oob: sanada and ann

[shattermelt]

Sanada knew that Tachibana An was going to be at this tournament also. He was not at all surprised to find that she was on the same flight. He was surprised when she ended up in the seat next to him on the plane, looking slightly nervous but cheerful as usual. She looked surprised to see him too, but pleased, which was... odd. At least she was true to her word, not holding anything against him for the previous incidents.

He nodded politely when she sat down, and let her chatter at him, inwardly a bit amused, if not a little taken aback. Women in general were mysteries, but this one--she didn't fit any of the normal conventions that he was accustomed to. She was loud and bold and she had a temper, and strangely enough, all of this did nothing to make her less attractive. That she played tennis, and that very well, probably helped. He shook his head. Was he really thinking this? No, he was not. He started paying attention to what she was saying.

Comments

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"...but it's a little irking that kantoku is so obvious about it. I mean, we play to win at singles! Keeping this doubles thing going as back-up is . . . well, I think it just creates noise."

Ann sighed and shook her head. "Of course, kantoku being kantoku, he could also just be trying to tick us off. Rile our pride to get better results." Realising that Sanada looked a bit lost, even though he hid it behind his stern face (as usual), Ann stopped talking and flashed a grin at him.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you? You're wearing the face men always wear when they're not really listening to a woman. My dad looks like that all the time." There was no venom in her voice, just cheerful amusement.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada blinked, a bit taken aback. Lord, she was blunt. Did she always do that? She sounded amused rather than annoyed, however, so he nodded stiffly, with some chagrin. Being compared to her father was not the most comfortable feeling in the world.

"I will listen now," he told her, as if that might make amends for his impoliteness.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"Eeh, don't worry. I'm just letting my mouth run as it will." Ann changed position in her seat for the umpteenth time, curling her legs up under her and sitting almost sideways now, facing Sanada. "I'd be bouncing off the walls with nervous energy if we weren't on a damn airplane. I don't like sitting still for long, and this is torture plain and simple."

She bit her lip and made a conscious effort to stop herself. Again. "And there I go again. Sorry..." Ann felt somewhat sheepish. God, she was babbling nonstop. But she was so damn hyper, she didn't know what to do with herself and Sanada was, poor man, right there at ground zero.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, or if she expected a response. He was faintly amused by her excitement, familiar by now with her seemingly boundless energy.

"I imagine it's rather hard on you," he agreed dryly, not without a touch of humor. "If a tennis court can barely contain you, a single seat must be extremely confining."

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann had the decency to look as sheepish as she felt, and she had to laugh. "It's kinda boxed in, yeah. But that's not the seat's fault!" She made a show of petting the seat as if to comfort it.

"Mostly, it's the anticipation of the games to come, but . . . it doesn't help that this is my first trip outside Japan and that I'm not used to planes, either. We usually went by train if we went anywhere," she explained.

[tarthalion.livejournal.com]

He nodded, understanding. He wasn't all that fond of flying himself, but he didn't mind it as much as she apparently did. It was merely tedious, and he found himself wishing he had brought something to read.

"Flying can be unsettling," he agreed, or so he had heard. They were safe enough, however. "I have not been outside of Japan either," he admitted.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann goggled at him. "Wow! I thought Rikkai was the kind of school that sent classes on trips to all kinds of foreign places." Unlike poor public schools like Fudoumine, where the parents couldn't afford the kind of money it took to send their kids on school trips to China.

"Hey, I bought this guide bok to Seoul. I thought maybe if there's time in between, I might check out the city. A museum or two, maybe, or if they have any cool temples or palaces, that kind of thing. Would you like to come along?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada shrugged, as in fact she was right, but for one reason or another he had never gone. Tennis was a good reason.

He blinked at the offer, taking a minute to figure out what she was asking. Check out the city? And she was inviting him to come? He wanted to ask why, but he supposed she didn't want to wander around a strange place so far from home by herself. It did sound interesting.

"If you would like the company," he told her, a bit doubtfully, reluctant to sound too interested for some reason.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"I'd love it!" Ann chirped, happily. "I don't know if there'll be enough time, but if there's a chance for sightseeing, I'm taking it. And it'd be great to have company. I don't know about you, but I always remember stuff better when I have someone to remember stuff with!"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Not quite sure how to take that, Sanada simply nodded in some bemusement, settling back in his seat and wishing fleetingly that he was wearing his hat.

"I will be happy to assist you in your remembering," he told her gravely, with just a hint of wry humor in his expression. He'd never really noticed that, himself, but perhaps he had never done it properly.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann chuckled and made herself more comfortable in her seat. It was kind of soothing to speak with Sanada, it was taking her mind off all the nervous and excited little things milling around like a swarm of confused bees.

