I'm back, baby! After a month long break from this story, both of us are back and as sexy as ever... meaning, not sexy at all :P
From last time, Haqua and Eri have made up, and Kanon and Nanaka had a pretty rough break up, but not before having a make-out session... quite bitter, but is it really over for them? Will Haqua get that potion ready? Will Sir Sleeps-a-lot ever stop shipping a couple which literally has not interacted in canon?
Guess you'll have to check out the next chapter. Enjoy!
Haqua and Minami watched Eri with an amused look on their faces as she chopped fruits and vegetables with a fervour unknown to man. Seeing that there was nothing left to do, the two of them were lounging, Haqua on top of a desk and Minami in a seat.
As Eri was regaling some story about the last sports' day they'd had, Minami found herself wondering what she would do after this. Haqua said that she'd be able to fix her phone once her insta-cooker got here from Hell, and she didn't really want to stay in her debt, which was why she wanted to think of something nice to do for her.
The most obvious thing to do was just forego her time with Keima and let the devil use it, but she had yet to gather if it was something Haqua would actually want… heck, both Haqua and Akari did look like they were human, but she couldn't really be sure if there was more which was just hidden behind clothes.
"Ne, Haqua-san?" both devil and ex-devil turned to her, and she froze, "err… what do you look like without clothes?"
After a brief pause, Eri burst into laughter and Haqua darkened. Minami was confused for a moment before she realised what impression her words probably gave.
"N-not like that!" she waved her arms, "I just didn't know if devils look different than humans…" she hung her head, very aware of the heat radiating off her face.
"Oh, you're asking like anatomy," Haqua gave a relieved sigh, "yes, devils have the same body as humans, basically… there are a few old devils who had horns, but the majority of us appear the same as humans."
"I see," Minami nodded.
"Though we do age much slower than humans," Haqua added, "like if I asked you, how old do you think I look?"
"Umm… mid-to-late teens?" Minami responded hesitantly, "is that not how old you are?" Haqua shook her head.
"Nope, I'm about 300 years old… in hell, I would be considered a young adult just out of the schooling system…" Minami's mouth fell open.
That was older than her parents… and her grandparents… and her great grandparents, if they were still alive… she was older than all of them combined!
"Yeah, I know I'm ancient…" Haqua sounded a little offended, but Minami shook her head, stars appearing in her eyes.
"That is so cool!" she exclaimed, "not only are you from a different world, but you probably experienced more than any of use have... I bet you're super smart."
"She is, she is!" Eri paused her cutting, "she was at the top of our class, and she spent all her free time learning how to use magic."
As both girls gushed about her, Haqua couldn't help feeling a bit fond of Minami. She was very earnest and cute and willing to see the best in people, which was a quality she seemed to see in Eri too.
"So there was this one time where Haqua learnt to make her Hagoromo into a piano which she spent a whole year trying to learn how to play it."
"Whoa!" Minami's eyes widened, "did it go well?"
"It did! It definitely took a long time of trying and failing, but she only got better after that," Haqua groaned as Eri glomped her again.
"You're really amazing, Haqua-san," Minami turned to her, "not many people have it in them to keep trying after they fail a lot."
"I-it wasn't all that much," Haqua scratched her chin, but her cheeks were pinker that usual, "w-why are you asking all this anyway, Minami?"
"Oh, yeah," Minami shook her head, "I was asking because I wanted to know if you would do anything with Katsuragi-senpai."
Eri gave her a mischievous look and Haqua facepalmed.
"I told you all before, I don't want to do anything with Ka–" both girls looked confused, then she remembered that neither girl had been there for the discussion previously, "ok, you weren't there but I don't love him!"
"Sure…" Minami said with uncharacteristic sarcasm she usually saved for her brother, "I too kiss people I don't like."
"What about you?" Haqua shot back, "you stayed all this time to see a guy you don't even remember kissing… you must like him too."
Minami deflated a bit, knowing that Haqua was pretty much speaking the truth.
"I… guess I don't really know," she sighed, "I was hoping to figure it out…" she suddenly brightened up, "either way, you like him more, so I think that you should take my tutoring time and –"
"I refuse," Haqua crossed her arms, "even if he was willing, I don't want any alone time with him," both ex-devil and human awwed in disappointment.
