvious, though Yuki couldn't figure out why.

 

Kyo had recovered himself somewhat, and was now staring intently at his cousin; thinking. Whatever he was trying to see, he apparently found it; with one last clenching of his fists and jaw, the cat drew in a deep, shaky breath, nodding slowly in acceptance as he released it. Shadowed red eyes stayed locked with violet for a moment more--then Kyo was gone, out the door and off down the hall, down the stairs and out the door before Yuki could more than blink in surprise. A yelp from the living room proved Shigure's presence as Kyo nearly ran him over in his rush to leave, the Dog-cursed writer's plaintive questions ignored as if unspoken.

 

The rat wasn't certain which surprised him more--the unexpected speed of Kyo's departure, or the cat's seemingly easy acceptance of Yuki's request. Perhaps Kyo didn't think it worth arguing, after losing the fight with Yume...? He decided it didn't matter and shrugged, releasing some built-up tension in a long sigh. Kyo had agreed; and one thing he did know about his cousin, was that Kyo wouldn't go back on his word, no matter how reluctantly given. It was getting him to give it that was the hard part.

 

That evening the rat found a slip of paper on his bed, with a time written on it and the words “Your `secret base'”. He nodded to himself upon reading it, suddenly glancing up at movement in his doorway barely in time to catch a glimpse of his retreating cousin.

 

Yuki and Kyo didn't exchange another word until the following evening, when they met at Yuki's garden. Kyo had even left early for school, avoiding the rat as much as possible--maybe afraid of getting into a fight, and having Yuki withdraw his offer of support...? Yuki wasn't sure, but wasn't about to press. That Kyo might be...nervous...enough to welcome the support of the cousin who was supposed to be his worst enemy...the odd thought confused and comforted the rat, both at the same time. It did reaffirm his decision to try getting to know Kyo better, though. The `idiot cat' he'd thought he knew would never have done as Kyo was doing.

 

The cat, the rat, and a feline Yume arrived at the Sohma main estate early in the evening. The sun was only just nearing the horizon, casting deepening orange rays across everything as they walked, sending lengthening shadows off to their sides. Kyo had his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his dark blue hoodie, his shoulders hunching slightly as if he were chilled; nervous red eyes captivated by the front gate. Yuki walked almost calmly a couple steps behind him, careful to keep out of Kyo's direct attention--the cat was skittish and spoiling for a good fight to blow off some of the pressure building up in him, as he anticipated what Akito was going to do. A fight wouldn't really help anything; it would only ensure that Kyo was dusty and rumpled for his meeting with the Clan Head.

 

Yume stalked regally behind them both, head and tail held high, long black hair rippling and flowing in the light breeze. She appeared to be completely unconcerned by what might happen, all too soon.

 

She didn't stop where Yuki took up a position against the wall, just out of sight of the guard stationed not so ceremonially at the gate. She followed Kyo right on in, completely ignoring the guard; who gave Kyo an unreadable look, making no comment. The man then looked right past Yume, as if he didn't even see her. Yuki watched worriedly until the two were through the gate and out of his sight, then settled himself more comfortably against the wall, to wait. Yume could always come and get him if Kyo needed help getting off the grounds.

 

No one protested Kyo's presence, even though the shunned Cat-cursed Sohma was traditionally not even allowed onto the grounds of the Main House. Akito would do with him what he wished, and the Clan would purposefully never notice. He'd been coming every month for so long that most of them truly no longer saw him, even with they nearly stepped right into him.

 

Kyo watched all these relatives of his with unreadable eyes, face oddly blank. His step never faltered as he made directly for Akito's own house, Yume at his heels. He only paused for a moment at the door, staring at it, determinedly ignoring the memories trying to surface in his mind; then he slowly reached a hand out and let himself in, knowing none would help or hinder him on his way.

 

Akito waited within. A shiver ripped through Kyo; sickly anticipation of what was to come. The worst part, was knowing that he'd never be able to keep control over his own temper; and thus would make this session all the worse than it might have been.

 

The Clan Head was sprawled indolently in his favorite round window, eyes turned listlessly to the world outside his home. Kyo entered the room and stopped in the usual place, dead center; waiting with clenched jaw and fists for Akito's notice. Yume settled herself primly at his feet, cocking her head as she stared unblinking at Akito.

