Santana looks over her equipment. She has brought two kaginawas, long ropes with four joined hooks at one end. She's going to teach Brittany to climb walls. She has been up early and picked out a wall on the eastern side of the compound. It's not very high and leans in a little, making it slightly easier to scale. She hopes Brittany will show up. It's not like they set a time or anything.

Santana starts her training with the group but her heart isn't quite in it this morning. She keeps looking up the path towards the buildings, hoping to see the tall blond girl approaching. They've already been out for hours when the familiar voice calls out in faintly accented Japanese.

"Hey there!"

Santana immediately turns around to see Brittany coming towards her. Brittany's face lights up in a smile. She's dressed in Japanese style trousers and a shirt. Her hair is tied up in a bun at the back of her head.

"Hey! Let me just put these away and I'm ready," Santana says and wipes her hands on her trousers. She puts her shurikens in a leather satchel and walks over to the wooden doll and pulls out the star shaped metal pieces. She feels her hands tremble a little bit. Why is she so nervous? She just really hopes Brittany will enjoy the climbing and that she'll get the hang of it. Trying to calm her nerves she takes her time gathering the shurikens. She takes a deep breath before she turns around and starts walking back towards Brittany whose face is lit up with anticipation.

"I've picked a spot for us to practise in. If you're still up for it, that is?" Santana raises one eyebrow and looks at Brittany with a lopsided smile. She's fairly sure Brittany is up for it.

"You bet! But I didn't tell my father what I was going to do. He'd probably have a heart attack." Brittany grins sheepishly and Santana laughs.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you. I swear!"

Santana carries the kaginawas as they walk over to the eastern side of the compound.

"Wow!" Brittany looks up the wall. "Do you really think I can climb up there?"

"Yup!" Santana can't help grinning as she passes Brittany a kaginawa.

"Ok. So the idea is to climb up with the help of a rope but first you need to get the hooks up there. You have to throw it up to the top. You hold it like this." She holds the rope about two feet from the hooks and begins to swing it.

"Get a bit of speed up before you let go." She releases the rope and the hooks land at the top of the wall with a clanging sound.

"Then you pull to make sure it has found something to grip on to." She tugs hard at the rope. "Now you try."

Brittany picks up the second kaginawa and begins to swing it in circles like Santana did a little while ago.

"How do you know when to let go?" She looks a little nervous.

"As you're bringing it up, sort of. Just give it a shot."

Brittany keeps swinging the metal hooks a little while longer before she lets go. The hooks swing up behind them and fly in a wide arch to land on the ground some fifteen yards behind the girls.

"Oops!" Santana giggles a little. Brittany looks slightly annoyed for a moment before she starts to giggle too.

Santana fetches the hooks and rolls up the rope again for Brittany to start over.

"Just try again. It might take a few goes before you get the hang of it. Don't worry."

Brittany tries a few more times before she eventually manages to get the kaginawa up onto the wall.

"Ok, now tug down hard."

Brittany does what she's told and Santana looks pleased. Then Santana begins to explain how to scale the wall, basically walking up it.

"Let your legs do the work. You don't haul yourself up by your arms because your legs are a lot stronger so use them. I'll show you." She grabs the rope with both hands and puts a foot up against the wall.

"Like this." Santana takes a few steps up the wall. Brittany watches with a concentrated look on her face. Santana climbs up to shoulder height before she starts walking the wall downwards to Brittany again.

"Now you try." She smiles and positions herself behind Brittany.

"Ok, put your hands a little further apart." She leans forward to help Brittany adjust her hands. As soon as her body makes contact with Brittany's it's like an electric current runs through her. She feels the heat of the blond girl's body against her chest and stomach and for a moment she has trouble breathing.

"Trust yourself, lean back a little more. I'm right here if you lose your grip," she encourages Brittany. She watches and the muscles in the long slender pale arms flex. Watching them makes her want to touch them. She wants to feel those muscles harden beneath her fingers.

Slowly, slowly Brittany inches her way upwards.

"Great! Now you've gotten the hang of it. Come down again and I'll give you a safety rope."

Santana ties a loop and asks Brittany to step into it. Then she raises it up to just chest height. She shivers a little as her hands brush against Brittany's sides. She fastens the other end in her belt and begins to climb up her own rope. She moves fast and deliberately and reaches the top in no time. Up at the top she secures Brittany's safety line around a tree before she swiftly makes her way down again.

"How do you do that? You're like a squirrel or something!" Brittany looks at her in awe. She feels the heat rushing to her cheeks but she's dead pleased.

They spend hours working the wall.

