Hi, guys, and Happy Valentine's Day! :D This is a oneshot for jiro is awesome, who requested a Jiro x Kluke oneshot via PM. There didn't end up being as much Jiro x Kluke as I had intended, but… It's still there, such as it is. *sweatdrops* While this had just been a little spark of inspiration at first, it kind of morphed into something completely different… Though, I'm happier than usual with the final result. :) Note that there might be a bit of confusion concerning the time frame; time-wise, the idea I'd had ended up becoming utterly botched, and I had to rewrite it a few times as I tried to figure out what the heck I was doing. D: Anyway, after the disclaimer and note, read on! :)
Note: The title comes from music, of the same name, from the first Blue Dragon game.
Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon Plus, or the other two games. If I did, Plus would've had more details. :P
A bit of nervousness flutters in his chest as he climbs the staircase to her room. Downstairs, he can hear Shu tapping his foot in impatience and murmuring about why he shouldn't have left the mechat engine on. Jiro allows himself a smile; whenever there's a spare moment, he'll have to warn Kluke that her floorboards are at risk for being the next victim of Shu's pacing habit.
Jiro stops in front of the door, hesitant, poised to knock. He swallows, tells himself the hesitation is unnecessary and illogical, then knocks with the back of his hand.
When he opens the door, he squints his eyes a little - the setting sun has just hit her bedroom window, and he hadn't been prepared for the brightness. Avoiding looking directly into the light, he looks to the side, where Kluke is tending to her bonsai. She's done her best to replicate her old room in Talta; scavenging a few things from her house before they moved to the cubes, such as her precious plants and red-and-white-checked quilt, helped with that considerably.
He stands awkwardly, shifting his feet. "Kluke, um... You ready to go?"
"... In a bit." He notices, with a flush, that the bonsai she's currently focused on - the only one with pink leaves - is the one he gave her about eight and a half years ago. And then the setting sun glints on her hair, making the strands look the golden brown hue of when she'd been four; her face is almost glowing, outlined by the sunset, showing him her sudden smirk. "And tell Shu that if he was so worried about the engine, he shouldn't have left it on in the first place."
Jiro grins as he heads downstairs to impart the news.
"What... What do you mean?" The pain in Shu's eyes is so intense that Jiro wants to go over and put a hand on his shoulder. He doesn't.
"I... I'm sorry." Kluke rubs her palms together, not looking at either of them. She's clearly uncomfortable. "But I can't."
"You promised us." Jiro's voice is flat, almost cold, startling both Shu and Kluke. It doesn't startle him; it frightens him. "You said you'd tell us how you felt on your next birthday."
Kluke gives him a look of pure agony. "I know. And I'm sorry. Really, I am, just... Please don't force me to do this yet. I... I just need more time, is all. Maybe... Maybe my next birthday-"
"It's alright, Kluke." Jiro, ashamed at himself and his prior words, tries his best to calm her. "We can wait a little longer." He forcefully pushes down the miserable wail that rises up inside him at the notion. "It's unfair for us to rush you about this," Shu nods his agreement, though Jiro can see how much the idea of waiting even longer is killing him, "It's not something you can decide in five minutes." She's had over a year to decide, but he doesn't mention that. "So Shu and I will give you as much time as you need." His aching heart pounds like a hammer against his chest.
Will he be saying the same thing next year?
Will he be saying it until he's thirty?
Will he be saying it up until the day he dies?
They're celebrating two things, but the timing is a little off.
(Because they're the two most painful events that have recently happened to him, Jiro uses Kluke's fifteenth and sixteenth birthdays as a marker.)
The first thing is Nene's defeat. It happened about a month before Kluke's fifteenth birthday, but they didn't celebrate until about two weeks before because everyone was adjusting to living on the Cube Worlds.
The second thing is stopping the Atomic Cube. It happened about three days before Kluke's sixteenth birthday, but they aren't celebrating it until about a week and a half after. They're sort of late, but everyone had been just a tad concerned about the world ending - again - so he thinks all of them have a viable excuse.
