[Fanfiction] Olives and Detergent and... Cat... PART TWO
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
Um. I'm sorry if I'm not allowed to post the second part here? But here is part two! It will most likely be four parts... I think....
Herakles sat in the kitchen, unable to keep himself from smiling. Kiku had kissed him back. Maybe the man was starting to get it, after all.
Herakles always knew that he and Kiku had a tacit relationship; ofthen, they could communicate without being able to speak, so it made sense that Herakles understood, without a doubt, that Kiku loved him, just as much as he loved Kiku.
Now to get Kiku to realize it, too.
Herakles had loved Kiku for a long time, and had often tried to express it in the only way that he knew how; through gestures, rather than clumsy words. He had first kissed Kiku on hte cheek, under the cherry blossoms at his home. Kiku had blushed, but had not even met Herakles' gasze, quickly babbling about the beauty of hte flowers.
He had kissed Kiku on the lips, too, the last time they parted, but again only the cute blush, the widened, frightened eyes and Kiku walked away. He never protested, but... but he always walked away. But today,w he Herakles just couldn't resist and gave into instinct, Kiku had kissed back. That meant... that meant Kiku liked him back. It was just that simple.
He heard his guest on the stairs, so he smiled back, and they both moved out the door into the still-pouring rain. Herakles popped out his red umbrella again, then turned to Kiku.
"The building is only a block or two away. Do you mind if we walk?"
Kiku shook his head in agreement, and Herakles felt more excited, more.... giddy, even, than he had in a very long time. It barely showed on the outside, but inside he was ridiculously happy.
The two started down the sidewalk and, quietly, Herakles grabbed Kiku's hand. Kiku started, eyes widening, but again he didn't pull away and Herakles allowed his lazy smile to stretch slightly wider as they ambled along the street.
*~*
Herakles-san's hand is warm...
Kiku could not think very well at the moment, but he could feel. He felt Herakles' skin, its contrast with the cool rain outside.
He was very, very nervous, heart pounding wildly, hard enough to hurt, but the Greek beside him seemed so calm, so at ease.
That is what told Kiku that the kiss had meant nothing at all: there was no contemplation in Herakles face, nor the signs of nervousness that were creeping in on Kiku. The Greek obviously did not place as much importance on his prior actions as Kiku did.
It was a ... cultural difference.
Still, the warmth was there, and Kiku was not going to begrudge himself that. He leaned into Herakles' shoulder and breathed in his smell and pretended that Herakles loved him.
They quickly reached the convention center where the conference was to be held, but as soon as Herakles collapesd the umbrella and opened the doors, they were hit by a veritable wall of paparazzi, wideo cameras, lights 0 apparently, what was to be a fairly quiet, private conference had grown into a media free-for-all. Broadcasters from various stations were standing in corners, the lobby, clustered around the approaching nations. They weren't all Greek stations, either; the names emblazoned on the cameras flashed in Kiku's own native Japanese, in English, even in Korean.
Kiku felt his breath stop. He could... sort of... deal with media situations. He had to, being in his line of work, but he also needed a warning, time to prepare himself. This sudden press of humanity was stifling, making it hard for him to focus. All that he was aware of were shouts of questions, the glare of flashbulbs, heat, breath. He shrank against Herakles' side for some sort of balast, an anchor in the chaos, and Herakles snaked an arm around his shoiulder and held him steady as the Mediterranean nation smiled politely at the clamour, shoving their way to the conference room.
Kiku had hoped the noise would cease, would at least calm, when they reached the room, but it only intensified as even more people joined the throng. A harried-looking press secretary showed the nations to their seats at a long table and attempted to calm the crowd and begin the meeting. Most of the nuances of this were lost on Kiku, however, as he desperately tried to focus away from his growing panic.
"Kiku, are you alright?" Herakles whispered, his lips suddenly at the japanese nation's ear. Kiku started, pushing him away automatically. Too close, too close.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, lets just start."
As if on cue, the questions began in a flurry.
"Mr. Karpusi," a young man wiht slicked-back brown hair began. "Let us begin with the question that is burning in all of our minds. What are you and your country doing to improve relations with the country of Japan?"
Herakles was as serene as ever, even in the face of the flashbulbs and claustrophobic situation, and Kiku absolutely envied him.
"Well... spending more time in his house - I mean, sending more diplomats to spend time in his - the - country... seems beneficial, don't you think?"
Alright, maybe he wasn't so composed.
Kiku kicked at him under the table. "What're you saying?" he mouthed, decurom almost lost in anxiety. "House? They'll find out what we are!" And if they knew he added silently, "spending time in my house" would make it seem like we were together.
"Sorry," Herakles whispered back with a shrug and an apologetic half-smile. "I'm not very good at this."
The questions came fast and thick, but japan let herakles field most of them. The sounds and lights left him muddled and lost.
"Mr. Honda?"
Japan looked up, startled to be directly addressed. a young woman with a microphone bearing the name of an American TV station (but wasn't "Star" tabloid news?) was standing, said microphone outstretched.
"Mr. Honda, perhaps close political ties between your countries stem from close personal ties between diplomats."
What now?
Kiku blinked a moment, trying to understand where she was going with this. Herakles, noticing his discomfort, squeezed Kiku's knee under the table but Kiku flushed and smacked it away.
"What I mean, Mr. Honda, is that you and Mr. Karpusi seem very close. You did, after all, walk here under the same umbrella, and in Japane does that not signal intimacy?"
Kiku was absolutely still but for the blush rising in his cheeks. His back was ramrod straight and his legs were stiff.
"Na...nani...?"
"And he led you into the conference room in an awfully protective fashion," the girl continued, obviously out for the sensational story. By now, even the press secretary was looking flustered.
"Ma'am, these questions are inappropriate for a political conference such as - " the man began.
" - and you two just seem to have a very familiar connection. One may even call it romantic, " she pressed, a very Hungary-like gleam in her eye. It was then the security detail showed up, showing an upset and loudly protesting American news crew out the door. A pause filled the room as the other newscasters watched the debacle, recording furiously.
"I assure you, it is nothing like that!"
Kiku was suddenly on his feet, palms flat on the table in front of him.
"Hera- Mr. Karpusi and i have a purely professional relationship!"
"...I think that this conference is over... " the secretary murmurred.
There was a long moment, then the reporters began herding out, prompted by the presence of the security detail. Japan stood standing, shaking and red in absolute mortification.He waited until it was only him and Herakles in the room, then finally he sank back into the chair and burried his face in his hands.
A/N Actually getting to the prompt now (gaspeth)... so, there is part two, I'm working on part three as we speak, so you shouldn't have to wait long - perhaps Saturday or Sunday? Thanks for all your patience and I'm sorry for not editing this well before I posted it. *bows* See you soon!