All characters and some story elements are copyright Media Factory and AIC Build. I neither own nor claim to own Haganai, Kodaka, Yukimura, Sena, Yozora or Kobato. I write this story in tribute to an anime I fell in love with.

This story is an AU continuation of the live-action Haganai movie. I hope you enjoy.

Good Knight, Sweet Princess!

by

Reddawnrocker

"If you see me being bullied, you won't come to my aid. Will you, Kodaka?" Yukimura Kusunoki asked of the young man she had proclaimed her master, already knowing the answer all too well.

Kodaka Hasegawa hesitated for a moment, then answered as truthfully as he could. Yukimura was his club-mate and deserved an answer. No, Yukimura wasn't his club-mate...Yukimura was his friend. Most importantly, though, Yukimara was a guy (that was cute) that Kodaka Hasegawa always felt weird in the way he found himself looking at him. It would be a while before both Kodaka and Yukimura herself would realize she was actually a cute (and quite beautiful) girl.

"I don't know." Kodaka answered, his head bowed in disgust of himself. "I wish I could say I did...but I just don't know".

"I see." Yukimura responded, tears welling up in her eyes. "So that's how it is".

Their conversation had been interrupted by outside forces.

Over the next few days they hadn't had the chance to continue it; due to Sena and Yozora's insecure minds, the struggle with the school president who decided it was his duty to shut the doors of the Friendship club forever and the loss of their club-room. Kodaka and Yukimura just never had the chance to take the discussion further. Today was the day, however, that things were about to change.

He first saw it from his usual perch atop the school roof. Kodaka had a habit of eating his lunch alone up there hidden from the eyes of those who looked upon him in disgust. He witnessed the same sight many times. There it was, five boys bullying poor Yukimura, herding her into a side alley where they would surely take out their daily torture on her. Today would be different though. Today he would remember the question...remember his answer...

This time he knew.

Running down the stairs at a break-neck pace, skipping stairs two and three at a time; he'd be at ground level in no time. Reaching the landing, Kodaka took the corner wide, almost taking out a full group of innocent students in his path. Expertly dodging the obstacles in front of him, zigzagging through the crowd, hopping over prone students sitting on the grass and taking corners cleanly he'd be where he wanted to be in no time.

"Five on one", he thought, knowing all too well that the odds weren't in his favor. "There must be an equalizer or two at hand." he thought looking ahead.

A feeling of satisfaction fell upon his face as his question found itself a quick and handy answer. There they were, a garbage can lid barely covering the bags inside the barrel it adorned and a thick tree limb that must've fallen victim to the last storm it saw. He couldn't help but smile a bit thinking, today, it would not only see but cause another violent storm of it's own.

Ahead in the alley, another kind of storm was preparing to unfold.

"Hey, pretty-boy! We told you to leave our school, now didn't we?!" one of the toughs asked Yukimura in a "rhetorical" way; though, surely, these five had no grasp of the meaning of the word themselves. "The beating last time wasn't enough for you? Well, today's will be much worse! Hold him boys!".

Yukimura prepared for what was to come as two of the thugs grabbed her by her arms. It was a daily occurrence she grew used to, no different than the beatings she got at home. It would just take more time to heal than usual, being beaten by five instead of just one. She thought back to the first time her father saw her in the maid outfit she loved to wear. She ended up in a hospital emergency room overnight badly beaten and bruised; luckily, she suffered no broken bones, at least not that time. Thinking back to that very night, she sat there alone wondering exactly what she did wrong. Why did her Father hate her so much? She loved him and always would. It had to be her fault she thought. She just wished she knew why...until, he answered her in that same way he came to many times.

"I want a son, not some little tramp daughter" her drunken father would tell her in between punches or whippings with a strap across the back. She couldn't see him for what he was, a cruel and sadistic man. He's her father, he would never hurt her intentionally she'd think to herself every time. In her mind, she knew her father wasn't a bad man; so he must be right in doing to her what he'd do. If he's right these boys must be, too. They'll make her into the better man she wishes to become.

