Catch Me (chapter one/?)
Title: Catch Me (1/?)
Summary: Sakuno doesn't understand love, but she wants to.
Category: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: SakunoOC
Rated: K+
Genre: Romance
Words: 1,706
A/N: I wrote this for my friend AquaJet's birthday on December 19th! It's like a look into Sakuno's first relationship.
Disclaimer: I only own my OC. Title goes to "Catch Me" by Demi Lovato.
It is not a fact that Ryuzaki Sakuno has a crush on Echizen Ryoma, more like an assumption. She doesn't really understand love, or crushes, or the difference between admiration and affection. It drives her a into a state where hours are spent daydreaming, wondering what real love is like. How do you know when you like someone? Love someone? Do bells really go off in your head and do those butterflies really exist?
She doesn't know, and is at a lost of what to do when Tomoka takes her to a Christmas party one of their classmates is holding where most people will be dancing, kissing, and hooking up. She isn't a social person and parties are definitely not her forte.
"You look so cute!" Tomoka grins, tying the final red and green ribbon into Sakuno's hair. Against her wishes, Tomoka curls Sakuno's hair and ties it up in festive ribbons. She put her in a red, white, and green dress that is a bit too revealing with green flats. She sprinkled her with some glitter and gave her a snowflake necklace.
"T-Tomoka," Sakuno stutters, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She doesn't want to stand out by not dressing up, but she doesn't need to look this festive. "T-This isn't n-necessary."
Tomoka waves her friend off. "Sure it is! Everyone is going and dressing up in festive colors, and you're no exception!"
"Bu-"
"No buts!" Tomoka says, wagging her finger. "Now come on, let's go or we will be late!"
Sakuno inwardly sighs and looks at herself in the mirror one last time before following her best friend out of the house and to the car, her eyes fix on the ground. She knows she is going to regret letting Tomoka do this to her.
-x-
Sakuno stays along the border of the party, leaning against a wall that is opposite the backdoor that leads to the deck, still fiddling with her dress. She debates whether or not to go into the frosty winter air because it's cold and it's warm inside, but the music is too loud and the atmosphere is suffocating. Tomoka is also nowhere to be found.
She does not like parties, she is not social, she does not like loud music, and she would prefer to be reading a book while curled up in her bed. Tomoka knows this - well, they are best friends - but still chooses to ditch her.
"Tomoka..." she whispers quietly, closing her eyes. The moment a shout is heard and people start pushing, she snaps open her eyes and tries to make her way to the backdoor. She is small and it's difficult for her to push pass everyone else, especially when the only way out is across the room. Her eyes widen in fear when she realizes she won't be able to get out. The air seems limited and she can't breathe. People shove against her harder; who doesn't want to see a fight?
"Here!" a voice shouts, and before she can do anything, she is pulled out of the throng of people back into the borders. Someone is holding her hand and guiding her away from the party, but she is looking at the floor, unable to see where. Her face is flushed and she trips over her feet, even though she isn't even in heels.
A gush of cold air hits her, and she realizes they are on the deck. The stranger releases his hands from hers and sets her in a snow-free chair off to the side. She is embarrassed by her weakness and that she was saved. They are probably laughing inwardly at her and scrutinizing her.
"Miss, are you alright?"
She doesn't look up at the polite, firm voice, only clutches the hem of her dress - a new habit of hers. "I-I'm f-"
There you go again Sakuno, stuttering and blushing, not even able to thank your savior, she thinks bitterly. So she nods her head instead, hoping they - no, he - gets the message and leaves her alone to wallow in her own loneliness.
"Are you sure?" he asks. She can see his feet, red tennis shoes, and what looks to be black jeans from the lights shining from inside the house. Why won't this stranger leave her alone? She nods again and can sense his frown. What happens next, she doesn't expect. He kneels down until he is level with her face (which is still looking downward) and she feels a weight on her shoulders.
"I can't quite convince myself to believe you," he says. "And it wouldn't be polite to abandon a girl in the cold outside of a wild party, now would it?"
"I'm f-fine," she says, but a little louder this time. She really just wants him to leave. What if he takes advantage of her? First, draw her into a sense of comfort, give her his jacket, talk to her, then take her back to his place. She tenses at the thought of him kidnapping her.
"Hey now, I'm not gonna bite," he says, more than likely noticing her tighten up. "You're not used to this, are you? I can tell partying isn't your thing."
She blushes and shakes her head, remembering that he had saved her from the group of people. Did he see her standing alone earlier against the wall? Acting like a complete wallflower?
"Hm, let's change the subject," he says, and she hears a chair scraping across the wooden deck next to hers. "Are you a... first year?"
She nods, still flustered.
"I see. I'm a third year, by the way."
Her eyes widen and she bites the inside of her cheek. A third year is talking to her? He is actually staying out in the cold to talk to her? Oh, where's Tomoka when she needs her? This is all so new to her.
"Don't worry, I'm not like some perverted third year who is going to take advantage of a first year," he says in his defense, but she can hear the humor. "I really don't want to go back into that party though. My friend brought me here."
