(Let the rain come down)

In the midst of the sunlight pouring through the room as dawn broke through the night, Sakura tried to sit herself up but nothing worked. Her sides felt as if they were being burned with fire, and her back was burning with the scab firmly in place. Pushing back her black locks, she laid her head back down and turned her head to her left.

There, she saw bandages and ground herbs that were half gone. Beside it was a bucket of water concentrated with red blood; her blood; with white towels and linens soaked wet in the red liquid. Sakura crawled herself tiredly over to the items and saw that in the corner, Hiten was sleeping.

It was then she realized she had been in Hiten's bed with her top missing. Frantically searching around for it, she saw that it was crumpled in a secluded corner along with Hiten's top. Looking down, she saw that bandages were clinging tightly to her waist and had the sweet scent of ointment embedded into the layers. Smiling, she gazed to Hiten.

His spiked bangs were glistening with sweat and drooped over his forehead. His head bobbed against his chest every now and then, and white bandages wrapped themselves around his chest. Resting in the crook of his elbow, the Raigekijin was slipping out by the handle; but he didn't seem to notice that.

Completely ignoring the fact that it was he who disposed her of her top, Sakura smiled and brushed a sweatdrop off on his cheek with the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Hiten...I never knew..."

Even Hiten had to admit; his top that he had given Sakura to wear was too big for her. It was already baggy on him, so it was obvious that it wouldn't fit the slim fame of the girl.

"Um..." Sakura said, staring at the sleeves that hung on her arms like a scarecrow's clothing, "Isn't this too big?"

"Live with that one for now, okay?" Hiten said, trying not to snicker at the sight. The girl had a ragged skirt that came up to the middle of her thighs, and the top that she was wearing seemed as if she was wearing a linen tent over her instead.

Yes, Sakura had thought of wearing her other extra top that she brought with her. But apparently only the extra skirt was fine, and the extra top had been eaten away by moths. Using a spare strip of linen off from her wasted top, she tied it around her waist.

"Now how do I look?" she asked with a nervous grin on her face. Figuring that his clothes would have to do for Sakura now until further notice, Hiten nodded at her and gave a grin back to her.

At that moment, the sky turned an ugly shade of grey and rain started to fall. Sakura pointed outside and smiled, running out to the balcony faster than Hiten could blink.

"Look, Hiten!" she squealed. "It's raining!"

"Why are you so happy?" he said. "It's just rain."

"I know." Sakura said, running towards the balcony opening. "But the rain, it's so soothing and calm, and..."

Just as she said it, a thunderous rumbling in the sky was followed by a flash of lightening. Horrified, Sakura screamed and clasped her ears with her hands as Hiten stared blankly at her.

"So much for soothing." He joked, but when he saw that little drops of tears were making their way out of the corner of her eyes, he sat down next to her. "It's okay, the thunder's not going to kill you." He assured her. Sakura sniffled and wiped her tears away with her huge sleeves.

"You don't understand, Hiten." She said in barely a whisper. "My life was ruined by thunder and lightening, and I've hated it since. The sound terrifies me. The sight of it scares me. Everything about it scares me!" And she buried her face in her lap and stared to sob. Concerned, Hiten pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her neck. The surprised girl stopped crying.

"What...are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm comforting you." He whispered, kissed her temple lightly and hugged her even closer. "Are you that afraid of thunder and lightening?"

"Yes..." she said, but she didn't cry. She was taken aback at the way Hiten was treating her. Well, who wouldn't? This person was discriminating her just a week and a couple of days ago, and now he had her in his arms as if they had known each other for a long time since.

"I can't live, Hiten..." she whispered. "But I can't die without finding my purpose, either. What should I do?"

The thunder demon thought for awhile. Never had he replied to such a question from a female. He was surprised at himself for comforting her so well; he was expecting her to move away and cry even more, but that didn't seem to be the case apparently.

"Sakura..." Hiten whispered, allowing his blood red eyes to fall upon her coal black ones.

"Hmm?" she replied, and twitched when she saw him gazing into her so deeply. Usually this was followed by a kiss as the way she had known it. Never been kissed, she never knew what it would feel like. She didn't even fantasize doing such a thing apart from her friends.

She could hear him inching closer and closer. He took her chin by his thumb and index finger, and gazed into her intensely, drunken with a feeling that he couldn't control. His mind twisted within him, almost sending him a message to kiss her now.

Tell her I care.

Ask her why she put my life before hers.

Tell her that I think about her differently.

Ask her...

Why she cares.

Then tell her why...I care.

He closed his eyes shut as another rumbling sound rang across the skies ever so dominantly. Moving his lips closer to hers, he could feel his heart thumping so hard it felt as if it was going to burst out of his chest. He wasn't about to kiss a girl that would give him pleasure, he was about to kiss a girl that he cared about. Her lips were so close to his now. Sakura closed her eyes and brought up her arms to his neck, wrapping them close.

Just then...

"Hiten an-chan!" Manten bellowed as loudly as he could, kicking open the door. "I'm back!"

Hiten twitched and quickly pushed Sakura away from him, then sat back down to where he was sitting before. Sakura looked at his face, which was twisted with annoyance and anger. She couldn't help but laugh quietly, but apparently the thunder demon had noticed her. Hiten stood up angrily and stormed off to his room as Manten called after him.

"Hey, an-chan! I..."

"Shut up, okay?!" the angered thunder demon said, stomping by him with a twirl of his thick braid and slamming the door shut. Sakura looked away and blushed while she brought her hands up to her lips, which were still warm from Hiten's breath.

'We...almost kissed...'

Um...my body will be tattered so much that no one will be able to recognize it? Well, thank you...(sweatdrop;;) I appreciate it, but by the way the story is going to flow, Either one of them, not both or none; will have to die. It's just the way I wrote it out, so I can't really do anything about that, sorry...But don't, um...pulverise me and my well-being, it can get kinda scary...and intimidating, not to mention...