Disclaimer: I don't own Toradora!
Author's Note: I discovered Toradora! via my brother over Thanksgiving break and immediately liked it. The character interaction is hilarious and yet all of the main characters have flaws that can be understood and commiserated with by the audience (Taiga with her crush on Kitamura and family problems on top of her self-image, Ryuuji's anger against his deceased father and caring for his odd mother). It's just a fresh anime that I really enjoy and I would definately suggest anyone to check it out!
This takes place in Episode 8, during the swimming race between Taiga and Ami, so if you haven't seen it then beware of spoilers. It is from Taiga's POV, mostly just my idea of what is going on in her head when this scene happens. Italics are Taiga's thoughts. Everything said out loud comes directly from the episode. And I'm posting this as friendship, but it can be viewed as more shippy if you want. I just believe that at this point in the story, both Taiga and Ryuuji do not fully comprehend just how close they are. I think Taiga understands full well just how much she relies/needs Ryuuji however; she just refuses to think about her relationship with him like that yet.
Enjoy and any constructive criticism/questions are welcome! :D
Undercurrent
"RYUUJI!"
It was the unnaturally loud grinding of bone more than anything else that sparked her frantic rush backwards, pumping powerful legs furiously against the water. Ryuuji had vanished, crushed under the two morons, and her fury likened to bloodlust when they resurfaced and he did not.
She dove and forced her arms to move, one in front followed by the other, again and again, just like she practiced at Ryuuji's house.
Ryuuji.
She could see his limp form drifting to the pool bottom and let muscle memory take control. Save Ryuuji! Someone please save him! There could be no thoughts on her suffocating fear, of drowning alone in this deep, cold darkness. He was directly below her now, storm gray eyes glazing over even as they slowly closed.
But then she was touching him, small hands ghosting over his much larger body. She could not reach far enough around his chest to find the appropriate leverage to lift him. She was too small…she had always been too small. Why isn't anyone coming? Ryuuji needs help!
She screamed in rage. Water immediately flooded into her mouth, and she desperately grasped at her throat in panic. Not now, no no no NO! Ryuuji…She repositioned herself behind him, arms wrapping around lower where she could actually get a firm grip, fingers skimming his hips. Gathering all remaining strength, she pushed off the bottom, kicking as only the Palmtop Tiger could.
****
"Don't touch him!"
She snaps and growls, teeth bared at the surrounding onlookers.
"You're all idiots!" Morons! Fools!
"Why didn't you notice? Why didn't you save him?" She straddles Ryuji, practically snarls out her rebuke, the tightening of her throat strangling her words.
"No one went to…save Ryuuji…"
Claws and fangs, if she possessed the claws or teeth of her namesake blood would already be flowing from these imbeciles circling, eyeing her and Ryuji with such obvious fake concern and pity.
Stupid scavengers, she thinks and does not bother to swipe away the tears from her eyes.
Taiga. She is a predator, a tiger…and Ryuji, Dragon he called himself. She remembers he once said that the dragon was the only creature worthy of standing beside the tiger. He has already proved his worth to her, time and time again. Now it was time the tiger claimed her territory, proved her right to stand beside the dragon.
She vows not to let anyone hurt him like that again.
"RYUUJI IS MINE!"