 

When the Clan Head finally deigned to turn his head and take notice of his Monster, the first thing his eyes took in was the unexpected young woman with the amazingly long, flowing black hair standing at the Monster's side. Mad eyes widened as Akito's temper rose, twisting his features from a sinister version of Sohma-handsome to something--ugly. He drew his thin self up and threw one arm out imperiously to point at her as he yelled at Kyo, spittle flying from his mouth with the force of his unreasoning fury, “Who is she, and what is she doing here!!”

 

Akito glared at the disdainful Yume as the completely unimpressed cat-turned-girl stared down her nose right back at him, and Kyo tried not to shiver in fear at her side as his mouth and throat went dust-dry. Yume spoke disdainfully before Kyo could gather his wits enough to respond to his `god's' demand, not having anticipated Akito would see her in her human form.

 

“You are no god.”

 

Kyo cringed, his mind blanking of thought as pure, unadulterated panic smothered all thought. He barely had the presence of mind to keep from stepping away from the towering inferno of rage that consumed his Clan Head and all but levitated Akito to pin his maddest glare on Yume from barely a foot away. Shivers wracked Kyo's wiry frame as he fought the instinct of the Cat's spirit, as well as his own, to run!

 

“And who are you, to say such a thing to me!” Akito's hissing voice was low and poisonous. Yume did not flinch, or blink, or otherwise show any reaction to it. Kyo stared at them with wide, rather frightened eyes, unable to stop his shivering; and not really caring, just then. The oppressive, smothering feeling rolling off of Akito made him feel as if he were being drowned in the Clan Head's rage; it lapped about him and over him and pressed into him, trying to squeeze the life and light from him. He couldn't imagine how Yume was withstanding it! He couldn't move, not even to raise his hand in entreaty; couldn't breathe with his frozen lungs; couldn't speak--couldn't scream...!

 

Yume slowly, almost lazily cocked her head to the side, staring curiously at Akito. It was obvious he had no power over her; certainly nothing like he had over Kyo, and the rest of his Zodiac-cursed! There was no trace of fear in her hard obsidian eyes; and not even a hint of respect. One hand settled on an up-shot hip as she settled to stand more comfortably.

 

“Truth is truth. I know gods. You are not one.”

 

Icy fear poured through Kyo's veins. There was a great deal he still didn't know about his newest friend, but he'd never known her to lie. She was a great deal like him--too blunt for politeness' sake. Whether she knew any true gods or not, they weren't here before her--Akito was; and Akito was all too likely to exact instant and painful retribution.

 

Akito looked like he was about to have a melt-down. His eyes had widened impossibly; his lips pulled back from clenched teeth, a strangled sound of fury rising in his throat. His body was tensed tight enough to shiver; his hands fisted until his nails drew blood from his palms. The coppery tang tickled at Kyo's attention even through his fear. The cat used that faint distraction to try and regain control of his own body, desperate to be able to do something when--not if!--Akito tried to hurt his friend.

 

Yume was the picture of unconcern, bored indifference settling over her face as she covered her mouth with one hand--and delicately yawned.

 

Kyo managed a stagger of a step towards them when Akito exploded, whipping one of those skeletal arms up and back and towards Yume's face in a movement faster than the sickly Clan Head should be able to make. A thin, pained sound was torn from Kyo's throat, that turned to surprise when Yume so-casually moved her head just out of the way of the blow.

 

The Cat-cursed boy's eyes widened and he swallowed, impressed in spite of himself as Yume proceeded to play a mutated form of `Cat and Mouse' with Akito; dodging safely out of the way of each and every blow the madman launched at her with lazy, seemingly unhurried movements, that included casually bending over to brush a scuff-mark off her boot. She barely seemed to pay any real attention to his attacks.

 

Akito grew more and more furious with each miss, exerting himself more each time he tried. Spittle flew from his mouth and sweat soon dripped from his face; his breathing became labored and short. He staggered more and more with each miss; it was obvious he was quickly coming to the end of his strength, and was courting an attack of some kind. He began to grunt and growl, and then to spew breathless curses at Yume, who seemingly paid them no mind--treating the furious Clan Head as if his wrath was no concern of hers.

