DISCLAIMER: Yeah, yeah, I know, Sunrise owns My-HiME and its characters.
A/N: I apologize for the delay. My clients finally found me and work has been extremely hectic.
The Power of Goodbye
Immediately after Chie and Shizuru disappeared, Mai roughly pulled Aoi into her residence and slammed the door. Mai waited a couple of minutes, listening for Mikoto. When Mai didn't hear anything, she spoke.
"What was that kiss all about?" Mai demanded and added, "Do you have ANY idea what Mikoto would have done to you if she saw it?"
Aoi stared at her friend and wisely remained silent while Mai ranted.
"Oh, and what the hell was THAT?" Mai pointed in the direction of Aoi's residence.
Mai's face was beet red and she was breathing heavy. She was angry and trying desperately to maintain her self-control. Aoi started to explain everything to her friend, but Mai put her hand up to stop her.
"You don't have to say a thing. I know exactly what, or rather who, is the cause of all this chaos," Mai said.
Mai flipped open her mobile phone and pressed the well-worn speed dial button.
"What's up Mai?" Natsuki asked.
"What did you say to Shizuru?" Mai asked.
"What are you talking about?" Natsuki asked feigning ignorance.
"Don't play dumb with me Kuga. Tell me what you said to Shizuru," Mai pressed.
"Nothing," Natsuki said defiantly.
"What did you say to Shizuru?" Mai asked sternly.
"Nothing…really," Natsuki said sheepishly.
"Nothing? Really? BAKA! NOTHING doesn't leave this much damage in its wake!" Mai yelled.
Natsuki pulled her mobile phone away from her ear while Mai yelled. After all the yelling subsided, Natsuki put her mobile phone back up to her ear.
"What are you talking about?" Natsuki asked incredulous, thinking her friend was just being melodramatic.
"BAKA!" Mai yelled one more time, causing Natsuki's eyes to cross as the loud voice assaulted her eardrums yet again.
"Mai? I honestly have no idea what you're talking about" Natsuki said.
"Aoi and I saw Chie take Shizuru into her place a few minutes ago," Mai said and sighed deeply.
Upon hearing those words, Natsuki's defensive walls came crashing down around her. Her heart pounded in her ears. Mai's voice sounded as if she were underwater. Natsuki's free hand was tightly clenched in a fist of pure rage, fueled by her newfound jealousy. The knuckles were white from lack of blood. Natsuki strangled her mobile phone with the other hand. Her breathing became audibly labored as she felt the muscles in her chest constrict around her heart.
"Natsuki? Natsuki? Are you still there?" Mai yelled.
It took Natsuki several minutes to come back to her senses.
"Yeah," Natsuki replied distantly.
"What did you say to Shizuru?" Mai repeated her earlier question.
Natsuki reluctantly informed Mai of last night's events.
"BAKA! If I could reach you, I would hurt you," Mai said.
Mai looked over at her distraught friend who was now sitting on Mai's couch weeping.
"What are you going to do about this mess you made?" Mai asked.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. Shizuru is a single woman and if she wants to date that womanizer Chie, I can't stop her," Natsuki growled.
"WHAT?? You know what? You ARE thick! You KNOW Shizuru loves you with every fiber of her being, yet you continue to date that missing link Takeda. Think about how that makes Shizuru feel," Mai said, almost yelling again.
"Mai? I've gotta go," Natsuki said and immediately hung up.
"Natsuki?? Natsuki?? KUGA!" Mai said to no avail.
"What happened?" Aoi asked.
"That baka hung up on me!" Mai fumed.
Mai put her mobile phone away and sat down next to Aoi. The distraught woman looked at her friend's sympathetic face and began weeping again. Mai reached out and held Aoi close.
In Chie's residence, Chie broke their kiss and stared into crimson pools reflecting the heartache both women felt. Chie stood and extended her hand to Shizuru, who quickly accepted it.
"We should get into something dry before we freeze," Chie suggested.
Shizuru allowed Chie to lead her into Chie's bedroom. While Chie rummaged through her dresser drawers looking for something for Shizuru to wear, Shizuru sat on Chie's bed.
"Here," Chie handed Shizuru a nightshirt, "It might be a bit big, but at least it's dry."
Shizuru accepted the offered nightshirt and smiled. She got up and went into the bathroom to change. While Shizuru was in the bathroom, Chie quickly stripped off her wet clothes and slipped on her own nightshirt. Several minutes later, Shizuru appeared from the bathroom. Chie stared at Shizuru in silent awe.
"Ano, Chie?" Shizuru asked.
"Kuga-san is an idiot," Chie said softly.
Shizuru looked at Chie with questioning eyes.
"You are absolutely lovely," Chie said.
The genuine sincerity in Chie's eyes took Shizuru by complete surprise.
'No one, including Natsuki, has ever paid me a compliment with such sincerity. Yes, I hear compliments every single day, but none without strings attached. Here is a woman, who does not want anything from me, except my company,' Shizuru thought and smiled at Chie.
