pronounces | hoppin' heart

[ nazuna can't understand why he'd get throttled... but he sends an emoji along in confirmation, then returns to what he was doing. when leo lets himself in (the door's always unlocked--the benefit of being an RA), he's sitting with his back to the door.

to his left is a stack of cardstock paper, and to his right, is a smaller stack of pretty, carefully cut stars. the work of a busy kindergarten teacher is never done...!

he's also very, very easy to sneak up on, earphones in, humming to himself quietly. ]

[oooh, he's busy. that definitely means it's time for a break.

leo creeps up on his friend and then wraps his arms around his waist, biting his neck gently with a laugh.]

You're dead~! The monster's got you~!

[hi nazu.]

[ well, leo's going to get the exact response he wants.

he squeals, a loud- ] Unya!! [ and flings the piece of paper he was holding, startled half to death as he flails around and then manages to grab onto leo's arm. ] Leoshin!! You shcared the crap outta me--! Knock nexsht time!

[ not that he would have heard him; the tinny pop music coming from his earphones still in his ear is definitely a sign of that. ] Jeesh!

You wouldn't have heard~.

[immediate dismissal. he squeezes the other, not feeling any desire to move whatsoever, and reaches for the earphones to listen for himself.

eck. poppy and energetic and... very nazuna, mmmm.]

Whatcha doing? Does it need to be done before our movie? Can I help? You know, to make it go faster, not because it looks fun or anything~.

[ but of course. nazuna doesn't push him off or really bother him about reaching for his headphones--he grabs his phone to turn the music off after a few seconds. he's well aware what he likes is probably nowhere near his band-frontman-tattooed-and-pierced friend's kind of taste, so it's turned off quickly.

he pats his forearm, a gesture to try and get him to let go. ] I'm starting a new star chart...we can do it while we watch, if you want! I still need to label them, but I can multitask ~ ♫

[ he seems pleased for the help, even! ] You'd be a huge help, Leochin, thank you!

[it's really not, but it isn't like he disliked it either. leo'll let him go after a moment, sliding his hands up to ruffle nazuna's hair playfully. both sides. like you do an animal.]

I'll leave the labeling to you if you leave the cutting to me~. My handwriting's not as good as yours.

[that's just fact. not as bad as some, but definitely not nazuna's dedicatedly nice teacher scrawl. give him the scissors nazuna. he's capable.]

Why are you making a new one? Did they tear up the other one? Outdated? Name one after me. ♪

Every student who can recite ten different popcorn words--um, sight words, like "cat", and things like that--gets a star. Since it's the end of the semester, I'm giving all of them a chance to get twenty to get one of these stars instead of just the silver ones I have up now!

[ nazuna seems pretty excited by even something as simple as this. it's pretty clear he loves his job, and although he makes a complaining "unya!" noise and swats at leo's hands when he ruffles him, he hands over the scissors anyway.

he also tries to fix his hair, which is now a lost cause, poofing up around his head mostly like a dandelion. oh well. settling in with his marker, nazuna pats the spot beside him on the couch, gesturing to the tv with his remote, where the movie sits waiting to start. leo's comment makes him laugh, though, and he looks at the stars in his hands. ] You want me to make a Leochin award? What kind of things would you have to do to earn that?

[so cute..! little awards, huh..? and a leo award. he hums thoughtfully, plopping down beside nazuna and starts the movie, cutting dutifully.]

Sing a song to perfection? Be the baddest kid in class? Have your first kiss in a stupid way?

[ the movie itself is quiet at first, and nazuna doesn't seem scared by it, at least not right away. the conversation is distracting, too, as he starts labeling stars with names in cutesy handwriting. ]

I hope my kindergarteners haven't had their first kiss! [ a pause, because that did catch his interest... ] Did you have your first kiss in a stupid way?

Yeah. Super stupid. I'm pretty sure I had a broken nose before it happened, I kissed the guy without thinking, and I broke my nose more. It was terrible. But nice. Blood isn't a good addition to kissing.

[just.

just so nazuna knows.]

Oh, pfft--!! [ okay, he probably shouldn't laugh, but he definitely giggles, having to muffle it behind his hand for a minute. ] Leochin, that's so--you. How did you break your nose?

[ does he really want to know.... ]

I picked a fight with someone.

[very leo. ah, nazu's so cute ♪]

Tell me you weren't in kindergarten. You were at least a little older, right?

