Posted: 10/01/2008

-o-

Snare

-o-

Fate, she decided, was a very good kisser.

The blonde had pushed her more firmly against the door, and a tongue was searching deep into her recesses in slow, circling motions. And her wrists had been pinned above her with a slender arm after a brief scuffle moments ago.

There was also a wandering hand under her shirt.

Nanoha had to bite back a gasp of surprise.

When did Fate pull out her belt?

Her skirt was unbuckled, hanging loosely around her waist, and her face caught fire.

Fate pressed closer.

A knee in between pushed her up slightly without warning, and she jerked.

It didn't help when she could feel the other smiling - that slight curl of lips she knew all too well - against her own mouth; and she felt her eyebrow twitching.

They parted, just for an instant, to catch their breath.

But instead of trying to breathe, Nanoha was trying to speak.

"You te - mmp - " Her accusation was muffled instantly, mouth plundered hungrily.

Her head was pressed back to the wall, that searching - almost bruising - kiss stealing all her remaining air.

And there was a low chuckle that she felt rather than heard coming from the girl that pinned her.

Nanoha nearly growled into the kiss.

Then the knee pushed and pressed against her more. The sensation made her lose focus, and nearly made her forget any thoughts of revenge; not to mention her feet were not touching the ground anymore, and she was almost literally straddling that leg, her weight half-pressed to the wall and half-leaning against the blonde to keep her balance.

Scratch that. She was literally depending on Fate to hold her up.

And Fate, damn her, probably had a Cheshire grin on her face.

Not that Nanoha could do a damn thing, in a position like this.

Deft fingers moved around to her back and unclasped her bra, and the sudden snap made her gasp into that mouth.

Drafty.

Really drafty.

A hand drifted over her, below that undergarment, and the cool, ticklish touch sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't stop the groan from coming out, fingers curling reflexively into fists, and she was almost positively sure that Fate was smirking right now.

The blonde wouldn't admit it to anyone, and no one (except Nanoha) would have believed it at all, but Fate was...a tease.

...A horrible, horrible tease.

Sometimes Nanoha didn't know whether it was her fortune or demise to be the only one who knew about it.

Although it was really her fault for provoking Fate.

Not that she was particularly regretful about it.

Fate leaned back, and for a moment, it was only their heavy, ragged breathings that filled the air.

Both their faces were flushed from exertion; and the blonde's maple eyes were downright piercing and...dark with desire.

She shivered despite herself.

The distance was closed again, and lips slid along the curve of her jaw.

Hot breath on her neck.

"...Ready to say it yet?" A soft, husky murmur.

Rough moisture on her skin.

Gentle caress of fingers against her flesh, probing.

She shuddered at the sensations.

"You - " Nanoha breathed in sharply when a finger flickered over a tip and pressed, "Y-you're going have to do better t - " Fate bit into the curve of her neck, and she jerked involuntarily. "- than..." Suckling, rubbing. "...T-that - ah..."

A small lump of skin grazed in between teeth.

Nanoha pressed her lips together defiantly to stop a ragged moan from escaping.

The hot wetness that covered a part of her neck left; and she felt like she was suddenly exposed, cold air invading.

"Stubborn," muttered Fate, breath hot against the reddening skin.

The brunette resisted an urge to stick out her tongue.

Then she was suddenly lifted off the ground, the hand that pinned her disappearing - and she yelped at the sudden lack of balance, her own hands wrapping around Fate's neck instinctively to keep herself from dropping.

Fate's lips twitched into the beginning of another smile, a hand on Nanoha's back, the other under her knees.

"You!" gasped the brunette, heart hammering against her chest. "Don't surprise me like that! You just took five years off my life!"

"Who was the one that pounced on me earlier?" came the dry, amused reply.

Nanoha had the grace to look a tiny bit guilty.

"...And who was the one that stopped me from breathing till it hurt?" Fate continued, raising a delicate eyebrow.

The brunette felt a smile tugging despite herself.

"Me," she informed the blonde, obviously not feeling very sorry at all; a mischievous grin was spreading across her face.

Burgundy eyes darkened, and the hands that held her tightened almost possessively.

Nanoha blinked.

The blonde leaned closer - or was it maneuvered Nanoha closer to her? - and her dark gaze was intense and burning.

Looking at her like a predator would its prey.

Nanoha was suddenly nervous.

Their faces were so close.

"F..Fate-chan...?"

And Nanoha couldn't move, paralyzed by that gaze.

"I..." murmured Fate, breath warm against her mouth, "... am going to punish you...for your little..." A moist tongue darted out to brush against her bottom lip. "...Prank."

