Used to be
It wasn't her alarm or a call that had woken her up the following morning, but instead, the foreign sensation of a warm body shifting beneath her own. Startled, the enforcer snapped awake, catching her breath and stifling a groan as the previous evenings events began to trickle back in bits and pieces. The sun had yet to rise, and she found herself still enveloped in Ginga's embrace, arms folded around her shoulders and holding her quite snug, a hot blush tinting her cheeks when she realized her face was still nestled quite comfortably in an ample chest.
Fantastic.
Surprisingly, she was sporting only a mild headache, and at this point, she was willing to take her breaks wherever she could get them. With as much caution and stealth as she could muster, Fate gently disentangled herself from the arms wrapped around her and got to her feet, peering through the darkness in an attempt to locate her clothing, picking through various garments until she located her own and slunk off to her bedroom.
Well. At least she could finally understand Hayate's jokes about the walk of shame, not that she would ever tell her that.
She felt marginally better after putting on some fresh clothing, but as she moved to drop her shirt into the laundry basket, a flash of Nanoha's tear stained face pushed itself to the forefront of her mind. Fate bit her lip, dangling the shirt from the tips of her fingers. She was so quick to run off when she caught Nanoha doing these things, and here she was, going through the exact same motions. All this talk about love and unrequited feelings, and she winds up in the arms of a dear friend?
Her hand hovered over the basket for a moment longer until she thought better of it, and dropped it into the nearby wastebasket instead. All things considered, she'd probably never be able to wear that shirt again without recalling last night and all the events tied to it. Her jaw clenched. Typical, really, to throw away memories she couldn't handle and run. Fate's head throbbed dully but she pushed it off, opting to worry about such things later.
Baby steps. Baby steps. Deal with one thing at a time.
It took her only a moment to dig a blanket out of the closet, and she flipped herself into autopilot as she made her way back out into the living room and carefully tucked it around the woman still sleeping on her couch. If the situations were reversed, Fate knew she would be grateful for a little dignity when she woke up. Just outside the windows, the streetlights began to blink out one by one, and even in the dim half-light, she could make out Ginga's features, calm and peaceful. She was beautiful, and she had a gentle soul to match, so how the younger woman continued to wind up here, with her like this, she would never know. Tucking her hair behind her ear, Fate leaned forward and kissed the sleeping woman's forehead, knowing that each tiny action was just another complication they could both do without.
There were conversations to be had for sure, but that too could wait for now.
Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, and it wasn't long before she was rummaging in her small kitchen, poking through cupboards and hunting down some much needed coffee. She didn't have much, she mused, grinning triumphantly when she finally located the little sealed can, but she would be damned if she was going to run out of that. Operation however, was touch and go for a moment, as she silently willed the tiny maker to start, afraid that the usual round of violence against the nearly ancient device would awaken Ginga. Two silent prayers and a desperate shake later, the little machine kicked to life, and she had to bite her lip to hold back her laughter. With all the chaos in her life, her coffee should be on the bottom of her list of priorities, and as Fate reached out and gave the top of the machine a gentle pat, she wondered if it was time to just buckle down and buy a new one. It had been a good little soldier, and they had had a long run together, but maybe, just maybe, it was time for a change.
The sounds of someone stirring in her living room drew her attention, and she gave the coffee maker another affectionate pat.
She hated change.
Knowing that she was officially out of time, she scrounged up two coffee cups, figuring that by the time she had a pot brewed, Ginga would have a chance to make herself decent. But how to proceed from here? Fate's brows furrowed. She had never really done this before, and the only other experience she had to draw from was her hasty retreat out of the officer's barracks and straight into Signum. Fate suppressed a groan. At least this time, there would be no awkward explanations. Just her and Ginga.
Alone.
A blush creeped up the back of her neck. What the hell was she supposed to say anyway? 'Hey, thanks, that was fun?'
She winced.
Not matter what happened, it wasn't going to come down to what she said, but rather, how she said it, and given that she wasn't much of a wordsmith, that thought alone was enough to line her belly with lead.
The quiet pad of footsteps behind her drew her out of her thoughts, and slipping on a mask of calm she certainly didn't feel, she turned to face Ginga, leaning back against the counter.
"Morning." the investigator offered around a sleepy smile, running a hand through slightly tousled locks. She had forgone her stockings and had slipped her skirt back on, and her collared shirt had only been buttoned up three quarters of the way.
She really was beautiful, Fate decided as she stuttered out a reply, the tips of her ears burning. So much for calm. The machine at her elbow quietly blipped to signal it had finished its task, and Fate all but dove for the pot, desperate for something to keep herself occupied. The kitchen fell silent as she doled out two cups, and she offered one to Ginga with a crooked grin. "Made coffee."
Ginga nodded appreciatively and leaned back against the opposite counter, sipping from the mug in silence.
