Used to be
It had started like every Saturday morning before, and she had gone over her usual route, down the street, through the housing complex, past the training grounds. The spring weather was beautiful, and the wind was gentle and cool. Never changing. Constant. Normal.
Comfortable.
She picked up the pace, and her jog had become a run. Unlike her usual Saturday. Left here to go past the guard post. But no, she looped right, and pushed herself harder, feet pounding on the pavement.
Her muscles felt weak. Underused. Undeveloped. She longed for a real challenge again, someone who could keep up with her, and automatically her mind wandered to her best friend. Former? Maybe? She didn't even know.
Fate was home, and maybe, finally, they could fix things.
Her mind was suddenly filled with the wary sideways glances thrown her way, as if the blonde were waiting for Nanoha to lash out at any moment and strike her. There was scarcely a word spoken where there had once been complete and open lines of communication, and now? Hell. Fate couldn't even look her in the eyes.
Faster.
Comfortable. That was her life until Fate had come back. She had always worried about the enforcer during her disappearance, and she had always wondered about her in the back of her mind. Was she sick? Was she getting enough sleep? Was she hurt?
She had tried her best to respect Fate's wish for distance and space, but after three weeks of nearly driving herself insane and worrying herself sick at the beginning of Fate's self-imposed exile, she had finally gotten Hayate to agree to weekly status reports. Details were vague at best. 'Yes, she was fine. Yes, she was unharmed. No, I will not tell you where she's located.'
And then there was Yuuno.
At first, Nanoha had avoided him like the plague. Just looking at him had only reminded her of the pain in Fate's eyes that night, pain that hadn't been there since they had been children. She couldn't understand it, and she never had the chance to ask her about it. At this point though, she supposed she never would.
But Yuuno had persisted, dropping by almost every day since the incident, pleading for a chance to be heard out. In her second moment of weakness, she had relented. The last thing she had wanted was to lose two friends at one fell swoop.
And now?
Time had passed, and things had calmed down. Now she could be normal. She could get married, settle down, and do the things she couldn't do before. Yuuno was a good man, and had always been very kind. He was calm, steady, and had always treated her like any girl would want to be treated. When he had proposed a year into their relationship, after the longest single moment of her life, she had accepted. She hadn't been ecstatic, and she hadn't cried. When she had called her parents to relay the news, there hadn't been joyous cheers of delight, and her mother remained doubtful of her choice even today. But, he could make her happy. She would never worry about him at all hours of the night, wondering if he was safe, wondering if he were dead, wondering if she would ever see him again…
She was struggling for breath now, and violently shoved such thoughts aside.
And then there was Vivio. Her sweet little girl, only not so little anymore. She had developed quite the independent streak, which had made dealing with Fate's departure all the more difficult, and her subsequent relationship with Yuuno even worse. She could tell Vivio didn't like him, and merely tolerated his presence at best. She knew Vivio viewed the man as the wedge that had driven the aces apart, and in her eyes, he was trying to replace Fate.
The bond between Fate and Vivio had always been very strong, and remained so even now, evident by the fact that Vivio's calls were the only ones Fate would answer these days.
The streets were fading behind her, and she had definitely gone off the beaten path. Her legs burned, her chest ached, and she knew that she would have some killer muscle cramps tomorrow, but she ran until she was sure she was going to collapse, pausing near a line of trees bordering the local park and bending at the waist, hands on her knees as she gasped for air. Sweat dripped off her brow, and just about every part of her was on fire, but it had been worth it.
She hadn't been this tired since the last sparring session she had had without her limiter, so many years ago, but it felt good to push herself again. That had been with Fate too, now that she thought about it. At first the blonde had been hesitant to even don her barrier jacket, but after some gentle prodding, she finally complied, and that spark lit up her eyes. Nanoha had always been a sucker for Fate's eyes. For someone as quiet as she was, it was those russet orbs that used to speak volumes, and it was during those mock battles that Nanoha loved them most. Full of fierce determination and a hint of amusement, there were many instances where the instructor was almost knocked out thanks to looking into them for a bit too long.
