Authors Note: This is the revamped version of A Waking Dream. I hope that the wait wasn't too bad. I'm now one hundred percent happy with the way this chapter turned out. I hope that you all enjoy this. Please review. If you want to flame me, ok just tell me what can make this story better. Oh, by the way. The titles of the chapters have nothing to do with the actual chapter. It's just the name of the song I listened to while I wrote.
Special thanks: Thank you, Storyreader16 for beta reading this yarn. I know it must have been a painful experience, so I am truly indebted to you. Seriously people, if you liked this at all, give it up for him. It wouldn't have turned out half as well without his advice.
Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina. It never has and never will be mine so stop rubbing it in ya wankers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Waking Dream: Falling Away From Me
The incessant pattering of the rain filled Konno Mitsune's room. Grumbling about never wanting to drink another drop of liquor for the rest of her life, she groggily sat up and stifled a yawn. Blinking, she opened her normally closed eyes, trying to see the kind of morning she had awakend to.
It was cold and rainy, the tears of the heavens pelted against her window, making an ungodly racquet in her opinion. The brown haired woman flung the sheet that was draped over her to the side and stood up, stretching her arms, and letting out a stifled yawn. "What's for breakfast," she mused aloud. The floorboards underneath her feet creaked, making her mentally curse herself for staying out so late to drink. "Wonder how Keitaro feels," she mused aloud with a small chuckle.
The night before, the manager had returned from a mock exam, actually doing better than Naru. In what she called an innocent congratulatory gesture, she invited Keitaro to go out drinking with her. He was reluctant to agree but at nine o'clock that night, he was walking down the moonlit street chatting with Kitsune.
"So do you think that you'll get in this time," she had asked him.
Taken aback by the suddenness of her question, though he had been expecting something of the sort, Keitaro laughed. "Yeah, I do. I mean, with Naru and Mutsumi's help, how can I fail again?"
She nodded her agreement and beamed up at him. The two made their way to the train station and talked about unimportant things on their ride to Tokyo. When they finally arrived in the city, they walked to a crowded nightclub.
Once they were inside, they were immediately assaulted by a hypnotic wave of music, the bass pounding in their ears, deafening them temporarily. Not wanting to make a fool of himself, Keitaro made his way to the bar and ordered a scotch. Nursing his drink, the bespectacled man watched Kitsune make her way through the throngs of people on the dance floor.
His eyes ran over her body, mesmerized by her fluid like movements. Keitaro's cheeks were painted a dark red when she gyrated her hips so that she was facing him. His friend flashed him a smile and motioned for him to join her. Blanching at the thought of dancing in the middle of a packed dance floor, he held up his glass in response.
She sighed and made her way over to him. When she got to the bar, she ordered a martini, and glanced at the Tokyo-U hopeful. "You do know that we're to have some fun, right," she asked, taking a drought from her glass and asking for another. Seeing him nod, she grabbed his arm. "Then come on. Let's go out there and dance the night away," she implored, gazing at him with pleading eyes. The lights flashing lights above them caused her eyes to appear to be made of every color in the rainbow, two beautiful rainbows.
He gulped and nodded, allowing Kitsune to lead him into the horde of people, all swaying and whirling to the call of the music. She pressed her back against Keitaro and began moving in time with the music, rubbing against him occasionally.
The raven-haired man was already nervous enough; he didn't need Kitsune dancing on him to make it worse. He started dancing, albeit clumsy and awkward, but growing some in confidence. He ran his hands up and down her sides, trying to mimic the movements of the other men around him. They danced for a long time, staying close to one another only parting when they made their way back to the bar.
"You know you're not that bad a dancer Keitaro. You only stepped on my feet three times. That's a whole lot less than I expected," she told him after she drained four shots of vodka. He beamed some and took a swig of his beer. "Hey, why don't we go and find a place to sit down. All this dancing's killin' my legs," she told him, gesturing to an empty booth nearby.
He nodded and grabbed their drinks, following her over to a shaded area of the club. Once they were seated, she turned her gaze to the man across from her. She didn't know when but, at some point in their friendship, she had grown to love him as more than a close friend.
Had anybody told her when she first met him that she would wind up loving him, she would have laughed in their face at the absurdity of their remark. He was scrawny, funny looking, and just plain weird. Not like any of the men she had ever been interested in.
