Something There

A continuation of "Of Coffee Shops and Tabletops", since you know, tabletopshipping dates are needed in this world.

So I wrote it. I hope y'all enjoy it~

Ryou kept smoothing out the invisible wrinkles in his gray suit jacket, constantly making minute adjustments to it. They had mutually agreed to dine out at a sushi restaurant that had opened recently and both of them had wanted to try it out. So there he was in his apartment, nervously adjusting his coat for what seemed like the fiftieth time. No pressure right? Just a simple first date, with a woman who seemed to connect with him a lots of different levels. And who, in his opinion, he found incredibly beautiful and appealing.

Ryou suddenly had the urge to crawl under the bed sheets and never leave them again.

Maybe it would have been easier to just do a double date or something. Joey and Mai were available, right?

Ryou paused before his train of thought careened off a cliff into the land of self doubt and hesitation, which would be disastrous for everybody involved. He coughed and examined himself one last time in the bathroom mirror. He thought he looked rather clean cut, with an ash gray suit jacket over a burgundy button down and charcoal pants. His long white hair was nearly tied back in a low ponytail and out of the way, save for those few errant strands that could never be truly contained. It passed the "Tea Test", in which he sent a photo of himself to her cell phone, making sure he didn't step out of his apartment looking like a "walking fashion blog disaster", in Tea's terms.

He inhaled sharply. "I can do this. Easy enough, right?"

He scurried out from the apartment and locked the door behind him before he could bolt, so to speak.

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Ryou shuffled in his seat awkwardly, orchids next to him in the passenger seat. Orchids were a safe bet, Ryou decided, upon researching flowers. The last thing he wanted to do was to get the wrong kind of flower, therefore sending the wrong—and more than likely awkward—message to Sara. Ryou always had bad luck with these sort of things. Why did the meaning of flowers have to be so bloody complicated, he had asked out loud, probably one too many times for his liking. The orchids were rather beautiful, mostly white with pale violet and pink dappling along the edges.

"It can't be that hard," Ryou told himself. "She's a nice girl and we can talk about lots of things. Plain, ordinary things. . .I can't. I'm going to turn around right now—no I'm not I'm not going to bail out on her—I've made a terrible mistake, what am I doing?" He pulled into an empty parking space of her apartment complex without realizing it and for a moment he sat there, trying to not hyperventilate in the driver's seat. He steadied himself, fingers drumming the steering wheel anxiously.

"You can do this," he said. "You can do this." He reached across, grabbing the potted plant and heading inside to the complex.

He held up his cell, where she had given him her address, checking the number to make sure he was standing at the right door. How awkward would it be for him to knock on the wrong door? The answer: quite. He tentatively rapped on the door, awaiting a response whilst shifting on one foot then the other.

"Coming!" Ryou heard Sara's voice on the other side and his heart nearly sprang into his throat. There was a click and the door swung open. Ryou's mouth went dry at the sight.

She wore a flowing sky blue dress that went to her ankles draped modestly about her collarbone in a lazy 'V' with white lacy fabric peeking out just behind. The sleeves ended just past her shoulders and in the light of the hall, Ryou noted the faint telltale marks of old scars crisscrossing and weaving on the skin. Her hair was in a long braid draped lazily over one shoulder. Her lipstick brought out the violet hues in her eyes, reminding Ryou of twilight.

"Uh, hi. . ." Ryou trailed off weakly. "You look-" Ryou absently rubbed the back of his head, his eyes glancing away, trying to find the adequate words to describe her looks. "You look really nice tonight. Really nice?" he scolded mentally. "That's all you can say?" Ryou handed her the pot, the orchid standing elegantly in the dark soil."Here."

"Thank you," she replied shyly, taking the flower from him. He looked quite handsome tonight, with his hair neatly tied back, the button down shirt a tad bit tight across the chest—not that she minded, she liked to notice things as such. "I'll just put this here in the kitchen and give it some water. Do you want to come inside? I got a couple of things left to do before we can leave."

"I don't want to impose. . ." Ryou began.

"It's fine really," Sara insisted, tugging on his hand to bring him inside. "I don't want you to be standing out here by yourself and what not."

"Um, alright. . ." he finished meekly as Sara brought him inside. Her apartment was modest, with science fiction and fantasy furnishings. The couch he sat on was nice and comfortable and so he sat, observing his surroundings. The wall to his left was mostly dominated by a trio of bookshelves, filled to the brim with a mixture of gaming books, fantasy novels, DVDs, and chemistry textbooks. There were a trio of textbooks on the coffee table in front of him, as well as a silver sequined clutch. There was another bookshelf against the wall to his left, filled with knickknacks and merchandise from various shows. Ryou chuckled as he recognized the Sonic Screwdriver from the show Doctor Who and a model of the spaceship Serenity from the show Firefly.

