Nosh
By Matelia-legwll
Note: this piece is hereby disclaimed from proving me as attempting to impersonate Nakamura-sensei or anyone holding the rights to Skip Beat.
1. verb (used without object): to snack or eat between meals.
2. verb (used with object) to snack on: They noshed peanuts and cookies while watching television.
3. noun: a snack.
Story: There was a party to celebrate the end of filming for Box-R and the next thing she knew Kyouko was waking up – in a hot air balloon?
Characters: [Ren/Kuon, Kyoko], Sebastian, whoever else you want
Genre: no holds barred
Must:
1) have at least some part of the story as fluffy as an alpaca (it can start/end in tragedy/horror so long as there is a good whack of quality fluff) ;
2) include Sebastian doing his creep-up-on-you-scare at least twice.
A/N: I apologize for any inconsistencies with the real world air ballooning. I will take full advantage of my naivety in this area with poetic/literary license.
Kyoko awoke to a gentle swaying sensation. Where was she? What was going on?
She struggled to open her eyes, and instead of forcing them open against their will, she started to register all that she could hear. Every minute or so, there was a loud roaring sound that held steady for about five seconds and then ceased. Over the sound of the wind and flapping material high above her, she could hear someone's soft footsteps pacing to and fro, and also a second person's regular breathing, as if that person was still sleeping.
She tried to think back, but the last thing she could remember was being at the Box R wrap up party. She had been quite impressed with the party and its decor. However, that was only to be expected as President Lory had caught wind of the party too early and had volunteered to be the main sponsor, on the prerequisite that all parties involved in celebrating bring a date.
Kyoko had felt certain that she had unwittingly walked directly into a trap when she heard the news that she would be required as the actress playing Natsu to appear and bring a date. Of course she knew whom she would love to invite, and the President knew that information as well, but there was no way she could actually dredge up the courage to ask him. So she attempted the next best thing: an evening with her best friend.
But Moko-san had refused to go with her, first citing the fact that her schedule that particular evening was packed, then pointing out that there was no way Natsu would arrive unstylishly with a female friend as a date. Kyoko had reluctantly agreed, and suggested that if she was Natsu, she would probably arrive with the best guy possible. Moko-san had nodded, agreeing with that interpretation, and then pushed her in the direction of two people conveniently walking down the hall, Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san, with a last call of "Good luck! Gambatte!" before leaving her alone in the lion's den.
Tsuruga-san's curious gaze and sharp persuasion had gotten her to at least spill her quandary to him and his manager, but she did manage to refrain from obviously and awkwardly asking him. She had reasoned to herself that he was one of the busiest men in the business, and there would be no way that he'd be free to be her date for that night anyway. However, Yashiro-san took the opportunity to inform both of them that Ren was free on the evening in question, and Kyoko got swept away in disbelief when Tsuruga-san suggested he accompany her without any further prompting from her.
Tsuruga-san had then muttered something about "playing along" and "avoiding a plan" but Kyoko didn't understand that, so she just focused on her joy that Tsuruga Ren would be her date for that evening party. She quickly realized the mistake of focusing like that, as Yashiro had put a hand to her forehead in concern, and it was only after harsh and constant persuasion that she was able to convince the manager that she wasn't suffering from a fever.
So she had been heartily enjoying the party and the opportunity to officially arrive on Ren's arm (an honor she hadn't indulged in since she had played Setsu), despite Yuka-san's sudden harsh looks and unfriendly company. Makino-san and Amamiya-san had given the other girl knowing looks, and Rumi-chan lightened the mood, being completely oblivious.
Then, Amamiya-san had abandoned her own date and whisked Kyoko away from Tsuruga-san, in order to chat with her alone for a bit. And that was the last thing Kyoko remembered, before waking up in this place. What had happened during her chat with Amamiya-san that prevented her from remembering anything further? Her head spun, and she felt stupid and embarrassed at the lack of connecting memories.
