I thought I put this one up already... (scratches head)... guess not. Sorry to keep you waiting. I've had this chapter done for some time now. (Ducks glares and waves a white flag) You have it now though!
Disclaimer: I don't own Umi, Ascot, or Clef
Wait for Me
1Chapter 2
The morning birds sang outside her window as they darted to and fro in the courtyard.
Umi loved to get up and watch them. It was cute how they ruffled their feathers and puffed up when they splashed in the fountain. At least Umi always thought so. But that wasn't the real reason she got up so early. Right when the sunlight touched the water, as if on cue, a mystery flute hushed the birds. All activity stopped in the courtyard when the notes floated through the space.
After yesterday, Umi was almost positive the flute player was Ascot. The more that fantasy ran through her mind, the more determined she was to find his hiding place.
One particular bird seemed to disappear when the music began. She watched its every move. Marking the tree it went into, then followed.
The notes were sad today. Her heart wanted her to remember the battle with Emeraude; the saddest memory of all. But she pushed forward, willing her feet to take each step, until she was under the tree. Tears puddled in her eyes. There was no doubt. The music was coming from up in the branches.
A twig snapped under her foot. The music stopped.
A figure cloaked in shadow, dotted with sunlight, stood up abruptly, ready to run. "You don't have to stop," Umi said quickly.
The figure sat back down. Sunlight exposing a childish mouth and jaw line.
Umi's heart jumped in her throat. "Ascot? Is that you?" She hopped up on the first branch. "Wait, I'm coming up."
"I'm... not Ascot... sadly."
Umi looked up to see the familiar figurehead of an all too familiar item. The jewel in the crest glowed. Umi blinked, and he was gone.
"Umi?" a voice called.
Umi gasped, yelped, and fell. But she never hit the ground. She cracked one eye open to see herself eye level with the middle of the tree trunk. She was lowered to the ground. She stood.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Clef?"
"Neither did I expect you to be up so early," Clef said. He bowed his head. "I..." He raised his head. "I want to apologize for my recent behavior. You were right in every aspect. I have no right to take my troubles out on you. I take back everything. Though I know it is too late." He bowed his head again. "I know I do not deserve to be forgiven immediately. So I do not expect anything of the like to be done."
"I forgive you."
It didn't seem to sink in immediately. "I suppose- huh?" His head snapped up. "You- you do?"
She smiled and nodded.
Clef inwardly sighed. But not just from the thought of being forgiven. Her smile did something to him. Something he never thought he'd feel. The growing warmth brought a smile to his face. "Thank you."
"Also," Umi said sheepishly. "I'd like to apologize."
Clef closed his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever temper you expressed was a direct result of mine. There is no fault of this for you to bear."
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for calling you immature and childish. I know how spiteful it was of me to pick on your height and appearance."
Clef chuckled, "My dear Umi, do you really think I would choose to stay this way for eternity?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Umi couldn't believe her eyes. Clef's clothes had changed. His staff was completely different, sleek. She was sure he'd been wearing white before. She wasn't imagining it was she? She blinked and her jaw nearly fell to the floor.
There he stood. Age of appearance: somewhere around 26. His bangs had grown and hung down on his right side, stretching past his chin. His now black robe hung open, exposing the white and navy undercoat he had on. Everything about him whispered how powerful he was but screamed how gorgeous he'd become.
He walked up to her. "Umi..."
Ascot yawned as he walked out of his room. He had his hands locked behind his head as he walked, thinking of the night before and the day ahead. Then something pulled his attention and lead him to the courtyard. He gasped when he saw Clef and how close he stood to Umi. What? Ascot thought. How did he do that? Why isn't Umi backing away?
"There's something I want to tell you," Clef said softly. "And I wish I had said so earlier... now that you've chosen Ascot over me."
What? Umi thought. Over him? Choose?
His fingertips brushed her jaw. She could feel his face close to hers. Her lips parted on their own. "No matter what happens between you and I in the future," he paused to lean his staff in the crook of his arm and put his hands on the sides of her face. "Should you ever fall, I will always be there to catch you." With that he kissed her forehead. Only then did he realize he'd been holding his breath the entire time. Feelings started to come over him. She was so close! She wasn't resisting. Ascot was in the background, this he knew. But what could Ascot do to protest if Clef wanted to steal Umi away? What could that orphan do?
He pulled back slowly, feeling as though he was letting go of a flame to embrace an excruciating ice age for the rest of his natural life. But knowing she would be happy... that was his saving grace.
He'd go back to the way it was before. He'd be her teacher. She'd be his student. That'd be all there was to either side of it. But Ascot would have to be taught how to protect her. Anything beyond that... was out of his hands. Yes. Out of his hands.
