I'M SOOOOO SOOOORRRRRRRRRYYYY!!!!!!! (begs for forgiveness from all!!!!!) I know it's been such a long time, it was just a whole lot of school issues, SAT/ACT exams and preps and college essays and omg I don't even want to talk about it. Not to mention tons and tons of girl problems (don't ask, long story) I hope this'll do, I had a writer's block too a while back and now I'm so glad I could get passed it. I may have another one for the next chapter but I promise I'll think of something! I recently got the English version of Mai HiME and that helped me back on track a lot too. Anyway, I hope you all like it! P.S. Shizuru's rather more teasing than usual in this one ;P

And btw thank you all soooooo much for your support and reviews telling me to keep going they really helped a great deal so i thank you!! ;) I woulda liked to have gotten this done on either Shizuru's birthday or on Valentines day but i just couldn't do it! grrr.. but hey, i got it in. And i think my b-day is the same as Shizuru's so it woulda been a little hard... anyway, enjoy!

I do not own any of the characters from Mai HiME, only Sunrise does and we love them (and we'd love them even more if we actually saw a real kiss between our two lovers in the anime... and even more if there was some more closeness if they catch my drift, hehe)

1

Chapter 7: The Majestic Moon Plays Wicked Games

The moon was like a beacon in the sky as the night became crystal clear. It's light trickled along the planes of the tousling leaves in the fading daylight. There was no conversation between them, only the roaring engine of Shizuru's Mercedes as they rode the dark streets. It was comfortable to Natsuki, she didn't mind the silence and Shizuru didn't seem to mind it either.

Soon the street lights swept over the inside as they made their way closer to the city streets. The younger girl sat there, arms folded and one ankle atop the other. Her jade eyes swept over to Shizuru's side. Her original intention was to gaze out of Shizuru's window, but that was before her eyes fell to unconsciously follow the rays of orange light that trailed up the body next to her.

Because of the speed they were going, those green eyes were only able to catch the glimpses that the flashes of light allowed. During those glimpses, she was able to distinguish the shapely forms of her legs from beneath her skirt; the soft curves of her torso beneath the white blouse; the long, flowing tawny hair which framed the soft, flawless face and wine-red eyes that seemed accentuated in the darkness of the night.

Those eyes seemed to blink in mild surprise before they drifted to the jade that were still unconsciously lying upon her. Natsuki wasn't sure what it was that made her catch her breath as she looked away – the embarrassment of being caught staring or witnessing the power those deep orbs had on her in the dark.

She shut her eyes tightly in self-hate. 'Why the hell did I do that?' She wondered, mentally punching herself.

"Are you alright, Natsuki?" Shizuru inquired softly, making Natsuki jump in her seat.

"F-fine." The younger girl stuttered, trying to keep her eyes fixed on the passing dark landscape. "How far away are we from your house?" She asked as she noticed that they weren't coming any closer to the city but just driving around it. She could tell this as multi-colored orbs of light from the stories of buildings revolved around to pass her eyes.

"Not far. Only another ten minutes." Shizuru responded calmly as she made a gentle turn in the road. "You must be tired from all the swimming, I'm sorry I kept you out so late, I lost track of time." She added after a few moments of silences that sounded like a foghorn in Natsuki's head.

"No, it's okay. I had fun." Natsuki turned to the older girl as she spoke. She found herself easing into calmness again as she finally found something to talk about and not think about why she had just looked at her best friend the way that she had. She turned her eyes back to the lights, finding herself somewhat mesmerized by them. "I can't swim much where I live. Maybe at the recreational center, but to be in a place totally secluded and fresh, it felt…" Natsuki paused, trying to find the right word.

"Real?" Shizuru's voice was soft, as if she knew exactly what Natsuki was talking about and could very much relate.

Natsuki was silent for a minute, then her eyes softened as she stared blindly at the lights. "Yeah. Real. It felt real, and it made me feel free." She let her mind drift, trying to feel the fresh water surrounding her again even if it was slightly cold, but the cold was what added to the realness. She remembered that even in the shower, if she used up the hot water and it slowly turned cold, she'd still stay in the shower because it felt like she was underneath a waterfall. Pure and free.

"I'm so glad I could do that for you, Natsuki." Shizuru responded softly and tenderly, slowly laying her hand on the other girl's knee.

Natsuki instantly stiffened, definitely no longer mesmerized by the lights but how fast her heart was beating now. 'Her hand… my knee… her hand… her hand…' "I-it's okay, Shizuru." She stuttered again, feeling the warmth of her hand spread along her skin underneath her pants. She was trying to keep the goosebumps from rippling across her skin from where the older girl's slender hand laid. Natsuki watched Shizuru from the corner of her eye as crimson eyes looked back to the road but their owner didn't remove her hand. After a few minutes, Natsuki finally asked, "Shizuru, your hand…"

"Yes, what about it? She asked nonchalantly.

