How To series #7

How To
Get A Confession...
Starring
The Hopeless Half-Demon
And The Persistent Princess



'CRAP CRAP CRAP!...She's gonna be here any second now...I'm not ready, there's no way I can go through with this!...I'm gonna look and sound so stupid!'


Setsuna was busily running around her dorm room in a near blind panic, trying her best to fix it up. Today, she was going to have Konoka over to relax and watch movies' much like every other Sunday since reuniting after their class trip to Kyoto. Usually, there would be very little reason for the swordswoman to get so up in arms and jump head first into an OCD session about her charge coming over, but today was different. For a long time now, she had been seriously contemplating her true feelings towards Konoka, almost to the point where it took her over completely. It even began to interfere and distract her from her school work and training.


It had gotten so bad, that at one point just under a week ago, Asuna had to sit her down and knock some reality into her. They had just started a round of training when Konoka had stopped by to quickly ask what her two friends would want for dinner. As the heiress turned to leave, Setsuna's attention was instantly drawn to watching her walk away...all while Asuna was in mid attack...needless to say that the following smash of an impact lead to a string of cursing from the furious red head, followed by a glare that made even the half demon within Setsuna cower in fear.


Once things settled down, Asuna took a deep breath and rolled her eyes; she was going to do whatever it took to get Setsuna to finally confess her feelings to her best friend and roommate. After a few hours of persuasion, accompanied by much complaining and a few attempts at either dropping the subject or escaping from the swordswoman, Asuna was finally starting to get through to her.


"Look Setsuna...Pretty much everyone in our class already know how you feel about her..." began the red head, "Shit, even Negi has some sort of idea...and that kid is as dense as concrete when it comes to love and stuff...Why not just suck it up and tell her? You must have some idea already on how she feels about you...it's kinda really obvious..."


Setsuna sighed as she looked away from her friend. "Yeah, yeah...I know..." she then mumbled under her breath. "...Doesn't make it any easier..."


Asuna clicked her tongue and pulled her mumbling friend under her arm. "Course it makes it easier bird brain! Konoka basically throws herself at you every single day...all you gotta do is catch..."


"But what if-..."


"No! No buts bud!" Asuna interrupted before Setsuna could get her panicked words of doubt out. "You ARE gonna tell her that you love her next chance you get...I mean it! I'm not gonna train with you all distracted anymore!"


Since that day, Setsuna kept getting irritable glares from Asuna any time she turned to look back at Konoka or when she was asked to pass out papers to the class. If she wasn't around to get the glares, you could be sure that Asuna was sending the swordswoman prodding text messages. Finally, Setsuna gave in and told her friend that she would tell Konoka everything on Sunday when she came over.


Now that the promised day of confessing finally arrived, Setsuna was having second thoughts and was even considering faking sick and cancelling; that is, until she realized that Asuna would just step up the pestering...and that Konoka would come over anyway to help and look after her. Nope, no matter how she tried to think of ways to get out of it, it just wasn't going to work for her. Setsuna was doomed to love her Konoka, and would just have to fess up.


"Alright Setsuna...let's just keep calm and try to focus..." said the swordswoman out loud to herself. "Besides...you have nothing to really, really worry about...I mean...it's mutual...right?"


"Who are you talking to Seeeeeeeet-chaaaaaaan?...and what's mutual?"


Setsuna felt as if ice was quickly tearing its' way up from her toes to the top of her head. While she was busy panicking and mumbling away to herself with her back to the door, Konoka had managed to sneak in unnoticed. The heiress was now standing only a few feet behind her, trying not to give away that she was giggling at her out-of-commission protector. Despite what Setsuna may have thought, Konoka had known for a long time now what sort of effect she had on the swordswoman. She also knew that her protector loved her just as much as she did in return. The only reason why the heiress never came out and said anything to Setsuna, was that she loved to watch how flustered the swordswoman got; it was what drove Konoka wild into her fits of want anyway.


Setsuna was completely unaware of the fun Konoka seemed to be having behind her as she was too busy trying to figure out an excuse for saying mutual. She quickly spun around and said the first thing that came to mind. "The use of nuclear weapons in today's society would definitely mean mutual destruction for everyone! Sooooooo...there's...uh...no real need...to uh...worry about it happening now...you know...yeeeeaaaah..."


"Wooooooow Set-chan..." sighed Konoka as she stared at her protector. "...I had no idea that you were so political and thought about this kind of stuff when you're alone..."


On the inside, the swordswoman was wishing for herself to spontaneously combust for the words that just fell out of her mouth. On the outside however, she looked as calm as she could while she scratched the back of her head and moved to close the door behind the heiress. "Yeah well...you know...these things are always important to think about...How about that movie now yeah?"


Setsuna watched as Konoka shot her a smile of approval before making her way over to the couch. While her back was turned, the swordswoman face palmed and shook her head to herself before taking a calming sigh and following her charge. Once the DVD was popped into the player and the lights were slammed off, Setsuna flopped down onto the opposite end of the couch; desperately trying to get herself refocused on the task of confessing at hand. After doing some quick calculation, the swordswoman figured that she had just over two hours if she wanted to tell Konoka during the movie; plenty of time to calm down and think it out. Just as she felt like her head was coming back to her, Setsuna felt a very familiar presence come right up on her side. Without even looking, she knew that Konoka was now snuggling up into her arms to get comfortable for the movie. If an outsider was to walk into the small dorm right now, they would see two girls cuddling with one another as if they had been seeing each other for years. Setsuna lounging in the corner between the arm of the couch and the back. Konoka huddled in snug to her protector's chest just under her arm. It was easy moments like this that made it hard for Setsuna to deny her feelings, and made Konoka wish that the movie would never end.


