Fever Days
As with my previous story (stories) Tenderness, I haven't read the
manga, so please have patience with any and all OOC behaviour.
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It started as a fairly ordinary day at Mahora, meaning there was a
certain level of chaos and mayhem present to begin with, but not so much
as to overly concern the three inhabitants of a certain dorm room and
their sword-carrying guest. Of course one should bear in mind that
whenever things started happening in the area, one or several of the
people in that room tended to be involved, one way or another.
The group was going to have dinner together before going off on their
own things, that day having been the last school day and the long,
gloriously free weekend stretching out before them. Asuna helped Negi
clear the table of his recent experiments while Setsuna devotedly
shadowed Konoka's footsteps, carrying and lifting and everything else
she could think of to aid the smiling brunette that was preparing dinner
for all of them. Asuna kicked a certain annoying ermine out from
underfoot, and soon three students, one child teacher, and one
bedraggled ermine sat down to eat with much complimenting of their
talented chef.
"...and in the end I promised Iincho that I would bring Negi over so she
could spend a little time with him today. I figure as long as I'm with
them to make sure she's not doing anything weird it'll be ok." Asuna
finished relaying a story to Konoka as dinner was coming to an end, the
others listening as well. "And you and Setsuna are going on another
date, I gather?"
The young warrior that had previously peacefully been eating her food in
companionable silence suddenly shot to her feet, blushing furiously at
Asuna's description of the planned shopping trip with Setsuna's adored
ojousama. Setsuna opened her mouth to voice a protest...
"Yes we are!" Konoka exclaimed cheerfully, apparently either taking no
notice or just having no objection to Asuna assuming that she was dating
her childhood friend and protector. "Secchan and I are going to...
Secchan? Secchan, what's wrong?"
...Setsuna, in sheer surprise, inhaled a piece of food that lodged
itself in her throat. The raven-haired girl coughed and wheezed,
desperately trying to get some air without success.
"Secchan!" "Setsuna!" Asuna and Konoka ran to the wheezing girl's aid,
Asuna immediately giving the girl a good pounding on the back. "Negi!
Get a glass of water!" The frightened boy scurried away at once to obey,
and even the ermine bounced around, worried for the now purple-faced
girl.
Negi slammed down the glass of water on the edge of the desk at about
the same time that Asuna, through a particularly resoundingly good
whack, got the offending morsel unstuck and Setsuna sagging over the
edge of the desk, greedily sucking air down her lungs.
Konoka, worried about her warrior, hovered close to Setsuna, patting her
hair and back gently. "Secchan? Are you alright?" Without waiting for an
answer Konoka simply pulled the girl leaning over the desk to her, her
head into Konoka's chest. She lightly kissed the top of the raven head
and murmured her name.
Once more crimson in colour Setsuna bounced away, eyes wide and somewhat
frantic. To Konoka's confused and questioning gaze she croaked weakly
"Water!" and just barely turning grabbed a glass off the desk behind
her.
"NO SETSUNA-NEESAN...." The ermine shouted and Negi looked as if he was
about to do the same. "NOT THAT ONE!"
Having swallowed the entire glass in one huge gulp Setsuna turned
towards the protesting voices with a confused look. Then she blinked a
little, and went pale.
"What?" Asuna sounded irritated as she glared at the ermine. "What's
wrong this time?"
Setsuna dropped the glass in her suddenly numb hand. "I feel strange..."
"Secchan?" Konoka reached for her precious friend again, steadying her
as Setsuna's knees turned wobbly.
"Setsuna-san just drank one of my experiments..." Negi said with wide,
worried eyes, causing Asuna to spin around and stare at the stricken
Setsuna with horror. Negi's experiments never boded well for anyone.
Chamo scuttled over to the dropped glass and sniffed it with an expert
air. "Aa, this is trouble... aniki, she drank the Cupido Primus
concentrate!" To Asuna and Konoka's uncomprehending looks he continued
"It is the distilled form of the most important ingredient used for love
potions of all kinds."
"It can be used for other things too!" Negi hurried to explain, having
been already threatened within an inch of his young life should he ever
mess around with love potions at the dorms again.
"L-love p-potion...?" Asuna whimpered, slightly panicky, as she was
helping Setsuna to get her bearings. As the black-haired girl turned to
look at her Asuna blushed darkly and mustered up a wavy kind of smile.
"Err, Setsuna...?"
"Thank you Asuna." Setsuna said politely, straightening herself but
blinking as if trying to clear her mind. Her lack of reaction to Asuna
had the redhead glance over at her youngest roommate with a questioning
look.
Negi shrugged, he didn't know either why Setsuna did not react to Asuna.
"Setsuna-san, are you feeling alright?"
Setsuna focused on her child-teacher and gave a brief, apologetic smile.
"I am just feeling a bit strange, and somewhat off-balance."
"Maybe you had better sit down, Secchan." Konoka spoke up from behind
Setsuna, hands already coming up to Setsuna's shoulders to gently nudge
her to take a seat.
The black-haired warrior froze. Her eyes grew wide as saucers and she
started to tremble visibly all over. "O-ojousama?"
Konoka started to move up beside Setsuna, wanting to see her face as
they spoke, but a trembling arm stopped her.
"Ojousama..." Setsuna's voice was terribly strained, the girl obviously
struggling greatly with herself. "You need to... take Yuunagi... and
run!" The warrior panted slightly. "Now!"
The others in the room looked at one another in confusion, not quite
getting what Setsuna was trying to say. Konoka touched one of Setsuna's
arms as she spoke up. "Secchan, what do you..."
"Now, ojou- !" Setsuna turned to face Konoka, but the very instant the
young warrior's eyes fell upon the brown-haired heiress a kind of
transformation took place. Already pale, Setsuna's face grew white, and
the pupils in her eyes dilated until her eyes were black as pitch and
void of reflection. Her lips were still parted from where her words cut
off, and a small strangled sound managed to escape them.
Konoka tried to speak again, slightly scared for her Secchan, but she
never got that far.
The next thing she knew she was pressed tightly against the slender but
strong body of her protector while hungry, insatiable lips were
devouring her own. A shocked gasp escaped her lips, unintentionally
giving way for a hot, electric tongue to caress her own.
Instinctively Konoka reached for something to hold on to, her mind going
absolutely blank.
"OH MY GOD!" Asuna cried in shock and, after a moment, rushed over to
try and pry the black-haired girl away from her floundering roommate.
Without so much as breaking the heated kissing Setsuna flung Asuna
across the room, stunning the redhead ever so briefly. "Negi! Do
something!"
Quickly unlocking his powers Negi muttered something and tapped Setsuna
lightly on the shoulder with the edge of his staff. Instantly the girl
grew limp, causing the unprepared Konoka to slide down to the floor with
her while Asuna came up to them, rubbing an arm absently.
On the floor Konoka lay, stunned into near immobility underneath her
unconscious warrior, staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes. Ever so
slowly her hand came up to touch slightly wet and kiss-bruised lips.
"Wow..." She whispered softly, too softly for her friends to hear.
---
After the stunned friends recovered enough to pick up the prone Setsuna
and put her in Konoka's bed while trying to figure things out before the
girl would wake up, an argument started between Asuna, Chamo and Negi.
Or rather the redheaded girl, upset and worried about her friends,
argued at the other two while they offered weak excuses in hopes of
placating her.
Konoka did not interfere with the conversation, most of her attention on
the still sleeping figure in her bed, and the thoughts spinning around
since said girl had pulled the rug out from under their ‘safe' affection
rather effectively albeit unintentionally.
"I don't know, Asuna-san... I've never heard of anyone drinking a whole
bottle of concentrated Cupido Primus before." Negi was explaining. "I
don't know what we can expect."
"We'll have to keep an eye on her until you find a cure or this potion
thing runs through her system." Asuna frowned, not liking it one bit
that her shy friend would have to suffer through this predicament. "At
least we know she doesn't react to me or you, Negi."
"Yes..." Negi was leafing through some papers while Chamo was doing
something or other at his computer. "I wonder why that is?"
Asuna snorted and rolled her eyes. "Why? I can think of two reasons...
one of which is that in my case love potions don't work to begin with,
and in your case, well, Setsuna doesn't like boys. The other, well..."
Asuna hesitated and tried to ask in a low voice, not realizing that she
had already gotten Konoka's attention. "what happens to someone if they
drink that Cup O Domus when they're already in love with someone?"
"Cupido Primus, Asuna-san." Negi corrected automatically while looking
thoughtfully towards the sleeping girl. "Do you think that..."
"Yes. I do." Asuna interrupted curtly, discreetly gesturing to Negi not
to voice more of that thought out loud. "What about, you know, her not
being entirely human? Will that affect things?"
It was Chamo that answered. "It might, but since we don't know what to
expect to begin with..." Everyone looked at the black-haired girl with
varying degrees of concern and wariness. "Aniki and I will search until
we find a cure, you and Konoka-jouchan just make sure to keep her calm
and out of sight while we do."
