Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket, Naruto, or Sukisyo.

-Chap. 7, America and Kat-

A flash of light and they were back again, Yuki was back to trying to block out the sounds of Shigure singing in the shower, and Kyo was back up on the roof, staring at the clouds adding to the perfection of the calm blue sky. The clouds hadn't moved, he noted, and wondered if all that had happened had been a dream.

After a few minutes, Yuki climbed up to the roof too, sprawling out gracefully beside Kyo and averting his eyes to the clouds as well.

With the silence stretching on, Yuki gathered up his courage and asked, "Was…was that all a dream?" It was so quiet he seemed to be talking to himself. Kyo didn't answer, although he heard the question, leaving Yuki to stare at him.

But then, just when Yuki turned his head back to face the clouds, "It couldn't have been a dream if we both experienced the same thing." And as an afterthought, "Stupid rat."

Yuki relaxed, glad at least in the comfort that he hadn't gone insane. Or, if he did, Kyo had gone with him. "So what does that mean?"

"Hmm?" Kyo was still entranced by the clouds above, and Yuki was feeling the faint stirrings of annoyance. This was an important conversation they were having, so would he pay attention already! "What does what mean?"

Yuki struggled to keep his anger in check, not liking the fact that Kyo was brushing him off, and even more disliking the fact he was angry. Wasn't Kyo supposed to be the hot-headed one? But then, the stupid cat always did manage to provoke him… "What we did over there. What we promised each other. What does that mean for us here, now?"

Kyo kept silent, not even turning his head. Yuki debated smacking his damn orange head, but decided initiating a fight wasn't worth it, since one on the roof would probably bring the whole house down around Shigure's ears. He just started standing up, brushing imaginary dust from his clothes.

If Kyo just kept ignoring him, he felt there was no reason for him to go through the trouble of staying here, after all. Yuki didn't admit to himself it stung and hurt to be treated like this, as if nothing had changed. This was how things had gone on before. And Yuki was sick of it, sick of just how affected he was and sick of how Kyo didn't care. Yuki turned to go.

A hand reached up and snagged his elbow before he could take a step, and Kyo's voice rang out from beneath him. "Yuki, you must see that a resolution in that world would be different from action here." This was different from the normal Kyo, no brashness was in his tone, no spark in his eyes. "Do we really want to incur Akito-sama's wrath just for this?"

The orange haired teen motioned between them, his eyes clearly begging for Yuki to understand, but Yuki just felt fury and disappointment and who knew what else bubble in his stomach.

"What are you so afraid of, you damn cat? I would face Akito any day to preserve our relationship, but you- YOU! seem so afraid of something! And you won't tell me what!" Kyo shrank back at Yuki's verbal stabs and tried to interrupt, but Yuki cut him off. "You're keeping secrets from me, and letting this rift between us get wider and wider and pushing me away when I want to help! Well, I can't taking it anymore!"

This was the crux of Yuki's feelings. Couldn't Kyo see that they were going to lose each other if this went on? Didn't he care? Maybe he didn't, but Yuki was determined to find out just what Kyo felt with this ultimatum.

"I won't take it anymore! Either you commit to our relationship or you leave! Then we can mutually ignore each other, and I won't feel like an utter fool whenever you push me away!" Yuki's eyes were blazing, and Kyo couldn't meet them, knowing Yuki had meant each and every word.

Kyo licked his lips, his mouth suddenly dry, and tried to stall. He opened his mouth, to fill up the silence with some reassuring phrase that would mean nothing in the long run, but found he couldn't speak. Hadn't this been the problem, before that trip to that other world? They hadn't spoken the truth to one another.

"Yuki…" Kyo's eyes flickered up to those stormy eyes and held. "What did Akito-sama say to you that night?"

"Huh?" Yuki felt Kyo's hand slide off his elbow, but now that gaze was trapping him. "What night?"

"You know…New Years, when you came back terrified out of your wits. What…what did Akito-sama say?"

