[Multichapter] What am I to you? ... Chapter 6

[ramadiii]

Title: What am I to you? …. Chapter 6
Pairing: RyoDa, JinDa, TegoPi, Ueda Tatsuya/OC
Rating: Safe
Genre: Romance, drama, smut, fluff
Length: 4664 words
Disclaimer: I love JE-boys but unless I can get one of them for Christmas this year, I don't own any of them.
Summary: For a long time Tatsuya had a pretty decent life. She was from a fairly rich family, had high expectations from her parents and high grades. But never a good enough reason to smile.... Until she met Ryo, a fierce delinquent and the ringleader of a high-school. Unlikely as it seemed they found each other and although Ryo always comes late for their dates, all beaten up, Tatsuya usually doesn't mind since she loves him so much.
But being the ringleader's girlfriend can sometimes be very dangerous, especially when challenging ringleaders find their opponent's lover very attractive.
Warnings: In this fic Tatsuya equals GIRL. So if you don't like it, don't read it. I also made Tatsuya a few years younger just to make the whole story more believable. *hihi*
A/N: This is a request-fic for Jindaluver <3 I hope you like it sweetheart!

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“So what do you think?” Tatsuya asked with a smile and made a turn so that Ryuuta could see her hair from every angle.

“It looks great.” He simply answered without looking at her, making Tatsuya frown. She walked up to him where he was sitting on the terrace outside the gym staring off into the open air, almost shaking from the cold that the dark night had brought with it.

“Oh, come on. You didn't even look.” She pouted and sat down next to him. “What's wrong? Are you sick?” She joked and placed a cool hand on his forehead but he quickly pulled away from her with a flushed cheeks, leaving her with a confused face.

“Ryuuta?”

“It's nothing. I just wanna be alone for a little while.” He said and got up but Tatsuya caught his hand in hers and pulled him back to her side.

“Look, Ryuuta. If you're mad at me or something then please tell me.”

“I'm not mad at you. I....”

“Then what?! Did I do something wrong? Is that why you're avoiding me? Because I got on your nerves or something?!” As much as she tried to think straight she just couldn't help but to be hurt by the fact that he didn't seem to want to stay around her. She had always been the type of person to take things to heart and now was not an exception.

“It's not that I don't want to be near you, it's just that I...”

“That you what?!”

“I think I might like you!”

Tatsuya was taken back by Ryuuta's confession, is that why he was acting so strange towards her? It seemed like a very weird way to show affection towards another person. Ryo had never acted like that, he had always acted like he knew what he had wanted but then again Tatsuya knew that Ryo's ways of handling things were not really the usual style.

“You... you what?” She stuttered, still in slight shock over the sudden confession that had arouse from the argument.

“Well, it's only been two weeks since we met and I didn't want to seem strange so I thought of not saying anything until we had gotten to know each other better but I guess I just can't hold it in that long. I'm sorry if I seem mad to you by telling you this but I just needed to say it aloud.” Ryuuta took a deep breath, in less than one minute he had revealed everything on his mind and now, instead of the peace of mind he thought he would find as he did, he found himself with a red face and shaking hands.

He dared not look at the girl next to him, he just clenched his hands and stared into the silent dark in front of him.

“I... I don't think anything strange of you, it's just a little surprising. That's all.” Tatsuya smiled, however a little nervously, as she looked up at him.

Despite the fact that they had not known each other that long she had to admit that there was something about Ryuuta that appealed to her. It was not his looks, although they were nothing to complain about, nor was it his gentle smile.
It was his compassion, his soft touches, the way he made her feel warm without intending to. Ryo had always been cold, emotionally distant towards her even when he didn't lose his temper. Sure she hadn't known Ryuuta that long but for some reason he didn't strike her as the kind of person who got mad easily.

Tatsuya stroked a pair of her fingers over the hand belonging to the young man next to her, still staring into the air.
“I don't know if I told you but my boyfriend just broke up with me not too long ago, so it's not that I don't want to go out with you. I just need some time to figure things out, what I want with my life and who to be with.” Ryuuta looked up at her, slowly as if he didn't know whether or not he believed her.

He felt the soft fingertips on his hand and a shiver actually went through his entire body as she slowly moved them over his skin.

