A/N: Actually this two shot is the result of watching Seki Tomokazu (Seiyuu of Ryuuki in the anime and made of awesome) and his „Shuuuureiiii" during a special show of SaiMono. After it I felt the sudden urge to write a story with an overly cute and childish Ryuuki. Of course in combination with a lightly annoyed Shuurei ….because this two ingredients together are so much love *_* So bring on your toothpaste, brace your insulin and prepare for the sugar shock in form of this TS. Warning: contains overly cuteness, fluff and silliness, read at own risk xD Rated T for suggestive themes, lol.
Disclaimer: Sadly I own just the story here but not Saiunkoku in a whole. Life is a bitch.
Thx to: Rayestar Ikina for beta reading this chapter. Makes it much better. Other one is still unbeta-d but will follow soon.
Practice makes perfect - Chapter One
A (not so) peaceful day
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It was just a normal, peaceful day at the palace, warm and enjoyable like almost every day in summer. Shuurei used this occasion to distract her mind a bit, she wasn´t able to sleep well the night before.
Pesky thunderstorms, she thought and huffed, as she reminded herself of the growling thunder howling over her last night, disturbing her sleep. Her fear of it had been reduced to a minimum the these last years, yet the thunderstorms were always accompanied with dark and painful memories of her childhood. The thunder had also been growling in the night as her mother died, so since that occasion she feared thunderstorms like how Ryuuki feared the darkness.
She sighed and let her eyes wander off the book she was reading to admire the wonderful scenery in the ...garden, trying to get... rid of those heavy thoughts. She sat among the grass, the long blades of it tickled her bare feet and the sun warmed her back through her silky, light red robe she was wearing. Over her the one green leafed, flower bearing tree were swaying their branches in perfect unison, mixing their colors together. Altogether with the mild summer breeze caressing through her hair at times, made the picture perfect. However peaceful it was, suddenly a cheery voice echoed through the silence she was musing in.
"Shuuu~~reiii!!"
There goes my peace and quiet, she thought sarcastically and she couldn´t help roll her eyes the overly happy sound of his voice calling out her name, nearly singing it. There was no need to turn around for her to know what his expression probably was like at this moment; utterly excited with gleaming eyes and a smile brighter and wider than normal curved around his lips. It wouldn´t surprise Shuurei if he was going to trip over his robe while running this way, always impatient and hasty to reach her. This whole mental picture put a smile on her face.
"Shuuu~~reiii!!"
Ryuuki´s voice now from nearby let Shuurei think that she was right with her last assumption; he was fast approaching as usual. She sighed shortly and put the book aside, there was no way she could read on now. Eventually she felt his presence behind her but didn´t turn around.
"Shuurei, we finally found you. Why are you hiding?" Ryuuki said with a reproachful tone in his voice, catching his breath.
"I´m not hiding, Ryuuki. I´m reading," she replied, slightly irritated.
"But...but we searched the whole garden for you," he countered offended. Shuurei could literally hear that he was pouting. The faint sound of rustling silk indicated to her that he was playing with the fabric of his robe, probably to ease the nervousness and excitement within him.
"You should know that I´m often here, it´s a nice place to read, so quiet and peaceful"...not anymore, she ironically added in her mind.
"We know. It´s our garden, after all. But Shuurei is mean."
Shuurei was baffled at his very own logic. „Wh-what?"
"We are here and you are speaking to us without turning around. When will Shuurei finally look at us?" Ryuuki complained wholeheartedly to her.
Shuurei sighed again, yet she couldn´t suppress a faint laughter which escaped from her lips. „Okay then," she said and stood up to turn around. She gave him an open smile. „See, here I am, happy now? ~~" Suddenly and faster than she could realize it, Shuurei was in his arms, held tight and near to him. Her heart began to thump faster and she cursed herself for not seeing that coming. After all,he was always like that, impatient and needy in his acts. At least in things involving her.
"Now I am," he whispered in her ear and had decided for himself to drop the formal speech. His breath tickled on the shell of her ear, felt warm, just like the rest of her tiny body surrounded in his embrace. Maybe a bit too warm, it was summer, after all.
"Ryuu~~kiii"she stiffened, trying to get rid of his hot hug, but had no luck.
"Hmm?" he innocently muffled totally distracted by the sweet smell of her skin he was leaning on, practically sniffing her. It always had the mixture of roses and jasmine...and Shuurei, as he liked to describe this very own scent of her. No sake in this world could get him so inebriated like the smell of her skin, not even the finest. He noticed that little shift in her mood, yet he decided to ignore it to hold her a bit longer. It was warm with her in his arms, an added heat to the summer sun, but this warmth was different from the mere sunlight. It reached and warmed his heart.
