Chapter 11
"What put that smile on your face?" Chizue asked as Alana wandered back into the living area.
"Momiji asked me to be his girlfriend." Alana confessed, unable to hide her smile.
Emiko and Chizue squealed in happiness and Mizu tugged a lock of her hair. "I'm happy for you."
Alana smiled at them then wandered upstairs to wash before bed. As she lounged in the hot water of the bath she let her mind drift to thoughts of her…boyfriend and the kiss they had shared. Her breath had stilled as her heart pounded heavily in her chest. A tingle had started from where his hand gripped the back of her head and from where his lips pressed against hers and shivered its way through her body. She had been told that kisses could feel magical but she'd felt nothing like it before. It was almost as if she was getting her first kiss all over again.
She pulled on a large t-shirt and shorts to sleep in, her mind still buzzing with happiness. I can't wait to see him tomorrow, she thought, then fell asleep to the memories of Momiji's violin.
~Art of Love~
Momiji smiled as Alana opened her door and leaned into a place a kiss on her cheek. "Morning."
"Morning." She replied smiling at him and returning the kiss. She turned and grabbed her camera and a bag of painting supplies. "Can you grab that for me?" She asked, nodding at the easel and canvas sitting next to the door.
"Sure." He replied, easily and helped her carry everything out to the car. "Will you start painting today?"
Alana shrugged as she buckled her seatbelt and smiled at him. "Maybe. It depends on how make-up and posing go. I'll be leaving the stuff at Ayame's shop if he lets me."
"I'm sure he will." Momiji replied linking his fingers with hers.
Alana studied him from the corner of her eyes as he drove trying to figure out his behavior. She couldn't deny that he was happy to see her, that much was obvious to her. But there was something bothering him. She didn't know when she'd become so good at reading him but she could see he wasn't his normal cheerful self. She squeezed his hand gently and leaned to rest her head on his shoulder. Like all his other secrets, she'd wait for him to tell her what he wanted her to know. There was no rush to learn everything.
Ayame's shop was closed for the morning so Alana could have free reign to set everything up. He granted her use of his large backroom, there were no windows but Ayame had lots of snake-neck lights to help him see what he was doing better when he sewed.
Alana sent Kisa off with Mine to dress and Ayame helped Alana rearrange the lighting and drape a midnight blue velvet across one wall like curtains. She set a small rounded wooden table that Ayame had previously had a box of ribbons on in front of the curtains then stepped back to examine it.
"How will you pose Kisa?" Ayame asked standing beside her.
"One hand on the table and facing away, but turned back towards us as if she is speaking over her shoulder." Alana murmured, tilting her head to the side as she pictured it. "Her face will be serene but haughty."
"Do you want anything on the table?" Momiji asked distractedly. His mind was either focused on the phone call he'd received the night before or watching Alana intently. She was riveting when she was focused on her art like that.
"Maybe…" Alana smiled briefly at him. She glanced at the door as Hiro entered. "Morning, Hiro-kun."
Hiro raised an eyebrow at the three people who'd turned to face him. "Morning Alana-san, Ayame-san, Rabbit." He smirked as Alana giggled but it faded when Momiji failed to react to his teasing. "Kisa done yet?" He peered around, studying the set up as he looked for his girlfriend.
"Not yet." Alana shook her head. "Mine is probably putting make-up on her by now. So she should be out soon."
Hiro nodded and pulled out a box to hand to Alana. "Since Kisa will be wearing this dress at our cousins Halloween party, I got these, if you want to use them." Hiro blushed lightly and scowled darkly, disliking his 'nice' behavior but determined that Kisa look perfect. "Also, I want to buy this portrait." He demanded shortly.
"You don't even know what it will look like." Alana protested. It wasn't that she thought it would look terrible, but she'd never sold a painting before it was even started.
Hiro frowned at the wide smile on Ayame's face but the man wisely kept his mouth shut. Momiji had a small smile but also said nothing until he was certain that Hiro wasn't going to. "He wants it for her. It is of her and he loves her." He dodged the box of buttons Hiro chucked at him in embarrassment.
"I hate people who can't mind their own business." Hiro growled, blushing furiously then glared at Alana. "Can I buy it or not?"
