Some Friendly Advice

The population of the Crusade was all in the war room. Allen was going over how they were going to raid some Zaibach supply depot, but he didn't have much of an audience.

Gaddes held his head gingerly in his hands while he drank liberal amounts of coffee, trying to get over his hangover, Kio, Reeden, Oruto, Pyle, and the rest were all asleep, Merle curled up sleeping in Van's lap, while Van polished his sword, and Hitomi and Millerna were busy playing footsy under the table.

Hitomi tried to look attentive as Millerna's slippered foot rubbed gently against her sneakered one. She glanced casually at Millerna's face. The princess was watching her, eyelashes lowered seductively. Casually, she licked her lips, drawing out the motion and rising heat in Hitomi's skin.

'God, you get too turned on by this woman' she thought to herself.

"Hitomi!"

Hitomi blinked and turned guiltily toward Allen. The knight was looking impatiently at her. "Sorry, what?"

"That's the third time I've asked you something and you weren't listening."

Hitomi shrugged. "Sorry. Ask a fourth time and I'll see what I can do."

Struggling not to laugh, Van coughed loudly, causing Merle to shift in his lap and meow unhappily before she drifted off again. Allen sighed gustily. "I asked you if you could try and dowse the Zaibach base we're hunting. You could tell us where their troops are and where we should attack." He gave her a charming smile. "If anyone could do it, it would be you."

Hitomi sighed. "No".

Allen blinked. "No?"

"I told you in Freid. I'm not a tool that you can just use anytime you like." Hitomi shook her head in frustration. Why couldn't they understand that? "I'm a human being, not a weapon."

Allen stepped in front of her, looking deep into her eyes in what he, no doubt fondly, imagined to be a melting gaze. "Hitomi" he said his voice low and husky, "This could help turn the war in our favour. Please do help us. For me?"

Hitomi was not impressed. "No".

"But you could-"

"Look Allen, she said no. So just drop the subject and leave her alone, okay?"

Allen, Van, Hitomi, and even Gaddes stared at Millerna. The princess was unusually pale, and she was tight lipped from anger. "Hitomi doesn't want to use her powers so just drop it!"

Stunned, Allen didn't answer. He just looked at Millerna in frank astonishment. Finally he said, "Well…uh…I guess we can manage without your help Hitomi."

Hitomi smiled. "Thank you." When Allen looked away she winked her thanks to Millerna. The princess just smiled and continued rubbing Hitomi's foot.

Eventually, the meeting (such as it was) ended. Gaddes stumbled off, presumably to bed, Van picked up the still sleeping Merle and carried her out, and Millerna daintily rose and strolled from the room. Hitomi was about to follow her when Allen stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Would you come with me please?" he asked. Hitomi nodded.

Allen took Hitomi's hand and led her through the Crusade. All the while, she wondered what this was about. Suddenly she reeredered what Gaddes said last night about Allen wanting to talk to her.

When they reached Allen's room, Hitomi's mind was whirling and twirling with theories and suggestion as to what he wanted to talk to her about. She was so busy thinking that when she blinked she was inside his room.

Allen's room was pretty much the same as any other. It was bigger because he was the captain, and it had a weird sense of flair to it. There was a lot of lace, and a large mirror stood at the opposite end of the room. Every bit of furniture looked like it had been polished with a toothbrush and soaked in turtle wax. It made Hitomi want to 'ooh' and 'ah', and throw up at the same time.

Apparently Gaddes had not gone to bed. The lieutenant was sitting on a chair across the room, still holding his head. He managed a weak smile to Hitomi before moaning in pain.

Allen took Hitomi's hand and sat her down on the bed. He sat down beside her. "I suppose you are wondering why I brought you here." She nodded. "Well I may as well get to the point."

Allen took Hitomi's hands in his own. He leaned forward so that he was almost in her face. "Hitomi, you're unlike any girl I've ever met. From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were special. Before, I was alone. My family has gone, and my home was taken by the king. I was stuck in a swamp in the middle of nowhere. Now that I've met you, my life has meaning and purpose."

Allen reached out and gently brushed a strand of Hitomi's hair from her face. She didn't move as he continued. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to live without you Hitomi." He got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

Silence reigned through the cabin. Not a single wave of sound penetrated the air. Allen watched Hitomi expectantly as she took in what he said.

