Fic: Black Velvet
Title: Black Velvet
Author: fairymage
Rating: G
Community: 30_kisses
Theme: #10-#10, #23-candy
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko
Shall we play a game? Can Alanna finish her second fic by the end of today??? Given that she has a fellowship application due today AND class all afternoon?!
Valentine’s Day was fast approaching, and she was well aware of it. She suspected that he wanted to tell her not to get him anything-it would be awkward for him to receive it, and he didn’t like the idea of her spending money on him. But she also knew quite well that he didn’t dare say anything, lest he make too many assumptions about their relationship.
She planned to use his honor to her advantage.
It would, of course, be difficult to plan. She couldn’t make him chocolate, as she did for Sonomi and her family. No, they would most certainly question the presence of a handful of extra chocolates. Just a small number… well, Sonomi would certainly be suspicious. She always gave Nadeshiko candy for Valentine’s Day-why would Nadeshiko need to make some extra for herself?
That was why she was wandering the inside of a fancy candy shop, along with what was possibly every married, middle-aged woman in the city. It might have been awkward but for her determination that he should receive candy from her. It wouldn’t say as much, perhaps, as homemade chocolate, but that was not an option.
“Can I help you?” a woman asked, smiling pleasantly. Possibly Nadeshiko was the only customer who looked uncertain.
“Well…”
“Who are you looking for?”
“Well…”
“Ah,” the woman sighed, nodding sagely. “You don’t know yet, what you are. But I take it you want him to know something?”
“I… I suppose…” It wasn’t that the saleswoman was wrong. It was just that she hadn’t expected to be found out so quickly.
The woman smiled gently, and took Nadeshiko’s elbow. “Then something small, I think. Not too big, you know, or you’ll scare him away. Or seem desperate, and, my dear, you most certainly have no reason to be desperate. And something too small might say that it isn’t really a gift, if you understand. What about something like this?”
The box was the right size, but covered in gold foil. It was quite lovely, but…
“It’s too… much,” she said, gesturing at it. The woman nodded, understanding her customer instantly.
“Something less eye-catching, hmmm? How about…” She held out a small, red, heart-shaped box wrapped in black velvet ribbon.
“The shape,” Nadeshiko disagreed instantly. “It’s…”
“Too forward, hmmm? Then how about this one?”
It was quite perfect, and she bought it immediately.
~~~~~
With a clean conscience, then, she was able to make her (admittedly awful) Valentine’s Day chocolates. She could never understand why they never turned out right. But it was all right. No one ever said anything, and they were quick to let her know it was the thought that counted. She was even more certain that it was better she’d bought him chocolates this first time.
Sonomi, who’d already made her chocolates, sat on a stool swinging her legs idly, but her eyes were calculating. She wasn’t saying anything, but Nadeshiko knew that was code for her thinking seriously about something.
“Who are you making candy for this year?” she finally blurted out. Nadeshiko knew it would be mean to laugh.
“The same people I always do. You, and everyone else.” Everyone else meaning the family. Flattery still worked wonders with her cousin.
“Really?” Sonomi’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’re not making some extra?”
“No,” she placated gently. “I’m making exactly the same number as usual, plus two extra for you.”
“Why do I get ten this year?”
Nadeshiko shrugged. “No reason, really. I just felt like it.”
She had the nagging suspicion that it was out of guilt, but she firmly pushed that fear to the back of her mind.
~~~~~
She had not quite gotten around to figuring out how to give him his gift. If she left it anonymously, it would draw unwelcome attention from both teachers (who would find out first) and students (who would find out shortly thereafter). She could go visit him after school, as she had before, but then she ran the risk of being seen by another teacher. It was all right when the visit was relatively innocuous, but to leave him a box of Valentine’s chocolates…
No, they would have to arrange something, and that would mean giving away the secret.
On her way home from the library, she ducked quickly into a pay phone and breathlessly inserted the appropriate number of coins. The phone number from the now tattered piece of paper came easily to her fingers.
He picked up after the third ring.
“Can I… May I… Come over on Thursday night?”
There was a pause.
“Thursday is Valentine’s Day,” he commented quietly.
