"No! You can't do this to me; you can't do this to us Shizuma! You can't, you can't!" Nagisa wept into the silver locks flowing over her lovers' shoulders.
Grimacing, the elder girl gently pushed the red head away, holding her at arm's length and staring deeply into the chestnut orbs as she pressed the matter further. "Nagisa, I don't have a choice."
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the distress in the younger girls' eyes.
Placing a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose, Shizuma then turned and began to walk away, her heart shattering with every step she took, as her head rang with the distressing sobs of the lover she was leaving behind.

"No… just No!" Nagisa screamed as she regained control over her body. "You can't do this!"
Slamming her hands against the cold door, she attempted to shut it, to shut the sliver haired devil out, only to be defied by a slender foot blocking the way.

Before she knew what was happening, she was pulled into an embrace, firmly yet gently pulling her closer and closer.
Flailing her arms around in a mad attempt to break free she felt her fist contact with something soft. Horror consuming her features she let her gaze wander upwards as she felt the arms around her stiffen.

Blood trickled down Shizuma's chin as she tentatively touched her lip whilst still maintaining a vice like grip on Nagisa. 'Wow, she can certainly throw her punches' she regarded. 'I wonder why I expected anything different.'
As she wistfully gazed into the distance she failed to notice the concerned look in the younger woman's eyes as she gently pressed a handkerchief against the crimson torrent.

"Sh-Shiz-Shizuma, I-I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-" suddenly giving way to heart wrenching sobs Nagisa began to shake, her stance faltering as her knees threatened to buckle and give way.
She could feel the emerald eyes piercing into her, as her hair fell loosely around her face momentarily hiding her swollen eyes, only to be brushed away by slender fingers.
The touch sent shocks throughout her body as her legs finally caved and she fell to the floor.
The last thing she could remember was a cool pair of lips pressing gently against her forehead before everything went black.

A pair of eye lashes cracked open, as Nagisa tried to adjust her eyes to the sun filtering in through the partially open curtains.
Wincing slightly as a pain shot through her ankle, she tried to vaguely recall the previous evening's events. 'Why am I in my bed..? How did I get here?' she pondered whilst gently rubbing her temples.

Shuffling under the covers, she tried to regain complete control over her senses growing frustrated at her sudden bout of memory loss.
Glancing at the clock she immediately jumped up, her previous tiredness instantly banished.
'11 am?I'm late! How could I be so stupid? Murakoshi-San is going to yell at me again!'
Her current boss, Murakoshi was a tyrannical, impatient boss who held no qualms over firing employee's he deemed incompetent. Rather than listening to reason he merely replaced them without a second thought.

Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, Nagisa tried to stand up, only to wince as the pain shot through her ankle again.
Shifting her weight to the other foot she glanced at the source of pain to find a darkening bruise spread across her ankle.

"I'd lie back down if I were you. You took quite a fall last night, Nagisa."
Glancing towards her bedroom door, Nagisa looked in awe at the source of noise. Shizuma stood in the doorway, donned in an apron whilst her shimmering hair tumbled over her shoulders.

Memories of the night before came flooding back as Nagisa's eyes locked on the slightly swollen lip of her previous lover causing her to blush slightly.
"Shizuma…"
Unsure of how to continue, Nagisa simply continued to stare at the woman in front of her, taking in the familiar sight she'd once loved so much.
Seconds passed then minutes, as neither made any attempt to move from where they were placed.

Finally, after catching a slight glint in the elder woman's eye, Nagisa decided it was time to end the awkward silence, bowing her head she began to speak in a hushed tone, well aware of the eyes intently watching her.
"Shizuma… I… I…"
Her head swarmed with many questions she was desperate to be answered, but upon realising the time again decided it was best to leave them for another time.
"I have to get ready for work, I don't know why you're here or what it is that you want from me, but I'm already late. I need to go" stressing the last part she lifted her head to see the elder woman's reaction.

Shizuma shrugged in response before adding; "You can hardly stand, let alone walk… How do you plan on getting there?"

"I'll manage; I've managed all this time alone so I can manage now, not that it's anything to do with you" Nagisa snapped sharply. She hadn't intended it to come out so harshly and instantly recoiled upon seeing the flash of pain in Shizuma's eyes. A pang of guilt washed over her as she regarded the woman in front of her before she instantly chided herself. 'Wait, what have I got to feel guilty for? She left me! '

They continued to stare at each other for a moment longer, before Nagisa caved and muttered a small apology focusing her attention on her hands, which she ringed together in an attempt to distract herself from the eyes which had yet to leave her.

