Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Candy From Strangers ❯ Ita! ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Shuichi grinned, “Well, at least someone knows where we’re going!” But Ryu was already gone, nearly a block away–Kumagoro leading the way. “Hey! Wait up guys!”

~*~

“The post office?” Shuichi sounded a tad disappointed, truthfully he was hoping for something a little more exciting.

“Yeah! Good job, Kumagoro!” Ryuichi raced through the double doors to the and directly to the desk. Beaming at the lady behind the counter, e shoved the flowers onto the counter-top, “Can you tell me where these came from?”

She smiled amiably back, nodding, “Yes, I probably can.” She took the flowers into her hands and searched for the label, “Yup, just like I thought. Those are from–the flower shop just down the street, or at least they’re from the same chain.”

“Really?” when the woman nodded Ryu thanked her ad skipped out into the lobby where Shuichi was.

“Well? Did you find out who sent them?”

Ryuichi shook his head vigorously, his hair flying, “Nope! Evidently Bloodhound-Kuma failed as a doggy! But the nice lady told me to try the flower shop down the way!”

“Wow, that’s great! Let’s go!” Shuichi was excited again–this might turn out to be a great adventure after all!

The two men walked out of the post office and came to a halt. Shuichi was the first to ask the burning question, “Um, Sakuma-san? You said it was just down the way–which way exactly?”

A puzzled look crossed Ryuichi’s features, “Uh–I’m not so sure. How ‘bout we go that way?!” he pointed to the right.

Shuichi smiled again, “Yeah! That looks like a good place to start!” And they set off. There was only one thing that neither of them had noticed, it was that the flower shop was right next door to the post office. To the left.

~*~

If one were to map the route these two took to get to the flower shop with a dotted line–it would resemble a Family Circus cartoon, Billy leading the way. They went all over town, over and under, through and around, in circles, and in circles going the opposite direction. Eventually, they found themselves standing in front of Shuichi’s house–on the other side of town. Several miles away.

~*~

“It’s okay, Sakuma-san! Here, have a juice box! They always make me feel better!” Ryuichi sat on the couch, sniffling and unsure as to how he was supposed to fine the person who sent him such a thoughtful gift.

“But if I don’t find them I’ll never be able to thank them!” wailed the forlorn singer–not forgetting, of course, to grab the offered juice box.

“Would you two idiots shut the hell up?!” Yuki screamed from the study. He had been half wondering why Shuichi hadn’t been beating his door down, especially since it was Valentine’s Day. As soon as he heard the voice of Sakuma Ryuichi floating through the walls of his office though, Yuki knew why his lover had suddenly forgotten to harass him about locking himself in his cave.

“Sorry Yuki! We’ll be quieter, I promise!”

A shocked look skittered across his face, only momentarily and quickly was replaced with an annoyed scowl, “Yeah, good.”

Turning back to Ryuichi, Shuichi worriedly wondered what he could do for the sniffling man. A cough came from Yuki’s direction brought an immediate idea to Shuichi’s head. “H-hold on, Sakuma-san! I’ll be right back!” Ryuichi merely nodded as Shuichi sprinted to Yuki’s office.

“Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Help me!” screamed the well voiced singer through the thick door.

The obvious distress in Shuichi’s screams were the only thing that motivated Yuki’s leap for the door. “What? Is everything okay?”

Shuichi paused and cocked a brow, the way Yuki had asked him made it sound like he may have been in serious danger, “Um, yeah? Why do you ask?”

The murderous glare followed by a ground out, “Because you were screaming for help, ya little punk,” made Shuichi calm down a bit.

“Oh, heh. I was just wonderin’ if you’d help me ‘n’ Sakuma-san with somethin’?”

The writer rubbed his forehead where the dull ache was sure to appear later hat night. “And in what way would you like me to help?”

Immediately Shuichi perked up, “Really?! Hold on a sec, ‘kay?” Within two seconds he ran to the couch where Ryu sat, still lamenting the issue at hand, snatched the flowers from his death grip, and hurried back to Yuki. Presenting the beautiful bouquet, he chirped, “Where did these come from?”

Leaning against the doorway, Yuki cocked one perfect brow, “The flower shop?”

Shuichi giggled, “No! I mean how do we find out where they came from?”

Yuki grabbed the flowers and stared at the label for a few moments. Striding over to the phone he snagged it from the cradle and punched out a number. He waited a moment, “Hello?” he turned o his most charming, debonair voice–obviously a woman had answered the phone.

~*~

“A dozen red roses you say? With no return address, no card, no nothing?” The woman at the flower shop was genuinely perplexed, they always made sure that there was some way for the person who received the flowers or gift to find out who sent it. It was the company policy–more so they didn’t get sued for sending things from a stalker than anything else.

