Sidetracked
Aug. 29th, 2019 08:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nyanderenekoWord Count: 1,001
Summary: Nova catches sight of Saruhiko in an unexpected outfit one afternoon and is naturally compelled to investigate the cause.
*Author’s Note*: I know I haven’t posted anything in forever, and this isn’t even one of the pieces I’ve been working on for over a week now, attempting to get back into the swing of things for September orz but when the official k twitter account posts this advertisement for their most recent pop up shop and it instantly sends me into cardiac arrest, that kind of jumps to the top of my to do list lol. Just a short sweet little thing inspired by how I not so shortly or sweetly lost my mind upon seeing that pic for the first time. I hope you enjoy!
“What are you wearing?”
She didn’t mean to sound so startled, but her response was involuntary. The words came out before she had a chance to stop them, and she hoped her tone hadn’t offended him. In the event that it had, she was more than prepared to make it up to him. Examining him intently from head to toe, attempting to process what she was seeing without even being aware of it, she was admittedly starstruck. The man standing before her was all buttoned up in a suit befitting the atmosphere of some fancy gathering, at least from what she could tell. She couldn’t recall if anyone had recently mentioned that such an event would be taking place. If they had, it seemed like something she would have definitely remembered…perhaps she really was just out of the loop this time around. She could live with that, though, considering the pleasant surprise of getting to see him all dressed up was already starting to make up for it.
Seeing him dressed in such a manner was rare, primarily because it wasn’t something he preferred to do or endure of his own volition. However, under the right conditions or persuasion anything was possible. Catching him wandering the grounds in anything but his standard uniform, especially on a work day, was an anomaly she couldn’t help but be grateful for. She came to the conclusion that his unexpectedly formal presentation must have had something to do with the Captain. He was almost always the one to blame when it came to things of this nature, after all.
“It’s just…nothing you need to worry about,” he replied with a sigh, fidgeting with his stiffly buttoned collar and cuffs. “It’s only for this afternoon, and even if I wasn’t willing to put up with it, it’s not like I have a choice.”
“So this is the Captain’s doing,” Nova concluded, answering her own silent question as Saruhiko regarded her with a look of befuddlement.
“Was there ever any doubt?” he quipped, and she chuckled along with him, relieved to see that he still had some sense of goodhumoredness about him. “As usual, it seems I’m just the one he loves to pick on.”
“Well, you make it so easy,” she pointed out, stepping closer and placing a supportive hand on his sleeve. “Although probably not as much as it used to be, since you don’t go as ballistic as often.”
“Are you suggesting that if I want to preserve my sanity I should put up more of a fight?” he pondered mockingly, and she slapped his arm in admonishment.
“Oh, please. You know things never turn out as badly as you think they will.” Despite her temporary sternness her eyes continued to wander, attention giving way to distraction as she inspected his ensemble with greater scrutiny. “I have to say, that is quite the extravagant outfit. Are you going to some kind of party or something?”
“It’s probably a formal function of some sort,” he agreed, adjusting the bow that ostentatiously adorned his neck. “I haven’t been given the full details yet. I was actually on my way to the briefing when I ran into you.”
“Oh, my apologies,” she playfully lamented, offering him an exaggerated bow in penance. “I just couldn’t help being caught off guard by your out of character attire. I mean, it’s not often I get to see you all dressed up like this. I know it’s not really your thing, but for the record…it looks nice on you. You look nice.”
Now she was starting to feel like her words were getting away from her, her coherency regrettably wavering. “Sorry, I really don’t mean to keep you. I just…wanted to say something I guess. I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve been able to wear something like that. Especially with you. I think it would be nice to spend another evening like that together sometime. But I suppose now isn’t the best time to--”
One arm slipped around her waist while the other found her hand, clasping it gently as he drew her close. It wasn’t a grand or impressive gesture, but the few small circles they swayed in were more than enjoyable enough for her. Resting her head against his chest for just a moment, feeling the warmth he radiated as it enveloped and enticed her; everything was so gentle and calm and pleasant. She would have asked him to stay like this with her for just a little bit longer, but she knew that wasn’t wise or practical. He’d already given her more time than he actually had to give, and here she was still selfishly clinging to as much as she could get. The more they wasted, the more likely it was that someone would be sent to come and find him instead.
“Go do what you have to do,” she encouraged, leaving him with a fleeting kiss on the cheek. “I’ll still be here when you get back, of course. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!”
As right as he knew she was, he wasn’t sure he was ready to be on his way just yet. Carefully cradling her neck with his hand as he tilted her face towards his, he granted her a much more compelling parting gift. More tenderness, more warmth…it seemed like this was how things always were between them now. Whether it be kissing and holding hands or just sitting in the same space absorbed in their own separate activities, things were just lighter and brighter when they were together. But he’d allowed himself to get more sidetracked than he could afford, and he knew as much as she did that he needed to take her advice and get this assignment over with, whatever it turned out to be.
“And I can’t wait to tell you all about it,” he answered softly, pressing his lips to her forehead one last time before begrudgingly and purposefully relinquishing his grasp.
