A/N - Haven't written for a while! This one-shot was uncompleted for a looooong time, but i finally came up with an ending that I don't dislike :) Thanks as always to my beta Omni! Hope you all enjoy this story and find it to your liking :D
When Hiding Feelings is Overrated
Shizuru Fujino had gotten the call while on vacation in Maui with her beau, actress Sandra Blume. One evening of hot tub hotness had quickly turned into a nightmare when a bellboy knocked on her hotel suite's door to inform her that a very important call had come in from Japan. So when she picked up the phone and expected the caller to be her father inquiring if she was free to run a business venture or something, she had not expected to hear from her father's secretary who told her the man had a heart attack and was currently in a hospital.
She told Sandra she had an emergency and got to the airport as quickly as possible to head back to her home country and to her father's side.
Now, twenty-seven hours later, the doctor in charge had come out of the surgery to say her father was fine but 'definitely not well enough to get back to his old routine.' Which brought Shizuru to her current argument with her father...
"You don't think I'm capable of handling the company? Until you're back on your feet... father, it's only a matter of a month." Shizuru leaned back and raised her eyebrows at her father, challenging him.
"Yes, well," her father winced and struggled a bit before letting out a sigh. "No need to worry yourself dear. Natsuki can handle the company till then, she's been doing most of it lately anyways."
"Natsuki?" Shizuru felt a bitter bell ring in her body and her eyes hardened at her father. "Natsuki's not even here father, she's been in Mumbai for months."
Just then the door to his private room opened and a slim, sexy, young woman with dark blue hair strutted in with a slam of the door. "The staff here sucks."
Shizuru, who would on most occasions be polite enough to stand up and greet someone, only sat up a bit straighter as one of the few people she disliked made her appearance.
"Natsuki. Ara, you're back from your amazing tour of India?" Her voice oozed bitchy sarcasm, something she hadn't been able to prevent the last few years when it came to talking to Natsuki.
"Shizuru," Natsuki's emotionless face remained set in stone, green eyes narrowing in distaste at the slightly older woman. "And aren't you supposed to be fooling around with some bimbos on another continent?"
"Oh my, Natsuki is one to talk about screwing bimbos, isn't she?"
"Natsuki," Rock Fujino addressed his right-hand woman with a stern look, "have a seat."
A small blush coated the blue-haired woman's cheeks but she sat down in the spare chair without objection and removed her leather gloves before running a hand through her long soft hair and talking to her boss.
"Mumbai was a waste of time, so I decided not to expand there... though I turned a large profit before leaving. Made some enemies."
Shizuru smirked, "swindling people of their money, Natsuki's true talent."
Natsuki shrugged, "money is to be made, you can't have mercy."
"Children," Rock interjected with a hand rubbing his heart, amused at the situation. "I understand you both don't get along, but if I'm leaving my conglomerate to you two I expect some kind of teamwork. You know, I have a good idea actually!"
"Please don't send us on another trip together father," Shizuru cut off and sent Natsuki a killer look. "Some people are the worst company."
"Speak for yourself," Natsuki shot back. "What's your great idea, boss?"
"I'll take this time off of work to see where my company is headed. Shizuru, Natsuki... you both are in equal control as of today and if it doesn't work out then maybe I should start looking for a new successor altogether."
And that, Rock was pleased to find, shut the two up.
OOO
Natsuki Kuga had made herself. She worked hard to get where she was. A position in Stride Co. owned and operated by Rock Fujino was her ultimate achievement. It had money, respect, and power. The man had made himself just like Natsuki and his insight to business was just one of the many reasons she respected him enough to think about his every word. So if the man was challenging her to get along with his spoilt daughter, then Natsuki would agree. She knew he wouldn't actually get a new successor if they failed to get along and Natsuki knew she and Shizuru easily got along when doing business (when it counted) minus a few points of view but those views were always argued in private so it wasn't an issue... Shizuru was just frustrating!
However, Natsuki could deal with the guy's daughter if serious money was involved.
"Natsuki, do you hear something?" Shizuru looked up from her laptop and gave Natsuki a serious look.
Natsuki snapped from her thoughts, they were the only two passengers on the private jet and it had been quiet for the last three hours during their flight to South Africa. She heard a rumbling outside and stood up, looking out the window. She saw a parachute.
That couldn't be a good sign.
She quickly ran to the pilot's pit only to be thrown back by a fierce wind where an emergency latch had been kicked open.
"Natsuki?"
"I think the pilot jumped the plane," Natsuki yelled back to Shizuru. Shizuru's eyes opened wide and she moved forward to where Natsuki was pushing herself back up. They made their way into the cockpit which was indeed empty. Well, shit.
"Bastard took the only parachute," Natsuki hissed, seeing that the box that contained them was empty. There were supposed to be five parachutes on the plane but it appeared someone was trying to kill them, or one of them.
"Don't you know how to fly a plane?" Shizuru's voice carried over, the brunette already seating herself in the pilot's chair and trying to make sense of the controls.
