“So,” she said trying to change the topic, “where are Nanoha and the kids tonight?”
Fate accepted the offered tea as well as the change in conversation, “Nanoha is on another security run around Paxon, Pacis is with the in-laws, and Vivio is still at school.”
“She should be done soon.”
Fate nodded, “She’ll be home tomorrow for a few days, and then she’ll just have one more week till she gets her first bars.”
“Is she excited?”
“She hardly talks about it which worries me,” Fate paused to sip her tea, “It’s like she’s hiding something from us. I just hope it’s nothing major. She’s a tough cookie like Nanoha in that way. She keeps her feelings to herself and goes as far as she can without help. Stubborn girl!”
“That sounds familiar.”
“Of all the traits of my wonderful wife, she chooses to emulate Nanoha’s stubbornness!”
Hayate smiled, “You’ve still got a great kid, Fate. She’s got her issues like everyone else, but she’s strong and kind.”
“Yeah,” said Fate running her fingers through her hair, “I just wish she would let me know what’s going on in that blond head of hers every once in a while.”
“She’s growing up, Fate. She’s trying to stand on her own strength,” replied Hayate softly, “You need to accept that your relationship is changing.”
Fate nodded though with a pained expression on her face.
“It’ll turn out OK,” comforted Hayate, “She’ll get her officer bars before the Winter Formal, and I’ll assign her to a base close by.”
“OCS graduation formals,” said Fate longingly, “That brings back memories. I went to Nanoha’s, and she went to mine. We were so happy to wear our gowns more than once.”
“You didn’t wear them for long if I remember correctly,” said Hayate slyly.
“No, they dropped pretty quickly both nights,” smiled Fate.
“Who’s Vivio dropping her gown for?”
“Hayate!” coughed Fate as she choked on her tea.
Hayate finally laughed deep and loud. Fate calmed as her face returned to its normal color.
“She hasn’t said anything about it,” said Fate, “which leads me to believe that she doesn’t have a date.”
“Aww,” frowned Hayate, “How did that happen? She’s cute.”
“No idea. She can be shy, I guess.”
“She can’t go stag to the formal!” declared Hayate.
“Are you going to be her date?” asked Fate sarcastically.
“Now that you mention it-“ teased Hayate.
“Stay away from her, you old pervert!” laughed Fate.
“Old?!” gasped Hayate indignantly.
Fate felt relieved when she saw traces of her old friend being drawn from the worn out body.
“Tell you what,” said Hayate with a ridiculously large smile on her face, “I’ll find Vivio a date for the formal.”
“Are you insane?” barked Fate, “You’re stressed out as it is!”
“Which is why I could use this little diversion,” smiled Hayate, “You just need to find her a light blue dress.”
Fate narrowed her eyes at her friend.
“Please?” begged Hayate with puppy dog eyes.
“I’ll let you do it on one condition,” said Fate.
“And that is?”
“No Vice.”
“Oh, gosh, no!” laughed Hayate, “Can you imagine what he would try to do to her?”
“I’d rather not!” replied a pale Fate.
~~
“I already told you that I’m not going,” said Vivio sternly as Nanoha searched through the racks of dresses at the local bridal shop, “I’m wasting precious time that I could be using to prepare for my S exams by looking for a dress for a formal that I won’t be attending!”
“Breathe, honey,” teased Fate to the angry teenager while pushing Pacis in a stroller.
“Vivio,” said Nanoha who was literally crawling through the racks of gowns while occasionally pulling one out to hold against her daughter’s skin, “OCS formals are a Takamachi tradition-”
“But you had a date!”
“She was gorgeous too,” purred Nanoha, “Mmmm, that tight black dress…curves in all the right places…”
“What do you mean by ‘was gorgeous’?” questioned Fate while leaning forward against the stroller accentuating her cleavage.
Nanoha raised her brow and whistled in appreciation, “You still are, but I can barely get you to myself anymore.”
“Mamas,” yelped Vivio looking around to make sure no one could hear her randy parents, “Ew!”
“Sorry, Vivio,” blushed Nanoha, “What about this one?”
Nanoha held up a pale blue piece of fabric in front of her daughter’s irritated face.
