Sister Pri 07
In one word it was excitement. That's what it was. The easiest way to put it. The girls were excited. Wataru had gone crazy. One might have thought they'd want him back to normal, but this was too good to be true. He didn't know how to dance… or he had never told anyone, and hid the fact like his life depended on it. And yet Kaho, the last he had danced with, was dead set on getting another chance to glide around the grass with Brother.
Another good word was chemistry. They had a good thing going here. Zippity-doo-da, and all that Disney slop. Sakuya kept looking at her hand through class and wondering whether washing it was really such a good idea. Not unnecessarily because she was a freak or something, but it was a really good heist for Wataru, and he might never pull a stunt like that again and nobody would ever believe her when she told them about it. Shirayuki kept humming, 'shall we dance,' through first period. Mami kept getting angry every time she thought about the good breakfast she had missed out on since bud had to dance like an idiot high on love and coke, and kept blushing when she couldn't stay mad long.
Crazy might be another one word answer, but I think I've had enough of those for one fanfic start. Maybe I've even had too much, but you don't want to hear me go on about that, back to the story!
Just as the school got out for lunch a few of the girls met by coincidence in the hall.
"Mamoru," Yotsuba said suspiciously, "you're awfully chipper this morning."
"Oh, shut up, I'm not talking to you after last night."
"Give me a break, you did spoil my plan."
"Smarter than I look? Honestly…" and she started to walk away.
"Shirayuki!" Yotty called out as she passed, making Mamoru almost involuntarily turn around. "How did you get Brother Dearest to dance with you this morning?"
"I didn't, he got me dancing. I was yawning and he… I don't remember what happened exactly, but the next thing I knew he had grabbed my hand and…" she made a twirly movement with her wrist. "He was just in a good mood I guess."
"Well, I'll have to try yawning next time, maybe he'll try something a little more unorthodox…"
"Yeah, like yawning back," said a new voice.
"So… the genius inventor once again rears her ugly head… that's a lot of make up Rin Rin."
"Like you'd know Yotsuba."
"Actually I think that is a bit much for school," Shirayuki said, pulling out a handkerchief and rolling it in her hand, "don't you?"
"No, not while Bro's in his swing. A little out of the box never hurts when it's carefully done."
Mamoru's mouth fell open as something clicked. "Where's Sakuya, I'm going to borrow some of her make-up."
"Me too," Yotty chimed in.
"Girls, girls, please," Wataru said, as he came out from behind a corner.
"AAAAAA!" they chorused, realizing he had heard any or all of their conversation.
"Make-up isn't going to help you that much, especially when used in the copious amounts Madame Rin rin here has… elected to use."
"You know you want it."
"That's a dangerous phrase madam! For all I know you mean I want to 'get' it, and 'get it' in the sense of somebody taking a two by four to the back of my head. In such a scenario I most certainly do not want to get it, though I might enjoy giving it."
"Whatever, just give me some right now," Rin Rin said, pointing to her cheek.
"You didn't hear a word he said, did you?" Yotsuba asked.
"Yotsuba did you ever get that thing cleared up with Yamada?"
"Thing… you mean his-"
"Asking me, to ask you, if I liked you, and all that."
"No, why?"
"Because he just fed me a teary sob story about how all he wanted was to be closer to you, and I gave him the ol' do what you want but the next time I catch you on my property after dark, one two, if you know what I mean."
"And?"
"And he sort of has a thing for you I guess. You player you."
"What!"
Mamoru and Rin Rin, burst out laughing, and even Shirayuki let out a squeak or two.
"I could always tell him we're an item."
The laughing stopped.
Unnerved by the silence he added a quick, "…or something."
"Don't do that, Big Bro."
"Elder Brother, what would happen if you did? You wouldn't kiss her would you?"
"Huh?" he asked.
"I think I'd be a splendid thing to do."
"You're so non sequitur, Bro"
"And you're so articulate, Dictionary. I mean Rin Rin."
She growled and attempted to punch him in the shoulder.
"Play nice, little Rin," he said, side stepping the swipe. "Don't you know what happens to bad little girls?"
She growled louder and shook her fist at him.
"What does happen to bad little girls?" Shirayuki asked.
He held up a finger to ward the other girls off, and stepped very close to Shirayuki, giving her a once over with the eyes.
He sniffed.
"I don't think you have to worry about it," he whispered in her ear, "but if you ever have a bad dream or whatnot, I'm always right down the hall, for… whatever… usually playing cars with a couple of friends because I can't sleep. And you know my friends," he said backing up, and speaking louder, she was already looking at him googly eyed, the damage was done, "they're light, and fun to have around. One comes in a holster, the other a hip flask. Grape juice just doesn't taste right if it's in anything else."
