A/N: Happy Valentines Day! Whether you're a fan of this holiday or not, there's always a reason for a FF, so... Don't expect much from this, it's definitely not the best thing I've ever written to be sure haha. But Ruka and Kain can always use some more love! This is set in the modern day, normal world, and you can picture your favorite redhead dressed nicely in a suit and tie along with his one earring ;).
I don't own VK, but I do own this overly cheesy Vday plan to win Ruka's heart~
For a run-of-the-mill, 9-5, Monday-Friday office job, Akatsuki Kain thought he had it pretty good. He was a floor supervisor, and his floor just happened to be at the top of the building, where the CEO of the company, Kaname Kuran, had his office. It was there, in the corner, that her desk resided. Her. Ruka Souen, private secretary for Mr. Kuran and the single most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on. It was obvious why the CEO had hired her as his secretary; she was like an Aphrodite or a Helen of Troy... Akatsuki stared at her covertly from where he stood at the water cooler. Today her wavy, honey-colored hair was tied in a loose ponytail that draped languidly over her left shoulder, and he knew without having to stand beside her that it would smell faintly of the vanilla rose shampoo she always used. Her outfit was, as always, chic and elegant: a cream-colored sweater that clung to her form suggestively, with a low but modest V-neck collar that exposed smooth, pale skin and a hint of cleavage, paired with a black pencil skirt and cream heels. Her pearl jewelry and nail polish accented the ensemble impeccably, and at least to Akatsuki, it seemed as though Ruka had stepped straight off the pages of a magazine...and into his heart.
At first, he had to admit, he'd only been infatuated with her cool yet refined beauty. Later, he'd been intrigued with her gestures and mannerisms. Ruka walked with a slight sashay that she didn't seem aware of, but the movement of her hips was hypnotic, and his eyes were drawn to her like magnets each time she passed by his office. When she was frustrated or bored, she'd sit in her chair, cheek in hand, and stare down at her memo pad through that screen of long, thick eyelashes. She answered the phone in a clipped, professional tone, but when she received a call from a friend on her break, her voice transformed into something vibrant and rich with emotion. Akatsuki was even fascinated by her flowery, dramatic handwriting, which occupied about twice the amount of space on the memo pad that it should have, but no one ever complained. And, of course, he noticed how her mouth curved upwards and her eyes sparked, changing from muted russet to warm sienna, whenever Kaname Kuran entered the room. Ruka Souen was completely and unequivocally besotted with her boss. It was common knowledge on their floor, and probably throughout the entire building.
Nevertheless, Akatsuki had been drawn closer to her, pulled in as though she held him suspended on a string. Each time Ruka idly twined a strand of loose hair around her finger, she was reeling him in, little by little, until he hadn't been able to escape. He'd started chatting with her on breaks, bringing her little tidbits from the pastry shops when he went out to lunch, eventually phoning her sporadically on the weekends to meet him for a coffee or a shopping spree. He knew what sorts of invitations a woman like Ruka Souen would be compelled to agree to, and he had succeeded, all under the pretense of friendship, even when he longed for much more. Ruka, as he'd discovered, was headstrong, independent, and even mischievous. On rare occasions, she was even the primary instigator in office pranks. He still remembered the time Ruka had caught their former employee, Hanabusa Aidou, obliviously doodling away in his notebook...
Ruka leaned over the back of Hanabusa's chair, and Akatsuki felt a sharp pang of envy resonate through his chest. How lucky Hanabusa was, though he probably didn't even realize it, to be that close to her, to be able to breathe in the sweet scented cloud that wafted around her. Hanabusa was the type to take everything for granted, given his uncanny talents and good looks, and Akatsuki almost resented him for it. Wanted to resent him, but Hanabusa was too much of an airhead for that.
"What's that you've got there?" Ruka inquired, abruptly snatching up the notepad and retreating a few paces out of reach.
"Hey!" Hanabusa snapped, immediately standing up in his chair.
"Oh, what's this?" she teased. "Such a beautiful picture of you in the middle... Is that Kaname dressed as a ballerina there? The one curtseying to you? I'm sure he'd love to see this. What a work of art."
"Give that back!" the blond had demanded, obviously mortified by her suggestion, as his cheeks had suddenly turned bright red.
"Oh my. And that is...a very unflattering picture of Seiren..." The secretary's eyebrows shot up.
