Work Text:
YouTube: Stray Italian Greyhound · Vienna Teng
Oh no, not now
Please not now
I've just settled into the glass half empty made myself at home
Noelle scrolls through her messages with Akarsha to try to find what she had mentioned at the Multicultural Week Assembly. When she finds the conversation where Akarsha’s brother supposedly pranked her by saying she had a crush on Noelle, her brows furrow.
And so why now?
Oh, please not now
I just stopped believing in happy endings, harbors of my own
She reads the exchange over and over, her breath hitching every time she reads “i kind of have a crush on you”. Her cheeks become redder with every single pass. So this wasn’t a prank? She really meant…oh.
Oh no.
But you had to come along didn't you
Tear down the doors
Throw open windows
Oh, if you knew just what a fool you have made me
Noelle jumps at the ping announcing a new message from Akarsha. Her heart beats faster when she goes to open it. She wills it to stop, surely it’s just another of her adorable random pranks—wait what?
So what do I do with this?
This stray Italian greyhound
These inconvenient fireworks
This ice-cream-covered screaming hyperactive thought
certified brain genius > yo frenchman
certified brain genius > check this out
certified brain genius > image.jpg
The image shows Akarsha grinning goofily with what looks like a strawberry ice cream cone in her hand. She appears to have smeared two red circles on her cheeks.
certified brain genious > pika pika
Noelle realizes just before her fingers hit the enter key that she has typed a response.
Noelle > You’re adorable (not sent)
God, I just want to lay down
These colors make my eyes hurt
This feeling calls for everything that I am not
In a panic Noelle slams her laptop shut and flails onto her bed, her cheeks burning. She proceeds to silently scream into her pillow, desperately trying to put out the flame that Akarsha has lit in her stomach.
I'm not that kind
I'm so good at shooting down any notion
This tired world could change
That night, Noelle dreams that Akarsha is a cloud that follows her around and rains on her to annoy her. No matter how much salt Noelle tries to sprinkle on her, she doesn’t dissipate. For some reason, Noelle finds she doesn’t mind.
It's all been bought
Well at least that was my line
No use in spending all that emotion when there's someone else to blame
The next day Noelle is dreading her inevitable encounter with Akarsha. Normally she would already be in class with Diya, so Noelle focuses on steeling herself for that, but when she approaches the lockers a yellow shape jumps at her.
But you had to come along didn't you?
Rev up the crowd
Rewrite the rule book
Noelle jumps and lets out an undignified shriek. In front of her is Akarsha. In a Pikachu onesie. With red (lipstick?) circles on her cheeks.
“You didn't react to my photo yesterday and I thought you maybe didn't get it. So I made this cosplay to show you in person!”
“I-I…” Noelle is speechless as she takes in the girl before her.
Where do I go when every no turns into maybe
The word adorable takes root in Noelle’s mind and resists any attempt to extinguish it.
So what do I do with this?
This sudden burst of sunlight
And me with my umbrella
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report
“Come on, say you like it! I’ll be the Pikachu to your Ash~ Pika-pi” Akarsha begins to rubs herself against Noelle’s shoulder “Chuuu~”
I was ready for the down slide
But not for spring to well up
This feeling calls for everything I can't afford
‘S-stop it!!’ Noelle reddens rapidly and tries to scream at the girl but her mouth won’t cooperate. She has to find another way to shut her up.
To know
Is possible now
She grabs Akarsha's cheeks and pulls her close.
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't, that won't sit still?
Won't do what it's told
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't sit still?
The texture on her cheeks is wrong on—Noelle pulls her hands away, red sticking to her fingers. She isn’t quite sure what she was going to do…
“Look at what you did to me!” Noelle shrieks, attempting to divert from whatever it might’ve looked like she was attempting.
“Me?! You ruined my cosplay! You killed Pikachu!!”
“D-did NOT. ”
Please not now
Please not now
Please not now
Please not
They start walking towards their classroom. Min and Diya are waiting outside though they keep their distance for some reason. “Pikachu’s cheeks are not vital organs!”
“You need to revive Pikachu!” Akarsha gasps and starts shaking Noelle. She is way too close and Noelle feels the heat rising into her face, and not just from anger.
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't sit still?
With a love that won't sit still
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't
With a love that won't sit still?
Akarsha lets go of Noelle. “I dare you to give Pikachu CPR!”
“A-akarshaa!” Noelle tries to scream but it comes out as a whine. “Stop right now or I…”
“I double dare you to give Pikachu mouth to m–”
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't, that won't sit still?
Won't do what it's told
What do I do, do I do with a love that won't sit still?
Noelle realizes two things at once: Akarsha’s antics have stopped. And she is currently kissing her. Has been for around five seconds. Or was it five hours? Horror creeps into her and she lurches away from Akarsha who is now looking dumbfounded at her, her cheeks seem to redden under the smeared lipstick.
“Bold move, dude.”
Everything that I am
Noelle turns her head to see a smirking Min with Diya hiding her face in Min’s shoulder. She can barely containing her laughter.
Everything that I am
“G-guh…” Noelle stammers as she looks back at Akarsha whose expression hasn’t changed and now slowly moves up a hand to touch her lips. The same lips that were just—nope nope nope! This is too much!
Everything that I am
“G-g-good bye forever!!” Noelle gets out and bolts (speedwalks) away to hide in the locker rooms. Her head is filled with one thought: ‘Why did I do that why did I do that why did I do that!’ Her heart keeps thumping long after she catches her breath, and the flame in her stomach radiates stronger than ever.
Everything that I am
Noelle ends up skipping school for the first time in her life.