"Well… it's just…. T-There!" Natsuki replied with an incredulous tone as she motioned her head towards her captured knee.

Shizuru giggled lightly. "Does Natsuki not like it there?"

"N-not particularly!" Natsuki could feel her eye twitching.

"Well then," Natsuki's heart started beating even faster as she heard Shizuru's voice drop very low. "Would Natsuki like it…" She gracefully but tantalizingly glided her hand slowly up Natsuki's thigh, "Here?"

"SH-SH-SH-SHIZ-!" Natsuki couldn't even finish the other girl's name as her face went aflame and her hand frantically slapped the hand away several times until it was totally on the driver's side of the car.

The mischievous girl could not for the life of her hold back her fits of laughter. "Please forgive me, Natsuki, for I could not resist!" She continued to laugh though tried her dear hardest to stifle it, the feeling of slight guilt steadily seeping in.

"Y-yeah well, just keep your damn eyes on the road could ya!?" Natsuki yelled at the other girl, still not totally sure if she should forgive her or not.

"I don't have to anymore - my house is right up the road." She pointed at the upcoming iron gate that was much smaller than that of the one in front of her parent's house. It would have barely been seen had it not been for the small lights stationed on each side of the gate. As she drove up, she reached onto the dashboard of her car and Natsuki heard a dull 'clu-click'. With a shake and a slow creak, the gate opened.

"Oh…" was all Natsuki could say as she drove in and parked the car in the driveway.

Natsuki gazed at the house; it was a house of a typical standard – two-story, one garage, a chimney, a front porch with flowers in vases and wooden pots – it looked like a home perfect for a family. For reasons that Natsuki didn't know, the last thought made her mind darken, but quickly shook herself from it as she got out of the car and followed Shizuru to the front door.

Before Shizuru even went to open the door, she abruptly turned to Natsuki behind her, making the younger girl jump back slightly so that she wouldn't run directly into the other girl. "Natsuki, could I ask you to wait out here for a second? I just need to check on something…" She looked at Natsuki hopefully.

"Uh.." Natsuki gave her a strange look but nodded her head. "Sure. No problem."

"Thank you. I'll be back in a second." With that, she darted right in and quickly closed the door behind her with only the wave of her hair the last to be seen. What confused the cobalt-haired girl was that this was the first time that Shizuru needed to actually check something in her home. Maybe it was to do any last-minute house clean-ups. But she didn't see the point, it was only her, Shizuru had nothing to be self-conscious about, she never did. Mentally shrugging, Natsuki stood there for a second before turning around to gaze out from the top step of the wooden porch.

She was amazed that after all that driving she could still see the lights over the wall of shrubbery and iron. She didn't notice city lights as much when she was younger, surely because she had a lot of other things on her mind. Now those things don't seem as important, at least not for seconds given like now.

Within a few moments, she heard the knob of the door turn and open. Turning, she found Shizuru gazing at her fondly, "You may come in now, Natsuki. My apologies for the delay,"

"As I said, it's no problem." Natsuki stepped passed Shizuru as she held the door open for her and closed it when she finally entered. Natsuki took a look around and liked how homey and gentle yet sophisticated and hip – just like Shizuru.

Dark, hard-wooden floors and cherry wood cabinets; no carpets but shaggy, burgundy rugs and forest green throws covering the floor and amber-colored leather furniture; golden-shaded sculptural lamps and candles of all dark colors stationed on gold and silver candlesticks atop polished cherry wood coffee and lounge tables surrounded by caramel-colored walls – a very comfortable and warm atmosphere.

"I'll go see what I have to offer you for a drink. I have a fire started in the living room to your left, make yourself at home." Shizuru requested before she calmly walked passed the rounded wooden staircase that stood at the immediate right of the entranceway, down the hall to a doorway to her right, which she assumed was the kitchen.

Natsuki hesitantly strode into the room lit only by the wild flames Shizuru had spoke of, centered within a large stone chimney at the back of the room. Not feeling like seating herself just yet on the leather couch shaped like an "L", she just let her gaze wander over the twitching flames several feet in front of her. She stood there just next to the glass coffee table littered with unlit candles of all sizes and a small vase-full of orchids. She placed her hands in her pockets and sighed thoughtlessly.

Pata-pata-pata-pata…

Natsuki's eyebrows furrowed as she heard something rapidly approaching her from behind. Buh-thump! She squirmed and grumbled against the shaggy rug, feeling whatever it was moving on top of her. Trying to bring herself back up, she found that she had trouble because of the weight and the heavy breathing and a wet tongue licking frantically along her face and neck.

"Shizuru, get offa me…" Natsuki grumbled, closing her eyes tightly and turning away from the restless licks.

"It's not me!" Shizuru laughed as she approached the fallen girl on the floor with her captor walking on top of her.

