A/N: This is another little thing Shannon and I are doing, for lack of anything better to do with ourselves during long slow days...we talk about writing, and that's about it. We share that joy in common you see. I'll be getting back to my other stories shortly...but Shannon really wanted to do this, and after our last fan fiction together, I thought it might be fun. This will be a short series fiction, we already have the chapters planned out...it may grow into something more, but that depends on the amount of time we have for it, since we write this purely during slow times of the day...sometimes while we eat lunch.

How we we're writing this one is kinda funny. We're actually recording whats supposed to go on the paper, by saying exactly what we want it to say...hey, we did have the same drama class back in junior high...several long years ago now...so I guess it can't be helped...

That said, when we do post together, it'll likely be "hot off the press" type of posting, so please, excuse any errors that you may see...we do edit them, but we may miss things.

Symmetry's next chapter is being written as we speak, as well as the next chapter for Vacant Infatuations, though the time I have to do that is minimal at best (since I write those at home), what with work and the holidays, so even though I'm working on them, you'll have to give me an unknown measure of time until I can post them.

Edge of Loneliness
(Natsuki POV)

She was beautiful, so much so, I forgot that my head was throbbing in pain, and in addition, that I had four stitches just above my eyebrow.

I was being released from the hospital today, actually free from this damn bed, they'd forced me to stay here for over a week you see, and that was just a pain in the ass. She'd had to leave me too, the reason of my injury had to be taken home, and looked after. School nights, hell, at the brat's age, I wouldn't be sleeping, I'd be playing games, or staying up late with mom...we'd be watching old black and white movies on the flickering screen of the front room television...that or I'd be hiding under her covers if she'd worked a long, tiring day, as she often did, refusing to go to my room.

I was a pain in the ass as a kid, sometimes.

I never did like sleeping much, and my mom and I, we fought about that every night until she gave up the battle and let me stay up with her...turns out, I'd pass out about an hour later anyway, and as I got older, I realized she just made my bed time an hour earlier, and that's why she actually stopped fighting with me...it wasn't because I'd won, it was because she got the upper hand...but I digress. Mom died back when I was a kid, so really, when I was the brat's age, I had to grow up a lot faster...

That's why I think she's a brat, she has what I didn't at her age, and she managed to worry that poor woman senseless.

Alright...I think I'm either majorly drugged, or I'm more of a jackass than I realized...but whatever. The pain went away, and that's all I care about...and if they think I'll be coming back in a few days to have the stitches removed, they can kiss my happy ass. I'll take them out myself, hell it can't be that hard...though, it'll probably hurt, but not as much as the stupid glass shard that grazed my head in the first place. It wasn't my fault that the kid and her mom got separated in the busy streets, and I sure as hell didn't have anything to do with the thug who thought he was going to use the girl as collateral...what was the guy, an idiot?

Well, he wasn't completely idiotic.

He did have a gun, and one of his buddies as back up...holding a child a gunpoint to get what he wanted was a bit much, but I guess it would be effective...it would have been, if I hadn't gone and pissed him off. I guess a baseball bat isn't the same as a good pistol, but I left mine at home...well, it isn't mine, it was my dad's before he up and left...mom always kept it, and so when she died, that was one of the first things I learned how to do...shoot my family's gun as best as I could.

Thankfully, they weren't a very good shot, but you know, fools with guns are just stupid no matter what...I tried to play hero and get landed in the hospital, go figure... He missed me, but he did hit a window, and broken glass sliced through skin pretty good. I caused a scene at least, got the attention of the authorities, and managed to save the woman who's been visiting me for the past week. Sometimes I wish she would just go away, but she's taking the time to get to know me, a worthless little punk off the streets...

Well, my teachers call me that, and I do skip class a lot, but hey, not my problem if they don't like it.

I just turned eighteen this year, so it's not like I'm a little kid who needs protecting, I've been on my own for a while. The school of life teaches you more than most people realize, and the stuff it has, well, lets just say a math book doesn't make up for it, though I guess it can help sometimes...but anyway, I know people think I'm a troublemaker. It's fine if they think that, I'm not usually one for correcting them. It doesn't mean it's true though. I do actually care about the books in class, and believe it or not, I've read all of them cover to cover...I always manage to test out of summer classes, so whatever I'm doing, it seems to be working...

Well...was working...I didn't think I'd get shot before my mid term exams...but I can make those up, so I guess it isn't a big deal.

I wanna get out of this bed though...and fast...as soon as they release me, I'm going home and watching a few good horror movies, and I just might order a pizza...yeah, that sounds pretty good.

