A/N: I have so many ongoing stories (that weren't updated yet) so it's wrong to start another one, I know. But it's Ritsu's birthday so I want to put up something at least. I have update my profile page too.
Unlike the other stories, this one is a light read. Each entry is sequential but it's more about character development and interactions rather than a solid, deep plot. But of course, there is a plot line :3
So, finally a RitsuxAzusa, something I've wanted to write for so long. I will try to keep this as simple and fluffy as possible.
Reminders this story is set in canon verse and it will follow the anime timeline. Heavy YuiAzu and Mitsu hints.
Thanks to ghikiJ-san for beta as usual :3
Disclaimer: I don't own K-on
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Fluff1 – Red Cotton Candies
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"Heh, this would go great with your ears, Azusa~"
The pigtailed girl hissed and threw the tiger-ears at her grinning senpai. "I really didn't know I was wearing it!"
"Sure~"
Huffing, the younger girl folded her arms and stormed past a tawny-haired girl, who was still chuckling and wiping mock tears away. What was so funny about those toramimi? Where were the other senpais?
After the light music club watched the first sunrise of the New Year together at Yui's secret spot, they decided to go to a mini-festival a few days later to celebrate the brand new start of a year. However, someone managed to salvage the much hated tiger ears from that day and somehow placed it on top of her head without her knowin again.
Naturally, Nakano Azusa was not amused.
"D'awww come on, Azusa-chuan~ You're the symbol of people's hope, the tiger-kitten!"
Tainaka Ritsu laughed smugly and chased after the furious kouhai in attempts to force the toramimi on her head again. Azusa weaved through the crowd with such a frightening scowl on her face that people cleared the path in order to avoid a prompting glare. The older girl twirled the accessory and cheerfully ran up to her steaming kouhai.
"Tsk tsk, Nakano, look at you all fluffed up. Relax~ It's new years!" She slung an arm around the unimpressed pigtailed girl, who shrugged off the offending limb and began to text her friends Ui and Jun.
However, Azusa no longer cared who responded first as long as they rescue her from this irritating senpai. Well, anyone will do except-
Fuwa Fuwa Time began to blare audibly in spite of the festival noise surrounding them. She slapped her own forehead at the name blinking on the screen. Groaning with trepidation, she answered the call knowing exactly what was to happen.
"…Yui-senpai…?"
"Azunyan! Guess what, Mugi-chan and I found it! Even Mio-chan says it's really cute! We're right next to the goldfish vendor right now!"
"Ah, I think I just saw Ritsu-senpai. I'll meet up with everyone after I catch up to her," Azusa muttered calmly and quickly ended the call.
"What was that about? Where are Yui and the others?" Ritsu raised an eyebrow, nonplussed.
The pigtailed girl rubbed her temples and took deep breaths, trying to delete the today's events in her mind. After Ritsu placed the toramimi on top of her head, Yui immediately cuddled her despite her screeching protests. Then, with her characteristic smile, the brunette proclaimed she would find a costume for her Azunyan. Mugi seemed really pumped up at the idea and sprinted after her friend. Mio sighed exasperatedly and followed after them, saying someone needed to keep an eye on those two. This commotion happened all too quickly for Azusa and before she knew it, she was left alone in the middle of the crowd, red-faced with that damnable thing still on top of her head.
Well technically, she wasn't alone.
"I bet they found a cute costume for you! Oh man, I should have gone with them!"
"Then why didn't you?" Azusa growled darkly. She preferred to be by herself rather than looking after this child of a senpai like an unpaid babysitter.
"The tiger-kitty got angry again, how scary~" Ritsu held up her hands, moving her fingers frantically as if deciding what to do with the pigtailed girl. "Of course I stayed behind! Someone's going to snatch you from this crowd like a lost kitty! Don't worry, as the captain, I'll make sure my private's pet doesn't get hurt!"
Ignoring her, Azusa listlessly looked around the vendors in search of something to drink or eat, anything to divert her attention or perhaps even pour out her frustration to. Bottles of ramune soft drinks were quite tempting, so were the boxes of pockies over there. The sizzling smell of takoyakis as they were turned over and the metals clangs of yakisoba being cooked on the iron plates were enticing her. It was truly difficult to decide amongst these delicious snacks and food.
Garnet eyes lit up in excitement at the thought of taiyaki. She was certain that a festival like this would sell those fish-shaped cakes somewhere. Before she could go on her search, she noticed something she hadn't seen for a long time.
The soft and wispy appearance was unmistakable.
Cotton candies.
Entranced, Azusa walked towards the stall with a soft smile. She still remembered how her parents would always buy her this delicious imitation of the cloud when she was little while they walked around the festivals. She would sit on her father's shoulders as her mother tugged a fluff off the cotton candy branch and passed it to her. The childhood nostalgia easily washed away any irritations she had, leaving only the fondness of that precious memory within her.
