A/N: Finally, I have returned!

I deeply apologize to all those who have read my story and been left on a cliffhanger, so to speak. I have now gotten over the loss of the family pet, and I think I have managed to find the drive to continue writing, with the second story that I have uploaded. If you would like to check it out, please check out my profile! It would be really appreciated!

Anyway, I really appreciate all of your kind words! All the support I got from you guys is outstanding, and it's great to know I have fans that will support me through these kinds of hard times.

Now, without further ado, it's time for chapter 7 of Sekirei: Steel of the Bond!

0o0

Minato bent down and collected the last piece of dirty laundry in the house: a single sock, mostly clean, save for a bit of dirt at the toe. He placed the lonely article in the basket and lifted it, making his way out of the room. He closed the door behind him, and trudged down the hall to the utility room, where the washing machine and dryer sat ready.

He rounded a corner, and out poked a head of messy, light-brown hair that Minato instantly recognized as Akitsu's. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around, up and down the hall, apparently still learning the layout of her new home.

She spotted Minato, and naturally perked up a bit.

"Good morning, Minato-sama," she croaked softly.

"Good morning, Akitsu-san," Minato replied with a wide smile. "Did you sleep well?" He received a slight nod in return, followed by a slight moan as she attempted to rid her face of drowsiness once again. She approached him from his side and planted a small peck on his cheek.

He blushed slightly, now getting more and more used to the constant affection shown to him by his Sekirei. He replied with a kiss of his own that he intended to land on her cheek, but one that she manipulated with a quick turn of her head to land on her lips.

Akitsu felt the warmth of her wings as they sprouted and stretched from her shoulder blades, the blue light spilling into the hallway and illuminating their location through the paper walls. She wrestled with his tongue for a split second before parting their lips, causing her wings to disappear.

Minato was left dumbfounded, so much that he didn't register Akitsu's hands prying the laundry basket from him.

"Akitsu-chan, what are you doing?!" he whispered. "You know you can't reveal yourself as a Sekirei! What if someone saw?"

Minato's eyes darted up and down the hall while Akitsu simply yawned and stretched, the basket clunking down beside her.

"I know this, Minato-sama," she muttered matter-of-factly. "That's why I checked our vicinity for any signs of life using my Sixth Sense. You know that Sekirei have that ability, correct?"

"Whoa, really?" Minato stared at the Frost Maiden, astounded by the revelation.

"Of course not." Akitsu replied without skipping a beat. "I came out of my room to check the halls just before you came by."

Minato's shocked expression faded to a deadpanning face, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "If that's the case, then what was the point of acting like you'd just woken up?"

"I believe the expression is to 'steal a good-morning kiss', Minato-sama," Akitsu explained with a flat tone, to which she received a nervous chuckle. "And, to do this."

The young ronin suddenly found himself caught in the Ice Sekirei's warm embrace, her soft lips once more pressed to his own. He felt his eyes close as something even softer caressed his chest, as her hands hugged him closer and compelled him to return the gesture in kind. It was then that Akitsu sprung her trap, lifting her legs and closing around his hips with her naked thighs. The sudden shift in weight caused Minato to fall forward, his Sekirei dragging him back into the darkness of her room as she continued to kiss him. With her beloved cushioned by her body, the only thing that remained was to wrap her legs around his back, moaning audibly, as she squeezed him with nearly every part of herself.

Minato was finally allowed free, gasping as he hadn't a chance to breathe before Akitsu jumped his tongue. The ivory-skinned maiden leaned her head back and gently brought Minato's to rest beneath her jaw, staring at the ceiling as she felt his panted breath roll over her neck.

"I'll be heading down to the dining room now, Minato-sama."

As much as she wished it were so, she couldn't live off her Ashikabi's love, as much as his kisses filled her with life. So, she rolled over, making sure to drape herself over him like a throw rug before sitting up, her white dress within reach. She saw the red appear on Minato's cheeks as he finally noticed, with the light from the hall outlining her body, that Akitsu was naked.

