the wind of change blows strange
Challenge: Autumn People
Canon: mid-anime (NOT manga)
Genre: Romance
Words: 815
Rating: PG
Requirements: Must be set in autumn and contain some reference, no matter how small, to the season. At least one of the main characters must have brown hair.
It was a different sort of blue for the sky, in October, it was no longer the rich dazzling blue of midsummer. With the cooler winds it turned thinner, the pale and fragile blue of a robin’s egg. It was particularly beautiful contrasted with the dizzying explosion of color in the trees; a fresh breeze blew and painted leaves sprinkled everywhere, scarlet and gold and orange.
Without thinking about it Fujitaka reached forward and grasped one. It looked so alive, dancing butterfly-like in the wind, but in his hand it was little more than brittle paper.
“She never really cared much for autumn, my wife. Even with all the beautiful trees and tasty apples, she didn’t like it. It meant death to her, just a flashy ending. Spring was her season.”
He opened his hand and let the leaf fall, joining its mates that already littered the earth. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it.
“Sometimes,” Maki complained, “I feel like I know your wife better than I know you.”
Fujitaka looked up and met her troubled eyes.
“Do I really talk about her that much?”
“She loves spring. And rainbows and sakuras and peaches. She wore ribbons in her hair and preferred pastels, and white was her favorite color.”
It was a thorough answer and he cringed in remorse; how could he be so insensitive? After so many years of deriving comfort from talking about her, he’d begun to keep company with someone that might not appreciate it. But she never gave him a chance to apologize, taking hold of his chin and gently tipping it up.
“How do you like autumn?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Fujitaka felt strangely at a loss under her expectant gaze. “Well, it’s a nice enough season I suppose. To tell the truth, I’m always nose-deep in midterm papers at this time of year, so I’ve never really thought about it.”
Maki looked rather amused at that, and her lips quirked in the approximation of a smile. “So think about it.”
It was a peculiar habit of hers, that here-and-gone smile always accompanied by mirthful brown eyes. It was also irresistable, and he leaned in just close enough to brush his lips over hers, inhaling her sweet feminine scent.
“Hmm…” Making a show of his consideration, he shifted his position slightly so he could rest his chin comfortably on her shoulder. Loosely he draped his arms around her. “The air is cool and fresh,” he finally declared. “That sky is gorgeous, especially against those trees. And the nicest part of all of it is… right…” He interrupted himself with a little nibble on her earlobe, and she giggled. “… here.”
His kisses found her jaw and she turned in his arms to face him, welcoming the warm and gentle kiss.
“I have a confession to make,” she murmured, once they’d parted and her head was resting against his chest.
“Mm?”
“I always thought of myself as a summer person. June was always a light month for both of us and we used to take weekends at the seaside. Late breakfasts, picnics on the beach… you know. But that was then. And this is now and- and if you want to, we could make autumn our season.”
Fujitaka froze, and it had nothing to do with her tentative proposal. His son had just walked out beyond the edge of the trees, on the brick path by the park creek, was walking right there in plain sight and the only reason he’d been spared was that he was busy talking with his best friend.
She turned her face up at his silence, looking anxious. “Fujitaka?”
Before she could look in the direction of his gaze he circled around her, turning his back firmly on his son and shielding her view. Someday, that voice in his mind pestered, someday the truth would have to be told. He couldn’t hide her from his children forever.
But to take her home meant it was real, that this relationship was going somewhere and not just a fanciful diversion from their grief. In the chill air, his wedding ring was cool against his skin. Another gust of wind scattered sunset-colored leaves over them, lifting and tossing her hair like a black silken curtain.
“Autumn,” he finally answered, “can be our season. That would make me very happy.”
The anxiety in her eyes melted into relief, and they shone. It was only natural that they kiss again and so they did, all the while Fujitaka praying that his son had passed through the park and gone on unsuspecting.
Share a season, share a moment, this he could do. But there were so many more steps to take, in that uncertain future, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for them.
Autumn wasn’t a season of endings after all. It was a season of change.
-----------------------------------------
It’s not my best work, but I like it for no other reason than it’s nice to see Fujitaka-the-man rather than Fujitaka-the-father for once. Even saints are human, and a man can get lonely. Consider it another installment of my FujiMaki series, since I’m way too busy to ever write a full-length fic for their love. For now, this will have to do.
