Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba/Fruits Basket. It is owned by Hana to Yume comics, Funimation and TokyoPop, I am a mere fan, but if you ever decide to sell Kyo I'll gladly take him off your hands... -O; p
"…It's math again. I fell asleep again. The teacher was boring. Again. p
Every day seems to go by a lot faster. I think it's because of her. Everyday seems more exciting. Like there's more hope for everyone, a way to lead a more normal life. No, not just normal. Happy. p
I don't think she knows how much she's loved. especially by... Never mind. I can actually talk to her without worry. I don't think I've done that with anyone other than Kazuma. But then again, he's my grandfather. p
She's taken place of any family member I've ever missed. She's healed everyone. I just wish I could do something for her. p
I want to protect and help her. I want her to sit down, talk to me and let it all out. She won't admit it, but she still feels the despair that follows with death. p
I've seen the other guys, talking about "banging" some girl, not even caring when she finds out what he said the next day and found crying in the stalls. I'm never going to do that to her. p
I promise as long as she's here, I will always listen and care. Because I know she'd do the same for me…" p
The journal entry rang in Tohru's ears as she walked down the hall to the cat's lair. Who was she? Kagura? He hadn't seen Kyo get friendly with too many girls. Maybe Uo-Chan or, Hanajima, but that's all. Tohru suddenly felt like someone had stabbed her through the chest. p
Tears formed in her eyes. Her face was already burning hot from her old tears of relief, but still... p
Whoever this girl was, she wished them the best with Kyo. She wiped and rubbed her eyes, before moving on .p
............................................................................................p
The cat lay in his bed, shirtless and blankly staring at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. It was another night when the stars called to him and all the crickets tried to gently coax him outside with a song. He sat there several moments deciding whether to stay in his warm bed or to wander around out on the roof. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gentle tapping at his door. He became even more agitated, knowing it might take even longer for him to go to sleep. p
Tohru walked in, cheeks flushed a light pink as though she'd been crying. The proof was in her eyes, shining with tears. She wore her blanket over her head and body with the rest dragging behind her, lending her the appearance of a child. Kyo's attitude changed entirely. p
She wiped her eyes with her blanket and spoke. "I'm really sorry to bother you Kyo, I really am because I know you must be tired but..." p
"But what?" he said, trying not to sound mean. He didn't like her apologizing for something so small. Her kindness still felt to him like a new pair of shoes; he was still wearing into them. But it was beginning to fit him faster than any others ever had. p
Her odd metaphors were rubbing off on him too. He came back to reality, listening to Tohru.p
"I had this horrible nightmare." Tohru said, sounding a little sheepish. "I'm not trying to complain, but I was so afraid, and I wanted to make sure you were safe." p
"Oh..." He leaned against the head of his bedpost, about to comment on how stupid that is, before deciding that was the wrong thing to do. "Thanks." Kyo ran his fingers through his bright orange hair. "The nightmare..." he said softly. "What was it about?" p
Tohru sighed, her breath shaking ever so slightly. She sat down on Kyo's bed, pulling her blanket along with her and began. p
"It was weird... You, Shigure, Yuki and a few other Sohma's were in some dark circus tent. Shigure was in one ring, on a stage telling jokes--" p
"That'd scare anyone." Kyo said, smiling sardonically. p
Tohru smiled meekly and continued. "Yes, but that's not the scary part... see. You were sitting in a corner with a spotlight on you. You were dead, murdered brutally, but tears were still falling from your eyes. In another corner, Sohma-kun sat, covered in giant cuts, every inch of his skin soaked in his own blood but he looked to be alive. There were other exhibits of the Sohmas too, all with them dead, injured or dying... Another odd thing was, there were cherry blossom petals blowing around everywhere by some invisible wind... It was horrible." Tohru finished plainly, hugging her blanket tighter around her. p
Kyo was silent for a moment. He never knew Tohru's dreams were so deep. He thought a moment before replying.
"Thanks for telling me... You don't have to worry." Kyo let his legs fall limp and drop unto the bed, so he sat Indian-style. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real. It'll never happen, I won't let it happen and neither will the others." He said reassuringly. Tohru gave him a smile. A genuine one. p
"Thank you, Kyo..." She scooted closer towards Kyo. "It makes me feel so happy to know I can talk to you like this, and that you're kind enough to listen to my silly nightmares." p
Kyo blushed and looked away like he always did when she gave him that smile. Hmm. Maybe now he could ask.
