Nanoha FanFiction Discussion

[blitz1/2]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

I'm afraid I have bad news everyone: it's a shame but I have to tell you that unfortunately I survived, so nobody is getting any of my stuff. Sorry



Pretty sure Garyu doesn't live in Lutecia's device. Summons live wherever and pop in when summoned. They don't stay in a Pokeball.

Things will certainly get messier now that more people are joining the battle. Lutecia might have to redraw the map after this one.

Here's something from me. It's essentially a follow up to Adult Conversation.

Spoiler for Three:

“Yuuno-kun, let’s have a three way with Fate-chan!”

Yuuno spat out his tea as Nanoha burst into the office pulling Fate behind her.

“W-What?” He said.

“Like I said, let’s have a three way with Fate-chan!”

“…What?” He said again for lack of a better response.

“You, me, Fate-chan. Sex.” Nanoha pointed to each of them. “Yuuno-kun, you’re so dense.”

“And you’re crazy!” Yuuno shot up. “Suddenly springing this on me… Is this a joke? Did Chrono put you up to this?”

“I’m being serious!” Nanoha said. “Fate-chan and I discussed it and this is what we decided.”

Yuuno glanced over at Fate who had been pure crimson since she entered. She nodded meekly.

“But I can’t do that!” Yuuno said, forcing himself to think with this top head. “Fate’s never been involved with anyone, has she? I don’t want her to waste her first time. It should be with some one special.”

“That’s not what you said when we first did it.” Nanoha smirked.

“I was a hormone driven teenager back then,” he said. “I’m an adult now.”

“Well don’t worry!” Nanoha waved him off. “Fate-chan has tons of experience!”

“Nanoha!”

“Really?” Yuuno looked sceptical.

“Oh yeah!” Nanoha said. “She’s never had a steady boyfriend but she’s the type to have sex on the first date.”

“Huh?” Both Fate and Yuuno said.

“You know how kind hearted and trusting she is,” Nanoha said. “So it doesn’t take much to sweet talk her into bed, especially after she’s had a few drinks.”

“I see…” Yuuno sounded a bit sad to hear it.

Fate didn’t know what was worse: that Nanoha suggested such a thing or that Yuuno found it plausible.

“The thing is, though, is that those guys just have their fun and are gone before she wakes up,” Nanoha said.

Yuuno had the sudden urge to hunt down every last one of them. “Let me apologise on behalf of the rest of my gender.”

“But that’s why I want her to join us. I want her to experience it with some one who cares about her and will treat her right. I know you’ll give her that experience.”

“Well…” Yuuno flushed and glanced around the room.

“I know you want to.” Nanoha giggled. “I’ve already told her you fantasize about her.”

“Nanoha! That was a secret!”

“Relax!” Nanoha said with a laugh. “It’s considered a compliment!”

Yuuno cleared his throat and turned to Fate. “Are you really okay with this?”

“Yes,” Fate said. “You’re a good friend and I trust you.”

“Well, if she’s fine with me…” Yuuno glanced away and scratched his cheek.

“Great! Then it’s settled!” Nanoha said, going over and kissing his cheek. “We’ll be waiting for you at your place tonight, so don’t work too late!”

Yuuno watched them leave, half worried and half looking forward to the night that was to come.

X-X-X

“Why did you lie to him, Nanoha?”

“If he knew you’re still a virgin he’d never agree.” Nanoha said. “Sometimes he’s too much of a gentleman.”

“Still…”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll be making it up to him. Besides, it wasn’t entirely a lie…”

“Huh?”

“You are too kind hearted and trusting, Fate-chan. If you weren’t always so preoccupied with work there’s a good chance some sweet talker could take advantage of you. You could end up stuck with some one nasty… I read about how abuse victims often end up in more abusive relationships…”

“Nanoha…”

“So I do want your first time at least to be with some one I know will take good care of you. I know I’m being pushy so I don’t want you to feel pressured into this. You can change your mind at any time.”

“Thank you, Nanoha.” Fate smiled. “I know you’re looking out for me and if I do end up in a bad relationship you’ll be there to save me from it like you did before.”

“Fate-chan… Of course!”

“As for tonight…” Fate blushed. “I already decided. I get to experience something special with my two oldest friends who I love and trust very much.” She thought of Yuuno’s reaction and how it reinforced that. “We’ll become even closer and I think that’s wonderful.”

“Awww, Fate-chan! I love you too!” Nanoha gave her a big hug. “Now come on, we have to get ourselves ready. Tonight will be one for the history books!”

Spoiler for notes:

Satashi wrote me a lemon once and in it was a line about how Fate is the type to have sex on the first date. Been curious about the plausability of that statement so I explored it a bit here. Not too sure what to think about it.

Anyways, there's the possibility of a follow up lemon if there's interest.

lastly, I posted Papa Wolf.

If we tossed in Hayate in as a foursome, chaos will brew.

[00-Raiser]

Realistically a man is only capable of disappointing a maximum of two women at once

[sniperk]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Realistically a man is only capable of disappointing a maximum of two women at once

Say that to my daughters and ex-wife.

[blitz1/2]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Realistically a man is only capable of disappointing a maximum of two women at once

Nonsense! True masters go HAREM ROUTE! There is no limit for true masters.

[bhl88]

Originally Posted by blitz1/2

Nonsense! True masters go HAREM ROUTE! There is no limit for true masters.

And Yuuno is beyond a true master. He can do all of them.

[vic-vic]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

I'm afraid I have bad news everyone: it's a shame but I have to tell you that unfortunately I survived, so nobody is getting any of my stuff. Sorry



Pretty sure Garyu doesn't live in Lutecia's device. Summons live wherever and pop in when summoned. They don't stay in a Pokeball.

Things will certainly get messier now that more people are joining the battle. Lutecia might have to redraw the map after this one.

Here's something from me. It's essentially a follow up to Adult Conversation.

Spoiler for Three:

“Yuuno-kun, let’s have a three way with Fate-chan!”

Yuuno spat out his tea as Nanoha burst into the office pulling Fate behind her.

“W-What?” He said.

“Like I said, let’s have a three way with Fate-chan!”

“…What?” He said again for lack of a better response.

“You, me, Fate-chan. Sex.” Nanoha pointed to each of them. “Yuuno-kun, you’re so dense.”

“And you’re crazy!” Yuuno shot up. “Suddenly springing this on me… Is this a joke? Did Chrono put you up to this?”

“I’m being serious!” Nanoha said. “Fate-chan and I discussed it and this is what we decided.”

Yuuno glanced over at Fate who had been pure crimson since she entered. She nodded meekly.

“But I can’t do that!” Yuuno said, forcing himself to think with this top head. “Fate’s never been involved with anyone, has she? I don’t want her to waste her first time. It should be with some one special.”

“That’s not what you said when we first did it.” Nanoha smirked.

“I was a hormone driven teenager back then,” he said. “I’m an adult now.”

“Well don’t worry!” Nanoha waved him off. “Fate-chan has tons of experience!”

