Repercussions Chapter 10, a love hina fanfic

Hi there, it's Nodoka again.

Just about managed to get this chapter done on time! My next opportunity would be in a week and a half, by which time most people would have gotten bored waiting and drifted off to do something else.

…..Well, maybe most people have already done that, but to those few who are actually looking forward to another chapter, I didn't want to make you all wait!

Another little response to a review; when I began this fic I had no ship firmly in mind, and only a few set pieces and plot devices I wanted to try out. Now, I have a better idea where this fic is going, and have narrowed the ship options down to two. Or maybe three. As for who? Guess time will tell…..

Thanks a million once again to all those who reviewed, they make my week. Hell they make, my month. I never dreamed I'd get 50 reviews let alone 150. Please keep them coming!

Oh, and to the person who PM'd me, I'm sure I'll enjoy reading your fics, although I need reassurance there's no Negima spoilers in store. I'm only up to volume 15 of the Manga…..and I HATE spoilers.

Enough twittering for today. On with the fic.

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Repercussions – Chapter 10

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Keitaro awoke, eyes fixing blurrily on the ceiling above him, one that still looked oddly unfamiliar without the hole adorning it's surface. He allowed his eyelids to close again, fully intending on returning to the land of dreams, before an odd noise caused them to flicker open again.

The sound of movement from the room above him.

The ex-ronin was upright in a flash, nearly earning him a Mutsumi-style syncope attack. Clutching his chest of drawers for balance, Keitaro allowed the room to stop spinning whilst taking some deep breaths. No point in rushing things, better to get there slowly and intact than quickly with a couple more scars to the collection. After a minute the world had stopped revolving enough for the man to make his way to the door and slip his way through it.

A few seconds later the resident Kanrinin re-appeared in his room, unhooking his dark blue dressing gown from the back of the door with a mild blush. No point in running through the house with only a pair of boxer shorts hanging on his scrawny frame, after all.

Suitably attired, Keitaro left the room again, hurrying towards the stairs. There was no way Naru could be back already – she'd only been gone a week, and no-one had heard a peep from her since. Besides, if she had returned, why hadn't she told anyone?

Before he knew it, the brown-haired man was at the door of room 304. For a second he peered at the number plate, wishing he'd remembered to put on his glasses. Scratching his chin idly, Keitaro winced as he realised that there was something else he had forgotten to put on. He was about to turn tail and leg it back to his room when the door before him slid open.

Keitaro stared wild-eyed at Naru's face. Or at least the space where Naru's face should have been.

"Eh? What you loitering around out here for, dork?" An affronted voice caused the hazel-eyed man's gaze to trail downwards, to rest on a confused Sara McDougal staring back up at him.

"Oh, uh, Sara-chan….."

"Yeah, well spotted." Smirked the blond, lips quirking into a grin.

"It was you in here? Not Naru?" Keitaro asked, confused.

"Well, yeah. I've been sleeping here after all. Speakin' of which, where has she gone….." The American trailed off as her blue eyes finally took in the state of the face looking back at her. "Jesus Christ dork, what the hell happened to you? Ya look like you took a spoon to a knife fight."

"Mmmm, don't worry about it Sara-chan. Long story." The blond preteen gulped slightly as a hint of the faraway look that had haunted her since yesterday made itself known in Keitaro's eyes. She hadn't managed much sleep as a result of that distant gaze.

"Uh…." Sara faltered as the man before her shrugged, before turning away.

"Breakfast will be ready in half an hour. Go grab a bath before it's ready." Keitaro called over his shoulder, tugging his dark gown tightly around his shoulders to stave off the winter chill. Sara stared blankly at the leaving figure before something told her that letting him go was not a good plan.

"Dor-uh, Keitaro-san…..." The schoolgirl bit her lip as the man froze, head slightly cocked to one side.

"Yes?" Came the reply.

"I'm, uh, well, could you, uh, come in here a minute?" Sara gestured back to the open door, praying for the man to accede. She had to say something, but there was no way she would do it stood in an open passageway.

"Sure, why not." Keitaro turned around slowly and strolled back towards the girl, face blank. Sara swallowed as he entered the indicated room, for the first time in her young life feeling apprehensive.

"Okay." The blond slipped into the room herself, and faced the man who stood aimlessly in the middle of the floor, hands in pockets. It was at that moment the eleven-year-old realised how much Keitaro looked like 'papa' – she'd seen the same posture a thousand times before, usually when Seta was waiting for the kettle to boil. Sara didn't know if it made things easier or harder. Dropping her eyes, the girl fiddled nervously with a neon pink button attached to her equally pink pyjamas, suddenly tongue-tied.

