Title: Cherry Blossom 2/13
Author: Haruka
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
Pairing: 1?
Rating: R
Warning: OOC, AU, angst, sap
Note: Thanks to my great beta silver-eyed! Enjoy and please read & gimmy feedback!
( ) means they are speaking in Japanese.
Heero walked into his office, noticing that Dorothy was not at her desk and that Duo was sitting in his office sofa.
"You want to tell me how someone found out that I'm getting married when you were the only person I told," Heero asked the boy who was currently examining his nails on the sofa. Heero decided to sit down in his chair before he decided that Duo was more pain than he was worth it.
"I told Relena, but that's it. I didn't tell her it was a M.O.B. though. And you have to admit, the fact that one of the world's richest men, meaning you, is rumored to be getting married and he hasn't has a stable girlfriend in how many years?-is really interesting," Duo replied, not very contrite if his smirking had anything to say.
"Your wife is the biggest gossiper there is. Who needs the news when she's around," Heero growled.
"Oh leave Relena alone, she does it because she cares," Duo told him with a wide grin.
"Right, and pigs fly" Heero said sarcastically.
"So, when is the bride coming?" Duo asked brightly.
"Thursday. I'll be picking her up at the airport, and-I have no idea why I'm telling you this at all," Heero glared at Duo who continued to grin.
----------Kyoto, Japan
Ayako! You better have all you things ready, the woman yelled.
Yes mother, the girl said, folding her clothes neatly, and putting them into a very old straw suitcase that looked like it would fall apart any second. The woman, also known as her mother, walked over to her and roughly grabbed her upper arm.
Don't fuck this one up! I hear this one is very wealthy. You don't want your mother and brothers to live in poverty forever, do you? her mother barked.
No mother, the girl answered quietly.
Good the older woman said, apparently satisfied for the moment. She then pulled her young daughter out of their small, dirty home. Ayako's two older brothers joined them has they started for the train station.
Hey Ayako. I bet this one's gonna be a rich old man like last time. You better hope he won't beat you like the others. But then again, that's all you're good for, a quick fuck and a beating, the oldest brother sneered, laughing with his younger brother. Ayako said nothing, rather used to their cruelty and she kept her head down as they continued to the station.
Once at the train station, they meet up with the person from the Cherry Blossom Organization.
Ayako, nice to see you again, spoke the man who had called Heero the other day, This is the third marriage, isn't it? You don't want to mess this one up too. The Company is sick of loosing money because of you, the man said severely. Ayako kept her eyes down cast, she knew what would happen if she said anything.
Anyway, here put this around your neck, The man told her handing her a white sign. Ayako took the hanging sign and looked at it momentarily. She knew what it said. It was written in English which said," Please Direct to Heero Yuy". Her mother and brothers couldn't speak, read or understand English, and they laughed at her now as she wore the white sign around her neck.
Here is your plane ticket. Your new husband is Japanese-American, he will be waiting for you in the airport after the baggage claim, he will be holding a rose, the man told her, giving her the plane ticket.
Make sure he likes you and gives us lot's of money Ayako's mother told her, then pushed her towards the boarding area. Ayako, without looking back, took the train to the airport. At the airport, she boarded the designated plane with little difficulty, but she was terrified of what was to come when she would reach her new husband in the States.
--------Upstate New York, USA
Thursday, 9:10pm, at the international airport. Heero had arrived at 8:30. Deciding to look presentable for his bride, he had worn one of his solid dark blue suits with no tie. In his hands he held a white rose, waiting for his future.
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Ayako stepped off the plane. She felt awkward, knowing she was out of place in the gigantic, busy airport. She followed the crowd and made her was to the baggage claim area. She waited for the conveyor belt to start moving and when she saw her old suitcase, she quickly grabbed it then walked towards the other side of the area where there were people waiting. She stopped and looked around, placing her bag on the floor by her feet. With hands folded across her chest in front of her, she looked around for a man holding a rose.
Ayako spotted an older man with grey hair holding a pink rose who was looking around. He then started to walk in her direction. Assuming that that was her husband, she bowed before he reached her, only to have him walk right past her and greet another woman behind her. Embarrassed, Ayako began looking around again. She felt lost and scared, more so than ever before. Questions and terrifying thoughts flashed inside her head. What if he had forgotten about her? What if he didn't care? Where would she go if he didn't show up?
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Heero watched her. Time stood still for him as he watched her, looking lost; looking for him.
She was beautiful, dressed in a deep purple silk kimono with, ironically, cherry blossoms scattered about on it. Her hair was pulled back into a tight braid, letting long feminine bangs hanging on one side of her face just like in her picture. He saw the sign they had put around her neck. 'Please Direct to Heero Yuy,' how embarrassing and degrading, he wondered if she knew.
Ayako finally noticed a very handsome young man holding a white rose, walking towards her. He approached her with his customary smirk. He was handsome and young. Hah, her brothers were wrong after all. His eyes were a deep cobalt blue that one could just fall forever into. And his hair, short and seemingly messy, yet somehow still a perfect fit for his features, which, by the way, were regarding her with that male smirk. She blushed at having been caught staring and bowed gracefully.
