i'm all dried out

ouran fic.

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:26:47 GMT

Title: It's the thought that counts
By : girldisturbed13
For: angelic_arrow
Pairings: Éclair Tonnerre/Tamaki mentions of Haruhi/Kaoru
Words: 1,786
A/N: Not quite sure this is up to snuff but the bunny got away. There might be hints of OOcness but since you asked me not to make Tamaki wax his usual poetic I tried to angle on angst instead. The ending is open and full of possibilities as requested. Enjoy!

***

It's the thought that counts
by: girldisturbed

***

She stares fixatedly at the pendant worn around her neck. The light hitting the silver just so that it gleams in ivory and periwinkle, blinding her eyes with its luminescence that for a moment she looks away, blinks, steps away from the window - from the blinding light - before refocusing on it again. Truly a beautiful necklace, she reiterates. The sapphires it held in its middle elegantly sliced in small circular chinks, unnoticeable from a far but quite beautiful up close.

Subtle elegance.

Funny that, considering the fact that the man who bestowed her such a gift was anything but subtle. Still, she smiles fondly, pale hands reaching up to rub the smooth stones almost reverently. It is the thought that counts, she tells herself. Frowning when the words sound hollow – not quite right even though they were only spoken in her head, she says it out loud just for the sake of hearing it again.

"It is the thought that counts."

***

"I brought you something."

Beryl eyes slowly rose to meet his. Eyes that shone with such abounding confusion and hope that he has to take a moment, pause, looking away and steeling himself for what he was about to do. What he was about to say.

"You did?"

It is a paltry question mainly because he knows she has heard him the first time but nevertheless he answers an "I did." because a standard question requires a standard answer.

Hesitating only slightly, he crosses the threshold of the room to her couch where she sat, taking a seat and presenting her with a small velvet box. “Happy Birthday.” Opening the lid, he smiles at her gasp then turns away in shame when he spots a small amount of tears accumulating at the corner of her lids. Ducking his head, he tries to steel himself once more but the resolve is crumbling, wiled away by guilt, unable stomach the entire situation and the words he has to carry out, he closes his eyes reminds himself again and bears it.

Pleasedon'tcryPleasedon'tcryPleasedon'tcry

"Th-Thank," She inhales and exhales, releasing a sniffle she couldn’t suppress before relaxing her pose to the usual indifferent armor she normally wears. "...Thank you."

He breathes out in relief. Usually he would've forced out a nervous chuckle to assuage the situation but he knows no matter how many roles he were to play, a front would only appear flaccid and he doesn't want to hurt her anymore than he has to.

"It's nothing really. Considering the vast fortune your family holds it doesn't even hold a candle compared to the other gifts you've received."

She reaches out, stilling the fingers that had been picking on his suit and smiles, allowing him a brief glimpse of the kindness beneath her cold exterior that she normally wouldn't show.

"It is the thought that counts."

He bows his head.

This couldn't last. He'd delayed for far too long already. Why draw it out more? She deserves to know. She deserves to know now.

"It's never going to work out."

She stiffens.

He could literally feel the frost of her exterior locking itself back into its place.

Extracating her fingers from his, she folds them in her lap primly, eyes frigid, flashing as she coolly asks, "Beg your pardon?"

He frowns. She understands perfectly but she wants to make him say it anyway.

"Us. It's never going to work out between us."

"Why, I wasn't aware that there was an us in the first place Tamaki,"

He snorts, the first vestiges of anger presenting itself for the first time since he entered the room and bit out a sarcastic, "Oh yes and I allow you to stifle me with your possessiveness just for the heck of it."

Her eyes flashed in warning to keep quiet, and she continued speaking in that same satirical tone he’d grown to hate with a passion. "But let’s just say for a moment that I pretend there were. What suddenly made you decide this hm? What suddenly made you decide to break it off now? Surely it can't be because of that little wh-" His hand shot out, clamping on her mouth tightly before she could even finish uttering that vile word.

