a p p l e c i d e r

by sillyangelxo

KIRISAKU. She was apple cider: sweet, sweet, with a pinch of fuzz; when did she let someone else drink her all up? /WARNING: slight yaoi/

Summary: KIRISAKU. She was apple cider: sweet, sweet, with a pinch of fuzz; when did she let someone else drink her all up?
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.
Warning: Suggestive themes, homosexual encounters, and if any, confusing parts all necessary for the story that may or may not represent my personal views.

Author's Note: HEEEEEY GUYS! :) Well, if you don't remember, I'm sillyangelxo; wow, I haven't been on in a while, right? And I know it's New Year's Eve and all, and I should've really updated my other fics, but I couldn't help it. I just had to write something for 2010 after not updating for nearly…a year or so lol? It didn't seem right not to post ANYTHING, and well…walaaaaaaah~ :) Well, I'm in that sweet ol' writing mood now, and — although I can't promise updates on everything — I'll definitely try. Now, without further ado…

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a p p l e c i d e r.

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/sometimes… we do stupid, foolish, eccentric things; other times however, they turn out to be something more than we would have ever perceived: our one silver lining/

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TEN.

Because Sakuno Ryuuzaki is a good girl, and this, whatever this is—

It shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Whether or not the toxicity had melted her brain, had influenced her whole body and unequipped her with the ability to think straight, she wasn't sure; but the queasy feeling in her stomach would not leave her.

Instead, it only intensified, and as at it did, she felt herself crumble to her knees in her bathroom.

The pregnancy test was negative.

…

Cheeks flushed pink from her small journey to Ryoma's apartment, Sakuno eased her way up to room two-fourteen. Fumbling with her hands, she gulfed down a mouthful of air before proceeding to knock on her boyfriend's door.

Knock.

"Mhm?" She muttered quizzically after a second's silence. That was odd. No one had gone to answer the door. "Maybe he didn't hear?" Sakuno reasoned, and knocked once more.

Knock.

"…what…?" Sakuno mumbled, once again greeted by silence. "Ryoma-kun?" she said, her tone raised a notch. "Ryoma-kun?"

Absolutely nothing.

…

NINE.

She remembered that night clearly, as clearly as one struck in a drunken stupor could.

Overcast crept into the sky, Sakuno remembered. What a pity, she had thought, unaware that it would soon match the mood she would be in. It would've turned out to be a perfectly good Saturday night if only the overcast had not appeared.

Nevertheless, Sakuno would not let the weather get to her; today was her and Ryoma's date night, something he'd been prolonging for weeks due to his busy schedule. So when there was no tennis practice that day, Sakuno jumped on the chance to spend the night with her boyfriend.

Looking through her mirror, she contemplated the events of the night: dinner, movie…

And hopefully a little alone time at Ryoma's apartment? That would be nice. Very nice actually, more than she'd admit.

It wasn't that Sakuno was a prude; of course not! But she was still timid, still unaware of the realm of intimacy, even at twenty-one years of age.

But tonight would be the night, she concluded.

She wanted it; very much so. And it wasn't because she felt compelled to comply with Ryoma's urges, but she herself couldn't contain them any longer.

She needed it, craved for it, felt that — after nearly a year of dating — it was time.

As Sakuno fumbled with her ebony clip that parted her auburn hair to one side, she offered a shy smile at her reflection, one word in mind, Tonight.

…

Instinctively, Sakuno wrapped her hand around the doorknob and twisted.

"Eh?" She whispered; that was odd. The door was left unlocked! She knew Ryoma was anything but forgetful. After all, he was keen. Too keen in fact, to leave his door unattended; his fangirls would have very likely snuck in. "Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno called, widening the door and easing half her body in.

A soft sound echoed through the hallway.

A whimper.

A whimper?

No, that couldn't be right. Ryoma did not whimper, nor expressed any form of physical or emotional pain unless brought to.

Then why? And how…?

Sakuno, now standing in the living room, froze. There it was again!

This was beginning to creep her out. Just what was Ryoma getting at?

"Ryoma-kun!" she yelled, although too softly for her liking. Why was she acting like this? This was probably just another one of his attempts at scaring her; he did know how to scare people when he put his mind to it.

"This isn't funny!"

Half of Sakuno told herself to run; another half was tempted by the growing sounds emitting from the end of the hall, where Ryoma's room stood.

Ignoring her reflex to run, Sakuno edged closer down the hall. "Ryoma-kun?"

The sounds were louder now, cacophony to her ears. Sakuno felt her stomach drop.

Halfway down the hall, screams erupted. Then the shuffle of feet, followed by a collision that sounded as if someone was slammed against a wall.

Instinctively, Sakuno began to run towards the room; what was happening? Was Ryoma in danger? This very thought triggered her protective nature.

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EIGHT.

Sakuno skipped.

She felt loose, and free, and — and giddy.

Is this what it felt like prior to, well, it? If so, Sakuno felt pretty good. In spite of her innocent demeanor, she couldn't wait. For so long, she had waited and watched, wondering why those couples felt the need to consummate their relationships before marriage; wow, was she so naïve!

Because they're in l-o-v-e idiot! She jokingly reprimanded herself, skipping along as she went, her unusual behavior catching the attention of those walking along the sidewalk. She could've sworn someone mumble something about her "odd" behavior, but unlike any other day, she didn't care.

She was ready, she was pumped, she was full of l-o-v-e.

