Blind Date ch. 2
The next day passed rather uneventfully for both Hotsuma and Ryoko. Hotsuma was trying to get his mind off what he had seen last night, and Ryoko was looking around for her mystery man. Finally, it was 6:00. Complete with a new pair of contacts, Ryoko hurried down to the dining room. Hotsuma had also acquired a new set of glasses, and he left his room a few minutes after Ryoko left hers.
Before going to the dining room to meet his mystery girl. Hotsuma stopped by the spa's gift store to buy a gift for her. Browsing around the gift shop, Hotsuma spotted the perfect gift. It was a little brown teddy bear holding a red heart in its paws. The heart said "You're beary beautiful." Corny, but Hotsuma had a feeling that she'd like it. That was one of the things that Yugi had built into him, a feeling of what women want. She gave him this ability so he could seduce Ryoko, but he had learned after Yugi's capture that he could apply it to any woman. However, the one woman it worked on with any great accuracy was Ryoko, and even then it was fairly hit-or-miss. Paying the ten dollars for the bear, Hotsuma strode over to the dining room with a small smile on his face. If nothing else, tonight would be very interesting.
Ryoko leaned on the wall of the dining room, waiting for the man she met last night to show up, and hoping that he would recognize her, because all she could remember of his appearance was silky blonde hair that could belong to about half the males in this room, much less in the hotel. Suddenly, a tallish man with blue eyes, glasses, and shoulder-length blonde hair entered the room. Ryoko gasped. It was him.
* * *
Bear under his arm, Hotsuma glanced around the room. He wasn't meeting his mystery girl until dinner time, but he liked to be a little early. Suddenly, his eyes came to rest on a cyan-haired woman. She had matured slightly since he had last seen her, but she was still the most beautiful woman in the room. Woah boy. This is Ryoko. You know, the one you tried to kill!?! People whom you try to kill are not usually the ones you term 'beautiful'! Hotsuma sighed. He knew all that, but it 'beautiful' and 'Ryoko' just seemed to go together naturally. He turned to find a spot where he could watch for the woman he had met last night, hopefully across the room from Ryoko
Suddenly, Hotsuma felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning around, he looked into the golden eyes of his former partner.
* * *
"Hotsuma! Fancy meeting you here." Ryoko grinned, her fangs betraying the fact that it was not an altogether friendly smile. "Why don't you come over and chat with an old partner?" If he thought he was going to get away after he had almost killed her, then he was dead wrong.
"As enthralling as that sounds, Ryoko, I'm waiting for someone" Oh no, he wasn't getting off that easily. "As a matter of fact, so am I. Why don't we wait together?" Something in Ryoko's eyes and smile said that that was not a suggestion. She smiled even wider when he resignedly shuffled over to her.
Hotsuma sighed resignedly. "Hot date tonight? Do I know him?" "Oh, no. You see, he is a gentleman. Hardly the type of man that you would know." He winced, and Ryoko smiled. First blood. Then, Hotsuma smiled. "Maybe. I happen to have a beautiful, charming young woman as my date tonight. You might know her, but I doubt it. She's not prone to sudden acts of violence." "Oh really?" Ryoko mock-pouted "And I thought you liked senseless violence. You seemed to have a great fondness for it back in space." In his mind, Hotsuma growled. "Look, I really don't want to mess up my suit, Ryoko. Can we save the revenge battle for afterwards? Truce, just for tonight?" Ryoko considered. She had gotten all dressed up for her date, and if she fought Hotsuma now, she'd probably end up looking like she'd gotten on the bad side of a couple dozen Jurian princesses. She winced slightly. "Ok, if you insist…Hotsu-kun" she grinned at him. His eyebrows rose slightly, but he relaxed, a small smile inching its way over his face.
They sat down in a corner of the room, with a good view of the door. Ryoko didn't really want to remember her time in space, but as they talked, she became more and more comfortable. After awhile, they completely forgot about their dates, each enjoying the presence of the other. Hours passed.
It was going on eight when a short man appeared before them. It was the artist from yesterday.
"How are you two doing today? I was about to send the pictures up to the rooms when I spotted you down here. I figured you'd rather have them sooner than later, seeing as you're both down here…together…" He winked. "So I'll just give them to you now. I hope you like them. 's some of my better work, if I do say so myself. 'Course, I did have a beautiful couple to draw inspiration from. You two have a nice night, now." He handed them each a brown paper package, then hurried off. There were so many couples, he was kept very busy.
