Disclaimer: none of the characters in this fic belong to me. Not Shido nor Madoka nor Mozart nor even Mozart's leash.
A/N: These drabbles were originally written in 2007 as a present for fellow fanfic-writing sansele. Finally pulled it out from our email exchanges and decided to share them - if only because Shido and Madoka are such an interesting and cute (and normal!) couple. Hope you enjoy it ^^
Adagio
Slow, leisurely
It had always been that Madoka, when taking Mozart out for a walk, would hook the leash to his collar and take the familiar path around her own garden. Sometimes, if she was feeling adventurous, and only if one of the maids was willing to accompany her, they would venture further to the local park for a stroll.
With Shido it was different.
The first time he volunteered to take her and Mozart out for a walk, Madoka found herself bombarded by the scent of soil and dew and all things earthy. This place was apparently a patch of shallow woods just on the city outskirts.
Madoka found the walk awkward, what with tree roots lying everywhere in wait of tripping her, and Mozart on a euphoric high, bursting with such excitement over the new surroundings that the leash had an uncommon, static tempo in her hand. On many occasions, the young violinist had come close to tripping. Thankfully for Shido's watchful gaze, which he keeps on her even now, before she reached the verge of actually falling, a steady hand would catch hold of hers and pull her upright each time.
Shido's animal friends showed up frequently on their walks through the woods, and for the first few times, they were the ones guiding Madoka through the mazes of trees and bushes. A bird would call out to her, or Mozart would follow after a squirrel, a raccoon, or an ocassional hare. Sometimes the animals would pick from the plants and offer a share of berries to her. No walk through this realm of nature was ever the same.
But the novely of these strolls was enhanced when it was no longer the animals that led the way; Shido's hand took hers one day as brought her through the woods, his deep voice speaking of all he knew about the woods and the different friends of his that came to meet her each time they paid a visit. Madoka didn't know what gave him such courage, considering that he had always been too shy to even touch her, but she was glad when his callused fingers reached for hers. The feel of his hand holding hers so gently yet firmly was the most reassuring experience that the young violinist always looked forward to.
What had started as a clumsy adventure through nature became a leisurely stroll under the great canopies, hearing the cacophony of animal chatter. All in all, Madoka enjoyed it. The girl would often spend full hours in the woods, taking her time to explore the beauty she could behold without the aid of sight.
And she never did quite return to taking a mere stroll in the park.
^_^ Hope you enjoyed it.
First written: 31 May 2007