Friday, September 26, 2008

A Love That Is Mine 5

Strike Witches-fanfic. A helpful Erica Hartmann decided to do a good deed.
Fifth part in a series of short stories.
(Minna/Barkhorn)

Read A Love That Is Mine 5





Disclaimer: All things Strike Witches belong to Gonzo and a bunch of others, though I’m sure I’m not hurting anything by borrowing them for a bit.

This is the fifth part in the “A Love That Is Mine”-series.



A Love That Is Mine 5
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by Carola “Ryûchan” Eriksson





I never had love.

Oh I’ve flirted aplenty, and been flirted with, but beyond that, the actual emotions... no, I have never had love. I figure that I’m young, things like that will come to me in time, when something in me is ready for it and there is a place for that love in my life. It is not something to stress oneself over.

Still, I’ve found myself thinking a lot lately that it would be nice to have, to share that sort of thing with someone. I admit that I’ve looked at some of my more obviously amorous friends and felt the occasional pang of envy... how nice to belong together with someone.

That is probably a big part of the reason why it gets on my nerves when certain people waste it, squander what they’ve been given by dancing around the issue and one another, saying nothing. I kind of want to yell at them to get on with it already. I know I’m the irresponsible one of the team, but even I know to have my fun today because tomorrow I might get shot out of the sky for good. Even fool’s luck runs out someday.

Such was the case with my two oldest and dearest friends, until recently that is.

I had seen it coming for some time, and it wasn’t particularly surprising that once a certain person managed to put her hang-ups to rest, my dear old former teacher was going to get caught dead in her sights. Which is all fine and good, they’re made for one another and I’ve been expecting this for almost as long as I’ve known them, but little miss combat genius has her ponytails tied on too tight to catch a clue even if it is hammered into her skull. It was almost painfully embarrassing to watch.

After some time of this kind of behaviour even the kid started sighing and rolling her eyes when those two got going, yes they’re both so sugary cute it makes my teeth itch, but something just had to give. I was sorely tempted to intervene, but none of my ingenious plans were likely to work, after all, how does one manage to lock two women into a small room together if one somehow has the ability to read your mind and the other the strength to tear down walls like they’re tissue paper?

I was going to have to plan it all very carefully and be extra sneaky.

Thankfully I never needed to implement any of my cunning plans as my friends saw fit to come to their senses just before I would have been forced to flip a coin for which one of before mentioned plans to put in motion. We were supposed to wait for the kid while she was getting ready, and I was busy describing my war achievements to this pretty little thing that was absolutely fascinated by me – what can I say, I’m so charming it’s sinful – while a certain couple in the making quite suspiciously retreated to a nearby balcony.

For all I know they were out there flirting their Strikers off while alone, after all I took my time to finish the conversation with pretty before stealthily sneaking up to check on them, but at least I got there for the important part.

When I first spied them they were standing close together, good old teach looking almost mortally uncomfortable with her shoulder providing someone else’s headrest, but completely unable to move since her arm was in quite a secure double-armed hold. As giggle-worthy as that sight was, it was also fairly par for the course, so I was going to just step out and strike up conversation when something happened.

At first it seemed to be the usual let-me-straighten-your-crooked-hair-by-embracing-you,-pressing-my-body-shamelessly-against-yours-while-staring-deeply-into-your-eyes thing – I need to come up with a good name for this manoeuvre, it is really quite effective apparently – but just as they were about to draw apart my old buddy surprised me and possibly herself as well.

Even though I could tell that her ears were bright red from where I was standing, she had some spurt of boldness from I don’t know where and yanked our other friend back into a close clinch, and then she kissed her. Just like that, and not a short little peck of a kiss either.

They drew back far enough to stare at one another, looking about as shocked as I felt. It took me a long moment to comprehend that it was real, but by the time I could finally process it I was fully ready to run out to the nearest populated street, wave flags around while proclaiming to all that heard that THEY FINALLY DID IT, but I restrained myself. See, I do have discipline.

