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The harsh colors and various beeps and boops emanating from Nonon’s television are the only things that manage to disrupt the haze that lingers in her apartment.
“You’re a fucking joke at this game.”
“Fuck off, Shithead. I’m playing with a handicap.” Nonon retorts, slamming buttons on her controller furiously as her character on the screen runs toward an animated end-zone.
“You decided to take that handicap and also I’m pretty sure that’s not the right use of the term.” Ryuko manages to explain while still guiding her virtual team well enough to stop Nonon’s.
“Shut up, meathead. I offered and you said no-“
“I’m in the middle of season! I get drug tested like every other week!”
“Excuses, excuses. What would your coach say if she heard you whining like this? ‘Do or do not’ or some shit, probably. I don’t know shit about basketball.” Nonon replies, just as her virtual running back miraculously avoids tacklers, finding the end-zone for a touchdown that ends the game.
All Ryuko hears is Nonon’s obnoxious cheering as the game’s endcard appears, “’Thank you for playing John Madden’s NFL Football 1995’? 1995? Seriously, Nonon? Why do you even have this?”
Nonon ignores Ryuko’s question, instead opting to change the direction of her yelling so that she’s immediately in the younger girls face. “YEAH! THAT’S RIGHT SHITHEAD!! I BEAT YOU IN A FOOTBALL GAME FROM THE GOLDEN YEAR OF 1995! NOT JUST ANY GAME EITHER, BUT JOHN MADDEN’S FOOTBALL GAME! JOHN MADDEN! JOHN MADDEN! FOOTBALL!!!!”
Ryuko leans away from Nonon, who seems to get closer to her with every syllable, before muttering, “You don’t even know who John Madden is. And I’d kick your ass on a newer version.”
“Yeah fucking right, Shithead. You wanna test that theory out? I’ll go buy it right now I don’t give a fuck.”
“I’m not letting you drive, you piece of shit stoner.”
Nonon scrunches her face and sticks her tongue out at Ryuko. “Blah blah blah, I’m Ryuko Matoi, I’m a big basketball star, I’d be a piece of shit stoner too but I’m in-season, blah blah blah, feel bad for me.”
“Oh, shut up.”
Nonon pouts, but ultimately relaxes as the two settle into silence, the beeping of the title screen the only background noise. After a few moments of this quiet, Nonon gasps.
“Matoi. Holy shit. You know what we need? Like right now?”
“For you to shut up?”
Ryuko’s reaction time is impressive as she ducks out of the way of a flying remote, its flight powered by the muscles in Nonon’s right arm.
“No, you shithead. We need Taco Bell. Immediately.”
“Holy shit. You’re right. For once.”
Ryuko laughs, again dodging a flying object sent at her by Nonon.
“Shut your damn mouth and get your keys.”
After Ryuko and Nonon had consumed five Chaulpa Supremes each, they sat in Ryuko’s car. Neither felt the distinct urge to move, so neither did, opting instead to bathe in the afterglow of greasy fast food and listen to the smooth rock playing over the radio.
“I can’t believe you actually thought of something smart for once.” Ryuko murmurs, shifting slowly in the driver’s seat, taking care to not upset the contents of her stomach.
“I’m too content to even yell at you right now, Shithead.” Nonon replies, patting her belly.
Ryuko huffs, leaning back on her seat and closing her eyes slowly. “I’m feelin’ this. Can we just take a nap right now? It’s not like I’ve got anything going on and you’re a loser so you probably don’t either.”
“Fuck off. “ Nonon remarks while simultaneously rolling to lie on her side. “Wake me up when you’ve gained some brain mass.”
Ryuko’s chuckle is the last thing Nonon hears before she drifts to sleep.
When she wakes up, the first thing Nonon notices is that it’s dark outside- the sun was still fading when she fell asleep. The second thing she notices is Ryuko, still asleep in the driver’s seat. The third thing she notices is the digital clock in Ryuko’s truck reading 8:51 PM. The fourth thing she notices, to her increasing panic, is 5 text messages and 5 missed calls on her cell phone.
All of them are from Satsuki.
Nonon’s immediate thought is that Satsuki is dead. How, she doesn’t know- a car accident? Over-exercising? Satsuki is constantly exercising; Nonon should have told to her slow down, to take a day off. She should have!
It takes about thirty seconds of speechless terror for Nonon to realize that if Satsuki were dead, she wouldn’t be able to call or text her. She also realizes that she had left voicemails.
