Nori Drabbles

Nori turned the wine bottle over in her hands as she walked into Vahn’s room. He was sitting at his desk probably doing manager things. Who knew? Nori didn’t care. She just wanted his attention. Nori trailed the tips of her fingers on the other’s back, leaning over to see what he was working on. Nori caught a satisfying gasp from Vahn before he dropped his pen and looked up at her. He was so cute flustered. “Hey! One of my fans gifted me this. I don’t like drinking alone ahah.” Nori explained showing him the bottle. “It’s supposed to be really high quality stuff too- If you wanna share some that is.”

“Wine?” Vahn turned slightly in his chair, taking her hand off his back and holding it still. Despite holding it she continued to rub circles on his hand. 

“Yeah! I don’t know if you noticed I don’t have much alcohol in this house. Mitra didn’t let me-” Nori grimaced as she realized she said his name. “Squids above I hate that guy.” She muttered before looking back to Vahn, “I wanna celebrate my win today!”

Vahn looked at the clock before looking back to Nori. Nori had won another turf war today. Vahn was more than proud of her. He wished he had better words to congratulate her with sometimes. “Since you don’t have practice tomorrow I’m fine with drinking with you.” 

“Yes! Lemme go get the glasses I’ll be back!” Nori chirped leaving the bottle on his desk before disappearing into the hall. It was nice seeing her so happy and upbeat. They had recently done a full switch to only gummy supplements and since then her ink colour has been brighter and her energy has been higher. Sometimes she asked for her old medicine to which Vahn had bought some sugar pills to let her feel everything was still ok while he weened her off of it. Today right after her victory she had run up to him just to get her gummies before going back to celebrate with the team. Vahn was just happy her health was improving. No thanks to her last manager. He knew little about the guy. Mitra. The name was only familiar as he was now on Deep End. What he did know from the times sick Nori had confided in him was Mitra was a dick. Abused his power over Nori and didn’t deserve her. Hearing Nori cry and blame things on herself. Vahn found himself gripping his pen a little too hard. He slowly sat it back down opening the wine bottle as Nori walked back in. “I’m surprised I even have glasses for this,” Nori admitted sitting them on the desk then sitting herself at Vahn’s feet. Vahn poured the two glasses before moving to the floor with her. 

“To your victory and rank up,” Vahn said gently as he handed her her glass. Nori’s smile was adorable she clinked their glasses together before taking the first sip. She rocked back and forth as she considered the taste. Definitely high quality. 

“Mm… Now that I’m A rank! I can almost fight my cousin on the turf.” Nori pointed out.. Vahn swirled his glass. He had almost forgotten that was the end goal. Fight and win against Nori’s cousin. “I can’t wait. I hope there's a team that needs a fourth member. It’s hard being a free agent.” She sighed already half done with her first glass. Vahn reached out pushing her hair behind her shoulder to avoid letting it fall into her glass. 

“I’ll look around don’t worry. The first team that has an opening and is fighting Team Queers I’ll get you on.” Vahn figured he should match her speed of drinking allowing them to top off at the same time, “I still think it's funny my twin is on that team as well.”

“What’s her name again? Sorry, I’m really trying I just- Keep forgetting who she is.” Nori laughed letting Vahn pour more into her glass. 

“Sirene? She was the star player of Deep End forever.”

“ew.”

“Ew?” Vahn repeated unsure if she was referring to the name Sirene, star player, or Deep End. 

“Deep End. Used to be my favorite team ever because you subbed for it on occasion. And then almost a whole year of getting to watch you play was so cool!” She smiled but Vahn knew deep down just how bad it was for him. “Now Mitra is on it. Not that I watch anymore now that you are off the team. Ugh. I wish I could forget the guy sometimes.” Nori wiped off a lipstick stain from the side of her glass before sitting it back down to let Vahn pour more. “hmm why did you stop playing with the splatling by the way? It was hot. The dualies are ok but you really knew how to use that Splatling.”

Vahn almost choked on his drink listening to her compliment him. Watched the team only for him. Didn’t even know who Sirene was. He wished more people were like her back then. But she even remembered his original main. Insane. “I love the heavy splatling. But the team didn’t need one apparently. Deep End was just full of dicks. Not a good inkling on that team. I’m glad I left. And I’m grateful you hired me the day I left.”

“Ahah.” Nori laughed sipping nervously, “Yeah I was stalking your coaching hours. The moment you went available for full time I had to request. I kinda idolized you when I was younger. Vahn you’re just everything I wish I could have been.” She smiled to herself moving to his side. She leaned into him, one hand playing with the edge of the hole on his hip. 

“Me? I wasn’t even as good as my twin” Vahn seemed a bit confused about that. Why was he idolized and not Sirene. Sirene was definitely the more popular one in the group. But the more he thought the more that added up. Nori related to him. Vahn often related to Nori. The only difference is they both had different comparisons they were stuck in. 

