Chapter 7. Revelations
The hallways of the Infinite Library were really amazing. Fate had only been there once before and she had not had the time to explore it carefully. It must really be quite an exceptional feat to maintain that place in order. There was no doubt Yuuno and Arf were doing a great job there.
"Fate!" Arf shouted from one end of the hallway. One second later, Arf leaped towards her and threw herself into Fate's arms. Fate was glad she had reacted on time, otherwise they would both be flat on their butts in the floor.
"Arf!" Fate exclaimed back visibly happy. "This is a library, shouldn't we be, I don't know, keeping it quiet?" She asked her rather amused.
Arf replied a little embarrassed. "Well there's no one around, at least not in this hallway. So, how have you been? What have you done? And Nanoha? And Vivio? Is everything all right?"
Fate went a little dizzy with all the questions Arf was asking without giving her any time to answer at all.
"Take it easy Arf, I will tell you everything in a moment, but before that I'd like to know if Yuuno would have some time to spare me?" she asked a little more anxious than she should be.
"Yuuno, let me see… he should be in the relics section. He's been updating the collection with some information he received from the TSAB. Come on, I'll lead you to him."
Fate thanked her and, as expected, the walk through the hallways of the Infinite Library were a little longer than you would expect from a regular library, so she used the time to fill Arf in about everything that had happened in her last weeks, especially her new relationship with Nanoha.
"So the two of you are girlfriends now?" Arf asked.
Good question, Fate thought to herself. "Well, now that you put it that way, we haven't actually said anything specific…"
"So, once again you are both assuming what's going on, without straightening it up?"
Fate bit her lip nervously. Arf was right. It was really amazing the way she and Nanoha could understand each other without words, but sometimes, it wouldn't hurt to actually say out loud some important things.
"You're right of course. Thanks a lot Arf, I don't know what I'd do without you," Fate told her at the same time she was putting her arm around her shoulders, and, with the other, shaking her hair playfully.
"I am really happy for you Fate. I always noticed how Nanoha could bring a smile to your face, but now you are just beaming. Here we are."
"Fate, what are you doing here?" Yuuno asked as soon as he saw his friend.
"Hey Yuuno, sorry to stop by without making an appointment but tomorrow I have to be back to my base and I wanted to check some things with you, if you have the time, that is."
"Come on Fate, you know you obviously do not have to make an appointment to see us," laughed Yuuno. "So tell me, what can I do for you?"
"Well considering you are an exceptional renowned archaeologist and the Infinite Librarian I wanted to know if you had any idea of what this could be," she told him extending her right hand towards him.
In her hand were the silver rings she had picked up before.
Yuuno looked at them for a moment, adjusted his glasses, then looked directly at her and asked, "Are these for Nanoha and you?"
"I … well, I found them and just wanted to know more about them. I haven't considered anything really, I just wanted to know if you might know something," Fate answered deeply embarrassed. To everyone's eyes, had they already been a real couple?
Yuuno laughed and took the rings. "Uhmm, they seem to have a frail sense of magic to them. I'm sure you must have felt it too?"
Fate nodded in agreement.
"I'm not exactly sure about its origin but considering the carvings in them I think I know where to start looking for information. Let's go Arf, we have lots of work to do!" Yuuno looked quite excited.
He had always liked challenges, and even though Fate didn't actually tell him, he knew this was important to her and, obviously, to Nanoha too.
"Yuu-Yuuno, I don't want to cause any trouble, I'm sure you have real work to do." Fate told him quite worried.
Lost in the distance of yet another hallway she managed to hear Yuuno's words. "Leave it to me, I'll you know the momement I find anythiiiiing."
Fate giggled a bit and sighed in relief. She really had the best friends she could ever had hoped to have. It was time to get back, if she was lucky she might be able to make it home to see Nanoha and Vivio before she had to get back to her base.
… … … … … … … …
It was a little past two in the morning when she finally got back home. She would get some good 3 hours of quality-sleep with Nanoha if she wanted to be at her office on time. Her home was as silent as it could be so she tip-toed her way to Vivio's room. She was deeply comforted by the image of her daughter sleeping peacefully in her bed. She kissed her good-night and smoothed the sheets of her bed.
Fate was really tired, and her eyes were threatening to shut down. Dragging her feet she made it to her room. A bundle under the sheets indicated the place where Nanoha was sleeping. She undressed and slid into bed trying her best not to wake her up. Next to her, as close as possible, she buried her face in Nanoha's hair to breath her in. Before falling completely asleep she reached her hand across Nanoha's arm to feel her close.
… … … … … … … …
Waking up to a kiss in the lips had to be the best feeling in the world, Fate acknowledged still half-dreaming. Especially if those lips belonged to Nanoha Takamachi.
"Wake up sleepy-head or you're going to be late." Fate somehow heard Nanoha's voice from far away.
Fate opened her eyes, taking her time. She saw Nanoha already dressed up and ready.
"You are really going to be late," Nanoha insisted.
Fate yawned. "Ou, Nanoha, why are you already up? Do you have an early training?"
