note: 07/19/2010 - so i've decided to add a summary to each chapter. i find it's useful when i'm reading other people's drabbles, so why not, right?

summary: Negi's in love with his old friend, but she's with someone else. Will he be able to steal a simple kiss? AU

Best Friends

Rated: T

"You're such a little kid, Negi!"

Negi flinched slightly when a pillow was thrown at his face. He was at his best friend's house, keeping her company until he was forced out by her adoptive father. It always made him feel happy to be around her; to see her smile, to hear her laugh. His heart lept when ever he would hear her voice calling for him. A tingle would travel down his spine when ever she got close enough for him to smell her scent, to feel her warmth, to rub his skin against hers. . .

Okay, by now it should be obvious that Negi was in love with his best friend. He was and he had been for a very long time.

They had grown up together since his small family had moved next door to the Takahata's when he was six.

At the beginning, she had been a mean child, roughing poor little Negi around because she was older than him by two years. That all changed when the girl had seen the neighborhood bullies harassing the little redhead. Ever since the day that she had stood up for Negi and had given those bullies a good beating, they have been inseparable. She would drag the shy boy everywhere she went, whether it be the mall, the park, or the grocery store. Negi didn't know what brought about this sudden change and quite frankly he didn't care. He had finally made a friend and that was all that mattered to a boy.

So Negi went along with her strange antics. . .

He didn't complain when she forced him to go where she went, he didn't fight her when she played dress up with him and forced him to wear dresses, he never said no to her. He even studied at school like a mad man, all in hopes of skipping two grades to be in the same grade as her -in the end, he did manage to skip one grade, which turned out to be perfect since the girl was held back a year.

And just like they did everything together, they shared everything as well. They had shared food, toys, pets, clothing, beds, you name it and they had probably shared it. Not one thing did they keep from each other. And it was heaven for him to be so near someone who unconditionally liked him.

But, as time changes everything, it also changed their relationship. . .

It all started at the beginning of their second year of high school when Asuna had snagged herself one of the most popular guys in school: Fate Averruncus, who happened to also be a very strange and emotionless young man. How he was so popular baffled Negi since Fate neither moved a finger to please anyone.

After the initial heart break that came when Asuna broke the news to Negi she was going 'steady' with Fate, Negi reflected on how their relationship came to be. Their courtship never made any sense to him He had honestly never seen them once exchange words with each other. When had his best friend fallen for that Fate guy? She wasn't the type to fall for looks or else she would have bitten Negi's line a long time ago -may girls claim that he himself is unbelievably handsome- so 'hooking up' because Fate was 'hwot' was out of the question. It puzzled him and he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything else behind their sudden arrangement. . .

"Negi? Would you snap out of it?"

Another pillow hit his face.

"Asuna, can I ask you something?"

The girl froze, bracing herself for anything that would come from his mouth. She was always suspicious of what came out of the redhead's mouth, so she spoke slowly and carefully. "Yeah, sure."

Negi blushed a crimson red before he asked his question. "What- I mean how did you come to know that- that you. l- lo- loved Fate?"

"Wh- what are you saying? I don't love Fate!" Asuna slapped both hands against her bed in embarrassed frustration. "We're barely sixteen- well, he's sixteen, I'm seventeen. How are we supposed to know what l- love is?"

"D- do you plan on m- marrying Fate?" The girl stared at Negi so hard that he had to lower his weak gaze to the quilted pattern of her bed's cover.

"Why are you asking me this, Neg?"

"Isn't that what's dating all about?" Negi was surprised with his sudden forward self. When had he gotten so bold as to ask his best friend if she was in love with her boyfriend?

"Well, yeah, but that's when you're older, not at our age."

"Isn't that p- playing with someone's emotions? If you're dating and don't plan on going further?" The girl's face filled with slight shock so Negi quickly looked for a way to change the conversation. "C- can I tell you something then?"

Asuna tilted her head with guarded curiosity. "Sure."

She looked so cute to Negi, cute as a puppy, so cute that his words rolled out before he even had a chance to think. "I- I think I'm in love with yo- someone!" At the last minute, he managed to fix that slip up, or at least Negi thought he did.

"What? Y- you're in love with s- someone?" His whole face went beet red as his mouth flapped open and shut. Asuna watched him with a smile slowly spreading across her face. "You love someone? Who is she? For how long? Why haven't you told me?" The girl bounced excitedly on her bed. "Tell me who this lucky gal is! Maybe I could fix something up!"

"Ah- erm- s- she's. . ." He couldn't think. Negi had no idea how to properly lie to Asuna. First, he attempted to say any girl's name, but then he felt it wouldn't be right since he held no romantic feelings toward another girl. He then attempted to draw up a girl he believed was beautiful but again, he couldn't choose who. Instead of pulling up blank, like the previous effort, a flood of lovely girls rushed his mind. Ayaka? Konoka? Setsuna? Makie? Yuuna? Who to choose?

