Disclaimer: The writer of this fan fiction does not own in any way, shape, or form the featured manga/anime. She is not making any form of money by writing this, so if you sue her - she might give you a fuzzy WDW hoodie, but that's the end of her personal riches. She does, however, own the plot line(of the fan fiction, not the manga/anime). Steal at your own risk.

Warnings: Obscenely short transition chapter + Yuki!Angst + Return of previously vanished author.

This chapter was meant as a transition, but it also has some important points in it. I don't expect people to see the symbolism and wordplay I put in the writing, but if anyone would care to comment if my writing style has changed; it would really help me.

Thanks for reading!

XI : 'When you weren't around."

If you plant yourself here I wouldn't miss you for long
But then comes the day when you leave town
I'm back to the way I was when you weren't around

If you want to know what that was like
I'll tell you first, it was way too quiet
It rained a hundred nineteen days of the year
I spent my time falling down the stairs
I know I can't tie you to a leash
But something tells me you'd go further than Greece
And then I'll have to figure out what to do
I'm kind of afraid I'm co-dependent on you

- 'Swingset Chain' : Loquat

To Hatori, it looked like someone had dragged a giant paintbrush through the sky, not caring whether colors blended or leaked. The last echoes of sunlight were reflected in the remaining pools of stagnant water from the downpour that had ceased barely an hour earlier.

He marched along the street, footsteps echoing in the contained space created by overhanging buildings and shut doors.

His hands were shoved deeply into his pockets, his head was tilted back, bangs only slightly falling away from darkened eyes, and his pace was unhurried - creating an almost hypnotic rhythm of footsteps.

He exhaled slowly, letting out a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding.

The sun was getting lower rapidly as he reached the end of the street, where houses ended and grass began. Minutes passed, and before he knew it, he had reached Shigure's gate.

He rested a hand on the cool metal of the gate, leaning forward so that his forward was resting on cool metal. He sighed, closing his eyes. (because when the air is cold and your thoughts are cold, what else is there to do but succumb to it when you never really had warmth?)

Then the gate was pulled open, sending him flying with only the sound of an echoing wail in his ears.

"Ah! Hatori-san!"

He sighed, not needing to look up to recognize that voice.(is happiness contagious?)

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" He turned his head to the side, to see a pair of decidedly pretty legs kneeling beside him. He silently thanked himself for not having the thought process of Shigure.

"Are you alri-" Her breathy exclamations were interrupted by Hatori's deep voice.

"I'm fine, Honda-san." He looked up from trembling knees to tear-filled eyes, sighing a bit.

"It's really nothing to worry about."

"But, It was so rude of me to pull the door open without checking, and now you fell and-"

She stopped, her mouth falling open a little in shock as a quiet chuckle escaped from the Sohma family doctor's lips.

"I'm fine." She smiled down at him, biting her lip slightly. He coughed, and she jumped up - extending a hand to him.

"Thank you." She leaned down to pick up the woven basket she had dropped.

"It's the least I could do." Hatori looked at the cascade of hair hiding the girl's expression as she leaned over, and immediately (his thoughts spiraled into realms of entangling webs where every smile was hiding a secret and every laugh was only covering another deception)

He looked up, realizing that Tohru was already several feet ahead of him along the path, looking back at him concernedly. She blinked, flashing a bright smile at him.

"Are you coming?" Her voice drifted back to him. He gave a short nod, before turning around to look back at the gate he'd come in from. The sun had set completely, turning the entire street Hatori had walked along into varying shades of gray.

"Hatori-san?"

He turned back to Tohru, letting his lips tilt slightly.

"Yes." (maybe change is possible, can you see the trust I put in you?)

She smiled at him, her smile revealing the true white glory of her teeth. (I see it. sometimes it keeps me awake at night pondering over it but yet I know that I can and will do this.)

"Come on then!"( and I am here to show you that everything happens for a reason, because all sunsets must have a sunrise, so smile - because you know that what is dark will always turn light)

He walked forward, shoving his hands back into his pockets. (don't tell me these things, show me)

--

"I'm sorry, Yuki-kun" The patronizing tone of voice only made the rat sigh. "But I just don't trust you enough to let you stay in the room with the porn."

"….Then move the porn."

"Sacrilege!"

Minutes passed.

"This is where you reply in outraged indignation, Yuki-kun."

"I'm too tired, Shigure"

"..I know" (sometimes we wonder if you even know what you're doing to yourself.)

Yuki looked away, his body remaining tense even as a calming breeze blew through the open window. His eyes were half-shut even as he lifted a too pale hand to stifle yet another yawn(that everyone noticed he was stifling except him)

Shigure looked away, suddenly feeling ill.(resentment comes in the oddest forms, and sometimes it hides under the same mask as love)

An awkward silence descended over the kitchen, with both parties suddenly wondering why exactly they were there – when the front door slammed open in that distinctly graceful way capable only of one person.

