Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Walking the Edge ❯ Introductions ( Chapter 3 )

BIG FREAKING DISCLAIMER: I don't own Love Hina, only Kiera. But I wish I owned Love Hina… *sigh*

Anything in italics are thoughts. If I can get the italics to work… Or if they're like this: `thought' and mentioned as a thought. Most of the time.

Chapter 3 - Introductions

"Er, well, I'm Kiera Trinh. I'm from California, the state of surfers, hippies, and valley girls." Kiera said nervously.

"Mitsune Konno, but my friends call me `Kitsune'." Kitsune smiled.

"I'm Shinobu Maehara. I'm sure Sarah will enjoy having another tenant from California here." She smiled weakly.

"The name's Su! Kaolla Su!" Su leapt around Shinobu, occasionally rubbing against her.

"Motoko Aoyama." Motoko glared at American. "You better watch your step because, unlike the others, I don't accept you here yet. You'll have to earn it." Her sword was clutched in her hands.

Kiera laughed. "Was that a threat?" Motoko exhaled in a huff and ignored her. She crossed the room and began climbing the stairs. "I'm going to resume training. Call me down for dinner."

"Yeesh, somebody's got their panties in a knot." Kiera muttered under her breath as soon as Motoko disappeared upstairs.

"Just don't say that when she around," Keitaro warned.

"Oh? Why's that huh?"

"Did you miss the sword she was carrying?!"

"Really? Wow, I must've missed it," Kiera smiled sheepishly. Everyone listening face faulted. "Think I should go apologize for my little `explanations'?"

Everyone nodded vigorously. "She practices on the roof," Shinobu supplied, eager to be helpful. "Just keep heading up the stairs."

Kiera nodded and headed for the stairs.

"Wait, did she just use air quotes?" Kitsune asked no one in particular.

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Kiera trudged up the stairs. `Damn, I knew my mouth would get me in trouble someday.' She smirked at the thought. The stairs opened out to an open landing with, you guessed it, more stairs and other landing.

She crept up the stairs as silent as a cat. Poking her head above the final landing, she was entranced by Motoko's movements. `Graceful, supple, elegant, hot. Wait, did I just think hot?? No, she's not hot. Damn hormones! I just met her!' She thought furiously, her head still above the landing, watching the other. `You can always just enjoy the show. After all. . .' An inner voice suggested. `Quiet, you. Ok, showtime.' She was mentally telling herself. She tore her eyes from watching the other and climbed the last few steps.

"Motoko?"

The older girl turned and glared coldly. "Yes?"

"Um, I, uh, just wanted to apologize for the, uh, whole anatomy joke."

Motoko stared, her expression unreadable.

"What I'm saying is, I'm sorry. Sarcastic comments are just my thing, you know? I didn't mean anything by it."

Motoko stared some more. She seemed to think for a moment. "Alright, I accept your apology."

"You willing to shake on it?" Kiera stuck out her hand. They shook hands just as Keitaro punched a hole through the roof, no more than 3 feet away. He kept going, flying through the sky like a bird. Well, a bird with two broken wings anyways.

"PERVERT!"

Kiera sweatdropped. "Does this happen a lot?"

"Only when Urashima does something perverted." Motoko sighed. "Come, let's go get you a room since our landlord won't return for a while."

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Keitaro reappeared on the grounds of Hinata House an hour later, without looking much worse for wear. He stumbled once again through the doors and sat down heavily on the couch.

"Hell-o landlord." A voice with a slight American accent greeted.

Keitaro tilted his head back and met eye to eye with his new tenant. "Where are you going?"

"I gotta go and get my luggage, since I've been so gracefully provided a room." Kiera grinned at him. "I'll be back later."

"Huh," he looked at the clock. "Dinner will be in an hour or so. Hurry back. Oh, and I'll bring you the tenant papers later."

She nodded and swiftly headed out the door.

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Dinner had come and gone without any sign of their new tenant. Su had disappeared into her room, no doubt working on Mechas instead of homework. Motoko retired upstairs to do her own homework and Shinobu had done the same. Keitaro and Naru had left to `study' in Naru's bedroom. Kitsune was sprawled out on the couch, a glass of sake in one hand and remote control in the other.

Suddenly the front door opened and in walked Kiera, hauling in and dumping 3 large, gray suitcases and a midnight blue duffel bag on the floor. Kitsune turned and eyed the pile decorating the floor. "Do ya want some help with that?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," she panted sarcastically.

"Oh, no trouble at all, I'll just go get our landlord to help ya," Kitsune replied cheerily. "Only if you don't mind lending me a bit of cash to get some more sake."

"I'd be damned delighted." Kiera rolled her eyes and straightened out, her back cracking in several places. Kitsune walked up the stairs, pleased to have another bank account to drain. Kiera slipped back outside to grab the final black duffel bag and added it to the luggage pile. She slid the door closed and valued the time for a breather before she had to haul her crap up more steps.

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Meanwhile, upstairs…

Kitsune hummed an annoying little ditty she heard on the radio earlier. She reached Naru's door with little trouble and slid it open quickly and silently, not even bothering to knock. What she saw rendered her speechless.

