A collection of sentimental tales of what can never be missed, where from the distinct love growing between comes the time of the first kiss.
The First Kiss Archives
Archive One: On the Rooftop
Kyo Sohma watched the last glowing remnants of the setting sun before it disappeared completely into the distant mountains, and sighed.
He leaned backwards until his head rested on the smooth plane of the roof, and as the sky turned from vermilion to a deep blue he found himself thinking of her again.
'Tohru...' he murmured.
He closed his eyes and began mentally sorting the various thoughts that kept running through his mind. He loved her, and he wished he could tell her, but knew he couldn't. Sooner or later she would have to answer to Akito if he did. But whatever happened... I will always love you, he thought with another sigh.
He lay motionless, distinctly unaware of the starry sky forming overhead. The gradual emergence of the sounds of nightlife was blocked out completely by his thoughts. But a particular sound jolted him into reality. A familiar voice.
'Kyo? What are you doing up here?' asked Tohru, her head moving up as though she had just stepped onto another rung of the ladder that Kyo had used to get onto the roof.
He bolted upright, his heartbeat thudding in surprise and panic. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded, then bit his lip. Idiot...
She gazed at him for a while, and he felt a sudden surge of warmth. 'Looking for you,' she said with a small shrug, 'I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready in half an hour.'
Kyo nodded. 'I'll be down soon. I just want to stay up here for some time.'
Tohru smiled warmly at him then cocked her head to one side as if an idea just struck her. 'Kyo, do you sleep here?'
Though he had indeed slept on the roof a number of times, Kyo couldn't help but be taken aback by her question. 'Y-Yeah I do, sometimes. Why'd you ask?'
'I was just curious to know how it feels like...' she said with a small shrug. Suddenly her face brightened. 'May I join you later? If you're going to sleep here, I mean. I'm not going to sleep here as well, if that's what you're thinking. I just want to experience lying down beneath thousands of stars, with no care in the world, and with you there, having someone to talk to!'
Kyo stared at her in shock, unexpectedly hit by numerous visions flashing across his mind. 'Go away!' he muttered, shaking his head wildly to remove the images in his head.
'Oh,' she said with a frown. 'Oh, okay, I'm sorry for asking, I just thought...'
'NO!' Kyo yelled, then sighed. 'I mean, I wasn't talking to you. You... you can stay later.'
She gave him a wide smile, her eyes glowing happily. 'Thank you, Kyo! I'll see you at dinnertime!'
He watched her head disappear as she climbed down the ladder. He clutched his chest as his heart began pounding in time with the thoughts cramming in his head. 'Later...'
oOo
Tohru scanned the sitting room with a final glance before grabbing her thin sweater off a chair nearby and heading outside the house. Just as she expected, she found the ladder resting against the same wall, which probably meant Kyo was already on the roof.
Looking up at the starlit evening with eagerness, Tohru began climbing the ladder and once at the top she peeked over the plane of the roof. Kyo was quietly watching the trees surrounding the house, his legs folded and tucked under his arms. Tohru struggled to get her feet over the edge, and at the sound of her small grunt Kyo turned his head around.
'Tohru! Do you need help?' he asked, standing up quickly.
'No, I'm f-fine,' replied Tohru, heaving herself up and shaking her head. But Kyo took her hand anyway and pulled her to her feet. 'Thank you!'
'You sure you're up for this?' he chuckled as they sat down. Tohru smiled sheepishly at him.
'Well, I've already been up here before, haven't I? But I never was here to catch a night like this!' Tohru took a deep breath of the cool, nature-scented air. She felt very much at peace now, with the gentle breeze blowing against her face, the sound of crickets echoing around the area, the thousands of bright stars gazing down upon her, and with Kyo sitting next to her with a small smile on his face. 'So, what do you usually do up here?' she continued, putting on her sweater.
'Think,' he answered simply, 'dream, get away reality. It's like up here on the roof I feel no pain, have no problem, and what you said, have no care in the world.'
'So it's kind of like your sanctuary, right?' said Tohru, watching Kyo with interest.
He looked at her expressionlessly for a moment, then grinned. 'Yeah, I guess it is.'
They sat in silence for the next few seconds. Tohru closed her eyes, trying to take in everything that surrounded her. Beautiful, she thought contentedly.
'Sure is...' said Kyo quietly. Tohru opened her eyes and stared at him in confusion.
'Did I say that out loud?' she asked, then laughed when Kyo nodded. 'Sorry, I just love it up here on the roof! I can now see why you're always here. It's absolutely breathtaking!'
'So that's all you're gonna do? Just ignore me and instead focus your attention on nature?' Kyo raised an eyebrow in mock annoyance.
'Of course not!' replied Tohru, her eyes widening in shock and apology. She thought for some time, then said, 'I know! Let's play a game to pass the time!'
'A game?'
'Yes! Oh, I should have brought my cards... hmm... what about Truth or Dare?' suggested Tohru, looking at Kyo questionably.
'We don't have anything to spin, idiot,' he answered, shaking his head.
'We could just take turns! Come on, Kyo, please? It'll be fun, and I won't be ignoring you!'
Kyo stared at her, then finally nodded in defeat. 'Fine, let's play Truth or Dare... but you go first!'
Tohru grinned then moved to face him better. 'Okay, I take... Truth!'
Kyo's head leaned forwards as though he was deep in thought. Then he looked up with an odd expression on his face. 'Do you love anyone?'
Tohru said the first answer that came to her mind. 'Of course! I love everyone!'
'No, not that kind of love. As in love, love a particular person as how Hatori loved Kohana... Do you love anyone, any guy, like that?'
An unexpected wave of emotion surged through Tohru, and she bit her lip, pondering on what to reply. Love any... guy? Finally, feeling very unsure of herself, she stammered: 'I-I don't... know?'
Kyo sighed. 'It's okay... now it's my turn. I take Dare. Give it your best, I'll do anything!'
At once the strange emotion disappeared, and Tohru began concocting a dare for him to accomplish. 'I dare you... I dare you... to do the thing you want to do most!' She folded her arms triumphantly.
Kyo rolled his eyes. 'What kind of dare is that? That's not even a dare! Still, you said it, so I'll do it. The thing I want to do most is...'
oOo
Kyo felt his heartbeat quicken dramatically once again. He swallowed, unable to steer his eyes away from Tohru's naive ones. They were calling out to him, hypnotizing him, and making him think on the countless things that he wanted to do. He wanted to tell her he loved her, he wanted to run away from the Sohma family for good, he wanted...
To kiss you, he thought with a jolt of realization, his gaze moving slowly down to her mouth.No, don't do it, said another voice in his head. It's a stupid idea... don't do it!
'I- uh...' he stuttered, his throat becoming dry.
'You know, you don't have to do it if you don't want to,' said Tohru with a simple shrug.
'No, I do want to,' answered Kyo before he could stop himself. So I do want to kiss her? It's stupid! Damn cat, you can't even hold her, how can you kiss her?
He took a deep breath, then fixed his eyes on Tohru's. 'Okay... here's what a want to do most... Tohru, c-close your eyes.'
After a moment's hesitation, Tohru's eyelids fell. Kyo shook his head to keep the opposing voice away from his mind. With a gulp, he moved nearer to her, until his legs were just touching hers, until his face was just inches from her perfect one. A sudden thought came crashing into his head.
What if she doesn't like it?
Ignoring the thought, trying to dissolve the blurred image of Akito's furious face, feeling all sound disappear completely, shutting his eyes, and cupping one hand around her slender neck, Kyo brought his lips onto Tohru's.