Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-HiME

Pretty Woman - Chapter Two

Pretty woman, won't you pardon me

Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see

Pretty woman

And you look lovely as can be

Are you lonely just like me?

- - -

Now that she took a closer look around the small cafe shop, Natsuki decided that it had been a good idea that she allowed her friend to drag her along to meet the 'friend' that she had been going on for almost two weeks.

Admittedly she had only agreed to come so Mai could finally stop bothering her, the girl had an admirable ability to ignore her complains about how cafe shops were alway brimming with teenager girls that had nothing better to do other thank drink obscene amounts of coffee and talking about random and unnecessary thing like new shoes or who was making out with who.

This small shop though, was different from all the other ones she had been to. The place smelled nice, a combination of different grains and recently baked cakes; it wasn't loud like those places, just the pleasant sound of the clientele talking quietly and the clinking of spoons against cups or forks against plates, not that annoying sound of teenagers prmanetly high on sugar.

Now, according to Mai, there was nothing wrong with those kind of places, claiming that Natsuki was only being anti-social, but one glance at her friend and she could tell from the pleased smile on her face that she too prefered this place.

And her friends too seemed nice enough, sure Reito liked teasing her endlessly and Shizuru-san too seemed to have taken a liking to seeing her turn several shades of red but other than that, they seemed like grounded, responsible people, the kind on which you could count on, sociable yet not overly bubbly.

Yes, she decided that she liked them although she just met Shizuru-san earlier that day and Reito a few weeks ago.

She remembered how he had shown up at their dorm one day when Mai and Mikoto had been out buying groceries. She remembered how she had interrogated him and kept him at their door for the good part of fifteen minutes before the girls returned and Mikoto upon seeing the young man, charged at him with an alarmingly high speed and a joyful cry of 'Ani-ue!'

At first Natsuki thought that if she didn't slow down she would push them down to the floor, but the young man just scooped her overjoyed sister into his arms as if he had done that countless of times.

Natsuki had stared at the strange pair in confusion until Mai reminded them that they had to carry all the things they had bought inside.

After a small explanation and a delicious dinner, courtesy of Mai, Natsuki learned that this Reito guy was Mikoto's older brother and that he came once every week to check up on her little sister, or as he had put it, to make sure Mai was still okay with taking care of the hyperactive Micoto.

At first she hadn't believed that those two were actually siblings, they were total opposites from each other. While Mikoto couldn't stay still for more than a few minutes and was as innocent as a person could get, Reito was calm, composed and mature. It seemed evident when she noted their physical resemblance. Both had those striking yellow cat-like eyes and that cobalt dark hair.

Natsuki apologized for her rudeness, again being pushed by Mai, when the time had come for Reito to leave, but he had just smiled and commented on how happy he was for having someone like Natsuki, and Mai of course, looking so well after his dear little sister.

Now that she thought about it, it was no wonder why Mai grew more affectionate towards him with each of his weekly visits to their dorm. Still it had come as a bit of a surprise when a blushing Mai and a smiling Reito told her one night during dinner that they had started dating.

The trouble came a few days later when Mai tried to convince of going into town to have a cup of coffe and a 'chat' with a couple friends.

- - -

"It's no good for you to stay holed up all day inside the apartment." Mai told her on one of her many attempts to get her to socialize.

'"Whatever, I don't have time for that, I go to school have club practice and homework almost everyday. I can't go around 'socializing' as you put it." She answered in a bored voice not looking up from the motorbike magazine she was reading on top of her bed.

"I'm serious Natsuki, you can't pass up your days not getting to know anyone." Mai reprimanded her carefully closing the magazine so she could get Natsuki's attention.

"Hey, I was reading that!" Natsuki complained reaching out to open it again but Mai swiftly took it away from her.

"And I was talking to you, it's only polite to look at someone in the eyes when they're speaking you know." She said rolling the magazine and swatting Natsuki in the head with it.

"Ow, don't do that! Anyways, what's it to you? I can do whatever I want with my time! And it's not like I don't have any friends!" She exclaimed rubbing the spot where Mai had hit her.

"Yeah I know you have friends, but you only talk to them when we're at school and you always pass up our invitations to go out!" Mai chastised placing her hands on her hips in a motherly way.

"I don't care, you know I'm not into karaoke and all that boring stuff you guys like doing!" Natsuki exclaimed crossing her arms and turning away from Mai's reproaching gaze.

"You call riding bikes and collecting lingerie a good way to pass up time?" She asked raising a doubtful eyebrow.

"Hey, you like karaoke and cooking and I like riding bikes and collecting lingerie!" She countered starting to lose patience.

"What about dating?" Mai asked after a minute of silence.

"What about it?" She replied not liking where the conversation was going.

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me you are not interested in dating!" Mai asked looking flabbergasted.

"As a matter of fact I'm not. Look, just because you're all lovey-dovey with 'Ani-ue' doesn't mean I have to be!" She said looking disgusted at the thought of her dating a guy.

"Hey! I don't necessarily mean him!" Mai said going red in the face.

"I meant dating, not him you idiot!"

