A/N: Zaki's contribution for my new good friends in MU ^-^ hope ya guys like it. and hope it would fit the theme...
Hanazono: thanks alot for nreading this beforehand and correcting the mistake.
"C'mon Natsuki! It had been two years! Just come to this karaoke party and I swear it would be fun for you and me. Well for me exactly!" a chirpy Mai said through the phone.
A blunette, clad in a white wife beater and a pair of dark blue shorts and seated at a blue sofa, grumbled as she can hear her friend persuading her in another night of karaoke. She gripped her phone tightly as she can hear other people trying to cheer in making her join the event. She took a deep, calming breath and opted to just agree with her fiery attitude friend. "Fine! I'll go to your party. But just for three hours! You know having multiple part time jobs is not a vacation." She grumbled.
A loud cheer and squeals echoed from the phone. Natsuki can bet that the sounds came from both Chie and Aoi, the two gossip girls that came across her life. She sighed again and smiled weakly. 'atleast I can take a short break from all of these.' She mentally noted.
"Good! Be at the usual karaoke bar around 8pm and don't be late! This is a HiME reunion after all!" Mai informed happily.
The busty woman didn't wait for Natsuki's answer as the line went dead even before Natsuki can say anything else. The blunette rubbed her temples as she tried to calm her nerves.
It had been two years since their graduation from Fuuka academy, four years since the dreaded carnival and two years since Shizuru had left her. 'Stupid mind! I kept on telling you you're just fucking too late just like my heart!' She mentally scolded herself, imaging that she's hitting her heart and brain. A sigh escaped her lips as she stood up from the sofa and went to her room.
The room was colored with dark blue and a shade of purple. She intentionally shaded it purple to remind her of being stupid. Her slow brain and confusion caused Shizuru to distance herself and move back to Kyoto. She looked down to the side table where a framed picture of her and Shizuru, sitting by a picnic blanket together with the other HiMEs. The picture showed both of them close together with a genuine smile on their faces.
But to her dismay, after graduation. Shizuru had left Fuuka to pursue her college and to give Natsuki some space for what the brunette had done during the carnival.
A sarcastic laugh echoed the empty room as the blunette looked away from the picture. "Am I really too late Shizuru?"
9:48PM
The sound of sneakers drifting through the polished floor competed with the sound of the muffled karaoke cubicles in the bar as Natsuki skidded each and every cubicle there is to find her busty haired friend. She was late, as usual, since she had forgotten about the whole event due to the fact that her boss had kept her working overtime on a VIP car. She was wearing a pair of denim pant with white shirt and over it was a black jacket that swayed as she ran around the karaoke bar.
"Fuck! Mai will hang my head, or worse, she'll raid my mayo stash and throw it away! Damn this bar, how many karaoke cubicles do they have?"
Her running came to a halt when she heard Mai's voice from the far end of the corridor. She gritted her teeth, imagining the scolding she will receive once she entered the room. She was hesitant to enter but since the door has a glass panel in the middle, she has no choice but to get everything over with.
The door opened and the fiery headed HiME had stopped singing, and the other occupants had stopped cheering and looked at her like she was a stuffed wolf on display. She felt a blush coming but she fought hard to suppress it and put up a cold, bad ass look before them.
"What? Atleast I came!" she said, hoping it would make Mai to back off from scolding her about the time. She looked around and saw all the HiMEs minus Akira who was taking care of Takumi, Miyu, with Chie and Aoi aswell, having fun and drinking. She looked at the side and saw Midori all drunk and trying to kiss Yukariko, Nao was taunting Shiho with a stick swirling around Shiho's hair, Alyssa clapping her small hands in appreciation of Mai's song, Mikoto gobbling up all the food, Fumi trying to stop Mikoto, Mai singing her heart out with Yukino. To her relief, there was no Kyoto accented brunette partying with them.
She was happy that everyone was cool with each other even with the whole carnival thing happened in their life. She mentally smiled and noted that it was a nice beginning for them and hoped it would be a bright future for the whole gang.
She was about to take her seat beside Nao when Mai, drunk in both alcohol and singing, pulled her to the stage and punished her by making her sing. Everyone chanted as well, even Nao, for Natsuki to grace them with her voice. The blunette sighed and nodded her head. There was no other way out of it since Midori has blocked the door by slumping down on the floor and leaning on the door, the sofas are all occupied with the help of both Nao and Chie widen their sitting space and Mikoto was practically blocking all possible escape routes from the stage by her fast reflexes.
She took the mic, chose her song and waited for it to play. She beamed everyone a soft smile and closed her eyes.
"I guess this song… I hope this song will reach her. I hope this song will let her know that I want to start over and begin a life with her and hers alone." She said through the mic as everyone cheered for her and the music started playing. With all the cheers and applause, she didn't realize that the door slowly opened and a lone figure entered the room just in time when Natsuki was pouring her emotions.
