A/N: Just a quick little one shot Shiznat story while I work on the new sequel A New Light: Coral year. Hope you like!
The Perfect Gift
Close your eyes
Give me your hands, Darling
Do you feel my heart beating
Do you understand
Do you feel the same
Or am I only dreaming
Is this burning
An eternal Flame
It was the morning of Shizuru's birthday and, aside from the card, Natsuki still had no idea what she was going to get her. She had searched in different places around the town, but always came out empty handed. Shizuru wasn't due over until later that night, so she still had a chance to find something perfect.
"You know," Mai said over the phone. "I find it funny that you would go through all of this to find her the right gift, yet you're still scared to tell her how you really feel."
"I'm not scared!" Natsuki said defensively, but Mai could hear the uncertainty in her best friends voice. "I just...never have the chance."
After the whole Hime incident, Natsuki had been constantly fighting with herself on her feelings towards Shizuru. At first, she found herself ignoring any type of feeling she had for the woman and pushed it away. Yet, the more she spent time with her, the harder it became to ignore those feelings. Just recently she had come to a decision on how she felt and talked to Mai about it. She had been trying to find the time to tell Shizuru, but when she had the chance, she'd chicken out and change the subject.
"Oh really?" Mai asked with a hint of amusement in her voice. "So, with all of the time you guys have been spending with each other, you never had a moment to speak with her about this?"
"Shut up!" Natsuki snapped.
Mai giggled.
"Hey...wait a minute! That's it! That's what you should get her for her birthday!"
"What?" Natsuki asked.
"You!" answered Mai. "Your feelings. This would be the perfect moment to tell her. She'd love it!"
"No way! I- I can't do that!"
"Sure you can!" Mai said back. "What would be a better gift to Shizuru than her little Natsuki herself? We could dress you up, place a pretty bow on you...actually, scratch the dressing up. I think she would like a naked Natsuki in a bow much better than-"
"I'm hanging up now..." said a very red Natsuki through the phone.
"All right, all right.." Mai said, trying to calm her giggling. "But seriously, you should really tell her tonight. I think that would be a great gift."
"Yeah..." she grumbled into the phone.
"Anyways, I really should go. Mikoto's hungry, as usual. I'll talk to you later, ok? Bye!"
"Bye." Natsuki said back, hanging the phone up as she finished. She sighed and leaned back against the counter. Mai had a point. It would be a great gift, but would she have enough courage to do so?
She looked up at the clock, which read 10:00am. Shizuru wasn't due over until four. She looked around her apartment and grumbled. It needed some definite cleaning before she came over.
"Might as well do that now." she mumbled, knowing that if she prolonged it any longer it would never get done.
She started with her sink full of yesterdays dishes and cleaning the kitchen, eventually moving to the living room. She folded her clothes, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed, and anything else she could think of just to kill time. The whole time she was cleaning, she couldn't get Mai's idea for a gift out of her head. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. Then again, with all her cleaning, she never really got a chance to go out and look again, so now, this was her only idea. How would she do it though? That wasn't the kind of conversation you just casually bring up. Natsuki sighed and rubbed her temple. She was never really at this kind of stuff
Finally, after the long day of cleaning, she heard the familiar footsteps coming up the hall followed by a knock on the door. She grabbed the card and hid it behind her back, then walked over to open the door.
"Hey, Shizuru."
"Hello, Natsuki!" she said with a smile a she walked in.
Natsuki had to smile a bit as she closed the door. The soft, sweet sound of Shizuru's voice always seemed to warm her heart.
Shizuru had placed her bag on Natsuki's coffee table.
"How was Natsuki's day?" she asked as she took a seat on the couch.
"Good." she answered, sitting next to her. "Did a few things around the house is all."
She fiddled the card behind her back. She had to do this, whether she was scared or not.
She pulled out the card and handed it to Shizuru.
"Happy Birthday."
"Ara!" she said as her eyes lit up. "How sweet of Natsuki to remember my birthday!"
A pink tinge grew on Natsuki's face. Making Natsuki constantly blush was something Shizuru was very good at.
She watched as she opened the card and read it. After a few moments, a smile grew on her face. A smile that always seemed to melt Natsuki's heart.
"It's wonderful!" Shizuru giggled, reaching over and hugging her tightly. "I love it very much."
"I'm glad." Natsuki said. "I was hoping you would."
"If it's coming from you, I'll always love it." Shizuru told her as she broke the hug. She looked back at the card and smiled. She then held it tightly against her chest.
