Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Tug-of-War	By : thewriterwhocameinfromthecold Category: +G to L > Love Hina Views: 57788 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina or it's associated characters. I am not profiting off this work in any way.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
‘It just had to be my night to cook,’ Kitsune thought as she scooped rice out of the cooker. ‘I’d never have made that stupid bet if I’d remembered.’
She wasn’t really worried about losing. Naru was good, almost as good as Kitsune herself; but the idea that she could seduce their new manager a few hours after having met him didn’t bear thinking about. No, Kitsune just didn’t want to give away the inside track, especially when a cute guy who practically owned the building stood on the other side of the finish line.
Nerdy looking guys weren’t usually Kitsune’s brand of choice; but the was something about the little boy lost aura he had given off during the meeting with Haruka that excited the fox girl’s maternal instincts.
Kitsune frowned. It sounded kind of creepy put like that. The truth was, however, unworldly guys in need of a helping hand held a special place in Kitsune’s heart. It had begun in kindergarten when a boy in her class struck out his first time at bat during the school tee ball game, and she had kissed him to make him feel better. It hadn’t worked – he’d run off screaming about girl germs – but the motivation that birthed the action had stayed strong in Kitsune to this day. The guys she’d been with (the ones she’d really care for) had all been underdogs. Even Seta, as brilliant as he was, had attracted Kitsune through his naïveté about the world.
Kitsune sighed as she laid chopsticks out on the dining table.
Of course, that attraction had never been returned. She shock Seta from her mind as she carried the serving dishes in. It was time to focus on the present, on men who could be present.
The subject of her musings strolled in.
“Smells good,” he said.
Kitsune gestured to her handiwork. “Grilled fish and rice. I hope that’s all right.”
Keitaro nodded and surveyed the table. “Which seat is mine?”
“Oh, you can just…” Kitsune realized that she was one place setting short. “I’m sorry. Let me get another plate, and you can take the seat at the end.”
“No trouble,” Keitaro said, as he sat down. “I’m sure this’ll be an adjustment for everyone. Especially me,” she heard him whisper.
“Hey!” Naru strolled into the kitchen.
Kitsune gave her a distracted wave, but Keitaro surprised her by giving Naru a sheepish smile. Naru ran a hand over Keitaro’s shoulder and took her usual seat.
“I’m starved,” she said.
Kitsune gave her friend a searching look. Had Naru already made her move? Her suspicions grew when she realized that Naru was wearing a white blouse, rather than the sweater she’d been wearing when she’d arrive home from cram school. Kitsune didn’t recognise the ensemble as one of Naru’s usual Woman on the Prowl outfits; but still, why the change?
Kitsune was shaken from her wonderings by the arrival of Su, who did her usual backflip into her chair, took the lion’s share of the food before anyone could blink, and covered everything with hot sauce before digging in. Keitaro watched her every move with the fascination of a man watching a circus act.
“Is she always…”
“Yes,” Kitsune replied.
“Really?”
Kitsune and Naru nodded together, and began passing around what Su, in her infinite mercy, had left them.
“So, Keitaro,” Kitsune asked as she passed him the rice, “how do you like it at Tokyo U?”
Keitaro choked on nothing at all. “Excuse me?”
“I was just wondering what university is like,” Kitsune replied, nonplussed.
Keitaro ran a hand through his hair and stared down as his plate. “Well, I…”
Naru cleared her throat.
Kitsune’s suspicions returned as Keitaro looked at Naru who nodded. Then he started giving Kitsune’s nervous sideways glances, while Naru’s expression only turned harder. She cleared her throat again.
Keitaro heaved a sigh and held up his hands.. “Actually, there’s something you should all know.”
Kitsune felt a nervous pang as she leaned forward on her elbows. Su seemed not to have heard as she kept eating.
Keitaro’s eyes were bolted to his plate. “Haruka told you guys that I was a Tokyo University student. But…” He clenched his jaw, inhaling sharply through his nose. “But that wasn’t exactly true.”
Kitsune blinked.
“What part?” she asked as she saw Naru give him a nod.
Keitaro gave his plate a weak smile.
“Not much. Just the part about going to Tokyo U. And the part about being a student.”
Kitsune snorted. “Which leaves what?”
“Well, er, nothing I guess.”
“Why would she think it was true?”
Keitaro explained about failing the entrance exam. Kitsune kept a close eye on Naru during the tale, but Naru never blinked an eye. She had to have known already. That was the only reason, Kitsune was certain, that she wasn’t taking the reins and interrogating him herself. But if Naru knew, why was she so calm?
Keitaro’s eyes returned to his plate as he finished the story. His expression of doom was so absolute that Kitsune wondered if she had been listening properly. What was he so afraid of? His aunt had made a mistake, and now he’d corrected it. It wasn’t like he’d tried to hide that he was a ronin. Still, he wouldn’t meet anyone’s eye.
