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Cut the Crap, Tsukune!	By : DrunkenScotsman Category: +M to R > Rosario Vampire Views: 10769 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Rosario+Vampire; Ikeda Akihisa does. I make no money for the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 3: Winter Wonderland

Mizore’s been acting strangely today, more aloof than usual, Tsukune thought as the Friday-afternoon classes dragged on, seemingly interminably. He’d been stealing glances at her, in profile because she sat beside him, all day, trying to figure out what it was about her that seemed so out-of-place. He certainly didn’t hate the act of looking itself, either.

Tsukune never could decide which of Mizore’s features he found most appealing. Her skin was pale, almost as white as fresh-fallen snow. Her eyes were a clear blue, almost painful in their blueness, if somewhat unsettling because her pupils nearly matched her irises, which rendered the pupils practically invisible. The way she smiled, though not broadly like other girls, had a way of brightening a room; he always wondered why she didn’t smile more, but he thought it special when she did.

One of those ice-blue eyes he’d just been dwelling on flicked over towards him. Crap! She caught me staring! he panicked, a blush spreading over his cheeks. Tsukune decided to put on a smile to cover his nerves. She smiled back, the barest curl to the corner of her mouth.

Tsukune tried to focus on the lesson, but he’d never found science all that interesting. Especially since this is human biology, he thought, his mind flitting briefly back to his “study date” with Moka earlier this week. He tried not to focus on that memory too much just now, in case the teacher called on him to answer; not only did he want to be able to answer by paying attention, he also wanted to avoid standing up with a bulge in his trousers. I’d be much more interested if this were monster biology instead, he mused, derailing his previous train of thought.

Tsukune noticed Mizore glance around the room. Ascertaining that no one was looking, including the teacher who was drawing a diagram on the board, the snow-woman leaned over to put a small slip of folded paper onto Tsukune’s desk. She then returned to her full upright position.

The young man’s eyes widened as he stared at the note. A quick glance at the teacher confirmed they weren’t caught, thanks to the intricate diagram taking shape in chalk. Tsukune unfolded the note and sneaked it into his notebook so it would look like just another page of class notes. He’d heard rumors that the science teacher was actually a fire-breathing dragon, and he had no desire to find out by inciting that kind of wrath.

With one more glance towards the teacher, Tsukune read Mizore’s note, her handwriting displayed in clean strokes of purple ink.

My dear Tsukune,

Please meet me by the pond tomorrow afternoon, after lunch ends Saturday classes. You may wish to bring a jacket; the forecast indicates a chilly day, and I don’t want you to catch cold. Just someone who is cold. ;)

With all my heart, <3

Your little snow-bunny

The young man turned his head to meet the gaze of the ice-woman beside him. Unlike her usual placid expression, Mizore’s face at the moment proved easy to read. In her eyes he saw a gleam of… hope?... amid no small amount of fear – fear that he’d turn her down, he surmised, even after he’d promised. Tsukune smiled and nodded once. She rewarded him with that small yet potent smile of hers; her cheeks colored pale pink, like strawberry sherbet.

“Mr. Aono,” barked the science teacher, still constructing his diagram, “please explain to the class the purpose of adrenalin.”

Tsukune’s heart raced as the named substance infused his blood. The young man stood. “It elevates heart rate and breathing, sir,” he answered with confidence, thankful that Moka had insisted on actually studying that night. “It allows humans to tap more of their strength, in response to danger.”

“Adequately done,” grumped the teacher. “The name of this state of being, Miss Shirayuki?”

Mizore stood and stared at her notes. “Ah… fight-or-flight response, sir,” she mumbled.

