Hi guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out- I've been suffering from pretty severe
writer's block lately, so it's taken me a lot longer to get things rolling. I'm kinda nervous about
this part. Thanks again for all the lovely comments, and for your patience. (I know that after the
last chapter, everyone probably wanted to kill me) ^_~ Also, I hope the format comes out right- I've
been having trouble with it. Well, enjoy- I worked pretty long on it, so I hope the end result is
worth reading!
Here ya go:

Magic and Other Nonsense Chapter 3:

Aburatsubo's heart beat wildly in his chest as he watched Nanaka's deadly descent towards
the jagged rocks below. There was no time to think. He had few precious seconds to use whatever
magic necessary to save her. Clutching his wand tightly in his left hand; his arms outstretched
in preparation, he focused all of his being on slowing Nanaka's fall. As the magic began to build
within him, he recognized the familiar glow of his wand when his magic was working properly. To
his relief, Nanaka seemed to be responding to his magic, and he concentrated on carefully
guiding her unconscious form into his arms. Aburatsubo dropped his wand when she was hovering
slightly over his head and leaned back to catch her. He relaxed when he felt her weight
settle against his chest. He finally allowed himself a sigh of relief as he rested on the
sand, Nanaka nestled in his arms and breathing evenly.

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As though she were floating to the surface of a steady, rolling wave, Nanaka felt herself
being pulled to consciousness gradually, dimly aware of her physical state as she began to open her
eyes. Through the murky haze, she could barely make out her surroundings. The dizziness
she suffered made it difficult to focus on anything while her vision spun so relentlessly. However,
she could hear the crash of the tide against the shore, and she could feel support at her back and
neck. She tried to sit up as she came to but was stopped by something pressing gently against her
chest. In alarm, Nanaka opened her mouth to speak, and stopped when she heard a familiar voice above
her.

"Don't try to move yet," Aburatsubo spoke.

Nanaka was shocked when she recognized the smooth, deep baritone voice of the object of her affections.
Thinking she must be dreaming, Nanaka looked up to regard the owner of the voice. Her eyes focused on
his handsome face hovering close above her framed by the soft light of the moon. Her eyes were met
with a stern emerald stare. Aburatsubo's mouth set in a frown; his dark hair hung around his shoulders
and brushed her face. She had been pulled into his lap; her head and shoulders cradled in his arms as
her feet lay on the sand. His left arm was mainly supporting her, while his other arm held her in place
to keep her from moving suddenly. Startled as the situation hit her full-force, Nanaka flushed in
embarrassment.

"A, Aburatsubo-sempai," she started hesitantly, "what are you doing here?," "what happened?,"
Nanaka looked up at him; flustered and confused. Aburatsubo's frown deepened when she spoke. He
kept her pinned in his arms as she tried to sit up again.

"That's what I'd like to know. From what I saw, it would appear that you overexerted yourself
while casting some kind of spell and were hit hard when you lost control of it. Now, stay still and
rest for a bit. Don't try to talk yet." His voice seemed cold and curt, yet thick with some unidentifiable
emotion at the same time. Nanaka, still confused by both his actions and the present situation, struggled
within herself, trying to decide on what she should do, but her thoughts were cut short when the effects
of her injuries suddenly caught up with her. She winced, squirming slightly in Aburatsubo's arms in
an attempt to keep the waves of pain at bay. Her entire body ached; every joint and muscle burned and
throbbed as if she had been hit head-on by a truck. Her head pounded, and she knew the headache that
was setting in would be the worst she had ever dealt with. She pressed a hand to her forehead; grimacing,
and was startled when she felt Aburatsubo's arms pull her even closer to him. Her ear was pressed against
his chest, and she could hear the pounding of his heart as she looked up at him. His face was fixed in a
serious expression; his stare focused on some point in the distance. Nanaka could scarcely believe how
fast his heart was racing.

