The Way I Are
Disclaimer: I own nothing whatsoever, the title was from a song and storyline basically based off of it somewhat. So, song belongs to Timbaland, characters belong to its creator.
It was one of those get together that they had every few months, and this time it's a karaoke get together. Gods knows whose idea this is, of course no one can really complain since it cycle around amongst them. The last time was at a racetrack, and one before that was at a club and so on and so forth. Each of them has different taste, and everyone else just has to put up with it. Everyone that is supposed to be there arrived on time, but Mikoto was the last one and coming minutes late. She stayed in contact with the rest of the group, though what she does and where she's living remained a mystery to them. It wasn't long after the end of the Carnival that she left Fuuka, many suspected that she returned to Okinawa or went to live with her brother: Reito. Though few knew of her whereabouts for the first few months, but soon they too lost contact with her except for one person: Yukino. It is odd because many would assumed that Nao would be the one to know since they used to hung out together, but it was Yukino that somehow become friend with the girl with a bottomless stomach for foods.
"Sorry, had to catch a bus…" Mikoto said scratching the back of her head, she'd grown quite tall over the years and matured somewhat though she still looked innocent and naïve despite her age.
She hardly ever comes to these kinds of gathering, because she always seemed to be busy with work that she just doesn't have the time for anything else. This would be the first time in many years that she was able to come to a gathering like this, and as usual she's late. Yukino smiled understandingly along with the others except for Nao and Natsuki, who just sat there looking grumpy. Mai started out by singing a festive and happy song, while the others looked through the songs and select something to sing. Everyone moved on with life since, no hard feelings amongst them as some faired better than others in the aftermath of the Carnival.
Shizuru and Natsuki remained friends, but nothing happened between them as Shizuru had once hoped after the Carnival ended. Mai on the other hand happily engaged to her long time boyfriend Yuuichi, and they're set to get marry once her brother finish with school. Yukino came out of the closet at last and surprisingly Haruka had a change of heart, the two of them looked close and very smitten. Nao is now part of the Tokyo Police Department, with her mother out of the coma and recovering pushed her toward a path that doesn't land her in jail.
"Wow, you picked an English song?" Mai asked looking surprised as the song title came up on the screen.
With a lopsided smile, Mikoto wordless held out the second microphone to Shizuru who took it gracefully and got up. The Kyoto-ben woman had remained quiet most of the time here, saving for a few moments where she exchanged words with Natsuki. There definitely were no signs in regard to a relationship of any kind between Mikoto and her, and Shizuru isn't one to readily agreed to sing a duet with anyone unless that person is Natsuki. Yet here she stood, facing Mikoto instead of the screen where the images and words starting to appear for them to sing along.
"I ain't got no money… I ain't got no car to take you on a date, I can't even buy you flowers. But together we can be the perfect soul mates. Talk to me girl," Mikoto started out and even pulled out her emptied pant's pocket to mimic the literal meaning of the lyrics.
"Oh, baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me. If we go and touch, you can still touch my love it's free… We can work without the perks just you and me… Thug it out 'til we get it right," Shizuru giggled slightly before she sung her part of the song. "Baby if you strip, you can get a tip. 'Cause I like you just the way you are." She continued pulled out the smallest bill and waved it in front of Mikoto in a teasing and playful manner to go with the lyrics.
"I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped, can you handle me the way I are?" Mikoto crooned and her lopsided smile returned as she pulled on her shirt slightly in a motion as if she was going to take it off.
"I don't need the G's or the car keys, girl I like you just the way you are. Let me see you strip, you can get a tip. 'Cause I like, I like, I like…" they sung together.
"I ain't got no Visa, I ain't got no Red American Express… We can't go nowhere exotic. It don't matter 'cause I'm the one that loves you best. Talk to me girl…" Mikoto started again moving closer to Shizuru to the point where their forehead almost touched.