"Even if it felt good for you?" Minami piped. Haqua stubbornly shook her head.
"Even if he only hugged you?" Eri asked. Another shake.
"What if he hugged and kissed you?" Minami added, getting another shake.
"What if he thanked you for all the help you gave us with saving the world?" Haqua hesitated at Eri's words.
"I don't really want him to recognise or thank me or anything," she sighed heavily, "I want –" she stopped in her tracks, noticing that the girls had definitely picked up on that.
"Go on…" Minami urged, "what do you want him to do?" Haqua felt herself get hotter as the two girls stared at her.
"I want him to… say that he missed me…" Haqua ran a hand through her hair, "and that he wants to see me, even when the world doesn't need saving…"
It was quiet for a moment, but when she looked up, she noticed both girls had matching teary eyed and sad smiles on their face.
"Come on, you have to do it!" Minami cried, "when he means this much to you, why would you not tell him?"
"Were you even listening?" Haqua pouted, "I want him to tell me that, not the other way around."
"There's nothing wrong with missing Nii-sama," Eri added, "but you will need to spend some time together to even begin that discussion."
"Then it's decided!" Minami agreed, "you can take my planned individual tutoring session in exchange for fixing my phone."
Personally, she didn't think that it was a fair trade, but she had a little idea which Haqua might appreciate.
"Not so fast," Haqua held up a hand, "what about you? Didn't you want to figure out how you feel about Katsuragi?"
"It's not that important," Minami shrugged, "I've learnt a lot about myself through this lesson, so I'd be happy to close on this," she let out a breath, "I don't think I'm high priority in Katsuragi-senpai's list anyway and he probably won't miss me if I'm not there."
Eri pouted and Haqua glared.
"You really shouldn't put words in his mouth, Minami-san," Eri said tearily, "Nii-sama considers every girl as a priority…"
"And don't say he won't miss you," Haqua snapped, "I've seen it with my own eyes how disheartened he was when you didn't remember him…" Minami's lips quivered.
"W-what do we do then?" her voice cracked, "we can't both go and what you want to discuss is clearly more import–"
"Don't say that!" Haqua barked, "what is with you minimising everything about yourself!?" she towered over Minami, "sheesh, don't you have any confidence in yourself!?"
Minami squeezed her lips together, and Haqua felt a little regret.
"What about you?" Minami said determinedly, "why won't you tell Katsuragi-senpai that you missed him, and you wished you could stay around with him?"
Haqua and Minami stared each other down, while Eri was hit with a lightbulb.
"You two don't really care about whether there is time to fit you both in or not…" she noted, and they both bristled, "you just want the other person to go so you don't have to…"
Both girls turned pink as they realised that Eri was exactly right. They were scared.
"Am I right in thinking that?" Haqua and Minami avoided looking at each other, but the sudden awkwardness was speaking volumes.
Minami was the first to mumble a yes.
"What are you scared of, Minami-san?" Eri asked. Minami took a breath.
"Everyone else is cute and sure of themselves…" she dug her hands into the tracksuit pants' pockets, "how can I really match up to that?"
"Well, you're wrong," Eri said dismissively before turning to Haqua, "what about you?"
"It's Katsuragi," Haqua said frustratedly, "when has that idiot ever cared about my feelings?"
"You're wrong too," Eri smiled broadly, "that's a relief, so you're worried about nothi-" both Eri and Minami froze as Haqua bought down her scythe inches from the ex-devil's face.
"Would you like to repeat that please, Eri-san?" Haqua asked with clenched teeth, and Eri held it away from her, backing away then holding her hands up.
"There's nothing wrong with being scared," Eri spoke diplomatically, "I just know Nii-sama well enough that he would care about your feelings, and he'll like you just as you are."
Both Haqua and Minami turned pink, but Eri seemingly ignored that.
"It's alright to be scared," Eri folded her arms, "as long as you don't let it stop you."
"Oh geez!" Haqua turned around and looked up, her hands covering her red face.
"Now that you mention it," Minami scratched her chin, "how did you find your time with your individual tutoring, Eri-senpai?"
"It was scary," Eri responded with a big smile, "but I learnt a lot…"
Haqua and Minami turned to each other, before giving a nod of agreement.
