This will be experimental. If I get good reviews and feedback over the first chapter or two, then it will go further. Also, please excuse any crappy writing and my absence this summer. I existential crisis-ed and it sucked. I'll try to be on here more again. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim rights to Fruits Basket. All rights belong to Natsuki Takaya.

Chapter One: Frustrated

The day was almost over. Kyo was happy for that. It meant going home and hiding from people and conflict. He was tired and tempted to just get up and leave his last class. He knew he'd get in trouble for it, and he wanted to avoid any and all conflict.

Yuki sat in class, studiously taking notes, like a good student. Kyo sat at the back of the classroom, ignoring everything and waiting for the bell. He absently tapped his pencil against his knee watching the clock. When the room went eerily quiet, his eyes snapped to the front of the classroom, realizing the teacher must have asked him a question. A few students chuckled as the teacher stood expectantly at the front of the room. The cat scoffed and looked away again. Yuki refused to look back with everyone else because he knew that if he saw Kyo, he'd know something was wrong. They were not friends, so Yuki didn't want to feel sorry for him.

The teacher sighed and asked someone else to answer. After class was over, Kyo rushed from the room. Yuki slowly gathered his things as Tohru approached him.

"Uhm, Yuki?"

He turned to her with a smile. "Hey Tohru. Is something the matter?"

She shook her head and looked down. "I'm not sure. Does Kyo seem off lately?"

The rat huffed. "Isn't he usually?"

She gave him a dirty look. He put his hands up, as if surrendering.

"Alright, alright. What do you mean?"

"Like- I don't know. Like something is on his mind. Something serious."

Yuki thought for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose. Being the cat usually comes with that though."

"But Yuki, what if being the cat has nothing to do with it?"

The silver haired boy shouldered his bag. "Ask Shigure. Maybe he's noticed."

She nodded slowly, offering a small smile and they left for home.

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When they arrived, they found the house dark. Tohru called out, but she received no answer. She went into the kitchen and turned on the light.

"Yuki!"

The other teen entered the room, thinking she'd found something horrid, but was relieved to see she had found a note from the dog.

"Hello! I do apologize for not being home to give my lovely Tohru a welcoming hug, but I have been whisked away for an important adventure. I will return in the morning. Good day!"

Yuki snorted. "Either Shigure is hiding from his editor to play a cruel trick, or Aya dragged him off for some annoying purpose. Whatever happened, he isn't here. Stupid cat seems to be gone too. Do you need any help with dinner?"

She looked around. "Hmm, no I think I should be alright. I might walk to the store to pick up a few ingredients."

Yuki chuckled. "Well, don't pick up too much or you won't be able to get it all home."

Tohru blushed and nodded. They both went upstairs to change out of school clothes and go about their afternoons. Tohru went to the store and Yuki went outside to his garden. He walked slowly, enjoying the sun and warm breeze. As he neared his garden, he saw feet. The closer he walked, the more he saw of the mystery being. He saw familiar cargo pants.

Yuki stood by Kyo's feet, staring down at the cat, who was apparently sunbathing. He cleared his throat, causing the orange haired teen to crack one eye open and look up at him.

" 'the hell do you want?"

"Uhm, you're in my garden. Why?"

"'Cause."

"Because…?"

"It's away from people, away from the house. Do your thing, I'm not in the way."

Yuki sighed and realized he'd waste too much time if he kept arguing. He needed to weed or the pesky things would overrun everything he'd worked for. He knelt in the grass and put on his gloves and began to yank the intrusive plants from the earth.

After a while, Kyo sat up and watched him. Yuki sat back and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"What?"

The cat shrugged, and the silver haired boy noticed that Kyo was pale and had circles under his eyes.

"Kyo, are you okay?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"You don't look like you. Your pale. I was just asking."

Kyo ran his hand through his hair. 'I'm not."

Yuki looked at Kyo. "Not?"

"Not okay."

Yuki furrowed his brow in thought before it hit him. "It's been ten years."

Kyo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He started taking deep breaths. Yuki stood and walked over to him before crouching again.

"Hey, when was the last time you ate? Or slept?"

"Couple days."

Yuki stood up once more and grabbed Kyo's upper arm, pulling him to his feet.

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Once back to the house, Yuki made Kyo go upstairs, with the rat following behind. He watched as Kyo quickly changed into shorts and laid on his bed. He looked tense. Yuki walked further into the room.

"Roll over?"

"Why the hell do you want me-"

"Just do it!"

The cat eyed him warily before doing as he was told. A second later, he felt the bed shift as Yuki sat next to him. The rat probed up his spine gently.

"What are you doing?"

"You're too tense." He began to massage Kyo's shoulders. "If I can get rid of some of these knots you might sleep a little easier. And this doesn't leave these walls."

"Whatever." His voice was muffled as he had buried his face in his pillow.

A few silent moments passed, and as the knots loosened themselves, Kyo felt more relaxed than he had the last few weeks.

"Yuki?"

"What?"

"Uh, thanks."

"Yeah."

They heard the door downstairs and Tohru's voice calling out to see if anyone was home.

"I'm gonna go see if she needs help. Try to take a nap. One of us will get you for dinner."

Kyo nodded and rolled onto his side. Yuki stood and walked downstairs.

That's it for chapter one! Let me know what you guys think! Like I said before, I'll post another chapter before I decide if the feedback is enough to keep this story going. If not, I'll do one conclusion chapter. SO PLEASE REVIEW! I have a lot of ideas.