[OM] Sharing is Caring

“Sharing is caring, Yang,” Pyrrha teased as she pretended to try to steal the blonde’s food.

The blonde in question protectively blocked off her plate from the prying fork, “No. Not stealing other people’s food is caring. You have your own, stop trying to take mine!”

“Sometimes I really wonder where you pack all of the calories you consume,” she retorted, giving up on her teasing. “And then I remember what you do on your free time... when you have free time.”

“I just never got out of the habit, okay? Can’t blame me for it. Besides, there are worse things I could be doing,” Yang said as she stabbed a roasted potato on her plate.

“I never said it was bad. I admire that you’ve somehow managed to keep up with it. Especially since the injury.”

“Yeah, well... old habits die hard, I guess?”

“Yang?” a new voice interrupted.

“Blake? What a coincidence!” Yang beamed as she scooted over and invited the faunus woman to sit with her. “How are you?”

“I’m good. I was just in the area and figured I should grab a quick bite here, since I’m too tired to feasibly make myself dinner tonight,” she replied.

“Um, miss? Will you be dining at this table tonight?” the waiter called out, drawing attention to himself as he stood awkwardly.

“Ah, yes,” Blake answered with a smile.

Smiling back, he handed the black-haired girl the menu and began his routine spiel. “My name is Grey. I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with anything?”

“Water is fine.”

“Would you like to hear about today’s specials?”

“Sure.”

“Our specials tonight include parmesan cheese crusted pork chops with house vegetables, sweet potato gnocchi with a creamy mushroom sauce, and stuffed veal topped with a marsala demi-glace. Do you know what you want or would you like a few minutes?”

“I will need a minute. Thanks.”

“Alright. I’ll be back with your water shortly,” Grey answered before leaving the table so that Blake can peruse the menu.

After a quick glance, the faunus girl folded her menu and placed it neatly back on to the table.

“Done deciding already?” Yang asked, amused at how fast the faunus reached a decision after the waiter left.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “I tend to know what I want pretty quickly when I’m hungry.”

“Here,” Yang replied, sliding her plate towards Blake. “Have some potatoes while you wait. They help with the hunger.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t--”

“Go ahead. I insist.”

So Blake sheepishly took a fork from her utensil set and poked one of Yang’s potatoes. As she ate, she missed the exchange Pyrrha and Yang were having with their eyes.

Pyrrha’s glinted with amusement: Sharing is caring, Yang. You really care about her.

And Yang’s reply: Shut up. Do. Not. Say. A. Word.

[C] Help?

Nao was waiting. She was sitting on the living room couch, fidgeting with her fingers as she waited.

She was also panicking. Less than two hours ago, she was confessed to. And she was confessed to by none other than her annoying, nagging friend. The same annoying, nagging friend that she was crushing on for much longer than she’d like to admit.

For no reason, she felt like she had so much excess energy. Her legs kept shaking without her realizing it, and the speed at which she was wringing and un-wringing her fingers kept increasing. When she heard the jingling of keys, she instinctively bolted upwards to a standing position, watching the door as it slowly opened and closed.

“I’ve been waiting,” she announced.

The other person was visibly started as she jumped and dropped everything she was holding. “W-Who are you?”

The redhead took two purposeful strides towards the other woman. “It’s me, sensei. Or have you already forgotten this face?”

“Y-Yuuki...san?”

“Nao is fine. You took longer than expected. I was beginning to wonder if you were planning to come back at all.”

“Wha-What are you doing here? How did you find me? How did you even get in?”

“I just... I couldn’t think of anyone else to go to,” the redhead admitted, returning the spot she was sitting on earlier. “I just... I think I need advice, sensei.”

“Let me get settled in before you start,” she replied as she crouched down to pick up the things she dropped earlier. “Do you want anything to drink while I’m at it?”

“Water, thanks,” the younger girl answered as she began fidgeting again.

Nao watched as her juvy counselor waltzed around her apartment, picking up random things and placing them away. She watched as she put water in a kettle and placed it on a stove, before pouring a glass of water and placing it to the side. By the time she was done settling in, Nao had already reworded how she wanted to present her dilemma a few hundred times.

“So--” the counselor started as she handed the glass of water to the redhead.

“She kissed me, and confessed to me, and I don’t know how to handle that because there is no way in hell that would ever actually happen,” the younger girl blurted out.

