Running (Fruits Basket)

Tohru and Yuki

"Tohru, is everything okay?" Shigure said, eyeing Tohru over his newspaper at breakfast the next morning. "You've been awfully quiet," he added.

"Oh, I'm fine, really. I just didn't sleep too well, that's all," Tohru assured him.

It wasn't a lie, she hadn't slept much at all that night. She had laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering if Kyo were on the other side. The thought had comforted her enough to allow her to eventually doze off into restless sleep. She had dreamed of Kyo. About what would have happened if she had stayed in that bedroom and she woke up longing for his touch.

Tohru sipped her tea, each small sound making her eyes dart towards the kitchen door in case Kyo came through.

"Well, I suppose my book won't write itself," Shigure said. "Tohru, if you need anything, anything at all, I'm here to listen, okay?"

Tohru smiled and nodded. "I know Shigure, thank you."

Shigure passed Yuki as he left the room with the suggestion that Yuki comb his hair.

"The nerve," Yuki said, sitting at the breakfast table opposite Tohru. "Spends all day every day in a robe and tells me I look messy." Yuki picked up his chopsticks. "How are you this morning, Tohru?"

Tohru couldn't help but smile. She liked that Yuki had dropped the formality when he addressed her. It made her feel like their relationship had grown into something special. He was more comfortable around her now and the pair were better friends than they had ever been. Which is why it was harder now for Tohru to hide her true emotions from him.

She opened her mouth to say that she was fine but instead a horrible sob broke out from her throat. Tohru buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

"Tohru?" Yuki moved next to Tohru and slowly lowered her hands. He handed her a napkin. "Tohru, what's the matter?" He surveyed the space at the table where Kyo usually sat and appeared to reach a realization. "Where's Kyo?"

The sound of his name brought on fresh tears. "I don't think he's coming down," she said, dabbing her eyes with the napkin.

Yuki frowned. "Why not, what happened, what did he do?"

Alarmed, Tohru shook her head. "He didn't do anything, it's all my fault."

"What is?"

"I­...ran from him." Tohru looked at her own hands as if they were strangers. "How could I run from him?"

"Tohru, what did he do?" Anger fringed Yuki's voice.

"Nothing. It was me. We were...kissing and I got scared." Tohru forced a laugh. "I feel terrible."

Comprehension bloomed on Yuki's face as he pieced together what had happened. "You ran?"

Tohru blushed a fierce shade of puce and nodded. "I pushed him off the bed and ran. He must hate me." The thought made her heart ache.

A smile twitched at the corner of Yuki's mouth. "He doesn't hate you. Trust me, he couldn't even if he wanted to. He loves you more than he knows how to handle."

Tohru sniffled. "Really?"

"Of course. That's why he gets even more stupid when he's around you." Yuki took the napkin and wiped Tohru's cheeks dry while she giggled. "And you need to tell him how you're feeling. The truth."

Tohru looked into Yuki's warm, amethyst eyes, his words igniting a memory of another time she had been scared. She had been terrified but she had made it through and because of that had gained something so precious she would not let fear threaten to take it from her again.

"I will," she decided aloud. "But first there is something I need to do."