Title: "Just Because"
Word Count: 943
Rating: PG for language
Warnings: None.
Summary: "Is 'just because' not enough?"
Disclaimer: -emo-s at the fact that P3 is not the creation or property of Saku-
A/N: Thiiis...is probably pushing it as far as "Senpai-centric" goes, seeing as it's mostly just Shinjiro and Mitsuru, haha. I wrote this a while back for Shinjiro's birthday on August 11th, and thought I might as well post it now. It diverted a bit from what I had originally planned, but eh. It'll have to suffice. (:;;
Un-beta'd (OHNOES), so…yeah. XDD;;
Enjoy.
"Hey, did you hear..."
"...two of us, Shirakawa..."
"Oh my GOD, that is the greatest thing..."
In the darkening alleys behind Port Island Station, the usual rowdy crowd of delinquents sat around, smoking and laughing at each other's coarse jokes. As the minutes ticked by, however, even they began to dissipate, until finally, only one shadowy figure remained.
Shinjiro sat on the steps, hands shoved inside his pockets. Somewhere in the distance, the clock struck eleven. He straightened up; No need to get caught in the Dark Hour tonight. As he turned to leave, he felt someone watching him, and he thought he knew who.
"Aki, get the hell out," he muttered, not turning. "I'm not in the mood to listen to your crap today."
"Do you greet everyone like that, Shinjiro?"
Shinjiro whirled around at the female voice, eyes bulging out of his head.
"What the hell are you doing here!?" he exclaimed, unable to take his eyes off the sophisticated redhead currently standing in front of him.
Kirijou Mitsuru sighed, brushing a wavy lock out of her face.
"I came to see you," she said simply. Walking over to him, her heels tip-tapping on the cold ground, she motioned to the steps on which Shinjiro had been just five minutes before. "Mind if I sit down?"
Shinjiro jerked his head in an odd sort of twitch. Taking that as a nod, Mitsuru settled herself onto the steps, arms crossed. Her former teammate took a seat on the bins a few feet away.
"It's a nice night," she said, looking up at the moon. It had only been a few days since the last Operation, so the waning gibbous still provided the area with plenty of light.
Shinjiro grunted in reply.
"We defeated another of the twelve Shadows last week; I suppose Akihiko has told you about the new developments?" Mitsuru continued, as casually as if she were discussing that night's news.
"He might've mentioned it," Shinjiro muttered.
Mitsuru nodded approvingly. "I see... It's good that you stay at the top of things-- I am not trying to make you come back, Shinjiro, I know better than that," she cut in before the brunet could protest.
There was a silence.
"...what did you come here for?" Shinjiro finally said, looking at her from under his cap.
"Must I have a reason?" Mitsuru replied calmly.
Shinjiro snorted. "Don't try to pull that shit with me," he said. "I may not have known you as long as I've known Aki, but it's been long enough that I know that you don't just come out to some dirty spot at damn near midnight on a Tuesday without a reason. Hell, you're the exact opposite of Aki, you never do anything without a damn good reason."
Mitsuru didn't say anything, just...watched him.
"Is 'just because' not enough for you?" she said softly.
"Tch, right," Shinjiro was beginning to feel very uncomfortable being under her gaze. "Look, if you're not going to tell me, then leave. Aki will be climbing up the walls wondering where you've gone if you're not back during the Dark Hour."
The smallest hint of a smile appeared on Mitsuru's face. He hadn't changed a bit...
"Well, I suppose I could tell you," she said. Getting up, she moved closer to Shinjiro. "I came tonight because..."
The sound of running footsteps drowned out her words, as Shinjiro's eyes widened in shock. Within seconds, a silver-haired young man was in view.
"Hey Shinji, sorry about coming so late," Akihiko said, checking his phone, "I was trying to find Mitsuru to get her to come--"
He froze.
"...along," he finished lamely as he caught sight of his two friends looking at him. "...Mitsuru, what the hell are you doing here!?"
Mitsuru resisted the urge to slap herself on the forehead. Shinjiro made no such effort.
"I suppose I should leave the two of you alone," she said, dusting off her skirt. "I'll see you back at the dormitory, Akihiko."
"What, you're not staying?" Akihiko said, surprised.
"I've already done what I came here for," Mitsuru replied. "You and Shinjiro can speak alone, I wouldn't want to be a bother."
"But you're not--"
"Stay."
Akihiko and Mitsuru looked up. Shinjiro's face was turned away from them.
"...you're already here, so you might as well just stick around," he muttered awkwardly. "It's not like this is any different from when we were living together, anyways..."
Akihiko's face broke out into a grin. Taking Mitsuru by the arm, he led her back to the steps.
"Shinji's right," he said. "You hung out with us just fine back in middle-school; Things haven't changed that much."
As the two of them sat down, the eerie glow of the Dark Hour set in, but if they noticed, they didn't care. They simply sat there, enjoying each other's company in the hidden hour, where time didn't touch them. Soon, Akihiko burst into chatter, talking about this and that, filling Shinjiro in on the details of the last full-moon, glancing at Mitsuru every now and then to confirm things.
Shinjiro pulled his beanie down further over his eyes. "Geez..."
Akihiko stopped talking for a moment, looking towards his best friend.
"Something wrong, Shinji?" he asked.
"Why you two keep coming around this dump just to bother me, I'll never understand," Shinjiro said.
Akihiko laughed, and even Mitsuru had a small smile on her lips. It didn't seem like much, but to them, that was the best form of thanks they could have received.
- - -
"What did you come here for?"
"Because no one deserves to spend their birthday alone."
- FIN -
School's just started for me today, but updates should still be not that far in between, seeing as I don't exactly, y'know...pay attention in class, and I have my writing notebook with me all the time. XDD;;
Hope you guys liked, and again, review!!
- Saku
