DISCLAIMER: Sunrise owns My-HiME and its characters. I own this twisted tale of love and revenge.
A/N: This is a three chapter one-shot. Sometimes the darkness within even scares me.
Hell Hath No Fury
Now that I was single, I was able to spend all my free time with Shizuru. I thought it impossible, but we got closer. She helped me get through the rough times when my guilt wouldn't let up. I couldn't have wished for a better best friend.
One day, Shizuru and I decided to go to the local lesbian club during the day to shoot some pool. As usual, the place was nearly empty, just the way I liked it when I shot pool. Shizuru went to rack up the balls and I went to the bar to get us some drinks. While I was paying for the drinks, I noticed a woman talking to Shizuru while she racked the balls. It didn't bother me, until I realized, from my best friend's body language, the woman was hitting on her and it was clearly unwanted.
"Hey," I said as I placed our drinks down on the table next to the pool table.
The woman hitting on Shizuru ignored me.
"Honey, it's your break," Shizuru said to me.
'Honey' was our code word to let the other know she needed help with unwanted attention. I walked over and put myself between Shizuru and the bothersome woman. I wrapped my arm around Shizuru's waist and kissed her passionately, and then I glared at the bothersome woman.
"Hey, no problem, I didn't know she was with you," the bothersome woman backed off.
I glared at the retreating woman until I felt it safe to turn my attentions back to Shizuru. I looked at her and realized I still had my arm wrapped around her waist. I blushed and quickly released her. I broke the first rack, but was clearly distracted and lost the game.
"It's not like you to lose. Do you have something on your mind?" Shizuru teased.
I glared at her from under my eyes and racked the balls for the next game. She broke this rack. I was winning this game, until Shizuru, with a couple of drinks in her, started flirting with me.
"Natsuki-chan, I never knew you were such a good kisser. I can still feel that kiss you gave me," Shizuru teased, as she ran her index finger against her lips.
I growled a response. "You're cheating Shizuru," I said after missing my shot.
She walked behind me and ran her finger along my shoulders, "Fufufu, no I'm not," she purred.
I could feel the heat rise in my face and something else happening a bit further south. She missed her shot. As I was lining up my shot, she came up behind me, wrapped one arm around my waist, the other arm around my upper chest, pulled me into her and bit my ear.
With that, I could feel what little self-control I had left abandon me. I pushed all the remaining balls on the table into the pockets, grabbed Shizuru, and left the club.
Once outside, I was able to regain my composure. Shizuru, on the other hand, was just getting started.
"I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat," I suggested.
Shizuru leaned close to my ear and purred, "Ara, can I suggest something for you to eat?"
I gently pushed her away, "You get black coffee."
She grabbed my hand and held it as we walked to the café.
Once seated in the café, I realized I wasn't all that hungry, so I ordered a Crème Brulee and an Espresso. Shizuru ordered the Whipped Chocolate Cloud and tea. I wolfed down my dessert. Shizuru lingered over her Whipped Chocolate Cloud…on purpose. She put on quite a show eating her dessert and I was her captive audience.
When we left the café, I was so worked up from watching Shizuru finish her whipped chocolate; I knew I needed to choose the next activity very carefully, so I wouldn't do anything I would regret later. I considered taking Shizuru home to her place, but how would I explain her drunken state to her family?
We needed to kill time until Shizuru sobered up. I wracked my brain for a solution and decided to take her to the mountain shrine for a long walk. I figured being in such a religious place would deter any impure thoughts. I considered walking all the way up the mountain to the shrine and in my current state, I probably could have, but I couldn't do that to Shizuru. We walked back to get my car, once again, Shizuru held my hand the entire walk.
As I helped her into the passenger seat, she managed to wrap her arms around my neck and kiss my throat before I closed the door. Shizuru finally passed out on the drive up to the shrine. I thought about turning around, but something compelled me forward.
