Author's Notes: Sequel to Noh Mask. If you haven't read that fic, you might want to before reading this one or some things might not make sense. Anyways I wanted to post this before Christmas, even if it isn't specifically Christmas-themed (and though I'm not 100% sure if what I've written is good or utter crap). This fic hasn't been beta read, simply proof read and edited by me, so sorry in advance for any mistakes.
Ojamashimasu is said when entering someone else's home to show respect.
Sailor Senshi is the Japanese name for the popular anime/manga Sailor Moon. Hanetsuki are badmintons that often feature beautifully painted paddles and colorful shuttlecocks. And Koteshi dolls are handcrafted wooden dolls of simplistic design and given to children like totems of protection. Some of these dolls date back many centuries.
italics = thoughts
bold = emphasis on words
italics in quoted words = spoken English
"I was expecting to see rainbows everywhere," Shinsuke commented. Asuka blushed to the roots of her head and he laughed. "So I may still see them?"
She and Shinsuke were enjoying their first day off from the road since becoming a couple. It was the first time they weren't surrounded by countless people at work or worrying that someone would discover them rooming together. And it was the first time that either one of them had been inside the other's abode.
Upon entering her home, removing his shoes, and saying a customary "Ojamashimasu," Shinsuke swept his eyes over the simplistic furnishings and decoration of her living room. The only thing overly elaborate was her entertainment system.
"This way is the kitchen," she evaded his inquiry about rainbows and led him to the adjoining room. It was pretty spotless, every pan and utensil its place. Though that was due to the fact that she was rarely home enough to use any of them.
He poked his head into her fridge, appearing to take stock of the contents. "Oh, red wine~ Are you planning to get me drunk and have your wicked way with me?" he waggled his brows jokingly at her.
"Or make you tell me all your embarrassing secrets," she grinned, placing her hands on her hips. Really she had planned a picnic, but he didn't have to know that just yet.
"I'll have to keep an eye on you then," he mumbled and left her fridge alone.
Asuka led him down a hallway and showed him the bathroom next, then her office/studio room, and then her guest room.
But as she neared her bedroom she began to dilly-dally a bit.
At first, she decided to not show him her room at all – not until she made it look less embarrassing.
No, I'm going to show him. She wasn't about to change, even to impress a man like Shinsuke Nakamura.
Now she wasn't quite so sure of herself.
"What's the matter?" Shinsuke asked.
Her hand inched towards the doorknob, then pulled back, fidgeting with her other hand. She could hardly face him. "Just don't laugh, okay?"
"Whatever it is, I'm not going to laugh," he promised.
When she still didn't move to show him her room, he twisted the doorknob and invited himself inside.
A double sized Western style bed sat near the far left corner of the room, a few feet from the wall. The white pillows and comforter were printed with splashes of color to simulate paint splatter. Rainbow stripes graced the reverse side of the comforter.
On the left wall, next to the bed, was a matching nightstand and lamp. Beside the nightstand was a cotton candy pink dresser. The dresser was decorated with a few photos of friends and family. Above the dresser hung a framed painting she had made of a phoenix, producing a rainbow with its long and colorful tail feathers.
A few feet from the end of the bed was a pink lacquered vanity set that matched the dresser. Despite the "girly" hue of the furniture, they were of minimalistic design and nicely organized. Between the bed and the vanity loomed a large picturesque window framed by crimson curtains. To the right of the vanity was her closet.
Her colorful furnishings were humiliating enough. But what Asuka was most ashamed by stood against the right wall, across from her bed. It was a narrow red four-foot tall shelf filled with toys and other trinkets from her childhood.
Cherished vintage Sailor Senshi dolls of all five main scouts and a few of the villains, the crescent moon scepter and locket. Below that were actions figures from Metroid and Gundam Wing. Then there were three beautifully handcrafted and painted hanetsuki that she had gotten from New Year's festivals when she was a young girl. Lastly, there was the heirloom Kokeshi doll dating back from World War II. She had been allowed to play with the wooden doll as a toddler and it was later bequeathed to her after her grandmother's passing.