"I'll make sure to save you some breakfast."

Minato dumbly nodded. "Thank you, Akitsu-chan. I'll be down in a minute."

The Ice Sekirei climbed off of him, already sliding one arm into a white sleeve. Exiting her room, Akitsu and Minato turned to walk opposite paths down the hall. Minato proceeded down the stairs with the laundry, while Akitsu lagged behind a bit.

The jagged note of wooden boards creaking caused Akitsu to snap around and take a defensive fighting stance, readying an ice lance in her hand.

To her surprise, however, her counterblitz was greeted by a barren hallway. Her eyes darted to and fro, scanning her surroundings with blistering speed.

Nothing.

Confused, she retracted her ice lance.

"I'm almost positive I heard... Maybe it was just my imagination..?" she murmured.

She continued down the hall towards the stairs opposite the ones Minato used. Though this time, she kept her guard up. Every few seconds, she glanced over her shoulder. Each time, still nothing, so down the stairs she went.

0o0

"Hm hmmmm... Hm hm hmmm..." The sound of soft humming, sizzling and chopping made their way into the dining room from the kitchen. Miya was hard at work preparing a large breakfast for her new tenants. She quickly diced assorted vegetables to make a large bowl of kobachi. After, she cleaned her hands of the veggies' juices and removed the now grilled salmon off the stove, and set them in the center island with the rest of the finished foods.

The door to the dining room slid open, revealing Yashima and Musubi, who were still drowsy from one incredibly comfortable sleep.

"Good-morning..." they announced weakly.

Miya poked her head from the doorway dividing the dining room and the kitchen.

"Ah, Musubi-chan and Yashima-chan! Good morning to you both!" Miya called. "Would you mind helping me out by setting the table?" The wonderful smells of grilled fish and steamed rice found their way to the two Sekirei's nostrils, and their expressions immediately perked up.

"Yes, ma'am!" they cheered.

Another door slid open to reveal the now wide-awake Akitsu. She felt that her presence didn't need to be announced, and noticed the task that her friends had taken. She took a few plates and bowls and began placing them in the same style the others were.

Thankfully, Miya had taken some time the day prior to show them all how to properly set the table for the majority of their meals, and stated that it would be one of their chores for the morning. They graciously accepted, and that was that.

Once all the plates and utensils were set, Musubi and Akitsu took their respective seats. Yahsima on the other hand decided to check with Miya to see if there was anything else to be done.

"Excuse me, Miya-san? Would you like my help with anything?" she asked. "It appears that you've got your hands full."

"Well…" Miya hummed to herself quietly as she thought, while Yashima stood astonished at the sight of her landlady staring off into space while flipping chunks of salmon. "It would be a big help if you could go and wake the rest of the tenants for me. I would like everyone present for breakfast; I don't believe everyone's been introduced."

"Alright, will do! I'll get right on it, ma'am!" exclaimed Yashima happily.

And with that, Yashima left to complete her task.

0o0

Minato mashed the button on the dryer, sending the final load of laundry into its proper cycle. He rolled back his shoulders and sighed, satisfied with his work. The hampers were stacked into one another for storage, and set down in the nook between the far wall and the washing machine. Finally finished with his morning chores, Minato decided to head to the dining room.

"Sure was a lot of clothes. Glad it's over and done with, though."

As he made his way to breakfast, the stench of sweat made its way to Minato's nose. He quickly traced the source of the smell to himself, and decided that a shower was in order. He reached the dining room door and slid it open. Inside, Akitsu and Musubi were sitting next to one another at the dining room table, with one seat in between them. Minato could only assume that the two had taken the opportunity to steal seats in such a way that allowed them to get their fair share of himself. Akitsu's attention was captivated by the television at the other end of the room, while Musubi was fast asleep on the floor.

"Morning!" he said quickly. "Where's Miya-san?"