Outside, the world carried on without them. Cars rumbled up and down the street as morning commutes began, but grey clouds indicated another day of rain ahead. Minutes dragged on, and Fate fumbled over the words in her head, wondering just where she was supposed to go from here. Ginga seemed as unflappable as ever, as though it were a perfectly normal occurrence to stand here in Fate's kitchen and have morning coffee after…
An image of bare skin pervaded the enforcer's thoughts, and she gripped her mug a little tighter. "Hey, Ginga? About yesterday…"
"Don't worry about it." Ginga replied softly. "I told you before. No messes. No complications."
Fate let out a quiet sigh. "Yeah, but…"
Ginga shook her head and set her mug down, crossing over into Fate's personal space. "Don't worry." A warm hand came to rest on Fate's hip, and her gaze was met with startlingly clear eyes. "I'm not going to do the whole morning-after thing, sweetie."
Fate swallowed hard against the knot in her throat when lips grazed her cheek, and she remained in place as the younger woman slipped away and moved towards the door.
"Thanks for the coffee."
"Wait…" Fate tried, not even sure what she was wanting to say as Ginga slipped on her heels and took her jacket down from the hook.
The dark haired woman sighed deeply, her back to the blonde as she shrugged the garment on and adjusted the sleeves. "You're a fool, you know that?"
The enforcer had no argument for that, her heart twisting so hard in her chest it nearly made her weak in the knees.
"You've spent all your time since you've come back waiting for something to happen, hoping that everything will fix itself."
"That's…that's not true." Fate tried, her voice thick. "I just want to make it through all of this and go back to what I know."
"Same difference, right?" Ginga faced her once more, her expression gentle. "You have so much courage, but you refuse to use it. You're just curling up and waiting for it to end, and you're making yourself absolutely miserable in the process."
"But I…"
Ginga raised a slim hand, effectively cutting her off. "Just face it. Face her. She'll accept you, or you can let her go. Either way, you'll have your answer then."
Fate's jaw clenched. It's not that easy, it's never that easy, and she felt terrible for even having this conversation with someone who obviously cared for her very deeply. That thought alone was enough to give her pause, and she sucked in a breath, russet eyes widening.
"You get it." Ginga laughed quietly. "Good. Then I don't think I have to tell you that if things go…" she trailed off, green eyes softening as her hand lingered on the door knob. "Well. I'll be there for you."
"You always are." Fate admitted softly.
The only sound was the quiet click of the front door, and she received no reply. Alone again, in her quiet apartment, Fate felt her stomach wind into knots. The right thing to do, the proper thing to do, would be to chase after her, keep her from running. There were only twenty seven steps from her door to the landing, and with her speed, she could catch her, and then…what? She didn't even know, and there was no option that seemed fair to Ginga.
How could she apologize for everything that transpired, especially when Ginga tried so hard this morning to leave on her own terms? Fate wasn't even any good to herself right now, much less anyone else, and all of her issues and unresolved feelings were only going to hurt Ginga in the long run. She may not have much experience with this sort of thing, but she sure as hell knew when she was in the wrong.
And right now? Fate tipped her head back and closed her eyes.
She was most certainly in the wrong.
Compounding the issue was Nanoha, but then, when wasn't it about Nanoha? Fate grit her teeth. She had bolted out of the house last night liker her tail was on fire, and while it had seemed like the right thing to do at the time, she wondered how long she could run away before everything caught up to her. She still wasn't even sure what the cause of Nanoha's tears had been, and again she was faced with right and wrong.
She could, at the very least, call her, and make sure she was okay. But then she'd be back where she started, back in the goddamned loop she'd been stuck in since she came home, back to awkward, terrible conversations and dodging questions and biting her tongue…
Ginga was right. She was acting like a coward.
Her coffee had gone cold, and as she debated fighting the machine for a second pot, Bardiche hummed to life.
'Sir, incoming call.'
What she wouldn't give to get off this planet.
-The next day-
"What?" Nanoha repeated for the third time, still not comprehending the words no matter how many times Hayate repeated them.
The commander sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly and peering up at Nanoha between her fingers. "I said, Enforcer Harlaown and Signum will be assisting with the training exercise today."
"Enforcer Harlaown?" Nanoha repeated again. "Fate? Our Fate?"
"Yes!" Hayate growled. "Seriously woman, what is with you lately?"
The instructor's brows furrowed, her cheeks dusting pink. "Well, you see, the last time I saw her…we uh…" Nanoha frowned nervously, tugging at the hem of her uniform jacket. "I guess…ah, I'm a little surprised she said she said that she would help."
"Again?" her friend sighed wearily. "You two are worse than teenagers, angsting all over the place."
"Hey." the brunette muttered, crossing her arms defensively. "We do not angst all over the place."
"Right. Right. And I'm the pope." Hayate grumbled, waving her off with a flick of her hand. "Just get out of my office already. I have a mountain of work with a headache to match, and they're probably already waiting by your desk."
