Summery: Ryoma's a private lover, Fuji's persistant and sneaky, and Sakuno is just plain tired of all the pictures...
Private Lover
One-shot
- -
When we're both alone,
And no one is around to bother,
You're even gentler and…
In moments like this,
I remember why I fell in love with you in the first place.
- -
She smiled lightly at Eiji-sempai's joke as the once acrobatic player was giving full detail on what had happened the other day by jumping on top of the small wooden coffee table, his hands and facial expressions moving along with the story. Besides her Ryoma merely smirked before excusing himself to the bathroom, in acknowledgement she gave a brief nod before lifting the cup of coffee closer to her face as a blush made its way up her face. Ryoma's fingers had trailed across her shoulders as he had passed, his hand lingering even more so on the necklace he had given her when they were younger.
None of the old Seigaku regular's that had visited them, had noticed. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ryoma's back disappear around the corner and turned around, facing her guest with a smile. Momo-chan-sempai took the seat next to her with a grin (he, like Eiji-sempai, Oishi-sempai, and Fuji-sempai, wanted her to call him by his given name—or at least get rid of the honorifics—but she said it was far to uncomfortable and after trying for nearly ten years now, they've nearly given up.).
"You miss, Ryo-chin already, Sakuno?" Momo-chan-sempai asked, nudging her.
"Oy, Momo-chan!" Eiji-sempai said, still standing on the table with his hands now on his hips, "don't call Ochibi, 'Ryo-chin!' It makes him sound like that guy from that anime…Drunk Smash? Nya, Oishi! Help me out here!"
The dark haired man gave a small smile as Momo-chan-sempai snickered into her shoulder. "It's Slamdunk, Eiji," Oishi-sempai said before placing his hand out to his old doubles partner, "get off the table, Eiji. I'm sure Sakuno-chan doesn't want you on it."
"Aw, all right," Eiji said, holding Oishi's hand and bouncing off, "but I just wanted to tell my story and I got excite—"
"Get your hands off of her, Momo-sempai."
Sakuno looked over her shoulder and saw Ryoma scowling at Momo-chan-sempai while holding a very old Karupin who meowed in his arms. Snickering, Momo-chan-sempai moved away from her before saying, "Sure are protective of her, Ryo-chin."
"Momo," Eiji-sempai began to scold again before Oishi-sempai caught his attention by handing him a chocolate bar. Sakuno could barely contain a giggle at that as Ryoma squeezed back into his place, shoving Momo-chan-sempai away.
"Don't call me that," Ryoma huffed before looking down at Karupin and stroking the fur lovingly.
Instead of feeling the odd jealousy she use too or watching him with large interest, she leaned over, her shoulder touching his as she began to stroke at Karupin's fur as well. She barely recognized Oishi-sempai and Eiji-sempai arguing lightly or Momo-chan-sempai talking to Fuji-sempai while looking at her and Ryoma. All she could really focus on was how Ryoma seemed to lean his body a bit into her, his hands brushing at hers once in a while as if they were a mistake.
However, Sakuno knew his little tricks by now and was smiling fondly at Karupin. Ryoma never like to show affection in front of people or, more so, towards people. He's taste, which she found out months after they started going out, was to pretend he did everything on accident in front of people. Like a light brush against hands as they walked side-by-side or leaning a bit more if someone accidentally bumped him into her or, if someone was 'flirting' with her, he'd come round and place himself even closer. Things that were done in front of people always had a purpose which he could reason his way out of…
In private though, she thought, fondly scratching at Karupin's ears who gave meow of satisfaction, it's like Ryoma is a different person. A light blush touched her cheeks at that thought and she looked shyly up at Ryoma who looked back almost immediately. She grinned at him, her hand rising upwards to brush a hair away from his face and, surprisingly, he smiled back.
Click.
Ryoma head snapped at where Fuji-sempai was sitting and he glowered at the other adult who merely smiled back and waved his camera at them, Sakuno gave a smile back. Later, she decided, she'd have to get a copy of the picture—no matter what Ryoma said about it.
"Sorry," Fuji-sempai said, placing the camera on his lap and keeping a firm hold on it with one hand. It was probably for protection, seeing as the last picture he had taken of Ryoma, Ryoma had stolen the camera and hid it for weeks until Fuji-sempai said something to him and Ryoma had grudgingly gave it back… What that something had been, Sakuno still didn't know.
"It was the perfect moment to take the picture."
"Who asked you to?" Ryoma asked, looking irritated.
Sakuno sighed and lifted Karupin off Ryoma's lap and out of danger, despite having a few picture's taken for his tennis career, Ryoma still hated it. "Calm down, Ryoma," she said, looking at him with a frown, "it was just one picture. Anyway, could you make a copy of it for me, Fuji-sempai?"
"Of course, Sakuno," Fuji-sempai said, placing the camera into its bag, "I was planning to do that anyway."