I know that your hiding things using gentle words to shelter me,
Your words were like a dream,
But dreams could never fool me,
Not that easily.
She remembered the whole post-carnival period where she can always see Shizuru being with her and teasing her. She felt herself slowly falling for the brunette but the confusion in her heart had clouded her judgment. But that was one of the most screwed up event in her life since the brunette had decided to give her the space she didn't want.
I acted so distant then,
Didn't say goodbye before you left,
'How can I even say that to you if deep inside I wanted you to say?' she gripped her mic tightly, still her eyes close. Tears were threatening to fall but she sucked it in to keep her bad-ass image.
But I was listening,
You'll fight you battles far for me,
Far too easily.
'Damn I want to protect you! You being a HiME… you kept it from me and fought just for me. I want to do that for you too.'
'Save your tears cause I'll come back'
I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door,
'But if you do come back, will I still have a chance?'
But still I swore to hide the pain when I turn back the pages,
Shouting might have been the answer,
What if I cried my eye's out and begged you not to depart,
'That might've been the greatest idea I had come up with but I was too much of a coward to do it. I was too stupid and scared to beg and shout to you not to leave me.'
But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart.
Through 1000 words,
Have never been spoken,
They'll fly to you,
Pressing over the tide,
And distance holding you,
Suspended on silver wings,
She opened her eyes and looked around. She saw almost everyone was trying to stop their tears from falling. She wandered her sight and her eyes caught a pair of crimson eyes, looking back at her with tears falling down to those porcelain cheeks. 'Shizuru?'
And 1000 words,
1000 confessions,
Will cradle you,
Making all the pain you feel seem far away,
They'll hold you forever!
The dream isn't over yet,
Though I often say I can't forget,
I still relive the day,
'And it's a hell of a two year fucking years of pain, depression and heartaches without you!' she glared at Shizuru who just took her glare as a cute expression.
You've been there with me all the way,
I still hear you say,
'wait for me I'll write you letters'
I could see how you stand with your eyes to the floor,
'You never wrote back after I told you I was starting to cope up with everything!'
As if the brunette had read Natsuki's thought and just bowed her head in apology.
But still I swore to hide the doubt when I turn back the pages,
Anger might of been the answer,
'That's the only way I can express myself to you. A confused and sad Natsuki just wanting to know what I felt back then.'
What if I hung my head and said that I couldn't wait,
But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late.
'I'll tell everything tonight. As it might be my final opportunity to tell it to you. I hope fate, God, Buddha or whoever might be up there guide me in this.'
Cause 1000 words,
Crawl out through the ages,
They'll fly to you,
Even though we can't see,
I know they're reaching you,
Suspended on silver wings.
Oh 1000 words,
1000 embraces,
They'll cradle you,
Making all of your weary days seem far away,
They'll hold you forever!
The blunette jumped down from the stage, leaving the vocals of the music to play on its own. She approached the brunette with her expression showing as both panic and relief. Everyone watched her with their breaths on hold, wanting to know what Natsuki's action will be.
"Hey there." She said, gathering up her courage to give the brunette before her a small smile.
"Hi Natsuki." The brunette said, returning Natsuki's smile with a sweet smile of her own.
The blunette felt her face blush when the smile of the former kaichou came into vision. She looked away and scratched the back of her head. "I-I see that you're back. But you're late though." She informed the brunette which only gained her a chuckle from Shizuru.
"I'm not. It's Natsuki who was late. I was just freshening up for Natsuki." The brunette teased.
A blush once again graced Natsuki's face. She fought hard to suppress it but with the brunette being the one who teased her made it rather hard. "Stop teasing me…" she murmured with her face quite red.
"Care for Natsuki to go with me outside for a fresh air?" the brunette asked which Natsuki oblige and left everyone. They heard some whines from their friends but with Natsuki's glare and Shizuru's double meaning smile made them fall back and continue partying without them.
The evening air graced their body with a small shiver. Natsuki noticed this and took off her jacket and placed it over the brunette's shoulders. "It's cold tonight. I don't want you ending up being sick." She shyly informed the brunette.
Shizuru smiled and pulled the jacket closer to her body. "Ookini." Na-"
"Why?"
Shizuru looked at Natsuki with a confused look. "Why what Natsuki?"
The blunette clenched her fists and looked down on the black pavement. "Why did you leave me Shizuru? You said you love me but why did you leave me!" she said angrily. Anger was now building up in her chest.
"I wanted to give Natsuki space."
Emerald eyes glared at crimson and Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's clothes. Her breathing was now ragged as her face was now inches away from the brunette. "Two years? Two fucking years you left Fuuka, left me! Don't you know how lonely that was?" she spoke in a low yet angered tone.