"S-Same," she agrees, a tinge of happiness spreads throughout her stomach because someone shares the same pain as she does. Kind of.
"Did your friend ditch you?" He asks.
"Tomoka would never," she defends, finally look up.
He has messy dark brown hair and light brown eyes that seem to sparkle in the light. The rest of his outfit consists of a dark green turtle neck and a black scarf with a matching knit hat. From where he sits, she guesses he is a good foot taller than her, and plays some kind of sport with what seems to be an athletic build, but it's too hard for her to tell in this darkness.
"So this is what you look like when you're not lost in a swarm of people," he jokes, smiling. She blushes again and looks away, hating how she can't seem to make a comeback or defend herself.
"Now, may I introduce myself?" He asks, extending a hand forward. "Minami Keisuke, third year."
She looks back at him, slowly reaches out, and shakes his hand because he doesn't seem so bad, right? "Ryuzaki Sakuno."
"Ah, the infamous daughter of the boys' tennis coach, am I right?" He pulls his hand away, but not before giving hers a gentle squeeze.
"Yes..."
"Do you play tennis?" he asks, keeping the conversation going.
"Yes, b-but I'm not very good," she admits, blushing. He waves his hand.
"Don't worry, it takes practice," he says, still smiling. Will he ever stop smiling? "I prefer soccer, personally, but I respect tennis since it brings our school the praise it needs. Do you like socc-"
"Sakuno! There you are!"
She turns to see Tomoka hurrying towards her. So that's where her friend went. Has she been looking for her all along?
"Oh I was so worried about you! I thought you got caught up in the fight!" Tomoka wails, tackling her friend in a hug. She turns to Keisuke. "And you are...?"
"Ah, Minami Keisuke, saving damsels in distress from terrible fights," he states, standing up. "I'd best be going now, since your friend is here. It was nice meeting you, Ryuzaki-san."
He gives her a small wave and one more smile before disappearing inside and into the party.
"Who was he? He's so cute! Spill the details Sakuno!" Tomoka says, shaking her friend. "But first, we'd better get home! He didn't touch you or harass you in any way, did he?"
"N-No! N-Nothing like that!" she blushes. "L-Let's just go."
"Alright, off we go!" Tomoka grabs Sakuno's hand and leads her around to the front, staying outside to avoid the party. The temperature has dropped and the wind has picked up yet she can't help but feel warm and slightly better than when she first arrived. As Tomoka's mother pulls up and the two get in the car, she remembers something.
A black jacket still hangs off her shoulders.
Summary: Sakuno doesn't understand love, but she wants to.
Category: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: SakunoOC
Rated: K+
Genre: Romance
Words: 1,706
A/N: I wrote this for my friend AquaJet's birthday on December 19th! It's like a look into Sakuno's first relationship.
Disclaimer: I only own my OC. Title goes to "Catch Me" by Demi Lovato.
It is not a fact that Ryuzaki Sakuno has a crush on Echizen Ryoma, more like an assumption. She doesn't really understand love, or crushes, or the difference between admiration and affection. It drives her a into a state where hours are spent daydreaming, wondering what real love is like. How do you know when you like someone? Love someone? Do bells really go off in your head and do those butterflies really exist?
She doesn't know, and is at a lost of what to do when Tomoka takes her to a Christmas party one of their classmates is holding where most people will be dancing, kissing, and hooking up. She isn't a social person and parties are definitely not her forte.
"You look so cute!" Tomoka grins, tying the final red and green ribbon into Sakuno's hair. Against her wishes, Tomoka curls Sakuno's hair and ties it up in festive ribbons. She put her in a red, white, and green dress that is a bit too revealing with green flats. She sprinkled her with some glitter and gave her a snowflake necklace.
"T-Tomoka," Sakuno stutters, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She doesn't want to stand out by not dressing up, but she doesn't need to look this festive. "T-This isn't n-necessary."
Tomoka waves her friend off. "Sure it is! Everyone is going and dressing up in festive colors, and you're no exception!"
"Bu-"
"No buts!" Tomoka says, wagging her finger. "Now come on, let's go or we will be late!"
Sakuno inwardly sighs and looks at herself in the mirror one last time before following her best friend out of the house and to the car, her eyes fix on the ground. She knows she is going to regret letting Tomoka do this to her.
-x-
Sakuno stays along the border of the party, leaning against a wall that is opposite the backdoor that leads to the deck, still fiddling with her dress. She debates whether or not to go into the frosty winter air because it's cold and it's warm inside, but the music is too loud and the atmosphere is suffocating. Tomoka is also nowhere to be found.
She does not like parties, she is not social, she does not like loud music, and she would prefer to be reading a book while curled up in her bed. Tomoka knows this - well, they are best friends - but still chooses to ditch her.
"Tomoka..." she whispers quietly, closing her eyes. The moment a shout is heard and people start pushing, she snaps open her eyes and tries to make her way to the backdoor. She is small and it's difficult for her to push pass everyone else, especially when the only way out is across the room. Her eyes widen in fear when she realizes she won't be able to get out. The air seems limited and she can't breathe. People shove against her harder; who doesn't want to see a fight?