As Nonon dials her voicemail, she’s still a little terrified. Something had to have happened to Satsuki to have the usually calm University student body president flustered.
“You have three new messages. New message, received on Friday, June 23rd, at 7:50 PM:
Hello, Nonon. I hope everything’s alright. I thought you said you were coming to my apartment at 7:30, but I could have been mistaken. Let me know. See you soon. “
Nonon’s stomach drops, but before she can even react, the second message starts playing.
“New message, received on Friday, June 23rd, at 8:10 PM:
Nonon. Is everything alright? You’re usually texting me constantly and I am becoming slightly concerned. Please let me know as soon as you can that you have not been physically harmed. See you shortly.”
“Dear god.” Nonon whispers in disbelief as the third message starts.
“New message, received on Friday, June 23rd, at 8:45 PM:
Nonon, please. I’m actually concerned now. I could care less about hanging out. Just let me know you’re still alive. If you don’t get back to me within the next 15 minutes, I’m going to check your apartment. Please let me know you’re alright. I love you.”
Nonon ends the call to her voicemail, immediately dialing Satsuki’s number and reaching her leg to kick Ryuko in the stomach.
She wakes with a groan. “Augh- what the fuck, Nonon?”
“Shut up and drive me to Satsuki’s.”
Ryuko rubs the sleep out of her eyes, “Ah man, why do you wanna go to her apartment?”
“Because I’m going to fucking assassinate her, you goddamn moron. Why the fuck do you think I need to go there? I was supposed to be there an hour-and-a-half ago!”
Ryuko is slow-moving as she turns the keys in the ignition and buckles her seatbelt. Through Nonon’s phone, she can hear the start of Satsuki’s voice mail message. Frustrated, Nonon hangs up and redials immediately.
“I thought you said you didn’t have plans.” Ryuko mutters as she starts to slowly drive from the parking lot. She’s rewarded with another kick in the stomach, Nonon’s leg length working to her advantage.
“You said I didn’t have any plans, and drive faster, you fucking shit baby.”
Ryuko groans, clutching her stomach as she approaches a stop sign. “Eurgh, oh my god Nonon, stop doing that. I’m gonna be sick.”
As Nonon rolls her eyes and Ryuko’s dramatics continue, there’s finally a beep on the other end of the line.
“Nonon! You’re alive!”
Nonon can hear the relief in Satsuki’s voice, and the faint jingle of car keys. “I am! And I’m sorry for not responding and I’m sorry for being late and I’m sorry I fell asleep and lost track of time and I’m sorry-“
Satsuki shushes her, which prompts a chuckle from Ryuko, who gets a retaliatory punch on the arm. “Shh, shh, Nonon, it’s fine, it’s fine. You’re alive, and unharmed, and well-rested. That’s what matters.”
Nonon sighs, “Still, I feel bad that I made you worry about me.”
“It’s fine. Where are you now, though?”
“Oh, um,” Nonon pauses, realizing she probably should have told Satsuki she was still coming over. “…I’m making my way to your apartment.”
In the background, Ryuko begins singing Vanessa Carlton, earning her another punch on the arm.
“Is- is Ryuko with you?”
“Oh! Yeah she is. We kind of hung out before this. Basically it was her fault I was late.”
Ryuko scoffs, “Whatever! She’s a liar Satsuki! How can you date a liar?”
“Shut up, Shithead. Anyways, I’ll be there in about five minutes.”
“Sounds great. Please tell Ryuko to drive safe. I don’t need you to actually die tonight.”
“Pray for me” Nonon adds in a whisper, getting a laugh from Satsuki before she hangs up the phone.
Nonon takes a deep breath as she settles into her seat, her stomach still turning, but not nearly as bad as it had been. She takes a moment to diagnose her situation- they are in a neighborhood not far from Satsuki’s apartment near campus, and she’ll be there in minutes. The streetlights are eventually accented by the neon signs of bars and clubs, students shuffling from bar to bar and bar to club in varying combinations. Nonon would usually join them. Although Satsuki had never been one to frequent any of these places, she would never keep Nonon from doing what she wanted to do, given it didn’t endanger her in any serious way.
She had always been more forgiving than Nonon deserved, and always more oblivious than Nonon hoped.
“So,” Ryuko says as she takes a left-hand turn onto an even busier street, “was she pissed?’
“Not really. More concerned than anything else.”
“Ah man, that’s no fair. She always yells at me when I’m late for shit.”
“That’s probably because you’re off doing something fucking stupid and blowing her off.” Nonon retorts.
