AN:: It's rather important that you take anything you thought of Shizuru's family and throw it out the window. Or door, if you do not have a window. I say this because I've taken a slightly different take on her family. I felt like doing something different and so I did.

THIS HAS BEEN EDITED ON JANUARY 24th 2013! That is all.

Kuga vs. Mama Fujino

"Did you enjoy yourself, mother?" Shizuru walked into the student council room not at all surprised to see her mother, Fujino Kyouko, sitting in the chair usually reserved for her.

"I must say, my dear, that was one of the most interesting events I have ever witnessed." Kyouko picked up her cup and took a small sip of tea, "I also congratulate you for pulling off such a facade the entire time, though it did start to slip near the end." She tsked quietly, "Still need a bit of work, sweetheart."

Shizuru laughed, "Of course mother."

Setting her cup down, Kyouko's voice turned serious, "Now then about this Kuga-san—"

"Mother," Shizuru interrupted, but she stopped when her mother held up a hand.

"Listen to me, kitsune before you try and say what you think," Kyouko smiled warmly at her daughter, trying to put her at ease. "Now then, if you must know, I have invited Kuga-san to a nice family dinner. She is the one you've been interested in for the past few years, is she not?"

Shizuru flushed lightly before answering, "Yes, ma'am."

Grinning, Kyouko stood, "Well then, see to it that your pup comes over for dinner on Saturday."

"Of course, Mama." Shizuru said, smiling warmly at her mother.

Laughing at the slight annoyance that crossed Shizuru's face when she ruffled her hair, Kyouko headed towards the door, "Don't tease the poor girl too much, my little kitsune. Leave some of that adorable blush for the rest of the family." Before Shizuru could utter a reply Kyouko was gone from her sight.

"Ara, I fear for Natsuki's well-being."


Natsuki was pacing around their room, waving her arms frantically and cursing at the events that happened days before.

Mai sat staring in awe at Natsuki. Mikoto was sitting next to her munching on various snacks, grunting in agreement to whatever it was Natsuki was mumbling.

"Dinner...mother! Family...teasing...I'm going to die." Were the only words Mai was able to figure out.

"Ah, Natsuki?" Mai paused. She wanted to tease Nastsuki about what had spread through the school faster than she ever thought possible. Deciding that she actually wanted to live for a little bit longer she chose to leave that topic alone. "Why are you talking to yourself?"

Mumbling something incoherent, Natsuki's face flushed and she turned to look at the wall. Hey, it was a quite interesting wall! Honest! It had squiggly marks from the poor paint job the suckers who built the place had done. I mean, how could you not find that exciting?

Mai was about to ask what she had said when Mikoto jumped off the bed, effectively covering the large chested girl with food, and latched herself onto Natsuki's back.

"Mikoto!"

Giving an apologizing look to Mai, Mikoto still clung to Natsuki, "But Maaaaai, Natsuki's gunna eat at Shizuru's! I want to eat there too, mhmm!" She nodded ferociously.

Blinking in surprise Mai opened her mouth to comment but shut it, unable to get the words out. She did it a few more times before finally resorting to uncontrollable laughter.

"Shut up!" Natsuki yelled, but it went unheard.

After a few moments Mai wiped the tears from her eyes, "You looked so horrified at the fact of eating dinner with Shizuru. Haven't you done that almost every day? You two are really dating, right? Granted that little contest said you would be, but you were before that, right?" Mai was teasing and Natsuki knew it and yet, the blush still appeared. Mai had just really wanted to hear Natsuki say it.

"No! I mean, I uh, that's what I did on stage! I didn't want any of those other idiots to take her out so, I asked her and then mentioned abou-" Flustered about what she was saying to Mai, she almost let loose the second part of her quick conversing with Shizuru that fateful day. She quickly moved on, "And it isn't just dinner with Shizuru! It's with her mother too! Her MOTHER!" Natsuki cried out, panicked, "I can't have dinner with her AND her mother." It was then a sudden thought crossed her mind, terrifying her even more. "Oh crap! Wha—what if I have to, what if her entire family is there too?" Natsuki threw her hands up, Mikoto quickly scampering back to Mai in fear. Natsuki was nearly tearing her hair out in panic.