And before she could reply, she was pulled into a hungry, searching kiss.

Her gasp at the sudden intensity was muffled.

The blonde had her exactly where she wanted and Nanoha knew it.

And obviously, Fate was using that particular bit of knowledge to get Nanoha unfocused.

Her back pressed into soft cotton.

Foggily, she realized that Fate had brought them to their bed; and the blonde was now above her, fingers unbuttoning her shirt, before sliding that blue skirt off without any difficulty -

Their lips parted, though more by Fate's control rather than her brief struggle for air.

- And that cool, slender hand rested on the upper part of her hip, fingering the hem of -

She breathed in sharply.

The blonde's fingers just slid under her remaining garment and probed.

Nanoha went stiff instantly, the brief prodding ended, and the cloth slid off to her knee...so very slowly...

And that hand that trailed down her leg, pushing the fabric away, with so very slight dampness, returned to rest on her hip.

It was suddenly too warm, she was blushing, and she was so very aware of the weight (that radiated heat) hovering above her and the hand that was touching her there.

Intense red eyes, dark and promising retribution, made her gulp.

Maybe she did go a little too far with her earlier mischief...

"I'm...sorry?" A timid, breathless, meek reply. A nervous, sheepish smile graced Nanoha's face.

Amusement - not so innocent at all - flickered past Fate's features.

The blonde leaned closer, nuzzling her cheek.

Nanoha's heart pounded loudly at the close proximity and gentle caress.

A hand snaked under her to wrap around her waist.

Warm breath blew at her ear, and she shivered at the sensation.

"...You don't sound very sincere...Nanoha." Husky words.

No, she wasn't, was she?

Fate knew her too well.

And Nanoha was suddenly pulled up, not without a yelp of surprise, now nearly half a head taller than the blonde. Before she could even protest, lips covered her own, Fate bringing her even closer to crush their bodies together; a hand under her shirt, leaving a trail of searing fire on her skin.

Nanoha knew she shouldn't respond, she should be trying to escape; but under that touch, that coaxing kiss, her mind just shut down, and she responded with equal vigor, fingers tangling with blonde hair - but not before Fate tugged the shirt out, not before her bra dropped to the floor; and hands were - oh - she bit back a gasp.

The brunette was pressed down to the bed again, and a weight was resting lightly on her.

Her lips were swollen and the insides of her mouth felt pleasantly raw, but Fate hadn't stopped; as if it still wasn't enough, as if she couldn't get enough.

Fingers brushed over her sensitive skin, and she felt herself stiffen in anticipation.

...But there was still something wrong.

And Fate, as if sensing that, broke the kiss.

Ragged, heavy breathing.

Had it been more than a few minutes?

But no, that didn't matter.

There was something more pressing that needed her attention.

She glared at the blonde above her, who leaned back slightly in surprise at the sudden huff.

"You," Nanoha said accusingly, "are still dressed."

Burgundy eyes blinked at her once. Twice. Thrice.

Then just stared in astonishment for a full five seconds.

Then she laughed.

A soft, warm, almost rugged kind of laughter that Nanoha had loved for as long as she could remember.

And it was infectious. She couldn't keep her glare up, and a grin was twitching to form.

Fate leaned down then, and their foreheads touched.

Warm, mirthful burgundy stared into blue.

"I suppose I do seem to be overdressed, don't I, Nanoha?" the blonde murmured huskily, lips curling into a gentle, humored smile.

"You are, not 'seem to be'." Nanoha corrected in the best-stern-instructor voice she could muster, and Fate chuckled again.

Their lips touched lightly, and they were both smiling into the kiss now, savoring that light touch - and the blonde fumbled with the button of her own shirt with one hand, the other pressed to the bed to support her own weight.

Nanoha moved to assist in removing the garments; caressing flesh lightly - and she felt a momentary triumph when the other trembled slightly at her touch.

A hand tangled itself in blonde hair.

The other drifted over that slim figure, brushing past nearly unnoticeable scars created from years of military work and training, finding them more by memory and instinct than anything else.

Then Fate grasped her wrists without warning, pinning them to the bed, and broke off the kiss.

Burgundy eyes were on her for one brief moment - and she saw them darkening with a desire so strong it made something deep in her shake - and then lips grazed past her jaw line.

"Don't think I've forgotten," the blonde murmured, voice deceptively calm despite being breathless, nuzzling her face slightly. "...You little minx."

Crap.

Distraction failed.

"And just for that..." Fate informed her darkly, warm breath on her neck, a soft kiss pressed onto her skin - it made her shiver - before rough moisture lapped against flesh, "...I'm going to put a look on your face no one has ever seen before."

