Chapter 3
Nanoha had no illusions to who that blonde woman was and would probably have recognized her a considerable distance further. She certainly stood out and she figured it was something to do with her mane of glowing hair and her height. What else could explain it?
It only took a few moments for Fate to reach her and Fate startled has she emerged from the stairwell and found Nanoha's eyes already on waiting, half-lidded and dark, and Fate shrank back.
"H...hi. I wasn't expecting to see you there."
"Hi," Nanoha mumbled turning her attention back to the parking lot.
Fate clasped her hands together in front of her and glanced quickly from Nanoha then out the window in the direction Nanoha was staring and back to Nanoha again. "Is something wrong?"
Nanoha closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. "Nothing, I just had a long day." She hesitated then turned to Fate. "Did your day go well?"
"No. It's going to be a little while before..."
"Oh, I was hoping you'd have everything straightened out. What do you want?"
Fate's shoulders slumped. "Noth...nothing. My fri...someone I know offered to let me stay there tonight...so...um...Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would have done last night if you weren't there."
Oh, I think you would have managed. "You're welcome." Where was this friend last night when you were so in need? Friend, yeah right! Friends don't kiss like that. "Bye."
Fate waved weakly and trudged off toward the stairwell.
Dammit! Now I feel like crap. She watched Fate appear from the entrance below her and walk sullenly across the parking lot to the car in which she had arrived. There was a momentary pause and then the vehicle drove out to the street and attempted to merge; there was still a traffic snarl because of the burnt apartment building.
She stole money from me and just shows up like nothing is wrong! There was an empty feeling in her chest. Probably something Fate had ripped out when she left. Betrayal felt like too strong a word, Nanoha took a deep breath, but it felt walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her. She ran her fingers along the table besides her door and then continued on to her computer.
Behavioural Psychology ugh. I can't believe I'm doing this just out of interest...and mostly...I can't believe it's this boring! Nanoha stretched one arm and then the other and opened the articles she was supposed to read.
I feel like crap. Why do I feel like crap?
"Where would you like to eat Vita-chan?" Hayate smiled down at her girlfriend. The pair were walking down a pleasant little street in the city's historic downtown. The street was filled with people and they had linked arms to force people to walk around them instead of forcing their way between.
"Anywhere is fine." Vita's eyed a sign further up the street. "How bout Chinese? I'm tired of walking with all these people around."
"Sure...I think we've gone here before...and I think you said the same thing then too."
"Really? I don't remember." Vita thought hard but the memories evaded her. She didn't remember eating in this part of town at all.
Hayate chuckled. "I only remember because you have this adorable little 'I'm about to be walked on' look on your face just like last time."
Vita blushed and turned her face away from Hayate. "Grr...no one's watching where they're putting their huge hoofs."
"Nyaha..." Came a distinctive laugh through the crowd.
Hayate's ears perked up. She could usually find Nanoha with that loud vibrant laugh no matter where she was, even if it sounded a little less vibrant tonight, and she even seemed to be close by. Hayate looked about between people's heads and her eyes finally fell on her friends reddish brown ponytail. They were standing just inside the open door of the Chinese place and probably waiting for a table.
"If they'd like to, do you want to eat with Nanoha and Yuuno?"
"Doesn't matter to me."
"You're so agreeable."
Hayate and Vita stepped into line behind Nanoha and Yuuno with Hayate poking Nanoha in the back. "Fancy seeing you here. Is it date night for you two?"
Hayate couldn't help but think Nanoha looked sedate. The smile a little to forced. Her eyes less happy then they should be. She looked from Nanoha to Yuuno and back again. The obvious answer was that the pair were having one of their little scuffles, probably helped in part by the stray Nanoha had taken in the night before, and now the two were slightly strained...they were always slightly strained now that she thought about it.
Nanoha turned, a frown on her lips that quickly became a smile. "He's making up for standing me up last night."
"I...we..." He turned red in the face and closed his eyes. "It's an apology for last night."
