Disclaimer- I have nothing to do with the creation of Love Hina, and are using the characters here without permission, or the creators knowledge, for recreational non-profit reasons only. In other words, for the reader's enjoyment.
Mostly Motoko Perspective
A Different Fate
I walked in on Keitaro as he sat brooding over some sad subject. He had a blank look on his face like he was still attempting to come to terms with a rather recent dramatic event. Keitaro's eyes were unfocused and to all appearance seemed to be focusing on something far past the walls of his room. Our room. I do not blame him for not coming to accept this easily, as I am still trying to accept this. I found that it was all legal. My sister was not bluffing and took her vow to its fullest extent. I am now staying in the same room as Keitaro.
He hasn't seen Naru in a while. He hadn't seen her since he answered "I do" at the impromptu altar my sister set up. I still am surprised he went so far as to follow through with my sister's ultimatum. I don't think it is possible to force to people to marry each other if they really don't want to. All it takes is to say as simple "no" or "I don't" in place of "I do." I have yet to understand what was going through his mind at the moment; what compelled him to say such a thing. I wanted to cry. I never would expect anyone to agree to marry me, even under the unspoken threat of the blade. The look afterwards, that was what hurt me. He was thinking of Naru.
Naru ran off at those two little words, which was practically the same as the three words, "I love you." At least, they should be in ideal. Also in ideal, and social dictation, one can only love one person at a time. Since he indirectly is saying he loves me, that means he loves no other in such a romantic fashion. Naru followed this very same logic in the span of less than a second. She sat there hanging on the ceremony up the point it was time for Keitaro to speak. She lingered on his lips; no other sounds existed in the world but the ones that came from his mouth. This was a defining moment, even though Naru had faith in their unspoken love. Now it seems it will never come to full fruition.
My own feelings on the matter, I have not yet decided on. I respect Naru and think of her as a friend and comrade, but as from the occurrence of this event, I do not think I can depend on that friendship and friendly love from her furthermore. I realized a few hours before the appointed battle, that I had feelings for Keitaro. My feelings for him have grown over time without my realizing until that moment. I felt a pain in my chest when I saw him with Naru, but it was widely accepted, not just by myself, but the other residents of Hinata Sou that Keitaro and Naru were fated to be together. That fate was now denied. I wish I could enjoy this, the company of the first man I ever had feelings for, completely uninhibited by most of, if not all, social etiquette for courtship; it was no longer relevant. We could make love if we wished so, and it would not be improper. We have a long way to go as of yet before that, as I am still getting used to pecking him on his check in greeting.
As for the rest of the residents' opinions on this marriage of mine, it varies, but underneath it all is an air of being uncomfortable with this situation. I am an outcast in the very dorm I live in. All the residents don't know how to act around me anymore, or feel if they are too friendly to me they are betraying their friend Naru, but if they outright ignore me, they would be betraying their friendship with me. This is what causes that uncomfortable feeling.
"Keitaro," I called sweetly to my now husband. He still was meditating, deep in thought and reflection.
"Keitaro," I said a bit more forcefully.
Keitaro blinked and looked up at me. I saw sadness in his eyes but tried my best to ignore because I knew for what reasons it was there. "Keitaro, how are you feeling? Maybe we should go out to get some fresh air."
Keitaro gave me one of his smiles, the ones he only gives to me. He has given a smile similar to this before to Naru, but this time it was true, bonding smile. This was a smile that only two people who shared a deep feeling could have for each other. After all, since the marriage, we have had to deal with the same problems. The smile, however, was also has an undertone of sadness to it.
"Air, yes, fresh air sounds nice. Motoko........chan"
I blushed at the way he addressed me. He still had a trail of a time saying it.
We walked down the hallway towards the stairwell. I was aware of the other tenants scurrying back to their respective quarters to avoid us, the newlyweds. It is a curse to know too much sometimes. I am aware of things people don't suspect I am aware of, due to my enhanced battle senses.
We eventually exited the Hinata Sou, never encountering a single resident face to face. Naru herself has gone back to her family for a 'visit'. Last I overheard was that she lost all enthusiasm for her studying and sulked about adamantly claiming she never had feelings for a Keitaro Urashima. We all know she is, and always was, in denial of her feelings for him. I was once like her in that aspect, but now I have no other choice but to embrace my feelings to make things smoother. It is better to open up and love your spouse, than to stay distant in a loveless marriage.
I took my husband's hand as the residents peeked out the window. Their expressions portrayed their individual feelings on the matter. Kitsune's eternally sly facade took on an angry look that better suited super villains. Shinobu had the usual look of when she ran off and cried the times she found someone in some sort of romantic situation with her sempai. The difference this time is that she did not run away, and tried to keep her calm. Sarah had an indignant look but she really didn't give a damn. Su looked on sadly, for all people thought of Su as ignorant and naive, but as a princess, she is far from it. She is no stranger to responsibility and the other things that make us mature. She chooses to act immature because she enjoys doing so and wants to enjoy life. Su understood the drama that has occurred more intimately than anyone else did. Every other resident has some sort of resentment of the marriage and its participants. Su, on the other hand, realized that this was just the same as a normally undesirable circumstance for them. They, however, have no choice but to embrace their life together now. They could not hold resentments and negative feelings on the matter, or be doomed to feel despaired for the rest of their lives.
