Kagura's Race
An Azumanga Daioh fanfiction by Flower of Paper

Summary: Kagura/Sakaki, as requested by EvilDux. Kagura challenges Sakaki to yet another silly contest, but maybe Kagura isn't being quite so silly this time.

Kagura and Sakaki were standing outside the high school, both shivering in the February breeze. Suddenly, Kagura spoke up.

"Oi, Sakaki!"

"Hm?"

"It's frickin' cold out here! Let's go for a quick run to warm up. No, better yet, let's have a race! Race me, Sakaki!"

"Where?"

"Ummmm...it'll be a spontaneous race. First one who stops running loses, and has to treat the other one! You up for it?"

"OK."

"Get ready to treat me, Sakaki! Ready, set, go!"

Kagura broke into a sprint, Sakaki mildly chasing after her energetic friend. Sakaki didn't quite know why she always acceded to yet another one of Kagura's pointless contests, but at least Kagura had managed to break through Sakaki's so-called "lone wolf" exterior. Sakaki was grateful for that connection, more than Kagura would ever know.

Even Kagura couldn't keep up a prolonged sprint, so she eventually slowed into an easy jog, with Sakaki catching up and eventually jogging by her side.

They jogged side-by-side for two blocks, then Kagura unexpectedly turned left, followed by Sakaki. Sakaki didn't really know what was driving her unpredictable friend's thought patterns at the moment, but she somehow didn't care. Right now she was caught up in the "race", not out of any motivation to beat Kagura, but simply for the joy of giving Kagura her daily thrill.

Kagura made another turn, and Sakaki had to grab hold of a lamp-post just to round the corner in time. Kagura seemed to be heading into one of the smaller, friendlier shopping districts, with Sakaki in lukewarm pursuit.

Now Sakaki was curious. Kagura didn't really intend to drag their so-called race through an obstacle course of shops and stalls, did she?

Suddenly Sakaki recognized the path they were taking. The girls had visited this part of town a few times, but always as a group. That place...that couldn't be what Kagura had in mind...could it? Sakaki's cheeks turned pink, and it wasn't from jogging in the brisk February air.

Kagura was on Sakaki's right side, jogging along the sidewalk. Up ahead was the thick trunk of a willow tree, right in Kagura's path. Kagura wasn't stopping at all, still heading directly for the tree growing in the sidewalk. If Kagura didn't stop, she'd run straight into it.

"Kagura, watch out...Kagura!"

Apparently Kagura's internal brakes were better than Sakaki thought, because Kagura stopped very suddenly and leaned on the willow tree. Sakaki jogged up to her, and slowed to a stop.

"I...I guess..." Kagura's voice was panting and throaty. "I guess...I lost...so now...I gotta treat ya..." Kagura put out her hand for a handshake. Sakaki shook hands with her.

Kagura stopped talking, now totally out of breath, and pointed to the shop next to the willow tree. Then it dawned on Sakaki: ice cream parlor.

Kagura had known exactly where she was going, and had "lost" the race on purpose, so she could treat Sakaki to ice cream.

Sakaki had forgotten to let go of Kagura's hand, and both girls blushed. Neither wanted to be the first to let go. Finally, Sakaki broke the contact, and gently ruffled Kagura's hair, as if stroking a cat. After several seconds of this, Sakaki gracefully removed her hand.

"Sakaki..." Kagura had regained her voice, but it was a bit hoarse. "I'm sorry, I..." She laughed nervously. "I just couldn't think of any other way to go about saying this...aw, forget it. You, me, ice cream, please?"

Sakaki's kind eyes met Kagura's trusting ones. She smiled.

"I accept."