"So?" The preteen winced. Although Seta had often stood in that way, he'd never addressed her in that tone of voice. Clearly, although Keitaro wasn't boiling mad any more, he was more than angry enough to be cold.

"Uh, well….." Sara scuffed the floor with a bare toe, lost for words. She couldn't bluntly apologise, she just couldn't. It was something she'd never done in her life. "I don't know, really……"

"Well then, please excuse me. I've got things to do, like dressing." The kanrinin stated blandly, beginning to step towards the girl who scrambled to think of a way to keep him in the room.

"Why did Naru leave?" As the moving foot paused Sara held her breath, not daring to look up.

"None of your business, Sara-chan." The response was blunt, and the girl winced again. She'd never, ever seen Keitaro get annoyed, and it scared her. The man was supposed to be invincible to both verbal barbs and ancient pottery. Sara had never expected to be on the receiving end of a harsh word from 'the dork'.

It seemed she'd misjudged things slightly.

"But, uh, I want to know."

"Why." Sara clenched her teeth together, despising the prickling from the corners of her blue eyes. Not only did she dismiss the idea of Keitaro ever getting angry, she also underestimated the effect it would have on her. The girl expected it to be irritating like the buzzing of a fly, or pathetic like a squeaking mouse. She didn't know that every word coldly spoken could be a punch to the stomach.

"Because I do, okay?" She ground out, looking at the bare peach walls, the varnished floor, anything but the man in front of her.

"We broke up. She went home because she needs to sort some things out that happened in the past. That's it." Keitaro answered, in a tone that suggested he really didn't want to talk about it.

"When did the floor get fixed?" Sara hedged, having wondered over it for some time during the night.

"About a week before that." The man placed hands on hips, clearly tired with the questioning. "Look, Sara-chan, I've been through this with too many people to count and the story's not getting any more pleasant. Drop it. Please." Sara scoured Keitaro's frowning face for any sign of the cheerily unfortunate ex-ronin she knew, and found none. The person stood before her was a total stranger. Which, for some reason, she couldn't bear.

"I-I'm sorry Keitaro-san." The blond girl picked at the buttons on her shirt again, looking like nothing more than a scared child. "I shouldn't have said anything yesterday. I was mean; I didn't think I'd make you mad." Sara's face scrunched up as she fought herself for control. Apologising for the first time ever was enough, no way would she be caught bawling in public for the second time in as many days.

"Well you did." Came the stern reply. "You need to think before you speak sometimes, Sara-chan. I've seen enough trouble myself thanks to people saying whatever comes to mind. I'm even wearing some reminders right now." Sara peeked up, to see Keitaro studying her carefully.

"Wha?" The man carelessly gestured to a few of the marks adorning his face.

"That one was when I told Naru she looked funny in the morning. That one was from when I was explaining to Motoko the essentials of human biology. Oh, and that one, well, I guess someone just had a bad day." The blond eyes grew wide as questions and answers connected in the American's mind, her ability to draw assumptions proving beneficial.

"Shit, they're from Naru?"

"And Motoko. Oh, Su one or two, although I don't think she meant it. Kitsune too, via one of the others. And….." Sara watched the man trail off, looking at her. Why was he……oh……

"Um, sorry." Sara meekly whispered, feeling her eyes prickling anew. The young girl ducked her head, hiding her treacherous orbs. She didn't want the 'dork' to know quite how awful she suddenly felt. "So, uh, how come you got away with it? You didn't get all those since last night." She threw out quickly, hoping for some time.

"Well, Motoko helped me cover things. I reckon I spent about three months straight with make-up on." Sara snorted despite her struggle.

"Make-up? How cute."

"Hid the results though. With Kitsune and Naru around, I only removed or adjusted the make-up when Motoko was with me. Slept with it on, since Naru could stick her head into my room any hour of the day or night. The only problem was cleaning the springs, steam took it off too easily. Thankfully, Kitsune was more than happy to leave me alone if I gave her money on demand." Keitaro laughed humourlessly, before his tone became darker. "It was the night Naru left, well, all I'll say is most of the mask was washed off by morning. I decided as no-one was going to pop through my ceiling at short notice I'd clean it all off for once."

"So how'd it go wrong?" Sara asked, curious.

"Shinobu decided that knocking is optional when you want to give someone a cup of tea." The kanrinin laughed again, this time with honest pleasure. "Glad she did really. Now it's out in the open, and I can relax. I take the stuff off every night now; it used to really play hell with my skin."

"Right. Does Naru-"

"No, she doesn't know." Keitaro finished for Sara, tone suggesting it should stay that way. "Things are a bit different around here since she left."

"Su sure is." Sara blurted, causing the brown-haired man to raise an eyebrow.

"You okay, Sara-chan?" The blue-eyed girl dipped her face again, toes scratching at the varnished floor.

