Revolve
Chapter 1: On Your Own
"So this is it, huh?" The red-headed girl asked, pulling the large moving truck over to the side of the road and slipping it into park.
"Yup." The chocolate-haired girl replied, brushing her shoulder length hair out of her face with her left hand.
"Thanks again for driving, Asuna. I'd never be able to drive this thing."
The red-headed girl-Asuna- chuckled, listening to the diesel engine chug along dutifully for a moment before she reached toward the steering column and turned the key, killing the engine. It stuttered into silence, the cab shaking violently for a second before the engine came to a rest.
They both stared quietly at the new house, each engrossed in their own thoughts for a moment.
"It's cool that you've bought your first house, but isn't it a bit stressful, Konoka?" Asuna asked, leaning on the center console and resting her wrist on the top of the steering wheel.
"How do you mean?" Konoka tilted her head, her gorgeous brown eyes reflecting the light from the bright sunny day.
Asuna's dichromatic gaze met Konoka's, her eyebrow cocked slightly.
"You took out a bank loan on a house, and that's a lot of money. You have to pay it all back, and live alone in this house. That's gotta suck."
Konoka shrugged, looking away and back to the house.
"Well, I like being independant, and living on my own was something I've wanted for the longest time." She turned back to smile at Asuna.
"Besides, if I get lonely, I'll just get a roommate. Problem solved, right?"
Asuna laughed. "Getting a roommate would be priority number one, for me." She said, reaching over and tapping on the dash idly. "Let the roommate make the mortgage payments, ya know?"
Konoka hummed softly. "That's actually not a bad idea." She said. Undoing her seatbelt, she brought her feet back to the floor from where they had been resting on the dash. Slipping into her flip-flops, she pulled on the door handle and pushed the door open.
"C'mon, let's unload my few meagre belongings, then find something to eat!"
Asuna grinned, pulling the keys from the ignition as she gently set the parking brake.
Opening the driver's door, Asuna pocketed the keys as she jumped down onto the pavement, squinting in the bright light.
"Are you gonna miss your mommy?" Asuna teased, flipping up the locking latch and pushing up the garage-style door. Stepping up on the rear bumper, she hopped up into the back of the moving truck and turned around to look down at Konoka. Konoka smiled up at her and shook her head.
"Shes not that far from me, we're in the same city. I can always visit her." Konoka replied, sticking her tongue out at Asuna. Her beautiful eyes glittered in the sunlight. Asuna reached up and placed her hands on the roof of the truck, leaning forward and feeling the stretch in her lats.
"So...what do you wanna eat?" Asuna asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
Konoka smiled. "Unload first. Return truck. Get food."
Asuna stuck her tongue out, then shook her head. Turning around she surveyed the half-full truck.
"Well, I guess we can start unloading boxes then." Asuna hummed. She began unstacking them and carrying them toward Konoka, who was standing at the rear bumper with her arms out.
Accepting the boxes, Konoka was confident she could easily handle them. She had packed them herself, with some help from Asuna of course, and had made sure not to over-stuff them so she would be able to move them without hurting herself.
Carrying the box up the walkway toward the front door, she stopped and set the box down. Reaching into her pcket, she withdrew the set of keys she had been given to the house. Taking a deep breath, she sighed happily before inserting her key and unlocking the door. Twisting the handle, she pushed the door open. Picking up the box, she carefully stepped over the threshhold and into her house.
Her house.
Grinning happily, she set the box down on the floor, then straightened up to look around.
It wasn't the newest, or the greatest, but it was hers.
Or, would be in twenty-five years when her loan was paid off.
"Hey, get out of the way, woman!"
Konoka blinked, and stepped to the side. Asuna brushed past her with a large box in her arms. Setting it down on the floor, she stood up and sighed.
"Only a thousand more to go." She said, brushing her hair back.
Konoka laughed, turning around and heading toward the open door.
"Maybe like twelve more, if that. And my bed." She replied.
Asuna followed her out the door, squinting momentarily in the bright light before her eyes adjusted again.
"If we hurry, we can return the truck before six and avoid the extra charge." Asuna said, reaching up and undoing a couple buttons on her grey shirt.
Konoka pulled herself up into the back of the truck and hummed her agreement.
"Yeah, that would be best." She agreed. Pulling out her phone, she checked the time before sliding it back into her pocket.
Picking up a couple smaller boxes, she moved over to Asuna, who was waiting on the ground.
"These ones are fragile, so put them somewhere they won't get broken or tripped over."
Asuna nodded, carefully cradling the boxes in her arms.
"I think those couple on the left side are light ones." Asuna teased, as she walked away. "You could probably lift one of those."
Konoka stuck her tongue out at her, but she had disappeared from view.
"I can totally lift the heavy ones." She mumbled. Sizing up a particularly large looking box, she took a breath, then bent down and slipped her fingers under the bottom. When she attempted to stand, however, she was unable to keep a grip on the box, and it slipped from her grasp. Straightening up, she glared down at the offending box.
"..."
Turning to a different, lighter looking box, she picked it up with ease.
"Stupid over-packed boxes..."