"Kyo, you haven't answered my question yet."

"Yuki, I will, I promise. It's just…I want to tell you the truth." Kyo bit his bottom lip in nervousness, wincing when one of his feline-sharp teeth punctured the skin.

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah, I really do. Will you sit down and tell me?"

Yuki considered the offer for a second, wondering whether he should. It did seem like Kyo was about to crack, and he did want to know…

Yuki sat down cross-legged on the roof, staring off into the distance like Kyo. "I was thinking of you all through the banquet. I thought about how lonely you would be, and I suppose my worry showed in my countenance…Akito-sama was suspicious, and called me into his room after the feast ended." Yuki bowed his head, staring down at his twisting hands. "He guessed who I was thinking about."

Yuki paused now, letting the memory wash over him. His tone was neutral, no emotions showed on his face, and yet his insides were in turmoil. That night…

"And then?" Kyo prompted, snapping Yuki out of his reflections.

"And then I tried to deny it, but he knew, and he started threatening you. He said he'd lock you up until you died, trapping you in darkness." He took a deep breath. "I…I snapped. I defied him and ran out until I reached you…"

He stopped talking suddenly, wondering why Kyo was taking this. Should he go on? Yuki wanted to…and so he did. "You ignored me after that night. I was so scared, and you abandoned me when I needed you the most…why, Kyo? Why did you push me away?"

Yuki turned in time to see Kyo avert his eyes, and the grey-haired teen waited in expectation. It was Kyo's turn now…

"Why were you scared for me? Why did you care what Akito-sama did to me?"

Yuki's eyes hardened into silver flints. Did Kyo not understand his feelings at all? "Do you really not understand? I wouldn't be able to survive without you, Kyo-"

"Oh, that's nonsense." The cat interrupted. Kyo knew these cliché sayings were pure BS. There was no way Yuki's love would be that strong, when Kyo didn't deserve him in the first place…"You'd get over me soon enough."

Yuki fumed. "Damn stupid cat! I would die if you were to go away. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Yuki suddenly grabbed Kyo's shirt collar, pulling them within a few inches of each other. He had to communicate this to the orange-haired boy. "What I am saying is the truth. I love you Kyo, seriously love you. Don't you see it? Don't you see how you affect me? …Don't you feel the same way around me?"

"But to defy Akito-sama…"

"I told you Kyo, I would go against him any day for you…"

Kyo took a shaky breath, he hadn't thought Yuki would've been that serious! He had thought…well, nevermind. It was his time to explain now. "Akito-sama summoned me the day before New Years. He…he knew about us, Yuki. He told me…he said I was making you weak, and that he'd prove it, and it'd be my fault…" Kyo took a shuddering breath and went on, softer now. "And he was right…"

The two teens sat in silence, each waiting for the other to say something.

"…I need you Kyo." Yuki whispered into the wind. "Don't blame yourself for anything that happened to me. Just don't ignore me again…god, I wouldn't be able to take it if you did that."

Another silence pervaded the air.

"But I don't deserve you…"

"Hmm, well, I don't deserve you either, so it's fair." Yuki smiled. "I'm glad we told each other the truth."

Kyo was shocked. "Wait…you're happy?"

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"W-Well," he stuttered, "This is a momentous event! It's when we're supposed to get all angsty and argue and all that!"

Kyo felt Yuki's warm arms clasping his body, pulling him closer and whispering in his ear. "Kyo-kun, I don't follow all clichés." Kyo relaxed visibly into Yuki's grip and sighed with contentment, wrapping his own arms around the other teen.

"But, you know Kyo, I was serious…about not being able to survive without you. You know that, right?"

"Mmm-hmm." Kyo nodded slowly. "I sorta feel the same way too."

Yuki pulled back a bit and asked impishly, "Sorta?"

Kyo smiled sheepishly. "Well, I can't really outright say that I love you forever and ever, can I? It's too mushy for my tastes."

