So I've randomly gotten into the mood to write some Chikaru/Shion again =P Obviously that won't be happening in THIS story, but I was thinking maybe posting another story here as well…I tried a Chikaru/Shion a while back but…that didn't go very far =P

Really, I'd write a Chikaru/Anyone (except Shizuma, Amane, and probably Miyuki) at this point =P I just have to think of a plot…something which many people seem to think is optional on FFn xP Any opinions?

Also, I have this super weird desire to put Momomi into a relationship that would require her to be the seme or the 'top'…like one of the younger girls (as in younger than Kaname and Shizuma and all them)…I can imagine that no one would read that though xD

I just love her for some reason…it's like, she's kind of evil, but she actually has the potential to fall in love and be loyal to that love…I'm sorry, I just don't like Kaname. So that fic would probably be the epic-est of fails xD

Anyway, opinions on my next idea, por favor! I hate the idea of this area dying, so I'm trying to save it! That and I have no life =P

Also in this chapter- a major plot movement ZOMG! Anyway, I just want to know how you think I handled the scene, and if I wrote it realistically. You kind of have to have been in the situation before to really understand how to write it- you should've read some of my work before I'd had my first kiss xD (really wasted that, too…) I've been in a similar situation, but it's hard to write out physical sensations, if you know what I mean. So yeah- opinions and more opinions would be lovely, and as always, please review or I won't be motivated to write anymore =P

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine but the plot! Characters belong to Stopani and Marimite respectively.

How Can You See With Your Eyes Shut?

Chapter Five: If You Love Her (Let Her Go)

It was almost painful for Shion to sit through the student council meeting- even with a calmly smiling Chikaru at her side, her eyes were glued to the scene a few seats away.

Miyuki was sitting in her usual seat, arms folded over her chest as the head sister addressed the council. However, this time, Sei's arm was flung haphazardly over her shoulder, almost as if…her jaw tightened, and she could taste a hint of metallic blood.

"Toumori-san?"

Shion didn't even look up at the sound of her name, but turned her head towards the direction of the sister's voice, her eyes still glued to Sei and Miyuki. "Yes, Head Sister?"

"Did you have an entry for Spica's Etoile candidate this year?"

Shion shook her head. "Not at the moment, though we are looking for suitable candidates." In all honesty, she hadn't given it a second thought, which in itself was very unlike her. In previous years, it had seemed like the most important thing in the world, but now…now they only had one year left. One year left to tie up everything they'd begun at Astraea Hill…one year to make up for ten years of misguided rivalry…one year to make Miyuki hers before she never saw her again. And damn it, Satou Sei was like terminal cancer to her plan. If she couldn't get rid of her, there was no moving forwards.

She caught Miyuki giving her an odd look and took the opportunity to shift her eyes towards Sei, asking a silent question. The flicker of coolness in those brown eyes just before Miyuki looked away hit her like a knife, but she swallowed back the pain and shifted her gaze to Sei. She couldn't give up so easily- she wouldn't.

The Head Sister finished her piece and left shortly after. Shion watched with gritted teeth as Sei stood and offered her hand to Miyuki, who took it all too gratefully for her liking. "Please, Satou-san," she managed to say through a fake, charming smile, "I'd like to have a moment with Miyuki." Her eyes darted to the tense girl to Sei's right. "Alone."

Sei grinned and nodded- she had another couple that was long overdue for some tension, after all.

Shion watched the other blonde saunter out before turning to Miyuki, her eyes begging the question she didn't want to voice. Miyuki pursed her lips and turned away from her. "Make it quick, Toumori-san," she said coolly. "I don't want to miss dinner."

"What's going on between you and Satou-san?" Shion asked, attempting to overlook the icy glare Miyuki was sending her and displaying a glare of her own, her arms folded over her chest. Miyuki looked away. "Is this how it's going to be, then? Pretend nothing happened and go off to her instead of talking to me about it?"

Miyuki shot her a venomous look. "Don't start that with me, Shion," she spat. The Spican gulped, but noted the use of her first name- at least they were getting somewhere, and she was too far gone to care if Miyuki was angry with her. She was about to lose the girl she'd loved for God knew how long to some womanizing new girl- Miyuki being upset with her was the last of her troubles. "If anything happened, it's because you started it."

