Love from Venus: Arc 2, Part 3
Title: Love from Venus
Part: ARC 2, Part 3
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Rouge/Ryoma
Genre: Romance/Erotica/Friendship/AU
Rating: varies from PG to NC-17
Word count: 3,238
Summary: Sales representative Ryoma Iwakura's life careens off course when a business deal brings him to a hostess bar, and into the company of hostess and strip club dancer Rouge. A spark of attraction ignites between them, one Ryoma tries to deny. Despite his reservations, he embarks on a scandalous friendship with Rouge that questions his plans for the future.
Author's Notes: Last chapter. This ends the story. I've had oodles of fun writing this fic; it's been my wings for the past three months or so. ♥ Comments and crits to come soon. Prompts are from 10_prompts.
#40 (8:10 Punctual)
Falcon whistled as he descended the stairs, checking his phone for new messages. Ayame had promised to contact him soon, but he didn't know what her definition of 'soon' was. It didn't matter, though, because he was going to be seeing her again in a few days. He grinned. Things had gone pretty well at the club yesterday, if he might say so himself.
He stopped at Ryoma's door, giving it a light rap with his knuckles. How had things turned out after that message? He was itching to know if Ryoma had gone to Rouge. After all, he'd given the two possibilities a fifty-fifty chance of happening. Ryoma was stubborn, but Rouge made him do unexpected things, and he'd been beside himself pining for her. The blond chuckled to himself. He'd probably put his money on the latter.
When Ryoma had not made an appearance after two minutes, Falcon raised his eyebrows, looking at the door in amusement. He was so betting that his plan was a success. It didn't mean that they weren't going to be late for work if Ryoma kept this up, though.
With a roll of his eyes, Falcon dialled the number of his former roommate and held his phone to his ear.
Ryoma snuffled as the abrupt ring of his cell phone shoved him out of slumber, making a blind grab for the device on his bedside table. The room was unnaturally bright when he cracked his eyes open. Fearing the worst, he pushed the button to answer the call, looking over at his clock. "Hello?"
7:30.
"Ryoma? We're gonna be late if you don't get your ass out here, buddy."
Oh, hell.
"Right, I'm working on it," he told Falcon, his voice rough from sleep. His insides had tightened into a knot. Being late was the last thing he needed to do at work, with the recent slew of mistakes he'd accumulated. He squirmed out of bed, cursing when his legs tangled in the sheets at the same moment he pushed himself off the mattress, sprawling across the floor in a painful heap. A grimace crossed his face. He reached over to snatch his phone off the floor. The sound of Falcon chortling made its way to his ears.
"What's going on?" Rouge stirred and rubbed sleep from her eyes, watching as Ryoma picked himself out of the mess of fabric. She sat up on the mattress. The majority of their sheets was draping off the bed, leaving her as bare as Ryoma was. They hadn't slept quite enough after they got home the night before. Her lips twitched at the reminiscence. Ryoma had missed her so much that they just couldn't stop after the first round. Not that she'd complained, of course.
"I'm late. Falcon's already outside." Ryoma tossed his phone on the bed and strode to the bathroom; the lack of a backward glance told her exactly how serious it was.
Rouge glanced at his clock and winced. She slid off the mattress, heading to his closet. "Any big meetings today?"
"None, thankfully." Sounds of water trickled into the bedroom.
She flipped through the clothes on his hangers, pulling out one of his usual shirts and work pants, before grabbing his belt and a pair of briefs. This was new in their relationship; Ryoma had never overslept to this extent.
Rouge found him brushing his teeth, tossing his office clothes on a rack. He turned in surprise, raising his eyebrows at her. She grinned. Ryoma didn't protest when she swiftly dressed the lower half of his body. This was intimate in a fun sort of way, and she wouldn't have minded helping him more often if it weren't for how much it disrupted her sleep pattern. His shirt went on right before he splashed water on his face; Ryoma was towelling himself dry by the time she finished his buttons, tucking his shirt into his pants. The belt looped around him next.
He was watching her intently when she straightened and cast him an accomplished smile. "You're saving me from everything," Ryoma spoke quietly.
