Chapter 21 – Not Tonight

Chiyo was clammy, unconscious and reeked of vomit. Kyoya carried her out of the trunk and sat on the cold, wet ground as he held her, rocking gently back and forth.

"Chiyo. Chiyo, answer me." Chiyo breathed deeply of the cold fresh air and cracked her eyes opened to see a blurred Kyoya.

"Kyya." She said weakly, unable to form his whole name with her voice. Kyoya breathed a sigh of relief and held her tightly.

"I'm here. I'm here."

"Chiyo!" Katelyn sobbed as she crushed her friend into a hug. Chiyo weakly put her arm around Katelyn and gently shushed her.

"You don't understand, Chiyo. She was in hysterics. Let her have this." Katrina wiped away her tears. Chiyo sighed and let Katelyn bawl all over her.

"Katelyn, I understand how you feel but Chiyo is extremely weak right now." Haruhi put a hand on Katelyn's shoulder. Katelyn sniffed and tried to breathe long and deep but only came out in struggling puffs. She got off Chiyo and wiped her tears away.

"I'm going to help you get better, okay?" Katelyn smiled; glad to see her friend again. Chiyo weakly smiled and nodded.

"Katelyn," Kyoya pulled Katelyn out of Chiyo's circle to the hallway, "I would like to take care of Chiyo tonight." Katelyn roughly pushed Kyoya's hand of her shoulder, "No. You're an idiot. A bastard."

"Yes, I am," he chuckled, thinking back to his realizations last night, "But there's something I need to do. I need to make it up. And I need to do this alone with Chiyo." Katelyn looked into his pleading eyes.

"Tell me, what are you going to do?" Kyoya hesitated. This was clearly between him and Chiyo only but Katelyn would be relentless if he didn't tell her. He moved them to the dining room, as far as anyone's earshot.

"I love Chiyo. I need to tell her that. I didn't want to tell you but if you don't know what I'm going to do, you'll not leave, am I correct?" Katelyn's shock was plastered all over her face.

"I'm not sure she's ready for that yet." Katelyn said slowly.

"Please, I need to do this. Whether she loves me back or not, she needs to know how I feel now." He was confident that she loved him. This was the only step they had to take before carrying on with everything else.

"I've got 1000 American bucks saying this is not gonna work out." Katelyn smirked. Kyoya rolled his eyes.

"There's a vote for confidence." He said, bring both of them back to the living room to see the weak but happy Chiyo, enveloped by all her friends.

Kyoya finished washing dishes and rolled around his neck for a stretch. The gang stayed late and so did his family.

"Kyoya." His father's voice made him look up.

"Father. I thought you had left." His family was the last to go.

"I told Chiyo to go rest. Come with me, son." Kyoya dried off his hands and followed his father to the family room. His father stood in front of the half finished puzzle.

"How did you find her?" Yoshio looked to Kyoya. That's what he wanted to ask him?

Kyoya explained to Yoshio how he gave back his threats to the media and they cooperated with him. He also asked his classmates for help.

After Kyoya finished explaining everything to him, Yoshio nodded and looked to Kyoya.

"I'm very proud of you, son." Kyoya stood there in silence and shock. Well weren't those words music to his ears? His father left without saying another word and Kyoya looked that the door where saw his dad last. That was it? That was enough. Kyoya sat on the couch and let out a breath for no reason. Today was a successful day. And it was just going to get better…

Chiyo had gotten out of the bath and stood in front of the mirror. She looked on her neck to see Kenji's bite mark on her. She gulped and a shiver went down her spine. She couldn't shake off the horrible feelings from today. Getting out of her clothes was a mental battle. She felt even more exposed and uncomfortable. She just wanted to be automatically changed and curl up in a ball but she had to wash. She had to get rid of everything today: the sweat, the vomit, she hated it. Worst of all, Kenji's behavior scared her. What happened to him after they broke up? How did he end up so psychotic?

Chiyo lowered herself against the wall of the bathroom, staring blankly into nothing. She couldn't believe someone she used to date, someone who used to be tempered but sensitive and caring could just shove her into the back trunk. The memory still shook every bone in her body. She didn't know what was scarier, Kenji or the back trunk and frankly, she didn't want to compare. She came out of the bathroom and turned on all the lights in her room. She wasn't exactly afraid of the dark but after today, she might just keep them on for a couple nights. There was a gentle knock on the door. She closed her eyes and breathed, "Come in."