But as he gazes out of the mechat, staring at the stars beyond the floating cubes, Jiro thinks that the timing of it isn't what's important.
What matters is that they all survived both of those things. And that's certainly something to celebrate.
Walking through Neo Jibral is... strange. It's the second time he's done so, but it's just as odd as it was the first time.
Everything he looks it is like seeing a ghost, or a shadow (and isn't the latter just the most ironic thing ever?); he's walked through Main Street before, but it is not the Main Street of a year ago. It is the same, yet foreign.
... He wishes he could go back. He should be the one who's eager and excited and wanting to explore all of these new things. And he does.
But everything he'd known about the world wasn't real, and the old Talta (and Jibral) are gone, so nothing will ever be truly right again.
... Is he the only one that sees it?
But, no; he looks, sees his own sense of loss mirrored in Shu and Kluke's expressions. The two smile at him suddenly, and he returns it.
... It will be okay. It might take a while, but it will be okay.
Just as they have for most of their lives, the three of them will help each other get through this.
The first thing that hits Jiro as they enter the castle is the smell.
He doesn't know what in the world that chef did, but he and and the kitchen staff have created something heavenly.
Jiro isn't the only one who's noticed either; Shu is inhaling the air with an expression of utter bliss, and Kluke is walking purposefully towards the side door to the cooking area. He shakes his head with amusement, knowing that the head chef will soon be chatting eagerly away with Kluke about the fragrant dishes.
Some things never change.
Jiro stands between Shu and Kluke while King Jibral speaks to everyone in the room. He's surrounded on all sides by people he knows and some he doesn't. The king talks of the bravery of the Shadow wielders, how they fearlessly (and he might disagree at this point, but it seems insane to interrupt King Jibral's speech to mention Jiro's phobia of ghosts, and they only saw a few of them anyway - and no, whatever Kluke says, he didn't scream that loud) fended off the Bomb Mecha Robos and other monsters within. As he talks about the courage and bravery they all showed during that final battle, Jiro is hit hard by a wave of melancholy crashing into him.
There are two other people that saved the world, but neither of them are here. One had only been trying to adjust to it, and one had once tried to destroy it.
... Is it even okay to miss Himiko, who had never really been "alive" to begin with? Is it okay to miss Nene - Nene, of all people - who had tried to destroy everything Jiro had ever cared about?
And then Jiro realizes that it doesn't matter.
Himiko was as alive as any other member of their group no matter what they had learned. Nene had spent the last days of his life repenting for the unspeakable acts he'd committed a year before.
The two of them had become a part of their tightknit group of friends. They had become family.
He looks to his right - Kluke has her eyes shut tight and a hand over her mouth. He looks to his left - Shu's jaw is clenched and his eyes are wet even if the tears haven't spilled.
You don't need a reason to miss someone. Or to mourn them.
The celebration, as a whole, is rather relaxed.
Some sat and some stood, but after King Jibral finished speaking, everyone delved into eating or talking (or both). Jiro mostly stands to the side, not wanting to get caught up in any crowds (he's always gotten incredibly nervous around large groups of people). He's always preferred observing anyway.
Szabo is talking with the Jibral scientists, with Yasato and Toripo close by. Jiro strains his ears, catches something about Servant Town in the Atomic Cube. Maybe talking about some of the switch mechanisms there? They're too far for him to be sure.
Closer by are King Jibral and Zola; they're standing in front of one of several long tables laden with food. Each of them holds a thin glass, filled with a purple liquid - wine, maybe? - and both of them are smiling at each other - Zola is actually smiling - and looking happier than Jiro remembers them ever being.
... He's a little envious.
Jiro manages a small grin when he sees Marumaro a bit away from the two, fuming and grumbling about how "the king is taking away Lady Zola again". Marumira and Marutora tug on his arms, trying to keep him calm.
A further distance away, he sees Fushira talking with Sahlia and Shu, telling them about his possible plans of moving to Neo Jibral and opening up a forge there. Shu immediately lets out indignant protests, wanting to have been informed about this. Sahlia is visibly restraining herself from laughing at his behavior, and though much more distant, Jiro is also in her predicament.
