Duran-kun and Kiyo-chan's Omake Theater

(featuring the Kuga-Fujino family pets napping in the room while the story happens)

"I'm home!" Shizuru Fujino called out as she closed the door behind her. The stylishly dressed college student slipped out of her shoes, donned her house slippers, and strolled into the living room, where she was greeted with a positively domestic scene. Her girlfriend Natsuki was seated on a cushion at the low table, books and papers spread out as she worked on her weekend homework. Her dog Duran was curled up against her hip, left-hand gun barrel arranged just so as not to poke into her side, while Shizuru's hydra Kiyohime was curled up on her purple sheep pillow. Her third head was snoring lightly, a faint whistling noise echoing from its nose.

Shizuru let out a long, happy sigh. There had been a time in her life, and not that long ago at that, when she would have viewed this simple domesticity as being utterly impossible. That her love for Natsuki was impossible to reciprocate; that the social pressures involved would lead inevitably to misery, whether from suffering in silence or from revealing herself to face a shocked and disgusted reaction.

Instead, they had a relationship, a shared lease on a nice house, and pets.

Shizuru was definitely a person who did not overlook the small pleasures in life, the joys of home and family...and the candy bar Natsuki was popping into her mouth.

"I don't know if Newton or Liebnitz has a better claim on inventing calculus, but whichever one it was, somebody should have shot them," Natsuki groused. "Oh, hi, Shizuru. How was your seminar?"

"Well, it was a bit dull, but as it did not move me to want to murder the progenitors of political science, I do not think I have a right to complain."

"I suppose the math homework isn't that bad," Natsuki allowed, a truly gracious gesture. "I'm just feeling crabby since I'm in Hour Three of this and I started with the literature essay so I've already had to face up to the worst I have to deal with, but it's left me already worn out to face the easier stuff. Hence the sweets; with luck they'll sweeten my mood." She broke off and popped another piece of candy bar into her mouth and munched.

"Are those matcha creme Kit-Kats?" Shizuru asked, spotting the green color.

"Uh-huh."

Those were, perhaps not surprisingly, her favorite. Perhaps she was stereotyping herself, given her love of traditional Japanese tea, but her taste buds were apparently not interested in defying expectations. She strolled over to the table and leaned over, hands folded behind her back.

"And would Natsuki be willing to share a bit of her sweetness with me?"

The pose probably would have been more effective if she hadn't been wearing a cream-colored turtleneck cashmere pullover. But then, perhaps not; Natsuki was not the sort to let Shizuru's feminine charms tempt her into anything other than bed. It seemed, however, that the whole question was irrelevant, since after taking a second to swallow Natsuki answered right away.

"Sure. I figured you'd want some, so I got extras." She gestured at the open bag of candy.

Shizuru sighed.

"What?"

"While I appreciate the thoughtfulness of you thinking of me, you stole all the fun of cajoling a treat out of you," she said with a pout.

"Idiot," Natsuki groaned. "That makes no sense."

"But of course it does," Shizuru said. She reached out and tipped Natsuki's chin up with a fingertip, which placed her mouth conveniently close to hers. She therefore leaned forward just a bit more and kissed Natsuki, not a quick peck but something soft and lingering. Nor did she leave it at that, but proceeded to deepen the kiss, urging Natsuki's lips open beneath her own and sliding her tongue inside for a long, searching exploration.

When she broke the kiss at last, Natsuki was looking faintly flushed and her eyes weren't quite focused. Shizuru smirked (there was no other word) down at her.

"Haven't you ever heard that the sweetest prize is the one you have to work for?"

It didn't stop her from grabbing a Kit-Kat for herself, but she had to admit that Natsuki's expression was a far sweeter treat.

Especially when Natsuki didn't let her actually get a chance to eat the candy bar until an hour later.

~X X X~

A/N: Matcha (either the regular or dark varieties) is the best flavor of Kit-Kat by far and it is exceedingly fortunate for this author that imports are readily available. And also that my very own Natsuki, Tarma Hartley, is the kind of sweetie who after 22 years of marriage and counting, still buys them for me for Valentine's Day! (...Which made this story completely hilarious, because I wrote it two months in advance of the holiday.)