AUTHOR'S NOTE: This side story takes place right about after Season 2 of Ah! My Goddess, the anime. I really enjoy this anime, and the manga, and I appreciate all comments and feedback, even criticism, though please keep in mind this is the first story I've written in a while. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: NONE, and I mean NONE of these characters are mine, and Ah! My Goddess is not mine either. Thank you.
Beep! …
…beep! Beep!
"…mmm…morning already? Oh well, I do…" yawn "…have today off, though. Hey, stop, you…" said Keiichi Morisato, still groggy from waking up. Keiichi then reached up from under his comforter, shutting off his miniscule alarm clock, currently blinking 9:00 A.M. as the time. He then let his hand fall to the floor lazily, closing his eyes once more.
'Today is going to be so great,' thought Keiichi to himself happily, 'Urd is heading out today to restock her supply of potion ingredients, and Skuld is heading over to Megumi's apartment to get some parts for some kind of new project she's been working on. Hmm…maybe I should tell Urd to wait just a bit longer restocking those ingredients though. After all, she's always found some way with her potions to interfere with Belldandy and me, even if she was just trying to help…'
Keiichi then turned on his side, enjoying a last few moments of relaxation while he still could. 'On the other hand, ' he contemplated, 'I wonder what Skuld's been up to. Those inventions of her compare to Urd's potions, or they might be even worse…'
Smiling uncomfortably, and letting out a small, worried laugh, Keiichi pulled off his comforter, and slowly rose to his feet. 'But still, ' Keiichi thought, making his way to the bathroom, grinning and picturing his very own goddess Belldandy in his mind, 'I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. Man, am I lucky to have a woman like her in my - no, a Goddess like her - in my life. Things couldn't get any better than this.'
--
After using the bathroom, a refreshed Keiichi wandered into the living room. 'Hmm…I guess Urd and Skuld must have left already. I wonder where Belldandy is though,' he said to himself, looking around, and then peeking into an empty kitchen, 'She's usually up pretty early, cooking breakfast. Wow, I really wish there was more I could do for her, even if she is a Goddess. I want to show her that I can take care of her, too.'
A determined look then came over Keiichi's face. 'That's it, then,' he thought confidently, 'That's what I'll do today, on my day off. I'm going to do something for Belldandy, something that nobody else can do for her. Something to show her that I'll always be here for her, and that I want to take care of her, at least when she's not taking care of me.' Keiichi then laughed, remembering the countless times Belldandy had saved him from one thing or another.
'Huh….I guess I'm going to need to find out where she went today first, before I decide what I'm going to do,' he continued thinking, pondering on several ideas, 'I wonder if…well, I think I'll start by checking her room. Maybe she's still getting ready for the day. Alright then, sounds like a plan.'
Keiichi then set off for Belldandy's room, at the far end of the temple they had come to live in, still trying to come up with something he could do for her, that nobody else could. As he approached the door leading into her room, he slowly placed his ear against it, listening intently for any sign that his beloved was in there.
'Huh…', he thought, 'I don't hear anything. I really hope she's not getting dressed still…' Keiichi then swallowed, feeling a little nervous. 'Oh well, can't find out if she's in there from out here.'
"Belldandy?" whispered Keiichi through the door crack, "Belldandy, are you in there? I'm coming in…"
He then grasped the sides of the door, slowly pulling it open. As he gazed around her dimly-lit room, he noticed how inherently clean it was at the moment, even though it always was. His eyes finally focused as he saw a slender figure, Belldandy's, curled up in a blanket, lying on her futon, her silky golden hair draped behind her.
Swallowing one more time, and mustering up some courage, Keiichi stepped gently into the room, making his way toward her.
"Hey, Belldandy…are you awake, Belldandy?" breathed Keiichi, as he moved closer to her futon. Inching his way nearer and nearer, Keiichi then caught his foot on an uprisen piece of a tatami mat, which covered part of the floor, tripping.
