Bitter Taste
AN: To avoid going blind, view in half screen width.
Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. They certainly help boost motivation.
The smell of cooking food filled Natsuki's nostrils as she curled herself into a ball in the corner of Mai's couch. Her stomach announced its empty state loudly, momentarily distracting her from the pressure building behind her eyes. The headache had been just a faint annoyance an hour ago, but it now seemed like it was trying its hardest to become a fully-fledged migraine.
Natsuki scrubbed a hand roughly across her forehead as a throb of pain lanced through her skull.
"Hold on, Natsuki," Mai called, and Natsuki grimaced at the volume. "It'll be ready in just a second."
A quick wave of acknowledgement was all she could manage in reply as she shut her eyes miserably. Today had been trying on more than one occasion, but it was her best friend's unusual demand that had brought her to this new fresh level of hell. Her teeth clenched as she thought on it more; Shizuru was such a selfish moron!
"It's ready!"
Natsuki opened her eyes gingerly, momentarily blinded by the late afternoon sun filtering in through the windows of the small room. Mai was settling herself down at the low table in front of the couch, two steaming bowls sitting on the table's surface.
"Natsuki, it'll get cold," Mai admonished, picking up her chopsticks and picking some noodles out of the bowl. "I promise it will make you feel better."
Natsuki complied wordlessly, unfurling her legs from the couch, and taking a few easy strides to the opposite side of the table to Mai. She slowly lowered herself to the floor, adjusting the cushion for comfort as her meal for the evening was finally revealed to her.
Ramen.
Of course it was ramen.
Natsuki picked up her chopsticks, and grumbled a quick thanks before she dug in. As usual, Mai's cooking was amazing, and despite herself, she started to feel a little better. Whether it was because of the food, or if it was just because it was a distraction, Natsuki didn't know. And frankly, she just didn't care.
Her dining was interrupted when Mai giggled, a few noodles slipping off her chopsticks as she tried to muffle it. "You know, at the moment you remind me of what you were like when we first met," Mai explained. "You were always so gruff and serious; you were actually pretty scary."
Natsuki swallowed her mouthful of cabbage and stilled her chopsticks against the side of her bowl. "Not scary enough, apparently," she returned with a small smile. "Despite my warnings, you still came to Fuuka."
Mai smiled fondly. "Mmm, But I think it was the right choice, don't you? Even if meant we had to participate in the festival, we've both made a lot of really close friends because of it." The smile became a little sad. "In spite of what we went through, I think it's made us both stronger, better people, don't you think?"
Natsuki nodded as she grabbed a few noodles and stuffed them into her mouth, hurriedly swallowing and almost choking as piece of noodle stuck to the back of her throat. "Some of the others don't see it that way, though," Natsuki said soberly, before breaking into a coughing fit. Mai fetched her a glass of water, and Natsuki accepted it with thanks. "You and I got through the festival mostly unscathed; but some of the others didn't." She placed the water back on the table before continuing. "I'm not sure everyone's fully recovered from it yet; even if they pretend like they have."
Mai frowned thoughtfully as she finished off her mouthful. "I know Mikoto still has nightmares about it. Every few nights she'll start twitching and whimpering in her sleep," she said, before sighing in exasperation. "Her kicking usually wakes me up in the middle of the night, but when I ask her about it she shrugs and says she can't remember what she dreamt about."
Natsuki's eyebrows rose as she glanced at Mai curiously. "Uh, and exactly what are you doing in her bed in the first place?"
"I'm not in hers; she's in mine!" Mai cried in frustration, her eyes closing dramatically and her head tilted back. "I don't know how it happens, but every morning when I wake up she's on my bed half draped over me! I swear that girl has no respect for personal space."
Natsuki hid a smirk. "I think it's just your personal space she has no respect for, Mai," she offered, earning herself a glare for her troubles. "She doesn't do it to the rest of us."
Mai sighed tiredly. "Well, hopefully she'll grow out of it in time." She picked up her bowl and took a sip, before returning it to the table. "You know, she already seems to be maturing a little. I wonder if I have Nao-chan to thank for that?" She queried rhetorically, before a small grimace crossed her face. "I know they're friends, but I can't help but be worried about what that girl is teaching her."
At the mention of Nao's name, Natsuki's brow furrowed.
"Ah, now what's that about?" Mai cried, pointing her chopsticks at Natsuki accusingly. "Is Nao-chan the reason you're in such a bad mood? Did something happen? I thought you guys were becoming friends."
Natsuki shook her head. "Nao's only a small part of the reason," she said. "But can I tell you after dinner? I haven't really sorted out my own thoughts yet."