An intense voice, promising forbidding things.

She felt a chill go down her spine.

And those words made her blush horribly with their implied meaning.

Just how did Fate learn to use all these words?

It was only then that Nanoha suddenly realized that this Fate was a little more different than all the sides of personality the blonde had come to show.

There was the serious, determined look the blonde often had while working, and then there was the calm, kind and gentle aura that Fate rarely abandoned.

There was also the piquant humor that came out once in a blue moon - most times triggered by Nanoha herself - which often involved her in some ways, and often with the intention of making her blush.

And this one?

Maybe it was the same sense of humor that came out (too) rarely, mused the brunette.

Except it was just a little more...unrestrained.

...And wicked.

When the bite - on her collarbone - she expected came, followed by slow...sensual...suckling, she shuddered.

Nanoha had a feeling she was in deep trouble.

One hand grasped both of her wrists with a strong grip that belied Fate's appearance, leaving the other hand a free reign of...her. Then lips descended lower, slowly, almost agonizingly, and blonde hair tickled her bare skin.

...Very, very deep trouble.

-o-

There was a devil in her ear.

Ragged breathing.

Her bare back was pressed against another body that was most definitely female; the slight frictions between hot, sweaty skins so very electrifying.

And a hand was on her front, holding her upright as her full weight leaned on the other, caressing her with a ticklish touch - and she fought to bite back gasps when fingers purposefully brushed over one of her tips, yet never staying for long and always too short, before it returned to her middle; pressing lightly, as if trying to feel her heartbeat - which pounded loudly in her ears.

The other hand was down there, cupping her in between, and strength had already left her legs. She was defenseless - totally defenseless - against the blonde who held her tight.

She shuddered at the teeth and strands of blonde hair that grazed against her shoulder, and her eyes squeezed shut when she felt a finger - or fingers? - curling inside her slowly, so very slowly.

"F- Fate.."

Finger...fingers straightened again.

"..Ng - !"

"You said something, Nanoha?" the blonde murmured against her skin, hot breath searing her, voice still dark and predatory.

A soft kiss on the curve of her neck.

Dammit.

Fate was clearly enjoying this.

The finger that made sudden rapid circles in her made her lose focus.

"!"

The sound that came out of her felt more strangled and tortured than anything else.

Then that hand left, and through her hazy vision and ragged breathing, she saw the slick dampness on those fingers.

"Wet," muttered Fate.

That one word made Nanoha's face spark fire.

The blonde chuckled, leaning over slightly, purposefully, and kissed her cheek. She was maneuvered back to the bed, back pressing into cool cotton.

Then Fate tasted the liquid on her fingers.

And Nanoha watched, half in a daze, still trying to collect her breath.

"...Tasty, too."

This time, the brunette knew for certain; even as Fate leaned down to pull her in another deep kiss, fingers pressing back in there.

She really was in trouble.

-o-

Arisa tapped her foot impatiently.

"Where are they?"

"There might be some unexpected delays," mused Hayate, a hand shifting cups of tea from the tray balanced on her arm to the table. "Fate-chan just got back from her long-term mission yesterday, too. Though she says she's okay with meeting today...she probably slept overnight at Asura."

"And Nanoha-chan?" Suzuka raised her eyebrows.

A pause.

"...With Fate-chan...probably?"

Another pause.

"...Ah."

"...You don't think..?"

"...Probably?"

"Hmm..."

"Fate-chan was away for...roughly three weeks, wasn't she?"

"That's true. So it's a probable yes?"

"Probably."

Arisa glanced back and forth between the other two, who looked strangely thoughtful and...amused.

Very amused, actually.

She twitched.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Maa...I guess we will know soon enough." Hayate smiled.

Arisa just blinked in confusion, annoyance seeping into her words.

"What in the world - "

Ding dong.

"That's probably them," the chocolate-haired girl said, moving to open the door.

Nanoha stumbled inside, a hand pressing on Hayate's shoulder.

"Sorry we're late..!"

"It's fine, it's fine.." Hayate peered at the taller girl whose head was bowed and breathing heavily. "...Are you okay?"

Nanoha laughed weakly and waved, taking deep breaths.

"I ran all the way here," she muttered, face flushed.

"I told her not to," a new voice informed from behind her, "but she insisted on running."

"We were late!" protested Nanoha.

"But to run while in that condition?"

Nanoha turned a darker shade of red.

"Condition?" Suzuka asked curiously.

"She - "

"NOTHING!" Nanoha said loudly, flailing her hands. "I'm fine!"

