[LOG] Spiky surprises
Characters: Niou Masaharu & Fuji Shuusuke
Location: The maze
Time: Tuesday afternoon
Rating: PG
Summary: Niou seeks out Fuji to give him a present
Niou poked the green and spiky plant that tried to poke back and decided it was a good time to hunt down its future owner and gift it to Fuji. He was supposed to be meeting Fuji in the hedge maze. Where in the maze his friend didn’t say but that was part of the fun. Pulling on a light jacket and a scarf, Niou placed Fuji’s future friend in a paperbag and headed out to the hedge maze.
It took a bit of wandering, a little luck and some cheating by asking a couple people he passed, but he eventually found Fuji off in a far corner of the maze. “Next time we should meet at the entrance,” Niou said as he gave Fuji a wave.
Fuji had been looking for the best place to stage his haunting come Halloween night. The spot he was now in was a promising intersection, with people’s attention probably focussed on the path ahead and not on the illusionist pressed against the hedgerows. As Niou rounded the bend, Fuji gave his skill an experimental twist that caused ghosts to materialise along all the four exits and converge on his friend.
“Where would the challenge be in that?” he asked in response to the ridiculous suggestion an easier meeting place would have been more appropriate. “And it’s fun to see you walk the paths.”
Niou looked at the ghosts, rather impressed with them and then stepped back from them until he was in the middle of the intersection. He knew he could walk through them to Fuji with no physical consequence, but they were real enough in his mind that he always seemed to follow along with their harmless suggestions. “But you don’t have your camera to really appreciate me,” Niou said and then held up the bag so Fuji could see it. “Call your ghosts off and I’ll give you your present.”
Well there was an offer it was hard to say no to. The ghosts kamikaze dived into the hedges and vanished as Fuji held out his hand for the package. “When did you get me a present?” he asked, his surprise showing momentarily on his usually comfortably smiling face.
Niou watched the ghosts vanish and then walked over to Fuji, holding the bag in front of him but not quite out to Fuji yet. “On Saturday when I was in town. Made a special trip to the store for this,” He said letting Fuji wonder what was inside a bit longer.
Fuji’s eyebrows raised quizzically as he looked at Niou. He knew full well that Niou had been ‘escorting’ their newest female teacher that day. The fact he had thought of Fuji at such a time was touching. Or disturbing. Fuji went with touching. “Then, perhaps I should guess its contents first?” he suggested, head tilting as he considered the size of the package. What would his friend think Fuji needed enough to waylay his date to make the purchase? “Photographic paper?” he guessed, remembering Niou’s suggestion of another photoshoot.
Niou shook his head at the guess. “Nah, too risky. I’d never pick the right type.” Getting Fuji the cactus was risky enough as he knew that Fuji had a small collection already and likely had preferences. He thought he picked a good one, though. “Second guess?”
Fuji tilted his head the other way. The bag was too small to contain a shovel. Perhaps it was something for Halloween. Niou was liable to suggest that Trick or Treat would make a good evening activity and Fuji would be insulted if he asked anyone else. “Candy?” he suggested.
“Nah, sorry. Did ya want some?” Niou asked wondering if he even had a decent candy stash in his room right now. Maybe when Fuji was done creeping around the maze they could eat some candy and stare at Oishi’s fish. “Want to try for a third or do you give up?” He waved the bag back and forth.
“Perhaps. It depends what kind.” Fuji’s eyes followed the bag hypnotically for a moment and then he smiled. “I cannot beat you, Niou. You win.”
Niou grinned at being declared winner and stepped a little closer to Fuji to hand him over his present. “I think you’ll like this more than wasabi chocolates” Niou certainly thought it was better at least.
Fuji took the bag and peered inside. There, in a mass of spiky ends was a new little cactus friend. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. His guesses had been way out, thinking that Niou would chose something they would do together. Niou, in fact, had picked something out that only Fuji would enjoy. He looked up, blue eyes visible on the normally secretive face. Then he hugged his (non spiky) friend.
Niou smiled and wrapped his an arm around Fuji, careful not to hug him too tight and squish the cactus. “I take it I picked a good one?” Niou asked still unsure of his choice even if the hug was very reassuring on it. He was definitely not about to tell Fuji just how long he’d dithered over a couple different choices.