"Yeah," Natsuki rattled at her brain and remembered that yes, she could try and do something. She pushed Shizuru out of the way and took the seat. "Shizuru?"
"Yeah?"
"Try to relax, if we die there's a reason!" Despite her words of comfort, she was incredibly panicked.
Shizuru nodded, unable to breathe in anything but fear as she choked out, "and you too Natsuki."
Natsuki nodded, for the first time they saw a weakness in each other's eyes. Suddenly the plane started making beeping noises and their fear grew even more when it started rattling and diving down.
Natsuki pressed random buttons and pulled levers and grabbed the mode control panel and hoped for the best as the plane headed down to the unknown below.
OOO
"Natsuki?" Natsuki felt a pat on her cheek and she gasped awake, her body feeling incredibly sore as memories flooded back to her.
"Shiz...?"
"Ara, thank god!" Shizuru breathed a sigh of relief and Natsuki felt her eyes focus on the woman hovering over her with a smile. "You remember who you are? The year?"
"Mm..." Natsuki pushed herself up and noticed they were both soaking wet and on a beach. Typical. "Kuga Natsuki... twenty-seven... year two thousand and eleven – er twelve... are you injured?"
"Not seriously," Shizuru collapsed back against the tree trunk behind her with a soft groan. "You managed to land the plane on this island but you forgot a seatbelt and tossed yourself against the windshield when we landed."
Natsuki turned her head, the memories coming back to her. She winced when she remembered slamming into the thick airplane glass... ouch. Her head throbbed in agreement. She most definitely had at least a concussion.
"So..." Natsuki frowned. "That was attempted murder. Of one or both of us..."
"I agree. Though the probability that our personal pilot forgot his duties -for which he is given a lot of money- to save his own life in panic still exists."
Natsuki scrunched her face in thought. "But there was nothing wrong with the plane when I landed it, he could have landed it... there was just some uh – what's it called? Engine heat or something, so I couldn't continue flying, just had to land."
"I understand... So pilot-han tried to kill us." Shizuru shook her head. "I put out an SOS signal, I think the wires are broken. You can fix them can't you?"
"Yeah just... just give me a minute. I think I broke something."
OOO
"Stop squirming, please!" Shizuru reasoned. She had retrieved their suitcases from the plane as well as a first aid kit since Natsuki had difficulty breathing from what they suspected to be a broken rib or two.
Natsuki relented, her cheeks bright red. "Yeah, well, I know you're helping me out and all but – do you have to tickle me?"
"Ticklish?" Shizuru giggled, which turned into a few coughs from the hot and dry weather surrounding them.
Right after she said it, they both stiffened. Shizuru hesitates from continuing but decides to be professional about it. She was caring for someone, not caressing them like a lover.
Natsuki watched Shizuru return to wrapping a bandage around her torso, fingertips brushing occasionally against her bra.
Two years ago...
Natsuki followed her boss and mentor around, absorbing his life and ethics, the man who raised Natsuki when she had nothing – he was her lifeboat.
"Here Natsuki, have a beer!" The man slammed a bottle in front of her. "To our profit!"
She hesitated, ignoring the jealous stares of her boss's Vice-Presidents who all thought she was a deceitful punk charming an old man to the top.
"Um, boss, I've never... I mean..." she gestured to the bottle, embarrassed.
"You've never had a beer?" He looked baffled.
"I've never had alcohol," Natsuki corrected. "I always thought the whole party thing was nonsense."
Rock chuckled, "It depends who and what you're partying for. Now, I won't force you, but you should loosen up a bit. Hardships have been overcome and I find a drink helps me relax and it takes the edge off."
Pondering his latest advice, she stared hard at the bottle. His eager eyes finally convinced her to give it a go so she lifted it to her lips, swallowing with a scowl. "It tastes awful."
"Oi! Waiter!" Rock signalled the nearest waiter over. "Bring around something sweeter!"
"May I suggest a raspberry cooler? It's our evening discount drink." The waiter offered.
He nodded enthusiastically and finished off his beer, taking Natsuki's for himself just as the waiter returned with a bottle. Natsuki was sceptical but she tried it and...
"That's delicious. Huh."
"Drink up Natsuki! Once in a while it's okay to shirk your responsibilities and enjoy life."
OOO
Shizuru Fujino heard drunk mumbles. It wasn't entirely pleasant for her to know that her father was drinking so much, she was the kid who partied not him. He was supposed to be a responsible adult.
"Father?" She had just purchased a gorgeous silk dress for a date earlier that night and was waiting up for him to get home, having not seen him for weeks.
"Shizuru!" Her father's voice echoed. "Come along Natsuki, you can meet my daughter," his slur made her furrow her brows. Her father had accidentally brought a stripper home once and introduced them, she really hoped that wasn't the case again.
