Fortnight in Utopia: Day 05

Disclaimer/note: Characters and setting are property of Team Ninja. This fictional story is based on Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. The story features lesbian relationships: and some days (i.e. chapters) also feature violence or offensive language. Please don't read it if you aren't old enough.

-Morning of Day Five-

It was early. I eased out of Hitomi's protective grasp and got out of bed, stretching. After softly kissing my lovely bedmate, I went to the living room and started a light workout.

A few minutes into it, I felt eyes on me. I glanced around. Hitomi was sitting in a padded chair, drinking orange juice and watching me. "Hope I didn't wake you," I said, not stopping my squat-thrusts.

"Your absence was what did it. I just woke, realizing you weren't with me anymore."

"You can go back to bed. I'll get you up for breakfast."

"You're wrong. I can't go back to bed without you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, don't be! I ought to get up earlier anyway. You obviously put me to bed, so you must've gone to sleep after me..."

"...That's nothing to worry about. I naturally don't sleep as much as most people do."

"Hm, I wonder if there's a genetic reason for that. But we're both up now: you working out, me enjoying the sight." She chuckled.

I only blushed faintly, quite used to doing my exercises nude. "Consider it your reward for getting up before you're used to," I said airily. "What should we do today?"

"Have fun, definitely!" She stood. "You want me to have a beverage ready at the end of your routine?"

"Green tea with a little bit of honey, please?"

"You got it." She went to the kitchen while I kept doing my exercises. She soon reappeared and watched me. I really liked that. She wasn't leering. There was no lust in her eyes; she was simply watching me with admiration. She made me feel strong and beautiful, especially when I finished and she said, "That was poetry in motion. Watching your muscles move is hypnotic."

"You're so sweet," I said, kissing her lightly. She draped a towel over my shoulders and we sat side by side, drinking our respective drinks. "Sorry I took so long last night-"

"-I'm glad you did," Hitomi said quietly.

I looked inquiringly at her. "You are?"

"Sounds weird, I know. I...felt something. We weren't even talking-doing separate things-but you were there and because you were there, I felt good. I've never felt like that, satisfied just by being near someone. It's so real."

She started crying gently. I wrapped her in my arms, feeling tears in my eyes. "You're right, baby; it's real. I love you. So much-so much it scares me a little."

"My Lei-chan. I love you. Be patient with me, please; I don't know how to deal with this yet."

"Sh. I'm here for you. It's my first time with true love too."

I kissed her, hugging her very tightly. I ran my hands through her hair and she gently rubbed my back.

"A shower?" she finally asked.

"Okay," I answered.

After the brisk shower, we went to the hotel restaurant.

We immediately returned to my suite after that. "I'm also going to build an emissions sensor/recorder," I told Hitomi, "this evening."

"What will it do?"

"Tell us if anyone's secretly coming or going from the island and whether anyone's storing anything unexpected, like explosives. A small homemade bomb could obliterate that beach grill, for example."

"Whoa. I hope it doesn't find anything."

"You aren't kidding."

Hitomi went to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. "Can I use your eye drops?"

"Sure."

She came back in a moment, blinking rapidly. "Tina's been acting childish."

I hadn't expected that. I asked, "How so?"

"Pouting a lot, saying she wants more time with me...stuff like that."

"Hinting that she wants to be your partner." Jealousy flashed through my heart, but I trusted Hitomi, so my mind overruled it. "What do you think; should we swap?"

I was watching her closely; I saw that same jealousy sweep over her features. "Only if you don't mind. You know she and I are good friends, just like you and Lisa...but..."

I grinned at my German girlfriend. "I'm in favor of it, conditionally."

"Yeah?" Hitomi said, smirking back at me.

"You're still in my bed every night: that's the first."

She nodded, giggling.

"The second is that either of us can change our minds and become partners with each other again."

"That's it? I want to add one more condition."

"Let's hear it," I said.

"We'll inform them of our conditions and why we made them."

I pursed my lips, pretending to consider. "Why did we make them?"

"You're such a jerk!" she said, trying not to laugh. I pulled her close and tickled her ribs a little.

"I just want to hear you say it again," I told her, my voice low and sexy, letting my fingers speak as well.

"It's because we're in love!" she shrieked. "Now stop tickling me!"

I did...about five minutes later.

The American girls were staying at the Seabreeze Hotel. Hitomi and I walked there and asked for their rooms at the front desk. I was pleased with the security; the strawberry blonde receptionist smiled and paged our friends instead of telling us their room numbers. I noticed that she only called one room before telling us they'd be down in a minute.

