31_days prompts [various fandoms]
Em (fsop) and I were giving each other old 31_days prompts to write short drabbles for. I have some old ones posted up here and Em's can be found here and here.
Beneath the cut: Two Ace wo Nerae drabbles, two Nobuta wo Produce, and one Gokusen.
Fandom: Ace wo Nerae
Characters: Midorikawa, Oka, Ryuzaki
Prompt:2 July 2007: Some girls spit fire.
Midorikawa stares at Oka from across the courts and knows that she should not be playing this girl, not when it's Ryuzaki she wants to play. Even if this girl is the one who her brother thinks will be his star, Midorikawa doesn't care. It's Ryuzaki who she wants to play, Ryuzaki who she aches to defeat.
Her eyes move from Oka, standing there so unsure and nervous, to Ryuzaki, and she smiles. There's an edge in her smile that deepens when Ryuzaki turns her attention toward Midorikawa, as though feeling the weight of her gaze.
Ryuzaki returns the smile, although it is a polite mockery of a smile, cold and edged with ice. The ice princess, Midorikawa thinks, but that's okay. Because she burns with fire and ice stands no chance.
*
Fandom: Gokusen
Characters: Yankumi, 3-D class
Prompts: 10 April 2006: We used to be friends, a long time ago and 30 December 2007. Idiots will be idiots
It's a trickle at first; one person walks in the door, looking around, and slips over to a booth. It's weird to watch them, Yankumi thinks, these boys who have grown into men who are no longer the terrible deliquents of the past. Just men now, tough and looking out of place among the salarymen, but men with all the same concerns.
It's quiet at first, the greetings and the talking, the boys shaking hands and catching up on things, but then the drnks start flowing and more people start wandering in, a few coming in groups. Not intentionally but accidently, meeting up outside and falling into conversation as they wander in.
Yankumi watches from her corner, fingers clutched tightly around her glass as she waits for the right moment. Not all of them are there, and as time goes on she feels kind of disappointed. It isn't until Kuma shows up, and Uchi, and Noda and Minami walk in together that she feels the disappointment start to dissapate. And when Shin shows up, late as always and eyes finding Yankumi's almost immediately, she knows this reunion was the best idea in the world.
*
Fandom: Nobuta wo Produce
Characters: Shuji, Mariko, Nobuta, Akira
Prompts: 2 February 2006: child found crying in the winter tree, 23 February 2007: three drops of blood, and 8 June 2007: for he that is not against us is for us
Shuji could kiss Mariko. Watching her act terrible just to help Nobuta - he'd always known he was treating her terribly, using her the way he was, but it never truly bothered him. And he knew what she was risking for this entire performance, a reputation that made her the most popular girl in their grade, but she didn't care.
For a moment, he wondered if he should tell her, about Nobuta. But that would mean risking more finding out about the plan and that was something he didn't want; not when so much hinged on the secrecy of their plans.
So he watched Mariko behave like something she wasn't, and watched her eat a terrible lunch she'd prepared, and later, when Nobuta refused to see the guy again, watched all of their hardwork - Mariko's work - fall to bits. It was the first time he truly felt bad for using Mariko so.
-
It wasn't the willow tree he would have the hardest time leaving; it was Akira and Nobuta, however much he didn't want to admit it. But when he visited the willow tree the morning before he left, alone and safe, just how he liked it, he couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that refused to leave.
It was the willow tree that brought them together, even if it wasn't what held them, and he couldn't help but feel a slight sting at having to leave. He reached out to touch it, snapped a small branch off the tree and tucked it into his bag, next to a clay pig figurine and a pig keychain and a notebook.
-
Akira suggested a visit to Tokyo on a random whim; the next afternoon, there was a helicopter waiting to take them to the city despite the distance and the cost (Shuji was sure it had to be pretty high) and Akira was grinning like a fool.
"It'll be Shuji and Nobuta and Akira all over again," he said, and laughed and launched himself out of the helicopter and toward the door leading down and out of the tower they'd landed on. "Shuji needs to hurry or else we'll miss Nobuta."
And without waiting, Akira grabbed his arm and dragged him down, away from the relative comfort of the helicopter and down into Tokyo again. Shuji was expecting to be lead to the school, but it was a different path Akira took, albeit one familiar: and Shuji wasn't surprised when they ended up in front of the willow tree.
Nobuta was there, with a smile; small and barely there, to anyone else's eyes, but Shuji saw it and he was sure Akira did too. And he noticed when Nobuta glanced out of the corner of her eye to the left, where a figure stands, waiting patiently and out of the spotlight.
This is their time, the three of them bound by something indescribeable. Mariko understands.