"Yo." Asuna crawled on all fours across her bed over to where Negi was sitting and bonked his head with her knuckles. "Negi, why are you stressing about it? I won't tell her if you don't want me to."

The boy's surprised eyes looked at the face that was so close to his, just inches away that if he were to lean forward slightly, his lips would lock with hers. . .

And leaning nearer to the girl is exactly what he did. Her could feel her breath on his skin and for a long while, Negi kept his face so close to hers as his eyes were shut tight, dreaming of what would happen if he kissed her.

"Erm, Negi?"

He opened his eyes slowly. Asuna's mismatched eyes were wide and she was blushing.

"What are you doing?"

"Eh, er, huh?" He blinked repeatedly.

"I mean, why are you so close to me?"

"Eh? Oh, I- I was just, just. . . practicing? Yes! I was practicing!" Negi resisted the urge to exhale in relief since his face was still so near to Asuna's.

"Okay. But practicing for what?"

"For- for, er. . ." His mind spun as he tried to think of excuse. It didn't help that Asuna still hadn't moved back an inch. "For-" What happens in movies! His mind shifted to the romantic eighties movie he had watched two nights ago with Asuna and her friends. 'Pretend I'm her,' the main female character had said in order to get the main lead to kiss her. "For when I have to kiss the girl I love."

"Okay let me get this straight. You want to practice kissing on me so when you finally nab a girl, it looks like you know what you're doing?" Oh God, it sounds so ridiculous coming out of her. Will she buy it? Negi watched as Asuna's face scrunched up as she tossed the idea around in her head. "Well, I guess it makes sense for a guy to practice first." -WHAT? SHE BOUGHT IT?- "But don't think I'll help you out with anything else! I haven't even gone to second base with Fate."

Somehow, those words calmed his nerves. . . a bit.

Asuna sat herself down beside Negi and grinned. "So, let's start."

Those words sent his nerves sky rocketing back up. Way up.

"What! Now?" He squeaked as his face burned with heat. She can't be serious! She just can't be serious! Can she?

"Well, duh. When else?" The girl of his affections inched her face closer to his own. Her eyes closed half way and her pink lips puckered up slightly in anticipation of meeting Negi's lips. Or at least that was how it looked like to him.

He swallowed down his nerves as best as he could. Come on, Negi! You can do this! Years of dreaming and imagining and finally you're going to kiss her! Man up and take her! "O- okay. . ."

The redhead leaned in slowly. Everything, everything he felt. The knot in his stomach, the rapid beat of his heart, the warm intensity filling his chest. He would put everything he felt in this one kiss. He prayed that she would understand what he felt.

One. . .

Two. . .

Three. . .

In a bold movement so unlike him, he fisted his hand into her hair to pull her in closer to him. The last thing he saw just before he tightly shut his brown eyes was the startled expression on the face of the person he loved.

Amazing.

That one word expressed how it felt to kiss her. He hugged Asuna closer to his body as he put all his suppressed emotions into their kiss. He would make her feel what he feels for her. His tongue slipped through his slightly opened mouth. Her lips were smooth yet he could feel with his tongue the barely noticeable creases in her skin of when she would bite her lip or twist them when she was bored. It wasn't imperfection. It was beautiful.

Suddenly, he felt like he needed to know more of what made his Asuna Asuna.

He silently begged with his mind and with his tongue for Asuna to open her mouth. His grip in her hair tighten when she didn't respond and he was beginning to panic. What if this didn't mean anything to her?

Negi slowly opened his eyes. And the sight took what was left of his breath away.

He pulled back to see her entire face, breaking their sweet kiss to catch air. The girl had her eyes closed and a deep blush coated her cheeks. Her soft hair was ruffled by his hand. Her chest was heaving up and down while she panted to regain her breath. She looked like she was expecting more.

Then he watched her slowly opened her eyes. Hazy but twinkling green and blue stared up at him. "Negi. . ."

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, never once taking his brown eyes away from hers. He felt unbelievably calm, even if he was blushing to the point of fainting.

"Don't stop." And it was Asuna would pulled him in, lips locking together. This time she was the one who asked to enter his mouth. His heart thumped wildly in his chest. She wanted him. She wanted him! God, he wasn't going to let this chance slip. He opened his mouth to her and he lost himself.

Like hell he was going to let Fate take his Asuna away.

He surprised himself by growling into Asuna's throat and deepening their kiss.

END

thanks to all who have reviewed and such! makes me feel special. and a HUGE sorry that i haven't updated any stories. i wish i had a good excuse but i don't. i just got lazy! xD