Mai nodded and lowered her chopsticks back to her bowl wordlessly.
Only a short while later, Natsuki had finished the remainder of her ramen, said a quick thanks to Mai and shifted position, crossing her legs and leaning back to support her body on her arms. She took the time to study Mai while she was finishing off her own meal.
"Hey, Mai?" Natsuki ventured, earning a glance up over her bowl from the redhead. "Why aren't you with Tate or Kanzaki right now? I would have thought you'd have something organised for tonight."
Mai swallowed her mouthful in a large gulp, cringing as it slid down painfully slowly. She pounded on the upper part of her chest in an attempt to speed it up before turning her attention back to Natsuki. "A-Actually Reito-san's going by Minagi these days, not Kanzaki," she offered shakily.
Natsuki laughed. "Nice try changing the subject," she said, as Mai shot her a slightly weak smile.
"Ah, and I thought I'd get away with it too!"
She finished up her dinner and started clearing the dishes. Natsuki started to rise to help but Mai shook her head, taking the dishes over to rest in the sink. Natsuki could only watch as Mai faced away from her, the sound of the running tap almost drowning out her voice.
"To be honest, I was just coming back here to grab my purse since I forgot it this morning. I originally had plans to go to dinner with Reito-san, but when I saw you loitering about the dorms, I messaged him to change our plans." She shot a look over her shoulder at Natsuki, concern evident on her face. "You looked upset, so I though something must have happened."
"Ah, sorry," she muttered, feeling only slightly better when Mai waved her apology off. She then sighed, sitting forward and hugging her crossed knees to her chest. "But yeah, you could say something happened. A few things, actually."
Mai finished cleaning up and sat herself across from Natsuki again, draping her arms on the table and propping up her chin on one hand. "You wanna tell me about it?"
Natsuki took a deep breath and gave Mai and edited account of everything that had happened that afternoon. Her refusal of Takeda's confession, Nao's admission she was likely going paedophile hunting that night, the confrontation between the younger redhead and Shizuru, and finally Shizuru's request.
Mai had thankfully just sat back and let Natsuki talk, only giggling slightly as Natsuki recounted Takeda's nervous confession speech. But as she moved on to later events Mai's expression became more grave, morphing into surprised shock when she revealed Shizuru's bombshell.
"So, what did you say?" Mai asked carefully, when Natsuki fell silent.
"What could I say?" she asked bitterly. "I told her if that's what she wanted, I'd respect her wishes."
"And then?"
Natsuki shrugged. "She said that we'd have to make the most of the next two weeks, before she leaves. Then she turned and left, saying that she had to get back to her graduating class and that she'd call me later." She frowned. "I think she was trying to run away from me."
Mai sighed, lifting her head from her palm and laying it across the other on the table. "Well, it's not like I can't understand where she's coming from," she offered, much to Natsuki's displeasure. "I mean, Shizuru-san was rather out of control during the last part of the festival; and that's gotta mess with your head a little." She paused at Natsuki's deepening frown. "Just think for a moment. Don't you ever feel guilty about what happened with Nao-chan?" Natsuki felt a stab of guilt shoot through her, and Mai hastily clarified herself. "Not that I blame you or anything! But, don't you regret it? Because I know I still feel guilty about trying to kill Mikoto, even if I didn't, and even if it would've been undone anyway."
Natsuki nodded thoughtfully, straightening her legs out under the table and leaning back on her hands. "Seeing that scar across her eye always makes me feel a little guilty. Even though I know she doesn't really hold it against me."
Mai's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Nao-chan has a scar? On her left eye? The one that was damaged?"
Natsuki nodded reluctantly; idly wondering if she should have told Mai. Even though she'd never admit it out loud, Natsuki was pretty sure Nao was self-conscious about it. "Yeah, but keep that to yourself would you?"
Mai nodded in understanding, but Natsuki wondered if she'd have to run interference the next time they saw one another. Mai was a great person, but she had the habit of being a little less than subtle about some things. She wouldn't put it past her friend to stare at Nao's left eye until the younger redhead retaliated and poked out Mai's own in revenge.
"Well then, knowing what you feel like with something minor like that, do you see how Shizuru-san must feel? That guilt must be really hard to deal with. I'm actually surprised she's managed to last this long without breaking down."
Natsuki nodded, but held her tongue. Mai didn't have to know about the few weeks immediately after the festival where she had been a broken mess. When Natsuki had been the one to pick her up and hold her until she calmed down. "I know that, but I just don't understand why she has to cut off all communication to do it," she grumbled angrily. "I thought we were friends. Isn't that what friends are supposed to do? Share their troubles?"
