A/N: So yeah, yet another birthday fic. I couldn't remember who's birthday it was today, just that it was some minor underdog with about two lines in the entire series. Had to look it up... Thought it might've been one of the Jimmies or one of the... Other... Guys... on Yamabuki without much to do but be there.
Hope it turned out okay, since it was done in a rush. And no, I do not hate Mizuki, I find him a loveable bastard. I don't hate Akazawa either. Ducksushi just had to be there because they are awesome. And for once, the Atobe-effect was intentional!!
And, what the hell, poor guy, he does not even have his name at the list you choose from when submitting a story?!
Warnings: Slight hinted yaoi (read between the spaces in between the lines like REALLY hard!) and like one swearing word. Un-beta'd text.
Disclaimer: Not mine at all.
Ignoreable
No one thought twice about it when Nomura Takuya, third year student at St. Rudolph, got splashed by a car on his way home. No one thought twice about it when he aced another test. No one thought twice about it when he got benched in the numerous tennis matches his team participated in. He was just simply one of those guys you do not notice, much less think about. So, naturally, no one thought twice about it when Nomura celebrated his birthday the 22nd February.
Not that he really minded. He was used to just being there, not really being paid attention to. Yanagisawa always said he must have a boring life. Well, he said that when he noticed Nomura being there, at least.
Akazawa generally never spoke to him. Nomura was not sure if he had ever heard a word coming out of his captain's mouth that was meant for him. Then again, he was not the only one. Akazawa did have a tendency to ignore people. It might upset people like Kaneda and Atsushi, but Nomura was used to it. He would have been more upset if the captain suddenly started speaking to him.
However, there was one person who always noticed Nomura, and probably the one who scared him the most on his twisted team; the manager Mizuki. Ironically, Mizuki was the one most of the others had problems with as well.
Mizuki always seemed to notice what and why he did things, even if he did not show it to the rest of the team. If Nomura tried, he could see that Mizuki studied all of them, sometimes secretively, other times openly. Therefore, it was no surprise that Nomura went through most of February 22nd, without anyone noticing him or his birthday, before getting cornered by Mizuki after practice.
"Why, hello there, Nomura-kun," he greeted as if their meeting had been entirely coincidental. "Have you had a pleasant day?"
"Very," Nomura replied nervously. Mizuki studying you was one thing, but Mizuki talking to you... Was just downright eerie.
"Tell me, what day is it today, Nomura-kun?" Mizuki proceeded casually, twisting that damn hair lock of his with a pleased smirk on his face.
"Uhm," Nomura started. "February 22nd."
"Hmm?" Mizuki appeared to be in deep thought. Nomura did not buy it. "Isn't something particular happening on this very date? Like the birthday of one of our team members?"
Nomura kept quiet.
"Like your birthday."
It was not a question. Damn that Mizuki. Nomura did not know how Mizuki found that out, but e was sure it involved some sneaking around in the school's archives. That, or sleeping outside his window at inappropriate times.
"Well, y-yeah - "
"Ah, I knew it!" Mizuki sighed, making a number out of his 'remembrance'. "Is it not appropriate to make a grand celebration now that our own is celebrating his birth?"
"Mizuki - "
"I wanted to celebrate Yuuta-kun's birthday four days ago, you know, but he escaped home to his family.
"But, Mizuki - "
"Ah yes, to Shusuke, even. My eternal rival. May he have celebrated Yuuta-kun's birthday grandly."
"Mizuki - !"
"It is, after all, so long until mine in May. Or captain Akazawa's in August. Why, oh why, are we cursed with autumn children?" He finished with a long, audible sigh and a somewhat melancholic look on his face. Nomura wanted to go behind a bush and puke his lunch out.
"Mizuki, please," Nomura finally said firmly, well, at least as firm as Nomura would get when faced with Mizuki Hajime. "I'm honored that you remember my birthday, but really - "
"It's your birthday?" a nasal voice sounded as Yanagisawa peeked around the corner. "Why didn't ya say anything, da ne!"
"Because - "
"Because of what Mizuki is about to do, duckling," Atsushi said, rolling his eyes as he followed Yanagisawa around the corner. "Mizuki is a bitch, you know."
Mizuki either did not hear, or refused to acknowledge the insult.
"Well, this must be celebrated!" he exclaimed, putting a hand on Nomura's shoulder. "We must make a happy birthday for our vice-captain suiting that Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku would make for their Sanada-kun!"
"He's our vice-captain?" Yanagisawa whispered indiscreetly to Atsushi, who shrugged.
"Beats me. Thought it was Kaneda or whatever."
Some would have thought that Nomura would have felt slightly hurt, or at least insulted, by this little conversation, and their lack of effort to hide it. But Nomura did not even notice it, as he was to busy trying to stop Mizuki from throwing the party he was sure to hold if no one stopped him.
"What's all this ruckus?"
Nomura had never before been so happy to hear his captain's voice. Granted he had, actually, never been truly happy to hear his approaching captain, but that was another story.
"Now, I am disappointed in you, Captain," Mizuki chuckled, twisting the hair lock again. "Do you not know that today is the day we celebrate the birth of your vice-captain?"
Akazawa briefly regarded Nomura before returning his glare to Mizuki. "No."
"Well, isn't it the captain's duty to know these things?" Mizuki drawled, still eyeing Akazawa playfully. Akazawa, in turn, looked slightly nervous.
"N-no," he said, frowning slightly. "That's what I have you for."
"Haha," Mizuki chuckled, waving his hand slightly. "So very true, Captain. I'm glad you honor us with your knowledge."
Stupid, spiteful Mizuki.
"Hah, I think he just dissed you, da ne!" Yanagisawa exclaimed, doubling over in laughter as Atsushi sighed in annoyance. Whether it was over Mizuki or Yanagisawa, Nomura did not know. Maybe both.
"Whatever, what's the deal?" Akazawa huffed impatiently. "What do you want me to do about it?" Still no acknowledgment towards Nomura on Akazawa's part. Oh well, nothing new, at least. Though Nomura frowned a bit on him suddenly turning into a spectator while the others discussed his birthday. But still, come think of it, that was how it always was.
"I do not want you to do much," Mizuki smirked. "But a little party, or some other form of celebration would have been nice. Do you catch my drift?"
"Not really," Akazawa reluctantly admitted, brushing a strand of hair away from his tan face. "Explain."
"Well, seeing as the tennis court and locker rooms are vacant, I had a magnificent revelation that - "
"Uhm, guys?"
" - and if you just call up your sister - "
"Seriously, guys?"
" - then I have seen this absolutely charming little store - "
"Let it go, Atsushi, they won't notice anyways, da ne."
" - which of course could be a bit costy, but we have our ways - "
"... Point taken."
And so Mizuki organized an entire party, invited all of the tennis club, all of Nomura's class and generally most people who might or might not know Nomura to a grand party in the tennis club's facilities. Too bad no one ever noticed that the subject of the party had ran off long before preparations even were ready.
Indeed. Please review, considering how small Nomura's potential fandom is... I did not even know whether to call him Takuya or Nomura... :/ And yeah, he is actually the vice-captain. Mindfuck, much? No seriously, I take pride in knowing things like vice-captains and birthdays (and siblings), so I ought to know.
Review!!