No, I don't own Clannad (sadly)
We walked along the sidewalk, side by side. I glanced up at the sky and then to my side. Nagisa's hair was blowing in the wind. She walked slowly, barely paying attention. As usual, she had her nose stuck in her latest playbook. She noticed me looking at her. Why was it that when she smiled that beautiful smile all my worries disappeared? I blushed, furiously. The smile lit up her face, the expression showed so much joy. We paused at a spotlight and I looked towards the sunset. We were going home after a long day of practicing for the latest play, spawned from a brainstorming session with Kotomi and Ryou.
"What's the matter Tomoya?" Nagisa said slipping the book into her bag. Her delicate fingers had become strong after she recovered from the latest bout of her sickness. She saw me staring and I turned my eyes up to the sky, hoping she wouldn't notice.
"It's nothing" I said, scratching an invisible itch. "Akio-san is going to freak out when he sees us coming home so late," I chuckled at the idea.
"Tomoya!" Nagisa said startled as if he could hear us.
"It's alright," I said grabbing her hand and pulling her along the sidewalk. I was even surprised by my own boldness. We rarely touched even though we've been going out for several months. Nagisa gasped, blushed and looked down.
"T-Tomoya-kun, you were very good at practice today. You really are good at enunciating. Maybe we should practice after supper? We could go to the special place and play with some tongue twisters," She smiled at me, making my heart skip a beat again.
"Sure," I said as we tuned down the familiar street and I found myself staring at the Furukawa's bakery sign. I heard the sliding door slam open as Sanae and Akio came running out.
"I love you, Sanae!" Akio said chasing after his wife, cramming the specialty bread of the day in his mouth. Nagisa and I chuckled as we entered and sat down at the table. Nagisa made some tea while I sat down at the table in my usual spot. Nagisa brought the tea in and I suddenly saw her five years from now, carrying tea for me with the same smile on her lips. I quickly shook the thought off, as well as the thought that five years from now we would still be together. Though the thought didn't frighten or upset me, I wanted to focus on the now, and not the later. But even so, whenever the thought of my future arose, Nagisa was always somewhere. Would I be going to college? I do want to make enough money to support Nagisa and I. What occupation do I want in the future? Something flexible, so I can be there and support Nagisa. I stared off into space as Nagisa stared at me. I noticed, and smiled at her.
"I'm just thinking about the future is all," I said, taking my tea and sipping it lightly. Nagisa always put the right amount of sugar in.
"I think about the future a lot too," Nagisa sighed and drank her own tea, "I don't know what I'm going to do. I will probably work at the bakery, maybe." The silent pause meant she was thinking about our relationship as well.
"Well, we still have a while off," I said sighing as well. Akio and Sanae popped back in.
"What have you guys been doing while I was gone?" Akio demanded getting close to me, "But you don't know that Nagisa has a strong disliking to raisins! Now this changes your whole perspective on things!" Akio crawled over too Nagisa, "Why don't you dump that loser and come back and cry in your old daddy's lap?" He cried, as Sanae laughed lightly.
"Dad!" Nagisa cried, her eyes begging him to stop.
"Well, actually, I don't like raisins that much either," I said trying to defend Nagisa. Akio hopped up and yelled.
"What is the matter with you? Why don't you like raisins? Nagisa picky eaters make bad husbands." Nagisa and I blushed immediately. Akio realized what he was implying. The cigarette he was smoking fell from his lips. "Why aren't you saying 'Of course, Daddy. I would never marry him,' my girl is growing up," We all laughed. Diner passed normally, the time ticking by. Nagisa and I headed out to the streetlight to practice. I had no intention of practicing but watching the determination in Nagisa's eyes told me there was no backing out. Nagisa stood on her normal spot, the light beating down on her face, the breeze blowing her hair.
"Tomoya. You should start." She said clasping her hands together. I shook my head and motioned for her to go ahead. She started with a favorite of hers, "She sells seashells by the seashore," Nagisa said over and over until her voice didn't stumbled over the words. I took a step closer to her, expecting her to stop and push me away since we were only about a foot apart. I took another step forward, our feet touched.
"…Chuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood…" I put my arm above her head on the post. We were touching now. "Peter Piper picked a peck of… Tomoya-kun?" She said, covering her blush. I knew she was embarrassed and a little bit afraid. I leaned closer, Nagisa closed her eyes shut, and squeezing them so hard they could disappear. I could feel her breath on my chin. I leaned down further until our eyes were in the same place and waited. Why can't she look at me? I wondered, why is she acting like if we kissed it would be the end of the world.
"Nagisa," I breathed in her face, she cautiously opened her eyes.
"Tomoya, I'm sorry. I'm nervous," She whispered back. Her breath smelled like tea, as I'm sure mine did.
"I am too," I said, again keeping the low tone. She opened her mouth to respond, I knew, but I pressed my lips against hers. I could tell she was surprised. Her eyes looked back at me with great shock, I saw her close her eyes as I closed my own. The fireworks went off, I felt the electricity as I parted from her. Nagisa stared, as did I. We were silent, and I blushed turning my face downwards. Nagisa kept her gaze fixed on my forehead.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it was. I liked it," Nagisa whispered, I could feel the heat from her face.
"I won't do it again unless you want me to." I said, I felt guilty that I didn't ask her. I had stolen a kiss without permission. I turned so that my back was facing her now. I rigidly walked starting towards the hours. Nagisa caught my arm. I turned to she that the blush had slowly faded and was replaced by a huge smile.
"I love you, Tomoya-kun." Nagisa said running to catch up with me. We opened the door hand and hand, both of us realizing what we had done, quickly separated. Sanae looked at giggle and us.
