A/N: Not too much to say here except another heartfelt thank you for all the reviews and follows!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from or the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha anime, nor any other movie, actor, song, or character referenced or stated in this story.
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
by : ~Nissanity~
Chapter 8 – The Mother of Wisdom
~Day 6~
The front sidewalk of St. Hilde Academy of Magic was a sea of colorful galoshes and rain coats, contrasting brilliantly against the otherwise monochrome day. Fate pulled the vehicle up to the curb as far as she could to help Vivio avoid the puddles in the gutter when she got out of the car.
"Have a good day at school, sweetie," Nanoha said as she began to exit the vehicle. "And be careful not to slip and fall in the mud. Do you have your umbrella? What about your hat?"
Vivio and Fate shared an amused glance together outside of Nanoha's vision. "I have them, Mama. I'll be okay."
The three of them watched one of her classmates fall onto the soggy ground just inside the entrance of the school. Nanoha pointed out the window at him and gave her daughter a stern look. "I'm serious. Be careful out there."
"I will be," she replied and shut the car door. Fate waited until Vivio was safely inside the school grounds and out of their sight before pulling the car away from the curb.
"It must have rained all night," she mentioned.
"Seems like it. Did you bring the list for the grocery store?"
"Yep. I should be done in plenty of time so I can pick them up around noon."
Nanoha smiled and reached for her hand. "Are you excited to see your mother and Arf?"
"I am. Are you?"
"Um-hmm. So... does your mother know, by the way?"
Fate sent an amused look her way. "What, about us? I'm not sure I want my mother to know I'm sleeping with my best friend."
"No, not that! I meant about you liking women in general. I've never asked you before. I just assumed she knew."
"Oh, right. Yes, she knows. Actually, she's the one who brought it up to me first. She said she's known since I was a child."
Nanoha hummed as she thought about the video confession she sent the previous night herself. "I wish my mother had just known like that. It might have made things a lot easier."
"Did you get a response from her yet?"
"No. I wasn't really expecting one. Not this soon, at least."
Fate pulled the car into the parking lot of TSAB headquarters to drop Nanoha off. "Well, I really hadn't planned on telling my mother or Arf about us. It would be kind of awkward to try to explain it to them."
"I agree. So, I guess that puts us back as just friends for the time being?"
"If that's okay with you?"
"Yes, that's fine. It's only for a few days. Maybe we'll even get a chance to catch up on some sleep."
Fate nodded in agreement. "We have been staying up pretty late every night, haven't we?"
Nanoha opened her door once that car had stopped in front of the entrance. "But it was worth it. Alright, I'll call you when I'm ready to be picked up."
"Sounds good. I'll see you this afternoon."
Nanoha lingered a few moments longer than usual after their goodbye. She caught Fate by surprise when she unexpectedly leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss before getting out of the vehicle.
"Sorry. It's just that I wouldn't be able to do that for a few days," she said as she stood outside the car and looked back in.
"It's okay. I didn't mind," Fate replied and smiled at her genuinely. Nanoha shut the door and waved through the window before turning her attention to the automatic doors at the entrance. She heard Fate pull the car away from the curb behind her, hitting a few puddles with the tires on the way out of the parking lot.
Once she entered into the lobby, she found familiar burnt-orange hair amid the sea of people crossing in front of her. She walked directly towards the visitor, knowing that the person was most likely there to see her.
"Hello, Teana," she said as she neared her. Nanoha noticed she looked tired, and she had to guess that she hadn't slept at all the night before.
"Hi, Nanoha. I just wanted to - "
"Apologize? It's fine, really. What Ginga did to you wasn't the nicest thing, whether she was trying to help her sister out or not. I can't fault you completely for getting so upset when you were blind-sided like that."
Teana nodded seriously. "Okay. Thank you for understanding."
"Did you and Subaru work it out last night?"
Blue eyes brimmed with tears at the question and she shook her head. "No, we didn't. She got upset with me for jumping to conclusions with the pictures. She also said she couldn't forget what happened between us before. She said she doesn't want to get hurt again."
Nanoha put her hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. "Teana, you shouldn't be rushing into anything just because your emotions are running high right now. I've seen it get you into trouble too many times before. You need to decide first if you actually want to be with Subaru or not."
Teana swallowed hard and nodded again. Nanoha could tell she was trying her best not to cry. "Thank you for the advice, Nanoha. You're right, I really should think about this more. I don't want to end up hurting her again. Look... I really am sorry about the way I acted towards you last night."