Of course they were going to do it… they couldn't let Eri show them up, now could they?
Tenri laid her head down, a gloomy cloud around her head. At this point, she should understand everything about goddesses, right? She'd had one inside her for ten years already, for God's sake!
She could barely get a grip on what happened in the bathroom some fifteen minutes ago.
It had been a fairly normal visit for the most part… she'd entered the bathroom alone, as she normally preferred… she'd gone to use the bathroom as normal…
But when she looked in the mirror, what she saw was anything but normal.
In the place of Diana was a womanly white spirit. Tenri stumbled and had to grab onto the sink to stop herself from falling.
"Tenri," the figure in the mirror spoke, but it was an unfamiliar voice… very beautiful and gripping, but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled.
Diana? That had to be her, right? Why else would the figure know her name?
"Diana, is that you?" she clutched her shirt, feeling her heart race.
"Of course," that voice spoke again, and Tenri exhaled hard. The voice wasn't completely unfamiliar: she just hadn't heard it since that day she'd been in the cave ten years ago, "is something wrong?"
"You've…" she paused, not sure how to phrase it, "you look completely different."
"Different how?" she leant forward. Tenri's eyes widened as Diana's head moved like she was in a 3D space… then she completely leant out of the mirror.
"What the!" she stumbled back as the Goddess emerged, like the mirror was an open window she could climb out of.
"What is with you, Tenri?" Diana asked bluntly.
"Y-y-you're not in the mirror anymore."
There was a moment of silence as Diana looked at her ghostly white hands in front of her, and her terrified host a meter away.
They'd never been in the same room together… not since that time in the cave.
Even looking in the mirror, she could see herself and Tenri… completely separated…
"Okay, let's calm down," she spoke calmly, for both of their benefits, "it's nothing to be afraid off… I'm just not inside you anymore."
Tenri took a breath to calm down as well. She hadn't had any indication that the Goddess could leave her. She paused, her eyes widening.
"W-will you be able to come back to me if we're separated?" she asked fearfully. Diana hesitated before answering.
"I-it likely will need to be how you accepted me in the past," Diana nodded her head, "you have to truly want me to come back…"
'At least we were able to do it in the end,' Diana sighed in relief, cutting the memory off, seemingly deliberately.
"Not easily," Tenri sighed. Diana made a noise of agreement, "was it easier the first time?"
'Yes,' she sighed. 'they were very different circumstances, after all.'
She doubted if Tenri noticed it, but the worry and pain about losing Keima made a gap in her heart comfortable enough for Diana to fit – this time, she was in a much stronger position – she didn't need a goddess anymore. Forcing herself into Tenri's heart felt like water dripping through open fingers – impossible, and utterly pointless.
It might have been those silvery tears dripping from Diana's eyes which gave Tenri the strength to accept Daina once more, but she had a feeling in her gut that she wouldn't be able to do this again.
Tenri took a breath as she considered where to go from here – avoiding mirrors would be easy enough, but she had to find out why they had split apart, where Nikaidou would be her best bet.
But she also would need to know – why was Diana so desperate to come back to her? That would be the hardest answer to get.
Tsukiyo was feeling quite a bit better, now that she was at a desk, drinking hot tea with Luna in her arms. There was something reassuring having them both, and she could feel herself begin to calm down in the presence of her two loves.
Her eyes fell on Shiori, who was spooning some sugar into her tea… of course, this was the love that she was struggling with.
"Nee, Tsukiyo-chan," she placed her saucer on the table gently, and Tsukiyo felt the hair on her neck bristle, "would you like some cookies?"
Tsukiyo tried not to show her relief as she reached over for one.
"Where did you get these?" the moon girl wondered out loud.
"Uemoto-san offered me this when she saw that we were drinking tea," Shiori smiled, "it was very kind of her, so I gave her a cup as well."
"That's good," Tsukiyo agreed, taking a small bite from the biscuit in her hand, "she has good taste," Shiori nodded silently.
As things fell silent, Tsukiyo could feel her nerves tightening a little. She was used to the comfortable silence she'd normally have with Shiori, but this was anything but that.
Shiori didn't seem particularly bothered, chewing on the chocolate biscuit and seemingly lost in some thoughts of her own… maybe thoughts about books… or maybe thoughts about her.
