Disclaimer: I do not own Mai HiME. I did own a figurine of Natsuki once but it broke in the hands of a younger cousin.
Chapter 9
High School
Chie sat back and observed as the drama exploded around her. As Natsuki and Shizuru became painfully aware of the spectators to their vigorous affections, they immediately separated and tried their hardest to salvage the situation. The major altercation followed with a stone faced Natsuki up against the stone faced Saeko whilst Shizuru excused herself to visit the ladies room. By that Chie assumed she went to have her meltdown in private.
She was glad she wasn't included in this face off as she was sure the Saeko would have absolutely torn her apart after they were made aware of Kieko's appearance. If that was the girl's name at all; she found that couldn't remember. She only knew that nibbling on her neck pleased her immensely.
Instead, she and Aoi were being ignored as mother and daughter stared each other down. She didn't mind because she had found great amusement in watching Aoi as she submitted to the cuteness that was Alyssa.
As if knowing she was being thought about, Alyssa turned to Chie and held her arms out. "Da," she stated simply.
Chie grinned. Aoi wasn't the only one who had succumbed to the cherubic little angel. Taking this opportunity, Chie sidled closer to Aoi till their knees were brushing. She almost smirked at Aoi's tense frame but instead focused her attention on the baby.
"C'mere," she muttered, taking Alyssa into her arms.
Immediately the infant latched onto her spectacles, gripping them sloppily in her tiny hands.
"Oh, so that was what you were after," Chie conversed as if Alyssa could understand.
Moving forward, she blew a wet raspberry on the baby's soft cheek. Alyssa's happy giggle rang in the silent room, breaking the stupor the two other Kruger's were in. Natsuki looked at Alyssa almost vacantly, as if she never noticed her.
"Why are you here?" She asked.
The blush on her cheeks had not yet died down and Shizuru was still taking her time to compose herself. She could not look at her mother in her eyes without the humiliation of her actions bubbling in her gut. She could not even imagine how her girlfriend was feeling right now. Shizuru loved to please people and she was probably feeling a whole lot more discontent with this than Natsuki was. All she wanted to do was curl up with her girlfriend's arms around her. Alone.
"Why are you being so cold? I've just come to see how you were doing," Saeko answered. "You never tell me anything over the phone. How else am I supposed to get information from you?"
Aoi stood up, bringing Chie and Alyssa with her. "We'll give you some privacy," she explained at their questioning looks, beginning to lead Chie out of the room.
Before getting to Chie's room they saw Shizuru leaving the bathroom. Aoi sent what she hoped was a look a reassurance but Shizuru merely nodded blankly and went to the living room to face the music.
Aoi pulled Chie into her room and shut the door behind her. She sat alongside Chie on the edge of her bed and sighed long and deep.
"Glad we're not in the shit storm," Chie commented, trying to avoid getting poked in the eye by her own glasses.
Aoi slapped Chie on her shoulder. "Watch your language around Alyssa," she scolded her.
Chie shrugged and held Alyssa up close. "Don't worry about it, she's too young to pick it up," she said as Alyssa bit her nose with toothless gums. "Ain't that right Alyssa?" She blew another raspberry on Alyssa's cheek which didn't fail to amuse her.
Aoi smiled and ran her fingers through Alyssa's thin blonde locks, making the infant stare upwards in wonder. "She still might copy what you say," she said. She looked at Chie. "You're getting along with Alyssa surprisingly well," she noted.
Chie smirked and nudged the brunette playfully. "You like that," she teased, earning an eye roll from the subject of her affections.
"I don't like it," Aoi denied.
"Then you hate it," she continued. "You want something to justify your dislike of me and this is isn't it. Bet you were hoping I hated kids." Chie didn't drop the joking tone but it was clear she was being serious.
Aoi frowned and looked down at her feet. "I don't dislike you," she said, rubbing her toes together. "I just think you're an asshole most of the time."
Chie laid her cheek on top of Alyssa's head. "I thought we agreed to not use bad words in front of this one."
"Fine. You're arrogant, impulsive, ignorant and rude," Aoi said.
Chie shrugged as if she didn't care. "That's only most of the time though. The other times?" She probed.
Aoi laughed and stood up. "Oh no, I'm not saying anything to boost your ego."
Chie stood up with her, bringing Alyssa up with her. "If not for my ego then for my self-confidence," she teased "You've just called me five very negative words in under a minute, I think I need the esteem boost."
"How cute, with the way you try and compromise," Aoi said, folding her arms defensively.
Chie hid a smile. "You think I'm cute?" She asked.