"I'll treasure it forever." she said softly.
Natsuki couldn't take her eyes off of the beautiful woman in front of her. Even after the incident, Shizuru was always smiling at her, always so kind. Yet behind that smile, she knew that Shizuru held a piece of sadness within her. Shizuru never pushed her into loving her after the Hime ordeal, no matter how much she wanted Natsuki to love her back in the same way. Sure, the teasing had gotten a lot worse, but it was nothing more than that...just teasing.
Now, all of a sudden, she found herself wanting to return that love.
"I have a gift for you, too." she found herself saying.
She found herself wanting to throw herself in Shizuru's arms and hold her tight, telling her that everything was ok now and they could share their love together.
"Ara? Natsuki has more for me?" She could see the excitement on Shizuru's face.
"I do." Natsuki replied. "I spent a long time trying to find something good for you, but I could never find the right thing."
"You never have to worry about that." Shizuru told her. "I'm always happy when I'm with you."
Natsuki smiled at this.
"Still, I needed to find something good for you. You deserve it."
"Ara, my Natsuki is being so sweet to me right now." Shizuru said. "Natsuki's not usually like that."
Natsuki started blushing again, but continued with the conversation.
"Actually, it's something I have to tell you. Well, you see...the thing is...um..."
Natsuki was at a loss of words. She had really wanted to get it out, but she had no idea how. She was never very good at this mushy stuff. She sighed.
"You know what...close your eyes."
Shizuru looked a little confused.
"Close my eyes? Does Natsuki have something dirty planned?"
"Shizuru..." she mumbled, a deeper shade of red now growing on her face. "Just close them."
Shizuru giggled.
"All right, if my Natsuki says." she told her as she closed her eyes.
Natsuki scooted a little but closer and looked over Shizuru for a moment. As much as the thought of it made her nervous, she found herself wanting to touch the brunettes soft body in ways that would even make the usually neutral Shizuru blush.
After a few more moments, she took a deep breath and grabbed Shizuru's hand. It felt warm against her own. She held it for a few moments before bringing it to her mouth and placing a gentle kiss.
Shizuru let out a small gasp, but kept her eyes shut. Natsuki then took the hand and placed it over her heart, still holding it firmly.
"Ok, you can open them."
Shizuru opened her eyes, looking at where her hand was.
"Natsuki?" she asked softly, still a little confused.
"I've been wanting to tell you this for awhile, but I could never find enough courage to do so, but now...this is the gift I give you Shizuru...I give you my heart."
Shizuru started tearing up at this statement.
"Natsuki..."
"I needed a lot of time to think about this after what had happened between us." Natsuki continued. "I don't need to think anymore because now, I know. You make me smile Shizuru. You fill me with a warmth that I have not felt in such a long time. You gave me hope when I had none and gave me friendship when no other person would. You made me believe again."
She took her free hand and gently cupped it around Shizuru's warm cheek, leaning in closer. She could see a light pink tinge form on Shizuru's face.
"There are still many things I have to work on." she continued. "There are still thing's that I'm going to be nervous about as well, but there is no one else I would want to face my fears with than you, Shizuru. I want to be with you."
Their faces were only inches apart now.
"Shizuru.." Natsuki whispered. "I love you."
Natsuki could see the tears streaming down Shizuru's face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Natsuki stopped her with a slow and passionate kiss. Her lips were so soft and warm against her own. It had felt so good. How could she have waited this long?
After a few minutes Natsuki pulled away.
Shizuru sat for a moment in shock, but that soon wore off. She immediately jumped up and wrapped her arms around Natsuki, knocking her down on the couch with a hug.
"Oh, Natsuki..." she said, nuzzling her face into Natsuki's neck. "I love you, too!"
They lay there for a moment, snuggling to each other closely. A weight had lifted off of Natsuki's chest, her heart light and happy.
"This is the best birthday present I have ever received." Shizuru whispered. "This really is a happy birthday."
Natsuki smiled.
"Who said I was done with you yet?"
Shizuru lifted her head and looked right into Natsuki's eyes with that evil glint she always gave when she was thinking dirty.
"Oh my, my Natsuki is feeling brave tonight..."
In all honesty, she was. She wasn't sure where all the courage had come from, but she was going to take advantage of it while it was there. She had a hot girl sitting on top of her...what could go wrong?
She placed another soft kiss on Shizuru's lips.
"You..." she said, now returning the evil glint. "bedroom...clothes off...now..."And with that, they both stood up, hand in hand, and disappeared into Natsuki's bedroom.