Fate was at loose ends. Scratch that. She was on tenterhooks. The blonde had left her hospital room once breakfast was over, meaning to pay her boss another visit. The nondescript person standing guard outside her door had frowned, wanting to keep her confined to her room. After a quick exchange with Doctor Kobayashi, of which Fate could barely follow, she had been allowed her visit. Except the bed was empty when she reached the executive's room.
Heart in her throat, she feared the worst and was close to running out to find out more when a silver-haired woman she hadn't noticed before stood up, making her presence known. The woman had been seated in the visitor's chair and Fate was amazed how she could've missed the fairly tall woman there.
Her features were strong, almost angular, which didn't detract from how beautiful she was, added to it, as a matter of fact. Tilted cat eyes a few shades lighter than Fate's own were framed by dark lashes and they seemed to study her intently, absorbing every detail about Fate while she stood there. As the woman approached where Fate and her government-appointed guard stood, there was an economical grace of movement that reminded the blonde of someone else. Frustratingly, she couldn't remember who.
"Miss Testarossa," the woman greeted in a cultured accent that the blonde couldn't quite pin down. "Miss Takamachi is currently in surgery." The death grip the blonde had on her IV stand loosened slightly, and she slumped visibly, eyes hot with ill-hidden relief, "Oh thank the gods, I thought…"
The woman's eyes crinkled at the corners, "Miss Takamachi is much more tenacious than to allow a few bullets to stop her. However, she did exacerbate her internal injuries last night, so back in she went."
Rein had arrived around the time there was a frenzied rush to wheel Client #1 to the operating theatre. Ominous beeps and yells punctuated the controlled chaos and so she took a moment to identify herself to the obviously government-assigned guard outside of Takamachi's room. Once the chaos had subsided, a sweet-faced woman with a marked resemblance to her new client was left, dabbing away her tears.
Momoko was surprised but grateful to hear how serious Hayate was taking her daughter's safety. She tried to make Rein comfortable, informing her that Nanoha would likely be the night under the knife, but Rein had declined, opting instead to take catnaps in the visitor's chair. She'd slept less in worse places; all part of the job. Not before she had a chat with her subordinate who was in Changi, awaiting her overnight flight to Haneda.
"Heya Rein," The lavender-haired woman sounded chipper, she had since hearing who their clients were, actually. Rein wondered how she had missed it.
"Ginga, when were you planning to tell me that Client one was an old flame?"
Silence. "I can explain."
"Oh, please do." Spotting a tech-centric magazine on the bedside table in the room, Rein picked it up to flip through while she waited for her employee to come clean.
"Look, there is nothing going on between us. I broke up with her when we were kids!"
"Uh huh, so the reason you're so cheerful is because…?"
"...I was hoping to fix my mistake?" Ginga's voice sounded small.
"Ginga, you know emotions are the last thing to focus on when we're on assignment."
"I know, and I wasn't planning anything, I swear. I… was just happy to spend time with her. She's been avoiding me."
Rein tsked, "For good reason, I'm sure. Both myself and the hiring client are reminding you to keep things professional. Please."
"Rein…"
"You heard me." Rein's voice brooked no argument. Another sigh and Ginga could hear her boss flipping pages in the background, "Client one just went back into surgery. If you can't keep it in your pants, I need to know now, before you get onto that plane."
"...Wh-What?" Rein could hear Ginga sitting up in her chair, "That's… I had no idea." True, the information package was very low on details, but to think Nanoha was hurt badly enough for surgery... "I'll keep it professional, I swear it."
"I'm holding you to that," Rein said grimly. "Gear up once you land, I'll be in St. Luke's ICU."
The princess' arrival had nudged Rein out her light snooze and the silver-haired woman immediately fixed eyes on Client #2. The blonde seemed devastated, her expression close to collapse, which prompted the bodyguard to rise from her seat to update the woman on Takamachi's whereabouts.
