A Surprise
Six
A month after Yamaki first assigned her to Ryo's case, there's a knock on her door.
"Yes?" She calls, prompting a young woman to open the door and reveal herself.
"Ma'am," Hana, the girl Ruki has personally tasked with leading the Akiyama search, addresses her. "We've just made contact."
"Finally," She snaps but refrains from rolling her eyes. It's not her staff she's frustrated at; they've been more than competent. She's just annoyed that things have taken so long. "When?"
"Five minutes ago," Hana offers. "I came to you as soon as the call was over."
"You passed my message along, then?" Ruki asks, pulling the relevant files out of her drawer. In the four weeks it's taken to smoke Ryo out, she and Yamaki have come up with a detailed job offer for him. It should be irresistible, as long as Ryo isn't in the mood to be contrary just for the sake of it.
"Yes, ma'am. He will meet you two hours from now, in the café you specified."
It's thirty-seven minutes past ten; she'll set aside half an hour for travel, which leaves her with an hour and a half to herself. "Alright, then. As discussed, I'll need tickets for tonight, one-way. Drop them off at my desk as soon as possible, please." She goes over the plan in her mind one last time, checking to see if there's anything else she needs. That should be it. "Is that all, Hana?"
"I believe so."
"You're excused, then. Oh, and Hana?" Ruki calls right as the young woman turns around to leave her office.
"Thank you for your help. You've all done a great job." She offers the girl a smile; it's mostly the truth, but the smile is to make up for the finally she'd snapped out earlier. "Pass that along to the rest of the team, will you?"
Hana falters for a brief moment. Ruki knows her reputation in the office – she's not cruel or rude, and she's not the worst boss out there. The people in her office think of her as fair and just, but friendly and encouraging are not words they would associate with their boss. A smile and a compliment given together is unheard of and perhaps, unprecedented.
"I will," Hana nods jerkily. "You're welcome, ma'am." She adds before she nearly flees from the office.
Ruki sighs. "Smile at them or snap at them, they're terrified either way. And she forgot to close the door."
Renamon appears at that very moment and shuts the door.
"Thanks," Ruki smiles. "What have you been up to?"
"Jenrya's department had a few questions on the deserts in our world. I offered some answers." Renamon informs her, taking a seat opposite her Tamer.
"Oh. They didn't send you back to scout or anything, did they?" She'd run into Reika a few days ago and the older woman had mentioned certain disturbances in the Digital World. Reika still holds the same position she had all those years ago, and spends most of her time at the office hidden away on the highest floor, monitoring both worlds.
"No. Most everyone has been made aware of the disturbances and Jen was adamant that I need not feel obligated to travel there." Renamon reaches out for the tablet her partner passes her and nods her thanks. Jen had gotten her one after Terriermon mentioned how frequently his friend uses Ruki's computer, and Renamon had quickly learned how to use it. The only way for her to navigate a touch screen, though, is with a stylus pen.
Ruki watches her turn it on with a fond smile. In the earlier years of their friendship, she'd just thought of Renamon as an all-knowing creature who absorbed information without needing to seek it out. As the years passed and things settled down, she'd finally discovered Renamon's second love: learning. Battle is an art form to her and it is as much her nature as it is any other Digimon's but she's as happy with an encyclopedia as she is with a worthy opponent, and Ruki finds it very amusing and endearing.
"I'm off to see Jen for a bit; we're meeting Ryo in an hour or so." Ruki tells her partner before the fox gets lost in her own little world. "I'll be back soon."
Renamon nods. "I will be here."
She takes her leave of Renamon then and leaves her partner to her own devices. On her way to the lift, she passes by Hana's desk.
"I'm about to print the tickets." Hana informs her.
"You can leave them on my desk; Renamon is in my office." She adds, just to warn the girl. Everyone loves Terriermon but most people are just a bit spooked by Renamon. It might have something to do with the way she can see right through a person and make you shake with fear even when you've done nothing wrong. But it's most probably because of the way she's always appearing out of thin air.
Hana nods calmly even as her eyes widen just a tiny bit at the information, and promises Ruki she will have everything in order for her trip.
Ruki crosses the floor with no other interruptions and the two other people in the lift remain silent after greeting her politely. She's the first to leave and she wishes them a nice day as she walks out. At this point, she's on autopilot, trusting her feet to lead her to the far end of the floor where Jen's claimed a small, abandoned corner as his workspace. Everyone else prefers to work in the main area of the floor, with dozens of cubicles lined up next to each other. She passes these cubicles now, nodding in acknowledgement whenever someone says hello.
