~*~

Chapter Nineteen: Don't Be My Hero-Girl

~*~

Katyusha felt warm. Warmer than usual, at least. She loved Kiku's house and the fact that they were all roommates now was spectacular. But this warmth was a little different. It was more intimate. Her eyes opened and she looked around like a newborn that had just opened their eyes to the world. There were arms around her. Long sleeves covered those arms, and a blue blouse and jeans covered her. And she hadn't gotten totally hammered… so…

The person behind her stirred and Kat immediately remembered her kiss with Nat at midnight.

"Morning, Natalia," Katyusha said, shifting so that the two girls were face to face on Kat's bed.

"Morning, Katyusha… what's with using our full first names?" Natalia asked.

"No reason… how did you sleep?"

"Better than I ever have…" the white-blonde replied after a few moments of thought.

Katyusha simply smiled and kissed her on the side of her mouth. Natalia's heart fluttered happily in her chest, and she was forced to close her eyes against the gentle touch of her friend. When she opened her eyes again, Katyusha was smiling at her.

"You could have just told me, you know," she said.

Natalia blushed lightly at the comment, "I know. I thought… you would reject me and things would get weird…"

"Well thank heavens for Francis, hm?" Kat asked.

"Yes… I'll call him," Natalia said, stretching so she could get up.

Kat stopped her by wrapping her arms around the other woman and pulling her into her body. "I'm still sleepy, Nat," she whined cutely.

Natalia chuckled at put her arms around the other and put her nose into Kat's short hair. "You know, this is nice…"

"I'm glad," Kat replied chuckling.

Natalia seemed to remember when they were kids how, even in middle and high school, they used to sleep like this. After Katyusha had been dumped by boyfriends, or if Natalia got a bad grade on a test, they could just have a sleepover on a Friday or Saturday night and cuddle like this. They were best friends, so what could being this intimate hurt? Now… now…

"I love you, Katyusha…" Natalia whispered, mostly into the other woman's hair.

Katyusha smiled, eyes closed as she snuggled closer, "I love you too…"

They were silent for a minute or two as they both just breathed, safe in each other's arms.

"So… Francis should know about us, at least," Kat said after a while.

"Yes… everyone should know about us," Natalia said, looking down at her, "You're not embarrassed about us, are you?"

"Oh no! No, no, no! I was just… We should… We shouldn't tell Ivan…" Katyusha said.

Natalia was put off by this statement: Ivan should be fine with them, right? Or he could at least understand. Even if he knew, Natalia could take care of herself and him if he tried anything…

"I just don't want you to get hurt because of him, Nat…" Katyusha added.

Natalia blinked. She could… had Katyusha been blind all these years? She could handle the brute when he got into his fits! She was stronger than any of the others when dealing with Ivan! "Kat… I appreciate the thought, but… I've been through what you have, and I know how to deal with him…"

"I know… but it's different now… I… I want you to be my lover. But we grew up in a conservative family and… you've seen Ivan in his fits. This could get you hurt this time…" Katyusha replied.

Natalia got up from the bed and sat at the end of the bed, "That's… sweet. But I always thought I was your hero…"

"You are… but now it's my turn…" Kat replied, pushing herself up on to her elbows. She yanked at Nat's shirt, "Are you mad?"

"A little, yes!" Nat shouted, putting her head into her hands.

"I'm sorry! I just don't want to tell Ivan! He's delicate, and this might put him on the edge! Tell me you don't want to tell him, Natalia," Katyusha retorted, sitting up with her knees tucked under her torso.

Natalia put her head up and looked across the room at a picture of Cupid and Psyche as children. She shook her head after a minute, closing her eyes. "No… but I have a feeling we should. He's your brother, for God's sake!" she said, finally looking back at the other girl.

Katyusha nodded, "Yes… but I don't want to right now. Let's see how our relationship goes before we tell him…" Katyusha reason, putting her arms arounf the white-blonde and putting her forehead on her shoulder.

Natalia sighed, "All right…" she reasoned, nodding. She stared back at the painting for a minute before grabbing her phone off the bedside table. "I'm calling Francis to thank him…"

"All right…" Katyusha said, her forehead still on her shoulder.

Nat found Francis's number in her Contacts and pressed for the phone to dial. After letting it ring, she thought it would go to voicemail before a woman picked up. "Allo?" she asked, her accent thick.

"Ah… Bonjour, madam… is Francis home?"

"Who is this?" the woman asked.

"Uhh… Natalia Arlovskaya. I'm a friend of Francis. Who is this?"

"I am Sesel. I work for Mr. Bonnefoy. He's busy right now. He has a… friend over…"

"Oh… who?" Nosy Natalia asked.

"A Mr. Arthur Kirkland…" Sesel replied, clearly bored out of her mind.

Katyusha, who had pressed her ear against the phone so that they could both hear what. They stared at each other for a moment before Sesel spoke again, "Would you like to leave a message for the master?" she asked.

"No… we'll call back later…" Natalia said, and, without saying goodbye, snapped the phone shut.

Kat and Nat stared at each other, wide-eyed, until Nat spoke, "Well… I guess we weren't the only couple that got together last night…" she said, looking down at her phone once more and grinning like the hyenas in The Lion King.

~*~

Yeah... Sesel is Seychelles, by the way. Her family has been employed by the Bonnefoys forever. So ha. Natalia and Katyusha are finally together and, what's this? What is Arthur doing over at Francis's house? Oh my, my, you'll find out soon. -winks-

Sorry for the delay. I went to Nii-sama's house (France), and then I was stuck with writer's block when I returned. But now I give you another chapter of CdH!

Please review!

Adieu!