On the bed Setsuna stirred, groaning softly as she fought her way to
consciousness again. Immediately Asuna dashed over and made Konoka -
whom had been about to sit down and reach out to her Secchan - step back
a ways while she and Negi nervously stood closest to the bed.
"S-setsuna-san?" Negi asked carefully, a bit worried that the
black-haired warrior would be upset with him for several reasons.
"...what happened?" Setsuna groggily, rubbing her forehead and blinking
up at the ceiling. "I feel so..."
"Are you ok Secchan?" Konoka asked anxiously, having walked up until she
was right behind Asuna. "Do you hurt anywhMMMmmmMMmmphh!"
Again, this time with Konoka flat on the floor with her very eager
Secchan pinning her down with toe-curling kisses. The brunette found
herself quite unwilling to offer up any resistance to her friend's
ardour this time.
"Oh no you don't!" Asuna said, bounding back from where Setsuna had
shoved her away in her haste to get to Konoka, and tackled the
black-haired girl into a roll. "Konoka, get into the bathroom and lock
the door!" A pause in which she struggled with the considerably stronger
Setsuna. "NOW Konoka!"
"Negi, give me a hand here!"
As Konoka reluctantly obeyed, Negi aided Asuna in her attempt to subdue
the amorous warrior. After a flash of Negi's power a considerably calmer
Setsuna knelt of the floor with a black blindfold and her hands tied
behind her back.
"Setsuna!" Asuna's voice was a bit louder than strictly necessary, as if
the sheer voice volume alone would make Setsuna able to understand her.
"You have swallowed a love-potion and you are out of control, we have to
keep you from... err, hurting anyone... until we get a cure! Do you
understand?"
A terse nod, and then the struggling girl managed to rasp a few strained
sentences. "Tie... up, lock in... my room. Leave Yuunagi... with...
ojousama..." She gasped as if she had just done something hugely
straining physically. "Getting... stronger! Ojousama... must leave...
ojousama..." Setsuna's words turned into a small, almost growling cry.
"Secchan!" As if Konoka had pulled a string attached to Setsuna's head,
the dark-haired girl's head spun towards the bathroom and she attempted
to get to her feet.
"YOU STAY THERE AND BE QUIET, KONOKA!" Asuna shouted and sat on Setsuna,
trying to keep her down as the other girl struggled. "Negi, we have to
do something!"
Quickly gathering his staff and Setsuna's sword Negi mumbled something,
and while the stricken warrior was dazed from the effects he and Asuna
grabbed the girl and hurried off towards Setsuna's own dorm room.
Clearly, if they were to have any hope at all to keep Setsuna calm, she
would have to not be able to hear or see Konoka.
Once at the right place another sleeping spell was invoked, and Asuna
got Setsuna situated on her bed, removing the bindings around her hands
though she left the blindfold on after some hesitation. The sword was
hidden away under the bed, and a quickly scribbled note stuck to the
inside of the door, then they locked the door around the girl. The
sleeping spell was going to last for several hours at least, so it was
safe enough to leave Setsuna there unsupervised for a while, they would
be back long before the she woke up anyway.
They failed to take in account the half-demon warrior girl's stamina and
her dedication.
Roughly two fairly unproductive hours later Konoka, the girl desperately
wanting to see her Secchan but having been scolded enough times by Asuna
when voicing this to know to restrain herself, was heading out for
refreshments for the little research team back in her room. She did not
get further than the first few steps in the staircase.
A pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around her and picked her up, the
sheer safety and belonging Konoka instantly felt telling her whom they
belonged to even before she rested in Setsuna's arms facing her
raven-haired protector.
When Setsuna this time leaned in to take possession of Konoka's lips,
Konoka responded eagerly, arms flung tightly around the dark-haired
girl's neck. Deep, hungry kisses that made Konoka's heart race and her
head spin, all in the strong, alluring sweetness that was her Secchan...
With a deafening crash a girl coming down the stairs opposite Konoka and
Setsuna stumbled over her own feet and threw the impossibly large stack
of books she had been carrying like a mass of leather-bound projectiles
down the hallway. Setsuna did not break the kiss as she deftly spun away
with Konoka in her arms, however Konoka did, turning her head towards
the unfortunate noise-maker.
"Honya-chan! Did you hurt yourseeEEeeecchan, oooohh!" The concerned
question turned into a loud moan as Setsuna, denied Konoka's lips, found
places along Konoka's neck in need of devouring. Konoka bit her lip and
arched her neck to give Setsuna better access.
There was another slamming noise, this time from a door, and the sound
of someone running. "What the freaking...!" Asuna's voice registered
with Konoka, and she briefly glanced in the redhead's direction. "Can't
you be left alone for five minutes?!"
Attaching herself to Setsuna's back, Asuna smacked her in the head with
one of Nodoka's books. "BAD SETSUNA! Let Konoka go!" She smacked her a
few more times, causing them to stagger. "Bad bad Setsuna!"
The furiously blushing Nodoka was quickly sworn to secrecy, and together
with Negi they managed to get the out-of-control swordswoman to go back
to her room by having a reluctant Konoka dashing ahead of them and
calling for her Secchan. As they reached the room in question it became
readily apparent why it was such a bad idea to leave Yuunagi in the room
with Setsuna; the warrior had simply shredded the door.
Negi quickly fixed the door, and Nodoka was given Setsuna's precious
blade for safe-keeping, but actually getting the warrior to stay in the
room while also getting Konoka out of it was a difficult task. On the
plus side Setsuna appeared not to care less about what anyone else in
her surroundings were up to, as long as she had Konoka in her arms, or
in that specific instance, pushed up on Setsuna's desk. On the downside
whatever reason Setsuna had still held was swiftly vanishing, making any
attempt at removing Konoka from her be met with increasing levels of
threat and violence.
It did not help much that Konoka also seemed somewhat reluctant to let
go of her Secchan, but in the chaos that ensued Asuna decided to take
that up with her roommate later.
Finally, not seeing any other alternative at hand, and Negi's own
strength waning with worry and fatigue, he hit Setsuna with a much
stronger version of the sleeper spell. The protesting Konoka was
banished from the room while Negi and Asuna tied the black-haired girl's
arms and feet to the bed, feeling bad about it but not sure what else
could be done. Asuna tried to make Setsuna a bit more comfortable, and
muttered an apology for the treatment before they left the room.
The door was sealed with a spell on the lock as well as just being
locked, making sure that if somehow Setsuna woke up and even more
unlikely got out of her fetters to try to force the lock, Negi would be
alerted.
Tired to the bone and, at least in Asuna's case, aching from various
bruises, they made their way back to their own room where the still
rather fruitless search for a way to cure their friend carried on until
late into the night.
---
The group frantically searching for a way to help their friend stayed up
very late that night, stopping only when Asuna noticed that Negi was
about to topple over from being half-asleep, at which point she made
sure everyone got to bed whether they wanted to or not. After such a
long and exhausting day they were all, except Konoka who stayed awake a
while longer with her thoughts and her worries, out like lights almost
as soon as their heads hit their pillows. Once sleep got them it was
unusually deep, so deep in fact that when a figure opened the door and
walked in on quiet feet, not one of them so much as stirred.
Konoka stirred slowly to a state of being semi-awake when someone
climbed into her bed with her and a warm body was pulled tight against
her own. Even in sleep Konoka knew her Secchan, and so she relaxed again
and snuggled up to her precious protector, feeling safe and at peace as
the other girl merely held her gently and buried her face in Konoka's
hair.
They lay like that for a long time, Konoka drifting along in her
half-sleeping state blissfully, until finally something called for her
to slowly clear the grasp of her dreams.
"Secchan?" She whispered and shifted so she could look at the face of
the girl holding her so lovingly. Setsuna was resting but clearly not
sleeping, eyes shining in the dark along with the small gleam of teeth
in her smile. "Secchan, what are...?"
She was of course answered by a deep, passionate kiss, and swiftly found
herself loosing interest in conversation when she instead could eagerly
give Setsuna's tongue the attention it deserved. Not interrupted for
once, Konoka arched in pleasure as Setsuna's talented hands found
sensitive skin and uncharted territory among soft, inviting curves.
Asuna growled silently as she woke, her body protesting that it was much
too early even for her. Blinking the redhead tried to figure out why she
was awake, checking the little boy snoring slightly by her side first,
then checking her alarm clock just in case. Nope, neither of them were
the culprit.
There was a sound, and Asuna cocked her head, concentrating to figure
out what it was.
*Hmm, that sounds like Konoka's voice, moaning... and that sounds like
kissing... hey wait a minute...*
"Oh Secchan, yes! Right there!" The gasped words made Asuna's eyes go
wide and a certain heat instantly transfer to the tip of her ears.
