"The Better Life"
Disclaimer!: I don't own Azumanga Daioh, Azuma Kiyoshi-san does. 3 Doors Down owns the song, "The Better Life". If you read RandomlyRandomness' fic you'll see some similarities between it and the song. His fic is a gift!prequel to mine. Cho is owned by RR as well.
Pairing: Ouyama/Chihiro, probably all of my canon. That means LESBIANS, folks.
Ouyama stared at what was formerly his elementary school. The windows were broken or boarded, same for its doors. Around the dumpster was a mountain of trash bags which no one had ever gotten around to taking away. The walls which still had the faded images of cute pictures painted along it were now littered with spray paint. It looked almost haunted; it's trees and once grassy grounds dead and withered. Even the playground where Chihiro and he had spent most of their days seemed like the perfect place for a ghost or axe murderer to strike. Or rather Tomo's mold monsters…
He chuckled at the memory. Although neither realized this but Ouyama had attended school with not only Chihiro and Kaorin, but Tomo and Yomi as well, not to mention the braided-haired girl Kumiko. The truth behind Tomo's story was that the school girl wildcat, still a hyper little kitten at the time, was that Tomo wanted to be in front of the class where everyone could 'admire her' so she stole Yomi's seat. After a long fight Yomi got irritated and had gone to sit in the back where Tomo sat due to her behavior problems. Tomo waited for the teacher to have to leave the room then began eating her lunch early; leaving the curry bread she stole from Yomi in the desk to hide it when the said teacher returned. Yomi kept reminding her that she had better get rid of it and of course Tomo never got around to it. By the time Yomi got up the courage to look she peered inside and saw it grew through the entire thing. That may have been the reason Tomo chose to call it an invasion.
Either way Yomi beat Tomo within an inch of her life. Their friendship up until now was truly admirable. On Yomi's part anyway.
Unlike most boys when he had entered high school he had been attracted to Yomi, rather than Sakaki. She was much like him, so much so though that he fell out of 'love'. He of course wouldn't have minded more contact with her than what little he had earlier today, but rumors about her not liking men had reached his ears and although he usually never believed those silly stories, certain parts of her relationship with Tomo hinted otherwise, on Tomo's part surprisingly as well.
He seemed to notice this is the other girls as well, especially with Kaorin. Everyone knew and the displeased Sakaki fan-girls began to start up nasty rumors of their own. Although she was the reason he was no longer very close to Chihiro, he felt sorry for the girl, Chihiro would often gush over Sakaki to, just to hear the rumors. She relayed them to him every so often to see if he has heard them as well as more. What he heard from the guys at the lockers was usually worse he admitted. Usually after he told Chihiro Kaorin wouldn't be at school for many a day.
Other obvious ones are Kagura and Osaka. The two smartest of the Numbnuts a.k.a. Bonkura had been going out for about two months now. How did he know? He went to see a movie with his friends and saw them together. It was a horror film and Osaka has been clinging helplessly to Kagura who had to keep reminding her that none of it could happen. If that wasn't enough proof between the embracing and holding hands, the kiss after the movie has been the final nail in the coffin. He felt happy though. Everyone had known Kagura had originally loved Sakaki so to see her with Osaka, the most misunderstood person of all was a nice change.
Their friends must've either not have found out or were fairly accepting of this. Maybe Tomo still teased them but Tomo tended to be cruel as a way of showing she cared. Perhaps that was her reasoning; he didn't know her well enough to say for sure. He didn't know any of them but another thing he probably expected was that Chiyo was accepting and does know about homosexuality. His reasoning was if Chiyo had the knowledge to get into this school she had to have known about it. He had his own suspicions about her as well but he decided to keep them to himself until she was older and it was a fair enough time try and decide. Still, despite her childish appearance and behavior, Chiyo was now officially a teenager.
Sakaki he was sure had to be a lesbian. She only blushed around females and when males tried to get with her she was usually very cold. He had his doubts about her ending up with Kaorin even then, however.
Then there were the rumors about everyone's favorite teacher…
A hand tapped his shoulder and he froze, his eyes widening. Maybe he should've never even thought about those thoughts of ghosts and axe murderers.
