Loving Abuse
As a rule, the class of 2-A were pretty cheerful, if not downright rowdy. But, with all rules came exceptions to the rule, and in 2-A, there was an exception. The exception came in the form of Setsuna Sakurazaki. Setsuna didn't appear to be cheerful or rowdy at all, but the others hardly took notice of this. After all, she toted a sword case around her classes, she must have a reason to look so serious.
The student who appeared most carefree out of all the students was Konoka Konoe. She always had a ready smile for each and every one of the classmates in her class, even the silent Zazie Rainyday. She was the innocent, carefree type of girl that made it hard to bear ill will toward her, and certainly none of the students in her class did.
Being a class of thirty-one girls, and one male student teacher, gossip filled the spare seconds between lectures and assignments, and often carried on into the lectures and assignments.
Gossip comes and goes, but a particular subject seemed to be floating around much longer than anyone had anticipated. It was of course, the nature of the relationship between Setsuna and Konoka. It was surprising that the talk about the two managed to last the whole three weeks it did, especially since no one knew anything about the two.
All that was repeated around that classroom was that Konoka was often seen walking with Setsuna, with a troubled, sad expression on her face. Other tidbits of gossip included that maybe they were angsty lovers, because Paru had often seen Setsuna taking Konoka back to her dorm, where the door would remain shut for hours, before Konoka exited, looking depressed.
The rumors didn't even touch upon the real issue, and both Setsuna and Konoka were glad. Neither of them wanted anyone to know what went on between them, Konoka because of the shame and embarrassment it would bring, and Setsuna because of the unwanted attention it would bring.
Class ended, and Setsuna stood up slowly, packing up her things. She cast a look to Konoka, and the cheerful girl automatically looked to Setsuna with a questioning expression. Setsuna nodded, and Konoka seemed to be taken by two entirely different emotions, both at once. At first, she seemed happy that Setsuna had said yes, but it was quickly replaced by slight fear, and immense sadness.
It was probably going to be just like all the other times, she thought. Then she shook her head. She couldn't be looking saddened, or it would bring about probing questions from genuinely concerned classmates, and she would feel bad lying to them.
Setsuna motioned for Konoka to follow, and exited the room.
"S-sorry guys, I can't hang out with you today." Konoka said. "I have some other stuff to take care of first, but maybe after that, okay?" She asked. Makie and Yuna looked dissappointed, but didn't press the issue.
"Okay, we'll have to go see one together soon though." Makie said.
Konoka smiled, and nodded. "Yes, very soon." She agreed.
Konoka looked toward the door where Setsuna had disappeared, and told her friends she had to run. She left, hurrying out the door as fast as she could. She didn't want to keep Setsuna waiting.
She caught up to Setsuna halfway down the hall, and slowed to a walk when she reached her side. Konoka stayed silent for a few minutes, not wanting to annoy Setsuna.
After a few minutes of walking, however, Konoka started to wonder where they were going.
"We're taking a different, longer path to my house." Setsuna said tersely. "Shizuna-Sensei has brought up some awkward questions the other day concerning your obvious discomfort around me." She said. "The other students don't notice it as much, but she caught on fairly quickly, and she's taking a liking to hanging around my place for a few minutes after school on the days I bring you over." She said.
Konoka lowered her head, feeling sadness creep though her for bothering Shizuna-Sensei and ticking off Setsuna.
"I-I'm sorry..." She said.
Setsuna didn't acknowledge her, and Konoka fell silent.
Minutes later, Setsuna swiftly changed their direction, and took a couple side-paths back to the dorm. As they emerged onto the main road, Shizuna-Sensei was no where in sight, and Setsuna ordered Konoka to follow her.
They quickly entered the dormitory, and headed for Setsuna's room. As they rounded a corner, Setsuna's eyes narrowed, and she cursed. Shizuna was leaning against the wall across from Setsuna's door.
Setsuna quickly thought about reversing direction and heading for Konoka's, but it was too late. Shizuna-Sensei had spotted them.
"Ahh, just on time." Shizuna said. "How are you two doing?" She asked, pushing herself off the wall.
Setsuna forced herself to be pleasant, eradicating the sharp glare that had graced her features only a moment before.
"Good." She answered for herself, and Konoka. Konoka looked up at Shizuna from behind Setsuna, but said nothing.
"How are you, Konoka?" She asked. "Doing alright in your studies?"
Konoka nodded. "Yes, Shizuna-Sensei." She said. "I'm doing fine, and my studies are coming along pretty good." She lied. The truth was, for the last month her marks have been steadily declining, bit by bit.
"What are you two doing tonight?" She asked.
Setsuna gritted her teeth, and clenched her fists, wishing the annoying woman would leave.
"We're just going to go to my room, study up on some homework, review what we learned today." She said.
Shizuna hummed. "Is that so?" She asked, looking over Setsuna's shoulder to Konoka.
Konoka blinked nervously, then nodded meekly, reaching forward and placing her hand on Setsuna's shoulder. Konoka kept her gaze lowered to the ground, unable to look the counselor in the eye.
Shizuna was quiet for a minute, then nodded. "I see. Well, don't let me interrupt your studies." She said. She took one last look at Setsuna's barely concealed anger, and Konoka's meek, almost scared expression, and left, heading down the hall.
Setsuna glared after her, and waited until she was out of sight around the corner.
"Damn she's annoying! I wonder how long she plans on snooping around?"
Setsuna unlocked her door, and walked in, Konoka behind her. Setsuna threw her books onto the floor beside the door, and headed for the fridge. She opened it gently, some of her anger already seeming to fade, as she pulled out some chocolate milk. As she poured a glass of chocolate milk, she heard Konoka dropping her books behind her.
