oh, look, another fic =D

[kriszeth]

tittle: love is as simple as flowers
fandom: nobuta wo produce
pairing: nobuta/akira, shuuji/mariko (companion)
length: 2371

Sometimes, when Akira feels too restless to lie still and too awake to fall asleep, he gets up from his bed, stretching out the sheets neatly so Shuuji doesn't lecture him about not doing his bed. Again. He dresses quietly as to not wake Shuuji in the room next to him, takes his satchel and heads for the door.

The sky is still dark and the wind is fresh on his face as he pedals with gusto, sometimes letting go of the handlebars of his old bicycle with a carefree laugh and extending them, as if to embrance something untangible, and closes his eyes, just for a moment, least he loses his balance and falls.

(Nobuta, Akira remembers, laughs with him and holds tightly to his waist everytime he lets go of the handlebars while Shuuji shouts at them to Stop! Do you want to get Nobuta killed? and then making Nobuta get on the carrier of his own bicycle and Akira to pout as he follows them, though his pout lasts only till Nobuta glances back and bestows him with a grin)

He reaches the field near the riverbank where Nobuta and he picked those grass-type thinguies for the haunted house back in high school, letting himself fall on his back to move his arms and legs, trying to make a snow angel (like the one Nobuta made last winter), only that is summer and snow would melt, so  maybe he's making a grass angel? When he gets tired of flailing (is that even possible?), Akira looks up into the sky and here, a little way away from buildings and city fumes, he can see stars. Kind of. Though maybe those blinking lights are planes passing by...

(Nobuta, he knows, loves stars)

Akira doesn't know much of constellations (he took astronomy in his first semester at Todai on a whim and royally failed the subject), so he creates his own. They're easier to remember, too. Like Nobuta Power, Chunyuu! or The Empty Bottle of Mamechichi and let's not forget Fringe Fountain. He's in the middle of naming a new one when he falls asleep.

(Nobuta, he dreams, is beside him, looking up into a starry sky, christening the Kon! constellation)

The sunshine in his closed eyelids is what wakes him up, his skin sticky and a little perspiration in his frown, he rubs his eyes with a fist and yawns as he gets up, the morning dew only making the humid weather bearable, though it won't last long. He tries to focus his gaze into his watch, a curse on his lips as he finally notices the hour as he mounts his bicycle again, barely remembering to pick up his satchel as he pedals away.

Shuuji is going to kill him. Or maim him. Or, at the very least, yell at him. Again. Akira would sigh resigned if he didn't need his breath so much.

(Nobuta, he thinks, may be worried)

Nobuta, Shuuji and Mariko are waiting for him in the entrance of the auditorium as he sprints through the hall. Shuuji's cellphone is pressed in a white knuckled grip to his ear, a deep frown marring his sharp features (his own cell, Akira suddenly remembers, is still on his bedside table, probably ringing non-stop); it vanishes once he catches sight of him running towards them, but it appears again when Shuuji takes a proprer look at the disheveled state of his friend.

Mariko hides a smile behind her hand demurely and Nobuta is laughing at him with crinkled, dancing brown eyes full of mirth. Akira doesn't know why they do so, but he grins back.

"Just what did you get yourself into this time?" Shuuji grumbles, and though it sounds irritated (his eyebrow raised like when Akira has used up all of Shuuji's patience), his mouth twitches suspiciously, so Akira doesn't take it at face value (not as if he would, even if Shuuji were really annoyed).

Instead, Akira blinks owlishly back, not comprehending what Shuuji is talking about. And because he knows that makes him look cute and most often than not saves him from a lecture.

Nobuta steps close to him, standing up on her toes to reach a hand out and pet his hair, Akira bents down a little to make it easier for her, their eyes at the same level now, though Nobuta is staring at the crown of his head. Up close, Nobuta is as beautiful as always and for a moment as Akira tries to imprint the little pout on her mouth and the tiny button nose and the warm of her eyes, he forgets how to breath until Kon reminds him.

"Akira, breath!" it orders in english and Mariko laughs into Shuuji's shoulder, freezing him into place. It makes Akira giggle, though it's short lived, once Nobuta smiles warmly, his face flares up.

