Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango. :)

AN: Many thanks to Joanna for beta reading. Hope you enjoy reading the second chapter of "A Simple Gesture". -Maho-chan :)

A Simple Gesture
A Hana Yori Dango Fanfiction
By Maho-chan

Chapter 2

Three cups of flour.

One cup of brown sugar.

One cup of white sugar.

Chocolate chips…

Tsukushi tried to concentrate on the recipe before her, even as her attention wandered back to the magazine that lay open next to the cook book she was reading. The frilly underwear in the photos seemed to be taunting her. She looked back to her cookbook and concentrated on her recipe.

The plan was to bake him something. There would be no naughty text messages, skimpy underwear or late night demands that he come over. She nodded determinedly to herself.

"Bake cookies at 350 degrees," she said aloud, absently fingering the pages of the book. A small voice nagged from the back of her mind, pointed out that Tsukasa hated sweets and that this wasn't the best method to show that she cared for him.

Tsukushi glanced at the magazine again and thought of her friends' words.

"You and Tsukasa are always having strange miscommunications! And then you fight about it and we have to watch. I'm tired of watching, I always feel so frustrated," Shigeru declared. "For everyone's sake, it's time for you to try something different with him! No more confusion." Shigeru grabbed Tsukushi's hands and placed the magazine in them. "C'mon Tsukushi, just try something new!"

Maybe she could try a draft of a text message. She could always erase it later.

Tsukushi reached for her cell phone. Pressing the buttons on her phone, she began to draft a short text message.

"Domyoji, you are sexy." She wrote and then erased quickly. That was too straightforward! She had never used the word "sexy" when talking to him; it didn't sound right at all.

"I've wanted your kisses all day…"

Tsukushi buried her face in her hands. It didn't matter if she wanted his kisses, she just couldn't say that.

It would be more like her to say, "You idiot, I like you."

But that wasn't romantic at all.

She closed her phone and looked at the magazine glumly.

Should she consider the sexy underwear? She could go buy some tomorrow…

Tsukushi looked longingly at her cookbook. If only she could use food to express what she wanted to say.

She suddenly remembered the advice "Greet him wearing only your apron" and blanched.. Again that would be too forward.

Maybe she could whisper sexy words in his ear when they embraced at the end of the date.

"You feel so good, why don't you stay the night?"

Tsukushi went from pale to blushing red.

But saying that was no different from the text message she had drafted and was even more embarrassing.

She felt like hitting him suddenly. Why couldn't he just realize her feelings? He was truly a blockheaded idiot.

She glowered at the magazine as she thought more accusatory thoughts, only to sigh again as she realized that she was right back where she started.

This was getting her nowhere. Tsukushi looked up at her clock and began putting things away.

6:00 pm

He was going to be here soon! Tsukushi dashed into her bedroom in a frantic hurry. She had to get ready or she would be late!

Tsukushi threw the door open as Tsukasa knocked for the 10th time.

"What the hell was taking so long?" Tsukasa exclaimed as he came into her apartment. He followed her as she ran back into her bedroom. As he made to enter her bedroom, Tsukushi suddenly shut the shoji door in his face. Standing outside her room and looking perturbed, Tsukasa said, "Hey, are you OK?"

Inside the room, Tsukushi quickly hid the magazine and other items she had been working on. Stuffing these things anywhere she could, she yelled.

"Nothing's wrong, just getting ready. I'll be ready soon!" she said loudly, trying to seem nonchalant.

On the other side of the door, Tsukasa frowned.

Going back into the kitchen, he sat down, glowered at some indistinct point on the wall and waited.

He loved Tsukushi so much, but sometimes…

Sometimes he couldn't understand what she was thinking and doing.

Running his fingers through his curly hair, Tsukasa sighed.

Never mind

He was used to her being evasive.

Tsukasa checked the time on his phone. The dinner reservation would be fine if they were late. The restaurant would wait for them. He was Domyoji Tsukasa after all.

Glancing back at the closed door to Tsukushi's bedroom, he smiled slightly.

Crazy woman

As much as Tsukushi pissed him off sometimes, he adored her. Sometimes, he couldn't believe how much.

She was like the air he breathed.

Whistling to himself as he thought about his, he then jumped and covered his smile with a frown as she appeared. As she tugged her jacket on, strands of hair bouncing out from her hastily fastened bun, Tsukasa grabbed her hand.

Savoring the warmth of her small fingers in his, he pulled her towards the door.

"C'mon stupid, time for our date."

Tsukushi fidgeted as they walked down the crowded walk. All she could think about was the plans she had tried to make earlier.

The text messages were still stored as drafts on her phone, the recipes still in earmarked in her cookbook. She had found several hair styles that were supposed to catch a guy's interest that she could try.

