You Bring the Starlight and I'll Bring Snow

by yuukosbooty

Summary:

After deciding to stay in Koriko, Kiki goes to Tombo's school. She may regret it. But maybe not

Notes:

The title is based on an obscure song I found on youtube that comes up later

Chapter 1: Arthur Miller

“Everyone, we have a new transfer student,” Mrs. Tachibana said with a smile. “Please welcome Miss Kiki Kesem!”

All dressed up in her blue and white school uniform, Kiki shyly entered the classroom. “Uh…hi everyone!” Kiki waved. “Like the teacher said, my name is Kiki Kesem, and I just transferred to this school. I moved to this town last year and decided to stay. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

Kiki looked out into a sea of seemingly unimpressed faces in uniforms that looked like hers, and she started to get nervous. “Hey! Kiki!” a familiar voice called out. Her eyes darted over to Tombo Kopoli. “I saved a seat for you!” he said.

And sure enough, there was an empty seat next to him. On the other side of him was a very pretty redhead girl that seemed to especially not like her, but Kiki barely took stock of that. She felt herself relax when she noticed Tombo in class with her, so she took her seat next to him.

“All right,” Mrs. Tachibana continued. “Everyone take out your copies of The Crucible from yesterday.”

“Here,” Tombo said, showing his copy to Kiki, “you can look off of mine today.”

“Um…” the girl next to him said, “I forgot my copy, too.”

“Again?” Tombo sighed. “You really need to be more responsible about that, Mina.” He held the book so that both girls could see.

“Now,” Mrs. Tachibana began, “picking up from yesterday, who can tell me why Arthur Miller wrote this play? What statement was he trying to make by writing a play about the Salem witch trials?”

Oh boy, Kiki thought, slinking into her chair. She only knew about the Salem witch trials because, well, how could she not? They were a part of her heritage! Her own ancestors had fled them way back in the 1600s.

Finally, a girl in the back raised her hand and Mrs. Tachibana called on her. “He was criticizing the American government’s search for communists, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

All of a sudden, Mina’s hand went up, as her face became very snooty-looking.

Mrs. Tachibana and the rest of the class looked rather confused, but the teacher called on her anyway.

Mina slowly lowered her hand and stood up, still retaining that same snobbish expression. “I just wanted to say that I take issue with Miller’s viewpoint.”

“Oh god!” Tombo muttered under his breath, burying his head in his hands as if to silently pray that he would make it out of class alive. Or suddenly die before it was over. One of the two.

“He clearly believes that it is…ridiculous and unfruitful to search for communists in his country,” Mina continued, “but we’ve seen what communists have done to…even our Church, my goodness!”

“Don’t say what you’re about to say!” Tombo muttered to himself over and over.

“And don’t get me started on witches!”

“She said it, Jesus just let me die right now!” He turned red and covered his hot ears.

“These immoral women are the spawns of Satan! Ladies and gentlemen, if it were up to me back then, I would have done more than just drowned them! I would have burned them at the stake!”

Tombo was starting to feel dizzy. “Every day I pray for death,” he whimpered as his head hit the desk. Meanwhile, Kiki was clasping her white knuckles over her mouth and shaking, trying not to cause more trouble than was already being made.

Everyone except Kiki and Tombo stared at Mina for a moment and then burst into laughter.

“Mina,” one of the girls laughed. “I know we’re a Catholic school, but calm down! There are no witches here, and there certainly weren’t any during the trials! They all drowned, remember?”

“What about that one who saved Tombo from falling last summer?” one of the boys remembered.

“Well, she’s right here if you wanna talk to her,” Mina replied, motioning toward Kiki.

As everyone stared at Kiki, she stood up, with a few choice words of her own for Miss Mina. “What have you got against witches anyway?!”

“I’ll tell you what I have against witches, Miss Kesem! I know a few things about you! Don’t think I’m stupid!”

“Oh yeah?! What do you know?!”

“I know, you’ve been using your evil witch magic to make Tombo Kopoli fall in love with you! You…you…JEZEBEL!”

“YOU CAN’T INSULT ME!” Kiki spat back. “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS!”

“IT MEANS YOU’RE A HARLOT!”

“I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO MAKE SOMEONE FALL IN LOVE WITH ME, YOU IDIOT! BESIDES, TOMBO’S NOT EVEN IN LOVE WITH ME! RIGHT, TOMBO?”

At this point, Tombo was on the ground as if there was a nuclear weapons drill in progress. “Why? Why God? Why did I have to live to be fifteen years old? Just why?”

“Why would he even fall in love with you? You’re not even pretty!”

Kiki was taken slightly aback at that comment. Why was THAT the one that hit her hardest, she wondered? But it didn’t matter. “I told you we’re just friends!” she protested.

“What kind of surname is Kesem anyway?!”

“IT’S HEBREW!” Kiki yelled.

Suddenly, the bell rang and the day was over. Tombo rejoiced the most of all.

Once they were in the hallway, Tombo tried to catch up to Kiki, who was still angry about the whole thing. “Hey…Kiki…” he shyly said to her. “...Still mad about what happened?”

“Why didn’t you stand up for me?” Kiki told him, looking obviously betrayed.

Tombo blushed, rendered speechless.

“Especially when she said I wasn’t pretty enough for you to like me! You think I’m pretty, don’t you?”

Tombo gulped. He remembered the moment he first saw flying through the city of Koriko. He thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and he still did, every single day he thought about her.

“Of course!” he squeaked, trying to hide the blush on his face. “I think you’re beautiful! I…I was just kind of scared of Mina. Don’t take it personal or anything. She just likes to stir the pot, I think. Anyway, I have something important to ask you.”

Kiki pivoted toward him, beginning to calm down.

“My brother, Jesse, is getting married in about a month, and he told me he could bring a da…someone with me, and I figured, why not bring you?”

Kiki smiled. “You mean it?”

“Of course! It’s December 16th, so let me know when you can!”

Kiki threw her arms around Tombo. “I’d love to go!” she exclaimed.

Chapter 2: Nothing Makes Sense

Summary:

Tombo gives his brother's love advice a shot

At last, Kiki said goodbye to Tombo and flew back to Osono’s bakery, and Tombo got in Jesse’s car. “Hey, bro!” he said. “You told your girlfriend about the wedding, right?”

Tombo laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “She’s not my girlfriend or anything, but yes, I told her.”

Jesse laughed. “It’s sort of hard to believe it’s really happening. I mean, it’s not like I ever wanted to be a priest or anything, but I never thought it would be a church girl.” His eyes started to light up. “There’s something about a girl who’s got you covered in prayer I guess. And I mean, ME of all people falling in love and getting married!”

Tombo’s neck and face turned red as he watched Kiki flying home during all of this.

“I know what you mean,” Tombo replied. “All your life it’s you, and you start to become prepared to live life all on your own, and you tell yourself you don’t need anyone else, and then she swoops in and turns your life upside down.”

Jesse was a little shocked. “Um…yeah. Yeah, that’s exactly it!”

Tombo looked out the window. “Kiki saved my life.”

“I know, man!” Jesse said with a smile. “We all saw it!”

“That’s not what I meant,” Tombo continued. “She didn’t just save me from falling. She saved me…from my own heart! I don’t know how to explain it!”

Jesse laughed. “You’re not making any sense, but no one really makes sense when he’s thinking about a beautiful woman. I say, take a cold shower, read the Bible, and then see how you feel. You’re fifteen. Nothing makes sense when you’re fifteen, but one day it will.”

///

So Tombo did exactly, unironically what Jesse suggested. He took a cold shower and dusted off his bible. It was heavier than he last remembered. He decided to start from the beginning:

“Genesis 1
The Story of Creation. In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters–

Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good. God then separated the light from the darkness.”