"Thanks! Now to hope there'll be something worth remembering." She snorted at herself at that. "Aside from the obvious, of course." The matches would be something to remember, even if that was all they did. "Man, I wonder who I'll actually get to play. I've checked out the likely attendees, but I haven't seen the set-up y--eeep!"

The plane did a sudden drop and shake, sending a flight attendant careening into a seat, and cups and glasses fell over. Ann clutched the arm-rests to her seat, blancing. "...oh God," she muttered in a very tiny voice.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada looked over at her in concern, not much troubled by the commotion. It was unsettling, to be sure, but they were flying in thin air, and such was to be expected. No doubt it was under control.

"Are you alright?" He wasn't sure what to do, and felt uncomfortably useless. He hoped she wasn't going to be sick, but she didn't look well.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann was very much not alright, her face was pale and her lips were pressed together in a thin, straight line. She focused on trying to breathe properly and to not squeal and whimper like a baby. God damn turbulence! It was just as bad and terrifying as earthquakes!

She shook her head, once, while the airplane kept shaking and sliding from side to side. The fasten seatbelts sign came on and the captain spoke up, advising the passengers to hold on and keep their seatbelts fastened as the turbulence might get rough for a little while.

When the plane did another sudden drop, Ann squeezed her eyes shut and latched on to Sanada's hand like a lifeline.

[(Anonymous)]

The last of Sanada's unease was relieved by the captain's announcement, confirming that it was in fact, merely turbulence and not something more worrisome, such as a malfunction. His companion did not look reassured in the least, however.

Startled, he stared down at the small hand clutching his own in a death grip, and after a moment's hesitation closed his hand around it with a steady, comforting pressure. It was a very curious feeling, one he did not recognize, but not unpleasant; in fact he rather liked it, so he shrugged mentally and let her hang on while he kept a watchful eye on the window. Turbulence should be over fairly soon.

"Just breathe," he suggested, a bit awkward with trying to sound soothing. He really was not used to thid.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann tried, she really tried to breathe, but it was very difficult when her whole insides were constricting in panic. Cold sweat trickled down her back and she knew she was about to fall out of the sky and die. God, this was not how she wanted to go. Not terrified and robbed of all control!

After a minute of so of this, the turbulence subsided and things got a bit calmer. Ann groped around desperately for some self control, at least enough to stop holding her breath. There was a big, warm hand holding on to hers, and for a moment she was confused -- then she remembered that Sanada was sitting next to her and that the big hand was his.

A few moments later, the captain came back with an update, telling them that they were through the unruly area now and that the rest of the ride ought to be fine. Ann opened her eyes and sneaked a suspicious look out the window, not daring to look at Sanada just yet. And then she took a few deep, shaky breaths.

"Thank God that's over," she whispered into the air, relaxing back into her seat. Maybe she wasn't going to die today after all.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada was somewhat relieved when Ann finally relaxed, because he really hadn't know what he was going to do if she fainted or something. She didn't seem the screaming type, at least not in this kind of situation, but he considered it a distinct possibility.

But she was as sturdy as she'd always seemed, even when she was terrified, and when she relaxed he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand in sympathy.

"It should be clear the rest of the way," he told her, repeating the captain's words in case she hadn't heard.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"Mm. We can only hope," Ann muttered, still not willing to place an ounce of trust in unreliable things like airplanes, pilots and the athmosphere.

Coming down from these adrenaline highs was always a drag, and Ann felt like a wrung-out dishcloth. A wrung-out dishcloth who was still holding Sanada's hand, for crying out loud! God, how embarrassing! Ann thought up a stream of curses aimed at the uncontrollable forces of wind and air, not caring if the kami thereof would take offence and shake them around some more.

Blushing just a little, enough to bring her normal colour back from pale central, she carefully extracted her hand from Sanada's. "Um. I'm sorry," she muttered, shooting him a sheepish look. "I really don't like uncontrollable . . . things like this."

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

Sanada shrugged, not really bothered by it, but not knowing how to reassure her either. He wasn't the kind of man who was easily charming and soothing and made other people, especially women, comfortable talking to him. It had never felt like a shortcoming before.

"Don't worry about it," he said finally, falling back on manners in lieu of natural aplomb. Mentally he shook his head. She must think he was incredibly stiff and boring, to be sure. He hadn't the faintest idea how to go about being interesting.

His fingers curled in on themselves as if they missed her hand--it had been small and soft but strong too, with calluses from playing tennis and not unlike Seiichi's hand, come to that, and where the fuck had that come from?

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann's sheep crept off her face as she started to regain some of her composure. She laughed weakly and shook her head. "Thanks. I guess you know my dark secret now; Tachibana Ann is scared of turbulence. Oh well, can't be helped. I guess I have to kill you now," she joked, trying to add som humour to the mix. Humour was important. If she could just laugh at herself and this whole embarrassing episode, things would be better.