"Ouyama-san?"
The tension melted into warmth on his face. He smiled turning and adjusting his glasses. "Hey, Chihiro-san." He greeted, finding it hard not to laugh when Chihiro have an awkward little bow of apologize. "I'm sorry I'm so late, I had to explain to Kumiko why I wouldn't be at astronomy club today then Kaorin needed to drop of medicine for Saki-chan and—"
"Saki-chan?"
"Her favorite kitten."
Ouyama reframed from rolling his eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out that kitten's namesake. Instead he nodded, "Oh, well don't worry about it." Chihiro smiled and looked around, "Wow, this place really took a turn for the worse, hasn't it?" Ouyama nodded with disdain. "Do you even remember why it closed down?"
Chihiro frowned, "People like Kimura, only more advanced." Ouyama nodded, knowing Chihiro was most likely to remember out of anyone, being one of the people harassed. The school had been great until one of the teachers, Mr. Iwamoto, had gotten a divorce with his wife. In his mind women were too much trouble and too catty and choosey. The innocent, pure-hearted ones were more to his fancy. To him, and Ouyama, Chihiro was the most pure. He didn't get very far but Chihiro still got upset about it when it got mentioned. That was when her friendship with Ouyama was truly ruined. They ended up all going to different elementary schools to finish. He had endured being friends with only two girls just to be with Chihiro but once the school got shut down it was all for nothing.
Yet here they were again. At the playground. Maybe this wasn't his best idea. He looked over at the swings. "I wonder if they're safe." He said aloud. Both approached the rusted set, some of its fire engine red paint still on it. Chihiro sat. "It's a little squeaky but I think its oka—WHA!!!" Chihiro gave a yelp of surprise and Ouyama pushed her, grinning mischievously. "You!!!" She cried, pretending to look angry but failing as she let out a giggle. Just to keep her laughing he kept pushing her despite her forced protests to get down.
"Let-me-DOWN!!!" she cried through her giggle fit.
"If you promise to never ever make me play house with you again!" Ouyama said with an evil smile, mimicking a little boy's voice.
"Never!!! Nuh-uh!!!" Chihiro protested, playing along, her voice small and childish.
He pushed her even higher, Chihiro pretending to scream fearfully, clinging to the chains more. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I promise! Eep!" She pouted once Ouyama grabbed hold of the chains to stop the swing. "Meanie." Ouyama stuck his tongue out at her and helped her off the swing. "You never did keep that promise. The night after that happened; we were playing with our lesbian astronomer daughter. That was probably the most real it ever got." He said rolling his eyes. Chihiro chuckled behind her hand. "We were just so proud of her choice in a life partner, Sakaki-san!" He shook his head with his hand on his forehead. "Jeeze we were bored." The blue-eyed girl smiled, "Oh come on, and it wasn't that bad! Remember when you first became friends Reizo and everyone and made them play?" Ouyama's face turned grim, "Kaorin's persuasive…" Chihiro grinned.
"What should we do now? It's getting a little dark out." She pointed out.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?"
The tension returned to Ouyama's frail body as he and Chihiro turned and saw the past flash before his eyes. There stood a tall, muscular boy, about half a foot taller than Ouyama with dark blonde hair that hung in front of his eyes and a red bandana tied tightly over it. His eyes were dark brown, sharp and merciless with a small scar beneath it. It was Cho. The reason Ouyama and Chihiro had met to begin with. His goons stood behind him looking equally as cocky and menacing.
The bespectacled boy rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"
"Aw, I'm hurt. Is that anyway to say 'hello' to your adoring cousin, Oubaka?"
Chihiro turned and looked at him. "Cousin?"
The boy glared, not looking at Chihiro. "Through marriage. Now answer my damn question, Cho."
The larger male smirked. "We were just passin' by and happened to notice yer lil girlfriend here." He said, leaning in to lift Chihiro's face by the chin. Ouyama got pissed, breaking in between the two's contact, smacking Cho's hand back. "Don't you dare touch Chihiro again!" He snarled, green eyes burning with rage. The blonde's cruel smile only widened. "Kind of hard not to…" he stared at the terrified girl from over his cousin's shoulder. "Filled out pretty nice, she has…" he said sickly, tongue flicking over his lips like a lion with eyes on its prey. Chihiro whimpered, staring in disgust.
