Six months, thought Himeko as she brushed her already silky hair. In those months her hair had grown and- to her secret pride- so had her bust. She had completed three semesters of university and no longer stayed awake long into the night fretting about the thought of failing her classes. As she continued to gaze into the mirror, she mused. The biggest change is inside, I suppose. Indeed, looking in the mirror she saw a confident young woman who carried herself with pride; so drastically different from the timid, shrinking violet who had stood there only half a year ago. She smiled serenely at the thought of the catalyst for her transformation: the raven-haired angel who was perhaps looking into her own mirror at that moment.

"Six months," Himeko whispered, grinning foolishly at her own reflection. She tested a knowing smile and a seductive look- both of which looked ridiculous- and abandoned the effort. There's really no way to make a face this girlish look lustful, she thought resignedly, but hopefully the outfit will make up for it. The tight black dress she wore would have been daring by most people's standards; wearing it, Himeko felt positively scandalous. Paired with red high heels, the effect was both shocking and gorgeous. Himeko attempted a twirl and, wobbling dangerously on precarious stilettos, she decided not to test her coordination- or rather, her lack of it. With a final lipstick, hair and dress check, she departed before her uncharacteristic courage dissipated.

Himeko sat alone in the restaurant, something that would have made her cower and wilt in the old days. But tonight nothing could deter her; not the thought of strangers' judging glances, nor even several unwelcome male callers whom she had coolly dismissed. Chikane arrived just as Himeko was beginning to feel ever so slightly uncomfortable, and Himeko's eyes nearly popped out when her gaze encountered the other girl. Chikane had matched Himeko in terms of uncharacteristic dress; the flowing cobalt dress she wore perfectly matched her eyes and floated gently over Chikane's curves, ending just at the knee.

"Himeko," Chikane said, smooth voice washing over the blonde, "You look absolutely stunning."

"And you look even more beautiful than ever," Himeko said, standing to give the tall girl a chaste kiss on the cheek.

When she recalled the night in the future, Himeko could only ever recall a few details from their dinner.

"You have no idea how thankful I am every minute that I'm yours."

Himeko glanced down at her plate, shocked as always by how forward Chikane was with her feelings. "You… make me a better person," Himeko replied quietly, "I realized today how much you've changed me, and that I love this new person who I've become."

A pale finger tilted Himeko's chin up to lock gazes with Chikane's brilliantly blue eyes.

"I think about that every day, because you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and the best that ever will." Himeko's heart throbbed as the fiery conviction in Chikane's eyes emphasized her words.

Himeko retrieved the small velvet box during a small lull in conversation. She presented it simply to Chikane, saying, "It's not much, but…" She lifted her own left hand to show an identical ring on her third finger. For a moment it seemed that ever-eloquent Chikane was speechless, and she silently allowed Himeko to slide the ring onto her finger.

"Thank you," Chikane said in a strangely husky voice, and Himeko knew that the significance of the gift was not lost on her.

Later still, Chikane presented her gift to Himeko. With her eyes closed, Himeko felt Chikane deposit a metal object into her outstretched hand.

"Open."

Himeko looked uncomprehendingly at the key, tied up with a pure white bow.

"It's to my apartment," Chikane muttered, a rare blush coloring her luminous cheeks in the dim candlelight. Himeko curled her fingers around the gold key, her throat and heart brimming with joy and nervousness. After several laborious swallows, she managed to bypass the lump in her throat enough to roughly ask, "May I use my gift now?"

Chikane smiled, and said, with a glint of humor, "I'd be offended if you didn't."

Himeko was suddenly very glad of her decision to abstain from drinking that evening. The only thing she remembered from the trip to Chikane's apartment was that her hand had trembled when it fit the key in the lock.

"Chikane-chan," she murmured after they'd hung up coats, "I have another gift for you." Feeling suddenly emboldened, she wrapped her arms around Chikane's slender waist.

"Himeko, you shouldn't have…"

The blonde captured her lover's lips in a kiss, effectively silencing and stunning her. With the taste of Chikane's lips, and the slight sugary taste from dessert, the knot of tension in Himeko's belly began to loosen slightly. She broke away to pleased, but curious sapphire eyes.

"It's not the sort of gift that I can give you in a pretty box," Himeko sighed, taking Chikane's hand and placing over her thrumming heart. "I love you, Chikane-chan."