“Let’s think about this one together, shall we? ” said Vivio with sarcasm oozing from her words, “It’s backless and frontless. Nanoha-mama, you’re holding up a skirt!”
Fate burst out in laughter, and Pacis clapped and smiled when she saw her mother laughing.
“I knew that,” murmured Nanoha.
“How about this one?” asked Fate holding up a slim, shimmering light blue dress while wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes.
“Not you too, Fate-mama,” Vivio moaned.
“Just try it on,” Nanoha urged.
Vivio grumbled all the way to the fitting room while her mothers yakked on about one thing or another. She pulled the curtain of the fitting room and watched herself undress in front of the large mirror. She pulled the dress over her head and pulled up the zipper in the back. The color brought out her eyes, and the modest design gave her cleavage without her feeling like her breasts would be falling out at any given moment. Her bra, however, was visible due to the tiny straps and exposed back. She unhooked the clasps of her bra to see if she could had to go braless or if there was a chance that she could at least wear a strapless bra. She was midway through with removing the garment, when she heard an impatient voice on the other side of the curtain.
“Are you alright, Vivio?” called Nanoha.
“I’m fine.
“How does it look?”
“Fine.”
“Let me see!”
“No, Nanoha-mama!”
Vivio pulled up the top of the dress just as Nanoha stuck her head behind the curtain of the fitting room and stared at Vivio.
“Fate-mama!” gasped Nanoha.
“What is it?” replied Fate who was now holding Pacis.
“Look at our baby girl!”
“Step out when you’re dressed, Vivio.”
Vivio sighed in defeat and drew back the curtain.
“You look beautiful, honey!” Fate smiled with pride, “Turn around.”
Vivio obeyed and blushed while making a quick revolution for her proud parents and drooling sister.
“I think we have a winner,” grinned Nanoha.
Vivio rolled her eyes and pulled the curtain again to change back into her less-than-formal clothes
“Fate-chan should try this one on,” Vivio heard her mother coo to her blond partner.
“Maybe in a month,” her other mother replied, “I still have ten pounds to lose.”
“No, you don’t,” Nanoha said, “You just have ten pounds of firm muscle.”
“Not according to my a..er…behind!” argued Fate while modifying her language for Pacis.
“Which is exactly what I basing my opinion on,” Nanoha responded while ogling Fate’s posterior, “It’s magnificent!”
“You are such a perv,” sighed Fate, “You do realize that, right?”
The sound of a drawing curtain broke their conversation, and Vivio handed her dress to Nanoha. The family then went in search of shoes, a matching purse, and jewelry before scheduling hair and make-up appointments and ordering flowers.
“Now, are you all happy?” Vivio sulked in the backseat of Fate’s car next to her sister’s car seat, “I’ll get all dressed up for no one.”
“I took care of that,” said Fate softly.
Nanoha turned around in the front seat to see the Vivio’s horrified expression.
“Don’t worry,” Fate said panicking, “I didn’t pick out the person. Aunt Hayate did.”
“Oh, ok,” Vivio said in relief.
“Wait a minute!” laughed Nanoha, “Why does Aunt Hayate get a free pass?”
“She’s cooler,” replied Vivio.
“And who can argue with that,” shrugged Fate.
~~
The night of the formal came quickly, and Vivio's stomach knotted in anticipation. Her aunt had been busy campaigning all week, and she was worried that Aunt Hayate may not have found someone for her. Her parents tripped over themselves taking pictures and adjusting her hair and clothes, while the new officer watched the clock slowly tick closer to the designated time.
The beautiful girl clad in light blue jumped into the air as the doorbell rang, and Nanoha-mama rushed to open the door.
“Hayate!”
Her aunt looked weary, but the broad smile on her face made her glad. Aunt Hayate hugged Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama in greeting and moved toward Vivio when Arf bounded in behind her. Vivio stared at the redheaded familiar in human form, who was embracing Fate-mama, with a look of disappointment.
“Is that my date?” she asked Hayate while trying to hide her dissatisfaction.
Hayate chuckled, “Nope, that’s your chaperone.”
Vivio blushed as Arf turned toward her.