Had Fate been a man, she might have…
No. No. It was best to not go there.
She shook herself off, knowing that she had better do some cool down stretches or she would pay for it, when she stopped to take a look at her surroundings. She had run to the old playground without any forethought or mind to, and started a bit at the rust covering much of the decaying structures. She and Fate had brought Vivio here when she was much, much smaller, and they had eaten lunch under the large tree near the fountain, bathed in dappled sunshine. Her feet made their way to the playground equipment, and she tapped on equally rusted chains holding up a cracked plastic swing.
Suddenly, it felt like it had all been only yesterday. She had sat on the swing while Vivio burned herself out on the jungle gym, and Fate had come up behind her, in that sneaky way she always managed to do, and had given her a little push, sending the instructor into a round of giggles, picking her feet up and leaning back until the wind tugged at her hair, and the tips of her sneakers had pointed to the sky. For a few seconds, it was like learning how to fly all over again. They had continued, like a pair of little kids, until Vivio had approached the swing set, eyes wide. Fate, being Fate, knew what she wanted immediately, and slowed Nanoha to a stop, her hands gripping the chains just above the instructor's own. With a grin and a flourish, Fate spun the little girl around and plopped her down in Nanoha's lap, and pushed the pair on the swing once more, although at a much slower speed. There had been nothing but warmth and…
A car horn blasted in the distance, snapping Nanoha back to the here and now, and her gaze lingered on the fractured blue plastic seat. Time has a funny habit of eating away at everything.
Above the tree line, the sun was beginning to rise, a sign that she should turn back soon. Yuuno was probably up by now, and Fate would be bringing Vivio home before long.
She closed her eyes. Everything they had been through, everything they had fought for, and it all turned out like this.
The chains rattled in the wind, rusty and forgotten.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Fate pulled her car up to the curb and shifted into park, eyeing the front door of her former home warily. She had told herself that she wouldn't come back here, determined to move on and build her own life, and yet here she was, following her old tracks and winding up back where she started. Hundreds of thousands of miles and two years later, and she still had nothing to show for it. Hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment.
Her actions may have seemed selfish and stupid to some, but she had spent so much time building a life around Nanoha that she had almost forgotten what it was like to just be herself. With Yuuno in the picture or not, Fate knew it would have come down to this eventually, and if it hadn't been him, it would have been someone else, as it was only a matter of time. Nanoha deserved happiness, a good husband, and a normal life. After everything she had been through, she had earned it.
What could Fate possibly offer her that would even compare? She was gone almost eight out of twelve months, her job had terrible health and safety risks, and it happened to be something she loved to do. Given her past, and all the mistakes she had made, she enjoyed the opportunity to help those who couldn't help themselves. But during rough spots, there were times she was sure that each move would be her last. One day, she wouldn't be strong enough, she wouldn't be fast enough, and Nanoha and Vivio would get a visit from some solemn faced captains in the dead of night, offering their apologies.
Not to mention the fact that they were just friends, but all recent events considered, even that was shaky at best right now.
In the long run, any happiness she had built with Nanoha in the past would only be self-destructive in the future.
"Fate-mama?"
Fate smiled apologetically at the girl in the passenger seat. "Sorry. Spaced out there for a minute."
Vivio undid her seatbelt and gathered up her schoolbag. "Not coming in?"
Her heart clenched tightly and she glanced at the clock on the dash. Eight AM, Saturday morning. Nanoha would already be up, and would have returned from her morning jog by now. She'd be making coffee, wearing her little shirt and those cute shorts, and she would pour a mug for Fate, always the late riser. She would tease her about missing half the day, and her coffee would be perfect, with a hint of vanilla in it, just the way the enforcer liked, and dear god.
She needed to get out of here.