It was 0830-probably earlier than Lisa would have liked-but she was a good sport as she and Tina joined Hitomi and me in the spacious lobby. We had their attention, partly because Hitomi was lying on the long leather sofa with her head in my lap. "We wondered if the two of you would be interested in switching partners," I told them.

"What?" said Tina. "You look pretty comfortable with each other."

"We are," Hitomi replied, adjusting herself on the sofa and me, "because we love each other. But I'd still like to be partners with Tina for a while and Lei would like to be Lisa's partner."

"In fairness, we wanted to tell you our agreement. We promised we could change our minds and get back together. Can you accept our terms?"

Lisa looked seriously at Tina, then at me. Tina looked at the ceiling, trying to decide.

"I've never been in a position like this," Lisa eventually responded. "I'm happy for the two of you, first and foremost."

"Ditto," said Tina.

"I want to be your partner, Lei-fang, but-I don't know!" The dark-skinned girl threw up her hands. "What're your thoughts, Tina?"

"How could I pass up the chance to be with Hitomi? I want to do it. In a weird way, I'm glad you two put your cards on the table this way. It breaks up the tension we might feel." The blonde girl was beaming at us.

"Let's try it then," Lisa said. "But Tina and I can change our minds too, right?"

"Wouldn't be fair if you couldn't," Hitomi answered.

At about 0930, Lisa and I went shopping. I didn't have much luck. I toyed with the idea of buying "Peacock" for Kasumi, but chose to wait until I had more credits (and until I'd gotten a better idea whether she'd like it.) It was a good excursion for Lisa; she sent three wrapped packages back to her room to await delivery.

"How about a match after some breakfast?" she asked once we were done in the shops.

I considered for a moment. "How about we wing it? You know, just wander and do whatever strikes us?"

"An unscripted morning? Deal," she said, taking my hand. "That's relaxation and that's the point of being here."

Her hand felt good in mine. We began our walk. "I'm really glad you're with me," I told her. "Hitomi-chan's the one who thought we should try new partners, but I wanted to be your partner before she said anything. And if she hadn't said anything, I would've proposed it myself soon. I always feel happy when I'm with you."

"That's sweet of you, Lei-chan. I'm happy to be with you. I try to get along with everyone-but I don't need to try at all in your case!"

"Definitely couldn't have picked a prettier place to unwind," I said as we strolled along the coast. We were still in the cool shade of the broad-leafed trees; the smell of plumerias and the saline scent of the ocean were mixed by a swirling breeze. We came upon the inviting sight of the warms sands of Niki Beach. I squeezed Lisa's hand a little harder and she squeezed mine. We started running across the sand, toward the ocean. We got right to the water's edge and stopped. We fell on our backs, hands still clasped, laughing merrily.

But Lisa suddenly sprang up. She stayed in a crouch. Uh-oh, I knew what was coming. Lisa started splashing me with the warm, shallow water. I quickly splashed her back.

We basically had a water fight! After it, we lay next to each other on the beach, enjoying the sunshine, glad for our sunscreen.

"You know, I really do need to thank you for 'Astarte,'" I said. "Hitomi really likes it and so do I."

"So does everyone!" She giggled. She wriggled closer, until her side was pressed against mine.

I understood her meaning, but I was too conscious of her body next to mine to get properly embarrassed or indignant. Instead, I decided to flirt. "Why does everyone like it; why do you like it?" I asked, putting my elbow under me and looking into her eyes.

"We like watching the motion of that beautiful backside of yours," she answered, looking steadily at me. "And your body in silhouette."

"You're admitting to ulterior motives," I told her, smirking.

She leaned closer. "I'm just glad it worked."

"I am too," I said, surprising her. I sprang to my feet. "You're a dirty-minded angel, so thanks for the suit. Now let's grab some lunch, ne?"

+++++

The early afternoon found us approaching the marina. "I haven't raced since last time, so go easy on me," I implored my new partner.

"I can't; I haven't raced since then either," Lisa told me.

"But you won last time!"

"And I'd like to again," she said with a snicker.

We got to the water and saw Kasumi and Kokoro getting their jet skis ready for a race. "Hey, would you like to join?" Kasumi yelled, seeing us approach.

"Yes, thanks," I answered.

"How're conditions?" Lisa asked.

"They're great," Kasumi said.