I would like to say that at this point they leaned in and kissed each other again, however it was more like they fell upon one another like a pair of starving wolves. I stopped my internal cheering and celebrating enough to stare at them completely dumbfounded for another good long moment, while they were getting increasingly heated. It is not something that is easy to do, but I swear they made me blush.

When they upturned that table in their search for a convenient and friendly nearby wall, breaking whatever that clay ornament on it was supposed to be in the process, the paralysis spell deviously thrown on me broke, and I made a very hasty strategic withdrawal. I then wedged a chair against the door from the inside and, a quick dash down the corridor and back later, managed to write a sign in nice, big block letters that said OUT OF ORDER, DO NOT DISTURB that I hung on that chair.

After that I strolled off to make sure the kid was kept occupied until her big sister, and her sister’s blushing brand new girlfriend, decided to come looking for us. All in all I’d say that was pretty nice of me, so I don’t see why I am the one currently locked out on the balcony of our apartment with nothing but a blanket and a wooden recliner for company.

Sure, I tease them as much as I can every chance I get... and I did kind of end up spilling everything to these two other friends of ours, who thought it was hilarious and in turn told several other people, but still! To lock me out here and then go to bed themselves, is that any way to treat a friend?

Ah well, its not so bad. It is a warm night, and those stars look quite amazing from here. I think I’ll just lie here and continue to dream of that elusive someday.

The day when I too will know what it is like to love.



10 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think i mention this before..but erika...really sounded sad in those last few sentences..even though she's trying hard to be cheerful and happy, supportive too..i guess she's just feeling kinda down..cos she doesnt have anyone yet...

..give her someone soon then :)

Ryûchan said...

Spikesagitta,
Yeah, I agree that it was a bit sad for Erika there... which wasn’t exactly what I intended for her when I started to write her bit, but that is how the story turned out. As for giving her someone, I did once have a story in mind where she, years later, hook up with Barkhorn’s little sister. I can quite imagine the cars and other large objects come flying after a half-naked Erika as she runs for her life away from an enraged and overprotective Barkhorn with Chris fuming at her sister’s meddling in the background. XD
/Ryûchan

Katajanmarja said...

I lol'd at "OUT OF ORDER, DO NOT DISTURB".

Thanks again for the reading experience. :)

Ryûchan said...

Katajanmarja,
*grins* Glad you found it amusing!
Thanks for sticking with the series. ^_^

Bartillet said...

Hahahaha!! I lol-ed So much!! Erica is just Soo funny!! Awesome story, by the way, a good writer you are! =D

Ryûchan said...

Bartillet,
*smiles* Aww, I’m happy to hear that you found it that funny! And thank you very much for the praise. *bows*

Bartillet said...

Hahaha, Ryuchan, love your stories lots!! I've readall of them several times. Please write more Minna/Barkhorn! You've awaken in me a strange liking for that pairing too! =) Oh, by the way, you should write that Story bout Erika and Trude's lil sis, Chris! It'll be soo funny, and cute!

Ryûchan said...

Bartillet,
^___^ Thank you! Glad you liked it!
Ahh, what can I say? I really am a sucker for Minna/Barkhorn, I just think they’d be so cute together. I’m kind of worried that season 2 will promote Mio/Minna though, and that’d break my heart a little (oh they’re good together too, it is just that I prefer Minna/Barkhorn and Mio/Yoshika)… so I’m both eager and a little bit anxious for the new season to begin. ;P
Heh, that story about Gertrude threatening to kill Erica for sleeping with her precious little Chris… wish I could have written it, but beyond the part where I envision Erika running for her life while Gertrude is throwing cars after her, well, I never really came up with anything more.

Anonymous said...

Aw, poor Erica, don't worry, there's always Ursula?

Ryûchan said...

Anonymous,
Ursula, isn’t that Erica’s sister?
/Ryûchan