"Ah, I don't think so. I'm going to head back and clean up, but I'll be back to pick you up after that." she hesitated a moment, remembering Nanoha's request from the night before. "And tell your mom…" Fate trailed off, burgundy eyes glazing over as the front door opened, and Nanoha stepped out onto the doorstep, wearing a black sports bra and tiny grey shorts, a coffee mug in her hand.
Damn, her memory was good.
The brunette waved at the occupants of the car, and Vivio waved back cheerfully before turning back to the enforcer. "Fate-mama."
"Huh?"
"I think you're drooling."
Fate snapped to attention, her cheeks red. "What?" Vivio giggled, and the captain managed to look slightly annoyed. "Where the hell do you pick this stuff up anyway?"
Vivio blinked up at her innocently.
Fate's eyes narrowed. "Hayate."
"Come on, I'm not a little girl anymore." the teenager pouted, sliding across the seat and kissing Fate's cheek. "Anyone can see it."
"Uh-huh."
"Now what did you want me to tell mom?"
This was bad. This was very bad. Two minutes in front of the house and she had reverted to dangerous ways of thinking. She sighed, pushing a hand through her hair. "Tell her, uh, that she's welcome to come with us today."
Stupid. So very stupid.
Vivio's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"
Fate nodded, and groaned when arms were thrown around her neck, jostling her around in the driver's seat. "Hey, calm down." she muttered, detangling her limbs. "It doesn't mean anything, you got that?"
Vivio quirked a brow and opened the car door. "Uh-huh. See you in a bit."
Fate waited until she was halfway down the walk, and it took all of her self-control not to slam on the gas. Through the rearview mirror she caught one last glimpse of Vivio and Nanoha before they disappeared into the house, and she sighed tiredly.
Her best judgment was busy hurling itself out the window.
"Did you guys have fun?" Nanoha asked sweetly, dropping a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
Vivio nodded excitedly. "It was good to spend time with her. She hasn't changed at all."
Yuuno glanced at the women from over the rims of his glasses, the papers spread out in front of him on the table now largely ignored.
"She lives like a bachelor though." the girl continued, moving into the kitchen and fetching down a glass from the cabinet. "Good thing she's taking me to the shopping center today. Maybe I can convince her to buy some things to make it look like someone actually lives in her apartment. It looks so lonely."
"Oh?" the instructor replied neutrally.
Vivio's grin was broad as she poured herself some of the juice sitting on the counter. "Mmhm." She took a long sip and tried her best to ignore the looks coming from Yuuno. "She said you should come too."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" the man said at last, brows furrowed in concern.
His fiancé turned to look at him, the hands around her coffee mug gripping just a little tighter. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Well, she hasn't exactly been…" he started, waving his hand, tempted to say the word stable, but the icy look on Nanoha's face gave him second thoughts.
Vivio scowled. "Whatever. I'm going to go get ready."
Nanoha's features almost mirrored Vivio's as the teenager's footsteps disappeared down the hall. The following door slam made Yuuno wince, but the instructor cut off anything he might have said. "What did I tell you about badmouthing Fate in front of Vivio?" the brunette scolded, lightly thumping him on the arm.
He almost rolled his eyes. "When you say that, it almost sounds like you two are divorced." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Slate blue eyes, usually so soft and warm, suddenly seemed to burn with the rage of a thousand suns. Yuuno hastily scrambled to his feet, hands up as if to ward off any incoming blows. "Wait. I didn't mean that."
"Well what exactly did you mean?"
"I just…" he sighed, not looking for a fight. "I just worry. I don't want her to take off again without a word, and leave you and Vivio just hanging here." Yuuno tried, dropping his stance and resting a hand on her hip almost hesitantly. "It hurt you both so badly. I don't want to see that again."
Her anger faded, and Yuuno almost sighed in relief.
"Maybe I worry about that too." came the quiet reply. Nanoha chewed the inside of her cheek, and he took her mug from her hands.
"I'm sorry." he offered softly.
"Me too." Nanoha murmured. "I guess it's still a bit of a sore spot."
"Just, be careful? Please?"
"I will." she smiled sweetly, and brushed her lips over his. "Thank you."
