Ryuko woke up feeling groggy and out of place. She wasn't quite awake yet and the fact that her head felt like a nuclear explosion had just gone off didn't help. She attempted to sit up but the immense pain she felt doing so caused her fall back to the bed.

"What in the actual hell… What did I do last night?'

Her room was dark and thank god because the light peeping through the blinds of her window sent little flares of pain through her head. Every single attempt at moving caused an even greater flare to run through her and after the fourth try of getting out of bed she quit. She felt miserable and helpless lying there. She was just about to try again when the bedroom door opened.

"Well, I see you're awake."

*unintelligible noise*

"Aww, I bet my little baby feels miserable, doesn't she?"

"Mmhm."

Ragyo had made her way over to Ryuko's bed and was now petting her on the head.

"You've probably got a headache."

"Mmhm."

"Probably a little nauseous."

"Mmhm."

"You feel just plain old horrible, huh?"

Once again Ryuko replied in the positive. Ragyo was still petting Ryuko's head and although it did nothing for the throbbing in her head it did offer another type of comfort. Her mom was like a cactus, thorny on the outside and… and well not thorny on the inside. Just knowing that her mom was here and was going to make it stop was enough. And so when she stopped petting her head and started moving around the room Ryuko figured her mom had left to get her some type of medicine.

Ragyo instead pulled the curtains apart letting the fullness of the sun's rays into the room.

"Well, serve you right!"

"Ahhh! The light!"

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, young lady."

"Mom!"

"Oh, don't you start whining. What were you thinking?"

Ragyo was on the side of Ryuko's bed looking down on her. Ryuko curled up on her side looking pretty pitiful.

"Or were you even thinking at all?"

"Ugh, mom can we not right now. I feel like crap."

"Don't you 'can we not' me. You came home drunk as a skunk, nearly passed out and I want to know why."

"Moommmy!"

"Oh, don't think you can get out of this by playing the "mommy" card. You are in serious trouble, little girl. Hey! Are you even listening to me!"

"I really don't fe- Blargh!"

"Goddammit, Ryuko! Not on my new white Prada stilettos…

Damn."

.

Scene Change

.

Satsuki walked into Algebra II and sat down in her normal spot. The seat to her right was empty and only served to remind her that her sister was at home sick with a hangover no doubt. And this thought only lead to others which she'd been trying to forget about all day. The most prominent and also the one she wanted to forget the most was that searing and mind-blowing kiss Ryuko had given her the night before. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it, but her current train of thought persisted. What did Ryuko mean by "you already have me"? And why hadn't she pulled away sooner?

Could she even hold Ryuko accountable for any of the things she had said or done? The girl was obviously drunk. But what was that old saying? Drunken words are sober thoughts. No, that couldn't be the case. They were very close. Not so much as of recent, but Satsuki figured Ryuko was just going through a phase and sooner or later she'd stop acting weird. They weren't related by blood but they had a bond that was beyond sisterly. It was more like life-long companions… in the most platonic way possible.

Satsuki internally groaned.

There was no way she could concentrate on what her math teacher was saying, not that it really mattered she'd pass the test either way. Besides she shouldn't be thinking about this anyway. Ryuko

was drunk. End of story. Some things happened and those things were to be forgotten. It didn't matter whether Ryuko meant it that way or not because it didn't change how she felt.

Ryuko was her little sister and that was all she was ever going to be.

At that realization Satsuki felt a weight lift from her shoulders. However, instead of vanishing as she hoped it only seemed to relocate and lay heavy on her heart.

.

Scene Change

.

"I am very-

"Blargh!"

"upset with you. Do you know how worried your father and I were."

"I'm sorry ma I –Blarghhhh! …Fuck."

"You should be lucky Satsuki and June were able to find out where this Nui Harime lived. And you better believe your grounded missy…"

Ryuko stopped listening at this point. Everything except the toilet bowl to her was irrelevant and held no value whatsoever. 'What the hell did I do last night?' She hadn't had a chance to further probe the fragments of what she did remember due to her current predicament. But what she did remember made absolutely no sense at all.