Nanoha let out a huff of air in frustration but took the hint, muttering heavily under her breath as she vacated the office and pulled the door shut behind her.
Hayate shook her head with a grin. "You're welcome, dummy."
As Nanoha rounded the corner towards her cubicle, she halted in her tracks, surprised by what she found waiting for her there. Signum was leaning against the edge of the instructor's desk, talking quietly with Fate and Shamal. The medic was in Nanoha's chair, a content smile passing over her features as the enforcer delivered a thorough shoulder massage, oblivious to the instructor's presence.
"Oh my." Shamal sighed, leaning back further. "Your hands are just heavenly."
"It's the least I could do, for all those times you've sewn me back together." Fate chuckled, sounding embarrassed.
"You should go into massage therapy."
"Ah, I don't know about that." Fate replied, grinning as her thumb found a rather large knot and the knight practically melted. "I haven't had any training. I just used to do this for Nanoha all the time, and Teana too, after we've been knocked around a bit."
Signum quirked a brow. "How are you two doing anyway?"
"We're…" the enforcer hesitated a moment, feeling a twinge of guilt at the fact that she hadn't checked on Nanoha since that night, and Ginga's parting words came back to haunt her. She had accepted Signum's offer over the phone yesterday to assist with a demonstration in the hopes that she would get a chance to talk to Nanoha in person today, only now, her nerves were starting to get to her. "We're fine." she muttered at last. "It's fine."
"You're a terrible liar."
Fate gave Signum a lopsided grin. "Thanks."
"Silly idea," Shamal murmured, tipping her head back so she could look that the blonde, "but have you thought about just asking her to talk? You know, sit her down, explain how you feel, get all that tension out?"
Fate couldn't help but laugh. "You mean like actual adults?" She had a lot of talking to do, if that was the case.
Signum snickered. "That'll be the day. I'm about ready to stick them in separate corners."
"Watch it." the enforcer warned, "In about an hour Bardiche and I have free reign."
The knight grinned. "I've been looking forward to it."
"Careful." Shamal replied cheerfully. "Break Hayate's toy, and she's liable to become quite cross."
The corner of Signum's eye twitched. "Who's going to break?"
Fate looked down at Shamal. "But she says nothing about being a toy."
The group burst into laughter, and Nanoha took this as her chance to round the corner, keeping her smile bright as she looked everywhere but at Fate. "A party at my desk, and no one invited me?"
Signum moved first, pushing herself upright. "Sorry. We were just discussing the training exercise."
Nanoha arched a brow and crossed her arms, though the playful grin never faltered. "So I've heard. I'd like to take this moment to remind both of you that there will be children present. Keep the blood to a minimum."
"Fate's or Signum's?" Shamal teased, earning a pout from the enforcer behind her.
"Traitor."
"Aw sweetie." Shamal teased, rising out of the chair. "You're wonderful and all, but I am a Wolkenritter first."
"See if I give you any more backrubs."
"Now now, don't be mean." The medic stretched lazily, rolling her loosened shoulders and fixing Signum with a steady gaze. "Are you still going to give me a hand?"
"Ah?" Signum's features furrowed in confusion, and then brightened with understanding as Shamal led the way out. "Oh! Yeah. Right on it." She nodded towards the instructor as she passed. "See you in an hour." Sharp blue eyes locked on Fate's next, and Signum merely pointed at the enforcer, as if warning her to behave.
The blonde couldn't help but shake her head. Subtlety was definitely not Signum's strong suite, but that was one of the things Fate had always liked about her. If she was thinking it, you were gonna know about it. No mess, no fuss, just all business.
The area around them was now vacated, and so that left…
"Thanks for helping out today." Nanoha murmured quietly, still not meeting Fate's eyes as she leaned over to adjust and straighten various things on her desk that needed no straightening.
"Ah, it's no big deal." Fate replied evenly, slightly comforted by the fact that Nanoha looked just as nervous as she felt as she restacked a pile of papers for the third time. "It's a good chance to stretch my legs."
"I get that." the brunette replied softly. "I was just thinking the other day about how I haven't had a good fight in a long time."
Fate smiled at that. "I'm always up for a good sparring match, if you like."
"Oh?" Nanoha finally met her gaze. "You don't think we do that enough already?"
The blonde stiffened, momentarily taken aback, but relaxed when she saw a light grin tugging at the corner of the instructor's mouth. Relief flooded through her at the sight, and feeling braver than she had in years, she went for the direct approach."I see you're feeling better."
"Maybe. But I guess that depends."
Fate quirked a brow. "On?"
"Is this the part where we sit down and have a conversation, like adults?"
The blonde felt her face flush. "You heard all of that."
"I did." Nanoha replied solemnly. "For being an enforcer, it's sure easy to sneak up on you."
