One Night Stands
A/N: This is a work of fanfiction. Businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Author do not own any of the characters from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.
Chapter 4
They had a good talk after Fate got dressed. They headed out for lunch as both needed to be fed and there was less temptation this way.
It turns out, Fate's job kept her on her toes at all times, hence the very nice toned body. Her job keeps her away for long periods of time too.
"I usually don't tell people what I do for a living but it will be weird if my own girlfriend doesn't know what I do for a living. Perhaps you might start to regret saying yes to me." Fate began.
"Hee hee… Girlfriend… That will take a bit of getting used to." Nanoha whispered with a smile. Fate couldn't help but smile back.
Fate reached over the table and held Nanoha's hand tenderly.
"I think you would be in for a bigger surprise. I also have my reasons for not telling people what I do for a living. You'll never know... you might be the one that's going to regret." Nanoha countered.
Fate laughed, "Hahaha... We'll see about that."
"Nanoha, please allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Special Agent Fate Testarossa Harlaown, Central HQ, Intelligence. I was previously based in Italy but I'll be transferring to Uminari Base at the end of my leave." Fate introduced.
Instead of being shocked, Nanoha broke out laughing. "Bawahahahaha!" Nanoha laughed out loud.
That was not the reaction Fate was expecting.
"I'm not joking, Nanoha. I kill people for a living." Fate stated with her eyebrows drew together, looking all confused.
That made Nanoha laughed harder, doubling over "Oh… you are killing me, Fate-chan. Bawahahaha…"
"I'm not joking. Both my mum and my brother are in the force too. Admiral Lindy Harlaown and Admiral Chrono Harlaown, Central HQ, Intelligence. I'm serious, Nanoha." Fate said seriously.
"I'm sorry, Fate-chan. I wasn't laughing at you." Nanoha apologised after settling herself a little.
"First thing first, when we were together, were you afraid of me finding out what you do for a living?" Nanoha questioned.
"Of course I was worried! What would you think of me… of your partner being a killer… someone with secrets thicker than phone books stacked together?" Fate responded.
"Well, that fear has always been at the back of my mind too." Nanoha confessed.
Fate gave Nanoha a questioned look.
"Please allow me to introduce myself too, Fate-chan. I am Captain Takamachi Nanoha. Technically, I belong to the Air Force, but because of my position as a tactics trainer, I train people from all Air, Army and Navy. The elites will then be stolen by your department I guess. By the way, I'm based at Uminari Base." Nanoha came clean.
Fate was so shocked that she didn't know how to respond. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Nanoha just laughed at how Fate had reacted. She leaned over the table and placed her finger under her chin to close her mouth.
"By the way Fate-chan, I know what you have to do to protect us… to protect the country. Don't ever think of yourself as a killer. I'll never think of you that way." Nanoha affirmed softly.
-0-
"God I love you so much!" Fate acknowledged before walking over to give Nanoha a smothering hot kiss. Fate settled in beside Nanoha, with her hand still around her waist, holding her as close as possible.
"Aww… Never have I thought that I would be hooked up with the famous lady killer from Central, The Enforcer Harlaown." Nanoha teased.
Fate flinched at what Nanoha had just called her.
Nanoha jumped at a though and turned to look at Fate with a worried look. "Wait… you are not going to dump me soon like those ladies you hung out with, are you?" Nanoha asked, suddenly feeling a little insecure.
Instead of hugging Nanoha to reassure her, Fate moved further away before replying, "Don't be silly, Nanoha. I love you too much to ever let you go. Plus, I would never want to incur the wrath of The White Devil."
Now was Nanoha's turn to be shocked.
"You did not just call me that. I hate that nickname!" Nanoha replied with a pout as she playfully hit Fate on her shoulder.
Fate just laughed.
"Some people just can't take some good old school training. It isn't my fault... mostly..." Nanoha defended herself.
Fate hugged the now pouting Nanoha, "Dearest, I can only love you more, no less, only more."
After the lovely kiss they shared, Nanoha provoked, "I'll leave the last surprise for you to find out. It's not about me, and you will find out real soon."
"Come on love, tell me the last surprise." Fate urged.
"Nope. You'll find out in due time." Nanoha opposed.
-00-
Nanoha hadn't been home since. She left a very short message to Hayate, telling her that she won't be home for the next few days but she'll check in with her soon.
On the 3rd day in a row from disappearing and not hearing back from Nanoha, Hayate had enough, and was very, very determined to find out where the hell Nanoha was and who the hell she was spending all these nights with.
"At least contact me or give me more context, dumbass." Hayate grumbled while firing up her system.
-0-
"Nanoha... your phone is beeping..." Fate called out sleepily.
