Fic: Romantic Notions
Title: Romantic Notions
Author: fairymage
Rating: G
Community: 30_kisses
Theme: #8-our own world
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko
Passing Notes
He’d had to wait until the end of the day to write the note and then hurry to the lockers to leave it for her. If he’d done it any earlier, he knew he would talk himself out of it. It was foolish, risky, and would definitely get him fired-if not arrested-if found.
He trusted her, and her discretion, though, and that was the only thing that compelled him to complete his spur of the moment plan.
Which left him free to fret the entire way home.
As he hid in the classroom, carefully packing away his things, he found himself torn between confusion, giddiness, and fear. The thought, What in the world are you doing? flitted through his mind more than its fair share of times. He was thrilled by the secrecy and promise of those notes, those glances, those smiles, but he was mindful-and fearful-of the consequences.
The hope was that the walk home-long, uninterrupted, peaceful-would calm his nerves and bring him some measure of stability. He was not a man used to being ruffled, and right now, his own actions had him completely alarmed. A long walk, in which he concentrated on the steps he took, the intricate pattern stamped on the concrete he walked on, the trees overhead and the shadows they cast, strange puppets dancing on the sidewalk, should help distract and calm him.
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he walked down the empty hallway, bathed in the deep mid-afternoon sunlight filtering through the windows. There was something about an empty school, he thought, that tugged at his heartstrings. Empty, echoing halls of learning and progress, anxious energy awaiting the return of the pupils next school day. He took the steps down to the sidewalk one at a time, reveling in the solid click of his shoes against the pavement. No one else was around, on a Friday afternoon.
He began the walk with confidence, even managing to smile as he looked to the sky and watched the clouds, then to the trees swaying in the breeze, watching the sprightly dance of the falling leaves, playful breeze kissing his cheeks in promise.
Then he caught sight of the gardenias, conspicuous along the sidewalk in their pure, vibrant, glowing white, and all of his worries returned.
-----
Sonomi would not leave her alone. It was to be expected, she supposed, since it was a Friday night and neither of them had anything planned. After failing to convince Sonomi to go out with other friends, Nadeshiko found herself breathlessly unfolding the note as Sonomi went to her room to change.
Written in small, perfect, neat handwriting was the message, I’d like to see you and a phone number.
Her eyes lit up and a smile burst into bloom over her lips. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she clutched the paper tightly, committing the number to memory. She wasn’t sure she could stop grinning or contain her joy-but she’d pass it off as something else. Some other joy, that wasn’t so secret, so dangerous, so exhilarating.
Sonomi had never been discreet, or light of foot, so Nadeshiko had plenty of warning when she was returning from her room. Hurriedly she slipped the precious slip of paper into a novel, laying it inconspicuously on her nightstand, and crossed to her closet, as if she were considering the clothes lined up so neatly there.
“Nade-“ Sonomi barely had a chance to start her cousin’s name when she was dragged to the closet.
“Ne, ne Sonomi, which one do you like?” She eagerly pulled several dresses out for display.
“Um… for what?” Sonomi asked, feeling dumb, as though Nadeshiko’s train had gone whizzing by at bullet train speed and she’d missed the stop.
“Tonight!” Nadeshiko trilled lightly.
Sonomi blinked. Nadeshiko hadn’t seemed nearly so excited about their plans for tonight just a few minutes ago. And now she wanted to wear something pretty-for the two of them to go out to dinner and them come back to rent a movie? Nadeshiko had never been a good actor. Sonomi’s eyes narrowed. Where were the drugs? The alcohol? Any illegal substances that were messing with her cousin’s mind? They darted suspiciously over the immaculate room, looking for potential hiding places.
No, Nadeshiko could never do something like that. But at the same time, Sonomi knew something was up. She just needed to find out what was up.
“I like that one,” she said, pointing, deciding she had no choice but to play along for now.
-----
Finding an opportunity to call him was near impossible. Sonomi watched her like a hawk during the weekend, and she’d never had cause to make a private phone call before, so she couldn’t very well use one of the house phones. Anyone glancing over the phone bill wouldn’t question the call, but she worried about someone overhearing.
This had to stay secret. She wanted this to be between just the two of them. Actually, it wasn’t just a romantic notion. She knew she loved him, at some level-she wanted to love him more before anyone else got involved. Before anyone else intruded. Before anyone else broke the fragile glass surrounding their secret world of whispers and stolen smiles and slips of thin paper and gardenia petals.