"Sara has good tastes," Ryou chuckled to himself, feeling more at ease than he did before. Leaning against the television were a trio of canes, two of metal—with one being completely studded with rainbow hued rhinestones, the third of warm polished wood. A part of him wondered why exactly she had the canes in the first place. He recalled that yes, she had a slight limp, but it didn't seem so bad at him. Maybe she could tell him why, without him prodding her of course.

There was a small chattering noise at his feet and Ryou glanced downwards. There stood a small white ferret, its bright red eyes peering up at him. "You must be Malfoy," Ryou said to it. "I'm Ryou. It's very nice to meet you." Ryou bent down, offering his hand for the ferret to investigate. It gave his palm a curious sniff, before jamming its head into his hand, demanding pets. Ryou dutifully obliged the ferret. He pulled his hand away after a few moments, placing it back on its lap. That wasn't good enough for Malfoy, who immediately clawed his way up the couch and waddled over, jamming its head under Ryou's hand.

"I see you met Malfoy," Sara said, standing in the hallway that lead to her own room. She had tidied up her makeup, wearing eyeliner and mascara that emphasized her dark eyes and blush that brought out her cheekbones. "He usually doesn't warm up to people like that. You must be something special."

Ryou flushed at the compliment. "I do like ferrets."

"They're like fuzzy slinkies," Sara laughed. "Ready to go?"

Ryou nodded, gently removing Malfoy from his lap and brushing the short fine hair from his pants. "I didn't think ferrets could shed."

"Any animal can shed if they try hard enough," Sara remarked, reaching for her wooden cane. "Ask me how I know."

"I'll take you for your word." Impulsively, Ryou extended his arm, offering it for Sara to link with his. Sara looked at him in surprise and he immediately apologized. "Sorry. I should probably stop being an accidental creep."

Sara giggled. "Don't worry. I figured being chivalrous was in your blood," she teased.

"Because I'm British?" Ryou raised an eyebrow. "Well, there was a study done recently and they discovered that yes, being chivalrous is in fact, in our DNA."

Sara playfully nudged him in the arm with her elbow. "Talking science to me? I like it."

"Normally I spout off Shakespeare quotes as I am a literary major, but seeing your expansive collection of science textbooks, I figured I had to play in a whole new court."

As they exited her apartment and she locked it behind them, Sara turned to him and asked, "So do you play this game of witty banter with everybody or just those you really like?"

"Only with those who can keep up with ease."

Sara flushed and poked him in the shoulder. "You're cute."

Ryou wasn't quite sure how to respond to that the entire ride to the restaurant.

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". . .And then, I looked at my Chemistry professor during the titration and said "Well, it looks like I dropped the base!" Sara laughed heartedly, Ryou laughing along with her. His understanding of the subject was minimal at best, but it didn't stop him from joining in the laughter. It was infectious and delightful. They had since exited the restaurant, Sara with her right arm hooked into Ryou's left. The restaurant was in a newer part of town, filled with small shops and dining places, with the parking lot some distance away, allowing visitors to roam the area in peace without fear of traffic. Wrought iron arches over their heads twinkled with golden lights, casting everything with a golden glow.

Sara spotted a small ice cream parlor up ahead on their left, the inside cozy and inviting, with three small tables both on the inside and out, The storefront windows allowed customers to study those walking and shopping outside.

"Ice cream sounds delicious," she remarked, peering downwards at Ryou. She hadn't really noticed their height difference until now. She was a few inches taller than Ryou, but it would seem that he didn't mind. Throughout college, she had casually dated men, going on dates and such, but they seemed to take issue with her height, and her limp. Men's egos were fragile little things, like eggshells, sometimes.

"You just ate!" Ryou proclaimed jokingly, glancing upwards. His eyes were warm and inviting, their hue a rich, earthy, brown, lightening to a golden brown at the iris's edge.

"It's a wonder that he didn't have flocks of women fawning over him," Sara thought to herself. "He is quite handsome."

"I know, but don't couples get dessert on dates?" she countered. "I'll pay for them if you want."

They stopped in front of the parlor. "I would feel bad if you paid," Ryou said to her.

"And I would feel bad if you paid, considering that you just paid for dinner and you bought me the orchid and you drove us here. At least let me get you something. Seriously, I can handle coughing up ten dollars."

Ryou smiled, caving into her demands. "Ice cream does sound good. . ."

She nudged him playfully in the side. "Told you."

The bell on the door rang cheerfully as they walked in, Ryou holding open the door for her. The place was devoid of customers, with only one worker, a lanky teenager with acne and brace, manning the counter. His eyes grew wide at Sara's presence and Ryou could barely contain a scowl. "How can I help you folks tonight?"