“I see, you don't have to give an me an answer now. Just take your time and decide, until you give me an answer I will just act like before. I wouldn't want to complicate things for you just for this.” He answered Tatsuya's smile and although later that night when he thought about what he had said, Ryuuta realized that his words might have seemed bitter but the smile that Tatsuya gave him showed that she hadn't taken them like that.

“Um. Thank you, Ryuuta.” She removed her hand from his, suddenly feeling how cold it had gotten when the warmth of the other's hand had disappeared.

“Not at all. If you don't mind I will tell my dad that you will be transferring schools so that he can call your parents and set up the transfer-papers.”

“Look, I really appreciate...”

“Tatsuya, this is for your own safety. Today was bad enough, I don't want to have to wonder the next time I see you if you'll be covered in bruises like now. Please allow us to help you, because we can and we will if you just let us. We have more connections than you'd think.” He winked at her and Tatsuya felt her cheeks getting warmer, thankfully it was too dark for Ryuuta to see.

“I just don't want to be a burden to anyone.”

“You're not a burden, you are a part of the family now whether you like it or not. And we take care of our family, 'til the end if necessary.” He bumped into her side with a smile and she did the same.

“In that case I'd like to accept your help.” She looked up at Ryuuta and she smiled, it wasn't a small smile that she had showed them so far. It was a big, wide smile filled with happiness and warmth and it made her companion's heart skip a beat.

“Don't take this the wrong way, Tatsuya. But you look very pretty when you smile.” The girl looked at her companion with a shocked look on her face. “You always look pretty but there is something special about your smile. It feels like it could light up an entire room.” He spoke with his face away from her, hiding the blush on his face.

What was with him? Wasn't he the one who said that they should act like this conversation had never happened just now? So why was he doing this seeing as it would just confuse her.

Suddenly a pair of lips was softly pressed against his cheek, but it wasn't until Tatsuya had pulled back that Ryuuta realized what had happened. His face turned bright red, bright enough for Tatsuya to see it in the dark, and he looked at her like she had a 30 pound frog on her head.

“Why did you do that? I thought you were the one who said you needed to think about this.”

“I'm sorry but I have been thinking a little and I really can't find a reason not to explore this feeling that I feel around you. I... I think I might like you too.”

She gathered the courage and placed her hand on top of his again, this time knowing exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it.

“Really? You don't need any more time?” Ryuuta asked with a serious expression but Tatsuya could hear the happiness he tried to conceal so she just squeezed his hand and nodded with a smile.

“Time is for indecisive people.” She laughed and leaned her head against her companion's shoulder.

Ryuuta nodded and brought a shaking hand up to her head and when his fingers slowly started to play with her hair the girl sighed in contentment, much like a puppy satisfied by her owner's touches.

“Thank you.” Ryuuta whispered into her hair as he softly kissed it, earning a soft chuckle from his new girlfriend.

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It took Tatsuya almost a month to get back on track with her life after that eventful day. Somehow the head of the Akiyama's, now known to Tatsuya simply as Hiroshi, had managed to convince her parents to sign her transfer-papers to Madoka so she was busy getting into the slightly different not to mention busier curriculum there. Her training at the gym had gotten more serious and she was now training there four times a week and when she wasn't studying or training she was more than happy to spend time with the Akiyama-siblings, especially Ryuuta but also the others as well.

She was really happy with Ryuuta and despite their busy schedules they still spent a lot of time together, both in school and after it. Their “official” dates had decreased somewhat since the beginning but Ryuuta always managed to surprise her with the littelest things, like the little white, stuffed polarbear with a baby-blue bow tied a round its neck for their one month anniversary along with a note that said: “If a star belongs to the sky, then what are you doing down here?”

The feelings between them hadn't cooled down, they had just changed form. The longer they spent with each other Tatsuya managed to open herself up more and more, allowing herself to talk about her fears and problems, letting herself be spoiled by Ryuuta from time to time.

Her confidence was on top and you could see it long way, that wide, genuine smile never left her face and she was actually comfortable being around people, even if she didn't know them.

Ryuuta had changed her and if anything she was happy about it, she had never felt as free as when she was with him and as soon as she saw him everything else left her mind.

If anyone ever asked her about what kind of relationship she and Ryuuta had, she would have answered: “Our love doesn't hurt. It's a calm and mature. It's fun and if he seems to be having a bad day I don't start blaming myself for it, instead I ask him and if there is anything I can do to help I will do it. Before I was too scared to mess up, afraid to ruin it even more. Afraid to lose my love if I made as much as a single mistake. But I'm not that kind of girl anymore and our love is not that weak to be destroyed by something like that.”