"Oh, baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me. If we go and touch, you can still touch my love it's free… We can work without the perks just you and me… Thug it out 'til we get it right… Baby if you strip, you can get a tip… 'Cause I like you just the way you are," Shizuru added her part while closing the little distant between just a little bit more.
"I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped, can you handle me the way I are?" Mikoto repeated her line and motion as Shizuru stuffed the bill into the breast pocket of her shirt.
"I don't need the G's or the car keys, girl I like you just the way you are. Let me see you strip, you can get a tip… 'Cause I like you just the way you are. Let me see you strip, you can get a tip. 'Cause I like the way you are," they stayed in sync and in tune with each other's voice and tone.
"Baby girl, I don't got a huge ol' house I rent a room in a house. Listen baby girl, I ain't got a motorboat but I can float your boat. So listen baby girl, once you get a dose of this you're gonna want some more. So listen baby girl, when I make it I want you back, want you back, yeah…" Mikoto finished the song with a little rapping, the song is fun and upbeat and despite her poor pronunciation of many of the words Mikoto managed to sing the song smoothly with the help of Shizuru.
Everyone applauded and a few gaping, but overall it was fun for both of them and the singing party continued for a few more hours. A few of them started to suspect that there might be something between them, but no one was courageous enough to ask. True or not to the lyrics of the song, the pair left together even though they arrived separately.
"Ara, you are very sneaky, do you know that?" Shizuru asked laughing lightly at the memories of her friends' shocked expression after Mikoto and her finished the song.
"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it," Mikoto replied and the pair shared a good chuckle.
101
How could anyone explain to another person of how it all happened? Shizuru didn't even know when it happened, maybe it was a slow progression that it escaped without her noticing it until it's already gone. Love truly is a prickly thing and it is rather tricky, because for a number of years she yearned for nothing more than for her feelings to be returned. That ended when Natsuki started dating, any hopes she got left crumbled with it and she threw herself into her study and work. Soon she found herself burned out from long hours at work, and the taste of alcohol helped her get the rest she needed to face a new day of long hours. It was by pure coincident that they met again after so many years, Shizuru was out with some co-workers celebrating a successful business transaction at a bar. They sat at the bar, and Shizuru was surprised that the bartender for her group was someone she knew from back in the days.
That wild raven hair had grown out somewhat and combed back, the white shirt under the black vest made her looked even more dashing than she already is. Gone were the curious and wild eyes girl, in her place was a grown young woman with a gentle smile as she took orders and mixed up the drinks with precision. She even listened to the customers' rant about their day, offering no advice but a warm smile while creating the drinks they've ordered from her. She saw Shizuru, saw the surprised look on the usually serene face, but she offered no comforting words only questions as what Shizuru would like to drink on such a fine evening. Soon, Shizuru frequented the place and Mikoto always seemed to be there whenever she dropped by, the girl offered nothing but a smile and her ears to listen to Shizuru. They talked not about their private matters, Shizuru was in the loop of things and the graceful Kyoto woman know better than to ask someone about the matter of the heart. After all, they're practically in the same situation.
For two years, the routine stick for Shizuru and she came to learn that Mikoto only work at the bar one certain days and other she worked at a nightclub in Shinjuku. Working as a bartender seemed to bring in a good flow of cash, yet Shizuru once saw the girl walking home from work living blocks from the bar though farther from the club. Then she remembered that the cost of living in the city isn't something to be sneeze at, it is why Mikoto worked at two different jobs and still have no mode of transportation besides using the public transportation to get to her job in Shinjuku.
Now, they've known each other for a good three years, and in those times there were things that occurred in ways that neither of them was able to predict to stop it from happening. Just because Shizuru spending a lot of time and they some times go out to a movie or just shopping together, Mikoto ended up on the short end of the stick that she didn't even know she was supposed to hold. One incident let her to lose her job at the nightclub and had to be hospitalize for weeks, someone hired a bunch of thugs to come in and stir troubles and snatching Mikoto in the midst of all the confusion. They took her to an abandoned warehouse to give her a good beating, and if Shizuru hadn't managed to follow them Mikoto might've been raped and left for dead. But it's also thanks to Mikoto that Shizuru found out who was behind it, and it turned out to be a distant relative of hers wanting to rid of possible rivals as they're worried that Shizuru would hire Mikoto as her new secretary.