Her use of the word exacerbate may not have been the best choice, since the blonde's worry didn't appear allayed at all. "Wh… What does that mean?" Rein shrugged lightly, "Her mother said something about coughing blood." The bodyguard immediately regretted being so upfront about the Takamachi's condition.
Tears spilling down the blonde's face, Fate sat heavily down in one of the other visitor chairs, hands over her mouth. Squatting by the chair, Rein ventured a pat on the princess' arm, "The doctors were urgent but not terribly worried. I'm sure she will be fine." Fate brushed impatiently at her eyes, "Me falling apart certainly wouldn't help." She exhaled a shaky laugh, "I hardly know her…"
Rein was fairly familiar with the unique circumstances that had given Yagami Hayate cause to engage her security firm for this assignment. That the princess had been snatched off the streets of Japan and it was the extraction of this VIP in front of her that had landed the Takamachi woman in such a state. It was a first for Rein to hear of a high-powered corporate executive being personally involved in the safety and rescue of another company employee, but they did live in interesting times.
Making a noncommittal sound when the princess claimed to barely know the woman who had risked her life to extract her from her captors, Rein merely stood again and bowed, "Pardon for the tardy introduction, your highness. I am Rein Eins. My firm has been engaged by Miss Yagami to provide security to yourself, and Miss Takamachi, for the foreseeable future. I have been briefed that the Japanese government would like both of you back in Singapore once it is safe for Miss Takamachi to travel."
Fate dipped her head, "Please, I am only Fate." Yagami… Fate didn't recognise the name, but considering it was Japanese, she surmised it was likely someone who knew her boss. "Thank you for telling me. I have been informed that I have been living in Singapore long-term, but I fear I do not have any belongings, or a passport."
Rein nodded, "I was told that you had belongings in the hotel that had been booked for yourself and Miss Takamachi. All items were consolidated and sent to the Takamachi residence by TSAB. I would wager your passport would be amongst those items." How curious to feel a little better just from knowing she was not a penniless illegal alien in Japan, Fate thought.
"It would be crass to ask when Miss Takamachi would be able to travel..." She mused, using the sleeve of her hospital gown to dry her eyes as she spoke, "Would you advise that I find temporary lodgings? My Doctor has told me I can be discharged in a few days."
Rein appreciated the logical efficiency of the icy looking blonde, "I took the liberty of contacting my employer, who has secured a place for you to stay in the Takamachi clan home. I advise that you accept this offer, since it would make ensuring your safety much easier. My associate who will be assisting me will join me sometime tomorrow. She is familiar with the Takamachi family, which will be an added advantage."
"I shall have to thank Momoko-san when next I see her," Fate twitched a small smile, recalling the nice woman who was Takamachi-san's mother. "I shall follow your advice, Miss Eins."
"Rein, please." The silver-haired woman smiled and Fate noted that the bodyguard in her business suit was quite a striking woman. She wondered when she had developed a taste for women in suits. The blonde knew her orientation before leaving for Singapore, but she had no idea if she had come out or remained in the closet during her time on the conservative island nation.
Having lost her memories had put some things into perspective for the blonde. Life was too short for her to live a lie, and if it meant she would lose her job, then so be it. She wondered if the head of TSAB's HR would make an issue of it. Pulling herself back to the present, she nodded, "Rein. Thank you."
Just then, the door to the ward opened, admitting the Takamachi being wheeled in by a doctor and some nurses. Fate and Rein moved out of the way for the medical personnel to transfer the woman back to her bed. Raising the side guards, the nurses began re-attaching monitoring wires and such to the auburn-haired woman who was breathing shallowly, pale under her fading tan. Following in after, were a dark-haired man and woman, both sharing a passing resemblance to Momoko under the surgical masks they wore.
The doctor was updating the woman's charts and glanced up when she felt the approach of someone. A tall blonde, face a mask of worry, was hovering close, seeming torn between trying to be patient and needing to know right away. Scribbling the last of her inputs, the doctor stowed the clipboard and gave the woman a reassuring smile.