"Ah, I suppose…"

They held each other for a long time without noticing the passage of time.

"So, Yuki, what do we do now?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, we still have Akito-sama to deal with…" Kyo trailed off expectantly.

"Kyo…hmm, how to phrase this?" Yuki paused for a moment. "I- I think we, together, can be able to stand up to God."

"You do?" Kyo was skeptical, to say the least.

Yuki nodded with a smile. "Yes. I do think so. Don't you?"

Kyo looked down at the roof under their feet, then back up into Yuki's mesmerizing eyes. He loved this person, and this wonder of a person loved him back against all odds. Would he give that up? Well, that was an easy question to answer. Did he give up anything?

The orange-haired teen smiled – just a little uplifting of his lips really – and replied, "Yeah, I think so too."

The sun was halfway down the horizon, blinding their eyes and warming their hearts. It was a nice time of day, really. There was a little wind, not enough to be chilly but enough to shift Yuki's bangs over his eyes. Kyo brushed them away gently, then shivered comically and said, "We've been out here long enough, haven't we? Shigure will worry. Well, probably not, but still…he'll gobble up all the food. We should go in."

But just as Yuki was about to answer, they heard a call from beneath their feet.

"Yuki-kun! Kyo-kun!" Shigure's voice floated up to the roof, "Akito-sama is here!"

And despite the warm rays of bright sunshine, the blood ran cold in Yuki and Kyo's veins.

Naruto heard sounds of splashing and shouts coming from a little distance away and turned his head lazily, thinking it was just a water fight or something. What he saw was not quite that playful.

His sharp eyesight picked out two figures, Sora and Nao he presumed, and it looked like…it looked like Nao was drowning and Sora was going after him! He turned to Sasuke and saw the other boy had seen it too, by the look of shock on his face. They stood, shocked into stillness for a second, then bolted into action. When they reached the other couple, Sora, or…was it only someone who looked like Sora? Naruto thought he looked slightly…off, somehow, was pulling Nao up and onto the shore, cradling the pink-haired boy in his arms as he coughed up water.

"Are you two all right?" Naruto called out in a frenzy as he rushed up. What had happened?

The one who looked like Sora looked up, surprise flickering in his eyes, and Naruto and Sasuke stopped, staring at his left eye that did not fit. Sora had blue eyes. This person had…one blue, one amber.

"Yes, we are both fine now." The person-who-was-not-Sora answered, his voice deeper than Sora's own.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, looking unfazed by this strange event.

The person weighed his answer, as if wondering what it would mean to them. "My name is Yoru."

Recognition sparked in Naruto's eye. "Oh, so you're Sora's alter ego?"

A small wrinkle of distrust formed Yoru's brow. "Who told you that?" He was steadily plowing through the water, effortlessly holding Nao, or was that Ran?

"Sora did." Sasuke answered.

"Hmm…" Yoru shook his head slowly, wondering at Sora's level of sanity, to tell these strangers about him. Then he asked, "Where are we? I do not recognize this place…"

Naruto and Sasuke shifted uneasily, how do you explain to a stranger that he's in another world and that they know he's having relationship problems? Eh…

Well, Naruto, as he was always like this, just blurted it out. "You're in a different world, not where you came from. We, er, meaning Sasuke and I, know you're having relationship problems with, Ran, was it? And we're here to help."

With every word Yoru's eyes had narrowed a little more, and Naruto finally wondered if he had done the right thing, being all impulsive like that.

"And how have you two learned that?"

"Aa…Sora guessed and told us?"

At this answer Yoru seriously started doubting the mental stability of his alter ego. Was Sora on drugs? On alcohol? 'Cause he was seriously acting crazy. Yoru sighed. It was probably better to deny all this; these strangers wouldn't know any better.