Fuji pulled away enough to slide his hand into the bag and withdraw the small plant. “It’s an astrophytum ornatum, a star cactus, you see?” he turned the cactus so Niou was looking at it from the top down, where its segmented ribs twisted around the trunk to form a star-like shape. “It will have yellow flowers in time.” He leaned up and kissed Niou on the cheek. “I don’t have one like it. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Niou beamed at the kiss and praise to the cactus he picked. “I’m happy you like it. I was just trying to get one you didn’t have. Thought this one was cute looking.” Well, as cute as a pokey cactus could get. At least it didn’t look phallic and suggestive like so many of the other cacti did. “And when I asked you what you’d get if you could have anything, you listed a new cactus. Thought I’d help make it come true for you,” Niou said, an arm still around Fuji. He enjoyed giving small gifts to his friend when he could. And not just because he normally got a thank you kiss out of it.
Fuji lent against him, still admiring his cactus. Possibly they now looked like proud new parents of a very prickly baby. “Perhaps I wished too small,” he said teasingly. He turned the pot around in his hands, considering what he would have asked for if he really could have had anything. He looked up at Niou. “I should have asked for two new cacti.”
Niou laughed at that feeling a rather large surge of affection for his friend. “You definitely should have. Hanamura-sensei seemed quite concerned I wasn’t getting a friend for this guy,” Niou said and lightly caressed one of the pokey bits. He wondered if she’d be annoyed that he made her buy a gift for Fuji and figured the chances of her finding out were worth the risk of this moment.
Fuji quirked an eyebrow. “So how was it dating a cougar?” he asked. Perhaps it wasn’t entirely PC to call their new teacher by such a title but Fuji knew full well that this was why Niou had bidded to go into town with her. “More or less thrilling than man-scarf tying?”
“Less thrilling but still pretty educational and quite good for my wardrobe.” Niou gestured to the necklace he was wearing and grinned at Fuji. He wondered just what his friend thought about his man-scarf tying lessons and dates with cougars but sort of felt it might be better off not knowing.
Fuji slid his fingers under the pendant and turned it so it caught the light. “You’ve been collared, Niou,” he mused. His smile changed to a grin of wickedness. “Perhaps you should gift it to Sakaki-sensei. As an … apology … for leaving him last weekend.”
“Nah, she probably doesn’t even know what pieces she bought me,” Niou said as he watched Fuji play with his necklace. He was probably one of a small handful who wasn’t afraid of being choked by his own necklace with it in Fuji’s grip. People really did have interesting views of his friend. “And Sakaki was probably too busy nursing a hangover to notice his secretary was on holiday.” And he wasn’t sure he wanted to risk getting between Hanamura and Sakaki while they worked out their many many issues.
“Pity,” Fuji commented, losing interest in the would-be game. “They don’t seem worth the effort.” He turned the necklace one last time and then slipped it beneath Niou’s shirt. A pretty piece but he preferred the cactus. “What do you think I should create to haunt people?” A sample of semi-transparent ghosts appeared; a traditional legless sheet, an army officer from a war fought several 100 years ago, a teletubbie and a small wide-eyed girl wearing a nightdress.
Niou shivered a bit as the cool metal touched his warm skin and pouted a little at Fuji before the ghostly figures distracted him. He considered them all, even the horrible Teletubby and wondered what would scare his fellow students the most. “Maybe the kid. Kids are pretty creepy, especially in movies,” Niou said. He would have moved closer for a better look but he wasn’t going to let Fuji go just to poke at some ghosts.
The ghost child produced a candle and sidled silently away up the path. The other ghosts disappeared into the hedgerow, with the teletubbie giving one final wink to Niou. “Maybe Tezuka will like her,” Fuji said meditatively. “He is probably harbouring a secret kink.”
Niou thought the addition of the candle and the way she moved increased her creepiness and gave an approving nod. He did his best to ignore the Teletubbie. His own fault for showing his discomfort at them when they were grave digging together. “You think Tezuka has a kink for dead children?” There were secret kinks and then there were secret kinks that would get you placed in special places with locked doors to keep rest of the world safe from you.
Fuji smiled. “I’ve not ruled out any possibilities.” He looked down at his new catus. “I should get my new friend inside.” He indicated the path the ghost child had gone, sliding his cactus-free hand into Niou’s. “Shall we go?”
“I hope you can rule that one out,” Niou said. He gave Fuji’s hand a gentle squeeze and started walking down the path with him. “How about when you get your new friend settled I’ll make us some hot chocolate. Your hands are a little cold.” It would give him something to do while Fuji fussed over his cacti and help warm his hands up after. Not to mention a nice hot chocolatey treat was always nice after coming indoors from a cool day, especially when shared with a friend.
Fuji turned to face Niou as they neared the exit of the maze. The hot chocolate sounded the perfect end to an already cactus-beautiful afternoon. He leaned up and kissed Niou again on the cheek. “You are my best friend,” he told him honestly. “I never want that to change.” And with that, he turned towards the school.
