TITLE: Bad Behavior
FANDOM: Prince of Tennis
PAIRING: Ryoma/Sakuno
SUMMARY: In which Echizen Ryoma takes it upon himself to teach Ryuzaki Sakuno the art of teenage rebellion.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Prince of Tennis.
WARNINGS: Strong T
DEDICATED TO: fyerigurl, because sex.
NOTE: In my mind, the Japanese school year starts in January (lol it doesn't though oops). I don't know how the science curriculum goes, but in my head I have them switch to a different type of science every semester.
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It really shouldn't surprise anyone that Ryuzaki Sakuno has never had too many opportunities to misbehave.
She is, after all, the granddaughter of one Ryuzaki Sumire. The woman has a way of instilling fear into even her direct superiors–to the point where she'd been able to demand a promotion into the high school division when Sakuno had graduated from the middle school. It's no wonder why she has good grades and a regular's spot on the girl's tennis team –she's automatically expected to by association.
She's also Ryuzaki Sakuno. She's the girl with the big puppy-dog eyes who still wears her ridiculous, old-fashioned braids. It's hard to imagine her doing anything worse than stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar.
It isn't healthy, Ryoma thinks, frowning. Being a teenager is supposed to be about rebellion.
The girl in question frowns back, concerned. "Are you okay, Ryoma-kun?"
He waves her concern off idly. "Yeah."
Sakuno looks stares at him for another moment, but evidently appears to believe him. "Then do you want to try calculating the amount of sodium chloride in moles again?"
He's calculating, all right; he's just not performing the calculations necessary for chemistry, that's all.
.
It still surprises everyone–Ryuzaki Sakuno included–how close she and Ryoma have become over the years.
Although, she supposes, it makes sense. They'd spent the last few years in relatively close proximity; he's been helping her with her tennis for a few years now, and she's only far too eager to return the favor by helping him with his chemistry. Becoming close friends is a natural step. They'd even developed a routine–every Friday, when there was no tennis practice, she'd meet him after class to go over the chemistry concepts of the week, and they'd work on her tennis afterwards.
…But that still doesn't explain why he's here to pick her up for school.
"Ryoma-kun?" she asks, blinking a little blearily. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugs. "I was around."
There's a beat of silence, and Ryoma prepares himself to obstinately avoid actually answering her question.
"Okay," she says brightly, slipping into her shoes. "Obaa-chan headed out early today."
Ryoma looks at her in slight disbelief. "Mada mada dane."
He turns and starts walking before she can start asking why.
"Ryoma-kun, wait up!"
.
Ryoma isn't heading in the direction towards school.
"Ryoma-kun, I'm pretty sure school is that way." Sakuno points to the opposite direction.
He shrugs and keeps walking. "I know."
She stops, obviously confused. "Aren't you going to school?"
"No, we're not."
He rolls his eyes when she still stands there. Dear God, does he have to spell it out for her?
"We're skipping today, Ryuzaki."
That gets her moving again. "Is there something wrong?"
…but for the wrong reasons.
"Nope," he says, bee-lining for a vending machine. "But you need a break. You work too hard."
Sakuno tilts her head, still very much confused. "But that's what Sundays are for."
He all but bangs his head against the vending machine. "Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki. That's not what I meant."
"Ryoma-kun," she says gently but firmly. "If nothing's wrong, I'd like to go to class."
Her eyes are shining the way they had when she'd scolded him for teasing Horio back in the seventh grade. A small part of Ryoma regrets teaching her how to foster that obstinacy, because goddamnit, getting her to be a normal teenager would be so much easier if he could walk all over her like he used to.
He sighs and hands her a Ponta. "Let's go."
.
In hindsight, trying to get Sakuno to skip class had been a stupid move. She's Ryuzaki Sumire's granddaughter; he's lucky that she hadn't told anyone about their brief escapade to the vending machine.
No, teaching Sakuno to misbehave requires more delicacy than he'd originally thought. He'll have to have finesse, because if he wants to get her to step outside of her goody-little-two-shoes mold, he'll have to make her forget what exactly it is that she's doing.
So when his father announces that Ryuzaki Sumire and her granddaughter will be staying at their home in New York for a few days that winter break, he grins.
Echizen Nanjiroh notices. "Heh, excited about spending a few days with a pretty girl?"
"Shut up, Oyaji."
.
It's only until the last day of the Ryuzakis' stay that he gets his chance.
They'd spent the first few days touring the city, and it's only after they've exhausted all the attractions that they have time to do whatever they want.
Ryoma makes plans with Kevin, and asks if he can take Sakuno along.
"No parties," Ryuzaki Sumire says sternly. "I know how you Americans are."
"Yes, Ryuzaki-sensei."
.
Of course, Ryoma ends up doing just that.
Kevin takes it upon himself to throw a party every year around the holidays, and this year is no exception. Ryoma usually goes out of obligation, because how else is he supposed to catch up with all of his friends? But this year, he's made it his goal to show Sakuno exactly how teenagers were supposed to behave.
