Title: Moonlight Swim

Author: Hannah Ree Banfill
Pairing: Izumi Sano and Mizuki Ashiya
Fandom: Hana-Kimi: For You in Full Blossom
Theme: Water (waves)
Disclaimer: Hana-Kimi: For You in Full Blossom is the property of Hisaya Nakajo. I have no claim to it whatsoever, though I love it with all my heart!
Notes: The idea for this fanfic started crashing around in my head after reading Volume 3, with all the talk of swimming. Hope you enjoy!

Mizuki opened her eyes and found herself staring at the ceiling for the four thousandth time in a row…or about that. Sighing with frustration, she turned over onto her side to try and get some sleep, but knew that none would come. For some reason, Mizuki just couldn't make herself drift off.

So…why lay here all night if there wasn't any hope of crashing? Mizuki suddenly lit up with happiness as an idea suddenly came to her: she could sneak inside the swimming pool and take a little swim…you know, just until she wore herself out and could finally sleep. It was brilliant! Sometimes Mizuki surprised herself…we all know why.

She jumped up, trying to remember the last time she saw her swim suit, and immediately quieted when crossing the room. There was no way she was going to wake Sano up. Unlike her, he had found something in the night to make him doze, and, well, he looked so gorgeous when he slept. Not that he didn't always. Mizuki allowed herself one brief glance at Sano's bed, and her eyes softened to see him comfortably tucked in, completely at peace until the next morning.

By some random miracle, Mizuki's swimsuit was in the first place she looked. Leaving the dorms wasn't going to be easy if someone else was awake, but as she moved through the halls and out the door to the courtyard, everything was almost deathly quiet. Mizuki gave a small, happy victory dance before concentrating on tiptoeing through the yard to the building full of windows…that held the Osaka High School swimming pool.

As she slipped through the unlocked door, Mizuki found herself wondering again why the pool was so small. They expected THIS to provide the swimming grades of a school full of boys? It hardly seemed possible, but apparently it worked, and she tilted her head as she thought…maybe it WAS big enough if you looked at it right.

Growing bored and giving up on that theory, it took Mizuki exactly 10 seconds to strip off her night clothes and slip into her bright orange two piece suit. It was slightly wrinkled from being stuffed away in her bag since she arrived at Osaka, but since this was a time of night when her secret was undoubtedly safe, Mizuki could bring it out and not worry about what it revealed. The water was chilling cold at first contact, but as she tread to deeper water, Mizuki soon leaned back and gave the feeling control.

Could it have been a few minutes, or a couple hundred hours? Mizuki didn't know or care as she swam silently and delicately under the waves. Somehow or other her thoughts wandered back to her dorm room…to Sano. 'What is he doing right now?' Mizuki contemplated, sinking to the pool floor almost rhythmically. 'I wonder if he dreams about me. Am I smiling when he dreams of me? I hope I smile, and wave, and be a source of comfort to him. Oh how I wish…I wish I could tell him how I feel. What would he say? What is Sano dreaming of right now?'

Mizuki's head broke the surface, but after wiping her chlorine logged hair from her eyes, she jumped back and smacked into the side of the pool in surprise. For sitting casually on the tile line at the water's edge, looking more glorious and beautiful than ever bathed in the warm glow of the moon…was Izumi Sano.

"S-S-Sano?" Mizuki stammered, her voice full of shock. He smiled warmly at her reaction. Still the same old Mizuki…still the silly girl he loved. He watched her as she tread carefully closer, rubbing her sore elbow that had hit the pool side.

"What are you doing here Sano? It's the middle of the night, you should be in bed."

Izumi chuckled when Mizuki crossed her arms over her chest to hide her breasts. Funny how she still did that…habit now, he guessed. But even if he hadn't known already her true sex, he sure as hell would have a pretty good idea after seeing her NOW.

"I could ask you the same question Ashiya", he said calmly. "I heard you leave, and I watched you pack so I had an idea where you'd be. A moonlight swim huh? Sounds like the perfect cure for a girl who can't sleep." He laughed, and almost fell backwards when he saw her face.

Even though he was laughing really hard, Mizuki was determined to make herself heard. She swam to the edge and looked up at his gorgeous black eyes. When they finally opened again, he gazed back into hers.

