Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Ecchi Days - An Interactive Tenchi Fic ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Sasami quickly walked for the house, and Tenchi suddenly realized that he was alone with Ryoko and the center of her attention. Scratching the back of his head nervously, he excused himself.

"Well, I eh.. better go ask grandpa to..uhm.. see you at dinner."

He quickly made his retreat, but not quickly enough to miss Ryoko's sad sigh. He inwardly cursed his nervousness around her, knowing that these rejections hurt her. He still fondly remembered the moment she came back and they held onto each other in contentment, and wished for more moments with her. But somehow now that things had gone back to relatively normal, he lost his nerve at every opportunity.

Was he still afraid of her? She gave him a good scare the night they met, and he knew she still had a rough side and power t back it up. But she would never really hurt him, he knew that much. But did he believe it in his heart? Did he trust her? He knew he liked her, but were other things missing? Just how did he like her? He kept pondering his retreat from an excellent opportunity to spend time with Ryoko.

Tenchi almost didn't notice when the stairs ended, but he looked up in time to see Katsuhito standing in the middle of the temple yard with an unreadable expression like always. Tenchi almost got the impression that his grandfather had been waiting for him. When clear of the stairs, his grandfather addressed him.

"If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril."

It was almost eerie how Katsuhito always seemed to sense what was on his mind and express it in a short quote from classic literature. Thinking it over, Tenchi decided that the Sun Tzu quote was quite appropriate; He knew neither Ryoko nor himself well enough, and for this reason he lost his nerve around her. He would need to sort out his own feelings, and he would need to have clarity about hers.

Katsuhito, having sensed somehow that Tenchi had understood, caught his attention again.

"So, Tenchi, what brings you up here? Planning on taking extra lessons in the art of sword play, hmmm?"

"No, no, that's not it.. I mean.. I just wanted to ask you a question related to my schoolwork."

Since Katsuhito didn't reply, Tenchi continued.

"I have an assignment on Cultural Differences, and I have been asking around for ideas and inspirations."

"I am disappointed in you, Tenchi. You, more than anyone else, should know of this subject. Have you not contact with no less than six aliens from every corner and profession of the galaxy?"

Tenchi nods, while trying to make sense to his grandfather's statement. He didn't really know why he should be an expert on the subject because of their guests. Pretending he understood Katsuhito's point, he excused himself and started the trek down the stairs.

As he walked down, his thought inevitably returned to his grandfathers first statement. Was he ignorant of himself? Maybe that was really his problem, he realized. He wasn't afraid of Ryoko, and he did trust her. He was afraid of himself. Afraid of looking bad to Ryoko. Afraid to talk to her and spend time with her because he might mess up and look bad in her eyes.

Remembering Ryoko's reaction when he left in a hurry, he almost hit himself. By avoiding her, he was doing exactly what he was afraid of and trying to avoid.

Thinking to himself, he decided that he would not run anymore. It was hurting her and his chances with her more than staying ever could. He would face it, and hopefully they could relax and enjoy time together.

This brought another thought to his mind. If he was afraid of looking bad in her eyes, afraid of loosing her, didn't that mean he must love her? He wasn't sure, but he had never been sure when it came to feelings. He was fairly certain that he was in love with her, but he realized that there was only one way to find out.

He would simply have to spend more time with her.

He resolved to spend some time with her after dinner, to hopefully help clear up his feelings.

---o--o---

Sleep was uneasy for Tenchi. His head kept swimming with the events of today, and scenes from the past. After dinner the girls had been watching television, and he didn't have the nerve to ask Ryoko for private time in front of Ayeka. The fact that he had failed to make up for hurting her didn't make him feel better. The hot and humid air of the summer night was not making things easier, and Tenchi kept hovering in a semi-conscious state, trapped between sleep and wakefulness.

In one of his more wakeful moments, Tenchi glanced at the clock. It read sixteen past two, and Tenchi swore to himself, knowing that he had a half school day in far too few hours.

Deciding that anything is better than the half-sleeping state he had been in for a couple of hours, Tenchi donned a pajamas and went to the kitchen for some water. Maybe relief for his parched throat would make sleep come easier.

On his way back from the kitchen, he noticed quiet voices from the living room. Curious, he walked quietly to the living room and peeked in. The lights were out, and the room was only illuminated by the soft glow of the moon.

At first he didn't notice anyone, but then his attention was caught by movement at the couch. Eyes slowly attuned to the darkness, Tenchi spotted Ryoko sitting with Sasami in her lap. He concludes that Sasami must have had a nightmare or simply problems sleeping like him.

He smiled slightly. It wasn't often you saw Ryoko's soft and considerate side so clearly, and the scene was truly heart-warming.

The choice is yours.

(*) Tenchi goes back to sleep, careful not to disturb them - go to chapter 9
(*) Tenchi stays a little while more - go to chapter 10