Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Tangled Web ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Author's Note: BIG FIGHT!!! What does Sage have to say about Jade? What does she say to him? Will they get back together? What about Sai???? More angst and evil cliff-hangers to come in this next exciting chapter! (Gods, I've been watching too much DBZ…)

 

 

Love's Tangled Web

Part 3

 

Jade woke up feeling warm and comfortable in Sai's arms. She looked up into his face and ran her fingers through his soft auburn hair. She smiled as she lay her head on the pillow next to him and watched him sleep. He shifted to pull her closer to him before opening his eyes.

 

'What a beautiful sight to be greeted with first thing in the morning,' he thought as he gazed into Jade's eyes, admiring the way the sun enhanced the sparkle already present.

 

"Good morning," she said softly.

 

"Good morning." He reached up and captured her hand, kissing her softly.

 

"Thank you," Jade whispered, hugging him close.

 

"For what?"

 

"For… For last night. And for helping me through this."

 

Sai grinned. "No, don't thank me for that. I should be thanking you for last night."

 

"No, I-"

 

He silenced her with a kiss. "There. Let's not fight over it, okay?"

 

"Alright." Jade yawned and stretched before getting out of bed. "I'm gonna go take a shower. We both need one this morning."

 

"Mind if I join you?"

 

Jade smiled at his playfulness. "No, I don't think that would be a good idea."

 

"Okay, then I'll see you downstairs."

 

After her shower, Jade headed downstairs toward the kitchen. She was always hungry after nights like that.

 

Sage was in the kitchen with everyone else, but she didn't let that dampen her mood. "Good morning," she called happily.

 

She heard echoing 'good morning's from around the room as she started to fix her breakfast.

 

Ryo, Kento, Rowen and Rhia tried to maintain a light atmosphere, but the foreboding they felt at having Sage and Jade in the same room after last night slowly crept into the air.

 

Jade resumed her usual place at the table next to Sage as she ate.

 

'Wonderful,' Sage thought. She had to sit next to him this morning of all mornings. He could see her, smell her, feel her aura shift every time she moved, and it was distracting. A distraction he didn't want or need. He had apologized to her, told her he loved her, but she had refused the apology, told him she needed time to think. He had respected that, but she had for the most part ignored him since.

 

But now he didn't care.

 

That was a lie. He did care. He could tell because she had infuriated him. He didn't know if she still loved him, as she had claimed, but she had made it quite obvious she didn't need him. He stood up abruptly and went into the practice room. He had to calm down, and get away from Jade for a little while. He couldn't believe what she'd done. He grabbed his no-dachi, ripping the scabbard off the blade and throwing it into the corner before starting his basic exercises.

 

After about a half an hour, Jade slipped silently into the room, retrieving her tachi. When Sage turned, she raised her sword. "Mind if I practice with you?"

 

Sage said nothing but assumed a ready stance, waiting for her first blow. They sparred in silence, the only sounds coming from the metal blades and the soft movements of their feet. They broke away, both breathing deeply.

 

"I'm doing better," Jade commented, catching her breath.

 

"Yes, fairly surprising for someone with your nightly schedule." Sage's face remained expressionless, but for the ice in his eyes.

 

"You never complained when we had a nightly schedule like that." Their eyes met. "Besides, at least I waited until after we broke up to sleep with someone else." She blocked one of his blows and countered.

 

"What do you mean? I may look at other girls, but I've never slept with anyone but you."

 

"That's right, she was over in the middle of the day, wasn't she?!" He was so calm, so composed, so…cold. He was always cold when he was angry, and the colder and calmer he was, the more angry he was, and the more it enraged her. Most people wouldn't have even known that he was angry except for his biting comments.

 

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about." He swung and blocked, countering her practiced moves.

 

"Oh, really…” The fire flared in her green eyes. That arrogant fucker didn't even have the decency to remember cheating on her?! “Well I'll tell you what I saw, and you tell me if it was all an illusion!" She broke away from him before continuing, circling warily. "I was supposed to be in Osaka, but the trip was cancelled. When I came home, I saw a blonde man who looked very much like Sage Date--you might know him--in his bedroom with a woman. She was fairly tall, with long, dark hair. They were naked together in his bed, and she seemed fairly happy Mr. Date had his hand between her legs. Well, actually, I don't really know if she was happy, but she was stroking him and moaning fairly loudly at the time!" She advanced on Sage with vicious blows, punctuating her monologue. Their swords locked and Sage's eyes widened slightly at her last sentence.

 

His recognition caused Jade's barely suppressed rage to flare in her eyes. "So you DO remember!" An evil smile flickered across her face. "Was she worth it, Sage? Was it worth losing me, the love of your life? Even if I'm not the love of your life, I'm certainly the most beautiful girl you've ever seen, and I know you've seen lots of them! Was she worth it? Or was she just a quick fuck that I wasn't ever supposed to know about?"

