A/N: So, I just recently watched Hana Yori Dango again and I just started reading the Innocent series and this idea just came to mind.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Chapter 1
16-year old Fate sighed as she deposited her bag beside her bed, flopping down unceremoniously on the mattress. Alicia, her twin sister, and herself just got back from America, with their mother, Precia. Precia took the two girls with her on a business trip so they would know how the business would work for when they take over.
Precia Testarossa, current President of the Testarossa Group of Companies, and of course, the twins' mother. She's a cold woman, who only cares about their company's growth. She has trained her twins' since they were little children and taught them everything they needed to know to take over the company. However, Fate showed disinterest in the whole business scene when they were in elementary, so Precia has been favoring Alicia ever since.
Fate sighed, burying her head in her pillows deeper. Thinking about taking over that huge company is giving her a headache. Fate turned, now lying on her back, she began to scan her room. She gave out another sigh. Honestly, if it weren't for that company, I wouldn't have this huge room and all these nice things.
Saying Fate's room is big would be an understatement. Fate's queen-sized bed is positioned dead center in her room. To the right, there are three steps of stairs, making a small part of her room look like a stage, with a grand piano on it. On the wall behind the piano, 3 guitars are wall-mounted and a violin case is safely placed below them. A few feet from the piano, there's a door, which leads to a walk in closet that Fate shares with Alicia. On another corner, there is an L-Shaped couch that could seat about 10 people. In the center of it, there's a coffee table, with Fate's laptop on top of it. On the wall adjacent to the couch, is a large television mounted to the wall. A shelf below the television is seen with game consoles, game discs and a huge collection of movies. A bookshelf is also seen beside the television, with books of different genres. And even though all these things are in Fate's room, it remains spacious.
A soft knock coming from the twins joined walk in closet, which also doubles as a passage to each other's rooms, interrupted the silence in Fate's room.
"Come in" Fate instantly answered, already knowing who it was.
The door opened revealing Alicia who bounced to where Fate's bed was, with a sweet smile on her face. "Hey, are you tired?"
Fate didn't answer but, looked at the clock hanging on her wall.
3:00.
It's still early.
Fate simply shook her head and sat up, facing her sister, "I think I'm going to Nanoha's in a while. I promised her I'd go see her when we get back." Fate smiled unconsciously when she said the brunette's name.
"I see, I see" Alicia answered, still smiling, "Do you want me to call Vice-san for you?" Alicia asked sweetly, referring to their personal driver.
"If it's okay, I'm too tired to drive right now." Fate answered, eyeing her older sister wearily. Fate already got her driver's license even though she's underage, due to the influence of her mother. "Do you need something?"
"I need to borrow your laptop" Alicia answered instantly, and if possible, her smile turned sweeter. Fate did not miss the mischievous glint in her older sister's eyes.
Fate simply stared at her older sister for a whole minute before asking uncertainly, "What happened to yours?"
"Well…" Alicia looked sheepish.
"I don't think I wanna know; just try not to break mine. Can you just call Vice-san?" Fate interrupted, shaking her head.
The bell jingled signaling a new customer has arrived in Midori-ya, a small café owned by the Takamachi family. The café doesn't seem to be too busy since there are only a few customers scattered around.
"Welcome!" Miyuki, the second child of the Takamachi family greeted the newcomer with a wide smile. "Oh, Fate-chan!" she exclaimed once she recognized the girl in front of her, and leaned in for a short hug. "Did you grow taller?"
Fate blushed at the attention, but shrugged as an answer. "I don't think so, I've only been gone for 2 weeks" She answered with an unsure chuckle.
"Did I hear Fate-chan?" Momoko, the Takamachi matriarch asked, while exiting the kitchen carrying a plate of cake and depositing it in the shelf. "My, my, you grew taller!" Momoko stepped towards the young blonde and gave her a hug.
Fate simply shrugged and returned the hug with a smile at the woman who is now a little bit shorter than her. "Hello, Momoko-san."
"Oh, it's Fate-chan!" A voice from behind them said.
"It is indeed!" Another answered.
The three women turned to see Kyouya, the oldest Takamachi child and Shiro, the Takamachi patriarch standing by the door, carrying boxes of supplies.
Fate hurried to help the two carry some of the lighter ones, "Here, let me help," She said, already going for a small box, but was stopped when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her.