She's just about to turn to the left when someone calls her name.
"Ruki!" Janyu booms, and she freezes in her tracks. She's managed to avoid Jen's father so far and had been hoping to keep doing so until Jen could gather up the nerve to tell his family about the baby. Her hand automatically reaches for her stomach, though she manages to stop herself just in time and have it land on her other arm instead so that she's almost blocking her stomach from view. She's flooded with immense relief over the fact that she's not showing yet.
"Mr. Lee," She smiles, turning around.
"What nonsense is that?" The older man says dismissively as he approaches her. "I've told you, it's either Janyu or Uncle."
"Jenrya still calls my mother Mrs. Makino." Ruki counters quickly, earning herself a laugh.
"Well, if you're still calling my son Jenrya then clearly I've no hope of getting you to address me less formally."
That had been a calculated move on her part, actually; she almost always calls him Jenrya when they're with others or when referring to him in a conversation with those who remain oblivious to their relationship. A genuine smile lights up her face as Janyu laughs.
"So, Ruki," He finally says. "What brings you down here to our little madhouse?"
It's an… affectionate nickname for this floor that houses most of the original Wild Bunch and the next generation of geniuses crazy enough to make another world their playground.
"I'm down here to see Jen, actually." She says, holding up a file she's brought along as a decoy. "I need his report before I can send this up to Yamaki."
Janyu frowns. "Is he late? I'd hate for him to delay your work."
"Oh, no," Ruki quickly assures him, hoping her fake reason isn't going to get Jen into any trouble with his father. "He's early, actually. I'm just about done with my half but he just called and said he's finished with his report."
"That's good," Janyu smiles. "Well, I'll leave you to it, then. I just wanted to let you know Shiuchon's coming back for a visit and we were hoping you'd come to dinner sometime next week. You know how she likes to have everyone around, for old times' sake."
"That sounds lovely." Ruki lies. She's fond of Shiuchon, she really is, but this is a bad idea for two reasons. First of all, she's actively trying to avoid Jen's family. And second, if the Lees are really going to have everyone around, they're screwed. Because four other people in their group know of this little secret now, along with a few Digimon who can't keep a secret to save their lives, and there's no way all of them will somehow manage not to let the cat out of the bag.
"I'll have Jen pass you the details when we settle on a date, then." The older man says and she agrees before they say their goodbyes. She's too busy looking over her shoulder to see if Janyu is still around to notice where she's going, and runs straight into Jen.
"I just spoke to your father," She hisses quietly.
"Why are you whispering?" Jen asks in the same tone, his arms reaching out to steady her.
"Because!" Ruki says in a normal voice. "How much longer can we hide this, Jen? People are going to notice sooner or later. In this case, it's definitely sooner. All the books say women start showing after the first trimester and guess which milestone I just passed?"
"I know," Jen sighs, pulling her close enough to bury his face in her hair. "I just… I highly doubt they're going to take it as well as your mom."
"They'll still take it better than they would if we just show up at their house six months from now and say, guess who's got a new grandchild?" Ruki isn't even coming up with an original scenario; that's an actual idea Jen had suggested a few nights ago.
"Just… a little while longer, Ruki." He requests, looking her in the eye. "Please?"
She gives him a curious look. "What's going to change in a little while that you'll be willing to tell them?"
Jen drops eye contact and turns away almost immediately. "I've got it figured out - trust me. There's... a plan."
"A plan?" Ruki echoes dubiously, amusement coloring her voice.
"A plan," He affirms with a nod. "Just go with me on this, okay?"
"Fine," She sighs after a few unsuccessful attempts to catch his eye and guilt him into telling her. "You're not going to tell me what it is, are you?"
"Nope," Jen smiles, bouncing back to his usual demeanor. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?"
He is adamant that they go out and celebrate her passing the first trimester tonight, and Ruki's actually okay with the idea of going out now that most of her morning sickness has magically disappeared. Jen had suggested it yesterday, after their second appointment with the doctor. More sonogram pictures were printed, of course, and they were able to listen to the baby's heartbeat for the first time.
"Yeah, I should be back in time." Ruki says. Jen shoots her a questioning look, prompting her to explain. "The team finally managed to get a message to Ryo; I'm meeting him in an hour. That's actually why I came down to see you."
