The clouds hung low in the sky. There icey grey blocking any evidence of a golden yellow sun. But the humidity made the air warm and pleasing. It contrasted directly with the cold that the clouds tried to display in failure. Indeed this weather was odd for this time of year, for early spring. The sun should be out, and sacchrine breezes should have been blowing. The sakuras bloomed and instead of being bathed in the glow of a warm spring sun, they danced towards the earth with a deep grey canvas as their stage. No sun to give a mystical iridescent glow. But that did not dare to subdue the beauty that existed. The soft pink of the twirling petals and the lush foliage of green in the trees seemed exaggerated aginst the darkened skies. Like pastel chalks on a black board, the colors of the world stood out. In this contrast of dark colored skies and brightly glowing earth, a beauty, all too ignored, existed.
She hung her head low in utter disgust. Appauled by what she had seen, she scowled at anyone who had the unfortunate luck of catching a glimpse into those cold, yet breathtaking, violet eyes. Bitter, angry, hateful; These words could sum her up entirely. She was an angry girl, and practicullay "insufferable" as her mother's numerous pompus boyfriends had described her. One had even suggested sending her away to a private boarding school for girls. "Probably just wants to get me out of the way to get to mom." She commented in her same meancing tone to the man. A few more choice words were shared between the two, and the next thing they knew he had stormed off in a rage. A few strands of his usually neatly placed hair scattered across his rigid features. Of course her mother was not exactly thrilled at the interaction between her daughter and stuffy boyfriend and she had come down exceptionally hard on Ruki of all people. Even more inraged than that "over-paid, stuck-up, ass of a man", as Ruki had called him, she stormed out of their old fashion home and into the streets of Tokoyo.
Ironic that a girl from a wealthy household and family would have the street smarts of a child whose lived in a hard life since before they were born. Ruki had come to know every end of Tokyo from one point to another like the back of her hand. Perhaps it was because she had spent so much time in the streets than at home. Sad to say she felt more at home here on paved roads and cement paths than at her luxurious estate. She had described wandering through out the labyrinth of her home city as an "ultimate embodiment of freedom". She felt unrestrained on these crowded sidewalks and winding, shadowy streets. Unrestrained, limitless; These are the sensations a self proclaimed warrior should feel.
She had been walking... no more like wandering for hours. No destination intended, but, as if life was not already full of unexpected disclousures, she had found herself in the center of the city's massive park. The green of the trees, pink of the sakuras, and other colors of the city still seemed to glow against the grey canvas. Amazingly enough, the playground was empty, the air was warm and pleasing, but the people must still have expected rain, and so the park remained practicully deserted.
"You'd think we live here or something." She said to herself, recalling how much of her free time her, Lee, Takato, and the others have spent congregating in the park. Shaking her head she walked towards an empty swing, and allowed herself to sink in to the seat. She had not realized how tired she was until she had finally sat down. It should have been expected seeing how she had been walking for quite some time.
She dug her heels into the beige-brown sand, giving her self a bit of a push. Normally she would have not been caught dead on a swing let alone actually swinging, even though it was extremely weak. She was more like rocking back and forth staring thoughtfully into the ground. The situation with her mother's boyfriend was still fresh in her mind. And when she thought about it, she realized how angry she honestly was. "How could she?" She whispered hatefully coming to an abrupt stop. "She didn't even realize that her preciuos boyfriend was insulting me! Her duaghter! Her flesh and blood..."
Ruki kicked the ground sending sand flying in all directions in front of her. Her face had suddenly felt warm. It had begun to turn pink, though she could not see this, the warm sensation gave indication to this. "That... that bitch!" She snapped out. Again she kicked the sand, this time more violently than before. Her face still feeling warm. "They deserve each other!" She spat out in a sound of disgust.
Ruki found herself being overwhelmed by an onsluaght of emotions. Anger, rage, disgust, bitterness, hurt... "Hurt...?" She sniffed out past tears. "Tears?" She excalimed half shocked, half appauled. Quickly she rubbed her hands against her eyes. They were red, and her cheeks were tear stained. She rubbed her face against her sleeve bitterly, trying desprately to remove any trace of the warm tears on her. She rubbed vigoursly, but to no avail. No matter how hard she tried tears still came runnig down, they wouldn't stop. And this inraged her even more. How humiliating it is for Ruki Makino to cry over something so trivial as her mother taking sides with her boyfriend over her own daughter. Ruki Makino was a warrior, and warriors revealed no signs of weakness. Ruki Makino does not cry, "I do not cry... I do not cry..." She whispered repeatedly to herself. Still wiping away the falling tears. "Ruki Makino... does... not... cry!" She literally roared out bitterly, burying her face into her hands.