“Sorry, kid,” Arf joked, “You’re not my type or even the species of my type.”
“She’s got a thing for ferrets,” teased Fate.
“Damn right,” Arf nodded proudly.
“I’m sorry, Vivio,” Hayate explained, “I realized that you aren’t going to want us there, but I can’t risk one of my two favorite nieces putting out on the first date.”
Both Vivio and Fate turned the shade of a tomato at Hayate’s words.
“That’s why I’m sending Arf,” Hayate continued, “She’ll be the cockblocker tonight, so you won’t have to rely on a friend to do it for you.”
Fate could have passed out.
“I swear, Hayate,” Nanoha seethed, “if you have Vice taking my daughter…”
“No,” a deep, soft voice said, “I am.”
Vivio’s face went from deep red to purple as Zafira stepped into the house. He had his bluish gray hair styled, and he wore a black designer suit with a white oxford shirt unbuttoned enough to show his muscle lines and traces of blue chest hair. Vivio’s eyes fixated on the serious face of the Guardian Knight as he walked toward her. Nanoha raised her eyebrow and discreetly gave Hayate a ‘thumbs-up’ of approval. Hayate nodded to her with pride.
“Pictures!” Fate demanded happily.
“May I?” Zafira asked Vivio holding out a corsage made of a simple light blue rose surrounded by baby’s breath while Fate buzzed around like a bee snapping pictures.
Vivio’s voice failed her, and she nodded in consent. Zafira removed the corsage from the box, and Vivio gulped as his fingers brushed her wrist as he calmly and gently pulled the corsage up her forearm. Vivio’s hands shook with nervousness as she tried to pin the blue boutonniere onto Zafira’s suit jacket. They stood awkwardly together as Fate continued to take pictures.
“Here,” Nanoha said while handing Vivio a white shawl.
“I’m not cold, Nanoha-mama,” Vivio whispered.
Nanoha leaned forward and whispered into her daughter’s ear, “Your chest says otherwise, unless, of course, you’re just really turned on by the giant furball.”
Vivio turned red again and scowled while grabbing the shawl away from her mother. Fate and Arf observed the exchange while trying not to laugh.
“You may have your work cut out for you,” Fate told her former familiar.
“Why?” Arf said in a low voice of disbelief, “Do you think Zafira will try something?”
Fate shook her head, “I think Zafira has much to fear from the daughter of Nanoha Takamachi.”
“Oh!”
Vivio took hold of Zafira’s offered arm, and the Knight and shawl-clad mage walked to the waiting limousine with Arf following behind them swishing her tail. Hayate, Nanoha, and Fate waved from the door as they watch the limousine speed away.
Hayate checked her watch, “And there goes my break.”
“You aren’t leaving, are you, Hayate?” asked Fate.
“I’d love to stay and watch the awkwardness on the porch when they come back, but I’m working with Carim and Griffith on my speech for tomorrow.”
Hayate hugged them goodbye and left the two other aces alone. Nanoha locked the door and looked at Fate.
“So, Vivio is gone for the night, and Pacis is with Grandma Lindy. What do we do?” pondered Nanoha to Fate.
“You’re kidding, right?” came the blond’s response.
“Allow me to rephrase my previous statement, Mrs. Takamachi,” said Nanoha through a devilish grin, “How will we ‘do’ when we have time and privacy for once?”
Nanoha arms looped around Fate’s waist, and she drew the naval ace to her chest.
“Decisions, decisions,” said Fate seductively before her lips were silenced by a matching set.
~~
The hall of the Winter Formal was arrayed with lines of balloons and large banners that read “Welcome Second Lieutenants” and “Congratulations Graduates!” The newly commissioned officers mingled together sipping spiked punch and munching on appetizers as the DJ made the final modifications on his equipment. Zafira and Arf stood talking near the door while Vivio went to pour herself a glass of punch. On her way to the long table, she passed by a cluster of female Second Lieutenants who were speaking to one another excitedly.
“Do you see that guy over there?” one whispered loudly.
“Blue-haired hottie?”
Vivio’s ears perked up as she eavesdropped onto the conversation.
“What a stud!”
“Check out the package.”
