[ficlet] Flowers in Winter
Characters: Sendai Kritiker (implied KikyoRan)
Rating: G
Notes: This story takes place on the day before Sendai Kritiker's final mission in Endless Rain.
Flowers in Winter
A chill settled in to Sendai early that year, though the snows didn't come until much later. The clouds hung low, darkening the sky for weeks in heavy anticipation. In the air, the scent of morning frost still lingered, damp and cold.
For the Kritiker unit stationed here, the day before their mission was a day like any other. There was the usual bustling and gossiping amongst their clients, busy hands stabbing flower stems into ornate vases, while busy mouths went to work as well.
"Ran-kun!" A shrill voice called out from the flurry of women. "Could you show me how to do this? I can't figure out where I should put this iris..."
"No, he was going to help me first! You can't have him yet!"
The ladies flocked as they always did to the youngest of their instructors, though he was the least experienced. He was also the least receptive, though this acted as no deterrent either.
"Hahaha!" Kuroyuri smacked Ran jovially on the back as he exclaimed, "Always the popular one, eh?"
He was met with a weak glare.
"What? It's a compliment!" Kuroyuri said innocently. "He's gotten much better over the past few weeks, hasn't he, ladies? I would even say that his last arrangement was almost artistic!"
The women eagerly voiced their agreement while they fussed some more over who would get Ran's attention next.
"Kuroyuri..." Ran muttered with an embarrassed scowl as he reluctantly turned to the work at hand.
No one really noticed Tsubaki, who was lurking silently in the corner, distracted. But this was nothing that called any special attention, him being a man of few words in general.
At the other end of the room, Kikyo leaned against the doorway, watching.
"Hard to imagine the place without him, hm?" A voice came quietly from behind.
"Shion." Kikyo raised his eyes to meet his. He smiled slightly as enthusiastic giggling could be heard from the room. Ran was taking a snip and then another from a particular arrangement, looking a bit awkward from all the attention. "Yes," Kikyo answered softly, turning his head back toward Ran to continue his distant observation.
To Kikyo, Ran was everything he had once forgotten. Arriving one humid summer's day with nothing but the clothes on his back and overeager thirst in his eyes.
Though Kikyo had encouraged Shion to take the boy as his student, he had actually felt some hesitation somewhere in his mind. Because he knew, as Shion did, that it was a dangerous art, and one that had the potential to change him in ways Kikyo didn't want to see.
But Ran's world was hung up in eternal suspense. Like his sister's coma, he was waiting every breathless moment for an awakening. He had no time to linger here, in this sleepy town that time forgot.
If only they could have one more day like this. Just one more frivolous day in this garden of rare and beautiful flowers.
"You gave him your sword," Kikyo murmured, his eyes still fixed upon Ran. There was something cryptic in his voice, though it wasn't really an accusation.
Shion paused before answering.
"You do not think he is ready."
"It is not for me to judge," Kikyo replied with deceptive softness in his voice. He lowered his lids just a little as he said, "I am not his teacher."
Shion snorted. "Not in the sword, perhaps."
"Hn.." Kikyo's lips curled into a veiled smile as he watched the blushing Ran from the doorway with longing eyes.
He will give him one more day.
Rating: G
Notes: This story takes place on the day before Sendai Kritiker's final mission in Endless Rain.
Flowers in Winter
A chill settled in to Sendai early that year, though the snows didn't come until much later. The clouds hung low, darkening the sky for weeks in heavy anticipation. In the air, the scent of morning frost still lingered, damp and cold.
For the Kritiker unit stationed here, the day before their mission was a day like any other. There was the usual bustling and gossiping amongst their clients, busy hands stabbing flower stems into ornate vases, while busy mouths went to work as well.
"Ran-kun!" A shrill voice called out from the flurry of women. "Could you show me how to do this? I can't figure out where I should put this iris..."
"No, he was going to help me first! You can't have him yet!"
The ladies flocked as they always did to the youngest of their instructors, though he was the least experienced. He was also the least receptive, though this acted as no deterrent either.
"Hahaha!" Kuroyuri smacked Ran jovially on the back as he exclaimed, "Always the popular one, eh?"
He was met with a weak glare.
"What? It's a compliment!" Kuroyuri said innocently. "He's gotten much better over the past few weeks, hasn't he, ladies? I would even say that his last arrangement was almost artistic!"
The women eagerly voiced their agreement while they fussed some more over who would get Ran's attention next.
"Kuroyuri..." Ran muttered with an embarrassed scowl as he reluctantly turned to the work at hand.
No one really noticed Tsubaki, who was lurking silently in the corner, distracted. But this was nothing that called any special attention, him being a man of few words in general.
At the other end of the room, Kikyo leaned against the doorway, watching.
"Hard to imagine the place without him, hm?" A voice came quietly from behind.
"Shion." Kikyo raised his eyes to meet his. He smiled slightly as enthusiastic giggling could be heard from the room. Ran was taking a snip and then another from a particular arrangement, looking a bit awkward from all the attention. "Yes," Kikyo answered softly, turning his head back toward Ran to continue his distant observation.
To Kikyo, Ran was everything he had once forgotten. Arriving one humid summer's day with nothing but the clothes on his back and overeager thirst in his eyes.
Though Kikyo had encouraged Shion to take the boy as his student, he had actually felt some hesitation somewhere in his mind. Because he knew, as Shion did, that it was a dangerous art, and one that had the potential to change him in ways Kikyo didn't want to see.
But Ran's world was hung up in eternal suspense. Like his sister's coma, he was waiting every breathless moment for an awakening. He had no time to linger here, in this sleepy town that time forgot.
If only they could have one more day like this. Just one more frivolous day in this garden of rare and beautiful flowers.
"You gave him your sword," Kikyo murmured, his eyes still fixed upon Ran. There was something cryptic in his voice, though it wasn't really an accusation.
Shion paused before answering.
"You do not think he is ready."
"It is not for me to judge," Kikyo replied with deceptive softness in his voice. He lowered his lids just a little as he said, "I am not his teacher."
Shion snorted. "Not in the sword, perhaps."
"Hn.." Kikyo's lips curled into a veiled smile as he watched the blushing Ran from the doorway with longing eyes.
He will give him one more day.