"Why not?" Asked a voice in an innocent sort of curiousity.
Angry and still red faced Ruki shot her head around, to see where the voice had came from. Her violent violet eyes went wide with a sort of horror. He had stood there, just as calm as day. She did not want this. No one was to see her in her time of weakness, especially him, of all people. The sight of him seemed to dry her tears instantly. But her face was still heated and red, now from pure anger.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was low and threatening. It came out in a sort of wicked raspy tone, that caused even he, mister calm and cool himself, to jump back a bit.
In seeing that her tone had achieved its purpose a bit of her scarred pride healed. But then she was quickly disappointed when she noticed he had not been scared off entirely.
"It's a public place," He began calmly, "Besides, I go where I please." He slipped his tan hands into his pockets. A warm breeze blew and ruffled the ends of his dark hair and blew his coat up around him. His eyes looked a bit distant, and he seemed to be looking more off into the far distance past Ruki than at her.
"Go away, Lee. Don't have me tell you twice." She said in the same vile tone. Lee responed with a light laugh and a glance, as if to say "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"This angered her even more and she scowled at him with a low growl almost similar to Renamon's before the digimon attacked.
The two stood there in utter silence for what seemed like forever. Her scowling evilly, eyes still red, and he with a calm demeanor. Lee had no idea how irritating he was to her, and honestly speaking he did not care. His calm, warm grey eyes had still not focused on her entirely. He seemed to be plaugued with thought, with worries of his own. But the thoughts that obviously swirled within the depths of his own mind did not surface as did hers. He had done impeccably well at repressing his own frustrations, and keeping his usual persona. Ruki found this even more annoying seeing how she had failed at hiding herself. She found herself nearly resenting this "meddlesome" boy.
"I'll leave," He began suddenly. Ending the brief moment of silence, "If you answer my questions." He finally foucused entirely on the girl before him. Though his face had not revealed it he felt sympathetic for her. But he would not dare to show this openly. Ruki'd probably strike him down on the spot.
Ruki turned away from Lee. His grey eyes on her made her nervous. She didn't like it. Lee was always so together, not a feeling out of place. He was calm, leveled headed, logical, nothing seem to perturb him in any way. Save for when Terriermon would sneak off to play with Guilmon every so often. That would always get a worry out of him. But other than that he was a relaxed guy. Nothing pushed him the wrong way, and he hardly ever backed down from anything. Not even Ruki Makino, the Digimon Queen herself. Notoriuos for turning her opponents into mush with a glare. This bothered her in ways she could not dare bring to words at this present moment.
"I have no time to be making deals with you." She answered not looking back at him.
"Well you must not want me to go away that badly, or else you'd go along with me." Lee responded just as calmly as ever.
Ruki let out an annoyed sigh. She couldn't help wondering if he was right. Did she want to be alone? She had alarmed herself just slightly when she realized that since his appearence she had calmed down considerably. Though she'd never admit that out loud. And apart of her did feel some relief, though not entirely.
"Ask your question..." She barely whispred the words, but she was audible enough for him to hear her.
Lee smiled to himself, as if he knew she would agree with him. He took a seat in the swing right next to her, and gave her a friendly look. The look was not returned though. "So why shouldn't you be crying?" He asked simply, as he carved shapes into the sand below with his foot.
"Can't you think of something else?" Ruki asked in an exasperated tone.
"Hey who's supposed to be asking the questions? You or me?" He asked playfully, still smiling at her.
She sighed, and leaned her head back. Giving her eyes a full veiw of the grey sky above. It was gloomy, no doubt about it. There was comfort in it though. It mirrored her inner self so well. She had seen herself in the clouds. "Because I don't. Ruki Makino does not-"
"Cry, I know." Lee interrupted her, and she immediately looked at him, a scowl still in her eyes. But he was not moved at all by this, and he contiued to speak. "I heard you scream it at the world. What I don't understand is why you, Ruki Makino, can't cry?"
"You heard that, huh?" She whispered, a faint pink from blushing.
"Uh, huh." He replied nodding.
"Oh." She turned her eyes away from her company. Gazing down into the sand. 'Blushing... me blushing. Who'd ever thought? Mother would be thrilled.' She thought to herself, glaring once her mother came back to her thoughts.