“Nanoha!”

“Really?” Yuuno looked sceptical.

“Oh yeah!” Nanoha said. “She’s never had a steady boyfriend but she’s the type to have sex on the first date.”

“Huh?” Both Fate and Yuuno said.

“You know how kind hearted and trusting she is,” Nanoha said. “So it doesn’t take much to sweet talk her into bed, especially after she’s had a few drinks.”

“I see…” Yuuno sounded a bit sad to hear it.

Fate didn’t know what was worse: that Nanoha suggested such a thing or that Yuuno found it plausible.

“The thing is, though, is that those guys just have their fun and are gone before she wakes up,” Nanoha said.

Yuuno had the sudden urge to hunt down every last one of them. “Let me apologise on behalf of the rest of my gender.”

“But that’s why I want her to join us. I want her to experience it with some one who cares about her and will treat her right. I know you’ll give her that experience.”

“Well…” Yuuno flushed and glanced around the room.

“I know you want to.” Nanoha giggled. “I’ve already told her you fantasize about her.”

“Nanoha! That was a secret!”

“Relax!” Nanoha said with a laugh. “It’s considered a compliment!”

Yuuno cleared his throat and turned to Fate. “Are you really okay with this?”

“Yes,” Fate said. “You’re a good friend and I trust you.”

“Well, if she’s fine with me…” Yuuno glanced away and scratched his cheek.

“Great! Then it’s settled!” Nanoha said, going over and kissing his cheek. “We’ll be waiting for you at your place tonight, so don’t work too late!”

Yuuno watched them leave, half worried and half looking forward to the night that was to come.

X-X-X

“Why did you lie to him, Nanoha?”

“If he knew you’re still a virgin he’d never agree.” Nanoha said. “Sometimes he’s too much of a gentleman.”

“Still…”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll be making it up to him. Besides, it wasn’t entirely a lie…”

“Huh?”

“You are too kind hearted and trusting, Fate-chan. If you weren’t always so preoccupied with work there’s a good chance some sweet talker could take advantage of you. You could end up stuck with some one nasty… I read about how abuse victims often end up in more abusive relationships…”

“Nanoha…”

“So I do want your first time at least to be with some one I know will take good care of you. I know I’m being pushy so I don’t want you to feel pressured into this. You can change your mind at any time.”

“Thank you, Nanoha.” Fate smiled. “I know you’re looking out for me and if I do end up in a bad relationship you’ll be there to save me from it like you did before.”

“Fate-chan… Of course!”

“As for tonight…” Fate blushed. “I already decided. I get to experience something special with my two oldest friends who I love and trust very much.” She thought of Yuuno’s reaction and how it reinforced that. “We’ll become even closer and I think that’s wonderful.”

“Awww, Fate-chan! I love you too!” Nanoha gave her a big hug. “Now come on, we have to get ourselves ready. Tonight will be one for the history books!”

Spoiler for notes:

Satashi wrote me a lemon once and in it was a line about how Fate is the type to have sex on the first date. Been curious about the plausability of that statement so I explored it a bit here. Not too sure what to think about it.

Anyways, there's the possibility of a follow up lemon if there's interest.

lastly, I posted Papa Wolf.

It was very funny and heartwarming at the same time. Good job Raiser

[Craxuan]

In response to Kagerou's Vivio/Cinque challenge a few days ago, although I might be kind of late. Thank god it's actually short, this time.

Spoiler for Impression:

There she was, sitting indifferently at the roof top and tossing a knife; a near-straight arc to the sky that fell neatly back into her open palm. A golden eye stared far towards the bright, hazy horizon; as if seeking, yearning, and yet her open posture was one of contradicting calmness and tranquility. Silver hair strolled leisurely along the breathless wind, and she found herself wondering.

“… Cinque.”

A nod. Heavy, but unfeeling of the imaginary weight Vivio tied to her neck. Of course not. But somehow, the unreasonable impulse inside her heart told her differently, otherwise. She felt her heart race triumphantly, but it was a feeling slightly dissimilar from winning a battle – no, a war – against Einhalt. She could not understand why.

“Good evening, Vivio.” As usual, responses from Cinque came wrapped in undisguised politeness and discipline as strict as Nanoha-mama’s training. It was the way she communicated with almost everyone; the exception being her sisters. But she didn’t mind it one bit; Vivio knew that bonds were strange and exceptional to each of their own. Things that she could share with friends but not with her mamas, feelings that could be conveyed only through touch but not words – which she thought worked vice versa, and would learn it true in the future – right now, this fragile little bond connecting her and Cinque is special.

They sat together in silence. The cyborg began tossing her knife once more, but this time the little girl noticed control, a measured tightness of fluid ease possible only with years of training and practice. Amidst the stage of twisted steel pipes and black coiling cables Cinque now has an audience, and an audience had to be entertained. Or at least that was something Jail Scaglietti used to say very fondly, the cyborg once told Vivio sarcastically on a particular evening.

But Vivio could see that she held no ill will towards the scientist, his words ultimately stuck deep into Cinque’s habit. Whatever the evil man did in the past, he had treated them with care and respect, and that was enough. She acknowledged and accepted his love.

Vivio was envious. She would forever remember the day she stumbled into this deserted rooftop, off limits because it was littered with hazard but for that one, nonchalant girl; ever throwing, ever watching. That was the beginning of days she could never explain with words, the one period of time when bright Vivio Takamichi became at peace and thoughtful. That was the impression Cinque left within her, a magical change that would not disappear for a very long time, if not forever. And that was why, she really wanted to know.

“Neh, Cinque.”

“What is it?”

She fumbled a little, fingers pressed against another as she tried to form a coherent sentence. Her nervousness it seemed, was the one thing that hasn’t changed over time with the cyborg,

“Have I… changed something? For you?”

The cyborg looked surprised, and it was a first Vivio had ever seen from the cyborg. Her face turned to a frown, then thoughtful, then unexpectedly, she broke into a really wide smile. It was energetic, bright, optimistic, and Vivio suddenly realized that the smile had looked much like her own.

“Yes… You did.”

[Kagerou]

And with Craxun's pretty epic post, that wraps up challenge one. There were some very funny ones in there, which I definitely approve up. Thumbs up to all.

Anyway, here we go:

Fanfiction Thread Writing Challenge II!
The Challenge: Write a one-sided story from Hayate, Nanoha, or Fate's point of view (1st Person), about how she cannot admit her love for one of the others (or both, if you're so inclined). The key here is to keep her in character, as it's easy to derail a character when you come up with something like this.

Basically, you're writing up a Can Not Spit It Out fanfic.

Oh, yeah, as for my own personal opinion, if these characters were difficulty levels, then Fate would be Normal, Nanoha would be Hard, and Hayate would be Lunatic, so good luck!

[deathcurse]

Originally Posted by Kagerou

And with Craxun's pretty epic post, that wraps up challenge one. There were some very funny ones in there, which I definitely approve up. Thumbs up to all.