I stepped out of the car and was immediately hit with the crispness in the air. Shizuru was still sleeping, so I decided to let her sleep and went to pay my respects. I placed my offering in the box, bowed, and entered the shrine. After paying my respects, I returned to the car, expecting to find Shizuru still asleep, but she was gone. I looked around for her, but couldn't find her. I settled down on the steps to the shrine and waited for her to return. She returned about five minutes later and quite sober.
"I had to use the bathroom," she apologized.
"Well, you've sobered up, so we don't need to take that walk anymore. Do you want to skip the walk?"
"If it is alright with you, I would like to still take a walk."
"Sure, let's go," I started down the path that ran around the shrine grounds.
Shizuru caught up with me and tentatively took my hand. I looked down at her hand, shrugged my shoulders, and held her hand. She gave me a huge smile.
We walked in silence for almost half the path, content being in each other's company. When we arrived at the bench overlooking the city, I sat down. Shizuru sat next to me. She was painfully beautiful in the setting sunlight. All the love I had been repressing for the past three months was forcing its way to the surface. I was being made to deal with it, whether I was ready to or not.
I was seated in my usual position with my right arm resting along the top of the bench's back. Shizuru tentatively moved into me, wrapped her arms around me, and rested her head near my collarbone. For a moment, my emotions clashed with my common sense and immobilized me. The scent of Shizuru's perfume answered all my questions and quelled all my doubts. I wrapped my right arm around her and held her close. She looked up me and I just knew I was in love. I leaned down and lightly kissed her lips.
"Shizuru, I love you," I told her for the very first time.
"Natsuki, I love you too."
I had never been this happy in my life, so every so often, doubts crept in. Shizuru knew whenever I felt doubtful and quelled them.
I introduced her to my family and my family adored her almost as much as I. She loved them as well. Mother even encouraged us to live together, so at the end of our first year at University, we moved into an apartment together.
The middle of our second year, I began to see less and less of Shizuru, even though we lived together. She was spending a lot of time with Sakai-sensei, her Philosophy professor.
One night, my good friends, Chie and Aoi, a lesbian couple, decided I needed to go drinking with them, so they picked me up and dragged me to the club. All three of us were toasted after our third round.
"Hey, where's Shizuru tonight?" Aoi asked, as it finally dawned on her.
"Where do you think?" I replied sarcastically.
"Sakai-sensei…" Chie sighed. "That professor is a menace to all young women."
"It's too bad Shizuru…" Aoi began and cut herself short when she realized she might disclose too much.
"Too bad Shizuru…what?" I pressed.
"Nothing," Aoi stammered.
"Aoi…spill it!" I demanded.
"It's too bad Shizuru is Sakai-sensei's chosen pet this year." Aoi finished sadly.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I yelled and stood threateningly above Aoi.
Chie stood between me and Aoi. "Please don't scare my girlfriend like that," she said as she eased me back onto my barstool.
"Natsuki, didn't you know about Sakai-sensei's reputation?" Aoi asked genuinely surprised.
"Apparently not," I replied sarcastically.
"Every year, Sakai-sensei chooses one young woman to be her pet for the year. After the year, it's over," Chie stated evenly.
"Yeah, it's a well-known fact around University. Even the school board knows about it, but they turn a blind eye because Sakai-sensei is such a popular professor," Aoi added.
"I wonder if Shizuru is aware of this." Chie wondered out loud.
"I doubt it or she wouldn't be involved in this," I answered.
"Someone should tell her," Aoi said excitedly.
"Tell her what? Tell her that her most precious sensei is a wolf in sheep's clothing who only wants to use her sexually and will discard her at the end of the year?" I spat.
"Natsuki is right. No one can tell Shizuru. She'd never believe it," Chie agreed.
"What are you going to do Natsuki?" Aoi asked concerned.
"What can I do?" I said defeated.
