DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mai-HiME or any other anime/yuri goodness.

A/N: Here is a short chapter two for those nice people for who reviewed. It's really good to see reviews, but kinda disheartening to be put on people's alert lists yet see no reviews from them same people... c'mon guys, don't be cruel :P

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Chapter 2 - Sleepover

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Natsuki nodded her head as a goodbye gesture to Yamada, as he turned his van around and drove off into the darkness after dropping Natsuki off at the front of her apartment block. Shivering, the girl wrapped her arms around her petite frame - biking leathers still rather damp and chilled - and proceeded into the building.

As she was walking, thoughts of what had transpired a mere few hours ago ran through her mind.

Crap, now there is going to be two more at Fuuka... and that Minagi one is powerful, she sunk the entire ferry!

She quickly pushed off the waves of sympathy and guilt that started settling over her when she thought of the possibility of injured passengers, and fished her apartment keys out of her pocket.

With a mission like hers, she needed to shut herself off from the feelings of others, which explains her antisocial tendencies and the reason why she has only one friend.

The same friend she had found sprawled out across her bed upon entering her apartment.

Quietly standing in her bedroom doorway, her tired eyes fell upon the softly-breathing figure lying on her side, turned away from Natsuki.

Green eyes glanced at her clock. 12:23am. Why was Shizuru even here?

Then, her eyes caught sight of Shizuru's schoolbag and a few scattered books occupying the corner of the room. Sighing, Natsuki mentally slapped herself.

Of course! the study session!

You see, a few weeks after the incident underneath the sakura tree, Natsuki had tentatively began letting herself open up more and more to Shizuru and in turn, learn a lot more about the insanely popular senior student. She had learnt that Shizuru was very fussy went it came to how she drank her tea, that her favourite colour was purple, and that she always found ways to twist Natsuki's words into dirty sub-meanings.

But Natsuki didn't mind. She liked being shown the popular girl's quirkier side, so different to how she acted in front of her classmates and teachers. Natsuki had even dared herself to believe that Shizuru was being genuine when she often spoke of Natsuki as her "Most highly regarded friend... next to Reito-san".

And to a social introvert like Natsuki, knowing that someone would try so persitently to befriend her secretly warmed her heart. Although, she'd never admit it. She'd rather act gruff and somewhat exasperated around Shizuru and her teasing attitude, but the older girl seemed to see through it and that's what made it alright.

Natsuki had to admit however that since the beginning of this year she had found little time to spend with Shizuru, who had been elected Kaichou when she unexpectedly decided to run for the position at the last minute.

And Natsuki, who had been up to her elbows with the discovery of the HiME legend and her own Child Duran at this time, couldn't help but be suspicious towards her best friend at first.

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"Shizuru... did... did you really become Kaichou just to help me gain access to the intranet, like I was saying before..?"

"Ara, Natsuki... I became Kaichou for my own ambitions. Does Natsuki really think that I would accept so much responsibility upon myself just so Natsuki could alter her attendance record?"

"N-no! Of course not! I was just asking!"

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At first, Natsuki had continued to find it a little odd that Shizuru only joined the campaigning right after Natsuki mentioned the benefits of having access to the school's web system. But of course, Shizuru knew nothing about First District or Natsuki's search for the HiME, so why would she push herself to help Natsuki so much for such a supposedly unimportant reason?

Natsuki soon figured, it was absurd to think that Shizuru cared about her THAT much. So she believed Shizuru when she said that she was elected Kaichou because she wanted to be.

And even if it was for a reason that was not solely Natsuki, the first year student benefitted greatly from being best friends with someone in such a high position.

Shizuru turned a blind eye to everything that Natsuki did, and made excuses for her when she was caught by others. Natsuki got away with riding a motorcycle to school, Natsuki got away with skipping classes, Natsuki got away with fighting with other students...

And Natsuki got access to the School system just like she wanted. Shizuru didn't even question the girl when she randomly showed up in the Student Council Room and asked to borrow the laptop.

Although Natsuki found it a little strange that Shizuru would put up with such things, she found herself liking the girl even more because of her endless patience.

She also the side of Shizuru that couldn't help but look after Natsuki, protect her. The side of Shizuru that made her healthy lunches and motivated her to tidy Natsuki's apartment when she came over. The side that gently nagged her to study a little bit harder and the side that said nothing and just hugged her when Natsuki felt comfortable enough to tell Shizuru about her mother.

And at the moment, that caring friend remained slumbering peacefully on Natsuki's single bed.

Natsuki was starting to feel that nagging guilt creep back upon her at the thought of Shizuru waiting so long for her return that she actually fell asleep!

I can't believe she waited up for me.. so long that she actually fell asleep in my bedroom...

Natsuki was at war within herself. Should she let the girl stay the night? Afterall, it was Natsuki who had organised for Shizuru to come over at 8, and it was Natsuki who had given Shizuru her spare key.

On the other hand, the arrogant side of Natsuki argued that Shizuru should've left after the first hour, and shouldn't have entered Natsuki's bedroom in the frst place!

In the end, Natsuki quietly crept across the room and gathered some dry pyjamas. She showered quickly and quietly, and made her way towards the edge of the bed Shizuru wasn't facing.

She gently lowered herself onto the mattress, careful not to wake her friend, and rolled onto her side until the two girls were back-to-back. And there, she fell alseep to the soft, rhythmic sound of Shizuru's steady breathing.

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In the morning, Shizuru slowly cracked one bleary eye open as sounds began to register around her. Immediately, she picked up Natsuki's scent on the pillow she resting on.

Confused for only a second, Shizuru suddenly remembered where she was and where she had slept last night. She smiled into the pillow as she registered the feeling of a warmth pressed up against her back, and hot breath tickling the back of her neck. The girl's arms were clinging onto the fabric of the back of her tee-shirt.

"Ara... Natsuki is so delightfully clingy in her sleep!"

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In case you guys didn't really pick it up, this is set on the night of the first episode of Mai-HiME. The ferry one? Yaahh, that one. :)

Please leave a review if you read this and reckon I should keep going!