Setsuna took a big gulp from the glass, then her thoughts turned to Konoka. She turned around, glass in hand, and walked over to her slowly.
"Hey, do you want some of this?" Setsuna asked softly, and Konoka felt her heart flutter. Konoka smiled weakly, and accepted the glass. If only once in a while, Setsuna seemed to be consumed by worry and genuine concern over Konoka, though it usually only lasted minutes before she was back to her cold self.
As Konoka drank the rather large glass of chocolate milk, Setsuna slipped a bit closer to Konoka, and studied her face. Her large chocolate brown eyes were half-closed as she drank the milk, her face framed by her beautiful dark hair. Setsuna reached out and ran her fingers through Konoka's hair. Setsuna's fingers slipped from the strands of hair just above Konoka's ear to the longer strands that flowed down her back. Konoka took a bit of comfort in Setsuna's touch, but it was mostly shadowed by the worry and tension forming in her stomach. She knew what was coming.
Setsuna reached the ends of her hair, and slipped her hand around Konoka's waist. Konoka finished the milk, and set the glass down on the nearby bed-side table, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Setsuna suddenly leaned forward, her lips finding Konoka's. Konoka was caught by surprise, but knew well enough by now to return the gesture, even if it wasn't hearfelt. Setsuna deepened the kiss, and Konoka moaned slightly, yet not entirely of her own free will. Setsuna brought both hands up to cup Konoka's hips, her fingers finding the edges of Konoka's school shirt.
A few seconds later, and Setsuna's hands were up Konoka's shirt, fingers caressing her back, lifting the shirt up higher. Setsuna pressed her hips against Konoka's, and kissed her harder.
Setsuna then broke the kiss, and kissed her a few times on the throat, before nipping her gently. Setsuna then started sucking gently on the curve of Konoka's neck and shoulder. Konoka moaned again, and a dark blush flooded her face as one of Setsuna's hands left her back to grope her behind. Setsuna's hand flipped up her skirt, then slipped down her panties, groping and squeezing her. Konoka felt Setsuna's warm hand slipping over her hips and behind, when suddenly Setuna's other hand left her back, to grope her breast.
Konoka felt Setsuna moving in on her a lot faster than she usually did, and figured Setsuna must have somewhere to be pretty soon. A second later, and Setsuna pushed on her chest, causing her to fall backward. Konoka expected to hit the floor, but was surprised when she landed on the bed. Setsuna quickly followed her, pinning her down. Setsuna kissed Konoka on the mouth, silencing objections she knew would come. Her right hand swiftly found Konoka's panties, and she smiled even as she kissed Konoka. Setsuna used her hand to force Konoka's legs apart, then began slowly rubbing her. Konoka, despite her best efforts not to, found herself becoming more aroused, and more susceptible to Setsuna's touching. Soon, Konoka's hips were twitching with the feelings running through her body, and Setsuna was just about to take advantage of that, when there was a knock on the door.
Setsuna, remembering that she didn't lock the door, shot up, leaving Konoka on the bed, confused. She hadn't heard the knock; she was moaning too loudly.
"Get yourself together!" Setsuna hissed. "Someone's at the door!"
Like flicking a switch, Konoka was turned off, as worry and exhaustion flowed through her. She jumped up, and straightened her panties, fixing her skirt. She checked her shirt over, and it seemed acceptable. As Setsuna went to the door, Konoka quickly bent down, and grabbed a book from beside the bed. She opened it, and pretended to be studying as Setsuna opened the door.
"Hello?" Setsuna asked, doing surprisingly well at hiding her rage at being interrupted.
It was Asakura at the door, grinning at Setsuna.
"Hey!" She said. "Listen, some people of mine told me I could find Konoka here." She said. "She's here, isn't she?"
Setsuna nodded, and opened the door further, allowing Asakura to see Konoka.
"She's right there, what do you want?"
"Well, I need to ask her some questions about the fund-raising she had been doing last weekend, you mind if I take her to the coffee shop across the street? It'll only be forty-five minutes or so."
Setsuna checked the clock on the wall, then sighed.
"Yeah, go ahead." She said. "I was heading out anyway."
Asakura smiled. "Great! Thanks a lot!" She said.
The next day...
Setsuna was angry again; Konoka could tell. Throughout class Setsuna alternated between glaring at Konoka and glaring at Asakura. Konoka could feel Setsuna's peircing gaze, but said nothing. A few times she tried to look behind her, and Setsuna sure wasn't shy about meeting her gaze. Every time she did though, she found herself overwhelmed with guilt at having done something to anger Setsuna. She always ended up looking away, embarrassed and sad. By lunch time, almost everyone had noticed that Konoka was feeling down, and a few tried to cheer her up.
The newest to try was Ku Fei, after noticing her friend staring at the floor and sighing.
"You are okay, yes?" Ku Fei asked, placing her hand on Konoka's shoulder.
Konoka looked up sharply, as if suddenly clueing into her surroundings, then looked at Ku Fei.
Ku Fei's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of tears in Konoka's eyes, and knelt down to look at her eye to eye.
"Konoka, what is being bothering you?" She asked, her broken japanese taking on the tone of concern.
Konoka shook her head, and put her hand on Ku Fei's shoulder in an attempt to assure her that she was okay. She didn't want Ku Fei, as honest as her intentions were, to attract more attention.
"I-I'm fine Ku Fei." She said. "Don't worry. I think I just had something in my eye, is all."
Ku Fei stared at her for a minute, before standing.
