Valentine
By: DarkBlue Mint
Disclaimer: Sunrise's.
Notes: Kinda in the same Universe of Peach Blossoms. I think is my longest one-shot fic.
"Ramen!" The scream that Minagi Mikoto let out in the roof of Fuuka Gakuen made birds fly and all the cats that roamed there run away in fear. In all honesty the girl deserved her seconds of happiness as she had been trying for the last two hours to think up a good present to give to her girlfriend, although maybe said girlfriend wouldn't see it that way as the catgirl was doing this on Valentine's Day (opposed of a week before as normal people did).
"You wanna give Mai ramen?" Kuga Natsuki wondered in her desperation to think a gift for her own girlfriend (something that would be easier if Shizuru didn't receive everything she could want from her fan club!). "Idiot cat."
At Mikoto's uncomprehending look Sugiura Midori thought prudent to help, lest the second redhead in the group did it and they end up with Mikoto trying to do something at Yuuki Nao's recommendation (last time it had took seventeen police men and half the members of the Jieitai posted in Fuuka to stop her). "Who makes the ramen, Mikochin?"
"People in the Ramen Stand." Said the catgirl while pointing at her take out bowl; Midori lifted an eyebrow. "And Mai…" Mikoto added with a defeated look. "No ramen?" Midori shook her head, the cat sighed: "No ramen."
"You now Mikoto, if you're really out of ideas I have something that might help you." Mikoto's golden eyes lighted up at seeing hope in her best friends words; she always knew to count on Nao when there was trouble (even if last time it had involved an American SWAT team and an Aircraft Carrier). "You could maim Tate, that way your gift would not only be for Tokiha but also for the Octopus."
"Why is it that since you find out he saw Munakata naked when they were kids you have been trying to kill him?" Natsuki wondered with a smirk. "Could it be that the Spider feels threatened? Are you jealous Nao-chan?"
Before Mikoto went in a murderous rampage looking for Tate Yuichi or Nao tried to fight Natsuki, Midori grabbed both girls by the necks of their shirts… she really hated being the mature one in this group, she wasn't even supposed to be here, and she had her gift picked months ago!
"Mikoto! Isn't Tate-kun you sempai? He teaches you Kendo doesn't him?" Mikoto saw that killing the person who taught her Kendo Kata was a very bad idea; also the guy wasn't half bad. "No killing Tate-kun… or any other person." She added for good measure, and then he turned to Nao and Natsuki. "Stop provoking her just because you are nervous for not having a gift for Shizuru-san."
"I'm not nervous." Murmured a very chastised Natsuki. "Also, I bet she doesn't even have a gift for Munakata, that's why you are trying to get Mikoto to do a contract killing."
"For your information, I have my gift already planned and I don't have to deliver it until next month, pup. I'm not like you who let everything for the last moment." Then she turned to Mikoto. "Maybe you should try to do something nice for her, like cleaning the room or cook—better yet, order her dinner. Tokiha would know that it's the thought what counts." With those words to her friend Nao left the roof, it wouldn't do her much good to spent the night in jail (again) for trying to kill Natsuki (again), Shiho wouldn't forgive her (although Christmas did end up well).
Before the door closed behind Nao, Mikoto nodded to herself at the redhead idea, Mai did everything for her it would be good to return the favor; so she run after her friend to go fix everything for when Mai came back from Linden Baum. Midori and a distraught Natsuki were the left on the roof. The Wolf didn't want to admit it but Nao was right, she let the thought of a gift for the last moment, thinking that if she failed she could deliver at White Day; of course Shizuru had thrown those plans away by promising the biker to buy her lingerie on March.
"Maybe you could just put a bow somewhere in your person and telling her that you are the gift?" Midori said when the silence in the roof became unbearable, she was seeing Natsuki get more and more upset with every second she spent thinking. "You know that's actually the best gift you can give her; you know she will enjoy it. And if you want to make it more Valentine-like you can cover yourself with chocolate."
The History professor could barely contain her laughter at seeing the little wolf get redder and redder at her words, now she could understand why Fujino found it so amusing to tease her girlfriend. Letting the dark haired girl think about her words she started heading out the roof, maybe Yohko had already finished with her paper work.
"Midori, what did you buy for Sagisawa-sensei?" She was hopping that knowing what her friends were giving would made her think of a better gift for Shizuru (although the bow idea had its merits).