Suddenly a strong pair of hands grabbed hold of her wrists and pushed her back onto the bed. Shocked, Nagisa bolted her head upright staring into the ever watching emerald eyes, her body once again frozen as Shizuma's hair gently fell across her face, tickling her cheeks and nose.

"Now, you're going to be a good girl Nagisa and do as I say, okay?"

Nagisa instantly winced at the prospect, knowing full well she had little choice but to obey the woman straddling her. 'Dammit, why am I so weak against her' she asked herself as she closed her eyes in a clear demonstration of submission, unaware of the smirk playing upon Shizuma's lips.

Gently lowering her lips to Nagisa's neck, Shizuma began to gently nip at the skin before brushing her lips across the slowly darkening mark.
She was revelling in the familiar sense of longing she hadn't felt in so long, as she felt the red heads breathing increase beneath her.

"Nagisa, look at me a second"
Staring intently, she watched the younger girls eye lashes part revealing the pair of chestnut eyes she loved so much.
She inwardly sighed in content as she recognised the mutual flash of longing in Nagisa's eyes, and inevitably smirked.

Gently getting off the red head, she stalked towards the kitchen, throwing a playful comment over her shoulder; "Nagisa, you've got work remember, I'll finish preparing you some breakfast."
A smile played across her lips as she watched her beloveds face flush a striking red colour.

"YOU'RE FIRED! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU AOI, NOW CLEAR YOUR DESK AND GET OUT!" Murakoshi yelled, his face turning red in anger, as the vein on his forehead threatened to burst at any moment.

Nagisa lowered her head, doing all she could to prevent the threatening tears from spilling over. No, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
Shuffling towards her desk, she hurriedly grabbed her few belongings before rushing from the building, anything to escape the tyrant's wrath.

Slumping onto a nearby park bench she recalled this morning's events; how she'd awkwardly gotten ready and refused to eat the breakfast Shizuma had cooked.
Instead she'd opted for hurrying out of the apartment, leaving Shizuma to her own antics, before rushing off towards the bus station, all the while limping as the pain in her ankle remained.
Upon arriving at the office, she'd attempted to sneak to her desk only to find Murakoshi already there waiting for her, tapping his foot impatiently.

Sighing, Nagisa briefly closed her eyes. 'I need a new job fast, no job means no money, and no money means no food or apartment'.
Her eyes snapped open as her stomach rumbled. 'Oh come to think of it, I haven't eaten since yesterday morning…' Nagisa reminisced as she tried to recall why she hadn't eaten the previous evening. 'That's right, I had no food in the apartment… but wait, how did Shizuma cook breakfast this morning then? Maybe she went to buy some food? If that's the case then she went out of her way to do something for me… I should apologise for being so rude to her…'
Letting another sigh escape she scolded herself; 'food is definitely not the issue here, I can't let myself get distracted by that or other things…' she gently bite down on her lip as she recalled the silver haired goddess perched on top of her, the subtle hint of a blush forming again.
'No I need to stay strong, I need answers…' however that was easier said than done as she sighed a third time. Trying to accumulate some courage to confront Shizuma was something she currently lacked; her previous encounter with Murakoshi had left her drained, her spirit slipping away from her as she closed her eyes again. 'I just want to curl up in bed and sleep; I don't need all this hassle'.

"Excuse me miss, are you okay?" a pair of concerned eyes stared down at her, the interruption causing Nagisa to instantly straighten up.
"Oh… Nagisa… Chan? Nagisa-Chan? Is that you? Is that really you?" the other woman's voice laced with shock and excitement exclaimed.

Curiously, Nagisa peered at the woman standing before her. Recognition began to stir as she scanned the woman from head to toe, finally settling her gaze upon the startling blue hair that hung round her shoulders adorned with ribbons, just like she'd worn it back then.

"Tamao-Chan? What are you doing here? I-I-I…" this was the tip of the ice burg for Nagisa as the tears she'd been holding back began to flow freely down her cheeks.

"Nagisa! Nagisa, are you okay? Hey don't cry, please?" alarm and concern thick in the woman's words as she rushed forward to embrace the crumbling figure in front of her.