"Serves you right" Shuuji says meanly, only that it still sounds embarrased, but then he takes Mariko's hand in his own and tugs her lightly into the room. Mariko smiles one of her own brand of smiles that make the blush on Shuuji's cheeks look like tomatoes.

(Girls, Akira sometimes muses, are evil-but-not-really-only-sometimes-but-mostly-cute masterminds, with the only purpose to make men look like fumbling spaz cases)

Nobuta continues her petting, only that she's not petting his hair, but trying to get all these little flowers out of his hair, letting them fall into his open palm and then entering the lecture hall by herself.

(Nobuta likes flowers, Akira remembers, specially the little ones)

Akira follows her only when his teacher shouts for him to "Get inside and take your damn seat, punk!"

His English teacher has a dirty mouth and a chain smoking vice he's trying to give up chewing on the stick of a long gone lollipop, but he's also young and blond and has blue eyes, so his class is always full, even if most of the girls don't pay attention to what he says.

Akira spends the best part of class arrangig artistically the little flowers Nobuta took from his hair in the little plastic case he keeps his contact lens in, tongue poking at the side of his mouth in complete abstraction while Nobuta takes notes for the both of them.

Shuuji and Mariko, seated in the row in front of them, hold hands under the table, even if it's kind of hard to take notes, though somehow they manage.

When the bell to signal the end of class rings, the teacher is the first one out the hall, mumbling curses under his breath about juvenile punks who don't pay attention. Shuuji finally lets go of Mariko's hand to strecth a little and get up, helping his girlfriend out of her chair as a gentleman would.

Nobuta rises to her feet before Akira, patiently waiting for him to finish what he is doing, still hunched over his desk. Akira looks critically over his masterpiece, closing the lid to preserve the figurine he's spent the last couple of hours in making and grins up to Nobuta, who smiles softly while Shuuji and Mariko whisper sweet nothings into each others ears, all smiles and soft laugther, as if trying to get back their los highschool years.

Sometimes, when Nobuta's stare lingers on Shuuji and Mariko, Akira doesn't know what to make of it. Sometimes, he wonders if Nobuta is with him because Shuuji chose Mariko over her, a photo imprinted into his memories no matter how long ago was taken and buried. Sometimes, Akira hates himself for thinking like this and makes an effort to distract himself.

"Kon is huuuuuuuungry" Akira whines.

"Feed me!" Kon demands in english.

Nobuta giggles quietly, her gaze lighting up with warm and amusement and Akira's heart goes doki-doki.

"Well, we could have reached the cafeteria by now if you weren't wasting time" Shuuji grumbles from the door with a roll of his eyes, but Akira knows his grouchiness is only because of hunger.

 

 

*****

 

 

As every Monday after the only class the four of them have together, Mariko and Nobuta save seats while the boys line up to get the food. The table they always choose is the one in the corner, next to the sliding door that let's you go out into the lawn, from where you can watch couples and students having lunch or just taking a nap.

(Akira likes to lie down on the grass, Nobuta remembers, to put his head on her lap and close his eyes while she pets him)

Sometimes, Mariko makes a big bento and they have a little picnic outside under some tree, but even in the shadow, right now the hot humid weather is, well, hot (it's summer after all) and the air conditioned place added to what little breeze coming their way just about makes it bearable.

(Akira prefers the salty breeze coming from the sea, Nobuta knows, the feel of the sand in between his toes and the waves lapping at his ankles. It's summer after all)

"Your order, miss" Shuuji smiles winsome when he reaches the table, looking like a waiter from one of those expensive restaurants in Ginza, depositing the platters with Mariko's and his lunch with ease while Akira is several paces behind trying not to trip over his own feet. Shuuji rolls his eyes and goes back to help.

(Akira, Nobuta sees, refuses to let go of the platter with her lunch, but is all too happy to let Shuuji carry Akira's lunch though the platter is double sized)

They talk and laugh and feel giddy and young until Shuuji's cellphone rings the alarm to his next class. The four of them get up and Mariko and Nobuta walk the boys to the business building, since they still have time till their next class.

Nobuta takes some shoots of Mariko and Shuuji holding hands while they walk in front, happy and easy go lucky. Soon, it'll be a year since they began to date and Nouta is planning on making a collage of the evolution in their relationship. It's so different to the picture they made in highschool and even when they still are the pertect couple, their connection is so much deeper and real now.

