Wouldn't It Be Nice (A Toradora Soulmate AU)

14: Put Your Head On My Shoulder

Ryuuji and Yuusaku shoulder their backpacks and get ready to walk home from school. Because it's the first week back from break, Yuusaku doesn't have any responsibilities. Baseball season is over and student council doesn't have anything for him either. "It's nice to finally walk together again," Ryuuji admits.

Yuusaku laughs. "Yeah, I missed it too."

"So... how was the ski trip?"

"You mean other than Taiga nearly freezing to death? It was interesting, to say the least." Yuusaku turns red and stares at his feet. "Actually, I was talking to Ami afterwards and it turns out I said her words a long time ago."

Ryuuji smirks at him. "Finally found out, huh?"

"YOU KNEW????" Yuusaku yells in disbelief. "Anyway, I told her that she said mine too. It's crazy... we've been together all this time and I never thought she would end up being my soulmate. For now though, we're just going to take it slow. I'm excited to see where this goes." He grins from ear to ear, unable to contain his happiness. "What about you, though? Has anyone said your words yet? Was it Minori? Or maybe Taiga?"

Ryuuji looks away. "Well, I guess you got me. One of them did say it. I... I don't want to say who it is in case it doesn't work out. But I can say that I am in love with her. I love the girl that said my words."

"Hmm. Cryptic. I'll let you get away with it this time, but you'd better let me in on it soon. Okay?"

"Deal."

Their pathways split and they say their goodbyes. Ryuuji stands at the Tamaishi bridge, looking out over the river. It rushes towards him, creating nice background noise to stop and think. I'm in love with Taiga, but she still likes Yuusaku. What if he's her soulmate and she ends up alone? Or if he's her soulmate but we end up together instead and she's not happy? I think that would be worse. This is a mess. He leans on the railing with his head resting on his palm and sighs. His chest is getting all fuzzy just thinking about it.

I just want us to have a happy ending.

-

Minori and Taiga sit outside the school in the shade of the roof. Minori is waiting for a meeting with the rest of the softball team, so she has a few minutes.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Taiga! You gave us all a scare. Oh yeah, I wanted to ask what happened? How did you end up out there in the first place?

"Oh! I found your hair clip. I saw it out in the woods and went to get it for you. I forgot I was going to give that back to you today." Taiga pulls the clip out of her backpack and stares at it in her palm. Her face falls as she recalls Ryuuji knocking Minori over, them laughing together, and looking in each others' eyes... She shakes her head to clear her thoughts and hands the clip over.

Minori considers the clip as well before slipping it in her backpack. "You know... you and Ryuuji have been really close lately." Taiga narrows her eyes. "Do you like him? Because I know how you act when you like someone and I think you do."

"N-no! I actually think you would work out together with him better than I would. You should probably start hanging out more and then maybe you'll end up saying his words," Taiga chokes out. Beads of sweat start forming on her forehead.

Minori looks at her suspiciously, and Taiga carries on. "Yeah, speaking of words being said... Yuusaku actually said mine while we were at the ski lodge."

"What? When? Also, you don't seem too happy about it. The last time we talked you were so excited."

"I was just expecting something different, I guess." Taiga flips hand over and reads the words on her forearm.

"I was so worried about you... you're safe now. Yuusaku said that to me when he was carrying me back after I fell. It's not that I'm disappointed. It was just... I kind of wanted-" Her face crumples and tears start to build up before she can finish.

Minori, on the other hand, is very sure about what she wants to say. "Taiga, don't cry yet, I have something to tell you. Yuusaku didn't carry you back to the lodge. It was Ryuuji. Ryuuji carried you back and Ryuuji said your words. He asked us not to say anything, but I'm sure he'll forgive me for breaking that promise this time. Do you feel any better about it now?"

Taiga's face says it all. She catches her breath as what Minori said sinks in, and her whole visage brightens, half between shock and joy. "I... I have to go find him." She leaves her backpack on the ground and starts running, shouting "Thank you Minori!" behind her.

"Ryuuji!" She yells all the way down the road to his house. She doesn't slow down once, not even after seeing him standing at the bridge. Taiga barrels into Ryuuji, wrapping her arms around him. She yells her confession into his jacket, eager to get it off her chest.

Ryuuji briefly wraps his arms around her in return before pushing her away. "What?"

"Ryuuji, I've loved you every day since my birthday when you went and got those sparklers but I've been so blinded because I thought you still liked Minori and I didn't want to mess it up but you said my words and I thought it was Yuusaku at first and I was so disappointed but it wasn't Yuusaku, it was you! You're my soulmate, Ryuuji." She puts her hands on her knees and takes a minute to take a breath.

When she finally looks up, she sees that Ryuuji is beaming. "Taiga... you said my words long before my birthday. I've known from the start! You're my soulmate, and I'm yours." They both laugh, their voices shaking. He puts his hand on her shoulder, bringing her in for another embrace. Before she can press against him again, Ryuuji leans forward and gently kisses her forehead.

"I love you, Taiga. My palm-top tiger."