Inspiration
By: Fiery-chan
A/N: Another Ryuki. The tamers are 17 except for Ryo who's the big 21!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rika looked at the number that was on the paper, then at the number that was on the door of the apartment.
"Here it is." She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It opened and a boy with blonde hair and green eyes stood at the door.
"Um, hi can I help you?" He asked.
"Is this where Ryo Akiyama lives?"
"Oh yeah, you must be his friend, Rika right? Come on in."
Rika walked into the apartment and was surprised at how neat it was kept.
'Probably Ryo's doing.' She looked around for Ryo and heard music coming from behind a closed door.
"Yeah, Ryo's still working on his new song. It's coming along, very slowly. He'll be out when he's finished. To believe that guy has the nerve to wake me up at three in the morning even though I have to be at work by six! Just to listen to his lyrics. The boy is crazy!" Rika smiled.
"It sounds like Ryo hasn't changed a bit. Except for the part that he's a musician who plays the guitar, sings, and writes his own stuff."
"Exactly. Sit down on the couch. My name is Bryan by the way." Rika nodded and sat down, listening to Ryo play different chords on his guitar.
"It still amazes me that he took up music." Rika said.
"Well he planned on being a lawyer but no one wants a lawyer to twist all evidence to make it look like the cause of the problem was an evil digimon." Rika laughed.
"Tell me you're joking."
"Afraid not. Fortunately he took to music like a fish to water and now he has gigs and there's a cd in the works."
The door opened and Ryo stepped out, holding his guitar.
"Hey Bryan, tell me what you think of these lyrics for the chorus." Ryo said.
"Maybe you should see who's sitting on our couch." Bryan replied. Ryo put down his guitar and looked to the couch. His jaw dropped and a big smile grew.
"Rika!" He ran to his friend and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up and spinning around with her.
"Ryo." Rika replied laughing. Ryo put Rika down and looked her over.
Her hair was still it's fiery red except she wore it down and it was crimped. Her lavender eyes were still the same and she wore the slightest bit of makeup. She had grown and was now just a head below Ryo. She wore a yellow halter-top with blue jeans and a blue denim jacket. She was still beautiful and her smile still made his heart skip a dozen beats.
Rika also looked Ryo over. He had grown and his chestnut brown hair was still as adorable as ever, tousled yet neat. His blue eyes still twinkled and he had the same sweet smile. He wore a blue t-shirt with a pair of khakis that fit just right. He had gotten taller and was much more built. Even though he was wearing a shirt, it was easy to distinguish his rock-hard abs.
Ryo wrapped Rika in a hug, taking in a deep breath, smelling the slight fragrant sent of her wildflower scented shampoo.
"So Akiyama, now you're a rock star. Who would have guessed." Rika said, sitting down next to Ryo on the couch.
"And you're a model. A very beautiful one indeed." Ryo said with a grin.
"But you still haven't changed a bit." Rika added.
"And you're still my little wildcat." Ryo replied, putting his arm around her.
"Drinks anyone?" Bryan asked. "I'm getting myself a rum and cola. Can I get you one too Ryo? And what would you like Rika, no alcohol though since you're underage."
"I'll just have a coke." Ryo said.
"Make that two." Rika added. Bryan left to get their drinks, leaving Rika and Ryo to talk.
"So what have you all been up to? It's been forever since I last saw you guys." Ryo said.
"The usual, Henry's still doing martial arts, Kazu and Kenta are still trying to master the card game, and Jeri is dating Takato."
"And you are a super model with tons of boys swooning after you right pumpkin?"
"Not really. Yes about the modeling but all I have to do is glare and the boys go away."
"You'll never change will you." Ryo said with a laugh.
"So what about you Mr. Rock star? How many girls have you had?"
"None."
"Excuse me? Tell me you're kidding."
"Nope, I'm waiting for the perfect one."
"He's pathetic." Bryan said, returning with the drinks. "I have girls here all the time and we're always trying to hook him up with someone but he won't. Sure he'll talk to them but that's it. They try to get him into the bedroom, he refuses, and they leave all pissed off."
Rika laughed. "That's Ryo for you." She took her soda and drank a small sip from the can.
"So Ryo, what were those lyrics that you were working on?" Bryan asked.
"Yeah, I'd love to hear a song live. Sure I hear you on the radio but I don't think I was ever able to go to one of your concerts."
"Ok, I'll play what I have. It's still a work in progress because I just started it so don't laugh."
"I won't." Rika said with a smile. Ryo grinned and took his guitar. He played a few notes, took a deep breath, and started singing.
"You're my sunshine after the rain. You're the cure against my fear and my pain. 'Caz I'm loosing my mind when you're not around. It's all, it's all, it's all because of you." Rika listened to Ryo's smooth voice and felt herself melt into the song. "Baby I, really know by now, since we met that day, you showed me the way. I felt it then, you gave me love. I can't describe, how much I feel for you. I said baby I should have known by now, I should have been right there whenever you gave me love. And if only you were here, I'd tell you, yes I'd tell you, oh yeah. You're my sunshine after the rain. You're the cure against my fear and my pain. 'Caz I'm loosing my mind when you're not around. It's all, it's all, it's all because of you." Rika smiled.
"That's so sweet. Is there more?" Ryo nodded.
"Honestly, could it be you and me? Like it was before, neither less or more. 'Caz when I close my eyes and then I realize that no one else could ever take your place. I still can feel and it's so real, when you're touching me kisses endlessly. It's just a place in the sun where our love's begun. I miss you; yes I miss you oh yeah."
Rika realized where the song was coming from. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift back to a memory from a few years ago.
