First
off, thanks to everyone who reviewed my story.
Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.
^_^
And
finally! It’s finished! I cannot TELL
you what a heck of a time I had trying to get this chapter to end. At first I was gonna
have the other knights in it and maybe some of the other characters, too, but
then I decided that no, it should just focus on Umi and Clef, because it didn’t
seem to be working out the other way so I had to go and delete half the chapter
and rewrite it and…oy vey. Well, I managed to come up with what I hope
is a suitable ending for this story, anyway.
Again,
the sap overflows in this chapter…try
not to get stuck in any of it. ^^;
Disclaimers: Don’t own Magic Knights. Don’t own Clef, either. CLAMP does.
Lucky CLAMP.
Part Four
Loving
Clef strode
purposefully toward Umi’s chambers, determined to settle things between them
once and for all. After taking a potion
to settle his head and stomach, and freshening his tired, aching body with a warm
bath, he felt almost like himself again…except for the slight, nagging worry in
the back of his mind that he wouldn’t be able to repair things with Umi. What if he had finally pushed her too far,
and she had decided to give up on him?
What if she turned elsewhere to seek an end to the loneliness he’d
glimpsed in her expressive eyes? Umi was
not unattractive. Frankly speaking, he
found her to be the most beautiful, fascinating young woman that he’d ever had
the privilege of meeting. Even though
he’d at first found her to be more than a little overbearing, he couldn’t help
but be drawn to the gentle soul that resided within her lovely body. He now knew she was far more than what she
appeared to be, and even the thought of anybody else—such as Ascot, for
example, whom he knew to be in love with her—discovering for himself just how
beautiful she was, was enough to send him spiraling into jealous
resentment. Umi was his, and nobody but he would ever lay claim to her!
Clef paused in his tracks as he
abruptly realized that his aura was sparking and flaring with agitation, his
magic rising within him, waiting to be unleashed in battle, and he fought to
calm himself before continuing on. His
smile was grim and filled with ironic humor as he realized just how possessive
he’d become over a woman who wasn’t even his.
Surely if Umi realized the intensity of the thoughts directed at her,
she’d run screaming for the hills.
Before anything else, he needed
to apologize to her for being such a callous brute and hurting her. He’d never meant to make her feel unwanted,
or that he didn’t trust her to speak with her of his problems, even if they
involved her. Perhaps he was taking a
risk—although he was no longer certain that was the case—but he knew he needed
to tell her the truth. He’d admit that
he loved her more than he’d ever allowed himself to love anyone, and he wanted
nothing more than to live out the rest of his long existence with her by his
side, and this time, he’d be damned if he let his pride get in the way of what
he wanted. Perhaps Umi would reject him,
but after what had happened between them, he found that he was willing to take
the risk. At the very least, he would finally
be able to bring closure to his feelings, even if the outcome wasn’t what he
hoped for.
Upon reaching her chambers, he
hesitated and drew in a deep, calming breath—it was rarely ever that he felt quite this flustered—then reached up to
politely tap on the door.
There was no
answer from within, and the door remained firmly shut. Turning the handle slowly, he was gratified
to find it unlocked, and he peered through the doorway cautiously and looked
around.
The room was
empty.
His pale brows
drawing together, he closed the door again and leaned against it thoughtfully,
wondering if perhaps she’d gone to breakfast.
Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses, seeking the touch of
her aura. She wasn’t in the dining hall
with their friends, nor the inner Garden.
In fact, she wasn’t in the castle at all, he realized. He felt her aura in the grounds outside the
castle, a light, delicate touch like the foam off an ocean wave, slightly
darkened by sorrow and regret. His heart
ached to feel her pain, and he unconsciously reached to wrap his aura around
hers, trying to soothe the sadness from her heart, to comfort and reassure her
that everything would be alright.
~~~{~@ ~~~{~@
~~~{~@
She sat beneath
the sprawling branches of a tree in one of the outer gardens, enjoying the feel
of sunlight dappling her face as the long grass tickled her legs with light,
cool fingers. It was spring in Cephiro
again, the black sky and shattered landscape having vanished with the discovery
of the new Pillar and the sequential events that had followed it. With Hikaru’s wish that Cephiro be a country
ruled by the hearts of the people, rather than the heart of the Pillar, the
devastated land had begun to mend itself at an astonishing rate. As the country regained its former glory, the
hearts of the people became filled with more hope and joy, thus helping to
restore the natural beauty even more swiftly, rather like a domino effect, in
reverse. There were those who doubted,
who feared the possible repercussions of ending a system that had been a part of
their world since time began, but they were few compared to the many who
rejoiced at having finally regained their peace, and their hearts were weak,
anyway, so they had little effect on the changes. What few monsters that may have been spawned
by their dark thoughts were quickly and efficiently eliminated by Lafarga and Lantis, with nobody being the wiser. Things were definitely well in hand in
regards to Cephiro’s future.