Two figures stumbled in, leaning on each other. For a brief moment Shizuru saw the most beautiful woman but then soon held her breath, furious. Her father had brought home a girl her own age, she never expected him to do such a thing. And had that girl no shame? She was so young and clearly someone using her beauty to –
"Shizuru, this is Natsuki. My totally awesome new Tokyo-branch Manager. Natsuki, my darling daughter Shizuru."
"Pl-pleasure to meet you," the young woman had bright green eyes, her cheeks flushed as she also slurred her words, entranced with a gorgeous woman rocking a silk dress. No way Rock's daughter was that hot.
"Your branch manager?" Shizuru clarified, her fury draining from her. "What's she doing here father?"
"Don't be ridiculous Shizuru!" His voice was unintentionally loud. "She's the age of my own daughter for heavens sake! Not to mention you're more her type than I!"
Shizuru felt very relived, and then her own flirty self took control. This Natsuki was a lesbian? She was very, very gorgeous.
"In that case, pleased to meet you as well... Na-tsu-ki."
"Uh..." Natsuki scowled. "I don't feel so good."
Next thing Shizuru knew, there was the Tokyo Branch Manager's vomit all over her brand new dress.
Present...
Shizuru had retrieved blankets and pillows from the jet, and even found some food and water. Her laptop had been crushed but there were some magazines to pass time. Their suitcases were locked under the storage place so she couldn't get out spare clothes. She tried breaking the lock but it was a futile effort.
Meanwhile, Natsuki was having difficulty breathing from her broken ribs but kept on fiddling with the radio.
"Are you comfortable?" Shizuru asked as she continued searching for food items.
"Not really, but I feel better, thanks." She smiled, "Ok, I think I got it!"
Shizuru held her breath as Natsuki radioed in.
"Mayday! This is a passenger from flight um... Fujino? Yeah, Fujino. Our plane is down. Over."
There was a radio screech and then "copy that. Anyone injured? How many survivors? Your flight was chartered to land thirty minutes ago. Over."
"Minor injuries, broken ribs, possible concussions. We were two passengers. Our pilot jumped, we had to crash land. We're on shore land, exact location unknown. Over."
"Sit tight m'am we'll have someone on the lookout. Coastguards and helicopters are being deported as we speak. Stay in clear sight. Over."
Natsuki sighed in relief and put the radio down. "My guess is it'll be within four hours till someone finds us."
"Ara, that's great. I'm not sure I would have been able to play survivor."
Natsuki snickered, closing her eyes. Then she opened them again, "you like that show?"
"I love it!"
"Me too," Natsuki let out a shaky breath as she moved to bring her water bottle to her mouth. "My money is on Kagome winning."
"Absolutely! She's very resilient."
OOO
Rock was in the middle of physiotherapy with a rehabilitee doctor when the door of the hospital room opened to a loud clang.
"Mai?" He was surprised to see her barging in, her eyes wet with tears.
"Mr. Fujino!" She sniffed, "I came as soon as I heard – I'm still listed as one of Natsuki's emergency contacts but they couldn't get a hold of you-"
"What!" He scrambled and grabbed the distraught woman's shoulders. "Tell me what happened! Shizuru and Natsuki?"
"Their plane never landed! And coast guards are out looking and-and... the man told me they were both alive but it's been hours and-" She burst into tears and Rock let her cry into his chest.
"Shizuru..." he thought of his daughter and how she used to put princess hairclips in his hair. "Please be okay. Please God, let them be okay."
OOO
"A-ara," Shizuru's teeth chattered. "While this makeshift shelter protects us from the rain, it's not very warm, is it?"
Natsuki chuckled, also shivering from the cold rainstorm's wind. "I told you – just leave me a blanket and go warm yourself up in the plane, I'll be fine."
"I'm not leaving you out here by yourself." Shizuru declared.
Shizuru had moved her from the plane when it had caught fire during their crash land, but with the most likely possibility of Natsuki's ribs being broken when they had no idea to what the full extent of her injuries were, moving her around even when the fire put itself out may cause a broken bone to puncture her internally so Shizuru decided they suck up the rain together.
"Fine, fine," Natsuki groaned. "Just, pass me some more of those little nut things you found and get over here. Body warmth."
Shizuru grabbed some of the plane's stored food she had discovered and handed it over to Natsuki after opening the packet. She had removed her soaking wet dress to let it dry on a branch inside their makeshift shelter – she was glad her father had sent her to girl scouts as a girl now. Not only was it where she realised she was gay, but the survival techniques that she could remember were paying off.
So with her kind of damp underwear, she snuck inside Natsuki's blanket and pressed up against the other woman's side gently.
"Wow." Natsuki turned her head to her and let out a soft smile, "That actually works."
Shizuru giggled and reached around as much of Natsuki as she could so as much of their skin as possible was touching. Natsuki still had her trousers on because she wouldn't let Shizuru take them off, and earlier before the sun went down bruises started appearing around her body, and it hurt to move even her legs.
Shizuru was very certain she had sprained her own wrist and she felt sore, but mostly she felt guilty that out of the two of them Natsuki was the one who could have died when she was also the one who managed to save them by landing the plane.
