Hello everyone. So for the record, this fic takes place in season 4 after the tag duel episode(162 I believe). Hope you like it! ^^
Main pairing: RyouxAsuka, slightly JudaixAsuka
~~~Halcyon Days~~~
"Judai, I'm glad I was able to meet you."
The mere thought of an alternative outcome seemed foreign.
"Yeah me too, Asuka. That was a fun duel."
That gentle smile, filled with the unbridled innocence of halcyon days long gone. Don't do this to me. You've already done enough these past three years.
"Wait, Judai!"
"I-I just wanted to tell you…that, um…"
The wanted words rose to the surface, like the ocean's waves longing to reach the shore.
Yet, the tide kept pulling her away.
"Well, what did you want to tell me, Asuka?"
And thereby the opportunity had been foregone, and with it the waves receded into the sea, incapable of gracing themselves upon the land.
"I just…let's always be good rivals, alright?"
We'll always have that, at least. But don't forget. Go as far as you like, never stop reaching your potential, never stop being you.
"Yeah, always. You can count on it."
The relief seeped through, serving as a warm blanket to the regret she concealed. She thought she lost him, once. He came back a changed man, and she resorted to disbelief.
Now she willingly let him go, disappointedly with a speck of irony. She wasn't going to fool herself anymore.
Judai was the wind, he always had been. His experience in the Dark World never hindered that aspect of his personality. A carefree breeze had accelerated into a volatile hurricane, shaking the firm, unyielding earth she stood on. The earth may withstand the storm, but it cannot reach its eye.
For a long time, Asuka thought those attributes made them complement one another. The reality was that the wind did not have a desire to land, and it was impossible for the earth to reach the heights of the wind. Yet, she would continue watching him, as always, with the long-lasting tastes of first impressions.
She couldn't help but smile in pleasure, as she was intent on returning to the Obelisk dorms for the night. Tonight though, her thoughts scattered, and she became unsure of where they wanted to go.
A familiar, nearly forgotten landmark rose in the horizon. It seemed like eons had passed since freshman year. She could still envision herself and Ryou, standing by the pier, dazed and confused about the whereabouts of her brother. She had barely acknowledged her feelings for Judai. Compared to where she stood at the moment, that time seemed almost refreshing.
Calmly she strode forward, taking in the rather prosaic scenery. The sea was in complete harmony, yet as she reached the edge of the dock, the nighttime breeze intensified. Judai; his spirit and his passion were swirling all around her, all she could do was gaze into the tranquil sea.
"Still have troubling sleeping?"
The voice startled her, though not because of its unfamiliarity. Too much had happened since they had last talked.
She turned her head towards the intruder of her solitude. "Ryou…you came all the way out here? In your, condition?" Concern draped her features.
The former Hell Kaiser stared at her unperturbedly, his ebony trench coat billowing in the breeze. An ordinary person looking at him right now would see an arrogant, shameless duelist, ignorant of the hell he had gone through, and is still recovering from. "It's not like I'm completely helpless, you know."
Asuka lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "I didn't mean that at all, I just-"
He sighed. "I know. It's only natural for you to worry about me."
"Well, it doesn't matter to me why you're here. I could use the company."
Ryou raised an eyebrow. "Something's on your mind, it's Judai, isn't it?"
A pink tint colored her cheeks. "Not really." But who was she trying to fool. Ryou always read her like an open book, and it seems that ability hadn't shrunk over the past three years.
"I heard about the tag duel you had today." A ghost of a smirk formed on his lips. "An argument broke out between the two of you, if I recall?"
Oh yes, it seemed that Ryou, along with the entire populace of the Duel Academia relished the histrionics of that moment. The fact that he didn't even watch the duel added onto her discomfort.
"So we had a mild disagreement, why does it matter? Everything worked out in the end."
He crossed his arms presumptuously. "Do you really believe that?"
Her feigned nonchalance couldn't trick him. They both had shared an ample amount of time together in the past. Certain words came out of her mouth, emotions were expressed. Yet, for her it would have been strange not to do such things. Despite her family issues, she had felt so carefree, so comfortable.
And he had been the source of those feelings.
She fully leveled her gaze onto Ryou; the piercing cobalt eyes, seemingly stoic, masking different thoughts from the one he voiced aloud.
"I wanted something to happen, something that could rekindle the old spark he had. It's not quite the same, he's still hurting." A salty stream of liquid gently coated her hazel orbs, reminiscent of the waves that failed to reach the shore. Her lips curved into a bittersweet smile. "Despite all that's happened…I'm glad he's okay. Wherever he goes, he'll always have an impact on people."
"Can't say I disagree with that." Ryou said solemnly. The certainty in his eyes faltered. Like her, did he possess unnerving thoughts? The duels with Judai, and subsequently Edo Phoenix, had proven to him that his life's philosophy had a limited mindset. He had lost because of his dignity and respect, then tossed those ideals to find a new purpose in life. Now, he was left with nothing to lose. For that reason he admired Judai. For he could never be like him. "Even now, he has infinite potential."
Asuka nodded in agreement. "Yeah…" More so than what she lacked, apparently.
She prepared herself to leave for her dorm. But she paused when she was close enough to Ryou. It was nice, she supposed. To confide in him. They were comfortable around one another, despite their seemingly disinterested façade worn in the presence of others. Though their conversations were often brief, they always had much to talk about. Something mere words could not dictate.
She looked up at him, and smiled. "I'm glad you came tonight. Even if things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to, I've never felt any more at peace than I do right now. So I thank you for that, Ryou."
His eyes widened, unsure of how to react to her affirmation. "Asuka, I…"
She silenced him with her finger. "It's fine. You don't have to say it." She knew, as she raised her toes and pressed her lips against his cold cheek. She knew, as his body flinched at her gesture of sentiment, then slowly began to relax. A spark arose, then receded as quickly as it had appeared. She blushed, lowering herself to the ground. The chillness of the wind tonight, she deduced. It tended to make all that encompassed it act in a volatile manner.
Fleetingly she made eye contact once more. "I should…get going." She altered her gaze, the vision of his stunned state as she kissed him dispassionately still grating in her mind. She began the walk back to the dorms. She felt inexplicably exhausted.
A dreadfully prolonged silence lingered until he spoke. "Good night, Asuka."
She turned to him once again. His eyes belayed the assertion she needed. She gave him a faint smile. "Don't stay up too late."
Not everything was certain at the moment, but she couldn't help but feel that her pent-up restlessness had begun to break free.