Searching Hearts
By TsurugiNoMiko
"Fate-chan...Fate-chan..." a voice called out my name waking me from my sleep.
"...rmmmm five more minutes..." I complained rolling over
"Fate-chan!" the voice got louder "You cant be slacking off so early in the morning! You'll be a bad influence on Vivio."
"Nanoha, please..." I groaned as I fought to keep the sheets from being pulled away from me "I stayed up with Yuuno all last night doing research for your students."
"And who's fault is it you didn't allow for sleep? Now get up!"
I pouted as I got up and stretched. "You are too strict you know that?" I glared at her
"And you have no restraints" she looked back at me before heading to the kitchen "I'll be going ahead so please drop Vivio off at school ok?"
"Hai..." I sighed as I got ready for the day.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Good morning, Nanoha" I called out as she walked through the door.
"Morning Yuuno-kun" she responded happily "You are early today."
"No" I yawned "I fell asleep in the lab after Fate left. I'm still pretty exhausted."
"That is not good" she started correcting me "You and Fate-chan need to be ready at all times, who knows when we'll have to mobilize?"
I sighed and drifted my mind away as I received another one of Nanoha's famous lectures. I swear shes taking this whole instructor thing way too far sometimes.
"Do you understand Yuuno-kun?"
"Yeah I understand" I half lied "I'm going to go get some breakfast ok?" I diverted before she could say anything else.
*sigh* What happened to the cheerful outgoing girl I liked from back then? my mind reminisced its like shes become a completely different person now. I stepped outside onto the roof of the south wing of the Section VI headquarters to get some air and to be alone. I was about to go to my usual "thinking corner" when something caught my sight. There she was...standing with her back against the railing, staring off into the sky, her hair gently flowing into the wind. It must have been the angle of the sun that morning but Fate looked really beautiful--I mean she was beautiful before...but this...this just made her look really stunning. I couldn't move--or even breathe for that matter--thinking that this perfect picture in front of me would fade away into the wind the moment I did anything else.
"Ah, good morning Yuuno" she finally noticed me standing there like an idiot staring at her. "Care to join me?" she asked smiling gently yet never moving from her position.
"Good...morning..." was all I could say as I strolled up to her a little rigidly. How could I have never noticed her like this before? my mind started racing I guess it was because I was always preoccupied with trying to win Nanoha over my mind answered itself after a few moments.
"Here to clear your thoughts as well?" she asked
"Yeah..." I sighed defeated "you too huh?"
"Yeah" she nodded
"Its about Nanoha" we both said at the same time.
Fate and I blinked at each other for a little while before bursting out in laughter
"It seems we have the same problem" she stated wiping the tears from her eyes
"Seems so" I responded between catching my breath
"You want to go first?" she asked
"Ladies first?" I countered
"Fine..." she playfully pouted. "Where to begin" she sighed "I don't know...it just seems like Nanoha is becoming more and more of a perfectionist you know? I understand that she might have to be that way while teaching, but shes doing that even at home! Shes being very strict with Vivio that I am afraid the girl is going to turn into an automated robot before she becomes a teenager." she sighed again deeply "Its not just Vivio..." she continued "shes wearing me out also. Even waking up in the morning is slowly turning into a battle everyday. I explained to her what we were doing last night but she just wouldn't budge. I mean its not like we were out partying or doing something recreational, we are actually doing work to help out her students!" *argh* "Why doesn't she understand that?!" Fate slammed her hands on the rail.
"I know what you mean..." I started "I love my work, but I don't live my entire life off of it. Nanoha needs to learn that there is a time for seriousness and a time to just...let loose." I glanced up at the sky bringing back memories of when we were all kids "I have a confession to make..." Fate looked at me oddly but remained silent "I used to like Nanoha a lot back when we were growing up. I always thought that one day, when I got my feet planted on the ground, I would ask her out. It seems like I am a bit to late though...seeing as she isn't quite the same person I fell in love with back then." I looked at Fate who had surprise written all over her face. "Oh don't give me that look, you were after Nanoha too. Admit it! I know all about those little escapades you tried to pull her to just so you could get closer." I smirked
"Hey that's a secret!" she playfully punched me in the arm. "Truth be told...I don't know what to do anymore." she looked down a little saddened. "I just cant keep holding on like this...I'll break apart if I keep going."