“Of course I can find out who sent them for you. Let’s see, one dozen, dark red, are the long stem? Uh-huh, so long stem–thorns or no? No thorns, anything distinguishing about them? A ribbon perhaps?” When the male on the other end answered, the polite young woman nearly dropped the phone. “D-did you just say there was a p-pink r-rabbit on a y-yellow r-ribbon?” another pregnant pause. “I-I thought so. Could you hold one moment please, sir? I’ll be right back.” Pressing the hold button and gently setting the phone down, the girl calmly walked to the back of the store and shut the door behind her.

And she screamed. She shrieked. She screeched. And she wailed.

This lady definitely remembered the customer the man on the phone was speaking of. The asshole that had seemed so insanely handsome and suave. She even remembered his name–although such words would never again be uttered in said flower shop.

He’d walked in like any other man, looking for some flowers for his sweet heart. She’d been eager to help such a dashing figure–too eager. He’d rejected five different bouquets because they simply weren’t “red enough.” He then decided to instruct her, the florist of ten years, on how to arrange them. Truthfully, this wouldn’t have been so bad–if he hadn’t decided to blame her for how horridly his arrangement turned out. At this point in their encounter this sweet woman was riding on her last nerve–it was the day before Valentine’s Day after all. So after fighting with this extremely wonderful customer for what seemed like hours, he finally decided that the arrangement was perfect–and thus good enough for his beloved. She kind of admired him for a moment–who would go to such trouble for someone unless they truly loved them?

Well, a moment anyway. The moment sort of ended the second he pulled out a handful of coins. Followed by another. And another. Again, one more. And one last one. Oh wait! There, that had been it. The real kick was how big this guy’s hands were.

He was paying in coins. For a dozen roses. Long stem. To be delivered next day. What a bastard.

~*~

Yuki finished scribbling down the address, the woman refused to give him a name but this time he was okay with it. The address was familiar anyway. “Mm-hmm, thank you miss. Good bye.” Swiftly, Yuki walked to the amazed Shuichi and stuffed the tiny piece of paper with the address on it down his shirt and promptly locked himself in his office once more.

Fishing the address out of his shirt, Shuichi’s jaw dropped as he read it. He blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally he grinned and smacked the heel of his hand to his forehead, “Of course! I shoulda guessed!”

Muffled, but still quite audible, Yuki stated, “Yeah, yeah you should have. Baka.”

Shuichi wanted nothing more than to barge in there and hug his lover–perfectly suffocating him to death. A sniffle from the couch tore him from such thoughts though. “Oh, Sakuma-san? I’ve got something for ya!”

Instantly, Ryuichi was in front of Shuichi, barely able to stay on one foot for too long, “Didjya find out who it was? Didjya, didjya?!”

Nodding, Shuichi handed the paper to Ryu, “That’s where you can find him.”

“Hmm? Oh! A clue! It’s a guy!? Do I know him?! Huh, do I?”

“Hmmm, yes, I guess. Sorta. Kinda.”

“Woo-hoo! Let’s go, Kuma-chan!” wasting no more time, Ryuichi jetted towards the door. “Thanks again, Shuichi-kun! Thanks, Yuki-san!”
“You’re welcome, Sakuma-san!” Shuichi waved. “Good luck and be careful!”

One brilliant smile later and Ryuichi was gone. Slamming the door behind him.

“Is he gone?” Yuki asked, actually venturing outside of his office.

“Yeah, thanks Yuki!” Shuichi attached himself to Yuki’s middle. “And happy Valentine’s Day!”

“Uh-huh, you know that was a long distance phone call?”

“Uhhh, I guess it was, wasn’t it?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, I’m sorry?”

“Nope.”

“What do you mean, ‘nope?’”

“No reason to be sorry–not for that anyway. Hell, if you’re gonna be sorry be sorry for bringing more people like you home with you. I can only stand so much.”

A grin and a tighter squeeze, “Sorry ‘bout that, Yuki.” Shuichi seemed content to stay firmly in place, wrapped around Yuki’s middle.

Looking down to his new attachment, Yuki gave a small half-smile, “You want to apologize? Get off me and get ready. We’ve got reservations to be on time for.”

“Really?!” a small nod from the taller author and a giant squeal from the shorter singer and Shuichi was gone, getting ready for something he could never have even had the courage to hope for.

~*~

“We’re on an airplane, Kumagoro! We should definitely sing the airplane song!” Kumagoro nodded ecstatically. “Great!” and they broke into song.