Security Blanket

Kyoru

It was turning into one hell of a summer storm. Two days of sheeting rain had locked them indoors and now the low rumbles of a nearing thunderstorm teased from afar. Kyo hated this weather, as a cat the gloomy, cold always made him lethargic so, he'd spent most of these days cooped up in his room only leaving for necessities.

But this was the worst storm they'd had in years. A hurricane lower in the Pacific Ocean was sending freakish weather all around the Pacific Rim and Japan was just caught in the crossfire. The other residents of the Sohma household seemed mostly unaffected. Yuki had managed to secure his secret hideout in time with Tohru's help. Shigure focused on his writing for once since the cable had been spotty.

As usual, Tohru didn't appear to be bothered by the rains and as the mother hen checked on Kyo periodically to make sure he was okay too. He was fine, he'd grumble whenever she did. It's not like he was scared, his body just didn't like the weather. Of course, he really didn't mind when Tohru would spend time with him, but he wasn't about to admit it.

The evening dragged on, but eventually 11pm rolled around. Tohru had come by about an hour prior to say goodnight and Kyo assumed she'd gone to sleep by now while he just stared at his ceiling. Every few minutes there was a flash of light that would race across his room followed by a glass shaking boom. The thunder had reached the skies above their part of the city and it was rocking the wooden framed home.

A muffled sound catches Kyo's ear. A tiny gasp or startled whimper mirrored each loud boom. He sits up on his bed, there it is again. There was no mistaking it. Kyo gets up and leaves his room, walking slowly and quietly so he could catch the direction. The droning rain upon the ceramic tiled roof was making it difficult enough.

When he reaches Tohru's door and places an ear upon the wood, everything was clear. She was the source. Kyo raps his knuckles lightly on the door. "Tohru-chan, are you okay?"

He hears the sounds of a blanket being unfurled, shuffling of house slippers against a wooden grain and finally, the locks of her door turning. But just as the door opens wide and she step into the frame, another raging crack of thunder shakes the foundations. Tohru freaks out, turning on her heel, then racing back to the safety of her bed and blanket.

Kyo would have laughed if it was anyone else, but not at Tohru. He simply walks in, closes her door, and takes a seat beside her on the bed. "You really don't like thunder, huh? If you want, I can stay with you until it's over."

She peers over the blanket edging, "I don't want to trouble you Kyo-kun. I'll be…" another flash and boom. "Eek!" Tohru pulls the blanket back over her head. "I-I'll be f-fine…"

He chuckles, he couldn't help himself. "Yeah I can see that." Kyo prompts her to scoot over and to lie back down. "You can stay under there if it makes you feel better, but I'm staying right here."

After grabbing a second blanket from her closet for himself, he takes a place next to her. It was a little… okay really awkward for a boy to be sleeping on the same bed as a girl like this but if it could help her to calm down, it was worth being yelled at in the morning.

The bed was only a standard size, not quite built for two teenagers to share. Tohru moves as close to the wall as she could without touching it but stays lying on her back. Kyo opts for sleeping on his side, while still facing her and gets as comfortable as he could.

"Thank you, Kyo-kun," Tohru whispers.

"Don't worry about it, just try to get some sleep," he mumbles back. If she was as nervous as he was, she sure wasn't showing it. Maybe Tohru was too fearful of the thunder to worry about anything else, but for him this situation had his heart working on overdrive.

He couldn't tell you when his feelings for Tohru had switched from platonic to a crush. Kyo just knew that this girl had been special for a long time and despite his declarations as a child to protect her, it was now that he'd realized she was the one that might be the one to save him. He squeezes his eyes shut. "I've always loved the cat!" Those words uttered on that darkened forest trail was like an arrow that pierced the wall around his heart. Kyo shakes the memories away, this wasn't the time.

When he notices Tohru still shivering after each thunder crackle, Kyo realizes she's still wide awake. He takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. "Did your mom hold you during storms? I… I could do that if it'll make you feel better." Now he had a chance to comfort her, if only he could hold her. His brows furrow; this damn curse. For now, the blanket could at least give him a means to do so.

Tohru blushes, though in the darkness, Kyo couldn't see it. "She used to, I guess it would be okay if you tried it."

"T-Turn onto your side." His face was probably as red as a tomato right now, but he tries not to think about it. Tohru does as he asks her to do, though instead of her back, she turns to face his direction. Kyo closes the distance between them, and with only the blankets as a buffer, drapes his arm over her midsection, his hand careful not to bump into anything other than her back. Unsure of what to do with his other arm, he uses it as a pillow. "Is this okay?"

"Mmhmm."

In a surprise move for him and her, Tohru tucks her head beneath his chin and her legs relax against his. Kyo utters prayers of thanks for the loud rains masking the sounds of his racing heart. But he gives in nonetheless, allowing his hand to curl under her body and tighten its hold. "Now go to sleep Tohru-chan."

"Mmm, good night Kyo-kun."

The thunder may have lasted for a few more hours that evening, but within minutes of their sleeping arrangement, Tohru had fallen fast asleep. Kyo smiles to himself, Yuki might kill him in the morning, but this, he takes one last look at his sleeping beauties form and closes his eyes too, this was definitely worth it…

When Tohru woke up the next morning, she found herself tangled between blankets, legs, and arms. She remembered the events of the evening fondly despite being scared out of her wits. How Kyo had heard her plight and come to comfort her. Tohru smiles, blushes under the cover of fabric. She was in Kyo's arms!

