A Walk On the Side

By Cassandra

A/N: Yeah, here is the next chapter. I don't really feel like talking now. I think this chapter's a bit off. Haaaah….

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything beyond Kira and Aoi, deshou?

Chapter I

The Morning After

In the morning, the usual sound that could be heard in the shared apartment of Aoi and Kira Kou was of cooking. There were sizzling pans, ringing toasters, and beeping ovens along with the scrapes and other distinctive sounds of cooking and eating utensils that could be heard making music in the kitchen and in the middle of it all was Aoi.

In that particular morning, the blond Starlight was dressed in a turtleneck sleeveless dress that was dark orange in color under a plain white apron as she went through her cooking routines with a hum on her lips and a content smile on her face. Cooking was Aoi's passion and she did it everyday without complaint since she loved it and didn't dare count on Kira to do it for her, if she didn't want the apartment to burn down.

Unfortunately, Kira's soldierly skills didn't extend to cooking. The last time the red-haired Senshi tried to cook something, the oven broke down. Since then Aoi had learned her lesson and only allowed Kira to come into the kitchen when the food was ready and all he had to do was carry it to the dining table or else it was time to wash the dishes, which was Kira's task.

With a contented sigh, she removed her apron and laid it down beside the kitchen counter where her prepared breakfast was placed. Aoi paused for a moment to listen to the other sounds within the apartment that could only come from Kira's bedroom.

When she woke up that morning, she was still encased in Kira's arms. It took some time for her to realize what was going on and a bit more for her to stop blushing and actually do something about it. Kira was still sleeping when she got up to fix breakfast. By now, he should be almost done with fixing himself up for the day.

Her brown heels clicked gently against the marble floor as she walked towards the entryway to the kitchen where she peeked her head out and called,

"Kira! Breakfast is ready!"

She had just picked up the plate of toasted bread when she heard a voice from the entryway.

"I knew I smelled something good cooking."

Aoi looked up and smiled at Kira who stood at the door, smiling wider with approval when she saw what the other was wearing and that her partner was female.

"I see I'm not going to be fighting with you about appearances today."

Kira sighed, approaching the table as she did so, her own heels clacking pleasantly against the marble floor.

"Well, wouldn't want to upset the Princess now do we?" The red-haired senshi responded as she picked up another plate, which contained a large omelet. There was a small frown on Kira's face however as she turned towards the door once more. "Despite how I disapprove of Seiya's plans, I could not disappoint my Princess if she so requests my cooperation."

Aoi shook her head as she followed her now-female friend towards the dining room.

"Really now Kira, must you always color your choices depending on what would rile up Seiya-san?"

Kira looked over her white-clothed shoulder, a pout bowing her glossed lips. "That you think so poorly of me, Aoi-chan, wrenches my heart to pieces."

Despite her usually docile manner, Aoi managed a skeptical smile. She was used to Kira's dramatics after living with her for so long.

Her plate of toast was placed on the dining table before the two of them when she came to the dining table.

"I'm sure."

Today was the day when the Earth Senshi would be coming to visit and the Inner Starlights had planned a prank for them to come in effect when they de-henshin from their Senshi forms. They were to turn to men and none of the Kinmokian Senshi and Kakyuu-hime were supposed to tell them how to get back to normal, even if it was just an easy, predictable process.

The prank then required that the Kinmokian Senshi remain in their Senshi or at least female forms at all times. It was a great sacrifice for Seiya as well as Kira who were accustomed to switching to their male forms when they felt like it. Seiya was willing to become a female a while longer since it was all for the sake of pulling a joke. Kira hadn't approved of it, not liking that Seiya and the others could be so rude to their guests. He had been appalled when his Princess had allowed it and was forced into doing it only when Kakyuu herself asked him "to loosen up and just have fun for a while."