Hayate giggled. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to tell these two were at odds with each other even if just slightly. They had been at odds for months now after all. For her part, Nanoha seemed to be a good girlfriend, it wasn't puppy love but Nanoha did love him. Yuuno seemed nice enough too, but he oddly acted like a guy with a crush on his best friend when he was around Nanoha which was strange given that it was his girlfriend. He gave the impression of a little boy being nice to a relative who he expects a present from with his sidelong glances, slight blush even now. Vita and Nanoha were chatting and Yuuno was listening intently, stealing stray glances of Nanoha whenever he could. It was a decidedly strange interaction between boyfriend and girlfriend.
Nanoha's demeanour was different. Despite the friction, Nanoha was affectionate with Yuuno, holding his hand, linking arms but there was none of the blushes and stolen glances that affected her boyfriend. If anything, Hayate smirked, Nanoha's eyes had come to rest on Hayate's own bust and legs more than once. That wasn't surprising to Hayate either, they had after all, been roommates when Nanoha went through her "curious" phase.
"Want to do a double date?"
"Sure." Nanoha replied causing Yuuno to scrunch his brow. "Hopefully it won't be two much longer. The hostess said it shouldn't be much longer."
A short Caucasian woman in a red and yellow cheongsam approached Vita. "Hello! Are you waiting for a table for two? We're a little busy tonight so it'll be a bit of a wait."
"Table for four."
"Just give me a second." The woman moved between several of the people in front of them speaking to each in passing and wrote something on a small booklet. "There is a four person table ready but it's in the corner near the kitchen. The balcony is unfortunately full at the moment."
"That's fine." Nanoha said brusquely. "Oh...we're with them now."
"Haha. Okay. I hope you weren't waiting so long you made new friends. Anyway, follow me." She led the group into the restaurant, her bright dress clashing with the family friendly dining aesthetics. The place was busy with couples and the odd family sitting at a booth. She finally stopped in front of a four person table in the corner next to the kitchen just like she said it would be.
"Those people ahead of us didn't look happy." Hayate grinned.
"I think they wanted to be on the balcony but they would probably have settled to be inside and not wait anymore." Yuuno picked up the menu and scanned the first page.
"Yuck. It's too hot to eat outside." She watched Vita eye the kids menu then quickly turn the page when she felt Hayate's watching her.
Watching Vita blush was more amusing than she thought it be but she'd didn't want to torment her girlfriend too much so she turned her attention to Nanoha. Nanoha wasn't smiling though she was having a rather pleasant conversation with Yuuno.
"So, did that stray dog turn up again?"
"Yeah."
Yuuno looked on bewildered. "What?"
"Nanoha let a woman stay with her last night when the apartment building near her place burned down...she didn't tell you?"
"No she didn't."
"You pissed me off when you came this morning so I never got around to it."
Yuuno's slumped in his chair in relief and Nanoha glared at him but didn't comment so Hayate thought better of it.
"Are ya still walking into things. You got a bruise on your neck?" Vita didn't look up but she felt two sharp kicks connect with her shin. She bit her tongue and grumbled to herself.
"Yeah...I caught the corner of a shelf in my office. "Mou...I was wondering why it was so tender."
Yuuno looked relieved and was seemed to be genuinely smiling now. Nanoha's smile was less authentic and she turned her attention to scanning the menu in fine detail, a redness growing in her cheeks.
Hayate watched Nanoha intently. Now it was obvious. The blush in her cheeks told her everything. Something did happen or else why did a kitty cat showing up at her place throw her off balance?
A waitress finally stopped at their table and quickly took their order before racing off to some other part of the restaurant. Four glasses of water mysteriously appeared in her wake.
Yuuno pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket, it had been buzzing since he sat down, and prodded away at the thing and groaned. "I have to make a call. I'll be right back." He raced out the door.
With a groan of her own, Nanoha dropped the menu and rested her head in her hands. "I hope it isn't Chrono...could be work but he's a librarian so who would call him at 8:00?"
"That's the last time I cover for you."
Nanoha jumped. "I'm...I'm sorry I asked you too." Nanoha fiddled with a napkin. "It really really was nothing though and I don't want the drama."
"Why didn't you just tell him that." Hayate sighed. "It wasn't nothing was it?"
"She kissed me...or bit me... out of nowhere!" Nanoha slapped her hands against the table louder than she had intended, her eyes wide with bewilderment. "Who kisses someone out of nowhere like that?"
"So...you're saying you've never had anyone lean in for a kiss that you weren't expectin'?" Vita asked drumming her fingers against the table.
