A/N – Sooo. Yeah. I wrote a little more for this. This is set during Episode 5 of the second season, when Nagisa runs away. I just had to write it.

Chapter 10

"Akira-chan! Akira-chan!" a cheerful voice called out. Akira smiled to herself. There was no way she could mistake that voice. Nagisa Hazuki was waving eagerly at her, where he was sitting with his friends on the roof, eating lunch. They sat in the same place every day, yet Nagisa always felt the need to yell out to her from afar, to alert her to where they were sitting. "Akira-chan, over here!"

"I know, Nagisa-kun," Akira mumbled as she approached the group of boys. "We sit here every day, I can see you from over there."

"I just wanted to make sure you noticed us," Nagisa pouted before looking eagerly at the lunchbox she carried in her hands. His magenta eyes widened in delight and he lunged for the food. "What did you bring today? Is it fish? Sugoi! It's fish! Yum!" he happily dug his chopsticks into the bento and Akira rolled her eyes fondly at him.

"Nagisa-kun, you shouldn't eat her lunch like that!" Makoto scolded him with a sigh. "What will Akira-chan eat if you finish all her food?"

Akira shrugged. "It's all right. He's hungrier than I am anyway, I had a big breakfast." She turned and looked in surprise as Nagisa rapidly finishing off her bento. He usually just took a few bites. Her eyes widened as she lightly slapped him. "Baka! At least leave some for me! I woke up early just to make that. Didn't your mother give you a lunch?"

Nagisa flushed, returning the almost-finished bento to her. "Gomen, Akira-chan. I didn't bring a lunch."

Akira suddenly felt bad for him. She sighed and pushed the bento back towards him, taking a sip of her drink. "It's okay, you eat it. Next time your mother can't make you lunch, tell me okay? I'll make extra for you, I really don't mind. I make it for Katsu-kun too, anyway."

Nagisa beamed, throwing his arms around Akira lovingly. "Akira-chan, you're the best girlfriend ever! I'm so lucky to have you! Please don't ever leave me until I die!"

"You'd probably come haunt me even after you died, baka," Akira muttered, although she was flushing red at the feeling of her boyfriend's arms around her waist. He was pressing his face against her shoulder and she could feel his warm skin through her school uniform. Before she could move, Nagisa had kissed her lightly on the cheek and released her, again picking up the bento. He began to stuff what was left into his mouth rapidly.

Akira flushed, tugging a little embarrassedly at her braid. She looked around at the other boys, who were watching them in amusement. "Eto… how is swim practice going for you guys?" she asked lightly, trying to ignore the fact that her face was flushed red.

"Swim practice is fine," Makoto replied with a smile. "We have a tough new training regimen that Gou-chan set for us. We're working really hard."

"No wonder," Akira mumbled. She glanced at Nagisa again, who was stuffing the food rapidly into his mouth. He looked as though he hadn't eaten in days and Akira tapped him on the shoulder with a sigh. "Slow down. Baka, you'll choke yourself to death and I'm not cleaning up after you. We still have half an hour left of lunch."

"Gomen," Nagisa muttered, swallowing the lump of food in his mouth. He looked up happily. "Your cooking is just so tasty. Akira-chan, will you come to swim practice today and watch me swim? Please, please, please?"

"I can't. There's a Photography Club meeting. But I can wait for you and we can walk home together."

Nagisa beamed and nodded. "Hai!"

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Akira waited outside the Iwatobi swimming pool as Nagisa emerged. He was wearing his uniform, with his shirt untucked and his golden-blonde hair still wet from his swim. He beamed happily as soon as he saw her and rushed over, shaking his blonde hair to rid it of water droplets. Akira flinched away.

"Nagisa-kun! You're making me wet, stop it!" Akira squealed. Nagisa leaned away from her and flushed, looking suddenly embarrassed. Akira raised an eyebrow, wondering what had suddenly made her mostly shameless boyfriend blush. Then she realized the implication of her words. You're making me wet. Her own face flushed a deep red and she pretended not to have noticed. "Come on, let's go home. It's getting late."