It wouldn’t be
very long, Umi realized with a pang of sadness, before the Magic Knights would
no longer be needed. She knew very well
that they would eventually have to return to their own world, and possibly
never see Cephiro or their friends again.
Clef had reassured them that because of their bond with the land and the
three rune gods that protected it, they would probably be able to come back
again. Even above that, Hikaru’s love
for Lantis and Fuu’s love for Ferio would most
certainly aid in their determination to return.
But Umi knew that they were both afraid to risk it just yet, and so was
she. She could understand perfectly how
her friends felt.
She didn’t even have a lover to
return to, but she knew that the
thought of leaving Clef, even if he didn’t love her, was enough to scare her
senseless. If she was never able to
return to Cephiro, and was never able to speak to Clef again, to see him
smiling at her with such gentle warmth, she thought her heart would break. She knew she’d rather never see her family
again than risk losing Clef forever. All
she wanted was to be by his side, and yet she was such a coward that she
couldn’t even admit that to him, she
realized with disgust. She’d accused
Clef of not trusting her with his problems, but really, was she any
better? She couldn’t bring herself to
outright tell him how she really felt, either.
She couldn’t swallow her fear or her pride long enough to admit that she
wanted to be more than a pupil or even a friend to him, even if she faced
rejection. She didn’t have any right to
spout accusations at him when the fingers could point right back at her.
Umi sighed heavily. It seemed like she would need to apologize to
him again. For prying into affairs that
were none of her concern, for saying harsh things that she knew probably weren’t
true, for making a general nuisance of herself.
He wouldn’t hold any of it against her—he never did—but it was still
embarrassing to have to go crawling back with her tail between her legs, like a
disobedient puppy. No wonder he couldn’t
see her as a woman…
She lowered her
head and closed her eyes, swallowing around the lump in her throat, trying to
hold back the regret and failing miserably.
Maybe she should just go back
to
She was drawn
out of her ping-ponging thoughts by a sudden, familiar
sensation, as of an indistinct presence surrounding her, wrapping her in
warmth, as though a pair of ethereal arms were embracing her kindly. She found herself relaxing, recognizing the
touch of Clef’s aura. She could feel his
magical presence wrapping around her, soothing and gentle, reassuring, and
tears squeezed out from her closed eyes as she realized he was trying to
comfort her, to show her that he cared.
“Clef,” she whispered, smiling softly despite her tears. Why did he always do that, comfort her even
when she didn’t deserve it? Even when he was the one who needed
comforting? It was so selfless of
him. It only served to make her love him
more.
And then she
felt a gentle touch against her face, as of a soft hand trailing caressingly over
her cheek, brushing stray tears away.
Her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into Clef’s
concerned gaze, mere inches from hers.
It was disconcerting to be looking up
at him for once from her seated position on the grass, with him bending slightly
over her to bring his face closer, and as his breath drifted softly across her
face, she couldn’t keep the heat from flooding her cheeks at his close
proximity. They gazed at each other
silently for a moment, before Umi screwed up her courage to blurt out, “I’m
sorry!”
He seemed
startled at the outburst, and she hastened to clarify, “F-for yelling at you
earlier. I wasn’t very nice, and I
didn’t mean any of it and…and I just didn’t have the right to accuse you like
that. I’m sorry that I tried to pry into
your private business. Y-you don’t have
to tell me anything you don’t want to. I
respect that. And…and I…”
She was abruptly silenced by a
thumb pressing gently against her lips, in a gesture intimately similar to one
she’d experienced the night before. The
color in her cheeks darkened, but her embarrassment was forgotten a moment
later when Clef graced her with a loving smile and replied softly, “I’m sorry,
as well.” Seeing her uncertainty, he
added, “For allowing you to feel that you needed to scold me in the first
place, and for making you feel as though you are unimportant to me.”
She turned her gaze away
awkwardly, suddenly feeling extremely shy…which Clef found to be rather
fascinating—and adorable—because Umi was not one to be shy about anything, being the blunt, outspoken
person that she was. If anything, her
reaction gave him encouragement. She
didn’t appear to be put off by his words, at least. It was enough to urge him to continue. “The truth is, you are important to me. Very
much so,” he added, nudging her chin gently until she looked back at him. “I never meant to make light of your concern
for my well-being. I am truly touched
that you care so much about me.
And…” He hesitated, and then
continued, “And I hope that…perhaps…if you are still willing…you might help me
with my problem, after all.”
Her gaze
sharpened with interest, as she hesitantly replied, “I’d like to if I can. What should I do?”
He drew in a
breath and released it slowly. There
would be no turning back after this, he realized. Once he admitted everything to her, nothing
would be the same between them. But he
knew he could no longer hide the feelings he held for the girl sitting before
him. Even if she didn’t return them, he had to tell her or he’d only end up hurting
them both. What delicate friendship they
shared would soon enough crumble to nothing, and that prospect was worse than
facing her rejection.