Anyway, here we go:

Fanfiction Thread Writing Challenge II!
The Challenge: Write a one-sided story from Hayate, Nanoha, or Fate's point of view (1st Person), about how she cannot admit her love for one of the others (or both, if you're so inclined). The key here is to keep her in character, as it's easy to derail a character when you come up with something like this.

Basically, you're writing up a Can Not Spit It Out fanfic.

Oh, yeah, as for my own personal opinion, if these characters were difficulty levels, then Fate would be Normal, Nanoha would be Hard, and Hayate would be Lunatic, so good luck!

Spoiler for Equilibrium:

Equilibrium

On my introspective days, I hated myself for wanting them.

They were safe crushes, since they clearly had no eyes for anyone but each other. Nanoha’s eyes sparkled with a single-minded candidness whenever she looked upon Fate, and Fate would gaze back with a soft, earnest devotion that could elicit a smile even from stoic folks like Chrono or Signum.

There was no competing with that kind of affection.

And I knew it.

That’s why I wanted them.

Loving was such a tricky thing. I knew the pain of it well—once upon a time on a cold night on a rooftop, or in a white-blanketed field under icy flakes of snow. Rein, Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira…Reinforce. I loved them, more than the vague and steadily fading memories I had of my mother and father. “Mom” and “Dad” were concepts to me when I was nine, and now at nineteen I couldn’t even remember their faces.

They must have loved me too, I think.

My knights love me dearly, and they would never go away. I know that. I should have no fears of being alone, of losing the ones I love.

But deep down, I’m still afraid.

And I have reason to—the price of their love for me cost them years of service for the TSAB, and on any of those dangerous missions I could lose my precious ones. So I learned that love has a price, a cost to pay that is given freely but still added another millstone around my neck.

Fate understood. I could see it in her soft, vulnerable eyes when she slowly opened her heart to Nanoha, then Lindy, then Amy and Chrono and all of us. The spectre of Precia and Alicia haunted her still, but Fate, at the core of her memories (of Alicia’s memories), knew what it was like to be loved.

I can imagine it, sometimes, before my knights came: of a house where my mother and father loved me and loved each other, and we were all happy. But I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t as real to me as the emptiness of a house inhabited by a single lonely, crippled girl.

I loved Fate for her strength. I loved her for her devotion, even if sometimes that devotion transcended morality and self-preservation. I loved how Fate was always amazed at the simplest things, as if an ice cream cone or a hand-knitted scarf or a cute pencil were great treasures just for her.

I loved how much she loved Nanoha.

I loved and wept when I remembered how she could never love me that way. Abstractly, I wanted a love that was just mine, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I got it. And that wouldn’t be fair to Fate, or to Nanoha. It wouldn’t do to tip the well-crafted relationships between all of us for something that would never work.

I loved Nanoha for her dedication. I loved how she always threw all of herself into anything she did, and how she wore her heart on her sleeve and rescued all us little strays. I loved how Nanoha would blaze ahead, ignoring rules and regulations and protocol in the name of Justice and The Right Thing To Do. And yet underneath that Hero guise was a girl who glomped her friends and shared her lunchbox with a light laugh.

I loved how much she loved Fate.

I loved Nanoha’s kindness when she cheered me on as I struggled to gain control over my wasted legs. I was grateful of the chance to help her in return when she had her accident, to hold her when she cried frustrated and hopeless tears during her rehabilitation. I could show her an empathy that others could not. I could never repay her for what she had done for me and my family, but I could go on happily owing her forever if it meant that she could be okay.

I loved Nanoha enough to let her go.

“Hayate-chan,” Nanoha had whispered once, when we were both collapsed on a hospital bed together, weeping with the throbbing pain of yet another day’s therapy. “I…I think I…” Her hand closed over mine, warm and shy.

I asked my leading question, cutting her off. “Is it about Fate?”

She was silent a moment.

Then she let go of my hand, and said, “Yes.”

I loved Fate enough to push her towards what she really wanted.

“Hayate,” Fate had hugged her, breaking away to walk slowly beside Hayate’s limping steps, “Want to go shopping? We could go for a coffee together or something, afterward…” Over the last few weeks, Fate had spent her time either with Nanoha or with me, and hardly with both of us together at all. She was like a skittish cat, unsure which way to jump but needing to do it soon.

“Fate-chan…” I had sighed. “Are you going to read the letter at all?”

Fate jumped, blushing and wide-eyed. “Letter?”

I nodded towards the corner of the envelope sticking out of Fate’s bookbag. “Nanoha-chan’s letter.”

“I…” Fate blushed harder, looking at her shoes. Then quietly, she said, “I’m scared.”

I wanted to hug her then and hold her close. So it was a good thing that my hands were full of crutches, so I could say, “I think she’s scared too. But she’s brave enough to try.”

And I’m not. I could practically hear my unsaid thought. I wondered if Fate could as well.

Fate hesitated, looking at me in the most breathless moment of my life. Then she looked away, and a small, fond smile crept across her face. “Yes.”

Really, I knew that both of them had loved me only because admitting to themselves that they loved each other was a new, adult, and scary place. Maybe I’m still stuck in that teenage place, basking in the affection and playfulness without risking the fall.

Maybe I should let my feelings for them go and move on. Stop my silly flirting and my teasing groping, and gamble with higher stakes.

But things that went up could only come down, and right now I had everything I wanted: family, a purpose, a comfortable routine in life. Once I had nothing, and now I wasn’t alone and I had everything I ever yearned to have and more.

What if one more drop of happiness tipped the scales? What if it pushed me off the peak and spiralled things down into misery, when things changed and could never go back to the way they were?

Loving Nanoha and Fate kept me at a stalemate, and that was just fine with me.

So I watched my friends and family fall in love, and teased and applauded their daring. I smiled and winked slyly when they asked from me the same, never letting on what I really thought.

Some days, I really believed that I was in love with Nanoha and Fate. Or with Nanoha or Fate, whichever one happened to make my heart roll over and pound.

Other days, I convinced myself of the lie.

And the rest of the time, I tried not to think about it. I didn’t want to know the answer, so that I could go on pretending.

Pretending that I was happy this way.

Pretending that I really would tell them one day.

Pretending that I really didn’t love them.

Pretending that I did.

I could live my life as a symbol of something greater than myself, to bear the weight of the politics and the commands so that those I loved most could go on being the heroes. They all believed that I loved everyone and no one, and I let them believe it. The intricate web of family and friends, of personal life and work, could remain intact and at equilibrium. I could pretend, for all of them.

It makes sense to me.

I keep telling myself that, so it must be true.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

My Hayate is always so angsty . I think I may have crossed the line of "canon interpretation" a bit though ....

I probably should have gone with a crack version, but my normal style took over. Sorry .

[blitz1/2]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Spoiler for Equilibrium:

Equilibrium

On my introspective days, I hated myself for wanting them.