101
"So when did you two started dating?" Yukino asked feeling curious when she the pair having a nice romantic dinner at a small restaurant Yukino frequented with Haruka.
"A year ago, I think…" Mikoto answered with her brows furrowed.
She'd only turned twenty-five just recently, and for her birthday Shizuru took her out to a nice quiet dinner. However, unbeknownst to them, Yukino and Haruka saw them at the restaurant and now the pair being questioned by the other two though Haruka had remained quiet the whole time. Shizuru on the other hand, felt that this isn't anyone's business but she decided to let her young girlfriend decide on that while she enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed green tea, much to Haruka's chagrin.
"How did it all happen?" Yukino added.
"I don't know really, we been hanging out for about two years and it just happen ya know. Feels right to start dating," Mikoto said as she's having a hard time articulating her feelings for once in her life.
She was never a smart kid, and it was the reason why she left Fuuka after the Carnival. She'd never learned anything but the way of the sword since she was young, and she surely can adept to the situation but she was unable to concentrate on her study. It was something that she just couldn't keep up with, so she left and started working to support herself. She grew up fast in the harsh environment of Tokyo City, and soon earned a bartending license that landed her a job at a nice bar near downtown and that's where she met Shizuru.
"Are you happy with her? I recall you really love Kuga, plus this one isn't of wealthy family or anything. You sure your parents will be okay with it?" Haruka asked once Mikoto and Yukino left the table to use the bathroom.
"Ara, ara, I am very happy with her. My feeling for Natsuki was a long time ago, and I don't think it matters when you're in love. My parents doesn't care who I love as long as that person loves me as much as I love that person," Shizuru replied with a warm smile, one that she only use when she's with Mikoto.
For once, she was honest with her answer, and she felt rather lucky to finally found true love at last. Though it is from the most unlikely person, yet she felt oddly comfortable and at ease whenever she's with Mikoto. Shizuru come out to her family years ago, and they supported her and told her to take her time in finding true love. As long as she's happy, that is all they cared about and she cried like a child in their arms. Today, she remained very close to her parents, and told them that perhaps she's moving close to settling down and start a family. Her parents were thrill at the news, and they're anxious to meet their daughter's girlfriend. But Shizuru has yet to ask Mikoto to come to Kyoto to spend the holidays with her family and her, she still fear of rejection as the last time it turned her into a mad woman and she worried that it might happen again.
"She hasn't asked?" the pair heard Yukino's voice before they even saw the young woman with rimless glasses.
"No," came Mikoto's reply and Shizuru looked over wondering what those two were talking about.
"Maybe you should ask her," Yukino said sitting down next to Haruka with a mysterious smile on her face.
"I guess," Mikoto answered with a shrug of her shoulders.
They talked a little more before they bid each other goodbye and head their separate ways, leaving a curious Shizuru to take Mikoto home but instead of the latter's place Shizuru took her to her place. During the whole ride, neither of them says anything as they're both caught up in their own thoughts. Shizuru, wondering what Mikoto and Yukino was talking about. Mikoto on the other hand pondered if she should ask Shizuru or just let the older woman set the pace of their relationship instead?
"So what is it that the two of you were talking about?" Shizuru asked handing Mikoto a glass of water before she sat down next to her girlfriend.
"Yukino wanted to know if you'd ask me to spend the holidays with you," Mikoto said honestly as she didn't saw the need to lie about anything when it comes to Shizuru.
"Ara, I better ask you then," Shizuru giggled lightly feeling somewhat relieved that her girlfriend give the idea some thoughts.
"Shizuru, you don't have to if you're not ready, I don't mind and I won't be upset. You should be spending time with your family," Mikoto said but was cut off when Shizuru press a finger against her lips.