"Had he been afraid for me?," she pondered incredulously. She immediately squelched such
thoughts,thinking instead of what she should do next, and how to keep from passing out. For a few
moments that seemed like hours, Nanaka lay still in Aburatsubo's arms, unable to move or
think through the relentless waves of pain. Finally, too tired and sore to question Aburatsubo about
how he came to save her and why he followed her in the first place, she decided to try to stand up and
figure out how she was going to get home in her condition. Gathering her strength, Nanaka pushed herself
out of Aburatsubo's hold and shakily stood up, taking him by surprise. Ignoring a protest from him, she
tried to take her first unstable step, and was nearly overcome by dizziness. Her vision blacked out
and she lost feeling in her limbs. She stumbled and nearly fell, but regained control when she felt
hands on her shoulders, steadying her.

"Nanaka, you shouldn't be standing right now- you've been hurt. We don't know how bad it is yet.
You could have a concussion, after what happened," Aburatsubo tried to reason with her. He opened his
mouth to continue, but Nanaka interrupted. She had barely understood what he had said through her haze
of dizziness and pain, and she was too tired to try arguing. She figured she could gain just enough
strength to walk herself home or use her broomstick. She turned towards Aburatsubo, head lowered, and
softly replied, purposefully avoiding his eyes.

"Vice President Aburatsubo, thank you very much for saving me, but I really must get home now.
I'll be fine. It's nothing serious. Besides, everyone at home must be wondering where I am right now,
and your family must be worried, too. Now, I'm going to walk home. I'll see you tomorrow." Nanaka turned
to walk back towards her bicycle, ignoring the bolts of pain that accompanied each aching step. She was
abruptly stopped when she felt a hand close around her wrist, and hissed when the grip aggravated her
already sore arm. Aburatsubo stood facing her, still holding her wrist, and took her chin in his hand
so that her eyes were forced to meet his. He may have looked grave before, but now he looked
positively livid.

"You can't be serious," he said forcefully. "You can hardly walk without passing out. How can you
possibly expect to get home without injuring yourself further? I thought you were sensible." His narrowed
eyes bored into hers. Nanaka struggled to keep her emotions in check as she fought the pain and frustration
building within her. What right did he have to stop her? He was only confusing her more. She wouldn't
deal with this now. She had to get home and pretend this never happened. She turned her face away to avoid
his angry stare.

"Listen, I don't have time..," Nanaka started, but was interrupted by Aburatsubo. "You're being
ridiculous. You could have died today- Sae and Takeo have been worried sick about you! How could you
perform such a dangerous spell without thinking!" Now she was angry. She didn't needed to be followed
around just because people didn't think she could take care of herself! Of course HE hadn't really been
worried about her. He was only doing what he'd been told to do.

"Oh, I see," Nanaka turned her head back to glare defiantly at Aburatsubo, "Sae and Takeo thought I
couldn't take care of myself, so they thought they needed to send someone to spy on me and get in my way."
"Well, I REALLY appreciate it, but I don't need any help. Thanks again, Aburatsubo-sempai, but I'm
perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she said contemptuously. Her head spinning with anger, she
tried to pull away, but was held fast.

"You sure proved that today," his voice dripped with sarcasm. "It's a damn good thing I followed
you today, or you wouldn't be alive to act like such an idiot right now." Aburatsubo hoped that his words
were drawing some kind of reaction from her, some spark of the old Nanaka, and searched for a sign.
Instead, all signs of feeling left her, and she seemed to deflate before him, her eyes devoid of
light or emotion. She turned her gaze away from him.

"You shouldn't have followed me. Maybe what happened was supposed to happen, for a reason," she
spoke in a flat voice.

"Look at me." Nanaka felt a hand grip her chin turning her head so that her gaze met his again.
He looked at her differently this time. His eyes held a soft look to them, and when he spoke,
his voice was warmer and gentler .

"You're being selfish. Think of how everyone would feel if you had died tonight. They've all been
concerned about you lately because you haven't been yourself. Everyone who cares about you knows that there's
something wrong. You can't keep shutting them out." He continued to search her eyes, hoping to inspire
some sort of feeling in those dark pools that seemed so empty. Suddenly, he felt her pull out of his grasp
and turn away.

"Don't lecture me," he heard her reply bitterly, "You didn't follow me because you wanted to, you
did it because Sae and Takeo were worried. Did they tell you to say all that? It's obvious they don't
understand and it's clear that you don't either." Aburatsubo placed his hands gently on her shoulders from
behind.