"Shiori," Tsukiyo asked, and the librarian looked up straight away.
"What is it?" she asked, surprisingly keeping eye contact. Tsukiyo's brain blanked at seeing her expressive charcoal eyes.
"Ummm…" she ripped her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts. Shiori was expecting something… just say anything!
"Why are you here?" the moon-lover asked bluntly, before noticing her face fall, "I mean this sex ed lesson, not here here…"
"Ah…" Shiori ran a hand through her mostly open hair, "I guess I was… curious… about how different it would be learning it without books."
"That's understandable," Tsukiyo nodded sympathetically, "I came because I wanted to see Keima."
"M-me as well," Shiori looked down at her lap and mumbled, "amongst other things…"
Shiori wasn't good at expressing herself, though she had come a long way from when she'd first met Keima. She didn't have the details for what to expect from this Sexual Education lesson before she'd gotten here, but she knew that she wanted to try something new. It was only after she'd seen the two teacher figures kiss that she'd found something that even she might have the courage to try.
What is the difference between kissing a girl or a boy? Maybe girls had softer lips from the balm that they'd use… would embracing girls give you the same warm enveloping feeling that boys would? Would there be fireworks… would everything disappear till it's only her and her partner? Shiori could read all the books in the world, but she knew those experiences would never be her own.
No… her experience of kissing had come from her one and only liplock with Keima as he pulled her out from that pile of books which they'd gotten buried under during their library siege. He'd pulled her out of her lonely place and something had flowed through her which she'd only ever gotten in small doses all throughout her life: courage.
Would every kiss give her the courage to speak properly? The only person she was brave enough to ask for confirming that conjecture was someone who didn't like girls in that way, so she probably wouldn't find that out today.
"Nee, Shiori?" the librarian looked up over her teacup to Tsukiyo, "do you want to have sex today… with Keima?"
Shiori could feel herself darkening, although her questioner's face was impassive and blank.
Admittedly, Shiori knew that she was posed this question since the announcement of the private tutoring sessions, and she had made her decision on it almost immediately. She wanted the knowledge and experience, and more importantly, she was sure enough of her feelings of him that she wanted to make love to him.
She gave an awkward nod. Tsukiyo's straight face cracked, revealing something which Shiori wasn't sure of.
"A-alright," she hugged Luna a bit closer.
"What about you, Tsukiyo-chan?" Shiori held her teacup with both hands as she could feel it quivering.
"I-I want to," she replied glumly, "I don't know if I'm brave enough."
"I think you're braver than me," Shiori took a sip of her drink, "since I've known you, you've always been better with your words and more vocal with what you're thinking."
Tsukiyo felt a pang of guilt at that last line. She would almost say that talking to Shiori was going better than what she'd expected until those words had found the chink in her armour.
"A-actually," Shiori muttered, "I have something to ask…"
"Y-yes?" Tsukiyo hesitated, especially as Shiori's cheeks got darker.
"When we were in the group…" she swallowed hard enough that Tsukiyo could see her neck shift, "you h-heard it, didn't you?"
Tsukiyo blushed, first remembering what Shiori was referring to… and what she'd been thinking at that moment.
So Shiori had been aware of how loud she'd moaned when she'd reached her climax?
"Umm…" Tsukiyo hesitated, but she could tell on her friend's face that even if she lied, she'd be caught out, "y-yes, I did."
"B-but you still fell off the chair and tried to be loud to cover for me?" Shiori's hands shook enough that she had to set her cup down, "I had been thinking that before."
"Ah, it's alright," the moon enthusiast tried to placate her, "I actually did fall out of my chair."
In surprise as the girl she was watching and imagining suddenly made a sound…
"T-thank you for having my back like that," Shiori sighed, "I had forgotten that this had happened before."
"I-it has?"
"The last time I tried to masturbate at home…" she admitted, "that's actually the reason why I didn't allow myself to do that…"
Tsukiyo couldn't help but feel a bit sad. No one would want to bring the whole house's attention on themselves while they were having their "me time".
"A-are you okay with me knowing about this?" she asked sympathetically, and Shiori nodded.