“You’re not the only person who didn’t get into college,” she told him. “I didn’t. It’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
Keitaro looked up in surprise. “You’re not angry?”
Kitsune laughed. “Why would I be?”
“Told you,” Naru said.
Kitsune stared at her friend in accusation. “So you did know.”
Naru shrugged.
“So you’re not going to ask me to leave?” Keitaro asked.
Kitsune gave him an incredulous look. “You were afraid that we’d kick you out? Just because you made a mistake?”
Mirth bubbled deep within her and erupted in an hysterical belly laugh. Kitsune bent over at the waist. It was too funny for words, and Keitaro and Naru’s stunned expressions only made her laugh harder. She laughed until she was out of breath. As the last of her giggles faded out, she sat back up and grabbed the rice dish.
“Have some more rice, Mr. Manager.”
Keitaro took the bowl with a smile, only to look down and see that Su had capitalised on the distraction and taken the last of the rice.
The realization that he wouldn’t have to lie loosened Keitaro up considerably as the meal went on. He listened with a smile as Kitsune and Naru fell into the easy flowing conversation that had marked their friendship from the beginning. It was Naru who had the presence of mind to tell Keitaro about Motoko, though the look on his face made it plain he could have done without.
“There’s a man-hating woman in possession of a deadly weapon living here, and somehow I’m supposed to convince her to live and let live?”
“That’s about the size of it,” Naru replied as she cleared the dishes.
“How?”
Kitsune looked at Naru, just as curious as Keitaro to hear a solution.
Naru shrugged. “No clue, but the good news is that she can’t try and get rid of you if you’ve got the support of all the tenants.” She smiled at him. “Which you do.”
Keitao looked away with a sheepish expression. “Guess it doesn’t matter until she gets here.” He got up from his seat avoiding Naru’s gaze, said “Think I’ll turn in early,” and was gone.
Far from looking hurt, Naru had a pleased smile on her face as she carried the dishes into the kitchen. All of Kitsune’s little suspicions came back to her as Naru turned on the sink and began humming to herself.
:Kitsune smirked as she leaned against the kitchen doorway. “You know, if I’d known you were going to work this fast, I’d have brought dinner up on a tray.”
Naru turned around. “Excuse me?” Her voice was level, but Kitsune could detect the gleam of triumph in her friend’s eye.
She snorted. “You little slut. You’ve had him already, haven’t you?”
Naru smiled.
Kitunse shook her head in admiration. “Wow. That’s gotta be a record. Well, come. Sit down and tell me everything.”
So they sat in the dining room and Naru told her friend everything.
“A virgin, really?” Kitsun doffed an imaginary hat.
Naru leaned back in her chair, giving the chandelier a triumphant smirk. “First kiss, first blowjob, first fuck, all in one go. I figure I’ll be haunting his wet dreams well into the next century.” She straightened to look at Kitsune. “Guess I win the bet.”
Kitsune waved a finger. “Hold on no. The bet was first girl to get him to spend the night with her, and I do believe I just saw our manager go up to bed alone.”
Naru scowled. “You cannot be serious.”
“Those were the words. You want to back out?”
Naru leaned forward until they were both nose to nose. “Not a chance. I did it once. I’ll do it again.”
Kitsune crossed her arms. “Not if I steal him from you first.”
Naru turned pensive as she cast a look through the doorway leading to the back stairs. “I don’t know Kitsune. He’s not like the other guys who were into it. I don’t think he’ll go for being shared.”
Kitsune’s brow furrowed. “It sounds like you’re not the only one who made an impression.”
Naru threw up her arms. “You saw how he acted at dinner. He was so scared that he’d be kicked out just over a mistake.” She stared down at her knees. “I think we might want to handle him with kid gloves Kitsune. We do have to live together.”
“Says the girl who fucked him an hour after meeting him.”
Naru scowled and pushed out of her chair. “You want a go at him? Fine, but don’t blame me when he gets hurt or rejects you.”
Kitsune bit back a retort and said, “Whatever. It’s still my shot.”
In her room, Kitsune fumed about Naru’s talk of kid gloves.
‘Hypocrite.’
Deep down, however, she suspected Naru was right: Keitaro seemed fairly traditional – not the type to date two girls at once; and definitely not the type to sleep with two at once. Kitsune wasn’t sure how to overcome that, but as she heard Naru go upstairs and walk down third floor hall to her room, she realized that she wanted to try. But how could she get close to her manager in a way that he wouldn’t suspect and wear down his defences?
Kitsune jumped as lightning flashed outside the window. She turned to see the bright white fork on the horizon, glowing like an omen. As thunder rumbled a second later, she began to smile.
‘Perfect.’
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Tug-of-War