Anger like he'd only felt on certain occasions in his life coursed through him as he stared contemptuously at his fiancé and shook her hard. "Never address her with that name in front of me." He shook her again. "Am I clear?" She gazed at him furiously in response still keeping silent so he shook her again. "Am I clear Éclair?"

Closing her eyes she nodded, rubbing her face soothingly before delivering a sharp slap to his cheek. "If you ever, ever even think to manhandle me again…" she left the sentence hanging, threat and hostility pouring at her stance as she stood and pointed to the door.

"Get out."

He seemed unfazed but she could detect a faint trembling to his shoulders. Embarrassment, horror and shame consuming him as he blurted an "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry for hurting you, I'm sorry for making you cry. I never meant-"

"Then what did you mean Tamaki?" she asked sharply.

"You could've at least had the decency to tell me the truth from the beginning but instead you drew it out, making me believe you felt something you obviously didn't and ripping me of my heart and integrity in the process!" She sounded slightly hysterical and she knew it. But the hilarity of the situation, the callousness of this man, she breathed in deeply, valiantly willing away her anger. It was appalling how low this man has reduced her to. She was graceful damnit, she was a Tonnerre!

"I'm sor-"

"Don't."

She stared at him hard and once more pointed to the door. "Don't even think of saying sorry. Leave. Just leave."

Idly, she wonders whatever happened to the kind, gentle man she used to love. The man who spouted poetry at ungodly hours in the morning and wonders what this stranger wearing his face did to him.

No, she corrects herself.

No.

It is enough. She's deluded herself for far too long and if it were a question of who to blame, the blame lies solely on her. Because pride, arrogance and sheer stubbornness made her insist on seeing things that simply weren’t there.

She sighs at her thoughts and crosses her arms, mouth opening to say "She doesn't love you you know. Not like you want her to. Not like I do so...Why?" He pauses before he reaches the door, hands on the doorknob before he turns and meets her stare.

There are tears slipping down her cheeks and his eyes soften at the sight, cerulean eyes turning troubled, disparaging and sorrowful at the pain he caused her that for a moment, only for a moment, she deludes herself into thinking there could be something more before remembering his words and fiercely wipes away her tears, disgusted.

"Because I do. And she's getting married to Kaoru tomorrow and I...I want to tell her. I want her to know. And I can't do it if I..."

If I'm still tied to you.

The words were unspoken but she heard them clearly.

Whether it be anger, jealousy, irritation or the need to hurt him that pushed the next words out of her lips she couldn't honestly tell. Maybe, perhaps, all of the above.

"She'll never say yes. As much as I loathe the girl I can see the affections she has for Kaoru very clearly." She sneered bitterly. "Your an even bigger idiot than I thought Tamaki if you think you have a chance. You’re their friend for Christ sake! And to think you’re selfish enough of ruining-"

"I know that." He hissed harshly.

"Don't you think I know that Éclair? I know all of that. It’s been plaguing my mind for years! But I've stayed silent for too long. Trying to convince myself- forcing myself to love you and content myself not to think of her as anything more but I can't. I. Can't."

“Can’t or won’t?”

There it was again, that sheer stubbornness that she just couldn’t seem to let go.

He exhaled raggedly, exhaustion and mental strain weighing him down.

"She deserves to know. I deserve to hear her answer and you...You don't deserve to be loved by someone like me."

Twisting his words to make him seem pompous would've been so easy, but she doesn't. Because she gets it. She abhors it, yes. But she gets it.

So she nods wearily, waits for the click of the door to close signaling his exit, before slumping on the couch. Laying there for hours, weeping until her tears are spent and assures herself that it'll be alright, that it'll all work out in the end. There will be other men. And surely one of those would offer her the love he seems incapable of giving.

Still though, still. No matter how hard she tries that damning spark of hope, the one that carried his torch, refused to be distinguished that before she succumbs to sleep she thinks that maybe, just maybe, he'll come back to her in the end.

***

It's the thought that counts.