Asuka knew that most probably saw these objects as silly childish things, but she had never been able to part with them. She couldn't bear to leave them behind in Japan either.
All of these trinkets were more than something familiar from home. They were some measure of security to her, helping center her in this new country.
She tried not to hide her face as Shinsuke took in the entirety of her bedroom. She felt as though she might as well be standing there in front of him in nothing but her underwear.
"Your parents?" he asked, picking up one of her framed photos. When she nodded, he queried, "Do they know about us yet?"
She shook her head and he told her that his family hadn't notified his family yet either.
After taking in the rest of her room, Shinsuke approached her shelf of keepsakes. His long fingers first plucked up her Sailor Senshi figure, then one of her hanetsuki. Mirth danced across his face as examined them.
Asuka's face flamed. "I told you not to laugh!" she cried, snatching the hanetsuki and cradling it to her chest defensively.
"I didn't laugh," Shin protested, lifting the doll out of her reach.
"You were going to!" she accused as she continued to jump for her precious Sailor Senshi.
"I hardly smiled." He shifted the doll to his other hand.
She pouted but stopped trying to retrieve her doll. "Why were you smiling then?"
Shinsuke stepped back and flopped leisurely onto her bed, colorful pillows bouncing around his head. "Because I was waiting for the Asuka I know to show herself." He gently stroked a finger down one of Sailor Senshi's pigtails, "I don't care if you have a rainbow bed or pink furniture, or frivolous things like toys and stuff animals." He set the doll on her nightstand. "They are a part of you, rainbow girl, how could I find them silly or revolting?"
Her breath hitched in her throat at his words. Placing the hanetsuki back on the shelf, she crossed the room to stand next to the bed. "What did you call me?" she whispered.
Dark eyes blinked up at her, taking in her expression as though gauging her emotions. Shinsuke almost looked worried that he had said something wrong. "Rainbow girl," he repeated after a minor pause.
She slowly laid down beside him, her eyes beginning to mist over as she took one of Shin's hands in hers.
Shifting so that he was on his side, he caressed her face and said, "Asuka, what is it?"
"Father calls me that. Rainbow girl."
Shinsuke continued stroking her cheekbone, wiping at any stray tears that escaped her eyes. He said nothing though, only waited for her to resume what she wanted to say.
"He said when I was born, there was a rainbow outside the hospital window. It was only there for a few moments, but he saw it," Asuka went on. "Ever since then he's called me his Rainbow girl. That's why I dye my hair like I do and wear such colorful ring gear. It makes me feel empowered and I feel it is a way of honoring my father. To make him proud." She released a small sniffle and looked at him through teary eyes. "I still miss home so much. I miss my friends and family. I miss him. Do you think it was truly worth it to come to America?"
She thought she had gotten over her homesickness with Shinsuke's help, but maybe it had only gone back into hiding.
Pulling her close so that her face was pressed to his neck, he whispered fiercely. "Of course it was worth it." He kissed her head then pulled back enough to look her in the eye. "Look at all that you've accomplished here so far. Think of all things you have yet to do. You have honored your family, your father. They are proud everything you have done and will do. And so am I."
His words touched her soul, making her forget all her earlier insecurities. And yet she felt overwhelmed by the intense emotions he had pulled to the surface. She could only cling to him as more tears leaked from her eyes. This time, at least, they were not tears of melancholy.
"Thank you, Shinsuke."
Shinsuke said nothing, only held her and combed his fingers soothingly through her hair until she calmed.
"Tell me something that you miss from home," he requested.
"W-Well, almost everything."
A chuckled rumbled beneath her ear. "Can you narrow that down? Give me something I can work with, Asuka."
Unconsciously, Asuka's eyes shifted back and forth as she tried to think of one of the things she missed most from Japan. It wasn't easy but eventually, her mind locked firmly onto one thing.
