Disclaimer: I don't Own Mai-HiME

Finals Week

Prologue – Sunday Night

Umm...enjoy?

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"So tell me again why I can't come to see you for a week?" Asked a grouchy yet melodious voice over the phone.

"Well it's actually only five days, the weekend doesn't count." The girl on the other side of the line answered.

"Natsuki," Shizuru chided in a reproachful tone. "You know what I mean."

Natsuki just gave a sigh and smiled in a resigned way although she knew the other girl couldn't see her. She was curled up on one of the couches of the living room of her apartment one arm propped on the arm of the furniture while the other held her pink phone over her ear. Textbooks and notebooks of different subjects were scattered all over the place. Some piled up next to her on the couch, some laying opened on the small table in front of her next to her newly acquired laptop and some even on the floor. "I know, I'm sorry. I guess I'm not that good at trying to lighten up the mood, huh?" She joked.

"Well?" Asked the other girl impatiently not really feeling in the mood for any more jokes.

"I already told you you silly girl. Finals start this week and I can't really afford any kind distractions. And I happen to find you particularly distracting, or rather, you make yourself particularly distracting." Natsuki explained for what seemed to her the tenth time. 'Honestly, you'd think that someone as smart as her would've gotten it by now.' She thought amused.

The other girl giggled at her girlfriend's words despite of how she felt a moment ago, still she managed to reply with a sulking voice. "But I'm worried about my Natsuki, knowing her like I do, she'll most likely only eat junk food the whole time and sleep at unholy hours of the morning...if she gets any sleep at all that is."

"Don't you try to fool me with that kind of voice woman, it can't be helped this time. I just want to do it right this time: being held back last year wasn't funny you know?" She said remembering that despite all of her best efforts and all those all nighters with Shizuru by her side tutoring her hadn't been enough to reach the minimum passing marks, she had no idea that her very poor attendance record was going to affect her grades that badly. It had been really frustrating and although it had been her fault, there was no way in hell that she was going to let that happen again.

"Natsuki makes it sound like doing all that is actually necessary." Shizuru quietly complained not liking the idea of Natsuki eating unhealthy food and sleeping on her couch for five consecutive night like she knew was bound to happen if she wasn't there.

Natsuki scowled and rubbed her temple with her fingers trying to hold back another sigh. Sometimes she wondered which one of the two was actually more stubborn. "I know what you're thinking Shizuru and I promise not to burn myself out, and as for the food thing, I can ask Mai to come over in the afternoon, we can study together that way too. It will make things easier for me too." She explained trying to sound reassuring.

"If that's the case then I don't see why I can't come over as well. I can help you both with whatever you need too." Shizuru tried to argue.

"Shizuru please, you're not making this easy for me. Besides you have you have your own stuff to worry about too and you've already helped me out a big deal. And do not think that I haven't noticed how tired you've been recently, you keep going on about me but you've got to take care of yourself too."

Shizuru did not answer to that and Natsuki knew that she was thinking the same as her. For the past few weeks Shizuru had been coming over almost every day to help her study as soon as her classes finished and until she had to get back to her dorms at Fuka University and then she'd had to stay up later that she usually did with her own assignments and studying, the poor girl could only get a few hours of sleep every night and from what Natsuki had heard (the girl had her sources) she usually dozed off in between classes and their lunch breaks.

When she first found about it she had been touched but she also felt more than a little bit angry at Shizuru. She couldn't believe that the girl would go that far just to help her out. Since Fuka University had a two-term system the days of their exams luckily didn't coincide and so Natsuki thought that her girlfriend could really use the much needed rest.

"Don't worry so much Shizuru, I'm sure we can manage five days without seeing each other." She reassured in a caring voice.

"Yes I know. I suppose I'm just being a bit unreasonable." Shizuru admitted sounding a bit put off.

"More crazy than just a bit unreasonable I'll say, but I'm already used to that side of you." Natsuki said with a huge grin on her face.

"Natsuki should know better than to tease me at a time like this." Shizuru said with mock indignation.

"Hey now, don't talk like that, you're making me regret this already." Natsuki said softly.

"Ara, then perhaps I should keep it up, maybe that way Natsuki will feel sorry for me so that she'll change her mind and let me come over. Perhaps I could sleep over too." Shizuru said playfully and feeling a bit better knowing that Natsuki wasn't feeling much different than her.

"Shizuru, I'm trying to be serious here." Natsuki said puting a little.

"I know, I know...I hate exams..." Shizuru lamented with a long sigh.

"Oh? I never thought I'd hear someone like you say that." Natsuki said merrily.

"Mou, how do you mean 'someone like me?' You make me sound all nerdy when you say things like that." Shizuru answered sounding insulted.

"And you're not?" Natsuki asked arching an eyebrow.

"I am not." She countered.

"Right, sorry." Natsuki said not sounding sorry at all and she gave a hearthy laugh when she received a dignified and rather cute 'humph' for an answer.

