Chocolate Bruise, a prince of tennis fanfic

Title: Chocolate Bruise

Fandom: The Prince of Tennis

Pairing: Ryoma x Sakuno

Rating: Rated T

Note: Chocolate Bruise is the compilation of Mondays and A Smile Takes It All. This is the full story.

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine.

"Mou… I think I won't make it on time… what am I going to do…" a braided auburn haired girl murmured while scrutinizing the snow themed calendar in front of her.

"Knowing that today is December 24th… and look, it's already five in the afternoon…" The 18 year old Ryuzaki Sakuno murmured once more, her fingertips touching the edges of the said calendar. "It is his birthday, and I don't know what to give to him… mou, if obaa-chan or Tomoka-chan is here, I won't be troubled like this… Ryoma-kun…"

A heavy sigh escaped from her pink lips. She's been acting more mature than the past six years, but when it comes to him, that would be a different issue. Ryoma is Ryoma, and it seems like he's even farther than before.

"If I can just give him something that I can afford… a gift that might make him smile in some way..." the youngster touched her lips and tried to think of something she can do. "Something that I know I can do to make him smile? Hmmm…."

"Ah! I know!" Sakuno smiled while registering the thought that entered her mind. "I can give him another tennis ball! But, if I do, it would be the third time that I'm giving him one… what else can I do…"

"This is the procedure on how to make a chocolate…"

Sakuno's chocolaty eyes widened while listening to the television. "Why not…"

"I'm off now…" Ryoma spoke from the foyer, while tying his white rubber shoes. He stood up, took his tennis bag and slid open the sliding window, that revealed a tall man who looks like him a lot.

"Tadaima- Oi chibisuke, where are you going?" Ryoga Echizen asked while pulling off his sneakers. "Just hanging around…" Ryoma answered, and got off. The elder Echizen placed his rubber shoes at the shoe rack and smirked. "Oi oyaji! Is chibisuke going out to have his birthday date?"

Nanjiroh came from the lounge, his bored face remaining on his features. "If I could just give him one."

"What about the coach's granddaughter?" Ryoga asked, his index finger touching his chin. Nanjiroh smiled cockily and said, "I'm waiting for him to make the first move, but Ryoma is too dense. Someone should throw some sense on him…"

"Keh. I think that cute girl can do that." Ryoga answered, while brushing his hand through his hair.

I'm not as dense as you thought. Ryoma thought of, and walked out completely. His white cap protected his head from the falling snow, with his footsteps marked at the white ground.

The snow is much worse than before, especially for a meek, weak and tidy girl who was known as the wobbly hips, Sakuno Ryuzaki- a girl who has a unique taste of tennis and has the unpredictable strength in worrying and praying.

"Mou... fate doesn't really agree with me..." she murmured while feeling her head aching because of the coldness she's experiencing by now. "It's… too cold…" she moaned while hugging herself inside her thick coat.

Wait; did she say that 'fate doesn't seem to agree with her'? Well, I think she struck a chord at the heavens. The sun never had the chance to peek even a second from the skies and was piled up with the falling snow. If she just knew how much the heavens loved her determination.

Everything she could see was all covered with white, and the only thing she can do is to clutch the box inside her coat. Sakuno continued on walking, her steps guiding her to the gates of Seishun Gakuen. "Just like what obaa-chan told me, the school is opened… thanks…" she whispered with her breathing almost worn-out, her knees touching the cold floor. She relaxed her hands on her sides that brought some kind of relief to her.

Sakuno entered the grounds of Seishun Gakuen with a sly of smile on her features. "Thank goodness!" she said in relief while sitting on the blue bench. The auburn haired girl heaved with a smile and dug her coat's inner pockets to search for the box.

"W-where is the box?!" she backed off while looking for the laced box. She unzipped her coat and felt the cold breeze pass through her arms. Sakuno turned her coat upside down looking for the box, but she didn't even found a single trace of it. "What am I going to do…?"

Sakuno sighed deeply in despair. Today is the day where she will exclusively hand him the gift she made, but losing the present she worked hard for is not good. The auburn haired girl walked upstairs in hopelessness while feeling the heavy sensation crossing the temples of her head. She pulled out her cold hand and rubbed her temples.

"I feel like I'm going to..." Sakuno murmured softly.

