"It's a shame no one else could come," Megumi said a couple of days later as they sat at a table and ordered dinner.

Shuuhei nodded in agreement but didn't comment. Megumi felt like there was something he wasn't telling her. When the music started she forgot about it and enjoyed herself.

Shuuhei watched her. He found he really enjoyed watching her. He was almost to the point of making up excuses just to be with her or to touch her. Every time they went out, he found a reason to touch her.

Between songs, Shuuhei leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Would you like another drink?" His breath danced over her skin, sending chills down her spine.

Megumi shook her head and looked at her watch. "It's late," she said, leaning into him.

"There's only a couple more bands left. We can stay until the end." She opened her mouth to protest. "Besides, you have the day off tomorrow."

She smiled at Shuuhei and fought the urge to close the few inches between them and kiss him. Megumi wondered how he would react. She knew she needed to tell him about her hobby.

Shuuhei thought about leaning over and kissing her. It was a thought he was having frequently. He wondered how she would react. When he made up his mind to do it, the waitress came over asking them if they wanted another drink. They jumped apart, and in the dim light, Shuuhei saw the faint flush on her cheeks. He grinned to himself, thinking that she might have been thinking the same thing he was. He decided he'd kiss her later when they were alone.

...

Shuuhei paused when they reached his quarters. Megumi had been lost in her own thoughts and had kept walking. He reached out for her hand. "Come inside for a minute."

"It's late. I should go."

"Please?"

"I shouldn't stay long," Megumi told him as she walked into his quarters when he opened the door.

"Close your eyes. I have something for you."

She obeyed, wondering what Shuuhei would have for her. It wasn't her birthday or anything.

He hesitated, thinking that things could go very wrong or very right after this. He was hoping for very right. After all, she had started it all those weeks ago.

Taking a step toward her, he ran his fingers through her hair as he leaned in and kissed her lightly. It felt so natural for her to step closer to him and bring her arms around his neck.

'Very right,' Shuuhei thought as he put his arms around her.

When they pulled apart several minutes later, it was only because they were both breathless.

"I didn't ask anyone to join us tonight because I didn't want them to ruin our first date," Shuuhei told her.

"Are we dating?"

"I hope so. I like being with you."

"I like being with you, too."

Shuuhei linked his fingers with hers. "You're so fine. I want you mine. You're so delicious."

"I think about you all the time. You're so addictive. Don't you know what I could do to make you feel alright?"

"You could start by kissing me."

Megumi smirked at him and brushed her lips over his lightly. "I wanted to tell you. I wasn't sure how. How did you know?"

"I wondered several times. You'd say the exact same thing to me as you and as her. You were never free the nights she sang. It all just made sense. But it was your purple nails that sealed it for me."

"I hadn't meant to kiss you on stage. It just felt right." She smiled. "I got a nice lecture about kissing people on stage and how I wasn't supposed to do it again."

Shuuhei grinned. "Before tonight, you were the last person I kissed."

"Really? You were still with-"

"I didn't kiss her after I was kissed on stage."

"Why not? I mean, not that I'm complaining."

Shuuhei shrugged. "I think I knew that it was already over."

Megumi smiled. "If we're going to be dating, maybe I should cut down on the time I spend on my hobby."

"You don't have to give it up completely."

"You don't have to stop coming."

"Two different yet similar women, I only ever wanted one of them."

"You never fantasized about her?"

"Always you, Megumi." He kissed her again to silence any more of her questions.

...

Megumi smiled as she woke up recalling the previous night. She had stayed up late with Shuuhei. They had sat on his couch talking and kissing. She didn't remember coming home. Opening her eyes, the room came into focus. Megumi shot up. This wasn't her bedroom. Looking around she noticed a folded piece of paper with her name on it next to the bed.

Megumi,
I don't know for sure when we fell asleep, but I woke up in time for work. I tried to wake you up. Do you always sleep so deeply? I brought you to my bed because I thought you'd be more comfortable. I tried to be quiet as I got ready for work. I am assuming I succeeded since you're still asleep. I'll see you tonight.
-Shuuhei

With a smile, Megumi got out of bed. She found a pen and a piece of paper and left Shuuhei a note of her own.

Shuuhei,
I had a wonderful time with you last night, and I'm looking forward to our second date. Where are we going for it? I'm busy tonight with my hobby, but I can come over when I'm done if you want me to.
-Megumi

She left the note on the pillow before heading back to her quarters.

...

"I told the guys upstairs that you're my friend," she said as she sat next to him at the bar and took a long drink of water. "If I didn't, they would think you're some crazy stalker."

"I'd like to think we're friends," Shuuhei said with a grin.

"They told me you were here last night with the blonde again. Are you crushing on her?"

Shuuhei grinned. "It was our first date. Although I didn't tell her that until later."

"Why not?"

"I was afraid she'd say no."

"I doubt that." The singer took another drink. "Where are you taking her on your second date?"

"I haven't decided. I'm hoping she comes over tonight after she's done with her hobby."

"A late night date. That sounds nice."

"I haven't seen her since I left her asleep in my bed this morning." He laughed at her look. Knowing he didn't have to explain himself but feeling the need to, he told her, "We fell asleep. I tried to wake her up but I couldn't. So I carried her to my bed."

