Disclaimer: The author of the fanfiction (babbler) does not, in any way, profit from the story and that all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator.

- Hopefully the next update will be quicker than this one. : )

October 15

7:50 AM

Teana Landster's office

Teana POV

"Argghh!" I slumped back into my chair. I would definitely have a nap later. Science prep room here I come…just three more hours.

"Are you coaching basketball?" Shammal asked, poking her head in through the half open door. Shammal had been the secretary here forever. If it weren't for her competence, Chrono would have been found out long ago.

"Hmm. It's more like babysitting until we find a replacement. I couldn't bouncy…what it called…dribble my way out of a paper bag." I'm lucky the seniors do everything and I just have to stand up and watch. If they ever had to see me dribble a basketball they would truly lose respect for me.

She pushed the door open further. "You're going to burn out if you keep this up. We're not even halfway through the school year yet!"

"But there's so much that needs to be done."

"Hahaha! What happens to us if you burn out? It's not like Mr. Principal is going to take up the slack."

"Hmm."

"You get here before I do and you're the last to leave. If you're coaching basketball on top of that… than I'm worried you'll never leave!" She patted my head as she laid the handout she had come in for on my desk. "Just stop coaching and find someone else. The girls will be disappointed but it's not your fault."

"Yes ma'am."

She punched me lightly. "Don't you ma'am me!" She turned to leave but then swivelled on her heel. "Hayate and Carim went to see you the other day but you weren't home. You should call them."

"Oh? How are they doing?" It had been nearly three months since I spoke to them; probably longer than that since it was just before final exams when Carim was fired.

"They're working through that 'just moved in together phase'." Shammal blushed lightly and I didn't really want to know what she was thinking about. Thankfully she doesn't think of me as a gossip or she might share those, quite possibly lurid, tidbits.

"Has Carim found work?"

"Umm…not yet. It's sorta difficult with the whole…you know." A couple of people were standing by her desk so she hurriedly went to see what they wanted.

"Teana!" Subaru's arms were suddenly around my neck and I was very glad I was in my office where no one could see. Something wet touched my cheek and Subaru's face pulled away. I have no idea how she sneaks up on me.

"Did you just kiss me?"

"That wasn't a kiss you big baby. In Europe everyone greets each other with a kiss."

"Subaru…" I'd known Subaru briefly in college and she didn't seemed to have matured in the last five years. "This is a school and I'm your boss. Public displays of affection aren't allowed here…we tell the kids that all the time! What do you think would happen if the other teachers acted that way?"

"…but you're my friend and no one can see us."

"Yesterday, you hugged me in the hallway after class. You're getting complacent."

"You're a big worry wort." She skipped away... as in like a little girl would do.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Arg! I didn't even have time to drink my coffee. I grudgingly took my things and made my way up the stairs to my classroom. The last few days they had been…well, bad for lack of a nice politically correct buzzword. As soon as I turn my back, they'd go nuts. Something had put the devil in them and it wasn't going away as quickly as it came.

The door was shut, and with this group of kids, that was never good. It wouldn't be the first time I'd open up a door and find students gathered around in a circle with the two students brawling in the center.

I took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. These classrooms were well sound insulated, even though my office isn't for some reason, so the noise would hit you like a tidal wave.

Silence…I could feel my heart beat faster and I suddenly felt very hot. I looked around slowly, making sure no one was behind me, and dropped my things on the desk. Everyone was reading, drawing, playing with something quietly, or studying; after all they did have a test this period. I pulled my chair out and checked it but no one had left me any presents; you only sit on a tack once before you check every time.

The universe is ruled by chaos, not order, so to find a classroom in such a state of order rather than anarchy leads me to believe an intelligent hand is at work here. Kana was rolling her pencil across her desk and staring at Fate in a way that said, "What's next?" so I suppose it's not hard to pin down this abnormality. Fate had definitely coerced these kids somehow into being good and I don't want to know the specifics of what she would stick where and to whom.

"Everything off your desks except something to write with. I've been warning you this test was today for two weeks so I don't want to hear any whining and complaining." A couple of students thumped their heads against their desks.

"Sensei, can I hand them out?" Kana waved her hand in the air and I motioned for her to take them.

With everyone diligently waiting for their tests I took out the register to do attendance. Scanning down the list of names there only seemed to be one absentee.

"Let me hand out the other half." I heard a familiar whisper.

"No." Kana said curtly, turning up her nose.

"Teacher's pet." Fate growled.

Kana smiled wickedly and whispered something in Fate's ear and then went back to handing out the papers. I finished checking the last few names off the register. A paper hit the floor in front of my desk.

"Fate! I was kidding!"