It wasn't long before they had everything unloaded and sitting in the middle of the living room. Konoka's bed frame was in pieces, leaning up against the wall with her mattress and boxspring.
Surveying the mess of boxes, Konoka jangled her keys in her hand, nodding.
"This is something to deal with tonight." She said. "Let's go return the truck, pick up my car and go get food."
Asuna threw her hands up in the air victoriously at the mention of food, turning on her heel and strutting out of the house.
Konoka laughed and followed her, turning to lock the door behind her.
Stuffing her keys in her pocket, Konoka followed Asuna down the walkway. Opening the passenger door, she hauled herself up into the truck, grabbing the handle near the dash to help steady herself.
"This truck is too tall." She said, sliding across the bench seat until she was comfortable. Asuna easily pulled herself in with one hand on the steering wheel, snickering at Konoka's difficulty.
Shutting the door, she slipped the key into the ignition and cranked it until the engine caught.
"You think it's big from the passenger seat, try driving the thing."
Konoka pulled her seat belt over her lap, clicking it into place.
"No thanks, that's why I have you here." She replied.
Asuna laughed and slipped the truck into drive. Hammering on the gas, she pulled away from the curb and onto the road.
"Where are we going to eat?" Asuna asked, slowing to a yield sign and looking left and right.
Konoka kicked off her flip-flops again and put her feet back up on the dash. Rolling down the window, she looked out at the neighbourhood as the wind gently caressed her face, blowing her hair around.
"You're always thinking about food, aren't you?" Konoka asked, smiling.
Asuna checked for traffic before getting back on the gas and lugging the behemoth of a truck through the intersection.
"I'm a growing girl, I need my food."
Konoka looked at her, a grin on her face. "That excuse might have worked when you were fourteen, but you're nearly twenty-one now."
Asuna shrugged. "That's what you think. I'll have you know I'm still growing. Especially my chest." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, earning a laugh from Konoka.
"It's about time, too. Don't think you'll catch up to me any time soon, though."
Asuna frowned. "That's not a fair comparison, your boobs were huge since you were like, sixteen."
"Fifteen, actually."
Asuna was silent for a moment.
"Well, whatever." She said. Silence for another moment.
"I can't decide if I want fast food or restaurant food."
Konoka picked up her sunglasses from the dash and slipped them on.
"Ice cream sounds good." Konoka offered, tossing out ideas.
"Hmm, yeah. A nice juicy burger and ice cream. Maybe that's what we'll do."
Konoka grinned as they slowed for a turn.
"Are you busy tonight? Maybe we should go out somewhere. For drinks or something."
"Ehhh, maybe. I'm supposed to go hang out with Kotaro though."
"Really?" Konoka said up and look at her, genuinely surprised.
"I thought you two were done?"
Asuna shrugged, avoiding eye contact.
"Well, not completely, I guess."
"But didn't you catch him with-"
"It doesn't matter." Asuna interrupted. "We aren't dating, really, just hanging out."
Konoka clucked her tongue sympathetically.
"I wonder if he knows that." She replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asuna asked, gently easing the truck into the rental parking lot.
"You know what I mean." Konoka grinned. "Is he gonna get lucky tonight?"
Asuna scoffed. "I don't know about that." She replied. "Depends on how nice he is."
Konoka shook her head. "You're rediculous."
Shutting off the engine, Asuna pulled the key out and spun it around her finger.
"I'll let you know what happens, if you're interested." She winked, opening her door.
Konoka unbuckled her belt, and slipped back into her flip-flops.
"Oh, I have a feeling you'll tell me anyway." Konoka replied. "You always do."
"Well, I never hear you complaining!" Asuna said, pulling open the door for her friend.
Konoka stepped inside the rental office, and shrugged. "I gave it up long ago, it never accomplished anything."
Asuna grinned wolfishly. "I'm glad we both see it the same way, then."
Setting the keys on the desk, she waited patiently as Konoka paid for the truck rental and collected her receipt.
As they left, Konoka clicked the unlock button on her keyless entry remote. Her car beeped from the parking lot, and they began walking toward it.
Getting inside, she started her car. As Asuna fell into the seat beside her, Konoka closed her door.
"Alright, let's go find some food."
A raven-haired girl with porcelain skin and dark brown, almost black-colored eyes threw herself down on the couch in the living room, pulling out her cell phone. Unlocking it, she was rewarded with a glimpse of her background, a blonde-haired girl with piercing blue eyes and a small linear scar on her left cheek. The left side of her bottom lip was pierced with a small black hoop and she was grinning, showing off her bright white teeth and her almost unnaturally sharp canines.
Ignoring the pain in her chest the image caused her, she opened up her browser and began looking for a new place to live.
Scouring the internet for new houses for rent multiple times a day was beginning to drag on her. The site was slow to update; it wasn't every day people were opening up a room of their house for rent. She'd considered some of the apartments around town for rent, but they were just out of her price range.
Biting her lip, she scrolled through a few more listings before giving up. Nothing had changed since this morning.
Tossing her phone onto the coffee table, she got up and moved toward the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, she reached inside and grabbed a bottle of Kieth's. Resting the lip of the bottle cap against the edge of the counter, she slammed her fist down on top of the bottle, effectively separating the bottle from the cap.