"I didn't say that they told me to follow you," he spoke softly.

"Yeah, right. You left Takeo, and he didn't ask you to do any of this. I'll believe that when Sae
stops being accident-prone," Nanaka said cynically. She winced when she realized the touchy subject
that mentioning Takeo always created. Luckily, Aburatsubo didn't seem to notice. He was more pleased
to hear such a characteristic remark from Nanaka's mouth than bothered by the subject matter.

"I haven't spoken to you much recently, but I do think I can understand a little where you're coming
from," Aburatsubo turned her around to give her a sympathetic look. Nanaka smiled without humor
and shook her head.

"No, you don't understand. This goes beyond any romantic issues I've dealt with."

"Then make me understand. You have to tell someone. Ever since the beginning of the Magic Club, you've
always told me of your feelings before. I won't leave you alone after what happened tonight. If I have
to follow you, I will, until I can help you fix what's been bothering you. I certainly won't let you walk
home in your condition now," he said stubbornly. Nanaka heaved a frustrated, impatient sigh. She no longer
had the strength to deal with this, but her pride refused to let it go.

"Aburatsubo-sempai, remember what we told each other? I never tried to force you to change who you
were, so how can you expect such a thing of me? How can you expect me to change my attitude as though I were
changing a pair of shoes? It just doesn't work that way." Aburatsubo moved around to face her again, and
gripped her arms.

"I'm not trying to change who you are. Nakatomi-kun, you haven't been yourself in a while. This
attitude isn't you. I won't ask you to tell me what's wrong right now because you're hurt and you need
to get home. But, you have to promise me you'll talk to me. You need to talk to someone, and if it's not
going to be Sae, it might as well be me. You can't risk your life recklessly and deal with this all by
yourself." Regardless of how she felt physically, Nanaka's temper refused to let her rest. She was sick and
tired of being polite and ending up confused.

"No, you don't understand, and I can't explain anything right now. If you really knew and understood me,
you'd know that I need to do this by myself, and that I'm strong enough to watch my own back. Now, thank you
once again for being there, but I need to go." Nanaka abruptly turned around and stumbled in the direction of her
house, ignoring her physical discomfort. She felt more powerful after speaking so to him. She had always felt
more timid and shy while speaking to Aburatsubo, always speaking in an accomodating manner. Just now, she'd
been able to talk to him as she did to Sae, not holding her temper for anyone. She heard a sigh behind her and
chose to ignore it, thinking about getting home as she stood by her bicycle. The moonlight
shone on the rocks. As the seabreeze fanned her wet shirt and bathing suit, she felt cold and tired. She
didn't hear the footprints in the sand behind her, and was swept completely off-guard when she felt an arm lift
her from under her knees, and another supporting her back. She glared at Aburatsubo indignantly.

"Just what do you think you're doing," she shouted angrily, "I thought I made myself perfectly clear."

"So did I," he replied tonelessly. He leaned his head down and spoke in her ear, and his voice was
not without humor. "I know you're in pain, but you're being unreasonably stubborn. Relax, and I'll take you
home." Too tired and uncomfortable to fight anymore, Nanaka complied, nodding her consent. "Good," Aburatsubo
replied. He set her down on a rock next to him and she sat, shivering. He took off his school sweater and
wrapped it around her shoulders, and was rewarded with a tired, yet not entirely ungrateful expression.

"Aburatsubo-sempai, how will I get my things home," Nanaka softly asked. He turned towards the
bicycle, then back towards her and smiled at her, pulling his wand from where he had tucked it in his shirt
collar.

"You know, there's never been any need for an honorific. Just call me Ayanojou, something less formal. As for
your things, remember the shrinking spell?" He smirked at her, his green eyes twinkling, and she watched as he
held his wand out. Her bicycle and things began to glow in sync with the wand. She watched them diminish in a
flash of magic. Aburatsubo knelt down and pocketed them, then turned towards her again.