A second or two later, even though he isn't quite sure how it happens, he ends up defending Poo Snake to a total stranger, which goes something like the following: Yes, he's a Poo Snake. Yes, he's our friend. No, he won't bite you. Yes, he has a Shadow. No, he won't attack you with it or with his spear unless you try to hurt him. No, we don't know how or why he talks. No, please don't poke him. Yes, he really was almost flushed down a drain. No, you can't laugh. He's one of the people who saved your life, that's why.
As the unfamiliar man walks away, shaking his head in bafflement, Jiro lets out a weary breath-
-and, with no warning whatsoever, the music is starting.
Jiro recognizes the piano player; she's the same one who was always practicing in the corner of Café Jibral. She's gotten better, he notes absently. The song is quick but undeniably joyful - perfect for this celebratory atmosphere.
Within a matter of moments, people have paired up and started dancing with each other. He's lost sight of most of his friends in the chaotic whirling, but he manages to catch sight of King Jibral and Zola, easy to pick out from their unchanging position in the middle of the room. Just as the two become momentarily blocked from his view, Shu and Kluke become visible for just a few seconds in the midst of the crowd, Kluke laughing cheerfully; Jiro's stomach drops.
He stares at his feet, trying to control his breathing, though the thickness in his throat makes that difficult. Of course they would dance with each other, Jiro, his hands clench. Of course Kluke would pick Shu over you.
And then the song ends, another begins, and someone is tugging him into the group of dancing people. He'd been looking down, so he doesn't even know who it is until he lifts his head and locks eyes with the brown pair spare inches away.
"Thank goodness I found you. My feet are killing me." Kluke giggles a little, fingers threading with his. "Shu's so bad at this, it's not even funny. He must've stepped on me about twenty times. It really hurt, but I couldn't stop laughing about it. I feel bad for poor Sahlia, though." She looks over her shoulder, where Shu is now dancing with Sahlia; she winces repeatedly, and unlike Kluke, is trying to hide it. Jiro instantly feels sympathy for her.
And then it finally hits him.
He's dancing with Kluke.
Jiro fights against a blush, and wills his palms not to sweat. He refuses to let his timidity mess up this moment.
He's so caught up in trying not to make a fool of himself that it takes a minute for him to realize Kluke is still staring at Shu and Sahlia. However, while her eyes had been lit up with humor before, they're now filled with a sort of wistfulness. "... They look nice together... don't they?" Kluke holds onto him tighter, in an almost reflexive manner. Almost as if she's in pain.
Jiro's thumb brushes her knuckles; it's only partly an accident. "Well... They do seem happy."
"Yes... Happy." She nods, mostly to herself. "Jiro... Are you happy?"
The question catches him off guard for a moment. And then, with absolute certainty, he says, "I am."
She smiles at him softly. "... I'm glad." Kluke leans her forehead against his shoulder.
As they turn in the next part of the dance, Jiro feels like he could fly.
Jiro paces the hallway, biting the fingernail of his thumb, wholeheartedly blaming Shu for influencing him into this atrocious act of incessant walking, and in a moment of clarity - a realization he should have made about nine years ago - he groans as he realizes that Shu got it from Jiro in the first place. (Such a great influence. Really, he's done a fantastic job with this partial child-raising thing. God save his own children, if he ever has any; with a record like this, their father has doomed them before they've even been born.)
He's being ridiculous, really. There's no reason for him to be so anxious. And yet...
He can't really say why, but Kluke's words during the dance have unsettled him. He feels as if he's approaching a sheer cliff, looking off the edge and into a bottomless pit. Like he's approaching an unknown danger, and there's no way to stop it.
Still, he could just be overreacting. Again. (Not like this is the first time, or anything.)
Kluke had been happy when she danced with him, despite being a little melancholy. She'd also been happy when she danced with Shu, though her feet had been in agony.
In some ways, this could be Jiro's chance. Shu has had plenty; why shouldn't Jiro have any? At the same time, approaching this that way almost feels like forcing out Shu and making Kluke choose him. Jiro doesn't want that, though; he wants Kluke to decide on one of them because she wants to and cares about them. Besides, Shu has been like a little brother to Jiro; the very idea of treating him that way is just... sickening.
