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Aira knew that Hiiro was a…different brand of strange, even in Yumenosaki, which was known for producing some of the most eccentric and borderline insane idols that have ever come into the scene.
And yet, Aira wanted nothing more than for Hiiro to notice him as more than just a unit mate, close friend and borderline flunkies.
The blond knew that when it came to feelings and Hiiro, one had to be upfront and blunt with the strange teen. The issue with that was Aira was barely honest about his feelings to himself, let alone his unit leader, who said anything and everything that came to mind.
So, he went to get advice from some of Hiiro’s friends, it was the only way to try and even begin to woo her.
⸻
Tetora
⸻
“Excuse the intrusion…” Aira whispered into the Martial Arts Club as he peeked in, seeing Tetora cleaning up what was left of their club training with a smile on his face. “Nagumo-senpai, are you busy?”
“Huh? Oh, Shiratori! Ossu!” The taller turned with a beaming grin his way, one hand held up in greeting. “I have some time before I have to run, would you like some tea?”
When the younger nodded, the club captain turned and began to set up a rather nice and traditional tea set, making a motion for Aira to settle down and make himself comfortable. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask…about how to court Hiro-chan…” admitted the blond, tugging at his sweater vest nervously, green eyes peeking up through his bangs. “You see, I know how she is, but I also know how I am. She can be blunt and wear her heart on her sleeve, while I can’t and I struggle to say what I’m really feeling at times.”
“I see, so you don’t want to tell her completely how you feel, but you want to start showing her that you have an interest in her?” hummed the older idol as he poured two cups of tea for them. “That would be difficult and I don’t think I can be of much help, since I’m also someone who says what I’m thinking without any hesitation.”
Aira’s shoulders dropped slightly at the response, face turning into one of despair at the prospect of hitting a dead end already. “No way…!”
“I can only suggest one thing,” Tetora’s face lightened up slightly. “Hiiro’s village is big on strength, maybe do something to assert your strength?”
“Oh! Maybe!”
Later, Aira will curse his own idiotic response and attempt, but in the moment he took the idea given to him and ran with it.
⸻
Test of Strength
⸻
Aira found Hiiro helping Anzu with moving some boxes, the brunette carrying nothing, while the redhead held a stack almost taller than himself. “Hiro-chan, Anzu-senpai!”
“Umu? Oh, Aira!” Hiiro’s eyes brightened and a smile came to her face as she turned slightly to look at her unit mate, Anzu smiling and stopping for the blond to catch up.
“What can we do for you, Aira?” Anzu asked, head tilting slightly and Aira paused to take in a deep breath after running all the way over, before he grinned brightly up at the two.
“I-I was wondering if I could help you with those boxes?” Both paused, Hiiro’s brows scrunching up (cutely) in concern, while Anzu’s smile turned slightly strained.
“U-Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” The brunette hummed, looking pointedly at Hiiro, who blinked blankly back. “Right, Hiiro?”
“Probably not…” admitted Hiiro after a moment of staring at her load and then back at Aira, whose cheeks puffed out. “I mean, it’s nice that you want to help, Aira, but…”
“I can do it too, Hiro-chan!” Aira knew he was whining, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted Hiiro to see him as an equal in strength in order for her to even see him as a candidate for a relationship.
How could he do that if Hiiro wouldn’t even let him try and help with the boxes?!
“Please, Anzu-senpai!” The two paused again and Hiiro placed the boxes down, allowing Aira the chance to grab some, pausing briefly to stumble from the sudden amount in his arms.
These things were heavy and he was only carrying two?!
“Are you okay, Aira-kun?” Anzu’s eyes worriedly took in his shaky stance and Aira was suddenly aware of how bad this looked to them and he smiled through it.
“I’m fine, Anzu-senpai, look!” With a strength he really didn’t know he had, Aira straightened himself up a bit more, hands gripping the box he was holding like his life depended on it. “Now, where were you heading with this stuff?”
Hiiro winced slightly, moving to adjust the second box Aira was holding gently, her other hand moving to brush a strand of long red hair behind her ear. “We were heading up to Kagehira-senpai in the Handicrafts club. These are all materials Anzu-senpai ordered for costumes to be made by him. He needs his own version of money for school and doing commissions for costumes is his main source, especially with Anzu-senpai working with him.”
That made sense to Aira. Kagehira was the only member of Valkyrie left in school and single units weren’t allowed, so he couldn’t really do any lives at school, but they couldn’t say he wasn’t working as an idol either, since Valkyrie was still working, though it was sporadic with Shu being in France at the moment.
“O-Okay!” Hiiro and Anzu eyed him for another moment, but Aira persevered, continuing the path they had been walking as Hiiro gathered the other boxes and Anzu led the way after a moment of hesitation.