She grinned and hid her delight at his words, reaching around to pat his rear. "I can't save you from being late if you don't hurry."
"Thanks, Rouge." He strode out of the bathroom, collecting his phone and briefcase. She handed him socks from the closet.
"I should braid your hair one of these days. Or try that bun Ayame wears," she commented as she tied his hair into its usual low ponytail, watching him yank his socks on.
"Those aren't for men."
"Really?" Rouge grinned in amusement when his expression shifted to one of dread. Perhaps she'd do some experimenting on her next day off.
Falcon listened to the muffled exchange of voices, smirking. Ryoma seriously owed him for his intervention. He knocked loudly on the door, glancing at his watch. They weren't going to be all that late if they ran for the bus. He'd expected Ryoma to take longer, but Rouge probably sped him up with her presence. "Save that sweet-talk for later, lover boy!"
The door swung open. Ryoma muttered an apology and rushed out, halting when a set of fingers curled around his shoulder, pulling him back in. Falcon watched in mirth as Rouge popped her head and a naked shoulder out from behind the door, giving his best friend a quick, wet kiss that made the man's ears turn red.
"Have a good day at work," she told him after he stepped out, waving at Falcon.
The blond smirked. "Up all night sayin' sorry to the lady, huh?"
Ryoma flushed faintly and turned away. "Aren't we late for work?"
"He did better than that." Rouge laughed.
"Right, you ought to know that I was the one behind Ryoma showing up at your place." Falcon grinned and waved, heading for the stairs.
"I figured he couldn't have done it all by himself." Rouge winked, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could peek out at them.
"Hey!" Ryoma squawked in protest.
"You know it's true, buddy." Falcon clapped him on the back, picking up his pace when Ryoma did. "See ya around, Rouge!"
---
#41 (5:1 Hope)
Ryoma walked along old cement paths he hadn't traversed in the past year, a tinge of nostalgia sweeping across him as he watched children play on the streets of his hometown. Much had changed since the last time he'd been here. He'd discussed the likelihood of moving to Moonland in the distant future with Rouge; they'd agreed that there would be kids from some point onwards, though not with their current housing situation. Rouge had told him that he'd be a good father. He wasn't sure if he should trust her opinion on that. Ryoma thought she would be a good mother, however.
He turned down a familiar lane, to the well-kept house he'd grown up in. It was comforting to see that little had changed, and that the vegetable patch his parents tended to was still doing well. Ryoma wasn't as keen on this visit as he might have been, given his circumstances. It would relieve the unease in his chest when things were over and done with.
The door opened shortly after he knocked on it. As he'd expected, delight crossed his mother's features once her gaze lighted on him; he returned her smile and greeted her. She ushered him into the cottage, shutting the door. "Ryoma! You're back! Why didn't you tell us in advance that you're coming home? Sit down, I'll get you something to eat."
She pointed him to the dining area, where the wooden table and chairs had been polished not too long ago. He chuckled awkwardly and took a seat, observing her. Better known as Yuka Iwakura to others, his mother possessed the good looks in their family, none of which had been inherited by Ryoma. (It was always a sore spot of hers that he took after his father instead.) There were more wrinkles on her face, and her hair had turned greyer than before, both telling of the age her bright eyes belied. She had grown thinner, too. Ryoma regretted then that he hadn't been back quite as often as he should to visit his parents. "I don't need you to wear yourself out making preparations for me, Mother. I won't be staying long this time."
"You won't be staying long? But you haven't been back in for a whole year!" Her face fell. She bustled about the kitchen, pulling dishes from the cabinets.
"What's all this noise about? I thought I heard something from out back." The front door opened; Ryoma turned and got to his feet as his father entered, smiling at the man who had taught him to be who he was today.
"Father, I'm home," he greeted. Like his mother, Dai Iwakura had aged since Ryoma last visited, salt-and-pepper shades running through his ponytail. Many had commented on Ryoma's resemblance to his father; even their personalities were largely similar.
"Ryoma!" The corners of the older man's eyes crinkled. He took a seat next to Ryoma, holding him by the shoulder. "So, how have you been, Son? I wasn't expecting to see you back this soon."
