Hey! I randomly decided to write some more of this! Hurrah! Isn't that exciting? Isn't it? Well... whatever. Still don't own me no Fruits Basket. Enjoy.
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He knew Tohru still worked in the building that Momiji's father owned, now as a secretary in one of the offices, and he walked that way that very evening, his heart pounding. It had been five years since he'd seen her, since graduation. What was she like now? His cousins were still allowed to see her, and had occasionally told him things, but he'd never wanted to pry too deeply, afraid that if he seemed too interested, Akito might forbid all of the Sohmas from consorting with her, knowing how that would break her heart. But now, with Akito gone...
He shivered, sending a thank you out into the universe that Akito couldn't hurt him anymore. He remembered Hatori's words in the cell, "Our lives are our own now," and the horrible sound of Kyou's laughter. Yuki knew why his cousin had laughed. Their lives would never belong to them, not to either of them. Akito would be with them both for the rest of their lives, and how could Kyou, especially, ever recover from whatever had happened to him in that room? At least he, Yuki, had been able to live somewhat in the world, even if it was just the world of the Sohma House. At least he had seen people, talked to people, kept his humanity, despite the hell Akito had put him in. But Kyou... he remembered his haunted, empty eyes. Kyou had looked like an animal.
Well, that's what I'm doing here, he reminded himself, looking up at the building. If anyone could help the baka neko - what had once been a hateful taunt had become, at some point, almost an affectionate nickname, at least in Yuki's mind - it would be Tohru. He waited, hidden behind a curtain of slate colored hair, until he saw her.
Yes, it was her. A little taller, dressed neatly in a suit, instead of the school uniform he always pictured her in, with her brown hair pulled back tidily instead of falling around her shoulders, but it was Tohru. The instant he saw her, he didn't know what to do. "Honda-san," he thought that he shouted it, but it came out as a whisper. She was starting away, starting to leave. He had to get her attention. "Honda-san!" he said a little louder, but his voice cracked and it came out quietly again. "Honda-san!" at last a call, and she turned, instantly recognizing his voice.
"Yuki...kun?" she said softly.
"Honda-san."
"Yuki-kun!" She ran the rest of the distance between them, and obviously wanted to throw her arms around him, but refrained. "Yuki-kun! I knew it! I knew I would see you again! I knew that Akito-sama would-" she stopped, seeing his face change. "What is it?"
"Akito is... gone," Yuki didn't understand the sorrow in his own voice, but there it was.
"Oh." She put a hand to her mouth, eyes big and sad. "Gomen, Yuki-kun."
"No, no, it's not- You have to come. It's Kyou. You have to come."
"What's wrong?"
"He's... there's something wrong... Will you come?"
It only took one look at Yuki's face for Tohru to make up her mind. "Of course. Of course I will come."
"Now?" He felt so desperate to have things to some semblance of normal.
"Yes. Let's go now."
- - - - -
"Konnichiwa, Tohru-kun," Shigure greeted them as they entered, trying unsuccessfully to hide the worry in his voice so as not to upset the young woman.
"Shigure-san. It's been too long, hasn't it?" She reached out a hand and he clasped it.
"I'm glad you've come," he said.
"What's going on?"
Shigure told her everything. "He's upstairs now, in his old room. We didn't know how to help him."
She nodded thoughtfully, and put on her determined face. "Ok. Yuki-kun, come up there with me and let's see."
Yuki opened the door slowly, and Tohru saw Kyou again for the first time since graduation. Wrinkling her nose against the smell of his filthy body, she sat on the futon and spoke to him with gentle words. "Kyou-kun. Konnichiwa, Kyou-kun. I'm so happy to see you again."
He only faintly registered her and did not respond at all.
"Ok," she said determinedly. "First we better get you cleaned up. Doesn't a bath sound nice, Kyou-kun? I'll go run one for you, ok? Yuki-kun, will you help Kyou-kun into the bath?"
"Ah- hai," Yuki replied, surprised.
"Good!" Tohru went down to the bathing room and started the hot water while Yuki bent over his cousin and lifted him into his arms. It felt strange, cradling Kyou against him like that, who'd always considered him an enemy, but the cat was so weak that Yuki felt a wave of protectiveness over him, and silently he promised Kyou that he would do everything in his power to help him recover. We won't let what happened to the others happen to you, he thought.