"Okay, but talk to me if you have problems, okay Konoka?"
Konoka nodded, and leaned forward, putting her head on her desk. Negi, knowing that something wasn't right with Konoka, thinking maybe she just wasn't feeling well, left her alone.
When class ended, Konoka stood up slowly, still feeling guilty over Setsuna's bad mood. Setsuna, though, seemed to have forgotten all about it, and took Konoka's arm as she walked by her desk.
"Come on, let's get to my place." She said. Konoka nodded her agreement, although she wasn't sure she was looking forward to it.
The walk took all of ten minutes, and before Konoka was ready, they were standing in front of Setsuna's door. Setsuna unlocked her door, and ushered Konoka in. Once inside, Setsuna closed her door, locking it this time.
"This time, no interruptions." She said softly. She suddenly pushed Konoka, and Konoka was surprised when her back slammed up against Setsuna's wall. This shove was a lot harder than the times she had been pushed around before, and she stared fearfully at Setsuna, wondering what was going on.
"What did Asakura want, hmm Konoka?" Setsuna asked, her hands on Konoka's shoulders, pressing her against the wall. Konoka stared into Setsuna's hard, narrowed brown eyes, and for the first time, saw pure hate. Directed at her. Konoka's hands began to shake, and she wondered what Setsuna would do to her. Before, she had been hoping that Setsuna wouldn't do the things she used to do, but now, she was thinking she'd get off lucky if only Setsuna would do those things to her.
"Answer me!" Setsuna said forcefully, her nails digging into Konoka's shoulders.
Konoka grimaced in pain, and opened her mouth to speak. At first she had trouble speaking, but after a few attempts, the shaky words emerged.
"S-She wanted to interview me ab-bout my work on the weekend." She said.
Setsuna's eyes narrowed even further, and her teeth flashed as she opened her mouth slightly.
"Right." Setsuna said softly. Then, unexpectedly, Setsuna's hand came up off Konoka's shoulder, slapping her across the face, hard. Konoka reeled with the strike, her bottom lip cut open from accidentally biting her lip when she got slapped. Konoka wanted to touch her face, but Setsuna was still holding her firmly to the wall. Konoka felt her face aching from the slap, and tears formed in her eyes.
"Don't you start crying over just that." She said. "I've been cut and slashed by a sword, and it hasn't even itched." She said. "Grow up."
Through her will-power alone, Konoka held back her tears.
"Next time you hang out with any of the girls from our class, I want to be there to make sure nothings going on." Setsuna said. Konoka nodded, unable to do much else.
Silence filled the air for a few seconds, before Setsuna spoke again, this time much softer.
"Look at me..." Setsuna whispered, and Konoka couldn't deny her. Konoka raised her head, and Setsuna leaned forward, kissing her softly. Blood from Konoka's split lip spread onto Setsuna's lip as they kissed. When Setsuna pulled away, she licked her lips hungrily, staring at Konoka. The taste of blood on her tongue was faint, but it was there, and it only increased Setsuna's wanting desire.
Several hours later...
Konoka sighed as she lowered her head onto her desk. She prayed that Negi wouldn't ask her to read anything; she didn't want anyone to see her face. Her right cheek had bruised, there were two new cuts on her neck, some tooth scrapes, and her split lip hadn't fully healed yet. She had thought about skipping class, but she was in the same dorm as Negi; it would have been impossible. As she thought of Negi, she realized that she had gotten lucky last night. When she had come home from Setsuna's, Negi and Asuna were deep asleep, allowing her to wash up as best she could without bothering either of them. After she was done, she had cried herself to sleep, and was hoping that she hadn't awoken either of them.
Asuna came through the classroom door with Negi, and immediately headed for Konoka. Negi aimed for his desk, as Asuna sat down beside Konoka.
"How're ya doing, Konoka?" She asked, placing her hand on Konoka's back.
Konoka sighed. "I'm just tired, don't worry about it." She said, not raising her head. Asuna persisted, and wondered if she should mention that she hadn't been asleep when Konoka had got home. She decided to stay quiet about it for now, wondering if she could get Konoka to tell her about it herself.
"You sure nothing's wrong, nothing's bothering you?" She asked.
Konoka nodded, head still in her arms. "Thanks Asuna, but I'm okay." She said.
Asuna said nothing for a few minutes, then decided to get tough with her.
"I heard you come in last night." She whispered. "You didn't seem fine then, and you don't seem fine now."
Konoka looked up at Asuna, and Asuna's eyes widened as she saw the bruise, cuts, and split lip. Her bi-coloured eyes radiated confusion and worry.
"What the hell happened to you?" She asked. Konoka sighed. "Do I really look that bad?" She asked, touching her lip gingerly.
Asuna shook her head. "No, you don't look bad." She lied. "It's just that you're such a good person I just never expected you to have fight wounds." She said. "What happened?"
Konoka shrugged. "They're not exactly fighting wounds...that is, I wasn't fighting when I got them." She said.
Asuna placed her hand on Konoka's arm.
"What happened?" She asked. "Please, I can help you." She said.
Konoka opened her mouth to tell her, just as the door to the classroom opened. Setsuna entered, swordcase in hand, and Konoka fell silent, shaking her head.
"It was nothing, Asuna." She said. "Don't worry about it."
Asuna followed Konoka's gaze, and found she was staring at Sakurazaki.
"Did Setsuna have something to do with this?" Asuna asked, going on a hunch.
Konoka shook her head vehemently, wincing when the motion made her face ache. "No...no, she didn't." She said, returning her head to the desk.