"An explanation is the least I could give you for this… and for every other time you've spoken up for me and heard me when no one was listening…"
Shiori swallowed again.
"More than that, I want you to know," Tsukiyo blushed, her cheeks' pinkness and heartrate climbing to match Shiori's. As non-obvious as that line was, there was nothing ambiguous about it.
Shiori wanted Tsukiyo to be something special for her, and Tsukiyo desperately wanted to feel the same… or she didn't want to…
Was there really more to lose than there was to gain? Her brain and her heart were having their own feud through this, and it wasn't helping that Shiori was watching her…
…
…
…
"Aaah, the sunset is so pretty!" Tsukiyo turned to the large windows leading to the balcony.
It was obvious which part of her won.
It took Nanaka a bit longer to return to the classroom, seeing that she wasn't familiar with the classroom setup and there wasn't anyone around to even ask. It was for the best because her eyes had finally dried by the time she'd gotten back.
She probably wouldn't be up for conversing, but it wouldn't be necessary. She would just go home now that everything was done. From a quick glance, she could see the pink-haired idol talking with some other girls, so she wouldn't be missed.
As she packed her pencilcase into her bag, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She froze.
"Why are you packing?" a voice asked, and her heart started beating again, knowing that it wasn't Kanon.
"Iz dark 'n I'm already done ma individual tutorin'," Nanaka stood up and turned around to face the brunette in front of her, "nuttin' wrong wit' wanting to go home, iz there, Takahara?"
"There isn't…" Ayumi pulled back her hand before Nanaka could shrug it off. She had noticed Kanon was avoiding her and Yui when she'd returned, but it seemed like Nanaka was in a bit of a bad mood too. Something must have gone wrong between them.
Not that she could say that out loud to Nanaka.
"A-are you sure that you want to go now?" she tried to ask casually, "it's safer to go as a group, and the 2B Pencils were planning to have a sleepover at Yui's house, if you wanted to join us," Nanaka hesitated.
"Thanks for tha offer," Nanaka shook her head, "but iz fine. My house izn' too far from here."
Her eyes drifted to Kanon, who was laughing at something her group was talking about. It was her classmates at the sleepover, so she'd likely be there.
Ayumi noticed the look, but she didn't know whether to remark on it. It wasn't her business to intrude. She didn't even know what had happened.
"That's too bad," she patted her back, "if you want to come, just send Chihiro or a message and we'll send you the address," she nodded, holding her messenger bag to her shoulder, "hopefully we'll get to see you again."
"Goodbye," Nanaka mumbled, not meeting her eyes. Ayumi waved, feeling her stomach sink as Nanaka walked over to Nikaidou-sensei.
Not that Ayumi would know, but that unease was travelling with Nanaka as well. The teacher looked up.
"You heading out now?" Nanaka nodded, "would you mind waiting five more minutes? It's getting late, so Nagase-sensei can drop you at your house by car. She's just in the bathroom right now."
"I guess I can wait abit," she agreed.
"Great, you should also talk with Aoyama and Uemoto over there," she indicated to a small group, "they'd proba…" her voice trailed off in Nanaka's head as she noticed Kanon was with them, and they locked eyes for a brief moment.
Nanaka's bag fell out of her hand as she felt her head spin.
"No regrets, right?" she heard, and she quickly turned to Nikaidou.
"Sorr', waz dat again?"
"You have no regrets, right?" Nikaidou repeated, "I don't want anyone to leave without doing everything they wanted…" Nanaka turned to pick up her bag.
"Actually, imma just head out…" Nanaka mumbled. Nikaidou wasn't happy, but she passed her a contact card.
"Please call me when you get home," she spoke solemnly, and Nanaka took it. She walked outside, trying not to show that her legs felt like jelly, but she only made it as far as closing the sliding door before she had to lean against the wall, the tears started forming in her eyes.
She should have no regrets. Her and Keima had parted ways happily, and while the ending with Kanon was less so, this was how it had to be. She was ready to go home.
Then why couldn't she get up?
Are you regretting something?
"Yes…" tears leaked out of her eyes, "I should've told 'er…"
Told her what?
"That I loved her too…"
The words leaving her mouth left seemed to lighten a burden she hadn't realised what she was holding. It shouldn't really surprise her, considering what a shitty liar she was.