"Hmm, I'd like to have a bowl of your sweet cream ice cream with the caramel and blond brownie bits," Sara requested, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. Her eyes glanced over to Ryou locking eyes with him. Both flushed and Ryou coughed, turning his face away.

"And I'll have the dark chocolate with the fudge and oreo bits."

They retrieved their deserts as Sara dug through her wallet, pulling out a ten and a few ones to pay the boy behind the counter. Ryou practically ushered her outside to avoid the lustful gazes of the teenager. Call him jealous, but Ryou did not appreciate how he oogled Sara like she were a piece of meat. Ryou pulled her chair out for her as they sat down at one of the small outdoor tables, enjoying the late night warmth of late summer.

"See?" Sara said around her plastic spoon. "Told you it wasn't going to kill you to let me pay."

"It's not that. I feel that it's customary for the man to pay for the first date."

"We're in the 21st century now, I think its safe to say that women can help fork the bill every now and then."

"Then call me old fashioned," Ryou returned.

"Is that in your DNA too?" she ribbed.

"Well, we haven't done a complete DNA analysis yet. But chances are that it's there as well."

She snickered into her bowl. ". . .Your ice cream looks delicious. Can I have a taste of your ice cream?"

"Only if I have a taste of yours."

"Deal." Sara leaned across, the hem of her dress dipping just a little forward, exposing a tantalizing hint of the fair skin of her collarbone. Ryou swallowed nervously at the sight, mouth going dry at the sight. Was this what Joey and Yugi experienced when they gazed upon their crushes-well, significant others-now?

Ryou made a mental note to ask the two the next time they met. Surely they could offer up some experience and wisdom in these sorts of matters.

But considering who it was, probably not.

Sara dipped her spoon into the bowl, scooping out a sizable bit of ice cream. She held her free hand underneath he prize, to prevent any of the melting ice cream to drip onto the table. Upon seeing the expression on Ryou's face, she decided to tease him, slowly consuming the ice cream, twisting the spoon slowly upside down in her mouth as she savored the taste of the dark chocolate and fudge. A small amount had dribbled onto her fingertip, so she sucked the sweet liquid off, smacking her lips in pleasure. "Mmm, that's really good ice cream," Sara finished, continuing to eat her dessert as if nothing had happened. Ryou looked to be on the verge of going into cardiac arrest. She offered the bowl to him. "Wanna bite?"

"I um, uh-" Ryou stammered, face as bright red as a cherry. "sure!"

"You alright over there?"

"Perfectly fine, honest!"" he laughed weakly, reaching across for a taste.

As he finished, Sara tapped the corner of her mouth with her thumb. "You gotta a little caramel right there. . .no no, the other side." Ryou had unconsciously stuck out his tongue to snag the offending drizzle of caramel. "There, you got it."

"It probably would have been easier had I used a napkin," Ryou admitted.

"Probably."

The pair finished their ice cream in silence, but it was a comfortable one, the pair of them occasionally stealing glances at the other as they watched the people go by, walking in pairs or in groups as they enjoyed the pleasant Friday night. "I. . .oh lord I hope I don't seem so rude or nosy," Ryou started, setting his empty bowl and spoon "but I was wondering-"

"-Why I walk with a cane, right?" Sara finished for him.

"If you feel uncomfortable about it-I'm terribly sorry for bringing it up-" Ryou ran a hand through his ponytail, growing exceedingly embarrassed and chagrined with the forward question.

"It's alright," Sara soothed, placing her hand atop of his. Ryou stilled in an instant. "It doesn't bother me at all, really."

"Well I-"

"No, really. I got into a car accident when I was twelve. My mama and I were coming home from a science fair I was in. It was late and we had the green light at this one intersection. Well, when we're driving through it, this drunk driver comes flying through, runs the red light, and t-bones us from the passenger side. Mama was okay thankfully. I got most of the injuries," Sara dropped her spoon, hand subconsciously going to the hollow of her neck. "It took lots of surgeries and rehab. I'll always walk with a limp and I can't really wear heels but that's okay because heels aren't that good for you anyway."

Ryou's heart broke at her story. It wasn't fair for her to have gone through this; she didn't deserve it. As he pondered her scar, his own, the ghostly image of the Millennium Ring seared onto his chest, twinged. Perhap they weren't so different after all. He slid his fingers between her own, interlacing and giving them a faint squeeze "I'm really sorry."

"It's fine. You can't really change the past, so why whine over it?" Her eyes softened, gazing upon his own."You don't have to pity me, Ryou. I'm stronger because of it."

"I wasn't-" He paused. Maybe he was. Or maybe it was something else, anger at those who hurt her. "Sorry."

Sara said nothing, cocking her head ever so slightly to her right, her hand still with Ryou's own. He absently ran his thumb across her own and there they sat, the world about them seemingly forgotten about.

