Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ All I Ever Needed ❯ I Can't Breathe Without You ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14: I Can't Breathe Without You

 

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“To the whole world

You may just be one person

But to one person

You may be the whole world”

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-Anonymous

 

“What, Haru?” Rin said, intentionally putting an edge in her voice to mask her excitement at seeing him again.

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” He said casually, his hands in his pockets, his eyes unhesitating as they met hers.

“I haven't changed in the last few seconds since you've seen me.” She countered.

“Actually, if you want to be technical, it's been a few days,” he said, un-wavered by her words. She glared at him.

“Whatever,” she muttered.

“All right, I can see I'm not wanted,” Haru said in a mock hurt tone. “I'll just leave then,”

“Have a nice life,” Rin said, aloof. The started to walk towards the door and Rin turned her face away. He paused, not moving, a foot from the door. Then, he was suddenly behind her, his strong hands on her thin shoulders; wheeling her around. She barely had time to draw in a breath before his lips crushed her. Her eyes shot wide open, but the familiar, safe feel of the one she loved's lips on hers melted her ice coated heart. She fell so hard and fast for him all over again, the emotion buckled her knees. But there were those strong hands again, holding her up.

When they finally drew away, they were both breathing hard.

“What…the hell?” Rin panted.

“This is ridiculous,” he shook his head, “I love you so much, Rin. So much I would give you the world; I would die for you. I can't tell you how much I love you. Every second not with you is hell, Rin. Every freaking second of every freaking day is more unbearable than any torture. And I refuse to believe you don't feel it too.”

“But I—” Haru cut short her protest.

“I know you, Rin. I know you better than that. I could see it in your eyes, and feel it in your movements…in every caress, in every kiss. I could tell you loved me too. Why did you do it, Rin?” She looked down at her shoe, trying to dig a hole in the kitchen tile. “Rin…”

“I was protecting you, okay?!” She shouted, “Akito found out about us. I didn't want him to hurt you, Haru! So I took all the blame. I told him I seduced you into it, and that it was all my fault. Can't you see? I do feel the same way. But if Akito hurt you…and I knew it was all my fault…I couldn't live with myself. But I wouldn't live without you! I love you so much, Haru, I can't stand it sometimes. It seems like it's going to crush you someday! I just loved you so much I didn't want to see you get hurt!”

“Oh, Rin,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “Don't you see? Now I realize it's my fault that you got hurt. I can't stand it. I don't deserve you, Rin, if it's my fault all those things happened to you,”

“You…don't deserve me?” she scoffed, blinking back tears, “I freaking don't deserve you. You're so kind and loving and no matter how much of a bitch I am, at the end of the day you always come home loving me more than life itself! It's not fair! Someone like you shouldn't have to be burdened with someone like me!” Tears spilled freely down her cheeks now.

“Oh, God, Rin. I love you so much because you're like that!” He said, burying his face into the top of her head. “I love every single part of you. The sweet Rin, the sexy, hot Rin, the screaming with nightmares Rin, and the bitchy Rin. I don't have a choice in that. You'd have to kill me to make me stop loving you…and even that would be a draw.” She smiled.

“Oh, Haru. I still can't help it. I love you so much.”

“I take that as a compliment,” he joked and she laughed. She actually laughed. For the first time since that fateful day when it had all started down a dark spiral…Rin laughed. “Oh, it's good to hear you laugh again,” he mused.

“Don't get used to it,” she growled playfully.

“Oh, right, Scowly-Brooding Girl is kind of your thing, isn't it?”

“Damn straight,” she said and he laughed.

“I love you, Rin.”

“I can't breathe without you, Haru.”

* * *

Tohru blinked. Kyo stared back at her; his eyes just as fierce.

Kyo loved her. Kyo…the cat…the outcast…her housemate…her friend…loved her. How did she feel? What was this feeling that brewed inside her whenever she looked at him? Whenever she laughed with him? Whenever she stared into his deep crimson eyes? What was this feeling? Was it…was it love?

She reached down into herself. Thinking about all the things that had happened…and realized.

“Kyo-kun…I love you too!”

 

Kyo blinked back in surprise! He wasn't expecting that response. He'd thought she would let him down easily…saying she thought of him as a brother…but this…to hear that she loved him back…was more than he could have hoped for.

 

Then, before they had realized they were leaning towards each other, their lips met. Softly…sweetly…but held so much passion Tohru almost fainted. She couldn't believe it. This was the sweetest things she had ever tasted in her life! The taste of Kyo's lips on her hers and the love they shared. When they broke away, they stared into each other's eyes.

“Tohru—” he started.

“Yes?” She answered, her voice soft, yet a little hoarse.

“I know I'm not everything you deserve. You deserve a normal man who you can hug without him turning into a cat. A normal man who can live a normal life with you. I love you more than anything else in the world, but I'm not sure I'm what's best for you…”

“Kyo-kun!” She exclaimed, coughing a little bit before recovering, although she wheezed on the next words. “I just realized I loved you! You can't take that away from me. I know I'm being selfish, but I just realized what these feelings inside me were! Just because you're not normal, won't make me stop loving you, Kyo-kun.” Tears streamed down her face, and she coughed louder. Kyo leaned over and helped her into a more upright position to help her breath better.

“Oh, Tohru,” he sighed, giving her one of the sweetest, most beautiful smile she might have possibly seen in her whole life.

“Kyo-kun…” she said, tears streaming down her face as she gazed up at him, “I guess in my heart I always knew…” she smiled, “I've always loved the cat.” He smiled back.

“The cat has finally been accepted,” he murmured, “…not to the banquet, but who needs a dinner when I've got you,” she leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek. Then she coughed loudly…only this time it didn't stop for a matter of minutes.

“Tohru?!” Kyo exclaimed. He hit her back hard to try and help her. She coughed blood onto the bed sheet. “Oh, God…”

She gasped, and recovered her breath, her eyes wide with terror, her face stained with tears,

“Oh! I was so scared, Kyo-kun! I thought I was going to die!” She sobbed as he wrapped his arms around her, only just loosely enough that he wouldn't transform.

“You're not going to die, Dummy,” Kyo reassured.

“I-I just can't stand the thought of leaving you,” she said, and he pulled back in surprise.

“What? No, Tohru, you're going to get better. You have to. You have to get better.” Kyo's voice was frantic. This venerability was something he usually so carefully guarded. Tears leaked from her eyes.

“I hope so. I don't want to leave. It's such a happy place here. Ever since Mom died, this is the first time I've ever had a family.”

“And we'll keep being a family,” Kyo said fiercely. She smiled and then coughed loudly. More tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I know. I just don't want to live without you. When I think about being without you, I can't breathe, I can't—” She coughed, and started gasping for air, “Ky—I can't—” she looked up at him, her eyes wide with horror, “I—c—I can't—breathe—”

“Tohru?!”

 

 

End of Chapter 14:

“I Can't Breathe Without You”

A/n: I wrote this chapter at 10:30 on a Monday night. Yeesh it's gonna be hard getting up tomorrow! Anyway…I'm sorry to leave you with such a cliff hanger, but that seemed like a fun place to end it…for me! ^_^ yeah, srry about that! But I think there will be one more chapter, plus an epilogue…yeah that's how it'll go! So one more chapter! Plus epilogue and we come to our conclusion! I'll see you next time, folks!

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Fruits Basket is the creation of Takaya Natsuki, and is licensed in North

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