How Teams Are Formed - Jun, Maki/Nino

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How Teams Are Formed
Matsumoto Jun, Horikita Maki/Ninomiya Kazunari
tinyangl, 685 words
Prompt: jun/maki, "this means war." as well as nino/maki, "because we're a team, right?" from sinonymity. Written here originally.


Ever since childhood, Jun and Maki were always at war. It became worse as they grew into their roles as god/goddess of war. Jun could never understand how Maki did not appreciate the passion, the fury, the destruction that came in the midst of battle; Maki could never understand how Jun extolled the virtue of the insanity of war over the intricacies—the planning, the strategy. This was a fight that would never be resolved, could never be resolved.

So Jun's snarl and glare was a familiar friend to Maki. "This means war," he snaps before turning on his heel and storming out of her home.

Maki glares back, feeling her heart thud that familiar beat implying the start of something big. She plops herself in her chair and starts to spin in place. It's another person's hand holding her chair that finally forces her to stop. Maki's grateful for the help because she's been spinning for longer than she knows, and even though the thudding of her heart has calmed to a normal beat, the act hasn't calmed the frantic planning that's been going on in her head.

"So Jun left in a hurry."

Maki swallows and focuses her eyes on the figure nearby. Nino plays with one of her spears and spins it around in his hands. Within seconds, it disappears. Maki frowns. "Return that, if you will."

Nino smirks. "Ah, but where did it go to?" He holds one palm up, then the other and claps them together, spreading them apart. When they're at the right length, the spear reappears and Nino places it back in its rightful place.

"Congratulations on a trick well done," Maki says, voice tired.

"Usually that at least gets a smile." Nino plops himself into the nearest chair, sitting with the back of it at his front. Maki presses a hand against her forehead.

"Usually you're not here right after Jun has stopped by."

"I think the more accurate phrase is while Jun was here." Maki looks at Nino with a raised eyebrow.

"You were here while Jun was here?"

Nino smirks. "Well, I was very very quiet. I wasn't keen on getting on Jun's bad side anytime soon."

"I appreciate your help in that matter then," Maki snaps, getting up from her chair. The slight dizziness hasn't left her completely so she stumbles on her way to her bookshelf. She skims through the books, not really wanting to start on any one, but needing the distraction.

"Let's be honest here," Nino retorts, now standing beside her and playing with one of her books. Maki almost smacks his hand away but Nino's already on the other side of her without her making a single move. "Nobody can get in between one of your arguments. It's been that way for years."

"I had enjoyed the quiet for the past few centuries," Maki grumbles, putting all her books back, including the one that Nino was flipping through to his dismay.

"I'm sure Jun has too." Nino's eyes glint as he says, "He's been able to put that time into other activities."

Maki presses her lips together. "It's not right to talk about this kind of thing. That is neither here nor there."

Nino laughs, leaning against Maki. "Right, right, my dear virgin goddess." Maki swats at him, and he moves away with a grin. "Well, I suppose I could get behind you."

Red splotches start to form on Maki's cheeks. "What—" she starts, voice loud. She swallows and grits through her teeth, "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means?" Nino says innocently, tilting his head to the side. "Aren't we a team? Obviously, I support you."

"You—" she starts before glaring. "You're not exactly war material."

Nino beams, pulling her hands into his. "Oh, Maki. You know better than that." He leans over and drops a kiss against her cheek. "Let's reconvene later, shall we?"

Before Maki can get another word in, Nino disappears, her door fluttering in the wind. She sighs, pressing a hand to her cheek before rubbing any trace of Nino's kiss from it. "Who said I wanted to, idiot?" She falls back onto her chair and sighs again.