The last time she dialled this number she thought that would be it. After the HiME festival and finding out about her mother she thought she would no longer have a use for Yamada. She dialled the numbers she memorised long ago because she thought it unwise to have such concrete ties to the underworld on her phone.
"Pick up, pick up..." She got nothing but the dial tone furiously she threw the phone on her bed. She didn't know what to do after Shizuru's revelation, there was only so far you could run blindly until you had to stop and make a plan. To make a plan you had to have information and all her past informers weren't picking up their phones.
She would have to go back into those seedy bars again. Despite the dire situation she couldn't help but smile because she had missed those dank bars with their Smokey atmosphere and how they didn't mind serving alcohol to obvious minors. She had acquired a taste for it, she felt comforted in the pit of obscurity where the only way you could bring notice to yourself was if you ran out of money, even her clad in full leather didn't get more than a second glace. Right now she needed all the comfort she could get.
She threw on her biker clothes and marched out the door. The feeling of purpose she felt stopped her thinking of Shizuru and Reito which she was glad of.
XxXx
Youko was arranging the medical supplies in her small cupboard. It had been a slow week. Not a single person had been injured not even those sports freaks from the after school clubs. While she was thankful for this as a doctor she couldn't help be bored out of her mind with nothing to do. Hence the organisation of her medical cupboard despite it not being the apocalypse or end of year which was normally when the small cupboard was cleared.
Really was it to much to ask for a broken arm or even a skinned knee?
She was in no way bored enough to try and organise the bigger store cupboard just outside the door. Maybe if next week was just as slow or when hell froze over she would think about actually cleaning it. Two well muscled arms snaked there way around her waist and two soft breast where pushed against her back.
"I missed you, Youko," Midori's breathed into the doctor's shell like ear "I've been thinking about you all day."
"Oh, really? I thought you would have gotten enough of me at the party" and after. They had all celebrated Midori's return home with a party which like most things Midori, and herself she added ruefully, were involved in turned into a giant drinking fest. The younger girls didn't last as long as she and Midori so by the end of the night it was only the two of them left. They argued then fought, as well as two extremely drunk people could, over the last bottle of beer. The scuffle had led onto something completely different when Midori had kissed her. They spent the entire night partying in a new way.
"I could never get enough of you" she nibbled at the other woman's ear since it was so close to hand or mouth in this case. Youko moaned and arched into the contact "Midori..." her voice was weak with want. She had been in love with Midori since she was in college so to finally have the other girl was a dream come true. She reached behind her to Midori's neck to pull her closer. The history teacher began place small kisses on the doctor's neck nibbling at the bits of skin she found that tasted delicious. She would nibble almost all of the other woman's neck at this rate.
"Oh I totally forgot did Natsuki come by here?" Midori asked Youko stepping away so the other woman could turn and face her.
"Midori..." she groaned and slapped the other woman on the arm "you totally ruined the mood!"
"Hehe, I suppose I did huh?" Midori rubbed the back of her neck chagrined.
The look was so helplessly and utterly Midori that Youko couldn't help but smile and forgive her ruining their attempt at a tryst. All she wanted to do was hold the other woman and bury her face in her neck taking in the scent of Sugiura Midori and relish the feeling of being loved by the woman she had always thought unattainable.
"So? Did she?"
"No, I haven't seen Natsuki since she passed out at the party."
"She must really be feeling the after affects. She was really out of it today." Midori frown at the floor. The concerned teacher look really suited her.
Youko turned back to her cupboard she was trying to think of a way to get the other woman to help her clean it because she didn't want her to leave and she really hated doing this. It was obvious that their tryst wouldn't resume.
"Hey what do you think your doing?" strong hands grabbed her firmly around the waist Youko had enough time to gasp as Midori's mouth covered hers.
"Lock the door" she panted as they broke apart for air.
"In the mood to play Doctor are we?" Midori leered "well, I do need a physical."
Youko rolled her eyes and kissed Midori to spare herself of having to listen to anymore of the woman's bad lines.
XxXx
Chie stood nervously in front of the wooden door. The door itself was not intimidating. It was a pleasant shade of brown or as pleasant as the colour brown could be anyway. The paint was a bit faded but obviously cared for and in the centre of the door was a stained glass widow of a blue rose. She had always thought that that flower was very pretty and it had become 'their' flower. The real reason she was nervous standing in front of this otherwise pleasant door was because this was the door of the Senous.
As a child she had hurriedly run past the iron gate and knocked frantically on this door eager to get inside and tell Aoi that Mr Zaki had cheated on his wife with Mrs Aone her mothers hair dresser or that she had been accepted into Fuka academy and she would never guess what the American kid Timmy Alson had done to his poor dog. The countless things that as a child she thought had colossal importance which had to be told to Aoi right now or sooner else the world would end.
