Whispering Love

by Lisa Boyce

A Tenchi & Ryoko Fic

~*~

Ryoko sat in silence, awaiting for Hotsuma's return suddenly the sound of the door opening jog her out of her strand of thought, she shot up from the couch. Hotsuma and Ryoko look in to each other's eyes, it was a moment of silence. "Sorry 'bout that."He said as he went pass her over to the bar. "No problem." Hotsuma looked at her, he knew she wanted to know more about Kaeru. "Nice place you got here." Ryoko complimented trying to ease the tension in the room. Hotsuma walked over to her, "Yeah, its quite my style. I'm going to the piano room, welcome to join me?" He asked walking down the carpeted hallway. Ryoko nodded and they made their way to the room.

The piano room was similar to the piano room when Hotsuma once own in the mansion, this was just smaller and four life sized windows expose an elegant garden. Once inside Ryoko's attention was drawn to sight of the garden, "The statue in the corner, is so ghostly yet I am so drawn to it." Hotsuma took the moment and hid Kiyomi's picture in a draw. He walked over to the window, "Thankfully the cherry blossoms give it a more peaceful appearance, don't you think?" He looked at her, she felt his eyes on her and she turned to him.

"What is it?" Ryoko asked. She saw him tighten his jaw, and his eyes lowered to her lips. His eye brows furrowed and he turned his head to sip his wine, "It's nothing." he uttered as he consume the red liquid. Ryoko pursed her lips before taking a seat at the piano, she ran her palms over her charteuse dress removing invisible creases. She looked at Hotsuma, and bit the inside of her jaw.

"Do you have feelings for me, as of right now?" Ryoko asked.

"Princess...of course I do...and I always will." He said sternly, he placed the glass on top of the window sill, and stroll over to the ex-pirate, on one knee he held her hands in his. Ryoko look into his eyes, Hotsuma hands went to her cheek, for a brief moment he allowed himself to be captivated by the amber pools of her eyes. He brought her face to his, Ryoko hesitated but welcomed his lips to hers. What started as a peck turned into a passionate kiss between the former pirates.

"Hotsuma..." Ryoko uttered as he kissed her neck, his arms held her close as he claim her lips once more. "Hotsuma...please stop." Ryoko uttered softly, she brought her hands up to his face allowing her fingers to act as an barrier between their lips. Hotsuma stopped immediately, "What's wrong now?" he asked, Ryoko searched his eyes looking for her answer. There was no reason. Ryoko brought her face closer to his, and Hotsuma immediately catch on.

~*~

"What the hell was I thinking? I got myself into some deep deep sh-t. I can't believe I just slept with Hotsuma." Ryoko thought to herself as she rise up on her elbows next to the blond Adonis. It took a moment for her to register that this was his bedroom, just like the other rooms in the apartment this one was classy. Ryoko turned to the man sleeping beside her, he was positioned in her direction. Ryoko turned to her side and lay in front of Hotsuma, staring at his sleeping face.

"Take a picture it will last long." He said still with his eyes close. He opened his eyes staring into Ryoko's eyes. "Sleep well?" He smiled, Ryoko stared at him lost for words. "Yeah, I guess. What time is it?"

Hotsuma sat up and took his watch from the night stand, "It's 8 o'clock in the morning." By the time he mentioned that, Ryoko bolt from the bed repeating 'Oh my god' over and over. Hotsuma calmly got out of bed and put on his pants, then his shirt smiling at the pirate as she frantically tried to tie her straps on her dress behind her neck, in front of the mirror. Hotsuma walked over and removed her hands from the strings on her dress, "Allow me. You have time, Princess, so relax." He said to her, Ryoko looked at him from the mirror, "I can't they will be worried. They don't even have a phone, so I can't call them." Hotsuma sat down on the bed as Ryoko put her hair in a low ponytail, "You know I find you more attractive with you hair like that, than your hair spiky. You look more conservative...classier." Ryoko looked back at him, "I am not sure if to take that as a compliment or an insult." Hotsuma laughed, "You can think of it as an euphemism." Ryoko turned to him and stormed out the room, Hotsuma's laughing stop and he stormed after the pirate, "Princess, Princess, I am joking."

Hotsuma and Ryoko got into the car, Hotsuma put the keys in the ignition and stared at the wheel. Ryoko who was not paying attention, stopped what she was doing and looked at Hotsuma. "What, Why aren't you driving?" Hotsuma looked at her, "Maybe because I don't know how to get there." Ryoko looked down pondering. "All I know is that they live near Tenchi, I can't remember anything else since you beat it out of me."