"Uh, good. Work has been going well." He fiddled with his hands, watching as his mother brought plates of fruits and rice cakes in from the kitchen.
"Help yourself, Ryoma. You haven't eaten much since you got here, have you?" Yuka took a seat across from her husband and son, gesturing at the food. "You really should have told us you were coming, we'd have got Miho and her parents to drop by so you can meet her."
"About that..." Ryoma took an apple under her scrutiny, rolling it between his hands. He glanced at his father, before returning his attention to his mother tentatively. "Can we call the marriage off?"
"What?" Yuka gaped at him. "Why? After we've gone through so much trouble selecting her for you..."
"What's your reason, Son?" his father queried, staring expectantly at him. Ryoma sagged by a fraction in relief, glad for a chance to explain himself.
"I have another woman in mind." He stared at the apple in his hands, thumbing its waxy skin. An image of Rouge appeared easily before his eyes. "I like her very much. I'm aware that it's wrong to cancel the marriage--"
"But the marriage! We'll ruin our ties with the Taniguchi family if we call it off after coming this far!" Yuka worried at her lip, glancing anxiously between him and his father. Ryoma fidgeted. He wasn't the one having close contact with the people of his hometown, which meant that he wouldn't encounter the consequences firsthand. "How could you just pick a woman off the streets, Ryoma? You know full well that everyone has to go through a matchmaker to find a respectable wife! We don't know her background, and we don't know if her birth characteristics fit yours. What if something goes wrong because of that?"
It was Moonland tradition to compare the birth dates and names of potential spouses, to see if they would make a good match. Ryoma had never believed much in it, though. "That isn't necessary, Mother. Rouge and I are fine as we are--"
"'Rouge'? She's not from Moonland, is she?" Yuka narrowed her eyes. "No one marries foreigners here."
Ryoma winced. He'd forgotten about that. "She's still a woman regardless of where she comes from. I've been courting her for some time now--"
"You've been courting her without our permission? We haven't even met her!" She stared incredulously at him. "How could you, Ryoma? You, of all people, know the procedures of marriage--"
"It just happened, Mother! It feels right being with her. I know I shouldn't have done so." Ryoma glanced at his father for some form of support, setting the apple down so he could clench his fists.
"What kind of person is she?" Dai Iwakura finally spoke, joining the conversation before his wife had a chance to continue. There wasn't judgement on his face, which gave Ryoma some consolation.
He looked away from his parents, staring at the wall on the far end of the room. "She's beautiful, she's daring, and she cares about me. We get along very well." It would be a bad idea to mention the sexual nature of their relationship.
"You should break it off right now, Ryoma," his mother insisted. "That's not the way things are done here. There's no honour in wedding a foreign woman."
Ryoma gritted his teeth and shook his head. "I can't. I will only let Miho down because I can't love her. It'd just be an empty marriage."
"You love this Rouge woman?" She raised her eyebrows. For the first time since he'd stepped in, silence could be heard in the house.
He nodded. "I need her in my life. It's not about honour anymore."
"Oh." No one spoke for a long stretch of time. Yuka looked towards her husband helplessly. "I... I guess that can't be helped, then. We'll get into trouble with the Taniguchi family and your marriage will be the talk of the town, though," she groused. "Have you at least made certain of her purity?"
"Yes." His cheeks heated. It wasn't right talking about Rouge's virginity with his parents. Besides, he was the only person she'd been sleeping with since they met. Surely that counted for something, even if they were supposed to have sex only after their nuptials. Never mind that he'd fed his parents a lie.
"That's good. What does she look like?" she pressed on. Even his father perked up at the question.
"Well, like I said, she's beautiful. Rouge is from Fireland, so her skin is somewhat darker than ours, and she has large eyes and hair that goes down to her knees. She's just about as tall as I am--" he gestured to his head as an estimate, "--and most of the time, she covers half her face with her hair." His fingers traced the outline of her fringe on his own countenance. With a small smile, he added, "I think she's prettier than any of the girls here."
"How did you meet Rouge if she's from Fireland, Son?" His father filled the silence in when his mother sighed dejectedly.
"We met while I was at work." Ryoma was glad that he didn't have to bend the truth for this. His parents could assume what they chose to.