But... he'd always be there for her...
Umi opened her eyes and looked up to see Clef back in his child form, talking to Ascot. Umi smiled as she looked at Ascot. He nodded enthusiastically to Clef. Clef chuckled, smiled, and ruffled Ascot's hair before leaving. Ascot came running down the stairs to Umi. He stopped short of reaching her and folded his hands behind his back. "I've got something for you," he said with a grin. "Clef told me a little secret. But it's up to you when you want me to tell you." Or show you, he thought. That's the real secret.
"Really?" Umi asked quizzically. "And what did Clef tell you?"
"Tee hee, take a guess."
She shrugged, "I give up."
"Aww come on! That's no fun."
She giggled. The sound made Ascot nearly melt. "I honestly don't know."
Ascot sighed, "Okay then. Close your eyes."
Umi closed her eyes.
"Donchou peek now!"
Umi giggled, "I won't, I promise."
Silence followed. Ascot finally spoke, "Okay you can open your eyes now."
Umi slowly opened her eyes, a smile on her face.
That smile faded some. Ascot stood nervously, a full head taller than her now. He looked to be about 18 or so. His voice was still the same, or at least it hadn't changed as much as Clef's had. All in all, not as impressive a sight. Maybe it was just because she couldn't see his eyes under his bangs. She walked up to him and brushed his bangs up and held them there then gazed in his eyes. He was so nervous to start, but love gradually made that dissolve. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. He nudged her nose with his own before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. Her heart came alive. She knew she'd made the right choice.
Clef blew off breakfast that morning. After being so close to Umi... he couldn't stand to be around her. He feared he'd try to win her over, steal her away. Although it didn't sound too bad from his point of view, once Umi knew who made her heart sing it'd be game over. Hell would have come to Cephiro if she hated him. So he had decided to play it safe and step aside. Seems that was all he was ever doing was playing it safe. Was that why he was still alone after 746 years? How long would he let it go on?
He looked down at his hand, still closed around the flute. He sighed, took off his headdress, shoulder collar, and walked to the window and sat on the windowsill. He looked out over Cephiro for a long moment, closed his eyes, and fit the flute to his lips.
So... whadya think? Good? Bad? Garbage? Anyway, it's done. This was the last chapter of Wait for Me. Hope you liked it. R&R please! Until next time.
Disclaimer: I don't own Umi, Ascot, or Clef
Wait for Me
1Chapter 2
The morning birds sang outside her window as they darted to and fro in the courtyard.
Umi loved to get up and watch them. It was cute how they ruffled their feathers and puffed up when they splashed in the fountain. At least Umi always thought so. But that wasn't the real reason she got up so early. Right when the sunlight touched the water, as if on cue, a mystery flute hushed the birds. All activity stopped in the courtyard when the notes floated through the space.
After yesterday, Umi was almost positive the flute player was Ascot. The more that fantasy ran through her mind, the more determined she was to find his hiding place.
One particular bird seemed to disappear when the music began. She watched its every move. Marking the tree it went into, then followed.
The notes were sad today. Her heart wanted her to remember the battle with Emeraude; the saddest memory of all. But she pushed forward, willing her feet to take each step, until she was under the tree. Tears puddled in her eyes. There was no doubt. The music was coming from up in the branches.
A twig snapped under her foot. The music stopped.
A figure cloaked in shadow, dotted with sunlight, stood up abruptly, ready to run. "You don't have to stop," Umi said quickly.
The figure sat back down. Sunlight exposing a childish mouth and jaw line.
Umi's heart jumped in her throat. "Ascot? Is that you?" She hopped up on the first branch. "Wait, I'm coming up."
"I'm... not Ascot... sadly."
Umi looked up to see the familiar figurehead of an all too familiar item. The jewel in the crest glowed. Umi blinked, and he was gone.
"Umi?" a voice called.
Umi gasped, yelped, and fell. But she never hit the ground. She cracked one eye open to see herself eye level with the middle of the tree trunk. She was lowered to the ground. She stood.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Clef?"
"Neither did I expect you to be up so early," Clef said. He bowed his head. "I..." He raised his head. "I want to apologize for my recent behavior. You were right in every aspect. I have no right to take my troubles out on you. I take back everything. Though I know it is too late." He bowed his head again. "I know I do not deserve to be forgiven immediately. So I do not expect anything of the like to be done."
"I forgive you."
It didn't seem to sink in immediately. "I suppose- huh?" His head snapped up. "You- you do?"
She smiled and nodded.