"I understand", Yukimura nodded to the lead tough, tears welling up in her eyes. She remembered saying those words to someone she thought her savior once; now, she was all alone. He wasn't what she thought he was at all. It broke her heart and she honestly couldn't quite figure out why it seemed to hurt so much.

"It doesn't matter if you understand or not, as long as we get to have our fun." the lead thug announced as his insignificant lackeys began to to giggle in anticipation of the violence they've so come to love. "Oh, this is gonna hurt...you!", the lead thug smiled cocking his fist. Yukimura prepared for the first punch, knowing many more were sure to follow. Her father never stopped at one and this boy reminded her so much of him.

"Get away, from my friend!" a booming voice echoed disrupting the very scene at hand.

They saw it first. He stood alone against them with a stick and a trashcan lid. It was the type of scene that was either laughingly lame or awe-inspiring depending on your point of view; from Yukimura's, it was obviously the latter. He was here. The shield...the sword...he wasn't the thug others saw him as...he was a knight in shining armor. He was here to rescue her.

"I DO understand!" Yukimura smiled and began to cry happily "I truly understand!". Her savior had arrived. She realized for the first time exactly what she meant to him. She was his friend. It was a new thing hearing someone refer to her as a friend. It felt better than she ever hoped. The fact that it was being said by the man she had considered her savior made her embrace the feeling even more.

"Let my friend go now!" Kodaka Hasegawa demanded.

There was that word again. It filled Yukimura with confidence. "He does care what happens to me!" she thought to herself, feeling feelings that a "man" shouldn't feel.

"I have a better idea", announced the lead thug addressing his two lackeys who seemingly had nothing better to do than watch, "Get him!".

The two self-proclaimed thugs charged him, not realizing that the one thing Kodaka had going for him was the great speed he had always used to run from their kind. Today, for the first time, Kodaka Hasegawa would learn the myriad of other uses that speed offered him.

The first thug's swing was interrupted by a well-placed trash can lid, used in the fashion of a shield of lore. The solid round piece of metal proved more sturdy than the poor punks knuckles, at least two of which broke this day. That was the least of his worries though, as the two inch thick stick rapped him across his mouth shattering multiple teeth, drawing blood, and sending him flat on his backside. On the backspin, Kodaka struck the second thug with a glancing blow across the throat, forcing him to drop to his knees gasping for air. He stood over them beaming with pride, feeling a confidence and a bit of blood-lust he'd never felt before.

As the one thug with the broken teeth reached up in a last ditch effort to take another swing, Kodaka once again blocked with the trash can lid, this time swinging it down upon the ruffian's face, draining all the strength from him. He heard the sound of at least one bone breaking in the thug's nose.

The lead thug turned red, angry, shouting at his other two followers. "What are you doing? Drop the pretty-boy! Get that moron!". Looking at their two fallen companions, the last two active lackeys had an idea of their own.

"Screw, that!" one yelled, as he let loose Yukimura's arm, dropping her to the ground running away as fast as his feet would take him. The other followed behind him leaving their fearless leader standing there alone in their dust.

"Get back here!", he shouted getting angry at the lack of response from his own trusty left him alone? He couldn't believe it. There were five of them and only a punk and a pretty-boy. How could these two get the upper hand on them. Forget two, one of them was doing all the damage.

"You're dead!" the lead thug screamed pointing right at Kodaka angrily before turning and running off with his tail between his legs. Kodaka Hasegawa clearly admitted to not knowing much when it came to academic studies but he definitely knew an empty threat when he heard one. He made enough of them to get through life.

Yukimura, saw the silhouette of her knight in shining armor walking over to her. There he stood, just a figure entrenched in sunlight reaching down to take her hand. She knew the voice she heard but couldn't help but have a hard time piecing things together. She knew Kodaka as a man who never wanted to get involved. He was a coward in some ways. Could this really be her former Master?

