AN: I don't own anything of FY, I'm just using the characters for my own entertainment.
See all warnings on the first chapter of this story.
All comments, suggestions and constructive criticism wanted and enjoyed!
"Hello", he said, pleasantly.
Hotohori at first said nothing, his mind stunned that he was finally about to talk to him, then he came to himself and extended his hand, smiling. "Hello, I just moved in about a week ago."
He nodded, placing his small, smooth hand in his and shaking it gently. "Yes, I remember you when I was talking to Ms. Douglas that day. I wanted to bring you a welcome gift to you, but I could never seem to catch you at home and I didn't want to bother you when you were moving in."
" It would of been no bother, trust me. I could of used the help," he said, lightly and enjoying the feel of his hand in his, but all too soon, he pulled his hand away." My name is Hotohori, by the way."
" Nuriko, "he replied, laughing a little at his earlier comment." You should of asked me, I wouldn't of minded helping you. Would you like to come in? I have tea, coffee, soda, juice and kool-aid." Hotohori nodded and Nuriko stepped back to let him inside, not appearing to be nervous at all at inviting him. As he closed the door, then swept past him to go the kitchen, he cheerfully told him to have a seat on the couch. Hotohori looked around at the light, happy colors that decorated his home and sat down on a light blue couch. As he turned his head, he saw a sewing machine, cloth materials lying across a table and a beautiful long sleeved cream colored wedding gown hanging up on a door.
"I am a wedding gown maker," Nuriko told him as he came in with two glasses of ice tea on a tray and after handing him one, he sat in a large easy chair next to him and placed a straw in his glass. Seeing him look over at him, he laughed, brightly " I can't drink anything cold without a straw. I have at least a hundred different colored ones.. would you like one?"
" No, no thank you. This is fine," he sipped the tea and after finding it delicious, he gestured to the dress. " A dressmaker, hmm? You have many customers? You ever think of having your own shop?"
" I only make wedding dresses.. they symbolize hope and love. As for customers, I have quite a few, many are referrals from my other clients. They claim that my dresses are very lucky, every bride who has worn one that I have made, has never divorced or separated. I keep in touch with them even after they walk down the aisle. And, plus that I have connections which makes their weddings much easier." He looked at the dress for a long minute. " I don't think I want a shop, I prefer working out of my home."
"You'd make more money, you could have a large clientele. I work at The Exceptional Male, it's in the downtown section.. and it always has many customers that just walk off the street."
Nuriko shrugged as he sipped more of his tea, before setting it on the small glass coffee table.
"Money isn't a big factor in what I do, Hotohori. It makes people happy and I make lifetime friends. Those people who walk in from the street isn't the same as those who come into your home and share their dreams and hopes during the time it takes to make the dress. I meet their husbands to be and often have to reassure when one of them gets cold feet and I listen to their fears as well. No, I wouldn't trade it for all of the world."
Hotohori listened with great admiration, as he watched his peaceful and happy expression while he spoke. " May I look at the dress? I promise not to wrinkle it." Nuriko waved his hand towards it, nodding and he rose to walk over to closer inspect it, lightly touching the delicate material. "It's beautifully made, Nuriko. The designs and pattern are so intricate...it must of taken forever to sew all of these pearls on this lace..."
Nuriko walked next to him, face flushing with pleasure from his compliment and eyed it with far more criticims than he or even his customers ever would. " thank you...and yes, it did take a while. Three months from start to finish. I have to get it dry cleaned, then she'll come by on Saturday to pick it up. I have a new client coming tomorrow and from what Yui said, that's this bride's name, she is really very excitable. It's her best friend, who's marrying next."
"I see..." Hotohori moved from the dress and saw a tall curio cabinet full of porcelain and crystal glass animals and angels of different colors and poses. A scent of lavender filled his nose as Nuriko came next to him, looking in the tall cabinet with him. "These are nice.. but why animals and angels? "
"Why not? They are my favorite two things next to ice cream, cake and Chinese food!" he said, laughing and Hotohori couldn't help laughing right along with him." I have had some of these since I was a boy... most were given to me by my mother.." here his face became sad and he touched the side of it, sighing. "she died three years ago. The pain is still fresh, it seems."
"I'm sorry...it would be hard on any of us to lose a mother, especially if you are close to them." His tone of voice must of surprised Nuriko, for he looked at him, curiously, thoughts of his own mother pushed aside.
"Aren't you close to yours? You seem skeptical or speaking as if you would know nothing about it." Hotohori shrugged and went to look at some of the pictures on the wall with Nuriko and a older violet haired woman, he guessed was his mother.
"My parents are usually taking business trips or lengthy vacations for me to see them much. I could of went with them, but one gets bored of seeing the French Rivera or Rome all of the time to name a couple of places." As soon as his sentence left his mouth, he inwardly winched thinking that he sounded as if he were boasting to his own ears, but Nuriko merely let out a breath of excitement.
