Optional Mood Music- "Rather Be" - Clean Bandit (Cover by Jasmine Thompson)
As they walked down the street towards the park, light breeze ruffling her bubble-gum pink hair and making her flowy white dress tickle her legs, Nana felt as though she was glowing. The sun was shining, and her hand was intertwined with her boyfriend's, his freckled hands almost twice the size of her own. Every now and then, out of the corner of her eyes, she could see him look at her and smile gently, almost giddily. They'd been together for weeks and he still acted as though he couldn't believe they were together. She felt so lucky to have someone care for her so much, to care for her as much as she did him.
"We chose a good day to go out, huh?" he said, his deep voice soothing to her ears.
"Mmhm! the sun is so nice and waaaarm~" she smiled up at him and she saw that blush that she so adored creep up his porcelain face. She squeezed his hand gently and he squeezed hers back.
They briefly stopped at a bakery and bought some fresh food for their lunch (and some cupcakes, of course) before reaching the park. As it was so nice outside, there were some other people picnicking there already, some young kids playing on the playground. There was a nice spot in the shade of a large oak tree a little way away from the other park-goers where the two of them set up their picnic rug (a pastel pink one with white checkers that Nana had picked out) and the food.
The two of them sat down and ate, chatting about almost anything. Kawaii~Chan recounted a funny incident she'd had with Katelyn that morning involving her coffee and some hot-sauce that left Zane in fits of giggles, nearly making Nana choke on her bagel in laughter.
They cloud-gazed for a bit, which was something Nana had always wanted to do but had never asked to do because she worried it was too cheesy, but Zane, upon hearing her mention this, insisted that they do it right there and then which was so sweet Nana nearly had one of her famous fan-girl meltdowns.
"You've really changed, Zane" Nana said, breaking the comfortable silence that filled the air around the two as they lay on the blanket, side by side, looking at the clouds.
"Yeah...? How so?"
"Remember when I first met you? Back in high school?" she recalled "You pulled my tail and teased me because of my bows"
Zane, surprisingly, blushed a deep red "...In my high, nasally voice. Oh Irene..." Kawaii~Chan giggled.
"You know why I did that right?" he looked at her, face right next to her own. "Why I picked on you?"
"No...?"
"Because I thought you were cute, and it pissed me off" he chuckled "I was supposed to be..." he paused before continuing in a mock impression of his pre-pubescent voice "cool and dark and angsty"
He huffed in laughter before his voice turned soft.
"But there I was, crushing very hard on you in all your cuteness and your bows and baking... so, being the complete dumbass that I was... no I am- I took it out on you"
"Zane... that's... Oddly sweet? Like, it made me sad obviously because I didn't understand why I was being targeted but, to hear now, that that's why you did those things, I'm sure past me would have been overjoyed"
"Well, I'm sorry anyway, you didn't deserve that kind of treatment" he leaned his head gently into hers
"Seeee~! This is what I was trying to say!" she giggled "You've changed, you've grown! And I'm not just talking about that voice change, though thank goodness Katelyn hit you with that volleyball..."
"Heeeey!" he poked her in in her side retaliation but laughed with her anyway "It really hurt!"
They laughed for a bit; it was a wonderful sound.
"As I was saying..." Nana continued "...You've come really far from that angsty little boy. Actually, you've changed so much just in the last couple of years since you became friends with Aphmau"
"Thank goodness for that, or I never would have gotten to be with you" he smiled sweetly up at the clouds.
"Yeah, you'd be a sad man, sitting in his dark house, playing with my little horsies..." Nana teased.
"Ok that's it, you've gone too far this time missy!" he sat up, holding his hands up and wriggling his fingers, threatening to tickle her.
"wAIT! NO NO NO!!!" she scrabbled to get out of reach, giggling as if he'd already started tickling her "pleASE! ZANE NOOOOOOOOO!!!"
