Ok, so this is a small sequal to 'A Dream to Fulfill' .. so there are some references from that one-shot that wouldn't make sense if you haven't read it.
I didn't had time to go over it and check for errors, so expect a few of them. Still, I hope you guys like the story.
Disclaimer: .. .. still not mine.
Jitters
She was alone.
And no matter how unsuccessfully she tried to stop her left leg, this one just wouldn't stop shaking. Add to that the wild beating of her heart, the restless bubbling in her stomach, and the mild sweat on the palm of her hands.
She was nervous.
Nothing new in her, really. Mio is one of those people that are easily characterized as being shy and that can simply become a bundle of nerves in just seconds.
But apparently, this occasion calls for her been nervous.
It's her first date.
And so was Ritsu's.
Yes, after both girls had a long, very long and colorful talk yesterday about the events of the previous night, Ritsu managed to convince -although she was rather begging, pleading and imploring- Mio to accept going out on a date with her.
This brings us to today.
True, both live in the same university dorms and practically have their rooms next to each other. But then, why was not Ritsu with Mio at that moment?
Simple.
According to Ritsu, if they left together from the dorms, it wouldn't feel as if they were going out to a 'real date' and that somehow didn't follow the protocol.
Or something like that.
The thing is that they decided to, or rather deduced Ritsu, that it would be better to meet at a café near the station in the afternoon. In any case, Ritsu remembered that she did have stuff to do in the morning after all.
Today was the day of their date and Mio was already waiting for the drummer at the café, sitting at a table somewhat apart from the rest, near the window.
It was obvious her state of nerviness. Perhaps the thing that stood out the most was of the constant fiddling of her hands with the napkins. At first she had taken one to dry the dampness from her palms. The second ended as origami in what was supposed to be a leaping frog. And the third ended in bits and pieces after Mio tried to make paper doll.
"Here is what you ordered, Miss," the sudden presence of a young waitress startled the ravenette, who quickly got rid of what was left of the napkin.
"A-ah, yes ... t-thanks."
"Would you like something else?"
"No, everything is fine ... thank you."
And with a friendly smile, the young waitress left to attend other tables.
With a lost gaze she followed her for a moment, until the sweet scent of peach caught her attention, making her gray eyes land on the cup of tea in front of her. Without hesitation, she grabbed it between trembling hands and brought it to her lips.
When she finally managed to drink some tea, she felt its heat bathed her from top to bottom almost instantly, allowing for her body to relax completely, letting a small sigh of relief escape her lips.
This soothed her a bit, to the point of making her leg ceased to tremble; now lying motionless next to the other.
Good, now that Mio feels much more at ease, she can finally focus on the reason why she was there for.
Ritsu.
Mio couldn't help but place a hand on her cheek as she felt a slight increase of heat on her face, which only meant that a colorful flush appeared on her. That's what the brunette caused on Mio whenever she thought of her. Among other things she'd rather not think at the moment.
Right now she just had to focus on their date. The rest would follow.
My God, I can't believe it ... I have a date with Ritsu! Mio thought.
No, she just couldn't believe it.
Just like she couldn't believe it was her who confessed to the drummer.
And although she didn't quite believe it, that's how it happened. That longing she had for the tawny girl until recently, stopped been a simple dream.
A dream that she herself, without realizing, had turned into what is now a reality for the both of them. But well, that's another story.
The point is that now they were together and that today they were having their first date. Which Mio still thought it was a bit too sudden, since it hardly had been two nights ago that she confessed to the brunette.
Once again she drank a bit more tea to calm down.
"Much better," she sighed at the time a serene smile appeared on her lips. "Okay, we were supposed to meet at ..."
She took out her cell phone to check for the time as she remembered the last thing the drummer said to her that morning over the phone.
'I'll see you at the café that's near the station at 3:00 pm, Mio.'
Her phone marked 2:26 pm.
"Mmm ... I think I'm a little bit early."
A little?
She had already been waiting at the café for fifteen minutes!
Quite frankly, she couldn't stand waiting in her room any longer. Besides that she couldn't get any sleep after spending hours last night looking for something suitable to wear for the occasion.
Which by the way, it was very likely that once Mio returned to her room back at their dorm, that she would be spend quite a while picking up the clutter of clothes that she left everywhere.
I hope Ritsu won't ask if she can come inside my room tonight.