She had always found herself comparing these men to something; never happy with whom she was with. Everyone one of them was lacking something. This was one to grabby. That one was too lecherous. That other one was too rude. He was inconsiderate. It wasn't until much later that she realized she was comparing those men to the kindly manager that had wormed his way into her life and heart.
Now, however, she had to act like she did when Naru had loved Seta. Caring more about her friend than she did herself, Kitsune held Keitaro's heart only in her dreams. She knew that if she went after him, she could and would have him. It would take some time to win him over because his heart was set on Naru, but her constant stream of violence would be what worked in Kitsune's favor.
"Kitsune, you ok," Keitaro asked, breaking her from her reverie.
She smiled and nodded at him, alleviating some of his worry. They sat in the both for a few more moments, letting the drinks set in and the weariness leave their bodies. "You wanna go back out there," she asked, pointing at the dance floor.
Keitaro merely nodded and stood up, staggering somewhat from the effects of the alcohol. They danced and danced for the remainder of the night, never once breaking apart.
Later, when the life started to dwindle down in the club, the two went to another bar Kitsune knew of. She was immediately hailed by the barkeep, a short, stocky man with a kind looking face.
"This is one of my favorite places. It's not very well known, but the people are great," she told Keitaro, grinning at him. "The owner's name is Takeru, which also happens to be the name of this little establishment."
After giving Keitaro a brief explanation of her history with the place, Kitsune ordered them their drinks and found them a booth to sit at. They talked aimlessly about anything and everything. Keitaro was just starting to feel the affects of the Bourbon he ordered by the time Kitsune felt it safe to broach his feelings for Naru.
"So, we all know that you love Naru," she said making him choke on his drink some. Once the coughing subsided, she continued. "Why do you love her," she asked with a curious look in her eyes.
He coughed to clear his throat and looked at her bashfully. "I…I love her because of the side she doesn't show many people. You know what one I'm talking about," he said, making her nod. He smiled softly and sighed. "I know that she's distrustful of me, but I've seen her soft side and, to me, it's enough to make me love her."
The woman frowned and a grumbled under her breath. "So you mean to tell me that you'll take all of the crap she gives you just because of that rare sweet side," asked Kitsune. "That makes perfect sense Keitaro. Treat her like fuckin' royalty while she pummels you," she exclaimed, her voice laden with sarcasm.
She huffed and slouched in her seat, ignoring the stares of the other patrons. "Takeru, gimmie another bottle of Sake," she called out. Taking a long draught from the bottle, she mulled over her thoughts, letting her emotions have a little free time in her head. She was annoyed with Keitaro for being so soft. She was pissed at Naru for treating him like she did. She was angry with herself for not doing anything to stop her from hurting him. She must have let some of her feelings leak onto her mask of apathy when the manager gazed at her with concern. She shook her head and waved her hand when he made a move to speak.
"Save it Keitaro. Just save it," she snapped, turning her attention to the wall, fuming silently.
The manager clamped his mouth shut and studied the woman in front of him. Why's she acting like this, he ruminated. He didn't think his answers would make her mad. On the contrary, he thought that they would make her happy. He just said that he loved Naru; even all the things she had said and done hadn't changed that. Why's she so mad?
Kitsune sighed and looked at the table. Her face was slightly red and he could tell that the alcohol was affecting her. The woman took another swig of beer and put her glass down before turning her gaze to the befuddled man. "Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blow up like that. It's just, she treats you so bad and you don't seem to mind in the least.
"You're so blinded by her that you don't ever appear to notice other people. Everyone else at the dorms loves you, you know? Even Motoko does, in her own odd way. I know that any one of us would give an arm and a leg for you to love one of us the same way you do Naru," she slurred.
"Gah, zabhutas. Ehbadoi. Motoko fugrah slasha. Everyone" was his response, a favorite of his when confronted by any form of information that too much for his brain to register at the moment. He continued to stammer incoherently, much to the amusement of the other bar-goers.
Giggling, Kitsune watched as Keitaro tried to form words. She calmly sipped on her Sake again and allowed a smile to adorn her face. She stood up and excused herself so that she could use the restroom, staggering slightly, and leaving the landlord to mull over her words.
Once she returned she saw him looking out the window, his expression akin to that of a philosopher contemplating their place in the universe. The lights from outside danced over his face giving him a more mysterious look. She blushed when he turned his gaze towards her and offered a shy smile.
