Title: Oh, This Summer Rain (II)
Category: Suspense(?)/Um... I can't really remember the word... Action maybe? Eh.
Rating: T
A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but I haven't really been creative lately. I apologize!! This has been in my mind for a while and I hope I did it justice on paper.. Er... The screen... Whatever.
Enjoy, please!

--

"Tohru, for the love of god, sit back down!" Kyo grabbed Tohru's wrist and pulled her down so she was sitting safely in her seat instead of leaning over the side of the speeding boat. The teen then proceeded to moan and wrap his arms around his churning stomach. If he made it out of this horrible situation alive, Kyo vowed that he would never step off dry land again.

This was so wrong, so unfair, he was a cat for goodness sake! How did he end up sitting on the floor of a boat (all the seats were taken before he could claim one, naturally), which was on the water, a thing Kyo despised, in the middle of a thunder storm off all things? Kyo closed his eyes, wished he could travel back in time to avoid the whole situation, and silently blamed Shigure.

If it wasn't for the stupid Dog, Kyo would still be sitting inside where is was warm and dry...

"All right, vacationers!" Kyo looked up from where he was lying on the couch to glare at an all-too-peppy Shigure entering the room. "It's time for some fun, some adventure, some excitement!" It was bad enough that Kyo was forced to be on a vacation with all the people he hated (i.e. Yuki, Haru, Momiji, Yuki, Shigure, Yuki) but now Shigure was talking about "fun" and "adventure." What adventurous things were there to do on a rainy day, anyway?

"What do you have in mind, Sensei?" Not bothering to look at the person speaking now, Haru, Kyo closed his eyes again and tried- to no avail- to tune out the people around him.

"We're going..." Shigure then paused and was either trying to be dramatic or trying to think up an idea on the spot, "On a boat ride!"

"Really?" Tohru gasped. "I've never been on a boat before!"

"We have a boat?" Yuki.

"Fun!!" Momiji. You could just hear the double-exclamation points in his voice.

Idiots! They were all idiots- Except for Tohru, who was just niave.

"It's storming out there," Kyo took it upon himself to be the voice of reason. "You're supposed to stay out of the water during thunder storms. We'd all die."

"Kyo, you're dreary as usual. We'll be fine."Shigure's confident, I-know-best voice was really pissing Kyo off. Fine, they could go out and get struck by lightning. He on the other hand would stay away from the nearby lake. "So, c'mon everyone, the boat is in the lake!"

Kyo stayed put while he heard the sounds of everyone else leaving. He was convinced he would be able to stay away from the damned lake, but that wasn't his fault. The rain had slowed down his thinking ability so he couldn't have seen what was coming next...

"Kyo-kun, you're not coming with us?" Kyo still might have been able to stay inside the house where it was safe, warm, and dry, and he might have avoided the resulting disaster of going on the boat trip if he hadn't opened his eyes and looked at Tohru to tell her that no way in a million years was he going to go outside. But as soon as he looked into Tohru's big brown eyes, all of his conviction about staying home left him.

He couldn't disappoint her; it just wasn't possible. He loved her, what could he do but give in?

"Fine, I'm coming."

And now, stuck on this living hell cleverly disguised as boating, Kyo was just trying not to hurl and add to his misery. No one even noticed that he was writhing in pain on the floor.

"Isn't this fun, guys?" Kyo barely caught Shigure's words, but they made him feel even sicker. He let out another low moan and prayed to any god that would hear him that they would reach the shore soon.

"Kyo-kun, do you want me to ask Shigure to go back to land?" At least one person cared about him. Tohru sounded genuinely concerned, but Kyo just shook his head. He didn't want her to fall overboard or something when she went to ask Shigure something. They were too far back in the boat to be heard from the front unless Tohru moved.

But Tohru must not have seen him, because she stood up.

"Tohru, it's fine, just sit back-" And then three things happened at the same time.

Tohru took a small step.

She started losing her balance.

The boat hit a bump in the water.

The next scene seemed to play out in slow motion: Tohru's feet flew out from under her, a flash of lightning lit up her panicked face, and she toppled over the side.

"Tohru! Tohru!" Kyo ignored another wave of nausea and shot up. "Ohgodohgod, Tohru!"