Location: The maze
Time: Tuesday afternoon
Rating: PG
Summary: Niou seeks out Fuji to give him a present
Niou poked the green and spiky plant that tried to poke back and decided it was a good time to hunt down its future owner and gift it to Fuji. He was supposed to be meeting Fuji in the hedge maze. Where in the maze his friend didn’t say but that was part of the fun. Pulling on a light jacket and a scarf, Niou placed Fuji’s future friend in a paperbag and headed out to the hedge maze.
It took a bit of wandering, a little luck and some cheating by asking a couple people he passed, but he eventually found Fuji off in a far corner of the maze. “Next time we should meet at the entrance,” Niou said as he gave Fuji a wave.
Fuji had been looking for the best place to stage his haunting come Halloween night. The spot he was now in was a promising intersection, with people’s attention probably focussed on the path ahead and not on the illusionist pressed against the hedgerows. As Niou rounded the bend, Fuji gave his skill an experimental twist that caused ghosts to materialise along all the four exits and converge on his friend.
“Where would the challenge be in that?” he asked in response to the ridiculous suggestion an easier meeting place would have been more appropriate. “And it’s fun to see you walk the paths.”
Niou looked at the ghosts, rather impressed with them and then stepped back from them until he was in the middle of the intersection. He knew he could walk through them to Fuji with no physical consequence, but they were real enough in his mind that he always seemed to follow along with their harmless suggestions. “But you don’t have your camera to really appreciate me,” Niou said and then held up the bag so Fuji could see it. “Call your ghosts off and I’ll give you your present.”
Well there was an offer it was hard to say no to. The ghosts kamikaze dived into the hedges and vanished as Fuji held out his hand for the package. “When did you get me a present?” he asked, his surprise showing momentarily on his usually comfortably smiling face.
Niou watched the ghosts vanish and then walked over to Fuji, holding the bag in front of him but not quite out to Fuji yet. “On Saturday when I was in town. Made a special trip to the store for this,” He said letting Fuji wonder what was inside a bit longer.
Fuji’s eyebrows raised quizzically as he looked at Niou. He knew full well that Niou had been ‘escorting’ their newest female teacher that day. The fact he had thought of Fuji at such a time was touching. Or disturbing. Fuji went with touching. “Then, perhaps I should guess its contents first?” he suggested, head tilting as he considered the size of the package. What would his friend think Fuji needed enough to waylay his date to make the purchase? “Photographic paper?” he guessed, remembering Niou’s suggestion of another photoshoot.
Niou shook his head at the guess. “Nah, too risky. I’d never pick the right type.” Getting Fuji the cactus was risky enough as he knew that Fuji had a small collection already and likely had preferences. He thought he picked a good one, though. “Second guess?”
Fuji tilted his head the other way. The bag was too small to contain a shovel. Perhaps it was something for Halloween. Niou was liable to suggest that Trick or Treat would make a good evening activity and Fuji would be insulted if he asked anyone else. “Candy?” he suggested.
“Nah, sorry. Did ya want some?” Niou asked wondering if he even had a decent candy stash in his room right now. Maybe when Fuji was done creeping around the maze they could eat some candy and stare at Oishi’s fish. “Want to try for a third or do you give up?” He waved the bag back and forth.
“Perhaps. It depends what kind.” Fuji’s eyes followed the bag hypnotically for a moment and then he smiled. “I cannot beat you, Niou. You win.”
Niou grinned at being declared winner and stepped a little closer to Fuji to hand him over his present. “I think you’ll like this more than wasabi chocolates” Niou certainly thought it was better at least.
Fuji took the bag and peered inside. There, in a mass of spiky ends was a new little cactus friend. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. His guesses had been way out, thinking that Niou would chose something they would do together. Niou, in fact, had picked something out that only Fuji would enjoy. He looked up, blue eyes visible on the normally secretive face. Then he hugged his (non spiky) friend.
Niou smiled and wrapped his an arm around Fuji, careful not to hug him too tight and squish the cactus. “I take it I picked a good one?” Niou asked still unsure of his choice even if the hug was very reassuring on it. He was definitely not about to tell Fuji just how long he’d dithered over a couple different choices.
