Even after 100 years we'll be by your side, Kanan
Word count: 1876
Pairing: Kanan x Dia x Mari
Rating: General audience until part two where we could argue if it escalates to teen and up.
AO3
Summary: A year has passed since the 3rd years graduated and went their separate ways. Kanan has doubts about their friendship.
A/N: First of all happy birthday Kanan! Secondly, I'm sorry this is so poorly phrased it's been a while since I last wrote anything or read anything. Also, this was extremely rushed so hopefully it makes some sense... so yeah enjoy. This was posted on AO3 6 days ago so exactly in time for Kanan’s birthday only I forgot to post it here ahaha :)
“Kanan, could you please take my shift tomorrow? I have finals on Monday so I really wanted to do some studying…” said the amethyst colored eyed girl co-worker with an apologizing voice.
“Sure, I got’cha!”
Sure Kanan’s birthday was tomorrow but ever since she graduated from high school and left to get her diving license in Australia, she didn’t get to talk with the rest of Aqours as much as she would have like. Additionally, no one knew it was her birthday so she hadn't any plans.
With that in mind, both girls finished cleaning the shop and waved their goodbyes.
The diver’s apartment wasn’t particularly big, well it was small, but big enough to fit one person. Especially when that person only went there to change clothes and get some sleep. It had a single bedroom with a connected bathroom, the only separation between the kitchen and the living room/dining room was an island.
Kanan put her keys on said island and took a shower. She put on a black tank top and a pair of shorts. She took an apple from her kitchen and laid down on her bed, and took her phone. It wasn’t unusual for her to look at the photo album she named “Aqours”, she had some photos of their lives, practices, sleepovers, that time they went to Tokyo, Hakodate, even some with Saint Snow. Kanan smiled slightly. She missed her friends, last time they were all together was when the then 3rd years graduated. The navy blue haired girl closed her eyes. When Mari, Dia, and herself first left Uchiura they would all 9 of them try to video call as much as possible, but of course life moves on and soon what had been 2 or 3 calls per week soon became 1 once a week and now with the second years graduating soon a call once every 2-3 weeks. They still sent a bunch of messages but being 2 hours ahead of Tokyo’s time either there was no one to talk with, or she had to start work soon. As for the 3rd years group chat, with all of them in different time zones, it was hard to keep a full conversation. Even though they met only about a month ago in Tokyo to celebrate Dia’s birthday Kanan felt as if it had been years since they talked, years since she hugged them. A single tear came out of amethyst eyes and the diver quickly cleaned it. Don’t. In only a few hours is your birthday and the girls probably want to video call you. You can’t let them see you like this, specially Dia or Mari. Don’t cry; for them. As soon as those thoughts were out of her mind she stared at the ceiling. Maybe they’ll come visit, Mari and I went to Tokyo for Dia’s birthday maybe they’ll come too. Just maybe… And soon she was asleep.
“....Shall we dance?, Yume no you ni odorimashou, Hitoyo no wasurerarenai shinderera, Kutsu wo nuide okeba nakusanai yo karuku hayaku, Dare o yobou ka? Moriagaru ne!...” G Senjou no Cinderella came through her phone’s speakers, time to wake up and get ready for work. Kanan rubbed her eyes and sat at the edge of the mattress. “...Shall we dance?, Kurukuru to mawarimashou…” the music kept going, not because Kanan didn’t know how to turn her alarm off but because she liked it. It was only Mari, Dia, and herself singing the song, the first song they sang only the three of them after forming Aqours. Once the song reached its end Kanan took her phone and saw quite a few messages on her phone screen, some were from the Aqours’ group chat.
Little Mikan: HAPPY B-DAY KANAN-CHAN! I’ve reserved some mikans only for you!
Yohane (Yoshiko made her change her name before she left): Little demon, you’ve attained full maturity now, use this power wisely.
You: Happy B-day Kanan-chan! Next time you visit we’ll go diving!
Ruby: Happy birthday Kanan-chan! Let’s keep having fun together like we did when you took care of me!
Hanamaru: Happy B-dAy KAnan-chaN! i LeARned how To usE my Ph0ne to send YoU this MeSSage!
Riko: Kanan-chan Happy birthday! When you come to visit we should get ice cream again
Dia: Kanan-san happy birthday.
Mari: Come on Dia!
Mari: I told you you can say Kanan-CHAN! And don’t just . your message
Mari: Here use this xD
Dia: Never.
Mari: You can do it better, do it for Kanan.
Dia: … Fine…
Dia: Happy birthday Kanan-chan!
Dia: There are you pleased now?
Mari: Very much indeed
Mari: But now it’s my turn!
Mari: HAPPY B-DAY KANAN!!!!
Riko: Wait, how come no one said anything while you two were arguing?
Mari: Well my dear Rikochi it’s simple
Mari: Dia threatened everyone to only say their birthday message
Mari: Since it’s like 2 am for Kanan and she didn’t want us to wake her up
Dia: Yes I did, and I would appreciate if you also kept that and stop messaging her.