"Thanks for worrying though, Asuna." She mumbled.
Asuna stared at her for a few minutes.
Hmm...so Setsuna does have something to do with it. She stopped talking as soon as Setsuna walked in, and denied it so obviously that there must be something there...did they have a fight?
Asuna was aching to ask Setsuna what was going on, but class was starting. She turned in her seat to face forward, and pulled Konoka's notebook toward her. She would copy down her own notes, and if she wrote fast enough, then she could do Konoka's for her too.
From way back in the class, Setsuna eyed Asuna. Asuna was not only talking quietly to Konoka when she had entered the room, now she was casting the occasional glance in Setsuna's direction. Setsuna had to wonder how much Konoka had told her. Afterall, they lived in the same dorm. Setsuna's eyes narrowed as she saw Asuna start to copy down Konoka's notes.
Yes, take very good care of her, Asuna. Someone will have to. She sure can't take care of herself...
School ended, and Konoka wearily looked to Setsuna, wondering if Setsuna was going to ask her to come over. To her surprise, Setsuna wasn't even in the classroom. Konoka looked around, confused, and Asuna noticed it.
"Hey, what're you lookin' for?" She asked.
Konoka looked back to Asuna, and settled down into her seat. "Ahh, nothing." She said. "Don't worry about it..."
Asuna looked around, and although the rest of the class was standing and packing up their things, she could see that Setsuna wasn't in the room.
"Looking for Sakurazaki, were you?"
Konoka blushed lightly and shook her head. "No, just..."
She trailed off, unable to create an excuse.
Asuna smirked, and patted her on the back. "Aww don't worry about it. Come on, let's get home, I'll help you with dinner." She said.
Konoka smiled, a real one for the first time that day.
"Thanks Asuna." She said.
Later that night...
Konoka sighed, and flopped back onto her bed. Setsuna hadn't called or dropped by all night, and she was starting to get worried. Asuna and Negi had gone to Eva's, and now, with nothing to do, Konoka's thoughts ran rampant through her head. And not all of them were pleasant. She started wondering whether Setsuna had left or not. Left for good. Left, like, gone back to Kyoto, never coming back. Maybe she found someone else. Someone more willing to do the things she wanted. This thought made tears form in the corners of her eyes, and she wiped them away, determined not to cry. Setsuna wouldn't cry over something like that.
Konoka sighed again, as Setsuna's face flowed through her mind. Her dark hair, pulled into it's customary pony-tail, her sharp eyes. Konoka wasn't sure, but something about Setsuna was attractive, she didn't know what, or why.
"Setsuna..." She said softly. In her mind, she called her 'Se-Chan', but never out loud. If she did, it would imply that they were friends, when, in reality, they were the furthest thing from it. Konoka's heart ached for Setsuna's friendship, but Setsuna only ever seemed to come by when she wanted something from her. Konoka's thoughts turned to Asuna, and how friendly she had been acting.
"She even copied down my notes..." She said. "I'd better thank her again when she gets back." She reached over the side of the bed, and grabbed said notes, opening her book.
"Damn, got a test next week..."
Suddenly, the door opened, and Konoka jumped up, wondering who it was. It couldn't be Negi or Asuna, the resort was meant to be used in 24-hour increments, which resulted in an hour passing in the real world. They had left only twenty minutes ago.
Konoka slipped off her bed, and saw Setsuna standing in the doorway. She wore a baggy pair of jeans, and a tight black T-shirt.
"S-Setsuna?" Konoka asked. "Where were you during class today?" She asked.
Setsuna shrugged, closing the door behind her. Konoka didn't fail to notice that she locked it also.
"I left a few minutes before the bell." She said. "You didn't see me bacause you had your head down the whole damn time."
Konoka lowered her head, and wondered why she should feel bad about it, at the same time guilt coursed through her.
Setsuna kicked off her shoes, and walked over.
"S-sorry. What are you doing here?" Konoka asked, in an attempt at conversation. Setsuna stared at her.
"Why, am I in your way?" She asked. "Got someone coming over, and you don't want me here when they come? Asakura, maybe?"
Konoka squeezed her eyes closed, and shook her head. "I-I'm sorry!" She said, flinching as Setsuna raised her hand. No strike came though, as Setsuna merely touched Konoka's cheek.
"I'm sorry I hit you earlier, Kono-Chan." Setsuna said softly. Konoka's eyes widened, and she looked up at Setsuna, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Really?" She asked.
Setsuna sat down beside her. "Really." She said. She leaned closer, and Konoka's heart skipped a beat.
She looks so pretty right now... Konoka thought. She might not treat me how I want to be treated, but she'll always be my beautiful warrior...
Setsuna leaned closer still, and her lips touched Konoka's. Konoka took a second to close her eyes and return the kiss, and it seemed Setsuna was in no rush. Setsuna's arms slipped around Konoka's shoulders, and not her waist. For a second Konoka allowed herself to believe that Setsuna was actually respecting her...; she knew this was a ploy Setsuna often used to get what she wanted. Still, it was nice to believe it, for however long it lasted.
Setsuna kissed Konoka passionately, apparently in no hurry to move on to other things. Konoka found herself becoming lost in Setsuna's unusually kind treatment, and for once it was Konoka's hands doing the rubbing and groping. Setsuna gently laid Konoka down on her bed, and continued to kiss her, each one lasting tens of seconds and making Konoka feel as if she were truly loved.
Setsuna slowly slipped from Konoka's lips, to her cheek. Then her throat. Then lower. By now, Konoka was much too aroused to protest to anything Setsuna was doing. Setsuna continued kissing, touching, teasing, until Konoka was hanging on the ragged edge of sanity, driven crazy from desire and need.