Finally, Hitomi sighed deeply. Shaking her head, she released Allen's hands. "Allen…I'm sorry, but…I don't love you back. Besides, I'm only fifteen. I can't marry you."

Allen was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled sadly. Standing back up he brushed his uniform. "I see. Well then I guess it's better that I go that out in the open than held it in."

Hitomi didn't have an answer. Allen smiled again.

"You know Hitomi, you're the only woman to ever have refused my advances. I wasn't lying when I said you were special. But I guess we weren't meant to be. Maybe in another life". He bowed to her. "I'm sorry for taking up your time like that. And I'm sorry for troubling you." He sat down and faced the window, watching the clouds go by.

As Hitomi stood up, an intense feeling of guilt rose up in her stomach. She turned and left the room, stopping just outside the door to contain herself.

'You did the right thing' she told herself. 'It wouldn't have been fair to him to let him go on like that. Now he's free to find someone else.'

But that feeling of guilt remained. 'Remember how long it took you to find somebody you loved? You're lucky that Millerna came to you, otherwise you'd still be alone.' She sighed as the conflicting parts of her mind began to argue. 'The poor guy'.

She turned to go, but suddenly she got an indescribable feeling. Slowly, she turned to face the closed door. Watching it for several seconds, she stepped forward slowly and put her ear against the thin wood.

She heard footsteps coming toward the door and walking away from it, as if someone was pacing. A voice that sounded like Gaddes was talking.

"Well I guess that's that." He said. "For the first time a woman rejects you. Good thing you're not a sore loser".

"Yeah". The voice of Allen sighed. "It's too bad though. She might have been the one."

"You say that every time. And every time you give her up. It's getting as old as that speech of yours." Gaddes laughed. "So who's next on your list of conquests? Princess Millerna is pretty hot."

"She is at that. Midsummer's fest is only a few days away. I'll think I'll ask her to go with me."

"Ah yes. Who would miss the chance to go to the festival with the heavenly Allen Schezar? And who wouldn't enjoy the delights in his bed afterward?"

"Oh knock it off! Not even I sleep with a girl on the first date. Maybe the second or third." The two men laughed.

Hitomi felt cold. Then she felt hot. She pushed open the door to the sight of Allen and Gaddes laughing. "Well. You sure got over that fast enough."

The surprised look on Allen's face was priceless. Before Hitomi could enjoy it however, she slammed the door shut and stormed off down the hall.

'That pig! That stupid, arrogant, lustful, wanton, lying, deceitful, possessive BASTARD!' She thought angrily. There were no words to describe how furious she was. 'How dare that man whore play with my feeling like this?! All the time that I thought I liked him, he was playing my feelings to try and get me into bed! Or a closet for that matter!!! I can't believe I ever liked him!'

Her mind turned to what else he and Gaddes had said. 'Millerna is mine' Hitomi thought. 'I don't care what he says, he's not getting my princess!' She knew she was getting possessive, but she didn't care. She was at her door and could effectively sulk for an hour or so. She stormed inside, slamming the door shut on the way. She went to her bedroom, lay down on her bed, and buried her head under the pillow.

She lay there for an unknown amount of time. She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she felt was a soft touch. "Hitomi?" a quiet voice asked.

Hitomi opened her eyes and couldn't help but smile at what she saw. "Millerna!" Sitting up, she hugged the other woman tightly. "I missed you."

Millerna giggled and hugged her back. "It's only been half a day."

"To me it was an eternity." Hitomi kissed Millerna warmly. The princess met her kiss eagerly.

When they broke apart, Hitomi sighed happily. Lying back on her bed she pillowed her head in her hands. "I've got to tell you, I'm loving the fact that you stopped by."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Do you remember last night?"

Millerna looked at her like she was crazy.

"Okay, stupid question. Do you remember Gaddes saying that Allen wanted to talk to me?" Nod. "Well he just did."

Hitomi told Millerna everything about her meeting with Allen, every scrap of detail from the tone of his voice to the colour of his blanket (which was blue, incidentally). When she was finished the story, Millerna was shaking with fury.