"Well you could be a little more specific!" Mai cried.

Natsuki humphed and sat cross leged on the bed, her fingers tapping impatiently against her knee. "If you must know, I'm not interested in him or any other guy!"

"What?" Mai asked looking at her as if she had grown another head.

"What?" She replied. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Natsuki...don't tell me you..." Mai trailed off, a blush covering her cheeks and ears.

"Tell you what?" Natsuki asked her patience at it's limit.

"Do...do you like...girls?" Mai finished unsure, still looking at Natsuki in amazement.

"What!?" Natsuki cried and stood up, also going red on the face from embarrassment, anger and fear. "How dare you imply that!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"It's not like it's a bad thing!" Mai cried waving her hands in front of her as if she was trying to dismiss the idea. "It's not a bad thing at all...it's just...unexpected, that's all!"

She had tried with all her might not to hit the girl right there by clenching her fists. At the end though she just let out a frustrated groan and covered her face with her hands. Suddenly all her anger dissipated away and she could not help sinking down to the floor. Mai was there though, she held her by the waist, the still rolled up magazine dropped to the floor, and she helped Natsuki sit down on the edge of the bed.

"Natsuki?" She asked and hesitantly but gently took hold of Natsuki's wrists and pulled them away from her face. "Don't hide your face, don't you ever do that." She said and took the now crying girls into her arms.

"Don't worry Natsuki, it's going to be okay." Was all she said as she rubbed her back comfortably.

- - -

The next two days after their argument had been unbearably awkward for Natsuki. She couldn't believe that the secret she had kept from the world had been outed. She didn't not know if she was imagining Mai's looks of pity at her or if they were real, she didn't want them to be real.

What is they were though?

She decided to be a big girl and handle it with her strong personality for which she was known for and came to the conclusion that she had to talk to Mai to save their friendship if it still exited. It was easier said that done though and she took up almost a whole day to gather her courage to take action.

She waited for Mai to return from her part time job that night with impatience pacing around the room with Mikoto perched on a chair curiously watching her walk back and forth. She was starting to grow irritated by her stare when she heard the jingling of keys and the tired announcement from Mai that she was home.

Natsuki's opinion of Mikoto changed that night when she didn't immediately ran to hug Mai as she usually did and instead got up slowly and shot Natsuki an encouraging smile before she went to quietly greet Mai, who looked as confused as her and told them that she was going to bed early.

Then there was only Mai and Natsuki standing quietly in the room trying to avoid looking directly at each other's eyes.

- - -

"Hey." Murmured Mai quietly before she walked into the living room to set down her bags.

"Hey." Natsuki replied suddenly feeling very nervous. She swallowed down her cowardice though, she had to fight for their friendship and she had to be strong to do it. "We need to talk Mai." She said rubbing her hands together trying to force them not to tremble.

"Okay." The other girl answered sitting down on the same chair Mikoto had just vacated. "What's up?" She asked trying not to sound as tired as she seemed.

"I'll go straight to the point." Natsuki said towering over her.

"Don't you want to sit first?" The other girl asked gesturing the chair next to hers.

"No, I..." She trailed off and sighed. "Look, I know that things have been awfully awkward between us lately." She said fidgeting on her place.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Mai replied smoothing down the wrinkles on the skirt she was wearing.

"I...I just want to know what you think about me now that you know that I'm...well now that you know." Natsuki said not able to get the whole words she had in mind out.

"Now that I know you're..." Mai trailed off.

"Now that you know I'm gay dammit!" Natsuki snapped not believing that her soon to be former friend was trying to humiliate her.

"I think the right term is lesbian Kuga." Mai said looking straight into her eyes.

It hurt.

It hurt that Mai no longer wanted to call her by her first name.

"Yes! But that's not the point!" She yelled, tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

"I'm not quite following what you're saying." The cerulean eyed girl said crossing one leg over the other.

"You damn well know what I'm talking about Tokiha, you're not some retarded girl!" Natsuki cried clenching her fists tightly and taking guilty pleasure in the way Mai flinched.

"Maybe I'm a big retarded girl because I have no idea of what you're talking about." Mai stated coldly.

"You want me to spell it out for you? Fine!" She whispered angrily. "I want to know where our friendship stands now that you know I'm a lesbian!" Her lips trembeled violently but she refused to let the tears fall.

Then Mai smiled.

"How dare you!?" Natsuki asked appalled. Did Mai hated her that much now?

"Well," Said girl stated slowly standing up and walked to stand in front of the livid girl. "I'm glad that you could get that out of your system Natsuki." She said reaching for her trembling hands to give them a firm squeeze.

"What?" Was all that Natsuki could come up with after a few moments of shocked silence.

"You silly girl." The red head started reaching one hand to gently smack her on the forehead. "Did you really think that something like you being a lesbian is going to come between our friendship? I thought you knew me better than that Kuga."

"What?"

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. Well if you stole Reito-san away from me there would be a really small chance, but I don't think I have to worry about that, eh?" She said playfully with a wiggle form her eyebrows.

"But all those things you just said...I thought that..." Natsuki was at loss of words.