She couldn't hear the pacing footsteps any more and a sudden anxiety filled her. She found her eyes finally willing to open, and she sat up to look around her. A dark face, much too close, was the first thing she saw. She only just held back a yelp, as recognition of the features staring at her set in, and settled for scrambling away from his closeness.
The floor seemed to rock slightly with her movement, and Kyoko took a moment to try to distract herself from her surge of nausea with the oddity of the roaring sound coming from above her. This time it was accompanied by a blast of heat washing over her. Had she moved into a pillar of sunlight? It didn't seem any brighter. However, the man she continued to call Sebastian calmly stared at her, then when the roar ceased, whispered simply, "Mogami-sama, don't fear. You're finally awake."
Kyoko put a hand to her mouth, not willing to speak in case the spinning in her stomach erupted.
"Would you like some nosh to help settle your stomach? I have crackers and biscuits."
She still felt the weird sensation of rocking back and forth. Kyoko's head started to spin as a result of the nausea and the oddly shaped room never ceasing to rock. She nodded quickly, and the President's aide procured the snacks for her within seconds.
"Where-where am I?" Kyoko asked as she held her head steady and tried to swallow a cracker. "Why am I not at the Box R wrap up party? What happened?"
Sebastian blinked, then looked behind her to the other body lying prostrate on the ground, sleeping. "I think I'll let your companion explain what he will when he awakens."
Kyoko turned her head to follow his gaze and found an impossible sight.
There was no mistaking that glittering golden hair, despite the fact that the man lying on the deck and still breathing heavily otherwise looked exactly like her date, Tsuruga Ren. Kyoko noticed that the outfit the man was wearing was a complete match, even down to every last detail of Tsuruga-san's accessories that she had memorized in order to make her newest Ren doll.
But how? It was, it certainly had to be... the name burst from her lips, "Corn?"
Her head was still spinning. Wouldn't this motion stop? Perhaps it was a side effect of being asleep for so long... this constant jerky swaying. To distract herself from focusing on the motion and becoming more sick, she turned her full attention to the fairy prince.
At her voice calling his name, the man had begun to cough, and he started to shift around, finally awakening. "What happened?" He muttered, forcing his eyes open. "I've got such a splitting headache."
Sebastian nodded slightly from his position refastening a rope he had altered along the wall.
No! Wait! Kyoko wanted to shout at the sound of his voice. Didn't Corn need to touch her forehead to first borrow a voice? She had been prepared with plenty of memories of Yashiro-san in order to prevent the moe attack that would result from Corn using Tsuruga-san's voice like what was happening. Still, the mention of the headache worried her. She crawled over and lifted Corn's head into her lap where Ren's head had rested that one time before.
Her fingers gently combed his soft locks of glimmering hair, and she resisted comparing the feel of Ren's hair versus Corn's, as she gently asked, "Are you okay, Corn? Where does it hurt?"
"Kyoko-chan?" he muttered, turning to look at her. He knew he'd blame the headache if she questioned why the sudden lack of formality.
She felt a rush of pleasure. No matter how impure her heart had become, as shown by Corn's near complete unconscious copy of Tsuruga-san, she still had the purity to recognize his true hair and his true eyes through the deceptive magic.
"Corn," she confirmed, nodding in response to her own name. "We're with Sebastian-san."
His eyes suddenly widened, having realized several things as his brain caught up with what his love was indirectly telling him. "What? Oh."
Sebastian (Kyoko's nickname for the President's mysterious aide was as good as any others he'd heard) seemed to have guessed what bothered him the most and slyly procured a small mirror out of a bag attached to a wall so that Kuon could confirm that he was indeed in his natural appearance around Kyoko. And thus she would expect Corn rather than Ren. Also, Sebastian's own presence proved that his attempted escape from the President's meddling by actively seeking Kyoko's company at the party was short lived.