Belatedly, Fate noticed the two who had come in after the wheeled bed. Her bow of greeting was met with like and Kyoya flicked a glance to Miyuki. Clearing his throat, he re-introduced himself to the blonde, "Takamachi Kyoya, this is my sister, Miyuki. Nanoha is our younger sister."
"Fate," said the blonde, not concerned that anyone should know her family name. Again, her crimson eyes turned to the doctor, though she looked hesitant, wondering if she had the right to ask how the patient was doing.
Reading the blonde's expression easily, the doctor exchanged looks with the patient's relatives. Knowing what was being asked, Kyoya gave the doctor a slow nod, eyes moving to rest on the blonde whom he had last seen in severe shock. If Na-chan was willing to do what she had for this person, then he would not withhold the doctor's report from her. Miyuki's spectacles glinted in the lowered lights of the room as she studied the same blonde silently. She made no protest when her brother gave the doctor permission to proceed, only crossing her arms to listen.
"She's fine." The doctor said in heavily accented english once she received permission from her patient's next-of-kin. Glancing to Rein who nodded to indicate she could translate, she continued in japanese, "It's amazing that she is after all the abuse her body has taken." The doctor shook her head, having gone through the patient's old records. "If she can refrain from pushing herself too soon and let the medical professionals decide on what she can do when…" The woman propped her glasses onto her head, and sighed, "Maybe she can stop undoing all of my hard work and actually get herself on the road to recovery."
Fate tugged nervously at her gown's sleeve, waiting for the doctor to finish speaking and Rein to, in turn, translate what was said to her. Everyone absorbed the doctor's words in silence, until Kyoya scratched the back of his head, his free hand on his hip, "She'll fight us every step of the way…" He grumbled, then eyed the blonde in a speculative fashion, "Ne, Fate-san. My sister respects your opinion, since you are someone she hired," he was making wild guesses here, but then, he did recall how protective Na-chan was of the blonde when he had first met them in that darkened alleyway. "If you could help persuade her to take things slowly, you know, so that she doesn't irreparably damage herself, we would greatly appreciate it."
Miyuki's mouth fell open slightly at what her elder brother was saying. "Chotto!~" Waitasec! "Mi-chan," her brother held up his hand, "How much did Na-chan listen to any of us the last time she was here?" His eyes widened meaningfully as he rolled them slightly in the direction of the beautiful blonde. "I'm just asking Fate-san to try. Familiarity breeds contempt, ne? Perhaps Na-chan will listen to an outsider when they tell her she is being stupid." 'Work with me here, sis…' His expression, hidden from anyone else's view, said to Miyuki.
They'd heard from their mother of the real reason why Nanoha had overexerted herself and while frequently accused of being dense, Kyoya was not an idiot. His baby sister cared for this one, maybe more than this Testarossa would ever know. If he could leverage that to their advantage, well, he wasn't beyond looking a blonde and beautiful gift horse in the mouth.
Subsiding, Miyuki blinked, frankly impressed that her brother could concoct this ruse on the fly. "Ahaha… hai," she readily agreed, appearing from behind her brother's broad form, "Perhaps." Addressing the blonde, the older Takamachi daughter gave her a bow, "Apologies for my brother's unreasonable request."
Caught between a subtle rock and a hard apology, Fate could only stammer assent that she would try. "Not a-at all. I h-heard that your family has kindly offered me a place to stay as well." Eyes falling to the resting form on the bed, her icy demeanour softened, "It is the least I can do to help."
The siblings exchanged glances. "Miss Eins," Miyuki bowed again, this time to the bodyguard, "Our mother has informed us of you. We apologise in advance for our sister's stubbornness. Please do not hold it against her. She has difficulty… relying on others."