Tombo yawned. He looked up at the clock on the wall. Four o’clock. He had barely read the first chapter of the bible, and he was already bored, but he didn’t have any more answers about anything. He closed the bible and rested his head on his hands, staring at the ceiling.

It was times like these, Tombo would begin to search through the shoebox he had hidden under his bed. Admittedly, the collection had started before he met Kiki, he had been a fourteen-year-old boy after all, but it became larger and, well, more risque after he met her, but to make a long story short, the boy had quite the fetish for witches. He managed to obtain a few porn magazines from, of all places, the other guys in the Aviation Club. He was only thirteen at the time, and a few witch-themed pinups were enough for him, but the moment he saw Kiki flying into his town a year later, just seeing the smile on her face awakened some deep desire in him, and this sweet new addiction came to him twofold: He had already begun masturbating regularly, but in one respect, he felt that he needed to add more and more X-rated material to his ever-growing collection of witch tits and ass in order to satisfy this powerful craving he had for “Miss Witch”, but on the other hand, just visualizing her beautiful face in the comfort of his bedroom was, in the right mood, enough to get him to reach an orgasm, and right then was one of those moods. His ears were ringing with the sweet sound of her laughter in them. He set the bible aside and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans before beginning to lower them along with his boxers…

“Tombo, what are you doing? We’ve been trying to call you for fifteen minutes! Dinner’s ready!” His sister announced, swinging the door open.

Red in the face, Tombo scrambled to cover his waist. “GEEZ! CAN’T ANYONE IN THIS HOUSE KNOCK?!” he shouted.

His sister facepalmed. “I’m not even gonna ask. Just come down before it gets cold.” After she left, Tombo quickly pulled his pants up and re-fastened his jeans.

Chapter 3: Jesse and Betty

Summary:

Kiki asks Osono a question and then goes with Tombo to his brother's wedding

Notes:

I dunno why this chapter took so long. I guess there's a lot of parts but ugh I think I got sick :(

“Kiki, I’ve got some errands to run,” Osono said that same afternoon, snapping Kiki out of her train of thought and finger-twiddling. “Do you think you could watch Chika for a few minutes?”

Kiki blushed as her head shot up. “Oh uh…yes, ma’am!”

As Osono was just about to leave, she turned around in concern. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah! Of course! Never better!”

“Okay,” Osono said hesitantly, “well if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Kiki took a deep breath. “Wait,” she said.

“Hm?” Osono turned back around.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything,” Osono smiled.

“Um…” Kiki averted her eyes. “What’s a…jezebel?”

Osono laughed. “That’s all you wanted to know? Jezebel was a woman in the bible. Not a very good one by most people’s standards, though. I guess nowadays the term means…how old are you again, Kiki?”

“Fourteen.”

Osono chuckled. “It usually means a woman who…doesn’t exactly keep her legs shut.” She shrugged. “Not my own words, but…why do you ask?”

Kiki pouted. “One of the girls in Tombo’s class called me a jezebel. Then she accused me of worshiping Satan and using love potions on boys.” She crossed her arms and began raising her voice. “None of it is true though!”

Osono laughed. “High school girls. You know–” She sat next to Kiki and put her arm around her shoulders. “--Fukuo and I were high school sweethearts, and when we started dating, there were a lot of people who thought I had done something to mess with him because why would a handsome stud like him like some plain girl like me?”

“That’s awful!” Kiki exclaimed. “What did you do?”

“Well, for a while, I tried so hard to clear my name, but in the end, people’s suspicions only grew, so one day, I resolved to just let people believe what they wanted to, and one day he proposed, and people just forgot the whole thing!”

“I wish it were that simple for me.”

Osono smiled. “One day you’ll figure it out.”

Kiki turned herself toward Osono. “I don’t even know if I like Tombo! I mean, maybe I do! He’s my best friend, and…I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be with, but…but I don’t even know how to make a love potion!”

“Well, if it’s meant to be, you won’t need one!”

“I know that! But try telling it to Mina!”

Osono chuckled. “I should really get going. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Kiki smiled. “Of course I will!”

Osono headed out the door.

///

In a flash, December 16th was there, and since Kiki was long finished with her training, she decided to dress up in something a little more festive for the wedding. She bought herself a pink dress with puff sleeves and several petticoats that came down right above her knees. Ever since she had started going to school, she had missed her red bow, which the principal of the school felt was “too distracting” for the other students, and so she wore a plain red headband instead, so she wore it proudly that afternoon.

At two o’clock, Tombo came to pick her up wearing the same suit he had when he had for the party at the Aviation Club.

At last, they made it to the three o’clock wedding mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church. The outside of the church was stunning, and the inside even more so. All her life, Kiki had never once been inside a church, and she was awestruck! She found herself getting lost in the stained glass windows and the eyes of all the saints and angels that seemed to be looking directly at her until she locked her gaze on a statue of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. She smiled, as if right at Kiki, and she wore a crown and a blue and gold gown. It was as if she was calling to her directly. Kiki put her hands over her heart as if something was stirring in there.

“Hey!” Tombo said with a smile, snapping her out of it. “Why don’t I escort you to your seat!”

As they made their way to the second pew on the right side and sat down, the big church organ started to play a prelude. Kiki looked around and noticed others were getting seated as well, most escorted by Tombo and what appeared to be his brothers. She never realized all those people that were always hanging out with him were, in fact, his family. She started to feel a bit bad for judging them. She took a look at her program and noticed the bride’s name was Betty McGinn, but pretty soon, the organ stopped playing for a few seconds or so, and Tombo’s family began walking down the aisle.

Out of a side door, Kiki saw the groom and groomsmen, including Tombo, making their way toward the altar with the geriatric priest. Somehow, in all his seriousness, Tombo looked incredibly handsome. She felt her heart flutter as a blush creeped up on her face as she simply stared at him. Suddenly, he looked over and smiled back at her, causing her to blush harder and quickly avert her eyes.

Then it was time for the bridesmaids to walk down the aisle. Kiki recognized a few of them: Madame’s granddaughter and the two other girls who were in Tombo’s jalopy when he was dropped off for their beach date…wait, was it a date? Kiki wasn’t sure.

Finally, the priest motioned for all in attendance to stand as Betty’s father walked her down the aisle. She had very beautiful blonde hair that was kept in a braid and soft blue eyes. Her dress had huge puff sleeves, and she wore a veil over her face. Even though she looked beautiful, she looked like she had a very kind soul. No wonder Jesse loved her. Kiki smiled, happy for their love.

///

The wedding ended up being quite long and with a lot of rituals Kiki wasn’t used to. Usually, when a witch got married, both of her parents walked her down the aisle. It was also usually under a large, outdoor tent, and it was officiated by an older witch. The couple usually wrote their own vows, exchanged rings, drank a cup of red wine and jumped over the witch’s broom to signify jumping from one stage of life to the next. Witches' weddings were a lot shorter than the weddings in Tombo’s family, but their traditions were beautiful, too. They read from the bible, spoke pre-planned vows and gave the beautiful woman who stirred Kiki’s heart a bouquet of flowers, but like witch weddings, they also drank a cup of wine. Maybe she wasn’t so different, she thought.