*Ohmyfriggingod!*
She threw herself towards the edge of her bed so fast she nearly fell
over, leaning past the sleeping Negi to glare down into the lower bunk
to confirm her suspicions. It took a moment to make them out properly
due to the dark, but all too soon it was clear to Asuna.
*Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!*
Setsuna's face and hands disappeared into Konoka's open pyjama shirt,
though doing what Asuna's mind shied away from. Konoka herself seemed
far from unwilling about the whole thing, her head thrown back with the
kind of expression on her face that Asuna never ever wanted to see on
her friend and would spend a long time erasing from her memory, and
Konoka's hands were firmly entangled in Setsuna's hair holding her
close.
None too elegantly Asuna tumbled to the floor, yelling. "OK THAT'S IT!
BREAK IT UP YOU TWO!" She stumbled over to hit the lights, earning a
startled yelp from Negi and not a twitch from the two girls. "DON'T MAKE
ME GET THE HOSE AND TURN IT ON YOU!"
When her words had no effect, Asuna - wincing inwardly - charged the
couple to wrestle the black-haired girl off the bed with her. Negi
peeked over the edge of the upper bed and, squealing at an impressively
high pitch, ducked back under his cover, stuttering out the key to
unlock his powers. Setsuna fell unconscious mid-trampling Asuna, sagging
to the floor, boneless.
"We'd better hope that spell of yours isn't giving her brain damage, all
the times you've used it on her lately." Asuna grunted as she rolled
Setsuna over. Glancing over at Konoka who was getting out of bed to join
them Asuna blushed. "Erm, Konoka? Could you, you know, maybe button that
up?"
Konoka complied absently, her attention on her Secchan as usual. A
horrified look crossed on her usually so sunny features, and Konoka
grabbed one of Setsuna's hands ever so carefully. "Oh Secchan... Asuna,
look at her hands! What has she done to herself?"
The paleness of the slender wrists were marred by dark, angry red welts
and several scabbing wounds.
"Aw no..." Asuna made a soft hissing sound of sympathy. "She must have
torn her wrists up to get out of the shackles." She took Setsuna's other
hand and frowned in worry. "You crazy girl."
Tenderly Konoka lifted first one wrist to her lips and then the one
Asuna held, carefully placing a soft, lingering kiss on the wounds that
shimmered under her touch and receded, leaving not a mark in their
place. A tear found its way down Konoka's cheek, and then she pulled
Setsuna into her arms, the dark head in a protective embrace against her
chest.
"...this is just... wrong." Asuna muttered, trying to hide tears in her
own eyes at seeing her precious friends like this. "We've got to fix
this!"
Negi patted her shoulder, having gotten down to join them. "We will. I
will ask Nodoka-san and Yue-san to come with me to the Library tomorrow
while Chamo-kun keeps checking his computer... one of us has to find
something that helps."
Asuna nodded. "I'll keep watch over Setsuna, if you can help me come up
with a way to keep her in her room, and Konoka..." She glanced over at
the brunette that was rocking Setsuna gently and stroking the black
hair. "Konoka will have to be somewhere else, far away from Setsuna."
A while later they had managed to get Setsuna to her own room,
discovering this time that she had forgone the door completely - thus
not alerting Negi's spell - and instead gotten out through a window.
Asuna realized to her consternation that they had all completely
forgotten about Setsuna's wings, and remedied the situation this time,
making sure Setsuna would not make her escape through them again.
Feeling extremely guilty Asuna and Negi also removed the shattered and
bloody remains of the things they had used to restrain Setsuna with,
this time only putting the girl to bed comfortably and in no way
attempting to tie her down. Other potentially dangerous things were
removed from easy access, and finally one of Setsuna's chairs were
pulled outside the door. Asuna sat herself down on it as Negi sealed the
locked door again, settling in for a sleepless night of keeping watch
over her friend from the hallway.
Konoka wanted to stay, to keep watch along with Asuna, but with joint
efforts she was persuaded otherwise. Asuna had to promise to alert
Konoka of any change of the situation, and also sneakily appeal to the
other girl's caretaker instincts regarding Negi to get her to leave, but
it was safer that way she figured. Before Konoka left though Asuna had
something to ask.
"Konoka? Why do you, err, I mean..." Asuna blushed and fidgeted. "Why
don't you... resist when she... uhh..." She trailed off, hoping her
friend understood what she was trying to ask anyway.
And Konoka did. She blushed slightly, looking away for a moment. When
she met Asuna's gaze again, Asuna was a bit startled by the intense and
knowing look in the other girl's eyes. "When you are kissed like that
sometime, Asuna, you'll know... that resisting is the last thing on your
mind."
---
Night passed and morning came, Negi setting out towards Library Island
as promised while Konoka tried to occupy herself with whatever she could
think of. It wasn't much as she was feeling rather depressed, and
finally she gave up on lingering in the dorm room and made her way over
to the cafeteria for lunch, knowing several of her classmates were going
to be there.
Getting her lunch Konoka decided that she would get another double of
everything to go and have someone deliver it to Asuna, as Konoka was
concerned that Asuna and Setsuna would go hungry. She was just going to
go set her tray down next to some friends and return to place her order
when she vaguely noticed a commotion coming closer.
Her tray was thrown away and chairs overturned, people stumbling as they
hurried to get out of the way, but all Konoka registered was that she
was suddenly pressed up against the cafeteria wall, in plain view of any
number of shocked and blushing girls, being absolutely kissed senseless
by her dark warrior.
Thinking briefly that she felt much better now that Secchan was in her
arms, Konoka quickly forgot everything else and responded eagerly,
moaning into Setsuna's kiss. A warm hand slid up the back of a bare
thigh, and Konoka willingly lifted said leg to wrap over Setsuna's hip
in order to give better access to the rounded part of her anatomy
eagerly squeezed by her Secchan.
The shocked silence of the room bearing unexpected witness to this
heated make-out session made the loud slamming of Asuna crashing a few
chairs into a table as she skidded to a stop reverberate like a shot
from a cannon. Panting the redhead grabbed hold of a nearby fruit bowl
and started throwing apples at the moaning couple.
"GET... OFF!" Asuna gasped for air and succeeded to get Setsuna to
release Konoka's lips long enough to look in her direction. Seizing the
opportunity Asuna hurled herself in another tackle, getting Setsuna away
from Konoka but also succeeding in sending Konoka stumbling into a bunch
of their classmates. Setsuna got to her feet a heartbeat before Asuna
did, and aimed for Konoka.
"Oh no you don't!" Asuna growled, tripping Setsuna whom instead of
falling turned herself around and started running. "Hey!" Asuna set off
after her at a breakneck speed.
Ayaka, having caught the stumbling Konoka together with Chizuru, gave a
start at the disappearing Asuna, protesting with a frown. "HEY! Why are
you interfering with their relationship anyway? Asuna!" With no answer
from the redhead the scowling Iincho ran after them, gaining a few
giggling followers on the way.
Chizuru got help from Haruna in trying to get the slightly wobbly Konoka
back on her feet, intending to ask her what in the world was going on.
The brown-haired girl just looked at them unseeing with heavy-lidded
eyes and wet her slightly swollen lips, clearly not in a state of mind
to answer any kind of question just yet.
"Wow." Chizuru said softly, admiration in her voice.
"Yeah..." Haruna added, looking stunned. "It's always the quiet ones."
---
The mad chase came to an end outside, around the back of the building,
when the long string of girls giving chase - though not all of them
intentionally - with Asuna at the lead chased Setsuna right past
Tatsumiya Mana. Observing the chase Mana calmly grabbed Asuna as she
tried to race past, demanding an explanation without actually uttering a
word.
"Setsuna... spell..." Asuna gasped, getting out of the taller girl's
grip. "Need to... catch."
Mana let the redhead go and with a smooth yet impossibly swift motion
brought up a gun from wherever she managed to hide those. A single shot,
and down Setsuna went like a puppet with her strings cut.
"Oh my god, you shot her!" Asuna cried in disbelief and raced over to
the fallen girl. Mana merely shrugged as if to say, of course, and took
care of her gun as she walked over to her combat partner. Some of the
other girls caught up as well, Ayaka grabbing hold of Asuna to shake her
weakly while wheezing for breath. "You..." Gasp. "...lunatic!" Cough.
With a strangely guilty and desperate expression Asuna threw up her
hands and raced through a quick explanation of the situation.
"...andwehavetorestrainheruntilwefindacureyousawwhatshedoeswhenevershegetsloseand..."
As Ayaka struggled with whether or not to be mollified by the
explanation, not to mention just breathing for the moment, Mana checked
the fallen Setsuna's pulse and then hefted her up on one shoulder.
"...sothat'swhywedidn'tcometoyouyesterda... Hey! Where are you going
with her?" Asuna realized that Mana had walked off with her friend only
once the tall markswoman had managed nearly to the corner of the
building.
Mana glanced at her over the shoulder that wasn't currently occupied.
"...Evangeline."