She mumbled with her chocolaty eyes feeling heavy, thus losing her conciousness and balance.

Maybe I should go now to the locker and clean it…..

Ryoma Echizen has this thought from the very moment he stepped in the grounds of Seishun Gakuen. He already thought that this day will do no good for him and his locker, and a bunch of school fan girls can prove it for you. It's no good since the first greeting for him in the morning was the evil and cocky teases of his father and his brother. Plus calling him dense… it's too much for him.

He brushed his hair with his left hand while dropping his tennis bag in front of his chair, slid the sliding door and walked away. Ryoma dragged his feet through the hallways silently and walked downstairs.

"Worst Scenario." the prince of tennis murmured while carrying a box. His eyes were lazily shut down; his skillful hands relaxed at each side of his pants' pockets while walking towards the locker room.

If I can just stop oyaji and aniki from teasing me and those raging fan girls from filling my locker with letters three times than usual, I would have a very nice gift. What else can I get aside from this? Ryoma grunted and sighed. Being a cool boy is really, hard I say.

"I feel like…" a very familiar voice came from the other side of the hallway, where lockers and benches are often seen. Ryoma peeked at the said part with his pair of cat-like golden eyes, and when he did. His uninterested mood shifted to another kind of emotion.

The owner of the voice has her hair braided into two, her gentle and weak voice lingering in his ears. "I feel like I'm going to..." she mumbled and lost her balance and conciousness.

Ryoma's eyes widened. She's going to fall! He thought of quickly, and immediately ran towards the locker room to catch the girl's fainting body. He exactly caught the said girl beneath his arms, and was glad when he made it on time.

A second passed, thus telling him to look who's the girl he helped.

Ryoma's eyes widened when he saw the auburn haired girl. "R-Ryuzaki?!" he retorted. He pulled out his right hand and patted Sakuno's rosy cheeks. "Oi Ryuzaki, wake up!" he called on. When his hand surfaced her smooth cheeks, he felt something that jolted his mind.

S-She's hot!

"Oi, Ryuzaki! Hold on..."

A pair of chocolaty eyes was lit after a very long sleep and scanned the whole room. "W-Where am I?" she wondered as she blinked slowly, her eyelashes brushing her delicate skin.

"In the clinic." a stern voice greeted her ears. Sakuno scanned the whole room once more, and was quite shocked when she saw someone sitting beside her bed. "W-Who are you?" she asked, for her long and heavy sleep blurred her eyes.

Ryoma laid his back on the wall and spoke, "Echizen." he answered.

Sakuno's blurred eyes widened like dinner plates, as if his name sent jolts to her spine. She sat up quickly, adrenaline rushing to infest her rosy cheeks. She rubbed her chocolaty eyes and looked at the person who talked.

"R-Ryoma-kun!" she almost stuttered. "What are we doing here?"

Ryoma crossed his arms before his nape and lay once more on the wall. "I recently passed through the locker room and saw you. Seems like you lost your conciousness and fainted." He explained and looked at her.

Sakuno's head tilted slightly. "E-eh?" she responded. The youngster gazed at the window above her bed and frowned. "The snow is falling." she mumbled. "Anyway," Sakuno spoke and then looked at Ryoma. "Where is the nurse?"

Ryoma sighed and lowered his cap. "Nobody is here except for the two of us."

Sakuno backed off while registering the exact words he told her. "T-the two of us?" she asked, with her heart pumping like mad. Ryoma nodded and relaxed his self on the chair.

And there was silence.

"Let's go now." Ryoma said and stood up. Sakuno blinked several times, for she was totally clueless on what he is doing. "I'll take you home."

He wanted to take me home?

"E-Eh?" Sakuno wondered once more. Ryoma heaved and looked at her. "I mean I'll take you to your house."

Sakuno exhaled and fixed her hair on her ear. The young lady wore her hoes and stood up. She walked towards Ryoma slowly, while feeling the very hot and head-aching sensation crossing her forehead. She sat in front of him and rubbed her temple with such a feeling inside her mind. "I-Itai... it hurts..." she murmured. Ryoma noticed that she almost close her eyes when she did, thus driving him to an unexplainable feeling.

"Take my hand." the prince of tennis told her and stretched out his right hand in front of her. Sakuno looked at his hand innocently and in seconds, she slowly took the help and stood up. "T-Thanks."

