It's Christmas day and Madoka had still not given Takashi his present. She had assured him that one would be coming, but said he would have to wait until the day itself to receive it. If he's cynical he might think maybe she was putting off buying it for the last moment, though the excitement with which she kept telling him to wait belies that.
Finally it's getting towards evening on Christmas Day, the sun almost ready to set. He gets a text message from her. It tells him to meet her on the sixteenth floor of one of Tokyo's various skyscrapers known to hold various businesses, offices, apartments, and condos. It also tells him to come dressed up nice.
The building itself is much like many others found in the Mitakihara District- a tall edifice of glass and concrete, beautiful in a starkly modern way. Inside is a likewise standard reception area with a few ground level shops as well as the main elevators and a security desk by it. The sixteenth floor requires a special keycard, though that's hardly uncommon, and the guard is waiting for Takashi- even recognizing him.
On the 16th floor itself things are a little different, however. The elevator opens up into a lobby and waiting area wood paneling and hand carved wood furniture, casual elegance that screams 'old money' in a way that isn't oft seen in a modern metropolis. Decadence reigns here even above utility or practicality; the ceiling is high enough that there must be no Seventeenth or Eighteenth floors.
The lobby itself is deserted, but there is a sign with 'Takashi Agera' written on it in careful script next to a pair of very tall oak doors. Just beyond them can be faintly heard the sound of music.
Takashi gets the message, and smiles. He was expecting it, after all, unless Madoka was going to get his present to him late - which didn't seem much like her.
Dressing up nice, for Takashi, can vary in a lot of ways. But for Madoka Kaname, he comes dressed to the nines - it's not a tuxedo, but the suit he's wearing is perfectly fitted, with bluish silver cufflinks and his hair is actually well behaved for once, framing his face ideally.
Now, as far as the building itself - the location - Takashi is quite confused. The guard just lets him in, furthering Takashi's growing confusion. Then he steps off the elevator.
He's looking around and only the last of his manners avoids him actually whistling in appreciation. His eyes are big as he looks around - and then he sees the sign in the emptly lobby.
He looks around again, and, seeing nobody, he shrugs. "well, that's me!" he says to nobody in particular. There's some part of him that wonders if this might be a trap, the whole situation has him thrown so off-kilter, but he figures anyone trying to trap Takashi Agera might be getting more than they expected. And so, he pushes the doors open slowly.
The moment the doors begin to open the music grows much louder, not because it's volume is increases but because it's no longer blocked out by the masterful soundproofing. The music emanates from a string orchestra at one side of the room, which is revealed to be a massive ballroom, large crystal chandeliers hanging from the far ceilings. Aside for the orchestra it almost appears deserted, and could even be mistaken as such.
A spotlight shines suddenly in the center of the room, bringing into perfect view a single lone figure.
Madoka wears what appears to be a red silk cocktail dress. It's strapless, clinging tightly to her slim figure, cut lower than anything she's worn previously though not scandalously so. A black satin sash wraps about her waist to tie into a bow at the small of her back, the dress flaring out into a flowing skirt from there that reaches to mid calf at rest- perfect for dancing in. On her feet she wears a pair of white heeled shoes with lacings that wrap up her legs in crisscross patterns to tie in bows at the back of her calves, just below her skirt. A red chocker is about her neck and likewise tied in a bow at it's back, but more important is the brilliant pink emerald necklace, it's largest gem resting over her bared collarbone and sparkling in the spotlight.
And for once Madoka's hair is free if it's usual ribbons, worn down for this special occasion, teased into light waves that fall just past her shoulders.
A moment or two after the spotlight falls on her she steps forward and smiles warmly, gesturing to the wide, open room around herself, then to the orchestra, and then to a solitary table with two seats off on the other side of the room, where a tuxedo'd waiter is now lighting a single candle.
"Merry Christmas, Takashi-kun," she says in a happy but soft voice, walking up to him slowly. "This ball is for the two of us, just you and me. This time no one will interrupt us, and we can dance together as long as we like." As she moves closer a faint blush touches her cheeks, stopping at arms length and holding her hand out to him in invitation, "You look very handsome, Takashi-kun."