And yet here she was standing outside the probably unlocked door, as the Senous were a very trusting couple, unwilling to knock and share with the residents inside the most important news of her life because tonight Aoi had decided to tell her parents that she and Chie were a couple. The last time she had walked in that door she was Chie-chan Aoi's best friend and Mr Senous sports buddy now if she walked through that door she would be Chie, Aoi's lover and Mr Senous punching bag because no one and he means absolutely no one, touches his little girl.
Had she mentioned that Mr Senous was a very big man? His muscles had muscles. He loved karate and in his younger days competed at a global level. His favourite film was Rocky anynumberatall, because he said he had an experience just like Rocky did when he fought Apollo and won. He absolutely adored his only daughter Aoi going so far as to make it impossible for her to have male acquaintances let alone friends. Too bad for him that his daughter was as interested in males as he himself was and in love with the only person that he allowed into her bedroom when they were younger.
Chie was Aoi's only friend because despite how pleasant Aoi was no one wanted to be near the big bear of a man that was Mr Senous. Chie for unknown reasons had somehow managed to win this mans approval and permission to be within a one meter radius to Aoi at any given time.
Now Aoi was in there telling this man that she had not only abused his trust but also his daughter, very thoroughly, every night, for almost two years. She was actually going to have a panic attack. She could feel her breath become shorter and her head was dizzy. Was it just her or was it very hot outside?
There was raised voices from inside the house that let her know that more than one male was present inside the house. Oh God, she hadn't even gotten to panic about Aoi's brothers! She was so worried about Mr Senous killing her she never thought about the Senous brothers that would undoubtedly help hide her body and provide an alibi.
Mr Senous was very protective of his little girl and made sure that all six of Aoi's older brothers were the same. Six older brothers, the youngest, Kane, were 23 and currently ranked no9 in the world shotokan karate championships. The two oldest brothers were twins married and running their own private body building gym. The third oldest, Izume, was a well built banker that hated her because she had once spilt her juice on his leather seats when she was nine. Kenji and Tanki, who weren't twins but should have been, were police officers who would be able to give Mr Senous tips on how to not only hide her body but clear away all forensic evidence. All older brothers who thorough school terrorised anyone that so much as raised their voice to the youngest Senous child.
The moment she knocked on that door was the moment she committed suicide because judging by the mired of parked cars on the other side of the gate the whole Senous clan was here for their monthly family dinner. They had decided for Aoi to tell her parents about them on her own, it was safer that way. When they had all calmed down she was to come and meet the as Aoi's girlfriend.
She could just see Mr Senous now.
"I trusted you, Chie. I let you into my house and my daughters room and this is how you repay me by groping her in the basement while my wife and I were eating cake?" even though she knew logically he would have no way of knowing what she did to Aoi on the ping pong table on his 55th birthday. She had no doubt that he would know about it and every other time she had touched Aoi. He just would, he was scary like that.
"Can we get on with this please? I have a meeting tomorrow," Izume would glare at her while tightening the ropes around her as the twins took it in turns to throw gasoline over her.
"I'm so disappointed in you Chie," Mr Senous would speak softly to her as he lit the match not only scaring her but making her feel ashamed for taking advantage of his daughter. While in the background Tanki and Kenji would be disposing of the unmarked car they used to drive her into the woods. She would try to look pleadingly at Mr Senous but couldn't because her eyes would obviously be swollen shut by the beating Kane had given her before hand.
Just as she was about to turn and leave the door opened and Aoi stood there in a lovely white dress with a green belt and her hair tied back. "Chie?"
"Aoi your father doesn't have any matches does he?!" she grabbed her girlfriends shoulders tightly her voice panicked and eyes wild.
"Chie what's gotten into you?" Aoi looked confused and reached out to take her fiancées hand.
"No!" Chie quickly slapped Aoi's hand away "what if your father sees?!" they held hands in the past and shared little touches in front of Mr Senous before but that was when she was protected by Mr Senous belief that she and Aoi were 'just friends'. Though they hadn't been 'just friends' for years.
"I already told daddy about us," Aoi moved quickly to support Chie who looked like she was about to faint. "Chie! Are you okay?"
"He knows?" her voice was barely above a whisper, all her avenue of escape where gone because even if she ran away now and didn't go into the house Mr Senous knew. He would come after her no matter where she hid.
"Yeah mummy saw the ring earlier and I had to tell them," she adjusted her girl's weight. Chie was resting most of it on her seemingly unable to support herself. "They want to see you but if you're not up to it we can always do it later."
Not up to it?! Of course she wasn't up to it! Who was really up to facing their own death?! "No, no that's fine." If she looked sick enough maybe he would let her go with only a few broken ribs.
She pushed away from Aoi despite desperately wanting to cling onto the other girl. Remember you love Aoi and are going to spend the rest of your (probably extremely short) life with her. Aoi took her by the hand and led her into the parlour where the whole family liked to sit together and talk about what was happening in their lives so far and the best way to dispose of Chie's body once she gets here or at least that's what she imagined they talked about.
