Rebel

When Kyo returned to the house, Hina and Shigure were just absolutely plastered. Shigure was leaned back, and Hina's head was in his lap, facing a wall. The two were speaking in a hushed murmur, Shigure's hand was stroking her back. It rested on her hip, her hand stroking his knee.

"I just feel like I can't help but push everyone away." Hina said, as Kyo listened from the shadows. "Hatori, he's been so upset with me lately and I don't even know what I did to Kyo. We spent hours together and then all the sudden he doesnt want anything to do with me." She let out a big sigh, looking up at the older man.

"That has less to do with you and more to do with Kyo himself." Shigure said. "You too have more in common than he would like to admit, and I think being able to relate to some one scares him."

Hina frowned a little. "So because I can understand him, and because we both don't fit in, he'd rather be alone? He likes Tohru. And she could never even begin to understand.."

"Exactly. If Kyo admits he wants to be friends with you, its gonna open up a lot of painful introspection about how he's living his life. I think Hatori has the same issue. You're a wild child, and he never was, so he feels like he's failing you."

Hina sat up slowly. "I should get home. Thanks, 'Gure." She said, as Kyo slipped away from his spot watching out the door.

"Do you want Yuki to walk you?" He asked. "Its awful dark."

"No, i'll be okay on my own." She said, going over to her shoes.

As soon as she got outside, Hina knew it was a bad idea for her to walk home. Head strong as ever, she decided to take the long way, through the city. After all, it was more well lit than the short cut through the woods.

It was almost assuredly the worst option, she learned, as she reached the party district. Bars and clubs and dark alleys and strange men. She heard some one calling out to her. "Hey, mama, where you headed?" "Don't ignore me!" "Uppity Bitch." She walked faster, as the man who had been calling her began to follow her, still yelling obsentities. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her in between two of the buildings.

Oh fuck, she thought, as he cornered her, one hand on either side. "I was talking to you." He said, leaning down so she could smell his breath. Ugh. He stank of alcohol.

"I don't want to talk to you." She said, trying to keep her calm as her heart pounded out of her chest.

"Why not? Nothing wrong with being... Friendly." He licked his lips, moving in closer until they were almost touching.

"Get the hell away from her." Kyo's voice surprised them both, as suddenly the man was pulled back from her.

"Oh? This your sissy boyfriend?" The man asked. Kyo winded back and hit him, landing square in his jaw and knocking the drunk off his feet.

"Kyo!" She exclaimed, so happy to see him.

"What the hell were you thinking? Walking home alone? Wearing that!! Youre just asking for something bad to happen!!" He yelled at her, grabbing her wrist. She pulled back.

"Hey! I didnt need saving, I was fine on my own!" She said.

"Oh yeah? Doubt that." He said, "I could have left you here with alley-man."

"Maybe you should of!" She stormed past him, even though her legs felt like jelly due to the alcohol and the adrenaline. She didn't make it far, though, collapsing against a bar front a few feet away.

Despite his better judgement, Kyo caught up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I didn't mean to yell earlier, or make it sound like I don't like hanging out with you." He said.

"But you did." She informed him, but still let him guide her down the street.

"I know. And thats not cool." He said, "I just don't see why a grown man can't cook his own dinner. And that came out wrong."

Hina laughed a little. "Yeah. Okay. It's fine."

"So what is going on with you and Shigure, anyway? Are ya'll ... A thing?" Kyo asked.

"Oh god no. But sometimes its nice to flirt and feel wanted, you know? Pretending like you can have a real relationship."

"You don't think you can have a real relationship?" He asked her. "What about..." He said, but couldnt think of one instance of a healthy relationship in the Sohma family. "What about Kisa and Hiro?"

Hina laughed. "They're kids. Do you think you can have a real relationship?"

Kyo thought for a minute. "I dunno... I guess I never really thought about being in a relationship. The closest i've had to a girlfriend is Tohru."

"It's just.. Flirting with Shigure makes me feel... Normal? Like, if I wanted to jump Shigure's bones, y'know, throw him in bed, I could, and I wouldn't have to think about it and make sure we didnt touch too much skin at once or something." Hina said.

"Yeah, okay. I can see that." Kyo said.

The two neared the edge of Sohma Property, and the house where Hina and Hatori stayed.

"Do you want to come in for a minute?" Hina asked.

"Not really, but I feel like if I don't walk you inside, you'll break an ankle." Kyo said.

The inside of the house was quiet, the lights were off. Hatori had gone to bed. Kyo shut the door behind him.

"Come upstairs for a minute."  She said, pulling on Kyo's arm, and he didn't fight her.

Her bedroom was exactly what you would expect. "Here, i bought you something today when I went out with Tohru." She said, producing the little charm from her pocket.

Kyo held it up, "What the hell is this?" He asked, studying it. "I mean, thanks."

Hina laughed. "God its so dumb now. I just thought it was a nice gift since you were helping me out with my chemistry grade." She said, throwing herself down on the bed, and lifting up her leg to untie her shoe. This effectively flashed the whole room.

"Oh my god! Hina! You're wearing a skirt!!" Kyo said, blushing and turning his face away.

"Oh, sorry." She said, sitting up to do it. "I didn't think it was a big deal since you saw it all last night. Speaking of which, I have your shirt."

"I told you I didn't look!" He insisted. "Anyway, that's different."

"Why? If anything, its better you look now than when im unconscious." She said, tossing her shoes in a heap. "Are you gonna walk back to Shigure's?"

"Oh, yeah, I should get going?" He said.

"No. You should stay the night." She said. "Really. I got this big ol' bed, so we don't have to touch."

"No, really, I don't..." He said, but then he changed his mine. "Okay, yeah." He said.

"Good, now turn around so I can put on some Pjs." She said, and he turned around so fast you would have thought some one had cat nip.

She stripped down and put on a night shirt and some shorts. "Alright, you wanna watch a movie or something?" She asked, as she crawled under the covers, and he gingerly got in the other side.