Asuna blinked. And blinked again. "Of course!" She smacked herself in
the head for her stupidity. Why hadn't they thought of that? "Keep an
eye on Setsuna please, I'll get Negi and the others and meet up with you
there!"
---
Evangeline was... not amused. Honestly, there was a limit for how far
stupidity could go and retain some entertainment value, before it just
became annoyance.
She smacked Negi in the back of the head, hard.
"HEY!" Asuna protested, grabbing Negi somewhat protectively and scowling
at the petite vampire. Evangeline remained unimpressed, as ever.
"He had it coming." She snorted. "How many times must I tell you magic
is not a toy or something you fool around with? And how many times will
someone around you accidentally have to take the brunt of your failed
experiments before you wise up and do as I've told you, and perform your
experiments somewhere only you have access to?" Evangeline crossed her
arms over her chest as she chastised the guilty-looking Negi.
An eyebrow twitched and she turned away from him, not able to look at
his sad expression anymore. "If you can't find a better place you'll
just have to come here for your work." Just so that no-one would
mistakenly think that she had gotten soft she added with a sneer. "Who
stores Cupido Primus in a regular glass standing in the open, anyway?
You've got no sense at all, boy."
"And you!" She rounded on Asuna and Konoka, of whom Asuna gulped but
Konoka was oblivious, tending to her fallen warrior as she was. "You
should have come to me right away! Honestly, I thought you knew better
than this."
Finally having vented enough Evangeline turned her attention away from
the sheepish redheads and back to the pale girl lying on Evangeline's
couch. "You just keep getting yourself in these situations, kid..." She
muttered softly, absently patting Setsuna's head as she concentrated,
eyes glowing slightly, on something invisible to mere human eyes.
She clucked softly under her breath. "Poor kid..."
"Can you help her, Eva-chan? Please?" Konoka pleaded, eyes trusting and
sincere to the point they made the imperious vampire look away and cough
slightly to cover up getting embarrassed by the Konoe heiress.
"Yes, of course." A slightly evil look crossed her child-like features
briefly. "We'll just have to... burn it out of her system, and
everything will be fine."
Those present breathed a sigh of relief, then Asuna started, eyes wide.
"Wait... how exactly are we going to do that?"
The evil smirk widened. "How do ya think, airhead? How do people usually
get rid of that kind of... urge?" She laughed at the suddenly furiously
blushing and horrified faces turned her way. "I'll explain that to you
more in detail if you want, but the boy would have to leave the room
first."
Glancing at the blushing brunette that was holding onto a pale hand
seemingly without noticing it herself, Evangeline grinned and turned
toward Mana. "So are you up to the job, Tatsumiya? Think of it as a
life-saving assignment if you want, because she sure isn't going to be
able to take much more of this."
"WHAT? NO!" Konoka gasped and pulled the sleeping girl into her arms
possessively. "No, you can't!"
At Evangeline's smile and raised eyebrow Konoka blushed further and
stuttered. "Secchan is... that is... we are... she..." That eyebrow
hiked up higher, causing Konoka to get a bit frantic. "Secchan is my
Secchan and we belong together! I can't let anyone else... I won't!"
There were tears in Konoka's eyes.
"Oho?" Evangeline leaned towards Konoka and gave her a particularly evil
look. "Does that mean that you are volunteering?"
"YES!" Konoka's blush deepened drastically, to levels previously only
seen on her fair-skinned companion. "I-I-I w-will do it!"
Evangeline's smile gentled and she put a hand on the teary-eyed girl's
head in a for her unusually soothing gesture. "Relax, calm down... I
didn't say that was the only way to cure her, did I? So don't worry."
She gave Konoka an intense look that revealed as few other things could
that despite her appearance Evangeline was a very old creature with an
understanding of the world and human nature that these children would
never have. "But remember this, these feelings you have right now and
the decision you made. Remember it well."
"Now step aside." Waving the rattled girl aside Evangeline placed
herself by Setsuna's side and chanted the key to unleash her power.
Another chanted sentence and blue flames erupted from Setsuna's body,
the eldritch fire roaring high to the sound of Evangeline's strangely
echoing voice while Setsuna's body shook and bucked as if electrocuted.
Asuna had to hold Konoka back as the procedure continued for a long time
until finally the flames died out and Evangeline closed her eyes and
exhaled deeply. She waved the girls away as they darted forward to check
the still sleeping girl, needing space to repeat her previous
eye-glowing inspection. Finally she nodded, apparently satisfied, and
moved aside to let Konoka and Asuna fuss over the girl.
"She'll be fine," Evangeline assured them as she sank down into her
settee. "she'll sleep for a long time, probably, and she'll be a bit
weak for a few days, but that's it." A low chuckle and a look in Mana's
direction. "She might smart a bit from where that stun bullet hit her,
though."
"Setsuna will forgive me." Mana sounded calm and unlike Konoka and Asuna
she was not fussing over her prone friend, but her eyes were scanning
Setsuna's form over and over, making sure all was well in her own way. A
brief, uncharacteristic moment of hesitation followed. "Although...
perhaps Konoka-ojousama would be kind enough to..."
Konoka nodded instantly and pressed her lips to Setsuna's surprisingly
chastely considering recent events, concentrating on letting her power
flow into her precious one for a moment.
"You really shouldn't be doing that left and right until you've learned
a bit more control over your powers, you know." Evangeline said softly,
trying not to sound too critical or for that matter too tired. "But I'll
approve of it in this case." She waved her hand nonchalantly.
"Chachamaru."
"Yes Master." The artificial girl was by her master's side instantly,
head tilted in polite enquiry as she awaited her orders.
"Help them get Sakurazaki back to the dorms, then come home and make me
some tea." As Chachamaru complied, effortlessly lifting Setsuna and
heading for the door with Konoka and the others scurrying to bow deeply
to Evangeline in thanks before hurrying after them, Evangeline leaned
back into her chair.
"Thank you so much Eva-chan!" "Thank you Evangeline-san!" "Thanks,
fang-girl!"
Evangeline glared briefly at Asuna's far too insolent way of thanking
her, but ignored it... for now... to instead give Konoka some last piece
of advice. "You might want to keep an eye on her for a couple of days,
to make sure she doesn't strain herself before she's recovered."
Another round of bows and thanks and then the guests disappeared as
quickly and suddenly as they had showed up, leaving Evangeline to sigh
tiredly and close her eyes.
"Accursed... curse." She muttered peevishly, making herself more
comfortable in the soft cushions. "Getting worn out doing just any
little thing, it's pathetic." A nap would be nice, yes that was a very
good idea, as long as the children didn't see her needing a nap from
that little exertion. Evangeline let herself relax... she would rest for
a little while, just until Chachamaru had made her tea...
---
At the dorms Konoka vetoed the notion of putting Setsuna in her own dorm
room, instead convincing Chachamaru - who didn't care either way as
Master had not specified and both locale had suitable resting space for
her temporary charge - to carry Setsuna over to the room shared by
Konoka, Asuna and Negi. Asuna did not exactly protest, but she did eye
Konoka with some curiosity until they were at the room and Chachamaru
gently disposed of her burden and bid a polite goodbye before striding
off towards a distant tea kettle.
"So..." Asuna began carefully, watching her friend begin to unbutton the
unconscious girl's clothes. "You had Chachamaru put Setsuna in your
bed."
"Yes?" Konoka didn't quite get what Asuna was trying to say, and anyway
who would have thought the clasps and buttons on the school uniform were
quite so tricky from the outside? "I need to keep her close so I can
take care of her, Asuna."
"Right, right, of course." Asuna muttered, lending a hand to the clothes
issue. "I was just wondering, well, where will you sleep?"
"Here, of course." Pointing at the bed. "Where else would I be
sleeping?"
"Err... you're going to sleep with Setsuna?" Even after all that's
happened? Asuna muttered under her breath, but managed to keep quiet
enough that Konoka did not hear her.
"Well... yes." Big brown eyes blinked at Asuna. "We can fit if we
squeeze in a little. You sleep with Negi-kun just fine."
"That's... not what I... meant..." Asuna decided to give up, and just
added a warning in a playful tone of voice. "Fine! But I don't want to
wake up to any funny stuff going on in here again, okay?"
To Asuna's surprise Konoka's shoulders sagged in response to the joke.
Worried about her friend Asuna forgot about the shirt she had just
helped remove and turned to try to catch Konoka's eyes. "Hey... what's
wrong?"
"I-I... don't think you need to worry about that anymore, Asuna." Apart
from the quiver on the beginning of the sentence Konoka sounded almost
cheerful like usual and she was wearing a sunny smile, but somehow
looking at her Asuna got the impression that this cheerful mask was
terribly strained, and that there were tears in dark brown eyes.
"Secchan is cured now, so she won't... she... isn't..."