“Pervert!”
“Shut up! You know that you looked too!”
“Who’s he with? The chick with red hair?”
“He can’t be! That’s someone’s familiar.”
“I thought I saw him come in with Takamachi’s kid.”
“Figures. Her mom probably paid for him from some escort service. That's the only way she'd ever get a date!”
The ladies giggled at the comment while Vivio stood pale and frozen by the punchbowl.
“I heard a rumor that she isn’t even Gen. Takamachi’s real daughter. Think about it. The general would have to have been twelve when she was pregnant with her.”
“And the other problem of the now Admiral Takamachi would have made pregnancy especially difficult.”
Another round of laughter spread through the group, and tears started to well up in Vivio’s eyes.
“I bet you’re right, Jennel, about the escort line. Look at him dig the familiar. He soooo doesn’t want to be here right now!”
The bass lines of the DJ’s first song saved Vivio from hearing more as the group of ladies laughed and moved to the dance floor. Vivio placed her untouched drink on the table and turned her head slightly to see Arf and Zafira engaged in conversation by the door.
‘They’re right,’ thought Vivio trying her best to keep herself from crying, ‘Hayate made him come with me. He really doesn’t want to be here.”
Vivio leaned against the opposite wall and wished that the ground would swallow her whole.
“…and then I told Yuuno that he had to transform first-“ Arf stopped her story cold when she noticed the pair of sad and lonely multicolored eyes of the pretty girl in a blue dress leaning against the wall. They eyes seemed nearly identical in expression to the set of burgundy ones she had protected all those years ago.
“And what did he say?” Zafira asked with a small hint of a laugh in his usually serious voice.
“I’ll tell you later,” said Arf, “Why don’t you go dance with the kid?”
“I don’t dance,” stated Zafira flatly.
“You don’t dance or you can’t dance?” goaded Arf with a raised eyebrow.
“I can dance,” said Zafira.
“Then, dance with me,” said Arf as she seized the Knight’s wrists and tried to pull him onto the dance floor.
Zafira instinctively growled in warning.
“I knew it, liar,” Arf sneered triumphantly and continued to pull Zafira away from the door and onto the dance floor.
Zafira looked angrily at the floor.
“At least try,” coaxed Arf as she bounced in rhythm to the driving bass line.
Zafira tried to copy her fluid gyrations, but his movements were stiff and awkward.
“You, my dear friend,” laughed Arf as she continued to dance, “have the smoothness of a porcupine.”
Zafira’s face darkened as he became mentally cognizant of his inability to dance. He started to walk away in embarrassment, but Arf held onto him tightly.
“Get over yourself,” she scolded in a pointed whisper, “See your depressed date over there? She needs you to dance with her.”
“But I can’t,” Zafira’s voice wavered.
“You may not be able to dance,” Arf smirked, “but I know you can fight.”
“What are you-“
Arf swung her right arm at him, and the Knight avoided the blow by a quick and fluid evasion maneuver.
“Nice move,” Arf smiled while shifted her weight into a ready stance.
Zafira mirrored the movement without even thinking about it.
“Good,” complimented Arf, “Now, all you need to do is pull the punch while holding my hands.”
Zafira took her hands into his and reacted to her movements as if he were in a battle.
“Great,” panted Arf, “Now, try to synchronize your steps in time with the beat.”
Zafira listened to the pulse of the bass until his body unconsciously twitched in time to the beat. Arf grabbed his hands, and the lesson began anew.
“Your turn,” Arf cooed as the DJ began the next song.
“To do what?”
“Take the lead.”
Zafira cracked his neck before pivoting his leg like he would for a high kick to which Arf gracefully avoided by leaning back. Zafira pulled her back up to him, and the two began to give and take with their movements as the song played on.
All this time, Vivio observed from her space on the wall. Her heart broke as she saw Arf dance with Zafira, and the perceived reality that her date would rather dance with her chaperone rather than her came crashing down on blond Second Lieutenant.
‘No one wants me,’ she thought as tears stung her eyes, ‘Why should he be any different?’
Arf guided the wolf in men’s clothing in the direction on the sad daughter of her former master, and when they were close enough, she let go of Zafira’s hands and shoved him over to the depressed blond on the wall.
