Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN but my girlfriend reckons she should!
Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for your patience with me, life has been quite hectic. I owe you all more frequent updates and will strive to not keep you all waiting for so long again.
I'd like to thank the following: FateKitty; nanofatehere; Lance58; Will Lockhart; kurosunoiku; LC Rina; Guest 1; faystay and nanofatelicious for your wonderful and continuous reviews. I really do enjoy reading your words :-) Also a big thank you to all those following, have favourited and are reading this story. Thank you!
FateKitty: I try to write longer chapters but it never seems to work… I will try harder though :-) The sexual tension will only rise in this chapter… it will reach its "climax" so to speak, but not yet ;-)
Will Lockhart: Thank you so much for picking up those mistakes lol. Whilst writing that chapter I remembered trying hard not to confuse waste and waist lol seems a few slipped past me :-P After this week-end away with Nanoha, Fate will have to address important issues about the Project but it will take a while before she will be completely free.
Guest 1: Precia and Jail will definitely get what's coming to them :-) but it may take a while…
faystay: Unfortunately trouble follows Fate but what Precia doesn't know can't hurt Fate :-)
For the purpose of this chapter 'sake' is a type of Japanese liquor.
Derka: Thank you for the suggestions present in this chapter. This chapter is dedicated to you ;-P
Chapter 26
Caress
Nanoha's POV.
Dinner was a lively affair. The pasta was as always delicious although I am not sure if that is because of the knowledge that Fate had a hand in it too. Linith and I took it upon ourselves to do the washing up. Fate was scooted out of the kitchen and away from the dishes much to her attempts at protesting.
Mom and Dad where also promptly told to go relax. Not needing to be told twice they decided to hit the sac early. Alisa and Suzuka had excused themselves to attend to some bookings for their resort via e-mail. Hayate was in charge of Yuuno and his every whim which included food, water and cuddles.
With Linith on washing duty and me with the drying it wasn't long before we finished the dishes in record time. I need to remember to have Linith on my doing dishes team for future reference.
After hanging up the wet dishcloth to dry, we both make our way to the bedroom we are all sharing.
"I wonder how safe it was to leave Hayate in charge of Yuuno?" Linith muses.
"Nyahaha I guess we will find out."
"Hey Nanoha, I know we have said this before but thank you for having us this week-end." Linith earnestly says.
"You do not have to thank me. You have both become precious friends. I wanted to share this special place with the two of you." I mean every word.
"It means the world to us and is very good for Fate. She never got to do anything like this."
I can hear sadness laced in her words. I really do wonder what Fate's childhood must have been like. Hopefully I have the week-end to explore some of her mysteries. "We will have to make the most of it then and also have an excuse to do it more often."
"I don't think you will need to convince us too hard to come back here hahaha." Linith chuckles. It is such a pleasure seen Linith unwind as well. I have noticed that she has seemed a bit tense the last few days. This week-end seems to be what everyone needed. A bit of TLC.
We make it to our shared room. Linith slides open the door. I instantly notice that the one person whom I always seem to want to be near is not there.
"Where's Fate?" I ask Hayate.
"She said something about the Milky Way." Hayate casually explains whilst playing with Yuuno. I turn to leave when Hayate calls for my attention, "Oh hey Nanoha." I turn back, I watch as she reaches for a bottle and two short ceramic glasses next to her. Hayate stands handing it to me. "Here, some left over sake. Figure you two could enjoy a nice quiet night cap together." Hayate winks at me then returns to Yuuno.
I glance back at Linith looking at her for permission although I wouldn't really need it considering we are both adults. Linith smiles giving me the answer I was seeking and directs to the door with her eyes.
"Thank you." I say to the both of them and head out on my search for Fate.
I walk around the resort. I pass Suzuka and Alisa's office and hear them conversing with each other. I continue my search. I walk towards the hot spring we were all in earlier. I just have a good feeling that I should go there.
I quietly and slowly open the screen door to the hot spring and step inside. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I notice Fate crouched next to the hot spring. She hasn't noticed me yet and I fully intend to enjoy this moment. Her left hand is extended and her fingers are in the water, delicately twirling unknown shapes within it.
I stand a moment longer watching. She seems deep in thought. The light is reflecting on her golden hair. I hear a long sigh escape her lips as her chin rests atop her knee. I feel a slight pang of guilt at secretly watching her in such a vulnerable moment.
"Fate?" I call out to her.
Fate turns to look at me startled, fingers still in the water. "So this is where you are hiding." I make my way to her and place the sake and ceramic glasses on the ground. I crouch down to her level and place my fingers in the water as well. With the fresh breeze the water temperature seems even warmer.
"The water seems warmer than it did this afternoon." I voice my thoughts.
"Does it?" Fate whispers back.
