For the Love of a Duck
Chapter of Swan
Act 5- Something There
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Ahiru was worried. It was as plain as that. Fakir had left in a rush early for classes and now he was late coming home. Something just- wasn't right.
The small yellow duck pressed herself against the cold glass of the front window to the antique store hoping perhaps she could see the emerald-haired boy on his way home.
But much to her dismay, he was nowhere in sight.
Instead of seeing him, she noticed that much like they'd predicted, it was indeed snowing. The large fluffy white snowflakes coming down faster and faster with each passing moment. It was- beautiful.
Blue eyes watched as the little specks danced their way from the sky to the ground. They pirouetted and twirled as if they were tiny little ballerinas floating amongst the blue sea of the skies.
Sighing to herself, she found herself thinking back to her days as a human girl.
"I might not have been as good as Princess Tutu…but…I did love to dance…"
"Hey now, Ahiru. If you stay there you'll get chilled," Charon chided lightly, as he put an antique up on a nearby shelf.
"Quack quack. Quack quack quack quack quack. (I know. I'm just worried about Fakir.)"
The elder man nodded, "It is a bit late for him to be returning. Perhaps the weather has held him up. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Quack quack quack… (I hope so…)" The duck replied, once again looking out the window for any sign of the young man.
"Ahiru…"
She looked up at he voice, "Qua…?"
"Here's some warm tea for him when he gets home, all right?" Charon explained setting the cups down on the table.
Nodding enthusiastically, she replied, "Quack! (Okay!)"
Jumping up onto the tabletop, she curled up and waited for Fakir to return home.
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The emerald-haired boy tugged his uniform jacket closer around him as the snow continued to fall.
Ever since Drosselmeyer's story was finished, he decided to stay at the shop with Charon instead of staying in the dorms at the school. He'd reasoned that it was just too awkward to be around the school without Mytho, Rue and Ahiru there; and that Charon was getting older and could use all the help there that he could get. But now, his mind was pointing all indicators to the real reason.
Charon's shop was closer to the lake that Ahiru lived on. Where he spent many an afternoon writing beside the waterside and just enjoying her company.
And now- weighed down with the parchment telling their story and the pendant he was to give her, Fakir found himself wandering about the town trying to sort out his thoughts.
"To break this curse, I have to…tell Ahiru…that I…" His face flushed at the thought, "Damnit, this was easier written than it will be to actually do…"
Briefly, he ran his finger over the stone in his pocket.
"I guess I always thought she liked Mytho. And…well, she did. But…once I'd found out. The tiny yellow duck I'd cared for- been kind to and helped- was her… And she…she knew her fate was on the line. If she spoke of her love, she'd disappear. That was that. Yet, she kept fighting."
He paused and looking up to the falling snow from the clouds above.
"The question is…does she see anything in me other than- the left over knight?"
Shaking the thought from his mind, he turned around and began to walk back towards home.
"I won't find out anything if I don't try. It's not like I'll disappear if I say something…I just hope that…that it doesn't turn tragic."
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The door creaked open, and Fakir couldn't hold back his smile as he saw the small yellow duck curled up asleep on top of the table.
"Idiot…" He muttered, walking over and nudging her awake.
"Qua…" She murmured sleepily, "Quack! (Fakir!)"
"What are you doing sleeping in here?"
Without a word, she jumped up and pushed the cooling cup of tea towards him, "Quack quack…(For you…)"
He paused at the gesture, then lifted the teacup, "Thanks Ahiru. It is a bit cold out there, isn't it?"
She nodded. Then hesitantly, she walked over and gently nudged her head against his side. Looking up at him with blue eyes, she frowned in worry, "Quack quack quack quack quack, quack? (What's wrong with you today, Fakir?)"
"I guess I worried her…I have been acting strange…" He thought to himself, reaching down to softly pat her head.
Sitting down the teacup, Fakir let the words of Neko-sensei come to mind.
"Watch her and you'll know…"
"You ready for dinner, Ahiru?" He asked casually. The duck nodded in reply.
Walking over to the counter, he set about fixing a meal for himself and the small duck.
"Sorry I was late today, Neko-sensei kept me after a bit…" He explained.
"Quack… quack? (He…did?)"
"Well, we've got a big performance coming up and well…I was just a bit distracted."
"Qua…" She murmured sadly, wishing that she could do something to cheer him up. Then an idea dawned on her.
"I could help him practice…then maybe he'd feel better. I might be a duck- but I can still dance…somewhat okay."
Quietly keeping her plan to herself, Ahiru decided that she'd offer to help him with practicing as best as she could. Then- then he'd certainly feel much better.
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It wasn't long until the food was cooked and Fakir sat down at the table. Placing a plate of breadcrumbs and some greens before the yellow duck, he couldn't help but notice the look in her eyes as he smiled at her.
"What kind of look is that? Is she grateful to me- or admiring me?" Shrugging he shook the idea from his mind and turned back to his own food, "Oy, it's probably just because she was hungry…"
Finishing his food, he noticed the bread roll that remained on his plate.
"Well, she always did eat way too much anyways…" He reasoned before reaching over to hand it to Ahiru.
