A/N: Hi everyone, sorry I could not update right away. It was kindly brought to my attention that my POV switching that i like to do was becoming slightly repetitive, so i consciously tried to keep from being so repetitive in this chapter. Let me know how it works out. I still haven't started using my volunteer beta yet, i just get so trigger happy about posting these for everyone. ok well enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 7:

I opened Natsuki's refrigerator to look for ingredients. There was close to nothing edible in the fridge. I saw maybe five different mayo containers, but only one package of ham, a package of bacon, some eggs, bread, cheese, and two tomatoes. Seriously? What was Natsuki eating to stay alive? She obviously wasn't eating the ham or bacon, the packages were still sealed. I took what I could and set about making breakfast, about five minutes into frying the bacon I hear soft foot steps coming up behind me. I turn and see a dishelved Mai rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good morning Shizuru, would you like a hand with the cooking?"

"Sure Mai thanks so much for offering." I gratefully accept her help. Mai starts cracking all the eggs into a large bowl, using a whisk to beat the eggs into yellow fluffiness. I watch her in awe, she was so fast! She began chopping the tomatoes up dicing them into little squares, never once cutting her finger. I find that I am only getting in her way as she sighs in exasperation at me when I don't know what to do.

"Ok Mai. I can see you have this under control, you can finish up, I'm going to see if Natsuki is done with the bathroom." With that I leave a very occupied Mai with the task of cooking breakfast for all eight of the girls. I get to the bathroom door and reach for the door knob, scenes from my dream flash through my mind, a part of me wants to burst through that door and catch Natsuki in a compromising position, while the other half wants to get to know her better and become her friend, after all, I am a married woman. I move my hand from the doorknob and instead knock gently on the door, after a moment I hear a response,

"Yes?"

"Good morning Natsuki, I was just wondering if you were almost done in there? I'd like very much to wash my face and take a quick shower."

"Oh, yeah, sorry Shizuru, I'm almost finished here."

"Ara, did I interrupt something Natsuki? I would hate to stop you short of…finishing." I say with a suggestive lilt to my voice.

"Oi!! It's nothing like that! I meant that I'm almost done with my bath!" Even through the door I can tell she's blushing.

"Or, if Natsuki likes I can come in and give her a hand?" I say in a husky voice, I don't know what it is but I just can't help but to tease her. In a flurry the door in front of me is opened and I am face to face with a very red, very flustered Natsuki.

"Arg!! Just use it already! Geeze!" Natsuki pushes past me, and I shiver as I feel her still damp, and incredibly warm bare shoulder brush my arm. I scold myself, 'control yourself Shizuru! You don't even know if she likes women, stop making things out of nothing, it's just a crush, and at the end of the day you will go home and sleep in the same bed as Reito, well, that didn't happened at the end of yesterday, at the end of yesterday I was sharing a bed with my Natsuki' I sigh happily. Stop it! I scold myself silently.

"Many thanks Natsuki, and might I add you smell wonderful." She grunts a reply and disappears into her room. I walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind me stripping out of my clothes with the intention of getting under the already warm spray of the showerhead. I strip down to just my panties when all of a sudden the bathroom door swings open, why hadn't I locked that door?! There in the doorway stands a very sleepy looking Aoi. I quickly cover my private areas. At first it doesn't seem like Aoi even notices that the bathroom is occupied, she walks in and is about to sit down and use the toilet when I decide to make my presence known,

"Ahem" I clear my throat. She looks up at me once then turns away, but then quickly turns back in my direction.

"SHIZURU! What are you doing here?!" she stares at me wide eyed,

"Ara, I could ask you the same thing Aoi, but it's obvious what YOU are about to do here" I look her up and down to make her aware of her bottom half, which has her bottoms partially pulled down revealing her simple white cotton panties. Aoi shrieks and pulls her pants up quickly, but unfortunately not quickly enough because at that moment Chie jumps into view and with her cell phone takes a very embarrassing photo.

"CHIE!!!!" Aoi begins to chase Chie around the living room.

