You Make Me Melt

By Team GEMINI

メルト

Nanoha's Point of View

I'm Too Cute to Ignore Part 5 of 6

I don't know how long I can last just being the friend anymore; I wanted her so badly and I know that now. This mysterious feeling was a paradox unto itself, it just couldn't happen.

"This rain just won't let up will it?" Fate asked me with a wry grin. Her unnerving smile made me feel even guiltier. I was melting under her gaze and she didn't know it.

"Are you getting cold Nanoha? We can stop by a café and get you something warm to drink and maybe a donut too?"

"No, it's okay." I mumbled, feeling the heat in my cheeks and praying to God that she didn't notice it "Just standing beside you is enough to keep me war-" I quickly covered my mouth and looked down in shame. Fate looked at me with a flabbergasted stare, a cute blush adorning her handsome face. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that!" I blurted out feeling more embarrassed.

Fate chuckled and shifted the umbrella from her right hand to her left and pulled me close to her body. "Well then, I'll just have to keep you warm if you don't want to take a stop."

"You-You're really close..." I breathed out. My heart was racing and my trembling increased; I felt my whole body wrack with a spasm as Fate pulled me even closer.

"You're trembling Nanoha. We're going to a café and getting you warmed up," I opened my mouth to protest but Fate cut me off. "And no buts okay? I don't want you catching a cold."

"Idiots don't get sick." I replied trying to divert the topic away from my reaction to the highly volatile Fate T-virus. "Fate-chan really, you've done too much for me as is. I don't want you going out of your way too much for my sake."

"Hey, what are a few bucks to me?" Fate asked me with a playful sideways grin. "Nanoha, please, let me get you something warm to drink."

"Fate-chan, you're really doing too much for me. I don't want to take advantage of you." I said in the most convincing voice I could. The truth was, I actually did feel rather cold and that warm drink sounded really nice, but I was the one wearing the jacket and not Fate. "Why don't I treat you to something instead?"

"Huh, why?"

"Well, you must be cold. I'm wearing your jacket after all." I answered, the innocent look on Fate's face making me stumble a little. "You're wet all over and I'm as dry as a bone! This isn't fair you know?"

Fate blushed and sniffled, "I didn't feel cold until you mentioned it, thanks a lot."

"You have a one track mind don't you, Fate-chan?" I asked her jokingly.

"Well I guess so... Carim's always teasing me about it, but I never really understood why." Fate said with a light chuckle. "Focusing on one task isn't such a bad thing. I get to focus on you can't I?"

"Fate-chan..."

"I'm sorry, that must've sounded weird."

"Then I guess we're even." I said with a nervous laugh, my heart still running faster than a bullet train. "So, my treat?"

"Okay, sure." Fate agreed.

"Now, where to?"

"I don't know..."

Then I remembered it -- Fate had something urgent to do. "Fate-chan, I think you're forgetting something."

Stopping by the stop sign, Fate rubbed my shoulder with her thumb causing me to blush yet again. "Hm, I can't really say I am. Why?"

"You got a call a while ago remember?"

"What about it?"

I sighed heavily and smiled at how forgetful my companion was. "It was urgent but then you insisted on walking me to the train station, remember?"

"Ah, I was hoping you'd forget about that." Fate mumbled bashfully. She looked at me with a dejected sigh and asked, "Am I so boring that you'd want to get away from me as fast as you can?" I shook my head and denied the accusation. "I know I'm not all that funny, but I'm trying. I know a few great knock-knock jokes."

I shook my head again and wrapped my arms around her waist, my head resting against her shoulder. "Just being with you like this is more than enough for me."

"N-Nanoha..."

I looked up at Fate and smiled at her warmly, "And just so you know, your knock-knock jokes are horrible."

"Owwie..." Fate exaggerated a look of pain and threw her head back dramatically, "Nanoha, why must you wound me so? I haven't even told you one of my world famous knock-knock jokes."

"Nyahaha, because I love you."

"I know, and I love you too."

The smile on my face disappeared, but the look of seriousness on Fate's face caused me to jump back away from her. I looked at my feet and tried to calm my beating heart; we were both just joking so I shouldn't take it so seriously.

"If... time allowed it, I wished it would stop..." I whispered in my quietest of voices. "Fate-chan, if you say anything right now... I think I might just cry..."

"Nanoha... I'm sorry I-"

A small smile tugged at my lips. Fate's words rang out clearly in my head, the sound of her voice and the emphasis she placed in the word 'too', they were all so clear. I thanked the little tape recorder in my heart and smiled--I knew this would be the only time I'd be able to hear Fate say she loved me in such a serious voice.

"Come on, let's get to the station. I don't want you to get held up at work and cancel our dinner date." I said cheerfully as I grabbed hold of Fate's arm and began walking.

"Hm, yeah."

The feel of her soft alabaster skin, her warm hand in mine, the shy side glances, and the idle banter between us made me happy as can be. Just having Fate all to myself for even the briefest of moments makes me happy, but here we are walking together while sharing an umbrella and snuggling.

I couldn't have a bigger smile on my face, just as long as Fate is by my side.

I can die happy just thinking about her saying, "I love you.".

End of... part 5 of 6.

メルト

MELT

お願い時間を止めて　泣きそうなの

Oh please time will you stop for me, because I'm about to cry

でも嬉しくて　死んでしまうわ！

But I'm still so happy that I could die!