Setsuna then kissed her way back up Konoka's body, her pyajamas long since discarded.
"You know what I'd like?" Setsuna asked softly, her eyes half closed as her lips brushed against Konoka's ear.
Konoka moaned, and shivered, nodding. "Y-yeah..."
Setsuna smiled. "Won't you, Kono-Chan?" Konoka nodded, pushing Setsuna back and kissing her hard. Setsuna slipped her arms around Konoka's naked waist, as she leaned back on Konoka's bed.
Konoka began kissing Setsuna's neck, kissing and licking and nipping a trail down to her stomach. Konoka's long dark hair obscured her face from Setsuna's view, but it wasn't a problem. Konoka had gotten good at what she was doing some time down the road when Setsuna used to force her to do this, and now, Setsuna was in another world, eyes closed, panting loudly as Konoka's tongue went to work, licking and grazing very sensitive spots.
The results of Konoka's licking, touching and stroking left Setsuna laying on her back, breathless, and completely out of energy. Konoka was laying on top of her, taking pleasure in the rare peace she could spend with Setsuna without having to think much about making mistakes or displeasing her. Almost unconsciously, Setsuna stared at the ceiling as her left hand stroked Konoka's hair, her hand slipping from her forehead, all the way down her back, and back to her forehead to repeat the process. Setsuna was still breathing hard, but eventually that faded into silence. The stroking continued. Konoka was resting her head on Setsuna's stomach, laying between her legs.
Konoka said nothing, and kept her eyes closed, wishing this moment would last forever. She was close to Setsuna, Setsuna didn't appear to be angry, and she wasn't being forced to do anything she didn't want to.
Another fifteen minutes had passed, and Konoka was almost asleep. Setsuna's hand had long since stopped stroking Konoka's hair, and was resting on top of Konoka's hand. If Konoka didn't know better, she would almost think that Setsuna loved her, or cared about her. Her heart fluttered at these thoughts, and she quickly banished them. They weren't appropriate.
Then, abruptly, Setsuna was shaking Konoka.
"Get up, I've gotta leave." She said, her tone empty of all emotion. It took Konoka a few seconds to realize what was going on, as she slid off Setsuna's stomach.
"What?"
"I've got to get back to my place." She said, still with that same tone devoid of emotion. Konoka felt her heart ache as she watched Setsuna scramble around for her clothes, which had been tossed off in their brief moment of passion. Setsuna bent down, looking for her hair-band, and Konoka couldn't help herself; she stared at Setsuna with absolutely no shame.
"Setsuna..."
Setsuna turned, and Konoka blushed, as she saw Setsuna's dark hair framing her beautiful face.
"What?"
Konoka blushed. "Ahh, nothing..." She said. Setsuna stared at her for a second, then raised her arms to sweep her hair back into her customary pony-tail. She had done it so many times that she no longer needed a mirror to get it right.
Without another word, Setsuna slipped on her panties, then her pants. She couldn't find her bra, but it was unimportant. Setsuna sighed, and pulled her shirt over her head. Konoka stared at her as she straightened herself and her clothes. Once she was satisfied, she headed to the door and slipped into her shoes.
Setsuna put her hand on the door handle, and turned to look back at Konoka, laying on the bed where they had both been moaning softly only minutes before.
"Clean yourself up, Kono-Chan." Setsuna said. Then she walked through the door, and shut it behind her.
It took a few minutes, but the tears came. Konoka realized she had been used again. Setsuna didn't plan on spending the night tonight, and she never did. Never would, she knew. No matter how many times Setsuna dropped by, she was always gone again after she had used Konoka. Konoka rolled over onto her stomach, and pulled a pillow close, holding on tightly to it. She muffled her sobs with the pillow, as she thought about Setsuna.
The next day, after school...
They never talked the next day about what they had done the night before. It would be too embarrassing, too awkward, and it would probably make Setsuna angry anyway, Konoka thought. Setsuna never brought it up, why she never stayed the night after doing what she did, or even why she did what she did. Konoka figured that if Setsuna didn't bring it up, then it must not be fit to talk about.
So they walked down the street, both silent. After a night like last night, making conversation wasn't the easiest thing to do, and no matter what you talked about, it always sounded incredibly fake. Like they were trying to avoid a painful subject. It was better not to talk at all.
Whether Setsuna felt guilty or not, Konoka didn't know. Konoka knew Setsuna knew she had been crying after she had left. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, and several people had asked her what was bothering her during class today. Setsuna never brought it up though, so it must be one of those things they shouldn't talk about.
Konoka didn't know where they were going, only that Setsuna wanted her to follow. She bit her nails nervously, as she always did the day after she spent half a night with Setsuna. Setsuna though, seemed perfectly fine. Her steady, clear gaze never wavered, and the slightest emotion never strayed across her face. It was impossible to tell how she felt, what she thought, none of those things.
Even watching her out of the corner of her eye, Konoka couldn't get anything from her. It's as if she were made of stone. Stone that moved, walked, yet rarely talked.
Konoka continued watching Setsuna, and after a few minutes, Setsuna's eyes found a target. It took Konoka a second to realize what Setsuna was looking at, and when she found out, she was very confused.
Setsuna raised her arm, and waved to a blonde-haired girl standing near the edge of the street. Setsuna, without saying anything to Konoka, crossed the street, and Konoka followed hurriedly.
"Hi Riisa." Setsuna said, stepping up onto the sidewalk. The blonde-haired girl, apparently Riisa, smiled at her.