"Let go- it´s sooo warm." She protested and writhed in his arms until he gave in and released her. Shuurei glared, peeved at him pursing her lips. „Really, Ryuuki, you should finally learn to behave yourself."
He blinked, bewildered at her words. "Ehh? I know it is warm today, but it's never too warm to embrace Shuurei. it's always sooo~ nice," he declared in a dreamy tone.
She sighed, exasperated. "However. What are you doing here, anyway? Is court already finished for today?"
Ryuuki´s face brightened up. "Yes," he stated proudly.
"And your desk work?" she asked and looked scrutinizing at him.
"All finished," he replied proudly and smiled to her. "That is why I searched for you. You promised me something yesterday, didn´t you?" he added joyously while twirling the fabric of her sleeves through his fingers.
"I know, I know. I haven´t forgotten about my promise. I actually had the things needed prepared and finished this morning before I came here for reading. I just didn't expect you to be here that early."
"I was extra fast today because I wanted to see you...and have a picnic with Shuurei. It's such a great day," he beamed, excited.
She patted his hand and laughed. "But give me time to get these things. I´ve stored them nearby.
"What things? Manjuu´s?"
"Small ones and huge ones with added sesame, so they are light and not too sweet. Eat as much you like."
"I love your manjuu," he declared enthusiastically. „Kanro tea?" he asked on.
Shuurei couldn´t help but smile at Ryuuki´s genuine enthusiasm for those little things. "I had brewed it earlier, so it´s not too hot to drink in the heat anymore. Also, I´ve packed various fruits for us to eat, because on such a summer day it's better to eat some light food."
His voice was nearly cracking of joy. "Soo great, Shuuureiiii~."
"...Erhu?" he added out of the blue, but as he saw how Shuurei frowned, Ryuuki took it back. "Never mind, Shuurei. You don´t have to play if you don´t want. Your company is already enough for me."
Shuurei found it quite thoughtful of him, because right now she wasn´t in the mood to play at all. „Thanks, Ryuuki. Maybe later then, okay? I think this is all," she mumbled quietly and went through the list one more time to not forget anything.
"Wait...what about the kiss?" he requested innocently, trying to charm her with his puppy tone.
Shuurei quirked one eyebrow „That wasn´t part of the deal."
He immediately hung his head like a withered flower, sulking in misery. "Shuurei doesn´t like me," he dolefully murmured to himself.
Idiot, she sighed exasperatedly. Then Shuurei looked shortly over his shoulder, first to the left and then to the right side and ascertained that indeed no one was in sight. "Nee, Ryuuki, maybe a tiny one is okay now," she uttered compassionately and smiled wholeheartedly to him. Instantly, there was a change in his composure, he raised his head up again, looking lovingly at her face, and nearly sunk into the comfortable warmth of her brown eyes. His hands reached out for her, the long fingers clasped softly around her cheeks, caressing them. He closed the last gap between Shuurei and him before he eventually lowered his head to catch her soft lips sighing happily. It was just a short closeness but enough to make him feel at ease - at home actually.
Ryuuki´s kiss was gentle, coaxing, yet it made her knees wobble. She smiled at the funny feeling and kissed him back shortly before pulling away again. As she opened her eyes again, Shuurei looked into his pouting face. She could easily tell that he wanted more than just this tiny kiss, though this was all she had promised him. Yet he managed to steal another smooch from her lips before he smirked contently at her.
She narrowed her eyes and shook her head to indicate to him that he was hopeless, yet she couldn't help but find him charming...in his very own way. He knew exactly how to adulate her...unfortunately, she added, yet she was also slightly amused about it.
Ryuuki´s glance still lasted on his beloved. "I love you, Shuurei," he nearly whispered those words, and took her hand to plant a soft kiss on its back. This small act from him made her heart flutter, she hated and loved at the same time how he could unsettle her with such little effort.
"I-I know that," she stammered, her cheeks flushed.
"So, do you love me too?" He gazed at her with an inquiring look.
"Would I be here otherwise...if I didn't?" she countered his question with her own and sighed. "Look, Ryuuki, I´ll get the basket with the food and then we can eat together. So just be a good emperor and wait here, okay?" Shuurei said teasingly and turned away to get her prepared things. Ryuuki watched her leaving, a smile curved around his lips.
Unheard by her, he quietly answered. "Of course, my queen."
A/N: Fixed the grammar and other small oddities of this chapter with the help of Rayestar Ikina. Thx so much for your patience, Ray ^^ You are awesome. The second one will get the same treatment soon, like all of my un-beta-d stories ;)