"Does she work at your firm?" The older man raised his eyebrows, at the same time his mother muttered, "Women should stay home to keep the house."
"No, she works for another company and deals with people." Rouge's occupation would be frowned upon here. He didn't appreciate that other men got to touch her while she was on the job, but she'd told him that she liked his caresses best. Hell, he was the one she'd chosen to live with. "She's good at it," he told his parents with a hint of pride. If Rouge wasn't, she wouldn't have snared him so thoroughly in the first place.
"Will she bear me grandchildren?" His mother stared suspiciously at him. "You'll have to bring her back so we can meet her."
Ryoma blushed. He couldn't quite imagine himself as a father yet. "We'll have children, Mother, just not soon."
The fact that she'd considered Rouge having a child with him, though, gave Ryoma hope for their future. He couldn't stop the grin that crept up his lips at his mother's grudging acceptance of Rouge, thinking he might just prolong his stay at his childhood home, if only to tell his parents more about their future daughter-in-law.
---
#42 (1:6 Promise)
"I didn't think you were saving up for a ring, buddy." Falcon threw a smug glance at Ryoma, linking his fingers behind his head.
Like the rest of Sunland's numerous shopping districts, the streets were crowded after office hours, more so because it was a Friday. Dusk had long fallen; around them, well-dressed shoppers meandered along the pavements that connected various shops and departmental stores. Ryoma studied the road signs, concentrating on getting them to the nearest bus stop home.
"I wasn't." And truthfully speaking, he hadn't been. The pocket he'd had to burn a hole through was woven over years of careful saving. Ryoma had expected to first get a house built in his hometown, before marrying a girl of his parents' choosing. None of that happened. Instead, he was sharing a tiny apartment with Rouge, having ample amounts of premarital sex and postponing the time when he'd settle in Moonland with his own family.
"I should've known, though. You've become a lot more impulsive since you met Rouge." Falcon grinned good-naturedly. "Just make sure you don't accidentally, you know, knock her up or something."
"I haven't become impulsive," Ryoma objected, looking indignantly at the blond. Heat prickled across his cheeks. Falcon especially loved making digs at his sex life when they were in public. It didn't help that Ryoma was too polite to draw attention to his friend's flirting with Ayame. "And we take precautions."
"Sure you do." Falcon jiggled his eyebrows. "Plus, you're definitely impulsive. How else would you explain the diamond ring you just bought?"
"I've been thinking about it." He ignored the blond's earlier comment, running his fingers over the little velvet box in his pocket. For such a tiny piece of jewelery, it certainly held a lot of his hopes.
"Yeah, in the two weeks after you brought your girlfriend home." There was a short pause, before Falcon looked swiftly over at him. "Did your mom and dad put you up to it?"
Ryoma looked at Falcon in surprise. "No, I'd decided on it prior to the visit." He shrugged. "It wasn't that difficult a choice."
He'd sent Miho and her family some Moonland delicacies as an apology, so that their relations with his parents would not be as strained. That resolved some of his mother's fears, at least. The cost of those gifts had not daunted him; being with Rouge was worth much more than that.
Falcon snickered. "You've got it bad, Ryoma. Half a year ago, you were all but chewing my head off for even suggesting that you go out with Rouge."
Ryoma blushed and turned away. "I'm sorry about that. Things just happened."
"Yeah, yeah, and a lot of it was thanks to me, old buddy." The blond gave him a nudge. "So, how're you gonna propose to her?"
He faltered, then smiled, picturing Rouge's expression when he got on a knee. She'd look radiant and he'd kiss her when she said 'yes'. "I'm going to cook for her, and after we're done with dinner, I'll ask her to marry me."
Falcon rolled his eyes. "You look like a besotted fool, Ryoma."
His smile disappeared; he glanced askance at the blond. "Wait 'til you meet the right girl, Falcon."
Who knew, maybe Ayame might turn out to be the one for his longtime friend. Ryoma eased the cloth-covered box open by a crack, then thought better of it and let the halves snap shut. He'd admire the ring properly when he got home. And some more when he put it on Rouge's hand. He was positive she'd like it -- it was a promise of their future, after all.