It was her first time touching his hand and it gave her a very different affection.

Ryoma helped her stand up and released their entwined hands after he did.

Ryoma gave her his tennis bag after adjusting his cap. "Carry my bag." He said. Sakuno carried his bag with her eyebrows narrowing.

"I don't have my bike here, so it means that we need to walk." Ryoma started while tugging the brim of his cap. "But since you are weak, I will carry you on my back."

Sakuno gawked and gasped, while at the same time, registering what he said a while ago. "Eh? Ryoma-kun?"

"Let's get going." He said stoically and walked towards her. At the opposite side was Sakuno, pushing a shy smile. "B-But Ryoma-kun doesn't need to do tha- ah!" Sakuno gasped when Ryoma quickly took her arms and encircled it on his neck, and then carried Sakuno on his back. "Hold on tight."

"Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno reacted while trying to get off. "I can walk by myself…" she protested, but Ryoma just kept on walking. "With that kind of body, you'll collapse any time." He defended and continued on walking.

Oh my… my heart beats fast… what am I going to do? M-my heart is beating so hard and so fast… What if he feels it? Mou… I'm in a great trouble… T-This is embarrassing… Kami-sama, help! Sakuno prayed hard while leaning her head beneath Ryoma's nape.

At the other side was Ryoma, who was secretly smirking while feeling how hard Ryuzaki's heart is pumping. Her heart is pumping so hard. I wonder if she's still okay.

"Oi, Ryuzaki…" Ryoma called on and tilted his head. "Are you oka-"

His words were cut off when he knew that Sakuno is already sleeping. Another smirk came from his features, sending him a sensation that only a pleased person can tell.

It's good that their house is just nearby, and that the snow blizzard came after we reached our destination. Ryoma sighed after laying Sakuno over the wide bench in front of the Ryuzaki residence. He touched her side pockets and knew where the door's key is. He took it from her right pocket and unlocked the door.

He carried Sakuno's unconscious body, carried it upstairs and laid her down on her bed. "Just rest." He mumbled while brushing the bangs from her forehead with his fingers and frowned. "You should learn expressing your feelings by now." He droned and then walked downstairs. He dragged his feet towards the kitchen and got a basin.

"Where's the cold water?" he asked to his self. Ryoma opened the refrigerator and saw the water container. He took it out and poured it in the basin. After he did, he immediately climbed upstairs and entered her room.

There he saw Sakuno sleeping soundly; her hair cascading on her shoulders and her bangs strewing her forehead.

Ryoma smiled and started walking towards the table beside her bed. But because he was looking at her while walking with the basin carried by his hands, he accidentally bumped it at the nearby table in front of him. Some of the cold water was spilled on the floor, and spilled on his shirt. He frowned, then walked downstairs to get the water container and filled the basin once more.

He heaved a sigh before dipping the towel into the basin. He dripped the water from the towel and wiped it on her face before putting it above her forehead.

I think this is fine now. He thought of and stood up. "Now the only thing I need to do is to change my shirt. But how?" he asked himself. If he will wake her up, he must be a big bum disturber. Ryoma looked around him, and saw Sakuno's closet. He walked towards it and when he was about to reach the knob of her closet, he covered his mouth with his other hand and thought of something.

It must be rude for her if I see something unworthy to see. Ryoma thought of, and then blushed while thinking of what must have there inside her closet.

No, no, no, no. Ryoma have to do this, or else he will die in coldness. He nervously opened the closet and peeked inside it. He sighed when he knew that it was her drawer where she keeps her uniforms, blouses and shirts. He took out the biggest blouse that he saw, took off his shirt even if he's in the same room as hers, and wore the said blouse. When he was about to do the buttons, he knew that it will be too tight for him. So he let it unbuttoned, with his upper body almost revealed.

I should stay here inside to watch over her. Ryoma thought of. He took a blanket, put it down beside her bed and there he lay and slept.

-beep

"Aw… w-what's that…" Sakuno slowly opened her eyes and looked beside her. "It was the alarm clock... And it's already, 9:30 PM…" she observed the whole room, looked around her and tried to remember something.

"I think I was with someone a while ago…" she thought of, sat up and blinked several times. "I was with Ryoma-kun a while ago…"

Ryoma-kun.