All talking stopped when they entered. Chie was very aware of their joined hands and wanted to pull hers as far away from Aoi as possible. She felt like a lamb for the slaughter as somehow in the short walk from the door to the parlour Aoi had managed to push her in front like a sacrifice. Mr Senous rose from sitting on the settee with his very short wife and stood facing her. Every well muscled man in the room stood behind him at attention. She scanned the room there where three other women here aside from Aoi and herself. Good the woman would help pull the men off her...unless they joined in.
Mr Senous had grown a beard since she last saw him. It was still a deep brown despite being over half a centaury; it was unruly and uncombed and give the bear of a man an even wilder look. She thought he couldn't get an more intimidating standing there arms crossed with six men just as tall and broad as he was behind him, but no, the facial hair had given him an air of crazy been-alone-in-the-forest-and-ready-to-kick-some-ass-namely-yours threat to him as well.
"H-Hello everybody" her voice quivered and flat out refused to work after that. Mr Senous arm, as thick as she was, shot out and she flinched. He grabbed her and crushed her to his broad chest "Chie!" he rumbled in what she dared to think of as a non threatening tone. Suddenly she was being attacked by well meaning but rather hard pats on the back.
"So your the one Aoi's been blushing over!"
"Welcome to the family Chie!"
"I always liked you!"
"Did it have to be this klutz?"
"Good thing she's not a boy!"
"Yeah, it's not as if two girls can really do anything!"
She had been passed around from brother to brother ending up at Mrs Senous feet after one to many happy slaps. She had the feeling that they were harder than normal reminding what would happen if she didn't treat Aoi like the princess she was.
"I think my husbands glad that no man will ever touch Aoi," Mrs Senous, a woman who was small and always smiling reached down to help her up onto her knees. She had always like this woman who was less scary than her husband but ran this house with an unquestioned iron fist "lets not enlighten him as to what two teenage girls can actually get up two for the time being hhmm?" the woman smiled down at her hard. Their was a dangerous glitter in her smiling eyes and Chie had the distinct impression of being threatened. She nodded hurriedly and jumped up wanting to get back to the safety of Aoi's side.
"Lets all go into the back and celebrate!" Mr Senous clapped a hand firmly on her shoulder as the whooping Senous boys ran into the back yard to set up chairs and other things they would need to celebrate in Senous style. Eventually she was all alone with the man as Aoi was distracted by one of the twin's wives with wedding talks. As the wife glanced back at her she felt that she had just fallen into an elaborate trap.
"When I first held Aoi in my arms at the hospital I made a promise" Mr Senous stared intently into her eyes "do you know what that promise was Chie?"
She shook her head afraid to speak.
"I promised that I would keep this precious little girl safe," the hand on her shoulder tightened painfully "your not going to make me break my promise are you Chie?" the menace in his voice was enough to make her shake her head despite not taking in what he said. Though she would never willingly hurt Aoi she would have at that moment agreed to just about anything that Mr Senous wanted. "Good, then let's go to the party." He smiled at her like a bear might smile at a cornered animal.
"Oh, one more thing" he put his massive arm around her shoulder "I wasn't at all pleased when I found out you had asked Aoi to marry you without getting my permission, in future if you so much as want to smile at her you ask me, got it?" again she nodded.
Aoi had better be happy with an unconsummated marriage because there was no way she was asking this man's permission to do that with his daughter.
XxXx
"So how's your father taking your decision?" Yukino asked.
"You mean the decision for his only son drop out of college and join the academy? Not so good." Haruka cut his stake into tiny pieces before taking one of the small squares and putting it in his mouth.
"I think it's wonderful. You're following your dreams" Yukino smiled and reached out to place her hand over her boyfriends. "You always talked about being a police officer when we were kids, that or a super hero" her eye sparkled when she smiled at him. Her eyes always sparkled when she was with him he noticed.
He smiled and laced their fingers together continuing to eat with one hand "wonderful doesn't pay the bills."
"So he actually cut you of then?" Yukino frowned; Haruka's father had always been cold and distant. He never paid attention to the son that had always wanted his approval.
"Yeah but its okay I'm staying with Senous Tanki he's my teacher at the academy" He didn't mind the brown haired man and was grateful for him taking him in and giving him a place to stay especially after having only know each other a short amount of time. It was just his brother tended to hang around a lot and Kenji was an arrogant ass to be blunt. "I believe you know his sister?"
Yukino nodded before grinning wickedly "you know you could always stay with me."
"Yukino you know dorm rules prohibit non residents from-oh" he blushed as he finally realised what Yukino was alluding to. He should know better by now as since getting together with his childhood friend he had found out she was a terrible tease and he was much more modest than he thought. Obviously spending time around Shizuru hadn't corrupted him that much.