“Except it did. Now, before we delve into the details, there are a few things I’d like answers to. Let’s start with: how did you find out where I lived and how did you get in?”

[C] Delivery

“Oh, great,” Mai muttered to herself when she realized she was short on eggs.

She was about to start making a cake for a friend from one of her college classes when she checked her fridge for inventory. Unfortunately, she was a few eggs short, even though she swore she had enough when she checked yesterday.

And then she remembered that she used a few to make omurice for her bento yesterday... after she checked.

Sighing to herself, she made sure she had everything else before compiling a list of items she needed from the grocery store. She was in the middle of looking for something to wear out when she heard several loud knocks on her door.

“Nao,” the older woman said before she even fully opened the door.

“How’d you know it was me?” her girlfriend asked, a bit grumpily, as she walked into the apartment.

“You’re the only one who doesn’t use the bell,” Mai pointed out.

“Oh. Um-- I got you-- here,” the redhead said as she held up a plastic bag with a carton of eggs inside. “Last night-- you-- I noticed you were... running low.”

“H-How did you-- I was just about to go out to get some.”

“You mentioned you were going to bake cake today, but when I was getting juice from your fridge, I saw you didn’t have enough. I figured you might... forget.”

Embarrassed, Nao quickly walked away with the eggs and placed them onto the kitchen counter, along with all the other items Mai laid out for her cake.

“Thanks. That was very thoughtful of you. If you have an hour or so, why don’t you stay and I’ll make you a mini cake?”

“Um, it’s-- I can’t. I have a thing.”

“A thing? Care to elaborate?”

“Yeah, a work thing. I need to get going. I can’t be late for this,” Nao said as she moved towards the door. She stopped when she saw the disappointed look on the older woman’s face. “Um, I can stop by after, if you’re free later?”

“I’d like that. Text me when you’re done?”

“Okay. Bye.”

And she was out the door.

Mai couldn’t help but be amused by this. Every time Nao did something nice or sweet for her, she becomes so flustered that she physically removes herself from the orange-haired girl’s presence. She wondered how much longer this will last.

[C] Just Take Them

Nao was sitting by herself at a cafe, fiddling with her phone while taking idle sips from the coffee cup in front of her. Several guys tried approaching her, but quickly received the memo about her wanting to be left alone. Especially when she threatened castration.

Text me when you’re done.

She was about to take another sip after hitting the send button, but the buzzing of her phone altered her plans. She quickly tapped the area that would open the message she received.

We’re almost done. Just saying our goodnights now.

She picked up her cup of coffee and carried it out with her, making her way down the block to the karaoke place her girlfriend was at for her birthday. She was invited, of course, but she declined the invitation because karaoke was not her thing. Nor does she foresee it being her thing anytime soon.

When she arrived to the front door, she realized that they were probably still inside, as she did not catch anyone else she knew in the vicinity. Sighing to herself, she decided she’d have to wait out here until they decided to show themselves. At least it was warm now, so she was comfortable even in only jeans and a t-shirt. Not that it magically made her any more patient than she used to be.

She glanced at her phone for the time on several occasions, but the only thing that it told her was how much time has passed, not how much longer it’ll take her girlfriend to appear. Therefore, by the time her girlfriend finally appeared, she knew that she waited for a total of 13 minutes. And in that 13 minutes, she had paced back and forth in front of doors and found several places to lean on. When Mai found her, she was leaning against a nearby pole a few steps away from the doors of the karaoke building.

“Hey, sorry. Did you wait long?” Mai asked as she approached the redhead.

“Get her home safe, you hear?!” Midori yelled as someone tried to drag her away.

Nao quirked her brow at the woman before turning her attention back to Mai. “Really? Suigura?”

“She was a HiME. We worked together before, so I consider her a friend,” she shrugged.

“Thirteen minutes,” Nao stated as she began walking towards Mai’s apartment.

The older girl followed. “What?”

“I waited for you for 13 minutes. Longer, if you count the time I was in that cafe,” Nao answered, taking a sip of her coffee purposefully.

Seeing the drink, the orange-haired girl decided to use her girlfriend privilege to acquire a sip. “Gimme.”

“It’s black. You hate black coffee.”