"Thank you for apologizing, Teana. It means a lot to me. And I hope things work out the way they are supposed to between you two."
"Me, too. I'll see you later, Nanoha."
"Goodbye, Teana." Nanoha sighed as she watched Teana exit through the front lobby doors of headquarters and walk out into the parking lot. She made her journey to her office next and hoped she could get through the rest of her work day without having to deal with any more drama.
oOOOo
The airport was crowded that Friday afternoon as Fate waited by baggage claim for her guests. After checking the schedule, she found their ship had arrived on time and that they were currently being shuttled to her section of the airport.
"Fate! FATE!"
Orange hair bobbed up and down through the crowd of people. "Arf? Is that you?" Fate asked loudly and stood on her tippy toes.
"FAAATTTEEEE!" Arf yelled and then pounced. Fate nearly lost her balance as her familiar tackled her in an overwhelming hug. Her mother's teal-hair could be seen making a calmer journey towards them.
"Arf! How are you? I've missed you!" Fate asked happily.
Arf took a step back to fully assess her blond master. Her eyes quickly focused on her neck. "Whoa, who gave you that?!"
Fate's hand flew up to cover the mark and she immediately blushed. "Wait, you can see that?! I thought it was gone already!"
Lindy stepped through the crowd and embraced her daughter fully. "Hello, Fate. It's so good to see you again."
"It's good to see you, too. How was your trip?"
"It was pleasant. So, what were you saying about something being gone?"
"Oh, it was nothing."
Arf pointed at her neck. "Look, Lindy! Fate has a hickey."
Lindy leaned forward to inspect the spot closer. "Oh, my... She sure does. Care to tell us who the lucky girl is?"
Fate sighed loudly in response to how quickly her secret had been exposed. "How about we talk about in the car?" she said in resignation.
"Wonderful!" Lindy replied and turned towards the designated turnstile in baggage claim to wait for their luggage. The three chatted casually about the voyage from Earth and the upcoming conference starting on Monday. Fate learned they would be checking into their hotel Sunday night, and that the conference was regarding a new threat TSAB faced on an unadministrated world the next galaxy over.
It wasn't until they were in Nanoha's SUV and leaving the airport did they approach the subject of the mark on her neck again. Fate was struggling with whether she should disclose to them who exactly she was sleeping with or not.
"So...?" Arf ventured from the back seat. She tapped Fate playfully on the bruise while she drove.
"It's nothing serious. It's a completely casual thing."
Lindy looked back at Arf. "What does that mean exactly? Completely casual?"
"It means she and this girl aren't in a relationship. They're just having sex."
Fate could feel her face turning red again when she felt Lindy's amused eyes on her. "Well that sounds fun, Fate! You're still young. You'll have plenty of time to settle down later. So who is it? Ginga, maybe? You talk about her sometimes."
"I bet it's Ginga," Arf added in.
"No, it's not Ginga," Fate replied.
"Signum?" Lindy guessed next.
"What?!" Fate responded in shock and looked between her and Arf in a state of disbelief. "Why would you think it was her?"
"Well, you looked up to her for so long as a mentor. I thought maybe - ?"
"No, it's definitely not Signum." She finally gave up and decided to disclose the answer before they tried to name anyone else. "It's Nanoha," she admitted.
"Nano...ha...?" Lindy trailed off in surprise. Out of her peripheral vision, Fate could see her and Arf sharing a look that she couldn't decipher.
"What?"
Arf held her hands out in front of her. "I think we're just surprised that you would want to have something casual with her, that's all," she said cautiously.
Fate frowned at her in the rear view mirror. "But she's my best friend? I trust her with everything, including that."
"Well, as long as you two are happy with your arrangement, dear. That's all that matters," Lindy tried to assure her. She then pointed to an upcoming off-ramp from the freeway. "Exit here if you would, please?"
The downtown skyline soon loomed overhead as Lindy directed them into the middle of the city. "Where are we going?" Fate finally asked while they were stopped to let a few pedestrians pass in front of them at a busy intersection.
"Just one of my favorite places in Cranagan. You can park anywhere along the street." Lindy tapped Fate on the arm and pointed to a few empty parking spaces one street over. "And after we stop there, we can have some lunch together."
