She didn't know where she was. She didn't know who he was. She didn't know what anything was anymore.
Everything was dark. The last thing she remembered was falling into the water, and what happened next was foggy.
She was so cold.
Was she dead? Was she dreaming...? Was it all just a very, very bad dream?
If it really was a bad dream, she wanted to wake up. She wanted to wake up to find the face of the person she loved the most, the face of her older brother.
But she didn't. Instead, she woke up to the face of two strangers. One man, one woman, both of them looking extremely concerned. Saki began to tremble when she realized she was in a place she didn't recognize.
The man spoke to the woman in a language that Saki didn't recognize before turning back to her.
"Hello, little girl," The woman said with a heavy accent. "Are you alright?"
Saki couldn't speak. She was frozen.
"Don't be scared," The man said, his accent even heavier than the woman's. "We found you in the water, nearly drowning."
Saki remained silent, completely terrified. She began to cry.
The woman made a sympathetic noise and didn't say anything. She began to caress Saki's forearm with gentle, motherly hands.
And that's where it'd all started, when Saki began living with the couple. They were from America and had traveled to many places before finding Saki. Luckily for her, they'd been out exploring Japan and took her in.
The couple considered her family, and did many things for her. They got her a passport so that she could travel with them when they did.
They hadn't adopted her, though, since Saki had refused. She wanted to return to Tsukasa. She wanted to see Ichika and Shiho and Honami again.
No matter how much she loved Sam and Mark, Saki knew that she'd always go back to Tsukasa. Her resolution, for the past years, has been to find him.
That was why she called them by their first names. Saki felt like she would be betraying her mother if she were to start calling Sam "mom" or "mother".
To Saki, it didn't matter whether her biological mother was looking for her or not, whether she wanted Saki back or not, whether she cared or not. She was going to return to her and Tsukasa.
Saki kept up on her japanese with Duolingo—using either Sam's or Mark's phone, as she didn't have one—because she spoke English with Sam and Mark and went traveling with them instead of going to school.
Because of this, Saki knew countless facts about tons of countries and landmarks, like their history, their climates, their flora and fauna, et cetera. She learned several languages too, but didn't speak them very well as she only really cared to practice English and Japanese.
Years after they took Saki in, Sam and Mark decided—three days before Wonderlands x Showtime arrived in America—that they would take Saki to see the country they were from. They boarded the plane and flew away from Australia and closer to America.
Saki leaned her head against the window, staring out at the water dotted with small islands. Her thoughts drowned out the sound of Sam's and Mark's conversation happening right beside her.
Tsukasa would be in high school now. I bet he has a girlfriend and tons of friends.
These thoughts didn't make Saki happy, even though she knew she should be. But how could she when she knew that Tsukasa was growing up and meeting new people without her? How could she when she knew that Tsukasa could be talking to her about all of his friends? How could she when she knew that, after all these years, Tsukasa had forgotten about her?
Saki felt tears stinging at her eyes. She closed them, hanging her head as she began to tremble. Her heart sank low. She wondered how Toya was doing. How her second brother was doing.
Toya... I hope you finally found something that you love to do. And someone you love as well. I hope you're happy and healthy. I hope you have lots of friends and... And I hope you still remember me.
The girl's tears began to slip out from beneath her eyelids.
A comforting arm wrapped itself around Saki's shoulders.
"You thinking about your brother again?" Mark said softly, squeezing Saki close as she gave a nod. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I promise we'll find him.
"Th—Thank you, Mark..." Saki sobbed into the man's shoulder.
He smiled as he reassuringly rubbed the girl's shoulder.
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"Let's gooooo!!" Emu shouted, pulling Nene by the arm. "Nene-chaaaaan!! Stop resistinggg!"
"Noooooo!" Nene whined. "Please, Emu, spare meeee! I'd rather die!"
"Quit being overdramatic!" Tsukasa groaned.
"Nene, please come with us," Rui said. "It'll be nice. We won't have to talk to anyone, we're just going to go on a little walk."
"It's a whole kilometerrr!" Nene cried. "Too much!!"
"That's not even that much!" Tsukasa said.
"Yeah, that's a short walk," Rui nodded.