"Ran and I are fine. Our relationship is fine, and Sora doesn't know anything. Just-" And then Ran, or Nao, whomever was in charge right now, stirred in Yoru's arms and pale eyelids opened to reveal eyes the color of garnets that matched perfectly with pink hair. Yoru swallowed suddenly and stopped walking out of the water, letting the waves tug at his legs. It was Ran.

"Yoru…" he exhaled, as if it could be his dying breath and he'd use it to breathe the name of the person holding him so tightly.

And Yoru panicked. In front of Sasuke and Naruto's startled eyes, Yoru seemed to lose his balance all of a sudden, and then he had fallen, taking Ran? Nao? down with him.

They ran to help the two before they drowned.

Yuki and Kyo cautiously climbed down from the roof, and Kyo's hand was trembling a little, and Yuki tried to keep his breaths calm. Their scrambled thoughts were the same.

What is Akito-sama doing here? What does he want? This cannot be good…he never shows up without a purpose. What if…what if he takes him away?

And simultaneously their hands reached out for each other, and they looked at each other in surprise when they touched, hardly knowing that they had consciously reached for one another, but then they both smiled and didn't let go. They both needed the comfort of a warm hand to hold on to right now.

They went into the house, quietly climbing down the steps to the first floor and moving towards the sound of Shigure's voice. They found him and Akito-sama seated around their dinner table, and the two teenagers cautiously crept in, hands still holding on. Akito and Shigure looked up at their entrance, God's eyes narrowing as he focused on their hands. Akito-sama icily intoned, "I would like to speak to Kyo-kun."

Shigure immediately stood up and went out, but Yuki didn't budge. After all, Akito hadn't told him to get out yet. "Alone." Akito pushed, his voice much more threatening.

Yuki sent a apologetic look to Kyo, who nodded to show he understood. But Yuki still didn't leave. He…he wanted to do something, to show Akito-sama he wouldn't win that easily. In a moment he leaned forward and brushed his lips against Kyo's own. It was just a brief coming together of lips, but it apparently got his message across. Akito was glaring viciously by the time he left, a quick squeeze of Kyo's hand the only goodbye he gave.

And now Kyo was alone…with Akito. With the person who was most opposed to his relationship with Yuki. He waited for God to speak, to announce his forthcoming punishment.

After a moment of tense silence, Akito spoke, his voice quiet yet deadly poisonous. "So, Kyo-kun, why have you not left yet?"

"Left?" Kyo questioned, a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Yes, Kyo-kun. Why have you not gotten out of my Yuki-kun's life yet? You are still affecting him, don't you see?"

He was trying to make Kyo insecure again, but Kyo resisted. Yuki had said himself that he needed Kyo in his life, and Kyo was not about to give him up.

"I may be, Akito-sama, but I do not think it is enough to have reason for me to move out." Akito's aura of venom thickened, but Kyo went on. "I am in the middle of the school year, and my teachers do not think it is wise to disrupt my educa-"

"Kyo," Akito interrupted impatiently, "we both know that is not the reason. Why do you not listen to reason? You are poisoning Yuki with your mere presence! You are making him weak! Why don't you just get out of his life? Nobody will miss you here."

Kyo's countenance had turned to stone, and Akito suddenly grew furious at the lack of reaction he was getting with his provocations.

"Kyo-kun," he hissed with his most dangerous tone. "you will move out of this house, out of this town, and out of Yuki's life. The cat has no right to be associating with the rat, and you are no exception. Do you understand me?" After getting no answer, Akito seemed to suddenly realize why Kyo was holding on so hard. "Kyo-kun, do you really believe that Yuki loves you? What makes you think he can love you? You are ugly inside and out, a sin that doesn't deserve life. How can anybody think otherwise?"

Kyo's stony mask, his defense against Akito's destructive barbs, began to crack, to Akito's glee. The Sohma head of family grabbed Kyo's wrist harshly, beginning to drag the unwilling cat out of the room. "And when I show Yuki your ugliness," Akito continued, "he will leave you Kyo. I guarantee it." A maniac gleam started to take shape in Akito's eyes. "And I will laugh as your heart gets broken, Kyo-kun. I will laugh and laugh and laugh as you realize that I AM RIGHT."