"Lying down is helping you breathe, right?" Shizuru asked.
"Yeah it is," Natsuki swallowed some of the nuts she had been chewing on. "But eating is kind of hard. You want some?"
"No, I'm alright thank you."
"Fucking storm," Natsuki grumbled. "Like, really? I guess we can't do anything but wait till it clears out."
"Very unlucky circumstance, yes." Shizuru started to feel sleepy. She wasn't warm but she wasn't freezing anymore which was nice.
"I hope they get here before I have to use the bathroom."
Shizuru laughed. There was silence for a moment.
"Natsuki?" She opened her eyes and waited until her eye contact was returned.
"Yeah?" Natsuki asked.
"Who do you think tried to kill us?"
Natsuki sighed. "The sad thing is, Shizuru, that I have a lot of people I know who'd want to kill me."
Shizuru pressed a bit closer and closed her eyes again. "I can't think of anyone who'd want to kill me. So it's your fault we're here."
"Ha!" Natsuki winced after she said it, pain throbbing up her side. She hissed but continued, "you've broken so many hearts that it could totally be your fault we're here. I can picture some psychotic bitch you screwed plotting your death."
"I'm not the only person who breaks hearts," Shizuru pointed out.
"Yeah, but I don't string people along. You're almost heartless that way."
"This could just as easily be someone you've ruined on your money warpaths," Shizuru complained back at her.
Natsuki sighed, "yeah it could be... There are a lot of those – but not as many women as you've ripped apart –ow! You pinched me!"
"Let's talk about Kitsuo, shall we?" Shizuru ignored her and smirked. "What a beauty she was, and so nice! Only Natsuki broke things off with her because Kitsuo's blonde hair turned out to be fake."
"Oi! Says the girl who dumped someone because they forgot to shave their legs!"
They laughed, and Natsuki wheezed as the pain became too much.
"Are you alright?" Shizuru asked her gently.
Natsuki sighed again, exasperated. "Yeah, I'm fine..."
She angled her neck to look into Shizuru's eyes, her voice lost as soon as she realised that they were half naked, pressed together and so intimate. Nothing had ever felt so beautiful. And with the storm thundering outside of their shelter, Natsuki wasn't aware of anything but her heart's furious beat when Shizuru Fujino leaned forward with the intent to kiss, and how she met the woman halfway.
OOO
"I said I'm going with you!" Rock said to the coast guard. His daughter and practically-daughter had crash landed yesterday but a severe thunderstorm had delayed finding them, and GPS was unavailable. This morning, however, the sun was bright and a satellite had found the crash site.
The ship had been deported and travelled half an hour until the rescue team was getting ready to approach the island. Rock had been unable to breathe when he saw the plane covered in all of that sand and he lost what little composure he had left.
"Fine, fine," the coast guard gently grips his shoulder. "But you must be prepared for any injuries we find. Medics ready?"
Rock put on a life vest and got on the smaller boat, blood pumping his fragile heart as they approached the unknown.
On the island, Natsuki was having trouble putting her shirt back on. Shizuru was flipping through one the magazines and they both sat out in the sunlight so that they would be spotted.
"Fuck this!" She gave up and threw her t-shirt on the ground. Her head was pounding and she felt parched. "Do we have any more water?"
Shizuru had been drinking from one bottle and wordlessly handed the bottle over. "I can help you, if you want?"
Natsuki flushed slightly at their indirect kiss through the bottle, glad for the water going smoothly down her throat. She was pretty dehydrated but hadn't wanted to finish their supplies too quickly.
"Um..."
"It's just a shirt, Natsuki," Shizuru smirked lecherously at her. "And I'm the one who took it off, remember?"
"It's not that," Natsuki blushed at her, wincing at the bark of the tree she was leaning against which was scratching her. "It really hurts, so I'm afraid to... Shizuru! Look!"
Shizuru got excited from Natsuki's relieved face and she turned in time to see a speedboat approaching them. She stood up and headed closer to shore. She barely had a chance to speak when her father was crushing her in a hug.
"Shizuru! Thank god! I was so – don't ever do that again! Where's Natsuki?"
She couldn't help but let tears fall because she had never seen her father cry before. "I'm alright – we're both alright! I mean, Natsuki can't move, but she's alright!"
They broke after a long hug in time to see Natsuki being gently manoeuvred onto a gurney by the medics.
Rock swallowed. "Sh-She's okay?"
"She's okay," Shizuru reassured him.
OOO
Natsuki felt like shit.
But, she supposed that the doctor's diagnosis of her concussion, broken ribs, broken foot and leg, and series of minor burns and lacerations explained all of that.
Shizuru had gotten away with a sprained wrist and a few scratches, the woman had been smart enough to put her seatbelt on during the panic and instead of staying in her own hospital room Shizuru was now reading a book across from Natsuki in the bluenette's room, silently flipping pages.
"You surprise me," Natsuki felt silly when Shizuru let out a gasp of surprise.