"But I'm impressed..." Shizuru started to say thoughtfully after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

"What's that?" She asked changing her position on the couch so she was now sitting properly instead of having her short clad legs tucked under her butt.

"Who would've thought that my Natsuki would be the one to say such responsible things. It makes me so proud." Shizuru teased.

"Hey I resent that!" Natsuki protested with an angry voice that didn't match the smile adorning her face. "I can be responsible too even if you can't believe it!"

"I know, that's why I said that." Shizuru answered honestly.

"Oh, um...thanks?" Natsuki answered dumbly not coming up with a decent reply fast enough for those sincere words. It was Shizuru's turn to laugh now.

"Oh dear." Shizuru said, her laughter stopping quite abruptly.

"What!?" Natsuki asked quickly slightly alarmed.

"It seems that we got a bit carried away. It's getting quite late and you need to get some good sleep." Shizuru said using her motherly tone.

"Damnit, don't do that, you scared the hell outta me." Natsuki said with a scowl earining yet another laugh from her girlfriend.

"So I guess I'll see you around?" Shizuru said not really wanting to hang up.

"Yeah." Natsuki answered vaguely feeling the same way.

"I can at least call you right?" Shizuru asked.

"I think it'll be better if I call you. You know how I get when I'm trying to concentrate and I get interrupted." She said reasonably.

"Ah yes, Natsuki has the most cute face when she's working hard."

"Shut up." Natsuki answered curtly. At least she could take comfort on the fact that Shizuru could not see the faint blush blossoming on her face. "Good night Shizuru." She then added on a much more softer tone.

"Have sweet dreams my dear girl." Shizuru answered rather cheerily.

One of Natsuki's eyebrows twitched at that. "Oi, sweet dreams? Dear girl? Am I still a child?" She asked annoyingly.

"Of course not, but my Natsuki is still as cute as any child." Shizuru replied sweetly.

"That doesn't really make me feel any better." Natsuki pointed out.

"Really? How come?" The brunette asked innocently.

"Never mind. I'll leave you alone with your thoughts." Natsuki said not wanting to start another teasing session with her girl.

"As Natsuki wishes. Now she needs to be a good girl and go to bed. She needs to get a good night's sleep for her exams tomorrow." Shizuru said with mock seriousness.

"I would if you could just hang up!" Natsuki said getting annoyed again. She knew she was hoping for the impossible, Shizuru would never pass up a chance to tease her.

"But Natsuki keeps talking." Shizuru replied making it seem like it was all Natsuki's fault. The latter could swear she felt a vein popping on her forehead.

"And whose fault is that? You're problably doing this on purpose so you don't have to hang up, aren't you, you sly woman!?" Natsuki accused practically yelling into the speaker box.

"Ara, Natsuki knows me so well." Shizuru said trying to sound innocent again.

"Whatever, I'm hanging up now." Natsuki said.

"Alright, have sweet dreams my Natsuki!" Shizuru repeated in a sing song voice.

Natsuki felt a tick in her eyebrow coming her way.

One, two, three...

"I thought you were going to hang up?" Shizuru asked slyly.

"Well I'm going to now!" Natsuki said embarrassed.

"Wait, Natsuki?" Shizuru said when Natsuki was just about to smash the red button on her cell phone.

"Yeah what is it?" She asked impatiently, dreading another teasing remark.

"I love you." Was Shizuru's quiet answer.

Natsuki smiled picturing the brunette tucked under the covers of her bed, pyjama clad and reclining against the headboard with her white phone pressed to her ear waiting for an answer. She found that she no longer felt embarrassed or annoyed at her girlfriends silly antics.

"I know, I love you too." She answered softly. She swore she could feel the other girl smile warmly too before she heard the soft 'click' followed by the dead dial tone.

She slid her phone shut and tossed it next to her on the couch before standing up and stretching her slightly sore muscles. She headed into the bathroom for her nightly necessities and finally walked into her room sliding under the covers of her queen sized bed. It felt to big without Shizuru by her side. She sighed and turned around to face the wall from her 'side of her bed' closing her eyes. She had one long week ahead of her.

She really hated exams.

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A/N: Can I shamelessly try to ask for forgiveness for starting another fic when I haven't finished the other three that I'm 'working' on? I just couldn't help it, I had one of those nights when a plot bunny suddenly shows up, bites you and you can't help but chase it around. I wouldn't let this sucker get away though -insert crazy laughter-

-Breathes heavily- It's 9:20 am on my side of the globe and I haven't slept a wink. This isn't beta read-ed so kindly forgive and point out the mistakes that you most likely found.

On another note, updates on this and all of my other fics will be sporadic, but this time isn't because of my waning addiction to WoW or my increasing laziness. I have a real job now. Not one that I took for a hobby or just to make some extra cash but to actually put food on our table (wow I feel important). I recently moved out of my house and into an apartment with my older brother with whom I work with and so things are a bit hectic right now so please be patient with me.

Also, suggestions for a better title would be highly appreciated. It's amazing how much I suck at this.

I'm gonna pass out on my bed now. Please tell me what you think.