Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Lyrics to a Love Story ❯ Just Remember I Love You ( Chapter 1 )

Lyrics for a love Story

Just remember I love You

Tenchi wandered around aimlessly. He felt misplaced without Ryoko's constant attention and Ayeka's constant vigilance. Thing had settled with a nauseating, nerve wracking calm. Ayeka seemed subdued despite what must been inner exaltation. In simply a matter of months the reception party would arrive from the Empyreal court of Jurai. The princess's already beautiful features now radiated a contented glow. Her cheeks held the blush of a new bride and her eyes the hope of true love. And where Ayeka shone, Ryoko diminished.

When it all goes crazy and the thrill is gone.

The days get rainy and the nights get long

Tenchi sighed; Ryoko seemed listless and unconcerned with herself or her world. He couldn't quite understand her apathetic attitude. It wasn't like he had chosen Ayeka! Tenchi was fairly certain that both women had taken Tenchi's silent acquiescence to Royal decree as a portent of things to come. It was as if by simply abiding by the summons the choice between the two had been silently confirmed.

Daily Tenchi watched as Ryoko slipped further and further into a lonesome depression. Afraid of the consequence and uncertain how much he would be able to hold back, Tenchi could only mutely stand by as Ryoko gradually descended into despair, retreating within and confining herself to Washu's presence.

When you get that feeling that you were born to lose.

Staring at your ceiling thinking of your blues.

Unaware of his path Tenchi soon found himself in front of the sliding glass door. And there before him lying on the couch and staring blankly up at the ceiling was Ryoko. The strong, witty, fast, vibrant woman that had stolen his heart years before he had released her from the cave was gone and in her place was this forlorn, morose, almost weepy willow of a woman. She had lost a lot of weight; the once ample curves now seemed boyish in their scarcity. Eyes that had in happier times seemed Elfish and mysterious, were now impossibly large and haunted. Only on rare occasions with the now adolescent Sasami did the Ryoko of years ago make a brief appearance.

When there's so much trouble that you want to cry

Your world has crumbled and you don't know why.

Tenchi stood quietly by the door hoping to simply watch her. He had come to miss her constant presence. Without it he felt lost and confused. She was a part of him; part of his self-identity and as integral to his very life as his heart. Without her near him, his life was as empty as her eyes. Day after day, Tenchi could hear the ghost of her former self taunting and teasing him. His heart froze for an instant as memories of her smiles and joy filled eyes flashed before him.

Shaking his head to remove the haunting images from before his eyes, Tenchi caught the faint glimmer of crystalline tears tracing invisible track down her face along the same path as probably millions before had. Tenchi felt his heart constrict, she was in so much pain. With the belief that he chose Ayeka firmly planted in her mind, Ryoko's world was slowly disintegrating. And if he was to lose her he would lose his will to live. She was his life; his reason for consenting to the summons in the first place and now the holder of his heart was killing herself. Maybe not actively, but the slow withering away of her will and sense of self was as good as any other way to die.

When your hopes are fading and they can't be found.

Dreams have left you waiting, friends have let you down.

He knew he had let her down. Hell, he couldn't even confess his love to her. Of course he had let her down. Her heart had needed confirmation of his reciprocating emotions and had retreated from the outside world without that confirmation. Now everyday, he watched her cry her silent tears when she thought no one was around to see them. Her hopes were shattered and he had no one to blame but himself. He had waited too long to tell her his feelings and now her dreams of a future of redemption were destroyed.

Just remember I love you and it will be all right.

Just remember I love you more than words can say.

If he could say all the words he wanted to, he would explain to her how much he loved her. If he could get the words passed the parched throat and dry lips. If he could just say the words he knew she longed to hear and he so very longed to say, his heart would return to glorious bloom. Longing rose Tenchi's hand to the door to caress the glass, a silent wish to caress the face of his love. Closing his eyes Tenchi could feel her heated tear-stained cheek beneath his palm as his thumb lovingly brushed her tears aside.

Without a sound, no air passing over his vocal cords Tenchi could mouth the words he longed to tell her. In his imagination he could see her face beneath his hand, her eyes squeezed shut in tearful pain. He could feel the soft breeze of her hiccupped sobs on the palm of his hand. And as his caress became more insistent she would open red, tear-filled, saddened eyes to his face.

Maybe then your blues will fade away.