Summary: Nova catches sight of Saruhiko in an unexpected outfit one afternoon and is naturally compelled to investigate the cause.
*Author’s Note*: I know I haven’t posted anything in forever, and this isn’t even one of the pieces I’ve been working on for over a week now, attempting to get back into the swing of things for September orz but when the official k twitter account posts this advertisement for their most recent pop up shop and it instantly sends me into cardiac arrest, that kind of jumps to the top of my to do list lol. Just a short sweet little thing inspired by how I not so shortly or sweetly lost my mind upon seeing that pic for the first time. I hope you enjoy!
_____
“What are you wearing?”
She didn’t mean to sound so startled, but her response was involuntary. The words came out before she had a chance to stop them, and she hoped her tone hadn’t offended him. In the event that it had, she was more than prepared to make it up to him. Examining him intently from head to toe, attempting to process what she was seeing without even being aware of it, she was admittedly starstruck. The man standing before her was all buttoned up in a suit befitting the atmosphere of some fancy gathering, at least from what she could tell. She couldn’t recall if anyone had recently mentioned that such an event would be taking place. If they had, it seemed like something she would have definitely remembered…perhaps she really was just out of the loop this time around. She could live with that, though, considering the pleasant surprise of getting to see him all dressed up was already starting to make up for it.
Seeing him dressed in such a manner was rare, primarily because it wasn’t something he preferred to do or endure of his own volition. However, under the right conditions or persuasion anything was possible. Catching him wandering the grounds in anything but his standard uniform, especially on a work day, was an anomaly she couldn’t help but be grateful for. She came to the conclusion that his unexpectedly formal presentation must have had something to do with the Captain. He was almost always the one to blame when it came to things of this nature, after all.
“It’s just…nothing you need to worry about,” he replied with a sigh, fidgeting with his stiffly buttoned collar and cuffs. “It’s only for this afternoon, and even if I wasn’t willing to put up with it, it’s not like I have a choice.”
“So this is the Captain’s doing,” Nova concluded, answering her own silent question as Saruhiko regarded her with a look of befuddlement.
“Was there ever any doubt?” he quipped, and she chuckled along with him, relieved to see that he still had some sense of goodhumoredness about him. “As usual, it seems I’m just the one he loves to pick on.”
“Well, you make it so easy,” she pointed out, stepping closer and placing a supportive hand on his sleeve. “Although probably not as much as it used to be, since you don’t go as ballistic as often.”
“Are you suggesting that if I want to preserve my sanity I should put up more of a fight?” he pondered mockingly, and she slapped his arm in admonishment.
“Oh, please. You know things never turn out as badly as you think they will.” Despite her temporary sternness her eyes continued to wander, attention giving way to distraction as she inspected his ensemble with greater scrutiny. “I have to say, that is quite the extravagant outfit. Are you going to some kind of party or something?”
“It’s probably a formal function of some sort,” he agreed, adjusting the bow that ostentatiously adorned his neck. “I haven’t been given the full details yet. I was actually on my way to the briefing when I ran into you.”
“Oh, my apologies,” she playfully lamented, offering him an exaggerated bow in penance. “I just couldn’t help being caught off guard by your out of character attire. I mean, it’s not often I get to see you all dressed up like this. I know it’s not really your thing, but for the record…it looks nice on you. You look nice.”
Now she was starting to feel like her words were getting away from her, her coherency regrettably wavering. “Sorry, I really don’t mean to keep you. I just…wanted to say something I guess. I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve been able to wear something like that. Especially with you. I think it would be nice to spend another evening like that together sometime. But I suppose now isn’t the best time to--”
One arm slipped around her waist while the other found her hand, clasping it gently as he drew her close. It wasn’t a grand or impressive gesture, but the few small circles they swayed in were more than enjoyable enough for her. Resting her head against his chest for just a moment, feeling the warmth he radiated as it enveloped and enticed her; everything was so gentle and calm and pleasant. She would have asked him to stay like this with her for just a little bit longer, but she knew that wasn’t wise or practical. He’d already given her more time than he actually had to give, and here she was still selfishly clinging to as much as she could get. The more they wasted, the more likely it was that someone would be sent to come and find him instead.
“Go do what you have to do,” she encouraged, leaving him with a fleeting kiss on the cheek. “I’ll still be here when you get back, of course. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!”
As right as he knew she was, he wasn’t sure he was ready to be on his way just yet. Carefully cradling her neck with his hand as he tilted her face towards his, he granted her a much more compelling parting gift. More tenderness, more warmth…it seemed like this was how things always were between them now. Whether it be kissing and holding hands or just sitting in the same space absorbed in their own separate activities, things were just lighter and brighter when they were together. But he’d allowed himself to get more sidetracked than he could afford, and he knew as much as she did that he needed to take her advice and get this assignment over with, whatever it turned out to be.
“And I can’t wait to tell you all about it,” he answered softly, pressing his lips to her forehead one last time before begrudgingly and purposefully relinquishing his grasp.