Alana nodded solemnly though her eyes danced with laughter. "Sure, we'll work out a price after it's completed." She turned her attention to the box he'd handed her and opened it to see a delicate gold tiara and a long chain with a tiger's eye stone hanging from it. She gave a soft smile to Hiro and wandered over to the changing room to save him from more awkwardness.
Mine was almost finished with Kisa's make up and they both looked over at her entrance. The dress was elaborate with stitching, ribbons, and beading done to it. It hung off Kisa as if it were a cloud, framing her perfectly and showing off milky white shoulders. "You look gorgeous, Kisa-chan!" Alana told her grinning.
"Thank you." Kisa murmured, blushing. She felt like a fairy princess in the gown and had been so excited when Hiro asked her to Shigure's dance and to wear the dress then. She hoped he would dress up as her Prince Charming.
"Too bad we have no jewelry." Mine murmured, putting the final touches to Kisa's makeup.
"We do now." Alana smiled, handing them the jewelry case.
Kisa gasped in awe at the beautiful items and didn't know how to react as the two older women moved to place them on her. "Where…" She finally managed to ask.
Alana's smile turned mistly. "Let's just say that someone really loves you."
Kisa jerked to look up at her and her eyes began to fill though no tears fell. She nodded, her breath catching slightly. "Yeah, someone does." It was things like this that reminded Kisa why she had always loved Hiro, even when she'd been alone and suffering, he'd still loved her enough to wish her happy and want to protect her.
A few minutes later, Alana led Kisa out to the main room and felt giddy at the look of shock and adoration on Hiro's face as he stared at Kisa. Alana had only seen him twice but knew that he was sharp-tongued and composed even though he absolutely adored Kisa. The dropping of all guards as he saw his girl dressed up so beautifully was the most amazing thing that Alana had ever seen.
Hiro closed his mouth and walked to Kisa, he bowed over her hand and placed a soft kiss against her palm. "You look beautiful, Princess." He murmured to her. Kisa blushed and squeezed his hand at the romantic gesture, knowing how much it cost him to show his romantic side in front of others.
As she went over to where Alana waited, she chuckled as he tried to save face. "If any of you mention this again, I will make you regret it for the rest of your lives."
"Okay!" Alana smiled, picking up her camera. "Stand here." She directed and then began to adjust her positions slightly until she was exactly how Alana wanted her and then she and Ayame spent a few minutes moving the lights until they fell just so. "Perfect!" She clapped her hands then pulled up her camera. She sat where her easel was positioned and then moved it out of her line of sight before taking a number of photos of Kisa in position. "I need to run down the street to develop these and make sure they are perfect before you can change out of that." She smiled at Kisa brightly.
"I'll go with you." Hiro volunteered surprisingly and kissed Kisa's cheek before dragging Alana out the door.
"My wallet!" She protested, laughing slightly. She wasn't surprised when he insisted on paying and ordered twice the amount of prints she needed though he didn't go so far as to ask for them in the larger size that Alana required. They sat on a nearby bench as they waited for the photos to develop and she glanced at him curiously. "Can I ask you something?"
Hiro's eyes narrowed but he nodded in agreement.
"Momiji…he seems upset about something today." She blushed when he turned fully to look at her, seemingly surprised about the topic. "Do you know why?"
Hiro didn't say anything for a few minutes and Alana had decided he wasn't going to when he replied carefully. "I have my suspicions but I do not know exactly." When Alana nodded without questioning further he relaxed slightly. "Are you two going out?"
Alana jumped, she had zoned out briefly as she considered what Momiji might be upset about. "Yes. He asked me to be his girlfriend last night." She paused then shrugged, running her fingers though her hair. "I was worried that maybe he regretted it this morning."
Hiro was shocked. Momiji had never had a girlfriend, and except for his unrequited love for Tohru, Hiro didn't think Momiji even thought about love or dating. But he'd this woman they'd only known a short time to be his girlfriend. "No." Hiro muttered, wanting to reassure the woman who'd brought Momiji out of his self-induced isolation. "That is not why."
Alana let out a long breath and finally relaxed her tension filled shoulders. "You ever feel like the world is spinning too fast?" She asked, tilting her head back to look at the sky. It was only about eleven o'clock, maybe they should get lunch on their way back…?
Hiro laughed bitterly, thinking of his childhood and the years that they'd all spent under the curse. "Be sure to let me know when it slows down." He muttered.