"Hey Setsuna. Who's this?" She asked, pointing to Konoka.
Setsuna shrugged. "Just a friend of mine." She said, matter-of-factly.
Konoka wondered if Setsuna had anything to do with this girl, and if she should be jealous or not. Part of her told her she should, because Setsuna had introduced her as "just a friend." Maybe Riisa was the one Setsuna was actually interested in?
Setsuna dug into her pockets, coming up with some money.
"You can do it, right?" Setsuna asked, handing her the money. Riisa smiled. "Yes, don't worry. I'm old enough now, I threw out my fake ID months ago." She said. She took the money, and walked into a store. Konoka tilted her head back, and read the sign. It was a liquor store.
"What are you buying here, Setsuna?" She asked, speaking to her for the first time that day.
"Just some alcohol." She said. "Don't worry about it."
Konoka said nothing, but inside, she was very worried.
A few minutes later, and the girl was back out, holding a bag out to Setsuna. Setsuna shook her head. "Keep it until we get a few blocks away from the store, don't let them see you giving it to me." She said.
The girl nodded, and quickly retracted her arm. They began walking, and Konoka followed, unsure of what to make of Setsuna's new friend.
Back at Setsuna's dorm, Setsuna seemed to have relaxed somewhat. She was no longer ignoring Konoka, and Konoka found she could speak more freely without worrying about Setsuna getting angry. Setsuna slipped into the kitchen, and came back with two small glasses, handing one to Konoka.
"Here, take this Kono-Chan." She said. Konoka accepted the glass, and held onto it, unsure of what to do. Setsuna moved over to the couch, sitting down.
"Come here." She said, and Konoka refused to believe that Setsuna sounded almost friendly.
Konoka swiftly moved to the couch, and sat down a few feet away, feet on the floor and back straight, empty glass still in her hand.
"Aww come on, relax a bit." Setsuna said, sidling a bit closer. "That's no fun, now is it?" She asked. She took the bottle out of the bag she had been carrying, and easily yanked the cover off with her teeth. She dropped it onto her lap, and poured some of the liquid into Konoka's cup.
"Drink this slow now, or else you'll really feel it." She said, pouring a small amount into her glass as well. She set the bottle down, and replaced the cap. Konoka was still rigid, wondering what had gotten into Setsuna, and Setsuna wouldn't have any of it.
"Come on, relax babe." She said, leaning against Konoka. Konoka allowed herself to loosen up, as Setsuna slipped an arm around her shoulders. Setsuna leaned her head on Konoka's shoulder, and flipped on the T.V. The lights were out, and the bright television flickered on, temporarily blinding them both.
After a few minutes, Konoka shifted into a more relaxed position, and put her arm around Setsuna's waist.
Setsuna hummed as Konoka moved closer, and Konoka blushed, wondering why Setsuna was being so nice.
Silence reigned supreme between them, the only noise was from the television. Konoka, one hand around Setsuna, used her other hand to slowly swirl about the amber colored liquid in her glass. She had no idea what it was, nor did she care. She knew she shouldn't even be near this stuff...
Setsuna took a sip from her cup, and looked at Konoka. "You going to drink yours, Konoka-Chan?" She asked. Konoka blushed, but it quickly faded when she realized how fast Setsuna's good temper could fade. If it would keep her happy, then she might as well...
Konoka raised the glass to her lips, and took a slow sip, like she had been instructed. Even so, the liquid had a surprisingly sharp odor and taste, burning its way down her throat.
She hadn't ingested a large amount, so she was spared the coughing and hacking, but she did clear her throat a few times, blinking tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Is it good?" Setsuna asked, still looking at Konoka.
Konoka thought about it, then took another sip, slowly, before nodding.
"It is quite good." She said. "I like it."
Konoka nearly missed it, but she was glad she hadn't. Setsuna had smiled, closing her eyes and squeezing Konoka a bit tighter for a second, before returning her gaze to the show on T.V.
Konoka blushed again, and she closed her eyes, desperately trying to remember the mental image of Setsuna smiling, something so rare that it should have its own holiday.
Several cupfuls of alcohol, and a few television channel switches later, Setsuna was suffering a semi-permanent alcoholic blush, and was cuddling quite close to Konoka. Konoka herself wasn't doing too much better; her head was already spinning more and more with each sip she took from her more than thrice-filled glass. Now a bit looser, Konoka returned Setsuna's tight embrace happily, her mind solving all her problems with an alcoholic equation, and leaving her happy, unworried.
Setsuna, her head laying on Konoka's shoulder as she leaned against her, suddenly shot up, staring at Konoka.
"S-Setsunaa?" Konoka asked, trying to focus on her swift-moving friend.
"Konoka...you're..."
Setsuna moved a bit closer, crawling on top of Konoka. Konoka stared up at Setsuna, and lost herself in Setsuna's beautiful eyes. "Se-Chan..."
Setsuna leaned down, and half closed her eyes. This time, Konoka was wanting it too, and she tilted her head back slightly, anticipating the sweet meeting of their lips.
As Setsuna kissed Konoka, Konoka remembered that Setsuna had spoken.
"I'm what?" She asked, after the kiss had ended.
Setsuna closed her eyes, and shook her head. After a few seconds, she reopened her eyes. "You're so beautiful." She whispered. They kissed again, and this time, Setsuna's hands fell upon Konoka's body.
Konoka was taken by surprise as Setsuna's hands found the buttons of her shirt, and she wondered what Setsuna was doing.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Konoka asked, staring into Setsuna's eyes.
Setsuna shrugged, and the movement almost threw her off balance. She squeezed her eyes closed for a second, and regained her balance.
