Hello my most devoted readers, I say that as I know only the most dedicated of readers would put up with my long absences. I truly apologize for how long it has taken me to update, my only excuse is college getting the better of me. This chapter has been written for a while but just never seemed good enough, no matter how much I tweaked it. It's not my best work but I'm hoping that giving you this little morsel will appease you until I can get the next chapter written up (which I honestly have no idea when that's gonna happen :/ sorry)

I also loved the amount of reviews/follows/favorites and pm's I've gotten. It keeps me committed to this story knowing people are still interested.


When they got back they both shed their jackets thankful to be in the warm apartment. Natsuki headed into the kitchen to make them tea, one of the few things she was allowed do in the kitchen by herself. They then curled up on the couch together, Shizuru leaning on Natsuki's shoulder as they both drank their tea in comfortable silence. Natsuki turned to Shizuru to say something only to see the brunette was fast asleep. Chuckling at the older woman she kissed the top of her head affectionately before grabbing the blanket draped on the back of the sofa and covering them both.

"Shizuru I was wondering if you could help me find a job." Natsuki asked while they were eating dinner one night. Natsuki had been living with Shizuru for a couple weeks by now, and she figured it was about time she started pulling her own weight. She didn't want to mooch off Shizuru forever.

Shizuru paused with her fork halfway to her mouth in surprise. She slowly lowered it back to her plate before taking a shaky breath.

"Natsuki isn't planning on leaving is she?" Shizuru asked with some trepidation, worried that the blunette was tired of living with her. She had become attached to the younger girl, finding her life much more enjoyable and not so empty. She also had thought that Natsuki and her had been heading towards a deeper knew starting a relationship already living together wasn't the most (ideal)common or optimal situation but she believed it worked quite well for them.

Seeing the worry and sadness that had overcome Shizuru's face Natsuki quickly went to rectify her previous sentence. She quickly got up and circled the table kneeling in front of the brunette and grabbing her hands in her own.

"Shizuru that is not what I meant at all!" Natsuki said quickly looking up into her crimson eyes to show how true that was. "I only thought that maybe I should help out more around here, I feel like I'm taking advantage of your generosity. So in no way was I thinking about leaving, unless..that is.. if you want me to leave?" She asked uncertainty, afraid of the response she might get.

"No!" Shizuru practically shouted before clearing her throat and starting over. "No. I do not wish for Natsuki to leave, I was just afraid you had gotten tired of being around me." She said softly, one of the few times she has shown any vulnerability.

Natsuki stood, still holding Shizuru's hands, and pulled her to her feet before wrapping her arms around the brunette's slender waist and pulling her in close for a tender kiss. "I could never get tired of being around you." Natsuki said with a sincere smile before placing another kiss on the end of Shizuru's nose.

Shizuru gave a relieved smile before wrapping her arms around Natsuki's neck and bringing her in for a much more passionate kiss.

After breaking apart they decided to discuss the idea of Natsuki getting a job.

"Well the first step is to figure out what you want to do and then work on what you need to do to get there." Shizuru reasoned as she thought about Natsuki's job request. "Is there anything in-particular that you are interested in?" Shizuru asked.

Natsuki thought about it and then shrugged, unsure of what she would like to do. She had never given it much thought, she was too busy running around avoiding evil corporations to think much about a career.

"When I was a kid I always wanted to be a professional race car driver." Natsuki admitted with a chuckle, slightly embarrassed about her little confession.

"That makes sense, I thought Natsuki-chan may pass out when she saw my car." Shizuru teased but it was very true. She could definitely see her Natsuki as a car and motorcycle person.

Natsuki nodded slowly mauling over the idea of working with cars for a living.

"Actually now that I think of it, I think the mechanics shop that I take my car to is looking for a new employee. And obviously Natsuki knows her way around bikes and cars based on the little trick she told me about." Shizuru said in amusement, referring to the story of Natsuki taking a stranger's bike apart and then back together.

"Yeah that was a lot of fun." Natsuki said chuckling at the memory, "and what I wouldn't give to get my hands on the inside of your car." Natsuki said as she got a dreamy look on her face. She soon lost the expression when she realized an important fact.

"But Shizuru I don't have any work experience except for odd jobs here and there but they didn't last long." Natsuki said sadly.

"I don't think that will be too much of a problem. You see the owner of the shop is a little...unorthodox. I wouldn't be surprised if most of her workers were random people she grabbed off the street, just as long as you have talent. Every time I go there they take great care of my car. I don't let just anyone touch my car." Shizuru said, reassuring the worried girl.

"I've never really done anything major with a car. Sure bikes I can take apart and reassemble no problem but cars I haven't had much work with." Natsuki said unsure of herself, believing she wouldn't have enough experience or knowledge to get the job.

"I'm sure Natsuki is very talented and smart and will catch on quick to anything she doesn't already know." Shizuru said wrapping an arm around Natsuki's shoulders, pulling her in close to reassure the younger girl.

"If Natsuki would like we could go over there tomorrow so you can check it out and talk to the owner." Shizuru suggested hoping It would lift the girls spirits.

Natsuki perked up a bit at that, she was still doubtful she'd get such a perfect job for herself but she was real excited to see a mechanics shop that catered to such up scale cars.

"I'll call later and let them know we'll be dropping in." Shizuru said, happy that Natsuki seemed to regain some of her enthusiasm.

