Septic

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or Jesus *suddenly struck by lightning*…I just own my own blasphemy. Ow!

Alright, no comments here, just letting you know, there will not be anymore rambling on about torture! We’re getting to the fluffy stuff, and the healing process. This is by no means the last chapter! ^_^ Sorry I have so much dramatic crap in this story, but it’s a habit of mine to be overly dramatic!

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Kyo stumbled and fell.

He had been carrying on too long…He had too much to bear, and his body couldn’t take it anymore. He groaned as he sank to his knees, and let Yuki’s limp body tumble from his arms before the transformation took over. With his last bit of strength, he pulled himself on top of Yuki’s chest protectively.

Kyo panted for breath as he tried to stay conscious. He secretly prayed…he hoped for someone to find them…to keep Yuki safe. His vision blurred as he tried to keep his eyes open, but sleep sucked him under as he felt Yuki’s heart beat beneath him.

Hours later, Kyo’s prayers were answered by a little lost ox.
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“Good to see you’re awake,” Haru murmured, smiling softly down on the cat.

Kyo’s mind buzzed as he sat up and quickly took in his surroundings.

“Don’t worry, you’re both safe,” the ox said. “I found you out in the woods and brought you to Shigure’s. I figured that’s where you’d want to go.”

“Good guess,” Kyo murmured, as he relaxed once again, rubbing his eyes.

“You both were in pretty bad shape, at least that’s how you looked. Shigure called Hatori to come take care of you…I’d ask what the hell happened, but I don’t think this is the right time,” Haru sighed. Kyo grunted in response, involuntarily wincing at the thought. “If you’re wondering, I found you two days ago, but you’re the first to really wake up. Yuki still hasn’t… Want to see how he’s doing?”

Kyo perked up at the mention of Yuki, but quickly hid his worry and interest…but not before the ox noticed. Kyo gently nodded, and discovered he was extremely dizzy and had a massive headache. He slowly moved to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, before a small noise from Haru stopped him.

“Here,” Haru grunted. “Put these on.”

And a flying pair of jeans landed on Kyo’s head. The cat glared at Haru, who nonchalantly walked to the door saying something about waiting outside, and promptly closed it behind him.

“I can find him myself, you damn cow!” Kyo called after him. The cat grudgingly pulled on the jeans, and didn’t bother with a shirt as he made his way to the door. He was too worried to do anything else, but he paused to compose himself. He had to be strong for Yuki, just as Yuki had been strong for him. Kyo pushed his door open and stepped into the hallway where Haru stood waiting.

“What the hell do you want?” Kyo hissed halfheartedly.

“Well, I know you know your way around the house, but you’ve also been sick for a few weeks and I don’t think your body can take too much movement right now,” Haru explained.

“What are you talking about? I’m just fucking fine,” the cat scathingly replied. He turned and began to walk down the hallway towards Yuki’s room, resisting the urge to run. He was having a harder time concealing his feelings than usual. As he neared the door, a sudden wave of dizziness shook his world as he stumbled and nearly fell, but strong arms encircled his waist stopping the fall.

“And that’s why I’m here,” Haru’s mocking voice taunted.

“Shut up,” Kyo growled as he shoved Haru away and leant against the wall.

“Look, Kyo. I understand you’re worried about him, but he wouldn’t want you hurting yourself because of your stupid cat pride.”

“You have no right to say that, Haru,” Kyo said, his voice devoid of emotion, his eyes shadowed and looking away from the ox. “You could never understand what we went through. This isn’t a matter of pride…that died a long time ago. My pain right now is nothing compared to what he’s faced.”

Kyo pushed himself away from the wall and quietly entered the rat’s room, silently shutting the door behind him.

Haru stood in the hallway shocked at Kyo’s change in attitude. He softly smiled to himself and turned to leave.

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Kyo stepped into the darkened room and took in the surroundings. It was a dismal scene. The smell of despair and hopelessness hovered in the air, as well as the antiseptic smell of a hospital. Small beams of sunlight streamed over the bed where Yuki lay on his stomach. The rat’s eyes were closed, and yet they were moving as if dreaming, and his body made small movements. Kyo could see his mouth moving, and hear tiny sounds coming from his throat. Hatori stood over the bed, examining the frail form that was Yuki.

“Hello, Kyo,” Hatori said. “Good to see you’re awake.”

Kyo said nothing as he looked down at Yuki. The rat was thinner, and paler than before. He seemed so fragile, and so weak…A thin sheen of sweat covered his cheek as his eyebrows knitted in confusion, or maybe worry? The cat swallowed down the oncoming emotions as he watched Hatori move to change the bloody bandages that covered the rat’s back. Yuki’s small movements suddenly increased, and he let out a terrified scream as Hatori’s hand brushed against his skin. Kyo jumped from fright.