“Will you dance?” Zafira stammered in embarrassment in front of Vivio.
Vivio sighed, “You don’t have to dance with me if you’d rather-OOF!”
Arf’s butt bumping into her back cut her pity party short. She tripped over her new high-heeled shoes and fell onto Zafira’s muscular chest. She blushed as she breathed in deeply the scent of his cologne and finally looked up to meet his eyes. He gave her a lopsided smile while taking her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. Arf made her way over to the large punchbowl hoping that some rich prat had spiked it. She was not disappointed.
“I love this song!” Vivio nearly squealed as the familiar beats and melody boomed from the large speakers.
Zafira mirrored Arf’s initial actions and extended his left arm with the precision and position of an attack though much slower. Vivio gasped and dipped to her left with ease. Vivio searched Zafira’s eyes in shock and was confused when the man with wolf ears took hold of her hands and pulled her closed to him. She was even more surprised when her body began to react with throws, ducks, spins, and leaps that she had drilled into her at boot camp, yet they were set in time to the pounding bass.
‘Are we dancing or fighting?’ thought Vivio.
After a while, she didn’t care as their movements became smoother. They started to predict each other’s next steps, and soon heads started to turn in their direction as Zafira launched Vivio high into the air before catching her with a spin in tempo to the music. The song faded to its conclusion while the DJ mixed in the opening chords of the next dance tune.
Vivio panted to catch her breath and look to see Zafira doing the same but with a rare smile on his face. Vivio giggled when the Knight leaned back to straighten his spine. Zafira’s smile disappeared and turned to her with a quizzical look. Vivio blushed as she felt his strong arms wrap around her waist.
“Again?” he asked.
“Mmm,” Vivio nodded grinning from ear to ear.
They danced around the floor for the entire evening and into the early morning hours till their bodies ached with exhaustion but neither of them would surrender to the other. The night flashed by Vivio, and soon she found herself yawning into Zafira’s chest as they rocked side to side to the last song of the night.
“Time’s up, Cinderfella,” slurred Arf while grabbing Zafira’s shoulder, “Time for the wolf to go back to the den.”
Vivio saw a small trace of disappointment in Zafira’s face as he nodded in acknowledgment and followed Arf to the waiting limousine. The spacious area in the long automobile was silent most of the way to the Takamachi residence a few miles east of the TSAB Air Force base as the three people inside realized just how worn out they were. Zafira turned to Vivio when he heard deep snores coming from her side of the car. Her head was tilted back with her mouth open while a loud snore caused Arf to snicker and take out her camera.
“This is perfect blackmail material,” she whispered to the man with two blue wolf ears perked up.
The limousine hit a speed bump a little too fast, and the sleeping Vivio bounced and slid to the side till her descent was stopped by Zafira’s shoulder. The car rocked and shook as it drove across the bumpy roads bordering the Air Force base causing the sleeping blond in the back to swing back and forth haphazardly. She was about to fall face first into the tiny aisle, but Zafira placed his arm around her at the last second to steady her.
“Zaf…fy…” she mumbled in her sleep while unconsciously nuzzling his side causing the Knight to turn purple in embarrassment.
“I take it back,” grinned Arf snapping a picture, “THIS is perfect blackmail material.”
The light was on at the front door of the Takamachi house as the limousine squealed to a stop outside of the residence. Vivio yawned and blinked awake as she leaned against something warm and soft.
“Good morning, sunshine,” chuckled Arf.
Vivio jerked upright when she realized that she had fallen asleep on Zafira.
“S…s…sorry,” she stuttered.
Zafira shrugged.
“Alright both of you,” commanded Arf as Vivio stretched and yawned, “I’ll go check and see if the parents are up, but you had better keep your hands to yourself, Zaffy!”
Arf jumped out of the car leaving the purple pair behind. She laughed to herself as she turned her head slightly to see Zafira stumbling over himself to open the door for Vivio.
“We’re home!” Arf called into the house through the unlocked front door.
She found her adrenaline pumping and the hair standing on the back of her neck as she heard someone crying out for help. She couldn’t make out the words, but the muffled cries that sounded like “A! ME MEEEEEE!! A!!” were coming from the direction on the living room.
