Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Ebony and Ivory ❯ Too Good for the Cat ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: Natsuki Takaya owns Fruits Basket, and I am not her, because if I were, I would be able to speak Japanese. Which I wish I could do, but can't.

 

AN: All the Kyo fans who were wondering what was taking me so long to bring him in can now forgive me, because Kyo has finally entered the story as an active participant. As for any fans of Saito-san… well, I'm afraid you won't be hearing from him for a while after this, except second-hand. But don't worry—he will return!

 

 

CHAPTER 9: Too Good for the Cat

 

“I wish I could talk to him,” Yuki said, after playing the last few notes of a piece he was working on. “Just once, without him blowing up at me.”

 

“Who? Kyo?” Kyo was usually the “him” Yuki referred to these days.

 

“Yes.” He sighed a little. “It's annoying. He… he can be such an idiot sometimes, but…”

 

“You want to be his friend?”

 

Yuki slumped a little. “I don't know. Maybe. Yes.” He sighed. “I wish we could just… stop fighting. I want to get out of that habit. From there… I don't know what would happen. I want to tell him somehow that I'm okay with him, if he would just being an idiot and hating me for being the rat. But he'll never let that go. It's like… the foundation of his life or something. When I am nice, he acts like it's a threat.”

 

It had been several months since that strange afternoon when Yuki had been torn up about something to do with Kyo. Since then, he seemed quite taken with his catlike cousin, and often spoke of him, and his efforts to reconcile their relationship. Yuki said he had been fighting with Kyo more often, since Kyo seemed, for some weird reason, to like it. And he'd made an effort not to bite back as often. But Kyo still hated him. Still called him a damn rat, even though Yuki tried not to call him a stupid cat, except when he really deserved it. Yuki had even written a few songs for him. Not that the “stupid cat” would ever hear them, though, because he hated Yuki, and probably hated music.

 

“Where do you get that inference?” asked Saito, when Yuki had finished this semi-tirade.

 

“I don't know. He'd take it the wrong way, anyway, the songs. He'd think I was trying to be gay or something.”

 

Saito laughed. “I'm sure you could explain it to him. After all, you've written songs for me.”

 

“He wouldn't understand.”

 

Saito was a bit doubtful, but he shrugged. “Oh, by the way, I'm having a friend over sometime today. Do you mind if I visit with him while you practice?” It was the first visitor other than Yuki that he'd had in years, and Sunday had been the only day he could manage.

 

“No, not at all,” Yuki replied. It wasn't unusual for Saito to have things to do while Yuki practiced.

 

“Very well. So we'll wrap up this lesson when he arrives. Why don't you play the one song you've been working on, about the cat?”

 

“Okay.” Yuki began to play. At first it was normal, but then he faltered, went off in a different direction, then stopped. “I'm sorry.”

 

“You've been doing that a lot lately,” Saito commented.

 

“I get all mixed up, because I want to make the music go how I feel.”

 

Saito smiled. “I think it's an excellent idea. You can't get too legalistic about the notes, Yuki-kun. Let your feelings change the music. No piece is ever performed the same way twice.”

 

Yuki laughed. “It's just hard, because I want to play it right.”

 

“There's no right or wrong in music. It's whatever sounds good, and feels good to you. You can worry about being on point when you're performing. Have fun when you're practicing. Or at least express yourself.” He thought for a moment. “You haven't done improvisation for a while. Why don't you?”

 

“About what?”

 

“Perhaps how you feel about your relationship with Kyo.”

 

“What relationship?” Yuki asked, rolling his eyes.

 

“Exactly.” The doorbell rang. “Oh, there he is.”

 

“It's okay. I'll work on my assignment.”

 

“I'll be here in a little while to check on you.” He went to answer the door. It was an old friend from college, Sohma Kazuma. Saito suddenly thought the name coincidence was interesting, but didn't ask about it. Neither had ever mentioned the other. Kazuma had a boy with him, who looked to be about Yuki's age. He had shocking orange hair, and red eyes. Saito blinked in surprise. A gang member?

