Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any related characters. Obviously. x3;
catANDmouse
Even after all these years, it's still a game of cat-and-mouse for them.
He'll slide up to her (oh-so-sly, she knows better, she can tell when he's approaching these days) after work, a grin playing out on his features. He'll throw an arm around her; ask about her day. She'll relax into his hold; ignore the many glares being aimed at her. She won't smile as she speaks, but he can tell from her eyes, pretty violet eyes, that she's happy in his arms.
Eventually they'll wander over to a bench in the local park, sit down. And his arm will still be around her shoulders. But she'll have snuggled into his hold, her breath tickling his neck. And they'll sit like that, quiet, basking in each other's company until the lamplights flicker on and his stomach begins to growl.
Then, they'll head over to either her apartment or, more likely, to his for dinner. She'll make fun of his cooking – admittedly, it's actually not that bad, but she can't bring herself to admit it – and grab the saucepans and cooking utensils from his hands. She'll force him out of his own kitchen and take over the cooking. And as she shoves him out of the kitchen, he'll laugh; he'll call her "wildcat" and "pumpkin", or, more often than not, he'll try to steal a kiss from her (and, lately, she's been letting him).
Eventually, she'll let him into the dining room so they can eat together. After they're finished, she'll insist on washing the dishes. And he'll refuse to let her. They'll fight, getting dishwater and soap everywhere – all over the floor, all over the countertop, and (she knows that he does this on purpose, and he knows that she lets him), all over each other.
At this point, the dishes will be left unwashed and sitting in the sink. The fight will abruptly end; the conversation will turn towards them – in particular, towards her.
He'll insist on her taking a shower. He'll tell her that she can't possibly go home like that, that he can't possibly have her wander the dark streets of Tokyo in wet clothes. "You'll catch cold! And besides, what would happen to my reputation, Pumpkin?" He'll flash his usual grin at her and wink.
She'll glare at him, retort that she isn't a child anymore; she's a grown woman – twenty four, out of college, a successful businesswoman, for crying out loud. She can take care of herself.
But she always finds herself in his shower after these fights. She'll catch herself opening his bottle of body wash, inhaling in his scent. She likes the way he smells: a mixture of sandalwood and musk, with just a hint of citrus. And as she's enjoying his scent, she'll hear the bathroom door open and close quietly. The scuffling sound of footsteps will follow shortly after; she'll hear the muffled sound of keys and loose change hit the floor. The shower curtain will open.
On those nights, his silk black sheets will be tangled up in arms and legs. His comforter will slowly slide off the bed, and onto the carpeted floor, forgotten. Heavy breathing will fill the normally silent room until, finally, she'll gasp out his name in a strangled whisper, and he'll slump against her shortly afterwards.
They'll end the night with her head lying on his shoulder again, his arms wrapped tightly around her slender frame, his lips touching her forehead. The comforter will be on the bed again, haphazardly covering their bodies. They'll fall asleep like this.
The next day, she'll be the one to wake up first, crack an eye at the clock, and jump out of the bed. She'll run around, pulling on clothing and swearing intermittently, much to his amusement. Eventually, he'll get out of bed, too. He'll follow her around the apartment, watching her morning activities, slowly going through his own morning routine. She'll snap at him to "Stop dallying around!" and that "You'll be late!" But, somehow, they'll be ready to leave at the same time. And he'll walk her to her office before giving her a parting kiss.
Today is different, however.
Today, she notices that he seems off. For once in his life, he gets up earlier than she does. She notices him patting his pockets, as if he was afraid that he'd forget something.
"Your keys?" She asks as she pulls on a dress. Fuck this dress. She still doesn't like wearing them, but today, she has a meeting with a client.
And he quickly looks up at her, a guilty smile on his face. "Y-y- yeah."
Stuttering? He didn't do that often. Actually, she only remembered him stuttering once, and that was when he asked her on their first date. He only stuttered when he was nervous. Must be work-related... but I don't remember him saying anything to me recently. She brushes it off; she knows that he wouldn't cheat on her. She knows that whatever he pocketed isn't an illicit cell phone used to call prostitutes, a little black book. Or would he? He's been growing distant lately…
Despite getting up earlier than her, he ends up lagging behind. She has to wait for him. Eventually, he walks her to work, and she receives her parting kiss, like usual. But his cerulean eyes are glassy and distracted.
He picks her up from work, and as she relaxes into his hold, she can tell that he's nervous. Jumpy. He doesn't talk much and doesn't bother asking her about her day, either. Something's up. And instead of going to the park, he steers her towards a restaurant.
She remembers this restaurant. It's the restaurant where they went on their first date, eight years ago. She remembers the food as being palatable, but unremarkable.
They sit down, and the waiters serve them their food. They eat in silence until, finally, she can't take it anymore. "Why are we here? Why aren't you talking to me like you usually do? Is something wrong?" Her words come out of her mouth fast and unbidden; she can't believe what she's saying. "Damnit Ryou, if you're going to break up with me, you do it now." She can feel her voice rising, her temper flaring.
And he looks up, startled. She never called him Ryou unless she was serious (or, alternatively, in his bed, her guard down); she still called him Akiyama. "Why would I be breaking up with you?"
"You pocketed something this morning." Blunt, that's what she is.
He visibly swallows – and then, to her surprise and indignation, smiles. His eyes begin to twinkle again.
"And you're incredibly distracted. I've seen you distant, but never this distant. You've been growing increasingly distant these past few days – no, weeks. What is going on?"
He slowly gets out of his chair during her tirade, still smiling. "Guess this is the right time to do this, then."
"Are you cheating on me? Did… did… you knock someone up?" She hisses the last part, feeling tears rise to the corner of her eyes.
"No, Ruki." By this time, he's next to her. In one swift motion, she sees him pull something out of his pocket; he kneels on one leg. "I wouldn't be doing this if I did."
She is speechless at this point. He wasn't cheating.
He pauses before continuing, revealing a beautiful, glittering ring encased in velvet. "Make me the happiest man in the world, Ruki Makino. Will you marry me?"
"… I can't promise happiness and roses all the time." Her voice is shaky. She can see his face tense as she speaks; she takes a deep breath. "But. I'd be a fool to say no."
His face relaxes; his trademark grin creeps onto his face as he slips the ring onto her finger and stands. "I presume you're not a fool?"
"Of course not, Akiyama," she retorts before pulling him into a kiss.
fin
AN: Haha. I had a hankering for fluff. It actually was supposed to be a drabble, but yeah. I wanted Ryou to propose to her, damnit! The romantic in me screamed "YOU CAN'T LEAVE THEM HANGING LIKE THAT!"
So there you go. Hope you enjoyed it, and thank you for reading!
As always, reviews are appreciated.
~ chatte blanche