Hanabusa leapt towards Ruka, intent on retrieving his notebook, but the honey-haired woman had shrieked, "Akatsuki!" and he didn't know what it was. Hearing his name like that, like she was in need of saving, like she needed a knight in shining armor to rescue her...that single word had shot through his veins like a drug, and against his better judgment he found himself in the middle of the frenzy, restraining Hanabusa as Ruka skipped triumphantly to the fax machine and promptly scanned the page in an email addressed to every employee on the floor.
Akatsuki chuckled to himself as he tossed out the plastic water cup. Hanabusa had never lived down that doodle. Of course, apart from a verbal reprimanding, he hadn't been punished. Hanabusa had just been too good at his job, and that was why he was now heading another branch of the company in New York. Akatsuki still had that sketch archived in his email, because... Embarrassing as it was, that was the first time Ruka had chosen him over everyone else. It was his name she had called, and that alone was worth remembering.
Retreating back to his office, Akatsuki felt his mouth elongate into a straight, tense line. Yeah... That wasn't the only time she'd needed him...it was just the most trivial time... After all, hadn't it been a few months later that she'd shown up at his door, clothes rumpled, lipstick smudged, sobbing, because Kaname Kuran had used her and thrown her out like trash? The redhead passed a weary hand over his eyes. He'd let her into his apartment, held her against his chest and soothed her tears, picked up all the pieces Kaname had shattered and strewn about, and in the morning after sacrificing his bed and sleeping on the couch, he'd made her breakfast. Ruka, she'd seemed fragile then, but she'd managed to rein herself in and smile and thank him, and walked out the next day with her head held high, once again the queen of her own life. But it was obvious she was heartbroken. She had waited a year for Kaname to notice her, waited and loved him for months and months, and he had taken advantage of her for a night of distraction. Akatsuki loathed him. Ruka was neither cheap nor easy. She wasn't a woman to be lightly used and cast aside like a travel-pack of Kleenex. In those scant, heated moments with her boss she had been thinking at last, at last we can be together.
At last nothing. Because Kaname Kuran was an entitled asshole. She surely realized that now. For the first week after the incident, her smiles towards her boss had been pained, forced, and bitter. Her fingers had quivered on the button of her mouse whenever he'd stopped by to inform her of something. Now, she was composed and regal once again, but there was a noticeable difference. A coldness to her demeanor, betrayed only by the subtle shift of hues in her eyes. Akatsuki knew it was because she still harbored feelings for the CEO, slimy and reprehensible as he was, and because her heart was still sore. Time hadn't really mended those wounds.
Pitiful as it was, Akatsuki had never ceased thinking about it. She had come to him, after all... She hadn't wanted to go to her girlfriends, she'd told him so, because she didn't want to seem pitiable and weak. She didn't want them to know how broken she had felt, so she'd turned to him...why? Because she didn't mind if he saw those vulnerable parts of her she wanted to hide from everyone else? He didn't want to believe that he was special in any way to her. That might give him hope, and hope was dangerous, insidious. It crept under his skin and tainted his dreams. But, damn it, he did feel hopeful. He couldn't help it. And thinking that, sitting there in his office, that was the moment he made his decision.
Wednesday morning, February 1st, 9:08 AM. Two weeks to Valentine's Day. Ruka was sitting casually at her desk, applying lip gloss in anticipation of a long day on the phone. He approached, eyes raking appreciatively over her pale yellow dress and fur-lined boots, though he kept his gaze strictly to her face when she acknowledged him. It was difficult to deny himself the pleasure of observing her lean, slender form and long legs, but he didn't want her to think he was interested only because she was gorgeous. No, quite the contrary... Ruka could have been entirely different and he would have still ended up madly in love with her. She was the very definition of his type.
"Good morning, 'Katsuki," she greeted, employing the pet name she'd started calling him by months ago after they'd become friends. He loved it. The shortened syllable sent shivers down his spine.
"Good morning Ruka," he answered with a smile. "I brought you a little something in anticipation of the February season." He placed the slim, clear vase adorned with a pink ribbon on her desk. A single red rose, not yet fully in bloom, stood in the water. Roses might have been the staple flower of Valentine's Day, but they were also the flower he associated with Ruka. If another blossom had been more appropriate for her, he would have chosen that one instead.