Natsuki's eyes furrowed and craned her neck until she saw the big brown eyes of a golden retriever staring back at her. She gasped in excited delight as she turned onto her back and scratched and petted his soft fur. "He's adorable! When'd you get him?" Her smiling face scrunched up as the tongue began to attack her face again.

Shizuru grinned at the sight. "Maybe a year or two ago. Since I was always spending time alone here, I thought, why not have a pet to keep me company?"

"Good choice." Natsuki giggled as his cold wet snout explored her hair and face, quick little puffs of air tickling her.

"I'd say so - he reminded me a lot of you." The tawny-haired girl explained softly, watching as Natsuki turned to her with curiosity in response.

"How? What does?" The younger girl questioned as she roughly scratched the backs of both the dog's ears, making the big brown eyes close in pleasure.

Shizuru let out a soft sigh as she seated herself on the arm of the "L" couch, looking around thoughtfully as she shrugged. "Oh, just the cute nose and the big, adorable eyes, and the soft, cuddly bod-"

"Shizuru!!"

"And he sneaks into other people's property without permission." Shizuru continued, not at all bothered by Natuski's wide-eyed reaction but very much amused (as predicted).

Natsuki blinked, turning to the young dog with a playful smile. "Find anything good?" She asked as the dog rolled onto his back, begging for his belly to be rubbed.

Shizuru laughed lightly. "Just some buried tennis balls and toys. He still has a long way before he can be good enough to infiltrate a government building for top-secret data files."

The older girl giggled as she heard Natsuki laugh and pull the retriever into big, tight hug. "Aw that's not gonna be necessary…" The cobalt-haired girl smiled as she rubbed his belly then pulled him close, "But I'll train ya just in case!" She whispered into his floppy ear, only to be attacked by his tongue again and have her burst into giggles. "What's his name?" She opened one eye and turned to Shizuru.

"Take a guess." Shizuru smiled, a fond glint in her eye.

Natsuki's eyes darted over the older girl's questioningly. "… Kiyohime?" Apparently she missed the glint.

Shizuru laughed at her naïveté, and her cuteness. "Duran."

Natsuki looked at her for a moment. "Oh." She then turned to look into the big puppy dog eyes that had a 'please pet me some more' look in them. 'I shoulda seen that coming…' She thought to herself. Smiling absentmindedly, she went to scratch his ears again, hearing Duran growl in approval. "Good name."

"I knew you'd like it, I couldn't think of anything or anyone else when I saw him." Shizuru responded softly, watching as Natsuki slowly looked up at her without words. Shizuru watched Natsuki's gaze and she noted the uneasiness. This uneasiness was different from before – it was deeper and she could see it. Her heart sank, inwardly shaking her head. 'Perhaps I made you feel responsible for something… Then, forgive me Natsuki, I shouldn't have said that…'

Natsuki let her gaze drift morosely to the ground. "Shizur-.."

"Would you like tea, wine, coffee, or maybe hot cocoa?" Shizuru interrupted, quickly standing and walking closer to the doorframe to the hallway.

The cobalt-haired girl looked up in surprise at the sudden change, but decided to flow with it. "Um… I don't… whatever you're having?" She turned her answer into more of a question out of uncertainty.

"Red wine or white then?" Shizuru cocked her head slightly to one side as she asked, holding her hands in front of her.

"Um, whatever you've got that you think is good." The younger girl shrugged.

Shizuru laughed almost inaudibly, "very well," and went back to the kitchen.

Natsuki just stared at where she had stood, lost in thoughts. 'I don't like it that she thinks of me so much…' She thought to herself, the guilt that she had felt the day before after thinking of things similar to this began sinking in again.

Before she had any time to dwell on it, she felt Duran growl in his throat in boredom as he rolled – or flopped more like – right onto Natsuki's bent leg, making it fall to the ground with him. She smirked at the fallen canine, which lay comfortably in her lap.

"Silly puppy," She murmured as she stroked his belly, making Duran reach and crane his neck to lick her hand and fingers. Her smile widened as she watched him continue to reward her hands. Though she continued to watch him, her smile slowly fell as her mind drifted to other places. She didn't want it to because she knew it wouldn't help things – how things were going between Shizuru and her so far today – but she couldn't help it. On one level, she was happy that a dog as cute as this reminded the older girl of her. But on another level… 'Maybe I'm just thinking too much of this…' she thought to herself as her eyes glided over the charmingly decorated living room.

A few seconds later, Shizuru came back with two glasses of white wine in her hand. She giggled at the sight of her pet on top of half Natsuki's body. "I knew you two would be all over each other, and apparently I can mean that literally." Gracefully she laid the half-full glasses of wine on the glass tabletop and seated herself on the leather couch, one knee over the other and hands laid in her lap.

"I take it this is the "you'll see" surprise you were talking about?" Natsuki didn't need to see the other girl's nod as she already easily assumed the answer was yes. She smiled. "I wish our introduction coulda been a little less painful."