 

Sage's icy stare returned in full force, and they broke apart again. "At least I didn't screw one of my best friends."

 

"Oh, and the fact that you screwed a TOTAL STRANGER is supposed to make me FEEL BETTER?!?!?!"

 

All was silent for a few moments excepting the shuffling of feet and ring of the swords.

 

Suddenly, the fight was over. Sage's sword was poised at Jade's throat while her tachi was positioned to drive straight through his heart. They glared at each other in silence.

 

"We seemed to have reached a draw."

 

"It appears so," Jade replied, not moving her blade.

 

"So what now?"

 

"Well, we can kill each other and get this damned thing over with, or forgive each other, I suppose. We are even now."

 

"Yes, I suppose we are." They removed their blades and stepped back.

 

"Jade, I… I'm sorry." Sage lowered his blade until the tip almost reached the ground, his gaze losing its icy quality.

 

Jade blinked, startled. Her gaze immediately softened, and she lowered her sword as well. "Oh, Sage…"

 

"I'm so sorry, Jade. I didn't even remember that… Which should give you some idea how little it meant to me-"

 

"I don't care what it meant to you, it's that you did it in the first place, and that you went behind my back to do it, too. If my trip hadn't been cancelled, I'd have never known," she said, cutting him off. "Don't you see?"

 

"I suppose I don't!"

 

"Well then figure it out. Go talk to Sai or Ryo if you wanna know my view, because I don't want to talk about it anymore. I only did to you what you did to me, except mine's better because it did mean something! And you don't like that at all, do you?! Well, Sage Date, I may love you, but if this is the way you're gong to be, I certainly don't need you!"

 

She sheathed her tachi and slammed it on the cabinet before going outside and climbing to the very top of the ancient cherry tree in the yard.

 

The crowd that was huddled at the doorway to the practice room swiftly dispersed to various areas of the house.

 

* * *

 

Sai was slowly stirring the pot of miso soup that was to be their lunch when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He leaned his head back against a broad chest and reached up to plant a soft kiss on strong chin.

 

“Hey there, koi.”

 

“Hey,” came the soft reply.

 

Sai turned to face a pair of deep blue-black eyes. His lover wasn't usually affectionate outside of their bedroom. “Are you sure you're okay with this?”

 

“Sure I am. Just so long as you don't get so wrapped up in that girl that you forget about me.” He split one of his famous grins.

 

“I would never! There's a reason that you're the one I call koi. Besides, eventually Jade and Sage will make up, and everything will be okay, and you'll have me all to yourself again. But, thank you for letting me do this.”

 

“Hey, I know you've always wanted to. And I could never deny you anything. I love you, Sai.”

 

Sai reached up and planted a soft, sweet kiss on those familiar lips. “I love you, too, Kento.” Sai smiled softly and hugged his long-time lover, losing himself in the smell of him and the familiarity of his arms.

 

There was a sharp hiss behind him, and he turned suddenly, hastily moving the now rapidly bubbling soup off the burner. “Oh, no, oh no.” How could he have forgotten about their lunch? He smiled again as the answer handed him a spoon. “Seeing that you almost made me burn our lunch, will you go call everyone in for me?”

 

“Sure.” And with a light smack to Sai's ass, he turned and left the kitchen.

 

Jade closed her eyes and let the breeze wash over her, feeling the patches of sunlight on her face. She sighed. It was so peaceful here. She loved this spot. Her tears from after the fight had finally dried up, and she didn't think her eyes were red anymore, but they were a little sore from the all-out bawling session she'd had earlier. She was absolutely sure her handkerchief was ruined. Suddenly, her stomach growled. She resettled herself and tried to ignore it, but the smell of Sai's cooking didn't help any. She looked down and saw Kento in the branches below her.

 

"You gonna come to lunch?"

 

"I'm debating." Her stomach growled again.

 

Kento grinned. "But you're hungry."

 

She sighed. "Can't argue with that. But I don't know if I can deal with Sage. He's being such an ass."

 

"Well, he's probably thinking the same thing about you. Just give it some time," Kento said as he hoisted himself on the branch next to her. "And what better way to spend that time than at lunch?!"

 

Jade laughed. "Okay, okay. I can't ward off both you and my stomach."

 

* * *

 

"Hey Jade, wanna spar with me this afternoon?" Ryo asked as they were cleaning the dishes after lunch.

 

"No, I've already gotten my sparring practice today."

 

"Well, it'd be different, you'd be sparring with me, for practice."

 

"I'd say real life is the best practice I can get, wouldn't you?" She paused in her washing to look at him.

