Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks


Excel's POV

When we got back to Planeptune the CPUs all needed their rest. Chika wasn't happy she had to wait so long to talk to Vert again. Histoire told us to leave them be but, let's face it, the five of us hadn't seen ours sisters in three years, we needed to talk with them, me especially.

"Hey Sis." I smiled down at Vert, taking a seat next to her bed.

"Hey." She responded, her voice somewhat weak and raspy "I'm happy to see you again I was…worried it was just a dream."

"It's not." I said holding her hand "You really are home…or at least in Planeptune."

"How is everything?" Vert asked "Is everyone back home okay? How's Chika?"

"She's doing well." I said "Just as nervous about you as ever though."

"She worries too much, worries so much she makes me worry about her." My sister sighed.

Vert and I caught up for a bit, she was far too curious about the games she'd missed.

"Alright Vert…" I said getting serious "We need to talk."

"Yeah you said you wanted to talk."

"I want to know why." I said "Why did you hide me from everyone?"

Vert turned over, and didn't look at me.

"I suppose it was inevitable." She said "I knew I'd have to tell you one day."

"So today's the day." I tapped my foot "Why?"

"If you're expecting some long drawn out story you're going to be sorely disappointed." Vert said "It's actually quite simple."

"I'm listening."

Vert turned back to me.

"I was…embarrassed."

"What?"

"All the others…they got sisters, and here I was with a brother." She practically mumbled "You're the only CPU or CPU Candidate that's not a female. You understand how strange that is for me?"

"…" I remained silent.

"I just…The first time I just said it, and then I couldn't take it back." Vert sighed "It got to the point where it would have been more embarrassing to be discovered lying then the truth coming out."

"Hmm…I really don't even know what to say." I said standing up "You really are ashamed of me…"

"No Excel that's not true you know it." Vert said sitting up "OW…"

"You should stay in bed."

"Look at me." Vert said "Young man you look at me when I'm talking to you."

I turned back.

"I could never be ashamed of you." Vert said "I was ashamed of myself, not you. I hid you because of my own awkwardness not because of who you are."

"Vert…stop trying to make it what it's not." I whispered.

"Who was wrong in this situation Excel? Me or you…who saved who, who brought out the truth, who made friends with the others and left the other looking embarrassed. You did not me, I was wrong, is that what you want to hear?!"

"I'm sorry alright." Vert said practically crying "I should have just told everyone, but not for one second, was I ever ashamed of who you were or the person you were becoming."

"Vert…" I mumbled.

"Now I want you to come over here and give me a hug, because I really need one right now."

I went over and hugged Vert. She was so warm…so soft…I missed her.

"What's wrong?" Vert whispered as I nuzzled into her shoulder "Why are you crying?"

"I *Sniff* Don't know!"

"Silly boy…" Vert said rubbing my back "You've gotten all worked up over nothing."

I felt something on my shoulder.

"You're one to talk, you're crying too."

"I'm so happy to be home."

Vert and I hugged for a while before we finally broke apart.

"So then." Vert smiled "You said something about girl troubles?"

"Crap I had hoped you'd forgotten about that." I sighed "I don't even know."

"It's about Nepgear and Uni isn't it."

"How'd you know?" I frowned.

"I saw the looks they gave you when you started putting the moves on their sisters."

"Not my best moment." I groaned.

"Most of you HDD moments aren't the best." My sister commented "So let's see, the problem is that you can tell they both like you."

"Yep."

"Since you're asking I'm going to guess you like the both of them but don't want to have to choose because you don't want to hurt your friendship with the other."

"Correct again."

"Let's see…how would this play out in one of my Dating Sims…?"

"We're really going to compare this to a game."

"They're called simulations for a reason." Vert said "Now then, has either confessed yet."

"Nope."

"Okay so event markers haven't been hit…"

"Take this seriously please!"

"MHMH!" Neptune grumbled "I'm trying to sleep."

"Sorry." Vert and I both whispered.

"My advice is to keep sticking to the middle ground." Vert said "Don't be afraid to play both sides and then when you make a choice just tell them how you feel and say you don't want it to change your friendship."

"Meh boo that." Neptune said sitting up "Nep Jr. has boys asking her out all the time, don't waste your time waiting and just ask her now."

"What are we talking about?" Noire said sitting up.

"So much for sleep…" Blanc sighed.

"It's nothing you guys go back to sleep."

"Excel is having girl trouble." Vert told them.

"Vert!"

"He can't decide between Nep and Noire Jr." Neptune said.

"What a pickle…" Blanc mumbled.

"AH!" Noire gasped "Uni and you…AHHHHH!"

"Please don't yell." I sighed.

"She can't actually be attracted to…you."

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"And Nepgear to…" Blanc nodded "Two strong choices."

"I told him to play the middle ground for a while." Vert explained "Hang out with both, feel the air."

"And I said he should just ask Nep Jr. out now." Neptune said.

"Preposterous!" Noire yelled "Uni is the better choice."