Mai could barely suppress her laughter, "Natsuki, do you know anything at all about Shizuru's family?"

Turning wide eyes to Mai, Natsuki responded, "No!"

"Which means you have no idea if she has any siblings or a father?"

Natsuki shook her head, "Well I always thought she was an only child..."

"But what if she isn't? What if she has this insanely over protective brother? And her father! Can you imagine!?" Mai had started to grin, going unnoticed by Natsuki. "You, a class skipping, motorcycle riding female." She then solemnly added, "Good luck Natsuki." Mai grabbed Mikoto and nearly flew out the door, peeling with laughter.

"He—hey!" Natsuki panicked at the retreating figures of Mai and Mikoto.

Natsuki stood beside her bike staring in awe at the large property the Fujino house was settled on. She shifted nervously in front of the speaker box, a small container in her hands.

After Mai had rushed out Natsuki realized she had forgotten a most important question.

What did she take to give to Shizuru and her mother?

After being mocked by Nao, harassed by Haruka who wouldn't even let her talk to Yukino, assaulted by a very drunk Midori who seemed to be ranting about something Youko had (not) done, and getting confused at whatever it was Reito had said to her, Natsuki decided to ask Chie and Aoi what to bring.

After long moments of thought by Chie (and annoying questions shouted from somewhere in Chie's apartment by Aoi), she simply told her to bring something homemade, like cookies. Baffled by the very idea of actually cooking anything that wasn't ramen(instant at that), Natsuki went to the market and bought the most expensive tea she could afford instead.

Before she could work up the nerve to push the call button, a familiar accented voice rang out from the speaker, "Ara, Natsuki do you wish to stand outside all day?"

"N-no, of course not!" She flushed when she realized she hadn't pushed the button to be heard. A small chuckle rang over her embarrassment before she pushed the talk button and repeated her statement.

"I'll be out in a moment Natsuki." Another similar voice was heard behind the words and Natsuki stared, shocked at Shizuru's "Mama, no!" and (apparently) her mother peeling with laughter.


"I'll be out in a moment Natsuki."

"Maybe I should greet her at the door, what do you think? She's so adorable!"

"Mama, no!" She nearly shouted, mildly surprised at the harshness of her own voice.

Kyouko only laughed at Shizuru's reaction, "I am glad that my daughter lets her walls down when she is at home."

Smiling Shizuru replied, "I don't wish to be secretive with you, mother."

"Good, good, and I hope it will be the same with this girl as well?"

Shizuru smiled softly as a small blush appeared on her cheeks, "I think she's starting to see through it, so it really wouldn't matter."

Kyoko patted her daughter's cheek affectionately. "Go on and get your 'pup'," she laughed, "I will have to spend more time with Kuga-san to understand why people call her that." She muttered to herself as she walked away to finish preparing their evening meal.


Natsuki shuffled her feet, waiting—not so patiently—for Shizuru.

"Ara, did Natsuki bring me a gift? How sweet!" Shizuru proclaimed when she had spotted her.

Grumbling slightly Natsuki waited for Shizuru to open the gate before placing the small wrapped box in Shizuru's hands. She walked stiffly forward, passing Shizuru.

"Natsuki?" Natsuki stopped and turned around. Before she could ask what Shizuru wanted, she leaned forward and lightly kissed Natsuki on the cheek. The blush was instant, so were the incoherent words coming out of her mouth. But before Natsuki could protest Shizuru spoke once more, "It is only proper to give you thanks for a gift, and of course my duty as your girlfriend." Shizuru giggled before leading Natsuki to her home.

Natsuki was too embarrassed and too nervous to protest being pulled by Shizuru. Honestly, this was a totally new experience; couldn't Shizuru cut her a little slack? Taking a glance at the woman dragging her, Natsuki stumbled slightly. Shizuru had a smile plastered on her face, and it wasn't like any she had seen before.