"Yet its still hard to let go isn't it?" I smiled dryly
"Yeah...I cant seem to talk to her the same way I used to. Shes just acting like shes got so much on her mind that it seems like I don't have a place there anymore."
"It's ok...you always have me right? Hahaha" I joked
She looked over at me silently
"W-what..?" I started, thinking I might have offended her.
"You know something..." she leaned in closer to me "why is it that things feel so natural when I am talking to you? I mean it should be natural anyway since we all grew up together but...somehow...this is different. Its more...relaxing"
"Yeah" I laughed a little "its almost like we really click together." I continued my joke "We do have the same problems in our lives it seems. Ha ha ha."
"Ne..." she leaned in closer, sorta making me feel a little uncomfortable "would you like to have lunch with me today?"
"Eh?" I asked confused
"We haven't had lunch together in a while and..." she looked down and blushed a little bit "I would like to talk to you some more."
"O...ok" I stammered after seeing her blushing. "H-here at lunch?" I offered
"I'd like that" she whispered softly before pushing herself off the railing and giving me a soft kiss on the cheek "Thanks for talking to me this morning Yuuno" she waved as she started walking back to the building. "See you at lunch"
"Cya....later..." I stood there, stunned, watching her figure disappear from my sight. My hand at my cheek where she just...
Unknown to the two individuals a lone figure opened her eyes and looked up at the sky from her position on the roof of the doorway entrance overhang. Her lips grinning from ear to ear at the conversation. "Well, well..." the Commander of the Sixth Mobile Division sat up after Yuuno walked back inside. "This is getting interesting...I cant wait to see how this will all play out." She punched some buttons on a communicator that popped up "Rein" she called as the figure appeared on screen
"Yes, Mistress Hayate?"
"I want you to get the video cameras ready" she grinned even more "we have an interesting situation going on..."
* * * * * * * * * *
"Surrender, Fate!" Yuuno shouted at me
"No! Never!" I shouted back desperately
"You cant escape!" Yuuno said looking me in the eyes.
"Ah! No!" I cried out
"Just you wait! The next one will be harder!" Yuuno grinned at me
"Yuuno, please not so hard!" I gasped for air
"Y-you too!" he called back breathing just as hard "you need to loosen up!"
"Please!" I begged "I'll break if you keep going like this!"
"I'm sorry *huff* but I cant resist...!"
"Yaaaaaaa!!" I screamed as I swung my racket full force at the tennis ball that was heading right for me. "POINT! GAME!!!" I cheered as the ball hit the corner of the court before Yuuno could rush over to it.
"You're a beast" he breathed as he collapsed to his knees.
"Victory!" I playfully rubbed it in his face while doing the ever-famous Final Fantasy VII victory pose. "You like that don't you" I teased Yuuno a little when he laughed at me for the pose.
"Yeah that was cute" he blushed a little bit
"It has been a while since I got to play a very exciting game." I said throwing him a towel before picking one up for myself. The sound of cheering came over from the observation deck from about half of the Mobile Six Division who came out to watch the match. "I didn't even see them" I laughed waving up at them.
"I was too focused running around myself" he admitted. "Good game, Fate"
"Thanks, you did really well too Yuuno" we shook hands "Hey are we still on for lunch?" I asked as I wiped the sweat off my head.
"I just have to turn in the research data we worked on yesterday to Shari so she can start fixing up the devices for Nanoha's students, but afterwards I will head over."
"Alright I'll see you then!" I replied before heading to the shower.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Mistress Hayate?" Rein called out as she floated towards the commander's desk carrying a video camera over her head. "What do you need this for?" she asked after placing it down. "Cant you just use the magical cameras that we normally use?"