At some point his arm had weaved its way under her head. He was now splayed on his back with one leg tucked under hers, while her other leg was over his. She was spooned up against his body, her arm wrapped around his chest, and she could feel his other arm over hers, his hand gripped to her elbow. She could feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest and steady beat of his heart. Thank goodness for the cooler weather…

Her flush intensifies, wishing she could stay this way for longer. But it was her duty to get breakfast made for everyone. Tohru frowns to herself. She'd always hated thunderstorms, but for this, she almost wished it would happen more often. That was a selfish thought! She shouldn't think that way! Tohru tucks that dream away and gently begins the process of entanglement.

But the moment she stirs, Kyo turns over on his side and wraps her up tighter against him. She can hear no changes in his breathing, which meant he was doing this in his sleep. When did it become so natural for him to hold another sleeping human! Or, she blushes deeper, was it just because of her?

It was predicament. Tohru didn't want to wake him up since he seemed so comfortable. That thought made her smile too. Kyo wasn't the most comfortable around others but if she could provide that for him, it made her heart soar. Maybe one day they won't need a blanket of security between them… Tohru quickly wipes that thought from existence. She will find a way to break their curse! But there was no sense in getting her hopes up just yet.

Tohru sighs and relishes the moment just a few more minutes, nestling closer to him, and letting her hand mold around his back. He mumbles something inaudible then adjusts again, his chin now atop her crown, his leg buttressed between hers. What sounds like a rumbling purr now emits from the young man. She couldn't make out what he'd said, but suddenly the room had jumped a few degrees because he was now purring!

It was time to get up before anything more took place!

She slides backwards, slowly pulling away, but not getting far.

"Mmph," Kyo whines, like an annoyed cat, grasping for her.

That breaks her heart. Tohru stops, takes a deep breath and rouses Kyo from his sleep instead. In a gentle tone, "Kyo-kun," she lightly rubs her hand on his chest. "Kyo-kun I must get up and make breakfast."

His eyes flash open. Right! The thunder! Tohru! Wholly crap he was still in Tohru's bed! He froze. No, he should get up. Wait! Kyo pauses when he realizes how tangled they were. Was that because of him? It appeared so, considering he was the one tightly holding her to him.

Kyo scrambles off the bed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he waves his hands wiping the the air clear, "I didn't do anything bad did I?!"

His panic sends Tohru into a panic too. "No, no," her hands flailing wildly, "nothing like that! You… thank you Kyo-kun," she bows repeatedly, "you helped me sleep… I-I better get breakfast going!" She dashes out of the room before he can say another word, leaving him with mouth agape.

As she runs out of her room, she almost smacks right into Yuki, but luckily his reflexes were quicker, and he keeps her from barreling into him and causing a transformation. "Whoa, what's the rush Honda-chan?"

Inaudible dribble rushes past her lips as she pushes past, "…thunder… sleep… Kyo… room… sorry… breakfast!"

Yuki tips his head in confusion and chuckles. He turns and looks back at her half open door with a plan to close it. But as he reaches for the knob, movement catches his attention. Yuki pushes it all the way open and finds Kyo fixing the bed.

"What the hell are you doing in Tohru-Chan's room!" Yuki rages at Kyo and grabs him by the scruff of his shirt. "How dare you!" He assumed the worst about the situation. A boy shouldn't be in a girl's room like this! And it was clear that Kyo had been in here an extended period of time based on the two blankets.

Kyo claws at Yuki's hands screaming at him to put him down, but the other boy is too furious at the cat lecher. Yuki tosses Kyo out of Tohru's room into the hallway. "Did you touch her?!"

"Fuck you!" Kyo spits back at his rival. "I don't need to explain myself to you!"

That only sets Yuki off more. He swings at Kyo, striking him in the jaw. But Kyo counters with a kick to Yuki's stomach. More shouting, more blows thrown. Both Shigure and Tohru rush to the stairs, just as Yuki lands a hard kick that sends Kyo tumbling down the staircase.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru rushes to his side. She looks up at a fuming Yuki coming down behind him. "Sohma-kun?"

"Yuki, Kyo, what are you fighting about now!?" Shigure presses the question.

Kyo scrambles to a sitting position, rubbing the growing bump on his head where it had hit the banister. "He's mad cause I was in Tohru's room, but I didn't fucking do anything to her!"

Yuki raises a hand to swing again, but Tohru places herself between the two boys causing him to stay his strike. "K-Kyo-kun helped me fall asleep," a blush alighting along her cheeks, "I was scared of the thunder. Please, Sohma-kun, Kyo-kun was comforting me last night."

"So, is that what the kids are calling it today, comforting?" Shigure teases.

"Shut up!" Kyo and Yuki scream at the same time, causing Shigure to cringe and retreat back to the living area.

"Tch," Kyo wipes a bit a blood dripping from his lip. "Stupid rat, as if I'd do anything to hurt Tohru!" He smirks, "jealous I could help her instead of you?!"

Yuki smoothes out his rumpled clothing and turns up his nose, "as if I'd be jealous of a stupid cat!" He glares at Kyo, "but if you do hurt Honda-chan know I will kill you." With that last statement, Yuki walks away to freshen up.

With this fight now over, Tohru switches into mother hen mode, fussing over Kyo's latest injuries. "I'm sorry I caused you all this trouble," tears pool in her eyes. "It's my fault Sohma-kun got angry at you."

Kyo places a hand on her head. "What are you talking about," wiping away a tear about to break free. A slight tinge of pink blooming on his skin as the emotions of the evening sweep back into his mind. "I came to you, you didn't come to me. I chose to help you and I'd do it again."

Tohru blushes. "Thank you Kyo-kun."

He fusses her hair and smiles, "so, what's for breakfast?"