The truth didn't make the reality better, but she could do this now.
"You love… Kanon-chan, right?" a voice asked, and Nanaka jumped up in surprise, where Yui was sticking her head out the window a few feet away from her. She quickly scrambled to her feet and grabbed her bag.
"If you do, you really should talk it out," Ayumi opened the door. Nanaka didn't waste any more time to make a dash for the closest stairwell. The runner laughed and stretched by the door to warm up a little.
"I guess we know what we're gonna do now," she laughed to her friend, who nodded.
"I'll go fetch her now…" Ayumi stepped out in the corridor, "you talk to Kanon about what happened with them before, but not a word about what Nanaka said now."
"But why?" Yui whined, "this is so exciting!"
"This doesn't involve us, remember," Ayumi fell down into a runner's start pose, "also, you really need to learn when to shut up… for fuck's sake."
Ayumi shot off like a bullet while Yui laughed. Where had she heard that line before?
To Nanaka's dismay, Ayumi zipped past her in the stairwell, and even with the time she lost crashing into the wall on the ground floor, Nanaka was cornered by the shoe lockers at the entrance.
"W-w-wha's yer problem!?" Nanaka panted. Ayumi coolly dusted the rubble off her clothes and stalked up to the red-head.
"I can say the same," Ayumi grabbed her arm, "if you love Kanon, why aren't you telling her that?"
Nanaka resisted the taller girl pulling her body.
"Because she shouldn't be wit' me!" she pulled her arm back, "I'm not jeapordisin' her career and reputation when we know nuttin' abou' each other!"
"How about you let her have some say in that?" Ayumi pulled Nanaka once again, "you're the one hiding facts which would make a difference to her decision."
"How about ya let go and mind yer own beeswax – Waah!" Nanaka yelped as Ayumi lifted her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"If you love her, then stop doing things which will make her unhappy," Ayumi yelled, "you're just running away from your feelings and that's not right."
Nanaka stopped squirming and her voice lowered.
"Wha's tha point… she won' talk ta me anyway."
"You're not getting out of this anyway… you may as well try."
Nanaka admitted defeat as she let herself be taken back to the classroom. She was probably going to get hell for the words she said, but at least she'd get to see Kanon again.
Dun dun dunnn... Nanaka's coming back whether she likes it of not... the plot (aka, me) demands it.
But otherwise, we have a couple of peaceful moments... Minami getting along with the two devilish friends, Tsukiyo and Shiori having a moment, and something new is happening with Diana.
Lol, with some plots nearing their end, I figured it's time to do something with the Goddesses.
Now onto reviews:
GhostMan: Hey, thank you for the review. I kind of get what you mean about the whimsy of that scene, but on the other hand... I don't know if and when I would get time to rewrite this... maybe after I finish this story. Still, the honest critique is really appreciated. The scene in this chapter was more lowkey and casual, so hopefully you enjoyed this one better.
Your play by play on the second scene was nice to read... there isn't much going on with them in this chapter, but it's for the best... gotta let the other girls shine too :P
xellos540: Ah, my favourite story inside a review. I enjoy reading your little observations as you run through it all... also, there was a fair amount of innuendo, which is definitely nice to see ;)
Also, don't worry... Keima is gonna get plenty of action, even with all the bi girls that are here... though funnily enough, when I planned this story, it was a lot straighter than it is now... hopefully no one is complaining about that :P
Thanks for the review, as always. They're always nice to come back to.
Mint-Car92: Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh! It's a new reviewer \o/
Thanks for the comment. I actually wanted to write you a message on Discord, though I couldn't think of what else to say other than to thank you and mention that you made my day. It's always nice getting new reviewer.
I know this was more of a chilled chapter, but I hoped that you enjoyed it, and the story in general.
PS, I read your Kanon story a few days ago. Keima's ending message was very cute. I should probably review your stuff properly :P
And to everyone else who made it this far, thanks for reading. I've been really happy at the favourites and follows that this story has been getting... though inspiration comes in spurts every couple of weeks, so I still have some chapters to post. I'll probably post the next chapter in two weeks.
Do leave me a review if you have anything to say. For everyone else, stay safe, stay well, and I love you all.
Also, free Palestine.