Polished (Fujitaka/Nadeshiko)

[storypaint]

Title: Polished
Author/Artist/Iconist: rhap_chan
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Claim: Kinomoto Fujitaka/Kinomoto Nadeshiko
Prompt Set: orange
Prompt: 5. nail polish
Type: fanfic
Rating: G
Warnings/Spoilers: no spoilers, no warnings
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.
Summary: It was an odd coincidence that he would meet the girl again, but this time Fujitaka asked her for a walk.

Nadeshiko was painting her nails when Fujitaka saw her for the second time, and he couldn't believe the coincidence. He barely knew her name and there she was, across the street, sitting on his neighbor's porch. He hadn't quite found the courage to call the phone number safely nestled in his pocket (easily obtained with a lunch bribe to the recordskeeper). He was shocked (but thrilled) at the sight of her.

She looked up, seeming to sense eyes on her, and before he could flee back into the house (why would he flee, he is a grown man and yet she--), she called out, "Kinomoto-sensei! Is that you?"

And so, to be polite, even though his knees were shaking (this feeling, this strange feeling, but what would the coworkers think--), he crossed the street and said hello. She concentrated for a moment on shading one toenail in a deep shade of red, and then she smiled at him.

"I didn't know you lived around here," she said.

He almost said, I didn't know either,, out of nervousness, but instead he cleared his throat and said, "Ah, yes. For almost a year now."

She smiled again and he feels dizzy. "This is my Aunt Monoko's house. She moved in about a week ago and asked me to visit. Isn't that a wonderful coincidence?"

She painted another toenail and he thought about telling her that she had beautiful feet (and hair and eyes and smile and everything). Perhaps it was the paint fumes that were making him so flustered, but somehow he doubted that.

They grew quiet and Fujitaka began to feel out of place. Desperately he searched for a reason to stick around and talk to her.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" he blurted. "There is a park not far from here and it's beautiful this time of year..."

"I'd love to!" she said, beaming. "But I have to let my toes dry first." She painted the last nail and then patted the bench beside her. "Why don't you sit down and talk to me while we wait?"

"Oh, I, um, sure!" Fujitaka said, sitting down on the bench and gazing down at ten perfectly-painted red toes. She smiled, and he thought, I want to marry this girl, in a sort of amazement. She was just that incredible.

"Tell me about your field, Kinomoto-sensei. I'm sure it's absolutely fascinating. I'm thinking about taking archaelogy next semester. Do you teach the first-year class?"

He nodded and his heart thrilled, and he was sure this time that it wasn't because of the paint fumes.