"Really?" Jen looks impressed. "I thought he was never coming out of hiding." Ryo's unique career choice has managed to piss off several dangerous people and painted a big, red target on his back. It's partly why Ruki is convinced it'll be easy to talk him into accepting Hypnos' offer, which comes with a back-up team.
"Well, he took his own sweet time." She mutters. "I'm meeting him in Taiwan, that little café we went to the last time we were there."
"That was… what, seven months ago?" A portal had shown up in the country and the two of them, along with a team, had been sent to deal with the issue. "You loved the coffee there, that's all I remember."
"Well, I won't be having any." Ruki does not pout. It is simply a thing she never has and never will do, and not even a drunk Hirokazu would be stupid enough to accuse her of such a thing. Still, she comes pretty damn close to childishly sticking out her lower lip at the thought of missing out on her favorite drink.
Jen laughs and kisses her temple. "Only six more months, Ruki."
"Only?" She echoes disbelievingly. "That's easy for you to say, you don't even need caffeine."
"Okay," Jen concedes. "Six more terrible, awful, torturously long months. But if anyone can make it, it's you, Makino."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Ruki says flatly. She brings her arms up to wrap them around Jen's neck and catches sight of the time when sunlight bounces off her watch.
"I've got to go," She drops a quick kiss on Jen's lips, who sighs as he lets go of her.
"Make sure you're back for dinner." He reminds her.
"You seem very concerned about this. Should I dress up or something?" Ruki asks teasingly, though she's the tiniest bit suspicious about Jen's dinner plans.
"You know you're beautiful to me no matter what you wear," He grins. "But maybe try to respect the dress code and not show up in shorts?"
Ruki rolls her eyes. "No shorts; got it. Bye." She ends their conversation before they end up teasing each other for another ten minutes.
"Bye!" He calls after her. "And tell Ryo no hitting on the mother of my child!"
If anyone heard that, she's going to kill him.
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The café is tucked away in a quiet corner of Taipei, a rare and precious thing. It's got a French name that makes no sense and a menu that has Google Translate written all over it. Still, it's comfortable and spacious enough that she was granted her request of a quiet corner where their conversation won't be overheard by curious strangers, and aside from their coffee, they also make a mean smoothie.
Renamon remains out of sight, tucked away in the shadow world. Even in Japan, the Tamers only feel safe having their partners walk around in broad daylight if they're in Shinjuku. Anywhere else and they might attract unwelcome attention. But to have a Digimon out and about in a different country entirely… that's probably asking for a media circus.
She hopes Ryo has enough sense left in that brain of his to show up alone. His face is recognizable enough as it is; having Cyberdramon by his side will completely ruin Ruki's plans for them to discuss business over a quiet lunch.
The café is quiet enough that Ruki can hear the sound of the automatic doors sliding open and then, light footfalls that come to a stop at her table.
"Well, well. Ruki Makino in the flesh." Ryo grins, crossing his arms. "To be honest, I was ninety percent sure you weren't going to show up."
"Yet here you are." Ruki points out, observing him as he takes a seat. It's been a while since she last saw Ryo; Jen isn't the only one who's forgotten exactly how long it's been. Her best guess is three years. He hasn't changed that much; not physically, at least.
Ryo shrugs. "I was pretty sure you'd send someone in your place. You're cold, Ruki, but not that rude."
"A compliment if ever I've received one." She mutters. Ryo laughs as he flags down a waitress.
"You have no idea how happy I am to find that you haven't changed a bit."
Ruki's changed a whole lot more than a bit, but she's not in the mood to discuss her personal life right now. She waits for Ryo to place his order, smiles and says no, thank you when the waitress asks her if she'd like anything else and waits for the girl to move out of hearing range.
"I assume you know why I'm here."
"Well, unless you've come to the sudden realization that I am the love of your life, I doubt you've come all this way just to have coffee with an old friend." She's having a chocolate smoothie, actually, but all the better if he can't tell and doesn't question her non-caffeinated order.
"I'd say sorry to disappoint you but if you've actually deluded yourself into thinking that's why I'm here, then I'm not sorry at all."
"A man can dream," Ryo quips. "So, what does Hypnos want from me?"
The waitress walks by to bring Ryo his drink just then and they both drop the subject until she is, once again, gone.
"We're not asking you for anything," Ruki says, picking up the file she'd left on the chair next to hers and sliding it over to him. "We're offering you something."
"It's we now, is it?" Ryo mutters as he starts reading.
"Another word about that and I'll use it against you when you become a part of that we."
Ryo spares her a glance between pages. "Someone's confident."