"Sorry if I didn't answer like I should have," he said once she was seated in front of him. Kitsune nodded slightly, wondering what brought about his change of heart. "It just shocked me when you told me that everybody at the Hinata house is practically in love with me. I mean, how could any of you guys love a pathetic guy like me? You all are perfect and I'm…..I'm just," he said, unable to find a derogatory term to describe himself.
He stared at the floor and sighed. Why do they love me, he mused. His thoughts ran rampant and he continually stained his own ego when he thought of reasons that they might. He jerked his head up when he felt Kitsune's hand on his own. The raven-haired man stared into her warm brown eyes, searching for signs that she was angry. He saw no rage, but he did see some pain.
"Why do you do that Keitaro," she asked him.
"What?"
She sighed and put her hand on his cheek. "Why do you always talk badly about yourself? You're not a bad person. Hell, you ain't got a mean bone in your body for cryin' out loud. So why do you always have to talk bad about yourself for no reason," she implored.
"Because what I say is true. I am pathetic Kitsune. You know I am. How could I not be piteous after failing to get into Tokyo-U for three years straight, landing any guys dream job and still screwing up at it, and to top it all off, I can't even seem to get the girl I love to see me as anything but a friend," he exclaimed with surprising vehemence, brushing aside her hand.
Kitsune let him calm down before speaking. "You know, not all of us see you like that. You wanna know what I see," asked. He nodded and looked at her, curiosity taking dominance in his eyes.
"I see a hard working and determined man. Sure you may not have achieved what you set out for in the beginning, but you never let that stop you. You've always kept your head high and eyes forward. You won't stop trying to win over Naru; even after all she does to you. Sure you may be clumsy and peep on us occasionally. Oh stop looking like that. Every time we catch can't be an accident," she said when he started to protest.
"You're a one in a million guy Keitaro. You're kind and considerate. You never do anything that'll hurt us. You do everything in your power to make sure we're happy. You know who should be calling themselves pathetic," she asked. The bemused man slowly shook his head.
"Me, Naru, and Motoko," she told him.
The bespectacled man was about to protest when Kitsune placed a finger to her lips and smiled. The two sat in silence, drinking and getting lost in their thoughts. At about two o'clock in the morning Takeru told them that he was closing up and ushered the pair out.
Staggering because of the alcohol and because Kitsune was leaning against him, Keitaro walked down the road, hoping that he was going the right direction. Still lucid enough to have some rational thought he made his way back to the bar. Once he got the barkeeps attention he asked for directions to a nearby hotel so that they could sleep off their alcohol induced states.
When he walked in, he blanched when he saw that only one room was available. We can't go home like this. I guess I'll just sleep in the tub, he thought, already dreading the crick that he would get in his neck. Once he had paid for their room at the kiosk, he stumbled into the bathroom, trying to get some of the rainwater out of his hair. He silently cheered when he walked out and saw that there were two beds in the room. He sighed and walked out of the room and lay down on his bed. He glanced over at Kitsune, who lay on the other bed, and saw that she was watching him, her eyes actually open.
"Everything ok," he slurred. Even drunk he still held his tenants' needs above his own.
She shook her head and motioned for him to come over to her. Once he had got to her side, she patted the spot on the bed beside her and pulled him down to sit. She grinned lopsidedly and ran her hand up his thigh. "You know what Keitaro," she purred, making the man shake.
He gulped and looked at her. "W-what," he asked, his voice shacking somewhat. What she was planning, he had no idea. He did know, he noticed, that he rather liked the close proximity of their bodies.
She nuzzled into his neck and pressed a feather light kiss to it before nipping him slightly. She giggled when he yelped and shot his hand up to the spot she had just bit. "You look pretty cute when you're drenched," she said.
Without warning, she swung her right leg across his waist and pulled herself into his lap. She pressed herself flush against him and pressed her lips to his, making him fall back. He hit his head on the headboard and groaned in pain. Taking his sound of pain as a sound of pleasure, Kitsune delved her tongue into his mouth.
Finally getting his bearings back, Keitaro grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back. "What the hell are you doing," he nearly shouted. Kitsune was kissing him; with tongue, the back of his mind informed him. Sure she flirted with him constantly, but she'd never done anything like this.
"I was kissing you," she said, trying to break free from his grip to resume her early activities. She didn't know why he reacted like that. She knew for a fact that he thought she was good looking, so why did it matter that she kissed him. "Am I ugly," she asked. Even if she was drunk, she lived up to her nickname, plotting something that would get him to release arms.
