Wild-filly: Yay! I'm officially unemployed! (pauses) Well… sort of anyway. Have applied to study Law and Arts at university next year, so my semi-student-drain-on-society tag will only last for about three months. But either way, I don't suppose many of you found that interesting in the slightest, so I'll cut to the chase (grins).
Many thanks to the following reviewers! "The one also known as frances", Andrea, hiddenwindmill, Tora Macaw, lucifer001, Hatake-Kakashix3, TEH NON-CONFUZZLED ONE! (good on you!), kimpster, "anonymous", TheDragonclawMistress, JapanAnimeGirl, Aisuhana and CripticWolf. Cannot thank you all enough for your encouragement. To TEH NON-CONFUZZLED ONE: yes, wild-filly does love horses strangely enough! She works her own horse at elementary level dressage and attributes her writing style to one-too-many blows to the head from aerobatic dismounts during competition (snickers).
Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto, or more importantly, Kakashi… I have a new figurine though!
Oh yeah, the link I posted for the Kurotaka drawing didn't come up properly -- Shall try again now with spacing.
Ww w. wild - filly. devia ntart . co m that ought to work now
You wanted fluff, then we've got fluff! And dodgy humour. This chapter comes with a twist of lime at long last.
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Okumen Gokurakuchou: Chapter 22
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Well, that was one way to end a romantic interlude without looking too foolish. Not that foolishness itself was entirely avoided. The gargantuan bulk of Miss Shiro quivered like a potentially dangerous jelly, eyes smouldering with ire-struck embers as she glared first at Kurotaka and then back at Kakashi. He couldn't decide which action he'd rather perform first: to bail out of the nearest (and probably self-invented) window, or see if she'd spontaneously combust from sheer rage. Both were exceptionally tempting, but for now he reserved his actions to removing himself from Kurotaka's foot and carefully stepping slightly behind her and out of harm's way. Kuro herself quietly composed her features and smiled innocently at the glowering landlady.
"It's alright Shiro-san. He wasn't trying to have his wicked way with me; we are on very good terms".
The older woman snorted, now appearing in Kakashi's fascinated eyes to be something of an angry draft horse; all bulk and hair and temper. "Be that as it were Yumenimo-san, but he broke into this place and I shall have to ask him to pay for the damages that he caused".
Kurotaka now stared at Kakashi in a most uncomfortably interested fashion. "You broke into the building for me?" The look of watery adoration she was demonstrating was quite unnerving and most inappropriate for their current situation. Kakashi nodded quickly and bowed his head to Miss Shiro. "I shall pay for the door right away. I apologise for the rudeness of my entry, but I was relieved to know that Yumenimo-san had returned from her mission".
A few coins changed hands, and Miss Shiro lumbered off, glancing back over her shoulder in a threatening manner every so often. "You'll obey the curfew here! No guests after 10pm, understand? If you're still in this building past then, I'll beat you black and blue with that broomstick again!" Kakashi winced and carefully waited until she had rounded the corner out of sight to reply. "Surely you wouldn't risk damaging your only means of transportation?"
Kurotaka snickered appreciatively. "Come on in". The missing key had been extracted from her pile of scattered and filthy belongings by one irritated landlady. With a clunk, she shoved open the heavy wooden door and staggered into the room, arms laden with piles of miscellaneous junk. Kakashi sidestepped inside rather nervously. He'd never been invited into a woman's house before… not that he would have envisaged one to be cobwebbed from ceiling to floor and liberally decorated with carelessly-flung clothing. It looked something more like his own quarters. To be fair though, Kuro did seem somewhat embarrassed by the state of her two-roomed flat.
"I left in a hurry, you know", she commented hurriedly, face slightly flushed as she dumped her bundles into the bathtub and hurriedly shut the bathroom door. "I wasn't expecting company when I returned either".
"That's quite alright" replied Kakashi nonchalantly. "This is what my place looks like after I HAVE cleaned up for company". Kurotaka's raised eyebrow made him hastily reword that phrase. "I mean when Masurao and such come around, I don't mean…"
"Don't worry about it", she waved him silent and sagged down onto the bed – possibly the only clean and neat area in the place. She patted the surface, inviting him to sit, which he did, hesitantly. There was nothing suspect in her eyes, but he couldn't help feeling a little odd. She must have caught the slightly panicked look in his eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal away your innocence. Not unless you ask very nicely, mind". Her expression turned wicked and for a moment he considered begging on one knee, but her face suddenly smoothed, concerned.