"Since you live close by, the spell shouldn't wear off until we get to your house." Nanaka stood up and
Aburatsubo picked her up again, carrying her away from the moonlit beach and towards her home. He looked down at
her and realized with alarm that she was falling asleep. He shook her gently, and Nanaka opened her eyes, hazily
regarding his concerned expression. "Rest, but don't fall asleep," he instructed her before walking away from the
shore for the night.

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As he carried Nanaka in his arms, Aburatsubo reflected on everything that had happened. She had given
him the fright of his life. So much so that he had forgotten the awkwardness their friendship had progressed
to in the last month or so. He had been so overcome by his anger at the thought of her risking her precious
life so recklessly that he didn't care about anything else.

As Aburatsubo had argued with her on the shore, he had been happy to see glimpses of Nanaka's old self appear
again. Obviously, time and bitterness had affected her practicality, but her stubborn will and temper still
shonethrough in any debate. He smirked in recollection as he looked down at her resting in his arms.

The moonlight shone on her features. Her half lidded brown eyes sparkled as her wild raven locks framed her
pale face. This observation made him frown. She was sickly-pale. Her skin felt clammy to the touch. She
shivered despite the warmth of his sweater, and her breathing was ragged. She needed to be home as soon as
possible. At this thought, he picked up his pace.

For the rest of the walk down the streetlamp-adorned street to Nanaka's home, he thought of the look in
her eyes that reminded him so much of himself. How often had he been swallowed by despair, thinking of Takeo,
his mother and everything else? The last thing she needed right now was isolation- that was only making it
worse. No, he wouldn't leave her. He was left with the hope that seeing a glimpse of the old Nanaka on the
beach had given him. Surprisingly enough, he hadn't thought of Takeo for almost the whole night.

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By the time they walked through the door, Nanaka was walking with Aburatsubo's support. The shrinking
magic had worn off, so she was wearing her wrinkled school uniform. They had parked her bike in the garage
and left her broom and wand with it. She heard her mother's footsteps swiftly approaching, and the sounds of
a video game coming from the other room.

"Nanaka-chan, where have you been? I've been waiting for hours! I've never heard of a Club meeting
running this late before. Do you know what time it is! Nanaka-cha..." Nanaka's mother stopped suddenly when
she saw her daughter's condition, and the person who escorted her.

"What happened," she exclaimed, helping Aburatsubo move Nanaka to a sitting position on the staircase.

"Mom, I'm fine. I just fell off my bike on the way home from the club meeting, and Aburatsubo-kun
helped me home." Aburatsubo shot her a look, but nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, but she hit her head, and we don't know how badly she's been hurt." Nanaka's mother looked at
Aburatsubo and smiled gratefully, then, gushed as she suddenly realized who he was.

"You're Akiko-chan's son, aren't you? Aya, isn't it? God, I haven't seen you since you were little!"
Nanaka rolled her eyes inconspicuosly. Her mother seemed to be lost in her memories for a second.
She shook herself suddenly, remembering the situation.

"Anyway, thank you very much for helping my daughter, Aya. I'll go call the doctor right away." She turned
and looked at Nanaka. "Nanaka-chan, the doctor will be coming over right away to help you since the nearest
hospital is too far away from here." "Aya, I would greatly appreciate it if you could help my daughter upstairs
to her bed." Aburatsubo nodded and helped Nanaka to stand as he heard her mother yell something to Nanaka's
brother in the other room. He wrapped an arm about her waist and helped her climb the stairs. Nanaka was too
exhausted to feel embarrassed by the whole situation, so she just told Aburatsubo where her bedroom was.

They walked into a cheerful looking room, painted white with a seashell trim. Various posters filled
the room, mostly photographs of outdoor locations, and some snapshots of her and Sae. Her bed was covered with
simple pastel yellow comforter, and she had some of her favorite stuffed animals and pillows cornered at the head.
Aburatsubo lay her gently on her back, her neck supported by the pillows. He kneeled down beside her and looked
down at her face, grasping her hand. It was at this point that Nanaka flushed at the intimate situation she had
arrived in. She didn't quite know what to say as she looked into Aburatsubo's emerald eyes. She began to say
his name, "Aburatsubo-sem...," but was stopped by a finger pressed to her lips. He seemed unsure of himself for
a moment, but he leaned over, moved his mouth close to her ear and spoke gently, sending a shiver down her spine
at the sensation of his breath against her neck.