"Yeah….."

"What did Su do? Is this why you're sleeping up here, not in her room?" The caring tone caught Sara by surprise, and she peeked up to see that the 'dork' she knew had re-emerged, wearing his usual winsome smile. For some unfathomable reason, something within her collapsed. Possibly the floodgates.

"She told me that I wasn't her friend any more. That I hurt her 'oniisan' and she didn't like it." Flowing blue eyes searched out brown ones, and through blurry sight Sara could have sworn the man crouching before her, arms spread wide, was the same one that had comforted her for so many years.

"It's okay Sara-chan. I'm fine." Keitaro murmured as the girl accepted the offered hug.

"S-she's my best friend. I don't have many……You're my friend too you dork, I thought I'd lost you as well….." Sara babbled, words coming in a rush. "I teased you, broke things over you, but I don't want you to hate me. I don't want you to leave me alone too….."

"It's fine, don't worry." The blue-gowned man soothed, privately surprised at the intensity of Sara's reaction. Sure, he'd always guessed that most of her vitriol was borne out of pettiness or boredom – a lot of the time she was alone, only in the Hinata-sou had he actually seen her play with anyone. She obviously depended on him a lot more than she let on.

"S-sorry, Keitaro-san." Stepping back, Sara sniffled and wiped at her face.

"No problem Sara-chan. I'll have a little chat with Su later and settle her down." Seeing the blond girl about to speak, Keitaro chuckled. "And don't worry, what happened just now doesn't leave the room. Now, why don't you go and give your face a scrub, I'll get dressed, and we'll meet downstairs in ten?" Smearing some more of the wetness across her face with a sleeve, Sara looked up at the face of the 'dork' she'd grown to know. And, for the first time he could remember, gave him a genuine smile.

"Sure." As Keitaro slipped past her to open the door, the girl spoke up again. "But don't think this changes anything. I've still gotta keep you in line, and that means breaking pottery over your head, dork." Looking back, the Kanrinin saw Sara grinning. Not with malice or too many teeth. Just grinning, like an eleven-year-old should grin.

"Whatever you say, Sara-chan." Blue eyes watched Keitaro leave, before their owner decided to go and get herself cleaned up. Sure, she'd made her peace with the guy. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to continue having her fun now and again……

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A few quiet words before breakfast saw a much cheerier Su and a relieved Sara sat together at the table sharing animated conversation about, well, it's probably best not to speculate. Seta and Haruka smoked up a storm whilst Mutsumi and Keitaro discussed the pros and cons of going to Tokyo U in the inclement weather. Mitsune sat quietly, clothes and eyes baggy, clearly not happy that she was included in the round of wake-up calls.

"Good morning everybody." Motoko called, entering from the top of the stairs, fresh from a morning work-out. Receiving a chorus of replies, the tall lady seated herself beside Mutsumi, now usually her place of choice. The spot the other side of Keitaro was very much reserved for Shinobu – anyone who tried to take it never received more than a look, but it's best not to annoy the person who is cooking the food you are about to eat. Speaking of whom……

"Ah! Good morning Motoko-san. Please, do help yourself to tea; breakfast will be with you shortly." The kimono'd chef bobbed in a polite bow, before returning to the kitchen.

"Ara, I sometimes feel we take advantage of her." Mutsumi murmured, placing a palm on her cheek.

"You know she wouldn't have it any other way." Haruka reassured her.

"Yeah, I don't see why you're complainin'." Sara called out. "You should try living with Seta's cooking. Last thing he cooked tried to eat me."

"I have experienced his cooking. Which is why I live here, not with him." The coffee shop owner smirked, knocking some ash into a tray placed between her and her husband.

"I'd say it's edible. After seven days trapped underground by a landslide mind you……" Keitaro chipped in, earning a long look from his mentor.

"I'll have you know I've learnt my recipes from the best books money can buy."

"Unfortunately they were books that had nothing to do with cooking." Haruka added, drawing a few laughs from around the table.

"Oh, before I forget." Motoko said into the following silence. "Keitaro-san, it has been some time since you cleaned the springs. I know that things have been, shall we say, hectic as of late, but that does not mean failure in your duties is acceptable." The swordswoman received a smile and a nod in response.

"No problem Motoko-chan, I'll see to it this afternoon." Caught unawares by the warmth in the smile Motoko busied herself with her tea, trying to pretend her cheeks weren't glowing.

"Ah, whatever. Have we had any post this mornin'?" Mitsune slurred slightly, wishing she was back in bed.

"Nope. Looks like the mail isn't enjoying the weather either." Answered Keitaro, shrugging.

"Ah, good." Mitsune breathed. "It ain't like I ever get anythin' nice anyways."