Shizuru walked over to Chie, wrapped her arms around Chie's waist, and pressed the side of her face into Chie's chest. Caught off-guard, it took Chie a few seconds longer than normal to wrap her arms around Shizuru.
When Mai called, Natsuki was heading home, but after the call, Natsuki made a detour to Takeda's residence. Up until today, Natsuki maintained a platonic dating relationship with Takeda. It was NOT an easy task, but after Natsuki threatened the big brute with a rape charge, he fell into line quickly.
'DAMN IT! Why the hell am I feeling like this?? I'm NOT into women, so why the hell do I care who Shizuru dates?? I can't feel that way about another woman…I just CAN'T! I won't let another woman in my heart after what mother did to me. It hurts TOO much! Shizuru can destroy me,' Natsuki's thoughts tormented her as she stormed towards Takeda's.
Natsuki stood staring at Takeda's front door with her fists clenched tightly. As if something snapped in Natsuki, she pounded on Takeda's door.
"Wha??" Takeda said sleepily after he opened the door.
Natsuki stood her ground looking down.
"Babe? What are you doing here so late?" Takeda asked.
Natsuki remained silently looking down. Once again, as if something snapped inside the young woman, her head suddenly shot up. She looked at Takeda with a fire burning in her eyes. Takeda mistakenly thought it was desire, so he grabbed Natsuki and pulled her into his arms. He slammed the door behind them. Natsuki's entire body stiffened with disgust. She wanted to bolt, but she came to Takeda for a reason. She had something to prove to herself.
"Babe, loosen up," Takeda said.
Natsuki looked into Takeda's eyes and her thoughts were immediately filled with images of Shizuru. She shook her head to clear it, but the images remained.
"Of course you can. Here, let me help you," Takeda said.
Takeda leaned down and roughly crushed his lips against Natsuki's, catching the woman by surprise. He grabbed and squeezed one of Natsuki's breasts hard, causing searing pain, which quickly brought the woman to her senses. Natsuki punched Takeda in the stomach with everything she had.
"What the hell was that for? Isn't that why you're here?" Takeda asked confused and winded by the punch.
"FUCK NO!" Natsuki screamed.
"Then what the hell are you doing here at this late hour?" Takeda yelled back.
Natsuki stood and stared at Takeda. The memory of Shizuru and Chie kissing flashed and Natsuki was suddenly filled with rage. She grabbed Takeda's hand and pulled him into his bedroom.
Chie lay on her back in bed with Shizuru in her arms. She could tell by Shizuru's breathing, the woman was not asleep and kissed the top of Shizuru's head, causing the brunette beauty to look up. Chie smiled at the sweet face looking up at her with questioning crimson eyes. After a bit, Shizuru moved up and lightly kissed the tomboy on the lips. Chie smiled in the middle of the kiss. Shizuru pulled back stunned and looked at the tomboy.
"Kuga-san really IS an idiot," Chie said softly.
Shizuru giggled softly, leaned in, and kissed Chie again. As their kiss slowly turned passionate, the tomboy was surprised to discover how dominant the Kyoto lady's kisses became. Chie had no problems submitting to them. Actually, Chie expected Shizuru to be another "Pillow Princess," like all the other women the playgirl bedded. Chie welcomed her new submissive position and opened her mouth, allowing access to Shizuru's persistent tongue.
Shizuru's hands roamed Chie's body over her nightshirt, but the tomboy kept her hands on the brunette's hips. Chie moaned into Shizuru's mouth when she felt the brunette's hands move underneath the tomboy's nightshirt. Shizuru moved from Chie's lips to her neck, which elicited more moans from the submissive woman. Shizuru licked the playgirl's neck and paused to savor the spiciness on her tongue. Chie took this opportunity to capture Shizuru's smooth creamy neck begging for attention.
Chie lightly sucked on Shizuru's neck, making sure not to leave any marks. The brunette moaned loudly and filled the room, which the tomboy found arousing. Chie made love to Shizuru's neck and filled the room with the Kyoto beauty's moans. Shizuru brought her hand between Chie's thighs, causing the playgirl to arch her back and moan loudly.
"SHIZURU!"
Natsuki screamed and bolted upright in bed from the nightmare. Her breathing was labored and sweat covered her body. She immediately looked next to her. After confirming she was alone and in her bed, she let out a deep breath and remembered running out of Takeda's after finally accepting her emerging feelings for Shizuru. She chuckled as she remembered hearing him scream "TEASE!" as she slammed his front door behind her.
Natsuki got out of bed and went to Shizuru's bedroom. She knocked softly. When she didn't get a response, she put her ear to the door and listened for sounds, but didn't hear any. She turned the door knob and opened the door.
"Shizuru?" Natsuki called out softly into the dark room.
She still didn't get any response, so she carefully made her way to Shizuru's bed in the dark.
"Shi…," Natsuki began to say until she saw the bed was empty.
Aoi was having a fitful night. She tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep, but just couldn't. Mai adamantly insisted Aoi stay with her and Mikoto. Aoi turned and looked at her two friends in Mai's bed, lovingly wrapped in each other.
'Chie,' Aoi thought and buried her face in Mikoto's pillow.