"That was considerate of you." Inside, Megumi swooned at the thought of him carrying her to bed.

"What about you? Are you dating anyone?"

"I just started dating a guy I've been interested in for a while."

"How long is a while?" How had he not known?

She shrugged. "Longer than he realizes. I contented myself in being his friend." She smiled at him. "Since you're my friend, I should tell you that I'm only going to be performing once a week. It gives me more time to spend with him."

"I think he'd like that. I would if it was me."

She smiled. "I should go. It's almost time for my next song. Are you staying for it?"

"Yes but I'll leave shortly after you're done. I want to be home when my girlfriend gets there."

"You're referring to her as your girlfriend after just one date?"

Shuuhei nodded. "Not just any girl sleeps in my bed."

With a laugh, she left him to perform her final song of the night. Shuuhei sat back and listened to her and the band after her before he left. Walking back toward his quarters, he wondered how long it would be before Megumi arrived.

"Shuuhei!"

He turned and smiled at her. "I was just thinking about you."

"I never take long to leave. Usually I flash step home but I thought I might catch up with you."

"Maybe I'll have to meet you after your hobby every night." He took the duffel bag she was holding and reached out for her hand. Together they walked to his quarters. There weren't many people out this late but those that passed them greeted their vice captain. Shuuhei glanced at Megumi and noticed the flush on her cheeks.

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"No. It's just that we look like a couple."

"We are a couple," Shuuhei retorted. "Did you ever notice that every time we went out to the club, we always sat alone? Our friends stopped by our table but no one stayed. It was always just..."

"Just us." She hadn't noticed then but she did now that he mentioned it.

Shuuhei smiled. "Just us. It wasn't planned that way but I wonder if our friends noticed."

Megumi shrugged. "If anyone noticed, it would have been Yumichicka."

"He hasn't said anything to me."

"Me either."

They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes. "Megumi, how long is a while?"

She'd known he would ask, and she would have been disappointed if he hadn't. "About a year or so. It was that day you found me really upset. I cried on your shoulder." She took a breath. "We talked for a long time and at one point, I thought you were going to kiss me. Maybe you would have but we were interrupted and you didn't."

Shuuhei remembered the day. "I hated to see you hurt. I hate to see any of my friends hurt." He took a breath. "I forgot that I almost kissed you. You never talked about it so I thought you hadn't noticed it. At the time, I was glad we were interrupted. You had literally just walked out of a relationship and I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

Megumi looked up at him. "You've always had the qualities I've looked for in a man, but I never pursued it because you were my friend and I didn't want to ruin that."

"So you wrote a song about it?" he teased.

"I didn't write it. I just selected it. It fit with what I was feeling. You were dating someone who was so whatever, and I thought you should be dating me. I wasn't trying to make you break up with her. But I knew you weren't happy."

"You knew before I did."

"We've been friends for years. I know your moods."

"Now we're more than friends." He opened the door to his quarters.

"Are you happy, Shuuhei?"

He grinned at her. "You know my moods so well, you tell me."

Megumi laughed. "What did you have in mind for our late night date?" she asked as they walked into his quarters.

"I was thinking we could pick up where we left off last night."

"Where exactly was that?"

Shuuhei grinned. "Somewhere around here." He kissed her, dropping the duffel bag so he could put his hands on her.

...

Shuuhei thought his plan would work. He whispered her name and kissed her softly. When she didn't reply, he tried again. It took a few minutes before her lips answered his.

"Good morning," he said with a smile.

"Good morning. I think that's the first time I've been woken with a kiss."

Shuuhei grinned at her. "It was more than one." He kissed her again. "You have a habit of falling asleep in my arms."

"I have a habit of waking up in your bed," she smiled. "You have a habit of never being in bed with me."

"I don't sleep as long as you do."

"Too much on your mind?"

Shuuhei shrugged. "It's a habit from when we didn't have a captain." He ran his hand through her hair. "As much as I like watching you sleep in my bed, we both have to be at work this morning."

"Maybe I should convince you to call in sick." Megumi leaned over and kissed him.

"Maybe you should." Shuuhei was thinking about how nice it would be to stay here with her, but he knew he had work waiting for him. "I made us breakfast in bed."

Megumi saw the trays next to the bed. "Oh, Shuuhei you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." He placed her tray in front of her. "I wasn't sure what you like to eat for breakfast."

"I'm not picky about my food," she said as they began eating. "I went out with this guy once, and when they brought out our food, I realized I ordered more than him. He commented that I shouldn't eat so much if I wanted to keep my figure."

"You didn't walk out on him?"

She grinned. "No. I ate everything. Then I ordered dessert and ate every bite of it. I was miserable halfway through my dessert, but I didn't tell him that. I let him pay for our meal, and I never went out with him again."

"I've seen you eat. I don't think you eat too much. I took a girl out once, and she ordered a salad. Requested no dressing and had them take off almost everything else. They brought her a bowl of lettuce. She ate it. I never understood why women feel the need to starve themselves."

"Me either," Megumi agreed. "What's the best meal you had with a date?"

"I made my girlfriend breakfast in bed."

"How'd that work out for you?"

"Ask me in a few hours. So far, I think it's one of the best meals I've had with her."