"Oh come on Aoi! You look adorable!"

"Chie you better delete that photo from your phone!" I continue to watch them run around the living room.

"What?! No way! Besides there's a very good looking Shizuru standing off to the side in the photo!" with this Aoi stops running and they both ogle the cell phone screen. I snap to attention and calmly walk over to the door of the bathroom.

"As much as I enjoy having people stare at me, I'd much rather they stare at the real version of me, as opposed to digital image of me." I say calmly while standing in the doorway of the bathroom. Chie and Aoi look up from the phone to stare at me. "Besides, I'd hate to have to take actions against the both of you if the photo were to be forwarded to others outside of this apartment." My voice holds a slight edge to it and I smile coldly at them. I remove my crossed arms from about my chest and lean against the door frame, "In addition to that, if you all want to see my form so badly, all you had to do was ask" I stand in front of them with my chest exposed and a smile on my face. I watch as everyone in the living room stares at me with jaws hitting the floor. I smirk, I've always been a bit of an exhibitionist.

After I finishing dressing I walk back into my living room, I had heard Chie and Aoi yelling about something moments ago, but now everything seemed quiet, too quiet. I open the door of my bedroom and step out into the living room. I notice that nobody is moving, Mai isn't cooking, Chie and Aoi have their jaws hanging open, and Haruka and Yukino who have just woken up apparently haven't even moved away from their embrace. I follow everyone's gaze and finally I see what it is they are all staring at, a topless Shizuru is standing in the doorway of the bathroom leaning against it leaving her incredibly ample bust uncovered. I make a loud 'EEP' noise and promptly do a face plant into my floor passing out from the excess amount of blood that had rushed into my head at seeing Shizuru's breasts.

I'm not what revives me but I find myself staring up at the ceiling of my apartment, my head is being supported by something soft, and I can vaguely feel something brushing my cheek back and forth. I grumble inaudibly,

"Mmmmph." I turn my head to the right,

"Natsuki," I hear my name being called and try to blink the haze out of my eyes. "Natsuki, answer me." I hear the voice again, it's a beautiful sound. "Natsuki are you alright?" Finally I'm able to blink the fuzziness from my eyes and I turn my head further to the right as my vision comes into focus. Just as I can see clearly again I realize I'm staring right at a towel-covered chest. I try to sit up to move away, only to find that I'm still light headed, I fall over and off side of my bed. "NATSUKI!!" I look up from my position on the floor and see Shizuru poking her head over the side of my bed, her face is silhouetted in a shadow and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. "Natsuki are you alright!" She quickly jumps off the bed and kneels beside me. I nod weakly,

"Mmmmhmm…" my lack of voice and my shaking isn't from falling, or passing out, it's at the fact that I have just now realized that I am indeed head over heels in love with Shizuru Kanzaki, a married woman. Shizuru takes my trembling as a bad sign and takes my face into her hands.

"Natsuki I'm so sorry! This is entirely fault! I'm sorry the sight of me made you pass out and hurt yourself so badly!" she sounds extremely upset and I immediately feel bad.

"No, No Shizuru it's not your fault, I'm fine really I am." I try to reassure her but she's not looking at me, she has her eyes shut tight and I see sparkling tears trying to escape from her tightly shut eyes through her lashes. "Please, really, look at me I'm fine." She finally opens her eyes and my heart flutters in my chest, the sun hits her eyes in just the right way causing the unshed tears in her eyes to sparkle making them resemble the most beautiful of rubies.

"Natsuki?" I shake myself out of my thoughts,

"Yes Shizuru, I'm fine, see?" I flash her a lopsided grin.

"Oh Natsuki I'm so glad! I was so worried!" She hugs me to her chest and I blush. I pull back slightly, but remain in her grasp.

"I'm sorry I worried you, I didn't mean to." I rub my nose subconsciously, it aches a little from the face plant I did when I passed out. Shizuru frowns at me.

"Oh! Your nose must hurt! Do you need me to get you some ice for it?"