~*~

Mihoshi laid on her stomach, flipping through "Vogue" Magazine, while Kiyone sat drinking her tea, and worried thoughts ran through her mind. "It's almost 10 o'clock, where is Ryoko?" Kiyone said loosing her cool. "Calm down Kiyone, don't worry she is going to be home eventually." Kiyone looked to the carefree blond woman, "she is so carefree" Kiyone thought to her self. Suddenly, a knock was heard, Kiyone bolt to the door, "Ryoko, Oh my Goodness You had me worried-TENCHI!!!" Tenchi stood before her with a smile. "Hey Kiyone, What about Ryoko?" He asked as walked in, Kiyone searched for an answer as she closed the door, "Ah, Ryoko went out to do some errands, I'm just worried that she'd probably got lost or something because she has been gone for 2 hours now, Want some tea?" Kiyone said as she ran her hands up and down her pants legs. "Sure." Tenchi smile as he sat at the table. "Hey Mihoshi, How are you?" Tenchi peered down at the blond woman engrossed in her reading, "Ah, Never been better. Say what brings you here?" she responded as she get up from her position on the floor. Tenchi smiled, "I've just come by to see Ryoko, as well as you guys. Want to how things were going. It took two hours to get here."

"Here you go." Kiyone placed the cup in front of Tenchi. Kiyone took a seat beside Mihoshi.

"Thank You. So Ryoko went out on an errand. I'll wait here 'till she returns." Tenchi sipped his tea, he peeked from the rim of the cup to noticed Kiyone's nervous signs.

"Yeah, she'll be back soon...I hope." Kiyone jumped as they heard keys rattle in the door. "Oh no, she's going to freak out." Ryoko walked in with a smile on her face, she closed the door and turn in the direction of the table. "Tenchi!" Ryoko shouted as she caught sight of him, "What are you doing here?" she questioned. Tenchi got up, he opened the door and ushered her out, "We'll be back." Ryoko stood outside bewildered of his intentions.

"What?" Ryoko asked, Tenchi smiled at her. "Nothing just want to talk." Ryoko looked at him with a questionable expression, "What is it you want to know?" Tenchi arms wrapped around her waist, he looked deeply into her eyes with such seriousness, "I want you back, I still love you. I can't stand to be a part from you anymore." He moved in for a kiss, but Ryoko turned her head, "Tenchi...I don't know what to say to you. I need time to think, to get my head straight." Tenchi cupped her face in hands, "Take as much time as you need, I am here for you. All I want is for us to be together again, thats all."

Ryoko looked at him, she knew he is being sincere about it, "Thank You."

"Let's go out tonight. My treat." He held her tighter, she smiled and nod.

~*~

"Where on earth is Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka shouted as she walked down the steps of the Masaki household. On the couch she spotted Sakuya who stared back with a blank expression upon her face. "He's not here." Sakuya said before turning back to news. "Where could he have gone?" Ayeka said to herself.

Sakuya turned back, "How am I suppose to know?"

"Excuse Me! You probably chased him out this house by your recent behavior." Ayeka shouted at the younger woman before her.

Before Sakuya could've respond Lord Kasuhito walked into the living room, "Now, Now girls it's not good way to start of a morning with bickering. Whatever Tenchi did, was for a reason. Please learn to respect his decision. Now lets eat Sasami's wonderful breakfast." The elder took a seat at the table and opened up his newspaper. Ayeka and Sakuya exchanged glances before sitting down at the table.

~*~

Kaeru looked to Hotsuma, "Why the hell are you so late?" Hotsuma ignored her question and took a seat beside the woman. "I had things to do." He said as he spread out papers of persons who would like to audition for Kaeru's band. "Gackt Tsuchida!" Hotsuma called out the first name on the paper. A man in his mid-20s walked in, medium built complete with a smile walked in. For some reason he reminded Hotsuma of Tsugaru, hair was positioned the same way as his late "Brother" with the exemption of jet black hair. "Ready when you are." Hotsuma said as he sat back down in his chair. The young man played a random song on his guitar for about 10 minutes. Hotsuma rose his hand up indicating for him stop, "You will be hearing from us in about 2 days. You did very well." The young man bowed and exited the room. "I do not like him." Kaeru admitted and Hotsuma turned to her, "Correct me If I am mistaken but who's in charge here." Kaeru narrowed her eyes, "Next!" she shouted. "You see, your suppose to be addressing them by their names not by 'Next'." Kaeru tightened her jaw and slammed the papers she had in her hands on to the table, "Fine you do it then." and she stormed out of the room. "Okay, so Kendo Hirai, show me what you got." Hotsuma said crossing his arms over his chest, as his ears were filled with the roaring of the guitar, Hotsuma had flashbacks of his wife on the day she died.