Konoka trailed off a bit painfully and Asuna couldn't help but to pull
her friend in for a hug. "Gosh Konoka, I'm sorry... I never realized you
really liked Setsuna like that." She murmured, feeling sorry for her
friend now that she knew. Yes she had known Konoka loved her childhood
friend dearly, but somehow it hadn't occurred to Asuna that it might be
in the romantic sense of the word.
Konoka opened her mouth to say something in reply, but whatever it was
it got cut off as the door opened and Mana and Negi came in, Mana
carrying an armload of items brought from Setsuna's room and Negi with
food and drink from the cafeteria. It had gotten rather late while
everything was happening, and none of them had actually had the
opportunity to eat.
Mana looked at the still embracing girls with a strange expression,
frowning slightly. A few quick steps into the room and suddenly Mana
squeezed herself down between Konoka and Asuna, making Asuna all but
roll sideways to get out of the way. Then for some reason Asuna found
herself being handed the rest of Setsuna's belongings while Mana kept
the set of pyjamas she was asked to bring.
"Allow me to help, Konoka-ojousama." Mana said, swiftly stripping what
was left of Setsuna's clothing while the dumbfounded Asuna gaped at her
and Konoka merely blinked. "I have done this before."
The last statement did not sit well with Konoka, not well at all.
Suddenly brown eyes narrowed dangerously at the taller girl that was
preoccupied bunching up the pyjama shirt in her hands, a decidedly
jealous gleam darkening them. "Oh? What do you mean, Tatsumiya-san?"
Mana looked a bit surprised at the question. "Not even a warrior as
skilled as Setsuna can escape injury in battle all the time,
Konoka-ojousama."
Konoka had the decency to blush and look apologetic at the reply. "I...
I thank you, Tatsumiya-san. I am glad you have been there for Secchan
all this while."
"She has done the same for me."
And so the apologetic mood was short-lived, replaced again by a strange,
dark look that was so unfamiliar to Konoka's usually so sweet and gentle
features. "You mean... she has seen you naked and you have seen her?"
Mana considered the question, not having quite thought of it in that
context before. "...yes. That is true." She shrugged and pulled up a
pyjama leg. "A wounded warrior can't afford to cling to maidenly
modesty... and we are friends."
The brunette that tenderly tucked the blanket around Setsuna once Mana
was finished with her dressing said nothing more on the subject, but the
expression on her face - except for when looking directly at her Secchan
- grew even more strange.
"You've been acting really weird lately, Konoka..." Asuna whispered to
herself, shaking her head at her friend but choosing not to confront her
with it. She knew Konoka was hurting because of her feelings for
Setsuna, so it was probably that which made some things seem strange
about her friend, besides Asuna didn't want to upset her further.
"Thank you for all your help, Mana-san... really." Asuna said as the
tall gunslinger stood, briefly brushing off her pants. "Where are you
off to now?"
"I am going out on patrol, since it will take longer without Setsuna
joining me." Guessing at what Asuna and Negi were about to say she
forestalled them. "I will ask if Chachamaru might join me in case I need
backup, but I am fairly confident that I will do fine on my own." She
looked at Asuna oddly. "And you, Asuna-san?"
*This one and that one*, Asuna thought, *everyone is acting weird
tonight.* Out loud she said "Oh Negi and I are heading over to Ayaka
now, I promised earlier we'd fill her in and kind of make up for
standing her up yesterday."
"But Asuna-san, our food..." Negi protested, looking towards the
kitchen.
"We'll eat with Ayaka tonight, don't worry." Asuna gave him a light push
towards the door before turning towards Konoka. "Will you be alright by
yourself though? Make sure you eat and get some rest, if Eva-chan is
right Setsuna won't wake up today anyway so you might as well."
Konoka nodded and saw the others to the door, assuring them that she and
Setsuna would be alright on their own.
"Summon me at any sign of trouble, Konoka-ojousama."
"If you need us to come home sooner, just give a call to Ayaka's phone,
okay?"
"Are you sure you will be alright on your own?"
The last part was a concerned question from Negi, and she smiled to the
boy and ruffled his hair a little. "I'm sure Negi-kun, Asuna. See you
later. And Tatsumiya-san, I will if there's any kind of trouble."
Finally they all left, and with a sigh Konoka walked back to the bed and
lay down, carefully holding her Secchan and watching over her. She
smoothed black hair away from those delicate features several times
before finally giving in and laying her head down on a slender shoulder,
listening to the steady beat of Setsuna's heart underneath her ear,
lulling Konoka to sleep.
---
The next time Konoka opened her eyes it was already night and the room
thrown into darkness, suggesting that her roommates were already home
and sleeping in the bed above her. Carefully and reluctantly she freed
herself from the warm body she had been snuggled up with and got out of
bed, torn between the need to lay down again and cuddle with Secchan and
the need to change into her pyjamas and brush her teeth. It was a hard
decision for her sleep-fogged mind but the latter won out, Konoka
promising herself that she would get to cuddle her warrior as soon as
the other things were finished. However as she sat out to do these
things her growling stomach threw a wrench in things.
Still not quite awake Konoka prepared a cup of instant clear soup and
managed to nudge her Secchan awake just enough to get her to swallow
some before downing what was left herself, afterwards putting the cup on
the floor next to the bed somewhat carelessly and crawled in under the
covers. It hit her that there was something she had forgotten to do, but
when her Secchan pulled her arms around the already semi-sleeping Konoka
nothing else mattered. She curled in tightly, content and relaxed, and
let sleep reclaim her.
Asuna of course stepped on the cup as she got out of bed that morning,
somehow avoiding breaking it but almost managing to break her own elbow
instead. The peevish glare she directed at the obvious culprit was
immediately dissolved, as the sight of her friends curled up in each
other's arms and holding hands even in their sleep was just too cute to
remain irritated. She leaned against the bedpost watching them for a
moment.
She wondered what it felt like, to have someone that would hold you like
that... what it was like to have someone in your life that gave you that
peaceful and happy expression that Konoka wore as she slept with her
head on Setsuna's shoulder. Would Asuna ever know for herself?
"You're so darn cute I'll just forgive you for making me have to explain
all this mess to Ayaka." Asuna muttered very quietly, actually somewhat
amused about it today although the previous night she had been deadly
embarrassed. Ayaka's reaction had also been embarrassed, and a bit
strange really, but she had not been condemning in any way, rather the
reverse and offered her assistance with the rest of the class.
For some reason looking at the sleeping couple Asuna tried to picture
herself in that position, sleeping on someone's shoulder all cuddly like
that... and the image of a hand with slender long fingers holding her
own, draped by long golden blonde hair came to mind.
Asuna blushed furiously. Looking at Konoka and Setsuna and thinking of
cuddling brought Ayaka to mind? Oh god, _why_?
Resolutely she shook her head and sought a distraction. Oh yes,
breakfast. After such eventful days Asuna felt sure her friends could do
with a nice big and proper breakfast. And she was just the girl for the
job!
With determination and shoulders squared as if going into battle, Asuna
hiked up her sleeves and strode into the kitchen.
---
Quite what it was that woke her up, Konoka couldn't say. Oh certainly,
it was either the loud booming sound coming from the kitchen, or the
panicked screams of her roommates, or possibly even the stench of
something burning that got her up, but either way an urgent message was
passed through Konoka's system with the warning ASUNA IS COOKING,
eliciting the emergency response of shooting to her feet almost as soon
as her eyes had opened. She stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed the
small emergency fire extinguisher that she always had on hand for just
such an occasion.
Moments later a wet, soot-covered and generally bedraggled redhead
leaned her head against Konoka's shoulder and sniffled an apology for
damaging their kitchen... again. Konoka absently patted Asuna on the
back, muttering some words of comfort as she scanned her domain and
assessed the damages. Ahh, another set of pots and pans that were going
into the trash... it was fortunate that Konoka had a discount at the
store for the things by now. But the soot and smoke...
"Negi-kun," Konoka addressed the equally dirty and messy little boy that
looked like he had yet another year shaved off his life. "could you do
something about the smoke? I don't want Secchan to have to inhale this."
Eager to help the boy did one better, and in a flash the kitchen was
pristine again, save for the unfortunate pots of course, which earned
him a grateful hug from Konoka. Konoka then convinced both of her
roommates to go and take a nice long bath while she prepared breakfast
for all of them, and even Negi had to agree that he needed to get the
soot out of his hair.
Once she had ushered the other two out the door Konoka hurried for the
bathroom and a quick cleaning up before she would tackle making
breakfast for them all. She raced through her morning routines and
tossed her pyjamas in the laundry basket, chuckling a little over the
sooty imprints of both Asuna and Negi that she had managed to collect on
it.
When Konoka stepped out of the bathroom on light feet she was met with
the sight of Setsuna struggling to sit up, eyes blinking owlishly at her
surroundings. Needless to say Konoka raced over to the bed to embrace,
err, help her Secchan into a better position. "Secchan!"
"O-ojousama?" Secchan sounded about as weak as she looked, so Konoka
decided not to scold her for her slip... this time. "What am I...
what..."