Akitsu averted her attention from the TV, just long enough to acknowledge her Ashikabi's presence. Her response was an index finger pointed at the kitchen. Musubi mumbled ever so slightly through her dream, almost as if she was trying to give Minato an answer of her own. The sight made Minato chuckle.

"Thank you, Akitsu. Could you do me a favor and make sure she's up so Miya-san won't get frustrated?" He received a stoic nod. "Thanks. I'm going to go take a bath, so I was-"

Musubi shot up, wide awake. "Did someone say 'bath'?!" Her eyes immediately locked with Minato's. "Musubi will wash your back, Master! Leave it to her!"

Miya caught wind of the conversation and poked her head into the room.

"My, my, Minato-san. Just what have you done to little Musubi-chan that makes her call you 'Master'?" she teased. "However, as I've said before, illicit sexual activities will not be tolerated in Maison Izumo."

Minato blushed heavily. "I-I swear, she calls me that because she chooses to, miss!"

"Very well, Minato-san, whatever you say." She winked, which only caused him more grief. "Also, I heard about the bath you were planning on taking. You'll have plenty of time, so enjoy it! Breakfast should be ready by the time you're done."

"T-Thank you, Miya-san," he said, defeated from the previous situation. Musubi only pouted.

"No fair..."

"Sorry, Musubi-chan. I'll be back in a little bit." He waved slightly, and made his way to his room to collect clean clothes.

0o0

Yashima made her way down a hall lined with doors. The ones that were taken would have a small chime wrapped around the handle, notifying their occupancy to those who passed by. Yashima stopped at the first one, and knocked gently.

In response, she received the loud, unpleasant sound of snoring from within.

"Er... Excuse me? Miya-san asked me to come and get everyone ready for breakfast, so please wake up!" From the other side of the door, she could hear the sound of cloth ruffling, bare footsteps, and a bit of mumbled swearing. The footsteps made their way to the door, where the deadbolt turned and the wood door slid open.

Behind it, a woman with long, silky brown hair revealed herself.

"Hmm..? Oh, hello! You must be one of the new tenants I heard about!" the girl exclaimed.

Yashima, however, felt her face heat up as it turned beet red due to the indecency that the girl was sporting. She was completely naked, save for a pair of white panties.

"M-M-Miss, please put some clothes on!" Yashima stammered. The brunette took a quick glance down at her bare breasts and donned a surprised look.

"Whoops! That explains why it was chilly! I'll get dressed," she said, in a strangely jolly tone for the situation. "Thanks for waking me up! My name's Uzume. And you are...?"

"Y-Yashima. It's n-nice to meet you, Uzume," the petite girl replied. "A-Anyway, I'll leave you to get dressed. If you need me, I'll be waking the others up."

"Oh, the only other person living here aside from your friends, the landlady, and me is Kagari, and he's usually gone right about now. He works during the night, so he usually gets back around the afternoon," Uzume raised a hand as she explained. "Anyway, I'll see you at the dining room. Just lemme get changed and I'll be right there."

"Alright! Thank you!" Yashima blurted. She began making her way down the hall back to the dining room, when she stopped to collect her thoughts. And the first thing that came to mind was...

'WHY DOES EVERY GIRL HERE HAVE BIGGER BREASTS THAN ME!?'

0o0

Minato wrapped a towel around his waist as he sat upon a stool in front of the mirror next to the tub. The sound of water spiraling down the drain echoed as he pumped some shampoo into his hands, and ran them through his wet hair. He lathered the soap through his locks and closed his eyes, shielding them from the substance. His mind drifted away, and he began thinking of recent events.

"I hope Akitsu is adjusting well... Going from 'unwingable' to being winged after everything those scientists said? It's got to be taking its toll on her..." His hands slowed to a stop. "Musubi seems happy, though. I just hope I'm spending enough time with her..."

He felt a headache begin to swell behind his eyes. He shook his head.