As she raised the bottle to her lips, she heard a snicker from behind her.
"Those are twist caps, you know." The voice was low and sultry, a hint of humor evident in her words.
The raven-haired girl ignored the voice behind her, focusing only on the taste of alcohol and the coldness of the bottle in her hand.
"Are you going to ignore me all night, Setsuna?"
Setsuna turned around and walked back toward the living room, intent on ignoring the girl in her way, but things didn't go as planned. As she tried to slide past the blonde-haired girl, she reached out and put her hand on Setsuna's cheek, forcefully turning her head until they were eye to eye.
"I missed you today." She whispered, her blue eyes shining mischeviously in the low light levels in the room.
"Tsu-" Setsuna was cut off as the girl leaned in, pressing their lips together. Setsuna closed her eyes and let the kiss go on for a moment, still very much entranced now as she was in the beginning of their relationship, by the feel of Tsukuyomi's lip piercing, cold metal pressing against her warm lips.
When they parted, Tsukuyomi was grinning cheekily.
"It's so easy to distract you." She whispered.
Setsuna pulled away a few inches, and inhaled deeply through her nose. She broke the staring contest and let her gaze stray. Analyzing every detail about Tsukuyomi. The girl's spiky bob-cut hairstyle framed her face perfectly, accentuating her wide blue eyes and drawing the eye to her slender neck.
Tsukuyomi bit her lip, watching Setsuna's gaze pick her apart piece by piece. She loved it when Setsuna did this; it showed how truly fascinated the girl was with her.
Setsuna loved the way Tsukuyomi bit her lip teasingly, her lip ring clicking against her teeth. Sometimes, Setsuna noticed, when Tsukuyomi was nervous, she would bite the ring incessantly. It produced a slightly irritating clacking sound, but it was the glaringly obvious signal Setsuna needed to realize there was something bothering Tsukuyomi.
Setsuna reached up and gently traced the small scar on her cheek with her thumb. At the touch, Tsukuyomi smiled happily, closing her eyes and scrunching up her nose so cutely.
Setsuna kissed the tip of her nose, and smiled softly.
"How was work?" Setsuna asked, raising the bottle up and offering it to Tsukuyomi.
Tsukuyomi accepted it, and turned on her heel, moving toward the living room. Sitting down on the couch gracefully, she leaned back and took a sip from the bottle.
"It was a lot like work." Tsukuyomi replied.
Setsuna rolled her eyes as she flopped down on the couch a lot less gracefully, resting her head on one end and throwing her legs onto Tsukuyomi's lap.
"So many comedians out of work, and you're looking for a job." Setsuna replied sarcastically.
Tsukuyomi shrugged, and tilted the bottle up, draining a large portion of the contents.
"Hey!" Setsuna complained, sitting up and making a swipe for the bottle. Tsukuyomi laughed and moved it out of her reach.
"You know where the fridge is." The blonde said cheekily.
Setsuna laid back down and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Whatever." She huffed.
Tsukuyomi grinned at her for a second, before passing back the half-empty bottle.
"Anything good on T.V.?" Tsukuyomi asked, leaning forward and grabbing the remote from the coffee table.
Setsuna picked up her phone, shrugging. "Look and find out." She replied.
Tsukuyomi merely squeezed her knee in response.
Setsuna unlocked her phone by swiping across the screen, then opened up the internet again.
"Are you working tomorrow?"
Setsuna's thoughts were interrupted by Tsukuyomi's sweet voice. Setting the phone down in her lap, she nodded.
"Yeah. Work's picking back up again, and it won't be long until it's seven days a week again."
Tsukuyomi frowned. "Well, you did a lot of out of town work last season, so...let someone else go this time, okay? I need you home with me."
Setsuna sighed. "But we need the mon-"
"No we don't." Tsukuyomi cut her off. "We're doing fine with what we have."
Setsuna said nothing, deciding it wasn't worth pushing it tonight.
"I'll do the best I can." Was all she said, after giving it a moment's thought.
"That's all I want."
Another gentle squeeze of her knee.
"Wanna go check out a movie tomorrow?" Setsuna asked. "After work, I mean."
Tsukuyomi clucked her tongue, staring at the television.
"I can't, sorry. Going out with a couple friends."
"Oh." Setsuna said. "Glad I was informed...or invited..."
Tsukuyomi raised and eyebrow, and turned to face the sullen girl.
"Did you want to come?" She asked.
Setsuna waved her off and picked up her phone, hiding behind it's luminescent screen.
"Doesn't matter, I'll probably be working late anyway." She mumbled.
Tsukuyomi stared at her for a moment, then shook her head, sighing quietly to herself.
'Whatever.'
A/N: I wanted a story that got away from the magic and sorcerous side of Negima! and focused on the characters themselves. So I've created an alternate universe where I can explore some character development in a world that is strikingly normal. Normal in all of it's flaws and stress-inducing problems. Kind of a side-project until Warrior Without A Master is complete, but I figured I'd post up a pilot chapter and get some feedback. Thoughts are always appreciated!