Fuji pulled away enough to slide his hand into the bag and withdraw the small plant. “It’s an astrophytum ornatum, a star cactus, you see?” he turned the cactus so Niou was looking at it from the top down, where its segmented ribs twisted around the trunk to form a star-like shape. “It will have yellow flowers in time.” He leaned up and kissed Niou on the cheek. “I don’t have one like it. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Niou beamed at the kiss and praise to the cactus he picked. “I’m happy you like it. I was just trying to get one you didn’t have. Thought this one was cute looking.” Well, as cute as a pokey cactus could get. At least it didn’t look phallic and suggestive like so many of the other cacti did. “And when I asked you what you’d get if you could have anything, you listed a new cactus. Thought I’d help make it come true for you,” Niou said, an arm still around Fuji. He enjoyed giving small gifts to his friend when he could. And not just because he normally got a thank you kiss out of it.
Fuji lent against him, still admiring his cactus. Possibly they now looked like proud new parents of a very prickly baby. “Perhaps I wished too small,” he said teasingly. He turned the pot around in his hands, considering what he would have asked for if he really could have had anything. He looked up at Niou. “I should have asked for two new cacti.”
Niou laughed at that feeling a rather large surge of affection for his friend. “You definitely should have. Hanamura-sensei seemed quite concerned I wasn’t getting a friend for this guy,” Niou said and lightly caressed one of the pokey bits. He wondered if she’d be annoyed that he made her buy a gift for Fuji and figured the chances of her finding out were worth the risk of this moment.
Fuji quirked an eyebrow. “So how was it dating a cougar?” he asked. Perhaps it wasn’t entirely PC to call their new teacher by such a title but Fuji knew full well that this was why Niou had bidded to go into town with her. “More or less thrilling than man-scarf tying?”
“Less thrilling but still pretty educational and quite good for my wardrobe.” Niou gestured to the necklace he was wearing and grinned at Fuji. He wondered just what his friend thought about his man-scarf tying lessons and dates with cougars but sort of felt it might be better off not knowing.
Fuji slid his fingers under the pendant and turned it so it caught the light. “You’ve been collared, Niou,” he mused. His smile changed to a grin of wickedness. “Perhaps you should gift it to Sakaki-sensei. As an … apology … for leaving him last weekend.”
“Nah, she probably doesn’t even know what pieces she bought me,” Niou said as he watched Fuji play with his necklace. He was probably one of a small handful who wasn’t afraid of being choked by his own necklace with it in Fuji’s grip. People really did have interesting views of his friend. “And Sakaki was probably too busy nursing a hangover to notice his secretary was on holiday.” And he wasn’t sure he wanted to risk getting between Hanamura and Sakaki while they worked out their many many issues.
“Pity,” Fuji commented, losing interest in the would-be game. “They don’t seem worth the effort.” He turned the necklace one last time and then slipped it beneath Niou’s shirt. A pretty piece but he preferred the cactus. “What do you think I should create to haunt people?” A sample of semi-transparent ghosts appeared; a traditional legless sheet, an army officer from a war fought several 100 years ago, a teletubbie and a small wide-eyed girl wearing a nightdress.
Niou shivered a bit as the cool metal touched his warm skin and pouted a little at Fuji before the ghostly figures distracted him. He considered them all, even the horrible Teletubby and wondered what would scare his fellow students the most. “Maybe the kid. Kids are pretty creepy, especially in movies,” Niou said. He would have moved closer for a better look but he wasn’t going to let Fuji go just to poke at some ghosts.
The ghost child produced a candle and sidled silently away up the path. The other ghosts disappeared into the hedgerow, with the teletubbie giving one final wink to Niou. “Maybe Tezuka will like her,” Fuji said meditatively. “He is probably harbouring a secret kink.”
Niou thought the addition of the candle and the way she moved increased her creepiness and gave an approving nod. He did his best to ignore the Teletubbie. His own fault for showing his discomfort at them when they were grave digging together. “You think Tezuka has a kink for dead children?” There were secret kinks and then there were secret kinks that would get you placed in special places with locked doors to keep rest of the world safe from you.
Fuji smiled. “I’ve not ruled out any possibilities.” He looked down at his new catus. “I should get my new friend inside.” He indicated the path the ghost child had gone, sliding his cactus-free hand into Niou’s. “Shall we go?”
“I hope you can rule that one out,” Niou said. He gave Fuji’s hand a gentle squeeze and started walking down the path with him. “How about when you get your new friend settled I’ll make us some hot chocolate. Your hands are a little cold.” It would give him something to do while Fuji fussed over his cacti and help warm his hands up after. Not to mention a nice hot chocolatey treat was always nice after coming indoors from a cool day, especially when shared with a friend.
Fuji turned to face Niou as they neared the exit of the maze. The hot chocolate sounded the perfect end to an already cactus-beautiful afternoon. He leaned up and kissed Niou again on the cheek. “You are my best friend,” he told him honestly. “I never want that to change.” And with that, he turned towards the school.