"Eh?!? R-Ryoma-kun?" she jerked and quickly stood up and wore her slippers. "Does it means that he is here?" she wondered. Sakuno sat up and when she did, the towel above her head fell over her hand. She was even more baffled when she knew that she's inside her room, when the last thing that she could remember is that Ryoma is carrying her on his back. But, how did she?

Sakuno's chocolaty eyes widened. What if Ryoma-kun is here inside our house? What if he's here inside... my room? She thought of, observed the room and she jolted. "Ryoma-kun?!" she spoke and then covered her mouth.

There he was, lying over the blanket with another covering only his trunk. She doesn't know why, but when she saw his calm and peaceful face, she giggled. Without any doubt, Sakuno got off from her bed, bent and hugged her knees. She smiled, stretched out her arm and started tracing Ryoma's whitish cheeks.

Ryoma-kun is not just cute and handsome… he also looks innocent at times like this. Sakuno thought of and smiled. I need to get him over the sofa. This is a thin carpet so it must be cold for him. She thought of once more. She looked at him once more, and noticed the unbuttoned blouse.

T-that's mine! Why would he use my cloth? Sakuno blushed at the thought that Ryoma is wearing her school blouse. Maybe something spilled on him and then… it means… he opened my closet! Mou…

"That blouse must be too tight for you to leave it unbuttoned." Sakuno smiled and put her right hand above Ryoma's pillow, her left hand surfacing her thighs. "I will find something that might suit you, Ryoma-kun. Just sleep- ah!"

Sakuno jerked when 'something' grabbed her hand, which made her lay down above his chest with a white blanket covering them. She screamed mentally with her hand covering her mouth. Maaaah! What's happening heeerrre!!!!???!!!

Sakuno's heart pumped so mad after seeing their selves on that position, which made adrenalin rush throughout her entire body. R-Ryoma-kun! She almost screamed mentally when Ryoma moved on top of her and hugged her.

Her entire body almost jolted when Ryoma snuggled and cuddled beneath her nape. She felt his soft breathing surfacing her bare skin and in additional was his hand that trailed through her waist, which tickled her in a way that scared her. The auburn-haired girl was very nervous because of the things that are happening.

Mou… what am I going to DO in a situation like THIS!?! What if he wakes up and sees that we are in this position? Will I just act asleep? No, no, no! Kami-sama, help me…. She prayed silently.

But whatever kind of prayer she did, he just kept on snuggling beneath her neck and enveloping her waist. He is making a pillow out of her.

Seconds turned out to be minutes of silence for her.

She looked on her hand; she wondered because it must be impossible that Ryoma grabbed her for the reason that he is obviously asleep.

Ryoma kept on hugging her even more tightly, which made her face red. Sakuno can't keep it anymore. At this rate, she's going to burst out.

Sakuno's dainty hands stretched out and tapped Ryoma's shoulder. "E-etou, R-Ryoma-kun…" she whispered beneath his ear. "Ryoma-kun, w-wake up…" she stammered, with his hair brushing through her ear.

At last, Ryoma Echizen already lit up his hazel eyes. He lifted his head in a position that made Sakuno even more scared.

"R-Ryoma-kun… p-please get up a-already…" Sakuno stuttered with her cheeks blushing and her body trembling when she saw Ryoma's face just inches away from hers. "Ryoma-kun…" she called on once more, when it seems like Ryoma isn't listening.

"Ryuzaki, what are you doing there?" Ryoma asked in a lazy manner. Listening to his voice with his lips very near to her is already enough to make the auburn-haired youngster to faint, but this time, she won't. Sakuno looked at her with such a pitiful look and said, "P-please, get off me… y-you're too... You're too…"

Ryoma faced her with his usual face when he listens to other persons, with his body still on top of her, and his face closely in front of her.

"Y-you're too heavy…" Sakuno uttered, which made her eyes roll because that's not what she meant.

You are too unbearable to face me with that kind of look, Ryoma-kun! Just get off!!!

Ryoma faced her with a perplexed look. He observed their position, which made him blush in a certain way. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean this thing to happen…" he mumbled and stood up. Sakuno reddened, seeing Ryoma's body because of the unbuttoned blouse. She stood up, looked at the ground and said, "R-Ryoma-kun, if it will be okay, please wait for me at the living room. I'll just look inside my closet if there's a shirt that will fit you…"

Ryoma nodded and looked at her. "Okay."