Three pair of eyes looked at her curiously, and Nanoha fidgeted.

Fate, in contrast, looked amused.

Arisa raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen to her, Fate?"

Nanoha's blue eyes snapped around to glare at the lightning mage, daring her to say anything.

"...Nothing in particular." A pause, and the blonde continued with barely restrained humor. "Just a bit too much...training, that's all."

"Training," muttered Nanoha under her breath, face cherry red. "You call that training?"

"Nanoha-chan? Did you say something?" Suzuka asked curiously.

"No, nothing." Nanoha said nervously, waving a hand. "Training. Right. Too much training, that's all."

She felt a pair of burgundy eyes piercing into her back, and a chill went down her spine.

"...Right. Anyway!" The brunette said hastily and turned Hayate around by the shoulders, pushing the shorter brunette forward. "So what were you guys talking about?"

"We were just wondering when the two of you would arrive."

"Ahaha..."

-o-

"Nanoha-chan?"

Blue eyes blinked at Suzuka distractedly, almost in a daze.

"Yes?"

"...Are you sure you're okay? Your face is unusually red..."

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Just a little out of breath from all the running."

"That was half an hour ago." Arisa said pointedly.

"Are you having a fever?"

"No!"

"...You don't sound too okay, though."

"And why are you so nervous anyway?"

"I'm not!"

"Nanoha-chan, you got a bruise on your neck." A pause. "And not just one, either.."

"What!" The brunette rubbed at her neck instantly, covering parts of skin.

"...And your face just got redder. Are you sure you are okay?" Arisa gave her a scrutinizing look.

"I'm fine! Really!"

"But the bruises?"

"I, uh..."

"An accident during training," Fate informed them helpfully.

"Right!" Nanoha echoed it immediately. "Right. Accident. Just an...accident."

-o-

"Nanoha-chan."

"Hm..?"

"There is something - look out!"

"Hn?"

She turned, still walking.

And tripped over a large rock.

"Wha..?"

Then she realized what was happening.

Her eyes squeezed shut, bracing for the incoming smack against the ground.

...One that never came.

Instead, a slender arm was wrapped around her waist, and her back was pressed to a familiar figure.

"Be careful," the soft, husky mutter came, close to her ear.

Fate.

All at once, memory of last night whirled back into her mind, and her heart pounded uncontrollably fast.

She was suddenly so very aware of the close proximity, the warmth Fate radiated, and that gentle voice that was so very, very...

"Nanoha-chan!"

She snapped out of her daze to stare into Suzuka's worried eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"I, um - y-yes, I mean, I'm fine. Nya ha ha..."

The hand around her waist was loose, but still there.

"She's not okay," grumped Arisa. "Her head's been in the clouds all day and she's not paying attention to where she's walking."

"Maybe the training exhausted her?" Hayate peered at her. "How long were you training, Nanoha-chan?"

That, Nanoha thought randomly, was a very good question.

Just how long, exactly, did they...go at it?

Her face turned red again.

"...Seriously, Nanoha. You don't look very good." Arisa said pointedly, eyes boring into her now.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Nanoha laughed nervously, waving a hand. "Just a little tired, that's all."

Arisa tapped her foot impatiently and crossed her hands, voice deadpan. "You are not fine."

"I am fine!"

"Not fine."

"I am!"

"Not."

"I am!"

"Not."

"I...oh, nevermind. " Nanoha sighed. She did not have the energy to argue.

"I'll take her home," Fate said, a hint of amusement and concern in her soft tone. "I think she needs rest." She continued before Nanoha could even react.

The arm around her waist tightened slightly, and her heart pounded again.

"Mm...good idea." Suzuka.

"Maa...take a good rest, okay, Nanoha-chan?" The agreement was quickly echoed by Hayate.

"But today...!"

Arisa interrupted before she could even finish her protest. "Go, go. Shoo. We can always have fun another day."

"But.."

"Nanoha-chan."

For a moment, the brunette was torn.

And despite Fate being suspiciously silent, three pair of eyes demanded her to obey.

She sighed in defeat, feeling a hint of guilt seep in.

"...Okay."

-o-

"So what do you think?" Suzuka asked when the couple departed.

"Oh, definitely." Hayate murmured, bemused.

"Definitely, indeed."

"They were never good actors, were they?"

"Not at all."

Both girls burst into a fit of giggles.

Arisa glanced between the two of them in confusion again, and stomped her foot in annoyance.

"Just what are you two talking about?!"

-o-

Nanoha glared daggers at the girl beside her.

...Who, of course, just couldn't seem to suppress that little knowing smile.