They were safe crushes, since they clearly had no eyes for anyone but each other. Nanoha’s eyes sparkled with a single-minded candidness whenever she looked upon Fate, and Fate would gaze back with a soft, earnest devotion that could elicit a smile even from stoic folks like Chrono or Signum.

There was no competing with that kind of affection.

And I knew it.

That’s why I wanted them.

Loving was such a tricky thing. I knew the pain of it well—once upon a time on a cold night on a rooftop, or in a white-blanketed field under icy flakes of snow. Rein, Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira…Reinforce. I loved them, more than the vague and steadily fading memories I had of my mother and father. “Mom” and “Dad” were concepts to me when I was nine, and now at nineteen I couldn’t even remember their faces.

They must have loved me too, I think.

My knights love me dearly, and they would never go away. I know that. I should have no fears of being alone, of losing the ones I love.

But deep down, I’m still afraid.

And I have reason to—the price of their love for me cost them years of service for the TSAB, and on any of those dangerous missions I could lose my precious ones. So I learned that love has a price, a cost to pay that is given freely but still added another millstone around my neck.

Fate understood. I could see it in her soft, vulnerable eyes when she slowly opened her heart to Nanoha, then Lindy, then Amy and Chrono and all of us. The spectre of Precia and Alicia haunted her still, but Fate, at the core of her memories (of Alicia’s memories), knew what it was like to be loved.

I can imagine it, sometimes, before my knights came: of a house where my mother and father loved me and loved each other, and we were all happy. But I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t as real to me as the emptiness of a house inhabited by a single lonely, crippled girl.

I loved Fate for her strength. I loved her for her devotion, even if sometimes that devotion transcended morality and self-preservation. I loved how Fate was always amazed at the simplest things, as if an ice cream cone or a hand-knitted scarf or a cute pencil were great treasures just for her.

I loved how much she loved Nanoha.

I loved and wept when I remembered how she could never love me that way. Abstractly, I wanted a love that was just mine, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I got it. And that wouldn’t be fair to Fate, or to Nanoha. It wouldn’t do to tip the well-crafted relationships between all of us for something that would never work.

I loved Nanoha for her dedication. I loved how she always threw all of herself into anything she did, and how she wore her heart on her sleeve and rescued all us little strays. I loved how Nanoha would blaze ahead, ignoring rules and regulations and protocol in the name of Justice and The Right Thing To Do. And yet underneath that Hero guise was a girl who glomped her friends and shared her lunchbox with a light laugh.

I loved how much she loved Fate.

I loved Nanoha’s kindness when she cheered me on as I struggled to gain control over my wasted legs. I was grateful of the chance to help her in return when she had her accident, to hold her when she cried frustrated and hopeless tears during her rehabilitation. I could show her an empathy that others could not. I could never repay her for what she had done for me and my family, but I could go on happily owing her forever if it meant that she could be okay.

I loved Nanoha enough to let her go.

“Hayate-chan,” Nanoha had whispered once, when we were both collapsed on a hospital bed together, weeping with the throbbing pain of yet another day’s therapy. “I…I think I…” Her hand closed over mine, warm and shy.

I asked my leading question, cutting her off. “Is it about Fate?”

She was silent a moment.

Then she let go of my hand, and said, “Yes.”

I loved Fate enough to push her towards what she really wanted.

“Hayate,” Fate had hugged her, breaking away to walk slowly beside Hayate’s limping steps, “Want to go shopping? We could go for a coffee together or something, afterward…” Over the last few weeks, Fate had spent her time either with Nanoha or with me, and hardly with both of us together at all. She was like a skittish cat, unsure which way to jump but needing to do it soon.

“Fate-chan…” I had sighed. “Are you going to read the letter at all?”

Fate jumped, blushing and wide-eyed. “Letter?”

I nodded towards the corner of the envelope sticking out of Fate’s bookbag. “Nanoha-chan’s letter.”

“I…” Fate blushed harder, looking at her shoes. Then quietly, she said, “I’m scared.”

I wanted to hug her then and hold her close. So it was a good thing that my hands were full of crutches, so I could say, “I think she’s scared too. But she’s brave enough to try.”

And I’m not. I could practically hear my unsaid thought. I wondered if Fate could as well.

Fate hesitated, looking at me in the most breathless moment of my life. Then she looked away, and a small, fond smile crept across her face. “Yes.”

Really, I knew that both of them had loved me only because admitting to themselves that they loved each other was a new, adult, and scary place. Maybe I’m still stuck in that teenage place, basking in the affection and playfulness without risking the fall.

Maybe I should let my feelings for them go and move on. Stop my silly flirting and my teasing groping, and gamble with higher stakes.

But things that went up could only come down, and right now I had everything I wanted: family, a purpose, a comfortable routine in life. Once I had nothing, and now I wasn’t alone and I had everything I ever yearned to have and more.

What if one more drop of happiness tipped the scales? What if it pushed me off the peak and spiralled things down into misery, when things changed and could never go back to the way they were?

Loving Nanoha and Fate kept me at a stalemate, and that was just fine with me.

So I watched my friends and family fall in love, and teased and applauded their daring. I smiled and winked slyly when they asked from me the same, never letting on what I really thought.

Some days, I really believed that I was in love with Nanoha and Fate. Or with Nanoha or Fate, whichever one happened to make my heart roll over and pound.

Other days, I convinced myself of the lie.

And the rest of the time, I tried not to think about it. I didn’t want to know the answer, so that I could go on pretending.

Pretending that I was happy this way.

Pretending that I really would tell them one day.

Pretending that I really didn’t love them.

Pretending that I did.

I could live my life as a symbol of something greater than myself, to bear the weight of the politics and the commands so that those I loved most could go on being the heroes. They all believed that I loved everyone and no one, and I let them believe it. The intricate web of family and friends, of personal life and work, could remain intact and at equilibrium. I could pretend, for all of them.

It makes sense to me.

I keep telling myself that, so it must be true.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

My Hayate is always so angsty . I think I may have crossed the line of "canon interpretation" a bit though ....

I probably should have gone with a crack version, but my normal style took over. Sorry .

For some reason, I am laughing at the fact that Yuuno (and Arf I guess) once again, remains forgotten, hell even Chrono was mentioned twice.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Spoiler for Equilibrium:

Equilibrium

On my introspective days, I hated myself for wanting them.

They were safe crushes, since they clearly had no eyes for anyone but each other. Nanoha’s eyes sparkled with a single-minded candidness whenever she looked upon Fate, and Fate would gaze back with a soft, earnest devotion that could elicit a smile even from stoic folks like Chrono or Signum.

There was no competing with that kind of affection.

And I knew it.

That’s why I wanted them.

Loving was such a tricky thing. I knew the pain of it well—once upon a time on a cold night on a rooftop, or in a white-blanketed field under icy flakes of snow. Rein, Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira…Reinforce. I loved them, more than the vague and steadily fading memories I had of my mother and father. “Mom” and “Dad” were concepts to me when I was nine, and now at nineteen I couldn’t even remember their faces.

They must have loved me too, I think.