"Are you going to tell me what happened to your eye?" She tapped the side of her own left eye for emphasis. "You weren't injured during your last mission were you?"
"Well, actually… yes". He hesitated again. How to explain to her that they both now had something in common? He raised his hand to that forehead protector covering his pupil from view and gently pushed it back, eye closed. Her own eyes widened at the sight of the gash down the lids. But the shock that was writ on her face at the scar was nothing when he opened the eye, revealing a pupil the colour of blood, flecked with black.
"The Sharingan! How on earth?" She could hardly stutter the words, midnight blue eyes wide with horror. "You aren't of the clan?"
"No". He shook his head, eyes downcast. "This is the last gift of my team-mate Uchiha Obito. An attack ruined my own eye and another cost him his life. It was his dying wish to give this to me". Kurotaka rocked back, head bumping against the wall with a dull thud. "Incredible…"
He looked quickly up at her. "Are you alright with the fact that I have this? That I may use the Sharingan; one not even the member of the clan; while you may not?" She glanced back at him in surprise. "Me? Why should I have a problem with it? I just can't believe that you actually have the eye at all. Technically it should be useless to anyone without Uchiha blood in their veins…" She trailed off, comprehension dawning in her stunned eyes. "The blood transfusion I gave you…" Now it was Kakashi's turn to join in the amazement. It had never occurred to him that the eye shouldn't have worked for him after the transplant. Neither him nor Rin had taken this into account. What would have become of them if he hadn't been wounded and Kuro donated blood to fill his veins and fuel the Sharingan?
"Incredible" she murmured again. "You could get the eye removed, but I don't think you'll want to do that. Not after your Obito gave it to you. I can teach you how to use it, although I don't think that my blood alone will allow you to completely master it. You'll never be able to take the red colouration from it, but you will be able to utilise it properly in battle". Kakashi nodded, replacing the cover over his pupil. He could feel his Chakra swirling and pouring out of his body every second that it was uncovered. It was a feeling that he didn't, and would never enjoy. "I shall have to wear the eye-patch for life" he remarked without emotion. Kuro nodded in grim agreement. "It could be worse; he could have given you both eyes".
Now that would have been a sight. A blind ninja. It would have just been his luck as well. He had to grin behind the mask at that thought. Kurotaka smiled encouragingly. "I'm sorry that you lost him. He must have been a truly great friend to give you such a gift". Kakashi nodded, unable to speak. Obito was probably the greatest friend he'd ever had, or so it would seem. Not that Kuro would like to hear that. She was of a different level to friend, however.
Keen to change the subject to matters less painful, Kakashi queried, "and how was your own mission?" Kuro grimaced. "Not so great. Things are a colossal mess up on the frontlines; no one knows where to start and when to stop. Thankfully the majority of my sub-missions were small and the fighting eased off. Since I fell into the category of expendable ninja; no one knows about the Sharingan, see; I was sent home with the rest". There was a note of viciousness in her voice. Bitter that she couldn't even fight as an equal alongside Konoha's most talented Shinobi: not where legitimate Uchiha warriors could recognise her ability, but not her parentage.
Kakashi muttered under his breath. "They wouldn't even be grateful of your abilities on the battlefield?"
Kuro shrugged. "I daresay they would be, but for now I'm not wanted. The Hokage knows what I can do, so until he gives me the order, I don't move". She gazed appraisingly at Kakashi. "I suppose I could use this time to train you how to use your troublesome gift". Kakashi nodded shortly. He had a funny feeling that this would prove both practical and unpleasant at the same time. It had taken Obito that long to master the Sharingan, but the actual use of the eye was quite different to the process used for gaining it. He was willing to bet as well, that Kurotaka was not one to make education an enjoyable process. But for now he had something else on his mind.
"Ah, Kuro…" Kakashi fumbled over the words. How would he put this to her? She looked at him questioningly, eyes carefully unreadable. Honestly… he knew what the answer would be, so why was he so uncertain about asking?
