"The treasure after the treasure"
by GrandMoff
Disclaimer/note: I don't own these characters. This story features gay female relationships (shoujo ai). Please don't read it if it will offend you. This story is based on Agent Aika R-16: Virgin Mission, a three-part series showing one of young Aika's adventures. Watching it before reading this will help you enjoy this story more.
And I can't believe there's no Agent Aika category in manga/anime! Hopefully, that'll change!
Eri hadn't expected everything to go smoothly on their mission, and it hadn't. Almost all her family's equipment was still in one piece, but she--her own adorable body!--had been knocked out at some point, along with almost everyone who'd come with her. The treasure-hunting club's advisor, Ms. Risako had been a traitor, and she'd been equipped with a few interesting gadgets that had made success difficult. Karen, the school's mysterious beauty, had been a clone, complete with false memories and a host of guardian sisters (including a giant one).
Lucky that Aika had been with them. Regina Eri--the yacht, Beluga--the submarine, and Sumeragi Aika--the C-class salvager had all exceeded her expectations. Aika was the most impressive, though. She was still a 16-year-old, so she had a certain naivete, but she was clever, observant, loyal, and strong. She was a skilled fighter and pilot as well.
Eri and Aika had always been at each other's throats for a lot of reasons. But not long ago, Eri had realized that the main reason was that she was attracted to Aika. Attracted--was that strong enough? Could it be obsessed? In love with?
The wave motion under the yacht was normally soothing enough to put Eri to sleep. But tonight was different. Just a few hours earlier, they'd been under the ocean, solving mysteries. How could she sleep?
Eri half-sat up, leaning on her elbows. The cabin wasn't completely dark. She could make out her roommate's figure. There was Aika; and as usual, she had been very mobile in her sleep, to the point of mostly undressing herself. Again, Eri patted herself on the back for making such good sleeping arrangements. Just having Aika near felt wonderful. She always smelled good and made cute sounds in her sleep, plus her presence made Eri feel safer.
Aika thrashed around a little. She mumbled something Eri couldn't quite make out. Too curious to resist, the class president quietly got out of bed and went to Aika. "Eri...chan..." Aika murmured.
Oh, I'm in her dreams! Eri grinned and leaned closer.
"...baka," Aika finished.
"You little jerk!" Eri whispered. She brushed a few strands of hair from her friend's face.
"...chu," Aika muttered.
Eri's heart stopped. Was Aika dreaming of kissing her? What other explanation could there be? Well, there could be a lot of others, she admitted to herself. But if that was it...Eri knelt, hoping to hear more.
"Suki," the sleeping blonde said.
Eri couldn't take any more. Aika looked so gorgeous--cute, capable, vulnerable--if she was dreaming about kissing Eri, how could Eri miss that chance? She leaned down and softly pressed her lips to Aika's.
Oh, that felt too good! Whether it was instinctive or a dream response or something else, Aika kissed back gently and coyly.
Eri used all her self-control to keep from taking Aika in her arms and doing what she longed to do to her. The blonde salvager was so soft and hot and fragrant. Of course, if Aika woke, she'd probably beat Eri black and blue, but wasn't the reward worth the risk?
"I knew it was that kind of club."
Her blood chilled, Eri opened her eyes. She found herself staring directly at an awake Sumeragi Aika. The lithe trouble-maker looked amused, but also something else. She had Eri caught in her gaze.
"You were dreaming," the brunette heiress stammered. "I came over to--"
"I see." Aika put her arms around Eri. "Come on in, then." She pulled Eri into the bed beside her.
Aika's legs wrapped around Eri's legs, her arms going around Eri's middle. In moments, she was snoring quietly.
She didn't really wake up, Eri realized. She doesn't mean this the way I want her to mean it.
Not yet, anyway.
That doesn't mean I'm not the happiest girl in the world at this moment! I know now; I can approach her. I can stay close to her, be with her, and maybe she'll love me someday. Maybe someday soon.