Disclaimer: Ryu Hayabusa, Kasumi, Kureha and Hayate belong to Temco and Team Ninja.
The song How Did I Fall in Love with You is sung by the Backstreet Boys.
Author's Note: Are songfics allowed? I'm not really sure… but if you want to be a tattler then go ahead. This story will be up as long as you choose I suppose. I'm willing to take the risk of deletion for Ryu Hayabusa… damn that sexy beast!
"…" – speech
'…' - thoughts
(Hayabusa Village – Graveyard)
A cold wind blew through the ancient graveyard of the Hayabusa clan. The only survivor of the clan walked solemnly through the tombstones; quietly showing his respect to each and every marker that identified the death of one of his clan members. This shinobi was dressed in a black leather sleeveless body suit with matching boots, gauntlets, a ninja hood and mask along with a black scarf that flowed freely behind him as he walked. This shinobi was the owner of the Dragon Sword; a legendary artifact that was only bestowed to one of the Dragon Lineage. This shinobi was Ryu Hayabusa; the lone survivor of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan. He approached a particular grave. The marker held no special traits but this shinobi knew whom it belonged to. In his hand he held another artifact related to the Dragon Lineage: the Dragon Eye.
'Kureha…' he thought solemnly. 'Forgive me… I should've… I should've done more…'
Ryu placed the Dragon Eye on Kureha's grave. 'It's about time I returned this to you. Thank you.'
He bowed deeply to the marker and closed his eyes before vanishing in a cloud of autumn leaves.
(Hayabusa's Curio Shop – Upper Level)
Ryu leaned against the door of his bedroom and started to breath heavily. His body was starting to succumb to the incredible amount fatigue his last battle had caused him. He almost stumbled into his room but quickly straightened out when he saw a familiar figure resting on the window sill.
"Kasumi?" Ryu breathed.
"Hayabusa-san!" Kasumi jumped up and bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry to show up like this… but you said that if I ever needed anything… I should come here."
Ryu vaguely remembered saying something to that effect. "It's okay."
He felt light headed and took a few steps before falling forward.
"Hayabusa-san!" Kasumi cried in a panic as she ran to catch him before he hit the floor.
His vision began to blur and the last thing he saw before he blacked out completely were Kasumi's amber eyes, filled with concern.
(Hayabusa's Curio Shop – Ryu's Room)
Ryu woke up to aching muscles and sore limbs. He let out a soft groan as a familiar set of concerned amber eyes came into view.
"Are you okay Hayabusa-san?" He heard the genuine sympathy in her voice.
He nodded gently. "I'm just tired."
Remember when we never needed each other
The best of friends like sister and brother
We understood we'd never be alone…
The relief shown vividly on Kasumi's face as a smile formed. Ryu stared at her for a minute; a pressure swelling in his chest. A feeling that he hadn't felt in a long time… he identified it as a feeling that he used to have when he spent time with Kasumi when they were younger.
(Flashback – Forest)
A young Kasumi ran playfully through the lush green vegetation; giggling madly.
"Come and get me, Onii-san!" Kasumi laughed.
"Come on Ryu! Let's go!" Hayate gestured to his friend.
Ryu nodded his confirmation and started after his best friend's sister. He was pretty impressed that someone so young had the agility of a panther. The young shinobi climbed a tree to get a better view of his surroundings. He quickly found Kasumi's auburn hair among the greenery and set off in an immediate dash. When he caught up to her, she was gazing dreamily at a fully grown cherry blossom tree. The soft pink petals fell gently around her. She felt his eyes on her and turned to smile at him. Ryu was stunned. The flowers seem to compliment her smile perfectly. His heart began to throb and a blush was rising in his cheeks. The Hayabusa ninja had never felt this way before…
Those days are gone now I want you so much
The night is long and I need your touch
Don't know what to say
I never meant to feel this way
Don't want to be…alone tonight…
(Hayabusa's Curio Shop – Ryu's Room)
Ryu was pulled out of this reverie by Kasumi's sudden change of expression. She let out a soft laugh and turned away from him. Ryu looked at her oddly.
"I didn't know you liked leather." Kasumi smirked. "It was a little hard to take off."
The shinobi's eyes widened when he noticed he was topless and devoid of his weaponry. He spotted various amount of bandages wrapped around his torso and arms and noticed more blood soaked ones off to the side.
"You were beat up pretty badly." The kunoichi explained. "You're legs are cut up a little bit too… but I didn't think you would appreciate me taking off your pants."
Ryu's face flushed slightly. 'You'd think so wouldn't you?'
"What are you doing here Kasumi?" Ryu tried to get his mind off of his current thoughts. "Did something happen with Hayate?"
"No… Onii-san is still sending his ninjas…" she smiled ruefully.
"Then… why did you…?" Ryu questioned.
"I just… just…" her smile faded. "I wanted to see you…"
'She… she wanted to see me?' Ryu thought incredulously. 'I've been wanting to see her since… but I…'
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
Kasumi giggled. "I guess I'll have to see you a while longer than I thought."
Ryu raised a confused eyebrow.
"You can't possibly take care of yourself in that condition."
The super ninja took offense to this and shot up before falling back into his bed in pain.
"Hayabusa-san!" Kasumi rushed to his aid. "What's the matter with you?"
"I can take care of myself Kasumi." Ryu said through clenched teeth. "My condition has nothing to do with…"
"Okay… okay…" the sudden realization hit her. "I didn't mean to insult the super ninja. I'll just go get you something to eat."
