As Long As They Hold Hands
Disclaimer: Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! (c) its respective artist(s) and writer(s). Nothing belongs to this seventeen year old writer who really should be studying for her exams but is apparently suicidal in choosing not to do so.
A/N: This is purely Fumoffu based since I haven't watched the actual Full Metal Panic series. Truth be told, I'm not inclined to do so since... well, I'm trying to stick to wacky, comedy, no-plot animes currently just to make sure I don't sink into angstdom. Anyway, I may have gotten the characters wrong since this is my first time. That said, if you have any points to make or anything you'd like to tell me, please review politely, ne? Arigato!
-ººº-
The raging, fiery demands for Sagara Sousuke's head outside the Student Council Room didn't distract the two within.
For one thing, Mikihara Ren was too busy hiding behind an upturned table while Hayashimizu Atsunobu was preoccupied with sheltering behind the TV set.
Whatever bacteria that had been set loose had most certainly not been hazardous to health. (1) It did however, put peoples' reputations, consciences and hormones into very precarious situations. It was also contagious thus resulting in both secretary and president having to hide behind solid objects for the sake of each other's aforementioned reputations, consciences and hormones.
"I'm sorry my jacket proved to be of little use, Mikihara-kun," went the student president's even tone from behind the set.
Ren had one of the shreds of white cloth in her hand and smiled gently as she looked at it. She wasn't too worried now about her modesty since it was a fairly large table. "It's alright, senpai… it's the thought that counts."
"If it makes you feel any better… I was only looking at your face the whole time. I saw nothing else."
"…thank you, senpai."
"You're welcome."
The screams for blood, bludgeoning and a good lynching maintained its threatening volume outside as almost everyone went on a manhunt for a certain student (who coincidentally, already had a clear picture of how much longer he had left to walk this good earth: approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds). Embarrassment and modesty came second to dishing out extreme pain to the one who was supposed to be the cause of this whole gigantic, nude mess.
There was a vast difference in atmosphere when compared to inside the dim room. Discomfiture hung there like a heavy fog. It was something unusual between this particular president and secretary since they had always had some sort of understanding between the two of them. But when one thought about it again from a different angle, it wasn't unusual at all for a naked president and a just as unclothed secretary, both of whom are teenagers and are hiding behind solid objects and desperate to not be perverted about their current predicament, to feel… awkward.
"…any ideas, Mikihara-kun, as to how we are to settle this chaos later on?"
"…I don't think it was really Sagara-san's fault, senpai. He shouldn't be blamed… totally."
"Nevertheless, he will have to pay compensation for emotional trauma."
"I suppose so."
The uncomfortable quiet shifted in again sans the screams. Whether they were from Sousuke or from his pursuers was somewhat unclear.
"…senpai?"
"Yes?"
"How are we going to… um, get out of here?"
"…have you any spare clothes, Mikihara-kun?"
"My gym attire is in my locker, senpai. You?"
"I have an extra uniform. I just wonder if these… bacteria you've told me about will eat at it like it did the one I wore just some minutes ago."
"Maa ne…"
There was a sudden crackling over the intercom.
"Attention, all students and faculty. This is Student Council Vice President Kaname Chidori speaking. As you've all obviously noticed, everyone's clothes are disintegrating. This is due to clothes eating bacteria that have been unleashed onto the school. But it will all disappear in two hours. I repeat, everything will be alright once again in two hours. In the meantime, please…(sigh) please try not to mutilate Sagara Sousuke too much until he can't pay us compensation. Also, please stay on the school grounds to prevent the spreading of the bacteria. Thank you."
Somehow, Chidori had managed to get to the intercom within the announcement room. (In case the readers are wondering, she'd yanked the infirmary curtains down and wrapped herself in it) Whether anyone bothered to listen was up for debate.
As the intercom clicked off, Hayashimizu sighed. "It looks like we'll be stuck here for another two hours."
Ren smiled wryly. "It seems that way."
"I'm beginning to wonder if my judgement was somewhat askew when I appointed Sagara with the job of Security."
"Not entirely, senpai. Most of the time, Sagara-san makes sure everyone stays safe."
"With certain exceptions, I am forced to add now."
"With certain exceptions," concurred the secretary.
From then on, silence descended accompanied with the background noise of things being destroyed, concrete being disintegrated and bombs being set off. Oh, and more threats and demands for revenge with protests of self defense. Consequently, these protests were cut short with the whirr of a chainsaw and more audio results of weapons being whacked against every surface imaginable in hopes of meeting with Sagara Sousuke's head.
-ººº-
After some time, a lightly dozing Hayashimizu was jolted awake by a gentle voice. "Senpai? Do you know how long it's been?"
The president blinked his eyes open, looking up. "…ten minutes to two hours."
There was a sigh of apparent relief. "I see."
"I can appreciate your wishing that the time move faster. Are you cold, Mikihara-kun?"
"Uh, n, no… I'm fine. The light from outside the window keeps me warm. It's… it's you that I'm more worried about, senpai."
The president didn't resist the smile that came upon his face. "I'm fine… and rather glad, to be honest, to know that you worry for me."
"Ah… I…" Ren was rather glad of the fact that they were on different sides of the room. It meant he couldn't see just how red she was turning.
Hayashimizu had nothing to say to that and leaned against the wall, smiling to himself.
As if he'd been blind enough not to notice the lovely flower working by his side the entire time he had been president… well, he had to admit to himself, there had been a regrettable period of oversight on his part. He was lucky enough to regain his vision at the beginning of the year though.