 

“This is my son, Kyo,” Kazuma said, introducing them. “I told him about you, and wanted him to meet you. Do you mind?”

 

“Not at all,” Saito said, feeling a little surprised. Kazuma had always been—and still seemed to be—a quiet, gentle sort of man. How could such a man's son be in a gang? He felt something nag at the back of his mind. “Pleased to meet you,” he said, bowing to the boy. “My name is Saito Kanto.”

 

“Sohma Kyo,” the boy replied, bowing in turn. “Good to meet you.”

 

Sohma Kyo… wait… wasn't that the same as Yuki's Kyo? But Yuki hadn't mentioned Kyo being in a gang. And he certainly looked nothing like Yuki. Saito let them into the kitchen for tea, still thinking. Had Yuki mentioned what his cousin looked like? Saito had never asked.

 

“Is someone else here?” Kazuma asked after a moment, looking toward the sound of piano chords.

 

“There's a boy I teach piano,” Saito said after a distracted moment. “Or rather direct. He was already extremely talented when I met him. He comes for lessons, and then stays to practice.” Wait… Yuki had said something about his looks. What was it?

 

“How old is he?” Kazuma asked.

 

“I believe he's about seventeen.”

 

“My age,” the boy said, looking in the direction of the music as they sat at the table. Saito racked his brain. He was getting too old for this. What had Yuki said? `I wanted to be his friend… I liked the color of his hair. Bright orange…” Saito closed his eyes. Kamis, what had he done?

 

“I'd like to show you the garden, if you don't mind,” Saito said suddenly. “We could take our tea out. I've been working on it lately, so…”

 

“I'd love to see it,” Kazuma replied. “Kyo?”

 

Kyo glanced toward the music again, and rested his chin on his palm. “Can I still hear the music from outside?”

 

“I don't know,” Saito said, a bit surprised. So much for Kyo hating music. He'd have to tell Yuki later.

 

“I'm sure he'll still be playing when we come inside,” Kazuma said.

 

Kyo sighed and shrugged. “Whatever.” He rose to his feet. He was certainly a lot quieter than Yuki had described. They went out into the front yard, and Saito allowed himself a small sigh of relief. Now if only he could keep them out there for a while… and somehow get a message to Yuki…

 

“So what's his name?” Kyo asked suddenly.

 

“Who?” Saito asked, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

 

“The kid you teach. What's his name? Is he nice?”

 

Saito hesitated. “I always find it pleasant to talk with him.”

 

“Kyo, why don't you go and introduce yourself,” Kazuma suggested. “You might like him.” Saito briefly closed his eyes again. Kazuma sounded encouraging, as though he had been trying to get Kyo to make more friends. What a perfect situation, if only almost everything were different.

 

“Maybe when we go back in,” Kyo replied.

 

Saito began to point out the various things in the garden, probably getting half of them wrong in his flustered state. He had to somehow excuse himself to warn Yuki. But there didn't seem to be a break anywhere in the conversation he was having with Kazuma. Kyo was mostly silent, and seemed to be listening for something. Saito could faintly hear the music. Was that what he was listening to?

 

“Hey, Shishou, check it out,” Kyo said, pointing to the vegetable garden after nearly fifteen minutes of silence on his part. “It looks just like Yuki's garden at home. Even has the damn leeks.”

 

“Kyo,” Kazuma scolded.

 

“Sorry,” he said. He looked at Saito. “I just don't like leeks.”

 

“No, I understand,” Saito replied, feeling faint. No shadow of doubt now.

 

“But seriously, it's set up the same way and everything.” He stiffened for a second, and looked suddenly suspicious. “Saito-san, do you know a Sohma Yuki? He's about my height, and he has hair about this long that's kind of like Shishou's color?”

