Nakahama

Tonight was the night!

Shenshu was coming over for a slumber party. They'd watch movies. Eat junk food. Snuggle!

Haruhi had selected what she thought was her cutest pajamas. Her hair was entirely loose and down, a white waterfall hanging to mid-thigh.

She had a small pile of bird plushies and the giant jimen tori plushie that she won at the arcade. They usually all sat on the bed. But perhaps she should make room? She put them all on a dresser.

Now, to make a list of possible movies... Something she'd seen? Something she hadn't seen yet? Something artistic? An action movie? Maybe there would be time for multiple movies!

She'd done her sleeping earlier in the day, so she could stay up as long as they both wanted.

Bayushi Senshuken arrives like she always does. Quiet enough to pretend she’s subtle, loud enough to make the hallway feel her confidence. She strides toward Kakita Haruhi’s door in sharp street fashion. A cropped black jacket with red stitching, a sleeveless top, loose cargo pants tucked into combat boots, just enough jewelry to jingle when she moves and her backpack. One hand carries a six pack dangling from two fingers, the other holds a neatly wrapped package, black paper with a thin crimson ribbon. Her idea of elegance. She stops before the door, exhales once, then raps her knuckles lightly, almost playfully, as if announcing trouble disguised as a slumber party guest. And there she waits, weight shifted to one hip, smirk creeping in as she tries to listen to Haruhi’s steps.

Haruhi catches the scent of her first.

Her steps are decidedly rapid as she races over to the door.

"Senshu! You're here!" She smiled brightly. "Come in! Make yourself comfortable. How have you been? Oh, what did you bring?"

The Bayushi grins happily and offers the box. "I had no idea what to get you." She looks at her and instinctively grins even broader. "It's nothing important. A mystery box. Of a mo mujina plushie. I was thinking of you that day while I was waiting in the line to buy it."

She looks at her again. "May I come in? You are too beautiful to just stare at you at the front door. I might get scared and run away." She jests.

She smiled at the box. "Oh! How exciting. We can open it together and see which one it is!"

"Yes, please come in." She stepped out of the way, smiling at 'beautiful'.

"We can relax on the couch or the bed. And look at the room service menu. And the movies on demand. What are you in the mood for?"

She does get inside and closes the door behind her. Then she takes a look around her before focusing on Haruhi's face and grinning. "I'm really in the mood for a kiss and beyond that I'm in an impossiblt to sated mood to see you pleased and happy. Why don't you pick the movie for us. And the place we sit. Wherever your usual nest is."

And such a kiss it was!

Haruhi took a moment to catch her breath after that.

"Let's set up on the bed. We can lounge and watch. When the food comes, I'm sure they'll have a tray."

"I thought maybe we could start with something artistic and romantic? A love story with lots of longing glances, poetry, letters, and sighs? 'Blue Moon' is excellent of type, though I have a couple that I haven't seen, but heard are good that we could take on the thrill of the unknown. There's..." She checks a list. "... 'The Two Princesses' - that's a historical, 'Sakura Swoon' - that's animated, or 'Corporate Courtship' - that one's modern day."

An excellent kiss! Senshu draws away with a smirk.

"Hmmm... Are you up for two, perhaps? Both the 'Two Princesses' and and 'Sakura Swoon' sound interesting. We want the thrill of the unkown, yes?"

She takes another look around her. "Can go somewhere to change into something lighter? We don't want the dust of the street on your bed."

"I am up for as many movies as you want to watch! I don't want to miss a minute of time with you."

She smiled at her choice. "It is always an adventure into the unknown with you. And always very very thrilling."

"Oh, right. You can change in the main room or the bathroom. If you'd like." Since they were in the bedroom. "I can wait here."

"I'll be back in a minute." She takes her backpack and heads to one of the two doors. It's the bathroom after all. Soon enough she's in a pair of black shorts and a red crop top. She takes one last look of herself at the mirror and fixes her hair. Then she steps out barefoot and looks at Haruhi kinda akwardly and kinda cutely at the same time. "I have to warn you that I was slightly tipsy till an hour ago. But I had a cold shower and 4 glasses of water so I'm well now."

Haruhi nodded.

She took a long look at Senshu in her cute shorts and crop top. "Cute!"

"Oh I know. I got tipsy on two drinks. But I did get to tell a story, so that was fun."

"We can stick to juice and water tonight. No need to push our luck! Tea if you'd like."

She hopped up on the bed, jumped on it twice, and let herself flop down on the bed. Flopped out comfortably.

She nods and takes a step towards the bed, but she stops to look at the other girl. She grins, walks to the other side of the bed and sits down next to her in lotus position.

"Tea sounds wonderful. What story did you tell?"

She smiled at her closeness, and added tea to the order. A couple buttons pressed and the tea and food was on the way.

"I'm going to open the box!" She loosed the ribbon and ...

A happy shriek. "It's Mujina in the red dinosaur suit! Scorpion red. And so fierce. I love her so much." She hugged the plushie to her chest.

"I told the Crab and the Fox. A race story! Do you know it?"

"Awwwww. Such a cute dino! What do you think? What name should we go for?" She asks.

"I have heard this story yes. I can only imagine your narration. You have such a beautiful voice, Haruhi chan."

She studied the little dinosaur.

"Hmmm... maybe Raiju? I am sure she roars like thunder. Like an engine!"

She blushed at the compliment to her voice. "Ah, it is my advantage in storytelling. Definitely a better skill for me than say ... drinking."

Her tone turned a little more serious. "Were you remembering a loss today? Walking with a ghost? While I think it is always good form to praise a clan's animal, I wondered, after, if a tale of loss would have been more appropriate."

"Raiju chan it is then! And no. I have no personal losses to remember. I dedicated the day to the fallen Scorpion and Crab heroes of the old. I'm not sure if it was a good choice." She pauses for a few heartbeats. "I'm not at my best today. I had to do something I didn't like. To protect others. And I ended up being the only one who got hurt in the process."

"You were hurt? What ... what happened?"

Her eyes scan every inch of her body, with a fretting attention. Keenly aware that there are many ways to be hurt.

"No, no. Not physically." She clarifies. "And I can't get into details really. It's a clan thing. I just want to apologize for not being my best self tonight. For this. For you."

Haruhi smiled gently at her.

"I'm so sorry for whatever happened. It sounds like you were protecting others. That's good. Whatever happened from it."

"I need parts of my life to *not* be a performance. Be exactly who you are. Feel exactly what you are feeling."

"Can I hold you and we grieve whatever you lost today together? Or tell me touch feels wrong today because of your inner bruises, and that's okay too."

She looks at her and for the first time confidence is not what her face. It a mixture of sadness for what happened and shame for all her coolness is suddenly gone.

"Hold me, please." She whispers and it's barely audible.