It was pure and genuine.

Natsuki let a smile play across her face, some of her nervousness leaving. It was quite an odd feeling, but a really nice one, to know she was the source of that smile.

Moments later Shizuru ushered her into the house and Natsuki stared, wide eyed, at the interior.

"It's HUGE!"

Shizuru chuckled, handing the small package in her hands to the housekeeper, "Ana, will you take this to Mama?" When the small woman smiled and nodded, Shizuru turned back to Natsuki. "I'll give you a proper introduction to my mother shortly, would you like to see the house first?"

Natsuki could only nod while staring in awe. Shizuru grabbed her hand and took her upstairs. As she pointed various things out Natsuki began to relax, until they got to where the bedrooms were.

"This one is my elder sister's; she's currently on vacation somewhere in England." Turning to a door just across from the one they were next to Shizuru spoke again, "This one here is my younger brother's. He'd normally be home, but he's with my father. They're fishing, I think. Though when I asked he said it was for 'men only'." Shizuru laughed.

Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief hearing that the rest of the family wasn't there. Of course that was until she realized that sooner or later (and she hoped much, much later, like never later) she'd eventually have to meet them.

After seeing the rest of the upstairs and the backyard, (courtesy of the small balcony that lead from Shizuru's room) they descended down the stairs. Natsuki took each step as if it killed her, she was not looking forward to this dinner, and she knew she was going to die from too much blood rushing to her face.

She stopped at the kitchen door as Shizuru walked towards her mother who was talking quite animatedly to the woman Natsuki recognized as the housekeeper from earlier. Rocking back and forth on her heals she looked around, her eyes never staying on one object for more than a second.

Shizuru's mother had heard them walk in, but kept her conversation with her friend; she smiled and nodded to Shizuru, acknowledging their presence. She observed Natsuki first. She was quite impressed at the younger girl. Having not taken the time two days ago to study her, Kyouko nodded her approval and gave a genuine smile to her daughter. I will have to let her know, without Shizuru around, how indebted I am to her.

After greeting her mother with a hug and a chaste kiss to her cheek, Shizuru pulled Natsuki over, "Mama, this is Kuga Natsuki and as you know, my girlfriend." The last part she said in a teasing tone.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki hissed out, clearly embarrassed.

"It's nice to meet you, again, Kuga-san. I'd hug you, but I'm afraid not only would my daughter forbid it, but my hands are a little messy from making dinner."

Shizuru latched herself more firmly to Natsuki as her mother spoke, making Natsuki blush freely. "Of course not Mother, you are worse than Akiyo sometimes!"

Akiyo? I wonder if that's her sister's name. Oh god worse than—does that mean they're both worse than Shizuru!? Help!

Before anything else was said, Kyoko put the vegetables she was cutting into a simmering pot on the stove. She checked the stove a moment before washing her hands. "Now then, we still have some time before the meal is ready, why don't we have some of the tea you brought dear, in the family room?"

Natsuki nodded hesitantly. I'm going to diiiiiiie.

"Mama, go have a seat, I'll prepare it for us." Sorry, Natsuki, but it's best to get it over with.

"Of course dear, come along, Kuga-san!" Her mother said cheerily.

Natsuki could only give a pleading look at Shizuru before walking out of the kitchen.

Natsuki fidgeted on the couch she was now seated on. Shizuru's mother had taken a seat in the only cushioned chair in the room, one that seemed to be at focal point of the family room. It was quite large and crimson in color, reminding Natsuki of Shizuru's eyes. That alone had made the woman more imposing than she had already been to Natsuki, the large family portrait behind Kyouko didn't make it any better.

It surprised her at how happy the family seemed. She hadn't known why, but she always pictured Shizuru's family as stiff and too proper. But the picture looming over the room was full of genuine smiles and laughing eyes. Her father, Natsuki assumed, had one hand resting on his eldest daughter while the other seemed to be wrapped around his wife's waist. Shizuru looked to be seated on something, her young brother sitting on her lap, tugging at a strand of the girl's hair. Natsuki smiled solemnly as she felt a small pang of jealousy and sadness come over her from looking at the picture, silently wishing she had something like that.