" I wouldn't ever be bored! I never been out of the United States and I only went to Florida to Disney world with my family when I was about 10 or 11. To see another country!", he sighed in wistfulness. " But, I understand what you mean about not being close to your parents. It's okay. It's a shame that they wouldn't want to have you closer to them."
" They do.. but on their own terms." Hotohori wondered why he was so easily talking to him about his personal life when he had never developed a close friend to do so before at work or even when he went to school. He usually kept to himself, leading others to believe that he thought he was better than them and he besides a few off and on dates, he was never close to the women, whom he usually just had sex with. "No commitment, no heartache" was his personal creed that he had lived by for years. Now, this beautiful, soft spoken young man was threatening to change all of that and he was not even fighting against it.
Sensing he was reluctant to talk about it, Nuriko let it drop for now. Despite himself, he wanted to get to know more about this man who was causing him to throw his own cautions to the wind about letting himself get close enough to another to fall in love. He had always thought that he could only make others happy, which is why he threw himself into his small full time business of sending the love sick couples into their first step of their lives together. He would always go the weddings that they invited him to, feeling tears fall down his cheeks through out the ceremony, then convince himself that they were tears of happiness for the bride later.
"Want some dinner? I was making chicken and broccoli and there's enough for two." Hotohori looked at him and nodded, more than happy to accept his invitation.
" I have to change clothes, though. I can return within an hour, if that gives you enough time to prepare."
"That's perfect. I have some peach cobbler from last night and vanilla ice cream, if that's fine with you."
"Sounds delicious! I'll be right back." Nuriko walked him to the door and watched him as he went across the hallway to his own apartment, before closing the door and leaned against it, covering his face with his hand.
" Gods, what have I gotten myself into now? Do I know what I'm starting and will I be able to handle it if it finishes the way I don't want?" Unknown to Hotohori, Nuriko had been thinking of the other man since the day he had first saw him speaking with the landlady and had crossed his fingers in hope that he would take the apartment, then grinning like a maniac when he found out that he did. He suddenly shook his head, surprised at himself. "You are going way ahead of yourself, Nuriko. He maybe interested in making friends ONLY with you.. you have no idea if he likes men at all. Take tonight for face value and leave the rest to fate, if there is anything else to it."
He accepted these words, telling himself that he had no time anyway for anything more than friendship and really liked the way his life was already as he ignored the leaping of his heart when he began to make their dinner, trying not to count down the minutes until he would return.
See all warnings on the first chapter of this story.
All comments, suggestions and constructive criticism wanted and enjoyed!
"Hello", he said, pleasantly.
Hotohori at first said nothing, his mind stunned that he was finally about to talk to him, then he came to himself and extended his hand, smiling. "Hello, I just moved in about a week ago."
He nodded, placing his small, smooth hand in his and shaking it gently. "Yes, I remember you when I was talking to Ms. Douglas that day. I wanted to bring you a welcome gift to you, but I could never seem to catch you at home and I didn't want to bother you when you were moving in."
" It would of been no bother, trust me. I could of used the help," he said, lightly and enjoying the feel of his hand in his, but all too soon, he pulled his hand away." My name is Hotohori, by the way."
" Nuriko, "he replied, laughing a little at his earlier comment." You should of asked me, I wouldn't of minded helping you. Would you like to come in? I have tea, coffee, soda, juice and kool-aid." Hotohori nodded and Nuriko stepped back to let him inside, not appearing to be nervous at all at inviting him. As he closed the door, then swept past him to go the kitchen, he cheerfully told him to have a seat on the couch. Hotohori looked around at the light, happy colors that decorated his home and sat down on a light blue couch. As he turned his head, he saw a sewing machine, cloth materials lying across a table and a beautiful long sleeved cream colored wedding gown hanging up on a door.
"I am a wedding gown maker," Nuriko told him as he came in with two glasses of ice tea on a tray and after handing him one, he sat in a large easy chair next to him and placed a straw in his glass. Seeing him look over at him, he laughed, brightly " I can't drink anything cold without a straw. I have at least a hundred different colored ones.. would you like one?"
" No, no thank you. This is fine," he sipped the tea and after finding it delicious, he gestured to the dress. " A dressmaker, hmm? You have many customers? You ever think of having your own shop?"
" I only make wedding dresses.. they symbolize hope and love. As for customers, I have quite a few, many are referrals from my other clients. They claim that my dresses are very lucky, every bride who has worn one that I have made, has never divorced or separated. I keep in touch with them even after they walk down the aisle. And, plus that I have connections which makes their weddings much easier." He looked at the dress for a long minute. " I don't think I want a shop, I prefer working out of my home."
"You'd make more money, you could have a large clientele. I work at The Exceptional Male, it's in the downtown section.. and it always has many customers that just walk off the street."
