36 Drabbles

25: Growth

It was amazing how much people could change in a short span of time. Certainly Ryoma himself knew this, having encountered a drastic growth spurt during his year in America. Granted, his height didn't really bother him too much until he went back to Japan to finish his schooling, and looked down at Ryuzaki Sakuno. A sort of masculine pride flew through him when he realized that she was blushing as she took in his new appearance, her body shadowed by his taller figure. And not only his height had changed; Ryoma's voice became a few tones deeper, his face more pronounced and his muscles built from so much training.

So it bothered Ryoma one day when he began to recognize all the different changes that occurred in his girlfriend.

It started when he waited for her outside her house as usual on a school day. She had come out of the house, as she always had in her uniform, clutching her keys in one hand and her school bag in the other. Sakuno turned to look the door after waving hello to Ryoma, not noticing that her boyfriend took notice of the fact her skirt was a couple inches higher than it was yesterday. When he asked her about it on their way to school, Sakuno blushed brightly and exclaimed that it must've shrunk in the wash or something.

Ryoma knew better. Sakuno had just grown a little. Before, she came up to his shoulder, but now she came up to his chin. It didn't make Ryoma any happier, his eyes flickering to the pale skin of her legs that was displayed for all to see (including those perverted boys).

And throughout the entire school day, Ryoma began to notice all the other changes in his girlfriend. How her arms and legs seemed more toned than they were when they were in middle school, that her hips seemed a little wider (or as Tomoka would call them, "child-bearing hips"), that her face evened out and seemed more feminine and delicate, and that her school blouse strained against her chest.

Of course, Ryoma wasn't the only one who picked up on such things. Despite the fact everyone knew Sakuno was taken by yours truly, no one bothered to hide their obvious infatuation for the girl. Sakuno began to get more and more boys coming up to her, asking her for favours or homework help or some other bogus excuse like that. Ryoma was starting to get a little frustrated, and majorly jealous. Because now, instead of Sakuno spending time with Tomoka to wait for him after tennis practice, she spent time with yet another boy, trying to help them with whatever they requested of her.

That girl really needed to learn to say no.

And as Ryoma would discover a few days later, she did.

Tennis practice was over a little early for Ryoma, as he had already finished everything he needed to work on (which was almost nothing; I mean, this is Echizen Ryoma we're talking about). The tennis prince went out to search for his girlfriend, because now he couldn't find her anywhere considering she was being skirted around to all corners of the school with some boy. (Insert Ryoma-like growl here.) Luckily for Ryoma, he heard her voice (and some other idiotic males voice) just at the water taps. Silent as a cat, Ryoma made his way around the corner to see something most amusing.

"Yashiro-san!"

SMACK

Sakuno, her hand held to the side of her, glared at the boy with his head turned to the side, one of his cheeks bright red. Sakuno clenched her fist, bringing it down and Ryoma stepped forward to listen more closely to her response at whatever the stupid boy had tried to do.

"I am sorry for hurting you," Ryoma snorted quietly at that, thankful Sakuno didn't hear it, "but please don't try to force my hand. Ryoma is my boyfriend; I won't have you trying to break up our relationship by tricking me into adultery." Ryoma's eyes narrowed, his vision turning red but his lips quirking up as he realized this "Yashiro" person was his next living target practice.

"Sakuno is too kind." Ryoma drawled, alerting the attention of the two teenagers. Yashiro's face went cold, his mouth dropping open as he realized what was going to happen. Sakuno was relieved to see him, having been worried that Yashiro would try to force himself upon her when there was no one to protect her. "I definitely mean it when I say I'm not sorry for hurting you." At those words, Yashiro turned tail and ran, and Ryoma decided to chase after him tomorrow, given he wanted a kiss from his girlfriend for 'rescuing' her from another idiotic male.

"Mou, Ryoma," Sakuno scolded slightly in between kisses, "it's not nice to threaten people." He just scoffed, kissing her again. A little part of his heart fluttered when he realized that Sakuno had not only grown physically, but mentally as well. The old Sakuno he knew would've just stood there in shock, and would be too shell-shocked or weak to do anything. But the Sakuno now was strong, stronger than ever before, and she defended herself even without Ryoma there. It kind of gave him a little empty feeling, not being able to always protect her like the damsel-in-distress he always pictured her to be.

Nevertheless, Ryoma wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.

A/N Twenty-fifth drabble out!

My inspiration for this was mainly showing how Sakuno has grown from being so shy and weak like she was in the anime of Prince of Tennis. I decided to put this in Ryoma's point of view because I feel he needed a smack in the face. You better watch out Ryoma! Sakuno's officially become eye-candy! (Like you're been for most of your life)

Review for some lemon meringue pie! (Dunno if I spelled that right...)

Snowflake Flower