Mai studied her for a bit, and Natsuki squirmed uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "You can be really thick-headed sometimes, Natsuki."
Natsuki frowned, sitting up straight as she levelled an angry glare at Mai. She'd been getting that a lot today and her pride was starting to prickle.
"To Shizuru-san, you're not just a friend. Her feelings for you are the reason she spiralled out of control. So having you in the picture might actually be stopping her from moving on and healing." Mai sighed heavily as Natsuki frowned, lost in thought. "You know, it must have taken a lot of guts on Shizuru-san's part to actually ask you to do that. She does love you, after all."
The frown fell away from her face as Mai's words seeped through the thick fog of hurt clouding her mind. She had been so scared of losing her best friend, that she had been blinded by her own desires, once again selfishly neglecting Shizuru's. It was quickly becoming a nasty habit of hers.
"That's… true, I guess," she muttered, and then turned a small smile on Mai. "Thanks, Mai. I suppose I just need to talk to her to sort things out."
Mai nodded. "So, now that we've settled the issue with Shizuru-san, what are you going to do about Nao-chan?"
"Nao?" Natsuki shrugged. "I'm not going to do anything; she says she's got it under control."
Mai gaped, before slamming her hands down on the table. "What do you mean? You're telling me that you have no trouble letting a fourteen-year-old—"
"Fifteen," Natsuki interrupted.
"—Fifteen-year-old girl use herself as bait for a bunch of paedophiles, even though she no longer has access to Julia or her elements?"
Natsuki cringed, crossing her arms protectively across her chest. "When I asked her about it, she said she was armed, and said not to worry."
Mai stared at Natsuki like she was an idiot. "Yes, because Nao-chan is really used to people worrying about her, and knows when to seek help when she's in trouble," she dead-panned. Her expression turned serious. "She could be raped, Natsuki. Or killed!"
Her pride wouldn't let her admit it yet, but she was starting to think she may have made the wrong decision in letting Nao go off by herself. "Nao's cunning and sly, and really agile. I know she's done it before without her elements, and she's been fine," she placated. "I think she'd just be angry that we butted into her business."
Mai locked gazes with her again for a few timeless seconds, before sighing melodramatically. "Oh, I give up on you, Natsuki," she muttered tiredly. "Look, what were you saying about friends before? Being her friend means you're willing to butt into her business even if she doesn't want you to. In this case, Nao would actually benefit from you butting in. So come on, we'll both go and find her."
Natsuki raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh? And exactly how are you going to help? Without your elements, you're more powerless than she is. At least Nao and I know how to handle ourselves in a street-fight; you'd be a liability to both of us."
Mai stared Natsuki down. "Then how about I stay out of your way, and let you handle it?"
The staring match continued for a few seconds before Natsuki finally folded.
"Oh, fine! I'll swing by and make sure she's okay," she growled. "But she's gonna be really pissed off when I turn up. And I'm going to tell her it was you who forced me into coming, so prepare yourself."
Mai grinned sheepishly, and Natsuki could almost see the visions she was having of her slow, painful death at Nao's hands.
Natsuki stood up slowly, stretching her arms to the ceiling as she worked out the stiffness in her back and shoulders. "Thanks, Mai. For everything. I owe you one," she said, grabbing her bag and heading toward the door.
Mai smiled and nodded. "Mmm, and don't you forget it! Tell Nao-chan I said 'hi'."
Natsuki gripped the door handle before turning and looking over her shoulder. "Will do. Tell Kanzaki I said 'hi'," she taunted, enjoying the crimson flush that appeared across Mai's cheeks as she stepped through the door jamb.
Mai's embarrassed protests were promptly cut off as the door swung to a close behind her.
It was almost time...
So far, everything had gone according to plan. Her mark had made contact, they'd flirted and then moved off to a quiet cafe to 'get to know one another better'. She'd played the coy teenager, buttering him up with shy glances and cute blushes, and he'd fed her corny lines that she was sure he'd looked up online.
She was the fifteen-year-old schoolgirl.
He was the twenty-something office worker who should have known better.
When he reached across to play with the fingers of her right hand, and stare unashamedly at her, Nao knew it was time to strike. Throwing him her best sulty smile, she rested her left hand over his.
"Do you wanna go somewhere a little quieter?" she whispered, knowing her mark been lured in hook, line and sinker when a wide grin split his face and the hand toying with hers tightened its grip possessively.