"That's not my ringtone..." Nanoha muttered.
"Dearest, it's coming from your side." Fate countered.
"Is it morning?" Nanoha asked.
"By the time we slept, it was morning already." Fate answered.
While the conversation was going on, the interval of the beeping sound reduced.
"Wait a minute... it sounds like someone is tracking your phone. Give it here! Quick!" Fate cautioned.
By the time Nanoha scrambled to get up to get the phone, the phone was making a constant sound. And it went dead. Next moment, the doorbell rang.
-0-
"You stay here but get dressed. I'll go check the door." Fate advised.
Hayate was surprised to see who was on the other side of the door.
"Fate Testarossa Harlaown..." Hayate growled.
"Do I know you?" Fate asked.
"Oh, you are about to!" Hayate snarled.
"Nanoha. You get out here this instant." Hayate barked.
"Hayate! How are you here?" Nanoha stepped into view once she heard Hayate's voice. Hayate pushed past Fate and walked straight to Nanoha.
"Gather your stuff now. You will leave with me this instant." Hayate ordered.
"Hayate, what are you saying?" Nanoha questioned.
"I said now, Nanoha." Hayate stressed.
"I will not! You are acting crazy here." Nanoha refused.
"I bet she skilfully forgot to mention to you that she is a player... right? She goes through women like us changing underwear." Hayate warned Nanoha.
"I do not want to see you anywhere near Nanoha, you get me?!" Hayate threatened Fate as she pointed a finger at her to make the point.
"Who are you to command me?" Fate replied.
"As your superior, your commander and as Nanoha's best friend. My name is Yagami Hayate. You will be transferring to MY base after your holiday." Hayate replied with superiority.
"Forget it. Leave your things. I'll buy you new ones. We'll leave now." Hayate said as she began to drag Nanoha towards the door against her will.
Nanoha began to struggle and fought back.
"No... Stop... Please no!" Nanoha began shouting as she fought back.
It was like a tug-of-war, both going back and forth.
"Hayate, I think you better stop." Fate warned as she noted the change in colour on Nanoha's face.
"Shut up, Fate. I'm taking Nanoha with me one way or another." Hayate replied curtly as she continued to struggle against Nanoha.
Hayate finally got a good look at Nanoha after she broke free. Nanoha was shaking and pale as she pled "Please don't force me..."
After that, she ran for the loo and locked herself in there... They could hear her throwing up...
Hayate was about to break down the door when Fate stopped her.
"Give her some time. She'll be fine." Fate advised.
"Why should I listen to you? It's not like you care. She's just another woman to you, right? Once you get tired of her, you'll just dump her like used tissue and find another." Hayate vented.
"I never really cared about all the rumours about me but it sounds like you are just like the rest, judging me by what you heard. You don't even bother to get to know me." Fate countered
"Look, I do care about Nanoha a lot... more that you can ever imagine..." Fate replied.
Hayate looked at Fate like a deer caught in headlights.
"Trust me on this please. I'll tell you the reason but only after we give her some space." Fate stated.
"Okay." Hayate reluctantly agreed as she followed her instinct to hear Fate out.
-0-
After they settled into the lounge, Fate explained, "There's a strong reason why Nanoha reacted the way she did. She's erm... she's been fighting this on her own all these times. I don't understand why she isn't sharing with any of her best friends, but I'm in the picture now, and I am going to be a busybody to help."
"Why do you care so much? About Nanoha I mean." Hayate asked, getting straight to the point.
"Well, it's because I care, because she makes me feel different, she make me feel alive. I fell in love with her and I love her." Fate answered honestly.
"How? You both met only less than two weeks ago. And it all started from a one night stand." Hayate asked, genuinely surprised.
"It actually started from the day we first met. For some unknown reason, she caught my eye in the club. Then, with you being so protective, I thought you were her girlfriend. I usually would have lost interest at that point as I will never do anything to break a couple up. But somehow, I just couldn't take my eyes off her. Days later, I saw her in the club on her own. She seemed to be looking for someone and I thought perhaps you were running late, so I decided to remain in my spot. That way, I got to look at her. I only went over when I saw someone drugged her drink. We talked and clicked instantly. After the first kiss, it was all over for me. I'm like a fish on a hook... I can never get enough of her and only end up needing more and more of her. That's where I knew... there's no turning back..." Fate explained.
"So you really do love her?" Hayate asked.
"Yes." Fate replied with a smile.
"Good. She deserves to be loved and cared for whole heartedly. Thank you." Hayate thanked.
"I should thank you, for bringing her to that club. I won't go back to my old lifestyle anymore. I promise." Fate declared.
"Glad to hear that." Hayate replied, feeling more comfortable with both of them being together.