... Jiro can't remember his thoughts and feelings ever being this mixed up.
He can't stand being confused. Hates it, even. He loves knowing about things; it's just a part of who he is. And not knowing always makes him feel like he's hanging in midair, exposed to anything and everything that could cause him harm. Jiro can't think of much else that's worse. (Well, except for ghosts, but that's an issue that would be better dealt with at another time.)
"Jiro?"
It's only through practiced control and recognition of the voice that he doesn't yell or jump straight in the air. "What's up, Shu?" Jiro looks over his shoulder at the younger boy, whose excitement and eagerness are apparent by the way he bounces on his heels.
"C'mon, Jiro! You gotta come see this! There's something going on outside."
Bewildered, Jiro doesn't even have the time to wonder what it is before Shu is yanking on his wrist and dragging him downstairs.
Jiro shifts, trying to make himself comfortable on the grassy knoll. Depending on how much there is, there's a possibility he'll freak out about the dirt later - but he can save that for tomorrow morning.
Besides, there's something much more exciting going on, a new wonder that he's never seen before.
Fireworks.
Jiro had read about them years and years ago, when he'd still been little. They had been frequently used to celebrate events in the old days, long before even his grandparents' grandparents were born, but he'd had no idea that anyone still knew how to make them. Either he's an ignorant young man from a little out-of-the-way village, Jibral has been holding out on them, or he just never had the time to find out. (The latter is the most likely. Two seems unlikely, but the first is also a reasonable possibility.)
He sits between Shu and Kluke - the place he's been for the majority of the night. Both of them share his anticipation; the three of them can hardly wait.
One of the Jibral soldiers announce that it's about to start. Everyone goes quiet.
Out of nowhere, there's a sharp whistling sound, and a shining trail of light comes into view-
And then the sky is exploding with colors.
The people erupt in cheers, so loudly that he feels his gasp of delight rather than hearing it. Reds, blues, greens, yellows - every color he can think of is painting the sky in light. It's incredible.
Shu leans against him, hollering along with the rest of the bunch, and takes his hand. He can't place what it is, but... It reminds him of when they had been very little, and Jiro would take his hand in order to lead the small boy through crowds during Talta's festivals.
Jiro feels his other hand being clasped. He turns and finds Kluke looking at him, a softness and gentleness in her gaze...
It hits him like a splash of cold water. A recognition. Something in her eyes...
But it can't be. It can't be.
And suddenly, it all becomes clear to him. It should have been clear a long time ago, but he's been so caught up in his feelings for Kluke and the stress that came with it that he'd been blinded to how Kluke herself had been feeling about the whole thing.
... She has feelings for both of them. And she can't just... make herself choose between them. More than whatever she feels for them, she doesn't want to lose what the three of them have. Their precious friendship, which has gone on for most of their lives, defying all trials and tribulations that have threatened to shatter it or the ones a part of it - the bond that has made the trio a family, or even something beyond that.
... Jiro doesn't want to lose it either.
He smiles at Kluke, holding tighter to both her and Shu. The tension and anxiety inside of him uncoil at last, for the first time in (over) two years. He will wait for Kluke's decision, and he won't mind that much, because he knows that she will make her choice only when the time is right.
For tonight, Jiro will be at ease. He will be for many days to come. Because these are their days of peace, that he and the others have fought for and rightfully won.
… And it's done! :) I know I said I'm happy with it - and I am – but I'm not sure what I think about certain parts of it… And it ended up being more Jiro x Kluke x Shu than just Jiro x Kluke. Ack! I'm sorry. D: Jiro is awesome, I hope you still enjoyed it…
Anyway, if you can, please review and let me know what you think! This story wasn't on the poll, so it won't have any effect on it. (I am still working on Braving the Storm, and will continue to do so unless something else surpasses it. The next chapter is close to being finished, and when you read it… well, I won't spoil anything, but you might find a bit of a surprise. ;) ) I think that's everything I have to say, though. Thanks for reading! :D