Title: Hidden Depths
Author: Hagane ^^\/
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: General
Pairing(s): TokiyaXYanagi, KaoruXYanagi
Author's note: it might be a bit shocking, the pairings in my story. But heck, shock's my middle name. Rright. ^^6 well, I guess the pairings are subject to opinion, hate me or love me for merely suggesting them, it makes no difference to me. I'm just an author who likes to write. and write I will. Oh yes, this is my first venture into fanfiction- apart from SlamDunk and Saiyuki. I'm so proud of myself. ^^
Hidden Depths[[Yanagi]]
"Hime!"
"Recca-kun?"
"Hime!" he was panting.
"Ano, Recca-kun daijoubu
desuka?" I asked. He smiled bravely at me, the way he always did, and I felt
myself returning his smile.
"Ano Hime,
I must tell you something before I leave," he commenced, in a serious tone.
"Hai?"
"Kaoru promised he'll take
care of you while I'm gone. You needn't worry."
"Sou?" I smiled, betraying the
familiar pang in my heart. Why was I always seen as something so fragile, so
delicate? What was it about me that made me seem so weak? Why was there a need
to always protect me? Why Recca-kun, why must you impose all this on yourself,
and now on others?
He grinned and nodded his
head. "You'll be safe with him. I hope. Anyway, I told Mikagami to take care of
you just in case Kaoru falters."
"Sou." I repeated, forcing the
smile to remain. So it's not one, but two guardians now.
"You'll be
taken care of Hime. You needn't worry. Nothing will happen to you while I'm
gone," Recca assured me, that boyish grin of his lighting up his features.
"Hai." Was all I could say. If
it makes him happy, then I will accommodate all this. For his sake.
"Yanagi-san!"
Kaoru greeted me cheerfully as I opened the door.
"Kaoru-chan," I chided him,
"it's only six in the morning! You'll wake everyone up shouting like that!"
"Aa, suman!" he grinned
unrepentantly. I couldn't help but smile.
"Come in for breakfast, you
must be hungry," I nudged him in gently, and like a speeding bullet, he shot
past me and seated himself comfortably on a shelf where he could have an
eagle's view of my preparation of breakfast.
"What're you making?" he asked
as I rolled the rice in my palms, "onigiri?"
"Iya," I added a touch of
seasoning to the rice and rolled it again, "it's a very special something I'm
sure you'll like."
"I'll like anything Yanagi-san
makes!" he said indignantly, "it doesn't have to be special!"
I laughed. "Kaoru-chan, you flatter.
Now, give me a moment to finish this up, then we can eat and get to school."
"Okay!" he half-yelled.
[[Kaoru]]
She's so
beautiful. Just standing there, rolling the rice balls in her palm, her arm
reaching out every so often to add a little bit of this and that… I was already
captivated. Such graceful movements…. It was like she was dancing to a silent
tune playing only in her head. She didn't seem to notice how openly I was
gazing at her adoringly. Does she even know how beautiful she is?
"Kaoru-chan," she turns
suddenly, tilting her head to the side, "Can you please help me get the rice
wine mixture from the freezer?"
Gladly I jumped off the shelf
and scampered to the freezer.
"And, ano, sorry, but would
you mind taking the juice as well? It's in the bottle. Bottom shelf, to the
right. No, that's not it, the one next to it. Ah, yes. Thank you." Her eyes
twinkled as she beheld me.
My breath caught in my throat.
Yanagi-san, you are so beautiful.
I am young, but I understand
these things. I know what love is. I know what trust is. I loved and lost
before [1]. And
I'm not afraid to do it again. Only maybe this time, this love is different.
I love Yanagi-san.
How do I explain it?
[[Yanagi]]
"Kaoru-chan,"
I couldn't help but giggle, "you've eaten more than your share!"
"Ara? I have?" he looked so
confused that I had to resist the urge to lean over and ruffle his hair. He was
so adorable- so young, so hyperactive, and he had that boyish charm about him.
"Yanagi-san," he turned
slightly serious, "Let me walk you to school today."
"A-ano… it's all right. I can
get to school on my own."
"Iya! I
want to!"
"Demo…."
"Yanagi-san, Recca assigned me
to be your ninja while he's gone! I can't disobey him!"
"Ano…." So that's it again. I
can't be trusted to even get to school on my own. I'm weak. I'm pathetic. Yes,
why don't you all just surround me all the time to make sure no harm comes to
me, like say, turning a left at the wrong junction? Protect me, defend me.
That's what everyone's supposed to do. Risk themselves for the princess's sake.
So the
princess can feel guilty. So the princess will feel guilty.
But I don't want to.
[1] We're talking about Kaoru's attachment to Kurei. Kurei is like a brother to him, so yeah. No yaoi implications meant.