Authors Notes:

Damn I am broadening my horizons of trying to write for a completely different series. Well of course I can say I'm not "new" to fanfiction, but I can say I'm new to 'Flame of Recca' fanfiction. Lets see, hmm well to many it could be quite pointless…or boring…hell even both, but nevertheless my brain could not teeter away from writing my very own fluffy story about my favourite couple.

So people start rolling your eyes cause I just brought out another shipper for Tokiya and Fuuko fans! I have after all read some nice "ToFuu" stories and just had to bring my very own out too!

Mawahahahahaha…

And if ya don't like the pairing…then buzz off! Simple really… ^_^

Oh, Flame of Recca (characters and all) don't belong to me. Damn these stupid disclaimers, wrecking havoc through me for not being able to claim any of my favourite bishounen from certain series! Grr!

On a Snowfall Like This…

By: shin-no-shibo

She was there again; hands posed in pray mode at the gravestone I always visited once a month. Damn, why did she have to become a caring tomboy? Why couldn't she just have stayed a tomboy huh? Why was she always coming here? I had so many questions I wanted to ask her and yet I stayed where I was, observing as she kneeled in the freezing snow, offering such brightly coloured flowers to my nee-chan. Damn that monkey for her stupid…stupid…

Great now I had lost my train of thought thanks to the cool breeze, which had picked up and was now splashing around long purple locks that belonged to her.

I had stumbled upon her several times over the past few years, offering Mifuyu-nee-chan brightly coloured flowers and today was no different. This day they were a bright yellow, as though the sheer colour of them would magically make the sun appear from behind the dark clouds, to shed sunshine on those who always felt depressed, sad, alone…perhaps someone like me for instance? In every type of weather, no matter whether it was snowing, raining or extremely windy, she would always come, once a month, ironically the same day I would come and have different flowers to offer. One time I had found (after the monkey had departed) a letter by her gravestone. I was so tempted to open it, knowing the scribbled handwriting on the front belonged to Kirisawa and yet on my better judgement I left it alone, offered my own flowers and then left without a trace. That night the letter bugged me and the next day I went back, but to my utter surprise…it was gone.

It was strange that Kirisawa never knew I watched her everytime she came to the cemetery. She had always stated so proudly that she was a fighter…a ninja of the "Hokage Team". Some ninja huh? Can't even detect someone watching her from a bunch of trees. Was she really that stupid? Or just so caught up in praying at my nee-chan's grave and chatting a mile a minute to herself that she never realised she had an audience, it only being me…and perhaps some birds.

God she was so damn annoying, talking to the gravestone as though Mifuyu-nee-chan was going to answer back. Stupid monkey!

After the UBS, when in the end everything was finally over and supposedly heading back to normal, I thought my usual lonely life would come back to me, but I was wrong. A certain purple-haired monkey did nothing but pester me everyday…even during school hours that had certain "fangirls" of mine starting rumours that I was having a relationship with the said monkey. I mean really! Kirisawa Fuuko and me? Absolutely insane! If I was anyone else I would have laughed in their faces, but this was I, Mikigami Tokiya, ice-man, fridge-boy and all those other nicknames that get invented just for a stoic face holder like myself…and in the end I ignored everything.

Though there were few people who would pester me, there was one who would always greet me with a certain smile and her tomboyish attitude, Kirisawa Fuuko. She had such a bubbly attitude it was beginning to grate on my usual calm nerves. Every morning as I strolled into the school gates I was greeted by a "Good morning Mi-chan". Damn her and that stupid nickname she gave me! Though in some strange way I was wondering to myself as to why I had not asked her to stop calling me that. Why if I heard anyone else, say for instance a certain spiky-haired sea-monkey call me such a nickname, the 'Flame Boy' would be no more as my Ensui would have easily taken care of him.

In the end as weeks went by, I gradually got used to Kirisawa annoying me everyday and was even surprised in myself when I started to respond to some of her questions. Of course it was usually one-word answers, but it was still something right? Hell she should be grateful that I'm even talking to a tomboy monkey like herself.

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I was never greeted by Kirisawa's voice in the morning, or during lunch breaks and even on my way home after school. One summer day it had completely stopped and I was left baffled as to what happened to the small routine we had going. She'd bicker and banter with me, I usually ending up calling her "stupid monkey", she scoffing and walking off, fanning hurt just to make me apologise, which in the end always ended up with me saying something like "stop pretending to even care what I think of you monkey". And after that our little routine was back to normal, if you could even call it normal.

Though, now that I think of it, as I stand near the tree line, watching Kirisawa offer flowers to my nee-chan perhaps the argument that happened between us the day before Kirisawa stopped greeting at the gates had hurt her for real this time. Maybe my usual hurtful comments had slowly been eating her up inside…maybe?

I shook my head of that. Nah, this was Kirisawa, the chick who should have been born a man for she claimed she was so tough…and I believed it too…until…until the day I saw her sitting on the bench near the tree we silently ate lunch.

The monkey…was crying.