-ShizNat-

The next day they made there way to the mechanics shop in Shizuru's car. The place was only a few blocks away but driving was quicker. Shizuru pulled in and parked, stepping out of the car she headed towards the garage. Natsuki followed along behind the brunette, her head was swiveling around trying to see everything at once. She stopped to watch a mechanic work on a thunderbird and Shizuru had to come back and grab her hand and pull her away. As they made their way towards an office in the back the door was opened and they were soon greeted by a women in overalls and bright red hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.

"Midori-san nice to see you again." Shizuru greeted politely.

"Shizuru!" The redhead greeted boisterously, "Your taking good care of my baby there aren't you." She said as she looked around the tall brunette to peer longingly at the jaguar parked out front.

"Yes yes Midori-san she's running as smoothly ever since you fixed her up a few months ago."

Midori nodded happily before her eyes landed on Natsuki who had ignored their conversation and wandered over to a different mechanic that was working on a bentley. The emerald eyed girl had a frown on her face from what the mechanic was doing. 'Baka, he shouldn't be messing with that, all he needs to do is adjust the bit by the engine and it will be good as new' Natsuki thought as she watched the mechanic make a mess of the inside of the car and do unnecessary procedures. Finally fed up with the idiot in front of her she grabbed a tool off a nearby bench and reached in the car as the mechanic started yelling at her.

"Is that the girl you told me about?" MIdori asked with amusement as she watched her employee scream at a blue haired girl who was waist deep in a bentley 56 completely ignoring the pissed off man beside her.

Shizuru turned around and quickly spotted her companion pissing off the guy who was supposed to be working on the car. She sighed in annoyance and amusement. The guy was turning some interesting shades of red though.

Midori calmly walked over to the two bickering people and looked over Natsuki's shoulder. She was surprised at the confidence and sureness of the blunette's movements in the car.

Natsuki pulled out of the car after one more twist of her wrench, totally oblivious to the fact that the owner of the shop and her girlfriend were right behind her watching.

"Now try starting up the car and you'll see that my way is best." Natsuki growled out totally pissed off at the mans ignorance.

"I sure as hell won't." The man yelled back getting in the blunette's face. Shizuru knew it was wrong of Natsuki to just start working on a car but she wasn't appreciative of how close the angry man was getting to her Natsuki.

"Miko start the car." Midori ordered.

"But she doesn't even work here! Who knows what she just did to the car!" He yelled in anger and shock throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"Miko just do it." Midori ordered with a glare.

With a deep frown the man grabbed the keys jammed them in the transmission and started up the car. With in seconds they all heard the healthy purr of the cars engine. Natsuki smiled in triumph, sticking her tongue out at the mechanic.

"Miko clean it up and park it in the pick up lot." The redhead said dismissing the man. She then slapped a hand on Natsuki's shoulder, a wide grin appearing on her face.

"Lets go talk in my office." She said steering the blunette to her office.

Natsuki was afraid that she had royally screwed up her chances at a job here, but looking at the owner's face she didn't think she was in trouble but she couldn't tell what type of impression she made on the redhead.

All three women entered the office. Midori hopping up to sit on the desk while Shizuru and Natsuki sat in the guest chairs.

"So now that you've pissed off one of my mechanics what should I do about you?" Midori pondered out loud tapping her chin with a figure, barely containing her amused grin as the blunette sitting before started looking nervous.

Natsuki fidgeted in her seat looking at Shizuru for guidance on what she should do. But the brunette wasn't very helpful as she just sat there with a half amused, half mysterious, knowing smile.

"So I was thinking that you'd come in Wednesday get shown the ropes around here and then Thursday you can start assisting me on some of my cars and I can access your abilities." Midori said after a moment of silence.

"What?" Natsuki asked, very confused as to what was going on. She had been sure she was going to get reamed out for interfering in the shop.

"Midori-san is giving you the job silly." Shizuru said to the blunette, a smile on her face.

"Seriously?!" Natsuki yelled in surprise and joy, her head turning to look at Shizuru then Midori and then back to the brunette.

"You've got some skills there kid, and an impressive ability to see the simplest most effective solution. And your loud and full of energy. I think you'll fit right in around here." Midori said chuckling.

"But if you ever pull a stunt like that again I'm gonna have to kick your ass." Midori continued half serious and half joking, with a evil gleam in her eyes.

Natsuki nodded rapidly in agreement. She did not want to screw up this rare opportunity.

Midori than smiled cheerfully like nothing happened and jumped off the desk wrapping an arm around Natsuki's neck and ruffling her blue hair. Natsuki grumbled under her breath as she shoved the woman off her. Midori just laughed at the grumpy girl.

"Come on I'll give you a tour." Midori said leading the way out of the office with a frowning Natsuki and a laughing Shizuru following behind. Once outside the office Shizuru grabbed Natsuki's hand as they followed Midori. The blunette immediately felt better and let the red heads weird behavior role off her, Shizuru's touch calming her down and erasing her grumpy mood.

They spent the next half hour touring around the shop. Natsuki was very excited, for they had top of the line tools and machinery and got all varieties of cars and even quite a few motorcycles. She could not wait to start her job.

Shizuru looked on in endearment as the younger girl bounced around the shop looking at everything like a little child in a toy store. The brunette couldn't get over how cute the blunette could be at times.


Well thats it for this chapter.

I'd also like to point out I have no knowledge on cars (like you couldn't have figured that out on your own lol) so I'm making stuff up as I go.

I have no idea when the next chapter will be as I've said before. But thanks for sticking with me this far and I hope you continue to stick with me.