"Here."
She looked between the roll and the boy who handed it to her.
"Quack… (Fakir…)" A light blush crossed her feathered cheeks before she pecked at it.
"It's just like that time when he found me in his locker…"
Fakir blinked, noticing the duck's reaction to his gesture.
"Is she…remembering when I'd done this for her before?"
And after hesitating for a moment, he reached out and patted her on the head. At which, her blush only deepened.
"Fakir…I…" She looked up, her blue eyes catching his dark ones. "Thank you so much for caring…about a stupid duck like me."
"Ahiru…um…" He stammered, his question seeming like it was glued to his tongue.
"Qua?"
"Do you…um…would you like to go outside and see the snow?"
The second the question came out, Fakir had to resist the urge to slap his forehead in irritation.
"Argh…it's not like I can just ask her, "hey, do you…like me?" And what a lame way to cover it up…like she'd want to go out in that freezing weather."
But much to his surprise, her eyes lit up.
"Quack quack?! Quack?! ( I can?! Really?!)"
After blinking away his surprise at her desire to go out into the cold night, he just shook his head.
"It figures she'd want to see the snow. That's just Ahiru for you…"
Going to grab up his cloak from the nearby rack on the wall, he put it on before lifting the duck into his arms.
"All right. But just for a little while. You'll get too cold otherwise."
Ahiru nodded, "Well he seems to be feeling a bit better now," She paused, looking about as they walked out the door, "But I still can't shake the feeling something has happened…"
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The town of Kinkan looked like a giant snow globe as the snow fluttered down from the skies above. It was like a blanket of white wrapping the village within its arms. And Ahiru thought it was just gorgeous.
"Pretty, isn't it?"
She nodded, "Wow, I've never seen the village during winter before. It's so pretty."
Down the street a few children were racing by, their hands clutching snowballs and starting a small war all of their own.
Fakir looked down, his eyes intently watching the small duck's reaction to everything.
"Well…she seems to be happy…"
Wiggling a bit in his arms, he finally released her and watched in confusion as she flapped to the ground.
Sticking her beak into the fresh snow like a shovel, she nudged it upward and then began to push it forward slowly- the snow rolling around itself and making a small ball.
"Is she…" The young man blinked, and couldn't hold back a smile at the antics of the small duck. "If it's a snowball fight you want, then it's a snowball fight you'll get."
Reaching down himself, he grabbed up a handful of the white powder and prepared to wage a miniature war on the yellow duck.
As Ahiru finished making her snowball, Fakir readied himself to counter it. But, much to the knight's dismay- Ahiru had one advantage over him in this game. She could fly.
And as the duck took flight above him he knew all too well he'd already lost.
Sure enough, the snowball dropped from her beak and splattered right onto Fakir's head.
"Hey! No cheating by flying!" He protested, but the smile on his face told Ahiru he wasn't truly mad at her.
Ahiru landed on the nearby rooftop and stuck her tongue out at him in victory.
Taking her momentary distraction as an opening, Fakir hurled his snowball up towards her. It hit and Ahiru shook back and forth to rid her feathers of the cold snow.
Now they both leveled each other with a predatory glare. It was hit or be hit- and neither of them was willing to give an inch.
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Charon couldn't help but laugh as the two chilled forms trudged through the front door covered in snow.
"What happened?" He questioned, withholding another chuckle at their ridiculous appearance.
"Snowball fight," Fakir muttered simply.
"With…Ahiru?"
"I know- you wouldn't think a duck could throw a snowball, but she's rather good at it."
Ahiru nodded proudly.
"You two are quite the pair, you know that?"
It was an absent comment, but it caused both of the two parties involved to blush.
"Well you'd better get warmed up before you get sick. Go on now, take a warm bath or go sit in by the fire," Charon said, handing a blanket over to Fakir.
"Okay, thanks Charon."
The older man shook his head, "A snowball fight with a duck. I've really got to see that sometime."
Fakir smiled walking in towards the warm fireplace.
"You stay in here and get warm, Ahiru. I'll be right back after taking a warm bath," He explained sitting her down with the blanket.
The small duck nodded and snuggled into the cloth.
Walking towards the bathroom, Fakir paused a moment, "Ahiru would probably enjoy a warm bath too…but…" He blushed bright red at the thought, "What's the matter with me?! She might be a duck, but she's Ahiru. We can't do that!"
He clutched at his head as he shook it back and forth.
"Why did I have to fall in love with a girl who turned out to be a duck?"
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Sinking into the warm water, Fakir let his mind ease away the tension in his muscles. He was becoming more and more certain that Ahiru at least felt- something- for him. What that something was turned out to be another matter entirely, but after watching her- her eyes, her expressions, he was almost certain that she felt the same as he did for her.
It was that tiny piece of uncertainty that held fast to his heart though and made him delay in bringing the story to a close. Sure, he'd written that if he spoke of his feelings that Ahiru could return to being girl. But what if she didn't? Would nothing happen- or would the power of the story cause some horrendous tragedy to befall them both, and perhaps the town?
"The power to spin words into reality. It's a blessing- yet it's a curse…" He sighed to himself, "It's really no wonder Drosselmeyer lost his mind…this not knowing drives you insane."