"Honda-san?" He stood in the doorway of the bathroom.
"Ah, good! Kyou-kun, the water is nice and warm! Just set him in the tub, Yuki-kun."
"Ah, but, Honda-san..." Yuki started, embarassed, and nodded at Kyou's body, still draped in the blanket Hatori had wrapped him in, but otherwise totally naked.
"Oh," she flushed a little. "Well, don't worry about it right now. I won't look at anything I shouldn't," she laughed. Yuki was surprised. Apparently Tohru had changed a little since he'd seen her last. He lowered Kyou into the water, the blanket still wrapped around him, and once he was settled, pulled the wet blanket out, and wringing it out, hung it on a towel rack.
They cleaned his body, cut his hair, and made him look like a human being again, but he seemed even less responsive than before. Yuki tried to be calm, but he couldn't stop worrying. Seeing his old rival, his cousin, his - yes, his friend - like that was too much to handle. Together they waited while Tohru attempted to find something to feed Kyou in Shigure's horribly understocked kitchen. "Gomen, Tohru-kun," he'd shrugged. "I eat takeout, mostly."
At last she'd sent Shigure into town to buy a few of Kyou's favorite things, and in the meantime, went about improvising with what she had. Kyou and Yuki sat at the table.
Yuki stared at his cousin. He was slouched over the table, still silent, still seemingly unaware of where he was. Yuki felt the rage of frustration seeping into him. "Kyou. Kyou, look up. Look at me, please, Kyou. Just- please. Show me that you can see me."
Kyou heard him. He felt a sigh go through him. Why wouldn't they just leave him alone? The girl was here. Why? What did they think they were going to accomplish? They'd bathed him, as though they thought he was human, as though they thought he cared whether he was dirty or not - as though anyone would care. As though it mattered. But he didn't matter. He was nothing.
"Kyou..." Tears burned Yuki's eyes. Damn Akito! What had he done? He remembered the last time he'd seen Kyou, as Hatori had solemnly walked him in to see Akito. Yuki had been standing at the end of the hallway, watching. Kyou had kept his head high, resoloutely accepting his fate. He remembered the determined set of his cousin's face, and the clear terror behind his eyes. And how, standing before the door, he'd turned his head and met Yuki's eyes. "Oy, Nezumi," he'd called to him, in a voice that somehow managed to sound clearly despite how scared he must have been. "I'll live to break you yet." He'd smiled then, shakily, and Yuki had sadly smiled back.
"I'll be waiting."
And then Kyou had turned away and gone to whatever horrors Akito had in mind for him, and Yuki went to his own.
"Baka neko. You promised me, remember? You promised you'd come back and beat me. You promised me a fight, dammit! Wake up! WAKE UP!"
What was he talking about? Kyou wondered.
"Ok!" Tohru's bright and cheery voice - how could she sound so happy? Yuki marvelled. Tohru really was sugoi, just as he'd thought that first night, so long ago. "Ok Kyou-kun, I have something for you!" She set a little tray with the steaming teapot and three cups down on the table, and smiled brightly at Kyou. "We'll have dinner when Shigure-san gets back with groceries, but for now we can have some nice green tea." She poured out three cups. "Now, Kyou-kun doesn't like sugar in his tea, if I remember right. You never liked sweet things, not even Valentine's chocolate," she laughed a little, and set one cup in front of Kyou. "And Yuki-kun? Sugar?"
"Oh," Yuki was startled. He had been watching her with admiration and astonishment, having been so long away from her caring, motherly manner. "Yes, please. Domo... arigato," he blushed a little, and accepted his teacup.
"Kyou-kun? Drink your tea. It will make you feel much better. Okaasan always said a cup of tea was the first step to healing even the worst pain. It makes you feel warm and safe again," her smile changed, and her eyes seemed to go to a faraway place, as they usually did when she spoke of her mother.
Kyou looked up when he heard the word "Okaasan," as though it had reminded him of something. Tentatively, he reached out and took the cup of tea and raised it to his lips. He took a small, slow sip, and closed his eyes. The mild taste, with just a hint of bitterness, sent a wash of soothing warmth through his body - or maybe that was just the heat of the tea itself. At any rate, he took another drink, and then another, and then drained the entire thing. It felt... good.
