Tekken5:DRfic

Steve: What is this junk you're placing on the web?

Sei: It's a fic about you and Asuka.

Steve: What?! Who in the holy lights would write about me and Asuka?! You're crazy!

Sei: I know I am! Long time ago.

Steve: And why am I even talking to you? Come on, disclaim the story!

Sei: As we all know... I don't own Tekken. Namco owns this game. I'm not rich.

Steve: That's my girl!

A short author's ramble: Hello there. You are reading "Falling Leaves", a fic about Steve and Asuka. Please, Steve fans and Asuka fans, don't flame me! I just wanted to try something new! (Give it a shot, hm?)

I'm not sure if this is the very first of its kind or I'm just too lazy to browse the archive for SteveAsuka fics.

Many thanks to Razer Athane and SeungSeiRan. If you're reading this, review and let me know what you think! I happened to stumble upon this pairing in SeungSeiRan's profile. (SeiRan, permission to borrow your pairing?! And thanks very much! You've got a pretty active imagination! I envy you!)

Steve: You should keep it down now. People might just close this story without even reading it.

Sei: Right, right! Anyway, on with the story!

.AU.

Edited o8/12/o9

Falling Leaves

It was autumn in England. Autumn. The season of falling leaves and breezes. And for Steve Fox, autumn was refreshing.

Steve Fox was now old. Old and graying. No longer glorious and powerful like he was when he was young. No longer able to stand and punch. He was on the verge of sleeping peacefully like his beloved wife whom he met more than sixty years ago... At the same season of falling leaves...

Who was his beloved wife? Where is she now?

Only God knows where...

While seated on his favorite rocking chair, the one right beside the window, he reminisces. Because it is only when he reminisces he becomes one with his wife. It is when he reminisces, he and his wife are together.

When he reminisces, he becomes young again.

. . .

World-renowned boxer and sweetheart, Steve Fox. The majestic god worshiped by millions and millions of females. Rich, charming and famous. Everyone always thought that Steve Fox had everything.

Everything except her.

Her. The girl who first made his heart stop. Her. The girl who stole his heart without her even knowing it. Her. The only girl who kicked his ass (aside from his mother). Her. That girl... His best friend's girlfriend.

Yes. His best friend's girlfriend. The girl who accidentally made Steve give up his heart was his best friend's girlfriend. Spirited, cheerful and haughty Asuka Kazama.

Steve could vividly remember that day he first saw Asuka. There were falling leaves everywhere. The chilly autumn breeze blew across all of Japan. It was Steve's last year in high school. Asuka just transferred to his school. She was a junior.

She was a transfer student. Lovely and deadly at the same time. Steve and Rang were the very first ones to notice that new girl.

"She's a Kazama?" Was the very first thing that came out of Rang's mouth. His voice was full of disgust, spite and disbelief, but Steve could tell that his best buddy's got it bad for the female Kazama. So did he.

Mum once said that she looked vaguely familiar. Asuka reminded Nina of a very dear friend to her. And yet, their attitudes and mannerisms were very different.

Steve decided to let his buddy have Asuka, though it would hurt him in the end. He valued his friendship with Rang much more than having Asuka. He believed that everything would still be the same, and everything would be better if he just let this crush pass. He was much mature in thinking than Rang. He was the older brother. He had to give. He would give until it hurts.

"I think I'm in love, Stevie," Hwoarang said, placing a hand on his chest, just right where his heart was.

"Go for it, Rang," he said with a playful and encouraging nudge.

"You have any idea what Asuka Kazama likes?"

Steve gave Hwoarang a long look. Then he smiled. "You."

- -

Graduation day. Steve and Rang's last day as a senior. It was at that day Steve discovered the truth about his best buddy Rang and his girlfriend, Asuka.

"You told me! You told me, didn't you?!"

"Yes, I did! But I... I'm not yet ready..."

Steve was taking one last walk around his school campus. He stopped by his classroom. He heard two voices, arguing. One was his best friend's voice, and the other was a female's voice. A very familiar voice. Steve didn't intend to eavesdrop on their conversation. He was just passing by, until he heard his best buddy's rising voice.

"I'm not... yet ready."

"Asuka... We've talked about this."

"I know..."

"Then why are you backing out?"

"I already said that I'm not yet ready!" she shot back angrily.

"Ready for what?" Steve thought. He wasn't fully aware of what the two were talking about. He heard Hwoarang take two heavy steps. Since Steve was outside the classroom, he couldn't see what was going on. But he heard Rang's footsteps. Steve took a peek.

What he saw surprised and hurt him. "It's a consequence." was all that Steve told himself. He wasn't prepared to get hurt so badly. The sight scarred his heart. It looks like he wasn't as mature as he thought he was. He quickly turned away when he saw Rang and Asuka kiss. It was hurtful.