Yukino giggled a terrible girl sound that from anyone else he would have found irritating but from Yukino sounded like the best sound in the universe. Most things Yukino did were like the best things in the universe.
They ate in silence glancing at each one another when they thought they wouldn't be noticed. While they had known each other all their lives their romance was still very young. He had only recently acknowledged his feelings for the other girl recently. He rolled his eyes remembering when he came to the obvious revelation.
They had all gone on a trip to the swimming pool. His mind was preoccupied in the changing room as he was trying to figure out why he felt so different around Yukino lately. He started feeling different ever since the HiME festival. After he found out what it meant to be Yukino's most important person he had realised that she was also his. Now every time he looked at his friend his blood would speed up and he had an intense desire to be near her. But he had always wanted to be near Yukino so hadn't thought much about it. It was only when he started to loose concentration around her he began to worry. Sometimes he would stop right in the middle of speaking just to stare at her or he would stop arguing with Shizuru as he caught Yukino bending over or stretching. It was infuriating when the Bubuzuke woman would follow his eyes and then grin knowingly at him especially when it seemed she had more of an idea of what he was feeling than he did. Or she thought she did anyway.
He tugged on his swimming bottoms and thinking about how long it would take Yukino to change into her own swimming suit when desire, unmistakable lust, nipped at him at the thought. He paused half way through the act of tugging his shirt over his head when he imagined Yukino doing the same. He knew she would have small breasts, he had seen her in her swimming costume before. Nip. He also knew that she would be wearing a bikini today instead of her usual one piece because Shizuru had taken her shopping and she had blushingly told him about it. Nip. Her smooth flat creamily belly would be bared. Nip. As well as a good portion of her breasts. NIP. He wondered if the bottom was a thong. NIPNIPNIPNIP. He gasped and doubled over to hide his reaction.
It was then that it hit him quite literally that he wanted his friend! He started to think of her in a more than friendly way. He was not that disturbed by the thought, quite the opposite because Yukino came from a good family and she herself had gotten her fathers approval something he himself had never been given. She would make a perfect wife not only because of her connections but because they already knew everything about each other and she was the person he was most comfortable around. He could make mistakes around her and she never thought less of him. He could sit anyway he wanted and talk about anything with her without fear of judgment. Falling in love with her was the best thing he had ever done!
Most upon finding out they are in love with their best friends agonise for ages trying to decide whether or not they should tell their friend. They way the pros and cons of confession. They ask themselves would it be worth risking their friendship for. They at least give it more than a few minutes consideration. Not Suzushiro Haraka he didn't even give it a few seconds of consideration. He was after all a man of action and now that he realised his love for his best friend decided to act on it, right now that very second.
He marched out of the changing room ignoring Reito's puzzled look and Yuuichi's confused call. He threw open the door to the room Yukino was in and all hell broke loose. The women on discovering a man at the threshold screamed and dove for the nearest cover. Haruka didn't stay silhouetted in the doorway for long oh no he marched deeper into the room. He was a man on a mission and no amount of screaming was going to stop him.
Yukino, who at that point was being coaxed by Aoi into at least trying on her new suit, had just taken off her top when Haruka had just turned the corner and saw Mai who was busy dressing Makoto. He had finally found them!
"Yukino!" He called. All the girls froze; Shizuru was the only girl that was dressed in her bathing suit all the others were in various stages of nakedness accepts Mai who was fully dressed. Yukino turned toward Haruka horror smeared across her face. Haruka who was ready to declare his undying love to her froze and almost against his will his eyes were drawn downwards below Yukino's throat to her-
"Hentai!" Shiho screamed and all the others flew into motion as well.
Chie hurried to cover her girlfriend with a towel while Yukino was busy trying to cover herself with her arms. Shizuru was mentally recording everything that was happening to enjoy later and teasing Haruka about it un-mercilessly in the future. Natsuki, who's face was uncannily resembling a tomato, hurled Chie's bag at Haruka smacking him squarely in the face. He was forced to step back at the force of the blow slipping on one of the girl's tops and landing on his back.
He later had to explain to the security guards at the pool that he wasn't a slasher or molester and he merely wanted to tell his friend he was in love with her. The guards were less than understanding about the whole affair and it was when he was in the process of shouting at a guard twice his height that he forgot it was a woman's changing room and he merely wanted to tell Yukino that he was madly in love with her that he felt someone jump on his back from behind. When he managed to roll over on top of his assailant he found none other than Yukino pinned beneath him blushing brightly. He didn't even have time to confess before her hand reached up and pulled him into his very first kiss.
It was thanks to Shizuru's and Reito's smooth talking that he wasn't arrested but he didn't even care that the Bubuzuke woman had managed to save him. He was too busy receiving his second, third and thirtieth kiss from Yukino who evidently loved him back.
"What are you smiling about?" Yukino asked him.
