Just because I've been inspired to write such thing. I know this is a 'rare' pair, I just hope you will enjoy it though!
And please, do note that, in this fic, the Aqours girls speak English, exceptionally. If not, the plot can't work c:
You has never pondered things before acting. Everyone knows that she is an impulsive person, no matter what. But ... This does not mean that she is not observant.
Because people always see her impulsiveness first, they end up rather shocked when they realize that she is also this type of girl, besides being the energetic and impetuous one. They are even surprised when they learn that she notices things (a lot of things) ; only because she never says anything.
Of course she notices things. Almost everything, to tell the truth.
She often sees Mari longingly gazing at Dia when the latter is not looking at her, for example when they all are in the clubroom before practice ; or she sees how Ruby's legs start quaking each time she has to face a dance step she struggles with. Hell, she has even noticed how Riko seemed to be miles away recently, totally absent-minded.
You sighs as she approaches the school, remembering that Riko has sent her a text earlier :
You-chan, don't wait for us because the bus is late today. We'll see you in class!
So, as she has been told, she does not wait and steps in the school, heading for her first class, alone. It doesn't really matter to her if she goes to class alone or not, because she knows that Chika and Riko will eventually arrive. Or if they don't, it's not like she is really alone : there are her six other friends, the six other Aqours members of course. Maybe three of them are older than her and the other three younger, but they are still her friends ; and they are here, anyway.
She smiles at this thought. Chika's idea -forming an idol group- was great ; the nine of them were able to make friends -dear and amazing friends. And God knows how it is great to have friends you can trust around you ; it can help someone, it can save one's life.
Her smile never falters, even when she spots the habitual open door -just in case of a student shows up early-, meaning that she is going to spend a whole day at school, with teachers, exercices, lessons and new homeworks for the following day -or week.
But You suddenly stops dead in her tracks, right before reaching the doorway, when she hears two familiar voices coming from the classroom. Huh?
"Hey Riko-chan, I'm your friend right? So you can tell me everything, you know?"
"Y-yes, of course ... Right ..."
You hears her red haired friend deeply breathing in, as if she was gathering all her courage to speak. She waits for few endless seconds, before Riko's light voice rises once more :
"I-I, um ... Chika-chan ..." Another deep breath. "I'm in love with You."
Her heart suddenly freezes and sinks like a stone, as if it has literally grown colder and constricted itself. At the same time, a breath You didn't know she was holding gets stuck in her throat, almost making her choke on it. She blinks several times, the world around her and all its sounds fading away while her vision becomes blurry.
And before she knows it, You sprints down the corridor, her stomach painfully twisting as the five words reverberate in her mind and pound in her ears, being the only thing she can listen to while her steps bring her to the pool.
Being observant has its advantages and its drawbacks.
It allows her, sometimes, to realize that one of her friends does not really feel well. Or that one of them needs to have a good and deep talk with someone else to unwind and let go of whatever is bothering her. It can even allow her not to approach someone if they seem too tired, or too edgy. Or it allows her to be the first to act and make a move, depending the situation -revealing, thus, her impulsiveness.
However, being observant can also hurt. Because, sometimes, observant people realize things they didn't want to know and ... Didn't want to accept.
Painful things, for example.
Like unrequited love.
But You knew.
She knew she had no chance against Chika's hyperactive, friendly and adorable nature. After all, Chika was the first who took a deep interest in the new transfert student and who showed this interest ; she was the first who greeted Riko and befriended her -in her own way though, she even scared the poor new student.
She noticed how the two grew closer and closer, how they started depending on each other. How Chika acted clingy around Riko, hugging her and happily giggling when the redhead was hugging her back -which was surprising, Riko being shy and reserved- ; or how Riko was the first person Chika chose to drag with her, grabbing her hand and leading the way.
You was convinced of the fact that such friendship was going to lead to the appearance of romantic feelings and become a real relationship. And, just as expected, this is what happened.
She knew it. But, nevertheless, it still hurts.
She knew it and, yet, her heart decided that the best option was to develop romantic feelings as well.