Nene stuck her tongue out at Tsukasa. "You're lucky that this gayass is agreeing with you, Tsukasa." She said. "You're normally extremely stupid and the fact that you thought Emu liked Rui just proves it."
Emu giggled.
"Wha—HEY!" Tsukasa shouted, his face turning red.
This little—!
"That 'gayass' part was so uncalled for," Rui said with a frown. "And why did you say that as if it would be disgusting to like me? :("
"'Cause it is," Nene side eyed Tsukasa.
He glared at her.
It's not. It's really not, Nene. Rui is a wonderful person to be in love with.
"Kusanagi, you must come with us," Shosuke said. "We cannot leave you alone here."
"Yes, you can!" Nene said.
"Fine, then!" Emu huffed, crossing her arms in a pout. "Stay here! Alone! Without us!"
"You're really giving up??" Tsukasa rubbed his temples.
This is the stupidest argument in the history of ever.
"It's alright, Tsukasa-kun," Rui sighed. "There's no convincing her otherwise. No need to waste any more energy—and time—on convincing her to come with us."
"...Fine," Tsukasa turned his head, blushing. "Only because you said so."
Rui smiled at the blonde. "Great," He said. "See you later, Nene."
"Really?" Nene said, looking relieved as she plopped onto the couch of the hotel room. "Oh, yes! Now I can rot in peace!"
"Nooo!" Emu whined. "Nene-chan! Pleeeaaase!!!!"
"No." Nene said.
"Hmph." Emu turned away from Nene and grabbed Shosuke's arm. "Let's go, Tsukasa-kun, Rui-kun."
Tsukasa and Rui followed behind the siblings as they walked out of the door of the hotel room.
——————————
Shosuke, using a navigation app, began to lead the way to the place that Wonderlands x Showtime, in two days, would be performing at.
Emu skipped cheerfully at his side, speaking energetically to him and Rui and Tsukasa.
"I wanna go to Central Park! And the Abraham Lincoln Memorial! Ooh, and Times Square! And the Empire State Building!" Emu hummed. "OH, AND THE STATUE OF LIBERTY!!"
"But those are all in different places!" Tsukasa flinched. "And don't you have to take a boat or something to get to the Statue of Liberty?"
"Yeah! Isn't that sooooo cool?" Emu squealed. "Big floaty things that DRIVE on WATER!! So wonderhoy! Boats should be more appreciated!"
"Ack..." Tsukasa frowned. "Yeah, that's a 'no' to boats for me. I hate them."
Rui chuckled. "Since when do you two feel so strongly about boats?"
"Since years ago," Tsukasa answered, his expression darkening. "I hate them so much. You could call it a burning hatred at this point. It gets stronger and stronger every day, I swear."
"Why do you hate them so much?" Emu wore the expression of a sad puppy.
"Don't wanna talk about it," Tsukasa shook his head.
"Ah..." Emu said.
Rui looked at Tsukasa and saw his sad expression. He wanted to take Tsukasa's hand to reassure him, which he did. Tsukasa didn't stop him and squeezed Rui's hand in his.
Tsukasa's stomach turned into mush and his chest tightened.
"It seems like you have a good reason to hate them, then," Shosuke joined the conversation without turning around to look at the boys. "Embarrassing experience?"
"No," Tsukasa answered. "Not at all."
"A traumatic one, then?" Shosuke guessed. "I understand why you do not want to talk about it. My apologies, Tenma."
"Yeah. It's fine." Tsukasa smiled weakly.
"Hmmm..." Emu made a sad noise and turned to Tsukasa, her eyebrows shooting up as she saw him, her eyes sparkling. "OOOOHHH!!! YOU'RE HOLDING HAAANDS?!?!"
Tsukasa got startled and held Rui's hand tighter.
"Ah!" Rui flinched at the volume of Emu's voice, looking briefly at Shosuke as the adult shot the two boys a quick, curious glance. "Um... Yes? Tsukasa-kun looked sad, so I took his hand."
Tsukasa's cheeks turned pink.
"Awww!!" Emu hopped around. "That's so sweet, Rui-kunnn!"
Rui began to blush as well.
