For yet another night, Kyojuro was walking down the streets of the small town after a fight with his dad. Senjuro was safe at a friend's house, so Kyojuro had no reason to sit and take his dad's crap for another few hours.

Your house finally popped up as he rounded the sidewalk corner. It was like his shoulders could finally relax, if even a little.

Shinjuro was, for all purposes, an asshole. He hadn't always been that way, but when Ruka died, he changed. Kyojuro took the brunt of his father's anger, his beatings, his rage at the world. Kyojuro wouldn't forgive himself if Senjuro was on the receiving end.

And then there was you. Not the most sociable in high school, not really the type Kyojuro hung around, but you were there. In his life. Sometimes he couldn't help but see his mother's kindness in you, and he both loved and hated it.

Your parents would kill Kyojuro if they ever knew he snuck in at night. Not that anything happened, but your dad was protective, and your mother was hysterical. So, as quietly as he could, Kyojuro jumped the five foot privacy fence and looked up at your bedroom window. Kyojuro picked up a pebble and tossed it, hitting your glass. Then two, and three. He winced as the window made a loud opening sound.

"Kyojuro? Do you know what time it is?" Your incredulousness made him smile as much as his split lip would allow.

"I do." Kyojuro was careful to stay quiet, not wanting to be run off by your dad again, "Can I come up?"