…

It was afternoon before her papers had all come back, and she'd finally been given her leather suit, which had a few rips in it. Natsuki sighed as she forced herself to squeeze into the tight fitting, but comfortable suit she'd been wearing at the time, with very little else besides underwear underneath. It was more comfortable that way, especially on the hot day that it had been during the escapade. As she sat on the bed, putting on her boots, the final piece to her ensemble, she heard a knock on the door, followed by a voice she'd come to familiarize herself with during her brief stay in the confines of her bed. "May I come in?" The thick accent had inquired from behind the door.

"Yeah, you can." Natsuki said then. "I'm decent."

"I thought perhaps I could see you off and make sure you arrived home safely." The woman who stepped through the door was much older than Natsuki. She was gorgeous, her voluptuous frame hidden under her skirt and blouse. Crimson eyes regarded her through thin wire frames, reading glasses she'd normally perch atop her had, Natsuki had begun to notice over time. Her hair was often left loose to waft freely as it pleased, normally, elegantly so. Today however, it had been pulled up into a tight bun, for whatever reason, only her bangs were left free. The new look startled Natsuki a bit, but the older woman didn't seem phased.

"If you want." Natsuki shrugged, her eyes falling back down to her leather boots. "You really don't have to worry about me though, I'm perfectly fine."

A sad little noise fell from Shizuru's lips, an admonishment of sorts, Natsuki knew that sound very well by now. "I used to say that too, you know." Her high heels clicked as she walked across the floor, and when she knelt down, looking Natsuki in the eyes, a look that had become routine fell into place. "But you aren't 'perfectly fine' or you wouldn't have stitches upon your beautiful face."

"Cut it out." Natsuki grumbled, removing the porcelain hand that had been holding her midnight tresses up to see the gash. "I told you, stop worrying about it. I'm just glad that you and your daughter are safe."

"That color is nearly criminal." Shizuru said softly, her smile just like her voice. "Really though, you shouldn't let all of your blood rush to your head like that, it surely can't be healthy."

"Yeah so what, half the stuff I do in my life isn't healthy...have you seen how much mayo I put on my food?" Never mind the fact she went toe to toe with two armed men, all for the sake of strangers. Yes, Natsuki knew she lived on the wild side, even if only a little, but it was just her way. It was a good deed done and over with as far as she was concerned. This woman had to perpetuate it, simply by fawning over every little bruise she came across. "Anyway, I'm ready when you are, so we can get the hell outta here."

Shizuru nodded, and they both left the room, and, to Natsuki's great pleasure, the doors of the hospital a few minuets later. Shizuru's car was an average minivan, white outside, gray interior. The back was littered with stickers on the window, and booster seat for her child, who didn't meet the height requirement to go without one yet. As Natsuki climbed in and sat down, she couldn't help but smell lavender, a scent that had become a known and welcome one, though Natsuki hadn't questioned why.

"Go ahead and type in your street address here." Shizuru had a GPS built into the dashboard, and it came to life once she started the car.

Natsuki tapped away where she lived, hit enter, and the route was made, now all she had to do was sit in a car with this woman for fifteen minuets and escape to her abode. Natsuki couldn't wait. "I know you don't want me to express my gratitude, but I really am thankful for all that you've done." Shizuru began again. Her words a melody in and of themselves. "I feel like I should repay you in some way, and yet, you'll ask for nothing, and I have no idea what could possibly be enough."

"Stop it..." Natsuki's crossed arms made her look more annoyed than she sounded as she sighed. "If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else, and I would have done the same thing even if it was." It wasn't like Natsuki could actually see who it was being held up in the alleyway, not until after she'd rounded the corner at a full sprint. "So you really don't owe me anything." Her eyes watched the timer and mileage count down as Shizuru kept driving, and Natsuki realized she wouldn't be home soon enough, but once she was home, she likely wouldn't see this woman again...something about that seemed painfully bad. She didn't want that to happen. "Just keep in touch, eh? I gotta keep you and the brat safe somehow."

Shizuru smiled at that. "If that's what Natsuki would like, I'd be happy to oblige you with such a request." She'd come to understand that was just Natsuki's way of endearing herself to people, having actually seen the girl talk to her friends the same way, going so far as to cuss one of them out openly, and to do it without remorse. Calling her child Alyssa, a 'Brat' was likely the same thing as her name in Natsuki's mind.