(Akira, Nobuta remember fondly, asked her out just last week, eventhough she had been waiting for his confession since he came back with Shuuji from Kyushuu after graduation.

Finally! Shuuji had shouted, Mariko at his side clapping happily while the point of Akira's ears were tinted in red and Nobuta couldn't look at anything beside the floor)

Nobuta's smile is small and wishful and she wonders if that is how Akira and herself look to outsiders. She can only hope so. She's a little surprised when something pulls gently at the sleeve of his blouse and looks at Akira, who is pointedly not looking at her, a shy blush painting his cheeks.

Nobuta takes a picture of him, just because, before letting her camera dangle from her neck and taking his large hand. Nobuta likes how Akira's hand envelopes over her own smaller one, the warm of his palm inviting and she walks a little closer to him.

(Akira smells like earth and grass, Nobuta inhales deeply, something woody and fresh and summer and unique)

They stop in front of the boy's classroom, the seats inside beginning to fill rapidly while the four of them stall outside, not wanting to bid farewell eventhough they have a date to go to karaoke in the evening. Some of the students stare at them and Shuuji glares while passing a possesive arm over Mariko's waist, Nobuta giggles again and takes another picture of them. Mariko puts up her customary victory sign and her smile is lovely. Nobuta wonders if she has ever smiled like that.

"We'd better go in if we want to find good seats" Shuuji reluctantly says and Mariko gives him a kiss on the cheek, knowing Shuuji doesn't really like big gestures of affection, specially in public. "call you after classes are over?"

Mariko nods takes a look at her wristwatch before detaching herself from Shuuji who nods back, hands still lingering in each other palms."I'd better go if I don't want to be late to class. See you later Nobuko, Kusano-kun!"

She waves cheerfully while taking down the hallway towards the nearest exit.

"Mouuuu, I told you already" Akira says to her back. "A-KI-RA!"

Her laugh tinkles in the hall like wind chimes and Shuuji's stare lingers on her dissapearing form, before looking back at Nobuta. "Free period?" he asks.

Nobuta nods. "Until 1:30"

Shuuji looks at the hour in his phone before nodding too. "Library?"

"Un"

"Well, see you tonight then. Don't forget, six o'clock" he smiles warmly at her, claps Akira on the shoulder and enters his classroom to look for free seats. Akira fidgets on his place while Nobuta spies the approaching figure of the lecturer.

"Here" Akira blurts, a case shoved next to her face.

Nobuta blinks.

Isn't that Akira's contact lens' case? Nobuta takes a hold of it before Akira's trembling hand lets it fall. She smiles when she notices the lettering in mini-flowers and white petals. Is this what he was doing during english class?

"Do you like it?" Akira asks and is pleasantly surprised when Nobuta stans up on tiptoes to reach out and cup his face in her (so gentle looking) hands, she waits for him to focuse on her and only her before kissing him soundly on the mouth. It’s just a short and simple kiss, soft and more like a peck but their lips linger against each other when Nobuta pulls back.

(Akira, Nobuta is glad, is not privvy to public displays of affection, and she clungs tighter to him when Akira encircles her waist and pulls her close, his chin finding the perfect knook on the concave where her neck meets her shoulder)

Nobuta likes flowers, especially little ones. That's a known fact.

But Nobuta loves Akira. It's as simple as that.

 

 

*****

 

 

"I love you too" her whisper is drowned by the hoots and catcalls inside the classroom, but all that Akira can hear is Nobuta's voice.

 

Comments

[ceathair.livejournal.com]

Kris, I really like you and I like your stories, but can you use a lj-cut for things that are longer than a paragraph? It's a bit annoying when I am in a hurry and want to read fast my lj friends's page and I need to scroll down and down and again. Usually it's conisdered not polite to post really long things on LJ without a lj-cut. I'm not sure if you knew that, so that's why I'm pointing it out to you.

I liked seeing a Nobuta fic again!

[kriszeth.livejournal.com]

.... didn't i use one? i'm sorry, i'll edit now. fuck, i knew something was amiss

[ceathair.livejournal.com]

It's okay! LJ has some troubles sometimes to do it properly. I myself triple check just in case!