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

[TheGoatman]

["Sicchan, Hicchan… I should get going,"] she finally says, after a stretch of silence.

Siichan appears to be missing an h, great chapter as I've come to expect(no pressure) from you.

[motokid108]

So.. Damn... BEAUTIFUL! Another great chapter. Love the details

[Jango]

I'm really enjoying this fanfiction so far, as it's doing a really good job of filling in the blanks that Shizune's route left in the finished product. I do have *one* complaint though, although to be fair, it's more of a carryover from the original game's story.

I started taking ASL a few months ago (yes, Shizune got me into it), and I learned pretty quickly that signs and grammar structure differ between countries. Even if the spoken language is the same, there can be many key differences (ie: Britain and America have the same oral language, but only about 30% of their signs overlap, and fingerspelling systems are completely different). However, there are a few language "families," with similar roots. For example, ASL and many European signing systems are based on the French Sign Language system. Meanwhile, Japanese Sign Language is the root for Korean and Taiwanese Sign Language.

Now, I don't know much about Japanese sign language, but I know that there are large parts of it based on the Japanese writing system, including signs based on kanji and signs that represent suffixes and verb tense. American sign language's grammar is a bit more complicated, in that proper word order is more based on what you're trying to emphasize, and repetition can sometimes be involved. So aside from the different signs, the rules on how to use them are different as well.

So what this all comes down to is that, sadly, Misha probably wouldn't be much of a tutor in New York since she'd be using Japanese Sign Language. However, if she's planning on learning Gestuno (which is an auxiliary sign language used in international events, like the Deaflympics), then there's probably potential there.

While the above probably sounds really negative, I'm not trying to be. Hell, I myself didn't know that sign language differed between countries until I actually started learning the language and trying it out, so it's not an uncommon mistake. It would at least make a potentially funny story development.

Keep up the good work!

[Mader Levap]

I would assume Misha knows differences between sign languages very well and is at least communicable in ASL.

[AntonSlavik020]

Out of curiosity, is it actually mentioned in game that Misha goes to study, or is generally accepted that she does that? Basically everyone has her doing that, which makes me think it's in the game, and I just don't remember.

[Jango]

In the second-to-last scene, she's talking to Mutou and trying to get a recommendation so that she can study sign language "overseas," and in the last scene she personally confirms it to Hisao.

I would assume Misha knows differences between sign languages very well and is at least communicable in ASL.

I'm not ruling out that it's impossible for her to know ASL, but in my opinion it would be pretty uncommon to learn two very different forms of sign language.

HOWEVER, I realized that I done goofed in my initial post. I played through Act 2 again and realized that in the tutoring scene, Misha is going over the history of ASL and teaching Hisao how to fingerspell letters in the alphabet. What strikes me as odd is that apparently this is what's being taught at Yamaku since Hisao already knows the material she's going over. Not to mention that apparently Shizune signs in this fluently (or it can be assumed so since Hisao can understand it very well), and that some institutions such as JASS (the most well-established ASL NPO in Japan, centered in Tokyo) require you to have a basic understanding of JSL before learning ASL.

So yeah, Japanese high school teaching American sign language. WTF.

I'm going to guess that either ASL is being used for the convenience of the English readers (similar to how tanuki is sometimes translated to "raccoon"), or it's just another instance of "lol Shizune route"

[bhtooefr]

The exact quote, from Infinity:

I'm going to go overseas after this. I even have letters of recommendation, or I don't think I would be able to normally~! Maybe I'll study and become a sign language teacher over there? Who knows~!

She doesn't specifically say anything about the US, but her shirt is where that idea comes from.

[sg1cat]

That was a sweet chapter.

Thanks, as always.

I can see the idea of not seeing Misha for about a year at least, after seeing her everyday for 3 years, would be rather upsetting for Shizune.

Not only that, but afaik, Misha and Hisao are her only friends. She's led a very solitary life, due to her condition and (resulting) personality. Losing Misha was going to be tramatic (imho )

And now that this part of the story is over with, I'm very interested to see how things pan out from here.

Here comes the next part...!

Can't wait till she meets Hisao's parents.

I now have that formulated in my mind...I think you'll like it, when it comes time!

great chapter as I've come to expect(no pressure) from you.

Thanks very much, an no worries - I can handle the pressure! (I think...! )

So.. Damn... BEAUTIFUL! Another great chapter. Love the details

MOST appreciated, thank you so very much. Your comment really made me smile, I do love the positive feedback...helps me stay motivated to write.

I'm really enjoying this fanfiction so far, as it's doing a really good job of filling in the blanks that Shizune's route left in the finished product.

Thanks so much. That was, of course, the intent. I'm very glad you like where I'm taking it.

So much more to come - stay tuned!

I do have *one* complaint though, although to be fair, it's more of a carryover from the original game's story...While the above probably sounds really negative, I'm not trying to be. Hell, I myself didn't know that sign language differed between countries until I actually started learning the language and trying it out, so it's not an uncommon mistake. It would at least make a potentially funny story development.

That's interesting, thanks for sharing!

You're right, it is a carry over from canon, but I do appreciate you pointing it out.

Keep up the good work!

Will do - in fact, here's the next installment!

[sg1cat]

Shizune and I say nothing more, we simply hold each other tightly for a while longer. When we part, I ask her, [So, should we go to your room, or mine?]

[Yours,] she signs without hesitation, adding as an explanation, [I don't want to sleep in my room again.] Sighing heavily, she continues, [Misha and I spent a lot of time there over the years, studying, having fun, pulling all-nighters...] She hesitates, her gaze drifting wistfully off into the distance before adding, ["There's just...too many memories.] She closes her eyes, fighting back tears.

I nod, happy with her choice. Touching her cheek, I watch as her eyes flutter open to look at me, then withdraw my hand to sign to her.

[That's fine,] I tell her with a warm smile. [I rather like the idea of sharing my bed with you...] Her lips hint at a coy smile.

