Writer's Note: Written for Angelchan_2004, wanting a little future-fic. It occurs a year-post series after the epilogue and totally contains spoilers. I've never written Taiga/Ryuuji before, and this is only my second ToraDora! fic, so please be kind. And no, I have no idea where it all came from. It just sort of... erupted.
Dance Around It A Bit
"Hmm..."
Ryuuji didn't look up, but he echoed, "Hmm...?"
There was a pause, then, "Ryuuji, when are we going to get a house?"
He looked up and behind him at her, bemused. Taiga's face was set and determined, although the feet still pressed into his back were still light. "What, living here in your luxury condo isn't enough for you?" he wondered lightly.
Taiga made a face, crossing her arms over her chest and pressing her left foot onto his back a bit. "I never said that," she answered a trace sulkily.
Honestly, he had been waiting for this, ever since they had marked six months living in the condo. It had been quite the fight getting here, since Yasuko had protested loudly about both losing Taiga and Ryuuji and her regular meals (to which Ryuuji had replied, loudly and over her wails, "You're thirty-five, make your own meals! And we're right beside you!") He knew that Taiga wasn't too fond of the place, especially since her father still insisted on paying the rent, but right now - especially right now, with money tight - it was all they could afford. He could never have afforded it without her father's help.
So, somewhat dryly, he replied, "When you get a job."
The kick he received in reply was also expected, but it didn't hurt any less to have his face thrown into the table in front of him because of it. She grumbled and slid off of the couch, stomping away. Ryuuji sighed and rubbed his nose, then looked down at the stack of bills in front of him wistfully before getting to his feet and following her.
She stormed into the bedroom, threw herself on the bed, and drew the curtains. Ryuuji rolled his eyes and followed, leaning towards the bed and tentatively touching the opening. "You're being too sensitive."
He leaned to the side and missed the punch by a hair. He knew it had been coming. Wordlessly, he pushed the curtains aside and joined her on the bed, where she sat curled up with her knees to her chin, her face bright red.
Ah, he thought, somewhat embarrassed. I hit a nerve.
"I could get a job," she snapped, not looking at him.
"Yes, you could," he answered patiently, sitting down in front of her and giving her space. "And it would make things easier for us to save."
"I would be great at a job."
"I'm not arguing this."
"Any job I would have, I would kill at. You saw how I sold chocolates. I was amazing."
Ryuuji carefully answered this one. "Yes, you were."
Taiga's eyes narrowed and fixed on his; she had heard the pause in his voice. "I was amazing," she repeated.
Ryuuji looked away and answered with, "So what's the problem, then?"
She lowered her head, muttering the answer so that her words were muffled by her knees. He leaned in closer, so close that she went pink and her eyes danced a little, and he smiled. "What did you say? I couldn't hear you through your knees."
"I said I don't want to be hired to be cute," she snarled. "Everyone sees me and wants me to work at some stupid cafe as lolicon-bait!"
Ryuuji raised his eyebrows. "Lolicon bait? What does that say about me?"
"Ryuuji!" she snapped out, although her lips twitched.
"If you worked at one of those cafes, I would be your only customer, come to think of it," he went on, his hand to his chin. "I would be the only one who could put up with your violence. You wouldn't get much tips."
"Ryuujiiiii...!"
"In fact, now I wonder what it would be like." He looked up, grinning. "I think you should work at one of these places, just so I could see."
The pillow that hit him knocked him over, and he laughed, letting himself fall.
"Minorin would visit me!" Taiga growled. "She would tip me!"
"Out of pity."
"No!"
Taiga crashed into him, pinning him down onto the bed, her face furious - though he knew it wasn't serious. He looked at her seriously. "In fact, people would think that you needed tips, and that you're small because you're starving."
Taiga's lips twitched, then she smiled, before frowning and looking mad at herself.
Ryuuji reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "If you don't want to work at a cafe, then don't work at a cafe," he said plainly. "Just because I work with food doesn't mean you have to."
Taiga sighed. "I want our jobs to match."
"Why...?"
"Because we're a couple! We should match!"
Ryuuki reached up and squished her cheeks with both hands gently. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
She tried to bite him. He saw it coming and moved his fingers away, just as her teeth clicked together.
"I just want us to be happy in a house together," she added.
"You sound like Yasuko, only you forgot to add detailed descriptions of our children."
Taiga smirked. "That was a strange wedding toast, wasn't it?"
"Especially when she insisted that they all had the same eyes as me. Like I would want that for any of our children," he replied, voice brittle.
Taiga reached out and covered his eyes. "Your eyes are fine. You worry too much. I like having you around, makes me look even tougher, having to put up with you and your lawlessness."
Ryuuji managed to jerk his head out of her grasp in order to give her a withering look. "Now, come on..."
She leaned on his chest, looking pensive. "Don't you want more?" she wondered, not looking at him.
He was bemused again. "More of what?"
"More of... life? More out of life?"
"Why do we need more? Are you unhappy?" He couldn't help the fact that some worry seemed to creep into his voice.
"I'm not unhappy," she answered, and he could tell she was being honest. "I just... know we could have more."
"But, more of... what?"
She scowled at him. "Are you being stupid on purpose?"
"Are you being vague on purpose?" he shot back, throwing his hands up in the air above them.
"Do you really want to live on that bastard's charity for the rest of your life?" she shot back, hitting him where it hurt - although he wondered if he knew how hard it hit.
"No," he answered, letting his arms drop limply at his sides. "But until I get a promotion..."
"I could get a job," she snapped again.
"Okay, that's enough." Ryuuji sat up slowly, sliding his arms around her to keep her in place. She blinked in surprise but didn't fight him, and when they were both sitting up, he leaned in close and said, softly, "What's the matter? This isn't about a house, is it?"
She went red. "No... I mean, yes!"
"No it isn't."
She gave in. "No, it isn't."
"And?"
"And," she growled, looking away. "I just don't want you to find me useless. So I wonder if you would like more, would like me to work, and that sort of thing."
"I think the world is safer if you stay at home for now."
Her eyes flashed, and he smiled. "If it bothers you so much, go out and look for something to do. I don't think you're useless, and I certainly don't expect you to do something you hate for my sake."
"Mom says I should think with my head. She says I should think about you first."
Ryuuji rolled his eyes. He liked Taiga's mother, but sometimes the things that came out of her mouth were so old-fashioned, he wondered how she managed to be an office lady.
Taiga noticed, and she smiled. "Yeah, I didn't quite agree."
"You're way too selfish to think of me first," he teased her.
"Probably," she answered, the smile turning into a grin. Then, slowly, the grin faded. "Ryuuji... how would you feel about me... taking some at-home courses?"
He blinked, peering down at her closely. She blushed. "I could get the bastard to pay for it," she added, "since I don't know what I want to do. But I want to do something... For me and for you. For us."
He smiled, pressing his nose to hers. "Sure, if you like. But don't expect me to do your homework for you."
She closed her eyes, smiling again. Her shoulders visibly relaxed, and he had to wonder how long she had been stewing over this, and why it always took so long to get her to admit it. "Even if I leave it out with obviously wrong answers?" she wondered.
He reached up and stroked her hair. "I would ignore it."
She waited, and he sighed and added, "For a while."