Disclaimer: I own no part of Love Hina, but Sean is me.
I can read your mind. You're thinking, "How could you write such a thing? Honestly, you and Shinobu together--" You get the picture. I just want to warn those of you thinking that way (you know who you are) that if you didn't like the last chapter, you'll downright hate this one. Besides, this isn't by any means the worst thing on the net right now, nor will it ever be if I can help it. And now, for you're viewing *ahem* pleasure:
* * * Chapter XII: Exposed * * *
Breakfast was a bit different that day. The girls and Keitaro couldn't help but notice that Shinobu had regained her former cheerfulness and then some. She seemed almost euphoric as she served another of her delicious meals.
"What's the deal?" Kitsune whispered to Naru. "Yesterday, she was about as depressed as I've ever seen her, and today…"
"I know. It's like she's a completely different person."
The meal went by in relative silence. The only strange thing that occurred, other than Shinobu's return to happiness, was a paper airplane arriving seemingly out of nowhere. It caught everyone's attention as it glided gently onto Shinobu's lap. She unfolded it and looked it over for a moment.
"What is it?" Suu asked.
Shinobu blushed a bit. "Um, just a secret admirer."
"Really?" Kitsune became fascinated that someone was interest in the young cook. "Who is it?"
"I don't know. It's a secret."
"Let me see that." Kitsune reached over to take the paper.
"No!" Shinobu pressed it tightly against her chest.
Everyone was shocked by the sudden outburst. "Why not?"
"I just want to find out who this is on my own." She tucked the former flyer into her pocket and started to gather the dishes and take them into the kitchen.
"You can be so careless sometimes, Kitsune," Motoko said, shaking her head. "This is probably the first time she's experiencing something like this and she wants to sort out her feelings on her own."
"You're no fun," Kitsune pouted.
---
After Shinobu finished cleaning the dishes, she took out the paper she received during breakfast, taking care to watch out for anyone coming. She sighed happily as she reread the message written there:
"Meet me in the hot spring after breakfast. XXOO You Know Who"
She sighed again. She knew right away who it was, and was eager to comply. She quickly made her way to the changing room and walked out to the hot springs, a towel wrapped around her.
Much to her surprise, she found herself alone. "H-Hello?" She said nervously. "Are you out heEEE!?" Her wondering was cut off when she was lifted a few feet into the air, reclining backwards. "What's going on?!" She started to panic before something started to appear around her. She was shocked to see Sean carrying her in his arms. "Sean?! How did you do that?!"
Sean simply smiled. "You're not the only who can be sneaky." He noticed her clutching her chest. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she said, catching her breath. "You just scared me, that's all."
Sean still smiled as he set Shinobu on her feet. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. After all, when I found you in my bed last night, my reaction was pretty similar."
"Oh." Shinobu blushed when she realized Sean was wearing a towel himself.
"What's wrong?"
Shinobu's face grew brighter. "Um, what you're wearing--"
"Oh, yeah. I guess I hadn't counted on both of us wearing the same outfit." They shared a chuckle. "Well, are we going in the water or are we just going to stand here all day?" Sean stepped into the water, Shinobu right behind him.
"Um, why did you ask me to come out here?"
"Well, I knew you would be coming here eventually, but I had to be sure you didn't bring the others with you. I just needed to talk about us for a bit."
Shinobu looked at Sean lovingly; her face still had a visible shade of pink. "Okay."
--- (Meanwhile)
"We have to figure out who this 'secret admirer' is," Kitsune said.
"No, we don't." Motoko was adamant against invading Shinobu's privacy.
"Hmm, maybe we should ask Sean if he knows something," Keitaro suggested.
"Why would he know anything about this?" Naru asked.
"Last night he said was going to talk to her today about what was bothering her."
"Did he know what was troubling her?" Motoko asked.
"No, he didn't, but he knew it was something."
"Let's find him and ask him," Kitsune said, heading off to his room.
"Hey, wait--" Naru started, but Kitsune was already out of sight.
Kitsune quickly reached Sean's door and knocked. "Sean, are you in there?" After a few seconds without a reply, she opened the door to find it vacant. "Hmm, maybe he's in Shinobu's room, talking to her; or at least I hope their just talking." She made her way to Shinobu's room, meeting the others on the way.
"Sean not in his room?" Suu asked.