[I like that too,] she signs back with a glint in her eye and a slight smile upon her face. It's good to see a break in the clouds of her sadness, even if it's just for a moment. Again I caress her cheek with my hand, stepping forward to kiss her, She greets me tenderly, our lips lingering in a gentle caress. Gently ending the kiss, she then touches her forehead to mine.

Lingering there for a while longer, we finally part to gather up the refuse from our last dinner with Misha. Shizune glares at me and grabs my dinner dishes, frowns, then puts them down to sign to me.

[You didn't eat all that food you ordered,] she chides me with sharp motions of her hands. Hesitating, I glance down at the half empty containers, then back to her. I shrug, smiling sheepishly. She rolls her eyes at me, shaking her head and gathering up my garbage into the bag. Before Misha left, I had expected that Shizune would give me more grief for it, but I'm not surprised that she's not up for it right now. Because of that, I feel a little bad about not eating it all.

We finish picking up the trash and collect our various shopping bags. Shizune takes an equal load, pulling a few bags out of my arms without warning or explanation. Splitting the bags like this, each of us is able to carry our share of the bags in one hand.

We walk towards the door and deposit the trash in the garbage next to it. She then opens the door and looks over her shoulder to make sure I'm following behind, reaching out to take my hand in hers. I squeeze her smaller hand in mine, and we share a contented smile. She turns and pulls me along, leading me forward, just as she always does.

We make our way down the stairs, our footsteps echoing loudly in the stairwell. Entering into the emptiness of the main floor, we walk through the beams of moonlight that spill in from the windows to bathe the corridors. As we make our way, the lighting reminds me of the night that Shizune and I made love in the Student Council room and then sneaked about to spy on Misha's extra studies. My girlfriend leads me through the deserted building, its dark hallways echoing our footsteps as we make our way out.

When we exit through the front door, the cool night air washes over us as she starts to lead me across campus to the boy's dormitory, her grip on my hand as strong as ever. The grounds are empty as we walk, some of the students having already left for home, while the rest are settling for an early evening so they can leave early in the morning.

We enter the boy's dormitory. The lobby only has a handful of students about, talking quietly in various small groups. None of them pay us any mind, each absorbed in their own private conversations. Taking an empty elevator up together, we stand close, holding hands as we wait. The doors open to a quiet hallway. Shizune leads me to my room, releasing my hand when we arrive so I can get my key. As we stop, I glance at Kenji's door, surprised to see it wide open. His room is empty; he's already left the school. I pause for a moment, remembering all of the crazy talk from the strange boy. Conscious of Shizune's eyes upon me, I look away and proceed to open my door.

For the last time I walk into my room. Shizune follows me in, removing her shoes just inside the doorway and looking around as I drop my share of our bags beside my desk. It occurs to me that this is the first time we've been alone in my room together.

As I walk back to close the door, she studies my room with a piercing gaze, though there isn't much to see. I never did much to decorate it, and now I'm almost completely packed to go home. As I shut and lock my door, I remove my shoes and see her gaze lingering on my bottles of pills as she puts her bags down next to the ones I was carrying. Even though I've now confessed everything to her, a sense of panic floods me as I see her looking at one of the only visible signs of my malady.

As if sensing my gaze upon her, she turns to face me. A coy smile crosses her lips as I walk towards her.

[Thank you for this,] she signs. [I need to be with to you tonight.] Her words bring me back to the here and now, the loss of Misha in our lives and its effect on Shizune quickly drowning out any insecurity I was feeling about her thoughts on my disability.

Nodding at her, I meet her gaze as I sign, [Well, I'm certainly not going to complain about spending the night with my amazingly beautiful girlfriend...] She smirks at my words while blushing.

Before I can sign again, Shizune leans in quickly to press her lips to mine, wrapping her hands around my neck to pull my face down to hers. A surprised murmur escapes me, the noise becoming muffled against her demanding mouth. I hesitate only for a moment before wrapping my arms about her waist, pulling her to me. The passion she shows is surprisingly needy, her tongue forcefully entwining with mine.

I meet her eagerness with my own enthusiasm, my heart aching for the hurt I know she’s feeling. Slowly I slide my hands over her back, making her squirm against me. My fingers slip beneath the white fabric of her uniform's shirt to caress her skin. I hear her suck in her breath at this. She presses her body against me all the more and I can feel goosebumps rise up beneath my fingers at my touch.

Her hands slide over my neck and caress my cheeks. Sliding my hands up her back, I push her shirt up until I find the strap of her bra. Fumbling with the latch, I feel her smile against my lips and shake against me with silent giggles. Her amusement grows all the more as I fail repeatedly to unlock her treacherous undergarment. I cannot help but smile at her mirth, relieved to know I’m able to take her mind off of her loss.

Finally, my efforts are met with success, and the straps of her bra fall apart to hang loosely beneath her half lifted shirt. My hands find their way around to her front, slipping between us so I can grasp her breasts beneath her shirt and bra. Shizune gasps at my touch. She kisses me all the more, her excitement growing. My fingers find her nipples and start to rub them in slow circles. She starts to tremble against me, her lips slowing and faltering, her breath coming more heavily against my mouth.

Her fingers slide down my neck to find my tie, clumsily undoing it and unsteadily yanking it off. She tries to work on my buttons, but the more I rub and caress her, the more of an effort it seems to be for her. The first two come undone, but then her concentration seems to crumble the more I caress her, those normally nimble fingers clinging to the third button, unable to achieve so simple a task.

Our kiss stalls. Unwittingly, she lets out a soft moan against my mouth as I caress her. Both of our eyes fly wide open at this, and she blushes deeply, pulling her head back a little from mine to stare at me. I smile at her with an assuring gaze, squeezing her breasts. Those dark blue eyes look back at me intently as she sucks in her breath. Closing her eyes, she leans back and rests her bottom against the desk behind her.

As much as I love doing this to her, I ponder the dilemma I've backed myself into. I can't undo her shirt and move on without stopping what I'm doing to her, but as soon as I do, she'll try and take control of things, probably looking to turn the tables on me.

