A/n: Slightly shorter but important, enjoy.

Cheers Vandalbear

I don't own Infinite Stratos blah blah blah...

Chapter Nine

Ichika slowed as he made his way to his room, which happened to have Charlotte waiting for him with a nervous smile on her face. 'What's she doing here?' He wondered as he used his key to unlock his door, saying "What's up Charlotte?"

"May I come in for a little bit?" She asked in that lilting french accent.

"Uh, yeah sure, I guess." Ichika replied as he opened the door, "Come in make yourself at home, would you like a cup of tea?"

"N-no thankyou." Charlotte stammered as she followed in behind him.

"Well what can I do-" Ichika never finished that sentence as all of a sudden he was pushed from behind onto his bed. As he turned over, getting ready to defend himself, he stopped in shock as Charlotte had taken off her school blouse and was now attempting to straddle him.

"Charlotte, what the hell are you doing?" He almost yelled, checking himself as he didn't want the girls in the rooms next door to hear him and investigate.

"I find myself very attracted to you Ichika," she responded, now completely on top of him, "I thought I could be your girlfriend, no?"

"Listen, I don't know what's gotten into you but this isn't funny, for the love of god please get off!" He pleaded, as he thought 'This is bad if anybody sees this there'll be hell to pay, and I'm the one to pay it too. There's no way anyone will believe me when I'm the only guy in an entire school full of girls.'

"This is no joke, Ichika. I'm serious, please can I be with you?"

"L-look I don't know what's going on but it's impossible for you and me to be together, for I have someone I love." Ichika said as he was trying to frantically think of a way out of the situation...

Back in her room Chifuyu had just finished the call with Yamada-sensei about the upcoming tournament. 'Hmmm,' she thought 'Ichika looked like he had more to say, I better go over and see what it was.' With that she got up, exited her room and made her way to the other side of the dormitory where Ichika's room was...

'Huh? The door's unlocked,' clearing her throat she opened the door saying "Ichika, you loo-" the word's Chifuyu had died on her tongue as she saw Ichika on the bed with a half naked Charlotte on top of him. Inside her body she felt a sharp piercing pain burn through her heart as she struggled for an instant to regain her composure, and slipping automatically into teacher mode she said in a growl "What do you two think you're doing? I don't care what you do in your free time but there will be none of this sort of behaviour whilst at school!" Charlotte had lept off Ichika desperately trying to put her blouse back on. Continuing on she added "Orimura, Dunois, you are both in detention starting Monday until I deem you have learnt your lesson. Dunois back to your room, NOW!" After Charlotte hurriedly left the room, Ichika tried to say "Chifuyu-nee..."

"I don't want to hear it Orimura..." Her voice cracking, Chifuyu turned on her heel and left to go back to her room. As she did Ichika saw a couple of tears drop from her eyes. 'Crap,' he thought, 'this is the worst possible thing to happen, I've got to go after her.'

Picking himself up, he hurried out the door and all but ran after Chifuyu.

After she closed her door, Chifuyu leant up against it and started to sob silently.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Chifuyu-nee, please, can you let me in?"

"No!"

Frowning Ichika thought of a solution that will get her to open the door. Clearing his throat and, leaning into the door, he said very quietly, "I remember the park..."

Chifuyu's heart felt like it stopped when she heard that. Unlocking the door she moved further into the room with her back to the door unable to face him.

Hearing the door unlock Ichika opened it and slowly entered. Seeing his sister with her back to him he opened his mouth to speak, but Chifuyu spoke first: "And that scene before was your answer was it?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"No!" Ichika answered sharply, "I swear, I thought she just wanted to talk tactics about the tournament, when she jumped on me. I don't know what the hell was going on."

Turning around, her white face paler with what could only be described as fear, Chifuyu looked into his eyes. Nodding she said "I believe you, you've never been one to lie."

Letting out a lung full of held breath, Ichika steeled himself for the question he knew was coming.

"So you remember everything that happened?" Chifuyu asked in a small voice.

"Yes," he nodded a blush starting to creep up on his cheeks.

"So what is your answer?" Chifuyu said eyes down, with a matching blush of her own.

This was it. The answer Ichika gave now would forever change the course of both of their lives. Nervously swallowing, he took a deep breath and, looking directly at Chifuyu, he said, "I Love You too, not just as my sister but also as a woman, both physically and emotionally." Continuing on, as Chifuyu raised her eyes, "I want to be with you forever, through whatever life throws our way. You are the most important and precious thing in my life."