"A…a what? What're you talking about Sano?" Mizuki asked, with as rational a voice as she could manage. "I don't see any girls here."

Her efforts rewarded with Izumi bursting into laughter again. Irritated, Mizuki turned to swim away. Let him get whatever it was out of his system. But something grabbed her wrist and yanked her back to the pool's edge. Fire blazing in her eyes, Mizuki turned to glare at Sano, but…his face was right next to hers. Oh god it was so near! So near she could see all the gorgeous colors in his eyes, the way his black hair framed his angelic face. Her anger was replaced with surprise as Izumi smiled at her.

"And where do you think you're going? I'm sorry I laughed Ashiya, but…I already know you're a girl, and if I hadn't known when I came in here trust me, I would know by now." His grip released some on her hand, and Mizuki tore it away.

"Oh really Sano? You knew? Yeah right, if you knew this whole time you would have reported me, and I'd be on a ship back to America right now! If you really knew, why didn't you say anything?" It did sound harsh even to her own ears, but something at the back of her mind was telling Mizuki to show Izumi some of her real venom, and besides…it didn't make sense.

There was silence in the moonlight for a few seconds. They seemed longer to Mizuki, who felt her heart sink as she watched Izumi's face fall. However, when she turned away, she didn't see his face turn thoughtful, and then brake into an amused smile as he sent a wave of chlorine water over her. Mizuki turned back in surprise, and Izumi laughed again. He wasn't expecting her to fight back, but soon the pool building was overflowing with excited giggles and the constant echo of splashing water.

In no time at all Izumi was soaked, and down on his knees in the pool's gutter line as he tried to get better shots at Mizuki, who had moved to the other side. Her splashes at him were by far more accurate, just because she had better access to their ammunition. She had joined in his laughing, and both of them could say that their happiness couldn't be more fulfilled. All Izumi needed was Mizuki by his side, and all Mizuki wanted was to be with Sano.

Finally, Izumi collapsed in exhaustion on the side line, his head nearly touching the water. Mizuki rung out her hair and rubbed the water from her bright red cheeks. Thinking she had had enough swimming for awhile, she swam to Sano's side and made a move to get out. But when she felt his hand wrap around her arm and force her back into the water, she couldn't help thinking, 'Now what?'

Izumi raised his head, his face flushed from all the splashing excitement and fun. Gazing into Mizuki's eyes, his arms found their way around her neck. If she had been even half aware of reality, maybe she would have made a move to stop him, but half of a second later Izumi fell into the pool…on top of Mizuki.

Breaking the surface and gasping for air, Mizuki was sure it didn't happen. But turning around, he was there, laughing again and still with his fingers around her arm. She couldn't help but smile.

"There, now we're even." Before she could stop him Izumi swept Mizuki into his strong build, locking her in a secure embrace so she could hardly move at all. "And to answer your question, my beautiful, stupid little Mizuki…" Mizuki's eyes burned. He was making fun of her. But it was impossible to fight back. She tried to struggle away with a furious glare in his direction, but Izumi suddenly dropped her back on her feet and took her face in his hands.

"I always knew you were a girl, and I kept quiet about it because…well…you mean the world to me." And with that he pressed his lips against Mizuki's in a hopeful kiss, praying she would respond. His heart soon sang with joy as he felt her hands intertwine in his black locks, clasping him to her. It was a long kiss, full of affection and love. The silver moonlight streaming through the windows did all to illuminate the sweet moment in magic.

After something like eternity, Izumi reluctantly pulled away. Mizuki's eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a smile that would make a dead, crumpled flower bloom in the dead of winter.

"I…um, well, I…Sano, how do I say this…" Izumi hugged her again and ran his nose up and down her neck.

"Just say it Mizuki. Say it with all your heart."

Mizuki's grin was otherworldly in the moonlight. "I love you too Sano. With all my heart. Um…would you mind if I called you Izumi?"

He smiled at her again as he took her hand and made to get out of the pool. They embraced again as they wrapped in towels and made their way back to the dorm.

"You can call me Izumi all you want. Please do…Mizuki." Their moonlight swim coming to an end, Mizuki slept happily…in the arms of the man she loved.