Shinobu breathes. It's difficult to play karuta when her senses are overwhelmed with everything that is Chihaya, but she's a serious player, a serious girl even. Her focus isn't ever too far from her.
inhale
Chihaya wears this perfume that smells like strawberries. it's not though, strawberries, that is.
‘It's supposed to be roses, Shinobu-chan!'
Chihaya smells like strawberries to her even when the perfume that smells like roses is neglected that day.
exhale
It's a miserably warm June day and Shinobu's apartment is hardly a few degrees cooler than outside; the windows are pulled wide open, the curtains swaying feebly with a weak breeze. It drifts loftily throughout the living room and catches Chihaya's bangs. The strands that aren't sticking to her flutter above her forehead. A thin layer of sweat rests below her hairline.
Shinobu licks her lips and waits.
Just because she said, "In a moment I will come,"
Excitement sits just underneath shinobu's skin, fizzing like soda pop. Chihaya concentrates harder, her eyes sparkling bright, like gold and red fireworks on a crowded festival night.
inhale. shinobu's hands are heavy against the woven mat, the reeds leaving indents in her palms.
I've awaited her E'en until the moon of dawn In the long month, hath appeared.
It's frightening how over the years Chihaya has perfected her swipe - her speed is rivaled only by Shinobu herself. Arata is fast, but there is more to his technique than being swift. She's watched Arata lose a card here and there to a style Chihaya can hardly explain.
Shinobu might have lost the card had it been on Chihaya's side.
♦
Chihaya is running, bounding forward, wooden sandals clapping at the ground. She's in a bright pink yukata. Gold flowers splash across her chest and shoulder, the tips of the petals soaked in purple. A gift from Oe, to be certain. Someone painted her lips red - they stand out in stark contrast to the pale of her skin. Loose curls are piled on top of her head, shiny and soft and held in place by a simple ornament. Someone went to a lot of effort and it paid off - Shinobu isn't sure she's ever seen anyone, anything, so beautiful.
'Shinobu-chan, Shinobu!'
Her voice is so, so loud. It carries with a force over the heads of at least a dozen people, some shaking their head at Chihaya's childish behavior. Shinobu smiles, something rare and small, tentatively raises a hand above her head, quietly waves until Chihaya is almost in front of her, beaming like a lighthouse. The smile sent back her way is enough to knock Shinobu off her feet, flat on her bottom, shaking a few poems loose while it's at it.
'Shinobu-chan,' she breathes, chest heaving and eyes lit. 'I'm so glad you came.'
There's an itch just below Shinobu's skin, something hot, something irritating and impossible to scratch. It's in her chest, spreads to her lungs and makes her head feel light, as if she's lacking for air. Chihaya is so excited to see Shinobu she can't stand still; she's wringing her yukata, wringing her hands, and soon she's gonna try and pull her down.
Can't let someone's hard work go to waste.
'Chihaya.' it's hardly above a whisper - they are surrounded by people and games and food stands but Chihaya hears her, stops her fussing and stills. Her pause gives Shinobu enough courage to grab her hand, to pull on it tightly as she takes in the festival around her.
FILL: TEAM MIYUKI KAZUYA/SAWAMURA EIJUN, G
word count: 595
/////////
Shinobu breathes. It's difficult to play karuta when her senses are overwhelmed with everything that is Chihaya, but she's a serious player, a serious girl even. Her focus isn't ever too far from her.
inhale
Chihaya wears this perfume that smells like strawberries. it's not though, strawberries, that is.
‘It's supposed to be roses, Shinobu-chan!'
Chihaya smells like strawberries to her even when the perfume that smells like roses is neglected that day.
exhale
It's a miserably warm June day and Shinobu's apartment is hardly a few degrees cooler than outside; the windows are pulled wide open, the curtains swaying feebly with a weak breeze. It drifts loftily throughout the living room and catches Chihaya's bangs. The strands that aren't sticking to her flutter above her forehead. A thin layer of sweat rests below her hairline.
Shinobu licks her lips and waits.
Just because she said, "In a moment I will come,"
Excitement sits just underneath shinobu's skin, fizzing like soda pop. Chihaya concentrates harder, her eyes sparkling bright, like gold and red fireworks on a crowded festival night.
inhale. shinobu's hands are heavy against the woven mat, the reeds leaving indents in her palms.
I've awaited her E'en until the moon of dawn
In the long month, hath appeared.
It's frightening how over the years Chihaya has perfected her swipe - her speed is rivaled only by Shinobu herself. Arata is fast, but there is more to his technique than being swift. She's watched Arata lose a card here and there to a style Chihaya can hardly explain.
Shinobu might have lost the card had it been on Chihaya's side.
♦
Chihaya is running, bounding forward, wooden sandals clapping at the ground. She's in a bright pink yukata. Gold flowers splash across her chest and shoulder, the tips of the petals soaked in purple. A gift from Oe, to be certain. Someone painted her lips red - they stand out in stark contrast to the pale of her skin. Loose curls are piled on top of her head, shiny and soft and held in place by a simple ornament. Someone went to a lot of effort and it paid off - Shinobu isn't sure she's ever seen anyone, anything, so beautiful.
'Shinobu-chan, Shinobu!'
Her voice is so, so loud. It carries with a force over the heads of at least a dozen people, some shaking their head at Chihaya's childish behavior. Shinobu smiles, something rare and small, tentatively raises a hand above her head, quietly waves until Chihaya is almost in front of her, beaming like a lighthouse. The smile sent back her way is enough to knock Shinobu off her feet, flat on her bottom, shaking a few poems loose while it's at it.
'Shinobu-chan,' she breathes, chest heaving and eyes lit. 'I'm so glad you came.'
There's an itch just below Shinobu's skin, something hot, something irritating and impossible to scratch. It's in her chest, spreads to her lungs and makes her head feel light, as if she's lacking for air.
Chihaya is so excited to see Shinobu she can't stand still; she's wringing her yukata, wringing her hands, and soon she's gonna try and pull her down.
Can't let someone's hard work go to waste.
'Chihaya.' it's hardly above a whisper - they are surrounded by people and games and food stands but Chihaya hears her, stops her fussing and stills. Her pause gives Shinobu enough courage to grab her hand, to pull on it tightly as she takes in the festival around her.
'Can you catch me some goldfish?'
Chihaya caught her 12 goldfish.