Fate could see Arf growing more excited in the backseat as they pulled into one of the parking spots nearby. By the time they were out of the SUV and walking along the sidewalk, she was nearly bouncing out of her shoes.
"Forbidden Fruit?" Fate read out loud as the three approached a small red and black building nestled between two larger ones. The sign outside was a painted apple with a large bite missing out of it. "What type of store is this?"
Lindy winked at her and held the front door open for them. "You'll see."
The moment Fate walked a few feet inside the store, she stopped in her tracks and looked around wildly. Although she had never been in an adult shop before, she recognized where she was immediately. She took a step back but Arf came right up behind her.
"Come on, Fate! We've got some shopping to do! "Fate felt two strong hands push her by the shoulders further into the store. Her heart pounded as she took in at all the toys and other accessories that lined the aisles.
"Why did you guys bring me here?!"
"Because we finally can!" Arf replied ecstatically. "And plus I need a few things."
Lindy smiled gently at her after grabbing an item from the shelf. "This store is better than most of the ones on Earth. I try to stop here at least once when I visit Mid-Childa."
"W-Well, what should I do?" Fate asked as she warily eyed the lubricant now resting in her mother's hand.
"Look around and see if there is anything you're interested in. Or Nanoha, for that matter."
"Okay..." Fate reluctantly walked away from them and scanned the aisle they were one. Once she was out of their eyesight, she ducked around a corner and retrieved Bardiche from her pocket. She pulled up her transmitter screen and summoned Raising Heart as fast as she could.
"Hey, what's up?" Nanoha greeted her happily.
"Shhh, Nanoha!" Fate warned in a hushed voice. She made a motion with her hand for her to be quiet.
Nanoha frowned at the gesture. "Fate-chan, where are you? Did you pick them up yet?"
"Yes. I'm at this place called Forbidden Fruit with them. Have you ever been here?"
"I haven't heard of it. What do they sell?"
Fate moved away from the camera so Nanoha could get a good view of the shelf behind her. Pink and purple strap-ons and their accessories filled her screen. Nanoha tried to block the sight of them with her body from anyone who might be passing behind her at work.
"Fate-chan... Are those what I think they are?"
"Yes! I'm at a sex shop with my mother, Nanoha!"
"Nyahaha! Why?!"
"Why do you think?!" Burgundy eyes nervously glanced over the top of the shelves. Fate found her mother and Arf now perusing the vibrator section a few rows over. "I should probably go before they catch me here. Um... I-Is there anything you want from here? I'm supposed to be looking for you, too."
Nanoha held her sides from laughing at Fate's flustered face on her screen. "I don't know," she gasped. She finally took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "Ahhh... Something pink, I guess."
"Okay, I'll try."
"Good luck, Fate-chan!" Nanoha's grinning face disappeared from in front of her. After pocketing Bardiche, Fate turned around and walked the few aisles over to join her mother and Arf again.
"What do you think, Fate?" Arf asked and held up two boxes in the air. "The dolphin or the teddy bear?"
"Well, the teddy bear is cuter - "
"Great! What color?"
"Um... pink?"
"Perfect!" She turned back to the shelf to retrieve a pink version of the bear and then handed her the box. "That one is my treat. Now, let's go pick out some more stuff for you guys!"
oOOOo
The front door of Fate's home felt like the entrance to a sanctuary after the afternoon she had endured. She helped carry her guests' suitcases in from the car and set them down in the bedroom for them. Lindy and Arf were giggling together again, although Fate wasn't sure what specifically had set them off in a tizzy this time.
After the shopping spree at the adult shop, the group stopped at a nearby cafe for lunch. No matter what they tried to discuss, the topic of conversation always seemed to revert back to the womens' sexual exploits. And the more the two women indulged in margaritas and mixed drinks, the more information they were willing to share with Fate.
"You are more than welcome to take a nap in our bedroom if you'd like?" Fate suggested.
Arf eyed her with playful suspicion. "Did you wash the sheets?"
"Yes, we washed the sheets!" she shouted and blushed for the countless time that afternoon. Lindy and Arf both burst into laughter again.
"We're kidding, sweetie!" her tipsy mother assured her. "But a nap does sound nice."
Bardiche chimed from inside Fate's pocket. She pulled up her transmitter screen and found Nanoha smiling at her. "Fate-chan, we finished training today so - "
"Hi, Nanoha! We're here!" Arf interrupted. She and Lindy crowded behind Fate and both waved at the screen.