Mai reached forward and took the cup from Nao, who did nothing to stop her. She watched as her girlfriend took a sip of her coffee, before making a disgusted face and handing it back to her.

“How can you drink that atrocity?”

“Told you. It’s good. Something is just wrong with your taste buds,” the redhead retorted before taking another sip.

“Thanks for coming to pick me up and walk me home. It’s sweet of you.”

The sincerity in Mai’s voice caused whatever sarcastic reply Nao had to die in her throat. Instead, her response was a mere grumble.

“The birthday girlfriend requested it. I didn’t have much of a choice.”

Even though she knew she did. She just didn’t want to admit it.

“Well, thanks anyway.”

The rest of the walk back was filled with stories of silliness that ensued at the karaoke party Nao refused to partake in. She was only really half-listening to the older woman, as her mind was slightly preoccupied with the objects in her pocket. The very objects she felt every time she took a step. The same objects that she needed to figure out how to present later, or if she even wanted to at all.

All too soon, they arrived to the front of her girlfriend’s apartment. Not even just the building, they were in front of Mai’s apartment door. She thought she’d have a few more moments to contemplate or plan in the few minutes it took for them to traverse from lobby, but it seems she was sorely mistaken.

“Do you want to come in for a bit?”

“No, I think I’m just going to head out.”

“Are you sure? You did go through all the trouble to come here,” Mai nudged.

“Yeah-- I have a--” she stopped herself before she could say something stupid and cleared her throat. “Anyway,” she reached into her pocket and pulled out two purple-studded earrings. “Happy birthday.”

“Are these...” Mai asked, shocked.

“Your present. I saw them, reminded me of you. Thought you might... like them,” she rambled before clearing her throat again. “Jus--Just take them.”

She all but shoved them into her girlfriend’s hand before bolting down the hall towards the stairs, quickly yelling goodnight over her shoulder as she left. She was too embarrassed to stay and see how Mai would react once the older girl got over her shocked. But if she had stayed, she would have witnessed a smile so genuine, it showed in lilac eyes. And she would have witnessed Mai putting them on right away.

“Thank you, Nao... I love them.”

[C] Cookie

A knock on Mai’s apartment was heard. Since she was busy trying to maintain control in the kitchen so that her baked goods would not mysteriously disappear, she yelled for Natsuki to get the door, which the latter was not happy with.

“Nao,” she greeted, surprised.

“Is Mai in?” the redhead asked, walking in without an invitation.

Closing the door after her, Natsuki pointed towards the kitchen. “Rough night?”

“Try week,” she answered as she walked off to the kitchen.

When she entered, she found the person she was looking for carefully transferring cookies from a cookie sheet to a plate, all the while standing guard to ensure her young companion did not inhale them all before they had a chance to cool off.

“Can we talk?” Nao asked, directing her question to the orange-haired woman.

“Well, I’m kinda busy right now...” she answered, not taking her eyes off of her sugary treats.

“Mikoto, do you mind?” lime-eyes hardened at the question, prompting the cat-like girl to leave the kitchen. As soon as the black-haired girl was gone, Nao stepped forward. “Are you avoiding me?”

“Why would I do something like that? I always have to be the one to hunt you down.”

“Exactly. But you haven’t been around in a while. Haven’t since... that night.”

“I figured I’d give you time.” After her last cookie was safely on a plate, she moved to the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding two spoonfuls of sugar before sipping it. “Did you not need it?”

“I’m-- I don’t-- This feelings thing... I’m not very good at it.”

“I gathered that much, Nao.”

“No, really. I mean-- I know that I-- you were right when you said I liked you. I just... I don’t know what to do with it...”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“I mean-- I’m not stupid. I know that people typically date the people they like... but this isn’t... typical... or simple... or anything like that...”

“And... why isn’t this typical and simple?”

“Because I’m... and you’re... it just wouldn’t work.”

“Because...?”

“Because... because we’re from two different worlds!”

“You’re over-complicating things. How about for now, we start off simple?”

“What do you mean?”

Mai picked up a cookie and handed it to the redhead. “Try a cookie and tell me what you think.”

“I don’t like sweet things,” she automatically replied, still holding onto the sweet snack.

“I’ll get you some coffee. It’ll go great with it.”

[C] In Sickness

“I’m fine,” Nao tried to argue, but was quickly hushed by her girlfriend.