///

About an hour later, everyone made their way downstairs to the meeting hall, and after toasts and all the logistics, it was time to dance! The band played one of Kiki’s favorite songs, “A Message in Lipstick.” Before she could even process it, Tombo grabbed her hand and made a run for the dance floor. Kiki could barely feel her legs as she ran through the crowds of people to dance with him. Tombo quickly placed his right hand on her waist and his left in her right, causing Kiki to feel like she was freezing up, but as Tombo step-touch-step-touched to the music, Kiki found that her feet were following suit. Her stomach was in a frenzy of butterflies, and her heart was racing. The song was the one she listened to when she first flew to Koriko, and now she was dancing to it with a boy! At a wedding! Where she didn’t know anyone but him! Her shaky left hand made its way to his upper arm, and somehow, feeling his arm under her touch calmed her down. As the shakiness began to spread out into warmth, Yumi Matsutoya’s anthem of 1960s sexual tension beat its way through her red ears. All of a sudden, Tombo attempted to twirl her around, but she was still jittery and tripped and fell onto him, and his pelvis, of all body parts, broke the fall.

Kiki turned red and covered her mouth when she realized the position they were in, and her face turned an even deeper shade when she realized what was poking her! Tombo gulped and turned red as well. The nervous energy between them got to be too much, and Kiki burst out into a fit of laughter, and while thoroughly embarrassed, so did Tombo.

“Hey are you okay?” a vaguely familiar voice said, coming from the same person who was helping Kiki up.

“Yeah, I’m fine!” Kiki said, before turning around to see Madame’s Granddaughter. She looked away and blushed again.

Madame’s Granddaughter looked over at Tombo with a raised eyebrow, noticing the raging tent protruding in his pants. “Are you kidding me, Tombo?” she said, facepalming.

Tombo looked down at his crotch and turned bright red before running off to the bathroom with his wrists crossed in front of it.

“He might be a while,” Madame’s Granddaughter remarked.

“So…How do you know Tombo?” Kiki asked.

“He’s…my little brother. You didn’t know this?”

“So I guess you’re also Jesse’s sister?”

“Yes,” Madame’s Granddaughter sighed. “That’s how siblings work. Don’t you have any siblings?”

“No, it’s just me.”

“Well, there’s seven of us.” She pointed out all of her and Tombo’s siblings. “In order from oldest to youngest: Paul, James, Jesse–” She pointed to herself, “--me, Moriah, Tombo, who’s…taking care of his business–” She continued pointing to her siblings, “Jack and the youngest, Cassie.”

“Wow, that’s a big family!” Kiki remarked. “But does that mean your grandmother’s here? Can I see her?”

“Yeah, she’s here,” Moriah answered. She began to smirk. “You like him, don’t you?” she asked.

“What?!” Kiki blushed at the question. She noticed Tombo walking back into the room, hunched over and red in the face with his hands buried in his pockets.

“You seem like a nice girl, Kiki,” Moriah continued. “But do you really wanna be with a boy with a masturbation pro–”

Tombo’s blush deepened and spread over his face as he ran to cover his sister’s mouth. “WHAT?! NO! I–I DON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THAT! I SWEAR! I DON’T KNOW WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT!” He started to cry a bit. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he wept.

“She has to know the truth if she’s gonna be your girlfriend!”

“SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!”

“No, but she’s gonna be!”

At this point, Kiki was as red as Tombo was. “I’m gonna talk to your grandmother now,” she said before sneaking away.

///

“Hey, sorry we embarrassed you tonight,” Tombo apologized when he got to the bakery. “Siblings can be a pain, but Moriah really took it too far tonight.”

“I’m just sorry she said all those weird things about you!” Kiki replied. “I know you’re normal and don’t have weird problems like that!”

Tombo blushed and averted his eyes nervously. “Yep! Totally normal! No problems like that at all! Call me Mr. Normal!”

Kiki chuckled and made her way out of the car. “Tombo,” she said, “regardless of any of that, I had a really good time tonight!” She then led Tombo to her door and gave him a hug that spiked his heart rate for the rest of the night, and then waved as she went inside. When he was sure she could no longer see him, his face turned pink and spread into a lovesick little smile as he continued to watch her walk up the stairs until he was startled by the car horn.

“Hey lover boy!” Tombo’s brother, James, called out, “get back in the car already!”

“Right! Sorry!” Tombo sputtered, racing back to the car.

Chapter 4: The Perfect Present

Summary:

Kiki goes Christmas shopping

“Hey, Kiki! Can I ask you a question?” Tombo asked the following Monday at school.

“Shoot,” Kiki answered with a small chuckle.

Tombo chuckled shyly as well. “So um…I hope you don’t find this offensive or anything, but…”

Kiki looked at him with anticipation.

“Do…do witches celebrate Christmas?”

Kiki laughed at his question. “Is that all? Yeah, we celebrate Christmas!” she responded. “We put up big huge trees and decorate them! We make hot cocoa and exchange presents and sing carols! We even have an advent wreath, believe it or not!”

“Really?”

“Yes, to celebrate the month leading up to the welcoming of the spirits of the New Year, in our case, of course.”

Tombo rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. “Right, so uh…” Tombo gulped. “Are you doing anything Christmas Eve?”

“Well, that’s probably a pretty busy day for both the bakery and my delivery service, I mean…” She sighed. “You know how people are leading up to the holidays.”

“Well, that’s too bad because my family has this little celebration that day. We sing carols around the piano, exchange gifts and then go to midnight mass.”

Kiki sighed. “I’d really like to go, Tombo. I’ll see what I can do.”

///

Pretty soon, it was Saturday, December 23, 1961, and a queer but beautiful young woman was fast asleep at five in the morning. She lived away from the world with no one but her bespectacled, butch lover, who often slept at odd hours. Her lover was a hopeless romantic, often making the excuse that she “couldn’t sleep” with the woman’s face right in front of her. This morning was one of those times. She tiptoed out of their bed and snuck her way to their black spinet, putting on her glasses and breathing in sharply. She began to play an arpeggio, consisting of 11ths, 13ths, anything, anything to get what she felt for her Ursula out of her and onto the keys.

“UGH!” Ursula shouted, throwing the other woman a pillow. “It’s five in the morning!”

The other woman paused for a moment. “One can’t put a timestamp on love, Ursula dearest,” she said. And then she went back to playing.

“Fine, damnit!” Ursula chuckled, getting up. “Guess I’m up, too.” She went over to her easel and started a charcoal drawing, inexplicably drawn to the other woman, nevertheless. “I’ll make you a charcoal drawing in exchange for a symphony?”

“That’s the idea,” the other woman smiled as she continued to play.

Ursula shrugged and went back to her drawing. But somehow, she felt compelled to stop. She followed her instincts and walked over to the other woman. “Oh, Lucy!” she called, before wrapping her thighs and charcoal-covered arms and hands around her, causing the serious woman to squeal.

“Hey!” Lucy chastised her, “you better not get anything on the piano! It’s expensive!”

“Ooh! Teach me how to play!” Ursula joke-threatened.

Lucy knew what Ursula wanted, and figured she just had to give it to her. She burned with all the passion anyway. She turned around to face Ursula and wrapped her in an embrace, bending her down and ready to ravish her right on the piano bench until–

“Hey, Ursula!” It was the first time Kiki had come to Ursula’s cabin since Lucy was in the picture, and the two women were simply frozen in a compromising position, staring at her awkwardly.

Ursula and Lucy quickly untangled their limbs and brushed themselves off, which was the opposite of helpful for Ursula. “Kiki! Hi! How’s it going?” she asked.

“Ursula, do you know anything about boys?” Kiki said, panting.

Ursula and Lucy blushed, looked at each other, then looked back at Kiki. “Well, what do you need?” Ursula finally answered.

“I totally forgot to get Tombo a Christmas present! I don’t even know what he would like!”

Ursula opened her mouth to speak, but Lucy interrupted her. “Allow me,” she said. “Kiki, Ursula and I might not know too much about boys, but we do know about love, and we know that if you get him something from the heart, if he’s worth anything, he’ll appreciate it.”