Yuuno chuckled. "Now why can't Vivio forgive me so easily?"
The bathroom door slammed across the hall, and Nanoha groaned. "Because she's a lot like her mother."
Yuuno decided to let that one go, and took a sip of Nanoha's coffee, crinkling his nose up at the taste.
"Don't like it?"
"Not really. It's almost too sweet." he muttered. "What did you do to it?"
"Added some vanilla."
"Well, it's different, I'll give you that." Yuuno replied, handing it back. "When did you start doing that?"
Nanoha thought of cracked seats and rusted chains, and her eyes automatically trailed over to Fate's normal place at the head of the table, where Yuuno's papers lay scattered. "Just a whim today."
Fate adjusted her sunglasses and fussed with her hair one last time in her rearview mirror. Her shower and quick wardrobe change had done little to quell the feeling of impending doom in her gut, and just when she had about lost her nerve and peeled away from the curb in a flurry of tire smoke and regrets, the front door opened. Vivio almost skipped out, hardly looking like the young adult she was now, and Nanoha trailed behind her, pausing long enough in the doorway to kiss Yuuno goodbye.
The enforcer sucked in a breath, mentally counted to ten, and questioned her own sanity for the eighth hundredth time that morning.
Friends. Friends. She had no right to sit here and act like this.
But her stupid legs were moving without her permission as she climbed out of the driver's seat and walked around to the passenger side of her car, opening both doors. Vivio cast a sly glance her way and dove into the backseat, leaving Nanoha and Fate in the front.
Fate nodded slowly, lips pulled into a taunt line. That child. That child was pure evil.
"Thank you." Nanoha murmured softly, easing into the front seat and unwittingly giving Fate an eyeful of long slender legs, thanks to her short skirt.
The blonde muttered something unintelligible, suddenly grateful for her mirrored aviator style sunglasses, and waited until the instructor was settled in before closing the car door. Great. Now she was a teenage boy. She moved to the rear door now, sliding her glasses down the bridge of her nose and gave Vivio a long, even stare.
Vivio smirked, silently mouthed 'you're welcome', and pulled the door shut on her own.
Fate groaned. Maybe this had been a terrible idea after all. Maybe she should have taken this a bit slower. Take some baby steps, ease back into things, and not just jump in head first and...whoa. Her ears pricked, and the back of her neck tensed up. Years of fighting had helped to hone certain instincts, and she knew without having to turn around that there were eyes on her. As she moved to slide back into the driver's seat, she caught Yuuno's outline in the front window. Her jaw clenched, and she was briefly reminded of wrinkled sheets, and the look on Nanoha's face…
Vivio peeked at her through the car window, and Fate broke the staring contest. Getting mad? What would that accomplish at this point? How long could she hate him for taking something that was never hers to begin with? She shook her head and slid down into the seat, turning over the engine and desperately trying to ignore the scent of Nanoha's perfume.
The car was filled with awkward silence as she guided the vehicle down the street, and she opted to flip on the radio just to break the tension. Her ears were immediately assaulted by obnoxious pop music, and she stared at the operator panel in horror.
Nanoha quirked a brow. "Really? I didn't know you liked this stuff."
"I wouldn't say that." Fate muttered darkly, punching buttons. "That's what I get for leaving my baby in Signum's care."
Vivio leaned forward from the backseat, her tone incredulous. "She likes it? That's…pretty hard to picture." An image flickered to her mind of the fierce, stoic knight, bouncing around to the latest idol's number one hit…
"I'm going to guess she had Hayate in here."
"Huh." Vivio replied, rummaging around near her feet and holding up a lacy undergarment between two fingers. "Then that would explain this."
Fate's gaze flickered up in the rearview mirror, catching sight of the object Vivio dangled between her fingertips. "Ah!" her cheeks flushed red. "Put that down! You don't know where that's been!"
Beside her, Nanoha stifled her laughter.
