Title: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part VI)
Author: ficeler37
Note: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.
Rating: R
Word count: 1239

Summary: A fight to the death. Who will have the towel?

A/N: Seems like some people have intepreted the last chapter in ways that I did not intend. Not that there is anything wrong, but please refrain from making overlty sexual comments in my reviews. I just don't want to cause discomfort for some of my readers. Thank you very much. Please keep in mind that the message is not meant to discourage reviews. That being said, please enjoy the new chapter!

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With a dark blue towel wrapped around her body, Shizuru adjusts her posture on the sofa while quietly sipping the lukewarm tea that Natsuki had prepared earlier. Who would have thought my plan would work out so perfectly? Never underestimate the luck of a Kyoto woman, ho ho.

----Flashback begins----

Staring blankly at the flat screen TV, a pout appeared on the chestnut haired girl's face as she rapidly flipped through the channels. I don't think I can ever get used to sitting around and doing nothing while Natsuki does the chores in the apartment. That's not how I imagined our new life would be like. Hmmm … what's this? Sunday night anime?

On TV, a stunning figure with long dark blue hair and a yellow hair band was hugging a red uniform tightly in her arms while alone in a lavish looking living room. Shizuru set down her TV remote and watched the scenes unfold. Hey, I know this anime! It's Kannazuki no Miko! Waiting hopelessly for your love to be returned, huh …Chikane-san, we were more alike than I'd like to admit. If I were you, I would have shot arrows up his sorry butt for taking Himeko out on a date. Wait, you did do that later in the series. Anyways, I know you got your happy ending in the end. So will you wish me luck on mine?

A few more minutes into the show, something caught the corner of those crimson eyes. Ara, we were focusing so much on my injured hand that I didn't notice the dried blood on my other hand. As Shizuru washed her hands in the bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, contemplating the recent changes in her life. What a difference a week makes …Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? (Smirk) Natsuki, of course. I do envy your front row seat for the daily Natsuki Shower Show, magic mirror.

Shaking her head at her silliness, Shizuru turned around and spotted a dark blue towel on the rack against the wall. Natsuki's towel … Suddenly remembering the anime scene on TV, she grabbed the towel and felt its softness against her face, copying Chikane's earlier movement. Is this what she smells like when she's fresh out of the shower? Shizuru blushed. I wonder if she'll notice her missing towel when she walks into the bathroom. Fifty-fifty chance, I'd say. Oh, the things that I can do to get a reaction out of her afterwards …

----Flashback ends----

I don't hear the water running anymore. Ho ho, she should be in panic mode by now. Time for me to lend a helping hand. (Knock knock) "Natsuki, you've been in there for a while, are you alright?" With one hand covering her mouth, Shizuru is using all the strength in her body to swallow her chuckles.

"Hold on, Shizuru." Gotta find something to cover myself up. Natsuki snatches the oversized men's shirt that she took off earlier. Weird, I thought I left my towel on the rack last night. I'll just have to ask Shizuru to go get it. It must be in my room somewhere. (Sigh) Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Stop being so paranoid, Natsuki. "Shizuru, can you do me a favor and get me the dark blue towel in my room?"

"I have it. Open the door." I wonder if I'll get to see a naked Natsuki, hehe.

Wait, how could she find it so quickly? Something smells fishy here … (Achoo) Damn, I'm gonna get a cold if I stand around like this. The towel is what matters now. "Come in only after I give you a signal, okay?" Natsuki unlocks the door, steps back and faces away from the door. "Go ahead."

The grinning girl enters the bathroom and is immediately blown away by the sight in front of her. Wow …

Similar to Shizuru's situation after the log ride in the amusement park, Natsuki's wet and tight-fitted men's shirt leaves no room for the imagination, barely covering up her shapely behind. Unaware of the effect she has on the older girl, Natsuki stands still in confusion at the silence following the creak which indicates Shizuru's entrance. "Shizuru?" Twisting only her head around, she is startled by the other girl's outfit. "Why are you wearing my towel?"

Natsuki's growl brings Shizuru back to reality from her dreamy daze. "Huh? Oh, the towel? You told me to get any towel in your bedroom earlier when I asked to borrow one. So I just grabbed the first towel I saw and changed into the appropriate attire while waiting to take a shower. I didn't mean to make Natsuki mad …" Covering her face with both hands, Shizuru's shoulders tremble as she starts sniffling.

This is an act. This is an act. This is … She is untying the towel! Natsuki quickly snaps her head around. "What are you doing?"

Shizuru's voice cracks a little. "This is what Natsuki wants, isn't it?" This is too much fun! She is totally freaking out! My Natsuki is so shy. She wraps the dark blue towel around the stiff figure. "Hurry up and dry yourself. I don't want you to get a cold."

If the towel is on me, that means Shizuru is … AHHH! How come she has no problem losing her shirt around me? What is this woman made of? "You really didn't have to do that. I was just about to ask you to bring me another towel. But since I got this towel wet already, why don't you hurry and get another towel from my room? You can take a shower as soon as I'm done drying myself in here. Do you mind closing the door behind you also?"

"Sure. Your wish is my command." The wooden door closes with a small click.

Finally, a moment of peace. Natsuki places the towel down on the side of the bathtub and starts unbuttoning the shirt that is clinging onto her body uncomfortably.

"Ara, a strip show just for me. How lucky!" Shizuru brings up her hand to her cheek in her trademark pose.

"SHIZURU! I thought I told you to get out!" Natsuki reaches for the towel straight away and hugs it to her chest, as if the soft material could slow down her galloping heart rate.

"I seem to recall that you told me to close the door, and that's what I did." The Kyoto woman flashes a cheeky smile to the back of her crush. "Ne, Natsuki, why are you using your back to talk to me? Not that I'm complaining, because personally, I can stare at Natsuki's soaking wet back side all day."

Her frustration overcoming her senses, Natsuki spins her body around. "I had my back turned because you are … NOT NAKED?!?!"

"Ara, who said I am?" Shizuru crosses her arms in front of her white tube top and wriggles her hips clad in cotton shorts a little. "By the way, I see you." The front view is even sexier, ho ho.

See me? … ARGH! "BAKA!" Natsuki shoves Shizuru out the bathroom and slams the door shut on the older girl. Is this what I have to go through every night from now on? (Sigh) To think that locking the door was enough, I'm still too naïve …

TBC.