"Snow. I miss the snow," she answered, "It never snows here in Orlando, and the only snow I see is while passing through cities on the road. I miss standing out in the snow, catching it on my tongue. I miss ice-skating. And looking at what new snow sculptures they come up with at the Sapporo Snow Festival every year."
He listened intently to everything she told him. Then the wheels looked to be spinning in his head. "C'mon," he said. He stood up and helped her get out of bed.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see," he winked. He located one of her thin jackets from her closet and tossed it to her. When she raised her eyebrow in question he simply shrugged. "Best to be prepared for anything, right?"
Within a matter of minutes, they were in his car and on the road towards the mysterious destination Shinsuke had in mind.
"Won't you at least give me a hint?" she pestered him for the umpteenth time during the drive.
"Nope." He flashed her a fox grin, looking completely pleased with himself.
After a few more minutes, Shinsuke came to a stop in the parking lot of a large building. They were parked near the side of the building instead of the front, which prevented her from seeing any identifying signs.
"Wait here a moment," Shinsuke said.
He left the car and Asuka watched him walk along the side of the building, presumably towards the front. Ten to fifteen minutes passed before he returned to her.
"Alright," he said excitedly. "Let's go."
As they walked the same path he traversed moments before, Shinsuke seemed to shepherd her with a light hand at her back so that she still had no way of seeing the giant sign as they went into the building.
Inside, they were greeted by a man standing in front of a sort of reception desk. Asuka noticed that with the familiarity with which they talked, that Shinsuke knew the man – she found out his name was Derek.
Once introductions and pleasantries were out of the way, Derek said "This way" and proceeded to lead them down a long hallway branching off from the entrance room.
"Where are we, Shinsuke?" Asuka all but begged. She both loved and hated surprises. She usually loved being surprised, but she was never good at taking the suspense leading up to one.
Shinsuke grinned and slung an arm around her. "Patience."
At the end of the long hall, were thick double doors. Derek moved to open them for the pair.
Shinsuke took her hand. "Now close your eyes."
Asuka bit her lip, feeling both excited and a little bit nervous. But she trusted Shinsuke completely, so she closed her eyes and allowed him to guide her through the doors. She abruptly felt a considerable lowering of the ambient temperature the moment she crossed the threshold.
What is this, a giant refrigerator? She made a face while she tried to discern her surroundings.
She heard Shinsuke chuckle beside her. "Alright, I guess I've kept you waiting long enough. You can open your eyes now."
Her eyes blinked open then widened as she took as she took in the sight before her. The room they were in was huge, dominated by an oval swath of ice at the center. A plexiglass wall surrounded the ice rink except for a few entry points.
"It's not the Sapporo Snow Festival," Shin scratched his nose with a hint of apprehension and shyness. "But it's the best I could do."
"Oh, Shinsuke. It's perfect!" she was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"You think so?" A blush colored her boyfriend's face.
"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, jumping into his arms and sealing his lips with hers, completely forgetting about their lone spectator. Shinsuke seemed to lose himself in the moment as well.
Derek patiently waited for them to disentangle before smiling and stooping to pick up a pair of ice skates, conveniently placed next to the wall. He said, "See if these fit."
Asuka graciously accepted them and began trying the skates on. They were also a perfect fit.
A particular realization hit her then. "Where are Shinsuke's skates?" she asked the other man.
"I only requested a pair for you," Shinsuke told her.
"I want to skate with you."
Shin's blush grew. "But I've never ice skated before," he reverted to Japanese.
"I trusted you to teach me to surf," she challenged. "The worst that can happen here is that you fall." A teasing smile pulled at her mouth. "And if you do fall, I'll catch you."
Shinsuke huffed and crossed his arms, looking away defiantly. But it didn't take long for his visible eye to return to her face. "Alright."
"Yay~"
Shinsuke told Derek his shoe size and it didn't take long for him to procure another pair of skates. Asuka told him how to lace up the skates, then helped him stand upright again.
