Stolen Kisses: Prelude to Sorrow

Part 6

* * *

"That was smooth."

"Shut up."

"I don't think you could handle that better. I mean, man, I wish I was a cool as you."

"Access, I said shut up."

"In case you've forgotten our mission, we're supposed to be--"

"I know."

"And you just--"

"I'm well aware of that."

"Were her panties really green?"

* * *

"Miyako, can you keep a secret?" Maron had been sitting quietly on the edge of her best friend's bed. Her feet were dangling over the edge and she was running them over the carpet, drawing invisible pictures with her toes.

"What kind of a secret?" Miyako looked up from her school work. Maron smiled to herself. She should have expected this. Miyako had a higher sense of honor than most people their age. Friendship meant so much to her, that she would be willing to sacrifice goodwill to save them. Miyako didn't care if her friends hated her, what mattered the most was their safety.

"The boy kind, Miyako-chan." She had to tease, had to make it a joke. If this became too serious, she wasn't sure if she could tell her. The dark haired girl raised an eyebrow and set down her pen.

"Maron, everyone already knows about you and Chiaki."

The brunette's expression faltered and she looked away quickly. She didn't want Miyako to see the sudden sadness and guilt that filled her gut. Miyako's own expression softened and she turned away from the desk to give Maron all of her attention.

"It's not about Chiaki. Well, most of it isn't." She bit her lower lip and then sighed softly. "Nevermind, Miyako, just go back to your homework."

"Maron." Miyako's voice held a faint warning. She looked at her school work and realized that math wouldn't be finished in the morning. "You can't just dangle that in front of my nose and expect me not to be curious. You know it will drive me insane not to finish this conversation." She stood and sat down next to her on the bed. "This better be worth putting off homework.

Maron couldn't help but giggle. Miyako smiled and took one of her hands comfortingly in her own. With a gentle squeeze, she encouraged Maron to continue. Maron swallowed and took a deep breath.

Then, suddenly, she didn't want to tell Miyako about anything. Not because her secret was precious or special, but because she knew that Miyako wouldn't approve, maybe even look down at her for her actions.

"Hijiri-sensei kissed me!"

Miyako's reaction would have been comical, had the situation not been so dire. Her dark eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she made the appropriate melodramatic gasp.

"No way!"

Maron turned a bright scarlet and mumbled, that yes, it was true. Miyako abruptly stood and began to pace the short length of her room. Several times she paused and looked at Maron as if to say something. Nothing but nonsense sounds would make it past her lips before she would go back to pacing. It was some minutes before she stopped and planted her hands firmly on her hips. Her eyes held so many different emotions. Hurt and sadness, followed righteous indignation and accusation.

"I thought Chiaki was going to be your first kiss!"

Maron shrank back and clutched one of Miyako's pillows to her stomach. She swallowed the lump that had lodged in her throat. Maron knew Miyako's anger was even more terrible to face than the demons that plagued her almost nightly.

"Hijiri-sensei wasn't my first kiss!" Maron protested.

"Then who?" Miyako demanded. The knowledge that Maron could call the teacher by his first name disturbed her. It meant that laws were being broken. The police officer part of her reared and wanted to attack the jerk.

However, she still took several steps towards the cowering girl on the bed. Indignation on the part of Chiaki filled her dark eyes. Behind that, was the hurt that came with the knowledge of a faint betrayal. Maron had kept her first kiss a secret. She could never forgive her for that.

"I don't know who he is!" Maron snapped with annoyance. "Miyako--"

The other girl shook her head, abruptly cutting off whatever Maron had been about to say. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. Emotion was ebbing away from her. Once more she was the coolheaded detective that thought things through. Her eyes snapped open and she gaped at Maron.

"Shikaidou-sensai is a teacher!" She hissed, not daring to say it much louder. The apartment was small and it was as if she suddenly realized that her parents could be eavesdropping. "He's got to be at least twenty-two. Maron, it's illegal for him to kiss you!"

"But he knows my dad," Maron weakly protested. Her grip on the pillow had increased. Perversely, this was going exactly how she imagined it. It galled her to know that she could predict even this reaction from Miyako.

"That doesn't make it right!" she insisted.

"You sound like Chiaki," she muttered and then gave a little huff.

"You actually told Chiaki?" Miyako gaped at her.

"Chiaki was there when it happened."

"Oh."

That effectively shut the detective's daughter up for several minutes. For the first time in her life, Miyako didn't have something to say. Maron wrinkled her nose and laid back on the bed. She gave a dejected sigh but didn't say anything else until Miyako was ready to make some sort of protest again.

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Why not?" she demanded. "Maron, Shikaidou-sensei shouldn't have--"

"I think I liked it." Maron's admission made Miyako sit down on the bed. She had stunned her friend once more.

"Oh my." She tired to speak several times but nothing came out. Finally she sighed softly. "We're going on that field trip tomorrow to the Christian Church. Shikaidou-sensei paired you with Iinchou."

"Yeah, he and Chiaki hate each other."

"I'm paired with Chiaki." Miyako let that sit in the air between them for several minutes. She sighed quietly and laid down next to her friend. Maron blinked and rolled onto her side so she could watch Miyako's expression.

"What are you saying?"

"We'll trade. You two can go off and talk. And Maron," Miyako looked at her seriously, "I did not give him up to you so you could ignore him like this. Kiss him tomorrow, damnit." Then she smiled, making Maron grin. The two hugged and all was forgiven.

* * *

"When we get married, it should be here," Chiaki announced. The class had just finished entering the church. The young kaitou predictably blushed and tried to look at him indignantly. This became difficult, for he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"Chiaki!" she hissed. Her breath then caught in the back of her throat. It was almost painful. His hand had moved from her stomach and then down along her hip. It didn't stop there, for it continued to the tops of her thighs. Then, just as slowly, his fingers stroked the bare skin above her stockings, moving more towards the inside of her legs.

It was then that she realized her position. She was trapped between him and the last pew of the church.

"The only person who can see us clearly is Shikaidou," Chiaki murmured quietly in her ear. "Everyone else things that we're just flirting."

"You're hand," she managed to whisper coherently.

"Promise me that we'll talk. Today."

"Chiaki, your hand." Maron sucked in her breath again when his fingers clenched against her skin. His grip was almost too tight.

"We have to talk."

"After cleaning," she said quickly. "I promise."

"Alone."

"Chiaki!" she snapped softly.

"I see." He slowly let go of her thigh. Slowly he turned her around and his dark eyes were angry. "It's okay for him to touch you like this, but not me." He shook his head when she would have protested. "Remember your promise." Then he released her completely and went outside.

* * *

End Part 6