The sky was bright blue and the white clouds dotted the sky. A gentle breeze blew through the leaves, which were turning shades of earth, they rattled like paper being crumpled up.

"I love this time of year…" Eric let out a small sigh, "not too warm and not too cold…" He said, standing by the table, "good for long walks…" He paused looking around the table at each of them, "she is running late again…"

Aoi smiled shaking her head, "of course…" She looked over to her mother, ryou, who only smiled. Misaki chuckled, "not my fault…" She smirked.

"Aoi..." They heard Mariana's voice, "I want misaki protocols…" She playfully narrowed her eyes as she slowed down. They could tell she had been moving in a hurry, "so hard to find a parking space…" She spoke catching her breath as she fixed her hair as she entered the café.

"Hello Eric…" She nodded and leaned forward giving him a hug.

"Hello yourself…"

"Is that a new…" He step back to get a better look, "yukata…"

"Yes…" She quickly nodded as her cheeks blushed, "there's a store where I'm living until the house is built…"

"Very nice…"

"Thank you…"

"I had planned to wear different one but someone, misaki, hid it on me..."

"I like bright colors…" She nodded, "besides it looks good… You need show a little more cleavage…" She laughed.

"You don't need open it too much…" Eric nodded, "they are quite obvious…"

"Oh my…" Mariana raised her hand up covering her mouth as her cheeks blushed. Looking around the table as the others laughed.

"I am shocked…" She let out a quick breath shaking her head.

"I may be gay… But I notice things like that…" He chuckled, "so…. Four hot teas with lemon..."

"Yes please…" Three of them were quickly nodded.

Ryou raised her hand, "I would like a very strong coffee… Please…"

"Really…" Eric smiled as he nodded his head, "something with a kick…"

"Yes…" She looked up at him and smiled. he nodded his head and then turned walking towards the counter to place their orders.

Mariana took a deep breath, biting her lips as misaki stood up and tilted her head with a mischievous smile on her face. They embraced and Mariana nuzzled her cheeks and they kissed, "misaki…" She gently placed her head against her head, "yes…" She had a wicked smile on her face.

"Where is my yukata…?" She slowly slid her hand down her back and gently squeezed her butt then patted it as she waited for an answer.

"I can help you try to find it…" She raised a single eyebrow, slowly smiling, her fangs peeking out.

Mariana softly blew her breath across Misaki's face and she inhaled then kissed her again a little longer than the first time. She pulled back slightly and smiled "I would use my tongue but I'm not that skilled yet…" Misaki's cheeks turned red and her eyes softened, "oh…" She whispered, "That was quite good…"

She moved around the table, slowly drawing her hand across Misaki's waist. Mariana remembering what Ronan said about greetings. Those closest get a lot of attention, kissing a lot of hand movement, butt, waist, be suggestive. She moved past Aoi, brushing against her releasing a deep breath, Aoi closed her eyes taking it in.

"Hello ryou…" She embraced her, nuzzling her cheeks and then kissed her.

"You do not have to be so flirtatious with me…" She released a breath and Mariana felt her warmth flow across her cheek and slowly breathed it in, "I need to practice…" She moved her hand down her back as ryou did the same. She smiled blushing as Mariana kissed her neck and whispered, "Is that a bite mark…" She pushed the collar of yukata with her nose.

"I caught him in the shower…" She closed her eyes, remembering the moment fondly.

"So…" She smiled finishing her greeting. She turned as Aoi stood up, softly gazing at Mariana as she leaned forward hugging her, "do I need to introduce myself…" She chuckled.

"No…" Aoi whispered as her eyes went wide; slowly closing as Mariana playfully nipped her shoulder, and then kissed her cheek blowing her breath across her face. She breathed it in, as they kissed. They stood still holding each other with their eyes closed and small smiles on their faces.

"Cough… Cough…"

"Huh..." Mariana turned her head looking over her shoulder, "oh… I'm sorry…" She could see it was the owner standing by the table. He had his hand curled into a fist as he feigned his cough.

"No… No…" He smiled, "I just had a tickle…"

"Right…" Aoi chuckled as she slowly sat down.