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So there she was, sitting on the terrace behind the gym catching her breath when she suddenly felt a pair of arms around her neck and a pair of lips pressed against her exposed neck.

“What are you thinking about, sweety?” Ryuuta hugged her closer and she smiled as she leaned into the warm, firm touch.

“Us.” She answered and brought a hand up to stroke the arms around her.

“And is that good?” He asked although he already knew the answer.

“Of course it is, how could anything with you not be good?” She smirked and turned her face to look at her boyfriend who's face had just assumed a slightly redder tone.

“I really don't know how to answer that.” He chuckled as he leaned in to kiss her tender lips, he was addicted to those sweet lips and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't stay away from them.

“Well, you don't have to. Since I'm going back inside now.”

Ryuuta heard her answer and he understood the meaning of it and even though his dad might be a little mad about her being late, he still didn't let go of her.

“What are you doing tonight?” He asked and pressed his face into the soft skin of her neck, causing her to giggle as his warm breath tickled her.

“Nothing so far. Unless you disagree.” She loved teasing him like that, playing a game with him once in a while.

“Actually I do. How about I come over to your house tonight and we can watch a movie?” Another kiss at her neck and Tatsuya almost purred in content.

“That sounds really good, do you wanna order a pizza or something?”

“Good idea, baby. I have practice until seven but how about I come by your house at eight? And since tomorrow is weekend we can stay up really late if we want to.”

“Sounds like you had something else in mind than just watching a movie.” Tatsuya chuckled, her face turning a little redder at the thought.

“If I did, would you mind?” His voice was serious and Tatsuya knew why.

The truth is that she had told him everything that had happened with Ryo, not saving him any of the less sugar-sweet details. If they were going to be in a relationship that was going to last then he needed to know about her past. All of it.

Tatsuya squeezed the arms that were still wrapped around her, they had been together for more than a month already but despite that they hadn't had sex yet.

When Ryuuta first approached her she had felt a slight panic rise inside of her and she had pushed him away.

It seemed that the time when Ryo forced himself at her had been suppressed in her memory and once she had relaxed enough to be able to deal with it Ryuuta had made a move on her, causing the bad memory to flare up again.

Naturally Ryuuta had been surprised by her pushing him away but once she had explained the reason behind it he understood everything very clearly. The reason for her flinching away when strangers touched her, the reason for not talking to people too freely...

“Hey, don't space out on me.” Tatsuya bumped her boyfriend a little, causing him to snap out of his thoughts.

She turned around so that she was looking him straight in the face and pressed her lips softly against his.

“I wouldn't mind at all if things took that turn tonight.” She smiled, got up and entered the building again, ready to get back to practice.

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“Tatsuya. Are you already done for today?” Daiki asked as she was heading out of the dressingroom two hours later, already showered and changed, ready to go home.

“Yep, and you? Going back to work soon?”

“Actually no, I've taken a break from working. I just quit this morning.”

“Really, but what about the money? I mean, don't you live in a pretty fancy apartment?”

Daiki scratched his head but then smiled at her.

“Don't worry, I've saved up a lot of money so there won't be a problem for now. And besides: I'm a very respected hairdresser. When I want to come back the salons will fight over me so there is no problem there either.”

“I see, must be nice to be able to live freely like that.” Tatsuya said and her voice really showed how jealous she was at him.

“Yeah, but after a while it will get boring just like everything else once you've done it for too long. But enough about me. What are you going to do now, go home and study?”

“Actually me and Ryuuta are going on a movie-date tonight at my place so I'll be cleaning a little when I get home and then I will be getting ready.” She said and Daiki chuckled at the happy look in her eyes.

“I see, I'm really happy for you two. I hope you have a nice time.” Further than that their conversation couldn't come as Ichirou, the oldest of the Akiyama-siblings and currently the coach-trainee, called for Daiki to come and help him with Rumi since she kept bothering him in his training with one of the newest members of the gym.

And so Tatsuya waved goodbye to her friends and went home, completely excited about tonight.