"Be that as it may, Konno-san, the delay does not mean what you receive will change." Motoko stated plainly, enjoying her drink.

"'Least it gives me another day before I have ta open all that bloody junk mail." The fox bit back, with a hint of venom.

"Now now children. No fighting at the table." Haruka murmured around her cigarette, earning a pair of dirty looks.

"Ah, bugger this. I'm off. Su-chan can eat my share, I'm headin' back ta bed." The silver-blond stood ungracefully from the table, almost tottering sideways before regaining a semblance of poise. "If anyone needs me, they know where ta find me." She finished over her shoulder carelessly, before heading off to her room.

"Breakfast is served!" Shinobu called, hefting onto the table a steaming bowl of rice before heading back off to the kitchen for the rest of the dishes.

"Speaking of which, why are you still here for breakfast, Seta-san?" Keitaro asked, spooning servings of rice first into Mutsumi and Shinobu's bowls before filling his own and handing over the scoop. His mentor didn't reply until everyone else had taken their share, and left Su with the half-bowl remaining to devour.

"Felt like some decent food. I reckon we can make it back to Tokyo University before class at ten; I'll do it in fifteen minutes flat. Not that anyone will turn up, but being the tutor I'm kinda obligated." The taller man leaned back in his chair, bowl cupped in his hands.

"But papa, you said you couldn't make it back last night. And the snow's not much deeper this morning." Sara grouched, sounding put out.

"Yeah well, it's easier in daylight. Besides, it's not every night I get to stay at the Hinata-sou."

"Or to be precise, the Hinata tea shop……." Motoko unexpectedly added, demurely casting her gaze at her fingernails.

"Or, yes, the Hinata tea shop." Seta confirmed, smiling around his tobacco stick languidly.

"Why isn't it every day?" All eyes revolved to look at Sara, who was perched nervously on the edge of her seat.

"Mmmmm. Good question. Why isn't it every day?" Haruka looked sideways at her husband, whose eyes were suddenly crinkling slightly in thought.

"I don't know, Haruka. Maybe it was because your endless snoring kept me up." The dark-haired woman made an irritated noise in the back of her throat.

"It certainly didn't last night, I had to physically pull you out of bed and into the shower. You woke up pretty quickly then, in all departments, if I remember rightly." Haruka paused, and took in the aghast stare of her 'nephew'. "What?"

"Ever heard of too much information, Haruka-obasan?"

"Oh believe me, Keitaro-bozu, there's plenty more than that." Ignoring Keitaro sinking his face into his hands, the slender hostess stared back at her husband. "So, why isn't it?" At this, Sara cleared her throat again.

"Papa, I-I want to stay here." The meek voice brought with it a ringing silence as the blond-haired girl visibly squirmed at the scrutiny her adoptive father was giving her. "I want to stay with you papa, but I'm just so bored, there's no-one to hang round with at home.….." A few more seconds of silence passed, before Seta's mouth cracked into a smile.

"Well, that settles it. Sara, let's go get our stuff." It took a moment for those around the table to work out exactly what was being said. Soon as it did, Haruka broke into a broad grin and Su scooped Sara up into a huge glomp before beginning a complex dance on the table-top.

"Well, looks like we're getting an extra two residents." Keitaro stated cheerily, before ducking as Su's flailing foot sent a half-empty bowl spinning his way.

"Not me, Part-timer. I'm going to be shacked up in the tea house." His mentor replied, sharing a sneaky kiss with his wife.

"Well, guess that means one, ne Kei-kun?" Shinobu smiled, happy at the thought of an extra face to enjoy her cooking. A voice at the door stopped the rejoicing in its tracks.

"No, I think that means two." Instantly eight pairs of eyes swivelled to the front door as a black-haired figure strode through it. The figure set the suitcase in her hand down and stretched her lithe body with obvious enjoyment, before letting grey eyes fix on one person in particular.

"Kanako-chan……" Keitaro breathed, and his sister replied with a pretty smile.

"Kei-kun, it's been too long……"

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Seta and Sara had left the bedlam to load their belongings into the trusty white van the archaeologist drove (often to the brink of destruction). Mutsumi claimed faintness, Motoko studies and Shinobu housekeeping duties to vacate the vicinity. Haruka had to open up shop. Su, well, Su never needed an excuse, the energetic girl just springing off to do something else. Leaving Keitaro and Kanako alone on the sofa to catch up, where Keitaro was presently leaning rather hard against the arm rest.

Although Keitaro had always seen his sister as being merely affectionate, a discussion with Motoko months before had revealed to him that the affection may not all have been sisterly. No blood relationship equals fair game, after all. Hence, the Kanrinin's attempts to clamber over the side of the chair as Kanako tried to climb into his lap.