"Good to see you back" Kyouya said before letting the blonde go.
Shiro simply smiled and patted her on the head, "You grow taller, Fate-chan?"
"She did, didn't she?" Kyouya agreed with a smile, while Miyuki nodded in the background.
"Mou…" Fate said with a blush. This is why she likes the Takamachi family; they're so warm and welcoming. "I was gone for 2 weeks…"
The Takamachis shared a laugh, while Fate pouted.
"Must have hit some kind of growth spurt then, huh, kiddo?" Shiro teased.
"Where is everybody?" A voice interrupted the small reunion going on.
Fate swiftly turned around and faced the newcomer with a huge smile on her face, "Nanoha," she said sweetly, "I'm back,"
Nanoha's eyes widened before she ran to the blonde and tackled her in a hug, "Welcome back, Fate-chan."
A throat cleared from beside them when their hug lasted a second too long to be considered friendly. The two broke apart, but Nanoha simply hooked her arms around Fate's, while Fate blushed at being caught up in the moment at a public place.
"I think I could let you go now, Nanoha, the place isn't that busy after all," Shiro said, while hauling a box and going to the kitchen, followed quickly by Kyouya.
"Have fun, you two." Momoko said, "Take care of Nanoha for me, okay, Fate-chan?"
"Always," Fate answered immediately.
Momoko smiled before turning around to go back to the counter.
"Thanks guys, we'll just be at home," Nanoha said, already dragging the blonde outside.
"It was nice of them to let you go early," Fate said as the two of them walked at a nearby park, hand in hand.
"Yeah, I've been working hard all summer because I get so bored without you here," Nanoha said, briefly squeezing Fate's hand, "I even finished all my summer homework already,"
"What about Suzuka and Arisa?" Fate mused.
"Well, I spent some days with them, but…" Nanoha murmured something inaudible, breaking her hold on Fate's hand and walking ahead of the blonde.
Fate looked at Nanoha confusedly for a second before catching up with her and taking the brunette's hand again to stop her, "Nanoha?" Fate simply smiled when she saw the pout on the brunette's face.
"Fate-chan?" Nanoha said when Fate wrapped her arms around her shoulders from behind her.
"I missed you, Nanoha," Fate whispered, "There wasn't a moment when I wasn't thinking of you."
Nanoha remained quiet, simply enjoying the moment.
"Where is Fate?" The question sounded menacing in the quiet air of the dining room in the Testarossa household.
Alicia wiped her mouth with a napkin before answering, "She went to visit Nanoha, okaa-san."
Precia's hand stopped midway to her mouth as she looked at Alicia, "The Takamachi girl again? Your sister is so fond of her, I do wonder why." Then she resumed eating.
Alicia stared at her mother, practically hearing the gears in her head turning. She's planning something.
Nanoha and Fate went to Nanoha's room after an eventful dinner with the Takamachis. Fate stretched and then flopped down on Nanoha's bed.
"Do you want me to get the futon, Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked dutifully, sitting down beside Fate and putting her hand on Fate's back.
"We can still share your bed, right?" Fate answered, looking at Nanoha with a smile, "Like old times"
"I guess so," Nanoha nodded and laid down, turning so she can face the blonde who has both of her eyes closed, "So, how was America? You never told me."
"Boring," Fate answered instantly, "It was full of stuck-up businessmen and uneventful meetings."
"You never went out with Alicia-chan?"
"Okaa-san kept us busy" When Nanoha remained quiet, Fate opened an eye to look at Nanoha, "Well, how was Japan without me?"
"Boring," Nanoha echoed Fate's earlier sentiment, "It's different without my best friend around."
"Well, let's make sure to spend the rest of summer together, then," Fate answered, closing her eyes again and drifting off to sleep.
Nanoha watched Fate as she drifted off to sleep. She closed her eyes after a minute, miming the blonde's breathing and following her into sleep.
Fate stirred from her sleep from a buzzing sound beside her. She reached down and found her phone as the source of the incessant vibrating. Cracking an eye open, she read the caller to be her sister.
"'Ello?" Fate answered sleepily.
"Fate, you need to come home right away. I've already sent Vice-san to get you," Alicia said urgently.