"What? NO," he said, waving his arms in front of him, shocked she would think that.
Hook, line, and sinker, she thought when he let go of her arms. She grabbed his wrists and held them high above his head. She smirked at him before lowering her face and capturing his lips again.
His muffled attempts at making her stop fell on deaf ears as she continued the languid kiss. When she finally pulled back, her face was flushed because of something other than the alcohol.
"Kitsune we need to stop, ok," pleaded Keitaro.
"You sure you want that," asked Kitsune coyly, eyeing the bulge that had formed in his pants.
No not really, he thought. "Yes." Traitor!
"Why," she asked, a knowing smile on her face. If she was right, and she usually was, Keitaro was just doing what he thought was best. To bad Keitaro, she mused.
Gulping, Keitaro looked at Kitsune. "Because, you wouldn't be acting like this if we weren't drunk," he said. He quailed in fear when he saw Kitsune glaring at him with her eyes completely open. That was never a good sign.
"So you think I'm like this because I've had to much to drink. You think I'd do this to anybody," she snarled. She knew that wasn't what he meant, but it would be fun to tease him some. She fought back a smile when he paled and started stammering apologies.
"Kei, it's ok. I know you didn't mean it. But really, I may be drunk, but I'm doing this because I want to. I'm tired of holding back around you. I know you love Naru, but do remember when I told you we all love you? That meant me too," she said softly, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She kissed him again, moving closer to his lips. She softly pressed herself against him and felt him stiffen, but otherwise he did nothing. She let go of his hands and cupped his face, making him look her directly in they eyes.
"The only left to know now is, do you want to," she asked, kissing him again.
Keitaro was caught between a rock and a hard place. He desperately wanted to do this, but he loved Naru. The affects of the liquor would normally have never cumbered his judgment. The constant abuse he got everyday at the Hinata-sou would have never pushed into sleeping with Kitsune by itself. Even having a willing woman on top of him practically asking him to sleep with her never would have made him do it.
However, all of these things pilled on top of him were enough to break his resolve. When she kissed him again, he responded, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her head closer to his.
Kitsune blanched as she recalled the previous night. She glanced around and noted that she wasn't in her room. She was standing in a traditionally furnished Japanese room. The woman quickly looked to where she had just been sleeping and saw the soft rising and falling of somebody's side.
With trembling hands she moved the sheets to reveal the slumbering, and nude, form of Keitaro. It was then that she took note of her own state of undress and the scent that hung in the air.
What did we do, she thought, already having the answer. She sighed and sank to her feet, looking at the room and seeing their clothes haphazardly thrown everywhere. Naru's gonna be pissed. Keitaro'll be lucky enough to escape with his life this time, she ruminated. She stood up and walked around the room, picking up her clothes and slipping into them. She debated whether or not she should leave but decided against it in the end. She wasn't about to leave Keitaro alone to deal with this.
Once she was completely dressed, she sat by the window and stared into the sky, taking some solace from the rain. She turned and looked at Keitaro when she heard him stir.
"Mmph, no Naru," he murmured in his sleep. He slowly opened his dark brown eyes and gazed about the room. He grabbed his glasses that lay by his side and slipped them on his face. "This isn't my room and why am I naked. Oh hey Kitsune," he said, still in that daze that comes before wakefulness. His eyes snapped open fully when he registered what he had just said.
"Kitsune, why are we together in…in…in this room. And why am I naked," he asked, pulling the sheets around his waist. He detachedly noticed a scent in the air he had never come across before but knew what it was on a primal level.
The woman let out a breath and walked over to the man. "It would appear that our innocent old manager ain't innocent anymore," she said, allowing the smallest of smiles to wash over her face. She handed him his clothes, which she had gathered and folded.
He numbly accepted them after mumbling his thanks, accepting them and walking to the bathroom to change. He ran some cold water from the sink and splashed it over his face and looked into the mirror. Did we really, he ruminated. He hung his head and gazed at his feet; he didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out where the stains on the sheets came from. "I really fucked up this time," he mumbled.
The manager made his way back into the room to find Kitsune seated on a fluffy cushion. She wasn't smiling, but she didn't look angry he noted. He took a seat in front of her and looked at her while she studied the floor. He couldn't think of anything to say. Hello would just be too awkward. He couldn't say thank you for letting me sleep with you. He wasn't about to make her feel cheap.
