Ten Lilies - A Keepsake

by Mara S. S.

"Good morning." Natsuki said sleepily.

"Good morning." Shizuru replied from their couch.

Natsuki could barely open her eyes. She fumbled around the kitchen and grabbed some coffee.

She yawned and curled up on the couch beside Shizuru. She rested her head on her lover's shoulder, brain still not completely functioning.

She felt a soft touch on her nose. "Wakey, wakey Natsuki-chan!" She heard Shizuru say in a babyish voice.

She opened her eyes and found a stuffed puppy staring back at her.

"H-Hey! Where did you get that?!"

"This?" Shizuru held the stuffed toy in one hand. "Oh, I found it in one of your drawers."

Shizuru cuddled the puppy to her cheek. "The cute little thing was probably playing hide and seek."

Natsuki scowled, uncomfortable at having the stuffed toy brought out into the open.

"Ara, that won't do. Natsuki-chan should be smiling." Shizuru moved the puppy's paws with her hands and used it to stretch the corners of Natsuki's mouth into a smile.

"That's better, don't you think?" Shizuru asked, addressing the stuffed toy she held in her hands.

With a finger she made the puppy nod its head.

"See? He agrees with me." Shizuru told Natsuki triumphantly.

"Give me that." Natsuki took the stuffed toy with an annoyed frown.

Natsuki cradled it in her hands and stroked it. As Shizuru watched, her expression became more gentle.

"What's wrong?" Shizuru asked quietly, sensing that she may have struck a nerve.

"It's..." Natsuki hesitated a moment, then relented. "I found it in my mother's lab. It was mine when I was a kid."

"I'm sorry." Shizuru placed an arm around Natsuki's shoulders. "I didn't know..."

"No, it's okay. You couldn't have known." Natsuki shrugged away the memories it brought back.

"I'll put it back..." Shizuru volunteered, reaching to take the stuffed toy.

Natsuki pulled it closer to her. "No. I think..." Natsuki smiled sadly at the stuffed toy.

Then she took a deep breath and placed it on top of Shizuru's head, its paws dangling down in front of Shizuru's face.

Shizuru looked up comically at her new passenger.

"Hahaha!" Natsuki laughed at the silly picture her lover and the stuffed toy made.

Natsuki smiled now. "You look silly." She informed Shizuru.

Shizuru chuckled and picked the stuffed toy up once more. "Well, both Natsuki and Mr. Puppy here need to have breakfast. A proper breakfast."

Natsuki glanced guiltily at her empty coffee mug. Shizuru laughed knowingly.

Natsuki then stood and pulled Shizuru up. She took the puppy from Shizuru and put it on her shoulder.

"So..." she asked Shizuru, "what do puppies and Natsuki's have for breakfast...?"

END

Disclaimer: Mai HiME belongs to Sunrise.