"I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes." Fate announced.
"Congratulations!" Hayate wished.
"Thank you. Nanoha would be pleased to know that she has her best friend's support. Now for the sad bit." Fate reminded.
"You promised you will tell me..." Hayate answered.
-0-
"I believe she told you that she was unhappy with asshole Yuuno, right?" Fate asked.
"Yup. I told her to just end the relationship back then. But because Yuuno has been our friend since a young age, she didn't know how to end it without hurting him." Hayate explained.
"Ha. I'm going to show him new levels of pains. I'm a special agent... I can make people disappear... easy. But the only thing stopping me is Nanoha." Fate added angrily.
"Did something happen?" Hayate asked, genuinely concerned.
"He cornered Nanoha and forced her to make out with him. And when she didn't want to go further, he forced himself on her. He almost raped her." Fate snarled, clenching her teeth together angrily.
"What the FUCK?!" Hayate shouted as she stood up.
"That arsehole drugged her to make her more docile. He manhandled her. But our strong Nanoha didn't give up without a fight! She broke his nose and gave him a black eye. She also inflicted some damage down below. She managed to escape after that but not without trauma." Fate replied, proud but sad at the same time.
"I remember that day! We rushed to the hospital after receiving a call from there. A passer-by saw Nanoha fall unconscious by the street and called for ambulance. She was then taken to the hospital. She had some minor injuries and a slight concussion. She kept saying that she was unwell that day and must have tripped. We all thought something was off but she kept denying it. We asked about Yuuno and she just said they've broken up. We tried calling him but was unable to get him. Ohh... I so want to kill that weasel!" Hayate recalled as she punched her hands together.
"Get in line." Fate announced.
"We'll see about that." Hayate challenged.
"I believe this is my job as her partner... I promise I will go slow…" Fate proclaimed.
"People are gonna want to skin him alive!" Hayate growled. And they both shook hands on it, on the promise to make him suffer!
-0-
"I don't know what kind of bonding session this is... but it's just weird. Who are you both going to skin alive? And Fate... what did you tell Hayate?" Nanoha called out.
Hayate ran over and hugged Nanoha possessively.
"I think somebody's in trouble..." Hayate sing-songed as Nanoha petted Hayate's head.
"I just wanted to help. At the very least, I'm not the only promise breaker here." Fate countered. Hearing this, Nanoha had guilt written all over her face. Hayate felt Nanoha stiffen up.
"Nanoha... what did you tell this playgirl here to make you have such guilty look?" Hayate said in a sweet voice that didn't match her face.
"Erm... erm... nothing?" Nanoha faked.
"You still can't lie well. You always trip up when you lie." Hayate stated.
Even though her voice was calm... she stared at both Nanoha and Hayate hugging with an unreadable expression. "It's no big deal. Both of you just made out and enjoyed the process of it. Nothing to be ashamed about I reckon." Fate advised.
-0-
Hayate face palmed.
"Just as long as you gals don't do it again then it's fine." Fate added, still with an unreadable expression.
"I have a girlfriend now!" Hayate proclaimed.
Fate beckoned for Nanoha to come over and sit on her lap. Nanoha was shy but went over anyway. Once Nanoha sat on Fate's lap, Fate's expression changed with tenderness showing.
"Are you feeling better now?" Fate asked as she drew comforting circles on Nanoha's back, gently and caringly.
"Mmm." Nanoha replied as she hid her face by Fate's neck.
Fate just showered Nanoha's head with soft tender kisses as she hugged her.
"Okay, I get the cue that you want me out of here. Just one last thing before I go. I just got to hear it from you, Nanoha. Are you in this relationship of your own free will?" Hayate asked.
"Yes, Yate-chan." Nanoha replied with a smile.
"Are you happy?" Hayate asked as she smiled back, with all seriousness lost.
"Very." Nanoha replied with a smile that was bright enough to light the whole town. That won her a kiss on her cheek from Fate.
"Congratulations, Na-chan." Hayate congratulated and gave Nanoha a hug.
"Thank you, Yate-chan." Nanoha replied as she hugged her back tightly.
"Best wishes for a long lasting and loving relationship." Hayate wished.
"I hope so too." Nanoha replied happily.
"You gals better not start kissing or I'm gonna get super jealous here." Fate teased.
"You both should drop by for dinner, tonight. Since you've decided to join the family, you should meet the family. Starting with mine, then Nanoha's." Hayate offered after they parted.
"Won't it be a bit rushed?" Fate replied.
"If you can't handle mine, good luck with Nanoha's." Hayate teased.
"You should accept and say yes" Nanoha whispered.
"Okay." Fate replied.