"You'd be stupid to turn this down, and we both know it. How much longer do you think you can avoid them? Drug cartels, trafficking rings… you've pissed off some very powerful people, Ryo." She leans back in her chair and takes a sip of her drink. "Your best bet right now is to ally with people who are even more powerful."
"Is Hypnos at that level already?"
"You have no idea how much money people will throw at an agency that's the only line of protection against another world." Ruki isn't entirely pleased by this and neither is Yamaki. The whole point of declassifying the existence of the Digital World and making the events of the D-Reaper battle public had been to educate people, to show them that not all outsiders are a threat. The D-Reaper had been a human invention, after all, and the outsiders, the Digimon, had been the ones to save humanity. But most people would rather live in fear of monsters rather than embrace the idea of another intelligent race, and if throwing money at Hypnos means they don't have to deal with how wrong their line of thinking is, if their money can keep the worlds separate, all things where they belong, then they'll keep sending contributions and writing checks.
"Money isn't always power." Ryo says finally, a frown on his face.
"It does mean connections, though, and allies. Hypnos has more than enough money to fund pet projects that weren't approved as part of the budget, and the best way to gain favor from intelligence agencies is to help them achieve financial independence from their governments. Helping someone avoid bureaucracy is as good as saving their lives, in this business."
That's not what she's here to talk about, though.
"Look, Ryo, we may have our differences but at the end of the day, you're as much a friend to me as the others." Ruki says impatiently. "And as your friend, I'm telling you: take the damn job. You've got nothing to lose. The team will be your shadow, nothing more. Your name will still be the only one in the papers and as far as the public is concerned, it'll just be you and Cyberdramon saving the world."
Ryo shoots her a sharp look. "You know that has nothing to do with why I do this."
"I don't, actually." Ruki fires back. "I've never known why you do what you do, wandering around until you find stolen children to free or notorious crime lords to take down. As far as I can tell, you just like being a hero." She might have gone too far with that last line.
He doesn't seem to be hurt by it, though. "Don't you see, Ruki? This is the only way I can live. That year I spent in the Digital World, I just… I got so used to it, going around and helping those in need, saving the ones who needed saving. I didn't care that they called me a hero or idealized me, I just liked feeling needed. I liked the fact that I could look at myself and say, you've done good today."
"And then I came back and… everything was different. My father didn't give a damn that I had been out there helping people, fighting the D-Reaper, trying to save lives. I didn't need praise; all I wanted was some sort of acknowledgement. Not even that! I just wanted him to see my worth."
Ruki's never seen him this way. Ryo plays a part, even in front of his friends, and that part is calm, collected and cocky. Now here he is, spitting out words so fast he nearly trips over them, running nervous hands through his hair as his eyes fly about, telling her about the father he could never please.
"But no matter what I do, to him I'll always be the selfish kid who left just like that and never looked back. So I decided that if he wasn't going to forgive me for leaving, if he wasn't going to open his eyes and see that I was doing everything I could to change myself and be someone who would stay, then what was the point? If I can't be a good guy in my father's eyes, then I won't be one at all. But I'm still going to do what I need to do, Ruki, and that, above all, means helping others. It's what I was born to do. If people are going to call me a hero for that, then let them. But that's not why I do what I do." Ryo leans back in his chair, grand speech finished and carefully-chosen last words hanging in the air. He looks satisfied with himself.
Ryo plays a part, even in front of his friends, even when one of his friends thinks he isn't. His speech was in-character all along; he'd just modified the part to appeal to her.
He's miscalculated, though, because Ruki sees right through him and isn't going to fall for it. In fact, she sees an opening and calls him out on his crap.
"You may not do it because they call you a hero for it, but you do it because you feel like a hero for it. Don't even try to deny it," She warns him. "At the end of the day, you don't just look at yourself and think I've done good, you look at yourself and think I've done more good than anyone else, more than I'm obligated to, more than a normal person would."
"And you know what? That's fine, Ryo. Because it's true, you do more than most people and you do more than you should, and if you're going to pat yourself on the back for rescuing dozens of little children from having their organs harvested, then go right ahead. Name a festival in your honor for all that I care, as long as those kids get to live happy, safe lives. But don't insult me by presenting yourself as some sort of vigilante Robin Hood, a noble savior of the people, when we both know you're nothing more than a mercenary."
The smirk Ryo had donned when she'd suggested naming a festival in his honor disappears. "How did yo-" He looks down at the file, at the pages and pages of information Hypnos has gathered on him over the years. "Never mind."