‘This isn’t so bad, once you get used to it…’ He thought as he shakily climbed the steps, tongue sticking out as he focused on lifting one foot above the other and tried to not fall.
He got about halfway up the second flight of stairs before his foot slipped from under him, the boxes tumbling and flying away from him as he squeaked.
“Aira!” The blond could only try and cover his head as he fell backward, Hiiro’s voice calling his name the only thing he heard, before he was caught in strong arms and turned away from the boxes coming down on him by a sturdy back as his own hit the tiled floor underneath them. “Are you okay?”
Green eyes blinked slowly, meeting concerned ocean blues as Hiiro stared down from her position at him, arms caging the blond in protectively. “Hiro-chan?”
A smile came to Hiiro’s face, looking much better than the worried frown she wore a moment ago, as relief shone in her eyes. “I’m glad you didn’t get hurt, Aira!”
“Hiiro-san! Aira-kun!” Anzu rushed down the steps, stepping around the boxes on the floor. “Are you two okay?”
“Umu! No damage here, Anzu-senpai!” Hiiro moved back from her position over Aira, looking at the brunette with the same smile she always had. “Sorry for the mess! I’ll pick it up and finish helping you take it to Kagehira-senpai!”
‘I couldn’t do it…’ Aira thought, his mood dampening as he realized if he tried again, there was a chance that another accident could happen and it would be worse than this one. “I’m…going to meet with Kohakucchi, I had something else I needed to do with him that I forgot until now…”
Hiiro’s face fell for a split second, before she nodded slowly at Aira’s words, obviously knowing better than to push him (and Aira was proud that she was starting to respect his boundaries after so long of accidentally pushing them). “Okay, Aira…”
Anzu’s lips pursed, like she wanted to say something, but she instead nodded as Aira turned and walked off, mind running through his epic fail the entire time.
He wanted to go home, watch some idols and indulge in sweets for a little bit.
⸻
Niki and Kohaku
⸻
Aira sighed as he turned his spoon around sadly in his parfait. He’d not only fucked up big enough to look like an idiot, but then he ran off like a coward to boot.
“Rabu-han, whatcha doin’ ove’ there?” He heard Kohaku’s voice and he turned slowly to face his friend, who looked confused. “I thought you said you were on a diet?”
“I was…then I messed something up and I wanted a quick pick me up.” sighed Aira, finally pulling out a spoonful of the parfait.
“Maybe I can len’ an ear?” Kohaku settled next to him and waved a hand, catching Niki’s eye as the chef passed by. “Can I have that sundae you made last time, Niki-han?”
“Coming right up, Kohaku-chan~!” The long haired idol turned and left, though it didn’t take him long to come back with sundae as he looked over his phone, eyebrows knitting in slight concern. “Hm~, I’ll probably be heading out soon, so don’t linger when my boss comes out, Kohaku-chan.”
“Understood.” The pink haired teen monotoned, taking the ice cream with a nod of thanks, before pausing. “But why’re ya leavin’? Dontcha usually hafta beg for some hours?”
“Yeah, but it looks like Rinne-kun had to go and grab Imouto-chan from after school,” Niki started, placing his phone back in his pocket. “Seems she sprained her ankle during practice and didn’t get it wrapped properly.”
Aira’s eyes widened as the scene in the hallway played out again and he realized that Hiiro got hurt protecting him from the fall. “Oh my God! I want to die!”
“Geh?! Shiratori-kun?!” “Rabu-han?!”
Niki and Kohaku exchanged concerned glances as the blond slammed his head into the table after that cry.
“The truth is…” And Aira explained his terrible attempt at trying to prove his strength to Hiiro, before running to hide away in Cafe Cinnamon and drown his sorrows in sweets. “And she got hurt helping me out because I thought I could carry those things up the steps and they weren’t light, both she and Anzu-senpai warned me, but I wanted to try it anyway!”
“Well, the thing is Rinne-kun and Imouto-chan were raised to be providers for the ones that they wanted to, er, date in a sense.” Niki started, a small awkward smile coming to his face as he fiddled the woven bracelet around his wrist gently. “So, if you tried to show strength, Imouto-chan probably thought she wasn’t providing enough and tried the next thing, which would be protecting you.”
“Hiiro-han and Rinne-han are weird.” reaffirmed Kohaku with a nod. “They want to provide and protect for you and Niki-han, so instead why don’t you try doing the things Niki-han does for Rinne-han when he goes out and around being an idiot?”
Aira blinked, turning to look at Niki, who now sported a slight blush on his cheeks. “Well, when Rinne-kun comes back drunk, I make sure he does everything he needs to do and if he comes down with a cold or something, then I take care of him until he’s back to his annoying self.