She jumped up and ran to put the tree between herself and him. He stood up and stared her dead in the eyes with an evil grin, fingers still poised to strike. He walked one way and she walked the other, he walked the other way and she walked the opposite way again. He stopped for a moment, Nana still hopelessly giggling in fear, before he darted suddenly towards her, catching her off guard. She shrieked and ran backwards, trying desperately to evade him, but he was gaining on her very quickly. She turned forwards again when she was suddenly faced with a steep dip in the ground. She stopped in place, completely forgetting for a moment why she was running and Zane, obviously unable to predict she'd stop, ploughed into her at full speed.
They tumbled down the hill, the grass softening their fall until they finally stopped, collapsing into each other at the bottom, shocked and out of breath.
"Oh Irene! I'm so sorry Nana are you ok!?" Zane spluttered, looking at her with concern. He had bits of grass everywhere, his black hair sticking up in every direction. The collar of his polo-shirt was skewed, one side sticking up.
She burst out laughing. She laughed and laughed, unable to stop. He soon joined in and the two of them laid there, covered in grass and dirt and leaves, a giggling mess laying in the sun. He pulled her into a big bear hug on top of him, and there they lay, too weak with laughter to move until they decided they should probably go back to look after their stuff. They started climbing the hill again, but Nana was so weak with giggles that Zane ended up carrying her, bridal style, all the way back to the tree, with surprisingly less effort that KC had expected.
"wow" Kawaii~Chan said between giggles "I guess you're not the 'fat little nugget' Aphmau claims you are"
The moment they were at the picnic rug again, Zane dropped her with no warning and Nana squealed as she landed hard on her butt.
"oh oOps. GUEss I AM weak aftERall" Zane said, his voice dripping with cool sarcasm.
Pouting, nana rubbed her sore tailbone.
"you're the worst" she said, refusing to give into the laughter bubbling in her throat.
"Awww you know you love me" he said, smiling as he sat back down next to her.
"Hmph! I don't think I do" she looked away dramatically, face still scrunched up in faux anger.
"Well that's a shame, because I'm definitely in love with you" he huffed a laugh, poking her in the side before lying back to look up at the sky, apparently unaware of the weight of his words.
Love?
He-
He was in love with her?
He must have noticed her prolonged silence because he sat back up to get a better look at her.
"Nana? Are you ok?"
They had been dating for weeks, and it had been wonderful. But they had never said they loved each other. There was no doubt she liked him. She did. A lot. And she was sure he liked her too. But... was she in love? She didn't know. She hadn't even allowed herself to consider it. She never had, in any of her relationships. She was so used to the flimsy, temporary comfort those relationships had given her. Someone to reassure her that she was pretty enough, or funny enough. Someone to kiss her, to hold her hand. Until she got tired of them, or they got tired of her. Whichever came first.
Is that really how she'd been thinking of this relationship?
Is that how she'd been treating Zane?
A tear fell down her cheek. Zane grabbed her arm, his face laced with concern.
"Nana?! Sorry, did it really hurt when I dropped you? I didn't think, I'm so sorry. I'm so careless..."
No. this was different. This was nothing like Dante, or Reese or Damien or anyone who came in between. This felt right. Maybe she wasn't ready to decide whether she was in love with him, but she thought maybe she was taking a step in the right direction.
She wiped her eyes.
"Ach, sorry Zane, I'm alright" she smiled at him. "I'm good, I promise" she said when he looked unconvinced.
"You sure? I don't think-"
Nana planted her lips firmly on his before he could finish. He smelled strongly of grass and clover, probably from their tumble down the hill.
"That was an effective way to shut me up" Zane said dizzily when she pulled away. She was always the one to pull away, he never seemed to be able to.
"I'll remember that" she giggled, intertwining his hand in her own.
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author's note
THIS WAS NEVER MEANT TO GET ANGSTY, IM SO SORRY. it was meant to be pure fluff and crack...
Also sorry if the ending felt weird. I wasn't sure. Honestly, it was either end it here or keep writing forever and ever.
I think a friend gave me the prompt for this (Zane accidentally says I love you to KC) but it was a while ago so i don't remember haha. but yeah, it went in a bit of a different direction than I initially intended, but I don't think it's too bad heheh
here's a silly doodle I did, thinking about what would happen after
hope you enjoyed,
until next time (im already working on the next one lol),
-Lessie