“Your temperature is 38 degrees. You are most definitely not fine,” Mai retorted, readjusting the comforter that Nao kept trying to throw off of herself.

“I’ve got people starting today. I need to walk them through orientation and basic training,” the redhead tried again.

“Someone else can do that. I’ve already called in to tell them you can’t make it, due to a very high fever. You won’t be able to get anything done in that state anyway. Now go back to sleep.”

The younger girl grumbled to herself, but allowed herself to sink back into bed. Mai moved the comforters once again to cover half of her face before leaving the room. For a long time, the only sound Nao could hear were the random noises coming from the kitchen. Until sleep found her.

When she woke up, she found her girlfriend reading a book beside her. Her shifting around notified Mai that she was awake, and she was quickly tended to.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

Nao nodded wordlessly and watched as her girlfriend placed a bookmark in her book before leaving for the kitchen. When she reappeared, she was holding onto a tray of food consisting of a bowl of rice porridge, pickled radish, and sliced apples.

“Here,” Mai said as she held a spoonful of porridge in front of Nao.

Nao chuckled at her antics before taking the bowl and spoon from the older woman. “I can still feed myself. I’m not that weak.”

“Boo,” Mai pouted. “What if I just wanted to feed you?”

“Mm,” Nao fake-pondered. “You can feed me the apples later, okay?”

Immediately after the redhead was finished with her porridge, her girlfriend placed an apple slice right in front of her, cuing her eat it. Nao couldn’t help but smile at the gesture and bit the apple in half, chewing slowly on purpose. Every so often, Mai would steal an apple slice for herself.

“Good?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Nao stretched. “I should shower.”

“I’ll just wipe you off,” Mai suggested.

“That’s nice and all, but I rather take a hot shower. I have enough strength for that.”

“Alright. Yell if you need anything. I’ll check in on you after I finish the dishes,” Mai replied as she gathered the empty bowl and plates back onto the tray.

[C] Deal With It

“You are absolutely insufferable, you know that?” Mai screamed. “What is with you and having to act like you’re so tough all the time? You can’t be, you’re not, and there’s no need for the front!”

“Are you done?” Nao asked, coldly. “I have more important things to do right now than listen to you talk.”

“I know you like me. I wasn’t sure at first, but then I noticed the small changes in you. Your words never changed. Always so crass, and at times, vulgar. But the way you say them are different. At least, to me. You treat me different than the others.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. This is stupid. I’m leaving.”

The redhead made to leave, but Mai moved to block the door, forcing the other woman to stay. “What is it you’re so afraid of? You know I wouldn’t leave you.”

“Actually, I don’t know that.”

 “I’ve stayed with you all these years. What more do I have to do to prove it to you?”

“You keep trying to prove to me that you’ll never leave simply by being around me all the time. That doesn’t actually prove anything. How do I know you’re not just doing it for shits and giggles?”

Mai let out a sound of frustration, clenching and unclenching her fists because right now she really wanted to punch Nao for that comment. How could she? How dare she? After all these years! After all the weeks and months that she went to visit the other girl in juvy. After all the years she spent trying to get her to open up. All that, and she was back to square zero.

“Shits and giggles?” Mai growled, something Nao never thought she’d live to see. “For fuck’s sake Nao! How blind can you be?”

The redhead was jolted forward before something soft touched her lips. It took her a second to realize that Mai was kissing her. Mai, the one annoyingly persistent person who would not leave her alone. The girl who somehow elicited emotions in the redhead that no one else ever had. She was kissing her.

It was brief. It lasted maybe five seconds at most, but it left Nao winded. Mostly because it got her adrenaline pumping and she was trying to get her bearings on what just happened.

“I like you too, idiot! Deal with it!”

And then she was shoved back before the orange-haired woman shut the door behind her, leaving Nao to gather the pieces of her mind.

[C] Running Bet

“Give it up, girls,” Ako smirked as she walked into the changing the room where all her stripper sisters were. “I would like to announce that earlier tonight, I gave Nao-sama a lap dance.”

“Pfft,” Kiki scoffed as she entered. “I talked to her after. She said it was a work thing and she didn’t intend for it to happen.The bet was that she needed to ask for it.”

“She did ask for it,” Ako returned defensively. “In front of some sleazy men trying to bed me... but she did request my services.”