There's no choice. I have to risk it. My hands quickly slide down her body, emerge from beneath her shirt, and I rapidly work on her buttons, starting from the bottom. Instantly, her eyelids flutter open to reveal that intense gaze which now devours me with a lusty determination while her lips twist into a wicked smirk. Nimble fingers fly start to down my shirt, undoing my buttons even as I race to undo her's first.

Her eyes burn with excitement at yet another competition.

She manages to open my shirt completely, but not before I open just enough of hers to part it and reveal her ample chest to me. As she realizes her mistake in tactics and the resulting weakness, her hands drop down to my waist, unlatching my belt with surprising efficiency. Seizing my advantage, I lift her unlatched bra to bare her skin. At the same time I feel her hands fumbling with my zipper now, her lips twisted in a frustrated scowl as she works to undo my pants.

Her efforts are too late. I claim my victory by leaning in and wrap my lips around one of her hard nipples, moving my waist away in doing so. Again she sucks in her breath, closing her eyes. With my pants now out of her reach, she instead grips the desk beneath her. As I lavish her breasts with attention, she stares at me, smirking at the sight.

My one hand slides down her body and under her skirt, pushing past her damp, white panties. I feel an arm wrap around my neck and she gasps in surprise when I start to play with her tender flesh. My fingers probe gently, making her squirm against me.

My own eagerness at what’s to come becomes overwhelming as I explore her most intimate place, my fingers quickly becoming coated with her juices. Standing up straight, I push down my pants and boxers, then start to tug on her panties. Half closed eyes passionately look back at me. She lifts herself off the desk for a moment to allow me to remove her undergarment. The white underwear slides down her legs and I look into her eyes, both of us trembling in eager anticipation.

Reaching down, I guide myself into her. She grips my shoulders, our eyes locked on each other’s. My hips start to move as we look at each other, our mutual excitement growing with the watching. As I build up momentum, the desk starts to squeak with each thrust, the noise mingling with the wet sounds we make together.

I watch Shizune’s face betray the pleasure she feels. My breathing grows heavy the more quickly I move, driven by the sight of my girlfriend losing herself in ecstasy. Immediately I’m rewarded by her brow furrowing, her eyes closing as she loses herself in the moment. Thoughtlessly I drive even faster, shaking her body, causing her to reach back to grab the desk and brace herself. Bottles of pills go flying as her arms fly back, several containers bouncing and rolling noisily onto the floor. Her breasts bounce wildly as I pound into her, the sound of her ragged breathing filling my ears.

It’s not long until I feel my heart start to pound painfully in my chest to remind me of my limits.

Grunting in agony, I immediately slow down, swallowing anxiously at my foolishness. My vision fills with the red and white flashes that I’ve come to dread so much, though I’ve certainly felt worse. Part of me says I should stop, but I can’t bring myself to do so. Not now.

Assuming a more steady pace, I watch Shizune carefully. Her eyes are still closed, her face a portrait of gratified concentration as her breathing slows along with mine.

Sweat pours down my body, both from the exertion and from the heat of her body against mine. While catching my breath, I slowly to rock in and out of her, watching the look on her face and the sight of her exposed body.

Soon enough the pain subsides, my confidence returning as I start to pick up the pace once more. I know it’s a throw of the dice, but I can’t help myself. The sight of her blissful visage, the feeling of her wet flesh wrapped about me, and the warmth of her body against mine drives me beyond reason. Again the desk starts to squeak as I thrust more quickly. Shizune leans further back, tossing her head back with a silent moan and wrapping her legs tightly about my waist as I plunge deeply into her.

Faster than before, my body punishes me for my stupidity. Agonizingly, my heart starts to hammer in my chest as I get dizzy and stumble back. Pulling out of her suddenly, I trip over my pants that are still bunched around my ankles and fall backwards. Luckily, the chair is behind me when I lose my balance, and I manage to land on it, grabbing onto the chair back with one arm as I clutch my chest with my other hand. Gasping for breath I close my eyes tightly, but not before catching sight of Shizune scrambling off the desk with a panicked look on her face.

My breath comes in ragged gulps. I try and calm myself. Cool hands grip my face. I don’t respond at first, but her fingers reassert their hold, conveying urgency. My heart hammers in my chest and my ears, the pain shooting through my body. Clenching my chest tightly, I force myself to draw two deep, controlled breaths before finally opening my eyes.

Shizune is kneeling before me, watching me with unmasked terror. Her piercing gaze stares into my eyes, attempting to divine my condition before the inevitable questions that will follow. I swallow bitterly as I struggle to recover, dreading the upcoming query.

[Are you alright?] she finally signs, her eyes unwavering. Unwilling to remove my hand from over my heart, I can only nod. This only serves to earn me a scowl.

[Why do I find that hard to believe?] she demands, her eyes narrowing.

I shrug, closing my eyes. Slowly, so very slowly, my heart slowly aches less and less. The dull memory of the pain lingers like a bad taste in my mouth, matching the bitterness I feel in my soul. Again I curse my condition and the limitations it places upon me. I feel very insecure and defenseless, ashamed for it to be bared so nakedly before Shizune, especially now of all times. Surely she’ll despise it, and me along with it.

She’s such a strong woman, how will she want to have anything to do with such weakness?

I furrow my brow at the thought of it, aching as the possibility enters my mind. So it’s only natural then that what happens next is the last thing I expect.

Those cool hands again cup my face, but before I can do anything else, her warm lips press against mine. I hesitate at first, but she won’t take no for an answer. Her tongue pushes its way in as she kisses me deeply and climbs into my lap. Again my heart starts to race. It’s a challenge to kiss back, while still trying to manage my erratic pulse.

Soon enough, though, I find my balance. Our lips caress each other lazily, and I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her exposed body against mine. She runs her fingers through my hair and strokes my cheeks, lingering for what feels like an eternity, just kissing me. My breathing and pulse return to normal as I lose myself to her lips and caressing hands.

