Oh wow. It's been a while. SUCH A LONG TIME. I haven't written about these two in forever and a half it feels like...It feels good to be back. xD Nothin' like some good ol' fashioned Shiznat to cure the summer time woes. xD By which I mean not wanting to do my summer assignments and such... But yeah.

This one was inspired by a conversation I had with my boyfriend about what would happen if we were still going out next year when we graduate. Because we want to pursue such different things it seems unlikely to continue the relationship-but that's far to far in the future to worry about right now! What I'm getting at is that I wondered how Shizuru ended up deciding to stay at Fuuka, and how Natsuki and Shizuru fixed the oh so awkward hole left by the festival. It must in the end of the school year influencing all these stories about school...How bizarre.

As always, edited, but may have some minor errors-ignore if you would please.

#26-No New Messages


"No New Messages."

Ugh…how many times have I heard that in the past four days? No goddamn new messages. Natsuki scowled as she snapped the phone shut. Glaring at the device she let out a frustrated sigh. Though that's partly my fault isn't it? I haven't actually left her a message either. She shook her head at the thought. Every time she'd let the phone ring until it went to voice mail she was determined to leave a message, but every time she heard the voice that told her to leave a message, she'd snap her phone shut and try to forget she'd even tried.

It was a vicious cycle.

A bell rang in the distance and Natsuki groaned, "Stupid summer classes," Stupid Sakomizu for making me take them!She added in her head, trudging back towards the school building. Half way through her summer break and all she had done so far was 're-learn' English-3 and Trigonometry. Ridiculous. She knew this stupid stuff already, and it wasn't as if anyone really cared in the class. It was filled with the typical truants and Yankees that she had been identified with for her time in high school.

"Here I thought you were going to cut class Kuga," Natsuki felt her eyebrow twitch. Oh, and of course in class with her was Nao Yuuki, fellow ex-HiME/class cutter.

"Shut up Yuuki. How are you even in this class anyways?" Natsuki snapped for what might have been the hundredth time at the girl. Sitting in her seat she watched as Nao shrugged, another part of the routine that had developed between the two.

"No teachers left? Fuuka Gakuen's still trying to get the teachers who ran off during the Festival to come back," she grinned, "Or maybe you're just so stupid you were put back in middle school," a snicker left her lips, "It's all independent study anyways. Who cares what grade we're in as long as all this useless crap gets done,"

"Bah…it's a waste of time," Natsuki frowned, glancing at her phone again, "I've got better things to be doing."

"Like?" Nao pressed and Natsuki gritted her teeth.

"Like try to figure out what to tell the god damn insurance company happened to my apartment," Natsuki glared at Nao pointedly, whose grin only grew, "Because I don't think telling them that I was held hostage and that a woman on a hydra broke my window and a humanoid spider lady destroyed my wall,"

Nao laughed in the face of Natsuki's annoyance and smirked, "Pity you can't prove it all happened. What are you going to tell them?"

"Gas leak and a bomb? Who the hell cares?" Natsuki rolled her eyes, "They'll figure it out on their own and leave me out of it anyways," she turned to the books on her desk with a grumble, "I just want them to hurry because I want to sleep in my own bed again. Mikoto's dorm bed is like a rock," This was only part of the truth though. While Natsuki had been crashing in Mai's dorm room, and while sleeping on Mikoto's bed was an annoyance, part of her just wanted life to go back to the way it was before all this nonsense. Back before she had Mai clucking about her like a mother goose, and Midori bugging her to lighten up, or even Nao pissing her off at every possible moment. Or maybe it was just that she wanted things to go back to being just her and Shizuru-no one else to worry about.

She heaved a sigh as she opened her English textbook and shook her head. That was the problem though, wasn't it? It couldn't go back to being just her and Shizuru being friends. Not now that…Not now that I've shared two kisses with her, died with her, and had her confess to me. She glared at the foreign text on the page and retreated to her thoughts. What happened to us? With school ending there wasn't any time to talk-and the only time I even got to talk to her was Mai's stupid picnic, and it's not like I'm going to have a heart to heart on a bed sheet with everyone watching. She flipped the page in the book angrily and frowned, I'm just being ridiculous-Shizuru practically lives down the hall from Mai in the dorm rooms, so why haven't I just gone and talked to her like a normal person?

"Cause I'm stupid…" Natsuki muttered under her breath, clenching her cell phone tighter than before, resigning herself to her English workbook.