Three years later, she's back in France, her hometown, her life, her heart. Meeting new people and looking back dry-eyed and with only a hint of wistful regret, on the events of that day and the necklace she’s so fond of. The necklace she refuses to throw away.

***

She receives a phone call around noon. A phone call from him. She is surprised at first but manages to converse amiably, even a little friendly. He tells her he wants to meet her, his friends, the members of the old Ouran Host club, happened to be in the same city and that when he firt arrived he immediately thought of her. He wants her to come with them, tour the city, catch up on things, indulging friendly chatter. She agrees immediately. Time stripping away the old bitterness and arrogance he’s so used to receiving from her and finds herself genuinely smiling and laughing along with the others. Congratulating Kaoru and Haruhi on their wonderful baby and promising herself to bring a gift next time for little Haku when they meet again.

He comments casually that she looks good and discreetly eyes the necklace around her neck. “There’s a chink on the corner” he points out. “It isn’t supposed to do that. I’ll buy you another one.”

“No.” She answers immediately. “This one is just fine. Like I said,” and here she offers him a secretive smirk. “It is the thought that counts.”

And this time he gives his own secretive smile in response.

***

fin

Stingy Savior (PotC - Jack/Elizabeth, #9)

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:21:44 GMT

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Title: Stingy Savior
Author:girldisturbed13
Theme: #9, When all hope are lost
Pairing: Jack/Elizabeth
Rating: T
Summary: Elizabeth's muses about pirates and stingy saviors.

Stingy Savior

...

She was floating. Caught somewhere between the borderline of dreams and reality.

It feels strange to her, like somehow things have been tilted out of perspective and she futilely struggles to breathe. She tries to the gather abstract pebbles, the pebbles and tokens of memories yet they always manage to slip out of her grip. She needed to get out of here. She needed to hold on to something. She needed to remember. She needed to breathe.

Whether or not the sea heard her pleas, they did not answer but simply embraced her. Enveloping her through icy fingers as they dragged her deeper and deeper, down the abyss all the while whispering - crooning and arguing with her to stay. It made her feel frail, these voices. Questioning her resolve and weakening it until her arms grew heavy and her struggle slowed.

As though pleased, they held tighter. Feeling the cold seep into layers of cloth, skin and wounding themselves to her very bones. Elizabeth felt numb, empty and very very alone.

I am going to die here, she thought.

I am going to drown here and die.

And as it registers a voice creeps in, interrupting her just before she gave up for naught and allowed herself to be dragged down. It began somewhat slurred yet ended vaguely jesting and surprisingly firm as he said.

Hang in there, love. Don't be thinkin' of leavin' ol' Cap'n Jacko just yet aye, savvy?

Her brows furrow while her hands clench.

Idiot, she answers. Even when I'm about to die you're still a bloody idiot.

An image flickered. Glistening in red and blacks, shifting in and out of focus until it held, hovering above her, and she could see a glint of gold. It was his teeth, she identified. Spread wolfishly to form an obnoxious smirk in response to her words.

The familiar righteous rage came over her. She never could resist smacking that taunting smirk off his face when he gave her that look. Energy crawling through her limbs, her feet moved; kicking, trying to propel her up towards the image.

Too far.

She tried forcefully to swim towards it but it was...too far.

I...No...If things kept up like this she would...

Warm hands closed in around her waist. Holding her loosely before ripping her heavy skirts, that blasted corset and pulling her upwards in the water. Heat. She grasped onto the body, hands fisting in his clothes and clutching her to him tightly.

He was heat.

After a series of strong kicks, they finally broke out to the surface, the man hauling her off to the shore where she coughed and vomited the water filling her throat. Heaving and desperately sputtering for air, Elizabeth knew the identity of her savior even before she saw him.

"Jack." She gasped the name out through large intakes of breaths.

"Do remind me to shoot that bloody tailor next time we see him aye, Lizzie dearest? I swear if I see any more of those blasted corsets..." He stood and shook his head, waterdroplets flailing in every direction as he imperiously barked. "Gibbs! Where's that bloody monkey? Bring it here, I need to shoot something."