Cho grabbed Ouyama by the front of his shirt. "You haven't been payin' me, Ouyama-teme."
"I'll pay you double what I owe, just get the fuck out of here!" After he said this, Cho slammed him up against the dirty, soiled wall of the school.
"Too late, ya little terd. I'm takin' my own payment." He nodded to his friends who appeared right behind Chihiro, each grabbing an arm, causing her to wail and scream.
Ouyama's eyes widened in horror. "CHIHIRO!!!"
The petite girl cried, unable to break free. "Let go!!! Please, lemme go!"
Cho smiled a horrible smile. "I like the energy in that one. She's gonna be loads of fun once you're outta the way." Ouyama glared and said something that surprised everyone.
"Go ahead."
The goons and Chihiro's jaws fell wide open. "Ouyama!!!" she cried in disbelief. He was really going to let this trash have his way with her?
The boy stared through the glass. "Go ahead. All it'll mean is you have to use force to get laid. That you couldn't get you 'wimpy' cousin to give you his spare yen, and that you were so desperate for revenge you raped the girl who kicked you in the balls when she was little and six." The four goons 'ooo'ed and looked up at Cho with grins as the enraged, flushed boy sweated. "You're bluffin'. You know I'd kick your ass." Ouyama stared carelessly, expression unchanging.
Cho hated that look. Even in a terrible situation like this he held a look like he thought he was superior to him. He drew out a small pocket knife causing Chihiro to scream. "No, don't!!!" She shrieked, absolutely sobbing now. Slowly Cho slit the blade across Ouyama's cheek, his eyes wincing but refusing to close. He was getting madder by the minute, Ouyama's eyes still mocking him. "STOP THAT FUCKING LOOK!!!" He slit deeper and faster right across.
The boy yelped, gritting his teeth and turning his head forward to stare directly into his cousin's foolish face with those all-knowing eyes that laughed. "Knock it off!!!" Cho roared punching his captive across the face, knocking his glasses off onto the floor. He winced if only because he heard them crack. His face was swollen where Cho's fist had connected with his face.
Panicking, the punk retrieved the knife holding it way over his head. "DIE, TEME!!!"
The knife fell.
Chihiro watched the scene from eleven years ago replay. Cho doubled over in pain, Ouyama's knee still nailed into his crotch. The man wailed and yelled in pain, hands over the sensitive area. "Boss!!" The boys holding Chihiro stared in shock as it happened again. Chihiro reared up one of her slim legs, jabbing her foot onto one of their feet, doing the same to the other one, breaking free to run to Ouyama who was out to be attacked by the two remaining boys. "Get away from him!!!" She demanded, one boy backing off in fear of what she did. "Get over here and help me, you coward! She's jos' a lil girly!!!" Chihiro punched the one speaking upside the head while he used the opportunity to grab her by the wrist. "Gotcha!!!" He exclaimed as the other, recovering from having their feet stomped on, ran in and grabbed hold of her, starting to tear off the op of her uniform, the other two working on her skirt.
"OUYAMA!!!"
The weakened boy, still on the floor kicked his leg beneath their legs causing them all, including Chihiro to falls. He stumble don his way up but managed to keep his footing, taking Chihiro by the hand and off the floor, beginning to run with her. "C'mon!!!"
The two sped away, three of the original five boys not to far behind. Ouyama turned and looked at Chihiro despite his blurry vision. "My place is an hour away, what about yours?"
"Twenty blocks!!" she cried.
"It's better than nothing. Let's try and get to a bus stop or something, anything to get away from them!"
The pair rounded the corner sharply, rushing toward the closest bus station with Chihiro now leading as she was the one who still lived in these parts. "Hurry up you guys they're getting away!" This exclamation was followed by a chorus of maniacal laughter which was catching up to them becoming louder. "How much closer are we?!" the bleeding boy asked, staring behind at the gaining gang. "One block to go!!!"