"No, I'm fine really, it's just a bit sore." She tilts her head to the side slightly to look at me. Then, before I even know what's happening she leans down and kisses me on the forehead right between my eyes. My eyes widen in surprise and I blush furiously.

"Gah! What was that for?!?!" I begin to push away from her but she holds my face firmly in her hands.

"That, Natsuki, was to make your forehead feel better, since I am the one responsible for the pain, and this," she leans in again, and I freak out, I jerk my head away from her suddenly, but because she is holding onto my face I kind of rubber band back towards her and our lips connect. It's only for a second, maybe even less, but for that second time seems to stop. I can feel how soft her lips are and I melt into her. But it's over too soon because she suddenly pulls back. "Natsuki I'm sorry! Please don't hate me, I hadn't meant to kiss your lips, I was aiming for your nose because I saw you rubbing it! I'm so sorry." She says quickly, clearly in a panic. My heart sinks, she's panicking? Does she regret kissing me on the lips? She probably does, she probably just looks at me as a friend, and here I am feeling like that was the kiss of a lifetime. Look at her! She's freaking out! She probably thinks it's gross that she kissed a girl! I sigh and mentally slap myself, Natsuki you idiot.

"No Shizuru, please calm down, I don't hate you." She stops ranting and looks at me,

"You don't?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh thank goodness, I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you as a friend. I value your friendship so much!" I'm her friend, it's confirmed. It's better than nothing. "Well, Natsuki, since you're not hurt I should probably go and shower, she looks down at her towel.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to take up your time, you must be in a hurry to get back home." I look out the window as I say that to her.

"I'm not in a hurry, but yes I probably should get back to my loving husband." With that she turns and walks towards the bedroom door, just as she's about to leave she turns and speaks to me, "I am really sorry about the kiss Natsuki, I wouldn't want to do anything to make you angry or uncomfortable, I'm glad we're friends, we are going to be friends right Natsuki?"

"Sure, that would be great." I smile at her.

"Good, I'd be crushed if my new friend were to hate me." She walks out the door and closes it behind her. As she leaves I speak to an empty room,

"I don't think I could ever hate you Shizuru." I drop onto the bed and curl into a ball holding the body pillow that Shizuru slept with last night. I can smell her on the pillow and it makes my heart ache.

I shut the door to Natsuki's bedroom, I pause as I think I hear her speaking. I stop to listen but all I hear are the springs in her mattress squeaking, she must have gone to lie down again. I walk into the living room to a barrage of questions,

"Is she alright?" Mai asks in a very motherly voice.

"We heard a crash did anything happen?" Aoi glances at me with worried eyes.

"Can we eat I'm starving!" Haruka, now fully awake, albeit with bed head hair, shouts from the kitchen table. I smile at the group of people gathered in the kitchen, I like this new circle of friends.

"Yes, she's fine, she's just resting, I'm going to take that shower now. No more photos right Chie?"

"RIGHT!!" Chie mock salutes me. I am about to get to the bathroom when there is a knock on the front door. I sigh.

"I'll get it since I'm closest, everyone continue eating." I walk to the door and open it. On the other side is a young woman with unruly black hair that is sticking up in every direction with two braids that hang on either side of her face. Her eyes almost look feral, but there is an innocent aura about her, she smiles a toothy smile at me.

"Hi! Is Natsuki around? I just wanted to drop off her dog, Duran." I look down next to her and see the most adorable puppy alive, he's staring up at me with his big brown eyes, as if asking me if I knew where his beloved owner was. The girl continues to talk, "I'm her neighbor, and she asked me to take care of him last night and said to drop him off in the morning. It's the morning, so I'm here. She peers around me and into the kitchen, so, you guys are having breakfast?"

"Ara, you are an extremely friendly young lady, you've told me everything but your name." I smile at her,

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm Mikoto." She extends her hand and I shake it.

"Nice to meet you Mikoto, I'm Shizuru, and I'm sure there's room at the table if you'd like to join them for breakfast."

"That'd be great!! Here." She hands me Duran's leash and walks into the kitchen, everyone stops eating to stare at her, she smiles and begins to introduce herself.