Finally she ends the kiss, but still holds my face in her hands. After a few moments, I open my eyes to see her watching me intently, searching. I can only look back at her, swallowing hesitantly. It’s not long before she smiles at me. Her hands caress my cheeks and she seems content to just sit there for a while, looking into my eyes.

Then she grasps my arms and stands, pulling herself out of my embrace and smiling devilishly at me. Her hands slowly glide down over my arms while she rises, to ultimately take my hands in hers. I watch her with a perplexed expression, which only serves to amuse her.

Slowly she walks backwards, pulling me out of my chair. Carefully I step out of my pants and boxers, watching her with a questioning gaze as she slowly leads me across my room to my bed. She smiles wickedly at me, her hands sliding up my arms to my shoulders. With a push of her hands, my shirt slides off me, so I stand naked before her.

Fear wells up in me.

[Isn’t this being a little reckless, after what just happened?] I ask, lifting an eyebrow.

Her hands cover mine. She stares at me, giving me a tender and knowing smile. Walking around me and holding my hands to turn me around, she moves until my back is to the bed. Gently, she pushes me down, forcing me to sit on the bed and climbing on top of me as I hesitantly yield. Her intentions finally register in my brain, and I wiggle back further until I my whole body is on the mattress. She move along with me, continuing to straddle me until I get comfortable.

[You don’t have to do anything,] she explains. [Just relax. I’ll take care of everything.]

I can’t help but smile slightly, but then lift my eyebrow. [That may be easier said than done,] I point out, glancing down at our hips and then back to her eyes.

Wordlessly she smiles at this, reaching down with her other hand to wrap her fingers around my now flaccid penis. Slowly she starts to fondle me, watching my face intently. I draw in a deep breath at her touch, and though I partly respond, the stress of what just happened still looms over me like a shadow. She furrows her brow at this, glancing down and then back up at me. I blush uncomfortably and look away, feeling more ashamed now than ever.

As I study the wall next to my bed, she moves further down my body, crawling over my legs. I furrow my brow at this, wondering what she’s planning. Turning my head to look back down at her, I see her leaning down over my crotch, watching me with a smile. Taking me in her hand again, she leans even closer and wraps her lips around my shaft. I suck in my breath at the feeling of her warm, wet mouth enveloping me. Quickly enough I respond, starting to grow hard in her mouth as she slides her lips up and down my length.

She watches me with a passionate gaze, rubbing my underside with her tongue at every stroke of her lips over my length. My heart starts to beat a little faster, but not alarmingly so. Reaching down, I run my fingers through her hair, staring back at her with a heated gaze.

For a while she continues, lavishing my erection with attention. My breath comes more quickly as she caresses me, the excitement building up. Finally, never once taking her eyes away from mine, she pulls her mouth off and climbs atop of me, quickly mounting herself on my erection to drive her tight sex onto me.

Without hesitating, she starts to rock her body, slowly driving me in and out of her. Gripping her hips tightly, I stare back into her eyes. As she slides up and down on me, she undoes her tie and tosses it at me, then opens the last two buttons of her top, sliding it down her arms and tossing it off the bed. Her bra quickly follows, which I also get in the face.

Chuckling slightly as I pull her two discarded articles of clothing away, I quickly suck in my breath as she starts to move in earnest on me. The nervousness builds within me as my heart beats faster, but I realize that it’s nowhere as bad as when I was standing at the desk with her. Relaxing, I start to lose myself in the steady rhythm of her thrusting down upon my hard length, finding myself quickly nearing my peak.

I watch as Shizune drives down onto me, her breasts bouncing heavily. Her face contorts with pleasure, and she leans back, her breath becoming ragged as she starts to cry out. The sound catches me off guard, then I realize that she’s climaxing. I feel her warm flesh tighten about me, warm fluids spilling out as she takes me into her with furious motions of her thighs. The experience is overwhelming. Gripping her hips tightly, my voice joins hers as I crescendo, my whole body trembling along with hers. I buck my hips up against her, driving my spasming erection deeper into her as we find our release together.

My body tenses up, and I hear my heart pounding within my chest, just on the edge of danger. Shizune pounds down onto me a few more times and then collapses atop of me, her sweaty body pressed against mine as she finds my lips, kissing me sensuously. My hand slides up her body to rub over her back and up into her hair, caressing her while our tongues entwine and our lips entwine together.

We snuggle together for a while, lazily kissing. Her body feels incredibly warm against my skin as I hold her to me. I don’t know how long we lie there, but it’s some time before we do anything else.

Finally, she lifts her head up, just enough to look into my eyes. Her smile warms my heart as I stare up at her, feeling more contented and happy than I can remember being. She moves her body, sliding me out of her, then rests by my side, draping half of her body over me. She runs her hand over my chest and watches me. Her dark blue eyes stare into mine as she smiles shyly. The demure expression I see seems out of place, considering everything we just shared.

Gentle fingers stroke over me, finding and lingering on my scar, caressing me. Her touch there both is comforting and unnerving. The tactile reminder of my condition and her awareness of it is unsettling. She watches me with that piercing gaze of hers, reading my expression as my emotions play upon my face.

After a while, she sits up and lifts her hands.

[I love you,] she signs, causing my heart to swell as I watch her. Those simple words banish the discomfort I was feeling at her touch upon my scar. I smile from ear to ear.

[I love you, too,] I answer, keeping my gaze fixed on hers. Her smile blooms and she silently sighs happily.

[What time is our train tomorrow?] she asks.

[Nine in the morning,] I answer, adding, [I've already got my alarm set for six, so we'll have plenty of time to go back to the girl's dorm and get your stuff.]

Shizune's smile softens as she signs, [Since we're getting up so early, we should get to sleep now...]

I nod at her words, [I like the sound of that.]

Wordlessly, she unzips her skirt, her eyes never leaving mine.

With a grin, I sit up, placing my hands over hers and pulling them away. She lifts an eyebrow, but then grins as I pick up where she left off. Pushing her back gently, I pull her skirt off, sliding it over the curves of her bottom and hips, then down her lovely legs. She stretches out her one leg for me as I slowly remove one of her stockings, then switches to do the same with the other leg as I relieve her of the last stitch of clothing that covers her.