Shizuru gave and apologetic look. "I'm sorry about that. I had to make sure he was still in his cage before I let you in. I didn't want him jumping on you when the stairs were right behind you." She patted the leather cushion next to her, requesting she take the seat if she wished.

Pulling herself from underneath the retriever – much to his displeasure – she moved to the couch. "Yeah, the rug gave a much softer landing." As soon as she sat down, Duran's head was back in her lap. Natsuki softly laughed at him and stroked his head with her hand again.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Shizuru leaned closer, taking Natsuki's chin between he fingers and turning her head to inspect her herself.

Natsuki blushed despite herself, though she hoped that the faint darkness and amber flames from the fireplace camouflaged the color spreading across her face. "Ah-I'm fine." She tried to casually shrug. "I mean, there was a very small throbbing right here," – with her index finger, she quickly made a line from the middle of her forehead to her nose – "but it's practically gone now, so…" Her voice drifted off sheepishly, turning her eyes anywhere but the concerned crimson ones still upon her. Still feeling them, she absentmindedly gulped as though inwardly knowing yet afraid of what she was going to do.

Jade eyes widened slightly as she felt the soft fingers draw her chin back toward the other woman's face. Shizuru's eyes became gentler as her face drew closer, making Natsuki's eyes become wider and wider the more centimeters were reduced between them. When Natsuki could feel warm breaths caressing her face, she shut her eyes as if to brace herself. She flinched slightly and let out an inaudible "Eeep!" as the lips of the beautiful girl in front of her finally made contact… with the bridge of her nose.

'Eh?' Natsuki opened one eye only to be faced with Shizuru's chin. The green eye glided up to look at the girl's face against her and her hand finally released the tight grip she didn't realize she had on the leather cushion underneath her. 'Oh.' was all she could think as she watched her slowly pull away and place her hand back into her lap.

"I hope that helps relieve the rest of the pain." Shizuru smiled softly at her, eyes just as soft.

Natsuki just looked at her for a moment, blinking, as if unsure of what just happened or even where she was. Her eyebrows furrowed at herself in confusion. 'Why did I think that she would…? I knew she wouldn't go that far because she knows that I would…?' She tried to blink her thoughts away when she noticed that Shizuru was observing her with a brow strangely raised at her. "Ah-um," – her eyes darted frantically around for something else to look at besides the strangely curious look she was getting – "I'm sure it will." Suddenly needing that wine, she quickly reached for the glass and took a sip. She tried to keep herself from choking at the taste.

Shizuru tried not to laugh at the slightly scrunched look that flickered on the younger girl's face. "It's ice wine – very sweet white wine. It's tart for first-timers, but I can put an ice cube in it to dull the strength." She offered, still smiling at the memory of Natsuki's reaction.

Natsuki did a tight blink and cleared her throat. "No, that's okay." She waited a beat. "At least it has a good aftertaste." She added lightly.

Shizuru nodded, "It does."

There was a moment of silence, and this time, Natsuki did feel a bit uncomfortable by it. The warmth of the older girl's lips still lingered between her brows. Se had an urge to lay her fingers at the source but refrained herself; she didn't want to while in front of the person responsible for the warmth she felt.

"I hope you don't mind us staying here tonight." Shizuru's soft Kyoto-ben voice finally came to her ears.

The younger girl turned to her and shrugged. "No, I don't mind at all." She took a minute to think about it. "I didn't bring anything to sleep in, but I don't mind sleeping in my clothes." She commented dismissively.

"Nonsense, I can lend you something of mine." The taller girl protested.

Natsuki paused and considered; she knew it would be something like silk camisoles or similar. She inwardly shrugged. "Fine. Where will I sleep then?"

"Either this couch or my bedroom," Shizuru answered simply, leaning her head against the arm that was braced against the cushion behind her.

"Couch."

Shizuru couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the almost automatic response. "I'm sorry I couldn't offer you something more accommodating or comfortable." The older girl replied, trying to hold her grin back as she was still amused by Natuki's response; she had even noticed the jade eyes widening slightly again when she had given her the possible choices.

"It's no problem." Natsuki replied with the same dismissive tone as before. "Remember, I live in a tiny apartment, so I'm very used to sleeping on couches."

Shizuru looked at her curiously. "You don't have a bed in your apartment?" For a moment, she wondered if there really were apartments that small.

"No, I do, I just end up rarely using it because I always have so much book work to do from my college that I wake up on top of them on my couch the next morning." The cobalt-haired girl explained simply as though it were routine.

Shizuru smiled, taking just a minute to watch the girl next to her gaze at Duran, whose eyes were drooping from sleepiness and content from the ministrations of Natsuki's hand. How she wished she could have been there to watch Natsuki sleep on top of her piles of books – she must have looked so very cute. "I'm glad Natsuki is working so hard in her studies," She stated, earning a flicker of a proud smile from said girl. "Though I certainly wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself either,"

Natsuki gave a mirthless smirk. "I have no choice; it's college after all." She relaxed against the very comfortable cushion behind her. "Besides, then I'm able to spend the next morning hanging around with Mai and Mikoto."

