This is just a quick one shot Haruko/Naota fic I put together. Enjoy!
BTW The song: Drops Of Jupitur is performed by Train, and I dont own it or FLCL.

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Drops Of Jupiter

by Stewie

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Naota sat alone underneath the underpass craddeling the second most precious thing in his life: Haruko's bass guitar. Above him the stars illuminated the guitars blue and white paint job. His parka's hood was pulled up with the draw cord pulled tight to try and keep himself warm enough to avoid catching a cold in the chilly breeze that blew through. Although the wind was the farthest thing on his mind at the moment. He didn't know why he always had to have the guitar with him, he just did. It was like something in his bones telling him to. Some of his friends have already started nagging him about it. Why bring it with you where ever you go if it's so precious? Shouldn't it be safe in your room? Haruko however took it everywhere with her. It was a legacy, like her vespa. And now that she had givin it to Naota, he felt it was the least he could do to keep that legacy alive. Although sometimes it became it a bit of a tear-jerker, he still couldn't tear the rickenbacker away from him.

Only recently however Naota realised that even though the guitar didn't leave his side, it was still a crime that he kept it idle. Somepeople had asked him to play it, and of course naturally he couldnt pluck a string without making himself wince, either because the note was sour or the thought that he might snap the thin cable and thus replacing it wouldn't make it "Haruko's guitar" anymore. One person had even asked to be able to play it himself, to which Naota flatly refused because the man reaked of alcohol, not that it made any difference. The bass was sacred ground to him. The guy didn't go away however and made what could best be discribed as a mistake by trying to touch it. The bass was whipped up and down in a quick motion, knocking the guy unconscious as the guitar was brought down on his head like Haruko used to do. Fortunatly when the man woke up disorientated, he held his head and staggered off, muttering the words "Never again. How could I be so stupid? Rum and vodka cocktails, ooohhh..." Naota couldnt help but wonder what possesed him to do such a thing to someone, but everything left his mind when he noticed that the guitar was now untuned, and he quickly went about turning the knob to the position he had memorized it to be.

And so he started taking bass guitar lessons. Unfortunatly he found out that Haruko's guitar was more useful destroying things rather than playing. It was a simple four string bass with twenty frets, which although could play many songs, was still limited, being overall a background instrument. So he stopped playing it as a bass, and, remembering Haruko's words to himof how to hold and play a guitar, started playing how he felt right.

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"Well Naota, here go's." he queitly told himself. There were plenty of songs that he could have learned, many guitar tabs to pracise, but there was one song that seemed to jump out at him, as if the bass was built to play it. Gripping the neck in a tight grip similiar to how she showed him, Naota curled an arm over to sit in a comfortable position, poised over the strings. Wrapping his left-hand fingers across the the middle frets, he began to quickly bend the strings along the instrument. A paced, harmonic sound filled the air. Being quiet sure noone was around, Naota swollowed any fears and began slowly singing. At first off key a little, he realised he was alone, he tried again. This time his voice rised and danced with the notes of a guitar mixing together in the night air.

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With Drops Of Jupiter in her hair, hey hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey

Tell me did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Now that she's back from that soul vacation
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo
Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the Milky Way
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind
Was it everything you wanted to find
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way

And tell me did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Plucking the strings, Naota released the last few notes from their imprisonment inside the instrument, who in return danced and spun in the nights air, rewarding their rescuer with their simple gift. A moment later however they were scared away by a feirce gunning of an engine. Whirling around, Naota expected to be faced with his father or one of his friends who had found him here in the middle of the night before. He was almost too angry to notice that rather than a car, he was facing the single headlight glaring at him. Bringing his hand up to his eyes he peeled his fingers apart to try and see easier. Beyond the bright headlamp the silhouette of a large moped stood. On the seat a figure sat, scarf blowing around their neck. Not believing his eyes, Naota's head imediatly filled with questions, until finally the excitment rushed to his head and he fainted.

Waves lapped the shores as salt water rushed up the sand to flow back into the water. Naota slowly pryed his eyes open, looking up to see day's harsh light shining down on him. He felt as if he had been lying there for an eternity, felling stiff and sore. 'Was I out here all night?' Underneath him he felt sand in his hair and the waves of the ocean were soon clear. 'Where out here am I?' As he turned his head to the ocean a shadow fell over his face. Looking up he saw a womans face with peach hair and yellow eyes grinning down at him. "Wakey wakey!" Sitting up, Naota looked with wide eyes as Haruko, the same Haruko who took off on her moped so long ago, was kneeling in front of him with the same playful grin that she always seemed to have when she was around. "H-Haruko?" Gasping with joy, she shrieked out "Ta-kun remembers!" before wrapping her arms around Naota, pushing him back in the sand, her grin becoming a sly smile. "Ta-kun's head not so empty anymore, ne? Especially since he plays guitar soooo good now!" All at once the questions began filling his mind, but first he felt as though he had to answer her. "I thought you might like it if you knew your guitar wasn't being wasted, and..yeah..." This made her eyes become crescent shapes in happiness. "I already knew that it wasn't wasted! Silly Ta-kun." "Uhh..where are we?" This time Haruko flicked his head with a giggle. "Nup, Naota still empty there! It's the beach!"

Looking around he saw the same beach that she had taken him to the last time she was here. He saw her moped with the bass leaning against it, the surf...then it hit him. 'The last time...' Looking up, Haruko's smile fell when Naota's eye's showed a deep pain. "Why are you here Haruko?" Looking a little set back, she opened her mouth to explain but before she could answer she felt Naota's arms wrap tightly around her back. "Please don't go again! Please! I'll do anything! Forget about Atomsk, I'll give you anything in my power. Just stay!" Haruko smiled and looked down at him playfully. "Your so kawaii Ta-kun!" Naota meanwhile felt like she had just hit him in the heart like she had hit him in the head. 'Does she think I was joking? I meant it...' Haruko's silly grin fell away, replaced with a soft smile before leaning down face to face with Naota. "I got bored of chasing Atomsk. Theres another power I've found out about that I want more. So you wanna know why Im here?" Reaching in the sand Haruko tightly hugged Naota. "I missed my Ta-kun." Naota looked up in confusion." Your Ta-kun?" Leaning in closer, Haruko pressed her nose on top of his the way she used to do when she slept in his bed back when his father hired her as a maid. "The power I want is your heart, Naota." Leaning down, Haruko closed her eyes and planted a soft, gentle kiss on Naota's lips, the complete opposite to the one's she gave him when she was there the first time around. Needless to say, Naota returned her affection with the same gentleness that he always kept. Pulling back slightly, Haruko's eyes opened and bore their way into Naota's. "Ashiteru Naota-kun." Naota brought his hand up and tenderly rubbed her cheek. "Ashiteru Haruko-chan." Haruko's eyes lit up and she smiled. Not a silly grin or anything, just a warm smile like she had given him when they last saw each other. Only this time it wasn't goodbye. Rather then try and remember the last time they both saw each other, they focussed on what was here now. Each other. The two embraced each other again as the waters edge lapped against the beach in harmony.

Thanks again for reading. I actually had the idea of putting this song in an EVA fic, but I think it fit's this anime alot more. Although I've had this idea for a while now, I was only really motivated to do it after reading a good fic called ONE LIFE so I couldnt help but give some credit to it's writter as well. ^^ Thats again!