 

"Yea, I can't argue with you there."

 

"I would be up for a swim though…"

 

"Okay, that's a good idea! I'll meet you down at the lake." Good, he finally had a chance to talk to Jade. He wanted to know what had happened, even though he had figured out most of it this morning when she and Sage had been fighting.

 

He pulled on his trunks and grabbed a towel before heading back downstairs. Jade caught up to him on the path to the lake. Ryo looked her over and whistled.

 

"That's cute. When'd you get it?"

 

Jade smiled and looked down at the bikini she wore. "I got it a couple weeks ago, but it hasn't been nice enough for me to wear it."

 

"I like it. The color looks pretty on you." Indeed, the suit was a gorgeous peacock blue, trimmed in black, the triangle top and string bikini bottom accenting her perfect body and complementing her purple hair and green eyes.

 

"Thanks. I like it."

 

They reached the lake a few minutes later, a crystalline pool with a picturesque waterfall at one end, a waterfall they all loved to play in, especially Sai. It was one of their favorite spots. Sai would play in the water, While Sage meditated among the trees along its edge and Ryo basked in the sun. Kento would always climb the rocks to the top of the waterfall before jumping into the pool to join Sai. At night, Jade and Rowen would themselves climb to the top of the waterfall, finding the clearing at the top perfect for stargazing.

 

Jade set her towel by a tree and pulled her long hair into a braid before wading into the water. "Wow, it's nice!"

 

Ryo sat down on one of the rocks by the edge, soaking in the sunlight.

 

Jade waded deeper, and started swimming around, enjoying the water and the relaxation this spot always evoked. She looked back to the shore at Ryo, who had reclined on his back, enjoying the sunlight. 'The original Sun worshipper' she thought as she shook her head. "Hey! You gonna come in or what?"

 

"Yea, in a minute," he called back.

 

Jade shook her head again. She knew that minute could stretch into a couple hours if she let it. She dove under the water and resurfaced when it was too shallow to swim. She walked over to Ryo and stood in front of him, blocking his sunlight as she wrung out her braid, letting the water fall on his chest.

 

Ryo sat up almost instantly as the cold water splashed him. "Hey!"

 

"Well, are you gonna come in here with me, or am I gonna have to drag you in?"

 

"All right, all right, I give up. You win."

 

"Well, that's no fun," she replied as she steered him into the water. Without warning, she jumped on his shoulders, effectively dunking him.

 

Ryo surfaced, wiping water from his face. "Whaddya do that for?"

 

"You were too dry," she said, grinning.

 

"Oh, so that's the way you wanna play, is it?" He splashed her.

 

"Hey!" she yelled, and the water fight began.

 

After playing for a while, Ryo finally broached the subject. "Jade, will you tell me what started this whole fight between you and Sage? I mean, I'm your best friend, and this whole week you haven't said anything to me… I guess I just feel kinda left out, and I wanna know what you're going through so I can help you."

 

Jade sighed and hoisted herself up on a rock, letting her feet dangle in the water. "You're right, Ryo. I'm sorry. I've just been so upset and confused and mad and I don't even know what else. Sai was there for me when I came home that night, and I just kinda clung to him after that. And now… And now I've slept with him."

 

Ryo climbed up on the rock next to her. "Do you regret it?"

 

She paused, her eyes fixed on her feet in the water. "Yes and no. I truly love Sai, and I really don't regret what we did… He showed me what making love was again. It's been so long since Sage and I have been together like that… I can't even remember the last time. I just became sicker of his flirting and his lack of concentration on me. And then he had to go and sleep with that… that whore. But I don't think Sai and I should have done it so soon. I feel like it was a natural progression, and I don't regret it, but I do think it was too soon. He kinda got me on the rebound, you know?"

 

"Yea. Well, as long as you don't regret it. But you still haven't told me what happened that night you came home all upset. And what happened last night? You were crying when Sai carried you inside, and he took you to your room and we didn't see you again until this morning."

 

Jade looked up at Ryo and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Ryo. I haven't meant to abandon you." She released him and looked out over the water as she started to recount what had happened.

 

When she was finished, Ryo hugged her close. "It's okay, Jade. Just promise me you'll come to me with these things instead of me having to force it out of you, okay? You're like my little sister. I love you and can't stand seeing you hurt." He kissed the top of her head.

 

"Okay. I'm sorry, Ryo, but thank you for being here for me. I don't deserve such good friends." She kissed him on the cheek in return.

 

"Of course you do. Everyone does."

 

Jade felt him look down at her, and she raised her gaze to meet his, giving him a lopsided smile. "Thanks."

 

They hopped off the rock and headed to the edge of the pool to make their way back to the house.

* * *