I curled into the callous stone wall, sinking into the corner that supported my weak frame. It provided no comfort, no warmth for me now. Tohru was dead – he had passed away yesterday afternoon without so much as a warning. Now, his friends and siblings were congregated in the room below, reflecting on his terrible passing and the funeral that had just passed. Natsuno, my childhood friend, sat silently brooding in the corner over the loss of his best friend. It was hard for us all, especially with Masao and his never-ending drama. He had been sent home not long ago, and our company had been left in silence. I felt hollow – Tohru was gone, and so was Natsuno. Gone from me, anyway. Gone were his smile and his stoic affection. He would not be a source of comfort now.

Finally, I stood up slowly. It was late, and I had to go home. I lived under the same roof as Natsuno, now that my parents had succumbed to the terrible epidemic too.

"I'm going home," I announced meekly, my voice not quite recovered from the endless tears I had shed hours before. There were no tears left to wet my cheek now. I clutched the side of the wall, struggling to keep balance in my weak state. It had been a terrible shock for me; losing Tohru, who was like a brother to me, had broken my heart.

"I'll come with you," said Natsuno. His voice – his entire demeanor – was hollow and cold. It was his way of grieving, though. Natsuno cried for no one. He stood, bowed to Tohru's siblings and went out of the room. I followed him silently.

On the way home, we did not speak a word to each other. Natsuno sauntered in front of me, his posture slouched and feet dragging loudly across the ground. I kept my gaze firmly on the ground, trying to quell the tears that threatened to spill once more. It seemed that I did indeed have more tears to cry. But I could not stop them. With a terrible sob, I gasped and collapsed to the ground, covering my wet face with my hands. My entire body wracked with unstoppable sobs; I had hidden this from the siblings and Natsuno for their sakes, but I could no longer deny my own grief its outlet.

"Riko?" Natsuno's soft voice sounded at my ear. I did not move, but reached up to grip bunches of my long hair and pulled viciously at them in frustration. Tohru was gone. Tohru was dead! "Riko, calm down!"

I shrieked and reeled back away from Natsuno. How dare he tell me to calm down? Tohru was gone, and all he could do in the face of my grief was tell me to calm down? Natsuno was stunned. His hand was poised in the air where he had been about to rest it comfortingly on my shoulder. I knew that Natsuno wasn't the best with comfort, but surely he could have been more considerate. I understood that he was grieving too, but not everyone could maintain a perfect resolve as he did.

"Don't tell me to calm down. I've been calm long enough; Tohru's dead, Natsu! He's dead!" I retorted and collapsed in a fit of sobs once more. I heard Natsuno come carefully closer, as if not to frighten me. He crouched in front of me and wound his hands around my shoulders. He pulled me to him and rested his chin on my shaking shoulder.

"I know," he breathed, his breath quivering. "I know."

We stayed like that for some time, until a lone car beeped at us to move. Natsuno tentatively pulled me up from the ground and wove an arm around my waist for support. We stumbled our way home in the dark gloom that now surrounded Sotoba. It would be different now, without Tohru to liven up our lives. We reached Natsuno's house and went in, limp from exhaustion and grief.

In the corridor, we stopped just outside Natsuno's room, and I made to leave him when his sudden grip on my wrist stifled my departure. I turned to peer wearily at him in the dark hallway. From the little I could see, Natsuno's expression was solemn, broken. He stared at me hollowly.

"Will you…stay with me tonight? I don't think I can bare it alone," he said simply. I nodded, thinking just the same. He opened his door and led me to his bed. There, he lay down and I followed, perching my head on his chest comfortably. He drew his arms around me and pulled me closer, planting a soft kiss against my shoulder.

"Natsuno," I murmured almost incoherently. Sleep was taking me fast. He groaned in reply. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, but Tohru's gone now. You're the only one I have left."

Natsuno shifted so that he could look me in the eye. His eyes that were glistening with unshed tears bore intensely into mine. He leant forward and pressed his desperate lips to mine. We were locked there for what seemed like only a fleeting moment in time, a time when Natsuno needed me and I needed him. But he would not be the same when we woke. He would be cold and distant once more. So for now, whilst he needed me more than ever and I needed him, I clutched onto him as we parted and entwined together to sleep, fearful that if I let go, he would be gone from me…forever.

A one shot because I love Natsuno and his cool hair. I hope you like it! Please review for me so I can tell if anyone actually read this...it's all angst fluff, and I apologise for that. I'm in an angst fluffy mood today.