"I've been waiting all night for you to say that, Julia-chan."
Nao smothered the urge to sneer in revulsion; this one really was a slimy son-of-a-bitch. She'd take no small amount of pleasure in taking him for all he was worth… and then some.
They gathered up their belongings and made a hasty retreat from the cafe. She hung off his arm, and he glanced hungrily at her as they cut their way through the now-thinning masses. He led them into a backalley, tugging Nao insistently as they ducked around a corner, the streetlight dimming the deeper they walked.
The faint smell of rotting garbage, wet asphalt and ammonia assailed Nao's nostrils when they finally pulled to a stop, causing her nose to crinkle violently in protest. Just as she was about to comment on it, her mark made a move: sliding his hands low on her waist, and pulling her roughly in to his body.
Cheap cologne replaced the dank smell of the alley, as his head ducked down to nuzzle between her chin and throat. Hot breath puffed against the skin on her neck, and Nao forced down the urge to shudder in disgust, instead letting a breathy laugh slide from between lightly parted lips.
"My! Isn't someone eager?" she laughed, looping her left arm around his neck while her right rested gently on his arm.
His smile became wolfish as he tightened his grip and pressed his hips into her; his hardness poking insistently into Nao's stomach. "Enough with the teasing, already," he commanded, his hand sliding down her waist toward her right thigh as he sought her mouth with his own.
A sloppy kiss caught the corner of her mouth, as she dove to catch the wandering hand, stilling it on her hip. "Hey, not so fast, big guy," she commanded gently, spinning them and pushing her prey against the alley wall. "We're not even warmed up yet."
Apparently delighted at this new turn of events, Nao's mark submitted willingly, letting her set the pace as she pinned him in place. Her right hand left his as it drifted down her thigh to the hem of her skirt. "Now, what is it you'd like me to do for you?" she whispered huskily, pushing up on her toes to bring her mouth closer to his ear, and block his view of her right hand.
While he was distracted by her question, her right hand ducked quickly under the hem of her skirt, grabbing the handle of the small dagger hidden in her thigh holster. With one quick movement she had it raised to his neck, a vicious smirk teasing her lips as she took in his bewildered expression.
"Do anything funny and you'll be breathing through a hole in your neck," she warned dangerously, letting the cold edge of the blade rest gently up against the skin of his neck.
"H-Hey, hey hold on!" he stuttered. "I'll do whatever you want."
Nao released the pressure on the knife, noticing a droplet of blood forming from a small nick in his skin. She pulled back her arm, aiming the point at the middle of his throat. "On your knees, Hentai-san," she commanded, gesturing lightly with the knife. Her voice lowered dangerously after he hadn't moved. "Don't make me say it twice."
Her mark's eyes widened, and she could swear he was starting to hyperventilate. "O-Okay!" he cried, dropping to his knees in front of her. "Just… don't hurt me!"
Nao scoffed, quickly switching the dagger into her left hand, as her right found the pocket on the thigh holster that held her handcuffs.
"Crawl over to that pipe," she ordered, keeping the dagger trained on his back in case he attempted something stupid. He faltered for a few seconds, before doing as she requested, pulling up alongside the pipe. "Now, hands behind you."
He reluctantly placed his hands behind his back, cringing as he looked over his shoulder to see her brandishing the knife at his back. A cold press of metal, and he heard a click and slide as his hands were locked behind his back.
"W-Wait! What are you doing?"
Nao grinned ferally as she walked around the front of her prey, picking his wallet and phone out of his back pocket as she circled him. "Me? I'm doing nothing at all," she said in mock surprise as she flipped open the leather wallet. His drivers licence identified him as one Ogata Tetsuo aged twenty-six. "Just giving some lovely policeman some really good excuses to lock you up, Hentai-san."
After rifling through his wallet for a few more minutes, Nao quickly pocketed more than a few ten thousand yen notes from the pervy scumback. It was her lucky night tonight, apparently.
"That's my payment for having you slobber all over me," she explained, throwing the empty wallet at Ogata. "Now then…" Reaching into her schoolbag, Nao grabbed a plain A4 envelope, setting it down just out of reach from her unwitting prey, who glanced at her curiously.
When she was all done, she resheathed the knife back into its holster, and slung her schoolbag over her shoulder. Just as she turned to leave, she paused, looked back over her shoulder at Ogata, and took a few quick strides toward him.
"W-What do you want now?" he stammered, trying to press himself back further into the wall.
Nao grinned ferally as she swung her foot back and kicked Ogata in the groin.
Hard.