The warm water lapped at his scarred chest- a bitter reminder to the past of the town and the fate he could have had.
Touching a hand to the darkened skin, he ran his finger down the scar.
"The fate of the knight. But did Drosselmeyer ever plan on the knight caring for Princess Tutu? Her loving the Prince was part of his story, that much is true; but for me to love her…I think…perhaps it was why we were able to overcome it."
There was a light racket in the other room, and he creased his eyebrows in thought.
"What the hell is that idiot doing now?"
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A late night visitor to the store wasn't exactly uncommon, but it was enough to catch Charon off guard as he jumped up from his chair to greet the customer. Apparently the woman was looking for a present for her husband, and since he liked strange things, she supposed an antique would be a proper gift.
Ahiru could hear the noise in the other room, and curiosity getting the best of her, she peeked her head into the room to see what was going on. It took only a matter of moments before the lady's black cat, which was once nestled peacefully in her arms, darted across the room towards Ahiru.
Flailing about, the small duck began to seek anyway possible to get away from the insistent cat.
She could hear Charon and the woman's voices- both calling out to the cat to stop him from advancing on the duck; but not sure what else to do she made for the front door. Quickly flying outside, Ahiru barely made it up onto the roof before the cat raced out after her.
The feline seemed murderously intent on catching her, and so, she decided to find a way back into the house. Her eyes hastily looked about, finally catching sight of the slightly cracked window.
The cat jumped up, and she flew off- her small body cramming itself through the smaller window just before the black cat caught up with her. She flapped about in mid-air for a moment before dropping down towards the ground. Luckily for her, she was over water and not the hard floor.
But, much to her luck's dismay- the water was also the very bath that Fakir was still sitting in.
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The commotion outside had only gotten louder, and Fakir was now very curious as to the reason for it. Little did he know that one of the reasons was about to drop in on him… literally.
Hearing the noise behind him, he had begun to turn to see what it was when something fell into the bathtub, splashing water up into his face. It took a moment to register as the yellow duck surfaced in front of him, but once it did- his face turned bright red.
"Ah-Ahiru?!"
"Fakir?!" Her thoughts screamed in her head, as her eyes took in the sight before her.
Both turned away from each other simultaneously. Ahiru was slowly trying to convince herself to move, yet found herself frozen in place.
Finally breaking free from their embarrassment, the small duck managed to remove herself from the bathtub and made her way to the doorway. As she stood there, she began to quack frantically.
"(I'm so sorry I'm such an idiot! I'm sorry Fakir I didn't mean to see you…you…I'm just really, really, really sorry! I was trying to get away from a cat and I had to fly in a window and I didn't know this window was the window to where you were taking a bath or that you'd still be in the bath or that you'd be…be…I'm just very, very sorry!)"
Fakir took a deep breath and tried to push down the deep blush he knew for certain was on his face.
"It's…okay."
"(No it's not! I shouldn't have come in that window I should have tried another window I should have done something- anything but come in that window. I didn't mean to invade your…your…privacy. I just…just…)"
"I…guess we're even now, right?"
He said it slowly, hesitant yet wanting to break the tension.
"Qua…?" She paused her tirade to chance a slight glance out of the corner of her eye back at him.
His expression wasn't that…upset. Just…very embarrassed.
"Well…I mean…you know? Um…whenever you'd change back from a duck to a girl…you'd be…and well…I'd…accidentally of course…"
Fakir was the one stammering now, trying to explain himself without making the situation any worse. Ahiru just nodded, her blush deepening as she remember some of those instances. The small room fell silent, until Fakir cleared his throat.
"Uh…Ahiru…if you could…"
She blinked before letting his unsaid request process.
"Quack! Quack quack! Quack quack- quack quack quack quack quack! (Ack I'm sorry! I'll leave- I'm very very very sorry)"
She quickly waddled over to the door and attempted to pry it open.
Finally succeeding, she left the room and pushed the door back closed. Slumping against it, she sighed.
"I just…Fakir…I…"
Her tiny heart was pounding in her chest, and her face was flushed brightly red.
"Fakir…you're…you're…" She gulped as she admitted it to herself, "You're very handsome, Fakir."
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The heat of the room seemed to increase by tenfold even though she was gone, and Fakir found himself putting his hand over his heart as if to calm its racing beat.
"Ahiru…"
His mind was even more confused than before, but as embarrassing as it had been- it did shed some more light on the mystery of Ahiru's feelings.
Shakily finding his legs, he took a towel and dried himself off.
"I've got to cool my head. I can't write right now. There's no way I could coherently write that story now…"
Pulling his clothes back on, he decided that perhaps practicing his routine for the upcoming ballet performance would help him clear his mind. He opened the door, not really that surprised to find that Ahiru was no longer there. Given the situation, he wouldn't have stayed around and prolonged the embarrassment either.
Figuring that they both just needed some time to cool off, he headed out towards the shed behind the Antique shop.
"This just…makes everything even more complicated…"
He thought to himself as he walked out into the cold snow covered yard.
And no matter how hard he tried to stop it, his heart was still racing rapidly.
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