Kyoya poked his head in and gave her the gentlest of smiles, "Hi, Chiyo." She smiled back and he came into her room and closed it. Chiyo took note of that and tried her best not to freak out, there was no one else in the house, no need to close the door as if looking for privacy, or taking away any of her exit strategies.

Chiyo sat on her bed and used her towel to dry her hair. Kyoya sat next to her and she swallowed nervously.

"Chiyo," he took her hand and she stiffened, "I'm so glad you're alright."

It's okay, Chiyo. This is Kyoya. Kyoya's wonderful and safe. He got rid of…Kenji.

"Yes, me too."

"You don't know how restless I felt last night, Chiyo." Kyoya gripped her hand tighter, rubbing circles on the back of her hand.

"I felt so lost. I realized what my fear is." Kyoya looked up to Chiyo. Chiyo breathed heavily, "And what is that?"

"Fear of failure. Fear of loss. I failed you. And I had lost you. I was so scared, I needed to find you. I needed you." Kyoya inched closer.

I need you. Chiyo gripped her bed sheet as Kenji's voice rang in her head.

"I'm fine." Chiyo squeaked as she tried to slightly bring her hand back into her comfort space. Kyoya didn't notice and held her hand still. Chiyo was scared he wasn't going to let go.

"You don't understand. I was not fine. Do you know why?" Chiyo shook her head quickly. She couldn't think, if she did, she would understand by now where Kyoya was getting to. She could only think of Kenji right now. She looked up to Kyoya's eyes and widened. She saw something she saw earlier today. In Kyoya's eyes, she saw how much he wanted her, Kenji-styled. In his eyes, there was another accompanying emotion that she couldn't place, nor did she bother herself about that emotion. She was fixed onto the one she was scared of.

Kyoya couldn't hold back anymore. He unlocked his emotions and they flooded his thoughts. He leaned forward to capture Chiyo's lips. He did his best to be soft and gentle but his needs were great. He wanted to control himself but this was what his body and mind wanted. He reached for Chiyo and gently laid her back onto her bed.

Chiyo squirmed. She tried to worm away from Kyoya but his urgency and body was strong. Chiyo whimpered and Kyoya stopped. He blinked away his lust to really look at Chiyo. She was so frightened. He got off her and pulled her up, "What? What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

Chiyo let go and started crying her eyes out, "I'm so sorry. I can't. I-I'm thinking. Today. He….he…" She couldn't continue. He really looked at her and brushed away her wet hair from the side of her neck. At the base of it, there was a harsh bite on her. He glared and gripped the bed sheets. He balled up his other hand tightly. That monster!

He relaxed his hands, understanding why Chiyo looked so scared the moment he closed the door. He completely forgot to understand. He was only focused on his task at hand: to tell her that he loved her.

"I am so sorry, Chiyo." His hands fell to his sides. Chiyo looked at the man in front of her, this was not Kenji. This was Kyoya. Sweet Kyoya. Chiyo flung her arms at him and cried on his shoulder. He took this as a sign to hold on to her, that she needed him to hold on to her and she did. She needed to feel protected right now. He brought her whole body closer and let her sit on his lap as he rocked her gently as she continued to cry. He moved them upwards on the bed so he could lean his back on the wall. Chiyo slithered to lay down as she kept her arms around his waist. Kyoya slouched down so his whole body could be her shield down to her toes.

"I know you're not Kenji. You would never do that to me." Chiyo mumbled, her head buried in his chest.

"Shh, shh." He rubbed gentle circles on her back and did the same with his thumbs on her shoulder.

"I'm okay." Chiyo sniffed away the last of her tears. Kyoya shook his head, "No. You're not. And that's okay. I'm here." This is the sweetest she's seen Kyoya and it brought a smile to her face, "I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will." He was confident that she was strong enough to move this past her, "But I'm not leaving tonight. I will never leave, not unless you want me to." Chiyo smiled and moved up to plant a light kiss on his lips.

"Sit up." He told her. She complied and he took her towel and gently rubbed her head, helping to dry off her hair. She leaned against his chest and he put his other arm around her and continued to rub her hair. The task was harder in this position but that didn't matter. She could cling to him forever, as long as she felt safe.

Tonight was not the night to confess, but that was okay. Kyoya would give her the time and space she needed.

A/N: And there you have it. All my thoughts from last night has been written and posted out. Now i gotta calm down. jeez, that was a whirlwind of emotions