"I started it, but you kissed me back," Shion growled, taking a step closer, causing Miyuki to bump into the table behind her.

"Anybody would under those circumstances," the Miator president hissed back, though her eyes portrayed her nervousness. "It's not as if you're some kind of hentai, Toumori-san- or at least, I didn't peg you for the type." Shion's upper lip curled and Miyuki smirked, taking the moment to push Shion back several steps. "When somebody even mildly attractive kisses you, it's instinct to kiss back, no?"

Torn between being offended and flattered, Shion just stood there speechless for a moment. Miyuki attempted to slip by her only to be caught by the wrist and spun around to face the Spican, who was less than an inch from her face.

"So," Shion began, her nose brushing against Miyuki's, breath dusting her lips, "if they kissed you again, you'd push them away, right?"

Miyuki could feel her heart racing in her ears- where did this Shion come from? Where was the brash, outspoken girl she'd met on her first day? Where was the girl who'd constantly sent Kaname and Momomi to deliberately destroy Miyuki's careful plans? Who was this girl that Shion became every time she was alone with her? "They should know better than to kiss me again," she finally said, pushing the Spican back and holding her there, keeping a safe distance between them. "They should know they'll just get hurt, considering they've known of the situation for ten years."

"Right," Shion replied quietly, gazing into Miyuki's eyes and slowly raising her hands, wrapping them around the bluenette's wrists. Gently, she pulled Miyuki's hands from their position against her chest and back down to her sides. "But maybe, having known you for ten years, they think they know you better than that."

In one swift movement, the Spican took a final step forward, pressing their bodies flush against each other and tilted her head, allowing their lips to meet. Her hands found the small of Miyuki's back and pulled her effortlessly closer, the fire inside of her purring at the feel of the other girl's arms tight around her shoulders. She easily lifted Miyuki onto the low rising council room table, stepping between her legs and pressing her hands to the Miator president's hips, never breaking the kiss. She'd let Miyuki go once- she wasn't about to do it again.

But all too soon, Miyuki's hands were pushing back against her shoulders. Desperately, she pressed forward again, but the other girl pulled away, ducking her head down to prevent Shion from continuing the kiss. "Miyuki…" Shion hated her voice for cracking the way it did- if there was anything she despised more than losing, it was losing her control. But she was so close to losing so much more…

"I told you," Miyuki said quietly, her eyes trailing the floor, "you're only going to get hurt."

"And you're not?" Shion asked in the same low tone, pressing her forehead to Miyuki's shoulder. "Tell me, Miyuki- does this really mean nothing to you?"

Miyuki sighed and hesitantly raised a hand to sink her fingers into the soft blonde hair of the Spican president. "Why couldn't you have stayed like you were?" she asked, smiling humorlessly. "Loud, unthinking…careful or you'll go soft."

She felt Shion smile into her shoulder. "I'll never go soft," she murmured into Miyuki's shoulder, causing the Miator president to swoon on the inside. "Miyuki…"

"Not now," Miyuki said quietly, her voice firm. "For now just…" She trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Shion looked up and gazed into her eyes for a moment before brushing a strand of dark hair behind Miyuki's ear and leaning forward, pressing a kiss to the tip.

"For now," she replied quietly, "but not forever."

With those words, she buried her face into the nook between Miyuki's shoulder and neck and began to kiss the soft skin there, causing the other girl to sigh and grip her shoulders tightly. It wasn't what Miyuki had wanted to hear- Shion wasn't going to let her run forever. But tonight was enough for now, and she could worry about tomorrow later.

PGBR

Tsubomi sat in the large gazebo outside of Astraea Hill, her lip caught between her teeth in a little half-smile as she watched Nagisa and an exhausted Tamao practice lines for the school's newest play. Something told her that the actual play wouldn't be even half as entertaining as watching Nagisa practice for it. She did feel sorry for Tamao, however, unlike Yaya sitting beside her, who was practically rolling on the floor with laughter. On her other side, Hikari sighed and buried her face in her hands.

Several minutes of bad acting later, a sudden warmth appeared around her shoulders. Caught by surprise, her body didn't have time to resist the strong pull, and she got sucked headfirst into the warm body that owned the arm.

"Hey, how're my favorite cuties?"

