[Fanfiction] Olives and Detergent and... Cat...

Feb 28, 2010 21:38


Title: Olives and Detergent and... Cat...
Author: tamerlorika 
Recipient:  genaminna 
Original prompt:  Greece is being interviewed for enhancing Japan-Greece relations throughout his nation (he is listing ideas on what to do to improve them). Japan is coming over to sightsee around Greece's land, but they are being followed/interviewed by paparazzi along the way. Japan gets embarrassed, saying that people will find out that they're countries, but he's more worried about people thinking that they're a couple. Including Japan denying some of Greece's "ideas", possibly hurting him in the process (Greece not thinking they were as 'close' as he previously thought)
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Greece, Japan; Greece/Japan
Genre: Romance, Fluff, General
Rating: T, later M (I'll explain, I swear...)

I am SO. SORRY. I was very, very, very stupid and severely underestimated how long this was going to be/ how long it would take me. You are a very good prompt-giver, and I was immediately struck by a plot for this, but unfortunately said plot is a little long/complicated.

So.

I have this, which is the first part... I didn't get it finished... I promise, promise, promise on my hands and knees it WILL be finished, and SOON, but I wanted to post at least the first part so you, you lovely person, get something. I'm really, really, really sorry that I fail so hard and am not done, but on the plus side it will be long.... and rated M... so you know what that means, yes?

So here is part one. You have all my love and remorse, and I worked hard to make this as good as possible.

It was raining when the plane touched down in Greece. Kiku had been pressed against the tiny, foggy window since the Acropolis had come into view, since the plane had dipped below the ashy clouds.

Kiku sighted, sitting back in his seat only as the plane taxied to a stop. He didn’t mind the rain - not really - but he’d hoped that he and Herakles would have had time to take a stroll around the city before their press conference. Maybe, however… maybe it would be better this way. No one knew they were nations, but Herakles’ people did know that he was an important diplomat, and they recognized Kiku as such, as well. Being seen together as friends in public had the possibility of being awkward.

As Kiku trailed out of the plane and into the warm interior of the airport, Kiku smiled to see a tall, lean, flop-haired man lounging against the far wall. His green eyes were hooded half-shut, his gaze focused somewhere far away - until he noticed the passengers disembarking, Kiku politely shoved in the back of the crowd. He waited for Kiku to cross to him, and they stood for a long moment, almost close enough to touch, just looking at each other.

“Kiku…” Herakles finally breathed, his voice a happy sigh. He grinned, and moved as if to embrace the Japanese man, but the nation quickly took a step back and stuck out a hand to shake. For a moment, Herakles looked confused, but he took the offered hand.

For Kiku, this warmth was enough; the feel of Herakles’ warm, broad hands enveloping one of his. It was nice, this contact, this touch. He looked into Herakles’ eyes again, dismayed to find a measure of disappointment buried inside. Kiku knew that his friend was more… open… with public displays of affection, but in Japan one did not just casually hug a male friend; that was reserved for private, for lovers. And they were not lovers. After all, to Herakles, those few kisses they had casually shared had mean nothing at all, Kiku thought…

“Ah… baggu ga arimasuka? Do you have bags?” Herakles stumbled in Japanese. Kiku smiled, shaking his head and holding up a large cloth bag.

“It is all in my carry-on” he replied. “If I can perhaps use an iron at your house…”

Herakles nodded, smiling back. The Greek had offered to let Japan stay at his house during the few days he was here for the press conference - an inaugural discussion on how to improve political relationships between the two nations.

They stepped out of the sliding glass doors to the outside, and Herakles popped open the bright-red umbrella that he had carried with him, moving to shelter the both of them as they made their way to his car.

“Tabi wa ogenki desu ka? Your trip was pleasant?” Herakles asked, once he started the car. Kiku smiled a little, getting the gist of what Herakles was asking, even though his phrasing was a little off.

