Table of contents for Mai HiME Oneshots

1. Differences

Title: Differences
Series: Mai-HiME
Rating: G
Pairings:Takumi/Arika
Genre: Mild fluff, introspective, oneshot
Warnings: Series ending spoilers

Summary: Akira and Takumi reflect on their easy relationship, how they got there, and how it might be in the future.

Author’s Note: This was written for himitsu_santa for prpl_pen.

The space that was cleared out in the center of the dorm room was small, but there was still enough room for Akira to run through some simpler kata. She liked to go through them before she ate, giving herself time to wind down and clear her mind - and she liked to keep her muscles toned and her mind sharp. The confined space forced her to be more controlled and alert.

It had been over half a year since all the HiMEs had lost their powers, and although she wouldn’t ever admit it to anyone Akira still felt naked and defenseless without her element (though she was far from either of those things). She constantly berated herself for relying way too heavily on being able to summon her element at a whim, and now found it bothersome to conceal weapons on her person. She had put herself on a strict training schedule until she felt comfortable enough with her skills that she would no longer miss her former power.

She and Takumi returned to Fuuka Academy after Takumi’s recovery and took up residence in their old dormitory. None of the other HiMEs had brought up the subject of her gender (Mai had even winked suggestively and told Akira to take good care of her little brother, causing Akira to flush and stammer), and so she had resumed attendance as a male, just as before.

It wasn’t just that she hated skirts (though she did indeed despise them with a passion: they inhibited her mobility, especially taking modesty into account), and it definitely wasn’t that she preferred being a boy. On the contrary, she was actually jealous of other girls who could be so carefree and flirt with boys and admit their feelings. She wasn’t eloquent or pretty - well, she was pretty as a boy, but as a girl she was lacking. She was blunt, and strong - a solitary creature. She was a ninja, and was raised as such. Finding out that she could even HAVE romantic feelings for another was a shock to her, and she wished she could have a normal relationship with Takumi like any other girl would. She wasn’t positive that if she had tried to return to school as a female that she’d be outgoing enough to pursue such a relationship.

No, the fact was, she just didn’t want to be known as “that cross-dressing girl” and have to find excuses for her past behavior constantly, especially when most of it needed to be kept a secret. There were enough whisperings already about she and Takumi and people still thought they were both boys. What would happen when they found out the truth? She wouldn’t be able to be close to Takumi anymore (the revelation that she DID in fact want to be close to him caused her to flush again) and people would get the wrong idea about their relationship. Would they even want to talk to a weird pervert girl like her? Would they understand her deep desire to stand by and protect the man she loved, regardless of the consequences? No, she didn’t think they would. Before she met Takumi , she was bound by duty and honor. Using her skills to protect a single person and making that decision on her own - that was new to her. Why should anyone but a HiME understand?

Still, that day was fast approaching. She was already having to adjust her movements now that her body was maturing. Soon, she would not be able to hide her figure by binding her chest. She would have to admit her gender before anyone else found out by accident, like Takumi had. That sort of misunderstanding was something she definitely wanted to avoid. The thought of accidental discovery plagued her daily, causing her to turn to her kata as a means of stress relief.

“Akira-kun!” Takumi called from the kitchen as Akira slid into the final position of her kata. That was one of the things she liked about him - he still called her Akira-kun, even after he found out about her gender. He had never once slipped - he was completely comfortable with who she was. Before she had been defeated - before she lost him, that time, she had all but confessed her love for him, and still he treated her normally, just as before, never pushing for more from her. She didn’t know if he loved her, but he hadn’t made her leave nor had he made any mention of being displeased with her company or her personality. It didn’t matter if he loved her as long as he let her stay, she had decided a while back. As long as she was allowed to continue to protect him, she would be happy.

Takumi had poked his head out from around the corner and was looking at her expectantly. Apparently, he had just asked her a question and she had been standing there frozen in her lastkata, completely spaced out. She hastily dropped her arms and tried to look natural. “Hai?”