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He drove Sara back to her apartment, the roads rather quiet this time of night. Ryou could sense Sara's tension as the drove on the wide open roads. She didn't appear anxious, but Ryou could see the faint whitening about the knuckles as they neared intersections. Probably because of the accident and the time of day. So Ryou made sure he was extra cautious at the lights, in an attempt to put her mind at ease. If it worked, it was difficult to say, her movements and tics were quite subtle. Being the gentlemen he was, he helped her out of the vehicle when they pulled into her apartment's parking lot at last. The street lights were on, illuminating the lot and making the area safer than it would have been without.

"Would you guide me back to my apartment?" she asked, her hands clasped at the waist, holding onto her clutch. "It's a bit late and. . ."

"It would be my pleasure," Ryou replied warmly. Sara leaned into his arm as they walked inside and up the flight of stairs. Sara's touch was pleasingly warm and gentle through the thin material of his shirt-he had since taken off the suit jacket-sending his pulse fluttering weakly through his veins. He didn't think his emotions could do this, wildly confusing and exhilarating all at once, sort of like a metaphorical Molotov cocktail. The stairwell echoed their steps, the clicking her her cane in time with their steps. The hall was still as they entered, no residents entering in or out. They came to a stop at her door, Sara still leaning into Ryou's arm. She reluctantly extracted herself from his touch.

"I-" Ryou said, the tone in his voice shaky; he was rather loath to leave her presence. "I had a wonderful time."

"I did too. I haven't had one like this in a long time."

"'Like this'?" Ryou inquired, a part of him wondering if he had erred during the course of their date.

"This nice," she clarified. "I had a wonderful time with you."

"You did?" Ryou squeaked, voice rising half an octave.

Sara nodded. "And I would love to do this again sometime. . .maybe soon?"

Ryou's face lit up in a broad smile. "I would too."

"Great! Call me maybe?"

"Will do," Ryou playfully saluted. "I guess, this is good night then."

"Good night Ryou."

He began to turn away to leave when he felt something reach for his wrist.

"Wait." Ryou twisted about, catching something glint in her eye. Flirtation maybe? She had been doing so all night, and Ryou had enjoyed every moment of it-even though he was inadequately capable to flirting back. she had her cane propped against her door.

"Yes?" he asked, breath hitching in his throat.

"I thought the boy was supposed to kiss the girl goodnight." she finished with a wink.

Ryou's mind went completely blank as he found himself at a total loss for words. "Uh-"

She reached for his hands. "Or we could do it the other way around. . ."

Ryou finally found the words to speak. "No, I'm a traditionalist, remember?", he murmured, leaning up to meet her lips.

Need it be said that the pair of them were somewhat unpracticed in this. They bumped noses in the process, leading to Ryou apologizing, somewhat mortified, and Sara giggling against his mouth. Sparks flew on contact, skin burning with delight and divine pleasure as Ryou tasted the sweet of her dessert, intermingling with the flavors of her lipstick-hints of vanilla and strawberry if he could guess correctly. She moaned his name softly, melting into his touch, fingers snaking about his neck to entangle themselves in his ponytail, her body pressing into his. Ryou found himself reaching upward to savor the contact, fingers caressing her face before resting at her jaw, tugging herself forward.

They may have been inexperienced but there was a passion and chemistry there that neither of them could deny, only stoke the fires to a roaring crescendo.

It deepened and Ryou could hear the tender whisper of her name on his lips, murmured with a tenderness and passion that even he could not explain, only express as thoroughly and fully as he could with those exquisite syllables that made her name, as her tongue moved against his lower lip and inner cheek. He nipped at her lower lip and she gasped in pleasure at the gesture.

Ryou decided in his hazy state of mind that he may have to do that more often, if it elicited a reaction such as that every time.

Sadly though, the lack of oxygen became an issue and they broke away simultaneously. Her lipstick was smeared, his hair was growing rather tangled thanks to her ministrations. He was actual kind of grateful that they had separated; Ryou didn't carry condoms on him and surely it would have escalated to the point where it would have most certainly required a condom had they continued at this.

"You have a little, something there," Sara teased huskily, referring to the smeared remnants of her lipstick on Ryou's mouth.

"As do you."

"Touche."

Sara disentangled her fingers from his white mane-which it was, essentially do not tell Sara any different, eyes glittering like gems in the light of the hall. "Good night, Ryou," she whispered in his ear, giving him one last kiss on the cheek. Ryou took a step back and watched as she unlocked her door, stepping inside the premise.

Ryou stood there in the hall, awestruck at the kiss, his veins seeming to buzz with energy. Apparently, this is what it was like, being aroused. He coughed awkwardly at the thought, whirling about to get to his car.

He drove the entire way home, his mind still in that hazy, euphoric state of being.

Many thanks to Bara, Quint and Rai for reading/beta-ing the story