Upon hearing the sound of Sei's voice, Tsubomi groaned, realizing whose arm it was around her shoulders. She hadn't quite figured out why, but every time Sei was around, Yaya suddenly rushed to create some kind of contact between them. It had gotten to the point that Tsubomi's heart would pick up speed at just the sight of the grinning blonde, knowing what was coming next. "Yaya-sempai," she muttered, realizing she'd stayed silent long enough, "let me go!" She shoved at the older girl's arm away and scooted a few feet to the left, batting away Yaya's attempt to reclaim her. She huffed and folded her arms over her chest, blushing heavily when she felt another pair of arms wrap tightly around her.

"Tsu-bo-mi-chaaan!" Sei cried, rubbing her face against Tsubomi's. "I've missed you so muuuch!" Beside them, Yaya growled.

"Why don't you keep your hands to yourself?" she asked lowly, one hand curving possessively around Tsubomi's thigh. "Or at least on Rokujou-san."

Sei sighed dramatically. "My dear Shion-chan took care of that," she said in mock depression, "I'm starting to think I'll never know what it's like to be loved."

"Not by Tsubomi, at least," Yaya muttered, not realizing that she'd spoken aloud until the pinkette in question shot her a death glare. "What?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, Yaya-baka," Tsubomi snapped, eyes flashing. She knew that Sei had been teasing Yaya- knew that Sei didn't care about her like that. But being in love with someone who could never love you back wasn't something that someone should be teased about. "Don't answer for me."

Sei watched with interest as the spit-fire she'd seen just a second ago was instantly put out, replaced by a slumping, sulking Yaya. She could tell that it took a lot to make an alpha-personality like Yaya back down, but the tone that Tsubomi had used with the brunette had instantly stopped her in her tracks. "Whatever," the brunette muttered, retracting her arm.

A frown marred Tsubomi's features at the loss of warmth, but she turned to Sei and smiled slightly. "I'm sure you'll find love, Sei-sempai," she said sweetly, though the smile was obviously forced.

Sei grinned and ruffled her hair. "Eventually, right?" She winked at the pinkette suggestively.

There was a sudden rustling noise, followed by the sound of loud stomping, and Tamao watched sadly as Yaya stormed away. Tsubomi was shocked- she had no idea why the older girl had left so suddenly, nor did she think that Yaya was the type to storm off. "What…"

Sei smiled gently and slid down next to her. "Maybe you should go after her," she said with a nudge, her smile transforming into an all-out grin when Tsubomi flushed pink. "Ah, what is this? Could it be there is something my Tsubomi-chaaaan isn't telling me?" she asked, fighting to hold back her laughter, mustering up fake tears instead. "I am hurt. Hurt, Tsu-bo-mi-chan." She tapped the horrified pinkette's nose.

"Ah- I'm sorry, but I don't-"

"Gomen, Tsubomi-chan, but it's pretty obvious that you have feelings for Yaya-chan," Tamao added from her position beside Nagisa. The pinkette shot her a glare.

"Because you're one to talk," she muttered, watching with a twisted pleasure as Tamao flushed bright red. Nagisa just looked confused. "Look, I'll go talk to her, okay?" Tsubomi said to the group at large, huffing before storming away almost as effectively as Yaya had.

PGBR

Yaya didn't look up when the knock came at her door, and when it opened anyway, she rolled onto her side, away from the figure in the door. "I'm asleep," she muttered, her face buried in a pillow, amber eyes staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

"Yaya-sempai…"

She gritted her teeth- of course it was Tsubomi. Tsubomi, the one person she wanted to seem strong in front of, and here she was, curled in on herself and pathetic. "Please talk to me," Tsubomi said, her voice barely more than a whisper as it cracked with the beginnings of tears. Yaya's eyes snapped open- if there was one thing that she absolutely couldn't stand, it was a girl's tears, especially one that she had feelings for. "What did I do wrong?"

Yaya may have been thick-headed, but she wasn't stupid. She knew herself well enough to know that she would continue to act up around Sei- that she would just get worse and worse until Tsubomi was hers, and if Tsubomi couldn't be hers…well, at least the pinkette would have an explanation. She resigned herself to the inevitable- disgust, loathing…

Fear…

The image of Hikari's face after Yaya had kissed her that night was forever etched into her mind, and the very idea of Tsubomi looking at her that same way made her feel sick to her stomach. But she didn't have a choice.