Baking cookies with Nui. 'No way in hell I'd actually do that.'

Hard lemonade? 'What even was that?'

Singing with Nui. 'Once again would never do this.'

A phone call with Satsuki. 'Okay maybe, not totally dismissible.'

More singing…

And then that was it.

She guessed Satsuki had come to get her. And to be honest that was the only part that made any sense and she didn't even remember that herself! She was perfectly willing to let that be the story of her "wild night", but something kept nagging her that that wasn't it. There was something else and try as she might she could not recall what it was.

…

At this point she'd thoroughly emptied the contents of her stomach and with her mother's help made her way back into her bed. Ragyo placed a hand on her daughter's forehead, sweeping the bangs out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry for fussing, but you really had us worried, Ryuko. And not just your father and I either. June and Satsuki too."

'Oh, June was there. Is that what I couldn't remember?'

"What you did was really irresponsible and I hope you've learned your lesson."

"I have and I really am sorry."

She was sure anyone after barfing their guts out would have learned their lesson. She herself didn't want to touch a drink after that fiasco… that and the memory of her ruined shoes. Ragyo sighed, still playing with Ryuko's bangs. She didn't enjoy seeing her daughter in discomfort and even felt bad for her. She could relate. She'd been young and stupid once too. However, she was no longer stupid and although she hated to admit it, was quite a few years older. However, no matter how young and stupid her daughter was, what Ryuko did was inexcusable.

"But you still grounded."

"Awww!" clutching her head Ryuko immediately regretted her outburst. Apparently, the barfing session had only distracted her from the headache and now it came roaring back to life.

Ragyo chuckled, "You better sober up by 3:00 'cause you've got to take Satsuki out tonight."

"What? Why?"

"Did you really forget your sister's birthday?"

Shit!

"I have a last minute meeting to go to and your father is still stuck in the city of that college he gave a speech in due to the weather. Which leaves you as the only one free. I'm not really for unsupervised parties, especially after the stunt you pulled last night… But due to circumstances I'm willing to allow a couple of close friends over if that's what you choose to do."

"Okay *yawn*"

All of a sudden Ryuko felt really tired.

"Oh and one more thing-", but Ryuko was already asleep. Ragyo smiled a before placing a kiss on Ryuko's head and heading out for her meeting.

…

Ryuko woke up about an hour later, meaning it as 11:00, which was lunch time at her school. She felt a lot better so she made to dial Sen, but then thought on it and dialed June instead.

"Hello"

"Hey June its-"

"Ryuko, yeah I know. Caller ID. What do you want?"

Well, June seemed a bit snappish today. "What's your problem?"

June made to tell Ryuko exactly what the problem was. That she was sick of all the drama. Satsuki had been off in lala- land all day, Nui had tried to put the moves on her in P.E., and she'd barely passed that English test! The last part wasn't really Ryuko's fault but damn it June was just sick of everything at that point.

"June?"

Taking a deep breath she instead said, "Nothing. Or at least it's not something we should discuss over the phone. Anyway why'd you call?"

Ryuko hesitated, but decided Satsuki's birthday celebration was more important. "I was calling to see if we might be able to plan something for Satsuki's birthday within the next hour."

"Aww crap, I completely forgot. You know what why don't we get everyone on the phone and see what we can come up with."

…

"Alright, everybody know what they're doing?"

A series of yes's and yeah's followed June's question.

"Great, see you all later then."

June hung the phone up with a heavy sigh. Being on the phone with Sen, Mako, Ryuko, and all the student council members at once was tiring. She was just glad their student council meetings were nothing like that phone call.

'Wait! How exactly were all of them going to be in the same room when they could barely have a conversation over the phone?'

"Well, I'm going to have fun playing referee tonight."