Nanoha looked toward the ceiling in thought without saying a word.
"Are you sure she didn't steal anything? It could be a while before you notice something missing."
"I...lied...I think she took...I could have lost it or it's at my office...but I think she stole our lottery pool money."
"Oh well. I guess we won't win that million this week." Hayate giggled.
"$200 is a lot of money Hayate!"
"10 people $20 each. It's not a lot of money and it's not like it's going to some worthwhile cause or anything...she might need it."
Nanoha had begun nearing strips off of the napkin and now was tying them together. "I haven't had anything stolen from me...and that stung...I trusted her."
"You just need to be more careful." Hayate watched Nanoha finish destroying one napkin and then move on to the other. "Is that why you look so grumpy?"
Vita had been leaning on one elbow and listening intently. Hayate hadn't mentioned Nanoha's little sleepover. "I find it hard ta believe you're a teacher most of the time. Ya actually sounded like one for once."
Hayate froze. Her mouth opened and closed again.
"The messed up stuff you're interested in makes me worry bout the minds you're molding but seeing you actually sound like one for a change puts me at rest just a little bit."
"Ouch Vita-chan."
"I'm kidding." Vita deadpanned and patted Hayate's leg.
Yuuno plopped back down into his chair looking flustered from the heat. "What did I miss? What wrong with Hayate-san?"
"Vita broke her." Nanoha watched her friends tight lipped expression flitter between her and Yuuno.
"She was broke long before I touched her." Vitta patted Hayate's leg again.
"Haha...what's that saying 'honesty without compassion is brutality.'"
"I've never heard that before. Is it from a book?" Nanoha poked at her noodle dish with her chopsticks.
"No, I don't think it's from anywhere. One of those sayings they can't find an origin for and gets passed through the ages I suppose."
"If you weren't a gym teacher you woulda known that." Vita bit into a piece of chicken.
"Eh?"
Vita hastily swallowed. "Here's another saying for ya 'if you can't do, then teach and if you can't teach, you can become a gym teacher."
"Hayate-chan! Vita's being mean...and she insulted you too!"
"We're good teachers! I had horrible teachers so I'm trying to be everything they weren't."
"Hmm...don't ya think they were like that too when they started teaching? Do you think they came to work on their first day and said to themself 'I'm gonna be the worse teacher I can possibly be'?"
Yuuno cleared his throat and leaned over closer to Nanoha. "I'm sorry to do this to you two nights in a row...but I have to leave. They have some new people on for closing and..."
"Just go." Nanoha stirred her noodles.
Yuuno stood abruptly. "I'll make it up to you. I'm sorry." He looked desperately for acknowledgement from Nanoha but she just stared at her plate and kept stirring. "I'm sorry I have to run." He smiled at Vita and Hayate, placed a $50 on the table, and with that he was out the door.
"At least it wasn't a dine and dash, right?" Hayate poked Nanoha with her foot.
Vita and Hayate continued eating, they were hungry and Nanoha just kept starring at her food without a word. Five minutes later, Vita was sizing up Yuuno's untouched chicken fried rice, when Nanoha finally took her first bite of her, now cold, Singapore rice noodle.
"He's got a new position...said it'd be better in a couple weeks when he gets things straightened out."
"I see." Hayate thought hard. She remembered Nanoha telling her about that promotion but couldn't remember how long ago it was.
"When you go on dates with that guy does it always look like someone's raining on your parade?" Vita picked up Yuuno's plate and swiftly brought it over to her side of the table.
"Of course not. I was happy."
"Yeah...Happy. Happy like someone standing there with a balloon gettin their parade rained on." Vita spat out between mouthfuls.
"Is it because that girl stole money from you?" She's so blunt. She watched her girlfriend rapidly finish her rice. "It's only money and you'll never see her again."
Nanoha stopped eating and put down her chopsticks. 'Yeah you're right."
"I have to go powder my nose." Hayate leaned over and whispered something into Vita's ear. The smaller girl closing her eyes tight and stopped chewing. "I'll be back in a minute."
Nanoha waited for Vita to say something, there was something obviously on her mind from the way she was looking at her, when no words came, she took another bite of her noodles.
"That...woman showed up again tonight with a friend and said bye and thank you and then went on her merry way."
