Love Hina: Once Again

Seventeen

Mutsumi Otohime leaned in towards Tennyo, giving the white haired woman a chance to dodge. When she didn't Mutsumi let their mouths press together, kissing the other woman lingeringly as her summer dress flowed around her.

"Hmm," Tennyo leaned into the kiss, letting a hand run up the other woman's back. Mutsumi's lush body pressed into her's making her heart race as they kissed, her own not as shapely figure confined in one of her casual business suits..

With great reluctance Mutsumi pulled back, her brown hair flowing down her back as she blinked sleepily. "Oh, that was nice," she sighed happily.

"I'm sorry if I've been a bit strange about this," Tennyo admitted as they sat together at one of the Cafe Hinata tables, a just finished dinner scattered on the table.

"You seemed kind of scared of me," Mutsumi sounded more amused than anything else as she smiled at Tennyo warmly.

Tennyo laughed softly as she explained, "Not scared, just cautious. I wanted you to be sure of what you were doing."

"I'm not a innocent child, Tennyo," Mutsumi said as she rested her hand on Tennyo's cheek and looked at her fondly.

Tennyo looked sheepish, "I know, but... it's complicated."

This time Mutsumi took Tennyo's hands in her's, squeezing them gently as she said, "Then tell me about it."

"It might be easier to show you," Tennyo admitted, "want to come outside with me?"

"Certainly," Mutsumi agreed.

The two women settled up with Shinobu and headed out, the younger girl wishing them both a good night. Shinobu smiled as she added, "Kitsune and I will close up tonight, so take your time."

"Thank you," Mutsumi chuckled as they left the cafe.

"Do they think we're going to...?" Tennyo chuckled as they walked together between buildings around the Hinata Inn.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Mutsumi laughed. She had certainly made her intentions clear towards Tennyo when she was asking her co-workers for advice.

Tennyo lead her to the back of one of the buildings, where they were out of line of sight from most of the complex. She stopped them there and looked at Mutsumi searchingly, "What I'm going to tell you has to stay a secret, all right?"

"Of course," Mutsumi nodded, seeing how serious she was.

Tennyo pushed her white hair back nervously, "When I moved here I told Kanako that I was coming back from overseas. That was true... but not totally."

Mutsumi asked quietly, "So where are you from?"

Tennyo reached into her jacket and took out what looked like a wooden sword hilt. "I was born in Japan," she said as she held it, "but my bloodline is from another world,." With that she concentrated and a shimmering blade of blue light appeared, emerging from the hilt like some kind of lightsaber!

"Oh my," Mutsumi blinked, "it's beautiful!"

"Thanks," Mutsumi smiled faintly. "Uhm, it doesn't bother you that...?"

"You might be a alien?" Mutsumi smiled shyly. "Tennyo, I know a magically powered shrine maiden, a mystic swordswoman and a pint-sized mad scientist. What's a alien added to that?"

Tennyo laughed so hard she couldn't maintain the sword, the blade flickering out. "Point," she admitted, smiling. "I'm also... a bit older than you," she admitted.

"Good," Mutsumi stepped close, smiling up at her. "I'm told you can learn a lot from a... experienced woman," she teased.

"Mutsumi!" Tennyo blushed, laughing. "Come on," she said as she tugged her forward, "I think we should continue this conversation privately."

"Let's," Mutsumi agreed as she took her hand and squeezed it gently.

Meanwhile, Kitsune was shaking her head with amusement as they closed up the cafe. The boyish blond smiled as she wondered, "Do you think Mutsumi is finally going to get lucky?"

"Kitsune, don't be crude,." Shinobu laughed, the black haired slim young woman finishing off stacking the clean dishes.

"I am not," Kitsune chuckled. "But she's been mooning after Tennyo for so long..."

"Yeah," Shinobu agreed, "but it was kind of sweet to watch, too. Sort of romantic."

"You think unrequited love is romantic?" Kitsune asked, remembering a certain crush she had on a older man that went nowhere.

"True," Shinobu admitted as they walked out together, locking up the cafe behind them. "I mean, I sometimes wish I had gotten Keitaro."

The two walked outside, breathing deep the evening air. "Is there anyone you're after right now?" Kitsune asked, feeling a bit guilty that she hadn't been keeping up with the younger girl as much as she once had.

"No, not really," Shinobu shook her head. "I'm concentrating on school for now."