"Well I was hopping to receive chocolates from her." Midori answered while walking to the door. "But just in case I bought her Hentai and Beer."
Natsuki wanted to have a wall near her to hit her head with, her cheeks where incredibly red with embarrassment at what the redhead had said. Midori, for her part took a picture of Natsuki with her phone (she was going to use it as bribe the next time she needed something from Shizuru).
--
The Munakata temple was still buzzing with people, the temple had fame has a good place to come praying for love, be it to find love or to be with a loved one forever (Midori thought that the legend was tied to the previous HiME Carnivals); so a lot of people were still praying or buying some talismans. The granddaughter of the temple for her part was walking next to another redhead under the fairy lights.
A lot of students from Fuuka hadn't been that surprised at seeing Munakata Shiho and Yuuki Nao walking side by side, they had been barely surprised at seeing them walking hand in hand; and terribly surprised (in a good way for the guys who hadn't been found drooling and finding themselves the victims of Octopus Kung-Fu) at seeing Nao in a light yellow kimono adorned with white blossoms. The redheaded delinquent looked gorgeous.
"I hope you have enough chocolates." Said Shiho while glaring at some guy and noting him in her Maki-Maki list. "I didn't have much time to do them; grandfather wanted me to help him with the decorations. I wouldn't have had to do it if certain person refrained from pissing Suzushiro."
"She makes it so easy." Nao said as form of apology, it hadn't been her fault that the blond had tried to confess to Yukino the exact same moment that Nao was 'throwing away' her tea. "I wonder if Yukino-chan can still hear, that woman was screaming so loud that even in Canada they knew she was confessing."
"Mm, anyway remember to leave the chocolates I made for you mother, and share some with Alyssa and Miyu." Shiho said knowing that if encouraged the Spider would spend the rest of the evening talking about what she done to Suzushiro.
"Why I should share? It's my chocolate." Before Nao could say anything else Shiho kissed her cheek, provoking a blush in the delinquent. "You are not fair." She said while narrowing her eyes (damned the day she had fallen for this girl!) Shiho smiled sweetly. After a while of walking they sat in the steps at the back of the temple where there was no one around (Nao didn't want more people to know that she was as whipped as the Wolf) her eyes turned wondering. "I wonder what Mikoto ended up giving to Tokiha."
--
Tokiha Mai was tired and little deaf as she made her way to her dorm; just as their shift ended Kazuya had received chocolates from a coy Akane, that wasn't actually something bad, it was really sweet… Sadly the other patrons (most of them member of the Fujino Shizuru fan club) had found it so sweet that their combined 'aww' had almost destroyed her timpani.
She was also sad; yesterday's shift and her homework had made it impossible to make some chocolate for her girlfriend. When she had told this to Mikoto the girl simply smiled and told her not to worry, then she had kissed her and proceeded to make them both late for school, because of Mikoto's method to make Mai forget the redhead had ended up sleeping in class (luckily Midori hadn't noticed).
Although she spent most of the afternoon happy that Mikoto understood, seeing her brother receiving chocolate from a Coca-Cola red Akira hadn't helped. This was her first Valentine as Mikoto girlfriend and she didn't have a gift for her catgirl. And even thought the sensible side of her told her that they still had White Day, the rest of her remembered how hard it had been to get to this point and that she also failed in getting Mikoto a gift for Saint Valentine.
Opening the door she was surprised at seeing the table dressed for two and some very delicious food, if she could lead herself by smell alone, over it. Mikoto was smiling and her golden eyes looked pleased at seeing Mai, and they light up more when the red-haired chef smiled. When her girlfriend let her eyes go to the kitchen part of the dorm the cat could barely contain her laugh.
"Did Mikoto cooked?" Mai wondered out loud, the tone of surprise forced Mikoto to let escape a small giggle.
"Both Ani-ue and Nao recommended that I should do better in ordering out." Mikoto had called Reito the moment after Nao had planted the idea on her brain, her Ani-ue had proved to be a good allied and helped her in recommending a good restaurant that catered and to plan the evening. "I also prepared a bath for Mai, is still hot."
"I-- why?" She had forgotten to make chocolate, she hadn't bought a gift, and (if she was honest) she was actually getting later than she said; and still Mikoto had gone and done this for her.
