Konata was the first to wake, not having been particularly tired when she had fallen asleep. The blue-haired otaku lay quietly for what seemed like an eternity, looking out of a window at the star-speckled expanse of the sky, noticing that there was no moon yet. Therefore she had been asleep either a few hours or long enough that it was early morning and the moon had sunk beyond the horizon again.

Judging from the muffled sounds of conversation that could be heard, it would be the former, seeing as Yutaka never staying up as long as her cousin. Satisfied that getting up now wouldn't be a completely wasted exercise, Konata loosened her embrace and carefully stood up using the nearby crutches; glad they hadn't been moved somehow whilst she slept.

Konata couldn't resist a backward glance at the door, wanting to see Kagami's sleeping face again. For a second the same peaceful face she had seen last time the tsundere was ill was visible but then an anxious expression crossed the lilac-haired girl's face, sensing the lack of the other body that had been beside it for hours, keeping nightmares at bay. An arm reached for the space Konata had occupied for the majority of the evening but grasped at nothing but air. A few minutes later, the arm stopped reaching for another person and laid still, the sleeping tsundere returning to a deep sleep, though it was obviously a troubled one from occasional whimpers and the way Kagami had curled into a ball. The distressed expression also lingered.

Without me she seems so unhappy… but I can't lie there doing nothing forever, I'll get bored and restless. Apart from that, what if someone sees? I know Dad wouldn't mind but what about Yutaka? Even if she doesn't mind, it would still be awkward. Besides, it's not as if I'm not going to come back here later.

Her conscience satisfied, Konata headed towards the voices, ending up standing in the door of the kitchen unnoticed by Yutaka and Sojiro, who were having a conversation.

"Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?" The author asked, seeming surprised at something. Konata wondered what he was asking about, having missed that part of the conversation.

"I'm sure. They're easy to tell apart and you don't need to look for long to be sure about something like this." Yutaka replied, unhappy about her words being doubted.

"It just seemed more likely the other way round, it's quite likely, after all." Sojiro answered, careful not to say why it was quite likely. He felt sure that neither his daughter nor her friend wanted that piece of information to be common knowledge.

"Excuse me but what are you talking about?" Konata asked, unable to contain her impatience to know what her father and cousin were actually talking about. The otaku had a vague feeling of dread, almost as if she already knew what the conversation was about and didn't like it.

"If what Yutaka has told me is correct, there will be no need to find another place to sleep." Sojiro replied, trying to be tactful and not say anything that could potentially upset his daughter. This tact was rather spoiled by an uncharacteristic bout of carelessness on Yutaka's part, as the younger girl stated that they were talking about Yutaka's seeing Konata hugging Kagami whilst sleeping in the same bed.

Konata's face remained blank whilst her mind hurriedly worked to come up with an explanation, whilst partly wondering if she even needed an explanation other than the most obvious one. However, as the majority of Konata's mind was still undecided, she didn't want people assuming that she was in love with her best friend.

"It's not what it seems like!" Konata exclaimed, spitting out a clichéd phrase whilst she finished working out just how she would explain this. Honesty seemed to be the best tactic. "Kagami was crying and I felt that she needed to be comforted but she wouldn't want anyone except me to comfort her, so I did. It was comfortable, though, so I didn't get up when she fell asleep and then I fell asleep."

"Oh. That makes sense." Yutaka said, realising there was an important question she had to ask, not realising that it was the one question Konata didn't really want asked. "Why would Kagami-senpai only want you to comfort her?"

"Do you promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to say?" Konata asked; acting far more mature than her normal actions indicated was possible. When Yutaka nodded her head, the blue-haired otaku continued. "Well… Kagami loves me. Which is also why she's here – her family kicked her out."

"You two don't mind that she loves another girl?" Yutaka asked, shocked. She had expected the Izumi family, despite their relatively liberal outlook on everything, to share most people's views on this matter.

"No, why would we? It doesn't hurt anyone and if nothing is harmed by something why be against it?" Sojiro interjected, expressing the Izumi family's view on things in a single sentence.

Yutaka remained silent for a few minutes, thinking. They don't mind that sort of thing? Does that mean it's safe to tell them? I knew I would have to eventually but I thought I wouldn't be able to live here once I did. Now it seems that it's perfectly safe to tell them.

"I have something I want to say but I also want it to not be told to people outside of this house." Yutaka piped up, slightly nervous as her relatives had been staring at the salmon-haired girl since she had last spoken, expecting a reply. Once promises were given, Konata's long-winded and definitely something straight out of a fantasy game, Yutaka spoke, looking at the table and unable to meet anyone's eye.

"Minami and I have been dating for a few months." The frail girl mumbled, not expecting the ecstatic reply Konata gave and Sojiro's tears of joy.

"That's wonderful!" Konata exclaimed, smiling at the younger girl. "If you love someone and they love you, nothing else matters – gender doesn't matter at all, only that you're loved and not alone. I'm also amazed we didn't see it coming, you've been spending so much time with her lately."

Internally, the emerald-eyed girl now felt very alone, not sharing that type of bond with anyone. She knew that one person wanted to be like that with her but her feelings were too clouded for that bond to be able to form. Konata hoped it would – she didn't want to be alone.

The impromptu meeting broke up as Sojiro returned to fixing sleeping arrangements, telling Yutaka that Minami was no welcome to spend as much time in the Izumi residence as she liked and that he didn't mind if anything happened, so long as it was quiet. The second part of his statement caused the frail girl's face to be consumed by a blatantly obvious blush that Konata smiled at the sight of when she went to watch a new anime she had heard about, having remembered about it upon looking at a clock.

---

Kagami's desire to escape her nightmares finally overcame her fatigue and desire to sleep, resulting in the tsundere bolting upright and looking around for the small, blue-haired girl that meant everything to her. Seeing that she wasn't around, Kagami felt incredibly alone.

"Konata…" the lilac-haired girl hoarsely whispered; rising to her feet despite her illness and heading towards the door. She needed to be near Konata.

These chapters just get longer and longer. Anyway, next chapter should be up tomorrow.

Something definitely unusual in Lucky Star fanfics is going to be coming up soon. One clue: Matsuri.

As ever, reviews appreciated. And comments on the new summary.