"Oh! You're so cute!" Mai hugs the young woman to her chest, the girl doesn't seem to mind. I shake my head and close the front door. I take Duran and lead him back to Natsuki's room and knock gently on her door.

"Come in." I hear the soft reply. I poke my head around the door and smile at the sight that I see. Natsuki is curled up on the bed hugging the giant body pillow. She looks so adorable and innocent.

"I'm sorry Natsuki but there's someone here to see you." She looks up at my voice and quickly releases the pillow.

"Oh, I thought you had gone to shower,"

"It seems that I'll never get that shower I want, perhaps you can hold my hand and walk me to the restroom? I tease her lightly and she blushes,

"Shut up Shizuru!"

"Ok, ok, I was just joking, here's your special guest," I lean down and unhook the leash from Duran's collar. Once unhooked Duran runs through the bedroom door and hops onto the bed licking Natsuki's face all over.

"DURAN! You're back! Did you have fun with Mikoto?!" Duran licks her all over the face while wagging his tail faster than the speed of light.

"I think he missed his owner." Natsuki looks over at me and smiles her happy smile.

"I missed him too! Thanks for bringing him in Shizuru."

"My pleasure Natsuki. Ok, this time I really will go and take my shower." I smile at her and leave her in the room with Duran. Finally I make it to the bathroom with no interruptions, I make sure to lock the door this time, and step into the shower.

I was lying on the bed with Duran still, after a thorough face licking and finally settled down and lay his head in my lap slowly drifting off into sleep. I shake my head, he always seems so sleepy when he comes back from being with Mikoto. Every time I ask her she says that they just sit around her apartment. I don't know why he always comes back sleepy. I think it's because he doesn't sleep well when he's away from me. I lie on my back scratching the top of Duran's head with one hand and lose myself in my thoughts. I hear the door open and look over to see who it is.

"Hi Natsuki, I brought some toast and scrambled eggs in for you." Nao says as she steps inside and shuts the bedroom door. She walks towards the bed and stops once she's by the side. I look up at her expectantly, "Fine, I also brought you a bottle of mayo." I smile brightly.

"Thanks Nao! You're the best." I grab the plate and squirt a generous amount onto my toast.

"Natsuki you are disgusting." She scrunches her face up. "Really how do you eat that stuff?"

"Like this!" I shove the piece of toast into my mouth. She stares at me horrified.

"I don't even know how you're not 1000lbs." We share a laugh, as her laughter dies down I notice the change in her demeanor.

"What's the matter Nao?" She looks at me skeptically. I shift over in my bed so that there's room next to me, I pat the bed, inviting her to lie down with me. She takes the invitation and slowly reclines next to me. "Ok, spill it, what's wrong."

"Well, I feel bad about last night." I stay silent encouraging her to continue, " It's just I know I flirt with you and stuff, but kissing you, that was out of line. I know you don't like me like that, and I'm ok with it, I love being your best friend. I just don't want you to hate me or feel weird around me because of what I did while I was drunk." She looks down at her hands avoiding my gaze.

"Nao, you should know by now that I wouldn't hate you for something like that, you're my best friend, and you know we will always be friends."

"Always?"

"Always."

"What if you find someone and stop hanging out with me?" I blink at her where did that come from?

"What?"

"Well you know, what if you fall in love with someone, and all of a sudden, you don't have time for me anymore."

"Nao, that won't happen, ever."

"I'm sorry, maybe that's why I want to date you, so that you never leave me, I mean think about it, if we're in a relationship with each other we can always hang out!" I smile at her sadly.

"Yes, but we can do that now, we don't have to be in a relationship for that to happen." It makes sense now, why she wants to be with me. All of a sudden she grabs me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Promise me ok?"

"Ok, I promise. We'll always be best friend's Nao, and I'll always find time for you." She smiles and looks relieved,

"Good, because the way you look at Shizuru, I got scared that maybe she'd steal you away from me."

"WHAT!!!" I almost spit the toast out of my mouth.

