A/N: This idea came into my mind when I was writing the last part of the Little by Little. If you had read that one, Yumi's word there was supposed to be 'tigress' instead of 'wild', but since I thought about using it as a title, I replaced it.

So here's tigress one :)

My 7th story!

Read at your own risk!

And yeah, I own the characters. In my dreams! :)

"The Tigresses"

---Arvendell---

Tigress 1

Nijou Noriko smiled to herself as she watched from the corner of her eyes the current roses having an almost heated discussion. Well, she wasn't smiling because the three were having an exchange of words like that, but because by just looking at them, you could tell each other's personality.

Rosa Chinensis Fukuzawa Yumi was the approachable and easily likable and excitable person.

Rosa Foetida Shimazu Yoshino was the scary, hotheaded stubborn one.

And her Onee-sama, Rosa Gigantea Toudou Shimako, was the mellowed, levelheaded one who kept the other two in balance whenever there was clashed of personalities.

Not that Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida would end up fighting anyway.

"Please calm down, Rosa Foetida. We should listen to what Rosa Chinensis has to say," Shimako told her annoyed friend.

"But Rosa Gigantea, I think we should try another kind of play instead of doing the same all over again. It's true that audience likes Cinderella very much. But we have done that twice in a row. I think we should try different things," Yoshino objected.

"Rosa Foetida, I don't have any objections about trying to do new things. In fact, I like the idea of doing a new one. But a horror play might scare the audience away," Yumi explained.

"Yumi-san, the only one who would be scared with a horror play is you," Yoshino shot back, forgetting all about formalities and instead going on to more intimate way of addressing friends.

"Yoshino-san that's…" Yumi started but Shimako stopped her from going further.

"Why don't we talk about this calmly? We will do as Rosa Foetida suggested. We will do a new play this year for the cultural festival."

Yoshino smiled in triumph while Yumi started again to protest.

"However, we will not do a horror play, but chose something that is mild. I agree with Rosa Chinensis. We will do a different show this time so we should take it in moderation and not shock the audience," Shimako continued.

Yumi smiled at this while Yoshino huffed in irritation. The two eyed each other for a while, before they broke into laughter. Once again, everything ended well, thanks to her Onee-sama.

Later on, Noriko and her Onee-sama were quietly making their way to the gates.

"I'm glad that one of the Roses is someone like you, Shimako-san," Noriko said after a moment.

Shimako was surprised a moment, before a gentle smile spread on her lips as she said, "Yumi-san and Yoshino-san are great, too. They may disagree about a lot of things because of their opposite personalities but without them, the Yamayurikai wouldn't be doing well right now."

"I know that. But without someone who acts as arbiter between the two, things would be tougher. You're really great, Shimako-san, that's why I love you a lot."

Noriko paled at her sudden declaration. She felt her whole body going cold, and her palms started to sweat.

Shimako stopped in her tracks and looked at her, before she said something that shocked Noriko.

"I love you, too, Noriko."

Wide-eyed, Noriko stared at the western-doll like beauty beside her.

"Y-you do?" She stammered.

Shimako's cheeks colored.

"Yes. But I never thought that you…"

Shimako didn't finish her sentence as Noriko hugged her tight.

"Oh Shimako-san."

Shimako hugged Noriko back as her eyes mellowed.

"I'm so happy, Shimako-san."

"Me, too, Noriko, me too."

---o---

If anyone were watching Shimako and Noriko, they would never be able to tell that they were very close, very intimate with each other. As it was, they were known for being always cool and collected soeurs so the others couldn't guess that something was going on between the two.

Well, maybe except for two persons, Yumi and Yoshino. But if they suspected something, they weren't saying anything.

"Shimako-san, do you think Yumi-sama and Yoshino-sama know?" Noriko asked one Saturday afternoon while she was at her Onee-sama's house. They were having a nice chat at the garden.

"Yes," Shimako said after a moment.

Noriko's eyes went wide.

"How did…"

"Because they are our friends. They know us. Are you worried?"

"Are you?" Noriko asked back.

"I'm not. They are our friends, after all."

"I'm not worried, too. I'm happy to be with you, Shimako-san."

They stayed quiet for some time before slowly, Shimako's hand landed on top of Noriko's. Noriko remained quiet, but her hand moved and interlaced her fingers with Shimako's and for some time, they watched the sunset and remained at their seats as night slowly crept in.

"I think we should go inside," Shimako said as she stood up.

Without letting go of each other's hands, they went inside the house.

"Do you want to come in my room?" Shimako asked once they were inside.

Noriko nodded, unable to find her voice as she felt something stir inside her, a familiar stirring that she felt whenever she was with Shimako or whenever she thought about her.

They made their way to Shimako's old-fashioned yet beautiful room in silence. Once inside, they both stopped on their tracks, not knowing what to do.

"Shimako-san…"

"Noriko…"

They whispered each other's name, and suddenly, both felt warm all over. Noriko turned to face Shimako and then reached for the latter's cheeks. Shimako closed her eyes in response.

Heart beating fast, Noriko stared at the serene features of the one she loved in life. Driven by some unknown force, she leaned up and gently touched her lips to the inviting lips in front of her. She felt a shot of electricity inside her at the touched of her lips on those soft lips. However, she pulled when she felt Shimako gasped in surprise.

"No," Shimako whispered as she felt Noriko moved away. She held the latter's shoulders to keep her from moving.

"Noriko…"

Noriko stared at her feet, unable to decide what she should do.

How foolish.

Someone like her, who always knew what she wanted, was acting like this in front of her beloved, of all the people. She only looked up when Shimako's delicate fingers touched her chin, urging her to look up. She gasped softly as she saw nothing but love in the eyes of the person in front of her.

"Shimako-san…" Noriko started, but suddenly she realized that she didn't need to ask anything. It was all written in Shimako's normally placid face. She closed her eyes as once again their lips met in a tender kiss.

Shimako kissed Noriko gently. They kissed for some time, sweet, gentle kisses accompanied by little touched here and there.

Days after, Noriko's memory was still as clear as if it only happened yesterday. She would never ever forget that night. Shimako was the gentlest person she had ever known. If she would be asked to compare Shimako to an animal, she would never ever compare her to a tigress, because Shimako was just too gentle through and through.

A/N: Another pair next time :)

15 February 2008