Can Love Burn Twice?
"So let me get this straight... You want to learn how to kiss a boy?" A girl with dark grey hair asked, as she stared at the girl across from her.
"H-hai..." The orange haired girl stuttered, as her cheeks flushed with heat.
"It's okay, Mai, it's natural for people to be nervous about these sort of things," the grey haired girl assured with a smile, while adjusting the glasses on the bridge of her nose.
"Easy for you to say, Chie, I'm relatively new at these sort of things," Mai said turning her head to look away.
"Come on, cheer up," Chie said, leaning over the table. "I'll teach you the five steps to love. You have nothing to worry about!"
"Well then, looks like I have no other options..." Mai said wearily, glancing up at the dark haired girl. "So what's the first step?"
"Okay first up is the atmosphere," Chie instructed, while raising a single finger.
"Atmosphere?" The orange haired girl murmured, slightly confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"If you want to kiss someone," Chie explained, pulling out a notebook, and an ink pen. "You have to take them to a place that has a romantic atmosphere."
"For instance...?"
"Well..." Chie paused, looking thoughtful. "A typical atmosphere would be that of a quiet spot on the hill, watching the sunset fade into the horizon, or a walk on the beach at midnight, during a bright full moon..."
The dark haired girl shrugged, as she opened the notebook, and began to scribble down onto a blank page.
"Hm, alright, I can understand that," Mai spoke, while peering down at the notebook. "Okay then, what is the second lesson?"
"Rule number two," Chie said, glancing up from the notebook. "This rule can be tricky, because you have to convince the person to come with you. You can either be blunt, or simply make up a little white little white lie."
"I see," Mai mumbled, scratching her head. "Well, what do you think I should say?"
"Well, knowing you," Chie said, gaining another thoughtful expression. "I would say that you ask him to meet you somewhere. Say that you got to discuss something with him, privately."
The queen of gossip immediately returned to scribbling down onto the notepad, making Mai curious as to what the girl could be writing.
"Alright..." The orange haired girl said, glancing up at Chie's face. "So what is rule number three?"
Chie stopped writing, and looked up at the orange haired-girl, "Lesson number three is timing."
"Eh, timing?"
"Yes," Chie explained. "See, you have to plan ahead and set a time in which you want to talk to them. Start with the small talk, and then steer them to the conversation you wanted to have with them.
"Okay, but what's number four?" Mai said, not really understanding lesson number three.
A soft laugh escaped from Chie's lips, causing Mai to shoot her a questioning look. Once the dark haired girl noticed the look, Chie's expression turned to an apologetic look.
"Sorry," Chie mumbled. "So, are you ready for your next lesson?"
"Hai," The orange haired girl said, nodding. "I think I was ready before you were."
Chie smirked slightly, "Very well. Your next lesson is to learn to actually kiss."
"Er..." Mai murmured, glancing away from Chie with flushed cheeks. This action caused the other girl to snicker softly. "H-hey! S-stop that! It's not damned funny!"
Chie shook her head slowly, trying to shake away her amusement.
"Well then..." Chie addressed Mai. "There isn't really much I can tell you about the kiss... Just try to be yourself, and you'll do fine."
"I-I never kissed again before," Mai admitted, while finding something interesting in the floor. "I just want to know if I did it right..."
The dark haired girl looked over at her friend with a sympathetic expression, "It does help, you know, to practice before performing the actual kiss."
"And who exactly am I going to test it on?" Mai retorted with a touch of sarcasm in her voice, as her violet eyes stared at the dark haired figure before her. Realizing that sarcasm would get her no where, the orange haired girl closed her eyes, and released a frustrated sigh.
"How about I help, ne?" Chie spoke softly, discarding the notebook and pen. Her hands then reached out to gently cup the other girl's face, while drawing the other girl's face closer to her own.
Violet eyes widened slightly, but before she could speak or protest, she felt a pair of warm, soft lips being pressed against her own. Overwhelmed with shock, the orange haired girl watched as Chie's eyes began to close.
'Okay... it's just a test,' Mai thought, remembering the rules, and deciding to be herself. Allowing her eyes to close, Mai decided to go with the flow. Soon enough, though, Mai felt the other girl's lips parting. Then she felt the presence of a warm tongue gliding over her lower lip.