"The reason I have yet to ask you was because I'm afraid of rejection," Shizuru paused. "I do not think I can handle being rejected again, and so for a while now I haven't the courage to bring it up to you. I wanted more than anything, to have you going to Kyoto with me and spend the holidays there. We both needed some times away from this bustling city," Shizuru added after gathering all the courage she could muster.
"Come here," Mikoto said pulling Shizuru onto her lap before the latter could even protest. "We're both afraid of rejections because of the past, but we shouldn't let it get in the way of what we currently have. Besides, if anyone should be worry about anything it should be me," Mikoto added with a nervous chuckle.
"Ara, ara… what make you says that?" Shizuru asked as her right hand caressed Mikoto's cheek lightly while her thumb brushing against those dried lips.
"I'm a dirt poor girl, people would surely talk that I dated you for your money…" Shizuru cut her off by kissing her roughly.
"You know that I don't care if you're rich or poor because I like you just the way you are," Shizuru said feeling a sense of déjà vu somehow.
"Can I get another one?" Mikoto asked looking up at Shizuru as her hands rested comfortably on the latter's thighs.
"Ara, ara… you're being greedy today…" Shizuru purred as she leaned down and kissed Mikoto again, and this time she took her time.
101
"Hmm… you looks young and healthy," Fujino Shizuka said eyeing Mikoto like she's a piece of meat at the market.
"Grandma," Shizuru started but the older Fujino held her hand up to shush her granddaughter from interrupting her.
"I like her, she looks to have good genes," Shizuka paused looking over at her granddaughter. "Let's set the wedding date for some times next year, I want great grandkids before I'm too old to hold them." Shizuka added glancing back over to Mikoto who just stood there rooted in place with the expression of a fish out of water.
"Ma, they've only been dating for a year, isn't it a bit too soon?" Fujino Kinta asked his mother as he still has reservation toward his daughter's girlfriend.
"What? A year is long enough to know how much you love each other, I met your father once and we got married. We're happy together," Shizuka was not having any of it from her son; she's still the head of the Fujino Clan.
"What I mean is that Minagi-kun is well…" he trailed off.
"Out with it, she's what?" Shizuka snapped at her son.
"She's not of same family status as ours," he finished with a grim look on his face, it is one of the things that got him concerned because it will not do him any good to lose face on the fact that his daughter is marrying a nobody.
A resounding slap was heard and Shizuka looked every bit angry at her son's thoughtless words, "I did not raise my children to be snobs and looking down on others, least of all not you Kinta. Love can break through all barriers, you supported your daughter on that matter yet you worry about whether the girl she date is wealthy or not? Does it matter if Mizuki here is a poor girl? Would you not want to marry her?"
Suddenly all eyes were on Kinta, even his wife looked at him expectantly waiting for him to answer. Kinta shook his head back and forth mutely; the man was still shocked at the fact that his own mother had just slapped him in front of his wife, kid and a stranger. Despite her age, his mother can seriously dealt out one heck of a slap that had him rocking, and this would be the third time his mother had ever slapped him. Amongst his siblings, Kinta was most open minded and easy-going person but when it comes down to his own daughter he reverted into the traditional male role in the family.
The day flew by in a blur to Mikoto, everything was just too fast for her to digest and her head is spinning with all the talks about wedding and children. She was so out of it that she didn't even noticed Shizuru stepped into the bath and sat down behind her, only when Shizuru pulled her back against her did Mikoto came out of her train of thoughts. It was a moment of peace, and nothing was being says between them as they enjoyed the feeling of each other's company in the warm water.
"Shizuru, do you think about children?" Mikoto asked as they dried off.
"Hm? Not really," Shizuru said trying to avoid the topic completely because she didn't want to lie yet she couldn't just say that she does think about it from time-to-time in the last year or so.
"Do you want to get marry?" Mikoto asked out of the blue, her mind remained restless after meeting Shizuru's grandmother.