So it wasn't really just a crush after all.

- -

College days flew by like doves. Steve found himself in a flurry of thoughts. He had given up on Asuka. A long time ago. Asuka is just a high school memory. The girl he never had. The girl his best friend had. The girl he tried to forget.

But how could he forget about her when Hwoarang brings her to their dormitory almost everyday?

He and Rang were still as close as the soil and grass. They were inseparable. Even in college, they would stick together. Sometimes, their closeness was even questioned by many.

"Are you sure that you guys aren't gay?" Baek poked at Hwoarang. It was getting pretty irritating, too.

"Son, if you are gay, it must be in your father's genes. Too bad we both don't know who your father is," Nina said, simple like that.

"No, I'm, like, not gay like you guys," Jin said. He even sighed. Who isn't gay?

- -

It was graduation again. Hwoarang was unusually violent towards Asuka that day. They had an argument. And it was the same argument they had four years ago, when they were in high school. Rang slammed Asuka against a wall that morning. He splashed her with boiling water and made her wipe the wet floor. While she was wiping, he kicked her in the gut.

Steve was in his room when all those crap was happening. He intentionally closed his door and turned up the volume of his stereo just to avoid hearing Asuka's screams.

He heard glass shatter. Then everything outside his room when silent.

Steve rushed out of his room and saw bloodied Asuka lying on the floor, crying and screaming for help. Hwoarang was seated down on their blue sofa, sipping coffee from his mug, obviously aggravated.

"Rang! What the hell did you do?!" the blue-eyed Brit angrily questioned his best friend. Hwoarang remained impassive. Steve saw that his left cheek was marred and bleeding. It was Asuka who did that.

"It's over," Rang said, placing his mug of coffee down on the table. "I don't want to see her again."

"What are you, insane?!" Steve boiled up, grabbing Rang by his collar. "She's Asuka! She's your girlfriend!"

Hwoarang forced himself out of Steve's grasp. "Mind your own business. You've got nothing to do with this!"

And with that, Rang went to his room. No more than two minutes, he stepped out, carrying his favorite blue duffel bag. "Where are you going?"

"None of your business," the Korean stated icily, but Steve wasn't giving up yet. "Answer me!"

"...I'm going back to Korea. Back to the military."

"What?! Hwoarang, what are you doing?!"

"Steve, just do me a favor and take care of Asuka. Tell the school that I went back to my homeland," Hwoarang paused and held the door knob, not facing his best friend. Steve was silenced. "But..."

"Steve, I trust you. Don't betray the trust I gave you."

"But I..."

Without another word, Hwoarang left the premises. Steve couldn't feel himself anymore. He stood there, oblivious to everything, Asuka lying bloody on the floor.

"You're an idiot, Hwoarang!"

- -

Steve brought Asuka to the hospital once he regained his self-consciousness. He stood there again, clueless of what the hell happened between Hwoarang and his girlfriend. Asuka accidentally slashed her arm with broken glass.

"Steve, thank you," Asuka laid on the white hospital bed, arm bandaged. Steve was sitting right beside her bed, close by, watching over her.

"It's nothing," he said with a casual shrug. "What are friends for, right?"

Asuka forced out a small smile and a giggle. Her voice was caught in her throat, all dried up. It felt parched, but she still tried to talk. "He left, huh?"

"Yes," he nodded. She closed her eyes to stop the

"I'm an idiot..."

"Asuka, now isn't the time to blame yourself."

"...You're such a sweet guy, Steve."

"I'm not sweet, Asuka. I'm just trying to help you."

"And you're doing a great job at it," She was holding out her hand to him. He took her hand and placed it on his face. She slowly caressed his cheek. "Steve, thank you."

"...It's nothing," he said as he held the soft hand on his face in place.

- -

Three years after that incident, Steve received a letter from Hwoarang himself.

Hey there, Stevie.

Steve stopped reading. He sat down on the futon that he and his wife shared.

I'm writing just to know how you guys are doing? Are you taking care of Asuka just like what I said? I just came back from a long training camp. I'm training with Master Baek again. Looks like I've caused him a few headaches.

How are you doing, Stevie? I heard from the dominant Kazama Jin that you're living in Japan now. Is that true? How's Asuka doing now? I hope that she's doing fine.

Meanwhile, Asuka was in another room in the Kazama Osaka manor.

"Hold still," Nina was helping Asuka wear her yukata. How long has it been since she last wore one?

"Why am I so nervous?" Asuka asked aloud as she raised her arms a little.

"You're acting like a virgin bride on her honeymoon. Stop that."