Kiki looked down and blushed. “I mean, I still have no idea what to get him. I know he likes airplanes, but that’s about it.”

Lucy put her hand on Kiki’s shoulder. “You know where the department store is?”

Kiki gave the woman a determined look and nodded.

///

Kiki knew it was a pretty stupid idea to wait until the twenty-third to do her Christmas shopping, but life had gotten pretty hectic between school and her delivery service, and she had forgotten to do her own shopping. It suddenly occurred to her that she should probably get something for Osono, Fukuo and Chika as well, and she only had so much money for Christmas presents. She had been able to see her own parents for Hanukkah, and that was before the Kapoli wedding, so she probably didn’t need to worry about them. When she opened the door to the department store, however, she realized she wasn’t alone in this.

Kiki gulped, and trudged forth toward the winter-wonderland-covered hellscape in front of her, her head in a fog, trying to think of what to get each person. Let’s see, she thought. I need to get something for Osono, Fukuo and Chika; they can all be together, and, of course, Tombo. Oh, his present has to be perfect! Oh shoot! I should probably get something for Ursula, too! Okay, Osono and family, Ursula, Tombo–

“STUPID BITCH, GET OUT OF THE WAY!” a man barrelling toward her exclaimed, running from a police officer with something Kiki couldn’t make out in his hand.

“Hey, don’t use that language around me!” Kiki shouted back. “So much for the spirit of Christmas!” she grumbled, marching on.

After buying some different-sized sketchbooks for Ursula, Kiki decided to look for Tombo’s present when something caught her eye. It was just a simple snow globe with a Dickens-caroler-clad couple inside holding hands. Something deep in her heart told her it was the perfect present for Tombo, and for a moment, she took it down and shook it. The boy looked quite a bit like Tombo without his glasses, but the girl looked nothing like Kiki, with her curly, golden locks. She knew the couple wasn’t even real, and yet that made her sad. She always felt like she didn’t quite fit into Koriko or with Tombo’s friends and family. Whatever, she thought, slamming it back down more forcefully than she intended. It’d be too forward anyway.

“Hey!” one of the clerks admonished. “That there snow globe is expensive! Be more careful!”

“Sorry!” Kiki panicked.

In the end, Kiki ended up going to a bookstore and some books about airplanes for him. She knew she couldn’t go wrong that way.

Chapter 5: A Sapphire Dragonfly

Summary:

Kiki delivers Christmas presents and attends Tombo's Christmas party

Notes:

TW for addiction related stuff I guess

“Kiki, what a lovely present!” Osono exclaimed, looking at the three shirts Kiki had made for them that read Gütiokipänjä Bakery on the front in blue font on a white background.

“Hey uh…don’t forget to turn it over!” Kiki bashfully explained.

Osono did as she was told and immediately started laughing. “We take dough-nations! That’s so cute! I love it, Kiki!”

“Really? It’s not too corny?”

“No, it’s perfect!” She gave Kiki a hug. “Thank you! This is a really thoughtful present! Merry Christmas!”

///

After making all her Christmas Eve deliveries, Kiki flew over to Ursula’s cabin to give her her present.

“...And there’s also smaller pages, so you can write down your ideas!” she finished explaining.

“Thanks, Kiki! I’ve been looking to get something like this!” Ursula said before giving her a hug. “Merry Christmas, Kiki!”

Lucy gave Kiki a hug as well. “Merry Christmas!” she said. “Doing anything for the holidays after this?” she asked.

Kiki looked down at Tombo’s recently wrapped present. “Well, I’m going to a Christmas party after this at a friend’s house.”

///

Later that evening, Kiki made her way to the Kopoli house for their Christmas party. All seven Kopoli siblings, their parents, and Paul, James and Jesse’s wives were there, as well as many of the parents’ friends. Presents were carefully placed under the tall, radiant-looking Christmas tree, decked from its figurative “head to toe” with candles, red and gold balls and an angel on top. The fireplace was burning brightly, and nine stockings were hung by the mantle, overseen by a wooden nativity. Aside from the more religious decor, it didn’t look too different from the Kesem household during Christmastime, though dried oranges tended to be a staple of their decor, and often their bronze menorah would be sitting on the windowsill, with its blue and white candles burning to honor that part of her heritage as well.

When it was time to begin opening presents, Kiki’s heart thudded into her throat. She couldn’t explain why, but she was worried about what Tombo would think of her present. Everyone from the oldest to the youngest opened their presents, and significant others and friends really only had to worry about one present each. Kiki could barely concentrate on what everyone else received, she was so nervous. What stuck out in her mind, though, was Paul, James, and Jesse’s reactions to their wives’ presents. She hoped Tombo would like her present as much as those women did, but why? They were only friends after all. She also worried what kind of present Tombo would get her. What if it was infinitely better? To some degree, she knew that wasn’t the true reason she was worried.

In a flash, it was Tombo’s turn, and of course, he decided to start with Kiki’s present. Kiki held her breath as she felt like her heart would explode out of her chest. As Tombo began tearing away the wrapping from over the front cover, it became visible to everyone else, when Moriah piped up, “Hey, don’t you already have The Observer’s Book of Aircraft?”

Kiki’s face turned bright red. She felt like she was about to burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Tombo!” she cried out, burying her face in her shaky hands.

Suddenly, everyone was staring at her. That made her feel even worse. Tombo started to panic. “No, no! It’s okay! I really appreciate this!” He smiled at her. “You knew I liked airplanes, and you got me something related to that! I’m really touched.”

“I got you a book you already have!” Kiki sobbed.

“No, but wait!” Tombo turned the book to show Kiki the spine. “Look!” he said. Kiki wiped a few tears away and looked at where it said, “1961 Edition”. “See that?” he said. “1961 Edition. This came out just this year. I’ve just been reading the one from a decade ago! Kiki…” He put the book down. “I appreciate this gift from you, so please don’t feel bad,” he said before embracing her. “Well, I think it’s your turn now, so…” Tombo took a deep breath and handed Kiki a small box with his present inside. “Here ya go,” he said, bashfully handing it to her.

Kiki could tell he was nervous as well and found comfort in knowing he was just as nervous as she was. Hands still shaking, she carefully unwrapped the box and opened the box that was revealed inside.

Her jaw dropped. It was a lovely charm necklace of a sapphire-studded dragonfly. So simple and small, and yet her chest was heaving. A boy didn’t just get a girl jewelry unless he was in love with her. Was Tombo in love with her? He looked bashful when he gave it to her, so…

“If…if it’s the wrong size or…you don’t like it or something…it’s easy to exchange, I…” Tombo blurted out.

Kiki looked him in the eyes wistfully. “Tombo, it’s beautiful,” she said breathlessly. She looked at him for a moment before trying to get the necklace out of its box. She was interrupted by Tombo’s equally shaky hand on top of hers.

“Allow me,” he said, before taking the box from her. He slowly and carefully removed the necklace from its container, and before Kiki could say a word or stop him, Tombo was walking on his knees to be behind her, and she felt a sweaty, boyish hand move her hair out of the way, sending a chill down her spine. As a soft click rang in her ear and a thin chain made its way to the sensory nerves on her neck and collarbones, Kiki felt her breath hitch. She held the sapphire dragonfly charm to her ever-racing heart. As her heartbeat and his breath sounded in her ears, it occurred to her; Tombo’s name meant “dragonfly”, and there she was, pressing him to her bosom, and she could press him to her bosom whenever she wanted, as if his ear were close to her heart, and she couldn’t help but notice that this heartbeat of hers lay between her breasts, and she wasn’t really a little girl anymore, and Tombo probably noticed this about her, and–

“There! All done!” he said, scaring her out of her train of thought.