Fate grinned sheepishly, feeling mildly embarrassed. "You caught me on an off-day."
"Having a lot of those lately?"
Fate would have laughed, if the thought wasn't enough to make her cringe. "Hey. I can still manage to surprise some people too."
"Is that so?"
The enforcer spun the chair around with one hand until it was facing the instructor, and gestured for her to take a seat with a nod of her head. Nanoha's eyes narrowed in a mix of suspicion and disbelief, but Fate merely patted the back of the chair. "Come on. We both know I deal with things better when I've got something to do."
"So I'm something to deal with?"
Dark eyes softened, and the smile Nanoha received was almost affectionate. "Sit down."
The instructor begrudgingly complied, her heart fluttering in her chest when Fate gathered up her long, dark hair and draped it over her left shoulder. Nanoha tipped her head forward slightly, her muscles bunching and tensing when surprisingly soft hands brushed the nape of her neck. For as much manual labor as she performed, she never seemed to sport any calluses.
"This only works if you relax." Fate pointed out gently, opening their mental link as her thumbs worked along the lines of her shoulder blades.
"Sorry." Nanoha's lips pursed together. "I guess this is just a little bit of a surprise. After last time…"
Fate's hands paused for the briefest of moments on the instructor's shoulders. "I apologize for that. I should have called you yesterday." She should have done a lot of things yesterday.
Nanoha let out a quiet sigh. "I can't say that I blame you, given our track record lately."
Fate closed her eyes, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat, surprising even herself when she plowed forward. "Nanoha, I never thought it would be like this."
The brunette raised a hand timidly, crossing her arm over her chest until the tips of her fingers brushed against Fate's. Against her better judgment, the blonde allowed their fingers to weave together, comforted by the familiar gesture. They had held hands before of course, hundreds, if not thousands of times since they were children, but this was the first time in so long that it left a pang in her chest.
"Tonight." Nanoha murmured quietly. "No more running away." The hand on her shoulder gripped a little tighter, and the ace turned in her chair to look up at her friend. "Fate, please promise me that."
After all of the things Fate had ever done in her life, all of the battles, the life or death situations, the uncertainties and the doubts, nothing scared her more than giving Nanoha what she was asking for now.
Seconds ticked by, achingly slow, and just when Nanoha thought Fate hadn't heard her, or worse, chose to ignore her, the quiet reply came back.
"I promise."
"You alright?" Vita muttered, taking in Nanoha's profile with a sideways glance as she typed out commands across multiple screens. "You're spacing out again."
"Sorry, sorry." Nanoha laughed sheepishly, sweeping her eyes over her training grounds. On the platform below the instructors, a handful of young cadets from the various military academies across the country were clustered in small groups, talking amongst themselves. "Just anxious about today."
"Feels like the first day of school, doesn't it?" Vita asked with a grin. "It's not every day you get to see such a battle. I know Signum has been itching to beat up on someone."
"Don't worry, we'll keep it clean." Signum sighed under the reproachful look Nanoha directed at her as she adjusted her grip on Laevatien. The knight walked closer to the edge of the platform, leaning over the railing and taking in the students with a critical eye. All conversation ceased, and the cadets upon seeing the fearsome General immediately snapped to attention.
"Signum, you're so intimidating." Vita laughed.
"Huh." The knight muttered with a smirk, side eyeing the Vice-Captain. "They're rather small, aren't they?"
Any reply Vita would have barked out was cut off by a swell of noise, and Nanoha knew without having to turn around that Fate had arrived. Her cadets, who had all been at attention only moments before, broke out into an excited flurry of activity, their young eyes wide as whispers and exclamations began to spread throughout the group. Quiet footsteps approached from behind and a warm hand gently squeezed her shoulder, the squeals increasing tenfold.
"Am I late?" Fate murmured, leaning in close to be heard above the racket as dark eyes swept over the group assembled below. She looked as though she couldn't understand what all the fuss was about, though as one of the TSAB's aces, her name was whispered far and wide.
"No. They're just excited to see you." Nanoha smiled up at her, trying desperately to ignore the tingles of warmth flooding her chest and limbs. For a moment, standing next to her like this, it was like things were the way they used to be, like the Stars and Lightning squads would come around the corner, bright eyed and cheery, excited for a mock battle and a chance to train with…
"How about that?" Vita drawled. "You're famous."
A light blush tinged the enforcer's cheeks, and Nanoha could swear she heard one of the younger cadets in the back audibly swoon.
Not that she could blame her, really. Fate was an exceptionally attractive woman, but something about her barrier jacket made her look all the better. The twin tails from her youth were long gone, and her long blonde hair was gathered into a low ponytail at the base of neck. The dark navy uniform looked as though it were modeled after Fate's black enforcer's uniform, and the white cloak that completed the barrier jacket almost made her look like…well…
"Hurry it up, Prince Charming." Vita grumbled. "I'm getting hungry."
