Ooookay, this is a short One-Shot just because. It's kinda related to my main story, Reunion, as a prequel for the Nozoeli situation in that story. Of course, it works as a One-shot, too. Please, review, all comments are appreciated.
I do not own LL.
Today sure was busy. Toujou Nozomi, 18 years old, had just finished her duties as a shrine maiden, right after her first day of university, and was walking towards her home, the same that she used to have during high school. The lessons were, to keep it simple, boring. Nothing more than an introduction to the classes that she had to take, and a first look to the basics of communication sciences, her main subject. Some of her classmates had already tried to talk to her, probably hoping to end up with a romantic date, or something, but she brushed them off quickly. She didn't like to be praised, less then all from boys, and anyway her heart was already for someone else: Ayase Eli. Her girlfriend, her best friend, her lover, the very girl she fell in love with during her first year of high school, and that confessed to her on the last Valentine's day. She almost fainted that night: the fact that the girl she had loved for such a long time actually returned her feelings was almost too much for her, who had always been alone, with her parents around the world for work. She managed to have a proper house only in high school, when her father decided that she was big enough to keep it up. And it was lonely. No one to talk with, no one to ask to when she got sick, no one at all; until she befriended Eli. As their friendship was deepening, the quarter Russian was popping at her house more often, cooked for her, listened to her, took care of her when she got sick, even. And then, Eli always went back home. And the feeling of loneliness came back, over and over again. When they found out that she lived alone, even the other friends she had, her idol group, showed up at her door at least once everyone. The most present was Maki: surprisingly, the redhead took seriously the question of her loneliness, and until her graduation tried to spend a lot of time with her. Of course, when she found out that Nozomi and Eli were together her time to Nozomi's dropped instantly, not to cause jealousy into the blonde beauty. And today, it was different. Today, like the past week, she couldn't see nor talk to her Elicchi. Actually, the girl was back in her home country, to celebrate her graduation with her Russian relatives, most of all her so-praised grandmother, and was not coming back before the end of the week, just in time for her classes to start. So, when Nozomi arrived home, she was prepared to another lonely night, maybe listening to some music and reading a book. And it was surprising to see, when she walked into the front door, that the light of her living room was on. "I should have left it like that this morning" she said to herself, removing her shoes. In that moment, a voice came from the very living room.
"Oh! Nozomi! Welcome home!" Nozomi freeze.
That voice, it was a voice she got used to know so well. It was the voice she fell in love with. The voice of her girlfriend, who was now standing at the end of the hallway, her blonde tresses falling onto her shoulders, a beautiful smile on the lips, her arms spread open, just waiting for her. Yet, Nozomi didn't walk nor run to her girlfriend, she stood there, motionless, as big tears started to fall from her eyes, and she started to cry, tears of joy.
Seeing her tears, Eli rushed to close the distance between them, wrapping the shorter girl within her arms. Nozomi buried her face into the blonde's chest, not moving. Eli started to run her fingers into the purple twin tails, triying to calm her lover from her sudden attack of sadness.
"You… know… Elicchi…" the pruplenette started.
"It's fine. Let it all out."
"This… is the first time…" Nozomi raised her head to look Eli in the eyes. "the first time in years that I got that greeting. And I forgot how it felt… To be loved."
"I won't let this happen anymore. I love you, after all. You are not alone, not anymore, Nozomi."
Nozomi put her hands behind the blonde's neck and pulled her for a deep, passionate kiss.
When they separated, searching for air, the tears were already gone from Nozomi's eyes, as she smiled widely.
"I'm home, Elicchi!"
Eli returned the smile. "Come on, I'm making dinner for you, just wait for a bit, okay?"
"You know, Nozomi, I have another surprise for you, tonight." Eli said, while caressing Nozomi 's soft cheek, while the latter rested on her lap, looking up at the blonde with curiosity.
You came all the way here straight from the airport, you used the spare key I gave you to prepare all this… wonderful night and it's not over?
"You know, before I went to Russia I spoke to your parents…"
"You did what?"
"Yes, I stole their number from your phone and called them. Because I don't want you to be alone anymore, Nozomi. Never. You don't deserve this. And your reaction earlier made me even more sure of my actions. You know, there is this house, near the university, with a small garden outside, and I found out that it's empty, for rent. And I asked your parents it they were ok with us living there together…"
"Don't tell me…" Nozomi was stunned, her eyes wide, she got up from Eli's lap to face her directly.
"Nozomi, you were my first real friend, here in Japan." The blonde took her lover's hands and held them to her chest. "I'm glad that you stopped me on the stairs, that day. You became the biggest part of my life, from that day, and yet you were lonely. I fell for you, you fell for me, and we got together. And I'm still falling deeper for you, every day that passes. And yet you were lonely. You had no one to wait for you at night, you had no one to greet you in the morning. And knowing it, in makes my heart ache. I'll make sure that you will never feel that loneliness again. I want you to feel loved, because there's one person that loves you more than anything else, and it's me. So, please, Toujou Nozomi, will you move in that house along with me? And, one day," Eli stood up, pulling Nozomi un her feets too, and then dropped onto a knee. "when we will be able to, will you marry me?" She reached for one of her pockets, pulling out a small velvet box, and opened it, revealing a small, silver coloured ring, with a sapphire gem on the top.
Once again that night, Nozomi stood stiff. But this time it didn't last long. The tears she had been holding back during Eli's speech started to flow, while she only managed to pull Eli up again, sobbing, and to say
"Yes, yes, yes Elicchi, yes, a million times yes… Oh my god, I love you! I love you so much!" while pulling the quarter Russian into a bone-crushing hug, and to start a barrage of kisses that mixed with giggles, tears, and words of love from both the girls.
And... this is it, I'd say. It developed more than I expected but who cares. I love Nozomi as a character, and she deserves this.