*
Fandom: Ace wo Nerae
Characters: Ryuzaki, Midorikawa
Prompts: 23 January 2006. Lost in the supermarket and 28 November 2006. father figure
There had never been much of a need to do anything as common as going to a supermarket; the servants took care of all of that. Reika had driven past supermarkets, safe behind the windows of the chaffeured car, but had never been in one of them, never expected to be doing as something mundane as shopping for groceries.
Especially with a person she once considered her greatest rival.
Midorikawa still had faint shadows under her eyes and a look in her eyes themselves that dared anyone to ask about the shadows, and Ryuzaki was not about to take that dare.
"I hate the layout of this store," Midorikawa mutters and glares at Ryuzaki. "Why did you pick this one?"
Ryuzaki does not sigh. It would be unladylike and unseemly, and she settles for leveling a glare at Midorikawa. "Your shelves were bare and I simply told my driver to bring us to the closest store so we could get you food."
"I don't care about food," Midorikawa snaps, but picks up a basket without being told and marches off. Ryuzaki quickly follows, afraid to get too far behind her rival for fear of getting lost. And although she won't admit it, she wants to keep an eye on the other, make sure she does get something, and then goes home and eats. Ryuzaki hasn't lost anyone as important as Munakata was to Midorikawa, but she has lost something in the months that have gone by and thinks she might understand, just a little, the lost feelings that swirl in Ranko's eyes, behind that cover of strength.
*
Fandom: Nobuta wo Produce
Characters: Nobuta, Bando
Prompts: 17 September 2008. everybody knows that I hate you, except you and 21 October 2008. some assembly required
They will never be friends; Nobuta knows this as surely as the sun will shine every day. For them to be friends, something extreme would have to happen, even more than the confession and the flowers. That was simple, the explanation for why Bando dumped flowers on her, rather than water; Nobuta understood right away.
But she thinks Bando might not be so bad and that they might even have something that slightly resembles a friendship, in a very simple form. When Shuji and Akira are gone, and Nobuta feels the familiar pressure of being alone, the class feels overwhelming almost, until someone makes a joke and everyone laughs, and Bando walks past her desk, smacks her hand down, and glares at Nobuta.
"You should interview me for lunch one day," she says and flounces away before Nobuta can respond - not that she would - and the feeling in Nobuta's chest lightens just a little.
Maybe she isn't as alone as she thought.
Beneath the cut: Two Ace wo Nerae drabbles, two Nobuta wo Produce, and one Gokusen.
Fandom: Ace wo Nerae
Characters: Midorikawa, Oka, Ryuzaki
Prompt:2 July 2007: Some girls spit fire.
Midorikawa stares at Oka from across the courts and knows that she should not be playing this girl, not when it's Ryuzaki she wants to play. Even if this girl is the one who her brother thinks will be his star, Midorikawa doesn't care. It's Ryuzaki who she wants to play, Ryuzaki who she aches to defeat.
Her eyes move from Oka, standing there so unsure and nervous, to Ryuzaki, and she smiles. There's an edge in her smile that deepens when Ryuzaki turns her attention toward Midorikawa, as though feeling the weight of her gaze.
Ryuzaki returns the smile, although it is a polite mockery of a smile, cold and edged with ice. The ice princess, Midorikawa thinks, but that's okay. Because she burns with fire and ice stands no chance.
*
Fandom: Gokusen
Characters: Yankumi, 3-D class
Prompts: 10 April 2006: We used to be friends, a long time ago and 30 December 2007. Idiots will be idiots
It's a trickle at first; one person walks in the door, looking around, and slips over to a booth. It's weird to watch them, Yankumi thinks, these boys who have grown into men who are no longer the terrible deliquents of the past. Just men now, tough and looking out of place among the salarymen, but men with all the same concerns.
It's quiet at first, the greetings and the talking, the boys shaking hands and catching up on things, but then the drnks start flowing and more people start wandering in, a few coming in groups. Not intentionally but accidently, meeting up outside and falling into conversation as they wander in.
Yankumi watches from her corner, fingers clutched tightly around her glass as she waits for the right moment. Not all of them are there, and as time goes on she feels kind of disappointed. It isn't until Kuma shows up, and Uchi, and Noda and Minami walk in together that she feels the disappointment start to dissapate. And when Shin shows up, late as always and eyes finding Yankumi's almost immediately, she knows this reunion was the best idea in the world.
