Chapter 1: On Shitty Blue and White Scarfs
'How did I end up here?' Ryuko asked herself for what seemed like the thousandth time that week.
'Oh yeah, I remember! I've got idealistic, romantic idiots for friends,' was her bitter self reply.
The aforementioned friends had been "helping" her find ways to ask Satsuki out on a date, ones that didn't require a direct confession. At this point she'd literally tried just about everything. Everything, that is, short of drugs and she was seriously tempted to take Nui's offer on giving her a batch of roofie cookies.
Between all the (somewhat) helpful but, not very effective advice, overdramatic schemes of romanticism, and not to mention the ridiculous ideas Sangeyama came up with that she didn't try Ryuko was at her wits end. Almost everyone she knew had given her some piece of advice on how to go about it and she'd tried every single one to some extent, but here it was almost a month later and neither she nor Satsuki had gone on a single date.
"This is impossible," she huffed, "Maybe I should just give up… But I've made it this far, might as well see this last one out to the end."
This was it, their very last idea and a sad one at that if Ryuko said so herself, which she did several times. Somehow she'd let them convince her to serenade Satsuki outside her window, as if she were the protagonist of some mediocre rom-com. She along with Mako, Inumata, and June had worked on the song for the better half of the afternoon. It wasn't the greatest, in fact, it was downright horrible, but it had a decent melody and was to the point.
'Quick and simply,' she thought as she pulled herself over the fence and into her own backyard. 'Why, the hell didn't I just use the front gate? I fucking live here.' Ignoring her own bout of stupidity, Ryuko made her way to Satsuki's window.
'I can't believe I'm actually about to do this,' she thought, 'besides Satsuki isn't into sappy crap like this.'
This was in fact true, and she'd mentioned this while Sen and Nonon were discussing chords earlier, but somehow Sangeyama convinced everyone it was their most brilliant idea yet and "all bitches love guitar". And so Ryuko now stood underneath Satsuki's window, no doubt, about to make a complete ass out of herself.
One deep breath of resignation later and she began:
Satsukiiiiiiiiiiii
*strum*
Saaaaaaasuuuuuukiiiiiii
*strum*
My darlin', Satsuuuuukkkkkkiiiiiii
*Struma strum strum*
Oh, how the moonlight shines upon your broooooooooooowwwwwwww!
~A couple weeks earlier~
Ryuko gave a sigh of relief as she handed in her Chemistry test. She quickly made her way back to her seat, the formulas and vocab leaving her mind even quicker. She doodled for the remainder of class and was the first one out when the bell rang. She pushed, dodged, and shoved her way to her locker quickly throwing her books inside.
"Finally, lunchtime!" Ryuko gave a fist pump into the air at her declaration.
"Geez, someone's hungry," a voice chuckled behind her.
Ryuko turned around to see Sen giving her an amused smile.
"Naw, not hungry, just sick of Chem. I mean seriously why is that class mandatory? I guarantee you no one besides old men in lab coats use any of that stuff anyway."
Sen looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "You mean old men like your dad?"
"Yeah! Exactly like – Hey!"
Sen gracefully dodged the Chemistry book aimed at his face, but any further attacks were stopped as Mako approached and the trio made their way to lunch. They sat at their usual table, towards the back left corner of the cafeteria and fell into the even more usual bits of conversation. Ryuko had picked the table at the beginning of the school year saying it offered privacy and avoided most of the loud noises of the cafeteria. It also, coincidentally, happened to have a clear view of the student council table and its president. Ryuko, being ever the optimist, did on occasion (just about every minute of lunch) glance over (blatantly stare) at the icy eyed president, which is exactly what she was doing now.
Said president was biting her lower lip in concentration, most likely trying to find a solution to some student council related conflict. Ryuko, for whatever reason, found this bad habit of her sister's utterly and completely hot. Ryuko let her eyes wander to other parts of Satsuki she found sexy and unsurprisingly her gaze landed on her sister's eyes, the delicate point of her nose, the arch of her cheek bones, the swell of her chest …
"Hey, Ryuko, you're drooling."
"I am not!" Ryuko whipped her head back to her own table, glaring at Sen. She wiped at her mouth anyway and was embarrassed to find she was indeed drooling, if only a little.
"Yeah you were," Sen smirked before continuing, "Why don't you just ask her out already?"
Ryuko choked on the croquette she'd swiped from Mako, "What!?"
"You heard me. Why don't you just ask her out? It's rude to stare and I don't even know what was going on in that kinky little head of yours."
