Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ All I Ever Needed ❯ Drawn to the Flames ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11: Drawn to the Flames

 

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“Pulling me away from the flames

Won't stop the fire”

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-Run Right Back In

By: Armor For Sleep

Smile For Them Album

 

Rin crept along the quiet hallway the next night. She couldn't sleep, being the nocturnal sort she was. Haru was gone, so she couldn't sleep no matter how hard she'd tried. The darkness had settled over her like a cloak. She liked then night—when she was awake—because it gave her a sense of power…something she so rarely had. She reached Kunimitsu's room, and found a light coming from beneath the door. What the… she wondered, as she crept closer.

She flinched when floor board creaked. She attempted to turn and leave, but heard the door squeak open and a voice ask:

“Isuzu?” Dammit “What are you doing up this late?” She turned and glared.

“I could ask you the same question,” she murmured coldly.

“Point taken,” he agreed and sighed. She continued to glare at him. Glaring was one of her specialties. She turned to go, but then remembered something.

“Hey,” she said, her voice toneless, “you were muttering about something in the kitchen yesterday.” This was unlike her, but something had caught her interest.

“What,” he asked. She was surprised as she was.

“In the kitchen yesterday. You were muttering something about “my sister””

“Oh, that,” he scratched the back of his head nervously, “Well, you see, it's a long story. I'm adopted. And apparently my biological mother had another child after me. I don't know much about her, or where she is. And then my mother died, and I lost any trace of my sister I had.”

“What was her name?” Rin asked

“Tohru,” he said with a faint smile. She had been a fire burning in the back of his mind since the day he'd learned of her existence. He couldn't help but be drawn to the flames. Rin was astonished.

“Do you know her last name?” She asked breathlessly. Kunimitsu considered that for a moment, and then his eyes sparked.

“Honda…Tohru Honda was her name.”

“I know her,” Rin whispered.

“What?!” Kunimitsu almost shouted, but then clapped a hand over his mouth, realizing it was still the middle of the night.

“I know her…” Rin said, not believing herself. Kunimitsu's sister…“She's staying with Yuki and Kyo.”

* * *

Morning came. It had been a full day since Tohru had left for the store.

“K-Kyo-kun?” a feeble sounding voice asked from the bed. Kyo opened his bleary eyes to see Tohru's pale face turned towards him, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. She was glad to see him.

“`Morning…” He groaned, getting up off the cot and stretching his stiff muscles. He heard Tohru's tired laugh…then following it, a loud cough.

“You look just like a cat when you do that, Kyo-kun.” She smiled. He frowned.

“We need to get you your medicine, air-head,”

“Medicine?” She repeated, dazed.

“You're sick. You have pneumonia, you dope. You caught it out in the rain, remember? I carried you back here and Hatori came over and gave you a diagnosis.” Her eyes widened.

“Oh my. You all went to so much trouble for me,” Kyo sighed as he saw tears sparkle in her eyes. She sobbed and wheezed and then started coughing continuously. Kyo came over and helped her into a position where it was easier to breathe and she gasped a large gulp of air. “M-maybe I shouldn't cry anymore…” she looked down, ashamed. Kyo bobbed her on the head.

“You are such a dope. You need to rest and get better,” I'll tell you soon. I promise… She lay back down on the pillows, and her hand landed on Kyo's. His skin heated instantly and he felt an overwhelming urge to lean in closer to her…to touch her more. Her face, her hair…

“Kyo-kun?” she asked in surprise, actually grabbing his hand. “Is something wrong?” He jerked away, starring to blush, but forgot she was clutching his hand, so he pulled her half way off the bed.

“Ah, crap,” he said, swinging around in a blindingly fast motion and caught her. She clutched his shirt; her eyes wide open in surprise. He pulled her back onto the bed, but he leaned too far over the bed and fell, his feet swept out from under him, onto the bed.

“Ah…” Tohru said awkwardly. The only thing to keep the curse from triggering was a thin blanket between them. Kyo saw her face heat up and felt his mirror it. He could feel every line of her body against his. His entire body felt feverish; like he was on fire. Their faces were inches apart…so close he could feel her fast breathing on his cheeks. What was he doing!? He jumped up from the bed.

“I-I'm sorry,” he said turning away, blushing furiously as he stormed out the door.

“Kyo-ku---” Kyo was speeding out the door, rushing through the door to the yard, ignoring sleepy Shigure's inquiries.

What the hell was I doing?! Kyo scolded himself, clutching his head like it ached. His body still felt heated.

Pulling me away from the flames won't put out the fire... he thought to himself. No matter what happens, I will always love her. I can't help that. Tohru… he whispered thoughts he knew no one would ever hear as he ran through the forest.

“Tohru, I wish I could be the kind of man you deserve. I wish I could be a normal man who could hold you in his arms without transforming into an outcast cat. You deserve so much more than that, Tohru,” He whispered to the passing trees. “And those are the things I can never give you, no matter how hard I try.”

But no matter what; the fire will always keep burning.

I can't put it out.

 

End of Chapter 11:

“Drawn to the Flames”

A/n: This chapter was fun to write!! Yaah! I kind of bent Rin's character there a little to make the story work, but it worked out well enough. I'm getting back into writing a lot. I wrote the Kyo/Tohru half of this yesterday and the Rin/Kunimitsu half today. *sigh* I'm on the downhill motion now people. I say five more chapters…tops! So enjoy `em while they last!

P.S. In my story, when Tohru went to Kazuma's with Kyo, she didn't meet Kunimitsu, so neither of them have ever met!

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