"It does." Fate turns to me and our eyes meet. Even though it is quite dark without the lights on I see them. I see vulnerability and sadness in them. It seems her usual mask is temporarily down. I have never seen such expressive eyes before. Eyes that tell me so much of their owner. Eyes I would gladly drown in without complaint. Eyes that have the power to hypnotise and seduce. Eyes that make me want to cry and laugh. Her eyes can show me everything and just as easily put a wall up preventing me from seeing anything at all.
I realise that deep crimson has become my favourite colour.
We do not need to say anything to each other. The silence is comfortable. She tells me as much as she can with her eyes. I smile. The only thing that is ruining this moment is the burning sensation of my thighs telling me that I have been crouching too long.
In the background I hear distant calls of 'goodnights' as everyone is making their way to bed.
I slowly stand maintaining eye contact with Fate. She stands too seemingly not wanting to blink either. Her gaze is deep, penetrative. It ignites a fire in my soul that spreads like electricity throughout my body.
An idea suddenly hits me.
"Fate do you trust me?" I softly ask to which I get a questioning look.
"Do you trust me?" I repeat.
Fate says nothing but almost hesitantly nods as if ensure of her answer. I take a step towards her. Fate doesn't move.
"Let's enjoy the hot spring together." I see her anxiousness at what I have just suggested. "I will not hurt you nor judge you." I extend my arms and reach for her shirt collar. I move a little closer. I look up at her, and wait a bit for her to adjust.
My hands gently grasp the first button of her shirt. I look back up to her. My eyes are silently asking for permission. Fate doesn't stop me. I can feel her fear. It must be taking everything she has not to run. I feel like I can almost hear her heart beating at a million miles an hour or is it me?
I want to take her in my arms but now it is important that I must continue.
I start to undo the first button remaining transfixed to her eyes. As the first button comes undone I hear her gasp sharply. I pause for a moment allowing Fate time to calm down. Gradually my hands glide down across her shirt to the second button. Fate momentarily closes her eyes at what I assume is the sensation. Ever so slowly I undo the second button. I see her swallow thickly. Her mouth opens slightly allowing her lungs more access to oxygen. She is absolutely gorgeous! I move onto the third button.
As I am about to undo the third button Fate's hands come up to mine and grasps my wrists gently. Her hands are not seeking to stop mine. I notice they are slightly damp. She is holding onto me for reassurance, for contact, for stability. I feel slight shaking from them.
I try and convey nothing but trust and gentleness through my eyes which are still firmly locked with hers and through my touch. I bring one of her hands close to me and place a comforting butterfly kiss to her knuckles.
"It's okay, it is only me here with you and I am not going anywhere." I whisper. I feel Fate's body vibrating with anxiousness. We stay like that for a few moments listening to the sounds of frogs and crickets in the distance.
Fate seems to be going through some internal struggle as well as trying to calm her nerves but then she looks directly at me and her eyes soften. Taking this as the green light I carry on.
As gently as dew settles on the grass in the mornings I undo the third button and move to the next realising that it is located in the valley of her breasts. My breath catches as I feel the swells of her breasts. I feel like I am having an out of body experience. It feels surreal yet completely exhilarating. I feel like a child on their birthday, unwrapping the most precious of gifts. I glance back to Fate's face and notice her lips are still slightly parted and her eyes are closed. I can feel the thundering of her heart beat within my finger tips and the heat radiating from her body.
With a slight tremble to my hands I release the fourth button from her shirt. I hazard a glance towards her more partially open shirt. Blood rushes to my face as I catch a glimpse of her unsurprisingly black bra. I can feel her warm breath on my face at her every exhale. I can no longer hear the frogs and crickets. I am not sure whether that is due to the fact that they have chosen this exact time to be silent, amplifying the importance of this moment, or because I have chosen to drown them out in favour of the silent tune playing between us. I believe it is both.
Fate is now intently gazing at me. Her eyes tell me everything we dare not say out loud. I can still feel her anxiousness but somehow it seems lessened now. I open the remaining buttons by feel alone, not being able to tear my eyes from hers. At the last button we both look down as her shirt is now completely open. I cup her cheek knowing this will be the hardest part for her.
I have seen her shirtless before but now the circumstances are completely different. I hear her take a resolute breath and she nods for me to continue. Fate lets go of my hands as I make my way to the cuffs of her shirt and undo the last remaining buttons holding the shirt to her, concealing the skin underneath it.
I take a breath trying to compose myself; my heart is hammering like a steam train at top speed. I gently move my hands up to Fate's collar bone. I feel her flinch slightly upon contact. Her skin feels like silk and fire at the same time. My soul rejoices. I realise I am holding my breath and slowly release it as I move my fingers along her skin towards the top of her shoulders.