[flamesword.livejournal.com]

He chuckled softly and shook his head. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. It is very unsettling to me also," he told her.

He understood perfectly not being comfortable with being out of control. This particular instance bothered him less than some other things.

"You can't kill me," he added with perfect seriousness. "You still need me."

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann eyed him, then smirked and casually commented that, "...my memory isn't that bad. I can remember stuff without assistance if I must." No, his life was not safe just yet and was in fact getting less and less safe, because little devils were dancing in Ann's eyes.

Which was a damn sight better than the blind fear of a minute ago, Ann felt.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"I am not necessary for proper remembrance?" Sanada managed to look both disappointed and wary. She amused him, with her whimsical approach dealing with the stress of the trip, although he had not forgotten that she had other, more extreme reactions. That, as he'd noted before, somehow only made her more interesting.

"I will not tell anyone," he suggested. "You can trust me."

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"I didn't breathe a word about proper," Ann pointed out. "Just . . . adequate." She curled herself up in the seat again, facing Sanada properly. "Hmmm. Trust you . . ." For a long, drawn-out moment she studied him very carefully, sharp-eyed and full of devilry, then she nodded. "Yes, I can."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada blinked, taken aback for a moment because she sounded so serious about it, but her eyes were laughing at him and instead of being offended, he thought he might rather like it.

"I am pleased to hear it," he told her dryly. He wasn't accustomed to people questioning his trustworthiness, even in fun.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"And so you should be!" Ann declared while a big smile grew on her face, radiant like the rising sun. "It's not every day I declare my undying trust in a guy who has frilly undercurtains in his windows~" Okay, so that was probably not Sanada's fault, but that didn't mean she couldn't tease him for it. Just a little.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada stared blankly at her, distracted enough by that blinding smile that it took a few minutes for the rest of what she said to sink in.

"Frilly... undercurtains?" he repeated slowly at last. Oh, right. His mouth turned down in a grimace of distaste. "They are not mine," he stated grimly. "And at least they are not purple."

[solaas.livejournal.com]

That made her burst out laughing. "Purple?! He tried to hang up purple curtains in your room? Oh man, that's priceless. Wish I'd been fly on the wall for that one."

Ann petted his arm affectionately, never losing the smile. "I'm impressed with your fortitude, I must say. Mizuki-san's neither been killed or dismembered so far, that's very endurant of you."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada wondered if she ever stopped smiling unless there was a crisis; he was a bit dazed by the bright effervescence that seemed to be her usual state of being; it seemed exhausting to him that one could maintain such a force for any length of time, yet it looked effortless on her.

"I rather thought so," he answered finally, feeling as if he were very slow and dull by comparison.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"Good thing we'll be travelling a lot for some time to come. It's easier to endure when you're not actually there." Ann thought for a moment, then bit her lip to hold back a chuckle. "Of course, you not being there leaves him with endless opportunities to fix the place up."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

He looked at her in dismay. "I hadn't thought of that," he admitted. He'd been so relieved to get away from his troublesome roommate for awhile, that it had not occurred to him that Mizuki-san might well see fit to make some 'improvements' while he was gone. What might he be walking into when he came home?

He felt a little ill just thinking about it.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

Ann felt a mite sorry for Sanada and just a tad guilty for pointing out this scary possibility. "Ah, I'm sure it'll be alright. He'll probably not do anything that will take more than a few hours to fix, at the most. And I'm just down the hall, so you can always call for backup~"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Believe me," he told her flatly, looking grim, "if it looks like I suspect it may, I will not need backup. Except to put it back together again more decently," he added as an afterthought.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

And perhaps some help to soothe and smoothe ruffled feathers, dark and purple both, Ann thought to herself. "Well, should you need me, just holler and I'll come to the rescue." Mizuki's most likely.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The idea of going back to living with Mizuki was giving him a headache.

"Thank you," he told her gravely. He did appreciate the offer, though he would not drag her into his own personal tug of war with the self appointed interior designer. Why couldn't the man be sensible at all? It was worse than living with a woman. Sanada immediately felt guilty and uncharitable for that thought, and glanced apologetically at his companion, as if she might have heard it. He was fairly certain that living with this particular woman would be far, far preferable to living with Mizuki.

[solaas.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome!" Ann chirped, then started and looked up with some alarm when the captain's voice sounded from the speakers again. Oh no, not another round of bad air! But he was only announcing their approach to Seoul; please to hand their garbage over to the flight attendants, fasten the seatbelts and get ready for landing in twenty minutes.

She relaxed and smiled up at Sanada, eyes shining with eager, youthful anticipation. "Nearly there, Sanada. Are you ready?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Sanada relaxed also, enough to give her a faint smile of his own. "Ready," he assured her. Definitely that.