He reluctantly sat up, glanced at the small hand mirror before doing a sleight of hand and slipping it away unseen by Kyoko, and then looked at their surroundings. This had to be a weird dream. It was not really happening. That's the only reason he could take this in calmly. "Why are we in a hot air balloon?"
"Master's orders," was Sebastian's only reply.
"Hot... Air... Balloon?" Kyoko repeated slowly as if needing the time to process the words. She suddenly giggled. "Why didn't I think of that? That makes a lot more sense. And that would explain why I've felt so motion sick. We're constantly moving."
"Motion sick?" Kuon repeated, concern for her distracting him from his headache and Sebastian's response.
She smiled brightly. "Now that I know what is causing it, I'll be fine." She leaned back and gazed upwards at the yards of colorful fabric billowing in the winds and puffing with the heated air every so often. The frequency of the roaring hot air had slowed, it not being necessary to rise further, but just to maintain height.
Kuon nodded, reassured, then Sebastian's words belatedly repeated in his mind, and he groaned. "Master's... He must have found out somehow."
"Who? And found out what?" Kyoko eagerly questioned. She had only to keep the conversation alive with Corn to prevent herself from focusing on the movement of the balloon.
"Lory Takarada must have found out what I promised when I left Kyoko-chan in Guam. Am I wrong?" Kuon challenged Sebastian.
The aide stared, neither confirming nor denying, but Kuon took the silence as a confirmation.
"So President arranged for us to meet again?" Kyoko's eyes sparkled at the idea. She was pleased to discover that La-La Land also prevented her head from spinning.
"Among other things," Kuon grumbled, gesturing to the woven walls of the basket. "How long have we been sleeping in this balloon? And which direction have we been floating?"
Kyoko fell silent, not knowing the answer to either question.
"He found out about Guam. How did he find out about Guam?" Kuon complained. "I put forth so much effort to be secretive about it."
"He never heard such a thing from me." Kyoko declared strongly before hesitating and biting her lip. "Ano, I did tell one person," she admitted, "but Ren, I mean Tsuruga-san, is completely trustworthy, and I don't think he'd tell President what I told him in confidence."
"Oh?" said Kuon, intrigued by her calling his alias so familiarly, but felt a great desire to reassure her that nothing of the sort had happened between Ren and the President. "Yes, I'm sure that's true."
"Would either of you like to nosh on some cake I have here?" Sebastian pulled out a box from one of the saddlebags hanging on the inside.
Nosh. The word triggered a rush of memories for both Kyoko and Ren.
That's right, thought Kyoko. Amamiya-san had asked her to get some nosh with her in order to talk more privately. And then, she had eaten the special cake Amamiya-san recommended, and woke up on the hot air balloon. "No cake please," she spluttered. She did not want to lose the next several hours too.
Kuon remembered what had happened next, as Amamiya-san had run back to where he was and pulled him over to Kyoko's unmoving form babbling about how she had just noshed on some cake. Reliving the fright at seeing her lying there, unresponsive, Kuon wrapped Kyoko in a spontaneous hug, reassuring himself that things were different now and causing her to look up at him in surprise. He shook his head, unable to explain, still reliving the memory. As Ren had cradled his unconscious love, he had felt someone's eyes directly behind his head. He had started to instinctively dodge but a sharp jab to a pressure point on his neck meant almost instant unconsciousness. The only person that could sneak up on him well enough to best his instincts was... the man called Sebastian.
His eyes flitted over to their immediate captor, guide, steersman, and cook.
"You are the only one who could get away with doing what you did, you know."
The aide nodded in acknowledgement, putting the cake away.
"How long are we supposed to be up here?" Kuon asked.
"You both have secrets you are keeping from each other." Sebastian said. "I was already there when each of you confessed those things to the President, so my presence here is nonthreatening."
Kyoko started to exclaim, "I have kept no secrets from Corn! In fact I have probably been extremely obvious about what you overheard me tell President."
Kuon was torn between curiosity on what she had confided in President, and outrage at the meddling that was forcing his hand at this point. "I don't recall your presence during most of my private chats with the Boss."
