The Nightmare

Tohru hummed contentedly to herself as she took a last look at the kitchen. ‘Everything is ready for breakfast in the morning,’ she thought as she switched off the light and made her way quietly down the first floor hallway, heading for the stairs. ‘I’m glad I remembered to set up this time, so I won’t be rushing around in the morning.’

She sighed tiredly, as she walked up to the quiet second floor. ‘I think I will have a quick shower tonight instead of a bath, and then go straight to bed.’ She yawned as her foot touched the top step, causing her to pause for a moment in front of Kyo’s room.

She looked softly at his door, picturing the gruff neko as he had been earlier in the evening. It had been drizzling out, and he seemed out-of-sorts. He was gruffer than usual, and was the first one to bed. She, of course, worried that he was coming down with something, but Shigure-san told her he was always ‘cranky’ when it was wet out. “In his nature,” was how the novelist explained it. Tohru tilted her head in confusion, but let it go for the moment.

Now, standing in front of his door, all her worries came back to her as she heard him moan in his sleep. Her worries flew out of her head in the next second though.

She blushed deeply as she heard him call her name. ‘He can’t be dreaming about me!’ she thought embarrassed, listening to him moan again. She frowned, as he seemed to give a muffled pained cry of “No!”

She didn’t think twice about her actions, as she turned to his door and opened it silently. Peering into the darkened room, she softly called to him. “Kyo?”

Another pained moan, though now she could see him tossing his head about, as his arms and legs occasionally twitched. ‘He’s still sleeping,’ she thought, as she shut the door just as quietly as she had opened it. Calling his name again softly, she moved to where his futon was on the floor.

She kneeled down beside the still thrashing Kyo. ‘This isn’t right,’ she thought, looking down at him. ‘He is sweating buckets! I should see if he has a temperature.’ But just as she was reaching out for his forehead, he moaned again, and called her name.

She blushed, but determinedly placed her wrist on his forehead and whispered his name. She jumped, as his eyes opened suddenly to stare at her. He grabbed her wrist and bolted upright, almost knocking the poor girl to the floor. He stared at her blankly, not registering that she was there, still trapped in his dream.

She reached out and touched his hand that was holding her other wrist, calling his name quietly, “Kyo?”

He blinked several times before he was able to focus on her before him. “Tohru?” he said uncertainly in his sleep roughened voice. “What are you doing here?” He asked softly, as his clasp on her wrist gentled to almost a caress.

She blushed and stammered, “I … um … heard you crying out. A … and I was worried because you didn’t seem well before, and you came to bed early. I was worried that you were possibly getting sick, but Shigure-san said that you were okay, that you were just “cranky” when it rains.” She babbled, avoiding looking at his bare chest, staring avidly at the floor.

Kyo snorted softly. “I’m fine,” he said gruffly, causing the blushing girl to look at him uncertainly. “I just don’t like it when it rains.” He said simply. He frowned at her, causing her to squirm under his intense gaze. “Why are you here, in my room?” He asked calmly.

Tohru blushed harder as her gaze skittered from his again. “Um … I was … passing by in the hall, when I heard you in your sleep,” she gasped, and turned to face him again, sliding closer to him and griping his hand between her own. “Is something wrong Kyo? You were moaning, and thrashing around in your sleep. You’re covered in sweat, and … you were calling my name.” She finished softly, looking away again.

Her gaze returned to him when he griped her wrist once more. She noticed his eyes go blank as he recalled his dream. “Kyo?” she said softly, concerned. Her hand that was resting on his, lifted to gently stroke his cheek, bringing him back to himself with a start.

“It was nothing,” he said, pulling his face away from her comforting hand, when all he really wanted to do was grab her, and hold her, telling her everything that he had dreamed.

‘It was horrible,’ he thought, unknowingly turning his head back into her still outstretched palm, nuzzling into it. ‘Akito had taken Tohru away, and I couldn’t find her. No matter how hard I searched, I would only catch a glimpse of her before she would vanish again.’ He unknowingly whimpered and pressed his face into her hand, seeking her scent.

Tohru watched as he was dragged back into what could only be a nightmare. She watched as he seemed to take comfort in her touch. She said his name quietly to gain his attention. When she had him focused on her once more, not pulling away, she began her tale.

“Once, when I was little, and I had a terrible dream, my mom came to me and told me how to get rid of them.” She took in a deep breath. “She said ‘That bad dreams happen when we are scared or uncertain about something.’ She also said ‘that sometimes you can be embarrassed about those dreams, and not want to tell anyone, so what you should do is snuggle back down into your bed and tell yourself that everything is going to be alright, a bad dream is just our mind’s way of telling us that we have to confront our fear.’ Then she would lie down next to me, hold me close, kiss my forehead, and tell me that everything was alright, and that she was there, and she would stay until I fell asleep.” Tohru smiled softly at the memory.

He was speechless. He never had anyone other than Shishou who cared about his bad dreams before. He started when her unfocused gaze returned to him.

“Now I will do the same for you,” she said determinedly. And before the slightly embarrassed boy could do anything, she had her hands free, and was pushing him back to lie down on the futon. She pulled his blankets up to his collar, leaving his arms free, noticing once again that he had no shirt on.

“Tohru,” he began, trying to push himself back up, but her hands were firm, keeping him pinned to the mattress. His face started to heat as she slipped down to lie beside him, not touching in anyway, though her face was doing a very good impression of a tomato.

“Tohru,” he said again, unsteady, trying to get her to stop, but she just shushed him.

“It’s alright,” she whispered, as she leaned over him and brushed her lips over his pink forehead, “I’m here.” She settled back down beside him and reached for his hand that was closest, resting their entwined hands on his chest.

Kyo knew she could feel the thundering beat of his heart beneath her hand. He tried to once again say something, but all he got out was a strangled version of her name, “Tohru.”

She shushed him again, “I’ll leave once you are asleep Kyo-kun. Please rest knowing I am here with you.” She beseeched him quietly.

He didn’t have the heart to tell her to just go away and leave him be. He sighed and settled himself more comfortably, lifting her hand to brush her knuckles over his lips before pressing them once more to his chest. His last thought before drifting off was, ‘I wish I could have her hug me as her mom did her.’ He then gave a final sigh and drifted off to the land of peaceful dreams, content that SHE was beside him.

When he woke up a few hours later, he was alone. He sighed and turned to his side facing the door. “Was it just a dream?” he asked himself out loud. He sighed again and noticed something flutter along beside his mattress. He reached out and lifted the long hair ribbon which he knew wasn’t there when he went to bed the night before. “Damn,” was all he could say, as he brought the ribbon to his nose to take in the scent of its owner that still lingered on the long bit of fabric.

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Well? What do you think? I have a second chapter ready, but I would like to hear what everyone thinks of this one first, and tell me if you would like to read the next chapter … Guess that is one way to get a review, huh? *snicker*

Until we meet again.