 

“Sohma Yuki?” Saito asked, sure his voice was betraying some of his panic. How could Kyo figure out so much from a garden? “I… don't believe so. Why do you ask?”

 

Kazuma suddenly laughed. “Kyo, why would you think Yuki's been here? A lot of people make their gardens like that. It's a logical way of organizing the plants.”

 

Kyo stood still another moment, looking doubtful, but finally he shrugged. “I'm going to look around by myself for a while, okay?” he asked after a moment. “Then you guys can talk.”

 

“Um… all right…” Saito said nervously.

 

Looking relieved, Kyo walked off. “So, do you teach music regularly?” Kazuma asked after a moment. “Kyo never expressed a great deal of interest before today, but if it continues I could pay you for lessons…”

 

“Oh… I'll certainly think about it…”

 

“Kanto-kun, are you all right?” Kazuma asked, looking concerned. “You seem nervous about something.”

 

“No, I'm all right…”

 

“Is it Kyo?” he asked. He smiled a little. “His hair color is natural. He isn't in a gang or anything. He's really not a bad kid.”

 

“No, I didn't think that.” Saito sighed. Where was Kyo going?

 

“This is lovely,” Kazuma said suddenly, pointing to something. “What is it called?”

 

 

AN: KYO'S PERSPECTIVE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

 

AN 2: You may be wondering why Yuki's so hard on Kyo in this chapter at first. Keep in mind that it is reflex for him to yell at Kyo, by his own admission. Also, his outbursts in this chapter are from Kyo's not terribly reliable perspective, and must be taken with a grain of salt. The name of this chapter, for instance, is definitely from his perspective and not Yuki's.

 

Kyo couldn't figure out why his Shishou had brought him here. He didn't know this Saito-san, and he certainly had nothing to say. And hearing Shishou and a stranger talk about old times together wasn't exactly the most interesting thing he'd ever done. He walked around for a little while outside, then went to the front door again. Where was that guy, the one Saito-san said was seventeen? Probably some prep school student or something, if he played piano like that. Still, he might be interesting. And besides, the music was good, and Kyo liked piano music. At least he could listen. Anything was better than sitting and doing nothing.

 

He slipped off his shoes, quietly went inside, and made his silent way toward the piano music. He peered around the half open paper door, and started so badly he almost fell over. Was that…? No, it couldn't be! Could it? Kyo silently slid the door open a little further and stared. No, there was no doubt about it. It was definitely Yuki. No wonder his scent had been all over the garden! He had thought he was hallucinating. But what the hell was Yuki doing here? Shishou hadn't… set this up, had he? No, how could he have known? Unless Saito-san told him. But wait… why had Saito-san lied? Or had Yuki lied to him, about his name?

 

And if the rat played piano… why hadn't he ever heard anything about it? Tohru would be thrilled if she knew. And Yuki… he hated to admit it, but the damn rat was good. Really good. Kyo looked at his face. His eyes were closed. He was probably—well, obviously—completely oblivious to the fact that Kyo was there. He looked so… so… Kyo fumbled for a word. Ordinary, he finally decided. Not like a prince at all. The fan girls would've flipped. Not really… like Yuki, even. Yuki was all aloof, and perfect, and now… now he almost seemed… touchable. Approachable, at the very least. Not that Kyo wanted to approach him.

 

“He must have gone inside,” said Shishou's voice in the background, nearly fifteen minutes later. “I apologize. He can be quite shy…”

 

“No, it's all right,” Saito-san's voice replied, closer. Kyo silently begged them to be quieter. Footsteps rapidly approached, and stopped when they reached him. “Oh no…” said a voice behind him, quietly, after Kyo had been listening for nearly fifteen minutes. Kyo turned to see Saito-san and his Shishou. He put his finger to his lips. If the rat knew he was there, he'd stop playing. Shishou came and stood beside him. He looked just as startled. So he hadn't set this up. What an insane coincidence.