Akito's hold was very strong despite his small body structure, and Kyo could not break his grasp even with his frantic struggling. Akito dragged him out and up the stairs, coming to a stop in front of Yuki's door. He slammed it open, and just as Kyo got a glance of a startled Yuki's face, Akito ripped off his bead bracelet, the one that insured…oh god. Kyo could see Yuki's eyes widening with horror, the reflection of his monster form staring back at him through those beloved eyes and he ripped himself away, unable to look at that face and see Yuki's feelings towards him turn to hate.

He wouldn't be able to face that- the fact that Yuki would become like everybody else and hate him, for something he had no control over. Kyo couldn't give even the slightest bit of hope that Yuki would be different, might not hate him, because it just wasn't possible. If…if his own mother could not love the monster that he turned into, why should Yuki? The rat and the cat weren't meant to be. Never was, never will be.

Kyo smashed through a window, hitting the ground on paws and feet and immediately starting to run towards the forest. He would run away. Kyo hated to admit it but Akito was right; he should get out of Yuki's life as fast as he could. It would be the best for the both of them…

Kyo bit back a sob as he thought of it: never being able to see Yuki ever again, never to see him smile or laugh or just live his life alongside of him. Maybe he would sneak back every few years or so, just to see Yuki? Akito surely wouldn't protest to that, especially if he never made himself known…

Tears streamed unheeded down Kyo's face now, and he didn't bother wiping them away. Nobody loved him now. He would always be the outsider, the loner, the CAT in the Zodiac – always too late. Why had he let himself get attached to Yuki in the first place? He had always known that someday, he would lose him, someday, he would get left behind.

Yuki stared after Kyo's form until it had vanished into the forest, before turning to Akito's smug expression. He scowled at his God, demanding, "What did you do to him?"

Akito slid closer, words slipping off his tongue, "Nothing, Yuki-kun. That's just who Kyo is on the inside. That's his ugliness. You shouldn't be touched by such a monster…you shouldn't, well, you can't possibly love him after seeing him like this."

Yuki's face contorted in anger, his eyes like stone. "What do you mean? It's not Kyo's fault that he's possessed by the cat! It's not his fault that he looks like that! And no matter what he looks like, I will stay by him! There is nothing that will separate us, Akito. Not even you, and don't you dare try again. Do you think you are invincible? As our God? Your children will revolt, Akito, no matter how tightly you tie us to you."

Akito was truly surprised by Yuki's response. He hadn't imagined that his Yuki would stay by the cat, not at all…was their bond truly that strong? But before he could do or say anything, Yuki was gone, running after his Kyo.

Yuki sprinted through the forest, following Kyo's obvious trail. He found his love in a clearing in the woods, and as Kyo (his eyes were the same, Yuki noticed) met his eyes he yelped. "Yuki, what are you doing? Go AWAY!"

Yuki just walked closer, not caring about Kyo's demand. "No. I will not go away."

Kyo was panicking. He couldn't let Yuki get close again, not when he was ugly and disgusting and… "DON'T YOU SEE ME?" he screamed. "CAN'T YOU SMELL WHAT I AM? I'M REPULSIVE! I'M A MONSTER! GO AWAY, YUKI, BEFORE I MAKE YOU!"

Yuki took a few steps closer, until he was right in front of Kyo. "No." He repeated again, softly. "I won't leave you alone."

He took in the shivering, tear-stained face before him, before pulling him into his arms, letting him sob into his shirt. "You need me." He whispered. "And I love you. I'm not leaving."

There was a wonderful sense of freedom in the air, as Kyo's bottled up emotions finally cried themselves out to Yuki's listening heart, as they hugged each other throughout all obstacles.

