Words hurt more than you know:

It was a dark, cloudy morning, the trees swayed, the soft wind howling through it's emerald leaves. A bird's song could be heard, as well as the sound of people talking quietly. It was in a small vegetable garden out in the forest; it looked well taken care of and flourished in all it's glory. The leeks were nearly ready for picking and the strawberries looked absolutely mouth-watering, their brilliant scarlet color sticking out among the other plants. It was very peaceful in this garden, and even the gray clouds overhead could not dampen it's beauty. But peace does not last long.

A strange sound broke through the peaceful musings of the earth, a sorrowful sound if ever there was one. It was someone's quiet sobbing. Someone was walking through the forest, on the beaten path along the side of the garden. As the person moved closer and finally sat, huddled beneath a giant tree near the patch of vegetables, another sound could be heard. A soft voice was whispering, sounding like the soft wind that currently blew through the mysterious persons short grey hair. And then the long grass around the person swayed towards him, for it was a him, as if to comfort the distrested boy.

He hadn't meant it, what he had said. He had been so cruel to him...why did he harbor such feelings of hate? 'Or is it that....I do not hate him....but....can I possibly...' His eyes widened at this thought and he shook his head, his violet eyes brimmed red from crying. It was Sohma Yuki, the care-taker of the very garden he sat in.

Again the wind blowed and it was warm and soothing across Yuki's flushed cheek. The tears continued to fall for a while, and soon he was lulled to a light sleep by the grass and wind and the voices of the birds. The clouds grew darker overhead while the boy slept, seeming not to notice the distressed soul still in the open. Cold, hard rain began to pour down in a pityless onslaught, the thurnder booming like the sound of a hammer banging across an anvil; the lightning was like the tongue of a dragon, lighting up the sky in a glorious display of raw energy. Yuki was jerked awake by the freezing rain pounding down on him, his violet eyes still clouded with sleep and panic.

Yuki had been fortunate, though: the tree next to him had a hollow base easily big enough for his somewhat small frame. As he curled up in the tree, he couldn't help but remember how he had gotten here, what had happened to make him so upset.

....He had been inside, listening to the baka neko go on and on about how stupid he was, and how he'd beat him this time. He sighed in irritation and frustration. There was a strange feeling building up within his chest, and it was beginning to hurt. "Shutup you damn neko!" He said, the only emotion in his lovely voice being exasperation.

The neko had stared at him in anger and, his chest hurt more for some reason at this realization, hate. He began to speak, but Yuki was barely listening now, he had a weak grip over his chest now; the pain just kept intensifying...."-damn nezumi! If it weren't for you I could be accepted into this family! It's oyur fault! YOUR fault that they hate me so much!" Was what Yuki heard when he began to listen again. His eyes widened and his chest gave a painful stab. Why was this effecting him so much, it never had before!

He began to open his mouth but the pain was too great and he had, for the briefest moment, let down his gaurd. Thats when Kyo decided to hit him as hard as he could, believing the nezumi would dodge it. He hadn't expected what happened next.

By the time Yuki noticed it was too late, the punch had landed smack dab in the middle of his stomah. His eyes widened in shock, as did the baka neko's, and he started to cough, a lot. Kyo stared at his fist in stunned fascination...he had hit Yuki! But then worry replaced satisfaction when he saw Yuki hunched over, coughing and shaking. He was about to ask if he was alright when the guy shot up and out the sliding door before Kyo could even register he had moved. Kyo looked at his fist again, guilty. He never thought he'd feel this way when he finally hit the damn nezumi, and yet....he felt guilt as well as regret. After a few moments he sat down, deciding to 'apologize' in his own way when the baka came back....

After a few hours, and no return Kyo began to worry; just as he was about to go get something to eat, the roaring of a sudden down pour reached his ears. He looked again at the sliding door the nezumi had fled from, worry clouding his scarlet eyes. 'Where in the nine hells has that damn nezumi gone?!' his mind shouted in frustration. After a moment a sudden thought hit the neko like a ton of bricks. Yuki's asthma! True, it had been better than when he was a child, but lately it had been worse, and with the weather raging like it was, Yuki would most definitely be effected by it. "Damn!" he said to himself and ran out the same door, into the torential onslaught of freezing rain.