"Hey guys! I was just telling Fate-chan that she can come and get me. We'll get Vivio from practice and then head home."
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Lindy said happily. "Arf and I are probably going to take a nap until you guys get here. We want to be fully charged for Vivio tonight."
"That's probably a really good idea. Fate-chan, are you free to come pick me up?"
"Yes! Absolutely. I'm on my way right now."
"Okay, see you soon."
Fate nearly ran to the front door to escape. "If you guys want to shower, there's towels in the cabinet under the vanity. Okay, bye!" She quickly exited and shut the door behind her before they could say anything else to tease her. Lindy and Arf could be heard laughing loudly again from inside the house moments later.
The trip to headquarters was relatively uneventful, minus the few times Fate caught herself speeding to get to her destination faster. She was still feeling anxious after the afternoon visit, and she couldn't help but think the experience would have been significantly less nerve-wracking if Nanoha been able to go as well. She immediately calmed down when she caught sight of her waiting outside the front entrance of headquarters.
"Thanks for picking me up so quickly," Nanoha said as she entered in on the passenger side.
Fate pulled them out of the parking lot at a significantly slower pace than when she had arrived. "It's no problem. I needed a break from them already."
Nanoha smiled and gave her a reassuring pat on the leg. "You can tell me what happened today, if you'd like?"
"No, it's alright. But my mother and Arf already know about us."
"How long did it take them to figure it out?"
"About fifteen minutes."
"That's actually longer than I thought you could hold out," Nanoha said and patted her again. She then glanced into the backseat. "Fate-chan, what's this?" she asked as she reached into the rear of the car.
"What's what?" Fate gasped when she caught sight of the tell-tale brown paper bag now coming to rest in her passenger's lap.
Nanoha pointed down at it. "Is this what I think it is?"
"I don't know. What do you think it is?"
"Well, I think I can take a good guess!" she laughed.
Fate watched her open the bag from the corner of her eye. "Y-You don't have to look at those now if you don't want to."
"It's fine, it's fine. The windows are tinted if there's anything too naughty in here. Oh look, it's a teddy bear!" Nanoha pulled out the box with the small pink vibrator inside. She turned it over and started reading the description on the back. "They say this one is the perfect size for your purse."
"I don't own a purse."
Nanoha proceeded to open the top of the box and pull out the contents. She carefully removed the tape from the edges of the plastic container and then held the bear up in front of her eyes. "Well, I definitely own a purse. And it's pink! So what do you do? I guess you turn the base here and - "
The vibrator unexpectedly powered on in Nanoha's hand. She screamed and fumbled with it a few times before it went sailing across the car, ended up in-between Fate's legs in the driver seat. "Oh shit, Nanoha! It tickles!" she shouted and squirmed wildly.
"Wait! Hang on!" Nanoha yelled back and attempted to find it in the seat. The SUV swerved a few times when Nanoha tried to reach her hand under and between Fate's thighs. Fate finally pulled the car over to the shoulder and placed the gearshift into park. She hurriedly unfastened her seatbelt and raised up so that the toy could be retrieved from under her. Nanoha tried to pick it up but it fell out of her hand again in her haste, landing in the gap between the driver's seat and the middle console.
Fate sat back down heavily and then slumped against the steering wheel. Nanoha looked remorsefully at the item still vibrating in the crevice. "I didn't realize it had batteries already," she mentioned.
"Yeah, they put some in at the checkout to test it." Fate joined Nanoha in looking between the seat and the console. "How are we going to get it out?"
"Let me see..." Nanoha pulled open the glove box and searched for something that could be useful in the situation. She eventually found a pair of throw-away chopsticks in a paper wrapper. After breaking them apart, she handed one of the sticks to Fate. "You get it under one of the arms with yours and I'll use this one."
"Alright, I'll go left." The two both stabbed at the toy with their chopsticks until they each had accomplished their half of the task. The vibrating hindered their ability to raise it up significantly, causing it to fall back down further into the crack. Eventually, they had it pulled it up enough out of the gap so Nanoha could grab it by one of its ears.
"Got it!" she announced proudly and then turned it off. Fate watched in amusement as she unzipped an inner side pocket in her purse and placed the vibrator inside.
"I think that should be a new rule - - No sex toys in the car," Fate suggested.
"Yes, for sure. That's a very smart rule."