I bolted out of my seat as the rest of the test papers came raining down. Fate grabbed Kana by the throat and tried to punch her lights out but the smaller girl luckily slipped and fell across the desk behind her. I grabbed the two and flung them apart. Fate was blood red.

"Fate! Take your test and go to the office! I'll deal with you later."

The anger had already left her and she looked around the classroom in embarrassment. She picked up her test, and with her head lowered, slowly made her way out the door.

"Kana!"

"Eep." She was picking up the papers that she dropped and then dropped them again; her hands too shaky too grasp them tightly.

"Come with me!" She took a few steps back, the colour draining from her face. "The rest of you keep writing if you have a test. You'll get some extra time at the end of the class if you don't." For the second time in ten minutes there was complete silence in the classroom.

Kana was cowering away from me and I had the sudden impulse to grab her by the collar but luckily I only motioned her toward the door. Teachers lost their license for doing things like that these days.

Kana was trembling so hard her pigtails were swaying.

"Are you okay?"

"No." She rubbed her eyes and unexpectedly buried her face in my chest with a tight hug. This was a difficult position to be in from a teacher's standpoint. She didn't look like she was faking these tears and I want to comfort her but I could lose my job if misunderstandings arose, so I stood there impotently being hugged with my hands by my side. Something is wrong when I'm in a situation like this and all I can think of is the legal aspects and not the helping the child in front of me.

"Why did Fate get mad like that? What did you say to her?"

"I don't wanna say. F…Fa…Fate…Fate…" She sobbed.

"Don't you blow your nose in my shirt."

She sputtered and I could feel her chest heave as she tried to cry and laugh at the same time.

"Did you say something mean to her?"

"I was joking…but…Fate-chan didn't take it good."

"You don't say."

"Hehehe…" She finally pulled away from me. "I'm sorry."

"You need to tell Fate that. The first chance you get, you're apologizing to her and she'll do the same."

"Can you be around for that? I afraid she's going to beat the shi…stuffing out of me."

I plopped into the chair at my office and spun around a few times. I'm so glad I have an office and I'm not stuck in the teachers lounge with everyone talking and bothering me. I wonder if it was in good faith to have a test when an event like that happened? At the very least it wasn't fair to Kana and Fate…I wonder where she went…the little bugger?

"Lanster-san," Chrono knocked loudly on my door. "You're doing the assembly later this week." Chrono jaw was tightly closed and his eyes were narrowed. I wonder if he always has that look on his face? Like when he's at the grocery store or kissing his wife.

I had to suppress a giggle. "I thought that was the principal's job." I can't believe he's trying to pass this off on me."

"It's whomever job I say it is."

"So what exactly is your job, other than playing Mario, and making me do yours."

"I have lots of tasks, like making sure my teachers aren't fired for their very public display of affection with interns. I don't think parents would appreciate THAT type of affection in their school."

He smiled triumphantly and narrowed his eyes some more before walking out.

"I don't think they'd appreciate Maria Ozawa's climatic performances on school owned property either," I muttered. He turned his head towards me like he was going to say something but simply left instead.

Chrono had left behind a tape of last year's assembly. I have no idea why they taped it, but here it was sitting on my desk, beckoning me to watch it. I think he conned Signum somehow into doing it last year. Maybe he made a tape specifically for conning teachers into doing his work every year.

Suddenly billowing blonde hair surrounded me and I tensed for what I knew was coming. "Oof!" Fate latched on to me in a bear hug that would rival hugs from actual bears. Four walls do wonders for preventing misinterpretations, and with all the hugs I've been getting today I'm glad 2/3 have been in my office.

"I'm sorry."

"I know it's hard Fate, but you have to stop letting people set you off. You're the one who's going to get punished in the end."

"That isn't fair," she said softly.

"You of all people should know life isn't fair."

Kenta's Pub

10:28 PM

Subaru (POV)

I hesitantly opened the pub door and the smoked hit me like a hard slap across the face. I wish all the places in this ward were non-smoking. It was crowded with all the stools taken up and a fair number of booths. Drinking on a Wednesday night reminded me of all those nights, when I was only supposed to have 'one drink', back in college. Drunken chemistry labs the next day were fun though.

"Hi." Nanoha greeted me with a pat on the bum. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to get a booth." She motioned toward the back wall with both hands in what I think was a flight attendant impression. She was wearing a little red cocktail dress that hugged her curves perfectly with her hair in ponytail. I wonder if she was meeting someone? Before I could even commit her dress to memory she pulled me through the crowd, apologizing as she went.

The booths were hardwood with cracked leather for cushioning, but comfortable all the same, even if it looked like a million butts had sat there.

"I want some whiskey but this is a school night…want a beer?"

"It's 10:30! I still have work to do when I get back."

