Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Tangled Web ❯ Part 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Author's Note: Drama, drama!! How could things possibly get any worse?? So here's a bit of fluff before the action really starts. And Pearl Tea is a real drink, comprised of a frothy foam on top (like sea foam) a creamy flavored tea, and `pearls' of tapioca at the bottom. Enjoy!

 

 

Love's Tangled Web

Part 6

 

The next morning, Rhia sat under the cherry tree and watched as Ryo worked through kata after kata. He was beautiful, so graceful, and her eyes followed him, absorbing this vision as best she could. In the morning light, he was clad only in a raggedy pair of jeans, cut off above the knees, and she watched as the sun highlighted his fluid form, bounced off the curve of muscle and shadowed the hollow, a light sheen of sweat shimmering over his skin, making him seem almost otherworldly. Muscles flexed and strained, strong, smooth feet danced over soft grass, while eyes the color of blue flame were fixed, intent on taking down his invisible opponent. A gentle wind rustled the branches of the tree, and soft pink petals, the last of the season, fell, swirling around his form, a few landing to become nestled in mane of midnight black.

She watched, enchanted. If only she could tell him how she felt without risking her heart. She wanted him so much, and yet, she was so afraid to tell him, afraid that he'd...

“Rhia?”

But why was she afraid? She had proved that she could live on her own. It was now mid-May, and six months since she had left the US and her abusive husband. Her divorce was final, and though she could have taken everything from him, she took nothing, only receiving monthly payments from him for 'emotional distress'. She had only taken those because her lawyer had insisted, and they went straight into a savings account. She had landed a secretarial job shortly after arriving here, and so had supported herself. And even though she lived in a house with six other people, she was independent, and proved that she was self-reliant, paying her share of the rent, utilities and groceries.

“Hellooo…”

So what was she afraid of? He would never hurt her. No one in the house would. She had trained hard over the last six months, and maybe she couldn't kick his ass, but she could land a couple of good hits, that was for sure. Jade said that he liked her. But liked her, how? What if--

"Earth to Rhia?!"

She started and shook her head, her gaze moving from his hand waving in front of her face to his own.

"You were totally zoned out. What were you thinking so hard about?"

She smiled softly and shook her head as he sat down next to her. "Oh, it was nothing. I was thinking about everything that's happened in the last few months."

"Oh, really?" He paused, picking up a small towel and wiping the sweat off his face. "Man, it's gonna be hot today. You wanna go into town and get some lunch?"

"Lunch?" she paused, then stepped out on a limb. Jade had been right. It had been two days since Jade had talked to Ryo about her, and he was already making a move. Raising an eyebrow, she looked over at him. "Ryo Sanada, are you asking me out on a date?"

He grinned. "Sure, if you wanna call it that. C'mon. I'll take you to go get some Pearl Tea."

"Pearl Tea? What's that?"

"You'll just have to find out. You'll like it."

"Okay." She smiled. "You go take a shower, and I'll go change."

"Deal."

Ryo went into the house first, and Jade, who had been peeking out the windows, waylaid Rhia at the door.

"So?"

Rhia grinned. "We're going out for lunch."

"Really? Where?"

"I don't know, but he said we were gonna go get something called Pearl Tea."

"Pearl Tea! Oh, you'll love it, it's so yummy! And that sounds like a really good idea. I may have to go get some myself. So are you going anywhere else?"

"I don't know, that was all he mentioned. I'm trying not to get my hopes too high."

Jade giggled and hugged her friend. "This is awesome! You two are going to have so much fun! What are you gonna wear?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but lemme show you what I have in mind." And with that, she led her friend up the stairs.

 

A short time later, Ryo, freshly showered, knocked on Rhia's door. "You ready to go?"

"Be right down!"

Whistling down the stairs, he grabbed the keys to his motorcycle, pausing at the door to slide on and lace up his shoes. Standing, he spotted Rhia coming down the stairs.

She was wearing a deep red halter top with a plunging v-neck paired with a knee-length white handkerchief skirt that had a pattern of red and pink flowers. In her hand she carried a pair of red heeled sandals, which she slid on when she reached the door. Her hair was loose, perfume light and breezy, and make-up sparing but tasteful, brown and silver sweeping her eyelids to bring out her eyes, and only a clear gloss on her lips to make them shine.