But Asuka is a virgin bride.

"I'm sorry, mother... I just..."

"Why did you insist on wearing a yukata? We all know that he's gonna take it off later."

Asuka doubted that. "...Steve said," she began, tugging at her yukata's sleeve. "He said that he wanted me to wear something pretty."

Nina finished tying the yukata's obi. "Smile."

Asuka smiled. Nina had fixed her yukata nicely. "Mother, I... thank you."

"It's no problem. Staying here is all that I can do for my son."

"No, mother... I'm thanking you as your daughter."

"It's all right. So, stop shaking and go to your room."

"Y-Yes!"

Asuka walked slow and steady steps towards the room she shared with her husband. The past three years have been so surreal for Asuka. Steve proposed from out of the blue, and she accepted without any second thought. She took a deep breath and opened the sliding door.

"Steve?"

Steve was lying down on their futon, sleeping soundly. Asuka was able to breathe freely. She tiptoed silently across the room to check on herself in the mirror. Steve lifted an eye open. He eyed on Asuka while she consciously looked at herself in the mirror. No, he wasn't really asleep.

"Well... Too bad Steve didn't get to see me in a yukata," she told herself. "All that nervousness for nothing."

"What do you mean? You're beautiful," he said with a chuckle. She jumped at Steve's voice. "Y-You scared me."

"Sorry."

"Anyway... What do you think? You said to wear something pretty. Well, here it is," she said with a twirl. She was wearing a sakura-printed yukata, sky blue in color and pink in lining.

"Asuka, you're beautiful."

"That goes without saying, Steve."

"Right... What should I say?"

Asuka sat down on the futon laid on the floor, sitting down right beside Steve. "Hey... Steve, do you love me?" she asked him.

"Of course I do," he replied surely. Another question was hurled at him. "Do you love me and just me?"

"Yes, I love you, and just you," he answered with a smile. "Why the sudden questions?"

Steve sat up, his face only a few inches away from his pretty wife. "I love this girl right in front of me."

"That's good," Asuka said, lifting her hand to caress his cheek. "Steve Fox, you will love me and only me, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," He wrapped both arms around her small waist. Steve took note that his wife lost weight over the past three years. Her waist was small, then it became smaller. Tomorrow, he would force food down her throat, just for her to gain weight again. He started tugging at the ribbon of her yukata.

"Steve, I..." a whisper of protest came from her. He stopped pulling. Steve became aware that he made Asuka feel uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."

"It's... It's all right," she said softly, unaware that she was quavering. He couldn't help but notice it. "You're shaking."

Steve felt Asuka tremble in his arms. She wasn't always like that. Steve's delicate wife...

"Are virgin brides really this nervous when it's their first time?" Asuka asked all of a sudden. Steve chuckled a bit as he lifted her chin to face him.

"If you're still nervous, it's fine with me. I won't rush you to do what you don't like."

"Steve, it's not that I don't like it. It's just that I... well..."

"Like what I said, it's fine. Sweetheart, I love you and I'm willing to wait for the right time."

Asuka brushed a kiss on his chin. "Thank you."

"Why are we even doing it?" he asked her this time. She replied with a coy smile. "It's because your mother wants grandchildren."

Steve groaned. "Right... Mother."

"Don't worry, Steve. Next time, I'll try to get my act together."

"Make sure you do so. Because next time, I might not be able to control myself."

And that night, Asuka fell asleep safely in Steve's arms. It was just one night. A night full of sleep. The Kazamas expected too much the next morning. Asuka woke up half-undressed from her yukata.

Looks like her doubt was wrong. Steve did remove it.

- -

"Asuka, it's raining! What happened?" Steve exclaimed with worry leaking off his voice. Asuka sat still on the wet pavement and looked up at Steve, who carried a bright red umbrella. The rain fell lightly, like tiny stars falling from the sky.

"This is why I hate high heels. Stupid heels snap when you least expect it," she grumbled angrily as she removed the accursed heels from her small feet. The next thing she saw was her husband crouched in front of her. "Get on."

"What?"

"Asuka, you'll get sick if you just sit down there!" Asuka was about to answer back at him, but he cut her short. "No. Just shut up and get on back."

And that's what happened... Steve carried her fragile wife on his back, who held the umbrella in place. He disposed of the stupid pair of high heels. Sneakers were always the best for his Asuka.

"The rain feels good..." she said, resting her head on his shoulder. She released a soft sigh of relief.

"It feels good at first, but you'll feel nothing but pain in the end," Steve began. "Don't you know that rain is one of the causes of the common cold?"

"I know that. Ugh! Do you have to ruin such a romantic moment?!"