Kiki took a moment to steady her breathing. “Thank you,” she said.

The two of them looked at each other, simply lost in thought when they were suddenly interrupted by the clanging of cowbells and noisemakers from Tombo’s three older brothers, startling him and Kiki with ad libs of “smoochy smoochy!” and “mistletoe! You better kiss her!” once Jack held some over their heads.
“Hey, guys! Cut it out! I’m not gonna kiss her!” Tombo responded, but it was clear that he and Kiki were both blushing.

///

As the party-goers made their way into the church, and the women donned their heads with chapel veils of various colors, the choir was singing a prelude of “Away in a Manger”. Kiki touched the top of her head, feeling out of place, until Mrs. Kopoli handed Tombo a white and rose veil, which he then handed to Kiki. She put it on and smiled at him. Somehow her smile gave him a strange uneasiness that he couldn’t explain.

The mass finally ended with “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, and Kiki’s singing buzzed his bones, as it did all mass. Even as she crossed her arms during communion, he felt so in awe of her, that he almost forgot to receive communion himself. “Idiot,” Moriah muttered under her breath before hastily receiving and quickly making the sign of the cross.

///

“That was a very beautiful mass,” Kiki said, turning toward Tombo.

Tombo blushed. She looked so beautiful in her veil. “Um…thanks!” he stuttered. “Not that I…did anything to…I mean…I’m glad you…I…” He spread his arms out in a goofy fashion. “Welcome to our church!” he squeaked.

Kiki chuckled. That made him blush even more. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

“I should give this back, shouldn’t I?” Kiki said, taking off her veil.

“No, no! You can keep it! It looks great on you!” Tombo responded.

“It’s mom’s veil; you should ask her,” Moriah commented, taking off her own veil and stuffing it in her coat pocket.

“It’s quite alright,” Mrs. Kopoli assured her. “That’s what I keep extras for.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kopoli!”

///

When church let out, it was midnight on Christmas Day, and snow was beginning to fall. The married couples went to their own homes, and Tombo decided to walk Kiki home.

Even though they were walking home together, the fact of the matter was, Tombo and Kiki mostly kept their gazes to the ground and didn’t say much. It’s not that they didn’t have anything to say, it was just that they weren’t sure if they should have said what they were thinking. So much was going on in their heads, and Tombo couldn’t help but notice that Kiki was still wearing that sapphire dragonfly around her neck. That made his heart pick up speed, as if his stomach had settled since he first saw her that night. The two of them would occasionally catch wordless glimpses of one another, looking radiant in the midnight snow, but they would quickly avert their eyes when the other noticed.

“Well,” Tombo began when they had gotten to the bakery. “Here we are.”

“Here we are,” Kiki repeated. She paused for a moment and then embraced Tombo, but somehow this embrace felt different than all the times before. Something about the way she pressed herself up against him and snuggled into his chest and stayed there a little longer than normal, the sapphire dragonfly pressed between two bosoms. “Hmmm, Tombo! Tonight was wonderful!” she said, and somehow it felt like she was whispering into his ear. She lingered a bit before she went inside.

And somehow that was the breaking point for him, the realization that he simply could not lose her. Next semester at school, he resolved to ask her to be his girlfriend.

He started walking home, smiling and breathing in the winter air, thinking about the wonderful life ahead of him, all the dates they would go on, the holidays they would celebrate together, the lives and secrets they would share together. Did Tombo even have any secrets?

Then he remembered what was under his bed at home. All those pictures she would probably find disgusting, especially if she knew what he did when he looked at them. He was sure she would call him a pervert and hate him if he told her about them, or worse, if she found out about them on her own. How would he explain to her that he didn’t think of her as just some fetish? He doubted she would understand. She was so pure and innocent, and he had this addiction that he was sure she would never speak to him again if she found out about. He wanted to stop, if nothing else, just for her, but that’s the thing about addiction; part of you doesn’t want to stop, no matter how much it’s hurting you.

He took a deep breath. Maybe he should get as far away from her as possible, he thought.

Notes:

Because I can't take credit for the pun at the beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B39idT3zsw&t=42s&ab_channel=ZehOverseer

Also I found the book on google and came up with the "he already has it but not this edition" thing on the fly

Chapter 6: Questions and Answers

Summary:

Tombo invites Kiki to his sixteenth birthday and tries to figure out his feelings

Notes:

Sorry this took so long last week was busy also my mental health sucks

“Listen to this, Tombo!” Mina began. “This was found in a book in one of the classrooms: ‘While the king was upon his couch, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance. My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh; between my breasts he lies.’ Can you believe they’re allowing this pornography in our schools?!”

Tombo blushed a bit and averted his eyes. “Oh, that’s uh…” He gulped, unsure what to say. “That’s terrible!”

Kiki looked toward the two of them quizzically. “You…you do realize that’s Song of Songs, right? Like, from the bible?”

“You’ve been reading the bible?” Tombo asked, surprised.

“Of course I’ve been reading the bible! I take my studies very seriously!”

Tombo looked down at Kiki’s chest. She was wearing the sapphire dragonfly he had given her. That made him even more nervous.

“You okay?” Kiki asked.

“Oh! Yeah! I was just…” He started to sweat. “...Cool necklace!”

Kiki looked at him, confused. “It’s the one you got me, remember?”

Mina roughly pulled Tombo aside. “What are you doing giving other girls necklaces?”

“Look, it was before, okay? How was I supposed to know she’d keep wearing it?”

Kiki started to get worried. “Before what?”

Tombo took a deep breath. “Mina and I are…going steady.”

At that, Kiki felt like her whole world was crashing down. This boy that she was sure liked her, and that she was starting to like too, was going steady with another girl? And someone that hated her too? “WHAT?!” she yelled.

When Tombo saw the sheer terror in Kiki’s eyes, he wanted to break up with Mina right then and there, but he knew he wasn’t getting off that easily.

“Alright, class!” the teacher said, coming up to the front of the room.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Kiki finished.

///

At the end of the day, Tombo was walking down the hallway with Mina, when Kiki forcefully pulled him aside. “What are you even doing with her anyway? I mean, what do you even see in her?” she demanded.

Tombo started to sweat. “Um…well…we…” Finally, he thought of something. “Well, we’ve been going to the same school for a while! That’s something right? And…we both…have red hair! Oh! We both come from big families, so when we get married we’ll probably have a big family of our own right?”

Kiki looked disappointed, almost like she was about to cry. “I see,” she said. “Sorry I don’t look like you or come from a big family, but tell me this; if Mina is so much better a match for you, why was I the one you asked to be your plus one at your brother’s wedding? Why was I the one you asked to spend Christmas with? And why did you get me a sapphire necklace of all things for it?”

Tombo was nearly stunned into silence. “Well…I…”

“Tombo, what are you two even talking about?” Mina chastised.

“Oh! Wait! I almost forgot!” He pulled an invitation out of his book bag and handed it to Kiki. It looked a lot like her invitation to his Aviation Club party, but this time it had her actual name on it. “My sixteenth birthday is at the end of this month, so I’m inviting everyone in class. It’s at the Aviation Club again, so–”

“Hey, you can’t invite some other girl!” Mina complained. “You’re my boyfriend!”

“You didn’t have a problem with me inviting any other girls from our class!”

“Yeah but none of them are witches trying to steal you away from me!”

Kiki looked unimpressed. “If I’m using my witch magic to steal him away from you, it’s clearly not working.”

“Look Mina,” Tombo began, “I love you, but Kiki’s one of my best friends, and I really wish you wouldn’t act this way.”