"Hai!" Nagisa perked up and cheerfully followed Akira as they walked down to the station. He hitched his bag up on his shoulders and, as usual, pressed his face up against almost every shop window that they crossed. Akira had to almost physically drag him away from the bakery so that he wouldn't make her late going home. "But I wanted those cakes- I'm hungry!"

Akira sighed. "I have to get home or okaasan will get worried. Can't you wait to go home to eat?"

"But who'll make food for me, Akira-chan?" Nagisa pouted.

"Fine. If you're that hungry and there's nothing to eat at your own house, then come to mine. I'll cook for you. But for heaven's sake, let's go." Akira pulled Nagisa down the street, but he stopped again, this time at what appeared to be a new restaurant.

"Sugoi! A maid café! This wasn't here last week! It must be new…"

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so interested in a maid café?"

"Because maid outfits are cute," Nagisa replied bluntly. He looked at Akira with a teasing smile. "You would look really good in a maid outfit, Akira-chan. You have really pretty legs and the skirts are so fluttery and kawaii! Will you wear a maid outfit for me! Akira-chan, please, please, please!"

Akira stared at the golden-haired boy in shock. One would think he was pleading his mother to buy him chocolates, not asking his girlfriend to put on a sexually provocative costume. She flushed red. Was Nagisa imagining her in a maid outfit? The idea of putting one on for him made her feel like her head would explode in embarrassment. "Hentai," she accused him, flushing. "You're such a pervert, is this what you think about all the time?"

Nagisa pouted. "But Akira-chan… you're really pretty! And you're my girlfriend, so it's okay, right?"

"No, it's not okay! Shut up! Such perverted thoughts don't suit that innocent face of yours."

"Gomen'nasai, Akira-chan," Nagisa apologized, hanging his head. He looked like a down-trodden little puppy. Akira sighed. Why was it that whenever he bowed his head and made those magenta eyes of his go all droopy, she simply couldn't refuse him anything? She grabbed his hand as they walked down the sidewalk.

"I'll think about it," she mumbled.

Nagisa beamed. "Really?" He gripped her hand tightly. "Arigatou, Akira-chan!"

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Akira woke up early the next morning, and sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. The sun had just risen, and her alarm clock hadn't yet begun to ring. She frowned, wondering what had woken her up, when she noticed her phone was on. She picked it up and frowned.

4 New Messages from: Nagisa

Nagisa: Ohayou, Akira-chan!

Nagisa: Are you awake yet?

Nagisa: Can you make me a bento today? I spent the night at Haru-chan's house…

Nagisa: Akira-chan?

Akira rolled her eyes. Only Nagisa Hazuki would text somebody at 5 am and expect an immediate reply. She sighed, wondering why he had spent the night at Haru's house when there was school today. Maybe all the boys had decided to sleep over. She picked up the phone and began to text back.

Akira: Ohayou, Nagisa-kun. Yes, I'll make a bento. Is chicken okay?

Nagisa: Hai! Arigato, Akira-chan! I love you!

Akira flushed, tossing her phone aside. She wondered if his 'I love you' really meant anything, or if he just said it in a casual way. After all, Akira had confessed and Nagisa had told her he liked her, but they'd never talked about any deeper feelings after that. Besides, he only really seemed to say 'I love you' when she did something for him, so it was just a casual way of showing appreciation. Akira sat up and stretched her arms with a sigh. She had a lot of food to make this morning.

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Akira hitched her bag up on her shoulder. There was still some time until the first period began, so she walked by the second year classrooms to see if Nagisa was there. She peeked into his classroom door, where there were a few second year girls were standing. She felt a little embarrassed in front of them.

"Akira-senpai!" they greeted her respectfully. "Are you looking for Nagisa-kun? He's inside."