"You're just saying that cause Uni's your only friend." Neptune sighed "And she doesn't really count because she's your sister."

"Uni is not my only friend!"

Neptune and Noire started yelling at each about whose sister was better for me.

"Maybe you should go." Vert whispered.

"Yeah good idea." I gave Vert a kiss on the cheek "I'll see you later."

"Bye."

I closed the door, Neptune and Noire still arguing with each other.

Well that got awkward…I don't know what to do, I guess Vert is kinda right I'll just stay the course and try and start making small adjustments.

I went downstairs to cool off and found Histoire talking with the four girls.

"Oh perfect Excel you're right on time." Histoire said "I was just about to tell the other candidates something."

I walked over and took the only open seat, between Ram and Nepgear.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Hi."

"So what's up?" Uni asked.

"Well I thought you had all had a tough couple of weeks and with the CPUs needing time to recover…"

Histoire placed a pamphlet in front of us.

"I thought maybe you'd all like some time off."

The pamphlet was a brochure for a beach resort on an island to the south of Planeptune.

"Wait you're sending us on vacation?" Nepgear asked.

"I think it would be good for you all to get out, I'll call you when the CPUs have recovered, no sense in you all sitting around here worrying." the little fairy said "So you should all get away for a bit, I'll call you all as soon as they recover just take some time to yourselves you all earned it."

"I guess it can't hurt." Nepgear said.

"Sounds like fun!" Ram smiled.

"The beach…yay!" Rom added.

"Could be exciting, I haven't been to the beach in a long time." I said.

"Yeah let's go." Uni said.

"Wonderful." Histoire said "Here are your tickets and the keys to the bungalow."

She booked this before we agreed, wow.


Later.

"Boy it's nice here." I said throwing my bag on a bed.

"Hey Rom let's go to the beach!"

"Yeah I wanna swim!"

"Wait for us." Nepgear said "Don't go alone."

The bungalow we were staying in had three floors, a living space and kitchen on the entrance floor, a basement for relaxing, and three bedrooms on the top floor. Nepgear and Uni were sharing as were Ram and Rom, I got a room to myself.

"Alright I'm taking the two of them down to the beach." I called out since Nepgear and Uni were still changing "We'll see you down there."

"Yay Swimming!"

"Yay!"

"Don't run." I said following after them.

My swim suit was just some green trunks with black stripes.

"Be careful you two." I said sitting in the sand and watching them "I don't want to have to dive in and save you."

"We'll be fine."

"We'll be careful." Rom smiled.

The twins ran off to swim and I relax in a chair. The sun was shining and the sand was hot, it was a beautiful day.

"What's taking those two so long…?" I mumbled wondering where Nepgear and Uni were.

"Sorry we're late."

"Yeah we couldn't find any towels."

I turned around and I nearly passed out when all the blood rushed out my nose.

"Oh no!"

"I think we broke him…"

Nepgear was wearing a purplish bikini, and Uni was in a black and white bikini.

"Sorry about that." I said sitting up "You girls look great."

"Oh thanks." Nepgear mumbled.

"Of course I look good." Uni smirked.

"I'm going swimming." Uni said walking towards the water.

"Wow…" I mumbled as Uni walked away.

"Hey!" Nepgear leaned down in front of me taking my attention from Uni and putting it on her.

"Oh hi." I said trying not to stare.

"Umm…could you umm…" Nepgear nervously handed me a bottle "Could you do my back?"

"Yeah no problem." I said putting the sun screen in my hand.

Nepgear laid down and moved the strap on her suit.

Gentle…don't freak her out, it's just sun screen no big deal.

"Oh that's cold." Nepgear shivered.

Her skin's so soft…

I rubbed…all over Nepgear's back.

"Hmmm…"

I touched each and every inch…

"OKAY!" Nepgear sat up, covering her chests "That's good, no need to go any lower."

"Sorry." I said waving my hands "I just zoned out for a second."

"It's fine I'm gonna go swim." Nepgear said running to the water.

Nice job genius.

I walked over to the water and dipped my toes in water was cold but not too cold, it was nice.

"Excel come swim." Rom said yanking me deeper into the water.

"Alright I'm coming."

I dove deeper into the water and floated around passing a ball around with the girls. After a while I got all pruned and got out of the water.

"Hey there…" Uni said tapping me on the shoulder as I tried to sleep in my chair.

Uni took a seat on the chair next to me.

I wonder if…maybe I need to stop being passive.

"So…" Uni looked over at me "I read that there's a fair in town."

"Oh cool."

"Maybe we should go."

"Yeah." I said "I bet Ram and Rom would like it."

"No umm….I was thinking just you and I would go."

"Oh…s-s-sure." I shivered "Yeah it's umm…"

"A date?"

"I mean if you want to call it that." I said "Sure, just the….two of us….alone…together."

"Cool, it's a date." she smiled "we'll leave at seven."

"Yeah seven."


AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

We got a few Fluffy chapters before we return to the main plot.

Till Next Time!