Laundry Date
My feet were wearing a path in front of her maroon door and I felt the nerves weighing down on me. I stared at the door and briefly held up my hand to knock but I lost the courage and continued to walk back and forth as I tried to build up some bravery. It was irrational to be so nervous, because we had been friends for so long and there was nothing that should have stopped me. I've asked her to hang out so many other times before, but other people were there and this time I wanted to ask her for a real date.
"Oh, hi there Roxas," the door opened and Naminé's adorable voice broke his pacing, "Surprised to see you down here."
"Er... Naminé... oh well you see," I felt the words caught behind my numb tongue.
"Are you looking for your cousin?" the little blonde girl inquired, "She's out with your roommate for lunch."
My foot dug into the ground nervously and I stared at her pink Converse as I mumbled my request, "Actually... I was wonderingifyouwantedtohangout?"
"I'm sorry what?" she chuckled at my nervousness.
"Since my dear cousin Kairi is out with Sora... Maybe you and I could hang out?" her face flushed pink and my demeanor shrunk, "But it seems like you're busy." I noted the basket of laundry in her arms and another bag behind her.
"Oh no! I was just going to do some chores... If you'd like to join me?" she pointed to the other bag.
"Yeah!" my voice squeaked with eagerness and she giggled, delighted that I was coming with her, "Not like I have anything else to do."
"Oh."
"No! I mean, not like in the way that I'm choosing you over- I mean you're on the top of the list of things I want to... er... people I want- crap," I threw up my arms exasperated, "Gimme the bag."
After arriving at the laundromat, I pulled myself up onto an empty washing machine as she worked on sorting her clothes. She loaded a large pile of dark colored clothing into on free washer but when she returned to her piles, the little woman appeared puzzled.
"May I ask what is baffling you, dear Naminé?"
Her brow furrowed and she glared at the pile, still not looking at me, "Since you've been doing laundry much longer than myself do you think you could help me?"
"I could try," the smirk on my face widened and I asked knowingly, "Having trouble separating?"
"Yeah," she reached into her whites, "Do these go in delicates or whites?" Out she pulled a delicate looking white bra, examining with complete seriousness.
"Uh..." my face flushed with warmth and I choked out, "I would say whites."
"Sounds about right," Naminé's smile reappeared and she continued to sort, "Thank you."
After a few minutes of comfortable silence I blurted out, "You know, you look so adorable when you're concentrating."
"You aren't too bad yourself," my heart squeezed at her cute smirk even though her eyes evaded my own, "Now you, off. I need that machine for my towels."
"Yes'm," I slid off as she patiently waited to begin loading her next machine just in time for the one beside it to stop, "I'll go take this load to the dryer." She smiled and nodded as I pulled out the wet load of dark clothes.
After I filled the machine and loaded the quarters in to start it, I turned to return to the empty machine across from hers. I leaned across so that when she shut the lid, my face was right in front of her. She jumped from surprise and flicked her hair to cover her blush. Nam had decided to fill the machine I had just emptied with another pile of delicate clothing, and when she closed it she looked up to see I hadn't moved to surprise her once more.
The laundromat was practically empty besides two of us, other machines were on and full but their owners had probably left to continue on other errands during their own laundry day. Although this was not the first "date" I had imagined taking her on, I was glad that Naminé had let me join her for some alone time that we had never really experience.
"Roxas, can you get the cart with my basket and laundry bag?" she gestured behind me, trying to pull apart socks that didn't match for washing.
"Sure thing, Nami dear," another blush, my heart was giddy at the sight but when I turned the mood shifted.
A tall pink haired man stood at the cart that I had pushed with me to the dryer pulling out Naminé's basket and bag. I moved quickly to him, just then noticing he had at least a foot and a half on me.
"Sir?" he seemed to be ignoring me, "Sir!" His head snapped up to look at me as he placed her basket on the seat in front of the dryer, "Sir, I'm sorry this is my friend's cart and things."
"Does it look like I care?" his tone was dull and deep, but his bright pink locks and tight black clothes suggested much more flamboyancy.
"Sir, there are plenty of other carts that you could take," I pointed to the back of the store where two or three other carts were congregated in the corner, some filled with things.
"Well this one is here, and your friend doesn't have any laundry in it- just her basket which I was kindly placing on these seats," he gestured to the bag in the basket on the chairs, "Besides, it's not her cart."
"Well that's plain rude," I muttered.
"Once more, does it look like I care?" he flicked his lengthy cotton candy coloured hair.
"Whatever, I'm taking this cart back," my tone was short and annoyed.
His hands were placed on the sides of the cart when I said this, "No you're not."
"Pretty sure I am," I placed my hands on it as well, leaning towards him.
Naminé must have scurried over because she appeared beside me, tapping my shoulder, "Roxas, it's okay. I don't need this cart."
"Yes Roxas," once again his tone was droll, filled with condemnation.
"Leave her alone!" he chuckled and pulled the cart toward him.
"Or what?" he stood and showed his height to intimidate me; it worked a bit, "Bring it on small fry."
"Oh ye-" Naminé had placed herself in between us- in the cart. She looked up at both of us sheepishly.
"What are you doing child?" his voice dipped as he looked down at tiny Naminé in the cart.
She looked up and realized his true size when he stood, "I-I'm sorry sir but this w-was my c-cart!"
"Hmmm," he was mildly amused, "Well then, I guess the little one knows how to really fight."
"I know my stuff sir," her adorable smile could melt the coldest of hearts and his smile widened and he left us defeated but glaring at me when eh glanced from her sight. "YAY!"
"You're brilliant Naminé!" I spun her in the cart once around so that she could face me.
"I didn't do anything, really," her blush covered her cheeks, making her purple-ish under the blue-white light.
"You used the power of cute to win!"
"Hey, you still defended me. My knight in shining armor," her smile was irresistible and I swiftly placed a kiss on her still smiling lips. "Oh!" her voice was deep and filled with surprise and bliss, I had to kiss her again.
I pulled away slowly, examining her features, unsure of her reaction to both the kisses. For the moment, I felt like flames were engulfing my heart and lips and I could breathe properly. Wow, was the only word that was passing through my head and I was attempting to reach other thoughts. She squeezed her pink converse in the cart and looked up with doe eyes that might have been sparkling.
"Wow..." the word had left my brain and escaped to my lips.
"I'm sorry..." I chuckled nervously stepping back, "That must seem extremely forward of me."
"No... I l-liked it..." her face blushed crime
"Yeah?"
She nodded her head happily, "Yeah!"
"I really like you Naminé," I muttered, trying to hold back the heat from reaching my cheeks, "I was hoping this could be considered a date."
"I didn't think this could be considered a great date," she indicated the fact she was sitting in a laundromat cart still.
"Well then how about Friday night I take you on a real date then?" I tossed her a smirk and she blushed a deep red making butterflies jump in my stomach; she nodded. "Now let's get you out of that cart, yeah?" I picked her up, bridal style, and I realized how close she was.
"Roxas?" her blue eyes were looking from my eyes to my mouth.
"Hmmm?" I didn't want to move my lips if she wanted to look at them.
"You really are my knight in shining armor," she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me this time.
"I think this is the most fun I have ever had doing laundry."
With my forehead on hers we both chuckled and went to finish her clothes.
Note: This is actually a rewrite of an old story of mine. Actually I'm thinking of doing that with all my little one-shots so if it seems familiar, yes I wrote it but now... I rewrote it. Edited... sort of (I really hate proofing) and new story line but same pairing.