Out of the Cold


Notes

navy = flashback


He should have been bored, but Tenchi found that impossible. Washu had said that she was reasonably certain that she could remedy Ayeka's condition. He suspected Ayeka was relieved to have some space away from them for some time. He had been getting fairly obvious that she resented being treated like thin glass all the time. Despite that he couldn't help worrying about the princess, he'd lost his mother the same way.

That wasn't the only thing going on either. Earth knew about them now, even if only a select group did, and even they didn't know where exactly they all were. The sniper had been motivator for that move. They'd been having more run ins with Earth governments anyway, so it came down to more or less defusing the bomb by blowing it up. So, after some discussion with the Galaxy Police and Jurai, both of whom had assumed Earth knew about galatic politcs anyway, they had gone to the UN to explain matters. Tenchi had represented Jurai, Kiyone the Galaxy Police, and Ryoko had reluctantly represented the Akuneko that had been left behind in the wake of the war.

That brought up the real problem on his mind, Ryoko. She wasn't even pretending to be mad at him any more, but she was extending every effort to avoid him. His newly learned ability to teleport had allowed him to keep up with her initially, but she was much better than he was. When she really wanted to be alone, she could avoid him.

Tenchi dryed his hands as he looked out the window, and frowned. It was snowing rather hard out there, and he knew Ryoko's attitude about the cold. Knowing her, she should have been in the house by now, bundled up in as many layers of cloth as she could acquire. Then again, he did remember their last real conversation.

"What's wrong with me?!" Ryoko yelled. "What's wrong? Can't you see? I'm poison! All I'm good for is destruction, the universe would have been better off if I never survived."

He had been making headway against that, but then they had been interrupted. Since then he couldn't get Ryoko to stay in one place long enough to talk to her.

"I'm going to go look for Ryoko," Tenchi called out before he remembered Sasami was in town visiting with Mihoshi while Kiyone was away with Rikyu. Of course his dad was in town as well at work. And as impressive as his grandfather was, he doubted Yosho could hear him from the shrine.

He trudged out into the snow, summoning a shield of jurai power to keep the snow and wind away. That still left the bone numbing chill, but at least it was easier to see and walk this way. It didn't take him long to reach Washu's cave, Ryoko generally ended up here sooner or later. He noted the heavy pile up of snow over the cave and frowned again.

"Ryoko can't be out here, its been snowing since last night."

They had cleared out all the old booby traps, so Tenchi had an easy walk to the central cave. Despite his earlier denials he wasn't really surprised to find Ryoko laying on the carved floor, passed out with an empty bottle. Most of the time Ryoko was actually quite responsible with her drinking, but when stress started to build she went overboard. He bent down to pick her up when he heard a sudden crashing sound.

"Wa's tha?" Ryoko mumbled. There was a shower blue-white sparks as Tenchi teleported to cave entrance and found that a bank of snow now blocked it. He sighed and considered how to solve the problem. In the wake of Rei's arrival and the subsequent Akuneko war, his powers had grown. He experimented with a blast of Jurai power. The energy blast burned through the snow, which unfortunately quick freezed in its wake.

"That won't solve anything," he said to himself before teleporting back down to the cave. He was surprised to find Ryoko blinking herself awake

"Damn, its cold," she muttered, gripping her head. She felt something draped around her and reached around to grab a heavy jacket.

"We're snowed in," Ryoko snapped to look at Tenchi, and then squinted her eyes as this sent her head ringing.

"What are you doing here?"

"As cold as it is out here, and you're not in the house?" Tenchi answered. "I was worried about you."

"Hmph, what's to worry about," she asked. "Not worth much."

"We'll talk about that at the house."

"Do you know how to teleport other people?"

"Why would I need to teleport someone else, why can't you?"

"Hangover, can't concentrate on the teleport."

"Oh, well at least I can get you some blankets." Tenchi dissipated into that same shower of blue-white sparks, and reappeared at the entrance of the cave, confused. He tried again and found himself under the drop from the hidden passage into the cave. "Or maybe not."

"What's the matter," Ryoko asked quietly.

"I can't seem to teleport past barriers like you can." Tenchi walked over and sat down on the ground facing the akuneko. He was starting to shiver despite his efforts to the contrary, Ryoko didn't look much better even with his coat wrapped around her. "Are you okay?"

"I hate the cold," Ryoko said, and then, maybe because she was just waking up with a hangover, continued. "It was cold then too."

"It was cold when?" She glared at him, suddenly aware of her slip.

"Tenchi take back your coat," she said.

"Don't change the subject, it was cold when?" Ryoko grimaced

"My earliest memory....an escape pod with faulty life support," she said. "Do you know how cold it gets in space? Cold enough to make this feel like a beach resort. The pod didn't have any method of heating. All I could feel soon after the launch was that cold. I almost froze waiting to be found.

"Why were you in the escape pod to begin with?"

"Parents put me in one and then turned to fight something, don't know what." she finished with finality that said she wouldn't discuss it any further. Ryoko looked at Tenchi. "Take your coat Tenchi." She virtually demanded it this time.

"You need it more than I do."

"I don't matter, take the coat. If Ayeka comes to her senses she shouldn't find a Tenchi popsicle when she come back."

"I'm fine," he protested. "And you know Ayeka and I decided we weren't a match." Ryoko ignored the second statement.

"Like crap you're fine," she gripped her head in pain again and continued quietly. "I can you're shivering over there. Take your coat." She stood up unsteadily letting the coat fall off to the ground and walked, more or less stumbling, to the other side of the cave.

A couple of seconds later and the coat was about her shoulders again. Tenchi brushed her hands this time.

"Damn it Ryoko, how long have you been out here?"

"I don't know," she responded testily. "Listen I said that I didn't need the coat." Tenchi wasn't listening, instead he was rubbing his hands over hers, trying to warm them up. He reached up to feel her forehead.

"You're developing a fever," he said. "Are you sure that's a hangover?"

"I'm fine, now could you stop pretending to..." Ryoko's eyes popped as Tenchi kissed her passionately and full on the mouth. She was nonpulsed at first, but then she tentatively reached her arms around him and returned the kiss. When they finally came up for air she blinked in surprise, mouth hanging open.

"Do you really think I'm pretending?" Tenchi asked.

"I..." she started. "I can't...this must be a hallucination."

"If it's a hallucination you won't mind wearing the coat," Tenchi said as he sat down against the wall. He gestured up and took Ryoko's hand, guiding the confused pirate down to sit in front of him. Ryoko leaned back against Tenchi quietly, still doubting whether this was real or not, but enjoying the sensation of his arms around her.

They were both asleep by the time anybody found them. And for the first time in months, neither seemed troubled in their sleep.


Anime@Fan.Fic