Huh.
Fate directed her gaze back towards Nanoha, awaiting instruction. The ace waved her hand towards her cadets and shook her head. "Just…go talk to them for a minute, or they'll never get it out of their systems."
Fate blinked in confusion, her brow raised. "What sort of training is that?"
"It's not." Vita scowled. "Nanoha's gotten too damn soft."
The instructor gave the Vice-Captain a menacing glare. "Care to repeat that?"
Fate laughed and held an arm out between the two women. "Alright, alright. No fighting in front of the kids, at least, not yet."
Nanoha felt her face grow hot, but before she could respond, Fate threw them a wink and vanished into thin air, only to reappear on the lower platform in the center of the cadets not even a heartbeat later. It took the brunette a moment to realize what had happened, and even she was a bit awed by the amount of pure speed Fate could display now. The squealing approached near deafening levels, and the blonde found herself swamped by eager teenagers firing off a thousand different questions.
"Show-off." Vita muttered, though the corners of her mouth pulled up into a smirk.
Looking at Fate now, as she laughed openly and tried her best to answer each question, it was hard to imagine her as the lonely, overly serious girl she had been so long ago. She certainly had a way with children, and with a flourish, Fate produced Bardiche in assault form and patiently fielded each question, explaining how the device worked and all of its various weapon functions.
It reminded Nanoha of her first few days of newfound motherhood, and all the confusion and stress that had gone along with it. Fate was a natural, having spent so much time with Erio and Caro, and she had effortlessly guided Nanoha through each tiny crisis with the kindness and patience only she possessed. She would never forget the day Vivio had gotten her own room, and the very first night she had spent in her own bed, she had a terrible nightmare. Whether it was her speed or the fact that she was used to sleeping on constant alert, Nanoha would never know, but by the time she had fumbled her way out of bed and down the hall, Fate was already there, holding the little girl in her arms and soothing her back to sleep. The sight had filled her chest with warmth and she had…
"I know you're president of the Fate fan-club and all," Vita began, "but we should probably get started soon."
"Vita!" Nanoha gasped, cheeks flaring red.
"General." the Vice-Captain grumbled, ignoring the brunette. "Go down there and thump her in the head already."
"We covered this." Nanoha squeaked, still shame-faced. "No head shots. Shamal will kill me if either one of you end up the infirmary!"
"I'm not going to go easy on you." Signum announced, her blue eyes stern but Fate couldn't help but notice the tiny smile tugging on the corner of her lips.
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Fate replied, twirling Bardiche in assault form as Nanoha's warm timbre echoed above them and the cadets listened intently at her last minute explanations of magical barriers, peering down on the pair below them.
Silence settled over the makeshift arena, and Fate steadied her breathing, waiting for that brief telltale movement that would give away the first attack. This was a distraction she could handle, one that would keep her out of trouble and provide the outlet she had been searching for. Here, she could forget about gentle half-second touches and feelings and words that wouldn't come out, except for the bitter taste and tone that laced every conversation. Physical battles were easier, more direct, and she could either block or get knocked the hell out.
The knight moved first, pushing off against the pavement with a speed that surprised the enforcer as she dashed forward to meet her. Their weapons met with a force that nearly pushed the blonde back, and she grinned at the tremors that ran down her arms from the impact. Signum had certainly been keeping up with her training.
"Gonna knock that smile right off your face." her former rival stated calmly, swinging Laevatien in a wide arc, aiming for Fate's left side. Employing her own bout of speed, Fate vanished, only to reappear behind Signum, her weapon ready for a downward strike. The knight was familiar with her moveset and spun on her heels, scabbard in her hand as she easily deflected the blow, the very force cracking the ground beneath their feet.
"Whoooa." one of the cadets breathed, eyes wide. "They're really trying to hurt each other."
Nanoha merely shook her head as the mages traded heavy handed blows, already reducing much of the artificial arena into rubble. "No, they are giving you all an idea of what actual combat is like against a high-ranking mage. It's important you all see this, so that you can understand where your various career paths may lead you."
In a blaze of fire, Laevatien lashed out in snake form, filling the air with thousands of razor sharp mini-blades, all aimed at Fate.
"At times, it will be dangerous."
The enforcer grit her teeth, charging her mana into a clenched fist, russet eyes darting wildly as she searched for an opening in the deadly chain.
There.
"There are many mages, just like Fate and Signum, that have fallen in the line of duty."
With a Sonic Move, Fate bolted through the gap, blasting past Signum, and turning at the last second to unleash the Plasma Smasher she had charged.
"But if this is the path you choose…"
Signum sucked in a breath, the shot catching her unaware, her defense shield flickering just at her temple. Had this been a true battle…
"With the proper training…"
Laevatien snapped back to blade form, and was immediately surging with flames. Fate gripped Bardiche tight as the device transformed into Zanber mode, the two handed energy blade hissing with power.