"Well. My question... why can't you cry?" Lee urged her on. He pushed himself from off the swing, and pulled his coat around him. The weather had taken another odd turn and the once warm humidity went cold, and a breeze began to blow. He dug his hands into his pockets again, and stared, also, at the sand. "I mean," He continued on, "I mean you're human just like anyone else. I'd think you'd have as much a right to cry like anyone else. What makes you think your so special." He said that last line to get a reaction out of her. He knew she would take offence to that, and he purpsoely said it, hoping she'd take the bait.
And take the bait she did, "What do you mean, what makes me so special?" She stood up abruptly and placed her hands on her hips. Her aburn hair fluttered in the continuing breeze, as did her coat which swirled around her. "I should have known I could not hold a decent conversation with you. God, men are sickening. I should have learned my lesson today after my mom's idiot ass of a boyfriend, but no Ruki, you just had to-" She rambled on talking more to herself than Lee.
Lee had gotten his reaction and he smiled from amusement. His smile grew wider with every word out her of mouth. She had no clue that she had played right into his bait, and before he knew it he was luaghing hysterically at her. Now this did not play well with Ms. Makino, not at all. She scowled meancingly at Lee. But he had not noticed her through his laughing. Finally fed up she approached him, "Lee!" She called. He still paid her no attention, "Lee!" She called again, he still laughed. She pressed her hands against his chest giving him a slight push, "Jenrya Lee!" But apprantly she had given him a little too hard of a push and that sent him flying backwards. Out of insticnt he grabbed her arm and next thing she knew, she was headed for the oncoming sand with him.
With a muffled thud, the two hit the ground and sent sand flying in all directions. Lee was sure that Ruki would be beyond angry, she wasn't exactly the playful type. But to his amazement, he was not bombarded with fists or cussing. In fact everything he had expected never came, instead the sound of a girl's laughter filled the air. Lee was stunned. His eyes were wide with shock, was Ruki actually laughing? The girl who was only capable of scowls and glares, and had insulted he, Takato, and everyone except maybe Juri on a daily basis? Oh no, this was too much, he looked into her laughing face. And Lee found himself taken back.
Her eyes were a gleaming shade of violet, and the glowed when she smiled. Flexes of blue twinkled and danced in the vibrant color of her eyes. And she had laugh lines, around her eyes. They didn't make her look old, in fact Lee was kinda found of them. Her cheeks were round and pink from her smiling, he had never noticed it before, but her teeth would peak from up under her thin curved lips. It gave her a different sort of appearance, whatever it was he liked it. In fact he had found that when she wasn't giving a death glare, she was actually quite pretty. Noticing this a small grin edged its way onto his face, as his arms, that had wrapped around her waist as they fell, settled around her body.
Ruki had not quite noticed how out of nature she was acting. She laughed on and on hysterically, she hadn't even noticed that Lee was smiling at her. She was overcomed with laughter, so much that she started crying from luaghing so hard. Literally tears came streaming down her giggling face, tracing around her smile. And then just as suddenly and unexpected her laughing tears had turned into nothing more than tears and wails. She had gone from utter bliss to depression in a matter of seconds, and Lee had sensed her sudden change in mood instantly.
The warm liquid came flowing down in a rush of emotion. She was in complete and total melt down, she had broken down into tears before Lee, and she wasn't sure if she was more upset about crying in general or about crying in front of Lee. Angry and hurt all at once, she banged her fist against his chest, causing him to wince slightly.
Lee staggered, but was evetually able to sit up. Ruki still crying against his chest. This was all so much and all at once that he had lost his cool for a brief moment. Ironically he was more afraid of her crying than with her scowling hatefully at him. Unsure of what to do for the first time in a long time, he allowed her to continue with her tears. Apart of him believed that she had been wanting to do this for a very long time.
"She chose her boyfriend over me!" Ruki cried out angrily. "Her stuck up jack ass boyfriend over me. He... he told her to send me away to some boarding school in France. And can you believe she actually thought about it. And... and when... and when I stood up for myself." Ruki was now close to hysterics, "She came after me shouting because her boyfriend walked away mad. Can you believe that!? I am her daughter and she chose some man who would leave her in a week over me. I am her child! I... AM... HER... CHILD!" She screamed out miserably.
Lee was now in pure shock. Ruki had just poured her heart out to him, and it was more than amazing. For so long he had stared into those cold, emotionless, violet eyes, and she had just betrayed them. He didn't know what to say, should he say something to calm her down? But what? He had never seen Ruki of all people like this, if anything he would expect something like this from Juri, she was far more sensitive than Ruki was, it made more sense. But he didn't complain, over even mention the fact that he was now beyond confused. Instead he found himself tightening his grip around her waist. He pulled her closer to him, and rocked her gently as she shed her tears that now bled into his shirt.
