Disclaimer: Sunrise owns Mai HiME and all characters used. I own nothing.
The drive home was awkward. As if picking her up from the police station wasn't awkward enough. Officer Hawazimo was kind enough, after some convincing that it wasn't like this beautiful girl to do such a thing, to allow her to walk free with a minimum fine, but what bothered me the most was not that I had to go to the police station, but that I had to go for her.
After the carnival, things had been a bit different between us, but I still loved her as much as ever and she did promise me to stay away from anything illegal. Anything. For her to do something like this was shocking. Honestly, it hurt. It hurt that she went against my word. It hurt that she would do something this inconsiderate today of all days.
Still, I couldn't help but feel somewhat… happy that she gave her one phone call to me to bail her out.
My BMW rolled to a stop at the red light, and still silence surrounded us. It was as if a curtain was draped between us, forbidding either of us to perceive the other at all. Still, she was all that my mind was wrapped around. Just. Like. Always.
She probably was dreading everything. She was dreading sitting next to me. She was dreading going home. She was dreading any confrontation of her crime. She was dreading talking to me at all. It was a week since I'd last seen her. Not that I'd done much looking at her tonight. And even now it was a chore not to steal a glance at her. I didn't though.
The only words she spoke to me in over a week were on the phone. I was surprised to see her number as it flashed across the screen on my phone that evening. Driving home from school, that day had been particularly boring. Boring exams, boring professors, boring day. It was supposed to be a day to remember, but I doubted that anyone knew or cared enough to remember what event partook twenty years ago today.
I thought of her all day, as I often do. I thought of her hair, her eyes, her skin, her blush, her rare smile. I thought of the fragile girl she hid beneath layers of her rough exterior. Then, just as I was turning onto the street of my apartment building, the phone rang. Surprised to find her number on my caller ID, I flipped it open and put it to my ear.
"Yes?" I spoke gently. I wanted to tell her that I missed her. I wanted to tell her how happy I was that she called. I wanted to tell her… everything. But I was used to spending long periods of time without her, now more so than when we used to go to school together. And I knew that it was neither the time nor the place to discuss my feelings about her.
Her voice was hard and cold. "It's me. I'm at the police station. I've been arrested." Then a click. And then a dial tone. And that was it. I sighed, turned around, and drove to the station to pick her up. I didn't dare to give her anything more than a glance the entire time I discussed her situation with Officer Hawazimo. Just one glance was all it took, though. She stood there, head bowed to the side, eyes staring at the floor fixedly, fists clenched, grimace tight. The sight of her there, behind the bars made my heart sink. I turned back to Officer Hawazimo, paid the fine, and watched him (and only him) as he pulled a key from his pocket, and fumbled to open the barred-door before her. I smiled, thanked him, and walked out, feeling her follow in step.
I didn't, couldn't bear to look at her again.
But here, now, surrounded by the eminent curtain of tension and gripped tight by the awkward silence, I couldn't stand not to look at her. I wretched my eyes hesitantly from the blaring red traffic light and rested them unto her.
She was slumped down in the seat, and her feet were planted against the glove compartment. Crossed arms resting on her bent knees, she bore holes with her jade eyes into the dark of the night before us, and her soft lips frowned into a tight grimace. She looked distressed, nervous, angry, pissed, scared, pissed, pissed…
Only one thought could play through my head as I turned my attention back to the light just as it turned green and I eased the car forward: This is not my Natsuki.
The car continued to hum forth amongst the traffic. I vaguely wondered where each of the drivers was headed. Home after a long day of work, or out for a night on the town? Visiting a friend as a spur of the moment event, or going to dinner with the family?
Or perhaps returning their best friend whom they are one-sidedly in love with back to her school and most likely worried roommates (namely so Tokiha Mai) after bailing said best friend out of jail, I thought grimly.
The petrifying silence was unbearable. I turned onto the highway and gathered my courage.
"Ara, does Natsuki wish to tell me why she decided to break the law tonight?" I turned to her with a light smile just in time to see her whip her head around and glare daggers into me. Despite the death look, it filled me with warmth. At least she was acknowledging me.
"And does Natsuki wish to tell me why she is looking at me as though I am the one who robbed that store tonight?" I raised my eyebrows with a small smile. I missed her. I did. I missed her pale but sharp green eyes, her cerulean hair, the cute way she tried to act tough…
"I didn't rob anyone!" she shouted. She blushed into the lightest hue of red and promptly turned her head to face the road in front of us.
"And it was only a couple boxes of tea," she mumbled. I smiled. More like four of the most expensive kind in the store. But ah, that blush. Simply adorable. I suddenly wished that I wasn't driving so that I could look at her and only her. She was opening up again, my Natsuki was unfolding out before me. She was just the cute girl I'd know for years, the beautiful girl I loved, and she was certainly not a criminal.
"When did Natsuki start drinking tea? Have I influenced her that much?" More blushing.