He grinned fondly at her, used to seeing her lost in thought by now. He was actually glad that it happened, because he felt it was important for people to be in touch with their emotions. Of course, he didn’t really want her to CHANGE, he just wanted her to be comfortable and happy. That wasn’t too much to ask, right?

“I asked if you could set the table back up?” he repeated, knowing she hadn’t heard him the first time. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Oh…uh…yeah,” she stammered, hurrying to perform the task as Takumi ducked back into the kitchen. He smoothed the front of his apron down before going back to mashing the potatoes. He had finally given in and gotten a blue one due to Akira’s insistence that pink wasn’t a “manly” color, and she had complained much less about his cooking after he had done so. He’d wanted one that matched his oven-mitts anyway - the color clash bothered him, but it’d been on sale when Mai was shopping and he’d been grateful to have one at all.

Sometimes he wondered if he embarrassed her. He knew he was sort of pretty and mild-mannered, and he enjoyed things like cooking and mending clothing and tending to plants. Men weren’t supposed to like doing what amounted to chores. Men were supposed to like whatAkira liked. At least, he thought so. The only guy he’d ever really hung around with was Akira, and Akira had turned out to not be a man after all.

After the initial shock of seeing Akira’s bound chest, he had been relieved to find out that she was a girl. He wasn’t sure when the easy companionship he’d found with his stubborn roommate had turned into something more for him, but he heard what the girls whispered about when they thought he wasn’t listening. He’d wondered for a bit if he really was gay, but he wasn’t really attracted to other men - admittedly, though, he also wasn’t attracted to girls.

Then came the revelation, and though he now knew Akira was female, it hadn’t changed his feelings at all. He liked Akira for Akira - her gender didn’t matter to him. If she had actually been a boy, it would have been a lot more difficult to have an easy relationship with her, but he would have cared for Akira nonetheless. He supposed that would have indeed made him gay, despite his lack of attraction to anyone else in general.

Now that he thought about it, he supposed that the fact that she was female had made him even more fond of her - she was brave and daring and strong. She could go undercover and play her role perfectly, and protect the school along with the task of keeping her identity a secret. Takumi had always been weak, and he admired Akira for her strengths.

With the potatoes done, he turned to stir the vegetables still cooking on the stove. He liked to try different kinds of meals every once in a while, and Akira took it in stride, bluntly telling him what was good and what needed some work. That was another thing he liked about her. She was brutally honest with him, and always was, even before her gender was revealed.

When he had found out that Mai was hiding her true feelings from him as she helped him - that she was hiding her problems, he was crushed. He couldn’t understand why Mai would allow herself to be burdened with his issues and not share her own. He couldn’t bear to see Mai that way, and he was on the cusp of giving up when Akira scolded him. He had accidentally found another girl who wanted to take care of him, but this one showed him her true self, even though she was supposed to kill him. He saw her pain and her joy, and she freely shared it with him.

He supposed he couldn’t blame Mai for who she was. After all, he did the same thing - hiding how his lack of self-worth from his sister had come naturally to him. He wanted to be more like Akira and just say what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t, not that easily. He smiled and pulled the roast out of the oven. He just couldn’t be like other guys in that way, but Akira didn’t care. She always knew what he was trying to get at anyway.

“Oi! Takumi!” called Akira from the other room as he pulled the roast from the oven. “Do you need any help?”

Takumi had already begun placing the meal on a large, circular tray so he could transport it all at once. “Ah, no, it’s okay! Just sit there and I’ll bring it out to you!” It wasn’t as difficult for him to lift things anymore, now that Akira was helping him. He emerged from the kitchen with a smug smile on his face and set the tray on the table, grinning wider at her flinch. It had been a long time since he had tripped and spilled food all over Akira, but the incident was still firm in her mind.

“What are you so happy about?” she asked, reaching for the mashed potatoes.

“Mmm…nothing, Akira-kun.” It was a lie, though, and she probably knew it, but did not press him. He was happy she was here with him - that they had this easy companionship. It wouldn’t be long before she had to move to the female dormitory, and he wanted to make the most of his time with her. After all, once the school knew her true gender, everything would change between them. That was the feeling he got, anyway, and it scared him, but it was also sort of exciting.