"It is been a while… So I wanted to thank you again…" He nodded, his eyes glistening as he remembered, "For saving my daughter…"

"You don't have to thank us…" Aoi looked up from her seat as she placed her hand on Mariana's hand.

"Yes… I do… We could've lost her forever…" He let out a worried sigh as he looked around the table.

"Father…" They heard Amie's voice as she came out of the back room. She was not wearing her normal work uniform. She was dressed in a dark Brown yukata decorated with spider webs. Mariana crinkled her brow looking across the café.

"The design is the ward off evil…" Misaki spoke as she watched her from across the floor.

"Does it protect from you…" Mariana glanced at misaki. She smiled back at Mariana, "perhaps you should wear and see if I get caught in the web…"

Amie smiled and waved to misaki. Her face not as bright as before, "she is getting better…" Her father took a deep breath and released it.

"Hello… Misaki…" Amie stopped in front of her and bowed. She stood up and slowly reached out and hugged her tightly. She laid her head on her shoulder smiling softly with her eyes closed, "how are you doing…"

"I'm… Okay…" She hesitated as she held on taking slow deep breaths.

"It will get better…" Misaki leaned her head back, "remember what I promise…"

"Yes… You did promise…" She slowly smiled and her eyes shined as she nodded her head.

"You're not working…" Mariana looked up from the table.

"Yes… I'm just dressing differently…" She looked at misaki and whispered, "Do you like it…"

"Yes…"

"Did you…" Mariana narrowed her eyes looking at misaki.

"No…" She shook her head and her lips smiled, "I'm part of her support system… So… I bought it for her and the accessories…" She pointed to the hairpin that held her long dark hair in a bun.

"I see… So…"

"I am not a pet…" She chuckled as she blushed, "it was my birthday that's all…" She looked at Mariana as she ran her hands down the front of yukata let out a deep breath.

"Oh… Okay…" Mariana quickly glanced at Aoi and then to ryou.

"I need to go to the register…" She bowed and smiled at her father as she turned and walked away.

"If she were my pet… She would've kissed me…" Misaki slowly closed her eyes as she sat, scooting the chair closer to the table. "Jeez... So paranoid…" She grinned.

"Really…" Mariana turned looking at her, "shall we talk about this morning…"

"What…" She raised her hand covering her mouth, "what do you mean…" She smiled and spoke sarcastically.

"So… Anyway…" The owner chuckled, "cheesecakes are on me…" They all smiled thanking him as he turned to leave. They watched as he walked through the café up to his daughter patting her on the shoulder and then went behind the counter.

"Sneaking into my apartment… Then into my shower… Scared the hell out of me when I turned around…"

"I did not sneak into your apartment I have a key…" She playfully grinned.

"That's even worse… Now I know why Ronan has those protocols…" She released a deep breath, "and where were you… Aoi..."

"I was around…" She lifted her teacup to her lips slowly taking a drink.

"Oh really…" She raised her arm pointing at misaki.

"Do you know what I did…?" She narrowed her eyes gazing at Aoi, "I had to wash and condition her hair, and then I rubbed her back between the shoulder blades only…"

"I helped you dressed…" Misaki slowly nodded with a playful grin on her face.

"Yes… Thank you… But you made me late…"

"I offered to carry you…" The tone of her voice changed as she laughed.

"Yes… But I couldn't… I needed the car today…" She spoke, "they are nearly done with the house. Ronan is upset to… Something about a certain someone," she pointed at Aoi," being too close…" A smile appeared on her lips. The others laughed, "I need to go and select colors and other items. So I thought all of us can go to the store then I need to get something for the girls and drop it off to them…"

"When will it be done…" Ryou tilted her head waiting for her answer.

"Less than a week…" She reached across the table picking up her saucer and raised the teacup to her lips, "they are working 24 hours… I'm glad I listen to Ronan… I bought the two lots next to mine… So I could build a greenhouse like at my mother's…" She held her teacup in the air after taking a sip and slowly put it down on the table. She took a deep breath then looked at Aoi.

"Would you like to stay with me...Aoi…?" She nervously smiled watching as a slight smile exposed itself on her lips.

"I never intended to leave you…" She slowly turned her head as her lips parted exposing her fangs. Mariana didn't say a word she just leaned forward and smiled.