She had even tried on two types of perfume from samples she found in the pages of the magazine. As Tsukushi sniffed her wrist, she was thankful that she had rubbed the perfume off before their date. Thinking of the underwear ads in the magazine, Tsukushi inwardly groaned. The whole situation was too much, she needed time to figure it all out. Holding Tsukasa's hand, she leaned towards him unconsciously as they kept walking.

Surreptitiously looking up at his face, she thought.

"I do love him. Somehow I will find a way to make it clear to him." She unconsciously squeezed his fingertips, causing him to look down at her.

"W-where are we going now?" Tsukushi said quickly, before laughing nervously. Tsukasa gave her a quizzical look and replied.

"Makino, we are going to that restaurant that you wanted to try yesterday. You know, the one with the pizzas."

Tsukushi nodded. "Oh yeah! I heard they make real New York style pizza there. Do you think it is true? You've had New York pizza, haven't you?" She babbled.

Tsukasa opened his mouth to reply only to stop as Tsukushi continued.

"How big of a pizza should we get? I wonder if it will be American style." She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and said excitedly, "If it is, it will be big!" She anxiously gestured with her hands and as she did, accidentally hit Tsukasa on the shoulder. He leaned back and blinked at her.

Tsukushi panicked and wrung her hands a bit before covering up her gaffe with more nervous utterances.

"We are being too slow, let's get moving!" Tsukasa never got a chance to respond as Tsukushi grabbed his arm and he was suddenly pulled forward into a run. They tore down the street, a confused Tsukasa being led by a very anxious Tsukushi, who couldn't stop thinking about her dilemma.

"Show your boyfriend you love him! Take charge!"

Take charge.

Those were famous last words, Tsukushi thought glumly as she sat stiffly across from Tsukasa and picked at her piece of pizza. She hadn't the slightest idea what to do now. Since arriving at the restaurant, they had just sat like stones. She had babbled for a while and he had answered but now…

They didn't speak, just continued eating. Tsukushi felt herself sinking into her seat. Why couldn't she express herself to him?

She gave him a sideways look. He looked so glum, eating his pizza in silence. The sinking feeling deepened, as Tsukushi watched him.

Did he think she didn't love him again? Tsukushi felt her eyes fill with tears of frustration.

But she did love him! She loved him as much as always. She set the pizza down and fisted her hands in the cloth napkin on her lap.

As he took another bite, she sunk further into her seat. Why couldn't she just act normal with him?

The advice from the magazine came to mind again.

"Clear and honest communication, can be carried out in many ways! Try showing him that you love him."

Tsukushi nodded to herself.

Show him…

She looked at her purse. But she hadn't brought any of the items that had been suggested. She had none of the cookies and sweets that she had tried to make. And it would be weird to send him a text message now that he was sitting in front of her.

As Tsukushi took a sip of her water, she absently thought that she could whisper to him over the dinner table.

I want you now.

Tsukushi swallowed hard and set the glass down with an audible sound. She took another deep breath and fought the urge to run away.

She couldn't use that suggestion, it was too much. To lean over the table and say in that in a breathy voice…

Well she just couldn't do it! And if that mattered to him, well that was tough!

Tsukushi shook her fist under the table and looked down at an indistinct point, lost in her worried thoughts.

She couldn't say anything and didn't have any of the items that she could use to help her make the gesture she needed to make. Short of offering to feed him a piece of pizza, which he was already eating, she was out of ideas!

Looking away, Tsukushi wracked her brain, trying to remember something, anything that might be useful in this situation.

Across the table, Tsukasa ate patiently as he watched Tsukushi acting strangely in front of him. Knowing that she was struggling with something and that the cause would eventually become apparent, he waited, also realized that if he pressed her for information, she would panic.

Complicated woman

Tsukasa thought with chagrin.

She was probably just worrying again about something unnecessary.

He chewed on his pizza thoughtfully.

She did look cute tonight.

His gaze wandered over the sweater under her jacket and her flounced skirt. As he watched her purse her lips in consternation, he felt the inexplicable urge to kiss her soft lips and hold her in his arms.

Thinking of this, he blushed and was grateful when she looked away, still lost in thought.

He wondered how they might get more time alone. The pizza place was interesting but not the best atmosphere for kissing. And knowing Tsukushi, she'd fight him tooth and nail if they weren't someplace private when he pulled her into his arms. Opening his phone, he texted the housekeeper who managed the guest house at his home. He would take Tsukushi there after she finished the last piece of pizza.

As Tsukushi continued to be lost in thought, Tsukasa called over a waiter to package the leftover pizza for her, knowing that she would want to eat the leftovers later. After summoning his driver who was waiting by the door, Tsukasa stood and reached out for Tsukushi.

Tsukushi jumped as Tsukasa grabbed her wrist. Instinctively she pulled her hand away and then inwardly berated herself.