Fate pulled them back out into traffic and they continued the journey to pick Vivio up from practice next. She was just about to turn on the radio when she heard the distinct sound of a paper bag rustling again.
Nanoha noticed Fate now staring at her like she had just caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. "What?! I can't not look, Fate-chan!" she said defensively.
"Okay, Nanoha. Just try to keep them on your side of the car, please."
"Hey, what's this?" Nanoha asked, already distracted by the contents of the bag again. She pulled out a tube of lubricant that Lindy had picked out for them. "Strawberry Paradise," she read out loud.
"Yeah. It's my mom's favorite, apparently."
"Hmmm... I really didn't need to know that." Nanoha turned the tube over to read the back. "This says it's edible. Well, we'll see about that."
Fate again watched from the corner of her eye as Nanoha put a few drops of the liquid on her index finger. She first smelled it and seemed satisfied that it indeed had the scent of strawberries. It wasn't until she had placed her fingertip in her mouth did she turn to Fate with an alarmed look.
"No good?" Fate asked.
Nanoha shook her head angrily and frowned, now afraid to swallow or even move her tongue in any way. She eventually got the courage to pull her finger out of her mouth carefully. She had to retrieve the water bottle from her purse and take a few sips to try to get the taste out of her mouth. Fate was surprised to see Nanoha then put another few drops of the liquid onto her next fingertip.
"I thought you hated the way it tasted?"
"I did. This is for you to try."
"Why would I want to try it? I can already tell it tastes terrible!"
"Fate-chan..." Nanoha warned slowly and added a pout for good measure. She held her finger in the air towards her and waited patiently.
Fate eventually sighed and opened up her mouth. Nanoha giggled when Fate bit on her finger lightly before licking the liquid off of it. She immediately scowled afterward and wished she hadn't agreed to the taste test.
"Blah! I bet that's what strawberry asbestos tastes like."
"Asbestos! How random," Nanoha laughed. She threw the bottle of lubricant back into the paper bag and began digging some more. There was movement in the seat that Fate had to ignore temporarily to concentrate on driving. After they had pulled up to a stoplight, she was able to look over at her again.
"What do you think?" Nanoha asked with a huge grin. She pointed to the spiked dog collar that was currently hanging around her neck.
"Oops! I think some of Arf's stuff got in there," Fate replied and looked into the bag as well.
"Oh, that's too bad," she pretended to sulk. The light turned green and they started driving again. "How about this? Is this better?" Nanoha then asked.
Fate glanced over again to find Nanoha now had a matching leather leash attached to the ring on the collar. She burst into laughter at the sight. "Is there anything else in there I should know about?"
"Well, I see something in here that you will definitely be using on me soon," Nanoha replied. She became consumed with curiosity while she studied the object in question near the bottom of the bag.
Fate knew exactly what she was talking about and was surprised at her candidness about it all. "How are you able to be so open about all of this, Nanoha?"
"Well, it's because I'm talking about it with you, Fate-chan. I wouldn't be like this with anyone else." Nanoha took off the leash and collar and put them away. The brown paper bag was then folded shut again and placed on the floorboard by her feet.
"I'm glad you feel that way about me. I do, too." Fate reached for her hand across the console just as she had done hundreds of times before in her life. Nanoha smiled and entwined their fingers together, something she had never done before.
"That's different," Fate mentioned and held up their hands between them.
"Um-hmm. But so are a lot of things between us."
"I guess so." Fate cleared her throat slightly once she had pulled them into the parking lot of Vivio's training facility. Her classmates were already filing out of the building before Fate even had a chance to place the car in park.
"I'm sure Vivio is excited to see Lindy and Arf," Nanoha mentioned as their daughter came running towards the car.
While Vivio was climbing into the backseat, Fate tried to pull her hand away from Nanoha's. She was surprised when Nanoha gripped it tighter so that she couldn't let go. She then felt her place her other hand on top of hers, as if to ensure her hand wasn't going anywhere.
As soon as her seatbelt was fastened, Vivio looked to the front and caught sight of her mothers holding hands. "Are you guys practicing again?" she said with a giggle.
Nanoha smiled at her and shook her head. She then turned to face Fate directly. "No, it's something I want to do with her for real," she informed them both.
oOOOo
"Grandma!" Vivio screamed after bursting through the front door of the house. She dropped her backpack on the floor and raced around the corner to find her grandmother waiting for her with open arms on the couch. Nanoha picked up her school bag while Fate made a covert trip to a nearby closet with the brown paper sack. She placed it on the top shelf, far out of Vivio's reach.