"Arigatou," Akira thanked them and stepped into the classroom. She glanced around, expecting Nagisa to be wherever the loudest amount of noise was. To her surprise, he was nowhere near the large group of boys talking and laughing at the front of the class. Nagisa was sitting alone at the back, his chin in his hand and staring out of the window. Akira paused in surprise. It wasn't like Nagisa to sit quietly, and alone.

"Nagisa-kun. Ohayou," she said with a smile, walking up to him. Nagisa turned his head and beamed suddenly at the sight of her. Akira felt a little relieved. He was smiling, so surely there wasn't anything wrong. "I thought I'd bring you the bento."

"Akira-chan! Arigatou!" he took the lunchbox from her happily, about to open it. Akira swatted his hand away.

"Baka! That's for lunchtime, put it down!" she replied. Nagisa nodded and obediently put the lunchbox on the table. Akira stood, leaning against his table and watched him quietly. "So, why this sudden love for my cooking, hmm? You've been coming over for dinner and eating my lunches quite often these days. I hope they're not starving you at home."

Nagisa blinked his big, magenta eyes at her innocently. "But your cooking is so good, Akira-chan! I'm so lucky to have a girlfriend who's so pretty and kind and cooks so well!"

Akira flushed and rolled her eyes. "Now you're just making fun of me. Anyway, I should go to class. I'll see you at lunch, Nagisa-kun." She paused and glanced around the classroom to make sure nobody was looking. Then she quickly leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on the corner of his lips. Nagisa grinned at her as she pulled away, flushing. "Bye."

"Bye, Akira-chan!"

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Akira sighed, resting her head on her hands. Her textbooks were open in front of her, but she was almost dozing off. She'd been trying to study all evening. After all, her exams were coming up. But somehow, she couldn't focus. She sighed and poked at her phone. She'd texted Nagisa earlier. He could always be counted on to slack off along with her, but he hadn't been replying all evening.

"Stupid boyfriend. Bugs me when I'm busy, now where is he when I'm bored?" she muttered to herself, picking up her pen and trying to complete the sum she was working on. Before she could begin, though, her phone began to ring. She frowned and picked it up.

"Moshi moshi?" she mumbled.

"Moshi moshi. Is this Yamada Akira-chan?" a female voice asked politely, but there was a slight sense of urgency in her tone. She sounded upset.

Akira sat up. She had never heard this woman's voice before. She frowned and held the phone closer to her ear. "Hai, this is Akira. Who am I speaking to?" she asked quickly.

"Akira-chan, this is Hazuki Natsumi, I'm Nagisa-kun's older sister. Is he with you?"

Nagisa's sister? "What? No, Nagisa-kun isn't with me. Do you not know where he is?"

"…. Nagisa-kun ran away."

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Akira felt her heartbeat thud. She felt faint after hearing the whole story from Nagisa's sister- about how his grades had gone down drastically and that his parents were making him quit the Swim Club. How had she not known that something like this was going on with him? They sat and talked and laughed together every day, how had Akira not noticed?

Where is he now? she wondered. Nagisa was an idiot; she could only pray that he hadn't done something completely stupid. Where was he even staying at night if not at home? She gripped onto the corner of her table as she suddenly remembered. Of course! Nagisa had stayed at Haru's house the previous night! He was probably there right now! Akira hurried to grab a jacket and quickly snuck out of the house. She would worry about what her parents said after she was sure that Nagisa was safe and she gave him a good beating for not saying anything to her.

Akira quickly put on her jacket and cycled down to Haru's house. As she got off her bicycle, she realized that the lights were off and it was deserted. She felt herself start to panic. If he wasn't at Haru's house, then where was he? She pulled out her phone and tried to call Nagisa, but he wasn't picking up. She frowned, before taking a deep breath.

Wherever Nagisa was, she would find him.