"I never said that," she denied, shaking her head as if that was helping her case. "I was being sarcastic."
"Nuh-uh," Chie let the smile illuminate her face. She happily twirled Alyssa around. "She thinks I'm cuuuuuute."
Aoi sighed in defeat and sat back down. "You're only cute because you've got Alyssa in your hands," Aoi said smartly. "I'm sure if Shiho held Alyssa then I'd probably think she was cute too."
Chie joined her, putting Alyssa on the bed so she could crawl around interrupted. They both turned to each other so they could continue talking and watch over Alyssa simultaneously.
"How did Miyu take it when she found out about her and Nao?" Chie asked, dragging Alyssa back by her leg once she strayed too close to an edge. She tickled a foot to make up for disrupting the young child's adventures on the rumpled duvet.
Aoi bit her lip guiltily and looked away. Chie looked at her weirdly until realisation set in. She groaned and let herself fall on her bed, much to Alyssa's delight who grabbed at her face.
"There's too much drama in the world," she said, holding her bangs away from her forehead.
"I agree," Aoi concurred, joining Chie except she leant on an elbow. "But if I recall correctly, you are the one who starts things too."
Chie frowned at the accusation. "Me? When have I purposely started thing," she argued, getting a bit riled up. "I've been honest."
Aoi blushed and distracted herself with the Alyssa while mulling things over in her head. "I can think of one instance..." She trailed off, reminiscing about the memory that caused a rift between them. It wouldn't have been an unpleasant memory, if she wasn't with Hiroki, if Chie wasn't such a womanizer, if she wasn't so confused... She said no more, unable to speak of how she was feeling.
Chie was equally as silent. It was obvious from the way her eyebrows furrowed cutely and how she wasn't reacting to Alyssa vehemently slamming her face with her own glasses that Chie was contemplating deeply about this.
"Like I said, I've been honest," Chie repeated, focusing her attention on Alyssa instead as a way to deflect. She picked her up and hugged her tightly.
Aoi fully laid down and stared at the two playing. She was aware that Chie was uncomfortable under her gaze but she didn't care, it helped her think. After a few moments of watching Chie awkward fidget, she ruffled Alyssa's hair. It was almost as relaxing as petting a dog or a cat.
"You may have been honest but you weren't clear," Aoi finally spoke.
Chie didn't take the prompt and ignored her, still fiddling with Alyssa. Aoi gently took the infant into her arms.
"Chie," she urged, looking deep into those stone cold eyes. "What do you want with me?"
The hope inside those doe eyes unnerved Chie. Hope for what? What was it that Aoi wanted to hear? And would that correlate with how Chie felt? With an aggressive sigh Chie sat on the edge of the bed with her heads in her hand.
"Too much drama for sure," Chie said softly.
At the feel of someone tugging at her shirt, she turned and looked at little Alyssa who gazed up at her happily, ignorant of the tension in the room. She picked her up and held her gently. Alyssa cuddled into her warmth with the glasses still in hand. Her striking blue eyes began drooping shut and she yawned cutely.
Chie repositioned her arms to comfortably accommodate the young'un. "What I'd take to be as innocent as this one again," Chie said, her voice gentle.
Behind her, Aoi said nothing and Chie assumed she was angry at her avoiding the admittance of her feelings. She was about to turn around and apologise when she suddenly felt arms wrap themselves around her neck. That was followed by a head resting itself on her shoulder. The warm body of Aoi melded against her back and Chie closed her eyes and laid her head against Aoi's.
This was comfortable. Safe. Innocence in her hands; wrapped by reassurance.
"I like you," Aoi confessed first, feeling a weight lift itself of her chest. "A lot."
Chie's cheek's warmed and she was glad Aoi couldn't see her.
"I-" Her voice broke and she embarrassedly cleared her throat. "I like you too."
She felt the arms tighten and she smiled. Unsure of what to say next, she settled for cuddling closer. Aoi turned her head so that her nose and lips brushed against Chie's neck. Smelling that sweet fragrance that the charcoal haired girl only omitted, Aoi bravely opened her mouth to say more.
Sadly, she was beat by a quiet knock on the door. She frowned and told whoever it was to come in after sitting back on her knees.
"My room remember," Chie reminded her teasingly, earning a small amused smile.
Natsuki popped her head in. "You can come out now," she said.
Chie noted that her friend looked weary, like she needed a nap. Stress lines made themselves apparent, uncommon for a young girl like her.
"Has the raging storm calmed?" Chie asked quietly, following her into the living room with the snoozing Alyssa in her arms.