"So about last night," he said, opting to go with the most clichéd of phrases to break the deafening silence that surrounded them.
"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.
"Sorry? What are you sorry for," asked Kitsune incredulously, her head shooting up. She was the one that should be sorry. She was the one that had kissed him first. She made the first move. If she hadn't of done anything at all, they wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," he said. He had no idea why she was apologizing but he knew that he was sorry. He had forced himself on her and now, to make matters worse, she blamed herself.
"Look, Keitaro. We both messed up okay," said Kitsune, trying to stop either of them from playing the blame game. "We slept with each other, even if we were drunk it was something we both did. And if memory serves correct, you were actually pretty good at it," she said, making him blush slightly, and reminding him why she was called 'Kitsune'.
She chuckled softly and watched Keitaro try and regulate his breathing. Once he looked calm again, she continued in a more serious tone. "What are we gonna do about the others," she asked.
He sighed and shook his head. "Don't know. I know I'm not to keen on telling them. Not only would I be put into orbit, but it's none of their business," he said. His personal life was something that he didn't put out on display for the other residents, that's why it was called his personal life.
Smiling, Kitsune nodded. "We'd best keep it a secret I guess. What's the story then? Why didn't we come home last night," she asked.
A thoughtful look falling over his features, Keitaro fell into silence. He tapped his fingers to his chin and smiled slightly when he thought of something. "We tell them the truth, so to speak. We were to drunk to come home so we slept it off in a hotel. Of course we got separate rooms, that way they won't suspect anything, right," he asked, obliviously proud of the way he was able to come up with a lie on the spot.
Smiling and nodding, Kitsune stood up and walked over to the bathroom. "I must be rubbing off on you Keitaro. I need to use this but after that, what do you say we leave," she asked.
"Sure. I've got no problem with that," he said, standing up and walking over to the door. Once Kitsune left the room, the two of them walked out of the hotel, pausing long enough for Keitaro to return the keycard. They made their way to the train station, content to let the silence hang onto them.
Once they were seated on the train, they went over their story again, trying to make it as convincing as possible. The rest of the ride passed in silence. A silence only broken by the rattling of the train on the tracks.
Keitaro's thoughts flitted back and forth from Naru to Kitsune. He thought of his study partner and romantic interest with a sense of guilt. He knew, deep down that, what he and Kitsune had done was a betrayal of some sort. Sure they may not have been together, but he was in love with Naru and he slept with her best friend. Way to show you really love her, he thought.
Kitsune, on the other hand, he felt guilty about sleeping with her for different reasons. He had always felt a connection with the conniving woman, but now he didn't know what to expect. Would she want a relationship because of that one night, he mused as if the previous night were already a distant memory. No. I don't think she will, but what if she does, he ruminated.
He sighed and put his head in his hands, mumbling about this being harder than any of the entrance exams put together. Kitsune shot him a quizzical look, but soon returned to her thoughts.
When they got back home they quickly went to the kitchen, knowing that everybody would be arriving at the table around this time. The smell of bacon being fried greeted the two of them as they sat down. Nobody was with them and they looked at each other curiously.
"So just where were you two last night," rang out Naru's voice. She had somehow materialized behind them and her expression was anything but welcoming.
Keitaro turned white with fear in fear and started stammering inarticulately. Kitsune shot Naru a smile and sighed. "We both got pretty hammered last night. Couldn't make it home so we checked into a hotel. Oh don't look like that, we got separate rooms," she said, laughing.
Naru reluctantly accepted her best friends answer and sat down beside Keitaro, buttering some toast. With that, things went back to normal. Nobody suspected a thing. On the outside, it was as if nothing happened between the landlord and the resident trickster.
On the inside it was a whole other ballgame. Keitaro was wracked with fear that someone would eventually find out about his night with Kitsune. He shuddered in terror at what Naru and Motoko would do to him. He felt guilty at having slept with Naru's best friend, but he couldn't take it back, and a small part of his mind wanted to repeat their actions.
He thought of Kitsune often, wondering if she thought of the night as much as he did. He blushed when he remembered looking at himself in the mirror after he felt a slight pain on his back. Rows of scratches ran across his shoulders. He even found a small bite mark on his throat; thankfully his hair covered it when he encountered the other residents. He knew that all hell would break loose if someone found out about it.