Unintelligible noises came out of Ryuko's mouth as she tried and failed miserably to respond to Sen. She was still trying when June sat down at the table, beside her brother. It was rare when she did, since she was closer to Satsuki and also a part of student council, but she and Sen did live across the street from them so she was bound to befriend both of them.
"What's all the commotion about? Ryuko nearly died on that croquette," June asked as she popped one into her mouth. Luckily, Mako was use to her friends' thieving ways and just made sure to bring extra.
"Nothing much, sis, just asking Ryuko when she plans on asking Satsuki out," was Sen's simply reply.
June raised an eyebrow turning to face her brother, "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, Ryuko was staring at Satsuki just a moment ago. Looked as if she was about to jump the girl. Good thing she's about halfway across the cafeteria otherwise I'm sure Ryuko might've. She was even drooling. "
"I was not!" Ryuko protested, a raging blush making its way to her cheeks.
June laughed before saying, "Ha, you should see her in Algebra. You'd think the value of 'X' was tattooed on Satsuki's forehead."
"Would you two shut up?!" Ryuko nearly screamed.
Ignoring the outburst, June smirked and turned to Ryuko asking, "So when do you plan on asking her out?"
"For the love of …" Ryuko sighed. "I'm not asking anyone out, besides Satsuki's way to perfect. I mean look at her, she's beautiful, smart, popular, kind, amazing, charming, beautiful, mesmerizing, caring …"
Ryuko would have gone on if June hadn't stopped her by saying, "Wow, you really are in love with her."
"What!? No … I just… I - I was just stating facts. I mean there's no way NO WAY I'm in love with my own sister. I just, you know, really admire her is all," Ryuko stuttered out, blushing to high heavens by the time she finished.
Sen and June shared a knowing look. "Ryuko, I was just joking before, but if you really do love your sister in more than just a sisterly way it's cool. I mean you guys are, technically, only stepsisters."
"Yeah, I mean who wouldn't have at least a tiny crush on the Satsuki Kiryuuin. Also affectionately known as the Ice Queen, or Ice Bitch depending on who you ask," June added on, hoping to relieve some of the awkwardness from the table. Awkwardness Mako seemed to be completely oblivious to, as she was simply finishing off the last of her mystery croquettes.
Ryuko lifted her head from the table. "Really?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yeah," June replied immediately, "I mean, it's not the most conventional relationship to pursue, but as they say love is love."
Sen nodded his head in agreement with his sister.
"Yup, same for me," Mako, who was unusually quiet for most of the conversation, spoke up. "Plus if you and Satsuki start dating then you guys could go on a double date with Gamagoori and me," she finished with a megawatt smile.
Ryuko was almost brought to tears by her friends' reaction. In truth Ryuko had felt this way for a while, but was afraid to admit it because of what her friends might've thought. Of course, she knew not everyone one would be as understanding, but it didn't matter. Her best friends did and at the moment that's all she needed.
And then Sen opened his mouth, reminding her that her friends could still be assholes no matter how understanding they were at times.
"So you're like a lesbian, right?" a pause, "That's kinda hot"
June watched Ryuko's head hit the table with a *thunk* and although she couldn't see it she knew the younger girl was blushing.
"Sen?"
"Yeah, sis."
June smacked the back of his head before saying, "Shut the fuck up."
Mako scooted around the table so that she was sitting next to Ryuko.
"It's okay if you're a lesbian too," she said as she wrapped a comforting arm around a completely mortified Ryuko.
"Yeah, it's totally cool!" Sen cringed as he watched his sister raise her hand to smack him again before he added, "In a totally nonsexual way." "Sorry that was a very inappropriate thing for me to say before. But you know teenaged boy and all, haha… haa," he ended with a weak chuckle.
June rolled her eyes at her brother's stupidity, but satisfied with the amendment to his previous comment, lowered her hand. He had a point though he was a teenaged boy, even if he didn't act it very often.
"So for real this time, when do you plan on asking her out?"
Ryuko whose blush had finally died down made a full comeback at that question.
"You're joking, right? I can't just ask her out."
"And why not?" June questioned.
Ryuko, Sen, and even Mako gave her a look in which she knew her sanity was being questioned.
"I know it may seem impossible that the question would lead to a happy ending, but you never know."
The disbelieving stares remained.
June groaned, "If you never ask then you'll always have that "what if" to live with. And what's the worst that could happen? Satsuki isn't the type to use that against you, even if she doesn't return you feelings."