"Yeah, she's cool with everything," Natsuki answered as she rubbed her brow wearily and led them to the sofas. Chie gulped as Saeko none too subtly looked between her and Aoi.
An hour later and the girls who remained in Saeko's company were faring better than before.
Despite the earlier subtle looks, Saeko had not trod upon that topic which Chie was thankful for. But Chie knew Saeko well, she was like a hound dog who could pick up on any scent of misgivings. There was glint in her eyes that spoke promises of further investigation once they were alone.
As Chie was being the object of Saeko's attention, Natsuki took this opportunity to look her girlfriend in the eye and nod her head to her bedroom.
Shizuru nodded and they both slipped out quite easily, making it to the privacy of Natsuki's bedroom where Shizuru was engulfed in Natsuki's arms.
"That was the most horrible way to meet your mother," Shizuru spoke into Natsuki's hair. It was hard to be engulfed in your girlfriend's arms when she was quite the shortstack.
Natsuki pulled back and kissed her softly, trying to send through reassurance and love. If it was working, Natsuki didn't know but it was proving a good distraction. Or so she thought until Shizuru moved away and sighed.
"We should return," she said, cupping Natsuki's cheeks to place a chaste kiss before moving to the door.
"Wait," Natsuki said quickly. "Do you maybe want to leave instead? You're not forced being to stay."
Shizuru bit her lip as she thought about it before finally nodding. Natsuki's heart sank a little, thinking that her mother scared her off.
"Okay, let's go," Natsuki said with a little dejection.
She led her to the door, explaining to her mother that she was dropping her off. Saeko, much to their surprise, gave Shizuru a hug and a smile and sent her on her way. Shizuru raised an eyebrow at Natsuki who smiled back wobbly yet Shizuru was sharp enough to catch the unease lurking there.
As they left, Chie shot Saeko an uneasy look, knowing that the woman would begin to pry.
"So Chie, that young women who we met earlier," Saeko began and Chie cursed herself for being right. "Was she a girlfriend?"
"Uh..." She mumbled, wondering how she was going to get herself out of this mess.
Natsuki pulled her bike to a gentle stop, turning off the engine once she was sure they were stationary. She courteously held out a hand and helped Shizuru off the vehicle. She wondered if she should get off too but elected to stay on in the end.
"That was horrible," Natsuki commented, specifically targeting today's earlier events. "I could have done without that."
Shizuru laughed and squeezed a bicep affectionately. "It wasn't that bad," she said, shuffling back onto the unsteady motorbike to sit half in her girlfriend's lap and half on the motorcycle's petrol tank.
Natsuki sighed and gently rested her head against Shizuru's shoulder. '"It wasn't that bad,"' she repeated to herself. Well, the brunette was sort of right in that regard, it could have been a lot worse. "You're right. She's supportive at least. A little too supportive," she concurred. "She hasn't made you... Erm..." She trailed off, waiting for the right word to come to her. "Do you like her?"
Shizuru pulled back from the little embrace to look her girlfriend squarely in the eyes. She could see the anxiety creeping around in those emerald eyes she loves and it made her frown. "I think she is lovely," she said honestly, seeing the edginess ease into surprise. "I just wish we had met under better circumstances, such as when I am not about to tear her daughter's clothes off."
The words had their desired effect and Natsuki's unease was forgotten as she registered her devious girl's words. "Oh god, you..." She moaned, feeling the heat spread across her face. She dropped her head back onto Shizuru's shoulder. "Stop teasing me like that."
Shizuru laughed merrily and placed an adoring kiss to the bluenette's crown. "But it's so amusing seeing crimson on Natsuki's cherub cheeks," Shizuru said, shuffling a little more in her seat so she could wrap her arms around Natsuki's lithe body. "Now, do you think your mother won't mind if I steal you away for a couple of minutes?" Shizuru asked cheekily, slipping a hand under Natsuki's shirt.
The awkward tension that ensued after Saeko's prying question could have been cut with a knife. Chie was would never answer that question with a straightforward reply, least of all with Aoi sat right here with them but this certain mother was her weakness.
"Not quite," Chie mumbled, hoping to pass that off as an adequate reply.
Saeko's ears twitched at that. "What was that?" She asked, barely suppressing a smirk.
Chie repeated what she said slightly louder and shot Aoi a slightly guilty look. Not that the other girl saw it, she was too busy moping about the reminder of Chie's earlier conquest.
"Oh Chie," Saeko sighed in that mom tone, making her wince.
Chie guiltily rubbed her head. "Not now Aunt Saeko," she pleaded, inclining her head at Aoi so her best friend's beloved mother would get the hint.