"Yeah..." Natsuki's voice was noncommittal, but her closed eyes spoke all. "I'm kinda tired, so I'll just rest while you drive." Her medicines were making her quite tired, and as she reclined back a bit in the seat, she could feel the calm gaze of eyes upon her form. They'd always glanced at her so casually, it was comforting in it's own way, and yet, very unnerving at the same time. Natsuki hadn't ever known what to think about it, so instead, she simply didn't let it bother her.

Ignorance was bliss during times like that.

…
(Shizuru POV)

I'm a waitress at a steakhouse inside of a highrise building, near the top floor. It sounds better than it is, honestly. It wasn't my profession of choice, I always dreamed I'd become a doctor, or a lawyer...something that made several digits fall off the check every other week. Something that would have me, and the family I chose to have, well paid for. Dreams are only drams, and I know now, that you can't exactly trust your heart based on a whim.

My daughter is the only proof that I have ever loved a man in the first place, lets just say, he was a friend. A very dear friend, and although we're both still very close, the real truth of the matter is that we could never be together. Reito, well he's also my boss, but we're not going to get into that...it isn't the reason we broke up...that wouldn't have been a problem, in fact, it would have been a godsend if we actually had worked out.

We're both totally and completely gay, a truth that for myself, and my family, was a very difficult thing to deal with.

At least a beautiful baby girl came from it, and Reito, he's the most wonderful father for a little girl to have. That's one of the reasons I never went back to school after my pregnancy, job security, it's a very wonderful thing. Reito, he looks out for me and Alyssa in ways no other employer would. I'm one of the highest paid employees, not that I wasn't near the top before mind you, but being the head manager does tend to raise the amount of bills that you earn, and the hours are nice...I can have as many personal days as I need, and Reito knows when I need a day off, and often times, shoos me off himself.

The tips are good, but not exactly good enough to live in the lap of luxury. I keep the bills paid and food on the table. We're able to go out and see a movie every other week, and between Reito and I, we try to keep Alyssa as busy as possible. He takes her for a few days here or there, something he insists on, but sometimes, that does make things lonely. I don't mind it, I think it's wonderful him and Tate, his partner, want to even have Alyssa in their 're wonderful fathers, both of them.

Plus, it's safer with Reito.

I live in a not so safe area of town, actually, my apartment is a scant few blocks away from where our little predicament occurred. I'll admit, Natsuki is a quandary...yet, I'm very glad I've met her...if it hadn't been for her bravery, who knows what would have ended up happening.

She's a bit rough around the edges, and she's only eighteen. Barely that as it is, she came of age a few weeks before I met her. She's such an odd girl. Closed off from the world, as if she has something to prove, I guess, in some ways, that she does. She doesn't seem very open, and I've tried to do my best when it comes to that...I figured I owed her that much. She saved my daughter's life after all.

I'm no pushover, if it had just been me, if I hadn't had to worry about my child being hurt by my irrational actions, may god have taken pity of those poor deranged souls.

Still, I left that life behind me a long time ago. I'm twenty-eight you see, so, I'm a full ten years older than Natsuki. My mother used to work in a burlesque house, so as a child, I was occasionally around some shady individuals. By nature, being the protective woman she was, and considering I often found myself at the mercy of her unwavering late night hours, I'd taken up lessons in martial arts early in my life. As a child, it was judo, but as I grew older, I learned many other skills.

I may be rusty, I haven't practiced them in quite some time, I haven't had the need...the point is, if I'd had to really get out of a bad situation, I probably could have... I couldn't guarantee Alyssa's safety though, so I thought it to be a risk I was unwilling to take...complying with the man's demands was likely the better option.

I didn't know what to do. Before I could come to a proper decision however, there she was, screaming as if she'd lost her mind with a bat over her head, swinging it like a fool. She actually managed to tackle Alyssa to the ground, and while the rough and tumble nature of the crash landing could have been done without such a fuss, I was thankful my child was no longer at gunpoint.

From there, I was able to take out the other man, rendering him without his weapon, then the authorities arrived, and we'd nothing left to fear. Alyssa and I were understandably shook up from the experience, but apart from some bits of glass in her hand, she was completely unharmed, something I'll forever be thankful for.

Natsuki didn't fair so well. Most of the shattered window had actually fallen on top of her, and that included the metal frame work and wooden siding. She suffered a horrible concussion, and a nasty head wound, though it looked more gruesome than it really was. They insisted to keep her hospitalized for a week, and every day while my child is in school, I've taken to visiting Natsuki. Reito's been teasing me about it, saying that I've finally met someone, and that he thinks it's good that I've taken an interest. I don't quite know if that's true.

