A/N: Like it. Hate it. Love it. Wait a minute, I don't want you to hate it. You all must like this chapter! OTL The future of this fic depends on it!
You and I left alone cannot be trusted
There's a lust we can't control
Slowly undress, chest to chest
And unless I say goodnight
I know we're only gonna go too far
Please, I'm not quite ready for that next level
One kiss and that spells trouble
Trouble by Britney Spears
"What flavor is it today?"
Natsuki scooted in close next to Shizuru and handed her a thermos. "Green tea, peach flavored."
About three weeks ago, Natsuki had reunited with Shizuru, told her she was gay, found out Shizuru had a crush on her when they were little, and that Shizuru liked having lots of mayo in her sandwich (1).
About two-weeks-and-a-half ago, Shizuru tried some tea (recommended by Natsuki) after buying it together from the store, had whacked Natsuki on the head with a negi (2) when the blunette accidentally offended the girl by bringing her the wrong brand of mayo, and it was clear that Chie had the hots for Aoi, but Aoi was too oblivious to be aware of it.
About two weeks ago, Shizuru had overheard Natsuki complaining how she would often miss her morning cup of tea in order to walk to school (3).She had thought a thermos would make a wonderful present for her childhood friend, although the image of Natsuki calmly drinking tea made her laugh silently to herself. When the blunette's face lit up upon receiving the gift, Shizuru's heart had dangerously stopped. For a moment, of course.
A week ago, Natsuki showed Shizuru her Ducati DRIII motorcycle. Shizuru had instantly fantasized about being taken then and there on that sexy monster rumbling between her thighs (the blunette had encouraged her to get a feel of riding it), but Natsuki didn't need to know that.
She blinked at its light weight. "You drank most of it already, I see. Cold tea this time?" The chestnut-haired girl took a sip to taste it. In the corner of her eye, she was pleased to see Natsuki lightly blush as she watched. She remembered the first time Chie had asked, 'So, do you guys believe in indirect kisses?' and Natsuki had choked when it was her turn to take a drink.
"You don't like cold tea?" Natsuki inquired, bringing her out of her thoughts.
Shizuru shook her head. "No, it's good. I like it." With that, she hooked one of her arms with Natsuki's and smiled.
"Not interrupting anything, am I?" Chie took a seat in front of them, her lunch set down on top of the table. She looked to her left in surprise. "Mai, you were here the whole time?"
Unfortunately, yes, she had been. The orange-haired girl pouted before giving Chie a shove. "Shut up! With Mikoto absent, Aoi taking extra time on her math test, and you late, of course I'm going to be stuck as the unnoticeable third wheel."
Natsuki resisted rolling her eyes. "Stop implying that we're dating. We're not." She tensed when Chie and Mai both stared at where her arm connected with Shizuru's. Then was distracted by a certain someone playing with her hair. She tried moving her head away. "Hey, wait, what are you trying to do?"
There was a small smirk on Shizuru's lips. "Did you know," she started off in a lazy tone, "that when a girl let's you play with her hair, it usually means she's sexually comfortable with you?" Right in front of the blunette's eyes, she twirled a lock of gorgeous dark hair and giggled. "Funny, isn't it?"
Natsuki swallowed. "You…aren't helping, you know." Nonetheless, she did nothing to stop Shizuru's ministrations.
"Would you rather I play with someone else?" she teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. She laughed when Natsuki's arm sneaked around to pull her snug against her side in a possessive yet childish way.
Just in time for the fun, Aoi came stumbling to their table and dropped into the chair next to Mai, exhausted. "Hey, guys," she sighed.
Chie discreetly elbowed Mai. "Switch seats with me," she mouthed.
Ignoring her friend, Mai turned to Aoi and dragged her out of her seat despite the other having just gotten there. "We're getting you some food," she said, being the motherly one of the group. She gestured for Shizuru to follow.
Gracefully standing, she winked at Natsuki before tagging along. "You did well, I'm positive of it Aoi; you studied all night after all." Of course she'd play the role of an older sister.
The blunette chuckled before leaning on a palm, gazing at Shizuru's swaying hips from afar. Who knew someone could be so damn attractive?
"Busy admiring Shizuru's lovely behind?" Chie was rewarded with a kick underneath the table. Wincing and rubbing the most likely bruised spot, she opened her mouth again just to receive two more kicks. "Itai! Natsuki, why are you being so aggressive?" The short-haired one scooted more to the side so as to not be directly in front of her none-too-happy friend.
Natsuki didn't bother glaring at Chie and gave her a dismissive glance. "Just checking if you were alive, is all."
Chie's jaw dropped, indignant. "Couldn't you be a little bit more considerate since we're alone, which is rarely the case now, and talk to me about Aoi?"