The question was answered as he pulled her to her feet. Looking into his eyes she was certainly entranced in a way she never had been before. She couldn't help herself; Reaching up grasping the nape of his neck Yukimura pulled Kodaka's head down to her's, gently caressing his lips with her own. Very quickly, she began to realize; this may have been what she wanted to do since the very first day they met. It felt right.

Kodaka Hasegawa found himself lost in Yukimura's act of passion. He'd never been kissed like this before he'd think to himself. He felt his whole body melt as he took Yukimura into his arms returning the gift she had given him with just as much love. Somewhere in between heartbeats, Kodaka pulled away realizing that, in his mind, Yukimura was a man...and so was he. Confusion set in.

Yukimura couldn't help but notice the change she saw in Kodaka Hasegawa's eyes change. They went from a look of absolute hunger to a look of confusion or fear in the span of one heartbeat. Yukimura reminded herself that this was her friend. How could she kiss a friend like that? He was going to hate her, unless she set things right and fast. She looked at Kodaka, her sweet Kodaka and said the words..."I'm sorry." as she turned and ran away.

Kodaka called to her but she was already too far away to hear.

"I have to fix this" Kodaka thought to himself, chasing off after "the poor confused little guy" he's think to himself. It's how he'd thought about Yukimura until the moment of that kiss. Now he was growing unsure about how exactly to think of him.

He followed as close as he could but lost Yukimura somewhere on the second floor of the school annex. This is where the clubs met after classes he thought to himself. "Yukimura has to be here somewhere" he thought aloud. Only realizing after saying it that there was no one in the hall to hear his comment. "Great, he's got me talking to myself now".

His mind drifted back to what just happened between "the little guy" and himself. "What had just happened? Why did he kiss me?" he wondered aloud once again "and why did I like it?". Yukimura had to just be confused, he thought to himself subconsciously.

Despite the confusion and the doubt, one thing was certain, Yukimura was...is his friend. Whatever happened, they had to at least talk it out. There's no way it should affect their friendship, but in some ways it already has. Why the hell did he find it more exciting kissing Yukimura than Sena or even Yozora? Was it that he was no longer interested in girls? Not that there's anything wrong with that he thought, he just wasn't sure if that truly was the case. He needed to find out and deal with his emotions.

Shrugging it off, Kodaka found himself speaking aloud once more, "It shouldn't be that hard to find him. It's still lunch break and these rooms should all be empty". Looking down the dead-end hall, Kodaka limited his choice to just three rooms Yukimura could've ducked into; the Music Club room, the Art Club room or the Theatre Club room. It had to be one of these three. "But which one?" he thought.

Kodaka tried the first door to find the Music Club room locked. Peeking into the small window on the door he could clearly see the club advisor, at her desk, taking a nap away from prying eyes. She was kind of cute for a teacher, he thought, but she didn't really do anything for him. Shouldn't she? She had a models figure, long wavy dark brown hair and a cute little nose. The nerdy way she wore her glasses would turn on most guys he knew. Still nothing though. He thought of the kiss once more and began to sweat and smile a bit. "I think I like guys" he began to think to himself, still very unsure of where his sexuality lies. He began thinking of other cute boys in school and "nope, still nothing".

Opening the second door, Kodaka found the art room full of paintings and art supplies but not a soul in sight. On an easel in the corner something caught his eye; a nude male study. It definitely did nothing for him. If he was into guys it should. The model obviously had the body of a jock. If this didn't interest him he obviously still liked girls. Fingering through the stack of finished paintings in the storage bin, he found a nude female study that could only be a cheerleader. All the right curves in all the right places with the face out of sight. Why did it look familiar? The blonde hair and ample bosom. Do they even say bosom these days he wondered to himself. Another thought crept in. Why all of a sudden was he picturing Yukimura's face on that female body. That very, very familiar naked female body.

Yukimura was built nothing like this even in a maid's outfit, not even close. He quickly began to realize whose body it was as he quickly covered it up with other pictures in the bin. "There's no way she would've posed for this!" he said out loud half in shock. "I better bring this up to her discreetly next time we talk just in case". Leaving the room, Kodaka forgot his task at hand for a moment before suddenly remembering why he was there. There crept that smile back onto his lips while thinking of the kiss from earlier. He shook it off, "What the heck am I thinking" he said to himself in almost a whisper while looking on at the one door he hadn't yet tried. Gathering up the courage he stepped up to the door. "Here goes..." he said aloud to comfort himself.