"S-so, Kanako-chan, what are you doing here?" Kanako peered up at him, pout on her lips.

"I just wanted to see my oniisan. Is that so wrong?" The girl moved herself ever so slightly more towards Keitaro, giving him her best 'puppy dog' eyes. All the man experienced as a result was growing discomfort, alongside a hint of revulsion. This was his sister for god's sake, blood relative or not.

"N-no, not at all, Kanako-chan." Although the experiences of the last through weeks had given Keitaro a degree of confidence with physical contact, he still associated close feminine proximity with big trouble. And, at this moment in time, every single cell in the man's body was screaming one word in perfect unison.

RUN!

"Kei-kun?" Kanako scrutinised her nearly hysterical older brother as her approaches failed to reap the rewards she wanted. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Something below the the Kanrinin's jaw line.

Keitaro's heart nearly stopped beating as a pale finger traced the scar. Everyone at the house now knew about the now not-so-secret secret, and he'd been slapdash with his concealment that morning as a result. The man glanced down and saw Kanako's enquiring look, one that told him she'd not let go until he told her the truth.

He was awful at lying, and Kanako could see it in his face from a hundred paces, wearing a blindfold.

Sighing in anticipation, Keitaro decided to just tell her the whole story.

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Several minutes later, a several things happened at the same time.

Motoko dropped a hand instinctively to the hilt of her katana, sensing an imminent threat.

Mitsune developed the overwhelming urge to burrow under her bed sheets and hide, preferably forever.

Many miles away, a honey-haired girl felt herself tremble from head to toe, as if someone had just stepped on her own grave.

And the Hinata-sou shook to its very foundations as a deafening scream of 'WHAT?!" echoed through its halls, sending birds roosting in its eaves fluttering madly into the snowing sky.

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Back in the living room Keitaro was desperately clinging onto the back of his adoptive sister's shirt as she sought to cause as much pain as possible to a certain few individuals.

"Kanako-chan, calm down!" The girl shook her head.

"I'm gonna give those bitches payback with interest from me!" She screeched, fighting to get free.

"Please, Kanako-chan. I've settled things with them, isn't that good enough for you?" Kanako pulled for another few moments, before relenting with obvious reluctance.

"No, it isn't really. But since you insist." She huffed, turning around to face her older brother. "But I'm telling you, one more hair on your head harmed, and god help them….."

"I know, I know. Haruka's already warned them off, but thanks for your concern." Keitaro felt himself begin to sweat as Kanako's face switched from furious to besotted in a matter of milliseconds.

"No trouble. I'd do anything for my oniisan." She purred, slinking back onto the settee and virtually perching herself on the brown-haired man's lap. "Speaking of which, is there anything my oniisan would like me to do for him now?" The girl virtually plastered herself against the man beneath her, who felt his nose beginning to haemorrhage despite himself.

"Ahh, Kanako-"

"Oh go on Keitaro, it's been ages since we've been together, let's enjoy it……" The svelte girl murmured, hoping against hope that Keitaro would finally see her advances for what they were. Little did she know that, given the person in question's history with women, understanding precisely what she was saying was a bad thing.

Every single muscle in the Kanrinin's body tensed in preparation of the flight that was about to occur.

"Ara, I hope I'm not interrupting." Mutsumi said, putting her hand to her mouth as she viewed the pair on the chair.

Keitaro let out a sigh of relief that lasted at least twenty minutes.

"Actually, well….." Kanako sputtered, caught between disappointment and annoyance. However, the girl couldn't really let it out at the Okinawan – one of the few girls she held a modicum of respect for.

"Not at all! Come and sit down!" Keitaro said semi-hysterically, with the kind of delight only the saved could muster.

"Thank you." Mutsumi took a place on the sofa next to a disgruntled Kanako. "So, Kanako-san, how long are you staying with us?"

"About a week." The girl crossly replied. "Hina-san said she wanted to check out some of the local sites, see how things had changed since she was last here."

"Is she coming here?" Keitaro asked, curious.

"I don't know. She might pop in at some point."

"I hope so, it's been a while." The Kanrinin relaxed back in the chair, more comfortable now that Kanako was now sitting beside rather than on him.

"So I've only got a week with you, oniisan." Turning to face her brother again, the dark-haired girl licked her lips. "I hope we can do lots of catching up whilst I'm here." As Kanako again snuggled a little closer than her brother was comfortable with, Mutsumi could feel her features being pulled into a most unusual expression.

A frown.

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Mitsune lay idly on her front, leafing through a magazine, not reading a word printed upon its glossy pages. The fox took a swig of whatever bottle was currently in her hand, before grimacing. Christ, it was cheap liquor. Sake that you would only use to bleach the toilet with.

Sod it. It had alcohol in it, so game on.

