Disclaimer: I don't own Mai HiME.
Chapter 10: Catalyst
She leaned back on her hands with a chopstick dangling from her mouth, the wood rising high and dipping back down only to rise once more. Suddenly, it stopped. The thought clicked in her mind—aggression only pushed, it did not pull.
She let the chopstick drop, pushing herself to her feet and padding to the other end of the apartment. Her hand rested on the doorframe, head poked in to view the formally dressed figure.
"Shizuru, don't go to work today."
She shifted a little further inside. A turn, and the suit was only half-buttoned.
"Come again?"
"Don't go to work. Call in sick."
A mischievous grin broke out across her face. Lips parted to dissuade, but stopped and curved.
Peals of laughter erupted as pillows flung about the air. She swung—always gentle—and soft fwoophs sprang forth as contact was made. A counterstrike followed, so quick that she almost fell off the bed.
This immaturity, she didn't mind it. In fact, she embraced it so tightly she never wished to let go.
Once more the pillow came, this in time in a wide arc—the finishing blow. Forsaking her own pillow, she managed to snatch the attacking one and pulled. A light eep was emitted with the tumble forward into her.
The head fell near her neck; she tucked it there with her chin as her arms lazily folded over the body. She hummed in content, not a care for the swift mood change.
"Natsuki, what has gotten into you?"
A snuggle. Not entirely sure of the words' meaning, she grumbled something. A giggle.
"I was beginning to grow quite fond of that peeved little expression of yours."
Teasing, it had to be teasing.
Her grip tightened.
A comfortable silence settled in the air as hands brushed along cloth in a lazy fashion. The fascination of another was captivating and time was lost. She sighed, eyes closing.
Rrrrring...
Her eyes snapped open.
"Let it go."
Her eyelids drooped back down at the voice, the ringing subsiding to silence.
Rrrrring...
That phone jack was coming out of the wall. Yet, before she could make a move for the cord, the warmth pushed away, left. Her eyes never strayed form their target.
"Fujino Shizuru speaking."
Burgundy widened before turning from view. The back crouched as if shielding, and something clenched her throat.
"I...I understand... Yes, I can be there in half an hour."
She couldn't breath.
"Goodbye."
She fell into the bed, burying her face in a pillow. See no evil, hear no evil...
Even when burrowing deeper she could hear the rustlings and zipping she loathed. The sounds were hurried, irritable almost. Such large cracks for a mask to have... Was it even of use anymore?
Silence, and she felt fingertips on her head.
"Natsuki, I have to go."
She didn't speak; the presence remained. Nothing—she couldn't say anything. Footsteps, and the presence retreated. A light slam, and the presence was gone.
She rolled off the bed, her knee crashing into the ground.
Fuck!
The profanity echoed in her head, building and condensing and fighting. It wanted out. With the flurry, her fist rammed into the floor, and pain should have streaked through, up, around her limb.
She fell over, limp. Numb, she felt so numb.
This wasn't happening because it couldn't. No one could stand on a higher pedestal than her in those burgundy eyes. A grow reverberated in her throat, tears leaking.
No matter what, she would reclaim.
--.--
A/N: Yay for chapters with mood swings! Or not yay. Your choice. Oddly enough, this was hard to write (first half). I can't write happy with this POV. Really don't like this chapter. Grr, I say. Grr! Also, I would like to apologize for the lateness.