Alana turned and gave him a smile and he found himself smiling back without permission. He liked this woman, she was an interesting mix of shyness, cleverness, and determination with an intelligent mind and skilled hands. If anyone could heal the last broken member of their family, he had a feeling it would be her.
"So how long have you and Kisa been together?" She asked checking her watch. Twenty minutes left.
Hiro snorted but allowed the subject change. "Since I can remember. We were always together." He knew he had a soft smile on his face but he didn't fight it for once.
"That's…amazing." She responded. "How lucky for both of you." He heard the sincerity in her voice, saw it in her eyes and wondered…would she had been able to do what Tohru had done if they'd met her first? And how, after centuries of pain and darkness, did this group of Sohma's get so lucky, to find so much love and joy.
~Art of Love~
The first hour, they'd left him alone. But eventually, they gave into temptation and turned to him.
"Tohru's coming home." Ayame said quietly, studying Momiji's face.
"Yeah." He replied not looking up from the ribbon he was threading through his fingers.
"She and Kyo are getting married."
"Yeah."
"They want to move into Shigure's old place."
"Yeah."
For a minute there was silence and Momiji hoped futilely they'd leave him alone now.
"Are you mad?"
That brought Momiji's head up. "Mad? Why would I be mad?" He was confused at the question. He was happy that Tohru was happy, glad she and Kyo were happy together. Why would he be mad?
"Well…you were in love with her." Ayame closed his mouth suddenly and smiled over his shoulder. "Welcome back, you two."
Alana smiled back but noticed that Momiji's shoulders tensed when he realized they had probably heard Ayame's last comment. "Hi! The pictures are perfect so you can change into your normal clothing now, Kisa."
Kisa nodded and dashed off, Mine close on her heels to avoid the tension in the room. Hiro shuffled over to the table situated between the two couches and set the food down glad they had moved out of the work room and had a comfortable place to sit for this uncomfortable discussion.
Alana laid out the photos so that she and Ayame could discuss the different aspects of the pose and lighting. Ayame was artistic even though it was in a different way and Alana appreciated his input. During a lull, Ayame turned to her with a smile. "I need to measure you."
Alana looked up, her finger pausing along the curve of the tiara in Kisa's hair. "Excuse me?"
"You are coming to the Sohma Halloween party my dearest cousin Shigure is throwing. I need to measure you so I can create a masterpiece that will make you the belle of the ball." He grinned widening his arms. "Of course you shall not be as beautiful as my Mine but that is a dream most impossible."
Alana laughed and held up a hand. "I doubt I could ever be as beautiful as Mine. She glows with health and love." She shook her head. "But, the Halloween party?"
Ayame nodded and pulled out a tape measure from thin air it seemed and squeaked as he began to thread it around her without writing down anything. "You, my dear, are coming to the party." His tone brooked no argument and Alana closed her mouth as a serious look appeared in his eyes. She gazed at him confused and he, in turn, flicked his eyes towards Momiji who was gazing off in thought. "You are needed." He whispered then disappeared into the back room to fetch Mine.
Alana shook her head confused and moved to sit next to Momiji on the couch. She saw Hiro move away from the corner of her eye and reached out to touch her boyfriend. He glanced up, startled, his beautiful eyes confused. "If…you need to talk, or if you need anything, I am here for you." She leaned in and pressed her lips gently to his cheek and stroked her freehand down the back of his head.
Momiji leaned into her, his forehead resting on her shoulder as her hand tangled in the hair on the back of his neck. The world was spinning around him and he didn't know what to feel, or what he was supposed to feel. The woman he had been in love with, thought he'd been in love with, was getting married to the man she'd always loved. If he had truly loved her, shouldn't he feel hurt, disappointed, or angry? Shouldn't he feel something like that?
Because he didn't. He felt…vaguely happy. Tohru was happy and he was happy for her. But more than that…he felt the same resentment he felt towards the rest of the Sohma's who'd been cursed like him. They all were happy, in love, and moving on from the terror of their younger years but he…he was stuck.
As fingers carded their way through his hair and tugged him a bit closer to the warmth of Alana's body he began to let go of the pain and resentment. And as the last piece of his pain began to drift away, he realized exactly where it stemmed from.
He was lonely.
