Fruits Basket Prompts

15. Not Fine

28. "Stop telling me you're fine when you're clearly not."

The rain was pattering hard against the window; the thunders louder than any bird could ever sing and the wind pushing harder than boat oars in the sea waves as Kyo rolled over his futon in an attempt to find a comfortable position.

Kyo hated this weather. As a cat the gloomy rain always made him lethargic, so he had spent most of the day cooped up in his room only leaving for necessities. That's why, even it was past midnight, he couldn't catch a blink of sleep after he woke half an hour ago.

Sighing, he sat up in his bed, running a hand through his messy orange locks. "Perhaps, I should read a book or something," Kyo mumbled to himself and got up to look for it, knowing a boring book could serve as a nice bedtime story. That's when he felt his throat was a little dry.

Kyo decided to go drink a glass of water downstairs. When he was coming back to his room, through the hallway, a muffled sound caught his ear. He stood still, waiting for any other sound to come; the droning rain upon the tiled roof making it difficult enough. As he had expected, a tiny gasp or little startled whimper accompanied each loud boom.

Kyo released a sigh. There was no mistaking it. It was her. He took slow and quiet steps towards her room. He rested his forehead against the door, debating if he should knock or not. She might actually be asleep. I might bother her, he thought.

But what if she actually was awake? What then? He would feel horrible then.

With that thought in mind, he knocked lightly like a feather. As he heard some shuffling from inside, he instantly regretted it. He turned on his heels to make a run for it, but it was too late as the door creaked open, freezing him in his steps.

"Kyo-kun?" Tohru called out in a soft tone, slight surprise evident as well.

"Um, I didn't mean to bother you." He slowly started turning his head towards her, afraid if she would notice his flustered face.

"Hm?"

Kyo internally slapped himself for not thinking it through. "I was just pass-" his words came to a stop when he noticed tears brimming the corner of her eyes.

Tohru whimpered as there was another crashing rumble. She clung onto the wooden door as if her life depended on it. "I-is the-there anything you wa-wanted, K-Kyo-kun?" she stammered.

"Tohru, are you okay?" The words rolled out of his mouth in concern before he could stop it.

She smiled weakly at him. "I'm fin- ah!" she winced owing to another blaring boom. "I-I am completely fine, K-Kyo-kun."

"I can see that," Kyo snorted, flicking his index finger on her forehead, making her let out a cute 'oomph'.

"Please, d-don't mind me. I just get a tisty bit scared during thunderstorm," Tohru giggled nervously.

"If you don't mind," Kyo paused briefly, looking up at the ceiling to hide the evident blush on his cheek. "I can stay with you until it's over," he quickly added, "If that would help."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't dare bother your sleep." Tohru opened the door wider as she flailed her hands around to get her point across. "Besides, I'm completely fine."

Kyo noticed her fingers were shaking and how her face was sweating even though it was chilly tonight. "Stop telling me you're fine when you're clearly not," he snapped, loud enough to disturb anyone but Yuki's deep sleep. Tohru's brows rose in surprise at his tone.

Kyo nervously ran a hand through his hair and corrected himself, "I'm sorry for yelling. What I meant to say is, it's okay. It's not a bother." She felt a tingle in her stomach at how soft his voice had gotten.