"I don't like the way she touches…the way she…I just don't like the way she acts around you," Yaya finally muttered after several false starts, arms folded tightly over her chest, eyes looking everywhere but at the pinkette staring at her in confusion. "It bothers me."

"Why would it bother you?" Tsubomi asked, tentatively taking a step forward. Yaya's eyes widened and she scrambled backwards on her bed, immediately regretting the move when she saw the hurt flash through Tsubomi's amber eyes. But she had to keep the distance between them- it had been proven that she couldn't control her body or her mind in these situations. "She's like your soul mate or something, right?"

Yaya scoffed.

Tsubomi huffed, her lips pursing in a stubborn pout that Yaya wanted to kiss off of her sweet face. "What am I supposed to think?" she asked indignantly. "You two both like teasing people, especially me. You're both loud and outgoing and…flirtatious." The last word came out in a mumble, and Yaya had to crack a slight smile at that.

"I can't stand Sei-sempai," Yaya replied, passing up the once-in-a-lifetime teasing opportunity for the sake of the situation, "whether she's my soul mate or not."

"Why not?"

And there it was- Tsubomi was glaring now, her arms tight over her chest, her hips cocked just slightly in that pose that girls always get when they're losing patience. And Yaya felt like she was a fish that had suddenly been thrown out onto the hot beach sand, flopping around, floundering for the breath that wouldn't come. "Because…" she began, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Because…"

Finally she sat up straighter and turned to look Tsubomi in the eyes, her own eyes flashing with the kind of determination that one always gets when one knows they're facing the inevitable. All she could do was straighten her back and take it like a man- if she was going to do it, she was going to do it right. "Because I'm a baka," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and in one swift movement she was off of the bed and had Tsubomi pinned to her by her waist, their lips colliding with the force of Yaya's pent up passion.

Tsubomi's eyes widened for a moment before she shot all the way from ground zero to feeling as if she could touch the stars, wrapping her arms too tightly around Yaya's neck, her fingers tangling in the thick ebony locks. Her heart felt like it was on some kind of roller coaster and an indescribable, weightless feeling made itself present deep in her navel. Without quite meaning to, a moan escaped from the back of her throat as she tried to pull the distant, passionate girl closer in a desperate attempt to capture the one girl who couldn't be caged for anything.

That moan was all the encouragement Yaya needed, and an animalistic growl ripped from her chest, her heart soaring in pride and triumph over that stupid girl-who-shall-not-be-named. "Mine," she muttered against Tsubomi's lips, her hands pressing firmly into the small of Tsubomi's back as the backs of her calves met the bed and she fell back, pulling Tsubomi with her. She easily shifted so that the moaning pinkette was underneath her and started on her neck, pulling the collar of her uniform out of the way with practiced ease.

"Yaya…sempai…" Tsubomi's voice was hardly more than a heated whisper as she feebly pushed back against the older girl. But Yaya's libido had been thrust into hyperdrive, and the older girl wasn't relenting for anyone as she moved down to Tsubomi's collarbone, nimble fingers working deftly at the buttons on her sweater. "Stop…Yaya-sempai…please…STOP!"

And the weight disappeared as if by magic, and Tsubomi's heart broke at the sight of the brunette's terrified expression. "I'm…sorry…" she said, her eyes wide as if she'd gone into shock. "I didn't mean…" Tsubomi frowned slightly, desperately trying to figure out what was going on. It wasn't until Yaya was on her feet and backing away, apologizing over and over again, that she realized what was going on.

"No!" Doing the only thing she could think of to keep Yaya in the room, Tsubomi launched herself at Yaya, who, despite her shock, moved to catch her out of pure reflex. "No…" she whispered, her mouth pressed against the collar of Yaya's uniform, her fingers burying themselves in the older girl's hair. "I just…I…I really lo- like you, Yaya-sempai- reallyreally like you and…I don't want this to be some stupid hookup." She took a shaky breath- despite attending the rather sheltered Astraea Hill, she knew that she was gambling everything she'd just discovered by that statement. It was so easy to confuse lust for love- she'd watched her older sister's heart get broken time after time after time because of her feelings for boys who always seemed so sincere that night. But they never called again. "I'm not her, Yaya-chan. I'm not Hikari."