She's so young, and besides, I doubt having an overwhelming sense of gratitude exactly falls under 'having taken an interest' but, I digress.

She's shy with me sometimes, and I find that rather cute. Natsuki's got this nature about her that's untamed, and yet, soft and gentle. She's an odd mix between wanting to lash out at the world, and simply forgetting that the rest of the world exists, and her blush during such times is quite amusing. I can't say I know much about her past, but I do know she is without a family. I can't imagine the types of struggles a young woman her age goes through, having such difficulty, but being the type of person that I was raised to be, I can't possibly overlook such a diamond in the rough...I feel like I should help her somehow...just like she helped me.

The only problem is, I've no idea what it is that I could possibly do for her, she seems quite capable already, and so, alas, I find myself at a loss.

I don't know what I was expecting as I pulled into a subdivision that was in a quite, safe, little rural community. Perhaps that she was living with friends, but she always seemed so lonely, and now, I didn't quite know what to think. Her home, it was on the end of the block...a corner house, two story, and fairly large considering she was the only one living there. All the lights were out, and it hadn't looked used in some time. "We're here." I'd said then, as she opened her sleepy eyes. My fingers hesitated on the key, and I could see it in her eyes, though I knew she wasn't going to say it.

She didn't want me to leave...
And I didn't want to leave her...
"Let me help you inside."
She didn't need my help...
And I had no reason to try to help her either...

"Okay..." She'd muttered in a low voice...and just like that, I turned off the car, pulled the key out of the ignition, and sighed at how wrong this could actually be.

She doesn't seem to know what she's getting into, helping someone like me.
Then again, I suppose, I haven't the slightest clue what I'm going to do about these feelings that occur whenever I'm with her.

…

"My mom left everything to me." Natsuki said as she flipped on the light in the hall. The house was quiet, so much so, it seemed eerie. The buzzing of the refrigerator gave some noise, as did the settling of the wooden door, but there was no one but Natsuki here, living in this rather large four bedroom home. "I want to go put on some real clothes, so if you want anything to drink, the kitchen's that way." She pointed off in the direction, and then meandered up the stairs.

Shizuru sighed at the lonely feeling of the house. The dining room went unused, a thick layer of dust covering most of everything...the kitchen was clean, beautifully done really, but you could tell it lacked a mother's touch. The pantry was filled with instant meals, 'just ass water' plastered across most, if not all of them. Chip bags, and other inedible blasphemy greeted Shizuru in the other cupboard, along with some tea, and various sports packets, the same 'just add water' instructions across the backing. 'This is a lonely house...made for a lonely girl.' Shizuru thought darkly as she went about preparing the green tea that she'd found. Soda cans were littered everywhere, and things that a mother would think of to do, such as take things to the bottle return, or putting the easily perishable foods towards the back of the fridge, it didn't seem to occur here.

The simple luxuries such as having the crust cut off a sandwich, or a home cooked dinner every night, even blowing bubbles into milk, all of it was likely forgotten before Natsuki knew it.

She couldn't imagine what it would be like day in, and day out, when the only company late at night would be little more than her own thoughts, what that might due to a person over several long years. She swallowed as the grim tendrils of truth became apparent. Past for this girl, the seeds of what made her, kept an aura around the house. Places she didn't touch, areas she dare never walk into again. It all made sense, really. Still, the pang in her chest at such a horrible thought made her consider never leaving Natsuki's side ever again, if it meant getting rid of the feeling of shadow that seemed to loom over this household. It was no longer a home, but instead, a cadge.

Still, even as she thought this, there wasn't anything she could really do to make the feeling go away.

"Sorry it took so long." To hear another voice was booming and loud, as were the other sounds of life, such as the buzzing of the microwave as water heated inside a mug. "Trying to find something easy to button down, it was harder than I thought it would be. Good thing dad and I have the same taste in clothes." She'd been wearing a blue button down shirt, and a pair of form fitting, but loose jeans. "Kinda big though, isn't it."

"It'll do fine." Shizuru said softly then. Natsuki didn't seem as depressed as she should be. 'Where is your father? His clothes are still here, so that man must be around someplace.' It hadn't occurred to her that her voice could betray her in such a way, although, the calm, cool gaze in Natsuki's eyes as she went to retrieve herself a soda didn't waver. Instead, she let a smile, perhaps one of pity flutter across her face. Ironic, considering the situation.

"He's in America." Quickly she answered. "He left us several years ago...before my mom died. He refused to come home after that, and I guess the things he didn't take with him are mine. We talk sometimes, but usually we just fight when we do." She cracked the top and took a sip, it seemed so final like that. "Are you sure you don't have to go get the brat, school will be out soon."

