Disclaimer: I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon (or any of the characters associated with it). They are all creations of the wonderful Takeuchi Naoko-sama. Really. She's fabulous.
Author's note: Alright. This is the first fanfiction I have ever written. None of the other plot bunnies ever managed to weasel (bunny?) their way out of my mind and onto paper. Congratulations to whatever crazy force was drying this one (actually, that force would be my roommate: MissChaChaFirecracker). I've written short stories and the like before, but those were all pretty morbid (and original). So this is quite different for me. Should be interesting though, if I can stick with it long enough to let it be interesting. My ADD is crazy bad. Anyways. (See).
This is a one-shot in two parts (two-shot?) featuring Kumada Yuuichirou and Hino Rei. I feel like they are adorable together, even if Yuuichirou is an anime-only character in Sailormoon. He's so endearing, and he really cares about Rei. And you get all of that in like four episodes. That's dedication right there. So. Here we go:
Autumn's Gift
Chapter 1 Lucky
The cool autumn breeze scattered a few stray leaves across the grounds. There weren't enough left on the trees to make much of a difference—winter was sneaking upon the Hikawa shrine—but there were always enough on the ground to keep someone busy.
A young boy and his father made their way up the stairs, looking about as out of place as they possibly could.
"Otou-sama," the boy whispered, "are there any kids here?"
The boy's father inclined his head toward the boy and chuckled, "I'm not sure, Yuuichirou-kun."
Yuuichirou sighed. As a boy of eight (eight-and-a-quarter, depending on who you asked), he didn't like meeting his father's clients; he'd much rather find a good sandbox in which to scuff up the nice shoes his mother had bought for him. They hurt his feet and squeaked when he walked. The suits too—he hated the suits, they were so itchy and stuffy. His increasing discomfort must have been more than apparent on the young boy's face, for his father gave him a look that clearly said "real men enjoy wearing itchy suits" (or something equally unfair).
Noticing that the buildings around him were not high rises, but those found at a Shinto shrine, Yuuichirou was confused. And since he was only eight, he had no problem admitting his confusion to his father—ah, the joys of childhood.
"Otou-sama, why are you having a business meeting at a shrine? Are you buying it?"
"Who are you and what do you mean buying this shrine? No one is buying this shrine!"
Yuuichirou and his father found themselves at the mercy of a girl who looked to be no older than seven. A girl wielding a broomstick. Utterly terrifying.
"Ahh. You must forgive my granddaughter," another person, this one a short (alarmingly so), old man, had appeared behind the girl, "her skills are many, but unfortunately politeness is not one of them."
"That's quite alright," Yuuichirouu's father said with a smile, "We would like to draw our fortunes if you aren't busy."
"As you can see, we're quite free at the moment. If you two will just follow me," and with that, the little man made his way across the grounds.
Yuuichirou and the girl (who had, by this point, put her broom down) stood facing each other as the two older men walked away. He noticed that her eyes were almost a shade of purple. He liked purple. If his friends asked, it was because it was the color of a bruise. In reality though, it had something to do with his mother's favorite flower (but that's a story for another time). As the girl glared at the stranger, Yuuichirou chuckled to himself. Her broom is just as tall as she is. Its worn handle reaches a spot just above the top of her raven-colored hair.
Upon hearing him laugh, the would-be shrine guardian narrowed her eyes even further (I'd better stop making her do that or she won't be able to see anything) and turned the sides of her mouth downwards in a frown.
"Don't laugh at me. Why don't you go with your father and leave me alone? I have chores to do."
"Wait here," the boy exclaimed, "I'll be right back."
He ran over to his father who gestured to the old man with a hint of annoyance about him (not that Yuuichirou noticed).
"Yuuichirou-kun," he said, "it's rude to keep people waiting. Hino-sama—"
"I'm sorry, otou-sama," he puffed as soon as he had caught enough of his breath to speak, "but may I go play? Please otou-sama?"
The lines on the businessman's face softened and he smiled, "Yes, go on and play."
He scurried away from the old men and their formalities, and as he got further away, the priest leaned over and say something to his father ("Please, call me Grandpa."), but he paid it no mind.
"Hi there!" he gasped out triumphantly when he had once again reached the girl.
She was now sweeping the front steps of the shrine, attempting to rid them of the seemingly endless leaves. Apparently the broom was not only a weapon.
"Oh. It's you again," she said with more than a hint of dismissal in her voice, "I thought I told you—"
"My name is Kumada Yuuichirou. Most of the time, my friends call me Yuu. Would you like to be my friend?"
"I'm sorry, Kumada Yuuichirou. I don't have time for friends. Go away."
Yuuichirou didn't understand. Why did this girl want to sweep so badly? Why wouldn't she be his friend? Why did she look so sad? Surely if she stopped sweeping to play she would feel better. He had to try again!
"Why not? Oh—maybe I could help you sweep," he tried a different approach, "it'll be more fun if both of us pitch in."
"Well. Fine. I guess it's kind of boring by myself," she conceded, "just try not to get in the way."
As she went to get him a broom, Yuuichirou thought of how he had expected this day to pan out: old men, stuffy meetings, extended periods of sitting that inevitably led to one of his feet falling asleep. And instead he had made a new friend! Almost.
And so they swept. In silence. They would have continued to sweep in silence had Yuuichirouu been less clumsy.
Whack.
"What was that for?"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was an accident," the boy cried, fearing for his life.
"I'll show you an accident!"
And the chase was on. A chase that quickly ended with the two kids, rather dirtier than they had been at the start of their day, facing off. It was to be an epic battle of wit, swordplay, and broomsticks.
Strike right. Block left. The brooms flew through the air, cutting the crisp autumn breezes like the swords they were imitating. One minute would find Yuuichirou with the advantage, the next she would have him on the defensive. She seemed fiercer as each second passed, like a flame tearing through the dry leaves she had been sweeping just moments before.
In a sudden change of footing coupled with a furious charge by the young gentleman, the girl lost her balance. It looked to him as though she had tripped, perhaps over one of the stones that made up the pavement of the shrine. She'd never admit to that though, so he simply offered her a hand up.
When she didn't look up, he wondered if she was hurt. Surely she wasn't mad at him, was she?
"Are you alright?"
"I always fall down. Always get hurt and left behind," she whispered to no one, "I try not to mess up. I really do."
He wanted to hug her. That's what his mom did when he fell down or was upset about something. She looks like she needs a hug, he thought.
"I'm sorry you fell," he offered, "If you hadn't, I would have been beaten by now for sure. Please don't be angry."
She looked at him. He didn't see anger there. Or sadness—well maybe some, but not a lot—mostly he saw a mixture of gratitude and bewilderment. Is she surprised that I'm not laughing at her?
"I'm sorry," he said quietly as he knelt down beside her.
"For what?" she asked softly.
"For not asking your name. I want to be your friend, but I can't expect you to want to be mine if I'm not nice enough to ask for your name."
Her eyes widened, but she replied, "Hino Rei."
"Well, Hino Rei," he smiled, "I have something for you."
He pulled a small, silver charm from the pocket of his coat and held it out to her.
"This is my good luck charm. I trip a lot, and I'm pretty forgetful too. But if I have this with me, I'm a lot less clumsy. I think I've used enough of its magic though. I want you to keep it."
Rei took it and smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Don't thank me yet," he exclaimed, jumping to his feet, broom in hand once again, "En garde, friend."
Needless to say, Rei won the rest of their duels.