Hello all! So this was a request by Major Mike Powell III. It's not what I usually write, so bear with me. As the summary says, it's Kei reminiscing about her and Sakura's established relationship. So, without further ado, here you are!
Kei Chitose glanced around the hall at the many students watching them. She felt Sakura squeeze her hand and smiled at her girlfriend encouragingly.
"Bet you never thought you would go to India, eh?"
Truer words had never been spoken. The two young women were currently in India, in order to do this 'School Networking' project, to link schools from different countries together and share learning experiences. Sakura had wanted to go to India for one reason only: to fight master Dhalsim, who was rumoured to run that very school that Tamagawa High was to link with. Of course, she had convinced Kei to go along with her. It took a simple puppy dog look, coupled with holding Kei's hands. Somehow from there, she had managed to get Kei to do a dance that master Dhalsim had taught them.
Backstage. It was dimly lit, and from behind the red curtain, Kei was nervous. When Sakura pulled her out onto the stage, Kei's time with Sakura flashed before her eyes.
"Sakura! Why do you keep fighting her?" Kei growled after Sakura yet again ran towards the local park, her favourite place to spar with her rival. "It only ends with one of you hurt, and the other smug and triumphant!"
Sakura glanced back at Kei, pausing.
"You wouldn't understand. You don't have fighting spirit. It's a sense of rivalry; we push each other to do better. Besides, She's one-up, so I've got to even the score! C'mon Kei! Will you come along and cheer for me?" Sakura pleaded, walking towards Kei. She looked so hopeful, and her eyes were ridiculously large. Kei looked at her feet.
"Fine..."
In a sense, both girls were flexible. Of course, what they were planning to do was another kind of flexible. But in metaphorical terms, their kinds of flexibility were very different. Kei was always willing to bend over backwards for Sakura, and to make allowances, for instance, going to watch Sakura fight. She would always cheer her on. Sakura was very different. She would do anything for Kei (except give up fighting) but she was also able to juggle her school life with her fighting and had a social life too! It must be exhausting, but Sakura was just used to it. That could be one way they match, another may be that the friendship they shared allowed something more to develop. Kei didn't know, and she didn't care.
At the park, Karin and Sakura had their little to and fro. Kei had an inkling that Karin had stronger feelings for Sakura, but she was content to cross that bridge if they came to it. Every time Sakura won, Kei would fuss over her like a mother hen.
"Are you hurt? Sure? Good!"
And every time Sakura lost, Kei would always do the same. She would stay with Sakura until her friend was well enough to walk. And one time, they both got rewarded for this...
"Sakura!" Kei ran towards her fallen friend in pure. Karin had been a bit more aggressive than usual, and caught Sakura with a rather nasty roundhouse to the temple. Sakura was laid face-down in the mud. As Kei rushed over, Karin was only a couple of steps behind. Both knelt down next to their friend/rival.
"Allow me." Karin, as cool and as calm as ever, leaned over Sakura and turned her over. She grabbed her own red towel and wiped Sakura's face clean. Kei glanced up at Karin. For just a split second, she saw Karin smile. It was a genuine smile. It was full of love and worry, and hinted at a care that female had never shown anyone. In a strange way, it suited Karin. She may have been haughty and holier-than-thou, but she always showed special attention to Sakura. Karin glanced at Kei and immediately looked away.
"She'll be ok. Make sure she's ready for our next fight!" Karin walked off. She looked back only once.
Kei stayed with Sakura for two hours. When Sakura finally woke up, Kei had been asleep for half an hour.
"Kei! Wake up!"
"Sakura!" Kei shot up. "Do you feel ok?"
"Yeah! That was fun!" Sakura giggled, and Kei rolled her eyes.
"Of course..."
"Don't look like that Kei. I know you don't approve of me fighting, but Kei! We've got to compromise!" Sakura was getting up. "Look, Kei." Sakura grasped her friend's hands.
"Yes?" Kei thought this was going to be the usual speech, it's my decision, you're my friend, support me, I'll be fine. It was quite different.
"I want to um...y'know I uh..." Sakura swallowed. She was nervous, but Kei wasn't stupid. She knew what was coming. Sakura cleared her throat. "You mean so much to me...you've always put up with my stupid attitude towards school...essentially you...Ah...I..." Sakura took a deep breath. "I want to take a big step. I want us to...ah...be together."
"Huh." Kei thought for one moment. "Sure. I guess I um...like you too..."
"Really?" Sakura blinked. "Wow. Shocker."
"But!" Kei wagged her finger. "You need to, to use your wording, compromise on things. That means fighting too."
"Aw!" Sakura moved towards Kei slowly. "Kei..." Sakura pulled Kei into a tight hug. Kei returned it and held her lips to Sakura's ear.
"Sakura..." Kei whispered.
"Yes...Kei?" Kei could hear the shake in Sakura's voice. She smiled and pulled Sakura tighter.
"Sakura...you're getting mud all over me!"
The interaction may have indicated otherwise, but both were very nervous and awkward. They didn't speak very much for two days, but they gradually warmed up to each other again.
"Want some, Kei?" Sakura offered Kei a bit of her drink, and Kei accepted with a smile on her face.
"Thanks."
"Does this mean I can fight Karin now?"
"No."
"Aw!"
"Kei? Kei!"
"Huh?" Kei looked at Sakura.
"We're on!" Sakura pulled Kei to the centre of the stage. Everyone who went along to the school networking program had to do some event. Now, Sakura met Dhalsim, and he agreed to spar with her. IF she did a certain dance. Now, Kei was very flexible when it came to doing favours for Sakura. But this was taking it too far. It had taken Sakura murmuring some very dirty things and dirty promises for Kei to agree. Kei looked around the hall at all the Indian children. A beat started up in the background. Both girls began.
They brought their hands into a prayer position. They swayed with the beat. They pushed their hands into the air. And then they began to do the Dhalsim dance. They kept their lower body and legs as still as possible, while moving their upper bodies from side to side in a horizontal line. Their heads bobbed, and Kei felt very silly. However, she heard clapping. She looked down at the crowd from her stage, and they were clapping with the beat! A few were even cheering! Then, the next part of their dance began.
They carried on their dance while moving to face one another, and then did a little moon walk. It was executed perfectly, and then they span to face away from the crowd. A series of complicated cartwheels followed, and a climatic flourish ended in a high five. Both girls looked in each other's eyes for one breathless moment. A loud cheering rung out and reverberated through the hall. Both girls, now embarrassed, waved and scurried off the stage.
"Whew!" Sakura inhaled deeply once they were safe, and immediately met her girlfriend in a hug. "Thanks Kei. For being here for me."
"It's ok..." Kei murmured softly.
"No, seriously. You've done so much for me. Now, it's my turn to return the favour." Sakura pulled back and looked Kei in the eye. "I won't fight for a month."
Kei gasped. She knew that fighting meant everything to Sakura, and that she must feel really guilty. 'If she can do that for me...then I can do this for her...'
"No. It's fine. I support you, Sakura. I may not like it, but...I don't like seeing you give something that important up. Even if only for a month..." Kei pulled Sakura into a passionate kiss. It was chaste...but it was the pressure, the feel, the way it allowed them to communicate and send each other a message. They held each other close, lips still touching. Not an actual kiss, but touching. Breath being absorbed into the partner, bodies set alight like a million fires, a million tingles to give them this perfect feeling, this perfect moment.
"I love you...Sakura."
Truer words had never been spoken.