AN: deanon from kink meme. first hetalia story every ^_^v
Honda Kiku sits near the balcony overlooking the now busy street decorated with colorful streamers and star decorations. It's become more and more commercial every year and he can't help but focus more on those simple strips of white paper contrasting against green bamboo leaves.
Hope to erase past regrets, he thinks.
A sudden wind rustles the papers, making them flutter and dance with life. Time passes and he sees the people collecting those notes, those wishes and dreams all bundled to be burned in the inky night sky.
He tries hard not to see the couples arm in arm, the clattering of geta against stone, the rustle of yukatas.
He knows it's not time yet for the star festival where she is.
But she's thinking of him too, even if it is several weeks later, as girls make offerings to Zhinu, write their wishes on wooden tablets.
It only takes a minute for her to make the decision, decide that she shouldn't be celebrating this time alone.
He's known in the back of his head that many of the others have a similar sort of festival but it's the first time he's seen it in Taiwan. He reddens a bit when she immediately takes his arm and decides they need to visit all the temples (specifically, Lovers' temples) but his stammering reply is cut short when she looks at him, not quite angry but biting her lip hard and her eyes slightly glassy.
"I understand," he simply replies and cocks his head toward the entrance. She beams up at him and they enter the main gates, the smell of incense in the air as couples surround them. Intricately carved stone figures, red posts, and accents of gold catch his observant eyes, parts of it feeling so… familiar to him.
They step outside to the hawking vendors and colorful decorations, the smell of stinky tofu and fried foods in the air. But there's a bit of a mustiness, a humidity, and he looks up warily at the developing black clouds. She notices his glance upward and grins, pointing to a nearby parasol stall. It's not a moment too soon as the first droplets fall when he opens up the simple red paper umbrella.
He gestures toward a roof but she shakes her head, merely scoots closer to him and clasps her hand over his on the handle of the parasol. The summer rain isn't cooling things off much and Kiku feels slightly smothered, wet, and warm.
But a noise startles him and her laughter is infectious. His brow relaxes, his expression softening and a bit of a smile tugs at the corner of his lips.
They stare out into the rain, watching mist and bits of fog play hide and seek among the green mountains that surround them. It doesn't look like it's going to let up but she wants to wander the streets and take pictures anyway.
The first attempt shows a cutoff head and a partial v-sign while the next one has no eyes. He almost smiles a full smile (especially when she starts to pout after looking at the pictures), but simply helps her angle the camera right as she clicks a picture of both of them.
He's surprised to see himself; he looks different somehow and the rain has made things look a bit softer. Of course, she's grinning wide and posing and putting up emphatic peace signs.
He offers to take pictures of her, doing funny poses and imitating statues. She pretends to eat a giant plastic noodle bowl display and then goes to another area, pointing at the large serpent cases and acting scared. Actually, he himself is a tad uncomfortable – the large snakes are almost three times his length.
The rain finally, finally starts to clear. They sit in a tea house, sitting on porcelain stools as she starts to prepare the tea. Warming up the cups and letting the leaves open, she dumps the first soak and then refills the pot before serving them both. She offers him dried fruit and seasoned pumpkin seeds, but he declines, preferring the simple, pure taste of tea.
Night is falling and he gazes at the sky, slowly watching the stars appear one by one.
"Maybe…" he starts to say, glancing over at her.
She quirks her lips and answers.
"…it shouldn't be just once a year they meet?"
He nods, a warm tingling feeling in his chest, one that spikes into intense heat when he realizes a whisper of lips against his own, brushing ticklish and soft.