"Nope. I'm going to check Shinobu's room next." She rushed to her destination, the others following close behind her. When they reached Shinobu's room, they found that neither Sean nor Shinobu were there.
"That's odd. If they're not in either of their rooms, where could they be?" Kitsune said, scratching her head.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Naru. "No, he wouldn't, would he?"
"He wouldn't what?" Motoko asked. Upon seeing Naru's worried expression, she understood. "Oh."
"If my hunch is right--and I seriously hope it isn't--" Naru said, "I can only think of one place they would be."
---
Sean and Shinobu were in the middle of a heart to heart talk in the hot spring, contemplating their future together. After all, they had just become a couple earlier that morning and they had a lot to talk about, not the least of which being how to break the news to the others.
Suddenly, Sean heard something coming down the hall towards them. "Uh oh. I was afraid of this."
"What?"
"It's the others; they're coming."
"What?! But we're not ready to tell them yet!"
"I know, I know. Let me just think of something…" The sounds of approaching footsteps were soon accompanied by voices.
"If he's doing what I think he's doing, show him no mercy!" Naru said.
"C'mon Sean, think!" he thought. Seconds before the others arrived, he did the only thing he could think of. "Take a deep breath," he said as a grabbed Shinobu by the arm and dived into the water, making their way to the other end of the bath.
Naru was the first to reach the hot spring, shaking her fist. "Sean, are you out here?!" She noticed the area was empty. "Hmm, I guess I was wrong--" At least she that's what she thought until she found something floating on top of the water. Upon closer inspection, she saw what the objects were.
"It's worse than I thought," she said as she lifted two towels out of the water. "Apparently he heard us coming. He's got to be around here somewhere. Spread out and search the entire hot spring! We'll find him."
Sean and Shinobu huddled together underwater, hoping not to be found out.
"Oh, man," Sean thought. "Why do these things keep happening to me?" He started to notice air bubbles coming from Shinobu's nose. "She won't last too much longer. I have to do something--" Almost instinctively, he pressed his lips against hers, breathing air into her lungs.
When this happened, Shinobu's face grew a bright shade of red. "He's kissing me," she thought. "He's actually kissing me." She soon realized the reason behind it, but the feelings were still there.
Motoko was the first one to find the two hiding in the far corner of the hot spring. Immediately, she grabbed Sean by the neck and pulled his head out of the water, bringing Shinobu's with it.
"What are you doing to her, you pervert?!" Motoko said as she saw them still in their lip lock. Neither of them seemed to hear her; it was like they were in their own little world.
Naru noticed Motoko pull them out of the water. To say she was raging would have been a grave understatement. "SEAN, YOU BASTARD!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO SHINOBU??!!"
This "little" outburst brought the couple back to reality. They separated their faces with a jolt and looked at Naru in shock. They probably should have been thankful Naru could only see their faces, for during her CPR, Shinobu had wrapped her legs around Sean's waist, and that would not have helped matters, to say the least.
Sean was the first to be able to speak. "If you wanted to use the hot springs, you could have just asked." He instantly regretted saying that.
Steam started to pour from Naru's ears. "Why are you out here naked?!"
Sean looked confused. "What are you talking about? We're not--" He then noticed a couple of towels in Naru's clenched fist. He looked down for a moment, blushing. "I guess we are."
Shinobu suddenly noticed that very same thing, not to mention the position she was in. She blushed uncontrollably.
"You know what," Sean said, "we wouldn't even be naked right now if you hadn't formed this angry mob, from which we had to hurry to hide from. Apparently, those towels weren't on as tightly as I thought."
"You still haven't told us what's going on," Motoko said, still holding Sean's neck.
Sean looked at Shinobu for a bit and sighed. "All will be explained, but only on one of two conditions."
"And what are they?" Kitsune wondered.
"You can either let Shinobu and myself get dressed, or you all can strip naked yourselves and join us in the water."
"What?!" Naru said. "I don't want an explanation! I want your head!!" She ran over to beat Sean to a bloody pulp.
Sean calmly raised a finger and Naru froze mid-stride. "Calm yourself, Naru. I think you should reconsider your actions. Ten seconds after I finish this statement, you will be able to move again. If you still wish to beat my face in, I will consider it your acceptance of the second option I gave you, and it will apply to everyone present. Think it over carefully. Also, Motoko, I would greatly appreciate it if you would let go of my neck."