Takashi is... awe-struck. For the second time this Christmas day, he has been rendered speechless. The door closes behind him, somehow - he does it out of habit - and he looks at Madoka Kaname - he hears the words she says - and it takes him a rather long time to actually process this.
When he does finally find the words, when he finds himself again, he's still staring at Madoka in front of him. The spotlight helps, but Takashi frankly couldn't see anything else anyways at this moment.
"Wow." is the first thing his mind comes to. Then he blinks, and it's like he's getting control of himself again. "Madoka-chan, you look amazing." he says, taking her hand. "This is all amazing. And you chided me for the trouble I went to for my gift?" he asks with a smile and a wink, getting some part of himself back after his brain underwent what could only be described as a hard reboot.
"I don't even know what to say." he says, as he pulls her to him and begins to dance. "You're the only person who can do that so consistently, Madoka-chan."
In another situation the awe-struck silence might make Madoka worry that her gift was shockingly bad. Right now it's the furthest thing from her mind, and as he fails to respond right away it only causes her smile to grow. She's absolutely certain this is something he would enjoy.
The compliment draws another little dash of color to her cheeks, "Thank you, Takashi-kun." As he teases her about the extravagance of this gift, which if added up is likely costs somewhat close to what the necklace she's wearing did, she lets out a soft giggle. "It wasn't the trouble you went to, silly."
She doesn't elaborate further as she's pulled closer, stepping in herself and starting to move to the music. Her head tilts upwards so she can look into his eyes. Even if the spotlight wasn't on them as they dance it makes her feel like she's at the center of the world. "Say you're happy to be alone here with me," she offers with a small smile. They aren't truly alone, not with the live orchestra or others quietly working behind the scenes, but to Madoka they may as well be nonexistent in their importance compared to the boy she's dancing with.
Takashi just smiles. He smiles for a while before he responds, before he says anything. It's like he has to census his own feelings - which is true. Because he does. Because saying things like this, and meaning them, are not common to him. It would be one thing to lie. But it is another thing entirely to speak the truth about such emotions.
"I am so happy to be alone here with you." he says, looking down into her eyes. "I am so very happy." he reiterates, almost forcefully. As the dance, he keeps looking into her eyes. If they were less coordinated, less in step with each other, this might spell disaster, but it doesn't.
"I know a lot of people seem to be wary of me. Of us being together." he says, whispering quietly. "And they're probably right, in some ways. But being with you makes me happy. And I think being with me makes you happy, or I'd like to believe that. Since you went through all this trouble, I'd hope I'm right." he adds with a smile.
It doesn't bother Madoka that it takes him time to think about what to say. Time is something they have plenty of tonight- she's made sure of that. If he's being careful to think over his emotions to be honest with her? All the better.
"I'm happy too," she replies, his green eyes reflected in the pink of her own.
She moves both in time with the music but also in tune with his leading, stepping this way or that at his prompting, ready to turn, sweep across the floor, or be spun. The dance floor is enormous, a playground for them to enjoy, worthy of both being entirely used up in audacious motion or for the young couple, for that is what they are, to hide together, alone in one spot of it's vastness.
"That's because they haven't seen the side of you that I have," the girl whispers in response. Are they right to be wary? She considers that a moment while responding to his next words. "I'm very happy when I get to spend time with you, Takashi-kun. You make me feel wonderful, and warm... and special." That last word is almost cooed, and she steps closer to hug against him lightly as they dance.
"That's why, even if people are wary- even if we're wary ourselves, that I think this is worth it, Takashi-kun. Because we make each other feel so good and happy. You've always been good to me. You've never been mean to me, or cross with me." She thinks that means she's bringing out the best in him- she's not so naive as to not heard the rumors about him that don't pertain to her.
Her eyes shine for a moment, sparkling in the spotlight, "So I'm here, with you, Takashi-kun! Even if my friends, or my family worry. You make me happy! And so even if they are right? I'm going to try and make things work, because I always think it's best to be hopeful take that risk, when the reward for being right is so high!" By the way she says it the reward she's talking about is this moment right now, and the way she feels in it.