"I did suggest telling them we couldn't make it," Fate reminded her, amusement in her voice. "But someone was stubborn."

The brunette harrumphed.

Then strength suddenly faded from her legs.

A pair of hands wrapped around her waist instantly, bringing her close.

"...And obviously," murmured Fate, "you are not okay. You have been losing balance the whole time we were walking."

Nanoha's face caught fire.

Of course, Fate just had to notice that. But Nanoha had been so sure no one noticed, being as careful as she had been, so just how did the blonde find out?

She turned around in Fate's arms, and begun to ask. "How did you - "

Then she stopped; the answer coming to her even before she completed the question. The lightning mage had raised a delicate eyebrow, and was looking suspiciously amused.

Of course Fate would have known.

The blonde knew enough about her to know her...condition.

Never mind the fact that the one who caused it was the blonde herself.

And that only served to make her grumpy.

"Whose fault was that?" she asked accusingly despite burning cheeks, trying to wiggle free from that firm grip.

Fate chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her head.

"Someone started it first," the blonde informed her huskily, a sound that sent a shiver down her spine - and then Fate picked her up, ignoring the sudden yelp from her.

"Wha - !"

Her hand fisted in on Fate's shirt reflexively, and relief flooded her legs at the lack of weight pressing down on her feet.

"Fate - "

"No more walking for you," the taller girl said, actually meaning it.

Nanoha blinked at warm burgundy eyes that were fixed on her, bewilderment filling her. Just how did Fate find out all these little things when she hadn't said a word, or even shown a hint of her fatigue?

The blonde adjusted her grip, and started walking.

Nanoha flushed.

"Everyone's going to see us like this," she protested weakly.

"Let them."

Nanoha was bold, but sometimes, just sometimes, Fate was bolder.

Last night pretty much proved it, really.

The brunette's face turned a darker shade of red, and her head lowered; trying to escape that amused gaze.

"...You know, Nanoha..." the blonde said, voice suddenly lower, "I'm still not quite done with you yet."

Nanoha's head snapped up to stare in disbelief.

"Are you that insatiable - mmp - !"

The rest of her words had been cut off when lips crushed hers.

The kiss was as searching and as hungry as yesterday's.

And she was responding, more of an instinctual motion than anything else. Her hands wrapped around Fate's neck, tangling with blonde hair.

The insides of her mouth were pleasantly raw when they parted, and their breathings were ragged and hot.

Warm, humored dark red eyes gazed at her.

Then Fate sighed, softly.

Nanoha blinked.

"Fate-chan?"

The blonde responded by nuzzling her cheek lightly.

"Three weeks was too long a time," muttered Fate.

And before Nanoha could reply, lips pressed against hers again.

-o-

A/N: Was that fun? I hope it was fun, because I had some very interesting experiences while trying to write this. For one thing, I had to dig out...references. Certain fic references from random fandoms. It had also better be worth all the prodding and poking by Rae and Fay (hey, that rhymed), because they had fun making me squirm as I wrote this. D: Evil people, I say. Evil, evil, evil.

This fic was started sometime early in October, and officially completed...two days ago? Never thought so much time would be spent on a 4k word fic. But then again, Stigma is still taking a much longer time...meh.

Snare is dedicated to mercurianangel, the one from livejournal, who's also the one at AnimeSuki forums -- since I made the mistake of bribing her and she decided to give me a little sliced-lemon picture as a theme for a fic. No, not that, just lemon. The fruit. Needlessly said, I have been tricked. So all of you have her to thank for this little fiction.

But for the record, there are certain words that I dislike using immensely, and if you have noticed that I didn't use some of the more common...terms, that's because I am trying to avoid them. Not that I'm against those kind of words or anything but...well, let's just say I prefer subtlety. Also, the second scene may seem a little choppy or...I don't know, didn't end properly? That scene's just something I have added after some thought, because the first, long, part did not look like it had enough material to be a lemon-themed fic. And no, I'm not going to try and lengthen that particular scene further, so you're just going to have to imagine the rest in your head.

Any thoughts on Fate, people? I had wanted to expand on Fate's little sense of humor/closet-tease nature for a while now, and this was a rather good opportunity for it. I often get the impression Fate's the type of person who would show different faces to different people but...well, hopefully it looks believable enough. After all...it's always the quiet ones, no?

And this being a pointless fluff humor fic...you won't see me writing this kind of stuff very often, as I'm not very good at humor fics. Much less if it's lemon material. Enjoy it while it lasts, people, because angst is incoming. :D

Of course, reviews are most inspiring too, dearest readers...

Till next time,
Eagle.