"I guess I shouldn't think too hard about it. After all, Akitsu's mood seems to be improving by the day, and I've promised Yashima I would go on a date with her soon. Musubi hasn't been negative about anything since she was winged!" He rattled his head to shake a bit of soap from his brow, before leaning forward to rest on his knees. "Now that I think about it... Where's a good place to take Yashima on our date..?"

He continued to mumble to himself while he washed his hair. He found that voicing his thoughts helped get them in order; alone, of course, where there was no Mom or Yukari to harp on him. As he grabbed a bucket of warm water and rinsed his hair out, the sound of a creaking floorboard resonated throughout the room.

"Huh..?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Sorry, but the bath is occu-" Minato's words were stolen by the sight of a strange woman standing behind him.

Her hair was a mess of silvery-white, and her skin was unnaturally pale, almost gray. Her eyes were a strange amber, and their pupils stuck to the top of their lids, which Minato recalled as 'sanpaku eyes.' They gave her facial appearance an eerie look, and coupled with her wry smile, it made Minato's heart drop. She was dressed in a patchy, torn, black kimono-like dress, and her body underneath was covered in white bandages, just a few shades lighter than her skin. Around her neck was a thick, studded choker with a blank tag on the face. She hid her hands behind her back, making Minato assume she was armed.

"Wha- I'm not- Who are you?!"

She chuckled in a deep, sultry tone, like velvet against Minato's eardrums.

"Funny you should ask... I'd assume you've got a few brain cells to rub together, right?" she bantered. "Take a guess."

"Uhm... Childhood friend..?" Minato scratched the back of his head. "To be honest, I've never seen you before in my life... Eh-hehe..."

Minato scratched the back of his head as the strange woman sighed.

"No, dummy, not me as an individual." She laughed a bit harder. "I'm a member of the Discipline Squad. Remember now? The Sekirei who enforce the rules of the game?"

"Oh yeah. Right, I remember," Minato lied.

"M-hm, sure." The woman saw right through him. "Well, let me to cut to the chase. I want out of the Squad, and so does my partner. See, I'm too lazy to put effort into stuff MBI wants me to do, and my partner doesn't like the restraints our handlers put on us. We need an exit, and that's where you come in." The woman removed her arms from her back revealing steel gauntlets with long, curved blades for fingers. The mere sight of the weapons caused Minato to shiver.

"H-How?" he squeaked, hoping, praying, that one of his Sekirei would test Miya's patience and attempt to bathe with him, so they could save him! "Also, how did you get in here without the others knowing!?"

"For one, my route is for me to know, and for you to never find out. Second, as it is now, the Discipline Squad doesn't have an Ashikabi. The guy for the job quit the day before he was scheduled to wing us. If I were to be winged to an Ashikabi outside of the squad, they would be forced to remove me," she explained.

"Coupled with the fact that I'm reacting to you…" she added, then smirked. "You do the math."

The silver-haired woman's pale cheeks simmered with a slight pink hue, while Minato backed away in surprise.

"So... You're going to use me to get out of the Squad?" Minato asked.

"Well, when you say it like that, it sounds worse than it is." The woman blushed a bit harder. "The only reason I'm here to begin with is because my partner and I were supposed to punish Number 88."

"Musubi!? What did she do wrong? She's one of the sweetest girls I've ever met; that can't be right!"

"Well, that's the problem. She was being a bit too nice." The woman began inspecting her claws nonchalantly, ensuring they held their razor-sharp edge. "She was giving out the MBI's secrets and going around asking people if they were her Ashikabi."

At this, Minato couldn't help but sigh. "Yeah, that sounds like something she would do."

"I decided to take the lead on the mission and scout ahead, to get a layout of the place. And during my scouting, I saw you and the Scrapped Number talking. I saw the way you talked to her, and realized that's what I wanted from my Ashikabi. Then I saw you kiss her."