------
Part: ARC 2, Part 3
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Rouge/Ryoma
Genre: Romance/Erotica/Friendship/AU
Rating: varies from PG to NC-17
Word count: 3,238
Summary: Sales representative Ryoma Iwakura's life careens off course when a business deal brings him to a hostess bar, and into the company of hostess and strip club dancer Rouge. A spark of attraction ignites between them, one Ryoma tries to deny. Despite his reservations, he embarks on a scandalous friendship with Rouge that questions his plans for the future.
Author's Notes: Last chapter. This ends the story. I've had oodles of fun writing this fic; it's been my wings for the past three months or so. ♥ Comments and crits to come soon. Prompts are from 10_prompts.
#40 (8:10 Punctual)
Falcon whistled as he descended the stairs, checking his phone for new messages. Ayame had promised to contact him soon, but he didn't know what her definition of 'soon' was. It didn't matter, though, because he was going to be seeing her again in a few days. He grinned. Things had gone pretty well at the club yesterday, if he might say so himself.
He stopped at Ryoma's door, giving it a light rap with his knuckles. How had things turned out after that message? He was itching to know if Ryoma had gone to Rouge. After all, he'd given the two possibilities a fifty-fifty chance of happening. Ryoma was stubborn, but Rouge made him do unexpected things, and he'd been beside himself pining for her. The blond chuckled to himself. He'd probably put his money on the latter.
When Ryoma had not made an appearance after two minutes, Falcon raised his eyebrows, looking at the door in amusement. He was so betting that his plan was a success. It didn't mean that they weren't going to be late for work if Ryoma kept this up, though.
With a roll of his eyes, Falcon dialled the number of his former roommate and held his phone to his ear.
Ryoma snuffled as the abrupt ring of his cell phone shoved him out of slumber, making a blind grab for the device on his bedside table. The room was unnaturally bright when he cracked his eyes open. Fearing the worst, he pushed the button to answer the call, looking over at his clock. "Hello?"
7:30.
"Ryoma? We're gonna be late if you don't get your ass out here, buddy."
Oh, hell.
"Right, I'm working on it," he told Falcon, his voice rough from sleep. His insides had tightened into a knot. Being late was the last thing he needed to do at work, with the recent slew of mistakes he'd accumulated. He squirmed out of bed, cursing when his legs tangled in the sheets at the same moment he pushed himself off the mattress, sprawling across the floor in a painful heap. A grimace crossed his face. He reached over to snatch his phone off the floor. The sound of Falcon chortling made its way to his ears.
"What's going on?" Rouge stirred and rubbed sleep from her eyes, watching as Ryoma picked himself out of the mess of fabric. She sat up on the mattress. The majority of their sheets was draping off the bed, leaving her as bare as Ryoma was. They hadn't slept quite enough after they got home the night before. Her lips twitched at the reminiscence. Ryoma had missed her so much that they just couldn't stop after the first round. Not that she'd complained, of course.
"I'm late. Falcon's already outside." Ryoma tossed his phone on the bed and strode to the bathroom; the lack of a backward glance told her exactly how serious it was.
Rouge glanced at his clock and winced. She slid off the mattress, heading to his closet. "Any big meetings today?"
"None, thankfully." Sounds of water trickled into the bedroom.
She flipped through the clothes on his hangers, pulling out one of his usual shirts and work pants, before grabbing his belt and a pair of briefs. This was new in their relationship; Ryoma had never overslept to this extent.
Rouge found him brushing his teeth, tossing his office clothes on a rack. He turned in surprise, raising his eyebrows at her. She grinned. Ryoma didn't protest when she swiftly dressed the lower half of his body. This was intimate in a fun sort of way, and she wouldn't have minded helping him more often if it weren't for how much it disrupted her sleep pattern. His shirt went on right before he splashed water on his face; Ryoma was towelling himself dry by the time she finished his buttons, tucking his shirt into his pants. The belt looped around him next.
He was watching her intently when she straightened and cast him an accomplished smile. "You're saving me from everything," Ryoma spoke quietly.
She grinned and hid her delight at his words, reaching around to pat his rear. "I can't save you from being late if you don't hurry."