“Hai,” he replied, then switched to English, which they would be using at the conference this afternoon. “It was a fine flight. Thank you for coming to pick me up; you didn’t need to do that. I could have easily taken a cab.”

“I wanted to spend time with you,” Herakles replied, eyes on the road, and Kiku blushed. Sometimes, he wished that Herakles knew how his flippant words effected him. Sometimes, he wished that Herakles really meant them, the way that Kiku heard them.

The two made it to Herakles’ house in Athens, a townhouse close to a business district, with little incident, Kiku happily pressing his nose to the steadily-fogging window and asking about each new sight they passed. Herakles humored him easily, and they passed the drive companionably. Kiku was glad to be there, with Herakles - it was as if they were in their own little world, trapped in a little blue car as the rain pounded around them.

When they entered Herakles’ home, he showed his guest to the room he would be using. “There’s an iron in the closet, and you are free to used the shower and such, but we must leave in… twenty minutes in order to get to the conference.”

Kiku nodded in response, and set about unpacking his things - but looked up after only a moment. Herakles was standing in the doorway looking… almost agitated. The Japanese man had a single, strange thought that if Herakles had been a cat, his tail would have been twitching.

“Herakles?” he asked quietly.

Herakles looked startled to be addressed. “Eh? Umm… sorry… do you…” he stumbled, “Do you want some tea? I’m afraid I only have the bagged kind, but its green.”

“Tea would be very nice, thank you,” Kiku smiled softly in return. He could not help it. It was strange, but the slight blush on Herakles’ cheeks, as if he were caught doing something wrong was… well, it was quite cute. He had always though Herakles to be cute. And more than that - but it would be no good dwelling on that now!

Herakles nodded and left the room, leaving Kiku to change. Kiku waited until he heard the Greek’s footsteps vanish down the hall, then sat on the bed and breathed, inhaling the scent of olives and salt and detergent and … cat… but that was alright because that was Hera, after all. And for the first time in a very long time, Kiku relaxed, feeling safe and warm and right.

Kiku breathed, then removed the comfortable yukata that he had worn on the plane. He would have to wear a shirt and tie to the conference. He pulled on his dress slacks - they had not suffered in his luggage - then proceeded to get out the iron and treat his shirt, running the hot metal over it in soothing strokes, listening to the rain pound on the roof.

“Oh.”

An embarrassed cough. “I’m sorry.. I … I mean, I didn’t -”

Kiku whirled to find Herakles standing awkwardly in the open doorway - had he been so distracted that he forgot to close the door? Immediate realization of the fact that he was wearing no shirt hit him with a shock, and he felt his entire body flush warm with embarrassment.

“I… am out of tea…” Herakles mumbled, obviously relaying the message he had come up here to express. But he did not move.

Beat.

Beat.

A staring match, and Kiku could not unfreeze himself to grab his shirt off the iron and cover himself. Especially as Herakles began to - slowly, as if trying not to scare a stray - walking towards him, hands outstretched in a plea to stay still and not bolt.

And finally Herakles was in front of him, and, putting large, warm palms on Kiku’s shoulders, kissed his bare chest.

Propriety and tradition told Kiku to move. Instinct and passion told him to stay. So, with trembling fingers, Kiku pulled Herakles’ chin upwards, away from his fluttering hart to his trembling lips.

The kiss was slow and deliberate, reminding Kiku of viscous lava, a burning against his skin. He was achingly aware of Herakles’ palms on his shoulders, and Kiku’s own hands snaking around the Greeks’ neck.

Then the warmth was gone. Herakles had stepped back - but he was smiling, his lazy eyes hooded and content.

“We will be late,” he said, and Kiku’s blush deepened to almost unhealthy levels.

“I.. I-I -- I..” Kiku fought hard to keep his voice from trembling as badly as his legs were already. “I-I’ll get ready.”

Herakles nodded and left the room, closing the door properly this time. Kiku’s legs gave way completely and he sank onto the bed.

What had just happened?

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