"…would you be willing to go out for dinner with me?" To his amazement and no small delight, she suddenly blushed; skin flushing a deep crimson. It was as if she had forgotten their not-so-subtle greeting only a while earlier. Pulling herself together, she nodded, eyes shining. "Where will we go?"
Damn. He should have thought about this one before asking it. Panic crawled through his bones, sending nasty shivers down his spine. "Ne… do you have a preference?"
"Not really, I'm not that hungry. How about we just grab some ramen and go for a wander?"
And that was that. He'd asked a girl out on his first date. And not just any girl, but a girl who had knocked him unconscious, screamed bloody murder at him, insulted his intelligence and owned a pet seagull that had a list of grudges held against him.
What a beautiful life he led…
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Kakashi had never realised how wonderful Konoha looked at night. Strings of bright paper lanterns were strung between the tall, softly coloured buildings, glowing with gentle light that complimented the clear, star stained night sky above them. Despite the fact that the nation was at war, the people of Konoha were determined to keep up a brave face and act as normal as possible. Night market stalls bubbled with life, continuing to flaunt their wares and beckon shoppers to come nearer to their treasure troves. Kurotaka seemed as cheerful as he'd ever seen her, one pale hand looped under his arm and a light spring in her step. The way that she stared down other Kunoichi gave him the impression that she was leading him around like a tall, grey, prize-winning horse. Mine. Watch and envy. Not that he minded that in the slightest. Besides, if he had then she would have probably risen to the occasion and bought a leash and collar to accent the mood. She possessed a truly evil sense of humour at times.
"Oh yes, I remember now!" Her exclamation caught Kakashi off-guard. Cautiously he turned to her, "precisely what do you remember?"
She grinned. "Remember how your book voucher was ruined by the waterfall ages back? I promised you that I'd get you a book after we got back, but I never got round to it". He stared in amazement. "It's no huge matter" he protested, "besides, isn't it traditional for the man to buy gifts?"
She snorted at him. "And this effects us how? I want to buy you a book, so let's just leave it at that". Kuro ran her eyes down his face. "I think you need to broaden your mind a little regarding tradition, Kakashi-kun". With that, she whirled away and disappeared into the throng of late-night shoppers. Kakashi now noticed that many of them were in a similar situation to he, with loved ones at their sides and pretending not to know of the war that was going on. It was less crowded than normal: a sign that not all of the couples and groups of friends living in Konoha were still in the village, leading their normal lives. Lives that Obito would never have. A lump caught in Kakashi's throat, but he forced it down. Now was the time for life, not dwelling in sorrow.
A few minutes of aimless browsing passed and Kuro had returned, a paper bag clutched to her chest and huge grin spread over her face. His eyes creased into a smile. "You were gone for a while" he commented as she rushed over to his side. She smiled conspiratorially "this took a while to find. It's the latest book written by one of the Legendary Sennin".
"A training manual? Thank y…" His words froze as he pulled off the paper and stared at the front cover. Icha Icha Paradisu. He stared at her incredulously. "You're actually encouraging me to read this sort of material?" he asked accusingly. She just smiled. "You need to relax a little Kakashi. I thought that you might enjoy reading this for a bit of enjoyment. You never know; maybe it is a training manual…" Kakashi was certain that the flush of his cheeks must have spread to his forehead, for if possible, her grin seemed even more vampirically evil.
"Thank you dearest, thank you indeed" sarcasm rolled off his tongue and she frowned mockingly. "Now, now Kakashi, if you don't like it then you can just take it back. I'm sure that wouldn't be too embarrassing for you". He glared at her and tucked the book into one of his kunai pouches. "I'll be fine. Come on. Let's find someone else for you to antagonise".
"And ruin my fun?" A mocking whine flooded her voice as Kuro shuffled to keep up with Kakashi's mock-indignant stalk. "But you're so much fun Kakashi, I can't get as good a reaction out of anyone as I do from you…"
"Keep this up and you'll get a very different kind of reaction from me". Kurotaka took the time to blush now, as Kakashi noted with satisfaction. It was nice to have the game on an even stance. For all of Kuro's bluffs, she too was as unsure of herself as he. Except that she was better at covering it up. They swiftly reached the ramen stand and were digging into two deep bowls of the steaming noodle broth. Kurotaka ate as though famished; which in hindsight, she probably was. Kakashi ate in his standard rapid fashion, partly out of habit and partly to watch her eat since he knew that she'd find it unnerving.