I feel her body shudder with every movement which sends a jolt throughout me. I am aware of an almost painful throb from my centre, begging for more, pleading for release. My hands move out towards her shoulders and release her shirt from her body. I watch utterly mesmerised as it falls, as if in slow motion, off her shoulders and lands behind her on the floor soundlessly.
With my hands still on Fate I look back to her face. I notice her eyes have become a shade darker and she seems slightly breathless. There is no denying our attraction to each other. My right hand traces its way down her left shoulder and along her arm. Goosebumps appear on her skin at the wake of my touch, my caress. I smile and continue until I reach the bandage that seems to be too bright and loud for this moment. Fate almost panics and in a fast motion has her right hand atop of mine and grasping it securely yet gently, stopping its movement.
"It's okay Fate, I won't judge. You can trust me. It is better if you have it off to go into the water. Hot springs are renowned for their healing properties." Instantly I feel her grip loosen and her hand slide off of mine. Taking this as a good sign I start undoing the bandage. I feel overwhelmed by the level of trust and courage she is showing.
I unwrap the bandage slowly giving her time to be a little more comfortable as well as not to hurt her. I am unsure of what lies beneath it and that thought scares me. As the white strips of fabric come off I notice an immense amount of discolouration and several raw looking puncture wounds down her arm and close to her wrist. I feel my brow wrinkle in worry and confusion. How on earth did this happen? The bruising looks quite painful. Even in the darkness it isn't difficult to see the dark purple marring her pale skin.
I glance back at Fate and see that she is looking off to the side. Shame clearly written on her beautiful face. However, now isn't the time to ask as it will deter us from the mission at hand: getting into the water. I cup her face once again and bring her eyes back to me. "It's okay." I whisper and give her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.
The sadness contained within her takes my breath away. Fate blinks and with that seems to have pushed it in the deepest corners of her mind. She smiles at me and starts undoing her belt. My ears automatically heat up and feel like red hot pokers. I watch as she undoes her belt and listen to the clinking of the belt buckle. The innocent jingle of the metal makes me smile and I hope to one day be able to undo that belt... My face flushes at the thought. Fate's hair falls over the sides of her face and masks her as she undoes the top button of her pants. My entire face feels like the inside of a volcano. This is probably a good time to not appear like a lecherous old man and start undressing too.
I take a step back and proceed in taking off my shoes, top and pants in a remarkably quick fashion. Normally I am quite a bit self conscious to be found in my underwear in front of someone, but I am not here with just anyone. I am here in the dark with Fate and that thought is warming. I make sure to tie my hair up and chance a glance back at her.
Fate is crouched down and unwrapping what seems to be another bandage on her leg. I watch in horror as the bandage is peeled back to revealed more bruised skin and angry puncture wounds. They look almost identical to the ones on her arm. What the hell did this? What happened? This isn't normal! I hadn't imagined her limping. Anger surges through me at whatever did this. I am surprised by the suddenness of it. The thought of Fate in pain makes me sad and furious at the same time. I make a mental vow to destroy whatever caused these wounds on her body and soul.
I shake my head and try and rid it of the negative thoughts. Fate is standing in front of me. I watch as she takes me in again and visibly swallows. My face somehow manages to become hotter than ever before. I take this time to admire her body. Fate is clad in a simple black bra and underwear which accentuates every delicate curve and soft pale skin usually hidden under dark fabric. Her body is lean yet unmistakably feminine.
I feel almost overwhelmed by so many feelings at once; the burning desire to hold her gently in loving arms, to wash away her hurt and pain. To protect her and be protected by her. Also, the intense drive of a hope from inside; the hope of an endless future together where we would never be separated again.
Fate aware of my wondering appraising eyes drops her gaze and brings her hands up to hug her waist in a self-conscious act. This part of Fate is quite a contrast to the part of her at our flour fight. I long to experience all her sides and look forward to uncovering them all in time and cherishing them whole heartedly. I take a step towards her and grasp her hand pulling it towards me.
"You don't need to hide. You are stunning." Fate looks up at me and manages an embarrassed smile.
Our fingers unconditionally resume their familiar yet sought after position and interlace with each other. Slowly we make our way to the water. I go in first and turn to watch Fate. I notice her face tense up and a small hiss escape her lips as the water makes contact with her injured leg. Concern floods me and I am about to voice them but am stopped by Fate as she replaces her discomfort with a smile and squeezes my hand in reassurance. We ease ourselves within the hot springs warmth. Fate seems to relax a little more as the water hides her body from view.
We sit side by side with our backs resting against the edge of the pool. Our hands are still connected. I feel my skin being tickled and look to see Fate's blonde hair darkened by the water brushing up against me. I look at Fate, she is watching the sky. I look up too. The Milky Way is smiling down at us. Its cloud like haze containing millions upon millions of stars twinkling to an unknown melody and providing us with a little light.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Fate breaths out.