"And that's payment for the boner," she spat, as Ogata let out a strangled cry and dropped to the ground, his legs drawing up to his chest as he whimpered in pain.
Finally satisfied, Nao turned and left, throwing up one hand in a dismissive wave.
"Buh-bye, Hentai-san. Hope you enjoy your stay in jail! You do know what they do to paedophiles in there, don't you?"
Leaving Ogata to his pain and misery, Nao straightened her clothing quickly before re-entering the main street. No-one batted an eyelid when she emerged from the backalley. They hadn't the slightest inkling of what she'd just done. Coming to lean up against a wall, Nao fished for Ogata's phone and dialled the number for the local police station, giving them details about the offender's location and the presence of chat transcripts and email conversations contained within a nearby envelope. After she'd given them all the details she needed, she hung up, throwing the spare phone into her bag.
As she walked back toward the bus stop to take her back to the Fuuka dormitories, Nao's personal phone started vibrating, buzzing against her leg from inside the pocket of her schooldress. She fished it out, staring at it curiously when it displayed Natsuki as the caller. Nao pressed the accept button, bringing the phone up to her ear, and quickly regretting it.
"Nao? Are you there?"
Nao cringed as she yanked the device away from her abused ear. "Of course I'm here, Kuga! Who did you expect to answer?" She dodged a group of people walking the opposite direction down the footpath, and settled herself up against a telegraph pole.
A frustrated growl."Well, I dunno! You haven't answered for the last hour, so I thought—"
Nao's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You've been trying to call me for an hour? Why? I thought you'd be off getting shitfaced with Fujino."
A heavy sigh. "Yeah, well, a lot of stuff happened after you left" she muttered tiredly. "Anyway, Mai started to worry me about what might happen to you, so I thought I'd call to make sure everything was okay." A hesitant pause. "Everything is okay, right Nao?"
Nao frowned as she replayed Natsuki's last sentence. "Wait! You told Tokiha? Why?"
"As I said, a lot happened and it just came up in conversation... You know, you never actually answered if you were okay or not," she pointed out.
Nao laughed shortly. "If you're asking if I'm dying in a gutter somewhere, then the answer is no, Kuga. Unfortunately for you, it seems I'll be around for a little longer."
A strained laugh met her ears. "Well, too bad for me, then," she agreed quietly. "So, where are you at the moment, Nao? I'm just outside the Rorschach. You anywhere nearby?"
Nao took a quick view of her surroundings. "I'm two blocks up from it, just near the Fuuka line." She paused as she considered something. "Don't tell me you actually came here to look for me?"
Silence answered her.
"Kuga?"
"Yes, I came to look for you!" Natsuki growled, and Nao could hear the faint trace of embarrassment in her voice. "Excuse me for caring!"
Nao hid her discomfort with a musical laugh as her grip tightened around her phone. "How cute," she cooed. "What? You thought you'd ride in and save the day just as I was about to be beaten up or something? I can handle myself just fine, Kuga."
Natsuki was silent, and Nao could swear she could picture the frown marring the older girl's visage. "I know; that's what I told Mai," she finally said. "But then she started saying all this stuff, and it kinda got to me…"
Nao squirmed uncomfortably at the whole situation. What was with the weird atmosphere here? Usually talking to Natsuki came easily, but the older girl was acting strangely. It was unsettling.
"I'm going to kill Mai when I get back home."
And just like that, things returned to normal.
Nao snorted, her hand relaxing around her phone and her posture relaxing. "Yeah, make sure you save a piece for me when I get get back to the dorms. Someone needs to teach her to keep her nose out of everyone else's business."
"I told her you'd say that," she replied, causing Nao to raise a surprised eyebrow. "But I don't think she can help it. You know, the big sister thing and all."
Nao sighed heavily. "Yeah, but it's still a pain in the ass."
Natsuki laughed heartily. "I'm not arguing with you there."
Breif silence met the other side of the line, as Nao glanced at her watch. "So, are you actually coming, or are we just going to talk on the phone all night? Cause I really need to go home and have a long hot shower."
"Ah," Natsuki returned, and Nao could hear her the sounds of rustling in the background. "Yeah, right, just give me a second, and I'll be there in a few minutes," she muttered, the rustling sounds increasing in volume. "Bye."
Nao shook her head, pressing the button to hang up her phone, and stuffing it roughly back in her school dress. She didn't have to wait for long, as the familiar sound of Natsuki's Ducati soon filled the night air. The sleek silver bike pulled up on the side of the road in front of Nao, its rider dressed in formfitting riding leathers and matching jacket that attracted no small amount of attention from passersby.
