After Graduation - A Shizune/Hisao story (post good route)

[themocaw]

Please keep this up. I'm really enjoying this.

[sg1cat]

I can't wait to see how you handle Hisao's parents

Neither can I...

[sg1cat]

Aww, i am on a phone so my response wont be all to long.
its a nice story for sure even though shizune is a bit OOC, i really do like the writing.
Its btw Shichan. (I think)

Thank you very much, I'm glad yo ulike it.

[sg1cat]

Pure fluff with sprinkle of comedy and erotica, huh.

Not that there is anything wrong with these, noo...

hehe...yeah, I tend to enjoy those things too... (had you noticed? )

[sg1cat]

Great chapter! I love the cat statue thing, one of my favorite thing in fictions is when the author brings up things from the original to advance the story.

Agreed, couldn't help but read it with a smile on my face the entire time

That's a given with this story for me

Thanks very much you two, I greatly appreciate the kind words. Your compliments put a smile on my face!

[sg1cat]

Please keep this up. I'm really enjoying this.

Thanks very much, Themocaw...getting a compliment on my story from you was a big deal to me. Your story, "A Weekend At Hisao's" was amazing, definitely my favorite Shizune fan fic. I also really like the sequel you've been penning.

I'll make you a deal - I'll keep this up if you keep writing "Summer by the Sea"...

[sg1cat]

Shizune continues to hold my hand tightly as we exit the glass shop, slowing from her frenetic pace to allow Misha and I to catch up with her. Wordlessly she leads us again through the winding streets of the quaint little town, saying nothing about where we're going, though she does glance over her shoulder a couple of times to grin at me knowingly. I smile back each time, lifting an eyebrow in wordless question. Her only answer is to wink and smile all the more. I glance over at Misha who can only shrug, clearly having no idea as to where Shizune is leading us next.

After several minutes of wandering down one nameless street after another, we finally turn the corner to find another smallish building, unobtrusively nestled in among the others in the street. Shizune leads us up the stairs and opens the door, pulling me along by the hand the entire time.

As I walk in with Misha trailing behind me, I'm struck by the difference of this shop to the last. It's much darker, and a vaguely musty smell hits me like a wall as I pass over the threshold. Looking around, I see row upon row of shelves stuffed with countless numbers of books of all shapes and sizes. I blink in surprise at this, a slow smile starting to bloom upon my face as I behold the sight. Glancing over at Shizune, I grin wryly and again lift an eyebrow in question. She winks and squeezes my hand, then pulls hers away so that she can speak.

[I thought you might like to spend some time shopping here,] she explains, [since you seem to have a love of books. I saw the big pile you had in your room at the start of the year, though I never saw it again later on.] I smile at this and she grins sheepishly, asking further, [It was because of Student Council that you didn't have time to do any more reading, wasn't it?] I hesitate, but then nod at her.

[I thought so,] she signs with a remorseful look. [I'm sorry that...] As she starts to sign her apologies, I reach up and take her hands in mine, effectively silencing her. She furrows her brow, looking both annoyed and confused, yet also curious.

I smile magnanimously at her. [Don't apologize,] I tell her with firm motions of my hands. [You have nothing to be sorry for,] I go on as I look into her eyes, [The time I spent with you in Student Council was far better than any book I could ever read.] She starts to smile widely at this, and I go on before she can put a word in edgewise. [I needed to be busy, to make friends, and to spend time with those friends, not mope in my room all day with my nose in a book, feeling sorry for myself.]

Shizune beams at my words, looking into my eyes with a happy gaze. She looks positively radiant with happiness as my words vindicate all she did this past year to recruit me into Student Council and keep me so heavily involved. After taking a moment to bask in her being proved right, she signs, [I'm really glad you feel that way. I doubted myself, after everything happened...]

I shake my head and answer, [please, don't. You were wonderful.] Turning to Misha, I add,[both of you were.] She smiles at this as I meet her gaze, then looks over to Shizune to share a secret grin with her friend.