"So you can give me something nice for White Day and because you always take care of me." Mikoto answered simply, Mai smiled and started walking to the girl. "And I love you."
"You are perfect and I love you." Mai said and then grabbed Mikoto's hand. "Come on you can help me wash my back."
Considering the smile on the cat girl face they were going to do more than just take a bath, she hoped that the food would keep. Mikoto wondered to herself for a moment if Natsuki had solved her lack of gift problem.
--
Fujino Shizuru was sorting though the gifts from her fan club when the door was violently opened and an out of breath Natsuki entered the room, the biker closed the door was quickly closed and Natsuki seemed to consider if it was a good idea to move a table or a bookcase and barricade the door. The way the deep breaths made her chest move up and down hypnotized the Kaicho and she took a moment to ask her girlfriend what was the crisis that made her act as a fugitive of justice.
"Does my Natsuki have problems?" She ask while forgetting all about other gifts and concentrating all her attention in the gift in front of her.
"My fan club saw me… I think I lost most of them, but Tomoe was harder to shake off." After she had threatened the girl with bodily harm if getting near her Shizuru, the teal haired psycho (for lack of a better word) had took that as an invitation to transfer her feelings to Natsuki; it was worth nothing to say that the girl was as relentless in chasing the Wolf as she had been at chasing the Kaicho, she had even tried to join the Athletics Club (luckily she wasn't that good a sports).
"I already offered to make them disappear." At Natsuki particular look Shizuru smiled. "I could force Marguerite-san and some of them a transfer to other schools." Fumi had been training Shizuru to be her assistant when she finished with high school, but Natsuki wasn't that comfortable at her girlfriend using her power to solve her problems.
"Its all right, she's mostly harmless." Shizuru simply nodded and started to go back to the table full of gifts. "Actually, compared to you, every member of my fan club is harmless." Shizuru turned and narrowed her eyes making Natsuki smile internally. "You look very cute when you're mad." Natsuki counted a point in her favor in the blushing war (since dating it had been easier to make the unflappable Kaicho blush). "Weird was that your people didn't tried to kill me this year."
That was an overreaction, it was true that the members of the 'We Love, Love, Love Fujino-kaicho-sama' had tried to make trouble for Natsuki last year, but after they had put sugar in the gas tank of her bike, it had been them who had suffered the worst of the consequences (seven of them still flinched whenever the name Kuga Natsuki was mentioned).
"I had a talk with them about proper protocol when it came to my wolf." In fact she had simply told them that she will receive their gifts, and if any of them hurt Natsuki or any of her properties, she was moving back to Kyoto; faced with the knowledge that they wouldn't see their fantastic Fujino-kaicho-sama again they had promised to be in their best behavior. "So does my wolf have a gift for me?"
Natsuki sighed hopeful that this plan would work. "Ok, you need to know that I thought I had until White Day to plan for this." Shizuru raised an eyebrow at the biker's assumption and smiled gleefully at witnessing a blush appear on her cheeks. "Shut up. Anyway, Midori kinda said this and… I really tried to take the idea out of my mind… so…" She took off her hoodie and once that Shizuru finished concentrating on the bra she saw that her Natsuki had a red bow on her waist. "I'm kind of the present."
"Wow." The kaicho exclaimed, while at the same time she tried to stop her drool from dripping to the floor. "I think… I think that this is the best Valentine ever."
"Really? Because you kinda have me everyday, so it's not a really special present." Natsuki said while Shizuru started to guide her to the bed.
"It's always a special present to know that I finally have my Natsuki." And while Shizuru started to slowly unwrap her present, Natsuki sent a mental thanks to Midori for giving her the idea.
--
Midori entered Yohko's office still laughing at remembering the look on Natsuki's face after her suggestion, the moment she saw her friend pouring over her paper work and not noticing her entrance the laugh stopped and she became anxious. She had been trying to confess her feelings for her best friend for a while now, and she had promised herself that today was going to be the day (especially because the rest of the HiME knew and it was only a matter of time when one of them will sill the beans… she was betting on Nao).
"Yohko, are you finished?" She couldn't be more pathetic, she was actually acting a girl of seventeen instead of a… girl of seventeen.
"Of course I'm finished Midori, that's why I'm still working on my paperwork; I finished and decided to star all over." Sarcasm usually meant that Yohko was mad and tired, as opposed of her normally 'I'm pissed at you Midori because you did (insert bad thing here)'. "If you really want to go for drinks so much, you can go alone you know?"