Mina fixed her hair. “As love as you love me more than her!”

“Of course! Now, let’s go home, okay?”

Kiki watched them go and then tried, to no avail, to not let her tears interfere with her ability to get home.

///

“Oh my god, Kiki! What happened?!” Osono worried as Kiki walked in, pulling twigs out of her hair and uniform and continuing to dry the tears that appeared to be sprayed all over her face.

Kiki’s expression quickly changed to one of anger. She stomped her foot and yelled, “THAT’S WHAT I WANNA KNOW!” before going upstairs to her room.

///

Meanwhile, Tombo tried to be casual as he went home, but immediately ran up to his room and locked the door. In search of answers, he once again opened the bible Jesse had suggested he read. There it was: Song of Songs, page 826.

///

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

Okay? Tombo thought.

The Woman Speaks of Her Lover

She
Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine, better than the fragrance of your perfumes.

Your name is a flowing perfume–therefore young women love you.

///

Besides Mina, Tombo couldn’t really think of any young women who loved him. He wasn’t even completely sure Mina truly loved him.

///

Draw me after you! Let us run!

///

Tombo’s face felt a bit hot as he imagined himself and Kiki running away together, but he tried to shake the thought. He was with Mina now. He was over Kiki. He had to be! He decided to skip ahead a bit.

///

I am black and beautiful, Daughters of Jerusalem–
Like the tents of Qedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
Do not stare at me because I am so black

///

Tombo had to chuckle a bit. He lived in Koriko, where not too many women looked like the one described, but it occurred to him, a lot of the people in his town had very light skin and hair, but when he saw Kiki, he noticed she was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. She had brown hair and brown eyes contrasted against ivory skin and rosy cheeks, with her witch’s spirit and her ashkenazi blood. She was like no one he had ever met before. Mina was…

If he was honest with himself, Mina could have been anybody. She was just the first person to give him attention.

He decided to try something. He decided to lie on his back for a moment as he re-read that first passage: “Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine, better than the fragrance of your perfumes. Your name is a flowing perfume–therefore young women love you. Draw me after you! Let us run!”

He imagined Mina saying it in his mind, all lovesick and wanting him. It almost felt uncomfortable. Mina would never say anything like that, he thought! It was almost a horrible numbing feeling to him. He tried to imagine her on their wedding night. He started to blush and his heart started pounding, and he tried to convince himself that it was because he was attracted to her and that he could tuck his worries away and feel like his relationship with her was okay, but he was a virgin teenage boy thinking about sex; of course he was going to be a bit flustered.

Just for good measure, he decided to imagine the same scenario with Kiki with all the same expressions that he had imagined with Mina, and all of a sudden, he felt like the room was spinning, and the room felt ten times hotter. It was one of those times that he could just imagine her smile, and he felt like he was floating.

He sat up and twiddled his thumbs. He didn’t love Mina. He knew that, but Kiki was too good for him. He took his porn stash out from under his bed, and tried to look at all the scantily clad Morticia Addamses and Samantha Stevenses in that shoebox of his, but it was as if he couldn’t even see them, because Kiki Kesem in any form was enough for him. He wasn’t sure what to do about it yet, but he knew he had to follow his heart.

///

Several hours later and a few blocks down, as Jesse Kopoli had his wife in a mating press of their own, a knock sounded at the door. Rather annoyed, the man of the house put on a robe and slippers to answer the door. He swung it open to find Tombo on his hands and knees, as if to bow down to him. “Do you have any idea what time it is?!” he croaked.

“Thank you!” Tombo spoke desperately. He lifted his head to reveal tears in his eyes and appeared to plead with his brother. “Thank you so much!” he said, before getting up to leave.

Chapter 7: Coming of Age

Summary:

Tombo gives Kiki a birthday present she'll never forget

“Happy birthday, Tombo!” Kiki said, smiling as she arrived at the Aviation Club with Tombo’s birthday present, which he took and put with the others. Kiki crossed her hands in front of her pelvis shyly. “Tombo…I know we haven’t seen each other for awhile, but I figure you’re just busy and–”

Suddenly, Mina’s arm wrapped around Tombo’s shoulders as she flashed a smile that seemed a little…fake. “Hey Kiki!” she said.

Kiki looked away and blushed sadly, and Tombo couldn’t pretend he didn’t know why, even if he wanted to. “It’s good to see you, Kiki,” he said, not quite able to look her in the eyes.

Continuing to look at the ground, Kiki made her way inside the building. She had a bit of a lump in her throat for the entire party, like she knew she would regret even going, but nevertheless, she took deep breaths and tried to keep a positive attitude as she made her way to the food. “Ooh, Tombo!” she said, when she was naturally able to get close to him. “Who made these cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches? They’re the best I’ve ever had!” she said, shoving another in her mouth.

Tombo’s face lit up. “Oh, you can thank my mom for those! She really–”

Suddenly, Mina cleared her throat, and she motioned for him to leave Kiki’s side.

Kiki could feel herself start to panic a bit, but it was Tombo’s party. She wasn’t about to make a scene in front of him.

With Mina’s overbearing nature, it was hard to get a moment’s peace within five feet of the boy, who was undoubtedly becoming a man right before her eyes. The whole thing was making her emotional. There were times in which she would lock eyes with him, and he’d flash a warm smile at her. It made her heart flutter and that lump in her throat grow bigger, but Mina, as tempted as she was to glare at her, just turned Tombo’s head away and gave him a kiss, as if she didn’t even notice.

Kiki knew it was wrong. She knew this girl was a jerk, and Tombo deserved better, and perhaps he even wanted to be with Kiki, but she gaslit herself. No, the voice in her head told her. You just want him to yourself. Can’t you see he’s happier with her? Besides, if he wanted you, what’s stopping him from going for it? Suddenly, Kiki felt a hand on her shoulder. She wiped her eyes and looked over to see Moriah.

“My brother’s an idiot. I’m sorry,” she said curtly.

“No, no! He’s really quite smart!” Kiki panicked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Tombo hasn’t done anything wrong!”

Moriah sighed. “You really are a nice girl,” she said. “I know this was years ago, but…” She started to look away and blush. “S-sss-s…I apologize for the whole herring pot pie incident.” She held out her hand. “You can do so much better than…that, but–” She sighed. “I wouldn’t mind having you for a sister-in-law one day. You’re really better than all of us, but for now, how’s about we shake on it?”

Kiki suddenly became overwhelmed with emotion. Tears, snot and wailing came forth from her as she clobbered Moriah in a hug. Moriah, on the other hand, was completely unsure what to even do. Nevertheless, she was convinced then, more than ever, that her brother was an idiot.

///

For the rest of the party, Kiki couldn’t stop crying. She and Tombo never interacted, but many people asked Kiki if she was okay. She just said she was fine and left it at that. For a moment, Tombo noticed her, and his gaze lingered a little longer than Mina was okay with, but somehow he knew it was all his fault.

///

Six months later, Kiki had begun planning for her fifteenth birthday at the bakery. She invited everyone she knew. Well, MOST everyone she knew. She didn’t even bother giving Mina an invitation, not that she wanted her there anyway, but she didn’t really see Tombo around like she used to, so it was difficult to get ahold of him. She wound up sneaking the invitation into his locker on the last day of school. Just as he was about to go to the locker himself, he noticed Mina standing right in front of it, smiling, and almost as if she didn’t want him to open it. “Oh, Tombo!” she sang.

“Mina!” he shouted before kissing her lightly.

Kiki gagged and left.

“So Tombo, do you have any plans for the summer?” Mina asked.

