Chapter 3

"So, we thought it would be nice to set up a swimming club! After all, our school has a pool, it's just never used! And it would be so nice to enter competitions again, we used to have so much fun together!" Nagisa chirped as he bounced alongside Akira.

Akira sighed. While she managed to stay away from Nagisa in the morning rush hour on the train, he'd learned that it was never as crowded going back home. So he now tagged along and almost always managed to find a seat next to her. Akira closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding headache that his chattering was giving her. "I have a question," she said finally, cutting him off.

Nagisa looked up eagerly. He'd been telling her all about swimming club in elementary school, and he was eager to answer any questions she had about him, Haru, Makoto, Rin and their adventures. "Really? A question? What is it?"

"At what point did I give you the impression that I actually cared about anything you're telling me?"

Nagisa pouted. "Akira-senpai, you're so mean! I was telling you all this because we're planning to set up a swim club in Iwatobi! The swim club was closed a long time ago because it didn't have members, now we're going to revive it!" He paused, tapping his chin with a finger thoughtfully. "Although… I don't really know how one goes about setting up a new club…"

Akira sighed as she leaned her head against the closed train window and closed her eyes. Nagisa watched her sleep, blushing as her pink lips fell open slightly. He still wanted to know what they felt like; but Makoto had warned him not to touch her without her permission. "Baka. You have to get a new club application form from the staff room," Akira told him, her eyes still closed. "And find a faculty adviser to supervise your club."

"Oh? I had no idea! Arigato, Akira-senpai!"

"Mmm," Akira muttered, her eyes still closed. Nagisa smiled at her. Despite her supposed irritation at him, the more he spoke to Akira, the more he realized that while she showed a lack of interest and a constant irritation, she could be really helpful at times.

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Akira was headed to the library after class, when she spotted Nagisa coming down the corridor, his shoulders slumped and looking disappointed. She raised an eyebrow. She'd never seen the little blonde ray of sunshine look upset, and her curiosity overpowered her irritation at him. Besides, the crazy kid was wearing a swimming cap and goggles over his uniform. She paused in the corridor and he looked up at her.

"Akira-senpai?"

"Why are you so depressed?" Akira asked with a raised eyebrow. "It doesn't suit you."

"Nobody wants to join the swimming club, Akira-senpai, and we need four members to make a club. I've been trying to recruit people all day. I even tried handing out these free Iwatobi-chan dolls!" he insisted, holding out one of the small dolls they'd carved. To Nagisa's shock, Akira looked at the mascot and laughed.

"What the hell is that? It's adorable!" she said with a giggle, taking the little penguin doll from him. Nagisa only gaped at her with an open mouth. He'd never seen Akira laugh before. It was a beautiful sound, soft and relaxing. Her pink lips moved gently and a small dimple formed on her left cheek. As Nagisa stared at her, though, Akira's smile turned to a frown. "Why are you staring at me?"

"You have a really pretty laugh, Akira-senpai," Nagisa told her honestly. Akira rolled her eyes, used to his antics. She held up the Iwatobi-chan doll.

"Do you mind if I take one of these?"

"Not at all. You can have more if you want," Nagisa replied.

"That's okay. One is enough. Ja, Nagisa-kun, I'm going to the library. Don't bother everyone too much."

Nagisa nodded and stared after her, watching her braid swing. He would make a hundred Iwatobi-chan dolls if it meant he could see Akira laugh like that again. Grinning to himself with renewed energy, he snapped the goggles back on his face, ready to start advertising again.

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The next morning on the train, Akira glanced up from her organizer, expecting to see those magenta eyes fixed on her like they always were. But to her surprise, Nagisa was sitting across the aisle and talking to a tall boy in glasses. So he found a friend, she mused, getting off the train along with everyone else. Nagisa caught up to her, grinning.

"Akira-senpai! We finished cleaning up the pool yesterday! Do you want to come see it?"

"Not particularly," Akira replied. "Why would I want to come see a swimming pool?"

"Can you swim, Akira-senpai?"

Akira sighed. "I took lessons when I was a kid. I'm only good enough to save myself from drowning, though."

"Once it's warm enough to swim, you should come swim with us, Akira-senpai!" Nagisa insisted. He flushed a little red as he imagined what Akira-senpai would look like in a swimsuit. Preferably a two piece… he hurriedly composed his thoughts before Akira noticed. "Do you want more of those Iwatobi-chan dolls, senpai?"

Akira shook her head. She held up her phone, and he saw that the original doll he'd given her was strapped to it, along with a couple of other keychains. Nagisa grinned. "Wow, Akira-senpai, you have a lot of straps! Is that a mini camera? And this one's a little dolphin! Kawaii!"

Akira shrugged, blushing slightly. "I like collecting them."

"Wow! I didn't know you did things like that, senpai! You always seem so uninterested! If I see any nice straps, I'll keep them for you, okay?" Nagisa chirped happily, bouncing alongside Akira. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes, but she couldn't resist a smile. As annoying as Nagisa could be, the little blonde boy was starting to grow on her. Akira shifted and frowned. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

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A/N - Thanks for reading! I'm really bored and I've finished writing this story, so I figure I'll take Oneshot requests if anyone wants. Heterosexual pairs only, I've never written yaoi before and I don't think I'd be good. PM me or review or something.