*
Fandom: Nobuta wo Produce
Characters: Shuji, Mariko, Nobuta, Akira
Prompts: 2 February 2006: child found crying in the winter tree, 23 February 2007: three drops of blood, and 8 June 2007: for he that is not against us is for us
Shuji could kiss Mariko. Watching her act terrible just to help Nobuta - he'd always known he was treating her terribly, using her the way he was, but it never truly bothered him. And he knew what she was risking for this entire performance, a reputation that made her the most popular girl in their grade, but she didn't care.
For a moment, he wondered if he should tell her, about Nobuta. But that would mean risking more finding out about the plan and that was something he didn't want; not when so much hinged on the secrecy of their plans.
So he watched Mariko behave like something she wasn't, and watched her eat a terrible lunch she'd prepared, and later, when Nobuta refused to see the guy again, watched all of their hardwork - Mariko's work - fall to bits. It was the first time he truly felt bad for using Mariko so.
-
It wasn't the willow tree he would have the hardest time leaving; it was Akira and Nobuta, however much he didn't want to admit it. But when he visited the willow tree the morning before he left, alone and safe, just how he liked it, he couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that refused to leave.
It was the willow tree that brought them together, even if it wasn't what held them, and he couldn't help but feel a slight sting at having to leave. He reached out to touch it, snapped a small branch off the tree and tucked it into his bag, next to a clay pig figurine and a pig keychain and a notebook.
-
Akira suggested a visit to Tokyo on a random whim; the next afternoon, there was a helicopter waiting to take them to the city despite the distance and the cost (Shuji was sure it had to be pretty high) and Akira was grinning like a fool.
"It'll be Shuji and Nobuta and Akira all over again," he said, and laughed and launched himself out of the helicopter and toward the door leading down and out of the tower they'd landed on. "Shuji needs to hurry or else we'll miss Nobuta."
And without waiting, Akira grabbed his arm and dragged him down, away from the relative comfort of the helicopter and down into Tokyo again. Shuji was expecting to be lead to the school, but it was a different path Akira took, albeit one familiar: and Shuji wasn't surprised when they ended up in front of the willow tree.
Nobuta was there, with a smile; small and barely there, to anyone else's eyes, but Shuji saw it and he was sure Akira did too. And he noticed when Nobuta glanced out of the corner of her eye to the left, where a figure stands, waiting patiently and out of the spotlight.
This is their time, the three of them bound by something indescribeable. Mariko understands.
*
Fandom: Ace wo Nerae
Characters: Ryuzaki, Midorikawa
Prompts: 23 January 2006. Lost in the supermarket and 28 November 2006. father figure
There had never been much of a need to do anything as common as going to a supermarket; the servants took care of all of that. Reika had driven past supermarkets, safe behind the windows of the chaffeured car, but had never been in one of them, never expected to be doing as something mundane as shopping for groceries.
Especially with a person she once considered her greatest rival.
Midorikawa still had faint shadows under her eyes and a look in her eyes themselves that dared anyone to ask about the shadows, and Ryuzaki was not about to take that dare.
"I hate the layout of this store," Midorikawa mutters and glares at Ryuzaki. "Why did you pick this one?"
Ryuzaki does not sigh. It would be unladylike and unseemly, and she settles for leveling a glare at Midorikawa. "Your shelves were bare and I simply told my driver to bring us to the closest store so we could get you food."
"I don't care about food," Midorikawa snaps, but picks up a basket without being told and marches off. Ryuzaki quickly follows, afraid to get too far behind her rival for fear of getting lost. And although she won't admit it, she wants to keep an eye on the other, make sure she does get something, and then goes home and eats. Ryuzaki hasn't lost anyone as important as Munakata was to Midorikawa, but she has lost something in the months that have gone by and thinks she might understand, just a little, the lost feelings that swirl in Ranko's eyes, behind that cover of strength.
*
Fandom: Nobuta wo Produce
Characters: Nobuta, Bando
Prompts: 17 September 2008. everybody knows that I hate you, except you and 21 October 2008. some assembly required
They will never be friends; Nobuta knows this as surely as the sun will shine every day. For them to be friends, something extreme would have to happen, even more than the confession and the flowers. That was simple, the explanation for why Bando dumped flowers on her, rather than water; Nobuta understood right away.
But she thinks Bando might not be so bad and that they might even have something that slightly resembles a friendship, in a very simple form. When Shuji and Akira are gone, and Nobuta feels the familiar pressure of being alone, the class feels overwhelming almost, until someone makes a joke and everyone laughs, and Bando walks past her desk, smacks her hand down, and glares at Nobuta.
"You should interview me for lunch one day," she says and flounces away before Nobuta can respond - not that she would - and the feeling in Nobuta's chest lightens just a little.
Maybe she isn't as alone as she thought.