She looked like a girl ready to go out for an afternoon of fun in the city, and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Rhia smiled as he looked at her, noticing the appreciation in his gaze.

"You look... Wow, you look really pretty in that."

She smiled wider and blushed slightly. "Thank you. I'm excited. Where are we going for lunch?"

"Oh, I was thinking there's this little cafe..."

And as he led the way out the door, Rhia cast a glance and a wink back toward the stairs, where Jade waited.

 

* * *

 

8:30 PM

 

Sage looked at Rhia sidelong. “You drink sake?”

“Sure!” Rhia said, lifting her sakezuki aloft as if toasting it.

“It's about the only thing she'll drink,” Jade muttered between sips, avoiding looking at Sage.

“In fact, I'm probably the best sake drinker in Japan!” Rhia laughed. She had had a wonderful afternoon with Ryo, and found out that Pearl Tea was a delightful drink, with 'pearls' of tapioca in the bottom, frosty flavored tea in the middle, and a layer of cream on top. They had spent almost two hours in the cafe, eating, drinking, talking, sharing, shyly holding hands before spending the rest of the afternoon exploring the downtown area, hands entwined, laughing, flirting, playing. They had even shared their first kiss just before dinner, and she was riding a natural high.

Kento pointed at her. “I'll take you up on that!”

Ryo, Sage, Rowen, Jade and Sai looked at each other. They were tipsy, but not stupid enough to go against Kento in a drinking contest. Rhia, however, was too far-gone to care. “Ok!” she agreed. She looked at the other five, squinting to try and see them but only succeeded in falling over and laughing. “Sai can be the ref!”

“Oh, no,” Sai muttered.

“Aww, c'mon, Sai,” Rhia said clinging to his arm and looking at him with puppy dog eyes. “It'll be fun!”

He sighed. “Ok.”

“What happens if we run out of sake?” Rowen wondered out loud.

“I have a bottle hidden in my room for her,” Ryo whispered loudly.

Rhia looked at Ryo and started to giggle. She stared at the floor to calm down only to look at him again and start laughing.

“Maybe this is a bad idea,” Jade said.

“Nah…this'll be fun,” Kento said, rubbing his hands together.

“Ok, I'm ready now,” Rhia said, sitting up and facing Kento.

Kento went first. He held the cup up, examining it, then downed it in a single gulp. “One,” he said, placing the sakezuki down firmly in front of him.

Rhia grinned. “I can do one,” she said. She picked up her own glass and downed it. “See?”

Sage held out his own cup. Slightly surprised, Sai filled it. Immediately, Sage downed it. “One.”

Kento and Rhia looked at him. “You joinin' this, Seiji?” Kento asked.

“Sure.”

Rhia giggled. “I've never seen you drunk, Sage. This should be hilarious.”

Jade raised an eyebrow and looked on in interest and poorly concealed anger. “Yes, it should be.” She pushed her own empty cup over to Sai to be refilled.

 

9:00 PM -- 10 drinks later

 

Ten bottles of sake that had been put away in the pantry were now lined up along the free edge of the low table. Rowen had started drinking tea so he would be sober if the need rose that they needed a few more bottles. `What if we run out of sake?' he mocked himself. `I didn't even know we had this much stashed away…' He surveyed the drinking party over the top of his book. Jade had taken over for Sai as ref and glass-filler. He noticed that she, while nowhere near the caliber of the three contestants, had started drinking more heavily since the onset of the competition, and was pointedly avoiding looking at Sage. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her look at him, either.

It was Rhia's turn again. She looked at her full glass pensively. “Eleven?”

“You want out?” Kento asked, looking smug.

“No!” She downed the drink. “Eleven!”

Kento nodded and looked at Sage.

The bearer of the Halo armor met his comrade's gaze evenly. Slightly unfocused, but evenly. “Eleven,” he said after he had downed his cup.

Kento downed his twelfth drink with ease. Rhia looked slightly sick after hers, however.

“Um, Rhia? Why don't you stop while you're ahead?” Jade tried to reason with her intoxicated friend.

Rhia looked at her and suddenly burst out laughing. “Oh… the look on your face, Jade!” she said, pointing at her. She calmed and looked at her again, only to start laughing again. “That's the one!!!”

Kento laughed too, but he was only slightly tipsy.