The teenager shrugged, dropping it back down onto the floor mat. "For a minute there, I thought you had gotten a girlfriend."
There was exactly ten seconds of heavy silence. Fate's jaw hung open, and her grip on the steering wheel tightened. Her face grew hotter by the moment, and she knew without looking that she must have the coloring of a tomato by now.
"You'd tell us if you did, right?" Vivio continued.
And suddenly Nanoha wasn't laughing anymore.
"That's...there's nothing like that." Fate stuttered, uncomfortably aware of the two sets of eyes boring holes into her head. How wonderful. The first time they had all been together for years and in two minutes it had spiraled into chaos.
"I think you're lying."
Fantastic.
"No." Nanoha and Fate replied at the same time, though where Fate's tone was one of vehement disapproval, Nanoha's was one of patience and years of experience.
"But, but…" the teenager whined, holding up a garment that Fate found quite unsuitable for even field dressing. "This shirt is so cute…"
"Absolutely not." the enforcer growled. "That cannot be classified as a shirt on any planet, and I've been to plenty."
"Okay," Vivio tried, "so it's a little short, but…"
"No."
"Mom?"
Nanoha tried to swallow her grin. "Listen to Fate."
She received an exasperated eye roll in response, and as Vivio stomped back off to the rack, Fate let out a sigh of frustration. "She used to be so cute…"
Nanoha patted her arm softly. "They grow up quickly. I will say this though, it's nice to not be the bad guy for once."
The blonde almost pouted. "I'm the bad guy?"
"She'll get over it."
Fate scowled. "It was the size of a bandanna and practically see-through."
Nanoha quirked a brow. "Funny, coming from you. In case you've forgotten, I have seen your Sonic Form."
Fate felt her cheeks heat up. "Well, that and this are two completely different things."
"I'm sure."
The enforcer crossed her arms. "And it's not like I ever heard any complaints."
Nanoha's cheeks flared up in response, an image of Fate's skintight black barrier jacket springing to mind. "Can't imagine you would."
Vivio had finished perusing this particular store, but when she walked back to the entrance, she was more than a little surprised to find both of her mothers a bright shade of red, and looking everywhere else but at each other. She felt her heart skip a beat and fought the urge to break into a huge grin. This was going far, far better than she could have hoped, as this was a sure sign that they could at least hold a conversation now. "I'm done here!" she announced cheerfully.
"Oh thank God." Fate muttered under her breath, earning a elbow to the ribs from Nanoha.
"Is spending time with us really that terrible?"
"Wait, what?" Fate replied quickly, brow creased with concern. "That's not what I meant at all!"
Vivio smirked as she and her mother exchanged glances. "That's what it sounded like to me."
"I…but, it's just…" The blonde was floundering for words now, practically flailing her arms in a panic. These women had a terrible habit of giving her mild heart attacks, and today was obviously no exception. Nanoha and Vivio giggled at her plight, and she was sure her heart had stopped beating when the brunette slipped an arm through hers.
"I think we've bullied her enough." Nanoha's smile was warm, and Fate felt her brain turn to mush. The photograph of Nanoha and Vivio Fate kept in her living room couldn't ever compare to seeing this smile in person, and for this brief, wonderful moment, it was like the past few years had all been a bad dream. Vivio took ahold of her other arm, and Fate had to swallow hard against the knot in her throat.
"Should we hit the next store?"
Fate could only nod in response, not trusting herself enough to speak as Vivio led them back out into the mall. The teenager wisely opted to stay a few feet ahead, and the pair fell into a comfortable silence. Old habits were dangerously easy to fall back into, and Fate found herself slowing her stride to match that of the woman beside her. She wondered if her earlier apprehension about today's meeting had been all nerves, and was about to silently congratulate herself on a job well done when the silence was broken.
"Hey, Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked shyly, eyes on the floor.
"Hm?"
She toyed with the hem of her skirt, and Fate realized that maybe she wasn't the only one who had been nervous about today. "I…I'm really glad we could do this."