Then another thought struck her. 'Argh! Screw everyone else, what about Satsuki and Ryuko. That's obviously why she's been acting strange today. But why didn't Ryuko mention it… She probably doesn't remember anything from last night. Great just fuc-'

"Hey, Beautiful."

'And today just keeps getting better!'

"Hi, Nui."

June tensed up a bit as Nui sat down next to her. "What're you doing in here?"

June had spent here lunch in the school garden to avoid being overheard and possibly having Satsuki find out about their plans. The last person she'd expect to find her was Nui. Actually, how'd she even know she was in here? Unless it was a coincidence, which June highly doubted.

'freakin stalker!'

"Oh, nothing."

"Hmm… Really?"

"Uh, yeah."

Nui nodded her head. "So who were you talking to?"

"No one."

"Didn't sound like no one," pausing she added, "Was it your boyfriend?"

"What! No!"

"Are you sure 'cause you seem pretty flustered right now. Almost as if I've caught you in a lie.

"No it wasn't. I don't even have one," and as an afterthought she added, "And why would I even want one."

Nui smirked at that. The cards were most definitely in her favor.

'Ahh, damn it. Why did I say that?"

There was an awkward silence after that was eventually broken by Nui next question.

"So you're planning a party for Satsuki?"

June rolled her eyes. "Why'd you ask if you already knew?"

Scooting a little closer to June she said, " 'cause you're so much fun to tease."

June scooted a little farther away from Nui.

"I've said it once and I'll say it a million times I'm straight. As in I like boys. As in I want to be with a

boy. As in I am a hetero-"

June's soon to be rant was stopped short as her lips seemed to have found a much more… stimulating activity. Once again June found herself unable to pull away. She found Nui's lips were a lot more pleasant without the slight taste of alcohol.

Nui pulled away smiling, "Yeah, sure you are."

"You really need to stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"Kissing me like that. You don't just randomly do that to people you barely know!"

"So why don't we get to know each other better?"

June shivered as Nui ran her hand up and down June's thigh.

'No way! This is going way to far.'

"Nui, look I get it you like me. But I- I'm just not ready for a relationship right now."

June had stood up and that had put a bit of distance between the two.

Nui was silent for a moment. She then took a couple of steps and was glad June hadn't retreated further. June waited for Nui reply. Probably something to put her at ease, but she would hold her ground. She meant what she said. However what came out of Nui's mouth was not anything of the sort.

"So basically what you're saying is that you're in the closet."

"What no I- You know what? Just forget it!" Infuriated, she turned to leave.

"Hey wait!"

June stopped, not that she had much of a choice since Nui had grabbed her arm. "What?"

"It's not like you've ever told me to stop so I just assumed. Look I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

June relaxed a little. She actually felt kind of bad. Nui did seem sincere in her apology and was also right. She was sending her mixed signals, but if Nui would just give her a second to think before trying to feel her up every god damn second… June made to apologize, but was stopped as Nui continued.

"That and you seem to be enjoying quite a bit."

June went beet red, whether in anger or embarrassment Nui wasn't quite sure. She watched as June stormed out of the indoor garden. And just as she June was walking out of the door yelled, "You still

haven't told me to stop!"

Hey,

So I've been MIA for a while and well yeah… I felt kinda bad so I put everything else aside and wrote this. (I am now faced with either no sleep or no paper. Hmm? What to do? What to do?)

Anyway, I tried not to add to much denial and angst 'cause this is mostly humor and is supposed to make you laugh not get angry or sad or …whatever. Oh, and I hope you enjoyed my attempt at the whole NuixJune thing. That was seriously supposed to be a joke and I had no intentions of actually following through on it. But a couple of you guys/gals seemed to enjoy it so hey why not? I mean it's not like I'm not having enough trouble getting Satsuki and Ryuko together or anything. :P

Lastly (as late as this is) I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday :)

So in the meantime

Peace, love, and whatever else you need,

Ryuuken K