Minato couldn't help but quiver, remembering the moment he and Akitsu had shared that morning. The woman only smiled at the rise she got out of him. He was putty in her hands.

"What a way to suck face," she murmured admiringly. The woman began making slow steps towards Minato. Her eyes seemed softer than before, and her features relaxed as she swayed her hips ever so slightly. "The moment you did, I could feel your aura hit me like a truck. It was... strong, to say the least."

Minato backed up a bit more, still very wary of those claws she wore.

She let out a long, hot breath. "'Intoxicating', even."

He felt his back hit smooth wood and realized he'd run out of floor.

Her smile curved a little more; he was all hers. "Honestly, I like fighting. I love the rush I get when fists are flying. But punishing those who break the rules? Being told what to do by some company? Not for me." She halted in her advance. "Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself."

The woman took a few more steps forward before she pushed her breasts against Minato's chest. Which, in turn, caused him to babble incoherently as he lost track of his thoughts. She looked deep into his eyes as her own fell half-lidded.

"My name's Haihane. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sahashi Minato."

Minato swallowed hard in an attempt to choke back his surprise. "How do you-"

"Oh, trust me." Haihane purred as she ground her bandaged thigh against Minato's. "MBI gave me your file. 2nd year ronin, shy in nature, but incredibly selfless. Little to no confidence, as the majority of it was stamped out at a young age by your mother and sister. Mother is Sahashi Takami, sister is Sahashi Yukari. I know more about you than you do." Her lips curled into a smile that would make any man to go limp where they stood. "So, no, I don't want to use you to get out of the squad. I want you as my Ashikabi."

She inched closer, barely able to hold herself back. The burning feeling in her chest grew from a heated spark to a searing furnace. "I want you to love me for who I am, just like you do for your other Sekirei. Now, and fo-"

She was cut off by another woman grappling her from behind, wrapping her arms around Haihane's. Her long orange hair tossed about from the struggle, and the only thing covering her body was a towel.

"I GOT HER, MINA-TAN! RUN FOR IT!" the strange girl screamed.

"What the-! Get off me, you psycho!" Haihane yelled. Minato was left speechless at what he was witnessing.

Haihane tried to raise her arms and swipe at the unknown woman, but couldn't break the bear hug she was trapped in. The struggle was short-lived, however, and ended when the orange-haired woman's foot slipped on the wet bathroom floor.

"WAAH!" Both women were sent flying into the tub. Steam could be seen rising from their heads as their faces donned a dazed and confused look. Minato felt a bead of sweat run down his forehead at the sight them and the situation they'd gotten themselves into.

0o0

Miya had gathered nearly all of the tenants in the living room, including the orange-haired girl and the intruder. Minato was being coddled by his Sekirei, who were concerned about his wellbeing after the 'attack,' as they put it. Each of the tenants sat around the dining room table, while the intruder, along with the orangette, were sat in front of the television. Both bowed towards the terrifying landlady, who stood between the two groups. Minato sat next to Yashima while she inspected his body for wounds. Akitsu sat to his left, directly across the table from a pouting Musubi, who was frustrated by her position relative to Minato.

"Are you sure she didn't cut you, Minato-sama?" Yashima questioned firmly, her eyes darting from one part of his torso to another, sweeping his bare skin for any damage.

"Yes, Yashima-chan, I'm fine. There's no need to worry." Minato smiled at the effort Yashima was giving to protect him as best she could. "Can I please put my shirt on now?"

"I prefer when it's off," Akitsu muttered, loud enough for both Minato and Miya to hear, which earned her a slight glare from her landlady.

Yashima, now satisfied with her examination, allowed him to re-don his clothing. To Akitsu's eyes, though, his torso remained undressed.

"Alright, now that that situation is taken care of, let us shift our focus to these two," Miya announced.

