After School

Sparkling, With You *Slight Mature Warning*

"Alright, alright, jeez..." Masako deadpanned in response.

She didn't like being talked down to like that, but likewise, Natsume always pedestaled herself when it came to obliterating a little affection here and there when she didn't want it. Masako had a hard time keeping herself from touching her girlfriend. Of course, while it was welcome in their hidden relationship, it was always conducted at the wrong moments. Like at school in the locker rooms, or during class, or when eating lunch. There was even an occasion when Masako had attempted to glide a hand down her irresistible body during a series of back-to-back partner stretches during physical education. All incidents had been of course heatedly reprimanded later by the fuming brunette.

As Natsume fumbled with the final button high on the collar of her blouse, Masako swung herself off of the bench and gathered their belongings which had been carelessly tossed to the side. She managed to catch her water bottle before it split onto Natsume's bag. When she turned back to offer a relieved grin, she was still met with an impaling glare. 'Ouch, strike two.' She chastised herself. Determined to not tick her girlfriend off any further, she slung her jacket and both their bags over her broad shoulder, deciding to carry that haphazard bottle in a hand. The displeased glint in Natsume's steely brown eyes still lingered, but there was a weariness in them that softened the overall glare. Masako tried to focus on that little point of softness as she offered another sheepish grin.

The brunette, now dressed properly, eased herself up from the bench with a display of dignified grace. She held a hand out to her girlfriend, gesturing for possession of her bag. Masako wasted no time in slipping it off and plopping the worn strap into the upturned palm. Natsume took a moment to drape it over her shoulder. Even though the blonde usually carried the bag out of her own generous will, Natsume always felt bad for burdening her with it. There was always a trust issue now regarding it; last summer, Natsume had returned from a brief trip to the restroom to find her cellphone – which she almost always stored in that bag – had been invaded and plagued with hundreds of little notes and teasing pictures of the girl. She had let her inner demon out on the girl that day, and since then, was always wary of letting the girl hold it. It took forever deleting all those little invasions of privacy, too – although she secretly kept a few pictures and little affectionate notes.

"Ready to go, Masa?" She asked, not quite facing the girl.

"Of course." Masako nodded.

The two began walking out of the locker room. They'd almost made it out into the hallway when all of a sudden Masako stopped. Annoyed, Natsume spun sharply on her heel to face her.

"What's it this time?" The sigh that escaped her lips sounded borderline angry, though expected.

Masako rubbed the back of her head awkwardly and laughed. She'd made sure to quickly sift through her bag as she was leaving and well...she'd realized her cellphone wasn't in there.

"I, uh, forgot my cellphone."

She tried to make it sound as lighthearted and humorous as possible. Opening her eyes, she was disappointed that it seemed to have no effect on the other. 'Ah, jeez... Strike three, I'm out for the day.' She sighed mentally. She'd been striking out quite often lately with her girlfriend. Even worse, each missing strike only seemed to occur closer and closer consecutively with the other each passing day. At this rate of repetitive failure, it would be more beneficial if she just quit altogether. But Masako marched to her own unique beat, and off-tempo or not, she wasn't about to throw her girlfriend away. They'd been together since their first year in high school, after all, and being third years, they were hoping to end it that way, and hopefully keep to that way long after their graduation and until their deaths together. It sounded like a cakewalk on paper, but with how things usually went, it was growing much more difficult. Masako, at least, still tried to keep a positive outlook on it in spite of the hardships.