*****
My husband and I arrived at a park not much later. We sat down on the bench, and I decided it was time to talk. We have not talked much on the topic of our new relationship, and have not had the courage to do so since the marriage a few days ago. Courage be damned. It needed to be done. We had spent the night in the same room after a long bullet train trip home on the same bed mat uncomfortably. We lay on opposite sides facing away from each other. Our sister made sure we were in the same room before she bid us goodbye. I was too lost in my thoughts to ever consider attempting to leave to my quarters after she left. I heard my husband sigh deeply; he could not go to sleep. I was in the same position. I have never slept with a male before. The fact that we also had yet to consummate our marriage made me nervous about him possibly attempting to do so. My breath became shallow as I was filled with anxiety while I tried to sleep. We continued sleeping in the same room after that first night in an unspoken decision. We were the only people we had; everyone else had become distant. It gave us comfort to be near each other.
"Husband.....dear. How do you feel about me?"
"Motoko, I....." Keitaro took a deep breath. "No, I should be honest with myself, and you, my new wife."
Keitaro continued, "I always thought you were cute Motoko. The time you...asked for me to hold you, I had to resist. That is why you found me in that ridiculous position with those clothespins on my face. I kept thinking about Naru. With our marriage, I don't need to worry about Naru....ever again. We can't be together now. I am sad about this, but I still feel lucky to have ended up with a girl like you, Motoko-chan. I have some feelings for you, and they amplified when you opened yourself up to me several occasions after your first confrontation with your sister. I admit, I can come to love you romantically. I already love you as a friend and like you quite a bit."
Motoko absorbed all this. She realized she wanted Keitaro, but never meant to take away the relationship him and Naru seemed destined to share. It still hurt the way he mentions her though, so wistfully. He still has lingering feelings. But...who am I to blame him?
"I....Keitaro, I realized right before I feel asleep in that tree which made us late for our battle, I was jealous of you and Narusagewa. I never meant to break you apart however. Myself, along with others, felt you and Narusagewa were to be together and that was a fact. All the residents of the Hinata Sou have some feelings for you on some level, myself included, but they also accepted it as fact. I never thought that I would become your wife. I feel guilty about Narusagewa, but I also feel guilty about feeling a little good about it. I mean, I never had much people skills, even though they have grown with you around. You have had so much influence on us all. But the fact still remains I wasn't very good with the opposite sex. I never thought I would get a husband, and had an unhealthy dislike for males. I judged all men to be pigs, but then you came along, despite your perceived perversity, you were sensitive and knew the right things to say to people. You lifted all of our spirits and have helped us in some way or form. I am happy to have you, more than I thought I would be. I am also glad I have not had to go through some courtship game to find someone, if I ever decided to let go of my hate for males, that I did not know how to play. I have been saved of that trouble and have a great man to show for it."
"Mokoto....thank you for telling this." Keitaro nervously moved forward and my breath caught in my throat. He wasn't, was he? My throat became dry as time slowed down to a snails pace. After an eternity, his lips met mine, and we took a moment to figure out the mechanics of kissing, before falling into a passionate kiss. I was surprised at the fervor I returned the kiss with. I felt hot all over before long. I wanted to open my gi a bit, let my chest bindings off, anything to either calm this inferno, or to feed it. Was I becoming a pervert of the likes I have always called Keitaro?
The kiss became random, but still very passionate. There were huge smooches amongst long periods of lip locking. I could TASTE Keitaro, and I liked his flavor. My tongue had a mind of its own and dipped into Keitaro's mouth. I felt him stiffen, then moan slightly. Damn, it was suddenly hot out here. I moaned back, partially from the somewhat uncomfortable yet alluring heat, and the interesting feelings it caused.
We broke off after a while to take a breath and cool down from the unbearable heat we had caused.
Keitaro and I looked at each other. We both blushed and looked around to see if anyone else had seen. Our eyes eventually fell back upon each other. There was now a passion in Keitaro's eyes when he looked at me. I almost gaped at him, as I got lost in his eyes. I swallowed deeply at what I found. I never had a look of such desire directed at me before, and I actually liked it a bit.
I, this time, went forward to plant my lips on his. While we began kissing I heard someone approaching quickly.
**********
"Where are they? Damn newlyweds. I've got to talk to them about getting them out of this. It's not right for that sister of hers to force them into something like marriage. It was probably a big fake anyway. Hmm, Kitsune said she overheard them saying something about going to a park........."
Naru gasped at the scene she came in on. Keitaro was kissing Motoko. This was an impossible scenario. She must have taken a wrong turn and ended up in the twilight zone. It was then she began to see red.