"He's got some nerve doing that to you!" The princess' hands were clutching the bed sheets hard. "He doesn't deserve you Hitomi, and I'm glad you rejected him."

"But won't he go after you next?"

Millerna laughed. "Do you really think he'll have much luck with me now that I have a lover who he tried this on already?"

Hitomi grinned. "Point taken. Still, it really does piss me off." She lay back again, half closing her eyes.

Millerna didn't say anything. She lifted Hitomi's feet into her lap and gently removed her shoes and socks. Carefully, she began rubbing her feet.

"Mmm… That feels good."

"You like that?" Hitomi swiftly nodded. "Then more you shall get." She rubbed harder. Then Millerna lifted her foot and kissed her ankle.

Hitomi gazed at her lover. "What are you doing?"

Millerna smiled sweetly as she massaged the other girl. "Making you relax." She kissed her leg, just above her foot.

"By seducing me?"

"Don't knock it 'till you've tried it."

"Alright then. Take your best shot."

Millerna's smile turned evil. She softly and gently kissed her way up Hitomi's soft, smooth leg. Her smooth skin was warm and tasted of Hitomi; a taste that she had grown very familiar with the night before, and she longed to do it again.

As she reached Hitomi's mid calf, Millerna's kisses grew harder. Her lips pressed eagerly to the flesh as if desiring to drink it up. Farther and farther up Hitomi's leg she moved until she reached the edge of her shorts. Slowly, teasingly, she pulled them down the other girl's legs. Casting them away, the princess bent her head down.

Millerna delicately ran her tongue over the insides of Hitomi's thighs, nibbling the soft skin. Going even farther, she encountered Hitomi's lacy panties. Carefully, so as not to bite the other girl, Millerna caught the underwear in her teeth and pulled them slowly, provocatively, inch by inch all the way down Hitomi's hot, sweaty legs. Releasing the clothing, Millerna returned to the cleft between Hitomi's legs and moved higher.

Pushing her hands up under Hitomi's shirt, Millerna lifted it over her head, fully exposing Hitomi's upper body to her eyes. Millerna noted that Hitomi wore no bra today. Grinning again, she rolled her nipples in her hands until they were stiff and hard. And still she delayed. She kissed Hitomi full on the lips, plunging her tongue deep inside her hot mouth.

All through this time, Hitomi had been growing steadily more and more aroused. At last she could take it no more. While Millerna's tongue played tug-of-war with her own, she screamed long and loud, directly into the princess' mouth, while her flaming hormones urged her on.

Millerna pulled back teasingly. "Are you relaxed yet?"

"Please Millerna" Hitomi panted. "Take me now. Now!"

"Not until you're relaxed".

"I'm relaxed, damn it! I. Am. Relaxed!!!"

"If you say so". Still playing, Millerna asked, "How do you want it?"

"Hard. Fast. Inside and out." Hitomi's eyes dilated as she slowly lost control.

"As you wish". Millerna slid back down Hitomi's body and stopped when she reached her cleft. Inhaling the heady odours, she tickled Hitomi's opening with her tongue, making the other girl scream.

"Damn it Millerna!" Hitomi was howling. "Give it to me bitch! Give it to me!"

'With pleasure' Millerna thought. Then she thrust hard into the opening with two fingers. Hitomi screamed with insane pleasure. Millerna pushed in deeper and harder as drops of fluid leaked out slowly. This sight brought Millerna to the brink of insanity as she too was overcome by lust. She clamped onto Hitomi's clitoris, sucking madly as she continued thrusting into the other girl.

Hitomi held on as long as she could, trying to remain at the peak of her climax, but she could not hold for long. Her back arched, her eyes widened, her fists clenched, and she screamed as her orgasm exploded outward, all over Millerna's face.

Unable to move, Hitomi lay back and stared at the ceiling as Millrna lapped up the juices. When the princess lay down beside her, she managed to find her strength. "That was…intense."

Millerna smiled and tickled her nipple. "Really?"

"Really". Hitomi snaked her arms around the other girl and kissed her passionately.
Lets do it again."

Millerna laughed out loud. "Okay, you twisted my arm!"

***

Merle wandered through the halls.