"Look," He moves right into defending himself. "So yeah, maybe I do get fairly compensated for what I do. What's the big deal, Ruki? You said it yourself, right? As long as those kids get to live happy, safe lives. The people who hire me, that's all they want. I'm still a good guy; it's just that I'm also working for the good guys."
"How sure are you?"
"What?"
"How sure are you," Ruki repeats patiently, "that you're working for the good guys? Because in certain cases, your answer should be not very sure at all. Five months ago, you nearly took out an innocent man. He was being used as a scapegoat by the people who hired you. The good guys." She reaches over and flips the pages in his file until she lands on the report she's looking for. "You're just lucky the 'police' just happened to swoop in right before you made a terrible mistake and they escorted that man to safety."
Ryo grows pale.
"Two months after that, a man sent you to attack a warehouse. From what we can tell, you were told that the facility belonged to a drug cartel. He told you these would be more harmful than your average drugs, deadly if they were to be put on the black market. He asked you to blow the whole thing up. No one would be there, no one would get hurt. You'd just be saving a whole lot of innocent druggies who weren't expecting anything other than their usual order."
"I was staking out the place," Ryo recalls. "And I saw these trucks going in and out, with huge logos on them. They were familiar but I couldn't place them. Later, when I went for dinner, the waitress at the restaurant asked if I had a headache and offered me some pills. The bottle had the same logo so I asked her about it. She said it was a new brand, and they were doing a world of good, selling quality meds for half the price of big-name pharmaceuticals."
Ruki already knows all of this but maybe this is something he needs to say out loud before it can sink in, so she lets him go on.
"She told me they did a lot of charity, too, and they were going to be sending tons of medicine over to third-world countries for free within the next week. When I looked it up," Ryo turns a few pages in the file and comes upon the relevant entry. "It all checked out. And the guy who hired me, he worked for a competitor."
"Typical corporate stuff," Ruki says dismissively.
"I went back to that restaurant seven times, and I never saw that waitress again." Ryo tells her, a hint of suspicion in his voice as he looks at her.
She ignores him and reaches for the file again, flipping to another case. "And just last month-"
"Enough." Ryo says firmly, pushing her hand away. She keeps her features carefully blank, although a triumphant smirk threatens to break through her mask.
"That waitress; hell, even those policemen who escorted my guy away – that was all Hypnos." He realizes out loud.
"They've been watching over you for quite a while now." Ruki affirms. "You've come dangerously close to making the wrong call, Akiyama, and there were times when they weren't sure they'd get to you before you made a mistake."
"They?"
"They." She nods. "I wasn't involved in any of this until a month ago."
"You're just here as the messenger, then."
"I'm here to recruit you. It falls under my job description." Ruki reaches for the file one last time and flips to the last page. "Hypnos will award you the freedom of an independent agent. You'll come and go as you please, there won't be any paperwork or meetings, no mandatory days to come into the office. An amount of money will be wired into an account of your choice at the end of every month. There'll be no contract if you don't want there to be one. The only non-negotiable aspect of this job is that you will take a team with you everywhere you go, and you will not act without their permission."
And then, in a gentler voice: "It's no different from what you're used to, Ryo. You took orders from the people who hired you before. Only now, you can be sure that you're on the right side. Hypnos doesn't give a damn about these things; all we care about is that you and Cyberdramon remain heroes in the eyes of the people."
"We'll even let you pick your team members." She adds as a final sales pitch.
Ryo smirks. "How would you like to be co-captain, then?"
"I wouldn't accept even if you told me it's the only way to make you say yes."
He sighs. "You know what, Ruki? You're pretty damn good at your job."
"I'll take that as a yes, then." Ruki says, reaching into her bag to pull out an envelope.
"Well, I mean it is, but you don't have to act so cocky about it."
"I learned from the best, Akiyama," She drawls, handing him the envelope. "Plane leaves eight in the evening, sharp. You will be on it. We've made arrangements with the airport; they'll recognize your name when you check-in and you'll have no trouble getting Cyberdramon through security." Ruki stands up.
"What's the rush?" Ryo asks, fiddling with the envelope.
Ruki decides to mess with him; if he's coming back to Shinjuku anyway, he'll find out soon enough from their friends. Why not tell him personally?
"I've got a date to get ready for." She says casually, picking up her bag.
"A date?" Ryo echoes dumbly.
"A date, Akiyama. It's what couples do when they can get some time to themselves."
"I know what a date is!" He says rather defensively. "I thought you didn't, though."