Takashi considers. The side that Madoka has seen of him is different than the side that most people see. He's still trying to come to terms with why he's so different around her - why she takes him away from the world of power and science and makes him act in a way that, to him, is odd.
The truth that he's come to, though, is that it doesn't matter. It wouldn't be right, power or not, for him to argue against that, to pretend he didn't feel this way. If he's going to get everything he strives for, that should include the warmth, the happiness he gets from moments like this, shouldn't it?
He even says as much to her. "I think... it's hard for other people to understand that I'm different with you than I am with them." he says, quietly. "It's hard for me to understand in a way, too. That's why I kept telling you that you're special. Because you are. Just the way I behave shows it and proves it."
"Both your mother and Akemi looked down on that in different ways - that it seemed hollow. I'm sorry if it does. I don't know what I'm supposed to say. I spend a lot of time trying to find the right words to say to you. Because I'm afraid of ruining this all by saying the wrong thing. A lot of people don't like me. I want you to like me. I really care about what you think."
Takashi cares so much as to hide a great part of himself from her, because he knows she wouldn't like what she saw.
Madoka is the opposite. She's very much herself when she's around Takashi and being happy, as she usually is in his presence, if anything makes her act more herself and true to her feelings. From time to time she may hide or dampen her emotions, but trying to truly put up a false front or lie has always left her appearing extremely transparent.
"When you're with me you don't have to try to impress me. You don't have to prove you're better, because you don't have to compete with me for anything. You just have to be you; I already know how wonderful you can be," she tells him with a soft smile, her explanation for why he acts so differently around her than she does around others.
Madoka's head shakes, her hair gently brushing against her shoulders as it does(that almost catches her by surprise, so uncommon does she wear it like this!). "It doesn't seem hollow to me. But I don't think they can understand what you mean when you say that, because they don't feel it like you do when you say it, or like I do when I hear it. Or the way I feel, just by being near you."
His last word draw a giggle from her and she reaches up to touch her fingers against his face, "I do like you, Takashi-kun. I like you very much!"
Some of the things Madoka is saying make sense to Takashi - but not all of them. He shakes his head softly. "Well, I also want to do even more when I'm around you. I want to become even more." he says, smiling a bit.
"I might not be trying to impress you directly, but... you make me aspire to things I wouldn't have otherwise, I think. You make me want to succeed at my research. I want to..."
Takashi pauses. He might be getting a little too aggressive here, so he changes the tone slightly. It's not /exactly a lie/."I want to make the world a better place, and I want to have the power to do it. I want to have the strength to protect you from everything, and to give you, and give me, everything we deserve."
"But... I'm so glad to hear you understand what I mean when I say you're special." he says, putting an arm around her and holding her tight to him, especially as she touches his face. "I don't think there's anyone I like more than you, Madoka-chan."
Madoka smiles happily, dancing slowly with him pressing close as he holds her tight. That draws a happy sigh from her, and the arm she has about him gives a squeeze as well. His words make her blush warmly, her eyes sparkling even more. "I'm so happy when I hear you say things like that, Takashi-kun. Sometimes I worry that maybe I don't make you feel as wonderful as you do for me, but when you say that I realize I was juts being worried for nothing."
Even being given wonderful gifts, being told she makes him happy and that she's special, even with all that she still worries sometimes. But this isn't anything bad or dangerous- it's normal teenaged romantic anxiety.
"Being around me makes you want to be a better person," she comments with slowly widening eyes. It's not quite what he said, but it's exactly the way she takes it. "That... might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, Takashi-kun..."
Takashi smiles as Madoka takes some of the things he said in the way that makes them more positive to her. He smiles at that - and at the warmth in her eyes when she considers them that way. It might not be what he meant either.... but she's so happy. They're so happy. The happiness has to count for something. Even if it's not the complete truth.
"I... sometimes still don't know if I'm doing everything right." he says, looking into her eyes. "But I really want to, and I really want to make you happy. And... maybe I've been screwing up from the start since I tried to kiss you, but I don't feel like it. And since you don't seem to think so... maybe I should stop worrying about it." he says, holding her, twirling her away and pulling her back to him.