Kyouko gazed at Natsuki while the she swept her eyes around the room. She let out a small smile when the girl seemed to be studying the picture above her head. Her gaze turned quite curious at Natsuki's expression, I wonder what that is about... she cleared her throat and almost let out a laugh when Natsuki jumped. "So, have you been dating long?"

"N-no ma'am," Natsuki stuttered.

"I have seen you with my daughter before, why is it only now that you are dating?"

Natsuki looked confused for a moment, knowing she had greeted Kyouko before, several times, but wasn't she at that stupid contest? "Uh, b-because the um..." God why couldn't she talk?

"Ah yes, that contest, correct? You don't look the type to do something so rash. Aside from that, my daughter would not have brought you here had you not meant something to her." Now then, Kuga-san, please enlighten me. "Ah, I know! I will not torture you with such questions if you tell me what it is that made my daughter blush. Being her mother I know how difficult that can be. At least around people that are not her family." Kyoko could barely contain her laughter at the sudden flush that spread through Natsuki's face and neck. Shizuru has certainly picked a rather fun girl.

Natsuki swallowed nervously, clearing her throat a few times before answering. "I- I um," Natsuki wanted to smack herself for her stuttering. She growled at herself quietly before speaking again, "I told her that the next time she wanted to use negi to make sure she was dating me and not some stupid fangirl. And that I'd like to uh, to go out longer than two weeks..." She muttered. She could feel the heat radiating off her face and wished to be dunked in a pool, if only to be saved from this embarrassment.

Kyouko had no need to hide the large smile on her face for Natsuki wasn't even looking at her. Hearing the tell-tale signs of her daughter finishing up the tea making, Kyoko decided to say what she had meant to say all along. "It seems, Kuga-san, that you have done the nearly impossible, sweeping my daughter off her feet. Though by the looks of it she has done the same." Seeing the startled face of the young girl in front of her didn't surprise Kyoko in the least. "Now then Kuga-san I do—"

Growing agitated at the overuse of her family name, Natsuki blurted out her given name, "Natsuki, please, just Natsuki."

Before her mother could reply, Shizuru entered the room, "Ara, is my Mother being too friendly, Natsuki?" She teased, setting down the tray and pouring her mother some tea before repeating the action for Natsuki and herself.

"Ara," Kyouko said, slightly mocking her daughter, "You mean I can't steal Natsuki-san away from you? And we were planning on such wonderful trips too!"

Natsuki could feel the heat rise in her face. My face is going to be permanently red around this family...

Shizuru possessively grabbed Natsuki's free arm with both hands. "She's mine, Mother." The younger Fujino stated, a teasing tone filtered through the mild seriousness.

"So, Natsuki-san," Kyouko took a small sip of tea, "How are you doing in school."

Natsuki tensed, but Shizuru squeezed her arm in quiet reassurance, "Mama..."

Natsuki turned her head, unable to look at the older Fujino. She cleared her throat before speaking, "Uh, Sh-Shizuru's helping me with some of my tougher classes." It wasn't a blatant lie, Shizuru really was helping her with English, but she was not about to tell Fujino-san that her bad grades were due to her poor attendance.

Kyouko was about to question Natsuki more when Shizuru spoke quietly, "Mama," The next few sentences were lost on Natsuki as Shizuru let foreign words roll right off her tongue. Natsuki wasn't even going to try and guess what language it was. How many languages does she know!?

Natsuki just wanted to bury herself into the plush couch as Shizuru's mother spoke rapidly in a totally different language, luckily for her Kyouko then spoke in their native Japanese, "Shizuru, you realize that even if I did not wish to torture your lovely woman, your sister and father will?"

"I am quite aware of that, Mother."

Before she could reply, the housekeeper came into the room, bowing apologetically for interrupting. She quietly said a few words to Kyouko before handing her the house phone. "Excuse me for a minute; it seems your brother has caught a few fish." Kyouko smiled before turning her attention to the excited little voice that rang through the ear piece of the phone.

