She dropped her clothes, and did not bother to cover herself with her towel. She entered the bath and approached the couple.

"Hi Motoko. Looks like you're having fun." Naru let out a little giggle that only served to unnerve them. Something wasn't right.

"Can I help out?" Naru continued. Neither of the two could answer, stunned by her different persona. Keitaro was also taken by Naru's stunning beauty, which she didn't bother covering this time. Naru noticed.

"Like what you see, pervert?" She said playfully, striking a little pose. "Maybe you get to touch it later." She winked at him again.

"N-Naru!" Keitaro raised a hand to his nose. Motoko's jaw dropped at her scandalous behavior. Naru came close, letting her hand palm run along Motoko affectionately, before coming to sit in front of Keitaro in all her naked glory.

"I'll wash his front," She said as she brought a towel to the fore, and slowly started on his chest, descending downward. Motoko finally found her voice.

"What are you doing! What are you thinking, Naru-san?"

Naru closed her eyes and composed herself. Her hands, along with the towel she was using on Keitaro came to fall in her lap. She then opened her eyes and looked intensely at them.

"My question was... could you find it in yourself to share Keitaro with me, even if it's once?"

****

Revised

A Different Fate
Chapter 5- Bonds of Marriage

The mist hung over the Hinata Sou's hot spring, parting to give view to the unfolding drama below. A chilly foreboding gust of wind blew by in the deafening silence that seemed to have fallen with the end of the previously spoken words. Keitaro's eyes widened and he quickly snapped his head around to get Motoko's take on this question. Keitaro's mind was already running wild in the time it would take Motoko to respond.

With...Naru? A night of passion with my first love? What would any other man dream of? But that would be adultery right? Infidelity. Could...I bring myself to do such a thing with that on my mind, even if Motoko permitted? What about her honor? It would probably never permit such a thing..... I...what....my heart and mind are telling me different things. My heart wants it, but when I consider Motoko's feelings...I...

"No."

Naru's determined expression faltered for a moment before reaffirming itself. "No?"

"Keitaro....indeed loves you. I cannot lie to myself about that. But as my husband....the a love between you and him is no longer possible. If...I allowed such a thing to happen, he'd never get over you." Motoko never once met her gaze.

Naru's expression became stoic and unreadable before breaking into desperate. "I..."

Keitaro's heart ached, oh how it ached. He never wanted to see Naru in this sort of pain EVER in ANY lifetime. It tore at his very soul.

A teardrop glistened in the moonlight as it hit the water, followed by another one from a different source. Tears from two different people, who love the same man. This aforementioned man, the cause of the rift formed in their friendship. Life, Love, Friends. So complex are the relationships between people. Love possibly destroying friendship. Sometimes even friendship destroys love.

Motoko put a hand to Keitaro's cheek to turn him to face her. She met with some resistance, but he eventually allowed her to turn his head. His eyes were clamped shut, attempting to dam the tears, to shut out the vision of his first love in pain. He tried to block everything. Light, Sound, and Thought were all tenaciously being blocked out to the best of Keitaro's ability. Motoko lowered her eyes, her head following. She let her hand slide down his wet chest to rest in the water on her lap.

Naru sat silently in the same position, her face now fallen to a ghastly mask of calm, with silent tears flowing. She looked off into some unforeseen place.

"Just....once...." heads resisted the natural urge to look towards the speaker. They did not want to see such a sight. "I...just wanted something to remember him....by. He's my first love. I want...something to...remember." Naru choked on sobs as she spoke.

Motoko had an internal debate. She meant what she said about the repercussions of such an act, but here was Naru, her friend, her former comrade in arms against the perceived perverse threat of Keitaro, crying. She...could tell that her husband was hurt as well over this development, even more than she was. Traditionally, husbands would sleep around, but they were to be discreet about it. Motoko was a traditional person, but felt that marriage was something between two people and ONLY two. However...they did not come to this entirely willfully. They didn't have a choice, their love founded by circumstances and convenience. Yes, there was more to it, but if not for this situation, she would ever have had his love. She stood sighing, her hair obscuring her face from view. She started walking away.

Naru eyes followed her, laced in desperate fear. Motoko was leaving, and thus by relation, Keitaro would follow. It was decided in the most final way. The child within her called out in her mind, in memory of some past. 'No, don't leave me alone! Wait!' Emotions from this hazy memory mixed with ones of her current dilemma, fueling her tears. Keitaro stood to follow, casting back a long look asking for forgiveness. Keitaro closed his eyes as a few tears escaped, freed to the wind. He turned to follow his bride when a hand pressed against his chest. His eyes snapped open to see Motoko giving him a sad look and shaking her head. She continued walking towards the exit as Keitaro stood there in shock. His wife was not allowing him to follow her? What had he done? She must want some alone time. If she needs it, I'll give it to her, Keitaro thought solemnly. He followed Motoko's form as it went through the doorway with a towel covering her private areas.

He completely missed the look that was cast behind him.

[End Chapter Six]

***

I chose to end it here, even if it is a bit short, because I like to end on cliffhangers. *shrug* too bad for you, the reader, huh? I've become a busy person, working full time, making plans for college and transportation, so I haven't had much time. The time that I did have was used to read fanfics, or Love Hina manga or Chobits. I have ALL of Hina, and will have all of Chobits when the next issue comes out. I will probably collect Angelic Layer next, and try to finish my Inuyasha manga collection. It's easier for me to collect manga than anime, because I can spend a little at a time to build up my collection. For anime, I buy box sets(imported), so I have to spend ALOT at once.

Continuing for those who read these, It took me a while to figure out what to write. I went with the flow, but I'm still left with the decision of whether or not to allow anything to happen. I am leaning towards one, but a good story doesn't necessarily have to have a good ending. Some of the best stories I read had the saddest ones. So, I vow to write at least one drama/angst. I'm currently working on Hina ½ and will get to "When Things Happen." My best work yet, however, I plan to have it be a Shinobu/Keitaro pairing. It's not that I favor that pair at all. Motoko is my favorite female. However, I've got a rather disturbing idea I wish to take the challenge of writing. It's a hyper complex situation, but I have to find a way to portray it with logical sense. I've thought of different ways, but I still have to decide how. This story, since I want it to be my best, will not begin to be posted until it's complete(probably). I want the story to mesh together in the way only a planned story could. I'm writing it by doing some of the crucial scenes first and then building around them. I will then mesh the history and plot line in a tapestry. I have to have the whole story complete so it all adds up. I will probably, after I complete my currently posted stories, only post when the story is completed. This will increase update time for the fic, and while it's being released I can work on another fic full time.

Thank you my fans for enjoying my works, I promise you I will only strive to make future works even better. Please take the time to review...it may affect the outcome of this situation...