"Didn't Obaa-chan say no parties?" she asks, pulling on his sleeve when they reach the door to Kevin's penthouse.
Ryoma shrugs. "It's the only time for me to see some friends this year."
"Oh," is all Sakuno can say, and shift uncomfortably.
He rolls his eyes, because he can see her preparing herself to go in despite her discomfort. "It's just a party."
"…Okay."
Ryoma sighs, because this is not how it's supposed to go. Normal teenage girls are supposed to want to go out and party. He can't tell if Sakuno was just born an adult, or if she's a perpetual five-year-old.
"You know you don't have to drink or dance if you don't want to."
This has her perk up a bit. "Really?"
"Mada mada dane," he says, shaking his head in exasperation. He's been telling her for years that she doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to.
Sakuno nods slowly. "Mm."
Good, she's warming up to this now.
"Just go in and meet some of my friends. They'll probably be drunk, but they'll like you."
"Really?" She smiles and blushes down at her feet.
"They've wanted to meet my Japanese friends for a while."
Sakuno nods again, eyes bright. "Okay, Ryoma-kun. Let's go."
God, Ryoma thinks fondly. She really hasn't changed a bit.
"Wait, Ryoma-kun!" she cries, suddenly looking stricken. "I'm not dressed for a party."
He looks down. She's wearing a skirt, which is short enough, but she's also wearing knee-high socks and a button-up shirt. But it's too late to go back and change now, so he just shrugs.
"Your braids," a girl says, popping up behind them. When Sakuno looks confused, she laughs kindly and mimes shaking out her hair.
Sakuno takes them out and shakes out her hair. The girl arranges her hair around her face artfully, and instructs her to strip off her socks and undo one of the buttons of her blouse for good measure before slipping into the party.
When she's done, Sakuno turns back to Ryoma. "Do I look okay?"
Ryoma looks at her again, and breathes in through his teeth. Yes, yes she does. More than okay, even–
This is, of course, the moment Kevin chooses to throw open the door. "Ryoma Echizen!" he shouts, obviously buzzed. "You brought a friend!"
Sakuno smiles shyly. "I'm Sakuno."
Ryoma shoots her a look that makes his exasperation clear. Her pronunciation is just as bad as ever.
Kevin throws his arms around both of them in an awkward group hug. "Ohayo gozaimasu!"
Dear lord, his Japanese is even more terrible than Sakuno's English.
Ryoma shoves him away. "Stop being so touchy-feely when you're drunk."
Kevin flashes him a knowing smile and throws an arm around Sakuno's shoulders again, ignoring Ryoma's frown. "Welcome to America, Sakuno!"
They go around the room, and Kevin introduces Sakuno to all of the guests. Ryoma decides to let him, because Sakuno looks surprisingly comfortable with this arrangement now that it's been established she doesn't have to drink. He grabs himself a beer and does his own rounds instead, tracking down his closer friends and shamelessly blowing off the unwanted acquaintances.
They meet again at the beer pong table, and he smirks when he sees the can of soda in her hand.
"Want a sip?" he asks, offering her his beer.
Sakuno shakes her head resolutely, and Ryoma snorts.
He'd expected her to say no to underage drinking. Knowing her, she'll say no to drinking for her entire life.
"Mada mada dane," he says, making sure to keep his tone light so she won't feel pressured.
She giggles into her soda.
They stay long enough for Ryoma to catch up with some of his friends. Sakuno ends up befriending a couple girls–one is the girl who'd helped her earlier–despite her atrocious English, enough to exchange e-mails and to add each other on Facebook.
They leave when it starts getting rowdy.
"Let's go," he says, once he registers the slight discomfort on her face when her new girlfriends try to coerce her into dancing, and grabs their coats off the hanger.
.
He takes her to Central Park.
He'd thought she'd appreciate Central Park in the winter, with all its Christmas lights and old-fashioned streetlights. It's a thank-you for putting up with the party.
She loves it, of course.
There's something about her, here, under the Christmas lights in Central Park, that makes Ryoma stare. No, he realizes, no; that's not it. It's always been there; it's just that Ryuzaki Sakuno shines the brightest away from the spotlight–and here, under these twinkling lights, she's positively radiant.
He takes in her rosy cheeks, her bright eyes. He drinks in the crease in between her furrowed brow, her worried, "Ryoma-kun?"
That does it.
Ryoma takes one step forward and fingers a lock of her hair. For a moment, it seems like time stands still, and he takes the chance to zone in on the snowflakes on her eyelashes, the one on the tip of her nose. He looks at her mouth; she must be wearing some sort of gloss, because it's shiny and smells like strawberries.
He takes another step, a bigger step, and suddenly, her mouth is the only thing he can see in focus.
Sakuno's eyes have shut by now, and some of the snowflakes on her eyelashes have melted against her cheeks. He holds her face in his hands, wipes the snow away with his thumbs.