Shizuru then just looked at her in silence. She wasn't really thinking anything, only feeling a twinge of regret and… maybe… loss, since she remembered spending mornings with this adorably attractive girl back at the Academy and now couldn't – not like then at least; offering her a warm cup of tea and her grudgingly accepting; allowing her to use the computer when she needed, either one of them looking over the other's shoulder to look at the screen. The best would be would be the days when Shizuru had made her a lunch, whether she stayed in school that day or just left – the blush and jumbling for words as a thank you from the younger girl would be absolutely priceless.

Maybe it wasn't truly loss she felt; maybe she just missed it and wished she had more. Maybe she was just being greedy. "Well, as I may have said before, I'm glad that all the other girls from the academy have taken care of you in my absence." She smiled her sweet, gentle smile.

"Yeah." Natsuki sighed, and then started to laugh. "All the girls except Nao," She corrected, grinning as she stared off into nothing, as thought she were watching a small, invisible movie reel of al her memories with Nao since they made amends. "She has not changed one bit. On weekends or one-or-more-day holidays, we would go to the clubs or bars and play drinking games for most of the night… that is until she spots yet another guy to gag and tie up and leave in an alleyway…" The last part was muttered under her breath while skeptically quirking a cobalt brow. She went on, "The next morning would always be hell though and I'd end up in bed with Mai nursing me back to my feet."

"Yes, hangovers are indeed painful, aren't they?" Shizuru commented, not questioned, while reaching for her own glass of wine.

Natsuki gave a light, absent-minded nod. "Yep, they are a bi-…" Abruptly stopping herself, her eyes slowly widened in realization and surprise as if suddenly in awe. Whipping her head around, she gave the girl next to her something close to a gawking stare. "You've been drunk??" She exclaimed out of her own dumbfounded surprise at the tawny-haired girl, who was just releasing her lips from the rim of the glass she had just taken a seemly-taken sip out of.

Shizuru just turned to her with a raised brow and a smirk. "Do you not think I'm capable of it?" She asked curiously.

Slightly slack-jawed from amazement, Natsuki answered, "No!... Well, yes, I suppose, but… N-no!!" Or at least tried to answer.

Shizuru couldn't help but laugh as Natsuki struggled with her response. "Why not?"

"B-because you just too… you!" She wasn't sure whether to stare or just burst into laughter at the thought. Sure, a friggin nun got herself crazy-drunk at those parties, and maybe she didn't see that coming then either, but Shizuru?? She never remembered Shizuru getting drunk then either. She was curious as to what had made her decide to drink whenever it was that she did.

When crimson eyes gazed at her curiously, she tried to explain. "You're just always so… I dunno, I guess…" Calming down, Natsuki's gaze seemed to move from Shizuru's to the golden wine, the flames making warm-colored rainbows inside. "I guess when I look at you, I always see the student council president and head of the flower arranging and tea ceremony clubs. I guess it's just kinda hard to switch from the you then to the you now…" She looked back to Shizuru, who still held a curious expression. "You weren't even drunk at the last karaoke party we all had the day of your graduation."

Shizuru smirked. "I couldn't afford to be drunk then anyway, I had to take you home."

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "If you had gotten drunk then, who knows what the hell you coulda tried to do to…" She stopped herself, hesitatingly turning to the older girl. 'Mighta gone too far on that one…' She thought as she watched Shizuru's currently expressionless features. The tawny-haired girl turned her eyes to the fire, silent. 'Great,' Natsuki thought again, turning away in a sheepish embarrassment. 'I've upset her.'

As she ran her fingers through sapphire tresses, she heard the girl next to her begin to laugh. Confused, she turned to find a very much amused Shizuru continue to laugh enspite of herself. After a few seconds of just watching her, Natsuki soon found herself laughing with her.

"Yes, it was a very good think that I didn't get drunk that night." Still giggling, Shizuru shifted slightly in her seat so that she could rise more gracefully. She was about to make her way around Natsuki to walk to the doorway when she stopped. "Although you must know, Natsuki," The frequency of the younger girl's giggles severely dropped when she caught the suggestive hint in Shizuru's voice when she said her name. The taller girl turned and leaned in close to Natsuki's face, crimson eyes boring playfully into her own.

"You have become so very beautiful that…" – Natsuki was frozen like a statue as the other girl's hands laid themselves on either side of Natsuki as the lovely face and deep eyes came closer - "Whether I were drunk or not, I'd still worry of what I might do to you…"

With that, she used her tantalizingly playful abilities and gave a wink, leaving Natsuki speechless and slack-jawed again.

"Excuse me while I fetch a few blankets for you." Shizuru called from the doorway that went into the hallway.