"I love you too, Himeko," Chikane replied warmly, yet still confused. Himeko answered the unspoken question by moving the cool hand down several centimeters to the place where Himeko had secretly been longing to be touched.

"Himeko! Are you- I mean, do you really want to…"

"Yes," Himeko replied, clinging tightly to Chikane, "more than anything." She laid her head on the smooth skin of Chikane's collarbone, kissing lightly at her neck. She imagined she could hear the gears whirring in her love's mind as she warred with her misguided self-control. Sensing that she had the upper hand, Himeko bit down gently on the already sensitive spot she had been kissing. With a passionate groan, Chikane seized Himeko's face and kissed her, leading her blindly to the bedroom.

Once they had entered the softly moonlit room and rumpled the covers slightly with the movement of their kissing, Chikane broke away. Forcing Himeko to sit up and look directly at her, she asked, "Is this truly fine with you?"

"Yes!" Himeko replied slightly frustrated, but then a tiny seed of self-doubt wiggled its way into her mind. "I mean…" she trailed off.

"What? What is it?"

"It's just…" Himeko sighed, "I don't really know what to do. I just want to… please you…"

Chikane's eyes softened and she smiled, "Don't worry, we love each other, and that's all that matters. The rest will come with time." Himeko shivered as Chikane ghosted a hand across her torso, and lowered her head to kiss Himeko's neck. Gentle hands slid straps off her shoulders, as Chikane whispered near Himeko's ear, "You know that you've been teasing me all night with this dress?"

"That was why I wore it," Himeko smirked, and then gasped as she felt teeth grazing the sensitive skin at the base of her neck and in her collarbone. Himeko closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of Chikane's perfume as the warm lips roamed over her shoulders and the slope of her breasts, nipping here and there, and eliciting breathy gasps from the blonde. She felt a hand at her back, toying with the zipper, and the dress was slid off her upper half, leaving vast expanses of skin for Chikane to explore. Again with that feather light touch, Chikane traced the outline of Himeko's torso, raising goose bumps and peaking Himeko's nipples. Chikane's pace was beginning to increase in tempo slightly, and she covered Himeko's mouth in a deep kiss as she began to knead and fondle Himeko's right breast.

"Please, keep going," Himeko breathed as soon as her lips were free. Obligingly, Chikane pulled the black dress off, and hooked her fingers in the lace of Himeko's panties, pulling the blonde's hips closer. Himeko felt a growing dampness between her legs and pressed her fingers into Chikane's back as the raven haired girl began to explore her stomach using her tongue. Himeko's trembling fingers undid the blue dress, grasping for skin past the silk of the dress and lingerie. Finally, as she had been longing to do, she caressed the roundness of Chikane's perfect breasts. She was rewarded by a humming from around her navel. Chikane slid her hands down Himeko's back to firmly grasp the smooth skin of her ass causing Himeko to utter a soft whine. She undid the clasp of Chikane's bra and tossed it to the side.

"Himeko…" Chikane sighed, as Himeko reveled in the friction of their bare torsos rubbing together. They explored the vast quantity of skin that was exposed between them and Himeko bit into a moon white shoulder to muffle her moans as Chikane's leg slid between hers, rubbing against the lace that was quickly dampening. Sensing Chikane's reluctance to remove the last article of clothing, Himeko grabbed her lover's slightly reddening face, and blue eyes locked with lilac.

"Chikane-chan, I love you," Himeko said steadily, bucking her hips up toward Chikane's body. The blue eyes still hesitated.

"I don't want to force anything," she whispered huskily, "I want this to be perfect for you… the way I couldn't make it that time."

Himeko hugged the other girl close. "You're so good to me. I've made you wait for so long." She pushed them both up into sitting positions. "Well… let me prove to you that I'm ready."

She placed both hands firmly on Chikane's shoulders pushing the raven haired girl against the pillows and straddling her. Aware of the wide blue eyes watching her every move, she hooked her fingers in silk and slid the panties down and off Chikane's long legs. With a rush of desire and love she hadn't known she even contained, she drowned in the sight of Chikane's perfect body laid out before her. She lovingly stroked the hipbones, before forcing Chikane's inner thighs apart. The taller girl breathed in sharply as she resisted just enough to make Himeko's job difficult, before yielding and revealing the pink folds between. Himeko marveled at the color- like the petals of the palest pink rose- and the softness of the skin. Instinctually, she reached to touch and Chikane released her pent up breath with soft noises at each stroke of Himeko's fingertips.

