I apologize for the wait...for some reason reading break doesn't allow me to catch up but does quite the opposite. But I'm back on track now.
Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! I enjoy every single one, they kept me thinking about the story instead of forgetting which tends to happen sometimes.
I hope you enjoy this chapter! And if there is anything you would like to see happen, please let me know any and all ideas a accepted with open arms!
Natsuki was speechless, Shizuru had found out and she was angry. Her head fell forward her hair obscuring her face. She didn't want to see the anger. She knew she deserved it, but she wished that Shizuru didn't hate her.
Natuski reached forward hoping to take her hand. The dark harried girl wanted to convey how sorry she was. Natuski's hand brushed against the taller woman's. Shizuru stiffened and pulled her hands back, clutching them to her chest.
The smaller woman stared at the shape she knew to be shizuru, the shadows for once were not moving but they were still ever present. "Please…Please don't hate me" Natsuki chocked out.
She heard whimpers coming from Shizuru, the sound tore at her heart. And knowing she was the cause only added to her distress.
Natsuki stood, and pulled the taller woman into a hug. She held her as tightly as possible, Shizuru's head bowed to rest against her shoulder. She felt tentative hands slowly reach around her clutching on to her.
-h-
Shizuru broke down, tears falling for the loss of her mother. The one person who would love her unconditionally, the one person who never judged her, she had lost her, to Natsuki, the girl she had helped, the girl who caused her to feel something she'd never felt before. And having the dark haired girls hands wrapped around her only caused her to cry harder, she was so confused…She should hate her, she should throw her out. But she couldn't, seeing the pain in her eyes only added to the feeling of sadness, she didn't want to see Natsuki so upset.
She held tighter to the smaller woman, holding on for dear life.
She began to calm down; her gasping became quiet tears before it stopped completely. Shizuru continued to hold onto Natsuki, not wanting to let go of the smaller woman ever.
Shizuru could not hate someone so sweet; Shizuru remembered what she had said that night. She remembers that Natsuki had said there were always consequences; Shizuru could only wonder what she meant.
-h-
Retio was standing in a large room, the sound of dripping water echoing. He saw a small figure moving toward him, bright red hair cut short flying at him in a rush.
Nao came to a violent stop, she bowed quickly before standing. Her lime green eyes glaring at him.
"What do you have to report Nao?" He asked smoothly.
"Natuski has been cast out!" She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in excitement.
Reito felt the shock; he smoothed his features before smiling again. "She has…? What wonderful news, I wonder what she has done." He mulls over, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
Nao smirked "the rumour is she didn't take a soul. I can only image what is happening now…the shadows must be kil-"
"Enough Nao, no need to speculate. Now is our time to make a move. I need you to find her, and then bring her to me. I will prepare for the ritual," Reito said, before turning and walking away.
Nao stood watching him go, her eyes crinkling as she smiled in glee. The sacrifice didn't need to be in top shape during the ritual...she was going to enjoy bringing her oh so perfect Natsuki back.
-h-
Natsuki sat in Shizuru's office; the woman brought her along to her work. Natsuki was now wearing a pair of to long of jeans, a baggy shirt and jacket, with a pair of black sneakers. Shizuru had told her she would get her cloths after she finished work today.
The sun was shining brightly; it shined in through the large windows in Shizuru's office. Natsuki sat on the couch, she hadn't moved since Shizuru left for meeting forty minuets earlier.
Natsuki wasn't sure how to feel, the tawny haired woman seemed to have forgiven her. She cried on her shoulder then had just stopped. Just stepping back, and placed a small kiss on the smaller woman's cheek before walking away.
Natsuki glanced around again; the light was pushing out the shadows. She could make out the large office, the desk by the window. Some pictures hanging on the wall.
She stood up, she wondered around the desk, looking at the photo of a young Shizuru and her mother. Natsuki felt her stomach clench, the caring eyes of the woman stared back at her. She wished that there were some way she could have saved both, if only she could go back and change time.
-h-
Shizuru left the meeting as quickly as possible, she hadn't been paying much attention to what they had been proposing. Her mind had remained on Natsuki.
The tall woman's feet clicking against the ground as she walked back to her office. She could see the people staring at her; people had always been a bit obsessed with her. She knew they were attracted by her appearance, but no one had spent time talking to her.
She saw her door up ahead. Striding over to it, she quickly stepped inside. Natsuki was leaning over her desk, her face scrunched up staring at a photo. Shizuru couldn't help the smile that spread across her face she's so cute!
Natsuki didn't seem to realize Shizuru had come back. Shizuru quietly placed her papers down on the coffee table and walked around her desk. Natsuki still hadn't seemed to realize she was there.
Shizuru now standing completely behind her, she leaned forward bringing her hands around her waist and she leaned in and whispered, "What are you doing?"
The tawny haired woman couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her when she felt the young woman jump in her arms.
"Sh-shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed. She attempted to twist her body around, trying to see the other woman.
Shizru just held her in place. Placing her chin on the smaller woman's shoulder she hummed in response. She felt Natsuki relax in her embrace.
"What have you found so interesting that you didn't hear me come in?" She asked quietly.
She felt the dark haired girl lean back into her embrace; one pale hand came to rest over top of hers.
"Nothing…I-I was just looking at your desk…it's very organized." She said quickly.
"Oh? Just may desk? You weren't trying to hack into my computer and steel some top secret information were you?" She said attempting to sound worried.
Natsuki pulled out of her arms turning fully. In her haste her foot caught and she tripped over the chair and fell into shizuru her face landing against the taller woman's chest.
Shizuru stifled the laugh, she watched Natsuki stand quickly face completely red. "Is that your way of trying to seduce me out of more information?" she teased again.
"N-No Shizuru! I would never! I-I wasn't stealing! I would never steal from you! Or Seduce you, I wasn't seducing you!" She exclaimed hands flailing around. "I wouldn't hack you! Never, your computer wouldn't be hacked, that would wreck it! I would never destroy something by hacking at it!" Natsuki continued to ramble.
Shizuru couldn't' contain the laughter that was building up, she doubled over. She felt small hands being placed on her shoulders. "Shizuru I'm sorry, please don't cry. I don't want you to cry!" The dark haired girl said.
"Natsuki doesn't want to seduce me...? Do you not think I'm pretty?" She said, her voice wavering by the silent laughter.
There was silence before she heard girl speak again "What! No-shizuru-No I think you are very pretty. I do want to seduce you...but I wasn't trying! It was and accident, please forgive me!" She stuttered out, in a panic.
Standing back up straight she looked at the girl, the redness of her cheeks making her look adorable. She chuckled, attempting to reign in her laughter, before breaking down again.
The taller woman saw the exact moment when Natsuki realized she was laughing. Her eyes went from panicked to realization.
"You-You were teasing me!" She exclaimed.
"Yes, but you are so cute when you are panicked, I couldn't help myself." She said between chuckles of laughter.
The blush came back full force; Shizuru took pity on the girl. She stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. "I look forward to when you do decide to seduce me though. And I know you wouldn't steal from me, though I didn't mean hacking as hitting something. I meant it as in virtually breaking into my computer." She said lovingly…She couldn't help but adore the small woman in her arms; she made Shizuru feel so complete.
Something about Natsuki made her feel cared for, protected, safe. There was nothing else she could want. The warmth that was exuded from her felt like it enveloped her completely. Smiling she rested her head on top of the dark hair, breathing in deeply enjoying the smell of Natsuki's hair.
Shizuru felt Natsuki shift slightly before she heard the quiet words "Virtually…?"