Mari: Boring…
Mari: But fine, we’ll call her later
Mari: Anyways let’s do it one last time
All users typed: Kanan-chan! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
A sob escaped Kanan’s lips as she tipped a big “Thanks everyone, I can’t wait to go back!”, she wanted to thank each one of them individually but she wanted to call Dia and Mari. And so she did. Even though it was weekend Dia would wake up at 6:30 as usual and Mari would go to sleep around 11, so they should both be awake at that time. Mari was the first one to answer.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY KANAN!” the blonde girl shouted at the top of her lungs. Kanan didn’t even have time to answer as Dia joined the call, “Kanan-san happy birthday” although Dia tried to say it as calm as possible she was smiling and the last syllables had a cheerful tone.
“Thanks!” And Kanan smiled wide open.
“So what can we do for our birthday girl on this marvelous day?”
Kanan’s face started to heat up, how could she ask them if they were planning to visit her today? Maybe they were too busy and couldn’t, she didn’t want to make her two best friends feel guilty. No no no. They were coming and if not they’d eventually see each other, there’s nothing to worry about right?
“W-well, I...umm…”
“Come on Kanan you can tell us anything.” Encouraged her tallest friend.
“Kanan-s...Kanan is something wrong?” Asked the brunette.
“No it’s nothing, ahaha...I just wanted to talk with you but I need to get going or I’ll be late for work and you wouldn’t want me to be late right Dia? Ahaha so umm yeah talk with you later alright? Okay bye!”
“Wait Kana-”
Too late Kanan had already pressed the end call button. What are you doing? You’re acting as if you were 15 again, haven’t you learned anything? She asked herself. I guess I haven’t. Not wanting to think about it anymore Kanan finished getting ready and went to work.
Kanan had never been an observer, or attentive, especially for small details. That’s why she never realized that both Dia and Mari were wearing earphones, or that Mari wasn’t wearing a pajama and Dia wasn’t wearing her kimono. Or the fact that both seemed to be inside and not outside.
Sunday February 10th, a rather slow day at the shop. Well since it was Sunday the shift wasn’t that long so around 3:30 the navy blue haired girl start doing the pre-close up. She started taking the oxygen tanks inside, moved to make the inventory and by 3:55 she was almost done. She went back to the counter and start writing everything on the computer. The entrance bell rang.
“Welcome, we’ll be closing in 5 minutes if you want to take a diving les-”
“Well I don’t know, what you say Dia should we take a lesson?”
“Hmm with how thigh our schedule is I don’t think we’ll have time, but maybe we can work something out.”
Mari. Dia. Mari and Dia. Both of them. In front of her. Okay that was it Kanan had gone completely insane.
“Well don’t stand there give us a hug”, Mari demanded as both herself and Dia opened her arms waiting to be completed. Kanan didn’t think about it she ran straight to her friends and gave them the hug she had so long waited for. Tears making their way through her face.
“B-b-but how?”
“It’s your birthday you dummy.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it for anything.” Said Dia. “Mari traveled from Italy to Tokyo 3 days ago, we took a plane last night-”
“But you sent the messages at 12 am, h-how come?”
“Aqours of course!” Replied Mari. Kanan, who had calmed a bit took a step back to look at these beautiful girls who for a reason she still didn’t fully understand were her friends. Dia and Mari took each other’s hands and then Kanan’s.
“Well”, continued Mari, “we asked them to help us cover up our plan so everything was staged.”
“To say it in a way.” Added Dia.
“So Kanan,” they said in unison. “Happy birthday!”
Kanan was still processing everything that was going on but she could do that tomorrow, right now she only cared of being with Dia and Mari, she hugged them again and kept crying.
“Now now, we don’t want to make the birthday girl happy, shall we Mari-san?”
“Of course!”
And Kanan got a kiss on each cheek from her two friends. Before she could react both brunette and blonde haired girls were dragging her out of the store.
A/N: this is not that relevant to the story and the rating could go (depends on how you look at it) up to teens.
They arrived at Kanan’s apartment and as soon as Kanan unlocked the door Mari was entering and laying on the couch.
“Please have some manners,” said Dia with a small sigh and Kanan couldn’t help but laugh at both of them. 100 years could go by and the three of them would still act the same way they did when they were kids.
Kanan took their suitcases to her room and left them there. She couldn’t make it outside the bedroom since Mari had jumped over her and pushed them both to the bed.
“Wha-Mari? G-get off.”
“No” Although both of them tried to sound serious they couldn’t keep the facade and gave up to laughter.
“D-Dia,” started Kanan in between laughers “come quick! Mari won’t get off me!”
The girl with emerald eyes entered the room but instead of helping Kanan she threw herself onto the bed and was on top of Mari and Kanan.
“O-okay I-I give up!” finally stated Kanan and Dia got off of her. Mari on the other hand just stared at Kanan’s face. She took her chin and lightly kissed her. “Happy birthday Kanan.” Whispered Mari and got off of her. Dia not wanting to be left behind approached Kanan from the side and press slightly her lips to Kanan’s. “Yeah happy birthday Kanan.”
Mari and Dia looked at each other and then at the girl under them. They still had some days before going back to Italy and Japan and they didn’t want to waste any of them.