Her sadness drove his needs; hushed words of loving confession would pour from his mouth, the haunted look from her eyes would turn to confusion. And the confusion that clouded her honey colored eyes would change to stare up at him with earnest pain and longing. His caress would comfort and soothe his daydream Ryoko from her tears and anguish. His face would lower to hers; lips would meet in silent surrender and hushed devotion. His heart would pound in his chest, threatening to escape. Her eyes would flutter close, hiding loving eyes behind their inky black sweep of lashes. Tenchi could feel the press of her lips against his, cool and smooth on his.

It wasn't until he heard Ryo-ohki's questioning "Miya?" that he opened his eyes, only to find that he was kissing the pane of glass pressed against his lips and nose. Embarrassment easily stained his cheeks crimson. Tenchi felt the hot sting of shame rise like bile to the back of his throat. Swallowing forcefully, Tenchi rubbed his sleeve-covered forearm across his lips to remove the grimy feel of the window's grit from his mouth.

Finally feeling his lips were nearly clean enough to resume his previous activities, Tenchi returned to his previous position of staring through the window. But she was gone. Tenchi hoped she hadn't seen him press up against the window like some weird lovesick fool. Sighing Tenchi's head fell until it hit the window with a dull thud. He had to reassure Ryoko of his feelings. Somehow he had to make her understand that the princess hadn't taken his heart. Somehow he had to make her see that his love had been hers years ago.

But those were confessions that he had been unable to utter for so long he doubted his lips knew how to form the words.

When you need a lover and your down so low.

You start to wonder but you never know.

He knew she needed him. She needed him and his love more than anything in her existence. He wanted to be everything she ever wanted, and ever needed. But the timing for her insecurities to finally win the battle for supremacy over her ego was simply atrocious. There was no way he could ignore the summons and there was no way he could deny his heart any longer. Her pain was a physical ache for him. Every tear she shed was another blow to his trouble heart.

When you feel like sorrow is your only friend.

Knowing that tomorrow you'll feel this way again.

He knew she doubted herself and everything she knew. Understanding eluded her. Haunted by her memories and her desires Ryoko seemed so desolate to him. Her misery was his badge of shame; it was his constant reminder of his cowardice. If he had simply managed to gather his courage when he had known his heart's choice years ago possibly none of this would have happen. Tenchi knew exactly what the summons was for; a chance offer of the throne and Ayeka as his first bride.

But Tenchi had been raised with the examples of his grandfather and father, two eternally devoted men. As his father had once told him, "….Son one day you will fall in love, and your bride will be the most beautiful woman you will ever know and ever see. She will be the pinnacle of your happiness and the beginning and end of your world. The Masaki men are devoted men. We do not give our hearts easily or flippantly. Love is a cherished treasure to us, and I hope as does your grandfather that you will find that woman that will mean to you what your mother and grandmother has meant to us. And when you find her son? Hold on to her. Hold on tight and don't ever let go. Life will try and separate you at all times, but do not let her go for she will become everything to you and without her, life will seem desperately empty."

His father had been reduced to tears by the end of the discussion and Tenchi had felt a great sense of compassion and a faint sense of envy. His father had managed to find the love of his life and they had both lived happily for as long a possible. Tenchi sighed, his father had been right and had warned him to not let go. But Tenchi had never held her in the first place. Inconsolable, disheartened, beyond his reach and seemingly unattainable Ryoko now seemed like a dream that would plague him for the rest of his life.

Tenchi lifted his head from the door, slid it open and entered the house. Stepping idly through the house Tenchi meandered to the couch. Looking around to see if anyone was coming Tenchi slowly reached for the pillow that Ryoko had been resting on. Lifting the cushion to his nose he could smell her. She still smell like adventure. Her personal fragrance drew him into another daydream. Taking deep inhalations, Tenchi filled his lungs with her scent. Wind, clouds, sunshine and cherry blossoms with the faintest hint of sake and the fabric softener that Ayeka used on the onsen towels; that's what the lingering remains of her presence smelled of.

Tenchi clutched at the pillow hoping to squeeze another molecule of her scent from the crumpling cushion. Eyes shut and imagination racing Tenchi's mind wandered to visions of passionate nights wrapped in the loving embrace of a hell-bent-on-seduction Ryoko. Smiling into the pillow Tenchi could feel her nimble, graceful long legs twine around his waist. Her scent surrounded him and clouded his mind with desire. Tenchi buried his face further into the cushion, imagining that he was burying his face in the cascade of her cyan hair.