Frowning, Natsuki took a good look at Chie. "You alright, Chie?"
She threw her hands up dramatically. "That's what I wanted to hear!"
Running a hand through her hair, a habit she does whenever troubled, Natsuki made sure the girls were still busy getting lunch before slamming her hand loudly on top of the table. "That was to wake you up," she said simply, when Chie jumped in her seat. "Now what's the problem?"
Clearing her throat albeit uneasily, she looked down. "You know I like Aoi, right?"
"Yes, everyone does."
"Right, so-wait, what?" Chie appeared to be stunned. "Even Aoi?"
Natsuki waved a hand. "Except her."
"Oh." Chie paused. "Well we haven't known each other for very long, so it's logical for her to see us as only friends, but then why are you and Shizuru so different?" It almost felt like she was asking Natsuki for the answer of all questions.
The wolf-lover was taken aback. "Shizuru and I were previously friends, so…"
"Yeah, but you guys totally want each other," Chie helpfully pointed out. "Aoi, on the other hand, is friendly."
"Excuse me?" Natsuki valiantly fought the urge to blush. "We do not 'totally want each other,' as you so lamely put it."
Chie wasn't convinced and took off her glasses, something she did whenever trying to persuade a person to see things her way, and pointed them at Natsuki. "I'm just saying, Aoi isn't all up on me like Shizuru is with you. She-" Chie stopped as if having an epiphany. "…could be straight."
Natsuki, almost taking pity, decided to speak up before her friend deflated. "Actually, her first relationship with a girl was last summer. I think she's still exploring her sexuality, so I'm not surprised if she's giving you mixed signals."
Chie blinked. "How do you know all that?"
"We're back!"
Mai's cheerful voice made them whip their heads around to face her. Shizuru had returned to her rightful place next to Natsuki, but Aoi had chosen this time to sit beside Chie. She looked a lot more lively.
"Wow, Chie! I know you looked cute in those glasses, but you're so handsome without them too!" Aoi set down her lunch to get a closer look, causing Chie to nervously jerk back.
"Ah, yes, thank you, Aoi," she stammered, hesitantly putting her glasses back on. She took a glimpse to see Aoi happily digging into her food. She shot everyone else a 'Did that just happen?' look.
After lunch, two classes, a report turned in two days late, a few attempts of drinking from her thermos before realizing it was empty, and four minutes, 38 seconds later, the blunette was on her way to an unofficial date.
Natsuki had promised to buy ice cream for Shizuru, so she was stuffing all of her unnecessary junk into her locker. She hoped the brunette would do the same for once, seeing as the Kyoto-born was more fond of keeping her personal items with her than in an easily breakable school locker. Shizuru had demonstrated it herself on Natsuki's locker, picking it with skill, and opened it to reveal a hidden stash of erotic manga.
Shizuru had bit her lip, but the blunette could see the mirth in those crimson eyes, so she had warned her 'not-to-say-a-word.' Maybe that was the wrong thing to say (she didn't look at all intimidating with her pink cheeks) since the brunette burst into laughter.
Now slinging her bag over a shoulder, she headed down the hallway and stayed on the right side of the stairs to avoid people going up. She hoped to get to the rendezvous point before Shizuru did.
"Natsukiiiii~!"
She was attacked from behind, obviously by Mai from the sound of it. "Get your hands off me," she complained, shrugging her off. It felt like Mai was pulling and grabbing her shirt in weird ways.
The orange-haired girl threw an arm around Natsuki's shoulders, much to her exasperation, and stuck her tongue out. "Just giving you a good luck charm! Remember to always use a condom, don't hurt yourself while walking, and if strangers talk to you then run away before screaming out, 'Rapist touched my no-no-spot!'" Clearly, she knew about the alone time her best friend was planning to have with Shizuru.
Natsuki looked at her. "Really? Really." She shook her head. "First off, lesbians don't need condoms, you poorly educated young girl. Second, you're the master of tripping on air, not me. Third… I'm not even gonna go there about the 'no-no-spot.'"
Mai stopped walking and, with a solemn expression, placed both hands on Natsuki's shoulders. Out of nowhere, she smiled brightly. "Have fun with the Horny Button I gave you!" Then ran off.
Natsuki just stared. "Horny Button?" she echoed.
The blunette didn't think she could handle anymore surprises or people randomly coming up to her to talk; she just wanted to get to Shizuru! Miraculously, she had gotten to the rendezvous point at the same time as the brunette. Now they were chatting and on their way to an ice cream parlor.
"Ever plan on taking me out on that motorcycle of yours?" Shizuru's bag swung back and forth as she walked backwards in front of Natsuki with a charming smile.