 

Kyo felt like he was being shoved to the ground, Akito's furious aura growing heavier and heavier with the Clan Head's anger. It pushed at him and pushed at him, wrapping tendrils about his thoughts and trying to squeeze out everything but the overwhelming fear--

 

Sinking heavily to his knees, Kyo brought both hands up to hold his head, gritting his teeth and clenching his eyes shut as he tried desperately to break free of Akito's influence. This was how their `god' truly controlled the Zodiac-cursed. They had to exert a ridiculous amount of effort to go against him in even the smallest of matters; and it grew more difficult the more they did it. It quickly became habit to obey him, which made resistance harder yet. Other than Kyo, Shigure was the only one of them to purposefully go against Akito's wishes with any regularity--and the Dog-cursed writer usually preferred much more subtle methods than physical opposition, entertaining Akito with his `rebellion' enough to not earn nearly as much retribution.

 

That knowledge didn't help the cat as he fought against the overpowering pressure. His own growing desperation almost seemed to be feeding Akito's suffocating hold over him. If it were in his nature, he might have tried to nstop fighting it and see if calm and passive resistance worked any better...but Kyo just wasn't built for even pretending to submissiveness.

 

Then Akito turned to the Cat-cursed boy, murder in his eyes for Kyo's having brought this--this--infuriating creature into his home!! The full force of the Clan Head's rage surged through the curse's link directly into Kyo's mind as he'd never felt it before, numbing all thought and sending the Cat's spirit into an agonized convulsion with its power. Pain ripped through Kyo's whole being, almost making him pass out--drowning out the comparatively minor sting of the blow to his face that split his lip open and loosened teeth, sending bright red droplets flying.

 

Kyo very nearly didn't notice the second blow to the side of his head that rattled his brains and sent him down and sliding across the floor on his shoulder, sudden blackness tunneling his vision. He didn't hear the enraged yowl that Yume let loose at this treatment of her chosen `Master'...

 

-.-.-.-

 

Hmmm. I guess I'd better mention that when I write a story, a specific pairing isn't the focal point of the whole thing--hence why I don't mention that in the summary. The summary is a lead-in hook to what the story's about, after all; and this one's about Kyo and his unexpected pet, not KyoxOC, or KxY/T, etc. (Geeze, that always looks too much like algebra to me; I keep trying to solve the equation! Tsk.)

Romance might come into a story of mine, as a necessary plot element--but that's not why I'm writing it! I do not write lemons, either; and I probably won't ever write Shonen Ai or Shojo Ai--not unless it's between background characters, anyway; and definitely not as the main story focus. I don't mind reading that type of story; I just don't write `em. That doesn't mean I won't leave room for interpretation, if you as a reader want to see certain characters as having that type of relationship. But this fic, especially, isn't a romance in any way, shape, or form! Yume isn't human, and Kyo--for all he's cursed--isn't really a cat. (Petshop of Horror fans should know where things usually go between the `pets' and their owners--when the owner behaves and doesn't have a melt-down, anyway!) And I think poor Yuki gets `stuck' falling for Kyo, and vice-versa, in quite enough stories as it is. It would take a deal of development to get it to happen believably, without a thick layer of wishful thinking on the reader's part. It's hard enough turning them into friends!

Heh. Hope I'm not disappointing anybody too terribly seriously!

 

<minor rant>

MAN it's c-c-c-co-o-o-ol-l-ld-d-d here!!! ::shivering convulsively while looking out the window at 30+ mph arctic winds, trying to ignore the negative single-digit readout on the outside thermometer--or thinking about how much lower the wind-chill makes the effective temperature:: They just HAD to have an announcement on `global warming'...! Whenever they talk about it, we get record lows! Just think--a mere thirty years ago, scientists were just as absolutely and `unanimously' convinced that the world was coming up on another Ice Age! Check out NewsWeek articles from 1975, for instance. ::rolls eyes briefly heavenwards for patience:: Half the time they can't accurately figure out next week!

</minor rant> =P