"Please, Rein is fine. And it's understandable. I'm sure I would be tearing down walls and chewing nails if I were in her position." She offered the pair a small smile. Kyoya glanced at his watch, "Mi-chan, care to get some breakfast?" He looked at the other two present, extending his invitation to them. The blonde declined politely, "The hospital fed me. I'd like to stay, if I may?" Kyoya nodded, questioning brow lifted to Rein, "If you could get me some takeout?" The bodyguard handed the man a 5000 yen note, "Dinner was a while ago," she smiled. Nodding, the man departed with his sister.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
"I will be outside, should you need anything, Fate." Nodding absently to the departing bodyguard, Fate simply settled into the chair closest to the head of the bed. The woman's breathing seemed slightly laboured, and her fringe had once more fallen into her closed eyes. Carefully brushing aside the soft strands, Fate studied the woman whose face was still obscured by the breathing mask attached to her.
The lack of emotional resonance felt empty and frustrating. Propping her chin on one hand, she leaned closer and tried to remember even a scrap of something that would tell her how they would normally interact. The woman's thick lashes fluttered in sleep, perhaps from a dream, and the blonde watched as the supine figure's brow furrowed. She was beginning to twitch. Not a lot, incapacitated as she was, but enough that Fate wondered if waking her would be the best course of action.
"...-chan… no. No! 'M sor… ry…" The executive's lashes were matted, tears spilling past eyes clenched closed, dampening the woman's hair. Uncertain what she should be doing in this instance, Fate grabbed a tissue to dry her eyes first. "Shhh, it's fine. You're fine…"
Nanoha fought against the black, heavy molasses weighing her down, pinning her where she was. She could see Fate, ugly wires attached to her head, the whites of her eyes visible as she stared into nothingness. "Feito-chan, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She wept and tried to hug the woman. Her arms refused to comply, held down by forces unseen, and she struggled against the bonds.
The furrows in Fate's brow grew deeper. If the woman moved any further, it was likely that she would hurt something, or as the doctor had warned, undo all of the medical professional's hard work. Standing, she did what she could to keep the woman prone, Fate covering her with her own torso to help. It turned out more difficult than Fate had expected, the muscles in the Takamachi woman's neck straining from her efforts to break free from whatever had her in its unrelenting grasp.
"Miss Takamachi! Stop, you'll hurt yourself!" Fate kept her voice low to avoid causing a ruckus. It was still full of urgency and she patted what part of the woman's cheek she could reach to try to wake her.
With a gasp, the woman's eyes flew open, her mask fogging up as she panted, perspiration mingling with her tears. Blue eyes not all present, she looked frantically around, gaze eventually realising a familiar face was above hers. Of its own volition, her right hand lifted, trembling, softly caressing that precious visage. "Tenshi…" Angel… Her voice was muffled, face encased in the ventilator mask, and yet the aching tenderness the raspy alto held was unmistakable. "My… fault." Her voice cracked from the anguish weighing her down, darkening eyes full and shimmering with tears yet unshed, "I'm… so… sorry..."
The reality of Fate superimposed itself over the nightmare's vision, easing the heart-rending pain that had held her captive and she stroked the face that had branded itself into her soul. The blonde appeared confused, and the realness of the warmth beneath Nanoha's calloused fingers brought the present crashing down onto her drug-addled mind.
Swiftly dropping her hand in a panic, Nanoha turned to face one of the machines beeping sedately next to her bed. 'Oh gods, what did I do? What did I say?!' She could feel the blonde pressed down to her torso and even through the blankets and bandages, it felt so perfect… 'I'm so fucking messed up.'
Gingerly distancing herself from the now-calmed woman, Fate sat back into her chair and covered her cheek where the executive had touched. Her skin tingled wildly from the simple gesture, and she could feel her face warming. 'Who is this 'Tenshi' person? Isn't that the japanese word for Angel?' Her wine-red eyes glanced at the woman who was still facing away from her. Had the woman fallen back into slumber?
Fate was struck by the way the befuddled executive had spoken, filled with so much care and warmth. She had to have mistaken Fate for someone else. A small part of her thought that person had to be immensely lucky to be regarded with such raw sweetness and for whatever crazy reason, the blonde felt a twinge of jealousy.
