tohru is always looking out for yuki (and other people) because she wanted to imitate her father. she genuinely cares for yuki and loves yuki, but not in a romantic way, because she is the kind of person that puts others well-being above her own.
kyo sees through tohru and he’s someone tohru never knew she needed. her mother understood tohru and tohru felt that replacing her would be a sin, as if to say, “Im forgetting you”. everybody relies on tohru and looks to her for light and warmth, but no one could ever be just sunshine and rainbows. kyo sees that and understands it. to tohru, kyo is her warmth and fills a gap her mother left behind. kyo helps tohru understand that just because there is someone else does not mean that her mother is replaced. it is ok to love and have more than one person you hold dear to your heart. kyo is what tohru is for yuki but in a romantic way.
kyo has experienced the pain and guilt of losing kyoko as well since he was there during the accident. with this guilt, he didn’t feel worthy enough to love and to protect tohru. ever since he met kyoko, he’s felt nothing but warmth and love that radiated from a stranger. he was also intrigued by young tohru who was always home alone waiting for her mother. he felt this need to repay kyoko somehow and promised to take care of tohru. when he realized that yuki was the one who saved her when she needed someone the most, he felt inferior and ran away from the mother and daughter. years later when fate brings kyo and tohru together again, he relives the moments he feels most guilty for. however, tohru’s presence heals kyo overtime and he eventually finds someone who will accept him for who he is and will willingly stand by him through all the challenges because of love. eventually, tohru’s pain of losing her mother is also eased because kyo replaces that sadness and loss with gentleness and love.
Story and dialogue by amazing AnimeliaRose on AO3, this is a very fluffy moment from their fanfiction “A Pretty Orange Colour” Chapter 21. Please consider reading the fic first to get a better idea of what’s happening here. :>