"You're going to keep it?" Ryoma asked, looking at her with his own frown.
She nodded, smiling at Karupin before getting up. "Yes," she answered, catching Karupin's attention with a snap of her fingers, "come on Karu-chan. Time for your dinner."
The Himalayan cat meowed happily, following her into the small kitchen. "Fine, I don't care," Ryoma said, his voice reaching her ears. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle when she entered into the kitchen, Ryoma was still the same stubborn boy she fell in love with ten years ago. As she reached up to grab the can of cat food in the shelf, hands wrapped around her waist and instantly she sat the can of cat food on the counter and leaned in.
"It's not fair," Ryoma muttered into her hair before pulling away, still pouting as he crossed his arms. Sakuno looked to the entrance of the kitchen and saw Momo-chan-sempai enter the kitchen a moment later. Ryoma's hearing was amazing; she didn't even realize someone was coming into the room.
"We're going to head off to the restaurant first," he said as Sakuno used a can opener to open the cat food, "Fuji-sempai wants to drop off his camera at home before we go."
"I'm not surprised," Sakuno said, sharing a smile with her old sempai. Momo-chan-sempai smile grew even more as Ryoma let out an audible, "che," but left them alone again. Sakuno listened to the people leaving her apartment as she placed the bowl on the floor, Karupin rushed to it, meowing happily. She rubbed at the cat's back a bit before standing up and moving towards Ryoma when he motioned for her to come closer.
After a few steps, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She watched with a small smile as a light pink touched his cheeks and he moved his head slightly away, still smiling she leaned forward and rested her forehead on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her a moment later and she sighed happily. "Don't be upset about the picture," she said, lifting her head and looking him the eye, but he still wore a frown, "it's only one."
"Yeah, I know," Ryoma said dryly, "but did he have to take you in it?"
Her eyes widened a bit and a hand was raised to her lips as she giggled, Ryoma's eyes narrowed at her in confusion but when he didn't ask her what she was laughing at, she answered the unsaid question. "Is that why you won't let Fuji-sempai take pictures?" she asked, smiling when she calmed her giggles.
"Maybe," he muttered, titling his forehead forward and resting it against hers. She savored the feeling for a bit before pulling away and walking back out into the living room.
"They're going to be waiting."
"They can wait," Ryoma growled behind her, wrapping his arm around her. Her eyes widened for a moment, her hands caught in the air as he pulled her towards him.
Click.
His head snapped up and Fuji-sempai appeared out from behind the couch, camera in hand. "So cruel, Echizen," he said, smiling with his eyes open. "You act like you don't care about Sakuno but your actually very caring aren't you?"
"Fuji-sempai," Ryoma said coolly and Fuji-sempai smile widened, his eyes showing.
"I think," Fuji-sempai said, placing his camera away, "I'll put this for my class project. Private lover sounds nice doesn't it?"
"Fuji-sempai," Ryoma repeated with a growl.
"Ryoma," Sakuno warned a moment later causing the other to frown before walking towards the bedroom. She sighed and Fuji-sempai frowned innocently, his eyes closed now. "I'm sorry, Fuji-sempai. I'll go take care of it. We'll both be seeing you at the restaurant, promise."
Fuji-sempai nodded. "Don't take too long, I hear Eiji and Momo are both complaining about how hungry they are."
She nodded back before moving towards the bedroom and finding Ryoma looking out through the apartment window. "I want to see the picture," she said, not moving towards him and Ryoma grunted in acknowledgement. "And—And I want to have it help Fuji-sempai so, Ryoma…"
"I don't care," Ryoma answered tiredly. He turned around and motioned for her again, smiling she returned into his arms. "Just…remind me never to invite Fuji-sempai to anything ever again."
"OK," she whispered, "I will."
"Good," Ryoma said, tightening his hold, "Why does he like taking pictures of you so much?"
"I don't know," she answered, although she did. Fuji-sempai said her looks were perfect to be his model and asked a few times if she could do so, (and that, it would be even more perfect if Ryoma would join in too) but she'd always decline, knowing full well that Ryoma would say no. She wasn't interested anyway, she quite content with her life and didn't want Ryoma getting more attention then he already needed.
"Private lover…" Ryoma suddenly murmured. "He's so weird."
"It fits though," she said and Ryoma nodded, silent as his eyes stared out of the apartment building while he held her in his arms. She smiled as she closed her eyes. Ever since she was young she always thought of Ryoma as perfect, back when she was always with him from afar, around everyone else. But, when they were alone, she couldn't help but love him even more.
End
Author's Note: I haven't been updating because I've been having a crummy week. Also, I just found out the fifth job I applied too, won't hire me. Nya, I feel sad. So, the story is suppose to be fluffy even though at some parts it might not seem it.
Sakuno and Ryoma have been together for almost ten years. Their twenty-two years old in this fic.