~Art of Love~
Alana turned her head as Kisa, Mine, and Ayame re-entered the room and sat down by Hiro to dig into the food. Kisa had planted a gentle kiss on Hiro's cheek, ignoring his blushing scowl at her public display, instead paying attention to his hand as it curled around hers.
"So…who is this 'dearest cousin Shigure'?" She smiled shyly, pulling the attention away from the blond man in her arms.
Kisa laughed and looked at Ayame. "You called him that seriously?"
Ayame looked back affronted. "Of course! Shigure, Hatori and I were brothers at heart since birth! We were always together, facing the world back to back, shoulder to shoulder, great friends. We were even each other's groomsmen, though Hatori was Shigure's best man and Shigure was Hatori's. For some reason, they did not think I would take my best man duties seriously enough."
Hiro snorted. "It had nothing to do with threatening to stitch their wives names all over their tuxes or anything, of course."
Ayame sniffed indignantly and flicked a finger at the younger male. "Do not worry young Hiro! I shall stitch the lovely Kisa's name into your tux at your wedding, never fear!" He laughed as Hiro jumped to his feet and began to threaten bodily harm if the silver-haired man did such a thing.
Mine winked at Alana behind her husband's back and Alana smiled. Ayame was helping take attention away from Momiji as well. As their argument wound down, Momiji lifted his head from Alana's shoulder and pulled her into his arms instead so her head was tucked under his chin. "What type of dress are you going to make Alana?"
"Belly dancer." Ayame replied, turning immediately from Hiro to look at Momiji.
"…excuse me?" Alana asked alarmed.
"A belly dancer! It's perfect. Momiji can be the sultan, in his flowing silk vest and full pants and you can be his harem girl, in your outfit. You said you can dance right? So it is perfect!" Ayame declared completely disregarding the horrified look on Alanas face as easily as he was the hysterical laughter coming from Kisa and Hiro. Instead he focused on the slightly stunned Momiji. "Isn't that perfect Momiji? Wouldn't you like to see Alana as a belly dancer?"
Momiji blushed when everyone's attention was focused on him. "I…would. But I'd never ask her to do anything that she'd be uncomfortable doing!" He added when Alana tilted up to look at him too.
As the others began to laugh Alana sniffed and stood regally. "I don't think I want to stick around for this conversation." She swept off into the back room before letting a smile drift over her lips. Momiji was smiling truly again.
~Art of Love~
A few minutes later Momiji followed her into the back room, shaking his head. Ayame had apparently been serious. He really was going to make Momiji a sultans outfit and Alana a belly-dancer. Momiji smiled, it would be interesting that was for sure.
He approached Alana and watched as she mixed paints in a separate bowl, measuring and marking amounts so if she ran out she could duplicate the color more easily. "It's closing in on three o'clock." He told her coming up to her side.
"Is it?" She asked startled. It hadn't felt that long since she and Hiro had returned from picking up the photographs. "If you have things you need to do today, you don't have to stick around to take me home." She smiled at him and reached over to brush a strand of hair to the side, careful not to smear him with paint.
"I don't mind staying." Momiji replied smiling back. "Want to go on a date for dinner?" He asked, suddenly straightening.
Alana grinned. "I'd love to. Nowhere fancy though." She laughed gesturing at her paint splattered clothing. She could see that he was thinking of some things seriously and felt her heart ache that she didn't know how to help him. She stood slowly, watching the way Momiji focused on her face and decided that though she did not know what might be bothering him, she knew a way to distract him. She rose up, tilting her face towards him and closed her eyes to kiss him.
"Whoops!" Kisa giggled trying to back away. But it was too late, Alana and Momiji jumped apart startled. "I was just coming by to let you know that Hiro and I were leaving." She giggled again at the matching blushes on the older couple.
"Alright…" Alana mumbled swiping a hand back through her hair. "I won't need you to pose again for at least a week but I'll be here a few hours when I can."
Kisa nodded and waved as she ran back out. For a few moments, neither Alana nor Momiji said anything then Alana sighed turning back to the bowl of blue paint. "That was an effective mood killer."
Momiji was startled into laughter and dropped a kiss on her forehead before fetching a chair to watch her work. "It really was."
Alana flashed him a smile then dipped her brush into the bowl and began to work.