Vita nodded to show he was paying attention while she ate.
"She stole money from me and just showed up like nothing happened and she had a friend... with a car!" Nanoha closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath to calm herself. She opened her eyes again and waited for Vita to say something but the other woman just continued eating. Nanoha took another breath and took a bite of her own food.
Vita nodded again. "Did you fuck her?"
Nanoha coughed, nearly sending the contents of her mouth sailing over to the other table across the aisle. She brought a napkin up to her face; eyes burning, nose running as the spices wrecked havoc. "No!"
"Okay." Vita finished her rice and stacked one plate on top of her other. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.
"I didn't. She jumped me. I don't even know what she did...I think she bit me...but we didn't have sex."
Vita picked up her chopsticks and took a small bite of food from Hayate's plate. "Grr...every time we eat Chinese Hayate's always orders lo mein and she never eats it but she always steals food from me."
Nanoha furrowed her brow and paused. "...don't you like sharing with your girlfriend?"
"I love sharing with her but I'd order different if I knew she wanted some. If she loves lo mein so much you'd think she wouldn't mooch off me."
"If it's only Chinese places why don't you order something you can both eat together."
"I keep forgetting. We don't eat out much."
Nanoha's lips grew into a wide smile. "That's not what she told me."
Vita's mouth dropped open and she turned a bright red colour.
"I wasn't expecting this." Hayate grabbed Vita's shoulders and massaged. "I half expected you to be crying and Vita to be eating my lo mein."
"What?"
"Nothing. Nothing. Lets go Vita we have work tomorrow and it's getting late."
"It's not even 9:00."
"I know but I want to get to bed early. Nanoha, we'll have a drink some time." Hayate rounded the table and hugged Nanoha.
"Don't worry about the bill. Yuuno's paying." She waved Yuuno's $50 bill.
"Aww. How sweet of him." Hayate straightened her clothes and picked up her purse. "Come on Vita."
"Good night Tackmachi-san." Vita made a small wave.
Nanoha held her arms out in front of her and puffed out her cheeks. "I don't get a hug? Please?"
"No." Vita turned her back.
"Come on?"
"No."
"I won't tell Hayate. Hehehe."
Vita grabbed Hayate hand. "Lets go before she molests me." A whining noise could be heard over the din of the restaurant has the pair walked to the exit and back out onto the street. Vita glanced around nervously in darkness and let go of Hayate's hand, choosing to link arms with her instead. She disliked holding hands, not that she was worried about what people might think about her sexuality, but worry about whether people would think they were mother and child.
"I seriously thought you'd make her cry by the time I got back," Hayate giggled.
"Are ya trying to say I'm insensitive or something."
"No. You're refreshingly direct and Nanoha values that so I figured with her worked up about...something...you'd hit the nail on the head and she'd cry."
They continued up the street. The crowds were far more manageable now. It was only a short walk to the bus stop.
"What do ya think that something was?" Vita blushed.
"Second base maybe..."
"I don't know what that means. Is first base kissing?"
"Hahaa...ha...ha...no one says that anymore do they. Not to long ago I heard it all the time on television..."
"Who was the girl then? Nanoha randomly took someone in?"
The pair walked up the street a little further in silence. The wind was slightly nippy now that the warmth of the restaurant had gone and Hayate wished she'd brought a coat. There was an homeless person sitting in the alley across from them reading a newspaper with a mangy looking black lab laying besides him. He had a sign up close to him which read "need money for bus ticket please help".
"She told me," Vita sighed, "that that girl came back and said 'thank you' and 'good bye' and left again.
"...Okay."
"And that girl had a friend with her that had a car." Vita watched the perplexed look on her face grow deeper. "And she didn't fuck her."
Hayate's lip quivered and she took rapid breaths. There were people around and she didn't want them to think she was a loon from laughing so hard. Tears welled up in her eyes and wiped them away with her sleeve. It was several minutes before Hayate could talk again.
"Do you think that woman is homeless maybe and just bouncing from bed to bed every night? I read a study. It suggested that that kind of thing happens more often than you think and it would make sense with what Nanoha told you about that other woman with the car."
"I hope not." Vita looked back in the direction of the homeless man. "That sounds terrible."
"Maybe we're thinking about it too hard."