Taking her face
between his small hands, he drew his thumbs softly over her warm cheeks in an
effort to ease her discomfort, and smiled at her gently as he gazed into her
eyes, his own glowing with the emotions he’d held suppressed for so long. “I don’t ask for much,” he murmured, his
husky voice low and warm. “I request
nothing of you that you aren’t willing to give me. Even if you can’t return it, I ask only
that…that you allow me to love you, Umi.”
He heard her
sharp intake of breath, felt the way her face instantly heated beneath his
palms, and when she released his name on a silent breath of air, staring at him
through wide, startled, hopeful eyes, he couldn’t stop himself from dipping his
head those few inches to softly envelop her lips with his own, trying to show
her once and for all just how much she meant to him.
It was all he could
do to finally ease that heavenly kiss, her trembling figure held securely in
his embrace, her arms wrapped around his waist and clinging for dear life. She stared at him in silent wonder for
several moments before lowering her head to rest against his collarbone, and he
smiled and closed his eyes, nuzzling his face into her hair as one hand
caressed through the silken mane soothingly.
“Have I presumed too much?” he questioned softly, his breath tickling
her ear. She shivered a little and after
a moment shook her head. He gave an
inner sigh of relief. “Umi…do you
remember what I told you last night?” he questioned.
She froze. “…D-do you?”
she asked in return, lifting her head to eye him warily. She looked nervous; it occurred to him that
she’d rather he didn’t remember, but
how could he forget? The memory of her
taste, hazy though it was, nevertheless was seared into his mind.
His gaze
softened. “I told you that you were my Umi,” he reminded her gently.
She worried a
lip before nodding once. “You did,” she
agreed quietly.
“I meant it,” he
replied seriously. He took her hand and
pressed it to his chest, allowing her to feel his heart thudding strongly
beneath her palm. “In my heart, you are mine,” he continued. “There will never be anyone else. Even if you cannot return my feelings, it
won’t change the fact that I love you.”
She seemed to
hold her breath as she gazed at him, not quite believing his words. “E-even though I’m…loud and stubborn a-and
disrespectful and nosy and…” He silenced
her with a touch to her lips, his eyes crinkling with humor as he smiled at
her. “Even though,” he assured her, “or
perhaps because of. I admit that nobody
has ever challenged my patience or my temper quite as much as you do, but that
is what makes you who you are. You
intrigue me to no end, and I wish to know everything there is to know about
you.”
His gaze deepened then, those
large, bright, enigmatic eyes darkening to the same rich sapphire she’d
discovered the night before, only this time they weren’t dazed with spirits,
but alert and clear and very, very compelling.
“Everything about you,” he
repeated fervently, his voice barely a murmur, and the obvious suggestion in
his tone sent a trembling thrill down her spine. She had no doubt in her mind what he’d meant
by those words, and she found herself sharing the sentiment even as she
marveled that it was Clef of all
people who was hinting at such things.
She’d always thought him to be reserved and aloof to the point of being
apathetic; now she realized there was a part of his personality that she’d
never dreamed existed, a side of himself which he revealed only to his
beloved. Only to her.
The memories of
his heated kisses, of his mouth sucking at her breast, his hands trailing
exquisite fire across her flesh, made her feel slightly light-headed, and she
suppressed a shiver and tried to ignore the strange melting she once again felt
in the pit of her stomach. Although she
was certain that he realized what she
was thinking of, if the mischievous light in his eye was any indication.
If the goings-on of the night
before were merely a sample of what he had to offer her…
She quickly
squashed the thought before he could read it in her eyes and glanced away as a
small, nervous, eager smile touched her lips.
“Can you do
this, my Umi?” Clef was asking softly, trying to meet her embarrassed
gaze. “Will you allow this old man to
love you?”
She nodded, a quick jerk of her
head. “B-but only if…you let me love you
back,” she replied, almost inaudibly.
“I…want to know about you, as well.
As much as you’re willing to tell me, or…or show me…I want to know.”
Clef’s expression could only be
described as elated as he drew her into his arms again, resting his forehead
against her own. “I believe that small
request can be granted,” he replied teasingly, and was rewarded with another
smile, one that made his chest tighten and his mind begin to conjure some
rather inappropriate thoughts for their current surroundings. Thoughts such as doing exactly what she
requested, and taking her some place secluded and showing her everything about
him that there was to see and discovering everything about her that there was
to love…
So, of course, that’s exactly
what he did.
And if the abrupt and rather
lengthy disappearance of a certain Water Knight and a certain Madoshi caused
suspicions to arise by certain highly curious and rather nosy friends, which
would no doubt lead to serious questioning by those selfsame friends later
on…well…they were both rather too distracted in the discovering of each other
to have any concern about that.
The End
Anyone
need a toothbrush? Or maybe a trip to
the dentist. All that sugar is bound to
give people cavities…
Maybe
a lemon addition. Maybe not. But you won’t find it on ff.net anyway.