"What is this, a zoo? Look somewhere else before I start charging by the minute". Her irritated retort was mumbled around a mouthful of chopsticks and noodles. Kakashi grinned infuriatingly. "Where would you have me look? There are so many places to choose…"
"Then how about in your skull for the lone brain cell that you occasionally call on?"
"Ah, but I can do that anytime. This on the other hand, I cannot". She didn't seem to know how to respond to that, instead choosing to poke his cheek with the end of one chopstick and continue eating, making a pointed display of not paying attention to him. "Why do you eat so fast anyway? Weird metabolism?"
"Hn… not really. Mostly just so that people don't see my face".
"What's wrong with me seeing it? I didn't manage to get a good look at it earlier, since my short distance sight isn't THAT good"".
"Nothing, nothing at all. I just don't like the genera public seeing it. It makes me feel… vulnerable. Naked".
"Well then, we can't have you dining naked then, can we?" She grinned at him and sat down her bowl. "Let's go for a walk. I want you to pretend to know something about the stars".
He couldn't help it. His eyes bent into a smile and took her hand in his. "I'm not as good as you at pretending things. Why don't you try this time?"
She shook her head. "Call it training in the art of deception. You do it and I'll give you a grade afterwards".
The two wandered out of the lights of the village and to the relative peace of the training arenas; generally empty, save for the occasional hard-core ninja or training class for Academy students. Kakashi led Kuro over to one lone patch in the middle of the field, whereupon he sank to his knees and sat, cross-legged on the grass. She obliged and curled up beside him, head leaning against his shoulder in an amiable, sleepy kind of way.
"Kakashi… your astronomy knowledge isn't bad, but your delivery is terrible. I memorised the exact same pages as you, but at least I don't have to pause for the page turning in your mind!"
"I'm terribly sorry", he murmured, lowering his head down to hers, brushing lips still hidden by the mask over her forehead. "However can I redeem myself?"
She looked up, eyes mischievous but also oddly sincere. "Let me take off your mask". Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, fixing his one dark pupil on her own dark blue irises. She reached up with one hand, fingers delicately tracing the line of his cheekbones and then trailing, slowly coming to rest on the bridge of his nose. Her ring finger tucked softly under the fabric and pulled, gently easing the fabric down as though teasing open a flower's petal. Her eyes only left his to drink in the sight of each centimetre of flesh being exposed; drinking as a woman dying of thirst would. At last she rolled the skin-tight fabric down to his neck, curling up like a turtleneck. Kakashi stared sombrely back at her.
She said nothing. Eyes filled with the paleness of him, glowing faintly in the darkness, lit by the generous full moon. Both hands rose to cup his chin, fingers stroking the lines of his face, now revealed to bear features chiselled and soft, long protected from the elements. His lips twitched as she traced them. It was odd to feel the wind's kiss on his cheeks, odd to be exposed. To have been exposed, willingly by someone. Kurotaka's eyes gradually returned to his own, filled with something so quietly powerful that it made him catch his breath.
"Kakashi". The voice that carried his name to his ears was filled with a power that he had never heard. It was commanding and gentle, quiet and yet singing in his head as though shrieked to the skies. Kurotaka's fingers knotted themselves behind his head, her pale nose brushing the tip of his own, black locks twisting in the wind to spill not only over her own shoulders, but his.
"I want you to promise me. Promise me that you will not let any other woman, or anyone else, if you can help it, see this face". Her eyes were watery, almost as though she were about to start crying. One tear in fact, one small tear did spill, trailing down her face with a salty trail in its wake. Kakashi lowered his lips and caught it, warm and moist on his lips and her jowl. He slowly traced its path back up to her eye, gently kissing each centimetre as he passed. When he reached her eye, she closed it for a moment and he kissed the fluttering lid as softly as he could, before pulling back to watch her again.
There was something so urgently selfish in the request that she was making. Something that meant a lot more than letting anyone see his face. Not just his face, but this side of him. Never let anyone else get as close to him as she was now. She was asking him to accept her ownership of him. Her love of him. He felt as though his heart were in his throat and about to leap from his skin. She was staring at him so earnestly, so vulnerably. In awe of the raw emotion before him, Kakashi's breath came in ragged gasps as he opened in his mouth.