"Someday," Shizuru replied vaguely. "Do you want to get marry?" Shizuru echoed Mikoto's question back at her.
"I-I don't know… I'm so confused…" Mikoto said honestly and she felt like she's about to have a breakdown.
Shizuru silently wrapped her arms around a shaken Mikoto, "Ara, it's all right, there's no need to over think it."
"I'm just so afraid…" Mikoto trailed off clutching fistful of Shizuru's bathrobe as she clung to the older woman for support because her legs felt like noodles for some unknown reasons.
"Of what?" Shizuru asked guiding Mikoto into their bedroom and onto the large bed.
"Of how inadequate I am to you, and that someday you would no longer love me. Then what will be left of me, how will I go on living without you in my life then?" Mikoto finally voiced her concern and insecurity for the first time in a long time.
Shizuru felt someone just grabbed at her heart and gave it a hard squeeze after hearing such worries from her young girlfriend, it made Shizuru wondered if she had not been telling the girl of her feelings to led to such worries. Indeed, it took her a while to be over Natsuki, but she never once compared Mikoto to Natsuki ever since they started dating a year ago. To Shizuru, Mikoto is like a fresh breath of air even with time the girl still managed to keep that honesty and lightness in her voice, though much like Shizuru she suffered a great deal of lost and trauma during the event of the Carnival. This revelation made Shizuru realized something, and that something is that she'd been to focus on her own fear over rejection that she neglected to tell her girlfriend of her feelings in regard to their relationship. Shizuru had thought that because they'd similar experiences that there would not be a need to say things, perhaps she was wrong after all because no matter how close two people can become if things left unsaid for long enough will cause them to drift apart sooner or later.
"Mikoto," Shizuru paused pulling herself away from her sobbing girlfriend so that they could look at each other. "You've given me something to look forward to since we met three years ago, and since we started dating you've suffered a lot of pain and humiliation because of me. It is I, who feels inadequate to you for all the things that'd happened to you, and I do think about having a family with you now that I'm not getting any younger. However, if you're not ready for it, I will not push the issue onto you. I can wait Mikoto, after all that's one of my best quality…" Shizuru joked on the last part with a light smile on her lips, it was a reference to her old feelings for Natsuki.
"I guess I'm just insecure…" Mikoto said feeling stupid all of a sudden for being worry about their relationship, but this was the first serious relationship she'd ever had.
"It's because you're in love, and I must admit that… sometimes I felt the same way…" Shizuru trailed off feeling embarrassed for admitting her weakness to her girlfriend, because she was taught at the young age to never shown weakness to others.
"Look at us, instead of enjoying a getaway together we ended up looking like a mess." Mkoto said breaking the heavy air that hung around them this whole time.
"Ara, ara, but you're a hot mess to me…" Shizuru said leaning in to give Mikoto a kiss and the latter responded in kind.
101
"My, you're up early, something on your mind?" Shizuka asked as she watched her granddaughter's girlfriend nearly jumped out of her skin that she almost laughed at the girl's reaction.
"Good morning Shizuka-sama," Mikoto said giving the older Fujino a deep bow.
"Call me grandma, now tell me what's on your mind, hm?" Shizuka said wit a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Well, Shizuru's birthday is coming up and I'm wondering if I should give her this…" Mikoto trailed off as she pulled out a small box.
Shizuka felt as though she was the first person to seen this, inside the box sat a pair of tungsten carbide wedding rings with red carbon fiber inlay. It doesn't look to be the expensive type of rings, but this girl before her doesn't look as though she got a lot of money to splurge either. No matter, it is the thoughts that count and Shizuka couldn't be happier that her granddaughter had finally found true love. The cold weather outside didn't even bother the old lady in kimono, because she felt happy and warm at the sight of the rings. It is a sign that she will have great grandchildren before she gets too old to hold them. The rest of her children and grandchildren are too busy with making money, living the high life that they'd forgot about an old lady like her.