"Ah! Natsuki-You're out of class?"

"Mai?" Natsuki blinked as her current roommate trotted over to her with a grin, "What are you doing here? Don't you have work?"

"Nope! I got it off to so I could be sure my scholarship was still in place," Natsuki gave a wry smile at her friend who mimed a sigh of relief, "It's a good thing the kaichou and and president are letting us keep the Kazanhana scholarship! We sure got lucky, huh?" Natsuki's smile dropped abruptly and Mai gave her a quizzical look.

"You…saw Shizuru?" She had to bite out the words, however few of them there happened to be.

"Eh? Yeah. She and Fumi-san were talking about some rebuilding stuff. I guess Shizuru-san's still not done being president for the time being," she frowned, "Why?"

"Oh. It's just…I've been trying to call her and she hasn't answered is all…" Natsuki fumbled, her thoughts racing. So she has been ignoring me…

"Well duh! She's busy! You can't expect her not to be! She's got to worry about university, the school rebuilding project, not to mention training next year's student council president! She's got a lot on her plate right now!" Mai scolded, shaking her head, "Though I'm sure you could just go to her dorm and talk to her that way, you know? She lives down the hall from us,"

"What?" Natsuki blanched and Mai rolled her eyes.

"Seriously Natsuki? I've seen leave for classes like, a hundred times. It's not like it's a big secret or anything. It's the door that's always got love notes jammed under it from her fanclub," Mai explained, "Anyways come on! I'm making a good meal tonight since I don't have work today- Chie and Aoi are gonna come and eat with us," she urged, grabbing Natsuki's arm and pulling her towards the dorm.

"Oi! Mai!"

"Oh stop squawking! It's not like you're doing anything tonight!"

"Why's Natsuki staring at her phone?" said girl jumped when a pair of overly curious amber eyes was seemingly shoved in her face.

"M-Mikoto!" it took Natsuki a moment to recover from her shock, and when she did she had to resist the urge to hit the younger girl, "Mind your own business!" she snapped.

Both of the girls could hear Mai clucking in the background, "Play nice children!"

Mikoto giggled and Natsuki rolled her eyes, but the smaller girl pressed on, "So why? Natsuki's been staring at her phone like that for a looooooong time now," She leaned towards the girl again and Natsuki was quick to jam the electronic in question in her jeans pocket.

"I-I'm waiting for a call!" Natsuki snapped, standing and moving away from the table and couch on the dorm room, "Is it so weird for someone to wait for a call? Geez!" she groused, seating herself on her bed angrily. You mean waiting for a call that won't come? She thought darkly crossing her arms over her chest.

"Maaaaaaaai, Natsuki's being a sourpuss!" Mikoto whined to the gentler of the two high schoolers.

"Leave her alone Mikoto, if Natsuki wants to sulk by her phone all night then that's fine by me," Mai called, "But I think she should really just get off her butt and go down the hallway and actually talk to the kaichou,"

"Mai!" Natsuki was standing again, indignant, "How-You-What makes you think that-" she was cut off of her in articulate speech by Mai's voice.

"Oh please-who else would you be waiting for a call from?" Natsuki almost felt the blow to her ego in Mai's blunt words, "Just go already geez! I'll save you a plate for you to warm up later,"

Natsuki wanted to put up a fight and argue that she wasn't going to go because it wasn't Shizuru she was planning on going to see, but she screwed her jaw shut before she even bothered. She was already in a ditch, no need to go and make it a pit trap. She just glared at Mikoto's grinning form and stormed out of the room after Mai called out the room number.

Once she was out of the room though, the bravado she'd had storming out of her dorm faded. What was she thinking anyways? Was she really going to just waltz up to Shizuru's dorm room door and demand to talk to her? She'd never been in Shizuru's dorm room before. Come to think of it…Shizuru's only been over my place when I got sick that one time. If we're such good friends…how come we've never hung out at each other's places? Walk down the hallway filled her with a sense of dread. She was about to tread into territory she hadn't traversed to before. It was like she was breaking some unspoken rule the two of them had to not go into each other's homes. Still…

Natsuki reached the door and stood there, feeling just about as ridiculous as she'd ever been. What was she expecting anyways? Shizuru to just come out and invite her in for a pleasant chat between friends? "Not likely Kuga…" she muttered bitterly, running a hand through her hair, "Chances are she's not even here right now…" she added. The hand in her pocket clenched the mobile device tightly as she steeled herself. I'll just knock to tell Mai I tried and then go back and pretend it never happened.

