PoT Ryosaku (PG-13)
Consequences (Sequel to Finding Me Finding You)
By angelhazel
Disclaimer: I asked, very nicely, but they refused to send me the legal rights. Damn!
The next day, school went on as usual. Caught up with life in progress, Sakuno had managed to push all thoughts of the strange phone call last evening to the back of her mind.
In truth, she was facing rather more excruciating circumstances everyday.
It had been almost a month since Fuji and Inui schemed to have her and Ryoma trapped in the old storeroom. Sakuno was not surprised that Ryoma got thoroughly pissed at the tensai and the team's human-computer. She had been there watching as he trashed his two nosy senpais during practice, mercilessly and repeatedly.
Fuji didn't seemed to mind, he was still cheerful even as he was beaten soundly. The score was always so terribly one-sided that Sakuno began to feel pity for the tensai; she suspected Fuji might have been giving in to Ryoma slightly, but it was still a horrible scene to behold. Sakuno was pretty sure Fuji had never lost any matches before, at least not this badly. Thinking to let up on the ever-smiling senpai, he was always kind to her after all, she had decided not to berate him herself as well.
As for Inui, since all he said after those tragic "revenge" matches was "Ii data" in his scary voice, Sakuno felt he deserved whatever he got. And, to be perfectly honest, now that she had had a taste, she was reluctant to go near the creator of the infamous Inui juices. Just thinking about the vile tasting solutions and their effects sent chills up her spine.
By now, the boys had settled the score through tennis, and all was well again. The only one who was still hung up about the incident was Sakuno.
Was she setting rather high expectations? But, what else would a girl think when the guy she fell for held her close throughout the night? And then made her keep his almost new Seigaku Tennis Club Regular Jersey because he thought she needed it more? That jersey had a place of honor in Sakuno's new wardrobe; she studied it often, especially the bit on the inside of the zip, labeled "Echizen" in neat Kanji.
But, there was all. Since then, life carried on as before, just like the way water smoothed over after a pebble was thrown, the surface was disturbed only briefly. It was all back to the way he treated her before that night. The events of that fateful night were becoming such a vague impression that sometimes she truly doubted they had taken place.
Wasn't he supposed to treasure her now? He apologized and was so pleased when she accepted. And he had held her when she was freezing cold.
Sakuno was not sure if his actions meant the same to him as they did to her. All she could do was wait for him again. It wasn't easy just waiting for the last three weeks, but Sakuno remembered that Sumire asked her to be patient.
She was trying to stay for tennis practice more often now, and Ryoma would always walk her home after. They still hardly talk, either in school or outside.
Just like the way they were walking home now after his tennis practice, in silence. They walked together, but they were not with each other. Sakuno gave an inaudible sigh. They didn't hold hands after school, they didn't go on dates, and he hardly smiled at her. Although she had to admit Ryoma usual expression was smirking, not smiling.
He was back to calling her Ryuuzaki, even though there were a few times when he had unintentionally called her given name.
It was as if that night never was.
Sakuno was hurt and confused. She rebuilt her social life, continued being friendly with her schoolmates, and he didn't say anymore about that issue.
Sakuno was afraid. Did he care for her at all? Was he put off by the way she literally threw herself at him? Her face still went red when she recalled her mindless actions at that time. Concern for their lives was no excuse for her behavior especially since Ryoma didn't even know there was a threat in the first place.
With her constant worrying, cold fingers of doubt had made their way into her mind. What if seeing Ryoma in her Premonition dream only meant that he would be there during that particular event? What if she was not meant to belong with him at all, not before and not after that night?
She thought of asking his feelings outright, but was worried that he was offended by her forwardness. She fervently wished Ryoma would say something soon. Did he or did he not like Sakuno? All the uncertainty in their relationship was giving Sakuno a big headache, and a throbbing heartache.
Thinking back, she had always made the first move, and Ryoma would reciprocate. That didn't sound like he was falling head over heels over her at all, she thought dejectedly.
If he didn't like her, she would rather he tell her, even if she would be heart-broken.
And if he liked her, he shouldn't keep quiet about it. There was no doubting her feelings for him after all.
And another thing, before Sakuno could tell Ryoma about her magic, Ryoma had to claim her as his mate. It was forbidden to voluntarily tell anyone outside the Clan about the witches, and there were strict rules dictating when the witch's mate could be brought into the secret.
Each Ryuuzaki witch could only accept a man once in her life. Many opt to stay single because of the harsh criteria governing their marriage. In the marriage customs of a Ryuuzaki witch, the outsider had to first ask a Clan elder for permission then present his love with a token as proof of his intentions. When the witch accepted, the man would be accepted into the Clan. The existence of the Ryuuzaki witches would then be revealed to him. If the man tried to withdraw his offer or spill the secret, it was the duty of the witch to ensure he was silenced.
There were only two ways to go about that. The witch could temper with the memory of the man, or kill him. However, only the most powerful witches, i.e. the white magic users, could direct a person's memory. For many centuries, white witches were not born to the Clan. In this time, witches had to choose their men very carefully or be forced to kill them if they turned out to be unacceptable.
The harsh practice ensured that the magic users were protected, and could have a chance at a happy marriage. Maybe it was very severe to the outsider men, but really, when you think about it, men who married Ryuuzaki witches have nothing on the women who marry into the Clan.
He didn't have to worry about having children who wielded magic, only some girls born under the family name were granted that gift. He didn't have to learn the long history of the Ryuuzakis unless he wanted to, unlike women like Sumire who were not given the option. All in all, men marrying into the Clan would have little trouble as long as they kept an open mind and loved their wives very much.
To Sakuno's knowledge, Keijiko was happily married to a kind and understanding husband. There was proof that the Ryuuzaki witches got lucky sometimes. Sakuno breathed easier at the thought.
But then again, that was one happily married Keijiko to three swinging singles: Mayu, Setsuko and even Hanako, in her early fifties, have yet to accept a man as husband. Her mind sidetracked for the moment, Sakuno wondered who would be the elder to preside over Hanako's ceremony, if there would be one. Hanako obaasama was from Sumire's generation, and there wasn't anyone else in the Clan alive and older than those two.
She briefly contemplated the probability of the boy walking besides her asking his ex-Tennis coach for permission to marry Sakuno, and quickly banished the thought. She couldn't come up with numbers like Inui did with his data, but suffice to say that the probability was depressingly low. Ryoma was hardly the romantic type, she thought ruefully.
She sneaked another peak at Ryoma. The truth was, both of them were too young to be thinking of life-long commitments. As worldly as Ryoma seemed, fifteen still fell short of the eighteen years of age when they would be acknowledged as adults, and things like marriage were for adults after all.
Sakuno knew all this, but her heart wouldn't stop clamoring for the things it couldn't have. For so many years, Echizen Ryoma was the prince of her dreams. It was difficult to shake off longtime dreams in a heartbeat. Sakuno made up her mind that if Ryoma never asked her, she would remain single and die lonely in her old age.
Perhaps she should get a cat and train it to be her familiar. A pet could keep her company and a familiar could further assist her in her magic. She could get one with golden eyes, she mused.
A/N: Pathetic, I know. Maybe she would even name it Ochibi ...