[So did you want to shop here?] Shizune asks, looking at me with a hesitant gaze.

At her question, I glance about the store, taking in the sight of so many books, stacked neatly on the shelves and piled high on every possible surface. Even thought I haven't had time to read anything beyond assignments since before arriving at Yamaku, my time in the hospital definitely left me with a strong desire to read. I smile at the sight of so many volumes, eager to see what the store has to offer, even if I don't have much money left to buy anything.

Looking back at Shizune and Misha, I nod with a smile. [That'd be nice,] I answer.

[Okay,] Shizune replies with an excited gaze. [I want to show Misha some books up in the attic. We'll meet you at the register in half an hour?]

I nod, [That's not a lot of time to look through such an assortment of books, but sure.]

She grins at my answer. [Well, this isn't the last thing I've got planned for our last day together,] she says with a wink. [We need to manage our time.]

Meeting her gaze, I chuckle at her explanation. [Okay then, half an hour]. She smiles widely, grabbing Misha's hand and wanders back into the stacks. I watch the two of them until they disappear from sight, then start to find my own way.

As I begin to wander aimlessly through the aisles, I hear the girls' steps up creaky wooden stairs in the back of the store. I figure there's at least three stories in the building, including the attic, from the look I had of the building from outside. I smile widely at Shizune's thoughtfulness. I can't even remember when I last thought of reading, but now that she's put me in the middle of a book store, I'm excited to put my hands on a good book.

Then again, with Shizune coming home with me, I'm not sure when I might have time to read anything.

The very thought of that makes me smile from ear to ear.

As I stroll through the aisles, my gaze wanders over the innumerable spines before me, reading in the titles one after another. Taking in the names, I smile slightly as I see countless works of fiction, accounts of history, books of photography, collections of art, treatise on the sciences, and on and on.

My mind wanders as I leaf through the various books that interest me. With the way Shizune has darted off with Misha in this store and did so likewise in the last, I'm reminded of when I joined the girls at Shizune's home during summer break. I was sort of annoyed and hurt by it in the summer, with how little time we spent together, but I understood well enough why she did it. Given that Misha has been pretty much her only friend at Yamaku, I realized how difficult it was for her to balance the two of us. That knowledge was pretty poor consolation at times, but it did help.

Even though it completely lacked subtlety and grace, Shizune did a pretty good job of trying to make it up to me when she made love to me in the guest room. Thinking about our first time together still makes me shiver with excitement.

I pick up yet another book from the shelf, admiring its binding and the artistry of the calligraphy within. As I skim the text, only half paying attention to it, I think back to all that happened between Shizune and I this year, remembering all the good and the bad between us. In the end, I couldn't be happier with any of it, especially now that I'll get to see her after graduation. Part of me still can't believe I invited her home with me, or that she accepted. At most it'll only be a month, but it's still something. Then, there's the question of what comes next.

As I put one book back and take up another, I grin from ear to ear as I think about the decision I made earlier today, after she told us what University she'll be attending.

I'll have to plan this one carefully, and make sure she doesn't know too much too soon.

The gentle touch of a hand upon my shoulder jolts me out of my idle remembrances and planning for the future. I look to see Shizune, smiling at me with a coy grin and an amused gaze.

[It's been longer than a half hour, and you weren't there to meet us,] she chides me, though her playful eyes show no signs of irritation. [You're putting our schedule at risk here, Mr. Nakai.]

I smile from ear to ear at her. [Sorry,] I sign back, [since my stay in the hospital, I've found it too easy to lose myself in a stack of books.]

She smirks at me, signing, [More flights of fancy, I see...] I smile back at her as she teases me. [You're quite the dreamer, Hisao.]

[Would you have me any other way?] I ask playfully.

[Do I have a choice?] she asks with a smirk.

Hrmph.

