So .. I have not written a fan ficition in a LOOOOONG time. I have tried, and failed. This is the first thing I have posted in YEARS. Like .. yeeeeears. So please be gentle. It is probably not the best thing in the world, but hey, I am happy with it. Uhmm, beware of fluff! And tickles! = u = General inspiration for this was after the Chariot 6 , which I did just after the exams. This random scene popped into my head and I had to write it out.
I also wrote this as part of a writing contest called JulNoWriMo, the goal which is to write 25k words in 31 days. Hence why I don't have apostrophes in the story. Sorry if it sounds weird in any way ;;
Oh yeah. I call the Fem!MC Minako because I personally do not think Hamuko fits her. Don't kill me for that.
C: so, yeah. Enjoy the story and please read and review, but no flaming please.
Disclaimed: Minako/Hamuko Arisato and Junpei Iori do not belong to me they belong to the gaming gods known as Atlus.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
That was the only sound that came from the Gekkoukan High tennis courts as Minako ran back and forth, hitting at the ball as the wall reflected it back at her. The red haired girl would usually be on the court with Rio, but the black haired junior had gone home after her tearful realization leaving Minako alone on the court.
The Persona user did not feel like going back to the dorm yet. It was still light out and she wanted to get some practice in to show her friend that she wasn't going to skip out on training. She bet that Akihiko would be proud of her though. Minako chuckled to herself as she hit the ball hard, sending it flying back to the wall only for it to ricochet off in a random direction. About to dive for it, Minako stopped, seeing that it was heading too far for her to follow and sighed. Turning around, the red head blinked to see a figure standing at the edge of the court, his hat hiding his face in the shadows, but the grin Minako was able to recognize easily.
"Hey Junpei." Minako said, smiling a little at the familiar sight.
"Hey Minako - tan." Junpei said, walking toward her, looking around a bit, "Are you the only one here?"
Minako nodded, "Yeah. Rio went home. But I thought I would get a little more practice in before I headed back to the dorm. What are you still doing here?" she asked, tilting her head.
Junpei gave a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his head, "Haha .. had to talk to some teachers about my exams." He admitted.
"Oh. I am sorry Junpei." Minako said quietly, looking at her tennis racket.
Junpei laughed, "Hey! You do not have to be sad for Minako - tan! I will just have to study harder next time."
Minako giggled, "You? Study? You never even picked up your text book once when I told you. Maybe I should not let you come to Tartaus with us next time." She teased.
"Hey hey hey! That is not very fair!" Junpei whined.
Minako laughed more, her shoulders shaking as she smiled brightly, "Junpei, you are so funny when you whine like that!" she teased more, grinning slightly.
"Ooooh! You are mean, you know that Minako – tan. You are secretly a little devil!"
"Maybe I am! Maybe I am not." Minako told him breezily before turning her back to him, going toward the ball bin and picking out another tennis ball, jogging back toward the wall.
"Hey! You are not going to leave me here, are you?" Junpei asked quickly and Minako looked over her shoulder, blinking.
"Do you want to practice with me? It could help with your sword swing." She offered and Junpei chuckled and nodded. Minako smiled, "Let us go get you a racket." She said setting down her own and the ball she held before waving him over, jogging toward the small tennis teams equipment building, opening the door.
"Take your pick!" she told him, showing him inside and Junpei looked around, tapping his chin.
"Hmmmm … which racket do you like Minako - tan?" Junpei asked, glancing toward her.
"I dunno. Rio gave me mine. I guess any of them are alright. Just pick one that feels right." She told him, nodding and Junpei scanned the rackets.
Picking up one, he began to swing it and shook his head, setting it down before taking another, and another, and another, trying them all with a swing or two before putting them down. Minako laughed as with some he pretended to struggled picking them up, as if they weighed too much for him. When he tried them all, Junpei sat down on the bench in the middle of the storage and sighed.
"Damn. I did not like any of them!" Junpei mumbled and Minako sat next to him, shrugging.
"It is getting late anyway. We should probably head back to the dorm. Mitsuru – senpai might get worried." Minako mentioned their stern upperclassman and glanced at Junpei who suddenly seemed sullen. Frowning Minako put a hand on his arm.
"Junpei? Is something the matter?" she asked, concerned.
Junpei glanced at her from under the brim of his head, chuckling weakly, "Senpai .. she .. she is gonna be really mad at me, right?"
Minako blinked, "What for?"
"The exams?" Junpei asked, confused.
"Why? Minako questioned back, sounding even more confused than her friend.
"I utterly and completely bombed them!" Junpei exclaimed and Minako stared up at him, confused.
"So?"
"So …" Junpei started to say but could not come up with the words he wanted to say and Minako arched a brow a moment before smiling again, hopping to her feet.
"So – nothing! Mitsuru – senpai will understand I think. If she does not, we can tell her you were still tired from the full moon. I mean, that Shadow taking over the rail care was super scary and stuff. I was terrified to be honest with you … the Shadows .. are really kind of scary," Minako said, heading toward the door, Junpei looking after her, "But .. I think as we get stronger, the less scary it will be. So, I will help you study and make up for what you missed! Okay Junpei?" Minako suddenly said, turning to face him, holding up a finger as if making an important point.