~Art of Love~
Momiji spent the next few hours in silence, just watching Alana work. Ayame and Mine came and went having opened the store after Kisa and Hiro departed. Alana looked beautiful. She sat rimrod straight and every sweep of her brush was poised and specific, no useless movements as she added the deep blue background to the canvas. Streaks of color littered her skin and clothes from absent minded touching as she worked and a smile occasionally would flit across her lips. Though she did not talk to Momiji, he felt the perpetual loneliness fade merely by her presence. It had become so much a part of him, he'd been living alone since he was a young child after all, that he'd never even realized how lonely he was. He'd somehow just taken the feeling as the natural state of things. But now that he was awoken to the weight of the feeling, he hated it, he'd do anything to keep from sinking back down and he decided he was going to be selfish and do something about it.
It was a little after six when Alana sighed and set her brush and paints down. She studied her progress for a few minutes then nodded firmly. "I'm done for the night." She informed him over her should as she capped paint bottles and gathered up what she needed to clean.
Momiji nodded at her back and stood, arching his back as he moved from the chair he'd taken over the last three hours. At least it had been a comfy armchair, he thought eying the stool Alana had been perched on. "Any idea of what you would like to eat?" He asked following him to the sink in the bathroom.
Alana shrugged. "Anything at this point. I am starving." She gave him a self-decrepitating smile. "I forgot to eat some of the lunch Hiro and I picked up."
Momiji chuckled as his stomach growled lightly. "I did, too."
Alana laughed happily and kissed him on the cheek as she set her tools down to dry for the night. "I knew we were perfect for each other."
Momiji flushed happily and nodded in agreement. She really was perfect for him, no wonder he was already in love with her. "Want to just hit a ramen stand?"
"Sounds good to me." She agreed. The next few minutes they worked in silence as he helped her place her paints away in a large tool box and set it under the easel. They moved into the 'client' room, the living-room-esque place they kept ending up in and Alana thanked Ayame and Mine profusely for letting her use their workroom and for letting her leave things there.
"It's no problem, my dear!" Ayame grinned. "However, if you want to repay me, maybe one day you can paint a picture of my little brother and me, declaring us as the best brothers to ever show brotherly love!" Ayame laughed loudly as Mine shoved him to the side.
"I thought he'd gotten over that." Momiji sweat dropped as Alana stared in either awe or terror, he wasn't sure which.
Mine chuckled, running a hand down her large belly. "Yuki and Machi are home for a few days to finish moving things. She graduates this winter and he wants their house to be ready."
"Not like it won't be with Ayame and Hatsuharu fixing everything up." Momiji muttered feeling another push of loneliness at the thought of Yuki and his fiancé.
Mine shrugged smiling and waved them out the door.
"Should I be afraid about meeting of these people?" Alana asked reaching out to hold Momiji's hand.
"Probably." He admitted. "Though the only ones you need to watch out for really are Shigure, Ritsu, and Hatsuharu…maybe Rin." He smiled down at her and help open her car door when they reached his vehicle. "Our family is full of characters."
Alana laughed and leaned up for the kiss they'd been interrupted from having earlier. "If you're a character, you can be my hero." She pressed her lips to his, stealing the laugh from his lips at her corney joke. His lips were smooth beneath hers and she felt them press back firmly as his hands came up and threaded into her hair, holding her close and still. He took over the kiss in a gentle but demanding way, running his tongue gently along her full bottom lip and nipping it lightly. Alana had never felt such passion from a simple kiss and she envied whoever Momiji had perfected his kissing technique on and hoped she would get more of these drugging kisses. She was breathless when he let her go and her eyes fluttered open to meet his. "Wow…" She breathed and smiled when he chuckled and ran the back of one hand down her cheek.
"Wow…" He agreed, placing a gentler kiss on her lips and let her go reluctantly. "Let's get some food." He told her jogging to his side of the car. That was only his second kiss and if Alana's reaction was anything to go by, he was a natural. He could still taste her on his lips and feel her pressed against him as he slid into his seat. Maybe fate didn't hate him after all.
I gave you a pretty long chapter this time! I hope you all liked it. Schools done for the summer for me FINALLY lol so updates shouldn't take so long.
Review and let me know if it was good!
As always, I am not all that familiar with painting, especially oil painting, so if you are and you see me say something wrong, PLEASE tell me so I can correct it. :) Thanks