Title: Vanilla
Summary: Chocolate is spunky and upbeat. Vanilla signifies ordinary. I like it because I wanna be ordinary not the extraordinary person everyone expects me to be.
AN: Part two of the Sweetness Compilation. Me thinks I'm focusing on the crack pairings in this order; Ikuma, Rimase, Kukaima, Kaima, (Secret Pairing), then Rimahiko. So for now, Rimase: One shot
Depression hovered over him like a cloud as he tried to clear his mind. Did this day have to be so disappointing? No, maybe it could have been a little better. But it wasn't. There was no more turning back time.
"Tsukiyomi Amu." the blonde mumbled experimentally. It sounded good. Heck, it sounded great. Perhaps the love of his life really did belong with the black cat of misfortune, rather than a kid as weak as him.
Tadase slowly arranged his custom made deck of cards in the order of their chairs. They had pictures of the Guardians instead of the actual people you'd usually find in cards. His red eyes rested on the Joker, the girl he would never have.
His breath caught as his vision got blurred by tears. He shook his head disappointedly.
"Boys shouldn't cry." he mumbled, gulping back a sob that threatened to expose his presence in the haven like confines of the Royal Garden. He was supposed to be in class right now, but he desperately needed some time to think things through.
Since Ikuto wasn't chained to Easter anymore that meant that he could finally have a life. That meant Amu would need to choose. Not that she hadn't yet. Everybody knew that she would choose him.
He was tall, dark, brooding with unusual midnight blue hair and nostalgic cerulean blue eyes that made you melt. Unlike Tadase who was of average height, who also had plain blonde hair. His only original quality was the redness of his eyes.
"But that only makes me look like a vampire." Tadase muttered, bile and acid leaking through the words.
"Are you talking about your eyes?" a new voice made the blonde look up, his gaze meeting a person he didn't expect.
"Mashiro-san." he mumbled, surprised. "What are you doing skipping class?"
The other blonde stared at the ground as if she didn't know. Finally, she walked towards the table and sat on her chair, right in front of Tadase. Her eyes strayed to the Jack's chair before returning to the King.
"I didn't feel like trying for Physical Education today." she mumbled, a small smile gracing her lips.
Tadase smiled back and thought about her excuse. Maybe she was telling the truth, that she didn't want to go to class because she was in no mood to run. Or it could have been the sparkly aura accompanying Nagihiko and Saaya wherever they went.
Not even Tadase knew that Rima liked Nagihiko, but looking back to the old times, it was rather obvious. Their fights could have been mistaken for flirting, but the taller blonde dared not say it since he was still so young. Amuhiko never made it through but Saayahiko did form by itself.
The two blondes sat in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company and the peace of mind for the time being. Tadase had gone back to arranging his cards while Rima stared absentmindedly at the glass ceiling of the shrubbery dome.
"You're..." Rima paused before looking up at the taller blonde "You're taking this rather well."
Tadase stared at her then chuckled slightly, shaking his head and closing his eyes "So long as Hinamori-san is happy, so shall I be."
He gulped a bit worried that his fellow guardian would notice how he hesitated in calling the favorite pinkette by her first name. It just couldn't be helped.
"Would you like to go for ice cream." Tadase looked up surprised at Rima, before slowly nodding his head. Together, they left the Royal Garden to the ice cream vendors by the nearby park.
"Why the sudden invite Mashiro-san?" Tadase finally asked, bringing the attention to him. He watched as the girl took a deep breath before smiling up at him.
"Just thought we both need a little cheering up." in response he nodded his head and remained silent. So Nagihiko really was the reason that Rima skipped classes.
Tadase watched how Rima acted more lively and friendly with each passing day, he's been getting closer and closer to her and it seems they had a lot more in common than obvious.
Like the fact that they both liked getting high grades. And that they both like hiding their character changes.
"So…" Tadase mumbled, attempting to break the icy silence "… what flavor will you be getting?"
He nearly face palmed at the randomness of his question, but was stupefied when a small giggled escaped the girl's lips.
"That's your ice breaker?" she asked, more giggled emitting from her that it even made Tadase laugh a little bit as well.
"Couldn't think of anything better." he admitted, sheepishly. This time he nearly face palmed since Kukai was rubbing off on him.
"To answer your question…" she mumbled staring up at the sky "…I like vanilla best."
Her response surprised him since normally; a girl would like something else with fancy and big tasting flavors.
"Why vanilla?" he asked. They had entered the park and the sun wasn't pelting them as hot as it did before. The atmosphere between them cooled off a bit.
"Well…" Rima seemed to think her answer over. She looked down at the ground, then up to the sky, before finally turning to Tadase to answer his question "I think that chocolate is an upbeat and spunky flavor, of which I am neither."
Tadase looked up at the sky and thought about it. Mashiro Rima was certainly not a spunky girl, she wasn't too upbeat either. She was calm and collected at all times. She never went wild, unless comedy was involved, that would be another story entirely.
"Still, why vanilla…" Tadase asked "…why not strawberry or cookies and cream, or something of that fashion."
Rima laughed a bit at the mentioned flavors since she thought they were to full on flavor and sweetness, as if trying to prove that they were good, unlike simple delicious vanilla ice cream "I guess that to me, vanilla makes me feel ordinary."
"You want to be ordinary?" Tadase blurted out, a wave of blush spread on his face a bit since he just spoke his mind.
"I just want to fit in." was her sole reply. Tadase turned to stare at Rima for a minute before he stared at the sky. So Rima had this side to her. For once, Tadase shook his head and thought that the small smile spreading on the smaller blonde's face wasn't doing any justice at all.
"We're here Mashiro-san." He mumbled, pointing to the nearest one. His hands threatened to curl into fists since this was where he and Amu met Ikuto on their past outings. The place just brought back too many memories.
"Rima." a small voice whispered. Tadase looked down to see the blonde hiding her expression under the shadow of her long bangs.
"Huh?" was the most intelligent reply he could come up with. Rima giggled slightly before sweeping her bangs off of her face.
"You can call me Rima." she answered. Tadase couldn't reply since they had gotten the vendor's attention.
"What flavor would you like young lady?" the old man smiled, staring at Rima who, decided to smile back. Tadase watched as his, now, favorite word left her lips.
"Vanilla please." the man gave her a cone with the ordinary flavor before turning to him.
"Same for me please." he smiled. He looked back at the smaller blonde who was happily licking her ice cream.
Who knew such an ordinary flavor could make such an ordinary person seem so extraordinary.