Yuki thought he saw just a little bit of the light come back into his cousin's face.
------
He knew Tohru still worked in the building that Momiji's father owned, now as a secretary in one of the offices, and he walked that way that very evening, his heart pounding. It had been five years since he'd seen her, since graduation. What was she like now? His cousins were still allowed to see her, and had occasionally told him things, but he'd never wanted to pry too deeply, afraid that if he seemed too interested, Akito might forbid all of the Sohmas from consorting with her, knowing how that would break her heart. But now, with Akito gone...
He shivered, sending a thank you out into the universe that Akito couldn't hurt him anymore. He remembered Hatori's words in the cell, "Our lives are our own now," and the horrible sound of Kyou's laughter. Yuki knew why his cousin had laughed. Their lives would never belong to them, not to either of them. Akito would be with them both for the rest of their lives, and how could Kyou, especially, ever recover from whatever had happened to him in that room? At least he, Yuki, had been able to live somewhat in the world, even if it was just the world of the Sohma House. At least he had seen people, talked to people, kept his humanity, despite the hell Akito had put him in. But Kyou... he remembered his haunted, empty eyes. Kyou had looked like an animal.
Well, that's what I'm doing here, he reminded himself, looking up at the building. If anyone could help the baka neko - what had once been a hateful taunt had become, at some point, almost an affectionate nickname, at least in Yuki's mind - it would be Tohru. He waited, hidden behind a curtain of slate colored hair, until he saw her.
Yes, it was her. A little taller, dressed neatly in a suit, instead of the school uniform he always pictured her in, with her brown hair pulled back tidily instead of falling around her shoulders, but it was Tohru. The instant he saw her, he didn't know what to do. "Honda-san," he thought that he shouted it, but it came out as a whisper. She was starting away, starting to leave. He had to get her attention. "Honda-san!" he said a little louder, but his voice cracked and it came out quietly again. "Honda-san!" at last a call, and she turned, instantly recognizing his voice.
"Yuki...kun?" she said softly.
"Honda-san."
"Yuki-kun!" She ran the rest of the distance between them, and obviously wanted to throw her arms around him, but refrained. "Yuki-kun! I knew it! I knew I would see you again! I knew that Akito-sama would-" she stopped, seeing his face change. "What is it?"
"Akito is... gone," Yuki didn't understand the sorrow in his own voice, but there it was.
"Oh." She put a hand to her mouth, eyes big and sad. "Gomen, Yuki-kun."
"No, no, it's not- You have to come. It's Kyou. You have to come."
"What's wrong?"
"He's... there's something wrong... Will you come?"
It only took one look at Yuki's face for Tohru to make up her mind. "Of course. Of course I will come."
"Now?" He felt so desperate to have things to some semblance of normal.
"Yes. Let's go now."
- - - - -
"Konnichiwa, Tohru-kun," Shigure greeted them as they entered, trying unsuccessfully to hide the worry in his voice so as not to upset the young woman.
"Shigure-san. It's been too long, hasn't it?" She reached out a hand and he clasped it.
"I'm glad you've come," he said.
"What's going on?"
Shigure told her everything. "He's upstairs now, in his old room. We didn't know how to help him."
She nodded thoughtfully, and put on her determined face. "Ok. Yuki-kun, come up there with me and let's see."
Yuki opened the door slowly, and Tohru saw Kyou again for the first time since graduation. Wrinkling her nose against the smell of his filthy body, she sat on the futon and spoke to him with gentle words. "Kyou-kun. Konnichiwa, Kyou-kun. I'm so happy to see you again."
He only faintly registered her and did not respond at all.
"Ok," she said determinedly. "First we better get you cleaned up. Doesn't a bath sound nice, Kyou-kun? I'll go run one for you, ok? Yuki-kun, will you help Kyou-kun into the bath?"
"Ah- hai," Yuki replied, surprised.
"Good!" Tohru went down to the bathing room and started the hot water while Yuki bent over his cousin and lifted him into his arms. It felt strange, cradling Kyou against him like that, who'd always considered him an enemy, but the cat was so weak that Yuki felt a wave of protectiveness over him, and silently he promised Kyou that he would do everything in his power to help him recover. We won't let what happened to the others happen to you, he thought.
"Honda-san?" He stood in the doorway of the bathroom.