Nuriko shrugged as he sipped more of his tea, before setting it on the small glass coffee table.
"Money isn't a big factor in what I do, Hotohori. It makes people happy and I make lifetime friends. Those people who walk in from the street isn't the same as those who come into your home and share their dreams and hopes during the time it takes to make the dress. I meet their husbands to be and often have to reassure when one of them gets cold feet and I listen to their fears as well. No, I wouldn't trade it for all of the world."
Hotohori listened with great admiration, as he watched his peaceful and happy expression while he spoke. " May I look at the dress? I promise not to wrinkle it." Nuriko waved his hand towards it, nodding and he rose to walk over to closer inspect it, lightly touching the delicate material. "It's beautifully made, Nuriko. The designs and pattern are so intricate...it must of taken forever to sew all of these pearls on this lace..."
Nuriko walked next to him, face flushing with pleasure from his compliment and eyed it with far more criticims than he or even his customers ever would. " thank you...and yes, it did take a while. Three months from start to finish. I have to get it dry cleaned, then she'll come by on Saturday to pick it up. I have a new client coming tomorrow and from what Yui said, that's this bride's name, she is really very excitable. It's her best friend, who's marrying next."
"I see..." Hotohori moved from the dress and saw a tall curio cabinet full of porcelain and crystal glass animals and angels of different colors and poses. A scent of lavender filled his nose as Nuriko came next to him, looking in the tall cabinet with him. "These are nice.. but why animals and angels? "
"Why not? They are my favorite two things next to ice cream, cake and Chinese food!" he said, laughing and Hotohori couldn't help laughing right along with him." I have had some of these since I was a boy... most were given to me by my mother.." here his face became sad and he touched the side of it, sighing. "she died three years ago. The pain is still fresh, it seems."
"I'm sorry...it would be hard on any of us to lose a mother, especially if you are close to them." His tone of voice must of surprised Nuriko, for he looked at him, curiously, thoughts of his own mother pushed aside.
"Aren't you close to yours? You seem skeptical or speaking as if you would know nothing about it." Hotohori shrugged and went to look at some of the pictures on the wall with Nuriko and a older violet haired woman, he guessed was his mother.
"My parents are usually taking business trips or lengthy vacations for me to see them much. I could of went with them, but one gets bored of seeing the French Rivera or Rome all of the time to name a couple of places." As soon as his sentence left his mouth, he inwardly winched thinking that he sounded as if he were boasting to his own ears, but Nuriko merely let out a breath of excitement.
" I wouldn't ever be bored! I never been out of the United States and I only went to Florida to Disney world with my family when I was about 10 or 11. To see another country!", he sighed in wistfulness. " But, I understand what you mean about not being close to your parents. It's okay. It's a shame that they wouldn't want to have you closer to them."
" They do.. but on their own terms." Hotohori wondered why he was so easily talking to him about his personal life when he had never developed a close friend to do so before at work or even when he went to school. He usually kept to himself, leading others to believe that he thought he was better than them and he besides a few off and on dates, he was never close to the women, whom he usually just had sex with. "No commitment, no heartache" was his personal creed that he had lived by for years. Now, this beautiful, soft spoken young man was threatening to change all of that and he was not even fighting against it.
Sensing he was reluctant to talk about it, Nuriko let it drop for now. Despite himself, he wanted to get to know more about this man who was causing him to throw his own cautions to the wind about letting himself get close enough to another to fall in love. He had always thought that he could only make others happy, which is why he threw himself into his small full time business of sending the love sick couples into their first step of their lives together. He would always go the weddings that they invited him to, feeling tears fall down his cheeks through out the ceremony, then convince himself that they were tears of happiness for the bride later.
"Want some dinner? I was making chicken and broccoli and there's enough for two." Hotohori looked at him and nodded, more than happy to accept his invitation.
" I have to change clothes, though. I can return within an hour, if that gives you enough time to prepare."
"That's perfect. I have some peach cobbler from last night and vanilla ice cream, if that's fine with you."
"Sounds delicious! I'll be right back." Nuriko walked him to the door and watched him as he went across the hallway to his own apartment, before closing the door and leaned against it, covering his face with his hand.
" Gods, what have I gotten myself into now? Do I know what I'm starting and will I be able to handle it if it finishes the way I don't want?" Unknown to Hotohori, Nuriko had been thinking of the other man since the day he had first saw him speaking with the landlady and had crossed his fingers in hope that he would take the apartment, then grinning like a maniac when he found out that he did. He suddenly shook his head, surprised at himself. "You are going way ahead of yourself, Nuriko. He maybe interested in making friends ONLY with you.. you have no idea if he likes men at all. Take tonight for face value and leave the rest to fate, if there is anything else to it."
He accepted these words, telling himself that he had no time anyway for anything more than friendship and really liked the way his life was already as he ignored the leaping of his heart when he began to make their dinner, trying not to count down the minutes until he would return.