Clef inwardly sighed. But not just from the thought of being forgiven. Her smile did something to him. Something he never thought he'd feel. The growing warmth brought a smile to his face. "Thank you."
"Also," Umi said sheepishly. "I'd like to apologize."
Clef closed his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever temper you expressed was a direct result of mine. There is no fault of this for you to bear."
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for calling you immature and childish. I know how spiteful it was of me to pick on your height and appearance."
Clef chuckled, "My dear Umi, do you really think I would choose to stay this way for eternity?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Umi couldn't believe her eyes. Clef's clothes had changed. His staff was completely different, sleek. She was sure he'd been wearing white before. She wasn't imagining it was she? She blinked and her jaw nearly fell to the floor.
There he stood. Age of appearance: somewhere around 26. His bangs had grown and hung down on his right side, stretching past his chin. His now black robe hung open, exposing the white and navy undercoat he had on. Everything about him whispered how powerful he was but screamed how gorgeous he'd become.
He walked up to her. "Umi..."
Ascot yawned as he walked out of his room. He had his hands locked behind his head as he walked, thinking of the night before and the day ahead. Then something pulled his attention and lead him to the courtyard. He gasped when he saw Clef and how close he stood to Umi. What? Ascot thought. How did he do that? Why isn't Umi backing away?
"There's something I want to tell you," Clef said softly. "And I wish I had said so earlier... now that you've chosen Ascot over me."
What? Umi thought. Over him? Choose?
His fingertips brushed her jaw. She could feel his face close to hers. Her lips parted on their own. "No matter what happens between you and I in the future," he paused to lean his staff in the crook of his arm and put his hands on the sides of her face. "Should you ever fall, I will always be there to catch you." With that he kissed her forehead. Only then did he realize he'd been holding his breath the entire time. Feelings started to come over him. She was so close! She wasn't resisting. Ascot was in the background, this he knew. But what could Ascot do to protest if Clef wanted to steal Umi away? What could that orphan do?
He pulled back slowly, feeling as though he was letting go of a flame to embrace an excruciating ice age for the rest of his natural life. But knowing she would be happy... that was his saving grace.
He'd go back to the way it was before. He'd be her teacher. She'd be his student. That'd be all there was to either side of it. But Ascot would have to be taught how to protect her. Anything beyond that... was out of his hands. Yes. Out of his hands.
But... he'd always be there for her...
Umi opened her eyes and looked up to see Clef back in his child form, talking to Ascot. Umi smiled as she looked at Ascot. He nodded enthusiastically to Clef. Clef chuckled, smiled, and ruffled Ascot's hair before leaving. Ascot came running down the stairs to Umi. He stopped short of reaching her and folded his hands behind his back. "I've got something for you," he said with a grin. "Clef told me a little secret. But it's up to you when you want me to tell you." Or show you, he thought. That's the real secret.
"Really?" Umi asked quizzically. "And what did Clef tell you?"
"Tee hee, take a guess."
She shrugged, "I give up."
"Aww come on! That's no fun."
She giggled. The sound made Ascot nearly melt. "I honestly don't know."
Ascot sighed, "Okay then. Close your eyes."
Umi closed her eyes.
"Donchou peek now!"
Umi giggled, "I won't, I promise."
Silence followed. Ascot finally spoke, "Okay you can open your eyes now."
Umi slowly opened her eyes, a smile on her face.
That smile faded some. Ascot stood nervously, a full head taller than her now. He looked to be about 18 or so. His voice was still the same, or at least it hadn't changed as much as Clef's had. All in all, not as impressive a sight. Maybe it was just because she couldn't see his eyes under his bangs. She walked up to him and brushed his bangs up and held them there then gazed in his eyes. He was so nervous to start, but love gradually made that dissolve. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. He nudged her nose with his own before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. Her heart came alive. She knew she'd made the right choice.
Clef blew off breakfast that morning. After being so close to Umi... he couldn't stand to be around her. He feared he'd try to win her over, steal her away. Although it didn't sound too bad from his point of view, once Umi knew who made her heart sing it'd be game over. Hell would have come to Cephiro if she hated him. So he had decided to play it safe and step aside. Seems that was all he was ever doing was playing it safe. Was that why he was still alone after 746 years? How long would he let it go on?
He looked down at his hand, still closed around the flute. He sighed, took off his headdress, shoulder collar, and walked to the window and sat on the windowsill. He looked out over Cephiro for a long moment, closed his eyes, and fit the flute to his lips.
So... whadya think? Good? Bad? Garbage? Anyway, it's done. This was the last chapter of Wait for Me. Hope you liked it. R&R please! Until next time.