The Tiger and The Dragon (Toradora fanfiction)

Ryuugi Takasu wasn't very fond of using foul language. He could easily be the best mouthed teenager in all Japan. But this time, the only word his brain could form was "fuck". It seemed like a good idea. At least, on the first moments. He had bursted pretty bad back there, telling his mother all that horrible things. And in front of Taiga's mother, moreover. Not a very nice way to gain your girl's family. Not that Taiga was his girl or anything. "Yet", his brain added. "Fuck off, brain", the teen thought. It really wasn't the right time for this kind of thinking. He had to recognize that, when he snapped and Taiga took his hand as both of them ran away from their respective mothers, it felt kind of nice. Two pained souls running around town. Pretty cute.

The real problem came after that. Ryuugi had shouted, cried and ran all he could, which did wonders for his body and soul. He just had to take everything out of his organism. Well, maybe not everything but a lot of things. But then he didn't have the heart to face his mother, at least not today. Telling his own mother that she regretted giving birth to him was something awful. Taiga didn't want to face her mother, either, coming now of all times to take her away from the life she had so hardly constructed. The problem came when it started to get dark. No normal hotel would let two teenagers who had obviously run away stay. The only option they had was someplace they didn't have to interact with any receptionist or employee. In other words: a love hotel. And, as the two teenagers sat on the opposite corners of the large, and only, bed of the room, the "F" word that kept going into Ryuugi's mind was taking another, and much sinister, meaning, that wasn't precisely swearing.

-Soo… -started Ryuugi, starting to get really scared of the awkward silence that had been between them the whole time- How are you doing?

Fantastic, Ryuugi Takasu, he told to himself. Simply fantastic. "How are you doing?" Brilliant.

Of course, Taiga ignored totally his lame intent of starting a conversation. She looked like she was thinking really hard. Ryuugi also had things to think about. I mean, he spent more than a year chasing after a girl and, only two days before this crappy situation, he found himself that he was in love with another girl. With the girl he was sharing and damned love hotel room. All because she said if he would be happy if she gave him handmade Valentine's chocolate. She. Handmade chocolate. Gotta be a joke.

-So you knew all along, didn't you –blurted Taiga. Ryuugi made a confused sound, not knowing what she was talking about. The terrible Palmtop Tiger started to blush, so much that Ryuugi feared her head would explode.

-I'm talking about the trip… -she said- When I was unconscious… I thought you were Kitamura-kun… And I… I… Don't make me say it, you dumbass!

She was shaking, and so red you could boil an egg in her forehead. Ryuugi blushed as well.

-Oh, yeah… -he said, scratching lightly his jab- That…

Taiga turned her head violently. Now she wasn't red only out of shame, but also out of anger.

-What do you mean, "That"? –she shouted- I thought you were another person! I said all that shameful things! You should have told me!

Ryuugi's eyebrow twitched. Now he was getting irritated, to. That was just plainly unfair.

-And what was I supposed to do? –shouted back- I was about to tell you I wasn't Kitamura, but then you started talking about shining armored knights, and saying you were sorry and that had fallen in love with me! In the morning you were telling me that I had to go for Kushieda and in the night you say you are in love with me! I was confused! It's your fault!

-M-m-m-my… my fault? –stuttered Taiga, outraged- You didn't just say that!

-Oh, yes, yes I did! –shouted Ryuugi. He knew he was being a jerk, but he couldn't stop. He had to take it all of his system. Absolutely, totally all- If you hadn't messed up the bags at the starting of the school year, nothing of this would have happened! It was way easier before, you know! I watched Kushieda from far, I was friends with Kitamura, and I was content with that! If you hadn't interfered, I wouldn't have confessed, Ami and Kushieda wouldn't have fought, you wouldn't have fallen, I wouldn't have found you, you wouldn't have said all that things, and everything would've been alright!

After he emptied his brain aloud, Ryuugi felt better. Much better. But when he looked at Taiga's face, he knew ha had gone way too far. Taiga was trembling in fury.

-Y-you… you damn dog… I'll friggin' kill you! –as she shouted that, the Palmtop Tiger jumped at Ryuugi neck, who fell from the bed to the floor, and there he stayed, as Taiga placed herself on him, hitting Ryuugi with her tiny fists.

-Y-you dumbass! You think it was easy for me, to see you drooling over Minorin? –she cried, tears starting to flow from her eyes- It's not like I asked for that to happen, you know! I-it just happened… It was all easier before… before….

Ryuugi sighed, letting his head rest on the floor. Taiga had stopped her aggression, and now she was just on his chest, sobbing. He gently put his hands on her back and sighed again. It wasn't fair. After all this time, this just was not fair. He spent more than one year in love with Kushieda. He even confessed and got rejected, just to try it again. A relationship with Taiga could only end in disaster and hurt all of them. He should tell Taiga that he was sorry, but that he didn't felt that way. That would be the best and wisest decision. Get hurt a bit today, to be happy ever after. Definitely, saying that he didn't feel the same way was the best thing to do.