"Ah, good! Kyou-kun, the water is nice and warm! Just set him in the tub, Yuki-kun."
"Ah, but, Honda-san..." Yuki started, embarassed, and nodded at Kyou's body, still draped in the blanket Hatori had wrapped him in, but otherwise totally naked.
"Oh," she flushed a little. "Well, don't worry about it right now. I won't look at anything I shouldn't," she laughed. Yuki was surprised. Apparently Tohru had changed a little since he'd seen her last. He lowered Kyou into the water, the blanket still wrapped around him, and once he was settled, pulled the wet blanket out, and wringing it out, hung it on a towel rack.
They cleaned his body, cut his hair, and made him look like a human being again, but he seemed even less responsive than before. Yuki tried to be calm, but he couldn't stop worrying. Seeing his old rival, his cousin, his - yes, his friend - like that was too much to handle. Together they waited while Tohru attempted to find something to feed Kyou in Shigure's horribly understocked kitchen. "Gomen, Tohru-kun," he'd shrugged. "I eat takeout, mostly."
At last she'd sent Shigure into town to buy a few of Kyou's favorite things, and in the meantime, went about improvising with what she had. Kyou and Yuki sat at the table.
Yuki stared at his cousin. He was slouched over the table, still silent, still seemingly unaware of where he was. Yuki felt the rage of frustration seeping into him. "Kyou. Kyou, look up. Look at me, please, Kyou. Just- please. Show me that you can see me."
Kyou heard him. He felt a sigh go through him. Why wouldn't they just leave him alone? The girl was here. Why? What did they think they were going to accomplish? They'd bathed him, as though they thought he was human, as though they thought he cared whether he was dirty or not - as though anyone would care. As though it mattered. But he didn't matter. He was nothing.
"Kyou..." Tears burned Yuki's eyes. Damn Akito! What had he done? He remembered the last time he'd seen Kyou, as Hatori had solemnly walked him in to see Akito. Yuki had been standing at the end of the hallway, watching. Kyou had kept his head high, resoloutely accepting his fate. He remembered the determined set of his cousin's face, and the clear terror behind his eyes. And how, standing before the door, he'd turned his head and met Yuki's eyes. "Oy, Nezumi," he'd called to him, in a voice that somehow managed to sound clearly despite how scared he must have been. "I'll live to break you yet." He'd smiled then, shakily, and Yuki had sadly smiled back.
"I'll be waiting."
And then Kyou had turned away and gone to whatever horrors Akito had in mind for him, and Yuki went to his own.
"Baka neko. You promised me, remember? You promised you'd come back and beat me. You promised me a fight, dammit! Wake up! WAKE UP!"
What was he talking about? Kyou wondered.
"Ok!" Tohru's bright and cheery voice - how could she sound so happy? Yuki marvelled. Tohru really was sugoi, just as he'd thought that first night, so long ago. "Ok Kyou-kun, I have something for you!" She set a little tray with the steaming teapot and three cups down on the table, and smiled brightly at Kyou. "We'll have dinner when Shigure-san gets back with groceries, but for now we can have some nice green tea." She poured out three cups. "Now, Kyou-kun doesn't like sugar in his tea, if I remember right. You never liked sweet things, not even Valentine's chocolate," she laughed a little, and set one cup in front of Kyou. "And Yuki-kun? Sugar?"
"Oh," Yuki was startled. He had been watching her with admiration and astonishment, having been so long away from her caring, motherly manner. "Yes, please. Domo... arigato," he blushed a little, and accepted his teacup.
"Kyou-kun? Drink your tea. It will make you feel much better. Okaasan always said a cup of tea was the first step to healing even the worst pain. It makes you feel warm and safe again," her smile changed, and her eyes seemed to go to a faraway place, as they usually did when she spoke of her mother.
Kyou looked up when he heard the word "Okaasan," as though it had reminded him of something. Tentatively, he reached out and took the cup of tea and raised it to his lips. He took a small, slow sip, and closed his eyes. The mild taste, with just a hint of bitterness, sent a wash of soothing warmth through his body - or maybe that was just the heat of the tea itself. At any rate, he took another drink, and then another, and then drained the entire thing. It felt... good.
Yuki thought he saw just a little bit of the light come back into his cousin's face.