Hero of Heroes Ch. 7 - Emotions
By Night

The door opened, and Ryu and Chun-Li walked in the apartment. Chun-Li turned on the lights and headed for the refrigerator. "Need something to drink? Must've been a long flight!" she asked.

"Sure, I can definitely use a refreshment," Ryu answered as he set down his duffel bag. He observed his surroundings of the place he'd be spending for the night and perhaps the following nights. Chun-Li had a small, nicely decorated kitchen, and neatly organized living room complete with a high quality entertainment center, futon and other miscellaneous furniture. Definitely a woman's place Ryu thought to himself.

"Iced tea ok, Ryu?" Chun-Li asked.

"Iced tea is perfect," Ryu said. He walked towards the door to Chun-Li's bedroom and took a peek inside. He took notice of trophies, and hanging on the wall, her blue Chinese uniform she wore during the second Street Fighter tournament. Ryu smiled to himself, Very rare to see such a powerful female warrior. Below her uniform was a nightstand which had a large picture of a man, with candles around it.

"That's my father," Chun-Li quietly said, as she handed a cup of iced tea to a startled Ryu.

"He must've been a very important man," Ryu replied. He was still a little shaken at how Chun-Li was able to approach him without him sensing her. She definitely did not intend on approaching me with stealth... yet she was still able to do it... and so easily and gracefully... he thought.

"Yes, he was," Chun-Li weakly said, "but... thanks to you, he is finally justified, and I have so much to thank you for that!"

Ryu smiled, "I'm just grateful you are happy. I require nothing more from you."

Chun-Li made a twisted smile and poked Ryu in the chest. "Well, one way or another big guy, I'm gonna repay you. I promise!" She continued to playfully poke at Ryu's chest until he finally pushed away her arm and backed away from her.

Blushing, Ryu ran a hand through the back part of his hair. "O-okay, if you must insist! Just don't go overboard!" Ryu slowly sipped at his iced tea and continued looking inside Chun-Li's room. He saw many bags filled with clothes next to a full sized bed. She must shop a lot... Ryu thought as he took another sip, and that bed... definitely enough for more than one person. Ryu shook quickly as he realized what was going through his head. Why was I thinking that...?

"Don't worry Ryu, I'll find a nice way to repay you! So how 'bout we sit down and chat a bit?" Chun-Li offered, as she sat down on her futon, patting the empty space right next to her.

"S-Sure," Ryu said, getting his thoughts together. He walked over to futon and sat about a foot's distance to where Chun-Li sat.

"I heard about your battle with Gill. You almost... almost..." Chun-Li started.

"It happens. But miracles happen too, Chun-Li," Ryu finished as he took another sip.

"I'm just glad you're all right! I get worried about you sometimes... worried that one day when you go into battle with some unknown opponent... you may not win!"

"That is all a part of the fight," Ryu smiled, "Seeing how powerful you truly are as you battle more and more powerful opponents!"

"Oh Ryu, you are just too much!" Chun-Li laughed, "So after you won the tournament what did you do?"

"I went back to the States to see Ken again. He's the same as usual, but he's so much more focused now on his family more than anything. I just hope that it doesn't affect his training..."

"It won't! When there are people you love so much, you'll think about them all the time when you fight! Like how I always thought of Father everytime I fought! You... you think of your late master don't you?"

Ryu finished his tea and placed the cup on the coffee table and looked down, "Yes. During each and every fight. Before fighting a powerful opponent, I always look up in the sky telling him that if I lose, I'll be joining him."

"NO! Don't even think that!" Chun-Li shrieked, "You mustn't think like that Ryu! If... if you lose, then you'll be leaving so many people!" Ryu looked up at Chun-Li, realizing he said the wrong choice of words. "Ken... Guy... Gen sifu... and... many others... will all be so sad if you ever leave them! You have admirers all around the entire world! The planet will weep..." A tear began to form in Chun-Li's eye.

"I'm... I'm sorry if I upsetted you, Chun-Li," Ryu said apologetically, "I never realized that I meant so much to more than just the people I know."

Chun-Li wiped her eye, and smiled. "It's okay, Ryu. Just the thought of losing a... friend... just tears me apart."

"Don't worry Chun-Li. I won't ever leave this planet... not while Akuma still eludes me." Ryu said as he clenched his fist.

"You didn't find him during the tournament?"

"No... but I knew he was there. I felt his evil aura... as if he was watching me."

"Oh my... and you couldn't find him?"

"He was hiding from me. I'm sure I only would've found him if he allowed me to. But he was probably just hiding... watching to see how much power I'd use when I would fight... seeing if I'd... unleash Satsui No Hado!" Ryu brought his head down and his hands to his knees.

"Satsui No Hado?" Chun-Li asked, completely curious.

"It's... the evil power that can be used to increase the power of the pure energy I use. If I fight using anger, then the power of it will channel through my energy tapping body... increasing my power... to levels I fear I won't be able to control..."

"But in your battles, you fight with complete skill, not anger! You once told that to Sagat after beating him again in the second tournament!"

"I know... but if I ever fight with Akuma... I'll just remember what he did to Master. I want to kill him... but that's exactly what he wants out of me."

"How come he wants you? He can't find other person?"

"Because the energy I use in battle... it's the only type of energy that can be affected by Satsui No Hado. Ken and I were the last people trained to channel that type of energy. Ken cannot tap his energy as well as I can, so that's why Akuma wants only me."

Chun-Li was wide-eyed through the entire conversation. "Wow..."

"I just hope I don't ever have to submit to Satsui No Hado... but I know when I face Akuma, I'll just be thinking of Master!" Ryu brought his head down further.

Chun-Li moved closer to him, putting her hand on his hand which was resting on his knee. "I know you're very strong, Ryu. And I know you won't ever give into your evil side. You are such a gentle person to do so," she said gently.