"Konnichiwa," he said. Falling into a routine she knew quite well, Ayako kept her eyes down cast and answered him shyly, "Konnichiwa."
I'm Heero Yuy, He told her, then reached out to her and took the stupid sign off of her. She smiled at him in gratitude. Heero proceeded to take her suitcase and he started towards the exit. She waited a moment then started walking, always 3 steps behind him as it was taught to do in Japan.
They got into the awaiting Cadillac SUV. Once inside, Ayako sat quietly keeping her head down and her hands clasped together on her lap.
"Here, this is for you," he said in English, handing the rose over to her gently. She hesitantly looked up at him, but seeing him smile at her, she took the flower happily, smelling its sweet scent.
"Do you understand English?" She nodded.
"You don't have to keep your head down. You can look out the window if you like. There are many things here that are worth looking at," he told her. She blushed again and smiled hesitantly at him. She turned to look out the window, holding the rose close to her heart. The rest of the drive was spent that way, with Ayako looking out at the marvel that was New York during rush hour and Heero watching his new bride with observant eyes.
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When they arrived at his house, Heero helped her out of the SUV. Moving around in that kimono must be hard, he'd have to buy her some modern clothes so she would be able to move around better. Heero motioned to the driver to wait.
"Do you like the truck?" Heero asked her, motioning at the SUV they had just gotten out of. Again she merely nodded.
Heero, taking her word, said, "Good, then I'll keep it," smiling at her, which made her smile as well. He nodded at the driver who saluted him and drove off. He turned to look at his bride while she looked up at his house.
It was 2 stories high and was made mostly of some sort of white stone. The style was late Victorian, and the house looked very inviting. Despite his somewhat lacking social skills, Heero definitely knew his architecture.
She followed her new husband inside, and was struck by the beauty of the great hall where guest were greeted. Contradictory to the exterior Victorian design, inside the floors were all a ligh wood, along with stairs. The home was modern but very comfortable looking.
"Let me show you to your room," he led her to the stairs.
Ayako followed him up the stairs then straight down the hall. The hall walls were decorated with Japanese Art wall scrolls. Heero opened the first door on the left. Inside, the room was quite large with a glass sliding door that led to a small balcony which faced the backyard. On the right-side, there was a queen-sized bed covered with a large, white comforter. Across from the bed was a huge wooden dresser with detailed carvings that made it look quite old and pricey. Next to the dresser was a full length mirror with the same carvings on its border. On both sides of the bed were two nightstands, whose design matched the dresser and the mirror.
Ayako took this all in when she entered the room. When she walked towards the sliding doors however, she saw that there was another door hidden beside the dresser. With a questioning look at Heero, he nodded and she opened the door, revealing her own personal bathroom with a walk in closet on the other side. The bathroom was made filled with a soft yellow glow that soothed her. The tub was quite spacious, big enough for four people it looked. The shower was located next to it with glass doors and an uncountable number of jets. The faucets were gold plated and matched the décor of the room to perfection. It was a heck of a lot more than anything Ayako had ever seen or was used to.
"I hope you like your room. It's late and I'm sure you're tired. I will show you around the house in the morning," he said as he placed her suitcase on the floor by the dresser.
"Are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded slowly in response.
"What would you like?"
She hesitated, not quite sure what to request, if anything at all.
"Don't be afraid to ask for what you would like to eat. I can get you anything you want: sea food, steak, sushi, Italian, Cuban, or a mix of it all, just ask."
"Sushi," her tiny, timid soft voice said quickly. She turned away just as quickly, waiting for something Heero didn't want to explore quite yet.
Instead he asked for her opinion on the specifics, "How about sashimi, sushi and tempura shrimp and crab?" She turned back to look at him as he smiled at her and a delicate smile appeared on her face, telling him that his decision was fine with her.
"Good," he said, excusing himself as he left her room. Once she heard the door close behind him, she released the breath she had been holding and looked at the door. She was... surprised. He hadn't gotten angry at her in any way, nor did he seem to be an unpleasant man to be around. Ayako smiled again, a little bigger this time. Heero Yuy seemed like a nice man.
While she waited for him to announce dinner, she opened her suitcase and rummaged around. Finding what she was looking for, she took out an old picture. It was black and white photo of a good looking older man who was smiling as he held onto a six year old boy. Ayako went over and placed it on her nightstand, leaning it against the jade colored lamp.
Walking back to her suitcase, she pulled out the remaining items, three light kimonos, two yukatas, a brush with some sparse hair supplies and a present. She neatly placed the kimonos and yukatas away in the large drawers of the dresser. Just as she placed the brush on her dresser, something caught her eyes beyond the balcony. She moved towards the sliding doors.
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Hello Soto, I'm sorry for calling so late…, Heero said to the other man on the line.
No problem, Mr. Yuy. Should I make the usual? the man named Soto asked.
No, actually tonight will be different, Heero added, And for two.
Oh! Well then, what will it be?
Two boats, sashimi, sushi with tempura shrimp and crab.
Yes, Mr. Yuy, two boats, sashimi, sushi with tempura shrimp and crab. Right away, it will be about 20 minutes.
Thank you, Soto, and Heero hung up, his thoughts on his bride up stairs.
TBC