"Don't you know how my fucked up life in the carnival came from bad to worse when you left?" Nastuki continued, not minding the people who started to stare. Her eyes burn of anger and sadness as she glared at those calm crimson eyes infornt of her. "You don't freaking know how hard it is not to imagine you being with someone else and how heart breaking that is!" her grip was getting weaker and her body was feeling numb from the emotional pain she's feeling. She closed her eyes and had let her tears flow down. "You didn't wait for me to say I love you." She whispered.
A soft chuckle broke Natsuki's angered pace. Emeralds looked up and saw a smiling Shizuru, reaching out to touch her face. Warm hands touched cold cheeks and the feeling brought nostalgia to the both of them. 'This feeling I've longer for, this heat I wanted so badly.'
"Kannin na Natsuki, if I've caused you those sufferings. But as I told you before our meaning-"
"It's the same dammit!" Natsuki interrupted. Her hands both tightly clenched and her head hung low. Tears continued to fall from her jade colored eyes and imaginary pain surges through her heart.
The smile from the brunette didn't falter and just looked at Natsuki quietly for a few seconds and opted to looked up to the sky. "I wanted to give Natsuki space. Space for her to decide on her own what she wanted without my influence." The brunette explained. "I want Natsuki to choose who to love on her own. Though whoever Natsuki loves, I will always be with her." She looked at Natsuki with a smile that can be distinguished as both sadness and contentment.
But Natsuki can feel that the brunette was feeling lost and despair. She knew that it's her fault that the brunette gave her that space. "I-I was slow…" she admitted. She took Shizuru's hands on her own and squeezed it gently. "That time… when you confessed to me… I was so confused. I gave you no definite answer and you mistook it as a rejection." Her voice was rather low and shy now compared to her angered one before.
"I tried to tell you through phone but I don't want to bother you. I sent you an email saying I'm okay which meant I already found out I love you but you didn't replied."
The brunette took a deep breath and smiled softly. "Actually, I accidentally deleted my email account. So many stalkers, admirers and such. I tried to send Natsuki an email but I wasn't emotionally ready to know Natsuki's life without me." Shizuru confessed.
Natsuki smiled weakly and took hold of Shizuru's trembling hands. A chuckle escaped her lips and she felt a great relief on her chest. Her actions caused her crimson eyed companion to stop trembling and relax.
"So… Natsuki likes me?" the brunette asked with a grin gracing her face."
Blush. Red hues covered Natsuki's face as soon as Shizuru's words came to her. "Shi-shizuru!" she shouted.
"Fufufu! Natsuki looks cute when she blushes. I do hope she only blushes like that to me." Shizuru continued to tease.
Looking away from the teasing brunette, Natsuki secretly smiled and held Shizuru's hand a little tighter. "Baka…" she sighed and looks back, straight t the happy crimson eyed brunette. "Ofcourse I only blush like this to you. You're the only one immune to my glares and threats anyway." She confessed with a small smile.
Shizuru could stop herself now. Natsuki's confessions and actions gave her heart a whole new life. She pulled the blunette close to her and hugged her. "I've always dreamed of Natsuki. Sure there were a lot of guys and girls falling for me but none came close to my Natsuki. I've waited for you and only you." Her voice was melodious as if her happiness was overflowing and cannot find any container for it to hold. She could feel the biker slowly reciprocating her hug and nuzzling close to her.
Lavender scent filled her nostrils as she took a deep breath and hugged back. Natsuki felt like being risen up from the dead as she her angel was giving her life back. "Shizuru never left my mind too. Together with my own regret of not fighting my fear and running after you. You are my dream and nightmare. But today…" she pushed away from Shizuru and gave the brunette a quick kiss on the lips. "Will you be my reality?" she asked with a serious look on her face.
The brunette cannot contain it any longer. She didn't care whether they are outside or many people watching them, including their friends. She placed both her hands on the slight blushing Natsuki and gave her a sweet, passionate kiss."I'll always be your reality, Natsuki."
(Oh 1000 words,
Have never been spoken,
They'll fly to you,
They'll carry you home,
And back into my arms,
Suspended on silver wings,)
(And 1000 words,
Crawl out through the ages,
They'll cradle you,
Turning all of the love there is to lonely days,
They'll hold you forever! )
"Ne Natsuki… did you know… everything we had spoken, thought and shouted are all thousand words ever since we saw each other again." She informed the bluenette with a sweet smile cuddling closer to the well toned body of her now called lover.
Natsuki smiled and inhaled the sweet lavender smell of her lover. "I guess… it would just take us a thousand words to let our feelings start over again and begin this thing we call love."
~Fin~