Too bad, I missed the chance… Ryoma thought of, somehow, evilly.

"Etou, I'm really sorry, but these are the only clothes that I think will suit you..." Sakuno blushed in embarrassment while offering him a pair of clothes.

Ryoma took the said clothes and changed inside the bathroom. Sakuno walked upstairs, entered her room and there, she changed clothes. Laundry time will be on Wednesday, meaning that she have no choice but wear her very big shirt that reaches her knees. She wore a short that was still covered by her big, thin clothing.

She slowly walked downstairs only to see Ryoma sitting on the couch silently. Sakuno approached him with a faint blush on her face and asked, "Anou... I'll just make some coffee..." she said and walked towards the kitchen.

Ryoma observed her from head-to-toe. His cheeks were painted red upon seeing Sakuno's whitish and flawless-like thighs. I think somehow, I should avoid talking to oyaji and Ryoga nii-san. Ryoma thought of while bumping his forehead on his hand. "Stop… stop…" Ryoma uttered repeatedly.

Sakuno looked at the living room when she heard him. "Ryoma-kun, is there something wrong?" she asked. Ryoma's spine was thrilled. "N-nothing."

Sakuno settled all of the ingredients at the black tray and brought them to the living room. "Anou...sorry to keep you from waiting..." she said as she served the cup in front of him. "Let me do that." Ryoma said and reached the sugar container. Sakuno smiled, her eyebrows narrowing. "Eto, let me..." she was about to reach the sugar container when she felt Ryoma's different temperature. Both of them backed off and looked at the ground. Ryoma just served his own coffee, as well as Sakuno.

A few moments had passed but no one ever tried to break the silence.

"I-I'm sorry…" Ryoma spoke, breaking the glass of silence. Sakuno looked at him with a baffled look. "Sorry for what?" she asked with a low tone. "For what happened a while ago…"

Another moment of silence passed through these two little souls, leaving their hearts trembling in nervousness.

"It already happened, s-so it's okay…" Sakuno replied, with her fingers fidgeting together. Ryoma heaved a sigh and spoke, "But what if I tell you that…"

"That?" Sakuno asked. Ryoma looked at her, then to the ground and opened his mouth. "I was…" he started, with Sakuno looking at him directly.

Ryoma looked at the door and blushed. "I w-was… I was awake back then…"

Sakuno faced him with a speechless and unbelievable look.

H-he was awake at that time?

Ryoma narrowed his eyebrows. Just like what I've thought, she might be angry…

-CRASH!

"Kyaa!" Sakuno screamed when the snow fell from the roof, making the electricity to shut down. Sakuno searched in the mid-darkness for something to hold on, but instead, she spilled the cup of coffee. "Itai!" she reacted, causing Ryoma to search for her. Sakuno stood up and...

"Ouch! What was that?" Ryoma reacted when his forehead bumped on something.

Sakuno's face turned crimson red when she heard Ryoma speak above her body. "Anou... R-Ryoma-kun..." she called on. Ryoma wondered and looked at the figure under him. "R-Ryuzaki?" he asked. Sakuno looked away and nodded. "H-Hai..."

Upon hearing her meek and mild voice, Ryoma had the perfect reason to shade crimson red.

"S-sorry." he apologized and sat up as Sakuno did. She nodded and blushed even more. "O-okay..." she stuttered and faced her back to him. Ryoma laid on her back, causing him to shift his weight to her weak body. "Ano, Ryoma-kun. You're heavy." she responded. Ryoma looked at her and smirked. "I'm not exerting force on you. Just lay your back on me and you will not feel my weight." he said. Sakuno did the thing that Ryoma had told him. They were on a back-to-back, feeling a very comfortable spot with each other.

"About what happened before…" Sakuno mumbled and hugged her knees. Ryoma's ears turned vigilant, just to hear the thing that she's going to say. "I was never angry to you so I don't need to forgive you. M-maybe I was the one who w-was silly… watching a person asleep is really, not good…"

Those words are already enough to make Ryoma's heart jump for joy.