A gasp soon escaped from the orange haired girl's lips, causing her lips to part, and allowing Chie to the chance to allow her tongue surge forward into the other girl's mouth.
Stunned, Mai found herself unable to pull away from the kiss, but rather she found herself enjoying the heated duel between her tongue, and Chie's. 'So, this is what it really feels like?' Mai thought to herself, becoming wrapped up in the sensations which Chie was administrating to her mouth.
A few moments later, Chie was the first one to pull back from the kiss, allowing her eyes to adjust to the sight of Mai trying to compose herself.
Soon enough, Mai had corrected her composure, allowing her violet eyes to fix onto those of brown for a few moments. Soon she turned away from the sight, as a furious blush adorned her cheeks.
"I have to say," Chie said huskily. "For one inexperienced, as yourself, you aren't half bad."
"R-really?" Mai asked, trying to gain the courage to look at the other girl.
"Yes," Chie answered softly, with a slight smile on her face. "You really have nothing to worry about."
"Th-thank you," Mai answered, feeling awkward. "D-do you think it'll work?"
"Well, it worked for Nao, and Aoi," Chie answered, watching the orange haired girl rise to her feet.
A small grin found it's way to Mai's lips, as she thought of the new couple, "So it did..."
"Thank you, Chie," Mai said, offering a polite bow towards the dark haired girl.
Chie waved a dismissive hand, and then watched as the orange haired girl began to walk off. Her eyebrow lifted, though, when she saw the girl stop, and look back at her.
"Hey, wait!" Mai said then. "What's the last lesson?"
"Ah..." Chie grinned. "You'll have to figure that one out."
The dark haired shook her head, and then returned back to scribbling upon her notebook, making a bemused Mai to sigh, and then resume walking towards her destination.
I wonder, though... If my advice will work for us,' Chie inwardly muttered, as she glanced up from her notebook, to take one last glance at the figure of the orange haired girl. Looking down at her notebook, Chie gave a slight smile at her handiwork. The notebook sported a half drawn picture of Mai's face. 'I hope it does.'
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That afternoon:
The orange haired girl sighed, waited impatiently beneath a cherry blossom tree. 'Alright,' Mai thought to herself. 'Just keep calm. Everything will be alright, if you stay calm.
"Gods, where is he?" Mai suddenly asked, becoming worried. "I hope he comes...".
Flashback:
Waiting impatiently outside of the dorm rooms, Mai sighed, folding her arms over her chest. Soon enough, though, a boy with blonde hair could be seen approaching the student dormitory.
"Hey Tokiha, you look upset. Did you screwed something up?" The boy said, as he finally reached Mai's side.
"Hmph," Mai said indignantly. "Of course not, baka! I was just..."
Mai paused, and then furrowed her brow trying to figure out what to say to the blonde male.
Tate looked onto the orange haired girl with a slight smile, all the while a questioning look could be seen within his gaze.
"Ano..." Mai started once again. "Can... we talk some where private?"
"I guess?" Tate responded. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Not here," Mai quickly responded, looking nervous. "Just meet me in the gardens, around eight o'clock, okay?"
Before the boy could respond, Mai walked off, trying desperately to control her feelings of nervousness. 'I hope he comes...'
End of Flashback
Lifting her head to the sound of someone approaching her, Mai turned to gaze at Tate standing there smiling at her. Returning the smile, Mai gestured for the boy to sit down with her.
The boy did as instructed, yet he was quick to ask, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"We've been through a lot haven't we?" Mai began.
"Yeah..." Tate murmured, as he stared off into the distance. "Ever since the Carnival... It was rough for us both, but more so for you."
A sad smile accompanied Mai's expression, as she watched the sun start it's descent into the horizon. Her eyes surveyed the beautiful orange glow which tinted the blue sky.
"There has always been something I wanted to tell you," Mai began. "I never got the chance to tell you in person, Tate, but I always wanted to."
"Tell me what?" Tate asked, watching Mai's figure.
"Well... th-that I love you," Mai said in barely over a whisper.
