Baah, don't mind the song and the OOCness (it's just that I thought of the certain lyric as somehow appropriate of them unlike the rest of the words in the song). XD
Yes, I know Hotaru doesn't smile or do something that would tell Ruka that she needed him, so just yeah, don't mind the song. -___-
Drabble 9: Hotaru x Ruka
Main Genre: Humor
Word of the Drabble: Money
Dedicated to: To all you HotaRuka fans out there, especially to missyJuliette, the one who sent me the PM that directly asked me why this pairing's drabble wasn't there from her review of the very first drabble (Lucky you, getting dedications from me the second time around, phooey. XD), and to and VioletIsARockstar who've been readers of my H x R fics ever since I first took a shot at 'em. Hope you guys like this one. (:
Today, Ruka got trampled, strangled, yanked, kissed, hugged, pushed, pulled, and been harassed in five different levels over racing to the line of Imai Hotaru's booth of his very own photos. At first it started out as a harmless – though not very to Ruka himself – sale, but the moment Hotaru left for crab cakes and (very forcibly) left the booth to poor Ruka's care, chaos ensued.
And let's just say things didn't turn out pretty by the time Hotaru got back, because it too involved a lot of choking, smacking, punching, and hitting on her part.
Clearly, it wasn't Hotaru's day when she stormed off, nor was it Ruka's – yes, especially Ruka's – day, as he retreated to his dorm, beaten up and beleaguered in every way imaginably possible.
On the following morning, as Ruka got ready to leave for class and lock up his room (those fangirls were desperately obsessed, that was one thing), he noticed a note sticking out from under his doormat.
Baffled, he picked it up and read:
Nogi, you owe me 5, 000 Rabbits.
There was no doubt about who had left him that little piece of paper by his door, but the thought of a twelve-year old boy fearing for the worst because of some six-word message he got from a girl his age was enough to leave almost anyone wondering what on earth this world has come to.
And that was if the girl didn't happen to be Imai Hotaru.
-__- $__$ -__-"
After withdrawing what seemed to be the money he had saved from the moment he had stepped foot inside the Academy at age eight to present, Ruka checked his watch for the umpteenth time, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other as he stood outside their supposed meeting place, the library, a bag of money in his hand.
Truth be told, the idea of meeting up somewhere was enough to send chills down his spine, but the other idea of meeting up somewhere where they could be alone was enough to scare the hell out of him, not to mention make him wet his pants – not that he was planning to do so.
"Nogi," a stoic voice came up from behind him.
…Yet.
He struggled to regain his composure, "Imai," his knees buckling – and apparently failed at it.
Hotaru raised a nonchalant, almost mocking eyebrow. "Ready to go inside, Bunny Boy?"
He momentarily frowned at the acknowledgement and forgot about his previous worries, then replied with a try-hard smirk, "Ready when you are, Ice Queen."
"Don't even try pulling one on me, Bunny Boy." She walked towards the door and went in the library.
Ruka didn't retort an answer and just followed Hotaru inside.
Hotaru walked on over to the farthest side of the library then stopped by a nearby carrel.
Leaning on the table, she brusquely went straight to the point of why they met up in the first place. "Where's my money, Nogi?"
For some reason, Ruka found himself staring at the stolid girl in front of him, and somehow was mesmerized by the way her bright amethyst eyes glinted whenever she mentioned the word 'Money'. Hotaru glowered at him and poked him on the shoulder none too gently.
Ruka blinked twice, dazed. "Huh?"
"I want my money, Nogi," she repeated with a slight tone of exasperation.
"O-oh," he suddenly realized the velvet drawstring pouch of money in his one hand, "I have it. Here you go."
Hotaru took it from his hand without having to ask twice, its contents jingling lightly as she shook it.
Then from behind a thick fringe of long eyelashes – Ruka noted – she looked at him and asked, "Who said I wanted spare change?"
Ruka didn't find the question the least bit foreboding, and even dared to say, his hand behind his neck, "I kind of smashed some piggy banks hidden all over the dorm before I went to the bank and withdrew what I needed to without drying out much of my bank account."
Hotaru simply looked at him, her lip twitching ever-so slightly.
"Besides, I bet it can make you feel richer."
Ruka noticed her face light up, and smiled inwardly to himself. A smug sneer started to form on Hotaru's face.
"Bet you were saving up for Mikan's present, huh?"
Crash and burn. "H-how did y-you – N-NO, where the bloody hell did you get that idea?!"
She smirked, "Just a thought."
Ruka didn't reply, Hotaru uncharacteristically continuing on with their little exchange, "Just as hopeless as ever, I see."
"Yeah right."
She didn't react, her face still apathetic.
He fought the urge to take a step closer towards the infuriatingly aloof Hotaru so that he could wring his hands around her smooth neck, and instead kept his cool and merely shrugged, "You say it best when you say nothing at all, Imai."
"Don't you get cheesy on me, Nogi."
Ruka's heart dropped to his feet. That wasn't what he meant to say, making it very obvious that she totally misinterpreted him. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again when Hotaru turned her back on him and headed for the library's exit right across where they stood, bag of money in hand.
"Th-that – "
"Shut up, Nogi."
And somehow, he was left with nothing to say because he saw that the girl walking through those doors might just be the very person that can render him a fool and make him pee in his pants at the same time.
It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word,you can light up the dark
Try as I may, I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing
The smile on your face makes me know you need me,
There's a truth in your eyes, saying you'll never leave me.
The touch of your hand, says you'll catch me,
Whenever I fall…
You say it best, when you say nothing at all.
When You Say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating
Did it turn out the way you guys wanted it to be? Sorry if it wasn't any good, I'm just not so used to all the cheesiness. Boo. :|
Neh, are you gonna press that green button or not?