*Flashback*
"So pumpkin, how much do you really love me?" Ryo asked, putting his arm around Rika's shoulder.
"Don't even go there Akiyama." Rika replied.
"Fine, be a spoil sport." Ryo said with a fake pout. "But at least let me do one thing."
"What is it?" Ryo leaned in and kissed Rika softly on the lips. Rika kissed back, allowing Ryo's tongue to slip into her mouth. They kissed and explored each other's emotions, oblivious to the world around them. They were in their own special world, made just for the two of them, that no one else could come into. Rika kissed Ryo's forehead and planted small kisses down his face, on his nose, his lips, and his chin. She ran her fingers through his brown hair as he slid his hands down her back.
"You know I really do love you pumpkin." Ryo whispered. Rika silenced him with another kiss on his lips.
"You can tell me later."
*End Flashback*
'But there was no later. It never came.' Rika thought. 'That's why he wrote this song. Later has finally come.'
"If I knew how to tell you, what's on my mind, make you understand, then I'd always be here, right by your side. You're my sunshine after the rain…." Ryo played the song until the end. When he finished, he looked up at Rika who had a smile on her face. "Was it good?" Rika nodded her head. Ryo put hid guitar down. "Let's go for a walk." He and Rika said goodbye to Bryan then left the apartment.
They walked down the street and headed towards a small park.
"I've missed you." Ryo said.
"Yeah, me too." Ryo put his arm around Rika and intertwined his fingers with hers.
"It's been so long, too long. Did you understand the song?" Rika nodded.
"It took awhile but later finally came."
"I felt terrible. It was like I had shut you out. I didn't even expect you to come."
"Of course I came, why wouldn't I?" Rika asked.
"I expected you to be mad at me."
"I'm not mad, I never was. Sure I was a little hurt in the beginning but I was never mad at you. With a smile like yours, it's impossible to stay mad at you for long." Ryo smiled.
"Whenever I've had a bad day, all I have to do is open a magazine and see a picture of you and all my troubles seem to float away." Rika laughed.
"I was cleaning up the other day and I found a picture from way back when. I had a double made so that you could have a copy. She pulled a picture out of her pocket and handed it to Ryo. It was a picture of everyone from a party that they had a few months after the d-reaper. Jeri was riding on Takato's back and Rika was riding on Ryo's. The others were scattered around them, and they were all laughing and smiling. Ryo gave a small smile.
"I remember this day. That was fun."
"Yeah, we had some great memories at that party." Rika said.
"Exactly, like when you spilled the entire bowl of punch over Kazu's head because he had taken a picture of me kissing you." Rika smiled.
"I couldn't find that one." She said.
"Maybe I have it. I'll look for it tonight." Rika nodded.
They sat down on a park bench and Rika rested her head against Ryo's chest.
"We've all grown up so much." She said.
"But in some ways, we haven't changed a bit. We're still just as childish and goofy as we were when we were kids."
"And we still have fun on occasion." Rika added.
"Yeah, things like that will never change. Are you going to buy my cd? It hits stores this Sunday."
"Of course I will. And I'll play it in my car all the time."
"Good. And when you open it, read the thank you. I think you'll like it." Ryo replied.
"I'm sure I will."
"May I walk you home your majesty?" Ryo asked with a laugh.
"Certainly Mr. Legendary Tamer." Rika replied with a smile.
They walked to Rika's house holding hands, talking about everything.
*****
Rika drove to the music store and handed the clerk a reservation slip. The store clerk smiled and handed her a cd. The front cover said "Ryo Akiyama: Red and Lavender." The front picture was of Ryo playing his guitar while in the background was a faint and faded picture of, Rika! Rika smiled softly and took the cd out to her car. She opened it and looked at the list of songs. "Because of You" was first followed by songs that had been played on the radio and other songs that hadn't. Rika went straight to the thank you section, planning to look at all of the pictures of Ryo later.
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank God for giving me this magical gift to sing, play, and write music for the world to hear and love. Every song tells a story, whether of my childhood or of my life as an artist along with others. I'd like to thank my friend and roommate Bryan Avers for putting up with my singing and allowing me to wake him up at three in the morning to sing some lyrics or play a few new chords, even though he had to be at work by six. I would also like to thank my record company and everyone who worked with me to make me who I am today." Right here there are a bunch names so we'll skip over it. "I'd also like to thank my closest friends, the tamers for all the great memories we shared. There were so many great times! I'll never forget all the emotions and conflicts that we went through together. They always say to save the best for last, and that's what I did. This thank you is the most important in my opinion. I would like to thank the girl with the pretty red hair and lavender eyes. The girl with the smile that makes my heart melt and the laugh that makes my heart skip a dozen beats. The girl who has never been afraid to speak her mind, even if that meant screaming at me for being an idiot. The girl who this cd is dedicated to. The girl who can lift my spirits when I've had a bad day. She is my muse and inspiration and even if she isn't with me, all I need to do is think her name and look at a picture of her and all my troubles float away. That girl is Rika Nonaka. The girl I will risk my life for, love forever, and always be there for because she truly is my sunshine after the rain."
Tears streamed down Rika's cheeks as she finished reading Ryo's message.
"I love you too Ryo." Rika turned on her car and drove home. You can hear her singing her new favorite song. "You're my sunshine after the rain….."
The End.
A/N: Short? Yes. Sappy? Yes. Sweet? Definitely. This was a one-chapter fic that I thought up last night when I was listening to a certain song and decided this would make a great fic. So I just had to write it down. Review and tell me what you think of it. "Because of You" is sung by 98degrees and is property of Motown Records and Top 40 Entertainment.
Luv'n'stuff!
Fiery-chan