My knights love me dearly, and they would never go away. I know that. I should have no fears of being alone, of losing the ones I love.

But deep down, I’m still afraid.

And I have reason to—the price of their love for me cost them years of service for the TSAB, and on any of those dangerous missions I could lose my precious ones. So I learned that love has a price, a cost to pay that is given freely but still added another millstone around my neck.

Fate understood. I could see it in her soft, vulnerable eyes when she slowly opened her heart to Nanoha, then Lindy, then Amy and Chrono and all of us. The spectre of Precia and Alicia haunted her still, but Fate, at the core of her memories (of Alicia’s memories), knew what it was like to be loved.

I can imagine it, sometimes, before my knights came: of a house where my mother and father loved me and loved each other, and we were all happy. But I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t as real to me as the emptiness of a house inhabited by a single lonely, crippled girl.

I loved Fate for her strength. I loved her for her devotion, even if sometimes that devotion transcended morality and self-preservation. I loved how Fate was always amazed at the simplest things, as if an ice cream cone or a hand-knitted scarf or a cute pencil were great treasures just for her.

I loved how much she loved Nanoha.

I loved and wept when I remembered how she could never love me that way. Abstractly, I wanted a love that was just mine, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I got it. And that wouldn’t be fair to Fate, or to Nanoha. It wouldn’t do to tip the well-crafted relationships between all of us for something that would never work.

I loved Nanoha for her dedication. I loved how she always threw all of herself into anything she did, and how she wore her heart on her sleeve and rescued all us little strays. I loved how Nanoha would blaze ahead, ignoring rules and regulations and protocol in the name of Justice and The Right Thing To Do. And yet underneath that Hero guise was a girl who glomped her friends and shared her lunchbox with a light laugh.

I loved how much she loved Fate.

I loved Nanoha’s kindness when she cheered me on as I struggled to gain control over my wasted legs. I was grateful of the chance to help her in return when she had her accident, to hold her when she cried frustrated and hopeless tears during her rehabilitation. I could show her an empathy that others could not. I could never repay her for what she had done for me and my family, but I could go on happily owing her forever if it meant that she could be okay.

I loved Nanoha enough to let her go.

“Hayate-chan,” Nanoha had whispered once, when we were both collapsed on a hospital bed together, weeping with the throbbing pain of yet another day’s therapy. “I…I think I…” Her hand closed over mine, warm and shy.

I asked my leading question, cutting her off. “Is it about Fate?”

She was silent a moment.

Then she let go of my hand, and said, “Yes.”

I loved Fate enough to push her towards what she really wanted.

“Hayate,” Fate had hugged her, breaking away to walk slowly beside Hayate’s limping steps, “Want to go shopping? We could go for a coffee together or something, afterward…” Over the last few weeks, Fate had spent her time either with Nanoha or with me, and hardly with both of us together at all. She was like a skittish cat, unsure which way to jump but needing to do it soon.

“Fate-chan…” I had sighed. “Are you going to read the letter at all?”

Fate jumped, blushing and wide-eyed. “Letter?”

I nodded towards the corner of the envelope sticking out of Fate’s bookbag. “Nanoha-chan’s letter.”

“I…” Fate blushed harder, looking at her shoes. Then quietly, she said, “I’m scared.”

I wanted to hug her then and hold her close. So it was a good thing that my hands were full of crutches, so I could say, “I think she’s scared too. But she’s brave enough to try.”

And I’m not. I could practically hear my unsaid thought. I wondered if Fate could as well.

Fate hesitated, looking at me in the most breathless moment of my life. Then she looked away, and a small, fond smile crept across her face. “Yes.”

Really, I knew that both of them had loved me only because admitting to themselves that they loved each other was a new, adult, and scary place. Maybe I’m still stuck in that teenage place, basking in the affection and playfulness without risking the fall.

Maybe I should let my feelings for them go and move on. Stop my silly flirting and my teasing groping, and gamble with higher stakes.

But things that went up could only come down, and right now I had everything I wanted: family, a purpose, a comfortable routine in life. Once I had nothing, and now I wasn’t alone and I had everything I ever yearned to have and more.

What if one more drop of happiness tipped the scales? What if it pushed me off the peak and spiralled things down into misery, when things changed and could never go back to the way they were?

Loving Nanoha and Fate kept me at a stalemate, and that was just fine with me.

So I watched my friends and family fall in love, and teased and applauded their daring. I smiled and winked slyly when they asked from me the same, never letting on what I really thought.

Some days, I really believed that I was in love with Nanoha and Fate. Or with Nanoha or Fate, whichever one happened to make my heart roll over and pound.

Other days, I convinced myself of the lie.

And the rest of the time, I tried not to think about it. I didn’t want to know the answer, so that I could go on pretending.

Pretending that I was happy this way.

Pretending that I really would tell them one day.

Pretending that I really didn’t love them.

Pretending that I did.

I could live my life as a symbol of something greater than myself, to bear the weight of the politics and the commands so that those I loved most could go on being the heroes. They all believed that I loved everyone and no one, and I let them believe it. The intricate web of family and friends, of personal life and work, could remain intact and at equilibrium. I could pretend, for all of them.

It makes sense to me.

I keep telling myself that, so it must be true.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

My Hayate is always so angsty . I think I may have crossed the line of "canon interpretation" a bit though ....

I probably should have gone with a crack version, but my normal style took over. Sorry .

I was wondering what happened to your usual style of horribly breaking Hayate.

[spawnofthejudge]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Spoiler for Equilibrium:

Equilibrium

On my introspective days, I hated myself for wanting them.

They were safe crushes, since they clearly had no eyes for anyone but each other. Nanoha’s eyes sparkled with a single-minded candidness whenever she looked upon Fate, and Fate would gaze back with a soft, earnest devotion that could elicit a smile even from stoic folks like Chrono or Signum.

There was no competing with that kind of affection.

And I knew it.

That’s why I wanted them.

Loving was such a tricky thing. I knew the pain of it well—once upon a time on a cold night on a rooftop, or in a white-blanketed field under icy flakes of snow. Rein, Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira…Reinforce. I loved them, more than the vague and steadily fading memories I had of my mother and father. “Mom” and “Dad” were concepts to me when I was nine, and now at nineteen I couldn’t even remember their faces.

They must have loved me too, I think.

My knights love me dearly, and they would never go away. I know that. I should have no fears of being alone, of losing the ones I love.

But deep down, I’m still afraid.

And I have reason to—the price of their love for me cost them years of service for the TSAB, and on any of those dangerous missions I could lose my precious ones. So I learned that love has a price, a cost to pay that is given freely but still added another millstone around my neck.

Fate understood. I could see it in her soft, vulnerable eyes when she slowly opened her heart to Nanoha, then Lindy, then Amy and Chrono and all of us. The spectre of Precia and Alicia haunted her still, but Fate, at the core of her memories (of Alicia’s memories), knew what it was like to be loved.

I can imagine it, sometimes, before my knights came: of a house where my mother and father loved me and loved each other, and we were all happy. But I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t as real to me as the emptiness of a house inhabited by a single lonely, crippled girl.