"You learn lots of things as you grow up." Ruki shrugs.
"Okay, fine, so you're going on a date. Don't be a tease, Ruki: who's the lucky guy?"
"Oh, just someone from work. Half-Chinese, blue hair, has a Digimon who won't shut up…"
"You are kidding me."
"I don't joke about serious matters."
"Jen? Seriously? Jenrya?"
"Yes, seriously, Jen." She crosses her arms. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing!" Ryo says quickly, holding his hands up. "Nothing. It's just… wow. This is going to take some getting used to."
"Well, get used to it, because you're going to have to deal with this for a long while." Ruki says, slightly awkward now. It's the first time she's actually voluntarily clued someone in on their relationship, apart from her mother - who doesn't count, she's family - and Ryo's reaction is making her wonder… did the guys react like this as well, when Juri told them? She's always known she and Jen make an odd match but is it so unimaginable?
Ryo smiles; it almost looks patronizing. "I know we all like to think these things last forever, Ruki, but sometimes they just don't work out."
Okay, now she's annoyed. "Well, this one better last," Ruki snaps, working hard to keep her tone even. "Because I'm not raising a kid on my own."
And then, just to rub it in: "Besides, it's already lasted ten years."
That effectively wipes the smirk off Ryo's face and renders him speechless.
"Renamon." She calls after a moment of waiting to see if he's got anything to add. The fox appears by her side almost immediately and places a hand on her shoulder, waiting for her order.
The sight of Renamon seems to break Ryo out of his stupor.
"Ruki!" He blurts, trying to keep her for a bit longer. He smiles, a genuine one this time.
"Congratulations," He nods at her stomach. "I really mean it."
"Thanks," Ruki says curtly.
"Uh," Ryo scratches the side of his head. "Pass that on to Jen, will you?"
She offers him an olive branch since he's trying to be nice: "Pass it on yourself." Ruki smiles. "I'll see you soon, Akiyama."
"Have a pleasant flight home." Renamon says politely to the boy before she and her Tamer vanish.
"Damn it," Ryo mutters. "I wanted to hitch a ride."
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The toll of traveling back and forth from Taiwan through the shadow world doesn't hit her until later that evening, when Jen is all dressed up and waiting for her in the living room.
He turns to Ruki with a bright smile when he hears her enter, only to find her rocking a messy bun and a shirt of his.
"I'm sorry," She says, not even trying to hide how tired she sounds. "I just don't feel up to it tonight, Jen. Why don't you go ahead without me?"
"Don't be silly," Jen smiles, hiding his disappointment. Maybe it's a sign. Maybe the timing just isn't right. "Why would I go to dinner on my own and leave you alone?"
Renamon and Terriermon are over at Juri's for dinner, along with the rest of the Digimon and a few of the Tamers. The two of them had been invited as well but Ruki isn't ready to deal with the boys and their teasing just yet.
"Sorry," Ruki says again, curling up on the sofa. "Renamon warned me I'd feel some after-effects after traveling to Taiwan and then back here within an hour."
"After-effects?" Jen questions with a concerned frown. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Ruki says dismissively. "Just tired, that's all."
Jen shrugs off his jacket and undoes the top button on his dress shirt. "How's your appetite? I can call for delivery." He offers.
Ruki considers his question for a moment and decides she could probably stomach some food. "That sounds good." She tells him. "Go ahead and pick whatever you want."
After some back and forth which mostly consists of him insisting that she pick something and her telling him to choose whatever he wants, they settle on Chinese. Ruki retraces her steps to their bedroom while Jen makes the call and puts on a pair of shorts, in case she has to deal with the deliveryman.
They reconvene in the living room and slump down on the sofa, her head against his shoulder.
"Food should be here in forty minutes," Jen informs her. The restaurant itself is just around the corner but it's a Friday night, so the long wait isn't anything unusual.
"Okay," Ruki sighs, closing her eyes for a moment. "Sorry for messing up your dinner plans."
"Stop apologizing." Jen pokes at her side. "It's just dinner."
"It was supposed to be a date. I even told Ryo about it."
"I still can't believe you told him about the baby." Jen says.
"Does it make me a bad mother if I did it just to see the look on his face?" She wonders out loud.
He laughs. "It doesn't make you a bad anything." Jen assures her, earning himself a kiss. She tries to pull him closer but gives up after a while and swings herself into his lap instead.