 

“Kazuma-kun…” Saito-san looked alarmed. Had they not been supposed to find out? Then why had he had them over when Yuki was there? They had the same last name.

 

Suddenly the music stopped abruptly. “Kyo?”

 

“Damn it,” Kyo muttered.

 

“Saito-sensei, what…?” Yuki's face had gone white. What was he so freaked out about?

 

Saito stood like he'd been turned to stone. “I didn't know Kazuma was in your family when I invited him,” he said, looking as though he had made the worst mistake of his life. “I'm sorry. He was an old friend from high school…”

 

“Kanto-kun, what's going on?” Shishou asked Saito-san.

 

“It's nothing,” Yuki said. He closed his eyes. He rose to his feet, shaking badly. He looked like he was about to pass out.

 

Kyo instinctively took a few steps forward in case he did, then stopped and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “What's the matter with you?” he asked, then smirked. “What, you freaked out at how easily I could have taken advantage of your oblivion?”

 

“Kyo, please, listen to me.” Yuki caught hold of his arm, and Kyo jerked it back, annoyed.

 

“Don't touch me, you damn rat!”

 

Yuki closed his eyes. “Please don't tell.”

 

“Don't tell who what?”

 

“Don't tell anyone that you saw me playing.”

 

Kyo crossed his arms. There he went again, keeping to his perfect princely self. “Are you stupid? If I had a talent like that, I wouldn't hide it.”

 

Yuki's eyes went round. “You… you think I…”

 

Kyo sighed through his nose and looked down. He hadn't meant to say all that. “Whatever.”

 

“Akito said I couldn't,” the rat explained. As if Kyo hadn't already figured that part out. Still, it was unusual for the rat to defy Akito.

 

“Tell him he's stupid.”

 

“Kyo, don't tell. Please.”

 

“Fine!” he said, rolling his eyes. “Like I have anything to do with Akito. What do I care?”

 

Yuki relaxed. “Thank you.”

 

“Whatever. Quit acting like a girl.”

 

“Shihan, you won't tell either, right?”

 

“Of course not,” Shishou replied with a smile. “Your secret is safe with us.”

 

Yuki sighed. “Thank you. It's all right, Saito-sensei.”

 

Saito-san looked even more relieved than the rat had. “All… all right. We'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Good work, by the way.”

 

“Thank you,” Yuki replied, with a slight bow, and Saito-san left the room.

 

Kyo paused for a moment, indecisive, then settled himself on the floor near the doorway. The rat might be a fiend from hell, but he was more interesting than reminiscent adults. And Kyo definitely felt more comfortable around Yuki, even if he did hate him. At least he knew the damn rat, having been forced to live with him for more than a year now. Yuki looked Kyo sitting there, and furrowed his brows in confusion.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Do you want something?”

 

Kyo felt his face grow warm. What if Yuki thought he actually liked the stupid music? “Just thought I'd listen until Shishou is done.”

 

Yuki's eyes widened, then quickly narrowed into annoyance. “Wha… what do you… you can't.”

 

Kyo folded his arms. “You can't order me around.”

 

“I don't play in front of people,” Yuki said firmly. Of course. No one was good enough for him.

 

“That's stupid,” Kyo muttered, annoyed as he always was by the rat's superior attitude. He stood up and walked over to the piano. He noticed the title of one of the pieces and raised an eyebrow. “Cat?”

 

Yuki snatched at it, turning pink. “None of your business!”

 

“Well excuse me for being interested, you damn rat!”

 

“Don't elevate your cat curiosity by calling it interest,” the rat sneered.

 

“What, I thought you liked cats.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

Kyo smirked. “Do you?”

 

“Shut up, Kyo.”

 

“Will you play it?”

 

“No.”