"Holster my foot," Rin Rin said, trying to hide her jealous fit. Curse that Shirayuki and her good girl routine.
"I'm a bad girl," Yotsuba volunteered.
"In your dreams," Wataru snorted, as he started walking for the doors.
"You're mean!" she called after him.
"And you forgot my name!" he called back.
"Wait Big Bro!" Mamoru called, running after him.
"You're not going to tell me you're a bad girl, are you?" he asked, not stopping or slowing, just talking as he made his way outside.
"No, but I'm not a goody two shoes, or anything like that…"
He gave her a once over and snorted.
Her mouth fell open again. "Big Jerk."
"What?"
"You heard me."
He stopped walking and looked at her, a little interested now.
"Did you just call me a big jerk?"
"And I'll do it again."
"Well, you certainly aren't a coward, I can see it in you eyes. You're going to grow up to be law, aren't you."
"What's it to you?"
"Good cop, bad cop, everybody wants to play, but nobody's got the game down pact."
"Good cop, bad cop? You? More like good cop, bad little boy."
He snorted as he started walking again.
"Big Jerk."
He stopped again.
"Stop saying that."
"Why are you so nice to Shirayuki?'
"Nice? Did you see her? She's probably scared out of her mind by now. In fact…"
Just then the two of them saw her wander past in a dreamy daze, mumbling something about good little girls, not even aware of who she was passing.
"Scared out of her mind?"
"Mamoru, you're on thin ice for a girl of your weight."
Her mouth opened, then, just as fast, it closed.
"You just want to end this because you know I'm entirely correct when I say-"
"Don't-"
"Big-"
"Say-"
"Jerk!"
"Ugh…"
"Come on, Big Bro. You're not always like this. Rin Rin's concoction couldn't have been that conscious consuming."
He began to feel like himself again. "Mamoru, who do you like better?"
"Big Bro?"
"Me, or the other me?"
"I like you, Big Bro, whoever you are."
"Well you're no help."
"Shape up," she said giving him a hug. "You'll be fine. I know you will."
"Thanks, but…"
"Yeah?"
He put his arm on the wall and got a new, expensive cologne, voice going, as he put his face almost on hers. She would have backed up, but there was a row of lockers.
"You're still no help you know…"
"Yeah…"
"But I think…"
He was getting closer
"yeah…"
"Mamoru," he said, moving in.
"Big… Jerk!" she shouted, shoving him away and running off, stifling a giggle.
His teeth clamped shut as he watched her turn a corner.
"Not going to say anything?" he growled through said clamped shut teeth.
"What's to say?" Chikage asked.
She had been watching from an enclave, and now that Mamoru was gone he could smell just a hint of lavender in the air. It was a spirit smell. Don't ask why. Haruka had more of a rose scent, and Sakuya wore whatever was in fashion, usually an abstract scent that was a very good smell, but you wouldn't find it anywhere out in nature, and nine times out of ten you couldn't find it anywhere other than those TV infomercials 'for less than fifty-nine ninety-nine.' He had that kind of cash… before he met Rin Rin.
"You can't think of anything?"
"That was a close one?" she asked, asking if that was a good thing to say, not asking if that was actually a close one, because we all know full well that was a darn close one.
…for lunchtime, at home. Had they been in Venice under a full moon it would have been plain prudish of them not to make out a little bit before parting ways.
"First one was better."
"I know."
He walked over, taking a deep breath.
"Lovely as ever, Chikage…"
"Blow in my ear again and you're going to 'get it'."
"But you were asking for it," he said, making a 'follow' motion with his hand as he started once more towards the doors. "I can read body language."
"So can I and-"
"Then you already know that when you're walking away from a sunset, or sunrise, or whatever, with a person you like, 'no' means 'yes,' 'go brush your teeth' means 'no tongue,' and 'not right now' means 'quick while I'm in the mood'."
"Quick while I'm in the mood?" she asked, her eyes open pretty wide for Chikage.
"Quick, while I'm in the mood," he said, very matter-of-fact like.
"Well what is my body language saying now, Mr. Genius?" she asked, giving him a little bump with her hips as the strolled out the doors
"It's saying 'I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me.' An odd thing to say, unless you were meaning to quote 'bohemian rhapsody'."
"I'm so glad you're here to point that out Brother Dearest. Before hand I would have thought I was just bumping into you… Then again, if I really over analyzed, maybe I would have interpreted some loose flirting but were so non-compatible."