Kokoro spoke up quickly. "They're great here, but expect some chop when we get to the windward side."

"Thanks for the warning," Lisa said. We got our craft ready at the starting line.

I was soon happy that this race was on water and not a paved surface. There were ramps all over this course and I experimented with stunts with varying amounts of success. Luckily, Kasumi was having at least as much trouble was I was with the jumps and Kokoro was playing it safe by taking the long way around the ramps.

The three of us kept swapping second place while Lisa got farther and farther in front. The race was soon over; Lisa won. Kasumi and I battled for position as we hit the last ramp. We both landed well, but Kasumi's angle was wide. I punched my turbo and earned second place.

"That was fun," Kasumi said as we secured our jet skis to the pier.

We all agreed, but I also decided to voice my sole complaint. "I sure could use something to drink besides the saltwater I just had. Who's with me?"

They thought it was a good idea, so we walked to the poolside bar. A waitress swooped to our table as soon as we'd gotten seated. I got a cherry cola; the syrup and the carbonation would scour the aftertaste of the ocean from my mouth. It also soothed my mildly stinging throat.

While our small group sat, drinking and talking, I realized that I was thinking of Hitomi. Thinking of her-not missing her. I wanted to see her, but I didn't need her that instant. I figured that meant our relationship was healthy. She was in my mind, but we weren't co-dependent.

"We've all seen you at the casino, Leifang-san," Kasumi said, giving me a pointed look. "I admit, I didn't expect that from you."

Not again! I fought to control my blush. "I like to let down my hair now and then," I said. "Besides, you were there too."

"You act wild there! Don't even pretend you don't."

"You do seem...unrestrained," Kokoro added quietly.

"I like it," Lisa said, earning my gratitude. "Your eyes have that sparkle that lights a room. I remember last vacation; I saw flashes of this risk-taker persona. I liked it then too."

"'Risk-taker?'" Kasumi mused. "I'm a little envious."

"Be glad your mom doesn't keep you under her thumb," Kokoro said, only half-joking. "I need to start taking more risks. But it's so hard to do. What's your secret, Leifang-san?"

"I don't acknowledge this persona you're talking about," I protested. "I'm flattered (I think) but I'm not a big risk-taker."

Kasumi smiled. Her voice had an unexpected hint of wickedness. "You take more than Kokoro and I do anyway; all I have to do is look at you and see your...attributes highlighted in that suit."

I could tell I wasn't going to win a defensive contest, so I tried a new tactic. "This suit was a gift. I love how it looks and feels. I wear it and I'm betting you'd do the same if you received a cute, somewhat risqué swimsuit from a friend. Ne?"

She laughed nervously. "Sou da," she muttered.

"You know," Lisa said suddenly, "It's more fun to buy a risqué suit for someone else than for yourself. Which reminds me: I haven't done any serious shopping in couple of days."

"You want to?" I asked, knowing she wouldn't have brought it up otherwise. I got out of my chair. "If you two don't mind, we'll take off."

"Not at all. Thanks for the race," Kokoro said.

Later in the afternoon, Lisa and I agreed to try a volleyball match...and we had to amend our plans because Hitomi and Tina were already playing Helena and Christie and no one else was available. Instead, we took off for the pool after a brief walk. Once we got there, we decided on tug-of-war.

I had just as much success against Lisa as I'd had against Hitomi and that means none. Okay, not quite "none." I did win one game; but she won the match.

I still had plenty of fun though. When I fell into the water for the third time, Lisa jumped in after me and challenged me to a race. After three races (crawl, backstroke, and breaststroke) we were a little tired. We got out and flopped into a couple of chairs. "You're a good swimmer," Lisa said.

"Thanks. So are you, you know. Especially your backstroke."

"Want to check the shops once more and call it a day?"

"Nice idea." We got out of our comfortable seats. "By the way, why do you suppose we all get sold different suits? From the sample I've seen, your selection's better than mine-not that I want to seem like I'm complaining-but why the difference?"

"Who knows? It's arranged by Zack. I pretty much never understand why he does what he does," Lisa answered.

"True! Since when has anyone known his reasoning?"

I bought various flowers and ribbons in the accessory shop; I didn't get anything in the sports shop; I got the blue R/C plane in Zack of All Trades. The plane wasn't a gift: I was going to modify it and use it for surveillance.