"I'm sure she will loves it, now come on inside before you freeze to death child." Shizuka said pulling Mikoto inside with her.
So the approaching day arrived at last, the celebration was just a simple quiet family dinner. Mikoto didn't say anything through the whole thing, and Shizuka anxiously waited but nothing happened. The older Fujino figured that the girl looked like she would lose her meal at any time had done the right thing by waiting until they're alone. Shizuka started to wonder just whole is the one expecting to be ask for her hand in marriage at this moment, her granddaughter or her…
"Ara, you were quiet the whole night, is everything alright?" Shizuru asked once they're in the comfort of their room.
"Peachy…sorry," Mikoto snapped and quickly apologize as every fiber in her body are completely tensed up. "Maybe I shouldn't be asking you this on your birthday and all…"
"Ara, you start it, so you need to finish it…" Shizuru said with a warm smile on her lips wondering what her girlfriend got in mind and surely she isn't expecting anything grand but maybe some pleasure.
Mikoto got down on one knee and pulled out the small box she'd been keeping in her pocket all day, "Shizuru, um… will you marry me?"
Shizuru saw nervousness, anxiety, fear and trepidation whirled together in those golden eyes that looked up at her waiting for her to either say yes or not, "You know that you don't have to do this just because my family is pushing for it…"
"No, no, I've been thinking about it for a few months, and I was worrying that we're moving too quick and you're just not ready. Is it the rings?" Mikoto asked veering off topic completely that Shizuru couldn't help but laugh lightly.
"The rings look beautiful," Shizuru said. "And yes, I will marry you."
Shizuru was rather surprised that Mikoto knew her ring size, the ring fit perfectly and she couldn't help but inspect the design pattern on the ring. The red line, a matching color for her eyes, shone under the light like twinkling red stars, it felt a bit bulky but Shizuru didn't really mind when she looked at the inscription under the ring before she slipping the ring onto Mikoto's ring finger. It is a sturdy ring and the content under it was rather cute and endearing with both their names engraved there. She knew that this would not cost a lot, but it shouldn't matter as long as her girlfriend took the time to pick it out.
That night, the love making felt incredible and Shizuru would attribute it to the fact that they're both over the moon with happiness. Maybe being engage increase in one's hormones, because that seemed to be the case with her and her new fiancé. The family would be thrill, especially her grandmother when they broke the news the next day. Mikoto may not make a lot of money, but Shizuru made enough that they could live in comfort but the latter understand the importance of being able to provide for one another. Since the engagement, Mikoto had become more devoted to finding out what turns Shizuru on physically and mentally, and they moved in together living at Shizuru's place though their working schedule makes it a bit difficult to have time together but they make it work for them.
The pair remained on the low key in regard to the status of their relationship, and most of their friends were shocked when they received wedding invitation in the early summer a year later. The pair decided to halt the wedding plan for a year, and so after a full year of being engaged they got married in the spring in Kyoto at Shizuru's family estate. Shizuka couldn't be happier at the turn of the event, and she couldn't help but feeling nostalgic at how handsome Mikoto looked in a black suit. The girl reminded Shizuka much of her deceased husband, she looked a lot like him with the exception of the eyes as his were blood red. She had the feelings that this girl will be the pillar for her granddaughter for years to come, soon Shizuka will step down from her role as the head of the Fujino Clan and she already decided to pass the baton onto Shizuru instead of one of her children. Knowing full well that her decision will cause a lot of rift and turmoil within the clan, Shizuka saw no other way as none had proven to be worthy of leading this clan into the future. For a moment, she considered passing the baton to Mikoto, but the girl was still young and Shizuka didn't want to put the poor thing at a crossroad like she'd done to her over a year ago. For now, she will enjoy this moment where her granddaughter looked at peace and happy, accepting cheers, compliments and congratulations from families and friends alike on such joyous day.
A/N: This is the longest one-shot I've ever done that was published (I had a few that's just collecting dust) but figured that it's the holiday so I'm sharing the joy! I think... Enjoy...