Her smile is both wicked and shy as my eyes roam over her now naked body, my breath coming more quickly as I study her every curve.

She giggles wordlessly, covering her mouth before signing, [It's not like you haven't seen me naked before, Hisao… And besides that, we just...] She blushes as she can't bring herself to sign the words. I chuckle and smile from ear to ear at her.

Looking back into her eyes, I nod and point out, [yes, we did just...] I pause with a smirk, intentionally omitting the words, too. She gives me a wry grin, and a slight glare in return as I continue, [and I have seen you naked before, but only that one other time in the Student Council room, when we...] I point out, her blush deepening at the mention of where we did it last time.

[All that doesn't matter, though,] I explain. She furrows her brows with a curious gaze as I explain, [I just can't get enough of how amazingly beautiful you are...] Slowly she draws in a deep breath, blushing and yet looking so radiantly happy at my words as I add, [Even after I've seen you naked for a thousand times, I don't think I'll ever get enough of looking at all of you… or of you and I doing...] again I refrain from using the word, delighting in teasing her.

She sighs as she stares up at me, smiling happily.

[Good,] she signs simply, then smirks. [Now, shut up and hold me.] Her dark blue eyes soften as she stares deeply into mine. [I want to spend the entire night in your arms, Hisao...] I smile, nodding at her. She removes her glasses, putting them on the nightstand next to my bed and holds out her arms for me. Reaching over, I turn off the lamp on my dresser. The sudden darkness is disorienting, though my sight starts to quickly adjust, helped by the moonlight streaming in through my window.

I lay down against Shizune, shivering at the warmth of her body against mine as her arms wrap about me. Likewise encircling her in my arms, I roll over onto my back and gently pull her with me. She willingly follows, resting her body against mine, her head upon my shoulder, sighing happily. My arms encircle her waist as she settles in, her breasts resting against my body as she reaches over and pulls the blankets over us. The warmth of her comforts me, doubled by the layers of cotton and wool now covering us. Her hand comes to rest upon my chest as I feel her smile against my skin, snuggling in against me as close as she can manage.

I savor the contented happiness that comes from holding her in my arms, and it's not long before sleep overtakes me.

That night my dreams are of a dark haired angel, beautiful yet completely silent, who descends and lifts me up to share a place of blessed, passionate Elysium with her.

[OutofBlues]

Still reading and I like the atmosphere, will post more as I go.

One thing you may want to double check though is the location of Hisao's room. I could have sworn that his room is on the first floor.

[AntonSlavik020]

Not personally a huge fan of sex scenes in fanfiction, but this was done very tastefully so I didn't have any problem with it, not that I expected any different from you. I also like when Hisao's heart actually acts up. Trying to word this in a way that doesn't make me sound like I like these characters because of their disabilities, but I like it when they impact a situation in some way.

[bhtooefr]

One thing you may want to double check though is the location of Hisao's room. I could have sworn that his room is on the first floor.

Which is one floor above the ground floor.

IIRC it's only in the US (and even then, not all parts of the US) that the first floor is the ground floor.

[Vempele]

IIRC it's only in the US (and even then, not all parts of the US) that the first floor is the ground floor.

And Japan. And a bunch of other countries around the world.

[sg1cat]

Warmth. Comfort. The world is cozy and blissful. Against my naked body, the press of warm and soft skin, her gentle form molded to how I lay. My arm tightens about her, and a gentle sigh happily fills my ears as she presses closer against me. Black hair covers my face, tickling me as my breath spills out over a smooth neck, the captured heat billowing back over my face.

This must be heaven, surely.

Then, pain.

A blaring electronic beeping pierces my ears, shattering any illusion I had about transcending the mundane earth with the dark-haired angel in my arms. The noise wrenches me out of a heavenly sleep. I moan in frustration at the irritating sound, wanting nothing more than to stay snuggled up against the lovely woman that I find myself spooning. With a heavy sigh, I contemplate lifting my arm from about her waist, but elect to wait a little while longer. After all, it's not like she can hear the alarm. I decide that the obnoxious noise is a worthy price to pay, to just enjoy the feeling of her body snuggled against me beneath the blankets, for just a little while longer.

Reality sets in as the noise grates on, however, and I reach over to turn it off. Shizune barely stirs, so I quickly settle back in with her.

There are some advantages to her being deaf.

I squeeze my arm around her again, and am rewarded by her body moving against mine, trying to nestle in even more closely. Her arm covers mine, gripping it and squeezing. My lips press against the back of her neck, lingering lovingly. She sighs happily, wiggling her bottom against my crotch, causing my manhood to react.

My hand slides up to cup her breast, squeezing her firmly, rubbing her nipple to elicit a soft, barely audible moan. I'm about to do more when she rolls over, looking at me with sleepy eyes. The smile that greets me fills my heart with happiness as I stare back into those enchanting eyes. She looks simply beautiful in the morning light of the sun's first rays spilling into my window, bathing her face with a heavenly illumination. The longer she looks at me, the more she smiles, and the more I smile in return.

We both lean in to kiss one another, our lips meeting with eager anticipation. Her hand caresses my face tenderly as our lips meet, our tongues entwining together lovingly. My hands slide over her back to stroke her as we let the minutes slip by in romantic abandon, then start to roam more freely over her body. Shizune shivers at this, causing me to smile against her lips. Giving me one last, passionate kiss, she then brushes my hands away and sits up. Picking up her glasses and putting them on, she then glances over at the alarm clock.

[We're going to be late if we wait much longer,] she signs with a wry smirk while stifling a yawn. As soon as she finishes signing, though, the yawn wins. She stretches languidly, showing off herself to me. The wild and tousled look of her hair from our night of passion and sleeping together only makes her look all the more sexy to me.

I think she did that on purpose.

The look I see in her eyes when she opens them to meet my gaze again confirms my suspicions.