"No, I just wanted to make sure you had everything set."
Nanoha spoiled her a lot, that much she could be sure of.
"I'm coming." Her eyes saddened a bit. "I don't want to go…"
The chestnut haired girl turned around to see her, and in her eyes she was able to see a similar sadness.
"Don't say that, it's your job…"
"It's never been easy to say good-bye for now, but now, I'm getting used to this new 'us' thing…" She suddenly remembered Arf's words. She had to speak up, but her natural reserved way of being didn't make it any easier for her. Putting those thoughts aside, at the same time she dressed up, she tried to set straight her thoughts.
She brushed her hair back with her fingers and approached Nanoha. She took her hands and talked to her, locking herself in Nanoha's deep blue gaze.
"I really really don't want to go, but I would be much easier if you answered me something."
Nanoha felt her heart racing almost out of her own body, and before Fate could say anything else she just said "I do".
Fate blinked twice.
"You do? But I still haven't said a thing."
"Whatever you are going to ask me the answer is 'I do'."
Do not leave certain things unsaid, Fate thought to herself.
"Nanoha, would you be my girlfriend? Fate dared to ask, trying her best not to blush furiously.
"You see, I knew the answer was 'I do'." Nanoha smiled at her. "I do want to be your girlfriend, Fate-chan."
Fate let go of Nanoha's hands delicately and brought them to Nanoha's face, pulling her together in a kiss where she could only make her feel how much she loved her and how much she was going to miss her. Nanoha could taste the anxiety in Fate's kiss. With her hands she held to the flaps of Fate's uniform pulling her even closer. She broke off the kiss to say the words that were to be said a long time ago, this time with its full meaning. Deep blue met staggering red and pronounced the words she couldn't keep to herself anymore.
"I love you Fate-chan."
"I love you, Nanoha."Fate could barely answer before being pulled in again into Nanoha's kiss.
A movement caught Nanoha's attention and against her will, pulled away from Fate.
Standing in the stairs was Vivio, holding her bunny dearly.
"Mama", she said with a clear and confident.
Nanoha and Fate answered simultaneously. Nanoha walked towards Vivio and reached out her hand. It was too soon for her to explain this new aspects of her life with Fate, she hadn't thougt exactly what or, even worse, how to tell Vivio. The last thing she wanted to do was confuse her.
"Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama love each other like the others kids' parents?"
Vivio really cuts to the chase, Fate thought surprised.
"Yes Vivio, is that ok with you?" Nanoha answered immediately. They were not going to lie to her, that was for sure, and the fact that she was the one asking them directly somehow eased things up.
"Yes," Vivio answered.
Vivio held her arms up towards Fate so the blonde would raise her up. She complied and Vivio put her arms around Fate's neck.
"I know Fate-mama takes care of me and Nanoha-mama as she promised but I thought the parents of my friends loved each other more. I was wrong." Vivio stated with a wide smile.
"I never thought Vivio would feel like that", Nanoha told Fate mind to mind.
"Neither did I. I think we still have a lot to learn about raising a daughter", Fate confessed to Nanoha feeling a little guilty.
"Yes, we do."
"When are you getting back, Fate-mama?"
Fate was overwhelmed with reality again. She had to get going and she wouldn't be back for three weeks. Three weeks away from Nanoha. She hadn't left yet and she was already missing her. She had no idea how she was going to deal being away from her.
Nanoha could read Fate's face as easily as reading an open book. She took her hand and squeezed it supportively.
"Three weeks is not that long. You've been away longer than that."
"I know, but this time it's different."
"You're right it is different. This time, us, our family, is stronger than before."
Fate knew Nanoha was absolutely right.
"I still have time to have breakfast with my girls, so why don't we check out what amazing breakfast has Nanoha-mama prepared for us?" Fate asked Vivio.
"Yay, I'm hungry!" Vivio exclaimed delighted.
… … … … … … … …
"So, you could say this things are like sexual enhancers?" Arf asked laughing.
Yuuno looked flustered. He was not used to talk about these topics, least of all with a girl.
"That's not quite right Arf. The civilization that created these objects started having a lot of trouble, due to infertility. The problem was so dramatic that they had to resort to this magical rings to strengthen the bond of a couple. They thought that it would help them conceive the babies they were not being able to conceive."
"Well that sure worked from them" Arf said sarcastically. "After all the civilization ended up disappearing."
"Unfortunately, that's what happened. There is no evidence that the rings actually fulfilled their purpose. And although these rings are rare, some exist in private collections. As a collectable item, they are quite rare, especially considering this is a pair, the ones found were usually singles."
"I wonder how Fate found them. I don't see her participating in auctions, spending loads of money in them."
"Neither do I, but you shouldn't ask if you do not want to know the answer", Yuuno laughed.
"I don't think it was anything illegal."
"I'm sure of that. Well, let's get going back, it would be wise to document our findings on these rings. Would you send a copy to Fate and send her rings back? I have some meetings in the afternoon and I promised to let her know as soon as we found information on them."
"Absolutely, I'll take care of it."