“Well, you know, meetings at The Aviation Club start in June, as usual.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Mina piped up with a spark in her eye. “I’ve been wanting to ask about joining the…the…that club you keep talking about!”

Suddenly, Tombo looked at her with stars in his eyes. He had no idea Mina was interested in airplanes! Maybe being with her wouldn’t be so bad after all. She started to blush and get a bit flustered. “Well, we usually meet on Fridays, so I guess that means June first this year–”

“Wait, did you say Friday?”

“Yeah?”

“Oh no, I can’t do Fridays. That’s when I have my…piloting classes?”

Tombo could practically feel like the pain from Cupid’s sharp arrow when she said that. He looked like he was having a heart attack.

“Tombo! Are you okay?”

“What…day of the week…works best?” Tombo said weakly.

“Oh uh…” Mina thought in her head for a bit. “Monday?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Tombo said before passing out.

///

In the blink of an eye, June fourth had arrived, the day of Kiki’s fifteenth birthday. It began at five in the evening, and although she had been cautious not to wear Tombo’s sapphire dragonfly necklace too often, especially when Mina was around, she knew Mina wouldn’t be there, and she wore it proudly. It filled her with butterflies to know that Tombo would be there. The two of them were growing up, and she knew he would look more handsome than the last time she remembered him.

Ursula and Lucy were the first two to show up and wish her a happy birthday. Then it was two people she hadn’t seen in a long time, Mimi and her boyfriend, Ai. Eventually, it seemed like the whole bakery was packed with old and new friends that she was happy to see.

“That’s a cool necklace!” Mimi said. “Where did you get it?”

“Oh, thank you!” Kiki said, blushing. “A guy got it for me over Christmas, but he’s not here yet.” Her mood dropped. “Also, he has a girlfriend.”

Mimi’s jaw dropped. “He has a girlfriend, and he got you a sapphire necklace?”

“He didn’t have a girlfriend at the time, or so he says.” Kiki had to wonder what other secrets Tombo was keeping from her.

“I bet he still secretly thinks about you from time to time!” Mimi sighed. “So romantic! What’s his girlfriend like? I bet she’s jealous of you!”

“I doubt it,” Kiki replied, trying to laugh it off.

“Did he pull your hair out of the way and put that necklace on you when he first gave it to you?”

Somehow, that was the question that flustered Kiki the most. “Hey, um…” Blushing, Kiki ran over to the record player that Fukuo and Osono had gotten for the party and put on her favorite song, “A Message in Lipstick” by Yumi Matsutoya. “Why don’t we just…dance for a bit!” She started jumping up and down and flailing her arms in the air, looking like a bit of an idiot, but soon everyone followed suit without much question. Ursula picked the almost-two-year-old Chika and began spinning her around in the air; Cassie and Kiki were doing the pony in mirror image, and several people who had never even met were perfectly happy to be dancing together, but when the music suddenly changed moods, all of that changed, and everyone was, instead, dancing with the one they were closest to.

“Hello, My Friend” suddenly came on, and Kiki was alone again. She stood on the sidelines as Lucy held Ursula around the waist and pressed her forehead against hers, as Mimi rested her head and arm on Ai’s shoulder. Even twenty-three-month old Chika was being lovingly twirled by Fukuo as Osono held both their hands. She routinely peered out the window to see if Tombo was anywhere in sight, but when he was nowhere to be found, against her control, her vision began to blur with tears. She pressed his dragonfly against her bosom. Her chest had grown a bit since she got it. Much of her had grown. Her hips and her legs, too. She was a year older, but it was like Tombo didn’t even notice. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to be a good sport.

///

Meanwhile, at the Aviation Club, there were a tad fewer members than usual. A few couldn’t make the new Monday time slot, and a few were at Kiki’s party, but Tombo and Mina were there. The meeting ended around seven o’clock, and Tombo decided to walk Mina home, talking to her the whole way. “So, how did you become interested in airplanes?” he asked.

“I mean…” Mina tried to think of an answer, “...they’re everywhere, right? Who hasn’t heard of an airplane?”

Tombo was a bit confused, but he decided to start by answering his own question. “My dad is a pilot, and he often would take me and my siblings to airshows and–”

Mina quickly turned toward him. “Oh my gosh!” she said. “You’re never gonna believe this, but my dad is a pilot, too! I wonder if they know each–”

The two of them suddenly noticed a piece of paper that had fallen out of Mina’s bag. Her blood went cold.

“Hey, you dropped this,” Tombo remarked innocently, before he picked it up to read it. His eyes went wide. “Kiki’s birthday party is today?! I…” His face fell. “Why wasn’t I invited, I wonder?”

Mina looked around nervously.

“Wait a minute,” he started. “Were you trying to hide this from me?”

There was a brief pause, before Tombo began to run in the direction of the bakery. Mina grabbed his arm. “Wait! Tombo! I can explain!”

“Save it!” he barked. “I need to make sure Kiki’s okay! For once in my life!” He pulled his arm away and made a run for it.

///

Meanwhile, at her party, Kiki wasn’t having a good time at all. People continued to dance as she stood on the sidelines. Osono came over to her. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Kiki nodded as she wiped her eyes.

Osono looked at her with sympathy. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Can you call the Kopoli residence, and ask where Tombo is?”

Osono did what Kiki told her to, as Kiki continued to press the charm to her bosom, tears pouring down her cheeks as she thought of him.

“Alright, I’ll tell her,” Osono said before making her way over to Kiki. “Tombo’s father says he left with a girl named Mina about two hours ago, and–”

Kiki’s pupils shrunk as her face filled with seething rage. She pulled her necklace by its charm, not caring if she broke the clasp permanently, and slammed it onto the ground. She then ripped the needle off of the record that was playing and stormed up the stairs to her room in the attic. Unfortunately, everyone saw her and stared in shock.

Osono smiled nervously as she addressed everybody. “I’m sorry. I think the birthday girl wants to be alone right now,” she said.

///

It was almost eight at night, and the bakery was quiet, quiet with an air of discomfort inside. Osono, Fukuo and Chika were getting things ready for the next day, just a typical Tuesday for them, but pretty soon, they heard and saw a familiar boy hyperventilating as he rode his bike up to the place. He ran inside. “Where’s Kiki?! Is she okay?!” He looked at the floor, where his gift dragonfly necklace had its clasp and eye were together, but ripped apart from the rest of it. “Oh no,” he thought out loud. “Oh god!” He facepalmed.

“I doubt it,” Osono answered honestly. “She’s been crying all evening!”

“You sure did it this time, Tombo,” he thought out loud. He took a deep breath. “I’m gonna go talk to her,” he decided.

///

Tombo walked up to the attic, opened the door and peaked in. Kiki was in her nightgown, face down. He heard her sniffling. He closed the door and came inside, tip-toeing, secretly hoping she couldn’t hear him, knowing he had to make things right anyway. “Kiki?” he started as he tenderly placed his hand on the back of her head. She immediately swatted him away. He sat down next to her and sighed. “Kiki, I’m so sorry! Mina hid the invitation from me, and–”

Kiki scrambled to get up in his face. Her eyes were bloodshot and tears were still streaming down them. “It’s always Mina, isn’t it? Mina, Mina, Mina! Did all that time we spent together mean nothing?!”

Tombo was a little frightened at the way she looked like she was about to bite his head right off, but when he stopped to breathe, it made him blush. “Wow, you’re beautiful! I…I seriously forgot how beautiful you really are!”

Kiki was completely baffled as to why he would say something like that. She sat on her knees next to him, but all she could do was cry harder. “Why, Tombo? Why do you say things like that? That I’m beautiful, that I’m cool, that I’m your best friend, and then just…don’t act like it? Don’t lie to me, what is it that Mina has that I don’t?”

