Keep Your Heart Closed.
keep your heart closed.
AKB48; Majisuka Gakuen; 1049 words. [Nezumi/Center]
it's just still scary for her.
5 rolls of bandages, 8 boxes of band-aids, 3 bottles of wound cleanser, 3 packs of cotton.
Nezumi tucked one free hand inside her hoodie’s pocket and hastily exited the store. She figured what she bought for now would be enough. Nezumi lowered her head when she recalled how she asked the store clerk what she needs for several bloody wounds, open cuts, dark bruises, busted lips, sprained body parts and a splitting headache that comes after. It was more than embarrassing for Nezumi. She never bothered to tend to her wounds before so she didn’t really have any idea on what to buy.
I need to get back already...Nezumi quickened her pace, making a turn towards the street where the shortcut back to her house was.
“Nezumi.”
That voice. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Otabe.”
Her fists tightened inside her pocket and around the transparent plastic bag she’s carrying.
Otabe’s eyes dropped down to her plastic bag. “Bandages?” The other girl asked. “For your busted face?”
Nezumi’s hand instantly flew to her face. She grimly touched her busted lips and ran a finger gently on the cut on her cheek.
Otabe quirked her head to the side when Nezumi didn’t give any answer. “For you, Nezumi? Why so many?”
“I don’t need to answer you.” Nezumi grumbled, wondering what Otabe wants. I really, really need to get back already... If it was a different day, Nezumi would play word games with Otabe but not today. She has something very important to do somewhere else. “What is it, Otabe?”
Otabe smiled her usual mysterious smile. “Center. She is your friend, right?”
Nezumi’s finger twitched at the word. “What is it to you?”
“Not everyone waits for a long time, Nezumi.” Otabe answered, smiling once more before turning her back on the hooded girl and walking away. “Not even your true friends.”
Nezumi gritted her teeth and glared at Otabe’s retreating back for several seconds before going on her way, her pace even faster to make up for the time wasted while talking to Otabe.
- -
Nezumi dabbed the cotton with cleanser on the last wound under Center’s eye and placed a band-aid on the cut on the other side of the girl’s face. She looked at Center’s face and made sure that she got everything cleaned and covered before putting away the things she used.
She arrived back in her house to see Center sleeping on her bed, the fatigue finally taking over after the adrenaline left the other girl’s system. She then carefully started cleaning the sleeping girl’s wounds, putting bandages on her sprained ankle and swollen fists and covering her cuts with band-aids.
Nezumi grabbed the wet towel by the table and sat back down on the chair by the bed. Nezumi very gently wiped away the dry streaks of blood on Ceneter’s face, carefully making her way from the sleeping girl’s forehead to the sides of her face and to her busted lips.
Don’t leave me alone.
Nezumi frowned at the memory of Center’s strained voice. It was quite terrible and uncalled for to have Center think that Nezumi would leave her alone. But it was even more terrible and uncalled for that if the Yabakune didn’t turn on Nezumi, Nezumi would have left Center to be beaten up.
But the thought of Center fighting for Majijo- for Otabe made Nezumi’s mind hazy, her body shake and her chest tighten. She can’t let that happen. She won’t. She won’t let another important person in her life leave her and hurt her.
So before Center can leave and hurt her, Nezumi would leave and hurt her first.
Which was kinda pathetic the moment Center arrived to save Nezumi’s beaten up ass. And for Center to beg her to not leave-
As if I’d leave you alone.
Because after seeing Center push through the hits, the punches and the kicks just to be able to reach her, there is no way Nezumi will leave Center. Not after Center fought for her and not after having heard form Center that they are friends. Right now and from now on. Center is her true friend.
Not everyone waits for a long time, Nezumi... Not even your true friends.
Nezumi dropped the towel on the floor and slowly let her fingers ghost on Center’s swollen cheek. She knows it. She knows that maybe, Center wouldn’t wait forever for her. Center has stated her feelings many times already but Nezumi hasn’t respond to even one.
What if Center does grow tired of waiting? What if she decides to just let go and leave Nezumi alone? Or what if someone else catches Center’s attention and offers her something Nezumi can’t give Center?
What if Center finds someone else?
Nezumi’s fist tightened. She won’t let that happen. She won’t. Because it’s not like Nezumi doesn’t care about Center and her feelings. Nezumi does. A lot. A whole lot. Especially because she knows that she’s the only one Center let in close enough to know her weakness. It’s just still scary for her.
What if Center just leaves her like what her father did? What if one day, Center just decides to walk out of Nezumi’s life?
What if Center lets someone else in?
Nezumi’s fingers stopped on Center’s lips, swollen and busted. She leaned forward, her fingers tracing the bruised lips and her other hand finding Center’s own. Nezumi stopped, her lips several inches away from Center’s. She breathed in the other girl’s distinct smell which instantly calmed her down. She looked down on Center’s peaceful but tired face.
“Keep your heart closed, Center.” Nezumi whispered, her voice quivering.
“Keep your heart closed.”
She pressed her lips against Center’s in a brief kiss and intertwined their fingers together. “Please, Center... Wait just a bit more... And keep your heart closed.”
She pulled away and stared at Center’s still sleeping form, waiting for some kind of a response but got none. Nezumi let out a sigh and laid her head on Center’s shoulder. She won’t let anything ruin whatever she has with Center. She won’t let Center be alone.
“Wait just a bit more, Center...”
Nezumi whispered as her eyes closed, feeling a light squeeze on her hand before falling asleep.