Shizuru smiled softly and leaned over to whisper into Natsuki's ear, "I see you decided to keep the other..." She paused trying to find the right word, "—illicit detail of what you said to me from my mother." She grinned when she was rewarded with her favorite blush on Natsuki.

"Of course!" She whispered harshly, "Wh-why would she need to know something like that?"

"Ara, well I'm glad my Natsuki wishes to keep her—" Shizuru hesitated; the word she had wanted to use might have been too much for the young girl. "—her hidden hobby knowledgeable to me only."

"I wouldn't want to show anyone but you anyway." Natsuki grumbled. Her head was turned away, looking at a spot on the far away wall, missing the sudden blush and the softening of Shizuru's eyes.

Shizuru's heart swelled with new found giddiness at Natsuki's words. She knew Natsuki probably wouldn't know what those words meant to her, but knowing herself that Natsuki wanted to show off for her alone put happy tears in her eyes. "Natsuki," She whispered before throwing her arms around the surprised brunette, "Ookini."

Natsuki smiled softly, thinking it was just Shizuru being her odd self, and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She felt an odd sense of warmth and completeness she hadn't before and she wished to stay that way longer, had Mrs. Fujino not been staring at them. "Uh, Shizuru..." She nudged her, Shizuru only wrapped herself more around Natsuki, making her blush deeper. "Shizuru!" She whispered harshly, "Your mother is staring at us. It's creeping me out."

Letting out a laugh, Shizuru pulled away and looked at her mother, "Yes, Mama?"

Kyouko smiled and tilted her head to the side. "Did I miss something important?" She laughed at Natsuki's look of horror. She waved her hand, passing off her question. "Come on girls, it's time to eat."

It was during dinner that Kyouko finally saw why people compared Natsuki to a puppy. Natsuki had a rather adorable pout on her face that she failed miserably to hide when she noticed the food. Kyouko had thought that maybe she had been disappointed in the options. Seconds later Shizuru had wordlessly gotten up as the rest of the food was being brought to the table, walked into the kitchen and soon came back out with a bottle of mayonnaise that her family hardly ever used. Natsuki's face brightened significantly at the sight. If Kyouko hadn't known any better she'd swear the girl was practically wagging her tail at the bottle. It was at that point that Shizuru's mother teased her daughter's girlfriend relentlessly throughout the meal, loving that she could make Natsuki so easily. No wonder Shizuru teases this girl so often; you can't help but to do so.

"Have a good night Natsuki-inu!" Shizuru's mother yelled from her place at the door while the two girls walked towards Natsuki's motorcycle.

The only ac-knowledgeable action the elder woman got was the sudden stiffening of Natsuki's back and Shizuru's laughter.

Natsuki hesitantly wrapped her arm around Shizuru's waist as they walked away, her face red from the action. Shizuru sighed happily and leaned her head on Natsuki's shoulder and she, too, wrapped an arm around Natsuki, using her other hand to play with the edges of Natsuki's shirt.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it, Natsuki?"

Natsuki shook her head before slowly untangling herself from Shizuru and straddling her bike. Shizuru had taken hostage of one of Natsuki's hand, almost causing her to stumble. Shizuru squeezed the hand softly before whispering a quiet 'goodnight'.

Natsuki uttered a reply and grabbed her helmet. The hand on her shoulder stopped her, however.

She turned a questioned gaze towards Shizuru. The only answer given was a very soft, sweet kiss to the lips and then it was gone, along with Shizuru who had suddenly been back behind the gate and gave a happy wave goodbye before disappearing into her house.

NAtsuki stayed a few moments more, not knowing of the figure that peered behind curtains. She touched her lips, amazed that they still tingled. A small smile quickly turned into a smirk which then produced a giddy laugh.

It took her a small amount of time to compose herself, clearing her throat, Natsuki tried to act nonchalant but failed as she drove away, trying to ignore the smile that lingered on her face.