Amidst all of the close talking and honesty, in this shared room, the two of them are also dancing rather well! They'd be the talk of the school if anyone could see them.
"You don't have to do everything right," she responds with a small shake of her head. "It's more important that you're trying, and that you want to do the right things than whether or not you actually get them perfect." Madoka smiles happily to him, and has to remind herself that they're dancing together, otherwise she'd just hug herself against Takashi. "Wanting to make me happy is the most important," she offers quietly. Then with a giggle she adds, "Just being around you is what makes me the happiest, and hearing you say nice things about me..." A tiny shake of her head, "It's not the things you give me... though I like them and appreciate them very much!" A brighter smile, "And I love Teddyashi!" There's a playful tone to her voice as she speaks about the bear, which seems to enhance rather than weaken the statement.
She spins away from him on cue, leaning away and holding her arm out before twirling back in and nestling up against him even closer than before. For a brief moment she 'leads', just to dance in a quick little spinning circle because of how happy she is. Then her eyes glance around the wide open room, and to the lone table. "I, um, rented all this until morning, and the band will play as long as we're here. There's a candlelight dinner for just us when you're ready." Her cheeks turn very slightly pink as she finishes, "We can dance together until the sun comes up, if you'd like to stay with me that long."
He grins. "I'm glad you liked him. I wasn't sure if it was too much or not." he admits. "But I figured it was better to go too much than not enough. Kind of like your necklace." he adds. "I really do think it's you. The fact that you think it's too much is kind of cute though." he adds, smirking a bit and moving his hand from her shoulder to run through her hair once.
"You're always... you sell yourself short, Madoka-chan. You're amazing - if not to anyone else, than surely to me. That necklace? It suits the you that I see. Even if that's not what you see in the mirror, it's what I see when I look at you."
"And I guess that, in a little way, Teddyashi is closer to what you see in me than other people do." he adds with a laugh.
Then he looks into her eyes, leaning down just a smidge. "I'd like to stay with you at least that long. Is that something you'd like? Or will your mother come and hunt me down? I get the feeling she is at least a little protective of you." he says with a wink - and then dips her at an appropriate point in the song.
A quick headshake, "He's not too much, he's wonderful! I hug him and cuddle him all the time, and he has a special place by my bed so he can protect me while I sleep!" She laughs a little, knowing that might sound silly and childish, but her love of stuffed animals is too much a part of herself to hide from someone she's become so close to.
Her eyes close for a brief moment as his fingers run through her hair, and she sighs happily before replying about the necklace. "I really like it, and I think it suits me too- I do!" She opens her eyes and smiles, stepping just the tiniest bit away, "I just think it's best suited to making me look extra pretty on special occasions, like right now!"
Madoka can't deny that she doesn't see the amazing things in herself that other people do- or that she sees in other people. But in these last few months it's started mattering to her a lot less than it used to. And being able to help others, and make people want to make more of themselves just by being around her, as Takashi just said about himself, that makes her think maybe there is something a little special about herself. "You make me feel like I'm amazing," she replies in a soft whisper.
She laughs again happily as he talks about Teddyashi again, "I wish I could make everybody see in you what I see." She also wishes that he could act as nicely to everyone else as he does to her- that would go a long way for improving him in everyone else's eyes. But she keeps that part to herself.
"I'd like that very much," Madoka replies in a whisper, only to giggle and shake her head. "Nope! She won't hunt you down; she knows where I am." Upon a moment of reflection she admits with a wink of her own, "she helped me put all of this together." And bankrolled it- it's not like Madoka has a high paying job like Takashi!
She leans back while she's dipped, following his lead into just how far back she should go, making an effort to look pretty and elegant before she's lifted back up. Once they're close enough for whispering again she quietly says, "I feel like I could dance like this with you forever, Takashi-kun."
Takashi smiles a bit. "I'm really glad you like him. It means I was able to pick something you liked, even when I was second guessing myself." Takashi actually doesn't have a lot of concern for her love for stuffed animals - he lacks any grounding to consider it odd.
"I'm... really..." he trails off. There are still some things he can't tell her, even when somehow he has an instinct to be more truthful with her. So rather than finish his thought, he just recovers with "really happy right now."