Motoko quickly let go of Sean. She did not wish to become the target of Sean's aggression.
"Sean, what are you doing?" Shinobu asked timidly.
"I believe we have no other alternative; we may have to tell them."
"Tell us what?" Kitsune asked.
"Whether we actually tell you anything or not is up to Naru."
Naru suddenly jarred back to life, skidding a few feet forward before she was able to stop.
"Well, what is your decision?" Sean asked.
Naru growled a bit before responding with words. "Get dressed; I expect an answer when you do." She tossed the towels at the couple and stormed back inside. The others soon followed suit, leaving Sean and Shinobu alone.
"I was hoping it wouldn't have come to this, but I guess it was inevitable."
"What's going to happen to us?" Shinobu looked worried.
"I don't know, Shinobu." Sean was downright frightened. "I don't know."
--- (Ten minutes later / Living Room)
"You WHAT?!!" Naru screamed when she, along with everyone else, heard the unexpected news.
"How long has this been going on?" Kitsune asked.
Sean looked at his watch. "About three and a half hours now."
"That's it?"
"Well, it's been leading up to this for a while."
"Have you known about this, Shinobu?" Motoko asked.
Shinobu blushed deeply. "Actually, it was my idea."
"Are you serious?"
Shinobu nodded. "I've felt this way ever since Sean went blind. The thought that he might never see me again just did something to me. It made me… want him."
Sean stared at her. "I suppose I'm guilty of the same thing. How you showed concern for me while my world was in darkness had a similar effect on me."
"If you've felt this way for so long, why didn't you say anything?" Kitsune asked.
"And who would we tell? You?" Sean asked rhetorically.
"We were afraid to say anything," Shinobu answered. "We didn't know how the other would react."
"Besides, I was worried that if you would catch wind of this, I would get hunted down like some animal. Apparently, those fears were not unwarranted." Sean glared at Naru.
"Well, something like this just shouldn't happen between you two; it isn't right."
"And why not?"
"Well, the age difference alone--"
"Screw the age difference! As long as we don't so just that, I don't see the problem--unless you're being jealous."
Naru snorted. "Why would I be jealous?"
"Because we once had feelings for each other and you let me slip through your fingers, that's why. We've grown apart and moved on, Naru."
"If we've grown apart, then why do you insist on meddling in my affairs, most notably, forcing me to spend time with Keitaro?"
"Because he'll need all the help he can get to pass the Tokyo U entrance exam--no offense."
"None taken," Keitaro said.
"But he's so stupid--"
"And you're saying I'm not?"
"Um, well…"
"Exactly. I admit that I've done some things that someone would call 'stupid.' All of us have at one time or another."
"That's not what I was thinking. It's just that he's not as smart as you."
"How can you know for sure? For all we know, he could be smarter than everyone here, including myself! Maybe the problem is that he hasn't had anyone like you in his life to help him, ever think of that?"
Naru looked a bit ashamed. "No."
"I didn't think so. Give him a chance. I'm sure he will grow on you like I have. Sure, the punches may not end, but they haven't exactly stopped for me either, if you recall, but you may come to like him as you did me. Now, where was I before I got sidetracked?"
"You and Shinobu," Kitsune answered.
"Thank you. Does anybody else have any objections to the two of us being together?"
"Um, if the two of you are going to be together," Kitsune said, "will that mean that you and I wouldn't be able to--"
"I've been here for just over a month and you decide to bring that up now?"
"Well, you were always busy, so I--"
"Sounds like Mutsumi all over again."
"What?"
"That was the reason why she dumped him--er, decided to stay friends last night." Keitaro said.
"I see," Kitsune said.
"Well, I don't know what to say about that. Shinobu, what do you think?"
Shinobu gave the matter a bit of thought. "I… suppose there's no point to keeping him to myself if we can't do a lot of those things couples do."
"Are you sure about what you're saying?" Sean asked.
"Yes."
"Does that mean I can have him if I want to?" Kitsune asked, stars starting to appear in her eyes.
"Yes, and not just you. All of you could, but on one condition."
"And what's that?" Sean asked, curious about what else she might have in mind.
"I'll only allow it if I can watch."
"WHAT?!" Sean was dumbstruck. "What are you saying?!"