She shook her head amused and wearily slumped back to the sand. Jack had always been stingy when it came to performing noble acts like saving. She sighed, resigned.

Bloody pirates.

Shifting, she tuned out the fire of gunshots, high-pitched screeches, the crew's uproarious laughter and simply stared up at the capacious blanket of ebony skies, its stars twinkling charmingly back much like Jack's eyes when he looked at the pearl or her in his merriment.

Pity about that monkey though. Poor thing always seemed to take the brunt of Jack's frustration. Well, she mentally shrugged.

At least its already dead.

Drabble One - Falling in step (Blood+, Saya/Solomon, Theme #26)

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:35:39 GMT

For 30_nights , blood_plusand solomonsayahajimy first drabble entry for Saya/Solomon.

Fandom: Blood+
Title: Falling in step
Author: girldisturbed
Theme: #26 Frozen moment at the first sight
Pairing: Saya/Solomon
Rating: T
Word Count: 514 words
Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+
Summary: Minor complications on compatibility.

Falling in step

...

Typical.

That was the first word that popped into his head when he stared at the gaggle of girls all cooing and vying for his attention as he entered the ball. Dressed in frills, laces, silks, and chiffons - tailored by world renowned designers, if he were to hazard a guess - but frivolous subjects like these barely mattered.

Material things were trivial to him, almost as trivial as money and women. They were of no consequence.

Ignoring them, his eyes scanned the wide ballroom; hoping to find something new - interesting - refreshing - something that would at least alleviate him from this horrible horrible typicality.

He found...her.

Leaning by the corner in her simple pink, off-shoulder dress, ignoring her peers - him entirely, and looking for all the world like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Well, this was new.

Curiosity peaked, he approached.

Not even glancing at the beautiful yet entirely too presumptuous blonde who'd raised her gloved hand, he halted in front of the girl, pleased to see her eyes widen in humble surprise and corteously asked her for a dance.

Her hesitation somewhat surprised him. Again, it was new. Women usually threw themselves for the chance to be with him or more accurately his money, yet this one was different. This one was special, in a way that he felt drawn in. And as he gazed into her slightly flushed cheeks - eyes deep pools of chocolates and blacks and honest insecurities - enclosed his fingers to cover hers and pulled her to a dance; he found that after all these centuries he finally felt something other than the usual numbing coldness of his tired world-weary heart.

He felt a tiny spark of flame flare from the dusty forgotten corners, Solomon felt heat.

And as he guided her smoothly on the marbled floor - guided her until she finally fell in step, he discovered that that small spark gradually rose and rose until finally, for the very first time in what felt like an eternity, he heard something – a beat of drums that came from so long ago that he had to concentrate and will his mind wholeheartedly to remember it.

He heard his heart beating, whether in anticipation, excitement, or both he could not quite ascertain. It had been so long…

Thin lips curled, blue eyes flashing cobalt as he bowed and thanked her for the dance. Frankly, he was disappointed that Van had to cut in and end it with business, but for everything that Solomon is - he is a responsible man, and family was always held over pleasure. Controlling his impulses effortlessly, he smiled and left.

Truly, she was a wonderful partner.

"Saya."

The name caused him to freeze and whirl around in slight disbelief.

Saya...they called her Saya.

Slowly, the fact sunk in and with a weary sigh, he smiled.

Well now, who would've thought? Turning back and continuing on his way, the smile remained as he walked, still too lost in his own thoughts.

Saya…

...such an intriguing woman.

Oneshot challenge for ouran contest #7 "Chocolate Sauce" - Delightful Confections

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 03:01:54 GMT

Title: Delightful Confections
Rating: T
Genre: Romance
Pairings: Haruhi/Hunny
Warnings: Just a Kiss
Word Count: 760 words
Summary: Its Haruhi's birthday and Hunny presents his present.

Delightful Confections

...

They stared blankly at the brown syrupy puddle littering the marble tiled floor.