"This feels weird…"Shinsuke commented, apprehension clear on his face as he took a few experimental steps in his new footwear.
Keeping hold of one his hands, she said, "Don't worry, I'm right here. Before long you'll get used to it."
"Boy, I hope so."
She had him walk around on the floor, first with her help and then on his own until he gained a better sense of balance.
"Alright, let's try the ice," she suggested, walking towards the rink.
Shinsuke followed her but eyed the ice with trepidation.
"Don't sweat it, Shin," Derek called behind them. "I've seen children learn to skate in just a few hours."
"He's right," Asuka assured her stiff boyfriend. "I'll go first."
She stepped out onto the ice and turned so that she was facing him. "Bend your knees and hold out your arms to keep your balance." She showed him what to do as she spoke. "Then slowly and carefully walk in place. Now you try."
Shinsuke looked like he would bolt if he could do so in his skates, but he bit the bullet and gingerly stepped out onto the ice. His long legs wobbled a moment, causing his hand to shoot out and grab the plexiglass wall.
"Relax Shin," she soothed, taking his hand again. "Pretend you're on your surfboard, in the ocean."
He merely nodded, but his death grip on her hand told her that he was still nervous.
"Do you trust me?" she asked.
Dark eyes rose to meet hers, a touch of confidence returning to them. "Yes."
"Good. Now do as I do, find your balance."
Adhering to her directions, Shinsuke began stepping in place. Initially, he kept hold of her hand but after a few moments, he reluctantly let go. A small smile crossed his face when he was able to perform the exercise without losing his balance.
"Good job." She clapped. "Now let's move forward."
Asuka demonstrated how to take baby steps, pointing her toes slightly outward and taking small steps. When she gestured for him to try, he took a few shaky steps away from the safety of the plexiglass shield. Walking backward, she continued to encourage him to move towards her.
"See, not so bad." she grinned at him.
The moment she said that his spaghetti legs returned. Seeing that he was about to lose his balance, she swiftly skated behind him and placed her hands on his back to steady him. Shinsuke's legs nearly slipped out from under him, but he managed to keep upright. His legs froze in a most ridiculous pose.
Before Asuka could stop herself, a giggle escaped.
Tense as he was, Shinsuke had the gumption to joke. "I didn't laugh earlier…"
"I can't help it," her giggles increased. "You look like an overgrown Bambi." She reigned in her laughter and returned to the matter at hand.
She helped him regain his balance and watched him baby step along for a bit longer. Afterward, she coached him in how to take a fall properly as well as how to get back up.
"I think you're ready to really skate now," she announced. "What do you think?"
"Why not? I don't have much dignity left to lose."
"Oh you have plenty!" she argued. "Now watch me."
She bent her knees, turned her toes out, and stretched her arms out at either side. "Lean forward, and push your dominant leg out behind you at a bit of an angle." The movement caused her to smoothly glide forward a few feet before she brought her foot back down with the other. She continued to propel herself forward with the opposite leg. Once she had performed that exercise for a few moments and showed him how to stop, she asked him to try.
Shinsuke's face took on an expression of intense concentration as he followed her example. His legs became unruly again and he did fall, but he took her advice to heart and relaxed into the fall instead of stiffening. More importantly, he got back up and carried on.
Before long he was skating almost as fast and smoothly as she was.
"You're doing quite well," she complimented after they completed a few laps around the rink.
He gave her a boyish smile. "This is…this is fun."
Returning his smile, she took his hand once more and he gave a squeeze.
Suddenly fluffy puffs of whiteness came floating down in front of her field of vision, causing Asuka to slow to a stop. Shinsuke eased up at her side, also seeming puzzled by the turn of events.
The fat flakes looked suspiciously like snow. But that was an impossibility. First, it probably couldn't snow in Orlando. Secondly, it most certainly couldn't snow inside a building.
Yet she felt the coolness of the flurries as they landed on her exposed skin, felt the wetness as they melted.
"What?" she murmured.