Something wasn’t right, and Arf slowly crept through the candlelit hallway to the cries that were getting clearer and louder.
“Damn it! Where are they?!” said a familiar voice as Arf rounded the corner into the living room.
“Holy…shit…” gasped Arf before breaking into laughter.
The living room was lined with candles and on the floor laid a very naked, gagged Nanoha with her feet and hands handcuffed behind her. Arf didn’t want to look too closely but she did notice that a third set of handcuffs linked the other pairs of cuffs together.
There was a leather whip at the side of the brunette’s head, and Arf finally noticed Fate’s leather clad body digging into the couch cushions.
“MEEEEE!” screamed the panicked Nanoha through the gag.
“I’m looking for them!” yelled an exasperated Fate, “Don’t just stand there, Arf! Help me find the damn key!”
“No time!” Arf howled with laughter, “They’re right outside the door!”
“Shit!” barked Fate, “Hide the candles then, Arf! I’ll take care of Nanoha.”
Arf continued to laugh as she blew out the long row of candles and splashed wax everywhere as she ran armfuls of them to the bathtub in the master bedroom. Fate picked up the still restrained Nanoha and ran her to their giant bed in their bedroom. She piled blankets on top of her and turned out the lights as Arf dumped the last armload of candles into the tub. The familiar and her former master hastened to straighten the living room as best as they could.
“You owe me for this,” said Arf still snickering, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the office to discuss the price for my silence.”
Fate sneered as Arf left her, but she hardly had time to think about it before she heard the door open and close again. She dashed into the bedroom ignoring the pile of blankets on top of her wife and threw on a long nightshirt over her leather outfit.
Vivio quietly tiptoed into the living room, “Anyone awake?”
“Hi, honey,” Fate whispered forcing herself to yawn, “Have a good time?”
“It was ok,” understated Vivio to avoid her mother saying ‘I told you so.’
“Did Zafira mind his manners?” teased Fate.
Vivio answered with a blush.
“Vivio?” Fate’s eyes narrowed, “Did he try something? I swear, I’ll rip-”
“It was just a kiss on the cheek,” blurted Vivio who looked desperately for a change in the conversation, “Where’s Nanoha-mama?”
“She’s in bed already,” sighed Fate while pointing to the dark crack from the slightly opened door in the bedroom, “She has the joint-force arriving tomorrow so she turned in early.”
“Oh,” Vivio said while gazing at the ground, “What’s this?”
A silver shimmer caught her eye, and she bent down and picked up a very small but oddly shaped key. Fate’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she watched her daughter examine the small object.
“Did Arf drop this?” asked Vivio.
Fate snatched the piece of metal from her hand, “She must have. I’ll set it by Nanoha-mama’s briefcase for her to return it tomorrow.”
“Ok,” Vivio eyed her mother suspiciously before happily walking back to her bedroom down the hall.
Fate watched her daughter’s door close and sighed in relief as she walked back into the master bedroom and sat on the giant bed next to the pile of blankets. She knocked the blankets to the floor to expose her wife with her limbs still pulled behind her. She undid the gag and heard Nanoha breathe calmly.
“Is she ok?” Nanoha finally asked.
“She seems to be,” said Fate softly, “and look at what she found.”
“Thank God,” laughed Nanoha as she recognized the key Fate held in front of her.
She rolled onto her stomach to help Fate undo her bindings. Fate started to unlock the cuffs but stopped as an evil smile spread across her face.
“You really want this, don’t you?” she whispered huskily into her wife’s ear while running the tiny key up and down Nanoha’s shin.
She could feel the goosebumps appear as she dragged the key and the tips of her fingernails down Nanoha’s leg. Nanoha hissed at the touch.
2008-08-05, 10:26
Author
), the story will pick off from where this left off, or a bit further in the future. 
). In retrospect, Syn in this fic was also guilty of the same recklessness, but it just felt like she was the more sensible one, since she was doing most of the fretting lol.
I can believe ROBO_GATSURALLY didn't die after he got breaker'd. Vita!!! What will become of her!
