𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚! 𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 || one-shots

Starting Days [Ikuya x Reader]

Natsuya used to babysit [Y/n] and Ikuya when they were much younger, so they had known each other for a while. All through kindergarten and elementary school [Y/n] refused to let Ikuya be lonely without his brother, and she always stuck by him through thick and thin. She knew he was usually quiet and reserved, but if she was upset about something, he would usually do something subtle, like hand her a tissue or let her cry into his clothing or even hug her wordlessly.

It was simple things like that which made [Y/n] feel a whole lot better, because she knew that he wouldn't do it for anyone else. Of course she wasn't bowing down to him for making an exception for her; she was just happy about it. So, of course nothing changed on the first day of middle school. Haru and Ikuya were distracted by a gleeful voice coming from a little way to the right.

"Ikuya, we're in the same class!" The [H/c]-haired girl beamed, hugging Ikuya's arm, and he blushed and stuttered and instantaneously ordered her to get off. She had always known he was a tsundere, and it deeply amused her most of the time. Anyway, of course [Y/n] was delighted to sit behind him as well, but she also found out Kisumi sat near her, too.

They immediately hit it off, having similar, playful personalities. Of course they wouldn't be good enough friends to sit together during lunch, because the tradition of [Y/n] sitting at Ikuya's desk was clearly set in stone. "What club are you going to join, Ikuya?" [Y/n] asked before munching eagerly on some sushi. Ikuya looked at her with unimpressed amber eyes. "You're going to choke if you eat that quickly."

The [H/c]-haired girl scoffed through a mouthful of said sushi. "Okay, mom. Anyway, quit avoiding the question! Which club are you going to join?" Ikuya glanced out of the window dismissively. "Clubs are for playing around." [Y/n] almost choked for real, making Ikuya say "Called it" in his mind.

"No way! Why not the swim club?" Of course that quickly caught the attention of a certain redhead. "You're going to join the swim club?!" Asahi asked Ikuya gleefully after rushing over in the blink of an eye, and both he and [Y/n] looked at Ikuya excitedly. "You are, right?"

God help Ikuya with those two.

-

[Y/n] had become well-acquainted with her fellow first-years in the swim club, and everything was fine. Well, not really. She knew Ikuya and Natsuya still didn't get along well, and though she didn't realize, it was all painfully unfair on her. She had tried so many times to convince the two brothers to maybe speak to each other and make up, but both sides were still undecisive. Especially with the swim club now involved, there was no chance of things getting better.

One day, [Y/n] was staying after school to clean the classroom, and no one else was left, it was just her. She swept the cloth across the lightly clouded window, her [E/c] eyes deep and thoughtful. She was trying to figure everything out in her head, and she came to the conclusion there must be something wrong with her. Maybe she was doing something wrong, and should just leave Ikuya alone.

[Y/n] bit down on her lip until it almost bled, her eyes becoming glassy with tears as she clenched her hands into fists and let the cloth drop to the floor. So, it was decided. [Y/n] would leave Ikuya to his own devices, because she was clearly getting in the way.

-

The days were dark after that. Ikuya still couldn't figure out why [Y/n] had stopped speaking to him, and it made him feel even more alone. Though he was too stoic to actually ask her, and maybe that was the problem. But one day, when he spotted her silently walking down the street on the way home after school, he swallowed his pride and strode towards her.

She didn't notice him until he grabbed her arm. [Y/n] winced. "I-Ikuya? What is it...?" He clenched his teeth, his amber eyes sparking with flame. "Why have you been avoiding me all of a sudden?! I deserve an answer!" The [H/c]-haired girl flinched deeply, a shadow sweeping across her face. "I don't know, I...I..." What could she say?

"...Sorry..." Her voice was small and quiet, and Ikuya couldn't supress a shocked gasp. He had never heard her sounding so defeated. Maybe a few times, but she had never looked so broken before. Ikuya fought back against the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "But why?!" It was [Y/n]'s turns to be shook by the emotion in Ikuya's voice.

"I just...thought I was getting in the way..." [Y/n] practically whispered, her eyes beginning to glaze over with tears. "I'm so sorry!" In the blink of an eye, the [H/c/n] had spun around to hug him. His breath hitched in his throat, and he was shocked for a moment. They stood there for a while, and just like all those millions of times before, Ikuya let [Y/n] cry into his clothing while he gently returned the embrace.


-


But what really embarrassed Ikuya beyond explanation and basically sentenced him to a lifetime of Asahi's teasing, was the kiss-on-the-nose [Y/n] gave him after the relay, being claimed to be a shameless 'victory kiss'.

And all [Y/n] could do was laugh afterwards in her usual bubbly tone, like she knew perfectly well how badly she had humiliated her poor best friend.

But, who knows, maybe they were more than friends after that?

Anyway, no matter what, Asahi would forever tease Ikuya about it, and it certainly wouldn't be forgotten easily.