Before Ryu could object to anything she disappeared in a storm of cherry blossoms. The sight of the pink petals struck up that memory again… that feeling again. Those beautiful flowers… they reminded him of her… but they just couldn't compare to how beautiful she was.
An hour had passed after Ryu had drifted off and he was woken by a sudden gust of wind and cherry blossoms. He found Kasumi standing in front of him, balancing a tray in her hand and smiling triumphantly. She lowered the tray onto Ryu's lap and laughed at his blank look. It was a tray with full of assorted sushi.
"What's the matter?" Kasumi asked. "It's your favorite isn't it?"
"No…" he shook his head. "I mean… yes it is… but…"
I hear your voice and I start to tremble
Brings back the child that I resemble
I cannot pretend that we can still be friends
Don't want to be alone tonight…
"Oh!" she jumped. "I forgot the wasabi and soy sauce!"
She disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye, while leaving a trail of those pink petals, with a dark bottle of soy sauce in her hand as well as a container of wasabi. She placed the condiments on his tray and smiled brightly.
"It's good now. Go on." She gestured politely.
Ryu picked up a pair of chopsticks and started eating. He didn't think that he had ever tasted anything so good…perhaps… it was only because she made it for him.
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
(Hayabusa's Curio Shop – Lower Level)
"Thank you! Please come again!" Kasumi smiled cheerfully to a customer.
A few days had passed since Kasumi first visited Ryu at his home. She had convinced him to allow her to help out at his shop while he was upstairs recovering. It didn't surprise Ryu much to find out that Kasumi was busy with customers since he had a feeling that a pretty shopkeeper would attract more customers than he would. While Kasumi had been tending to the shop Ryu had time to himself to sort out his feelings for the kunoichi. However, no matter how hard he thought, he could neither find the strength to shelve his feelings nor the courage to admit them to her. Before he could ponder on the situation for too long, he was brought out of his thoughts as the door to his room flung open and Kasumi marched in tiredly.
"Whew…" she sighed. "What a day! I don't understand how you could keep up with all the customers and still have time to run around being a ninja. You're pretty amazing Hayabusa-san."
Ryu rolled his eyes at her naïveté. "I don't think I've ever had this many customers in a day."
"Oh? I wonder why people want antiques nowadays. They have been coming from all over the place…"
"Yeah…" Ryu growled more to himself than to her. "I'm sure men would go quite a distance for a good… antique."
Kasumi frowned. "Speaking of distance… what's been going on with you?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ryu asked nervously.
He didn't think that he had been that obvious in his avoidance of her. His feelings for Kasumi had been consuming his thoughts and more recently had been causing the blood in his body to rush below his waist. Ryu found it more bearable to avoid her gaze, cut conversations with her short or pretend to be asleep while she was in his room.
"You've been… a little distant lately. Is there something wrong?"
"It's nothing. Well, actually… I've just been thinking that… I'm pretty much okay now." He reasoned. "So you don't have to look after the shop anymore…"
"Oh…" the cheerfulness in her voice died away. "I see…"
The shinobi's heart wrenched upon hearing the sadness in her voice. "No… Ka-Kasumi…I didn't…"
"No… its okay…" she faked a smile. "I… I should go anyway you know?" Her eyes became glassy. " I'm not supposed to stay in one place for too long…"
"Kasumi please listen…" Ryu approached her. "I didn't mean that…"
"Didn't mean what?" she screamed at him suddenly. 'How could he not see it?'
Ryu was taken aback by her outburst. "I… I meant that…"
"You want me to go right? Then I'll go." She said vehemently and turned away from him. 'Haven't I made it obvious?'
"No. Don't go." Ryu said firmly. "I want you to stay."
"Why? You're obviously well enough to take care of yourself now. Kasumi replied sarcastically. "You don't need me here."
Ryu was surprised that she could use that tone of voice. "I want you to stay… because…because…"
Oh I want to say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know, ohhh
I don't want to live this life
I don't want to say goodbye
With you I wanna spend…
The rest of my life…
Ryu watched the love of his life walk towards the door. "… because I love you."
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
Kasumi froze. Her chest as well as her grip on the door knob had tightened considerable. When she turned she found that he had moved directly in front of her and she began to stare longingly into his sparkling green eyes, searching for some reason to not believe him in his emerald orbs. He held her chin in his large hand and lowered his lips to meet hers. Kasumi melted into the ninja's lips and embraced him. She was rewarded with an intensified kiss that eventually led them into Ryu's bed.
What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard so fast this time
Everything's changed, we never knew…
"Hayabusa-san…" she broke the kiss. "You're hurt… are you sure that…"
"Hayabusa-san?" the shinobi breathed. "Even after this… you're still calling me that?"
Kasumi blushed. "Ryu… it doesn't hurt?"
Ryu chuckled. "No amount of pain could keep me from this…"
With that said, Ryu hungrily devoured the kunoichi's sweet lips and they quickly became consumed by their passion…
(Hayabusa's Curio Shop – Ryu's Room)
After hours and hours of moaning and Kasumi's uncharacteristic screaming, Ryu held his lover in his arms. Their legs were tangled and Kasumi's head rested comfortably on Ryu's hard muscular chest.
"I love you koi-chan." Ryu kissed her forehead lovingly.
"I love you too… koibito." Kasumi cooed.
How did I fall… in love… with you?
The End
Author's Note: So… yeah… cool people leave reviews!