"True enough, but I was thoroughly briefed on your situation before this mission from him commenced," clarified Sebastian. "Thus this is a trust exercise. We will continue to float for another few hours and you can be free to confess to each other different things that you trust the other to keep secret once we disembark from the balloon. There is also no risk of paparazzi or other media representative overhearing your confessions while we are in the air."
Kuon sighed. There was literally no way out of this situation, and the conditions in the balloon weren't bad for what he knew he must confess to her. Sebastian, noting that his duty was done, blended in with the woven walls as he quietly controlled the air balloon.
At his sigh, Kyoko's gaze returned to the fairy prince that had enveloped her in his arms and had not yet let go. "Corn? What's wrong?"
His gaze shot to hers at the question, and he stiffened.
"I don't understand," she admitted. "Please tell me?"
He could tell from her glittering eyes that she was still mostly residing in her La-La Land, and frowned. That meant she was only processing what would make sense to her and rejecting all statements that contradicted her state of reality. It would make it harder for him to disillusion her while she was in this way. Maybe if he was absolutely blunt? He shook his head. That would be much too cruel.
"Corn?"
Her vulnerable voice and cute blush as she called his name almost undid his resolve. It also didn't help to realize that his arms hadn't moved yet and had gripped her close for a long time without her protest.
"I love you, Kyoko-chan. I love you, and I'm sorry," he quickly blurted, removing his arms so that they could face each other. He'd be better able to judge her reactions that way. He still kept a grip on her shoulders though.
Kyoko instantly screwed her face into an unrecognizable expression upon hearing his confession. "Not with that voice, please, Corn."
Irritation flared and he released his hands immediately. That was the second time she'd obviously objected to his voice. "And why not?" Kuon demanded. Was it some comparison with Fuwa's?
"You may not realize it, but you are using Tsuruga-san's voice. And if I hear that voice speak those words..." Kyoko trailed off, shaking her head. "False hope would be bad," she muttered.
Irritation gave way to intrigue. His voice... leads to false hope? Kuon also wanted to avoid false hope, as he had learned his lesson many times over. However, this new hope... Could it really be? Truly?
"Besides, what could you possibly apologize for, Corn?" Kyoko waved a hand dismissively. He was a fairy prince. That equaled practically perfect in her book.
Kuon refocused and gripped her shoulders once more. "Lots of things. I've hidden parts of myself from you, and from the world at large. I even hid my real name and our friendship from you when I had figured it out. I had reasons, but those reasons are sounding less and less acceptable the longer I think on them."
"Your real name?" Kyoko repeated, then drew in a sharp breath. "Is it Cornelius?"
He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "No. Where does that come from?"
She shyly bowed her head, blushing. "Thumbelina. One version I saw had that as the name of her fairy prince."
Kuon couldn't resist raising and brushing a hand against those blushing cheeks. "I swear, I will always be your fairy prince, even if you give me an NG for this situation."
"Then, what is your true name?" Kyoko innocently asked.
He hesitated, then switched subjects. "You've actually met my father."
"The fairy king?" She blinked.
Kuon nodded. "And you've become a magnificent fairy princess yourself."
Her brow furrowed. "I have?" She looked over her shoulder, but didn't see any wings.
He grinned. "Would it help for me to tell you that the kingdom of the fairies is actually a kingdom of actors?"
"But-but-" she stuttered.
Kuon shushed her. "Think about it. We've plenty of time."
Kyoko hated to admit it, but the similarities between the two options were as striking as the similarities between Corn and Ren. Especially as she considered what Corn had told her when they were young about his kingdom. But if what he had said was true and the fairy kingdom really was the world of showbiz, the only person she had met that had actually resembled Corn's description of his father all those years ago would have to be Hizuri Kuu. But that would mean that her precious prince was in all actuality Hizuri Kuon, Father's son that was last seen at fifteen, though he should have aged five or six years. She shook her head. All the thinking was making her nausea return.