And once again there was that colorful blush adorning her face as she imagined all kinds of things the short-haired girl could do if she ever saw the state in which she had left her room.
Chances are Ritsu could make her go through something very, very embarrassing, as always.
Pantyhose over here, a bra over there, and striped panties who knows where. Anyways, Ritsu would most likely make her life unbearable.
No, I shouldn't think about that ... come on, Mio, you have to concentrate ... But on what?
Obviously, on her date.
And to be more precise, in what they had planned do.
But we didn't plan anything!
Okay, her jitters were definitely coming back.
She drank again from her tea and tried to clear her mind for a moment, letting out a somewhat stressful sigh.
Going back to the same subject; supposedly, what could they be doing today?
Obviously the first thing was to spend some time together here at the café, perhaps they could talk about what Ritsu had to do that morning.
Then what?
We could walk around the mall, do some window shopping, go to the music store ... watch a movie, maybe.
But haven't they already been doing that all this time together? Even with the other girls. So what are they supposed to do differently to make it a date?
What can we do?
As if by divine intervention, at that precise moment her gray eyes spotted a young couple. Mio stared as they slowly passed by the window, and couldn't help but to land her sight on how they were holding hands, with their fingers interlaced.
Almost instantly, her cheeks blushed. And they turned a crimson red as she noticed the girl snuggle much closer with her boyfriend, sharing accomplice giggles between the two.
It was then that the idea of being in that same situation with Ritsu came to mind.
W-we could do that?
Yes.
B-but it's embarrassing!
Of course it is!
But that's the beauty of being in a relationship, isn't?
Being together, holding hands ... one next to the other.
Unconsciously, a smile grew on her lips. Yes, she definitely liked the idea of being together with Ritsu.
And she definitely felt her cheeks burning up more and more.
-BAM-
A loud bang on the window from the outside cut off her train of thought and wiped off her smile, leaping on her seat with shock.
Her gaze landed on the crystal and the first thing her stormy eyes saw was a hand, most likely what startled her. She noticed that its owner it had her other hand on her waist, as her agitated body leaned a bit forward. Catching her breath.
Mio couldn't see her face very well since her back was turned. And yet she kept watching how her breathing slowly returned to normal, until she finally straighten up completely.
The bassist instantly panicked when she sighted a well-known yellow headband.
It was Ritsu.
W-What is she doing here?!
For a few seconds, Mio felt her heart had stopped beating and her body just would not respond anymore, so she couldn't do anything but to keep watching the brunette, who finally managed to breathe normally.
By the light gleam of sweat that laid her face, it was obvious she'd been running just a few moments ago.
Mio wasn't so sure, but for some reason she thought the drummer shone brighter than ever at that moment. Her cheesy side told her it was because she looked at her with loving eyes. But most likely it was because the sun gleamed more on her sweaty skin.
Ritsu, on the other hand, was now looking through her pockets for a handkerchief to wipe off the slight drop of sweat that ran down her face. When finished, she turned her gaze to the window.
This caught Mio by surprise, and instinctively raised her hand to greet her while trying to control that stubborn leg of hers that started shaking again. Not to mention that her heart seemed to have gone mad and about to burst out of her chest for how hard it kept pounding.
Ritsu kept looking at the window and stepped closer, frowning. The bassist didn't know what was that for, so she just smiled shyly and waved for her to see.
Why won't she answer me?
But that was the problem.
Ritsu couldn't see her.
That's when Mio remembered that the windows of the café were tinted, so the amber eyed wouldn't be able to see her.
No, what the short-haired was contemplating at that moment was her own reflection on the glass, and her frown was because of -even without the need a band aid- a slight bruise that was still noticeable on the side of her forehead.
I can't believe she asked Mugi to hit her, Mio thought as she stared at her forehead.
Leaving the bruise matter aide, Ritsu now focused on her appearance.
Using the window as a mirror she began to straighten her clothes back in place as it had become a bit disordered from running. And been her usual eccentric self, Ritsu did a few poses runway style to see how she looked in her outfit.
She was so distracted with her poses that she never noticed a couple of girls laughing at her peculiar actions as they passed behind her. Nor the old man smiling amusingly to the gestures she made as while posing for herself.
On the other hand, Mio just couldn't believe what her stormy eyes were seeing.
R-Ritsu ...