And then Ryoma leans in until their noses brush, leans in until the only thing either of them can register is each other's cold noses and the smell of beer on his breath.
They both freeze.
Sakuno looks up at him. "Ryoma-kun… I think you've had a lot to drink tonight."
Ryoma closes his eyes and leans his forehead against hers, letting out a heavy breath. "Yeah."
They stay like that for a moment, before she takes his hands and gently removes them from her face.
Ryoma frowns. "Don't tell me you forgot your gloves again."
She blushes, sheepish. "Sorry."
It makes him roll his eyes and snort good-naturedly. "Stop apologizing for things, Ryuzaki."
He spots a food cart and buys her a hot chocolate. She accepts it gratefully, and savors the feel of its warmth against her cold fingers.
Ryoma watches her drink, and can't help but roll his eyes again at her ridiculousness. Of course Ryuzaki Sakuno would spend the night drinking hot chocolate instead of beer.
The girl in question takes another sip, blissfully unaware of the amusement dripping off of Ryoma in waves. "Thank you, Ryoma-kun."
There's some cream on her lip.
"Yeah," he murmurs, staring at her mouth again.
This she notices, and swipes at her mouth with her thumb.
He snorts and starts walking. "Come on," he calls. "Let's go back."
The sound of her footsteps trotting after him makes him smile. It makes him think of how her face had lit up when he showed her Central Park in the wintertime, of the snow on her eyelashes that had melted onto her cheeks, of the spot of cream on her lips.
He shuts his eyes at the thought of their almost-kiss; of course Ryuzaki Sakuno wouldn't let her first kiss be with a guy who was slightly buzzed. God, this was worse than his attempt to get her to skip school.
She's caught up to him by now. "Ryoma-kun, are… are you okay?"
And then he remembers that she may have said no to kissing just now, but… she never said no to kissing later.
Ryoma looks down at her. "Yeah "
She beams.
Heh. He's going to look forward to the next time.
.
The next time ends up coming when school starts again. Ryoma's made the new captain of the boys' tennis team (of course) and is starting to take some of the duties from Kaidoh; and Sakuno's been asked to TA for their chemistry teacher, so they don't get to sit down and really talk until the end of their first week of class.
He meets her at her classroom, as usual, but this time she has a stack of homework assignments to grade.
Sakuno's face lights up when she sees him. "Ryoma-kun!"
It makes him snort fondly. "So you're a TA for chemistry now."
She nods. "It's fun. I hold an after-school review session once a week."
Ryoma sits down on one of the desks snorts again, because a high school student really shouldn't be so eager about this. "Mada mada dane."
She blushes. "Hush, Ryoma-kun. You weren't complaining when I tutored you last semester."
He watches her gather her things, and does a quick check out the hall to see if anyone's there.
No one is. Good.
"Can I come, too?" he asks, motioning for her to hop on the desk next to his.
She does. "You're taking physics now, Ryoma-kun. You don't need help with chemistry anymore."
Ryoma stands up and takes one step forward–and the look on her face is just like the one she'd had in Central Park. "But what if I like chemistry?"
Sakuno doesn't answer, and that may partly be because her breaths are turning quick and shallow.
He smirks and leans in so close that their lips might as well be touching, because she can feel them anyway. Everything is blurry except for his eyes; she can see how dilated his pupils are. The feather-light sensation of his breath fanning across her cheeks makes it hard for her to breathe, makes her dizzy, makes it hard for her to hear anything except for her heart pounding in her head and his voice.
"Well?" he whispers.
She doesn't answer, just tilts her head up and brushes her lips against his.
His response is immediate.
He winds an arm around her waist and weaves the other hand through her hair, cradles it against the back of her head as he presses their lips together again. And God, is he rubbing his thumb in circles just above her hipbone? Yes, yes he is.
The kiss is slow and languid, but it's in no way soft.
Sakuno grabs Ryoma's arms, squeezes his biceps, and slides her hands up his shoulders. She hooks her arms around his neck and clutches at him desperately, because he's so close, but he could never be close enough.
He pulls away after what feels like forever, and it's only then that she remembers they're in a classroom.
"Heh," he says, eyes lighting up gleefully. "So you can misbehave after all."
The weight of the events that just took place hits her, and Sakuno can feel herself blush.
"You're a terrible influence," she groans, burying her face into his shoulder.
She can feel his shoulder shake slightly as he laughs.
"You know," he says, "this is the classroom Ryuuzaki-sensei teaches in."
This has her shooting up off the desk. "Ryoma-kun, you're not going to be allowed within three meters of me from now on."
His arm hooks around her waist. "Yadda."
Sakuno pushes him away, giggling. "Three meters, Ryoma-kun."
"Yadda," he says again, reaching out for her again.
"Three meters!" she giggles again, dancing away.
He ends up chasing her around the room until she's laughing too hard to move.
"This would be so much easier if you stopped running away," he says, smirking and kissing her again.