Gripping the handle he realized he wasn't quite sure what exactly he wanted to say. He didn't want to hurt Yukimura but didn't feel like confessing his love to another guy when he was unsure what it was he was feeling. It wasn't that he was afraid he liked men it was just that he wasn't sure if he did or didn't. The one thing Kodaka Hasegawa knew was that for some reason he wanted to kiss Yukimura again.

"This can't be right...could I...love Yukimura?!" Kodaka let go of the handle to stop for a moment to ponder the question he had just presented himself. When he opened that door what would he come to say to that "little guy" who obviously thought of him as more than a friend too. That kiss was not how a friend kissed a friend. "I need to tell him how I feel" Kodaka thought to himself "I don't care if he's a guy, I think I love him and from that kiss he must feel the same way". Kodaka Hasegawa grabbed the door handle, took a deep breath and swung it open walking right in. It was do or die...now was the time.

As he walked through the open door, Kodaka Hasegawa was greeted by a sight that confused him even more than the kiss he and Yukimura shared earlier or all the thoughts that had been running through his mind since. There stood Yukimura in all "his" glory, obviously changing "his" clothes. Something wasn't right. Giving Yukimura a slow look over Kodaka couldn't help but notice the two little bumps on "his" chest that didn't seem very masculine at all. They were small but it was quite noticeable just what they, in fact, were. It would take another minute for it to strike him that something else was, in fact, missing...

"where's your...they're...that's..." Kodaka was rendered speechless for a second unable to say the words in what he now was beginning to realize was mixed company. Blushing Yukimura quickly covered up with the dress she had hanging by her side. Both painted in brighter shades of red they had never seen before. Kodaka spoke first...

"You're a girl!" he exclaimed completely floored by what he had seen just a moment before. What the hell is going on here he thought realizing for the first time that he obviously took many things he'd known about Yukimura for granted. It wasn't that Yukimura had "feminine traits", Yukimura was in fact "feminine". When she kissed him, her smell alone should've tipped him off. The soft tenderness of her lips should have been another hint.

"You-u n-noticed..." Yukimura answered shakily while trying to hide her naked body from Kodaka.

"Of course, I noticed!" Kodaka snapped off in a state of near panic, quickly grabbing a shirt off the rack next to him to cover up the effect Yukimura was having on the lower half of his body.

"You think I'd walk in on a beautiful girl naked and not notice she's a girl?!". Finally noticing the position he was putting Yukimura in, Kodaka spun around quickly looking away. "I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry...I didn't know!" Kodaka spoke apologetically begging for forgiveness.

"Nuh-uh!" Yukimura responded while putting her clothes on behind the back of the boy who just saved her in more ways than one "it's not your fault. It's mine. I asked Yozora not to tell anyone". I actually figured if she told anyone it would've been you.

"Yozora knew? This whole time?" I'm gonna kill her. "All this time! All the teasing about you and I! She'll get hers".

"It's not her fault. I asked her not to tell anyone. She's been good at keeping my secret. She's been helping me do my best to become a man." Yukimura defended Yozora.

"Why? Why do you want to be a man?" Kodaka asked honestly wanting to know the answer.

"My Father, he wanted a son. I figured it was best to become one for him. Maybe he'd be happier then." Yukimura stared out the window across the room thinking about the past railing off lost in thought for a minute. Her voice said it all to Kodaka Hasegawa. The sadness and despair in that beautiful voice...from those beautiful..soft...lips...

Mid-thought he stopped himself remembering something he had just caught a glimpse of. Something that didn't seem right. As a child he had...accidents. He remembered the emergency room visits. He remembered the scars he even now tries to hide ; both physical and emotional scars he's learned to live with. God, not her...no wonder...