"I was thinking about the first time I tried to tell you I love you" he said honestly. She smiled remembering it to. She had loved Haruka all her life and despaired because the blonde had never shown the slightest interest in her. The day Haruka burst into the woman's changing room was the happiest and most embarrassing day of her life. Haruka loving her was like a dream come true.
"I think we should get the bill" he held his hand up for the waiter's attention.
"Oh no, you paid last time," she quickly snatched the bill from the waiter and went into her purse "in honour of your quitting college I'm buying you dinner, besides," she grinned at him wickedly again and he braced himself "since I'm paying you have to put out."
He laughed and blushed at the same time. Yukino used his distraction to pay the bill. He looked up at her and smiled widely. He had been doing that a lot more lately. It was a nice feeling.
"But I do insist on paying Kuka-chan" he used his old nickname for her. He could never pronounce her last name when he was a child so always called her Kuka-chan. She had confessed to him once that she liked it because it was the first time she ever had a nickname. Or a friend.
"Too late Haru-kun the bills already paid." She used her own nickname for him.
Realising he had been duped he got up ready to go to the cashier and demand a refund so he could repay with his own money. Yukino sensed some sort of badly conceived plan that would undoubted be loud and cause a scene, pretended to stumble as she rose from her seat. Haruka was at her side supporting her at once.
"Yukino! Are you okay?" if it was the food he was going to demand to speak to the manager of this place about standards. He would black list this restaurant with every reviewer in town if he had to.
"I'm just a little light headed Haru-kun can you take me outside for some fresh air?" she looked up into Haruka's concerned face and felt a slight twinge of guilt at deceiving him but it did make him forget about the bill. Haruka pulled Yukino's much smaller and delicate frame against his own taking most of her weight easily. Yukino flushed as she was pulled against him she was actually becoming light headed being so close to her love.
He sat her on a stone bench which was positioned under a tree outside. It was winter so the branches were bare but the restaurant had decorated the trees in the front square with white fairy lights so they looked beautiful and allowed Haruka to look at Yukino who was even more so.
"Are you okay now?" he asked anxiously.
"Yes, come sit with me" she pulled him down to sit beside her. She wrapped his arm around her shoulders and snuggled into his sides. Haruka blushed as he would never have been so forward but held her against him none the less because he enjoyed the contact.
They sat there in silence sometimes talking about small things like what they seen on the news or what band they would like to go see when Yukino felt Haruka stiffen. She looked up and saw Haruka glaring at something to his left. Since Haruka was blocking her view she had to lean forward to see what had upset him. Two girls were walking through the square the taller one had her arms wrapped around the smaller girl much like the position they were in a few moment ago. The girls were obviously together.
"Haruka?"
"Its unnatural two girls together" he said turning back to Yukino who was startled.
"It's not as if they chose it, Haruka" she said frankly disapproving of his attitude.
"If they wanted to be together one of them should have been a boy" he didn't sound aware of how silly and stupid his words were. You couldn't decide what gender you were born with.
"You can't help who you love Haruka" she pulled away from him wrapping her arms around herself as she realised how cold it was.
"Then I'm lucky," he turned around to look at Yukino his eyes were so gentle and loving she forgot she was annoyed with him "because I fell in love with the most wonderful girl in the world." To him it was the simple truth so he didn't expect his words to have such an effect on Yukino.
She kissed him hard straddling him to get better access to his mouth. She was now above him so he had to tilt his head back to kiss her. With one hand she stroked his face and the other opened his coat. He yelped as he felt two cold hands slid into his jacket. His cotton shirt not providing adequate protection against Yukinos freezing digits. She hugged his chest, it was very cold and she didn't have a coat.
"Yukino if you wanted my jacket all you had to do was ask!" he squeaked at how close she was and how her small breast felt pushed up against his chest.
"Let's just share it okay?" she tucked her face in his neck and felt him tuck the coat around her back. Together they were too big for the coat to zip but Haruka's arms around her back kept the sides of the coat from falling and also kept her warm. She nibbled on his neck absently busy taking in the scent that was purely Haruka.
He bared his throat to her, loving how her soft lips and softer body felt as if it belonged with his. He was truly lucky to fall in love with Yukino and to have her love him back was like a dream come true.
XxXx
He was dressed in his best tan dinner jacket and slacks. He borrowed Reito's brown dress shoes and closer to the restaurant he would put on his black tie or he would have Mai put it on for him anyway as he would probably tie it in a knot. He was taking her to a fancy restaurant to celebrate their engagement. He had Reito make the reservations because La Mer, the fanciest restaurant in town would have turned their noses up at him for standing by the entrance and never would have given him a doggie bag let alone a table. It was good to have such a cultured friend.
He knocked on the door and nearly swallowed his tongue as Mai answered the door with a smile and clingy red dress that showed of her curves. His eyes raked over her form and he tried to tell her how much he appreciated the dress but the sounds that came out of his mouth were closer to grunts than the compliments he had been going for.
