Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Candle in the Wind ❯ A Stormy Night ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: This is an Akito/Tohru fic. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

A CANDLE IN THE WIND

Chapter 1

Rain pounded on the roof and the wind howled outside as the storm grew worse. A sudden loud crash of thunder echoed in the subdued room and an abrupt flash of lightening followed. The bright flicker of light sparked across the large window alternating the outline of Akito's form.

Tohru was kneeling on the floor a few feet away from Akito, who was standing near the darkened window. Akito had summoned her for a private meeting with him this evening, and even though Kyou and Yuki had protested she decided to meet with him. She knew the both of them were concerned for her safety but she knew she would have to face Akito sooner or later.

She had only briefly met him a couple of times. Once while she was at school and another time at the beach house. Both times she felt chilled to the bone when he would look at her. Now was no different. There was no life or laughter in his eyes. It did make her curious as to the reason for that. But right now, she just kneeled and stared down at the floor quietly.

She clenched her hands tightly. A small lamp in the corner very dimly lighted the room and Tohru's nervousness was growing. Nightfall had come and along with it a heavy storm. Hatori had left not long after she had gotten there. He had gotten a call from someone and had to go and attend to a very sick family member. Akito's assistant was absent as well, as he had the day off. So there she was all alone, with Akito.

She could feel his eyes burn into her. He leisurely stepped toward her and her breath wedged in her throat. He was only inches away from her now.

"Look at me." He commanded.

Tohru slowly tilted her head up. A large flash of lightening glimmered outside the window as she met his eyes, causing a glowing outline of his body for a moment.

"You really think you are going to make any difference?" he breathed.

Tohru found she couldn't reply. The words got lost on her tongue as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Stupid girl." He quietly hissed.

He turned away from her and brushed his lush dark hair away from his eyes. Suddenly, he began to feel a little faint. He may have to cut his time with Tohru short. He could feel the beginning of one of his fevers come on. He sighed, agitated. He had wanted to interrogate her but it was going to have to wait. He didn't wish for her to see him weak and sickly.

"I am going to have to end our meeting for today. You may leave." He flatly spoke.

Tohru just looked at him puzzled.

"Leave." He said more loudly.

She quickly rose to her feet.

"Sorry." She whispered.

She turned her back to him and started to walk toward the door when she all of a sudden heard a low thud. She turned her head to see the source of the sound.

Akito had collapsed onto the floor.

"Oh no!" Tohru said quickly going back over to him. "What's wrong? What do I do?"

She began to feel a little frantic. Lifting his head up, Tohru felt heat searing from his body. 'He's running a fever!' She thought to herself.

Akito halfway opened his eyes and looked up into her worried eyes as she cradled his head in her lap.

"Let me up." He coldly commanded.

"You're running a high fever." She said her voice shaking.

"Just let me get to my bed." He flatly said trying to rise up from the floor and pushing her hands away.

He gently stood up and took a few steps. Just as he did he began to slip back towards the floor. Tohru quickly wrapped her arm around his waist to keep him from falling again and led him to the bed. Akito felt too weak to push her away from him. He cursed under his breath.

He let his body slip on top of the bed. She covered him with the blanket. She could hear him delicately moan and his eyes were softly glazed over.

"I am going to call Hatori." She said not really knowing if he understood her or not.

She quickly went into another room where she found a phone. Hatori had given her his cell phone number just in case she needed him. Her fingers trembled as she picked up the phone. Akito looked really sick and she wasn't sure what to do. She felt a little frightened, hoping he would be all right. Seeing him like this tugged at her heart.

"Hello." Came a voice at the other end of the phone.

"Hatori. This is Tohru. Akito is sick." The words came out of her mouth all at once.

"Are you still there alone?" he asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"Just try to keep him comfortable. At the moment I am stuck until the storm calms down a bit. The streets have become flooded and the rain is still coming down hard. But I will try to be there as soon as I can."

"Is there anything I need to do?" she asked.

Hatori could hear the worried tone in her voice. "Just get a cool washcloth and try to keep the fever down."

"Okay." Said Tohru and she clicked the phone back on the receiver.

She hurriedly made her way to get a cool washcloth and went back into Akito's room. He was lying very still and she gently wiped his forehead with the washcloth. He stirred a little but his eyes remained closed. She gazed at him. He was very handsome and seeing him like this he looked a bit vulnerable.

She sat down at the top platform right next to his bed. She could still hear the rain beating outside and wondered how long it would be until Hatori returned. Right now though her first thought was making sure Akito's fever did not get any worse. He was sleeping soundly. She could hear his light, quick breaths and she softly brushed her hand over his cheek. He still felt warm but she could tell the fever was slowly lifting.

She sighed. She wondered what time it was. She knew it was well past dinner. Hopefully the others were able to get something to eat. Because of Akito suddenly feeling ill she forgot about dinner, but now that he was doing better she was starting to feel hungry. Even though she was hungry, she was still concerned about Akito and didn't want to leave his side yet, just to search for a snack.

Yawning, she laid her head down on his bed near his sleeping form. She hoped she wasn't making Yuki and Kyou worry too much, by her being gone for so long. They knew she was coming here and didn't like the idea of it in the first place. After the incident at the beach house the past summer she couldn't believe that someone could have such a cruel look in their eyes as Akito did when he came to see her. When he called her at Shigure's house a couple of days ago and told her to come to the main house, she felt a little nervous. It had been months since the beach house visit from him and she worried about seeing him again. Afraid that he may have her memories erased and she didn't want to lose that.

Her eyes fluttered and she found she could no longer fight the urge to sleep. Glancing up at his face to see if he still was sleeping soundly, she smiled and drifted off to sleep herself still hearing the thunder fade into the distance.

Akito's eyes slowly opened. He remembered that he had gotten a fever again and now was lying in his bed. His mind still felt a little hazy but he could swear he could hear someone else breathing. His eyes darted downward and he faintly saw Tohru's head sleeping on the edge of his bed. 'What is she still doing here?' He thought to himself. 'Was she trying to prove something by being here.'

He still felt drained and his cold dark eyes still felt heavy. He let himself drift back off to sleep. He would just have to deal with her later.

An hour later, Hatori slid the door to Akito's room open. Just as soon as the rain let up a little he came as quickly as he could. He knew Tohru was here with Akito alone and he wished he could have prevented that. He let a sigh of relief when he saw the both of them asleep.

"Tohru." He said slightly nudging her awake.

She slowly opened her eyes and heard Hatori calling her name. She lifted her head up and saw him standing over her.

"You made it back." She smiled up at him.

"How is Akito doing?" he asked.

"His fever has gone down and he's been sound asleep." She whispered trying to make sure she did not wake Akito.

Hatori helped Tohru up. They stepped away from his bed.

"Sorry I could not get here sooner." Hatori told her. "I hope Akito didn't harm you in any way. He does not like other people to see him when he becomes sick, besides me. I am sorry you had to stay this long with him."

"No, it's alright. I am glad I could help. It worried me when I saw that he had collapsed on the floor. I am relieved he is getting better." She said looking over at Akito still sleeping. "Even if you had come earlier, I would have stayed to make sure he was okay." She softly smiled.

"Well since he is doing better I should get you back to Shigure's house." Hatori said leading Tohru out of Akito's room.

After his door silently slid shut, Akito opened his eyes. A devious smirk spread across his face as his mind began to hatch a plan. Still grinning, he closed his eyes. He knew now. He would begin to set his plan in action soon enough.

A/N: This is the end of chapter 1. Hope you enjoy this! Just let me know what you think.