Author's Note (Intro): This will be the first in a (likely) series of uploads which hold multiple stories, all too small for me to feel comfortable uploading separately. They will be based around a certain pairing. Consider this an apology of sorts for not uploading a lot of things lately, or in particular not updating my chaptered fics nearly as much as I should be. Plus, it's an added apology for future inactivity, as my writing block has upgraded quickly from "I can't get myself to write" to "I don't know if I'll ever be able to write anything ever again." I hope that's not the case, but I'm prepared for it, sort of.

Dances Fantastic: This was a little thing I wrote recently to try and get the creative juices flowing again (it didn't work, but what are you gonna do?) It's based around the song "Dances Fantastic" by Neva Dinova.

Her discordant mind yelled at her, two voices struggling to gain control. There she was, the cool one, the popular one, the painful one, and Nozomi felt weak. No one denied that smile, those piercing blue eyes. Who was she to be the first? She was pitiful, but she didn't want to take another step forward. This was not the road she wanted to take anymore.

Girls like her, they had just hurt her before. They cared not for her worries, her fear: they merely thought of themselves. How could she blame them? If she had to deal with someone like herself, she would do the same. She had tried so hard though, desperate to escape the cycle of loneliness that had taken over her entire life, but now she stood there, an abject failure as always, entranced by the dance her blonde captor weaved.

There was no doubt that she knew what she possessed, what she did to anyone who was fortunate, unfortunate enough to lay eyes on her. She was a lit match falling upon gasoline, and it was all a deliberate act. Every waking moment was made to watch the flies she caught burn in her movements. The worst thing was that Nozomi knew this, yet she couldn't walk away. She was but a willing victim to Ayase's charms.

Each step brought her closer to pain, and she found it reflected in that smile, fixed upon her unworthy frame. No one was worthy for Ayase. They danced together in each others' arms, yet always a distance apart. Seconds felt like months, then years, and her eyes could never hold contact with the iciest azure. It was captivating: it was terrifying. She was a fool, but she had fallen in love with the dance.

And she dances fantastic. With legs like elastic. She fought it. As hard as she could, she attempted to push herself away, but she was trapped, locked within that chilling embrace, and all she could focus on was that awful, loving smile. Ayase was a demon, but was she any better? Her heart burned like the hell she'd allowed herself to be in.

"Don't let me end up all on my own." Her words were meaningless whispers, and there were no arms wrapped around her. There was no one left to dance with her. She had walked in knowingly, and still she allowed it to hurt when there was no one left to comfort her. The dance was done, and she was alone once more, just like she had always been, just like she always would be.

She let herself fall to the floor, crying silently in an empty room. Who was dancing with Ayase now? Who was the next fool to fall victim to her charms, to her beauty? Everything she left in her wake burned, and Nozomi burned along with it.

Parfait Time: This one came about from a conversation I had with a friend. Just some general suggestive fluff.

Eli gazed between two different flavors of tea, trying to decide which one she wanted to buy. Nozomi and herself had decided to go grocery shopping, but now Nozomi had gone off to get something or other, leaving Eli to make this tough decision on her own.

"Hmm... This one does taste good..." She ran a finger over the bottle's label, though her eyes then strayed to the one right next to it. "Ah, but so does this one... Maybe I should just buy both."

"Oh Elicchi~" Eli looked up from her difficult task to find Nozomi smiling at her, peeking her head out from between the aisles. "C'mere~" Shrugging to herself, Eli abandoned her struggle and switched aisles, following her purple-haired girlfriend.

When they came to a stop, Nozomi leaned her back against one of the doors housing the frozen treats, grinning from ear to ear. Eli blinked in confusion, looking between her and the treats behind her. There was obviously something tease-worthy Nozomi was trying to get at, but for the life of her she couldn't understand what it was. Maybe she wanted ice cream?

She looked at Nozomi again, whose eyes slowly drifted down and to Eli's right. When she fixated her vision lower, she noticed a sign plastered to one of the doors. In bold proclamation, it advertised a desserts sale. A very specific desserts sale. Above the percent off, in big letters, it said, in no uncertain terms, "Parfait Time!"

