A/N: I really don't remember writing this. Oh I remember the time I wrote this, sure (it was nearing 2am when I had a sudden bout of inspiration), but I don't remember why I chose this theme, or what I thought when writing this. But I do love it, and hope you enjoy the entrance into my hopeful return!

Title: Leading to This
Pairing: Nodame/Chiaki
Theme: #13 - Excessive Chain
Rating: K+
Summary: Chiaki realizes the strength of their chain in the span of one day.
Disclaimer: Nodame Cantabile and its characters do not belong to me.

Leading to This

It incidentally happened as they were both caught in the rush of morning hectic, he hastily drawing together strewn scores (how did they end up all over his floor?) while buttoning his shirt, and she packing last night's dinner into some semblance of a lunch meal while singing brightly despite already missing the first train to school.

As he tucked loose sheets into their respective folders he quickly but furtively glanced at the kitchen to make sure nothing was on that could potentially leave him with no home. Nodame had finished making her lunch and was now near him grabbing her bag and jacket. He had insisted that she didn't stay over last night since she had school in the morning, but Nodame had only smiled cheerfully and drew a dress from the corner of his closet. He didn't even have time to iron it this morning and the wrinkled cotton swished in front of him as Nodame hurried him to leave.

He almost forgot to lock his door and they ran down the stairs and into the dewy smell of the warm morning air.

They crossed the street but before Nodame turned from him and skipped toward the station he quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips into hers, pleasantly surprised at the strong taste of mint. He left her standing there with a growing smile on her face and though he hadn't intended on kissing her at all, his lips remained warm with the remembrance of the weight of hers for the rest of the morning.

Nodame didn't ask to meet him for lunch. He released the orchestra for a long lunch break and at the insistence of the first chair violinist took one as well. His eyes burned with lines of notes and his fingers were still curled around the indent of his baton. Chiaki pushed his rolled shirtsleeves up as he walked to the small room that provided privacy suitable to be his office.

He heard Nodame before he saw her and couldn't stop the smile. He stopped walking and looked up in time to catch her as she launched her body onto his, curving the hard and soft angles of her frame into his. He couldn't deny the relief of her presence and dimly realized that he was actually happy to see her.

When Nodame kissed him, pushing both their weights backwards against the wall, the emptiness shrouding him slowly filled in time with the needy press of his fingers against her back and the ardent pressure of her lips on his.

They shared last night's dinner and he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Chiaki came home early that night and used that extra time to make a dinner he was sure Nodame would delight over. He brought out the good wine and hummed a new arrangement of the new piece, taking note of the changes. He couldn't bother with work tonight.

By the time the candle melted one fourth of the way down and the food threatened to go cold Chiaki allowed his worry to manifest, the crawling questions of Nodame's whereabouts taking over his nonchalance. The implication that he wasn't used to not having Nodame over gave him a fright at what it meant to him and their relationship, but the fear of growing commitment quickly ebbed into the fear of the unknown with each minute Nodame didn't come barreling through his door.

He found her outside his apartment complex tucked into a ball on a bench with her coat draped more over the ground than her bare legs. The affection swelled in his chest and he let it fill his heart as he picked Nodame up and carefully brought her up to his apartment. Her slow breathing alluded to the deepness of her sleep and he laid her on his bed.

Scores peeked out from her bag when he moved them to the table and he felt pride at Nodame's consistent hard work at her talent and somewhere underneath was the concern of how hard she's been working.

She sprawled out on the bed and Chiaki chuckled at her refusal to let go of her childlike appeal. He brushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead, silently whispering for her to keep having good dreams so she'd keep him grounded.

He ate dinner alone and ended up working on the arrangement. He fell asleep on the couch but didn't mind having the light floral scent of Nodame permeate his bed.

Chiaki stirred when he felt someone shake him from sleep. He blinked into the darkness and only saw the line of Nodame's arm in his vision. Her face was shaded in the creeping hues of dawn and her soft smile edged away his sleepiness.

They didn't say anything as he let her pull him to his room, and they stepped over pages of scores on their way. When he stretched onto the softness of his bed (he needed to buy a new couch) he could smell Nodame in the threads of his pillow and the lightness of her scent had his heart jumping. She still stood by the bed so he took her hand and pulled her down to him, letting her settle between his chest and his arms. The weight of her head in the crook of his neck and the gentle press of her hand against his chest felt only natural and he chided himself with not having her warmth with him nightly.

His lips found hers in the dark as his hand found her pulse. Nodame sighed into his mouth and he brought her closer, fitting her body to match her sensitive points to his. The culmination of kisses today led to this and he decided that he could do this everyday, as long as it was with her.