The engine came to a stop, and Natsuki slid off, kicking out the stand and yanking off her helmet. A cascade of slightly messed dark hair slid down her shoulders as she stuffed the helmet under her arm.
"Hey."
Nao smirked. "Well, that's a rather anti-climactic greeting. So much for my knight in shining armour."
"Save it." Natsuki frowned, giving Nao a once over. "You're seriously okay?"
Nao rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Kuga. So would you drop the concerned act; it's creeping me out."
Natsuki grinned, apparently convinced that she was acting normally enough to be okay. "Deal. You want a ride back home?" she asked. "I'm heading back that way anyhow."
Nao eyed the bike and then its rider. "You know, this ride doesn't count as a part of our deal?" she asked warily.
Natsuki sighed. "Fine, fine. Look, do you want a ride or not?"
Nao nodded, and Natsuki put her helmet down on her seat, shrugging off her backpack and jacket. Before she had time to ask Natsuki what she was doing, the older girl held out her jacket, offering it to a bewildered Nao.
"What do you want me to do with this?"
Natsuki frowned at her, digging around in her bag for something. "What do you think? Wear it."
Nao shoved it back at her.
"I'm not cold or desperate enough to want to wear your clothing, Kuga."
Natsuki rolled her eyes, fishing a second helmet out of her backpack. "It's not to keep you warm, idiot. It's to stop you taking all the skin off your body if we come off," she growled, eyeing Nao's attire. "It's bad enough that you'll be wearing a skirt."
Nao bit back a caustic retort as she slid the jacket over her school uniform, zipping it up halfway. Even though it was a little loose, it fitted quite nicely, and she could faintly detect Natsuki's perfume on the collar. Eternity by Calvin Klein—if she wasn't mistaken.
Natsuki eyed her critically before striding over and grabbing the zipper on the jacket, pulling it right up so that it covered all the way up to her neck. "Why wear it if it's not going to do anything?" she growled, her hands fiddling with the spare helmet. "Come here."
Nao glared at her defiantly, unnerved by Natsuki's suddenly breach of her personal space. Natsuki stared back, her eyebrows lowering with each passing second as Nao made no move to close the distance.
"Do you know how to fit a helmet properly? Or are you going to swallow that pride of yours and let me do it?"
Nao glared at her, but took a reluctant step forward, allowing Natsuki to place it over her head and start fiddling with the straps underneath her her chin. Because of the bulk of the helmet, Nao couldn't see exactly what Natsuki was doing, but the occasional brush of a finger against her neck, or a brush of her arm against Nao's shoulder gave her a pretty good idea.
Satisfied that she'd done a good job, Natsuki's face reappeared in the visor of her helmet. "Is it comfortable enough?" she asked, her voice mostly muffled by the helmet over Nao's head.
Nao glared at her. "No," she grumbled. "It's as heavy as hell."
Natsuki laughed, her green eyes dancing with mirth. "Yeah? Suffer, princess."
She then turned back to her bike, picking the helmet off the seat and tucking her mane of hair down the back of her suit. After fitting her helmet, she turned back to Nao, handing her the nearly empty backpack.
"Put this on," she commanded, and Nao frowned at her.
"It's your stupid bag, you take it. I've got my own to carry."
Natsuki pointed to the back of the bike. "Unless you want to drive, you'll have to take them," she explained. "You need both hands to hold onto me tightly, otherwise you'll be meeting the pavement in a hurry."
Nao swallowed her protests and shrugged both bags over her shoulders, making sure they faced backwards. "Okay, now what?"
Natsuki grabbed the bike and kicked a leg over it, pulling it over so that it was balancing on her right leg. She turned to look back at Nao. "What do you think? Jump on."
Nao moved slowly around the side of the bike, moving to slide onto the passenger seat, her hands lightly gripping Natsuki around the waist as she tried to get on without toppling them both over. Her feet found the pegs on the body of the bike, and she settled her body closer to Natsuki, her knees lightly gripping the older girl around the hips.
"You ready?" Natsuki called, turning her head to face Nao.
Nao nodded, and Natsuki kicked the bike stand up, revved the engine and pulled the bike out into traffic. Nao instinctively locked her hands around Natsuki's stomach as she accelerated around traffic, feeling the older girl tense as she pulled herself flush against Natsuki's back.
Scenery whipped by them, neon signs blurring as they darted in between cars, and Nao begrudgingly started to respect the older girl for her abilities in handling the sportsbike. Although it wasn't really until they hit long stretches of road that Nao started thoroughly enjoying herself. The feel of the wind biting at her hands and ruffling her skirt, the power of the bike as it sped along the vast stretches of road, the rush of adrenaline as Natsuki expertly handled tight corners only to hit the accelerator and speed off again.