"They might never see it. I'm pretty sure Akemi-san will never like me." he says, shrugging a bit. "But I've learned to weather her" his voice drops low and dramatic "glare of dissaproval" he says with a grin.
"And it's nice to hear your mother doesn't completly hate me, I guess. She's even better at the glare than Akemi-san is." he adds, smiling. Madoka is dipped once more, and this time, when she comes up, Takashi is much closer than he was - in fact, the only time they were getting this close before now, there was a sudden Akemi Interruption...
Madoka tilts her head at the pause, only to smile brightly when he finishes his thought. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, Takashi-kun! I put a lot of thought into trying to think what you'd enjoy most." She blushes and peeks down at herself, self-consciously brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear(it feels so strange to have to do that!). "E-especially trying to think what you'd like to see me wearing. Did I do okay?" she asks. "I couldn't think how to ask what kind of dresses you like without giving it away." And she honestly doesn't know anyone to ask about that. ...which is a bit odd, actually.
The mood is temporarily dulled by the mention of her friend likely never coming around to liking him. Wanting everyone got get along is either one of her greatest strengths or greatest weaknesses, depending on who you ask. "Even so, I wish they could. Because I see things in you that nobody else gets to. Maybe that just means I'm lucky..."
The comment about weathering the glares of Homura and her mother does draw another giggle from her. She can see how they'd be rather scary- she was once frightened by Homura's herself, even when the glares weren't intentional.
She's dipped, dropping low to the ground again, the pink haired girl feeling entirely safe and not worried a whit about potentially being dropped. And then she's pulled back up and held closely. Her eyes meet his and her heart flutters and beats faster, putting a delicate blush on her cheeks. For a short moment she gazes into his eyes, only to close her own.
It's a perfect moment of happy closeness should they just continue dancing.
It's also a perfect moment for the two of them surrounded by the music of the orchestra and with a spotlight on them as they dance, and yet feeling completely alone.
There really are no interruptions coming, tonight.
"You look beautiful, Madoka-chan." he says without missing a beat when she talks about her outfit. "Absolutly amazing."
Takashi looks into her eyes again. "Well, I for one, think you're very, very lucky. You have me, after all." he says. This is actually said with a smile and more joking than pride. There's still a /little/ pride in him, but this is more meant to be endearing, at least.
And then she's there, so close, and he can see that blush on her cheeks. He can almost /feel/ that blush on her cheeks. The spotlight's on them. The orchestra is playing. And truly, they're alone.
And Takashi keeps his hand on the back of her head, and pulls her closer to him as he leans in to kiss her. In the unlikely event she squirms, he'll let go, but he doesn't think he's misjudging this time.
Of course, Takashi doesn't think he was misjudging the last time. Or ever, really.
"Thank you, Takashi-kun! You... look really amazing too." There's a shyness in the way she peeks over him after her compliment. He really does look dashing! This night is turning out to be even more wonderful than she imagined it might be.
Then he tells her she's lucky because she has him, and she giggles while nodding, "That must be right! My boyfriend is a genius who got the highest test scores, already has a well paying job before he's even out of school, is super handsome, and has a really cute girlfriend!" This time she playfully matches his teasing pride, though the rest of the compliments were heartfelt. It sometimes amazes her someone with so much going for him would choose her, but he's already said so much about that tonight that she doesn't think about it this time.
When he leans closer he really can feel the blush on her cheeks, because they warm all the more as the distance between them closes. The last time she wasn't ready; she didn't know him very well, and that warm excitement fluttering in her chest was so new as to be overwhelming.
But now she's become used to it, she's learned more about him, and has decided to date him despite the protests of her friends after hearing them out. She is ready this time, she tells herself.
So when Takashi leans into kiss her Madoka doesn't squirm, her only movements the careful swaying and stepping of their continued dance. His lips find hers soft and waiting as they move in time to the music, and upon first touch the kiss is sweetly but eagerly returned, her arms wrapping gently around his neck.
The music doesn't swell, doesn't rise to a crescendo. But upon receiving and returning her first kiss Madoka could swear that it does.