Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis was created by Konomi Takeshi. Not me. Please don't sue.

AN: I swear, this little sucker clobbered me out of nowhere. I wasn't even planning it; it just came.

It's probably a really bad idea to post it the same day it was written. No doubt I'll be hitting myself for it later, but what the hell, I'm adventurous. lol Take it as a St. Patrick's Day gift.

It's a different writing style than my usual. Hope it's still enjoyable. Comments welcome. Thanks for reading.

Prophecy

By Cinpii

Ten years from now he's going to be standing there in her foyer with a flower in his hand. He's going to be thinking so hard, he's not going to hear her come down the steps.

The flower will be a daisy, even if roses are more romantic, because daisies are her favorite, and he always gives her daisies.

She'll inquire about him, because she cares and because that is the way she is, always concerned for him. He will mentally scold himself for spacing out before presenting her his little gift.

She'll smile at him as she always does, and tuck the flower into her hair before they leave her home to slip into his sleek, red sports car.

He will have lots of money by then, ten years from now. Money from countless tennis matches played and won. By then he will have faced off against many intimidating opponents on many courts around the world. But he'll be more nervous this night than on any of those courts, and he'll be fidgety, though he'll try to hide it.

Ten years from now, he'll hold trophies and medals and titles. But more than anything, he wants to hold her hand.

He will drive carefully, both hands on the steering wheel this time, because he is laden with important thoughts about what the night will entail, and he doesn't want anything to ruin it. But then, he is always careful behind the wheel, because he has a lot to live for, and he knows she will be sad if he is gone.

He never wants to make her sad.

She will not know where they are going, and she is not going to ask. He likes to surprise her sometimes, and she knows wherever they go, it will be enjoyable because he is with her. He can make her happy without saying a word. So she will sit there quietly, patiently, and look at the city lights that pass by as they zip down the streets at a steady, controlled pace.

The sky will be beautiful and clear, the stars out and twinkling. It is going to be just the tiniest bit chilly, and she will be wearing his coat before the night is out.

She'll smile, a delighted look upon her face when she sees that it's the park where they first met. They'll walk hand in hand as they reminisce about that day. He'll tease her for making him forfeit that match; she'll blush and hide it by pressing her face in his shoulder.

Holding her like that, he knows it's the perfect moment. The jitters leave and he'll smile, drawing her closer. He'll lean down and whisper in her ear. Her eyes will become blurry when she realizes the meaning of his words. She'll nod and crystal drops will stream down her cheeks.

The moon will cast its gentle glow, shining its beams on them and giving her skin a luminosity that will take his breath away. He will engrave that beautiful image of her face in his mind forever.

He will be young, just a little over his 24th year, but he will have never been as sure, as confident in his decision than at that moment. And she, equally young, knows she'll never regret saying 'yes'.

He's going to smile, and she's going to cry, and he's going to swing her around and laugh because he's so happy. He is going to hold her hand for the rest of their lives.

But that is ten years from now, and far off in the distance.

All Ryoma knows now, as he leans down to kiss his girlfriend of two years on the forehead and bids her good night, is that he is happy, and the future looks bright.

FIN