 

Kyo was annoyed, without really knowing why, so he sat down on the bench next to Yuki. Yuki glared at him. He pretended to ignore it. He slowly played a scale. Then he shrugged. “That's all I can do. I'm not going to be playing self-composed pieces anytime soon. Of course, there are some idiots who actually have them, and still won't play them, because they're oh-so-perfect and too good for the rest of us.” He looked at the rest of the music. “You wrote one about Ayame? Do you write songs about all the people you hate?”

 

“I don't hate nii-san, and this isn't about him! The woman who used to own this piano was named Ayame. I wrote it in her honor.”

 

Kyo paused. He was setting Yuki off pretty easily today. Maybe a little more would work him into a fight. He smirked. “Did she have a cat?”

 

“Would you get lost?” Yuki said, exasperated.

 

“No. Not until you play something.”

 

“Fine. Get off.” Kyo sat on the floor and Yuki played something familiar sounding, like a theme song or something.

 

“You didn't write that. I've heard it.”

 

“So what? I played something. Now go away.”

 

It was no use. Yuki wouldn't fight at someone else's house. And he wouldn't let Kyo listen to the piano. Oh no, not the cat. Kyo sighed, stood up, and walked out. “Jerk,” he muttered as he left. He sighed, and made his way to where he could listen to the music through one wall. But it wasn't the same. He wanted to see Yuki's fingers fly over the keys. He wanted to see Yuki's face.

 

Finally, Kyo stood up and walked back to the kitchen. What did he care about that damn rat anyway? So he could play piano. So could a lot of people. But anyway, now he knew where Yuki was really going when he went to “work.” He was tempted to tell Shigure just to spite Yuki, but couldn't bring himself to do it for some reason he didn't care to explore.

 

After a while, Yuki came into the kitchen. He looked miserable, though it was, of course, carefully hidden under a calm, polite mask. What did he have to be upset about? “I'm going out to pull the weeds, Saito-sensei.”

 

“All right,” the man replied. He looked at Yuki with concern. “Are you okay?”

 

Yuki smiled. “Of course.” Kyo rolled his eyes. Saito-san had to have known he was lying through his teeth. But he didn't say anything. Kyo watched Yuki walk away, then stood up and followed him out to the garden. It was boring, sitting with nothing to say.

 

“Hey, you damn rat, I'll bet I pull more weeds than you!” he challenged.

 

Yuki sighed and continued to walk. “Leave me alone, stupid cat.”

 

Kyo felt the familiar sting of cold dismissal. “Why do you act like you're so much better than me?” he asked suddenly. “You know, at least I look at you when you talk to me!”

 

Yuki stopped walking immediately, and turned around, looking shocked. “I…”

 

“Oh, never mind!” Kyo growled, throwing down the spade he had picked up, and going into the house. He looked at Yuki's pieces on the piano, and grabbed one, meaning to tear it apart. But he stopped himself and set it down. What did he care? It wasn't like he cared about that damn rat anyway. He went back and sat down with his Shishou and Yuki's piano teacher, and listened to them talk. Then it was time to leave. Kyo was still fuming as they walked out the door. Then he heard Yuki's hesitant voice.

 

“…Kyo?”

 

Kyo turned sharply. “What do you want now, you damn rat?” he yelled.

 

“Um… I…” Yuki paused, looking almost nervous. How weird!

 

“What?” Kyo asked again, exasperated but curious.

 

Yuki looked encouraged, and smiled just a little, attempting a smirk, but failing. “I'll… bet I can fill more yard work bags than you.”

 

Kyo's eyes widened. Yuki issuing a challenge? He felt a thrill of excitement, and his face lit up. “You're on!” he shouted, slamming his fist into his palm. He started to run, then stopped, and sheepishly looked back at his Shishou, who was grinning.

 

“I'll see you later, Kyo,” he said.

 

“Bye, Shishou!” he said quickly, and ran to Yuki.

 

“Okay, but they have to be packed firmly,” Yuki said. “Or else they don't count. No cheating by packing lightly.”

 

“Like I'd pull a dirty trick like that!” Kyo snapped. “You'd better not cheat either, you damn rat! I'll bet I can fill more bags than you and pack them more firmly!”