"I thought you were sleeping." Shizuru smiled devilishly as she saw Natsuki's blush. "Is that because I've been sitting here for hours, hoping to be here when you wake up?"
Natsuki chuckled, shifting up slowly the way the doctors and nurses had demonstrated would be safest and most comfortable. "No. Because you're reading a political autobiography."
Shizuru raised her eyebrows. "You're a fan of his?"
"No, I think he's a fucking idiot." Natsuki said. "Please tell me you think so too?"
"Yes." Shizuru giggled, her wrist was wrapped up in a tensor tucking her hair behind her ears. "He's quite the fool, but its fun to read how everyone in his life acted towards him."
Natsuki grunted. "His brother especially. That guy was boss."
They had a companionable silence for a few minutes after that, stealing glances when the other wasn't looking.
Natsuki cleared her throat, "so uh-"
The hospital door opened, interrupting her from continuing.
"Oh my god you're awake!" Mai Tokiha rushed forward and enveloped Natsuki in a tight hug. "I know you were fine and they told me that you'd wake up when the meds wore off but I am so glad."
Natsuki choked, "Mai, I can't breathe."
"Sorry," Mai broke off from her embrace and wiped frantically at her eyes.
"You're... crying. Mai, its okay-"
"It's not okay!" Mai furiously glared, not looking as scary as she hoped with her tear filled eyes. "I thought you were dead and – and, you idiot!"
Natsuki's eyes softened, "Mai. I'm okay, I promise. We were lucky."
Her gesture to Shizuru upon using 'we' had Mai blush in embarrassment. Frantically wiping her tears, Mai tried to laugh. "Hey again, Shizuru. I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were here."
"It's okay," Shizuru stood up and gently placed her book inside her purse, slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll leave for a bit. Natsuki, I'll get you some coffee – would you like anything Mai?"
"N-no thank you," Mai shook her head, sending Natsuki a confused stare that the bluenette didn't notice.
"Yes, do I ever need a coffee," Natsuki smacked her lips, her tone thankful.
Raising her eyebrow in a seductive manner, Shizuru was gone from the room.
"What?" Natsuki asked Mai who was still giving her a strange look.
"You and... Shizuru?" Her voice was a whisper of surprise.
Natsuki shrugged, "yeah, I know right? I guess people can surprise you."
Natsuki didn't understand that her intent of them getting along was not the answer to Mai's question. So Mai sat on the edge of Natsuki's bed and clutched an overdue pain in her heart.
OOO
Shizuru entered her dad's office with a bright smile, glad to see the man sitting behind his expensive trendy desk just as she remembered from a young age.
Her smile unconsciously grew as she noticed Natsuki standing next to his chair, hunched over to talk through some kind of document. Two metal crutches stabled the other woman's stance, her entire left leg plastered in a cast that had forever ruined a pair of sweatpants to accommodate.
"Both of you are barely out of the hospital and already back at work," she teased, dropping her purse on her father's desk with a grin and plopping down into a seat across from them.
Natsuki mirrored her grin, albeit shyly. "Er... you've got one too." The look in those pine green eyes were a welcome change from previous annoyance and disinterest. She wondered if she herself was as obvious as Natsuki was unintentionally being, but Natsuki had always been an open book to the Fujino's.
Curious at the document, she reached over as Natsuki slid the paper across. Their fingers touched and they blushed, hastily snapping their hands away. Apparently she was obvious as well after all...
"Um..." Rock cleared his throat and pretended he hadn't noticed their shy glances by explaining, "you both are huge assets to the company, my lawyers advises me that some incident like that requires a revision of your life insurance."
Natsuki nodded and stood up straight. "I went up twenty percent."
Shizuru glanced at her paper, and grabbed one of her father's pens to scribble her signature pouting at the fact that her value was the same, only affected by a small inflation. "I'm invaluable, so whatever."
Natsuki's lips spread into an admiring smile, "...yeah..."
Shizuru smiled smugly as Natsuki blushed when she realised what she just mumbled, eyes darting around and catching her boss's amusement. She hastily cleared her throat.
"I mean, yeah that's your way of—of explaining the reason your insurance didn't change..." Natsuki cringed, "no offense."
With a giggle, Shizuru was never more delighted to hear Natsuki try to insult her. This time it wasn't unpleasant... it was a whole new ball game.
"None taken," she said, accompanied by one of her most dazzling smiles that had never failed to get her laid.
Rock glanced between them, covering his mouth to stifle any sound of his figurative light-bulb epiphany – Shizuru's flirty voice plus Natsuki's blushes equalled romance! His daughter and practically-daughter gazed at one another like each was God's gift to mankind.
"So, I'm off to dinner-" He reasoned was the best way to break up the starry-eyed gazes. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about this...
"You have plans?" Shizuru looked between him and Natsuki, disappointed.
Before he could suggest they all go out, Natsuki beat him to it.
"No, I mean, I don't... um... what I mean..." rather unsuccessfully, her words flustered with embarrassment at what to say.
