A/N: HELLO EVERYONE! I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday. Thank you again to everyone who has left the nicest, encouraging comments. I appreciate every single one of you.

Chapter 4

Shizuru stared at the pages in the ever growing mountain. "The thing about mountains is that they don't grow as quickly as you want them too." Shizuru stretched from her seated position. The ruby-eyed woman hoped that each stretch would help her forget the stunt of her progress.

A frustrated grunt sounded beneath the floorboards where Natsuki fumbled with the washing machine controls. The blunette knew how to use the machine, but with all the thinking Natsuki was left to do to amuse herself in the last week distracted the younger woman from what she was physically doing.

Shizuru stared at the white and cork boards within her office walls. There was much to be finished and not a lot of time to finish them. Shizuru was hoping to be done with the book and cut Natsuki off, for good this time, before Reito came to visit. The publishing agent already frew suspicious from the lack of Shizuru's usually consistent updates. Shizuru was able to ward off Reito, but it wouldn't be long before his scheduled visit would arrive. Shizuru was also sorely tempted on more than one occasion to cave and call Reito, not as her agent, but as a long time friend. Though Shizuru needed solid advice, she also knew she wasn't prepared to hear it.

Hearing Natsuki's footsteps climb up each stair, Shizurur's palms grew sweaty, the tan-headed woman's heart picked up speed, her breath became shallow which made her nostrils flare. When Natuki's movements quieted, Shizuru's dilated eyes fixed on the flimsy sliding door separating them.

Shizuru's blood pounded in her ears. Ruby eyes grew blurry. Shizuru's head began to float above her shoulders.

"No."

Shizuru jolted at the sound of her own raspy, yet firm voice.

"No," Shizuru repeated as she moved to stand. "I will not do that again." Going through her desk and drawers, Shizuru when to gather notebooks and Post-It notes to begin putting Natsuki's task list together. Shizuru knew her restraint could only outlast her desire for so long.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Natsuki?"

"Hm?" Natsuki's eyes tried to pry themselves open, but the eye crusties were too strong.

"Natsuki."

"Mmrr…" Whoever was at the door was going to have to wait because emerald eyes were in the heat of battle against the eye crusties.

"...I've brought more mayo."

"Wha-?" Natsuki's eyes blinked against the light entering within them. "What time is it?"

"10:30 in the morning."

Natsuki pulled on pants and a t-shirt all the while trying to figure out why she slept in so late. Ah, Natsuki rose toward the sliding door, I finished that entire show last night.

Natsuki couldn't hide the twitch of her shoulders when she saw the face of the voice that woke her.

Shizuru couldn't hide hers either.

"Ahem," Shizuru regained her composure and all by shoved a pile of notebooks and sticky notes. "Your job starts now. This is all of the research I need finished before the end of the week."

Natsuki eyed the pile now cradled in her arms, "The end of the week? It's Thursday."

"If you don't get this done by Sunday, I won't be able to make my editing deadline. But…," Shizuru called over her shoulder, "If you decide this is too challenging, I'll take back half."

"Che. Bring it on."

Shizuru grinned as she disappeared into her study. Natsuki grinned too, "Finally some work to do."

Humans are strange, Natsuki thought to herself as she band flipping through the pile on her bed, we complain about having to work everyday, only to be relieved when finding work to do. "We're as good as ant, aren't we?"

Shizuru's ears perked up. Instinctively, she scribbled down Natsuki's revelation. The tawny haired woman had no idea what that meant, but as an author she knew a good line when she heard it.

"So, I was trying to find this last bit of the timeline you had me search up, but I'm just as stuck as you were."

"I'll take a look at it tomorrow. Everything else is pretty much done, thanks to you."

Natsuki hummed as she shoveled beef and mayo rice into her mouth. Shizuru took a measure sip of her tea. Natuki hadn't been this relaxed with the ruby- eyed woman since high school Before- a small clap of thunder sounded in the distance.

"Oh no," Shizuru placed down her cup with a clatter, "Is it supposed to rain tonight? The forecast said tomorrow."

The lightning flashed through the kitchen window. "One, two, three, four- crash!" Shizuru pushed herself from the table and sped up the stairs. "Help me take my things down stairs. Quick!"

"What's the problem with a bit of rain?" Natsuki asked, but was already two steps behind Shizuru.

"My roof. It leaks in the study. Crap!"

The thunder crashed louder and closer. The sound of rain not too far behind.

"Get the typewriter. I'll get the notebooks."

Natsuki balked at how heavy the old piece of machinery weighed against her arms and stomach. Shizuru stuffed her arms and bags with as much as they could hold. "Shoot! Nononono!" The rain pattered on the roof making Shizuru sprint up the stairs faster. The hindrance of her kimono caused Shizuru to stub her big toe along the edge of one of the steps. "Ouch!"

Shizuru had no time to nurse her toe, but viciously cursed wood for being hard while shoveling more papers and notebooks into plastic bags. Natsuki had to take a moment to wheeze out her laughter and swallow her smile before trying to help cart more things back into the sitting room.

Natsuki took in the severity of the leaky roof. The ultimate downpour hadn't even started but several spots in the study's ceiling dripped water like an open faucet. "Here, take this. The rest will have to stay here."

Shizuru took one last look, eyes roaming all over the room. Natsuki watched as the older woman hesitated by the door way before turning to head back down the stairs. "Oh dear, I must be a sight to behold," Shizuru walked closer to Kiyohime's tank to catch more than a vague glimpse at her reflection.

Natsuki's eyes didn't stop from taking in the disheveled woman. The slightly damp hair causing the scent of Shizuru's shampoo to get stronger. The way that same head of hair fell loose from her bun framing the attractive face. The robes sliding off to reveal creamy shoulders, and the dip of breasts still rhythmically pushing upward due to Shizuru's heavy breathing.

"You look like any other mad woman I've ever seen."

"Ikezu." Shizuru pouted while trying to fix knotted hair.

Natsuki swallowed hard, chills racing up her spine. The blunette's nipples went on full attention, straining against the lightly lined bra. "Ah," Shizuru looked at the mess about the floor, "where am I going to sleep tonight?"

"Well," Natsuki plucked at the invisible hairs on her shirt, "there's a perfectly good bed upstairs. It's big enough fo the both of us." Natsuki rushed at the end because Shizuru's head snapped up to meet Natsuki's gaze.

Shizuru's heart leapt into her throat. Her heart melted and soared and burst all at once seeing the desire kindling in emerald eyes. Shizuru's mouth opened, then flashes of that night at the tea house caused Shizuru to recoil.

"Erm, no, thank you," Shizuru busied herself in tossing heaps of paper off to one side.

Natsuki watched Shizuru move things aside before finally leaving for her own room, "Suit yourself."

Shizuru slumped against a pile of her work. Her hand's heel pressed against the center of her brows, a supple bottom lip quivered between chattering teeth and tears ran like the rain down her cheeks. Unfortunately, for both women, the door was still open.

Natsuki gazed at the broken woman from the stairs, then crept silently back into her room.

A/N: I hope you have a great rest of your week ahead. Remember, I'm rooting for you 3