Breathless
By:
Bluekinu
Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maoh, neither the song "Breathless" by The Corrs.
It was an exceptionally peaceful morning at the castle. There weren't any rumors of an impending war, no emergency family matters to attend to; and since Yuuri had temporarily returned to Earth, Gwendal was able to catch up with his paperwork.
Gwendal was seated in his usual place at his desk, his serious dark blue eyes reading through each new law, proclamation and political bill. The bright morning sunshine seeped in through the huge glass window behind him and made it easy to see the three notably high stacks of paper piled up on his right side, and two other remarkably bulky stacks of paper about half the other's height, neatly piled at his left.
Gwendal's eyes shifted to the shelves to his left and as his gaze settled on his hand-made plushies all neatly seated together in them made him smile subtly, a rather rare thing to see from his often somber face. He found comfort in doing paperwork, but he also enjoyed the adventures he got himself into whenever Yuuri was around---he just won't admit it out loud.
He took a deep breath and went back to work. He was just about to affix his signature to one proposal when he suddenly felt goose bumps rising on his left arm; and then his heart skipped a beat.
"So much for an exceptionally peaceful morning…" he muttered.
By that time he could hear the familiar voice ringing jovially as its source approached his study. Gwendal then put his head over his left hand and prepared himself for the inevitable.
"Ooohh Gweeen-daaal!!!" Annissina broke in with her usual energetic voice.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Gwendal grunted, not even bothering to look up.
"I know, but aren't you going to ask why I'm here?" Annissina moved closer to his table.
"Actually, yes and no." Gwendal spat, still not looking up.
Annissina didn't reply, but gave him a challenging "oh-yeah-really" look that Gwendal expected to see even though his head was still bowed down.
"Yes, because I want to know what you're doing here. And no, because I know you would most probably have another invention---"
"---that I would want to show you!" Annissina finished off for him with a big smile.
"More like test on me." Gwendal mumbled to himself as a vein as a vein began to throb at his left temple.
Annissina laughed, clasping her hands together. "Oh no Gwendal dear… I'm just really going to show you a plan I drafted. All I need is your go signal and when I'm done, you can test it then!"
Gwendal looked up, "Should I be thankful for that?" he asked dryly.
Annissina giggled and took out a folded paper from her side pocket. She unfolded it and revealed a sort of blueprint diagram with all the "works" on it.
"The-Real-Magical-Plushie-Maker-kun…" Gwendal read, his eyebrow raised and his lips twitched.
"So, what do you think?" Annissina inquired eagerly.
Gwendal handed her back the paper, his face quite irritated as he stood up and leaned on the wall. "And what do you mean by that?"
Annissina smiled brightly, "Oh nothing much really. I just thought this might help you make more CUTE plushies faster."
Gwendal glowered at her in silence.
"Just say yes, Gwendal! I'm doing you a favor here! If anyone would see your plushies, then science books will definitely be rewritten!" Annissina thought to herself.
"Fine, do whatever you want…as if I'm not used to it by now." Gwendal gave in, sighing a bit as he wrinkled his forehead yet again.
"Ahahahahaha!!" Annissina laughed heartily. "I'm so happy you said yes, I could kiss you!"
Gwendal almost choked upon hearing her last statement. His ears and the sides of his cheeks started to feel hot. He cleared his throat, "Can I now be left in peace?" he asked flatly.
"Oh yes, don't let me bother you. You go on with your work and I'll start with mine. You'll be surprised as to how easy you'll be able to make your plushies with my invention. You'll just simply type in what animal you like to make, and it will generate a VERY clear and accurate pattern for you to follow, and then,… blah, blah, blah… " Annissina continued as Gwendal walked her out of the room.
Annissina cleared a portion of her worktable and placed the blueprint on one side. She took out a box from one of her cabinets and placed the contents on top of the table.
Grinning, she gazed at them and said to herself, "I would still make you this even without your yes Gwendal.", that thought made her smile.
In truth, she had already completed making the parts of her "The Real Magical Plushie Maker", and all she needed to do is to connect and screw them in, and place the finishing touches.
Annissina walked over to the other side of the room and reached for her tools, as she started to sing.
The daylight's fading slowly
The time with you is standing still
I'm waiting for you only
The slightest touch and I'll believe
She placed her protective eye mask over her face & walked back to her working table.
I cannot lie, from you I cannot hide
I'm losing the will to try
Can't hide it, can't fight it.
Her bright blue eyes sparkled with delight as she started putting her invention together.
So
Don't go
Come one
Leave me breathless
Gently, tease me
Until I can't deny this loving feeling
Let me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah
Come on
In no time, her "The Real Magical Plushie Maker" was already taking shape, as if her singing inspired her to work even faster.
And if there is no tomorrow
And all we have is here and now
I'm happy just to have you
You're all the love I need somehow
It's like a dream
Although I'm not asleep
I never want to wake up
Annissina attached the last finishing touches; her voice reverberated through the room.