Somehow, this only managed to make Mio even more nervous than what she already was. Seeing the brunette, unlike her, radiating with confidence and ignoring the rest as if it were nothing. And what about her? She couldn't simply control her trembling leg, and the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach freaked her even more.
So what is going to happen when she finally has the drummer in front of her? Can she find again that confidence that took over her the night she confessed to Ritsu?
W-what will I do? ... What will I do when you want to be alone with me ... or hold my hand ... or want to k-kiss?
Now that would be fun to watch, right?
The drummer stopped posing, pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and looked at it; most likely to check for the time. Mio did the same and noticed that it now marked 2:36 pm.
It was still early for the time they had agreed to meet.
Ritsu looked up and she stared at her reflection on the glass, this time her amber eyes rested on her hair. She hesitated a few seconds and ended up taking off her headband.
Then Mio noticed.
Those golden eyes that captivated her now reflected a certain bashfulness and insecurity. Almost instantly, Mio remembered that night a year ago when the brunette fell asleep peacefully after, due to her drunkenness, unsuccessfully tried to kiss her.
She looked so delicate.
She kept watching every movement from the tawny girl. Next thing Ritsu did was ran, like in slow-motion, a hand through those long locks of her that slightly concealed her face, and combed them to the side. She checked the new look and was not entirely convinced. Again she did the same thing but combed it to the other side. But a frown showed only her displeasure on that hairstyle. She tried once again and this time she tried brushed it back.
This only managed to make a groan out of despair escape from he; she finally just ended up rowdily messing her hair out of frustration.
And there it was, barely visible for Mio to distinguish, but there it was.
A faint blush on Ritsu's cheeks.
Instantly, Mio felt immense warmth in her chest, and her foolish heart just wouldn't cease its erratic beating. The bassist had confessed before that she loved seeing Ritsu with her bangs loose, so at this moment she was about to burst steam for how much her cheeks were burning at such marvelous spectacle.
I can't believe what I'm seeing!
Letting out an exhausted sigh, Ritsu placed her headband back on, took one last look at her reflection, smiled to herself firmly and eventually headed to the café's entrance.
Mio never took her eyes off of her. She saw Ritsu enter and scan the place from left to right, perhaps looking for a good table.
Until rebel caramel came across some timid gray.
Ritsu happily smiled at the sight of Mio already at the café, who without realizing slowly raised a hand in greeting. With a steady step, she headed toward her table, return the greeting as well.
Suddenly, the brunette stopped a few steps from reaching the table, her smile slowly faded as her eyes instantly took notice of the exact place where Mio was sitting.
Still in trance, Ritsu managed to raise a hand and pointed at Mio, then to the window, and finally to herself.
The message was caught by the ravenette: 'Did you see through the window what I was doing?'
Mio nodded.
The drummer's eyes completely sing opened to this revelation. Shrugging, Ritsu looked down, and a long, exasperated sigh escaped her lips. She just couldn't believe she had done something so embarrassing and that it had been Mio the one who'd seen her.
Regained mobility, she approached the table and took the seat in front of the bassist.
And yes, her cheeks very flushed now.
Feeling somewhat guilty for trying to contain her laughter, Mio still ended up with a playful smile on her. And this only caused the blush on Ritsu to turn a crimson red.
I get it, thought Mio as she looked at Ritsu's bashful expression. This means that I am not the only one who is nervous.
No, she wasn't the only one. That unknown shyness on Ritsu told her so.
Smiling tenderly, Mio took one of the drummer's hands, and with the other gently removed the headband, letting her long bangs fall natural.
Ritsu wouldn't remove her gaze from those stormy eyes, mesmerized.
"Much better," said Mio.
And finally Ritsu smiled with that cheer joy that Mio loved.
Yes, things will be much better from now on.
No, it didn't matter that they had not planned what to do on this day, or that they might eventually end up doing what they always do, or that they weren't ready to do what couples are supposed to do together.
All that mattered was the girl she had in front of her and nothing more.
The rest would come on its own time. For now, they just had to enjoy the moment.
And who better than to live it with whom shares the same emotions for having a first date, right?
Because I'm not the only one who's nervous, right, Ritsu? Mio thought.
Hey, Mio, you're not the only one who is nervous, you know? Ritsu thought.
And with warm but nervous smiles, both girls started on their first of many dates to come.
A/N: I hope it was of your liking .. please review afterwards.
Thank you for reading.