"Ssshh. We brought you here after Eva-chan helped cure you." She kissed
Secchan lightly on the forehead as she fluffed the pillow and got her
better situated, a bit curious at the light blush that followed the act.
"You need to rest for a while, just relax and let me take care of you
Secchan."
"Cure?" Secchan sighed and closed her eyes as Konoka brushed the black
bangs away from her face. She looked so much smaller and frailer like
this, with her hair down and without the usually intense look on her
face, Konoka mused.
Out loud she said. "What is the last thing you remember?"
When no answer was forthcoming Konoka took a closer look at her precious
warrior, slightly surprised but also encouraged to see that Setsuna was
blushing badly and looking at her strangely. Surely that meant that she
remembered, now to find out if...
"Kono-chan! B-b-b-buh-b-b..." Setsuna stuttered and stared pointedly at
Konoka's chest.
Quickly looking down at herself and the shirt that she had completely
forgotten to button upon seeing Setsuna awake, Konoka blinked a little
and suggested mildly "Bra? Or maybe you mean bre..."
"BUTTONS!" Setsuna croaked, desperately cutting off whatever Konoka was
about to say next. "Please... button... your shirt."
Konoka complied, somewhat amused. "You know, there's no need to be so
shy Secchan... you certainly weren't yesterday." Unintentionally Konoka
touched a few small hickeys that her previously so ardent Secchan had
given her as souvenirs. She sighed a little, there would be no
passionate embraces anymore, would there?
The girl lying on the bed stared in abject horror, her face so red it
was threatening to self-combust. Konoka sighed again.
"Secchan, let me get you some more pillows and a glass of water... and
you can relax and save your strength while I cook breakfast, okay?"
Knowing she wouldn't get an answer Konoka set out to do just that,
keeping a steady stream of one-sided conversation going even as she
prepared the food, stopping once in a while to make sure her precious -
and utterly silent - Secchan was doing alright.
She was regaling Setsuna with the story of how Asuna yet again had
assassinated their helpless kitchen and cooking equipment when the
domestic hazard herself walked in, tailed by a tired-looking Negi. Asuna
was complaining something about dirty ears as they both noticed Setsuna
being propped up in the bed, tired but awake.
"Setsuna-san!"
"Setsuna!" Asuna charged the girl and hugged her, earning an awkward hug
back from the slightly bewildered girl. "You're ok! Gosh, it's ever so
good to see you back to your old blushing self." Asuna nodded,
apparently pleased with the world, as Setsuna did as suggested and
blushed slightly at the enthused greeting.
"Setsuna-san, how do you feel?" Negi sat down at the edge of the bed and
looked at her with round, worried eyes.
"Yeah," Asuna cut in, "do you have any urges to grab Konoka and make out
with her while hanging upside-down from the ceiling in the assembly
hall?"
"Or to take jouchan's clothes off while on top of the... OWW!"
Both Asuna and Chamo rubbed their heads as Konoka had appeared as by
magic behind them and smacked them both with a twisted but still
somewhat functional metal cooking spoon. She cleared her throat.
"THAT... we did not do, and stop making Secchan think we did." Then,
more cheerfully. "Breakfast is ready, go eat."
Asuna, Negi and Chamo gratefully ran for the table, leaving Konoka to
try to calm the girl that was blushing so hard she looked as if she
suffered from some strange disease in which a person's face turned into
lava and melted away. "Secchan..."
Setsuna, weak as she was, still managed to flop herself forward in the
bed, almost ending up in Konoka's lap as she did so. "I AM SO TERRIBLY
SORRY OJOUSAMA!" She gasped and shook. "I HAVE NO EXCUSE-"
"Well, actually you do." Asuna commented between bites of food,
inadvertently getting Setsuna to look up from her prone position.
"Though you know, you'll sound ridiculous if you insist on calling her
ojousama now that half the school saw you push Konoka up against the
cafeteria wall and go all the way to second base in public."
Setsuna and Konoka froze, eyes locked with one another, one increasingly
shocked and the other slightly shy and smiling.
"Oh why was I not there!" Chamo sobbed into his breakfast until Asuna
smacked him into the bowl head first. Negi just sat eating in silence,
trying to make himself as small and as deaf as he possibly could, his
face already on fire.
Konoka cleared her throat.
"Breakfast! Lovely breakfast! Mmm, food!" Asuna babbled in a sudden
rush, cramming nearly her entire bowl into her mouth. "Mmmffffmmhh!
Fffmm!" Negi and Chamo followed her example, though without speaking,
hoping to placate Konoka before the wrath of the kitchen implements was
upon them.
Seeing that Setsuna was about to begin her frantic apology again, Konoka
acted to put a stop to it in the only way that came to mind just then.
She darted forward and captured her Secchan's lips with her own.
Thoroughly enjoying the all too brief kiss even if Secchan was
unfortunately frozen solid in shock, Konoka drew back with a sweet smile
and a little sigh. She caressed a burning cheek lovingly and leaned in
to touch her forehead to Setsuna's.
"No apologies, Secchan... just don't call me ojousama anymore, please?"
Giving her precious warrior another bright, beaming smile Konoka then
let Setsuna go in order to go fetch the breakfast she had prepared for
her. While Konoka got the tray together Setsuna sat there, feeling faint
and dizzy and really rather surreal, hesitantly touching fingers to lips
that had just been so casually graced by Konoka's kiss. She could not
help but fidget a little as she tried to hide the tiny, very shy but
also happy smile that overtook her.
"Here Secchan!" Konoka was back with cushions from the couch, making
sure that Setsuna could sit up while propped against them comfortably.
Then she pulled out the tray and loaded up a spoon with a sunny
full-wattage smile. "Secchan, say aaaahhh!"
In view of recent events Setsuna could not find the strength or the
heart in her to refuse, and so, facial blood-vessels still having a
field day, she meekly opened up and let Kono-chan spoon-feed her.
"Ooooh, look at the newlyweds!" Asuna whispered none too discreetly to
Negi and Chamo.
"Secchan, remind me that I have to ask Honya-chan if we can borrow a pot
and a pan for a while, until I have bought some new ones. You see, for
some reason we are all out of pots... again..."
"Aaaarrrghh, I'm sorry I'm sorry!"
Konoka winked at Setsuna at Asuna's guilty cry, giving her a secret
little smile. Setsuna smiled as well and ducked her head shyly,
obediently accepting being fed another spoonful.
---
After the breakfast activities Setsuna fell asleep again, still
exhausted from the spell that had cured her, and she slept most of the
day, awakening only for short periods of food and other things. Towards
the evening she was finally strong enough to take a shower and sit up in
bed - Konoka refused to let her out of it for anything short of
emergency matters - and so it was decreed that a few visitors would be
allowed to drop by. Konoka took her caretaking duties very seriously,
especially since it was her precious Secchan that was in need of a
little love and care.
The first visitor was strictly speaking not a visitor for Setsuna but
rather for Asuna, as Ayaka made an unusual appearance in their room. As
Asuna opened the door, a bit surprised that someone actually knocked for
once, and found the tall blonde on the other side, an involuntary blush
stole across her features.
"Negi's not here, he has already left for his training with Eva-chan."
Asuna sounded a bit brusque as she tried to fight her unwanted blush.
What was wrong with her lately?
Ayaka eyed her a bit but let it slide for once. "I know, I'm not here
for him right now... actually I came to ask you if you would mind coming
with me for a while. I could use your help."
"S-sure. Konoka, I'll be helping Iincho for a bit, are you guys going to
be ok by yourselves?"
"It won't take long." Ayaka assured although Konoka just beamed and
nodded, perhaps just a tiny bit too eager to send her roommate on her
way. Ayaka opted not to mention anything about any possibly strange
behaviour, instead she scrutinized the girl in front of her some more.
She leaned in close.
"Asuna, you look flushed. Do you have a fever?" For once not bothering
to hide her concern for her long-time sparring partner Ayaka first put a
hand to Asuna's forehead to check, but dissatisfied with that quickly
replaced it with her own forehead. Asuna blushed crimson.
"Hmm, it doesn't seem like you are having a fever... are you feeling
ok?"
There was no answer from Asuna, whom was somewhat dazedly staring at
Ayaka's lips with wide, unblinking eyes.
Ayaka noticed, and so did Konoka. The blonde blushed and glanced at
Asuna's roommate in confusion, but was only met with a widening and
amused smile that seemed to hint at something. A long moment of silence
stretched out, broken only when Setsuna, not knowing what was going on,
spoke up from her position in the bed.
"Is something wrong?"
Snapping back to her senses so abruptly it was almost audible, Asuna
made a horrified face. "NOTHING AT ALL! BYE!" And then she was off,
running down the hall at ludicrous speed and leaving roommates and
friends staring at the spot she had just vacated.
"D-did she just...?" Ayaka found her voice finally and made a shaky
gesture towards her mouth, to which Konoka smiled kindly and nodded
slightly, leaving it at that. Ayaka's blush deepened and she moved as if
to follow the fleeing girl.