"Baka! Don't ask things like that!" Raising an eyebrow, I glanced at her beet red face glaring out the window. Turning my attention back to the road, I continued swerving up the winding highway. Silence covered us again for a moment.
"Ara, why is Natsuki stealing tea?" I pressed.
And she pressed back. "None of your business," she growled. My smile wavered only a small bit. I gripped the steering wheel tighter and gave the BMW a little more gas.
"I'm glad Natsuki thought to call me." Natsuki made a small noise that sounded like a soft sigh. Yet another reason I loved Natsuki. She made such cute noises. I set one of my hands on hers. A blush sprang up her cheeks.
"Shizuru, stop." I couldn't.
I squeezed her hand and laced my fingers with hers, my eyes fixed on the road. I felt her try to pull away, but I held her steadfast and she gave in, holding my hand halfheartedly. My calm smile strengthened is the slightest amount and I peeked at her blushing down at her arm.
"Natsuki knows she doesn't have to become a criminal to win my heart, right?"
This angered her. She pried her hand from mine and glared at me. "I'm not a criminal! I just didn't have enough money for your birthday gift," she shouted at me. My eyes widened and I slammed on the brakes, whipping my head around to stare at her incredulously. Her angry glare softened as she realized what she said, replaced with an embarrassed and somewhat fallen expression. I slowly recovered from the words and looked around, realizing that I'd braked in the middle of the road and was instantly thankful no other cars were around.
I fidgeted slightly. Did this mean…?
"N-N… Natsuki stole tea for my birthday?" Natsuki looked down and made that little small sigh and I knew that she had. My face erupted in a gentle, genuine smile. I felt like crying.
Someone had remembered. Natsuki remembered.
Natsuki seemed to struggle with her words. "Sh-Shizuru, I—," but I wouldn't let her finish. I delivered a kiss to her cheek, leaving her blushing and wide eyed.
"Ookini. Natsuki has made me so happy." My eyes were filled with tears, waiting to overflow, but I shut my eyes tightly and composed myself. I turned my attention to the controls of the vehicle and moved my foot back onto the gas pedal, accelerating forward. For the rest of the drive, I didn't dare to look at her.
When we pulled up to the Fuka Academy dorms, I finally did look at her. She was sitting up a bit straighter, and her eyes seemed to be less agitated and a ghost of a smile splayed upon her lips. I glanced at the clock. 11:27. It had gotten late fast. I parked the car and exited. Natsuki followed suit. We entered the building and she pressed the "Up" button for the elevator. She stared straight at the elevator doors, I knew, conscious of my smile on her. A ding was heard and the doors opened.
Natsuki hurried inside, and I calmly stepped in as well. She pressed the "3" button rather forcefully and glared at the doors.
So cute¸ I couldn't help thinking.
The elevator deliberately eased up. Natsuki tapped her foot. I leaned against the back of the elevator and smiled at the back of her head.
Ding. It raised to the second floor and the little "2" lit up above the doors. Natsuki sighed and slumped her shoulders. My eyebrows raised. As the elevator was maybe halfway between the second and the third level, Natsuki turned around with determination in her eyes, took two steps towards me and gave me a kiss on the lips. My eyes widened in surprise.
Natsuki was good at giving surprise kisses, I concluded as she pulled away, my mind drifting to the carnival. Ding. The elevator rested at the third floor.
"Happy Birthday," Natsuki mumbled. "Since I couldn't get you the tea and all." The doors opened as if to say, "See? I got you both here safely, aren't I a good elevator?" I smiled genuinely and wrapped an arm around Natsuki before she could leave. Leaning forward, I pushed a button and the elevator doors shut once more.
Then I showed her how a real kiss was done.
Puffing with agitation and blushing widely, my cute little Natsuki exited the shaft a few minutes later and stalked towards her dorm room. I followed a few paces behind her, walking on clouds, dazed and blissful. She pounded on the door. In a matter of seconds, Mai appeared with a worried look that instantly brightened at the sight of Natsuki.
"Natsuki!" her eyes turned towards me. "Kaichou-sama!"
"Ara, I'm no longer president. No need to address me as such," I managed, composing an elegant tone despite my giddiness inside. Mai offered a flimsy bow in my direction then looked at the still blushing Natsuki.
"Natsuki! Where were you? I was worried sick!" Natsuki opened her mouth, but before she could let a word out, I linked my arm through hers and spoke up.
"Ah, gomen, Tokiha-han. I promise to tell you next time Natsuki and I go on a date." Mai looked at Natsuki and Natsuki struggled to pull away from me.
"Eh?! Sh-Shizuru!!" she stumbled over her embarrassed words. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she could say anything else, and with that, I walked back to my BMW.
Author's Notes:
Yep. It's pure fluff. But I based this story off of a couple guidelines: A character steals something but the intention is not what was expected. This story takes place in the late evening. A character is questioning through most of the story.
Not sure I followed that last one very well, but oh well. Review and make me happy?
Dukerz