Volume 2 - Arachne Attack, Chapter 10 - Closer Together

Once all of Mara’s moving boxes were placed in her new room, she shooed Yuisu and Haru out. “Thanks for all the help! I’ll let you know when everything’s ready to show off.” She closed the door right in their faces and the sound of her cutting packing tape quickly followed.

Yuisu and Haru shared a sidelong glance for a second, then Haru took the lead. She hooked a wing under Yuisu’s arm and pulled her down the hallway. “While she’s busy, let’s… talk.”

As they crossed the living room, Yuisu moved to sit in a chair but Haru kept pulling her onward. “I was thinking somewhere out of our new roommate’s earshot.”

“Oh, of course. Sorry.” Yuisu was actually relieved that Haru was taking point on this. Asking her out had been hard enough, but waiting for an answer was sapping Yuisu of any semblance of stability. Much longer and she’d devolve to a babbling puddle.

Haru lead them to her room and closed the door after Yuisu entered. She sat cross-legged on her nest of pillows. In a seafoam green button-up shirt and white shorts, her look was casual and summery. She patted the space in front of her to tell Yuisu to sit too.

Since Yuisu was wearing a skirt, she opted to kneel on the bed with her legs folded under her. She ran her hands over herself to smooth out her grey skirt and white blouse and looked to Haru expectantly. “Now what?”

Haru shrugged her shoulders. “No idea. I used up just about all of my resolve to get us here.” She chuckled uncomfortably.

“Well, let’s just talk then,” Yuisu suggested. “I guess I’ll start where I left off?” She took a deep breath and said, “I suppose my point about living alone doesn’t apply anymore with Mara in the picture, but I still don’t think the law will be too much of an issue. And if Agent Will does have a problem with us,”—she flashed a sinister grin— “I think I’ve got some blackmail material, thanks to that phone call earlier.”

Haru nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think he’d be an issue. I’m more worried about… other things.”

“Like?”

“Well, ruining what we have, for one.” Haru looked into Yuisu’s vibrant green eyes. “If we get involved and something goes sour, we could lose our friendship. I don’t want that.”

Yuisu smiled. She was glad that Haru cared about their current relationship so much, even if it did complicate things. “Well what if we lay some ground rules? Treat this like a test run?”

Haru tilted her head in the adorable way she always did. “You mean keeping the relationship casual? I don’t want to make you into some cheap fling.”

“No, not like that. I don’t want that either.” Yuisu’s heart beat harder. Haru says just the right things to get to me. She really cares about me. “I mean, we could promise to stay good friends, whatever happens. I think we can work together to keep things civil and fair.”

Haru frowned in thought. “Can people stay friends when they’ve been… intimate? Can they really stay friends after they stop being that close?”

Yuisu reached forward and lifted Haru’s chin with one finger. “I know couples can also be friends. People aren’t lying when they say things like ‘my wife is my best friend’.” Yuisu smiled and added, “And I think you are my best friend, Haru.”

Haru brushed Yuisu’s hand aside. “We’ve only known each other a week. I guess when neither person has many friends, it doesn’t take much for them to become best friends.” She closed her eyes and shook her head suddenly, sending strands of long white hair whipping around. “No, that isn’t fair to say. This is real friendship, not just convenience. You accepted me for what I am, which is more than can be said about everyone back home.”

Yuisu put her hands on Haru’s shoulders and leaned close, her face mere inches away. “This house can be your home now, Haru, if you want.”

Haru blushed and smiled broadly. Her golden eyes glistened in the dim light. Her lips slightly parted and just above a whisper, she said, “I think I’d like that, miss Yuisu.”

Yuisu felt the air from Haru’s breath against her own lips. She swallowed and opened her mouth but couldn’t form anything coherent to say. Is it a little warm in here, she thought, or am I just that nervous?

Haru seemed to have a similar thought, since she plucked at her shirt collar, pinching it with her thumb, and fanned herself nervously. Yuisu watched as a bead of sweat ran down Haru’s neck and over her collarbone, then disappeared into her cleavage. Through the thick fog of Yuisu’s mind, Yuri-su screamed, Oh come on! Do something, for fuck’s sake!

Slowly, Yuisu removed her right hand from Haru’s shoulder. With her thumb she wiped another droplet of sweat from the side of Haru’s neck. She leaned forward, inch by inch, until her cheek was against Haru’s. She could smell Haru’s sweat, feminine and sharp and natural, like a moonlit forest.

Time seemed to stretch out towards infinity. Yuisu’s heart pounded harder than ever but she fought on. She managed a breathy whisper. “So, will you go out with me, Haru?”

Haru’s reply was faint but her lips were so close to Yuisu’s ear that it came through loud and clear. “Yes.”

Through a euphoric smile, Yuisu whispered, “Can I kiss you?”

“Please.”

Yuisu’s hands grasped Haru’s cheeks and pulled her face close. Their lips came together lightly at first, for a single quick peck. Yuisu went in again for a full kiss as Haru wrapped Yuisu in her white wings.

Haru suddenly leaned back, pulling Yuisu over. They toppled over together onto the pile of pillows, and Yuisu’s long black hair fell across the side of her face. Haru giggled and squirmed underneath as it tickled her exposed shoulder and neck. Her button-up top had popped open, revealing a matching green bra.

Haru held Yuisu close, engulfed in soft feathers, and peppered her face with kisses. Then she lightly bit Yuisu’s lip and tugged, which sent Yuisu’s mind reeling. “Wow…” she whispered breathlessly, before Haru kissed her full on. Lips crashed against lips, pushing against teeth, the pressure almost painful, but not enough to stop. Eventually, the need for air forced them to pause.

Yuisu grabbed the edge of her skirt and hitched it up so she could move her legs freely. She straddled Haru and dove for her neck. She ran a line of little kisses along it, relishing how it made Haru wriggle helplessly. Yuisu continued relentlessly, moving lower towards Haru’s chest.

Haru suddenly grabbed Yuisu by the back of her shirt and pulled her back. “Wait.”

The color drained from Yuisu’s face. “Too far? I’m sorry, Haru! It’s been a while and—”

“No, that’s not it.” Haru slipped out from under Yuisu and stood up. She pulled her shirt back onto her shoulders and started to painstakingly re-fasten the buttons.

Yuisu was dumbfounded. “Then what’s wro—”

The bedroom door flew open and Mara stood outside. She looked at the upright and clothed Haru and then at Yuisu on the bed, still on her hands and knees with her skirt hiked up and her butt sticking out. “Nice pink underwear, Yui. I wish I could wear cheeky ones like that. Alas, no booty.” She shrugged, then smiled. “Anyways, my room is ready if you two want to check it out.”