Nanoha felt a swell of pride in her chest when she caught Fate's eyes for the briefest of seconds, so focused and unwavering, and for a moment she was struck with a sense of wonder. Those were the same eyes that had drawn her to Fate in the first place, back when she had been determined to befriend the lonely girl. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, and for a heartbeat, all of her troubles were forgotten. She smiled warmly, and Fate's eyes flickered briefly in recognition before her attention was turned back towards her foe, silently acknowledging that here, like this, Nanoha would always understand her.
"You can accomplish great things."
Vita smirked. "Duck."
The cadets scrambled to follow her order, diving to the ground as Bardiche and Laevatien clashed. The resulting shockwave blew away much of the debris, and a large crater formed under the mages as magical energy crackled in the air.
"This is taking it easy?" Nanoha sighed, shielding her eyes with one hand against the blinding light. "Even with the barrier, the auto-repair functions will take forever to complete."
"They're like a couple of children." Vita agreed, though her hand itched to reach for her own device.
The instructor's lips twitched. "I suppose it's too late to place a wager?"
The Vice-Captain chuckled. "Hayate already closed the betting pool."
Still flattened on the ground at their feet, the cadets gaped up at the instructors in horror.
Nearly panting from the physical exertion, Fate pushed damp, matted hair out of her eyes, scowling when her gloved hand stuck a bit to sweat slicked skin. "Well." she huffed, casting a glance over at Signum, propped up against a concrete barrier. "That was pretty awesome."
"Agreed." the knight laughed, gritting her teeth as her barrier jacket flickered away. "Although, I must say, it's probably going to be awhile before I get the feeling back in my arms."
"We should do this more often." Fate rolled her shoulders, every ache and pain certainly more noticeable as her own barrier jacket faded. A twinge of pain shot down her spine, and it was enough to make her wince. "Or maybe, just once in a while. Like special occasions."
"Getting soft, Testarossa?" Signum grunted, pushing herself back up to her feet.
"Just old, I think." Fate laughed weakly. "Good fight?"
The knight clapped her on the back, nearly knocking her over. "Excellent fight."
Fate bit back a groan as her aching muscles yelped in protest. "Shower?"
"Definitely."
Nanoha prowled the halls of the common rooms, hoping for the chance to find Fate and invite her to a meal with the rest of their comrades. The battle had been spectacular, and had she not been busy with her class, she would have complimented them both, and maybe offered to retrieve some stretchers. She grinned inwardly. Both women had refused to back down, and as the fight began to encroach on the one hour mark, she was afraid she was going to have to knock them both out to put an end to it. No clear winner had been decided, a fact that would put on damper on Hayate's evening, no doubt, but she had received much interest from the visiting students in enlisting in the armed forces.
As she rounded the corner to what Vita had dubbed the nap rooms, Signum appeared at the far end of the hall in a fresh uniform. She was sporting several bruises, the most prominent being on her lower jaw, but Nanoha knew that too would rapidly fade in just a few days.
"Signum!" she called cheerily, "Thank you for…"
"Showers." The knight muttered, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.
Nanoha paused in her footsteps, brow raised. "Eh?"
"She's in the showers." The warrior clarified, with the barest hints of a smile.
The instructor's face flushed, and Signum merely patted her on the shoulder and kept walking. If they wanted to be ridiculous, that was just fine with her. She was starving.
Fate let out a long sigh, bracing her weight on her arms, palms spread against the cool tile wall as she let the hot pinpricks of water do their work against her aching muscles. It had been a fantastic workout, and one that she had desperately needed to burn off some pent up stress. Signum had knocked her around like a ragdoll, but she had doled out some equal punishment, and for the first time in quite a while, she hadn't thought about anything other than the battle.
She adjusted her position briefly, pulling her thick hair over one shoulder, and tipped her head forward to allow the hot water more access to her back. She knew she had better enjoy this while she could, because in just a few hours, she would have to keep her word, and keeping her word meant the 'talk' she had long been avoiding. Fate still hadn't thought of where she would even start, and even worse, what if the whole conversation evolved into another argument?
She let out a frustrated groan and resisted the urge to thump her head against the shower wall, thankful that she was alone.
Nanoha pushed open the door to the women's locker room, and although it appeared deserted, she could just barely catch the sound of running water. Weaving her way past aisles of lockers and empty benches, she made her way towards the showers, and spied Fate's street clothes, folded neatly on the end of a bench in the very last row. She hesitated a moment, wondering if she should just wait for Fate to finish up, but decided against it when she heard the enforcer let out a low grumble. Pushing politeness aside, she entered the showers, peeking down the aisle and past the dividers until she spotted a showerhead running at the far end. Clouds of steam obscured her view, so she pushed on, the squeak of her shoes barely audible over the running water. Poking her head around the tiled half wall that served a privacy divider, Nanoha was about to ask if Fate was okay, her name on her lips as she began to form the question, and then her reason for coming this far was promptly forgotten.