What the hell am I doing? she thought, as she cringed. When Tsukasa narrowed his eyes at her, she tried to cover her discomfort by laughing.

"Where do you want to go now?" she blurted out as she stood and took his hand. As Tsukasa looked down at her fingers, with an imperturbable look on his face, Tsukushi fidgeted again.

Now is the time to say it! Invite him over for…

For…

What the hell is a nightcap anyway?

Agh, I don't even know what that is, why did the magazine say to offer that?

Could I replace the offer with cookies? And milk?

She wracked her brain, trying to remember the current contents of her refrigerator.

I haven't gone to the store yet…so I don't have milk.

I do have miso soup. And natto.

But he hates natto! And who invites someone over at night for natto?

Panicking, Tsukushi began to hyperventilate a little.

But the point of the invitation is to invite him to stay the night. So why don't I just do that?

Gazing up at him, she blushed warmly. She did want him to stay the night, it was Friday after all.

On Fridays he usually spent the night, or she usually did, depending on the date and whose home they were closer to at the end of the night. .

Tsukushi blushed harder, anticipating the passionate moments that she was used to on nights like this.

Ok, I'm going to do something to let him know! I can do this!

Tsukasa met her gaze and said, "Do you want to…" his words trailed off as she interjected.

"It's late, perhaps I should go home."

Tsukushi froze as she realized what she had said.

No!

She had meant to say we, not I.

She gaped at Tsukasa's surprised expression.

How can I fix this?

"Uh…"

He continued to stare at her, a hurt look coming over his face. Tsukushi wanted to cry.

Nothing was going as she had planned.

But I really want…

She opened her mouth, shut it and then turned stiffly. Overwhelmed by the whole experience, she absently waved in his face and then exclaimed.

"I'll just catch the subway, since it's late!"

She bounded out the door as Tsukasa followed her in a daze.

What the hell am I doing?

"What the hell is she doing?"

Tsukasa muttered under his breath as he followed Tsukushi. As she darted between people in a panic, he gave her back a dark look.

We usually spend these nights together.

"Moron, why are you panicking so much? How the hell am I supposed to understand what you are doing?" he said under his breath.

He shook his head and hurried after her.

"At least slow down and watch where you are going!"

He reached out and grabbed her hand, slowing her down as they crossed the busy street.

"Makino," Tsukasa wrapped an arm around her and sighed.

He wasn't sure what she was about but he knew from experience that he shouldn't worry too much.

Crazy woman, I love you.

He'd wait for her strange mood to pass as it always did. And if she really wanted to go home…

He guess he was alright with it.

"If you want to go home, ok, just walk slower you idiot. I'll take you to the subway station," Tsukasa said, feeling resigned. He pressed an affectionate kiss on her forehead.

I'll miss you tonight though.

He was already missing her. As always, he wanted her so much.

As Tsukasa pressed a kiss on her forehead, Tsukushi felt even worse.

But I don't want to go home alone…I want you to come with me!

But how can I tell you? It's too hard!

She remembered the idea of unbuttoning her shirt and being provocative, and shivered.

I can't do it! Seriously!

And anyway, she was wearing a sweater.

Tsukushi shook her head to clear it. As the subway station came into view, she felt like crying again. Gripping the back of his jacket, she closed her eyes and wished that he could just read her mind.

I love you and I want you to come over tonight. Or I want to go to your house.

I want you!

It was so easy to think, so why couldn't she just say it out loud? Tsukushi tried to muster her courage once more.

She could do this, she could do it!

The bright lights of the subway station assaulted her eyes; they were now on stone floors rather than concrete. She instinctively pulled out her subway pass as they stopped in front of the entry gates. Tsukasa looked down at her and then shrugged off his coat.

"Stupid, call me when you get home," He said affectionately, a little longing creeping into his voice.

As he draped his coat over her shoulders, Tsukushi felt even worse.

Tsukasa… her mind implored.

Please understand!

He bent and kissed her cheek, nuzzling her face lightly before turning and beginning to walk away. As he moved away from her, Tsukushi snapped.

"When all else fails, you might need to be really aggressive!" the magazine had stated.

Upset with herself, frustrated with the situation and wanting him so badly, Tsukushi shot forward.

And did the only thing from the magazine that she could think of at the moment .

She hit him on the bottom.

Hard.

And as she did, she panicked even more, then abruptly turned tail and ran for it.

"OW! What the hell?" Tsukasa turned around to find an empty subway station and no trace of Tsukushi. He moved towards the subway turnstiles and looked down the corridor to where she would catch the subway.

Sure enough, his girlfriend was racing towards the nearest subway car, his coat and her scarf fluttering behind her. As she boarded the subway car, Tsukasa continued to stare in shock as he wondered.

What in the world is she doing?

To be continued…

-Maho-chan :) (3/21/2010)