"Corn, I'll think about it later," she promised. "Right now, I still have a headache. It makes thinking hard."
Kuon considered that, and his own headache throbbed. "Then, would you like to look out of the balloon?" He extended a hand to her and steadied her as she stood for the first time.
Her gasp of surprise and joy at seeing the beautiful landscape floating by, was a perfect reward for his suggestion.
All weariness and nausea forgotten, the two gazed out happily in silence as the balloon passed over green hills, rice fields, and trees and wild flowers alike. Kyoko reached out at one point, as if with a little stretch of her fingers she could touch a cloud they were floating next to. Kuon, feeling a little anxiety at the unlikely possibility that she could tip out of the balloon, wrapped an arm around her waist.
Sebastian calmly observed the couple, having finished his duties to the balloon. Lory wouldn't be happy that no significant progress was made, and that Kyoko had failed to express what she had confessed last White Day. Sebastian couldn't decide if Ren's comments about fairies were supposed to mean that Ren had made an effort to confess some of his secrets to her.
Kyoko suddenly let out a wail. "Oh no!"
Sebastian straightened. Kuon turned instantly, the question already forming in his eyes before he could voice it. "What's wrong?"
"The chicken shape of the cloud reminded me. If this really is the day after the Box R party, I had filming for Kimagure Rock today." Kyoko frowned, still worried, though not overly dismayed now. "I hope they found someone good to fill in for me in the giant chicken suit."
Kuon plastered on a smile to cover his shock. Did she just mention filming in a giant chicken suit? His friend from TBM's giant chicken suit?
Glancing up at him, Kyoko winced. "Please don't do that. Now you really look like Tsuruga-san."
"That's not that much of a surprise, Kyoko-chan." Kuon reminded her. "I am exactly like Tsuruga-san, even down to the outfit he was wearing last night." He personally wondered why the President felt the need to meddle with his appearance of hair and eyes while leaving everything else the same.
Kyoko reached a hand up to his face. Fingering a few strands of hair she said, "Not entirely. Though it really suits him, this is yours, ne?" Her fingers moved lightly over his cheekbone, resting at the corner of his eye. "This too, I know is yours. Your eyes are such a unique shade."
His stiff smile gentled. "True." He further resolved to find the chicken as Ren in TBM once they landed. He would now be on the lookout as to whether the chicken was really Mogami-san.
Turning suddenly, Kyoko let out a squeak. Sebastian had been staring at them from close up again, and the aide took this opportunity to inform the two of the imminent landing of the balloon and instruct them on what they needed to do in order to safely land.
Kyoko shook her head in amazement as Corn helped brace various ropes as Sebastian let air out and they started to descend. What a glorious adventure it all had been.
Kuon leaned over to whisper in her ear just before they hit the ground. "Come find me when you figure out everything. I promise, I'll explain."
"Will you be in America with Father?" Kyoko asked.
Kuon started, then a slow smile crept over his face. "No, I'll be where I have been in Tokyo. Good job, though. You've connected two of my three main names."
"Two-thirds, hm?" Kyoko folded her arms, and rapped her fingers on her arm as she distorted her mouth thoughtfully.
Kuon couldn't resist kissing her pouted lips.
He felt glad that Sebastian was the only one watching them, as anyone else probably would have been shocked by Kuon's forwardness, but he could count on Lory's aid to remain unruffled.
After regaining her breath, the only comment Kyoko could make was, "Corn! Just because we make a promise doesn't mean you have to seal it with a kiss every time!"
Kuon grinned, but contradicted her, in order to set the precedent in his favor. If kissing the girl he loved was the only thing at stake, he thought he could easily prefer this form over his others.
A/N: Well, plenty of fluff, and not much else. I did get two and a half Sebastian scare stares, though and a bit of mystery at the beginning.
Hope you enjoyed! And check out the A to Z Story Game on the forums to jump in yourself. The one-shots are up to letter Q, I believe.