"Oh oh oh, the lovebirds are back," She sand, putting the leftover bread into a bag. I saw the cigarette drop from Akio's mouth again.
"Lovebirds? When did this happen?" He demanded, I sighed and rolled my eyes. We both knew that Akio had realized after the first few days.
"From the moment we first met it was love. We met a goukon. Everything we've been telling you is a lie," I said trying to keep a straight face, but the smile kept protruding. The picture of Nagisa at a gouken, that was priceless.
"Tomoya!" Nagisa said blushing, she didn't like my joke, I thought. "Dad, he was joking we didn't even meet at a goukon! We met on the way to school." She tried to defend herself but I just couldn't help it
"Right, and after we met we ditched school and sung karaoke." I laughed and so did Sanae, knowing that it was all in good humor Nagisa laughed as well. Akio stared blank faced.
"Kid, let's have a talk." Akio said leading me into the kitchen.
"Alright," I said, as I followed him. Nagisa and Sanae trailed along behind me, not getting the hint that it was a 'man's talk'. I sat down, so did Nagisa and Sanae. Sanae poured the tea.
"Now, I don't want Nagisa to know about this, but I am concerned about what any parent might be about," Akio started, Sanae gave him his tea and he said thanks.
"What?" Nagisa said, looking up at her father. I looked into the light brown pools of caramel. In the light abyss, I saw my everything. I stared straight in her eyes, as Akio and Sanae stared at us. I knew they were looking, and I should turn my eyes away. But I kept staring. The kiss kept replaying in my head. Akio turned his head in a sudden motion, realizing that Nagisa and Sanae were still in the room.
"EH? Nagisa? Sanae? Get out. This is a man's talk." Akio said shooing them away. I shook my own head, trying to get the terrifying vision of her pupils staring deeply into my own. Akio sat back down at the table. "As I was saying, punk, you better not be messing with Nagisa's heart. She may just be a toy to you, but if you break her heart I'll break your face." He said, taking a serious tone. I was taken aback. I was shocked that he doubted my feelings. I, myself, didn't know the severity of my consciousness. I thought that everyone could feel that I was happy. I had changed and how come no one knew?
"Sir," I said taking the polite way out, "I absolutely have no intention of breaking your daughter's heart. I want to be with her forever… If you would let me?" I added the last part because of the glare he was giving me. I looked down and put my hands in my lap.
"No, never. I will never let you have her. Kah! This punk wants my daughter? Never. " Akio said, I saw the front he was putting up and I decided not to push. To me, the answer sounded like a maybe.
The next day we walked to school, Nagisa and I. She couldn't look me in the eye, I couldn't bring myself to look her way either. I even gave myself a pep talk the same morning, I wasn't going to let my nerves overcome my speech abilities but the conversation with Akio kept popping back into my mind as well as the reminder of the kiss. Nagisa's own anxiousness made me want to overcome the gapping silence. I pictured us on separate sides of mountain, the lake of awkwardness in between.
"N-Nagisa, you uh look good today," I said unsure. Nagisa looked up and at me curiously, she twirled around, waving her arms.
"Strange, I'm only wearing my school uniform," She laughed lightly. In the background I heard the usual buzz of Kyou's motorbike, I stepped to the side with only seconds to spare as Kyou came crashing towards me.
"Okazaki! Get out of the waaaaaay!" She yelled as we barely missed each other. Her motorbike landed without a scratch. I breathed heavily as she tottered back to us.
"Okazaki, you need to move out of the way faster. Hi Nagisa," Kyou said immediately distracted. But Nagisa didn't even spare a glance. She rushed over to me, throwing her bag on the ground.
"Tomoya-kun, are you alright?" She asked, checking for scratches on my hands. Her own hands were shaking. I was shocked; this happened every morning why was she only acting like this now?
"I'm fine. See?" I said, turning around and stretching.
"Thank God," She said, I saw tears in her eyes. I stood rigid.
"There's no need to cry," I said stiffly.
"I'm so happy, you're not hurt," Nagisa said as the tears poured down her face, she quickly down her face.
"H-Hey" I said, putting my hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to stop. "Shh, I'm alright. No reason to keep crying. C'mon." I said glancing at Kyou as she walked over to us.
"Nagisa, stop crying! You are such a baby," Kyou yelled, as the anger boiled within me. How dare she yell at her! Nagisa was just being concerned.
"Don't yell at her!" I growled. Nagisa looked up shocked. Kyou just shrugged and smiled.
"I knew it. Your reactions are priceless. You kissed last night! Didn't you?" She laughed and rode away.
"Dammit." I said, looking around hoping no one heard. Nagisa's eyes stared back at me. She blushed when our eyes met. I blushed too.
"You aren't upset about last night, are you?" I asked, scratching my cheek.
"No," Nagisa said as if this were obvious. "I just love you so much Tomoya. I don't' no what else I would if you weren't here."
"Baka," I started, "I'll always be here for you," I said with the utmost earnesty. I looked in to her eyes, unaware of the students walking past us and gaping. Nagisa was transfixed with a spot in between my eyes, too embarrassed to look directly at me. I pulled her into a huge embrace. I waited for her to push me back, and was surprised when she didn't/
"Tomoya, promise you'll never leave me," She said, the tears stopping. I heard the shakiness in her voice. She needed someone to depend on, and I was that someone. I stroked her hair and muttered words of love and babbling nonsense as I rocked her back and worth. We heard the warning bell ring distantly and realized we were going to be late. But that was fine with me. I took her hand and stood up. We walked to school hand and hand. Unafraid of the consequences, I had no doubt that our love would withstand anything.