The only think Natsuki could answer with was a very shaky, "Uh-huh…" When the Blue-haired girl could make herself movable again, the only thing she could think was, 'did that just happen?? Man, why didn't she just straddle me while she was at it!'

Natsuki then wished she hadn't have thought that because, somehow, a very graphic image of Shizuru straddling her while one hand held her face, and the other had a fist-full of cobalt hair tight in it as Shizuru was pulling the younger girl's head back, the taller girl's face dipping over her, parted lips desperately reaching for Natsuki's own pink one's.

Natsuki gulped and blinked and shook her head – anything to get that image out of her head and slow her racing heart.

A low "Ruff!" brought her attention back to Duran, who looked back up at her with his head turned slightly to one side, as though curious as to what his owner's friend was doing.

"Sorry boy," She brought her hand back to pet and rub and scratch the sides of his face and neck. As she gave the dog the attention he very much loved, her mind still drifted to places she really didn't want it to again. She knew it was just Shizuru being expertly playful as always and shouldn't think too much of it. "It's just…" Murmured softly to herself, "Her eyes were so…"

"I think I have everything for you."

Natsuki jumped as she heard the taller girl come up behind her. She turned to find Shizuru holding three blankets, a pillow, and the silk nightwear she said she'd lend her.

"I don't want you to get cold in the middle of the night." Shizuru explained as she laid all of the blankets down on the couch a few seats away from Natsuki. "And I hope this will do. It should fit you," Natsuki eyed the long-sleeved black silk pajamas that Shizuru held up for her to see. After she nodded her approval, Shizuru laid them back on top of the blankets. "Do you think you'll need anything else?" The older girl inquired.

Natsuki shook her head. "No, this should be it." She responded softly. "What time is it?"

As Shizuru moved to sit back down on the arm of the couch again, she looked at the small, golden-faced and wooden-framed clock on top of the fireplace's mantel – which also held a few smaller vases of beautifully-arranged flowers and maybe two elegantly framed photos which Natsuki couldn't clearly see from afar. "It's a little after eight." She answered.

"Wow, the day really did go by fast." Natsuki commented, shifting her leg from underneath Duran so that she wouldn't feel so much drool pooling on her knee. "You don't go to bed this early, do you?"

Shizuru shook her head. "No, or at least rarely; Perhaps when I'm really exhausted from strenuous working days or if worn out after spending a day with a suitor, I might. But, otherwise, no." She eyed her for a minute, and then chuckled. "I'm sure you never do."

"Oh God no." Natsuki's face scrunched up in distaste at the idea. "Not even on days when I'm struggling with a hangover." Keeping her eyes on Duran's face against her lap, she couldn't help but think back to when Shizuru had mentioned to suitors again. "Do you… want kids?" She asked tentatively, peering up at Shizuru through the corner of one eye.

Shizuru looked down at her silently for a moment, considering her answer. "Someday, yes." Curiously, she raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Do you?"

Natsuki face flustered for a moment. "Um, maybe… I dunno, I haven't really thought about it much so I'm not totally sure yet." Trying to make sure that the girl above her didn't see the color of her face, she removed Duran from her lap and stood up, casually walking to the mantel and tried to take interest in the photos. She did immediately. "You framed this picture?" Finally turning to her, she gave the cherry-eyed girl an odd, inquisitive look.

It was a picture of all of them at the beach, although none of them looked like they were at all ready for getting their picture taken. It looked like someone just came up and took a picture of them while in a normal yet chaotic moment; some of them weren't even paying attention while others were playfully grabbing onto people (at the surprise of the person they happen to be grabbing onto, i.e. Mai and Mikoto, Shiroi and Tate, Aoi and Chie). She finally found herself way off to the side, waist-deep in the ocean waters, flinching yet grinning as she turned away from the water that was splashed onto from the laughing Shizuru nearby. Now she saw why Shizuru found it worth framing, but she didn't mention it.

"It's just one of my favorites since it just catches everyone at their best." Shizuru explained as she came next to Natsuki to gaze at the picture herself. "I have many more in my photo albums."

Natsuki waited a few beats before responding with, "I'll have to take a look at them sometime. It's been a while since I looked at my own."

"I can get them from my library if you want." Shizuru suggested.

Natsuki paused, and then gave a smirk-like grin. "Sure."

Shizuru smiled brightly. "I'll be right back." She turned and soundlessly left back to the hallway.

As Natsuki looked thoughtfully away, a full-fledged grin slowly appeared as she turned back to the photo of them at the beach.

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"D-yah!" Natsuki gave a short yelp as the volleyball smashed against the back of her head. With a low growl, she grabbed ball and abruptly turned in the hot sand back to the players, giving a dangerous eye to anyone who might've been the culprit.

Midori waved her hand, the other at the back of her head. "Heh-heh, sorry Natsuki!" She sweat-dropped.