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Five minutes to eight Tatsuya pulled up her semi-long hair into a messy bun, just like she knew that Ryuuta liked it. She was wearing a pair of slim jeans, perfectly showing off her beautiful curves, and a gray and lime-green hoodie that her wonderful boyfriend had bought her on their second date. She checked her make-up one more time in the mirror before the doorbell rang, as she jumped to the door she quickly checked the time on her wristwatch. It just struck eight and she smiled to herself, Ryo had always been at least 30 minutes late to every date but Ryuuta's last name might has well been punctuality. If they had set a time, he had never been late. Ever.

Tatsuya knew that she had to stop comparing him to Ryo but she still found it hard not to let her mind wander off to think about her old boyfriend. She just couldn't help it sometimes, she had obviously not gotten over him completely yet and once those week moments came Tatsuya sometimes even wondered to herself if she and Ryuuta had taken things too fast but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

She was happy with Ryuuta, maybe even happier than she had ever been with Ryo and right now she wanted nothing else than to be with her current boyfriend and not her ex.

With a bouncing heart she opened the door to see her boyfriend standing in front of her with a smile plastered on his face. Tatsuya answered the smile as she leaned in to kiss him.

“Hi.” She whispered as they pulled apart, slightly blushing from the warm look that the man gave her.

“Hi.” He answered as he wrapped an arm around her waist and walked her into the house, closing the door behind them.

About two hours later the first movie had been watched, a romantic comedy that actually Ryuuta had suggested thinking that it would suit Tatsuya perfectly, which it obviously had. And they were hungry like two wolfs that had been starving for weeks. They had already called the pizza-place meaning that the deliveryman should be there any minute.

They were sitting on the couch, Ryuuta laid with his head in her lap while Tatsuya was stroking his black hair when the doorbell rang.

“Can you get it, sweetheart? I need to go to the bathroom.” Ryuuta asked in a childish voice that he knew that Tatsuya couldn't refuse and with a smile she nodded, fetched her wallet as her boyfriend snuck into the bathroom on the second floor, and went to open the door.

“Hey, how much do I... owe you?” The last words faded when she realized that it wasn't the deliveryman standing outside her door.

“Hi, Tatsuya.”

The dark haired man looking at her with his black eyes made Tatsuya's chest tighten, although she had no idea why.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, not knowing whether she should be happy or sad that he had finally come to see her.

The look Ryo gave her was that of a pained man, it looked almost like he was about to cry and the way he was standing made him look like he was the most miserable man alive.

“Can't a guy come visit his girlfriend?” He asked, reaching for her hand with only the hint of a smile but Tatsuya backed away before he could reach her.

“I am not your girlfriend, Ryo. You broke up with me, remember?” Tatsuya crossed her arms over her chest, a little habit of hers when she didn't know what to do.

“Well... I didn't have all the facts then. I know now that you would never betray me.” Ryo looked at her and for a second his pained expression actually hurt Tatsuya when she looked into them.

“You know now? So after a month you come back like nothing happened and want me back? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me? How much it pained me that even though I had done nothing to make you doubt me, you trusted Akanishi over me, your own girlfriend?” Tears were starting to form in Tatsuya's eyes but she quickly wiped them away before the fell onto her cheeks. She was not about to let him see her cry, not him of all people.

“Come on, Tatsuya. I was an idiot, I realize that now. But I love you, baby. I love you more than I ever loved anyone before, so please give me another chance.” Tatsuya felt like she had been engulfed in a dark, suffocating cloud. Her throat was closing up and she had difficulty breathing normally.

“I don't even think you know the meaning of the word 'love'. Besides, I already have a...” Tatsuya started but was interrupted by Ryuuta calling her from inside the house, apparently moving towards the door where the old couple was currently standing.

“Tatsuya, what's taking so long? Is there not enough money or something?” When he showed up at the door, Tatsuya could see how Ryo's eyes turned darker and his entire body stiffened. “Who's this?” Ryuuta asked as he realized that Ryo wasn't carrying any pizzas.

Ryo tore his eyes from the man who was currently placing a hand around “his” girlfriend's waist and looked at Tatsuya with wondering eyes.

“This is Nishikido Ryo, my former boyfriend.” Tatsuya took a deep breath and released it before introducing Ryuuta. “Ryo, this is my Akiyama Ryuuta. My...”

“Her boyfriend.” Ryuuta finished the sentence for her with a smile that could have been either proud or smug and Tatsuya could only assume that Ryo had chosen to interpret it as a smug smile.