I frown slightly at her answer, then jump as loud guffaws emanate from behind my girlfriend. I'd not seen Misha back there as Shizune and I bantered, making her trademark ear-splitting laughter all the more surprising. Shizune smiles all the more at me.

[Are you buying anything?] she asks, looking at my empty hands.

[No,] I tell her with a shrug. [There's so many good books here, but don't know when I'd get a chance to read anything I get.]

[You should buy something,] Shizune goes on to sign, ignoring my protests. [It'll be something to remember today by, and besides, this store has some pretty rare books.

[Also some pretty expensive books,] I point out, frowning slightly. [There isn't much here I could afford.]

She grins at me, [Your money is tight, and yet you tried to refuse my offer to pay for lunch...] I frown at her, irritated. This only seems to invigorate her more. [Pick something,] she tells me. [I'll buy it for you, my treat.]

My brow furrows at this, and I shake my head as I sign, [I don't need charity,] I tell her.

She snaps her fingers at me, causing me to jump. [It's not charity,] she signs with sharp, slashing motions as she scowls at me. [I want to buy my boyfriend something nice on our last day of school, is that so bad?]

I sigh at this, glancing over her shoulder as Misha giggles at the sight of our back and forth. My brow furrows slightly as I notice she's carrying a plastic bag with her. Clearly, there's a number of books inside. A guilty feeling comes over me at being surprised by the sight of Misha buying books, but she never was much of one to study.

Glancing back from Misha, I see my girlfriend looking at me with an amused smile.

[Pick something, so we can go,] Shizune signs, smiling warmly at me. [We have one more shop to visit before our dinner.]

I nod at her, smiling back in return, [okay.] I pause.

[Thank you,] I sign, which to my surprise draws out a blush from this amazing young woman I've fallen in love with.

[You're welcome,] she signs back, suddenly looking very shy.

She never ceases to amaze me.

With that, we make our way back to one book that had caught my attention. It's a hardback anthology of a science fiction epic written by one of my favorite authors. As I pick up the book, Shizune smiles at the sight of it, then yanks it out of my hands before I have a chance to sign a single word. She walks briskly to the register and without missing a beat she's paid for it and placed it back in my hands, smiling widely at me as my hands brush over hers when I take it from her. I look deeply into her eyes and grin as her lips broaden into an even greater smile.

We say nothing more, but then head out of the book store and back into the town, Shizune leading us to our next appointment.

[monkeywitha6pack]

Great chapter as always, I really like the way you treat them as a couple

[13loop]

This Shizune is much more affectionate that portrayed on the story, and I'm loving it! Good job, like always.

[dewelar]

I have to say, given the influx of darker stories lately, it's good to have a quality bit of fluffiness like this to break it up .

One error I noticed:

taking in the site of so many books

Should be "sight".

[Mirage_GSM]

slowing from her frenetic pace to allow Misha and I to catch up with her.

Misha and me

[Well, this isn't the last thing I've got planned for our last day together,]
...
[We have one more shop to visit before our dinner.]

You know, it's a nice chapter, but you should consider having something happening soon. This chapter felt much like the last, and the next is going to be another shop.
Also, I feel like you used some of Hisao's reflections already in earlier chapters (but I might confuse that with another story.)

[monkeywitha6pack]

Also, I feel like you used some of Hisao's reflections already in earlier chapters (but I might confuse that with another story.)

I think you may have it confused with another fic, I confused it with another one so maybe you did to

[Riakai]

Loving the fic, well written. Shizune's attitude and OTTness isn't really bothering me that much. It's not a blatant screw off of Character, like Rin suddenly making sense or Emi becoming the world's most mature person ever. Just a slight deviation I can agree to look over.

[OutofBlues]

Sometimes you just need to read something to put a grin on your face and this fic brings out the grins by the truckload. Thanks for lightening things up a bit sg1cat.

[sg1cat]

Great chapter as always, I really like the way you treat them as a couple

Thanks very much. I'm having a lot of fun writing them that way.