I drank until the sharp pain in my chest was a dull throb. Chie and Aoi escorted me home. As we were fumbling with the keys, Shizuru opened the front door, so Chie and Aoi handed me off to her.
"Natsuki, you are drunk!" Shizuru accused.
"What was your first clue?" I slurred sarcastically.
"Why are you drunk?" Shizuru asked with her hands on her hips.
"Because I drank alcohol…LOTS of it," I slurred.
I staggered to the bedroom, trying to block out the sound of Shizuru's voice.
"I cannot talk to you like this," Shizuru yelled with resigned indignation from the living room.
"Fine, then shut the hell up," I yelled from the bedroom.
"NANI?" Shizuru yelled from the bedroom doorway.
"I said, shut the hell up," I slurred and flopped onto the bed.
"Natsuki, you have NEVER spoken to me like this," Shizuru said softly as she hugged me.
I looked up into Shizuru's eyes and all my bravado dissipated. I grabbed her and held on tightly as I broke down crying.
"Natsuki, what is wrong?" Shizuru asked.
"I love you," I repeated over and over, knowing this was all I could tell her.
Shizuru held me as I cried, but never once returned my sentiments.
The next morning, my aching head confirmed my hangover and the fact I didn't dream the events of last night. I tentatively made my way to the bathroom and showered. I opened the closet for some clothes and was shocked to find Shizuru's side cleared out. Panicked, I checked the dressers. Everything was gone! I ran to the living room and in the kitchen, I found her note.
Natsuki,
I wanted to talk to you last night, but your drunken condition made it impossible. I am very sorry. I am in love with another woman.
Shizuru
I crumpled up the note in my fist and threw it across the living room. My heart felt as if it were being torn apart. All the blood drained from my body. I collapsed on the living room floor and curled up into a ball. I stayed there on the floor until the next day.
The sunlight shone through the living room window and woke me. I stretched and prayed yesterday was just a bad dream, but the crumpled note on the floor confirmed my worse nightmare. I stood under the scalding hot shower for a long time, hoping to wash away my heartbreak. When the water started to run cold, I got out and dressed. I called Chie and Aoi.
"Hello," Chie answered.
"She left me," I informed her.
"NANI?" Chie exclaimed. Her show of emotion took me by surprise. I heard her call to Aoi to pick up the extension.
"Hello," Aoi said.
"Shizuru left Natsuki," Chie said.
"Nani?" Aoi's voice went up a few octaves.
"Yes, she left yesterday. She left me a note," I informed them.
"Hang in there. We'll be right over," Aoi said and I heard them both hang up.
A few minutes later, I heard them knocking at my front door.
"Did you two fly here?" I asked shocked at how quickly they arrived.
"Yeah, we used Chie's broom," Aoi replied sarcastically.
I smiled brightly and she smiled back. I hugged Aoi tightly. The three of us sat on the couch and talked. I showed them Shizuru's note.
"Wow, a woman of very few words," Chie stated flatly.
"Well, you know Shizuru will be back at the end of the year," Aoi tried to find the positive side.
"Great! I get to pick up the shattered pieces Sakai-sensei leaves in her wake," I growled.
"Someone's going to have to, because Shizuru will be a mess," Chie said.
"I know. I know," I put my head in my hands.
"Too bad there wasn't a way to get back at Sakai-sensei?" Aoi wondered out loud.
"Aoi, stop that," Chie reprimanded her.
"She's right. I wish there were a way for me to get back at Sakai-sensei and stop her from doing this to more young women," I stated coldly.
"What can we do? She's a professor. We're just students," Aoi sighed.
This revelation renewed my disposition. I felt wonderful and hungry.
"Hey, I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat," I suggested happily.
Chie and Aoi stared incredulously at me.
"C'mon, let's go," I pulled on my jacket and motioned for them to follow.
I was happily eating my food with Chie and Aoi still giving me incredulous looks, when they walked into the café.
"Look what the cat dragged in," I said as I took a bite of my sandwich.