Shinobu eyed Sean lovingly. "Well, at my age, I won't be able to do those sort of things myself, but if I watch others, I'll have a good idea how when the time comes. Besides, I wouldn't want you to wait on me for your first time--um, would it be your first time?"
Sean blushed, then nodded.
Kitsune raised an eyebrow. "Huh."
"So do you think it's a good idea?" Shinobu asked.
Sean's mind was racing. "Uh, I'll to think this through for a while. Excuse me." Sean walked off towards his room.
"Hey wait for me!" Shinobu said quickly following him.
The others stared wide-eyed at where the new couple left. "Wow," Naru said. "I never saw that coming."
"From his reaction, I don't think he did either," Motoko added.
"Should I feel guilty right now?" Kitsune asked, smiling. "I mean, I was the one that asked about, well you know."
"Well, you did make him very uncomfortable and he probably revealed more than he would have wanted," Motoko said.
"More than in the hot springs a little while ago?"
"Yes. There are some things we all have that we don't want others to know about."
"I guess you're right. Maybe I should go apologize for bringing it up."
"That would probably be the best course of action."
Kitsune started to leave, but stopped and turned back to the others, a smile on her face. "But if what I said can't be taken back, you should thank me for opening the door for you." She then left for the stairs, leaving the others, their faces in various shades of red. They seemed unaware of Keitaro quickly reaching for a tissue to stop the trail of blood coming from his nose.
--- (Sean/Keitaro's room)
"Sean, what's wrong?" Shinobu asked.
"It's just that it was so sudden, that's all," Sean replied. "I never knew you to ever think of things like that."
"Well, I haven't had a reason to until now." Sean just nodded, starting to blush. "Have you ever thought about stuff like that?"
"Shinobu, I'm a twenty-two year old man," He said, point-blank. "I sometimes have to struggle to keep those thoughts out of my head, and being around you girls all the time haven't helped."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. You can't help it if all of you induce fantasies in every man that sees you."
Shinobu blushed at the compliment. "Have you had fantasies about me?"
"Because of the whole age thing, I usually try to limit those to Naru, Kitsune and sometimes Motoko, but every once in a while…" Sean's voice trailed off.
"I see." Kitsune appeared at the door, a small grin on her face.
"How long were you there?" Sean asked, slightly annoyed.
"Long enough." Kitsune walked in and sat next to Sean on his futon. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. It was completely inappropriate and I hope you can forgive me."
"Don't worry about it. Something like that this was bound to come up sooner or later. I'm glad I'm dealing with this now and getting it over with."
"Well, what's your decision?" Kitsune asked. "Will you accept Shinobu's idea?" Both Shinobu and Kitsune were eager to hear his answer.
Sean sighed a bit. "Since Shinobu's so into it, I suppose I could go along for the ride, but let me tell you something right now: I don't want these little encounters to be an everyday occurrence. I wouldn't want to be too… experienced when it's Shinobu's turn."
"Agreed. I'll tell the others to keep it to a minimum." Kitsune rushed out to relay the information.
Shinobu hugged Sean. "I'm glad you're agreeing to this."
"I suppose those are the kind of compromises I'd have to make in a relationship." Sean returned the embrace.
"Um, do you think that you could…" Shinobu blushed at what she was about to ask. "kiss me again?"
"If that's what you want…" He released his embrace and gently laid her flat on the bed.
"Yes," Shinobu whispered as their lips met. Time seemed to stand still at that precise moment.
They were so engrossed in what they were doing, they were unaware of a sigh coming from the doorway, where Kitsune's head poked out. Jealousy was apparent on her face. "I wish I was in her place right now," She thought. "Though I guess I can wait a little longer."
* * * End of Chapter XII * * *
Well, there you have it. Another chapter come and gone. Don't ask me why I thought of what I did in this chapter; I don't really know myself. Nevertheless, things might get a bit... interesting in the future. Sometimes I wonder what goes through this mind I have, not to mention why.
I would actually like to meet Shinobu from the original story. From the dates I found, I would only be 10 months older than her, so it could have actually worked out. (That actually gives me an idea for another fic. Maybe I'll persue that idea later on.) Oh well. A guy can dream. Don't be surprised if the next chapter (yes, I plan on doing another one) takes a while to do. I'm not sure as to what it will be right now. Perhaps Kitsune... I don't know.
Please respond! I'll take any feedback I can get! Hell, start the flamethrowers if you want to; I can take it!