For a few moments, Setsuna lost all train of thought as she gave into the easy and relaxing feeling from the calm and slow rhythm of her princess's breathing. It was so easy to just be with her like this.


'What if I confess and, say we do end up together...what if all this changes and something bad happens? What if I lose her? What if...what would happen if she ever stopped loving me?...'


"Set-chan, is something wrong?" asked a very concerned looking Konoka as she gently pushed up to look better into her protector's eyes. "You're breathing kind of stopped and you look a little worried..." she stopped and tried not to giggle. Already knowing what was on Setsuna's mind, she decided to take a jab. "...you aren't still thinking about nuclear war or anything, are you?"


The swordswoman was glad it was dark in the room, she would have a hard time trying to explain away her blush of embarrassment otherwise. "No, no...nothing like that...it's not important..."


Konoka pouted and sat upright. "Well obviously it's something important if it makes you look so worried...can I try guessing?"


"Huh? Wha...wait no..."


"Aww come on, it'll be fun!" said Konoka with a little smile spreading over her face. "Besides, I wanna know how well I KNOW my Set-chan!"


Y-your Set-chan?...Setsuna thought to herself.


Konoka then leaned n closer to the swordswoman, causing her to tense up. The heiress then proceeded to look her protector up and down, making playful humming noises as she did. "Hmmmmm...Are you thinking about something or someone specific?"


Setsuna gulped a little, nodding. "Yes..."


"I see..." replied Konoka in a very detective-like tone. "A person then?" Again she paused as she watched Setsuna nod yes. "And would this person be someone I know?"


"Konoka-I mean Kono-chan...at this point, you know everyone that I know..."


"Now now Set-chan...just a simple yes or no will be fine..." laughed the heiress as she watched her protector grow slightly more uncomfortable. "So is this person someone I know or what?"


Setsuna sighed and playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes."


"There, see how easy that was?" asked Konoka with another giggle as she gently put a hand on Setsuna's forearm. She felt a small twitch under the touch and hid her smile; this was going to be fun. "Alright so this person...are they in some sort of danger and that's why you're worried?"


"Well no..."


"Alright, no danger...let's see. Are they mad at you?" once again Konoka leaned in a little more without the swordswoman noticing.


"No...least I hope not..." replied Setsuna as she quickly glanced over the heiress to make sure there was no sign of anger. Instantly, she felt relieved when she didn't pick up on any.


"Ok...no danger and they aren't mad at you huh?" Konoka allowed her hand to slowly graze up Setsuna's arm. She was going to press for it with her next question, hoping that it wouldn't scare the swordswoman off. "Do you maybe have feelings...for this person?"


Setsuna was taken by surprise at the question and almost felt as if her throat was closing up. There was no way she could answer this question truthfully without Konoka pressing on, eventually leading to the point of no return. She was torn, but in the end knew that this was something that she would just have to do. With another gulp, Setsuna answered. "...yes..."


It was now Konoka's turn to be surprised. She had no idea that Setsuna would give in and answer that way. Excitement was building as she continued on. "Are you maybe kinda worried...cause you think that...they don't feel the same?"


"No..."


Again, Konoka was taken aback. Apparently, she had made her own feelings for her protector a little more obvious than she had thought. "Soooo...you know for sure that they feel the same then?"


"...yes..." answered Setsuna with her eyes unknowingly glued to the ceiling.


"Ok...are...are you close with this person?" asked Konoka as she now began to feel her heart pumping away in her chest. Unconsciously she continued to graze Setsuna's arm and even began to move closer.


"...v-very close...yes..." the swordswoman had to fight herself in order to get it out, but felt a little more relief once the words left her lips. She also began to unconsciously move closer.


"Would you say that this person...means a lot to you?" breathed out the heiress as she tried to hide her excitement.


"...yes..."


"Like as a friend or-..."


"More, much more than a friend yes..." interrupted Setsuna. Her head was working on autopilot now.


"Set-chan...do you...love this person?" Konoka could barely contain herself and swore that she felt a tear make its' way to her eye.


There was no turning back now; this was it. Setsuna took a deep breath and decided that she would be the one to end this game. She was going to do it. This was definitely the time. She leaned in closer now, putting a hand to Konoka's cheek as she pulled her face toward her own. "Kono-chan...yes...I love this person...I love...you."


Without another word, the small space between the half-demon and the princess closed completely.


SMACK!


Suddenly Setsuna felt her eyes spring open and a searing pain flood over her face. Light came pouring in all around her and she quickly became aware of the soft feeling of grass under her. Just as she was about to ask herself where she was, the answer was yelled at her.


"SETSUNA YOU ASS! What the hell are you doing?!" yelled Asuna from a few feet in front of her, also on the ground. "I'm not Konoka bird brain! Don't go pulling that kissy crap on me! Frigg bud...here I am trying to help you come too after your distracted ass crashed into me during training and BAM! Lip lock!"


Setsuna sat up more and shook her head. "What happened? Wait...what day is it?"


Asuna shook her own head. "It's Monday afternoon, Konoka was here a few minutes ago asking about dinner...you got distracted...Damn it, I'm tired if this...you're confessing to Konoka if it's the last thing I make you do!"


"So all of that just now...was a dream?" asked Setsuna confused.


"Dream...DREAM?!" replied Asuna. "Dude...I like you and all, really...don't kiss me any more in your dreams..."


"WHAT?! WAIT, NO THAT'S NOT!...ASUNA!"


"Oh, and if you don't confess to Konoka...I'M TELLING HER YOU KISSED ME!" yelled the red head as she shot up and turned towards the dorms.


"BUT...BUT...damn it..." was all Setsuna could shoot off before tearing across the lawn after her friend.