"Here!" a voice shouts, and before she can do anything, she is pulled out of the throng of people back into the borders. Someone is holding her hand and guiding her away from the party, but she is looking at the floor, unable to see where. Her face is flushed and she trips over her feet, even though she isn't even in heels.
A gush of cold air hits her, and she realizes they are on the deck. The stranger releases his hands from hers and sets her in a snow-free chair off to the side. She is embarrassed by her weakness and that she was saved. They are probably laughing inwardly at her and scrutinizing her.
"Miss, are you alright?"
She doesn't look up at the polite, firm voice, only clutches the hem of her dress - a new habit of hers. "I-I'm f-"
There you go again Sakuno, stuttering and blushing, not even able to thank your savior, she thinks bitterly. So she nods her head instead, hoping they - no, he - gets the message and leaves her alone to wallow in her own loneliness.
"Are you sure?" he asks. She can see his feet, red tennis shoes, and what looks to be black jeans from the lights shining from inside the house. Why won't this stranger leave her alone? She nods again and can sense his frown. What happens next, she doesn't expect. He kneels down until he is level with her face (which is still looking downward) and she feels a weight on her shoulders.
"I can't quite convince myself to believe you," he says. "And it wouldn't be polite to abandon a girl in the cold outside of a wild party, now would it?"
"I'm f-fine," she says, but a little louder this time. She really just wants him to leave. What if he takes advantage of her? First, draw her into a sense of comfort, give her his jacket, talk to her, then take her back to his place. She tenses at the thought of him kidnapping her.
"Hey now, I'm not gonna bite," he says, more than likely noticing her tighten up. "You're not used to this, are you? I can tell partying isn't your thing."
She blushes and shakes her head, remembering that he had saved her from the group of people. Did he see her standing alone earlier against the wall? Acting like a complete wallflower?
"Hm, let's change the subject," he says, and she hears a chair scraping across the wooden deck next to hers. "Are you a... first year?"
She nods, still flustered.
"I see. I'm a third year, by the way."
Her eyes widen and she bites the inside of her cheek. A third year is talking to her? He is actually staying out in the cold to talk to her? Oh, where's Tomoka when she needs her? This is all so new to her.
"Don't worry, I'm not like some perverted third year who is going to take advantage of a first year," he says in his defense, but she can hear the humor. "I really don't want to go back into that party though. My friend brought me here."
"S-Same," she agrees, a tinge of happiness spreads throughout her stomach because someone shares the same pain as she does. Kind of.
"Did your friend ditch you?" He asks.
"Tomoka would never," she defends, finally look up.
He has messy dark brown hair and light brown eyes that seem to sparkle in the light. The rest of his outfit consists of a dark green turtle neck and a black scarf with a matching knit hat. From where he sits, she guesses he is a good foot taller than her, and plays some kind of sport with what seems to be an athletic build, but it's too hard for her to tell in this darkness.
"So this is what you look like when you're not lost in a swarm of people," he jokes, smiling. She blushes again and looks away, hating how she can't seem to make a comeback or defend herself.
"Now, may I introduce myself?" He asks, extending a hand forward. "Minami Keisuke, third year."
She looks back at him, slowly reaches out, and shakes his hand because he doesn't seem so bad, right? "Ryuzaki Sakuno."
"Ah, the infamous daughter of the boys' tennis coach, am I right?" He pulls his hand away, but not before giving hers a gentle squeeze.
"Yes..."
"Do you play tennis?" he asks, keeping the conversation going.
"Yes, b-but I'm not very good," she admits, blushing. He waves his hand.
"Don't worry, it takes practice," he says, still smiling. Will he ever stop smiling? "I prefer soccer, personally, but I respect tennis since it brings our school the praise it needs. Do you like socc-"
"Sakuno! There you are!"
She turns to see Tomoka hurrying towards her. So that's where her friend went. Has she been looking for her all along?
"Oh I was so worried about you! I thought you got caught up in the fight!" Tomoka wails, tackling her friend in a hug. She turns to Keisuke. "And you are...?"
"Ah, Minami Keisuke, saving damsels in distress from terrible fights," he states, standing up. "I'd best be going now, since your friend is here. It was nice meeting you, Ryuzaki-san."
He gives her a small wave and one more smile before disappearing inside and into the party.
"Who was he? He's so cute! Spill the details Sakuno!" Tomoka says, shaking her friend. "But first, we'd better get home! He didn't touch you or harass you in any way, did he?"
"N-No! N-Nothing like that!" she blushes. "L-Let's just go."
"Alright, off we go!" Tomoka grabs Sakuno's hand and leads her around to the front, staying outside to avoid the party. The temperature has dropped and the wind has picked up yet she can't help but feel warm and slightly better than when she first arrived. As Tomoka's mother pulls up and the two get in the car, she remembers something.
A black jacket still hangs off her shoulders.