Pairing: Ann Tachibana/Sakuno Ryuuzaki.
Rating: PG-13 for shoujoai/femslash
Disclaimer: Not Mine. Konomi's!
General summary: A collection of AnnxSakuno fics, written for the 30 Hugs LJ comm.
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Part 5: Dressed for success
30 Hugs theme used:2 (rainbows and butterflies)
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"Damn, Sakuno! Can't you decide already," and Tomoka lightly stomped in frustration, looking at her best friend. They're standing in front of a small jewelry shop, looking at its shop window; the cinnamon eyes belonging to the college girl with long braids are fixed on the rings, the bracelets, the hair jewelry, the necklaces...
"Um, Tomo-chan, I'm buying jewelry for..."
"For an important night out, I know." The impulsive brunette sighed in frustration. "But it's tonight, Sakuno. Tonight. And we're still not done with the makeover."
Sakuno sighed as well, looking at the other girl who was attracting everyone's attention with her loud, rather child-like whining. Though she had quite a reason for it...
When Sakuno and Tomoka entered highschool, they promised to help each other to look beautiful for any official date, and kept their promise through those years and their upcoming time at the same women's college. During the last months, Sakuno fulfilled her part when Tomoka had a blind date with a boy from a nearby college (who later turned out to be their old friend Horio, and the date almost was a disaster from beginnig to start... which didn't explain why she agreed to have another one later and allow Horio to walk her home since then), but when it was Tomoka's turn...
"Aaaah, I can't believe it!" Tomoka melodramatically said, shaking her head, "Who'd say that, after getting your a gorgeous dress and pretty new shoes, only the jewelry hold us back from making you a true fairytale princess!"
"Calm down, Tomo-chan, please... It's embarrassing," the other girl asked, turning red when an old lady looked at them disapprovingly.
"Damn... you're right." Tomoka even sniffled a little, pouting. "It's not even my date and I'm more worked up than you. When you should be shit scared, after all."
That wasn't too far from the truth. From sport outings with Ryoma that ended up in the coffee shop not too far from Katou-san's tennis courts, to a recent high-class dinner in an expensive Akasaka restaurant courtesy from the nephew of a certain old friend of Sakuno's grandmother - she had been through lots of different type of dates, during her highschool years and early college months. For all her shyness and cuteness, Sakuno had her fair share of popularity among the males in her surroundings; that also brought envious rumors from other girls, who wrongfully believed she used to be into enjo kousai (1), but one threatening look from Tomoka was more than enough to shut those (thankfully few) harpies up.
Yet, this was the first time ever that a girl had asked Sakuno out. And it happened to be one they both used to know. A woman from Kyushuu, idolized by teenage girls all around Japan both for her tennis skills and her gorgeous looks... Tachibana Ann, "the princess of the Japanese tennis courts" according to the sports media. Telling truths, they had agreed to have it more like keeping Sakuno as her sort-of female friend for a rather formal party that also involved some male friends of Ann's (like the also famous tennis player Kamio Akira and his sort-of boyfriend, the ex-player Ibu Shinji), but Tomoka's intuition told her that maybe it would go beyond that...
If they had the chance to get Sakuno fully ready.
"Um, then, what do you think we should check," Sakuno mused, and Tomoka returned to reality. "I'm not really good when it comes to jewelry that isn't hair one."
"Good point. It's at least a semi-formal party, though you're younger than the standard and you may be cut some slack. Also, the dress you chose is already a very pretty one, specially for the color and the fabric... Man, that satin has beautiful shades of green and blue. And it fits you like hand in glove."
"And it's thanks to you...," the other woman said, blushing shyly, "because if not for you, Tomo-chan, I wouldn't have even dated to try it on. And I still think the cleavage is a little big for me."
"Come on! Now this is your time to shine! More than that formal dinner in Akasaka, since you'll look so gorgeous that you'll have those tennis people at your feet as a part of Tachibana-san's entourage. So, you have to look as..."
When Tomoka shook her head vehemently to emphasize her words, a rainbow-colored flash coming from the shop window caught her attention. The shopkeeper had added some new necklaces and pendants to the ones that were in display while they were talking, and Tomoka's eyes were fixed on one of them...
"I know, Sakuno! I've found you the perfect accesory," and Tomoka dragged the other girl into the shop.
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Dark, high heel sandals? Checked. Long hair loose, kept in place with a stylish silk headband? Checked. Pretty green-blue satin dress? Perfect, please. And the last touch for her masterpiece was...
"Okay. Here it is!"
Tomoka adjusted the necklace's silk cord around Sakuno's neck, her long fingers delicately working their magic to tie the ends of the cord loosely without making it tangle in Sakuno's hair. Soon, the work was done, and Sakuno turned slowly to take a look into the mirror in front of her...
Much as everything else suited her, as a whole, much better than she ever expected, what captured Sakuno's attention the most was the butterfly-shaped pendant that Tomoka had put on her. Its rainbow-colored crystal wings looked more like fairy wings than anything, and for a second the college student almost expected it to come into life and start moving its glass wings, flapping them against her breasts.
But then Tomoka hugged her from behind, laughing cheerfully. "You're a beauty! You'll charm everyone there, Sakuno, Tachibana-san included! So much that she'll turn from princess to prince to sweep you off your feet!"
The sound of the house's bell rining interrupted them. And Sakuno's grandmother's voice followed quickly. "Sakuno! Tachibana and her friends are coming for you!"
Tomoka affectionately rubbed her nose against Sakuno's cheek, before letting her go outside and greet Ann. Sakuno had grown up into a gorgeous young woman; the Princess of the Tennis Court should better appreciate her (hopefully) prospect girlfriend, or Tomoka (and by gum, Horio, whether he wanted or not) would make sure she regretted it.
"Okay, Sakuno," she murmured as, few minutes later, she said goodbye to Ryuuzaki-sensei and went home, her spirits very high and light. "You're dressed for success now, don't disappoint me!"
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Author's notes:
1): Enjo kousai (in Japanese, "compensated dating"): a practice in Japan where girls (generally highschool-aged, though college students also do it) are paid by older men to accompany them in dates, sometimes even offering sexual favors in exchange of money and gifts. It's seen as undercover teen prostitution, even when it doesn't always involve sexual activities.