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Akira was out of breath. Her heart was thudding as she ran up the stairs to the Iwatobi SC Returns building. Nagisa had to be here. She had already looked everywhere else, there was nowhere left. She hadn't even thought of the swim club, but she'd been cycling past it when she saw a car outside.

There were voices coming from the locker rooms. Akira ran in the direction, shoving the door open roughly as she saw all the boys from the swim club inside, along with Ama-chan sensei. Nagisa was trembling, and he had tears in his eyes. Akira felt her heart skip a beat in relief. He was here, he was safe. She clenched her fists as Nagisa turned and looked at her.

"A-akira-chan?" he stammered out. She was standing near the entrance, catching her breath as she slumped against the wall. Her face was red. As Nagisa stepped towards her, Akira let out a loud, choked sob and ran towards him, throwing her arms around his torso. Nagisa almost fell backwards, but he hugged her back tightly. "Akira-chan…"

"Baka!" she hissed, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his shirt. "Don't-don't you dare talk to me! Do you have any idea what you put me through? I've been running around in the streets all night looking for you! Couldn't you have answered your phone?"

Nagisa bit his lip, blinking back tears as he looked down at the girl clinging to him. He could only see the top of her head; she had buried her face in his shirt. Nagisa hugged Akira tightly, pressing his face against her hair. He felt terrible for making her cry. "Gomen'nasai, Akira-chan…" he mumbled.

Akira sniffled, pulling back a little to look at Nagisa. She put her hands on his cheeks and looked at his tear-filled magenta eyes. She blinked up at him, her hands trembling. Then she lifted a hand and grabbed his ear, twisting it painfully. Nagisa yelled out in surprise. "Akira-chan! Ow-ow-ow- what are you doing?"

"You idiot! That was for making me worry!" Akira snapped at him. She felt the urge to hit him again, but the guilty look on his face stopped her. Instead, she beat her fists on his chest lightly as she held back a sob. "You're such a pain, you know that? I take my eyes off you for one minute and you run away from home? Why didn't you tell me? You should have told me!"

Nagisa's head drooped. "Gomen'nasai. I didn't want you to worry. Please don't cry, Akira-chan. When you cry, it makes me want to cry."

"You're already crying, you big baby," Akira muttered. She looked up at Nagisa and saw the tears streaming down his face. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Nagisa, if you want to cry, you should just cry."

Nagisa blinked down at her. "W-what?"

"I love seeing you smile and laugh, Nagisa-kun, but I don't want that laughter to be a show put on for my benefit! If you're upset then you should tell me you're upset! Don't pretend everything is fine!" Akira snapped. She placed a hand on his cheek and tilted his head down so that he was looking at her. Her dark brown eyes were serious. "What did you promise me the night of the summer festival, huh? Did you forget?"

Nagisa smiled weakly. "I promised I wouldn't break your heart."

"Are you going to keep that promise?"

"Hai," Nagisa whispered. "I will."

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"I can't believe none of you bothered to call me about it," Akira mumbled, as she poked at her food with her chopsticks. She glared around the circle at Rei, Makoto and Haru. All of them were looking slightly guilty. She jabbed the chopstick in Makoto's direction. "I thought at least you would be responsible enough to let me know what was going on, Makoto-kun."

Makoto looked a little sheepish. "Gomen'nasai, Akira-chan. I forgot."

Gou looked around at them all. She had just heard the entire story of what had happened last night from the other boys and she was still a little surprised. "I can't believe all that happened last night… and Nagisa-kun's parents agreeing to let him stay in the swim club too!"

Nagisa grinned. "Hai! They were a lot more understanding once I talked to them. And Akira-chan was a huge help too! She was so polite and responsible and convincing that my parents agreed to everything she said at once! She's so amazing!"

Haru glanced at Rei. "Looks like we have a new Master Negotiator."

"Ehh?" Rei demanded, upset.

Akira smiled. "You can keep the title, Rei-kun. I'm just glad Nagisa's still in the swim club."

Nagisa turned and beamed at her.

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