The tone of her sister's voice immediately woke Fate up, sitting up; she asked "What? What happened?"
"Okaa-san just announced a meeting of some sort, and she wants both of us to be there."
Fate rubbed her eyes with a sigh, "I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks, onee-chan."
Nanoha, who woke up from the blonde's phone conversation, watched as Fate sighed once again as she shut her phone off.
"Fate-chan?"
Fate looked at Nanoha and lied down beside the brunette once again. "G'morning, Nanoha," Fate greeted as she wrapped her arms around the brunette.
"Mmm, good morning," Nanoha responded, enjoying the warmth that the blonde is offering.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go soon, okaa-san summoned us," Fate said grimly.
"It's okay, just be sure to spend more time with me after, okay?" Nanoha said with a smile.
"Where is she?" Alicia asked herself anxiously, pacing her twin sister's bedroom. It's already been 20 minutes since their phone conversation and the younger blonde still hasn't shown up.
The door opened, revealing Fate who quickly ran to their closet to change into appropriate clothing.
"Finally! What took you so long?!" Alicia crossed her arms as she followed her sister inside the closet.
Fate simply took a look at what her big sister is wearing; a formal white business suit. She immediately raided her closet for the same clothes, except it's in color black.
"I'm sorry, it took a long time to convince Momoko-san that I didn't need breakfast," Fate finally answered, hurrying to get out of her current clothes.
Alicia sighed and looked at Fate worriedly, "Fate, I think mom's planning something against the Takamachis, or at least Nanoha,"
"What?" Fate stopped buttoning her shirt, looking at her sister with a frown.
"Last night, at dinner, she asked where you were," Alicia started, "And she didn't seem to like it when she found out you were with Nanoha,"
"Oh…" Fate said, looking down.
Alicia chuckled nervously, "But, I think I'm just reading too much into things again, I'll meet you downstairs, okay?" and she hurried out of the room.
"Could it be…?" Fate asked herself quietly, looking in the mirror and staring at a triangular pendant hanging from her neck, "She wouldn't hurt my best friend, right?"
The pendant was a gift from Nanoha the day before they started middle school.
"So you won't forget me even if we don't go to the same school!"
"Like I could ever forget you,"
The very next day, Fate waited outside Nanoha's school to give her a necklace with a ruby red gem.
Nanoha sighed as she lied on her bed, willing her phone to light up. Her parents left her at home saying she should relax for the day and just enjoy. But how could she relax when Fate is probably stressing over something right now? Every single time Precia calls for Fate and Alicia, Fate would always, always look downright tired and stressed.
She tried to ask Fate about it once and she answered "Nothing, just business stuff".
And when she asked Alicia about it, "Okaa-san gave Fate a lot of work,"
Alicia explained that even though Fate doesn't really want to work as the president of the company, Fate is quite talented at planning and always seem to be a step ahead of their competitors, so Precia makes Fate go through some business plans before she makes her next move.
"And she's just 16… It's not fair… She should be having fun…" Nanoha murmured to herself, staring forlornly at her cellphone.
Nanoha has met Precia Testarossa a handful of times, and she tried to like her, she really did, but the woman is just too cold and serious for her.
Her phone chimed and Nanoha hurried to grab it, almost dropping the device on the floor. Nanoha pouted once she's seen it was a text from a blonde, but a different blonde.
From: Arisa-chan
Hey, wanna hang out?
Nanoha thought of a response carefully.
To: Arisa-chan
If you guys are willing to hang out at mine, then sure
Nanoha was sure Suzuka would be with Arisa so she knows to include her in the text. Not a minute later, her phone chimed again with Arisa's acceptance of the invitation.
"I can't believe she called us here just to announce a party," Alicia grumbled as they waited for the elevator to hit the ground floor.
"Really now?" Fate asked as she browsed her phone for messages, smiling when she got to a message from Nanoha.
"Okay, maybe, I can" Alicia conceded, following Fate through the parking lot.
"Wanna go hang at Nanoha's? Arisa and Suzuka are there, plus they made a cake" Fate asked as she started the car.
Alicia lit up and nodded her head vigorously, "Let's go, let's go!"
Fate chuckled at her sister's childishness as they pulled out of the parking lot.
A/N: So, how was it? Good? Bad? Be sure to tell me with the button below! :D