"Just a little bit further! Come on! You can do it!" Santana encourages. Brittany is almost at the top of the wall. Santana is holding on to her own rope next to her. Brittany's whole body strains against the wall and the rope. She is deeply concentrated as she takes the last few steps. Panting she heaves herself over the edge and rolls away from it. She lies on her back looking up at the sky laughing while trying to catch her breath. As soon as she can stand, she does a little victory dance. Santana sits next to her and just watches Brittany's joy. She's adorable! Santana feels like something is gripping her inside her chest. She wants to hear more of that laughter. She wants to keep watching the sun reflect in that golden hair.

"I'm ravenous!" Brittany says eventually. Her breathing is almost back to normal and she's still smiling.

"I'm pretty sweaty and grimy. I can't go to lunch like this." Santana looks at herself.

"Oh yeah…" Brittany looks down at her own stained clothes.

"Besides, I have to return to the group. Sensei won't be too happy if I skip the whole day. But I had fun! Did you have fun?"

"It was like the best day ever! Will you teach me something else some other time?" Brittany looks expectant.

"Of course I will. Just let me know when and I'll prepare something." Santana's heart beats harder at the thought of seeing Brittany soon again.

They part ways outside the main building.

"Keep the kaginawa if you want to practise by yourself but please be careful so you don't fall." Santana hands Brittany the rope with the metal hooks.

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The rest of the day disappears quickly. Santana feels lighter somehow. The day seems brighter and she is looking forward to the coming days.

In the evening she has tea with Takai.

"How is your friend?" he asks casually.

"She's fine. I taught her how to climb walls today. She learned quickly." Santana smiles with her whole face. "She's funny and sweet. She smiles a lot and she's so unlike anyone I've met before."

"I'm glad San-chan. I think it's good for you to have female friends your age. I am very fond of Takashi and I am glad he is your friend but I think it's good for you to know girls too. She seems like a nice girl." He smiles warmly at her.

"How is Kawada-sama doing father? Is his health improving?" She's trying not to think about what happens if Kawada doesn't recover. She doesn't want to leave, at least not yet.

"He is still very ill and weak. It is uncertain if he will recover and in that case, to what degree. We will stay for a while longer but in not too long we have to seriously consider going back if there is no change in his condition."

Santana nods.

"But my dear, don't worry too much about it. We still concentrate on the task at hand. We are comfortable here and besides, we don't have any other missions lined up at the moment. Tsukahara-san tells me we are still useful to Kawada's men so we are not taking inappropriate advantage of Kawada's hospitality. And you get to spend more time with your friend." Takai takes a sip from his cup. "I am an old man San-chan and old men need their rest. I'm going to bed." He stands up walks towards the door. Before he leaves he turns around and smiles at her.

She feels calmed for the moment. She gets to stay here, away from her usual chores, she gets to concentrate on her skills and she gets to stay close to Brittany. Brittany… She smiles just thinking about the girl. She says the name quietly to herself. She makes a point of not saying it the Japanese way, Bu-ri-tta-ni.

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Brittany keeps coming to the practise field to watch Santana train. Santana spends her breaks talking to the blond girl, explaining what they're doing or just chit-chatting. She's noticed that Brittany often touches her arm or shoulder. When she laughs she'll often lean forward and rest a hand on Santana. It always makes Santana's body tingle a little. On days it doesn't happen she always feels strangely disappointed somehow.

"My father is going away to Kyoto the day after tomorrow. I was sort of wondering if you might keep me company? I know I have my own room but I don't like it when I know he's not there next door." Brittany looks down at her shoes. "I'm a little bit afraid of the dark."

"Yes, of course I will. I will tell sensei. It won't be a problem." Her heart is pounding in her chest. Somehow she feels like she has gotten something she wanted.

"That's wonderful! I'll tell my father you'll stay with me. He'll be delighted. Come in time for dinner and we can eat and bathe together." Brittany looks excited too.

Santana smiles the whole day through. Even when Yusuke trips her and she faceplants in the dirt. She doesn't really know why feels so full of anticipation. She just feels giddy at the thought of spending so much time alone with Brittany.

The following day feels like it's dragging on forever. Santana keeps herself busy as best she can. She works out hard after dinner to tire herself out so she can go to bed and sleep early.

In the morning she sees Willem ride out together with a few other men. She has talked to Takai and she will leave the group in the afternoon to go join Brittany up in the main building. He doesn't seem to mind in the least. She knows she's lucky. Not all parents are as understanding and wise as he is. He lets her do what she wants most of the time. She was always different as a child. She kept to herself a lot of the time and even though she did express joy and excitement at times, she was never a bubbly gushing girl. He never tried to change her and he is always patient and never talks to her as if she doesn't understand. He trusts her and she trusts him implicitly.

By late afternoon Santana stands washed and ready in front of the main building.