"Those scars, they're old" Kodaka more answered than asked already knowing where this conversation was about to go. "These bullies have only been targetting you a few months now but the scars are long healed over". "Yukimura...it was your father wasn't it. Did he...?" Kodaka both wanted to know the answer and in some ways was afraid to hear it. If what he was thinking was right...

"It's not his fault" Yukimura tried to defend the man who gave her life "He was cheated out of a son. He got me instead. He'd be better off if I was a man". The saddest part was she'd tried to convice herself so much that she found herself half-believing the words coming out of her mouth. Kodaka Hasegawa was mad. He was mad at Yukimura's father for what he had done to her. He was mad at Yukimura for just taking it. Most of all he was mad at himself for not noticing. He of all people should have noticed.

"What about you. What do you want?" snapped Kodaka "Right here, right now you're the only one who matters to me. What do you want?" Kodaka demanded to know. It was time to put all his cards on the table. He needed to make Yukimura understand just how important a person she was. She has to realize that love doesn't come with scars and bruises.

"I want him to love me. I want him to believe in me" Yukimura began to tear up. He'll stop once he sees the kind of strong man I can become.

"Man!" there was that word again. Kodaka couldn't help but shake his head in disgust at what this "man" who called himself "Yukimura's father" had done to her. He had to fix things and fix them now.

"Does what I want matter at all?" Kodaka asked angrily with a shakiness in his voice Yukimura had never heard before. In some ways it scared her in others she found it most comforting.

"What do you want?" Yukimura inquired with a whisper. Like, the boy before her visibly shaken she was afraid of the answer that would come.

"To kiss you again...this time as a girl" Kodaka answered in a soft whisper of his own almost pleading.

"Wait" Yukimura stopped herself just realizing something said earlier that she had almost let slide by "did you call me..."

"Beautiful?" Kodaka whispered "Yes, I did".

"Why?" Yukimura asked wanting to honestly know the answer.

"Because you are" Kodaka answered while looking down at his feet.

"But I'm ugly...didn't you see the scars" Yukimura whispered low enough that her comments were barely audible to anyone but the boy before her.

"If scars are ugly then I'm ugly too" Kodaka answered unbuttoning his shirt and lowering the back just enough to give Yukimura a glimpse of the scars she hadn't noticed before.

"But the beach...they weren't there" Yukimura was confused. The scars were familiar, almost identical to hers. How could she have not noticed them before.

"When I go anywhere that I may need to take my shirt off I apply a thick layer of waterproof concealer" Kodaka answered feeling the tip of Yukimura's fingertips trace the scars on his back lovingly.

"I thought you said your father is never home. Your mother is dead right?" Yukimura needed to know who did this to him. No wonder Kodaka rarely interacted with people.

"When I was young my Grandfather used to mind us" Kodaka explained "He was a lot like your father it seems. I made lots of excuses on why it was his right to beat me but in the end all they were were excuses".

"How did you get him to stop" Yukimura asked still lightly running her fingertips along the scars.

"I got lucky" Kodaka answered with a bit of sadness in his voice "he died".

Yukimura wrapped her arms around him from behind holding him tight. Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew he had tears in his eyes. She understood that he understood her feelings when it came to her father. Now, though, she was beginning to understand his as well. She knew it was time to change the subject to another matter she still had on her mind.

"Kodaka...Do you really...want to kiss me?" she asked shakily awaiting an answer she hoped to get.

"Y-Yes...very much" Kodaka answered wrapping his arms around the ones that were holding him from behind.

"What about Sena? What about Yozora?" Yukimura wondered second guessing her looks and her appeal as a woman. Yozora had the most stunning model's body and face and Sena, those breasts. In Yukimura's eyes there was no department she could ever beat either of them in.

"I've already kissed both of them, neither compares to you" Kodaka answered honestly. Yukimura could clearly tell it was the truth by the sincerity in Kodaka Hasegawa's voice. It made no sense to her though. Surely there can be no reason he'd choose her over either Sena or Yozora.

"really?" she asked wanting, no, needing to know the answer.