“Shit, you’re probably right. Are you guys alright, though?”
Nonon nods, turning to look out the window at the towering, extravagant apartment buildings that had recently been opened. “She said she loved me, though.”
“Gross. I don’t want to hear about it.” Ryuko imitates a gagging motion as she stops at a stoplight, earning a glare from Nonon. “Haven’t you guys been together for like, years though? Why is that a big deal?”
“It’s not, it’s just…” Nonon takes her time responding as the light turns green, and Ryuko merges into the right lane. “…I can’t remember her saying it out loud.”
“Weird. She’s like that though. She’s probably meant to say it for the past five years and just forgot. You know her. She’d forget her own birthday if other people didn’t wish her one.”
Nonon can’t help but laugh as Ryuko pulls over in front of Satsuki’s apartment building.
“You kids have fun now. Don’t hurt my sister or you’ll be dead, the whole spiel.” Ryuko sends Nonon off as she undoes her seatbelt, checking to make sure she didn’t leave anything in Ryuko’s car.
“I don’t plan on hurting Satsuki, but if I’m lucky, she might hurt me.“
“Gross. Gross gross gross gross. Get the fuck out of my car, Troll.”
Nonon smirks as she steps out, “Thanks for the ride, Shithead. I’ll call you again sometime if I feel like having an awful night.”
“Same. See you later, you little shit.”
With that, Nonon shuts the door to Ryuko’s car, turns around, and begins making her way to Satsuki’s apartment.
Her trip to Satsuki’s 10th floor apartment is quick, and when she arrives, she doesn’t bother knocking.
Nonon takes a few steps into the sparsely decorated space. Satsuki’s apartment is always in impeccable condition, clean and tidy, her furniture and technology new and up-to-date. It’s a stark contrast to Nonon’s own apartment, where she couldn’t even remember the original color of the carpeting.
“Hey, Satsuki!” Nonon calls.
She hears papers rustling, followed quickly by footsteps. When Satsuki rounds the corner into the living area, Nonon can’t help but be taken aback by her appearance. It’s rare to see Satsuki in anything less than stylish, but she’s dressed casually, her hair moderately disheveled.
“Nonon! Glad to see Ryuko’s driving didn’t kill you.” She greets her, pulling her into a hug and kissing her, only to immediately jerk back.
Nonon stutters, stunned, “W-what’s wrong?”
“N-nothing, you just….did you take your nap in the sewer?”
“Are you insinuating I stink?”
“No, I’m telling you that you stink. Go take a shower. Or else stay five feet away from me at all times.”
“Ah, Sats, c’mon…”
“I’m not kidding.” Satsuki fixes her with a glare, her jaw set. “I don’t really care what you do to pass time, but that doesn’t mean I have to kiss you when you taste like a landfill.”
Nonon shrugs, moving toward the bathroom. When she reaches the door, she turns around to face Satsuki, whose expression hasn’t changed, “You’re always welcome to join me, you know.” She says with a wink.
Satsuki rolls her eyes, moving back towards her room. “I thought we came to the agreement after last time that ER trips make shower sexmuch less sexy.”
Nonon pouts, turning to shut the door. Before she can close it fully, she hears Satsuki add “Be sure to brush your teeth, too!”
“Yes, mother!” Nonon yells across the apartment before she clicks the bathroom door shut.
Nonon takes her time showering, insuring that most traces of grease and green are off her person before emerging from the bathroom to find clothes she’d left at Satsuki’s apartment previously set out for her. Changing quickly, she makes her way to Satsuki’s room, only to find her in bed, surrounded by paperwork.
“Satsuki, guess what!” Nonon sings, practically skipping over to the girl.
“What?” Satsuki replies, her tone flat. She doesn’t bother to look up from a document she’s holding.
Nonon hops on the bed, careful not to crinkle or disturb any papers, leaning on her hands and knees as she makes a kissy face at Satsuki.
“I’m fresh and clean now! That means you can kiss me without complaint!”
Satsuki looks up, finding Nonon’s face close to hers, waiting.
She can’t help but smile. “So it would appear.” She mutters before pulling the girl in for a long kiss.
The two eventually shift, Satsuki leaning against her headboard and pulling Nonon onto her lap, taking care to not shuffle papers around while doing so.
Between kisses, Satsuki mumbles, “You actually smell good now.”
Nonon sighs as Satsuki bites her lower lip gently, responding when they pull apart, “Why? Because I smell like you?” She kisses her again, this time a bit more roughly, “You narcissist.” She tacks on when they separate.