“Didn’t she only do that to get you away from them then?” another one of them injected.

“Maya... you too?” she whined.

“I’m just saying. The bet was that we had to get her to want it, right? So, it doesn’t really count if that’s the case,” Maya reasoned.

“Fine,” Ako returned, determination set in her voice. “All bets are still on then. This time, I’ll make sure you sore losers won’t have anything to complain about.”

[C] Lap Dances & Shenanigans

“Hit me up, Rei,” I said as I approached the bar.

I was working as ‘security’ at my other job. I was a discrete one, as I dressed slightly differently from my male counterparts, in black slacks and a black button-down. My boss figured I could blend in as a guest so that I could catch troublemakers before they caused too much of a scene.

And I was good at it. I could usually tell when something was about to go down, so it wasn’t often that they let me watch the door these days. He much preferred it when I was dealing with indoor crowd control.

“Sure thing, Nao. Choose your poison,” the bartender replied, gesturing to the plethora of alcohol at her disposal.

I chuckled, “Just water. I’m working here.”

“Right,” she laughed, placing down the redhead’s drink on a napkin as she would any other beverage. “Sometimes I forget that.”

I quirked a brow at her, “Right.”

“Anything interesting happening tonight?” she asked as she popped a beer open for some patrons.

“I’m hoping it’ll be a boring--” I paused as my eyes caught sight of one of the stripper’s facial expressions. She was uncomfortable. She was probably in trouble. “So much for boring,” I sighed as I chugged my remaining water, placed the empty glass onto the bar, and walked off.

“You,” I walked up to the stripper named Ako and glanced around her to find the table of men she was entertaining. From what I could see, they were just sitting around drinking, looking as innocuous as a couple of toddlers eating their vegetables. “Sorry fellows, I require her services for a bit,” I said to the guys gaping at me. Then, I turned to the stripper and flashed a few bills at her, “I’m buying a dance. My booth,” I said as I pulled her away.

“Thanks Nao. You really saved me there,” she smiled.

I sat down at the nearest booth as she stood at the edge. “Are you doing okay? They weren’t trying to cause trouble, right?”

“I’m okay. They just... they wanted to know how much for a night, and they wouldn’t understand that I’m for sale.”

I glanced over Ako’s shoulder and noticed the men staring, probably hoping to see a show. “We’ve got an audience,” I said as I flashed the bills at her again.

She allowed a smirk to take over her lips as she started to move her hips, “Then we shouldn’t disappoint, should we?”

“You know I’m going to want these back later,” I replied as she leaned towards me.

She placed her lips next to my ear and, in the sultry voice that she used on all her customers, whispered “Alright. I’ll consider this dance payment for rescuing me then, Nao-sama.”

She started to invade my personal space as she grinded into me, rolling her body dangerously close to my own. At one point, she even placed her cleavage right in front of my face. When she was practically on my lap and rolling her hips, I took the opportunity and slipped the bills onto her underwear, so that people could see that I was paying her. This was a business, after all. I couldn’t have patrons catch me getting a free lap dance.

She moved closer again towards the end of the dance. Placing one of her hands on my thigh, she leaned in to whisper something else into my ear, “You can request my services anytime, Nao. I wouldn’t mind doing it after hours either.”

And then she backed off, winked at me, and sauntered away.

I couldn’t help but smirk at her shenanigans. If I was single, maybe I would consider her proposition, but I wasn’t and I had no interest whatsoever. All the girls in here were great, but they’ve got nothing on Mai.

Nothing.

“I saw that,” Kiki, another stripper said, as she stopped in front of me.

“Work is work,” I replied. “I hadn’t intended on that happening.”

She gave me a gentle smile, but she turned on her seductress mode. I could tell because her eyes were practically glinting with silent innuendo. Something that I never knew could be accomplished until I met her.

“Not working,” I smirked as I stared her down.

“Just one lap dance?” she asked, pouting slightly.

“Nah. It’s not like I’m gonna pay for it anyway,” I said as I waved her away, completely disinterested.

Though a lap dance from Mai might be nice.

[C] Got Your Back

“Nao? It’s almost time, we should get going,” Mai informed as she stood from her seat.