"Non-comp-! Cut it with the geek chatter and tell me how smart I am again."
She smiled, and punched him in the shoulder. She hit like a girl, but it was the thought that counted.
"As long as we're talking geek chatter I might bring up that I'll speak my foreign language of geek while you speak yours of super geek, because we all know that there's no way you could be half the things you say you are, and no way you could do half the things you say you do, especially and… particularly while you're living where you are and going to school full time."
"Look who's talking, Miss Creature of the night."
"Creature of the night? Oh, you're talking about me being in the sunlight, right? You'd think I'd be dead by now, wouldn't you? Melted or something?"
"Well, a little before now to be honest, but since you haven't I guess there's just no hope for the hopeless."
"Hopeless… that's a good word for you."
"Long-skirt-wearing. That's a good word for you."
"I don't think it's 'a' word."
"Take it anyway, it's true."
"You think my personal style is a bad thing?"
"Chikage with you-"
"Big Brother!" Karen shouted, running up behind them.
"What?"
"It's Mamoru, she won't come out of the bathroom, we thought you could…"
But she trailed off when she saw both Wataru and Chikage slowly shaking their heads.
"Oh no… you didn't… kiss her did you?"
He folded his arms behind his head and turned around, it looked defiant, making Karen gasp, but Chikage was there to clear it up.
"Not this time, Karen…"
"Can't you come and help, Chikage?"
"I can, but…"
"Then let's go, and you don't kiss anyone, understand?"
Wataru turn around and glared at her. She took a few deep breaths, then dragged Chikage off.
"Storms blowin' in," the old Fisherman said behind him.
He turned around and saw a faceful of old man.
"Aaa!" he shouted, backing up and falling down.
"Having girl troubles, young whippersnapper?"
"Nothing I can't handle old timer. And you?"
"Can't beat the ladies off with a stick. That's about usual. Not while I'm on the job of course."
"Of course."
"Now if I can just give you one bit of advice, it's-"
"Hey Fisherman!" Yamada shouted the other edge of the school grounds. "Somebody's towing your boat."
"WHAT!" he shouted. Leaping upon a pile of back to school posters he had just taken down, and seeing Yamada wasn't trying to make a fool out of him, he made off for the dock at warp seven.
Wataru watched him trail off and muttered, "So much for that," as he picked himself up off the ground.
"So much for what?"
"Mami? Aren't you suppose to be sympathizing with Mamoru right now, with… you know, the rest of them?"
"Yeah well… Sympathizing isn't really my thing…"
"And they sent you here to make sure I don't kiss anyone or anything, right?" he asked, almost growling.
"You got it."
"Well you can go tell them I've sworn women off."
She snorted.
"No, really! Girls are too girly for me. I'm going to clone myself now."
"Is that so?" she asked, smiling from ear to ear, not even trying to hide the sarcasm.
"Yeah, that's so. And then I'll clone myself again, or if it hurts I'll clone the clone, and there'll be a million of us. No! I got it! I'll clone myself, but I'll make the clone a girl."
"AAArrrggghhh!"
"What is it?"
"You're disgusting, I don't even want to think about that!" she shouted half laughing, half grimacing.
"But I'm a man, I don't think; I just see what I want and… get right to it, as they say."
"I bet you do."
"That's right, and if you made a male clone of yourself he'd agree."
"I bet he would."
"Mami, what do you look like with your hair down?"
"Who wants to know, bud?"
"I do"
"Well it's none of your business."
"You're right, wearing your hair down is too much of a hassle."
"I didn't say that!"
"You know, you would have to wash it occasionally if you did that, and that's asking a bit much, right?"
"I wash my hair every day!"
"P-shaw! Who-Ha! Let me smell!"
"No!"
"I knew it."
"I don't care what you know, I-"
"I bet you don't."
"I don't."
"I bet you don't."
"I don't!"
"I bet you-erk"
She got him in a sissy headlock.
"Now say it with me! I don't care what you think."
He sniffed. "Well, at least you washed your arm recently."
"I said: I don't-"
"Maybe it was just a one time thing though."
Sensing the pointlessness of it all she let him go.
"Darn it! You're so-"
He quickly slid his hand round her neck to pull her head forward and a shiver went down her spine.
He started to smell, but was rudely interrupted by Yotty who he saw just behind her.
"I just deduced you like putting your face next to other people's faces for some odd reason."
"Just barely…?" he asked, a little put out, releasing Mami. Her hair did smell nice though. Curses, and he was going to play it out more.