She understood the hint; she just chose to ignore it instead. "I thought you were going to get serious," she said, making them both recall the conversation they had before Chie and Natsuki had moved away from home. She did warn them to concentrate on their studies. "Haven't you found a steady girlfriend yet?"
Aoi who was disinterestedly looking at her nails suddenly stood up and motioned to the door. "This seems like a conversation you'd want in private," she explained. "I'd better get home anyway, it's very late."
Saeko, who was going to play oblivious spectator to her surrogate daughter's love troubles, also got the hint here that Aoi was unhappy and perhaps uncomfortable being privy to such a confidential conversation but like she did with Chie, she ignored her.
"Nonsense," she said, waving for the brunette to sit back down who did as ordered. Saeko so badly wanted to chuckle evilly for the plans she had in store for this young budding couple but she held in the desire to do so until she was behind closed doors. "A young lovely girl such as yourself may provide some insight to Chie's relationship problems," Saeko commented flippantly. She innocently batted her eyelashes and asked, "Would you date Chie judging on the qualities and personality you have seen thus far?"
Aoi froze and looked at Chie who strangely did not object to Saeko's questioning. She didn't look like she was waiting to hear the compliments that would undoubtedly swell her ego. Instead, she seemed genuinely interested in the answer. Aoi summarized that this may have been because of the events that took place in the bedroom earlier on in the evening.
There were two possible answers. She could say that Chie wasn't datable, that she was a lousy partner due to her constant flirting and debauchery. That was sort of true but it would crush any hopes of a possible coupling. Or she could say that Chie was datable. She was very loving (i.e. horny) and nurturing (i.e. horny), wasn't she? She was sure that saying this would feed Chie's ego and allow her to think that she could sleep with Aoi and get away with it. She didn't want that at all.
"I think if she were to commit herself to one girl and not flirt shamelessly with others," she broke off to give the girl in question a pointed glare, "Then she would be the model girlfriend."
Saeko chuckled despite the tension. "Do you hear that Chie?" She said. "You could be Aoi's girlfriend if you took care of your flaws." The two young'uns looked horrified much to Saeko's pleasure.
"That's... That's not what I meant," Aoi stuttered, mortified to hear that said out loud.
"Oh? I'm sorry," Saeko feigned ignorance. "But wouldn't you like to be Chie's girlfriend if she were to sort out her flaws?"
Aoi blushed and shot a nervous glance at Chie. Mrs Kuga sure didn't beat around the bush. "I have a boyfriend," she said, hoping that would quell the older woman's questioning.
"Oh," Saeko said, a little dumbfounded at the answer. "OH," She said again, shooting a look at Chie. "Well regardless of boyfriend, would you date Chie?" She repeated the question, firm on getting an answer.
She wasn't giving up, Aoi realised, and Chie was staying curiously silent too which meant that she had to give an answer. Heck, she was the first to initiate the confession in the bedroom earlier, why was she being forced to do it again now? "It would take a whole load of courting for me to become Chie's girlfriend," she said. That was a somewhat neutral answer and should placate the nosy two.
"Wow Chie, you're going to have to fight hard for this one," Saeko teased, enjoying their reactions.
Chie blushed and stood up. "I need a drink," she explained, already backing away. "Anybody want anything?"
Aoi shook her head to indicate 'no' and Saeko requested a glass of water. Once she had left the room completely, Saeko sidled up to Aoi and feigned innocence. "She's tricky that one," she said casually, brushing invisible lint off her trousers.
Aoi narrowed her eyes at the older woman. She was still up to something. "I guess so?" She asked, more than said.
"When she does find a relationship worth keeping, she always ends up screwing up and pushing the lucky lady away," Saeko commented idly. "It takes a special someone to make her like, even more special to stick with her through this."
Aoi gulped and stood up. "I'm going to go see where Chie is with that drink," she said, quickly walking away before Saeko could answer. She missed the gleeful look that passed Saeko's face.
Natsuki took a deep breath as she stood outside her door before finally sticking her key into the lock. D-Day was here. Shizuru wasn't present to take some brunt of the blows so that would make her the target of her mother's sharp tongue. Yes, she wasn't ashamed to admit that she would use Shizuru as a shield any day. It was about time Shizuru was brought down a peg or two with her equal in her favourite hobby: the art of teasing. Once her girlfriend was comfortable with her mom, she hoped to see some blushes (not the sexual kind she could get when in bed), but actual embarrassed blushes. And not at her expenses either.
'Knowing mom she'd find a way to include me anyway,' Natsuki thought begrudgingly as she finally opened the door.