The orange-ette was now fully clothed in a long-sleeved, cream-colored Chinese dress (a "cheongsam", by Minato's recollection). The sleeves were much longer than they needed to be, coming close to swallowing her hands, like a child wearing a shirt too big for their frame. However, there was nothing childish about the rest. The shoulders had been cut out, making the sleeves look like they'd fall off after one good tug. Also removed was a small section between her clavicles, allowing a peek at her cleavage. Not that Minato had to use his imagination: the torso hugged her curves and showed off her flat stomach, perched below a bosom that could compete with Akitsu's or maybe even Musubi's. Overall, her outfit seemed designed to tease, flashing just enough to draw attention but tantalizingly keeping the rest a mystery.

Haihane, meanwhile, had dried off, now sitting wrapped in one of Miya's spare kimonos for her to wear in place of her tattered black one. Minato had to wonder if she'd also garbed herself in fresh bandages beneath.

"Let us start with you, Miss Trespasser. According to Minato-san, and your own word, you're only here to be with him, correct?" Miya gestured towards Minato, causing him to shrink a tiny bit.

"Yes, ma'am. I didn't mean for any harm to come to him or any of your tenants." Haihane bowed as a sign of respect, hoping that the landlady would understand.

"Hmm... Let me guess..." Miya pondered. "You're reacting to him, are you not?"

Everyone in the room, save for the orange-ette and Akitsu gasped loudly.

"H-How did you-" Haihane began.

"How did I know you were a Sekirei? Oh, please, tell me at least some of you noticed!" She giggled a bit behind her hand, amused by her tenants' confusion. "I could tell because I'm a Sekirei myself."

"WHAAAAT!?" a chorus of voices shrieked.

"I knew it..." Akitsu muttered. The jab painted embarrassed faces on Minato's other Sekirei.

"Alright, alright, settle down." Miya slowly lowered a hand, and her tenants complied. "There is no need to fuss. I will answer all of your questions as soon as we're finished with these two."

Everyone reluctantly obliged, still flabbergasted at the thought of the landlady being a Sekirei.

Haihane was the first to speak up. "Ma'am, if I may, I would like to apologize to Minato-san."

The landlady thought for a bit, before saying, "I think that would be most appreciated, Haihane-san."

Haihane nodded, turned to face Minato, and bowed slightly. "Minato-san, I apologize for intruding on you, and I apologize for breaching your personal space. I hope you'll forgive me."

Minato simply waved his hands in front of him. "Don't worry about it, Haihane-san. I understand that the whole 'reaction' thing is a bit hard to control, so I forgive you," Minato assured her. Sometimes, even Minato himself believed he was too forgiving for his own good.

"Thank you." She sat back down in her place on the tatami mat, hanging her head in a bit of shame.

"Now, time for you, Matsu-san. Care to explain what you were doing in the bath while Minato-san was using it?" Miya asked the orange-haired woman now known as Matsu.

"Ehhh... It was a mistake?" She almost muttered, her large glasses glistening in the light of the room.

"Really. I thought that you had access to CCTV's all around the house, including here in the living room, where Minato-san clearly stated that he was going to bathe. Am I mistaken, Matsu-san?"

Matsu felt her body go hot as sweat dripped down her forehead.

"I certainly hope you weren't lying to me, Matsu-san, and I hope you weren't breaking the rules of Maison Izumo on purpose." A devilish Hannya mask appeared out of thin air behind Miya, causing Matsu's blood to jump from hot to cold.

"A-A-Absolutely not, Miya-sama! I would never!" She stammered.

"That's very good to hear. Now, I believe there are some introductions in order." The Hannya mask dissipated as quickly as it appeared.

Matsu nodded, then bowed to everyone. "My name is Matsu, and I'm Sekirei Number 2, the Sekirei of Wisdom. I'm basically a computer genius, and can practically control electronics with my mind." Her glasses flashed in the light of the living room. "I also have a little bug planted on the MBI satellite laser, if anyone needs it."

She let out a manic giggle, which got her a smack on the head with a ladle.

"Control yourself around others, Matsu-san," Miya scolded, tucking the ladle beneath her arm.