The days turned to weeks and the weeks faded into a month. Everything was running along swimmingly, until heavy footfalls echoed out from Kitsune's room. Being closest to her, Keitaro peeked his head out of his door and caught a glimpse of Kitsune running to the bathroom. He cringed when he heard the sounds of retching and something splattering.
I hope she's not getting sick, he thought, concerned for his friend. He pulled his head back into his room and sighed. No use trying to go back to bed now, he thought, looking at the clock, seeing that it was almost time to get down for breakfast. He pulled on a black tee shirt and a pair of black jeans before walking down the stairs and sitting at the table.
He was just starting to pour a cup of coffee for himself when Kitsune walked in, a haggard look on her face. Without speaking or looking at Keitaro she grabbed his mug of steaming coffee and took a gulp of the bitter liquid.
"Um…you feelin' ok Kitsune," asked Keitaro, laughing nervously. I wanted that coffee, he thought dejectedly.
Sighing, Kitsune gazed down at the manager and sat down beside him. She ran her fingers through her hair and opened her eyes some. "I don't know, just woke up feeling like I was gonna puke worse than I do when I get plastered," she mumbled, letting her head fall into her arms. She groaned and mumbled something inaudible.
"Hiyas Keitaro," cried out Su as she bounded into the room. "Wow Kitsune, you don't look so good. You ok," she asked in her ever-present cheerful manner.
Shrugging and yawning, Kitsune didn't lift her head from its makeshift pillow. The smell of bacon lured her from her position, making her look up with a hungry expression on her face. "My god Shinobu, you never fail to amaze me," she said after taking a bite out of one the tender strips of meat,
The young chef blushed and mumbled a thank you before getting the rest of the food on the table. "Time for breakfast everybody," she called after running into the foyer. Once everyone was seated the motley family went about devouring Shinobu's food with gusto.
When the food was gone, Keitaro and Naru went to study. Motoko went to the roof to practice her kata's. Su and Sarah ran off to explore the tunnels that crisscrossed under the house. Shinobu went to the kitchen and began loading things into the dishwasher, a recent addition to the house. Kitsune sighed and went to the living room, flopping down onto the couch and cutting on the television.
She watched the horse race absentmindedly. Something was bugging her. It was in the back of mind but it was still there. It was like an itch that wouldn't go away and she had no idea how she was supposed to scratch it. She took out a pack of cigarettes, a recently acquired habit, and lit one up, taking a deep pull on the cancer stick.
She exhaled a plume of smoke and stood up, walking over to the vestibule. She looked out the door; the leaves of the trees blew to and fro. She sighed and walked to the door, grabbing her jacket off the coat rack before stepping outside.
She walked down the colossal set of steps of the dorms, her thoughts on the manager. She turned down the street when she reached the bottom and let her feet run on autopilot. She had thought of Keitaro a lot ever since the two of them had slept with each other. She wondered if he thought of her like she thought of him. Did he hold that night in a special place in his heart as she did? Were his feelings towards her different because of that one night stand?
Who'da thought that this would be so complicated, she ruminated. She looked up and found herself nearing the steps of the dorms again and decided that she would head back, wanting to soak in the hot spring.
Once she was in her room, she grabbed her bathing supplies and a fresh change of clothes before glancing at her desk. Her stuff clattered to the floor when she saw the date. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed something very important.
"I'm late," she whispered. Not wanting to believe what she just said, Kitsune picked the small calendar up and looked at it, willing the date to change. Nothing happened. She stared in disbelief at the paper and sank to the floor. It was then that she remembered they hadn't used protection and she hadn't been taking her pills.
Get a hold of yourself girl, she thought. You could just be late. Even if you did puke your guts up this morning, she thought, moaning in despair. What did she do to deserve this? She wasn't a bad person, at least that's what she told herself. On shaking legs she stood up and slowly walked back out the house. This time, instead of walking aimlessly, she walked to a nearby convenient store and purchased a handful of pregnancy tests.
Back in her room after taking all of them, she sat on her futon with her head in her hands. I should probably get an official one too. I know that even if some of them told me I wasn't, I still could be, she thought. What am I gonna say to him, she mused, thinking of Keitaro. She couldn't just walk in on him and Naru while they were studying and say, "Keitaro I think I'm having your baby."
No, she'd have to be subtle when she told him, lest she kill him with shock. She sighed and got up, walking down the stairs to go see Haruka and ask for a ride into town. She was defiantly going to get a real test and find out for sure.