“Ah!” Akira exclaimed, looking at a bit of roast beef that she had just taken a bite from.

“Is it bad?”

“It’s DELICIOUS!” she replied, throwing him a dazzling smile that made his heart flutter. “I’m really going to miss your cooking, Takumi.” She said it lightly, but he knew that the subject saddened her as it did him.

“Don’t worry, Akira-kun,” he said, staring at her seriously. “I’ll always cook for you.”

She looked up from her meal and met his eyes, a tinge of red staining her cheeks. He knew his own face was red as well. “Really?”

He smiled softly at her. “I promise.”

“You…you had better! Or else!” Akira said, trying to sound indignant as she quickly looked away and started stuffing food in her mouth again. He didn’t miss her deepening blush, though. Still smiling, he finally took a bite of his own meal. Yes, things would be different between them when she moved out, but it would be a GOOD different. He was sure of it.

Table of contents for Trick Oneshots

1. You
2. Drunken Honesty

Fandom: Trick
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Ueda/Naoko
Status: Complete
Warnings: MOVIE SPOILERS. And very slight naughy language.

Summary: Ueda accidently gets Naoko drunk, and she accidently says a few things to him that she probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

Authors Notes: Ah…is this “IC” enough? I sort of would like to think it is, but I think that some of this is just awesome and some of it is…well, weak. Let me know what you think.

When Ueda made his way to Naoko’s apartment that evening, his original intention wasn’t to get her drunk. Really it wasn’t, though Naoko would accuse him of it later after vaguely recalling that she might have said something embarrassing.

No, what Ueda Jirou wanted was an answer. That was all.

It had been a few months since he’d seen the flat-breasted magician – he’d been caught up in teaching at the university and putting together his third novel: Donto Koi Chojyo Gensho Part 3. But as he was scanning his notes once more before submitting the completed text to his publisher, the envelope that Naoko’s mother had given him fell to the floor. Of course he re-read the riddle it contained, and of course he now had an uncontrollable urge to obtain its solution from the biggest pain in the ass he had ever had the misfortune to meet.

And so Ueda made his way to the run-down apartment, with great timing as always – she wasn’t home, and he could situate himself inside however he liked. Getting into her room had been simple for quite some time, because Ikeda, the landlord, had given Ueda a spare key to the apartment. Ueda figured this was partially because he had paid Naoko’s rent a few times, and partially because she knew that it annoyed her tenant to no end when she walked in and found Ueda sitting on her floor.

It was amusing to watch Yamada try to figure out how he had gotten in each time.

By the time Naoko came home, Ueda had brewed himself a cup of tea and was reading the daily newspaper. She was wearing one of her magician costumes and looked very…forlorn. It was an expression he had only seen on her two or three times, and it did not suit her at all. In fact, she seemed so down that she didn’t notice him at first.

“Hey, YOU,” he said, peering over his mug. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore your guests?”

“Ueda!” she shouted; damn that loud woman. At least she didn’t have that pitiful expression on her face anymore. “Don’t you know it’s rude to walk into other people’s houses while they’re gone?” She tossed her bag to the floor and took a few angry steps forward.

He ignored her. “Aren’t you going to offer me a cup of tea?”

“You’ve done it yourself.”

“That’s because I know you’re too rude a woman to offer it. I made enough for you to have some if — you’re already drinking it.”

He grimaced as Naoko gulped down her tea and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Honestly, did this woman even know the meaning of the word “manners”?

“I’m not helping you,” she said nonchalantly as she plopped down on the floor across from him.

“What?”

“You only come here when you want something, and I’m not helping you this time. Every time you ask me to go somewhere with I find out you lied about the resort or I almost I die or both! The last time you dragged me out—”

“As if I’d ever ask someone like YOU to be a Kami,” Ueda interjected, but she ignored him.

“—it was a complete disaster. Do you know how long it took me to shave my—”

“Shave your what?” he asked with interest, leaning forward on the table. He’d never had any confirmation as to where her hair had grown during that particular incident.