Sage looked from Rhia to Jade and back to Rhia, trying not to laugh. It was a failing attempt, however.

“Another round,” Kento said, handing his sakezuki to Jade.

“Here, here!” Rhia said, pushing her own over.

Jade gave Ryo a look that said `you're the bartender, do something.' He shrugged, and, sighing, she filled the three cups to the brim.

 

10:05 PM -- 15 drinks later

 

Sage's hand shook as he picked up his drink. “Twenty-seven…”

“Don't spill it all!” Rhia yelled from her place on the floor. “Then it won't count!” She laughed hysterically. She had given up on sitting after her twentieth drink and now she was lying on her back.

Sage wavered, but managed to down the rice wine.

“It's hot,” Rhia complained. “Anyone object to my opening the door?”

“Nope.”

“Not at all.”

Rhia tried to stand but fell back on the floor. She ended up crawling to the door and pushing it open. The late spring breeze quickly chilled the room. “Hey, Cale! You coward! Why don't you face me!” she challenged into the chilly night.

That sent Sage into a laughing fit.

“Yeah, we'll scare him to death!” Kento said.

Jade snorted and looked at Ryo, unable to keep herself from cracking a grin at the insane notion of scaring the warlord of darkness to death. “Oh, Gods…”

Ryo shook his head. “I'm not going near any of them in the morning.”

When Rhia had crawled back to her spot on the floor, the drinking continued.

 

10:30 PM - 5 drinks later

 

They had stripped off their shirts, complaining about the warmth of the room. No one seemed to care about Rhia. No one except Ryo, that is. “I'm beginning to enjoy this,” he muttered to Jade before she elbowed him in the ribs, though she herself was studiously attempting to avoid eyeing Sage's built chest and abs. He was such an ass. But a damn fine one, she had to admit.

“Okay, the contest is over! All of you stand up. This is how we're deciding the winner,” Ryo announced.

“I can't,” Rhia said, bursting into a fit of giggles. “I'm too drunk, Mommy!”

Sage barely got to his knees before falling over. Kento managed to stand for a second before lowering himself back to the floor.

“So much for that idea,” Kento groaned. “Now what?”

Rhia yawned hugely. “Ryo, sweetie?” she said, laying her head on his knee.

“Yeah?”

No answer. She had passed out.

“I say the last one to pass out is the winner,” Ryo said, cradling Rhia in his lap.

“Does that mean we can keep drinking?” Kento asked, eyeing the still half-full bottle.

“Kento! How in the world are you gonna get up the stairs if you keep drinking?” Jade exclaimed.

“He doesn't,” Sage said. “And neither do I, unless someone wants to carry me.” He chuckled as Rowen sent a lecherous grin his way.

“Sorry, man, but I've got my hands full,” Ryo said, standing. “I'm gonna put Rhia to bed.”

“Right. Don't have too much fun with her,” Kento said.

Ryo grinned. “She's out cold. It won't be any fun unless she's awake.”

Rhia stirred then and snuggled closer to Ryo. “But I don' wanna go ta bed,” she muttered.

Ryo winked at the other three and carried Rhia out of the room.

Jade went into the kitchen and returned with two large glasses of water, placing one before both Sage and Kento. “You both have to finish those before you can go to bed.”

“Aww, why?” Kento whined. Sai, who was sitting beside him, grinned and patted him on the shoulder.

Jade shook her head. “Because it will help purge the alcohol from your system and make it so you might not have a hangover in the morning.”

Sage picked his up and slowly started sipping it as Kento gave his glass an ugly look before picking it up and starting to drink as well.

Sage finished his glass first, then looked over to Rowen. Taking the hint, Rowen went over and helped Sage to his feet, supporting most of his weight as they stumbled up the stairs.

Pointedly ignoring them, Jade looked at Sai as Kento started to stand, leaning heavily on a wall for support. “Stay with your koi tonight. If he wakes up with a hangover, it will be better if you're there with him.”

“Okay. Good night, Jade.” Standing, he helped his love up to their room, and Jade followed, after sadly putting the dishes in the sink and turning out the lights. And though no one was there to see, she, too, needed the support of a wall in order to remain upright. A wall because she had no supporting shoulder to lean on, because she had no pair of strong arms to cradle her against a warm chest, like Rhia. Sai would have come back to help her if she had asked, but he was not hers. Why was she the only one all alone?