“Likewise adequate, though you could have answered more confidently,” scolded the teacher. “You both may sit,” he instructed as he continued the lecture. The two teens sat and resumed their note-taking, rather than note-passing, which they realized may have been the point. Neither of their attentions deviated from the material for the rest of the period.

~~~~~

By the time Saturday afternoon finally arrived, Tsukune felt as if he had been on pins and needles for days. He’d been thinking about asking Mizore out on a date, pretty much all week long, in fact, when she passed him that note. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned what they’d be doing added an air of mystery to the whole situation.

En route to the pond on campus, Tsukune sighed. I wanted to take initiative this time, he reflected, but Mizore beat me to the punch. It’s been the same with Yukari and both Mokas – I’ve let them take the lead, when I’m supposed to do that as a man. He chuckled ruefully. Inner Moka wouldn’t have let me, he admitted to himself, but I have no excuse regarding the other two.

Tsukune sighed again. I’m so passive and indecisive. Yukari even pointed that out to me, yet what have I done about it?

Nothing, he scolded himself. As always, I’ve done nothing. When monsters attack, I’m useless except to remove Moka’s rosary. I’m useless as a boyfriend for them, too – I don’t plan dates, instead letting things unfold however the girl wishes. I don’t even think to bring protection, just in case. I’m nothing more than a glorified sex toy for them, aren’t I?

Tsukune stopped in his tracks, physically and mentally alike, when he spotted Mizore by the water’s edge. In her case, and Kurumu’s too, I guess I’m a sperm donor too, he thought glumly. Why they’d want my useless genes, though, I have no idea.

Mood darkened, the young man approached the ice-woman clad in her usual garb. He spotted the small bandages on her hands, the ones he’d noticed on the day of the cooking practical. Mizore burned herself trying to cook for me, he realized; to figure out how to make her delicious “shaved ice” curry, she must’ve experimented first with traditional recipes requiring heat. He swallowed the lump in his throat. She did all that for me.

At that moment, Mizore noticed him. For the briefest of moments, her expression betrayed disbelief. She thought I might not come, he mused sadly. Her mouth curled upwards at the corners, and Tsukune felt all the dark feelings he was having vanish. I will give her more reasons to smile, Tsukune resolved.

“Tsukune,” she greeted him simply.

“Mizore,” he addressed her. He couldn’t tear his gaze from her eyes just now.

“Tsukune…?” she began uncertainly. With a start, she recognized what was happening: Holy shit, we’re doing that thing he does with Moka!

“Mizore,” he murmured, staring into those blue disks glittering faintly in the afternoon sun. The glimmering surfaces seemed to him as though they hid untold depths of emotion that he had only begun to glimpse. The prospect of delving further excited him.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Mizore told him, breaking the spell. “I hope you’ll like what I have planned.”

Tsukune smiled. “I promised, didn’t I?” he reminded her. “If I can’t be good for anything else, I can at least keep my promises.” Scratching his head absently, he asked, “What do you have planned? I’ve been wondering since yesterday.”

Her smile turned enigmatic. “Watch,” she answered simply.

Mizore faced the pond. Her normally-purple hair transformed into a clear, almost translucent white. Before he felt the temperature dropping, Tsukune knew that the color shift signaled a major exertion of monster energy on Mizore’s part.

The snow-demon held out her hands and performed a maneuver, smooth and fluid, resembling a kata from the tai-chi videos his mom exercised with. The young man watched in awe as the pond’s surface solidified. He shivered a little, glad that she’d warned him to bring a jacket.

Mizore stepped onto the ice. Eyes closed in concentration, she tapped her foot a few times against the frozen surface. Tsukune watched, thinking how cute she looked while communing with her element, her brow just slightly furrowed and her head tilted to one side. After several long moments of intermittent tapping, she nodded in satisfaction.

“Please, join me,” she invited, holding out her hand. “The ice is strong enough to support our weight.”

Tsukune stepped gingerly onto the smooth, slippery surface of the pond. His shoes, not designed for such activity, slid. Mizore stepped under his arm and kept him from falling, her arm snaking around his waist. The young man became acutely aware of how close their faces had gotten. A blush rose to color his cheeks.

The snow-woman’s cheeks also glowed. “Sorry – I forgot something important here,” she apologized. “Keep leaning on my shoulder,” she instructed as she knelt down in front of him.

“Uh, Mizore?”

She giggled. “I’m not going to do anything weird or perverted,” she soothed; to herself she added, Not yet, anyway – maybe later. A shiver climbed her spine at the thought, though she tried to ignore it and focus on her task. Lifting one of Tsukune’s feet, Mizore fashioned a makeshift blade of ice affixed to the sole of his shoe; she repeated the process for the other.

“I’ve, uh, never been ice skating,” Tsukune admitted once he’d caught onto his date’s plan.

Mizore stood and took his hands. “I’m happy to teach you,” she replied. With a thought, she formed ice skates on the soles of her own shoes. “I hope you don’t mind that it’s literal ice-skating.”

Tsukune chuckled and shook his head. “I’m looking forward to it. This was a great idea,” he assured her.

The young man’s heart leapt when her face lit up with a smile. “Let’s get started, then. Since it’s your first time, I’ll go slow,” she teased. That sounded like something the succubus might say, the snow-woman mused as she led her date onto the ice.

“Kurumu? Why are you dressed up like Mizore?” Tsukune teased back, earning him a sour look from the ice-demon.

“It’s unwise to mock me when I have you right where I want you,” Mizore mock-threatened. “Only my promise not to freeze you is saving you right now.” She shrugged. “Oh well – I suppose I’ll just have to settle for exhausting you by skating.” Her eyes glittered mischievously, enticing Tsukune to follow along.