"Hmm, I don't remember saying anything bad, do you?" She asked with a roll of her eyes.

Again Natsuki felt her knees giving away, but Mai was there, she helped to the chair and brushed away the tears that were slowly falling from her eyes.

"I'm such an idiot." Natsuki whispered burying her face into her hands.

"Hey." Mai said kneeling in front of her and gently pried her hands away from her red face. "Didn't I tell you before?"

She chuckled at the girl's confused face and took her chin between her hands, holding it high for Natsuki. "Don't you ever hide your face."

- - -

She chuckled at the memory, eliciting curious glances from the other three seated around the small rounded table.

"Something funny Natsuki-chan?" Reito asked curiously.

"Nope, just thinking." She answered giving Mai a mysterious look, she chuckled again when the girl looked at her with a small lost smile.

"Thinking about what Kuga?" Mai asked.

"Oh you know, just...stuff." She answered vaguely, prying her eyes away from her best friend.

"You're not coming down with anything are you?" Mai said leaning across the table to touch Natsuki's forehead with her palm.

She slapped her hand away as if waving away a mosquito. "I'm telling you it's nothing." She said giving her a small glare. She rested her head against her palm in a bored fashion and let her green eyes wander only to find to find red ones staring at her.

"Oh." Came the small gasp of comprehension from the red head.

"What is it?" Reito asked glancing between the two room-mates. She followed Mai's line of sight and found his intended target. "Oh."

"What?" Asked Shizuru tearing her eyes away from Natsuki's to look into yellow ones.

"Oh, it's nothing really." Reito said with his decieving smile.

"That won't work on me Reito-san, now tell me what is it." Shizuru asked leaning her head against her interlaced fingers.

"You'll never know." He said mysteriously and picked up his tea cup to occupy himself with something.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Shizuru said with an irritated sigh. She stood up after a moment of silence. "Please excuse me for a moment."

"Where are you going Shizuru-san?" He asked watching her with amusement.

"The ladies room if you must know." She answered glaring down at him. It didn't face him in the least.

"Of course, I forget you must always look pretty for your fans." He said giving her a pointed look.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said with irritation starting to walk away.

"Hey wait, I'm coming with you." Mai said standing up and trailing after her but not before she gave Natsuki a mischievous smile.

"What is that girl up to now?" Natsuki wondered out loud following them with her eyes.

"I wonder." Was Reito's simple answer.

- - -

"Hey Natsuki." Mai called out from the kitchenette.

"Yeah?" Not looking up from the motorbikes magazine she was reading.

"You know Reito-san is coming over in a few days, yes?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come with us to have a cup of coffee or something..." She trailed off awaiting the blue haired girl's answer.

"That again?" She asked with a groan.

"Well...yeah."

Natsuki looked up from the magazine and looked at the direction to where Mai was standing even though a wall hid her.

"You sure I wouldn't get in your way or anything?" She asked.

"Of course not! You don't have to worry about that!" Mai said as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Well I don't really want to be in anywhere near the two of you if you start sucking face or something..." Natsuki said making Mai blush a bright pink.

"Of course we wouldn't do that, it would be embarrasing!" The red head answered.

"Ok." She answered with a sigh after thinking about it for a moment.

"What, really?" Mai asked happily strolling outside the kitchenette to stare at Natsuki in awe.

"What now?" She asked not liking the look the red head was giving her.

"Did you just said yes?" She asked with twinkling eyes.

"Yeah." She said looking back to her magazine.

"For real?" That girl was getting on her nerves again.

"I already said yes. You keep this up and I'm going to take it back." She threatened turning a page of her magazine.

"Ok, I'm sorry. I'll have to call Reito-san to let him know. Oh, and Chie and Aoi as well, we need someone to take care of Mikoto for a while."

"Hmm."

"This is going to be great Natsuki, I promise." She said cheerfully before going back to her cooking.

"If you say so." Natsuki answered with a roll of her eyes.

- - -

"Natsuki-chan?"

Reito's voice brought her back from her reverie. She blinked a couple times and she realized she was still looking the way the other two girls had walked to.

"Hmm?" She questioned turning her head to face Reito who was smiling at her with an annoying know it all smile.

"I'm glad you decided to come." Was his simple answer.

She snorted in amusement before replying. "Yeah, me too."

"She's quite the catch you know." He said after a little while making her snap her head up in alarm.

"Huh?" She asked eyeing him with surprise not believing what she had heard.

"Ah, here they come." He said looking away from her.

She turned her head again to see that they were indeed walking back, Mai grinning like a maniac and Shizuru looking a little flustered. What the hell had happened between them? She had no time to even dwell upon it as the two took their seats once again.

She noticed that Shizuru didn't look at her straight in the eye for the rest of the night.


A/N: Didn't really like how this chapter turned out but it was all my tired brain could manage...ah well, I'll have to live with it. Thanks for all the reviews and sorry for not answering, I'll try not to make a bad habit of that.

Lostinafeeling: You think that Pretty woman was bad? Boss now moved on to the Barry White discography...It's what I call pure and raw torture...my poor ears...

Umm...comments anyone?