“Yeah you, silly. The media always showed me as just the heir of the company. I never had a name. Always compared to my mother. You were like me. But you were also expressing yourself on the turf and that was so hot.. The way you moved out there. Even when switching to the dualies. It showed how passionate you were to set yourself apart. Fuck your twin, Vahn. I don’t care about her. I love hearing about you” 

Vahn was going to answer and tell her that she was more than the comparisons. Something nice. Boost her confidence. But that was before he felt her lips on his neck. A soft whisper of you need to be more confident, followed by her moving completely into his lap. He really shouldn’t have had that last glass. He forgot just how strong Ocatarian alcohol tended to be. He half whispered her name getting a quiet laugh in response.

“Vahn. You’re too obvious. I’ve seen how you look at me. I’ve never had someone look at me with so much adoration in their eyes.” 

No way. She had to be drunk. Not that he was any better himself, Vahn moved his hands to her hips watching as she got closer. Be more confident. “I only look at you like that because I love everything you do. You’re always so happy Nori. I want to keep you happy, songbird”

Nori moved her hair back smiling a little. Songbird? That was new. She liked that. “I love you so much, Vahn. You make me so happy. Let me show you how happy you make me” She gently pressed her lips to his. 

Would she regret this in the morning? Most definitely not.

~~

Vahn woke up to sun filtering in his room. He oddly felt well-rested other than a slight headache plaguing him. How much did he drink last night? A glass or two too many? He started to get up before hearing a quiet sigh. Vahn froze seeing Nori fast asleep half on half off him. Oh no. His brain quickly put everything together. Judging by how she was wearing his shirt and for some reason his ink colour was white? Vahn laid back down processing the many ways this could go down. The worst was the constant plaguing thought of he was just as bad as Mitra. He took advantage of her… well? Did he? Vahn admittedly couldn’t remember who started it. He was already drunk by then.  Vahn felt a small hand run across his chest before taking one of his hands. Is she awake? He hesitated to even put a hand on her now. Who knows what would happen? Nori might fire him for this. This was it. He was about to be jobless just because he agreed to drink with her. 

But after a few minutes of worrying, Nori quietly yawned and shifted to sit up. The tips of her usually all white hair were the same pink Vahn’s typically was. That can’t be good. But before he could mention it Nori whispered she was hungry. Without even thinking twice Vahn said he was on it and went downstairs. As he cooked for her he replayed everything he remembered. The more he thought back the more that came back. He really did that with her. He needed to apologise. It didn’t matter how many times she said it was ok. Or if she even initiated it. He should’ve known better than to allow himself to drink too much. Vahn was snapped out of it as two hands wrapped around him. 

“Good morning, Vahn,” Nori whispered. Her sleepy voice gave him butterflies. Or maybe it was because he still didn’t have a shirt and her hands were cold. Was she sick? Vahn slowly turned after lowering the heat of the pan and placed a hand on her forehead. No, she was fine. Definitely fine as she moved his hand to cup her cheek. Vahn held it there for a few seconds before pulling away and clearing his throat.

“Sorry about last night.” He managed before going back to cooking. 

“hm..? Sorry for…what?” Nori seemed genuinely confused. No way did she just not remember.  “For… having? Why are you sorry about that?”

“It won’t happen again,” Vahn said managing to pull out some form of professionality. It was a bit of a relief that she did remember but it was odd that she wasn’t freaking out about it like he was. In fact, when he turned around to hand her the food, she seemed sad? But that quickly changed as she took the plate from him, forcing a smile followed by a thank you.

As she went off to go eat he watched her ink colour return to its natural white. Right- his was still white too. Vahn changed that back to his typical pink before going off to clean his room. He figured she needed space. He definitely needed to process this more. He just spent a night with his employer and crush and she seemed fine with that. He had some faint ideas on why she would be ok with that. All of them leading back to her past manager. He couldn’t believe she would go through any of that. Nori deserved the best. And Vahn loved Nori. Moments of last night played on repeat. Specifically her voice. 

‘I love you so much.’

Did she really? Or was that the wine talking? Nori was hard to read and he worried if he asked that would be it. After all, coaches dating their players was a bit taboo in the eyes of most.  But then again coaches typically don’t live with their players like this either. They don’t typically cook for them. They don’t care for them for weeks on end when they are sick. They don’t help them manage their singing careers. They don’t get as close as Vahn had gotten to Nori. 

Vahn touched his lips as he picked up Nori’s glass from his floor. She kissed him last night. He wanted to ask if the feeling was mutual. But he knew better than to ruin it. Their friendship and her happiness and health came first. If Nori wanted to be with him, Vahn would just have to wait for her to ask. He wiped the lipstick marking off of the glass smiling a little to himself. Till then he would replay that moment in his head. He truly did feel loved by her.