"Oh come on Natsuki, I see how you look at her."

"We're just friends Nao, she's married!"

"Yes, but that's the only thing stopping you, she's married, oh and she's heterosexual. BARBIE heterosexual." I sigh.

"You know you're right. It's just, the second our eyes met, I felt something. But I can't do anything, like you said, she's married and straight."

"Cheer up pup, you'll always have me."

"Yeah but I don't love Shizuru the way I love you Nao." We hug.

"Aw, Natsuki I love you too."

"Ok stop hugging me, this is weirding me out."

"Same here, let's go outside and eat."

I come out of the shower dressed in clothes that Natsuki lent me. The jeans fit fine, but the top is a bit small. I walk over to Natsuki's bedroom, intending on walking in to find another top, I stop before I open the door because I hear voices. I lean towards the door to see if I can make out who is in there with my Natsuki. I hear Natsuki's voice,

"Yeah but I don't love Shizuru the way I love you Nao." My heart sinks in my chest as I hear the bedsprings squeak with the shift of weight. Are they kissing?!

"Aw Natsuki I love you too." At the declaration of Nao's love for Natsuki I turn and walk briskly into the kitchen.

"Haruka, Yukino, I'm leaving, did you want a ride home with me, or will you be accompanying Chie and Aoi?" I say quickly, already making my way towards the front door.

"What? Shizuru you haven't even eaten, where are you rushing off to?" before I can answer, Nao and Natsuki walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, they are walking extremely close and laughing about something. The sight makes my blood boil. "I'm leaving Haruka, either the two of you come with me or you stay here." I tap my foot impatiently. Natsuki looks up from her conversation with Nao and smiles sweetly at me. I purse my lips and nod at her in acknowledgement.

"Shizuru? You're leaving?"

"It would appear that I am." I say a bit colder than I had meant to.

"Oh." Natsuki casts her eyes downward. I slap myself in my head, stupid me, making her sad. I soften my tone.

"It's just, Reito sent me a text and was worried." I lie. She looks up at me, I didn't think it was possible but her face seems to look even sadder than previously.

"How inconsiderate of me, I'm sorry, I forgot he must be waiting for you." Nao nudges Natsuki I frown at the interaction. What was that nudge for?

"Who cares about your husband Shizuru, just stay and enjoy yourself."

"Ara, unlike you, Nao, I have commitments I have to honor, and I am a married woman so most of those commitments are to my husband." I don't mean to snap at Nao, but the thought of her with Natsuki makes me upset. She glares at me.

"Look lady, I'm just trying to be friendly, Natsuki likes you, so I figure I'd give you a chance too because…" She doesn't continue because Natsuki who places a hand on her arm stops her, the act sends me into a rage again.

"Honestly, I don't care what you think of me Nao, you and Natsuki can go back to laughing at your inside jokes and your slight touches. As for me, I'm going back home to my loving husband!" I spin on my heel and am about to storm out when her soft voice stops me, and I turn around,

"I had fun Shizuru, thank you for coming out. Please tell Reito I'm sorry we kept you out all night. I'm sorry if Nao and I have angered you in some way. Please enjoy the rest of your day." Her face is sincere, and I see her eyes glimmering with what looks like tears, she looks up and blinks, her lashes break the surface of the tears in her eyes and I see small droplets on her lashes as she looks back down and into my eyes. She's devastatingly beautiful. I open my mouth to respond, but close it again, I have no idea what to say. The first thing that pops into my mind is, 'I don't want to leave Natsuki, but you're with Nao and seeing you both together makes my heart break into a million pieces' but I refrain. Instead I settle with a soft nod. She smiles sadly at me. I really fucked up, I hate being the reason for those tears in her eyes. I walk out the front door and close it behind me. I make my way down to the street and get into my car, I sit in the car for a good five minutes collecting my thoughts. I shouldn't have snapped at Nao, if she makes Natsuki happy I should be happy for them both, after all, like I said up in the apartment, I'm a married woman, and my commitments are to my husband. I start the engine to my car and drive off in the direction of my home with Reito.