"Emu, calm down," Shosuke said. "You're bound to get hurt if you continue bouncing around like that."
"But it's sooo cute!" Emu said, turning her hops into skips. "Don't you think, Shosuke? Isn't it super cute?"
"Emu!" Tsukasa said through gritted teeth, his face heating up even more.
"What?" Emu asked.
Rui laughed. "Why are you getting so angry, Tsukasa-kun?"
"I'm not!" Tsukasa denied. "It's just embarrassing!"
"Embarrassing to be holding my hand?" Rui said in a forced hurt voice with a fake woeful expression.
"W—What? Hey, no! I..." Tsukasa let his voice trail off as his eyes met Rui's. "...I like holding your hand."
Rui smiled at Tsukasa as the blonde tore his gaze away from that of his friend. "The feeling's mutual."
Tsukasa's stomach did somersaults as his cheeks burned.
...Rui likes holding hands with me? Could KAITO have been right...?
"Tsukasa-kun! Rui-kun! Look there, it's so pretty!" Emu said, pointing at the beautiful view to her right as she stopped walking.
Shosuke came to a stop as well, Rui and Tsukasa soon doing the same as they turned their heads in the direction Emu had been pointing at.
"Oh!" Rui gasped softly.
"Woah..." Tsukasa breathed.
To the right of the group was the beautiful sunrise, and the massive ball of light was noticeably higher than it was when the troupe had arrived in America with Shosuke. Its warm light danced entrancingly on the rippling waves of the water that stretched out all the way to the horizon.
The sky was a light peach colour, drenching anything the sun's rays could reach in a slight orange-pink tint.
The sight was calming and tugged at Rui's heartstrings. Rui's grip on Tsukasa's hand tightened comfortably. Then, before he knew it...
"Tsukasa-kun?" The alchemist said softly, turning towards Tsukasa.
"Yeah, Rui?" Tsukasa looked at Rui.
The purple-haired boy gave his friend a smile, his heart beating loudly against his chest. "I know it might not be the best time to say this, and you don't have to give me an answer, but... I love you."
Tsukasa's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. He was at a loss for words. His heart rate accelerated steeply and his body temperature along with it.
"I..." Tsukasa began, a smile forming on his face. "I, um... I love you too, Rui."
Rui just looked at Tsukasa, shocked, for a few moments, before lifting his right hand up to the blonde's cheek and leaning in, closing his eyes then planting a soft kiss onto his lips.
Tsukasa was taken by surprise, but soon let the moment happen. He, too, closed his eyes and returned the action, his heart fluttering and his body as light as a feather.
HE'S KISSING ME. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD HE'S KISSING ME. AM I DREAMING?
Tsukasa couldn't help but indulge himself in the softness and warmth of Rui's lips against his.
"EEEEEE!!!" Tsukasa and Rui could both hear Emu shrieking in delight. "OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSHHH!!!!"
The boys pulled away from each other, both blushing heavily and a little out of breath. The kiss had lasted roughly two seconds.
Then Tsukasa suddenly that they were in public. And in front of Emu and her brother.
Rui and Tsukasa couldn't make eye contact with each other, and they both let go of the other's hand.
Did we actually...
"...It would seem that Kusanagi was not joking," Shosuke said awkwardly, gulping down a ball of saliva.
"YESYESYESSS!!" Emu jumped around in circles. "YESSS!!!!"
"You seem oddly excited about, uh... That, Emu-kun..." Rui said, looking down at the ground.
"MAYBE!" Emu giggled. "I'm super duper happy for you two!!"
Tsukasa's smile refused to be suppressed when the blonde had tried to do so. "Um... Thank you... I guess," He'd added, just to be safe.
Rui nodded. "Thank you."
"Wonderful... Now, if you two are quite finished, could we continue our walk?" Shosuke said. It was obvious that he was trying not to sound rude.
"Yeah." Tsukasa said.
Did Rui and I really kiss?
...I wanna do it again.
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THIS BETTER MAKE UP FOR THE DAYS I DIDNT UPDATE THE FIC.
SUPER LONG CHAP PLUS RUIKASA KISS PLS FORGIVE ME
Word count: 2215