Shizuru almost jumped in victory that Natsuki was on the same page. Glancing uncertainly at her father she stood up quickly and offered, "Natsuki, we could talk about that um... project alone."
"Alone?" Rock stood up as well, casually slipping his hands into his trouser's pockets. "What project?" Did they think he was an idiot?
"You know father," Shizuru gave him a sharp stare, daring him to ask any more questions. "The one we almost died travelling for?" She finished with a wave at Natsuki, who was wincing from her sore ribs at that moment, looking uncomfortable with her crutches and cast.
Rock blinked, "that was a meeting, not a project."
Natsuki looked down at her feet and wheezed out through clenched teeth, "An important meeting we didn't um... make?"
Rock gave her a huff, "you're a walking bruise Natsuki, maybe you should head home and rest."
Before she could respond, Shizuru threw Natsuki an exasperated look as if telling her to stop talking. Natsuki decided to look out the window.
Staring at him now were the pleading eyes that had gotten his Shizuru many things in life (toys, cars, yachts) and he was as powerless now as always. Rock finally conceded. "Fine, you two go talk about your meeting and I'll just go home and sleep like an old geezer!"
"Take your meds," Natsuki offered. "I mean, don't forget to... uh..."
Rock refrained from rolling his eyes at his right-hand. Of all the things in the world to render her – of all people! – among the category of 'dumbass' it would have to be his own daughter! He didn't know whether to be proud or disturbed with the affect Shizuru suddenly had on making Natsuki a bumbling mess. It was a new side to his prodigy, and he thought he knew her extremely well.
As long as she still scares the shit out of board rooms, and doesn't stutter like this when closing deals!
"You don't forget to take your meds either," he shot back at her, gathering his briefcase and the insurance documents to take to his lawyer. "You girls behave now."
He peeked back as he opened the door, just in time to see Natsuki smile that love-struck smile and quietly ask Shizuru, "d-dinner?"
And the gush of wind that his impressive office doors exhumed carried Shizuru's quiet yet breathless response, "I'd love to."
So it was official. He shook his head in amusement. Maybe he should have seen it coming, they'd always been nothing more than kids on a playground vying for one another's attention.
OOO
Natsuki fiddled with her chopsticks, unsure what to do now that they had eaten their meal – having had Chinese delivered half an hour ago.
"I like your apartment," Shizuru said after minutes of awkward silence. "Maybe you have something to drink?"
Natsuki dropped her chopsticks in her plate, "right! Of course – a drink!"
As she made to stand, her side throbbed and she collapsed backwards.
"Ara, ara," Shizuru was at her side, "take it easy."
Natsuki struggled to breathe, closing her eyes as the shooting pain slowly lessened. "I'm sorry."
Shizuru sat next to her, trying to fluff the cushion so Natsuki's torso was more comfortable. "Whatever for?"
Natsuki opened her eyes, overwhelmed with how close Shizuru suddenly was. She swallowed dryly, uttering with a pout, "for this date – if you can call it that. You had to get the food when the delivery guy came, and I'm a bad host—
"Nonsense," Shizuru giggled. "You're injured, Natsuki. You can play better hostess when your wounds heal, until then you'll have to tell me where you keep the wine so I can pour us a glass."
Natsuki chuckled, "there should be some in the cabinet above the fridge. Glasses are hanging off the rack."
She watched Shizuru prance from the cabinet to the glasses, rejoining her on the sofa with an impulsive kiss on her cheek.
Natsuki touched her cheek with a bright blush as Shizuru poured them each a glass of red. She remembered how their mutual kiss on the island had escalated into the softest, sweetest, and most revealing series of kisses until exhaustion had inevitably claimed them. Shizuru had gently rolled above her, afraid to hurt her but eager to be close. Rain around them, with nothing warm except each other—
"Natsuki? Are you alright?"
"Fine! Fine." Natsuki grabbed for her wine and took a long gulp.
"What were you thinking about?" Shizuru inched closer, seductive in her voice and with the way she took a slow sip.
Natsuki felt her breath hitch, and she unintentionally murmured through her daze "when we..."
"When we..?" Shizuru leaned closer, her heart racing at Natsuki's gaze which had dropped to hungrily stare at her lips.
Even without the rain, vulnerable injuries, and near death experience the moment felt just as amazing and just as... right.
OOO
Natsuki groggily read through the menu, "why the hell am I up at six in the morning! I thought your morning was the same as my morning – a later morning."
Shizuru was perky at the early hour, waving a waitress over. She pecked her current romantic interest on the cheek and then poked her affectionately in the shoulder, "yet here you are – for me. I never knew you could be so sweet."
Natsuki blushed, averting her attention to the waitress who got close enough to ask them what they wanted.
"I'll have whatever you're having," Natsuki closed her eyes, intending to fall asleep until their food arrived.
"You mean you also want breakfast tea with banana pancakes and a fruit platter?"
