13: A New Normal

I'm sitting at a large, roughly square table in the middle of the living room. With me are Shizuru, Alyssa, and Nao. Shizuru is directly across from me. Alyssa to the left of me, Nao to the right. We're each of us taking up one side of the table, doing our respective homework. The only sound is pens scratching gently on paper, and soft enka music coming from the radio. It's Shizuru's turn to pick the music, so of course it ended up being enka. Not that I really mind. It can be soothing, from time to time.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Nao stiffens, casting a look in Shizuru's direction. Shizuru seems completely unaware of the attention, and Nao leans forward, resting an elbow on the table and her hand against her cheek. She smiles that sly smile she's so well known for.

"Hey, Fujino, unless you're trying to branch out, I think the foot you meant to caress is a bit more to the right."

Shizuru blushes a bit, "My apologies, Yuuki-han. I thought I was further over."

I chuckle, "I'm afraid it won't do you any good, Shizuru. I'm sitting with my feet behind me. I appreciate the thought, though."

I feel a stocking clad foot tap my knee, as if checking, and then Shizuru gives me a brief pout, before returning her attention to her thesis.

I sigh slightly, then shift my sitting position, stretching my legs out under the table. Then my bare foot encounters her stocking clad one, and she pulls away slightly for a moment. She looks at me out of the corner of her eye, a tinge of uncertainty in her gaze. But, then she smiles, and returns her eyes to her paper, as her foot returns where it was. She slides her instep against mine, and then just rests it there. Not moving. Not caressing. Just…there. The soft texture of her stockings feels pleasant against my bare foot, and the warmth of her is pleasing against me.

"I hate to be the one to break up the happy couple," Nao said in her usual tone, "But at least one of us is going to have to get up to start making dinner, soon."

"We could always order in," Alyssa suggested.

Shizuru tapped her pen thoughtfully against her lip, "That is a most tempting idea. However, cooking is one of those skills the can diminish without suitable use. I have already forgone cooking the last few days."

"And you can forgo at least one more," I sighed, standing up, and smoothing out my skirt, "I know for a fact that your thesis is due tomorrow, and while I'm sure you're almost done, I'm giving you a break."

"Ara, but doesn't Natsuki have her own work?"

"Just English revision. Child's play for me."

"Sure," Nao smirked.

"Don't underestimate me," I returned her smirk, "English has always been one of my best subjects. It's no accident that Duran's commands were in English."

Nao suddenly looked concerned, "M-maybe Fujino should take a break and help you in the kitchen. I mean, isn't cooking together one of those coupley things that people do?"

Alyssa grinned, "Which is your biggest concern, I wonder? Natsuki, alone in the kitchen, cooking for us? Or you having to stay next to Shizuru without Natsuki here to distract her?"

I have to admit, I was slightly amused as all eyes turned on Nao. But at the same time, I didn't really envy her. Alyssa has a talent for cutting to the heart of the matter, and also for putting people on the spot.

"Well, there was the small matter of the cake at Midori's make-up class," Nao smiled ruefully.

"You and Mikoto are just as much to blame for that as me," I reminded her, "Besides, I've had more practice since then. I'll just ask Miyu to help me out. Where is she, anyway?"

"She's at the store," Alyssa said, "I sort of encouraged her to take up a hobby. She's been doing traditional calligraphy."

Nao's brow furrowed, "Calligraphy? But…she's a machine, right? Wouldn't she be able to do it perfectly every time."

"Ara, but calligraphy is as much art as it I precision, Yuuki-han, you see…"

I slipped out of the room and into the kitchen at that point, while Shizuru regaled Nao with a lecture on one of her own favorite pastimes. Lest anyone believe that all of Shizuru's passion is exclusively for me, I will remind them that she is an avid connoisseur of fine teas, is practiced at flower arranging, and has some of the most beautiful brushstroke calligraphy that I've ever seen. And she is very eager to expound upon any of those topics, given half a chance. It's really endearing. Truly. But Nao was right, we were going to need food, and I'd already heard Shizuru's lecture on calligraphy.

Would Miyu be interested in hearing Shizuru wax philosophic on the topic? I'll have to ask her when I see her.

Thanks to the stipend I get for looking after Alyssa, I've added a few small luxuries to our kitchen budget. Nothing too extravagant. Most of the money is secretly going to a trust fund for Alyssa. But I have made certain that we have beef readily available for a couple of meals a week. And because of that, I decide that I'm going to make beef bowl for everyone for dinner.

I'm halfway done when Nao enters the kitchen, "You have the patience of a saint, Kuga, if you can listen to her go on and on like that about such strange things."

I laugh a little, "We're officially sisters, Nao. You're free to call me by my given name."

She looks like she's mulling it over a bit, then shrugs, "Alright, Natsuki. Nope. Doesn't sound right in my voice."

She's actually right, but I think it's just because neither of us is used to it.

"You know…it's strange…" Nao looked off into space.

"What is?"

"You and Fujino. I mean, I just sat there for fifteen minutes and listened to her give a speech on a subject that bores me to tears. Are you sure that's the same woman who damn near took my head off last year?"

"Dunno," I shrugged, reaching for the bowls from the cabinet, "You the same girl who had a razor sharp claw next to my eyeball?"

The sly smile is back, "I get your point."

888888

We had finished dinner. Nao had actually volunteered to do the dishes. Miyu and Shizuru did have a…lengthy…conversation about calligraphy. Now Shizuru wants to pick up some special pens to practice calligraphy with Roman letters.

We tucked Alyssa in. I made it a point to review her homework. I'm supposed to be her guardian, after all, so I've got to do my part. Not that it needed reviewing. It was perfect.

And now, Shizuru and I were in our room together. She was peeling off her stockings, and sitting on the bed.

She patted the space beside her, motioning for me to join her.

"But will Natsuki favor me with a kiss," She smiled.

"I dunno," I decided to try my hand at this whole teasing thing, "I mean, just this afternoon, I find my girlfriend is playing footsie with my sister right under my very nose."

Is it successful teasing when the reward is a fluffy pillow in the face?

"Ikezu!" Fwump.