Tohru fell back tiredly unto his bed, landing on something hard and pulling it out. Kyo wasn't entirely sure what it was, having looked the other way. He looked back, and spoke. p
"Hey..." p
Tohru perked up. "Hm?" p
"Are you..." He forced the words out. "...going to the dance with anyone?" p
She looked flustered. "No but.." Apparently, whatever she had pulled out beneath her earlier she had landed on again. She unsheathed it and Kyo saw. p
"My notebook." Kyo said, staring at it. Did she look through it? That thought came into his mind first. p
Tohru looked flustered yet again, handing it to him. "I'm so sorry Kyo-kun, I meant to give it back to you earlier, because you had left it at class, but you looked so tired so I didn't bother you..." p
Kyo flipped quickly through the pages and looked back at her. "Did you... see anything?" p
Tohru couldn't lie to him. "Yes. I'm so sorry. But I only looked at the most recent entry, and that's it. I'm so sorry. I know there's things in there that you might not want to tell me or anyone else." Tohru looked extremely sorry and ashamed. Kyo could feel his anger rising. p
"YOU SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO ME EARLIER! I WOULDN'T'VE CARED IF YOU WOULD'VE BOTHERED ME!" Kyo yelled, eyes narrowing. "AND YOU KNOW I WOULD TELL YOU ANYTHING IF I NEEDED SOMEONE! I--" he cut himself off, Letting his hair fall over his eyes. "Sorry..." p
Tohru smiled slightly, looking past the loudness of his voice and to his words. "Kyo..." She smoothed down yet another peeling sticker. "Who is 'she'?" Tohru said, gently. Kyo gave her a confused, questioning look, waiting for more.p
"On that last entry... You kept mentioning a girl, but you never called her by name." Tohru finished. p
Kyo searched her wide brown eyes for traces of suspicion or anger. All he found was curiosity and... was that worry? he wasn't quite sure. But he answered her. "It's someone you know well. I'm not quite ready to tell you who she is though. But I have a feeling." he looked to the half-moon outside. "...It'll be soon." p
Tohru smiled warmly at him. "Kyo-kun, um... Can I sleep with you?" She said. p
Kyo held his arm up over his face as if Tohru were attacking him and turned a shade of red that clashed violently with his hair, mouth dropping? "WHAT?" p
Tohru raise her hands in front of her face, shaking her head roughly. Her face was an equal shade of red. She dropped her hands and looked down. "I mean, y'know, like sleeping sleeping, not that…" Tohru assured him. "Can I? Incase the nightmares haunt me?" Kyo looked relieved but a little alerted. It would be kinda weird to him, sleeping with the opposite gender. Something in his mind told him to shut up, and say...p
"Ya, sure..." Kyo said, as if he didn't want her there. He scooted over to the other side of the bed and she took his place. Tohru, feeling rather hot, took off her blanket-cape, and Kyo turned so his back was to her. She put her hand on his shoulder and was about to thank him but… "Kyo… You're cold." She said. He looked behind him to see Tohru then turned to face her. "Oh well… I've been up all night without my blankets…" He was about to finish when she had nuzzled into his chest. "…on." He blushed, unsure of how to react.p
Tohru looked up at him, blushing also, wondering if it made him uncomfortable. She got her response when he raised a hand, and let it hover over her, as if asking permission to touch her. Tohru answered with a small, happy nod, and Kyo placed his hand on the curve of her hip. He remembered his question. He needed a reply. p
"Tohru… will you go to the dance with me?" Kyo asked. He bit his lip. He shouldn't have re-asked. He'd seem desperate. p
Tohru smiled. "Of course, Kyo!" She caught Kyo smiling awkwardly at her response.p
"Thanks…" he murmured. Tohru laughed a little and then they both closed their eyes and began to sleep.p
Yuki walked by them to the kitchen(to get a glass of water, of course) . He noticed Kyo's door was open and peered in, catching the two slumbering together. They looked so happy. So peaceful…p
The rat continued and walked to the kitchen, feeling something die inside of him as he went…p
A/N: ^^ Did you like it? It's longer and like 189373645272817237 times better than the first chapter. Did I mention longer?! Uaaa! I'm so happy. I worked hard on it too. Oh, and to your rat-fans who love Yuki, he will have a angst-y chapter devoted to him. I'm so evil. You'll find out something new about Yuki in a/the following chapter. Well, not really new, but something I made up. ^^ Bye.