Don't loose it
Don't leave it
Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Gently, tease me
Until I can't deny this loving feeling
Let me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah
Come on
She took off her eye cover and smiled, satisfied at how her newest invention looked.
I'm not going to lie
From you I cannot hide
I've lost my will to try
Can't hide it, can't fight it
Go on, go on
Come one leave me breathless
Gently, tease me
Until I can't deny this loving feeling
Make me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
She tied her "The Real Plushie Maker" with a cream colored ribbon and scribbled a note to go with it.
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on
She smiled as she gracefully whisked it away and left the room.
"Knock, knock." Annissina peeked into Gwendal's study.
"Hmm…why do I feel like you've got something up your sleeves again?" Gwendal replied; his back turned against her as he gazed into the late afternoon sun from the huge glass windows.
"Oh, c'mon Gwendal, loosen up. Being to serious is bad for your skin." Annissina teased.
"That's because you didn't barge in like you always do, and that makes me think things." Gwendal turned and faced her.
"Now, now, someone's getting paranoid." Annissina laughed.
Gwendal shook his head and sighed.
"Anyway…TADA!!" Annissina presented her invention to Gwendal. "My latest invention: The Real Magical Plushie Maker!"
"So that's what you've been hiding behind your back." Gwendal said as he took it in his hands. It somewhat resembled a gameboy, although a little bigger and it had a mini keyboard and wider screen.
"So what do you think?" Annissina asked, smiling eagerly at Gwendal.
Gwendal's heart started to beat fast again, seeing Annissina smile like that leaves him short of breath. "It looks nice and," he paused for emphasis, "harmless," he said, examining the thing. "Unlike your other inventions," he added flatly.
Annissina pouted. "Very encouraging, Gwendal."
He moved to his table and placed "The Real Magical Plushie Maker" gently on top.
"I guarantee you'll be blown away by its accuracy and efficiency." Annissina cheered.
Gwendal froze, "Blown away..?" Now I know this is truly Annisina's invention, Gwendal thought sardonically, wisely keeping it to himself.
"Anyway, here." Gwendal opened his drawer and took out a plushie and handed it to Annissina. "Just a little something for you."
Annisssina reached for it and held it over her left palm, "Gwendal, you really shouldn't have. This is such an adorable…"
"…baby polar bear." Gwendal finished for her. So what if it looked like a skunk with a pig's head? He thought indignantly. Argh! I really need to stop musing like this! He decided, his head nodding at nothing in particular.
"Yeah…right!" Annissina nodded. "More like an albino baby hippo." she thought to herself smiling.
Gwendal stared at her. Well that was unexpected, Gwendal thought.
"I don't understand why you went out of your way just to make me this…"The Real Magical Plushie Maker" when you know I can knit perfectly well." Gwendal said, his voice and his usually stern dark blue eyes were calm. Although there was a slight annoyed tone in his voice, his amused face said otherwise.
Annissina smiled, "Consider that a token of my appreciation." she winked.
Gwendal binked, a little stunned.
"My job is done! I'll be leaving you in peace…for now." Annissina grinned; her bright blue eyes sparkled mischievously as she started out of the room.
"Why not stay for dinner?" Gwendal blurted as Annissina was halfway to the door.
Annissina stopped and turned to face him. She didn't say anything but instead gave him a curious look; a small smile broke on her face.
Gwendal's eyes moved uneasily around the room; he hates it when she looks at him like that, yet he likes it too in more ways than he would openly admit.
"My men could escort you home…that is if you would want to." Gwendal offered. (knowing how independent Annissina is and how she resented being coddled).
"Why, that is very kind of you Lord Gwendal von Voltaire." Annissina joked.
She shook her head gently, "I would love to, but not today." She paused and then continued, "Dinner with you sounds nice… I would love that." Annissina smiled and turned towards the door.
Gwendal's heart raced, he was never used to this feeling, and seeing Annissina leave the room had him short of breath yet again; all these mixed emotions churned inside of him. "Why do you do this, Annissina?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"Huh?" Annissina stopped, as she was about to open the door. She looked sideways and slowly turned to face him again.
"You know I hate it when you order me around and use me as your guinea pig in all of your inventions, which most of the time is hazardous to one's health, and yet even in those circumstances, I let you have your way." Gwendal paused for a while, both of them looking at each other, he continued, "And why is it that whenever you smile you always leave me…"
"…breathless?" Annissina asked, her face gentle now.
Gwendal could have sworn his heart skipped a beat or two at what Annissina had just said; that's the exact word he was about to say. "Yes…"
Annissina opened the door and just before she was completely out of the room she looked back at Gwendal and said, "The funny thing is, I was meaning to ask you the same thing."
"Annissina…" Gwendal uttered in a surprised yet relieved tone.
Annissina can't help but to giggle, it was one of those rare occasions were she saw Gwendal in such a picture-perfect-candid-look.
"'Till then Gwendal…" Annissina called in her usual cheery voice, closing the door behind her to a silent shut.
THE END