So she knocked, rapping her knuckles over the door three times before letting her hand fall to her side. She paused, waiting for a moment and then shook her head, "Thought so. There's no way Shizuru'd be in her room so early," she told herself, sarcasm dripping from her words, "What did you think would happen Natsuki? Geez…" she turned to walk off but froze as the door before her opened. She turned, a comically shocked expression on her face, and stared at her best friend.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru's voice was quiet, disbelieving, as if she didn't believe it was really Natsuki before her.

"Uhh…Hey," Natsuki gulped, turning towards her friend fully and fumbling over her words, "I uh…I mean, you hadn't been answering my calls and I thought I'd just try to see if you were in your dorm room, but I didn't expect you to you know…actually be here," she murmured, feeling her face grow hot with embarrassment.

"Well…what did Natsuki want to say? If I happened to be in my dorm room?" Shizuru questioned, a sort of tired smile on her face as she leaned on the frame of the doorway.

"I was gonna…um…ask if I could come in and…you know…talk?" Natsuki shuffled her feet a tad and made to turn to leave, "But uh, I can see you're really sorta tired so I'll just leave," she added hastily, ready to leave if asked.

"No…It's fine, please, come in Natsuki," Shizuru amended, moving aside in the doorway and ushering her friend in.

"Please excuse the intrusion," Natsuki mumbled, fumbling with her sneakers to get them off. She surveyed the room with surprise. It was sparely decorated, though larger than most of the dorm rooms in the building. There were two beds, but one looked as though no one had slept in it for ages. A makeshift tea brewing area was in the kitchen and the sitting area seemed much more subdued than the one in Mai's room. It was an overall calm and peaceful area.

"So what did Natsuki want to talk about?" Shizuru probed, moving to the loveseat with ease and seating herself calmly. Natsuki took in the sight, the woman wearing a light sweater and a pair of what looked to be yoga pants, the most down dressed Natsuki had ever seen her.

Natsuki hastily made her way to the loveseat and sat herself down stiffly, "It's just, you haven't been answering my calls or anything, so I was just wondering if something was up or whatever…" she explained clumsily, keeping her gaze aimed at the coffee table.

Shizuru smiled apologetically and Natsuki raised her eyes to glance at her, "Kannin na, I've been quite busy of the late. What with Fumi-san taking over now and the school rebuilding project, I've had very little time to myself after graduation," she gave a small chuckle, "I always thought I'd be so relieved after graduating, but it seems I'm busier than ever,"

"Oh," Natsuki inwardly winced as her terrible reply, "Well, I guess it makes sense and all-I mean, all the hard work you have to put in lately," she tapped her fingers against her jeans, "What with the Festival destroying a lot of the campus and all,"

"Indeed," the reply was short and the two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for a time. Shizuru sighed, folding her arms across her chest and shook her head, "Though I doubt you want to really talk about trivial matters, do you Natsuki?" she lifted her gaze to lock eyes with the girl, "You want to talk about something more serious, don't you?"

"Yeah," Natsuki sighed, and went straight for it, "Shizuru, why have you been ignoring me? It seems like…ever since you graduated, you've been pulling away from me and trying to make it seem like we never knew each other," she frowned, "It's…weird."

Shizuru mulled over the words for a time and sighed, "I haven't been doing it with ill will," she apologized, "I hope Natsuki knows that," she gave a soft sigh and shook her head, "I felt perhaps…that distance may make things easier,"

Natsuki furrowed her brow and grimaced, "Make what easier?" she questioned, already getting a general idea of what her friend was about to say, but hoped it was different.

Shizuru let her gaze rest in her lap for a long moment and finally answered quietly, "This…impasse," she paused and then continued painfully, "And sorting out my feelings for you,"

"Ah," That's the elephant in the room though isn't Kuga? You don't know how to deal with this sort of thing. Even so…it's hurts to see her like this…"Well…I kinda figured…maybe if we…could talk about it or something…maybe it would…uh…you know…help?" she smoothed a few invisible wrinkles on her jeans and averted her eyes, already feeling the inevitable stifling atmosphere closing in on her.

Shizuru's smile was so tragically sad that Natsuki felt something in her chest ache painfully, "I really don't see what exactly there is to say on the matter," the nonchalance she was forcing was putting Natsuki at edge, "After all, it's simple, is it not? I love Natsuki, and while Natsuki is a very kind girl, she does not feel the same way, correct?"