It decided that each time Riko greeted her with that smile and that soft voice, she was going to feel her insides pleasantly twist. It decided that each time Riko was going to brush past her or grip the hem of her shirt to slow her down, its heartbeat was going to accelerate like crazy, almost breaking her ribcage. It doomed her to spend most of her time thinking of those golden eyes, even seeing them in her wildest dreams.
Her steps break the silence the moment she walks on the tiles toward the pool.
At the sight of the clear water, a long and slow sigh escapes her mouth while her heart suddenly feels less heavy. She likes this place, and even more when there is no one around.
It's peaceful.
It helps her clear her mind.
Removing her shoes and black stockings, You sits and plunges her now bare legs in the cool water, sighing one more time. She tilts her head back and welcomes the sunrays on her skin with open arms. She likes these sensations.
She lazily opens one eye when her mobile phone vibrates in her bag, but in the end, she quickly decides to ignore it. What's the use, it is only a message. And ... She does not want to be bothered right now. Especially now that it remembers her of Riko's message, the one she has received earlier.
The bus wasn't late at all. A sigh, and You raises the hem of her skirt, moving forward to soak her thighs a little bit. She just wanted to confess to Chika-chan ...
"You?"
You's blue eyes suddenly snap open and she perks up when she recognizes Dia's voice. She loudly grumbles when the sun dazzles her for a moment, covering her eyes with one hand.
"I'm going to call the others and tell them that we've found her." ... Kanan?
"You-chan ... You were sleeping, weren't you?" ... And Mari? Huh?
The second year discreetly yawns and rubs her drowsy eyes, blinking several times before twisting her upper body. In front of her stand Dia, visibly not happy, and Mari, her yellow eyes playfully twinkling. Kanan is here too, but a little bit far from them, her mobile phone glued to her ear.
What?
"What are you doing here, You?" Dia asks, a strict frown hardening her face. "Chika and Riko told us you hadn't attended to all your morning classes."
"What?" You blinks. "Wait ... What time is it?"
"It's lunch time, You-chan." The blonde answers, lightly blinking, surprised. "Did you ... Lose track?"
"I, uh ... I ... But I came here this morning to clear my mind and ... W-wait Dia!" You yelps when the Student Council President scowls at her, raising her hands defensively once she is standing. "I didn't mean to fall asleep, I-"
"You-chan, it's fine." Mari interrupts her with a sweet smile, placing a hand on Dia's shoulder to calm the latter down. "But what happened? One of your classmates told Chika-chan and Riko-chan that you were here this morning, and you ended up here ... To clear your mind ... Is something wrong?"
"I-"
"YOU-CHAN!"
You gasps when she is suddenly pulled into a bear-crushing hug, her breath being knocked out of her lungs instantly. She recognizes Chika's ginger locks under her chin, while the latter continues to crush her with this big hug.
"You-chan! You-chan, you're alive!"
"Eh?"
"We were so worried! Riko-chan and I couldn't find you at all and we were both worried to death!"
"Chika-chan, I'm fine, just ... J-just let go of me so I can properly breathe ..."
"Ah? Oh ... OH! I'm sorry You-chan!" Chika quickly unhands her friend, sheepishly smiling.
"You-chan ... Is everything okay?" Riko asks, slowly catching You's wrist, her thumb brushing the skin beneath.
"U-um ..."
She needs an excuse, quick.
"You seem tired and quite wan." Kanan points out, lightly frowning. "Did you have trouble sleeping?"
Thank God.
"Y-yes! I-I guess that's why I fell asleep here." You nervously rubs the back of her neck, getting rid of Riko's soft grasp almost immediately. Noticing her friends' unconvinced looks, she quickly adds, faintly chuckling, "I-I'm fine, I swear! I just needed some rest!"
"Y-y-you should ea-eat a little bit too ..." Ruby shyly says.
"And you have to attend to all your afternoon classes, too." Dia reprimands, arms crossed above her chest.
"Oh Dia, come on." Mari playfully rolls her eyes and nudges the brunette.
"What? I'm sorry but I'm the Student Council President and seeing as I'm also a member of Aqours, all the teachers come to have a talk with me because Watanabe You skipped all her classes. And I can't do my work as the Student Council President if every two minutes someone bursts into the room and asks me to take care of one of my friends!"
