MBP: I know, I haven't updated my other stories for a while, but I'm having a major case of not being able to type, and having these ideas, so I wanted to get this up!
Rini: Plus, she feels that this pairing is neglected, and since she wrote a tragedy for them, she wanted to do something happy…
MBP: Didn't need to say that… Well, read and review please! And I hope you enjoy!
Rini: Oh, and the end is fluffy for all you fluff lovers!
MBP: Please excuse me if Aoi is out of character… I tried to portray him as I saw him in three years and in this situation… If he's OOC, I'm so, so, so, so sorry!
Rini: She DOESN'T OWN S.A!
Fairytale Romance
Alisa stared out at the lake moodily, angry at the whole world. She was leaning against the trees of her private retreat… or the retreat she had thought was private.
"Stupid Father!" She whispered to herself, lying down. You would think, at eighteen years old, that she wouldn't need a caretaker around anymore, wouldn't you? Well, apparently that wasn't true. Her father had sent her caretaker of almost three years now, Aoi Ogata, to accompany her to the retreat.
It certainly didn't help when she'd wanted to come here to think of a certain caretaker in the first place.
Not that she hated Aoi, not at all! She didn't even dislike him. In fact, her feelings had taken a drastic turn for the opposite… a very drastic turn. And Alisa had no clue what she was supposed to do about it.
This was twice as bad, no, a bazillion times worse than it had been with Ryuu! At least with Ryuu, it had been a cutesy, one-sided fairytale romance based around food. With Aoi… well, the only similar thing was the one-sided part!
And rest assured, it had to be one-sided. Why else would Aoi have been with a girl in a dark corner, kissing, if he…
Alisa shook her head frantically. That wasn't a sight she wanted to remember. In fact, she wanted to get selective amnesia and forget about Aoi period!
Yes, forgetting about him sounded good. She'd get back to being happy, find a boyfriend, and be able to believe in fairytales and happy endings again.
Alisa nodded. She was attractive, rich, and looking for love. She could just go out, and get herself a boyfriend! Settled into that mindset, she went to stand up when…
"Miss Alisa?" All her plans went up in smoke at the sound of his voice. How could she just give up on him?
No, no, no! Be strong! There was nowhere to hide, and no time to hide anyways, but Alisa didn't feel anywhere near strong enough to actually talk to Aoi yet.
I'll just pretend I'm asleep, and he'll leave me alone!
Alisa shut her eyes and didn't move, not even when Aoi stood right next to her.
"Miss Alisa?" Aoi asked, kneeling down and putting a hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be sleeping out here."
Like I care! Go away! Alisa knew it was childish, but she kept her charade going.
Aoi rolled her onto her back, but Alisa still didn't move. Any minute now, he'd leave, and she could get her feelings in order.
But he didn't leave. Why, oh why, isn't he leaving?
() () () () () () ()
Aoi watched the sleeping girl, but didn't try to wake her anymore. She looked so peaceful, a sight he hadn't actually seen in a long time. Usually, she was always hyper and excited, but lately, she'd been withdrawn and quiet. This retreat was a good thing for her.
And he was happy he'd been allowed to come with her.
It had stung a little, hearing her protest at his presence, but he'd been allowed to come in the end anyways. Even if she avoided him, and didn't talk to him, he was still happy to be around her.
Aoi couldn't be sure when exactly he'd fallen for the girl he was essentially the babysitter of, but fallen he had… and hard. Just being around her made him feel more alive, more human, and at night when he was alone, she kept appearing in his head.
Aoi looked at the girl, who looked so pure and innocent. She looked like a girl from one of the fairytales she was obsessed with a few years ago.
Aoi smiled wryly. Did the fact that he loved her make him the prince or the villain in this particular tale?
No matter; he'd never believed in fairytales anyways. They were just childish stories people told, trying to make children behave, or just be quiet for a few minutes.
The trouble was, being around Alisa made him believe that those stories could be real. Pumpkins could turn into carriages, and a kiss could wake a sleeping princess, and there could be happy endings. No matter what the enemy was, the prince and princess always got to be in love, and ended up living in happiness together for the rest of their lives.
But he couldn't find happiness with Alisa, no matter how much he loved her. He was just a business associate, someone who worked for her father. The walls between them were too great to climb, even though it was the one thing he wanted to do.
And she didn't love him.
But there were times he could believe she did love him… Like when she'd walked in on him getting kissed by some daughter of her father's friend. Aoi could have sworn he saw a flash of pain go through her eyes, and he couldn't believe that she had walked in on him so helpless. He'd followed her immediately, only to see her laughing with another boy, having her hand kissed possessively.
The jealousy ate at him painfully; Aoi had wanted to attack the boy on sight.
This brought another problem… since he had seen that, he'd wanted to take Alisa, get far away, and kiss the daylights out of her so badly, it felt like it would give him an ulcer. He didn't quite get that chance, because they'd never been alone since though…
But they were alone now…
() () () () () () ()
Alisa was freaking out internally. Aoi was just looking at her; she could feel his relentless stare on her face. He couldn't possibly know that she was faking, could he?