After being greeted with silence, she cautiously stepped in and shrugged off her jacket. 'Well here goes nothing.' With that she stepped into the twilight zone. In lieu of all that happened today, Natsuki thought she would be able to handle her mother. Clearly she was wrong.
"Well, well. I wouldn't have waited up for you if I knew you wanted to stay and indulge in some 'personal' time with Shizuru," Saeko commented once she saw Natsuki.
Natsuki surrendered to the blush and dropped herself in a couch across from Saeko. "Shut up," she moaned half heartedly, not finding the strength in her to deny the allegation.
"Oh child, it's no fun when you give in so easily," Saeko said, frowning at her defeatist daughter.
"Between you and Shizuru I'm not sure how you expect me to put up with the teasing," Natsuki sighed.
Saeko perked up at the change of the topic. She felt like Natsuki had endured enough of the sly comments for the day. It was late and the chat was long overdue, she was going to give her honest opinion of the young lady that had occupied her eldest daughter's life.
"How in the world have you managed to convince a young dignified lady such as Shizuru to date you?" Saeko asked rather bluntly.
"Thanks for that," Natsuki muttered.
"Oh no no dear, that's not quite what I meant," Saeko backtracked before reconsidering her words. "Well sort of. That girl has the etiquette and manners fit for an emperor."
Natsuki smirked and only disagreed with one thing; her girlfriend was fit for an empress. She was delightfully gay, more so than Natsuki was if gay could be put on a scale.
"I think it had to do with my rugged good looks and disarming smile," Natsuki answered flippantly, adding in a superficial swipe of the hair in for good measure.
"No, I'm sure that wasn't it," Saeko laughed. "You couldn't the charm the pants of a paid prostitute if you tried."
Natsuki groaned and sunk into her seat, unbelieving that her mother actually said that. "Ma, never ever speak like that around Shizuru," she pleaded. "I don't need her to know how crazy you are."
"Of course she'd never find out," Saeko admonished. "As if I'd ever mislead a young dignified lady such as herself-"
"Stop calling her that," Natsuki interrupted. "She's a closet pervert you know. In fact, I'd love for you to rough her up a bit, just not enough to make her break up with me. She likes you for some reason."
Saeko perked up at this. Permission to tease her future daughter-in-law was always good. "I have many things in store for her," Saeko said seriously.
They both sat in silence, enjoying the mother-daughter atmosphere that had unfolded upon them. Saeko broke it first by asking, "So, should I prepare an extra plate during family dinners then?"
Natsuki laughed and answered honestly. "Maybe," she said. "She hasn't run away yet at least."
Saeko moved from her sofa to sit next to her look-a-like, all the while making sure the snoozing Alyssa was in her view. She placed her arms around Natsuki and coddled her before she could protest.
"Now my sweet child, any more of this self-deprecation and you'll have enough content to write a book," Saeko said. "You don't want 12 year old girls after you because you're very broody and handsome do you?"
Natsuki snorted but didn't say anything as Saeko hands started roaming through her hair. The woman knew her weakness and wasn't afraid to exploit it. Natsuki's eyes immediately shut as the soothing sensation dulled her senses. They both shifted until Natsuki's head was in her mother's lap and her legs dangling over one edge of the sofa.
"You have many redeeming qualities, and maybe all mothers say this but Shizuru is very lucky to have you," Saeko said fondly. "You're probably one hell of lover- Well, guessing from what I saw, she sure as hell was moaning for you."
"Moooom," Natsuki groaned, placing her hands over her flaming face but not moving away from her mother's hands. "All mothers do not say that. They don't mention it, at all!"
Saeko snickered but added no words, instead continuing with her comforting motions. They were interrupted by Chie and Aoi finally submerging from the kitchen.
"I'm not surprised to see you giving in to the pampering already," Chie laughed. Natsuki shot her the royal salute in retaliation but that only gained her a light slap on the forehead by Saeko. "Well I'm going to walk Aoi home, it's pretty late and her loser boyfriend isn't showing up," Chie said, who in turn earned herself a slap on the arm by Aoi.
They all said their goodbyes, Aoi taking a little longer to coo over the snoozing Alyssa, and the two girls left the house.
Saeko laughed gently and said, "Those two would make a lovely couple."
Author's Notes:
Contrary to popular belief, some mothers are okay with their children's sexual orientation :P
I really haven't had the motivation for writing this until my dad bought me Blackberry, even though I didn't really need one (I was happy with my cheap Nokia). The keypad + memo pad made a great combination and I wrote most of this chapter in between classes on my phone over the course of a couple of weeks.