“I know,” she replied quickly, feeling the blush rise in her cheeks. She was sure she’d embarrassed him too. “It’s not… anything, really, I just want to… well, see you,” she finished lamely. “Give you something” sounded too… awkward, and could be interpreted in too many wrong ways. And it gave him the opportunity to refuse her, even if deep down she knew he couldn’t.
“Oh. Um… when were you thinking of… coming by?”
She wanted to clarify that it was really nothing; she could hear him thinking about what to make for dinner, and dessert, and what would be an appropriate time, and a whole number of other minor logistics.
“After school. Before dinner.” She winced slightly. She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but she didn’t want him worrying either. “I have to be home for dinner with my family, I don’t want them to suspect anything.”
“Oh. That should be fine.” He sounded uncertain, and she became acutely aware of the precarious situation she was putting him in.
Through the clouded glass, she could see a young girl running to meet a young man. She stood on tiptoe, kissed him, and they strolled away, hand in hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and hung up the phone quickly.
~~~~~
She’d worried that it would be awkward when she arrived at his house, but he opened the door and invited her in with his usual smile, as if this was perfectly normal. If he wasn’t nervous… well, then what did she have to worry about? She smiled back and stepped in as if she belonged there.
“Tea?” he asked, gesturing to the table, where a tea set and small cakes were already laid out. She wanted to laugh.
“You were going to laugh at me,” he commented, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Only because you’d gone and prepared this all anyway, even before I arrived! And after I told you not to!” Had she? It didn’t matter. She laughed anyway, and the remnants of the discomfort of earlier in the week melted away.
“It would be rude of me to not have anything prepared. Especially for you.” Both of them were surprised by how innocent the comment sounded in the air between them.
Agreeably, she sat down and poured first him, then herself, tea. They nibbled at cakes, oddly content to sit quietly without the need for small talk, especially since they both knew she needed to be leaving soon.
After a cup of tea and two cakes (“So cute!” she exclaimed with delight) she reached into her bag and held out the unwrapped box.
Slowly, he set down his cup of tea and gingerly took the box from her. It was more sophisticated and discreet than the others she’d looked at, but it was still distinctly Valentine’s Day chocolate. A black velvet rectangle, with dark red ribbon, and ten gold-wrapped chocolates inside.
He didn’t open it. He didn’t need to.
Author: fairymage
Rating: G
Community: 30_kisses
Theme: #10-#10, #23-candy
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko
Shall we play a game? Can Alanna finish her second fic by the end of today??? Given that she has a fellowship application due today AND class all afternoon?!
Valentine’s Day was fast approaching, and she was well aware of it. She suspected that he wanted to tell her not to get him anything-it would be awkward for him to receive it, and he didn’t like the idea of her spending money on him. But she also knew quite well that he didn’t dare say anything, lest he make too many assumptions about their relationship.
She planned to use his honor to her advantage.
It would, of course, be difficult to plan. She couldn’t make him chocolate, as she did for Sonomi and her family. No, they would most certainly question the presence of a handful of extra chocolates. Just a small number… well, Sonomi would certainly be suspicious. She always gave Nadeshiko candy for Valentine’s Day-why would Nadeshiko need to make some extra for herself?
That was why she was wandering the inside of a fancy candy shop, along with what was possibly every married, middle-aged woman in the city. It might have been awkward but for her determination that he should receive candy from her. It wouldn’t say as much, perhaps, as homemade chocolate, but that was not an option.
“Can I help you?” a woman asked, smiling pleasantly. Possibly Nadeshiko was the only customer who looked uncertain.
“Well…”
“Who are you looking for?”
“Well…”
“Ah,” the woman sighed, nodding sagely. “You don’t know yet, what you are. But I take it you want him to know something?”
“I… I suppose…” It wasn’t that the saleswoman was wrong. It was just that she hadn’t expected to be found out so quickly.
The woman smiled gently, and took Nadeshiko’s elbow. “Then something small, I think. Not too big, you know, or you’ll scare him away. Or seem desperate, and, my dear, you most certainly have no reason to be desperate. And something too small might say that it isn’t really a gift, if you understand. What about something like this?”
The box was the right size, but covered in gold foil. It was quite lovely, but…
“It’s too… much,” she said, gesturing at it. The woman nodded, understanding her customer instantly.
“Something less eye-catching, hmmm? How about…” She held out a small, red, heart-shaped box wrapped in black velvet ribbon.
