Rating: K+

Words: 1,058

A conversation between Iku and Shibasaki.

"I don't think Tezuka has a sex drive."

Out of the corner of her eye, Shibasaki saw Kasahara's shoulders jump a little. The idea that a married woman, even Kasahara, would still flinch demurely at the casual mention of sex was beyond Shibasaki, but she chose not to comment on it this time. "Am I wrong? Listen to this, Kasahara. I've gone out of my way to hang around Tezuka more than usual this week, experimentally, and didn't detect an ounce of change in his behavior. Not an ounce." Kasahara glanced surreptitiously around the bar, clearly feeling a little awkward, but the only people paying them any mind was the small group of guys unsubtly trying to check Shibasaki out from across the room. Even as tipsy as she was, Shibasaki noted Kasahara's discomfort, but she was going to finish complaining before she gave Kasahara a reprieve. "The only men who wouldn't be affected by my presence either aren't interested in women, aren't interested in romance or sex, or there's something seriously wrong with them." But Shibasaki could still call to mind the feeling of Tezuka's arms encircling her, of Tezuka kissing her passionately in the dark, in the abandoned room the force set up as bait to catch the library force's leak during the ordeal with Touma-sensei. She shook her head. Tezuka had a sex drive, that was assured. While Shibasaki trusted Kasahara completely, she didn't think that particular incident was need-to-know, so she kept the information to herself.

Kasahara gave her the flat, unimpressed look of a roommate who had been constantly compared to her beautiful, popular friend by their peers for years. "That's the epitome of the arrogance of a beautiful woman," she remarked sarcastically, discomfort melting into exasperation. "Tezuka is just stoic like that. It doesn't mean he hasn't been freaking out on the inside. Besides, you'd probably be disappointed if he reacted the way you expected, right?" Kasahara was always surprisingly perceptive about things like this. Shibasaki was a little unsettled to realize that yes, if Tezuka had been slavering over her or acting differently just because she was around him a little more often, it would have been a disappointing recognition that he was just the same as any other hot-blooded male. She muttered some noncommittal "well, yeah"s and "I guess"s. "So there you go," Kasahara concluded, waving her hand through the air as if to physically signal the end of the subject. "I'm sure he's having trouble of his own with his feelings– err…" She cut herself off abruptly, going from nonchalant to nervous in the space of a heartbeat. "Or, you know… trouble with… whatever. I wouldn't know." Kasahara threw back a big swallow of her drink as though to stop the random flow of words her previous eloquence had devolved into. Huh? What was that…? Shibasaki looked at her friend a little closer, watching her avoid eye contact in favor of a sudden all-encompassing fascination with her drink.

"Kasahara, has he said anything to you?" Shibasaki needled, eyes narrowing. Kasahara's eyes darted quickly to her face, then directly away. Definitely suspicious.

"No, he hasn't… said anything…" Shibasaki's glare was murderous. Kasahara leaned away slightly, beginning to visibly sweat. "I swear! It's not like that, and you know he wouldn't talk to me about stuff like that anyway!"

Shibasaki leaned in menacingly. "Then what is it that has you so nervous, Kasahara?" Kasahara exhaled loudly, her undercurrent of nervousness suddenly turning into something more petulant.

"It's just…If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm not going to tell you!" She burst out, jutting out her chin grumpily. "You and Tezuka's private business is none of my concern. I am not involved!" She took another swig of her drink, this time in apparent agitation. Shibasaki blinked, unprepared for her sudden outburst.

"What exactly makes you think Tezuka and I have private business?" Shibasaki asked, wondering anxiously if anybody else in the library thought that she and Tezuka had "private business". As far as she was aware, nobody knew that they had kissed a few times, and moreover, nothing further had occurred between them. They had an amicable friendship, much like he had with Kasahara, and she had carefully curated that image so that was how others would view her connection with Tezuka- merely friendly coworkers. It was different, of course, friendship between two women and friendship between a woman and a man, so she had to limit their interactions carefully. What she hadn't taken into account, she was now realizing, was how Tezuka was acting when she wasn't around. He didn't seem like the type to gossip or talk about her behind her back, but if somebody else- like, say, Kasahara or Instructor Komaki- brought up the subject of their relationship in conversation, how would he respond? Kasahara was looking more frustrated, seeming to consider what she could tell Shibasaki without betraying Tezuka. He was her friend, too, Shibasaki remembered with a tiny pang of guilt.

"Well… maybe it's nothing," she muttered, and Shibasaki briefly wasn't sure if Kasahara had meant for her to hear that. "I don't know what's going on between you two, if anything- but if you want to know any more, you'll have to take it up with Tezuka."

Luckily Kasahara wasn't looking at her, because Shibasaki couldn't keep the patronizing smile off of her face as realization dawned. Does she think I don't know that Tezuka is attracted to me? Tezuka was occasionally a little more difficult to read than most men, but Shibasaki knew at least that much. The way Kasahara was trying to keep Tezuka's feelings a secret was adorable. Plus, the fact that she thought that nothing was going on between them- well, it meant she didn't know that they had kissed. There was a small relief to be found in that Tezuka hadn't given that away to Kasahara, or done or said something to tip her off.

"Okay, maybe I will," Shibasaki responded coolly, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a practiced move. "But if I find out that you've been talking about me behind my back…" Kasahara raised both hands in a don't shoot gesture.

"I only sing your praises behind your back," she quipped, dramatically placing her right hand over her heart. Shibasaki laughed.

"Damn straight."