Nanoha was far from done cursing herself, even as her fingers felt unaccountably warm just from that touch she had stolen. And stolen it was. This Fate was not… a friend. Not even a colleague. This Fate was completely separate from the one she called her best friend. To tolerate a stranger's hand like that… her innate graciousness had certainly remained a constant.
Nanoha could hear Fate's breathing over the sound of the machines surrounding her. 'Damn, she's not leaving.' Steeling herself, her head lolled reluctantly to face the blonde. She could see the puzzlement still there. Jaw tight, she silently cursed herself again. "Apolo… gies." At least it felt a little easier to get her words out. It seemed as though the bandages around her chest and middle were a tad less tightly wound.
Fate dropped her hand, glancing down into eyes shuttered and murky, "It's all right. You were having a bad dream, I think." Her lips twitched into some semblance of a reassuring smile, eyes still shaded with some confusion. "I was worried you may have… have hurt yourself more."
The woman closed her eyes and even with the mask, Fate could tell she was embarrassed with herself. "Apolo… gies," she repeated. The blonde shook her head, then remembered that the executive's eyes were closed. Why was she always apologising when she was the one lying there looking like she had lost a battle against a speeding car? "There is nothing to apologise for. It's been a rough time."
Those eyes were open once more, less murky now as the effects of all the drugs began to wane slightly. They still eyed her with something akin to caution and Fate could feel the cold distance the executive was placing between them. It was only right, considering they were just colleagues, but Fate had a stray thought, wondering if it would ever be possible to be friends with the Japanese woman.
"Still… unseem… ly. Please… forget it." Was the woman trying to sit up to bow?! Fate let out an alarmed squeak and hurried to catch the executive who was overcompensating and swaying dangerously to the point of tumbling right out of the hospital bed. Caught in the blonde's arms, Nanoha's eyes drifted shut momentarily, the bandaged woman selfishly absorbing the sensation. "Miss T-Takamachi, please take care," Fate half-scolded, feeling emboldened by her boss' siblings' request.
"N-Nano… ha." the woman gasped, wincing as her torso was stabbed in multiple areas from her attempt to bow. Helped back to where she had been laying, Nanoha swallowed, feeling a wet warmth around her waist.
"I'll call you anything if y-you promise to lay still," Fate said pertly. Honestly, she was completely unsurprised that complete strangers had asked for her help to keep this woman from draining her meagre reserves if actions like this were what she got up to once she was conscious.
It took a long moment for Fate's words to work past the pain Nanoha was fighting back, and the mild shock in the executive's eyes had the blonde's cheeks warming again, "I was warned you would try to overdo things, so please, for your sake, just take it easy."
It took the auburn-haired woman a good long time to find her voice, all the while she stared at the blushing blonde. It was utterly unfair how the Principessa could still affect her, even without her memories. Lips twisting wryly, she finally admitted in a rasp, "Too… late." Almost ashamed, she awkwardly tugged off her blanket with her one good arm and Fate sucked in a distressed breath, immediately pressing the emergency call button. The growing pool of red was surely not part of the woman's recovery plans.
"Miss… I mean, Nanoha, I cannot believe this. You just got back from surgery!" Nanoha nibbled at her lower lip, "Not… planned," she mumbled in her defense. "I should hope not, goodness." Fate folded the stained blanket to one side, jerky motions almost prissy as she fussed. "Does it hurt?"
She could see the executive's jaw working under her ventilator mask, "Some," she admitted.
A nurse bustled in, turning the lights up and rounding on the bed Nanoha was lying in. Fate had moved aside again, not wanting to get in the way. "Kami have mercy, you weren't even scheduled to wake for another thirty minutes." The older woman was short with a matronly air, her frown however, spoke volumes that this was completely unacceptable. Rein had stuck her head into the room to check on things, but since it was just medical stuff and not an intruder, she simply resumed standing guard outside with Nanoha's and Fate's government guards.