“The shape,” Nadeshiko disagreed instantly. “It’s…”
“Too forward, hmmm? Then how about this one?”
It was quite perfect, and she bought it immediately.
~~~~~
With a clean conscience, then, she was able to make her (admittedly awful) Valentine’s Day chocolates. She could never understand why they never turned out right. But it was all right. No one ever said anything, and they were quick to let her know it was the thought that counted. She was even more certain that it was better she’d bought him chocolates this first time.
Sonomi, who’d already made her chocolates, sat on a stool swinging her legs idly, but her eyes were calculating. She wasn’t saying anything, but Nadeshiko knew that was code for her thinking seriously about something.
“Who are you making candy for this year?” she finally blurted out. Nadeshiko knew it would be mean to laugh.
“The same people I always do. You, and everyone else.” Everyone else meaning the family. Flattery still worked wonders with her cousin.
“Really?” Sonomi’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’re not making some extra?”
“No,” she placated gently. “I’m making exactly the same number as usual, plus two extra for you.”
“Why do I get ten this year?”
Nadeshiko shrugged. “No reason, really. I just felt like it.”
She had the nagging suspicion that it was out of guilt, but she firmly pushed that fear to the back of her mind.
~~~~~
She had not quite gotten around to figuring out how to give him his gift. If she left it anonymously, it would draw unwelcome attention from both teachers (who would find out first) and students (who would find out shortly thereafter). She could go visit him after school, as she had before, but then she ran the risk of being seen by another teacher. It was all right when the visit was relatively innocuous, but to leave him a box of Valentine’s chocolates…
No, they would have to arrange something, and that would mean giving away the secret.
On her way home from the library, she ducked quickly into a pay phone and breathlessly inserted the appropriate number of coins. The phone number from the now tattered piece of paper came easily to her fingers.
He picked up after the third ring.
“Can I… May I… Come over on Thursday night?”
There was a pause.
“Thursday is Valentine’s Day,” he commented quietly.
“I know,” she replied quickly, feeling the blush rise in her cheeks. She was sure she’d embarrassed him too. “It’s not… anything, really, I just want to… well, see you,” she finished lamely. “Give you something” sounded too… awkward, and could be interpreted in too many wrong ways. And it gave him the opportunity to refuse her, even if deep down she knew he couldn’t.
“Oh. Um… when were you thinking of… coming by?”
She wanted to clarify that it was really nothing; she could hear him thinking about what to make for dinner, and dessert, and what would be an appropriate time, and a whole number of other minor logistics.
“After school. Before dinner.” She winced slightly. She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but she didn’t want him worrying either. “I have to be home for dinner with my family, I don’t want them to suspect anything.”
“Oh. That should be fine.” He sounded uncertain, and she became acutely aware of the precarious situation she was putting him in.
Through the clouded glass, she could see a young girl running to meet a young man. She stood on tiptoe, kissed him, and they strolled away, hand in hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and hung up the phone quickly.
~~~~~
She’d worried that it would be awkward when she arrived at his house, but he opened the door and invited her in with his usual smile, as if this was perfectly normal. If he wasn’t nervous… well, then what did she have to worry about? She smiled back and stepped in as if she belonged there.
“Tea?” he asked, gesturing to the table, where a tea set and small cakes were already laid out. She wanted to laugh.
“You were going to laugh at me,” he commented, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Only because you’d gone and prepared this all anyway, even before I arrived! And after I told you not to!” Had she? It didn’t matter. She laughed anyway, and the remnants of the discomfort of earlier in the week melted away.
“It would be rude of me to not have anything prepared. Especially for you.” Both of them were surprised by how innocent the comment sounded in the air between them.
Agreeably, she sat down and poured first him, then herself, tea. They nibbled at cakes, oddly content to sit quietly without the need for small talk, especially since they both knew she needed to be leaving soon.
After a cup of tea and two cakes (“So cute!” she exclaimed with delight) she reached into her bag and held out the unwrapped box.
Slowly, he set down his cup of tea and gingerly took the box from her. It was more sophisticated and discreet than the others she’d looked at, but it was still distinctly Valentine’s Day chocolate. A black velvet rectangle, with dark red ribbon, and ten gold-wrapped chocolates inside.
He didn’t open it. He didn’t need to.