“N…nothing! Shut up!” she stammered. As if she’d tell him that her “happy trail” had been a complete forest! “Anyway, the point is, I’m not helping you this time, so you may as well just leave.”

He was about to make a snarky reply, but he saw that flicker of sadness in her eyes again, and it made him hold his tongue. He wasn’t sure why, but whenever she looked like that it felt like there was a lead weight in the pit of his stomach. She was supposed to be rude and greedy and sassy and full of life…

“Go out with me,” he said without much thought, and berated himself mentally when he realized what he’d said.

“EH?”

“To dinner, I mean. My treat. You don’t have any food here, you know. Tea just isn’t as good without sweets to go with it. You really are a poor host.”

“You were gonna eat my food, too? Even though you know I have no money? You jerk!” She had a thoughtful look in her eyes though, which quickly turned to one of suspicion.

“You’re trying to bribe me, aren’t you?”

He gazed at her evenly. “No.”

She peered into his eyes for a few moments, which made him uncomfortable as always, but he held his ground. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Fine.”

And that’s how, hours later, he found himself walking down the street with Naoko clinging to his back, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder. He could tell he wasn’t quite as flat as he claimed she was – he could feel her small buds pressing into his back as she squeezed him.

Next time he’d pick a restaurant they couldn’t walk to so he could just drag her out of the car and into her apartment.

Wait a second…next time? There wouldn’t BE a next time.

In all honesty, he had only ordered sake because he thought that they could both do with a little bit of relaxing. He really only meant for them to get a little buzz, and he was watching their intake carefully. Drink for drink he matched her, and by the time he realized that his larger frame had given him a higher tolerance to alcohol, she was completely soused.

“WHEE!” Yamada squealed as Ueda bounded up the steps to her apartment. “Giddy up, Ueda!” She bounced up and down and dug her heels into his sides. Ugh, her voice was so shrill…

“Not so hard, woman,” he muttered as he unlocked her apartment. She was probably too drunk to notice he had his own key.

“Oi,” he said when they got inside shaking her a little bit. “Get off. You need sleep.”

“No,” she declared, stubbornly hanging on to his neck. “I like it here.”

“Eh?”

“I’m happy you came,” she said, squeezing him until he could barely breathe. “It gets so lonely…”

“Okay,” he managed to get out, frantically trying to pry her arms from around his neck. “You really need sleep. Come on, get off!”

She fell to the floor with a thud. “Owww,” she whined, rubbing her rump. “Ueda, you’re so mean!”

“Shut up. You’re too loud.” He made to leave, but Naoko stopped him easily.

“Aren’t you going to ask me your question?”

He stopped in his tracks. How did she know? He purposely didn’t turn around to face her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hnnn, and I thought you really wanted to know the answer to that riddle…”

This time he did turn around. She was still on the floor, looking up at him almost innocently. “How did you know?” He asked, clearly shocked. “You couldn’t see my pupils shrink or my nose twitch or –”

Hehehehehehe!” she giggled, loud and shrill like always. “You can’t lie to me, Ueda-san.” She pointed up at him roughly, her arm swaying a bit. “I can see into your heart.”

“My…heart?” he said slowly. “Don’t you mean you can read my mind?”

“Stupid,” she replied with a snort. “Of course I can’t. No one would want to see in there, anyway.”

There was a short span of silence before Naoko spoke again, flopping down on her back drunkenly. “I’ll tell you if you stay here tonight.”

“EH?”

“I mean,” she said hurriedly, “I have a stalker. He just found out where I live, and I feel a little uncomfortable, so—”

“As if I’d believe a lie like that,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair nervously.

“If you don’t believe me, look out that window,” she said, pointing to the one in question…with her foot.

“Tch.” He obliged her and looked out the window. Sure enough, there was a largish man on the street below. The moment he saw Ueda’s head at the window, he spun a little noisemaker in one hand. The other hand was holding his binoculars steady. Apparently, he couldn’t tell who was actually looking outside, just that it was the proper apartment. Ueda pulled his head back in sharply.