"You're lucky you'll be getting reconstructive surgery." Grumbling about pigheaded patients with the smarts of a pack of gum, the nurse called for assistance and fresh bandages and began unravelling the red-stained strips from around Nanoha's middle. The heavy scent of iron filled the air and Fate hazarded a glance as another nurse showed up, pushing a small cart in with them. The hole was ugly and uneven, situated to the right of a surprisingly lean abdomen. It was clear the executive exercised a fair amount.
She could see Nanoha's jaw muscle ticking from the sting of it being washed. Determining that she wouldn't be in the way, Fate moved to the head of the bed and tried to distract the woman, "Hey." Eyes holding back the pain glanced up at her voice, and the executive seemed grateful for her presence. "Not… my best… look." The woman mumbled weakly, and Fate coughed, holding back what had to be a highly inappropriate laugh.
Fate cleared her throat, lips twitching as she tried but failed to hold back a smile, "You may be right there." This person was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from gods knew how many injuries, and she had the wherewithal to still pull a joke out of thin air. The urge to brush the woman's fringe out of her eyes came upon her suddenly and she blinked. Where were these urges stemming from?
Instead, she said, "You're perspiring." Glancing at the box of tissues nearby, she asked, "May I?" One blue eye peered pathetically up at Fate from under an unruly fringe. Nanoha was torn. It would be so easy to fall back into that mutual care that they'd shown one another. She needed to stay strong in the face of Fate's natural sweetness. At last, she gave a reluctant nod, not trusting her voice. She was merely helping her boss out a little. "Am… a… mess." Nanoha sighed out, not referring to how she was looking.
Armed with an excuse, Fate brushed back the woman's fridge to dab away the perspiration gathering over her brow. Nanoha's eyes drifted shut, her breathing easing while she submitted to the gentle touch. "You look fine," Fate countered, the woman's natural prettiness still evident past the tubes, machines and breathing mask.
This earned a snort from the older nurse whose rapid-fire japanese was impossible for Fate to catch, "She would look more fine if she could stop tearing open stitches." The woman covered the wound with cotton and gauze and applied pressure, causing Nanoha to grunt painfully. "She… is not hap… py.." Nanoha translated for Fate, eyes still closed.
Fate had been a little distracted watching the nurses work. She certainly wasn't looking at the executive's abdominal muscles tensing under the medical personnels' administrations or anything of the sort. Glancing back to her own hands, she jumped a little to see azure blue staring up at her, "Don't… look." Nanoha had assumed Fate was disturbed by the ugly sight, "Not pre… tty." Her face scrunched as the stronger nurse lifted her middle while the other rolled out a fresh set of bandages around the woman's waist.
It was mortifying to be weak as a kitten like this, and it took Nanoha conscious effort not to shut the blonde out entirely. She would've liked to think she had gotten a little more mature in the eleven years since she had last been in the ICU. It helped that the blonde felt like a complete stranger again. If it was someone she knew…
"Na-chan, why are you up? What happened?" Nanoha groaned internally. 'Fuck…'
The siblings had returned, having dropped off a bento to each of the diligent guards outside the room.
Nanoha cast Fate a pleading look not to tell. Fate saw that look out of the corner of her eye and hid a smile, "She tried to bow." She tattled gravely. Nanoha gave Fate an Et tu, Brute? glare that she ignored, "Y-You were supposed to rest."
"I can… rest… when I'm… dead," Nanoha groused petulantly. Fate was certain the executive would've crossed her arms if she could. She could have sworn she saw her pouting under that mask. 'Definitely cute.'
"I knew it was a good idea to ask Feito-san to keep tabs on you, Na-chan," Kyoya sighed after palming his face. The nurses were just done securing the bandages and the older one simply bustled closer to the head of the bed and gestured at Kyoya to leave.
Nanoha's brother was a little slow on the uptake and blinked confusedly. Chuckling, Miyuki shoved Kyoya out the door, locking it firmly behind him. The nurses began divesting the executive of her blood-soaked gown.
The pale blonde went red to her roots and spun around. Miyuki patted Fate on the arm, "It's okay, Feito-san, we're all women here."