She had seen Fate naked lots of times. Hundreds, even. They had even bathed together when they were younger, so really, really, she couldn't understand why she had suddenly gone so tongue tied and empty headed. Fate's eyes were closed, head tipped forward under the running water, using her arms to prop herself up against the wall, showing off the muscle definition across her shoulders and in her biceps. Her long, golden hair was draped over her left shoulder, nearly touching her calves, collecting some of the water as it ran in rivulets down every curve.
Cobalt blue eyes traveled unbidden up long, toned legs, and over the slight flare of the enforcer's hip, hovering a little too long before wandering across her back. She could spot the new bruises from today, as well as old scars she hadn't known had existed until that night in the infirmary, but what gave her pause were long, red furrows, running from Fate's shoulder down her side, and ending halfway down her ribcage. Scratches? They looked too old to be from today, and they were accentuated by tiny, dark red half-moons, a high contrast on pale skin.
Fingernails. Like hands had been on Fate's bare shoulders, trailed down her back, and dug in…
The blood rushed to her face at the realization, and the room felt exceptionally hot, but Nanoha was pretty sure it wasn't the steam.
"Did you need something?"
Nanoha started at the low, almost husky voice, barely heard over the rushing water, her eyes darting up to catch Fate's, now half lidded and burning a hole through the instructor where she stood.
"I…uh…" the brunette tried, her mind going way too fast but far too slow to formulate the words. Fate had been with someone in the most intimate of ways, and she was pretty sure she knew exactly who it was.
Fate gave her a crooked smile, one that sent Nanoha's heart into a lightheaded whirl of emotions and did little to help her vocabulary as she painfully struggled under her intense gaze. "Are you hungry?" she blurted out at last, finally remembering her reason for coming down here in the first place.
"What, right now?" Fate replied easily, her smile growing a little wider.
"Yeah, uh, we are all…" Nanoha trailed off again, helplessly distracted as Fate drew herself up to her full height and twisted the handle on the wall, cutting off the water. The enforcer ran her hands through her long hair, shaking the excess moisture free and letting the golden locks cascade down her back. The brunette swallowed hard as a drop of water trailed down the hollow of Fate's throat, over her collarbone, past a mark that suspiciously looked like a love bite, of all things, and she found herself once more faced with the fact that someone else knew parts of Fate that she would never know.
She shouldn't care. She knew that. It wasn't her business nor her right to question Fate's decisions, but all these bewildering emotions that were twisting her every which way but up refused to remain quiet, and the tiny voice in the back of her mind was becoming too loud to ignore. This…this was insane, standing here, gawking at her friend, her best friend, and having it all feel so terribly erotic. Nanoha knew she shouldn't be here, shouldn't be having all these confusing thoughts and feelings, not when she had someone she had made so many promisesto.
The difference between love and being in love was starting to sink in, to make sense, way too much sense, and it was enough to make her dizzy. Black and white were rapidly becoming fuzzy shades of grey, and she wondered when she forgot how to breathe.
"Nanoha?" Fate's warm tone was starting to do funny things to her insides, and the concern in her russet eyes was something the instructor felt she really didn't deserve as she took a step backwards, though the action did very little to ease the weight she was suffocating under.
"You should uh, eat. With us. Subaru and Teana will be there, too." Nanoha finished lamely, as her blood rushed decidedly south and warmth pooled in her belly at the smile now directed towards her. In that tiny moment, in the mere half-second it took for a heartbeat, she wished Fate would wrap her arms around her.
How close had she been the other night, with her hand over Fate's heart, to leaning forward, just a few inches, and…
"Alright." Fate replied quietly, reaching for her towel that was draped over the half-wall and unknowingly giving the instructor a completely different view of her figure as she wrapped it around her body. "Should I meet you in the cafeteria then?"
"Y-yeah!" Nanoha stuttered, backing up hastily and nearly tripping over herself as she backed into the wall, half muttering apologies and feeling way too hot to function anymore.
Fate cocked her head, watching her go, brows furrowed up in the confusion.
Nanoha sagged down into her chair beside Hayate, her cheeks still flushed as she replayed her encounter with Fate over in her head. Oh god, what the hell was wrong with her? Childish, crazy bouts of jealousy, the constant urge to push her way into Fate's life no matter how hard the blonde tried to keep her out, and now this?
"So, when's the bachelorette party?" Subaru drawled with a wide grin, plunking down her tray at her old instructor's table.
Nanoha could have cried.
"Well, about that…" she replied with a shaky smile at best, resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands. Love. In love. She felt like time was running out, everything was in turmoil, and she was sitting here having lunch like she didn't have a care in the what in the hell was she doing?