"Did you hide the remote in your pants again?" Ruki laughs when she feels something pressing against her thigh. It's definitely not the usual something, and Jen has been known to hide the remote from her at times because Ruki has a bad habit of snatching it up and flipping through channels when she's bored, even if they're in the middle of watching something.
"What?" He asks, slightly dazed. "No, why would I-" He tenses up then, realizing his mistake as Ruki's sharp eyes study him with a curious glint to them.
"Then what," She reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thin, nearly flat box, "is this?"
"Oh." Ruki breathes before he can answer her, catching sight of the dark-blue velvet box. It's nothing like the usual boxes though, so it can't be what she's thinking…
"I was going to ask you after dinner." Jen confesses; she's already got the box in her hand so he doesn't see the point in lying to her.
His words confirm her suspicions and after she looks up at him for a moment and finds no objection, she turns her focus upon the box once more and slowly, hesitantly, pries it open.
Inside, there's a ring. Two rings, it looks like. A band of diamonds and another of light purple gems, intertwined. Two circles of small, equal-sized stones wrap around the entirety of both rings in lieu of the traditional center diamond. The ring itself lies flat in the box, anchored by a thin strip of velvet that holds it in place. It's the first engagement ring she's seen that isn't poking out from a bed of satin, which explains the flat box. It's more subtle, she'll say that much.
As soon as the words engagement ring cross her mind though, she pushes the box to Jen.
"No," She says sharply. "Not if you're only asking me because I'm pregnant."
Jen shakes his head. "I'm not, Ruki. This is what-"
"No, Jen." She interrupts him. "I don't want us to do this because it's what's right and traditional and expected of us. I don't want you to ask me because you feel like you have to, and I definitely don't want us to-"
"I've had this for three years!" He blurts out, effectively putting an end to her rant.
She stares at him, wide-eyed. "That's when we…"
"I know." Jen sighs, closing his eyes for just a moment. The box is still in his hand and it feels heavier than anything he's ever held. "The morning after we made up, I went out and got it."
Ruki furrows her brows in confusion. "But that was when we first decided to try a normal relationship. Why would you rush out and…? What made you even think of this?"
"Do you remember," He brings his free hand up to push back an errant lock of red hair, "the first time you told me you love me?"
"Of course I do," Ruki mumbles, as if hesitant to reveal how sentimental she is about that moment. "It was the day we graduated from college. Everyone else was talking about how they'd never see each other again but Yamaki had just recruited both of us, so you took one look at everyone else and you said-"
"No goodbyes here, Makino. You're stuck with me for a very long time." Jen repeats himself, a wave of nostalgia enveloping him.
"Yeah, that." Ruki smiles. "I just looked at you and I couldn't help what I said."
"You said good, because I love you." Jen quotes from memory, his eyes bright. Ruki nods silently and sighs when he leans in and brushes his lips against hers. "But that's not what I was talking about." Jen murmurs against her lips.
"What?" Ruki's face scrunches up in confusion.
"The first time you ever told me you love me," Jen says, pulling away to look her in the eye, "was the night we made up." There's no hint of recognition in her eyes at all, but he's always known she doesn't remember this.
"I thought you were asleep, but I couldn't help myself so I leaned over and whispered I love you right before I closed my eyes. And then out of nowhere, you started mumbling. You said this is the stupidest thing I've ever done," Jen laughs at the memory. "But I've gone and fallen in love with you, idiot."
"Why don't I remember any of that?" Ruki whispers, a question directed to herself rather than Jen.
"Well," He drawls. "You were rather worn out that night…"
"Shut up," Ruki swats his arm. "We had to make up for one whole week of lost time."
He laughs. "We managed, somehow."
"Jen," Her voice drops into something a bit lower, more serious. "Why didn't you tell me? Graduation was four months after that and you never said anything, even when you told me you love me and I didn't say it back."
"You weren't ready," He says gently, cupping her cheek. She leans into his touch and brings one hand up to rest over his.
"Is that why you kept the ring for three years?" She asks. "God, we were so young then. What in the world possessed you to go and buy an engagement ring?"
"I knew you weren't anywhere near ready for this back then," He fiddles with the box. "I bought this knowing that you might never be ready."
"So why did y-"
"The second you said I've gone and fallen in love with you, the second you said that – I knew. It didn't matter to me that you might never say yes. In that moment all I knew was that you're the only person I would ever want to spend the rest of my life with. The only thing left to do was wait and hope and pray that someday you'd feel the same way. And I thought… well, I didn't see any harm in getting ready for that day."