"Thanks, Rouge." He strode out of the bathroom, collecting his phone and briefcase. She handed him socks from the closet.
"I should braid your hair one of these days. Or try that bun Ayame wears," she commented as she tied his hair into its usual low ponytail, watching him yank his socks on.
"Those aren't for men."
"Really?" Rouge grinned in amusement when his expression shifted to one of dread. Perhaps she'd do some experimenting on her next day off.
Falcon listened to the muffled exchange of voices, smirking. Ryoma seriously owed him for his intervention. He knocked loudly on the door, glancing at his watch. They weren't going to be all that late if they ran for the bus. He'd expected Ryoma to take longer, but Rouge probably sped him up with her presence. "Save that sweet-talk for later, lover boy!"
The door swung open. Ryoma muttered an apology and rushed out, halting when a set of fingers curled around his shoulder, pulling him back in. Falcon watched in mirth as Rouge popped her head and a naked shoulder out from behind the door, giving his best friend a quick, wet kiss that made the man's ears turn red.
"Have a good day at work," she told him after he stepped out, waving at Falcon.
The blond smirked. "Up all night sayin' sorry to the lady, huh?"
Ryoma flushed faintly and turned away. "Aren't we late for work?"
"He did better than that." Rouge laughed.
"Right, you ought to know that I was the one behind Ryoma showing up at your place." Falcon grinned and waved, heading for the stairs.
"I figured he couldn't have done it all by himself." Rouge winked, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could peek out at them.
"Hey!" Ryoma squawked in protest.
"You know it's true, buddy." Falcon clapped him on the back, picking up his pace when Ryoma did. "See ya around, Rouge!"
---
#41 (5:1 Hope)
Ryoma walked along old cement paths he hadn't traversed in the past year, a tinge of nostalgia sweeping across him as he watched children play on the streets of his hometown. Much had changed since the last time he'd been here. He'd discussed the likelihood of moving to Moonland in the distant future with Rouge; they'd agreed that there would be kids from some point onwards, though not with their current housing situation. Rouge had told him that he'd be a good father. He wasn't sure if he should trust her opinion on that. Ryoma thought she would be a good mother, however.
He turned down a familiar lane, to the well-kept house he'd grown up in. It was comforting to see that little had changed, and that the vegetable patch his parents tended to was still doing well. Ryoma wasn't as keen on this visit as he might have been, given his circumstances. It would relieve the unease in his chest when things were over and done with.
The door opened shortly after he knocked on it. As he'd expected, delight crossed his mother's features once her gaze lighted on him; he returned her smile and greeted her. She ushered him into the cottage, shutting the door. "Ryoma! You're back! Why didn't you tell us in advance that you're coming home? Sit down, I'll get you something to eat."
She pointed him to the dining area, where the wooden table and chairs had been polished not too long ago. He chuckled awkwardly and took a seat, observing her. Better known as Yuka Iwakura to others, his mother possessed the good looks in their family, none of which had been inherited by Ryoma. (It was always a sore spot of hers that he took after his father instead.) There were more wrinkles on her face, and her hair had turned greyer than before, both telling of the age her bright eyes belied. She had grown thinner, too. Ryoma regretted then that he hadn't been back quite as often as he should to visit his parents. "I don't need you to wear yourself out making preparations for me, Mother. I won't be staying long this time."
"You won't be staying long? But you haven't been back in for a whole year!" Her face fell. She bustled about the kitchen, pulling dishes from the cabinets.
"What's all this noise about? I thought I heard something from out back." The front door opened; Ryoma turned and got to his feet as his father entered, smiling at the man who had taught him to be who he was today.
"Father, I'm home," he greeted. Like his mother, Dai Iwakura had aged since Ryoma last visited, salt-and-pepper shades running through his ponytail. Many had commented on Ryoma's resemblance to his father; even their personalities were largely similar.
"Ryoma!" The corners of the older man's eyes crinkled. He took a seat next to Ryoma, holding him by the shoulder. "So, how have you been, Son? I wasn't expecting to see you back this soon."
