Work Text:
'"I'm home!" Tohru greeted cheerfully while she removed her shoes and entered their small house. "Sorry, I'm so late! Mr. Keitagawa had an important meeting, and he needed me there for it. What's for din -" She stopped short when she took in the living room.
Her purse dropped to the floor at the sight. Everything was in disarray; the couch cushions were askew, with one, turned upwards, and the other on the floor. The chabudai table was flipped completely upside down, and there were red stains all over the room that made Tohru feel like she could vomit. Most importantly, there was no Kyo in sight.
"You're finally home, at last, Tohru. I thought you'd never get here." It was a voice both familiar and foreign. One she hadn't heard in a long time but also just yesterday on the phone.
"A-Akito?" She said in a hushed voice. No, this wasn't the Akito she knew, the person who she had come to know and love so dearly. The Akito that stood in front of her smiled, and again, it was one she hadn't seen in a very long time. It was cruel and cold, just like her voice when she spoke. "I don't understand... What happened? Where is Kyo? He's not hurt, is he?!" Tohu asked in a panic.
"Well, he wouldn't have been if he had just come quietly like a good boy. He forced my hand with all of his annoying shouts and pleading. He put up a good fight, though. I'll give him that. But what can expect from a monster?"
"Wondering about his bracelet? He might not change into one, but he still should wear those beads. As a reminder of the monster, he still is on the inside."
"Please, Akito! I don't understand! Why are you doing this? Why did you take him and where?!"
"Why? I changed my mind, that's all. I mean, we did have a bet after all, and he should keep his end of the bargain."
"But the cat's house, you tore it down! I watched it with Kyo!" Akito walked towards Tohru.
"Oh, I'm sure we can find something; after all, he only really needs a cage, right?" The room they were in evaporated and changed. Now, they were outside in a wooded area. The sight in front of her made Tohru feel sick to her stomach.
She stood in front of a large cage and inside, chained by his neck and wrists, was Kyo; unconscious and bleeding, his pants and shirt were shredded. She slid to the ground while Akito's laughter echoed, then started fading. All of Kyo's hard work, their happy life, gone over nothing.'
_________________
Tohru woke with a gasp, and her eyes flew open. She stared at the ceiling for some time before slowly sitting upright in her and Kyos shared futon. She turned to see the other side empty, and in a panic, she jumped to her feet and rushed into the living room, then sighed relief. Everything was in its place, nothing overturned or broken.
She quickly walked to the dresser to see the bowl still full of red and white beads. She still didn't see Kyo, though, and that alone terrified her. "Tohru? What are you doing?" She turned and saw Kyo standing behind her with his hair a mess from sleep. Her eyes burned, and she couldn't fight her tears before they spilled and slid down her face.
"Kyo!" She sobbed and threw her arms around him and buried her head in his chest, clinging too tightly onto his shirt.
"Whoa! What happened?!" He asked in surprise, then sighed and hugged her. "I was only in the bathroom. I don't know what happened, but you gotta calm down and tell me what's wrong so I can help." He said in a gentler tone. "Was it a nightmare?" She just nodded against him. "Let's lay back down, okay? We can talk about it then."
He took her hand and led her back to their room and got her back in their shared futon. She snuggled against him under the blanket, soaking in how warm his skin always felt. "Wanna talk about it?" He asked softly while rubbing her back.
"I don't know if I can... It was horrible!" Tohru cried against his shoulders.
"Well, I know a thing or two about bad dreams. I'm sure it's nothing I haven't had in some way." She was quiet while she considered what to say.
"I, ummm, came home from work late and when I walked in..." He noticed how strained her voice had gotten and how hard she was holding herself, so he pressed his lips against her temple. Tohru told him everything then.
Tohru the living room being wrecked, Akito being her old self, and the vision of him in a cage. By the end, he could see she was visibly shaking. He wasn't sure what to do or say, so he lay there for a while, swallowing hard and finally tightening his hold on her.
"I..." He started in a shaky whisper. "I'm so sorry, Tohru. That sounds horrible." Was all he could find to say at first. "It was just a dream. It's not real. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." He whispered in her ear. He wondered what could have triggered a nightmare like this, especially for Tohru, who didn't have them as frequently as he did.
That's when he remembered the date. "Do you know what today's date is?" Tohru looked at him and shook her head. "As of today, it's exactly one year since the curse broke." Her eyes grew large, and she gasped.
"But why would that give a nightmare? That's a happy day!" He shrugged.
"Maybe a part of your subconscious remembered the fear around that? Either way, it's just a bad dream." She focused on his warmth, his natural scent, and his breathing, and soon she was asleep again. He hated that she would dream something like that. He'd take all of her nightmares on himself if he could.
He knew that was impossible, so he was content in just helping her forget about the past, her fears, and anxieties while knowing she would do the same. He pulled her closer and put his head in her hair before finally letting sleep wash over him and succumbing to it.