"So do you like it Mr Tate?" she twirled around making the dress flare out at the bottom "Aoi persuaded me to buy it today" she thought the only reason the other girl had coaxed her into buying the expensive dress was because she felt guilty for spending so much on her own white dress. But she was right it was their first dates as an engaged couple, they should look their best.
"Its very nice," he smiled but was annoyed that that was all he could come up with. He could tell her she looked beautiful or stunning that she took his breath away but no he said she looked nice. Why didn't he just grunt and tell her she looked alright?
But Mai seemed to understand what he meant rather than what he said as she took his arm and smiled brightly at him "here carry my purse." A small red beaded bag was thrust at him as Mai pulled him along. He used to be embarrassed when she did that but now he found that the many little womanly tests he passed the better the rewards at the end of the night. He grinned widely thinking about the end of the night, since they were engaged her would surly be allowed to get under Mai's shirt tonight of all nights.
It was a short walk to the restaurant mostly filled by boring small talk. He mostly concentrated on how good mai looked on his arm. He felt himself strut proudly and had to stop himself smirking at other boys who were either alone or with girlfriends not nearly as good looking as his.
"Here, Yuuichi" Mai reached into his side pocket and drew out his tie. He stooped to allow her to button his shirt collar she paused in the act of putting the tie around his neck and they both stood there gazing into each others eyes. He was the luckiest man in the world to have her. She closed her eyes as he pulled her into a deep kiss. Would Mai forget about the date and go straight to a hotel room with him?
"Come on, lets go" she pulled away and finished doing his tie. Obviously a no to the hotel idea, he thought.
They entered the restaurant and he felt very out of place in the snooty environment. The matradie looked down his nose as they approached his little stand. He wanted to hit the other man who acted like he was guarding the gates to heaven and not some restaurant. Ok so it was a fancy French place but still it wasn't as if it was that important. He would rather be at McDonalds anyway.
"Reservations?" though by the tone of his voice he doubted that the young couple had any.
"Under the name Kanzaki" the man must use that giant nose of his to sniff out the true blue bloods from the impostors like them he thought trying his best not to glare.
"Ah, yes" the man looked like he smelled something disgusting the way he was frowning at them. Probably annoyed that they did have reservations. "Party of two, walk this way please."
They were seated by the front window at the back of the establishment. The small table and secluded area were supposed to give a feeling of intimacy but he just kept worrying about if he would make a fool of himself and knock over the water glass. The table was too small for anyone with proportionally limbs to use comfortably. He picked up the menu and panicked. It was all in French, he quickly turned to the back to see if they had any Japanese translations but there was just more French. He looked up at Mai who seemed to be having the same trouble as he was.
"Yuuichi, how good are you at French?" He got an F on his test to the eternal shame of his family.
"Bad how about you?" he asked surely Mai would know a little.
She shook her head "I take English remember?"
"We could always ask for menus in Japanese" though he said it half heartedly because he knew that the regular customers probably spoke fluent French, he was willing to bet Reito did. This was not going as he planned. He called over a waiter who seemed a little friendlier than the materadee.
"Do you have any menus in Japanese?" he asked watching as the waiters friendly smile vanished as he too seemed to smell the working class from them "I'm sorry sir but those are the only menus we have," he turned his nose up at them as well "I could always read the menu to you sir?" though by his expression he would rather not.
"That's ok we'll have two of these" he randomly pointed at a number and the waiter smirked ever so briefly before writing it down on his notepad. He disappeared into the kitchen. He glanced back at Mai who was looking as apprehensive as he felt.
"What did you order?" she asked. He shook his head, he had no idea. He had seen a movie like this and hoped that he didn't just order snails like the idiot main character.
When the dinner came it wasn't snails. It looked like the offspring you would get if bronchiole and cheese had a baby. He poked at his half expecting it to poke him right back. Mai didn't even want to poke it in fear of retaliation.
"I dare you to eat it" he looked up at Mai who was grinning at him wickedly.
"No way!" he lifted a mouthful onto his fork and the thing wiggled disturbingly like jelly.
"Go on" she jeered him.
"Well what do I get if I do?" Under the shirt, under the shirt.
"I'll let you dare me next" she smiled and watched as Tate seemed to contemplate her proposal a moment before he shoved his forkful into his mouth. His expression was calm for a whole two miniatures before his face fell and he lurched away to the bathroom. Fool, she would never have done it. She met him at the door to the boy's bathroom or W.C as it said on the wall.
"Let's just pay the bill and go" she didn't want him to order desert and dare her to eat something like the bronchiole/cheese child.
"I have a better idea" he grinned mischievously at her before pulling her into the bathroom.
"Yuuichi!" she was appalled at his behaviour. She looked around curiously, she had never been in a mans bathroom before after all. She was almost disappointed because it was clean well lit and aside from the urinals looked exactly like a woman's bathroom. She half expected graffiti and broken lights and horrible life forms growing from mould like on TV. "What are you doing?"