"Uh, good. Work has been going well." He fiddled with his hands, watching as his mother brought plates of fruits and rice cakes in from the kitchen.
"Help yourself, Ryoma. You haven't eaten much since you got here, have you?" Yuka took a seat across from her husband and son, gesturing at the food. "You really should have told us you were coming, we'd have got Miho and her parents to drop by so you can meet her."
"About that..." Ryoma took an apple under her scrutiny, rolling it between his hands. He glanced at his father, before returning his attention to his mother tentatively. "Can we call the marriage off?"
"What?" Yuka gaped at him. "Why? After we've gone through so much trouble selecting her for you..."
"What's your reason, Son?" his father queried, staring expectantly at him. Ryoma sagged by a fraction in relief, glad for a chance to explain himself.
"I have another woman in mind." He stared at the apple in his hands, thumbing its waxy skin. An image of Rouge appeared easily before his eyes. "I like her very much. I'm aware that it's wrong to cancel the marriage--"
"But the marriage! We'll ruin our ties with the Taniguchi family if we call it off after coming this far!" Yuka worried at her lip, glancing anxiously between him and his father. Ryoma fidgeted. He wasn't the one having close contact with the people of his hometown, which meant that he wouldn't encounter the consequences firsthand. "How could you just pick a woman off the streets, Ryoma? You know full well that everyone has to go through a matchmaker to find a respectable wife! We don't know her background, and we don't know if her birth characteristics fit yours. What if something goes wrong because of that?"
It was Moonland tradition to compare the birth dates and names of potential spouses, to see if they would make a good match. Ryoma had never believed much in it, though. "That isn't necessary, Mother. Rouge and I are fine as we are--"
"'Rouge'? She's not from Moonland, is she?" Yuka narrowed her eyes. "No one marries foreigners here."
Ryoma winced. He'd forgotten about that. "She's still a woman regardless of where she comes from. I've been courting her for some time now--"
"You've been courting her without our permission? We haven't even met her!" She stared incredulously at him. "How could you, Ryoma? You, of all people, know the procedures of marriage--"
"It just happened, Mother! It feels right being with her. I know I shouldn't have done so." Ryoma glanced at his father for some form of support, setting the apple down so he could clench his fists.
"What kind of person is she?" Dai Iwakura finally spoke, joining the conversation before his wife had a chance to continue. There wasn't judgement on his face, which gave Ryoma some consolation.
He looked away from his parents, staring at the wall on the far end of the room. "She's beautiful, she's daring, and she cares about me. We get along very well." It would be a bad idea to mention the sexual nature of their relationship.
"You should break it off right now, Ryoma," his mother insisted. "That's not the way things are done here. There's no honour in wedding a foreign woman."
Ryoma gritted his teeth and shook his head. "I can't. I will only let Miho down because I can't love her. It'd just be an empty marriage."
"You love this Rouge woman?" She raised her eyebrows. For the first time since he'd stepped in, silence could be heard in the house.
He nodded. "I need her in my life. It's not about honour anymore."
"Oh." No one spoke for a long stretch of time. Yuka looked towards her husband helplessly. "I... I guess that can't be helped, then. We'll get into trouble with the Taniguchi family and your marriage will be the talk of the town, though," she groused. "Have you at least made certain of her purity?"
"Yes." His cheeks heated. It wasn't right talking about Rouge's virginity with his parents. Besides, he was the only person she'd been sleeping with since they met. Surely that counted for something, even if they were supposed to have sex only after their nuptials. Never mind that he'd fed his parents a lie.
"That's good. What does she look like?" she pressed on. Even his father perked up at the question.
"Well, like I said, she's beautiful. Rouge is from Fireland, so her skin is somewhat darker than ours, and she has large eyes and hair that goes down to her knees. She's just about as tall as I am--" he gestured to his head as an estimate, "--and most of the time, she covers half her face with her hair." His fingers traced the outline of her fringe on his own countenance. With a small smile, he added, "I think she's prettier than any of the girls here."
"How did you meet Rouge if she's from Fireland, Son?" His father filled the silence in when his mother sighed dejectedly.
"We met while I was at work." Ryoma was glad that he didn't have to bend the truth for this. His parents could assume what they chose to.