"Now, get some rest after the doctor comes. I'll understand if I don't see you in school tomorrow. Remember,
I'll be here if you need me." He leaned away again, smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. "I better get home,
my mother's waiting for me." At these words, his smile fell. The very thought of his mother broke his calm mood.
Nanaka knew how difficult things were between Aburatsubo and his mother. He was momentarily startled when he felt
Nanaka squeeze his hand and offer him a compassionate expression.

"I understand," she spoke gently as he stood up and returned the expression with a grateful smile. She
watched as he turned and quietly shut the door, and heard his retreating footsteps.

***************************************************************************************************************************

The doctor had come and gone, and Nanaka was relieved to know that she didn't have any serious injuries.
The doctor had prescribed some pain medicine to help her sleep, so her pain had subsided and she was happily
driftingoff. Her last thoughts were of a certain magenta-haired, emerald-eyed bishounen who had saved her life.

***************************************************************************************************************************

Target acquired Connection established Condition stable Continue gathering data and analysis

***************************************************************************************************************************

Nanaka trudged down the empty, well-lit halls of her high school. Her body still ached from yesterday.
Her head throbbed, weariness evident in every step she took. She had arrived early to help set up for the
Club meeting after school. She knew that Aburatsubo would be waiting as well. Sae and Takeo helped set up
last time, so now it was her turn. Nanaka sighed as she thought of the day ahead of her. She already knew it
was going to be awful. As she turned the corner, she spotted Aburatsubo, his vivid hair visible from far off,
his usual bored, indiscipherable expression present as usual.

She walked up to him, mumbling a "Good Morning" while stifling a yawn. His mouth turned up in a slight
smile, and he nodded. Then, he reached out a hand and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the darkened club room.
Before she knew what was happening to her, the door to the room was shut. The only light present was from the
hall lights streaming through the little window on the door. Suddenly, she felt Aburatsubo's arms wrap around her,
enfolding her in a tight embrace. She had no time to think. Her heart leapt in her chest as his arm wrapped
completely around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She was about to protest when his other hand entangled
itself in her hair, pulling her head back. In one fluid movement, his lips captured hers in a deep, searing kiss.

Completely blown away by the events that were taking place, Nanaka's brain exploded in confusion as Aburatsubo
deepened the kiss still further. His mouth tasted fresh and sweet, and she wanted to lose herself completely.
She allowed herself to respond, returning the kiss with the same intensity and passion that was demonstrated to
her now. She may not have comprehended what was happening, but at that moment, she didn't care. It was her
dream come true. She felt herself being backed into a corner, pressed against the wall. She wrapped her arms
around Aburatsubo's neck and felt the silky strands of his hair slip through her fingers as the kiss became even
more intense, more demanding. Finally, Aburatsubo broke the kiss, breathing heavily as he rested his lips against
hers. His mouth brushed hers seductively as he whispered, "Good morning, Nanaka-chan," in a mischievous, husky tone.

Completely overwhelmed by what took place, Nanaka tried to speak. "Ab,A,Aburatsubo-sempai, I don't underst.."
Her thoughts were cut off as he kissed her neck, trailing kisses all along her jaw and throat. She could feel every
inch of his heated body as he pressed her against the wall. She shuddered as she felt him nip her earlobe, his
warm breath caressing her ear as he spoke.

"Nanaka, I've been wanting to do this for the longest time..." He moved back slightly to gaze deeply into her
eyes, noting the present confusion. Isn't this how Aburatsubo always tried to act around Takeo? Nanaka lost
herself in his emerald eyes, glazed with raw passion, so intense and hypnotic as they enticed her. As if by
sheer magnetism, Aburatsubo bent down slowly to kiss her again. She decided to throw her confusion out the
window, and tilted her head up in anticipation. She felt the barest brush of his lips against hers, a
whisper of a caress...

and then she woke up.

To be continued...............

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I know, I know. Too much! Well, personally, I'm not too pleased with this part, but the next (I hope) will be better.
Thanks for reading- keep sending those comments!