my one and only

The summer’s pride was beginning to set outside the window, rendering its golden rays free to toy with their upcoming shadow counterparts. Through the frames of the stylish windows, the Charming Amethyst could be observed pouring herself another cup of the brownish tea, and positioned comfortably on the velvety black couch of her private quarters. The gentle melody of soothing music enveloped the room, painting a portrait of calmness not unlike the mistress of the room.

Shizuru took yet another one of her many sips from her favourite cup, basking in the serenity which surrounds her. Despite the perfect picture of tranquil, the troubled depths within her wine red eyes bespoke the otherwise.

She drank in her cup of warmth again, the action graceful and composed like always. Her thoughts, however, rampaged ungainly in her head as the single date revolved continuously alongside with them, persistent as a fly.

It wasn’t always difficult when that date came around the corner, but it’s just not the case this year. This was different… so very different. A week was all she had left to deal with what had to be done.

Letting a small sigh escape from her, she was surprised when soft lips pecked her cheeks from the side as a familiar scent wafted by her.

“Ara… when did you come in?”

“Just long enough to hear you sigh.” It was both a question and a statement.

Shifting slightly so that the weary Gakuenchou could take a seat beside her, she pondered over the response that she should give to Natsuki.

Deciding not to answer her subtle question, Shizuru brushed it off, choosing instead to talk about something else. “I was just reminiscing… How did the meeting go?”

“Horribly. That purple-haired brat kept on insisting that it was not allowed for us to-” Natsuki suddenly found herself pulled into a tight embrace as an extra weight added to her left shoulder, “-scrimp on the celebrations…” she added lamely. Shizuru…?

“I missed you, so very much.” Shizuru murmured into her neck. “If only I didn’t have to go on another mission so soon and could stay here for a while longer…”

What had you troubled enough to sit alone like this and sigh?

Wordlessly, pale porcelain hands found their way around the sleek waist of the older woman, holding her in place and creating a safe haven for the both of them. Leaning forward slightly, Natsuki laid her head onto the nearest shoulder and helplessly gave Shizuru a comforting squeeze with her arms. In the growing darkness of night, the two Pillars stayed connected to each other - physically, mentally – each making up for the loss they’d felt when they were without each other.

Let time freeze over and encase us in eternity, my Natsuki…

They stayed motionless, still locked in that desperate embrace that eased away all the countless worries each had about the other.

… That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about losing me…

Natsuki pressed a gentle kiss onto the full lips of the woman she loved before slowly breaking away from the embrace to lean back on the comfortable couch, relaxing her tired muscles with a weary sigh. At the cute sight the raven-haired Gakuenchou presented, Shizuru couldn’t help but tease her. After all, old habits die hard.

“Ara… Na-tsu-ki.”

“Yea?”

“You’re so lazy.”

“Huh?”

She shot Shizuru a quizzical look.

“Natsuki is starting to have bad breath. Did Natsuki not brush her teeth this morning?”

Shizuru frowned, her brows knitting together. However, she was trying her best inwardly to not giggle in front of the other woman.

“I did brush my teeth! And I most certainly do not have bad breath, Shizuru.”

“Ara… I must be losing my touch. Natsuki doesn’t seem to believe what I say… Oh… what is this sudden sadness welling up inside of me? Tears?”

The tanned haired woman let a lone tear of mirth slide down her cheek.

“Ahh!! No! Don’t cry, Shizuru. Ok, I’ll go brush my teeth again to get rid of the bad breath.”

Shizuru grabbed the fleeing arm of her beloved, pulling her back into a casual embrace. “Just kidding, Natsuki,” she murmured into the ears of the Gakuenchou, “I’ll want you even you hadn’t bathed for days and smelled like something gone bad.”

“I swear that all the declarations of love you gave to me today are pampering me too much…”

Something’s not quite right.

“… All I want is your promise that you’ll never hide anything from me, Shizuru.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sleepy forest eyes pried themselves open as her body registered the absence of heat that usually radiated strongly from the sleeping form of Shizuru. Staring at the empty navy blankets beside her, Natsuki wondered where the chestnut-haired woman could have gone at this late hour. Snuggled safely in the cozy sheets, she was torn between further slumber and the slight worry she held for her significant half.

She should be resting… her journey back here from Florence must had been draining.

Her brows furrowed at that thought. Finally deciding that she would hunt down the ‘lost’ woman, she moved to dislodge herself from the alluring bed – but the faint sound of the doorknob twisting and the slight creaking caused by the door opening prompted her to fall back between the sheets and under the pretense of slumber.

Natsuki watched the moving silhouette in the dim conditions as it approached the bed with silent steps. The caress of the pale moonlight seemed to cast an ethereal glow on the older woman and bringing forth an unworldly image of her; and Natsuki was enchanted by the true beauty of Shizuru.

She looks so fragile… and so vulnerable under the moon…

Shizuru climbed silently into the bed, unaware that her companion was conscious and not asleep. Settling down in the sheets once again, she turned to the side to face her beloved, slightly stunned to see concerned emeralds looking back at her. Nevertheless, she gave Natsuki a little smile, before shutting Natsuki and the world out of her vision.

I must have roused Natsuki when I was going back to bed…

“Shizuru…”

“Go back to sleep, Natsuki. You need your rest.”

These midnight… troubles… are definitely irksome.

“What were you doing outside?” Natsuki asked, her instincts screaming out inwardly at her. The Shizuru she knew was, despite appearances, a deep sleeper who couldn’t be easily woken up before the time was right.

“I went out for a short walk around the grounds for some fresh air, that’s all. Don’t worry about me having a rendezvous with someone else in the middle of the night because Natsuki is my one and only.” She replied seriously, opening her eyes just so that she could peer into Natsuki’s troubled orbs and assure her that everything’s fine.

At the older woman’s declaration, the pale porcelain face of the Headmistress flushed tomato red, “I wasn’t worried about that, but you’re acting a bit strange today. Did something happen during your trip to Florence?”

Shizuru closed her eyes, appearing as if she was in deep thought. The raven-haired woman waited patiently, hoping that Shizuru would finally tell what had been troubling her in the evening. Stroking the fluorescent tan strands of hair, she cuddled closer to the mistress of the beautiful hair, inhaling the faint musty tea scent surrounding Shizuru. Natsuki lay on the bed and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And then she heard it……

The soft snores of the slumbering Charming Amethyst.

She’s asleep already?! Grr… Shizuru!

But Natsuki didn’t have the heart to disturb her angel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------