I can read your mind. You're thinking, "How could you write such a thing? Honestly, you and Shinobu together--" You get the picture. I just want to warn those of you thinking that way (you know who you are) that if you didn't like the last chapter, you'll downright hate this one. Besides, this isn't by any means the worst thing on the net right now, nor will it ever be if I can help it. And now, for you're viewing *ahem* pleasure:
* * * Chapter XII: Exposed * * *
Breakfast was a bit different that day. The girls and Keitaro couldn't help but notice that Shinobu had regained her former cheerfulness and then some. She seemed almost euphoric as she served another of her delicious meals.
"What's the deal?" Kitsune whispered to Naru. "Yesterday, she was about as depressed as I've ever seen her, and today…"
"I know. It's like she's a completely different person."
The meal went by in relative silence. The only strange thing that occurred, other than Shinobu's return to happiness, was a paper airplane arriving seemingly out of nowhere. It caught everyone's attention as it glided gently onto Shinobu's lap. She unfolded it and looked it over for a moment.
"What is it?" Suu asked.
Shinobu blushed a bit. "Um, just a secret admirer."
"Really?" Kitsune became fascinated that someone was interest in the young cook. "Who is it?"
"I don't know. It's a secret."
"Let me see that." Kitsune reached over to take the paper.
"No!" Shinobu pressed it tightly against her chest.
Everyone was shocked by the sudden outburst. "Why not?"
"I just want to find out who this is on my own." She tucked the former flyer into her pocket and started to gather the dishes and take them into the kitchen.
"You can be so careless sometimes, Kitsune," Motoko said, shaking her head. "This is probably the first time she's experiencing something like this and she wants to sort out her feelings on her own."
"You're no fun," Kitsune pouted.
---
After Shinobu finished cleaning the dishes, she took out the paper she received during breakfast, taking care to watch out for anyone coming. She sighed happily as she reread the message written there:
"Meet me in the hot spring after breakfast. XXOO You Know Who"
She sighed again. She knew right away who it was, and was eager to comply. She quickly made her way to the changing room and walked out to the hot springs, a towel wrapped around her.
Much to her surprise, she found herself alone. "H-Hello?" She said nervously. "Are you out heEEE!?" Her wondering was cut off when she was lifted a few feet into the air, reclining backwards. "What's going on?!" She started to panic before something started to appear around her. She was shocked to see Sean carrying her in his arms. "Sean?! How did you do that?!"
Sean simply smiled. "You're not the only who can be sneaky." He noticed her clutching her chest. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she said, catching her breath. "You just scared me, that's all."
Sean still smiled as he set Shinobu on her feet. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. After all, when I found you in my bed last night, my reaction was pretty similar."
"Oh." Shinobu blushed when she realized Sean was wearing a towel himself.
"What's wrong?"
Shinobu's face grew brighter. "Um, what you're wearing--"
"Oh, yeah. I guess I hadn't counted on both of us wearing the same outfit." They shared a chuckle. "Well, are we going in the water or are we just going to stand here all day?" Sean stepped into the water, Shinobu right behind him.
"Um, why did you ask me to come out here?"
"Well, I knew you would be coming here eventually, but I had to be sure you didn't bring the others with you. I just needed to talk about us for a bit."
Shinobu looked at Sean lovingly; her face still had a visible shade of pink. "Okay."
--- (Meanwhile)
"We have to figure out who this 'secret admirer' is," Kitsune said.
"No, we don't." Motoko was adamant against invading Shinobu's privacy.
"Hmm, maybe we should ask Sean if he knows something," Keitaro suggested.
"Why would he know anything about this?" Naru asked.
"Last night he said was going to talk to her today about what was bothering her."
"Did he know what was troubling her?" Motoko asked.
"No, he didn't, but he knew it was something."
"Let's find him and ask him," Kitsune said, heading off to his room.
"Hey, wait--" Naru started, but Kitsune was already out of sight.
Kitsune quickly reached Sean's door and knocked. "Sean, are you in there?" After a few seconds without a reply, she opened the door to find it vacant. "Hmm, maybe he's in Shinobu's room, talking to her; or at least I hope their just talking." She made her way to Shinobu's room, meeting the others on the way.
"Sean not in his room?" Suu asked.