Finally, Kyo sniffed and, having reverted back to his own form sometime earlier, whispered into their embrace. "I want for us to get away, Yuki. Away from Akito, away from anyone who would want to hurt us. Is that…running away?"

Yuki smiled. "It's freedom, Kyo. It's happiness for the both of us, and I want it too. And I think I know where we can go…"

"Where?" Kyo asked, his bright eyes shining with hope.

"Let's cross the ocean and go to America. Even if Akito were to follow us, he'd have to uproot the whole Sohma household, and he won't go to such drastic measures, because he knows we won't listen to him. Do you mind being disgraced in the eyes of the Sohma household, Kyo?"

The cat shook his head. "No, but our friends will come to visit, right? We won't be totally separated?"

"Yeah, they will." Yuki smiled, and Kyo smiled back.

A few hours later they were on a plane out of Japan, toward what they hoped to be a new beginning for the both of them.

Naruto and Sasuke pulled Yoru and Ran out of the water, dragging the older teenagers with just a little difficulty. When they were both on the beach the two sputtered and coughed the water out of their systems, and it was a few minutes before they could talk.

"What happened?" It was Sora's voice again, so Sora was here now and not Yoru? It seemed like that.

"Ah…Yoru's gone…" But Ran was still here, and sounded so sad…

"You both almost drowned a number of times in the past 15 minutes." Sasuke informed them. "And we met Yoru, along with Ran." And then, turning to Ran, he asked, "Will you stay? We'd like to help you with whatever's the problem between you and Yoru."

Ran looked up into Sasuke's eyes and nodded, standing up and stretching as Sora did the same.

"But first," Sora added, "Can we go back to the beach house and get dry? It's freezing…"

"Of course!" Naruto answered and ran to get their things before walking back to the beach house.

"Yuki-kun? Kyo-kun?" Naruto called as they walked in, and he frowned when he got no answer. "Do you think they're outside?" He asked Sasuke absently, before losing his balance and tripping on a piece of clothing.

"Gahh!" he shouted, falling on his thigh, before picking himself back up and glaring at the nuisance that he had tripped upon. To his surprise, it was the shirt that Yuki had been wearing. Looking down at the floor, he found more clothes, all that Yuki and Kyo had been wearing…

"Hmm…" the blonde wondered, before saying, "Sasuke, you get Sora and Ran some towels, I'll pick these up and put them in the laundry…"

The three behind him went up the stairs and Naruto piled up all the clothes, all the easier for him to pick them up. As he did, a black cat suddenly appeared, blinking at him. He blinked back.

"Who are you?" he asked, reverting his attention back to the clothes in his arms. Naruto almost tripped again in shock when a voice, decidedly human, answered, "Kat."

The blonde looked over at where the cat used to be, and saw a young girl there now, with black hair, cropped short, and black eyes. She, thankfully not like the other people who had been popping up, was clothed.

Naruto's mouth fell open, and it took a second before he could ask, "How did you get here? And why were you just a cat?"

Kat smiled. "Oh, I come with the house. I'm sort of its guardian and whatnot. And I'm usually a cat because it's easier to survive like that than as a human. And it's fun, scaring all the people who come here when I change back." She looked at the clothes in Naruto's arms. "Oh, and Yuki and Kyo went back to their own world. They had done as much as they could in this world, and don't worry, I'm sure they'll both be happy."

"Oh, ok…" Naruto muttered. "So are you going to stay around? In human form, I mean."

"Oh no, it's too bothersome. I'll just change back whenever I want to…" With a wink and a quick "Ja ne," she changed back into a cat.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched (she preferred being a cat to being a human?) and he said, "Fine fine, be that way. Lazy-ass."

And from above him, on the stairs, Sasuke's voice drawled out, "Why are you talking to a cat, Naruto?"

Um, right…this chapter was posted because I knew I was being extremely lazy, and it might suck because I didn't know what to write half of the time. But it's done, and yeah…

Accept this authoress's apology?

New pairings next chapter. Suggestions welcome.