Ruki is silent for a few minutes that seem to stretch, impossibly, into an eternity. His heart jumps when she reaches out and removes the little box from his hand, carefully balancing it in one palm while her other hand lifts the lid. After a moment's consideration, she plucks the ring from its resting place and, in a move that nearly stops Jen's heart, puts it on.
"Hmm," Ruki says, looking pleased as she studies the ring on her finger. "It's a perfect fit."
"I… I traced the outline of that ring your grandmother made you wear in college and I took it to the jeweler's and let them figure out the size. They said they have people do that all the time."
"Smart," Ruki comments before she moves to wrap her arms around his neck.
"No, wait!"
"What?" She asks, looking alarmed.
"I didn't even get to ask you."
"What?" She says again, this time in disbelief. "Seriously, Jen? Come on, don't make a big deal out of this."
"Ruki," He nearly whines. "Don't ruin this. Our kid deserves at least one story we can share about our relationship and it's sure as hell not going to be the tale of how you jumped me one afternoon when we were seventeen and talked me into sleeping with you."
"You make it sound like I was some sort of predator." Ruki mutters. "Fine," She sighs with a dismissive wave. "Yes. This is me saying yes to your-"
Jen silences her with a kiss and takes advantage of her surprise to move her out of his lap and slide to the floor, complete with one knee on the ground.
"Makino Ruki," He says, reaching for her hand since he has no ring left to give her. She scowls at him but her eyes tell a different story entirely. Still, he decides not to push his luck and get this over with before she changes her mind. It's nothing short of a miracle that she's even going along with this in the first place.
"Will you marry me?"
She takes her own sweet time while picking her words. "Oh, well," She sighs heavily when his smile wavers and he genuinely starts freaking out, thinking she's come to her senses and decided against it. "Since we're already living together and having a kid, I don't see what difference a piece of paper will make."
Jen barely manages to hide his relief under an amused grin. "You couldn't just say yes, could you?"
"I was about to, right before you had to go and get down on one knee." Ruki says, pulling him back up to kiss him.
"You got all dressed up for this," She observes, smoothing down the front of his shirt after they manage to pull themselves apart and overcome a sudden case of nearly-hysterical laughter. They'd laughed until their stomachs hurt and still they couldn't wipe matching grins off their faces.
"I wanted to look my best in case you turned me down." Jen quips just to hear her laugh again.
She settles back into his side, resting her head against his chest while she looks at the ring on her finger again. It feels odd, but not terribly so. And she's surprised to find she doesn't mind the ring itself, not as much as she would have if it had a huge eyesore of a rock right in the middle and a thick gold band all around. Jen reaches out and fiddles with the ring.
"I won't be able to wear it for long, you know."
"Why not? Most people keep wearing their engagement rings even after they're married. I think there's even a rule for which band goes on top of the other. The wedding ring, I think. Or was it-"
Ruki laughs. "No, I mean I won't be able to wear it for long because my fingers are going to swell up like sausages soon, thanks to that kid of ours."
"Oh."
"And I'm not walking down the aisle while I'm eight months pregnant or anything." She warns him. "Actually, scratch that. I'm not walking down any aisle."
"As long as you become Mrs. Lee," Jen says happily. "I don't care about the aisle or the party or anything."
"I'm not taking your last name, either." Ruki informs him.
"I don't think you're getting the point here." Jen moves, prompting her to pull away from him and turn around to face him.
"I don't need a wedding or an aisle or you to change your last name, Ruki," He tells her sincerely. "All I need is for you to marry me."
"Okay," She nearly throws herself at him. Jen wonders if she's really that glad that he's not pushing her into having a white wedding spectacle.
"Yes," Ruki whispers between kisses. "Yes, I'll marry you."
First of all, this is a monster of a chapter. I have never, in all my years of writing fanfiction, written a chapter this long for anything. This is partly because, well… you know how it goes when you have a vague outline of what needs to happen in a chapter because you've planned ahead for the rest of the story, but then you start writing and it seems like the characters are telling you you're going too fast and maybe you should keep that thing you're going to cram in for a different chapter?
That is exactly what happened here. As mentioned above, I had to get them engaged by this chapter because I've got everything else planned out. I know this story would have benefited from more chapters to flesh things out and a slower build, but I'm working with very limited time here and everything needs to go according to plan. I hope this hasn't ruined the story for anyone.
I would like to apologize for the lack of cavity warnings as well. I did not realize how cotton candy-fluffy it was going to get.
E Salvatore,
November 2014.