Damn this temptress, always teasing me.

I chuckle, smiling at her as I sign back, [but what a wonderful way to miss our train...] My hands come to rest upon her thighs, sliding up to her hips.

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. [Come on,] she says, tossing back the covers. Cold air hits me like a brick wall, shattering the feeling of cozy intimacy that we shared all night. I frown and pull my hands away from her body, hugging myself to stay warm.

[We have all of break to do this,] she says with a smirk at the sight of my dour expression. [Right now, we need to worry about making it to your parents' place sometime before bedtime tonight.] When we'd gone to her father's house during the summer, I'd told her how far away my parents were by comparison. It's over seven hours by train.

[Yeah, yeah,] I sign with an irked expression, which draws a silent giggle from my girlfriend. Watching her body with some interest as she does this earns me a glare.

[Let's go,] she signs, pushing me gently. [Time's wasting...]

With a heavy sigh, I nod wordlessly and get up out of bed. Wandering over to my desk. I lean down and pick up the various pill bottles that Shizune sent to the floor last night in the throes of our passion. Conscious of her eyes upon me, I start to take my daily dose, feeling increasingly insecure as I go about the business, and yet also foolish for not being comfortable with her watching me.


I've confessed everything to her, why does this bother me?

I glance back as I finish, looking at her with an uncertain gaze. She's still sitting in the bed, unmoved from when I stood just a few minutes ago, just watching me with that hawk-like stare of hers. It unsettles me.

[What?] I ask, unable to keep the irritation off of my face.

Hesitating for a moment, her hands hover before her. [That's a lot of pills,] she finally signs.

[Seventeen of them,] I reply, saying nothing more.

She watches me with a concerned look, asking, [do you need to take them every day?]

I nod, [for the rest of my life, or I'll probably have another attack and die.] Her expression falls at this, and a burning feeling knots up inside of me at the sight of it. [Does that bother you?] I ask.

She sits up, frowning with a shocked expression. [Are you seriously asking if the idea of you dying bothers me?] she asks in disbelief. I shake my head vehemently.

[No, I'm asking if my condition bothers you,] I sign back in frustration.

[What's the difference?] she asks, scowling indignantly.

[Even until I die, every day is a risk,] I explain to her. [I have to be very careful of my heart. Too much activity could give me another attack. Even just getting hit in the chest could cause an episode.] As I go on, her expression melts into one of concern. For some reason, it only makes me more angry.

[So, there it is,] I go on when she doesn't say anything. [I'm something of an invalid.] She frowns at my words but I push on, feeling bitter again, like back when I was in the hospital. [Doesn't that bother you?] I ask, angry and unsettled.

She scowls all the more, glaring at me, [Should it?] I stand in still silence, crossing my arms.

Pursing her lips, she signs further, [Does my deafness bother you?] I frown deeply, insulted by her question.

[Of course not!] I sign back angrily. I feel all the more awkward having this argument with her while I stand at my desk without a stitch of clothing on, and she sits in my bed, just as naked.

[Then why the hell should your Arrhythmia and whatever comes with it bother me?] she asks with furious motions of her hands, her penetrating stare consuming me.

I scowl, crossing my arms, the feeling in my stomach knotting up further. Unable to look at her any further, I cross my arms and glance down at the floor, stewing. I hear her feet hit the floor and her determined steps almost instantly close the distance between us. A strong hand grabs my chin and pulls my head up so I'm forced to look at her face.

[Don't you dare shut me out!] she signs vehemently, looking positively furious now, going on fervently, [and don't you dare start up with your damned self pity again!] I scowl at this, anger bubbling up at her charge, true as it may be. She barrels ahead, [I love you for who you are, Arrhythmia and all! The only thing I think about your condition is that I'm terrified of losing you to it!]

I flush in my cheeks, starting to feel foolish, the indignation starting to melt away at her words. She goes on relentlessly, [But truth be told, I'm glad it happened to you,] my mouth drops open in shock, but she then signs, [because without it, we'd have never met!] I stare into her eyes as she adds, [without your heart problem, we'd have never fallen in love, Hisao!]

I blink, stunned at her point. I'd never looked at it that way. If I hadn't had my heart attack and the condition that started it, I'd have never attended Yamaku, I'd have never met Shizune. Maybe I'd be dating Iwanako right now, or maybe she and I wouldn't have lasted that long. I had quite the crush on her before she asked me out, but I never fell in love with her. Shizune is the one I love.
Waves of guilt wash over me as my old self pity that rose so quickly just a few minutes ago falls away like a bad tide, leaving me feeling like a fool. Unable to match her furious gaze anymore, I drop my eyes to the floor, signing, [Shizune, I'm sorry for being an idiot, I...]

Before I can get another word in edgewise, her hands grab mine, silencing me. I look back up at her with a half frown, confused. She stares at me intently, gripping my hands in hers as she stares into my eyes with that fierce gaze of hers. Suddenly she releases me and grabs my face in her hands, stepping forward to press her body and her lips against mine. I moan into the almost violent kiss as she passionately ravishes my mouth, her hands roaming over my cheeks and into my hair. My arms wrap about her waist, pressing her naked curves against my bare skin.

We kiss for some time.

Finally, she pulls away, staring up into my eyes for a while. Then she pulls back just enough to sign, with absolute sincerity in her eyes, [Hisao, I love you for everything you are. Please stop letting your condition be a burden to you. Please, please, don't let it come between us,] she adds, looking at me with a desperate gaze. [You're the only one I've got left, now. I can't bear the thought of losing you.]

My heart grows heavy at her words, and I can do nothing but nod.

She smiles at this, keeping her eyes locked upon mine. Stepping forward again, she looks down at my chest, eyeing the scar over my heart with a gentle gaze. She reaches out and touches it with her fingers, caressing it tenderly. I tense slightly at her touch, shivering, a storm of conflicting emotions still swirling within me in spite of everything she just said. Dark blue eyes glance up at my reaction, catching my gaze again. A sweet smile of understanding crosses her lips, the sight of it soothing me. Leaning down, she presses her lips to my scar, kissing its length tenderly.