Through broken sobs Nagisa struggled to find the words she desperately wanted to say to her old friend, but soon gave up. Resting her head on the slender shoulder she openly sobbed, clinging to Tamao in a desperate attempt to find some form of comfort.

As the waitress placed the coffee cups in front of the pair, Tamao nodded her head in thanks before turning her attention back to Nagisa.
"Are you feeling any better?" she offered with a kind smile, trying to reassure the woman in front of her that things would be okay.
The red head merely shrugged in response never once making eye contact as she gazed down at the coffee.

Sighing Tamao gazed at her friend, questions itching away at her as she contemplated how to approach the topic she so desperately wanted to discuss.
Sensing her friends discomfort the red head looked up, only to mutter a hushed 'sorry' as tears welded up in the corner of her eyes again.

"N-Nagisa" She stuttered trying to desperately pick the right words to use "I've … missed you, so, so much. Please, can you just tell me why you disappeared like that all those years ago… without even saying a proper goodbye?" Choking on the last part, Tamao stared at her friend with baleful eyes, deciding to refrain from asking other questions as she attempted to recompose herself.

"Tamao-Chan, I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen like that… I just… Needed to get away, it was hard, so hard, everything reminded me of Shizuma, I had to escape, I needed to…" her friend trailed off as she stared into space.
"Tamao, I was scared, I wanted closure so I needed to go away somewhere. I didn't want her to find me so I couldn't risk anyone knowing where I was. I didn't think about anyone else… I'm really sorry!" bursting into tears again Nagisa buried her head into her hands.

Feeling hopeless, Tamao could do nothing but watch her friend break down in front of her, hoping that her presence may offer some form of comfort or reassurance.
She knew how badly Nagisa and Shizuma's break up had affected the younger woman, but she was shocked at the extent of the pain she was still going through.
Feeling a pang of guilt she blurted out something, anything she could think of to ease her friend's pain and guilt.
'Nagisa! Don't worry about it, it's in the past now… I didn't realise how much pain you were in, I'm sorry, I wish I could have been there for you. I understand though why you left, but you were and still are my best friend, Nagisa. I love you dearly and that hasn't changed at all."
Tamao decided to leave out the fact she'd cried herself to sleep nearly every night for months after her former dorm partner had disappeared.
How the tiny note that had been left which simply said 'I need to go, don't come looking for me' had shattered her heart every time she read it, yet the familiarity of the handwriting drove her to reading it at least twice a day.
Flashing the biggest smile she could muster, Tamao pushed those thoughts aside and attempted to cheer up the woman in front of her. 'All I want is for Nagisa to be happy, that's all I've ever wanted'.

Nagisa was starting to feel a bit better, yet the guilt of what she'd done to one of her dearest friends still clung tightly to her heart. 'I have to make it up to her' she inwardly stated.

They'd spent hours together, talking, laughing and reminiscing the past, whilst steering clear of a certain topic which involved a silver haired goddess.
She'd become completely enveloped in their own little bubble, where time nor others mattered, that was until an unruly waitress appeared at their table, tapping her foot whilst giving them both an irritated glare.
"Excuse me, we'd like to close the café, if you wouldn't mind leaving the premises now, some of us want to sleep tonight!" she practically spat before turning on her heel and storming off.

It was then that Nagisa realised how late it had gotten, gazing through the window, the street lights shone brightly as the darkness enveloped almost everything.
"Tamao! What time is it?" She asked alarmed whilst quickly rising from her seat in a state of panic.

"Wow, it's nearly 1am… I didn't think we'd been talking that long, no wonder that waitress was so irritated" her friend ended with a giggle.

Despite herself Nagisa began laughing along as well, before they both bolted for the door, a pair of glaring eyes leering at them from behind the counter.
"About bloody tim-"
Was all they heard the woman shout before they were through the door and running up the street.

Panting to grasp her breath, after their brief run back to the park from earlier, Nagisa turned to Tamao.
"How did you find me Tamao? Please tell me truthfully…"

She watched as her friend sighed, looking into the distance as she obviously tried to find the correct explanation to use.
"Shizuma-Sama. She called me and told me to come here, she said you were in need of a friend, but that was all. It's the first time she's spoken to me since you two…" Trailing off, Tamao bite her lip before continuing. "But it really was a coincidence meeting you in the park like that. I'd only just dropped my bags off at the hotel where I'm staying. I was going to come visit you in the evening; I figured you'd have work during the day, which was why I didn't recognise you to begin with."