It was over far too soon, and Nao felt a sharp stab of disappointment when Fuuka appeared in their vision. Natsuki dipped her lights, and dropped her speed as they hit the road leading up to the dormitories. Technically students weren't supposed to bring motorbikes to school, and Natsuki loved her bike far too much to have anyone find out about it. When they finally reached the dormitory, Natsuki rode the bike a little way into the surrounding woods, coming to a stop and kicking down the stand. She pulled off her helmet and turned to face Nao, tugging at Nao's straps to free her from her own helmet.
Nao sucked in a big breath when she finally pulled the heavy thing off, thankful to be breathing fresh air again. That helmet was almost unbearably stuffy.
"So," Natsuki asked curiously, "what did you think?"
Nao fingered a few errant locks. "I think your helmet messed up my hair."
Natsuki laughed loudly, her voice carrying in the night air. "Yeah, they have a habit of doing that. Next time you might want to consider tying a scarf around your head if you don't want helmet hair."
Nao closed her eyes. "Ugh, I don't think I'm that desperate just yet," she drawled, handing the spare helmet back to Natsuki as she swung her leg over the bike and finally dismounted.
After she was safely off, Natsuki followed suit, leaving her helmet resting on the bike seat. "And what did you think about the ride?"
"I think you drive like a granny," she replied with a smirk. "I thought that bike of yours was supposed to have some power in it, and here you are driving like a ninety-year-old."
She threw Natsuki's bag back at her.
"Oh, is that a challenge?" Natsuki asked, catching the bag easily as she grinned; her white teeth flashing in the dim light.
Nao raised an eyebrow. "Only if you want to prove me wrong," she taunted.
Natsuki chuckled. "You're on. Although if we do this, you have to suit right up. Leathers, helmet, gloves, boots—the lot." She slung her bag over her shoulder, walking right up to Nao. "Are you prepared to get scuffed up and proven wrong?"
Nao scoffed, craning her neck a little to meet Natsuki's challenging gaze. "Are you saying you're not skilled enough to keep me on the back of your bike, Kuga?"
Natsuki's eyebrows lowered, but the smile remained. "I have the skill, I just may not have the desire."
Nao's smirk turned feral. "You dump me; I key your bike."
"O-Oi!"
She waved a hand dismissively. "All's fair in love and war, Kuga."
With their verbal sparring now over, Nao did a quick assessment of their current situation: Natsuki had said that she was heading back this way tonight, and from the look of the bag slung over her shoulder, it didn't look like she was planning a short visit to Mai. That really left only one feasible explanation for Natsuki's presence here, and Nao didn't like it one bit.
"Are you going to see Fujino tonight? Planning on giving her a memorable graduation present, are we Kuga?" she purred, insinuation dripping from every word.
The easy smile on Natsuki's face dropped away at the mention of the former president's name, and Nao studied her with interest.
"Hmm? Did you two have a lover's quarrel or something?"
Natsuki's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Nao realised she'd been a little too accurate with her guess.
"Shut it, Nao," she growled, stalking off toward the dormitory doors.
Nao stood there, watching after her for a second before striding after the older girl. "I'll take that as a 'yes'" she muttered, loud enough for Natsuki to hear.
Natsuki turned a tired and angry frown on her. "Please, would you just drop it? You'll only have to put up with her for another few weeks, so could you just hold your tongue until then?" She sighed. "I'd really like if you two could get along, but if you can't can you at least not bad-mouth her in front of me?"
Nao smothered the sarcastic comment that was rising in her throat when she caught sight of the pleading look Natsuki was directing her way. "You're asking a lot, Kuga."
"I know, and at the moment I don't care. I'll pay you back some other way, Nao."
They reached the dormitory doors and Nao fished her key from her bag, unlocking the heavy doors and slipping off her shoes. She offered Natsuki a pair of guest slippers and turned towards her dorm room.
"Later, Kuga," she said, throwing a hand up in a quick wave as she walked away.
"Nao, wait!"
Nao stopped and turned, wondering what else the older girl could possibly want.
"My jacket."
Nao looked down, and realised her own stupidity. She'd completely forgotten about it in the excitement of the ride and their friendly bantering. "Consider it repayment for that massive favour you just asked of me." She grinned widely. "You know, I could probably sell this to Takeda for a pretty sum. One guess as to what he'd use it f—"
"Nao!"