She had walked in on the middle of a passionate kiss with Naru on top of Keitaro. They practically jumped apart with Kitsune cleared her throat loudly. Keitaro was beet red with blood trickling out of his left nostril. Naru was glancing around like a frantic trapped animal.

"It's not what it looks like!" Naru screamed, blushing brightly. "I tripped on a book and Keitaro broke my fall!"

"With what? His lips?" Kitsune snickered.

"Yes! No! Arggg!" Naru kicked Keitaro when he opened his mouth to say something. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"I thought Keitaro should help our new tenant with her luggage."

"I-oh. Um, Kitsune, could you not tell anyone? Please?"

"What kind of best friend would I be if I couldn't keep a secret?" Kitsune smiled. "By the way, I need more sake." She sauntered out the door, laughing to herself.

"Sometimes I could hate her," Naru sighed. She looked at Keitaro. "What are you still doing here? Your tenant needs help." She booted him out the room and slid the door shut.

"Hurry back." He thought he heard her say. Sometimes he wished he and Naru could just tell everyone they were a couple instead of keeping it a secret. He sighed as he picked himself off the floor and ambled down the hall.

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Back downstairs…

CRASH!

Kiera opened her eyes at the sound of the crash. She wasn't even aware she closed them. She turned to see Keitaro lying at the bottom of the stairs, upside down and swirly-eyed. "You all right?" she drawled.

He climbed to his feet and shook his head slightly to clear it. "Just fine. I tripped and fell," he smiled sheepishly. He walked over, nearly tripping again over something.

The American rolled her eyes. "Okay. Are you gonna help me out or what?" She got to her feet.

He nodded and reached for the black duffel. She grabbed it quickly and pulled it over. "Ah, I got this one." She said, glancing at him, her eyes unreadable. He gave her a strange look and picked up a gray suitcase. `That's strange though, I thought I heard metal clang together.' He thought as he followed her up the stairs. "Wait, who assigned you a room?" he stopped and asked.

"Oh, Motoko helped me find a room when you were, uh, indisposed." She said, not turning around. Her tone betrayed slight relief over something. The stairway opened out into the second floor hallway.

"Hmm, I should go thank her for helping then." He mused aloud. He kept following, making sure he didn't drag her things across the floor.

Kiera stopped and half-turned to face him. "What did you say - Yahhh!" she yelped as Keitaro walked into her and brought them both to the floor. She was on her back and he was on top of her. Full body contact.

Neither said anything for a few seconds. Keitaro could feel blood beginning to seep out of his nose. "Get. Off. Of. Me." Kiera growled, annoyed.

In his hurry to scramble off, his hand landed on something soft. Both of them froze and looked down. His hand was resting on her breast.

"Keitaro, if you don't get off me right now, I swear, I'll tear your nuts off and break your arms," she growled dangerously. Keitaro scrambled off, resisting the urge to cover his `delicate areas'.

Little did they know, Naru was watching the whole scene from her doorway with a mixture of amusement, jealousy, and a little fear over the last comment. She had been ready to help out just in case, but wanted to see how the new tenant would handle herself. Little did Naru know, everyone else was watching them and her with Kitsune restraining the others.

Kiera climbed to her feet after Keitaro got off of her. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to touch you! It was a total accident!" he stammered.

She grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up, letting him dangle off the ground. He was surprised when his feet left the floor. "I would appreciate it if this little incident didn't repeat itself," she said slowly, her dark eyes glittering with an angry fire. She lowered him back down to the floor. "Besides, there's nothing to apologize about, I shouldn't have stopped like that."

"Awww, that's so sweet. Someone defending Keitaro."

"Eh?" Both hapless landlord and American turned around.

Kitsune was smiling broadly while Motoko and Naru looked angry. Su was giggling and Shinobu looked worried.

Kiera smirked. "Thank you. Thank you. All I can say is: it needed to be done." She bowed.

"KEITARO! You clumsy pervert!"

"URASHIMA! How dare you take advantage of a tenant this way!" Motoko drew her sword.

Naru and Motoko begin advancing on him. Keitaro began to back away, his hands in front of him to ward off a blow.

Kiera stepped in front of him. "Hold on."

"Move." They said unanimously to her.

"I kind of need him to help me with my luggage. Can this wait?" She smiled.

Both of them looked at each other and at Keitaro. They nodded.

"Fine, I'll hit him later."

"Urashima, you will get the punishment you deserve afterwards."

Kiera nodded and picked up the black duffel bag. There was a distinct clink of metal. She hurried down the hall, leaving Keitaro to fend for himself. He snatched up the suitcase and ran after her.

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A/N: Ooh, long. Don't worry, some more good parts are coming up. Although, the next chapter isn't really funny, it's more angst than humor. In fact, this whole fic isn't all that funny. Hmm. Oh well, if you review I may respond faster. Or not. Hell, I'll be happy to even get flames as a response. Even though they agitate me… And these freakin' tags! *screams at computer* Oh well. I'll try to finish a chapter a week unless school work ties me down.

-MindKore