Shigure perked up. "Tohru-kun?'

"Yes! It's me. And I've brought Hatori-san!"

Shigure coughed. "Where did you abduct him from then?"

A flushed looking Tohru bounced through the door, hair mussed and eyes shining. She held an empty basket in her hands, using her back to keep the door open.

"No, silly. He dropped in to see us!"

Hatori walked through the door, leaves entangled in his hair. "All too true."

Tohru's face turned a violent red, "Ah, I'm sorry, Hatori-san!"

He smiled, tousling his hair with one hand. "It's fine. I'm sorry for bringing it up, Tohru-kun."

Yuki looked away from the window(escape is a luxury) for the first time since Hatori and Tohru had entered, smiling slightly at Tohru.

"Did you have fun outside, Honda-san?"

Tohru turned from Hatori, to smile brightly at Yuki. "Yes! Thank you, Yuki-kun!"

Yuki laughed under his breath, turning back to the window. He closed his eyes, letting the cool air brush his face. (the room is airy, the people are happy, the tone is light and yet all you can do is remain in your own private darkness.)

Tohru sighed, letting her apron fall over her head as she turned to the refrigerator.

"I had an idea today!"

Yuki cradled his head in his hands, tilting so that he could watch Tohru's movements. (because all you can do is vainly grasp and reach out for that pin-prick of happiness)

Shigure stuck out his tongue. 'Should I be worried?"

Tohru laughed nervously. "I...hope not." She looked worried for a moment before visibly perking up again. "I'm going to make Strawberry Shortcake!"

"Oh, you do have the most ingenious ideas, Tohru-kun. The things we could do with strawberry shortcake…"

The sound of metal hitting bone echoed through the room.

"Ouch! Haa-san….."

"Stop being a pervert."

Tohru's silent question of 'Where did he get the frying pan…' went unanswered.

"Oh, but is it not in my blood?"

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response."

"Good! I'll just keep talking then."

Yuki let his eyes fall closed and allowed the echoes of conversation to fade away.

--

It was nightfall again, and Yuki couldn't help but wish he had the sun to guide him through the hidden pitfalls that littered his crisscrossing path through the woods.

The silence, he concluded, had never made more noise. The sound of twigs snapping under his weight was the only sound in the forest, as even the birds hadn't bothered to come out of their safe nests on such a desolate day.

Yuki didn't know why he was out there, himself. He had suddenly stood up from the table, causing the others to look at him quizzically, and then he had turned and walked out.

He was fed up with the way they looked at him, the sympathy laced through their voices, and the pity in their eyes. He was sick of the way they asked him what was wrong when he didn't know, and he couldn't stand the way they thought they knew him better than he knew himself.

But what he hated the most was that they were right. That with every passing day, he felt like he was becoming more and more estranged from himself. Once upon a time, his world was filled with the simplicity of love and hate. The black and white void that could contain no inferior shades of gray.

And now, he felt like a giant grey blob that blundered into other people's lives, leaving trails of destruction in his wake.

And he hated the way everyone was okay with that.

Yuki kicked a pinecone out of the way, was wacked in the head by one particularly malicious tree branch, got his foot caught in a protruding tree root, and tumbled headfirst into a clearing in the middle of the forest.

He got to his feet, dusting his knees off. He exhaled noisily, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he absorbed the last rays of sun that managed to find their way through the tangle of branches overhead.

It was the weirdest feeling in the world to describe, and he wasn't even sure why he was trying to. It was a physical throb in his heart, as if he could feel it swelling and expanding underneath his very skin. The lump in his throat was perpetual, the way his bangs covered his eyes accidental, and the tears that escaped through his closed lids corrupt.

--

--

"So she said, 'My gag reflexes are so bad I might not be able to swallow it all!"

"Just stop there, Shigure. You're giving Tohru-kun a heart attack."

"On the contrary, Haa-San, I am giving her an epiphany."

'Shut up."

"I didn't get to finish my story.."

"I think we all know how it ends."

Shigure tsked noisily, "So assuming, Haa-San."

Hatori raised an eyebrow at the grinning dog before turning to Tohru. "Honda-San, why don't you go check on Yuki? He's been gone for a while and a storm is coming."

Tohru's mouth opened in a small 'o' as her eyes flicked from the door to Hatori. "Ah…Thank you, Hatori-san!" She smiled brightly at him before getting her basket and sprinting out the door.

"Who knew you were so sneaky?"

"Be quiet, Shigure. We have something to talk about."

"And that would be…"

"I've figured out how we can save Kyo."

XI - Fin

Who doesn't like obscenely short transition chapters with cliffhangers?

Anyone see any symbolism? Huh?

Grammar/Spelling mistakes? Help me and point them out.

How in HELL do these people address each other? I despise honorifics.

I love you all.

All readers are cherished, reviewers are adored, flamers fended off with large sticks, and constructive criticizers worshiped on a daily basis.

© Tenpa-Neko 2008