~~~~~

The two teens skated for some time – an hour, maybe two, maybe three; Tsukune wasn’t sure because of how much fun he was having. Even though he nearly fell several times, the grin never left his face. Besides, Mizore caught him each time, which rendered even the near-falls enjoyable since they brought her into such close proximity.

“Thanks,” Tsukune told her towards the end after yet another slip. My legs, he thought, feel like they’re turning into jelly. Aloud he added, “I thought I was starting to get the hang of it.”

“You are,” Mizore encouraged him. “You’re probably just tiring out. It’s okay; I am too.” She led them to the edge of the pond.

Tsukune sighed. She’s just saying that so I won’t feel like a wimp, he reasoned. “You’re really good at this,” he complimented her, “though I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising.”

Mizore shrugged. “I guess not.”

At that moment, Tsukune noticed just how out of breath the ice-woman truly was. Chagrined, he also realized that her hair had remained icy throughout their skating, focused as he was on simply not falling on his face. As they stepped off the frozen pond and back onto solid ground, the young man reached a conclusion: Mizore has been maintaining the cold this entire time; even for her, that’s quite an effort. I guess she wasn’t just saying it after all.

Feeling the young woman leaning on him now, rather than the reverse, Tsukune helped her to a nearby bench. He guided Mizore to an upright seated position, though her head lolled back as she relaxed, gasping for breath. Her hair returned to its usual purple shade, and Tsukune felt the air around him begin to warm – or rather, become less cold – immediately. As the chill faded from its wintry preview into a pleasant autumn afternoon, their skates melted in a matter of minutes, the pond soon reverted to its liquid state, and Tsukune removed his no-longer-necessary jacket. Legs buckling, he flopped onto the bench beside his date.

“Did you,” panted Mizore, “have fun?”

Tsukune nodded. “That was amazing,” he confirmed aloud, in case she missed him nodding. “We’ll have to do this again, but in the winter so you don’t have to work so hard keeping everything frozen.”

“A-Again?” Mizore stammered, unable to believe her ears. “You… you’ve decided? You… p-pick me?”

The young man’s mouth worked soundlessly. “Uh, well… no… n-not exactly,” he fumbled. “It’s just… I’ve had a good time with you… and the others… and I, um,” he halted with a sigh. “More dates will be needed before I can decide,” he finally managed.

The snow-demon turned her head toward him, her alien eyes probing his inquisitively. “For so long now, I’ve been afraid,” she admitted, her voice soft. “I feared you could never want me at all, never see me as more than a friend.”

“Because of how I act around Moka, and how I haven’t acted that way towards you?” surmised the young man, shamefaced.

Mizore nodded. “That’s part of it, but… there’s more to it than that,” she warned him.

Tsukune blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Remember when we first met?” she asked.

“Um, which part?” he responded nervously. “It was… pretty eventful.”

“When I froze the gym teacher,” she answered, voice so quiet that Tsukune strained to hear her, “because he tried to take advantage of me.” Her next words emerged in fits and starts: “He… what he did… to me… I was so surprised at first… then, so many… tentacles… all over me… I couldn’t stop him fast enough… I was so scared…” She shut her eyes and folded her arms around herself as she relived the memory.

Tsukune scooted over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, Mizore,” he soothed. “Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

Mizore shook her head. “It’s not okay, Tsukune. The gym teacher… dirtied me. He… he took… everything. I didn’t want it… but I couldn’t stop him.” She looked at him now, her eyes glassy. “I’m not worthy of being with you.”

Tsukune cupped her chin tenderly. “Please don’t think that way, Mizore. The way I see it, a kiss can’t be stolen; it’s something you choose to give.” He smiled reassuringly and decided to take a chance. “I’d like to give you one now, if you want.”

Mizore didn’t answer right away. Tsukune began to wonder if his words of comfort had had the intended effect. He fervently hoped so, because he truly didn’t think of her as “dirtied.”

“You… want to kiss me?” she asked, voice wavering. “Even though you shouldn’t want to kiss someone… who isn’t worth your time or attention – even though you’ve gotten close to Moka, whom I know you love – you still want to kiss me?”