"Old man, give me the red one!"
"Sure thing!"
The black-haired girl blinked as Ritsu grabbed her hand and put the snack in her grasp. She snapped out of her stupor and stared at the strawberry-colored cloud in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Well, you look like you really wanted it," the older girl grinned proudly, "so as your senpai, of course I'm gonna buy it for you!"
"I-I was going to pay for it myself!" Flustered, Azusa dodged an incoming hand before it could ruffle her hair.
"D'aw, but that's no fun! Just enjoy your treat and lighten up, Azusa-chuan~" Ritsu shrugged and said in a sing-song voice.
"Fine, I'll buy one for you too."
"No no no," the tawny-haired girl held up her finger, tutting, "I can't let my kouhai treat me! Oh, unless it's because you don't want to be the only one eating?"
"What?"
"Okay okay, I'll get one for myself too so little kitty doesn't stand out~"
Ritsu immediately purchased the colorless one and began to chomp down on it.
"Hey! That's not how you're supposed to eat it!" Annoyed, Azusa plucked a piece of the snack and placed it in her mouth, savoring the rich sweetness as the fluff quickly dissolved. "How can you enjoy the taste and texture if you eat it like that?"
The older girl rolled her eyes. "There's no rule in eating something, is there? I'm gonna eat it however I want!" To emphasize her protest, Ritsu gave her cotton candy one exaggerated bite. Azusa gritted her teeth and pulled another fluff, chewing it slowly in retaliation. The older girl smirked and took another huge gulp.
Veins popping, the pigtailed girl was prevented from doing something drastic when a sudden call sailed over her head.
"A~ZU~NYAN~"
Even with the warning, Azusa could not move her body out of the way when the brunette collided into her back. Familiar arms then wrapped around her as the owner nuzzled against her head, giggling.
"Did you miss me?" Before the younger girl could reply, Yui's eyes lit up excitedly, "oh yeah, Azunyan, we found the best okonomiyaki vendor over there! You should try some too!"
"I see," Azusa quirked an eyebrow at the sauce smudging the brunette's cheeks.
Up ahead, she saw Mugi was waving her arms and pointing at the stall like a hyper kid, so unlike her usual ojou-sama image. Out of the corner of her eyes, the pigtailed girl noticed Ritsu putting cotton candy fluff across her lips to imitate an old man. Mio laughed and playfully whacked at her arm. Chuckling, the tawny-haired girl then tore off a piece of the snack and held it out to her childhood friend. The black-haired girl looked slightly embarrassed but she accepted the offer either way.
Smiling, Azusa returned her attention back to Yui and wiped at her cheek with a handkerchief to clean off the sticky sauce.
"Heheh, thanks Azunyan!" The brunette sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I'll return the favor!"
Grabbing her hand, she pulled the younger girl as they began to run towards the blonde. Azusa squeezed their entwined hands the same time her other hand tightened around the stick that held the cloudy cotton candy.
"Azusa."
Garnet eyes continued to stare into space, heedless of her friend's voice. The continuous drips of rainwater against the windows made Azusa feel like she was trapped in an aquarium. Restless and bored, she wondered what Ton-chan thought of the rainy season. Would she think it was frustrating? Moody? Or would she not care since she was already swimming happily in her tank anyway? Ever since Yui and the others bought the soft-shelled turtle for her, the pigtailed girl felt a special connection to Ton-chan. The little critter was like the bond bridging her to the brunette after all.
"Azusa-chan?"
Yui really was quite the mysterious girl, contrary to belief. As simple as she may appear, Azusa could not figure out how her senpai's mind worked. She would always be extremely childish one moment and infinitely wise the other, like the time Yui tried to help their club president get over her 'woe'. At first, it seemed like the guitarist was just trying out different methods of bringing Ricchan to the spotlight for fun. However, when the brunette talked about how she would not mind switching positions with the drummer, Azusa realized how genuinely concerned she was about her friend. The pigtailed girl was really confused as to how she felt about the brunette. Exasperation? Annoyance? Admiration?
…or adoration?
"Oi~ Azusa~"
Perhaps it was the seniors' graduation trip that made Azusa discover something within herself. Yui's absence made her sorely miss the air-headed senpai even though she was only gone for two days! Had she grown so used to the brunette's presence that everything felt so off without her around? The pigtailed girl once despised the impromptu hugs but when she got glomped in the hallway, she felt so relieved and giddy. How and when did this change?
"Azusa-chan, are you okay?"
"Huh?"
Garnet eyes blinked slowly as Azusa finally focused on the worried faces of her friends. Ui felt her forehead while Jun folded her arms irritably.
"Geez, we've been calling out to you for the several minutes to tell you class is already over…are you sure you're not coming down with something?"
"It doesn't seem like she's burning up though," Ui pulled away, her soft voice still brimming with concern, "You've been staring into space a lot lately, Azusa-chan. Is there anything troubling you?"