"Really?" Eli murmured quietly, a soft blush forming on her cheeks. Honestly, she wouldn't have been surprised if Nozomi had just put that there herself, but it seemed rather official. Quite a stunning coincidence, in fact. Before she could look up, soft hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her forward, until her body was pressed smack against Nozomi's.

"N-Nozomi, what are you-" That question didn't need to be finished. Nozomi answered it plainly enough by locking lips with her lovable, embarrassed blonde, quickly getting Eli to relent and melt into her arms, their lips dancing in a warm embrace. Eli's hands quickly started to roam over Nozomi's body, grabbing and caressing every inch they could reach.

While Eli's movements were more wild and unrestrained, Nozomi was much more controlled, slipping one hand straight down and pressing it firmly between Eli's thighs. Breaking her lips away, she reveled in the low, primal groan she was able to get out of Eli, leaning down to gently nip at the exposed flesh of her neck. After some well-founded - but quickly dispersed - hesitation, Eli was now in deep, grinding herself desperately against Nozomi, her eyes begging for more contact.

The two locked eyes, the desire between them palpable. With a husky whisper, Nozomi murmured into Eli's ear, "You want something, Elicchi?"

"Mm..." Eli could only groan, lost in a state of pleasure that wanted - no, needed - to be taken further, and immediately.

"Tell me what you want." Her voice dripped with wanton lust, putting her lips upon Eli's ear and giving it a gentle tug.

"You!" She almost shouted, but luckily the blonde was able to keep herself lucid just enough to avoid shouting out in as loud a voice as possible. "I want you..."

"Bad?"

"So bad..."

"Oh Elicchi..." Nozomi drew away from Eli's ear and they locked eyes again, staring deep into each other. "Now? In a public store? That's so shameful of you."

"Wha-" Eli's mouth dropped open as Nozomi easily slipped out from her grasp and subtly smoothed her skirt, a big grin on her face.

"You're so bold, Elicchi, but how could you even think of something so indecent?" Despite her strict words, there was no hiding the teasing overtones in her voice. "Save that for somewhere private, like our bedroom, or Maki-chan's house." With a coy wink, she picked up the basket of items she had left on the floor and skipped out of the aisle, humming a very specific song.

"What... What just happened?" Eli stared transfixed at where Nozomi had just been standing, eyes wide and her body warm... and somewhat damp. A slight, somewhat embarrassed cough sounded from her right, and she whirled around to find Maki and Umi standing halfway down the aisle, both of them staring at her with raised eyebrows and an equally shared blush. Mortification did not begin to describe it.

"Really, Eli?" Umi muttered, glancing instead at Maki, who closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"... You two did it in my house?"

Eli opened the freezer door and stepped inside, needing to cool off for a few lifetimes. This would be where she'd live now.

So Long June: Another recent story based around a song, this time "So Long June" by Cold. This one does contain references to suicide.

Sleeping soundly, she didn't hear the soft creak of the bed nor the lessened weight upon it. A sound sleeper, usually nothing could wake her. The sound of the door opening and closing did, though. Tonight, out of all nights, it was the quiet click of the lock that roused her from her slumber. Blinking her tired, confused eyes within the dark, she slowly turned to her partner, only to find herself alone in the bed. That fact woke her like a bucket of ice being thrown upon her. Confusion quickly turned to fear, and then she was on her feet, barely remembering to put on her shoes as she ran out the door.

It was such a peaceful night. The lights held no sway over the brightness of the shining stars. Under their guiding light, Eli ran. Her blonde hair whipped behind her as she moved as fast as her legs could carry her. Even as her muscles screamed for her to stop, she pressed on, taking from energy reserves she didn't know she had. It was the most important thing for her to do, though. She remembered the talks, the fascination, but it hadn't truly occurred to her until that moment that everything was going to change.

If she had been less of a fool, then she would have seen the signs long before now, and she would have acted then, but she didn't. Now it might be too late. Fear drove her brain, and selfishness drove her heart. How could she lose the one person who meant so much to her, especially due to her own ineptitude?