The couple broke their kiss as they recognized the voice and the footsteps that suddenly ceased. The couple turned guilty and shocked faces towards Naru. They saw her expression. Keitaro and Motoko both turned away and looked opposite directions towards the ground. Naru's anger momentarily lapsed as she witnessed TWO guilty expressions. Motoko would not....
"KEITARO!!! You...you...YOU...PERVERT!"
The Naru punch charged up as she approached Keitaro. She was now manifesting an aura that rivaled Motoko and possibly her sister. Her attack was stopped cold as the flat of a wooden blade intercepted her attack.
"Your abuse of Keitaro will not help anything. I also, will not allow the abuse of my husband. If he so wishes to kiss me, it is his right as such. Besides, the kiss you undoubtedly witnessed, was initiated by myself."
Naru gapped at Motoko. She came to help them, but it appeared that they helped themselves...to each other.
"Keitaro...you don't have to let Motoko kiss you. You don't have to let her take advantage of this situation."
Silence greeted her statement. Then after this longs silence... "Narusagewa...I'm sorry. I do love you." Naru started to cry with joy, until she realized the tone of which he spoke with. "But, I cannot be with you, this marriage was valid. Believe me, we checked. I also will not forsake Motoko like she doesn't matter either."
Naru tried to comprehend his words, and what he meant by them. "Well, she doesn't want to be with you right?" Naru turned a hopeful glance at Motoko, only to see her expression turn guiltier. "No...no no no no no!" Naru held her head as she shook it, trying to get this picture out of her mind. She refused to believe such a thing, but evidence pointed otherwise.
"But why...," she weakly asked, more rhetorically. She did not wish to hear anymore however. She turned away from them, and suddenly her voice turned arctic cold.
"Well Keitaro, seems you've got someone you can have your perverted way with. I'm glad you're happy. I guess this also means your promise to get into Tokyo U now is null and void now huh?"
Keitaro blinked as he realized what she said. He had never thought of that. He turned back towards her, seeing only her back.
"Well, I guess that means you can return home, you no longer need to study to get into Tokyo U. Or rather, it means you can go start a new family with you wife. I guess you won't need my help to study anymore. I also presume there is no point of you staying at the Hinata Sou now. Haruka can become the caretaker again. I'll truly miss you."
"Oh, and by the way," Naru started as she looked back over her shoulder towards the couple. What they saw scared them. She no longer looked like she was going to cry, but she had lost all emotions. She was....broken. "I expect your wife, of course, will be accompanying you."
Naru turned back away from them, and walked firmly away. As she reached a secluded alleyway, outside the park, she fell and went into tears.
****
Keitaro and I were reluctant to return to the Hinata Sou. From what Naru said, it is time for us to be leaving, I suppose it is for the better. Keitaro decided that he had to travel home anyway to let his parents know he had taken a wife, and for them to meet her. We decided to leave that night. I went back to my old room to pick up what belongings I had left there, that couldn't fit in Keitaro's. I then returned with a little bit of stuff, mostly weapons and an armor I had collected, in a single suitcase. The remainder of my belongs should fit into another. Keitaro's things all fit into one, the same one he came with. He had a bit of a time closing it than the first time because he had bought more things since when he arrived at the Hinata Sou.
Kaolla Su stood in the doorway unnoticed until we turned to leave. "Keitaro..."
Keitaro and I did a collective blink at the sudden maturity she was radiating.
"I'm sorry you have to go. I understand though. I take it Naru's found you? Well, at least keep in contact with me. I still love you both and wish to stay friends. I cannot, however, speak for the rest of the residents. I will miss you."
I started to tear up. I had bonded the most with Su, Keitaro being a close second.
"Yes, we will miss you too. We will invite you to wherever we come to stay once we settle. I love you Su."
"I love you too Motoko." The two almost sisters hugged, before Su moved to allow them to exit.
We walked out of the Hinata Sou, and turned back at the bottom of the steps, gazing upon the features of the Hinata Sou, where we had spent a good portion of or lives, and growth in this wonderful magical place. We then turned in unison as the wind blew their clothes and hair in a picturesque manner. The elders of the village watched on from collected mists around the area. The slight tinkering of pieces of metal were heard faintly.
"Let's move on, my wife."
"Yes, let's move on, my husband."
-End (of chapter?)-
-Author's notes-
I'm not sure if I want to continue this or not. I think I will make a longer second version of this fic. When I write fics they have a mind of their own. I never know what is going to become of them. This originally, was going to be "Femininity" a story I had planned to write, with possibly a lighter tone, but this is what became of it. I wish I had installed the damned Word thesaurus so that I could get rid of overused words. I still need to work on my vocab and wording..hehe. But I hope you enjoyed this deep and depressing, yet someone hopeful story.
-This May or may not be continued. The next chapters are based on the same idea, but the plot is entirely different. For now, this will stay a Oneshot that is cataloged with the series version.
-Please Read & Review. It's all I ask, and keep the comments civil and polite. I take polite critiquing a lot better than rude. The review system is not for flaming, but for ways to improve ones writing, and/or praising the author. Or at least I'd hope so.