"Oh no, wait…oh, ah!" choked Keiichi, as he closed his eyes, falling, and waiting for the impact.
--
Huh…it's so…soft, ' he thought, as Keiichi realized he wasn't hurt. Slowly he opened his eyes. As he peered out at his surroundings, Keiichi gasped at what he saw - Belldandy's calm face, inches away from his, her eyes closed, her chest slowly rising up and down. Both of Keiichi's hands rested on each side of her, and he could hear her breathing, softly.
'Oh no…um, wait, I didn't mean to, do this…' Keiichi thought frantically, 'I need to move…but…' His thoughts were then stopped dead as Keiichi realized he could not take his eyes away from Belldandy. He looked at her intently, gazing upon her warm, inviting face, and her soft lips…
'What's wrong with me?' Keiichi said to himself, 'I see Belldandy everyday. Why can't I stop looking at her now? I don't…I don't under…understand…'
Keiichi's thoughts were once again interrupted and his eyes widened as he heard Belldandy's soft voice.
"K-…Keiichi…I…" whispered Belldandy, turning over, now facing Keiichi, her eyes still closed. As she breathed these words softly into him, Keiichi couldn't help but clench the sheets of the blanket, holding his breath.
'I…I can't…help it…she's so…beautiful…' thought Keiichi helplessly, as his face moved closer to Belldandy's. His nose almost touching hers, he could feel her warm breath on his face, her body heat emanating around him.
"Belldandy, I…I…I love…" struggled Keiichi, "I love you."
His lips then slowly connected with hers, as Keiichi kissed Belldandy softly. 'She's so warm,' he thought, as happiness welled up inside him, 'I never want this to end, Belldandy and I, being together. I know she's a Goddess, and I'm only human, but…I want to be with her forever. I love you so much, Belldandy.'
Keiichi then slowly pulled back, removing his lips from hers, and smiled, looking at Belldandy with all the love he could muster. And, he wasn't sure, but Keiichi could have sworn he saw Belldandy give a little hint of a smile as well.
'Well, I guess I should wake her up, but really-' started Keiichi, but stopped when he heard a loud CRASH. Looking toward the open door, he saw Skuld, Belldandy's little sister, with an angry look dawning over her face.
"KEI-ICHI!!" screamed Skuld, "Just WHAT do you think you're doing to my Big Sis?!"
"I-I-I didn't, I'm not, it was an accident!" stuttered Keiichi, "I was just checking if she was awake, and I tripped on the flooring, and then-"
"I don't want to hear it!" interrupted Skuld, furious, "That's it! I KNOW you were going to try something with Big Sis! Alright then, Banpei Model X-2, attack!"
As she said this, Skuld pulled a black remote from her pocket with several blue and green buttons on it. Angrily pressing one of the blue buttons, Keiichi could see a tall, bulky robot emerge from behind Skuld, at least five feet taller than he was, with a flat, black hat, and glowing red eyes, faintly reminding him of the Banpei robot that stood guard in front of the temple, and also frequently, Belldandy.
"But, no, this - hey, is this what you've been working on?! Wait, Skuld! It's not what you think! STOP! Don't do it, Skuld!!" yelled Keiichi, leaping up, and ducking past Skuld and the Banpei Model X-2 robot, running across the temple yard, determined to get away from them before he was attacked with whatever Banpei X-2 had in store for him.
"Come BACK here, Keiichi! You won't get away this time! Banpei X-2, let's go!" shouted Skuld, chasing after Keiichi, with Banpei slowly lumbering behind her.
--
Listening to the distant sounds of Keiichi frantically running away from Skuld and Banpei X-2 fade, Belldandy slowly opened her eyes.
"Keiichi…" sighed Belldandy happily, slowly lifting one of her slender hands up, and gently using her fingers to touch her lips. She then smiled and closed her eyes, remembering, even though faintly, the touch of his lips to hers.
"I love you, too."