"Ah…" Natsuki felt the sharp pain in her chest again and she averted her eyes in shame, "Look Shizuru I-"

"I understand," the words were so gentle that Natsuki's head jerked up to meet a open and understanding face. A hand cautiously reached out and caressed her cheek tenderly, "This wasn't easy for you to deal with," Shizuru's eyes seemed to be focused on memorizing the rare expression on Natsuki's face. A soft smile, "Ookini Natsuki,"

Natsuki shook her head, "No. You can't thank me," Natsuki disagreed angrily, "Why should you thank me Shizuru?" she rose, a frightfully upset expression aimed at her silent friend, "All I've done is hurt you this past year, and however many more before that!" she stood, suddenly overwhelmed by it all at last. The secrets, the masks, the unanswered calls, going straight to voicemail and never leaving a message-It all finally boiled over. "How could you possibly want to thank me?" she cried, throwing her hands in the air in disgust at herself.

The silences was thick and Shizuru let Natsuki's form loosen from its rigor before answering, "For simply being you," she gazed into tumultuous jade with steady crimson, "That is all I would ever need to thank you for,"

Natsuki felt her shoulders go slack and her body drop back to the loveseat ungracefully. She cradled her head in her hands. "I'm so screwed up…" she muttered bitterly, "So screwed up when it comes to people, to emotions, to…living for god's sake," she lifted her head, "Why do you keep doing this Shizuru?" her expression was dejected, "Why keep chasing after me when you know I'm such a mess? When you know I could never really understand other people the way you do?"

Natsuki was pulled into a tentative embrace and she heard a sigh slip from her friend's lips, "Because Natsuki is worth it," the grip around her shoulders tightened, "So very, very worth it."

There it was again, the clench in Natsuki's chest as Shizuru spoke. She relaxed into the embrace, closing her eyes for a few moments and composed herself. Shizuru's such a good friend. She's stuck by me all this time-and even put up with all the crap I barely told her a thing about. Yet…even right now-when she's right next to me I feel like she's pulling away.

"My parents are pushing for me to go to Toudai."

Natsuki's head shot up in concern and she watched as Shizuru stood up from her seat at last and turned to windowsill and rested against the wall. "I haven't given them an answer yet," she followed, folding her arms over her midsection, "But they feel I won't reach my full potential at Fuuka University," she gazed out the window, "I suppose that is why I haven't been answering your calls Natsuki. I didn't want to disappoint you if I chose Toudai instead of Fuuka,"

"Why…would you choose Toudai?" Natsuki's voice was confused, and she watched in horror as her friend turned her back to her, "You've been going to Fuuka Academy since you were in middle school!" she rose from her seat, "You-you belong here! You belong with-" she cut herself off when the words caught in her throat. You belong with me. Was I really just about to say that? Why on Earth…She felt her heart start to thump painfully and she had to swallow painfully, "You belong with everyone here," she continued. When Shizuru failed to respond she growled, "Damn it Shizuru!" she stormed over to her friend and yanked at her shoulder, forcing her to turn and face her.

"You-" she cut herself off in shock, then began softly, "You…Shizuru why're you…crying?" she questioned, watching in confusion as tears snaked down the kaichou's cheeks. "Shizuru?" she softened her grip and gave her friend a light shake, trying to get her to look at her fully.

"It hurts Natsuki," Shizuru finally admitted, furiously trying to wipe away her tears with dignity, "It hurts to only be friends. It hurts for me to see you upset and for me not to know what I can and cannot do to help! It hurts when I see you hesitate to say something or touch me," she paused and shakily reached out a hand to touch Natsuki face, "It hurts not being able to touch you without worrying that I may do something horrible to you,"

Natsuki stood frozen for a moment, her thoughts moving at a snail's pace, even through her her was pounding wildly. "I love you Natsuki," Shizuru's voice was hoarse, whispered as she let her hand fall from Natsuki's cheek, which suddenly felt so much colder than she had remembered it being before, "Therefore…I know I cannot stay here with things the way they stand right now," she backed away from Natsuki's arms and turned towards the kitchen area, "So, if Natsuki would be so kind as to leave, I would very much appreciate it,"

The words echoed in Natsuki's head slowly and painfully as she walked towards the door. Shizuru's letting me go. Didn't she say she would never let me go? Didn't she promise she would stay? Her hand froze halfway between the doorknob and her body. I don't want to let go. I won't.