Hotsuma and Ryoko looked at each other, their faces strange mixtures of emotions. Fear, embarrassment, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of hope, too.
They opened the packages with out speaking, tearing into the brown paper as if the inconsequential wrappings held the secret to life itself. Which, in a way, they did.
Ryoko was the first one to get a look at her picture. She stared at it, not wanting to see it, but not capable of turning her eyes away. She and Hotsuma were standing there, blissfully unaware. Hotsuma had his arm around her – she blushed slightly, remembering that. She was blushing in the picture, too, but the really scary thing was, she looked like she was having the time of her life. 'Which, you were. Or have you forgotten the kiss last night?' Ryoko told herself to please shut up.
A couple feet from Ryoko, Hotsuma was having the same thoughts. As he looked on the painting, he remembered the feel of Ryoko's skin against his. He smiled softly as he looked at the figures in the painting, the slight blush on Ryoko's cheeks. He traced his fingers down her painted face, resting them slightly on her eyes, her lips. 'Ryoko'
Finally, Ryoko couldn't take it any longer. She got up to leave. Sensing her intent, Hotsuma grabbed her wrist. Ryoko gasped a little, his touch doing funny things to her heart rate, but she turned around. "W-What is it, Hotsuma?"
"This is for you"
Ryoko barely had time to react as a brown furry something came flying at her face. She caught it with the grace of years of practice. It was a cute stuffed bear holding a heart that said 'You're beary beautiful'
Ryoko smiled and gave up on her pride.
"Hotsu-kun…." He looked up at her. She was smiling. That meant that he wasn't going to die just yet. That was good.
"D'ya wanna dance, Hotsu-kun?"
* * *
The rest of the night flew by for Hotsuma and Ryoko. They danced every dance, and when the time came for the band to pack up and all good girls and boys to go to sleep, they begged the musicians for one more dance.
So the director whispered to the members of the bad, and they played one more song, for the couple on the dance floor, so in love.
Ryoko blushed and Hotsuma looked uncomfortable as the band played their final song. It was 'As Time Goes By' from Casablanca.
You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.
Suddenly, before he even knew what he was doing, Hotsuma hugged Ryoko to him. He shook with remembered emotions. Memories flashed though his mind. Ryoko and him, in space, the way Ryoko looked during a heist; alive, cat-like, beautiful. And that boy. Tenchi. He didn't deserve Ryoko…but she was willing to give up her life for him.
And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you."
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by.
"Hotsuma…you're hurting me…" Ryoko struggled against him. As he was wandering down memory lane, he had been tightening his grip, until a team of wild horses couldn't pull him away.
Hotsuma loosened his grip. "Oh, sorry Ryoko…" He blushed and looked extremely embarrassed. Ryoko winced and rubbed her arms. "It's fine. Just don't let it happen again, 'kay?" Hotsuma grinned, relieved. "Okay."
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny.
Hotsuma took her hand in his and twirled her around the dance floor. His eyes softened as he took in the beautiful woman before him. How could he ever been so stupid as to give her up? His jealousy, coupled with Yugi's orders, had finally driven him over the edge, until he had decided that if he couldn't have Ryoko, no one would.
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
Ryoko, too, was lost in la-la land. She remembered how she felt, that first job at the Federation Bank. She had still been hurt, after seeing Sakuya with Tenchi, and she was reluctant to trust this handsome newcomer. But he had pushed her out of the way, taking the bullet that had been meant for her…of course, she hadn't known then that it was all just a part of his plan…Ryoko frowned and pushed herself out of his arms. How had she forgotten!? He was evil. EVIL.
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.
"I have to go." Ryoko growled at him. For the second time that night, Hotsuma grabbed her wrist, but this time she stated simply, in a voice void of emotion "Let me go." "Ryoko…" Ryoko pulled away from him. "You tried to kill me, Hotsuma. Or don't you remember that little detail? You tried to keep me away from my home, my family. You-You tried to keep me away from Tenchi." Hotsuma growled low, under his breath. "I see you're still hung up on that little boy. What has he ever given you, Ryoko? He left you and you know it. You are nothing to him."
Ryoko whipped around, not bothering to hide her tears. "And you are nothing compared to him! Just leave me alone, Hotsuma. Leave me alone." She ran out of the room, trying desperately not to break down completely before she got to her room. If she had looked back, she would have seen Hotsuma staring silently at the brown stuffed bear on the floor. If she had taken more time, and looked closer, she would have seen a lone tear fall from his cold eye and drop onto the heart the bear was holding.
Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.