Chie and Aoi turned around to see Sakai-sensei and Shizuru enter the café arm in arm.
"Oh…my…god," Aoi blurted out.
"I can't believe they're here," Chie said shaking her head.
"It's a free country," I answered flatly.
"Are you okay?" Aoi asked concerned.
"I'm fine," I assured Aoi and continued to eat my food, never once looking up in their direction.
"Sakai-sensei is growing pretty bold to be seen in public with her pet," Chie stated.
"Hey Chie, would you please not refer to Shizuru as a 'pet?' Thanks," I said and took another bite of my sandwich.
"Oh, sorry," Chie apologized.
Of course, they were seated in the booth across from us. I made sure I didn't look up in their direction, until I was ready to leave.
"That was delicious. I was famished," I stated happily as I put my napkin in my empty plate.
I waited for Chie and Aoi to finish their food and as we were leaving, I finally looked in Shizuru's direction. When my eyes met hers, she blushed and smiled weakly. I looked through her with no expression of recognition on my face. When I looked into Sakai-sensei's eyes, I conveyed all my hatred for her and she slightly jumped at the sight. I followed Chie and Aoi out the café.
"Wow Natsuki, you were really cool back there," Aoi stated excitedly.
"You scared Sakai-sensei pretty good too," Chie said happily.
I just smiled and plotted my revenge against Sakai-sensei.
The end of the year came and went with no news of Shizuru, so I concluded, and half-heartedly hoped, Sakai-sensei had a change of heart.
The day after the new school year began, my telephone rang.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Have you heard?" Aoi asked excitedly.
"Heard what?"
"Sakai-sensei has already chosen her new pet for the year and it's a first year!" Aoi gushed.
"What about Shizuru? How is she?" I asked concerned.
"We haven't heard anything," Chie said.
"Keep your eyes and ears open," I asked.
"Okay," they both said in unison and hung up.
I didn't hear anything for two weeks.
One day, on the way to my next class from Computer Lab, I took a detour to the cafeteria to get some tea. I was standing in line waiting for my tea when a familiar voice came from behind me.
"Brisk day calls for hot tea," said the sweet voice behind me.
"Yes, it just called to me," I answered without turning around.
"Ano, let me get that," she offered.
I turned, smiled, and said, "Thank you." I picked up my tea and began to walk away.
"Natsuki…," Shizuru began.
"Too much water under the bridge," I stated flatly and continued to walk away.
"Can you stay and talk?" Shizuru almost pleaded.
I thought it over, smiled, and motioned for her to have a seat. We sat there in awkward silence for a moment until I began.
"I know what happened and why you left," I stated flatly.
"How did you know?" Shizuru asked surprised.
"The night I came home drunk, earlier in the bar, Chie and Aoi informed me of Sakai-sensei's little yearly game. I knew who you left me for and why, but also knew how badly it would end for you. At the end of the year, I tried to find out if you were okay, but you dropped out of sight." I informed her flatly and drank some of my tea.
Shizuru stared at me incredulous, "Why did you not warn me?"
"As I told Chie and Aoi that night when they told me to warn you, would you have believed me?" I replied.
Shizuru hung her head, "Probably not."
"I had to let the nightmare play itself out," I informed her sadly. I set my tea down on the table and continued, "As I told Chie and Aoi, the only thing I can do is be there for you afterwards, if you needed me."
I held my arms open.
Shizuru stared at me incredulous, her mouth hung open a little. She began to cry, flew into my arms, wrapped her arms around my neck, and hugged me tightly.
"I love you Natsuki," Shizuru managed to say through her sobs.
"I love you too Shizuru," I said and hugged her tight.
I forgave Shizuru the day I decided to seek revenge against Sakai-sensei, so it felt to me as if we were never apart those eight months. It took our friends a bit longer before they forgave Shizuru, but they eventually came around.
As our life together returned to normal, I began to put my revenge plan in motion.