"I don't know, jus'...the stuff we always do, I guess." She said, opening her eyes again.
For some reason, that answer hurt Konoka more than she thought it would. She had already known the answer, deep down, but it hurt to have it brought out like this. Especially after Setsuna had said she was beautiful. If this was all Setsuna was after, she could have saved herself the trouble of getting Konoka's hopes up by treating her like a real person.
I fucking hate you Setsuna. Konoka thought, glaring at her. To her surprise, that thought brought tears to her eyes, and she realized that she could never hate Setsuna no matter what she did to her. Setsuna looked down at her, confused, as several emotions flitted across Konoka's face. Guilt started to envelope Konoka, and the tears started falling down her cheeks as she berated herself for thinking that she hated Setsuna.
Setsuna mistook her tears, and sighed, pushing herself up and off of Konoka. Konoka saw Setsuna get up, and she sat up, wobbling as blood rushed to her head.
"Get out." Setsuna said quietly. Konoka raised her head to look at Setsuna, uncomprehending.
"What?" She asked.
Setsuna turned away from her. "Get out!" She said again, a bit more forcefully.
"Get out if all you're going to do is cry." Setsuna said, turning around and grabbing Konoka by the arm. Konoka was pulled to her feet, and the world swayed dangerously, making her stomach feel queasy.
"Wait, what...?"
"Just get out, please." Setsuna said softly, with a sharp edge to her voice.
Konoka once again felt the tears coming, and this time she didn't try to hold them back. Setsuna pushed her toward the door, shaking her head in disgust. Konoka hurriedly put on her shoes, and left, slamming the door behind her. She took a few unsteady steps down the hallway, before realizing too late that she had forgotten her sweater, and didn't have a jacket. There was no way she wanted to go back to her dorm looking like this, either.
Not knowing what to do, she exited the building, and decided to walk the streets until she could clear her mind and think a bit more easily. The cold was slowly getting to her; it was nearing one in the morning, but she paid no attention to it.
"What the hell went wrong?" She mumbled, staring at the ground as she walked. "I didn't even do anything! I just asked what she was doing to me..." Konoka wondered if Setsuna wanted her to be voiceless, someone she could do anything to without hearing questions or protests. Konoka sniffed, and wiped her tears, but still they kept coming.
"Stupid Setsuna..." She mumbled, and again felt extremely guilty for insulting her. This lead to more tears, blinding her vision. Her walk slowed to a crawl, which was just as well. If she walked too fast she would get dizzy and probably fall into the street.
"What are you doing, Konoka-Dono?" A familiar voice asked, a voice full of warm curiousity and just a hint of amusement. Konoka wiped her face again with her sleeve, and looked up to see Kaede standing in front of her, hands on her hips, smiling at her.
"I...I messed up and got kicked out of Setsuna's place..." Konoka said, her breath hitching in her throat as she tried to cover up her tears.
Kaede's smile swiftly disappeared, and she moved closer, putting her arm around her.
"Where are you going now?" She asked, her sharp nose immediately smelling the alcohol on Konoka. Konoka shrugged. "I don't know, I was just walking around, I guess. I didn't really want to go back to my place."
Kaede hummed. "Well, why don't you come back to my place, spend the night?" She asked. "It's safe there, you won't have to go back to your place and face the questions of Negi-Bouzu and Asuna, and more importantly, it's a bit warmer than hanging around out here." She said.
Konoka thought about it for a second, then nodded. "Thanks, Kaede." She said. Then: "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Kaede asked, taking her hand and leading her back to the dormitory.
Konoka sniffed again; the tears seemed to be stopping now. "For bugging you like this." She said.
Kaede shook her head, her peaceful smile back on her face. "No, that's what friends are for." She said. "Don't even worry about it, Konoka-Dono."
Konoka said nothing, but squeezed Kaede's hand in silent thanks.
A few minutes later, and they were inside Kaede's dorm. Konoka took off her shoes, holding onto the wall to avoid falling over. As she straightened, a wave of nausea hit her, but passed quickly. She took a few deep breaths, then slowly walked over to the couch where Kaede was sitting. As she sat down, she suddenly felt very tired.
"Thanks Kaede." She said again. Kaede shook her head. "No worries, Konoka-Dono."
Silence filled the air between them, but it was a softer silence, a more peaceful one than the one Konoka often shared with Setsuna.
Kaede thought about how to best approach the subject at hand, and was about to ask when Konoka spoke up.
"Can I talk to you about what happened?" She asked softly.
Kaede nodded. "I'd like nothing better than for you to let me know what's on your mind." She said softly.
"You gotta keep it a secret, though, okay?" Konoka asked, closing her eyes and leaning back against the couch.
"I will." Kaede promised.
Konoka didn't respond for a few minutes, and Kaede wondered if she had fallen asleep. She waited another minute, and eventually Konoka spoke.
"Setsuna has a very negative side to her that she keeps hidden from everyone else." Konoka said, eyes still closed. Kaede nodded, but otherwise didn't interrupt.
"It seems I'm the only one who knows about it."
Konoka then opened her eyes, and looked at Kaede. Kaede stared back at her, showing that she was paying attention and listening seriously to what she had to say.
Konoka then blushed, and looked away.
"Setsuna takes advantage of me." Konoka whispered. Kaede's sharp hearing allowed her to catch the words, but part of her didn't want to believe it.
"In what way?" She asked, hoping it wasn't the way she thought.
Konoka continued to stare at her feet, embarrassed at what she was admitting. "My body. She touches it, forces me to touch her, do stuff to her." She said. "I don't want to go into details, but you know..."