"Me too." Fate admitted quietly. The talk. Was this the talk? The, 'where the hell have you been' talk? The one she had been avoiding for years? "It's…been awhile."
"Little bit of an understatement there." Nanoha laughed.
Oh. Uh oh. Fate frowned a bit, wondering how best to proceed. Making a declaration of her undying love? Now that would be stupid. "Look, Nanoha…"
"Fate!"
The blonde turned at the sound of her name, almost knocked off her feet when a flash of purple and a very feminine body burrowed into her arms.
Vivio stopped in her tracks, looping back to stand beside Nanoha, who was eyeing Fate and her new found friend quite strangely.
The enforcer stumbled for a second and laughed heartily, returning the embrace once she gathered her bearings. "Ginga! What are you doing here?"
She was rewarded with a bright smile. "I had some down time, so I figured I'd pick up some things. And you?"
"Ah, spending some time with…" Fate started, trailing off and stomping down the insane urge to say family. "Nanoha and Vivio."
"Oh." Ginga replied, surprise evident in her tone. "Hello."
Both Takamachi women jumped at the address, nodding back with polite smiles.
"Are you on some leave then?"
"Hayate didn't give me a choice." Fate grumbled.
"Well you needed it." Ginga replied firmly. "You've been working almost non-stop. Which reminds me…" a quick hand darted up, pushing Fate's bangs out of her eyes and running a thumb over her brow. "Ah! Back to normal!"
"I was worried there for a while," the blonde admitted with a grin, "but they came back rather quickly."
Nanoha, meanwhile, was a bit confused, and suddenly recalled the violent blush that had sprung to Fate's cheeks back in the car, when Vivio had asked if she were seeing anyone. "What?" the instructor asked aloud, surprising even herself.
"Oh." Fate muttered, as if she suddenly remembered where she was. She turned her attention back to the women she had brought here and flashed them an apologetic grin. "There was a little, uh…incident."
"Incident?" Ginga echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Hardly." She released her hold on Fate, and Nanoha couldn't help but notice that she kept one hand on the small of the enforcer's back. "You saved my life. How many times is that now?"
Fate grinned crookedly. "Maybe I should get you a little punch card. Tenth rescue comes with a free lunch?"
Nanoha blinked. Fate was…flirting?
Ginga laughed, tucking long stands of violet hair behind her ear. "Ah, but I think I'm the one that owes you the meal. If you're going to be around for the next couple of weeks, give me a call."
"Absolutely."
Vivio cocked her head and cast a sideways glance at her mother, who was currently fidgeting in place, her features unreadable.
"I won't hold you all up any further. Have fun then, Nanoha, Vivio." Ginga said with a slight wave.
Vivio started, waving back, and Nanoha remained rooted in place.
"And you too." Ginga continued, leaning forward and kissing Fate on the cheek.
"Always." Fate replied easily, and Nanoha wasn't sure she liked the dopey grin on the blonde's face as Ginga departed. When the enforcer turned back to the women, she physically took a step back at the looks being directed her way.
Vivio was first, crossing her arms and raising a brow. "Thought you didn't have a girlfriend."
"I don't." Fate replied, confused. "That was just Ginga. You know Ginga."
"Not as well as you do, apparently." Nanoha sniped back, bitterness seeping into her tone.
The blonde threw her an incredulous look. "Whoa, what? Where did that come from?" She must be lacking some serious sleep, or maybe she had taken one too many knocks to the head, because she was almost positive that Nanoha was practically radiating a green aura of jealousy.
That terribly awkward silence was back, and this time, Fate had no means of escape.
The car ride back was just as awful, and the instructor hadn't said barely a word since they had left. She currently sat with her arms crossed, gaze locked on the world outside the car window. She wasn't comfortable with this feeling of unease that had settled in her chest, and the longer the silence dragged on, the angrier she got. Beside her, Fate drummed her fingers on the wheel and shifted in her seat restlessly, as if she were preparing to dive out of the door at a moment's notice. Nanoha only wished she could discern where her anger was coming from. Fate had always had friends, but this one, this one just irked her.