At that Chifuyu broke down into full blown tears, but any sadness was belied by the smile brilliantly radiating across her face. Ichika moved to hug her, and the two came together as one, lending each other their strength. After a few minutes, Chifuyu pulled back a little and leaned her forehead onto Ichika's. "I don't know what the future holds, but together we can get through anything," she said smiling, and when she saw a corresponding smile of Ichika's, she leaned her mouth slightly forward expectantly, and was thrilled when Ichika replied by lightly kissing her lips. It didn't last long but both of them felt an electric shock pass through their bodies. Starting to blush Ichika stammered "Sorry Chifuyu-nee I'm not very good, I haven't done this before." Staring down not wanting to meet her eyes, he felt her hand beneath his chin, lifting his head up and she said to him "It's ok, neither am I. I haven't kissed many men before and I've never had sex either."

Ichika was stunned, "Really? Why? You're so beautiful! You could have had any man you wanted."

Chifuyu chuckled at that, recalling a similar conversation she had had with Yamada-sensei. Still chuckling, but now with an undertone of desire she said, "I've never met any man up to my standards before... Except you that is." Now laughing outright as Ichika's jaw was hanging open, Chifuyu could no longer contain herself and started heaving with laughter.

"Ha ha very funny." Ichika said in a flat tone slightly miffed; however that feeling didn't last long as Chifuyu's laughter was contagious and soon he was laughing along with her.

Ten minutes later saw them seated at the table both with a mug of tea in their hands as they proceeded to discuss where to go from here.

"Although we are now together," Chifuyu started, inwardly thrilled just by saying that out loud, "We should carefully think about how we move forward."

"I agree Chifuyu-nee, of cour-"

"Chifuyu." She interrupted him with.

"Huh? Sorry?"

"I want you to call me Chifuyu only, from now on when we are alone, please?" She asked nervously.

Ichika's slight shock at that quickly diminished and he smiled "Of course, Chifuyu."

Seeing her pleased look he went on, "I was thinking that obviously in school it will still be as student and teacher," Chifuyu nodded at that, "But also I think that, except for here, when we are out together on d-dates and such we might still need to be careful, especially around the local area."

Pleased by his thinking which had mirrored her own, Chifuyu said "I agree completely, for two reasons first that we are student and teacher, and secondly because we are also brother and sister..." She stopped at that as Ichika had developed an angry expression.

Dan Gotanda's comments had been revolving around Ichika's head ever since he had asked his friend his advice, and now after thinking about what society would say Ichika found himself furious, "I want to say to hell with what anyone thinks! But I do not want to have you the object of gossip and scorn." Ichika said in a low calm voice that Chifuyu knew that he used only when he was truly angry. Reaching across the table she knew her suspicions were correct as under her hand Ichika's forearm was tense and the muscles rigid.

"I know dear," She said soothingly "I feel the same way, it isn't fair, but I also don't want you ridiculed either," giving him a smile she hoped would help calm him down.

As she smiled at him, Ichika felt his anger ebbing away, putting his hand on hers with a rueful smile he said, "Yeah I know. Well now that's sorted, how fast or slow do you want to go? As I said I don't have any experience with this."

"Let's just go at an easy pace, let things come as they will. We have our whole lives together after all." Thankful that Ichika had asked about this, as she herself was a bundle of nerves and inexperience; Chifuyu brought up another matter. "What are you going to do about Dunois?"

Ichika scratched his head and replied thoughtfully, "Hmmm, well I'm just going to have to find out what the hell that was about. I don't want any bad feelings or misunderstandings as we are still partners for the tournament next week."

"Hmmph," Chifuyu grunted before asking, "What are you smiling at?"

"Are you jealous?"

"N-no of course not!" She stuttered, and as Ichika started chuckling she responded, "So I am alright? I swear you'll regret it if you don't stop laughing!" She threatened playfully.

"Oh? How?" Ichika was trying to stifle his laughter without success.

"Well I thought I might announce to the class exactly why you and Dunois are in detention." Now it was her to turn to grin as she saw Ichika's face blanche as he considered what that information would do. 'The other girls will freaking kill me!' he thought, out loud saying, "I'll be good."

"Okay, now after the events of tonight I think we should both go to bed, in separate rooms." She added, for her desires caused her to not trust herself to hold back, especially after they had just agreed to take it slow.

"Yes Chifuyu." Standing up, Ichika gave Chifuyu another hug and a slightly longer kiss, and went back to his room.

Both of them found it very hard to sleep that night.