"What?! What's so romantic about the rain?! You women are such dreamers!"

Asuka irritatedly got off Steve's back. The two of them were standing in the rain. "Asuka, what the heck is going on?!"

Steve was rendered speechless when she suddenly Demon Slayer'd and Whiplash'd him. People walking on the sidewalk stopped to watch how this Japanese girl pwned an Englishman.

. . .

"Grampa?"

And old man Steve opened his eyes. He was back in England, in the same rocking chair, beside the same window. He saw two young kids looking at him. He turned to the younger boy. "What is it, Kenny?"

"We were worried, grampa. Me an' Kit thought that you wouldn't wake up anymore," the little boy said candidly.

"Children, leave your grandfather alone," The two boys heard their father's stern voice call them. Steve gave his grand children a light laugh. "Your father's right, Kenny. Leave me be. If I am to sleep, then I won't have any regrets."

The young boy spoke again. "No! Grampa, don't say that!"

"Kenny, if grandfather wants to rest, then let's leave him to rest," the older child said, much to the younger boy's disappointment. "But Kit..."

"You see, when grandfather sleeps, that's the only way he and grandmother can be together."

Steve closed his eyes again and heard his grand children's voices fade away. Sixty years... He had grown old with everything. But even though his whole body deteriorated, his memories of Asuka seemed so clear... As if it all just happened yesterday...

. . .

"That star is ours," Steve pointed to the smallest and shiniest star in the night sky. He and Asuka stood right beside the window of their small house in England. That house was a gift from Steve's Aunt Anna. He and Asuka treasured that house since it held and kept so many memories.

"Why that star?" she asked him.

"Because... The star is just right above us. If it'll fall, we can put it back in the sky again," he replied. Steve held his wife close to him. He didn't dare let go. Both of them were growing old. Old and tired. Who would've known that their love would last for more than forty years? Maybe even longer...

- -

Old Steve stood in front of a tombstone. It was falling leaves everywhere in London. The leaves falling had a familiar brown color.

Ever since his wife went to sleep, Steve loved watching the falling leaves. It always gave him a sense of peace and serenity. The falling leaves had a significant meaning for Steve. It was his favorite time of the year. He remembered that it was also falling leaves when he first met Asuka.

He had two grandchildren. The sons of their only son...

Nina was delighted when Asuka gave birth to a baby boy. An heir to the boxing ring.

. . .

"Daddy! Why isn't grandfather waking up?" Kenny asked his father, tugging at his jeans. Kevin turned to his father sitting in the rocking chair. His eyes were closed, lips formed a small smile. Kevin just gave his son a pat on the head, ruffling his mass of yellow hair. "Grandpa's all right, Kenny. It looks like he's with grandma already."

"But I don't see grandma anywhere," The little boy said, looking around the house.

"Yes, I know. But grandpa can see her."

Little Kenny looked at his father. "If you say that grandpa's okay... Then he's okay."

"Trust me, Kenny. Grandpa is okay."

. . .

"So, what made you come?" Asuka asked Steve as they walked down a road, falling leaves surrounding them. They walked hand in hand, youthful like how they were sixty years ago.

"You should have tried harder, pretty boy," she said, turning her head to face Steve. "You should have tried harder."

"Falling leaves... Do you remember?" he asked her with a smile. She breathed in and smiled as well. "Yes. These falling leaves mean a lot to you, don't they?"

"Uh-huh."

"Does Kevin know that you just left?" she asked him. She was referring to their only child, Kevin Fox. He inherited his father's charm and his mother's guts.

"I'm sure he does," Steve replied, gripping his wife's hand even tighter. "After all, he's my son."

Asuka nudged Steve playfully. "Kevin isn't just your son, Steve Fox. Remember who gave birth to him?"

"Of course, of course! You're his mother," he said defensively. Silence sank in for a moment, but it didn't last.

"You know what, Steve?"

"What is it?"

"I'm kinda glad that you came for me. It was really lonely here."

"Me too," he said simply. She asked more questions, and he answered them as clearly as he could.

"What about the kids? How are Kit and Kenny doing?"

"They're fine. Kit's all grown up. Kenny is growing up, too."

"I see..."

The two of them walked along. The falling leaves rained on them. A soft breeze blew just right across them. In someway, the road they walked didn't seem to end.

"Hey," Asuka began. Steve looked at her and smiled. "What is it?"

"Where do you think we're headed to?"

Steve shrugged. "Beats me. But you know, as long as I'm with you, I don't mind walking this road forever. It's just you, me, and the falling leaves."

And the two of them walked the road, falling leaves raining above them. This time, they were together. For real. And they were pretty sure that no one or nothing could come between the two of them, and the falling leaves.

End