"I-I wish you a speedy recovery, Sakurazaki-san." She said, clearly
distracted. "Excuse me."
And then she was gone. Laughing Konoka closed the door and walked over
to sit by her Secchan. Temporarily forgetting to be shy and awkward
around Konoka Setsuna had to ask "What is going on?"
"Oh..." Konoka giggled and lightly brushed her arm up against Setsuna's.
"I think Asuna has just realized she wants to find out what it is like
to kiss a girl."
There wasn't strictly speaking any particular reason why Setsuna should
feel embarrassed by the statement as it did not directly pertain to her
- or at least she thought it did not, though with Kono-chan one couldn't
always tell - but she blushed all the same. It did not help matters any
that warm fingers moved lightly over her own on top of the blanket, or
that Kono-chan's giggle had changed pitch to something soft that made
the little hairs at the nape of Setsuna's neck stand on end.
"Secchan..." That warm, lilting voice sent involuntary shivers down
Setsuna's spine and made her stomach do acrobatic things that staid,
steadfast warrior stomachs really were not meant to do. "Secchan, I..."
"Hey, was that Iincho I saw running in the hallway just now?" Haruna's
voice seemed much too loud and too harsh as she barged in with her usual
aplomb, most of Asuna and Konoka's friends somehow long since broken of
the habit of actually knocking before entering the room.
On the bed Setsuna and Konoka flew apart, or rather, the blushing
Setsuna moved as far away from Konoka as the restricting blanket
allowed, creating a more normal space between them, and Konoka merely
moved to face the sudden guest instead of leaning towards her adorable
warrior like she wanted.
"Hello Paru... are you stopping by to check on Secchan?" If there was
any irritation over the interruption it quickly disappeared and was not
particularly noticeable to begin with as Konoka smiled towards the
ever-curious artist.
Haruna grinned strangely insolently and flopped down on the edge of the
bed. "Yeah, I am... and I also thought I might as well get to hear the
scoop from the horse's mouth, so to speak." She eyed Setsuna. "Feeling
better? And... from what, exactly?"
"Scoop?" Setsuna repeated dumbly, not quite understanding what Haruna
was getting at and frankly feeling somewhat disturbed by the dangerous
gleam in her eyes and that almost wicked smile. Whatever it was, Setsuna
would bet it did not bode well, at least not for her.
"Yeah, you know, Asakura has the special edition all fixed up for
printing, it'll be all over the school by morning." Haruna grew
animated, excitedly waving a large envelope around as she spoke. "It's
fully illustrated by yours truly, of course, though there are some
photographs as well... and eyewitness accounts, back-story from informed
sources, the whole deal. I even made a small comic to run in it, just
for you." A victory sign with her free hand. "You know I don't usually
do the yuri thing, but what can I say, you two are inspiring."
"The... yuri thing." Konoka said quietly, taking hold of Setsuna's hand
without noticing it herself. "I think I know where this is going."
"Oh! Almost forgot!" Haruna jumped back to her feet and held the
envelope up in front of Setsuna and Konoka. "Here, I made this to be the
front-page illustration, but Asakura went with a photo instead, plus you
have the original of one of the pages of the comic in there too. You can
have it." She beamed rather proudly and handed the envelope to Konoka.
Somewhat slowly Konoka opened the envelope, letting Setsuna scoot closer
to watch, and took out the drawings. The reaction to the first one was
immediate, Setsuna blushing a fiery crimson and Konoka squealing in
delight.
"Paru! Thank you!" Carefully putting the drawings aside Konoka launched
herself at her pleased and somewhat smirking friend, hugging her. "It is
perfect! I will frame it and put it on the wall!"
Setsuna on the other hand said nothing, fully occupied by pressing
herself into the wall and staring at the surprisingly realistic pencil
drawing of herself and Kono-chan kissing passionately. She wondered
distantly if it was ok to faint right there, or if Kono-chan would be
upset with her for smudging the drawings when she fell on them.
Konoka resumed admiring the drawing before taking a look at the other
one. It was an inked comic page sans any text, featuring a very dramatic
and flowery version of a somewhat taller and more androgynous-looking
Setsuna sweeping a doe-eyed Konoka off her feet with a sparkle or two,
and then some fairly detailed kissing. Setsuna saw darkness edge in on
the outer rim of her suddenly tunnel-shaped vision.
"This was very... nice too." Konoka said, inwardly terribly amused by
how boyish Paru had made her beautiful Secchan out to be, and the error
in height difference between them. She gave the grinning Haruna a
knowing look. "And the next couple of pages wouldn't happen to have us
doing anything... well... naughty, do they?"
The extremely guilty look facing her was answer enough really. "Err,
Asakura said not to do anything that involved loosing clothing, so it
will be innocent really... yeah, quite tame."
"And...?" Konoka smirked, knowing the mangaka a bit too well to buy
that. "If I were to look at your desk, would I happen to see anything
un-clothed in Paru's personal collection?"
Hearing this Sakurazaki Setsuna died... or so she thought, she was not
entirely sure yet, but she suspected out-of-the-body experiences at any
rate, the kind she had once overheard Yue talk about, and any moment now
the school ghost would come floating in to welcome her into the club.
Setsuna nodded.
Haruna blushed slightly and fidgeted under Konoka's look, cursing
herself for not being able to come up with a lie quickly enough to cover
her little... experimental foray into the non-yaoi side of things. It
was important for her artistic development, darn it, could she help it
if she found them to be an intriguing motif?
A knock on the door interrupted Haruna's squirming, replacing her guilty
look with a wide smile and an obvious look of relief. "Saved by the
knock!" She blurted. "You have other guests, I'll just head on back to
my place, feel better, going now!" And so Haruna was out the door so
fast she nearly ran over the person standing in front of it as she did
so.
In the doorway, one hand still raised as if to knock, Tatsumiya Mana
looked slightly surprised. "Is this a bad time?"
---
Konoka's demeanour had changed somewhat once Mana came in. Certainly
there was a friendly smile on her lips, and she was nothing if not
courteous and mindful of her guest, but... inside there was something
gnawing at Konoka, something she did not like feeling but could not seem
to stop on her own. The slight strain in her smile and unusual
expression in her eyes was something only someone like Asuna or Setsuna
might see, and for the one that was present, well, Setsuna was reeling
after Haruna's visit and was not quite her usual alert self.
She found herself discreetly observing her guest as Mana had tea with
them and conversed, always with that calm air that seemed almost
unshakeable. It wasn't just her looks, Konoka concluded, her taller
classmate also spoke and acted far more mature than most of the others ,
making Konoka wonder suddenly if Mana really was the same age as the
rest of them. Well, the girl was mysterious, for certain, so Konoka
would not put it past her - or Konoka's grandfather for that matter - if
that was not the case. It was clear that she and Secchan had an easy
interaction with one another, in fact Konoka was just a bit upset to see
that Secchan relaxed considerably in Mana's company.
The current state of school security was addressed, a few skirmishes
accounted for and a meeting with Konoka's grandfather described,
slightly awing Konoka as she begun to understand that keeping the school
safe for the rest of them was a far more complex job than Konoka had
imagined, and it was essentially only Setsuna, Mana and Evangeline that
held this responsibility. For some reason there was a brief status
report on certain students whereabouts and actions, though Konoka could
not quite grasp why they were important enough to mention, and more
surprisingly their tall guest almost broke out in poetry regarding a new
rifle which she described to Setsuna at length, Konoka's protector
grinning all the while.
Frankly Konoka was a little bit shocked, as she was sure she had never
heard the gunslinger talk that much at any given time, in fact, she
suspected she had never heard Mana speak that much during the time they
had been classmates put together. She always seemed the type to say no
more than was necessary, although on second thought the same could be
said for Konoka's own Secchan she supposed.
Finally Konoka had to withdraw to the kitchen, although she was
reluctant to leave them alone together. She told herself that she was
being silly, and in the end the pull of household duties asserted their
power over her and she politely excused herself. Well, puttering in the
kitchen and doing dishes was all well and good, Konoka could still
strain her ears so that she would hear it if anything... inappropriate
were to happen.
A short while later she regretted that decision as she overheard
something she really hadn't wanted to.
"...no, no you're wrong. There isn't anything going on between..."
Konoka could only discern some of the quietly spoken words. "...just
good friends."
That was Secchan's voice, but what was she saying? The words made Konoka
go cold inside, unconsciously grasping at her heart.
A murmured reply in Mana's voice, then Secchan spoke again. "...I'm
sorry for... everything, and... never meant for this to happen...
forgive me... make it up to..." Konoka still heard only fragments of the
conversation, but it was more than enough.
Konoka tossed the cloth in her hands aside and rounded the corner
quickly, but froze in place in the middle of the room.