After spending Saturday thinking and observing the habits of the occupants of the house, she determined that the best chance she had was early in the morning. She wasn’t much of a morning person herself, but neither was anyone else in the family-especially on a Sunday morning. It would be early, so she’d have to keep her voice slightly lowered, and she worried that she might be disturbing Kinomoto-sensei.
But he’d given her his number, indicating that the timing of the call was up to her discretion. She liked that. It wasn’t power-it was practicality.
Sunday morning came, and as the sun cracked over the horizon she pulled herself out of bed. Adrenaline rushing through her blood had kept her wakeful nearly all night, and did away with the need for an alarm clock. The deep dawn light would always remind her of him, she knew even then. Quietly she poked her head into the hallway, making sure no one was stirring. Sonomi was still sleeping soundly in her bed, breathing heavy and even.
Closing her door, she slid into bed, tucking the comforter like a kind of shield around her as she reached for the phone and book on her bedside table. Though every press of a button sounded loud to her, she knew that it was the minutest of sounds in reality, and that no one was going to hear.
She set the phone to her ear, and listened anxiously to the ringing.
-----
In all honesty, he hadn’t expected her to call anytime soon. The more he thought about it, he more he felt he might have been too forward. She’d need some time to think and plan, he thought, before this could go any farther.
Nevertheless, he spent the majority of the weekend indoors, phone within easy reach in case-just in case-its frightful tinkling sounded.
By the same token, he hadn’t expected the phone call at six-thirty on Sunday morning.
The phone was what woke him early; he’d intentionally drawn the curtains so that he could sleep in. Groggily he reached for his glasses, trying to give him the briefest of moments to clear his mouth and throat before answering the phone without missing the call completely. He stumbled into the kitchen, reaching for the phone on the wall.
“Ohayo, Kinomoto-san.” He wondered if she had practiced not calling him ‘Kinomoto-sensei’.
“Ohayo, Nadeshiko-san.” ‘Amamiya-san,’ sounded too formal for six-thirty on a Sunday morning, he reasoned.
“You know, normally the girl gives her phone number to the man,” she teased lightly, but softly. He wondered where she was calling from.
No witty remark came to him, so he answered truthfully, “I thought you would rather call me, who lives alone, than for me to call you, and have your cousin pick up the phone.”
She laughed, a sound like silver and gold ringing against china and glass, and he had the strong sense that particular laugh was for him, and him alone. “I know. You’re very thoughtful.”
“Why thank you,” he murmured, trying to control the elation threatening to take over him.
“Are you busy… perhaps, Tuesday night?” she asked directly, and he was a bit surprised. He’d thought he might have to make small talk for another few minutes, at least. But he shouldn’t have been surprised, he realized. After all, they were building their walls and paving their roads on borrowed time. She had to be calling from home, or at least from someplace that others might hear her if they were too loud.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Don’t think so?” she teased again, and he felt a blush rising. “Well then, do you think perhaps we could have dinner?”
Coffee might have been better, more practical, easier to explain to someone who might seem them and spread the word, but he couldn’t turn her down. “Yes.”
“I’ll have to think of somewhere for us to go,” she continued, voicing his inner concerns. “It’s such a small world, I don’t see-“
“Why don’t I cook?” he offered. “It won’t be much, but perhaps for now it would be… safer?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
“I know it’s not very romantic-“ he started.
“Oh no, it’s very romantic!” she whispered excitedly. “So… domestic. You’re not trying to impress me at all! It’s like we’re already perfectly comfortable together. You don’t find that terribly romantic?”
“Actually, I thought it might be a bit pretentious of me, now that I think about it. You’re probably used to so much better-“
“I don’t usually have people cook for me,” she mused. “Not like that. Not just for me. No, I think that’s a lovely idea. I was just thinking about what I should ask you to make for me.” She was teasing again.
“All… all right, what time is good for you?”
“I’ll have to come up with some sort of excuse to be out Tuesday night without Sonomi. I hate not including her, but I don’t think she’d approve. She’d probably tell everyone, and then where would we be? No, I like it better this way, just the two of us.” We. There was a degree of certainty, of knowing in her voice, and it comforted Fujitaka. “I’ll come up with something,” she promised.
He gave her his address, and described the little house in as much detail as possible. Then came the awkward pause that signaled that they should end their conversation.
“I’d… I’d better go. I don’t want anyone to catch us, not this early.”
He nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He was certain she could sense it. “Okay.”
“We can talk more later.” She had supreme confidence that there would be a later.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll make the best food that I can,” he promised.
“Oh, don’t do something silly like that. If you do, what will I have to look forward to afterwards?”