Kaede took a deep breath, and wondered if she would be able to keep her promise of not telling anyone.
"How long has this been going on, you know?" Kaede asked. Konoka shrugged. "Since the beginning of this year." She said.
"How come you didn't go for help?" Kaede asked, expecting to hear that she was scared, or threatened, or thought that no one would believe her or help her.
"I love her too much." Konoka said, shocking Kaede.
"What?"
"I love Setsuna way too much to tell on her." She said. "I know she does such horrible stuff to me, especially when I tell her to stop, but..."
Kaede waited, her heart racing as she tried to assemble everything she was hearing into something she could understand.
"I know she does all this stuff to me, but she's so beautiful that I can't help but love her. I tried to get her to explain what she was doing and why she did it, near the beginning, but she got violent when I asked that, so I didn't ask anymore." She said. "I can't bear to see Setsuna angry or violent, I just want her to be happy." She said.
Kaede thought back over the last few days, wondering if Konoka had showed any signs of what had been going on.
"Did Setsuna have anything to do with how your face got bruised and cut?" She asked.
Konoka nodded, but said nothing.
Kaede hummed again, wondering what to do.
"It hurts..."
Kaede looked at Konoka, and saw her crying again, tears sliding softly down her face.
"It hurts, my heart, when she does stuff like that. It's not just a physical pain. I love her very much, and whenever she does this stuff to me, it hurts more than just my body."
Kaede couldn't help it. She reached over, and pulled Konoka close, hugging her tight. She stroked her hair, and let her cry.
"You know, I want to help you Konoka-Dono, but I might not be able to do that without telling someone and breaking my promise." She said.
Konoka nodded. "I understand." She said. "If it's best for Setsuna, then I think you should."
Kaede shook her head. "It's not just what's best for Setsuna, it's whats best for you." She said. "Don't worry over Setsuna so much that you forget yourself."
Konoka nodded, her head against Kaede's chest. Kaede hugged the girl tightly, and wondered what she could do to help.
"Well, Konoka-Dono, it's late, so why don't you sleep with me tonight, and tomorrow, I'll walk to school with you. It's up to you if you want me to prevent Setsuna from having contact with you or not, though." She said.
Konoka nodded. "I'll stay." She said. "Thank you. As for Setsuna, well...I'll think about it tomorrow." She said. "My head isn't too clear right now."
Kaede nodded, and gently laid down on the couch, pulling Konoka close to her. She closed her eyes, and thought about what she had been told. Her position was now very delicate, but she didn't blame Konoka for it. She was actually very glad Konoka had confided in her; something like this shouldn't be allowed to continue.
Her sharp ears told her that Konoka was asleep already.
Kaede smiled. Thirty seconds and she was unconscious; must be the alcohol. Kaede tightened her grip around Konoka's shoulders, and snuggled up close to her, wondering if sleep would come as easily to herself.
The next day...
Kaede entered the classroom with Konoka beside her, and as she expected, the reaction from Setsuna was nothing less than explosive. Setsuna's head came up as they entered, then she jumped out of her chair, pulling her sword case up with her. The expression on her face turned from apprehensive tension to pure anger, and Kaede put her hand on Konoka's shoulder, keeping her close in case Setsuna lashed out at her.
Setsuna walked toward them, glaring at Kaede.
"Take your hand off Konoka's shoulder. Now. Let her go." She said, and Kaede could hear the anger clear in her voice.
"I won't." Kaede said seriously, stepping in front of Konoka. She released her shoulder, but Konoka's hand found Kaede's, and held on tight.
"Did she stay the night at your house?" Setsuna asked, and by now she had attracted the attention of the seven or eight students who were in the class at that time.
"She did." Kaede answered. "I found her wandering around outside with no coat or sweater, crying her eyes out." She said.
Suddenly, something no one was expecting, Setsuna changed gears, and the anger dropped from her voice. "I was out looking for you most of the night and all morning." She said, worry replacing the anger in her voice.
Konoka peeked around Kaede's waist, and saw that Setsuna looked hurt, and scared.
Setsuna's eyes met Konoka's, and Kaede gently pushed Konoka back behind her.
"What do you want with her?" Kaede asked, using a tone that clearly told Setsuna that she knew what was going on between them.
"I want to talk to her." She said.
"Then talk." She said. "She's right here."
"In private." Setsuna said.
"So you can hit her again?"
"Shut up!" Setsuna said. "Let me talk to her."
"Konoka, you don't have to go with Setsuna if you don't want to." She said. "I'll protect you if you want."
Konoka thought about it, her hands tightening as she gripped the fabric of Kaede's shirt.
"I'm sorry, Kaede." Konoka said softly. "But I love her, I can't leave her." Konoka stepped in front of Kaede, and hugged her tightly.
"Thanks for all your help." She said, smiling. "You made me the happiest girl in the world knowing that you cared about me." She said. "But I think I want to hear what Setsuna has to say."
Kaede nodded, and glared at Setsuna.
"I'll be checking on you two in a minute or so." She said. "You better not lay another hand on her."
Setsuna said nothing, but took Konoka's hand. She lead Konoka out of the room, and Kaede stared after them.
One minute. You have one minute, and I'm coming after you two. Setsuna, if you hurt Konoka, me telling a counselor will be the least of your problems. I won't let you hurt her any more. Even if she loves you, and will take any punishment you hand out, I won't take it, and I'll stop you.
A/N: Hmm...that was an interesting deviation from the normal Kono/Setsu fics. How'd I do? Reviews are appreciated.