"...I know you had no choice, you need not worry as far as I am
concerned. As far as..." Mana trailed off as she through the look on
Setsuna's face was alerted that Konoka had returned behind her. Mana had
relocated to the bed, sitting in front of Setsuna and was leaned in
close to the other girl, her hands on Setsuna's shoulders.
Had they been about to kiss? NO! No no no no no no no no no no!
She could not fight back the tears that stung her eyes at the thought,
causing both of the other girls to get to their feet in alarm.
"Konoka-ojousama, is something wrong?" Mana asked quietly, an expression
of concern on her features. Next to her Setsuna scrabbled to her feet
with a much more horrified expression.
"Kono-chan! W-what...?" When no reply was forthcoming Setsuna directed a
look over her shoulder at her friend. "Mana..."
Mana nodded. "I will see myself out." Another concerned look at the
motionless crying girl. "Please inform me if there is anything I can do
for either Konoka-ojousama or yourself, Setsuna." She bowed politely at
Konoka and wasted no time in heading for the door.
Setsuna grunted distractedly in reply, all her focus on her precious
Kono-chan whom was crying. Why was Kono-chan crying? Trembling slightly
she reached for the brunette hesitantly, very much wanting but not quite
daring to just scoop Konoka up in her arms and crush her to her chest.
"Nothing should make Kono-chan cry."
She wasn't aware that she had spoken the last thought out loud until
brown eyes locked with her own and Konoka's, the other girl's face
breaking up into a painful image before she threw herself into Setsuna's
arms, clinging tightly.
"Secchan" Konoka gasped into Setsuna's shoulder. "Secchan, Secchan..."
Not knowing quite what to do Setsuna wrapped her arms tight around
Konoka, leaning the side of her face against Konoka's head. What on
earth could have happened in the short while Konoka had been out of
Setsuna's sight?
"Kono-chan, please... please tell me what is wrong?" Setsuna pleaded,
gently rocking the girl in her arms without being quite aware of it. A
thought hit her and suddenly she felt absolutely horrible. "I-i-is it
m-me? Is it... w-what I did?"
Against Setsuna's shoulder Konoka shook her head violently. "No! No,
never! I..." Konoka took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
"Secchan, can we... sit down and talk?"
Feeling Setsuna nod rather than seeing it Konoka led them over to the
couch where they sat down close enough to touch all along one side.
Konoka dried the escaped tears from her face and gathered her thoughts.
They sat in silence like that for some time.
Finally Konoka spoke up, but when she did it was about something Setsuna
had not expected. "Tatsumiya-san is really nice, isn't she?"
"Uh, yes... she is."
"You two seem... close."
Setsuna shrugged a little. "We are friends."
"Only friends?" Konoka did not look at Setsuna through this little
conversation, and she found herself having to will herself not to
uncharacteristically start biting her nails.
Now Setsuna felt utterly confused if she hadn't been confused enough
already. "We, uh, work together too?"
Konoka nodded. *Only friends... there might still be hope... but...*
"Do you think she is pretty, Secchan?"
Setsuna blinked somewhat dumbly at this point, not following at all.
"Who is?"
Konoka had to chuckle a little at this, feeling just slightly relieved.
"Tatsumiya-san, Secchan... do you think that she is pretty?"
Setsuna looked absolutely mortified. "Mana, pretty? I've never thought
about it." She eyed the girl next to her with rising alarm. "Why do you
as... oh! Do you think she's pretty, Kono-chan?"
There was something clearly wounded and anxious in Setsuna's expression
as she asked which made Konoka smile, assured suddenly that her
warrior's eye had not been caught by her tall, dark and mysterious
combat partner after all. Good!
"Ah, I'm sure Tatsumiya-san is pretty enough, but she's not my type."
She leaned into Setsuna a bit, smiling when Setsuna only mustered a weak
little grunt in reply. "Would you like to know what my type is,
Secchan?"
Actually Konoka was just a bit surprised at herself and how flirtatious
she sounded suddenly, but looking at Setsuna any remaining shreds of
shyness or hesitation were thrown to the wind. Yes, Konoka might have
been jumping to conclusions about Tatsumiya-san, but who knew how long
it would be before some other girl came along to take her Secchan away
if Konoka did not clearly state her claim on her beautiful warrior?
Unfortunately thinking that and doing it was different things, and
Konoka really had no clue how one went about these things.
If she had but had the foresight to, maybe she could have asked
Honya-chan if there was any book that might enlighten her? Like... ‘How
to best woo your stoic and shy warrior-protector-childhood friend', or
‘The top ten ways into the heart of your female samurai'. Yes, those
would have been good, Konoka snickered to herself briefly.
She gave Setsuna a dreamy smile that had Setsuna's stomach doing funny
things again. "Strong, skilled and protective, though gentle and
sensitive... stoic but very shy... humble and unassuming, and immensely
loyal..." Setsuna seemed to shrink in on herself so Konoka reached out
to gently caress some hair away from those dark eyes. "Pale skin, dark
eyes and black hair..." She let her fingers slide down one pale cheek.
"And of course a pair of white angel wings."
Setsuna gasped and gaped, wide-eyed and dazed, unable to collect herself
enough to muster up an answer. Feeling increasingly self-conscious
Konoka squirmed before that shell-shocked countenance and blushed
slightly.
"I had never thought about it in that sense before you kissed me, but
once you did... it all became clear to me, about how I really feel." A
deep breath. "I love you Secchan, I always have and I always will, but I
am also in love with you. I want you with me always, not as a friend or
a bodyguard or aide, but as m-my girlfriend, my lover, my w..." A deeper
blush. "A-as whatever comes from that in the future." She amended
quickly before peering into Setsuna's eyes. "I love you."
After a long moment of absolute silence Konoka, terrified suddenly that
she had said too much, couldn't help herself. "S-Secchan? S-say
something... please?"
Instead Konoka found herself caught up in a tight hug, flush against her
beloved Secchan whose breathing was ragged and gasping in her ear.
Konoka held onto her, a bit worried about Secchan's reaction but at
least getting the idea that maybe her declaration of love was not
entirely unwelcome at least. Finally there was a rasping voice tickling
Konoka's ear. "A-are you... sure?"
Konoka turned her head until she could kiss a pale, and to her surprise
slightly wet, cheek. "More sure than I've ever been about anything,
Secchan. I love you."
Setsuna drew back only enough so that she could face Konoka, making
Konoka's heartbeat pick up with just the intensely loving look in dark
brown eyes. "I love you too, Kono-chan, I love you so much. I always
have."
This time when they kissed it was soft, careful and fleeting to begin
with, lips touching only barely and tasting slightly of tears. The
second kiss lingered longer, though still chaste and light, until Konoka
withdrew slightly, only to return with a hot breath and a silent plea
for Setsuna's passion. The kisses grew deeper and hotter as they lay
down in the couch, wrapped up in their love and one another... and this
time there was no-one around that felt it to be their duty to stop them.
---
As they lay cuddled closely together in Konoka's bed the brown-haired
girl giggled softly into the neck of her newly acquired girlfriend.
Setsuna smiled and placed a kiss on a convenient temple. "What are you
thinking about, Kono-chan?"
"Oh I was just picturing grandpa's face when I tell him about us, and
how he won't get to plan any more omiai for me."
"And that makes you giggle, Kono-chan?" Setsuna's slightly panicked
voice betrayed her nervousness at the concept of Konoka's family finding
out about them. Konoka giggled some more and patted Setsuna's stomach
comfortingly.
"Don't worry Secchan, it'll be alright. I'll tell daddy first and then
if grandpa decides to be difficult he can help me make grandpa come
around. Though I think it will be ok, really." Setsuna just shook her
head slightly, she wasn't so sure about that... but if Konoka was
willing to face her family for their sake, then Setsuna would do the
same, and proudly, every step of the way. For as long as Konoka wanted
her to, Setsuna would remain right by her side... and she was just
getting the idea that maybe she could hope that would be for a lifetime.
"Ah... I just realized." Konoka said ruefully, sending Setsuna a
slightly apologetic look. "I will have to apologize to Tatsumiya-san
won't I? I jumped to the completely wrong conclusions about the two of
you."
Setsuna kissed Konoka's nose and smiled happily. "No, there's no need...
she jumped to the wrong conclusions about you and Asuna as well,
thinking Asuna was out to... ahem... take you from me." The statement
was accompanied by a small blush and a widening smile on Setsuna's part,
and a soft laugh on Konoka's.
"Me and Asuna... that's just so..."
"Say..." Setsuna got up on one elbow. "Where is Asuna anyway? I thought
she said she was only going to be gone for a short while?"
Konoka's smile was pure mischief. "Maybe Asuna found something...
_interesting_... to do?"
"You think so?"
"Mm, but enough about that for now." Konoka grinned and interlaced her
fingers behind Setsuna's neck, pushing gently. She wet her lips, eyes
growing darker with emotion. "Come here and kiss me, Secchan."
And Setsuna was more than happy to comply.
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