"That is the worst thing that can happen. What if she doesn't return my feelings? Not only will I have completely humiliated myself I won't have any type of relationship with her," Ryuko sighed before continuing, "I get it I really do, but I don't want to take that chance. I'm fine with this."
June, Sen, and Mako all looked at the uncharacteristic face of defeat Ryuko wore.
"No, I don't think you are, Ryuko, I think you do want to take that chance." Mako looked directly into Ryuko's eyes before continuing, "I see the way you look at Satsuki … and sometimes the way she looks at you. I know it might be scary, crazy even, but it most definitely is worth the chance, especially if it does work out."
Ryuko knew Mako was talking from experience. She'd had taken that chance when asking Gamagoori out, the gentle giant had been too nervous and stuck on his high horse of discipline to ask her himself. And although it was light in comparison to her own situation Ryuko decided she might as well, if only to appease Mako and June.
"Fine, I guess this is one "what if" I'll be living without," Ryuko then looked over at June, "But how exactly do you suppose I do it."
"Well, telling her face to face would be the most effective way." And after hearing the very clear "No fucking way" June quickly threw that idea out, not that she put much faith in it anyway. A couple more ideas where thrown around, some better than others, before Sen suggested making her something.
"You mean like a scarf," Ryuko asked.
"I suppose, but it is the middle of August …"
"Oh, and if you make it long enough you guys could share it while walking home!" Mako squealed.
"Except I don't know how," Ryuko deadpanned.
"No worries, 'cause I do. It's not hard at all," June quickly added.
Yeah, but –," Ryuko was interrupted by the bell, signaling the end of lunch.
"Just come over after school, you too, Mako. See ya," and with that June left the table leaving a slightly frazzled Ryuko, an over excited Mako and an apathetic Sen wondering what the hell they'd just gotten themselves into.
~Time Change~
Ryuko spent a total of 18 hours on the damn thing and it still look like shit.
'Not hard at all, my ass,' she thought bitterly.
The long piece of cloth, as it could best be described, was white with two, not so straight, blue streaks going from one end to the other. She was just going to throw it away, but after much convincing from Mako and June she decided to give it to Satsuki anyway.
So here she was standing in front of Satsuki's bedroom door.
'It's now or never, Matoi,' Ryuko pepped herself, as she knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Satsuki looked up from her book to see a rather awkward looking Ryuko standing in her doorway with her hands behind her back. Any other time Satsuki would have been pleased that Ryuko finally learned to knock, instead of just barging in as if it were her own room and not Satsuki's, but the way Ryuko seemed so small, barley pass the doorframe, was a clear indication the she was nervous about whatever she'd come to do. This in itself was a sign something was wrong. Satsuki liked to think she and Ryuko were as close as real sisters and could tell each other anything, which was usually the case. If Ryuko was hesitating, then it had to be serious. All of this combined had Satsuki worried and after seeing Ryuko standing there shuffling about she made her way over to the younger girl.
'Geez, am I really about to do this. Nope! I'm not. I can't believe I let Mako and June talk me into this. There's no way in hell …,' Ryuko turned to leave when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Ryuko, did you want something? You've just been stan – "
Completely caught off guard, Ryuko shoved the poorly wrapped scarf into Satsuki's hands.
"I uhh … made this for you," and after the quick explanation Ryuko turned and all, but ran to her room. The door securely closed behind her Ryuko fell onto her bed.
'Close enough,' she thought, 'June is just gonna have to deal with it.'
Satsuki was still standing in her doorway, slightly dazed, before she realized she was holding something. She stepped back into her room and looked at the bundle Ryuko had pretty much thrown at her. Opening it up her first guess was that Ryuko had just given her a bundle of yarn.
'That doesn't make much sense… and she did say she made it.'
Upon closer inspection she saw the yarn was knitted and came to the conclusion Ryuko had attempted to knit her a scarf. Satsuki was touched. Sure a third grader most likely could have done a better job, but it was the thought that counted.
Satsuki smiled to herself, "It's even my favorite colors."
She looked over the scarf one more time before placing it on her desk and making a mental note to return the favor and make Ryuko something.
A/N: Hello there,
Just in case you're wondering
11) Yes Sen and June are Senketsu and Junketsu respectively
22) Yes Sen and June are human
33) Yes June is a girl
44) Yes they are twins
Um, I can't really think of any other questions you might have that matter to the main storyline and the way characters might interact with one another. However, if you do have any questions, regardless of relevance, feel free to ask.
See ya next chapter :)
Peace, love, and whatever else you need,
Ryuuken K
