anime/manga; Fruits Basket
pairing; Kyo/Kagura
warnings; curses and nothin' else, I believe!
disclaimer; I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters used.

&&&

She was a whirlwind, a violent storm, a tornado that drove right through things she thought of as insignificant, and then left them completely damaged.

More than anything else, she was dangerous. And confusing. Yes, Kyo got multiple headaches just trying to understand what was running through her mind or why she acted the way she did or what double meaning she had put behind her words this time-

Yeah. It wasn't easy.

"Love is never easy, Kyon-chan!" Shigure tutted in a singsong voice, and it honestly made Kyo want to throw up.

"Stop talking like that! It sure as hell ain't love!" he snapped, irritated by the whole situation and by Shigure's mock-attempt to cheer him up.

"Oh, but, um, Kyo-kun, surely Kagura-san just wants to show her affection!" Tohru insisted, the newly washed plates pressed against her tiny ribcage. She looked concerned, but then again, she always did.

"Even so, a no's a no! She just doesn't get it!" Kyo barked, slamming the refrigerator door shut with more force than necessary. A loud slap echoed throughout the small kitchen when the local Prince Charming's fist connected with Kyo's head.

"Oww! You damn rat! What the hell are you doing?!" he demanded angrily, clutching at his damaged head.

"You're too loud, stupid cat. And don't take your problems out on Honda-san", Yuki deadpanned.

Kyo just didn't have the energy to come up with some kind of witty remark. Why was the world so against him, anyways?

"Ah, um, I really don't mind at all, Kyo-kun!" the petite girl exclaimed, "I'd love to be of assistance! I'm, um, just not so good at giving advice.. especially not when it comes to love! I'm sorry!"

"ARGH! Would you people stop calling it 'love' already? I told you, that's not-"

"It's love, all right, Kyo-kun!" a voice rumbled behind them, interrupting whatever the orange-haired teen was going to say. He knew that voice all too well. Desperately looking for a way out, he realized that he wouldn't have the time to escape before-

"I have missed you!" Kagura squealed, giving him such a fierce hug he swore he could hear his back bones smashing together. He gritted his teeth and tried to force air into his lungs.

"OH-EM-GEE-KYO-KUN-YOU'LL-NEVER-GUESS-HOW-MUCH-I-THOUGHT-OF-YOU-I-EVEN-BROUGHT-YOU-A-PRESENT-BUT-THEN-I-ACCIDENTALLY-BROKE-IT-CAUSE-I-GOT-SO-EXCITED-WHEN-SHII-CHAN-ASKED-ME-TO-COME-OVER-AND-"

"She's very happy to see him, isn't she?" Tohru beamed, oblivious to Kyo's painful situation.

"Hm.. I guess", Yuki mumbled, hands coming to cup his ears to prevent them from start bleeding. He didn't understand how Tohru wasn't affected by the rampage Kagura was causing.

Meanwhile, Kyo tried to not go into hot-headed-killing-mode. He just had to stay calm. Breathe in, breathe out. In, out, in, out-

"-CUTE-KITTENS-AND-THEY-REMINDED-ME-OF-YOU-SO-I-WROTE-A-SONG-FOR-YOU-AND-"

Needless to say, he exploded. And it wasn't pretty.

"Get the hell off of me, woman! That hurts! And don't scream so much, you're scaring the whole damn town!"

"But.. Kyo-kun..! You're so cruel!" she said in a breathless whisper as shiny tears started to flow down her make-up'd cheeks.

"Huh? No, wait, don't cry, you-"

"HOW CAN YOU SCREAM AT A GIRL LIKE THAT, KYO-KUN! AND ESPECIALLY YOUR GIRLFRIEND! IT'S NOT RIGHT!" Kagura suddenly yelled, accidentally punching him in his solar plexus due to the adrenaline pumping in her veins. Kyo doubled over and wished he could just stay there, on the ground, and play dead.

You know, like you did with wild animals. Except Kagura probably wouldn't fall for it, since she wasn't a wild animal.

"KYO-KUN! ARE YOU LISTENING?"

She was a hundred times worse.

&&&

She was going to stay for a few days.

"Oh, thank you so much, Tohru-kun! I honestly can't belive I forgot my pajamas!"

Of course she was.

"It's no problem, Kagura-san! Please, feel free to let me know if you need anything else!"

"Oh no, Tohru-kun! I couldn't possibly impose on you like that-"

"You already are", Kyo muttered from the sofa, watching the TV with dull eyes.

"Kyo-kun!" Kagura exclaimed, wide-eyed and all. "Am I bothering you? Am I really causing you trouble? I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"I did. Five times at least. But it's okay, you can still take your things and just le-"

"As an apology, I'll just have to go shopping for dinner, won't I? Come with me, Kyo-kun!" Kagura smiled sweetly. Kyo cringed.

"Oh, um, Kagura-san, it's fine, you don't have to-"

"But I want to, Tohru-kun! Otherwise, Kyo-kun is going to get mad at me!" she gasped, as if it was the most absurd thing in the world.

"Very well then. If it's not too much trouble.."

"Of course not! Let's go, Kyo-kun!"

"Hey, wait just a-"

He didn't even have the time to protest before the brunette took him by the arm and practically dragged him out of the house in less than five seconds, laughing wickedly.

&&&

"That was fun, wasn't it?"

Kyo absently wondered in how many languages he could say the word 'no'.

"I see! Your silence speaks louder than any words could! I'm happy we went on a date, too, Kyo-kun!"

