One Week Later

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     I should have gone and asked Yuki. He would have said yes for sure. Trying my best to ignore my thoughts, I suck it up and open Kyo's door a little bit to let him know I'm here.

     "Kyo? Do you have a minute?" Don't get mad...

     "Yeah, I guess so. Whaddaya want?" Kyo stops what he was doing, which happens to be homework, and turns to me.

     "I was just wondering if you could help me with something at some point in the future." I step into his room and slide his door shut.

     "I don't know. Depends on what it is" Thank goodness he isn't in a bad mood.

     "Well.... it's.... uhhh.." Unsure of how to bridge the subject, I glance around his room.

     He cocks his head a little. "Just say what it is. Not like it's gonna hurt anyone."

     "I know... I just wanted to ask if you could teach me martial arts. You know, since I never really got to learn at Sensei's like everyone else?" 

      Kyo sits up straighter and I'm not entirely sure what he's thinking. "Really?! You're serious?" Kyo jumps up and grinned.

     "I'm totally serious, Kyo. I'd really like you to teach me." 

       Kyo's eyes light up. "No way! That's awesome!..... Wait..... why didn't you ask Yuki to teach you?" Aw man! I hoped he wouldn't ask!

     "Well, you're one of my closest friends. I thought you'd like to do it. Then maybe I can learn both yours and Yuki's style, if that's really going to be an arguing point with you guys."  Kyo pauses. He seems surprised by what I said. He slowly turns around and goes back to his desk and runs his hand along the back of his chair.

     "What? What did I say? What did I do?" 

      He turns to me, looking a bit frustrated. "Why do I have to be your best friend? I thought everyone but Kagura and Sensei hated me. I didn't even think that you wanted to be my friend when we were little." He what?! I'm so taken aback that I didn't know how to respond for a little while.

     "You were always nice to me! You loved playing games with me and Kagura. You were always there for us to play with... at least, until your mom... That's when Sensei took you in and Akito began sending me to the room more often." I look away trying not to get upset. Maybe I should just leave. This was a bad idea. "Uh, you know what? I shouldn't have asked... I'm gonna go." I slip out as quickly as possible and made like lightning to my room downstairs before Kyo could stop me. (A/N: Remember how in the anime as Tohru walked away upset and Kyo, in cat form, didn't mean to make her go away and was like "Come back!"? I pictured this happening..)

     I'm so stupid. I should never have asked. I sit on my bed, not even able to read a book. I really hope Kyo wouldn't come and either stay in his room or go up onto the roof. That's when my door opened a little. I jump a bit and pretend to be looking for a book.

     "Good evening, Kasumi. You seem upset. Are you alright?" It's Yuki.

     "Oh, I'm fine! I was just talking to Kyo and we disagreed a little. Not anything that will be lingering over our heads after tonight, though." I smile, hoping he'd believe me, and he seems to buy it. He may not get along with Aya, but they're more similar than they care to admit sometimes.

     "Alright, just checking I was down the hall when I saw you come down. I'm going to go walk Miss Honda back here from her work. I should be back in an hour."

     "Okay! Have fun!" He leaves and I think about what I should do with myself. I could watch T.V.! No, I would rather read. I would go up to the roof, but I don't wanna bother Kyo right now if he's up there. Guess I'll get yet another week ahead on the homework Hattori gave to me. Then I'll be two weeks ahead!

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     I slowly open my eyes when I hear a light knock on my door, and realize that I fell asleep at my desk while doing homework. My door opens a bit, and my stomach flip-flops. Kyo.

     "Ah -- I didn't realize you had fallen asleep. Well, uh, Tohru says dinner's ready. Hurry up, before it gets cold." I can tell that he was sorry by the way he babbled... just a bit. I quickly close my books and follow him to the sitting room. While we eat dinner, it's the quietest it's been in a while.

     "Why the hell is it so damn quiet?!"

     "Because some people like quiet, stupid cat."

     "Well that's stupid so shut up ya damn rat!"

     "How ironic it is that you said that."

     "Can you two make sure that my house isn't destroyed this time? Okay?" I guess Shigure assumed that the fight would go that far.

     "Dammit, Shigure! I wasn't even planning on fighting that damn rat! It's all your fault anyways for not making a conversation!" With that, Kyo pushes his food away, stands up, and storms upstairs; probably headed to the roof.

     "Stupid cat. Always blaming other people. But we really weren't going to fight like that, Shigure." Yuki's finished eating by now, and stacks his dishes.

     "Fine, fine. But just know that the main house isn't paying for repairs anymore." 

Tohru seems surprised by his words. "The main house payed for them? Well, I guess that explains a lot." 

"Of course the Main House payed," I reply, "It's not like he has the best salary..." 

Shigure fakes utter sadness. He wasn't going to make me crack so easily. "Why must you be so rude, Kasumi?!"

     "Don't start with-"

     "After all the hard work I do, you just toss me aside like an old onigiri!" I stand up and glare at him.

    "Augh! You're so irritating!! If anyone needs me, I'll be on the roof." I storm out of the room. Just my luck, I bump into Kyo in the hallway upstairs, who's leaving his room. I ignore him and so straight to the balcony.

   "HEY! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kyo's next to me in an instant.

   "I'm going to have tea with Akito. What do you THINK I'm doing?!" I stop and turn to him, shooting him a withering look.

     "The hell you aren't! That's where I go!!"

     "Well I can go there too. It's not like you own the place." I duck outside and scramble up the ladder to the roof. Kyo was right behind me.

     "Wow, look, not a single police officer here to arrest my for being on the roof!" He ignores me and continues to climb up, but as he stepped onto the roof, he slips and bumps into me. We both get knocked off balance, but manage to catch ourselves quickly. Way to be graceful.   

     "Dammit Kasumi! This wouldn't have happened if you didn't come up here!" 

     I roll my eyes. "Fine, fine. I guess I'll just go back down there. You're just lucky you don't transform when you bump into me like that. That would be round number two for you since I came here."

     "You don't have to leave," Kyo mumbles, "I didn't mean it like that."

     "You sure?" I ask. Neither of us was in the best mood tonight.

     "We still need to figure out the martial arts thing, right?" He says, sitting down near the middle of the roof. "Might as well sort that out now since you're here."

     "Really?" I can't help it. A grin slides onto my face. "You'll teach me?" He nods. "Oh Kyo, thank you! Truly!"

     "I won't go easy on you..." Kyo adds. He's trying to stay serious, but I can see him trying to hold back a smile.

     "Great!" I laugh, "I wouldn't expect anything less. This means a lot. Really. Thank you."

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I hope you all enjoyed it! :) New chapter to come soon!