"I've been pretty busy too," Kitsune agreed, juggling her duties at the cafe with the Phantom Quest Corp branch she was running.

They went into the Inn itself, both women taking their shoes off at the door. "Want to help with dinner?" Shinobu asked politely.

"If you don't mind I need to catch up with some paper work," Kitsune admitted sheepishly. "You gonna be okay?" she asked.

"It's fine," Shinobu laughed.

As Shinobu passed through the house she looked in on her friends where she could, as well as seeing how many there were for dinner. Rei and Ami were both in, as was Anthy, and she knew that Kitsune, Tennyo and Mutsumi were all likely to join them. Motoko was out, surprisingly, as was their landlady Kanako.

"Evening," Ema Maeda smiled from where the younger woman was sitting at the kitchen table, working on something on her laptop.

"Hello, Ema," Shinobu smiled back warmly. The younger woman was working on getting into Tokyo University, and looked up to her and the others. It was a strange experience for Shinobu, who was more used to following than leading.

"Can I help with dinner?" Ema offered, shutting down her laptop and getting up from the table.

"I wouldn't say no," Shinobu admitted with a smile as they both went into the kitchen. Getting down materials from the shelves she asked, "How are your mock exams going?"

"Better," Ema smiled, "thanks to the tutoring I'm getting from you, Motoko and Ami-sama."

"Ami-sama?" Shinobu looked amused as they got the rest of the cooking pots out.

"She's brilliant," Ema offered with a certain amount of hero worship in her eyes.

Shinobu laughed softly, but she also had to acknowledge the point. Ami had been fast-tracked into advanced courses in medicine, and probably would be a doctor several years early. "Well, be careful not to take too much of her time," she cautioned, "Ami has a very heavy course load."

"I will," Ema promised.

For a moment Shinobu was distracted thinking of the strong partnership that Ami and Rei had. They let each other do their own thing with medicine and miko duties, yet were also there for each other when needed. She sometimes wished she could find that kind of partnership herself, some day.

"Be careful," Ema cautioned, catching a plate that nearly fell out of her hand.

"Thanks," Shinobu looked sheepish.

Ema smiled up at her, "Maybe you could teach me how to cook, a bit?" She looked down shyly, "You shouldn't have to cook as much as you do."

"I like it," Shinobu told her warmly, "but thank you for asking."

"You're welcome," Ema smiled back as they worked together.

Up in their room Rei Hino and Ami Mizuno lay in a tangle of sheets, sleepily relaxing after coming home and nearly falling into bed together. Ami lifted her head from Rei's bare belly as she mused, "I think I like this side of you."

Rei blushed slightly. Normally she was the aggressor in their relationship, but tonight she had let Ami take the lead. It had been surprisingly fun, letting someone else call the shots. "Thanks," she said, reaching out to gently play with her blue hair.

"Too bad we have to be down for dinner later," Ami sat up, stretching then grabbing at her clothes, "or I'd go for round too."

"Me too," Rei admitted, sitting up herself. "Have a good day?' she asked curiously.

"New section on mutating viral subcultures," Ami said dryly, "ick."

Rei laughed softly, "I can imagine. Or maybe not..."

"Just think of some of the grosser things we fought as Sailor Senshi," Ami suggested, "it'd get the point across." Both women put on casual clothes, tossing their school and work clothes in the hamper to be washed later.

"If you need any extras, I got my pay from Kitsune today," Rei noted as she pulled her light shirt on over dark pants.

"How's the work?" Ami asked as they took a moment to tidy up the bed. They weren't expecting company, but you never knew around here.

"Interesting," Rei laughed. "Everything from rogue kappa to real demons and other monsters. It's a change from formal Miko stuff, but fun."

"I sort of wish I could go out with you all," Ami admitted as they shut the door to their suite and walked down to the dining room, "but..."

"I don't think they need to know about Sailor Mercury," Rei said quietly. She smiled wryly, "Not unless things go spectacularly wrong, anyway."

"Let's hope that never happens," Ami said, then smiled at their friends as they entered the dining room. "Hello, everyone."

"Finally leaving your love shack?" Kitsune leered impishly.

"Kitsune," Shinobu scolded, whapping her with the paper.

"Oww!" Kitsune winced as Tennyo and Mutsumi came in, holding hands.

'Well, isn't that interesting,' Rei noted as they sat down to eat.

To be continued...