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"Akira-chaaaan, hiii~!"
It's bemusing how something that once formed a ringing headache can be numbed down overtime. With the consistency of these visits, Akira was wondering if the loud and chipper voice would eventually become white noise to her. She didn't even look up at the sound of the student council office door banging against the wall, once as perfect as the school itself until a dent started to form to hold the doorknob from the impact.
She didn't even look up to know that Otsuki Aruru had just bounded into the room -- she'd given up a long time ago on interrogating the blonde on how she got in, she knew exactly how. Apparently climbing the Siegfeld gates was no trouble for the Frontier outsider, who seemed fit enough to let herself in and out of the school grounds. She's been to the school so often now that she knew her own way to the student council room -- to Akira.
Her eye was no longer twitching about it anymore, she couldn't even sigh about it. But she wouldn't give Otsuki Aruru the satisfaction of knowing that at this point, every time she broke into her space, Akira had to restrain the overwhelming urge to smile.
"It is 4:48 in the afternoon. You arrived earlier than usual, no one stopped you on your way over here?" Akira didn't look up from speaking, seemingly keeping all her attention on the files in front of her.
"Nope, I got a few hellos but I guess people have just got used to seeing me around here!" Aruru beamed straight at Akira, unknowing to her target, but Akira could feel her back warming up from the brightness Aruru seemed to bring with her the time.
Akira grunted in response, she wasn't too surprised. Over the course of the last couple of months, Aruru had started to make frequent visits to see Akira after meeting in...that place. It started with a couple of hollers outside the gates until Aruru was suddenly in the school and making herself very comfortable. With Akira.
The rest of the Edels didn't seem to bothered by the perky blonde. Meifan wasn't too unbothered, and according to her it was fun to gush about gacha games and toys with someone. Her partner Yachiyo seemed to find it hysterical however, always with a raised eyebrow and mischievous grin on her face when she saw Aruru practically cling to the stoic council president. She also seemed to take it as an opportunity to be more intimate with her girlfriend too, taking advantage of Akira's distraction to pull Meifan in for kisses and cuddles more with even less shame; not that the Chinese exchange student seemed to care, that long ponytail almost resembled a dog's tail as Yachiyo wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in...disgusting.
Shiori was quite content in having Aruru around as well, according to Michiru she was much calmer around Akira while Aruru was around, probably because their leader didn't seem so intimidating with a golden retriever wagging her tail at her, and Akira not having the strength to shove her away. Speaking of Michiru…
Michiru was not happy. She wasn't happy at all. She never voiced it too publically, or loudly, but Akira could tell. Small cracks in that wide smile, that small edge to her voice, the way she asked Aruru, "Haven't you got anything better to do?" and Aruru responded with no fault in her cheeriness. Akira wasn't quite sure why Michiru was so bothered by the bright blonde, but she was in no rush to find out why. They were partners, but if Michiru was going to insist on making sure that she doesn't intrude on personal business without the little squirrel's permission, then she can keep to themselves.
But now she was thinking about another blonde girl, specifically the one that had moved to the window and was looking out happily, watching everyone below as she bounced on the balls of her feet in a constant rhythm. It was incredible how content this girl looked sometimes, and how peculiar parts of her were; for instance the way her golden hair seemed to reflect off the sun, how her eyes seem to capture all the beauty the warmth can bring, having Akira seeing stars herself from the constellations in her wide and excitable gaze, and how none of it can compare to her smile, oh her smile-
Refusing to let herself indulge in her more concealed thoughts, Akira stood up and strode over to Aruru, and tried not to think too hard about how her smile widened when they were suddenly together. Despite Aruru being known to babble about anything and everything, she still had moments of silence, moments of peaceful silence with Akira. The soft beams of light from the now tanned sun shone through the window, and Akira once again had to stop herself from trying to get a perfect picture of Aruru's face.
"Have you finished with your work now, Akira-chan?"
"Yes. I have filled out all the papers I have been handed, I just need to submit them to Meifan, or...learn how to use the photocopier. But Michiru has banned me from using it since last time."
"Ah, I can show you how to use it if you like! It'd make me super happy to be of use to you!"