Yuki had nearly drifted off to sleep when a loud booming sound threatened to deafen him, and the cracking of the tree next to his reached his poor, abused ears. His eyes widened in horror, the violet darkening with his strong emotions. As time seemed to slow down Yuki scrambled as fast as he could from inside the tree, but he wasn't fast enough. He slid on the slick muddy ground and the tree that had been struck by lightning crashed down on the leg still inside the hole. A pained cry tore from his throat as he felt the bone snap; true, it wasn't a very big tree, but it was so heavy!

Kyo had been running down the beaten path, the one to the nezumi's stupid garden(where he grew those damn leeks!), figuring that was the first place Yuki would have gone. That's when the lightning struck. Kyo stood, paralyzed and momentarily blinded. 'Kami....that...that was by Yuki's garden!' Just as this thought when through his head a scream filled his already ringing ears. He didn't even think when he shot off towards the source of that painful sound. It took him mere moments to reach the small garden and when he got there his eyes widened in shock and horror.

Yuki lay there, barely concious, his right leg trapped beneath a fallen tree. His eyes were half lidded, but filled with an intense pain; he was breathing heavely, from his asthma no doubt, and he was facing down in the mud. Kyo could barely breath. He had never seen Yuki in such a sad state, it scared him to think such a thing could happen. Most teenagers seem to belive themselves invincible, unable to be harmed by anything at all; Kyo was not immune to this way of thinking.

He hesitated for a split second and then ran forward, slipping the whole way to the downed nezumi. "Yuki! Yuki, answer me damnit!" Kyo yelled in his cousin's ear. When he got no answer he wen't to the tree and tried with all his might to lift the god forsaken thing, it moved slightly , enough for Yuki to pull it out, but the nezumi was only half conscious and nothing was getting through to him.

"Damnit Yuki! Move yer fucking leg! If you don't you could die! Please Yuki! Don't leave me! I'm sorry for what I said! It's not your fault! IT'S NOT! I need you!" Kyo shouted, not even aware of what he was saying, frantic to get the one person he truly lo-admired to safety.

"Ky...o...?" Yuki tried to speak but was immedieatley consumed in a fit of coughing. Kyo panicked when he heard the nezumi wheezing, sounding like death had a hand clenched around his heart, slowly draining the life out of the poor nezumi. That's when a sudden idea hit the neko...if he took it off...maybe.....maybe he'd be strong enough....'But I can't do that! I'm a monster! I...I can't do that!....but...it's the only way....to save him.....' Tears were now slowly falling from his eyes, and he let go of the tree slowly. He reached for the hand that always had the bracelet on it. The one that sealed his inner demon....a moan of pain from Yuki was all it took and he ripped the bracelt from his arm and a howl of pain escaped his lips. As he fell to the ground his body begain to change shape and an awful smell filled the clearing, that of burning flesh. For that's what it felt like, like he was burning up in an inferno filled with rage and torment.

As the final shifting of his form ended his slender ears perked up at the sound of Yuki's small, weak voice.

"Gomen....na...sai...kyo...kyo..." Yuki whispered as it finally registered what the neko was doing. In truth, Yuki never really found Kyo's true form ugly or unberable; he had thought it odd and more bunny-like then cat-like, but he hadn't feared or hated it. In fact, it was sort of cute when he thought about it.....

Kyo's eyes widened a fraction and he growled. Damn nezumi, thought he needed to be apologized to, he shouldn't have wasted his breathe. He suddenly remembered the urgency of the situation and lifted the tree easily and tossed it to the side, and gathered Yuki into his arms. He ran back to the house, only to remember that it would be empty. Shigure had gone to Ayame's and Tohru had to work today. The rain still pounded down like tears from the sky as kyo smashed through one of the poor shoji and set Yuki down gently. He then reverted back to his human form, the bracelet back in place.