By the time she approached the motorcade, groups of people were standing around. Her breathing was rough and shallow as their bodies grew closer in her vision. A siren hit her ears, making her heart seize up in terror. Her sense of dread only grew as she walked closer, only coming to a stop when a familiar shade appeared in her vision. It was such a strange sight to see no cars driving up and down the road, even at this time of night. It was like the world had stopped, and everyone was frozen, staring right at the one who was captivating all the attention. The one who stood on the edge of the street, her pale hand gripping tightly around cold, unfeeling steel. Eli felt her heart pounding, racing, trying to break free of her rib cage, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight. She was just as entranced as the rest. They all shuddered in fear, in worry, in anticipation.

Some people were whispering among themselves, eyes wide and hands shaking. Others shouted to the girl, though she gave no indication that she was listening. With her feet feeling like they were encased in lead, Eli slowly made her way forward, ignoring the few pairs of eyes that turned to her, breaking through a moment frozen in time. Stray tears touched her cheeks as she cupped her hands together, creating her own makeshift megaphone. She shouted into them, pushing through the feelings of exhaustion and fear to put every ounce of emotion she held into her words. They finally got a reaction from the girl.

"N-Nozomi, please... Please don't do this!"

It was a world that she didn't deserve to be a part of: a world that was beautiful and fragile. She had been let in, become witness to secrets she never thought possible, but not once had she made a move to truly change anything. When that smile, so pretty and full of light, was upon her, it was like there was nothing negative in the world. She let it drive away any worries, and it left her blind.

She felt so safe in those strong arms, so calm listening to the gentle lullaby that graced her ears from soft lips. It had never occurred to her that her arms did not bring the same feeling of safety. Now she was going to pay for it. Karma would take her down a peg for not noticing the underlying fear that hid behind that beautiful smile. Maybe she hadn't truly caused what was unfolding in front of her eyes, but she would still shoulder the blame. She did nothing, and now she would have nothing.

Perfection was such a flawed ideal, one that she was guilty of believing she had. How long had they been silent yet mere inches from each other? How long had her perfection truly been slipping away? Was it when she allowed that terrible object to come into their house, for protection, or had things never been perfect to begin with? Life was cruel like that. It would give someone everything they wanted, then on a whim it would take it all away. There didn't have to be a warning: like a summer breeze, it would just disappear.

"Please don't do this!" Did she even hold the power to sway a heart set in stone? Once she would have imagined she did, but clearly she had been deluding herself. The loneliness must have truly never gone away, and not once had she realized it. Selfishly, she had believed that she was enough, that she could keep the girl she loved happy for the rest of their lives. What a fool she was.

There was no vocal response, just a smile. A small, trembling, scared smile. It broke Eli's heart in half. This was her fault. No matter what anyone said, it would be her fault. Now the only thing she could do was pray. The atmosphere was tense, and she feared it would suffocate her. She took another step forward, wanting nothing more than to just get closer, and then Nozomi's hand moved up.

Was the world shaking, or was it just her? Her eyes widened as a soft, loving hand lifted up, shaking just as she was. It must have been cold, resting and pressing that metal upon her head. She needed warmth, not this unholy chill. Eli felt herself lock up, trying to say everything but being unable to say anything. Their eyes locked, both mirroring each others' fear and pain, and then there was a loud noise echoing in her ears. They no longer held eye contact.

There was screaming: shrill, shrieking agony, and Eli didn't know where it was coming from. Maybe it was coming from her, but she felt completely detached from her own body, as if a specter watching a scene that no one should be a part of. Out of her own body, maybe out of her mind too, she started walking, wading through utter disbelief as she approached her friend, her partner, her love, who would never love her again. Tears were falling from her eyes, but she couldn't feel them anymore.

Other people were definitely shouting, but she barely acknowledged their existence. Her hand picked up the offending metal, silver and red under the pale moonlight, and she shuddered involuntarily. It felt cold, everything felt so cold. She looked down, at a face that wouldn't shine again, at lips that wouldn't smile again. She blinked once, twice, then the world stayed dark.

Then she said she had a loaded gun
It sounded like a lot of fun
So long June
Then she died next to the motorcade
Everyone was watching
So long June