It did mean, however, that the girl was going to need more. The cheap stuff was the stuff that went last after all, and if there was anything cheaper than the shit she was currently guzzling, well, she didn't want to taste it.

So, she was going to need money to re-stock. And there was no point whatsoever in the silver-haired girl going through her wallet, as she knew sure as the wind was cold that there was nothing in it except a ten yen piece and a couple of moths that were getting increasingly bored.

She hadn't had any genuine luck since that day. What was it, the fourth? And what was today, the…..oh, who cared. Not a winner in weeks. Hardly the chance to place a bet, or watch the ponies. She didn't even have the chance to moan to Naru about her stretch of bad luck or the bloody weather.

It had been a good week and a bit since the girl had gone. And damn, did Mitsune miss her. The fox never realised how much she relied on her younger friend for companionship. Ever since Naru left the building Mitsune had found herself more and more isolated. Certainly, things weren't perfect with her friend by the end, although it seemed the younger girl had never recalled what had happened that night, thank god. Still, her absence left a gaping hole, one that none of the other residents were capable of filling.

Motoko had never really seen eye to eye with her, and her change of heart combined with the whole drinking business made her tricky for the fox to approach. Sure, they both kinda understood one another, but the relationship never passed that mark. Su was fun, but sometimes more than fun was needed. As for Haruka…..

Mitsune shuddered, downing another swig of liquor. Nope, not even going there right now.

Shinobu was, well, Shinobu. The girl was sweet, but had proven she could hold a grudge. The silver haired lady reasoned that she probably was the recipient of at least some of the grudge given her part in the whole tragic comedy. Mutsumi was a different matter, given the general benign outlook of the girl. However, she seemed to have appointed herself Keitaro's official supporter, especially since Shinobu started acting funny. Striking up a friendship with her would probably not be difficult, but that meant she would spend the entire time in close contact with Keitaro.

Keitaro…..

The Kanrinin was good for a few yen and a chuckle, but the fox couldn't bring herself to interact further. She felt the temptation every day, getting stronger, to try her luck. On a couple of occasions she'd even gone so far as to plan things out. Every time thus far, however, real life had taken hold. This was the recent ex of her best friend, her only true friend, in the entire world. But, as time was passing, the memories of her best friend were becoming fuzzier, and the man in front of her becoming more and more inviting.

To the point where Mitsune wasn't sure which force was winning.

The silver fox drained the last of her bottle, before discarding it carelessly and rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Certainly the dullest thing in the room to look at, but it was better than what was sat atop her desk. Unwillingly the woman's eyes were dragged to it, and the pile of papers scattered randomly upon it's work surface. Paper and ink. What had initially seemed a source of freedom and endless possibility had now become her jailer and life sentence. That was irony, plain and simple.

Mitsune rolled her head away, deciding instead to stare at the opposite wall. The same old bottles on the same old shelf. For some reason the drunken girl had the burning desire to smash each and every one to pieces, a temptation only vanquished by the fact that it would require effort to do so. The drowsy figure instead resolved to lay on her side with her eyes closed, very conscious of the water they contained.

A sudden thought come into Mitsune's anxious mind. If she just lay here, how long would it be until someone actually came to find her? Sure, Shinobu might pop in to see if the bedclothes need washing, or maybe Haruka when she decided to call in one of her debts. But would anyone actually come to see…..her?

The fox was disturbed from her macabre thoughts as the sound of someone leaving the room next door and heading down the corridor. Suddenly short of breath she lay perfectly still until the sound of footsteps died away.

Right. Time for action.

Mitsune hurriedly stripped herself down to her undergarments, before pausing. Looking at her full-length mirror, through a haze of alcohol-fuelled depression, the girl couldn't help but sneer. Some fox she was becoming. Eyes dark-ringed, breasts not quite filling what they once amply occupied. Hips thinner than she was used to. All topped off by a pasty, sallow skin tone. After a long sigh, the sliver-haired girl shrugged. No point in agonising, time to make do with what was available. With barely a hesitation she slipped the rest of her clothing off, and wrapped a towel around her bare frame. Prepared, she opened her door carefully and slipped through, closing it behind her. Time for the silver fox to make another appearance.

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Keitaro swept his gaze across the hot springs, for once fully relaxed in it's steaming heat. For one, the usual 'MAN PRESENT' sign was hung in pride of place across it's entrance. For two, Naru was not present, which meant that Motoko was not a threat either – the swordswoman had no act to maintain. She knew he would be there – heck, she'd asked him to be there, and would not blindly over-react like she used to even if she did enter. And for three, given the two points above, he'd allowed himself to strip down to a pair of swimming shorts. Making the whole ordeal that much more comfortable.

Even so, it was very hot.