"Maybe there is~" Jun smirked and flicked the shorter girl's forehead, making her hiss angrily. "She's probably thinking about a special someone~"
Flustered at being the center of attention and how close her friend's words hit home, Azusa hastily stood up and shouldered her bag. "I-I'm going to the clubroom now! I-I'm okay, Ui, Jun, really. See you guys later!"
It felt like she was running away but she did not want to think about it anymore. She glared at the pouring rain outside, blaming the melancholy it hailed as the cause of her predicament. The quiet yet droning splatters always brought her into a deep trance, pushing away any thoughts of the current world and leaving perplexing puzzles behind.
Yet no matter how much she pondered, she could not solve the enigma known as Hirasawa Yui.
It was fortunate that the brunette's silly antics distracted her from her musing once more. The lead guitarist tried so hard to protect her guitar from the rain that she got thoroughly drenched in her efforts. The typical day in the clubroom continued until they began to talk about how the weather in Japan was not kind on the instruments. After Azusa mentioned the possibility of mold, Yui immediately checked her dear Gitah like a fretting mother hen. Exasperated, the younger girl informed her that the strings appeared rather tarnished, prompting the brunette to change them in dramatic gestures while narrating in that chirpy voice of hers.
However, Azusa's annoyance at the whole ordeal was perceived differently by her bandmates.
"Azunyan, are you jealous~?" Yui giggled and held her cheeks in playful embarrassment.
Her words struck the younger girl's heart more than they should have. While she was still reeling from shock, she heard Ritsu's mock thoughtful tone piping up in amusement.
"Oho~ Love triangle huh?"
"I see, "Triangle Love!" That would make great lyrics for a sad song!" Even Mio, the senpai she depended on the most for rationality, seemed quite excited. Mugi stood beside her, silent, though she wore a dreamy smile as if to show how much she agreed with her friends' words.
"Geez, Azunyan, you should have just told me so~" Yui placed her hands on the younger girl's shoulders, making her cringe in mortification.
Unlike any other times, Azusa was quite aware of this simple body contact with the brunette and it made her feel rather uncomfortable and self-conscious. Therefore, instead of letting these foreign emotions get to her, she masked them by scolding the older girl.
The changing of strings took much longer than Azusa would have liked but at least it was done. Yui slumped down tiredly as if it was the most draining thing she ever did. And just when the pigtailed girl thought the topic was gone for good, her mutterings of Gitah caught the brunette's attention again.
"Don't worry, Azunyan~ I cherish you just as dearly~"
These words made her flinch again, throwing her thoughts into further chaos. She was spared from confronting them when Yui quickly slung her guitar over her shoulder and bid everyone farewell, saying she must get home immediately before the rain began to drizzle again.
After Mio and Mugi also packed up and left the room, Ritsu hung back to nudge Azusa's shoulder.
"There's no need to get so worked up like that~ Be honest to how you feel~ I mean, we all know how jealous you were~"
The pigtailed girl did not know what came over her. Perhaps it was the incessant rain and the troubling thoughts that came with it, or perhaps it was her anger at her own contradicting mind, but she finally reached her limit.
She slapped Ritsu's arm away from her body, hissing. "It's not like someone like you would ever understand how I feel!"
The tawny-haired girl grew strangely quiet instead of retorting as expected. Wordlessly, she left the room to go after Mio and Mugi, making Azusa swallow uneasily. Regret filled her mind as she hurriedly packed her things and ran after her senpais as well.
It was ridiculous that she felt guilty over her actions. True, she should not have lost her control like that, but it was Ritsu's fault for teasing her and pushing her over the edge. Yet why did it feel like she hurt the older girl's feelings somehow?
The tawny-haired girl was joking and chatting with them like usual as if nothing happened. However, Azusa finally realized how forced everything seemed even though it was just like the usual banters. Did this mean that Ritsu was hiding something everyday by being her chipper self?
What could she be hiding?
Before they parted ways at the intersection, Azusa thought she heard a murmur.
"I know how you feel so…I'm sorry about before."
Eyes widening, she whirled around to look back across the street and was about the run back when the signal turned red. Ritsu was grinning at Mio, who was blushing deeply at some story her friend was telling. Separated by the street, Azusa could only stare after the two of them until their silhouettes disappeared behind a corner.
"Azusa-chan, what's the matter?" Mugi's kind voice gently coaxed her out of her reverie.
"I-It's nothing, Mugi-senpai."
Azusa tightened her grips on the guitar strap and umbrella as she walked towards the blonde.
Yes, it was nothing.
It was just the rain.
A/N: A short entry, as it's meant to be. There are 10 entries planned for this little series and, based on this entry's title, it should be obvious what the rest are :3 It's rather difficult to decide on which genres to put for this story...
I hope you've enjoyed this little piece!
Any feedbacks are welcome.