"You'd think she'd love me enough to stand up for me." She cried out into his shirt. Her arms were now wrapped tightly around his neck and her face burried deep into his chest. She had denied herself of one of the most natural human acts for so long. She couldn't fight anymore. She needed to cry and scream and tell someone that she hated how her mother fell over these no good for nothing men, who only wanted her money. They didn't love her mother, maybe that was why her mother had had a hard time loving Ruki. "She can't even love me completely," She whispered in soft sobs, "Why though? What's wrong with me? I'm her daughter? What's wrong with loving just me?"
Lee continued to rock her shivering body in his arms. She felt so nice near him, he didn't want to let her go. Holding her was the best thing to have ever happend to him. And so he held her, and rocked her, and whisperd in her ear. "Ssh," He told her gently, "Nothing's wrong with you. You're perfect. Your mother hasn't seen that yet. Ssh..." Her tears had lighten considerably now, and she was again calm. "Anyone could love you... I could love you." He whispered the words without realizing it until it was too late. Both he and Ruki went into shock. His grey eyes went just as wide as her violet ones. And the two reluctantly pulled away from each other.
They looked into each other eyes with identical shock and amazement. Ruki had wiped away the few tears left on her face. Had she heard correctly? The few minutes that passed had seemed to be a dream, already they were fading from memory. Most likely becasue of the disbelief that the moment had taken place.
By now the sun had long began to set, they sky was darker than ever and the park was illuminated by the street lamps. There was no moon this night, no diamond stars, just the velvety thickness of dark clouds and cold breezes.
"What did you say?" She sniffed out still shocked.
Lee immediately felt nervousness rush over him, what had he said? He wasn't sure himself. And did he mean it? He was more than sure that that was what she really wanted to know. He didn't want to take the words back and hurt her even more than what she was now, but he didn't want to say them again without being sure. That would hurt him even more. He searched deep within himself for an answer, but it was not coming quickly enough.
Ruki's eyes went from shock to sad in a matter of seconds. She pulled her coat closer to her body, as now the chill of the air began to take a toll. "Figures... I should have known." She said without so much of a second glance. Her eyes were downcast now, and she stared expressionless at the ground.
"Ruki... I... I" But the words had still not come.
"No, no. Please don't. I've had enough for one day." She said still not looking at him. She was more than sure that he did not mean what he said, 'I was expecting the impossible.' She thought to herself. And a self hatred built up from shame built up in her.
Lee was now very ashamed of himself. He didn't want to hurt her like that. That was never his intentions. But what did he plan on accomplishing this day when he approached her? He was not sure himself anymore. All he could remember was wanting to help her. Then she pushed him and they fell and she laughed. He smiled to himself. She was so beautiful, she had denied anyone of seeing her gorgeous smile. Then she cried and that was when he told her. Because she felt something was wrong with her, she thought no one could love her. But that was far from the truth, many people could if given the chance even...
"I could love you." He stated as though a revelation had hit him.
Ruki had not paid attention to him. She was lost in her own isolated misery. That is until she felt a warm hand touch her cheek. Startled she turned to look at Lee. He had the oddest of smiles on his face, and his eyes were so warm. Again those grey eyes made her nervous, she wanted turn away from their gaze but he wouldn't let her. His hand was now under her chin guiding her face to his. She still looked extremely hurt, but he smiled.
"I could love you," He reapted leaning closer to her.
"What?" She had a look of supremem disbelief.
"If you'd let me." He finished. There faces were now amazingly close to one another. Her thin pink lips were inviting to Lee, he was tempted to kiss her. Very tempted.
They stared at one another, Ruki still with some disbelief. The wind kicked up and swirled around them, it began to feel more and more like ice around them , and Ruki shivered just slightly. That's when she felt two arms wrap around her body, Lee had pulled her close to him again, and she didn't dare fight it. His body was inviting and warm. She felt at peace in his embrace. Ruki could not even recall the last time she had felt at peace, if she ever had.
His hands swpet gently across her face, and she sighed contentedly. "I'll let you love me... if you let me love you." She whispred, as he kissed her sweetly on her forehead.
"Thank you." He whispered into her listening ear.
Author's note: Okay, so... what do you think? Don't flame me too badly. I don't think I could take it. And if any of you have read my series fic "Of Demons and an Angel" could you email me with a few suggestions as to where to go with the final chapter. I am at a complete lost. Thanks! ~IC-chan