Natsuki rolled her eyes until she heard Nao laughing a small ways from her. She turned and looked at her just as she was rolling onto her back from the laughter. A knot forming just above one twitching eye, she rounded up her arm and rocketed the ball right into the side of Nao's face, making her yelp.

"Urgh, Kuga!!" Nao yelled, giving her a death glare.

"That's what you get!" Natsuki yelled back, grinning evilly.

"You'd better prepare for what you're going to get in return, Kuga!" Nao threatened, teeth gritting inside a sinister smile. It looked like the redhead was about ready to run to her when another voice nearby called out.

"Now, now, you two, play nice. We're not here to fight." Shizuru reminded in a calm voice as she was lying atop a purple beach towel, soaking in the sun.

"Tell that to her!!" The two girls yelled in unison, making them turn to glare at each other. After a minute, the two silently waved the white flag and grudgingly went back to their towels.

Natsuki flopped herself back down on her towel next to Shizuru. Hugging her knees to her chest, she looked out to the shimmering ocean and sighed. She hadn't gone in yet but she definitely planned to. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw a small school of dolphins leap out of the ocean's surface only to dive back in again. Her gaze rose up to the cloud-spotted sky, watching the white puffs drift passed. Waves crashing against sand and rock; leaves of tall trees wafting in the soft breeze; the periodic "phh-bang" of a well-used volleyball and shouts and calls from the players; the wonderful warmth of the sunlight. Apart from Nao being present, it seemed like a perfect day.

"See anything interesting?" Shizuru asked curiously, not looking up.

"A couple dolphins, that's it." Natsuki shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. She rested her chin between her folded knees. "I've heard they're fun to swim with." She added.

"Why don't you?" The ocher-haired girl asked as she rolled over to face Natsuki, who gave her an odd look.

"They're a little hard to catch up with."

Shizuru gave a light nod, the tip of her ponytail brushing against one shoulder. "Perhaps, but I know that you're just as good of a swimmer. I'm surprised you haven't gone in yet."

"I'm planning to, I guess I'm just saving the best for last." Natsuki assured, still looking out into the distance.

"Hmm, I've already had my 'best' happen." The older girl stated nonchalantly enough that it made Natsuki curious, just as Shizuru intended.

"Oh yeah? What was that?" Not thinking as she asked, she ran a hand through her long hair as the breeze played with it.

Shizuru closed her eyes and grinned at the sky. "Putting sunscreen on your back, and arms, and legs." She opened one ruby eye and peered happily at the flustering girl next to her.

"I could have done my arms and legs myself you know!"

"Yes, but I knew you would miss the backs of them so I figured I might as well do those for you too." Shizuru smiled playfully as she stretched along her soft beach towel.

Finding herself watching as the girl next to her stretched her lithe form out of the corner of her eye, she abruptly turned away, roughly folding her arms in a pout. "Yeah, well…" She drifted off.

"Hmm, Natsuki has such soft, white, perfect skin too. I enjoyed every minute of it." Shizuru continued teasingly.

Natsuki's eyes went wide then quickly went tightly shut as she buried her burning face into her knees. "Shizuru! Cut it out!"

Shizuru giggled happily as she laid one bent leg over the other. "Forgive me, I try, but I can't…"

"I can tell!" Natsuki yelled over her shoulder, her face still cherry red. She roughly rubbed her somewhat sandy hands over her face to try and fight the blush away.

"…Because Natsuki is far too cute!" Finally looking over to Natsuki's nearly exposed back, she took her index finger and drew a teasingly light line from the younger girl's nape all the way down, over the dark blue ties of her bikini, to her lower back.

Natuki's slouching posture finally shot straight up, eyes now the size of golf balls and the iris of her eye dilated significantly. "Th-that's it!!!" Natsuki exclaimed so loudly that their friends nearby couldn't help but stare at her in curiosity as she shot up to her feet so fast it was like rocket soaring up into the sky. "I'm going swimming!!" Ignoring the strange stares, she gunned for the foamy waves and dove in.

Without looking, she giggled and calmly waved as she heard the muffled stomps of bare feet against sand and the final splash. "I'll be joining you in a minute, my adorable Natsuki."

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"Wow, it's amazing just how drunk those two could get…" Natsuki commented as she pointed at a picture of a flustering and grinning Midori and Youko, an arm hooked around the other's neck for balance, the hand of the other holding a bottle of liquor. "But then again they were part of the faculty, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised; teachers always tend to have some kind of secret."

Shizuru laughed as she turned another page to a picture of Haruka and Yukino in the gymnasium – Haruka yelling and pointing to somewhere off camera; Yukino giving a sweet smile and shy wave.

"I always wonder how those two are doing." Shizuru commented as she gazed at the photo. Natsuki and Shizuru sat next to each other on the floor, their backs against the couch.