"Come on you party pooper! I didn't complain when you dragged me to all those parties in college." She tilted her head slightly and batted her eyes at me.

I'll give her that one. It was way easier to get her drunk than Teana…that doesn't sound right…

Nanoha suddenly rushed from her seat and no sooner had she left than two beer appeared on our table and she was back again. "Drink this and shut up or I fail you…No, don't shut up, just don't complain any more. Nyahahah."

"Do you think if I just suddenly asked Teana for a date, she say yes?"

"She's so far in the closet you'll scare her and then it'll never happen."

"So what do I do?" I didn't feel like having a beer but I forced myself to take a taste. I wonder if Nanoha drinks every night of the week?

"If I were you I'd butter her up but keep it a little spicy so you don't end up in the friend block. If you end up in the friend block, it's all over." Nanoha placed her hand gently on mine.

"How do I do that?" So if I'm too direct she'll run away, yet I still have to convey that I want her?

"Ooh! Her birthday is in a couple of days. I'll take her out and you cook something for her while she's gone!"

"That actually sounds good."

"What do you mean 'actually sounds good,' you little twerp." She thrust forward trying to punch me but her arm came up several inches short. "I have a lot more experience in this than you!"

"Yeah, I heard you 'ran up the flagpole' quite a few times."

"What?"

"Nothing…Nothing. Just hearsay."

"Wait, who was saying that? I like befriending people! There is nothing wrong with that. What does "run up the flagpole" even mean? I could understand 'been around the block a few times' and even if they said I was the village bicycle, but what does that expression mean?"

"Nanoha?" I kicked her under the table. "How do I make the dinner spicy?"

Nanoha slipped over into my side of the booth. "Just use yer noggin. Touch her and see how she reacts." She put her hand on mine again. "Stare into her eyes like they're the most beautiful in the world…but not so much that it's creepy. Laugh at her jokes and touch her some more."

"Touch her?"

"Don't gab her ass or anything! Just touch her thigh if you're sitting next to her or rub you foot against her leg. Maybe if you don't mention the whole dating and romance part of things you won't spook her."

"Nanoha?" Her left hand was on mine but her right…"Why are you feeling me up…and if you start staring into my eyes I'm going to…um…shift over here farther." I didn't really want to be on Nanoha's bad side when she did my evaluation next week, plus she's kinda scary.

"Oh come on you big baby." She moved over to her side of the booth again. "Umm…in the right hand corner of this place, what do you see?" Her mood changed abruptly and she slumped down while she spoke.

I peaked out around the corner of the booth but it was hard to see so I stood up. Through the smoke and low lighting I could make out a couple playing pool. There was a bright light illuminating the pool table, which cast the rest of the small room in shadow, so all I could see was midsections and arms.

"I can't see them."

"Wait for one of them to make a shot." She took a long drink from her glass.

"No sooner than the words had left Nanoha's mouth, one of the girls leaned in adjusting her cue, her blonde hair glowing under the intense light. A cigarette was hanging out of the corner of her mouth and her usually wild hair was tied back into a ponytail…it was Fate. She was wearing a black t-shirt with a band I didn't recognize plastered on the front and jeans with the knees ripped out; classic bad girl look. All she needed to complete the piece was a leather jacket…maybe with spikes or something on the shoulders and a skull on the back.

Beside her was rail thin girl wearing a pink t-shirt and shorts and also looking thoroughly out of place standing besides Fate.

"I don't know if you know her name yet but the girl she's swinging around is Kana."

"Whaa…what do we do?"

"Starlight breaker!" Nanoha aimed her hand in the approximate location of Fate and pretended to fire.

"Um…maybe you shouldn't have anymore?" I pulled her nearly empty glass away.

"Nyahaha…I was watching this stupid show earlier…anyway, there's not much we can do. I'll talk to her guardian tomorrow."

Teana's door was right in front of me. I unlocked it as quick as I could and stormed in. "Sorry for intruding!" If someone would have spoken back I think I might have jumped out the window, but I said it anyway.

"Wow!" Her apartment was like one big room. The television and couches were next to the entrance and separated from the kitchen by an island with stools in front of it. There were three doors to the right that I imagine are bedrooms and the bathroom…must resist prying…into…personal space…arggg.

I peaked into one of the doors. There were clothes strewn all around the room. Black denim jacket…leather pants…fishnets…I didn't think she was this kind of girl? I could feel my cheeks burning a little. Is that a school uniform peaking out over there? I closed the door. I really shouldn't be peaking.

I tiptoed inside. It wasn't like there was anyone home but it still felt like when I was eight and I go sneaking into Ginga's room. I can remember hiding under her bed and reading her magazines, which she caught me doing once, but I don't know who was more suprises. I think the only time I was more embarrassed was back in college when I walked in Nanoha's room and a naked girl was tied to her bed and she was wearing a magical girl outfit…befriending her I guess.