"No, her father will be picking her up today." She too, took a sip from her mug, letting things settle in. "Natsuki, are you happy here?" The question was weighted, and hesitantly spoken, a soft murmur that Shizuru hadn't wanted to speak, but she couldn't find anything else to say.

"It's alright." It was a strong answer, stronger than the look in emerald eyes spoke of. Shizuru could tell Natsuki probably wasn't lying, it likely wasn't all that horrible, but at the same time, it wasn't exactly a happy place to live either. "You learn to get by like this."

"I don't want you to just 'get by.'...that's no way to live."

…
(Shizuru POV)

What was I doing, saying something like that? My heart hammered away in my chest, and I felt something for this girl...something I hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. I wanted to take her pain away. I'll admit, when I'd tried to do that for myself, I ended up turning to quite self destructive ways at her age. Sleeping around with every woman I met, well, lets just say Reito was a reprieve from that. A breath of fresh air, and, he was safe... not to mention he made my parents happy. He didn't make me happy though, he was a man, and there are just some things my heart can't share with them.

Just between us, it wasn't the sex. For a man, he was amazing. Still, he lacked something for me, as I assume I did for him.

I care a great deal for Reito, but it isn't love. Women have come and gone in my life, especially when Alyssa was way to young to really remember it. As she got older though, I realized she might attach herself to anyone who I might bring home. I began to understand that, the day she'd come home from shopping for a present, and all I'd heard for several hours was about a blond haired, golden eyed young man, the one Reito had been seeing for several months beforehand. My heart ached at that, and I vowed never to let myself get reckless, I didn't want her to get hurt because of my actions.

So, I stopped bringing woman in my bed every other night...I made sure I only had a one night stand when Alyssa wasn't around to encounter it.

Still, the other women I slept with were my own age, roughly, and we understood well that we'd never really be together. They had husbands, or children, people waiting for them, and yet, they'd commit infidelity easily, and without a care in the world. I didn't want my daughter around that, or myself for that matter, so I simply stopped seeing other people. It is lonely though, there are some nights, when Alyssa stays over with Reito, that I realize how lonely and sad I am. I'm a people person by nature, but having a daughter you want to protect more than anything else in the world, it makes things a bit hard.

I kept telling myself that I'd put myself back out there one day, and look for a stable, capable woman, worthy of my love and affection.

She'd be someone I could trust my daughter with, and god willing, that this person might come to love my child, as though she were her very own. Perhaps we'd have more children together, adopt, or something, that's what I wanted, so much so, that I let myself wait around. I kept looking for something that was never there...and then Natsuki came along with this crass attitude, and yet, I could see the concern in her eyes...even though she was the one who was hurt.

"How's the brat?" That's what she asked me, before even asking if I was alright, or complaining that she didn't have any pain killers...even the day she was on the ground bleeding, cursing up a storm...she still asked the question. "God damn it, are you okay?" Even with gritted teeth, her eyes were on my daughter, making sure she was safe from harm.

Every day, it was the same question. "How's you and the brat?" The words weren't hateful. They were soft...that was her pet name for Alyssa, she'd ruffle my daughter's hair, smile sadly at her...say everything was alright, when it clearly wasn't...going so far as to tell her that she had to learn to protect her mommy better...

As if I needed protecting from a mere child, mine no less...

After I'd learned that Natsuki's mother was gone, I couldn't help but come to understand. Her words weren't to begrudge Alyssa anything...perhaps, in its own way, it was a fair warning, one Natsuki felt she ought to give, having been on that side of the fence, having lost such a woman in her life...that's when I allowed myself to trust this young woman. Yet with trust, other emotions come along...now I find myself feeling something that I consider to be completely inappropriate.

Natsuki is an entire ten years younger than I am, so even if she is an adult, consenting perhaps at that, I can't help but feel as if this is completely and totally immoral. Still, I can't stop what my beating heart tells me, and after we talked for the day, and I had to go home, I understood that this wasn't just a passing interest...on the drive, my mind did nothing more than focus on Natsuki...how she let me leave, but I could tell, her eyes said it all...

"Stay...please, just stay." That's what they'd been saying, even if she wouldn't voice her pleading thoughts.

I wanted to stay too...and the first thing I did when I got home and walked into my empty little apartment, I called her. "Did you make it home okay?" She picked it up on the first ring, heatedly asking me that question...and that's really how it started...that's when my heart decided that she had to be the one.