Her fiancée was standing on top of a toilet opening a small window "Let's go!" he grinned beckoning to her from the toilet.
"What?" she was shocked and in spite of herself not wanting too found the whole thing funny and daring in a way that excited her.
"Quickly before the bathroom attendant comes back!" she was jolted into action and grabbed his outstretched hand. He hosted her up and helped her out the window, his hand 'evidently' slipped onto her bum and she turned to glare at him. He gave her his best innocent look and regrettably removed his hand. He scrambled out after her just as the bathroom door opened and he heard the angry shouts of the bathroom attendant.
"Quickly! Run for it!" he grabbed Mai's hand and they ran from the restaurant. She was behind him because it was damn hard to run in heels.
They collapsed on a bench a few blocks away from the restraunt laughing and out of breath. He opened his collar and ripped off his tie stuffing it in his pocket. He saw a shop across the street and bid Mai to stay there and catch her breath as he ran over to it. He came back with desert in hand. He passed Mai a vanilla ice lolly and munched on the chocolate one.
"So Mrs soon-to-be-Tate," he turned his head to grin at Mai who was dishevelled and flushed from the run "are you ready to be married to this nut?"
She put her arms around him and placing their foreheads together said "why yes Mr Tate I am."
XxXx
"You look stunning" he said folding the napkin in his lap.
"Ah Reito your such a flatterer" Shizuru smiled as she read from the menu "was that Tate-san and Tokia-san I saw passing us?"
He nodded "Tate asked me to get him reservations to celebrate their engagement." He waved over the waiter who smiled at him a little adoringly "are you ready to order honey?" Shizuru nodded and the French rolled of her tongue effortlessly. He had just placed his own order when the sudden commotion drew everyone's attention.
"Thieves! Vandals!" the bathroom attendant stormed into the dining area and the matradee hurried over to him. They conversed in hissed voices before he saw the matradee glace at him sideways. He broke away from the attendant and all eyes followed him as he came to rest at their table.
"I'm sorry to inform you sir that the young man whose reservations were in your name seemed to have left without paying..." the matradee's voice was slightly accusing as he spoke.
"Ara it seems Tate-san forgot again," she looked calmly at the matradee who in spite of himself was quite charmed "I would like to apologise on his behalf as he is terribly forgetful."
"Yes, but just to make sure there's no harm done could you please make sure Tate-sans bill is added onto ours?" Reito smiled his most understanding and charming smile and in the face of such nice people the matadee didn't think it was worth fussing over. He nodded and left quickly.
They both watched him go before laughing softly together. "Wait till I see Tate tomorrow," he was angry at his friend for his idiotic actions. He had did him a favour by making the reservations and his running of showed a complete lack of respect.
"Ah don't be too hard on him;" Shizuru smiled at him "French food isn't for everyone."
He to found himself charmed by the other woman and he couldn't help but agree with her. They talked idly until their food arrived and ate in silence. He was half way through his desert and an amusing story about how his business teacher couldn't remember what the third 'e' in STEEPLE analysis stood for when he noticed that she wasn't paying attention.
"...Shizuru?" his head tilted to the side asking an unvoiced question.
"Gomen Reito," she knew she was caught not paying attention "I was just thinking about Natsuki, she seemed to take news of us together rather hard."
He nodded "you care a lot about her don't you?" he said sympathetically.
"I love her" Shizuru said honestly. He knew that too, Natsuki had somehow managed to claim a place in Shizuru's heart that almost rivalled the size of his. Surprising since Shizuru had few real friends. He was the only one that knew the real reason Shizuru befriended the antisocial girl. She saw a rebel in biker cloths and a bad attitude and seen in her everything her mother despised. She talked to the ice princess because she knew when word would reach her mother of just who it was that she was spending her lunch times with the aspiring socialite would have a heart attack. She would be disgraced if the ladies at brunch found out about her daughters friend. That was how it was at the start anyway but Natsuki had somehow manage to move beyond being a pawn in Shizuru's and her mothers game of one up manships to become Shizuru's best friend.
"Do you think we should tell your mother that Natsuki proposed to you today?" he grinned cheekily knowing full well that Mrs Fujino's reaction would be less than supportive. It would also pull Shizuru out of her dark mood.
"Wouldn't the old bat love that," she smiled recognising Reito's attempt to cheer her up "though my mother had long developed a cure for homosexuals" two bullets; one in the un-natural heart and the other between the un-natural eyes just to make sure.
"Ah yes I was so sorry to hear that the government reject her proposal to bring back hunting those 'vile creatures'" his mimicking of her mother sounded eerily good to Shizuru but then again Reito and her had to endure the same luncheons that her mother held court over all who entered the exceedingly, posh and exclusive club that heirs like herself and Reito were forced to join. She felt jealous that Haruka had now escaped that life and longed to do so herself.