The two were sitting in a nearby cafe, waiting until it was the appropriate time to go to retrieve Mai’s paycheck from her previous employment. Nao suspected it was being held hostage from the carrot-top girl because the perverted manager was trying to get her girlfriend alone in his office with him. When Mai told her about it, she was very insistent about accompanying her to this trip.

“Yeah,” Nao replied after checking her phone. “Let’s get this over with.”

The walk to the restaurant was a quick one, made quicker by Nao’s long strides. When they neared the entrance, Nao made it a point to throw an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders in a possessive manner before walking in.

“Hey Mai, Mai’s girlfriend,” Nao’s favorite bartender greeted.

Nao nodded in his direction before scanning the restaurant. It was mostly empty, except for the waitstaff that were still cleaning. The bartender himself was busy wiping off glasses when he greeted them.

“Hey Marc,” Mai smiled. “Where’s the manager? I’m here for my paycheck.”

“In his office,” he nodded towards the general direction. Then he added, “I’d say be careful, but I see you brought your bodyguard with you.”

“Thanks,” she replied as she started her way towards the manager’s office.

“He’s a good guy,” Nao commented absently.

“Marc?” Mai asked. “I guess. He does look out for me, though I’m not really sure why. We’re not really close. We don’t even talk that much.”

“Hm,” the redhead replied, knowing the reason why was most likely because of her.

The carrot-top girl knocked on the door several times before it was answered.

“I’m here for my paycheck,” Mai said to him.

“Right -- come on in,” he said to her. When he noticed the person attached to her, he glared at the redhead. “Not you, though. Just wait here. Employees only.”

Nao chuckled, treating his demand as a joke. “You’re funny,” she said, pushing past him to stay connected to her girl. “It should only take two minutes. What’s the big deal?”

Nao took out her cellphone with her free hand and sent a text to a number with no name. When Mai peeked over, she only saw two words. Nao’s message that said ‘clear’ and a reply that said ‘yes’.

He continued to stand by the door, visibly displeased with Nao’s presence. “The longer you take to leave us, the longer it’ll take for me to find Mai’s pay stub.”

“Why can’t you look for it with me here? Unless there’s a specific reason for wanting to get my girlfriend in a room alone with you,” Nao baited.

“...there’s some documentation she needs to sign in order for her to no longer be recognized as an employee here. Because you are not an employee, you are not authorized to be here and lay eyes on those documents.”

“Simple enough,” the redhead replied as she withdrew her arm from her girl. “I’ll just stand right here while she signs them. I won’t see a thing.”

“I’m afraid that’s not how it works. Please leave.”

Just as he ended his sentence, she noticed that her friends have arrived to the restaurant, judging by the commotion her ears were picking up. She could almost make out some of the waitstaff trying to inform their new patrons that the restaurant was closed. However, the new patrons had an intimidating aura about them, and their demands fell on deaf ears.

“What the...” the manager balked when he noticed. He walked out, followed by Nao and Mai, to find five girls making themselves comfortable at the bar. “We’re closed,” he said to them. “Please come again tomorrow.”

Instead of acknowledging him, they all stood and gave their attention to Nao. Several calls for the redhead rang out as they saw her approach, to which she only nodded to acknowledge them.

“Who are they?” Mai whispered to her girlfriend.

Her question was met with a smirk. “My friends don’t like to be kept waiting,” Nao said to Mai’s manager. “We should really get to that check.”

“Mai,” he addressed. “Come with me. The rest of you just sit tight for a bit.”

Nao moved with her girlfriend, making it clear that she was not going to leave her side. When the manager looked like he wanted to protest, Nao injected, “I would hurry, if I were you. My friends are all very clumsy. They might break some things if left here too long.”

The manager recognized the message. Those girls looked far from clumsy, but the part about them breaking things were most probably true.

When they arrived to the entrance, Nao stayed by the door. “I’ll stay here, so I won’t see the super secret documents, but I can see that she’s safe.”

The redhead could tell he was seething. She could almost make out a vein that was threatening to pop somewhere close to his temple, and she couldn’t help but feel very satisfied about it.

The process went by quickly. Mai only had to sign two documents before she was handed her check. After that, she walked out of his office with a huge smile on her lips as she entwined her fingers with Nao’s.

“Thanks,” she whispered. “But you have some explaining to do about those friends when we get back.”

Nao sighed, “This is the thanks I get, huh?”