"Oh!" A pretty, faint flush colored her cheeks momentarily. "Thank you." She offered him a sincere, pleased smile, and he internally congratulated himself. With Ruka, it was best to start small. A simple gesture. And then...
The next day, he added a second rose. On the third day, a white one appeared beside the other two, providing some contrast between the blooms. Ruka was all about designer fashion and he had learned her aesthetic tastes well. He wasn't disappointed by her reaction, and another trio of identical flowers followed. Then chocolates, perfume, a cashmere scarf. Expense was meaningless to him. He earned an ample salary and had no one to spend it on but himself. What was a scarf and some perfume? He didn't even have siblings to spend his money on during the Christmas season. Ruka's adorable, slightly flustered and entirely delighted expression was worth every penny. On the last day, Valentine's itself, he gave her only a card and left her to read it with some semblance of privacy. It read:
Roses are red and violets are blue,
And beautiful though they are,
Neither compares to you.
For your final gift, meet me at Picolo's at 7:30 PM this Saturday.
Across the office, it was obvious she was blushing.
Akatsuki was patient. Overly so, perhaps. Ruka had been working at the company with him for two years now, and still he hadn't made his move, even after the fiasco with Kaname. He'd been in love with her almost the entire duration of those years, and he felt he had to try. If he waited too long, someone else would most assuredly swoop in and take her. Even if his endeavor ended in failure, Akatsuki wanted to say he'd tried. He was giving this his best effort, and that was why he'd reserved the terrace of a particularly high-brow, expensive Italian restaurant. Ruka liked to be spoiled. So that's exactly what he intended to do.
On Saturday, Ruka arrived in style in a sleek, sexy black sheath of a dress, her hair swept up in an elaborate bun and ornamented with tiny bejeweled rose clips. There had been no doubt in his mind that she was coming, because Ruka couldn't resist the temptation to be pampered. So the staff escorted them up to the balcony, decorated with flowers and twinkling lights, that overlooked the city. Soft instrumental music played through hidden speakers and the faint perfume of flowers drifted through the air. In the center was a single table seated for two, lit by candlelight. Ruka clutched at his arm excitedly, eyes gleaming as she absorbed the scene.
Dinner was a series of small dishes. First, a light salad and soup, followed by an antipasto. Then came the main dish, which was an elaborate pasta layered with fine cheeses. He engaged her in casual, easy conversation, distracting her from the true purpose of this evening. He didn't want to give her time to formulate her rejection. Even if such a rejection was unavoidable, he wanted to pretend that this evening was real. To imagine that Ruka was not just a coworker and a friend, but something more... Even if such a daydream would only make the heartbreak more acute. And it was all too easy to imagine such a thing when she was sitting across from him like this, a soft laugh tumbling from her summer-pink lips as she easily swept him away with a mundane conversation about her outing with a few friends last night.
After a dessert of chocolate mousse, he rose, extending his hand as he asked, "May I have this dance?"
Ruka laughed melodically. "Of course." Her soft palm met his as their fingers intertwined, and she rose gracefully from her seat.
Akatsuki wasn't an expert dancer, but he twirled her further out onto the balcony with confidence, and she easily followed his lead. It was surreal, holding her this close with his hand lightly perched on her waist, spinning into oblivion in front of the entire, night-lit city. For one dizzying moment, he thought he would be brutally awoken from this. That it would be nothing more than a dream. A fantasy. Yet, the vanilla rose of Ruka's shampoo, intermingled with the perfume he had gifted her only days before, inebriated his senses. And as the music slowed and she leaned her head against his chest, he could feel the light, electric pressure of her body against his. It was entirely real. Entirely overwhelming. He was digging his own grave, digging deeper and deeper until the hole would turn into an abyss and the pain of her refusal would cripple him forever, but he was unable to stop himself.
"This is...so much," Ruka mumbled into his shirt. "You didn't have to do all of this."
"I wanted to." He shrugged modestly. "You deserve it."
For a short, worrisome interval, she didn't reply. Then, with a shake of her head, she added, "I expected the last surprise to be dinner. But this..."
"Oh, this isn't your final gift," he contradicted. Ruka stood apart from him now, eyebrows raising a fraction of an inch in surprise. "Come here," he said, leading her to the rail of the balcony. This was it. The moment that would change everything for better or worse. Slowly, as though he was hammering the last nail into his own coffin, he withdrew a rectangular box from one of the pockets in his slacks and handed it to her. "This is your final gift."