Subaru was normally a breath of fresh air, and as Teana sat beside her loud-mouthed counterpart, the redhead was already beginning to look mildly embarrassed at the way the melee fighter pushed her way in and plopped herself down. Had this been any other day, Nanoha would have laughed at the gunner's long suffering sigh.
"Subaru, she's boring." Hayatesighed. "She'd rather sit at home and knit, or god knows what, instead of going out and getting good and hammered."
Vita snorted. "Hayate, if she was a knitter, I'd like to bet that you'd have a needle imbedded somewhere unpleasant by now."
"Thank you, Vita." Nanoha grumbled, directing a glare at the woman beside her, and wishing that someone would change the subject.
"Signum?" Hayate tried, fluttering her lashes. "Aren't you going to defend my honor?"
"You're on your own." the knight muttered over the rim of her mug, still nursing the dull ache in her bones, and deciding it was in her own best interest to steer clear. It turned out to be a wise decision, because a wicked gleam was starting to flicker in blue eyes, and that meant…
"Well," the Lieutenant Colonel huffed, "I suppose we'll just have to give you your embarrassing gifts at your wedding."
Nanoha narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"Oh, you know," Hayate muttered, waving her hand dismissively. "all the things that are best given in private."
Now the instructor looked horrified, and Tea had to turn her head to the side to hide her smirk.
The commander blinked. "What? What are you thinking about? I mean, you're cute and all, but really Nanoha, you're just not my type."
Signum snorted into her fist.
A blush sprang to Nanoha's cheeks. "I don't even know why I bother with you."
"Because someone has to fulfill their God-given duty as your friend, and that means naughty gifts to spice up your wedding night."
Nanoha could swear her face was on fire, and her jaw clenched tight. "I don't need any spice, thanks."
"Sure you do." Hayate continued. "I bet Yuuno is completely vanilla."
"Vanill..." the instructor repeated slowly, shaking her head and clapping a hand over her eyes. "No. No. You know what? Never mind. We're not talking about this. Not right now. Not ever."
"Coulda fooled me." Vita muttered, earning a quiet snicker from Signum.
"She could just ask Fate." Subaru supplied helpfully, cringing and visibly shrinking back a few inches as she was met with dumbfounded silence and several bewildered stares.
"Oh my." Hayate murmured, arching a brow.
"Well, I mean, for the spice?" Subaru added, a nervous lit to her tone. "My sister said that enforcers make the best lovers."
Signum's jaw dropped, and her mug clattering noisily to table as she fumbled to keep it upright. Vita buried her face in the palm of her hand, and Hayate, for once in her life, had been stunned into silence.
Nanoha, meanwhile, looked as though she were about to have a stroke, eyes wide as her hands gripped the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white.
"The filter." Teana nearly whispered, incredulously. "The filter between your brain and your mouth, it's just perpetually broken, isn't it?"
"Huh?" Subaru blinked, confused.
Vita leaned forward, fixing the blue haired girl with a heavy stare. "How have you lived this long?"
Subaru laughed nervously, scratching the back of her neck. "I dunno. Instructor Takamachi's fine training?"
All eyes flickered over to Nanoha, but before she could form a response, Hayate had completely recovered and seized hold of the very wide opening Subaru had provided.
"I bet Fate is fantastic in bed." Hayate mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully and casting a sly glance at Teana.
The gunner flushed. "…why are you looking at me?" She whipped her head to look back at Subaru, mentally declaring any and all of this to immediately be the blue haired girl's fault. "Why is she looking at me?"
Subaru threw up her hands helplessly. "I just wanted lunch!"
"Oh no. No no no. It's way too early for this crap." Vita scowled. "Signum, put a leash on her."
Signum shifted uncomfortably. "If you can figure out how to stop her, I'd be all ears."
"Teana, you're with her the most. You've probably seen things. Verdict?"
"I'm staying out of this." Teana replied slowly, all too familiar with the scary look crossing Nanoha's features.
"I'm serious." Hayate replied. "I bet she is. Like she would rock your world, then massage your thighs and tell you how pretty you are afterwards."
"Open your mouth, and I will end you." Teana hissed at Subaru.
"We could just move to another table?" Subaru offered with a nervous grin.
"Too late for that." Vita grumbled.
"Too late for what?" a warm voice behind Nanoha piped up, and it took everything the instructor had in her not to flee.
"Fate." Hayate grinned wickedly. "Have a seat. We were just talking about you."
Notes!
The way this is going, I'll probably have to write an alternate ending, just to make everyone happy. Hah.
The next bit is almost done, and this chapter would have gone on forever if I didn't cut it off. Heads up, it's probably gonna be a kick in the teeth. I blame it on the snow. Always makes me melancholy.
Love it, hate it, need to rant, all of the above, let me know. I'm glad you all are having as much fun as I am. :D