I sigh heavily, wrapping my arms about her shoulders, entwining my fingers in her hair as she caresses that strip of my chest with her soothing lips. She then stands up fully and looks into my eyes, searching. My lips naturally lift into a smile, which she mirrors with one of her own. Impulsively, I say, "I love you, Shizune."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I feel abashed, blushing, but she doesn't seem to mind at all. If anything, she beams all the more happily. Leaning in, she kisses my lips one more time, lingering sweetly as I hold her tightly, pressing her warm body against mine.

Finally, she pulls back and signs, [Now come on… We really have to hurry now, or we'll miss our train.]

I nod, tossing on my bathrobe while grabbing my clothes and the small bucket containing my bathroom accoutrements. I smile at Shizune and wink at her as I dash out out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind me. In a rush, I make my way to the bathroom, speed through my morning routine to try and make up for lost time.

I'm still pulling my sweater vest over my head as I hustle back into my room. Shizune's sitting on my bed, arms crossed and waiting impatiently. She's dressed in her uniform from yesterday, the ensemble looking uncharacteristically disheveled for her. What's more, her hair is an unruly, haphazard mess, instead of its usual look of styled, controlled chaos. Her shirt and skirt are wrinkled, and the stockings upon her legs are not as tight as they should be, making it clear they were worn the day before. Anyone who sees us leaving here will know that she stayed the night with me. I wince as I think about the trip through the boy's dormitory, across campus, and back to her room in the girl's dormitory.

There's nothing we can really do about it at this point, though.

She glares at the sight of me. [What took you so long?] she asks, frowning slightly. I wonder if her mood is partly due to the state of her appearance and the idea of the other students seeing the evidence of our tryst from the night before.

I blink in surprise, putting down my things to answer, [that was good time - I was hurrying!]

Rolling her eyes, she replies, [You're slow.] I'm about to retort when she adds, [now hurry up and let's go, we're still running late!] I glance at the clock and wince. It's 7am, and we yet need to get back to her room.

Without another word, I unplug my alarm clock, then quickly throw it, my pills, my bathroom supplies, and my clothing from yesterday into my second bag. The entirety of what I brought to school fits in a large roller board and an over-sized duffel bag.

Looking at my luggage, Shizune frowns, furrowing her brow. [Is that it?] she asks with a disbelieving eye.

[Yup,] I tell her with a grin.

[Unbelievable,] she signs as she leads me to the door. Stopping as she pulls on the handle, she looks back at me, asking, [Do you have everything?]

I pause, glancing back into my room, looking around. There's nothing obvious laying about, and I was careful yesterday to pack up everything but what I'd need this morning. Looking back at her, I nod. Without another word, she grabs my hand and pulls me out into the hallway and down the way to the elevator. As we dash down the hallway, one of the other boys on the floor opens his door and stumbles as he stops mid-step, nearly getting run over by us. He cries out in surprise, but then stops as he recognizes us, stuttering in surprise at the sight of the former Class President dashing down the hall, wearing yesterday's clothes with unkempt hair and me in tow.

We enter the elevator and push the button. As the doors slowly close, we look out to see the boy standing in the hallway, gaping at the sight of us. Glancing over at Shizune, I see her cheeks burning red and decide that the safest course of action for me is to say nothing, to do nothing. The elevator ride down feels tortuously slow.

Finally the doors open and we dash out into the lobby, Shizune leading the way, dragging me along behind with my hand tightly held in hers. I ignore the stares we get from all the students milling about in the lobby, each getting ready to head into town to catch their trains.

We race across the field to the girls' dormitory, barreling through the lobby and into the first available elevator. Several girls join us before the doors close, crowding in. With probing eyes and shocked expressions they look at the two of us, their gazes lingering on Shizune, sharing knowing looks with each other while giggling and tittering quietly.

My girlfriend quickly glares back at them with a venomous stare, meeting each of their gazes in turn. One by one, they each avert their eyes and blush when confronted with my girlfriend's intense look, suddenly finding the floor or ceiling exceptionally interesting. For my part, I'm wheezing too much from all the running to care too much, though I smirk slightly at the sight of it.

After dealing with the girls sharing our elevator, Shizune stares at me with a suddenly worried gaze and tender eyes at the sight of my condition. I shake my head at her and wave my hand, trying to dismiss her concern. She eyes me with a dubious look, but doesn't challenge me on it. She continues to hold my hand, though, gripping me tightly. I squeeze back and offer her what I hope is a reassuring smile. She smiles back at me slightly, but her eyes say she's still not convinced.

As the old elevator cab slowly lumbers up to Shizune's floor, lingering on the floors for the girls sharing our elevator to exit, I glance at my girlfriend and note her worried expression. Checking the time on my watch, I see it's 7:15.

[We're doing okay,] I sign to Shizune.

She purses her lips, clearly disagreeing with my assessment. [I'm going to skip my shower,] she signs with a grim look on her face.

[Don't,] I sign back. [It'll only take us fifteen minutes to get down into town and to the train station,] I remind her.

[I'm not done packing yet,] she explains, looking exceptionally stressed.

[So I'll do it while you're showering,] I reply with a shrug. She answers me with a lifted eyebrow and suspicious glare.

Tilting my head I point out, [Shizune, we've been naked together and had sex a few times now. Does the idea of me packing your stuff really make you uncomfortable?] She frowns as her cheeks color brightly.

[Fine,] she finally sighs, rolling her eyes and finding something on the floor to study. She then lifts her head slightly as if an idea pops into her head. Glancing back up at me, she smirks and says, [but this means I get to snoop around in your room at your parent's place.]

How typical of her.

[Alright,] I sign back in exasperation, not seeing any way around it. If I don't help her finish packing, we may very well miss our train.