"Nope. I'm going to check Shinobu's room next." She rushed to her destination, the others following close behind her. When they reached Shinobu's room, they found that neither Sean nor Shinobu were there.
"That's odd. If they're not in either of their rooms, where could they be?" Kitsune said, scratching her head.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Naru. "No, he wouldn't, would he?"
"He wouldn't what?" Motoko asked. Upon seeing Naru's worried expression, she understood. "Oh."
"If my hunch is right--and I seriously hope it isn't--" Naru said, "I can only think of one place they would be."
---
Sean and Shinobu were in the middle of a heart to heart talk in the hot spring, contemplating their future together. After all, they had just become a couple earlier that morning and they had a lot to talk about, not the least of which being how to break the news to the others.
Suddenly, Sean heard something coming down the hall towards them. "Uh oh. I was afraid of this."
"What?"
"It's the others; they're coming."
"What?! But we're not ready to tell them yet!"
"I know, I know. Let me just think of something…" The sounds of approaching footsteps were soon accompanied by voices.
"If he's doing what I think he's doing, show him no mercy!" Naru said.
"C'mon Sean, think!" he thought. Seconds before the others arrived, he did the only thing he could think of. "Take a deep breath," he said as a grabbed Shinobu by the arm and dived into the water, making their way to the other end of the bath.
Naru was the first to reach the hot spring, shaking her fist. "Sean, are you out here?!" She noticed the area was empty. "Hmm, I guess I was wrong--" At least she that's what she thought until she found something floating on top of the water. Upon closer inspection, she saw what the objects were.
"It's worse than I thought," she said as she lifted two towels out of the water. "Apparently he heard us coming. He's got to be around here somewhere. Spread out and search the entire hot spring! We'll find him."
Sean and Shinobu huddled together underwater, hoping not to be found out.
"Oh, man," Sean thought. "Why do these things keep happening to me?" He started to notice air bubbles coming from Shinobu's nose. "She won't last too much longer. I have to do something--" Almost instinctively, he pressed his lips against hers, breathing air into her lungs.
When this happened, Shinobu's face grew a bright shade of red. "He's kissing me," she thought. "He's actually kissing me." She soon realized the reason behind it, but the feelings were still there.
Motoko was the first one to find the two hiding in the far corner of the hot spring. Immediately, she grabbed Sean by the neck and pulled his head out of the water, bringing Shinobu's with it.
"What are you doing to her, you pervert?!" Motoko said as she saw them still in their lip lock. Neither of them seemed to hear her; it was like they were in their own little world.
Naru noticed Motoko pull them out of the water. To say she was raging would have been a grave understatement. "SEAN, YOU BASTARD!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO SHINOBU??!!"
This "little" outburst brought the couple back to reality. They separated their faces with a jolt and looked at Naru in shock. They probably should have been thankful Naru could only see their faces, for during her CPR, Shinobu had wrapped her legs around Sean's waist, and that would not have helped matters, to say the least.
Sean was the first to be able to speak. "If you wanted to use the hot springs, you could have just asked." He instantly regretted saying that.
Steam started to pour from Naru's ears. "Why are you out here naked?!"
Sean looked confused. "What are you talking about? We're not--" He then noticed a couple of towels in Naru's clenched fist. He looked down for a moment, blushing. "I guess we are."
Shinobu suddenly noticed that very same thing, not to mention the position she was in. She blushed uncontrollably.
"You know what," Sean said, "we wouldn't even be naked right now if you hadn't formed this angry mob, from which we had to hurry to hide from. Apparently, those towels weren't on as tightly as I thought."
"You still haven't told us what's going on," Motoko said, still holding Sean's neck.
Sean looked at Shinobu for a bit and sighed. "All will be explained, but only on one of two conditions."
"And what are they?" Kitsune wondered.
"You can either let Shinobu and myself get dressed, or you all can strip naked yourselves and join us in the water."
"What?!" Naru said. "I don't want an explanation! I want your head!!" She ran over to beat Sean to a bloody pulp.
Sean calmly raised a finger and Naru froze mid-stride. "Calm yourself, Naru. I think you should reconsider your actions. Ten seconds after I finish this statement, you will be able to move again. If you still wish to beat my face in, I will consider it your acceptance of the second option I gave you, and it will apply to everyone present. Think it over carefully. Also, Motoko, I would greatly appreciate it if you would let go of my neck."