As the two parents made their way into the living room, they were surprised to see Arf currently in her puppy form. Vivio finished hugging Lindy and then made a path straight for the orange fuzzball. Arf was soon being carried around under her arms against Vivio's chest.
"Arf, you're in your puppy form today?" Nanoha asked.
"Hi, Nanoha! Yeah, I thought Vivio might enjoy it."
"I want to go play in my bedroom with Arf!" Vivio cried.
"Okay! I have a bunch of funny cat videos I want to show you," she replied while being carted out of the living room by the little girl.
"I'll go with them," Fate assured Nanoha and Lindy. She chased after the two down the hallway and into Vivio's bedroom.
Lindy stood up from the couch and embraced Nanoha affectionately. "It's so good to see you, Nanoha. You look just beautiful."
"Thank you, Lindy. You look like you're doing well. How are things?"
"Oh, they're fine. I'm so glad we could come visit you before this conference on Monday. We missed you all so much."
Nanoha turned towards the kitchen and indicated for Lindy to follow her. "And we missed you, too. I hope you don't mind, I'm going to start dinner while we catch up."
"Oh, I would love to help! Just point me in the right direction."
After a few brief instructions regarding what Nanoha had planned to make for dinner, the two women were soon side by side at the counter chopping vegetables and seasoning ingredients together. Nanoha smiled to herself as she recalled the times she spent next Lindy in the kitchen as a child, similar to how she was now. "This brings back some memories," she mentioned.
"It does. You spent quite a lot of time at our house after school. I've always considered you to be like a second daughter to me, you know?"
"Thank you. And you were like a second mother to me as well. Although I can't say I think of Fate-chan like a sister, honestly."
"I imagine you wouldn't, seeing the arrangement you two have going on right now."
Nanoha could feel herself blushing at the comment as she continued to prepare the food in front of her. "I found the bag in the car of the things she bought today. I imagine it was fun to take her there to that store."
Lindy nodded. "Um-hmm, it was. It's a subject Fate and I have never openly discussed before. She has always been a little reserved about certain issues, and I never wanted to push her or embarrass her too much. I'm pretty sure Arf and I still did that today, though."
"So she explained what was happening between us?"
"Yes, for the most part. She didn't get into details, of course." Lindy paused in her task and looked over at Nanoha seriously. "Fate says her new mission is scheduled to start in a week. Have you two discussed what will happen next? Will you continue this when she gets back, or is it just something you're doing this one time she's on leave?"
Nanoha stopped preparing the food in front of her completely and struggled to find the right answer to the question. It was not something she and Fate had discussed yet, and she had been too caught up in their time together to really stop and think about the long-term implications.
"I-I don't know," Nanoha finally admitted. "We haven't really talked about it. I guess we should figure it out soon."
"I only bring it up because you have to be clear about expectations in these types of situations. That way no one is taken by surprise."
"You're right. We'll make a decision together before she leaves again. I wouldn't want to feel like I was holding her back if there was something else she wanted to do."
Lindy hummed thoughtfully. "And what about your feelings, Nanoha? Could you handle seeing her with someone else after all this?"
The question felt like an unexpected dagger in the pit of Nanoha's stomach. She took a deep breath and tried to find the most rational answer she could without letting her emotions overwhelm her like they had previously done. "What Fate-chan wants for herself is the most important thing. It doesn't matter what I can or can't handle. I'm not going to force her to do something she doesn't want to do."
"That sounds very mature and practical. But then again, you could also remind her that she can still be with you when she gets back?"
"Be with me...?"
Lindy noted that Nanoha now seemed completely lost in her own thoughts after the statement. She decided it best not to press the issue any further. She pushed the vegetables off of her cutting board and into the casserole dish instead to change the subject. "I'm all done with the vegetables, Nanoha. What else can I do to help you?"
oOOOo
Fate looked away from the movie the family was currently watching and found Vivio fast asleep in her grandmother's lap on the couch. Lindy smiled at her and silently stood up with her cradled in her arms.
"Do you need help putting her to bed?" Fate asked quietly and stood up as well.
"No, Arf and I can handle it. We'll probably head to bed ourselves afterward."