Junpei watched her, and took his hat off his head, running a hand over his hair with a chuckle which turned into a laugh before he stood up, walking toward Minako, ruffling her hair, "Minako – tan, you are so weird sometimes!"
"H – hey! I am not weird!" Minako huffed, reaching up and grabbing his hat from his hand, turning around and running out of the equipment building.
"Hey! Get back here!" Junpei gasped, following after her.
"You can't catch me!" She laughed, waving the blue baseball cap in the air with a laugh.
"Oh we will see about that!" Junpei growled playfully, rushing after her.
Minako, hearing the sound of his footfalls getting closer, squeaked and ran faster, but was no match for Junpei as he wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her down onto the soft grass with a laugh. Minako let out a snort of laughter as he hugged Junpei's hat to her chest, rolling over to look at him looming above her, a grin on her grass stained face.
"Give me the hat!" Junpei ordered but Minako shook her head, giggling still, "Minako – tan!"
"This is what you get for calling me weird!" she teased still, snickering.
"Do not make me force you to let it go!" Junpei said, but Minako stuck her tongue out at him.
"Nope!" She told him, giving him a raspberry.
Junpei's eyes narrowed, "Okay! You leave me no choice!" he suddenly said.
"What are you going to do to me now?" Minako asked, suddenly suspicious.
There was a long pause as both of them just stared at each other, red eyes meeting brown for a moment. The air seemed to crackle between them with unspoken electricity that hung in the air, waiting for the silence to be broken, but neither dared to speak. Junpei seemed to be searching Minako's gaze for something, but all he saw was her normal bright, perky and sincere look that seemed to entrance the whole school. Minako did not even dare to breathe as she waited for his response to her taught, hugging her friend's hat tightly to her chest.
Junpei suddenly spoke, daring to break the unnatural silence, "Tickle Time!" he shouted as his hands gripping the other juniors side, wiggling his fingers in order to perform his punishment.
Minako yelped and threw his hat away in surprise, bursting out into hysterical laughter as she writhed under him, trying to push his hands away from her tickle sensitive sides.
"Ahaha! J – Junpei! Ahahaha – s – stop! Eheheh! I g – give! I g – give up!" she squeaked breathlessly between laughs.
"Never!" Junpei laughed along with her, tickling her harder as she began to squeal and kick her feet, unable to speak as she continued to snicker and giggle from the attack.
After Junpei thought she had enough punishment he finally stopped and grinning down at her, Minako's face red from embarrassment from the sudden barrage, hitting the other Persona user on the chest.
"J – Junpei is so mean to m – me!" Minako huffed, still catching her breath.
Junpei snickered and rolled off of her, flopping on the grass beside her, "At least you let go of my hat." He said simply and the red haired girl snorted.
"It flew off somewhere." She told him, staring up at the clouds as they lazily drifted across the sky.
"Eh, we can find it later." Junpei replied and Minako nodded another silence enveloping them, though this time it was not as awkward as before.
It was a calm that stretched lazily between them like the large puffy billows that slid across the vast expanse of sky. Both of the juniors lay in silence, just staring at the sky, watching it turn from blue to vivid orange streaked with red as the sun began to set, Minako sitting up, stretching her arms above her head.
"We should get going now." She said quietly, standing up and looking around, seeing Junpei's hat laying in the grass a coupe feet away, a butterfly perched on it.
Junpei nodded and standing up as well to go and get his hat, picking it up as the butterfly glided away across the grass field. The blue clad male glanced at Minako, smiling faintly, "Want to grab something to eat before we go back? We could stop at Hagakure."
Minako blinked and then smiled brightly, "Sure! I want the special!"
Junpei grinned and nodded, "Whatever the lady wants ~"
"Oh, and you are paying!" Minako laughed and began running back toward the tennis court.
"H – hey! Why do I have to pay!" Junpei exclaimed, running back after her.
"Because you owe me for tickling me!" she shouted over her shoulder.
Junpei shook his head and watched her run back then slow her pace as she reached the spot where she set her tennis racket down, picking it up and then putting the ball back into the bin. Standing at the edge of the court, he watched the SEES member diligently do the rest of her chores, putting the ball bin back into the storage space before locking the small building and grabbing her dufflebag before walking back toward Junpei, smiling brightly.
"Ready to go?" She asked calmly and Junpei nodded, turning away, walking back toward the school gates, Minako following after him at his side.
After some silence, Junpei glanced at her, grinning a little, "The special huh?" he teased, poking her side, getting another squeak out of her.
"Hey! I like good food, is that a crime?" she exclaimed, surprised, at him and Junpei laughed, shaking his head.
"No no! I like a girl with a big appetite!"
"Good! Cause that is not going to change!" Minako said, turning her face away from him with a small huff and Junpei snickered, continuing to tease his classmate all the way to the ramen shop.