Akira allowed herself to smirk, "Perhaps next time, but for now it is better to take time off from work. Overworking does not improve sufficiency, and time off should be preserved. It is already evening, a break right now would be enjoyable enough."
Aruru hummed, slipping off into a small tune. She might be an amateur, but she had a melodic voice, and could hit notes without strain. It was nice for Akira to be guided by Aruru's natural tune, but maybe she let herself get swept away too easily as she felt a smooth and soft touch hold her hand, and on impulse allowed herself to be guided back into her desk chair by Aruru.
She was about to ask what the blonde was planning as she settled into her seat, but Aruru moved her hands onto Akira's shoulders, and looked at her in a particular way, as if asking for something. Akira knew what she wanted, of course she did at this point, and huffed slightly before moving her arms away from her lap and onto the chair's leather arms. Aruru giggled and shifted in excitement before she climbed into Akira's lap without delay. For some reason she had a fixation of letting herself get comfortable in the student council president's lap, and for the past couple of visits has managed to worm herself there. On her part, she never once forced anything, and...Akira never really said no anyway.
"...Are you comfortable like this?"
Aruru nodded her head animatedly, "Yeah, it makes me really happy to be this close to you, Akira-chan!" Did she somehow manage to squeeze herself closer? Whatever.
After a few moments, a knock resounded through the office before Tsuruhime Yachiyo had entered the room, with Meifan by her side.
"Pardon the intrusion but- ah." Yachiyo's eyes took in the image before her, and Akira's face only darkened as Yachiyo's seemed to shine in a way that made Akira want to shiver in disgust. "Ahh, sorry for intruding, Aruru-chan. May I talk to your Akira for a moment~?"
Aruru only shook her head with that never changing smile while not taking any notice of Akira's frown. Yachiyo paid no notice to her fellow student -- if it was anyone else Akira would be slightly miffed, and started informing the council president on some ideas the technical team had in mind for the festival, all while trying to be subtle in slowly reaching for Meifan's arm, Meifan who seemed fixated on the sight of Aruru in Akira's lap.
"And yeah, that's pretty much it from them. I'll let them know that you're okay with their plans tomorrow. Well then, I won't keep you from our visitor anymore, Michiru and Shiori have already left for the dorms so I'll just leave you two...to it." Yachiyo winked, and Akira for some reason wanted to blush at it. Which was childish, as Yachiyo wasn't implying anything...this time.
With a now firm grip on Meifan's arm, Yachiyo spun round on her heels and got a final glimpse at the pair in the office, giggling to herself as she left, pulling Meifan away from the office with her.
Meifan stumbled slightly before calling out, "It was nice to see you Aruru, let's play again on that game I showed you last time- gah! Yachiyo not too fast…!"
Aruru giggled at the couple as the couple left, listening to the sound of them walking away and a faint, "If you're so envious of them, hold me in your lap as well, babe" before they were left alone again.
---
They must have stayed there for a while, Aruru bumbling away about her classmates, some game Meifan was showing her, her favourite colour which was yellow and Akira knew it all too well; anything she could. She could go on for hours, and it didn't seem to matter much if Akira talked back, made comments or not. Sometimes they'd get swept away into long conversations, and one time Aruru shifted herself in Akira's lap so that their bodies were facing each other and wrapped her arms fully around Akira's neck, letting herself fall onto Akira's firm shoulder and nap, while all Akira could do was hold her. Looking back on it, that time was nice. Really, Aruru was nice, more than nice.
But this time she was talking and talking and taking breaks from talking before starting up and talking again; in Akira's lap. Akira wasn't talking this time, and instead looked up at the golden girl.
She was...an enigma. Akira isn't too sure what to think about her, how she should think about her. The first time they met, Akira had thought nothing of her really. She was an amateur, and didn't seem to be worth much of her time. But then, the way she fought, twirled, burst. It was the kind of talent that felt like an illusion, before reality hit you full force.
So perhaps that respect tied with why Akira was never really angry when Aruru first started climbing the gates. But even then, Otsuki Aruru was a nuisance. She got in the way in Akira's perspective, and she had resolved to not encourage her behaviour. But it turns out that even the sound of bitter silence was encouraging, as the Frontier student never went away. Once Akira had interrogated her, demanding to know why she was so insistent on accompanying her, what she wanted, what she was trying to recieve. Yet all she got in return was Aruru blinking up at her owlishly, before smiling a thousand suns and said, "I just want to be friends with you, Akira-chan!"