-I love you –Ryuugi said. Fuck it all. He was tired. Tired of being wise, tired of keeping things to himself, tired of not making, for once, the decision he wanted to make. He felt the muscles of Taiga's back stiffen, and her breathing getting a little faster.

-Wha…? –she started.

-I love you –repeated Ryuugi. Wow, that was easier that he thought it would be. He felt Taiga tightening the grip on his shirt.

-Say it again –she said in a very soft voice. Ryuugi made a confused sound, before Taiga raised her voice- Do it!

-I… Love you? –repeated Ryuugi, now starting to get nervous. Maybe it wasn't that easy.

-Really? –she asked, raising her head to look at Ryuugi's eyes. She still had the marks the tears had left in her cheeks. She grabbed Ryuugi's head- Really?

Ryuugi nodded.

-Y-yeah… -from nervous, Ryuugi was starting to feel scared. Taiga looked serious, and scary. And awfully cute, with that messed hair and reddened cheeks.

-If you are lying, I'll kill you –she the lowered her head and kissed him. Ryuugi didn't react immediately. He was surprised. Sure, he liked Taiga. Sure, he knew Taiga liked him. But he didn't expect her to kiss him out of the blue. But before he could think over that, he found himself responding to her lips, lightly opening his mouth and inviting Taiga to do the same to do the same with his tongue. He pressed her small body against his own, and realized, maybe for the first time, that she was a girl. Sure, he knew that all along, but her fierce demeanor and violent attitude had, somehow prevented him from notice how fragile she really seemed, or how soft her body seemed under her school uniform. He felt that his face was burning, but that wasn't what was worrying him the most, but that his member was starting to react to all that kissing. To react violently. Also, his right hand moved on his own, going from Taiga's back to, slowly but surely, rest gently in her bottom. Taiga seemed to notice that, as her back muscles tightened a little but she didn't resist, only reacting by kissing him even deeper, as their tongues played and caressed each other. Taiga broke the kiss for a moment, catching her breath.

-Say it again, Ryuugi –she commanded- Say it.

-I love you –he repeated. She made a strange expression, like she would never have enough of hearing it. Then she bit her lip lightly.

-I… Umh… Me… -she looked away form him, her face like a tomato- I…l-l-l-l-love you too, 'kay? –the last sentence was said in such a soft voice that even Ryuugi, who was only a few centimeters from her, could almost hear her. Sure, he already knew that. And he wasn't cruel enough to make her repeat herself, like she did, since it seemed Taiga could die from embarrassment any time now. But to hear that from her lips, face to face, know that she knew that she was telling it to him and the fact that, with her face blushed and her lips swollen from all that kissing, she looked so cute it was almost painful, it was too much for him to withstand. With a sudden impulse, he got up and dragged Taiga's little body with him, smashing them both up on the bed again. Only that this time their situation was reversed, with Ryuugi's body on Taiga's. Someone who would have seen that would have thought that he was going to crush her, but Ryuugi was careful enough to put his hands on the mattress, preventing the fatal outcome.

-R-Ryuugi, what…? –Taiga started, but the boy shut her by kissing her deeply again. Kissing, sucking and licking, he left her mouth, caressing her neck with his tongue, and kissing her collarbone. On the mean time, he put his right hand on her leg, and started going up her tight. Then, Taiga finally reacted. She came off him with a jump and moved back a bit, blushing really violently.

-W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what are you doing?! –she stuttered.

-What? –was the only coherent thing Ryuugi could articulate.

-Y-y-you we-were t-t-t-t-t-t-touching me! –she said, still stuttering and blushing like crazy.

-Y-yeah? –definitely today wasn't Ryuugi's most eloquent day. His brain was still trying to figure out what was going on- I… touched you? Yeah, I did.

-Don't give me that, you horny dog! –she answered, pointing him with an accusing finger- Y-y-y-you… Don't get carried away!

-Okay? –finally, the situation was starting to enter the dazed brain of the teen- Well, you know… You didn't tell me to stop so I…

-Don't take things out of context! That is that, and this is this! –she interrupted. "What the…?" Ryuugi thought "That doesn't even make any sense!". In the meantime, Taiga was still explaining her point- That I didn't say anything doesn't allow you to do what you want! You get it?

-Yes? –the boy answered hesitantly- I'm sorry?

-S-s-s-s-s-so… -she stuttered again, getting even redder, if that was possible- I-if you g-get it, I gu-guess I'll forgi-forgive y-y-you…

Ryuugi raised an eyebrow. "So basically, you were surprised, got scared, and now you regret it" that's what the teen thought, but he was careful enough not to say it aloud. He then turned around to face Taiga and smiled.

-You're cute, you know? –he said, approaching her again. She looked away from his eyes.

-Idiot –she muttered in a very low voice. Then, received his kiss again, before lying down on the bed.