I loved Fate for her strength. I loved her for her devotion, even if sometimes that devotion transcended morality and self-preservation. I loved how Fate was always amazed at the simplest things, as if an ice cream cone or a hand-knitted scarf or a cute pencil were great treasures just for her.

I loved how much she loved Nanoha.

I loved and wept when I remembered how she could never love me that way. Abstractly, I wanted a love that was just mine, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I got it. And that wouldn’t be fair to Fate, or to Nanoha. It wouldn’t do to tip the well-crafted relationships between all of us for something that would never work.

I loved Nanoha for her dedication. I loved how she always threw all of herself into anything she did, and how she wore her heart on her sleeve and rescued all us little strays. I loved how Nanoha would blaze ahead, ignoring rules and regulations and protocol in the name of Justice and The Right Thing To Do. And yet underneath that Hero guise was a girl who glomped her friends and shared her lunchbox with a light laugh.

I loved how much she loved Fate.

I loved Nanoha’s kindness when she cheered me on as I struggled to gain control over my wasted legs. I was grateful of the chance to help her in return when she had her accident, to hold her when she cried frustrated and hopeless tears during her rehabilitation. I could show her an empathy that others could not. I could never repay her for what she had done for me and my family, but I could go on happily owing her forever if it meant that she could be okay.

I loved Nanoha enough to let her go.

“Hayate-chan,” Nanoha had whispered once, when we were both collapsed on a hospital bed together, weeping with the throbbing pain of yet another day’s therapy. “I…I think I…” Her hand closed over mine, warm and shy.

I asked my leading question, cutting her off. “Is it about Fate?”

She was silent a moment.

Then she let go of my hand, and said, “Yes.”

I loved Fate enough to push her towards what she really wanted.

“Hayate,” Fate had hugged her, breaking away to walk slowly beside Hayate’s limping steps, “Want to go shopping? We could go for a coffee together or something, afterward…” Over the last few weeks, Fate had spent her time either with Nanoha or with me, and hardly with both of us together at all. She was like a skittish cat, unsure which way to jump but needing to do it soon.

“Fate-chan…” I had sighed. “Are you going to read the letter at all?”

Fate jumped, blushing and wide-eyed. “Letter?”

I nodded towards the corner of the envelope sticking out of Fate’s bookbag. “Nanoha-chan’s letter.”

“I…” Fate blushed harder, looking at her shoes. Then quietly, she said, “I’m scared.”

I wanted to hug her then and hold her close. So it was a good thing that my hands were full of crutches, so I could say, “I think she’s scared too. But she’s brave enough to try.”

And I’m not. I could practically hear my unsaid thought. I wondered if Fate could as well.

Fate hesitated, looking at me in the most breathless moment of my life. Then she looked away, and a small, fond smile crept across her face. “Yes.”

Really, I knew that both of them had loved me only because admitting to themselves that they loved each other was a new, adult, and scary place. Maybe I’m still stuck in that teenage place, basking in the affection and playfulness without risking the fall.

Maybe I should let my feelings for them go and move on. Stop my silly flirting and my teasing groping, and gamble with higher stakes.

But things that went up could only come down, and right now I had everything I wanted: family, a purpose, a comfortable routine in life. Once I had nothing, and now I wasn’t alone and I had everything I ever yearned to have and more.

What if one more drop of happiness tipped the scales? What if it pushed me off the peak and spiralled things down into misery, when things changed and could never go back to the way they were?

Loving Nanoha and Fate kept me at a stalemate, and that was just fine with me.

So I watched my friends and family fall in love, and teased and applauded their daring. I smiled and winked slyly when they asked from me the same, never letting on what I really thought.

Some days, I really believed that I was in love with Nanoha and Fate. Or with Nanoha or Fate, whichever one happened to make my heart roll over and pound.

Other days, I convinced myself of the lie.

And the rest of the time, I tried not to think about it. I didn’t want to know the answer, so that I could go on pretending.

Pretending that I was happy this way.

Pretending that I really would tell them one day.

Pretending that I really didn’t love them.

Pretending that I did.

I could live my life as a symbol of something greater than myself, to bear the weight of the politics and the commands so that those I loved most could go on being the heroes. They all believed that I loved everyone and no one, and I let them believe it. The intricate web of family and friends, of personal life and work, could remain intact and at equilibrium. I could pretend, for all of them.

It makes sense to me.

I keep telling myself that, so it must be true.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

My Hayate is always so angsty . I think I may have crossed the line of "canon interpretation" a bit though ....

I probably should have gone with a crack version, but my normal style took over. Sorry .

I knew when Kagerou mentioned that he thought that Hayate was the hardest, Hayate would be the first one written.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by spawnofthejudge

I knew when Kagerou mentioned that he thought that Hayate was the hardest, Hayate would be the first one written.

DC clearly couldn't resist the challenge.

[spawnofthejudge]

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

DC clearly couldn't resist the challenge.

If I hadn't been working on something else (*cough*BeyondtheEdge*cough*) I would have done the same thing. I can't really blame her. :-p

[DezoPenguin]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Spoiler for Equilibrium:

Equilibrium

On my introspective days, I hated myself for wanting them.

They were safe crushes, since they clearly had no eyes for anyone but each other. Nanoha’s eyes sparkled with a single-minded candidness whenever she looked upon Fate, and Fate would gaze back with a soft, earnest devotion that could elicit a smile even from stoic folks like Chrono or Signum.

There was no competing with that kind of affection.

And I knew it.

That’s why I wanted them.

Loving was such a tricky thing. I knew the pain of it well—once upon a time on a cold night on a rooftop, or in a white-blanketed field under icy flakes of snow. Rein, Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira…Reinforce. I loved them, more than the vague and steadily fading memories I had of my mother and father. “Mom” and “Dad” were concepts to me when I was nine, and now at nineteen I couldn’t even remember their faces.

They must have loved me too, I think.

My knights love me dearly, and they would never go away. I know that. I should have no fears of being alone, of losing the ones I love.

But deep down, I’m still afraid.

And I have reason to—the price of their love for me cost them years of service for the TSAB, and on any of those dangerous missions I could lose my precious ones. So I learned that love has a price, a cost to pay that is given freely but still added another millstone around my neck.

Fate understood. I could see it in her soft, vulnerable eyes when she slowly opened her heart to Nanoha, then Lindy, then Amy and Chrono and all of us. The spectre of Precia and Alicia haunted her still, but Fate, at the core of her memories (of Alicia’s memories), knew what it was like to be loved.

I can imagine it, sometimes, before my knights came: of a house where my mother and father loved me and loved each other, and we were all happy. But I knew it wasn’t real. It wasn’t as real to me as the emptiness of a house inhabited by a single lonely, crippled girl.

I loved Fate for her strength. I loved her for her devotion, even if sometimes that devotion transcended morality and self-preservation. I loved how Fate was always amazed at the simplest things, as if an ice cream cone or a hand-knitted scarf or a cute pencil were great treasures just for her.