"Ooooh?~ Did our strict and cold Student Council President just say one of my friends aloud?" Mari teasingly giggles, resisting the urge to nudge Dia once more.
"I-I- ... !" Dia violently blushes, while all the others watch her with a smirk or a sympathetic smile.
You faintly chuckles. Even if the new lovebirds are here, right beside her, it feels good to have her friends here too. "Thank you." She murmurs.
Dia loudly clears her throat and turns on her heels, ready to walk away. "Whatever." She glances over her shoulder. "You, you should go and eat something before class starts again. I don't want to be convoked by a teacher because you've fainted."
Once Dia is out of earshot, Mari laughs and offers a reassuring smile. "You know that it's her way to show that she cares about you, right You-chan?"
You only nods, a small smile on her face, as she retrieves her stockings, shoes and bag, before following her friends.
She already misses the cool water on her legs and, curiously, her loneliness.
Kanan gave her the excuse of having a hard time sleeping the night before. However, You is currently having trouble sleeping. She tosses and turns in her bed, again and again and again.
But ...
The shutters are closed, and she is plunged into total darkness. Her parents are already asleep. And it's been more than two hours that Mikio -a.k.a. Mi-, a white Hokkaido, stopped barking because she prevented him from coming in her bedroom. After all, Mikio is adorable, he loves cuddling and his medium length fur is pretty soft, but he seriously takes up too much space.
All this to say that there is absolutely no noise in the house anymore -well, except the rumples she makes each time she turns over between the covers-, and that she should have easily been asleep for three or four hours now.
But her messy thoughts have decided otherwise. They come tumbling out in her poor, exhausted mind, which, sadly, just wants to shut off for the remaining hours ; precisely five hours left until her alarm goes off.
03:47.
You forces her blue orbs to close as she tightly grips her pillow, choking back tears. Thank goodness she wasn't in the classroom when Riko confessed ; thank goodness she didn't hear Chika's answer -even if she knows, deep down, what she said.
As the words haunt her, she shakily gets out of the bed, shaking her head as if it could help her get rid of the tears prickling in her eyes.
She should have been prepared for that day.
Hell, she even should have confessed first, at least to stop bottling up all her feelings. Because now she is paying for all this. Because the pain brought by the unintentional rejection is eating her up, devouring her alive.
You has always laughed at the poor girls featured in some soppy TV series ; those girls who are crying their eyes out when they catch a glimpse of the boy of their dreams sweetly smiling at another girl, ready to pull the latter close to him to finally kiss her.
She has always laughed at them, thinking that they are just cretins.
How ironic.
She is currently in her own melodrama. And this is sickly stupid
"C'm'on Mi." She hides a yawn behind her hand as she opens the door, finding herself face to face with the ivory furred dog -he certainly heard her when she left the bed. "I think I can ... Turn a blind eye on having a furry ball in my bed for the rest of the night."
Mikio happily barks, wagging his tail as he hurries in the room.
"Shh, Mi! Mama and Daddy are sleeping!" You sighs as she closes the door and quickly hops on the bed, patting the empty spot beside her to encourage Mikio to come with her -exceptionally.
Now quiet and calmer, the dog lands next to his owner, gently bumping his head against You's as she is about to lie down. A smile, and a silent giggle, before she pushes his head farther.
"Mi, stop that. It's time to sleep." She says once her head rests on the pillow again, as she blindly fights with Mikio's snout so he can lay his head down. "Mi!" You sternly presses on the moment she feels her pet trying to bite her fingers -playfully and gently, of course.
The Hokkaido bumps his head against You's hand once more, before heavily breathing through his nose.
"Good boy." She whispers, eyes closed, as she rubs one of his soft triangular ears.
Seconds after, Mikio rests his head on his mistress' covered belly, his tail now wagging ever so slowly as he starts succumbing to sleep.
It's ... Peaceful. Just like this morning, at the pool.
"Goodnight, baby boy ..."
Alright, I seriously don't know how they go to school. I took the liberty of saying that Chika and Riko take the bus, because of one of the trailers, but I seriously don't know how it's going to be in the anime.
[Before I forget, I don't own Love Live! Sunshine! ofc]