"It was like kissing my sisters. You on the other hand curled my toes " he cuddled his head back into her shoulder.

"You can turn around now" Yukimura answered happily, "I'm decent".

"Do I have to let go?" Kodaka whispered "this feels kind of nice".

"We can pick this back up later if you want" Yukimura whispered.

"I want" Kodaka giggled beginning to turn around.

Kodaka spun around witnessing something entirely different than he ever expected. There before him stood Yukimura. Just as lovely dressed as she had appeared before him naked. A flowing Gothic gown shades of something out of the middle ages. Ruffles and sashes in all the right places drew out her feminine curves and her eyes. He stood mesmerized. All he could manage to get out was one word...

"Wowwwwwww"

Yukimura giggled like the schoolgirl she was, doing a little spin for the boy before her. She'd never had power over someone before. She found it quite intoxicating. Especially knowing that for quite a while now it had been he who was the master.

"You like?" Yukimura asked half-teasingly. Earlier she wouldn't have had the confidence to tease him like this but now she knew. He thinks she's beautiful. He knows her feelings. He likes her kisses better than Sena's or Yozora's. Most importantly, it's easy to tell, he loves her as much as she loves him.

"Very much so" Kodaka answers almost losing his voice in the process.

Yukimura took her time trying to add a little of that sway she's seen Sena use many times walking up to the man she loved. It may not have been as perfect as Sena's strut but Kodaka wasn't complaining. As a matter of fact, he seemed to have lost the ability to speak altogether temporarily. Yukimura pulled herself into Kadoka's arms cuddling into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You know, you're my knight in shining armor. Don't you?" she whispered to him. "Can I be your squire? I was looking for a costume up here but couldn't seem to find it." she inquired playfully.

"Maybe it's for the best" Kodaka Hasegawa chuckled, "That dress you have on makes you look like a princess or queen; a beautiful one, and a knight must always protect his princess or queen with all his heart".

"Always?" Yukimura liked the sound of that word.

"Always" Kodaka answered without a moment's hesitation "Faithfully by your side".

"I like the sound of that...my brave Sir Kodaka" Yukimura purred for her first time ever.

"There's one thing we need to get straight" Kodaka took on the Master role one last time knowing he'd never need it again after today. "We have a guestroom and a tiny built in chaperone at my house". Kodaka took a deep breath and continued. "You're moving in with us" he brushed her bangs out of her eyes as she looked up into his "No one will ever hurt you again" Kodaka sternly announced "I won't let them".

"But my Father..." Yukimura began defending her father on instinct.

"Needs time to think" Kodaka answered based on emotion not thought. "If he ever tries to hurt you again I swear it'll be the last time". Yukimura didn't know how to answer. She loved her father but seeing the fiery look in Kodaka Hasegawa's eyes she couldn't help but love him even more.

"Besides..." Kodaka Hasegawa announced loud and proud for all in earshot to hear "if his only complaint is wanting a son" Kodaka caressed Yukimura's cheek, "if he behaves himself he may get that wish someday soon after graduation".

Yukimura was stunned by the confession of the man she loved. Stunned but not confused. She loved him and when the time came she'd surely say yes. After all he was her very first and only Knight in Shining Armor and she was his princess, someday his queen. She cuddled herself into his chest, nuzzling her head into him signalling her answer in advance.

"By the way, Princess Yukimura...may I call you Yuki?" Kodaka asked playfully.

"Only if you let me call you Sir Ko" Yuki answered with a smile.

"Sounds good to me" Kodaka guided her head with a finger lightly under her chin. "Now, about that kis..." Kodaka began to remind Yuki...but he never had the chance to finish the question once Yuki's lips covered his. He never complained though...at least not as far as Yuki was concerned.

"Now to tell Kobato that the "guy" in the maid outfit she knows is now her brother's girlfriend" he announced proudly with a bit of a chuckle. "If she was confused over thinking herself a vampire how confusing will this be to the poor kid. Well at least her "centuries" as a vampire will make for a proud "older" chaperone".