Feeling the hot tears prodding at the corners of her eyes, Yaya swallowed hard and took a shaky breath, tightening her arms around the pinkette and guiding them back to the bed. The last thing she needed to do was show more weakness to the girl she cared for, especially with the threat of Satou Sei possibly still looming over her. "I know," she said, sitting down gingerly and turning Tsubomi so that the pinkette was facing her, their foreheads pressed together. "I'm sorry. The last thing…the last thing I want is to scare you."

Tsubomi felt ready to cry just from the painfully sincere expression on Yaya's face, and judging by the older girl's newly horrified expression, she guessed that a few had already fallen. "Please don't cry," Yaya said softly, her voice rushed, her hands pressed to Tsubomi's cheeks, stroking them gently. The pinkette couldn't help but crack a watery smile at how flustered the older girl was. "I hate it when girls cry."

"Sorry," Tsubomi said quietly, fighting the urge to wrap her arms around Yaya again. "I just…I'm not going to hurt you. I'd never hurt you. Not on purpose, at least…" She frowned, clearly worried about the possibility. "I think what Hikari-sempai did to you wasn't fair."

Yaya looked away. "I don't blame her."

"I know you don't," Tsubomi snapped, temporarily forgetting herself. "Because you're a baka," she sighed. "I know Hikari-sempai was surprised and I know she was right to stop you but…just leaving you behind like she did…like she has…"

"Tsubomi-chan."

Tsubomi's eyes shifted to Yaya, full of unshed tears. "What?"

The older girl reached up, brushing the salty tears away with the pad of her thumb. "I never would have gotten over her if she hadn't," she said slowly, but firmly, as if she were trying to make something very clear. "Maybe it was right, maybe it wasn't, but if she'd stayed by my side like she had before…if she hadn't completely left me for that…for Oohtori-san…I would never have seen what was right in front of my face." She punctuated this statement with a brief but thorough kiss to Tsubomi's slightly parted lips. "And Satou-san's arrival only put my existing feelings to the front of my mind."

Tsubomi smiled weakly. "And everyone knows you can't focus on two things at once," she added with a giggle. "Your brain couldn't handle it- you'd probably explode."

Yaya scowled and fell back on the bed with Tsubomi in tow, the pinkette's head landing neatly on her chest. "I would not," she mumbled. "Anyway…" she began, trailing off as her hands ran down Tsubomi's spine. "No more Sei," she stated resolutely, causing Tsubomi to roll her eyes.

"There was no Sei-sempai to begin with," Tsubomi said dryly. "I was just being polite."

"You were blushing more than Nagisa-chan around Shizuma-san," Yaya stated matter-of-factly, her lips pursing just slightly in what could have been a vague hint of a pout.

Tsubomi groaned. "Fine, you win, Yaya-sempai," she said, "I'm hopelessly in love with Sei-sempai and her various…skills…" It was evil, especially for Tsubomi, but she thoroughly enjoyed the growl Yaya let loose for more than one reason. Not only did it show that Yaya was telling the truth about her feelings, but the sensation of the growl against her body was invigorating.

"I bet she's a bad kisser," Yaya declared, and that was the end of the discussion according to her as she rolled on her side, wrapping an arm tightly around Tsubomi. "'s late," she said after a moment.

Tsubomi nodded. Half of her wanted to roll over and demand that Yaya describe her feelings for her and tell her just how this relationship was going to work, but the more logical half told her to wait it out. So she settled for leaning back into the protective embrace and enjoying the feeling of Yaya's chest rising and falling against her. "We should probably go back and watch Nagisa-chan rehearse," she stated after a moment. This proposal was met by a loud groan from behind her, and she couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Or we could just tell them we fell asleep," Yaya muttered, her arm tightening around Tsubomi in a way that told the pinkette that 'no' wasn't an option.

"What do we say if they ask questions?" Tsubomi asked, cursing herself a second later for making up an excuse to get out of the comfortable position. She felt Yaya shrug behind her.

"We tell them we had steamy, raunchy lesbian sex," the older girl replied blandly, grinning when Tsubomi rolled over to smack her head.

"Baka."

"And you love it."