14.
Reciprocity.
"Ara, Natsuki, I am grateful for all the care, truly, but…"
"Shhh. You sit there. Prop your feet up. And take it easy. Look, you doted and fussed over me when I was pregnant. So, now, it's your turn to be doted on and fussed over," Natsuki smiled at her, kissing her forehead.
"But, I was built to fuss and dote, not to be fussed on and doted on," Shizuru sighed after Natsuki left the room.
"Oh," Nao walked out of the shadows, grinning, "Is Shizuru not used to having people take care of her."
"I came to Fuuka to get away from the lifestyle of servants and obligations," Shizuru reminded her.
"I thought it was to get away from your wretched grandmother," Nao said, "You know, as much as goody-two-shoes like her make me sick, I'm going to have to agree with Tokiha and say that you need to just sit there quietly and graciously accept everyone's love for you."
Shizuru gave her a wry smile, "I don't want to hear such things from you, after all."
"Too bad. Already said it. Listen, I'm heading to the store, and Kuga is cooking. Do you want anything?"
"The things I want, the doctors have forbidden," Shizuru moaned, "I can now understand Natsuki's nine months of crabbiness."
"Okay, but how do you explain everything that came before that?" Nao grinned.
"Ask the woman behind you for explanations," Shizuru smiled coyly.
Nao turned to see Natsuki behind her, her eyebrow twitching, "So, I'm cranky?"
"Well…"
"Milk. Eggs. Soy Sauce. And get Shizuru a copy of Yoshiki's latest novel."
Nao feigned a horrified expression, "You mean to tell me that Shizuru reads things other than your novels?"
"She likes the sappy period romances. I don't write those. It's fine. Now scoot."
"Ara, Natsuki does delight in tormenting Nao-chan," Shizuru said after Nao had set out.
"Well, she is technically my kid sister, after all. Picking on her is my prerogative," Natsuki laughed.
"Ikezu, Natsuki. But you should be nicer. Or perhaps I would be inclined to inform Nao that Natsuki actually enjoys Yoshiki's work as much as I do."
Natsuki shot her a sour expression, "That's playing dirty, Shizuru."
"Of course, I can keep Natsuki's embarrassing secret if Natsuki agrees to be a bit kinder to Nao. She is a great help to me when I'm home like this. Besides, you don't want to teach Saiyuri to be unkind, do you?"
Natsuki sighed, "No, of course not."
"Then, please, be nicer to her. For my sake. And for hers. She is, as you said, practically your sister."
Natsuki sighed, "Anything for you, Shizuru."
"That's fine, then. Now, if you actually want to do something nice for me, I wouldn't mind you rubbing my feet a bit after we turn in."
Natsuki smiled, "That sounds like something I can do."
"So, any thoughts on a name for this upcoming bundle of joy?" Shizuru asked.
"I'm afraid not," Natsuki said, sitting by her, "If it's any help whatsoever, my favorite Sailor Scout is Makoto Kino."
Shizuru grinned, "Ara, but Natsuki does love tall girls with long legs, after all."
Natsuki grinned, "Drat. I've been found out. But actually, it was because in the anime, she kicked so much butt. I mean, in her first episode, she beat up three thugs, punched Zoicyte in the face, and picked up a monster and tossed it, all before she even got her super powers."
"It's troublesome if Natsuki intends to hold me to such high standards," Shizuru laughed, "However, I'm afraid I'm not eager to name our daughter after an anime character."
"Well, she's not due until May, so we have a little time to think of something," Natsuki reasoned, "Anyway, I've got to start dinner."
As she went into the kitchen, Natsuki pulled out her phone.
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Nao was looking for items in the convenience store. She'd found most of what she wanted, but was having trouble locating the soy sauce.
"Where could it be?"
"Ah! May I help you?" the woman's voice spoke in perfect Japanese, which surprised Nao, because the woman who said it was clearly a foreigner. She had a light complexion, light brown hair, similar to Shizuru's own tawny mane, and eyes as blue as the ocean on a clear day. She also had facial markings, which Nao guessed must have been religious in nature. She was wearing the bright green vest of the convenience store chain, and she was tall. Taller than even Kuga's 160 centimeters. She might have even been 165 or more.
"Oh, yes, I'm looking for the soy sauce."
"Oh! I'm sorry. We're in the middle of a store reset, so many of our products aren't in their usual places. We now have the soy sauce over here."
She lead Nao to a set of shelves closer to the front counter, where she found the bottles neatly shelved and waiting.
"Excuse me," The strange foreigner spoke, "But I couldn't help but notice the pacifier clipped to your apron. We also have a new variety of wholesome fruit drinks that would be good for your child."
Nao blinked, then smiled, "Oh, she's not my child. She's, well, the family situation is complicated, but you could call me her Aunt. I look after her for her Mom when she has to work. I'll be sure to let her know about them."
"Wonderful. I expect that means we'll see you more often. I look forward to meeting your niece," the foreign woman smiled the sweetest, most honest smile Nao had ever seen in her life.
"Well, thank you."
"Actually, Belldandy," a male employee shorter than Nao walked by carrying boxes, "You have met her niece. She's been in here before. The little girl is…let me see…Saiyuri, right?"
Nao looked at him suspiciously, "And you know that because?"
He smiled, "She comes in with those two women who own the house down the way. Her Mom, Kuga-san? She comes to my other job at WhirlWind to get her bike tuned up from time to time. She was so upset when my boss told her that her last bike was a total loss. But her new one is pretty good. And she came out of that accident with just a hairline fracture? If you'd seen her bike…Someone was really looking out for her, that day, I can tell you."
"I remember," the girl…Belldandy, he'd said?...spoke up, "I haven't seen her since the accident. Is Kuga-san doing well?"
"She's as bossy and demanding as she always is," Nao smiled.
Just then, Nao got a text message. She looked at her phone: Nao, sorry about being a crab. I'm making extra yakisoba if you'd like to stay for dinner. I know I don't always show it, but I still consider you to be like a sister.
"Then again," Nao grinned, "Occasionally she'll go out of her way to be a kind, gentle person."
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"Morisato?" Natsuki looked thoughtful, "Oh, yeah. Him. He works at WhirlWind. Knows his stuff. His boss is Chihiro Fujimi. She was a pro-racer who opened her own shop here. Drives that gorgeous Krauser. I get all my parts from her shop. I think that Morisato is dating that tall foreign girl who you mentioned."
Shizuru nodded, stirring her noodles a bit, "Yes, I've seen them together around town. She's a most gentle soul, and she's always been very patient and calm with Saiyuri."
"So, Nao," Natsuki's emerald eyes met Nao''s own olive green gaze, "Shizuru and I were talking, and…I want to know what you'd think if we name our daughter Naomi when she's born. The characters would be Honest Beauty. To show our appreciation for everything that you do to help us around here."
Nao's eyes watered, "I…That would be…I'd love it."
"Well, I know we sometimes slip into our old habits of passive aggressive snarking at each other," Natsuki said, "But I wanted you to know that I do love you as a sister, and so...it's our way of showing that we care about you, too."
"Naomi Fujino," Nao looked at her family, "We'll be eagerly waiting for her to arrive."
A/N: Been watching a lot of Ah! My Goddess stuff of late, and just wanted to throw Bell and K1 in for a cameo.