"Shizuma did that?" Nagisa gasped. 'Why? Why would she do that? Why is she being nice to me? Why now? I have so many questions I need to ask her…!'

"Anyway Nagisa I've loved talking to you, but it's gotten late so we should probably call it a night" hesitating Tamao added "You're welcome to come with me … that's if you want to though, I mean… well, if you don't want to be alone…" Blushing, she lowered her head as Nagisa recognised the effort and sentiment put into the request.

Smiling gently she politely rejected. "Tamao-Chan, thank you so much. You've been so good to me today but I think it's for the best that I return to my apartment for tonight. However I'd love it if we could meet up again soon, I just need some rest tonight."

The pair embraced one another as they bid their farewells before heading in opposite directions.
Heading in the direction of her apartment, Nagisa pondered the day's events, her nerves fluttering as every step took her closer to her apartment and Shizuma.
'Why am I being so stupid and nervous' she asked herself. 'Of course she wouldn't be there still.'

Gasping in shock, Nagisa realised that her door was still unlocked.
'Dammit, I forgot to lock it this morning because I was in such a rush… Shizuma will have left, for all I know, the apartment is probably empty now, someone will have snuck in after she left and taken everything'.

Gently pushing the door open, Nagisa peered her head around, holding her breath so as not to alert anyone who may be there of her presence.
Nothing.
Quietly she crept inside, closing the door behind her as she let her eyes adjust to the darkened room, roaming around for any sign of imposters.

Suddenly she felt something wrap around her waist, unsure of what, she screamed in surprise and jumped forward trying to escape.
However, the thing round her waist remained its steel like grip of her as she panicked trying to escape.
"Shh, calm down" she felt someone coo in her ear, before realisation dawned on her that it was in fact arms wrapped around her.
She lowered her head as she also realised who the voice belonged to, fear and anticipation building within her stomach.

Gasping she felt cool droplets falling against her bare neck, as she became acutely aware of the silently sobbing figure behind her.
Feeling yet another pang of guilt for her actions, Nagisa attempted to turn round, only to be maintained in place by Shizuma's vice like grip.
Realising that any resistance was futile, she relaxed slightly allowing the older woman the time she needed to compose herself.

"Nagisa… I…" she began, stumbling over her own words. "I was worried about you, so I, uhm, rang your work, and they said you didn't work there anymore… I decided to wait for you, I thought you'd come back before nightfall, but… when you didn't, I-I-I was so worried, I thought something awful had happened!"

The guilt suddenly increased within her chest as Nagisa realised the pain emanating from the silver haired woman behind her, and in a determined attempt, twisted around so she was facing her.
Laying her head on Shizuma's shoulder she snaked her arms around her back before whispering; "I'm sorry Shizuma, I didn't mean to make you worry. I just lost track of time that's all, don't cry for my sake."
Her words seemed to have some affect as she felt the elder woman's breathing calm down whilst her tears slowed. It was then that she became painstakingly aware of the body pressed against hers.

'No, I need to stay strong… I didn't come back for this…' Nagisa gulped, aware that how she acted from here would determine the outcome of her relationship with Shizuma. 'Huh? Relationship' she scoffed to herself 'It's hardly that…'

As she pondered silently over what to do, she was unaware of the emerald eyes that were once again staring at her longingly.
Before she could react, a slender finger curled under her chin, tipping her head upwards as a pair of lips locked with her own.
The actions had rendered her immobile as she was lost in the moment, the sensation of Shizuma's tongue pressing against her lips causing her to gasp.
Their kiss deepened as Shizuma move the pair forward, until she had Nagisa pinned against the wall, all the while Nagisa oblivious of her previous intentions.
'What did I want to say to her? Did I want to say anything to her? Is that what I wanted?'
She could feel Shizuma's hands roaming over her body, claiming back territory that had previously been theirs, as her resolve simply melted away.

Shizuma suddenly pulled back for breath, panting slightly as she stared Nagisa in the eye.
"We need to talk, my little Nagisa" The beginning of a smirk twitching at her lips.

Note:

Haha, okay so this is the second chapter, I tried to make it longer than the first, so I hope it's alright? D:
Anyway, I'd like to say thank you to the people who actually read the first chapter xD

Also, I don't own Strawberry Panic, or the characters from it. (If that wasn't already obvious enough? xD)

Thanks again. :)