Following the trajectory of where the snowfall seemed to be coming from, they both saw a machine set up outside the rink. But what was the powdery substance made of?
Tentatively raising a hand before his face, Shinsuke caught some of the mysterious precipitation on one long digit. "It's real," he said, giving her a look of amazement. "Look!"
Asuka caught a flurry for examination as well; saw the tiny delicate crystals forming each snowflake.
"Snow~" she cried delightfully, then opened her mouth to catch some snow on her tongue.
She then started off again, taking pleasure in the brisk feeling of skating through the snow. It was so very refreshing! Round and round she went. Faster and faster. The longer and quicker she went, the more her spirits seemed to soar.
Oh how she had missed this feeling!
"Enjoying yourself?"
Asuka blinked with surprise to see a pleased – she may even say smug – Shinsuke skating alongside her.
"How?" she asked, flabbergasted that he was able to keep up with her at this speed after only one lesson.
He shrugged his shoulders. "No real change in the formula, just putting the legs real to use now." He patted one of his long legs and winked.
"Cheater," she said with no real malice. Seeing her boyfriend going from a shaky-legged newbie to a confident skater so quickly filled her with pride. She couldn't hide her satisfied smile.
He gave her a smile of his own. He reached for her hand and they skated leisurely like that for a little bit.
Then on a whim, Asuka darted around to the front of him and took hold of his other hand. While Shinsuke skated forward, she skated backward. This forced him to have to adjust his balance and stride, to follow her movements to avoid falling. He wobbled a few times but managed to keep up with her without losing control.
And throughout it all, he didn't flinch or let his eyes drift to his feet or his surroundings. He merely kept his eyes trained on hers. Essentially he was letting her blindly guide him along, empowering her.
Her heart pounded from both the exertion and her tremendous affection for Shinsuke. Not only did he give her this special surprise, but put his trust in her as well.
Carefully, she steered them towards the center of the ring. There she began to steadily turn them around and around in a small circle. Shinsuke continued to gaze into her eyes. His body seemed to know how to mirror her movements by pure instinct, or as though she was sending him signals through their connected hands. Like some sort of cosmic link.
Snow drifted calmly down around him, settling in his hair and on his eyelashes. The soft crystals created a beautiful contrast against his dark locks and skin. Little puffs of mist accompanied each of his breaths, which only served to enhance effect the snow had on his appearance.
He looked a touch more otherworldly than usual.
And his eyes. His eyes were what struck her the most.
Asuka wasn't sure if it was the lighting or if he was feeling some intense emotion. At that point in time, however, his typically dark eyes were alit with a color that bordered on smoky amber.
Those eyes drew her towards him like a magnet to metal. "C'mere, you Kitsune-man."
Shinsuke eye's crinkled with his fox grin and he too pulled her in closer with each lingering rotation they made. Closer and closer, inch by inch, until their lips touched.
The tight proximity of his body, his kiss, infused her with a nice warmth that encompassed her entire being. She cradled the back of his head and gripped the front of his shirt, drinking in the heat of his mouth.
They eased to a stop moments ago, but Asuka continued to feel like she was still gently spinning. She clung tighter to his front and in turn, he wrapped her up in his arms.
"Looks like you got your snow after all," Shinsuke whispered once they parted, forehead resting against hers.
"I guess miracles do happen," she breathed. "Thank you."
Author's Notes: I wanted to make a backstory as to why Asuka dyes her hair and wears the ring gear that she does. Also she was a figure skater for a short time, and since it's winter season I wanted to include some cute winter activities for these two. Though Asuka and Shinsuke have been hanging out with each other for awhile and feel pretty comfortable with each other, they've only been a couple for a short time. So I wanted to write in lingering insecurities as they get used to their change in relationship. Also wanted link in Asuka's issues from Noh Mask into this sequel because sometimes low feelings can reoccur, even if one was certain they had completely over come it.
This fic will only be two chapters long, but I have many short one and two-shot sequels lined up already to be posted.
Please consider leaving a review if you like this fic as this pairing is so small.