Ryu nearly jumped at the warm touch of her gentle hand. "Ch... Chun-Li..." was all he could say...

Again, she moved over to get closer to him, and Ryu didn't move. She smiled and decided to move even closer to be right next to him, wondering how close she can get before he begins to move back. Ryu noticed that she was doing this... but he still didn't move. His hand was completely warmed by hers, and he sniffed the air and could smell a sweet scent coming from her hair. Her... her scent... he thought, completely forgetting what he was talking about earlier, ...her hair... smells so... clean and fresh... Ryu couldn't quite understand the sort of effect Chun-Li was having over him. Her presence seemed to weaken him... something he's never felt before in the presence of anyone else. He felt her hand squeeze his gently and he began to blush a bright shade of red.

"What's wrong?" Chun-Li said softly. She used her other hand and reached up to touch Ryu's cheek. "You're blushing profusely..." She stared straight into his eyes and for the first time, she saw emotion in them. His pupils were wide, and his body was lightly trembling. He was in fear... he was completely nervous... and Chun-Li.. losing herself in what she was doing... continued to advance on him. "You're sweating too..." She gently used a finger and wiped off a bead of sweat near his cheek bone, and continued to touch his cheek with her warm palm.

Ryu didn't do anything... he'd become completely lost in her advances. He continued to sit... letting her do whatever she wanted and was... enjoying it. For the first time ever in his life, he'd never felt this warm feeling that was going through him. His heart was racing and he began to feel weak and faint. His eyes never left Chun-Li's... he couldn't release himself from her beautiful gaze. He'd become hers...

"Oh..." Chun-Li finally said in a rather seductive voice, "your heart... it's beating so fast..." She put moved her hand from his cheek, and put it on his bare chest, beneath the folds of his gi. She could feel his heart pounding, almost threatening to explode. The firmness of his chest almost made her want to completely pounce on him. But she decided to take her time...

Ryu didn't know much longer he could hold back. He was lost in the feelings she was giving him, and he didn't know whether he should stop her... or join in. He's never felt these type of feelings before... these feelings of passion. He saw her as a good friend, and he didn't expect that she felt this deeply for him.

But tonight... he began to see her as much more than just a friend now. She's shown her feelings for him without words... by just action alone. And just as he was getting his thoughts together, he felt Chun-Li's hand move from his chest, and onto on his shoulder. Her hand that was on top of his squeezed it even tighter, and she pulled him closer to her. Her mouth opened slightly and her lips drew closer to closer to his with each moment. He felt himself moving closer too, and he could feel the heat of her warm breath against his lips.

"Ryu..." Chun-Li slowly said...

Ryu moved even closer... but out of sheer will power... he lowered his head and turned it to the side. "Ch... Chun-Li... we... we mustn't."

Chun-Li felt her heart sink a little. "Oh... Ryu... but I..."

Looking for words to say, Ryu blurted, "I'm... s-sorry... I... I've only been here for one day... and... I..."

Squeezing his hand again, Chun-Li interrupted, "Oh... Don't apologize Ryu... I should be the one who's sorry. I was seducing you... and I got lost in what I was doing. I'm so sorry." Chun-Li began to almost cry... the physical moments were gone... but the emotions were not.

"Please don't think I hate you, Chun-Li... I really don't. I like you as a friend... but tonight... I..." Ryu paused.

"You...?" Chun-Li asked eagerly waiting for him to answer.

"I... I don't know... I just need more time with myself to sort out my feelings... I've just never experienced these type of moments..." he fumbled.

A tear escaped Chun-Li's eye. "Ryu... if you feel at all uncomfortable with me or what I did... you can leave me if you want... I'll understand."

"No! I'm not uncomfortable at all... I... I just want to see... my true feelings for you. This was all so sudden... and I just want to be absolutely sure about what I feel about you."

Chun-Li smiled through her tears. He... he doesn't hate me! she thought, I just wonder... what his... true feelings are... I just hope they are what I think they are...

Ryu wiped away the tears running down Chun-Li's cheeks and put his finger underneath her chin. "Maybe... maybe we should just call it a night then."

"S-Sure..." she said as she slowly stood up and took Ryu's empty cup to the sink.

"I suppose I'll sleep here..." Ryu said, but Chun-Li interrupted him.

"No... sleep in my room. You had a long flight!"

"But I can't impose on-"

"Have you forgotten? It's ungrateful to refuse a favor!"

Caught off guard again, Ryu looked down, smiling. "You are quite right. Thank you so much."

Ryu took his duffel bag and walked into her bedroom, looking back at her as he entered. As he looked into her eyes, he remembered the conversation he first had with Ken when he first arrived in San Francisco. Ken... he thought, perhaps you were right. I just hope... hope I don't lose her.

"Good night, Chun-Li," he said aloud.

Chun-Li looked back at him, seeing that he was thinking about something. Thinking about her. Her heart warmed, and she reached up and held her hands at her chest. "Good night, Ryu."

Ryu walked in the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Unfolding the futon, Chun-Li thought deeply about what happened tonight. She knows now that she has a chance to enter Ryu's heart. And she knows now that she truly loves him. Everything on her mind ever since the end of the second Street Fighter tournament was about him. She would do anything and everything for him. She truly wanted to let him see that there's so much more to life than just the fight. She wanted to show him love... and receive his love in return. She knew, deep down within him, he held a huge heart that was waiting to be opened up to someone. She just hoped that gentle heart could be hers.

Finishing unfolding the futon out, she pulled up a blanket and slowly tucked herself in. She reached up and turned out the light. Resting her head on the pillow, she slowly closed her eyes, thinking of nothing but Ryu.

Oh Ryu... at least now I know... there is a chance for us.