"There's always next year for her to try again" the talk continued on and she participated enough that Reito didn't notice that she sometimes took to long to answer. She couldn't drive thoughts of Natsuki from her mind fully.
"Shall we go?" He rose and pulled Shizuru's chair out for her. He took her hand and together they walked out to his car hand in hand. The perfect couple.
XxXx
Nao snapped her phone shut as she entered her mother's hospital room even though she had woken up she still wasn't released yet. Her mother looked up from her magazine she was catching up on the gossip for the last few years she had been asleep. Her mother was a typical house wife loving anything to do with star scandals. She was disappointed to find out that her favourite band OTOME had split up and the lead singer Arika was now divorced with kids and dating the bands former drummer Tomeo. What ever keeps her happy Nao thought trying to remember if her mother hand always loved empty gossip.
She smiled widely at her mother still not fully believing she was here after so long. She sat by her bedside and reached out to touch her. She had been doing that a lot lately just to make sure it wasn't a dream. Her mother understood this because she herself squeezed her hand back just as hard. Her little girl had grown up without her. Without anyone.
"I brought you another magazine" it had some other pop star that she knew nothing about.
"So how was your day sweetie?" her mother took the magazine and sat it beside her.
"Yukariko had me cleaning again" the ex-nun scared her more than she would like to admit.
"Yukariko that's the nun in from your school right?" Her mother was trying to figure out all the new people in her daughter's life. She sadly noted that Nao hadn't mentioned any friends.
"Yea, she's also the resident psychopath" she rolled her eyes and was about to tell the other woman how crazy the ex-nun actually was especially when she had a bible in her hand but stopped when her mother yawned and stretched. She had slept for years but still felt tired.
"Sorry honey, you can tell me later" she smiled through another yawn. She noticed Nao's disappointed look.
"That's okay I'll come back later" she stooped to retrieve her bag when her mother stopped her.
"Come in beside me" she scooted over on the bed to make room for Nao. She hesitated before giving in and climbing beside her mother. She had been so lonely especially since she couldn't summon Julia anymore. She lay down beside her mother and felt her wrap the blanket around them both before wrapping her arm around her waist. She felt like she was a little girl getting tucked in. She wiped her tears covertly on the pillow, she finally wasn't alone anymore.
XxXx
Shiho sat the bowl of instant noodles down in front of Mikoto. She learned that being friends with the eating machine meant she would have to learn how to cook. Though as Mikoto never tired of telling her her noodles were no match for Mai's which she grudgingly agreed to in her head but would rather die than say out loud.
"So when do you think they'll be back?" she asked Makoto wasting her breath because when food was in front of her she was oblivious to the world. They were currently in Tate's dorm room she was waiting for him to get back and tell her all the details. She would love to go to a fancy restraunt! It would be so romantic!
She was so glad that Mai and Tate where getting married. It meant she would get to ware a brides maid dress. She hoped Mai didn't make Makoto her maid of honour, she cast a sideways glance at the competition, she was much better material for such a serious roll. Then again Mai might make Natsuki maid of honour to stop Makoto and her fighting.
She couldn't wait for the wedding!
XxXx
Natsuki slammed the door shut behind her. She had no luck in getting any information it seemed that all the bars she had frequented during her HiME days had all closed down and become family restaurants or other nauseating family orientated places.
She took off her jacket and suavely threw it to the side where it slid down the wall and collapsed in a heap. She went into her bedroom and seizing her pillow beat it against the wall in frustration. How was she supposed to change anything when she had no idea what it was she was dealing with?!
For the first time in her life she wished Nagi hadn't disappeared of the face of the planet. He always knew what was going on. She threw her ruined pillow down and searched the room for something else to take her frustration out on. She had seen Reito and Shizuru walking hand in hand and had to bight down on her jealousy. Why did it take her so long to realise how much Shizuru meant to her? That wasn't strictly true, she always knew that Shizuru was important to her she just wasn't ready to be intimate with her. That didn't seem to be a problem for Reito, who nearly choked Shizuru with his tongue when he was escorting her. She glared at her closet door as she remembered that Shizuru didn't seem that appalled by it.
She snatched up her hair brush, the closest thing to her, and was about to hurl it at the wall when the blinking light on her phone caught her eye. She threw the brush on her bed, lightly and crossed the room to retrieve the phone. She flipped it up and played the message that had been left for her. She thought it might be Shizuru and she wanted to desperately hear her voice.
"Hey Natsuki remember me, your mother? I just called to see how school went today, I know, I know you're a big girl and I shouldn't check up on you but you're still my daughter and I have the right to worry. Anyway I just wanted to see if you're free tomorrow since you keep dodging me. Call me back when you get this. Love you. Bye."
The phone fell from her limp hands to land softly on the carpet.