I loved how much she loved Nanoha.

I loved and wept when I remembered how she could never love me that way. Abstractly, I wanted a love that was just mine, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I got it. And that wouldn’t be fair to Fate, or to Nanoha. It wouldn’t do to tip the well-crafted relationships between all of us for something that would never work.

I loved Nanoha for her dedication. I loved how she always threw all of herself into anything she did, and how she wore her heart on her sleeve and rescued all us little strays. I loved how Nanoha would blaze ahead, ignoring rules and regulations and protocol in the name of Justice and The Right Thing To Do. And yet underneath that Hero guise was a girl who glomped her friends and shared her lunchbox with a light laugh.

I loved how much she loved Fate.

I loved Nanoha’s kindness when she cheered me on as I struggled to gain control over my wasted legs. I was grateful of the chance to help her in return when she had her accident, to hold her when she cried frustrated and hopeless tears during her rehabilitation. I could show her an empathy that others could not. I could never repay her for what she had done for me and my family, but I could go on happily owing her forever if it meant that she could be okay.

I loved Nanoha enough to let her go.

“Hayate-chan,” Nanoha had whispered once, when we were both collapsed on a hospital bed together, weeping with the throbbing pain of yet another day’s therapy. “I…I think I…” Her hand closed over mine, warm and shy.

I asked my leading question, cutting her off. “Is it about Fate?”

She was silent a moment.

Then she let go of my hand, and said, “Yes.”

I loved Fate enough to push her towards what she really wanted.

“Hayate,” Fate had hugged her, breaking away to walk slowly beside Hayate’s limping steps, “Want to go shopping? We could go for a coffee together or something, afterward…” Over the last few weeks, Fate had spent her time either with Nanoha or with me, and hardly with both of us together at all. She was like a skittish cat, unsure which way to jump but needing to do it soon.

“Fate-chan…” I had sighed. “Are you going to read the letter at all?”

Fate jumped, blushing and wide-eyed. “Letter?”

I nodded towards the corner of the envelope sticking out of Fate’s bookbag. “Nanoha-chan’s letter.”

“I…” Fate blushed harder, looking at her shoes. Then quietly, she said, “I’m scared.”

I wanted to hug her then and hold her close. So it was a good thing that my hands were full of crutches, so I could say, “I think she’s scared too. But she’s brave enough to try.”

And I’m not. I could practically hear my unsaid thought. I wondered if Fate could as well.

Fate hesitated, looking at me in the most breathless moment of my life. Then she looked away, and a small, fond smile crept across her face. “Yes.”

Really, I knew that both of them had loved me only because admitting to themselves that they loved each other was a new, adult, and scary place. Maybe I’m still stuck in that teenage place, basking in the affection and playfulness without risking the fall.

Maybe I should let my feelings for them go and move on. Stop my silly flirting and my teasing groping, and gamble with higher stakes.

But things that went up could only come down, and right now I had everything I wanted: family, a purpose, a comfortable routine in life. Once I had nothing, and now I wasn’t alone and I had everything I ever yearned to have and more.

What if one more drop of happiness tipped the scales? What if it pushed me off the peak and spiralled things down into misery, when things changed and could never go back to the way they were?

Loving Nanoha and Fate kept me at a stalemate, and that was just fine with me.

So I watched my friends and family fall in love, and teased and applauded their daring. I smiled and winked slyly when they asked from me the same, never letting on what I really thought.

Some days, I really believed that I was in love with Nanoha and Fate. Or with Nanoha or Fate, whichever one happened to make my heart roll over and pound.

Other days, I convinced myself of the lie.

And the rest of the time, I tried not to think about it. I didn’t want to know the answer, so that I could go on pretending.

Pretending that I was happy this way.

Pretending that I really would tell them one day.

Pretending that I really didn’t love them.

Pretending that I did.

I could live my life as a symbol of something greater than myself, to bear the weight of the politics and the commands so that those I loved most could go on being the heroes. They all believed that I loved everyone and no one, and I let them believe it. The intricate web of family and friends, of personal life and work, could remain intact and at equilibrium. I could pretend, for all of them.

It makes sense to me.

I keep telling myself that, so it must be true.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

My Hayate is always so angsty . I think I may have crossed the line of "canon interpretation" a bit though ....

I probably should have gone with a crack version, but my normal style took over. Sorry .

It's funny...when Kagerou posted this challenge, my first thought was, "deathcurse already wrote this challenge when she did 'Lose By Holding Back,' except that Vivio was the object of her love." And, quite frankly, this short basically is the same story, in that Hayate is touched by Reinforce's loss (not to mention being alone before that) and this is making her a little gun-shy about commitment...indeed, it might be that this story is simply an earlier entry in the Hayate/Vivio files highlighting Hayate's lack of courage against the setting of a middle-school crush on Fate.

[00-Raiser]

Quick question, Kagerou: will your challenges only be yuri based?

[Nanya01]

Red

Yagami

Mid Start

Mid 2

Spoiler for Blood That Flows - Peak - Mid 3:

Meanwhile...

Zelgadis sat in a chair as he looked at the head instructor of the Bureau's mage forces. He had thought that being in that ship had been overwhelming. Having seen the feats of construction, steel buildings, horseless carriages, and small, flying ships, he knew that he was so wrong. Really, he almost went into shock when he saw the amount of people that were moving around outside. He had thought that Seiryuun had been huge, but this city just blew that out of the water.

He couldn't even begin to imagine how it had been for Lina when she first got to that world she was on.

True, it was another world, but he had heard that this Mid-Childa world was similar to that Earth world that the cities were pretty similar in size and population. The only major difference was the magic that people used.

Mizetto raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. "So, you want to join the Bureau?"

"I wouldn't say that." Zelgadis shook his head. "What I want, is to learn the magic that people on this world use." He hadn't heard too many details about the battle, but from the looks on the injuries that the people who had come to save his home world, he was a bit disappointed that he hadn't been able to attack.

He wasn't just disappointed in that, he was disappointed in himself. To think that a bunch of children were attacked and he wasn't pricked at his pride in ways he wouldn't want to admit.

The worst part was, none of those strong Mazoku attacked him, like he wasn't even worth their time and effort to try and kill.

"And in exchange, you'll share your vast knowledge of Shamanistic magic?" Mizetto raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I don't really know what Shamanistic magic is."

Zelgadis nodded at her. "Shamanistic magic is divided among the four naturally occurring elemental spirits in nature, Earth, Fire, Water and Wind. A fifth branch is Astral. And along the way, White magic was developed in conjuncture with Shamanistic magic to make up for the losses of magic over the centuries."

"Interesting." Mizetto nodded as she thought about it. Casting elemental magic was hard for anyone who used Mid or Belkan magic. Most didn't even bother unless they had a natural affinity for an element. And even those that did have one didn't have a large variety of spells as there was no one who could teach them anything too interesting or useful. Occassionally there was someone who was born with more than one elemental affinity, but it was so rare that she honestly thought that such a feat wasn't really possible. "Using your style of magic, this Shamanism, how easy is it to learn the various branches?"