"I hate bana-"
"I know," Shizuru sighed, she turned to the waitress. "She'll have the classic breakfast and coffee, milk and one sugar. I'll have breakfast tea with banana pancakes and a fruit platter, please."
Breakfast was going by smoothly in quiet harmony they were used to, though where Natsuki would usually glare and Shizuru would usually fume when alone Natsuki was now secretly watching Shizuru's lips nibble fruit and Shizuru would imagine all the things they could do to heat up a room.
Shizuru's cell phone started ringing, and the light brunette picked it up without checking the caller ID, "hello?"
"Shizuru!" The exasperated voice of Sandra Blume greeted her. "Are you alright darling, I just saw the news."
"S-Sandra?" Shizuru sputtered, glancing guiltily at Natsuki whose face had hardened at the realization of whom Shizuru was speaking to. Shit.
"Yeah, it's me obviously... were you expecting someone else?"
Shizuru saw an opening to dump the woman, wanting to make sure Natsuki overheard that Sandra meant nothing to her. "Of course I was, I thought you and I were just a fling."
There was silence on the other end.
"Fuck you!" Sandra yelled, hanging up.
"Ara ara," Shizuru slipped her phone back into her purse, smiling hesitantly at Natsuki. "Sorry about that. She has bad timing."
"A-ah..." Natsuki's fork picked through her breakfast, and she let out a hefty sigh. "I feel bad-"
"You shouldn't!" Shizuru said earnestly. "She can hate me, I really don't care. I only care about... what you think at this point."
They stared into each other's eyes like this, and Natsuki finally smiled softly to reassure them both. "This is kind of sudden, isn't it?"
Shizuru let out a small laugh. "A long time coming, more like."
"What, are you implying I had the hots for you since we met?" Natsuki joked.
"Of course," Shizuru stuck her tongue out childishly, but it had always been okay to act like that with Natsuki. "You were so enamoured with me you threw up!"
"Idiot," Natsuki replied. "You're the one who took one look at my beauty and tried to put the moves on me!"
"Clearly I didn't have to try too hard-"
"Shi-zu-ru!"
"Yes, Na-tsu-ki dar-ling?"
OOO
Rock felt like he had been thrown into the twilight zone. He had suddenly become aware of how much he depended on Natsuki – a usually single and dependable Natsuki, that is.
Where was his bud, his go-to pal?
That very Natsuki hadn't shown up for their traditional one-month-Friday breakfast in the cafe across their main office. Okay, so she hadn't shown up to work as much as usual because of her broken bones from the plane crash, but he thought she would have at least made it to their breakfast.
"Yo boss!" Speak of the devil, and she was breezing into his office, holding a paper bag and a tray with two paper cups of coffee.
"That better be jelly donuts or I don't even want to speak to you," he huffed, rushing his signature through a pile of papers and financial statements.
Natsuki sighed loudly, her left leg now in a walking cast and her crutches gone. She limped and clunked over and set the paper bag down. "I got you two jellies. I hear your heart's doing better so I thought I'd be nice."
He took a coffee, they both liked it the same way. "So you do still care about me after all..."
The way he teased was exactly the way Shizuru teased, and Natsuki was now very used to both.
"We need to talk about this, don't we?"
"I don't want to know anything about my daughter in bed!"
"We-we haven't even got that far!"
"I don't want to know that either," he smiled pleasantly despite his words. "Natsuki, this is weird but the more I think about it, it's natural."
"... You make no sense," Natsuki's cheeks were bright red, still stuck thinking about how far she actually has gone with Shizuru. Last week there was a moment when they both weren't wearing shirts, and then Natsuki had the misfortune to twist the wrong way and reinjure the inflamed muscles around her ribs.
Rock stuffed a jelly donut in his mouth, chewing it thoughtfully. When he swallowed it, he tried explaining in better terms.
"Shizuru has never been with a girl as long as she has with you, nor as serious. That's love, it's a good thing – I want her to be happy and dammit I want her to be loved! And you? You're finally learning that there's more to life then work and money! I saw you buy flowers – don't even try denying it! And... I just want you to know that I'm happy that you two are happy that's all there is to it."
Natsuki closed her mouth, her shock of his rant wearing out. "Thank you... you mean a lot to me and-"
"Don't get sappy on me now, Natsuki."
"You're my family. I won't let you down."
He picked up his second donut and smiled, touched by her simple words. "I know you won't."
OOO
"Natsuki!" Mai waved her best friend over, "we're here."
Natsuki held the collar of her coat up against her cheeks and rushed across the lightly snowed street to her two friends. Yuuichi Tate's arm was held captive by his girlfriend of many years and he smiled as Natsuki was close enough to greet them.
"You look good without your walking cast, Kuga."
"It's nice to have it off," they entered a jewellery store together and warmed up from the cold.
"So what's this I hear about you and Shizuru Fujino? I thought you hated her," Yuuichi snickered, and Mai slapped his arm.
"Don't be rude, Yuuichi!"
"I never hated her," Natsuki blushed and started browsing the cases of jewellery. "I just... didn't get along with her."
