VII.

"So," Mai was walking alongside Natsuki as the dark-haired girl walked Duran around the garden on his leash, "What did you need to talk to me about?"

Natsuki had a hint of crimson to her otherwise pale face, "I'm, um, I'm thinking about a three-way relationship."

Mai looked stunned, and then her eyes narrowed, and her voice took a hard edge, "Did Yuuichi put you up to this, because I swear, I'll beat him senseless if…"

"Mai!" Natsuki was tomato red, now, "What about Yuuichi? Has he said something like that to you about me? Ew. No!"

Mai looked confused, "I think you'd better explain from the beginning."

Natsuki sat on a large rock in the garden, and motioned for Mai to sit on a bench beside her. She explained about figuring out that Shizuru had been stealing kisses as she slept, and about how Nao had allowed Shizuru to possess her, and the mutual kiss that the two women had given her in that united form. She told them about Nao's proposal, and about how she was giving it some serious thought.

"I mean…I've never been in a relationship, Mai. Well, not a romantic one. Certainly not a s-s-sexual one," Natsuki stammered over the word, blushing again, "And I'm just not sure what to do. I…don't hate the idea. But…"

Mai reached over and took Natsuki's hands in hers, her lavender eyes boring into Natsuki's own emerald gaze, "Natsuki, I'm going to be as kind and patient and loving as I can possibly be, here. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR EVER-LOVING MIND?!"

Natsuki winced at the shout, "Um…I don't know?"

Mai gave her an exasperated sigh, "Natsuki, relationships between two people are complicated enough. This sounds like…a mess waiting to happen."

"Did Yuuichi seriously try to ask you to drag me into a threesome with you two?" Natsuki asked her.

"Shut up! I'm being serious here. Look, I was just telling Mikoto the other day, you and Nao would be a bad idea because the two of you are way too alike. And Shizuru…Well, I can't say much about Shizuru because I've never talked to her. All I know about her is what you've told me. But how would it even work? I mean, okay, so Shizuru share's Nao's body, and…what? I mean, since she can't do anything without Nao, then I suppose the usual issues of jealousy wouldn't come up. But…possessing someone? What if she comes to expect a right to Nao's body when Nao is too tired or not in the mood? What's to stop her from taking advantage of that situation."

"Natsuki is," Shizuru's voice came from the garden, and she appeared between them, "Apologies. It was not my intention to eavesdrop. I heard a shout and came to investigate."

"I'm having a private conversation," Mai closed her eyes and turned away from Shizuru in a huff.

"Apologies," Shizuru bowed and turned to walk away.

"Shizuru, wait," Natsuki called, "What did you mean, I would stop you from taking advantage?"

"Simply that. Natsuki loves and cares for Nao. If I were to attempt to exploit Nao's body to use it as my own, Natsuki would reject me. Therefore, it does not profit me to attempt such a cruel feat."

"Alright, and what if Nao and Natsuki wanted to be intimate without you involved?" Mai shot.

"That would be their right," Shizuru said, "Indeed, it was what I initially proposed. This suggestion of a shared relationship is Miss Yuuki's notion, originally, not mine. If she decided it didn't work for her…"

"I think she would accept it," Natsuki said, "And…I think it helps with your other concern, Mai."

"Which other concern?"

"That Nao and I are too alike. We are. But, Shizuru is very different from either of us. She could mediate between us. Help us resolve any conflicts. Shizuru can only experience physical..intimacy…" Again, Natsuki stumbled over the word, prompting Mai and Shizuru to exchange a look, "if she's possessing someone. If Nao and I call it quits, that leaves her without a host. So, it's to her advantage to help us smooth things over and cooperate."

Mai sighed, "Sounds like you've mostly made up your mind already. Well, I don't think it's the best idea in the world, but I'm willing to help out if you think you can make it work. But that leaves one more very important question."

"What's that?" Natsuki asked.

"Is it even a good idea for you to try to be in a sexual relationship with even one person when you can't even talk about it without blushing like a grade-school girl and stuttering over the most innocent descriptions of sex?"

"Look, just because you and Yuuichi can…do…that…without getting fluster…"

"You're only proving my case," Mai sighed.

Shizuru frowned, "You raise a very valid point, Mai. Natsuki, from where does this shyness and resistance to intimacy come? You were not, perchance…harmed…in some way?"

Natsuki sighed, standing up. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms, and closing her eyes, "Well, yeah. But not in the way you're probably thinking. I mean, I was never assaulted. I've never been raped or molested or anything. I'm…I'm a virgin, so…"

"Then, how were you harmed?" Shizuru looked concerned.

Natsuki sighed, "I walked in on my Dad and a woman who wasn't my Mom, once. I didn't know he was home. Mom was at work, and I wanted to play a video game, and they kept them in their room so I wouldn't play them all day long. No one was supposed to be home, so I went to open the door to my parents' room, and Dad forgot to lock it, and…I saw it. Everything. Him. Her. And believe me, there are some things where, once you see them, you can't unsee them."

Mai looked mortified, "I knew your Dad was a cheater, but I thought that all started after he left the house. I never knew…Oh, Natsuki!"

"How old were you?" Shizuru asked.