Finally, the elevator stops at her floor and she bolts out of the door. I chase after her, burdened by my luggage. She's already got the door opened and is inside by the time I catch up to her. I glance about with interest as I cross the threshold, having never seen her room before. She has four bags laying about on her bed, the desk, and the floor, each packed to different degrees. It looks like her room was originally very neat and tidy, much like how she kept the Student Council room, but is now in a fair state of disarray, due to all the packing she was doing.

Drawers on her dresser hang open, with piles of clothing half sticking out. The closet door is open, with the rack still half full of more clothes. Her desk has a series of small boxes upon it, each half filled with various nick knacks and office supplies typical for a student's desk. Her bed is nearly covered with a large pile of clothing, strewn about in untidy heaps. They appear to be sorted in some fashion, as if she was using the bed as a staging area before she decided what luggage to put each article in.

"Wow," I say without signing in shock as I look about at the state of things. Shizune catches sight of my expression, looking discouraged.

[I'll skip my shower,] she signs, to which I grab her hands and shake my head.

[I'll take care of this,] I sign to her. [Go and shower, it's a very long train ride. You'll feel a world better on our trip, if you take the time now.] She looks about at her room with worry. Gripping her chin to pull her gaze back to mine, I sign urgently, [Go!]

When she hesitates one more time, I ask her with a frown, [Don't you trust me?]

She gives an exasperated sigh, glaring at me. After a moment's pause, she starts to strip, tossing her clothes down in a huff, until she's stark naked before me. I can't help but stare with a grin, my eyes roaming freely over all of her, causing her to blush and frown all the more. She tosses on her bathrobe to cover up, her eyes never leaving me.

[You'd better pull this off, Hisao,] she signs with sharp motions, then grabs some fresh clothes and a small bucket of bathroom accessories. Turning, she storms out into the hallway.

I smirk as she pulls the door shut behind her, slamming it loudly. Pausing only for a moment, I then turn my attention to the task at hand. With a sigh I wonder at what I've gotten myself into, but don't linger, as we don't have the time. Hurriedly I start to grab clothing from the open drawers, stuffing her possessions into the first suitcase I see, without any rhyme or reason. I make good time, emptying her furniture with surprising speed. It helps that she kept her clothes stored so perfectly, each stack of garments meticulously folded and stacked. The closet slows me down, since everything is hung up, but it's not long before I put the last piece of clothing from there away in her bags.

When I turn my attention to the bed, it's again not too difficult, as I manage to find room for all of her clothes in each bag. As I pull back the last of the clothes at the head of her bed to reveal her pillow, I'm greeted by the sight of the stuffed cat that I won for her at the Yamaku festival. It sits dead center upon her pillow, as if it were sacred. I can't help but smile as my heart swells at the sight. Reverently, I take the cat and put it in her satchel. It's a tight fit, but I manage to arrange her bag it so the flap closes completely.

I spend another few minutes to pack up her desk and put all of her odds and ends in their boxes, which fit neatly into the bag sitting atop of the desk. Looking around the room, I see that I've finished.

I wonder why she wasn't done yet, but then realize that she was probably making sure everything was packed in precisely the right place, in exactly the right way. I smirk as I think about how aggravated she'll be when she sees how randomly I dumped her things in her bags.

As I zip up the last of her suitcases, the door is flung open, and Shizune storms into the room with the force of an invading army, carrying her bathrobe over her arm and her bucket of bathroom supplies in her hand. She's wearing a black skirt and red halter top but with the straps crossed over her chest to wrap around her neck, tied at the back in a bow. The cut of her top reveals enough of her cleavage to be sexy while hiding enough to still be tasteful. A fashionable, wide belt completes the ensemble. Her hair is still damp, and droplets of water glisten on the exposed curves of her chest, making it impossible for me to not admire her lovely figure. As usual, she looks stunning, sexy, and stylish all at once.

After crossing the threshold, she stops short and looks about in wonder at her now barren room. Dark eyes glance over the space that had been so uncharacteristically chaotic when she went for her shower. Carefully she checks for unfinished packing before finally looking at me with a guardedly impressed gaze. The empty room echoes sharply with each step she takes, her stylish black high heel shoes clicking sharply as she walks around and checks her drawers, closet, bed, and desk, nodding at each until she finally turns back to me with a wry grin.

[Not bad,] she comments, unable to contain her playful grin as she adjusts her glasses. [But will I be able to find anything in my luggage? Or, did you just toss it all in there, squeezing all my things in wherever they would fit?] She frowns slightly as I smirk at her question, rubbing the back of my neck with a slight blush.

She sighs heavily in exasperation. [You don't get as many points for doing it without any sense of organization, you know.]

Since when did packing become a competition? Then again, it's Shizune. I should know better by now than to assume otherwise.

Snorting in irritated amusement, I lift an eyebrow and ask, [How many points do we not get if we miss our train?] Her smirk quickly falls from her face as she glares at me again, crossing her arms in irritation.

[Come on,] I tell her, picking up my duffel, strapping one of her bags to my roller board, and hefting one of her duffel bags with mine. [Let's get going. You still need to change your ticket.]

Just as we start to grab our luggage, a light in the corner of the room starts to flash. I stop in surprise and look at the thing, then turn to Shizune to ask what it means, but find her looking at the doorway instead. I realize then that since she's deaf, her room must have a button for visitors to trigger the light, so she knows that someone's there.

Turning to look at the doorway, I see Lilly standing there, waiting patiently.

[sg1cat]

Not personally a huge fan of sex scenes in fanfiction, but this was done very tastefully so I didn't have any problem with it, not that I expected any different from you. I also like when Hisao's heart actually acts up. Trying to word this in a way that doesn't make me sound like I like these characters because of their disabilities, but I like it when they impact a situation in some way.

Thanks, most appreciated.

I agree with your thoughts on Hisao's heart acting up, it is more realistic. On that note, I've gotta give props to Mirage for helping me with doing beta reading on my chapters. My first draft of this was very different, and not in a good way. He gave me some very good constructive criticism that inspired me to rewrite it to what you've read here.

So, thanks much Mirage! (as always )