“Don’t worry Kyo, he’s alright,” the doctor assured him. “He has the same reaction every time.” And he resumed his work, but Yuki’s movements and screams only increased.

“Kyo!” The dragon yelled. “Come here! I need you to hold him down!”

Kyo rushed forward and placed his hands on Yuki’s shoulders gently but firmly, and held him down. Yuki bucked against him as Hatori continued his work. The cat bent forward and spoke to Yuki.

“Yuki, it’s okay. You’re fine…we’re home.”

Yuki’s movements suddenly slowed, and his breathing slowly evened out. Kyo eased his hold on Yuki, slowly falling to his knees, keeping his arms draped across the rat’s shoulders.

“You’re okay now,” the cat whispered softly as he leant his head against the pillow. He watched as Yuki’s face relaxed as he fell back into deep sleep.

“Good work,” the doctor said. Kyo turned to look up at Hatori. “You should probably stay with him, Kyo. You seem to be the only thing to calm him down.”

“What do you mean?” Kyo asked suspiciously.

“So far, Yuki has only woken up in fits, never really waking up from his nightmares. He acts much like he did a few moments ago, but we have had to sedate him every time, and that is not good for his system. I suggest to stay nearby as he seems to calm down around you.”

“I don’t blame him for having nightmares…” Kyo muttered under his breath. He looked up at the doctor. “Alright, I’ll take care of him, if that’s what you mean. Just tell me what to do.”

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//Please…let it stop!

Let me go! Let US go!

No…Akito, please…NOT AGAIN! NO!!//

Yuki woke panicked! He thrashed around and cried out frantically, trying to get away from Akito. He had to get away! He had to get him off! His mind screamed run, and his body fought, while he voiced his pleas and curses! But strong arms held him, and a harsh voice quieted him.

“Lay still, you damn rat, or you’ll hurt yourself even more!” A familiar voice hissed.

Yuki, too stunned to do anything else, stopped and held still…Then he finally felt the sting of open wounds scorch his back. He shuddered with the feeling, but remained tense in his captor’s arms.

“K-kyo?” Yuki whispered softly.

“Yeah…” Kyo whispered half heartedly, his voice sounding exhausted and strained.

“Wh- How? Where are- Why?” Yuki stammered, his thoughts too chaotic to properly voice. The racing ideas choked out all logical thought, as he tried to figure out where he was, and why Kyo was holding him…But most importantly, where was Akito?

“Calm down,” Kyo said harshly. “First, promise me you won’t freak out if I let you go.”

All the rat could do was nod. Kyo accepted this, and slowly released his hold on Yuki. The rat’s head fell against a very soft and welcome pillow. It was then that he noticed he was on an actual bed…he felt himself being gently rolled onto his stomach as Kyo’s weight left the mattress. Yuki turned his head to look to Kyo, who was now seated in a chair beside the bed, holding a bowl of water and a wet cloth.

“I’m gonna have to clean your back again,” Kyo sighed. “…mind if I move your robe?”

Yuki, surprised at the sudden courtesy and respect, slowly nodded trying to figure out where this new Kyo had come from…Kyo leaned over slowly and carefully peeled the now bloodstained cloth from Yuki’s back, trying to do as little damage as possible. Yuki didn’t feel a thing, and only Kyo noticed the small flinch as his fingers brushed against the rat’s neck. Yuki was so confused and all he wanted were answers…He opened his mouth to ask, but Kyo interrupted him.

“Well, we’re at Shigure’s,” he stated plainly, dabbing the cloth against the open wounds. “We’ve been here for a few days…I got us out of there, and made it part way here before I passed out, too. Haru actually found us, and brought us back here. Hatori and Tohru took care of us. But this is the first time you’ve woken up without us having to sedate you. But whenever you slept without us knocking you out, you were always screaming and hurting yourself, but I’ve been the only one who could calm you down.”

Yuki flinched as he felt his face burn. He knew why Kyo was the only one to calm him…Kyo had been the one thought he held on to…His one hope in that pit of despair…But screaming in his sleep? He hadn’t done that since he was a kid! Had he really been so out of control? How could he let everyone see him like that? Had he been that tortured? Suddenly cold fear washed over him as he felt the memories invade his thoughts…He shivered as he tried to push away the memories, but a sudden soft touch to his shoulder snapped him out of it. He looked up to see Kyo looking at him in deep concern.

“Don’t think about it,” Kyo whispered softly, his eyes holding a haunted look as if to say ‘I try not to’. Yuki found it hard to meet those eyes, but he couldn’t pull away either…He wanted to know why they looked less firey than before…What had dulled that flame?

“How did you find me?” Yuki asked, his voice sounding weak.

“Let’s not go into that right now,” Kyo persuaded, as he resumed his duties.