"Yes but it would be pathetic a woman drinking alone in one of the most romantics days of years." She didn't want to go for drinks but also she didn't want to let Yohko know her real intentions. "Hey did you make me chocolates?"
"Why would I make you chocolates?" Yohko wondered still writing in the file; Midori was getting mad at the lack of attention she was receiving from her oldest friend. "If you are going to wait here, please be quiet."
"Yoh--." Before she could finish saying her name the nurse gave her a warning look and Midori, for the second that took, let herself be lost on her friend's blue eyes. She knew that talking will only made her friend madder and that she wouldn't get anywhere, so Midori swiftly took the present from her jacket pocket, got near the desk and put it on the file were the nurse was writing at that moment.
"What's this?" She asked surprised at seeing the green box in front of her and then staring at the red-head.
"It's a gift, happy Valentine." Yohko kept glancing from the gift to her friend. "It's customary in some societies to give presents to loved ones on Saint Valentines, it's also customary to open a present… unless you are angry with said person." Midori was nervous and using her 'Teacher' voice. "Open it." She finished while looking at the floor.
"Loved one?" The dark haired woman inquired timidly. Looking at her friend stare at the floor (and seeming a lot like the seventeen year old she pretended to be) let her know that she wouldn't have much help from her. Yohko opened the gift with trembling hands and found a necklace, the pendant of it made of glass or something similar, with the colors red and blue intertwined.
"It's supposed to be my color of eyes, and my shade of hair." Midori explained and took the nurse from her analysis of the pendant. "It kinda… you know… but I wanted you to have like, a part of me or something. And I love you."
"You took a while; I was waiting for you to confess since college." Midori's blue eyes widened at those words; Yohko smiled and took something from one of her desk drawers. "I love you too."
"You did make me chocolates!" The redhead exclaimed happily at opening the package, and then putting one small piece on her mouth. "It's really good."
"It should be, I have been making chocolates every Valentine Day since I met you." At seeing her friend's surprised look Yohko noticed that she hadn't only thought those words but actually said them, so she promptly blushed (Natsuki would have been so proud); then she got annoyed and stared at Midori. "You should have confessed sooner!"
Midori thought that if she pointed out that Yohko could have also confess, their relationship would last only a couple of minutes (and they haven't even kissed), same way she knew that joking about Midori's 'thing for older men' would also be counterproductive. So she simply went around the desk, helped her friend to stand up and kissed her.
"You know, this is better than that time you gave me Hentai and beer." Yohko laughed of her own joke until a thought crossed through her mind and she started guiding Midori toward the beds. The redhead was going to ask if they were going drinking, but something told her that shutting up would allow her the best Valentine Day of her life.
End.
More Notes: I hope you enjoy this small gift. If certain people are reading this, the other fic/continuation of Peach Blossom is in the making, just taking me time. I wrote this Omake to add it to Strength but as I had already posted it without it I'll add it here.
Omake
"So you're saying that if you think of other person while calling your Child this can change its size?" Yukino asked after Natsuki finished relating her experience with the giant Duran during the carnival.
"More or less, you have to concentrate on your feelings fro the person, and I only tried it with Shizuru so it went bigger, don't know if you can make it smaller." Natsuki theorized while trying to stop Shizuru from stealing her lunch (especially because after stealing it she insisted on feeding Natsuki herself). "And I think you need to have some sort of feelings for the person too."
"Mmm, it would be nice to see a mini-Gakutenou." Midori said while standing up and calling her Element. "So I just think of someone like Yohko and that's it." Natsuki nodded and the other HiMEs got ready to see the show. Grasping the labrys she let a scream of "GAKUTENOU!" come forth from deep within her.
The sound of an explosion and the debris made the HiMEs cover the eyes and thank that most of the school was empty because of the reconstruction. The beast was massive, gigantic and almost as big as the library, actually as big as the library as it had destroyed it upon appearing.
"There goes the library." Nao said unhelpfully, while everyone else looked mesmerized at the giant child.
"Haruka-san is going to get mad." Shizuru said with her perpetual calm. "They had just finished the reconstruction."
"So, Sagisawa-sensei?" Asked Natsuki while looking at Midori, the redhead gave a simple nod. "And they said I was in denial?"
End.