In front of the closet and my fantasy material, was a bunch of metal on a piece of cardboard. Um…why would Teana keep car parts in her room? Maybe I should leave.

Crash! I walked into the small end table as I closed Teana's door. I've always had quick reflexes so it wasn't hard to stabilize. There was a pack of cigarettes poking out of the little glass candleholder and a zippo lighter beside it. I didn't know Teana smoked. You could learn a lot about someone in a couple of minutes.

I walked over to the island and put the groceries down. Nanoha would have Teana for two hours…which should be plenty of time. How am I going to time this? I'm an idiot so it'll definitely take twice as long…

Casserole first… definitely… since the lobster only takes about fifteen minutes. I hope this turns out well. I should have made Nanoha help me, but I guess I'd still need a distraction.

Teana's apartment building stairwell

7:25 PM

Teana POV

"Let me cook for you." Fate's face turned nearly the colour of her crimson eyes.

"I'll cook."

"It's your birthday! Let me cook for you! It'll be something special."

"Oh? Well you be adding lobster to the usual instant noodles?" Fate reeked of fumes from her bike, if she insists on cooking I'm going to make her shower first.

She waited for me to catch up and then looped her arm around my waist. "Then how about we go out someplace? Have something tasty…" She threw open the door to the apartment and gently, with a slight movement, pulled me forward into her arms so that our noses were nearly touching. "Come back here and have some champagne…"

Crash!

It was hard to see what had made the noise while hanging off of Fate, but I could feel her muscles tense up and that scared me a little. Her lips were still trembling but the smile was gone.

"Nakajima-sensei," she said completely devoid of emotion. At this I pulled away from Fate to see for myself, and sure enough, Subaru was standing there, as red as Fate had been a few moments ago, with a broken plate on the floor.

"Hi…I-I- I cooked some-something for your birthday. " She forced a smile.

"Better check your valuables Teana." Fate dropped her jacket on the couch.

"Fate. Mouth. Closed. I wasn't expecting to see you here Subaru-chan." She flinched as she placed the apron on the little hook she got it from.

"I I have tooo go." She brushed some lint off her back skirt and straightened her blouse.

"Oh, you're all dressed up. Where are you going tonight?"

"Just out with…Ginga."

"There's dyke bars around here?"

"Bye Landster-san…Testarossa-chan." She bowed, opened the door, and closed it gently behind her.

That was weird. Subaru blushing was weird and on top of that her completely falling apart was even weirder. This was a girl who's clothes they stole while she was in the shower at college and she 'd chase them, completely naked, through the building. Seeing her blush was like Fate…which reminds me.

"What did you just say to you teacher?" I kept my voice low and my tone even.

It was Fate's turn to blush as she chewed something, uncomfortably avoiding my glare.

"DO you realize how offensive 'dyke' is?"

"It slipped out…"

"That word shouldn't even be in your head to slip out. You're apologizing to her tomorrow morning."

"She annoys me so muc.."

"Do you know what annoys me?"

"Ah…" She gulped visibly, a shudder running down her spine, "Yes ma'am." She sat down at one of the stools and began to eat. I had to set her straight but I hate seeing her down. She'd been smiling more lately.

I hesitantly walked around the island to survey my kitchen. The sink was filled with unwashed dishes caked with god knows what and the counter was cluttered with more of the same. I don't think I used this many dishes in a week. Even Fate managed far better than this. Drip. Drip. Brown liquid dripped down onto the tip of my nose. I'll look up later…

On the other hand, there was also lobster tails and…casserole of some sort…Subaru went through a lot of trouble for this. I'll have to remember to thank her properly next time I see her. I should have gotten her to stay and enjoy it…and maybe convinced her and Fate to clean up mess.

"Oi, Teana-chan. You left your phone in my car. Mmmmmm. Something smells good. I wonder who cooked it for you. Hehehe." Nanoha suddenly appeared behind me.

"Want a drink you collaborating dumbass?"

"Nyahahaha…I guess one drink on a weeknight won't hurt…Ummm?" Where did Subaru go?" She sat down besides Fate and grabbed a fork.

I grabbed a six-pack out of the fridge and sat to the table. I'd already had a drink with Nanoha earlier but from just the feel of the cold bottle in my hand, I knew this one would be amazing.

"Get your own…there's plates right there!" Fate pushed Nanoha away.

"…but I'll have to walk all the way around. I want some now!"

Please rate and review. I appreciate all input.

P.S: I couldn't find Teana's actual birthrate anywhere so if you know her birthrate…try to make believe it's October 17th just for this chapter.