"Does she work at your firm?" The older man raised his eyebrows, at the same time his mother muttered, "Women should stay home to keep the house."
"No, she works for another company and deals with people." Rouge's occupation would be frowned upon here. He didn't appreciate that other men got to touch her while she was on the job, but she'd told him that she liked his caresses best. Hell, he was the one she'd chosen to live with. "She's good at it," he told his parents with a hint of pride. If Rouge wasn't, she wouldn't have snared him so thoroughly in the first place.
"Will she bear me grandchildren?" His mother stared suspiciously at him. "You'll have to bring her back so we can meet her."
Ryoma blushed. He couldn't quite imagine himself as a father yet. "We'll have children, Mother, just not soon."
The fact that she'd considered Rouge having a child with him, though, gave Ryoma hope for their future. He couldn't stop the grin that crept up his lips at his mother's grudging acceptance of Rouge, thinking he might just prolong his stay at his childhood home, if only to tell his parents more about their future daughter-in-law.
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#42 (1:6 Promise)
"I didn't think you were saving up for a ring, buddy." Falcon threw a smug glance at Ryoma, linking his fingers behind his head.
Like the rest of Sunland's numerous shopping districts, the streets were crowded after office hours, more so because it was a Friday. Dusk had long fallen; around them, well-dressed shoppers meandered along the pavements that connected various shops and departmental stores. Ryoma studied the road signs, concentrating on getting them to the nearest bus stop home.
"I wasn't." And truthfully speaking, he hadn't been. The pocket he'd had to burn a hole through was woven over years of careful saving. Ryoma had expected to first get a house built in his hometown, before marrying a girl of his parents' choosing. None of that happened. Instead, he was sharing a tiny apartment with Rouge, having ample amounts of premarital sex and postponing the time when he'd settle in Moonland with his own family.
"I should've known, though. You've become a lot more impulsive since you met Rouge." Falcon grinned good-naturedly. "Just make sure you don't accidentally, you know, knock her up or something."
"I haven't become impulsive," Ryoma objected, looking indignantly at the blond. Heat prickled across his cheeks. Falcon especially loved making digs at his sex life when they were in public. It didn't help that Ryoma was too polite to draw attention to his friend's flirting with Ayame. "And we take precautions."
"Sure you do." Falcon jiggled his eyebrows. "Plus, you're definitely impulsive. How else would you explain the diamond ring you just bought?"
"I've been thinking about it." He ignored the blond's earlier comment, running his fingers over the little velvet box in his pocket. For such a tiny piece of jewelery, it certainly held a lot of his hopes.
"Yeah, in the two weeks after you brought your girlfriend home." There was a short pause, before Falcon looked swiftly over at him. "Did your mom and dad put you up to it?"
Ryoma looked at Falcon in surprise. "No, I'd decided on it prior to the visit." He shrugged. "It wasn't that difficult a choice."
He'd sent Miho and her family some Moonland delicacies as an apology, so that their relations with his parents would not be as strained. That resolved some of his mother's fears, at least. The cost of those gifts had not daunted him; being with Rouge was worth much more than that.
Falcon snickered. "You've got it bad, Ryoma. Half a year ago, you were all but chewing my head off for even suggesting that you go out with Rouge."
Ryoma blushed and turned away. "I'm sorry about that. Things just happened."
"Yeah, yeah, and a lot of it was thanks to me, old buddy." The blond gave him a nudge. "So, how're you gonna propose to her?"
He faltered, then smiled, picturing Rouge's expression when he got on a knee. She'd look radiant and he'd kiss her when she said 'yes'. "I'm going to cook for her, and after we're done with dinner, I'll ask her to marry me."
Falcon rolled his eyes. "You look like a besotted fool, Ryoma."
His smile disappeared; he glanced askance at the blond. "Wait 'til you meet the right girl, Falcon."
Who knew, maybe Ayame might turn out to be the one for his longtime friend. Ryoma eased the cloth-covered box open by a crack, then thought better of it and let the halves snap shut. He'd admire the ring properly when he got home. And some more when he put it on Rouge's hand. He was positive she'd like it -- it was a promise of their future, after all.
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