"Leave… her, Nee-san," Nanoha winced at being shifted around, "She does… not need… to see… ugly."
Her older sister clucked her tongue, "Would be less ugly if you'd stop getting hurt so much."
"Don't… tell mom." Miyuki gave Nanoha an incredulous look, "Do I look like I have a death wish? I'll be on the phone with her after we leave, if Nii-chan isn't already calling her."
"I feel… bul… lied," Nanoha complained.
"Not ugly." The bickering Takamachi sisters paused to glance at the source of the shy whisper.
Unable to control her curiosity, Fate clung to the older sister's assurances to turn back around. Reluctantly. She stressed in her own mind. The executive's shoulders were broader than expected, the lean column of muscle of the woman's neck easily confirming Fate's guess that the woman worked out a fair bit. So too what she could see of Nanoha's legs, their lengths toned and shapely.
Arms crossed, one hand up in a fist to hide her mouth, Fate stared off to the side after disputing Nanoha and Miyuki's talk about the executive's ugliness. 'Shit, did I say that out loud?! No, I've lost enough…' Meeting both women's eyes, she fixed her gaze on Nanoha's and added, "It is clear you take the trouble to stay fit. I think you look good." Snapping her mouth shut, she tore her eyes away to stare at the formless linoleum of the room floor.
Miyuki could tell Nanoha had been left speechless, the usual arguments and self-disdain failing to materialise in the face of Fate's adamant assertion. "About time someone told it to her face," the older Takamachi quipped. "I like you, Feito-san. Please keep telling Na-chan this. Maybe she will get it one of these days. To be fair, her skull is very thick so getting through to her might take a while."
"Still feel… ling bul… lied," Nanoha pointed out drolly.
Fate couldn't meet either of their eyes, "I h-have time," she stated, her pleasant soprano falling back into a whisper. "A-And free memory space, s-so I can remember to remind her."
Glancing at her sister's flummoxed stare that was teetering on blatant adoration, Miyuki giggled, and soon all three of them were laughing. Nanoha had to stop when even that hurt too much. "Ow, fuck…" She sighed. Patting Nanoha, Miyuki helped the woman remove her mask to take a long drink. "Kaa-san will be glad to hear you can still laugh." 'And who caused it,' the older sister thought.
"Thanks, Nee... -san," Nanoha cleared her throat tiredly. "Guess you… can let... Nii-san in."
"Oh my, I forgot about him." The three laughed again, or Miyuki and Fate did, Nanoha just gave a faint lopsided smile. It looked far too cute on the sombre executive and Fate glanced away, wondering what was up with herself. She had essentially just met the woman. "I should go back before the nurse comes looking for me."
"Thank you..., Fate-san."
"Leaving already, Feito-san?" Kyoya was just coming back in, happy to see Nanoha looking a little more animated despite the blonde's presence.
"Yes, I've overstayed my welcome, I should head back."
"Never." The blonde glanced back over her shoulder. It was Nanoha. "Always… welcome." She couldn't help herself. The executive knew she was in for a world of hurt saying that. Apparently, she was a glutton for pain. "As Na-chan said. Feito-san is a friend of the clan," Kyoya felt justified in saying that, feeling Nanoha's grateful look on him after he'd said it. Miyuki added her own sound of agreement, "We look forward to Feito-san visiting the clan."
Bowing with a small smile of thanks, Fate departed. The room felt empty without the blonde and Nanoha tried not to look sorry for herself. The blonde's visit had taken insane amounts of energy out of the auburn-haired woman to avoid looking too weak, and she was fast losing her grip on consciousness now that she was gone.
"Nee-san… one…gai~" She shifted her head enough to indicate she needed help getting her breathing mask back on. Miyuki did as asked, and tucked Nanoha's covers snugly around her. "Rest, Kitten. We have to get back to the dojo."
"A… ri… gato…" Slipping back into unconsciousness, just one stray thought flitted through the executive's mind. 'Visiting the clan?'