The cat girl was looking for Hitomi's room. She wanted to talk to the seer about her chances with Van. Van. That name made a feeling of peace and joy well up within the cat girl.

Up until this morning, Merle had always thought of Hitomi as a rival for Van's affection. But today she seemed totally uninterested in him, and she intended to find out why.

Reaching Hitomi's room, she quietly opened the door and crept inside, closing it as she did.

Faint giggles and murmurs came from Hitomi's room. Merle frowned. What the hell?" Silently, she sneaked up to the wooden door. Gently, ever so carefully, she opened the door and peered inside.

Merle took one good look at what she saw and screamed. Whirling around, she ran full tilt to the exit.

Now, Merle can be forgiven for what happened next because of a couple of things. First of all, she was so totally taken by surprise by what happened that all memory and thought were pushed from her head. Secondly, being part cat, her instinct told her to run on all fours, so her head was parallel to the floor. Finally, her eyes were closed, trying to erase the sight of what she had seen from her vision.

Merle can hardly be blamed if she forgot that she had closed the door.

***

Merle woke up to a splitting headache. Groaning, she rolled over on the couch and stared into Millerna's wide blue eyes.

"Millerna?" she asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

The princess exchanged a glance with Hitomi, who was sitting by the table. Merle watched the glance suspiciously. Suddenly she remembered and jumped to her feet, causing another wave of pain to roll through her head.

"Merle?" Millerna asked, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better. What happened?"

Hitomi spoke up. "You ran headfirst intclosclosed door at about thirty k/mh."

"Oh".

Millerna reached into the bowl beside her and pulled out a cloth soaked in icy water. Merle pushed it away. Stumbling to her feet, she stared, wide eyed at Millerna and Hitomi. Finger pointing to each in turn, she babbled pointless gibberish. "You!" she finally managed.

Hitomi sighed and stood up. Walking over, she slipped an arm around Millerna's waist. "Yes Merle. Us".

The cat girl sat down hard. "…When? How? Why?"

"Last night, Hitomi was teaching me about men, and I guess we sort of…you know." Millerna blushed, hugging Hitomi tighter.

Merle whirled and glared at Hitomi. "THIS is why you've been so distant to Van today!"

Hitomi shrugged helplessly. "What can I say? I'm a lesbian."

"What?"

"Never mind. The point is that you can't tell anyone about this."

Merle held up her hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Do you two honestly think that I can keep a secret, especially one this big?"

Millerna stepped forward. "Merle, you know how people think about same sex relationships. We just want things to be more…stable before we tell them."

Merle's face contorted as two powerful instincts, the need to spread secrets and the need to help her friends, entered the duelling arena. Finally she sighed and threw up her hands. "Alright. I'll keep your secret."

"Oh thank you!" Millerna hugged Merle happily. Hitomi watched jealously, wishing she were Merle at that moment.

Merle pulled back. "But if Van asks I'll have to tell him. I won't lie to Van."

"Merle, I doubt that Van is going to ask you 'Merle, are Hitomi and Millerna lovers?'"

Merle shrugged. Maybe, but we'll see. Now I think you two want to be alone."

"You got that right." Hitomi kissed Millerna again, the latter stroking her hair. Merle made a face.

"Not while I'm here girls!" Merle turned to leave but paused. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Mmm…Gaddes…"

"Okay then." Merle left before things could heat up more.

Walking down the halls, Merle looked over the strangeness of the situn. n. Hitomi and Millerna, the two people least likely to form a relationship, were having sex. She smiled. 'They deserve each other'.

Turning a corner, she bumped into Gaddes. Both were startled.

"Merle. I'm sorry, I should have been looking where I was going."

"It's alright." She hesitated and then blurted it out. "You know about Hitomi and Millerna, right?"

Gaddes nearly fainted in relief. Some one else knew! It wasn't just his secret! "You know!"

"So do you!"

"God, I've been dying to talk to some one about it."

"How did you find out?"

Reeden strolled by. Seeing the two, he stopped. "Hey boss. What's up?"

Gaddes nodded his way distractedly. "Nothing. Come on Merle." Taking her arm, they walked away to talk about the recent development.

Reeden looked on, puzzled. Then he shrugged. "I'll bet they're doing it."