I hadn't seen many females cry in my life, only Mifuyu-nee-chan and Yanagi-san, but now…Kirisawa. I had stood near some rear doors of the high school and watched her with guarded features though my insides were churning. Why would I even care that the monkey was crying? Its not like she was my friend right? I just knew her because I had to protect Yanagi-san because…she looked like my Mifuyu-nee-chan. I had been intent on snapping the monkey out of her crying ways, perhaps telling her that tomboys weren't suppose to cry when I watched her head snap up, her senses coming together and her puffy blue eyes locking with mine. I could have sworn my heart twisted as I watched Kirisawa wipe at her eyes and then dash off in another direction, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment for having been caught crying…by me of all people.

Over the weeks I went back to ignoring all of the Hokage Team…even Yanagi-san at times. I ventured back into my own little world until even my calm self could not take the fact that the once bubbling Kirisawa was practically walking the school like a zombie. It finally clicked one rainy night that I, Mikigami Tokiya, did not like this "newer" version of Kirisawa. That damn monkey had gotten under my skin, made me realise that the way I am was probably not the best thing for me. After all that had happened in the UBS, Kirisawa…had become my closest friend and now my once frozen heart ached as the memory of her tears flashed through me. Damn me for being weak because of her!

On the first snowfall of winter in December I ventured out of my home and headed for the cemetery as I had hundreds of confusing emotions running through my body that I needed answers to. My nee-chan would always answer my questions when I was little and although she was dead, perhaps just being beside her gravestone will give me some solace.

The snow was falling gently around me as I trudged my way towards nee-chan's grave. I swear the amount of times I came here I could do this with my eyes closed. As I rounded a corner, my ice blue eyes narrowed as the monkey was again kneeling in front of my nee-chan. In an instant as I watched her lift her head to the cloudy sky, snow falling from her purple locks, a lump immediately formed in my throat. What was this feeling building up in side of me?

"Mikigami-san…" Her voice was so soft, laced with sadness as again I heard her begin a one sided conversation with my nee-chan.

"Please give Mi-chan strength…" In an instant as I heard my nickname flow from Kirisawa's lips my gloved hand fisted and was posed near my chest, feeling my heart pounding in my rib cage. What was this monkey doing to me?

"He doesn't need to suffer anymore." I swear I could feel my heart lurch at her words and the pounding grew louder, practically resting within my ears! I stepped forward moving ever so closer to the kneeling wind wielder.

"I don't want Mi-chan sad anymore Mikigami-san, so please in some way tell him to let his sadness go. I wish…" I stopped in my tracks again, watching Kirisawa's head bow slightly. What was it that she wished for?

"I wish I had the courage to face him…and tell him how much the Hokage Team needs him. I want him to know how important it is to have him with us, how important he is…to me…and because well I…I love him you see." My ice blue eyes widened at her words. I was needed? I was important to them…to her? Kirisawa…loved me? My legs began moving without my knowledge and I gave away my position when I stepped on a branch and heard it snap. Kirisawa's shoulders tensed up and slowly she stood, turned around and faced me with a surprised look, but with sad deep blue eyes.

"How long have you…" She could not finish as her cheeks darkened in colour and then she turned her head slightly away. Did I mention how much cuter she looked being bashful in front of me? My eyes widened at this new discovery and finally pieces began to click together in my icy glass heart.

"Kirisawa…" Her name broke through my lips in a rush, I stepping closer and watching her eyes dart towards my own. Her pink lips parted as I stood but a foot away from her. By the puffs of condensation of Kirisawa's breath I knew it had become rugged…just like my own, but still my eyes could not part from hers. This feeling that was within me, I think I finally knew what it was now.

"Mi…chan…?" At the uncertainty in her voice I gave no word of warning, even surprising the hell out of me as I stepped forward and quickly wrapped my arms around the tomboy's shoulders.

"Eh…Mi-chan…wha?" The tomboy monkey had no idea what to say and in truth even I had no idea. Al I wanted at this very moment was…

"Fuuko…" You have no idea how pleasant it felt to say her given name to her. I heard a soft gasp escape her lips in reply to what I spoke and it flowed gently like the wind to my left ear. I was really in the mood for shocking the both of us, but to hell with my usual rational self. All I wanted was to be in her arms and by some sheer willpower that had somehow transferred from me to her, Fuuko's arms raised up and wrapped around my back. As soon as I felt her protectiveness…her love wash over me, I buried my head into her shoulder, content to just hold her in front of my nee-chan's grave.

"I'm…sorry…" I heard my hoarse voice whisper to her and all I received in answer was the tightening of her arms around me and the feel of her lips widening into a smile at the side of my neck.

I had been forgiven.

"Everything is going to be all right Tokiya…I promise." My heart constricted in my chest hearing her call me by my real name. It felt odd, but it felt good too. As my heart began to feel complete, I believing in Fuuko's words, I threw away all my loneliness for one moment and was now finally understanding the one thought that was crossing through my mind at this very moment.

After everything I had been through, after all the times I felt alone, Fuuko with her usual bubbly attitude coming to pester me sent it all away…and for that I always be thankful to have her. In the end, I bet even Fuuko knew what had been secretly happening between us and only now on a snowfall like this, hugging her tightly to me did I finally accept what was right within my heart,

I loved her…all along.

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The end

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