Motoko quickly let go of Sean. She did not wish to become the target of Sean's aggression.
"Sean, what are you doing?" Shinobu asked timidly.
"I believe we have no other alternative; we may have to tell them."
"Tell us what?" Kitsune asked.
"Whether we actually tell you anything or not is up to Naru."
Naru suddenly jarred back to life, skidding a few feet forward before she was able to stop.
"Well, what is your decision?" Sean asked.
Naru growled a bit before responding with words. "Get dressed; I expect an answer when you do." She tossed the towels at the couple and stormed back inside. The others soon followed suit, leaving Sean and Shinobu alone.
"I was hoping it wouldn't have come to this, but I guess it was inevitable."
"What's going to happen to us?" Shinobu looked worried.
"I don't know, Shinobu." Sean was downright frightened. "I don't know."
--- (Ten minutes later / Living Room)
"You WHAT?!!" Naru screamed when she, along with everyone else, heard the unexpected news.
"How long has this been going on?" Kitsune asked.
Sean looked at his watch. "About three and a half hours now."
"That's it?"
"Well, it's been leading up to this for a while."
"Have you known about this, Shinobu?" Motoko asked.
Shinobu blushed deeply. "Actually, it was my idea."
"Are you serious?"
Shinobu nodded. "I've felt this way ever since Sean went blind. The thought that he might never see me again just did something to me. It made me… want him."
Sean stared at her. "I suppose I'm guilty of the same thing. How you showed concern for me while my world was in darkness had a similar effect on me."
"If you've felt this way for so long, why didn't you say anything?" Kitsune asked.
"And who would we tell? You?" Sean asked rhetorically.
"We were afraid to say anything," Shinobu answered. "We didn't know how the other would react."
"Besides, I was worried that if you would catch wind of this, I would get hunted down like some animal. Apparently, those fears were not unwarranted." Sean glared at Naru.
"Well, something like this just shouldn't happen between you two; it isn't right."
"And why not?"
"Well, the age difference alone--"
"Screw the age difference! As long as we don't so just that, I don't see the problem--unless you're being jealous."
Naru snorted. "Why would I be jealous?"
"Because we once had feelings for each other and you let me slip through your fingers, that's why. We've grown apart and moved on, Naru."
"If we've grown apart, then why do you insist on meddling in my affairs, most notably, forcing me to spend time with Keitaro?"
"Because he'll need all the help he can get to pass the Tokyo U entrance exam--no offense."
"None taken," Keitaro said.
"But he's so stupid--"
"And you're saying I'm not?"
"Um, well…"
"Exactly. I admit that I've done some things that someone would call 'stupid.' All of us have at one time or another."
"That's not what I was thinking. It's just that he's not as smart as you."
"How can you know for sure? For all we know, he could be smarter than everyone here, including myself! Maybe the problem is that he hasn't had anyone like you in his life to help him, ever think of that?"
Naru looked a bit ashamed. "No."
"I didn't think so. Give him a chance. I'm sure he will grow on you like I have. Sure, the punches may not end, but they haven't exactly stopped for me either, if you recall, but you may come to like him as you did me. Now, where was I before I got sidetracked?"
"You and Shinobu," Kitsune answered.
"Thank you. Does anybody else have any objections to the two of us being together?"
"Um, if the two of you are going to be together," Kitsune said, "will that mean that you and I wouldn't be able to--"
"I've been here for just over a month and you decide to bring that up now?"
"Well, you were always busy, so I--"
"Sounds like Mutsumi all over again."
"What?"
"That was the reason why she dumped him--er, decided to stay friends last night." Keitaro said.
"I see," Kitsune said.
"Well, I don't know what to say about that. Shinobu, what do you think?"
Shinobu gave the matter a bit of thought. "I… suppose there's no point to keeping him to myself if we can't do a lot of those things couples do."
"Are you sure about what you're saying?" Sean asked.
"Yes."
"Does that mean I can have him if I want to?" Kitsune asked, stars starting to appear in her eyes.
"Yes, and not just you. All of you could, but on one condition."
"And what's that?" Sean asked, curious about what else she might have in mind.
"I'll only allow it if I can watch."
"WHAT?!" Sean was dumbstruck. "What are you saying?!"
