Chapter 358: 1: Cup of Tea (Volume 5)

Like jade, a deep cloudy green that invited ones eyes to search for shapes within its heart, the milk tea mostly obscured the gel clad bubbles in the depths of the cup.

Danika gazed into the cup for so long that Ryuske asked, "Is something wrong with it?"

Danika blinked and looked up to meet his concerned gaze. She shook her head quickly and took a sip, before declaring, "It's really good!"

They sat on either side of a small table in front of the tea shop closest to their home. Ryuske had somewhat forcefully invited Danika out after she'd admitted that it had been almost a week since she'd left the building. His concern made her uncomfortable, but she wasn't sure why.

She shot another glance at him, and took another sip of the tea. The mix of flavors was just right. The sunlight turned his hair pure white and emphasized the lines on his face.

His cup sat untouched on the table, and she asked, "Is yours bad?"

He raised his eyebrows at her and followed her gaze to his own cup. He grinned, and said "No, I'm sure it's fine, it's just still too hot for me. It can cool while we talk."

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked warily.

A bitter curve bent Ryuske's smile a little, but he merely replied gently, "Nothing specific. If you don't feel like talking, it's fine."

Danika didn't know what to say, but she felt guilty for dimming his smile. She shifted uncomfortably, but she still wasn't sure what to say. She took another drink from her tea, and then realized that at the rate she was going, hers would be empty before he even started on his. She pushed the cup away from her hands.

"I don't know how to treat you," she admitted suddenly.

"Because we're living together?" he guessed.

She wrinkled her nose at him and admitted, "I don't know how to get used to that either, but at the same time, you've made me feel really welcome in your home."

Ryuske leaned back in his chair, in a way that made Danika think again that Shinichi really had picked up a lot of mannerisms from his adoptive parent, even if they'd been together for less than half of his lifetime so far. He looked like he was giving her statement serious thought, but his mouth still curved upward at the corners.

"You don't seem uncomfortable with me when we're in 'Living Jade Empire'," he pointed out after a few minutes.

Danika avoided his gaze and watched the people walking the path along the canal for a moment. "Not for the same reasons at least," she agreed.

Ryuske looked at her pink cheeks and laughed. The familiar sound of his laugh, filled with pure amusement drew her gaze back to meet his eyes. "I see," he said laughingly.

"It's not that funny," she objected.

"Danika, I already love you a lot, you don't have to worry," he told her cheekily.

She reached for her tea again, and muttered, "I'm not…"

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He leaned forward and cupped her hands that cupped her cup between his own. "You're safe with me," he said more seriously. His hands were warm, steady, and completely different than her father's hands or Shinichi's hands. "Would you like to call me dad the way Shinichi does, so that we have a more defined relationship?"

When he asked her that, Danika finally realized why she felt so uncomfortable with his concern, and she blurted, "No! I mean, I don't mind doing that after we get married if you'd like. I just don't know how to switch back and forth from being friends in the game to being," she pulled her hands away so that she could wave them, "a person living under your care? It's like I'm a second hand dependant in your household? I don't even buy my own groceries anymore."

Ryuske pulled his hands back to his face and covered his grin for a moment. His expression was so familiar, even though she usually saw him using it as Ryullusion. "Oh, is that all?" he asked lightly.

Danika glared at him and he dropped his hand and grinned openly. She wasn't going to admit to the times she'd been affected by his elven beauty in the game in a million years, and he was teasing her without ever saying it either. "I know, it probably doesn't matter to you," she complained.

"It matters a great deal," he countered. "Although I admit, it took me a few years to realize it."

"We haven't known each other for years yet," she protested.

"Having a child means having a family," he explained. "Adding a person to your family means adding everyone in their family too. I guess the same thing happens when you get married, which might be why you feel willing to address me as your father too after that happens." His grin widened again as he added, "But I haven't experienced that personally, so it's just speculation on my part."

Danika rubbed her nose and admitted, "I think you're right." She sighed. "Which makes my refusal to call you dad early seem petty."

Ryuske laughed, and told her, "I don't mind, take your time. In the meantime, why do you have to treat me differently outside the game? We can be friends here too you know."

"Yeah…" she agreed hesitantly, but then protested uncomfortably, "But you're also my landlord? Or something, those don't pay for your food?"

"Some do. If you pay enough they'll arrange to take care of all your daily needs: cleaning, food, laundry, even plant watering services," he pointed out with amusement.

"I'm not paying you anything," she pointed out dryly.

"Do you need me to charge you rent for you to feel comfortable?" Ryuske asked just as dryly.

Danika hesitated for long enough that he leaned back and frowned at her, before she replied, "No, I realize that you have no need for that. But I would like to feel like I'm contributing something to the household?"

When he leaned forward to take her hands, she expected him to say something like, "Just your presence is enough." He'd said similar things before when she'd asked if she could do anything, but instead he said, "Okay. I'll arrange it so you can access the household expenses and maintenance scheduling." When she blinked at him in surprise, he grinned and added teasingly, "You know, this is part of why old families like to marry their children off in arranged marriages?"

"Why?" she asked warily.

"So that at least one of them will be inclined to take care of the practical stuff. Shinichi has never even asked me about the household expenses, I'll expect you to look after him in the future," Ryuske explained laughingly.

Danika rolled her eyes and protested, "Shinichi keeps track of his finances!"

"He did well in his economics class," Ryuske admitted as he released her hands and picked up his own cup.

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