"I would love to Rein" Hayate answered "but our subjects are sensitive to magical signals. I would like to capture and observe them with as little interference as possible.
Rein looked at her a little confused, part of her wanted to know and part of her...just somehow told her...not to ask. In the end curiosity won over common sense. "Just what exactly are we going to be recording?"
Hayate stopped suddenly for a moment, making Rein regret her words. Hayate slowly turned and looked at Rein with a large grin on her face and her eyes sparkling "A possible new romance maybe? Fu-fu-fu"
Rein started to slowly back away in fear. She knew that laugh. That was the laugh that her mistress gave out whenever it was she was up to no good. Like the time she was forced to cross dress as a Gothic Lolita with cat ears and a tail just because her mistress was looking at an old fashion magazine.
"And just where are you going?" Hayate looked back over to Rein
"I...er...need to help Shari....with maintenance today and...BYE!" she flew with all her might towards the door.
"Too slow!" Hayate shouted as white binds formed around Rein and slowly pulled her back to her master.
"No! Let me go!" Rein shouted desperately
"Now now Rein-chan" the mistress grinned "You are going to help me out here...or else we'll have to play a little punishment game" she held up a small set of cat ears much to Rein's horror "ok?"
"Hai! hai! Anything but that! Please!"
"Hmm maybe I should have you wear it anyway just to make sure~~" she looked at it thoughtfully
Rein's eyes widened "Iyaaaaaaa~~~~!"
* * * * * * * * * *
"Sorry I'm late!" Yuuno called as he ran over to me.
"No, I didn't wait long." I shook my head "I had a little errand to run with Teana and it took a bit longer than I expected. I was thinking I was the one who was going to be late.
"And I still ended up appearing after you" he sighed "it is supposed to be the guy's role to show up first"
"Just what era are you from?" I teased "come on lets eat"
We opened up our bentos and started eating.
"Ooh that looks good."I noted looking at the beef piece he had on his plate
"It is, would you like to try one?" he asked
"Would you feed it to me?" I teased unknowingly. He looked at me stunned with a blush on his face "Oh, wow! Did I just say that?" I put my hand to my mouth and blushed a shade of red as well after finally understanding what I had just asked.
"Umm...here" he offered his bento box, trying to break the awkwardness.
I looked at it for a bit and then at him. "Let's try it..." I almost whispered
"Eh?" he blinked at me several times
"F...feed it t-to me" I looked down and stammered blushing even more as the words continued to flow from my trembling lips
"O....o-ok" Yuuno slowly picked up his chopsticks and, with shaking hands, held it up in front of me.
Before he could blink, I had darted forward, grabbed the piece of food, leaned back, and was chewing it lightly. Had I known any better I could have sworn I had just used Sonic Move.
"Whoa!" he jumped back at my sudden reaction
"Sorry..." I said between munching while holding my hand in front of my mouth
"The food isn't going to run...hahaha" he laughed awkwardly
"Sorry I made you do that" I bowed in apology "I just wanted to always try that but.."
"No-no! its my fault for being so awkward" he held up his hands. "Ok then!" he tried to recollect himself "let's eat!"
* * * * * * * * * *
"Ohoho~~" Hayate grinned in her dark office staring at the monitor in front of her. "This is quite the interesting turnout indeed." she pressed the button to open a communication line to Rein "That is enough for now Rein. You should come back before they take notice of you."
"Hai"
Hayate shut off the monitor as the lights turned back on. "I wonder what I can do with this..." she grinned to herself in the quiet spanse of her office. "It will only get more interesting from here..." *evil laugh*
A/N: As stated this is a random story I started writing on the AS forums I figured I'd post it here so that the people who are actually following this story dont have to dive into the hell of posts on the FFT. Like one person mentioned "I cant find anything in this sea of chat if I had a diving suit and a map" hehe.