"You guys have a good night. Let us know if you need anything," Nanoha added. She began collecting the various dessert plates and tea cups from the coffee table to take to the kitchen. Fate began setting up the air mattress while Lindy and Arf headed towards the rear of the house to put Vivio to bed.
"Vivio gave them a run for their money earlier," Fate mentioned once Nanoha had returned to the living room.
"She did. I bet they are completely exhausted."
Nanoha helped Fate lay the blanket over the top of the mattress and then placed their two pillows at the top. "Good thing we changed into our pajamas when we did. I'm pretty worn out myself."
"Well, it's not exactly our bed but it should be comfortable enough," Fate replied as she turned out the light above them. She crawled into her side first and then balanced herself on the wobbly bed so Nanoha could enter in beside her.
"I'm sure it will be fine." Nanoha nestled into the covers at first, but her eyes soon popped open again and she looked down at the gap between them. "Fate-chan, am I sliding closer to you?"
Even with just the moonlight filtering in through the window, Fate could clearly see Nanoha already lying much closer to her. "It's possible. Does it feel like we're sinking?"
Nanoha sighed. "There must be a hole in the mattress."
"That's impossible. I double-checked it and everything yesterday." Fate sat up and listened intently for any leaks. Sure enough, she soon heard air escaping from beside her. She followed the sound and discovered a tiny hole near the top of her side of the bed.
"So now what?" Nanoha asked.
"Maybe it won't be so bad if there is just one of us? I'll sleep on the couch and you can have this."
Fate stood up and took her pillow and one of the extra blankets resting beside the mattress. Shins and feet were the soon only thing Fate could see after she made the short journey across the living room. The rest of Nanoha's body was already being swallowed by the mattress. "How is it, Nanoha?"
"It's okay, I guess," her muffled voice replied.
Fate smiled in amusement and adjusted her pillow against the armrest. After laying down, she closed her eyes briefly and tried to settle in to the cushions. She reopened them when she sensed Nanoha hovering beside her a few moments later. "It was no good?" she ventured.
Nanoha shook her head and eyed the couch. "Um-um."
"Alright, come on," Fate said and lifted up the blanket. Nanoha crawled underneath it and laid off to one side, although half of her body was still resting against Fate's. Nanoha snuggled into her as the blanket was dropped back down on the both of them. "Is that better?" Fate asked.
"Yes, much better," she replied and rested her head fully on Fate's shoulder.
"This actually feels more comfortable than the mattress, I think."
Gentle fingers casually trailed along Fate's opposite shoulder and down her arm. "Fate-chan, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"You would tell me if you wanted to stop what we have going on, right?"
Fate looked down at her in slight apprehension. "Of course I would. But that's not something I want. Is that something you want?"
Nanoha's hand found Fate's and she entwined their fingers like she had done earlier. "Not at all. I just want you to know that you could tell me if you thought we shouldn't be doing this anymore."
"Okay, I'll remember that."
"Hey, Fate-chan...?"
"Hmmm?"
Nanoha raised up on her elbow to face her directly. "Can we break the rules for a few minutes?"
Fate glanced over at the darkened hallway and then back at the earnest eyes hovering closely above her. "I don't know if we should be doing that in here, Nanoha."
"Geez, Fate-chan. Not that," Nanoha sulked. "I'm not that bad."
"Oh," Fate replied and then smiled up at her. "Well, I wouldn't say no to it."
Nanoha brought her lips down to first brush against Fate's lightly. The kiss started slow and gentle like it had so many times before between them, but it soon ignited a new set of unfamiliar emotions in Nanoha. Something changed inside her completely the second she felt Fate's hands slide into her hair to deepen the connection between them. She found herself having to steady her body that now was shaking uncontrollably the longer their interaction lasted. The experience left her mind completely clouded and she knew she couldn't sustain their embrace much longer. She finally pulled away and clung to the woman beneath her like a lifeline instead.
"Nanoha, are you okay? What's wrong?"
Nanoha buried her head in her shoulder again. She listened to Fate's breath come and go beside her ear. "It's nothing. I'm fine," she lied quietly.
"Why don't we get some sleep? It's been a long week."
"Okay," she whispered in return. She managed to push away her thoughts and emotions temporarily, promising herself she could dwell on them later once she could think clearly again.
Fate placed a gentle kiss against Nanoha's forehead and held her closer in her arms. "Goodnight, Nanoha."
"Goodnight, Fate-chan..."
A/N: See you soon! ~Nissanity~