Zelgadis shrugged. "Fairly easy. I'm more apt with Earth-based magic than Fire, Water or Wind, I can use any of them as easy as Earth magic." There was hardly a spell he couldn't cast if he tried, as long as it wasn't Holy or Chaos magic. He considered himself passable with Black magic, at least compared to someone who specialized in it. After all, Zelgadis was fairly certain he would never be as good at it as Lina was.

"And Astral magic, I take it that it's not meant for using elements."

Zelgadis smirked at her. "It's use is for fighting against spirit creatures, like Mazoku."

Mizetto blinked, before slowly nodding. "Very well then, if you train our recruits with your magic, I'd be happy to help you learn some of our style."

Zelgadis nodded at her. "Thank you."

(---)

Elsewhere...

"Nakajima." He said as he finally found Quint in her wheelchair in the park.

The woman turned and smiled as she saw Zest standing there. He looked a bit tired and a bit thinner than she remembered him, then again, her memory may have been playing tricks on her. Zest did look a lot more... Chiseled than the last time she had seen him. "You're alive." It was nice to see him again.

He nodded to her. "Yes, Regius told me that you would be upset if I didn't visit you."

Quint narrowed her eyes at him. "So... You went to see Regius first, huh?" When he nodded, she bit her lower lip. "Well then..." She snapped her fingers and pointed at Zest. "Get 'im, girls!"

"BANZAI!!"

Zest's eyes widened as a small, purple haired bundle of energy suddenly jumped out from behind Quint, though where the girl came from, he wouldn't know, and slammed into his chest. He was about to take a step back when he felt a body grab his legs. 'This is going to hurt.' He thought to himself as he found himself falling backwards.

"TIIIIMMMBEEER!" Quint yelled out as Zest slammed into the ground. Thankfully his own barriers reduced the imact. Sitting up as the one with the longer hair, Ginga, if he remembered correctly, jumped on his chest, he leveled a glare at Quint while the other one ran to her mother to ask if she did good.

"You did well, Subaru." Quint smiled and rubbed the young girl's head. "You deserved that for leaving all of us for so long." She looked at Zest's glare as the man sighed to her.

"I was angry, depressed and mentally lost, Quint. I needed to get my head on straight."

"By going to a world where you could have been killed?!" Quint moved and leaned forward in her chair. "And leaving so soon? You think that you were the only one who was sad? Megane was my best friend, you're probably my best male friend in the whole universe. I loved Megane's daughter too! I would have adopted Lutecia if she survived. Do you know how much it hurts to go to Megane's grave every day and realize that my two best friends were gone for good!?"

"I'm sorry." Zest blinked as Quint suddenly lunged forward, out of her chair and was grabbing his legs, pulling herself up to look at him. During that time, Ginga had gotten off of Zest and was standing to the side with Subaru.

"Sorry? SORRY?!" Quint was inches away from Zest and glaring at him. "At least you could walk normally. I still can't move from this wheelchair very well. The doctors can't do jack for me." Quint was shuddering by that point. "Do you know how much it sucks that I can't move because of whatever I was hit with is screwing with normal healing."

Zest blinked and frowned. "Wait a minute... Weird... Power..." He groaned and leaned his head back. "Would I be able to make up for lost time if I said I know someone who might be able to heal you?"

Quint blinked, several times. "...What?"

"What you said... That power wasn't normal that hit us." And after hearing about what Lina had to do to keep her daughter alive, Zest wondered if maybe, now that he thought about it, the power that nearly killed them a few years back was actually some form of Chaos magic. "I need to make a call." He just hoped that Lina wouldn't mind a trip to Mid-Childa.

Then again, considering how injured her daughter was, he figured that she might not want to leave Nanoha's side.

Either way, it was worth a shot to have Lina look at Quint. No one else in the Universe knew about Chaos magic as much as she did.

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by DezoPenguin

It's funny...when Kagerou posted this challenge, my first thought was, "deathcurse already wrote this challenge when she did 'Lose By Holding Back,' except that Vivio was the object of her love." And, quite frankly, this short basically is the same story, in that Hayate is touched by Reinforce's loss (not to mention being alone before that) and this is making her a little gun-shy about commitment...indeed, it might be that this story is simply an earlier entry in the Hayate/Vivio files highlighting Hayate's lack of courage against the setting of a middle-school crush on Fate.

Ooohhh. That could be interesting if DC feels like inserting it into the timeline... though all things considered, I doubt she will, since it would probably make things a little bit complicated. It's still pretty cool though, all things considered.

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Quick question, Kagerou: will your challenges only be yuri based?

Yeah! Give a challenge for the Yaoi fans around here!

Only if you want to.

But, seriously, yeah, variety is the spice of life, man.

[sniperk]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Quick question, Kagerou: will your challenges only be yuri based?

Originally Posted by Nanya01

Yeah! Give a challenge for the Yaoi fans around here!

Only if you want to.

But, seriously, yeah, variety is the spice of life, man.

Not really a Yaoi fan but I'm up for a Challenge.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

Spoiler for Extreme:

What happened?

What the hell just happened?

Stop it stupid heart! Stop it! STOP IT!

It was just a greeting. We do that every single day! For the past ten years!! Why are you beating this fast now?!

Even if she was just smiling at me.

Even if that dazzling smile that was so bright that it seemed that even this dark gray sky let the light pass through it just to, in that moment, her face brightened up considerably...

What. The. Hell!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no... NO!

I won't fall for that. It's just a cold.

Yeah! That's it! I'm just coming down with something.

Maybe if I should cancel my appointments for the day and go see Shamal.

...

On second thought. Forget it. There's no way that she'll let me live this down if she ever get the wind of it.

I know. I'll ask Signum for a sparring match...

Scratch that. That woman can almost read minds when she's hitting someone with that Laevantin.

Vita? Yeah, Vita is the safest choice, since she's eternally in a little girl's form...

But that doesn't mean she doesn't have any experience from her past lives...

Chrono? No. The teases would be endless...

Zafira... Doesn't seem like a good idea.

The forwards... are out of the question by sheer amount of experience. Or lack thereof...

Yuuno... He's the smarter person I know. He'll know what to say... But I doubt he has any real experience either...

I know! Maybe my heart is beating this fast just because I ran away from her as soon as I saw her this morning!

That's it!

Who am I kidding? It was beating harder before I even saw her...

... ... ...

I KNOW!!!

She'll help me for sure! If it's her there's no way that this will continue for long

----

"So, why am I the one who has to help you with this?" Quattro said disdainfully.

"Simply because you're a b*****, a w***** and a c***blocker, so I'm certain that I'll live it down pretty fast after this." I smiled, certain that I had chosen the right person to keep my heart from ever even wanting to beat so fast again.

Spoiler for Author Note:

Yep. I didn't say who it was because, well, I tried to put something from every one of the three in the text. ^^