A surprised look overcame Tate's face, as he stared at the orange haired girl. He didn't know how to react to her words, but soon he found him self smiling widely.
Reaching over to cup Mai's face with his hand, Tate then said, "I love you to Mai."
It wasn't long before the two found themselves leaning towards one another, and caught within a kiss. Tears began to slide down the orange haired girl's cheeks, as she had been anticipating this moment for quite a long time, yet something felt off. Something was wrong. 'It feels rather nice... but something is definitely wrong,' Mai thought to herself, but shook the thought off, as she leaned in further to the kiss.
'I wonder what Chie's final lesson was?' She soon thought. 'She said I'd figure it out by myself, but I don't feel or sense it.' Opening her violet eyes, Mai broke away from the kiss, leaving Tate confused.
Confused, Mai drew her legs up to her chest, and folded her arms about the knees.
"Mai, what's wrong?" Tate asked in confusion.
"I don't know," Mai replied feeling, tears fall down from her eyes..
Tate wrapped an arm around the girl, as he leaned towards her, and whispered: "It's okay Mai. Everything will be alright." .
"Tate, can I ask you something?" Mai asked, turning her head to look at him, in the eyes.
"What is it?" Tate responded with a worried look within his gaze.
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Later
Chie sat there at the computer typing with a pocky stick in her mouth. The sound of a knock echoed throughout the dorm, making Chie spin around in her chair. Again, another knock came.
"I wonder who could that be?" Chie asked herself, while getting up from her chair, and walking towards the door..
Turning the doorknob, she opened the door to reveal a girl with purple eyes and orange hair.
"Mai?" Chie said in confusion.
"Can I come in?" Mai murmured, putting on what looked like a fake smile.
"Sure, come on in," Chie smiled, and moved to the side allowing Mai entrance. Closing the door behind her, Chie followed Mai to the sofa, and watched as the girl sat down.
"You okay?" Chie asked as she sat down next to Mai.
The orange haired girl had head bowed, her eyes staring at the ground, while her expression was filled with sadness.
"He turned you down didn't he?" Chie said in a disbelieving tone.
"No, he didn't," Mai responded, as tears started to leak down her face once more. "It's just..."
"What happened then?" Chie said softly, wrapping an arm around the other girl's shoulders. "Come on, you can tell me, Mai."..
"When we kissed…" Mai began, as she brushed away random tears. "I didn't feel anything like I was expecting. It just didn't feel right...".
"You didn't feel the love, right?" Chie asked while looking into Mai's purple eyes.
Mai's eyes widened slightly, glancing towards the dark haired girl, "I think I know what the final lesson is, Chie."
"Oh, do you now?" Chie said with a fake smirk on her face.
"It's love, isn't it?" Mai answered softly. "That's probably why it didn't feel right when I kissed Tate... It's because I didn't love him anymore..."
Chie watched nervously, as the girl started to smile, "Is that so?"
"Hai," Mai said, as a thoughtful look surfaced onto her expression. "The only time I felt something special... actually felt love, was when we... kissed."
A warm smile covered graced Chie's lip, as she reached out to cup the orange haired girl's cheeks. She then drew the other girl closer to her, and soon captured the girl's lips in a soft kiss.
Mai inwardly sighed as she savored the feel of Chie's lips against her own. The last thought to enter Mai's mind, that night was: 'So this is real love... I hope it lasts forever... just like this kiss.'
End
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Omake:
Mai: Wow, I guess that's what you meant when you said you loved me. (in episode 25)
Chie: Hm, I was expecting a little more, though I like this...
Aoi: Yay! I'm not alone in this fic! (hugging Nao's arm)
Nao: Hmph! Why do I have to be paired with her again?
Author: I think it's cute, that's why!
Aoi: Come on Nao, just one kiss.
Nao: Fine (kisses Aoi on the cheek)
Mai: Whoa! That's new
Chie: How about this then... (kisses Mai)
End of Omake
Author's Note: Finally a Chie, and Mai fic. I know this may be a little rushed, but, hey I took my time when writing this. If someone has seen a fic with this pairing then I guess this isn't the first one then. (pouts).
Read and review to let me know what you thought about this fic.