"Kitsune," cried an overexcited Su.
The brown haired woman looked up at the young foreigner and forced a smile to her face. "Whatch'yall need," she asked Su and Sarah.
"I don't need anything, just wondering where you were going," she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She knew that if Kitsune was going somewhere it would be fun. Anything that the older woman was involved in was fun actually.
Kitsune frowned and sighed. "Sorry kiddo, you can't come with me. I have some very important business to take care of and it's not something that children should be exposed to," she said in her rarely used mature voice.
Her smile faltering for the briefest of seconds, Su turned around and ran. "Okies then. We'll have to play later," she called over her shoulder, Sarah running behind her. Well we can't play with Kitsune. I wonder what Motoko's doing, she thought.
Letting out a breath, Kitsune continued her way down the stairs. Once she was at the teashop she asked Haruka for a ride into town.
"Why," asked the older Urashima.
Never being able to tell a convincing lie to Haruka, Kitsune told her the truth. "I need to get tested to see if I'm pregnant," she said quietly. She was expecting Haruka to scold her or lecture her, they were after all like mother and daughter.
"Alright. Gimmie a sec to close up and we'll be on our way," she said, her expression unreadable.
Kitsune watched as the older woman went around the shop telling the customers that she would be shutting down early. After a few minutes the shop was empty save for Haruka and the young writer.
"Come on," said Haruka, motioning for Kitsune to follow her out the door.
The drive to the clinic was silent, broken only by the muffled sounds of life outside the car. Once they arrived, Kitsune took a deep shuddering breath before climbing out. The two women walked to the check in counter, a heavy silence hanging between them.'
"Hello, do you have an appointment or would you like to make one," asked a cheery sounding woman of about thirty. Her soft brown eyes twinkled with kindness and she brushed back a stray black strand of hair.
"Um, no I don't have an appointment, but I'd like to make one," said Kitsune, laughing nervously.
"Okay dear, what's your name? And may I see your insurance card," she asked.
"Konno Mitsune," said Kitsune, handing the woman the small card.
"Okay, and what are you here for," she asked politely. The woman already had a good guess why though. An attractive young woman coming to a clinic for testing and worried look on her face. It was one of two things, and she prayed it wasn't what she thought it was.
"I need to be tested to see if I'm pregnant," she said.
"Alright. I'll call you when the doctor's ready to see you," said the secretary.
Kitsune nodded her thanks and walked with Haruka to the waiting room. She looked at the covers of the magazines sitting on the table beside her. Why is that every place like this has magazines that were new when my grandparents were my age, she thought. After what felt like an eternity she herd her name.
"Mitsune. Konno Mitsune. The doctor will see you now," called out the kindly secretary.
The ringing of a telephone emanated from the living room of the Hinata-sou. An anxious woman with light brown hair walked over to pick up the noisy mechanism. Ever since her visit to the clinic, Kitsune had been weary of any and all phone calls. Every time she heard the ringing of the phone, she would swallow her fear until the call was over.
"Hello," she asked. "Yes this her. So the results are in," she whispered, a worried look passing over her face. "Okay then, thank you," she said before hanging up. She rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, trying in vain to alleviate some of the pressure built up there. Sighing, she turned and walked towards Haruka's teashop.
Once inside, she found the older woman smoking a cigarette and reading a paper. She glanced up at Kitsune and motioned for her to join her. She took a deep pull on her smoke and let out a plume of smoke. "You got the results," she said, still looking at the paper. The way she had said it was more like a statement of fact rather than a question.
"Yeah, I did," breathed Kitsune.
The two women remained silent for a spell, the gentle murmurings of the patrons swirling around them. Kitsune sighed and looked up at the ceiling. What am I gonna do, she mused.
As if interpreting her thoughts, Haruka sat the paper aside and looked at Kitsune. "Well it's pretty obvious what you got back. What are you going to do now?"
The younger woman shook her head and let out a breath. "I don't know. I mean, what can I do," she asked. She had always had appeared to know just what to do in every situation, but now she let that mask fall away as she tried to face reality. Life's falling away from me, mused Kitsune, thinking back to an American heavy metal song she liked. Normally she wouldn't listen to that kind of music, but something about the song made her listen.
"I think you should tell him," interjected Haruka, snapping Kitsune from her musings.
"What," she asked.