Canon: mid-anime (NOT manga)
Genre: Romance
Words: 815
Rating: PG
Requirements: Must be set in autumn and contain some reference, no matter how small, to the season. At least one of the main characters must have brown hair.
It was a different sort of blue for the sky, in October, it was no longer the rich dazzling blue of midsummer. With the cooler winds it turned thinner, the pale and fragile blue of a robin’s egg. It was particularly beautiful contrasted with the dizzying explosion of color in the trees; a fresh breeze blew and painted leaves sprinkled everywhere, scarlet and gold and orange.
Without thinking about it Fujitaka reached forward and grasped one. It looked so alive, dancing butterfly-like in the wind, but in his hand it was little more than brittle paper.
“She never really cared much for autumn, my wife. Even with all the beautiful trees and tasty apples, she didn’t like it. It meant death to her, just a flashy ending. Spring was her season.”
He opened his hand and let the leaf fall, joining its mates that already littered the earth. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it.
“Sometimes,” Maki complained, “I feel like I know your wife better than I know you.”
Fujitaka looked up and met her troubled eyes.
“Do I really talk about her that much?”
“She loves spring. And rainbows and sakuras and peaches. She wore ribbons in her hair and preferred pastels, and white was her favorite color.”
It was a thorough answer and he cringed in remorse; how could he be so insensitive? After so many years of deriving comfort from talking about her, he’d begun to keep company with someone that might not appreciate it. But she never gave him a chance to apologize, taking hold of his chin and gently tipping it up.
“How do you like autumn?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Fujitaka felt strangely at a loss under her expectant gaze. “Well, it’s a nice enough season I suppose. To tell the truth, I’m always nose-deep in midterm papers at this time of year, so I’ve never really thought about it.”
Maki looked rather amused at that, and her lips quirked in the approximation of a smile. “So think about it.”
It was a peculiar habit of hers, that here-and-gone smile always accompanied by mirthful brown eyes. It was also irresistable, and he leaned in just close enough to brush his lips over hers, inhaling her sweet feminine scent.
“Hmm…” Making a show of his consideration, he shifted his position slightly so he could rest his chin comfortably on her shoulder. Loosely he draped his arms around her. “The air is cool and fresh,” he finally declared. “That sky is gorgeous, especially against those trees. And the nicest part of all of it is… right…” He interrupted himself with a little nibble on her earlobe, and she giggled. “… here.”
His kisses found her jaw and she turned in his arms to face him, welcoming the warm and gentle kiss.
“I have a confession to make,” she murmured, once they’d parted and her head was resting against his chest.
“Mm?”
“I always thought of myself as a summer person. June was always a light month for both of us and we used to take weekends at the seaside. Late breakfasts, picnics on the beach… you know. But that was then. And this is now and- and if you want to, we could make autumn our season.”
Fujitaka froze, and it had nothing to do with her tentative proposal. His son had just walked out beyond the edge of the trees, on the brick path by the park creek, was walking right there in plain sight and the only reason he’d been spared was that he was busy talking with his best friend.
She turned her face up at his silence, looking anxious. “Fujitaka?”
Before she could look in the direction of his gaze he circled around her, turning his back firmly on his son and shielding her view. Someday, that voice in his mind pestered, someday the truth would have to be told. He couldn’t hide her from his children forever.
But to take her home meant it was real, that this relationship was going somewhere and not just a fanciful diversion from their grief. In the chill air, his wedding ring was cool against his skin. Another gust of wind scattered sunset-colored leaves over them, lifting and tossing her hair like a black silken curtain.
“Autumn,” he finally answered, “can be our season. That would make me very happy.”
The anxiety in her eyes melted into relief, and they shone. It was only natural that they kiss again and so they did, all the while Fujitaka praying that his son had passed through the park and gone on unsuspecting.
Share a season, share a moment, this he could do. But there were so many more steps to take, in that uncertain future, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for them.
Autumn wasn’t a season of endings after all. It was a season of change.
-----------------------------------------
It’s not my best work, but I like it for no other reason than it’s nice to see Fujitaka-the-man rather than Fujitaka-the-father for once. Even saints are human, and a man can get lonely. Consider it another installment of my FujiMaki series, since I’m way too busy to ever write a full-length fic for their love. For now, this will have to do.