Satsuki moves to nip at Nonon’s neck, leaving a mark and creating a moan. “No, because you smell like both of us, together. And I think that’s beautiful.”
Nonon smirks, sarcastic. “When did you get so smooth?”
Satsuki smiles, continues her trail of kisses from Nonon’s neck to her collarbone when she suddenly stops.
“Mm, no, I can’t do this. Not tonight, Nonon.”
“What? Why?”
“There’s too much I have to do, and not enough time to do it.” Satsuki answers, suddenly sidetracked as she lifts Nonon from her lap and places her gently by her side.
“C’monnn,” Nonon whines, slumping against Satsuki, “it doesn’t take that long.”
“You don’t take that long.” Satsuki retorts, receiving a slug on the arm in response. She snickers, picking up a seemingly random piece of paper and reading it closely. “I have a Statistics test tomorrow at 8, and after that I have to meet with student groups about organizing the spring music festival.”
“On a Saturday morning?? Jesus Christ, who schedules these things?”
“Someone very against the student body.”
Nonon groans, resting her head on Satsuki’s shoulder. “Can we at least cuddle while you’re being a good student?”
“Of course.”
Nonon pouts, but settles by Satsuki’s side, holding her waist and keeping her head on Satsuki’s shoulder. Satsuki is able to maneuver her arms around the smaller girl and continues to shuffle though her paperwork.
They stay this way for an hour, at least, in almost complete, content silence. Occasionally, Satsuki mutters something about how incompetent some group presidents are, or Nonon comments about how amazed she is that Satsuki can remember all those statistics formulas, but mostly they enjoy one another’s company.
“I was actually worried about you, you know.” Satsuki remarks offhandedly as she signs off on a printed schedule. “I honestly thought you were dead or injured somewhere.”
Nonon, who had been drifting asleep, yawns. “I’m sorry Satsuki. I,” she pauses, letting a huge yawn escape her, “I didn’t mean to worry you. I was dumb for temporarily forgetting that I had somewhere to be.”
Satsuki shrugs her free shoulder. “Happens to all of us.”
“Not to you.”
Satsuki stops examining her papers, looking at Nonon when the girl moves from her shoulder.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you…would never leave someone you love to worry about you while you’re off doing your own thing. You would always let them know you were there for them and that you love them, even if you don’t say it out loud.”
Satsuki reflects for a moment before responding. “Are you suggesting that you don’t do those things?”
“Not enough. Not as much as I should.”
“Nonon,” Satsuki starts, putting her papers down and taking off her reading glasses so she can properly look at the girl she’s addressing, “you do do those things. Like you said, it’s not always verbal, but it doesn’t have to be. And if anyone here needs to do more of that sort of thing, it’s me, because I’m always quick to get wrapped up in my work and…I lose track of what’s important.”
“Satsuki, that’s not-“
“But Nonon,” Satsuki begins again, moving her arms so that she’s grabbing the girl by her shoulders, “instead of moping about it, I’m going to change it. Right now.”
All Nonon can do is stare at her girlfriend as she inhales deeply, taking her time before opening her eyes to look Nonon directly in hers.
“I, Satsuki Kiryuin-“
“Oh my god. Are you serious? Are you proposing to me right now?”
“Nonon, please, I’m trying to make a moment here. And do you see a ring?”
“Fair enough. Continue.”
“Ahem,” Satsuki clears her throat, taking another deep breath, “I, Satsuki Kiryuin, love you, Nonon Jakuzure.”
Silence. Nonon stares at Satsuki and Satsuki’s face quickly blossoms into different shades of red.
The first sound to break the tension is Nonon’s boisterous laughter, followed by Satsuki’s groan of embarrassment as she buries her face in her hands.
“Oh my god,” Nonon blurts out, “I cannot believe you just did that.”
“Please stop laughing at me, I’m mortified as it is.” Nonon simply laughs more, using her hands to take Satsuki’s away from her face, lifting her chin and kissing her.
“I love you too,” she whispers between kisses, “you fucking geek ass nerd.”
It’s not until Nonon’s hands begin to snake up Satsuki’s shirt that she pushes the smaller girl away.
“No, Nonon, I still have that test tomorrow.”
“Ohh pfft, forget your test.”
“Nonon, no. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out what is going on with this Spiders Georg fellow in the practice problem.”
“Oh fine.” Nonon concedes, latching back onto Satsuki. “…nerd.”
“I’m a nerd you love, though.”
“Yeah,” Nonon sighs contentedly, “you are.”