"Shizuru." There was no answer, and Natsuki balled her fists and turned, adamant, "I'm not going to leave. And you aren't going to Toudai," when her friend turned, a pleading expression on her face she continued, "I'm always the one letting things pass me by, or letting them go without a thought-but…I can't let you go Shizuru. I won't do it."

"Natsuki…you don't understand-" Shizuru tried to reason with the girl but she was stopped.

"No! No I don't understand. I don't understand why you would want to go to stupid, goddamn Toudai instead of staying here! I don't understand why you would turn around after everything that's happened and run away! I mean-I'm not one to talk about running away from things that I can't deal with-But-But Shizuru you aren't like that!" Natsuki took long strides towards the shocked girl and clasped her shoulders again, "You hear me Shizuru? I'm not letting you run away from this. From me."

She kissed her. For a moment it all stopped. The tears, the frustration, the agony of a decision neither wanted to make. It was all pushed aside as Natsuki finally took the first step towards healing them both. Finally, when she pulled away, red faced and embarrassed, she spoke. "I'm not running away either. So you can tell Toudai to suck it, because you're staying here, at Fuuka," the blush worsen, "You're staying with me,"

"Natsuki…" Shock was written all over Shizuru's face.

"So…I mean…" Natsuki rubbed the back of her neck, trying to find the words for what she wanted to say, "I guess…we should start over right? No secrets and all," she offered a hand, "I'm Kuga Natsuki. My mother died in a car crash and my father abandoned me. I think I may love you,"

Shizuru blinked, startled for a moment before laughter, glorious and rich laughter pealed from her throat. She smiled and took the hand that was offered, "I'm Fujino Shizuru. I've been in love with a girl since my third year of middle school. I know that I love you," she squeezed the hand and gave a quiet chuckle, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Natsuki,"

"Yeah," Natsuki grinned, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders for the first time since the end of the Festival. "Hey Shizuru…" she glanced at the spare bed, "D'you suppose…considering you don't have a roommate and all…I could stay in your room? At least until next semester," her grin turned sheepish, "Three's a crowd in Mai's room and all,"

Shizuru beamed at the bluenette and nodded, "I would like that very much Natsuki," she agreed, and leaned her forehead against her new roommate's, "I suppose I should get back to my parents about Toudai then, shouldn't I?"

Natsuki snickered, "I suppose so. 'Sorry Fujino-san, but I'm afraid your daughter has some important things to do here in Fuuka. She can't go to Toudai',"

"Ara, important things?" Shizuru mused, a light smile on her face.

"Yeah. Important things. Like helping me move in," Natsuki laughed, "Besides that, who else will make sure I go to classes?"

Shizuru shook her head with a good natured chuckle, "Well. Natsuki forgot one other thing," she added mildly.

"Oh?"

Natsuki was swept in by her waist towards the smiling brunette, "Natsuki just introduced herself saying that she 'may' love me," her eyes twinkled, "I plan on turning that into a 'does' love me," she whispered, inching closer to Natsuki's lips. She hesitated, "Is that one of those important things?" she murmured, her lips almost brushing against the younger girl's.

"Yeah…It is," Natsuki agreed, and closed the small distance towards Shizuru's lips and kissed her softly again, content for the first time since the graduation ceremony. Distantly, she felt her cell phone in her pocket and smiled into the kiss. There would be no need to call any more. They weren't going to run around each other anymore. They were going to walk down this road together.


I like Natsuki coming out of her shell. I also really like the idea of her being an incredibly snarky and sarcastic person. So I feel like when she's really being herself at the end, she's a little goofy. xD But I like it that way. As for Shizuru...wouldn't you want to run? It's scary loving someone and knowing they don't love you the same way back. It's a difficult thing to deal with, for sure. So don't think to lowly of her for wanting to leave.

But anyways! My muse is raging, but right now I'm working on a few different projects at once, in different fandoms, so these one-shots are gonna be a bit fewer in number. But they will get longer by consequence. (this one is over 4000 words...) So as always, I thank you for your reviews, I enjoy and appreciate every single one, and I am forever grateful for your support. So...review some more! It makes plot bunnies sleepy and slow so I can finally catch them. -nodnod- So until next time, thank you for reading!

~konaxookami