"Yes, ma'am..." Matsu whined.

"Well, I suppose that's all taken care of. Is there anything else anyone would like to say?" Miya asked, which earned her a raised hand from Haihane. "Very well, say what you need."

"Well, first I wanted to introduce myself, since it seems... Mildly appropriate. I am Haihane, Sekirei 104, and member of the Discipline Squad." This earned a few quiet gasps and tensed muscles. "Well... I don't want to be a part of the Squad anymore. I want to be free to find my own Ashikabi, and to not be used as a tool for MBI."

The occupants of Maison Izumo couldn't help but feel bad for her, Akitsu the most.

"I understand how you feel, Haihane-san," the Ice Sekirei said softly. "You might not have known this, but I was the Scrapped Number that was rumored to exist. I was abused, experimented upon, and broken, all by the hand of the MBI. That is, until I found Minato."

Minato and Haihane's hearts warmed from Akitsu's words: Haihane, knowing that another had overcome her current plight, and Minato, feeling her outpouring gratitude and devotion through their bond.

"Thank you, Akitsu." She nodded to the Frost Maiden. "I really appreciate that."

"I also wanted to clear up a misunderstanding between me and Minato-san," The Blue Sekirei continued. "I do not wish to use you simply as a means to escape the MBI. To be honest, I never wanted to be a part of their little squad anyhow. All I really wanted was an Ashikabi that cared for me, rather than one who treated me as a tool."

"And, I would like to ask you, if it's okay... Would you..." She paused, trying to find the words for what she wanted to say.

"Oh, to hell with it!" Haihane blurted, breaking her respectful facade. "Sahashi Minato, I want you as my Ashikabi, dammit!"

"Whoa, hold on a se-!" Minato shouted.

Before anyone could react, Haihane had already sprung out towards Minato and dove into his chest, like a panther taking down a helpless gazelle. She crawled on top of him, and held her face inches over his own.

"Kiss me," she demanded, waiting only long enough for him to open his mouth. The moment their lips touched, a pair of inky indigo wings erupted from Haihane's back. All the heat in her chest spread to all parts of her body in a filling warmth, and she moaned loudly into the kiss. Minato was caught off guard by the sudden action, but quickly adjusted, and began wrestling with her tongue. He noticed a slight, yet distinct taste of peaches, which made the kiss he shared with her all the more surprisingly pleasant. He savored the feeling, as did Haihane.

Yashima was appalled by her lack of modesty when it came to her Ashikabi, Musubi was starstruck by Haihane's method of loving her newfound Ashikabi, and Akitsu kept her ice-cold expression, to hide her secret feelings of jealousy.

"Geez!" Yashima shouted. "Does no one in this place have any restraint, aside from myself and Miya?!"

Haihane ignored the world around her. The MBI company head could have walked in right now to personally take care of her, and she wouldn't pay them any attention. All that mattered to her right now was her beloved Ashikabi. The feeling of her soulmate wrapping his arms around her waist only caused her to moan louder. Finally, she removed her lips from Minato's and inhaled hard. She stared lustily into his eyes.

"I'm yours, Sahashi Minato. And I'll love you 'til the end of time." She snuggled into his chest gently. Finally, she had found the one. The one that will care for her, and the one that she will fight against all odds for. Now, and forevermore.

Minato, however, had nearly passed out from lack of oxygen. He lay there, panting and blushing with his newest addition to his flock reveling in the ecstasy of simply being with him.

"I'm glad..." he wheezed, "that I can make you... This happy... Haihane-chan..."

Her cheeks began to heat at his use of the honorific.

"Well," Miya interjected, "since Haihane-san is now a member of Minato's Flock, I would assume you would like to stay here with him, yes?"

"Oh, yes, Asama-san! I'd like that a lot!" Haihane replied cheerfully, though her looks made it a bit awkward for her to express glee. While her toothy-grin gave off a happy vibe, her sanpaku irises caused anyone who gazed upon them to shudder, regardless of the emotions they held.