"I don't like driving it to school, that's why I walk. Didn't I tell you that?" Natsuki said, confused.
Hands clasped together while holding her bag close to her lap, she turned around to walk correctly to ask, "So when do you use your motorcycle?" She wanted Natsuki to take her for a ride, maybe for inappropiate reasons, but valid ones all the same.
Natsuki's eyes absentmindedly roamed the other's figure up and down. "Hm, whenever I go out." She really liked Shizuru's legs. On a different note, she asked, "Do you run, Shizuru?"
It was her turn to be puzzled. "No, why?" Then she noticed how Natsuki was checking her out and laughed. "But I usually take the stairs instead of the escalator, if you're wondering." A second later, she sensed the intent before recognizing a playful grin.
"Are you still ticklish?"
"Are you still slow?" Shizuru challenged, inwardly hoping the blunette would perceive her answer as 'not ticklish.' She almost yelped when fingers touched her sides, prompting her to take flight. "I bet you can't keep up!" she called behind her.
She didn't know the place as well as Natsuki, considering she hadn't been back in town for a little over a month, so she was surprised the path unknowingly led to a park. She was certain that at the rate she was running, her mini skirt must be giving quite the fan service to any onlookers. The rapid steps were closer so she hurried up onto the playground, but arms instantly wrapped around her midsection by the time she tried crossing the small wooden bridge. Laughing, out of breath, she squirmed in the blunette's strong hold.
"Relax, I'm not going to tickle you," Natsuki laughed as well, trying to catch her breath. She couldn't help smiling when Shizuru struggled enough to turn around and face her, expression slightly tired but happy.
"Ara, what's this?" She fingered a pink button pinned on Natsuki's shirt. "'Press My Horny Button,'" she read slowly, looking back up to raise an eyebrow in question.
Natsuki sweat dropped. "Mai stuck that on me as a joke and I forgot to take it off. I'm actually amazed you hadn't noticed sooner." She blinked when Shizuru started poking it.
Hands on Natsuki's shoulders, she leaned in to whisper, "Are you horny yet?"
Instead of blushing, Natsuki chortled, clearly amused. "If I'm not, you certainly are."
Pouting, Shizuru lightly smacked her friend's shoulder. "Saying things like that… You just want me to do naughty things to you."
The other couldn't wipe the grin off her face. "I'm not the one flirting." Before the Kyoto-born could deny any accusations, Natsuki continued, "Now who was the one to ask, 'My hand's tired, could you hold it for me?' earlier today?"
Shizuru protested, "My hand was tired. I carry heavy books everyday, if you care to remember." She sighed when her response was all but ignored as Natsuki pressed closer, softly inhaling the scent of her hair. "Ara, I do think if I am the one flirting, then you're the one who's seducing."
"Hm, me? Never," the girl murmured, her low tone sending pleasant shivers down Shizuru's spine. Nevertheless, Shizuru didn't need to look to know a smug grin was on the girl's lips.
She decided to entangle her hands in the other's dark hair, loving the feel of it. "I know you can do better than that," she teased.
"You're right," Natsuki agreed. She heard the soft whine when she pulled away, so she made sure to hold one of Shizuru's hands. "I still have to treat you to ice cream, don't I?" She gave a small tug to signal it was time to leave the park.
Half disappointed, half pleased, the brunette sighed, the ends of her lips quirking into a defeated smile as she followed. "As long as you can stay away from buying green tea ice cream. I know how hard it is for you to resist."
Banter? Natsuki could do that. "Oi, I'm not addicted to tea. By the way, I'm pretty sure they don't have mayo as a topping."
"I only like one particular brand of mayo, unlike someone who needs a cup of tea every morning in order to function properly."
"Says the one who looks like she's juggling textbooks everyday."
"Ara, you mean your secret stash of adult manga?"
Natsuki side glanced when she felt Shizuru intertwine their fingers. "At least I don't wield a negi as if it were a weapon."
"Hm, I think you deserved it."
"Is that code for 'I wanted to have my way with you'?"
Shizuru paused midstep, smirking.
Turns out, for that last comment, Natsuki owed Shizuru three scoops of ice cream, her favorite mayonnaise, and a promise to go on a date with her motorcycle. It was a win-win situation. Sort of.
A/N: The ending drove me nuts! I didn't know how to end it well. I might have to come back to this chapter to fix that.
(1) Why yes, Shizuru likes mayo. Not as much as the tea she's been stealing from Natsuki though.
(2) Those of you who understood the negi joke, FREE COOKIES! Those who don't, go to youtube and look up Drama CD Mai HiME Natsuki's Desperations.
(3) Who would've thought that Natsuki had a thing for tea? Then again, she's also warming up to Shizuru's mayo… HAHA, that sounds wrong.