After we finished shopping, I asked Lisa where Tina and Hitomi would likely appear when they hung it up for the afternoon. She said Tina made it a point to walk past the large shed that held all the pool equipment. Lisa and I hung around near there and soon Hitomi and Lisa showed up, sure enough.

"How about the four of us eat together?" I asked my three companions.

"No objections," Lisa said.

"Me neither," said Hitomi.

"Which restaurant?" Tina asked.

"Your choice," I told her.

"Poolside Grill, then; about 1930 is good?"

Hitomi and I walked back to our rooms together and I offered to do her hair. She accepted and said she'd return the favor.

I'd worn "Astarte" all day, so I chose "Peacock" for tonight. I took a quick shower. Refreshed, I got into the cute two-piece and put on a little foundation, rouge, lip gloss, and eye shadow. Next, the hair.

Hitomi and I greeted each other with a very nice kiss. She sat and I got behind her and started brushing. I put her thick, tawny hair in an spiraling bun and secured it with two long ornamental pins. She put my hair in a single long braid.

"Looking good," Hitomi said, looking me up and down.

"I'll be happy if I'm even half as good-looking as you," I answered.

"Be more than happy, then." She's such a sweetie! I offered her my arm and we strolled to the grill. We got there just a bit before our friends. Apparently, they'd gotten just a bit dolled up for this as well; Lisa had a couple of gold barrettes and earrings with red gems (I wasn't sure whether they were garnet or ruby) and Tina had her hair curlier than usual and she sported a gold heart-shaped pendant.

An odd urge came over me and I proposed a toast. "Here's to love, friendship, and any overlap they may have."

I got six confused eyes fastened on me for that! "...Hear, hear!" Tina said after a short silence.

We all laughed nervously and drank. Tina stood and raised her glass. "Let me make a toast too. We'll drink to continued good times!"

"Hear, hear!" we answered, drinking again.

Hitomi squeezed my hand and kept this impromptu thing going. "I'll make one as well," said the German girl, standing and looking at each of us. "Here's to our host, who unwittingly treated us to a marvelous time. Again."

"Let's hope he keeps doing it!" Lisa added. We laughed and drank the toast.

Lisa took the floor. "Does anyone mind if I make one as well? A toast to this happiness, may it last as long as we can enjoy it."

"Right on!" Tina responded. We drank once more.

As we ate, we talked about our days. Tina and Hitomi hadn't had a day too different from ours. They had played a volleyball game, however, and had lost. Hitomi wished I'd been there when she took her first victory in a watercraft race, too. As I knew would happen, Hitomi asked us what we'd done in the morning. I said casually, "We played on the beach a bit." I saw a flare of jealousy in Hitomi's irises, but she didn't press for details, nor did Tina.

It was a very pleasant dinner. The four of us were going to go to the casino, so when we left for our hotels, we didn't say goodnight.

Hitomi and I went to our separate rooms to send gifts (and to receive, it turned out.) I kept the delivery girl busy: I sent presents to Hitomi, Lisa, Tina, and Christie. I got a yellow rose from Hitomi. I put it in my hair. I got yellow nail polish from Lisa.

And from Tina, I got "Electra"!

My first thought was that I would match Hitomi. My second thought was that maybe my eyes were playing tricks; I should pick up the suit and make sure it was real.

It was soft, almost ethereal. The fabric had some stretch to it; it was probably a blend of cotton and nylon. My sense of touch agreed with sight: the suit was real. I'd definitely wear it tonight.

I put "Peacock" back in the closet and put on "Electra." It felt nice, and the girl in the mirror looked sexy, but still cute. I liked the suit on me almost as much as I liked it on Hitomi.

I put on my high-heeled shoes and my cowboy hat and I went to my girlfriend's door immediately. Her beautiful blue eyes widened when she saw me and her mouth kind of hung open.

"We match," I told her, putting my hand on the brim of my hat and making a little bow.

(Okay, it was more a pose than a bow.)

(Okay, okay! I was teasing her, flaunting myself, daring her to do something.)

She extended her hand. I took it. She gently pulled me closer to her. She kissed my lips, then my neck.

"Sexy girl," she whispered. Her voice was low and hungry; electricity surged through my belly. Damn, she'd just turned the tables on me. I wanted her so badly.

I kissed her lips and slowly, carefully, maneuvered her into her suite's kitchen area. I put my hands on her hips, squeezing.

Before she could bat an eye, I spun her. I mashed myself against her body, forcing her to half-lie on the countertop. I kissed and sucked her neck while I yanked her suit bottom aside.