Wordlessly, and perhaps a little breathlessly, if he dared to hope, Ruka opened the box, revealing a glittering necklace of dripping moonstones. For a moment, she pressed her hand to her mouth, cheeks red, speechless. Under the lights, the gems reflected back a rainbow of colors that touched across her face and highlighted her features with flashes of color. Carefully, he extracted the jewelry and, after Ruka had lowered her hand and removed her previous necklace, clasped it around her neck.
"Akatsuki...why?" she asked, fingering the gems with apparent delight as the redhead placed her old necklace into the box and returned it to his pocket for the time being.
He took a breath. Why. Why...? Because he'd seen her flipping through that magazine, lingering over this necklace in particular. Because he paid attention. Because Ruka was the most beautiful woman in the world. Because he loved her. Because she deserved to be cherished and respected. Because she made him laugh. Because she made his heart race. Because under all of her vanity and stubbornness, she was kind and generous and cute. Because a million reasons. Because. Simply because. He wasn't even sure where to begin.
So he closed the gap between them, pulled her flush against him and ignored the fear that stabbed his gut, warning him off, warning him that he was not really embracing her, but embracing the end of their friendship. He stroked his thumb along her cheek, painting the words across her mouth with the brush of his lips: "Because I'm in love with you, Ruka."
Her breath stilled. He didn't hesitate, even though he knew he should. His lips pressed gently against hers, eliminating even the barest of spaces between them. He hated that space. Every moment should be like this one, intimately connected with her, intimately close. Her mouth was so sweet against his, sweet and perfect and damn…damn how he wanted her. How he wanted her to just say yes, to finally be with him the way he'd longed for and desired all this time. There was a moment, one in which she hesitated, uncertain in her reaction. Her lips quavered against his, and then deliciously, impossibly, they were returning the pressure as her arms wrapped around him, bringing him closer still. He took a risk, gambled everything on this precious, perilous moment, and deepened the kiss. Her breath caught in her throat, her fingers tangled at the back of his neck, and he could almost feel the rapid drum of her heartbeat against his skin. His own heart was rushing so fast he felt light-headed. His legs were weakening with disbelief and impossibility. It felt...it was almost as though she felt something in return for him... Even though he doubted she had ever considered him an option before.
He released her then, touching his forehead to hers as he breathlessly repeated his confession, "I'm in love with you. Ruka...go out with me." Please. The unvoiced word echoed through his thoughts towards infinity.
She laughed, albeit softly. The sound cut through him with dread, with the sharp edge of a knife. She laughed, and then inquired, "All this, just to ask me out?"
Torn between emotions, he could only answer through numb, deadening lips, "Yes."
She averted her eyes, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders, as she quieted for a beat. Then, "You know, I'm still... I haven't gotten over what happened before, with Kaname..."
His heart dropped. He swallowed. "Let me help you forget," he whispered, attempting to keep the plea from his tone. Let me love you, Ruka.
"I'm not sure that I can," she responded honestly. Her eyes met his again, sincere russet against turbulent amber. "But, if you're okay with that... I'm willing to try."
Static. His brain was churning over like an over-heated computer drive, stuck in the same endless loop. Short-circuiting. What? He couldn't remember her response.
"Yes, I'll go out with you," she clarified, and a wide, bursting smile began overtaking his lips.
It wasn't love. Ruka didn't love him, at least not yet. Tomorrow, she could change her mind and call everything off. But it was a start. And he hoped, against all the odds, against her mouth as he kissed her a second time, that it might just turn into a lasting love. Only time would tell. And Akatsuki was willing to wait. He would wait for Ruka's love, no matter how long it took. He only hoped that she didn't keep him waiting too long.
A/N: Sooo, what do you think? Hope it wasn't terribly OOC but as I said just a quick something for Vday... Anyway, Ruka is so pig-headed... -sigh- I mean, would anyone else out there wait around for Kanashi-I mean Kaname, when Kain is obv better in every way? No, I didn't think so. -muffling the cries of Kaname fans with her hand- What was that? No no I don't hear anything... -breaks out the duct tape- No, definitely 100% everyone would choose Kain... (LOL sorry if you like Kaname hehehe I don't mind but it's no real secret I'm not his biggest fan. I'm the worst XD)