Author: fairymage
Rating: G
Community: 30_kisses
Theme: #8-our own world
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko
Passing Notes
He’d had to wait until the end of the day to write the note and then hurry to the lockers to leave it for her. If he’d done it any earlier, he knew he would talk himself out of it. It was foolish, risky, and would definitely get him fired-if not arrested-if found.
He trusted her, and her discretion, though, and that was the only thing that compelled him to complete his spur of the moment plan.
Which left him free to fret the entire way home.
As he hid in the classroom, carefully packing away his things, he found himself torn between confusion, giddiness, and fear. The thought, What in the world are you doing? flitted through his mind more than its fair share of times. He was thrilled by the secrecy and promise of those notes, those glances, those smiles, but he was mindful-and fearful-of the consequences.
The hope was that the walk home-long, uninterrupted, peaceful-would calm his nerves and bring him some measure of stability. He was not a man used to being ruffled, and right now, his own actions had him completely alarmed. A long walk, in which he concentrated on the steps he took, the intricate pattern stamped on the concrete he walked on, the trees overhead and the shadows they cast, strange puppets dancing on the sidewalk, should help distract and calm him.
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he walked down the empty hallway, bathed in the deep mid-afternoon sunlight filtering through the windows. There was something about an empty school, he thought, that tugged at his heartstrings. Empty, echoing halls of learning and progress, anxious energy awaiting the return of the pupils next school day. He took the steps down to the sidewalk one at a time, reveling in the solid click of his shoes against the pavement. No one else was around, on a Friday afternoon.
He began the walk with confidence, even managing to smile as he looked to the sky and watched the clouds, then to the trees swaying in the breeze, watching the sprightly dance of the falling leaves, playful breeze kissing his cheeks in promise.
Then he caught sight of the gardenias, conspicuous along the sidewalk in their pure, vibrant, glowing white, and all of his worries returned.
-----
Sonomi would not leave her alone. It was to be expected, she supposed, since it was a Friday night and neither of them had anything planned. After failing to convince Sonomi to go out with other friends, Nadeshiko found herself breathlessly unfolding the note as Sonomi went to her room to change.
Written in small, perfect, neat handwriting was the message, I’d like to see you and a phone number.
Her eyes lit up and a smile burst into bloom over her lips. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she clutched the paper tightly, committing the number to memory. She wasn’t sure she could stop grinning or contain her joy-but she’d pass it off as something else. Some other joy, that wasn’t so secret, so dangerous, so exhilarating.
Sonomi had never been discreet, or light of foot, so Nadeshiko had plenty of warning when she was returning from her room. Hurriedly she slipped the precious slip of paper into a novel, laying it inconspicuously on her nightstand, and crossed to her closet, as if she were considering the clothes lined up so neatly there.
“Nade-“ Sonomi barely had a chance to start her cousin’s name when she was dragged to the closet.
“Ne, ne Sonomi, which one do you like?” She eagerly pulled several dresses out for display.
“Um… for what?” Sonomi asked, feeling dumb, as though Nadeshiko’s train had gone whizzing by at bullet train speed and she’d missed the stop.
“Tonight!” Nadeshiko trilled lightly.
Sonomi blinked. Nadeshiko hadn’t seemed nearly so excited about their plans for tonight just a few minutes ago. And now she wanted to wear something pretty-for the two of them to go out to dinner and them come back to rent a movie? Nadeshiko had never been a good actor. Sonomi’s eyes narrowed. Where were the drugs? The alcohol? Any illegal substances that were messing with her cousin’s mind? They darted suspiciously over the immaculate room, looking for potential hiding places.
No, Nadeshiko could never do something like that. But at the same time, Sonomi knew something was up. She just needed to find out what was up.
“I like that one,” she said, pointing, deciding she had no choice but to play along for now.
-----
Finding an opportunity to call him was near impossible. Sonomi watched her like a hawk during the weekend, and she’d never had cause to make a private phone call before, so she couldn’t very well use one of the house phones. Anyone glancing over the phone bill wouldn’t question the call, but she worried about someone overhearing.
This had to stay secret. She wanted this to be between just the two of them. Actually, it wasn’t just a romantic notion. She knew she loved him, at some level-she wanted to love him more before anyone else got involved. Before anyone else intruded. Before anyone else broke the fragile glass surrounding their secret world of whispers and stolen smiles and slips of thin paper and gardenia petals.