“No, Kyo. I have to know,” Yuki hissed, his eyes fierce and demanding. “Why did he let us go?! What did you see?”

Kyo looked away silently, not wanting to relive the memory himself.

“I told you, we are NOT going to go into that right now. I don’t want to and you’re in no shape to either,” Kyo resolved.

“Are you afraid of me getting hurt?” Yuki questioned.

“I haven’t taken care of you for this long just to have you freak out and go catatonic from memories!”

“But why do you even care?”

“Like it or not, Yuki, we share something that can never be taken from us. We share the same curse… and the same fears. I don’t know what’s with me lately, but you have everything to do with it! You were the only thing keeping me sane…keeping me alive…I thought I was going to die, but I wanted to go on. I didn’t want to give up, so I kept thinking about you and-”

“But after what I did to you…”

“Do you think I’d do the same to you?” Kyo scoffed. “You put me through hell, but I would never wish that on you, as much as I hate you sometimes! Sensei taught me that life is not something to take for granted, and petty rivalry is a waste of that life! I realized that when I almost lost everything!”

“ Isn’t it weird, Yuki?” Kyo chuckled. “By nearly killing me, you saved me.”

Kyo looked quickly at Yuki before resuming bandaging the rat’s back again. Yuki could only look up in wonder at the cat’s expression. His eyes shone with wisdom beyond his years, and yet his rueful smile held dark secrets. It was the steel expression of one who had conquered, and one who had lost… It was the look of a survivor. His expression said everything and nothing, but most of all, it said that hope was real and courage was tangible. At that moment, Yuki wished with all his heart that he could look like that someday. To have that much confidence in his heart be blatantly obvious on his face was truly moving. The rat held out a tentative hand and placed it on the cat’s wrist. Kyo froze in his ministrations, but did not move Yuki’s hand. Yuki grasped Kyo with all his might and said:

“Thank you.”

Kyo looked questioningly upon Yuki , then smiled gently. He placed his free hand upon the rat’s and nodded before standing up.

“Well, now that you’re awake, I’ll go tell Hatori and have him take a look at you. Not to mention everyone in this house has been waiting forever for you to wake up, so they’ll want to see you, too.”

Yuki nodded silently and settled against the pillows once again as he watched Kyo leave.

He was determined that he would change now. He would conquer his fears and his pain to become a better stronger person. He would do it for the one man that made life worth living…

Kyo.


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Awww! Now wasn’t that stereotypically sweet?! I really don’t care much for this chapter…but I needed to write it to start the healing process. I know it’s not all dark and spooky and bloody and angsty and torturey…But it is fluffy! I think there’s something wrong with me…o.O I think we all needed a break from my repetitive ramblings about pain and death, so I made a happy chapter!
Thanks goes to Caerfree who kinda bitchslapped me back into reality!! Sorry I almost lost you, but thanks for having enough faith in me to continue reading! ^_^; I\'m really not worthy of everyone\'s reviews! But to all you reviewers, thank you, you\'re my inspiration! And I\'m never gonna abandon this fic for you guys!
But the good news is, we’re now on the road to loverly man sex! WOOT! And we’ll find out if the boys ever figure out their own feelings!!! (Since they’re OBVIOUSLY in denial!)


Yuki: *holy aura* I will be a better person, for my savior and new role model, KYO!

Kyo: *holy aura* I will help this poor broken soul, to whom I made a promise!!

Yuki & Kyo: *celestial choir music* I will have a new and unexpected, somewhat angsty, but purely platonic relationship with my ex-nemesis!! I respect him too much to do otherwise!!

Shigure: *pfft* Shut up, you two, and just shag already!!

Kyo: But I cannot take advantage of the lovely Yuki like that! He is still far too fragile and broken to want any sexual contact!

Yuki: Kyo could never want me as I am soiled and unworthy of his sexy body! He would never wish to have me!

Shigure: =_= Morons…

Randomly, Akito crashes through the wall…

Akito: *Superman pose* Fine then, I’ll just go back on my promise and take you both back to use for my own devices!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!! *flame*flame*DOOM*

Shigure: *glares at Akito, and smacks him with rolled up newspaper* Bad! *smack* Bad Akito! *smack* NO bishies for you!

Akito: *whine* But Shigure…

Shigure: *stern look* I said no! *whack* Now, go home!

Akito dejectedly leaves…Whimpering and whining...(Naria:MUAHAHAHAAHAH!!)

Shigure: Now, as for you two…

However, the duo Shigure was attempting to speak to has ‘somehow’ gone missing…but strange lewd noises can be heard coming from the upstairs closet.

Shigure: Yeah…I’m good. ^_^

Kyo: *in a cry of ecstacy* Platonic!!!! Screw platonic! *moan*

Yuki: No Kyo! *moan*pant* Screw me!!

And so on…