“Kiki, I…” Tombo gulped. He knew he had to tell her the truth. He positioned himself away from her to make it easier. “I’m with Mina because…” He squeezed his eyes shut. “...because I don’t care if I lose her!”

Kiki’s expression softened as her tears and sobs continued. “Tombo…”

“You don’t want me, Kiki,” he said in a low voice. “I’m not the guy you think I am. I’m a creep…a pervert, and all I ever do is masturbate to porn of witches…and…” He gulped, “...thoughts of you.”

Kiki’s eyes widened.

“I try to stop, but I can’t sometimes. You’re the first girl I’ve ever felt this way about. When you first flew here to Koriko, it was like I…snapped! I didn’t just think you were beautiful; I wanted to…touch you, and…do all sorts of…other things with you. I promise you’re more than just some fetish, and I want to be able to stay friends, but…if you hate me, I understand.”

Kiki burst into tears at that.

He turned to face her and put his hands around her arms. “Kiki, I’m sorry I keep making you cry. I just–”

“Tombo!” She sobbed more. “I’m crying because…I could never hate you!”

Tombo’s face turned red, and he started to shake.

“After all you and Mina put me through, I tried so hard to hate you, but I can’t, Tombo! I love you! I’ve learned time and time again that I’ll never hate you for as long as I live! I especially can’t hate you for wanting me!”

At her words, Tombo crashed his lips against Kiki’s, as a wave of heat and passion overtook him. His body shook, and his heart raced against Kiki’s. She was shocked at the sudden gesture, especially as he rotated his head to kiss her more, with nothing but their clothes and Kiki’s smushed up arms between them. Their faces were red as they pulled apart, unsure what had just happened. “I should leave,” Tombo said, still in a state of shock.

“Don’t you dare,” Kiki responded, equally shocked.

The two of them continued to kiss passionately, gaining passion and comfort with one another throughout the night until the two teenagers had borne more than just their souls to one another, and crashed more than just lips against each other. Shocked at everything that had occured, their sweaty, red foreheads touched, before he fell limp and the two of them, eventually, drifted off to sleep.

Notes:

Here's the song I mentioned that's not the one that's actually from the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys6k3BObipU&ab_channel=YumiMatsutoya-Topic. I was just going through the album while I wrote and I needed a slow song from it. Also Mimi and Ai are from the original book. Lowkey, I love that whole subplot like I could see her being such a shipper on deck, but sadly only the first book is in english so far. Also, "today on binging with babish, we are making cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches from You Bring the Starlight and I'll Bring Snow" lol

Chapter 8: Waking Up

Summary:

Kiki and Tombo wake up the next day to their own shock and horror

Notes:

I'm back. Mainly I've just been a wimp about posting this chapter because I've been kind of a wimp about delving into Tombo's sex addiction, especially since the girl he likes is kind of a cultural icon of innocence and purity, but that also adds to his shame. But let's be real I've probably written worse stuff on here and need to just stop being a pussy anyway TW for dubcon

That night was Tombo Kopoli’s first time. He came after six thrusts.

Nevertheless, It all felt a bit like a wonderful dream for both of them, and when Kiki woke up, she was sure it was. When she opened her eyes to the morning sunlight, she noticed her and Tombo’s clothes strewn about in a little pile, and for a moment, the implications didn’t piece together for her, but then she realized what must have occurred the night before. She looked down at herself, just to make sure. She blushed, suddenly feeling more exposed than ever. She was completely naked, and there was something wet and sticky between her legs. She turned redder, unable to pretend she didn’t know what it was. Suddenly, a pair of freckled arms creeped around her waist to hold her, startling her as a pair of lips buzzed against her back and the connecting male body pressed himself against her. She gasped. She had let Tombo touch her that night, so intimately and with so much passion. It was both thrilling and terrifying.

Kiki slowly and carefully rolled over to face Tombo. He buried his face into her breasts and moaned. “Please, Kiki,” he practically begged. “Please just…let us stay like this forever!”

Kiki was sure her cheeks couldn’t get any redder. Tombo was so cute with his glasses off. “You know we can’t stay like this forever, Tombo,” she said, unable to disguise how much she enjoyed it.

“Why not?” he whined, beginning to kiss her everywhere he could.

“I…ugh!” Kiki was starting to get turned on as well. “We…we have to go to school! We have to eat! Tombo, we can’t just–”

“Let’s quit school,” Tombo suggested, lowering his gaze at her. “Let’s run off and get married. If you get pregnant, you can just breastfeed me or something.”

Kiki’s eyes widened, and she sat up. “Oh my god!” she began to freak out. She nervously began to pull on her hair. “I could be pregnant!”

Tombo sat up as well. “Wow,” he said, as if in a drunken stupor, “you being pregnant because of me.”

Kiki put her hands on Tombo’s shoulders, trying to snap him back to reality. “Tombo, this isn’t some happy beautiful moment, okay? We’re not married! We’re high school students! I’m fifteen years old!” Kiki began pulling on her hair again. “Oh my god! Mina probably WILL have me burned at a stake now!”

Tombo leaned back and lowered his voice and gaze at her. “Who’s Mina?” he said, trying to act smooth. Kiki slapped him for it. When Tombo looked at her, he looked as if he was about to cry.

Kiki couldn’t believe what she had just done. “Tombo, I…I’m sorry.” Her face turned red in shame.

“Kiki, I know we were really impulsive last night, it’s just…” He blushed and buried his face in the pillow. “God! My first time! And with the prettiest girl in school! All this time, I thought I’d die a virgin!”

Kiki turned away and chuckled. “I did too…if I’m being honest.”

Tombo gulped. “Really?”

Kiki blushed. “Do you…really think I’m the prettiest girl in school?” she asked, looking wistfully into Tombo’s eyes.

Face beet-red, Tombo looked back at her before leaning in to kiss her again.

“What are you doing?” Kiki panicked between shallow breaths.

“I just…I can’t help it!” Tombo panicked right back. “Last night just…wasn’t enough!” Pretty soon, he was right back where he had been the night before, only harder and faster this time. He had a girlfriend waiting for him; Kiki wasn’t totally sure how she felt about any of this; they weren’t using protection, and they would probably be caught soon. Tombo’s off-the-rails hormones didn’t care, and yet, Kiki realized this. She had to admit, the fact that Tombo desired her so much that he simply could not help what he was doing, made her feel like there was a fire pit deep in her abdomen. She had never felt this way before, and she couldn’t help but let out a weak, pathetic little whimper at it. As usual, Tombo came the second she did. Kiki was always a little shocked when that happened. Was this what it meant to become a woman?

And yet, Tombo in his sheer insanity, was already gearing up for round three. Their hearts were already thudding against each other when there was suddenly a knock at the door. “Kiki!” Osono’s voice sounded, “it’s past noon! Are you okay in there?”

Kiki was red in the face. “Yeah, um! Just give me a second!” She scrambled to make the bed clean up the best she could before getting dressed quickly. The two of them combed their fingers through their hair. “Okay, come in!” she said.

Osono came in and noticed Tombo. “Say, I didn’t think you’d gone home,” Osono chuckled.

“I…uh…” Tombo stuttered.

Kiki elbowed him. “Tombo and I were just talking about the other night. It was just kind of a misunderstanding but it’s all forgiven now!”

“Right. Okay.” Osono tried to hide the sarcasm in her voice. She knew exactly what was going on, nor did she have a problem with it. She had wanted Kiki and Tombo to get together for years. “Well, you two have fun!” she said before leaving.

Well, I’m probably gonna have to go to the doctor to see if I’m pregnant, Kiki thought, but I guess that can wait for now.