S: Clemi MKR fic. The 3 MK are living permanently at Cephiro. Umi is happy with everything... except her beloved Master Mage is so busy and stressed... so she comes up with various ways to make him happier - including introducing him to karaoke!
AN: I love Clemi. I love reading it, I love writing it. I think Asmi is cute but I don't support it. Here's my first MKR fic...
EDITED 02/02/05 - I rewrote a few parts and genenrally fixed up everything up a bit. Also, I deleted chapter two, due to my dissatisfaction with the overal feeling of it (and thank you Watershipup - your review allowed me to look at my writing again and pick out the cliche theme that I incorporated awkwardly). I'll be rewriting chapters in the next few days, hopefully.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Magic Knight Rayearth & the related characters (CLAMP does), but everything else (writings, ideas, etc.) belongs to me unless stated otherwise!
(D) text (/D) dreams
(F) text (/F) flashbacks
"text" spoken
text thoughts
Chapter 1 Breakfast for my beloved Guru
Umi shivered as chilly wind slipped into her spacious room and grazed her arms. She hastily concluded her diary entry and shoved the slim volume under her pillow. Habitually, she glanced at the direction of a certain Magic Guru's office before she slid down into the inviting warmth of her blankets.
She shifted a bit under the blankets Clef had personally enchanted for the Magic Knights, upon learning that the girls are unaccustomed to the cold Cephiro nights. Then she turned over on her back and sighed.
She shook her head.
It hurts...
She sighed softly as she succumbed to the worryless bliss of undisturbed slumber (another enchantment Clef had added to the blankets, unknownst to her).
Soft chirps from outside the window woke the Magic Knight of water.
Umi stretched luxuriously on her huge four-poster bed. She sighed contently and looked up at the canopy of ocean-blue drapes hanging down loosely, splashing over the bed lightly.
Then, rolling over to the right side of her bed, she pulled up the sheets and felt for the spring that opens the small compartment in the mattress.
After hearing the familiar soft click, she pulled an object carefully out of its hiding place.
As she held the framed photo of none other than the Master Mage of Cephiro, a smile crept upon her face. She recalled the day when she, with the help of Fuu and Hikaru, explained to their friends in Cephiro what Fuu's polaroid camera was. After suspiciously looking at the small object, Clef was dragged in for groups pictures.
Evidently Fuu took more than just group pictures.
At dinner that day, a grinning Fuu slipped Umi a photo under the table. The very photo Umi framed and hid within her mattress.
Running her fingers over the smooth glass, Umi looked intently at Clef's serious expression.
"Although Cephiro is now free of danger, your duties still burden you... I long to relive that day... when I couldn't sleep... and you were there...
"And... and for those few precious moments... I believe that we connected."
Apparently she had been wrong to think that they were on best-buddy terms after that. Recently she had greeted him with a big hug when he returned from a long trip to check on the people of Cephiro. Politely but quickly, he had jerked himself away and excused himself.
He wasn't the Clef that she could argue and anger any more. After she came to Cephiro to stay, she learned from the others that what she had thought was a new side of Clef - serious, aloof, and stingly sarcastic - was his true self.
Umi sighed, then pressed the photo closely to her heart. Today she will try to reach him again.
"It is too sudden to say that I love him... but I do like him so much. I can't truly decide until I know him better. He CAN'T be as distant as he tries to make himself to be..."
Slipping off her bed, she grabbed a bathrobe (rich blue in shade and soft to the touch) to cover her thin white nightgown and ran out the door. Her long blue hair floated up smoothly behind her as she dashed through the hallways and skidded to a stop in front of the kitchen door. She was greeted by a sunny "Good morning!" from Hikaru — who was making cups of mocha hot chocolate — and a gasp from Fuu, who had burned her pancakes.
"Why don't you go out in the garden? That's where we're going to have breakfast today — it's a lovely morning! We've already set up the tables with seats enough for everyone!" Hikaru smiled at Umi.
Umi eyed the golden brown pancakes on the plates Fuu had prepared and breathed deeply in the aroma.
"Not everyone, Hikaru. You've forgotten that Clef sent word just a moment ago to say that he'll be having breakfast in his study today." Fuu joined in the conversation with a cheery expression, due to that fact that her next batch of pancakes had turned out very nicely.
"He is?" Umi turned to Fuu quickly at the sound of Clef's name.
Hikaru cleared her throat. "Yes, and he said it'd be nice if someone brings his breakfast to him later." She smiled widely at Umi and cleared her throat again.
Umi knew that there is no hiding anything in front of her friends. She blushed a little. "D-do you think... I mean, can... can I bring it to him? I-I mean, it's ok if-"
"Umi, dear, the rest of the world does not share your zeal in bringing breakfast for the guru. You can go on ahead. Me, I'm having my time with Ferio." Fuu cut in.
Hikaru nodded her agreement and added that she felt a little lazy.
Umi smiled at them. She grabbed a mug of hot cocolate and a stack of pancakes and made her way back into the hallways.
She knows the way to his study all too well. Every night she walked to his door.
Every night she stopped herself from knocking.
Every night she quietly opened the door to a crack and observed his strained expression.
Every night she left his door feeling helpless.
Now she stacked the plate on the mug and opened the door with her free hand. She lifted the plate again and went in.
Clef looked up and sees a flash of blue, his tired eyes focused and saw Umi enter, with a mug in one hand and a plate in the other.
"Thank you. You can put them on the table over there."
Umi blinked. He had gone back to work. Is that it? "Clef...?"
He looked up. She saw bags under those beautiful lavender eyes and breathed in sharply.
"Yes?"
Umi was at a loss of words. "Y-y-you..." she sighed. "You should drink your hot chocolate before it gets cold."
"Thank you, Umi." The faintest hint of a smile lightened his expression momentarily.
Hearing him say her name made her heart leap. How she adored her name at that moment!
Before she left the room, she allowed herself to whisper softly, "Guru... don't work yourself too hard. I-I can't stand to see you like this..."
His head jerked up as the door closed. "Did I hear her say..?"
AN: Do you wonder what happens next or do I need to add something more to capture your interest? Review to let me know! Please & thank you! Your reviews really make my day and encourage me to write the next chapters!
In Chapter 2: Hikaru wants to cheer Umi up, so she planned a surprise karaoke for everyone. Umi sings a song to... guess who?