 

“We'll see.”

 

Kyo started grabbing handfuls of weeds and stuffing them into a bag. He looked at Yuki, who was moving much slower. “Hey, you're not going slow on purpose, are you?”

 

“Yes. You can't pick up as many if you move too fast, and you'll wear yourself out.”

 

“Oh.” Kyo started to slow down a little.

 

Yuki was quiet for a moment, then turned to Kyo, again looking oddly nervous. “Sorry for calling you stupid earlier.”

 

“Huh?” Kyo dropped his armful of weeds, staring. Had Yuki just apologized? “Um…”

 

“I was freaked out because I was afraid you might tell, so I was flustered. And I thought you were making fun of me about the piano. I guess you weren't. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.”

 

Kyo looked down for a second, then back. “Whatever. Like I care, anyway.”

 

“Do you accept?” Yuki looked uncertain.

 

“Your apology? Fine, whatever.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Kyo couldn't keep track of this. Yuki, issuing a challenge and then apologizing, to Kyo? “Why are you being all weird?” he asked.

 

“I'm just trying to make amends,” Yuki replied.

 

“Make amends? With me? Why?”

 

Yuki winced. “Because I'm sorry.”

 

Kyo simply stared for a second. Yuki actually felt sorry, like he did a lot after saying something stupid to Tohru that hurt her feelings? He regretted that he had hurt Kyo's feelings? Since when did he care about Kyo's feelings? “I thought you hated me,” he said at last.

 

Yuki shrugged a little. “I can still apologize.”

 

Kyo hesitated. “I… guess so.” He went back to stuffing bags, suddenly realizing that he had let Yuki get ahead. “I'll beat you this time, damn rat!”

 

His cousin turned to him. “Yuki. Pleased to meet you.”

 

Kyo blinked, and didn't reply. It was too complicated to figure out now. Afterwards (they tied, by the way, unless you decide that Yuki was the winner because his job was reduced by half), Yuki's teacher invited them both in for hot chocolate. “So, you guys have known each other for a while?” Kyo asked Yuki, when Saito left the room for a minute.

 

“Yes,” Yuki replied. “About two and a half years.”

 

Kyo paused, still vaguely surprised that Yuki was actually listening to him. Not that he didn't ever listen, but it was a rarity. “Does he know about us?”

 

“What do you mean?” Yuki asked, all-too-innocently.

 

“It's not like I'm going to tell Akito,” Kyo muttered, rolling his eyes.

 

Yuki hesitated. “Yes, he does.” He looked a little surprised too.

 

“Hmm. You know, it's probably safe to tell. He let Tohru alone.”

 

“It's safer this way.”

 

“Whatever. How did he find out? Did you transform?”

 

“None of your business.”

 

Kyo scowled, irritated. “Fine, be that way.”

 

Yuki sighed. “He took me ice-skating, and I fell through. After that I was hypothermic, and my asthma got set off, so I transformed. No one else saw.”

 

“When was this?”

 

“A long time ago. Before you came to live with us.”

 

“Was it that you didn't want to get punished?”

 

Yuki shrugged. “Partly. I didn't want to say goodbye. Especially not like that.”

 

Kyo paused, unsure what to say. “Well,” he said at last, “I won't tell.” Not that he cared about the damn rat or anything, but he was sure Yuki would find some way of getting back at him if he did tell.

 

“Thanks.” There was an awkward silence until Saito-san returned, and attempted to find something the boys had in common as a conversation starter. Kyo found himself smiling a little at the man's faltering attempts.

 

At last, the chocolate was finished, and Yuki and Kyo walked home without a word passing between them. Kyo felt very strange, for he had just realized that he had stayed with Yuki for more than an hour after his Shishou had left, for absolutely no reason. And weirdest of all, he hadn't wanted to leave. Not that he would ever admit that in a million years to that damn rat!