The kanrinin swept damp hair out of his eyes, watching a few idle flakes of snow flutter from the leaden sky through myopic eyes. He had fond memories of these springs in winter, though they were hazy as his vision. Some time during childhood he'd spent happy hours here, chasing snowflakes around and marvelling at the way they vanished the moment they hit the water. Sadly, most of the clearer memories these waters held were not so pleasant.

Realising he was daydreaming, Keitaro went back to scrubbing at the nearest rock until it gleamed. Giving it a last rub, he turned his attention to another target.

And stiffened abruptly as a familiar noise entered his ears. A second of silence, then another familiar sound...

"Kei-kuuuuun." A slurred female voice echoed across the still water, followed by splashing. The kanrinin had to stifle a groan. Who else would enter the baths intentionally when he was known to be in residence?

"Yes, Kitsune-san?" The splashing grew yet closer, before it abruptly stopped. From behind him he heard a sharp intake of breath, before a finger traced his bare back. Keitaro had to stifle a twitch – it wouldn't be a good idea to let the fox know he was ticklish.

"My oh my, they really did a number on ya, din' they?" As Mitsune drew another light finger across one of the numerous marks adorning his trunk, the kanrinin couldn't help but flinch with a tiny chuckle. The finger paused, and Keitaro could almost picture the sly smile creeping onto the silver-eyed face behind him. After a few seconds, the voice returned but centimetres from his ear. "Mmmmm, Kei-kun. You never told me that little titbit of information, did ya? I reckon yer about due some punishment for tha' omission….."

"Uh, Kitsun-aaaaaah!" The kanrinin's words ended in a girlish squeal as Kitsune unleashed her long fingers on the helpless prey before her. After two seconds 'punishment' Keitaro found himself unable to breathe, after twenty he knew that death was imminent. Coughing with laughter the man took several hurried steps forwards, trying to escape the fox's grasp.

"Awwww, don't want to play any more, Kei-kun?" The girl pursuing him cooed, clearly enjoying herself. As Keitaro heard her slowly sloshing towards him the dreadful anticipation of another bout of tickle torture forced him to spin around, arms coming up in defence.

"No, please Kitsune-san, don't……" Was as far as the brown-haired man got before his mouth became oddly dry. The light-headedness which was present thanks to the steamy heat suddenly intensified tenfold, and his eyes widened to the size of dustbin lids.

Despite himself Keitaro felt his gaze dragged up and down, across gentle curves and smooth skin until it met the waterline, where thankfully the hot liquid provided some degree of censorship. The level was not high enough, however, to conceal the fact that the fox was going au naturelle.

The facts caught up to the man in a rush. Mitsune was naked, as in stark naked, in the springs with him. Stood only eighteen inches away, and reducing the gap by the second.

"Hey Kei-kun, like what ya see?" The purring tone did nothing to ease the man's anxiety, or to be honest, his long-suppressed libido. "'Cause if you want it, it's all here for ya, just for a little favour……." In his entire life, far as he could remember, never had a woman willingly given herself to him for inspection. Maybe in dreams, but never in the flesh. And despite the wear of recent excesses, there was no doubt that the fox was quite attractive.

Normally, there was something like an override switch which sat dormant inside Keitaro's head. One marked 'NO!' that would flip whenever something involving a naked woman occurred. One that had saved his bacon more times than he could count. One that would automatically lead to panicked flight, or unconsciousness, and prevent any further chance of 'perversion'. But on this occasion, the combined pressure of long-suppressed urges, newfound freedom and a sultry lady mercilessly stalking him proved too much.

The switch fused.

"What do you want, Kitsune-chan?" Keitaro said in a husky voice he didn't know he possessed, allowing the woman to move into contact.

"Oh, nothing much sugar. Just a li'l loan ta tide me over. Heck, if you're good, I'll even let ya off that 'til next time……" Mitsune growled, pressing herself into the man in front of her. The fox didn't know where it came from, but it was like an itch she'd forgotten she had. One that burned somewhere indescribable, one she couldn't reach, but one she needed to cure.

And somehow, slowly crushing herself against Keitaro, she automatically knew how it would be satisfied.

"Mmmmm, Kitsune……" Feeling a bare thigh rubbing against his own, the brown-haired man let the last of his self control ebb away. "Whatever you want, I don't care……"

"I'm all yours, Kei-kun." The fox's eyes almost rolled back in her head as hungry hands slid tenderly across her moist skin, lips sensing Keitaro leaning in for a kiss……

"Wha-hey! Get the hell away from my Kei-kun, you hussy!" Kanako exploded into the springs dressed in a tiny towel, fury in her eyes. The pair sprang apart in shock, Keitaro ending up on his backside in the water whilst Mitsune clutched at her heart, sight slowly coming back into focus. As Kanako sloshed her furious way across the springs the other two stared at one another, shock making its presence felt at what had happened, what they almost did.