Shinobu eyed Sean lovingly. "Well, at my age, I won't be able to do those sort of things myself, but if I watch others, I'll have a good idea how when the time comes. Besides, I wouldn't want you to wait on me for your first time--um, would it be your first time?"
Sean blushed, then nodded.
Kitsune raised an eyebrow. "Huh."
"So do you think it's a good idea?" Shinobu asked.
Sean's mind was racing. "Uh, I'll to think this through for a while. Excuse me." Sean walked off towards his room.
"Hey wait for me!" Shinobu said quickly following him.
The others stared wide-eyed at where the new couple left. "Wow," Naru said. "I never saw that coming."
"From his reaction, I don't think he did either," Motoko added.
"Should I feel guilty right now?" Kitsune asked, smiling. "I mean, I was the one that asked about, well you know."
"Well, you did make him very uncomfortable and he probably revealed more than he would have wanted," Motoko said.
"More than in the hot springs a little while ago?"
"Yes. There are some things we all have that we don't want others to know about."
"I guess you're right. Maybe I should go apologize for bringing it up."
"That would probably be the best course of action."
Kitsune started to leave, but stopped and turned back to the others, a smile on her face. "But if what I said can't be taken back, you should thank me for opening the door for you." She then left for the stairs, leaving the others, their faces in various shades of red. They seemed unaware of Keitaro quickly reaching for a tissue to stop the trail of blood coming from his nose.
--- (Sean/Keitaro's room)
"Sean, what's wrong?" Shinobu asked.
"It's just that it was so sudden, that's all," Sean replied. "I never knew you to ever think of things like that."
"Well, I haven't had a reason to until now." Sean just nodded, starting to blush. "Have you ever thought about stuff like that?"
"Shinobu, I'm a twenty-two year old man," He said, point-blank. "I sometimes have to struggle to keep those thoughts out of my head, and being around you girls all the time haven't helped."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. You can't help it if all of you induce fantasies in every man that sees you."
Shinobu blushed at the compliment. "Have you had fantasies about me?"
"Because of the whole age thing, I usually try to limit those to Naru, Kitsune and sometimes Motoko, but every once in a while…" Sean's voice trailed off.
"I see." Kitsune appeared at the door, a small grin on her face.
"How long were you there?" Sean asked, slightly annoyed.
"Long enough." Kitsune walked in and sat next to Sean on his futon. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. It was completely inappropriate and I hope you can forgive me."
"Don't worry about it. Something like that this was bound to come up sooner or later. I'm glad I'm dealing with this now and getting it over with."
"Well, what's your decision?" Kitsune asked. "Will you accept Shinobu's idea?" Both Shinobu and Kitsune were eager to hear his answer.
Sean sighed a bit. "Since Shinobu's so into it, I suppose I could go along for the ride, but let me tell you something right now: I don't want these little encounters to be an everyday occurrence. I wouldn't want to be too… experienced when it's Shinobu's turn."
"Agreed. I'll tell the others to keep it to a minimum." Kitsune rushed out to relay the information.
Shinobu hugged Sean. "I'm glad you're agreeing to this."
"I suppose those are the kind of compromises I'd have to make in a relationship." Sean returned the embrace.
"Um, do you think that you could…" Shinobu blushed at what she was about to ask. "kiss me again?"
"If that's what you want…" He released his embrace and gently laid her flat on the bed.
"Yes," Shinobu whispered as their lips met. Time seemed to stand still at that precise moment.
They were so engrossed in what they were doing, they were unaware of a sigh coming from the doorway, where Kitsune's head poked out. Jealousy was apparent on her face. "I wish I was in her place right now," She thought. "Though I guess I can wait a little longer."
* * * End of Chapter XII * * *
Well, there you have it. Another chapter come and gone. Don't ask me why I thought of what I did in this chapter; I don't really know myself. Nevertheless, things might get a bit... interesting in the future. Sometimes I wonder what goes through this mind I have, not to mention why.
I would actually like to meet Shinobu from the original story. From the dates I found, I would only be 10 months older than her, so it could have actually worked out. (That actually gives me an idea for another fic. Maybe I'll persue that idea later on.) Oh well. A guy can dream. Don't be surprised if the next chapter (yes, I plan on doing another one) takes a while to do. I'm not sure as to what it will be right now. Perhaps Kitsune... I don't know.
Please respond! I'll take any feedback I can get! Hell, start the flamethrowers if you want to; I can take it!