I'm in love, love, love…

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"RYOMA-KUN—" Sakuno swung the door open, only to be struck by an unpleasant sight.

Syuusuke-senpai…?

Ryoma-kun…against a wall.

Bare-chested, unruly, whimpering, moaning,

Kissing, kissing, kissingkissingkissing—

Her stomach began tying knots.

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SEVEN.

She was running, running, running…

Where? She didn't know. But Sakuno had to get out of there, pretend she didn't just see what she saw, cross her fingers, clack her shoes together and disappear, sit under a tree and shut the whole world out, or wish she was anywhere but here in this stupid city, prefecture, country!

Tears spelt out of her eyes as she ran, shoving anyone and everyone who got in her path; move or be moved was her motto at the moment.

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Nearly every shop and store lining the street was closed because of the holiday season.

Stupid New Years! She thought, her sprint halting to a jog. She needed oxygen, air, anything that wouldn't make her feel so empty and stupid.

Bracing the cold weather, she continued to walk for minutes on end until a shiny marquee came into view, stopping her in her tracks: Shina Kuroi.

"Shina Kuroi?" it was a bar, a club, an all-night party sort of thing. Something that Sakuno never would have dreamt of going into alone, unless with her best friend Tomoka or Ryoma-kun.

Sakuno shook her head disapprovingly; she needed to stop thinking. What she needed, she concluded, was to relinquish all this tension building up in her before she cracked — which, if she hadn't already, would be soon.

And it was freezing; she didn't have a car, which she thought was silly, because the main source of transportation in Tokyo was through subways or buses. Curse her supposed practicalities.

Sakuno was cold, tear-stained, and empty, and the OPEN sign did nothing but tempt her.

What she needed was a drink.

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SIX.

The vodka stung against her throat.

This was what she had succumbed to; a petty, foolish, foolish little girl who's only solace was drinking her sorrows away in a bar.

This was her, surrounded by others, like herself, who had been blinded for so long.

This was her, surrounded by those who didn't give a damn.

And this was her, drowning her sorrows away with the means of vodka, martinis, rum, wine…

When had she stopped drinking apple cider?

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A muffled laugh temporarily shook Sakuno out of her nearly-drunken state.

"What're you laughing at?" She retorted, bitterness oozing out of her vodka-tainted tongue. She was in no mood to be toyed with.

"You."

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FIVE.

Sakuno was flirting in dangerous territory.

But she was drunk, and therefore didn't care. This was what she needed: solace.

From Ryoma.

From life.

From herself.

Besides, this boy, this boy with unruly jet-black hair and coy smirk had nice green eyes.

…

She guided him up the staircase of the club, into one of the secluded areas laid out for couples.

They were giggling, foolish as they were, and immensely drunk.

They were kids again, playing big boy and big girl games.

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FOUR.

And he was nice, sweet, and caring; at least, what she could deduce in her drunken stupor.

And troubled! He was troubled, like her, to an extent suffering from relationship troubles. Though not nearly as bad as hers. But still; someone who could relate to her, in any way he knew how: stupid, foolish, belittled, feeling lesser than he was.

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Before either knew it, they were kissing.

You're way in over your head, a little voice told Sakuno; she couldn't hear it though, because the rhythm of the music, the tension in her body, the kisses that made them go away — if only for a moment — drowned it all out.

He gave her a sense of belonging. Like she was necessary, not a rag doll that could be so easily tampered with, fooled, and thrown away.

Given love — if it was considered that — and kissed, hugged, cuddled…

And it hurt, she realized, tears brimming her vision.

"Wait," Sakuno paused, unsure of the stranger's name. He lazily smirked, offering a,

"Kirihara."

"Kirihara," Sakuno confirmed in a slur, "…I…?"

He raised a slender eyebrow, slight puzzlement painted across his face, "Eh?"

"…I," hiccup. "I, I—"

Don't want this, a voice said, but it was small; outmatched by desire, fury, and frustration. And the toxicity very well melted her brain and stripped her common sense away from her. Everything: the room, her hands, his face, his lips, the lights…they were all a blur.

This was all a blur. Sakuno felt the headache come on, and she wanted, needed a distraction. Through her hiccups, she whispered, "N-nothing."

She pulled him to her and kissed him again, clawing at his shirt.

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THREE.

And for that moment — it was something, anything, everything.

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And she kissed him, and he kissed her,

They were little kids in over their head, drunk and stupid and foolish;

They threw away the apple cider and downed the vodka,

Let the bubbles burn their throats,

Shunned their sorrows away,

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TWO.

I'm a good girl, I'm good girl, I'm a good—

She repeated, trying and failing to convince herself in her bathroom, collapsed on the floor.

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And pretended, at least for the moment, that there were no such things as consequences.

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ONE.

However, that too, was only fleeting.

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Author's Note: Lol, it probably was confusing huh? If it was, don't be afraid to ask questions! And it may have seemed rushed, but I tried getting this in before the New Year kicks in. Anyhow, I hope you guys liked it; feedback would be nice! And I don't know if I'd continue this, because it technically is a oneshot, but we'll see how it goes :) I think I can try something with this xD But we'll see! Oh, and if there's any grammatical mistakes, etc, feel free to tell me so I can change that.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND GO PIG OUT WHEN THAT CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE!
LET'S DO THIS THE FILIPINO WAY, LMAO.

HAAAAAPPY NEW YEEEEEEARS!