Tsukune’s cheeks reddened. “You are worthwhile, Mizore,” he reiterated. “You’re one of the bravest people I know, whether standing against Kuyo the fire-demon by yourself or cooking basically just for me. I know you hate it and how much it must’ve hurt to keep trying.” The snow-woman looked at him strangely, prompting him to explain, “I saw the bandages on your hands. I… I can’t tell you what it means to me that you put yourself through so much trouble.”

His voice now sank to a whisper, and his eyes fell. “I don’t know why you – any of you – would want to be with me. I’m the worthless one.”

“If I’m not worthless, then you aren’t either, Tsukune!” Mizore protested, surprising the young man with her vehemence. “Before I read your articles, I felt totally alone, remember? You were my first real friend. Later, if it weren’t for you, I’d be… I’d be… well, I wouldn’t be here,” she finally managed to choke out.

The snow-woman cupped his face in her hands to bring his eyes up to meet hers. “I owe you everything, Tsukune. I wish I could give you my first kiss, but I can’t. All I can offer is my heart, which is still pure; it belongs to you alone.” Her small smile perched on her lips.

The two teens gazed deep into each other’s eyes. Mizore moved a hand to the stem of her lollipop, which slipped between her lips and out of the way as they leaned towards one another. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you noticed my hands,” she whispered, “and that you could still possibly want to kiss me.”

“Very much so,” Tsukune whispered back. “And it is your first kiss, since you’re the one who decides to give it,” he insisted.

“I’ve dreamt of this so long,” she added, her breath tickling his lips and his tickling hers.

Their lips met. Mizore’s breath hitched, and she found herself struggling just to move air in and out of her lungs in her excitement. Her blood rushed in her ears, blotting out all other sounds. Her heart seemed in the midst of an earnest effort to batter its way out of her chest.

Elated, Mizore pressed her lips more firmly against his. Tsukune responded by cupping her cheek in his hand. He squeezed her shoulder as well, and she raised her free hand to rest atop his. The young man was surprised that she wasn’t as cold as he’d anticipated – refreshingly cool like a mountain spring in summer, rather than the same spring in winter. The young woman tasted his lunch on his lips – salty like soy sauce, a tad peppery, and just a little savory too.

The kiss deepened, their tongues exploring one another with increasing passion. Mizore hummed in delight as her whole body grew warm. She guided Tsukune’s hand from her shoulder downward, drawing a surprised sound from Tsukune. Only a moment later, though, he began kneading through her layered shirts.

Oh shit, Mizore swore to herself, Tsukune’s feeling me up! He doesn’t see me as damaged goods, just like he said. He does want me. Joy, pure and light and tingly, permeated her at the realization; she felt as though she might fly away on the slightest breeze.

As the feeling pooled in her lower abdomen, though, it metamorphosed into a something more… primal. No stranger to indulging such yearnings, she recognized them instantly but nonetheless had never felt them surge so strongly within her. For the first time in forever, though, she dared to hope that she might sate them fully, with Tsukune rather than alone. Unabashedly she pressed herself more firmly against his hand.

For his part, Tsukune simply focused on enjoying the feel of his date’s lips and tongue on his. Despite his surprise when she put his hand on her breast, he didn’t object. In fact, the young man decided that fondling her represented the best way to demonstrate that he desired her, whatever her self-perceived shortcomings. When the young woman responded by pressing herself against his hand, he knew he’d made the right decision.

~~~~~

From her hiding spot amid some bushes on the other side of the pond, Kokoa narrowed her eyes. “I knew you weren’t worthy of my big sis,” she growled to herself as she watched Tsukune and Mizore make out. “Just you wait till I tell her what a two-timing cad you really are!”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: Another week, another update. I'm glad to see everyone enjoying this story as much as they are, and I look forward to everyone's continuing feedback (ratings and reviews!). Mizore's story was a lot of fun to write, what with all the various references to other things I could make. As the end of this chapter shows, I'm also trying to bring all of my stories thus far into more solid connection, so that once each individual girl's story has been told, I can bring the plot as a whole to a satisfying conclusion. *cough*

FYI, though, once this story's complete, don't expect Kurumu's for some time yet; I haven't even started on hers because other projects will need my attention in the coming months - NaNoWriMo, for one. Deepest apologies, but I promise I will write her story (she's my favorite, after all); it just might not be until early next year.
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Cut the Crap, Tsukune!