I glance back to her and catch my breath at the sight in front of me. Fate seems lost in the magic contained within the sky. Her eyes, bright and alive, mirror the light of all the stars above. If I could pick a word to describe her right now it would be free, knowing full well that from the little of what I know about her that she seems permanently bound by invisible chains in every other moment of her life. Seeing her like this makes my heart race.
"Breathtaking." I whisper, directing the comment more to her than the stars.
"You know, this is one of my favourite things, looking up at the night sky, mapping out the constellations. You can do it from where ever you are. The stars will always be there providing some light in the darkness."
It is nice to hear Fate talk about herself. It does appear like she is more comfortable in the darkness of the night, she seems more at ease. Maybe just as she explained, it is because of the presence of the stars that provide a non-threatening, reassuring and non-judgmental glow… but what about on overcast nights? I hope I can also be a source of light in the darkness.
I grudgingly release my hand from hers and spin slightly to reach the sake. I pour us both a glass and hand one to Fate. "To the stars and the infinite beauty of the Milky Way."
We clink glasses and I watch in amazement as Fate downs the entire content in one swig. I follow suit and cough slightly at the unexpected sweetness and strength of the sake. "Mmm seems Hayate has given us different sake than the one we had earlier. Can I interest you in more?" I ask to which I get a timid yes from her.
Refilling our glasses I turn back to Fate, "To what should we toast to this time?"
Fate takes a moment then replies with, "How about to you and your family for being so generous and allowing us to share your week-end away with you in this magical place?" And with that we clink our glasses once again and drink.
Before long we have toasted everything from Alisa and Suzuka; to Yuuno; to Linith; to the cherry blossom in front of us; to the hot springs and to the stars again. It wasn't long before we were feeling the affects of the toasting accentuated by the warm water. Maybe this had been Hayate's plan all along for us to loosen up in front of each other with the so called liquid courage.
"So Fate, tell me more of your other favourite things." I want to know more about her. I want to know everything about her.
"Well I like the Milky Way and the stars. I also like butterflies and lightning." Her answer makes me immediately think of her butterfly wings tattoo. Is that why she has it?
"Butterflies and lightning?" I repeat as a question.
"I used to spend many hours watching lightning storms growing up. It made the silence at night bearable. I used to pretend that the lightning was my friend and that we would play hide and seek. I would try and guess were it would strike next. As I grew up I realised that that was quite lame but I was still fascinated with it and still am today. Its powerful burst of light blinding leaves you in awe and sometimes it is accompanied by a bone shuddering thunder. It is mesmerising in the way it lights up the clouds giving the impression of veins belonging to the sky yet it is also a force to be reckoned with that can leave devastating consequences."
Wow I don't think I have heard her speak so much in one sitting. The alcohol was definitely a good idea. Something about what she says makes my heart constrict. I get the impression that she had quite a lonely childhood.
"I don't think it's lame at all. In fact when I was a child I used to pretend that I was a Magical Girl like the ones from anime and manga that would protect the city from evil. I pretended that along the way I would meet my soul mate and that we would be forever together. Nyahaha of course I had no idea what a soul mate was then but it sure sounded magnificent when my Mom and Dad spoke about it." I can't believe what I'm confessing.
"I can actually picture a Magical Girl Nanoha. You'd have a white combat dress and…" I don't let Fate finish as I poke her in the ribs making us both laugh.
"So changing the subject from my awesome Magical Girl fantasies, you mentioned butterflies?"
"Um yes…" Fate falters a little. "Mother is very fond of butterflies. I guess I picked it up from her. My fondest memories are of her with butterflies when I was very little. She seemed more at peace then, happy even. She used to grow them from eggs to caterpillars to butterflies, all sorts of species. She hasn't got much time anymore but I've never seen her more content as when she was tending to them."
Slowly but surely I am getting small snippets into the mysterious life of Fate Testarossa. It sounds like Fate's Mother has lost some of that peace and happiness. I wonder if it has anything to do with Alicia. Also I notice that she hasn't mentioned her butterfly wings tattoo.
"So your Mother is a sort of Entomologist?" I ask. Silence envelops us. Fate must be thinking about how best to answer that question. Her gaze drops then she looks back at me.
"No, it is more of a hobby to Mother. You could say that she works in the field of experimental psychology and science with Jail."
That answer seems quite vague but it is a start. "And what about you Fate? I assume you work with them?" Again the question is met with a slight pause before she answers.
"Um… yes… I do. I help Mother as much as I can with whatever she needs." I wonder the extent of the help that Fate gives. I know I shouldn't push but with the relative smoothness of the conversation flow compounded with the alcohol I can't help myself and the question escapes my lips.
"Is that how you got the injuries to your arm and leg?"
To be continued…