"Eight. I knew a little bit about biology, back then, but seeing it on full display like that. I mean, I apologized for walking in, and I slammed the door, and I ran off to my room. I heard the woman leave. She was cussing out Dad big time, saying she didn't know he was married, or that he had kids, and that she hated him for making her a party to an affair. I kept hoping…waiting…for him to come and tell me what was going on. To try to explain to me the things that I saw. But I guess he was either too embarrassed or ashamed to talk to me about it, so he never came to me. He just left me in my room, to dwell on that image burned into my brain. I don't think he and I ever really talked about anything ever again, after that."

"So," Mai spoke in a quiet tone, "I guess that's why you've always been kinda timid and stuff when it came to sex."

"Yeah. Because my first and only encounter with it was pretty much the end of my family. Dad moved out a month after that. That woman ended up pregnant, too. I have a half sister out there, Alyssa Searrs, who came from that. Her mom, Lena Greer, she married a Donald T. Searrs, and the girl doesn't even know I exist, to the best of my knowledge. I mean, everyone knows that Searrs isn't her biological Dad. Probably even her, at this point. She'd be …eleven or twelve now. I thought about reaching out to her, before, but…Hell, I don't have my own life in order. I don't have any right to go disrupting hers, right?"

Shizuru nodded, "So, being confronted with the, pardon the expression, naked fact of your father's infidelities is the reason that you are so skittish when it comes to maters of sexuality."

"That's pretty much the case," Natsuki sighed.

"Then, one more question, of grave importance, I fear," Shizuru said, "Does Nao know this about you?"

Natsuki shook her head, "No one knew."

Mai stood up, "You need to tell her, Natsuki. And…you need to make peace with it before you try anything relationship-wise. Especially when it comes to sex."

Shizuru nodded, "I would agree. Natsuki shouldn't have to force herself just to accommodate others. And I would not want Natsuki to be uncomfortable with making love. It should be an enjoyable experience. For everyone involved. Not traumatizing. We can talk tonight."

Natsuki smiled, "Thank you, Shizuru. Thanks, Mai. Listen, I need to clear my head. I'm heading out for a bit. Open road. Ocean breeze. I'll be back later."

Natsuki went over to where she kept her Ducati, and Mai and Shizuru heard the engine fire up, then tear off down the road.

Shizuru turned to Mai, "Did your boyfriend truly suggest a threesome between you and Natsuki?"

"Will everyone please just shut up about that!?" Mai demanded, "He didn't actually suggest Natsuki. He just asked me what was and wasn't on the table, and the subject of threesomes came up, and I sort of joked that Natsuki was really the only girl I thought of as attractive, and…Oh, God! Did I propose a threesome with Natsuki to my boyfriend?!"

Shizuru giggled, "It somewhat sounds as if you did. Well, you're not unattractive. Indeed, you seem to be very…blessed…in some areas."

"Hey!" Mai shot her a look, "Eyes up here, missy!"

"Natsuki is right about one thing. You are very motherly. And it's clear to me that you have her best interests at heart. I'm glad she has someone like you as a friend."

"Even if I tell her this threeway relationship is a bad idea?" Mai asked.

"Even if," Shizuru confirmed, her voice completely sincere, "You're a good influence on her. And I certainly can't fault you for finding her attractive. And I doubt you were being serious when you made that comment to your boyfriend."

Mai sulked, "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"Well, I've got all eternity to rib you about it," Shizuru grinned.

"You're a terrible person," Mai groused.

~~*~~

"She's my sister?" Alyssa asked her mother again, to confirm what she'd just been told.

"I wanted to adopt her, after her mother was killed. The poor child was…traumatized. And it wasn't any fault of hers," Lena stroked her daughter's hair, "But Genichiro Kuga was still alive, so he blocked every effort. He was paying for her upkeep, and he was blood. The courts sided with him."

"Does she know that I exist?" Alyssa asked.

"I don't know, Alyssa. The only time I ever saw her in person was when she was a child, younger than you are now. It's how I learned that Genichiro Kuga was a rotten bastard, sorry I must speak so harshly of your biological father."

"It's understandable," Alyssa sighed, "And she's my half-sister by blood."

"Genichiro just passed away. She's living on her own. She hasn't had any family in a very long time. But…while her father is the one who turned her life upside down, I was one of the tools he used to do that. I'll never forget the horrified face of that child, as she walked into her parents' bedroom and found me with her Father. The things she must think of me…"

"I'm sure she'll realize that her Father was the problem," Alyssa said, "So, we're going to try and adopt her into the Searrs Family?"

"Well, before we even attempt that, I think that you should get to know her, Alyssa. To befriend her. To just try to be her sister. Lord knows she can use all the family she can get."

Alyssa looked at the pictures on the novel covers, "She looks sad. Beautiful. But sad."

"Beauty is often sad, Alyssa, dear," Lena smiled softly, "I'd go with you, but the doctors say I need to do the appendectomy as soon as possible. Plus, I don't think she'll enjoy seeing me again. My face is a reminder of everything that went wrong. Take your Aunt Miyu with you."

"Right. I'll let you know how things go, Mother. So, it's off to Fuuka to try and reconnect with Natsuki Kuga."