"When we celebrated your birthday last year in Mexico you called her a 'rude and obnoxious bitch' because she took all the credit for your deal by sleping with the investor's daughter."
Natsuki sighed, "yeah well, I did go out of my way to antagonize her. That was her revenge."
The owner of the store walked up to them in his suit and tie, smiling politely. "Is there anything I can assist you with?"
"We're just browsing, thanks," Mai said. Natsuki had asked her for help choosing something after all, and Mai had been a jeweller for a few years before opening up a restaurant.
"Look," Natsuki defended further, annoyed with Yuuichi's teasing eyes. "Shizuru and I are dating now, so drop it with the questions and help me find something Tate."
He shrugged and followed Mai around the display cases grumbling under his breath, "I just can't believe she's dating someone, Kuga's always said romance is lame and look at her now!"
Within half an hour, Natsuki had spotted a tear-drop diamond necklace on white gold and decided that it was perfect. Yuuichi kissed Mai goodbye and left the two best friends alone so he could get to work on time.
"Let's grab a coffee," Natsuki offered.
Mai smiled, "you're buying since you dragged me out."
They entered a small café and settled into comfortable silence.
"You haven't said anything about Shizuru, I thought you'd be all over that one," Natsuki had noticed her friend's reticence on the subject. "You okay? Things good with Tate?"
"Uh... yeah, yeah," Mai brushed it off. "I miss Takumi, you know? I worry about him in America even though I know Akira-kun takes good care of him."
"Even I miss the squirt," Natsuki admitted, swiping her hair back haughtily. Mai knew the girl for so long, and the gesture was no haughtier than a nervous tick.
That was the secret she always loved about Natsuki. The world saw a calculating, beautiful devil-bitch out for your money, but inside she was that girl Mai met in grade school who offered Mai some lunch when she noticed the orange-haired girl always sacrificed most of hers to her brother.
"I want you to be happy," Mai said, "you got your dream job Natsuki, but you were lonely."
Natsuki is as perceptive as ever, which is why it had always been hard trying to hide her feelings from the green-eyed woman.
"Mai-"
"I wish it was me, but... Shizuru is probably the only person that's ever understood the way you think, right? She's..."
"Mai... you-"
"I have Yuuichi now, and he makes me happy. I hope she knows you're one in a million, don't let that spoilt rich kid boss you around okay?"
Natsuki swallowed thickly, all the little things about Mai filtering through her mind. She felt bad, that she had been unaware of those feelings, and guilty that she couldn't return them... but Mai was strong and she'd be fine.
"Tch. I won't, and thank you... Mai, maybe if it was another life-"
"We never speak of this again," Mai cut her off. "I just wanted to be honest about how I feel. It's not a big deal."
"Okay."
"Tell Yuuichi and I'll tell him about your lingerie collection."
"I won't say a word."
OOO
Shizuru sucked on the silver dessert spoon with the intent of catching Natsuki's eye, but her girlfriend was busy with trying to form a sentence.
"Natsuki, just spit it out. I won't be offended." Shizuru rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what Natsuki was thinking about.
"Let's go to my place," Natsuki put down her spoon, having not touched what was supposed to be their shared cheesecake. "That didn't come out right..."
"I booked a hotel room for the weekend," Shizuru smiled brightly. "I was hoping to get you up there as soon as possible."
With a bright blush Natsuki leaned back. "Oh... okay."
"I'm not finishing this, shall we head up?"
Natsuki frowned, "wait! But I have scented candles and rose petals set up around my bed back home and I bought you this necklace and... yeah."
"Ara," Shizuru sighed, leaning her cheek on her hand smiling at Natsuki's sweet forethought. "You should have said something before I ordered champagne."
"Well..." Natsuki felt like an idiot, "I... whatever you want is... fine."
"And why is that?" Shizuru felt a light blush grace her own cheeks at how Natsuki's romantic attempts were making her heart skip beats. She was still a tease at heart, and couldn't help it in the situation.
"Because... you're important and..." Natsuki cleared her throat and flipped her hair back with a light grumble, "but my place is more intimate than a hotel, Shizuru. You've probably built up a repertoire with hotels as it is."
"Natsuki, let's just leave. I lied about the hotel room to jerk your chain, as they say."
"You – you're insufferable, you know that? I'm getting myself stuck in a lifetime of your manipulations, aren't I?"
Laughing as they both stood up and gathered themselves, Shizuru grabbed Natsuki's hand. "Oh, we're a lifetime commitment, are we?"
Natsuki didn't deny it, because in her heart she felt they could make it and from Shizuru's shining eyes she knew Shizuru felt the same.
"Well I suppose I should wait to see if you're any good in bed first," the bluenette pondered thoughtfully.
Shizuru laughed, "Ara! Natsuki can joke about sex, after all! You should know, Miss Vice-President, I'll-"
Whispered promises only for Natsuki's ears, the two woman had finally found something private and precious beyond imagination that had always been right there.
THE END