Again it was the questioning Miya of a cute little cabbit that startled Tenchi back to the real world. Opening his eyes with a moan of mortification Tenchi refused to remove his face from the pillow. Summoning his dignity and ignoring the fact that he had to look absolutely ridiculous stormed off to his bedroom, unsuccessfully navigating his way through the house from memory.

Meanwhile down in her lab, Washu howled in laughter as Ryo-ohki relayed the images to her. Yes it was true that Tenchi had hurt Ryoko more than anyone had thought possible, but if the boy was going to be this ridiculous in an attempt to stay his mouth from confession, then by all means may the gods glue his mouth shut.

When the blues come calling at the break of dawn.

Rain keeps falling, but the rainbows gone.

No, Ryoko didn't deserve the amount of pain she was feeling but then if Tenchi confessed now Ryoko would never let him leave to comply with the summons. This was an impossible situation. Tenchi needed to tell Ryoko his true feelings without her becoming possessive, and then he had to find a way of explaining to Jurai his desires without the entire planet demanding his head.

Turning her head to look at the bed to her immediate right Washu gently caressed her sleeping daughter's hair. This entire experience was hard on Ryoko, it broke Washu's heart to watch her Darling Ryoko slide further and further into depression. But it was a mixed blessing. When she had felt shunned by Tenchi, Ryoko had come straight to her. And after having decided to obey some sage advice from Sasami, Washu delicately accepted the role of protective mother.

Feelings of guilt for her mild joy over her daughter's pain froze Washu's hand in mid-stroke. It was cruel to rejoice in an event that caused Ryoko so much pain, but then where would the mother and daughter have been had all this not happened? Washu felt grateful for the opportunity to become the mother she had always hoped to be to Ryoko. Now like a dutiful mother she offered all her compassion and love to her hurting child.

When you feel like crying but the tears won't come.

When your dreams are dying and your one the run.

Despite the fact that Ryoko had never really had a childhood Washu could remember the days before Kagato, when the trio of Ryo-ohki, Ryoko and herself had been a real family. In those moments before the cruelty and maliciousness of Kagato, Ryoko was the innocent child she should have always been. Gently running her hand over Ryoko's hair Washu smiled down at her sleeping child; her beautiful, intelligent, darling daughter she thought with an overwhelming sense of pride. Ryoko was more than Washu had ever expected. Somehow the fragile child that had been viciously dominated by Kagato had survived, and in these rare moments of silence the innocent behind the mask appeared.

Washu sighed; it was the innocent that Tenchi had fallen in love with. And it was the innocent that Tenchi was struggling to protect and defend. Washu knew his heart almost better than he did. She had felt the exact moment when Tenchi and Ryoko had formed the faint bond that would one day rival the bond between mother and daughter. From that seemingly insignificant moment, that one day in here lab while trying to seduce Tenchi, Washu had known. She had felt Ryoko's urgent plea and Tenchi's answering worry.

Washu shook her head in wonder at how difficult the entire situation was. If the two would simply take a moment to investigate they would easily find the bond. Which in the past few years had grown by leaps and bounds. Now Washu could easily detect Tenchi's emotions through her link with her daughter, as could Ryo-ohki. Washu shock her head, how it was possible for the two people connected to miss the fact that they shared such a close bond was beyond here.

Chuckling slightly Washu had to laugh, Tenchi was so funny sometimes, she could feel his current state of hormone driven embarrassment. Hell the mental pictures of the things he wanted to do to her daughter had been the reason she had sent Ryo-ohki on reconnaissance to startle him out of the dirty images. Someone had to teach him to stop broadcasting across his link. It was getting rather disturbing to not just see but feel what the little hentai intended to do to her daughter.

Not that she was against them giving her grandchildren, but to have a clear image of the pair doing such naughty things was more than a little disturbing to her maternal instinct. It took more mental resolve than anyone would ever know to not try and hide Ryoko's body from Tenchi's more that willing eyes. The last time the pair had been in the same room together Washu had just barely managed to suppress the urge to punch Tenchi for ogling her daughter. And the images his brain had sent across the link were enough to give poor little Ryo-ohki a nosebleed, which in and of itself was an accomplishment. Anyone that has a telepathic connection to Ryoko had shared more information about Tenchi's body that ever necessary.

