Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Fruits Basket. Or else I wouldn't be writing these fanfictions.

Oneshot #1: This was actually the first Fruits Basket Fanfiction I ever wrote…Wow. Anyway, basically pure fluff. Concerning the night after Kyo gave Tohru the paper flower in volume 17.

A Flower for A Flower

"No, look I'M sorry…. I'm just kinda direct, okay?" Kyo mumbled, his eyes never meeting Tohru's as he spoke. His hands reached over to the desk, closing carefully around one of the paper flowers. Forming it, giving it shape. Holding it out to Tohru, who took it, smiling. The perfect moment.

Now, here they both were, so distant, and separated; each in their own room, thoughts revolving around the same thing. Tohru kept spinning the flower in her hand gently, examining it, looking down on it.

Kyo-kun had given her this flower – as an apology? She frowned slightly, her hand carefully stroking one of the petals. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the apologetic look on his face as he offered it up to her, worried she might not take it. But as she had gazed into his amber eyes, there had been something hidden in the back of them. If only she could figure out what it was.

Fear? There seemed to be a hint of fear in his eyes, but fear was always associated with something else, when it came to Kyo. Kyo was one of the most caring people she knew about, even if he didn't always act that way. If he feared for someone, it was someone else's life… Not his own. She sighed, and stared back down at the flower cupped in her hands.

What had that emotion been? Wait.. could it have been… L-love? No. He couldn't love her. He had Kagura-chan. He would never… could never… love her. She was Tohru, and he was Kyo. She tried her hardest, but even then she couldn't always read him. Couldn't make him happy. She couldn't understand the pain of the zodiac curse, like Kagura-chan could.

Kyo himself was sprawled across the bed of his own room, chin propped up in his palms, a thoughtful frown planted on his face. He reached up, and ran his fingers through his orange hair, slightly frustrated as the memories poured into him. It had been the perfect moment to tell her everything. To pour out his heart to her… and that damn yankee had ruined it.

No… That wasn't right. He had ruined it. It was too afraid. Afraid of rejection, afraid that she would laugh at him. After all, who could ever love that cat? In that sense, who ever said that the cat could love?

Anger, frustration, and self-hatred welled up inside him, and the cat's fists clenched. He rolled over and slammed his fist into the wall of his bedroom, venting uselessly, then flopping like a ragdoll back onto the bed. His head lay on his arm, eyes closed, breaths long and slow.

He couldn't love. He was filled with too much anger, too much hate. Tohru was too good for him. She could never love him, she could only pity him. And even if she could… There were only a few short months left until his isolation.

WHAM. Tohru's thoughts were interrupted by a loud thud from across the hall – from Kyo's room. Clenching the flower in her fist, Tohru stood up so abruptly that she nearly fell over, grabbing the edge of the bed just in time.

She bolted out the door, her worries overcoming her. What if he was hurt? What if something had collapsed – the house definitely wasn't as sturdy as it used to be, not with everyone breaking everything. Then, the worst thought of all: what if Kyo-kun was dead?

Without thinking, Torhu held out her hands and slammed through the door, not even bothering to use the handle. She skidded to a halt, tripped, and lay spread eagled on the cat's bedroom floor.

"Ahhh!" Kyo leapt up from his bed, and landed neatly next to Tohru, dropping down on his hands and knees. He opened his mouth to ask if she was alright, but she was already speaking.

"I am so sorry! I heard that thud, and I thought you were hurt, so I came running in! I jumped to conclusions, I didn't mean to interrupt you, Kyo-kun, please-"

But she was stopped in the middle of her ranting by Kyo, who had set his hand gently over her mouth, smiling down at her. "Doofus." He laughed.

His hand traveled down to hers, to help her up, but it was already occupied. Carefully, he took the slightly squished and very wrinkled paper flower from her hand. His eyes widened as he took it, cradling it in the palm of his hand, using the other to fix it the best he could.

"Is this.. the one I gave you?" He asked very softly, looking down at Tohru who was still on the floor. After a moment's pause, she nodded gently.

She sat up, hugging her knees, and tilting her head slightly to the side. "Kyo-kun… What's wrong?"

Kyo's face turned very rapidly red, and he shook his head. "Nothing… But why would you keep this stupid thing? Its not even that good." He growled darkly, emotions overcome by embarrassment. How could she have kept it? What if… What if she did feel the same way? Suddenly, his last months seemed like years… He could stand Akito's torture, he could live with isolation, and he would survive anything, ANYTHING… if he could be with her.

"Because… Well, because you gave it to me, Kyo-kun." Murmured Tohru, eyes still full of confusion. She shifted gently, onto her hands and knees, leaning to the side, so that she could see Kyo's face. "Are you angry?" She asked, fear coursing through her.

Kyo looked at her, brown eyes and hair drooping, as if she were a puppy, that had done something wrong. She looked so worried, worried about him. She cared about him. The realization hit him like a brick. Someone CARED about him. For once in his useless life, someone cared enough to worry about him…

He felt tears at the corners of his eyes, and couldn't do anything to stop them. He laughed a little, a laugh combined with a sob.

"I could never be angry at you, stupid." He choked out, wiping his tears away furiously.

"Don't cry!" Tohru began, reaching up to brush the tears away from his face. But she stopped as her hand touched his cheek. "don't… cry…Kyo-kun…" She almost whispered, biting her lip, and looking down at her knees.

Kyo's hand gently tilted her chin up, so that her brown eyes met his amber ones. His tears had stopped, but her own at just begun. He held the flower back out to her. "A flower, for a flower…" He murmured softly, pressing it back into her hand.

Her hands closed around it, fingertips brushing his, glancing from the flower, back to Kyo. There was nothing either of them could say. They didn't need to say anything. The feeling coursing through them was so strong, it was easier left unsaid.

"Kyo-kun…." Tohru started, but, for the third time that night, was cut off. Kyo's lips and just pressed themselves against hers, and he murmured the words she was about to say into her mouth.

"I love you."