Keitaro blinked first.

"Ah, um……" For once an apology was not on the tip of his tongue, nor even in the back of his throat. He was struck dumb, plain and simple.

"Uh, yeah……" Mitsune murmured back, equally shocked. Reality began filtering back into the fox's mind, and she almost gagged. Not at the thought of what she was about to do, but at what the events of the last few minutes made her appear to be.

"I told you to get away from him!" Kanako pulled one arm back for a slap, one that jerked to a halt as her half-brother caught it.

"Leave her alone, Kanako-chan." The girl balked at the command, still beyond fuming.

"No! She's going to get what's coming to her!" She opened her free hand, planning to punish Mitsune no matter what. Firm fingers grasped it, and held it tightly.

"I. Said. No." Keitaro stated in a tone which left no room for disagreement. Kanako instantly deflated, unsure why her brother was holding her back but unwilling to disobey.

"Keitaro, I……" Mitsune trailed off, suddenly unable to meet the soft brown-eyed gaze the man rested upon her. It came as no surprise that the world rapidly became blurry to her, as she felt hot tears burning down her face.

"Kitsune-chan." The obvious care in Keitaro's voice proved too much for her to bear, and in an instant she fled the springs. Nearly knocking Shinobu over as she came in.

"Kitsune-san, are you-" The sound of a door slamming made asking the rest of the question irrelevant. Shinobu blinked violet eyes slowly, before deciding to carry on regardless. "Keitaro, I know you're in here, but do you mind if I-" And for the second time in seconds the question died unsaid on the young chef's lips as her gaze took in her Sempai stood topless behind his scantily clad sister, holding both of her arms securely in what looked like some bizarre ballet pose. "I'll come back if this is a bad time……"

"No, Shinobu. No need to go anywhere." Keitaro dropped the captive arms, and took a step away from his sister.

"What are you doing in here, dressed only in a towel, knowing my Keitaro-kun was busy washing the place?" Kanako demanded, hands on hips. A month ago, Shinobu would have fled, face red. Not now.

"I could ask the same. Only you seem to have left the towel behind and only brought a flannel." The younger girl bit back, assuming the same position.

"I'm his sister. I'm allowed."

"You're not here as his sister, you're here to try and seduce him!" Kanako and Keitaro were both caught by surprise as the purple-haired girl cut right to the chase.

"Well. Well!" Kanako could only stutter, casting glances at her brother. To deny it would seem to prove she was only his sister, nothing more. But to agree would, possibly, sound even worse.

"Besides, I'm not here to try and have my way with him. I'm here to talk." Shinobu concluded, voice dropping down a few notches, eyes shifting away to stare at a newly polished rock.

"Talk? Yeah, right." Kanako snorted derisively, looking over at Keitaro. Who, to her concern, seemed to be studying the violet haired girl carefully.

"Okay, Shinobu."

"Wha?" The brown-haired man turned to his sister, and sent her a pleading look.

"Would you be kind enough to give us some privacy?" Kanako huffed, but knew she couldn't disobey her oniisan. Instead she settled for petulantly splashing over towards the exit, and throwing the door open irritably. Nearly knocking Mutsumi over in the process.

"Ara, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something? The Okinawan placed a palm on her left cheek, looking concerned. A grumbling Kanako stormed past her, not even bothering to change, before leaving the room with stamping feet. Mutsumi blinked slowly at the retreating figure, before a look into the springs told her that she was too late to spend any quality time with the object of her affections.

"Mutsumi….." The gentle lady nodded slowly, her usual cheery smile present.

"I understand. I'll come back later." As the door slid shut, Shinobu looked at Keitaro in puzzlement as he took a deep breath. A moment's pause followed, then a shout echoed through the Hinata-sou.

"Anyone else?!"

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A red-faced Motoko Aoyama spun on her heel just outside the spring's entrance, deciding this was not the time to engage Keitaro in discussion about the benefits of meditation.

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Satisfied, Keitaro returned his attention to the girl in front of him, who was knelt in a style that probably went out with the feudal era.

"Yes, Shinobu?" The purple-haired chef's heart gave a little flutter as the man addressed her informally, giving herself added hope.

"Kei, I'd like to talk." Keitaro smiled.

"What about?" Shinobu peered up at him with a mixture of desperation and desire in her violet orbs, and the Kanrinin suddenly knew the subject before the girl's mouth opened.

"I'd like to talk about……us……"

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Please don't kill me. I didn't put in a real cliffie last chapter, felt like I needed to make up for it.

So how will it turn out? I have no idea myself, but when I find out I'll let you know!

'Til next time.

Nodoka Miyazawa