"Is this good?" Himeko asked, using three fingers to rub in circles.

"Mmm, yes," Chikane sighed, bucking her hips slightly in time. With her left forefinger, Himeko probed the slick entrance and easily slid in past the knuckle. She added another finger to which Chikane released a "haaah". Finding a rhythm of sorts, Himeko continued with her actions, her own panties well soaked.

"Faster, please!" Chikane cried, twitching her hips reflexively. Himeko eagerly complied, and saw Chikane grab fistfuls of the sheets. With one last snap of her hips Chikane tightened around Himeko's fingers. Himeko watched in amazement as Chikane arched her back and threw her head back with her mouth open in a silent cry. As Chikane settled back onto the bed, breathing heavily, Himeko crawled on top of her once more, covering her lips with a sweet kiss.

"Chikane-chan, was that good?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes… oh yes," Chikane murmured, tracing her fingers down Himeko's sides. "Would you let me return the favor?"

"There's nothing I'd like more," Himeko replied, allowing Chikane to roll her over, so that she was pinned beneath the pale girl. Chikane kissed her from her neck all the way down to the very edge of the lace barrier. Himeko watched Chikane's face intently as she pulled the fabric away and was gratified to see Chikane's eyes flame with desire. Then the slender fingers brushed against her and all she could focus on were the sensations in her body. With each stroke, a trembling grew somewhere between her hips and she felt mewls escaping her lips as the feeling grew. The hand retracted for a moment, causing Himeko to whine slightly. The trembling had focused between her legs, and it felt almost like a hot fiery itch that she wanted Chikane to relieve.

She gasped as she felt Chikane's face between her legs, soothing the itch and covering it with a warm wetness that wasn't her own.

"Yes, Chikane-chan, yes!" she cried, running her fingers through the silky black hair. Chikane slid one finger inside of her, feeling initially strange. But as Chikane continued her ministrations, she grew to like the feeling of fullness, and then the fingertip brushed against a sensitive spot and the trembling intensified. Her hips began to buck and thrust, almost as if on their own. So much tension, Himeko thought she might burst into flames and then a moan ripped through her lips as white-hot pleasure reverberated out from between her legs. Her muscles clenched and released and she collapsed back onto the bed, chest heaving as if she had just sprinted. Chikane withdrew from between her legs, and Himeko instinctively wrapped her legs around the other girl's waist to compensate for the sudden emptiness.

"Chikane-chan," she said as she nuzzled into the pale shoulder, "that was the most incredible experience I've ever had."

"I'm so glad." Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "I'm so glad that I was able to make a better first time for you."

"For both of us," Himeko yawned, pulling the covers over them. She placed a finger over Chikane's lips to stop her from speaking again. "We should sleep."

"Mmm," Chikane assented, feeling weary herself. She pulled Himeko close, burying her face in the golden hair and wrapping her arm around the warm waist. Himeko sleepily burrowed into the covers and Chikane, thinking how much she enjoyed sleeping next to her love.

"Himeko, are you awake yet?"

Himeko stretched and blinked the sleep out of her eyes, recalling where she was.

"Mostly," she said with a sleepy laugh, rolling over to face Chikane.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew… that key meant more than just free access to my apartment. I've always told you how my whole being belongs to you, and of course that meant that you should come here whenever you desired. I guess what I mean to say is… I want you to move in with me."

Himeko paused for a moment to consider. She loved her own apartment, certainly, but Chikane's was just as much her home. And the thought of sleeping next to Chikane every night opened a bright blossom of warmth in her chest.

"Yes, I will," she replied surely, kissing Chikane to seal the deal.

"I'm so glad," Chikane smiled back.

"Hmmm, we should celebrate…" Himeko said, rolling on top of Chikane.

"Indeed we should," Chikane laughed, pulling Himeko down to her once more.

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed it ;) Don't worry, it's not anywhere near being over. Please, please, please review and follow for me! The fact that this many people love the story is what keeps me writing it.