Again looking down at her daughter Washu felt the love in her heart swell with motherly pride. She wished she could explain to Ryoko that all this pain was unnecessary. That Tenchi really did love her. But what Ryoko needed to hear and what she would accept to hear were two different things.

Just remember I love you and it will be all right.

Just remember I love you more than words can say.

Sighing as she bent down to lightly kiss Ryoko's forehead Washu prayed to all that was sacred to spare her daughter more pain. With a hushed whisper Washu told the sleeping Ryoko what was in her heart. "I love you my little Ryoko, with all that makes me who I am and all that I ever was. Never forget that I will always be by your side, whether you see me or not. My darling child, remember I will always love you for who you are."

Lifting her head Washu rose from her cushion and crawled into bed behind her daughter. With a quiet murmur Ryoko turned in her sleep to wrap her arms around her mother and place her head on her mother's shoulder. Smiling into her daughter's hair Washu wrapped her tired daughter in her warm and protective embrace. With one hand smoothing her hair and the other rubbing Ryoko's back, Washu smiled as her daughter snuggled closer. And in her sleep Ryoko murmured words that Washu never thought she would hear, words that brought tears to her eyes and a lump to her throat. "I love you too, Mommy…"

Finally in his room Tenchi flopped onto his bed. The house was quiet, everyone had gone to bed rather early and now there was nothing to stave off the constant waves of remorse and sadness. When he was alone and the silence overwhelming Tenchi could almost feel Ryoko's love for him. Somewhere in the back of his mind in a place where his deepest emotions dwelt was the faint tingle of Ryoko's presence. He could feel her sadness and feel her love. Her heartache washed over him in soul rending waves, while her love caressed his heart and soothed his soul. Feeling like he was at the precipice of discovery Tenchi rolled restlessly on his bed.

Finally giving up with a sigh, Tenchi closed his eyes and thought of his love. Ryoko, he allowed the sound of her name to comfort him. He could still see her lips mold around the name. Soft and satin smooth the syllables tumbled passed her lips. He knew he had been hook even back then. His heart had yearned for the stranger that had lovingly held his kitten's bell. Her eyes were a mystery to him, cool and impassive then flashing with an expressive fire that he would have gladly burned himself in. His fears had been the only thing that had prevented an embarrassing confession.

Smiling at those early days Tenchi wondered what would have happened if he had obeyed his first instincts rather than his fears. Certainly finding her in his bed that first night would have ended differently. Sighing Tenchi pushed himself up onto his elbows. In the end thinking about `what if's and `what might have been's did him no good. It wasn't the past he had the ability to change but the future. And it was his future as a possible monarch over the Jurain Empire that he was trying to change.

Giving up on his worries Tenchi tried to get some sleep hoping that tonight would be different. Hopefully tonight he wouldn't be plagued by doubts and worries. With eyes closed Tenchi mind wandered to Ryoko, he could see her crying. Somewhere hovering between slumber and wakefulness Tenchi could clearly feel her pain. Drifting forward to her with movements that seemed lethargic, Tenchi wrapped his arms around her. Here in this dream-like place he could tell her. Here in this waking dream he could express his heart. Here at the entrance to the abyss of the kingdom of Morpheous Tenchi could kiss her with all the pent up desires that he hid during the day.

Just remember I love you and it will be all right.

Just remember I love you more than words can say.

And in this half dream, half waking place within his mind Tenchi felt her blossom under his caress. Her pain vanished and her heart flew on the gossamer wings of hope. Pulling away from the kiss to look into her eyes, Tenchi could only smile as the woman he loved more dearly than his own life radiated a sense of joy and love. Hoping to hold on to her and this beautiful moment for the entire night Tenchi tightened his hold on her.

As the morning heralded the beginning of a new day, and the dawn painted the sky with its rosy hues Tenchi opened his eyes without a flutter. He felt more rested than he had since before the summons and more at ease with himself than he had been in years. Rising with a yawn and setting about his new day, Tenchi was startled by the crystal clear voice within his mind.

::Just remember, my Tenchi, I love you more than I will ever be able to express.::

Feeling resolved Tenchi raced to begin his day. He would make this all work out for Ryoko and himself. One way or another he would spend the rest of his life with her.

Just remember I love you and it will be all right.

Just remember I love you more than I can say.