The mortified expression on Natsuki's face was priceless. Nao's smirk turned feral. "Oh, come now, Kuga; masturbation is a perfectly healthy bodily function."
"Nao!?"
She couldn't help the small trickle of laughter that escaped her lips. Natsuki's face and ears were awash with a deep red, her eyes scrunched up as though in pain and her fists clenched tightly at her sides. She was sure the girl had just had a lovely mental image to complement her words.
"And on that charming note, I'll take my leave," she taunted, opening the door to her shared dormitory room as she turned to face Natsuki with a wink. "Sweet dreams, Kuga."
Natsuki growled, and stalked off in the opposite direction.
"Bite me, Nao."
Thankfully there weren't many students left in the dormitories.
Being graduation night, a lot of the students who lived on campus were out celebrating the graduation of their upperclassmen or roommates, so the walk from Nao and Aoi's shared room on the first floor to Shizuru's private room on the third floor was a peaceful one.
Honestly, Natsuki didn't even know if Shizuru would be around tonight, much less in her room. But if the older girl was feeling even half as crappy as she was about this morning, she probably didn't really want to be out celebrating.
After she had climbed the last set of stairs, she made her way over to the familiar room, and realised with a pang of sadness that it would be someone else's in a little over two weeks. Her chest tightened uncomfortably as she thought on it.
Her best friend was really leaving her.
Gathering all of her resolve, Natsuki raised a hand, rapping gently on the doors surface.
From inside the room came a very familiar voice, instructing her to come in, and that the door was open. Natsuki obliged, pushing the door gently open and closed as she slipped inside.
Shizuru was sitting at her low table with a cup of tea in hand, still dressed in the unique uniform that identified her as the Student Council president.
"What can I do for—Natsuki?"
Shizuru's shocked expression was so comical, that Natsuki found a small chuckle escaping her lips. "I didn't actually think you'd be here," she muttered lightly, padding over to the low table and sitting herself down next to Shizuru. Her riding suit cut into her hips a little as she took a seat, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. "Why aren't you at your graduation party?" she asked curiously, watching as Shizuru put her cup back down on the table.
"I was just tired," she replied simply. "Today has been rather demanding." She played with the sides of her cup, turning it slowly on the table top. "To what do I owe the honour of this visit? Didn't I say I'd ring you tonight?"
Natsuki nodded, noting the faint trace of fatigue present in the usually effervescent girl's tone. "I just wanted to see you," she replied simply, causing her older companion to look up at her in unguarded surprise. Natsuki glanced up into Shizuru's crimson eyes. "And I wanted to talk to you, because I didn't understand what you were trying to tell me this afternoon," she said, with no small measure of shame. "I was being selfish because I was scared of losing my best friend; and I ended up hurting you again." She crawled around behind Shizuru, looping her arms around the older girl's neck and resting her chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."
Shizuru brought a hand up to rest on Natsuki's arm, her eyes closing as a single tear tracked down her cheek. Natsuki brushed it away with the pad of her thumb; the action causing Shizuru's floodgates to open. More tears streamed down Shizuru's face as she took a deep shuddering breath. Natsuki tightened her grip and pulled Shizuru back into her, so that Shizuru's back was pressed up against her chest, her legs on either side of Shizuru's body. After a few minutes of just holding her as she sobbed, Natsuki tried to get Shizuru's attention again.
"Do you want me to stay over tonight?" Natsuki asked quietly, her arms tightening around Shizuru's waist.
A shaky nod answered her, and she picked herself up, turning off the lights and leading Shizuru to the edge of the bed. "Go and change," she ordered gently, nodding to the bathroom. "Do you still have some of my stuff here?" she asked, surprised when she got another shaky nod and a finger pointed at the second drawer of her dresser. Natsuki nodded and went to fetch some clothes as Shizuru left to change.
There was a white tank top and pair of shorts that would work just fine as sleepwear tonight. She quickly shed the riding suit and pulled on the new clothing, not caring about her prized possession lying scrunched up on the floor. Shizuru returned shortly after in a light cotton yukata, and Natsuki took no time leading them both back toward the bed, settling down and pulling Shizuru into her arms.
Shizuru accepted the embrace willingly, and tucked her head in between Natsuki's chest and chin, her fists balling in the material of her tank top. Natsuki tucked one hand under Shizuru's neck, and rested one at her back, stroking soothingly up and down until Shizuru drifted off to sleep.
As she lay there, Shizuru tucked into her arms, after crying herself to sleep, Natsuki couldn't help but feel at peace. And not long after, she followed her best friend into sleep.