"Always. I promise you. Always". The smile that lit up her face could never be burned from his brain. All at once his mouth was on hers, kissing with a tenderness that was only a mere droplet of the ocean of feelings that roared and rushed in his hazy mind. Anyone could have ambushed them now and hell, he couldn't have cared less. He'd have given them the keys to his apartment and told them to take out the rubbish. Kurotaka's heart was thundering on his chest, body warm as she pushed herself against him. Their kisses so gentle at first now took on a heat, foreign yet natural. A great hunger welled in Kakashi; a hunger to be both with her now and forever. His arms tangled themselves around her, pulling her so close that he could hardly breathe, hands twisted in the silken coils of her hair. Her fingers massaged circular patterns into his shoulder blades, mouth insistent, needy on his own.
Her tongue traced the rims of his lips and he opened his mouth, granting her access. They embraced internally, Kakashi exploring the crevices of her teeth with a vague interest. One of them had been knocked out in a fight at some point. He'd been lucky in that case, as she was discovering. He broke the kiss and moved to her forehead, showering her face with kisses on every inch of skin that he could find as she dipped her head lower, nuzzling into his neck. A deep moan forced itself from his throat, Kurotaka's hands busy at his neck, pulling away the tight fabric to expose his pale throat and shoulders. How she had got to him so quickly confounded Kakashi. Her teeth grazed his neck, nipping his skin and driving a growl from the pit of his lungs. Shudders rolled over his spine and he threw his head in the air, gritting his teeth against the cry that battled to break free from his mouth. He dove, pulling apart the white collar of Kuro's kimono and kissing her neck, choosing one spot and sinking his teeth gently onto the smooth skin. She buckled under him and sank to the grass, Kakashi falling on top of her suddenly sprawled form. He continued the aggressive embrace, her light, urgent kisses falling like warm snowflakes on his cheek and brow. His mind was a warm, light fog. Nothing mattered now except being close to this wonderful woman with him and having her gasp with pleasure at his touch.
Hands tangled behind her now came forward, tracing her face as his mouth returned to hers, her fingers caught in his bangs as she forced his attentions back to her eyes. The midnight blue seemed to have lightened, filled with an emotional overload that he had never seen before in anyone. His fingers moved lower, stroking the proud arch of her jaw and delving still lower, to trace her collarbone and tease her gaping neckline lower still. Kakashi dropped his head, kissing the supple skin of her neck and shoulders now exposed, even as Kurotaka sighed and ran her fingers, claw-like through his hair. A binding of clean white bandages bound her ample breasts, and in his emotion-fuelled state, Kakashi was perplexed as to how he would approach it. His hands alternated between stroking curving patterns into her pale skin and moving to cup her breasts.
Kurotaka seemed to sense his dilemma, for her moved her own hands down to catch his own, guiding them to her back and forcing them to untie the flat knot that bound them. She grinned down at him, whispering mockingly. "You really should have studied that book I gave you".
Kakashi stared defiantly back at her, lips tugged into a smile. "Is that a challenge? I'm a genius remember… let's see how far natural talent goes". With that he deftly pried the wraps from her chest and took her mouth again, aware of her own hands exploring the rifts in his gi, prying it off. He shrugged the thing off, uncaring of the chill of the weather around them. He drew his mouth back and lower, to kiss her exposed breasts, skin pocked with goosebumps in the cold. Patiently his lips nursed them smooth, fingers weaving complex patterns into her skin. He didn't know when the rest of their clothing abandoned them. The ease with which it did made him suspect Kurotaka's aptitude with a kunai, but he really didn't care. She threw him off of her, rolling to take position on top of him, grinning down at him with her nose brushing his. Kakashi smiled back, throwing her off balance until a veritable game developed of it, both trying to pin the other. At last Kakashi lay still, breath heaving with laughter.
"You win, fine!" He laughed as Kurotaka punched the air in triumph, body starkly white against the night sky, etched into the stars like a goddess from an ancient painting, lavishly inked by an artist with more time than social life. She grinned down at him, eyes dancing with playful mock-contempt. "I am now obliged to take my prize" she gloated. Kakashi rolled his eyes, "do I have to pretend that I'm not enjoying it then?"
"No", she whispered, mouth nuzzling at his ear as she nipped the soft lobe. "I order you to".