Natsuki tilted her head back in thought. "Um, last I knew, they are sharing an apartment and going to a college maybe thirty minutes away from mine. Mai and I run into them from time to time; haven't really asked how they're really doing though."

Shizuru just nodded in reply and went to the next page – a photo of Mai, Mikoto, Tate, and Reito at the graduation picnic. Mikoto, as always, latched onto Mai's midriff, making her lean onto a sweat-dropping Tate for balance, and Reito just giving a charming smile and a shrug while next to Mikoto.

"Somehow they always look like one big happy family together." Natsuki observed.

"I guess having drama interlinked between them can do that." Shizuru theorized simply before she peered in Natsuki's direction. "Surprised that I don't have a lot of you in these albums?" She smirked.

Cobalt brows rose as she just noticed this. "Yeah, actually…"

Shizuru giggled softly as she shifted more comfortably against the couch. "That's because you have your own album; just so that if I want to look at you, I can find you easier."

Though a little uneasily, Natsuki nodded. "Makes sense."

"And don't worry, I don't have anything explicit in that album," The taller girl assured.

Natsuki's eyes widened at calm soft ones for a second; she hadn't considered that, but knowing Shizuru… "Well, um, thanks." She went to continue looking at the pictures.

"Those are in my private stash." Shizuru added, seemly turning away and nonchalantly running a hand through her hair. She laughed when the younger girl looked at her in horror. "I'm just kidding!" Natsuki's skeptical expression and fake laugh only made the tawny-haired girl laugh more. After flipping and reminiscing through a few more pages of photos, Shizuru couldn't help but grin softly was she heard the younger girl start to yawn. "Maybe you should get some sleep." She suggested after waiting a beat.

Natsuki's jade eyes turned to the soft crimson ones. "I'm awake." She protested.

"Your yawn just now begs the differ." Her smile widened, as the yawn made Natsuki seem all the more cuter.

When Natsuki found herself trying to blink the sleep out of her eyes, she rolled her head away and sighed. "Fine." Shizuru noticed the reluctant tone and grinned briefly to herself as she heard and felt the girl next to her pull herself to her feet. Natsuki stretched her back before absentmindedly bending to help Shizuru up from the floor.

Murmuring her "thank you" as she pulled the albums into her arms, Shizuru gave the azure-haired girl a sweet smile. "We don't have to wake up at any specific time, so you can sleep in as late as you want. Do you want me to take Duran upstairs with me so that he won't bother you in the middle of the night?" She asked, indicating the curled ball of fur dozing near the fireplace on a dirty oval-shaped rug.

Natsuki shook her head, "No, he can stay down here. I don't mind at all."

Shizuru's smile widened. "I knew that would be your answer." She expertly maneuvered between the coffee table and Natsuki's knees. Natsuki pinked at the closeness, but just turned so that her chin was almost touching her shoulder. "Sweet dreams." Shizuru pecked her lips lightly against Natsuki's temple, earning a flinch and a "hey!" before happily striding off. She had just gotten passed the doorframe when, with a hand on the frame, stopped, and leaned her body back through the doorway. "Oh, and by the way, if you feel a body on top of you in the middle of the night or the morning, that would be me, not Duran." She calmly warned.

"Yeah, yeah I kn-wait what!?" Natsuki had been waving her hand dismissively until she finally caught on, turning to her wide-eyed and shock-faced.

Shizuru burst into laughter. "Oh Natsuki, I'm so glad you haven't changed." Wiping a single tear away, she finally went off to bed.

Somehow Natsuki knew from the start of her last sentence that Shizuru would most likely be teasing her again, but she always hated how it took her a while to realize it.

Grumbling at both herself and Shizuru, she went to lay the blankets and pillow on the couch. After she slipped out of her day clothes and into her silk pajamas, she then went to slide underneath the blankets only to find that Duran had already claimed them for her.

She smirked, leaning on one leg, folding her arms, and giving him the eye. All he did in return was give her a look saying, 'What's that look for?'

"Off." She snapped her fingers and pointed away from the couch. Reluctantly, he got off, letting her slide in, then jumped back on top of her again, releasing an "Oof!" from his newfound love. She chuckled and let him get comfortable on top of her.

Staring at the fire, she watched the flames twitch and lick the air and blackened brick. 'Today… was a very weird day…' She thought to herself, raising a skeptical brow.

'The both of us had fun at least, although I'm sure for slightly different reasons.' She recalled the things she did with Shizuru that she was never able to do at home, while Shizuru just had her fun in many different ways. She shifted on the couch to hug her pillow, making Duran shift with her.

'At least I was able to relieve whatever tension she was feeling and took her mind off of things she didn't want to think about.' She sighed and hugged her pillow tighter, finally letting her tired eyes close.

'But I will get her back for her teasing ways one of these days.' Unknowingly, she grinned to herself at the thought. A couple of seconds later, her eyes shot open, eyes only slightly dilated. 'But not in that way!'