Nobody spoke for awhile until Haruhi said. "Shall we make a new one?"

Hunny didn't reply.

"It wouldn't be that hard you know, just melting chocolate...adding a few sugars and creams..." She forced a chuckle - hoping - trying - willing to break the awkward atmosphere.

Hunny bowed his head, darkening eyes hidden behind silky bangs of gold.

"But I promised Haru-chan a delicious cake and now its ruined because of me."

Haruhi shook her head and laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it in what she hoped was comfort.

"Please don't let it bother you too much senpai. Like I said we could always make a new one."

It was Haruhi's birthday and Hunny had approached her a week before the event. He had said that he wanted to come over her house and help her in baking the cake. Now normally she would've said no, saying that it wasn't really necessary but as she found herself subjected to Hunny's silently beseeching amber eyes - as though he were very afraid that she would deny his request - Haruhi finally acquised and wearily answered a, "Hai..."

Seven days, nine hours, eleven minutes and Hunny's slippery hand dropping the bowl full of warm chocolate later; they found themselves staring at the puddle of cinammon colored sauce, chocolate splattering everywhere in Haruhi's - not so quite - spic and span kitchen, with the oven dinging cooked in the background.

Hunny's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Demo Haru-chan, if we make a new another one we can't make it in time for the party. Tama-chan would be angry and he'd probably insist we buy the cake instead of making it." He turned distressed eyes to Haruhi. "Did I ruin Haru-chan's birthday?"

Haruhi shook her head with a fond smile. Leaning down, she reached out to flick his forehead playfully. "Daijobu senpai. Its just a cake and it is after all, the thought that counts ne?" She smiled warmly. "This is the best present I've recieved so far. I had fun baking cake with you."

Hunny's cheeks flared into a blush at her words and smile. Ducking his head and breathing in deeply, he tried to will his ramapaging emotions enough to be able go through with his plans.

"Present?" He asked, voice a tad lower than what Haruhi was used to.

"Who ever told you this was my present?"

Haruhi blinked but nonetheless kept a loose hold on his shoulder.

Was it her or did Hunny sound a little bit strange? She suppressed a shiver. It was shameful how goosebumps started crawl up her arms at the voice. She inwardly sighed. What was wrong with her? "Oh, uhm...I just assumed that since Hunny-senpai volunteered into baking a cake..."

Hunny chuckled lowly. Eyes gleaming in mischief as he glanced up and met her surprised stare. He grinned, slightly apologetic for what he was about to do. Already he could feel the discomfiture and confusion roiling off of her in waves.

"Haru-chan...Haru-chan is always kind ne? She deserves so much more than a ruined cake."

He reached up, ghosting a caress from her chin to her bangs and brushed a strand to her ear. Faces close enough that he could feel soft breaths being puffed in his nose, he murmured. "Haru-chan gomen ne..."

He leaned forward, two hands cupping her face - pulling her towards him and bridging the gap between them with a soft kiss.

Haruhi was stunned to stillness.

Biting her lower lip and tugging on it gently, Hunny coaxed her to reply - smiling in her mouth and inwardly rejoicing when she finally did. Tongues dancing, hands stroking fondly - tentatively brushing, they broke off for air; chest heaving and stared at each other in awe, wonder and stupefaction.

"What..." Haruhi slowly began, eyes blinking furiously and pulling herself out of her daze. "What just..."

Hunny's mouth broke out into a wide smile.

"Haru-chan tastes sweeter than strawberry and chocolates."

He laughed, very endeared and ultimately charmed at her fiery blush.

Dipping his head, he buried himself to her chest and inhaled her scent. Exhaling a blissful sigh, content to be here and wondering if this really happened, he softly murmured. "Haru-chan no kawaii..."

He buried deeper. He wondered how long it would take for Tamaki and the others to find them.

"Happy Birthday Haruhi."

Confused, embarrased and bewildered at the strange warmness in her belly - Haruhi could do nothing but blush, stammer and reply. "A-arigato Hunny-senpai."