"As my lady commands…" Kakashi grinned back at her and the two united. It was something completely unlike any other feeling he had ever experienced. It wasn't that it was surreal, but that it was brutally, naturally, real. So close to reality that it almost disturbed him to be taking a relationship previously so private and verbal, emotional, to physical, even crude terms. There was no mistaking it though; it filled him with an intense feeling of both relief and joy; joy to be with a woman so dear to him that had offered herself to him, soul and body. Kuro's eyes seemed to be clouded with something, so he rose up and embraced her more closely, mouth layering gentle kisses on her cheeks and whispering in her ear. He didn't register any of what he said. His mouth simply released the words from his brain without benefit of an editing. Frowning slightly, sweat beaded in crystalline drips on her brow, Kuro smiled at him and lowered her lips back to his and together they farewelled the night to welcome the dawn.
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Light filtered between Kakashi's eyes too soon for his body's taste, muscles drained of energy after their romp in the early hours, but at the same time a feeling of intense euphoria still smouldered in his core. Morning's cool breeze chilled him, but at his side Kurotaka was still curled, black locks curled over his own chest. She was so pale, so vulnerable in the early light and in sleep. He thought sleepily to himself that she was the most achingly beautiful person that he had ever seen. The most incredible person that he had ever met. The steady rise and fall of her chest threatened to lull him back into sleep, but his consciousness was returning after its brief vacation the previous night. They were both lying, completely naked, in the open, in the middle of one of the training fields used by Academy students who still hadn't had "the talk" yet. Now was not a good time to be caught sleeping off the aftermath of the best night of his life in the middle of a training field.
Not wanting to wake the slumbering Kuro, Kakashi carefully eased himself his feet, sighting their pile of discarded clothing and hastily scrambling over to it, replacing his gi with the greatest speed that he had ever managed. Dignity restored, he scooped up Kuro's clothing and began to walk back over to her. Then he stopped. Blood. There was blood on her kimono. Had he hurt her? Never!
Anxiously he jogged over to where she was still curled, sleeping in the tussocks of wiry grass. Sure enough, he could see smears of blood dappling the grasses where she lay. He sank to his feet in horror. What had he done? He stared hopelessly at Kuro, still blissfully lost in dream and tucked into a ball to conserve heat. There didn't seem to be any visible wound on her, but perhaps she was curled into a ball out of pain. He groaned, head sinking into his hands as guilt washed over him. A monster. That was all he was. He had sworn his heart to a girl and hurt her in the same night.
A particularly strong breeze ripped through the clearing, forcing a shiver from Kurotaka and her eyes to flutter open. She blinked. Obviously confused about the presence of grass so close to her vision. She glanced up at Kakashi, staring mournfully down at her, his face unhidden by the mask.
"Whatever is the matter?" She yawned, eyes betraying her concern. "Are you alright?"
He laughed evasively. "Am I alright? I'm sorry Kurotaka… I seem to have hurt you, and am utterly disgusted at myself". The confusion in her face brought a shadow of doubt to his eyes. Surely the blood was hers? Then comprehension rose to her eyes and she laughed shortly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about that Kakashi. It was my first time, that's all". The blank look on his face forced another laugh from her. "You didn't know? Women bleed when they first make love". Kakashi stared at her with a combination of horror, disgust and fascination, unable to voice an intelligible response.
Kurotaka chuckled, taking her bundle of clothing from Kakashi's numb grasp. "You really are naïve… I guess the Academy didn't give you a very thorough version of 'the talk'". Kakashi shook his head, still numb with disbelief. "Then I didn't hurt you…?"
"Not really, but it was painful. I'll be fine though. Don't look so worried! You scored well, 8 out of 10, but you could do with some work".
"Just 8?" Kakashi mustered the resolve to look affronted. "I thought that I deserved at least a 9 for that performance, considering where we were".
"A 9, Kakashi? You'll have to work a LOT harder for that, but I'm still open to bribery if you want that mark changed later".
"This isn't fair. Surely I can resit the test?"
"Later. Those are Academy students approaching and I can't get this bloody bandage back where it should sit".
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Wild-filly: 'Tis nice to be back to writing… that was a little fluff/lime for those of you who have been waiting for it. I hope it was worth the wait (grins) Please review!
