Disclaimer: Everything you don't recognise from the Prince of Tennis belongs to me, which isn't much ): Konomi Konomi KONOMI!!!
Author's Note: The Christmas spirit is actually doing me some good so I thought I'll be nice to the families in the series. Christmases are meant for your loved ones, no?
Echizen Ryoma
Despite his snarky attitude and brat-like behavior around his family members, Ryoma was a mommy's boy. He didn't know how to show it but he loved his family very much. He couldn't help it if Karupin was his favorite family member, that's all.
"Seishonen, why the grumpy face, it's Christmas Eve!" With the balance of an acrobat, Echizen Nanjiroh juggled his breakfast things to the kitchen.
"Go bug someone else oyaji. I'm not in the mood." It was too early to be awake. The morning drizzle made it even comfier to snuggle in bed longer but no, baka oyaji didn't think so. At least, his mother had prepared his favorite Japanese breakfast.
"Aw come on seishonen! Come help with the dishes!" The Samurai rubbed his right ear tenderly. Apparently his mother wasn't amused that he pretended to drop one of her favourite bowls in his juggling act. Nobody messed with his mother's kitchen.
"No offence oyaji, you're not very likable if you keep pushing chores to me. And please stop stashing more of your secret collection in my room. I'm twelve!"
"Ignore him Ryoma, let's have breakfast." His mother paused to shoot his father a death glare. "And when we are done, these dishes are yours to settle too anata."
"Aw Rinko! It's Christmas Eve!" Ryoma was glad he never got on his mother's dark side. He wouldn't want to be condemned to eternity in the kitchen.
"Exactly, I'm on strike. And while you're at it, feed Karupin." Echizen Nanjiroh whined but he knew it was pointless. Echizen Rinko's word was final in the kitchen.
"I don't understand why you put up with… I don't even know why you chose to marry him in the first place, kaa san." His mother smiled indulgently, her eyes gently amused. The boy was still a child and curiosity was a trait she encouraged.
"Seishonen! You're being rude! I'm Samurai Nanjiroh, many girls will die to…" Nanjiroh stomped into the dining room, pink frilly apron and soap bubbles in tow.
But before he got to finish, his wife spoke in the softest, most menacing tone ever. "If you don't want to die like those girls, I suggest you go back to the chores anata."
Ryoma snickered, his golden cat-like eyes dancing as they met his mother's.
"That's my secret," But before Ryoma could protest, his mother continued slyly. "I'll tell you if you finish quickly and join me in the garden, Karupin needs fresh air."
With a flash (the one-footed split step was handy in their narrow house) breakfast was a thing of the past and Nanjiroh was still stuck in the kitchen, cursing the dishwasher.
Ryoma picked up Karupin and joined his mother at the veranda. The morning drizzle had washed everything clean. The air was earthy and the breeze slight. It was going to be a beautiful day, once the sun decides to stop hiding behind the clouds that is.
It was blissfully quiet, even Karupin seemed to know better. Ryoma watched his mother, eyes closed, face to the skies. The streaks of gray that plagued her auburn locks seemed to have increased and Ryoma frowned. His mother was still beautiful in a classic way, he just never noticed her age. At that thought, the tennis prodigy felt a pang of remorse. As a good son, he knew he should spend more time with her but tennis always got in the way. Ryoma decided to consult his senpais about it later.
"We're so young." Her eyes were still closed.
"He was searching for his dream-come-true and I… I didn't even know what I was doing." His mother paused and smiled a little. "I was just there."
"He was right though. Many girls would have died to be in my place. He was and still is the Samurai. I'm just a face that you would lose in a crowd."
She turned to face her son. Ryoma had an indignant expression on his face, just like the one she saw twelve years ago. Eyes twinkling, she continued. "But he chose me."
"And then you came along." She paused and motioned Ryoma to sit closer. "But it wasn't happily ever after, in fact we were far from a perfect family."
"We made mistakes but we never stopped trying," Gently wrapping her arms round her precious bundle of joy, she inhaled in Ryoma's scent. Her baby still smelt like he did twelve years ago and she remembered how it was love at first sight.
"When I was younger, I desired many things, Ryoma. I was fearless and lived for the present. The world literally revolved around me." Ryoma smiled at his mother's nostalgia. They were more alike than he had thought.
"But I grew up to realise that there were more important things in life than my childish whims or fancies. I learnt to be responsible and to cherish. Though I longed for the impossible, I knew when to stop and move on."
"But my heart continued to search for that someone to fill the hole in my soul. And I'm glad I didn't give up. Just a little longer, a little further and I found love."
"How do you know its love kaa san?" She looked tenderly at her only child. This little conversation turned out to be an important lesson she needed to teach Ryoma.
"Falling in love is like finding the missing bit of your soul. It fits and feels right. Your lover compliments you, in weakness and in strength. It's a nice fuzzy feeling."
Ryoma bit his lip and stroked Karupin absentmindedly. It was obvious he wasn't convinced. "Be still and listen Ryoma, the beating of your heart will show you."
"So you love baka oyaji." Ryoma had the bluntest way of saying things.
His mother nodded and he scratched his head in confusion. "Even if all he does is laze around, flip those picture magazines and waste space?"
His mother nodded again and Ryoma sighed. Love was harder to understand than perfecting his Cyclone Smash.
"When you fall in love, you'll accept the ugly flaws of reality. All the frowns and the shortcomings, because love will overcome." Ryoma pondered upon those words.
"So love is like coming home, isn't it?"
"It feels comfortable and we fit. Everything is warm, clean and nice." His mother was silent.
"Oyaji ignores my scowls and plays tennis with me even when it's raining."
"Kaa san always cooks my favorite breakfast and makes sure I have clean clothes to wear. And Karupin…" The said cat mewed at the sound of its name.
He gently cuddled the cat. "Karupin keeps me warm and wakes me up for school."
Echizen Rinko felt a smile creep to her lips. Looks like her son had something to teach her after all. Despite all the silence and scowls, she did have a beautiful family.
Owari! Share the love for Christmas with me? Cheers (:
P.S. This took forever to complete. Families are so hard to dissect. Sigh… ): Not something I'm very proud of but it'll do, for now at the least.