Flashback

"Hotsuma, is it a boy or girl?" Kiyomi asked with a raspy voice, Hotsuma sat in silence. "Hotsuma, Hotsuma, what's wrong?" Kiyomi sat up. Hotsuma bit his lip. "Something went wrong during the delivery." Kiyomi eyes widen, "What, What...Is the baby okay?" Kiyomi took Hotsuma's hand. "The umbilical cord was wrapped around it's neck. Tears were beginning to form in Kiyomi's eyes, then she began to cry uncontrollably. "No! Not my baby!" Kiyomi cried aloud, Hotsuma held her close to him. "Hotsuma, Why we had to be cursed?" Hotsuma planted kisses on top of her head. "Kiyomi please calm down, It pains me more to see you hurt." Kiyomi began to breath uncontrollably she gripped her stomach, Hotsuma laid her back down, "Doctor! Doctor! Anyone, My wife needs help!" Hotsuma shouted from outside the room. He ran back to his wife and he saw a pool of blood oozing from Kiyomi on to the white sheets. Two nurses ran into the room, pushing Hotsuma out, he could hear Kiyomi's plead to have him in the room with her. Hotsuma sat outside of the room, the door opened and the nurses walked down the opposite direction. Hotsuma saw his wife laying down, he opened the door. "Kiyomi..." he waited for her response. "Sweetheart..." he waited for another response, there was none. "Oh Kamisama, please don't leave me." Hotsuma placed his hands on her face. "Hotsuma..." He looked up. "Kiyomi, my love, how are you feeling?" She smiled at him. "Promise me not to name our baby after me. She'll share the same fate as her mother. Please take care of her." Kiyomi smiled and closed her eyes. "Kiyomi! Kiyomi! Don't leave me!" A loud beep filled the room, Hotsuma stared at the monitor as her life line went flat. Hotsuma held her cold hand to his face...

End of Flashback...

Hotsuma was torn out of his thoughts as the man before him stopped, "Ah...Very good you'll be hearing from me soon." After the man left the room, another walked in. Hotsuma tightened his jaw, and spin the chair around and rose, he walked pass the bewildered man, and out the door. "For those who didn't get a chance to audition, too bad, you have to audition somewhere else." He said as he walked by the line of men who dreams were now crushed.

Kaeru sat on the couch of the meeting room, when Hotsuma walked in she dare not to say a word to him. Hotsuma walked over to the bar, "Keigo, You need to lay off the wine. I may have to hide all of it from you." His manager said from where Kaeru was sitting. "Do what you want." was Hotsuma's reply. "I beg your pardon." The manager got up and stood in front of him. "I said, Do what you want." Hotsuma walked out the room, Kaeru who sat quiet now got up to go after the former pirate. Hotsuma opened the car door, Kaeru immediately open the passenger side and got in. "Are you mad, do you want to lose your job?" Hotsuma tighten his hold on the steering wheel. Kaeru continued to rant and rant and the more she did, Hotsuma lose his cool. "SHUT UP SHUT UP!" He shouted as he grabbed hold of Kaeru's shoulders shaking her uncontrollably. She looked at him with such freight in her eyes, it

had an impact on him. "I'm sorry." He said as he laid back in his chair. Kaeru removed some of hair out her face. She cleared her throat, "If it would make you feel better, would you like to visit Kiyomi." Hotsuma looked at her, "It will."

~*~

"Ryoko, how long are you going to be in there?" Tenchi knocked on the door.

Inside, Ryoko felt dizzy she sat on the toilet trying her best to do her hair in the mirror while seated.

Finally, she walked out of the bathroom feeling a bit nauseated. Tenchi stood by the apartment door, he stared in awe at the former pirate. Ryoko wore a strapless gray pencil dress, and her hair hung down her back.

Tenchi approached her, "You look really beautiful." Ryoko blushed, "Don't I always."

Tenchi smiled, he came closer to her his arms snake around her waist, Ryoko stared into his chocolate pools before traveling down to his mouth. His face came closer to hers, Ryoko place her left hand behind his neck bringing his head down to meet her lips. His tongue deviled in depths of her mouth, his hands ran up and down her back. "I love you, Ryoko Hakubi." he whispered. Ryoko stepped back "Let's get going." Despite feeling nauseous she kept up a good disguise through out the whole make out session.

~*~

End of Chapter 21

Hey, it like 3 something in the morning....I am sooo tired, Hope you guys like this chapter.

Read and Review....