So now there was Kira, dressed in a ruffled white long-sleeved buttoned up shirt tucked into a high-waisted, flowing pair of pants over high-heeled black boots. The two topmost buttons of the shirt were purposely left open to show a bit of cleavage and the black choker with a blue moon teardrop pendant. The outfit displayed and accented her curves, leaving no doubt to any one who would see her that she was a woman and nothing but.

When Kira decided to dress up, she will dress up in the best way she could.

Lowering themselves gracefully into their seats in front of their breakfast, they started on their meal.

There was a silent interval between the two friends as they chose and gathered the food that they wanted into their plates. Kira favored the omelet and toast that morning while Aoi satisfied herself with a bagel and cream cheese.

Kira shook her head as she saw what Aoi had typically picked out.

"Are you sure that's going to be enough for you to last until lunch?"

"I'm sure, Kira. Really, you could stop worrying about me now." Aoi told her, shaking her head in a sigh as she split a bagel open and slathered it generously with cream cheese. She looked up as she bit into her bagel and chewed thoughtfully. "You should be the one I'm worried about. Are you sure you got enough sleep?"

The red-haired Senshi stopped in mid-motion of placing her toast towards her mouth. She looked uncomfortable suddenly, almost ashamed of something and Aoi was sorry that she asked. It was obvious that Kira was still a bit bothered by that nightmare that plagued him the night before.

"I'll be all right." She answered, her voice sounding normal but her eyes wouldn't meet Aoi's questioning gaze. One side of her lips quirked into a small smile, but her best friend wasn't fooled. She was tapping her slice of toast absently against the side of her plate. She glanced up and smiled briefly at Aoi. "You shouldn't worry."

Kira's gaze transferred to her free hand when Aoi got a hold of it and squeezed. Aoi watched as her partner continued to stare at their linked hands, as if waiting for it to disappear.

For some reason, Kira had become far too dependent on her presence, probably because she was Kira's first and best friend. They had been together practically forever and had gone through so much. Aoi knew that Kira still blamed herself over the fact that she had allowed her friend to die under Galaxia's hands.

She had promised to always protect Aoi, no matter how wrong it was to promise such a thing. Them being Senshi, they were supposed to put the galactic system they protected above everything else.

When Kira was convinced that Aoi's hand was not going to disappear from her grasp, she tightened her hold under it. Her silvery gray eyes lifted to meet Aoi's gaze at last. Kira's eyes were suddenly so sad, desperate. They were eyes that had seen a terrible death.

"I just don't want to lose you again." Her voice was strong beyond the velvety quiet tone that she used.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kira." Aoi answered softly her lips lifting in a small smile.

Silence fell between them as words and their meaning sunk into their minds, filing another memory.

Aoi stood up and went towards Kira who looked positively curious. It didn't take long for Kira to reciprocate the action when Aoi pulled her into her own embrace. Aoi's fingers brushed against the stray curls that hung around Kira's face.

"I'm here. You don't need to worry."

Kira's eyes closed as she heard the words.

Sighing, she leaned her head over Aoi's stomach and surrendered to the peace and the bliss.

She still had her doubts; they never really went away. For now, however, she would be content with what she had and not think of what might come in the future.

It would just hurt far too much.

The blond haired Senshi of Keeper continued to hold her friend and partner in comfort. Sometimes, Kira could be so much like a child, an angry one at that. Kira's childhood wasn't really that happy and Aoi understood why she sometimes seemed so aloof and distant. It wasn't easy for her to get to trust people, but when she did, it would take a lot to take that trust away.

Kira trusted and cherished her, she was sure. How deeply though, she didn't know.

As she ran her thin fingers through Kira's red tangle of hair, she wondered when she would ever know the real depth of Kira's feelings.

She drew away her hand then at this thought.

No matter how she wanted to know, she was still afraid of the possibility of losing her.

Kira looked up to meet Aoi's blue green gaze when she stopped with her gentle, calming actions. Aoi smiled peacefully down at her.

"You have to eat now, Kira-chan." She told her red-haired companion and without her meaning to, she leaned down and kissed her friend on the forehead.