“Her boyfriend, I see. She works fast, doesn't she?” All of a sudden a smile appeared on Ryo's lips, one that seemed neither angry nor betrayed. It didn't even look sad.

“Actually, I was the one to take the first step. Tatsuya just kind of followed my lead.”

“What is with this whole bonding-talk they're having? Isn't Ryo supposed to be jealous or something. Maybe just a little mad..” Tatsuya thought to herself and pouted like a child as the two young men continued talking as if she was hardly even there.

“Why don't you come on inside? I'd like to talk some more with you if it's alright.” Tatsuya turned her head to her boyfriend so fast the pain went shooting up her neck. What the hell was he talking about? Wasn't this supposed to be their date? A boyfriend-girlfriend kind of date. Not boyfriend-girlfriend-girlfriend's ex-boyfriend kind of date!

“Of course. I'd love too.” Ryo said and followed Ryuuta inside, neither of them waiting for Tatsuya to go first, not even asking if she was okay with their date turning into a discussion-group for those with a thing for Ueda Tatsuya.

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Tatsuya looked at wristwatch again, the fourth time in less than five minutes, where she was sitting curled up in the corner of the couch chewing on the already cold pizza, trying to block out the boys conversation that had been going on for almost two whole hours already.

She hadn't been invited into the discussion and she had no interest of being a part of it anyways. She had just wanted a quiet evening with her boyfriend and maybe even some loving once the last movie had ended but now the chances of that happening were a million to one.

“I'm going to bed, the key is on the dinnertable. Lock the door when you're done.” She said tiredly and stood up, at least expecting a “Wait a minute.” or “Don't go yet.” but the boys just kept taking and with the biggest pout known to man she walked up the stairs and threw herself on the bed, letting a single tear hit the covers before she turned off the lights.

Several hours later Tatsuya woke up from a hand caressing her face. She slowly opened her eyes but she was more than happy when she realized that it was her boyfriend that had woken her up.

“What time is it?” Tatsuya asked, sitting up. Angry that above all else that had happened she was probably late for school.

“It's 4 am.” Ryuuta said and Tatsuya immediately slumped back down under the warm covers.

“Then what the hell are you doing waking me up? Isn't your new boyfriend missing you?” She added with a sour voice, she didn't care if she acted like a child. Ryuuta had completely ignored her when Ryo had showed up, he hadn't even so much as looked at her since then and now he was waking her up at four in the morning! Tatsuya didn't know what this man was thinking but it sure as hell wasn't about her.

“Well, Nishikido-kun just left so I thought I'd wake you up.” Ryuuta tried to pull the covers off Tatsuya's head but failed as she was more than determined not to get out from under there. “He's a really nice guy. I can see why you fell for him.”

Tatsuya stirred under the covers. Why did he have to talk like that? Why did he have to act so friendly against Ryo when she was trying her hardest to forget him?

“Why did you invite him?” Tatsuya asked, although Ryuuta only heard it as a mumble since the covers silenced her quite a lot.

“I was only trying to be nice to him, after all he is your ex.”

“Are you kidding me?” Tatsuya sat up, not caring anymore if she wasn't covered or not. “Tonight was supposed to be about you and me, and you invite Ryo to join us? Not just that: You completely ignored me for hours talking to him. What kind of boyfriend does that?!”

Ryuuta sat there next to her, looking at her as if he wasn't even affected by her moodswings with a smile on his face.

“Sweety, I understand that you're mad at me but there was something I really needed to talk to him about.” Ryuuta trailed a hand over her beautiful face.

“And what was that?”

“It's kind of a secret for now but when the time is right you'll find out. I promise.” He kissed her softly on the lips, he knew she was mad but this was something he had to do. Whether Tatsuya liked it or not.

“So you're not going to tell me?” Tatsuya pouted a little, hoping that it would make him tell her but it just earned her another kiss.

“Nope. Look, I'm sorry things turned out like this but I will make it up to you. I promise.” he stood up and walked over to the door. “You've had a busy week so I'll just let you get to sleep. I'll drop off the key tomorrow, alright?” He asked but he didn't wait for an answer. He was already out of the room before Tatsuya could tell him to stay the night but then again there would be another, more appropriate night for that, she thought to herself as she without any problems fell asleep again.

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A/N: Another chapter is out! Yay! XD I really hope you like it and please comment as it makes me very happy <3
Thank you so much for reading <3