He heard the others yelling, felt Shigure cut the boat's engine, struggled to keep his own balance, and ran to the side of the boat, gripping the edge. He tried to see any sign of Tohru in the stormy water, but it was too dark.

What if she hit her head? Is she strong enough to swim in this? Dammit, she doesn't remember to breathe! Kyo's thoughts raced and he attempted to keep calm, but it wasn't working. He couldn't see her, where was she?!

Then, briefly, lighting illuminated the area, but however brief the light, it was enough. He caught sight of a streak of pink in the water some ways off: Tohru's ribbon. Without a second thought, Kyo dove over the side of the boat.

The second he hit the ice cold water, Kyo's whole body screamed in protest. If sitting on the water was bad, being inside it was a thousand times worse, but Kyo couldn't concentrate on that, he had to save Tohru.

He was a strong swimmer, he just hated it, but he thought he was going to drown the whole time he swam in the direction he saw the ribbon. He kept swimming, a feeling of dread growing in his stomach with ever stroke. What if her ribbon had blown off and she was somewhere else?

But, thankfully, Kyo finally saw, through spots that were forming in front of his eyes, Tohru bobbing in the water. She didn't move when he gently put his arm around her to begin to pull her back to the boat. He was trying his best to not get too close to her, transforming into a cat would kill them both, but it was proving harder and harder to keep a hold of Tohru and swim with every passing second.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kyo was sure he was swimming in the wrong direction. His arms and legs felt like lead, and Tohru hadn't even stirred. He was terrified that she was-

"He's here, he's right here! Help me pull them up- He has Tohru!" Who was talking? Kyo couldn't tell. His vision was swimming and he the spots in front of his eyes were getting bigger and bigger. He was vaguely aware of someone grabbing him under the arms and pulling him upwards.

Then nothing.

--

The next thing Kyo knew was that he was warm and dry. For a moment he didn't know how that happened and he didn't care. He just let himself enjoy the sensation of not being wet. But there was something else he should have been worrying about, wasn't there...?

"Tohru!" His eyes snapped open and he sat up, and regretted it instantly. His head throbbed and everything spun in front of him before he could register where he was. He got a few things: Living room. Couch. Tohru watching him.

Wait... Tohru?!

"Kyo-kun, you're awake! Thank goodness!" Kyo blinked a few times and turned his head so he was looking at the anxious girl next to him. What was going on? Shouldn't she be the one laying on the couch, and he be the one saying thank goodness?

Kyo sank back down and groaned, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I fell off the boat," at least she sounded embarrassed about that, "and... And Yuki-kun said you came in after me, Kyo-kun. Then someone gave me CPR and I woke up, and we came back to the house... And I'm fine." Tohru smiled softly, but she still looked like she had something to say.

After a short pause, Kyo said, "Uh, okay, good. Is there anything else?" He hadn't even registered anything she said, he was so relieved.

"Ah, yes... Kyo-kun, you jumped in the water to save me, even though you hate water?"

Kyo was confused. Why was she even asking that? Why wouldn't he go in the water after her? "Of course I did. I would do anything for you."

"You... Really?" Tohru's eyes filled with tears momentarally, and Kyo's face reddened when he realized he had said that out loud.

"Well... Yeah... I mean... I..." He couldn't say he loved her out loud... Because that was the reason he would do anything for her. But maybe he could do something... He sat back up and took a few breaths quietly. Gosh, this was taking more courage than jumping over the side of a boat. He leaned in toward her and, before he could lose his nerve, brushed his lips against hers.

"That's, uh, why. I... y'know...?" What was wrong with him? His brain had turned to mush the second their faces got close, and now Kyo didn't even know what he was saying.

"Oh... me too..." Tohru had spoken barely above a whisper, but it was enough. Warmth flooded through Kyo and he wanted to kiss Tohru again, a real kiss this time, and he was going to, but-

"Kyo's awake! Kyo! Kyo! You're a hero!" Momiji bounded into the room and jumped onto the couch next to Kyo.

The moment was dead.

"Tohru," Kyo ignored the Rabbit and looked Tohru in the eyes, sincere about every word he was saying and trying to make the words as meaningful as possible, "let's never go on a boat again."