note: this is my first story. won't be long, perhaps 4-5 chapters. it will surround a fear of abandonment that anyone could have, especially someone who's past is like Asuna's. i hope everyone likes it.

. . .oh, and i don't own any Negima characters. . .

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, IDIOT?"

Negi woke up to Asuna's yell early in the morning.

"Eh? What's wrong, Asuna-san?" Negi asked teary-eyed from sleep.

"WHAT THE HELL, NEGI! YOU'RE IN MY BED AND YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS ALL OVER ME!"

Only then was Negi aware of what he was doing. His left hand was on Asuna's hip, tugging at her pants. His right hand had snaked it's way around Asuna's shoulder, pushing her body closer to his. Her face was only inches from his as he stared wide-eyed into her sharp gaze. His pale cheeks burned red with intensity.

"Asuna-san! I'm sorry! I didn't. . . I didn't mean to do this!" He shut his eyes tightly in embarrassment. "Sorry!"

Negi quickly pushed himself away from Asuna and sat on his legs with his hands over his knees. He saw the girl grind her teeth as she sat up, her long hair falling over her shoulders. Negi flinched and closed his eyes preparing himself for Asuna's wrath as he felt the bed shift under her weight.

He expected the smack to come but when it didn't, he peeked out from under his lashes. He saw that Asuna had climbed off the top bunk and was standing in the middle of the room combing her long orange hair.

"Asuna-san? Are you mad?" Negi whimpered softly. When Asuna didn't hit him was when Negi was truly afraid. He went to the edge of the bed nearest to her. "Asuna-san?"

To Negi's surprise, Asuna began to chuckle. She stopped combing her hair and turned to look at Negi with a small smile and a soft look in her eyes.

"Looks like the Great Negi Springfield is finally becoming aware of himself in front of girls." She pointed at Negi, smirking lightly.

"Wha-wha!" In surprise, Negi fell over the edge of the bed and was swiftly caught by Asuna before he hit the floor.

"Careful, kid." She said softly.

"Wha-wha-What do you mean?" His cheeks blazed as Asuna held his body in her arms.

Putting Negi down on his feet, Asuna said, "It's nothing to be ashamed about, Negi. Even if you did end up saving everything, it doesn't change the fact that you're still a growing boy. So, it's normal for a ten-year-old to have these curious feelings." She chuckled as she went back to combing her hair.

"Hey! I'm not ten anymore!" He shut his eyes and shook his fists angrily. He felt like she was taunting him. "Officially, I'm ten but unofficially I'm almost going to be thirteen!"

"Negi." He opened his eyes. Asuna was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips and her back slightly bent in order to have her face on the same level as his. He was almost as tall as her, but she was still a little taller, Asuna thought smugly to herself. She studied his face, smiling when Negi started to blush with self-consciousness. "You may be a hero, you may have gotten taller, you may even act more mature than brats your age, but you are still shy like a baby." Asuna gently poked Negi's forehead and grinned at his loss of words.

"Hey, get ready." Asuna told Negi as she turned away from him and began to search through her drawers.

"Huh? Why, Asuna-san?" Negi said as he watched Asuna pull out her school clothes. "It's still very early to go to class." He suddenly turned to the sleeping Konoka. He had forgotten that he and Asuna were not alone. "I'm relieved that we didn't wake Konoka-san this time. Perhaps she got used to our bickering?".

"She bought ear-plugs, kid. I was with her when she did. She said that she enjoyed our little fights but she really likes sleeping more." Asuna laughed.

Sure enough Negi managed to spot pink fluff in Konoka's ears. He turned to Asuna when he heard her walking towards the bathroom. "Asuna-san? Why-" he was cut off.

"Today you will help me with my newspaper gig." Asuna walked into the bathroom, then stuck out her orange head. "So get ready. No butts, Mister!"

In the bathroom, Asuna smiled to herself as she looked in the mirror. Her thoughts began to drift as she got ready for her morning job by washing her face and brushing her teeth.

Everything is beginning to settle down. She was starting to get worried that class 3-A would never be able to go back to the way things were before the magic world involved them all. What scared her the most was that maybe one day Negi would find the calm life boring and leave Mahora looking for adventure.

At this thought, she felt a knot build in her stomach.

Would Negi really leave us? Class 3-A has been through a lot, more then any average person has to go trough in a life time. Can we all go back to living a simple, peaceful life?

Asuna pulled off her pajamas and began dressing herself.

I always thought that there was a sort of bond keeping us all together. But if I think about it, that 'bond' is that of classmates united by their teacher. If Negi left, we would still be classmates, but not close, sorta like how we were before Negi came. Then once class 3-A graduated from Mahora, there would be nothing keeping us together anymore. We would all go our different ways.

Asuna felt a pang in her chest.

Everyone had somewhere to go. Negi, with his cousin in Wales; Konoka with her family; even Setsuna, with her clan that was starting to accept her. No one in class 3-A was completely alone, except maybe for her. Not even that vampire-demon child, Eva-chan, was alone.

I have no one to go home to, I have no family. When I graduate school, I will have nowhere to go. Did I ever have anything I could consider family? Maybe Takahata-sensei, but he has his own life now and he wants me to live my own as well. Asuna sighed sadly.

Had I ever had a real home?

Asuna shook her head angrily.

Gosh, I sound pathetic! I sound like a cry baby! I have friends that are willing to risk their lives to save me! Hadn't what happened in the magic world proved that I meant something to everyone? Was I not satisfied that Negi had almost lost his humanity for me? I'm so selfishly stupid! Asuna smacked her head with her palm. I have amazing friends that love me! They would probably even let me stay over their houses for a while. Asuna let out a small laugh. Maybe I could crash a different house every few weeks or leech off crazy Ayaka. I'm sure she's got plenty to share.

With that final thought, Asuna pulled her bells tight on her twin ponytails and stepped out of the bathroom, determined to not take anything for granted.

"Negi! You done yet?"

When Negi heard Asuna's voice, he quickly hid the letter that he hand been reading into the bottom drawer of his desk. He then pulled on the jacket of his new suit that Takamichi had bought him as a present.

"Ah, yes, I am done, Asuna-san." He smiled at her as she came from the bathroom. "Just allow me to freshen up before we go." He pointed towards the bathroom.

Heh, always so polite. Asuna thought. Then she noticed his new suit as he passed by her. "Wow, Negi!" Asuna whistled at Negi, making him stop and look at her curiously. "Lookin' sharp with the new suit. Where'd you get it? It looks really expensive." she paused, "Oh wait, your collar is messed up." Asuna reached for Negi's collar to straighten it out. She patted his shoulders when the collar was neat. "There, now you really are a gentleman."

"Thank you, Asuna-san." Negi said with a blush. "Takamichi-san bought it as a present for me. He had noticed that I was starting to grow out of my old suits and he was kind enough to get me some new ones." Negi began to fidget with his sleeve under Asuna's tentative gaze.

Asuna grinned. Had Negi gotten shyer when I wasn't looking? Or maybe I was right when I said he was becoming more aware of himself?

She folded her arms and held her head high. "Of course Takahata-sensei gave you something so fashionable! The man certainly has very good taste in clothing." She glanced at Negi, who was still standing in front of her, fidgeting with his sleeve. "Now get a move on!" She turned Negi and gave him a rough push towards the bathroom, causing him to stumble forward. "I don't want to be late because of you!"

Asuna shook her head and chuckled to herself. Stupid kid. . .

He would never leave me.