After spending Saturday thinking and observing the habits of the occupants of the house, she determined that the best chance she had was early in the morning. She wasn’t much of a morning person herself, but neither was anyone else in the family-especially on a Sunday morning. It would be early, so she’d have to keep her voice slightly lowered, and she worried that she might be disturbing Kinomoto-sensei.
But he’d given her his number, indicating that the timing of the call was up to her discretion. She liked that. It wasn’t power-it was practicality.
Sunday morning came, and as the sun cracked over the horizon she pulled herself out of bed. Adrenaline rushing through her blood had kept her wakeful nearly all night, and did away with the need for an alarm clock. The deep dawn light would always remind her of him, she knew even then. Quietly she poked her head into the hallway, making sure no one was stirring. Sonomi was still sleeping soundly in her bed, breathing heavy and even.
Closing her door, she slid into bed, tucking the comforter like a kind of shield around her as she reached for the phone and book on her bedside table. Though every press of a button sounded loud to her, she knew that it was the minutest of sounds in reality, and that no one was going to hear.
She set the phone to her ear, and listened anxiously to the ringing.
-----
In all honesty, he hadn’t expected her to call anytime soon. The more he thought about it, he more he felt he might have been too forward. She’d need some time to think and plan, he thought, before this could go any farther.
Nevertheless, he spent the majority of the weekend indoors, phone within easy reach in case-just in case-its frightful tinkling sounded.
By the same token, he hadn’t expected the phone call at six-thirty on Sunday morning.
The phone was what woke him early; he’d intentionally drawn the curtains so that he could sleep in. Groggily he reached for his glasses, trying to give him the briefest of moments to clear his mouth and throat before answering the phone without missing the call completely. He stumbled into the kitchen, reaching for the phone on the wall.
“Ohayo, Kinomoto-san.” He wondered if she had practiced not calling him ‘Kinomoto-sensei’.
“Ohayo, Nadeshiko-san.” ‘Amamiya-san,’ sounded too formal for six-thirty on a Sunday morning, he reasoned.
“You know, normally the girl gives her phone number to the man,” she teased lightly, but softly. He wondered where she was calling from.
No witty remark came to him, so he answered truthfully, “I thought you would rather call me, who lives alone, than for me to call you, and have your cousin pick up the phone.”
She laughed, a sound like silver and gold ringing against china and glass, and he had the strong sense that particular laugh was for him, and him alone. “I know. You’re very thoughtful.”
“Why thank you,” he murmured, trying to control the elation threatening to take over him.
“Are you busy… perhaps, Tuesday night?” she asked directly, and he was a bit surprised. He’d thought he might have to make small talk for another few minutes, at least. But he shouldn’t have been surprised, he realized. After all, they were building their walls and paving their roads on borrowed time. She had to be calling from home, or at least from someplace that others might hear her if they were too loud.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Don’t think so?” she teased again, and he felt a blush rising. “Well then, do you think perhaps we could have dinner?”
Coffee might have been better, more practical, easier to explain to someone who might seem them and spread the word, but he couldn’t turn her down. “Yes.”
“I’ll have to think of somewhere for us to go,” she continued, voicing his inner concerns. “It’s such a small world, I don’t see-“
“Why don’t I cook?” he offered. “It won’t be much, but perhaps for now it would be… safer?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
“I know it’s not very romantic-“ he started.
“Oh no, it’s very romantic!” she whispered excitedly. “So… domestic. You’re not trying to impress me at all! It’s like we’re already perfectly comfortable together. You don’t find that terribly romantic?”
“Actually, I thought it might be a bit pretentious of me, now that I think about it. You’re probably used to so much better-“
“I don’t usually have people cook for me,” she mused. “Not like that. Not just for me. No, I think that’s a lovely idea. I was just thinking about what I should ask you to make for me.” She was teasing again.
“All… all right, what time is good for you?”
“I’ll have to come up with some sort of excuse to be out Tuesday night without Sonomi. I hate not including her, but I don’t think she’d approve. She’d probably tell everyone, and then where would we be? No, I like it better this way, just the two of us.” We. There was a degree of certainty, of knowing in her voice, and it comforted Fujitaka. “I’ll come up with something,” she promised.
He gave her his address, and described the little house in as much detail as possible. Then came the awkward pause that signaled that they should end their conversation.
“I’d… I’d better go. I don’t want anyone to catch us, not this early.”
He nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He was certain she could sense it. “Okay.”
“We can talk more later.” She had supreme confidence that there would be a later.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll make the best food that I can,” he promised.
“Oh, don’t do something silly like that. If you do, what will I have to look forward to afterwards?”