He walked hurriedly over to the phone and dialed as fast as he could. As soon as the other end was picked up he started speaking frantically "Hatori, it's Kyo! Yuki';s been hurt and-"

"Excuse me, but you must have the wrong number, this is Bob's chicken emporium." Kyo stared in horror, how had he called a chicken resturant in America?! And who knew the number was only one off from Hatori's! On any other day Kyo would have found this humorous, but seeing as Yuki was laying in the other room, his leg broken and barely conscious, he couldn't find it in him to laugh. (I am so sorry! I couldn't help myself though! XD)

He hung up quickly and called Hatori, slowly this time, he wanted to waste no time. As the ryuu picked up on the other side his monotonous voice came over the line "Moshi moshi, Sohma Hatori here-"

"Thank kami! Hatori! It's Yuki, this tree fell on his leg, his asthma, he's barely conscious, it's-"

"Calm down Kyo. I'll be right over, don't worry." And then the doctor hung up. Kyo stared for a moment and then rushed back to Yuki's side.

He looked paler then before, probably from the pain; his breathing was shallow and forced, but the wheezing had went away when he had warmed up slightly. Kyo studied the nezumi for a while. His face was the very essence of perfection, his hair was so silky, he wished he could run his fingers through it....what drew his attention most though, were his rivals lips. He had never really noticed how beautiful they really were, somewhat pouty, and smooth as silk. They looked so inviting, so warm and comforting....Kyo caught himself as he was leaning closer. 'What the hell am I doing?!' He though, blushing furiously. It was then that he noticed Yuki beginning to stir, as his eyes fluttered open violet stared into crimson, they stared for a few moments until Kyo looked away, blushing again.

"Kyo...." Kyo's head snapped back as the still weak voice seemed to fill the silent room. closer...?" He asked, slightly hesitant for some reason. Kyo obeyed, he leaned down so his nose nearly touched the nezumi's, and then before he could stop him, Yuki lifted his head and their lips met, yuki's arms going around Kyo's neck. Kyo sat, still in shock, and then he relaxed, deepening the kiss. Kyo felt like he was in heaven, Yuki tasted like strawberries and cream, he never knew anyone could taste so good.....

Yuki wasn't sure what compelled him to do such a thing, but he couldn't help it, seeing the worry in his neko's eyes, the near panic in those beautiful crimson depths had upset him, and he had then caught sight of his neko's lips...the pain in his leg felt numb as the taste of apples filled his mouth. Kyo tasted like apples....huh...go figure....

As the two pulled apart Yuki smiled up at the blushing neko and his cheeks were tinged a slight pink as well. That's how Hatori found them, both blushing, breathing somewhat heavily. His eye brow shot up as they kept staring at each other, neither saying a word. They hadn't even noticed him. He made a small coughing noise and they both jumped, Yuki cringing as the pain rushed back into his mind. That numb feeling had been so nice....he sighed.

Hatori sat down silently and inspected Yuki's leg. Indeed, it was broken as Kyo had said, and he needed to get him to a hospital. "Kyo help me get him to my car, we're going to the hospital." Kyo nodded, not meeting the ryuu's eyes, making the already raised eyebrow shoot even higher. What exactly happened before he had gotten there. In his mind he grinned, realizing what had happened. It was about time they realized they liked each other! The other's may not have realized it, but he could definitely see the attraction they had for one another. And so with Kyo's help they got Yuki to the car and to the hospital. Yuki came home a few days later, a purple cast on his leg, and a pair of crutches. Kyo backed off for a while, but after a while they got back to bickering with each other. But something had changed; they both shared secretive smiles when they thought the others weren't looking.

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Yeah, that was odd for me, and my first one-shot! I hope you all enjoyed it! I know it was sappy but I dunna care, it had Yuki and Kyo kissing, so I'm happy! XD (Notice near the end, Yuki reffers to Kyo as 'his'....that was not a mistake XD)