She almost gave up then, almost just sat up and asked him what he wanted, when she received the greatest shock of her life.
Aoi had bent down, and placed his lips on hers gently, the pressure almost non-existent as Alisa had no choice but to remain still from shock.
Alisa felt a rush of pleasure rush through her, but couldn't react yet. She was too shocked at the thought that Aoi, her caretaker, her crush, her love, was actually kissing her. In fact, it wasn't possible. She must have actually fallen asleep, and this was just a wonderful dream.
Well, this was one dream she didn't want to wake up from.
As Aoi pulled away, Alisa opened her eyes, which he didn't notice, because he was looking away, his hand over his face.
Is he okay? Alisa watched him silently for a moment, before realizing it. He's probably regretting it… he has that other girl back home… but why would he kiss me if he loved her? Why would he kiss me anyways? Wait, why should I worry? He initiated the kiss, not me! I shouldn't be feeling guilty! HE KISSED ME! I SHOULD BE HAPPY! WHY AM I NOT HAPPY!
Alisa knew why she wasn't happy. It was because even if she could be happy about this kiss, Aoi didn't love her, and it meant nothing.
Not like she hadn't been kissed before, but she wanted to kiss the man she loved when he loved her too. Not get kissed, only to know that the rejection was going to be coming any moment now.
Alisa took a silent deep breath to get her bearings. "Aoi?"
Aoi made a little jump and turned around, his face a little red. "M-Miss Alisa?"
Alisa had never heard Aoi sound so nervous, or look so embarrassed. It made her regret even saying anything; she should have just continued to pretend to be asleep!
() () () () () () ()
Aoi looked at the girl in shock. There was no way she was awake and looking at him with the most adorable confused face he had ever seen. There was no way he could have just kissed her, and the moment he stopped, that she woke up. No way possible!
Wait, did that mean that was true love's kiss and she loved him too?
Aoi didn't even notice he'd murmured the words. "So a kiss really does wake the sleeping princess."
Aoi watched Alisa blush a deep red, and realized that he'd spoken. His own blush darkened, something that rarely, if ever had happened to him.
"I-I… Why… Um, I mean…" Alisa was stammering the words as she sat up, backing away from him a little, much to Aoi's disappointment. If he'd known it would make her that awkward, he'd have just walked away, and left her sleeping.
"Um…" Aoi had no idea what to say, so he stood up to go. "I'll be in the house if you need me…"
"Um… Uh… I…" Alisa stuttered a bit before making up her mind to speak. "I…"
() () () () () () ()
"I love you!" The words burst out of Alisa's mouth before she could help it, and Aoi froze in place.
Oh my goodness, did I honestly just say that? Alisa was freaking out in her mind, stunned speechless at the thought that she'd actually confessed to him.
She… loves me? Aoi turned back to see Alisa almost giggling to herself.
"I actually said it? I did…" Alisa was whispering, kind of rocking back and forth.
"Alisa?" Alisa missed the fact that Aoi hadn't put the 'Miss' in front of it this time.
Alisa looked at him, the relief and glee on her face. "I love you!" She said easily, the stress of carrying those three simple words leaving her as she said them. Alisa didn't even care if he didn't love her, but if he knew how she felt, then she had done her best.
Aoi smiled at her, a small smile. "Alisa…"
"I don't even care if you don't feel the same way," Alisa blabbered. "I just… needed to tell you, and…"
"I love you." It was Alisa's turn to stop and stare as Aoi bent in front of her and said the words.
"But… that girl at the party…" Alisa went straight into denial mode.
So he hadn't imagined the pain in her eyes when she'd seen him. Aoi shook his head. "She kissed me. I didn't even have the time to push her away when you walked in. I went out and followed her, and nearly attacked the boy that kissed your hand."
"I was so angry and jealous," Alisa murmured. "I just went out there and started to talk to all the boys around, even though I wanted to cry."
"I didn't want to hurt you," Aoi said. "I never want to hurt you."
"I know." Alisa smiled at him and hugged him tightly, her head in his chest. "I love you Aoi."
"I love you too Alisa," Aoi said quietly. "I love you so much, the words don't even seem to describe it."
"Then don't speak." Alisa lifted her head, and pulled her one true love into a kiss… a pure kiss of love, that made it seem like the first that had either of them had ever had. "Let's just have a happy ending."
() () () () () () ()
Aoi looked at Alisa as he walked back with her away from the lake. "You know… I never believed in fairytales until I loved you."
Alisa smiled at him. "I stopped believing in them until you loved me," She admitted. "But they're real."
Aoi nodded, agreeing with her.
They had their fairytale romance… now all that was left was the ending…
And they lived happily ever after…
MBP: Okay, I thought that even if this was cliché, it was kinda cute… right?
Rini: I thought it was! And right before your nasty month too!
MBP: Don't remind me! Warning to everyone reading this that reads my other stories… November is a bad month for me and my family, so if my stuff doesn't get up, or is really uber depressing, that's why…
Rini: Well, review please! Pretty please!