[ he's really laughing now, because of course, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from giggling too hard. ] Only you would think of kissing someone after a fight! Was the other person in the fight, too?

Fifteen, sixteen, somethin' around there~.

[it is a very good thing leo is So Focused on his work he might actually worry about the things nazuna's laugh does to his chest. he wants to hear it more, so he leaaaaans against the other and grins.]

Yup! Cleaned up for me, just like he always had~. I was just filled with so much energy I couldn't help myself, y'know? Jumped up, threw myself around him, and smashed our faces together! It hurt!

That's really dumb! [ but kind of charming, though. just like the person saying it.

the giggles continue, a nihihi as he gives leo a little nudge, playful. ] If it makes you feel better, my first one was pretty bad, too. It wasn't that bad, but it caught me by surprise, so I felt like I wasted it.

[ it's a fond memory, though one nazuna's thought back to a hundred times. himself, awkward and shy and flustered, standing on his porch and watching kuro disappear into the night, waving over his shoulder. too cool. ] But I think you win... ~

Ever wish you could redo it?

[feels like a mistake to ask, idea on the tip of his tongue dancing dangerously on the line, but he makes sure the stars are perfect and pretty instead of peeking at nazuna.]

With someone else, in a different way, anything like that. Like, I wouldn't have done it when I had a banged up nose. That sort of thing.

Hmm... [ nazuna looks down at his stars, and he looks--really warm. there's a pink flush on his cheeks, and he smiles, soft and happy and fond down at the paper. ] In a different way, definitely. With a different person... mm. I don't think I'd change that for the world.

[ he seems to catch himself looking so sappy, though, and then flushes, embarrassed, waving a hand. ] But--sometimes I wish I could forget about it and redo it, definitely! That's only natural, isn't it?

Edited (that formatting was ugly ) 2018-05-03 00:00 (UTC)

[ggggggggggggggggod

he's gonna poke nazuna's cheek hard, making a hooo sort of sound.]

Nazu's so embarrassing~. I guess you can't forget your first love, huh~? What a handsome look that is on you, Nazu, let's redo our first kisses so I can see it more. ♪

[he's definitely joking, because he's pinching nazuna's lips shut and then setting more stars in the other's lap.]

I think I'd change the person though. Kuro's not bad, but I kinda wish I'd saved it for the first person I dated.

[ SKRRT RECORD SCRATCh. ]

Wait. Kurochin was your first kiss?! [ and in fact, his mouth flaps open and closed for a second, like he can't even believe it. ]

Yeah. He was my first friend too.

[good times.

-- wait.]

What's with that kinda reaction, fishboy?

[ ?!?!? ]

He was my first friend, too!! Leochin!!! [ and also his first kiss?!?! ] When'd yew-- wh-- how long've-- Leochin!!

[?!?!?]

Wh-- Nazu, what the hell! Seriously?! [ships passing in the night..?] I started goin' out and hangin' with older kids around fifteen, me an' Kuro got into loads of shit together. We had a bond forged in fire. There was no one else I looked up to as much as I did him.

[he was like. tetora levels of respect.]

I wash sirteen, that was the last time I saw him! Wish sa-- [ he flails a little, like he can go back to earlier in the conversation. with the kiss.

nazuna's entire face goes red, having promptly embarrassed himself even further. ] I-- unyaaa... [ wheeze. breathe. ] --I met him when I was even younger, because a bunch of his friends wouldn't leave me alone, and he told them off for it.

Edited 2018-05-03 02:10 (UTC)

[at least the movie is still setting things up....]

Hoooo, he was a good guy even back then, huh..? I'm still surprised we pretty much missed each other by a hair, Nazu, imagine knowing me back then. ♪

[.............]

Wait, no, don't! Ugh, I can't really stand the guy I was back then... Talk about pathetic. Why'd Kuro even hang out with a kid like me?

I always asked myself the same question. [ that's a little more sobering, anyway, and nazuna's smile turns sheepish as he looks away from leo, turning his attention to the screen. the smile itself doesn't quite reach his eyes. ]

I wouldn't have wanted you to know the me from back then, either. [ leo would've hated him, probably. nazuna certainly hated himself then, the quiet, nervous, shy kid he'd turned into under someone else's thumb, and he's still dealing with the repercussions years later.

he ends up shifting back just a little, enough to brush his shoulder against leo's, the gesture comforting. ] ...we're pretty lucky, to know someone like Kurochin, huh?

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