"Maybe I'm the one who must forgive you…" he smirked and glanced at her. "I will forgive you if you give me something… especially that tonight is MY night…" Ryoma said with his grin. Sakuno heaved a sigh, remembering that she lost her gift for him a while ago. "B-but, I lost it…" she spoke gently.

"Too bad…" Ryoma smirked once more. "I will not forgive you in such a simple way. Especially you lost my gift…"

"B-but…"

"I saw a red box a while ago and there's a chocolate inside. I wonder where that came from." Ryoma spoke and looked on the ground.

"E-eh?!" Sakuno reacted with a shocked expression on her face. "W-where did you found that?"

"It means that it was your gift, ne?" Ryoma spoke with such a masculine voice. Sakuno nodded, while hints of blushes started appearing on her face. "Inside the school's ground." Ryoma replied and showed her the box. Sakuno stood up and faced him. "T-that's mine! I mean… t-that's for you…"

"Really?" Ryoma almost leered at her, which was a joke to make her scared.

"It's still... dark…" Sakuno muttered, sat again and snuggled beneath her thighs. Ryoma stood up, and unbeknownst to Sakuno, he faced her with his arms opened wide.

-CLICK

"The lights are-!" Sakuno's words were cut off, when she knew that Ryoma's arms are already enveloping her into a hug. Her eyes widened like dinner plates. "Ryoma-kun!" she shouted in the middle of her perplexed state.

"If I didn't have the chance to finish this thing, I'll do it now. Sakuno Ryuzaki…" Ryoma started, while embracing her tightly beneath his arms, his mouth breathing near her ear. "I wanted this moment as a gift from you…"

Sakuno's baffled look turned calm upon hearing him, her hands trailing through his back, thus embracing him too.

" I wanted you to know that, I…" Ryoma started while brushing her auburn hair with his fingers.

Sakuno's heart pumped mad. W-What is he trying to say?

Ryoma faced his chocolaty eyes and almost blushed before uttering any word. He looked at the ground, and then looked directly at her once more.

"I… I love you…"

"R-Ryoma-kun…" Sakuno touched her lips with her fingers after hearing what he said.

Ryoma withdrew his hands with his gloomy hazel eyes. "I know that this is not like the real me, but…"

"I…" Sakuno started, looking at the ground. "I love you too, Ryoma-kun… b-but I n-never had the ch-chance to say…even if it's your birthday… b-but now that you already k-knew…"

Ryoma faced her with an unbelievable expression on his face. "W-what did you say?"

Sakuno fidgeted her fingers. "I said, I love you and Happy Birthday!" Sakuno shouted.

Ryoma stared at her blankly. Sakuno wondered and blushed. "Ryoma-kun… what's the matter-"

Before she could utter any word, Ryoma already grabbed her by her shoulders and kissed her by the lips. Square in mouth or anything you can call it. He locked her in his arms and started loving her without any thought. Sakuno, in the state of perplexity, knew what he was doing. She was moved, and started returning what he is doing.

If ever this is a dream, I will never wake up any more… being like this with my Ryoma-kun…

"Ouch!" Sakuno stopped and withdrew back. Ryoma asked, "W-what's the matter, Sakuno?"

"I don't want to tell it to you…" she said, then blushed. "T-tell me! W-what's the matter…?" Ryoma asked once more.

"Y-you bit my lower lip…" she said in embarrassment. "O-oh… sorry for that…" he said and leaned on the cabinet behind him.

Silence passed once more.

"Did I scare you?" he asked. Sakuno shook her head and smiled. "No."

Ryoma touched her chin, bent down to the smaller figure in front of him and started kissing her pinkish, soft and subtle lips. They caressed each other with a hidden smile playing beneath their lips.

Both of them savored every moment- the moment when he saw her in the locker room up till this moment where they share each other's happiness.

The prince and the princess should know how they made each other very happy during his birthday- the Night of Christmas Eve. All happened because of a tragic chocolate.

A/N: Good morning/afternoon/evening, people! Rookie-chan desu! Here I am, giving you Chocolate Bruise! Hehe, it's my first time making up a Rated T fanfic, so spare me if it's like a chicken. TTTT I never knew that it's this hard. Waaaaa!!!! Hehehe. By the way, I hope you liked my fanfiction. Kyaaaa.

I'm off now!

rookie-chan