And that was when Aruru was not only shining onstage, but in reality, and Akira had the front row seats. But it wasn't like she minded at this point. Akira got used to her and everything she brought with her, sometimes it was even her friends.
This time however, the girl in her arms had brought only herself, and that was enough for Akira. An enigma indeed. Akira allowed her eyes to trail up the girl's body and focused on the smaller aspects of her. The way her right foot was flicking in a consistent rhythm, how her arms occasionally tightened around Akira's shoulders, the way her whole body swayed as she rocked herself slightly. Just then she had the urge to run her hands through those beautiful, beautiful locks and release the hair tied up in that fluffy ponytail. She's pondered it a few times, but that's fine, thoughts like that aren't too uncommon in individuals.
If was going to act on that thought though, it'd be intriguing to see the way those shiny hairclips sparkle in the light. She wonders if it'd be worth it though, because even though Aruru loves those little accessories, Akira thinks that's the stars in her eyes are as dazzling as a sea of constellations, and the way the galaxies seem to glow towards her when that shooting star of a person looks at her, it's awestrucking.
Truth be told, Akira had never started feeling this way about anyone, ever. Michiru tells her that it'd be foolish for her to get into relationships that are too intimate, relationships that could distract her from what really mattered. What really mattered? Perfection she supposes. Yukishiro Akira is the image of perfection of Siegfeld Institute of Music, a goddess placed upon a tower formed by followers. The teachers told her that, the students told her that, Michiru always told her that. And she tries to stick to that, but…
From the day they first met, Otsuki Aruru had never once treated her like she was perfect, she looked at Akira and saw an equal, not even that she saw a potential friend. Michiru seemed rather offended by that, even if Akira herself held no qualms to it. Rather she felt relieved for some reason? Aruru was the epitome of trust and honesty, and for some reason she was more than happy to be with Akira.
But right now from the looks of it...Aruru was more happy to be in Akira's lap. She wondered why Aruru was so nice to her, why she looked at her the way she did. Wait, Aruru was looking at her right now. How long had she been staring at her? Was Akira being too quiet? Too antisocial? Truth be told, she wasn't very good without a script when it came to her words. Oh Aruru was still looking at her.
"I'm...I'm sorry, did you ask me something? I was just…" Just what? I was simply admiring you in my thoughts but somehow I am too cowardly to say a word to you? That didn't sound very appropriate.
Aruru's gaze softened along with her smile. "Nothing, you're just really pretty, that's all."
"Oh. Well, thank you." At that Aruru started giggling, and Akira had the sudden need to clear her throat as she felt her cheeks warm up.
"It's getting quite late now, the sun is setting. I do not wish to worry Kano-san about your arrival at the dorms."
She felt Aruru sink into her slightly, and for the first time she backed away, still on Akira's lap. The blonde suddenly looked smaller as she tucked her head down and twiddled her fingers together. "I'm actually I was wondering…"
Aruru lifted her head up a little bit, looking up at Akira in...in want? Want of what? And she wasn't smiling, her bottom lip was puffed out slightly and she seemed almost...shy? And was it just the evening light or were Aruru's cheeks darkening?
"I was wondering if...could I stay here, could we stay like this for just a little bit longer, Akira-chan?"
It was nearly 6 in the evening. Aruru should be leaving to go home, Akira should be heading to her own dorms but…
"If that is what you want, Aruru."
It was an unexpected response, from the way Aruru seemed to release the tension in her body. She seemed taken aback by the smile Akira gave her, seeing her smile so openly and honestly. But she returned with a smile so soft and so...Akira couldn't even think of a word to describe it. But she didn't want to ponder on it, not while Aruru had leaned in again and wrapped her arms around her, and while she allowed herself to reciprocate the gesture.
Whatever this feeling was, she'd adjust and understand it over time, but for now she can save it until the evening was over, as the amber sun smiled down at the unlikely pair.
They'd figure it out together.