"What? It wasn't a damn date! We were just buying milk and stuff!"

"And I'm also happy that we are at the point where even the smallest things mean so much to us as long as we're together!" she continued, smiling brightly as if nothing had happened.

Kyo huffed. There just was no way to win with Kagura.

She calmed down for once, just walking next to him with the shopping bag in her hand, humming some strange melody. Kyo rolled his eyes. It was such a shame that she was so crazy and lovesick. Like this, she was actually tolerable.

Kyo let his eyes travel across the silky brown hair that flowed down her back, stopping a little beneath her shoulder blades. She had tied it back in some strange manner today, using a lot of sparkling hair pins in various colors. Why did she even bother with such things?

And she had a new skirt, too. A purple one that reached her a bit above the knees, matching the white buttoned shirt she wore. Why did she do those things? Did she want him to notice it, or did she just enjoy buying new outfits every week?

And why was he even thinking about things like that? Had he gotten a sunstroke or something?

"What's wrong, Kyo-kun? You're so silent! Were you thinking about something? Oh, look, a jewelry store! Wow, that ring sure is beautiful - heh, I guess it would be strange if it wasn't, considering the price-"

"Kagura."

"This earring is shaped like a flower! Isn't that cute? Although, the color isn't really my-"

"Kagura!"

She was silent for about two seconds before she turned around to face him, grin plastered upon plush lips.

"Yes, Kyo-kun?"

"You're.. why are you always.. like that? You don't have to try so hard.. and why do you always make such a big deal.. out of.."

Kagura immediately reached out to clasp a hand over his mouth.

"Don't say it, Kyo-kun, when you already know the answer!" she chided.

Kyo just watched her with unblinking eyes, before he carefully removed her slim fingers, leaving her hands in his tanned ones. She looked at him, eyes narrowed.

"Even so, Kagura. Even if I know and if you know.. that's not it, right? I may know the reason you keep visiting me like this and.. doing all those things for me.. but then, shouldn't you know the reason why I keep my distance?"

Kyo actually looked like he was in pain, the girl realized. She shook her head, a small smile stretching across her lips.

"Kyo-kun, you're probably really tired. Let's just go back and-"

She had started to turn around in the direction of the Sohma house, but Kyo caught her thin wrist.

"But, Kagura-"

"No, Kyo-kun", she interrupted, and when she turned around he realized that her eyes were more serious than he had ever seen them. "Please, just.. no."

She looked hurt. And it was such a strange look on her usually grinning face.

They stood like that for a while, before he finally released her arm.

He nodded, but he wasn't sure what he was agreeing to.

&&&

The next day, he awoke with a strange feeling. It was like something heavy was settling in his gut - it wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it was foreign. Different. Unusual.

Scratching his head, Kyo made his way down the stairs only to find the dining table completely covered in food. Shigure, Yuki, Tohru and Kagura were already seated, and they looked up when he came in.

"Ah, Kyo-kun! You woke up!" Tohru announced.

"You were sleeping so soundly, none of us really felt the need to wake you up", Shigure explained with a smirk, helping himself to a piece of bread.

"You even slept longer than Sohma-kun! You must've been really tired, Kyo-kun!" Tohru continued in that same carefree manner, handing him a plate. Kyo caught Yuki's irritated gaze before he sat down.

As he reached for the fish, mumbling something or another, his eyes met Kagura's across the table.

She smiled as if she was relieved; an expression Kyo probably never had seen before. That made it two expressions he had never seen on her in two days. Still, it made him wonder what the hell was going on, and then-

"Kyo-kun, my darling! I hope you slept well and had sweet dreams about me! Look, I cooked the fish for you since I know the way you like it! Isn't it delicious? Isn't it, Kyo-kun?" she rambled, all in one breath, still managing to keep her smile in check.

Kyo felt the pressure in his head starting to form already.

"-old recipe, and I even removed the bones for you Kyo-kun and-"

A flashback of her round eyes looking so deserted and so unlike the way they were usually displayed came across his mind, and he raised his gaze to take the image of her in, babbling nonsense and eating breakfast and looking completely drained of worries in all of her unseriousness.

"Kagura-chan, you sure are energetic today!" Shigure observed over his newspaper.

"Of course I am, Shii-chan! The very presence of Kyo-kun makes me smile because such is our eternal love!" she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "right, Kyo-kun?"

She didn't even give him the chance to answer before she snuggled up against his side, rubbing her face against his shoulder.

"Kyo-kun is so shy when it comes to this, but of course we're madly in love!" she babbled on, oblivious to the suspicious look he was sending her way. Eventually, Kagura realized something was on his mind and she looked up. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"What are you.."

She interrupted him - of course she did.

"Just watch me, Kyo-kun! I'll steal your ground, don'tcha know? That way, you'll fall head over heels for me!"

"WHAT?! YOU-"

Kyo blushed a violent red, pushing the girl off of him while she giggled and proclaimed her undying love as Shigure and Tohru cheered her on. Yuki just looked like he was wondering what the hell he was doing there.

Kyo watched the girl dance around in the dining room and snorted.

He shook his head. He just didn't get her at all.

"-naturally, Tohru-kun! I think it started when I was in first grade, but then again, it was probably the first time I laid eyes upon him-"

But maybe that was the way it was supposed to be.

teehee. Kagura's so annoying - but she tries so hard you can't help but acknowledge her charm. oh, and she's totally the man in the kyo/kagura relationship! ehehe~