Mikihara Ren. A girl not only fair of face but fair of heart and sharp of mind… how could he possibly miss her?
But despite his complete grasp on school politics and his absolute control over his emotions, he couldn't quite bring himself to guess if she felt the same way as he did. (2)
…not until today anyway.
If there was anything good that this whole fiasco had brought about, it was the fact that he finally knew Mikihara-kun did indeed reciprocate the covered up feelings within himself, if just enough to cause her that much concern for his health. A girl not accustomed to public shows of tearing up, crying because she supposedly could spread a life threatening disease to him should mean something, should it not?
He just wished they were in a more romantic setting. This was all really quite crude.
"…Mikihara-kun?"
"Yes, senpai?"
"It's been two hours already. I'll try and obtain my jacket for you, shall I?"
"You don't have to-"
He cut her off. "Stay put."
Hayashimizu figured everyone else was probably too busy trying to beat Sousuke into something with less viscosity than a puddle to care about a naked president. He got to his feet and quickly made his way into the guys' locker rooms where he proceeded to change. To his satisfaction, his clothes didn't mysteriously disintegrate into tiny shreds of fiber.
When he got back to the student council room, all he could see of Ren was her head and shoulders. The table did its job well and he handed her his white jacket.
"It should cover you enough for you to get your new uniform."
"Thank you…"
He turned his back on her, facing the wall. There was sound of rustling cloth behind him for a minute before the table could be heard being pushed slightly away.
"Senpai, you can turn around now."
Hayashimizu did so. And immediately hoped he wasn't nose bleeding since she looked like she was wearing a pretty short dress that looked really good on her. Not to mention it was his jacket.
Trying not to blush too hard, Ren managed, "I, I'll go change now… I'll return the jacket as soon as possible…"
She hurried out the door and away to the locker rooms. Hayashimizu remained in the student council room, staring out the door she'd gone through as the intercom came to life again.
"Everyone, your attention please. This is Kaname Chidori again. Listen, the two hours are up. I say again, the two hours are up. You can all go put your clothes on now without them going to pieces. Also, please leave Sousuke alone since you've all already hung him up to dry like a piece of dried pork from the flagpole. You've got more important things to do like changing. Thank you."
-ººº-
For such an eventful day, the walk home was definitely anti-climactic.
Well… for some anyway.
For a certain president and secretary though,a walk home had turned into a slow and deliberate paced stroll. Normally, Hayashimizu would walk Ren home in about fifteen minutes, talking on a variety of topics on the way and enjoying the scenery about them.
Today however, both of them seemed determined to drag the fifteen minute walk into a one hour journey. They'd also inadvertently drifted closer to each other as they walked, arms almost touching. She was gratefully clothed back in her gym togs while his jacket was back on his shoulders. And both were too busy contemplating new feelings to appreciate the splash of colour of the autumn leaves.
Finally, Hayashimizu decided to take action. He was the President of the Jindai High Student Council for goodness sake. Honour demanded he do something other than just walk beside the girl he'd fallen rather badly for.
"Mikihara-kun?"
"Yes?"
"Are you free right now at this very minute?"
"…yes, senpai, I would think so…" answered the girl, offering him a look of puzzlement.
He ignored his bizarre phrasing. "Since you're free right now at this very minute… would you like to go have a drink?"
The notion dawned very tentatively in her mind as she stared at him. "…sen… senpai?"
Hayashimizu had a smile on his face. She had a penchant for looking exceptionally pretty when she was puzzled like that. "I am, I believe, trying to get you to have a drink with me, Mikihara-kun… if you are willing."
Ren's eyes just got wider as the notion immediately became a full blown conclusion. Fighting down a blush, and losing spectacularly, she looked at her shoes as she walked, not trusting herself to look up. "I… a drink… sounds perfect, senpai."
Hayashimizu's smile grew. Letting his hand dangle for a bit, he felt Ren's brush against his and quickly caught her fingers. Blushing harder, she made no effort to retract them. The two walked off in the direction of a nearby cafe, hand in hand and wondering if all this was happening a bit too fast to be true.
Both decided they couldn't care less as long as he held her hands and she held his.
The End.
(1) With of course, the exception of one Sagara Sousuke for obvious reasons. One had to pity the poor boy.
(2) Hence his subtle inner workings to make sure no boy ever besmirched her honour in any way possible. The grapevine through out the school's teenage male community had been inundated with stories of Mikihara-san's protective father who employed the finest bodyguards all over the world to shield the young maid from prowling wolves. Apparently, said bodyguards could and would shoot a boy's family jewels out first before taking out his head. All with a bazooka, a three feet serrated dagger or some other more complicated gizmos no one else needed to figure out to understand this: you Do Not Go near Mikihara Ren with Impure Intentions. You Really Don't.
Sometimes Sousuke's military weaponry catalogues came in handy, much to Hayashimizu's hidden delight.
A/NII: Correct me if I'm wrong, but this must be the first HayashimizuxRen fic in this category. Believe me, I love SousukexChidori plenty too. I just have little idea how to write about em'. (sweat drops) Anyway, hope you enjoyed this story and have a nice day!
EDIT (4th Oct '05): To Dizzcity-san and MJP-san, thank you both so much for your reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to me.
Dizzcity-san, I have to admit I have this tendency for fluff... (sweatdrops) but I hope the last bit of conversation between Hayashimizu and Ren are more in character now. Thank you so much for the constructive crit!
MJP-san, I'm rather influenced by Terry Pratchett so I suppose that's where the Britcom comes in. Still, I'll try to work on that so thank you also for your con crit. (smile) Arigato gozaimasu!