“See?” she drawled.

“Fine. I’ll stay. But you have to tell me what was in your envelope.”

It didn’t take long for Naoko to fall asleep, leaving Ueda wide-awake and leaning against the wall next to her. It was somewhat astonishing how quickly she could just pass out like that. He had been seriously considering putting her through a sleep study for some time now.

“Mmmmm…chocolate mousse cake….” she groaned. He hadn’t been planning on staying the night, or he’d have brought his recorder with him. “Banana split…with strawberries…and sprinkles…” He could’ve used it to annoy her later.

“ZOOOOOOONE!”

“Zooooone again?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. She really needed to let that one go.

“Ueda…”

He glanced at her, a bit alarmed. Was she dreaming about him?

“Ueda…are you awake?” she mumbled. Stupid sleep talkers.

“Aa.”

“I’m sorry…I lied to you…” she snuggled deeper into the blanket he had draped over her earlier.

“That guy outside isn’t a stalker?”

“Nnn….he’s a fan.”

“You don’t have any fans.”

“My only fan…goes to all my shows…follows us on trips…stands outside my window…”

“…Isn’t that a stalker!?”

But she wasn’t done yet. “And I can’t see into your heart…”

“I know that…flat-breasts…” no reaction. She was definitely asleep. And weirding him out.

“I took the envelope out of your pocket when you weren’t looking….”

“OI!” He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised. He knew she sometimes could amount to nothing but a common thief. But he tried not to yell at her TOO loudly, because he wanted her to keep going.

“And I was never going to tell you what was in my envelope…”

He looked down at the floor and muttered, “I knew that, too…” So why had he stayed?

“…because I never opened it…”

Well…this was new. She hadn’t opened it? After she clearly said she would open it later? It had been months and her curiosity hadn’t kicked in?

If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he was a cad. But he’d only opened his because she said she was going to open hers, dammit! “It was all your fault!” he said aloud to make himself feel better.

“But it was all your fault…” oh, she was still rambling? He needed to remember to stuff alcohol down her throat next time he wanted the truth out of her.

“Left the treasure…because of your stupid message…”

There was that statement again. She’d never told him when she had seen the treasure, or why it just happened to be his fault that they didn’t get it.

“…bet you didn’t mean it anyway…baka Ueda…” she rolled over, and then fell silent.

“Didn’t mean what? Be more clear next time,” he muttered. Hadn’t she completely ignored his message? How was that his fault?

…Wait a minute. Maybe….what if….

He reached over and snatched Naoko’s tote-bag-like purse, digging around in it until he found a sharpie and a piece of paper to recreate the message he had carved into the log.

“Aitai ima kara. Shitsurana tehai,” he read the message horizontally, as it was meant to be read. “I want to see you now. Prepare shizurana.” She had only ran into him by accident, and she definitely hadn’t prepared the antidote like he’d told her to.

But she had been so keen to keep him from reading that same message vertically later on…

“Aishite imasu. Takara wa iranai,” he sounded out for the first time. “I love you. I don’t care about treasure.”

He slumped back against the wall, his breath rushing out of his lungs with a whoosh of air. Could it be? Had she read it vertically? His mind raced. Surely she must have realized that the odds of him accidentally phrasing his message in such a way to get two coherent thoughts were phenomenally low. She must have assumed that he had meant it, and then…and then…

He remembered her look of relief after he had escaped from the holding cell. She had run right into him, looking desperate…

She had left the treasure behind to go back for him.

Wait a second… Greedy, self-serving, loud, no-breasts Naoko had actually given up something valuable…for him?

He stared hard at the message. He was intending to tease Naoko mercilessly about her confession in the morning, but now he was thinking he should just let it go. For such a relevant message to surface like this – it couldn’t just be a coincidence, right?

He regarded Naoko’s sleeping form warmly, and tucked the message into his pocket. This message…his feelings, were they the same? It was certainly a matter that deserved contemplation.

And so he would think.

And then…and then he would tell her.

Eventually.