"Well, that means you will have to take up chores and help around the inn," Miya stated. "And, remember, one of my biggest rules for Maison Izumo is that any and all illicit sexual activity is strictly banned. So no sneaking into Minato-san's room during the night."

At this, the infamous Hannya mask appeared behind her, sending a chill down the silver-haired Sekirei's spine.

"Y-, Yes, ma'am!" Haihane stammered.

One of the sliding doors to the living room opened, revealing the now fully-clothed Uzume.

"Minato, you sly dog, you," she grinned. "You only just met this girl on your second day here, and you're already sucking face? For shame."

Minato shrank a little at the playful jest, hunkering down underneath Haihane. The silver-haired girl noticed this, and only hugged him tighter.

'Ah, he's so cute when he's getting teased. I love it.'

"Ah, Uzume-san. It appears you're awake much earlier than usual," Miya said. "And what might the occasion be?"

"Well, I felt I should come down here and meet the other tenants," Uzume explained, taking a seat on the other couch, "Wouldn't want them thinking I'm some stranger walking the halls. Right, Haihane?"

This caused Haihane to flush in embarrassment. Miya let out a small chuckle.

"Well, I suppose yet another introduction is in order." Miya gestured to the brunette. "Uzume-san?"

"My name's Uzume, as Miya-san already told you. And, you might have already guessed, but I'm a Sekirei, too." She gave a small wink to Minato. "I hope that we can all get along!"

"It's nice to meet you, Uzume-san," the newly-arrived tenants said in unison.

"Hey, wait..." Minato asked. "Haihane-chan, didn't you say you had a partner in the Discipline Squad?"

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you, too…" Uzume muttered, flopping back on the couch.

Minato was oblivious. "One who wanted what you did? Where is she?"

"Ah, Benitsubasa..." Haihane thought about the pink-haired fireball she called her partner. "She can wait. I'm sure she'll understand."

Haihane cuddled close to Minato, making the others in his flock stare at her in jealousy.

"Hey, now! Musubi want's a turn! Don't hog Master all to yourself!" She dog-piled Minato and his new Sekirei, trying to be as aggressively intimate with her lover as possible.

"Girls, calm down! There's plenty of me to go around!" Minato shouted, earning a laugh from everyone else in the room.

0o0

Nearby, on the rooftop of an undisclosed building...

The lens of a pair of binoculars shivered as their holder quaked with rage.

"Grrr..! That bitch!" The pink-haired girl seethed. Her grip on the binoculars tightened even more, causing the left lens to crack, distorting the image of the black-haired human and her partner cuddling, along with that big-breasted bimbo. "I called dibs, and you know it!"

She sighed and stood, throwing away the broken tool.

"No matter... I'll just have to make him fall in love with me, and he'll never want to talk to her again!" Her angered mouth spread into a wicked grin. "Yeah, that'll be the PERFECT payback!"

The pink-haired haired girl cackled into the morning sky, startling a few birds and causing them to fly from their perches.

0o0

Alright, there we go! Finally, I have returned, and the first chapter I write back I make a major plot hole and have to fill it with more character introductions and developments. Great, lol.

But all jokes aside, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I think I'm going to try and keep this story going for as long as possible.

ALSO, a side note, I have recently been looking through the site's archive of Sekirei stories and found a story by the name of 'Not Alone'. It's written by an incredibly talented writer by the name of 'ashleygrusz'. From what I've seen, she's been terribly underrepresented as a writer and I think she deserves a bit more popularity for the amount of effort she puts into her fics. I would really appreciate it if you guys could go and check out her profile, as she not only has stories about Sekirei, but a few other shows as well.

Plus, it appears that she's favorited this fic as well, so she'll probably see this message. ;)

Remember, you can request any characters that you would like to see. I'll try and focus more on Minato's family life next chapter, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading!