Work Text:
~
Sanae Dekomori pridefully strutted down the hallway, spinning blonde twintails at each side of her torso. As she entered her club’s assigned room, the underclassman positioned for battle.
Perfect timing: It’s only me and my sworn enemy within the confinements of this arena—Dekomori thought in excitement, wielding her signature Mjolnir Hammer.
“Fake Mori Summer, prepare to meet your end! That’s right! Today, you shall preach your wicked ways for the last time! …Yes!”
Across the room, Shinka Nibutani sat on her knees, silently facing away from her demanding opponent.
Dekomori’s expression faltered momentarily.
“What’s wrong? Could it be that you’re scared of facing-off against the all-powerful and great Mjolnir Hammer?”
“Go bother someone else.”
Though Nibutani responded with lack of enthusiasm, the underclassman in the doorway brushed off her command — Dekomori’s imagination had begun to unravel a dark mediaeval scene: The entire room was swept into a battle arena as the all-too-eager girl cautiously circled her ‘Fake’ Mori Summer.
“Prepare to meet your doom, ya’ big faker! Mjolnir… Hammerrrrr!”
With a swift jump, Dekomori sent a large blow hurling towards her opponent; the rubble and dust, however, appeared to run right past her enemy, who remained knelt before the blonde-haired girl.
Dekomori quickly gathered herself, accepting the failed attempt.
”Ah, so you’ve put up a barrier,” She remarked, “but no need for worry! I’ve got just the thing to fight against your vile tactics with!”
She began to recklessly fling her twintails at the invisible barrier with a long shout, hitting the upperclassman’s shoulder in the process.
“Owwwch!” Nibutani cried, “Hey, that really hurt, you little twerp!” She placed a gentle hand to her shoulder, lightly soothing it.
“Ah! So you admit defeat, huh? Go ahead and surrender to the great Mjolnir Hammer, you no-good impersonator of Mori Summer!”
While she would typically bother herself with the hassle of chasing the smaller girl or tangling her boney limbs in her long twintails, Nibutani’s irritation seemed to fade — Instead of lashing-out, the brunette wrapped her thin arms around her knees as they were brought to her chest.
Kneeling to the wooden floor in hesitation, Dekomori gently scooted closer to the older girl. In a hushed tone, she simply asked, “Is something bothering you, Fake Mori Summer?”
Though tears welled up in her eyes, Nibutani struggled to imagine herself being completely vulnerable around the smaller girl — Their antics were far from any form of heartfelt intimacy.
“It’s nothing… And don’t call me Mori Summer! …Besides,” Nibutani muttered, “It’s not like being a raging Chūnibyo could possibly help you understand how I feel, anyway.”
Like a hurt puppy, Dekomori dwelled on her desire to play-fight with Nibutani as they had done since the club began — She spent so much time admiring Mori Summer and undoubtedly knew that her upperclassman was the creator of such a powerful magician, even if she could not bring herself to admit it.
From behind, the blonde-haired girl gently placed a consoling hand on Nibutani’s shoulder.
“But you aren’t alone,” She responded in a hushed voice, carefully choosing her words, “There’s Dark Flame Master, Eye of the Wicked Lord, Kumin… And me.”
Nibutani suddenly lifted her head from her knees, turning to face the girl—What’s up with this uncharacteristic approach?—She humorously wondered.
Nonetheless, the upperclassman’s gaze traced Dekomori’s porcelain skin — Adorned with light brows and pale blue eyes that seem to always have a childlike twinkle.
“It’s just… Not easy for everyone to be proud of all this fantasy stuff,” Nibutani started, “People talk, you know? I wanted this semester to be different… Without a repeat of last year.”
Upon listening, Dekomori shook her head, speaking once more, “Who cares what others think? All that matters to the powerful magician Mori Summer is the passion she possesses for all that she loves.”
Surprisingly, Nibutani failed to cringe at the reference to her old persona — Dekomori had a point, after all: Nibutani’s happiness was up to her alone.
“You really think so, don’t you?” Nibutani asked with a hint of genuine awe and curiosity, loking into the other girl’s eyes once more.
The underclassman tilted her head, a light blush crossing her expression as Nibutani’s gaze lingered on her skin.
She turned away, speaking in a quieter tone, “Yeah? Well… Don’t go getting used to it. You’re still a big faker, after all.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the upperclassman enveloped Dekomori in a firm hug. Nibutani’s thin arms wrapped around the blonde-haired girl’s torso, giving two gentle squeezes as if to say ‘Thank you,’ in a language only they understood.
Blushing furiously, the smaller girl hesitantly rested her arms atop Nibutani’s shoulders.
A hand traveled through the reddish-brown hair of her upperclassman as Dekomori lightly angled Nibutani’s forehead to rest against the small dip of her collarbone — It was a gesture in which similarly represented the embrace Nibutani had pulled the smaller girl into as she broke down in tears months ago.
“Maybe,” Dekomori quietly spoke, “You’re not a bad Fake Mori Summer, after all.”
The small confession was all the more meaningful coming from the depths of her Chūnibyo world, and Nibutani knew that.
“And maybe you’re not such a brat, after all,” The brunette replied in a soft yet playful tone, allowing herself to feel calm against Dekomori’s chest.
They sat together in silence as the underclassman worked her fingers through Nibutani’s wavy hair; her touch feather-like.
The calming sensation could have easily lulled Nibutani to sleep, but her heart was beating all too quickly — Such a rate wasn’t lost in Dekomori as she, too, was absolutely flushed.
“Your heart’s beating fast,” Nibutani softly remarked.
The blonde-haired girl stumbled over her words, “A-And yours isn’t!?”
Nibutani lifted up her face, sarcastically remarking, “Whatever, Twerp. Your face is beet-red.”
Dekomori looked away, visibly flustered.
“I, Dekomori, have no idea what you’re talking about!” She replied, throwing her hands up, “And don’t try to act like you’re not just as equally red, Fool!”
“That does it!” The upperclassman grabbed her wrist in frustration.
“Children need milk to pacify them, yeah? Lucky for you, I have a day-old bottle in my bag! Nice…and…warm,” She maniacally spoke through her teeth.
Dekomori hollered in response, fake-crying with a squeal as her voice cracked, “You mustn’t! How can you be so evil, Woman!?”
“Easily, now drink up!” Nibutani swiftly reached into her bag with a free hand before pulling out an empty milk bottle from the school’s vending machine.
“Huh!?” It didn’t take long for her grand realization to creep in — “Kuminnnn!”
“Ahah!” Dekomori started, “She’s on the side of the Eye of the Wicked Lord! Your foul tricks will never work!”
“Or maybe she just likes milk!” The brunette ruthlessly grabbed Dekomori’s other wrist, wrestling the smaller girl as they swayed back and forth in a consistent rhythm.
The club room’s door suddenly slid open, startling the two girls — Nibutani quickly lost balance, dropping to the floor from her knees. Dekomori was quickly taken under as well, roughly hitting her back against the floor on impact.
Their lips briefly made contact, teeth bumping awkwardly against one another’s.
“Can that quit happening!?” Nibutani exclaimed, springing back up to her knees.
“Looks like Mori Summer and Dekomori were back at it again!” Kumin spoke in her too-sweet-for-her-own-good voice that Nibutani couldn’t stand.
“Would you stop!?” The enraged brunette exclaimed, facing the eyes of her so-called ‘friends.’
“Fake Mori Summer,” Dekomori started, “This was merely a trick to defile me, wasn’t it!?” She dramatically spoke, placing both hands over her chest as she closed her eyes.
“How dare you try to deflower my faithful servant, Nibutani,” Rikka intervened, quickly taking the underclassman’s side.
Yuuta gently flicked her cheek.
“You haven’t even been here — We were all at the vending machines, remember? Who knows why they’re tangled up this time.”
~
With that, the other three club members went back to their typical routines, moving past the two girls who remained seated on the floor.
“You totally enjoyed that, didn’t you? Just like that time on the boat!” Nibutani spitefully exclaimed, crossing her arms.
Dekomori responded sarcastically, “If that’s so true, then why’re you blushing!?”
“I have nooo idea what you’re talking about!”
Dropping the playful banter, Nibutani gave her underclassman a small wink.
“Huh!?” Dekomori exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Without hesitation, she began running towards Takanashi with a dramatic cry, “Masterrr!”
“Hey, get back here! Don’t you dare say a word to her!” She quickly took off behind the blonde-haired girl.
~
Perhaps Nibutani will continue to fit right in with the others, despite what her classmates think.