She stole a sideways glance and watched the muscles in Fate's jaw line tense, dark eyes unreadable behind her sunglasses. And then there was the kiss on the cheek. What the heck was that all about? Just how well did they know each other?
She twisted her engagement ring around on her finger and bit her lower lip. Why the hell did she even care anyway?
Maybe…maybe it was jealousy. Just a little. Fate had been so quick to run off and disappear, only to come back with all these super new best friends in tow. She had been too busy or whatever to contact Nanoha, but obviously not too busy to keep herself from building new relationships.
Relationships.
She was starting to hate that word.
The car slowed, and Nanoha jerked out of her thoughts. That had been quick.
"So." Fate drawled, her features impassively blank now. "We're here."
In the backseat, Vivio's eyes darted back and forth between the two women. "Ah, I'm gonna…go…do stuff." She leaned forward just far enough to wrap an arm awkwardly around Fate from behind. "Thank you. It was…fun?"
The car fell silent once more as the three exchanged looks, and Fate broke the tension first, snickering softly. "Yeah. We should do this every day."
Vivio giggled, and the arm around Fate tightened. "Totally."
Nanoha found herself grinning despite the dull ache in her chest, and she couldn't help but laugh. As Vivio slipped out of the car and down the walkway, the tension suddenly returned when the brunette realized she was alone.
With Fate.
The enforcer decided that her lap was a pretty good place to fix her line of vision, and she did just that, silently wondering what could possibly happen next.
"I'm sorry."
Burgundy eyes snapped to her left. Well. She hadn't been expecting that.
Nanoha smiled sadly. "I think, I was maybe a little jealous, you know?"
Fate remained quiet. No. No she did not know.
"It's just weird." she continued quietly. "I mean, I just, missed you. And now you're back." The ring twisted on her finger once more. "And everything is just so different now…"
The blonde nodded in agreement. That she could understand, one hundred percent. Her brows creased in thought as she mulled over her next words carefully, still not daring to make eye contact. Her hand moved on its own, crossing the distance between them and gently resting over Nanoha's. She felt the other woman start a bit at the contact, and any rehearsed words vanished. The lump in her throat was back, and she didn't like the sting it made in her eyes. "For what it's worth, I missed you too."
The hand beneath her own flipped over, and suddenly their fingers were knotted together. "Maybe we can try the talking thing again?"
Fate laughed quietly. "Another day, maybe. Your boyfriend has been burning holes into my head since we got here."
Nanoha groaned, looking back towards the house and stifling the urge to roll her eyes when she spied Yuuno in the front window. "Sorry about that."
"He's protective." Fate shrugged lightly. "If I were in his shoes, I would be too."
Nanoha turned back to look at her, her expression unreadable, and Fate cringed inwardly. Now that was dumb.
But the brunette leaned forward, wrapping an arm around Fate's neck and squeezing tightly. Fate froze on the spot, as if she was unsure of what to do next, her hand hovering hesitantly over Nanoha's back. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lingering scent of her perfume and the way her soft hair tickled her against her cheek. This…this was better than she had remembered. Maybe, maybe it would be okay, just this once, and her arm was around Nanoha, holding her tight.
She was going to hate herself for this later, she just knew it.
"Promise me." Nanoha whispered, somewhere between her neck and her shoulder blade. "Promise me you won't leave like that again."
Fate closed her eyes. "I promise."
TBC…
Notes: Well, I must say, I love the way that everyone is all NANOHA. WHAT THE HELL. I hope some of her motivations have been cleared up a little bit. It's kinda like watching the anime, you know? You just wanna grab them and be like, KISS ALREADY. YOU ARE KILLING ME.
But real life sucks. It always does. There are always complications, and nothing is ever clear, especially where the heart is involved. So, for the folks enjoying that part of the fic, you are welcome. :3
To all the Ginga fans, I guess you have to wait and see.
As usual, love it, hate it, let me know!