The ALKALOID member nodded slowly, hand moving to cup his chin in thought. “Well, I did cause it…I should help her.”
“That’s the spirit, Rabu-han!” grinned Kohaku as he stood, slapping some money on the counter. “Well, I’m heading off. Good luck, Rabu-han and see you at practice, Niki-han.”
“I have to go too, thank you, Shiina-san!” With that, Aira turned and ran as Niki stared at where the two younger idols once sat, before sighing softly under his breath.
“Ah, to be young.” He shook his head fondly, before turning and beginning to clean up their spots, taking his phone out again and calling Rinne. “Yeah, I don’t think we have to worry too much, Rinne-kun. Shiratori-kun is going to take good care of Imouto-chan.”
He hummed idly as he cleaned, listening to Rinne ramble and go on about how he wasn’t still sure about this (despite how he acted, he still cared greatly about his little sister).
“Well, he’ll get the picture eventually, besides it’s not his fault your village makes females a little stronger than the average city goer.” His tongue clicked as he wiped at a particularly stubborn spot. “Imouto-chan is really a strong and independent girl with a rock of obliviousness, it’s going to take more than Shiratori-kun willing it for it to work.”
After a few more moments of Rinne whining about his little sister marrying Aira, the two hung up and Niki smiled softly. “Don’t worry, I highly doubt this will break the wall Shiratori-kun and her have at the moment.”
⸻
Taking Care
⸻
Hiiro stuck her tongue out as she shifted on her bed. She’d stayed back for the day to let her ankle begin the healing process and had Tatsumi and Mayoi fretting over her for a bit, before they had to go to school themselves. Now she was alone for the time being, but she didn’t particularly like being bed bound and wanted to move, even just a little bit.
“Ah! No moving, Hiro-chan!” Aira’s voice ordered as the blond entered her room, a stern pout on his face, that made her small frown melt away into a smile.
He could be so cute.
“What did you think you were going to do with an ankle like that?” sighed Aira as he moved over and settled Hiiro back against the pillows, making sure her hair wasn’t caught in anything along the way. “Really, truly hopeless when left alone. What a leader we have.”
Hiiro giggled, hand coming to cover her mouth slightly as she watched the younger fret around her for another moment, before settling at her bedside with his bag. “I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try and move a bit more. I don’t really like being stationary.”
“Still…you’re injured, dummy.” Aira gently poked Hiiro in the forehead, causing her to blink slightly. “I’ve told you before, idols and girls need to be careful with their bodies and take care of themselves. That includes you!”
Hiiro smiled, head tilting slightly. “Sorry, Aira, you know how I am.”
“I know…” sighed the blond, before perking up. “That’s right! I got Nagumo-senpai to gather your schoolwork and brought it, since I know you would probably be bored…though this is boring too…”
“Thank you, Aira.” Hiiro accepted the work gratefully, already beginning to look over it with a small hum.
“A-And, I made you some food!” Aira fumbled with the last bog he had, gently placing it on Hiiro’s lap. “Shiina-san helped me make it, but it’s your favorite.”
Hiiro’s eyes brightened as she opened the little bento and saw Omurice in it. “I appreciate this so much, Aira!” Setting her work aside, Hiiro picked up her utensils and began to dig in eagerly. “Umu! This is the best!”
Aira continued to watch her, green eyes soft. “Hey, Hiro-chan, I wanted to apologize about what happened. You wouldn’t have gotten hurt and ended up on bedrest if I had only listened to you and Anzu-senpai…”
“Hm…?”
“It’s just…” Hiiro watched as Aira’s cheeks turned a very dark red. “I was trying to show you that I could be a good partner for you!”
“A good partner for me?” parroted Hiiro, her heart thumping in her chest, even as she tried to keep it together. It wouldn’t do to get her hopes up.
“I…I want to date you, Hiro-chan.” Aira finally spluttered, looking completely embarrassed at his admission. “But I didn’t think I was good enough, so I tried it the way the people in your village did by showing strength and now this.”
“Oh, Aira…” Hiiro leaned down, holding Aira’s hand gently. “I would’ve said yes without you doing all that. I kept saying it, but I love you. I love the Aira that gets excited about Idol concerts and practices for our own lives more than anyone. I love the you that constantly wants to eat sweets, but refrains to try and keep looking good. I love the you that gets scared from little things and clings to me tightly so I can protect you. That’s the Aira I love, not some village kid from my hometown.”
Aira’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open as he stared at the redheaded teen, who beamed back with her own cheeks apple red. “Y-Y-You can’t just say things like that, Hiro-chan!!”
Hiiro laughed loudly, even as Aira continued to shriek at her about words and idol codes.
They’d be alright, even with the terrible flirting experience.