"Tell him what the doctors said," Haruka replied calmly. She took another drag on her cigarette and set it in a nearby ashtray. "He deserves to know," she said, blowing out a cloud of smoke.
"I know I should, but I don't want to do anything that'll hinder him from going after his dreams. And 'sides, he loves Naru. I'm just the one night stand girl," she mumbled bitterly.
"Tell me, how do you feel bout all this," said Haruka, breaking off onto another line of thought.
Blinking, Kitsune sat back and closed her eyes. "Well I guess you could say I'm excited. I guess it's safe to assume you know about my feelings for Keitaro," she said, making the other woman nod. "I do love him, but I don't want to come between him and Naru. They both mean the world to me and I don't want to jeopardize the friendship I share with them. I would love to be with him, but I don't stand a chance," she mumbled, hanging her head.
"Well, you'll never really know if you stand a chance until you try. I'm not saying to go and put your friendship on the line, I'm just saying that you shouldn't talk as if you know the future. If I were in your shoes, I would tell him and let him decide what he's going to do about it," she said. She picked up a cup of tea and took a small sip before continuing. "If he wants to be there in the future let him."
After that, the conversation drifted to various topics. After about an hour Kitsune left to peruse the kanrinin. She made her way up the stairs that led to his room, taking two at a time. Once she was standing outside his door, she took a deep breath and knocked softly.
Shuffling could be heard and then footfalls as Keitaro made his way to the door. Opening it a crack he smiled when he saw Kitsune standing outside. "Yes?"
"Can...can I come in," she asked. She walked in and kept her back to him after he opened the door wider. This was stranger for her. Usually she wouldn't wait for an answer, hell she wouldn't even knock most times. Something was up. Either she was up to something or there was a problem. It must be bad, he thought, remembering the look on her face when he opened his door.
"Take a seat," he said, offering her motioning to the chair at his desk. She shook her head but kept her back to him. "Kitsune...is everything okay," he asked gently.
She sighed and turned to look at him. "Keitaro, how do you feel about me," she asked bluntly.
He face faulted, but after getting back to his feet he shot her a questioning stare. "What's all this about," he implored.
"Just answer the question," she asked, opening her eyes, which held a pleading look.
Nodding slowly, he leaned against his wall. "Well, you're a great person. Sure you may tease me, but I know that you don't mean any harm by it. You're smart, funny, beautiful, and extremely kind," he said.
Kitsune remained unreadable. Keitaro stayed silent, feeling like he was being judged. What did she ask me that for, he ruminated.
"Keitaro, do you remember that night a month ago," she asked softly.
Blushing, he nodded. How could he forget? It was the night he finally lost his virginity, he wasn't about to forget that. "Yes I remember," he said. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just wanted to make sure you did. I've got somebody I'd like to introduce you too," she said.
"Okay. Where are they," he asked slightly confused. Why would she bring up that night if she wanted him to meet someone.
Giggling, Kitsune grabbed his hand. "Close your eyes," she whipsered.
His confusion only growing, Keitaro obliged and shut his eyes. He felt Kitsune grab his arm and lead him around. It was a bit awkward walking around blind, but he trusted that she wasn't going to take him anywhere bad. "Don't peek," she told him before stopping. He felt his hand on something and suppressed the urge to open his eyes.
"Okay, you can look now Keitaro," said Kitsune.
When he opened his eyes he saw that they were back in his room. When he glanced at where his hand was he saw it resting on Kitsune's stomach. "Umm, Kitsune, where's the person you wanted me to meet," he asked, leaving his hand on her belly.
"Right here," she said. His confusion must have been evident, for she gestured at her hand.
"Oh, I've already met you Kitsune," he said, still not getting it.
Growling slightly, she forced a smile to her face. "What I'm trying to say is…I'm pregnant."
"You're....p-p-preg," was all Keitaro could get out before he fell to floor and blacked out.
Authors Note: That's it for chapter one. It is now two o'clock in the morning and I'm freezing my arse off. I'm going to bed. I'll have the second chapter up as soon as I can. I might not be able to have it up here as quickly as you all would like because I'm in the midst of moving right now. I will post it soon, as soon as I can get online that is. Well, please review. I know that many authors say this, but they really do help speed up the writing process. Knowing that people are liking my stories and having some feedback only makes me want to work harder. If you want to flame me, go ahead. Just keep in mind, if you do flame, tell me how to make this better. This is Chaos Poet, signing out.