Together
Maki Aikawa smiled at her friends as they walked home
from school, once again feeling that odd warmth inside
from being with them. It wasn't that the tall redhead
hadn't had friends before, but this was the first
group to see both sides of her, the normal girl and
the warrior, and accept them both.
Yuu Takigawa smirked, the red haired girl's tan making
her stand out in the crowds as they walked along, "So,
want to go do kareoke tonight?"
Michiru Kawamoto shook her heaed, her blonde hair
gleaming as she said, "Some of us have to study for a
test."
"I wanna do kareoke," Renge Inui whined, the shorter
girl clutching her cat firmly to her chest as usual.
"I hate to say it," Maki said wryly as she looked down
at her shorter friends, "but I'm really going to need
to study for English too. Or I may flunk out!"
"We can't have that," Yuu admitted.
"Uhm," Mina Nakanotani spoke up shyly, "do you think
you need some help with it?" Like them Mina was a
student, but there were two big differences between
them. Firstly, she went to a private school so wore a
different uniform, and secondly she had what could
only be described as huge breasts. A quite pretty girl
she found men paying more attention to her chest than
to anything she tried to say.
"Yeah, maybe a little help," Maki admitted, unwilling
to say how bad she was really doing in the class.
"Why don't we all..." Yuu started to say before
Michiru clapped her hand over her mouth, nodding
significantly towards the two of them. "Huh... oh!"
"What?" Renge looked confused.
"Why don't Yuu and I take Renge for kareoke," Michiru
suggested smoothly, "and Mina, you can help Maki study
for her test?"
"Maki?" Mina looked up at her hopefully.
Maki nodded, "Sure."
"All right, kareoke!" Renge crowed as she and the two
taller girls headed off.
"Playing matchmaker?" Yuu asked softly as they walked
off.
Michiru looked amused as she softly answered her
friend, "Well, I think Mina needs all the help she can
get."
Mina smiled happily as she and Maki headed off
together. Ever since she had first met Maki a few
months ago she had been drawn to the tall, powerful
fighter, and it had grown even more when she
discovered how shy and awkward Maki could be away from
the ring. It gave her a degree of cuteness Maki might
not have otherwise had, and Mina found it adorable
along with all her other sterling qualities. Of course
considering Mina's infatuation with Maki, it was
possible she was a bit biased.
"So," Mina looked up at Maki curiously as she asked
her seriously, "where do you want to do your
studying?"
"Well," Maki scratched at the back of her head as she
confessed, "my place isn't the best to try to study
in..."
"I can imagine," Mina admitted. With all the martial
artists and crazy fighters who wanted to challenge
Maki, it was a wonder that they hadn't hit her home.
‘Not to mention her having her father and half sister
there,' she mentally added.
"Could we try the library?" Maki asked as they passed
beneath a bridge, the urban surroundings of their
school creating a odd backdrop.
"No," Mina shook her head, "if this ends up being a
long study session, they could close up before we're
done."
"Hmm," Maki frowned, "then I don't see where..."
Mina fought back a smile as Maki failed to see what
was obvious to her. ‘That's so cute,' she admitted
mentally. "We'll just have to go study at my place,"
Mina said in a brisk, no nonsense tone of voice.
"I couldn't put you to that much trouble," Maki
protested as she followed behind the briskly walking
Mina.
Mina smiled up at her as she said, "It's no trouble,
believe me."
It wasn't long before they were in Mina's room, a
cutely feminine place that seemed to suit the other
girl fine. A bit awkwardly Maki sat down at the low
table as Mina got Maki's English textbooks out and set
them onto the table.
"Do you want some juice or anything?" Mina asked
politely.
"No, I'm fine," Maki said as Mina sat down beside her
at the table.
Mina flipped open the book even as she silently
thrilled at being so close to Maki. "Well," she said,
"let's get started."
Maki smiled shyly, "Let's."
What followed was both easier and harder than Mina had
expected. Maki mostly had trouble with keeping some of
the names and titles straight, which was fairly easy
to deal with, but it was much harder for Mina to hide
how she reacted to Maki's nearness. When Maki
accidentally brushed Mina's breast she thought she was
going to faint!
"There," Mina finally said as she closed the book with
a thump, "I think you're about as ready as you'll ever
be."
Maki stretched, smiling as she said, "Thanks, Mina. I
don't know what I would have done without you."
"You would have managed somehow," Mina said warmly.
"If it was a fight, maybe," Maki admitted, "I usually
seem to be able to figure things out there... but with
this stuff? Not so much."
"We all have our strengths," Mina shrugged, "and
occasionally I wish I could do what you can." She
grimaced, remembering a time she and Yuu had been
hassled as she added, "At least that way you wouldn't
have to rescue me so often."
Maki reached out to gently squeeze Mina's arm, "It was
my pleasure."
"Maki..." Mina breathed out softly, looking up at Maki
with a gentle sort of adoration.
"Eh?" Maki looked down at her questioningly.
Seizing the moment Mina pressed herself up against
Maki as she went on tiptoes, getting as close as she
could before gently pressing her lips to Maki's. The
taller girl stiffened a moment in surprise, then she
wrapped her arms around Mina in a warm, protective
way.
"Oh, that's nice," Mina sighed, snuggling close in the
safety of her arms.
Maki blushed faintly as she softly said, "Why...?"
Mina chuckled softly as she gave Maki another squeeze
and sighed, "If this was a fight, you'd know exactly
what's going on,"
"I'm not..." Maki hesitated, "worthy of you, Mina."
Mina looked up at her with kind eyes as she said,
"Shouldn't I be the one to decide that?"
Maki smiled slightly, "You're sure this is all right?"
Instead of answering Mina kissed Maki again.
End
Notes: Air Master is a fun series with canon interest
between Mina and Maki. I have only seen some of the
series, however, as the American release has THE WORST
SUBTITLE JOB I HAVE EVER SEEN. Seriously! It's
unreadable. So if anything later in the series
contradicts this, I'm sorry. Heh. Also, as both
characters are unusually shy they may be a bit OOC
here, too.
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